Stop by The Grove Spot (3324 Virginia Street) tomorrow, Tuesday, August 14, to check out the Great Grove Bed Race's winningist bed. It's going up for bid this Friday at the Get Rolling Gathering and you may want to bid on it if you haven't started building your team's bed yet.
The Great Grove Bed Race is back Sunday, September 2. The Grove Spot won first place two years in a row, here's the team from UM. The team also won a previous year, when they ran for the Sandbar.
The bed up for bid is the one that won the last two Bed Races in 2010 and 2011; it's a little worn from a a tough fight with the FestaDan bed. The Get Rolling Gathering will also have the popular Build-A-Bed Happy Hour Workshop, where bed building is demonstrated right on site. This is at Mr. Moe's (3131 Commodore Plaza), Friday, August 17 starting at 6 pm. But again, you can see the bed tomorrow, August 14, at The Grove Spot. Olav will have it displayed from opening to closing, so you can check it out, kick the wheels and see if it is for you.
I've been asked by many if the team goes along with the bed, unfortunately, no, they are staying with The Grove Spot, but it will be interesting to see them run against their former bed this year. 
The bed looks simple, but $1000 worth of technology went into creating it. So if you are considering racing and would like to attempt to take on the Grove Spot team, racing them against their new bed, using their former bed, this is your chance! The team decided that they wanted something new to race with this year and so that is how the auction came to be.
Olav graciously offered up the bed and all proceeds at auction will go toward the charities that are selected this year as beneficiaries of the Great Grove Bed Race. The charities will be announced at the Get Rolling Gathering. There will be two charities. The first will be whichever charity this year's celebrity Grand Marshal chooses (the Grand Marshall will be announced at a future date) and the second charity, will be a local Coconut Grove organization, also to be announced.
If you still have not put a team together and signed up to race, you can do it now here: www.thegreatgrovebedrace.com.
The Obama for Prez 2012 campaign office opened Saturday. Quite a large crowd turned out. The food may have attracted many, but many did sign the many volunteer sheets up on the back wall. So they're ready to campaign it looks like.
As people entered, they signed in and were handed pamphlets, buttons and stickers. Quite aggressively I might add, maybe that's a good thing.
Gabby Alonso, Harry Emilio Gottlieb and Barbara Lange were some friendly Grove faces who showed up. I reminded Barbara about 2008, when she and buddy, Barbara Pope were all over the Grove, putting up Obama signs, I called them Laverne & Shirley at the time. She says she is not going to do that this time, even though she is still an Obama supporter.
Lots of buttons left the headquarters on people's chests.
There is an area in the back, where you can leave your concerns on the wall. This is what someone put there.
G
lenn Terry doctored up his own campaign button.These girls, Elaine and Sonia, are ready for November!
The Obama Campaign Headquarters is across from CVS at 3250 Grand Avenue, they'll be there daily for you to stop in to pick up literature, chat, sign up for events or just show your support.
The Olfactory Company opened Saturday at Florentine Plaza (3444 Main Highway), right next to Danny's Revolution Bicycle shop. Step in and you're in another time and place. Owners, Mark Rojas and Jennifer Church, above, have really made this a special place. It reminds me of those turn of the century places (the 1900s) that you see in movies like Hello, Dolly and The Shop Around the Corner.
It's like the Grove has it's own little general store. Brothers, Samuel Armstrong (left) and James Armstrong are part of the family at The Olfactory, too. Olfactory has to do with the sense of smell, but I think the sense of sight really takes over here as there is so much to see and enjoy. Emporium, that's the word to describe it.
I had to laugh when I saw the great big tree in the center of the store. They appreciate trees here, even though it's fake.
There is lots of old fashioned candy and chocolate, things you'll remember from your childhood. And lots of soaps and teas and so much stuff. You could spend a long time in there looking at everything, and hopefully buying lots of it, too. You'll even be rung up on an old early 1900s cash register to complete your turn of the century experience.
Lots of hand-made wooden toys take up one back area, near the ice creams and sodas.
The store really has something for everyone. I think tourists and locals alike will enjoy this new place. I'm hoping everybody stops by to check it out. A lot of work and thought went into The Olfactory and we wish them well. They're open daily and can be reached at 305-444-5010.
Speaking of the Ivy, it's now the Cruz Building (3157 Commodore Plaza), it's a beautiful environment to hold events. They are presenting The Bridal Experience, a seminar series on four Wednesday nights, starting on August 15. On the 15th, 22nd, 29th and September 5, you'll be immersed in the world of a luxury wedding event. As you stroll up the winding staircase, you'll learn from some of Miami's most exclusive wedding planners, caterers, florists, photographers and decor professionals and discover the latest cuisine, specialty drinks, fashion and accessories.
Aug 15: Planning a Celebrity Style WeddingAug. 22: Top 2013 Wedding Ideas and TrendsAug 29: 15 Ways to Wow Your GuestsSept. 5: Creating Your Own Unique Wedding Experience
These events are free. They are being capped at 100 people. Admission with advance reservation only, please call 305-508-9500, mention RSVP code CBE20
Another Grand Opening today, August 11, is the Grove's Obama for President office, from 2 to 3 pm. It's across from CVS at 3250 Grand Avenue, you can't miss it. Stop by and meet the neighbors.
That's Glenn and Francesca Terry celebrating, above.
This is a panoramic view of a new store opening today in the Grove, it's a little bit of yesteryear.
The Olfactory Company is opening today at Florentine Plaza (3444 Main Highway). They are purveyors of fine continental soaps, teas and oddments, also there is a toy emporium!
The store features European and classic American brands like Taylors of Harrogate and Yorkshire Tea from England; Granducati Italian soaps, Pre de Provedence French soaps, Kneipp German soaps, classic candy, handmade wooden toys from Czechoslavakia and so much more.
They have a nice assortment of culinary fusion salts and honeys and a true assortment of items that appeal to the Olfactory senses, with a touch of nostalgia.
The grand opening is at 11 am, today, August 11.
I'll take some pics at the grand opening and share them, so if you can't make it out, you'll get a sneak peek, but try and make it. Looks like it's gonna be something really cool.
Looks like Burn Notice is staying. The producers and studio have arranged to up their rent to the city from $240,000 a year to $450,000 a year, but the producers don't want to be responsible for demolishing the Expo Center, where they film, which was proposed by Comm. Marc Sarnoff.
I suspect that Sarnoff didn't really intend for the actual production people to demo the Expo Center, his proposal probably was that they would pay for it and perhaps film the demo and use it in an episode. But not actually do it themselves. Right?
Either way, the series is here to stay another year.
Fans and locals are thrilled. Just today, the cast and crew were all over the Center Grove, they started at Blanche Park and filmed there most of the day, ironically, this is right across the street from Sarnoff's house. Then later tonight, they started filming a scene with Sharon Gless at the new Regus officer Center at the Mayfair Promenade.
Here's the Herald story.
