Miss Susy's Posts - MIAMIurbanlife.com2024-03-28T15:43:53ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusyhttp://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2186688292?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=2gl4uho1nk61l&xn_auth=noHappy Thanksgiving MUL!tag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2010-11-25:1256554:BlogPost:7036572010-11-25T16:18:35.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
<p style="text-align: left;"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2202655386?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt=""/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2202655386?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt=""/></p>Mrs. Brickell's Neighborhoodtag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2010-09-13:1256554:BlogPost:6908562010-09-13T12:23:21.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
<p>A little Brickell history...</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.miaminewtimes.com/1998-03-19/news/mrs-brickell-s-neighborhood/">http://www.miaminewtimes.com/1998-03-19/news/mrs-brickell-s-neighborhood/</a></p>
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<div class="content_head"><h1 class="headline">Mrs. Brickell's Neighborhood</h1>
<h3>In the shadows of the skyscrapers lies a quaint little slice of Miami's past known as Southside. Soon it will be wiped from the face of the earth.</h3>
<div class="byline">By…</div>
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<p>A little Brickell history...</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.miaminewtimes.com/1998-03-19/news/mrs-brickell-s-neighborhood/">http://www.miaminewtimes.com/1998-03-19/news/mrs-brickell-s-neighborhood/</a></p>
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<div class="content_head"><h1 class="headline">Mrs. Brickell's Neighborhood</h1>
<h3>In the shadows of the skyscrapers lies a quaint little slice of Miami's past known as Southside. Soon it will be wiped from the face of the earth.</h3>
<div class="byline">By <a class="author" href="/authors/jacob-bernstein"><font color="#660000">Jacob Bernstein</font></a> <span class="pubdate"><em>Thursday, Mar 19 1998</em></span></div>
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<p><a title="Donald Bermudez" href="/related/to/Donald+Bermudez"><font color="#660000">Donald Bermudez</font></a> first heard about the sacred freshwater spring from the widow <a title="Mary King" href="/related/to/Mary+King"><font color="#660000">Mary King</font></a>, who lived across the street. He was just a boy back then, but he'd befriended many of the old folks in Southside, and they spun tales for him of the mysteries of the land.</p>
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<p>In those days, some 30 years ago, the elderly ladies whiled away their afternoons playing bridge at the widow's house. Between rounds of cards, they told the boy all kinds of stories: how their forebears had arrived by sailboat in the 1800s. How they'd bought up parcels of land from <a title="College of William & Mary" href="/related/to/College+of+William+%26+Mary"><font color="#660000">William and Mary</font></a> Brickell, who owned acreage stretching as far south as Coconut Grove, and west to present-day <a title="Little Havana" href="/related/to/Little+Havana"><font color="#660000">Little Havana</font></a>. The settlers carved out tracts from the thick hammock of live oak and strangler figs and built houses near a tributary stream that flowed into the Miami River.</p>
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<p>And the women told how, long before the first Spanish explorers came, before there were Seminoles and Miccosukees in South Florida, <a title="Tequesta Indians" href="/related/to/Tequesta+Indians"><font color="#660000">Tequesta Indians</font></a> traveled and camped the region, living off the fish and game that teemed along the river's final journey to the bay. But the Europeans brought disease and war, and the Indians vanished from the land. In time, the stream disappeared, filled in for development. But stories of the sacred spring survived through generations, though it lay under years of accumulated earth.</p>
<p>"Come on, Mrs. King, you're bluffing," Bermudez used to say when he heard the tale. Oh, no, she'd promise. The spring is there, right across the street, on <a title="Gladys Suitter" href="/related/to/Gladys+Suitter"><font color="#660000">Gladys Suitter</font></a>'s property.</p>
<p>Southside, a solid middle-class community, rose up during the 30 years after the turn of the century, in one of the city's first development booms. Bordered by the Miami River to the north, the Roads neighborhood to the south, and the bay and SW Third Avenue to the east and west, the community sat just across the river from downtown. Most of the houses sported gables and eaves, and ample, unfenced lawns. Sabal and coconut palms lined the streets.</p>
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<p>Back then, just as today, wealth was concentrated near the bay, where the Brickells owned most of the land. Miami's moneyed class built spacious mansions along the waterfront. Although geographically part of Southside and separated from South Miami Avenue by only a quarter-mile, the bayfront was another world. An early photograph of <a title="William Brickell" href="/related/to/William+Brickell"><font color="#660000">William Brickell</font></a>, whom historians describe as a recluse, shows a pale, bearded man dressed in a dark suit buttoned tightly to the neck. The power player in the marriage, historians say, was his wife Mary, who handled the business and earned a reputation as a cantankerous and stubborn woman.</p>
<p>"She had a very definite idea of how the area she called the Brickell Hammock should be developed," says local historian <a title="Paul George" href="/related/to/Paul+George"><font color="#660000">Paul George</font></a>. In December 1921, the year before she died, <a title="Mary Brickell" href="/related/to/Mary+Brickell"><font color="#660000">Mary Brickell</font></a> wrote an open letter to the people of Miami, half justification, half advertisement, describing what she wanted to do with her still ample property: "Many times in the past I have been urged to sell this tract to subdividers but I have not cared to part with it for a number of reasons. The average real estate operator has but one object in view, viz: to develop the land to be subdivided as quickly and cheaply as possible, and to get it off his hands at an inflated value, and reap an exorbitant profit. But I have always had a vision of a subdivision 'de luxe' for Brickell Hammock." She wasn't against development per se, so long as it was done her way.</p>
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<p>The Brickells bought the land in 1871 and then waited for more than 40 years, says George. "They knew that someday it would break, and they wanted to be here when the whole thing developed and they would be sitting in the catbird seat." They were self-centered, very insular, he says. "I don't think you got anything from them for free." But when it finally seemed that Mary Brickell's development dreams would come true, she died. As for the freshwater spring, no one knows exactly when it vanished and became the stuff of lore. Certainly before the Twenties, when Southside matured into a vibrant community, replete with small-town charm. A generation later, Brickell Avenue fell into decline, and office towers supplanted the old bayfront mansions. But farther west Southside continued on, relatively unscathed.</p>
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<p>On the face of it, Donald Bermudez, a boy from the mountains of central <a title="Colombia" href="/related/to/Colombia"><font color="#660000">Colombia</font></a>, would seem an unlikely candidate for adoption by genteel old white Southern ladies. Yet soon after the Bermudez family -- one of the few Latin households in the neighborhood -- arrived in Southside, they became regulars for tea and cookies on their neighbors' verandas -- stout covered porches attached to houses built of hardy <a title="Dade County" href="/related/to/Dade+County"><font color="#660000">Dade County</font></a> pine.</p>
<p>"We would sleep with the doors and windows open in the summertime," remembers his father <a title="Ishmael Bermudez" href="/related/to/Ishmael+Bermudez"><font color="#660000">Ishmael Bermudez</font></a>, who arrived first, in 1957, to scout out Miami before sending for his family. In his heart the elder Bermudez hoped his move to Miami would be temporary. Back home, the dictatorship of <a title="Gustavo Rojas" href="/related/to/Gustavo+Rojas"><font color="#660000">Gen. Gustavo Rojas</font></a> Pinilla was already crumbling and the strikes and violence that had wracked Colombia might soon come to an end. Yet with a nod toward pragmatism, Bermudez carried among his possessions a handful of avocado, papaya, and mango seeds. A skilled technician, he found work as an airplane mechanic. Three years later a former army buddy became the Colombian consul in Miami and hired Bermudez as a commercial attache. That year he sent for his wife and four children.</p>
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<p>Though the Bermudezes didn't know it at the time, they were in the first wave of Latin immigrants. By 1965, 210,000 Cubans would join them in Miami."Believe me, there were no Latins back then," says Donald Bermudez, remembering the taunts of his classmates on account of his poor English when he first arrived. Nor did he understand the paranoia gripping his new homeland. It was the Cold War era, two years before the Cuban missile crisis, and schoolchildren in Southside were trained in bomb drills that consisted of lying absolutely still beneath white sheets. "There they were, sitting under blankets and crying, and I'd go home and ask my father, 'What is going on?'"</p>
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<p>At home, the Miami River and the bay offered swimming and sailing within walking distance. All one had to do was cross wide Brickell Avenue, which Mary Brickell had envisioned as the perfect complement to her development at the turn of the century. An enterprising youngster could discover multiple paths to ocean adventure by sneaking past the decaying mansions.</p>
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<p>To the west Flagler's railroad, now the route of the elevated Metrorail, ran between avenues E and F (today's SW First Avenue) and afforded hours of entertainment: slipping pennies on the railroad tracks or spying on the hoboes who lived in the tall grass. A boy could also earn spare change by smuggling beer to residents at the rest home behind the <a title="Widow King" href="/related/to/Widow+King"><font color="#660000">Widow King</font></a>'s or working for Tony, who owned the Southside Market and sidelined as a bookie.</p>
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<p>The old ladies sat on their porches and greeted by name those who walked past. And when the boy would come to walk their dogs or have a glass of lemonade, he never tired of their stories of the nomadic Tequestas and the spring.</p>
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<p>When Donald Bermudez was in high school, his father bought the Suitter property and finally planted the seeds he'd carried from Colombia. If the spring existed, Donald knew, the Bermudez family now owned it. Fascinated, half wanting to believe it was a source of power under the earth, he vowed to find it. "This was one of the things that really intrigued me," he says today. "They said it was holy -- what was that?" The old women told him it lay at one end of the property, but they knew no more than that.</p>
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<p>A plan unfolded the summer his father left for an extended business trip to Colombia. Donald read books on archaeology and began to dig a trench around the yard. Using pieces of mesh, he fashioned sifters so that nothing would escape his notice. In true <a title="Tom Sawyer" href="/related/to/Tom+Sawyer"><font color="#660000">Tom Sawyer</font></a> fashion, he enlisted his brother and a friend. As they searched, they began to find carved seashells, bones, and arrowheads wedged in the dirt and limestone. "I was all excited." he recalls. "I was hoping to find some dead <a title="Tequesta" href="/related/to/Tequesta"><font color="#660000">Tequesta</font></a> chief!"</p>
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<p>Seventy-three-year-old Ishmael Bermudez still shakes his head as he recalls the piles of dirt and gaping pits that greeted his return. "How the hell are we going to walk here?" he said. Still, he was proud of his son's resolve, and he let the search continue. The boys proceeded with their digging, advancing along the west side of the property. At times they excavated holes, some three feet deep, that filled with water, but not from a spring. The old ladies passed the open yard, calling out their encouragement and inevitably asking if they'd found it yet. And then one day they did.</p>
<p><br/>Today Donald Bermudez stands beside the spot in his yard. Ferns and mosses of a deep green hue cover the rocks around the shimmering pool. "We verified what the old ladies had said," he notes, recalling his satisfaction and the glee he felt when friends who'd called him crazy came to see.</p>
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<p>After the spring was uncovered, it became a watering hole for wildlife. Foxes and raccoons that lived under the old houses came to drink. When the rains fell, Bermudez remembers, the croaking of frogs filled the air. Crabs would crawl from a lip of rock above the water until the sea walls went up along the bay and they disappeared.</p>
<p>"When the water is low, it makes strange gurgling noises," says Bermudez. He used to sit on the rocks by the spring and imagine Tequestas who must have stopped at the spot. Perhaps they gathered around the spring and talked about the day's hunt or of the strange forces of the natural world they could only attempt to placate. Bermudez and his brothers watched the 1991 solar eclipse reflected in the center of the water and felt a connection between Earth and sky they imagined the Indians would understand. "The old ladies used to say, 'When the water dries up, everything will die,'" he says.</p>
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<p>Of course, the old ladies died anyway, and Donald and Ishmael Bermudez found themselves attending numerous funerals for the friends who had welcomed the family to Southside. Mrs. King passed away on Christmas Eve 1977, at the age of 91. But her death and those of the other old ladies were but a small part of the changes affecting the area. The Cubans came, and their neighbors' children began to move away. Then many Cuban families, achieving a degree of prosperity, followed the Anglos to the suburbs. Now Latin Americans live in most of the homes of old Southside -- known to most Miamians as West Brickell -- and the houses sag under faded, peeling paint. Most have been sold and cut up into apartments, rented to other immigrants.</p>
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<p>Some of the new arrivals from <a title="Latin America" href="/related/to/Latin+America"><font color="#660000">Latin America</font></a> thought they too recognized a certain power in the spring. They would ask for water with which to wash their hair. Some mornings the Bermudezes found sacrificial roosters and jewelry tossed into the spring by Santeria practitioners who lived in nearby apartments. "One day my sister found a dead chicken with ribbons and coins floating in the spring, and she screamed and got hysterical," Donald Bermudez says. After that, the family fenced in their land and bought pit bulls to stand guard.</p>
<p>Though their neighbors changed, some things remained constant. Development, for example, continued to bypass the community. In the early Eighties another office tower boom on Brickell Avenue threatened to sweep west and clear out what remained of the old neighborhood. But the market crashed when a rush of construction caused a glut that coincided with a downturn in Latin American economies. The neighborhood survived.</p>
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<p>That miniboom had its inauspicious beginnings in 1967, when <a title="Allen Morris" href="/related/to/Allen+Morris"><font color="#660000">Allen Morris</font></a>, a fundamentalist Christian and advertising man turned real estate magnate, built an office tower on Brickell Avenue. At the time, people said he was crazy to purchase land in the area, recalls his son, William Allen Morris, who, in 1980, took over the company his father had founded. "No one would consider putting an office on Brickell because it was on the south side of the river," he says. But the elder Morris saw an opportunity few recognized: It was precisely West Brickell's location, near downtown, that would transform the area into prime real estate one day; as properties became available, he quietly bought them. "It looks pretty scrappy right now," says his son today. "The Brickell area is a long-term investment."</p>
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<p>In the early days, Morris acquired some of the lots for as little as $40,000, according to Ishmael Bermudez, who watched as his neighbors gradually sold their homes and left. Eventually Morris became the major landowner in Southside. But like Mary Brickell before him, he didn't live to see his investments turn into a development reality. He died of pancreatic cancer this past January."Morris always wanted to own our house, but my father outlived him," says Donald Bermudez. (William Allen Morris claims not to know the house.) And today the immigrant renters wait fearfully as their developer landlords eagerly anticipate a real estate boom that has been half a century in the making.</p>
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<p>"All of this will be gone," concedes Alfredo, a neighborhood fixture who spends most days sitting on his stoop on SW Tenth Street, smoking a cigar and enjoying a beer. He is unaware of the existence of the freshwater spring several hundred yards from where he sits. What he is aware of is the fellowship of the community in which he lives. Those who frequently travel the street between SW First Avenue and South Miami Avenue call Alfredo by name.</p>
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<p>Originally from Cuba, Alfredo, who didn't want his surname included, worked as a clerk in the education ministry under then-<a title="Fulgencio Batista" href="/related/to/Fulgencio+Batista"><font color="#660000">Pres. Fulgencio Batista</font></a>, though his true passion was wrestling. He competed all over the island and even in Mexico. Indeed, one look at his mittlike hands is enough to show that he would be a formidable foe. Not quite six feet, 63-year-old Alfredo is a man of ample girth, with a wide, round face reminiscent of the Spanish-language television personality Don Francisco. After a daughter came to the United States, Alfredo and his wife decided to follow in the mid-Eighties. "I had worked for the 'other' government," he says matter-of-factly of his treatment under the Castro regime. "Every time there was a problem, they came looking for me."</p>
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<p>The marriage didn't fare well in Miami, and Alfredo found himself kicked out of his house. He rented an apartment in Southside and worked as a welder. A fall from a rooftop seven years ago shattered his knees, and walking has become an exercise in pain. Doctors refused to operate unless he slimmed down and eliminated some bad habits. Alfredo gave it a try but found no success in the effort. He moved into a room in a nearby house and adopted a more sedentary lifestyle. His knees are horribly swollen; one is the size of a cantaloupe, the other a grapefruit. The grapefruit he ruefully calls his "good one."</p>
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<p>"Sometimes it's hard to get out of bed in the morning," says Alfredo, "but if I don't, I know I'll die." As grim as that may sound, Alfredo takes umbrage at pity. Not only is he a proud man, but -- he is happy to point out -- he is a wealthy man. "I might not have money," he explains, "but I have all my friends." As if on cue, an ice-cream truck slows down in front of the stoop and the driver shouts, "AHola, Alfredo!" Alfredo grins. A neighbor's puppy at his feet lifts its head for a second. The sun shines warmly on them both.</p>
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<p>Throughout the morning dozens of people pass by, some from the neighborhood, some trekking from the office buildings on Brickell to the Metrorail. Nearly all slow to say hello in what seems to be a treasured part of their daily ritual. Alfredo smiles and bandies jokes, or compliments. He shows a formal courtesy to the women, and they in turn address him as one would a favorite uncle. The well-being of those who live around him is paramount, Alfredo says. He is a self-appointed neighborhood protector and not above helping convince suspicious characters that it's in their best interests to move along. Occasionally he helps out as a handyman, information clearing-house, and neighborhood message center. A man approaches, looking for an Ecuadorian who lives nearby, to discuss work at a restaurant. Alfredo promises to pass along the message. At Christmas his neighbors bring him food and liquor. Alfredo doesn't have plans for the day when boom time comes to Brickell and he is forced to move. "I don't know," he says and changes the subject.</p>
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<p>From his perch on the stoop, Alfredo is in perfect position to view his neighborhood. What he sees would make the old folks of Bermudez's youth feel right at home. Residents still sit together on their porches and watch the afternoon sun slide from the sky. At dawn's first light, kitchen doors open and dogs scamper down steps for a careful inspection of shrubbery. Children trudge along quiet streets on their way to school. On Sundays several brothers pour out of their house kicking a soccer ball along the way to Southside Park. Wild roosters roam the sidewalks. Off South Miami Avenue cats gather at kitchen doors of local eateries. In vacant lots cattle egrets forage for food.</p>
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<p>Most of these scenes will soon disappear. On glossy drawings of planned shopping malls, Southside carries the designation "Brickell Village." The development strategy has convinced investors either to purchase available land or strike deals to build on the sites belonging to current owners like Morris. Designs are pored over by venture capitalists in sky-high conference rooms with breathtaking views of a shimmering <a title="Biscayne Bay" href="/related/to/Biscayne+Bay"><font color="#660000">Biscayne Bay</font></a>. Raw land in Brickell Village that is zoned for multistory development now fetches between $65 and $75 per square foot, and retail sites sell for between $35 and $40, according to realtor <a title="Edie Laquer" href="/related/to/Edie+Laquer"><font color="#660000">Edie Laquer</font></a> of <a title="Laquer Corporate Realty Group" href="/related/to/Laquer+Corporate+Realty+Group"><font color="#660000">Laquer Corporate Realty Group</font></a>. The quasi-governmental <a title="DDA" href="/related/to/DDA"><font color="#660000">Downtown Development Authority</font></a> lists a half-dozen multimillion-dollar projects recently completed, under way, or set for groundbreaking within the next year just between South Miami Avenue and Third Avenue alone. The spurt of retail, commercial, and residential buildings promises to create a whole new neighborhood.</p>
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<p>"This is all about the best use of land," says <a title="Patricia Allen" href="/related/to/Patricia+Allen"><font color="#660000">Patricia Allen</font></a>, executive director of the DDA, a semiautonomous agency of the City of Miami. The people who live in the condominiums around Brickell and who work in the office buildings on Biscayne Bay have to drive long distances for amenities such as bookstores, movie theaters, or hair salons. "What you have is the highest expendable income in Miami without a retail product," says the DDA's Allen. "I think the demand is there." What she envisions is a hybrid of CocoWalk and <a title="Bayside (New York)" href="/related/to/Bayside+(New+York)"><font color="#660000">Bayside</font></a>.</p>
<p>Allen is standing on the corner of SW Eleventh Street and South Miami Avenue, in front of a vacant lot. Here, where most would observe only open grass, she sees rows of single family townhouses. Her speech is laced with phrases like "marketing product," "vectors," and "elastic demand." She is a booster for the Miami of the future. "We are a young city," she says. "Miami's destiny is bigger." But Allen is not entirely confident that the middle-class homes she sees for this spot will be built. "There is a lot of interest in residential mixed use, but fewer units are hard to do in an urban area," she sighs. "The difficult part is the cost of land." The value of the land dictates tall buildings and fancy boutiques. Yet the allure of the neighborhood -- an oasis near downtown -- precludes skyscrapers and chain stores. This is a dilemma Allen understands. She hopes to marry the existing aesthetic with the market demand through pedestrian malls, family-oriented shopping centers, and state financing for mixed-income housing.</p>
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<p>Market forces and decay will likely determine the fate of one large, ramshackle house -- the original Miami High School. Built to the north of the river in 1911, it was put on a barge and ferried to Southside. It served the community's children for three years before a stone structure replaced it. Abandoned as a schoolhouse, it became a residence.</p>
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<p>In the late Seventies the old schoolhouse was home to a commune, and the street became Hippie Central as other old houses were rented by like-minded people. Down the street, where the parking lot of the El Banco Ganadero stands today, was an old boardinghouse that became known as <a title="Hotel Universe" href="/related/to/Hotel+Universe"><font color="#660000">Hotel Universe</font></a>. Out front a 1960 Mustang rusted into a lawn ornament. By the Eighties, however, the scene had dissipated, and the hippies moved on. "I wish somebody would do something with [the old schoolhouse]," says Arva Moore Parks, a Miami historian and preservationist who lives further south on South Miami Avenue. "It's kind of a unique little school. It would be a great opportunity for a restaurant." She fears that Morris could easily be spooked into tearing down the property if he thought it would interfere with his development plans. <a title="Alma Shisseler" href="/related/to/Alma+Shisseler"><font color="#660000">Alma Shisseler</font></a>, who has lived in the house for fourteen years, believes that it might be too late to halt the decay. When asked whether anything in West Brickell will be saved, Morris pauses thoughtfully. "There is just not much of architectural value over there," he replies.</p>
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<p>Today, across the street from the former schoolhouse, not much is left except 63-year-old <a title="Roberto Chaviano" href="/related/to/Roberto+Chaviano"><font color="#660000">Roberto Chaviano</font></a>. "I feel this place is holy," he says as he feeds his animals and talks about religion, one of his favorite subjects. Chaviano cares for scores of pigeons and abandoned cats and dogs in and around an old house, which he has turned into an animal shelter. He is always on the lookout for more strays as he drives the streets in his rusty white van. Chaviano doesn't reside in the ramshackle house he once lived in and rented for more than 25 years. In fact he doesn't even pay rent on it any more, freely admitting it has been about a year since he gave money to the owner, Allen Morris. Still, he can't imagine a change in his status quo: "Where will I put my animals?"</p>
<p>Donald Bermudez stands next to an ancient banyan tree, its long thick limbs shading a good part of the corner of SW Eleventh Street on the west side of the Metrorail on SW First Avenue. Legend has it that at the turn of the century, highway robbers and blacks were hanged from its branches. Nearby a new fourteen-story condominium rises from a construction site. "It's just progress," explains Bermudez, gazing with resignation at the building. "Everything is going to be towers. Miami is an important place in the world."</p>
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<p>Later, sitting on the rocks by his spring, he dips a beaker of clear water from the spring. A few yards away are holes his daughters, the next generation of Bermudez archaeologists, dug in the yard under their father's tutelage. There is a proper time to unearth the past, he believes. The old folks told him that he should keep the spring's location secret, but circumstances, he says, have changed.</p>
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<p>The Bermudez family will eventually sell their home, says his father. "The house is worth pennies, but the land ..." Ishmael Bermudez's voice trails off. The family is already talking with adjacent property owners about the possibility of selling all their parcels as a piece. The old patriarch stands by the spring. "I love this property," he declares. "It's my second home." He talks about surrounding the spring with high steel fences or including some sort of deed restriction to keep it safe, but there's little conviction in his voice. He is no stranger to the ways of the world.</p>
</div>The Motivational Edge Shining Light on Autism in South Floridatag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2010-06-07:1256554:BlogPost:6794422010-06-07T12:37:44.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
I've had the honor and pleasure of doing an event with Ian Welsch, CEO of The Motivational Edge. Their music program is unique and beneficial for children that suffer autism. However, their program isn't limited to just autism. The Motivational Edge also provides learning and educational enrichment through music for children that are less fortunate or that may be at a disadvantage or even for those that just need a different way to learn. It is an exceptional endeavor and a spotlight for autism…
I've had the honor and pleasure of doing an event with Ian Welsch, CEO of The Motivational Edge. Their music program is unique and beneficial for children that suffer autism. However, their program isn't limited to just autism. The Motivational Edge also provides learning and educational enrichment through music for children that are less fortunate or that may be at a disadvantage or even for those that just need a different way to learn. It is an exceptional endeavor and a spotlight for autism in Miami.<br/><br/>Please check out their video and website to see how they are making a difference in our community.<br/><br/>The Motivational Edge on Comcast:<br/><br/><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RBM4FUilMmI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="never"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RBM4FUilMmI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="never" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
<br/><a href="http://www.miamiurbanlife.com/video/the-motivational-edge">http://www.miamiurbanlife.com/video/the-motivational-edge</a><br/><a href="http://themotivationaledge.com/partners.php"><br/>The Motivational Edge</a><br/>Gummy Bear Surgeriestag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2010-04-30:1256554:BlogPost:6743552010-04-30T17:00:00.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
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<tbody><tr><td valign="top"><h1><span class="n_title">Experimental Gummy Bear Surgeries</span></h1>
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<tr><td style="padding: 3px 0pt 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">By <font color="#009933">Ben</font> on Tue Apr 27 2010…</span></td>
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<tr><td valign="top"><img alt="Experimental Gummy Bear Surgeries" border="0" height="476" src="http://www.likecool.com/Gear/Other/Experimental%20Gummy%20Bear%20Surgeries/Experimental-Gummy-Bear-Surgeries.jpg" width="580"></img></td>
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<tbody><tr><td valign="top"><h1><span class="n_title">Experimental Gummy Bear Surgeries</span></h1>
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<tr><td style="padding: 3px 0pt 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">By <font color="#009933">Ben</font> on Tue Apr 27 2010</span></td>
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<tr><td valign="top"><img alt="Experimental Gummy Bear Surgeries" src="http://www.likecool.com/Gear/Other/Experimental%20Gummy%20Bear%20Surgeries/Experimental-Gummy-Bear-Surgeries.jpg" border="0" width="580" height="476"/></td>
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<tr><td><a href="http://www.likecool.com/cate-Gear.html"><span class="n_type">Gear</span></a> | <a href="http://www.likecool.com/brand-Gear-Other.html"><span class="n_type">Other</span></a></td>
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<tr><td valign="top"><span class="n_data">Gummi Bear surgeries(heart transplant, brain transplant...) by Instructables member <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Gummi-Bear-Surgery/">fungus amungus</a>.</span></td>
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<tr><td><div align="left"><span class="n_data"><img src="http://www.likecool.com/Gear/Other/Experimental%20Gummy%20Bear%20Surgeries/Experimental-Gummy-Bear-Surgeries-1.jpg" border="0"/><br/><br/>Courtesy of <a href="http://misssusy.blogspot.com/2010/04/gummy-bear-surgery.html">Miss Susy Says</a> & <a href="http://www.likecool.com/Experimental_Gummy_Bear_Surgeries--Other--Gear.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Likecool+%28Likecool-gadget+and+design+magazine%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">LikeCool.com</a><br/></span></div>
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</table>Buena Vista- Buena Comidatag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2010-04-29:1256554:BlogPost:6736202010-04-29T04:40:59.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
<div style="text-align: justify;">Who would have thought that love at first sight would transcend and manifest a unique French bistro in the heart of old-Midtown? A diamond in the rough some would call it, once first glance has skimmed through the bitter surroundings of its location. An easy spot to miss but all the better for those that have the fortune of its discovery. With very few choices for food in the area, owners Claude Postel and Clarie Bienvenu, have accomplished what they set out to…</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Who would have thought that love at first sight would transcend and manifest a unique French bistro in the heart of old-Midtown? A diamond in the rough some would call it, once first glance has skimmed through the bitter surroundings of its location. An easy spot to miss but all the better for those that have the fortune of its discovery. With very few choices for food in the area, owners Claude Postel and Clarie Bienvenu, have accomplished what they set out to do; establish a place in the neighborhood where people can get a good meal.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">As you walk into the bistro, the aroma of fresh baked bread fills your chest while your eyes drift straight ahead admiring all the fine custard filled and fruited pastries. A slight glance to your left, would cause anyone's feet to gravitate towards their fresh meats and salads. But that's not all... literally, there's more than what meets the eye.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S9kHqWR3vuI/AAAAAAAAAQs/JXOS6Hgp8Uk/s1600/IMG_6712.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S9kHqWR3vuI/AAAAAAAAAQs/JXOS6Hgp8Uk/s400/IMG_6712.JPG" width="400" border="0" height="300"/></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">As if the endless possible sandwich and panini combos running through one's head weren't enough (I'm salivating over the idea of a fresh prosciutto and mozzarella baguette drizzled with olive oil); their menu encompasses a variety of French fare from <span class="style" style="line-height: 19px;">Escargot a la Provençale <a href="http://blessmypalate.blogspot.com/2010/04/buena-vista-buena-comida.html">READ MORE...</a><br/></span></div>FREE $50 Gift Certificate to ECCO for MUL's 2000th Member!tag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2010-04-19:1256554:BlogPost:6711702010-04-19T20:00:00.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
<div style="text-align: center;">Who will it be?<br></br><br></br>We are giving away a <span style="font-weight: bold;">FREE $50 Gift Certificate to ECCO</span> for our 2000th Member!<br></br><br></br>Winner will be announced and featured on MUL front page!<br></br><br></br><span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">No cheating guys- this is for first time new members!…</span><br></br><br></br><a href="http://ecco.miamiurbanlife.com"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">Who will it be?<br/><br/>We are giving away a <span style="font-weight: bold;">FREE $50 Gift Certificate to ECCO</span> for our 2000th Member!<br/><br/>Winner will be announced and featured on MUL front page!<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">No cheating guys- this is for first time new members!</span><br/><br/><a href="http://ecco.miamiurbanlife.com"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">http://ecco.miamiurbanlife.com</span></a><br/><br/><br/><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Invite your friends so they can win... just click</span> <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.miamiurbanlife.com/main/invitation/new">here</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">!</span><br/></div>
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<br/>What to wear to an 80s party...tag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2010-03-08:1256554:BlogPost:6581722010-03-08T15:00:00.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
For most of us it's been quite some time since we dressed in 80s fashion. So I thought I'd take the liberty to go back and remind us all of those funky fashions we grew up with.…<br></br>
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For most of us it's been quite some time since we dressed in 80s fashion. So I thought I'd take the liberty to go back and remind us all of those funky fashions we grew up with.<br/>
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<br/> <a href="%3Cembed%20class=" src="http://static.ning.com/socialnetworkmain/widgets/photo/slideshowplayer/slideshowplayer.swf?v=201003021100" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><br/><br/>"><embed class="xg_slideshow" src="http://static.ning.com/socialnetworkmain/widgets/photo/slideshowplayer/slideshowplayer.swf?v=201003021100" quality="high" bgcolor="#" allowscriptaccess="never" scale="noscale" wmode="opaque" flashvars="feed_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.miamiurbanlife.com%2Fphoto%2Fphoto%2FslideshowFeedAlbum%3Fsort%3D%26screenName%3D%26id%3D1256554%3AAlbum%3A658157%26tag%3D%26useTags%3D0%26fullscreen%3Dtrue%26x%3DDGwKNRUI9yp90r3o32lPkruJXstUlPg0%26x%3DDGwKNRUI9yp90r3o32lPkruJXstUlPg0&autoplay=1&config_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.miamiurbanlife.com%2Fphoto%2Fphoto%2FshowPlayerConfig%3Fx%3DDGwKNRUI9yp90r3o32lPkruJXstUlPg0%26xn_auth%3Dno%26feed_url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.miamiurbanlife.com%252Fphoto%252Fphoto%252FslideshowFeedAlbum%253Fsort%253D%2526screenName%253D%2526id%253D1256554%253AAlbum%253A658157%2526tag%253D%2526useTags%253D0%2526fullscreen%253Dtrue%2526x%253DDGwKNRUI9yp90r3o32lPkruJXstUlPg0%2526x%253DDGwKNRUI9yp90r3o32lPkruJXstUlPg0%26version%3DDEP-3857%253Ae33d626_70_33_125&slideshow_title=&fullsize_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.miamiurbanlife.com%2Fphoto%2Fphoto%2Fslideshow%3Ffeed_url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.miamiurbanlife.com%252Fphoto%252Fphoto%252FslideshowFeedAlbum%253Fsort%253D%2526screenName%253D%2526id%253D1256554%253AAlbum%253A658157%2526tag%253D%2526useTags%253D0%2526fullscreen%253Dtrue%2526x%253DDGwKNRUI9yp90r3o32lPkruJXstUlPg0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="500" height="394"></embed>
</a>Super Bowl Comes to Miami with Star Studded Eventstag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2010-02-06:1256554:BlogPost:6456132010-02-06T03:00:00.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
There's nothing like bringing a major event to Miami. What a week of excitement and festivities for the welcoming of Super Bowl 44. Miami's hottest lounges, bars and clubs have been star-studded all week with NFL players, celebrities and artists. I'm sure they've had as much fun as I have been having this week.<br />
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With anticipation for Sunday's big game at it's peak, I decided to break away from my weekly routine of work, school and occasional community events and have a little fun with the…
There's nothing like bringing a major event to Miami. What a week of excitement and festivities for the welcoming of Super Bowl 44. Miami's hottest lounges, bars and clubs have been star-studded all week with NFL players, celebrities and artists. I'm sure they've had as much fun as I have been having this week.<br />
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With anticipation for Sunday's big game at it's peak, I decided to break away from my weekly routine of work, school and occasional community events and have a little fun with the out-of-towners.<br />
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Just a little behind from the rest of the city this week, my festivities started Tuesday night at <a href="http://www.clubplaysouthbeach.com/">PLAY Nightclub</a> (formerly The 5th) where Pamela Anderson and Richie Rich hosted a fashion show by A'Muse. DJ Jessica WHO? kept the night bumping as some of Sobe's hottest dancers graced the booth tops displaying acrobatic feats leaving many onlookers with jaws dropped. After a few hours of partying at PLAY we moved along to the <a href="http://www.delano-hotel.com/default.aspx#/explore/?id=floridaroom">Delano</a> to join the after party with Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">A'MUSE FASHION SHOW</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2yOzddb6oI/AAAAAAAAAJU/yReUSdxhho8/s1600-h/18058_459784625127_680630127_10983842_3150375_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2yOzddb6oI/AAAAAAAAAJU/yReUSdxhho8/s200/18058_459784625127_680630127_10983842_3150375_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434875865061911170" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434875865061911170" border="0"/></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2yOy6nFuyI/AAAAAAAAAJM/8WP-0NmBFBE/s1600-h/18058_459784825127_680630127_10983856_5055650_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2yOy6nFuyI/AAAAAAAAAJM/8WP-0NmBFBE/s200/18058_459784825127_680630127_10983856_5055650_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434875855707159330" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434875855707159330" border="0"/></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2yOyWHs1qI/AAAAAAAAAJE/P-7kUS-ddIc/s1600-h/18058_459784570127_680630127_10983840_6152253_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2yOyWHs1qI/AAAAAAAAAJE/P-7kUS-ddIc/s200/18058_459784570127_680630127_10983840_6152253_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434875845911828130" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434875845911828130" border="0"/></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pamela Anderson and Richie Rich</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2yPfc3D-TI/AAAAAAAAAJk/k6U4Wtt730c/s1600-h/18058_459785085127_680630127_10983870_4243882_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2yPfc3D-TI/AAAAAAAAAJk/k6U4Wtt730c/s200/18058_459785085127_680630127_10983870_4243882_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434876620815202610" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434876620815202610" border="0"/></a><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2yPfXyN9nI/AAAAAAAAAJc/Pz7EEE6247o/s1600-h/18058_459784935127_680630127_10983860_7754301_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2yPfXyN9nI/AAAAAAAAAJc/Pz7EEE6247o/s200/18058_459784935127_680630127_10983860_7754301_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434876619452708466" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434876619452708466" border="0"/></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I was able to make it through the night and off to work with only 3 hours of sleep. My day flew by with work then school and then back to the scene. There's nothing like Wednesdays at<a href="http://www.bluemartinilounge.com/event.html">Blue Martini in Brickell</a>. Us locals refer to the venue as just "Blue". Walking in through the door the music was definitely bumping and as I looked to my right, it was Mr. Gigolo himself Nick Cannon.
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2yk3gv1OxI/AAAAAAAAAJs/jKuiDqKzhco/s1600-h/nickcan.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 120px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2yk3gv1OxI/AAAAAAAAAJs/jKuiDqKzhco/s200/nickcan.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434900123919661842" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434900123919661842" border="0"/></a>Hmm... maybe I should refer to him as Mr. Ex-Gigolo now since he's married to the ever-so talented and beautiful Mariah Carey. As I made my way through the usual crazy crowd, I couldn't get a glimpse of Miss Mariah anywhere but a little birdie told me she was there... oh well. Maybe I'll catch the butterfly another time.<br />
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My night ended rather early (before 3am) and thankfully so considering it was only "hump day" and my Thursdays are pretty intense. However, I was sent a pic courtesy of 2night.com capturing me in true form- always with my phone in hand and on the go.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2yl7bRgs7I/AAAAAAAAAJ0/-NsRM60sqLQ/s1600-h/057b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2yl7bRgs7I/AAAAAAAAAJ0/-NsRM60sqLQ/s200/057b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434901290681414578" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434901290681414578" border="0"/></a><br />
And so my week continues... Last night I was given a wonderful opportunity to attend the Ne-Yo concert thanks to the gracious invitation by Miss Crystal Chancellor from the <a href="https://www.arshtcenter.org/">Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts</a>. If you haven't been to the Arsht Center... please be sure to put it on your list of things to do and see in Miami. Their beautiful state of the art facility sits like a gem with it's sister building the Ziff Ballet Opera House, glowing white and illuminating our metropolis. Seriously, the architecture and lighting is beautiful in these facilities.<br />
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Arriving just on time for the concert due to the crazy traffic along Biscayne Blvd, I briefly met with Miss Chancellor and a few friends right before the music began playing. It just so happened the AAA had some events, Cavalia is still going on and congestion getting onto the 395 to get to the beach for the Rihanna/Justin Beiber concert had things backed up a bit.<br />
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Unfortunately I forget the headliner for the concert but he was pretty good and definitely entertaining. He got the crowd up and dancing to a few jams.<br />
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Then they announce Jagged Edge was going to perform next... OMG!! If you don't know who they are, they are one of the best R&B groups that emerged out of the mid-90s and breaking into the millenium. More of the new age R&B/Soul. They kicked off with some classics such as "I Gotta Be" and "Promise." Needless to say that the crowd went wild and they had Miss Susy definitely reminiscing of old school jams.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">JAGGED EDGE</span></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2ytRc2mULI/AAAAAAAAAKM/QW3pb7Tm-J0/s1600-h/18058_463959490127_680630127_11002713_148676_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2ytRc2mULI/AAAAAAAAAKM/QW3pb7Tm-J0/s200/18058_463959490127_680630127_11002713_148676_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434909365643923634" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434909365643923634" border="0"/></a><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2ytRLMnMEI/AAAAAAAAAKE/PV_D0C-w8tA/s1600-h/18058_463959510127_680630127_11002716_7725853_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2ytRLMnMEI/AAAAAAAAAKE/PV_D0C-w8tA/s200/18058_463959510127_680630127_11002716_7725853_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434909360904417346" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434909360904417346" border="0"/></a><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2ytRPphQuI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/4jO9bPhgPWU/s1600-h/18058_463959670127_680630127_11002724_827036_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2ytRPphQuI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/4jO9bPhgPWU/s200/18058_463959670127_680630127_11002724_827036_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434909362099405538" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434909362099405538" border="0"/></a><br />
As if that weren't a treat all in its own, there came the main event... the "Gentleman," Ne-Yo. Women and girls came flocking to the stage as he begun "Doo doo dooo do doo... " and continued with "My Sexy Love"...<br />
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Talk about baby making music... ha ha! He walks, talks, sings and dresses the part of a true Gentleman. Oh and the man can move. I sat and gazed as he glided across the stage paying tribute the great King of Pop- Michael Jackson.<br />
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He's one of the few artists now days keeping the flair of the old school rhythm and blues alive for the new generation. Reminiscent of Avant, Maxwell and Babyface, Ne-Yo's voice touches the soul.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ne-Yo</span></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2za63XmHbI/AAAAAAAAAK0/gET5yldJiDk/s1600-h/18058_463964620127_680630127_11002878_1838572_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2za63XmHbI/AAAAAAAAAK0/gET5yldJiDk/s200/18058_463964620127_680630127_11002878_1838572_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434959555159530930" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434959555159530930" border="0"/></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2za6TrVbFI/AAAAAAAAAKs/xfKWG0TsYH8/s1600-h/18058_463960205127_680630127_11002749_2430278_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2za6TrVbFI/AAAAAAAAAKs/xfKWG0TsYH8/s200/18058_463960205127_680630127_11002749_2430278_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434959545578646610" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434959545578646610" border="0"/></a><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2za54XU1II/AAAAAAAAAKk/HozkbbBYNHc/s1600-h/18058_463960190127_680630127_11002748_5829102_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2za54XU1II/AAAAAAAAAKk/HozkbbBYNHc/s200/18058_463960190127_680630127_11002748_5829102_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434959538246964354" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434959538246964354" border="0"/></a><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2za5CEYpCI/AAAAAAAAAKc/9DDNCDIhtoA/s1600-h/18058_463959870127_680630127_11002734_7503218_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2za5CEYpCI/AAAAAAAAAKc/9DDNCDIhtoA/s200/18058_463959870127_680630127_11002734_7503218_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434959523672007714" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434959523672007714" border="0"/></a><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2za4_A2PhI/AAAAAAAAAKU/Mle8L5VTvhw/s1600-h/18058_463960155127_680630127_11002744_7659757_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S2za4_A2PhI/AAAAAAAAAKU/Mle8L5VTvhw/s200/18058_463960155127_680630127_11002744_7659757_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434959522851864082" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434959522851864082" border="0"/></a><br />
<br />
What an awesome concert and week so far! I'm super excited for the weekend and of course Super Bowl Sunday. Go Saints!<br />
<br />
Now off to the Clevelander for Nelly Furtado and Pitbull Concert... what a mix!<br />
</div>Keeping it Moderate: More Spring Shoes!tag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2010-01-22:1256554:BlogPost:6431072010-01-22T19:04:37.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
Here are some more gorgeous and sexy finds for Spring to keep that bounce in your step.<br />
<br />
For my ladies that like to keep it moderate and don't mind spending just a couple of extra bucks, check out these beaded, vibrant colored and funky heeled beauties!<br />
<br />
Practical for work and sassy enough for play. I'm so loving Boutique 9, Luichiny and Dereon!<br />
<br />
Just click on the shoe and it will take you to the site. Enjoy ladies!…
Here are some more gorgeous and sexy finds for Spring to keep that bounce in your step.<br />
<br />
For my ladies that like to keep it moderate and don't mind spending just a couple of extra bucks, check out these beaded, vibrant colored and funky heeled beauties!<br />
<br />
Practical for work and sassy enough for play. I'm so loving Boutique 9, Luichiny and Dereon!<br />
<br />
Just click on the shoe and it will take you to the site. Enjoy ladies!<br />
<a href="http://www.heels.com/womens-shoes/tia-wheat-snake.html?SID=80c050418fd6995fe79acd5cc627d74dbad2c6ae"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S1ny4HpLNpI/AAAAAAAAAHU/EGjCgx4xL-U/s320/Tia-+Sam+Edelman.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429637871710189202" border="0" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429637871710189202"/></a><br />
<a href="http://www.outletbuy.com/boutique-9-showoff/307738/657579?cm_mmc=bizrateoutlet-_-none-_-none-_-none"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S1ny3ph3PHI/AAAAAAAAAHM/YyGcbxwS0sA/s320/Showoff-+Boutique+9.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429637863626456178" border="0" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429637863626456178"/></a><br />
<a href="http://www.heels.com/womens-shoes/rad-heel-fuchsia.html?SID=80c050418fd6995fe79acd5cc627d74dbad2c6ae"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 293px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S1ny246nRZI/AAAAAAAAAHE/u7JQANRbfOk/s320/RAD-+Dereon.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429637850576930194" border="0" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429637850576930194"/></a><br />
<a href="http://www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7540640/c/4666.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 244px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S1ny2SB0aBI/AAAAAAAAAG8/utx62VxCK-E/s320/Lex-+Ralph+Lauren.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429637840138168338" border="0" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429637840138168338"/></a><br />
<a href="http://www.heels.com/womens-shoes/katie-lou-sandal-brown.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 302px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S1ny2N4XzrI/AAAAAAAAAG0/u5l5N5zDLco/s320/Kate+Lou-+Luichiny.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429637839024803506" border="0" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429637839024803506"/></a><br />
<a href="http://www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7559292/c/32.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S1nzAgnsEZI/AAAAAAAAAHk/PwKcyMreR_w/s320/Yolanda-+Miss+Sixty.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429638015853793682" border="0" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429638015853793682"/></a><br />
<a href="http://www.heels.com/womens-shoes/tinkerly-med-brown-leather.html?SID=3d0c957e6020cbbdfbab685a4253a836773cb1c7"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 297px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S1nzAfFkCQI/AAAAAAAAAHc/zGjQQ2kHorg/s320/Tinkerly-+Guess.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429638015442225410" border="0" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429638015442225410"/></a><br />
<br />
Courtesy of <a href="http://misssusy.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Miss Susy Says</a>Fab Spring Heels under $50tag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2010-01-22:1256554:BlogPost:6431062010-01-22T18:00:00.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
Spring is upon us... Hello bright colors, open toes, strappy heels and wedges!<br />
<br />
I don't know about you but I'm well over the cold weather. Boots are cute but OMG! this is Miami; it's unnatural for our beautiful feet and legs to be covered.<br />
<br />
So I got a head start on some Spring Shopping and found a couple of really "hard to pass up" deals under $50. Yellows, aqua, reds and natural tones... From BCBG and Naughty Monkey to Guess and Jessica Simpson. All I have to say is SIGH...<br />
<br />
Remember ladies,…
Spring is upon us... Hello bright colors, open toes, strappy heels and wedges!<br />
<br />
I don't know about you but I'm well over the cold weather. Boots are cute but OMG! this is Miami; it's unnatural for our beautiful feet and legs to be covered.<br />
<br />
So I got a head start on some Spring Shopping and found a couple of really "hard to pass up" deals under $50. Yellows, aqua, reds and natural tones... From BCBG and Naughty Monkey to Guess and Jessica Simpson. All I have to say is SIGH...<br />
<br />
Remember ladies, Spring is all about the sundresses and blooming colors. As always, having the right shoe to complete the outfit is essential.<br />
<br />
Check out these fab finds recently added to my collection:<br />
<a href="http://www.shoemall.com/product/Baby-Phat-Womens-Kaya-Sandal-White-158518&cpncode=25-27806815-2&srccode=cii_23370005&style=158518&KeyCode=SMJQ265/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 316px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S1nq0p8Bp3I/AAAAAAAAAGs/ZCzPLPcQRv0/s320/Kaya-Baby+Phat.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429629016103561074" border="0" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429629016103561074"/></a><br />
<a href="http://www.heels.com/womens-shoes/fever-sandal-brown.html?SID=3d0c957e6020cbbdfbab685a4253a836773cb1c7"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S1nqaUdGC4I/AAAAAAAAAGc/3KCHzYl_eZM/s320/Fever-+Naughty+Monkey.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429628563660082050" border="0" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429628563660082050"/></a><br />
<a href="http://www.heels.com/womens-shoes/dynamic-heel-red.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 313px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S1nqE-SOxzI/AAAAAAAAAGE/qM-Hy9rgRCc/s320/Dynamic-+Restricted.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429628196931684146" border="0" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429628196931684146"/></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.heels.com/womens-shoes/frisco-t-strap-honey.html?SID=3d0c957e6020cbbdfbab685a4253a836773cb1c7"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 295px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S1nqEUsYCqI/AAAAAAAAAF0/1n82YU56si0/s320/Frisco-+J+Simpson.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429628185767053986" border="0" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429628185767053986"/></a><br />
<a href="http://piperlime.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=661073012&tid=PLAF1&ap=2&siteID=3676997"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S1nqEN7nWHI/AAAAAAAAAFs/6betzxdTWvs/s320/Polands-+BCBG.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429628183951923314" border="0" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429628183951923314"/></a><br />
<a href="http://www.heels.com/womens-shoes/fountain-wedge-brown.html?SID=3d0c957e6020cbbdfbab685a4253a836773cb1c7"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 290px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/S1nqeVOpNpI/AAAAAAAAAGk/LulbUHv1MoQ/s320/Fountain+Wedge-+Guess.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429628632587384466" border="0" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429628632587384466"/></a><br />
<br />
courtesy of <a href="http://www.misssusy.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Miss Susy Says</a>MUL Happy Hour Dodgeball Recap- Are you ready for more?tag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2009-12-15:1256554:BlogPost:6303142009-12-15T19:30:00.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
<b>3, 2, 1... DODGEBALL!</b><br />
<br />
What a great success last week's MUL Happy Hour Dodgeball game was! Thanks to a collaborative effort from MIAMIurbanlife.com and the Downtown Athletic Club for helping create such an awesome event. Also, thanks to ECCO for providing a 2 for 1 after party.<br />
<br />
Everyone had such a blast hailing balls at each other. The game got intense, people ducking, doing cartwheels, jumps and best of all laughing so hard. I can't wait for Round 2 this week. We're expecting more…
<b>3, 2, 1... DODGEBALL!</b><br />
<br />
What a great success last week's MUL Happy Hour Dodgeball game was! Thanks to a collaborative effort from MIAMIurbanlife.com and the Downtown Athletic Club for helping create such an awesome event. Also, thanks to ECCO for providing a 2 for 1 after party.<br />
<br />
Everyone had such a blast hailing balls at each other. The game got intense, people ducking, doing cartwheels, jumps and best of all laughing so hard. I can't wait for Round 2 this week. We're expecting more people so maybe double/triple the fun!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.miamiurbanlife.com/xn/detail/1256554:Event:630099?xg_source=activity"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/SyfkM5w8XVI/AAAAAAAAADw/qqoUNDjuD3E/s1600-h/dbr3.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 312px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_glcXEgMe_-U/SyfkM5w8XVI/AAAAAAAAADw/qqoUNDjuD3E/s320/dbr3.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415547987251977554"/></a><br />
<br />
It's all very exciting. See for yourself by clicking below to watch a couple of videos from our first game. Also, if you have a chance, take a look at some of the photos that were taken.<br />
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<a href="http://www.miamiurbanlife.com/video/mul-happy-hour-dodgeball-game-1">Click here to see VIDEOS from last week's MUL Happy Hour Dodgeball game!</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.miamiurbanlife.com/photo/albums/mul-happy-hour-dodgeball-game">Click here to see PHOTOS from last week's MUL Happy Hour Dodgeball game!</a><br />
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I can't wait for this week's game. If you like to play and try something different for a Friday happy hour, this is definitely a start in that direction. Fitness, fun and drinks... does it get any better?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.miamiurbanlife.com/xn/detail/1256554:Event:630099?xg_source=activity">Just click here to RSVP for your spot this Friday.</a> (For MUL members ONLY!)<br />
<br />
<embed class="xg_slideshow" src="http://static.ning.com/socialnetworkmain/widgets/photo/slideshowplayer/slideshowplayer.swf?v=200912101700" quality="high" bgcolor="#" width="500" height="394" allowscriptaccess="never" scale="noscale" wmode="opaque" flashvars="feed_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.miamiurbanlife.com%2Fphoto%2Fphoto%2FslideshowFeedAlbum%3Fid%3D1256554%253AAlbum%253A629944%26mtime%3D1260896286%26x%3DDGwKNRUI9yp90r3o32lPkruJXstUlPg0&autoplay=1&config_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.miamiurbanlife.com%2Fphoto%2Fphoto%2FshowPlayerConfig%3Fx%3DDGwKNRUI9yp90r3o32lPkruJXstUlPg0%26xn_auth%3Dno%26feed_url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.miamiurbanlife.com%252Fphoto%252Fphoto%252FslideshowFeedAlbum%253Fid%253D1256554%25253AAlbum%25253A629944%2526mtime%253D1260896286%2526x%253DDGwKNRUI9yp90r3o32lPkruJXstUlPg0%26version%3DDEP-3287%253A4ea081c_70_33_125&slideshow_title=&fullsize_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.miamiurbanlife.com%2Fphoto%2Fphoto%2Fslideshow%3Ffeed_url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.miamiurbanlife.com%252Fphoto%252Fphoto%252FslideshowFeedAlbum%253Fid%253D1256554%25253AAlbum%25253A629944%2526mtime%253D1260896286" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>
<br/><small><a href="http://www.miamiurbanlife.com/photo/photo">Find more photos like this on <em>MIAMIurbanlife.com</em></a></small><br/>Win Free Tickets to 311 Concert!!tag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2009-11-24:1256554:BlogPost:6235432009-11-24T20:30:00.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
As you guys may be aware, one of my favorite bands <b>311</b> will be performing at Bayfront Park Amphitheater on December 1, 2009.<br />
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<p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2202653786?profile=original"></img></p>
<br />
I can't wait to see them live!! So, I happen to stumble across PinkGhost's blog on Blogger and saw that they are having a contest to win 4 tickets to the concert.<br />
<br />
Visit here for your chance to win too:…
As you guys may be aware, one of my favorite bands <b>311</b> will be performing at Bayfront Park Amphitheater on December 1, 2009.<br />
<br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2202653786?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
<br />
I can't wait to see them live!! So, I happen to stumble across PinkGhost's blog on Blogger and saw that they are having a contest to win 4 tickets to the concert.<br />
<br />
Visit here for your chance to win too: <a href="http://misssusy.blogspot.com/2009/11/pinkghost-hosting-contest-for-free-311.html" target="_blank">http://misssusy.blogspot.com/2009/11/pinkghost-hosting-contest-for-free-311.html</a><br />
<br />
Oh and while you're there, feel free to subscribe to my blog.Riverwalk Recap!tag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2009-11-24:1256554:BlogPost:6233612009-11-24T03:00:00.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
Thanks to everyone that went and helped make this year's Annual Riverwalk & Boat Parade a success!<br />
<br />
The weather was awesome and we had a great turnout. There were lots of local vendors/businesses providing samples of their product/food. I was happy to see families, tourists and visitors of all sorts stop by and get a glimpse of our up and rising community. Downtown has always been known for its hustle and bustle but seldom for the people that live there. Over the past decade we have really…
Thanks to everyone that went and helped make this year's Annual Riverwalk & Boat Parade a success!<br />
<br />
The weather was awesome and we had a great turnout. There were lots of local vendors/businesses providing samples of their product/food. I was happy to see families, tourists and visitors of all sorts stop by and get a glimpse of our up and rising community. Downtown has always been known for its hustle and bustle but seldom for the people that live there. Over the past decade we have really seen a boom and expansion in metropolitan living. Even more recently have we began to embrace the community within the city. It's events like this that help stimulate growth and appreciation.<br />
<br />
Having spent the middle of my afternoon checking out various booths, I got to see a couple familiar faces and meet some new ones too. My buddy Rob from the Downtown Athletic Center and I took a stroll down the riverwalk to check out what was going on.<br />
<br />
We saw a few local restaurants including Rosa Mexicano and Puntino providing delicious samplings of their food.<br />
<br />
Rosa Mexicano sampled their delicious and freshly made guacamole:<br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2105660737?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
<br />
Thanks everyone for making my belly happy!<br />
<br />
We saw the Marlins' Cheerleaders and Billy the Marlin giving out promotional items with their family fun games. Even the Bubba Gump Shrimp came out and showed some love.<br />
<br />
Children enjoyed fun little games, face painting, popcorn and cotton candy. I had some cotton candy too- it had been a while. There was even a couple of stands for the pets with boutique gourmet treats.<br />
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<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2105661298?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
<br />
Visitors got to see all the city boats parade along the river including Mango's boat with its dancers and one of our crowned beauty representatives. The DAC headlined the latter part of the afternoon with an interactive and fun Zumba class which had visitors stepping to that latin beat.<br />
<br />
Now if all the music and games were much, My Spa was there to rescue, providing guests with mini massages.<br />
<br />
Now you know I had to get one... or two... hee hee- :)<br />
<br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2105660236?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
<br />
Everyone had a wonderful time and I can't wait for our next Downtown experience!<br />
<br />
If you like, you can view the rest of the pictures here: <a href="http://www.miamiurbanlife.com/photo/albums/2nd-annual-riverwalk-boat">http://www.miamiurbanlife.com/photo/albums/2nd-annual-riverwalk-boat</a>The Fledgling Initiative- What an awesome approach to support literacy in less fortunate countries.tag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2009-11-18:1256554:BlogPost:6226312009-11-18T21:30:00.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
Fledgling Wine, Room to Read and Twitter have teamed up to extend literacy and educational opportunities to children around the world. In order to promote literacy in some of the world's poorest regions, for every bottle of wine purchased at Fledgling Wine, $5 will be donated to Room to Read who in turn will donate books to various rural communities.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.roomtoread.org/Page.aspx?pid=183" target="_blank">Room to Read</a> started ten years ago in Nepal by Microsoft Executive John…
Fledgling Wine, Room to Read and Twitter have teamed up to extend literacy and educational opportunities to children around the world. In order to promote literacy in some of the world's poorest regions, for every bottle of wine purchased at Fledgling Wine, $5 will be donated to Room to Read who in turn will donate books to various rural communities.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.roomtoread.org/Page.aspx?pid=183" target="_blank">Room to Read</a> started ten years ago in Nepal by Microsoft Executive John Wood. Since then it has grown into a global non-profit organization changing and benefiting the lives of children throughout Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Zambia. They have established over 700 schools and over 7,000 bilingual libraries with millions of books. Step by step, donation by donation and bottle of wine, children are receiving a chance to learn how to read and write. They are receiving an education.<br />
<br />
Here's your chance to play a part in helping these children receive a chance for a better future while you get a buzz. Simply visit<p style="text-align:left"><img src="http://www.fledglingwine.com"/></p>
<a href="http://www.fledglingwine.com">www.fledglingwine.com</a><br />
If you have a spare moment, check out The Fledgling Initiative on YouTube by clicking here <u><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9edL-910v0M" target="_blank">(The Fledgling Initiative)</a></u>.<br />
<br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2202650409?profile=original" alt=""/></p>2nd Annual Riverwalk Festival and Boat Paradetag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2009-11-18:1256554:BlogPost:6225232009-11-18T16:30:00.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
Got plans for the weekend?<br />
<br />
Come join MUL members and fellow neighbors from the Downtown/Brickell area celebrate the revival and renaissance of Downtown Miami this Saturday for the 2nd Annual Riverwalk Festival and Boat Parade. Hosted by Urban Tours Miami's David Brown.<br />
<br />
Guests will enjoy FREE admission and discounted parking to Saturday's festivities. There will be a boat parade, a tour of the mouth of the River, special appearances by Marlins and Heat dancers and mascots. There will also be…
Got plans for the weekend?<br />
<br />
Come join MUL members and fellow neighbors from the Downtown/Brickell area celebrate the revival and renaissance of Downtown Miami this Saturday for the 2nd Annual Riverwalk Festival and Boat Parade. Hosted by Urban Tours Miami's David Brown.<br />
<br />
Guests will enjoy FREE admission and discounted parking to Saturday's festivities. There will be a boat parade, a tour of the mouth of the River, special appearances by Marlins and Heat dancers and mascots. There will also be lots of local artists showcasing their work depicting historical and modern scenes of the Miami River.<br />
<br />
Whether you come alone or bring the fam there's lots of fun for everyone. Children can get their face painted while parents enjoy music from local artists and ethnic food from various vendors. There will be clowns, mimes and strolling street performers. Oh and pets are welcome too!<br />
<br />
The Riverwalk Festival and Boat Parade will take place from 10:00AM until 4:00PM between 315-355 South Biscayne Blvd.<br />
<br />
Hope to see you all there and will be looking forward to meeting new faces!<br />
<br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2202653654?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
<br />
<br />
For more information, feel free to visit their site at <a href="http://www.downtownmiami.com/riverwalkfestival" target="_blank">www.downtownmiami.com/riverwalkfestival</a>.For my "E-Writers"- Check it out!tag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2009-11-18:1256554:BlogPost:6225832009-11-18T14:32:54.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
Webinar today on The 10 Golden Rules of Writing for the Web.<br />
<br />
Marketing expert Allison Nazarian and Jay Berkowitz will discuss the following:<br />
<br />
- How is web writing different from print and broadcast?<br />
- What are the key strategies to write for the search engines?<br />
- Learn the Apple A Day Strategy<br />
- Determine how many words should go on a page and how to use linking strategies<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/159678283">https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/159678283</a>
Webinar today on The 10 Golden Rules of Writing for the Web.<br />
<br />
Marketing expert Allison Nazarian and Jay Berkowitz will discuss the following:<br />
<br />
- How is web writing different from print and broadcast?<br />
- What are the key strategies to write for the search engines?<br />
- Learn the Apple A Day Strategy<br />
- Determine how many words should go on a page and how to use linking strategies<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/159678283">https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/159678283</a>A little MUL and DAC exposure!tag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2009-11-06:1256554:BlogPost:6204832009-11-06T15:16:22.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
It's nice to see our neighbors in the media. This month's issue of Brickell Magazine not only features a lot of top executives, new businesses and local trends but best of all- our very own MiamiUrbanlife and Downtown Athletic Club! So big props to both!! If you have had a chance to pick up your copy of the new issue I've listed to link below to view their online magazine. Page 101!!!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.brickellmag.com/digital/11_09/1.html">http://www.brickellmag.com/digital/11_09/1.html</a>
It's nice to see our neighbors in the media. This month's issue of Brickell Magazine not only features a lot of top executives, new businesses and local trends but best of all- our very own MiamiUrbanlife and Downtown Athletic Club! So big props to both!! If you have had a chance to pick up your copy of the new issue I've listed to link below to view their online magazine. Page 101!!!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.brickellmag.com/digital/11_09/1.html">http://www.brickellmag.com/digital/11_09/1.html</a>Fabulous Coats for Fall/Wintertag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2009-10-01:1256554:BlogPost:6086982009-10-01T15:00:00.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
Ok so I've been skimming through the internet looking for nice wool coats for the fall/winter. I know Miami doesn't get too much use out of them but I plan on doing some traveling over the next couple of months. So I thought I would share some lovely finds with the ladies on MUL.<br />
<br />
I miss being in NY. They get a few months to play with all the "keeping warm" trends.The colors, the cuts, textures and prints... gosh I wish Miami had a longer and REAL winter. I mean I love wearing tights and…
Ok so I've been skimming through the internet looking for nice wool coats for the fall/winter. I know Miami doesn't get too much use out of them but I plan on doing some traveling over the next couple of months. So I thought I would share some lovely finds with the ladies on MUL.<br />
<br />
I miss being in NY. They get a few months to play with all the "keeping warm" trends.The colors, the cuts, textures and prints... gosh I wish Miami had a longer and REAL winter. I mean I love wearing tights and stalkings but how abnormal is it when it's about 42 degrees in the AM and by mid afternoon it's back to 75/80? Sigh... at least I have a couple excuses for the use of a beautiful new coat.<br />
<br />
Check out some of the fabulous coats I found. I think Via Spiga really made an impact this year from edgy and contemporary flare to fitted fluff. Tahari surprised me stepping aside from its uber conservative style and sharing a little classic romance. And, Victorias Secret has a bunch of bold colors and cuts. Can't wait...snow!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/y8u2h33" target="_blank">Via Spiga- Black Button-down Trench</a><br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2202653927?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
<br />
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/ya69pjq" target="_blank">Via Spiga- Royal Blue Coat</a><br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2202653839?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
<br />
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/yen3jpb" target="_blank">Tahari- Ruffle Trench</a><br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2202667899?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
<br />
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/ye9wra3" target="_blank">Betsey Johnson- Red Cuff Trench</a><br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2202683141?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
<br />
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/y8z2tqc" target="_blank">Victorias Secret- Gold/Mustard Trench</a><br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2202686876?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
<br />
<a href="%20http://tinyurl.com/ych3ohm" target="_blank">Via Spiga- Wool Peplum Coat</a><br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2202686941?profile=original" alt=""/></p>What's going on? So sad...tag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2009-09-17:1256554:BlogPost:6043122009-09-17T14:06:41.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
Ok I know that there's a bunch of bad shit that happens in the world on a daily basis but WTF?!?!<br />
<br />
The news this week has practically sent me into a state of utter depression. Shootings... stabbings... abduction... What's wrong with everyone? Why the need to hurt someone or kill someone? What happened to working things out? Talking things through? Or, just walking away?<br />
<br />
Is this one too many questions?<br />
<br />
It made me so sad to hear all these things and to know that this is going on in my city...…
Ok I know that there's a bunch of bad shit that happens in the world on a daily basis but WTF?!?!<br />
<br />
The news this week has practically sent me into a state of utter depression. Shootings... stabbings... abduction... What's wrong with everyone? Why the need to hurt someone or kill someone? What happened to working things out? Talking things through? Or, just walking away?<br />
<br />
Is this one too many questions?<br />
<br />
It made me so sad to hear all these things and to know that this is going on in my city... where I live. I'm so thankful that the children in my life (even if they aren't my own) are well behaved, honest and loving individuals.<br />
<br />
Today however, things got a little too close to home... actually it hit home directly. I find out that one of my munchkins this morning told their mommy that another kid in his grade told him they want to stab him in the head. WTF?!? Another first grader... how can something like that even come out of a child's mouth? Where's the innocence? My heart's nearly broken. We all did what needed to be done to somewhat manage the situation but I find out this morning that the principal of my munchkin's school didn't even know about this. The teacher never told him. Boy did that open up a can of worms.<br />
<br />
How do we protect these children from being hurt? How do we prevent situations like what happened at Coral Gables Senior High, with Jamie Gough, the lady that was shot on the bus or the girl abducted in North Miami from happening?<br />
<br />
Who's fault is all of this? Is it really just the child's, the teen's or the perpetrators fault? Granted if you're over 18- you're responsible for yourself and your own actions. By 15- a minor should know the difference between right and wrong. But what about the 6, 8 and 12 year-olds? Face it, most of us well into our 20s and 30s still have problems understanding our emotions or how to deal with situations whether it's jealousy, heartache or just stress in general.<br />
<br />
People please... encourage your children to talk to you. Older kids- it's ok to talk about what's going- parents care, siblings care, teachers care- I promise YOU'RE NOT ALONE!<br />
<br />
If you're a parent- just imagine how much more confused theses children are with their emotions, feelings and lack of experience. Remember you were their age once and although the times may have been difference- it doesn't change the situation. Don't make things taboo- Keeping an open line of communication is important.<br />
<br />
I hope things get better around here. I'm tired of seeing innocence fly out the window.Website Design- Summer Specials!tag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2009-04-22:1256554:BlogPost:5626602009-04-22T21:14:43.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
Template Modifications: Starting at $500<br />
<br />
Basic Website: 5-10 pages, flash intro/header, 2 php forms, full rights to site & 5 edits. Only $550!<br />
<br />
Logo Design: 3 Design concepts, up to 4 colors, 48 hour turn around time- $120<br />
<br />
For more information, contact Susan at (305) 205-4420 or e-mail: sabascal@ckcg.net<br />
<br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2058941075?profile=original" alt="" width="144" height="74"/></p>
Template Modifications: Starting at $500<br />
<br />
Basic Website: 5-10 pages, flash intro/header, 2 php forms, full rights to site & 5 edits. Only $550!<br />
<br />
Logo Design: 3 Design concepts, up to 4 colors, 48 hour turn around time- $120<br />
<br />
For more information, contact Susan at (305) 205-4420 or e-mail: sabascal@ckcg.net<br />
<br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2058941075?profile=original" alt="" width="144" height="74"/></p>A Second Chance- Getting Your Life Back on Tracktag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2008-12-01:1256554:BlogPost:5267192008-12-01T15:32:51.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
<a href="http://ideablob.com/ideas/3862-A-Second-Chance-Getting-Your-L"><img alt="My Idea" src="http://ideablob.com/ideas/3862-A-Second-Chance-Getting-Your-L;button"></img></a><br />
<br />
Hi Everyone!<br />
<br />
I have this non-profit idea that I believe could make a significant difference in our community with our homeless victims. In order to make my idea a reality I have to get a lot of votes and promote my idea. I can't do this alone so if you all could help me out, we would all be making a difference.<br />
<br />
Please check out the link above, I could really use your vote and support. There's a lot more…
<a href="http://ideablob.com/ideas/3862-A-Second-Chance-Getting-Your-L"><img src="http://ideablob.com/ideas/3862-A-Second-Chance-Getting-Your-L;button" alt="My Idea"/></a><br />
<br />
Hi Everyone!<br />
<br />
I have this non-profit idea that I believe could make a significant difference in our community with our homeless victims. In order to make my idea a reality I have to get a lot of votes and promote my idea. I can't do this alone so if you all could help me out, we would all be making a difference.<br />
<br />
Please check out the link above, I could really use your vote and support. There's a lot more information and description of my idea on the site. If you want to know more, feel free to ask. I'll be happy to answer your questions.<br />
<br />
Thank you!!AMBER ALERT- Please Read!tag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2008-10-29:1256554:BlogPost:5134062008-10-29T17:16:41.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
ATTENTION: There is an AMBER Alert in your area.<br />
<br />
Missing From: Bartow, FL<br />
Missing Date: 10/27/2008 12:00 AM<br />
<br />
Contact: Polk County Sheriff's Office<br />
863-534-6200,911<br />
<br />
Circumstances: The almost 6 year-old child was taken by the abductor, who is his father. They were last seen in a 2009 white Chevy Impala, FL 575HXD. They were last known to be in the Miami Gardens, FL area.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Missing Child:<br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" height="107" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2202666919?profile=original" width="86"></img></p>
<br />
Name: Ar'Marion Hargrove<br />
Hair Color: Blk Eye Color: Brn<br />
Skin…
ATTENTION: There is an AMBER Alert in your area.<br />
<br />
Missing From: Bartow, FL<br />
Missing Date: 10/27/2008 12:00 AM<br />
<br />
Contact: Polk County Sheriff's Office<br />
863-534-6200,911<br />
<br />
Circumstances: The almost 6 year-old child was taken by the abductor, who is his father. They were last seen in a 2009 white Chevy Impala, FL 575HXD. They were last known to be in the Miami Gardens, FL area.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Missing Child:<br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2202666919?profile=original" alt="" width="86" height="107"/></p>
<br />
Name: Ar'Marion Hargrove<br />
Hair Color: Blk Eye Color: Brn<br />
Skin Color: Blk Age: 6<br />
Height: 3' Weight: 25<br />
Gender: Male<br />
Description: White polo shirt, dark blue jeans, gray/black polo jacket, black Nike shoes<br />
<br />
Suspect:<br />
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2202667063?profile=original" alt="" width="86" height="114"/></p>
<br />
Name: Charles Hargrove<br />
Hair Color: Blk Eye Color: Brn<br />
Skin Color: Blk Age: 25<br />
Height: 5'8 Weight: 160<br />
Gender: Male<br />
Description: White button up shirt, gray pants<br />
<br />
Vehicle Information<br />
Make: Chevy Model: Impala<br />
Color: Whi<br />
License State: FL License Text: 575HXD<br />
Vehicle: 4D<br />
<br />
Please contact local authorities if you have any information.Politically Incorrect Guide to Politicstag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2008-10-21:1256554:BlogPost:5102832008-10-21T19:00:00.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
Before you vote this election this is something everyone should watch. I watched this on 20/20 last week and it's the closest, unbias view of the election. A little something to tickle our thoughts. Have an open mind and if you have the time to watch all 6 video clips, please do so.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phs6CwnutoY">Pt. 1</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e11-_cE63Us">Pt. 2</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuL8teeuJD8">Pt. 3…</a>
Before you vote this election this is something everyone should watch. I watched this on 20/20 last week and it's the closest, unbias view of the election. A little something to tickle our thoughts. Have an open mind and if you have the time to watch all 6 video clips, please do so.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phs6CwnutoY">Pt. 1</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e11-_cE63Us">Pt. 2</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuL8teeuJD8">Pt. 3</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Pu6cT6ICQQ">Pt. 4</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTI9r4pUYh4">Pt. 5</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWVLr8Y18e0">Pt. 6</a><br />
<br />
Do we really need politicians? Do we need our government? Considering we're ages from barbaric times, we've involved into civilization, are a world power, could we govern ourselves? Take care of each other?<br />
<br />
What do you think?Change...Are we ready?tag:www.miamiurbanlife.com,2008-10-08:1256554:BlogPost:5048592008-10-08T18:30:00.000ZMiss Susyhttp://www.miamiurbanlife.com/profile/MissSusy
"Change We Can Believe In." "Change We Need." "Change!"<br />
<br />
We have all been bombarded by the word CHANGE. Our world needs change, economies need change, political propoganda of Obama's campaign is all about change. Change has become a brand. Something like the whole "go green" concept. Want to sell something? Slap the word change or green on it and it's almost worth guaranteeing a fair profit.<br />
<br />
Now before you begin drawing assumptions of me having a resistance to change or thinking that this…
"Change We Can Believe In." "Change We Need." "Change!"<br />
<br />
We have all been bombarded by the word CHANGE. Our world needs change, economies need change, political propoganda of Obama's campaign is all about change. Change has become a brand. Something like the whole "go green" concept. Want to sell something? Slap the word change or green on it and it's almost worth guaranteeing a fair profit.<br />
<br />
Now before you begin drawing assumptions of me having a resistance to change or thinking that this article has anything to do with our election, rest assured I'm most accepting to change and the use of Obama's slogans are merely a worthy example. My purpose here is to explore change with you. What is change? What can be changed? How can it be changed? Why is change needed? How can change benefit our immediate circle of life? Or is all this use of the word change more like painting a pretty picture that could never be our reality?<br />
<br />
So, I've been asking myself these questions for a while now and just found myself lost. There are too many things to change and most of them I couldn't see having a direct effect on my community, my "world" or my "circle of life." I believe change is to benefit those around us and improve the quality of life. Then I stumbled upon something worthy to inspire change. Google created <a href="http://www.project10tothe100.com">Project 10 to the 100th</a> which encourages people (anyone) to share their ideas to change the world by helping as many people as possible.<br />
<br />
I looked further into it and thought, where do I begin? I figured the best way to make a difference, to create change is by finding out what's wrong and what can be improved. I remembered a quote by Henry David Thoreau, "could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?" I had to take others opinions into account. I decided to start small and surveyed the 350 contacts in my phone with the following questions: <b>What do you think would make this world a better place? Where you live (your city, community, etc.) a better place? What do you think is wrong or could be changed and how would you change it?</b><br />
<br />
As much as I had hoped that responses would help feed a clearer idea of what can be done, sadly responses were limited. Only 18% of the persons surveyed responded with a concept, 8% felt that change should just happen and the rest just didn't respond. How discouraging! Made me wonder if change is really wanted or if people are just on the change bandwagon. However, the responses I did get were based on the future of society which lies within the children of today's world. How we could change society if we teach children simple values and morals such as respect, consideration, manners and humility.<br />
<br />
Hmm... Maybe creating a program to show children how they can cultivate these values would be a good idea. Maybe implementing this program in schools? Then again, how many children really pay attention to their teachers? Or practice what they learn outside of school? This is what change would have to be... for US to learn and cultivate these values ourselves so that others may learn from us... so that our future may benefit from the very things we've tried to instill. After all, haven't we all heard the phrase "teach by example" at some point in our life? Isn't it time we apply this to our lives?<br />
<br />
This is my Project 10 to the 100th, my contribution to social enrichment, to help myself and others find a way to make the world a better place by instilling basic values and morals as a part of our every day life in hopes to increase the level of respect between one another, amongst ourselves, knowing the true meaning of integrity and developing compassion and empathy for our neighbor(s).<br />
<br />
This is my next step, asking the 1000 of you (MUL): What do you think would make this world a better place? Where you live (your city, community, etc.) a better place? What do you think is wrong or could be changed and how would you change it?<br />
<br />
In the words of Theodore Roosevelt, "great thoughts speak only to the thoughtful mind, but great actions speak to all mankind."<br />
<br />
All in all, this is just some Food for Thought.<br />
<br />
Hope you all have a great day and find something you can change for the better.<br />
<br />
- Miss Susy