Bye Bye Cefalo's

Ok I'll admit it -- I owned one of those memberships at Cefalo's Wine Cellar. What can I say -- I liked the ambiance, the downstairs intimacy, and of course the beautiful hostesses and other assorted lovely people.

Sure I had to hobnob with a few of you from time to time, but given enough carefully cultivated Italian Barbera, I sometimes actually enjoyed the experience.

But now dear readers, Cefalo's is no more:

Cefalo's Wine Cellar in the Grove, the wine shop owned by former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jimmy Cefalo, has filed for bankruptcy liquidation.

The shop filed for Chapter 7 Friday, just days after some $500,000 in inventory and equipment was removed from the store by a company that held a judgment against the business, said Cefalo's bankruptcy lawyer Gary M. Freedman. That ''ostensibly shut them down,'' Freedman said.

Freedman said The Miami Herald had obtained a $33,000 judgment against Cefalo's, but sold it to a company that buys debt and then seeks to collect on it.

Cefalo's opened its doors in February of last year at 3450 Main Hwy. In the bankruptcy filing, Cefalo's reported assets of less than $50,000 and liabilities of between $500,000 and $1 million.

What's left? Dare I get one of those tacky cabinets at Capital Grille like some of you heavy-hitters?

Let's hope my mid-life crisis does not reach such alarming levels.