The Carcass Of A South Beach Holiday Inn

This is what happens when old Holiday Inn's die. This is what they do to them. This particular one is located right on the beach at 23rd Street and Collins Ave. From what I understand, it's been there for more than 40 years.

40 years. That's fourteen thousand six hundred potential vacation days. Think about how many people have stayed in this 146 room hotel over the years. How many tourists saw Miami Beach for the first time, how many junkies shot up there first hit of heroin within the sanctuary of its seaside rooms. How many honeymooners stayed in the room next to the working girl who shacked up with john after john that they picked up on Ocean Drive just fifteen blocks south.

Such hope. Such debauchery. All irrelevant now as the final nights of this magnificent building pass forgotten by all (save Drago and I, who just happened to be riding our bikes on the boardwalk that night and snapped this picture). This photo has not been altered or enhanced in any way.

Photo Credit: Drago

The First Place Is Always Special

When my family first landed in these United States over 27 years ago, we lived in this seedy hotel on South Beach for a couple of months until we could find a more permanent place to live. The San Juan hotel is located on 17th street and Collins Avenue on Miami Beach. We got there right around the same time as the Mariel Boatlift (you remember the movie Scarface with Al Pacino? Well, that's what it was like around the hotel back in the day). After a couple of months in this place, my dad has found steady work and saved up enough money to move us into a small apartment a couple of miles away, in the Latin Ghetto. Life in those days was hard, so for posterity, I had to go back and take a picture of the first place that I lived in when I came to the United States.

Photo Credit: Drago

My Friend Clive, Part II

Don't fuck with Clive. He knows Squirrel-Fu. In this pick, he's shown in prime ass-kicking position. He is posessed by evil spirits and everything. No, really.

My Friend Clive, Part I

My friend Clive lives in the tree in front of my house. He comes down sometimes and eats the leftover birdseed that I leave out for the wild parrots.

Wednesday Night Urban, Part II

Another shot from the 01/10/2007 Urban Assault through Ft. Lauderdale (though there's not much "assaulting" going in in ths picture).

Anal Yogurt Albums

Yes, it's true. So far, there have been 12 official Anal Yogurt albums released. Fortunately, they keep it old school by shunning such new-fangled technologies as MP3's and Compact Discs, instead choosing to "keep it real" by only releasing their music in the most metal of format: the trusty Cassette Tape! I took pics of these cassettes for your viewing pleasure. No, you can't have a copy. Not yours!

Wheelie

From the Wednesday Night Ride on January 10th, 2007