Johnny Diaz's Blog, page 5

Beetle love

This is the last year that Volkswagen produces its iconic Beetle. The last model recently rolled off the assembly line in Puebla, Mexico. I thought I'd list some of the things that I enjoy about my old-new Volkswagen Beetle since the car comes up in conversation often.

LEGACY
The Beetle has a long history. The idea for the original Beetle goes back to the early 1930s when lead engineer

Former Boston TV reporter gets candid about his addictions and recovery in new memoir 'Mascara Boy'

Boston TV viewers may remember Brandon Rudat as the former clean cut anchor and reporter
at WHDH Channel 7.

Off camera, he led another life, one of late night, drug-fueled sex-athons at clubs and
bath houses.



In his new
memoir “Mascara Boy: Bullied, Assaulted & Near Death,” Rudat offers a
candid look at those two selves, the struggles as an addict and the goals he set for himself to lead

Another charming read by Robin Reardon

On Chocorua by Robin Reardon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In "On Chocorua,'' Robin Reardon introduces us to Nathan, a sweet, good guy about to start college at the University of New Hampshire.
Reardon takes us on his journey of self-discovery as he forms new friendships on campus, experiences his first gay sexual experience and perhaps love, and endures a major loss that will affect that rest of his

Florida Jeopardy fun

I've been having fun rediscovering "Jeopardy'' since James Holzhauer began his 22-day winning streak. How does he do it?  And then Miami school teacher Matthew Bunch competed twice during the annual teacher's tournament, giving me another reason to watch.

As I tune into the show and quickly blurt the answers (right and wrong but mostly wrong) from my sofa, I couldn't help but wonder about all

Domino Man

Across from the University of Miami campus in Coral Gables, giant dominoes have been rising. The black and white game pieces are being splashed on the pylons under the Metrorail line, creating an artsy domino effect in the neighborhood (where I go running almost daily.)







I wrote a story about the art installation called "Concrete Landscapes Miami" by Australian artist Bo Droga (

Domino Parked

Across from the University of Miami campus in Coral Gables, giant dominoes have been rising. The black and white game pieces are being splashed on the pylons under the Metrorail line, creating an artsy domino effect in the neighborhood (where I go running almost daily.)







I wrote a story about the art installation called "Concrete Landscapes Miami" by Australian artist Bo Droga (

Looking back at 'Queer Miami'

Before visiting the new "Queer Miami" exhibit, I thought I knew my local LGBTQ history. I assumed the exhibit would focus on Miami's first gay Pride event in 1978, lead up to the 1980s AIDS crisis and then highlight the more recent legalization of same-sex marriage.

Boy, was I wrong.

The exhibit was so much more comprehensive than I had anticipated. It looks back at more than 100 years of LGBTQ

Revisiting the Art Deco Blockbuster in South Beach

In an early scene in the Marvel movie "Captain Marvel," the super heroine drops out of the sky and crashes into a closed Blockbuster Video store on Earth (or Planet C-53). She lands between the "Family" and "Drama" sections, not far from a poster for the movie "True Lies."



After she gets back on her feet, Captain Marvel, out of curiosity, picks up a copy of "The Right Stuff" tape before she

The rainbow police car

Wilton Manors is known as South Florida's LGBT capital and the second gayest city in the US. The island city next to Fort Lauderdale has a large population of gays and lesbians who walk hand in hand along Wilton Drive or while dining out along the strip. Whenever I visit a close friend there and pull into the city limits,  it's as if there is a giant rainbow hovering over this part of Broward

My Breakfast Club at Starbucks

For the past year or so, a little Starbucks in Coral Gables has become my unofficial hang out spot. When I became a member of the Sun Sentinel's Audience Engagement team, my shift changed to a school teacher's schedule, essentially, working 6:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. That meant I had to get up at least by 5:45 a.m.  And the first thing I do is schlep two blocks in the predawn darkness under the