3 Good Books

If you’re a sports fan, and even if you’re not, here are three books I whole-heartedly recommend you pick up and read:

Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty, by Jeff Pearlman. In his book, Pearlman takes us through the rise and fall of the Jimmy Johnson era Dallas Cowboys. Their rigorous training, their internal feuds, and they’re on and off-the-field antics. He recalls how Johnson takes the worst football team in the NFL, and turns them into a dynasty that would later win three Super Bowl Championships. After reading this book, I can honestly say that I will never see football the same way again. This is a great book from start to finish.


The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, by Michael Lewis. This one takes us through the life and times of Michael Oher, offensive tackle for the University of Mississippi, and a 2009 first round draft of the NFL Baltimore Ravens. It tells the story of a young man’s struggles growing up, and who, through his physic and sheer determination to achieve his football dreams, rises from the bottom of the most deplorable neighborhoods in Tennessee to the reach the starting line up of the Ole Miss Rebels football team. In one chapter, Lewis analyses and describes the evolution of the great Bill Walsh offence and Bill Parcells’ defense. If you’re a football fan, you have to pick this one up.


Blood in the Cage, by L. Jon Wertheim. A great book that details the origins of mixed martial arts (MMA) as a legitimate sport. Wertheim does a thorough job describing the detailed life of Pat Miletich, during his early life in Bettendorf, Iowa, his subsequent contributions to the vast popularity that made the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) what it is today, and the many champions he coached and mentored through his own Miletich Fighting System in his MMA gym in Iowa. This is one book I could not put down, and I recommend it to anyone who’s ever wondered why two men would ever get in a locked cage to duke it out and “leak some mud”…

JAM, if you’re reading this, thanks for the recommendations, I thoroughly enjoyed these books - keep ‘em coming…

Photo of the day

Bokeh

Few things will make the subject in a photo stand out more, than an image with great bokeh; this, of course, is just my humble opinion. Bokeh, in photography, refers to the amount of out-of-focus, or blur, within the image. The blurred area is generally achieved by setting a shallow depth of field (DOF) in your camera lens, which in-turn delivers a pleasing background either behind or in front of your subject. A larger aperture (smaller f/stop number) will provide a more shallow depth of field - the bokeh on this shot was obtained by setting the lens aperture at f/5.6

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Tangerines

The tangerine is a citruis fruit of the mandarine orange variety. It is sweeter and smaller than most oranges, but the best thing about them is that they're so much easier to peel than an orange. Althought they can be consumed in a variety of ways, like in salads, preserves or juice, I prefer to just peel and it.

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Planespotting

Planespotting (aka Aircraft spotting) is a hobby based on observing, photographing, and some times logging registration numbers of aircrafts. These may be airliners, helicopters, gliders, balloons, or other powered aircraft. There are a large variety of planespotters, each with a personal view and idea of the hobby. Some may be interested in specific aircraft models, some prefer to focus on the various unique markings or paint color schemes, and yet others might just be fascinated by a particular manufacturer. Some planespotting hobbyists will listen-in to air traffic controller radio transmissions using radio scanner (where the use of radio scanners is legal), while others are perfectly satisfied by just sitting under a shady tree and watching aircraft landings and take-offs. As for me, I’m happy just taking pictures and sharing them with the world - happy planespotting.

>> Check out some of my other transportation photo galleries <<

Doral Classic Car Show

Cruising for a Cure


JC Bermudez Park Doral played host to “Cruising for a Cure” as part of the 2009 Relay for Life Weekend in Doral. The weekend, which raised more than $120,000 to benefit the American Cancer Society, brought a variety of classic and custom cars from the 1930s to present day autos. So which car won Best in Show? this pristine, jet-black, 60's Plymouth Road Runner.


My entry, an original 1988 Porsche 944, looked good in its first competition. Future Best in Show? Maybe...

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2010 FIFA World Cup Trophy

The FIFA World Cup Trophy, which is made of solid 18-carat gold with a malachite base, is awarded every four years to the winner of the FIFA World Cup football tournament. The design, by Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga, illustrates two athletes victoriously holding up the world. The one-of-a-king trophy is 14.5 inches in height, and weights 13.61 pounds.

The FIFA World Cup Trophy made its first appearance in 1974, replacing the original Jules Rimet Trophy which was awarded from 1930 to 1970. The back side of the base is engraved with the year and country of the World Cup winning team. Spain holds the current World Cup title, after defeating Netherlands during the 2010 tournament. 

World Cup Tournament Winners:
2014 - Germany (def Argentina)
2010 – Spain (def Netherlands)
2006 – Italy (def France)
2002 – Brazil (def Germany)
1998 – France (def Brazil)
1994 – Brazil (def Italy)
1990 – West Germany (def Argentina)
1986 – Argentina (def West Germany)
1982 – Italy (def West Germany)
1978 – Argentina (def Netherlands)
1974 – West Germany (def Netherlands)
1970 – Brazil (def Italy)
1966 – England (def West Germany)
1962 – Brazil (def Czechoslovakia)
1958 – Brazil (def Sweden)
1954 – West Germany (def Hungary)
1950 – Uruguay (def Brazil)
1938 – Italy (def Hungary)
1934 – Italy (def Czechoslovakia)
1930 – Uruguay (def Argentina)

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Marlins vs. Mets – Friday Night Baseball



It was a beautiful clear and cool Friday evening, and the red-hot Florida Marlins were looking confident to beat the visiting New York Mets. After starting with a run in each of the first two innings, the Fish continued to lead the game until the Mets tied it in the seventh. The Marlins answered back quickly with a leading run in the bottom of the seventh, but New York tied the contest once again at the top of the ninth. Florida was not to be denied however, and with a couple of base hits in the bottom of the ninth, two outs, and the winning run on third, Jorge Cantu brought the winning run home with a perfectly placed hit to left field. It was a fantastic finish, as the Florida Marlins rallied to their first 4-0 start in franchise history. Go Fish!

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Victoria Azarenka wins the Sony Ericsson Open Title


Belarusian born, Victoria Azarenka, defeated the number 1 ranked player in the world, Serena Williams, to win the 2009 Sony Ericsson Open tennis tournament. This is the third title victory this year for the 19 year-old, now resident of Scottsdale, Arizona, and this weekend’s victory propelled her to #8 in the WTA Tour Rankings.

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Alona Bondarenko at the 2009 Sony Ericsson Open


If you’re a tennis fan, there’s no better ticket in town than the 2009 Sony Ericsson Open. This year’s tournament runs from March 25th to April 5th, at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, Florida. The event hosts the top players from both the ATP and the WTA, including Ukrainian born, and one of the most endearing women players in the tour, Alona Bandarenko.

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Arrgh…


Pirates abound during pirates weekend at this year’s Florida Renaissance Festival. The event takes place annually at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, Florida. In its 17th year, the festival is as popular as ever. It lasts five weekends, with a different theme each week, starting with Celtic/Irish weekend on February 7th & 8th, followed Romance, then Pirates weekend, Wenches weekend, and closes with Fantasy weekend on March 7th & 8th. It’s a real treat for both kids and adults who are kids at heart.

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IFL Group Convair 5800

This Convair 5800 aircraft was originally introduced to the air as a model CV-440, but was later modified by Kelowna Flightcraft R&D Ltd., as the Convair 5800 to meet current cargo transportation needs and safety requirements. The CV-440 was 1 of 343 originally built in 1956; today this modified aircraft is owned and operated by IFL Group, a charter cargo transportation firm, servicing the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean.

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The Thomas Jefferson Memorial



The building is a presidential memorial located in Washington D.C., commemorating Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States, and main author of the Declaration of Independence. Construction of the building started in 1939, and was completed in 1942. Five years later, a bronze statue of President Jefferson was added inside the structure, fully completing the memorial. Today, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial receives more than 2 million visitors each year.

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Panning

The image above is a basic sample of panning. Panning is a photographic technique intended to produce a sensation of motion and speed in the shot. This is achieved by blurring the background while maintaining the subject in focus.

To accomplish this effect, the photographer needs to follow a moving subject with the camera, maintaining the subject in the same position in the frame for the duration of the exposure. The background becomes blurred by maintaining a long exposure time in your shot as you follow the subject. The challenge is to maintain a sharp subject in the center of the frame, throughout the long exposure time required to blur the background as you move the camera across the horizontal plane of the shot.

The shot above was made hand-held, with a shutter speed setting of 1/60th of a second. The shutter speed required for panning will depend on the speed of the subject, and good results can be gained at shutter settings ranging from 1/200th to 1/40th of a second. Some photographers can achieve amazing results at slower speeds, but unless you have a really steady hand, the use of a tripod or monopod is recommended for shutter speeds slower than 1/40th/sec – especially if you’re using a heavy lens. Panning is not an easy technique to master, but with enough practice, it can result in amazing shots.

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Les Deux Fontaines

Les Deux Fontaines Lobster Cafe & Bar is one of the many eateries overlooking the white sandy beaches in Miami's South Beach Ocean Drive. The restaurant is located at 1230 Ocean Drive, and is one of the premier spots for seafood lunch and dinners. Reservations are highly recommended, and Visa is accepted.

Buckhorn Exchange

Colorado liquor license number 1 is proudly displayed on an aged and slightly tarnished antique mirror behind the bar. Across the bar, a Sioux-indian two-hide dress sits behind an acrylic display case, preserving the dress once worn by Regina Spotted Horse, niece of the famous Sitting Bull. These are only two of thousands of artifacts displayed inside the Buckhorn Exchange, Denver’s oldest restaurant. But that’s only one aspect of this great establishment, the other is the tasty cuisine.


The Buckhorn Exchange prides itself in serving only top quality prime grade beef, buffalo, elk, quail, duck, and game hen to name a few. Lunch and dinner meals can be paired with soup or salad, potatoes (mashed or baked), baked beans or wild rice. For those who prefer an adventurous start to their meal, the rattlesnake or alligator tail appetizers might do the trick. Craving something sweet after dinner? Then add a hot Dutch apple pie a la mode or the double-chocolate Rocky Road brownie for dessert. However, no meal here should go without trying the house specialty, Rocky Mountain Oysters; they’re available as appetizers, and served with horse radish and cocktail sauce.


The Buckhorn Exchange, which was funded in 1893 by Henry “Shorty Scout” Zietz, a member of the famous Buffalo Bill Cody’s band of scouts, is registered as a National Historic Landmark, and is a must-visit for anyone who loves history and great food – and for those of us who love both, this place is a real treat!

Buckhorn Exchange
1000 Osage Street
Denver, CO 80204
(303) 534-9501

Grimpa Brazilian Steakhouse

We arrived too late for lunch and too early for dinner, yet we still had a great time. My wife and her parents had just arrived from Costa Rica, and after picking them up at the airport, we decide to drive out to Mary Brickell Village, in the heart of Miami’s financial district, for a quick bite and cocktails. Mary Brickell Village is a pleasant upscale shopping plaza with plenty of good restaurants and shops. One of the best restaurants there is Grimpa, a contemporary Brazilian steakhouse specializing in some of the finest cuts of meat outside of Brazil.

It was around 3:00 in the afternoon, so we sat at one of the shaded tables lining one of restaurant’s external walls; if there’s one good thing about getting there at that time, is that there’s no waiting for a great table. We ordered wine and caipirinhas. The caipirinha is known as Brazil’s national drink, and is made with cachaça (traditional Brazilian spirits), lime juice and sugar, served on the rocks; this sweet-n-tart cocktail is delicious any time of the day. I had the Caipirinha de Maracuja (with added passion fruit), and the wife had the Caipirinha de Morango (with strawberries). Now, I’ve had a good share of caipirinhas, both in Brazil and the U.S. (I make a wicked caipirinha at home too), but few are as good as these – I definitely recommend having at least one, to any one who visits Grimpa.

Since we weren’t very hungry, we decided to go with a couple of appetizers. We started with a platter of picanha and sausages. Picanha (Tri-Tip Sirloin) is the most popular cut of beef in Brazilian steakhouses, and these did not disappoint. They were cooked medium well, and were served juicy and tender, with just a hint of salt. We also had a platter of cheeses, which included Brie, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Swiss. Our server added a basket of freshly baked rolls and a basket of hot and delicious pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread) rolls.

We sat for a good while enjoying a couple more orders of caipirinhas and wine. We talked, laughed, and enjoyed the type of cool late afternoon breeze that can only be experienced this time of year in Miami. The service was to the expected standards of a high-end restaurant, with premium prices to match. The check for the 2 appetizer platters, 8 cocktails, a glass of house wine, and the basket of pão de queijo, easily exceeded $250. I still had a very enjoyable time, and I’d happily spend another afternoon the same way again.

Grimpa Steakhouse
901 Brickell Plaza
Miami, Florida 33131
305-455-4757

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Blue Martini

The Blue Martini Lounge at Mary Brickell Village in Miami’s financial district. The Blue Martini provides live music and dance floor, delicious appetizers, and an extensive list of signature cocktails and superior top shelf liquors.

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Sunflowers in bloom
I found these amazing sunflowers at an open fresh market in Homestead, Florida this morming. The market, which only opens on weekends, enables local growers to sell a vast variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Adjacent to the market are several taco stands serving delicious authentic Mexican dishes at very reasonable prices. My favorite stands are El Tacaso and Los Potosinos - their Tacos al Pastor remind me of the ones I have when I travel to Mexico City.

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Boca Chica Club, is a fine dining restaurant situated on a pier in the Dominican Republic, overlooking the beautiful Caribbean Sea.

Doral Park Country Club - New Year's Bash

4, 3, 2, 1… Happy New Year! We all counted down the New Year in unison and continued to celebrate as we ate the traditional 12 grapes. Now you may be asking yourself what the “traditional 12 grapes” is all about. Simple, it’s a tradition that started in Spain and eventually spread across most Spanish speaking countries. As families from Latin America migrated to the U.S., they brought the tradition along, and today, with the Latin culture influence what it is, it’s rare to see a New Year’s celebration in Miami without this tradition. The idea is to eat one grape at each of the 12 chimes of the clock at midnight – by the time the clock stops chiming everyone should have eaten their 12 grapes. It is believed the tradition was started by Spanish grape farmers about 100 years ago, as a way to get people to buy more of the grapes they grew. Families today continue the tradition believing it will bring good fortune throughout the new year.

New Year’s Eve dinner: The wife and I arrived at around 9 p.m., and were soon joined by my wife’s brother, his wife, and his mother-in-law. I noticed it was a beautiful cool and clear night in Miami, as we worked our way to the outdoor patio for appetizers, hors d'oeuvres, and the open bar. The appetizers were laid out on a large table in the center of the courtyard overlooking a large lit fountain that sprang from the middle of an otherwise tranquil lake. On one side of the table was a platter of 3 cheeses, consisting of small Cheddar cheese cubes, Swiss cheese cubes, and a bleu cheese spread. Next to it laid a basket of crackers and bread rolls, a large bowl of vegetables (carrot sticks, grape tomatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower), and a platter of small hors d'oeuvres, which were gone in a blink of an eye – they were about the size of a 50 cent coin, made up of a round thin bread base toped with cream cheese and either ham, salmon or a tiny shrimp. I tried the shrimp and salmon, and both were quite tasty.

After enjoying some cheeses and a couple of rum-n-cokes, we walked back to our table in the main dining room, and got set for the main course. The dinner buffet was set along several large tables, with salads and side dishes set in the center of the room; at the far end of the room, there were three meat cutting stations serving pork, roast beef, and turkey; on one side, a large table with seafood sides (sorry seafood lovers, only shrimp and oysters at this buffet) balanced the room; and an area by the main doorway was set with several types of small deserts and fruits meant to be dipped in a fountain of hot melted chocolate centered on the desert table.

There were plenty of salad choices, but I settled for a modest serving of corkscrew pasta salad, grape tomatoes, and carrot shavings. I added brown rice, stir-fried vegetables, potatoes and a bread roll. I elected to have the turkey, mostly because the lines for the pork and roast beef were getting much more attention – and what can I say, I was hungry, and in no mood to stand in line. I decided not to have shrimp or oysters, opting instead to leave room for desert.

When it came to flavor, my taste buds were not disappointed. The turkey was moist and tender, and the brown rice made a good combination. The pasta salad was equally pleasing, with a great taste combination of pastas, olive oil and herbs, and the absence of garlic was a welcome change. By the time I got to the desert table, the small cheese cake pieces for dipping were gone, so I picked a couple of nice strawberries and a stick of rice cake, which I eagerly dipped in the hot melted chocolate – it was the perfect desert to complete the last meal of 2008.

All in all, it was a great meal, and the service was very good. Aside from a few servers who didn’t quite speak English, the rest were very pleasant and happy to put up with our constant requests for cocktails and water. We toasted with champagne at midnight, ate the 12 grapes, danced to live music, and concluded the evening at around 1 a.m. - I can honestly say, it was a great start to 2009.

Doral Park Country Club
5001 NW 104 Avenue
Doral, FL 33178
(305) 591-8800

Photo of the day

The famous Kobe Beef Burger at the Dune Oceanfront Burger Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne, Florida. I don't know about you, but I'll take one of these over shoveling snow any cold-winter-day of the week...

Happy New Year!