Free film industry seminar at Museum of Science

The Entertainment Industry Incubator is holding A Conversation with Filmmaker Brian Hecker at the Miami Science Museum (3280 S. Miami Ave.) tomorrow, April 1.

Brian grew up in South Florida, the setting for his new film "Bart Got a Room," which opens April 3. The film stars William H. Macy, Jennifer Tilley and newcomer Steven Kaplan in an off-beat coming-of-age comedy shot entirely in Florida.

Brian received an MFA at the American Film Institute where he was awarded 'Director of the Year'. His short thesis film Family Attraction, starring Martin Sheen and the late Chris Penn, earned over a dozen national and international film festival awards. Paramount Pictures has recently hired Hecker and his writing partner to write a biopic for Leonardo Dicaprio about the 29-year-old rebel-genius Nolan Bushnell who, in 1972, created Pong and started Atari.

Brian Hecker has recently joined the Miami Filmmaker Project Advisory Board. The free seminar starts tomorrow at 6:30 pm. For info: info@eincubator.org.

Congratulations, Richard!

Congratulations go out to Richard Issa, who is now the Assistant to the BID Director (Dave Collins).

Richard comes from the Chamber of Commerce, where I am sure he will be sorely missed.

Acoustic performance at Berrie's in the Grove tonight

Three acoustic musicians will be performing at Berrie's in the Grove tonight, March 31: Bill Kunz, Eric Wagner and Zip Robertson. Plus they will have special guests.

Show time is 8 to 11 pm. Berrie's is at 2884 SW 27th Avenue.

They all came out to sing for a good cause

Last night Sandbar Sports Bar and Grill held a Karaoke night to raise money for Autism Speaks.

From left are Iliana Rivera, Lula Folgosa, Executive Director of Autism Speaks; Nora Morales, Jimmy Morales, and Dori Morales.

There was quite a crowd enjoying the good and bad singing all for a good cause.

Photo by AnnaMaria Windisch-Hunt for the Grapevine

Sekai Asian Bistro's open house is tonight

Atchana had over 600 people stop by last week for her thing.

Tonight is Sekai Asian Bistro's freebie night. Details here.

15th Annual Bali Ha'i charity event is this Sunday

The 15th annual Bali Ha'i is Sunday, April 5 at the Kampong. Anyone who has gone before, knows this is one of the parties of the year. The main features are the grounds and the view. It's a tropical oasis right on the bay. Green foliage mix with green/blue water. It's like being in another world -- like being in Bali Ha'i, in fact.

Wine and dine in this remarkable setting and enjoy the auction benefiting The Kampong and the American Institute of Wine and Food.

Azul at the Mandarin won People's Choice in 2007. Jake's Bar and Grill won People's Choice last year. Who will win this year?

25 restaurants will feature their best food. Tickets are $125 until the end of today and then they are $135. A VIP Preview Party, an hour before the event is $200 per person.

The main event is 5 to 8 pm, the Preview Party starts at 4 pm.

For info: 305-442-7169. You may purchase tickets on line here.

Photo courtesy Kampong website

Anything and Everything Blue art exhibit opening

The Windisch-Hunt Gallery (2911 Grand Avenue) is presenting an exhibition of "Anything and Everything Blue" a celebration of the color. It consists of ocean scenes, moody hues, and visions of life seen predominately in one color: Blue.

The call to artists went out and the response came in the form of beautiful works of oils, acrylics and mixed media. This is Ft. Lauderdale artist Danielle Perry bringing her entrees.

The opening reception for "Anything and Everything Blue" is Saturday, April 4, at 7 pm, as part of the First Saturday Grove Stroll. Also on exhibit will be 10 x 10 canvases for the beginning collector, prices reflect this.

Danielle and many of the other artists will be on hand to meet and greet.

Come out and sing Karaoke tonight for a cause

This just in: Adam Kuperstein from Channel 6 Sports will be hosting a Karaoke fundraiser at Sandbar Grill (3064 Grand Avenue) tonight from 6 to 9 pm.

Bernie from Karaoke Miami will set things up. Drinks are half price and so are tacos.

Pay to sing, pay to make someone else sing or pay to make someone stop singing (including yourself). All money raised goes to Autism Speaks.

Calamari Italian Seafood is planning to open next month

I met Salvatore Catania, one of the managers at the new Calamari Italian Seafood, today.

He tells me they are trying to open April 8, but knowing the way things work in the city with zoning and permits, I wish them the best on holding to that date.

They have a something special planned for the old Cefalo's Wine Cellar area, but he would not reveal that. He did reveal that their prices at the restaurant will be amazingly affordable, I'll share that when the menu is ready for public view.

Salvatore told me that the owner of Calamari owns many great restaurants including Villagio at The Village of Merrick Park in Coral Gables and is also known for Mezzanotte.

My friend Riley Smith, with EWM realty, across the street, wandered over. We started telling Salvatore about the Grove and he was impressed with the Village and our small town feel and he liked that we have many special events.

The food at Calamari sounds delicious, despite the name, there is something for everyone. They are at 3540 Main Highway, the old Sammy C's location. If the rest of the staff is as friendly and inviting as Salvatore, I think they will have something special there.

Nice to see there was no vandalism, enjoy the art

When I first arrived at the bike rack ceremony last weekend, I got there early and I went right over to the bike rack. I saw this -- a can of spray paint right on top of Lebo's bike rack.

It thought it was a little test. I was told that Lebo's art is respected by taggers (graffiti artists) and they would never "tag" his art. Also, the bike rack has a coating, sort of like they have on the NY subway cars, that doesn't allow graffiti to adhere. So it would remain clean.

Then I realized the can said "gloss protection enamel." That was the protection they were using.

I was happy to see that no one tried to destroy or tag the art, but when I went back a short time later I noticed the paint can was gone. But at least the art wasn't marred. Probably one of the staff took the can away, but I found it funny to see the art was fine, and that only the can was gone which I thought was stolen, which it probably wasn't.

Anyway, many of you don't like the rack, but you have to admit, it's a nice piece of art.

Remove the traffic light; admit it wasn't right

Neighbors in the South Grove are still upset over the traffic light at Ingraham and Douglas. For all these many years there never was a need for the light, now the light is doing more harm than good.

Traffic is backed up at all hours, especially during rush hours, and the drivers are now taking short cuts through the neighborhoods.

I suspect some higher up who lives in that area had the light installed. That usually seems to be the case. Now that person and his neighbors have unwanted traffic caused by drivers taking short cuts through their streets to avoid the long waits at the light (I am told 45 minutes at times to get through the lights).

Someone needs to admit the mistake already and remove the light. Can't anyone ever say they were wrong rather than add to the problem by stubbornly insisting they were right.

You can't help those who don't want to be helped

After the Earth Hour fiasco and some of the comments left here (see stories below), I am thinking that maybe the Chamber and other groups are going too much overboard by trying to make events happen that maybe shouldn't since there is such apathy in the Village.

I go to most meetings in the village, to cover them for the Grapevine, and I see the same people over and over at every meeting. There are a handful who want to be involved and who feel the need to do good for everyone.

Perhaps some new blood should step in and if they don't then they can't complain that their businesses are not prospering, since they don't want to do anything to help it.

Many say they don't know about events, but I publish most events before, during and after. And I know you are reading this. Yes, you. :)

I hear the same old stories that people go to meetings and nothing gets done, but when you have the same handful of people doing things for the Village Council and the Chamber and the Bed Race and the Merchants and the BID and the PowWow, it really spreads them quite thin.

While they are all good intentioned and honestly want to get things done, they are only able to do so much. Aside from all these committees and groups, these people also work full time.

I found it so funny that one night Adam Weirich was sworn in as a Village Council member and the next morning at 9 am, I found him sitting next to me at the Bed Race meeting, and there were two other Village Council members at the Bed Race meeting. This explained it all to me at that very moment. A handful of people do all the work. The rest don't want to be bothered.

Try the new Coconut Grove Grapevine sandwich

I was walking to Focaccia for a sandwich and as I passed Johnny Rockets, I smelled bacon cooking. So I decided on a BLT, which I haven't had for years.

I walked into Focaccia and announced that I would like something with bacon, knowing that they don't have BLT's on the menu.

Monty Trainer and my friend Gigi were both there and ironically, they both have sandwiches named after them on the menu -- with bacon! So they each told me to order their respective sandwiches.

But both sandwiches had things I didn't want like provolone, ham, salami, etc. So I ordered a Monty's Icebox but I told them to hold everything except the bacon, lettuce and tomato and here you have it. The new Coconut Grove Grapevine sandwich (a BLT on a baguette).

They don't call it that, but I do. Let's see if it appears on the menu. It's my new favorite thing there.

Roberta Flack, Maxi Priest to hold Mother's Day Concert

There's a big concert coming to Peacock Park the Saturday before Mother's Day -- May 9.

Roberta Flack and Maxi Priest are performing. It's part of the Jazz on the Bay series.

There will be food, art and a fashion show. It starts at 4 pm and is totally free.

I know one year they were strict about people bringing outside food and drinks into the park, so that the vendors who are part of the event wouldn't be outsold. So keep that in mind if you plan on bringing coolers and such. Do bring blankets and low rise beach chairs.

NOTE: Roberta Flack is no longer in the concert, it is Jon Secada and Maxi Priest

For info: 305-642-1271.

Chamber President responds to Grove's Earth Hour

Village Council member and Chamber President, Liliana Dones sent this in.

If Earth Hour in the Grove was not as big as anticipated, it was not for lack of trying by the usual enthusiasts, who saw this not only as an organized effort to promote solidarity with all major cities throughout our planet to bring attention to the seriousness of global warming (particularly since in its continued course, it is the Grove, Miami, and all of Southern Florida that will go under long before Paris or Las Vegas and other participating cities).


Many of us saw an additional benefit in this event: a way to stimulate the economy for Grove restaurants and merchants, who beyond switching off the lights, could also promote and draw people to their own establishments. To that effort, the Grove Chamber participated in weeks of planning as part of Miami's Earth Hour Committee in order to make the Grove a prime destination for Earth Hour in Miami. Other areas included Key Biscayne, Downtown, Mary Brickell Village and the Design District.

We circulated many calls for participation, provided ideas and promoted this as a Grove event, not just for Chamber members. This was not just about turning out the lights, but about turning people on to the different establishments wishing to participate. We arranged for banners with fees waived by the BID and the City, production donated by Fast Signs Downtown, and art preparation by Creative Tools.

Through the infrastructure provided by the World Wildlife Fund's Miami Earth Hour Committee, the City of Miami, and the many individuals and organizations that donated their time and effort and expertise, the promotion of this event featured ads in magazines, including Miami Monthly.

It included calendars of events and promotion through eblasts by many organizations. It included countless postings in the Grapevine.

It included the Bike rack inauguration in the Grove which drew hundreds of cycling enthusiasts and supporters, that were encouraged to remain here for the evening's switch-off events.

It featured all manner of collateral materials, including posters, pins, and bus stop posters, and eflyers and e-banners. It included television coverage and pre-events.

The PR effort had worldwide reach - as witnessed by this entry forwarded from the World Wildlife Org. Earth hour blog: "I have been planning this with my sister for about a month now…. I have also been told that Coconut Grove, Florida is making an event out of this and is inviting everyone to join in this earthy celebration… so that should be a sight…" -- Paula Lopez

I was sick in bed, unable to be out and about in the Grove, last night, so had my own little candlelight event at home. The rest of the time I responded to emails, including several asking where in the Grove their party should head for dinner and Earth Hour. Greenstreets, Windisch-Hunt, The Bookstore. As I said, the usual enthusiasts.

The Grove businesses are luckier than most. Promotional opportunities and free, or next-to-nothing, marketing opportunities are there for the taking.

They have had the BIC, and now the BID. They have a NET office that facilitates police liaison and Merchant Association meetings. They have an Arts Festival that brings world wide recognition and thousands of people that spill over to benefit our commerce.

They have a Chamber of Commerce, with over half a century in existence, which promotes its member businesses for as little as 75 cents a day, through constant eblasts, promotional ideas, regular events, and signature events such as Taste of the Grove and July 4th in benefit of all Grove businesses.

They can run ads in the Grapevine, which is among the most read community blogs in the nation, for pennies a day, and can count on constant free inclusion in its write ups.

They have people like Sue McConnell shooting out emails promoting Code 33133 participants and all Grove events to her extensive email list.

Around the corner is another event that stands to benefit the merchants and restaurants of the Grove. It is the Pow Wow. Lots of planning involved by the GMCVB, the BID, the Chamber.

Lots of meetings and strategy in an effort to get 1500 tour and travel professionals to experience the Grove one evening during their major conference in Miami in Mid may.

The 4th of July is coming. It is a weekend. And just like last year, the Chamber will once again encourage all Grove businesses to come forward with specials and packages that promote the Grove as a whole to the locals, the near-locals and those looking for economical weekend or summer getaways. Cross-promos are encouraged.

At the end of the summer is the Bed Race on Labor Day, and the hope that we can put the summer to bed with a little prosperity for all.

Look at other successful businesses (you know the ones) and ask, "What would ______do?" Join the Chamber. Volunteer for Pow Wow. Advertise in the Grapevine. Participate in the BID's summer campaign opportunities, support fellow businesses (which incidentally, are more than just restaurants and retail stores, but many excellent service businesses).

Learn the power of cross promotion, joint promotions, and above all, joint effort.

"Wine is Fun" dinner features California cuisine

The next "Wine is Fun" wine and dinner is at the Ritz-Carlton's Biscaya Restaurant Thursday April 2.

The featured meal is: California Cuisine and the wine is Napa vs. Sonoma Wines.

Cost is $100 per person, plus tax & gratuity. Details on the wine and dinner series is here.

It's a shame that most could not make an effort

We received a letter last night from a reader, during Earth Hour. He was very disappointed in the lack of participation for Earth Hour. While many of you feel it is a wasted effort, it is still something that was planned and should have happened. You may not believe in Halloween or St. Patrick's Day either, but they happen anyway, so this is not about whether you think Earth Hour is stupid or not, this is about apathy in the Grove by local businesses.

Many did participate like Greenstreet and Havana Grove and the Bookstore and the Windisch-Hunt Gallery, they went out of their way to buy candles and bags to put them in and to present movies and have specials and more. Above is Alissia at the gallery, enjoying a work of art by Eric Speyer. People actually enjoyed the art by candlelight. They sought it out, knowing the gallery would do something special.

I know Liliana Dones and the Chamber worked tirelessly to get this to happen. Apparently most of the local businesses don't have much respect for the Chamber or Earth Hour. Here is the letter sent in last night:

I am sitting in the Grove for Earth Hour as I write this, and it is disheartening to see the lack of effort made by the local businesses and city. Cocowalk is bright as day, Johnny Rockets is neon city, the trees are sparkling along the streets (normally I love this by the way, just not at this moment!!).

The signs for Chili's, Starbucks, The Gap, etc. are all high voltage as usual. I know they can't go dark in general and of course the kitchens need to be functional on a Saturday night, but at least show some environmental effort by shutting off the signs for an hour and light a few candles inside.

Greenstreet as usual is one of the few making a decent showing. Hell, even the city's sign advertising the "switch off" is lit up! If the Vegas Strip, Eiffel Tower, Golden Gate Bridge, can go dark for one stinkin' hour, the Grove could have at least made an effort to make a small statement. Disappointing....


Here are some friends in the South Grove who got it. That's Francesca Terry at left with friends who met in a park, shaded the lamp post and enjoyed the stars.

Photos by AnnaMaria Windisch-Hunt

Earth Hour turned out to be a dud in the Grove

Last night it seemed that not many people took part in Earth Hour. While many did turn lights out and use candles and things like that, most of the Grove did not participate. At the last minute, the movie was pulled at the Arts and Minds Center because of conflicting plans and the movie at CocoWalk was also scrubbed. Only the Bookstore showed a movie -- Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth."

The Chamber gave out mini flashlights to businesses to have them hand out and they had stickers that said, "I'm not afraid of the dark." I think most were afraid of the dark, since they left the lights on and decided not to participate. Come back in a bit, I have a letter sent in from a reader who was totally disappointed in the Grove's efforts on Earth Hour.

Above are Aurielia Gheba and Sam Goodson at Greenstreet, who actually participated by going dark and having an acoustic band and even having Earth Hour specials. Martin and Rick in Earth Hour t-shirts, actually walked around the Grove, looking for participating locations.


The Janowiak family, from Chicago, enjoyed ice cream during Earth Hour.


Bernie Lageyre (standing) celebrated his 40th Birthday at Al Fresco Restaurant on Commodore Plaza.

Photos by AnnaMaria Windisch-Hunt

It was a really nice, well attended party in the park

Yesterday was the unveiling of the brand new bike rack by artist Lebo, at Peacock Park. Like it?

Just kidding, that's just a bunch of bikes on the ground, which is confusing, since there was the new, beautiful bike rack not too far away, and the whole ceremony was about that.

This is David "Lebo" LeBatard (left) with Jim Frevola, a Magnificent Six team member. You can see his work of art below. At each end are brown metal racks that hold two bikes each, and possibly more.

The design was to also be a bench, but that was discarded, so hence the long cement shape.

There were also bicycle valets, which people enjoyed a lot -- leaving your bicycle with someone who actually watches it was a nice touch.

The bike rack installation ceremony turned into All Home Week. It was as if the whole Grove turned out for this. And it was a nice first class catered event. There was shrimp and chicken and conch fritters and wine, beer, soda, cakes, etc.


The weather was great and bicyclists, walkers and skaters all turned out.


So did many politicians. From left, next to the camera man is Dave Collins, head of the BID, then there is Collin Worth (drinking water) director of the Bicycle Action Committee; Village Council member and liaison for the project, Michelle Niemeyer in bright green pants, Commissioner Marc (crazy legs) Sarnoff, Commisioner Joe Sanchez and Mayor Manny Diaz. That is Carlos Iglesias, bicycling advocate and frequent commenter in the Grapevine, in the hat and checkered shirt.


The whole Magnificent Six Bicycle Action Committee was out and proud of the job they did. It was very well attended and lots of fun. I even got to ride Comm. Joe Sanchez's bike around the park.

The new Grove bike rack dedication is today

As this story is being posted, the actual bike rack ceremony is taking place in Peacock Park. I'll report back on that tomorrow.

Here you can see artist Lebo working on the cement block part of the rack last Thursday. The actual metal parts were added and the whole thing is usable today.

Many of you like to bitch and moan about the biking situation in the Grove and in all of Miami, for that matter. Yet all you do is bitch and moan. How about doing something? I don't see any of you at any Village Council meetings or BID meetings or merchant meetings talking about the subject. Or how about starting up your own meeting?

There is a committee for every little thing these days it seems. I don't see any biker's rights meetings or bike path meetings, etc. Why not start one? Maybe Danny at Revolution Bicycle Services (3444 Main Highway) will offer up his place for your inaugural meeting. How about doing something other than bitching?

Check out the waffles on Waffle Sunday!

Have you tried the waffles at the Bookstore?

Well, Sunday's are Waffle Sunday and you wouldn't think that a bookstore would have delicious waffles, but they do.

They are fluffy, hot and fresh -- made right before your eyes, as you see Veronica doing here.

They have all the topping -- syrup, butter, cinnamon, strawberries, whipped cream and you complete the freshly made waffle yourself, to your liking.

They even make the waffles to your liking -- they'll add chocolate chips if you like and other items! I had mine plain.

There are nice little round take out containers, so you can easily just take them to go. My friend Q and I got waffles last week and then went down to Havana Grove for bacon and we made our own little breakfast, adding coffee -- mine from the bookstore, her cortadito from Havana Grove.

See you at Waffle Sunday tomorrow! They are usually gone by 1 pm, so get there early.

Is the grocery store a tourist destination now?

I found this kind of odd: according to an employee of The Fresh Market, a number of tour buses stop at The Fresh Market on a daily basis to allow the tourists to exit and get something to eat and drink.


Why not drop them off on Commodore Plaza where the restaurants are?

Is The Fresh Market all the Grove has to offer tourists these days? Strange.

Speed Dating tonight at Eleven Leprechauns

Eleven Leprechauns (3120 Commodore Plaza) now offers Speed Dating on Saturday nights! From 6 to 8 pm, ladies, come out and meet your new man!

Get there early to sign up. For more info, please email marketing@11leprechanus.com

And Sundays, is open Mic Day. From noon to 10 pm. The mic is yours! Complimentary drinks and snacks for performers.

For more info, please call 786-200-4540 or email musicinmiami@gmail.com

Earth Hour will be celebrated for most of today

Tonight from 8:30 to 9:30 is Earth Hour. Here in the Grove, there are quite a few events.

Most places will shut the lights and things will be done by candle light -- dining, shopping, gallery hunting, etc.

Before that, from 4 to 6 pm, the new bike rack at Peacock Park will be dedicated.

The Museum of Science (3280 S. Miami Avenue) has a family day from 11 am to 3 pm with An array of environmentally-friendly activities, including: lectures on eco-friendly architecture and Florida’s wildlife, native tree informational activities and landscaping, human food chain game and energy conservation activities, what are solar cookers… and their use. Check Globe@Night in the Planetarium – a cool activity that will let you see the stars. Literally! Also, the Museum’s new exhibit, Megalodon: The Largest Shark That Ever Lived! is now open All activities are included with regular admission price.

Then for Earth Hour Greenstreet Café (3468 Main Highway) will be going candle light as they participate in Earth Hour. Acoustic music will be played and their drink menu will feature half price drinks. Check out the electric golf carts when there.

The Bookstore is offering 2-4-1 Wine specials.

Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth," will be showing at the Arts and Minds Center (3138 Commodore Plaza) as part of the Dinner and a Movie series at 8 pm.

CocoWalk is screening the new version of "The Day the Earth Stood Still" on an outdoor screen.There will be musicians strolling the streets and many stores and restaurants will feature specials.

Blast your ad like this one. Rates are here.

Weekly wine tasting visits France and Italy

Barry Alberts' weekly wine tasting at Angelo and Maxie's (3000 Florida Avenue) visits France and Italy this week. Enjoy flavors of the Old World accompanied by a complimentary arry of cheeses.

The tasting is tonight, March 27 from 7 to 9:30 pm.

Update on the BID

There was a BID meeting last week. Not much happened. A little arguing over money and events, but other than that the news is basically this:

The great news is that the final step happened on March 17, the Mayor signed the final papers making the BIC (Business Improvement Committee) a BID (Business Improvement District). I told Dave Collins, (Mr. BID) that every St. Patrick's Day now, he can drink a green beer to toast the BID anniversary.

A new Administrative Manager should be starting soon, that person will be second in charge in the daily workings of the office.

A part-time person will be hired to deal with "street scapes" -- flowers, light poles, banners, street decorations, etc.

You'll be seeing more police on the streets -- on the beat -- they will be wearing hats and name badges and have the Coconut Grove BID logo on the backs of their shirts. The logo was created by Turkel pro bono and will be revealed soon.

What's up with the harassment of Grove patrons?

I've been hearing about police brutality and bouncer issues late at night, tied in with the 3 am bar closings. Are we having problems again with this like we did in December?

The right hand never knows what the left hand is doing. One hand is trying to promote and get more people to the Grove, including young people. The other hand is killing this effort by being rude and hostile.

I have been contacted by attorneys who are planning on pressing charges against the city and Coconut Grove due to the nonsense. It seems to be total confusion at 3 am around here. I may need to get out there with a camera one one of these nights.

First it was harassment of establishments, now it is harassment of the customers.

One attorney told me he has a saying: "Come to Miami on vacation, leave on probation." Nice message for people to bring back home with them.

Lebo created a beautiful bike rack -- a real work of art

Yesterday afternoon, I walked over to Peacock Park with Dave Collins, where we checked out artist Lebo, painting the new bike rack that will be unveiled tomorrow during a ceremony (info here).

Also at the park were a film crew, who interviewed Dave about the project. Dave was in fact, very nice to mention the Coconut Grove Grapevine, on camera.

When we got to the park, my friend, Village Council member, Michelle Niemeyer, was there with Margie Carmenates, from the City's Leadership Team #6, in charge of the project. Michelle was very instrumental in getting the new installation, working along with Margie's team.

They all went out of their way to plan the correct position for the rack, keeping the skaters in mind, who use the skate park. They actually found out which routes they take on their bikes and they positioned the rack along the path and within eyesight of the skate park, so that the kids could always see their bikes as they used the park.

It's a beautiful piece of art. I was asked not to show it here, so as not to ruin the unveiling. But I think everyone will be pleased and this is just one of many bike racks to come. Dave Collins, the BID, the Village Council and many others are making it their business to show bike riders that they are welcome.

Many complain about lack of bike lanes and accessibility. But the projects have started with the bike racks. They won't stop now. They can't be stopped, they have been "let out of the bottle." I heard Dave say something like that on camera. I know he meant it. He was ebulent as he was talking to the camera. He is totally excited about the prospects to come. So am I.

Alhambra Orchestra presents competition winners

The winners of Alhambra Orchestra's 5th Annual Concert Competition for middle and high school students will be performing on Sunday, March 29 at Ransom Everglades (3575 Main Highway) at 2 pm.

First prize winner Gabrielle Chou, age 13, (shown here) will be performing Mendelssohn's Violen Concerto, her winning entry.

Marcel Angles, 18, a Gulliver Senior, a pianist was also a top winner and will be performing.

Admission is free but donations are accepted which support the orchestra. Free parking is available at the school. For info, please call 305-668-9260.

The AmJam is looking for performers

The first Thursday of every month (next one is April 2) is "AmJam" at A&M -- the Arts and Minds School (3138 Commodore Plaza). Everyone is welcome -- to perform or to just be part of the audience.

It's an open call for artists, musicians, singers, dancers, actors, stand-ups and visual artists. Shows are performed on the terrace -- 7:30 for students and 9:00 pm for professionals. Pizza and refreshments are provided by Al Fresco restaurant.

The musicians jam session started out as part of the educational program at Arts and Minds and quickly turned into a "happening" involving the multiple art forms.

The March AmJam began with Cystem 32 from A&M and then the Voice and Safiok Brains did a unique techno piece, before you knew it, so many acts ended up performing.

Juan Turros is the emcee. You can reach him at 786-357-7447 to get in on the next AmJam.

Call to artists -- bring your art to the gallery

There's an open call for artists this weekend. Bring your work to the Windisch-Hunt Gallery (2911 Grand Avenue) to enter it for sale.

The art should be on 10" x 10" canvas size only. The work should be unframed and have name, title, media and price attached. The canvases can be numbered 1, 2, 3, etc. instead of titled if you wish.

Entry fee is $10 per piece and the gallery will only accept 10% in commission. They request that all prices be set at $100 or less for quick sales.

Deadline is Saturday, March 28, 2009. The opening reception will be Saturday night, April 4.

The art will be accepted tomorrow, Friday, March 27, from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturday, March 28, from 11 am to 5 pm.

For larger pieces, there is an "Anything and Everything Blue." event, too. That's a bit more complicated. I just saw an artist bring in a couple of pieces for that. Any artists interested should email for info on that: fredhuntart@mac.com

Action Painting Workshop this Friday at Blu Moon

Sheri is having another Art Happy Hour at Blue Moon Studio, tomorrow, March 27.

It's an "Action Painting Workshop" this time with artist Rita Coll.

Be prepared to create a beautiful, expressive painting guided by Rita. No experience is required. Also, enjoy empanadas from Tango's Argentinean Café, hors d'oeuvres and liquid refreshment!

Last time Three Sheets to the Wind was playing and Rich, one of the band members, played on the roof!

Blu Moon is a great place to meet new friends, explore art and just have a good time. It's a homey feeling, you won't want to leave, once you have experienced it. I don't know how to explain it, but you will really enjoy it if you go.

Cost is $28.00 which includes the materials and instruction. The fun starts at 6 pm and should run until about 7:30 pm.

Blu Moon Studio is at the very top at 3444 Florentine Plaza -- way above Danny's bike shop, above The Knife restaurant. For info, please call 305-529-5006 or email: sheri@sheriaf.com

Tigertail traffic issues discussed

Village Council Member Gary Hecht brought up traffic issues on Tigertail at the last Village Council meeting.

Ransom Everglades' traffic was the major issue. Since they moved their entrance from Emathla Street to Tigertail, neighbors have freaked out at the sudden slow down of traffic movement at certain times.

Police Commander Martin spoke on the issue of speeders and people driving erratically, trying to get through the blocked traffic caused by Ransom. The police have been out monitoring traffic and giving tickets to those crazy drivers.

According to the school, the wait time is 15 minutes, so if you can avoid the area, do so when school lets out if it bugs you to wait the 15 minutes. Ransom has also staggered times for their after school activities, so that there is no traffic at all (the soccer team leaves one time, the band another time and so on).

Talk about art in public places . . .

A group from the Coconut Grove Sailing Club (CGSC) chartered a 53 foot sailboat and rounded Cape Horn, Chile, earlier this month.

Here is most of the crew with the CGSC burgee at a monument, near the Chilean Armada station, dedicated to the mariners lost sailing around Cape Horn. It depicts an albatross.

Back row: Susanne Walcutt, Phil Kellet, Dottie Rostorfer, Emmy Martinez and Ron Rostorfer
Front row: Cathy and Marc Buller.

Marc sent in the photo.

"The Cove" movie premier at City Hall next Tuesday

Commissioner Marc Sarnoff's office is presenting Film Night at City Hall on Tuesday, March 31. The 2009 Sundance Film Festival Award Winner "The Cove" is featured in this exclusive Miami premier.

The Cove tells the amazing true story of how an elite team of activists, filmmakers and freedivers embarked on a covert mission to penetrate a hidden cove in Japan, shining light on a dark and deadly secret. The mysteries they uncovered were only the tip of the iceberg.

Be one of the first to see it and meet the film's cast and crew for a Q&A session at this one time only event before the film's widespread release later this spring.Show time is 6:30 pm. Seating is limited. For more info email dkarsh@miamigov.com

Science Museum's Green Happy Hour

The Museum of Science (3280 S. Miami Ave.) is having it's professionals happy hour tomorrow, March 26 from 6 to 11 pm.

Tying in with this weekend's Earth Hour, they will be going green -- Enjoy a collection of recycled paper dresses by Heinrich Rasch-Suarez, which are on display. Fancy Me Yet will be performing live.

Admission is $15.00 with rsvp (305-646-4200) or $20.00 at the door.

Free New Moon Meditation session tomorrow

Come out for free New Moon Meditation tomorrow, March 26 at the Windisch-Hunt Gallery (2911 Grand Avenue).

It starts at 7 pm. Dissolve your stress!

Rockin' on the Green for Children's Bereavement Center

The Children's Bereavement Center (CBC) will honor the Dubow Family (Adrian, Ken, Rachel & Brian) at the 10th annual benefit, this Saturday March 28.

There are cocktails and a silent auction, Chef David Schwadron will be preparing dinner and the band Blackstar will be performing.

Bob Mayer, Pam Giganti and Ryan Phillips the morning team from NBC6 will emcee and joining them will be their former colleague Lonnie Quinn, now with CBS2 in New York.

CBC provides support groups for children after the death of a loved one. The event is 7pm at Ransom Everglades Upper School (3575 Main Highway) Tickets are $150 per person. To order tickets, please call Mindy at 305-668-4902.

Dogs will Rock the Runway Friday at Cabana One

Rock the Runway, the pet charity event is Friday, March 27 at Cabana One (on the rooftop of the Mayfair Hotel).

The new spring line, entitled Rescue Wear, will be modeled by rescued dogs from Paws 4 You Rescue, a non-profit, all volunteer animal rescue organization. The line is designed to help promote awareness for rescue groups as well as adoption and spay/neuter programs nationwide. TORU will donate 15 percent of the proceeds.

"My dog, Jack, is a rescue and so organizations such as Paws 4 You Rescue hold a very special place in our hearts,” said Vanessa Rossman, co-owner of TORU. “We are thrilled to give back to them through this line and are excited to debut it at the show at the stunning Cabana One.”

The runway show takes place from 7 to 9 pm. to 9:00 pm with the show beginning at 7:30 pm. There is live music by DJ Vic Mendez. Tickets are $25 and will be available for purchase at the door. Guests will each receive one complimentary beverage, light hors d'oeuvres and a raffle ticket.
Raffle prizes include a $100 gift certificate from Angelo & Maxie’s Steakhouse, a pet portrait session by Johnny Valdes of ArtWay 66, and a grooming gift certificate from The Dog From Ipanema. All proceeds from the Rescues Rock the Runway fashion show will benefit Paws 4 You Rescue.

“As a dog-friendly hotel, the Mayfair Hotel & Spa is 100 percent supportive of the efforts of TORU and Paws 4 You Rescue,” says Gillian Gordon, director of events for Cabana One.

“Their efforts will give us the means to continue rescuing dogs from euthanasia lists at Miami Dade Animal Services where hundreds of animals are left unclaimed everyday.” For more information on TORU visit www.torudog.com and for Cabana One visit www.mayfairhotelandspa.com. Additional information about Paws 4 You Rescue, including adoptable dogs, is available at www.paws4you.org.

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The Grove Book Club meets tonight

The Bookstore's Book Club continues tonight with a discussion of the book "Local Knowledge," by Lisa Gyllenhaal.

Enjoy coffee, pastries, a glass of wine and join the conversation. It all starts at 7 pm.

Plus, there is a special surprise appearance! The Bookstore in the Grove is at 3399 Virginia Street.

Why don't we just go and get them and bring them over?

The Grove is always trying to figure out how to get tourists from South Beach, Coral Gables, South Miami or downtown to come here. What about a shuttle. A free shuttle?

A trolley or one of the buses that looks like a trolley could literally drive around a few times a day and pick up and drop off people. Maybe even a double decker bus would be fun. I don't really care for these fake trolley looking buses you see in the photo here.

The bus could be a signature item of the Grove. People would know it is the Coconut Grove bus after awhile. But I suppose double decker buses are too expensive, especially if we want a flock of them out and about on the streets running simultaneously. But some sort of color or style or something could make it the "Grove Bus" or "Grove Trolley," a rolling utilitarian advertisement for Coconut Grove.

The bus could make stops, like a cable car would, and people could literally hop on, come to the Grove to shop or eat or wander around and then just catch the next trolley or bus back to wherever they started. It would run all day, into the night. It would be perfect for special events and even the monthly Art Stroll night.

I did mention the Coral Gables trolley in the past, which picks up people at the Metrorail station, but this would literally pick people up at set bus stops.

I have seen something similar in other cites for pub crawls and/or shopping trips. We already have the circulator, but that is for people who are actually here already. This new trolley system would literally go out and get the people and then bring them back to their hotels or home again.

Chamber's Green Luncheon is Friday

The Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce is having The Green Luncheon on Friday, March 27 at the Sonesta Bayfront Hotel (2889 McFarlane Road).

It's part of their TGIF networking series.As you know the Grove is proud to have one of the few "green hotels" in the nation -- the Sontesta has that distinction. Find out how green can work for you at this luncheon.

Edith McClintock, executive director of Dream in Green Foundation; Robert Ruano, City of Miami Director of Sustainable Initiatives, Noel Gourmelen, PhD student at UM Rosenstiel School of Marine and Science, just back from a project in Antarctica and Frank Couzo, Sales and Marketing Director of the Sonesta all will be on hand.

Frank will be featuring the wines of Schnebley, a sustainable local winery.

The luncheon is from noon to 2 pm.

Cost for the event is $25.00 chamber members and $28.00 non-members. Please rsvp: 305-444-7270 or info@coconutgrove.com

Pouring our tax dollars into the pockets of the rich

So the Marlins stadium was approved last night. County Manager George Burgess and Marlins President David Samson looked like two little rats, rubbing their hands together, like you see in the cartoons. Sickening. You could just see them counting the money in their heads they both will probably make.

You would think they are getting millions themselves. Are they? They both mortgaged their childrens' and grandchildrens' futures. This is what greed looks like folks. Look at these pigs.

How County Mayor Carlos Alvarez (shown looking on in the background) ever got mixed up in this I don't know. I always thought he had brains, but I am stymied by his pro-stance on this issue.

Is Burgess on the Marlins' payroll? If not, why does he act like he is? I thought the County Manager should be protecting the public's money and interests, not pissing it all away. I bet he would be in favor of the AIG bonus plan, too.

The only County Commissioners who actually care about the voters are Carlos Gimenez, Sally Heyman, Katy Sorenson and Joe Martinez. Sorenson did an excellent job of explaining what a farce this truly is.

We can be proud of our own district commissioners Carlos Gimenez (County) and Marc

Sarnoff (City). They voted like mensches and of course Tomás Regalado, who is running for mayor, voted with his brains and with the majority of the public's wishes, too.

And this photo at right shows you why I am for Tomás Regalado for Mayor. [Photo removed at request of the Miami Herald -- it showed Joe Sanchez whispering into Mayor Manny Diaz's ear at the Commission meeting, all buddy buddy]>

And I'll never understand the "no bid" bit. Even here at our condo, they throw a fit if I don't get bids for a simple plumbing job.

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Mayoral candidate Tomás Regalado to speak to neighbors

City of Miami Commissioner Tomás Regalado will be addressing neighbors of the Coconut Grove Park Homeowners Association (CGPHA) on Wednesday, April 8, beginning at 7:00 pm at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club (2990 S. Bayshore Drive).

Commissioner Regalado is no stranger to issues affecting the Grove, including the promotion of “green” development and publicly opposing the opening of the Home Depot in the Grove, the Mercy condo project and the Grove Harbour Marina office building. He recently voted against using taxpayer's money to bail out of the Florida Marlins.

Everyone is welcome.

For more info, please email info@cgpha.org

New bike rack dedication Saturday at Peacock Park

Leadership Miami (Team 6), a program of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce along with the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce is celebrating the unveiling of an artistic bike rack designed and painted by artist David "Lebo" LeBatard.

The one-of-a-kind bike rack is being dedicated on Saturday, March 28 at Peacock Park.

Festivities are at the Glass House from 4 to 6 pm. They include light refreshments and short speeches by special guests: Commissioner Marc Sarnoff; David Collins Grove BID Executive Director and Collin Worth, Bicycle Coordinator for the City's Bicycle Action Committee.

"Bike the Grove" is where fitness meets art, it is a project which ties in with Miami's Bicycle Action Plan, a green initiative seeking to encourage bicycling and bicycle issues.

April 26, the Grove's streets will be shut down for Coconut Grove Bike Day and two more special bike racks will be unveiled.

Also, there is a short Survey that FIU and the County are conducting related to bike use. If you would like to take the survey it is here.

Atchana's invites you to Happy Hour Grand Opening

Not to be outdone by Sekai, Atchana's East/West Kitchen in the Mutiny Hotel (2951 S. Bayshore Drive) is having a Happy Hour Grand Opening Party on Thursday, March 26.

Atchana is the owner of the Siam Lotus Room in South Miami. They have all of your Thai favorites.

On Thursday, come and enjoy complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres from 5 to 8 pm.

For info, please call 305-774-0404, or visit: www.atchanas.com.

They are also a generous member of Code 33. Seems like the whole Grove is part of Code 33 these days.

Grace Solares debates Comm. Marc Sarnoff

Local activist Grace Solares sent me a response to Comm. Marc Sarnoff's letter here regarding his vote on the Marlins Stadium.

And then there is a new response from Comm. Sarnoff here.

Sekai Asian Bistro invites you over for a free meal

Sekai Asian Bistro (3480 Main Highway, the old Senor Frog's location) is having a free dinner buffet next Tuesday March 31 to celebrate their opening.

They told me that they really wanted to be part of the Grove and they have gone out of their way to do that, this is the ultimate welcoming party for all Grove residents.

Their food is always fresh, they are a modern Asian bistro, drawing inspiration from Japan, China, Korea and Vietnam. They have a large selection of Pan-Asian food ranging from pad Thai noodles to kobe beef and sushi fresh from the sea.

The free buffet is from 6 to 8:30 pm, where you can sample their best. Specially priced cocktails and premium sake are available, too.

They accept Code 33 on food, so please keep that in mind for your return visit, when you actually have to pay the bill!

For info, please call: 305-448-0999.

Arts and Minds School being monitored aggressively

The following comes from Daniel A. Ricker's "Watchdog Report." I have Daniel's permission to reprint it word-for-word here:

The Arts and Minds Academy Charter School was in the school board’s audit committee spotlight this week and the founder and owner of the building housing the school was called out Tuesday at the meeting. Four restaurant/bars surround the school located on Commodore Plaza in Coconut Grove and when school ends in the afternoon. The kid’s mill around the streets running through passing traffic, yet there are no signs indicating it is a school zone. The school, created a few years ago has been expanding, adding students, but that rate of student growth has dropped to 351 students and the institution is trending toward having another deficit, like the previous year. Manny Alonso-Poch, the owner of the building housing the academy founded the school and runs a restaurant at night at the location as well.

Alonso-Poch was grilled by audit committee members about whether the school will close the year with a deficit and he said it would not. He told them he would cover any shortfalls when the budget year concludes June 30 and it would be a “gift.” However, since the school is a not-for-profit that could be a tax deduction for Alonso-Poch and since he is getting over $69,000 in rent a month covering the potential estimated $150,000 shortfall would be no problem. The public school district funds the school based on student count and the audit committee voted to increase the scrutiny on the school including district auditors “monitoring in a more aggressive capacity.”

Betty Amos, the chair of the audit committee asked Alonso-Poch if he would reduce the high rent he charges for the school but the owner disagreed saying he “did not agree the rent was too high.” Audit committee member Frederick “Buck” Thornburg, Esq., said after the school’s discussion there “is a lot of fairy dust running around here” in the room he thought and scrutiny of the school’s finances are now front and center of the nation’s fourth largest public schools district’s auditors. Readers should stay tuned to see how this all pans out in the future.

To get Daniel's weekly email, please contact: publisher@watchdogreport.net

FROM NOW ON. ALL COMMENTS MORE THAN ONE PARAGRAPH WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED. NO ONE READS THEM WHEN THEY GO ON AND ON NON-STOP.

How to comment on the Grapevine

A few people have stopped me on the street and asked how they can leave comments without signing in. You don't have to sign in, that option it there for people with blogs who want their blog name to appear as a link.

To leave a comment you have that option or the name option or the anonymous option. Just choose one. We would prefer your real name, but even in the name option you can make up a name or phrase like many do.

But it is not necessary to sign in to make comments.

Restaurant Reality Check

Greenstreet Café

This week's check is on the famous Greenstreet Outdoor Lounge and Restaurant, right on the corner of Main Highway and Commodore Plaza.

They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and the main feature on their recently lowered wine and champagne prices.

They offer the Wine of the Week for just $15.00 a bottle, but even better is their Champagne. Where the bottles go for up to $300 on South Beach, the Dom Perignon and Moet & Chandon are only $175.00 for 750 ml bottles.

Greenstreet is open late and it's a perfect spot to people watch while you share a great bottle of Champagne of wine.

Pinot Grigio, Santa Margherita from Italy is just $38.00 per bottle, Pinot Grigio, Lagaria from Italy is only $24.00. The new menu reflects the drop in prices from the previous menu.

As for food, there is something for everyone. Above you'll see my recent lunch: the Tuna Salad Panini with a side of black beans and rice. It is $12.00. The black beans were extra.

Appetizers include:

Grape Leaves: $7.00 / Hummus: $7.00 / Jamaican Chicken Wings: $7.00 / Fried Calamari: $8.50

Soups:
$3.45 cup, $5.50 bowl

Salads:
Cesare: $10.00 / Greek Salad: $11.00 / Fig Salad: $12.00 / Salmon Salad: $15.00

Main menu:
Chicken Wrap: $12.00 / Smoked Turkey Panini: $12.00 / Fish Wrap: $14.00

Angel Hair Pommodoro pasta: $11.00 / Meat Lasagna: $12.00 / Pesto Ravioli: $14.00
Cheeseburger: $12.00 / Lamburger: $12.00 / Skirt Steak: $17.00

These are just a few things on the large menu. Breakfast are very large and delicious.

He dropped them like a hot potato

Remember this phony from last weekend? The wannabe Howard Stern?

Well 24 Hour Fitness gave him a full refund, according to the staff at the gym, so he is off the fat people discrimination thing now.

He got his, now the others who he was fighting for are on their own.

Dine among artistic tables; and take one home, too

If you stop by Anokha (3324 Virginia Street), you'll see something really nice -- artistic tables, created by Gifford Lane's own Jobie Steppe.

Jobie tried explaining the tables once, but I wasn't quite sure of the concept, but there they are, all along the plaza at Anokha.

There are small café-style tables and larger dining tables. All to be enjoyed while you dine and all for sale. The small tables start at $150.00 and they work their way up in price from that (the chairs are not for sale).

Gourmet chocolate added to the Bookstore café

I stopped in the Bookstore yesterday
and Felice was proud to show me their
new line of gourmet chocolates.

They have Dark Pecan Brag,
Peanut Butter Cups, Milk Almond
Brag and Peanut Culster Bars
along with their other goodies at
the café area.

Coconut Grove sunglasses are now available

The new Coconut Grove sunglasses have hit the streets. They are meant for tourists, but if you would like a pair, they are only $7.99 and currently they are at Paul's sunglasses kiosk at the Mayfair plaza and just a few doors down at the Windisch-Hunt Art Gallery (2911 Grand Avenue).

They come all black, or black frames with neon orange, neon pink or hot blue arms, where it says "Coconut Grove, FL" with a palm tree, on the left side.

If you would like to carry the sunglasses at your store or restaurant, please email me. They are a great impulse item for tourists.

Smile if you see the camera looking at you

You may have seen a bunch of photographers all over the Grove today. They are particpating in the Snap It In the Grove Contest. The subjects chosen to photograph are: Heritage, Unwind, Grove and Black & White.

FPL's attitude towards its customers

Harry Emilio Gottlieb sent in this cartoon which sort of sums up the
whole FPL powerline ordeal.

Committee formed to discuss FPL issues

Local activist Harlene Kennedy, who was up for the empty Village Council seat, against Adam Weirich, seems to have gotten her feet right back into the community by starting a committee (town hall style) to talk about FPL issues like burying powerlines and the new FPL high voltage lines.

Village Council member Alyn Pruett will be part of the committee and they are looking for more members if anyone is interested.

Next Thursday evening, March 26, the committee will attend a town hall meeting hosted by County Commissioner Katy Sorensen on the FPL high voltage issue. The meeting is at the South Dade Government Center 10710 SW 211 St, Cutler Bay (6:30 pm).

For info on the Grove committee, please email me and I'll pass your info on to Harlene. Or you can just attend the next Village Council meeting or meet Harlene at the Cutler Bay meeting.

Party at the Bookstore for St. Stephen's students

St. Stephen's Episcopal Day School and the Bookstore in the Grove Celebrated the 40th Anniversary of Eric Carle’s "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" with a birthday party and reading in the book store this week.

In anticipation of the event, the school children worked on science and art projects showing the metamorphoses of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Delia Zepeda, science teacher at St. Stephen's, read the classic story to the kids and donned beautiful butterfly wings for the event.

The art projects can be viewed in the window display on the Virginia Street side of The Bookstore. In honor of the winners, the bookstore donated three copies of the book to the St. Stephen's library.

Photo by Sandy Francis for the Grapevine

Free Art Marketing Salon for artists starting soon

Artist Debra Cortese (left) is introducing an Art Marketing Salon for artists, which will teach artists how to promote themselves and their artwork. It's a free workshop.

"A salon is a social gathering of artists and intellectuals hosted at regular intervals by a patron in his or her home. Such convivial settings for the art of conversation emerged in Paris at the beginning of the seventeenth century," says Robert Atkins in ArtSpoke.

This salon will be held at the Windisch-Hunt Gallery (2911 Grand Avenue).

This is eight workshops which will run weekly beginning the first week of April, on either Tuesday evenings or Saturday mornings, depending on the majority consensus of participating artists.

A ninth session, an art exhibit, will be scheduled as part of the closing celebration.

Class is limited to 16 artists (visual, music, dance, theatre, writing, etc.). Registration ends on March 24 or as soon as there are 16 confirmed registrations.

You may register here. And get more info first, here.

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Coconut Grove Bed Race moved to September

The Coconut Grove Bed Race is now rescheduled for Labor Day weekend, probably September 6. It had been planned for the end of May, but more time is needed.

A pajama pub crawl will occur the night before and also the waiter race.

Details to come as we firm up things.


Bed race image is random, taken from internet

They need to get lives, and fast

I was wrong on the post below, claiming that a local activist was libeling me. It wasn't her, it is this dude who lives next door to a local ex-politician who lost an election. The activist got caught up in the crossfire of nasty emails going back and forth. I told her who was behind them. It is an evil dude who uses emails in the names of men and women, fake emails, and he spews hate and vitriol.

Ever since the politician lost the election this bitter guy and his shut in neighbor have slandered and lied and used everything in their power to spread hate using images from the Grapevine and other publications. Copyrighted material.

If this happens again, I will expose the person and all of their email addresses and I will expose the ex-politician behind it. These people are consumed with hate and evil. They don't seem to have lives, so they spread hate and jealousy as their daily activity.

For them to pick up a post I did earlier in the day and use me to start a war with local politicians is really the lowest of the low. The shut in never leaves the house. But he will when I drag him to court the next time he uses any of my material or uses my name in a libelous way.

Think twice before you call Vice

At last night's Village Council meeting, council member Dave Collins brought up the subject of there being a breakdown in communications between businesses and residents. He feels that the Grove is on it's way back (I agree) and that residents can't keep complaining about noise.

He said that as the Grove changes, more people are going to come out and drink and laugh and maybe be a little loud. Village Council member, Liliana Dones agreed. She felt a "discussion panel" with key residents might be a good thing. She felt that residents are going a little overboard with their noise complaints. She feels that if you live in an urban situation, you need to yield to the fact that there will be some noise.

She thought a town hall type meeting might be a good thing.

Village Council member Felice Dubin, says the complainers and the merchants need to hash it out and maybe the ordinances need to be amended because the police are just following the law. So if a complaint comes in, they need to respond, even if it is 10 pm and light jazz is flowing through the air. If light jazz bothers someone at that hour, they are allowed to complain, as lame as that sounds.

New council member, Adam Weirich (left), who was sworn in at last night's meeting, said he would take on the issue and form a committee or town hall meeting. He is part owner of Barracuda, on Fuller Street, so he would be a good person to lead the committee. Liliana loved that idea and suggested having a resident as a co-chair, so both sides are covered. Anyone? Anyone?

Keep in mind that when the police are called for noise complaints, they are being detoured from 911 calls, which are usually emergencies.

Dave said, that unfortunately, there are people who are just too wound up and they have been wound for a long time and they just reap what they sow. It's true, we live in a community where people should not be wound up. Keep saying this mantra: "Shop, dine, unwind."

I am not defending anyone

A local Grove activist is sending emails around libeling me, saying I defended Comm. Marc Sarnoff's votes yesterday regarding the Marlins Stadium. This is a case of shooting the messenger. And to be honest, I have always taken up this activist's causes, but she is wrong to be attacking me. I am sorry she didn't get her way with the Marlins vote, but I had nothing to do what that and I don't like being part of the news.

I am finding out daily, that people actually think that I run things around here. I don't people. I am a peon. I only write the news and discuss it. I don't decide policy. Seriously. Thank you for giving me all that power, but it is only in your heads. I have no power.

The only reason I am not mentioning names here is because she retracted her letter the second she received notification from me that she should. She knows where it says danger. Spreading lies is not going to help her causes in the future.

I have been against the public paying for the Marlins Stadium since day one. I don't write much about it here because I try to stay on Grove issues and I don't cover city-wide issues, but each time I did write about it, I was totally against it and even mocked it with cartoons sent in by Harry Emilio Gottlieb and Old Grover. You can easily do a search in the search box above and find all the stories and posts.

I don't know what the point of her email is. I like the fact that Marc voted "no" on the main stadium issue, that is no secret, and if I seemed to have defended him in the comments section where one guy says that he made arrangements with the other commissioners so that he looked good. I just found that to not make sense at all, no matter who the politician is, no matter what vote there is. Especially in Miami.

If anyone thinks one politician is going to throw him or herself under the bus for the good of another, they really don't live in the real world and have not been in Miami for very long.

I was sent Marc's letter last night, as I am sure every media outlet in town was. I posted it here without comment. But then in the comments section, when the first anonymous comment came in, I just wanted to nip it in the bud before this became a whole day back and forth thing on something that makes no sense.

For someone to pick it up and spread it around as me defending Sarnoff, is really grasping at straws. Attacking the media is really not the right way to go about it. This activist sounds foolish, in fact. Very foolish.

The anonymous blog comment that came in, which I cleaned up said: "I think he [Sarnoff] is full of bs, and I think this was planned that he and someone else voted against it to make it look like he did not want it, but in reality he does."

My reply, for which I am being attacked was: "You believe that? You believe Sarnoff said, 'Hey you guys, how about you three make yourselves look like crooks and scammers and like you are on the take and you make me look like the hero? And Joe, I know you are running for mayor, but would you please jeopardize that for me by voting for the stadium, so that I look good? And let Tomas, who is running against you look like the good guy, too. Oh, and Michelle, they say you are on the take and want bribes, how about you vote for the stadium, too. So that I could look good? Thanks, babe!' "

I would have written that about any politician. Again -- politicians don't throw themselves under the bus for the good of others. Not gonna happen. Wouldn't be prudent.

I don't think that is defending him, I just think that is using common sense. I have not endorsed anyone and I am not on anyone's side or in the habit of defending anyone. I just wanted to stop a day of non-stop comments before it started. But I fear I may just opened the door now.

Snap it in the Grove photo contest is tomorrow

The Snap it in the Grove photo contest is tomorrow.

That is where four mystery topics will be chosen and they will be the theme of the photography contest.

At the map and brochure meeting last week, we came up with actual themes for the planned Coconut Grove brochure, being used to market the Grove to tourists. We came up with more than four themes and we sent the list to the photography contest folks at the Arts Festival office, they will choose the four themes from our list.

The idea then is to tie in the contest photos with the new brochure and possibly get a theme for the brochure from the photos. The contest details are here.

Muvico project is still planned for the Grove

There have been lots of stories about Muvico's financial problems lately, but we are told that the Coconut Grove project is a go and the only thing stopping them are permit issues. The permits can take up to 45 days.

They still don't have a planned construction start. But according to Lilliana Dones, Chamber President, everything you have read about their problems will not affect the Grove project.

The subject of alternate movie venues during the closing of the movie theater during renovation was brought up again at last night's Village Council meeting. I personally have sent a few recommendations over to the Council, by businesses that have contacted me. So now it's just a matter of getting a few more and getting the movies, but high ceilings seem to be the main issue with lots of the venues -- they don't have them.

I think 22 foot ceilings are minimum for movies. The Improv offered their location but they cannot accommodate movies. Javib, at Temple, offered his location and even Avalon, the new club at Mary and Florida, has offered. And quite a few more places have been interested.

Lilliana mentioned a project in the Bronx, NY, where filmmakers actually have their own movies shown. They give a little talk and then present their new work -- documentaries, comedies, dramas, anything they have produced. And apparently the lines are around the block for this type of thing.

Now is the time to plan alternatives until the Muvico opens. When AMC closes, there will be 20,000 to 30,000 less people per month visiting the Grove if there is no movie alternative up and running.

Comm. Marc Sarnoff explains his Marlins Stadium votes

Commissioner Marc Sarnoff sent out a letter last night explaining why and how he voted on the Marlins Stadium issue yesterday. There were three votes and he goes into each one on why he voted the way he did.

You can read the letter here. It's a PDF file. If you need to download Adobe Reader, you may do it here for free.

Traditional Japanese woodblock prints featured at Midori

"Triptych," the narrative art of historical Japan will be featured next month at the Midori Gallery. From April 4 through May 2, the gallery at 3168 Commodore Plaza will be displaying traditional woodblock prints.

The Luber Collection of Antique Triptychs is an outstanding group of works. Shirley and Gilbert Luber were passionate collectors of Japanese woodblock prints for over 30 years. This is an opportunity to see the best through the experienced eyes of the world's most discerning collectors (the Lubers).

There is an opening reception on April 4 from 7 to 10 pm. The Honorable Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Consul General of Japan will be on hand to introduce the collection. Taiko (drums) and Shakuhachi (Bamboo flute) will be performed by the Fushu Daiko.

For info, please call 305-443-3399.

Was there ever a question?

So the City Commission did what we all knew they would. They voted 3-2 in favor of handing our tax dollars to the Florida Marlins, so that they can go ahead with their stadium building scam.

The Marlins really did not need to bring in the actors this morning to picket and speak, we all know the commissioners who voted in favor of this bail out already had their minds set.

Let's remember Commissioners Joe Sanchez, Angel Gonzalez and Michelle Spence-Jones at election time. They are the ones who feel that we didn't need to vote on how our taxpayer money was spent. They are the ones who voted to hand our tax dollars to the rich owners of the Marlins. They are the ones who put the City deeper in debt.

Commissioners Marc Sarnoff and Tomás Reglado were the only two with balls who stepped up to the plate (no pun intended). They are living in the real world. The other commissioners want to be popular, living in their field of dreams world. They sicken me.

And Joe Sanchez wants to be mayor? I wouldn't let him dog sit my puppy, let alone run a city.

Come celebrate the Commodore's 158th Birthday!

Commodore Ralph Munroe's 158th birthday is being celebrated at his home, The Barnacle, on Sunday, March 29.

Whisk Gourmet is catering the event and Blue Man Grove is performing.

From 6 to 8 pm, enjoy the food (a buffet supper), birthday cake and music and there is also a silent auction to raise money for The Barnacle's upkeep.

Limited parking is available at Ransom Everglades, down the block.

Donation is: $25.00 members, $30 Non-Members and $5 children 10 and under. Price at the gate is $35.00 on the day of the event. To order tickets now, please call: 305-442-6866

Central casting was very busy today

I love how the real protesters have to deal with the central casting groups that are sent out on various political issues in this city.

This morning, the real public protesters, those against the bail out for the Marlins (above) and the paid fake protesters sent out by the Marlins lobbyists and central casting office (below), clashed at City Hall.


It's amazing that when the public is against something, we can't have fair play, we need to bus in paid people to oppose the issue. I asked this group above who paid them to be there today and they all yelled out in unison, "Miguel Fuentes." Then they all chanted his name non-stop until I told them I was with the Grapevine, then they denied saying his name, but I didn't pull it out of thin air, now did I?

Below, you can see the union workers who were paid to be there. These poor lost souls, if they don't have jobs now, they never will get jobs by the Marlins organization and even if they get jobs, they won't be able to afford to go to any of the games.



It's all quite funny. Remember the fat lady at Shaq 24 Hour Fitness last week? The one who was picketing because the Port of Miami did not give her a job? Well she was out there today being paid to picket for the Marlins.

When I questioned her, she yelled at me in Spanish, screaming at me, telling me she didn't speak or understand English, calling me every nasty name you can imagine, all in Spanish, which I found odd, since she talked to me in perfect English last weekend in front of the gym.

But the little fattie changed her tune, and her language, when I pulled out my camera and took her photo. All of a sudden she remembered English and her nasty cursing turned to perfect English. I did take her photo, but she is so pathetic, I don't want to show her face here out of pity.

The Marlins have these poor, stupid people talking and picketing for them at City Hall. I am sure the City Commission sees through all this. It's just a shame that these people have to be exploited in this manner. The Marlins don't give a crap for these people and these people don't give a crap for their own City. It's all about money on both sides.

The protesters make their few bucks and get free lunch today, until their next casting call by some political group and the Marlins get their millions on the backs of the taxpayers, flip the stadium and walk away with millions.

Remember the "Meet the Mets" chant? Let's have AIG meet the Marlins. Both scammers who use the public and laugh in their faces.

Photos by Harry Emilio Gottlieb and Tom Falco for the Grapevine

Free Yoga to celebrate the Spring Equinox

Mark Springle is offering free yoga in Kennedy Park this Saturday, March 21 to celebrate the Spring Equinox. It starts at 9:30 am. Look for the group near Kirk Street and South Bayshore Drive.

Mark will guide a "practice designed to help everyone harness the energy of re-invention through embracing creative self-expression, fearless intuition, and visions of our most happiest Selves!"

More info here: http://markspringle.com/

It's just business as usual in Miami

It appears that the Mayoral race (coming up in November) is starting to getting nasty already.

Signs for Tomas Regaldo, who is in the running for Mayor, have been vandalized and stolen. This is happening daily.

Groups of young men have been witnessed taking the signs and running off. Other signs have been spray painted over.

Mr. Regalado has asked the State Attorney's office to step in to check this out and detectives and surveillance has even been discussed.

Bravo tv filming on Main Highway

The Bravo channel is going to be filming for a few days at Allure Salon, 3405 Main Higway, starting today.

How many protesters will leave Grove for new school?

You may remember the A&M School fiasco last December, when the students were out protesting the loss of their favorite music teacher.

Well, the teacher, Alfredo De La Rosa, has popped up again. He is turning the Channel 10 studios on Biscayne Blvd. into his new Charter School. Channel 10 is moving to a new building and De La Rosa is renovating the old tv building and studio into a great arts-themed Charter School.

Wonder how many of the kids that were so in love with Mr. D will follow him to the new school now.

Story here.

Mime on the streets

Local artist, Uta, was part of the circus group at the Breakfast with the Artist event last weekend.

Uta was good. She stayed in character most of the time while in make-up and she hardly talked, in fact, when she would occasionally say something, it was so very out of character that it freaked me out.

Update on the Grove's gaslights

I may have some good news pertaining to the gas lights and FPL.

Stay tuned.

Anti-Marlins Stadium Rally tomorrow at City Hall

A rally and press conference in opposition to the proposed Marlins Stadium deal will take place at 8 am tomorrow morning, March 19, in front of City Hall (3500 Pan American Drive).

This event is being put together by the Coalition Against Marlins Bailout, a group of concerned citizens who’ve taken the time to study the proposed contract and have found it to be a very bad deal for the public.

Cocoanut Village Council meets tomorrow night

The Village Council meets tomorrow night at 7 pm at City Hall (3500 Pan American Drive).

On the agenda:
1) Welcome / Swearing in of New Council Member (Adam Weirich)
2) Announcement of new FPL committee to discuss the FPL high voltage issue
3) Tigertail Traffic Issues
4) Bridgeport Avenue update
5) Business Announcement Discussion

If you can't make it, we will report on all issues here.

Could we be getting a pier at Dinner Key?

City officials are applying for grants (six) from the Florida Inland Navigation District.

There are a few projects around the City that the money would be used for, a few are in the Grove. Officials would like to fix up the shoreline at Kennedy Park and fix the dock there. Also, ironically, they would like to put in a public pier and bay walk at Dinner Key.

A friend commented to me recently, saying we needed a pier. I said to her, that that won't happen. That there is no way the City wants people congregating in areas like that. But I hopefully, am wrong.

If you travel to the west coast of Florida, you'll find that each town has a pier. In the case of the west coast, they see the sunset over the Gulf so perhaps that is the main reason Naples, Ft. Meyers, Siesta Key, Punta Gorda, Sarasota, Bradenton (shown above), and so on, have piers. Also, people hang out, fish and just enjoy it.

Let's hope we get one. It would add a lot to the waterfront and the Grove.

Painting in the center of town

Yesterday I ran into Dan Bondroff, Grove artist, sitting right in the center of town, creating one of his popular pieces.

I see Dan at every art show, he's a very busy artist. He was at the Grove Arts Festival, the Madd Hatter Festival and just this past Sunday the Gifford Lane Art Stroll, just to name a few events. He won the En Plein Air contest in October.

PAB meets tonight; Expo Center soon to be gone

The Planning Advisory Board (PAB) meets tonight at City Hall (3500 Pan American Drive) at 7 pm.

Regarding other recent meeting, last week a waterfront implementation committee met at City Hall. Talk is that the Expo Center will be demolished in October, the first step in the large Waterfront Master Plan project. This will open up the waterfront views. Most feel it will just leave a big hole in the ground, sort of the like the Orange Bowl site now.

"Burn Notice" will be vacating the Expo Center after completing filming their third season in August. They are off to Louisiana for future seasons.

We need more St. Patrick's Day spirit around here

The Grove failed the St. Patrick's spirit test today. I went all over the Central Grove looking for corned beef and cabbage and came up empty handed.

Even Eleven Leprechauns plans that for tonight, but for lunch -- nothing. I checked all restaurants up and down Commodore Plaza and found this one group of friends (above) drinking it up at Mr. Moe's and I ran into the Eleven Leprechauns staff getting ready for their bash tonight (below).

I know the Loggerhead (Flanagan's) on Bird, was the place to be for lunch, I should have gone there. But I guess I'll go out later and check out the festivities that are planned for the night time Grove, including Avalon's big thing.

Rock the Runway features TORU's new spring line

Cabana One (atop the Mayfair Hotel) is holding a fashion show to benefit Paws4You Rescue on Friday, March 27 from 7 to 9 pm.

The $25.00 entry fee includes drink, light hors d'oeuvres and prizes. DJ Vic Mendez will be peforming live. TORU's new spring line of rescue wear is featured.

For ticket info, please call 786-242-RESQ or email: events@paws4you.org

The Roach Coach lady is breaking the law

The Merchants Association seems to have gotten the police involved when it comes to the lunch truck (roach coach) lady. I know they were talking to police about it at the last Merchant's Meeting and I know that many restaurant owners are upset with the police not following the law when it comes to the lady selling on the streets.

In the morning now, you can see a police car parked right in the spot where the roach coach stops to conduct business. This is being taken seriously now.

While one city department is saying that the roach coach is permitted to drive around and sell (they faxed a paper to this effect to various people without a signature or even a letterhead), the City Charter prohibits this and the police car is there to enforce the law.

This comes under vending licenses in the special districts of the City (including Coconut Grove).

If you go to this page here and type in "vending licenses" you can see all the laws. If you scroll down and read the general restrictions about street vending, one major law is there to keep these roach coaches, ice cream trucks and all food vendors away from schools and established businesses.

This roach coach is within 500 feet of businesses and schools. She is breaking the law.

The roach coach cannot be in the district unless there is an actual construction site (not someone doing renovations to their store or house) but an actual building going up, and even then they have to be invited onto the property NOT on the sidewalk or public right of way, or parking spots on the street.

Some city employees who are trying to protect the roach coach lady are apparently not familiar with their own municipal code and they should not be faxing papers with just a sentence or two stating wrong facts, without even a signature or on a letterhead.

The law states that the roach coach lady is not permitted on Grove streets. Period.

Inquiring Photographer

We caught up with people at the Gifford Lane Art Stroll last weekend and asked them this question: "What is your favorite part of the Gifford Lane Art Stroll."

From left:

Keri: "The sense of community."

Josh: "People watching."

Jen: "Seeing my neighbors all together and the cucumber punch!"

Miami Baby Mama rates the children's stores in Grove

Miami Baby Mama blog did a nice write up on children's stores in the Grove last month.

It's here in case you missed it.

Lots of St. Patrick's specials at Avalon Cafe

The Avalon Cafe (2801 Florida Avenue) is celebrating St. Patrick's Day today with lots of specials which include:

From 3 to 7 pm - $4.00 Green beer, Green Martinis, Green Margaritas plus Avalon's own special Green Tequila shot.

From 5 to 8 pm - Bucket of 6 beers with appetizers for 3 people only $25.00.

Bucket of 12 beers with appetizers for a party of 6 only $45.00.

There will be a fixed $12.00 menu that includes grilled chicken, ribs or churrasco steak with your choice of french fries, mashed or baked potato and a glass of green beer.

Music will be provided my former Grand Bay DJ Andrew Noiz.

Other St. Patrick's going on in the Grove are here.

We'll see you around the Grove's watering holes for green beer and corned beef and cabbage!

The real reason for the 3 am bar closings

Graphic by Old Grover

Stalking their prey

The Scammers were out in full force this weekend.

This one Scammer seems to be the main one, he is the one that leads the pack of young guys.

There are older Scammers above him and I guess they are all making a nice living scamming the tourists.

Here you can see the Scammers at Scotty's Landing this weekend. A reader sent this in.

They are now stalking their prey. The police seem to let this go on even though I have shown these guys many times.

We should have a Scammer contest and everyone should send in their photos. Seems the only way to catch them is with a camera or cell phone. The law doesn't seem to catch them.

St. Patrick's Day in the Grove

Eleven Leprechauns (3120 Commodore Plaza) is celebrating St. Patrick's Day in a big way tomorrow. The celebration begins at 5 pm with beads, four-leaf colvers, leprechauns, pots of gold and giveaways.

There will be live music by The Cat Daddies and Suenalo. Traditional Irish food like corned beef and cabbage and cocktails are all available. Enjoy Baby Guinness and Green pitchers of beer for $9.00. Other drinks include their own Bloody Leprechanun.

For info: 305-443-0422.

And of course, the usual Grove St. Patrick's Day hangout is the Loggerhead (Flanagan's) on Bird Avenue. They have their yearly greening of the Grove going on.

Of course most of the Grove restaurants and bars will be serving up specials on green beer and corned beef and cabbage, too. CocoWalk has some special deals going on, too.

2009 Gifford Lane Art Stroll slide show

Please click the music icon and enjoy. If you are not part of the show, I apologize, we tried to get everyone, some photos just came out too dark to use -- too many shady trees!

Most of the photos are by AnnaMaria Windisch-Hunt, the rest are by Dan Littlejohn, Harry Emilio Gottileb and Tom Falco

New blog in the Village

Stephen Murray has a new blog covering politics in Village West called West Grove Political Beat.
You can see it here.

Pan American Airlines museum in the Grove?

One interesting thing discussed at the Map and Brochure meeting last week, was Pan American airline's long history in the Grove. A nice little aviation museum might be a great thing.

The Pan Am Seaplane Base at Dinner Key, is important in the history of the aviation.

All the old airplane hangers are still standing and being used, i.e. The Fresh Market, Grove Harbour, etc. and the old Pan Am terminal is City Hall.

While many people like the idea of turning City Hall into a museum, the merchants would like to possibly put the museum in the central business district. People can then be taken over to the terminal and hangers.

This photo is of the old airport lobby (now City Hall). The old globe is now housed at the Miami Science Museum, here in the Grove.

Apparently a phone call or two would bring out all of the old Pan Am items: uniforms, brochures, plans, photos, promotional items, advertisements, etc. Lots of remarkable history. I ran into one of the Grove characters this weekend and she told me she was the one instrumental in getting city hall renovated and then she started crying when she talked about a reunion with old pilots and flight crews at City Hall some years back, after the renovation. Pan Am is still very special to many people.

The museum would be an attraction that people would come out of their way to see -- flying and aviation buffs would love it. Travelers and history buffs would also appreciate it.

Photo courtesy of Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce

The whole town was out for the Gifford Lane Art Stroll

Yesterday's Gifford Lane Art Stroll was a lot of fun. I headed right to Dave Collins' house for the cucumber punch which was fantastic this year. It always seems to be a hot, humid day for the Gifford Lane Stroll and Dave's punch always just hits the spot. I had quite a few!

That is State Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, Dave and my friend Roberta around Dave's famous concoction.

I ran into everyone it seems. And I made a lot of new friends -- people who read the Grapevine, who I had not met before. One couple wants to move to the Grove, from Brickell, and we were talking and she said that the Grapevine and the Grove reminds her of Stars Hollow, the town in the tv show, the Gilmore Girls. And I had to let her in on a little secret. That is what I am doing. That's why you may read about the same people over and over, it's because I am building up the recurring characters in the Grove. I have Stars Hollow in mind a lot when I am doing this.

Dave Collins, brought this up to me in the past. Not the Gilmore Girls aspect, but the fact that I am turning everyone into characters that tourists and visitors look for when they are in the Grove. People are literally asking for certain people and locations that they have ready about in the Grapevine.

As I walked around Gifford Lane, with my new friends, I pointed out all the Grapevine and Grove characters to her, who were all on that one small street -- "There's Yana, she was one of the clowns yesterday," I said. "There's Felice, there's Dave Collins, there is AnnaMaria, there's Monty Trainer, there is Glenn Terry and so on. Everyone was there.

I made friends with Harlene Kennedy. She wasn't crazy about what I wrote here about her not being chosen to be on the Village Council. But we ended up being buds and we worked Sue McConnell's Code 33 booth together for awhile. We and Sue signed up a lot of people yesterday. Code 33 is free and it gives Grove residents discounts all over town, so everyone jumped at the chance to get the card.

I tried selling t-shirts with Nathan Kurland, I sort of helped sell one, but he sold out on his own by the end of the day.

Come back a bit later today for the slide show. I had originally intended to just use a few photos for this write up, but there were too many great shots to just discard, so they are all in a slide show -- over 70 great pictures, whittled down from a large batch. Between AnnaMaria, Harry and myself, there were over 200 photos to go through!

Eating at the competition is a good thing

I love when I see various restaurant owners and employees from one restaurant eating in another restaurant. This happens often. We joke about it, but it's a good thing when people can try out other places and appreciate something other than their own food.

It says a lot about them and actually makes you appreciate them and their restaurant even more.

They use the young kids to do their dirty work

This young boy was going around this weekend asking for money, they way they have been doing lately.

I asked him to look at the paper he was carrying. It said something about a walk-a-thon or something like that. People were pledging money for the walk.

He had a list of names and phone numbers that people had filled out on the form.

I explained the usual scammers to him and told him I would love to give him money, but that the others made it hard for anyone to trust that this was legit.

He was very sweet and nice , he wasn't rude at all like the others are, and he didn't run off when I took his photo like the others do.

But still, I didn't trust any of it.

As a couple of us followed him down the block (not on purpose, he just seemed to be in front of us). He ended up with a gang of big guys, standing at the post office. They checked his paper and the money he had.

My friend joked that they were his "pimps." In a way they were. It's sad that these older people are using these young kids to do their dirty work. I have more respect for the 80 cents guy or anyone else who just comes up and asks for money, without using young kids and a scam in the process. I give them money all the time.

Some free wifi locations in the Grove

Someone was asking me about free wifi service in the Grove. Some free wifi places in the Grove are The Bookstore, the library, Olav's Pommes and Pane Café, Coral Bagels and Dunkin' Donuts of all places. Dunkin' Donuts is open 24 hours.

Starbucks charges for wifi service through the AT&T and TMobile networks.

Occasionally when you are around the hotels, like Mayfair, you can pick up their signal.

Any other places?

Hanging around the Mayfair Antique Market

Dominique, from Focaccia (left), and I walked around the Mayfair Antique Market giving out menus.

It's a great way for local restaurants to get more business, handing out the menus, because the antique dealers can't usually leave their booths all weekend and they like to call local take-out places who will deliver to them at Mayfair.

Above is a handmade hat booth, which is tied in with the antiques (not sure how that fits into the antique market) but those are hats made by Judy from BOP Creations. I was told that they had a great day of sales yesterday.

The Antique Market runs until sunset today. It's free to enter.

His ratings must be down for him to stoop so low

I went out to get the radio DJ's side of the picketing story. He seems like a nice enough guy and all his buddies picketing with him seem to be the type you may want to have a beer with, so I am not really sure how it got to this point. I actually can picture them in Baracuda or the Sandbar, not here on the street picketing the gym.

As we spoke, HBO was filming. I wasn't so crazy about that. I was telling the cameraman to stop filming me, as if I was the guilty party. But we had an interesting little debate right there on the street.

First off, this is the guy, in the photo, who says the he was discriminated against because he is fat. The fourth one from the left, the smalIest one in the picture. I don't see it. When I asked him to remove the placard, he refused. But he honestly does not look fat to me.

He says he has been working out at the gym since January, and he lost 35 pounds. So if the gym is against fat people, why didn't they throw him out 35 pounds ago when he first signed up? And why do I see large people working out every time I am there. I actually notice them and admire them for being there.

Basically I think he is out for fame. When I said this to him, he insisted he was very famous already, although I have never seen or heard of him before and he still has not told me his name. I guess it's Enrique Santos since that is on the placard. I don't listen to Latin radio stations, so maybe he is the most famous of them all, I don't know.

According to his website, he looks like he's partners with someone else and they are the ones who make fake phoney calls, you know, to Fidel Castro and such? So is he even to be taken seriously with this picketing deal?

The people picketing with him are making fools of themselves. This is something that may haunt all of them in the future when they go on job searches. They are there to further Enrique's DJ career. That is what I believe.

One lady who was picketing told me she was denied a job by the Port of Miami because she was fat. If you spoke with her for one minute, you would see she was not hired because honestly, she is stupid. I asked her why she was picketing Shaq 24 Hour Fitness if it was the port who denied her a job. She didn't have an answer for that.

These people were quite loud, too. Annoyingly loud. The police were questioned by a few merchants, about the noise ordinance. They were told that they need a decibel meter for that, but it did seem to be over the 100 feet sound limit. Walls were vibrating blocks away. As for a permit to picket, they had that.

Everyone passing on the street said that it looked like something out of central casting. And they thought it was a movie or something being filmed. No one takes them seriously. That's the funny part.

Enrique told me he was doing this because someone in the gym told him his friend could not be his trainer and the person "smirked" at him, meaning in Enrigue's mind that he was fat. All this is about a smirk? He did say all he wanted was an apology. Is the gym so stubborn that they won't apologize to get rid of the nonsense? Maybe they deserve each other.

To blast your ad like this or to run any ads, all ad info and rates are here.

Clowns just wanna have fun

For a little village, we always have something going on.

This morning the clowns showed up for the Breakfast With the Artist series at Focaccia. This month the artist was Yana Bem. The theme was "circus" because most of Yana's art reflects that.

Every month, a group of friends meets and anyone who happens to be in the restaurant at the time, gets quite a show. Anyone is welcome, so if you would like to show up for next month's artist, please do. The more the merrier.

After the breakfast, the clowns hit the streets. People on the streets were enjoying it as the group crossed Grand Avenue and went over to Main Highway, via Fuller Street.

In the top photo, from left, in the front row is Fred, Uta, Jerry (with red nose), Audrey, Ava and AnnaMaria. In the back, from left is Maggy and Yana.

I love the bottom right photo, where Yana and Maggy are looking at Jerry in that strange way. While they are dressed as clowns, he isn't. He does have something red on his ears. I think it was paper clown noses.


Below, you can see part of the clown parade on Fuller Street, coming from Main Highway. Yana's work will still be up in Focaccia for about a week. Stop by any time to see it, except tomorrow, Focaccia is closed on Sundays.

It should be a discrimination protest against fat heads

I hate when people make something out of nothing. I have had my quarrels with the Shaq 24 Hour Fitness gym, but this is downright stupid.

There is picketing at the Shaq 24 Hour Fitness gym today, which seems to work, because it kept me from working out, and I had planned to.

This fat ass DJ from one of the local Latin radio stations, signed up with a friend. He paid the friend's membership and he had planned to use the friend as his trainer. But it turns out (and most gyms do this for insurance reasons) that the gym will only allow their own trainers to train people. Not unlicensed friends.

Well now the DJ has turned it into a discrimination thing against fat people. I am guessing that if there were no Latin's working at the gym, it would have been a discrimination thing against Latins. If the DJ was black, it would be a black thing.

It is basically that the cheap ass wants a free trainer, so he is pissed that it won't be that way now. So rather than ask for a refund, he does this. No class.

Perhaps it should just be a discrimination thing against morons. Because that is what this DJ is.

I guess he just wants his 15 minutes of fame, even if it makes him look like a total loser.

It is loud, rude and is chasing tourists away. The DJ should be sued by all Grove merchants for all business lost today, by his obnoxious behavior.

Photo by AnnaMaria Windisch-Hunt for the Grapevine

St. Stephen's is having a yard sale today

The St. Stephen's yard sale is today in the courtyard. It ends about 3 pm today.

There are quite a few good finds there and they have mattresses, which might come in handy for the bed race. Only we aren't sure of the mattress size yet, so I'm not sure if you should get one today.

If you enter from the Main Highway side, through the GroveHouse, you can get to the sale, around the fountain, very easily.

City Commission gives final approval for Grove BID

I see Dave Collins every day but yesterday I had to give him my congrats on the final passing of the BID (Business Improvement District) by the City Commission on Thursday.

Dave is the Executive Director. We are going to celebrate over his famous cucumber punch on Sunday at the Gifford Lane Art Stroll, in fact.

That is Dave, left, with Rohit Patel, owner of Anokha Indian Restaurant.

By a vote of 4-0, all four City Commissioners present voted in favor of the BID. The four commissioners Marc Sarnoff, our own district commissioner, Joe Sanchez, Michelle Spence-Jones and Tomas Regalado, all seemed to be genuinely happy to vote for the special taxing district.

The city went back and forth a bit until finally after many meetings until a "defined partnership" was decided upon between the city and Grove, according to Dave.

The city will now be giving the BID $971,000 and the local business owners will be "taxed" another $462,000 for the total yearly budget of $1,433,000.

This is a major victory for the Grove, giving us autonomy and allowing the businesses to decide how they want the village run. There are 19 board members, quite large for a board. Comm. Marc Sarnoff is one of the board members and he is able to choose two other members. The rest of the board was elected.

Currently this is part of the board:
Property owners: Manny Alonso-Poch, Joe Harrison, Scott Silver and Maurice Wiener
Merchants: H. Bredermeier and Steven Anton Rehage
Restaurant owners: Sylvano Bignon Lalo Durazo and Lee Marks
Hoteliers: Sam Kelley and Barbara Wendel
Comm. Marc Sarnoff
Three non-voting members include Lilliana Dones, Monty Trainer and David Yoblick.

I like the BID Board (love that, BID Board), because I know most of these people personally, and they are all decent people who want the BID to succeed and are always volunteering their time and energy for the good of the Grove.

There will be various committees that will meet monthly and report back to the main board a few times a year. But the committees will sort of be calling the day to day shots on certain issues.

It's time for the monthly Mayfair Antiques Market

The Mayfair Antiques Market set up yesterday afternoon for a big weekend of sales.

They have a lot of great things there for the serious antique collector or just for the weekend browser. I saw lots of old books and magazines, statues, furniture, jewelry and these two guys, were wheeling in old frames and mirrors.

The market is open all day Saturday and Sunday in and around Mayfair on Grand Avenue around Mary Street.

Getting the news on them getting the news

Today Arly Alfaro, the reporter from Channel 51 and Gaston, the cameraman were out filming a story on the Shaq 24 Hour Fitness gym on Grand Avenue. It was something to do with discrimination against overweight people. I don't know if that is true or not, the gym had no comment. I guess you'll have to tune in to Channel 51 for the story.

Lots of comedy this month at the Improv

There's a new show coming to the Improv. This month is Andrew Dice Clay, Bruce Bruce, Andy Dick, Jon Lajoie and DC Curry. Check out their changing roster here.

Ludacris knows where the action is

These cell phone pictures aren't that great, but Ludacris, the rapper, was at Le P'tit Paris this week. That's waiter Laurent with him in the photo at left and Richard Menase, in the photo at right. Richard's grandfather built CocoWalk.

Ludacris has been known to hang out in the Grove, I know he likes Cabana One, too. Lots of people think the Grove closes up the sidewalks at 11 pm, but that is not the case. There is a lively lunch crowd and after hours is a lot of fun, too.

Put on your clown suit and come for breakfast

Breakfast with the Artist is tomorrow, Saturday, at Focaccia Rustica. Yana Bem is the artist in the house.

Yana's works are mostly of the circus and anyone attending the breakfast is encouraged to wear a circus costume or part of it. But you don't have to.

The breakfast is at 10 am at 3111 Grand Avenue.

Chamber's next After Hours Club is at Monty's

The Chamber's next After Hours Club is at Monty's (2550 South Bayshore Drive) on Wednesday, March 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.

It's a great way to meet fellow merchants and connect with friends and colleagues. You can exchange ideas, referrals and business cards or just wind down with a drink or two.

A complimentary cocktail and hors d'oeuvres are served with your entry fee: $5.00 for Chamber members, $10.00 for non-members. Also, there are raffle prizes.

Please RSVP 305-444-7270 or info@coconutgrove.com

New Coconut Grove map and brochure are in the works

Coconut Grove's Map and Brochure Committee met early yesterday morning to discuss the new Merchant's map and the brochure that will be handed out at turnpike stops and possibly other areas like South Beach, etc.

There were quite a few ideas thrown around, but the main thing is to get people to visit the Grove, probably for day trips. We have agreed that most visitors staying in Grove hotels are here for business and they are here already. How do we get the others?

A sample brochure for Islamorada in the Florida Keys pushed fishing and the fact that they are only 55 minutes away. We considered pushing the fact that we are only 15 minutes away from many places like the airport, South Beach and downtown.

Also, an idea for the brochure might be to tie in images from next weekend's Snap it in the Grove contest. In fact, the photos may dictated the way the brochure is planned. One thing that is very strongly suggested is a list of yearly events like the King Mango Strut, 4th of July, the Gifford Lane Art Stroll, the Bed Race and all the Grove's signature events.

As for the walking map of businesses and attractions, all Grove businesses should be on the map and of course other local attractions. I took with me a list of items that were left here on the Grapevine -- suggestions by readers -- and we'll add Vizcaya, dog parks, churches, The Barnacle, the Hare Krishna temple and so on.

The main tag line may be: Coconut Grove: Shop, Dine, Unwind on our tropical tree-lined streets. Boutique hotels, restaurants and shops are a priority and bringing the bay and sailing of course would be a great idea. But one main theme is needed. Less is more.

Mosaic of Gardens tours are this Saturday

The Kampong is part of this weekend's Villagers Garden Tour called "Mosaic of Gardens."

Tickets to tour the Kampong and a five other private gardens at private houses are $25.00 each. The Kampong tours are from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. Tickets may be purchased on the premises.

Other tours will start at 200 Edgewater Drive and those are from 10 am to 3 pm. They too will only sell tickets at the starting point.

Monies raised will go to restore historical sites in the county.

Grove scene

It was a Red Kiwi-Butter afternoon yesterday on Commodore Plaza. Spring is coming and the weather has been perfect for eating, shopping and just hanging out.

Bed Race planning committee met yesterday

There was a committee meeting to discuss the Coconut Grove Bed Race yesterday. About 12 to 15 people met to discuss details.

The race is planned for May 31, but there is still a lot to get done. The total cost is said to be $25,000 and about $10,000 to $15,000 still needs to be raised, hopefully through donors. Not necessary one donor, but smaller donations by many. A package is in the works that can be sent to potential donors for their contributions.

An insurance company or large company is being looked into as the main donor, so that would solve the problem if one big donor could cover all or most costs. But if anyone is interested, please contact me and I'll pass the info along.

The city charges $10,000 alone for services such as police, fire and solid waste. The objective is to have Commodore Plaza (the site of the race) closed down as short a time as possible, in order to keep the costs down. They are still not sure on the times that are needed to set up and take down.

A director or couple of directors will be hired to handle all logistics and run the whole thing.

Beds will have to fit into certain parameters, i.e. double or queen size bed frames or only mattresses, maybe keep the double bed frame but allow kayaks like in the past, etc. All this is still in the talking phases. So hold off on any bed construction at the moment.

But the committee consisting of the BID, the Chamber and local business owners are all gung ho for this event. One estimate is that 6000 spectators will attend. So it's an exciting thing.

Photo by AnnaMaria Windisch-Hunt for the Grapevine

Going green with KB Green and Greenstreet Cafe

Speaking of antique cars, this is just the opposite -- something totally 21st Century -- Sylvano Bignon at Greenstreets, showed us this electric golf cart in the lot next door to the restaurant. I normally don't like golf carts, he knew that and joked with me about it. But this style is licensed and street legal. And since it is about driving green and we were at Greenstreets, well, what could I do but like it?

Here is a group of Grove characters, trying it out: AnnaMaria Windisch-Hunt, Richard Issa, Lilliana Dones and Sylvano Bignon. Richard makes a good car model, notice him holding the ad up for the golf carts?

KB Green offers these EZ-Go golf carts for sale or for lease. I liked them because we are looking for something like this to shuttle the travel agents who are coming to town for the travel Pow Wow in May.

For each cart sold, KB Green will donate a percentage to the “Plant a Billion Trees” organization created by The Nature Conservancy.

Also, for Earth Hour, on March 28, Greenstreets will turn the lights and music off for one hour and will have all drinks 50% off from 8.30 to 9.30, the Earth Hour time. They will also have an acoustic group performing.

The carts have a great warranty and all parts and replacement items are all local. For more info, their website is: www.kbgreen.com or you can call 305-365-3766 or email info@kbgreen.com

More talk on antique cars coming to the Grove

The Mayfair Antique Market is back this weekend, running Saturday and Sunday. I saw Tony and Lewis and gang getting things ready at Mayfair. The dealers will be setting up tomorrow and that's an informal type thing if you would like to stop by and look around and purchase if you like.

40% of people coming to shop are locals and the remainder are people from outside the area, who are coming to the Grove specifically for this, so say recent surveys.

Antique cars were brought up again at the last merchant's meeting. Tony and his crew are in contact with many dealers and clubs who display the cars. Recently there was a show in South Miami and one in Hollywood.

There are different thoughts on the process. Should the cars be strewn around the Grove, so people can just walk around and come upon them or should it be one central location?

Harry Emilio Gottlieb suggested shutting down Matilda Street and I added that it could then continue to Fuller Street and that area could be where the cars are displayed -- right in the center of things. Someone said it could be certain types of cars, like old Volkswagen Beetles are very popular and the whole "flower power" thing sort of fits the Grove's 1960s and '70s heydays.

Now you can win lobster at Mr. Moe's!

I was sitting at a meeting at Greenstreets and toward the end of the meeting, as it was wrapping up, I started checking emails on my iPhone.

I saw one email from Mr. Moe's (3131 Commodore Plaza) which had something about a "lobster machine" in the subject line. The funny thing is that John El-Masry, owner of Mr. Moe's, was sitting right next to me.

So I showed him the phone and he started cracking up. It was about their new Lobster Zone game. Adam Kutner, the promoter, shown here, sent the email. I know Adam from around the Grove and he had sent the email to invite me to come by to see the Lobster Zone.

So I did! Since the meeting had ended, a few of us went across the street to check it out.

The "Lobster Zone" is where a player can win a Maine Lobster for $2.00 (per try). In the past three weeks the machine has given out over 30 lobsters to customers that Mr. Moe's cooks and serves with two side dishes.

The machine so far seems to be a hit. It is located in the back of the bar by the pool table. Check it out. It's a lot of fun and even if it takes you a few tries to win, where else can you get a lobster at that price?

Photo by AnnaMaria Windisch-Hunt

It's like a world of little sailing people

The US Sailing Center at 2476 S. Bayshore Drive, is a little hub of activity most weekend mornings, especially Saturday.

There's a lot going on there and also next door at the Coral Reef Yacht Club and actually down the street at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club, too.

At the Sailing Center and Sailing Club, there are mostly kids who go sailing. It's really cool to see how they work together and how they have everything under control.

While there are a few adults around for supervision, the kids seem to have it all under control.

It's nice to just go out there on a calm sunny morning, bring a cup of coffee and just take in the scene.

Ignorant taxi drivers are affecting tourism

Ok, now this really should light a fire under the Merchants Group, the BID and even the map and brochure committee.

Tourists visiting the Grove told a local business that they were on South Beach and they asked a taxi driver to take them to the Grove. The taxi driver looked at them like they were crazy and said, "Coconut Grove? Are you sure? Why do you want to go there, there is nothing there. It's over . . . dead!"

Supposedly this is the third time in a week that this has happened.

I have been told by tour bus operators that concierges at hotels on South Beach pay them to go to certain places because certain businesses along the routes pay them to stop certain places.

Could someone be paying the taxi drivers to avoid the Grove? Or could it be the cab drivers we chased off of Virginia Street? Maybe we should have left well enough alone.

Makes you wanna go hmmmmm.

Early Bird lunch special at Le P'tit Paris

Le P'tit Paris (3105 Main Highway) has a special for locals.

From 11 am to noon, Monday through Friday, they are giving a 50% discount on food. Just present a business card or driver's license to your waiter, but I suspect everyone will get the deal.

You don't have to gobble the food down in that time, you just have to arrive between 11 and noon. And this is for dine in only, take out is not included.

They also still have their Wine Happy Hour from 3 to 7 pm, Monday through Friday. They offer Cabernet, Merlot or Chardonnay for $3.00 per glass. Good deal.

That's a perfect time to watch the world go by on the corner of Main and Commodore.

Restaurant Reality Check

Sekai on Main Highway


Sekai is the new pan-Asian/Sushi restaurant at 3480 Main Highway (the old Senor Frogs).

That's wrestler Paul Wight, The Big Show, front and center, on a busy weekend night. Sekai is very popular in the few short weeks that it has been open.

A few appetizers (there are many) are:
Edamame: $5.00 / Wonton soup: $7.00 / Egg drop soup: $4.00 / Tuna rolls: $3.00
For the lunch menu, they are a little less in price.

Everything is made from scratch, even the dough for the dumplings, even their soups.

Sushi: is $3.00 per piece. Rolls are $6.00 to $12.00

The lunch menu includes:
Braised kurobuta pork ribs with sweet potato fries: $ 15.00
New York strip steak with butter poached shiitake mushrooms and roasted potatoes: $17.00
Black Cod with miso and sticky rice risotto with sweet melon and chinese sausage: $14.00
Pad Thai with shrimp and chicken: $14.00
Wok charred beef tips with veggies: $12.00

Desserts (all made right on premises):
Strawberry shortcake cupcake: $7.00
Warm doughnut holes: $6.00
Mango Sorbet: $3.00

This is just a tiny sampling of their menu. The menu is large and has something for everyone. They have a full bar and an incredibly friendly staff. They accept Code 33. For more info: 305-448-0990.

Inquiring Photographer



We asked three Grove residents: What do you like to do on your day off?

From left to to right these are their answers:

Jonas - "I like to go to Key Biscayne and play volleyball or go kayaking. I also like to kayak at Cocoplum Circle."

Alexi - "I like to run and bike around the Grove and I like to hang out in Kennedy Park because of the atmosphere and because I can see the water.

Bobby, who just drove in from Oregon after being away from the Grove for 20 years: "Where is Cozzoli's and Oak Feed? Where is everything?" Oh yea, he says he likes, "to party," on his days off.

Lots of young energy around the village this weekend

There were lots of kids in the Grove this past weekend, it was nice.

The Improv had a little casino set up for a Bar Mitzvah which was held in the club yesterday. Many of the young guests were in and out and all around Mayfair's plaza.

A little bit later I noticed a long line of skateboarders coming up Florida Avenue around to Virginia Street and onto Main Highway. While I know many people find them annoying, I noticed most of the people around, who seemed to be tourists, had smiles on their faces, as the skateboarders gracefully made their way around the crowds, without infringing on anyone's personal space.

It almost appeared to be set up as a way to add a little ambiance to the area. Maybe it should be a regular thing every once in awhile -- having a long line of kids just skateboard in a long line around the Grove. Last month an older group of rollerbladers added a lot of fun to a boring day by blading around the Grove and usually early in the mornings, groups of bicyclists do the same thing.

The Grove tourist map

The Merchants Group is creating a map of the Grove, something for tourists to carry around in their pocket that will show them where every business is located.

Anything else need to be on the map? Special markings or phone numbers? Our committee meeting is this week. I'll bring your suggestions along.

The Gifford Lane Art Stroll t-shirts are now available

The 2009 Gifford Lane Art Stroll t-shirt is now available, they are 100% cotton and a great deal at only $10.00 each.

This year’s design features a genuine Coconut Grove peacock on the back and on the front is a street sign showing Gifford Lane and Art Stroll.

All proceeds from the shirts will be divided between the St. Alban’s Child Enrichment Center and the St. Stephen’s AIDS Ministry.

Anyone who wishes to purchase a shirt should call Nathan Kurland at 215-776-1038.

The Gifford Lane Art Stroll is this Sunday. Details are here.

And don't forget we have the musical slide show of last year's Stroll here.

That's me showing off the shirt right under the actual Gifford Lane street sign.

Puffy winds hold up start of day two of Bacardi Cup

George Szabo and Rick Peters won the first day's race at the 2009 Bacardi Cup happning this week in Coconut Grove. For two-time North American Star Class Champion Szabo of San Diego, and crew Peters, it was the first time the duo had won a race together since 1995.

Jon VanderMolen of Richland, MI, and crew Goeff Ewenson took second place and Mark Mendelblatt (St. Petersburg, FL) and crew Bruno Prada took third; the same lineup at the last mark.
The team was rewarded with a bottle of Bacardi Gold Rum by Tito Argamasilla Bacardi who was in a nearby boat. Tito signed the label and then handed it to Szabo who said this is one bottle of rum he won’t be drinking.

According to Bacardi officials: "The second race of the 2009 Bacardi Cup got off to a late start yesterday after puffy 8 to 10 knot winds caused a 20-minute postponement followed by a general recall. The Italian team of Lucio Boggi and crew Manuele La Porta led at the start and played cat and mouse with three-time Bacardi Cup champion Peter Wright and crew Nathan Quist, both of Chicago, IL, through most of the 10.5 mile race on Biscayne Bay. The Italian duo are now in 8th place overall and the Chicagoans are in third."

Wright who took 10 years off since his last Bacardi Cup win in 1993, said he had good speed from the start and was in a jibing duel with the Italians from the second mark on. “We weren’t watching Bromby at all. He got between us at the end,” said Wright.

Photo courtesy of Bacardi Cup

Green Mobilty Network will valet your bike for you

Regarding the Bike Miami Days coming to the Grove, the Green Mobility Network will be out, according to Katherine Moore, the City's Bike Days coordinator.

Green Mobility Network will actually be holding clinics and having bicycle valet stations, where they will watch your bike so you can walk around the Grove and maybe grab something to eat or shop. It's better than just locking up to a bike rack, they will literally be minding the bikes.

Speaking of bike racks, a contest is being talked about where people can design funky bike racks for the Grove. A judging committee consisting of locals and politicians will decide on the best one(s) and they will actually be made and placed all around the Grove permanently.

We would like to ask you a question or two . . .

We are going to start up our Man on the Street thing again, you know, the Inquiring Photographer. We'll probably be out there today.

We don't have any questions in mind yet, so if you have any we would like us to ask the public, please let us know. I saw a great old movie last night with Burgess Meredith called, "On Our Merry Way," where he plays an inquiring photographer, and this reminded me that I keep meaning to start the feature up again.

The movie was funny, there were a lot of stars: Paulette Goddard, Henry Fonda, Fred MacMurray, Dorothy Lamour and James Stewart, just to name a few.

So anyway, don't be surprised, some time, some where, some how when you least expect it, someone steps up to you and asks you a stupid question and takes your picture.

All-Grove Crime Watch meets tomorrow night

All-Grove Crime Watch meets tomorrow, March 11 at St. Stephens (2750 McFarlane Road) in the Great Room.The meeting is from 7 to 8:30 pm. Come out and meet your neighbors and local police officers, also State Attorney reps will be on hand.

Parking is free. Just tell the attendant that you are there for the Crime Watch meeting.

Free Belly2Abs class tonight

Free Belly2Abs Class tonight hosted by Adriana Echeverri, founder and creator of Belly2Abs.

The class is one time only from 8 to 9 pm. Registration is mandatory because space is limited.

Register by calling: 786-768-3690 or 305-342-3637. Tell them you heard it from the Grapevine.

Give Belly2Abs, at 2964 Aviation Avenue, is the new fitness sensation combining serious yoga stretches, user-friendly belly dance moves and empowering meditations.

Funny Money is making the rounds

Counterfeit $100.00 bills have been passed out around the Grove. Beware.

I know business may be slow, but keep an eye out and don't be so fast to accept anything from anyone without checking.

We need a slogan for our new baseball caps

We have sunglasses being made which will be sold around the village. They say Coconut Grove, FL with a palm tree on one arm.

These are some mock-ups, but not the actual colors, although we will have neon colors and all black.

Businesses will also be able to have their own imprint on the other side. So it can promote an art opening, restaurant, store, whatever. They are mostly for tourists, but of course will work for any other special event.

Now we are designing baseball caps. They may be this style shown. These are stonewashed chino style caps, but we may have more colorful ones, too.

The caps will say Coconut Grove, FL with a palm tree on them and we need a tag line.
Which do you like?

1) A funky little sailing village
2) An artistic sailing village
3) We put the NUT in Coconut
4) An art colony among the madness

Or something else? Or nothing else?

What saying would tourists buy? What would you buy? We will of course hand out the items at various locations around the Grove, too.

What is your game plan for Earth Hour?

I ran into my friend Lili the other day and we started talking about Earth Hour, which is on March 28.

Lots of things are planned, including environmental movies and such and each business is being asked to do something special. This is a great opportunity for some free promotion since the Chamber of Commerce will be sharing all the specials with everyone.

So if you have a restaurant and want to offer 2 for 1 for the hour (8:30 to 9:30) or if your store is having a "black out" sale or sidewalk sale, please let us know. The sooner the better, so that the Chamber can get the info printed up. I am sure you want to be included.

Art has a whole new look by candlelight. Last year, these two ladies enjoyed the ambiance.

You can email me or the chamber directly or just comment here and let us know what your plan is.

I'm for Pow Wow; just point me in the right direction

I am one of the volunteers during Pow Wow week in May. That is where thousands of travel agents from all over the world will be descending on us to soak up some travel info.

I'll be a tour guide on one of the large buses bringing the agents from South Beach to the Grove, I hear there will be 17 buses going back and forth. And I'll also be volunteering in one of the black info booths. I think the same week or maybe another time.

Locals will be training the paid info people, hopefully by osmosis -- you know, picking it up from the people, like me, who think know what they are doing. Details and photos to follow.

Now would be a good time to suck up to me if you would like me to point these thousands of visitors to your location. (Just joking).