The county still wants to take over our fire department

Speaking of firemen, back in the news is the Fire Department issue, where the County wants to take over the fire service in Coconut Grove/Miami and a few other municipalities. Many are threatening a law suit if the County Commission decides at this Tuesday's meeting to put the issue on the November ballot.

It would be a county-wide vote, which in all honesty, if on the ballot at all, should be up to the municipalities, not the whole county. I would bet that most Grove voters would choose to keep things the way they are without the county getting involved in running out fire department. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Many feel it is just a move to improve the county's bottom line.

It's a bit like "taking the Grove back," if there was an election, the whole City of Miami would decide whether the Grove could leave and be it's own city, not just the Grove residents. We know that most of the city residents would not allow their cash cow, Coconut Grove to leave. And in the case of controlling the fire department, should the county choose what is good for individual cities?

The Miami Herald has a good story on this issue here.

Collecting for Jerry's Kids

It looks like they may be gone now, but earlier today there was a slew of local firemen collecting for Jerry's Kids (the Muscular Dystrophy Association), right in the center of town. Here's Fireman Jorge, happy to be out in the rain for a good cause.

Barnacle holds 2nd annual literacy event

September is Literacy Month and The Barnacle (3485 Main Highway) is featuring "Barnacle, Books, Birds & Boats!" their second annual literacy event on September 7. Parents bring your kids; kids bring your parents for a fun-filled Sunday with educational activities, games and prizes.

Enjoy story-telling, have fun with How to Haiku, feed your mind with Alphabet Soup, and much more. Activities are 11 am to 2 pm, rain or shine, the park is open from 9 am to 5 pm.

Blankets, lawn chairs and picnics are welcome, but alcohol is not permitted. The Barnacle is one of many state parks participating in this year’s Literacy Celebration where there is free entry into state parks with a library book, library card or book donation will occur from Sunday, September 7 through Saturday, September 13. Without the books or library card, park admission is $1. Children under 6 are free.

For additional information call 305-442-6866 or visit www.FloridaStateParks.org/TheBarnacle.

Some new fun things at The Bookstore

The Bookstore in the Grove (3399 Virginia Street) is having a little jazz group performing tonight at 7:30, they'll have a singer with the musicians.

For the month of September, they are offering 10% off their new line of greeting cards (min. $25 purchase).

Felice told me of some new plans for The Bookstore. She plans on a weekly community bingo game. These are fun, if you've seen them in other towns, you'll know how much fun they can be. Also planned is a once-a-month author visit -- book signing and reading, etc. I'll keep you posted on the start of these two new events.

It's a little offbeat world, well worth a visit

There's this place right on Main Highway, where if you blink, you'll miss it. But it's right between Le P'tit Paris Dolce Vita Gelato. It's Bertoni Brick Oven Pizza and Lounge (3462 Main Highway). You walk down a long alley, with lights coming up from the floor.


And as you get to the end of the walkway, you'll see these balls of light floating in air.


Look around and you'll see tables, chairs, a small bar and Mariano here, making pizza!


I'm not kidding, this little world exists right behind Main Highway from Tuesday thru Sunday, from 6 to midnight only. A little bohemian world, all unto itself.

The brick oven is going all night and the drinks are flowing. Stop in and tell them The Grapevine sent you. For more info, please visit www.dolcevitagelato.com/ or call 305-461-1322.

Rumor has it . . .

I'm not sure how to take this. It's bothers many people.

A local businessman and Grove champion just bought an interest in a restaurant outside the Grove, not too far from here, on Coral Way.

Many feel he should put his money where his mouth (and job) is. But I don't know how I feel. Guess it is a slap in the face to the Grove, but maybe there was nothing for him to invest in around here.

They move fast when they want to

Here's what the intersection at Tigertail and Crystal Court looks like now. They have added the little median curbs and it looks like there is a full stop, but on the Tigertail side. Shouldn't the stop be on Crystal Court side street?

I swear, some politician or big shot lives on Crystal Court. I am going to find out who it is. Another "government worker" no doubt.

Getting ready for a long holiday weekend

Right on cue, the day before a holiday weekend, the Grove fills up with people. There are so many people around this afternoon, it's quite nice.

New jewelery store opens at CocoWalk

Goldiamor Fine Jewelery is opening this weekend at CocoWalk, next to Victoria's Secret.

They are having an exclusive grand opening tomorrow, August 30 from 6 to 9 pm.

There will be complimentary wine and appetizers.For one night only they are offering 20% off all merchandise. Also, you may enter a free drawing to win a pair of gold earrings.

At this hour they were still putting the floor down (see the guy in the red shirt in the window) and the sign outside isn't up. Hopefully they'll be ready for the big opening tomorrow.

RSVP is required, by calling 305-444-7270 or emailing Info@coconutgrove.com

Those freakin' peacocks almost got me killed

See this garbage truck? Well this garbage man refused to move this morning and tried to actually smash into my car.

I was coming down Micanopy and there were a bunch of peacocks in the road -- surprise! And just as I passed them and tried to go onto 17th Avenue, this garbage man comes zooming around the block on two wheels. He sees me and refuses to move.

I asked him to please back up because I could not because of the peacocks, I didn't want to run them over. He refused and he came closer and closer and dared me to try to get around him.


When I got out and took photos, he said, "Take all the photos you want. I work for the government and I can do what I want." WTF! Isn't this why the world is in the mess it is now? Because those who work for the government think they can do what they want?

This is another good reason we need to Take Back the Grove and remove these rude city workers.
If you see a few dead peacocks on the road today, you'll know who did it. The Terminator here in his garbage truck.

He would not even let me back up into a driveway to get out of the way, he was after me. I think the camera finally scared him off.

The funny thing is that I had the same incident one minute before with a mail carrier, she could not pass because of garbage cans, but I got out of my car, moved the cans and we were both able to pass. In this instance with the garbage trucks, I was unable to move the peacocks fast enough for him.

Cracked tile art

Love the mosaics on the walls at the plaza off of Fuller Street. There are more than just these two.


This mosaic below is on the wall outside the new Dulce Cabana Club, which should have opened this month but is running behind schedule.

Fantastically Perfect Pink Fairy Party

Brenda's Boutique (3092 Fuller Street) is holding a "Fantastically Perfect Pink Fairy Party" tomorrow, August 30 from noon to 9 pm.

Atena wil be giving a free reading to anyone who makes a purchase at Brenda's. In addition, Anna Maria Salley will be giving complimentary hand massages. There will be refreshments and treats.

Stop by and enter for a $100 shopping spree. No purchase necessary, just stop in and enter.

Atena will also be unveiling her newest product line -- One-of-a-kind Fairy Wings. The perfect accessory for the fairies whose wings are not visible.

They are Code 33 members. So ask for your discount! If you're not a member, join now!

New York Times writes about our peacocks on Micanopy

I was just lying back, reading the New York Times and noticed that in today's paper, they have a large half-page story of our peacocks. Guess it's a slow news day in New York. You can read the story on line at the New York Times website here.

Grove Monopoly from back in the day

Harry Emilio Gottlieb came across this old Coconut Grove version of Monopoly. It brings back so many memories.

I had forgotten about a lot of these places like Cats, Regine's and Grove Nautilus.

A place I used to work for would print the Regine's posters, also Suzanne's in the Grove. They would both promote different things each week and we would do that printing. Also I see the Home Show -- that was a fixture once or twice a year at the Expo Center along with antique shows every month for Coconut Grove Cares, a local charity.

The Burdines at Mayfair brings back memories, too. Many of you may not know, but Mayfair used to be an indoor mall, very exclusive, giving Bal Harbour a run for their money, or trying anyway. They were so overpriced and out of place for the Grove that the whole thing was knocked down and made into what you see today.

That's a great lesson for those who would want to make the Grove so elitist. It won't work.


To see what the old Mayfair mall looked like, you could get an idea by going into the current Mayfair Hotel, which was part of the structure. The center courtyard was what the mall looked like only it was much larger, with many more water features.

It had sort of a hush and there was never really any foot traffic except for the clubs at night. It consisted of stores like Ferragamo and Gucci and Versace. The Burdines was so overpriced, you could actually go to Dadeland and get the same exact items for much less. But even so, it was a nice place to visit, a tourist destination -- a place you would take visitors from out of town. Maybe it could have worked today with regular stores that weren't so out of reach for regular shoppers.

Renovation of the Swiss restaurant is moving fast

The Swiss restaurant on Commodore Plaza is really taking shape quite quickly. They did so much in 12 days. I am told in about a week the black awning and lights will be up out front.

The new marble out front goes well with Christabelle's Quarter next door. There is sort of a flow to the two businesses now. John from Christabelle's is really pleased.

As you know, the Women's Fitness center next door will be the new Swiss chocolate shop in a few months. And the hair salon on the corner was sold by ZuZu. Looks like ZuZu is out of the Grove picture these days but the hair salon will go on.

One of the gym owners from the other side of the Grove was looking to buy the equipment from Women's Fitness today, but it's sold already and will be gone by tomorrow.

But it looks like pretty soon, we'll have the new Swiss restaurant to go to. They aren't sure about a name yet, they told me one, but didn't want it published because it probably will change. I'll let you know for sure when I know.

"Take Back the Grove" meeting tonight

Tonight community members of Miami and Coconut Grove will meet at Flavour Night Club (2895 McFarlane Road) at 6 pm to discuss Coconut Grove's secession from the City of Miami. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

The issues, pros and cons will be presented and discussed amongst the community members.

An agenda for tonight's meeting can be found here.

The group of community members attending will also discuss and vote on a new name for the group.

"En Plein Air" art event hosted by Windisch-Hunt Gallery

The Windisch-Hunt Fine Art Gallery (2911 Grand Avenue) will be holding an "En Plein Air Event," next month.

Basically these events are held in places like Vizcaya or the Deering Estate or Fairchild Gardens, but the Grove will work, too. Artists start with a blank canvas or sheet of watercolor paper and to make it fair, it has to be documented as blank at the beginning of the event. After the first day, the "half finished" paintings are locked up and then returned to the artists the next morning to complete their artwork. The artists compete for prize money.

This inaugural Grove event is October 4 and 5. There will be an afternoon reception on October 12 (details to come).

Awards will be given for first, second and third place and there will be honorable mention.

All entries will be exhibited in the gallery until October 30. Right now this is for oil, watercolor and acrylic, but a photography component is being worked on.

For more info, please contact Jane Harris at grovite1@mac.com

(Photo is Linda Apriletti at work at City Hall.)

What is the point of this?

There is a new median or traffic calming device being put in on Tigertail at the corner of Crystal Court. Why?

Isn't this an historic road? Is this even legal? And aside from rush hour traffic times in the morning and afternoon, when is there ever really any traffic on Tigertail? I actually had to wait a little while for this car to drive by because I wanted a car in the photo, but there were none on the road.

Perhaps it is to calm traffic for peacock crossing? Maybe a public official lives on this corner and it's being put in for his kids as a personal favor.

Whatever the case, it's just another example of tax dollars being wasted. It is not needed and it makes the road ugly.

A big hole in the ground

Out of this mess will come a new post office parking lot. I think.

This is the scene today. There's a big hole in the ground and drainage pipes seem to be part of the mix now. Someone tells me that it looks like they are shoring up things for future large construction (like a parking garage?) on the site. Maybe they are.

But for now, their main goal is to have the parking lot done by the end of September. The countdown has begun.

Woman's Club is ready to open

I ran into a happy Doreen LoCicero at the post office today, mailing out the Woman's Club's bright pink September newsletters.

She was all excited about the renovations at the club, which are almost done, in fact they are having their membership meeting on September 4, which includes a covered dish luncheon.

The clubhouse now only needs some painting done inside, but the handicapped accessible sidewalks and ramp are all done. The new entrance is on the side. The bathrooms have all been redone, the floor was lowered, the floors have all been redone, too.

Bill Hansen has agreed to split the cost of the landscaping, so that should be the next step. And Bill, who only throws the best parties, will now manage the Clubhouse property as their event planner. You can book parties, bar mitzvahs, receptions (my sister-in-law had a big birthday party there), please call 305-446-2909 or email shaneil@leadingcaterers.com

The club still needs to raise money to pay for all this, so they are open for events now. It's a great venue, right across from the water, easy walking to anywhere in the Grove. The Club's website is here: http://womansclubofcoconutgrove.com/

Come out for "Celestial Fridays" -- be mystified

Atena Komar (shown here) will be hosting a new event at Celestial Treasuers (3444 Main Highway) the last Friday of every month called, what else, "Celestial Fridays."

Atena will be presenting a new workshop, healing circle or meditation every month and it's absolutely free. The next event is this Friday, August 29 at 1:30 pm and then again at 7:30 pm. It's inside Floretine Plaza, by the fountain.

Atena is available for her inspiring fairy-inspired readings every Friday from 1 pm to 10 pm at Celestial Treasures. This is not your grandmother’s Tarot Reading.

“I do not practice scare tactics and will not tell you all the ways that you are cursed and how you should buy more services from me to 'fix' your life. I offer real, positive and empowering insight in to the issues that are affecting your life," says Atena

Celestial Treasures offers spiritual books, incense, gifts, jewelry, art and crystals along with interactive workshops and events all year long.

For more info, please call 305-297-5516 or just stop in.

Euro Sport Café to open soon

Looks like the Euro Sport Café is taking over the spot at Bird and 27th Ave, where Tigertail Realty was in the new building on the corner.

Unfortunately, because of the rough real estate market, Tigertail Realty will be closing after five years in business. Most of the agents will be joining Avatar Realty on S. Bayshore Drive.

The Euro Sport Café is owned by locals Ralph and Andrea Hoffmeier and David Packard. The new place will be a coffee shop with indoor and outdoor seating.

Great location, I'm wondering about parking though. But it's always nice to see a new café or restaurant opening in the Grove.

On the other end of the building will be the new Coconut Grove Pharmacy, which is taking shape, work crews are working there today.

Election day

Did you vote today? Benny did, for the first time. His proud sister took photos of him in front of his voting precinct at the Museum of Science.

The election officials are predicting a slow turnout today, but it might be a good idea to go and try the new system. You actually do it with pen and paper now. Maybe they'll get our votes counted with this new system.

Save the date

Museum's next happy hour mixer is Thursday

The Museum of Science's next "Professional Happy Hour," called "Dance" is Thursday, August 28 from 6 to 10 pm. Members pay $10.00 and the general public $15.00. This includes an open bar and food all night.

It's one of the best professional mixers in town.The Dance Theater of Miami will be featured.

Parking is free.

The museum is across from Vizcaya at 3280 South Miami Avenue. For info, please call 305-646-4209.

Coconut Grove Arts Festival is number one again

Elena Carpenter from Miami Monthly sent me this page from Sunshine Artist magazine.

The Grove should be proud to know that the Coconut Grove Arts Festival is number one again. According to the article, the Grove festival is not just the top-rated fine art show, it is the top fine art event in the history of the 200 Best!

Nice going! Monty just got back in town for the season, nice news to come home to.

Rumor has it that the Arts Festival office may be moving into the old Borders Books location and their art gallery will be expanded. More good news!

Guarding the guard

Here's one of CocoWalk's security guards guarding Freddie the Flamingo this morning, who guards the Grove.

"Burn Notice" has part of 27th Avenue closed

"Burn Notice" is filming at 27th Avenue and S. Bayshore Drive this morning. I took this picture as I was driving now, so it's a bit blurry and abstract. I sort of like the way it came out. You can see Michael Westen's car right there.

The schedule for today's filming is here.

Arts in the parks

We have a few art installations in the Grove. It would be really great if we had more.

Many places like Sarasota, have a traveling exhibition up and down their main street (US41). It's always changing and consists of many different types of sculptures, you can see a few in the photo here. But simultaneously they have "dancing cars" -- cars standing up on end and an Andy Warhol sculpture, of him, not by him and all sorts of different styles and things. As you drive around town, you see amazing, artful things. It's lively and eclectic, and it all works.

We could do that here in the Grove up and down South Bayshore Drive.

There are some great things there now like the horse, giraffe and the bench sculptures, but how about more that would change on a continuing basis? We used to have those big rusty things at Kennedy Park for awhile. While many people hated them, many people loved them and they did add a little dimension to the park.

Different art installations up and down the parks would be nice and I don't think we need to wait for the whole Waterfront Masterplan to be completed, we should start now. Perhaps someone like AnnaMaria Windish-Hunt could be hired and run the program.

More on Code Enforcement and trees

Village Council member, Lilliana Dones sent me this:

A memo from Lourdes Slazyck of the Zoning Department to the zoning staff discusses stricter measures involving issuance of building permits in cases where compliance involving trees is an issue. It reads, in part:

Zoning Staff:

As I mentioned to some of you this week, I attended a meeting earlier this week where an issue came up about compliance with tree removal and relocation procedures. In an effort to provide for better compliance with these regulations, the Office of Zoning will immediately implement the following:

1) No building permit is to be approved by zoning where a tree removal or relocation is being proposed until such time that the applicant provides you with a copy of the final approved tree permit.
2) All permit plans which involve tree relocation and removal shall include a note on the plans that specifically state “TREE REMOVAL AND RELOCATION PERMIT REQUIRED; TO BE OBTAINED SEPARATELY.”
3) We will be ordering a stamp for our use on plans that require tree removal and relocation for our signature. Once stamped, the plans may only be signed upon compliance with #1 above.

There will be more meetings on the subject along with Director De Mola, who was out of town and unable to attend the last meeting.

Going postal

They're working on the parking lot now at the post office, as you know, hopefully they'll add one of these Automated Postal Center's inside as they proceed with improvements.

I used this one yesterday at the Gables post office and I was literally in and out in a minute.

Sure beats the long waits at the Grove post office.

Is Code Enforcement too slow on tree massacres?

Lilliana Dones, Village Council member, spoke at last Thursday's meeting about the problems with developers and the lack of responsiveness with Code Enforcement on tree cuttings.

The developers and other residents know that if they get the massacre done quickly, there is nothing they have to do except pay a fine. If they are building multi million dollar projects, a few thousand dollars in fines is just part of doing business. This is all a big joke.

More than just fines need to be put in place, I don't know what, maybe jail time -- is that too extreme? As slow as Code Enforcement may seem, they really can't be all places at all times, especially late at night and early morning hours when most of these anti-green jerks chop up the trees on purpose.

"Burn Notice" closing parts of Grove to film

"Burn Notice" will be filming in the Grove tomorrow. Special effects with two vehicles will be the main thing. This will be from 6:30 am to 10:30 am on 27th Avenue, adjacent to the Expo Center.

Part of 27th Avenue will be closed and when filming, all will be closed for the particular shot. The boat ramp will remain open.

Aside from scenes near the Seminole Boat Ramp, they will be filming at G’s Lounge, located at 3725 Grand Avenue. For some of these scenes at this location, the production is requesting to close Grand Avenue between 10 am to 2pm. Police officers will be on-site to guide traffic through a one-block detour.

If the production cannot finish the scenes during this time period, they have requested an extension to close Grand Avenue a second time from 6 pm to 8 pm.

Last Thursday's show had this scene. It looked really good on tv. And the car chase and shooting on Rice Street really looked great.

6:00 and all is well . . .

I think Freddie does a good job of keeping watch over the Grove. What would be cool would be to put a microphone inside him or something and have people ask Freddie directions and information, while he can't point directions, he'd do a hell of a lot better than what we have now.

Example:

Lost tourist: "Freddie, where can I get internet access?"

Freddie: "Well, do you have your own computer? If so, try The Bookstore on the corner or Starbucks right behind me, they have free wifi service."

Lost tourist: "No, I need to rent time on a computer to check my email, I didn't bring a laptop with me."

Freddie: "Well then, try Oasis Café right down the block in the direction my nose is pointing, next to the pizza place."

I think talking Freddie would be a hit.

Good vibrations

There are so many great coffee places in the Grove, but the most liveliest is the new Starbucks. It really always has something going on and the staff there is really always happy and seem joyful to see you. Here's Lino playing the guitar with his friend Max. Remember Lino and the banana hat? Well that hat is always on someone else's head every time you enter the place. They tell me they only have the one banana hat and they share it.

The place is always bustling, night and day, but on weekend nights it really tends to be a fun hangout for lots of different people, old and young. There's a real good vibe and energy there. It has a New York feel to it. When Lino left, with his guitar on his back, walking into the street among the yellow cabs and crowds, it really felt very cosmopolitan. The Grove is growing up.

Love to see this every day

Who needs someone in the information booths when you have a cop on a horse? This was the scene this morning in the Grove. Nice, quaint and Grovey. Everyone loved it. We would love to see more of this. Maybe everyday if the BID happens?

Village Council discusses peacocks

The Village Council met Thursday night and discussed the peacock issue. The thing here is that the folks who live on Micanopy love the peacocks, just not on their street. They are loud and dirty and a nuisance (the peacocks, not the neighbors, well actually one neighbor is).

One lady who lives on Micanopy feeds animals, mostly cats on the street on Micanopy, and that may be a big reason why the birds flock to that area. Council member, Gary Hecht will speak with code enforcement about this, but maybe they can just speak with the lady. Is this a code enforcement issue -- feeding stray animals, I mean.

The best solution, according to the neighbors would be to relocate them (the peafowl, not the nuisance neighbor who feeds them) to other areas of the Grove.

I don't know if the parks are a safe environment for the peafowl (peacocks and peahens), because of all of the people, but Peacock Park is a natural and so is Kennedy Park.

An avian expert may be brought in and perhaps the expert can come up with a solution. But that is up to the City now (another great reason why the Grove needs to start calling our own shots and not always having to defer to the City).

Next Chamber networker is at Cita's

The Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce invites you to the "After Hours Club" to exchange ideas and business referrals or just meet new friends on Tuesday, August 26 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. The networker is at Cita's Italian Chophouse (3176 Commodore Plaza).

Enjoy a complimentary cocktail and hors d ‘oeuvres with additional drinks at happy hour prices.

Plus you can buy a ticket for fun raffle prizes.

$5 Chamber Members/$10 Non-Members

RSVP to info@coconutgrove.com or call 305-444-7270

Enjoy a night at the museum -- tonight!

The Dinosaurs of China are finally going go to be extinct at the Museum of Science (3280 South Miami Avenue). Whether you have seen them already, or would like to seem them again, you can see them in a different "light."

For the next two Fridays, the museum will have extended evening hours, with fun for the entire family. Dance to the music of your favorite artist (Miley, Joe, Nick and Kevin) and experience the cool light perception exhibit and participate in hair-raising scientific demos.

You can even take flashlight tours of the Dinosaur gallery . . . in the spooky dark. Also along with the live entertainment, enjoy food, drinks and face painting.

This all takes place the tonight and next Friday, August 29 from 6 to 10 pm at the Museum of Science. Admission is just $10.00 per person.

For more information visit our website http://www.miamisci.org/ or call 305-646-4405

Taking Back The Grove group met last night

The "Take Back The Grove" group met again last night. One of their plans is to get an actual name for the group, and drop TBTG. Also, they did not elect a mayor yet.

Their main goal now is to get more people involved. I was thinking that the "Mayor" in Denver was Glenn Terry joking around, the description sounded like him, but you can see him here at the meeting last night, so guess that was not him in Colorado.



I am told that next week they will have a "laser sharp agenda" on addressing the group's growth and also they will start tackling the practical reasons why this is good for the Grove and the people and communities in Miami. You can sign up here if you like.

Did they elect a Grove mayor yet?

Someone seems to be rushing this "Take Back the Grove" thing. I got this email last night:

"Today in Denver, CO I met a gentleman who identified himself as the mayor of Coconut Grove, but upon research, I don't see where the people of Coconut Grove have their own mayor, but rather share one with Miami. Could you please help me identify the individual? The person I spoke with rides motorcycles and is picking up a new one in Atlanta on his way home from Denver. He was approximately 6 feet tall, graying brown hair and spectacles. He flashed a small badge which I assumed to be an official seal of office or some such."

Miami 21 meeting tomorrow morning

As you know, Miami 21 is a complete overhaul of our zoning laws. In part, it is intended to avoid circumstances where twenty-story buildings can be built adjacent to single family homes, as has happened around the city. It is also intended to create walking communities by allowing mixed use residential/office/commercial environments along transportation corridors.

There have been workshops for Miami 21, including two in Coconut Grove, and there will be an open house tomorrow where the planners will show how they have mapped the South Quadrant, which includes Coconut Grove. Residents will be able to see where they want to allow buildings of various heights and so on and residents will be able to comment.

This may be our only opportunity to give our input on the mapping before the Miami 21 plan is presented to the City Commission for approval.

Again, the meeting is this Saturday, August 23, from 8 am to noon at City Hall, right here in the Groovy Grove - 3500 Pan American Drive.

The latest drafts and maps are here.

He's a local celebrity

Freddie the Flamingo in front of CocoWalk has to be the most photographed thing (person, animal?) in the Grove. Don't you think? With all the talk of peacocks, maybe he can get a peacock friend made by some artist and the peacock could join him in the fountain. Either that or one or two of the real peacocks can be brought over to roam CocoWalk. They have a hell of a lot better personality than most of the security staff there. I had to stop in traffic today to let one of the majestic birds cross the street today on Tigertail.

The party is on now for Bailey!

Sorry for the late invite, but I was just informed that today's is Baily's birthday at the Coconut Grove Gallery at Bird and Mary.

Bailey is the golden retriever mascot of the store. The party is on until 6 pm.

Snacks and drinks are available for everyone, including your pet, so bring your pets on over and enjoy.

Sales include $100 off any single purchase of $500 or more. Parking is free and they are a member of Code 33, so you can also get a discount using the card. See you there!

More filming takes over Grove streets

Here's the tv show "Gabriel" being filmed yesterday, right next to the "For Rent" parking booth. Wonder if that sign made it into the filming. You can see it is still up from the photo below. Looks like the camera is sort of facing the post office lot. Guess the old lady being filmed is supposed to be in the ghetto or something as part of the tv show. I can't image why they would want that background with all the beautiful scenery we have here in the Grove.


Photos by Harry Emilio Gottlieb

For rent, 2 x 4 square feet

I thought the parking booth was for rent until I went up and saw that the sign says it's an office that is for rent. If you click on the picture, it will open larger and be easier to read. This is the lot at Fuller and Grand.