Goombay is coming

Looking forward to the Goombay Festival this coming weekend.

Grand Avenue is all torn up with road work currently, so the Festival will be on South Bayshore Drive That should be interesting. I'll be out with my camera getting pics for the blog.

Memorial Day

Have a peaceful Memorial Day. GO HEAT . . .

The end to another nice thing . . .

The Latin American Restaurant on 27th Ave. and US1 is now being demolished, making way for another highrise, no doubt. They lost their lease and they aren't wasting any time tearing it down.

The place was nice for a quick breakfast or lunch or even a cuban coffee in the afternoon. It was always crowded and you would run into everyone there. Even the cops were there daily for coffee and snacks. I was profiled there by one cop as the Shenandoah rapist! Luckily his cool-headed partner prevailed when he told him "Heights can be deceiving." What a relief. But what an insult when the real rapist was caught. I look nothing like that fat thing.

Look for the elephant . . .

Look for an elephant on Main Highway in a couple of weeks. A real elephant . . . details to come.

Reminder: You can read all past entries in this blog by simply clicking on the May Archives down below right.

Berries sucked today

Berries restaurant sucked today. Took my parents. Very disappointing.

Slow service, forgotten appetizers, out of salmon (the only reason I went).

McMansions need to go

Coral Gables city commissioners unanimously approved an interim measure to curb the construction of over-sized single family homes and more stringent rules are coming. Now if only the Grove can do the same thing. Enough of these ugly cookie cutter townhouses. I just can't understand why three and four story over-sized townhouses are permitted to be built next to small one story homes. In my own neighborhood a beautiful mid-century house was replaced by two huge mega structures with zero lot lines. This hurts the neighborhood, it does not bring up property values.

Promoting the Blog

The Herald didn't run the little blurb about us this past weekend, as promised, so I'll have to try to promote this blog other ways. I had these nice cards printed up that you'll see around the Grove starting today.

Tasti D-Lite

Tasti D-Lite has invaded the Grove. And that's a good thing. Check them out on Main Highway. Tasti D-Lite is the number one ice cream (or frozen dessert store, as they call themselves) in NYC. It's practically on every corner there. Even the girls on "Sex And the City" have been seen eating the delicious stuff on several episodes and if it's good enough for Carrie (and the rest of New York), then it's good enough for us.

Bartender of the Year

The secret is out! My favorite bartenter Terri Weisberg was named "Bartender of the Year" by "The New Times" in their Annual "Best of Miami" issue. Terri works at Flannigan's in the Grove, which I call The Loggerhead, or "The Log." I didn't recognize her the last time I saw her, she had her long hair cut and dontated it for charity.

I still don't know what she puts in my drink: Grey Goose or Belvedere, she won't tell me. She just puts the drink down when I enter and I drink it. It's always just right and goes great with the un-breaded, hot chicken wings. I don't like the "Rockin' Rib Rolls."

She really is a great person and lots of fun. I left my credit card there one time so I called up and said I would be over. As I drove into the parking lot, there was Terri standing there ready to hand the card to me. I didn't even have to get out of the car. I just grabbed the card, said "thanks," and kept going.

Grove Block Party Tonight.

The Coconut Grove Block Party on Commodore Plaza is tonight. It's free and there is music, dancing and dining. Lots of fun. See you there from 6:30 to 11 pm! I'll be there taking pics for this Blog. Look for me!

Milams' sucking up to Home Depot

Milams' is trying to put a good face on the Home Depot by handing out this letter with architectural renderings of the new store and a write up of how great their landlords and the Home Depot are. Please all: Remember Johnnie Winton and the others when election time comes up. We need some politicians who will actually do what the residents want.

I actually went out to vote against Winton in the last election he was in. It was pouring rain that day, but I dragged myself to the polls, only to find the next day he had won with 80% of the vote. Let's not let that ever happen again.

Save the Coconut Grove Playhouse

Now the greedy developers have their eyes on the Coconut Grove Playhouse. Officials of the Coconut Grove Playhouse are in negotiations to sell the theater to a developer who would demolish the 81-year-old landmark building to redevelop the site.

After reading an article in the "Daily Business Review", The City of Miami's Historic and Environmental Preservation Board, put the Coconut Grove Playhouse on its agenda for historic designation. The Playhouse looks almost exactly as it did when it was built in 1926. It's the gateway to Coconut Grove. Imagine exiting the tunnel of trees into the Grove and seeing an ugly high rise condo complex there instead.

This over-development has to be controlled. There is a meeting on Tuesday, June 7th at City Hall, at 3 pm. Please let's show up and stop this travesty from occurring. How much more development and land and landmark rape can we stand? If it was up to the greedy developers and the City Commission, there would be nothing left of the old Grove. It is almost to that point now. That development next to Peacock Park is horrible. The City could have easily purchased the land and kept it a park for all, but now it has ugly townhouses which ruin the whole Peacock Park vista.

But we get the last laugh because all of those people paying millions for the townhouses don't realize what is over the back fence until it is too late. They don't realize all the noise and commotion caused by the Arts Festival, Halloween night and other loud events on McFarlane Road and in Peacock Park. It is hardly a quiet oasis even though when you enter on Main Highway it may seem like that.

Driving around the Grove

The over-development in the Grove is getting worse and worse. Try driving through the central Grove and see how many closed streets you come upon and how many detours and traffic jams there are.

The big condos are bad but the small lofts and townhouses may be worse. On any given day, you will have to take a detour or slither around construction workers and equipment.

After the development is done, you then have to maneuver your way around moving vans, which block two lane streets. This selfishness and quality of life issue should be addressed. I can see why tourists and locals avoid the area and go to Sobe and other places.

Berry, Berry Good

I went to Berries on 27th Ave. yesterday with a friend. I had not been there since they were the little smoothie bar, but now it is this big place that makes you feel like you are in Key West.

We had breakfast and it was delicious. The menu is large and everything is fresh. We really felt like we were out of town. It was so peaceful. We sat right next to the "dog" fountain that you see here.

Our waitress Cherlynn was so nice and the whole staff was incredible. I recognized some of the staff from other restaurants in the Grove. They have music there at night and a popular happy hour, which I want to visit. But for a Monday breakfast-bruch, it was nice and quiet and really worth visiting. I usually drive by and see it crowded and never stopped in because I didn't think there was parking, but they do have a nice lot on the side that can accommodate enough cars. I am so glad Coral Bagles' lot was full or we would not have driven off and tried Berries.

The Simple Life

I hear that Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie were working at the Grove Burger King recently, filming an episode of the "Simple Life." Wish I had been there for that, but I did see Paris exiting Star Island one time behind the wheel of a large car that she seemed to get lost in. Actually, you can stand on any street corner these days and see Paris saunter by, she seems to be everywhere at once.

This happened at Scotty's Landing . . .

Not too long ago, I was at Scotty's Landing with a friend.

It was very crowded that day. It must have been a holiday or something because there wasn't a table to be had. There was a long line waiting to be seated.

Finally we sat down and it ended up being the first table right where the waiting line was. So we sat down and a few minutes later, this lady in a wheelchair rolls up and asks if she could sit there. What could we say? We said ok.

She had a trained helper dog with her, to assist her, which attracted others in the restaurant to our table, so that they could pet the special dog.

Well, we sat and ate and drank and I felt bad for her since she was in the wheelchair with MS and it seems that it struck her only three years ago, so that must have been hard on her. Her son soon arrived, he was maybe in his early 30's. So he joined us and ate and drank. When the bill came, I took it and paid for everyone. Why, I don't know, I tend to do stupid things like that.

It turns out the lady is here on her mega sail boat, docked at Dinner Key and they are purchasing a unit in the Grovenor House, where the units start at $2 million. She has a place in New Mexico with her husband and her son will be playing drums with some Philharmonic orchestra in Japan.

Yet I am the fool who picked up the bill when they are the ones who intruded on my friend and me, when they should have done the honors.

P.S. The husband approached the table a bit later, he must have seen the idiotic set up and he just went back to the boat like a gentleman thinking his wife and son are nuts the way they just intrude and take over people's meals and tables.

Work out or eat? That is the question . . .

The new 24-Hour Fitness Shaq gym is taking shape in the old Just For Feet/Old Navy spot across from Cocowalk. The gym is within walking distance of many ice cream shops, coffee shops, pizza places and tons of restaurants.

But the biggest blunder has to be the Dunkin' Donuts right next door to Jenny Craig near US 1 and 27th Ave. What genius allowed this?

K-mart - Home Depot - Target

Just a thought....

If we all shopped more at K-mart, we would not be having this Home Depot problem now. I know I found myself driving to Target at Dadeland or on Bird Road very often. I would run into K-mart for things, but when I had the time, I preferred Target. That should be a lesson to us all. We should keep our money in the neighborhood. Shop locally. It may have kept K-mart from shutting down our Grove location.

Have a lucky Friday the 13th . . .

We need a Publix in the Grove

I am getting tired of Milam's being so over-priced, having a totally rude staff and not having most items I am looking for. I can't even open the plastic bags at the produce dept., they use such cheap stuff. Will we ever get a Publix in the Grove?

I think a good spot for Publix might be the old Borders Books spot. Since tourism is down more and more in the Grove, maybe we should go back in time and start catering to the locals rather than tourists. A Publix would be a good start. I know there may be parking issues, but maybe they can be worked out. I would also suggest a Winn-Dixie, which was sort of on the spot originally. I know it was not on that exact corner, but it was a block away. But I would prefer Publix over Winn-Dixie any day.

Perhaps a Whole Foods or Wild Oats.

Farmer's Market Being Kicked Out

It seems that after all these years, the Farmer's Market on Grand Ave. is going to have to move thanks to more development. Nothing like all this over-development to ruin the quality of life in the Grove. It was only a matter of time.

In fact, the developers want to remove a bunch of trees to make way for condos. I still have not forgiven the City for removing all the nice trees in front of the post office and of course the Doubletree Hotel massacre is something still mourned.

Any ideas for a new location? It might be interesting to close Commodore Plaza to vehicles for the Farmer's Market, which would bring in a lot of foot traffic. If the market stands are in the street on either side, that would still leave room on the sidewalks for the street's usual businesses. It might, in fact, improve their business.

Our New Grove Website

We started a new website to go along with the Blog. It's called www.CoconutGroveGrapevine.com and should be up and running shortly.

We want to offer links to City services and politicians and other helpful things that may not fit in the Blog. We can also link to the Blog from the internet and this allows us to draw in more readers from the search engines.

There is a "One Grove Alliance Meeting" tomorrow night at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club. Two important things on the agenda: The Home Depot fiasco and the land rape at Mercy Hospital. If you didn't hear, they sold their parking lots for millions (close to $100 million) and now have plans for huge condos there which of course will only add to our traffic problems on South Bayshore Drive and environs.

Let's all make an effort to keep the Grove money in the Grove. It makes no sense to run to the Home Depot on 8th Street when we don't want them in the Grove and they don't care and want to invade our territory against our wishes.

Why reward the smug bastards by giving them more money? Why not check out Shell Lumber if you haven't been. It really is a great old-fashioned hardware store with the largest moulding and lumber department in the area. And the staff is incredibly helpful.

Welcome

Welcome to the first entry into the new Coconut Grove Grapevine blog. I got the name from an old newspaper, I think from the early 1980s. It was a monthly Grove newspaper fashioned after the even older Grove Daily Planet.

The good part about the blog is that we can add news daily and it will always be fresh.

I would like to invite everyone with Grove news and events to feel free to email it to us. We would like to share upcoming events and news in and around Coconut Grove. You can share your photos, too. We don't plan on getting out of hand with bunches of photos and posts, and most daily posts will be a few lines of info or gossip that we feel is worthy.

Today is Mother's Day, so we wish all Mom's Happy Mother's Day. We will get down to Grove Business tomorrow.

One thing that we feel very strongly about is the Home Depot Issue. Please, if you have not already signed the petition or looked into the issue, do so here http://www.thegrovefirst.com

Thank you. And welcome to the Coconut Grove Grapevine.