Music in Miami

Apparently in Miami live music is best heard from underneath a highway. First it was Stage under the 195, now it's PAX (Performing Arts Exchange) under I-95. Housed in the former Miami Herald distribution center, PAX is billed as a "coffee art house" which is exactly what we need more of in Miami. Founded by the guy who was in charge of booking bands (like The Pinker Tones and He's My Brother, She's My Sister) at Transit Lounge, the music should be good. Hopefully, the coffee will be too. Upcoming shows include Afro-Kumbé on 4/22, and Elastic Bond on 4/23.

Other events happening now include O, Miami, a celebration of poetry in honor of National Poetry Month. The festival includes a literary death match, something involving DJ Le Spam and one of the guys from Broken Social Scene that's being called Broken Social Spam, and an evening at the new Gehry building with James Franco, who has been recognized by Stephen Colbert as being a modern-day Renaissance Man. And the Transatlantic Music Festival with Tango Conspiracy and Antibalas performing at Bardot and the North Beach Bandshell, respectively.

Martha Stewart Makes Life Better

Martha Stewart Makes Cookies.

I love the simplicity and straightforwardness of this app's name. And, of course, I love Martha Stewart. So naturally I'm already a big fan of this app which I've never even tried. You begin with a cookie search wheel that allows you to mix flavors until you find the perfect cookie for your soon-to-be-grateful loved one. You see full-color photos of each cookie, you use the built-in timers and when you're stumped at a step, take advantage of the embedded video so that Martha can lovingly and confidently walk you through it. Really, it's like she's right there in the kitchen with you! And once your cookies are ready to come out of the oven, Martha would never just leave you to your own amateurish devices, so of course there's tips on presentation as well.

The layout and design are as clean and visually-appealing as everything in her empire. I'm sure Martha Stewart Makes Cakes, Martha Stewart Makes Chicken, Martha Stewart Makes Omelettes, etc., etc. can't be too far behind. Maybe even Martha Stewart Makes Cupcakes AND Cookies :

Because, really, Martha Stewart DOES Make Life Better.

I Was R I G H T !!!

Back in August of 2009, I wrote this post about how I wished swing could make a come-back. It finally seems that I'm getting my wish. Well, maybe not SWING, yet, but at least rockabilly is back; and it's close enough.

Last December - after an amazing in-studio performance by Miami City Ballet of Company B which is set to the music of the Andrews Sisters (yes I really do love the era) - I ended up going to Bardot and unexpectedly catching Hep Cat Boo Daddy's live performance. Then last month I was at Stage and saw Slip and the Spinouts. And as exciting as hearing these great bands was, seeing the great outfits was even better! Girls with thin, arched eyebrows, ruby-red lips and porcelain skin decked out with bandanas and crazy prints and the attitude to match. Boys with pompadours and two-tone shoes. Ah, heaven.

I'm too fickle to commit to one style, vacillating between hippie and pin-up and most days sticking with yoga clothes or jeans and a t-shirt, but it definitely makes me happy to see that this subculture is popping up in the mainstream again. If I could only remember how to roll my hair properly...