New Starbucks opening on schedule

The new Starbucks at CocoWalk is scheduled for a July 12 opening. As you know, they are moving from their current location across the street.

The inside is taking shape nicely. It should be a great new place. They're going to have art on the walls by local artists that will be for sale, too.

Volunteers needed for Peacock Park event

The Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce needs help this 4th of July to make sure the Grove's second annual 4th of July Celebration in Peacock Park is a great success. Volunteers are needed to help out as follows:

1) Rum booth (assist with serving drinks and collecting tickets. Alcoholic drinks will be served. No one underage can assist)

2) Information Booth (distribute information about Coconut Grove, the event and different organizations)

There are 2 shifts for each booth
Shift A: 3:30 pm-7:00 pm
Shift B: 6:30 pm-10:00 pm

Volunteers will help with the set-up, execution and breakdown of each area depending on which shift is chosen.

You can also sign up as an alternate and might be called to jump in to help out. Please respond to mcconnell28@msn.com and also send a copy to info@coconutgrove.com
For more info call Richard at 305-444-7270

New bar closing time is 3 am

As of today, tonight actually, the bars close at 3 am, not 5 am. So start drinking early to get it all in.

Miami Heart Gallery coming to Grove

The Miami Heart Gallery is presenting their Miami Adoption exhibit at the Windisch-Hunt Fine Arts Gallery (2911 Grand Avenue) on July 5. The exhibit will run through August 4. The actual installation (hanging) will start today and go through July 4. On opening day, there will be champagne and a sax player for the first hour.

The inaugural showing highlights the faces of children up for adoption. The museum quality photographs capture 70 foster children in the Miami area. Most are of older children who have it harder finding homes. Miami Children's Trust is sponsoring the exhibit which will be open during the gallery's summer hours, Tuesdays thru Fridays, from 6 to 10 pm and Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 9 pm.

For more info, please call 305-455-1049.

Music under the trees

Texas swing band called 18 Wheelers performing at Scotty's Landing through July 10.

Photo by Harry Emilio Gottlieb

Old school Grove

I've been getting a lot of readers lately who are doing searches for old Grove businesses. This week alone, people found the Grapevine by searching for The Taurus Bar, The Hamlet, Lums, Hatties, Ensign Bitters and Honey for the Bears.

I don't know if the people doing the searches are trying to find if the places are still open or if they are just looking for old stories or photos. But it does bring up lots of memories.

Georges in the Grove and Nikki Coconut Grove are getting many searches, too. So they seem to be very popular today.

Catch ZuZu if you can

Here is Zouhir (ZuZu) Bouzit, owner of Trini In Private Hair and Beauty Salon, with two of his staff Anna and Annette. ZuZu's salon is at 3197 Commodore Plaza but you actually can see him all over Commodore. He's usually at Le P'tit Paris or George's in the Grove and actually every place in between. You might even see him on his scooter going up and down the streets.

But for excellent hair care and service, this is the place. ZuZu also owns Women Fitness Lounge, which is right next door and actually connects through a back door. I don't understand much about that except that you work out with personal trainers using a computer program that works with your age and body type. There are red, yellow and green lights on a tv on the wall that tell you what and when to do things and every so often, you'll hear a bong sound, which also indicates something or other.

Stop in and speak to Zuzu, he'll explain it all. He also can be reached at 305-448-8303 (that's the fitness place) for the salon, the number is 305-448-3445.

Mocha Latte

The Cheesecake Factory has these great Mocha Lattes. Here's Angel from Cheesecake, serving Sylvia.

The Mocha Latte comes in a tall glass with a straw and it's hot, where ordinarily you would assume when seeing the glass and straw that is is cold. They also have iced versions, but the hot one is really delicious I've never had anything like it. It's the way they blend it all and the heat with the glass and the straw -- hard to explain, but I am going back again today for another.

A special treat you may be missing

Tanya and Erial run the fresh lemonade stand at at the Mayfair Farmer's Market on Saturdays. This is a little area where you can find some great bargains not just on food, but on clothing, sunglasses, art and even massages.

The plaza usually has something cool going on Saturdays and Sundays. It's a little area that many people are missing. It is worth the walk down to Mayfair to check out. You can't miss the tents and kiosks.

Here's Paul with his sunglasses stand.

And here's some great headwear and clothing.

And lots of nice light dresses for summer are always available. It really is worthwhile to check the plaza area at Mayfair.

Red, white and blue all over the Village

We look like we're in Boston!

City workers were out all day yesterday decorating the village for the 4th. They should be getting the rest of the flags and bunting up this weekend.

I don't think they are missing a light pole or traffic light.

Our Old Time 4th of July is really taking shape. Every street in the Central Business District will be red, white and blue.

Chicken wing cook-off today

Here is Joe Lett, one of the judges. Joe looks like he means business. The wing eating contest starts at 5 pm.

After the chicken wing cook-off, don't forget the Bar Crawl at 7 pm.

Enough talk, lets patronize local businesses

I ran into Victor from Qdoba on the street yesterday. He says that management closed Qdoba on weekends due to very slow business.

I also ran into my friend Louis the other day, in Qdoba, ironically and he says that if all the people who commented on this post went into Qdoba on the weekends, they might be still open on weekends.

True that.

Half Full

The Butter Gallery (3135 Commodore Plaza) is holding a "Celebrate the Half-Way Point" party for ilovemiami365, the daily photo documentary which is ongoing for the rest of the year. The celebration is tomorrow, June 28 from 7 to 10 pm, where you may see the artistic photographs of Alissa Christine.

Alissa's goal is "to photograph and select an image per day for the entire year of 2008 with aspirations of producing/publishing a coffee table book, dvd, calendar, posters, etc., compiled of the images, captions, blogs and experiences throughout the project," according to her website.

167 personalized prints will be on exhibit featuring the April 20th, 1st place photo from Fotomission's South Beach Photomarathon.

First phase approved on Grand Avenue project

The City Commission gave preliminary approval yesterday on the Grove Village Project on Grand Avenue.

And I think hell just froze over. I am actually in agreement with Comm. Michelle Spence-Jones on the project. She would like the developer, Pointe Group Advisors, to put in writing that they will provide affordable housing. She was the one dissenting vote. The others voted 4-1 in favor of the first phase of the project.

She said, "I've become a little jaded when it comes to developers and what they plan to do for people who have lived in a community all their lives." Too bad she didn't feel that about everyone who lived near Mercy hospital when she voted for that 300 Grove Bay Residences monstrosity to be built. A bit two-faced. That I don't care for.

I disagree with Marc Sarnoff who does not want to push for affordable housing in the first phase. If that is not pushed for now, who is to say they will build a second phase? No guarantee.

The Investigation Miami blog has a very interesting take on the whole thing. You may read their views here.

The final vote on this project is next month.

Left hand never knows what right hand is doing

Apparently the meter maids didn't get the memo from Comm. Marc Sarnoff. No, not that one, the one where he declared the street parking in front of the Grove post office free for 30 minutes until the parking lot job is complete.

One irate guy complained to Dave Collins, head of the BIC (Business Improvement Committee) and Dave took the ticket. He said he'd take care of it. If the Miami Parking Authority (MPA) doesn't void it, good ol' Dave will pay the ticket out of his own pocket.

But this should not be happening. The MPA needs to know the parking rules: FREE 30 MINUTE PARKING in front of the post office until further notice.

"Burn Notice" made for an exciting day

Yesterday was exciting in Coconut Grove because Burn Notice was filming. It's not so much that Burn Notice was here, just that there was so much activity.

Hundreds of people took over the area. They turned the old French restaurant in the plaza at Mayfair into a sporting goods store. And all afternoon, into the evening they filmed Jeffrey Donovan, the star of the show, who plays Michael Westen, doing his scene. That's him in the light blue pants.

Above you can see make-up being put on Jeffrey and below is Jeffrey's own dog. He brought his pet to the set. At least that is what I was told.

One of the other empty store fronts was used as a catering room for craft service, where everyone was fed, including the merchants on the block. All up and down the plaza onto Grand Avenue were wardrobe people, technicians, lighting guys and so on, all mixing in with the merchants up and down the plaza. It was a nice change of pace.

Today they are filming at or near Madonna's old house on Brickell Avenue, next to Vizcaya.

If you click on these photos, they will open larger. All photos are copyrighted and may not be reproduced.

Here is Jeffrey Donovan on the set in Coconut Grove.

Here is the story on the Expo Center and Burn Notice

Here are the set pics of Carlitos, etc.

More set pics and stories to come. Read Coconut Grove Grapvine daily.

Photos by Sylvia Rodriquez and Louis DeBorello

Sliced bread on display today

Tamara, Dianne, Priscilla and Elizabeth were outside CocoWalk today with this loaf of sliced bread and an oven mitt, both enclosed in a glass case. They are promoting the items as "art" and part of the Museum of the Obvious website. Which is actually a Duracell battery commercial.

They'll be back tomorrow if you so desire to check them out.

Is Village West ready for change?

I see The Herald picked up on a story I did months ago about the planned project in Village West. While I think the project may bring much needed jobs and businesses to the area (like a supermarket), I am concerned about the residents being displaced and so are the residents.

I took a little tour around Village West recently and this is what I saw. It really is a great community with a lot of history. It would be really great if the place could be cleaned up and the residents could stay in the Grove. The neighbors are concerned and I think they need to be heard. This project looks like it is going to be in the talking stages for awhile so maybe residents will get their say.

"Burn Notice" filming all over the Grove today

Burn Notice will be filming around the Grove today. This morning they are next to the glass house in Peacock Park and this afternoon, into the evening, they'll be filming at Mayfair, at a vacant storefront. This is episode 7, season 2.

Bring your patience when looking for parking today because lots of spots are roped off for the crew on Florida Avenue, Grand Avenue, McFarlane Road and even the little horse shoe parking area at the end of McFarlane by the waterfront.

Here come the wardrobe ladies. Filming can't start until everyone gets dressed right?

Finally, some results

The started cleaning up the post office parking lot this morning. The screen also went up around the work area.

"One Water" to be shown Friday

"One Water" will be shown at City Hall (3500 Pan American Drive), tomorrow, June 27 at 7 pm. Admission is free. The film sold out twice during the Miami Film Festival. There is limited seating, so please show up early.

Access to clean water is one of the things that we take for granted in the Western world. However, in many parts of the developing world, clean water is a luxury and unclean water the breeding ground for disease. In this extraordinary and stunning film, filmmakers Sanjeev Chatterjee and Ali Habashi take a mesmerizing journey through 14 countries to illustrate the value of the earth’s most precious resource.

The project was a six-year-long collaborative project involving the University of Miami School of Communication, College of Engineering and Frost School of Music. Donna Shalala, Professor of Political Science and President of the University of Miami, narrates.

For rent

Looks like the movie people moved out of 2982 Grand Avenue. They were using the place as a wardrobe holding area for all the movies they have been filming in town recently.

It's a great location between FedEx/Kinko's and the Shaq 24 Hour Fitness gym. If it doesn't rent out, I see the costume store taking it over for Halloween. They usually are in that area each year in one of the empty storefronts.

Grove bar crawl this weekend

Alfest 2008 is this Saturday, June 28. It's a Bar Crawl to raise money for Camp Boggy Creek - a year round camp for ill children.

Registration is at the Sandbar Grill. The Crawl starts at 7 pm. You can prepay on line and be sure a guaranteed entry. Their website is here: http://www.alfest.net/

The Mayfair Hotel and Spa is offering discounted rooms for all Alfest Bar crawlers. So you can just crawl over later that night and avoid getting into a car. Contact the Mayfair's in-house reservations at 305-441-0000 or email reservations@mayfairhotelandspa.com and identify yourself a participant of Alfest to obtain the discounted room rates, which are based on availability.

Photo courtesy of Alfest website

Getting ready for the 4th

No, that's not my prom dress. I stopped at the BIC office and Dave Collins showed me the bunting that will be going up all over the Grove starting Friday. It's really going to be an old fashioned 4th of July around here.

New at Flavour -- Glamour Thursdays

Flavour Night Club (2895 McFarlane Road) offers half price drinks from 6 to 10 pm on Fridays for their popular happy hour. Ladies continue to drink from 10 pm to midnight and Bacardi Mojitos are on special until midnight.

Starting this Thursday, June 26 Flavour presents "Glamour Thursdays" with 2 for 1 drinks until midnight. Enjoy the sultry sounds of Paul E and Illmanik. Groups of six girls receive a free bottle of champagne. You need to rsvp for that (786-355-5352 or 305-495-9955.

Photo courtesy of Flavour website.

Did he float in from Cuba?

This guy was floating around the bay this weekend. He was literally just floating around on a barge, yelling things at the shore. As you can see he has a couple of lounge chairs. I looked out a bit later and there was another guy with him then and they were fishing. Weird.