Gridskipper reminds us of the importance of lists:

"Lists are AWESOME. Who cares what they’re for? If it’s got a number by it, I’m in. NYPost obliged this week with its list of the 50 best Florida hotels, and three Miami-area establishments make the list. Topping the chart is The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, is both Miami’s “oldest, largest and just plain grandest hotel” and a relative bargain; rooms start at $159 per night.

If your demands include clean lines and white everythings, Miami Beach’s Townhouse Hotel is the way to go. Coming in at number nine, the Townhouse features a rooftop terrace that’s worth the price of the room (which start at only $115 a night)

Top ten after the jump:

1. The Biltmore, Coral Gables

2. Fisher Island Hotel & Resort, Fisher Island

3. The Breakers, Palm Beach

4. Sundy House, Delray Beach

5. Little Palm Island, Little Torch Key

6. The Setai, Miami Beach

7. Cheeca Lodge, Islamorada

8. Boca Raton Resort & Club, Boca Raton

9. The Townhouse, Miami Beach

10. Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Key Biscayne

Sources:
hoteling like JLo on a budget (Gridskipper)
Florida’s 50 Best Hotels and Resorts (NYPost)

Fodor's has a good tip about buying airline tickets. It seem that there really is a best day of the week to find the best deal - Wednesday at 1am.

In the airline business, fare wars are started by the weakest competitors, and the big guys tend to be the ones to raise fares. And all of that tends to happen on Fridays.

So how did Wednesday become the ideal day to strike a deal?

Let's say Airline A decides to raise fares. It usually does so at a late hour on a Friday night.

By Saturday, Airline A's major competitors will probably match that fare increase. Warning: Book your tickets over a weekend, and you might spend a whole lot more than you should.

But what if the major competitors DON'T match the higher fares? Then the instigator of the fare increase drops back down late on Sunday night or on Monday morning. If you already paid a higher fare, you still may be out of luck. Why? Because although you might still qualify for a lower fare and a ticket exchange, that terrible $75 change fee might wipe out your savings!

Here's another example. Let's say upstart Airline B decides to begin a fare war. Again, it happens late on a Friday night. Usually, some (but not all) of the majors will match that fare on routes where they compete with Airline B. Does that mean you should still book tickets over the weekend? Absolutely not. Remember, I said some, but NOT ALL of the majors will match that fare. By late Monday, depending on how that new fare is doing in the marketplace, Airline C might jump into the battle and offer an even LOWER fare, so look for all the other airlines to rush to match THAT one -- usually, by Tuesday -- and the war is on. Prices might go even lower on Wednesday. And that's when you strike. Wait any longer than Wednesday, and you may be in trouble. The wars usually end by Thursday morning.

Why? Friday is just around the corner! And the cycle starts all over again.

What's the best time to buy your ticket on Wednesday? One hour after Tuesday midnight (1:00 AM Wednesday morning). Why? At about midnight, the airlines usually reload their computers with the latest low-cost fares that were announced the previous day but will be canceled if they are not purchased within twenty-four hours."

Source: Fodor's Travel Wire

City and residents collaborate to launch "Pooper Scooper Pilot Program":

"Due to the increasing number of concerns expressed by residents, the City of Miami Beach is implementing a new pilot program to address this issue along West Avenue beginning on May 1. The six-month "Pooper Scooper" program will assist pet owners in curbing their pets while keeping the City's swales, sidewalks and green spaces clean and beautiful."

Awhile back, me and my band wrote a song that addressed the issue; it's called "Dog Shit Capital of the World - South Beach, FL USA". Here is a lo-fi mp3 of the funny tune.

The 2006 Broadway Across America series in Miami Beach has been announced. The Season includes:

Movin' Out playing January 24-29
Hairspray playing February 21-26
Mamma Mia! playing May 2-7

For tickets and showtimes contact the Jackie Gleason Theater.

Panhandlers on Lincoln Road and Ocean Drive must now stay 20 feet away from restaurants and outdoor cafes if they ask for money -- or face arrest.

Victoria Pesce Elliott from the Miami Hearld Dining Section reports:

First the fight, then the wedding
Sexy Miami chef Michelle Bernstein is gearing up for a fight and a wedding.

On Friday, Michelle will team with pastry chef Hedy Goldsmith ( Nemo, Big Pink, Shoji, Prime 112) to tape an installment of the Food Network's Iron Chef America in New York. Their celebrity opponent is TBA; it might be Bobby Flay. An air date hasn't been set.

While in the big city, Bernstein, 36, will have a chance to shop for a gown for her wedding to long-time, live-in boyfriend David Martinez, 30, formerly a manager at Mosaico.

The ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 12 in Cancun, where Bernstein has been operating MB, her namesake restaurant in the Fiesta Americana Grand Aqua.

Boone is Back
Rob Boone formerly of Bambu and Metro Kitchen, is back on the Beach at Preston's, the hotel dining room at the Loew's Miami Beach.

One For The Books
Veteran New York Times reporter, R.W. ''Johnny'' Apple Jr. shares his takes on 40 U.S. cities including Milwaukee, Seattle, New Orleans, Savannah, Detroit, Tampa, Phoenix and Honolulu.

In our own backyard, Apple delves singles out Norman Van Aken as ''the area's most gifted chef'' and gives nods to Joe's Stone Crab, Azul at the Mandarin Oriental, Blue Door at the Delano and Pacific Time.

Source: Miami Hearld (registration required)

Blog of the day: 2005 Florida Hurricane Season Blog

"Hurricane season starts on Wednesday, June 1, for the Atlantic basin, and goes until Wednesday, November 30, 2005. We at 2005 Florida Hurricane Season cover these counties (Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, Sumter and Volusia)for all hurricane watches and warnings, school and business closings, voluntary and mandatory evacuations and any other hurricane-relevant news."

Avo explains the meaning of Pesach - Miami Beach style.

"We begin our seder by declaring "whoever is hungry, let him come in eat," but at the Miami hotels, there is an extra clause at the end: "as long as you have the bracelet that corresponds to this hotel -- blue for the Eden Roc, silver for the Fotainebleau, and flourescent for the Wyndham. I wonder what cause the bracelets of the Miami Pesach hotels represent. Gluttony, perhaps?"

The Miami Hearld reports:

"The Miami Beach City Commission has given preliminary approval to invest $9.5 million to create hundreds of city-owned parking spaces within a high-profile shopping center development.

The Fifth & Alton Shopping Center, which will straddle a city block at the foot of the MacArthur Causeway, will include a public transit facility, 179,000 square feet of retail, a supermarket and 1,081 parking spaces.

You can see pictures of the project at Berkowitz Development.

Source: Miami Hearld (registration required)

At the North American Wi-Fi Symposium, wireless providers unveiled their offerings for the hospitality and travel industry:

“Airports, restaurants, hotels and resorts are becoming virtual mini-cities,” said Jim Bailey, director of Hotel Technology and Services with Intercontinental Hotels Group.

Travelers are driving the need for every segment of the hospitality industry to adopt and offer wireless capabilities so that seamless communications while they are on the road can be maintained with their home or office networks or the world at large.”

I expect Wi-Fi, VoIP and RFID tags will impact the hospitality industry quite a bit.

By 2007, there will be 31 million Wi-Fi, or wireless, users in North America, up from 16.5 million today and 1.6 million in 1992.

On a related note, yesterday I posted a list of Hotels in Miami Beach that offer internet access.

Source: Buyer Interactive

The U.S. Navy began sailing in Monday as part of Fleet Week and also to gear up for the air and sea show.

The Navy will showcase its strength in various forms, including the Toledo nuclear submarine that it has brought to Miami.

Source: NBC6

SmarterTravel just informed me Hooters Air is expanding their service to the West Coast.

"This is a big year for Hooters. Hooters first Hotel and Casino will open is Las Vegas in early 2006 and Hooters Air will be there."

Honestly, I've never heard of Hooters Air, but it sounds like fun.

They claim the advantages to flying with their carrier include:

• One-Way Fares
• Extra leg room
• Real food
• A great experience that enlivens the senses
• Plus two Hooters Girls on every flight

I wonder if they serve chicken wings?

Miami Beach Hotels are adding free Wi-Fi high speed internet access as an amenity for their guests.

Many local hotels offer free Wi-Fi in guest rooms as well as public areas like lobbies, meeting rooms, restaurants, and poolside. Other hotels may charge a fee, ranging from $10 to $15 per day. Check with the hotels for their policies.

Below is a list of hotels in Miami Beach that provide high speed internet access for hotel guests:

• Aqua
• Astor
• Beacon
• Bentley
• Casa Grande
• Catalina
• Century
• Clinton
• Delano
• Eden Roc
• Edison
• Loews
• Mercury
• Nash
• Nassau
• National
• Ocean Five
• Palms
• Park Central
• Penguin
• President
• Raleigh
• Ritz Carlton
• RIU Floirda
• Royal Palm
• Sagamore
• Shore Club
• Surfcomber
• St. Augustine
• The Hotel
• Townhouse
• Victor
• Wave
• Wyndham

You'll need to be a hotel guest to access the free internet access in the guest rooms, but the Wi-Fi in public areas may be available to non-guests. ;-)

AllHipHop is reporting that female rappers Jacki O and Foxy Brown got into a fight in a recording studio in Miami:

"Miami rapper Jackie O confirmed that an altercation took place between her and Foxy Brown on April 24th at Circle House Studios in Miami, Florida.

According to Jacki O’s account, the altercation ensued after she invited the Brooklyn rapper into the studio, known for its amenities and opulence.

Jacki O said Brown entered the studio and had some words for Jacki O, which she overheard.

According to Jacki O, Brown returned to the studio, words were exchanged and a physical altercation broke out between the two women.

“This was not the way I wanted it to go down," Jacki O stated. "I was looking forward to working with her on a song. We are two women in hip-hop and should be able to come to the table together. She forced me to show her who is the madam of Miami.”

I thought Elaine Lancaster was the "madame of Miami".

The infamous Porn Star Karaoke is coming to Miami Beach on May 2nd. Pornstars Hailey Young, Tricia Oaks, Serena Sin, Kitty Wildwood, and Presley Paige will be in attendance.

Porn Star Karaoke is the longest running weekly event in adult industry history. It’s been a huge success in Los Angeles and has been attended by everyone from Ron Jeremy and Tera Patrick to Kid Rock and Tommy Lee.

Porn Star Karaoke Miami will be held on Monday, May 2nd starting at 9pm. The location is Automatic Slim’s, 1216 Washington Avenue in Miami Beach.

Unwanted noise is a given when you travel, but now you can tune it out with a clever new toy called the Travel Soother. This device is a radio/alarm clock from Sharper Image that comes with a built-in ambient sound feature that can play 20 different "soundscapes" to help ease you into a blissful nights sleep.

The Bass Museum of Art is winding down "Christo and Jeanne-Claude: The Würth Museum Collection".

The exhibit comprising more than 65 collages, drawings, photographs, and scale models of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s Central Park, Reichstag, and Paris installations.

Sources: Gridskipper | Miami New Times

Natalie Salminen has commented on our post about Babalu's post about the Cuban Refugees Landing at Fort Jefferson. Natalie says...

"Another 14 refugess landed at Fort Jefferson April 21, 2005, a few hours before sunrise. I was camping, and awoke to the refugees looking for someone, anyone, to tell of their arrival."

I guess it's easier for refugees to reach Fort Jefferson than the United States. And since the Fort is a National Park, if a (Cuban) refugee sets foot there, they're granted diplomatic immunity.

After reading Kevin Wells post on the South Florida real estate market, maybe renting for another year is not such a bad idea. Kevin points out two recent articles in the Sun Sentinel:

If bubble bursts, 'vultures' ready to pick up scraps

"There are plenty of projects in Miami where 40 to 60 percent of the units were sold to investors," he said. "With 30,000 new units expected to come on the market, everyone will try to sell and rent at the same time, and it's going to be a disaster."

Profit and peril: Is S. Florida's housing market ready to stall?

"Knowing your market is crucial. Right now, real estate experts fear an oversupply of luxury condos, particularly in Miami-Dade, will drag down other sectors of the market throughout the region."

"Everyone is watching the Brickell [Avenue] market, and it's inevitable there will be a domino effect," said Marcia Snyder, executive vice president of Fort Lauderdale-based Bank Atlantic."

"Real estate consultants estimate investors make up about 70 percent of the new condo buyers in Miami. In Broward and Palm Beach counties, they make up between 20 percent and 40 percent of buyers."

"The market for condos has become flooded," said Orlando-area economist Hank Fishkind, who thinks the region's housing market has peaked already. "If you're an investor, you have probably missed the window by a year or so."

I feel bad for the people who bought pre construction high, and thought they could sell it before closing. It may not be that easy.

At a recent luncheon for Miami realtors, Jeff Moor from Majestic Realty was speaking about the market in regards to buying pre construction. Jeff said...

"If you want to see a strong return on your investment, don't think you can just buy a pre construction condo and then flip before closing. Plan on living there or renting it out for at least 18-months before trying to sell."

At the luncheon, another real estate insider told me...

"My advice is don't buy anything right now. Hang tight for another year. Cash is king. Soon, you're going to be able to snatch up some really good deals."

Earlier this week, we got wind there was a burglar breaking into hotels on Miami Beach. A user from Indianapolis, IN contacted us about an incident at the Haddon Hall.

I am happy to say the Miami Beach Police have arrested a suspect.

Daniel Cordero, 44, was arrested Tuesday after an officer spotted him in the alley behind an Ocean Drive hotel.

After his arrest, police say Cordero confessed to burglaries at hotels such as the Chesterfield, the Blue Moon, the Crescent and the Fairway.

The burglar generally got into the rooms by going to the rear of hotels and either finding an open window or forcing one open.

Our user from Indianapolis says...

"on 4/17/05 our 3 rooms (along with at least 2 others) were broken into. The cause was faulty locks on the windows, of which the hotel knew about. The alleyway between the hotel and the building had no security whatsoever, not even a light. We also came to find that the exact same incident happened exactly one week prior, in the exact same rooms."

Police say...

"He stole thousands in money and property from the rooms, including laptop computers, jewelry, and cameras. He is a suspect in at least 15 other hotel burglaries."

It looks like the police got their man.

I see on their website, each month is dedicated to a specific area of local crime prevention. How about we dedicate May "Travel Safety Prevention Month"?

Source: User review | Miami Hearld (registration required)

Gadling has a wonderful post urging us to keep Miami Jai-Alai alive:

"When I heard NPR’s report on the declining popularity of the Miami jai-alai scene, something Cestainside of me grew sad. I may not be a huge fan of the world’s fastest sport or even close, but it does have some special memories from my childhood. For me it was something to watch on simulcast when my mother dragged me to the horse races. Ugh! When I was bored with the horses I turned my attention to the players hurling pelota’s (hard rubber balls) against the wall from the cesta’s (a wicker basket) attached to their arms. I could have sworn it was all happening at the speed of light.

So what? Oops! It’s too late right? Well, even if you aren’t into gambling consider skipping South Beach for one day to check out the sport. It probably won’t vanish overnight, but without fan support or even a tourist or two to accidentally stumble in, it could just happen in the coming years. With all Miami has to offer, Jai Alai is a real spectator’s sport and cheap retreat for anyone looking for a day-trip quickie."

Ok, I promise to visit Miami Jai-Alai, but untill then, here are some links to the sports history, rules, and info on how to bet.

The MSNBC Savings Sleuth points out that if you can set sail on May 20, Windjammer Barefoot Cruises is offering a 25% discount on cruises to the Bahamas.

"Spend from four to eight days on the S.V. Legacy from Miami to the Bahamas and receive a 25 percent discount off of rates that start from $450 for four days (Miami to Nassau), $600 five days (Nassau to Miami) and $900 eight days (Miami roundtrip) in a standard cabin."

Here’s a sample of the cost for one-way flights between Miami and/or Nassau and major U.S. gateways if booked through Windjammers:

• $85 (Nassau) - Miami
• $90 (Miami)/$230 (Nassau) – Atlanta
• $140 (Miami)/$260 (Nassau) – Chicago
• $155 (Miami)/$230 (Nassau) – Newark/New York
• $220 (Miami)/$299 (Nassau) – Los Angeles"

The rates are per person and include on-board meals and certain beverages. Count on paying extra for port fees, airfares and transfers.

This averages to be about $125 per day (not including your airfare).

I guess it's an ok deal if you totally pig out on the food.

Sadly, I've never taken a cruise.

Does this sound like a good deal to you? And what's a port fee?

Source: MSNBC

Bruce Weber's documentary film "A Letter to True" will screen on April 22 at 8:30pm at Cinematheque.

"Filmmaker/photographer Bruce Weber is a professed animal lover, and his newest film centers on his own dogs, a family of gorgeous golden retrievers.

"A Letter to True" is a stunning look at the affection, loyalty, and unconditional love displayed by these animals - which the filmmaker sees as a metaphor for peace and hope in the world. "A Letter to True" is a little like staying up late with Bruce Weber, listening to great music and peeking into the mind of a world-class connoisseur."

MSNBC is running a story about the World's Most Expensive Hotels.

Little Palm Island in the Flroda Keys comes in at #10 for a rate of $1,145 per coulple per night. The nightly rate doesn't include meals or activities. The 28 bungalow suites each have whirlpool baths and private outdoor bamboo showers. Phones, alarm clocks and televisions are forbidden in the bungalows.

Thankfully, the Hotel makes a concession to internet-addicts with a 56k modem link for guests. Geez, for $1,145 per night the least they could do is offer up some DSL.

Jamey at for food lovers has a writen a nice review of Big Pink.

"We ordered a blackened grouper sandwich and the portobello goat cheese pizza. The grouper sandwich was to die for. Thick, juicy and spicy and it was a great portion. It was served with homemade chips. The pizza was baked with goat cheese, portobellos and sun-dried tomatoes."

I totally agree about the grouper sandwich. Some would call it "off the chain", which in South Beach means really, really good.

All this talk of food is making me hungary.

I'm feeling too lazy to walk to Big Pink. I'll make a tuna sandwich, instead.

Paul McCartney will start his new North American tour on September 16 at Miami's Amerian Airlines Arena.

Tickets start at $52, and go on sale Saturday at 10am.

According to U.S. Census Bureau projections released today, Florida's population is set to pass New York by 2011.

Florida, now fourth, will edge New York by about 154,000 people to clinch third place behind California and Texas.

Florida is expected to have 19.6 million people by 2011, a gain of 2.2 million in six years.

An architect has been chosen to begin a re-design of Bicentennial Park into a cultural center for Miami.

The park now sits in the shadow of the new Performing Arts Center to the north and the American Airline Arena to the south.

Set to open in 2009, the 30-acre park wiil include room for the new Miami Art Museum and the Miami Museum of Science. Each building is to get about four acres, with the rest of the land to be devoted open space.

Looking for a Peruvian grocery store in Ft. Lauderdale? Visit Steve Koppelman's Catalogue of Poorly Catalogued Things, Which Is Also Called "hatless.com".

The Sonesta Beach Resort in Key Biscayne has been sold to Fortune International, a Miami-based real estate development firm, for $120 million.

Time to add another one to the condo-hotel list.

Okay, so i'm fairly new to blogging, and have just learned about RSS -- the acronym means Really Simple Syndication -- RSS feeds are files that tell you what is new on a site.

Tracking RSS feeds is a great way to stay up-to-date on news and information that interests you.

What you will learn
This post is intended to get you to the point where reading and using RSS is simple. Including subscribing to RSS feeds and using the most popular web based feed reader: Bloglines.

There are many other ways to subscribe to RSS feeds. There are other good aggregators out there including MyYahoo, but the point here though is to get you up to speed in the fastest time possible.

Open an Account at Bloglines
First, get a bloglines account - just follow the instructions, it's very simple and should only take a minute.

Start out with some good feeds
Below is a list of some of the better Florida related blogs and travel news resources - the links themselves are special, they will automaticlally take you to your Bloglines account and prompt you to subscribe to the feed. Give it a try, you should find the interface very self explanatory...

• Miami News Blog
• Yahoo Miami News
• NBC6 Local News
• About (Miami/Miami Beach)
• MSNBC: Travel
• CNN: Travel
• Travel Channel News
• NYT - Travel
• Miami Hearld: Infomaniac
• Miami New Times
• Gridskipper

A few more blogs of general interest

• Fodore’s Travel Wire
• Dave Barry Blog
• Bark Bark Woof Woof
• FLABlog
• Hidden City
• Miami Huricane
• Hotel Chatter
• Hospitality News
• Tripso
• In Flight

And those you just can’t live without

• Boing Boing
• Doc Searls
• gapingvoid
• Blogoscoped
• Threadwatch
• WebmasterWorld

Checking Your Feeds & Subscribing to More
Bloglines updates once an hour, so all you need to do now is bookmark your feeds page and check it a few times a day to keep up with the feeds you've subscribed to.

To subscribe to other sites you'll need to first check that they actually have a feed. Usually you'll see an orange XML button, or a specific bloglines subscribe button somewhere in the navigation. You can see MiamiBeach411’s just to the right at the top of the page. If there is a specific Bloglines one, then just click it, if not, grab the url of the XML link and then go to your bloglines account. On the left panel, you'll see a link to "add" – just click it and paste the XML URL into the form and your done.
It's just that easy.

Also see:
Using Bloglines: How to keep up with dozens of blogs everyday (pics)

A Jacksonville, Florida-based writer purchased the rights to BenedictXVI.com on April 1 -- more than two-and-a-half weeks before Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger announced that he would assume the papacy under the name of Benedict XVI.

Thankfully, the writer is a man of high moral values. He said that he bought the domains as a game -- not as a way to make money by cybersquatting. Besides, he added, "If I didn't do it, someone less reputable would."

Source: Wired

If reality television can have car chases, then a Miami travel site can have crazy airline passenger news.

Miami International Airport has received a zero discrepancy rating after FAA regulators concluded a March 30-April 1 inspection.

The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) annual inspection measures compliance with federal aviation regulation which includes a visual inspection of:

-airport markings
-pavement (runways and taxiways)
-lighting systems
-fueling operations
-training programs
-record-keeping
-clearance zones
-emergency procedures
-response time in a simulated emergency

The most recent inspection marked the ninth consecutive year MIA has completed the inspection with the highest mark.

Did you know today is - Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry’s? You can get a free scoop in Miami Beach or browse all the Ben & Jerry Ice Cream Shops in Florida.

This week, a glitch at US Airways sold round-trip tickets for $1.86 to anywhere in the United States until problem got fixed.

Elsewhere, a Travelocity error allowed a number of people to buy tickets to Fiji for $0.

Travelocity called each person who purchased the $0 ticket and said they would happily honor the ticket, or pay the passenger $250 not to use it.

Bilingual rapper, Pitbull, will be a featured panelist at the upcoming Billboard Latin Conference on April 27th (2pm-3:30pm at the Intercontinental Hotel in Miami).

I like the title of his current album: M.I.A.M.I (Money Is A Major Issue).

An alligator that was walking down the sidewalk in Pompano Beach bit a wildlife official on the hand.

A passer-by saw the wildlife offical in distress, and wrestled the alligator until it was under control. The man said he had experience in wrestling alligators.

See photos at NBC6.

Research laboratories now under construction at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center are part of a plan to transform two gritty city neighborhoods into a biotechnology village — an urban version of the Scripps project under way in rural Palm Beach County.

Miami City Manager Joe Arriola says...

"it will be a live-work-play research community with high-rise space for health and biotech businesses. Plus, it will include accessible housing for the staff and scientists who will work there — all of it a few miles from Miami Beach, the city's downtown and Miami International Airport."

"We're acquiring some land east and west of I-95. Believe me, we're going to create a new city."

The City reports to be streamlining the permitting process, rewriting its zoning, and coordinating planning for the entire region through a process it's calling the Miami Partnership.

Source: Palm Beach Post

Paul Rademacher combines Craigslist real estate listing with Google Maps to make for a very interesting application.

To view up-to date-real estate listings across the country, click the map, select a city, and choose: For Rent or For Sale.

Thanks, Blogoscoped.

The Guardian Observer says Miami is Big Fun Under the Sun:

"A wave of sexy new hotels, galleries and restaurants has got this vibrant city buzzing and a new film of Miami Vice is the icing on the cake."

I couldn't agree more. I'm really excited about the Miami Vice movie. I read that Chinese-born actress Gong Li has joined the cast. She'll play Isabella, the Chinese-Cuban wife of the leader of a transnational crime syndicate and Crockett's love interest.

Michael Mann is an great Director. For those of you who don't know, he created the Miami Vice TV series, and then went on to make some powerful, big budget movies. His films include "Heat", "The Insider", and "Last of the Mochaican", but my favorite movie he made was "Manhunter".

Colony Hotel from $122 per night.
The most photographed Art Deco Hotels on Ocean Drive.

Days Inn from $122 per night.
A pet friendly hotel with direct access to the beach.

South Seas from $122 per night.
Free breakfast, local calls, and wireless Internet access.

George Kalinsky's photographic career started in Miami Beach at the 5th Street Boxing Gym. Today, he's known worldwide as Madison Square Garden's official photographer.

From Muhammad Ali and Elvis Presley to Pope John Paul and John Lennon, George Kalinsky has captured them all in his new photo book, Garden of Dreams.

See more photos, here. My favorite is "Rookie Air".

Independence Air's latest fare sale may be among the cheapest flying ever offered. The discount carrier is offering some one-way fares for under $30.

The discounts include one-way fares from Dulles International Airport to Tampa, West Palm Beach and Fort Myers for $29 if you fly on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Independence Air is also offering fares to Orlando for $39, to Los Angeles and Seattle for $69 and one-way tickets to Las Vegas for $89.

US Airways also put Florida flights from the Washington market on sale Monday. Its discounts include Baltimore/Washington International Airport to Orlando for $49 each way and one-way fares from Washington to Fort Lauderdale for $59. Its deepest discounts are for travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

My friend Brooke and her band Loud Mouth Kitten will perform tonight at Senor Frog's. Brooke can rock the house. She goes at Midnight, and pitchers of beer are only $3.

Despite my recent criticism against the condo-hotel formula, EWM has sold the rundown Angler's Hotel located at 634 Washington Avenue for a record $5 million to a group led by entrepreneurs Gregg Covin, Kevin Venger, and Michael Capponi.

Home to vagrants and shady figures, this old pink hotel has long been an unfriendly neighbor for local residents and business owners along the main drag in Miami Beach. As if that was not enough, in recent years the property was locked into a lengthy litigation, which all but prevented any possibility of restoring the buildings" says hotel broker Jeff Cohen of Esslinger • Wooten • Maxwell, who handled the transaction.

Miami architect, Alan Schulman, will design two new buildings to the complex, which will comprise 55 fully furnished resort residences, ranging in size from 460 to 1,070 square feet, including 15 two-story townhomes.

J. Wallace Tutt III, famous for turning Gianni Versace's mansion into a Miami landmark, is coming back from his retirement to attach his signature to the Anglers' interiors.

It's a good location for a condo-hotel. The Bentley Beach is nearby and they're making a strong go of it.

Here is a list of condo-hotels in Miami.

When the project materializes, these are my suggestions:

-Don't charge an arm and a leg
-Tie in promotions with local vendors
-Provide great customer service
-Provide free wireless Internet access.
-Provide free breakfast
-Think about repeat business.
-Think about word of mouth
-Make yourself accessible
-Be realistic about market conditions
-Create a community
-Start a blog

Gapingvoid says...

"There’s only one thing harder than starting a new business: Re-inventing an old one.

Angler's condo-hotel in Miami Beach 411's Real Estate News section.

Regis and Kelly will broadcast live from Disney World in Orlando for three days during the week of May 9th - 13th.

Viewers who live in the Orlando area are invited to attend the tapings May 11th and 12th from the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Information is available here.

Surfline is reporting the waves at Reef Road are 3 to 4-foot with the occasional 6-foot set.

Grab a board. We haven't had waves like this since Hurricane Frances. For those of you who missed it, it got big.

All this talk of surf makes me miss my home break.

The Beach Boys said it best...

"Catch a wave you'll be sittin' on top of the word"

Earn double AAdvantage miles when you stay at Loews Hotel through May 31.