So we are all talking today about the Pow Wow last night. No one is sure how it turned out. Many people used their $35.00 Visa gift cards to eat and shop, many just took the cards back to their hotels and are probably spending the money elsewhere, which is not what the BID intended. It was hoped that all cards would be used in the Grove and then some -- visitors had their own money and expense accounts, but it seems many did not spend anything.
The Grove did its best. The BID did an outstanding job planning the whole event. Richard Issa (above left) is to be commended on his non-stop work. Going out to Miami Beach on the bus, he gave us all a little orientation on what was what and he seemed to know it all. He had an answer for everything, he looked exhausted and is probably sleeping in all day today, which is well deserved.
All volunteers, including Allison McCreary (above right), of Coconut Grove Bank, were eager to help and did help in rain or shine.
But from the planning standpoint, everyone was in their places and on the mark. The bus tour guides were there, the ambassadors were doing their job and everything seemed to start and work like clockwork. Everyone involved was happy and willing to work and do their part.
It's a shame that the Barnacle's free bar was a washout and that there was no swimming at Cabana One or the Sonesta. I don't think anyone even made it down to the Sonesta to eat at Panorama and enjoy the incredible view.
I doubt many made the Ghost Tours, since that was all walking and I don't think many made it to Commodore Plaza either since the buses let everyone off at Mayfair. This group, from one of the last buses to arrive in the pouring rain, took an underground tour of the Grove, through the garage from Mayfair, out to CocoWalk, to keep out of the rain. They took it in good stride and we joked about Paris having their underground sewer tours and we had our underground garage tour, in one area of the garage it did smell like a sewer, so we got the whole effect.
One sad note: our CocoWalk Angel fainted! She's ok and I guess the heat, rain and all the excitement and people got to her.
I know that all the South Beach festivities all week charmed the Pow Wow guests and hopefully they will send tourists to Miami and in turn, those tourists will want to visit the Grove, too. That is where our map and brochure committee needs to step in. If the tour operators and travel writers send people to South Beach, and I know they will, we need to have a presence there to invite those visitors to the Grove for a day trip or two.
Photos by AnnaMaria Windisch-Hunt and Tom Falco
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