Where Clay became Ali…Miami Beach–

Close relative of Ali’s old gym.

Vibrations of ‘The Greatest’ live on.

Trainer/manager keepin’ the vibes alive.

Glorious memories.

Certainly one way to approach things.

BOOM! Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali down here in these parts of Miami Beach in a joint called simply the 5th St. Gym…let’s check it out.

The current 5th St. Gym is located a couple of blocks from the original location. The original was in a building on the corner of 5th Street and Washington Avenue–a new building has been built here that now houses a CVS.

The new location is in an alleyway just off the corner of 5th Street and Lenox Avenue…every morning you can hear the sound of gloves hitting heavy bags out in the alley…fighters are inside sparring, shadow-boxing, working out, etc….this place is full of the vibes of professionals going about the business of training to box…the manager, Dino, is extremely welcoming and friendly–he invites us to wander around inside, take photos and soak up the energy…a woman behind a counter is equally friendly and inviting…everyone is willing to talk about Ali and any other fighters that we might want to discuss…WOW…surprisingly lots of fun to visit here.

Yes, Ali is long gone, this is a different location from the original, the Dundees no longer have affiliation with the gym, but there is warmth and professionalism and willingness to share in the air that makes it well worth the effort to find this place and pay respects to the noble art of boxing and all of the larger-than-life men who dared enter the ring to become somebody worthy of respect and admiration.

I send you hardworking vibes from the current 5th St. Gym…feel them…they are good for your character.

It’s lovely out there.

Yakitori time…NYC–

Gateway to goodness.

Tasty start…mmmm.

Gobble!

Delectable.

Remember your veggies.

Yakitori master…thank you, chef!

Yakitori is simply pieces and bits of chicken and veggies cooked on skewers over an open flame…the guy at a joint called Torien is a master of this thing…get on over here and check it out.

It doesn’t sound like much, but the flavors and textures that Yakitori masters can achieve will dazzle your taste buds and gobble sensors. . .wash everything down with crisp and cold glasses of draft Asahi and maybe a bottle of dry sake, and you are good-to-go. . .hai!

Enjoying the passage of time is easy when the atmosphere is this soothing, the grub is this delightful, the drink is this exhilarating and the staff is this welcoming. . .Torien. . .remember this joint…even better, get on over here and do a gobble session…you will love it all, I gar-ron-taaaayy!

To see more stupendous images from around our little planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog…dive on in…you can go just about anywhere you like right here, right now.

It’s lovely out there.

Art and cocktails…lovely!

Attention must be paid.

Really see things…Jasper Johns.

Time keeps on ticking…Philip Guston.

Bloody ‘ell!

Jasper Johns is being shown over at The Whitney at the moment…lots of pieces, lots of fun!

Philip Guston is on display over at Hauser and Wirth…lots of intensity, lots to contemplate.

Jasper is still alive working in his studio up in Connecticut…in his 90s now…gotta feel somewhat good to have survived so long and to remain capable of working…must feel a little good, right?…maybe??

Guston died back in 1980…especially love his pieces with the big eyes…smoking cigarettes…contemplating what?–painting, life, time, existence, humanity, the absurdity of it all, etc.. . .small ‘yes’s amidst the vast ‘no’s of the universe.

So much to meditate on…perfect time for bloody marys with my sweet love…chit-chat about it all while doing our best to enjoy the passage of time. . .mmmm, aaaahh!

I send you arty and bloody vibes from somewhere in the West Village…feel them…they can help you grin and bear it.

It’s lovely out there.