#manningvsbrady #nfl #pregnantwife #wordbyfernie wordbyfernie: “But honey, it’s Manning vs. Brady....”: By Fernie Ruano Jr. If you’re flipping a football in the air and wearing your favorite NFL team’s boxer shorts dotted with chocolate ...
Friday, 31 October 2014
“But honey, it’s Manning vs. Brady....”
Posted on 12:39 by RAJA BABU
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
If you’re flipping a football in the air and wearing your favorite NFL team’s boxer shorts dotted with chocolate ice cream and oatmeal raisin cookie crumbs when you make a turn for your bedroom at approximately 11:15 p.m. each night you’re probably a huge fan and therefore might have heard the Denver Broncos (6-1) are visiting the New England Patriots (6-2) on Sunday – that’s at 4:25 p.m. on CBS unless you’re fortunate to have a ticket and will be scarfing down a $9 “value” meal from the McDonald’s stands – in this week’s installment of “Biggest Game of the Year” until Seahawks vs. 49ers, November 27.
But it’s not just another early-November “big game” you’re begging your pregnant wife to watch while you’re doing the dishes and praying to yourself that you can quietly put the lawnmower back in the garage while she takes a shower, especially when it’s one of the last times you’re going to see Peyton Manning and Tom Brady on the same field leading their respective teams from under center.
PEYTON MANNING VS TOM BRADY; PEYTON MANNING VS TOM BRADY; PEYTON MANNING VS. TOM BRADY; Try telling your wife that three times, and really fast at 3:59 p.m. as she flips the car keys on the kitchen counter while putting her hand over her stomach and says, “Babe, I really need 12 glazed donuts and a bottle of mustard.”
But for the love of your first child, DUDE! Show some balls; it’s BRADY VS. MANNING.
It’s the guy who was supposedly buried somewhere in Santa Clara, California last month and has a cool beard and would have five Super Bowls rings instead of three if Bob Kraft woke up one day in 2005 and decided he wanted to spend some serious $$$$ versus the guy who supposedly couldn’t lift his right arm above his head in summer of 2011, always has a dumb look on his face but makes cornerbacks not paid by the Broncos cry themselves to sleep on Saturday nights and loves “better ingredients” on his pizza.
And it’s a matchup of arguably the two greatest QB’s in NFL history and who both are still really, really good and will probably be long retired by the time you get to knot the laces of your son’s soccer cleats for the very first time. It’s Ali vs. Frazier; Steelers vs. Cowboys; Magic vs. Bird; Celtics vs. Lakers; Yankees vs. Dodgers; Ohio State vs. Michigan; Gretzky and Messier vs. anybody; Kobe vs. THE WORLD.
It’s the guy who was supposedly buried somewhere in Santa Clara, California last month and has a cool beard and would have five Super Bowls rings instead of three if Bob Kraft woke up one day in 2005 and decided he wanted to spend some serious $$$$ versus the guy who supposedly couldn’t lift his right arm above his head in summer of 2011, always has a dumb look on his face but makes cornerbacks not paid by the Broncos cry themselves to sleep on Saturday nights and loves “better ingredients” on his pizza.
And it’s a matchup of arguably the two greatest QB’s in NFL history and who both are still really, really good and will probably be long retired by the time you get to knot the laces of your son’s soccer cleats for the very first time. It’s Ali vs. Frazier; Steelers vs. Cowboys; Magic vs. Bird; Celtics vs. Lakers; Yankees vs. Dodgers; Ohio State vs. Michigan; Gretzky and Messier vs. anybody; Kobe vs. THE WORLD.
It’s time you go get your wife’s donuts and bottle of mustard….
CHARGERS @ DOLPHINS (CBS, 1 p.m.): A playoff game at Sun Life Stadium on the first Sunday of November? Yes. The bipolarish-Dolphins (4-3), coming off their most complete effort of the season against the Bears, are in dire need of stringing together some wins – like three or four of them – if they have any aspirations of securing a playoff spot in the AFC, and saving Joe Philbin’s job. It might be wise to let Ryan Tannehill go right after a depleted Chargers’ secondary from the start, but San Diego (5-3), off since losing to the Broncos last week, has superior talent on offense, especially at quarterback, wide receiver and tight end, and also looking to stay in Denver’s rearview mirror. Expect to see the Chargers playing in mid-January, not the Dolphins.
CARDINALS @ COWBOYS (FOX, 1 p.m.): The Cowboys (6-2) are signing defensive players off the street and Tony Romo’s back really, really hurts, which means Dallas’ surprising start is about to come crashing down faster than Renee Zellweger’s cheekbones by way of having their defense exposed as a fraud because it was never any good to begin with and hasn’t really been torched for a long period of time during the team’s first eight games for everybody to see because the Cowboys’ offense has dominated time of possession behind MVP candidate DeMarco Murray. Arizona (6-1), in the West coast team coming south for an early-game spot, will provide the toughest challenge of the season so far for the ‘Boys offensive line.
BRONCOS @ PATRIOTS (CBS, 4:25 p.m.): Unless, your life is in danger or you’re in bed with Jennifer Lopez, Manning vs. Brady is must-see-TV. And putting aside the two biggest and cutest FACES of league for a sec, why wouldn’t you want to watch to see who the best team in the AFC – at least in November – is; what Gisele is eating in the luxury box; and maybe even if Peyton likes mushrooms on his pizza?
RAVENS @ STEELERS (NBC, Sunday, 8:25 p.m.): It’s a good thing it’s a school night and your kiddies will be in bed by kickoff because Baltimore (5-3) vs Pittsburgh (5-3) usually tends to get a bit ugly and bloody. Another early-November mud fest with playoff implications, the Steelers finally seemed to have found their offensive footing under Todd Haley largely in part to an improved offensive line which has consistently opened up the lanes for Ben Roethlisberger and some dude named “Bell”. This is a what’s-left-in-the-sack test for the Ravens, smarting from getting hosed on a pass interference that erased a game-winning TD against the Bengals, and deeply engrained in what appears to be a three-team race right until the end in the AFC North.
AUBURN @ OLE MISS (ESPN, Saturday, 7 p.m.): Who is the hell needs a college football playoff system when you have the equivalent of a loser goes home game right here. Think about this one as the winner will get to dream about playing Florida State or Alabama in the title game. At least for another week they will.
Do you want to know more about this 305-reeking, beach-bumming, Cuban food-obsessed dude? Well, then.. You can connect with Fernie @wordbyfernie (Twitter) and Fernie Ruano (Facebook). Who knows? If he really likes you, he might even give you his email.
Thursday, 30 October 2014
wordbyfernie: Weekend in Miami: Don’t stay home spraying snot al...
Posted on 12:10 by RAJA BABU
#Halloween #weekendinmiami #Miami #coconutgrove #Miami Dolphins #San Diego Chargers #wordbyfernie wordbyfernie: Weekend in Miami: Don’t stay home spraying snot al...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. We’re thisclose to November, you know when the girl who sat next to you in shorthand class in 1989 and the...
Weekend in Miami: Don’t stay home spraying snot all over your high school yearbook
Posted on 12:06 by RAJA BABU
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
We’re thisclose to November, you know when the girl who sat next to you in shorthand class in 1989 and the same girl you wanted so bad you would start stuttering around all your friends, while standing by the lockers in the hallway as soon as you saw her walking by, decides it’s a great time of the year to call you because the holiday season is coming up on her so fast she can smell it on the Victoria Secret’s thong she wore to the office this morning. And all her friends, including her best friend who is married with four kids and bakes a lot of cookies, are blissfully in love.
It’s that time of year when you climb on the second step of the ladder inside your garage and reach in vain for the three boxes stacked in the corner of the shelf in hopes of knocking down the one with all your Thanksgiving table clothes and red-Christmas tree balls in it, before accidentally tipping over the box with all your high school yearbooks, and proceed to spend the next two hours shaking your head and laughing out loud because you can’t figure out if that’s the same Patty Alvarez you used to see by the ice cream truck during lunch after searching for her on Facebook; or if that’s really Joan Montoto since her pop tarts are thisclose to exploding through the white tee she’s wearing.
It’s that time of year when you put the zipper dress, sneakers and workout clothes taking up space in your closet, and that you bought your crush two years ago after seeing her for the first time since 1989, in a large garbage bag and by the side of the road for it to be discarded forever.
It’s that time of year when you shouldn’t be wasting your energy on shit you can’t do anything about, like being single since 2012, the dent on the passenger’s door of your 2014 BMW and the costume you’re going to wear to the Halloween party at your boss’ house tomorrow night since it’s the WEEKEND and you, for God’s sake, live in MIAMI and in all honesty shouldn’t have a FU#%$&* minute to spare for ANYBODY; For real.
FRIDAY 10/31: Are you one of those women who like to procrastinate to the point its 7:30 p.m. on Halloween night and you still haven’t decided on a costume or forgot all about it because you’ve been sitting at the Clevelander (1020 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL., 305-532-4006) drinking mojitos since 1:30 p.m. after calling your boss at 7:30 a.m. to tell him you had a vicious head cold? Well, don’t sweat the costume and go home to take a cold shower before putting on the tiniest outfit you can find and make a beeline for the Playboy Halloween Masquerade. Alright, alright…. In all honesty you’re not going to bump into Hugh Hefner, but there’s a chance you get close enough to all the long-legged models walking around the pool that you could be living out a dream by 2 a.m. But don’t forget to wear a mask in case you end up doing shots at your boss’ house at 5 a.m. and don’t want him to recognize you. (SLS Hotel – Hyde Beach – 1701 Collins Ave., 305-674-1701, $30-$50)
SATURDAY 11/1: For all of Miami’s glamor, silicon and palm trees, Coconut Grove, the oldest and coziest continuously-inhabited neighborhood in this beautiful city, just carries on unappreciated. Incorporated in 1919, the Grove is rustic and unsophisticated enough that people of all ages and backgrounds make it a meeting point on weekends. And tonight you too have a very good reason to soak the old neighborhood up as Coconut Grove F.A.M. Night, a fusion of arts, music and fashion, will take over the streets with so many galleries open and trunk shows popping you’re going to get wasted on wine and cheese; lots of wine and cheese. And organizers are so high … on expectations they plan to host the event every first Saturday of the month until June 2015. Just think: You can walk up and down Commodore Plaza with your hubby and kiddies and buy a lot of stuff; and eat like a pig. And it’s free! Coconut Grove F.A.M. Night (3300 SW 27th Ave., www.coconutgrove.com, 305-664-4680)
SUNDAY 11/2: The San Diego Chargers last played a football game on October 23, which means their starting quarterback, Phillip Rivers, has had plenty of time to make love to his wife and perhaps set the stage for child No. 13 in the Rivers’ household to be roaming around the kitchen by August of 2015. Just kidding, the Rivers only have five children or something like that. And that in itself should explain why Rivers is always so FREAKING angry all the time since avoiding 300-pound defensive tackles in order to buy $1500 of Pampers a week isn’t an easy way to make a living, especially if you’re coming off a loss to the Denver Broncos and will already be red as a tomato by the time you get off the team plane in Miami; And getting off the plane with a lot of weapons. So, your bipolar Miami Dolphins – the team that makes you want to cut the grass for your wife on any given Sunday and makes you want to cheat on her the following Sunday – will have quite a task staring them in the face at Sun Life Stadium (2269 NW 199thStreet, Miami Gardens, www.sunlifestadium.com) in what stacks up as a make or break game because 5-3, instead of 4-4, will look and sound a lot better at the mid-point of the season; even if you’re clueless enough to think the Dolphins can win the AFC East or make the playoffs.
Do you want to know more about this 305-reeking, beach-bumming, Cuban food-obsessed dude? Well, then… You can connect with Fernie @wordbyfernie (Twitter) and Fernie Ruano (Facebook) and visit http://www.latinbeatsvibe.blogspot.com . Who knows? If he really likes you, he might even give you his email.
Wednesday, 29 October 2014
It’s the first date, so get a little crazy….
Posted on 12:05 by RAJA BABU
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
Not every first date in Miami can possibly begin with you digging your teeth into a $23 piece of bread at some ritzy steakhouse on the southern point of South Beach and end with your tongue inside some hairy-blonde dude’s throat on a rented boat swaying off of Biscayne Bay, if not in the backseat of a black limo with your pink Victoria Secret’s thong down by your ankles and you feeling really, really good.
Let’s be REAL: Aside from having to call your roommate at 3 a.m. for bail money or having your pocket book – or wallet – stolen from some creeper you met online five hours ago, first dates are forever meant to be a little quirky; you know like the first hour you’re alone with him/her and don’t know WTF to do.
But you should feel a little uncomfortable while trying really hard to concentrate on the next piece of that juicy steak on your plate or her beautiful green eyes or whispering in her/his ear because the 23 kids sitting behind you inside the movie theatre in Aventura Mall are making it impossible to hear each other – or looking for another chic at approximately 11:35 p.m. of a date that started at 9 p.m. because you only planned a dinner and a movie.
A first date – especially in Miami – should be a little unbalanced my friend, so whip out your wallet and get a little creative if you want to …..
MEASURE THE SENSE OF HUMOR BAROMETER: What can be more attractive in a partner than his/her sense of humor? I mean if she accidentally slips her glass of coke all over her white dress and leather handbag and starts laughing, instead of crying, you might have a keeper… And someone who just might get a kick out of going to a comedy show. If she runs up on stage after the comedian calls her up and doesn’t dip in her seat after hearing a dirty joke, which includes sex and stuff, chances are you will be making out by your car at 2 a.m. before watching her walk up the stairs …(Ft. Lauderdale Improv, 5700 Seminole Way, 954-981-5653).
GET ADVENTUROUS: The last time she put on a plaid skirt and made insensitive jokes about poor people was 1999 so your private school bitch might be past dreaming about football players all day and just be feeling a lot more adventurous since turning 32. Well, what better way to find out than taking her up in the air for a …skydive. She’s going to squeal; laugh and hang on to you like a 7-year-old girl because she’s really scared and wants to feel how big your arms are. Or she’s going to beg the instructor to bring her back down to the ground. (Miami Skydiving Center, 14005 SW 127TH St, 305-235-3483)
PLAY WITH BULLETS AND STUFF: Is there a bigger turn –on – aside from having Jennifer Lopez and Olivia Munn standing in your kitchen naked at 8 a.m. while you drink your cranberry juice – than a woman who can shoot a gun? Like with bullets and stuff? What better way to find out if you’re going to feel real protected around your chic, especially if you’re the type that starts sweating because the guy with the long hair and bushy beard sitting at the bar gives you dirty looks. And it's also the perfect way to know if you’re chic is really CRAZY. Either way, you win; if you don’t end up in a body bag. (Doral Gun Range, 2105 NW 102 Place, 305-717-3277)
It’s the first date, so get a little crazy….
Posted on 12:03 by RAJA BABU
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
Not every first date in Miami can possibly begin with you digging your teeth into a $23 piece of bread at some ritzy steakhouse on the southern point of South Beach and end with your tongue inside some hairy-blonde dude’s throat on a rented boat swaying off of Biscayne Bay, if not in the backseat of a black limo with your pink Victoria Secret’s thong down by your ankles and you feeling really, really good.
Let’s be REAL: Aside from having to call your roommate at 3 a.m. for bail money or having your pocket book – or wallet – stolen from some creeper you met online five hours ago, first dates are forever meant to be a little quirky; you know like the first hour you’re alone with him/her and don’t know WTF to do.
But you should feel a little uncomfortable while trying really hard to concentrate on the next piece of that juicy steak on your plate or her beautiful green eyes or whispering in her/his ear because the 23 kids sitting behind you inside the movie theatre in Aventura Mall are making it impossible to hear each other – or looking for another chic at approximately 11:35 p.m. of a date that started at 9 p.m. because you planned a dinner and a movie.
A first date – especially in Miami – should be a little unbalanced my friend, so whip out your wallet and get a creative if you want to …..
MEASURE THE SENSE OF HUMOR BAROMETER: What can be more attractive in a partner than his/her sense of humor? I mean if she accidentally slips her glass of coke all over her white dress and leather handbag and starts laughing, instead of crying, you might have a keeper… And someone who just might get a kick out of going to a comedy show. If she runs up on stage after the comedian calls her up doesn’t dip in her seat after hearing a dirty joke, which includes sex and stuff, chances are you will be making out by your car at 2 a.m. before watching her walk up the stairs …(Ft. Lauderdale Improv, 5700 Seminole Way, 954-981-5653).
GET ADVENTUROUS: The last time she put on a plaid skirt and made insensitive jokes about poor people was 1999 so your private school bitch might be past dreaming about football players all day and just be feeling a lot more adventurous since turning 32. Well, what better way to find out than taking her up in the air for a …skydive. She’s going to squeal; laugh and hang on to you like a 7-year-old girl because she’s really scared and wants to feel how big your arms are. Or she’s going to beg the instructor to bring her back down to the ground. (Miami Skydiving Center, 14005 SW 127TH St, 305-235-3483)
PLAY WITH BULLETS AND STUFF: Is there a bigger turn –on – aside from having Jennifer Lopez and Olivia Munn standing in your kitchen naked at 8 a.m. while you drink your cranberry juice – than a woman who can shoot a gun? Like with bullets and stuff? What better way to find out if you’re going to feel real protected around your chic, especially if you’re the type that starts sweating because the guy with the long hair and bushy beard sitting at the bar gives you dirty looks. And this is also the perfect way to know if you’re chic is really CRAZY. Either way, you win; if you don’t end up in a body bag. (Doral Gun Range, 2105 NW 102 Place, 305-717-3277)
It’s the first date, so get a little crazy….
Posted on 12:03 by RAJA BABU
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
Not every first date in Miami can possibly begin with you digging your teeth into a $23 piece of bread at some ritzy steakhouse on the southern point of South Beach and end with your tongue inside some hairy-blonde dude’s throat on a rented boat swaying off of Biscayne Bay, if not in the backseat of a black limo with your pink Victoria Secret’s thong down by your ankles and you feeling really, really good.
Let’s be REAL: Aside from having to call your roommate at 3 a.m. for bail money or having your pocket book – or wallet – stolen from some creeper you met online five hours ago, first dates are forever meant to be a little quirky; you know like the first hour you’re alone with him/her and don’t know WTF to do.
But you should feel a little uncomfortable while trying really hard to concentrate on the next piece of that juicy steak on your plate or her beautiful green eyes or whispering in her/his ear because the 23 kids sitting behind you inside the movie theatre in Aventura Mall are making it impossible to hear each other – or looking for another chic at approximately 11:35 p.m. of a date that started at 9 p.m. because you planned a dinner and a movie.
A first date – especially in Miami – should be a little unbalanced my friend, so whip out your wallet and get creative if you want to …..
MEASURE THE SENSE OF HUMOR BAROMETER: What can be more attractive in a partner than his/her sense of humor? I mean if she accidentally slips her glass of coke all over her white dress and leather handbag and starts laughing, instead of crying, you might have a keeper… And someone who just might get a kick out of going to a comedy show. If she runs up on stage after the comedian calls her up doesn’t dip in her seat after hearing a dirty joke, which includes sex and stuff, chances are you will be making out by your car at 2 a.m. before watching her walk up the stairs …(Ft. Lauderdale Improv, 5700 Seminole Way, 954-981-5653).
GET ADVENTUROUS: The last time she put on a plaid skirt and made insensitive jokes about poor people was 1999 so your private school bitch might be past dreaming about football players all day and just be feeling a lot more adventurous since turning 32. Well, what better way to find out than taking her up in the air for a …skydive. She’s going to squeal; laugh and hang on to you like a 7-year-old girl because she’s really scared and wants to feel how big your arms are. Or she’s going to beg the instructor to bring her back down to the ground. (Miami Skydiving Center, 14005 SW 127TH St, 305-235-3483)
PLAY WITH BULLETS AND STUFF: Is there a bigger turn –on – aside from having Jennifer Lopez and Olivia Munn standing in your kitchen naked at 8 a.m. while you drink your cranberry juice – than a woman who can shoot a gun? Like with bullets and stuff? What better way to find out if you’re going to feel real protected around your chic, especially if you’re the type that starts sweating because the guy with the long hair and bushy beard sitting at the bar gives you dirty looks. And this is also the perfect way to know if you’re chic is really CRAZY. Either way, you win; if you don’t end up in a body bag. (Doral Gun Range, 2105 NW 102 Place, 305-717-3277)
wordbyfernie: Game 7 of the World Series: There’s nothing like i...
Posted on 09:52 by RAJA BABU
#game7 #worldseries #giants #royals #fernie wordbyfernie: Game 7 of the World Series: There’s nothing like i...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. What baseball-obsessed kid, his feet buried in a long patch of grass, an aluminum bat resting on his tiny shoulde...
Game 7 of the World Series: There’s nothing like it
Posted on 09:48 by RAJA BABU
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
What baseball-obsessed kid, his feet buried in a long patch of grass, an aluminum bat resting on his tiny shoulder and a mesh cap from [fill in the optimist] league tilted to one side of his bushy-haired head, hasn’t created the scenario in the backyard before his dad throws him the last pitch because it’s 7:30 p.m. and getting dark, and he’s exhausted from another long day at work: Running around in circles with the glee of a freckled 7-year-old with an occasional interruption to hug anybody that comes within arm’s length of you because you just won Game 7 of the World Series and no other sport in the world can make anybody who plays a game for a living act like a child? I did it, you probably did too.
Game 7
It’s the reason why I woke up at 3:30 a.m. today and buried my face in what else, a baseball book, a baseball book I’ve read countless times, because I couldn’t sleep. It’s the reason why countless baseball fans over this great nation - the mail clerk in Santa Ana, California, the butcher in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the banker in Dallas, Texas, too – will be in a bit of a rush today; all day. It’s the reason why a Cuban-born female friend, who just seven years ago would walk for an hour to get to the stadium in Havana because she loved the atmosphere and the crack of the bat, opened the door to her apartment this morning wearing a royal blue “Kansas City” tee and white short shorts, and nothing else.
Game 7
The entire season has come down to one game for the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals, and a baseball is round and comes in a squared box so it’s impossible to know if it will be Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, Madison Bumgarner, Sal Perez or Eric Hosmer that does something tonight to pave the way to the 2014 MLB championship for their respective squad. And be able to tell their grandchildren in 2035.
Game 7: It’s an early Christmas gift for baseball fans everywhere.
NOT MADISON BUMGARNER AGAIN: That’s what the Royals will be murmuring to themselves in the dugout if San Francisco’s ace, who has already produced one of the most memorable postseason runs ever, finds his way to the mound – again. And don’t bet against it since Bumgarner, who has allowed one run over 16 innings, would probably be throwing pitches in the bullpen today because it’s his turn to throw; In fact: Unless Tim Hudson, tonight’s Giants’ starter, is unhittable, Bumgarner, who according to manager Bruce Bochy bypassed his throwing session between his starts in Game 1 and 5, is going to be in the game at some point. Whether it’s for 20 or 40 pitches, just think what Bumgarner would do for the Giants if he entered the game in the bottom of the third inning and retired Hosmer and Butler to leave the bases loaded? He’s been so dominant, only a botched play in the infield or dropped fly ball is about the only way the Royals could fathom biting into a little piece of momentum away from the Giants with this kid on the mound.
ERIC HOSMER HAS FINALLY….. : It was so loud at Kaufman Stadium during Game 6, Hosmer swung at a pitch after being granted timeout by the home plate umpire. But the third-year player from South Florida and one of the Royals’ prized-cornerstone pieces can make it deafening and start writing his own legacy with one swing of the bat. Hosmer is a mistake-hitter and has the ability to change the course of a game with one swing, whether it’s off Hudson or Bumgarner. “This,” Hosmer, told reporters after last night’s game. “is why you play the game.” Just one perfect swing and Hosmer will never have to buy another drink in a Kansas City bar again; ever.
NED YOST VS. BRUCE BOCHY: On paper, it’s no contest, not even close. Win or lose tonight, somebody in Cooperstown is already shining Bochy’s bust; Yost was making vacation plans minutes after taking the ball from James Shields and replacing him with rookie Yordano Ventura in the Wild Card game against the Oakland A’s, before the A’s started throwing the ball all over the place and the Royals rallied to win in extra innings. And it’s one game. How long will Yost go with Jeremy Guthrie, Kansas City’s starter tonight, if the Royals fall into an early hole, say 2-0 in the top of the first inning? Has he maxed out his extraordinary bullpen or will Guthrie make it a mute- point by getting to the sixth inning with a lead? Or will Bochy get the ball into the hands of Bumgarner or Yusmeiro Petit first? Will Yost go bunt-happy in the most important game of his life, when in reality big innings are what decide baseball games? Any game, this one too.
Game 7
Game 7
Monday, 27 October 2014
wordbyfernie: Dead or alive: Cole Lockhart , Tom Brady and the ...
Posted on 12:53 by RAJA BABU
#deadoralive #theaffair #tom brady #kansascityroyals #wordbyfernie wordbyfernie: Dead or alive: Cole Lockhart , Tom Brady and the ...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. Who killed Cole Lockhart? That’s probably the only question you’re consumed with today in between an extra cup...
Dead or alive: Cole Lockhart , Tom Brady and the Royals
Posted on 12:51 by RAJA BABU
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
Who killed Cole Lockhart?
That’s probably the only question you’re consumed with today in between an extra cup of coffee or two, if you’ve invested the 10-11 p.m. timeslot the past three Sundays to the “The Affair”, Showtime’s melodrama series centered around an unfulfilled writer and grief-stricken waitress – both of them whom are married, but forging ahead with an unfaithful splash of bliss even if it’s an outside shower of the house she shares with her husband or in the small-town library just blocks away from the writer’s in-laws.
Loner Alison Lockhart , played by a delish Rita Wilson, is married to heartless and influential ranch-owner Cole Lockhart (Joshua Jackson) but thirst for more than making coffee at the local diner and having sex whenever Cole wants it; Noah Solloway (Dominic West) is worn by family life and career obstacles. And loves sex just as much as Alison does, only he would prefer it with a wife (Maura Tierney) that doesn’t make so many faces at him.
It all starts when the red-headed and perky Alison asks Noah if she can share the lane of a neighborhood pool he’s doing laps in after arriving to spend the summer at his in-law's house with his wife and kids.
Alison waste no time in coming over to make acquaintances with Noah, but makes a quick exit after noticing his wedding ring.
Alison waste no time in coming over to make acquaintances with Noah, but makes a quick exit after noticing his wedding ring.
But as luck would have it – doesn’t it always – Noah stops in to grab a bite at the diner with his wife and kids, and wouldn’t you know it Alison saves one of the Solloway’s kids from chocking almost simultaneously with being ogled from head to toe by Noah.
Alison, who lost a child herself, becomes so distraught over the incident she disappears to the diner’s restroom. And guess who’s waiting for her to thank her.... There’s seven episodes remaining, but it’s pretty clear there’s been a murder and Noah and Alison are at the center of the investigation.
And while we’re on things not too difficult to figure out…
PATRIOTS: Remember about three weeks ago when Tom Brady apparently not only hated everybody in his own locker room, but was taking his final breathes? Well, we’re a few days from Halloween and the Patriots offense looks scarier than Chris Berman’s face at 10:15 a.m. on a Sunday. Will there be a drop off? Yes, of course. New England’s scoring potential is contingent on Rob Gronkowski’s ability to continue to work the middle of the field, while working in a running game behind a still-improving offensive line. But outside of Denver, who else would you…
SAINTS: It really looks as if New Orleans is about to run a few in a row and find their place in the NFC ; The Saints manhandled the Packers and face the offensive-less Panthers on Thursday night. And kudos to DC Rob Ryan for putting together a masterful plan that basically wiped out Aaron Rodgers ability to maneuver outside of the pocket.
ROYALS: You’ve waited 29 years for your favorite professional baseball team to get back to the World Series. And you’re going to give up now just because the Royals trail 3-2 to the Giants as the series shifts back to Kansas City, Tuesday night. Keep this in mind: The Royals ran into the hottest starting pitcher in the planet (Madison Bumgarner) but now have Yordano Ventura going up against Jake Peavy in Game 6. Keep your George Brett jersey by the front door, folks.. See you Wednesday night…
Do you want to know more about this 305-reeking, beach-bumming, Cuban food-obsessed dude? Well, then.. You can connect with Fernie @wordbyfernie (Twitter) and Fernie Ruano (Facebook) and visit http://www.latinbeatsvibe.blogspot.com. Who knows? If he really likes you, he might even give you his email.
wordbyfernie: Getting to know her: My favorite spots for a casua...
Posted on 11:05 by RAJA BABU
wordbyfernie: Getting to know her: My favorite spots for a casua...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. Admit it; you’ve done your homework. You know she pulls into the Starbucks on Miracle Mile at 7:30 a.m. every da...
wordbyfernie: Friendly-encounter in the morning: This time I did...
Posted on 10:48 by RAJA BABU
#friendlyencounter #coffee #brunette #county #wordbyfernie: Friendly-encounter in the morning: This time I did...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. “Would you mind if I sit here?” That’s the question a hurried brunette, her brown expressive eyes da...
Friendly-encounter in the morning: This time I did plenty of listening
Posted on 10:45 by RAJA BABU
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
“Would you mind if I sit here?”
That’s the question a hurried brunette, her brown expressive eyes dancing behind a big smile while she cradled a cup of coffee and oatmeal with her right forearm, asked me at approximately 9:25 a.m. last Friday as a peeked over my computer screen at a table of a buzzy-downtown Miami food court.
Standing so close to me I could smell the wetness of the cream trench coat she was wearing, I extended the unoccupied chair next to me before answering, “No, not at all; my pleasure.”, and helped her put all her belongings down.
"I love the shoes you’re wearing,” I told her as she offered up another smile at the compliment of her brown heels with gold-ankle bracelets. “They’re from Kenneth Cole,” she replied without hesitation.
Unguarded, witty and communicative; and apparently rushed, tormented and confused, too. I liked her already.
Am I really sitting in the middle of a crowded food court in downtown Miami with a rapid-fire, Colombian county -property tax appraiser who is smiling and making direct eye contact while telling me she isn’t wearing her engagement ring because she recently had a flair up with the father of her child and how she would like to squash the homeowner she is about to meet upstairs in about 20 minutes like a grape because she can’t understand, “How somebody can be so incompetent?”, all in between short swigs of her coffee, interrupted just once to take off trench coat, exposing firm arms underneath a sleeveless dress?
“Are you married? Do you have a girlfriend?” she asked, just minutes after asking about every other question a woman that just met a man would normally ask: “Where do you live?” “Where did you go to school?” “What are you doing on the computer?”
She was being admired from several different directions and she knew it.
"I’m not really in the mood to go upstairs,” she said after letting me know marrying the father of her child might not be such a smart career move for her and that she wanted to go somewhere, but not upstairs to work. “I don’t really feel like working today.”
So, by 9:45 a.m., I already knew the gorgeous woman having breakfast across from me had a 13-year-old daughter with the man she only recently became engaged with, wasn’t very pleased with her professional life and wanted to go somewhere with me, and not up the elevator to face the man she disagreed with.
At 10 a.m., we picked up and headed down the escalator before exchanging pleasantries; no goodbye kiss, no phone number trade; no flirting.
I just listened to everything she had to say; and it was the last thing she thanked me for before turning her back and disappearing out of my view.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Happy Friday,” I responded.
And I really hope I see her again; seriously.
Do you want to know more about this 305-reeking, beach-bumming, Cuban food-obsessed dude? Well, then.. You can connect with Fernie @wordbyfernie (Twitter) and Fernie Ruano (Facebook) and visit http://www.latinbeatsvibe.blogspot.com. Who knows? If he really likes you, he might even give you his email.
Friday, 24 October 2014
wordbyfernie: If Renee really loved herself and LeBron dug his h...
Posted on 12:59 by RAJA BABU
#nbapreview #whatif #wordbyfernie #fernieruanojrwordbyfernie: If Renee really loved herself and LeBron dug his h...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. If. It’s one of the tiniest words in that red, 25-pound Webster dictionary that’s been lying flat on its ba...
If Renee really loved herself and LeBron dug his hairline…
Posted on 12:56 by RAJA BABU
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
If.
It’s one of the tiniest words in that red, 25-pound Webster dictionary that’s been lying flat on its back in the bookshelf of your bedroom closet since 2003; it’s also one of the most powerful words in the English language and one defined on condition and predicted on a supposition or a qualification.
It hinges on happiness, sorrow, regret and loss. It is filled with endless possibilities that can lead to drastic changes.
Don’t believe it? Take a look around you.
Just this week, we learned Renee Zellweger was so happy with her old face she decided to get a new face even though her new face makes her look much older than her old face and makes her a leading candidate to play a 70-year-old Scarlet Johansson in 2054 or tomorrow.
Russell Wilson, the starting quarterback of your stumbling defending Super Bowl champs Seattle Seahawks, not only isn’t “black enough”, but reeks of being such a brown-nosing company man, according to published reports, that several of his teammates can’t stand seeing him combing his hair, while flipping through pictures of his white girlfriend on his cellphone in the locker room, even though there hasn’t been a notable change in Wilson’s hair or girlfriend since the fall of 2013, when the Seahawks were kicking everybody’s ass on their way to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
And Joe Madden, the same Joe Madden who has been lathered with praise as if it was free Coconut Butter lotion being handed out by Tom Verducci over the past decade for managing the frugalicious Tampa Bay Rays to a 754-705 record and one World Series appearance, has decided to exercise an opt-out clause in his contract and is leaving the team immediately.
And will in all likelihood be popping up on your TV screen next winter in a Braves’ uniform while running his fingers through his white hair and wearing thick-rimmed glasses as he answers questions with honest and well-thought out answers in another of one of the most informative postgame press conferences ever.
But in the meantime, what if I told you LeBron is infatuated with his receding hairline and Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love have never played in an NBA playoff game; Joakim Noah has a scary new game and the same scary old face; Chris Bosh loves Miami as much as Miami loves Chris Bosh or until he goes 2-for-11 from 3-point range against the Bulls in November;
And Kobe Bryant believes NBA players don’t make enough $$$$, even though Kobe Bryant, who is now 36 and will be crying himself to sleep because Steve Nash – Steve Nash – is nowhere to be found, will be making $24 million this season.
What if I told you the 2014-15 NBA Season tips off is thisclose; And if….
Bucks: If it was 1983 and Sidney Moncrief was running the point, not Kendall Marshall, perhaps Jason Kidd wouldn’t have signed an endorsement deal with Pepsi. Watch your step.
Sixers: If Michael Williams-Carter wins the scoring title, Philadelphia could be staring at 28 wins. And if they get any younger they can go celebrate his next birthday at Chucky E. Cheese.
Timberwolves: If Andrew Wiggins doesn’t like playing Play Station he should start now.
Jazz: If Gordon Hayward added 15 pounds of muscle, the Jazz would increase their chances of being on Sports Center a lot more this season, while Jay Harris makes fat jokes at 1:15 a.m.
Celtics: If Rajon Rondo gets traded to the Knicks before January, Spike Lee can start dreaming of attending at least one playoff game in 2015; In New York.
Lakers: If Kobe Bryant though playing with Pau Gasol was painful...
Magic:If Victor Oladipo doesn’t fix his face real soon he might end up looking like Renee by mid-January.
Kings: If the Kings get a new arena in Sacramento and DeMarcus Cousins really, really decides to grow up and stuff. Well, if DeMarcus…
Pistons: If Stan Van Gundy really, really loves his family he would have stayed retired.
Nuggets: If Danilo Gallinari, JaVale McGee, Tyson Chandler, Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson all stay healthy and play at least 60 games together…
Pacers: If Paul George could fly away …
Pelicans: If Anthony Davis averages 24/10 and Tyreke Evans doesn’t throw anybody through a window in the next six months, the Pelicans will make the playoffs…
Suns: If you’re watching a Suns’ game and need to go to the bathroom please hold it for a few seconds, unless you don’t mind missing something.. Phoenix plays fast; very fast.
Rockets: If James Harden starts playing defense with the ferociousness of a man that takes great care of his beard and Dwight Howard stops laughing….
Nets: If Deron Williams suffers a relapse and thinks it’s 2009…
Grizzlies: If Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph start snorting paint as much as they enjoy controlling it…
Hawks: If Al Horford doesn’t crumble in a million pieces in the middle of an airport…
Hornets: If Michael Jordan stays as far away as possible…
Mavericks: If Monta Ellis and Chandler Parsons don’t beat each other up over the ball while Dirk Nowitzki smokes a cigarette in the corner of the locker room….
Blazers: If LaMarcus Aldrige would get angry at his teammates just once..
Heat: If Chris Bosh starts missing a lot of 3’s
Raptors: If big man Jonas Valanciunas plays as long as his last name..
Warriors: If Golden State gets home-court advantage throughout the entire playoffs..
Thunder: If Kevin Durant can return sooner rather than later…
Wizards:If Paul Pierce is reduced to garbage minutes all will be well …
Clippers: If Blake Griffin doesn’t regress….
Bulls: If Derrick Rose doesn’t step on a piece of glass…
Cavs:If Kyrie Irving stays out of the way…
Spurs: If Gregg Popovich doesn’t quit in January…
Do you want to know more about this 305-reeking, beach-bumming, Cuban food-obsessed dude? Well, then.. You can connect with Fernie @wordbyfernie (Twitter) and Fernie Ruano (Facebook). Who knows? If he really likes you, he might even give you his email.
wordbyfernie: Weekend in Miami: “Mommy, my teacher says…”
Posted on 08:01 by RAJA BABU
#weekend #Miami #Pitbull #Enrique Iglesias #Oprah Winfrey #Tobacco Road #mask #teacher #wordbyfernie wordbyfernie: Weekend in Miami: “Mommy, my teacher says…”: By Fernie Ruano Jr. “Mommy, my teacher says I really, really need the mask to walk in the Halloween parade next week.” – ...
Thursday, 23 October 2014
wordbyfernie: Weekend in Miami: “Mommy, my teacher says…”
Posted on 12:32 by RAJA BABU
#Miami #weekend #Enriqueiglesias #Pitbull #Oprah #wordbyfernie wordbyfernie: Weekend in Miami: “Mommy, my teacher says…”: By Fernie Ruano Jr. “Mommy, my teacher says I really, really need the mask to walk in the Halloween parade next week.” – A ...
Weekend in Miami: “Mommy, my teacher says…”
Posted on 12:27 by RAJA BABU
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
“Mommy, my teacher says I really, really need the mask to walk in the Halloween parade next week.” – A 6-year-old in the passenger seat of a BMW doing 85 on I-95 right this very second.
What blonde single-mom with blunt bangs and artificial green eyes to die for and pear-shaped breasts so perky that a plastic surgeon drowned this morning surrounded by mojitos in Cabos San Lucas, would have the nerve – or face – to put her boyfriend on hold after smiling at the guy on the motorcycle that just cut her off and turn to her child to ask, “Do you really need a mask to be Spiderman?”
“Papo, do you really need a mask to be Spiderman?”
“Papo, do you really need a mask to be Spiderman?”
It’s been 20 minutes since you peeled off your Steve Madden pumps and flipped them over your headrest, but you’re still stuck behind the Costco trucker that honked his horn at you by NW 135th Street and your Apple IPhone 6 has been vibrating since you pressed the “L” in the elevator at Aventura Mall because you promised your best friend you are going to run and eat sushi with her tonight. “
Mommy, my teacher says I really need the mask.”
Mommy, my teacher says I really need the mask.”
“Mommy, my teacher says I really need the mask.” “Mommy, my teacher says I really need the mask.” “Mommy, my teacher says I really need the mask.” Your son has asked you the same question so many times - in between swigs of his 7-Eleven Banana Slurpee - that your haste to put a key through the hole on the doorknob of your apartment in The Minorca Building has been replaced by a trip to the nearest Target to shuffle your hands through a discount table in hopes of finding a mask; And buying $100 of Snickers.
And now that you’ve been Gorilla-Marketed by Little Henry thanks to his teacher and dropped more than $94.23 than what you expected on candy you will be eating until February 16, 2015 because as soon as you walked through the doors at Target you had ’50 %’ signs all up in your face, you can finally focus on the size 6- Bebe black zipper-dress you bought seven hours ago for the Enrique Iglesias/Pitbull concert at the AmericanAirlines Arena, Sunday night –
You know the show you bought tickets to in April after some marketing genius sitting around a conference table came up with the idea that the 33-year-old Cuban-American “rapper” from Miami that you love so much and has made a very healthy living off of collaborating with other artists (three to be exact) to create artificial duets and pushing an area code that starts with the number “3” after having his head polished and being taken on a white-pants shopping spree after years of lingering around barber shops and train tracks wouldn’t have to sweat about carrying a show – at least for now - if he was paired with a Latin heartthrob who can still move tickets sales with his last name even though he also hasn’t moved anything done in the studio by himself in years.
Pero, at least you’re going to be shaking your ass to “Bailando” while Enrique’s collaborators probably appear on the video screen and some techie reviews Armando’s biographical summary for the 23rd time on his IPad before approving it to run on the same video screen and you’re walking out of the arena whispering to yourself, “De verdad que ese Pitbull is living the American dream.”, before calling your best friend to yell at her, “I just saw Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull! I just got two for one! Can you believe it?”
Pero, at least you’re going to be shaking your ass to “Bailando” while Enrique’s collaborators probably appear on the video screen and some techie reviews Armando’s biographical summary for the 23rd time on his IPad before approving it to run on the same video screen and you’re walking out of the arena whispering to yourself, “De verdad que ese Pitbull is living the American dream.”, before calling your best friend to yell at her, “I just saw Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull! I just got two for one! Can you believe it?”
Have fun this weekend, hot stuff… “Mommy, my teacher says I really, really need the mask.”
FRIDAY 10/24: What modern-day 35-year-old woman with a BWM and fake sweater meat and still on her third nursing class even though she enrolled at Florida International University in 2010 wouldn’t want to have Oprah Winfrey’s loose change for each day they live from this point forward? Hell, you not only want the Big “O’s” loose change, you dream of living like her, aside from becoming a lame-duck magazine editor.
Well, you’re going to think you were dreaming, if not praying for Monday morning to arrive, fast, at the “Oprah’s The Life You Want’ weekend extravaganza at AmericanAirlines Arena (7:30 p.m., 601 Biscayne Boulevard, 786-777-1000, www.aarena.com, www.ticketmaster.com ), where some of Winfrey’s favorite buddies such as Elizabeth Bell and Deepak Chopra will be waiting to motivate you with the kind of self-help messages that are going to make you want to run around naked in your living room when you get home.
But leave yourself plenty of time, because there will be a VIP tent at Museum Park with plenty of food and music, a picture booth to snap away enough selfies to open 58 Facebook accounts and so many Oprah-merchandise tables you’re probably going to make 11 trips to the ATM machine. The doors open tonight at 7 p.m. and don’t close ‘til 9 a.m. on Saturday. Oprah is so BIG, she bumped.. Some panty-dropping Spanish dude who doesn’t mention his father a whole lot and un rappero que dice “305” hasta cuando esta dormiendo …
Well, you’re going to think you were dreaming, if not praying for Monday morning to arrive, fast, at the “Oprah’s The Life You Want’ weekend extravaganza at AmericanAirlines Arena (7:30 p.m., 601 Biscayne Boulevard, 786-777-1000, www.aarena.com, www.ticketmaster.com ), where some of Winfrey’s favorite buddies such as Elizabeth Bell and Deepak Chopra will be waiting to motivate you with the kind of self-help messages that are going to make you want to run around naked in your living room when you get home.
But leave yourself plenty of time, because there will be a VIP tent at Museum Park with plenty of food and music, a picture booth to snap away enough selfies to open 58 Facebook accounts and so many Oprah-merchandise tables you’re probably going to make 11 trips to the ATM machine. The doors open tonight at 7 p.m. and don’t close ‘til 9 a.m. on Saturday. Oprah is so BIG, she bumped.. Some panty-dropping Spanish dude who doesn’t mention his father a whole lot and un rappero que dice “305” hasta cuando esta dormiendo …
But in the meantime…
SATURDAY 10/25: This dimly-lit, no-attitude haven for local bands of all genres has been open for over 100 years, so there’s a good chance you’ve stumbled in here at some point – like after a concert at the AAA or something – to wash the night away at the bar with cold beer after cold beer mixed in with shots of your favorite hard liquor.
Well, time has come to say goodbye as some real estate developer that smokes Cuban cigars and has a French girlfriend has informed the owner he has plenty of $$$ and therefore is taking over the space. So, go sit by the bar and raise your glass one last time in honor of the best bar in the history of this beautiful city. (Tobacco Road, 626 South Miami Ave., 305-374-1198)
Well, time has come to say goodbye as some real estate developer that smokes Cuban cigars and has a French girlfriend has informed the owner he has plenty of $$$ and therefore is taking over the space. So, go sit by the bar and raise your glass one last time in honor of the best bar in the history of this beautiful city. (Tobacco Road, 626 South Miami Ave., 305-374-1198)
SUNDAY 10/26: “Let’s go!” “Let’s go!” “Let’s go!” You might hear Miami’s favorite import since the white powder that helped build the Coral Gables office you sit in 8-hours-a-day repeat the same two words so much you’re going to think you’re listening to a recorded voice surrounded by 12 scantily-dressed female dancers and a cacophony of neon light beams as he jumps up and down for an hour and a half, in between breaks to tell you his area code and his life story – again and again.
But there’s the possibility you’re going to meet a 45-year-old barber wearing a red guayabera and white pants that’s going to compliment you on your black- zipper dress at 8:09 p.m. and you’re going to suck $25 Cran-vodkas out of him until 10:45 p.m. before shaking his hand and saying, “Gracias papo...De verdad que la pase de maravilla.”, as you swiftly move what mommy gave you to “Bailando”. And surprisingly you still have your black Victoria Secret’s G-string on. AmericanAirlines Arena (7:30 p.m., 601 Biscayne Boulevard, 786-777-1000, www.aarena.com, www.ticketmaster.com )
But there’s the possibility you’re going to meet a 45-year-old barber wearing a red guayabera and white pants that’s going to compliment you on your black- zipper dress at 8:09 p.m. and you’re going to suck $25 Cran-vodkas out of him until 10:45 p.m. before shaking his hand and saying, “Gracias papo...De verdad que la pase de maravilla.”, as you swiftly move what mommy gave you to “Bailando”. And surprisingly you still have your black Victoria Secret’s G-string on. AmericanAirlines Arena (7:30 p.m., 601 Biscayne Boulevard, 786-777-1000, www.aarena.com, www.ticketmaster.com )
Do you want to know more about this 305-reeking, beach-bumming, Cuban food-obsessed dude? Well, then.. You can connect with Fernie @wordbyfernie (Twitter) and Fernie Ruano (Facebook). Who knows? If he really likes you, he might even give you his email.
Tuesday, 21 October 2014
wordbyfernie: Un batido de mamey: Rich and sweet piece of heaven...
Posted on 12:11 by RAJA BABU
#batidodemamey #Cuban #Miami #wordbyfernie wordbyfernie: Un batido de mamey: Rich and sweet piece of heaven...: By Fernie Ruano Jr. You just finished an 8-mile run along the water with your girlfriend, but you’re in the mood to CHEAT so bad you ...
Un batido de mamey: Rich and sweet piece of heaven
Posted on 12:10 by RAJA BABU
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
You just finished an 8-mile run along the water with your girlfriend, but you’re in the mood to CHEAT so bad you literally have to wipe away a speck of droll from your mouth with your right index finger because you can taste the rich and sweet texture of your favorite tropical fruit, and the same one your Cuban mommy would bring home in pints of ice cream on weekends, when your girl snaps her fingers in front of your face and ask, “What about un batido de Mamey?”
“Did you just say un batido de Mamey?” you ask as the seven cars behind you at the red light blare their horns simultaneously and your girlfriend yells, “Dale chico! No van a dejar sin batido de Mamey!”
But she doesn’t realize the only reason you’re doing 85 on U.S. 1 and smiling is because it’s the first time in 11 months you and your girlfriend have agreed on something. “Un batido de mamey, un batido de mamey, un batido de mamey,” you repeat over and over again as if she is going to change her mind since her white yoga pants and blue T-shirt are soaking wet and not very appropriate for “El Palacios de los Jugos”.
But she’s hot, so is the weather and nothing will cool you down like “un batido de mamey.”
But she’s hot, so is the weather and nothing will cool you down like “un batido de mamey.”
El Palacios de los Jugos: You can see the orange-reddish tinted fruit right in front of your face – especially in season – as you yell and shove your way through the outdoor market and desperately try to get to the front of the line. But that’s what makes getting ‘un batido de mamey’ here so much fun. It’s also really thick and flavorful, which means the ladies behind the counter aren’t shy about stacking up the blender with lots and lots of mamey. Don’t forget your chicharrones while you’re at it. (Flagler Street & 57thAvenue, 305-264-8662)
Los Pinarenos: There’s nothing fancy and upscale about this cozy fruteria in the heart of Calle Ocho . In fact: The little structure is so old you might think you’re back in Pinar del Rio in Cuba. But no worries because all you have to do is pull up to the counter and order “un batido de mamey” from the guy wearing the straw hat. The cups are kind of on the small side, but your batido will definitely taste thick and sugary; so thick and sugary you might have to order another one, while you watch the tourists stroll by on foot.
And order some mamey juice to take home. (1334 SW 8th Street, 305-285-1135):
And order some mamey juice to take home. (1334 SW 8th Street, 305-285-1135):
Sergio’s: Alright, I’ve never been able to scope if the mamey here is frozen, you know like from some supermarket freezer or the real deal from a guajiro’s backyard. Anyhow, it’s still a treat and culture blessing whenever you can walk right up to the open window on a weekday at 1:30 pm. and order “un batido de mamey” from the short-blonde Cuban girl wearing the tight black pants; with your girlfriend, of course. (3252 SW 22nd St., 305-529-0047)
Do you want to know more about this 305-reeking, beach-bumming, Cuban food-obsessed dude? Well, then.. You can connect with Fernie @wordbyfernie (Twitter) and Fernie Ruano (Facebook). Who knows? If he really likes you, he might even give you his email.
wordbyfernie: Happy Birthday: Celia Cruz
Posted on 10:05 by RAJA BABU
#Celia Cruz #Happy Birthday #wordbyfernie wordbyfernie: Happy Birthday: Celia Cruz: By Fernie Ruano Jr. The crosswalk signal must have changed 15 times. I didn’t move. I couldn’t move. They’re was Cuban flags eve...
Happy Birthday: Celia Cruz
Posted on 10:03 by RAJA BABU
By Fernie Ruano Jr.
The crosswalk signal must have changed 15 times. I didn’t move. I couldn’t move.
They’re was Cuban flags everywhere; traffic on Biscayne Boulevard was backed up for miles.
Just steps from the Freedom Tower, I had arrived in downtown Miami – along with tens of thousands of mourners – to pay tribute to “La Reina” Celia Cruz, who had succumbed to cancer days earlier.
I was surrounded by black limousines, VIP’s in black suits, black dresses and shiny shoes, and most of whom I knew. And strangers, total strangers, trying to make their way across the street and up the stairs to Cruz’s open casket. I waited with them – no need, no desire for any special privileges on this day.
“No te vayas, mi hijito (Don’t leave, kid),” said an elderly lady behind me, leaning on a walker. “Necesito tu ayuda, por favor. Yo no me voy de aqui sin ver a Celia. (Please help me. I’m not leaving here without seeing Celia).”
I told her I wasn’t going anywhere and that I would help her up the stairs. I wanted to see Celia, too. The elderly lady and I waited close to four hours before getting close enough to Celia that she could murmur a goodbye. I stood silently by her side.
It’s been a while now since July 22, 2003, the day I paid tribute to Celia and the last time I witnessed people of all walks of life come together; young, poor, old, rich, they were all there; Beloved by all.
Time has passed, more than 11 years and I have never seen the elderly-Cuban lady that politely asked for my help that day; she’s probably passed on.
But I still think of her a lot; I think of her a lot because there’s not a day I don’t run without Celia’s piercing voice paving the way, no matter if it’s on sand, water or concrete. As it did for millions of people for over six decades, Celia’s music breathes life into my life; it always has and will continue to do so.
I was 6 the first time I heard “Quimbara”, Celia’s smash-hit off of 1974’s “Celia y Johnny” and a staple at any party you’ve ever been to around Christmas – especially if lechon and whiskey are being served. It was at my grandparent’s house, it was very loud and I was too young to understand all the commotion.
But no matter how loud the crescendo of the voices or clacking of dominos around me, Celia’s voice overpowered it all. Celia’s voice just got louder and louder with each rapid-fire lyric.
Celia was in control; moving mountains with her powerful and distinct voice; just like she will move me for as long as I live.
Happy Birthday, Celia.
Do you want to know more about this 305-reeking, beach-bumming, Cuban food-obsessed dude? Well, then.. You can connect with Fernie @wordbyfernie (Twitter) and Fernie Ruano (Facebook) and visit http://www.latinbeatsvibe.blogspot.com . Who knows? If he really likes you, he might even give you his email.
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