#6 My Vote counts in FL

Continuing on with things I like in Miami, I GET TO VOTE IN FLORIDA! Awesome.

I'm going to head down to the Miami City Hall on Saturday to vote early. Hooray!

However, I encourage all to check out their ballot in advance online. Check it out, the Florida ballot is mad long. Many of my friends live in the liberal utopias that are NYC/Brooklyn, Boston, LA, San Francisco, and Austin. Their usual gripe is that their vote doesn't count. However, I consider local government as important as getting Barack elected. I think about that everytime I'm riding in a bike lane in NYC or walking through one of it's gorgeous parks. The government CARES. In Miami, notsomuch. Recycling is a joke, parks are few and far between, I see no general concern for the environment, and don't even get me started on the lack of bike lanes. Thus, I am looking forward to voting locally and hopefully doing my little bit to make Miami better for all before departing home to Brooklyn. But who the hell are all of these people on the ballot? I decided to find out.

REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS, DISTRICT 18
Good ole District 18. This race is between two females, hooray! Annette Taddeo (D) and
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R). At first glance, Annette's website is down. Bummer 4 days before the election. However, I did a little digging. Although there isn't much on Annette, she is a female business owner, and that is what I became over the past few months. BUT, get this! Despite being a Republican, Ileana seems to care about other people!! Ileana is a Cuban immigrant with Jewish roots. Although her environmental record could use some work, check this - she supports anti-hate crime laws, anti-discrimination bills, believes gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly in the armed forces, voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment, and is one of two Republican members of the LGBT congressional caucus.

Wizzle World readers, I will be voting for a Republican in District 18. Looks like she's been in office since the 80's and will most likely crush, but chalk one up for human rights.

REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS, DISTRICT 20
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D)
Margaret Hostetter (NPR - No Party Affiliation)

This also looks like a blow out in Debbie's favor. She seems like a nice New York transplant who supports both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Margaret on the other hand is anti-gay marriage and pro-life. What is a bisexual woman has an unexpected pregnancy and 'chooses' life to raise the child with a female? Does that hurt your head as to what you think this woman should do, Margaret? Guess what, it shouldn't be your decision as to what said bisexual woman does with her pregnancy, nor should you be able to regulate who she opts to spend her life with.

Wizzle World Endorsement: Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Ok, that's all for now. More tomorrow as I have to figure out the other South Florida politicians I'm voting for before Saturday! :)

xo

Amanda's new video is dedicated to Sarah Palin

AND it's called "Oasis." :)

I wish I had tickets to see Blur in November.

xo

For my touring friends

Well said, Katie Kay!  (Amanda Palmer's tour manager)

Still waiting for hippie grocery delivery.

So

Hungry.

xo

Another reason why I should manager a swimmer

http://gawker.com/5069852/michael-phelps-and-the-nerdy-endorsement-trap

Btw, I'm in Miami this week and have been slammed creating Whitesmith Entertainment with Keri.

But today's item I like about Miami can be short and sweet: the sky. It's freaking gorgeous and multi-colored. Paddy asked me if I was tripping once when I was describing the Miami sky. I wasn't, but it proves my point as to how stunning it is.

Meanwhile, I sit and work and wait for my Delicious Organics grocery delivery that is 6 HOURS late. Hippie company + Miami time seems to compound the general expected delay. Oh well, soon soon.

xo

I Don't Know How To Say This

But there are people my age voting for McCain/Palin.  WTF??????

I know I'm being a bit too idealistic/hippie/naive, but it scares the shit out of me.

I'm in a wedding in Wisconsin this weekend. I was ok with the fact that the other girls involved are married/planning families/into having traditional lives. However, I was truly appalled last night to find out that educated young women would consider not voting for Barack Obama and even worse, would be psyched to elect the Pro-Life Beauty Queen.

I could give a fuck how intellectually snobby I sound explaining to these 20-somethings that I have more foreign policy experience than Sarah Heath Palin. Extra worse, is that they countered my question of "So you'd be ok with Sarah Palin being President" by attempting to trash Barack. You didn't answer my question.

If you're so into the settling down and having kids BS, don't you give a shit about their future?

I really really really try to give midwesterners a good name in all of the cities I've lived in. But please don't perpetuate the horrendous stereotypes you already have by just plain being uninformed and responding like a crazy McCain rally type.

If McCain/Palin lose, maybe the pitbull will reconsider seceding from the US.

Love,

Emily White 

#4 a REALLY hot guy moved into the building next to me

i don't know his name and probably never will.  but about two weeks ago a gorgeous guy with dark shaggy hair decided to start hanging out on the balcony straight across from my apartment. he's usually only in boxers and i wish i had one of my Whitesmith/AFP girls here to comment to as he appears randomly throughout the work day. it's like an indie rock diet coke break.

thanks for the eye candy! :)

i hope i don't disturb that building too much as i'm usually prancing around doing yoga and blasting music from ranging from Beethoven to Britney to Britpop.

back to work.

xo

#3 Free Outdoor Yoga

Note for Richard: I only do a 'daily favorite thing about Miami' blog when I'm actually in the city. It is my attempt at a positive outlook on my remaining days here, until I move home to Brooklyn and it's actually working. :)

Every Monday, Wednesday (6 PM) and Saturday (10 AM) there is a free Vinyasa class provided by the city at Bayfront Park.  It really is gorgeous to do yoga during sunset overlooking Biscayne Bay. The teacher is fab, and the program was started by a city councilman who always joking complains during navasana (which I admit, I often slack on). Anyone who communicates with me frequently knows that I revolve my Mondays and Wednesdays around the class. It's still no Greenhouse, but outdoor NYC yoga is obviously seasonal.  I've been pretty much disgusted with local/regional/state government here for the most part. So much so that I have a newfound appreciation for education and environment laws in Wisconsin and NY. But this class has created a mini local progressive community who also put on a seasonal Farmer's market in the park between Feb - April as well as yoga workshops including 108 Sun Salutations for World Peace.  Heady, but awesome.

The councilman who started said program is a minor local celeb to me. I don't get intimidated by actual celebs (sans Noel Gallagher) but apparently local progressive government officials are the new rock stars in Wizzle World.

That's all I got.  I'm fried from a 10 hour flight today.

Back to work either way.

xo

I'm Not One of Those Either

At about :35 in the Couric interview, Ms. Sarah Heath Palin explains how she didn't come from "a background of kids who perhaps graduate college and their parents get them a passport and give them a backpack and said 'go off and travel the world.'"  She continues, quite condescendingly, "No....., I've worked all my life.  In fact, I've usually had two jobs all my life, until I had kids.  I was not a part of, I guess, part of that culture. The way I have understood the world is through education.  Through books, through mediums, which have provided me a lot of perspective on the world."

Though the books and mediums you refuse to name?

Dear Sarah Palin,

I have been to Europe more times than I can remember. I've traveled throughout 30 or so countries on 4 continents. I never could have afforded this on my own, nor would I have asked my parents to foot the bill. I worked, because in addition to the love of my craft, I had an innate needs to explore the world. Yet, many folks often comment on how I've been 'everywhere.'  I haven't. I've only had the opportunity to travel in countries whose citizens could afford CD's at major label prices back in the day and concert tickets today. Despite the fact that I've been to exponentially more cities and countries than you, I have not seen the world whatsoever. Maybe someday, I can afford to travel to Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia who can't afford to put on rock n roll festivals.

Unfortunately for all of us, you can afford to visit these lands. Thanks for making your tax returns public. Sorry, but I don't think "Joe Sixpack" can relate to making $150k/year.

In the meantime, let's enjoy one of your Vlogs.

Love,

Emily White xo

Fuck You, Society

Don't get me wrong, you've been great to me in almost every way.

But what's up with headlines like this on CNN.Com?  Listen, I know CNN is a joke and so do most in my generation. But loads of folks do not!  From the midwest to boomers and up, they seriously consider the Cable News Network real news.  And the gross part is, it's better than many "news outlets."  Please don't encourage unnecessary consumption in sources that folks look to for information. I don't expect everyone to spend their time enjoying art, but can you please stick to informing as journalists and not influencing consumer habits? I don't think CNN is commenting on a trend here, they are perpetuating problems that have screwed America in the first place.

Thus, I will try to enjoy my surroundings of Berlin-Tegel Airport for the next few hours until Air France whisks me away to Miami where recycle is a term foreign in both English and Espanol within the city limits. 

But who am I to talk? Psycho Dave just texted me via my (precious) BlackBerry that I left my iPod on Amanda's tour bus. Yes, David, you can borrow it for the rest of the tour. I'm happy to listen to music on my harddrive @ home.  I'll live.

Love,

Emily White

PS - AMANDA FUCKING PALMER AND THE DANGER ENSEMBLE/ZOE KEATING/LYNDON/JASON WEBLEY ARE KILLING IN EUROPE RIGHT NOW.  I've seen A LOT of shows, especially starring AP. But it's sick.  Really.  I'm super proud.  Go.  Now.

xo 

#2 I'll Be in Paris Tonight

NYC-area residents are spoiled with 3 major international airports within close proximity. However, the Miami area is serviced both by Miami Int'l Airport as well as Fort Lauderdale's airport, which is a $4 train or $18 shuttle fare away. People always complain about increasing fares, less routes, and more in the airline industry. Having more than one airport nearby limits monopolies on a market. There are way more options, assuming the consumer knows how to use the internet and is willing to take a little extra time to find the right flight.

FLL is freezing and I think it's so tourists feel warm the moment they exit the airport. It also cracks me up how FLL is the designated tourist airport. Semi-related, I can never find anything to eat as it's chock full of American artificial standard food. Not that MIA is much better, but it's a bit bigger and there are some new wings. MIA seems to be filled with folks going to/from The Caribbean and South America and are just living their lives aka not on holiday.  FLL also has discount airlines such as Spirit and Southwest. I don't see why people are anti budget airlines. It's soooo much cheaper and I think some of the planes on Spirit and Southwest are newer and cleaner than American or United.

Anyway, I'm taking off to visit Amanda and crew in Europe land.  I found a reasonably priced flight on Air France at my preferred times straight out of Miami Int'l.  Thus, two nearby international airports is another thing I like about Miami.

xo

Link Updated

Thanks, Katie Schmaling :) 

Double thanks to Mellers for reminding me to blog so she has something to read at work. Hooray for Vegas!

xo

#1 The Weather

I'm living in an odd state of purgatory, which isn't all bad, but it isn't ideal either.  I'm stuck in a pre-paid lease and can't move back to Brooklyn till the end of December.  The only way out of said lease is military service and I am not enlisting anytime soon.  Although I travel frequently for work and pleasure, my residence is Miami, FL for the next 85 days.  I am incredibly pleased with what we are working on in the meantime, but it doesn't mean I wouldn't mind taking breaks at Greenhouse Holistic and having meetings at Pan Ginger enjoying some jade mushrooms for lunch.  All in due time.  Thus, I will be listing something I like about Miami every day until I can return home.

#1 The weather.  Obvious answer, but true nonetheless.  I get cold way too easily.  I'm a wimp. At my last day job, I had a space heater by my desk and wore a hoodie every day.  When winter comes, I try not to verbally complain as much as I do, but it's because I'm beyond uncomfortable.  People say I should be "used to it" being from Wisconsin and all.  Nope, that just makes me loathe it more and bring back memories of frozen hair after swim practice.  

Amanda is similar and an acupuncturist friend told her once that it is due to not eating meat. I can see where that would make sense, but it's a bummer to consider altering one's beliefs just to stay warm.  Although my fave lounging clothes are usually comfy and tanktoppy, in the winter, I layer like crazy, practically wear a sleeping bag for a jacket and still freeze.

I can't wait to open our office in Brooklyn.  But for now, I'll enjoy working in a tank top and shorts with the deck doors wide open and a breeze that feels fantastic.  It's still a bummer here when there is no sun for days, which happened when various hurricanes passed through the gulf, despite being 100's of miles away.  But otherwise, the temp hovers in the 80's during the day and 70's at night.  

I will remind myself of this when I'm outside in January and am not as warm as I'd prefer.  But for now, I pulled my desk outside on the deck for today because it's freaking gorgeous out.

xo

Be careful!

This is one of my favorite commuting paths in the city.  Don't be reckless, especially on the steep path into Williamsburg.

Yay Jay

Miami is not a hot bed for concerts.  It's too far south.  There isn't much interest from fans. Music fans exist, but I've seen way too many half full rooms at the few awesome shows who's tours have stopped in South Florida.

However, Jay-Z is playing a free show for Barack Obama on Sunday!!  And it's right by my apartment!

http://www.nme.com/news/jay-z/40164

Sweet!

xo

BriAnna is going to Iran

After a year and half of planning, my good friend BriAnna Olson is headed to Iran.  The idea began after shooting footage on the 5th anniversary of 9/11 @ Ground Zero.  She simply held a sign that said "Unconditional Love is Global Security."  Although many reactions were supportive, one furious woman told her to go to Tehran and take her sign there.  So she is:

You, Me & the Islamic Republic of Iran
Guess who is heading to Tehran? Me. I am. And I'm taking Michael Pope with me.

We're flying out of New York on Monday, stopover in Dubai, then we touch ground in Tehran where we'll be met by a translator who'll escort us about the city.

We'll be meeting with curators and artists and musicians and hopefully getting to know them well enough to inspire new relationships and maybe even spawn some international collaborations. Who knows. We've got a handful of people to meet with, and knowing how we roll, I hope that we meet all the right people. At least, we'll be returning with an experiential peek into a world so few of us have actually seen, which I have learned as an travel enthusiast, is really where its at.

I'm really just psyched to see what all the fuss is about. And I'm mostly super psyched that a lot of you have helped in some wayshapeorform. I've made a career out of making things happen, but its always easier when there is either money, sex or famous people involved. And since this involved none of those things explicitly, the ride was a little... inconsistent.

So thank you for giving me places to stay, taking photos, selling photos, screening the video at your art-party, brainstorming, booking venues, lifting heavy tv sets, giving me places to stay, giving me money, overwhelming me with your enthusiasm, sending me links, giving me places to stay, "getting it", "not getting it", buying my tshirts, telling people to watch that video, donating your DVD players, making your own "Unconditional Love is Global Security" shirts/sign/merch, asking how its going, not asking how its going, and also giving me places to stay.

You are the best ever.

love,
bri