Memorial Day

And now for something silly . . .

Glittery wings. Whimsical outfits. Energetic dances. It may have been early on Saturday morning, but Old Cutler Road was lit up with festive sights and sounds for Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden’s first-ever Butterfly Migration Parade.

 Last weekend, participants from all over Miami spread their wings and marched from Matheson Hammock Park to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in colorful butterfly displays. Fairchild staff rode in style on a shuttle decorated as a caterpillar with big eyes and pointy antennae. A fun float adorned with larger-than-life flowers and butterflies carried Ms. Miami 2013-2014 Isabelle Scott and her little sisters, University of Miami’s Sebastian the Ibis and Burnie the Miami Heat mascot. Local dignitaries from Coral Gables waved to spectators from cars and Segways. Miami Norland Senior High marching band drummers and Precious Pearls dance group, Hialeah Gardens Middle School drumline and dancers, and the Henry H. Filer Middle School Lady Panthers cheerleaders and Panther Starlets dancers gave great performances. Outfitted in vibrant apparel, the Bahamas Junkanoo Revue brought the celebration to life with high-energy drums and dancing. Even some Miami residents joined the parade, fluttering down the road dressed in bright colors and sparkly wings. 



Once the parade made its way through the gates of Fairchild, the Garden filled with the sounds of performances by drumlines, cheer squads and dance troops. The dance groups from local schools showed off some great routines, and the Bahamas Junkanoo Revue got the crowd dancing along to the beat of the drums. While DJ Crunchtime played some popular tunes, guests got their faces painted with lovely winged designs to complete their butterfly looks. 

Like butterflies, people get hungry, too; luckily, there was plenty of food to go around. There were hot dogs and hamburgers on the Glasshouse Café patio, the Ms. Cheezious food truck served delicious grilled cheese sandwiches and Ecoripe Tropicals handed out samples of exotic rambutan fruit.  


To truly appreciate our fluttering friends, Fairchild staff was on hand in front of the new butterfly conservatory to answer questions and teach visitors about the butterfly life cycle. Once they were inside the Wings of the Tropics exhibit, guests could see the thousands of stunning butterflies and their new friends on view hatching from chrysalis in the Butterfly Metamorphosis Lab. 

Overall, it was a great day to be a butterfly fan. Fairchild will continue educating the community about these winged wonders and will most certainly keep celebrating our butterfly buddies. 

Preserving Florida's Heritage

The Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources is presenting a series of regional meetings to provide citizens an opportunity to review the state’s new comprehensive historic preservation plan. 

Participants will discuss how the plan can guide efforts to work together to preserve Florida’s history and historical, archaeological, and cultural resources. Full color copies and an executive summary will be available. 

Miami's meeting is taking place, Wednesday, May 29 at the Vizcaya Village Garage, which is across the street from Vizcaya, next to the Science Museum, at 3251 S. Miami Avenue. 

It's from 3 to 5 pm and open and free to the public.

For more info, please contact Kathleen Kauffman at 305.375.3506.

Welcome to Coconut Grove

I was going to publish a story on the sad state of affairs at the Coconut Grove playhouse this week, but the Miami New Times beat me to it and they even managed to get ahold of the actual photos and make a whole story out of my pictures , so here's the story. 

My point was going to be that this is the entrance for thousands of people into the Grove. This is the first thing they see. All of our neighbors to the south, including new neighbor, Christian Slater see this mess, as they enter the Center Grove. Despicable. 

I like the last line of the New Times story, a quote by Harry Emilio Gottlieb, "This blighted condition would not be tolerated by the county, City of Miami or any municipality if it was a private residence or commercial building."

True that.

End of an era

This photo is going around Facebook, courtesy of Channel 7, WSVN.

The Miami Herald has moved to Doral and their building on the bay is being torn down soon to put up a condo and maybe one day a huge casino. So the letters are coming down first. I guess they will be saved otherwise they would just be torn down with the building.

This reminds me of when they took the Miami News sign. I think I told this story before. As you know, The Miami Herald and The Miami News shared the building for many years after the Miami News left the Freedom Tower building, which was actually built in the 1920s for the Miami News as their production and printing facility.

Anyway, The Miami News ended operation the last day of 1989, I always resented the Herald for not buying it and keeping it going, but anyway, the sign came down.

One day, I was with my friend Ron Miller, who owned Community Newspapers, his sons, Grant and Michael own it now. Anyway, we went over to Ron's house and there in the backyard were the big metal letters that said "THE MIAMI NEWS." I picture them as blue but I remember on the building they were red, so I am guessing they were red. They sprawled all around the yard, leaning on the back fence surrounding the yard. They were huge! I want to say about 16 feet each more or less.

Ron said he had seen them in a junk yard somewhere and couldn't let them just go to scrap. I'm wondering what the fate of the old Miami Herald letters will be. But at least the Herald is still alive and well, so while the letters are classic and antique, it is only the end of the era of the building and not the era of The Miami Herald.

Bicycle Registration coming to the county

The Bicycle Registration application is coming to Miami-Dade County. It will be available via www.miamidade.gov in four to six months. Citizens will be able to register new and used bicycles by serial number.  As stolen bicycles are recovered or pawned, notifications will be made to the owner.

The feasibility of charging a minimal fee for this service is being reviewed by the county Police Legal Bureau.  

For more info, please contact the Acting Commander Ana Gispert, of the Information Technology Services Bureau, at 305-471-2610.

Coconut Grove Fun Day planned

A group of neighbors are throwing a party.

Their goal is to create a more peaceful neighborhood in light of recent events including criminal activities and the death of a young man in their neighborhood.

You're welcome to come out Saturday, June 15, from 10 am to 6 pm at Carver Park (Armbrister Park, 236 Grand Avenue). There will be fun for everyone. After the event the group plans to offer more resources for the Coconut Grove Community such as a mentorship program. 

If your organization would like to come out and set up booths on that day there will be plenty of space. They are in need of sponsors, volunteers, food, drinks and any assistance offered to make this event possible would be greatly appreciated. Please contact either Octavius or Tonisha with any assistance that can be offered. Email: mperez@cdc-florida.org