Code 33 Discounts

Did you know that many of the Coconut Grove merchants are offering discounts to customers who identify themselves as a resident or worker in zip code 33133. For a Code 33 membership card, please email mcconnell28@msn.com with your name and address.

Look for the Code 33 logo to find merchants in the Grove who want your business. Some of the businesses include Green Street Cafe, Haagen-Dazs, Slice-N-Ice, Mr. Moe's, Jaguar and the list goes on.

Mama Mia Italian ices

One of my favorite things at the Grove/St. Stephens festivals is the Italian ice guy. I am embarrassed to say I see him at every festival in Dade and Broward and he always remembers me, but we have never traded names, so I don't know his name.

But his ices are incredible and I seek him out. He is always in the same spot, right at the entrance to the St. Stephens festival. You can't miss him.

A few more pieces of art

Here are a few more images from this past weekend's art shows. Click on the images to see them larger.

Wearable art from found objects

Martha Schewe of The 3 Sisters, manned a booth at the St. Stephens Arts and Crafts Show. She really had some interesting things. We spent a lot of time enjoying her creations. She turns dominos, vintage bottle caps and vinyl records into cool, fun items. For some reason, flying pigs are everywhere or at least they were everywhere at the festivals this past weekend. We purchased more than one flying pig in various forms. Martha had the same pig design on necklaces, pins and key chains, but of course her most popular stuff is Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Billy Idol and even Frankenstein and the Bride of Frankenstein items.

The bottle caps brought back memories, a lot of the sodas they represented were from my childhood. You can see a few of the dominos here, the actual domino dots are on the back of the art and here also is some of the vinyl record bags. Martha and her husband are going to have a booth at the Key Biscyane arts festival coming up in a few weeks, I highly recommend a visit.

I don't know why I didn't get a picture of Martha. She seems more colorful than her creations, and she's really nice and friendly.

Sights and sounds of the Grove festivals

The festival is a lot of fun. (To enlarge the images, just click on them). There are actually two going on at the same time: The Coconut Grove Arts Festival and the St. Stephens Church Arts Fair. We ate, drank and got ourselves sick at both areas. We bought art at both areas, too.

We oddly enough find that the St. Stephens area is best. It has nicer crafts and food and it isn't over the top like where we paid $8.00 for a gyro at the Grove Festival side. How they are permitted to gouge people is a shame. The festival organizers really should find out why things are so high priced.

We purchased a lot of things from the St. Stephens side: food and art and the artists seem to actually not have their noses up in the air like the Grove Festival artists. The photos here are a mixture of both art festivals.

Tomorrow I'll blog about the things I really liked.

Arts Festival is wild

You've got to go. The Arts Festival is on through tomorrow. There is so much food to eat, art to enjoy, people to watch, drinks to drink, things to do. The weather is perfect. Go!

Click on the above images to see them larger.

Art shows

The show is on. Look for us in Grove t-shirts. :)

Shooting the Grove

This photographer was shooting pics of Cocowalk on Valentine's Day. Just a daily Grove scene.

Coconut Grove Arts Festival weekend

Don't forget this weekend is the big Coconut Grove Arts Festival.

Yes, they still insist on charging us to walk on our own taxpayer paid streets, so if you want to go, prepare to shell out. If you want to avoid the fee, try the St. Stephens Arts and Crafts Show. You can enter there from Main Highway and you can actually see some better arts and crafts, it isn't all the over-hyped crap that the Grove Festival pushes. It is more raw and real at St. Stephens. Plus my favorite Italian Ice guy is at St. Stephens.

When I had emailed the main lady at the Grove Festival a year or so ago, complaining about the fee, her reply to me was that she was glad the plan was working, it was keeping rif-raf like me out. This actually came from the head of the festival. I'll have to dig up the email some time and post it. My point was that it was keeping large families out, who cannot afford the fee. But alas, it is not about the art or the culture, it is about the almighty buck and only allowing those in who can afford it and who may be inclined to purchase some of the over-priced, over-rated crap.

Sure St. Stephens is piggy backing off the main Grove show, but they are actually what the Grove show used to be all about: local artists, new artists and unpretentious artists in a funky, fun atmosphere.

Either way, the Grove will be a lot of fun this weekend. We'll take lots of pictures and share them.

Cocowalk's date

Why are the numbers off the front of Cocowalk? It used to say 1990, the year it opened.

A couple of us were walking by the other day and a couple of tourists asked us to take their picture, in front of the entrance. That's when I noticed the date was down. It looks naked without it. Anyone know why the numbers were removed?

Come to think of it, I don't even see it in the picture I took for top of this blog. But you can see it in this old photo. The red arrow is pointing to the numbers.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Went to the Home Show

I went to the Home Show this past weekend. It's at the Expo Center until Wednesday, the 15th.

It's amazing how many nice things they come up with for kitchens and bathrooms. And I got some info on a new gate company we may use for our condo. It's worth a trip if you are in the market for new items from furniture to accessories and of course if you are planning home renovations. You can get a lot of nice ideas and resources there. It's also fun just to see the new products now on the market.

Cool day in the Grove

Today looked like snow. The sky had that steel gray color and the 53 degrees temperature made it feel like we were in New York. Coconut Grove looks a lot like New York. The streets were dead though. I love it, I don't think the merchants do.

We went to the Home Show at the Expo Center and that was packed. But the downtown area and the little side streets were desolate. I am surprised that more people didn't take advantage of the cool temps.

The movie theater at Cocowalk was pretty busy, I guess most of the people who ventured out went to the movies, rather than shop around or eat.

Tonight it may go down to the 30s, with the wind chill, so I suppose the streets will really be dead then.

Hal Holbrook and Dixie Carter at Playhouse

Married couple, Dixie Carter and Hal Holbrook are performing in "Southern Comforts" at the Grove Playhouse from now through Feb. 26, 2006. For ticktes, go to www.cgplayhouse.com/ or call 305-442-4000

Home Design Show at Grove Expo Center

The Home Design and Remodeling Show is being held at the Coconut Grove Expo Center (2700 S. Bayshore Drive) today through Feb. 15, 2006. For $1.00 off coupon, click here.

What's up with Scotty's Landing?

We aren't sure what is up at Scotty's Landing, but things aren't the same.

The service is lacking . . . very slow and sloppy. You have to beg for napkins and condiments. And it takes forever to get the check or even to place your order to begin with.

Someone should tell them that the tomato shortage is over and people like tomatoes and lettuce on their burgers and sandwiches. Slapping a burger in a bun and throwing it on the plate is not very appealing.

And the French fries.... why are they so small and skimpy, looking like little bits from the bottom of the bag? And why are we being charged for drink refills now when it comes to iced tea and Coke.

Not good, we may not be going back any time soon, in fact, we notice the place is dead at lunchtime which is pretty strange since in the past it was always hard to get a table, especially with this incredible weather we have been having lately.

Poker Parlor charity event

Check out "Mr. Moe's Poker Parlor" on Feb. 13, where else? At Mr. Moe's (3131 Commodore Plaza). The charity poker tournament benefits the Javy Rodriguez Foundation, which supports children with learning disabilities. Entrance fee is $50.00.

For info, drop by Mr. Moe's or email: info@mrmoes.com . You can also call 305-442-1114.

Free Grove promotion!

As you see by a previous post, we have a new Grove store where we sell Grove merchandise.

We would not like to offer all businesses in the Grove to have their items sold in our store. We would like to sell logo t-shirts and items with the name and/or logo of your business.

There is no compensation for this, the items are marked up very little and only cover business costs. The purpose of this is to promote the Grove through people wearing t-shirts and using mugs, clocks, etc.

We will promote your business for free. You just need to send us the correct art file to print on the items. For all the rules and info, please click here.

Picture your logo on someone's shirt, wandering around the world, giving you all that free publicity. And they are paying for the privilege!

33133

Check out our new Grapevine shop. We have lots of popular 33133 items: Caps, shirts, bags, even a clock, license plate, cups, and more. Be proud. Show the 33133 proudly.

King Mango wrap party

The Wrap Party for the 2005 King Mango Strut is Sunday, Feb. 12 at Fritz & Franz at 60 Merrick Way in Coral Gables. Parking is free in the garage there.

The video of the parade will be shown at 6:30 pm.