Hot to death at The Warped Tour. Dillinger Escape Plan! Suicide Silence! Emmure! IWrestledABearOnce!
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July 24, 2010
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Hot to death at The Warped Tour. Dillinger Escape Plan! Suicide Silence! Emmure! IWrestledABearOnce!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Spice Resto Lounge
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Spice is a Brazilian cocktail lounge/restaurant/night club off of Young Circle in Hollywood. I went with a couple of former co-workers, "the ladies," for drinks & dinner.
What we had:
We lucked into half price drinks and appetizers (from 6-8), so we only ended up spending around $20 each.
Aside from our decent and strong drinks, we had:
Fresh fried calamari--light, perfectly-fried in fresh oil with marinara.
Grilled chicken and steak skewers--nicely seasoned and still juicy.
Beef mini empanadas--very well seasoned ground beef in lightly-fried non-flaky pastry with sour cream.
Chicken quesadilla--this was surprisingly tasty, with juicy chicken, nice onions, and not too much cheese served with guacamole and sour cream.
Fried plantain chips--fried long strips of plantain fried in fresh oil served with limey garlic sauce.
Some sort of Brazilian croquettes that started with a c--fried mashed potato dumplings stuffed with peas, cheese and something else served with a nice sweet and sour sauce.
All of the appetizers were tasty, and prepared from fresh ingredients with care.
Décor:
Decent. Dark and clubbish. The servers, while not technically decor, are something else. All of the female servers were dressed in some variation of a white bra and hipster underwear with fish nets and comfortable boots; the male waiters were dressed in tight white shirts. Some servers were more successful than others with the outfit, of course. Our bartender/server was adorable and had I an ass that looked like hers, I'd run around in undies all day too.
Service:
We were served by the bartender, who was very friendly and managed to be attentive even when the bar got busy.
Overall impressions:
This is a vibrant and fun little place. On the loud side for serious conversation unless you scream, but a great place to grab a bite & a drink. From what I've heard, Spice erupts into a wild party every night. From what we saw early on the evening, I'd believe it.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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What we had:
We lucked into half price drinks and appetizers (from 6-8), so we only ended up spending around $20 each.
Aside from our decent and strong drinks, we had:
Fresh fried calamari--light, perfectly-fried in fresh oil with marinara.
Grilled chicken and steak skewers--nicely seasoned and still juicy.
Beef mini empanadas--very well seasoned ground beef in lightly-fried non-flaky pastry with sour cream.
Chicken quesadilla--this was surprisingly tasty, with juicy chicken, nice onions, and not too much cheese served with guacamole and sour cream.
Fried plantain chips--fried long strips of plantain fried in fresh oil served with limey garlic sauce.
Some sort of Brazilian croquettes that started with a c--fried mashed potato dumplings stuffed with peas, cheese and something else served with a nice sweet and sour sauce.
All of the appetizers were tasty, and prepared from fresh ingredients with care.
Décor:
Decent. Dark and clubbish. The servers, while not technically decor, are something else. All of the female servers were dressed in some variation of a white bra and hipster underwear with fish nets and comfortable boots; the male waiters were dressed in tight white shirts. Some servers were more successful than others with the outfit, of course. Our bartender/server was adorable and had I an ass that looked like hers, I'd run around in undies all day too.
Service:
We were served by the bartender, who was very friendly and managed to be attentive even when the bar got busy.
Overall impressions:
This is a vibrant and fun little place. On the loud side for serious conversation unless you scream, but a great place to grab a bite & a drink. From what I've heard, Spice erupts into a wild party every night. From what we saw early on the evening, I'd believe it.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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Gastropod Food Truck
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We finally caught up to Gastropod at Fairchild Gardens' Mango Festival. As a side note, we always have kickers food at these events. Last time, it was Tropical Chinese and kettle corn. This time, it was Gastropod, an Indian joint in Pinecrest I must find, and more kettle corn. I dream about the kettle corn.
What we had:
Ban Mi Tacos--succulent pork with a quick-pickled carrot slaw, cilantro, and light sauce on soft corn tortillas. Fan. Freakin. Tabulous. Like holy crap good. Th pork was really out of this world and generously heaped on the tortillas.
We also had an all beef hot dog with stupid slaw on a potato roll. This was pretty good, but can't hold any real candle to the tacos. The dog was top quality, the roll was great and the slaw was pretty good; just not as good as the tacos. We must try the short rib burger. With an egg.
Décor:
Shiny, shiny prettiness.
Service:
Quick as a food truck can be with a cool vibe.
Overall impressions:
Why has it taken us this long to track this truck down??? What is wrong with us?! Its not like i don't Twitter stalk the 'pod. We won't make that mistake again.
Ooh, and for those of you in places not-Miami... Gastropod travels. Last time it was Asheville, NC. Next up is Charleston, SC. They also hit Bonnaroo this year.
Rating:
4.5 out of 5 salamanders
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What we had:
Ban Mi Tacos--succulent pork with a quick-pickled carrot slaw, cilantro, and light sauce on soft corn tortillas. Fan. Freakin. Tabulous. Like holy crap good. Th pork was really out of this world and generously heaped on the tortillas.
We also had an all beef hot dog with stupid slaw on a potato roll. This was pretty good, but can't hold any real candle to the tacos. The dog was top quality, the roll was great and the slaw was pretty good; just not as good as the tacos. We must try the short rib burger. With an egg.
Décor:
Shiny, shiny prettiness.
Service:
Quick as a food truck can be with a cool vibe.
Overall impressions:
Why has it taken us this long to track this truck down??? What is wrong with us?! Its not like i don't Twitter stalk the 'pod. We won't make that mistake again.
Ooh, and for those of you in places not-Miami... Gastropod travels. Last time it was Asheville, NC. Next up is Charleston, SC. They also hit Bonnaroo this year.
Rating:
4.5 out of 5 salamanders
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Buena Vista Deli
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French bakery and sandwich joint between the Design District and Little Haiti.
What we had:
I had the Miss Piggy--pressed sandwich with roasted pork, caramelized onions, lettuce, and tomatoes on fresh country bread. This was a nice and satisfying sandwich on a rainy day. Light.
My DH had the grilled cheese deli--Pressed sandwich with brie, mozzarella and swiss on fresh country bread. Also satisfying and light for a grilled cheese.
Décor:
Looks like a bakery/sandwich shop. Lots of white with black accents and interesting local photography.
Service:
Not bad. Prompt table service.
Overall impressions:
Kind of like Paul, and a little mire tasty. The sandwich toppings are top notch, but I kind of missed the side salad, and Paul has a larger menu.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders. We're not the only ones that enjoyed this place. BVD was voted "Best Sandwich 2010" from the Miami New Times
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What we had:
I had the Miss Piggy--pressed sandwich with roasted pork, caramelized onions, lettuce, and tomatoes on fresh country bread. This was a nice and satisfying sandwich on a rainy day. Light.
My DH had the grilled cheese deli--Pressed sandwich with brie, mozzarella and swiss on fresh country bread. Also satisfying and light for a grilled cheese.
Décor:
Looks like a bakery/sandwich shop. Lots of white with black accents and interesting local photography.
Service:
Not bad. Prompt table service.
Overall impressions:
Kind of like Paul, and a little mire tasty. The sandwich toppings are top notch, but I kind of missed the side salad, and Paul has a larger menu.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders. We're not the only ones that enjoyed this place. BVD was voted "Best Sandwich 2010" from the Miami New Times
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79 Cafe
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Little bodega-style cash only lunch counter eatery right outside MiMo.
What we had:
My DH and I both had the ham and muenster sandwiches on a non-flaky but tender and delicious croissant. Mine had lettuce, tomato, onion, pepper and olive oil, which made a tasty addition.
Décor:
Shelves of ready-to-eat dry goods and as much seating as possible in this tiny spot.
Service:
Friendly and efficient.
Overall impressions:
Friendly, cheap & tasty. The perfect little spot to stop in for a sandwich, empanada, smoothies or granola bar. This place is located right next to a bus stop, and has the bustle that regular customers in a hurry can bring.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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What we had:
My DH and I both had the ham and muenster sandwiches on a non-flaky but tender and delicious croissant. Mine had lettuce, tomato, onion, pepper and olive oil, which made a tasty addition.
Décor:
Shelves of ready-to-eat dry goods and as much seating as possible in this tiny spot.
Service:
Friendly and efficient.
Overall impressions:
Friendly, cheap & tasty. The perfect little spot to stop in for a sandwich, empanada, smoothies or granola bar. This place is located right next to a bus stop, and has the bustle that regular customers in a hurry can bring.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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Ernesto's Taco Shop
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Pretty damn authentic taco (and other Mexican fare) joint on West Dixie Highway out by Zoo Miami.
What we had:
We both had the three amigos tacos: 1 carne asada with fresh guacamole, pico and onions; 1 carnitas with onions; and 1 barbacoa with onions and cilantro on corn tortillas.
The barbacoa was my favorite--juicy shredded beef cooked to falling apart with nice seasoning.
The carne was my DH's favorite, mostly because of the fresh guac. The steak was moist and flavorful, too.
The carnitas wasn't bad, just on the dry side. The achiote seasoning was nice.
We each had a side of fresh and tasty refried beans.
The salsas were fresh and refreshing. The bright red variety was surprising, with a pizza-ish taste. The others were nice as well.
Décor:
Nothing to write home about. It's a taco shop, what do you expect?
Service:
Fast food-ish style. Order at the front with table service.
Overall impressions:
"Are we in a rut?" My DH asked. If we are, I'll take it. Tacos are just so. damn. good.
Rating:
3.75 out of 5 salamanders
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What we had:
We both had the three amigos tacos: 1 carne asada with fresh guacamole, pico and onions; 1 carnitas with onions; and 1 barbacoa with onions and cilantro on corn tortillas.
The barbacoa was my favorite--juicy shredded beef cooked to falling apart with nice seasoning.
The carne was my DH's favorite, mostly because of the fresh guac. The steak was moist and flavorful, too.
The carnitas wasn't bad, just on the dry side. The achiote seasoning was nice.
We each had a side of fresh and tasty refried beans.
The salsas were fresh and refreshing. The bright red variety was surprising, with a pizza-ish taste. The others were nice as well.
Décor:
Nothing to write home about. It's a taco shop, what do you expect?
Service:
Fast food-ish style. Order at the front with table service.
Overall impressions:
"Are we in a rut?" My DH asked. If we are, I'll take it. Tacos are just so. damn. good.
Rating:
3.75 out of 5 salamanders
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UVA 69
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A Barcelonian-style bistro/urban wine bar/tapas lounge in MiMo.
What we had:
I had the grilled chicken breast with saffron mashed potatoes, a wild mushroom and sherry cream sauce and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus. I don't know quite what drew me to this dish over the steak. Maybe it was the mushrooms. Maybe the asparagus. Maybe the chicken at Michael's Genuine... whatever it was, I'm glad I broke out of my beefy/porky mold. The chicken was moist and nicely flavored (warning: some skin and the leg bone comes left on the breast); and the sherry mushroom sauce provided a rich foil for the dense potatoes. The asparagus came wrapped in perfectly-crispy prosciutto (possibly deep fried). Nothing to complain about there.
My DH had the Habanero. A Cuban-style pressed sandwich with roasted pork, pepper jack cheese, French ham, cornichons, caramelized onions and Dijon mustard on a fresh French baguette. This sandwich had a great mix of fat, salt and sweet. Nice quality ham and juicy pork.
The table bread, fresh sun-dried tomato foccacia, was good as well.
We also had cocktails. As we all know, I never like cocktails as much as I think I'm going to. I got a whole 3 sips into my lychee and raspberry-tini. What I should have gotten is the Tom Collins my DH ordered. The bartender had to look up the recipe, but the drink came out flawless (with a sword-skewered cherry to boot!).
Décor:
We sat outside in the front dining/lounging area on large lounging couch-style booths.
Service:
Not bad. Friendly and unobtrusive.
Overall impressions:
UVA is a great place to grab drinks and bar bites, and we would go again for a more substantial meal.
Rating:
3.75 out of 5 salamanders for no real reason, except that we both agreed we just couldn't bump the rating up to 4. Neither of us were sure why, either.
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What we had:
I had the grilled chicken breast with saffron mashed potatoes, a wild mushroom and sherry cream sauce and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus. I don't know quite what drew me to this dish over the steak. Maybe it was the mushrooms. Maybe the asparagus. Maybe the chicken at Michael's Genuine... whatever it was, I'm glad I broke out of my beefy/porky mold. The chicken was moist and nicely flavored (warning: some skin and the leg bone comes left on the breast); and the sherry mushroom sauce provided a rich foil for the dense potatoes. The asparagus came wrapped in perfectly-crispy prosciutto (possibly deep fried). Nothing to complain about there.
My DH had the Habanero. A Cuban-style pressed sandwich with roasted pork, pepper jack cheese, French ham, cornichons, caramelized onions and Dijon mustard on a fresh French baguette. This sandwich had a great mix of fat, salt and sweet. Nice quality ham and juicy pork.
The table bread, fresh sun-dried tomato foccacia, was good as well.
We also had cocktails. As we all know, I never like cocktails as much as I think I'm going to. I got a whole 3 sips into my lychee and raspberry-tini. What I should have gotten is the Tom Collins my DH ordered. The bartender had to look up the recipe, but the drink came out flawless (with a sword-skewered cherry to boot!).
Décor:
We sat outside in the front dining/lounging area on large lounging couch-style booths.
Service:
Not bad. Friendly and unobtrusive.
Overall impressions:
UVA is a great place to grab drinks and bar bites, and we would go again for a more substantial meal.
Rating:
3.75 out of 5 salamanders for no real reason, except that we both agreed we just couldn't bump the rating up to 4. Neither of us were sure why, either.
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Talavera Cocina Mexicana
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Talavera is a gourmet Mexican restaurant in Coral Gables.
What we had:
I had the Mahi Mahi Huraches. (what? No tacos?!) The perfectly cooked and seasoned Mahi was nestled in a fresh black bean puddle on top of a masa huraches (sandal). I usually can't stand masa cakes, but this was something different. This was light, flavorful, and yielded slightly to the tooth.
My DH had the pork tacos. (Aah. There's the tacos. All is right with the world). These were well-seasoned with cardamom and vinegar and perfectly moist. Strangely, this is closest thing to Eastern North Carolina pit-cooked pig we've tasted in a long while. Needless to say, we were in piggy heaven.
The fresh table salsas were also phenomenal. The roasted tomato and red pepper was just spicy enough & the habanero had a clean, bright citrus taste. The chips were pretty great, too. (especially the blue chips)
Décor:
The decor is very Mexican, but in a grown up and classy manner, with lots of Mexican cobalt and silver.
Service:
Lots of people served us; and they were very slow on getting us the check.
Overall impressions:
Yum. I must go back and sample more dishes. I also may bathe in the roasted red pepper salsa.
Rating:
4.5 out of 5 salamanders, we aren't the only ones that love this place. Talavera was recently named "Best Mexican Restaurant 2010" by the Miami New Times.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had the Mahi Mahi Huraches. (what? No tacos?!) The perfectly cooked and seasoned Mahi was nestled in a fresh black bean puddle on top of a masa huraches (sandal). I usually can't stand masa cakes, but this was something different. This was light, flavorful, and yielded slightly to the tooth.
My DH had the pork tacos. (Aah. There's the tacos. All is right with the world). These were well-seasoned with cardamom and vinegar and perfectly moist. Strangely, this is closest thing to Eastern North Carolina pit-cooked pig we've tasted in a long while. Needless to say, we were in piggy heaven.
The fresh table salsas were also phenomenal. The roasted tomato and red pepper was just spicy enough & the habanero had a clean, bright citrus taste. The chips were pretty great, too. (especially the blue chips)
Décor:
The decor is very Mexican, but in a grown up and classy manner, with lots of Mexican cobalt and silver.
Service:
Lots of people served us; and they were very slow on getting us the check.
Overall impressions:
Yum. I must go back and sample more dishes. I also may bathe in the roasted red pepper salsa.
Rating:
4.5 out of 5 salamanders, we aren't the only ones that love this place. Talavera was recently named "Best Mexican Restaurant 2010" by the Miami New Times.
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Munchees Raspaos
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Munchees' menu is quail-egged and pineapple-sauced madness, like every taste combination you've ever dreamed of while wrapped in a ganja-scented haze.
What we had:
I had the Munchees Cuban--a Cuban-style pressed sandwich with pork, pink sauce, salami, mozzarella, and ham... Very interesting and pretty good.
My DH had the chicken quesadilla. The chicken was surprisingly well-seasoned and juicy.
Décor:
Kind of exactly what you'd expect, with a circus tent flare.
Service:
Friendly.
Overall impressions:
Munchees' food is by no means or possible sense of the term what one would consider health food, but it was pretty damn tasty nonetheless. I couldn't eat here often, but I'm dying to try something with a quail egg and pineapple sauce.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had the Munchees Cuban--a Cuban-style pressed sandwich with pork, pink sauce, salami, mozzarella, and ham... Very interesting and pretty good.
My DH had the chicken quesadilla. The chicken was surprisingly well-seasoned and juicy.
Décor:
Kind of exactly what you'd expect, with a circus tent flare.
Service:
Friendly.
Overall impressions:
Munchees' food is by no means or possible sense of the term what one would consider health food, but it was pretty damn tasty nonetheless. I couldn't eat here often, but I'm dying to try something with a quail egg and pineapple sauce.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
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Salsa Fiesta
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Fresh urban Mexican fast-ish food salsa party.
What we had:
I had a trio of carnitas tacos. The pork in all three was succulent, and the flavors were clear and bright. The soft corn, flour and wheat tortillas were all tasty.
I had:
1 original taco: Pico de gallo, homemade guacamole, lettuce, jack and cheddar queso, pork.
1 guerrero taco: Onions and cilantro, shredded cabbage, mango relish, with a flavorful sauce, cilantro salsa, jack and cheddar queso, pork. This was my favorite.
1 macho taco: Black beans, lettuce, sour cream, jack and cheddar queso, pork.
My DH had the Mexicano Burrito: Cilantro-lime rice, black beans, roasted sweet corn, onion and cilantro, jack and cheddar queso with signature sauce, cilantro salsa and chicken.
Each dish was served with a nice little taco shell cup filled with really fresh pico and tortilla chips.
Décor:
Urban & hip with bright oranges and limes.
Service:
Not bad. Table side delivery fast-ish food.
Overall impressions:
The menu variety is impressive, as is the freshness of the food. I think this just might be our new go-to taco joint.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had a trio of carnitas tacos. The pork in all three was succulent, and the flavors were clear and bright. The soft corn, flour and wheat tortillas were all tasty.
I had:
1 original taco: Pico de gallo, homemade guacamole, lettuce, jack and cheddar queso, pork.
1 guerrero taco: Onions and cilantro, shredded cabbage, mango relish, with a flavorful sauce, cilantro salsa, jack and cheddar queso, pork. This was my favorite.
1 macho taco: Black beans, lettuce, sour cream, jack and cheddar queso, pork.
My DH had the Mexicano Burrito: Cilantro-lime rice, black beans, roasted sweet corn, onion and cilantro, jack and cheddar queso with signature sauce, cilantro salsa and chicken.
Each dish was served with a nice little taco shell cup filled with really fresh pico and tortilla chips.
Décor:
Urban & hip with bright oranges and limes.
Service:
Not bad. Table side delivery fast-ish food.
Overall impressions:
The menu variety is impressive, as is the freshness of the food. I think this just might be our new go-to taco joint.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
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Primebar
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Brand new New American bar/bistro-style cuisine spot in The Village at Gulfstream.
What we had:
I had the Primebar burger w stir-fried vegetables. My DH had the French dip sandwich with fries.
This was an oddly hit or miss meal-- the French dip, (which was really just a Philly-style roast beef), was really great (as was the beefy and flightly herbal jus), but the fries were Sysco.
My burger was cooked to death, unseasoned, and sucked all the taste out of my mouth. The mushrooms were on the greasy side, but had a nice taste. Too bad they were lost in the huge slab of goat cheese. The grilled tomato was awesome. The stir fried veggies were something special, with notes of five spice & curry (carrots, snow peas, broccoli, shiitake, onion, edamame & red bell pepper). I dwapped this huge portion--a whole bowl full--of lightly sweet tender-crisp vegetables for the fries.
Décor:
Nice, with dark woods and caramel colors.
Service:
Our food took forever, but the server was apologetic.
Overall impressions:
Despite the hit-or-miss meal, we would like to come back. The menu was interesting (pork belly tacos & short rib sliders). Next time, we will do the all plates.
Rating:
A tentative 3 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had the Primebar burger w stir-fried vegetables. My DH had the French dip sandwich with fries.
This was an oddly hit or miss meal-- the French dip, (which was really just a Philly-style roast beef), was really great (as was the beefy and flightly herbal jus), but the fries were Sysco.
My burger was cooked to death, unseasoned, and sucked all the taste out of my mouth. The mushrooms were on the greasy side, but had a nice taste. Too bad they were lost in the huge slab of goat cheese. The grilled tomato was awesome. The stir fried veggies were something special, with notes of five spice & curry (carrots, snow peas, broccoli, shiitake, onion, edamame & red bell pepper). I dwapped this huge portion--a whole bowl full--of lightly sweet tender-crisp vegetables for the fries.
Décor:
Nice, with dark woods and caramel colors.
Service:
Our food took forever, but the server was apologetic.
Overall impressions:
Despite the hit-or-miss meal, we would like to come back. The menu was interesting (pork belly tacos & short rib sliders). Next time, we will do the all plates.
Rating:
A tentative 3 out of 5 salamanders
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