Saw Nil Lara perform a couple of weeks ago, and I was really amazed at how this local legend can rock, play the guitar and quatro, break hearts with his screaming love/hate songs, and get the crowd to feel like they are part of a great show. It was just a few songs (it was Sweat Records Anniv. Party), but the crowd was transfixed. Go check him out tonight, Thursday, May 1st, at Transit Lounge (729 SW 1st Ave) at 10 PM. I apologize for the minimal quality of my shaky video, but I was still sober (nice Roger McGuinn twangy twelve-string-like riff, though). Go to http://nillara.blogspot.com/and listen to a song or two. I promise you, you'll want to hear the whole set.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Mother's Day Cakes...
The Famous Strawberry Squares that started it all...
I met Alex Llaneza's mother at Hardcore Gallery, on N. Miami Ave., and she beamed when she told me the tale of his 'secret recipe' cakes. I thought, in honor of Mother's Day (and if you need to do some last minute cake-buying), I would share Alex's story, in his own words.
"Growing up in a family where eating well and often was of utmost importance, and most family members are food connoisseurs (going all the way back to my great-grandmother, Oportuna Cueto, looking to an old family recipe when I wanted to make some extra money was intuitive.
It all started my sophomore year of high school when I noticed guys making decent money selling sandwiches. Realizing that specific market was saturated, I decided to try selling dessert. Coincidently, there was this amazing cake my great-aunt, Tia Berta Llaneza, would make at family lunches (recipe was handed down by my great-grandmother) which not only did I love, but I found it to be pretty addictive. From a business standpoint I thought it was perfect!
I presented the idea to my mom, Rochi Llaneza, and she quickly jumped aboard for the production. We cut the cake into 24 pieces and packaged them in individual zip-loc bags. The next day I came home with $26…selling them at a dollar a piece, I had to auction off the last two. The cakes were a hit!
But things quickly got a little more complicated. I went to an all boys high school, Christopher Columbus, and what I was doing was technically not “legal.” Initially, I had the support of certain teachers, like Mr. Lightfoot, who allowed me to sell during the first few minutes of class, but eventually I got caught. After a week of detention and some advice from teachers and friends, I brought a couple guys on the team and gave them a percentage of sales. This went on until I graduated, and I made more money my senior year of high school than my first year in college working at a bank.
As friends went away for school I continued getting requests so I set up a small website. In the mean time, I've pursued another family business and hobby, and opened a cigar store, Puros Fine Cigars, with my cousin Alejandro Alcorta. Ultimately, my experiences have led me to conclude that working at something you are truly passionate about will almost certainly lead to success."
Chocolate...................................Lemon
Happy Mother's Day...
I met Alex Llaneza's mother at Hardcore Gallery, on N. Miami Ave., and she beamed when she told me the tale of his 'secret recipe' cakes. I thought, in honor of Mother's Day (and if you need to do some last minute cake-buying), I would share Alex's story, in his own words.
"Growing up in a family where eating well and often was of utmost importance, and most family members are food connoisseurs (going all the way back to my great-grandmother, Oportuna Cueto, looking to an old family recipe when I wanted to make some extra money was intuitive.
It all started my sophomore year of high school when I noticed guys making decent money selling sandwiches. Realizing that specific market was saturated, I decided to try selling dessert. Coincidently, there was this amazing cake my great-aunt, Tia Berta Llaneza, would make at family lunches (recipe was handed down by my great-grandmother) which not only did I love, but I found it to be pretty addictive. From a business standpoint I thought it was perfect!
I presented the idea to my mom, Rochi Llaneza, and she quickly jumped aboard for the production. We cut the cake into 24 pieces and packaged them in individual zip-loc bags. The next day I came home with $26…selling them at a dollar a piece, I had to auction off the last two. The cakes were a hit!
But things quickly got a little more complicated. I went to an all boys high school, Christopher Columbus, and what I was doing was technically not “legal.” Initially, I had the support of certain teachers, like Mr. Lightfoot, who allowed me to sell during the first few minutes of class, but eventually I got caught. After a week of detention and some advice from teachers and friends, I brought a couple guys on the team and gave them a percentage of sales. This went on until I graduated, and I made more money my senior year of high school than my first year in college working at a bank.
As friends went away for school I continued getting requests so I set up a small website. In the mean time, I've pursued another family business and hobby, and opened a cigar store, Puros Fine Cigars, with my cousin Alejandro Alcorta. Ultimately, my experiences have led me to conclude that working at something you are truly passionate about will almost certainly lead to success."
Chocolate...................................Lemon
Happy Mother's Day...
Friday, April 25, 2008
Must Love Cats and Bad Food...
I'm often asked how I pack away all that food and drink and still retain my buff physique. Of course I try to eat as much good stuff as I can, and as little of the bad stuff as possible. But I also have a trade secret. It would be a shame to waste even bad food, stuff that I wouldn't even give away to a homeless guy, so often I am to be found dumping mounds of crappy stuff you wouldn't feed to a sick dog into...my cat's dinner bowl. Yes, PJ, an odd domestic shorthair of about thirteen years of age, has been known to eat p'tcha, Rokeach 'Old Vienna' Gefilte Fish (Ingredients-Water, Carp, Mullet, Whitefish, Pike, Egg Whites, Sugar, Onions, Matzo Meal, Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Carob Seed Gum and Natural Flavoring), dried-out ribs, greasy Haitian foie (liver), and any number of shitty leftovers I couldn't bear to toss, but was happy to watch her eat. Here's the noodle pudding (luckshen). God it was revolting...
PJ can be reached at her blog, 'Meow by PJ' http://www.pjsblog.com/ ...she likes to stay out in the rain, get muddy, take showers, and eat ribs....She also catches and eats fresh lizards to augment the Meow Mix and three-day-old leftovers...
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Bagels & Co. and Company...
(Why It's Sometimes Referred To As 'Bagels & Guns')
Pumpernickel, Poppy, and lox-spread, heavy on the lox bits...
Crusty...
Crunchy...
Runners-up from Bagel Bar East...
...and Bagel Cove...
Try a Bagels & Co. Kasha Knish. Not Yonah Schimmel's Knishery on Houston St., but close enough...Bagels & Co.
11064 Biscayne Blvd, Miami
(305) 892-2435
Open 365 Days a year, 6AM-4PM
(They have a generator, too, so even if there's a hurricane, and the power goes out, you'll never miss a day...)
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