Street art and snow cones on a hot summer day.

In case you were looking for a nice, sweaty alternative to spending a relaxing day at the museum (you know, in the nice, cool air conditioning), I suggest you spend the day walking around the Design District and Wynwood. It is most definitely worth the heat induced delirium to check out the incredible art that (to my pleasure) happens to be painted on buildings' walls for several city blocks. (Not to mention that fact you will probably lose a few pounds with all that walking around in 95 degree weather.) Or, better yet, you could do the smart thing and wait until the winter. Oh well, next time.
So on to our travels. We began in the Design District (around 32nd? street) with a cold beer to prepare ourselves for a scorching afternoon in the sun (for the sake of art). We took off on foot, west to Miami Avenue, at the suggestion of the bartender. To our delight, the first stop on our unguided-street-art-tour proved most unexpected. Two giant walls set on a street corner facing an intersection, formed the corner of a living room. This giant section of a room came equipped with colossal lamps and couch, and pink and white baroque wallpaper to boot. Random and odd but interesting and a good start, nonetheless.
From there we traveled south. At one point about halfway through our journey, a man noticed us (and my finger on the trigger of my camera), and suggested we trudge all the way down to 24th street for what he considered "the best stuff." So off we went in search of more art (we want more art!). Indeed, I thought I might pass out from heat exhaustion. Snow cone truck mirages began to appear. No, real snow cone trucks appeared! Hallelujah! Thank you kind sir for your thoughtful suggestion, you were right. Some of the most talented artists around had had their say on that block. And that snow cone was like a; well, it was like a red cherry snow cone on a hot summer day.


Disclaimer: These photos are not posted in the order of our discovery. You must find them and everything I didn't include here, yourselves. 

Living room street corner

This is not a recipe.

It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you, without a dope beat to step to. 
Okay, that's not my line but it sure seemed appropriate (thanks, Timbaland). Let me begin by saying: just because you have been without knowledge of Hood Rat activities for almost a month, does not mean they are not happening. So let me assure you, my absence is not without good reason. 
In the past month; I have uprooted my (half-broken) feet from a sleepy little place no one over the age of 12 or under the age of 60 should spend too much time, picked up my notebook and No. 2 pencils, and relocated to a slightly larger town you may be familiar with. Maybe you know it from a Will Smith song, or a television show from the '80s. Miami Vice, ring a bell?


Oh yes, Miami! 

The infamous city filled with half-naked tourists, palm trees, fake tits, Spanish accents, art deco everything, and cuban food on every corner; is officially mi nueva ciudad. 

Now, other than catching a Golden Filter show a couple of weeks ago (photos above), I haven't truly sunk my teeth into this city, yet. So, abandoned by my favorite lady (insert sad face) for the week, my own personal super-man came over and cooked up some delicious kind of meal (for us to sink our teeth into). What it was I have no idea, or rather, no desire to put a name on it. A concoction involving tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic, red potatoes, rosemary, lemon and chicken. I do believe that is all the necessary information. We also ate it on the floor. Why not? Like I said, this is not a recipe.

This scattered entry is just to inform you of one thing. Hood Rat Stuff is back in business. New and Improved. Hood Rat Stuff 2.0. The Miami Edition. More Hood than ever before. 

Catch my drift? 
In keeping with the theme of themelessness, ponder this: What do Henry VIII,  styrofoam beer coolers, and the Miami skyline all have in common? 

Not much, except they all like to party. Get ready, Miami.

Funky beats make tasty treats.

My definition of a pleasant surprise is unexpectedly partying to a live set by Wolfgang Gartner, and so went Wednesday night. With only a few hours notice, I found myself on South Beach getting down to some funky beats provided by this top house DJ. He performed to a packed club at LIV, where lit-up dome ceilings provided a technicolor substitute for the night sky, and if you could find the room to shake your hips you were unable to stop. 

For a short and sweet little taste of Wolfgang Gartner's style, check out his version of the original 5th Symphony below. Fortunately, one track does not do this guy's style justice; he's a man of many tricks when it comes to making you move your feet. So, I added a couple more gems, to get you on your way to a dance party of your own.

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

Twenty Three White Balloons.

How many clubs can you name that have thrived for more than 20 years? The list is short, and Respectable Street Cafe is on it. The past few posts have been heavy on the Respectables, but that's mostly because the club managed to turn the month of July into one non-stop party. From performances by Black Kids and Sleigh Bells, to guest DJ's like Jason Tyler; they concluded the month by celebrating their 23rd year on the scene. As expected, this was the rowdiest party of all; shutting down a city block and enlisting 23 bands to play all night long- well, until around one a.m., and then the DJ's took over.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY