SAVE LITTLE HAVANA BEFORE TRAFFIC ENGINEERS DESTROY THE CALLE OCHO CORRIDOR

The FDOT study for the redesign of Miami’s Calle Ocho

corridor is reaching crisis proportions

Every time FDOT has a new meeting on the world-famous and historic Calle Ocho corridor, it introduces plans that run more counter to complete streets.

Iffy stats contribute to the feeling that the community is being ignored.

Dozens if not hundreds of American cities large and small have torn down highways, shrunk lanes, widened sidewalks, built Transit Oriented Development and introduced a host of design guidelines aimed at mobility equality for human beings -- on foot, on bike, in wheelchairs, on public transit.

Every measure of the future suggests mobility via individual car ownership will decline.

Yet FDOT seems hellbent on ignoring its own complete streets guidelines and turning existing "Highway Ocho" from bad to worse.

It couldn't come at a worse time.

Visionary developers, realtors and activists are doing everything they can to re-invigorate Little Havana with adaptive re-use, human-scaled infill and curated, mom and pop tenants.

An overwhelming majority of renters and home owners north and south of Calle Ocho want a safe street to cross and development oriented to humans, not cars.

Yet every indication, from very questionable analysis numbers to drawings, shows that FDOT is intent on making the beloved Calle8 corridor nothing more than a streamlined highway into and out of Brickell/downtown Miami.

Lots of urban advocates read this blog.

Please, get involved in advocating for complete streets and human scale.

If you are local, come to a meeting and call an elected official.

If you are national, share this with the lists you belong this, make this part of the agenda of your organization.

If you do not, you will forever be lamenting the passing of Calle Ocho and Little Havana -- just like we mourn the passing of the Original Penn Station decades later.

--I am posting this an individual, not as an affiliate of any for profit or non profit entity. My wife and I -- nearly 20 years ago -- bought and rehabbed an about to be razed 1920 house just blocks for Calle8. We love the corridor and want to preserve it.

ART HOUSE NEW ORLEANS -- part 3

Stay like a local in the authentic Holly Grove NOLA neighborhood

Ideas for making Art House more wheelchair-accessible

For a pair of homeowners who simply want to make their Air BnB property accommodating to all, including folks with disabilities, Patricia and Ron get a grade of A.

Their work to introduce universal design/ADA access is better than some chain hotel properties -- that hire consultants, architects and contractors to be wheelchair accessible -- and that's really saying something.

To educate our gracious hosts, and all readers about some relatively inexpensive modifications, we share what it would take to make Art House 100% wheelchair-accessible:

*Replace toilet with higher, ADA compliant commode

*Make bathroom door open outward -- hinges switch would keep door from blocking wheelchair maneuverability.

*Pull up carpet and get carpenter to put in beveled edges so that both bedrooms have level access, not the inch or 2 inch rise.

*Put window AC units in both bedrooms -- or central air -- I cannot imagine 90 degree weather with 90 pct humidity and that little wall unit in the kitchen cooling off sweltering summer NOLA. Folks with MS and other disabilities cannot chance staying at a place without climate controls powerful enough to cool their sleeping quarters.

*Put small, lightweight nightstand or table next to queen bed. We know the space is narrow, but folks want to reach a bottle of water, pills, ear plugs, etc. at night. The amenity, which would serve all, will provide easy access for folks with limited mobility.

*Install a couple electrical wall outlets at 30 to 36 inches above the floor -- wheelchair users cannot reach outlets lower than that.

*Lower light switches to 36 inches above the floor -- wheelchair users cannot reach switches at regular, 4 to 5 feet above ground height. Another option would be to wire outlets for remote controls.

*Put a channel drain in the bathroom, next to the tub/shower. The transfer bench is an amazing and much-appreciated mobility devise. But it bows out the shower curtain and the floor gets wet. To avoid flooding or use of all your reserve bath towels, put in a floor drain.

*Keep being the wonderful, communicative, willing to meet everyone halfway hosts that you are. Fewer than 1% of the Air BnB listings in NOLA are truly capable of accommodating a wheelchair user. You are very good and with some modifications over time, could be super great.

ART HOUSE NEW ORLEANS -- part 2

Stay like a local in an authentic NOLA neighborhood

The hosting, cleanliness, price point, sharing photos to confirm aspects of the property, local art, and dozens of pluses make staying with Patricia and Ron a 9 out of 10 stars experience.

Sometimes, we get so positive in our reviews, people think we are a relative, friend or the owner themselves -- goosing up the reviews to bring in revenue. 

To prove we are not shills, here are a few minor minuses about Art House New Orleans:

*Apartment does not have central A/C. (Our stay was in December, so we didn't need to use the one small A/C wall unit in the kitchen.)

*Apartment has an wall-mounted gas heater that throws lots of heat in the living room and kitchen, but not much reaches the bedrooms. (A couple mobile ceramic space heaters would be a much better choice.)

*Sounds of footfalls from the owners' upstairs were rather noticeable, but they were very quiet at night.

*The Holly Grove neighborhood is rather edgy and neighbors were rather loud at times. (but did quiet down by 11 p.m. at the latest, often even earlier. A portable white noise machine for sleeping is advised.)

Again, we do not mean to be negative at all, on the overall evaluation.

The owner invested more than $100 in a portable bath bench to make for safe, comfortable use of the tub/shower by a wheelchair user.

At our request, our hosts bought us nearly $40 worth of Trader Joes groceries, etc. 

We reimbursed them, but having the fridge stocked with high quality, low cost items for breakfast and beyond meant we had more time for enjoying the city.

The second we closed the door, we were in an oasis. 

Probably half or more of the furnishings, appliances, etc. in Art House are nicer than what we have in our lovely 100-year-old home.

Bottom line, two thumbs up for Art House New Orleans.

ART HOUSE NEW ORLEANS

Stay like a local in an authentic NOLA neighborhood

The pros (there are dozens):

*Apartment was very clean, from top to bottom.

*Decorated with playful paintings and sculptures done by local artists.

*Kitchen is very large, with dishes, silverware, full-size appliances, including a dishwasher. Makes it very conStay like a local in an authentic NOLA neighborhood

The pros (there are dozens):

*Apartment was very clean, from top to bottom.

*Decorated with playful paintings and sculptures done by local artists.

*Kitchen is very large, with dishes, silverware, full-size appliances, including a dishwasher. Makes it very convenient and economical to prepare meals or heat up take-out food.

*Living room is sizable with comfy furniture and flat-screen TV.

*Bedrooms are decent size. Beds have comfy mattresses and quality linens.

*Stackable washer and dryer are excellent quality and easy to use.

*Spotless bathroom. Like cleanest we'd ever seen. Same with kitchen, common areas, etc.

*During our stay, the owner answered our texts quickly. She was warm but not overly intrusive. Her hospitality included a small decorated Christmas tree and stockings for us containing tasty snacks.

*Answered millions of our questions between booking and arrival. Put up with our nerdy requests.

*You get a full size (maybe 1,000 SF) house for less than $170 per night, fully loaded. That price would get you a 150 SF hotel, maybe, plus cost of parking and all kinds of taxes and add-ons. So this a great deal.

*Is 90% wheelchair-accessible. Very good for folks learning about accommodating wheelchair using guests. A few tweaks and it would be ADA heaven.

*A total oasis once you shut the door. Feels like your own place. Modern appliances. So nice, two people could live in this year round and not be cramped.

*Great local food suggestions from owner.

*Feels like every detail has been thought through.

*No crappy, hand me down stuff you see in a lot of rental units.

*First class pots, pans, dishes, art, spaces.

*Beds were firm and comfortable.  

*If you are diverse and interested in staying in a real neighborhood, this is your place. 

*Patricia is a joy to deal with. She answers messages in a flash. Like so fast, she's anticipating young need before you voice it in a text or email.

CHRIS ARDOIN LIVE AT ROCK 'N' BOWL

New Orleans, Live, 12-29-2016

Chris Ardoin (born April 7, 1981 in Lake Charles, Louisiana^[) is a zydeco accordionist and singer. He is one of the young artists that helped form nouveau zydeco, a new style of music that fused traditional zydeco with various styles including hip-hop, reggae and R&B.

He was a child prodigy belonging to a musical dynasty (his father was Lawrence Ardoin and his grandfather, Bois Sec Ardoin). His older brother is Gospel zydeco artist Sean Ardoin. He started with the accordion at the age of two and grew up listening to zydeco only for the most part until he was in his teens.^[1] When he was just ten, with a help from his father Lawrence, he formed the Double Clutchin' zydeco band with his elder brother Sean Ardoin on drums.

In 1994, the band released their debut album That's Da Lick from Maison de Soul label. Though it was Sean who handled all the vocals and songwriting, the album was credited to Chris as they considered putting younger Chris in front would draw more attention to the band.^[1] Chris came more into the center of the spotlight in the follow-up effort Lick It Up! released a year later, sharing vocals and songwriting duties with Sean. Sean left the band after releasing the album Turn the Page in 1997 to concentrate in his solo career.

In 2005, Chris changed the band name from Double Clutchin' to NuStep, and released Sweat, the first album under the new name. M.V.P. followed in 2006, V.I.P in 2008, Alter Ego in 2009, and Headliner in 2010.

DR. JOHN -- IN THE RIGHT PLACE

Mini video clip from front row, center, Tipitina's: 12-27-2016

DR. JOHN LIVE -- TIPITINA'S -- UPTOWN, NEW ORLEANS

How Come My Dog Don't Bark (When You Come Around)?