CONNECT RECORD SHOP (VINYL PARADISE)

THE CROWN JEWEL OF FORT LAUDERDALE’S THRIVE ART DISTRICT 

The New Times described South Florida’s best record shop: “Connect Record Shop immediately made a splash on the regional record shop scene thanks to its fantastic curation and socially oriented space.”

Connect is in Fort Lauderdale’s Thrive Art District – worth a 90 minute roundtrip drive from the center of Miami.

A recent visit took me back 4+ decades with posters of Devo, The Velvet Underground and more.

Connect is a throwback with old school (and fresh) vinyl in a clean, wheelchair accessible, inclusive setting.

It earns a 5 star review with wall art of bands I saw in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s in my native Ohio.

https://connectrecordshop.com/

APARTHOTEL ADAGIO ACCESS GENT CENTRUM DAMPOORT

MODERN LODGING WITH TRANSIT ACCESS TO ALL OF BELGIUM

Aparthotel Adagio Access Gent Centrum Dampoort is not in the town center, but around Dampoort station, there are a half dozen or so Turkish and Middle Eastern pita shops, restaurants and bakeries.

Some reviewers have said the neighborhood looks seedy.

It is not polished, but it is growing area and I never felt like I needed to take anything but public transit and foot power – even when I arrived around 11 p.m.

Buying tickets for local buses and intercity trains is very easy online.

You can go to famous Bruges or the Flanders part of northern France for less than $10 one way, when you buy a 6 euro plus pass and book off times (basically not rush hour).

The areas around the fabled towers and historic monuments of Gent can be a bit noisy, so I found the Dampoort location to be quiet and peaceful.

APARTHOTEL ADAGIO ACCESS GENT CENTRUM DAMPOORT

MODERN LODGING WITH TRANSIT ACCESS TO ALL OF BELGIUM

The main street where Aparthotel Adagio Access Gent Centrum Dampoort is located is a bit gritty.

It’s a dockland area that clearly soon will be a hipster area, as a hip office building has been built nearby, condos are going up and some older buildings are prime for renovation.

The walk along the waterfront feels safe.

It is well lit.

You walk past live aboard moored boats, open fields ready for redevelopment on them, then some preserved heavy dock equipment, an urban skate park and ultimately a pedestrian bridge that leads to a food hall and retail – about 20 minutes from the hotel.

APARTHOTEL ADAGIO ACCESS GENT CENTRUM DAMPOORT

MODERN LODGING WITH TRANSIT ACCESS TO ALL OF BELGIUM

Aparthotel Adagio Access Gent Centrum Dampoort had tons of amenities – work out area, games to play, warm lobby, outdoor patio and a full restaurant and bar.

The lobby featured the famous Adagio offering of tons of things to buy for the room – from Belgian beer to microwave dishes to snacks to toothpaste and other items. 

All items are priced more than a store, but not at a gouging rate.

 

APARTHOTEL ADAGIO ACCESS GENT CENTRUM DAMPOORT

MODERN LODGING WITH TRANSIT ACCESS TO ALL OF BELGIUM

Aparthotel Adagio Access Gent Centrum Dampoort is about a 5 minute walk from a bus terminal next to Dampoort station

Theses buses will take you very close to the town center as well as other interesting parts of Gent.

I used this as a base for nearly a week in Belgium and I would highly recommend it for that.

I slept like a baby.

The room was well soundproofed and my request to have a unit away from the very busy 4-lane road that the hotel sits on was honored.

 

APARTHOTEL ADAGIO ACCESS GENT CENTRUM DAMPOORT

MODERN LODGING WITH TRANSIT ACCESS TO ALL OF BELGIUM

The nights at Aparthotel Adagio Access Gent Centrum Dampoort were quiet, the bed was comfy, the bathroom was luxurious and the shower had lots of warm water.

A beer on the waterfront patio from the Hotel’s Eat In restaurant was great and one day I fueled up on the breakfast buffet.

It is a 10 minute walk to restaurants and shops and only a 20 minute walk to the center of lively and historic Gent.

APARTHOTEL ADAGIO ACCESS GENT CENTRUM DAMPOORT

MODERN LODGING WITH TRANSIT ACCESS TO ALL OF BELGIUM

Aparthotel Adagio Access Gent Centrum Dampoort is a fabulous property.

It is well managed – I asked for extra bed sheets, help with the non-functioning AC and dead battery room safe and go help in less than 30 minutes.

The property is 10 minutes from Dampoort Rail Station – I used it for low cost, high speed rail connections to Antwerp, Mechelen, Brussels, Bruges and Lille, France.

There is a large Carrefour  grocery store very close to Dampoort Station and I used it to buy breakfast and snack food foods for the full kitchen in the aparthotel.

OCTOBER IS NATIONAL PEDESTRIAN SAFETY MONTH

YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW IT IN MIAMI, WHERE ANTI-SOCIAL PEOPLE PARK ON THE SIDEWALK BY THE HUNDREDS – DESTROYING SAFE MOBILITY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

October is National Pedestrian Safety Month.

Anti-social "car brain" Miami drivers 'celebrate' by blocking sidewalks which destroys safe mobility for people with disabilities.

Cars MUST be ticketed and towed.

Don't tell me people might not know any better.

A 10 year old on a bike knows not to park on the sidewalk.

Don't say a wheelchair user can just "go around in the street."

Miami streets are dangerous, even the side streets.

Ask the family that lost a good man who was killed by a vehicle on the side street next to Miami’s Shenandoah Park.

But Steve, maybe there was nowhere else to park.

Even in lawless, selfish Miami -- lack of convenience is NOT an excuse for illegal behavior.

HÔTEL DU PRINCE EUGÈNE PARIS 11TH ARRONDISSEMENT

COSY 3 STAR PROPERTY IN THE PERFECT LOCATION WITH A GREAT STAFF

The Hotel Du Prince Eugene Paris value is incredible.

I stayed for less than $150 fully loaded with tax, etc.

There is a shutter and blackout drapes, but the view was so beautiful, I kept the shades open and fell asleep to clouds passing over moonlight in Paris!

This is THE place to rest and base your visit in Paris.

HÔTEL DU PRINCE EUGÈNE PARIS 11TH ARRONDISSEMENT

COSY 3 STAR PROPERTY IN THE PERFECT LOCATION WITH A GREAT STAFF

I can't wait to return to Hotel Du Prince Eugene Paris.

It feels like staying with family.

The room is not huge, but it is perfect.

I walked to sites and attractions in the 3rd, 4th, 9th, 8th and 10th arrondissements.

Marche Aligre is a short walk away and my all-time favorite Marché Bastille (aka Marché Richard-Lenoir) is a spirited 30 minute walk away through the authentic Faubourg St. Antoine.

 

 

HÔTEL DU PRINCE EUGÈNE PARIS 11TH ARRONDISSEMENT

COSY 3 STAR PROPERTY IN THE PERFECT LOCATION WITH A GREAT STAFF

The family operated Hotel Du Prince Eugene Paris is a little more than five minute walk to Charonne area that is packed with Michelin starred and local restaurants plus plenty of bars and quaint cafes.

The neighborhood is safe, quiet and filled with locals.

You will feel like a Parisian.

Saime Voltaire Boulangerie, Au petit Panisse, and Boucherie John Gillot were excellent local foodie places very close to the hotel.

HÔTEL DU PRINCE EUGÈNE PARIS 11TH ARRONDISSEMENT

COSY 3 STAR PROPERTY IN THE PERFECT LOCATION WITH A GREAT STAFF

The Hotel Du Prince Eugene Paris front desk staff spoke excellent English and was very helpful and professional.

The location is perfect.

It’s about a five minute walk from Nation station that takes you everywhere in Paris via Metro and RER trains.

HÔTEL DU PRINCE EUGÈNE PARIS 11TH ARRONDISSEMENT

COSY 3 STAR PROPERTY IN THE PERFECT LOCATION WITH A GREAT STAFF

My bed at Hotel Du Prince Eugene Paris was large and comfy.

There is a small elevator.

The bathroom was large, modern and the shower had endless warm water.

There were nightstands on each side with plugs for my white noise machine and charging phone.

A small desk with coffee maker was space enough for morning pastries and a final day lunch in my room.

HÔTEL DU PRINCE EUGÈNE PARIS 11TH ARRONDISSEMENT

COSY 3 STAR PROPERTY IN THE PERFECT LOCATION WITH A GREAT STAFF

Hotel Du Prince Eugene Paris is incredible.

My room was so quiet.

I got a 6th floor room -- the top floor -- despite a discount booking.

It is a typical Haussmann building with garret style apartment with gabled wall and tilt out window.

The views over the Pairs rooftops were dreamlike.

IF YOU ADVERTISE YOUR ATTRACTION AS “FULLY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE”

YOU CANNOT HAVE TWO MAJOR PARTS OF YOUR EXHIBIT ACCESSIBLE ONLY VIA STAIRS. WHAT GIVES, SUPERBLUE?

Dear Superblue Miami.

I visited your immersive art experience.

In return for nearly $40 per ticket, please improve wayfinding.

The continuation of the exhibit (virtual spray painting) is upstairs.

No signage to wheelchair accessible entrance.

Quoting your website: "Superblue Miami (1101 NW 23rd St) is fully wheelchair accessible.

All exhibition areas, pathways and surfaces are navigable by wheelchair.

But only stairs (we asked) lead to 2nd level of Es Devlin Forest of Us.

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

“Our approach is, ‘how do you help people take back their power?’” said Cecilia V. Estolano, who leads the Los Angeles-based Estolano Advisors. 

“How do you help communities to become places where they can actualize all their abilities? Diversity as a perspective makes our profession better.” 

When it comes to sustainability, Estolano emphasized that firms owned by people of color can frame issues of climate justice, pollution, the clean energy transition, and water quality in terms that reflect the direct experience of the communities that have been most impacted.

“We had our neighborhoods bulldozed to build freeways that caused more air pollution that seared our lungs,” she added. 

“We understand what it means to live within the evacuation zone of an oil refinery and can appreciate what clean cars and renewable energy can mean for our kids and their kids.”

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

To generate incremental, sustainable development, Cecilia V. Estolano, who leads the Los Angeles-based Estolano Advisors, said cities often have to overcome cynicism and mistrust in working class communities of color — because those communities have been misled, disappointed and underestimated in past failed planning processes.

“We work closely with communities on changing the things that result from poor planning and poor policy,” she added. 

Estolano’s firm is currently leading the planning process for the future of a state-owned site in LA’s Crenshaw district that’s been shuttered for more than a decade. 

Served by light rail, it could be redeveloped with housing, job training and other community services.

 

 

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

Cecilia V. Estolano has been working on redevelopment and economic development issues for over three decades. 

Her experience leading the Los Angeles-based Estolano Advisors has made her skeptical of strategies that call for luring large firms into a community with big subsidies and tax breaks without asking much in return.

Estolano said most consistent growth comes from home-grown small businesses. 

“This is how we build wealth in this country, particularly when so many folks are locked out of home ownership in high cost cities,” she added.

“We need to invest in infrastructure because it is the foundation for our quality of life and for business growth. 

And we have to work directly with businesses to design workforce training programs tailored to their needs, but only if they can deliver jobs and careers that pay enough to support a family.”

 

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

The resulting COTA plan didn’t simply look at sourcing environmentally friendly materials as part of the transit authority’s resilience effort.

It also charted ways of sustaining economic justice by ensuring small, diverse businesses could become contractors for the transit agency, balancing social impact with economic growth. 

“Our only shareholders are the community,” said Charnelle Hicks, who serves as principal at Philadelphia-based CHPlanning.

“[If the plan lacks an element of diversity, we need] to ask the question:

‘So you’re good with not including this consideration for the community?’” 

 

 

 

 

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

“Whether the community is Amish or Muslim, unique perspectives exist,” said Charnelle Hicks, who serves as principal at Philadelphia-based CHPlanning.

“You must think about [questions like,] ‘What are the things they care about?,’ and ask, ‘What are their priorities?’

At some point, we all will have disabilities. So we must design for accessibility.”

Hicks cited a plan for the Central Ohio Transit Authority that looked at sustainability not just in terms of the environment, but also in terms of how the transit system of greater Columbus, Ohio could be more inclusive.

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

Experts such as Charnelle Hicks note that minority communities help foot the bill for public projects — even though hiring minority-led firms is the exception to rule. And that imbalance leads to unfair outcomes for travelers on the ground.

“In the public sector, taxes are paid by everyone – so you would think the plan would be for everyone, but we all know it doesn’t always turn out that way,” said Hicks, who serves as principal at Philadelphia-based CHPlanning.

If different people with different backgrounds are not considered from the beginning of the planning process, Hicks argues that projects will fail. 

MAMDANI WILL REBUILD THE BQE TO LAST UNTIL 2080

DESPITE CALLS TO TEAR IT DOWN

All I can think of is tens of thousands of people with disabilities virtually trapped because of terrible sidewalks, crosswalks, curbramps in NYC.

I thought Mamdani is the mayor of the marginalized. 

This action makes him more like the lobbyist for the more than trillion dollar per year auto industry.

$4 billion in pedestrian/wheelchair mobility is game changing. 

Spent on an expressway = failure.

https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/08/24/mamdani-bqe-plan-august-2026?utm_source=streetsblog-nyc.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-triple-cantilever-is-here-to-stay

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

Minority industry leaders, though, emphasize that their community does bring unique value and results — no matter what Washington says. 

“It is not that large firms cannot do good work, because they often do,” said Charles Brown, who is the Founder & CEO of the urban planning, public policy and research firm, Horizon 54.

“It is that perspective matters. Diverse firms do not just bring different faces to the table.

We often bring different questions, experiences, and ways of understanding the people affected by the work.” 

“Why? Because we believe those closest to the problem are closest to the solution,” Brown continued.  

 

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

“Diverse firms often bring lived experiences, deep community relationship, and unique ways of seeing a problem,” said Charles Brown, who is the Founder & CEO of the urban planning, public policy and research firm, Horizon 54, formerly called Equitable Cities. “Often, that leads us to ask questions or identify impacts that others may overlook.” 

Still, Brown and the other experts we interviewed for this story acknowledged that minority-owned firms face uniquely steep barriers today. 

Affirmative action programs were a required part of federal contracting for a half century, but President Trump signed an executive order revoking it as one of his first acts in office.

The Trump administration also has banned federal contractors, subcontractors, and grant recipients from operating diversity, equity and inclusion programs of their own. 

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

Look at the worst, most barrier-choked places for wheelchair users in your community, and you’ll likely find that they have something in common: they were all planned by 100-percent able-bodied teams, who don’t understand the real needs of people with mobility challenges. 

It’s not just about the disability realm. 

Planning history is littered with top-down, failed projects, where the majority imposed what it thought was best for the minority. 

And even if that majority was well-meaning, they got it wrong. 

That’s why experts like Charles T. Brown argue that planning teams must be led by firms that understand the unique and nuanced requirements of placemaking for all — or at least include key sub-consultants on their teams. 

And in an era when the very concepts of “diversity,” “equity,” and “inclusion” are under fire in Washington and beyond, they say diverse hiring is even more important.

 

 

 

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

“When you visit the street where Mike Brown was killed [in Ferguson, Missouri, or] when you visit the intersection where George Floyd was killed [in Minneapolis] – the places where their blood spilled out — it is very clear there is no process, tool, or policy that deals with the need to heal the land,” said Dr. Destiny Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of the Los Angeles-based Thrivance Group,

Despite the current political climate, Charles Brown, who is the Founder & CEO of the urban planning, public policy and research firm, Horizon 54, emphasizes that his minority-owned firm is growing — and others can too. 

Because even if the rules change, his clients recognize the benefits of both his expertise and his lived experience. 

“There is a big difference between being on the team and having influence over the work,” said Brown, an award-winning transportation professional. “Too often, the minority firm is one of eight or nine subs, has a small scope, and has little say over the budget, methodology, or final recommendations. 

“Diversity at the bottom of the organizational chart is not the same as diversity in decision-making,” Brown continued.

 “Giving qualified, diverse firms opportunities to lead means they help shape the project from the beginning rather than simply being brought in to check a box.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

As Chief Executive Officer of the Los Angeles-based Thrivance Group, Dr. Destiny Thomas says equitable planning is about actions — not just words.

Even when reports are couched in diverse language, she questions whether conventional planning is truly addressing the desires and needs of diverse people and communities.

“When I think about what sets so-called minority [firms] apart from others, I think about the process,” she added. “I think about opening the process, so diverse opinions are not just gathered but are a part of the plan and policy.” 

Thomas has developed what she calls “The Geography of Memory” framework, which examines how collective trauma becomes embedded in physical places and continues to shape mobility, public trust, redevelopment outcomes, and community interaction with the built environment. 

The framework encourages agencies to map the location of police violence, highways that displaced neighborhoods, forced housing relocation, and neglected public infrastructure, among other public sites of trauma.

She said when those areas are plotted and acknowledged, cities avoid “making investments that unintentionally reinforce harm.” 

Moreover, recognizing sites with negative history in a marginalized neighborhoods can help communities to move forward while shaping local trust in mobility, redevelopment and infrastructure projects.

 

 

 

DIVERSITY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS UNDER ATTACK — BUT THESE EXPERTS SAY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

MINORITY-OWNED PLANNING FIRMS ARE AS ESSENTIAL AS THEY EVER WERE, THESE FOUR TOP EXPERTS ARGUE — NO MATTER WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS

The Ending Discrimination in Government Contracting Act introduced this April would enshrine that order into law, among other provisions to “stop federal agencies from violating the Constitution by awarding contracts based on recipients’ race or sex,” co-sponsor Sen. Glen Grothman (R – Wisc.) 

And several states are already undoing longstanding race- and gender-based set asides and requirements, even though the bill has yet to pass.

GRATIFIED TO BE A FEATURED EXPERT SPEAKER

AT STARKLOFF DISABIILITY INSTITUTE UNIVERSAL DESIGN SUMMIT

I have delivered more keynote speeches and featured presentations than I can count.

All share my advocacy and expertise on Universal Design and building a better built environment for people with disabilities.

My upcoming appearance incorporates my award-winning journalism and marketing experience.

My presentation, in November, in St. Louis:

Steve Wright, Universal Design Journalist — From DEI to ROI: Rebranding the Endless Benefits of Universal Design in an Era of Political Pushback.

Hope you meet me in St. Louis.

https://starkloff.org/universal-design-summit

EVERY CITY SHOULD HAVE AVENUES WITH SIDEWALKS AS WIDE AS NEW YORK’S

MIAMI’S TYPICAL SIDEWALK, EVEN IN IT’S MOST DENSE URBAN AREAS, IS NOT EVEN HALF AS WIDE AS MANHATTAN’S

The width on the older parts of Lexington Avenue is 13 feet.

New buildings provide 20 feet of sidewalk width, as per updated zoning rules.

This provides a safe path of travel for wheelchair users and all pedestrians.

Wide sidewalks provide space for outdoor café seating, bike racks, benches, waste receptacles, signs and other urban needs – while still providing more than six feet of unobstructed pedestrian pathway.

Along with safety, wide sidewalks encourage people to visit mom and pop visits and to take in the beautify of the city.

Here, the sculptural Chrysler Building shrouded in fog and framed by the polished awning and unfurled flag of the equally splendid Waldorf Astoria.

We love the walkable, rollable sidewalks – that serve early 20th century NYC Art Deco architecture.

PRAISE FOR CONEY ISLAND BOARDWALK WHEELCHAIR ACCESS

HOPE THE $1 BILLION REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT WILL ADD SHADED SPACES AND ENHANCE INCLUSION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

The Coney Island Boardwalk is fully wheelchair accessible.

It features a wide wooden/concrete boardwalk with a gentle slope (under 3% grade) and plenty of passing space.

Wheelchair-accessible public restrooms on the Coney Island Riegelmann Boardwalk are located at Stillwell Avenue, West 16th Street and West 22nd Street.

Temporary mobility mats are laid out at major access points including Stillwell Avenue, West 5th, West 8th, West 22nd, West 29th, West 32nd, West 33rd Streets, and Ocean Parkway.