Best buds

So I met with Mia Stierheim, retail specialist at CocoWalk, and we really hit it off. We had a great time going around the Grove.

We walked around and talked and really enjoyed the afternoon. We both learned that there are two sides to every story. She knows where I was coming from (I kept being fed different information from her own organization -- that's where the confusion started).

I told her that I really do like CocoWalk, and I am just blogging the sentiments of many people who email me or speak to me directly. But I am always promoting their events. CocoWalk's photo is the image printed on the front of the Grapevine's business cards.

There are lots of cool plans for CocoWalk, I'll talk about them soon. I think it is going to turn around for the better. Mia actually asked me my opinion on certain things and was honestly concerned about what people think and she wanted to know what direction CocoWalk should go. This was really nice to see.

Mia was born at Mercy Hospital -- she is a true Grove native and she does care about the Grove and its residents and visitors. I really was getting the other impression. I was wrong.

She did say that Emile Mourad, owner of Full Bodied Wine and Spa, now under construction at CocoWalk, feels bad about his comments (imported drunken crowd) and wished to apologize. She says that when they first opened his storefront to show him the space, there was a squatter living there. He had his own little bathroom area and food area and sleeping area. Of course, they had to send him away, but that's what Emile had to deal with and in spite of it, he signed a lease, so maybe he's not such a bad guy after all.

The wine and spa combination is some sort of new thing out of California. I am not familiar with it.

So I'm glad Mia and I had the chance to meet and talk. We plan on doing lunch soon. We'll take you along -- through the blog, of course.