Muhammad Ali passed away last Friday at the age of 74, leaving behind an illustrious and legendary career as one of the greatest boxers of all time. In fact, one of his nicknames was “The Greatest” along with monikers like “The Louisville Lip” and “The People’s Champion” and his fights are also among the most famous like the “Thrilla in Manila” and “The Rumble in the Jungle” against Joe Frazier and George Foreman, respectively.

One of the first cities where Ali established himself as a force to be reckoned with was right here in Miami Beach on February 25, 1964 when he fought against Sonny Liston despite being considered the underdog. To remember Ali’s legacy, the Miami Beach City Commission will be considering honoring him with a street and a statue to be named after him. Should the discussions go as planned, Convention Center Drive will be renamed Muhammad Ali Drive and a statue of the boxer will also be erected at the new Miami Beach Convention Center.

Besides the historic match, Ali also trained right here in Miami Beach at the 5th Street Gym located at Washington Avenue. Even after he built his training camp in Deer Lake, Pennsylvania he would occasionally return to the barrier island to work out.

This update is presented by Miami Beach Realtor Tim Allen of Blackstone International Realty, specializing in Continuum South Beach.  If you are interested in Miami Beach condos such as the Continuum condos for sale, call Continuum expert Tim at 305-588-2451 for information on sales and rentals.

Iyengar, vinyasa, ashtanga, do any of these words sound familiar at all? They’re all the names of different forms of yoga. While these are all common styles in yoga, one of the styles that may be lesser known is kundalini. If you’re a fan of yoga and are looking to try kundalini, you may have missed out on this year’s Miami Beach Kundalini Yoga Festival that took place over the Memorial Day weekend on May 28-29.

Kundalini is distinctive in that its emphasis is largely on music and mantras as opposed to props or specific flows. The sounds of kundalini are intended to uplift and it was brought to the United States from India by the late spiritual teacher Harbhajan Singh, perhaps better known as Yogi Bhajan. Kundalini is particularly beneficial for those dealing with depression or ADHD.

The Miami Beach Kundalini Yoga Festival was held at North Beach Miami Bandshell and included musical performances and yoga plus workshops focused on improving your well-being such as overcoming fears and boosting creativity. If you missed out on this year’s inaugural event, there are plans to bring it back in 2017.

Have you ever tried yoga like kundalini and if so, what was your experience like?

This update is presented by Miami Beach Realtor Tim Allen of Blackstone International Realty, specializing in Continuum South Beach.  If you are interested in Miami Beach condos such as the Continuum condos for sale, call Continuum expert Tim at 305-588-2451 for information on sales and rentals.

Memorial Day weekend is happening this week and if past weekends have been any indication, Miami Beach will be swarming with activity from beachgoers to those seeking to party until the late night hours during the extended weekend festivities.

City officials and law enforcement will be ramping up their efforts to keep things fun and safe. In fact, there’s been an elaborate plan in the works since the beginning of the year to manage the crowds and the increased traffic. Beginning on Thursday through Monday of next week, staff will be expanded and it will include Goodwill Ambassador/God Squad volunteers available to answer questions visitors may have and direct them to their destination.

For traffic purposes, the city is creating a loop along 5th Street, Washington, and Collins Avenue. There will also be barricades placed in residential areas and those who live on the island will be required to show proof. Ocean Drive will be closed to traffic beginning on Friday until 7 am the following Tuesday.

If you’re planning on visiting Miami Beach this Memorial Day weekend you should also be prepared to have your license plate read. Police will be using the readers to assist with potential cases of stolen vehicles and other law enforcement violations.

This update is presented by Miami Beach Realtor Tim Allen of Blackstone International Realty, specializing in Continuum South Beach.  If you are interested in Miami Beach condos such as the Continuum condos for sale, call Continuum expert Tim at 305-588-2451 for information on sales and rentals.

With the spring season coming to an end soon, there’s still plenty of time to get out there and explore new places to eat in and around Miami Beach. With new places opening up all the time and old favorites providing great food, let’s explore some spring hotspots the next time you’re looking to dine out.

Brought to you by the same people behind the Broken Shaker and located adjacent from it, the 27 Restaurant on Indian Creek Drive is a full-service eatery featuring an eclectic menu with food from many different parts of the world including South America, the Middle East, and the Caribbean.

Have you ever heard of an Asian-inspired gastropub in Miami Beach? That’s exactly the experience that awaits you at Pubbelly on 20th Street. Just a couple of blocks to the southeast on Lenox Avenue is Yardbird Southern Table & Bar which has offered great comfort food for five years and counting.

For some great tacos, look no further than Taquiza on Collins Avenue. The grab and go eatery in South Beach serves traditional tacos in tortillas that are apparently so delicious, the restaurant has become the go-to supplier for several restaurants in town.

About three blocks south of Taquiza on 14th Street is La Sandwicherie featuring authentic French sandwiches and salads. It’s one of the few places open until 5 am on weekdays and 6 am on weekends in case you’re in the mood for a late night meal.

This update is presented by Miami Beach Realtor Tim Allen of Blackstone International Realty, specializing in Continuum South Beach.  If you are interested in Miami Beach condos such as the Continuum condos for sale, call Continuum expert Tim at 305-588-2451 for information on sales and rentals.

News of Prince’s sudden passing last month at the age of 57 sent shockwaves through the music industry and the entertainment world. The highly talented musician was known for his stage presence and musicianship, and would go on to win several awards during his lifetime including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and several Grammy Awards. In 2004 his musical talents were further reinforced after he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Miami Beach is one of the many cities that will doing their part to remember Prince and his legacy. The city will be screening a live performance from his 2004 Musicology tour at the Soundscape Park tonight at 8 pm. The performance was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and marked the beginning of the musician’s successful tour. Soundscape Park is located at 500 17th Street.

If you’ve never purchased one of Prince’s albums, chances are you’ve probably heard one of his signature songs like “When Doves Cry” and “Kiss”, both of which are still played on the radio to this day. Throughout his career he released almost forty studio albums, five soundtrack albums, twelve EPs, and a quartet of live albums. He also reportedly had a vast collection of recorded material that has yet to be released.

This update is presented by Miami Beach Realtor Tim Allen of Blackstone International Realty, specializing in Continuum South Beach.  If you are interested in Miami Beach condos such as the Continuum condos for sale, call Continuum expert Tim at 305-588-2451 for information on sales and rentals.

Are you familiar with Ocean Terrace? Located near the northern shore of Miami Beach, the two block stretch of Art Deco and Miami Modern buildings overlooking the beach has been around for years but is in serious need of a facelift after falling into disrepair.  Residents are eager to see Ocean Terrace rejuvenated, but there have been some hurdles.

Last year a developer tried to campaign for an increase in the scale of allowable development in an effort to breathe some new life into Ocean Terrace.  The project would have involved tearing down the majority of the buildings to build a 250-foot condo tower, a series of shops on Collins Avenue, and a 150-foot hotel.  The ambitious plans were ultimately shot down, but the developer is now looking to try again with a tweaked plan and a fresh approach.

The new Ocean Terrace plan would salvage a portion of the buildings and would include a 235-foot residential tower, somewhat smaller than the original 250-foot tower that was initially proposed.  The new plan would maintain buildings like the Ocean Surf Hotel and the Days Inn while the other buildings would only be partially torn down while maintaining their historic facades.  These buildings would be incorporated into the new construction plans.

The Miami Beach City Commission will be evaluating the revised plans on the 11th.

This update is presented by Miami Beach Realtor Tim Allen of Blackstone International Realty, specializing in Continuum South Beach.  If you are interested in Miami Beach condos such as the Continuum condos for sale, call Continuum expert Tim at 305-588-2451 for information on sales and rentals.

Do you listen to iHeartRadio at all?  The platform has become very popular for listening to customized radio stations or local stations through your smartphone or mobile device.  With its growing popularity, iHeartRadio now includes a music awards ceremony and the annual iHeartRadio Summer Pool Party. In the case of the latter, the event is coming to Miami Beach on May 21st and will be taking place at the popular Fontainebleau hotel.

Those interested in attending the iHeartRadio Summer Pool Party can optionally purchase tickets through one of the Fontainebleau’s BleauLive concert series hotel packages.  Currently the rates are $499 per night for a three night package that includes Friday admission to the event plus daily breakfast and one dinner for two at Michael Mina 1974.  The two night packages are a little pricier and begin at $599.

Hip hop recording artist and Miami native Flo Rida, Miramar born singer-songwriter Jason Derulo, and American pop rock band DNCE are among the many notable names expected to perform at the iHeartRadio Summer Pool Party.  DNCE is currently known for their Billboard top ten hit “Cake by the Ocean”.

Even if you can’t make it to the iHeartRadio Summer Pool Party, the festivities will be broadcast on many iHeartRadio stations and you can also watch the one-hour broadcast at 8 pm on June 1st on The CW television network.

This update is presented by Miami Beach Realtor Tim Allen of Blackstone International Realty, specializing in Continuum South Beach.  If you are interested in Miami Beach condos such as the Continuum condos for sale, call Continuum expert Tim at 305-588-2451 for information on sales and rentals.

Lincoln Road is the undisputed leader in providing the best shopping and dining in the barrier island of Miami Beach.  Not only is the thoroughfare full of great shopping and dining, it’s considered one of the best spots to get a feel for the eclectic cast of locals and tourists exploring Miami Beach.  People watching is one of the common if unofficial activities on Lincoln Road.

Speaking of shopping, if you’ve yet to visit Lincoln Road you may be wondering what some of the best places are to shop.  We’ll begin with the 1111 Lincoln Road building designed by Herzog & de Meuron.  Inside this building there are several boutiques including Osklen, MAC Cosmetics, Adidas, Babalu, and more.  Besides their products the boutiques are visually captivating.

Looking for something quirky, cool, and hip?  Check out Base which sells items by lesser known designers like Miansai jewelry, Tsovet watches, and the artistic objects of Area Ware.  Base is located at 939 Lincoln Road.

If you’re looking for a younger and more relaxed vibe than that of J. Crew, make sure to visit Madewell’s boutique.  The boutique is the first Madewell in the entire state of Florida and sells great clothes for lounging around the beach.  Madewell is located at 714 Lincoln Road.

This update is presented by Miami Beach Realtor Tim Allen of Blackstone International Realty, specializing in Continuum South Beach.  If you are interested in Miami Beach condos such as the Continuum condos for sale, call Continuum expert Tim at 305-588-2451 for information on sales and rentals.

Will you and your spouse or partner be applying for a mortgage together? You may be leaving money on the table due to high-interest rates caused by a lending practice that’s not fully understood, at least according to the Federal Reserve.

The problem arises when there is a significantly disparate difference in credit scores among a couple. If one happens to have a much lower FICO score than the other, lenders are typically required to base the mortgage loan application on the lower credit score, even if the other person may have a sterling score of 700+. As a result, if you have say a 780 score and the other person has a score of 630, the interest rate will be based on the latter instead of the former. Unfortunately this a rule followed by many mortgage lenders like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that first-time mortgage applicants are unaware of.

Because of this pricing that’s based on risk, may borrowers that are jointly applying have to pay more than they should. In fact, if we take a look at the period between 2003 through 2015 close to ten percent of joint borrowers could have had their interest rates reduced by a minimum of one-eighth of one percentage point if the one with the better score and income applied.

Have you ever run into such a situation when jointly applying for a mortgage with your spouse or partner?
This update is presented by Miami Beach Realtor Tim Allen of Blackstone International Realty, specializing in Continuum South Beach. If you are interested in Miami Beach condos such as the Continuum condos for sale, call Continuum expert Tim at 305-588-2451 for information on sales and rentals.

Renowned Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid passed away last week at the age of 65, leaving behind a tremendous legacy that included being the first woman and Muslim to receive the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize. She was well known for her pioneering efforts in parametricism and was also considered an icon of neo-futurism. Some of her notable works include the Guangzhou, China opera house and the aquatic center designed for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Born in 1950 in the city of Baghdad, Hadid originally studied mathematics before she moved to London in 1972 and began her studies at the Architectural Association School of Architecture. After honing her skills, Hadid would go on to open her own Zaha Hadid Architects practice in 1980, also based in London and she began teaching in the mid-1980s at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Her various efforts would earn her honorary membership at the American Academy of Arts and Letters and an honorary fellow of the American Institute of Architects.

Prior to her death, Hadid had also designed the One Thousand Museum high-rise condominium in Miami that’s currently under construction. The sixty story building has gained attention for its unique exoskeleton allowing fewer columns within the building and it may also include a helipad as part of its amenities. Upon completion, it will be one of the tallest buildings in Miami at 700 feet.
This update is presented by Miami Beach Realtor Tim Allen of Blackstone International Realty, specializing in Continuum South Beach. If you are interested in Miami Beach condos such as the Continuum condos for sale, call Continuum expert Tim at 305-588-2451 for information on sales and rentals.