He's headed to Princeton on a full scholarship

Keyshawn Felton is flanked by
Sam Davis & his mother Kimberly Davis 

We heard some fantastic news from 18-year-old Grovite Keyshawn Felton. He recently received a full scholarship from Princeton University. He was literally at Duke University interviewing for a full ride merit scholarship with them when he heard from Princeton, right there on the spot! Keyshawn, who has a large family, eight siblings, were all so proud when they hear, long with his parents, of course.

It's important to note that he was accepted to 19 out of the 21 colleges he applied to. He'll be studying economics at Princeton. He starts classes September 11.

"The school I most wanted to attend did not accept me (rhymes with fail) and Princeton was basically my second choice out of the 21. It was my second choice because it would open all the same opportunities as my top school would and it is known to have a better focus on its undergraduate students. I would like to say that I am happy to be a part of Princeton’s class of 2023. GO TIGERS!" said Keyshawn.

"Many people have been saying that I received a full-ride to attend Princeton which is effectively true, but not entirely. Princeton, much like Harvard, Yale and many other peer institutions, does not award merit scholarships to anyone. They do it based solely on one’s financial status, and I happen to fall below the number they set to give full financial aid. However, I did receive another scholarship that would have actually given me a full-ride at any school I applied to which is completely academic based. I had the honor of receiving the Gates Scholarship which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation," he said.

Keyshawn went to Coconut Grove Elementary and Coral Gables High School, he also went to The Barnyard, an after-school care program. "I was heavily involved in Student Government at Coral Gables, serving as the Senior Class Vice President and Secretary of Academics at Gables. I was also involved with the Future Business Leaders of America for three years, National Honor Society for three years, Best Buddies for two years, and Political Activism and Civic Engagement for one year. Outside of school I was also very politically active, working in many local campaigns across Miami," he says.

A tour of an historic theater

Photos courtesy Kings Theater

Brooklynites will have the unique opportunity to explore the historical Kings Theatre on Saturday, on one of only three currently scheduled tours of the Jewel of Flatbush Avenue. The theater opened in 1929.

I may try to make it, I'm flying in today. But either way, check it out here. This is what many historical, restored theaters look like today. "For decades, it sat empty and fell into disrepair. Dust collected and the inside grew dilapidated from the elements." In, 2010, the theater went under a $95 million renovation. More here in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

Brooklynites? Do you have to live in Brooklyn to see the theater? I was born in Brooklyn, does that count? Maybe it's something like the Coconut Grove ID card, but you need a Brooklyn ID card in Brooklyn.

By the way, this article ran in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, which is an online newspaper now, the return of Brooklyn's daily newspaper which ran from 1841 to 1955 - 114 years! 

The First eBook from the Reggae Report Archives

My friend M. Peggy Quattro wrote a new book. Many of you may remember Peggy, she is an old Grovite (living in Savannah now) and for many years she was involved with the BID, Chamber and was Marketing Director of CocoWalk.

Peggy's career began May 11, 1981, assisting Don Taylor, Bob Marley’s manager. She revolutionized Reggae media in 1983 when Reggae Report Magazine was introduced as a way to spread the music and culture internationally.

Peggy now has released the first compilation of Reggae history from the Reggae Report Archives. Reggae Trilogy Vol. 1: 200+ 80s & 90 Artist Headshots is an entertaining, engaging time capsule that features 13 chapters of Reggae and Dancehall Headshots. Each collection begins with a personal and enlightening introduction by the Reggae pioneer. Volume 1's more than 200 promo Headshots depict the distinctive fashion, culture and lifestyle that catapulted Reggae and Dancehall artists onto the 80s and 90s world stage.

M. Peggy Quatro

Thousands of promotional Headshots poured into Reggae Report for more than 20 years. As a fan and archivist, Peggy knew one day these photos would tell their own story. This wealth of photos will be delivered in three volumes of the Reggae Trilogy series. Crucial chapters include the Bands, Legends, Women, Singers, Groups, Dub Poets, Dancehall, Musicians, USA Reggae, International, Industry Pros, The Marleys, and Where Are They Now?. A rising teen superstar in the 80s, singer/songwriter/cultural studies scholar Nadine Sutherland contributes an inspiring and thoughtful Foreword.

Fueled by a passion to pass on this remarkable history to fans who have surfaced since that amazing time–before the Internet. Peggy believes the knowledge of Reggae’s roots is central to understanding the music’s current worldwide position and status. Reggae Trilogy reaches across generations–from ‘tweens and teens to seasoned fans and veterans. The timeline acts as a valuable tool for dedicated fans of Music, Caribbean and Reggae history, educators and students at all levels.

The Reggae Trilogy book is available as a Kindle book for $9.99. Available on Amazon here.

Hot dog eating contest is open to contestants

A scene from 2009's Hot Dog Eating Contest at CocoWalk

The Hot Dog Eating Contest is back this July 4th. As part of the Celebration in Regatta Park, the Coconut Grove BID will be continuing the annual tradition, started at CocoWalk.

Participants are welcome to signup in advance to secure a spot and a chance to win amazing prizes. The first place winner will take home a Huffy, Panama Jack Men’s or Women’s Beach Cruiser Bike of their choice.

Additional prizes will be awarded from local Coconut Grove Businesses for second and third place winners. If you are interested in joining in this fun-filled event please call at 305.461.5506 or send an email to marketing@grovebid.com by Tuesday, July 2.

The contest will take place at 8 pm on July 4th. Everyone is invited you to join the July 4th Concert & Fireworks Show honoring our Nation’s Independence. 

The night starts at 6 pm where a 4th of July picnic with food and drink vendors will be part of the family fun. There will be a live musical performance by Soulixer. Park entrance is free.

After the hot dot eating contest, from 9 to 10, enjoy fireworks over the bay followed by another concert, this one by Yoli Mayor.

But the party doesn't end at 10 pm, Hotel Arya at 2889 McFarlane Road, is having an after party until midnight.

Bicycle over to the park, Bike Coconut Grove will keep an eye on it for you free at the Bicyle Valet. 

Vendors at Regatta Park will include:
- Icetasy Italian Ice
- Don Guiseppes - Pizza
- Fair Food Concessions (formerly Good Ole' Corn) -  BBQ turkey drumsticks, ribs, chicken on stick, hot dogs/sausages, roasted corn, funnel cakes
- Shore to Door - Conch Salad + Ceviche 
- Choices Cafe - Vegan BBQ
- Doggystyle - Glow-in-the-dark cotton candy + popcorn
- Brewing Life - Kombucha 
and there may be a few more.

Activities include: 
Three different stations (cookie decorating, crafts) provided by Miami Kids Mag
Face painting by Art Box
Lightup Balloon
and there's a Photo booth

Regatta Park is at  2699 SW 27th Avenue.

Do zoning inspectors care about the neighborhood?

Wondering if our Miami Zoning Department is on the take or do they just not care? I remember many years ago we had the elevator rebuilt in our building. The inspector was a tempermental fool. He would come to inspect the job and at that time everyone had to be present on the same date and time - the contractor, the building president, the electrical team, the elevator builder and so on. Everyone was coordinated and ready and the inspector would throw a tantrum and leave. Once because we didn't have the front gate open in time for him, another time another reason. He was an idiot.

One time he left his wallet here in the office for a full weekend, I don't know how he managed without it. Another time he left the full confidential report on our elevator.

He would have everyone show up, throw a tantrum and leave.

One day I called him up and told him if we didn't have our CO or whatever it's called by the end of the day, we would be suing the City and him personally. The proper paperwork appeared within an hour. A few years later someone told me he was trying to get a bribe. I was just too naive to know that.

Which brings me to the recent group of buildings at 3180, 3182, 3184, and 3186 Elizabeth Street and 3145 Ohio Street, all by the same developer, and 3374 Day Avenue, by a different developer which all have illegal setback violations. Devin Cejas, who was the city of Miami Zoning Director at the time, went out and confirmed this after being asked to come out and look at it.

Because of this incompetence, our neighborhood code compliance inspector is being transferred, hopefully to a dungeon somewhere where he can't take bribes and destroy neighborhoods. Mr. Cejas has agreed to follow-up with the status of the citations and stop orders, which have been issued for each of these properties. A five foot set-back is required. There is none and there was no variance applied for.

In the meantime, construction workers are working at all hours of the night and day.

Now let's give some credit where credit is due -- The Urban Development Review Board honored the character of Charles Avenue and the neighborhood by turning down a prefabricated steel house that fits nowhere in the character of the neighborhood. You may remember Andrew Rasken from this article about his property at 3372 Charles Avenue.


UDRB members felt that the house would not fit in well with the historic nature of Charles Avenue and the rest of the houses in the area. The project was denied earlier this month. That particular street must have all projects reviewed by the URDB and it's interesting to note that there are other projects on that street that do not fit in with the neighborhood, yet they passed muster in the past. Hope this means the rules are finally making sense and getting stricter.

'Entrepreneural Equation' is latest Chamber seminar

Antonio Lopez

The Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce has announced that is is holding its third Learning Bar Program: "Entrepreneurial Equation" on Friday, June 28. As a business owner, you are probably busy minding the day-to-day activities. Are you taking advantage of the financial strategies and tools available to help you run your business more effectively? So, rise and shine by joining them to learn how you can save time, attract and retain employees, and preserve your business for yourself and your heirs.

This seminar will be led by Antonio A. Lopez EMSF, a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones. Join this morning coffee seminar at the Chamber Office at CocoWalk West ~ 3059 Grand Avenue, Suite 210. The entrance is on Grand Avenue between Chase Bank and The Gap. Take the stairs or elevator to the second floor and office is to the left.  Parking is available at CocoWalk Parking Garage. Registration begins at 8 am with seminar beginning at 8:30. 

Pre-register now at coconutgrovechamber.com/events to save on the surcharge at the door.  

Cost is $15 for members with RSVP and $20 at door and $20 for non-members with RSVP and $25 at door.

An Asian and Latin American collab at Jaguar Lab

Jaguar Lab with Chef Oscar Del Rivero has a special guest this week - Chef Pablo Zitzmann. Jaguar Lab is a monthly series at Jaguar Latin American Kitchen, where chefs are welcome to embrace their creativity and experiment with different flavors and cuisines, where no idea is too “extra”. Chef Oscar aims to collaborate with local chefs and various cuisines to bring everyone a new and unique menu that pushes the envelope every time. This culinary experience will attract those that are in for a new experience, letting go of their inhibitions as these dishes will awaken their senses and taste buds.

Last month’s Jaguar Lab was a major success as Chef Oscar and, guest chef, Persefoni Vordokas joined forces to bring guests intricate Mediterranean dishes. With experimental menu items such as Braised Lamb tacos, Platano Pudding, and much more, we are excited to see what’s going to be brought out during this month’s Jaguar Lab.

For this month’s edition, Chef Oscar and Chef Pablo will serve up something special for Jaguar’s guest list. Given Chef Pablo’s training in acclaimed restaurants in Hawaii and Hong Kong, as well as his Asian-centered concept restaurant in South Miami “No Name Chinese," guests will be lining up to indulge in this duo’s fusion of Asian and Latin American dishes.

Jaguar Lab will be taking place on Friday, June 28 at 7:30 pm. They are located at 3067 Grand Ave. To RSVP and Save Your Seat for Jaguar Lab go here. There is a $10 to reserve your seat which will be deducted from your meal bill.

And join Jaguar for lunch in celebrating National Ceviche Day on Friday, June 28 with their ceviche spoon sampler. Containing up to six different kinds of ceviche, these mini bites are derived from regular sized portions and include favorites such as the Peruano, Mexicano, the Black Market, and many more. As guests entice themselves into these spoonful samplers, they will also come walking out of lunch with a new, favorite ceviche. Summer is here and what better way to refresh than with any one of our cool and savory ceviches.

Grove Rotary raises $5000 for local charities

The Rotary Club of Coconut Grove held a silent and live auction on June 13; proceeds benefitted those in need in the community. 

About 75 Rotary Club members from the Grove and local clubs attended the cocktail mixer held at the Sailing Club. Auction items included high-end art, artifacts and trips donated by club members and local businesses.

Recent Rotary projects have included a jacket and sweater drive for students PreK to 5th grade that netted over 450 items that were distributed to local school administrators; larger sizes were sent to victims of Hurricane Michael through a Rotary Club in The Panhandle.

The Rotary Club of Coconut Grove provides service and financial support to initiatives within the community, as well as to various humanitarian projects in Colombia, Guatemala, and Bolivia through the Rotary International matching funds program. Locally, The Rotary Club of Coconut Grove has funded after-school programs, youth sports for at risk teens, health initiatives, and a Learn-to-Swim project for underprivileged youth.

The club meets every Thursday at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club at 12:30 pm. The cost is $25 with lunch, $10 without lunch.

There's a new Taco & Tequila happy hour in town

The Spillover at the Mayfair Promenade is launching a new Thursday night Happy Hour, from 3 to 7 pm starting June 27. The new Happy Hour will feature two favorite things - Tacos and Tequila. 

The chef and beverage director outdid themselves this time with a menu so rich in flavor and creativity; it's going to be your new favorite Thursday night spot. 

Get innovative with your tacos, they are $5 each (Get 3 for $14).

They almost sound like the burger specials at Bob's Burgers:

Bao Chicka Wow: Pulpo Style
Cilantro garlic aioli, grilled onions. Bun Intended

Sun’s Out, Bun’s Out
Crispy portobello, sautéed peppers & onions, bean sprouts, and peanut dressing

Let’s Taco ‘Bout Lobster
Cured bacon, beet mustard, LT, micro greens, wonton wrapper

You’re Shrimply Amazing
Cajun Gulf Shrimp, Spicy MLT, cilantro, crispy shell

 Zenobia Loves Her Tequila Cocktails… $10 each.   

Bidi Bidi Bom Bom
Tanteo Jalapeno Tequila-Cucumber-Basil-Tonic-Lime
Anything for Selenas!
---
Que Exótica 
Milagros Tequila-Vida Mezcal-Coco Lopez-Sparkling Grapefruit-Cinnamon-Rose-Mint
Tell the lady to your right: Tu con curvas, y yo sin frenos
---
We’re Jammin’
Milagros Tequila-Homemade Berry Jalapeno Jam- Lemon- Lavender-Torched Rosemary
Tequiling Me Softly with this one…

Saving the canopy through urban tree mapping

Come closer and see; see into the trees. - The Cure

There is a new research project going on called Grove ReLeaf, "which focuses on teaching plant identification and inventory skills while also developing a citizen science network for urban tree mapping and monitoring across the Miami area."

This is a new research project from Florida International University. Trees are being mapped all over Coconut Grove and "services" provided by the trees are being calculated. Services such as root systems that combat flooding and a tree's cooling effects. 

The end goal is to help Miami create a tree policy.

WLRN has a lot about this here. 

I'm sure we all know this but the benefits of trees include:

Clean air: Trees produce oxygen, intercept airborne particulates, and reduce smog, enhancing a community’s respiratory health. The urban canopy directly contributes to meeting a city’s regulatory clean air requirements.

Access to trees, green spaces, and parks promotes greater physical activity, and reduces stress, while improving the quality of life in our cities and towns.

Urban landscaping, including trees, helps lower crime rates.
Studies show that urban vegetation slows heartbeats, lowers blood pressure, and relaxes brain wave patterns.

Climate change: Trees sequester carbon (CO2), reducing the overall concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Read more about trees and climate change here.

Energy conservation:

A tree is a natural air conditioner. The evaporation from a single tree can produce the cooling effect of ten room-size, residential air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.

Tree windbreaks can cut residential air-conditioning costs 20-50%.

Water filtration and retention: Urban forests promote beneficial water quality and reduce storm water management costs.

Wildlife habitat: Trees provide important habitats for numerous bird, insect and animal species.

Communities and business districts with healthy tree-cover attract new residents, industry, and commercial activity.

And many new developers, who seem to not be big fans of trees
would be well advised to know that:

Homes landscaped with trees sell more quickly and are worth 5% to 15% more than homes without trees.

Where the entire street is tree-lined, homes may be worth 25% more.
Trees enhance economic stability by attracting businesses; people linger and shop longer when trees are present.

Where a canopy of trees exists, apartments and offices rent more quickly and have a higher occupancy rate; workers report more productivity and less absenteeism.

Related reading: Bringing Nature Into Neighborhoods

What should we name the manatee?

We wrote about Marisol Mcewan last week. She started this manatee mural on Friday and by Monday morning it was complete!

Marisol, with the help of her dad, Edward Mcewan did an incredible job. You can see it at the back of the Florentine Plaza building, right on Fuller, at the parking lot.

They are nice people to stop and talk with. I noticed that with James and Xenz, who did the interactive mural on the Dry Cleaners building. They like to stop and talk about their art, they enjoy the neighborhood. 

This image above is Friday; they are just starting the job. Marisol is a student at DASH (Design and Architecture Senior High).

When I first saw the outline on Friday I thought it was an elephant! 

The project was a combined effort of Alex Klumpp of Gadinsky Real Estate and Sabal Hill, owners of the property. Alex tells me there are two more murals in the works. 

'Grove Green' workshop at Woman's Club

The Florida Plastic Free Initiative is having a workshop at the Woman's Club of Coconut Grove on Tuesday, June 25.

Coconut Grove has a “Grove Green” idea for the future to make the Grove an environmentally friendly place to live with lots of trees, bike paths, clean energy sources, clean beaches, clean Biscayne Bay, and clean water. Overall, to use products that are sustainable and reduce waste. Recycling is an ongoing improvement issue. This workshop is the start for eco-friendly restaurant awareness.

The workshop starts at 6:30 pm. Everyone is invited from 16 years-old and up.

Jason Koch, from Surfrider, will explain the Ocean Friendly Restaurant program that assists restaurants that want to replace their single use plastic ware and replace it with alternative products.

After this short training class, you will have the tools you need to confidently pair off with friends for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack (or happy hours) and observe the restaurants you visit. 

By the end of summer, our communities will be more aware of the “Plastic Free Initiative” movement to becoming eco-friendly. You will have made a difference for our marine life, our coastal shores, and ecosystems.  

The Woman's Club is at 2985 S. Bayshore Drive.

Woman's Club holding summer happy hours

The Woman's Club of Coconut Grove is holding Happy Hours during the summer. The first is Thursday, June 27 from 5:30 to 8 pm.

Stop by for the summer kick-off. 

There will be various themes throughout the summer:
Broadway Musicals by Nikki Simon Blacker and John Reubens
Line Dancing with Lisa Sprangler
Zaida Alfaro's New Mystery Book Signing Event
A Fabulous Art Workshop
Karaoke
Salsa Dance Class and much more.

The Club is at 2985 South Bayshore Drive.

Isabelle’s Grill Room & Garden at The Ritz-Carlton

Isabelle’s Grill Room & Garden, the companion to The Commodore, the newly-opened cocktail lounge at The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, is now open. 

The chic new restaurant features the inspired, elevated cuisine of Corporate Chef Paolo Dorigato and Sous Chef Miguel Fajardo. Operated by LDV Hospitality (the team behind Miami Beach’s acclaimed Dolce restaurant and award-winning Regent Cocktail Club), Isabelle’s Grill Room & Garden is named in honor of Isabella Peacock, one of the Grove’s earliest settlers. Isabella and her husband Charles founded Coconut Grove’s first hotel, the Bay View Inn back in 1882, later to be named the Peacock Inn, which was right at the water's edge in Peacock Park.

“Coconut Grove is an historic place with a charm and spirit all its own,” says LDV Founder and President John Meadow. “With Isabelle’s we wanted to embrace that, and pay tribute to it, while creating something that also looked forward stylistically and conceptually. Coconut Grove is going through an exciting culinary renaissance and we’re thrilled to be a part of that. Isabelle’s is a place where people will feel that sense of history while enjoying food, drink and service very much in sync with the times.” 

Dinner, served daily, offers an assortment of land and sea options. Oysters, Jumbo Shrimp, Lobster Cocktail, Jumbo Lump Crab Meat, Market Ceviche, Tuna Poke and Seafood Towers are a big part of the menu.

Main Courses range from Lobster Pappardelle, Kurobuta Pork Chop, Seared Striped Bass and Grilled Jumbo Prawns. Burger lovers, prepare for Isabelle’s Cheeseburger with smoked tomato aioli, brandied onions, Nueske’s bacon, cheddar, lettuce and tomato.

From the Grill options include a variety of prime, aged cuts. 

Breakfast and lunch are also served daily.  Sunday brunch  is each week from 11 am – 5 pm. The a la carte brunch is a deft blend of classics and new favorites, including Bottomless Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas ($22 per person) and the lively Mad Jazz Duo. In a town known for killer brunches, Isabelle’s Grill Room & Garden is prepared to join the party with a lineup sure to please. 

The large menu was created by Corporate Chef Paolo Dorigato and Sous Chef Miguel Fajardo. 

The stunning bar, adorned in brass, stone and rich stained wood, overlooks the charming outdoor garden terrace and is the perfect spot for pre-dinner drinks. 

The restaurant is made up of warm rich, stained woods, burnished brass, cognac leather, and hints of white with deep green accents which create a space that is classic and stylish while utterly modern and welcoming. Adjacent to the restaurant is the trellised outdoor garden terrace. The outdoor garden terrace along with the private dining room are available for private events.  


Isabelle’s Grill Room and Garden is located at 3300 SW 27th Avenue at The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami. Breakfast is offered daily from 7 – 11 am. Lunch is offered daily from 11 am – 3 pm. Dinner is offered Sunday through Thursday from 5 – 10 pm and Friday and Saturday from 5 – 11 pm. Guests that valet will enjoy a discounted rate of $7. And stop by for Happy Hour nightly!

People seem to have an issue with the scooters

A twofer gliding down the street.

I wrote about the electric scooters being legalized in the state the other day and received so many comments, mostly against the scooters.

It seems that I'm one of the few who likes them. I don't see a problem. And many of you claim to have been accosted by wayward scooter drivers. Luckily, I've never witnessed that.

I usually see them on the street, but even if they are on the sidewalks, they take the space of one person, it's not like a car is driving on the sidewalk. One lady says they take the space of motorcycles on the sidewalks. Do they?

One person said, "The scooters are dangerous, kids shouldn't use them, people don't wear helmets, they are on the sidewalks . . ."

Miami has one of the most successful scooter programs in the country in terms of usage rates. There is a 60 day pilot program going on at the moment. According to Commissioner Ken Russel, "Each scooter is used more than five times a day on average. In the last two months, 300,000 trips have been made on our streets and sidewalks."

The program will be evaluated but it seems to be working for short trips, which is what people seem to be using them for. A lot do ride them for fun or to just try them out for the first time.


Some of the money raised through the scooter program will go to more bike lanes.

When we were kids we rode bicycles all over the place, without helmets. We left the house in the morning and came home when the street lights went on at night. There was no way for our mothers to reach us all day, we were just out and when we returned, we returned. Now everything has to be regulated, even who, when and why people ride scooters around town is being dissected. I guess when bicycles were invented there were those who felt the same about them.

All that being said, Hoboken has had its first arrest as scooter ridership soars. Apparently a guy was riding the scooter against traffic and he struck a pedestrian. 

Mayfair Hotel & Spa has new owners

Mayfair's beautiful rooftop pool and cabanas.

The Mayfair Hotel and Spa was sold this week to Brookfield Asset Management. They purchased the property at 3000 Florida Avenue for around $40 million. The last sale was in 2014 for $28 million by Copperline Partners (West Palm Beach and New York) in partnership with Dallas-based TriGate Capital.

The hotel is not part of the whole Mayfair complex, which today is mostly offices. The hotel is it's own separate property, built in 1985, designed by local architect Kenneth Treister. 

The Mayfair Hotel has a lot of the original look from 1985 in their atrium outdoor area. At one point, the whole Mayfair complex, which was a mall, looked like that. If you ever want to see and get the feel of the original mall, just step into the Mayfair Hotel lobby. The multi-level mall/shopping center was all open air with lots of trees and plants and water features.

Aside from the atrium, the rooftop pool and cabanas are probably the best part of Mayfair. Do you remember in 2008 when the pool was raised to the roof? Virginia Street was closed for weeks while that project was being worked on. 

Crescent Hotels & Resorts will now manage the property.

A couple of new murals are going up

This is Marisol Mcewan and her dad Edward Mcewan.

Marisol is painting a mural on the back wall of Florentine Plaza and dad is helping her out. You can see her working in the parking lot at Fuller and Grand. It's a perfect wall just ready for a nice mural. Edward told me that the large green outline behind him in this photo, will be a manatee. I joked with him about wearing a shirt that matches the blue paint on the wall.

Across the way, on the sidewall of Jaguar on Grand Avenue, another mural has just been started. I haven't been able to meet the painters yet. I'll get some photos when that one starts going.

Of course we have our interactive mural on the dry cleaners building at Matilda and Grand.

We're becoming a mini Wynwood!

Three car break-ins in six months

A reader sent this in, I find it interesting about the locations of the car break-ins and the area where the break-ins did not happen.

"I never really thought I’d be reaching out for such an insignificant issue, but I’ve been a victim now three times of a break-in and I feel this needs to be given more attention. I recently moved to [a condo] on Bird Avenue after my divorce, and have been the victim of a car break-in three times in six months. I lived near CVS on Grand Avenue for five years and never had a single problem, and yet I move into a different gated community, off of a busy road and have suffered a number of great losses. The City is swamped with these kind of things, and cannot provide any real solution, but my fear is that this acceptance will only continue to hurt the Grove."

What do you make of this? Have any of you been the victim of a car break-in recently?

CocoWalk announces new eclectic mix of tenants

As the redevelopment of CocoWalk progresses, four new retail concepts have signed leases to move in when they reopen to the public next year. Joining the center’s tenant mix will be Mister 01 Extraordinary Pizza as we shared with you here. They are an Italian pizzeria that has become one of Miami’s most popular pizzerias; Edward Beiner, a homegrown luxury eyewear boutique that will return to CocoWalk; School of Rock, a national concept that offers music lessons led by veteran composers for both children and adults; and The Spot Barbershop, which offers classic and contemporary haircuts along with grooming services for the gentlemen of Miami.

The Spot Barbershop offers a modern setting. From hot towel shave treatments and trendy haircuts to straight razor shaves and additional a la carte services, the ambiance and skilled barbers make each visit more than just a haircut, they make it a true gentleman’s experience. The Spot Barbershop, set to occupy 1,200 square feet on the second floor of CocoWalk, has 14 locations across Florida.

School of Rock is very popular at the King Mango Strut ever year, these kids are excellent, you've probably seen, and heard them. They are open to children and adults, rookies and experienced musicians, the programs at the school are designed to inspire students to learn and develop a strong musical proficiency. The School of Rock will span 3,200 square feet on the second floor at CocoWalk. The music school, with several locations in South Florida, performs thousands of shows across the world each year. 

And Edward Beiner was a long-time tenant at CocoWalk, who many of you have probably visited or at least seen. A brand known for its carefully curated selection of artisanal eyewear, Beiner was inspired by a lifelong quest to create the world’s most imaginative, trendsetting, and high-tech eyeglasses.

In addition to 150,000 square feet of new experiential retail, dining and entertainment space, the redevelopment will encompass a 85,762-square-foot, Class A office building – One Cocowalk – which includes a 21,000 square-foot Penthouse on the 5th floor. They have been putting beautiful dark blue/black glass on the face of the building these past two weeks and you can really get a look and feel for the place now.

CocoWalk is scheduled to open in phases over the next 18 months.

Los Generales Mezcal & Grill was the first restaurant to sign on at the new CocoWalk. It is the creation of several top chefs from Mexico, including TV personality Chef Aquiles Chavez. Located on the third floor of CocoWalk, the 7,500-square-foot space will include a rooftop terrace overlooking the new interior courtyard and Grand Avenue.

“Our vision for CocoWalk is to attract a diverse mix of local concepts and national and international brands that will meet the everyday needs of Coconut Grove’s residents and families, businesses and visitors,” says Stuart Biel, Senior Vice President of Regional Leasing at Federal Realty Investment Trust.

CocoWalk was just given an "approval of noise ordinance" by the City of Miami, where they can work through the night from 7 pm to 5 am from June 17 through August 17, 2019, so things should be moving fast now that they have the extra work hours.

County suing City over Coconut Grove Playhouse

On June 17, 2019, Miami-Dade County filed a lawsuit against the City of Miami regarding the Coconut Grove Playhouse. The County is not going to take "no" as an answer.

The county seems quite spiteful and they are going to ram the chrome and glass structure down our throats.

The county is asking that the court, "issue a writ of certiorari quashing the City of Miami Mayor’s veto."

The long boring lawsuit, goes over the same old, same old, giving the history of the Playhouse. What they fail to mention is that it's all about developing that prime property and has nothing to do with saving theater in Coconut Grove.

It sort of reminds me of so many years ago when The Home Depot wanted into the Grove and locals did not want a big box store. After all the development over the past 10 years, The Home Depot issue seems so trivial now.

But at the time Home Depot threatened lawsuits and they threatened to take over the Milam's spot leaving the Grove without a supermarket, but I was glad to see a few years later that Milam's expanded, rather than shrunk.

According to Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, the county has zero dollars to put toward the project.

It looks like developers, with the county's backing, will not be happy until the whole Grove is paved over.

At a performance last week at GablesStage, Joe Adler gave a speech about the Coconut Grove Playhouse and talked very glowingly about County Mayor Carlos Gimenez and made Miami Mayor Suarez out to be the bad guy. Dirty politics at the theater. What next? The interesting part about all of this is that in the end, Adler may be out no matter which plan ends up being the implemented at the Playhouse. And if the City's plan goes through, he certainly killed his chances of running that.

Here is the 62 page lawsuit if you would like to read it.

We had the very very secret special for lunch

A funny thing happened at lunch yesterday.

For the past few days I've been seeing an advertisement floating around on social media for a Grove restaurant. It's a good deal at a place I like. I have a friend who is always complaining about the cost of food in the Grove, so I showed him the ad and he said, "Let's go!" So we went.

We met up there and sat down and asked the waiter for the lunch special. He said that it was only for people who lived in the Grove. My friend and I looked at each other and said, "We live in the Grove." He then asked for ID!

So we took out our drivers licenses and showed him, a bit incredulous that this was happening, but we showed him the licenses without saying anything.

He said, "I need to see your Coconut Grove ID." I said, "I'm Tom and this is [my friend's name], that's our Grove ID." But he was serious.

I told him there was no such thing, at least not yet. With the state of our country these days, who knows if this will ever become a thing. God forbid.

He said he would have to go speak to the manager. Now let me say this, the special is about $5 off the regular price on the menu, so all this to save $5 was a bit much.

He came back and said, "OK, I have permission to serve you the special of the day." And he proceeded to do so.

I asked him if he was from another country, which he was, and I asked him about the ID. "Do you have an ID for your country to show you are a citizen of your country?" He told me he did. I asked if I could see it out of curiosity, but he said he didn't have it on him.

Later on I asked the manager about the special and told him I was going to write about it in the Grapevine, and share the info, but he told me not to.

So we had the secret special that no one is supposed to know about. And it was good. But you didn't hear about it from me.

Looks like the electric scooters are here to stay

It looks like some of the electric scooters were taken out of the Grove, like the Bird brand, but the orange Spin brand is in big supply, seems like there is group of them every few feet.

The program has worked well, the scooter companies are abiding by the laws and taking care of the scooters - keeping them juiced up and out of walkways.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill legalizing electric scooters in the state of Florida. So they could be here to stay.

There are many who don't like them. I love them. I don't actually use them, but I love seeing people scoot down the streets alone or in groups.

The new bill (HB453) takes effect immediately.

Cities still have control over how they are operated and regulated, but the new law says they are legal.