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If this blooms, it must be hurricane season in Miami. There is no doubt about that. This vine is doing substantially better when it was moved to a full sun position. It is so happy now and it shows appreciation by putting out a lot more vigorous growth and blooms. It's the "Telosma cordata" vine.
I found a way to get inside this plush gated villas called "The Cloisters" and look around. Here is a peak at a typical home as seen from the Clubhouse. I think I would say this is some kind of neo-Mediterranean with a tint of Roman style architecture. To get to the clubhouse, you got to climb some steep stair steps... and there is no elevator. I guess they didn't have them in the time of the Romans and this is supposed to be a realistic reproduction. Imagine you have some challenges in mobility...The small swimming pool does remind me of the ancient roman baths. Even if I could afford it, I don't think I'll live here but if you do, you'll be a stone throw from the heart of Coconut Grove, which is very nice indeed.
I was at the CheeseCake Factory at the Dadeland Mall today and was quite surprised to see a big crowd of consumers. What depression? What bad economy? The Sunday brunch here was not one of the best for my taste... but you can't win them all. I have had better omelette elsewhere. Don't let the beautiful blue sky fool you. This is about noon and we had another big thunder storm later today at 5pm. Of course!
This sounds like a broken record: afternoon thunder storms... Again! Here is a look at a small strip mall on Sunset Drive near 97th Avenue in SW Miami. The Thai restaurant used to be the excellent Thai Orchids. Ownership has changed a few times and I have not visited it since. The former owners have now moved on to the orchid business.
I think all the water from the sky has done something to the network and most if not all of my blogs cannot show the photos, video or music! Hopefully that will be resolved soon, else this blog will be renamed to Miami NOT Every Day Photo.
Off the Dolphin Expressway (836) just South of the Miami International Airport is this Doubletree hotel now owned by Hilton (of the Paris Hilton fame.) It is said that they have "Sweet Dreams" rooms equipped with jumbo hypo-allergenic down pillows to pamper you to the max. That's what their ads say but I have read some pretty low marks in reviews. Stay at your own peril. In case you wonder, the threatening sky is a habit around Miami these days. Today had a mighty big afternoon thunder storm and it rained very hard so driving around was BAD!
This morning I was trying to pick up some Okrong mangoes on the ground and saw that this orchid is in bloom. I only had the time to take a hurry shot and ran for cover because the lady mosquitoes were taking me for their breakfast. That was really bad! That's what the rain does to Miami: Miserable, wet, humid, blooms everywhere and mosquitoes like there is no tomorrow. How do the mosquitoes start their cycles? Who laid their eggs the first time ever? How do the girl skeeters converge to a warm human body so quickly? A mystery to me, but this white Cat is beautiful, don't you think? It grows here as close to being in a jungle as can be: no one is paying any attention to it, except when it blooms like today.
Bleeding Heart vine (Clerodendrum thomsoniae,) belongs to the family Verbenaceae. It is also known as the glory bower which is an attractive bushy, tropical looking twining vine. There are over 400 species of Bleeding Hearts, including climbers, shrubs, herbaceous plants and trees. Bleeding Heart Vine flowers are mostly from warm climates and are summer flowers. These vine bloom profusely with rich crimson corollas peeking from white, balloon-like calyxes. Here is one that grows on its own in my yard.
I could have told you that this photo is taken from a tree in my backyard, and you would have believed me. But that is not the case at all. This is a photo of a wall calendar from a Miami fruit distributor that I visit quite often to buy fresh fruit. They do sell this fruit here, but it is so expensive... and they are not picked with their branches intact so the fruits tend to rot rather quickly and may be full of bugs The rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum,) is a tropical tree in the family Sapindaceae, and that is also the name of the fruit the size of a hen's small egg of this tree. It is native to Indonesia and Southeast Asia. It is closely related to several other edible tropical fruits including the Lychee, Longan, and Mamoncillo. It is believed to be native to the Malay Archipelago. Rambutan in Indonesian, Filipino and Malay literally means hairy, undoubtedly due to the 'hair' that covers this fruit. In Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua, it is known as mamón chino. I used to love this fruit as a kid, but not anymore. The last time I bought a kilogram of this, I only ate 2 fruits. They are kind of bland without much flavor.
Chicken feet are exactly what they sound like: the feet of chicken. When detached from the chicken, chicken feet are considered a culinary delicacy in some regions of the world, most notably in China and South Africa. Chicken feet have also played a role in the cuisines of Eastern Europe and the American South, where people often come up with creative ways to use offal, ensuring that every part of the animal is utilized to its fullest potential. Chicken feet are but a series of small bones, tendons and skin. They do not have very much muscle, and they are also extremely high in collagen, so they tend to cook down into a gelatinous mass, with the tendons and skin adding a chewy texture. The high collagen, incidentally, makes chicken feet great for skin, hair, and nails, if consumed in large quantities.
Most recipes for chicken feet involve slowly stewing them to extract their flavor and to tenderize them. Consumers eat the feet whole, discarding the small bones along the way; learning to eat chicken feet can take some time, as it is difficult to eat them without accidentally swallowing the bones. Spitting out bones in a dainty fashion is also difficult to do, especially if you crack them in your teeth to extract the marrow first. Eeewwhhhh! Disgusting discussion so far... Bear with me...
In China, chicken feet are commonly on the menu at many dim sum restaurants as “phoenix talons,” and the menu may also include duck feet, web and all, of course. Chicken feet are also sold as street food, often deep fried in other parts of Asia. Many old-fashioned cooks swear by chicken feet as an ingredient in soup stock, arguing that the chicken feet increase the gelatin content, and make the stock richer and more flavorful. Obtaining chicken feet can be a challenge, depending on where you live. Here in my favorite Publix supermarket, they are available. Oh so yucky and they gross me out, totally! Definitely not my kind of food.
There is something peculiar about this spot in Miami, the intersection of US-1 and Sunset Drive. At this time, it is home of the Origin Asian Bistro & Lounge of South Miami. I think this bistro has been there at most a few years, after the building was renovated. Next door, to the North of it is the newly opened Crepe place. I have seen numerous businesses that came and gone from this location, I wonder why that is they cannot remain long at this spot. Do you believe in Feng Shui?
Magnolia is a large and ancient genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subclass Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is therorized that this genus preceded the appearance of bees and the flowers evolved to encourage pollination by beetles. As a result, the carpels of Magnolia flowers are tough, to avoid damage by eating and crawling beetles. Magnolia trees are foud in east and southeast Asia, in eastern North America, Central America, the West Indies, and some species in South America. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol.
There are many different species and I am not sure which is that of this tree. Since its home is here in Miami, I would venture that this is a Magnolia grandiflora aka Southern magnolia. It has large snow white flowers. But this could also be Magnolia stellata, which bears snow white large flowers in early summer. If you look closely, you can see a few flowers in this tree. This is not my tree, but I have one similar and smaller that also flowers about this time of the year.
Florida has its Lottery, a money making machine that claims to have pumped billions of dollars into the educational system... I am skeptical and would like to know if that is really helping. But the lotto system fans the hope of striking it rich for countless people, especially those who can least afford it. Every week, there are many episodes of ball spinning and spitting that determine the lucky tickets to win the "PowerBall," the "MegaMoney," the "Fantasy5," the "Play4," the "Cash3," and the original Florida Lotto consisting of a 6-number magic match to win the jackpot. I computed the chance for a single ticket to win: 1 in about 23 millions. It is more likely for someone to get hit AND killed by lightning during a Miami thunder storm than to become instant millionaire. Besides, you can be sure that a large portion will go to pay the tax if you ever managed to buy the lucky ticket. You can't win... unless you can find a way to marry someone like Madonna. I wonder what that odd would be for me... I gave up the calculation after spending about 1 hour and sixteen minutes... The mathematics is too difficult!
This is very early in the morning today with an overcasting sky and the traffic was tied up because of this quite nasty accident. The car involved had the front end severely smashed in and the driver may have been hurt. I bet you he/she was on the cell phone and did not see the car in front braking. The first thing people do here is call 911. This blocked off two out of the three lanes of traffic and instantly, many slow down just to look. When you do that, you are called a rubbernecker.
Miami has so many flowering plants that this tree does not get the attention it deserves. This Plumeria tree (of the Himatanthus family) belongs to a small genus of 7-8 species native to tropical and subtropical Americas. This genus consists of mainly deciduous shrubs and trees. P. rubra (commonly known as Frangipani, Red Frangipani,) native to Mexico, Central America, Southern India and Venezuela, produces flowers ranging from yellow to pink depending on a particular cultivar. From Mexico and Central America, Plumeria has spread to all tropical areas of the world, especially Hawaii, where it grows so abundantly that many people think that it is indigenous to that island state. Plumeria's flowers are most fragrant at night in order to lure sphinx moths to pollinate them. Plumeria are the most favorite flowers used for Hawaiian leis. These flowers smell so good! This tree in its deciduous months looks quite pathetic when all leaves have left its branches. In Viet-Nam, it bears a name associating it to the dreaded disease of leprosy. That is no way to treat such fragrancy!
This is a very quiet street in a South Miami area, showing typical city wide outburst of royal poinciana trees in bloom. These trees are beautiful especially after an afternoon thunder storm gives way to the sun shining on their wet foliage.
I rarely see coconut trees as loaded as these. 2009 is the year of bumper crop for fruit trees in Miami.
Saw this today at a friend's house. I was told this bean is edible and invited to try a fresh one from the plant. Are you kidding me? I was told also to munch on some kind of a small leaf that is as sweet as sugar without the calorie. Really? No, thanks but no, thanks! I have no idea what this vine is. The one thing I am sure of is that Miami is the paradise for vines. Tons of them in every size, shape, form and color.
Here is a look at the juvenile longans on the trees. They are about half way to become mature in June-July time frame. Can't wait...
Across from Dodge Island where Miami's cruise ships dock, just about at its mid point is this exclusive bridge leading to two exclusive islands: Palm and Hibiscus. The largest properties on Palm island is listing for close to US $20 Million, even in this economy. Exclusive indeed. These islands are home to the wealthiest Miamians. Among them are J Lo, Liz Taylor, Shaquille O'Neal, Gloria Estefan... If your car doesn't look too shabby and you don't look like a bum, the guards at the gate may let you in to drive around to look and drool.
The skyline at the distance is downtown Miami.
