Move over St. Valentine!

So this happened - February 14 is now Tom Falco Day in the City of Miami.  I received a proclamation that says so. It may be just today, but I am claiming it in perpetuity so every February 14 is Tom Falco Day!

On Friday afternoon at the Coconut Grove BID office, Commissioner Ken Russell (above right, I'm at left) along with Executive Director of the BID Abigael Mahony presented me with the honor. I'm flattered. There were many friends there and it was quite a surprise. I would especially like to thank Louis Del Borrello who put the whole thing together and Harry Gottlieb who wrote the text for the proclamation.

Here are AnnaMaria Windisch-Hunt, Louis Del Borrello, me and Harry Gottlieb, and I'd like to mention Rafael Gutierrez, who was not present, but who went out of his way on many occasions to help me cover events; my best friends, I could not have done it all these years without help from every single one of them.

The love and support is so nice. Friends, strangers in the street, and people literally are crying at the demise of the Grapevine. While I knew there were a lot of fans and readers, I didn't realize how much it meant to you. It's nice to know that you saw me as an integral part of the community and your lives. Thank you.

AnnaMaria is holding an old painting she did from 2008, which was part of the old Breakfast With the Artists program that we had back then. I'm here with AnnaMaria and Sandi Speier who came out with her son Ty to support me.

I had forgotten all about this great little painting. AnnaMaria had done paintings of all her friends at the time. Here is the story, The Christmas Gifts are Hanging on the Wall.


For me it's exciting to go back in time - a time before the daily Grapevine, when there was no need to eat, sleep and drink Coconut Grove. Waking up and doing other things, or doing nothing, sounds so appealing. Traveling more and spending a lot of time up north this summer is on the agenda. Next year it would be so nice to spend the whole summer in Italy.

I do work. I have a business that has been neglected for many years. And I am starting a comic strip. So that will keep me busy. For many years I went to the beach almost daily, sometimes for an hour, sometimes all day. Doing that again would be so great.

I live here, you'll see me out and about, I just won't be writing about it or taking pictures of everything. But today feels like it's the last day of school, forever!

Photos by Harry Gottlieb and Sandra Speier