Pretty Grove scene

Focaccia Rustica (3111 Grand Ave)

Happy Memorial Day

I wish everyone a peaceful, thoughtful Memorial Day. I am on the west coast of Florida and will be home tomorrow.

Johnny's balloons

This is Jenn from Johnny Rockets. Ask her for a balloon!

Serene scene

I love this little scene right off of US 1 and 27th Avenue. It looks so serene and inviting, yet it is right in the industrial area across from Super Mattress and Shell Lumber. It looks like a little fake set out of Hollywood as you drive by.

Delivery charges

The $3.00 delivery charge from New York Pizza Cafe inside the Kwik Stop food store (3135 Grand Ave.) is half of what the entrees cost. They really must be kidding with that. Too many places are charging delivery charges now and it really is out of hand, especially when 90% of their business is delivery. Why not just add the cost to the items in the menu rather than add this stupid charge on at the end? On top of that we tip the driver. Half of what we pay ends up as delivery charges and tips on small orders.

I ordered a chicken parm sub and a bowl of chicken soup. The total came to over $20.00 without tip. I think they charge less than that at 4-star restaurants for the same thing. And it's in a restaurant, not out of the back of the Kwik Stop!

Quiet corner

The old Borders Books location looks so desolate these days. It's a shame all the activity that was there is now gone. Too bad there is not much parking in the area, it would be an excellent location for Publix.

Where's the ATM machine?

I went to use the teller machine at the Coconut Grove Bank in downtown Grove, only to see they cemented it up. I know they closed the branch after all these years, but that machine was part of my life! In fact, people kept walking up to the area looking for the ATM. I guess it was part of everyone's life in the Grove. We just took it for granted.

Quaint food

I love the quaintness of the Grove where everyone knows everyone else, even if you don't really know them!

I walked into Cozzoli's and ordered take out. The guy behind the counter knew me from my order! He asked if I was Tom from such-and-such address. He knew me from my usual phoned in delivery order! He didn't recognize me, he recognized the order.

My neighbor George owns Le Bouchon, across the street from Cozzoli's. When the Cozzoli guy delivers, I have to be sure George doesn't see him or he asks why I am ordering from the guy across the street and not from him. I don't even think he delivers, but either way, it's funny.

When I got my take-out order from Cozzoli's I had to sneak out so George wouldn't see me from across the street on Main Highway.

Stupid is as stupid does

I ran into Milam's on Sunday to pick up something that only they carry. What do I find? They have the aisle blocked and don't want people walking through so some employee can mop the floor.

Milam's has about three customers a day now and you would think they would be bending over backwards to accommodate them, but instead, they send you out of the store empty handed.

I saw three managers from Milam's at Publix once, taking notes.
Note #1: Open the aisles and let people actually shop. That might help the bottom line.

Idiots.

Networking party

The Business Referral Group is hosting a networking party at Cocowalk on Tuesday, May 30, 2006.

The event runs from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. There's a $5.00 entry fee which will go to charity.

Reservations are required, please call Eli Ristine at 305-443-1365 or email eli@miamihomesales.com

For Business Referral Group info, call Isabella Patty-Sanchez at 786-290-3035 or vistit www.businessreferralgroup.org

Saturdays' Block party

8th Annual Coconut Grove block party on Commodore Plaza.

New Theatre needed in Grove

It's ironic that the New Theatre has decided to stay in Coral Gables for another year and abandon their plans to move to the Grove. Wonder if it has anything to do with the Coconut Grove Playhouse fiasco.

It would be great if the New Theatre people could take over the Playhouse, they seem to actually know now to run a theater.

Winton Must Go blog

Miamista started a new blog: Winton Must Go!

Enjoy!

It's Block Party time!

It's time for the Coconut Grove Block Party. Has it been a year already? I remember last year I was out of town, but this year I'll be there taking pictures for the blog.

The party is on Commodore Plaza from 6 pm to 11 pm this Saturday, May 20th. There will be stages on each end of the street.

Mittelman resigns, is the board next?

Arnold Mittelman, the Coconut Grove Playhouse Director resigned. Now let's see the incompetent board go next. Story here.

Johnny Winton - the pink elephant in the room

It's interesting that I never mentioned Commissioner Johnny Winton here on purpose, yet under the last post, the comments are about Winton. I felt it wasn't a Grove issue, although with the Home Depot and the overdevelopment, it is. And he actually did have something to do with me losing a townhouse in the Grove.

Yes, I hate him, too. I actually lost a townhouse in the Grove because the seller wouldn't budge unless I added an extra $10K for her "partner" Johnny Winton. They weren't even the realtors in the sale, she was selling her pesonal home, yet she wanted to get his cut. I was offering her the asking price which was overpriced and on top of that she wanted the $10K for Winton. I told her to shove it and it all worked out because I ended up in a place 100 times better. Ever since then, I hated Winton.

Let me make this clear: I NEVER MET WINTON AND THIS SELLER WAS PRETTY STUPID, AND WINTON MAY NOT EVEN HAVE KNOWN ANYTHING ABOUT IT. And she (the seller) could have just been name dropping in order to raise the price. She wasn't too bright. So I don't want to accuse Winton of anything. He proably didn't even have a clue of what his "partner" was doing, but she is the one who put a seed in my head.

But it always showed me the underbelly of politics around here. In fact, when Winton ran for office last time, I remember it was a terrible day, sort of like the weather yesterday. And I didn't want to go out, yet I made myself go to the polls in the downpour and flooding, to vote AGAINST him. But it was a waste, he won with 80% of the vote. Just goes to show, people get what they deserve. People vote for the most well-known name and don't seem to care what they get in return.

Winton won't back down from Home Depot. He refuses to listen to the voters and residents, he only sees the Home Depot point of view. I honestly wish some institution like The Herald would really find out why he is taking Home Depot's side rather than the residents. There is something there we don't know about yet.

I can go on and on but I didn't want to, but since some of you have started a dialogue here, I just thought I should add my two cents. Don't even get me started on the Mayor and the overdevelopment and zoning issues....

Code 33 discounts

The "Code 33" card is still available for Grove residents and people who work in the Grove. It's free and allows you to receive discounts at lots of Grove establishments. For more info, click here.

I don't like the Home Depot element

First off, I have to admit I went to the Home Depot on 8th Street. I apologize, I really hate it there but they are the only place in town where I can find the correct bulbs for our condo elevator. Shell Lumber never has them and Farrey's Lighting makes you actually wait to see an attendant at a desk and it turns into a 2 hours relay to get a few light bulbs. They really don't want your cheap lightbulb business there, they want you to purchase $500 light fixtures.

Anyway, the store was a madhouse and I ended up just chucking the stuff and walking out. As I walked out, I was confronted by a few different out of work guys asking for day work. They wanted to come and do anything, one was brazen enough to lift his shirt and rub his belly and chest, I guess he was a male hooker.

The security guard was friends with this guy and they would chit chat until another customer would come by and the guy would try to "sell his wares." Just the fact that an employee of the store was allowing this is not a good thing.

Another one wanted work, but I told him we had a maintenance man at our condo, so he then just asked for $5.00. Not good.

That is what bothers me. I don't want this in the Grove. Just another reason to say NO TO HOME DEPOT.

The Home Depot will be among the topics at the Village of Center Grove Neighborhood Assoc. meeting at 7 pm this Wednesday. The meeting will be at the Sailing Club -- 2990 S. Bayshore Drive.

Happy Mother's Day!

The playhouse antics go on

Cartoon courtesy of Miami Herald and Jim Morin

The Coconut Grove Playhouse is in trouble, due to the incompetent board or directors. They really should be ashamed of themselves. I don't know if it is a case of theater lovers not knowing how to run a business or just a bunch of incompetent fools who don't know how to do anything.

It seems that the state wants $125,000 (taken from a grant to refurbish the playhouse without cause) repaid by May 26th or heads will roll.

Arnold Mittelman, the artistic director took it upon himself to take the money in order to pay bills including his own salary. Talk about balls. I need a second mortgage, should I take the money from our condo assessment fund since I am the prez of the board here?

Idiots.

Coconut Grove Bank has the money locked in a 12 month certificate and is keeping mum.

You can read the whole thing here.

Did you smell it?

Last night I woke up about 4 am to the horrible smell of fire. I think it was the smoke from the wildfires that have been breaking out in the western areas of the county, but the smell finally made its way to the Grove and I guess the Brickell and downtown areas.

It was really bad. I had all the windows and doors tightly shut but the smell permiated the house. Anyone else experience this? I am assuming the wind and temperature drop had something to do with this.

You go girl!

Terri did it again! Terri Weisbert of The Loggerhead (Flannigans - 2721 Bird Road), made Bartender of the Year again the New Times poll! Terri is my bartender and friend, we hang out often. I'm proud of you Terri! We had a ball on St. Patrick's Day, here she is at John Martin's in Coral Gables.

Terri didn't even know she had won again, she was out on a cruise all week, she called me from the ship this morning and I told her the good news. It's a nice "welcome home" surprise.

Why we hate Home Depot

Here's a must read from The Grove First website on The Home Depot and Milam's. Click here to read it. It explains why everyone hates Home Depot so much.

More land raping

I still don't get how the neighbors at Bay Heights, Glencoe and Natoma Manors agreed to the monstrosities that are planned for the Mercy Hospital parking lots. The poor waterfront will never be the same.

The neighbors seem to feel that the high-end condos will be empty most of the year because they will end up being second homes to most, so that will alleviate the traffic problems.

The problems are unbearable now, try turning out from any of those neighborhoods during rush hour, it is impossible. No matter what is built on the 42.5 acres is going to add to the overdevelopment of the area.

I find it very disturbing lately the way the neighbors in the Grove are selling out to developers. Last week it was the Hiawatha Village Project, now the land rapers The Related Group and Ocean Land Equities. The quality of life in the Grove is getting worse and worse, day by day.

Again, we say NO to changing the variance on the Mercy Land, just like we did with the Hiawatha Village Project.

25 years of King Mango

Culture in the City is presenting "25 Years of King Mango," in honor of the Grove's annual wacky parade. On Wednesday, at 7 pm, at the Museum of Science (3280 S. Miami Ave.), the silver anniversary will be celebrated.

For more info: www.cultureinthecity.org or 305-648-0899.

We are one year old today!

This Blog is 1 Year old Today! To read our first post, click here.

Miami Walk to Empower

According to their website:

Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization is conducting its inaugural "Miami Walk to Empower" on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 14, 2006. This event presents an opportunity for the South Florida community to come together and make a difference in the lives of those touched by breast cancer. All local proceeds from the Walk will benefit Y-ME's programs and services offered free-of-charge to those seeking information and support in the face of breast cancer.

On Mother's Day 2006, nearly 40,000 participants of Y-ME's Mother's Day Events will walk in communities nationwide to help ensure that no one faces breast cancer alone carrying on Y-ME's truly meaningful and deeply empowering Mother's Day tradition.

The walk starts at Coconut Grove's Kennedy Park (2200 S. Bayshore Drive).

For more info please go here: http://y-me.org/

Spring afternoons

Spring afternoons are so peaceful in Coconut Grove. (Click on the photo to see a larger version)

Unforgettable

A sunny Sunday at Cocowalk.

Filthy candy and nuts

One more pet peeve, I hate to be complaining all the time, but since I do have this blog to grandstand and people do read it (I get approached on the streets), I thought I would bitch a little more.

The thing that bothers me the most at The Fresh Market are the filthy selfish pigs who actually put their hands in the candy and nut bins and grab samples. I DON'T WANT YOUR SKANKY HANDS ON THE CANDY THAT I AM PURCHASING, THANK YOU. I don't know where your hands have been last.... actually I do..... in the candy that I am about to purchase.

I complained to the store staff but apparently they are so used to it that they don't care.

I did go around on Saturday and I started taking pictures of people actually stealing the candy and nuts by putting their filthy paws into the bins, but it got so out of hand and it turned out to be every other person walking by that I just gave up and figured what was the point of posting pictures of all these people.

So not only is the store being robbed blind by these "sample takers," those of us willing to pay have to be subjected to whatever filth is on the hands of these thieves.

Note to self: "Don't buy anymore loose candy or nuts at The Fresh Market." And it's a shame, too, that was my favorite thing at the store.

420 alert

Surprise, surprise. Authorities arrested a guy today living on Shipping Ave. for growing a bunch of marijuana plants and also owning a pit bull. This is the Grove. This is part of the fabric of the Grove. (The marijuana, no the pit bull.)

Arts and Mind Center

This surreal scene is in Coconut Grove, at the Arts and Minds Center (3138 Commodore Plaza), right above Cucina Creativa Ristorante, where you can find some incredible Italian meals.

The Arts and Mind Center is a "cultural center dedicated to the advancement of the arts through education, professional artistic expression and the interaction that occurs between them with the educational program at the live plays and movie presentations at the Abanico Theater and the culinary activities at Cucina Creativa."

You may call 305-448-1970 for more info.

Please click on the photo for a larger version.

Secrets of Coconut Grove Twilight Walking Tour

This Friday (May 5) from 6 pm to 8 pm, there is a walking tour of the Grove, sponsored by the Historical Museum of Southern Florida. Dr. Paul George, one of Miami's well known historians will show you the "old Grove." You'll hear about the challenges faced by early pioneers and visit the site of the old Peacock Inn, Millionaire's Row, the Barnacle and more.

Just show up at Miami City Hall (3500 Pan American Drive) at 6 pm. Bring a flashlight! Cost is $15.00 for Historical Museum Members and $20.00 for non-members.