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Croissants, donuts, bagels and industrial strength toaster for a Sunday breakfast at a major American hotel chain in Miami. Other goodies like fresh fruits, juices and bad stuffs such as eggs, sausages, cholesterol spiked potatoes etc... are also nearby. From the traumatic time that I encountered last night at the Orange Bowl, I feel like eating all the eggs, ham, sausages and especially potatoes I can this morning.
The final score board says it all: Game over, University of Virginia 48 - University of Miami 0! This is the worst Miami Hurricanes loss ever at home in the Orange Bowl. A shut out! Since this is the last game and the Orange Bowl will be no longer, this is the final curtain! This is the pit! The entire stadium was stunt and speechless. Good night!
Here is a rare original Mini Cooper. I think the new Mini Cooper looks better, but this one is a classic. There are only a few in Miami and this is one of them. Once in a while, they come out to participate in the yearly Miami Orange Bowl parade. Sadly, that event is now defunct.
The floss silk tree (Ceiba Speciosa, formerly Chorisia Speciosa), is a species of deciduous tree native to the tropical and subtropical forests of South America. It belongs to the same family as the Baobab and the Kapok trees.
Resisting to drought, its trunk is bottle-shaped, generally bulging in its lower third. It is studded with thick conical prickles which serve to store water for dry times. In younger trees, the trunk is green due to its high chlorophyll content, which makes it capable of performing photosynthesis when leaves are absent; with age it turns to gray. The branches tend to be horizontal and are also covered with prickles. This tree is in its deciduous period and only a few leaves and purple flowers remain. You can tell this is a young tree because its trunk is green. Don't climb it, you'll be all red and wet!
It's not too early to start planning for Mardi Gras. February arrives sooner than you think so here is the very early stage of gearing up for supplies. I like this purple hair and butterfly mask set. It would look fabulous in real life.
A new restaurant is in the process of grand opening in North Miami, way North in the 205th street block off Biscayne Blvd.
The rate of restaurants opening and closing in Miami is very high, proving that restaurant is a real tough business. This one is quite large and I was attracted by the racket inside by workers to get it ready for opening.
Miami Dade College has a wind symphony orchestra that is composed of mostly students, plus faculties and professional musicians. This performance sampled the music of John Philip Sousa, Gustav Holst and others... A very nice way to spend an evening.
This may be a last look at this historic Miami Orange Bowl stadium. It was built by the City of Miami Public Works Department. Construction began in 1936 and was completed in December 1937. The Orange Bowl was originally named Burdine Stadium after Roddy Burdine, one of Miami's pioneers. The stadium was renamed in 1959 for the Orange Bowl Classic college football game, which was played at the Orange Bowl following every season from 1937 to 1995.
Its future is now uncertain as the University of Miami has announced that they will move out of the Orange Bowl after the 2007 season and begin play at Dolphin Stadium in 2008 in a 25-year deal. The last UM vs. Virginia game will be played here next Saturday to a sold out stadium for the last hurrah!
A group of University of Miami's alumni moving about during the football game today at the Orange Bowl. They wear their distinctive alumni overcoats. Must be hot in there under this tropical hot sun! Especially that we lost today's game that was very poorly played. Next week's game will be a very important event for Miami because it will be the last game played in the Orange Bowl. Come back here to see what happen then on November 10th. Go Canes, even when you lose!
Every year, alumni of the University of Miami gather at this time to participate in the week long home coming. Tonight is the biggest night with parade, traditional boat burning (to intimidate foot ball adversaries,) firework and concert. UM's President Donna Shalala is seen here riding the convertible in the parade with UM's mascot Sebastian the Fighting Ibis. They both wear UM's traditional alumni overcoats.
Donna Shalala was nicknamed "Boom Boom" when she served under President Carter as assistant housing secretary. That is to say she is bold, determined and never stops until she wins at whatever she does. At 20 she was a Peace Corps volunteer, living in a mud hut on the plains of Iran and teaching the locals to read English-language agricultural equipment manuals. In 1993 President Clinton appointed her U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) where she served for eight years.
Donna E. Shalala became Professor of Political Science and President of the University of Miami on June 1, 2001.
This car is Blue, Bleu, Azul, Blau, Blu, Xanh. Photo not of today, but taken in June 2007.
American Universities all have their own police forces. Hopefully, they are not needed, but they are always available to deal with any disturbances.
That is the title of an old movie, but that is what I have here in Miami. The verdict today is: "Your core is leaking and your AC unit froze!" I am glad this is November and not June. Life has its ups and downs, and this is down right down and out! Does this worry me? Nah!
These bottle palms are outside the Rathskeller in the main campus of the University of Miami. Their trunks are rounded bulges in young specimens and gradually elongate and flatten somewhat as they mature to a height of only 10 - 12 ft. These palms are very rare in the wild, and are very expensive in nurseries. They are not as cute now as when they were younger with their trunks in form of bottles. Old age does that to you.
Went to the bowling alley today. The thing looks pretty easy, but in reality, it's not so! The ball is heavy, you strain your back to throw it to the gutters and you pay to slip on shoes you have no idea whose feet were inside them before your turn. I need to look up some information about communicable foot diseases! This looks like a sure strike to me! Just the right spin and a perfect body posture! That's not me, I have no such skills.
"Break the Formula" Benefit Concert at the outdoor Student Union of the University of Miami. This is one of the events for this week culminating in the yearly Home Coming week at UM starting next week. Very festive time of the year. It's hot today so what I thought was a cold front yesterday turned out to be just some wishful thinking.
A miserable morning/day in Miami at the passing of a cold front. The consolation is that the weather will be gorgeous after it's through. I look forward to this time in Miami, every year. Top down driving time!
This doesn't have to be Miami, but this brand new tea pot is in Miami, in my house. The tea is a gift. Kasora flower tea that comes in the form of small balls that unfurl in the hot water. What will they invent next?
A student of Miami Dade College is putting a finishing touch on her presentation in today's United Nation Day at the Kendall campus. Many countries are featured each on a colorful poster such as the one in this photo.
A live trio performing in Coconut Grove. A real piano probably will sound better than the Yamaha, don't you think?
