Ex party girl speaks at WIFF luncheon

One of the highlights of this year's Women's International Film Festival (WIFF) was a luncheon and presentation, at Mayfair Hoteld & Spa, of The Shadow Effect, the film by New York Times best-selling author, Debbie Ford, which exposes the opposing forces of both light and dark that compete for attention within every human being.

In her film, Ford presents the hidden power of 'the Shadow' alongside some of today's most provocative thinkers, including Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Mark Victor Hansen and James Van Praagh.

Debbie Ford is actually a former Grovite, and during her presentation she recalled her days of partying at such places as the Mutiny and Regine's, in the heyday of the Grove's "sex n' drugs n' rock-n-roll" 80s. The author and filmmaker overcame drug addiction and turned that experience into a positive force from which she emerged as the author of many best-selling books, including "The Dark Side of the Light Chasers," "The Secret of the Shadow," "Spiritual Divorce" and "Why Good People do Bad Things."

She has appeared numerous times on Oprah, Larry King Live, Good Morning America, and
other major media programs around the world. It was an empowering and enlightening luncheon.

Congratulations to Director Yvonne MacCormack-Lyons (shown above introducing Debbie) and Women's International Film Festival on bringing this remarkable film to Coconut Grove and Miami!

By Liliana Dones


Photos by AnnaMaria Windish-Hunt

Under the Kampong Moon

The Kampong is having five enchanting evenings of traditional Balinese music, dance and shadow puppetry under the direction of Dr. Andy McGraw of the University of Richmond and Balinese master artist Gusti Sudarta. The performances begin with a female offering dance, followed by topang (mask dance). Then enjoy one of Asia's great forms of drama, Wayan kulit (Shadow Play). 

All performances accompanied by gamelan musicians. Performances are approximately 1 hour 15 minutes long.

The Kampong will open at 5 pm for visitors wanting to see the garden in daylight. Krakatoa Indonesian Cuisine will have Balinese tapas available for purchase from 5 to 6:30 pm. Performances begin at 6:30 pm. 

$35 adults/$15 children (ages 4-12 yrs), Dec. 29, Dec. 30, Jan. 1, Jan. 2, Jan. 3.

There will also be two workshops offered:
Bamboo Instrument Making: Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2 pm $20
Shadow Puppet Workshop for kids: Friday, Jan. 2, 2 pm $5

Seating is limited, so get your tickets early. 
For more information visit their website at underthekampongmoon.com, call 305.442.7169 or email: kampong@ntbg.org.

The Kampong is located at 4013 S. Douglas Road.

Art by Peter Studl transforms bookstore for a night

The Bookstore in the Grove turned into an art gallery on Saturday night when it featured the work of Grove artist Peter Studl. Peter's abstract art is clever and fun, I enjoyed it. Above are Tiffany Field and Peter in front of one of his pieces called "Clowning Around Abstract Expressionism." The painting is in the style of a serious AbEx painting, but bordered by fun colorful dots reminiscent of a traditional clown costume. The piece is large - 72" x 60".

If you stare at the art, you can see so many things in it, like this "Galactic Landscape." There was one piece I like very much, I neglected to take a photo of it. It was so abstract that we all saw something different in it. I saw an old cartoon-like character with a mustache and white gloves, carrying a suitcase.

This is "What a Glovely Day for the Beach" and features gloves floating among clouds, with a sandal and sunscreen in a shadow box.

And this is, "Does Your Garden Measure Up?" This one does, those are rulers growing high into the clouds, also in a shadow box.

Each one has the 3D aspect, yet there is a very nice painting behind each 3D section.

There were many large pieces which make a statement.

Other pieces on display were "Siracha," made with actual Siracha, coffee and other items; "Tale of the Whale," and "Scream."

The exhibit was just for the one night, but if you would like to see the pieces up close, you can make an appointment by calling 202-573-5259.

The work is also available from KMP Design/Furniture in their two locations: 350 South Dixie Highway, Coral Gables and 6444 Biscayne Blvd., Miami.

Shadow people

These shadow people have been all over the Grove today. They are promoting some sort of website. They won't talk if you speak to them, but as you can see, they will pose.

These are actual people, I know the top photo looks like a cut out or something, but it's a person.

This other photo looks like the guy is peeing on the brick sidewalk at the Mayfair Hotel, but the water was on the floor already when he raised his leg to pose for me.

Men in tights

The "Shadow People" were out and around the Grove again yesterday. You could see them on every street, almost on every corner. They were scaring the bejesus out of people. I don't know why, with Halloween coming up and all, it isn't that strange to see people in costume is it?

Anyway, they are promoting some sort of website for Yahoo or something.

Wild Vizcaya takes over Vizcaya Museum & Gardens

On February 9-10, the 3rd Annual Wild Vizcaya takes over Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, inviting the community to discover Vizcaya’s wild side. Over 24 hours, students, families and adults are invited to work alongside scientists and experts to identify and inventory the rich diversity of life that calls Vizcaya home. 

Events open to the public include:

· Wild Vizcaya: Nocturnal Edition - Friday, February 9, 6 – 10 pm -- Bring the family and friends to encounter many kinds of nocturnal life in Vizcaya’s preserved habitats. See the bugs that call Vizcaya home with techniques to attract insects like "light sheets", participate in a shadow-puppet workshop and more! 

Tickets are $6 for children; $12 for seniors and $18 for adults. Children 5 and under are free and so are Vizcaya Members. Get tickets here.

· Wild Vizcaya: Family Edition - Saturday, February 10, 10 am – 3 pm -- Attention children and families! Join Vizcaya, and a team of scientists and experts, to find and catalogue the wildlife living at Vizcaya. Learn techniques for exploring, observing and collecting data. Free with museum admission. No pre-registration needed.

Wild Vizcaya first came to Vizcaya in May 2016 as a part of National Geographic’s BioBlitz program. Over two days, students, families and adults inventoried wildlife in Vizcaya’s Rockland Hammock, mangrove shore and formal gardens. From lizards to birds, butterflies and manatees, expert scientists supported citizen scientists to identify more than 200 separate species of wildlife on the east side of Vizcaya’s estate and more than 700 individual observations! Participants added discoveries to iNaturalist and demonstrated that in the middle of our urban corridor, we are still Wild Vizcaya.

It's arts festival season

Congratulations to Bobbi Headder, the Gifford Lane Art Stroll Committee has selected her pastel "Kampong Gate" (left) as the winner of their 4th annual poster artist contest. This was the most popular year of the contest with submissions from 10 artists.

The Gifford Lane Art Stroll is Sunday, March 2, 2014.

Speaking of art, coming up fast is the Coconut Grove Arts Festival and the St. Stephan's Art Fair. Those posters will be unveiled soon.

Also speaking of art, went to the Art Deco Festival in South Beach this weekend as well as the Beaux Arts Festival in Coral Gables at UM. I still find the Art Deco Festival to be a mere shadow of itself from former years. It's just really not art deco. The only thing deco there are the buildings, which are there 365 days a year anyway. They are all mostly blocked by big tents that bring the restaurants out to the street. It's all about flea market items being sold and food being sold, from the restaurants. Gone is most of the fair food like gyros and ears of corn. They sell only what the restaurants across the street don't sell, which are things like ice cream and arepas. Not very deco at all.The Beaux Arts Festival is really an incredible event. It's free to enter, there's plenty of free parking and it's just a magnificent setting. One friend said that he didn't like the circuitous, wavy lanes where the art is exhibited, but that's the charm; you wind around the area under shade trees and you don't know what's at the next turn. I ran into so many Grovites there. The weather was perfect, about 65 and sunny and it really is a great event each year.

Hopefully our own Coconut Grove Arts Festival will enjoy 65 degree weather, too this year. The Grove Arts Festival is February 15, 16 and 17.

The Kampong wants you!

Interested in history and botany? Enjoy public speaking and sharing your knowledge with others? Become a Kampong Docent!

The Kampong is recruiting volunteers for our next six-week docent training session, scheduled on Saturday afternoons beginning September 7. Docents must complete the training, shadow a current Docent, and complete trial tours successfully before leading their own public tours. They must commit to minimum of four one-hour tours monthly during our high season. 

For more information, or to receive a volunteer application, please contact The Kampong at 305.442.7169 or kampong@ntbg.org

The Kampong is located at 4013 South Douglas Road in South Coconut Grove.

Photos by Lynda Lynch LaRocca

Unique and quirky, but very elegant

Herbie Parets, above, of Design Box at 3094 Fuller Street, took me on a little tour of his home boutique store. I was amazed at all the items, from furniture to art and gift items. Many of the items are antiques from a century or more ago. It's the perfect place to find the quirky and elegant.


The small store houses so much that you could spend an afternoon just going through all the fascinating, playful items. It's a happy store full of antique as well as new items. Here you see antique French Bergere Chairs and a hand carved vintage table from India. The accessories include spice boxes and vintage indian deities.


Items fill the store from every continent, most items come from Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. This vintage French chair is upholstered in Maharam fabric. Most of the items are one of a kind. Last week shadow boxes, specimens from the 19th century, were available. They were from the Museum of Natural History in France. They sold fast.


The merchandise comes and goes fast at Design Box, many make it a weekly stop to see what goodies are in for that particular week. Yesterday I saw 200 year old solid brass wrist cuffs from Rajasthan, India. They are displayed in hand carved marble lotus plates from India. Above are vintage shell bottles. The store has many vintage crystal bottles from France and England.

Design Box has art from local and international artists. They offer stationery and greeting cards. There are handmade marionettes from Guatamala and so much more. They are having a grand opening party on December 9. But stop in any day for a real treat. With the holidays coming up, this is the perfect place to find something unique that no one else sells.


Fuller Street is a nice quirky street and one side has three stores that compliment each other. Cherry Green, the woman's clothing store and The Sale Rack are bookends to Design Box, which resides in the center. Above, Audra Cherry from Cherry Green, stands with neighbor Herbie. Cherry Green is famous for their ping pong table right in the center of the clothing store.

Herbie is also an Interior Designer. "My style is contemporary with a vintage aesthetic. I meet with clients and we figure out if we are a good match. I also specialize in turn-key packages for developers and people who have second homes. These turnkey packages include all furniture, lighting, art, accessories as well as plates, cups, cutlery, electronics, closets, hangers etc.; everything necessary so the client doesn't have to worry about anything," says Herbie.

Stop by or call any time to set up an appointment. Design Box is open every day; Sunday through Wednesday from noon to 6 pm and Thursday through Saturday from noon to 8 pm. They may be reached at 305-644-9400

Meet actress and animal lover Sylva Kelegian

Hollywood actress Sylva Kelegian has spent much of the last decade deeply immersed in a world most know little about: dog rescue. Her experiences from innocent dog walker to rescuer of more than 500 dogs (and some cats and a few horses) are recounted in her award winning memoir, "God Spelled Backwards: The Journey of an Actress into the World of Dog Rescue." 

Sylva will be signing that book and also her award winning children’s book, "The Dolphin Princess," an engaging story that will take readers on a magical journey full of hope. It chronicles an eight-year-old child’s quest for love, which she finds from unexpected friends on a magical island.

The book signing is at The Bookstore in the Grove from 1 to 4 pm on Saturday, October 8.

Sylva has worked on the New York stage and guest-starred on numerous television dramas including CSI, NCIS: Los Angeles, Southland, Rizzoli and Isles, ER, Cold Case, Desperate Housewives, Big Love, Prison Break, Bones, Without a Trace, and many more. She has starred in independent films and Stephen King’s movie of the week, Desperation, and appeared in movies like Spiderman, Crash, Atlas Shrugged, and Return to Zero. 

She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, actor Jude Ciccolella, and their dogs, Mazie, Nate and Shadow -- all rescues, of course.

The Bookstore event is free and the public is invited. The Bookstore in the Grove is located at the Mayfair Atrium.

They look like a stack of bar napkins

I took this photo at the Arts Festival last week. As I took the photo a friend said that the new Grove at Grand Bay Terra Group buildings look like a stack of bar napkins, I had to agree. A lady  walking by heard us and she said she agreed, we are now calling these the Stack of Bar Napkins Buildings. 

This lady, who wishes to remain nameless, told me that she's an interior architect and she says the buildings make her physically ill, due to the waviness of the way they are being built. "It's an abomination," she says. Her friend who had not been in Coconut Grove for years was mortified. She missed the Grand Bay Hotel. But the finished product will be a lot of glass and sort of blend in with the skyline. I'll bet the lady gets seasick on cruises, too.

I was talking to a mover and shaker in our community over the weekend and he would love to talk about placing a moratorium on any more high rise buildings being put up in Coconut Grove. Ironically, right in the shadow of the buildings was this art, by Mark and Julie Glocke, looks as if they were inspired by the towers.

The inspiration?

This isn't a personal attack on these buildings, but we need to do something fast before we become Brickell South. Right now Little Havana is on the verge of becoming Brickell West. When is the greed going to stop? As one lady says in the New Times article on the subject,  "These high-rises are going to come, and they're going to eat us if we don't act quickly." I think most of us in Coconut Grove feel the same.

Tomás Regalado for Miami Mayor

It's time to choose a mayoral candidate. I had been putting this endorsement off for awhile, because I honestly like both mayor candidates, Tomás Regalado and Joe Sanchez. I know them both and they are both very good people. They are honest, caring and they truly want to help the City. They are in the race to do good things.

But when it all comes down to what I feel is best for the Grove (as well as the city), I have to choose Tomás Regalado. I truly like Joe Sanchez, I was just with him on Saturday night for the Chamber Casino night. He is a decent, honest guy and fun to be around. But I feel the city needs Regalado at this point in time. Regaldo has always been for the neighborhoods, before it was the thing to do.

One main reason I favor Regalado is that we need a breather. The city has moved too fast, we have overbuilt, paid out too much, screwed up our budget and just gone downhill because of the Manny Diaz regime. Regalado to me, is the anti-Manny Diaz. I know people say that Joe Sanchez means progress. But how about we catch our breath from all the progress that has put Miami in a deep hole from all these years of non-stop progress?

Regalado is said to be the "just say no," guy and he has been. But apparently, so am I, because throughout all these years, whenever Regalado made a decision on the City Commission, I agreed with him 100%. I like to think I am a positive person, and just because people say, "no," does not make them a negative person. I think it takes will to say "no," when everyone else is saying "yes."

Regalado voted "no" on things that were close to me -- the Home Depot issue, the 300 Bay Residences at Mercy Hospital, the Marlins stadium (and the over-budget-already Marlins parking garage).

Joe Sanchez is too much in the shadow of Mayor Manny Diaz right now. I feel he is too pro-development. I feel that Mayor Diaz ruined the city with his kowtowing to large developers who have no allegiance to Miami other than to rape it and make money and move on to other cities to do the same. Maybe Miami 21 will help, maybe not, but it's too late for the damage that has already been done.

Why do we need to try to be New York or Chicago? How about let us be satisfied as being Cambridge, Mass or Hartford, CT. Why do we need to be overbuilt and congested? Why do we need to support billionaire sports team owners and millionaire players? Why do we need to agree to allow big box stores in neighborhoods that are out of place for them? Regalado was against all of these issues.

Regarding the Home Depot -- Regalado was against that from day one. He used the messed up Home Depot store in his own district as an example of what we don't want in the Grove. And he could have easily said, "well, we have ours, you are stuck with yours," but he actually was against saddling us with the mess that is now in SW 8th Street.

Is this dwelling in the past? Maybe, but when I think of Regalado, that is what always comes to mind. Neighborhoods first. Everybody's neighborhood, not just his own.

Joe Sanchez always tells me that the new Marlins stadium brings jobs. But to whom? The workers from outside the City who are the bulk of the construction crews? And when the stadium opens, those who will benefit will be the same workers who will just move the jobs from Landshark Stadium down to Marlins Stadium. Same jobs, different location. No new jobs.

Again, the main reason I like Regalado is because he is the anti-Mayor Manny Diaz.

We recommend Tomás Regalado for Mayor of Miami. He stands on his own two feet and has always been a friend to Coconut Grove.

In the photo: Tomás Regalado, me and Jose Regalado.

Fashion, Art and Music collide at FAM Night

Muhammad Ali by Mr. Brainwash, featured at Williams McCall Gallery

The worlds of Fashion + Art + Music collide the first Saturday of each month for FAM Night right here in Coconut Grove. This Saturday, November 4, live music will fill the streets and lots of art will fill the galleries from 7 to 10 pm.

Featured galleries include: Williams McCall Gallery at Frameworks, Coconut Grove Arts Festival and the Sonesta and The Bookstore in the Grove. 

A piece by Peter Studl

Artist Peter Studl says, "I am doing a fun art thing at the new bookstore [Bookstore in the Grove] from 5-8 pm as part of the FAM experience. I will be showing some fun marginally understandable stuff including big paintings and shadow boxes. It's not the usual FAM fare."

Hector Prado's art is featured at the Sonesta Hotel, his strong and contrasting pallette of colors are a favorite with many collectors.

The Williams McCall Gallery on McFarlane features a group exhibit with artists Mr. Brainwash, Donald Sultan, Joan Cobb Marsh and Bisco Smith. 

The Coconut Grove Arts Festival Gallery at the Mayfair Atrium is hosting the 45th Miami Watercolor Society Annual Fall Exhibit, this event brings out lots of art lovers, it's a yearly favorite.

Live music and art throughout the business district including: CocoWalk with live music and style marketplace. Mario Vuksanovic, Spanish Guitar on Coconut Grove Arts Festival. Three Sheets to the Wind a Miami-based band plays a lively mix of Blues, Americana - classic & contemporary tunes - with a splash of originals playing on Main Hwy & Commodore Plaza. Ninoska Prince, palm reading, Artist R.C. Bailey at CocoWalk. Music by Gu Fidelis at Spillover and more.

Visit Palm Produce and First Flight Out located on second floor of CocoWalk and check out the Pan Am History Exhibit. 

Choices Cafe on McFarlane Road will have live music, check them out on your way to the gallery in the Sonesta hotel lobby.

Peacock Garden Cafe will have live jazz every Saturday from 7:30 to 10:30 pm.

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Check out the Arbor, Coconut Grove's Boutique Eco-Living Community 
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Friends meet to discuss Glass House

Friends of Peacock Park (and their friends) met at the park yesterday, in the shadow of the Glass House, to discuss prospects for the Glass House. It was a nice, informal outdoor meeting, all meetings should be this nice.

The Chamber and NET office will be leaving the facility and everyone seems to have an idea of what should go there. The most common facilities would be a restaurant and/or snack shop or a community center. Most were in favor of both.

Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, who was present, said that the best thing would be to have the RFP (Request for Proposals) go out and see what comes back. I agree. Someone may come up with the most incredible idea if we just ask for ideas in the form of an RFP.

While the Glass House is part of the Waterfront Master Plan, there is no money to start the Master Plan and it was suggested that money raised through whatever is in the Glass House, should go into an escrow account to pay for that part of the park in the Master Plan.

The mangroves, which block the water view, were brought up, many want them removed or opened up some way, so that the bay may be seen clearly from the park. Glenn Terry had an old photo he passed around that showed the park back in the '70s or '80s. The photo showed a completely open waterfront. Apparently the mangroves arrived in the '80s as mitigation from developers who were required to pay back the City in this form, but what they did was put mangroves in from Kennedy Park, all along the water to Peacock Park, in essence, blocking the view at all of our parks.

Bryant Park in New York came up a lot, and Dave Collins passed around a colorful book which showed the creation of Bryant Park, which is totally funded by private corporations. This is how the Glass House and Peacock Park should be funded, as the City does not have a dime to contribute.

Altruistic horsecrap

I had to laugh about the little blurb today in the Herald about the Sonesta Hotel in the Grove "going green" by not charging valet parking charges for guests driving hybrid cars. Guess they feel that they are doing their good deed.

That's what, um, maybe one guest a year?

The blurb neglected to mention that the Sonesta raises their garage parking rates every time someone turns their back. They are supposed to charge $1.25 per hour, but have been known to charge flat fees of $10.00 when no one is looking.

If the Sonesta wants to do good, how about they buy some art at Anna-Maria's gallery benefit to help the Woman's Club -- you know, that little historic building they cast a huge shadow over, next to the gravesite they wanted to dig up for their parking garage entrance.

10 things you didn't know about Sylva Kelegian

Sylva Kelegian
Courtesy Twitter

I had mentioned Hollywood actress Sylva Kelegian earlier, has has spent much of the last decade immersed in a world of dog rescue. Her experiences from innocent dog walker to rescuer of more than 500 dogs (and some cats and a few horses) are recounted in her Book Excellence Award winning memoir, "God Spelled Backwards: The Journey of an Actress into the World of Dog Rescue." 

Sylva will be signing that book and also her award winning children’s book, "The Dolphin Princess," an engaging story that will take readers on a magical journey full of hope at The Bookstore in the Grove on October 29 from 1 to 4 pm

I had a chance to ask Sylva the 10 With Tom Questions.

TOM: I read somewhere that you lived for a few years on Anna Maria Island, is this the island south of Tampa? That's my favorite place in Florida, tell me about life there. It's such a small island, is there much to do for a child?

SYLVA: My mother had visited Anna Maria when she was young and decided to take her children there when she divorced my father.  We had moved from New York so swimming in the Gulf, walking out in high tide, and strolling barefoot through town was paradise to me. I talk about the beauty of Anna Maria in my memoir and the island in my children's book is based on it. I still spend a week almost every summer there as it's my favorite place in the world.   

TOM: You mother was a dancer with American Ballet Theater and your father a pianist at The Metropolitan Opera House. Do you dance and/or sing?

SYLVA: Though I love to dance and sing, I have never done either professionally. My husband has a great 50's/60's band and I sing with him sometimes and dance with all our friends on those nights, but it's just for fun.

TOM: How did you end up in the dog rescue field?

SYLVA: I needed a more balanced life and found myself wanting to give back in some way after years of focusing on myself and acting. I adopted a dog named Sammy, who's the dog on the cover of my memoir and my life changed. I couldn't stand the thought of anything bad happening to her and it opened my eyes to the enormous need of animals in our country. I then spent the next twelve years in-between acting jobs, rescuing and or re-homing over 500 dogs.

TOM: How many dogs do you currently have?

SYLVA: We only have 3 dogs now. Mazie, our 15 year old Shiba Inu mix that Bill Foundation pulled from the South Central Shelter, 9 year old Shadow, a Shepherd/Lab/Coyote mix who was feral when I rescued him from a landfill and 10 year old Nate, our Cocker Spaniel/Dachshund mix who had been dumped at a car lot. I spent three weeks be-friending the tough little guy before I was able to rescue him.

TOM: You are married to actor Jude Ciccolella, how does he feel about all those pets?

SYLVA: My husband is the reason I've been able to save hundreds of dogs. Most of my money over the years has gone into rescue while he covered everything else. I'm lucky as he loves our dogs as much as I do.

TOM: What is the last book you read?

SYLVA: I just finished a book called "RenWomen" by Dale Griffiths Stamos and W. Scott Griffiths. It's a book of interviews with women who are multifaceted and multi-talented. I loved it.

TOM: Who is the most famous person you have met?

SYLVA: I would have to say Clint Eastwood as you can't get any more famous than he is. His daughter, Alison, is my friend and one of my writing partners on "Unleashed," a half hour dark comedy centered around Hollywood and dog rescue that we are in the process of pitching. 

TOM: Favorite decade? And why?

SYLVA: The 70's. I love the music!

TOM: What's something you wanted to do as a child, but never got to do?

SYLVA:  I had a great childhood and traveled often. My step-father was a Coast Guard Captain so we lived in Guam and went to the Philippines, Taiwan, and Saudi Arabia. But to answer your question, the only thing missing was that I never got to have a close relationship with my real father.

TOM: What advice do you have for pet lovers to help make their pets live a happy, healthy life?

SYLVA:  Always make your pet part of the family and have them live inside the house with you, not outside. Leaving dogs outside 24/7 is one of the cruelest things you can do to them as they are more social than people and need to be with their family. Exercise your dog daily. Always keep an ID tag on your pet and a microchip in them with updated information. Never walk a dog on a collar as it can slip over their head. Always use a harness or nylon choke. Never leave your dog unattended in a car, tied outside a store, or left alone in a front yard. Dogs are stolen every day, everywhere. And PLEASE SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR PETS.

Thanks, Sylva. See you at The Bookstore!

Self Defense classes starting Wednesday

Group-X-Fit of Coconut Grove will be begin holding self-defense classes on Wednesday, August 1.

Begin building your self-awareness and self-preservation skills with Sifu Tony Kapel at the Grove studio at 3137 Commodore Plaza. Wednesday's class is at 7 pm, and after that join in every Monday and Wednesday at 7 pm and every other Saturday at noon.

"At Group-X-Fit we are compelled to guide individuals who are seeking to improve their health and self-preservation skills. Providing sports like conditioning and martial-specific training to develop and implement combat tactics - training consisting of role-play scenarios and high stress hand-tohand drills. With structured specific programs for cardiovascular conditioning, weight loss, and strength endurance training through combative type exercise," says Tony.

The techniques used will be shown with the original and the modified version of its execution. You will learn to get in and out of various ranges while mixing your appropriate weapon. He will translate the weapons use to the empty hand. He has been analyzing different arts and their angulations and ranges used and through this process Tony has been able to narrow down practical applications for the streets but still training in the original ideas of their employment.

Sifu Tony began him martial arts training in 198. He has been training under his Standpoint Contemporary defense systems umbrella since 2002 -- since then he has trained privately, small group, and workshops.

The self defense class consists of a lot of shadow boxing and shuffling back and forth. Improve physically, mentally and spiritually, while polishing practical self-defense skills. Improve your cardiovascular conditioning, tones muscles and increases flexibility. You will feel the results both during the workout and afterwards. Basic moves involve the arms (punching, palm strikes, trapping) and legs (kicks, lunges, knee lifts and jogging in place).

The weapons portion of the class will require the student to obtain a pair of escrima sticks, training knife, sparring equipment, and a palm stick. Students will need Uniform sweat pants, and t-shirt, hoodie (optional). You're encouraged to bring a towel and always have water>

Classes are $15 each or $127 monthly for up to 10 classes.

For more info, please call the studio at 305-444-3184.

New exhibition opening at Rodez Gallery

George Rodez presents his Impressionistic/ expressionistic works of art from his Elements and Values series on Saturday, July 3. Stop by for refreshments and meet the artist at the Rodez Gallery at CocoWalk, on the second floor, next to Crazy Pianos.

This is part of Coconut Grove's First Saturday Gallery Walk. All the galleries will be open, premiering their new exhibits, offering wine and snacks and lots of art. It precedes a day of Circ du Grove, the Buskers Circus, right on the streets of Coconut Grove; free for everyone.

“In this body of work I have no influence or respect for light, shadow, dimension, perspective or proportion, but rather I allow myself to be led by the images seen in the abstractions no matter how they turn out. While some of these can be quite beautiful, some on the other hand can turn out to be quite monstrous. The art takes on a life of its own,” says George.

He mixes colors and textures similar to how images are found in clouds and the end result among the chaos of color is recognizable by the viewer. The image shown here is called, "Dreaming of You."

George says, “The hard part is deciding which images, ghosts or figures to bring forth.” He will demonstrate how he takes the work from an abstract form to it becoming a figurative piece of art.

The works will be on view through July 31, 2010. Gallery hours are Sunday through Thursday, 11 am to 7 pm, and Friday & Saturday, 11 am to 10 pm.

Vote NO on Melreese amendment; save our parks

Wake up, Coconut Grove! 

There’s a category 5 political storm brewing, and we should all be trying to kill it before it kills any of Coconut Grove's beloved parks.

I’m referring to the Melreese Golf Course referendum, where the City has put a no-bid sweetheart deal on the November 6 ballot, to lease 73 acres of our park land to politically well-connected billionaire developers for 99 years, so they can build a high rise office tower, a hotel, an enormous shopping mall and a soccer stadium.  

Some current elected officials have lied to us, saying the golf course is not a park, despite the City telling us for years that the golf course is most definitely a park, as you can see for yourself in the Miami Parks Master Plan, chapter 3, pages 27 and 33: http://www.miamigov.com/parks/docs/masterplan/Miami_03.pdf

What does this have to do with Coconut Grove?

If we let this happen the City Hall shadow players will be emboldened to take over more park land in other places in the City of Miami.  

Should there be office towers in Peacock Park?

A hotel in Regatta Park?

A shopping mall in Merrie Christmas Park?  Or Kennedy Park?

The soccer stadium is only 10% of the deal, so it’s being used as bait.  The billionaires are sending out mailers promising jobs, jobs, jobs.

The billionaires met with City of Miami officials and cooked up a scheme behind closed doors before it was announced publicly.

The billionaires would be paying the city far below market value for 73 acres of land.

The billionaires can easily afford to buy their own land to create jobs, jobs, jobs, but why should they bother when the City is willing to be so generous with our park land?   

Miami is one of the lowest-ranked cities for acres of park land per 1,000 residents in the country.  Miami has supposedly been trying to increase the amount of park land in the City for years, but now it wants to lease away 73 acres of our park land to private developers for 99 years. 

That’s 8.2% of the 882 total acres of park land in the City.

Miami officials often say Miami is a “World Class City”, whatever that means, but Miami doesn’t even protect its own park land.  

A World Class City would protect its parks as sacred ground, and have a golf course.

But for some at Miami City Hall, there was little hesitation to deal away 73 acres of park land, and the only question was how much money they could get for it.

That land has had a golf course since 1942, but if the City of Miami no longer wants a golf course, it should turn ALL of it into a big, glorious, wonderful park.  Why isn’t that on the ballot?

And then there’s the City of Miami Charter, Section 29-A. (b), that says any private development proposed on City land put must be put out for competitive bidding.

If the City wants to put public land out for private development, why isn’t it going to the highest bidder?  

Because this is a sweetheart deal for politically well-connected billionaires.   

So, instead of obeying the City Charter, the City wants the voters to change the Charter to benefit these specific billionaires. 

The ballot language says this sweetheart deal will be at “no cost to City”.   Hogwash.  We’re giving up 73 acres of public park land for 99 years!

This deal is supposedly “fair market value”, but how can anyone be sure without competitive bidding?

If the City of Miami needs to start monetizing parks to balance the books, what will it do when it runs out of public parks to monetize?

The billionaire developers' PR machine has cranked up to manipulate the voters into allowing a sweetheart deal that is not in the public’s best interest.  

They have lots of money to run their campaign.  

It’s up to us to spread the word to protect our parks.

Shame on City Commissioners Ken Russell, Joe Carollo and Keon Hardemon for voting to allow a referendum to turn public park land over to a private developer.

Thank you to Commissioners Willy Gort and Manolo Reyes for voting against allowing this land-grab referendum.

Please vote NO on The Great Golf Course Land Grab and ask everyone you know to also vote NO.  

The park you save might just be your own.

Elvis Cruz
Miami

He said it, I didn't

I found this quote on the Rat Radio blog about CocoWalk and the new addition of Lucky Strike Lanes and the new Muvico theater:

"The whole thing is much needed, in my opinion. Cocowalk has become this decrepit place where no one goes except noobs/tourists who don’t know where else to check out. The movie theater now is a derelict shadow of it’s former self complete with weird smells, uncomfortable seats, and poor visibility when there’s a crowd."

Nuff said. Bring on the changes.