Happy Easter!

Join Tom the Rabbit and Jacomo the Mole,
daily at Tomversation.com. 

Japanese Spring Festival for Easter Sunday

The folks at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden (2000 Convention Center Drive) are eating their Easter ham with chopsticks, as they get ready for today's Japanese Spring Festival tomorrow from 10 am to 4 pm. After church, why not head over to the Garden to listen to a free taiko drum performance, release a fish into our pond, or try your hand at a little origami?

Taiko means "fat drum" in Japanese, and taiko drums have been used in one form or another for over 2000 years in this crescent country. Fushu Daiko is a South Florida drumming group that combines the traditional drums and rhythms of Japan with musical styles from around the world, to create an exciting, powerful listening experience. They are known for their intense showmanship as well as their thundering rhythms.  Performance times are noon, 1:30 and 3:00 pm.

How many gardeners does it take to plant a water lily? They have been finding out the hard way how finicky these plants can be. Meet in the Japanese Garden at 2 pm to see a planting demo and to take home a cheat sheet so you can make your own water garden.

In Japan, koi fish symbolize good luck and overcoming obstacles and adversity. Legend has it that when the koi fish swims to the end of the Yellow River, it will transform into a dragon. Purchase your own "koi" fish for $1 and release it into one of our ponds to help your friend on his way to becoming a dragon.

They also have art activities planned for the kids, but adults are welcome to join too. Origami, calligraphy, haiku writing, fan and kite decorating are all on the table.

The Garden will be selling limited amounts of seaweed snacks, sushi, soda and water, as well as green tea refreshments.

Bring everyone to this unique family photo opportunity by  Sara Sheffman Photo Art. For a $10 donation, Sara will snap pro pics of the family against a Spring-themed backdrop and print them out onsite, ready to be framed.

Next Multichamber mixer at MPP Restaurant

There is a Multichamber of Commerce event at MPP Restaurant (141 SW 7th Street, off Brickell Avenue) on Wednesday, April 3 from 6:30 to 9 pm. MPP Restaurants serves fine Peruvian cuisine.

Joining the chamber lineup this month is the Polish Chamber of Commerce. They will mix and mingle at this monthly networker with Chambers from Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Argentina, Doral, Colombia, Chile, Downtown & Brickell, JCI, Sweetwater, Peru, Panama and so many others.

Hundreds show up for this monthly event and it's a great way to meet new Miamians. Bring your business cards as a lot of business is done. Tickets for members are $10 in advance and $15 at the door / non-members are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

Valet parking is $10 or there is meter parking on the street. Dress code is business attire.

A complimentary drink is provided and appetizers for one hour. There is a raffle, too.

The event is produced by Fabulous Miami. Please RSVP by April 1 to rsvp@fabulousmiami.com.

Tickets may be bought now at www.multichamberevents.com.

Brio Tuscan Grille; my new favorite Italian restaurant

These are some of the desserts at the new Italian restaurant at The Falls, called Brio Tuscan Grille.

The new restaurant opened less than a month ago, but it is sure to be there a long time. It's one of a few Florida locations.

As you enter, you'll be greeted by a large staff, we must have counted about 100 just during our lunch! The place is very large and very bright, with high ceilings. There's lots of room.

The menu is large and everything we tasted was delicious. A few of us had the Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese, Calamari (the fried peppercorns are the best part of that), the Chopped Salad, Chicken Piccata, Rissoto Chicken and Portobello Ravioli, to name a few. 

It's really worth a try if you are down that way. Or even worth the drive.

The Falls is at 8888 SW 136 Street. Brios' menu and contact info are at their website here.

Note: These are my opinions. I wasn't paid for this story.

Friday night wine tasting at The Four Seasons

Wines of the Pacific Northwest Oregon & Washington are featured at this week's Friday Night Wine Tasting at the Four Seasons Hotel. This is the 22nd year for the Friday Night series.

Wine educator Barry Alberts' cohost this week is Cameron Scott of King Estate based in Oregon which is the producer of all the wines at the tasting, including the Washington State wines.

You will get to see what happens to these grape varietal's when they come from the cooler climate of the Pacific Northwest. Ten wines will be sampled.

The tasting takes place in the Outer Edge at the Edge Restaurant on the Four Seasons hotel's 7th floor, one of the most spectacular venues in South Florida.

The tastings occur every first and third (and fifth when occurring) Friday night's from 7:00 to 9:30 pm.

Cost is $20 and reservations are not required. 
Each week, 10 wines are featured by theme, grape type, region or country of origin and includes a complimentary artisan cheese platter. 

This week, the featured wines are:
NxNW ~ Riesling ~ Washington
Acrobat ~ Pinot Gris ~ Oregon
King Estate ~ Pinot Gris ~ Oregon
NxNW ~ Chardonnay ~ Washington
Acrobat ~ Rose' of Pinot Noir ~ Oregon
Acrobat ~ Pinot Noir ~ Oregon
King Estate ~ Pinot Noir ~ Oregon
King Estate ~ Estate Domaine Pinot Noir ~ Oregon
NxNW ~ Syrah ~ Washington
NxNW ~ Cabernet Sauvignon ~ Washington

Following the tasting, we highly recommend the exceptional contemporary American cuisine of the Edge Restaurant. Make reservations early if you'd like at 305-381-3190

The Four Seasons Hotel is located at 1435 Brickell Avenue.
Discounted valet parking is available (up to three hours) 
For directions or info: 305-358-3535.

It's a colorful place for Sunday breakfast

I've been going to this quiet, little breakfast place for about a year now. It's in the design district. It's called The Buena Vista Deli. My friends and I call it the BVD. Yup, we've  already made all the underwear jokes you can think of.

The Buena Vista Deli is a French deli with homemade bakery and pastry items located at 4592 NE 2nd Avenue. It's about 10 minutes or so from Coconut Grove on a Sunday morning. If you enter from North Miami Avenue, you will drive through the tree-lined old Miami neighborhood of Buena Vista, just north of Wynwood and Midtown. The side patio, where most people eat, is on the side street where old houses and large trees make up the atmosphere. And the street parking is free!

Corentin “Cory” Finot, (shown here with manager Crystal Rodriguez)  a master Parisian baker and alumni of Lycée Hotelier de Saint Quentin en Yvelines, is the hospitable proprietor of this charming corner of France. His partner Claude Postel is a seventh generation French Chef.

The BVD is quint and it's the place where everybody knows your name, as most people on Sunday mornings are the usual regulars, with their dogs, NY Times, Miami Heralds and bicycles. Everyone stops by and visits over croissants and coffee. There is fresh baked bread of course (it greets you in a stack as you approach the front door), but there is so much more on their extensive menu.

I actually like probably the simplest thing on the menu -- their big bowl of thick yogurt with fresh fruit and a homemade hot chocolate.

Corey says he had the honor and privilege of working for the visionary developer Tony Goldman at his restaurant called "Wish," on South Beach. They both shared a love for food and art. Inspired by Tony, Cory decided to bring a neighborhood restaurant to Buena Vista and The BVD was born. 

Just before Art Basel and Miami Art Week this past December, Cory decided it was time to decorate the blank patio wall facing the patio with a colorful mural. He called on the talented Edwin Sepulveda (aka Don Rimx) who created a colorful Provencal image that has been hugely enjoyed by BVD regulars. Just last month the artist Johanna Boccardo (aka JOJAPIPOSA) was inspired by the geometric pattern of the adjacent fence and created her multicolored tape bombing art installation titled "Color Study In 45."
   

Now the colorful wall and fence combine with the colorful patrons to make it quite a colorful scene, especially on Sunday mornings.                 

Spankyfest bar crawl is this Saturday

The 4th annual Spankyfest is Saturday, March 30, starting at the Sandbar Grill (3064 Grand Avenue) at 5 pm.

Spankyfest is a barcrawl that supports the Humane Society of Greater Miami. Registration is $20 and the first 100 people get a t-shirt. 

Along with the Sandbar, bars in the crawl include the Tavern, Mr. Moe's, Fat Tuesday, The Goose Lounge and The Grove Spot. These bars will have specials all night long for the bar crawlers.

Spankyfest is all about the animals, but no pets allowed during the crawl.

For more info, please email: Spankyfest@gmail.com

Join the "Eggstreme" Egg Hunt and Egg Drop

Coral Gables is having their Eggstreme Hunt and Egg Drop, and we don't mean soup! The City Beautiful will be having their first ever helicopter Easter Egg drop.

That is this Saturday, March 30, at 10 am.

Approximately 8,000 colorful, plastic eggs will be flown in by helicopter to the Youth Center and dropped from the sky onto the field as children watch from the perimeter. Simultaneous egg hunts will take place at 10 a.m. at five parks in the City, but the Youth Center is the only one featuring a helicopter egg drop. Immediately following the egg hunts, residents can enjoy a free concert, and carnival games and rides. Residents in close proximity to the Youth Center may hear the helicopter overhead at approximately 9:50 am For more information, contact Parks and Recreation at 305-460-5600.

The EggStreme Hunt and Carnival is at Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center (405 University Drive).

Additional Participating Parks:
Jaycee Park - 1230 Hardee Road
Phillips Park - 90 Menores Avenue
Salvadore Park - 1120 Andalusia Avenue
Sunrise Harbor Park - 25 Sunrise Avenue

City Commission to discuss Miami Marine Stadium

I was able to visit Miami Marine Stadium almost a year ago. You can read about it and see a slideshow here: A Visit to Graffiti Filled Miami Marine Stadium.

The place brought back so many childhood memories. The restoration plans have been stagnant. The City Commission is going to make a decision in April. It's important that they vote to go ahead with the project. Here is the latest from Friends of Miami Marine Stadium:

On March 14, the Site Plan recommendations of the Miami Marine Stadium Steering Committee, as appointed by the City Manager, were presented to the Miami City Commission. The Steering Committee had approved the recommended site plan by a unanimous vote on December 18, 2013. 

As part of the meeting, Friends of Miami Marine Stadium presented an in-depth rationale of the site plan. The presentation was well received and there was virtually no opposition from the public. Nevertheless, several Commissioners were noncommittal about supporting the plan. Commission Chair Marc Sarnoff asked for the item to be brought back in 30 days for a yes or no vote (current timetable is April 11 meeting). During this interim time, language is being worked out that would be acceptable to the City Administration and City Commission.

Though this initiative will be outstanding asset both to community and to the City, it all comes down to counting votes. There are five Commissioners and three votes are needed. Chairman Sarnoff and Commissioner Willy Gort are "yes" votes-so one more vote is needed. The other Commissioners, Francis Suarez, Frank Carollo, and Michelle Spence-Jones (Ms. Spence-Jones did not attend the hearing) have not indicated how they will vote.

Friends of Miami Marine Stadium is asking you to email these three City Commissioners and ask them to support the efforts to restore the Marine Stadium.
It is essential that the Commissioners feel a groundswell of support.  Please take a few minutes to write a brief email to the following City Commissioners.  

Just click on the links below to email these Commissioners.

Commissioner Frank Carollo fcarollooffice@miamigov.com 

Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones mspence-jones@miamigov.com

Commissioner Francis Suarez fsuarez@miamigov.com 

Your emails must be sent before April 11. 

Eat, Drink, Rock & Stroll - Great Taste of the Grove

Miami’s original family-friendly food festival, the Great Taste of the Grove Food & Wine Festival, is back celebrating its 23rd year with a weekend of food, wine, music and fun for the whole family. On Saturday April 13 and Sunday 14, from 12 -7 pm both days, Coconut Grove’s Peacock Park will host the lively event, showcasing samplings from Miami's best restaurants. Unlike many food festivals that charge large entrance fees at the door, the Great Taste of the Grove remains budget-friendly for families.

At only $10 for adults to get in and $5 for kids Under 12 (free for kids under) attendees can sample small tastes from nearly 20 restaurants in the three giant “Great Tasting Tents” for only $1-$8 per small plate. Save 50% now at Dealtificate! Admission for Two Adults or Two Adults and Two Kids is only $10 now. This includes entrance at the VIP line entrance so you can breeze right in without waiting. Here is the link to save 50%.

Participating Restaurants Include: - GreentStreet Café - Master C. Culinary - Spartico at Mayfair Hotel & Spa - Panorama at the Sonesta Hotel - Ritz Carlton - Timo’s at Villa Mayfair - Acropolis - New York Roma Pizza - ColdStone Creamery - C&R Food Concepts - The Lot Bar & Lounge - Toby’s Concessions - Peacock Garden Café - Jaguar Ceviche Spoon Bar & Latam Grill - Calamari Restaurant - And more being added every day.

While snacking and sipping throughout the festival, guests always look forward to the live performances on the Main Stage. Saturday, April 13 is all about tribute concerts. So, get ready to sing along as they pay tribute to some of our favorite bands: Neil Zirconia (Neil Diamond), Turnstiles (Billy Joel), and Odyssey Road (Journey). Sunday, April 14, it’s a Clash of Decades with local bands playing tunes from the 40s-90s... with headliner Suenalo.

In addition to all the live music, there will also be a Kids Fun Zone with rides and attractions dedicated to keeping the kiddos entertained too.
For more information about this event, please check the Facebook page, or visit the website at www.thegreattasteofthegrove.com.

Big Howl in the Wood is Saturday at Shell Lumber

Big Howl in the Wood,  is this Saturday, March 30 at Shell Lumber (2733 SW 27 Avenue).

This is one of Coconut Grove's favorite events, back for it's 4th year. The Grove's own Solar Dogs will be performing as usual and this year, they have an opening act -- "Avocado Estate," from the UM School of Music, they are an old time string band.

For those of you not familiar with the event, it's a concert right in the lumber yard! Local artists show and sell their art, they hang the art right on the wood in the yard. There is lots of music and there's food and cash bars, too. Lots of dancing as the night goes on.

Food this year is being provided by Sakaya Kitchen and possibly another vendor or two, they promise no long lines like previous years. Cortland Joyce and his Pop Nature ice pops will be there, you know, the guy with all the exotic mixed flavored ice pops.

The charity involved this year is Shake-A-Leg, they will have a table set up at the event to bring awareness to their organization. 
Tickets are $10 at the door, or you can pre-purchase them at Shell Lumber this week.

Grab your Pirate costume and join Treasure Hunt

The 3rd Annual Coconut Grove Treasure Hunt is Saturday, April 6.

This is a charity event presented by the Rotary Club of Coconut Grove. There are lots of ways to win. You will explore the Grove for great treasures. Win a prize for having the best pirate costume, solove Grove trivia puzzles and complete fun and crazy games.

Win prizes worth thousands of dollars.

You can pre-register online for $20 at www.CoconutGrove.Rotary-Clubs.org or pay $25 at the door if you like. The kick-off party and sign up is at the Sandbar Sports Grill (3064 Grand Avenue). They have great breakfast specials from 11 am to 2 pm and bottomless Bloody Marys or Mimosas for $10.

Event registration is from noon to 1 pm to get your Treasure Map and kit. Then you and your fellow pirates will go to a dozen interesting locations between 1 pm and 4 pm which include local restaurants and landmarks. You'll play games along the way and collect valuable raffle tickets and treasure.

Make it back to the Sandbar for the "Grab Some More Booty" Party at 4 pm. Grub 'n Grog specials include happy hour pricing and super specials for appetizers and the big drawing for dozens of great prizes.

For info, email Kelly at kellyinthegrove@gmail.com or call 305-302-9342.

The event is sponsored by Cars2Go, Butler Buckley & Deets Insurance and Arch and McMorris Wealth Manatement Group.

Grove art pioneer's work featured at Jazz Gallery

Edna Glaubman, Tea Garden, From the Glaubman Family Collection

The Jazz Gallery at the WDNA Studios in Coral Gables will be featuring the original artwork of Edna Glaubman, an influential American artist who lived and worked in Miami from 1961 to 1986. She was part of the original Coconut Grove arts movement that shaped the region.

This is the first public showing of Edna's paintings in over 20 years. The opening is scheduled for Saturday March 30, 2013 as part of the next WDNA Fine Arts Concert, which will showcase a performance by Latin jazz quintet, New World Beat. 

Edna (1919-1986), was an important American female artist, whose pioneering work in the acrylic medium helped set a new standard of technique for vibrancy, color and depth. Born in Manhattan, NY she studied at the Art Student's League in Woodstock, New York, and was a graduate and former member of the faculty of Parsons School of Fine and Applied Arts in New York. She also studied with Jacque Maroger, former curator of the Louvre Museum in Paris. She was a lifelong resident of South Florida where she was an integral part of the Coconut Grove arts scene along with Tony Scornavacca, Eugene Massin, and Gigi Aramescu.
 

She was one of the founders of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival. Selected to exhibit at the region's premier art festivals including as the Lowe Arts Festival, the Las Olas Arts Festival and the South Miami Arts Festival, she was hired by renowned architect Maurice Lapidus to produce original art for the rooms at the Americana Hotel in Bal Harbour and had her work shown in so many other hotels and local venues. At left is Edna Glaubman's, BB King.

The pieces selected for the WDNA Jazz Gallery include a true representation of Glaubman's range from large-scale acrylic paintings to small charcoal and pencil sketches. It is very fitting for the exhibit to take place in the Jazz Gallery since music was an ever present inspiration to the artist and many of the images on display portray musicians. 

The exhibition will be shown from Saturday, March 30 through Saturday, May 10, 2013.

The WDNA Jazz Gallery is located at 2921 Coral Way.
Gallery Hours: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. Gallery admission is free. 
Concert Admission: $25 WDNA members, $50 general admission.
For reservations or info, please call 305.662.8889

Friends of Classical Music present two free shows

South Florida Friends of Classical Music is presenting two free performances at The Steinway Piano Gallery in Coral Gables.

First up, they are featuring Ivan Davis (left) in a Piano Masterclass. Ivan is an internationally renowned pianist. A few of his career highlights include his debut at New York City's Town Hall in 1959. He made his international debut at the Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto. In 1960, he signed with CBS Records and began a 60 concert cross-country tour. 

Ivan has toured the world with several major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Spanish National Orchestra.

The Master Class is on Thursday, March 28, from 1 to 6 pm at the Steinway Piano Gallery It is free and open to the public.

On Friday, March 29, Pianist Martin Camacho (left) will be in concert at the Steinway Piano Gallery. The performance will feature rare Scandinavian piano compositions for piano Grieg, Sostenvold, and Saeverud.

Showtime is 6:30 pm. It is open and free to the public.

The Steinway Piano Gallery is located at 4104 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Coral Gables. For info: 786-581-7749.

South Florida Friends of Classical Music is a non-profit organization with the mission to encourage and support performances of classical music in South Florida. For more info visit their website www.friendsofclassicalmusic.org.

It's not actually beer, it's better

When I go to New York, most times when I am out with my friends and cousins, we order a Short Beer or two to start the night. It's not actually a beer. It's Licor 43 Cuarenta Y Tres Liqueur in a shot glass with heavy cream floating on the top -- it looks like a short beer. It's a shooter and you just gulp it down in one shot.

The other day Harry and I were at the Sandbar Grill and there was a sign on the wall advertising "Mini Beers," which turned out to be the same thing. So we ordered a couple. I went back later with another friend for more! They are $4 each and worth a try. Tell them I sent you.

BINGO at Woman's Club this week

Bingo is back at the Coconut Grove Woman's Club (2985 S. Bayshore Drive) on Thursday, March 28.

Enjoy refreshments, hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar, and great prizes. Tickets are $5 for adults and children under 12 play free. $1 per card with a minimum of 5 games.

Starts at  7 pm.

Vizcaya's Moonlight Garden Tours are this week

Vizcaya is holding a Moonlight Garden Tour on Wednesday and Thursday, March 27 and 28.

The Italian-inspired gardens are incredibly lit up at night with the Miami moon shining down.
There will be live music in the courtyard and lots of goodies for sale to eat in the Cafe and Gift Shop. 

Wednesday night features classical music with Ashley Liberty on violin and Daniel Strange on piano. Thursday features jazz music with Tim Jago on guitar and Angelo Versace on piano. 

The tours are from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. Tickets $15; $10 for Members, Seniors and Students with ID; available onsite only from 6:00 - 8:00 pm on the evenings of the program.

Optional guided tours of the gardens begin at 6:30 pm and continue at intervals throughout the evening. 

Not all areas of the gardens are wheelchair accessible and decorated rooms will not be open.

Save the dates for 2013's final Moonlight Garden Tours:
Wednesday, April 24
Thursday, April 25

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, a National Historic Landmark and European-inspired estate on Biscayne Bay, is located at 3251 South Miami Avenue. For more information, go to www.vizcaya.org or call 305-250-9133.

Circulation is up; ad rates are still low

Now that we have expanded our reach, I'm seeing the results immediately, it's amazing how many people read the Grapevine.

Right after I announced that I'll be covering various arts and events from outside Coconut Grove, I was contacted by people wanting to advertise, also I've received press releases and story pitches from places that never contacted me before from Miami Beach, Brickell and Coral Gables. Please keep them coming.

As for ads, I only bring this up because three times in a month, realtors have asked me if the realty ads are exclusive. They are not. I have never heard of that concept before. The ads rotate, so you can have the same location as others. There are all sorts of locations and sizes available, also advertorials and our Grapevine Showcase Showplace. Stores and businesses might want to check out the Groovy Grove Gift Guide.

Readership is up and will go up as the key words are expanding. What I mean by that is now that I have more outside the Grove content, the key words naturally change. There were a lot of readers who clicked in over the weekend for our story on the Women's International Film Festival. They did a search and we came up. New readers!

Same with the Dishcrawl story on Brickell, because people were Googling "Brickell Restaurants" and that story came up. So I see a big jump in circulation coming, which means a big jump in people seeing your ad in the Grapevine, also keep in mind we are linked from places like the Huffington Post, the Miami Herald, Examiner and other places, so people come in from all over. The ads run on all pages of the Grapevine, so as people click around, the ads are always there.

Email me for info on advertising, the rates are the same, even though circulation is up. I would love to send you the rates and info. Thanks.

Vacating the Glass House

They are getting the former scuba shop location on Mary Street ready for the Grove NET office, which will be moving there soon, vacating the glass house.

Only the Chamber is left in the glass house now.

Will an RFP for a restaurant or rec center go out now for that prime location?

Opa! Acropolis is getting ready for grand opening

I'm excited about the new Acropolis Greek Taverna opening soon at 3484 Main Highway. I stopped by and met the owners. They were very welcoming and as we spoke I was excited to know that I would not have to make my usual trek to The Daily Bread across the highway or Mykonos on Coral Way, which I visit quite often. Constantino "Deano" Kastis, above, showed me around. The place is expansive and will have indoor and outdoor seating. This is a  mural that runs along one side wall.

Sam Waez and Deano are proud to show off the menu for this, their fifth location. Other restaurants are in the Tampa and St. Pete area. They've won numerous awards and are known for their hummus, grilled octopus and Tabbouleah. Their full menu, can be seen here, it's quite extensive. 

They plan a big opening party in a few weeks, we'll let you know about it when the time comes. It will be nice to see some life on that side of town.

This is one of the art reliefs outside the building.

Changes coming for our 9th season

When I had taken a break from the Grapevine last year, I would joke with people and tell them, "There's actually a whole world outside of 33133!" because I was out and about enjoying all that Miami had to offer, in the past I was always in Coconut Grove at one event or other and didn't venture out to the rest of the county.

Now, as the Grapevine starts it's 9th year (we'll be 8 on May 8), I'd like to make some changes. I know this guy who refers to his blog years as seasons, sort of like tv seasons, so basically, if I do the same, in our 9th season, we'll be retooling a bit.

Now I am going to start covering all of Miami's events in the Grapevine. I go all over the place and I write the stories for the Huffington Post or the Examiner or other publications and I thought why not just consolidate it all right here in the Grapevine. For one thing, as the Grove becomes more office oriented, there is less and less going on here, it's been harder and harder for me to find news. And truth be told, I see all of you out and out at other venues and why not share these events with other Grovites? I've run into you guys in New York and New Orleans, so it's not like we are all so insulated here and not doing other things.

This weekend there was so much going on in Miami from the Ultra Music Fest and Sony Tennis Tourney to the Taste of Brickell and more. Last weekend I was at the St. Patrick's Day events in Coral Gables and the weekend before at the Chocolate Festival at Pinecrest Gardens. I would like to cover a lot of arts and culture in the Grapevine now.

In the past year I've been at Comic Cons and the Flugtag event in downtown Miami and Art Basel and the tomato fights at Tobacco Road and so much more. And all these years I have received press releases, invitations and requests from some many event organizers asking me to share the news in the Grapevine, but I was strict on keeping all the news I published in 33133, but now I am going to expand.

I'll keep the name Coconut Grove Grapevine and the focus is still on Coconut Grove news and events, but I will be sharing other things going on. I mean after all, wouldn't many of you have attended the Taste of Brickell if you had known about it? It's a few miles up the road and it really is something cool to attend. So was the Flugtag (I was right up there taking pictures on the flight ramp and even in the water below the flying machines, you can see the story here in the Examiner).

I also did a story a while back about the Donut Gallery's anniversary in Key Biscayne and took a tour of Miami Marine Stadium. These will now be part of the new Grapevine.

I attended the New Orleans Comic Con and interviewed Kevin Eastman, creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, this story appeared all over, but not in the Grapevine. My New York Comic Con pictures made it all over, but not here.

I found a great new restaurant down south this weekend and I would like to share that with you, but I also have great news about a new restaurant ready to open in the Grove. So I'll cover it all, putting the Grove first, but still expanding my horizons. It will make it a lot easier for me to get news and basically I would like to focus on arts and culture. I'd like to do more of a magazine style blog now.

I'm sure you'll enjoy it. The Grapevine is basically for us in Coconut Grove but I'll share news too, about what is going on outside the Grove. Things I think you'll be interested in.

Join the Pink Power Ranger for brunch!

The 8th Annual Women's International Film Festival (WIFF) in Miami, has been running this weekend. Join the ladies on Sunday, March 24, for a delectable Awards Brunch, starting at 11 am. The featured guest is Pink Power Ranger, Amy Jo Johnson (left).

This will be followed by the closing day of films, "Indian Double Features," "Talking to the Trees" and "Central Park 5," directed by Ken and Sarah Burns.

The Wrap Party is today, Saturday, March 23 at the Viceroy Hotel (485 Brickell Ave), cost is $45.00

Sunday's Awards Brunch is also at the Viceroy Hotel, cost is $75.00

For more info or tickets: www.womensfilmfest.com or 305.653.9700.

"Dishcrawling" through Brickell

Dishcrawl, a national start-up founded on the premise that communities can be brought together through good food and good company, is expanding to Miami this April. Dishcrawl creates dining experiences and events to satisfy anyone's craving. They show food lovers the best dishes at local restaurants and now Miami foodies can rejoice!

The next crawl is in Brickell on Wednesday, April 17, it's a gourmet tour to four distinctive restaurants in one night similar to a pub crawl, but more delicious. Participating restaurants are kept secret until two days before the event, at which time the first location is revealed to ticket holders. Reservations can be made at dishcrawl.com/miami.

“Dishcrawl allows people to sample the best of what Miami’s fast-growing food scene has to offer by providing a dining experience like no other where you get to meet the Chefs and talented teams behind those dishes,” says Miami Dishcrawl Ambassador Vicky Kei. “This unique social dining adventure helps to build community and bring people together who share one common passion: a love for food."


The Grapevine is now covering news and events for Brickell, Coral Gables, Key Biscayne, Downtown, Midtown and Coral Gables, as well as Coconut Grove. You may now send us your news and coverage from these areas.

Celebrate the Commodore's 162nd birthday!

Join The Barnacle Society and The Barnacle Historic State Park as they commemorate the 162nd birthday of Ralph Middleton Munroe, Coconut Grove pioneer and founder of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club. The Commodore's Birthday is Sunday, April 7 from 6 to 9 pm.

A delicious meal by The Rumcake Factory and music by Solar Dogs will be provided on the grounds of The Barnacle, Commodore Munroe’s homestead in Coconut Grove.

Tickets purchased by April 2 are $40 for members of The Barnacle Society, $45 for non-members, and $10 for children ages 10 and under. At the gate, tickets are $55. To RSVP please visit www.TheBarnacle.org or call 305-442-6866.


This is an official event of Dade Heritage Days, a celebration of Miami-Dade’s historic places. It is sponsored by The Barnacle Society, Inc., a volunteer non-profit, citizen-supported organization created to generate public awareness, education, and financial support for the preservation and maintenance of The Barnacle Historic State Park. The Barnacle, located at 3485 Main Highway, is a Florida State Park administered by the Department of Environmental Protection.

Village West land back on the market

So the land on Grand Avenue in Village West is back on the market, the sign reads, “BACK ON THE MARKET! Past group actually never bought this land. NOW IT’S YOUR CHANCE.”

It's a shame that so much of that end of Coconut Grove has been destroyed, people have been displaced and the land just sits. It was supposed to be a large multi use development, called Grove Village (something like this rendering), including a Publix and lots of shops and apartments. Then people even had dreams of a Trader Joe's. Neighbors worried about their homes backing up to large retail buildings and parking lots and so far, it just sits as empty land.

The county's moratorium on sewer hookups is being blamed along with other reasons. But maybe the Universe is telling people something. 

As they say, 90% of things we worry about, never come to pass.

A friend had a idea of making it into movie and tv studios, to bring in Hollywood productions, like the Expo Center does now with Burn Notice. You know, line up the big sound stages up and down the vacant land that is there now.

Here is the Miami Herald story about the land for sale.

It's for the dogs; but in a great way

It was if they were reading our minds. During the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, someone was telling me that some people came down from Broward County with their dogs but didn't realize that dogs were not permitted into the festival, they now had to go home or just not go to the festival. A friend said it would be such a great idea if there was a place to leave the dogs so people can wander around the Grove and enjoy it while their animals were taken care of and now there is a place!

Dogtown has opened at 3210 Grand Avenue, where McDonald Street ends. That is co-owner Anai Fonte above with Phoenix. Anai owns Dogtown with her husband Kris.

Dogtown is a lot of things, they are a daily dog care for those times when you need to leave your pet with someone and they are also a dog hotel, for those longer stays. They also offer grooming and gifts and toys.

Grooming starts at $45. Hotel stays start at $38 for the Peacock Suite. Other suites include the Barnacle Suite, the Mayfair Suite, the Grand Suite and the King Mango Suite. I love the Grove names. Daycare starts at $30 and there are passes starting with a 10 day pass for $25 per day, but the cool part is that you don't have to use the pass up all at once. They don't expire and you can spread out the pass for whenever you need it. So a 10 day pass could last a year or more depending on how frequently you use it. Passes drop down to $20 a visit for 60 day passes.

Their anti-microbial play area and non-toxic cleaning products  make it a perfect VIP place for your pet to visit. They strive to provide their guests with comfortable and clean surroundings. The facilities are refreshed throughout the day, every day.

Stop by and visit, they are open daily. They can be reached at 305-448-5225 or woof@barkfetchrun.com. Love that too. A lot of thought has gone into this new business.

Sony Tennis comes to CocoWalk

CocoWalk has a special Sony Tennis event tonight, March 21. A Sony Playstation, a DJ, games, contests, raffles and prizes are part of the event.

There are also player autograph signings. 

This is from 7 to 10 pm.

Chamber in the Rain

You've heard of singing in the rain, well this was stranded in the rain. Well, sort of. The Chamber held it's monthly networker on the Celebration party boat Wednesday night and about half an hour before launching from the moorings near the Seminole Boat Ramp, all the heavens opened up and the boat and we, were bombarded by torrential rain. The upstairs deck, where I was, was really wet. Down below, the folks were dry.

Luckily the rain only lasted a bit and then the cruise took off and the party began with a tour of Biscayne Bay. There were bars above and below deck and lots of goodies to eat. Above left are Grove Ambassador, Louis Del Borrello and Ed Prelaz, at right is Lisa Schallenberger.

This was the view before the launch, but soon it was all sunny again. Lots more photos here.

Village Council Agenda

Here is the agenda for tonight's Village Council meeting, which is at the Sailing Club (2990 S. Bayshore Drive), from 7 to 9 pm.

- Treasurer's Report 
- Opportunity for Council Members to adjust items on the Agenda
- 27th Avenue Project Update - Hector Aleman, Miami-Dade County
- Village Council Election - David Collins
- Trolley Barn - Pat Sessions
- Homage to FL Senator Larcenia Bullard - Renita Samuels-Dixon
- Dept. of Children and Fam. Serv. Update - Renita Samuels-Dixon
- $15M Ind. Dev. Bond to Convent Sac. Hrt. - Renita Samuels-Dixon
- Net Office Mail List - Renita Samuels-Dixon

Music at the atrium

This is Jack. He sometimes practices playing the violin at the Mayfair Atrium, outside The Bookstore. It's really nice. 

The echo from the low ceiling makes the sound travel and it fills the whole area. If you're lucky enough, you may catch Jack one day putting on a little show.

Cheap parking is what we need; and a trolley

I was talking about the problems with our parking meters and now I also feel that city controlled parking lots in Coconut Grove are a big issue. Why? Because I spent last weekend in Coral Gables and they have incredible parking rates. I am not talking about private lots, because that's a separate business. But the City owned lots in the Gables are amazing.

I parked at the Coral Gables garage and when I left, after four hours, the charge was $1.00. That is ONE DOLLAR. For four hours worth of parking -- 25 cents an hour. We were quite surprised.

During the Gables' Saturday Farmer's Market, parking is free in various garages in Coral Gables.

As for the Miami Parking Authority, I know they are a necessity and every City has a parking authority, I watch Parking Wars, I get it. But the meters should run. Just yesterday I tried to use a meter again, this time it would not accept bills as you can see by the photo above.

Now for the trolley that we don't have, but the rest of our district has. I had a hunch that the reason we don't have the City of Miami District 2 trolley was that it was tied into the parking meters, in other words, if people take the free trolley, they won't pay to park, but I guess that really isn't so, as we are all so tied to our cars that even with the trolley, all the meters would be taken anyway by those who chose to drive.

But of course with the trolley service coming into the Center Grove, I feel that more people would visit the Grove who don't now. Our neighbors from Brickell or Wynwood or Midtown and Downtown would possibly hop on and come to the Grove via trolley. Think of the Arts Festival, which just passed. How many people avoided the Grove due to the traffic and parking issues? I think that people would have easily jumped on a trolley to come to Coconut Grove for that weekend and maybe any weekend.

People could have shuttled back and forth between the Wynwood Arts Festival and the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, enjoying both and as for traffic, when you're sitting in a trolley with friends, you don't notice the traffic, especially when someone else is driving and especially when it's a trolley, which is fun.

There are many people in the Grove working on getting us that trolley. Hope it's soon.

As for my parking dilemma of not having my parking decal for the lot I park in, well, the guys from Double Park, who run the lot, read the story I posted, and they emailed me a decal for March! Talk about being right on top of it. I will have a story on them soon, they really are worth checking out for monthly rates and long term parking for events and other things.

Village Council is meeting this Thursday, I think

Dozens of people have asked me what has happened to the Village Council. I had to admit, I had no clue. No one receives notices or news from them anymore and when I asked about their next meeting, I was sent to look it up on their website, which had a date and time, but no agenda.

Their next meeting is this Thursday, March 21 from 7 to 9 pm at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club (2990 S. Bayshore Drive). 

Phase 2 of the SW 27 Avenue project is supposed to be discussed. I heard this through the grapevine, another grapevine, village gossip, one thing led to another and so on, that's how we're getting the Village Council meeting notices now. Via a friend, through a friend, through someone's hairdresser's brother-in-law.

This came from a person via email to another friend, who sent it to me, mind you, I don't know this person, but it was passed along to me: "I find it odd that the Village Council would not promote or announce its meetings anymore like they once did. Or maybe I am off the list, the way I was taken off the BID list.

I am off the BID list too, and the Village of Center Grove, the Chamber and a bunch of lists, I had to argue to get back on the District 2 Commissioner's list, now I get four of them every time the email goes out. 

That's how biz is done in the Grove these days. The majority of us are off the email lists. It's all a little secret society. Seems like they like to meet in little rooms with no one present. Less nosy neighbors with questions that way.

I forgot what a nightmare the MPA really is

I haven't written about the Miami Parking Authority (MPA) lately because for the past few years, I've been parking at a lot, using a monthly decal. The decal didn't come this month so I've been using the meters and I was brought back to that parking meter horror. I had forgotten how bad it is.

First off, they are always broken and when they do work, there are problems and one major problem is the slowness of the meter. If you are trying to park during a rain storm, be prepared to get drenched as the meters work at a snail's pace.

One day, I put the money in the meter and up popped a box asking for my license plate number. I didn't remember it, so I had to run down the block and across the street to get the plate number (also a bad thing in the pouring rain). I had to run far because the two closest meters were not working.

The next time I went to use the meters, this feature was eliminated, so I am assuming it was a mistake or the MPA got an earful from angry people.

Another day, I put the money in the meter, I think it was $3.00, and nothing happened. This was usual for the meters, as nothing happens for a bit and you assume it's broken. This is why it's bad in a storm. I hit the "cancel" button and it did cancel the transaction, but it kept my money! To be fair, it did give me a little receipt that said "refund" but that is all it said. It never indicated how or where to get the refund. There is nothing on the refund ticket to indicate what to do next.

 So that's another way the MPA gets money, it gives refunds that don't exist.

This is what is keeping people from coming to the Grove. I always hear that it's the parking issue and I assume it's the lack of parking. It's not the lack of parking, it's the rip off and inconvenience of parking.

To be continued . .  

Mayor to give State of the City address

Joined by City Commissioners, City Manager, Miami residents, members of the business community, municipal administrators, employees and family, City of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado will deliver his Fourth State of the City Address at City Hall (3500 Pan American Drive), on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at noon.

The Mayor will address the current status of the city and speak about its future course.

The State of the City Address will be carried live on the City’s cable channel, City of Miami Television Channel 77 on Comcast and will be also be shown simultaneously on the Official City of Miami webpage www.miamigov.com.

We could use this around here

I hate when this happens. you know, you come up with an idea, do nothing about it and then it's a reality. Well almost, in this case it's the BikeSpike. A device that is trying to get funding on Kickstarter.

It's an app that tracks your bicycle. So if your bike is stolen or you are too drunk to remember where you parked it, the app will tell you! It alerts you if your bike is even touched and if you're in an accident, it calls 911. It's all in the start up phase now, as the Kickstarter has a long way to go.

My friend thought up an idea like this, but did nothing about it, now the BikeSpike people beat him to it.

My ideas? I can't remember all of them, but one of them was an app to program your VCR from your cell phone (not tivo, this was way before tivo). But I thought of it but did nothing with it.

Vintage goodies up for the taking

The Via Gallery (2996 McFarlane Road) has some cool vintage items for sale. They have GI Joe dolls and Barbie dolls, all with the original boxes!

I came across the items during the last Gallery Walk. The stuff is really in excellent condition. The GI Joe's go for $850, but the same things are $3500 on Ebay. The Barbie's go for $75 and up, depending on the year and style.

The Gallery also has original Star Wars items, all in the original boxes. There's a separate room just for these.

And below, you'll see one of my favorite things in the gallery, this wall of super heroes. It's my favorite wall in the Grove! The Via Gallery is open 7 days. Stop in and check it out.

Cruise the bay at this month's Chamber networker

The Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce is having a sunset cruise this week as part of it's monthly networker. The MT Celebration at our waterfront is the location. The networker is Wednesday, March 20 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. The Celebration takes off for a cruise around the bay at 6:30, so you'll have to be there on time.

There are only a few slots open as this is limited to 75 people only.

Watch the sun go down and the city lights come up as the boat cruises past Brickell and downtown.

Admission is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. This includes a complimentary drink and a variety of hot and cold hors d'oeuvres and a selection of sweets. There are also great raffle prizes.

Parking is free at Dinner Key Marina. The MT Celebration is on the waterfront at SW 27 Avenue, next to the Burn Notice studios.

Please RSVP to GroveChamber@coconutgrove.com to be a part of this fun event.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

3rd annual Gala for 2 Pianos

The Miami Conservatory of Music in Coconut Grove is presenting their third annual Gala for 2 Pianos on Saturday, April 13. 

The concert is at the Conservatory's Music Hall at 2911 Grand Avenue, at the Mayfair Promenade, next to the Improv. The show will feature works for 2 pianos by Pizzolla with the Whipple-Morales Duo performing world-class music along with local artists Wayne Bumpers and Virginia Covarrubias.

The four pianists will perform a work by Whipple for 2 pianos / 8 hands.

Show time is 7 pm.

$15 for adults • $10 for students & seniors
Children 5-17 are FREE with paid adult (limit 2 per adult).

Tickets are available online here.
$10 for groups of 10 or more with advance reservation, call 305.442.2283.

Tickets are available 30 minutes before the concert.

Young Artists' Gallery starts tonight with party

The Young Artists’ Gallery (YAG), in its 11th year, is back at the Woman's Club of Coconut Grove this weekend. This is a joint effort between the club and the Miami-Dade County Public School System.

This juried art exhibition and sale is where students participate to earn scholarship funds. The Exhibit Preview Party is at the Woman’s Club (2985 South Bayshore Drive), tonight Friday, March 15,  from 6 to 8 pm. Hors d'oeuvres and refreshments will be served with musical arrangements on the piano by Peggy Hall.

The entries will be pre-judged by a prominent local arts patron and the scholarships awarded that night to the winning students and teachers. The artwork can be purchased from the students and picked up after the end of the show. This exhibit is open to the public and runs throughout the weekend on Saturday, March 16 and Sunday, March 17 from noon to 6 pm.

Each year for the last 11 years, the Woman's Club of Coconut Grove has awarded thousands of dollars in scholarship money to talented young artists from schools throughout the county. Bring your family and friends and be part of our growing cause. This event is made possible by the generous support of The Korth Family Foundation, The Coconut Grove Bank and The Joyce Pippo Memorial Fund.