Oriental massage in the Miami area

Is this a problem that should concern us?

I do not know, I have never been to one of these places. The fact is that in the last few months, they have been springing about all over the place, in locations where they have never been set up. For instance, one has just opened at Collins in the mid 70s, another one in 71st Street, nearby Normandy place.

According to some, these are legit businesses, where an over stressed individual can obtain relaxing massage for little money. According to others, including Hollywood, I mean, film, Oriental massage places are nothing more than prostitution fronts, or prostitution light, if you may, where you can get massages with "happy ending".

Who is to judge? The fact is, I had to use massage therapy in the 90s for a condition. I used a few massage therapists, most of them were men, not very nice looking or sexy, and when I had to resort to women, they were not young and sexy as well.

The ads for all of these places show very young Oriental girls, leading me to think that perhaps there is more than muscle relief and therapy in mind.

Just a while ago, these places seemed to be hidden in strip malls at US 1 and other roads, and as I say, now they are sprouting all over residential neighborhoods.

It is nigh time the New Miami Times do an expose on the matter. The newspaper seems intent in unveiling all type of scandal and corruption scheme in South Florida, so maybe, it should do a story to elucidate the public.

The suggestion is made, however, I am not holding my breath. The newspaper that seems to want to moralize an overly corrupt South Florida has, after all, tons of Oriental massage places as advertisers in the back section of the paper. Most of them, again, have pictures of very young, sexy Oriental girls, not a single fifty-something, experienced masseur or masseuse, and offer things such as "table showers".

Thus it seems that the New Miami Times is highly unlikely to rock the boat with its dozen of Oriental Massage advertisers. That is, considering there is some type of sex-business angle involving them. If there isn't, then such a report might actually benefit the advertisers. If all they do is only provide soothing massage, with no ancillary "services" at hand (pun intended), then I might even become a client.

I would not dream of entering one of these places only to be faced with MB Police doing a raid, if you know what I mean.

If, on the other hand, the local press is not intent on discussing the matter for commercial reasons, then I have this to say. Corruption has several different guises, besides political.

The new Publix at North Beach

Call me grumpy.

I am not going to criticize the new Publix at North Beach, right in front of Canyon Ranch. No, it is a great market, clean, spacious, with great selection. Publix prices, you know, not the best, in spite of what they say. The local hispanic markets and the market at Collins and 75 have way better prices, but less variety.

Everybody, it seems, had been waiting for the market to open. Supposedly, it has more parking spaces than the old market, but apparently, at least in the first days of operations people from as far as Tallahassee are coming to shop here! The parking lot is mostly congested, and although sometimes there is a police car parked in front of the market itself, there is no one to guide traffic.

There lies the problem. The market causes bits of traffic jams, because there is only one entry and one exit. The architect who designed this should have designed an extra exit-entry, but nooooooooooo, there is a single one!! So there is a whole lot of impatience, horn blowing, and a few middle fingers and name-calling going on. Holiday spirit, Miami Beach style.

I wonder if once the novelty wears off, the problem will go away. I am not keeping my hopes up. I think this is a new problem we have to deal with in Miami Beach. 

A funny thing. Again, it deals with parking, always bloody parking...