HONORING THE KING

This weekend has been extended so we can celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King.   If you would like to do something to honor his legacy consider this, there's a free Grove concert on Sunday at 3pm.  Folks will gather at the Virrick Gym (3255 Plaza St. in the West Grove) to hear the U.S. Naval Academy Women's Glee Club.   They say these singin' sailors put on quite a show so why stop by?
  
Francesca and I can't be there unfortunately.  We're still so stoked about November's election we are heading north for the inauguration.   When you see King and Queen Mango in the big parade, you'll know.

LEONARD COHEN COMING TO MIAMI

If you like Leonard Cohen  you'll want to see him on his current tour.

He comes to Miami on Wednesday, March 20.  Tickets went on sale today (Ticketmaster) and we bought ours.  
Here's what one fan had to say about the show,

Incredible. One of the best shows I have been to yet. Leonard and his magnificent band played for well over 3 hours. Classic after classic with a few new ones thrown in. Leonard himself, standing throughout the entire performance at 78,  left me highly impressed. He blew me away and I am sure not a single person in the sold out audience would disagree.

PETER'S GOT BALLS

I know what will happen to my photographs when I die.  My friends have been asked to cast them on my funeral pyre.  Images to ashes.

Peter Kasten has other ideas.  He is inviting you and your images to take a journey into the unknown. The multi-talented photographer has spent most of his life taking pictures of the world.  When he goes he wants to share his creations with it and all generations to come.

You (and your photos) are invited to come along.  All you need to do is to purchase one of his spherical time capsules (Peter calls them "time balls") and put your digitized photos inside.  

    Peter will then take the glass balls to the southernmost city, Ushuaia, Argentina, and toss them into the ocean.  They will drift off in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current ("The only one that goes all the way around the world") where they will bob along happily until, well, who knows? 

   Learn more about Mr. K's fantastic plans at his time ball website, http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1054866929/time-balls-into-the-future .

ANTHROPOLOGIST FROM MARS

Wade Davis, the talented anthropologist/writer will be speaking at Fairchild Garden on Sunday night.   Having just finished his book, "The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World",  I hope you can be there.  The lecture is free and begins at 7:30 pm.

"Wayfinders" gave me an in depth look at cultures very different from my own.  One chapter, for instance, told me how the people of the South Pacific were able sail over thousands of miles of open sea long before Columbus.  And they did it better than Spain's former hero.

In his work, Davis says that he tries to examine the world without preconceived notions, like an anthropologist from Mars.

Here are a few of his more memorable words from Wayfinders,

"The world in which you were born is just one model of reality.  The astounding thing about anthropology is the realization that you're not so special.  There are at least 7000 cultural groups on the planet. 

The other people of the world are not failed attempts to be like you.  They have their own unique answers to what it means to be human and alive."

In his conclusion the Canadian writer takes a few jabs at our own North American culture,

"We marvel at the technological brilliance of western society but the same society,

-Reveres marriage yet one-half of marriages end in divorce.

-Says it loves its elders but only 6% of American families have grandparents and grandchildren living under the same roof.

-Advocates spending time with its kids but in our 24/7 society, the average American child, by the time he reaches the age of 18, has watched over two years of television.

-Consumes 2/3 of the world's anti-psychotic drugs.

-Tears down ancient forests, empties the ocean of its fish, and pollutes the atmosphere to the point of causing climate change."

If some of these words ring true maybe you should join us at Fairchild Sunday.  Dr. Davis' main topic will be Mount Everest and the Sherpa culture.  I'm sure whatever he has to say will be worth your while.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE GROVE-Y (Part 2)

It's been a while since I've done my end-of-the-year Coconut Grove review.  Now, in words and pictures, I am catching up for the last couple of years.  Yesterday I published the first half (the previous entry) and the rest is just below. Hmm, let's start today's 2012 In Review rant with ugly, the useless edifice where Jim Morrison was once arrested for exposing himself...
2012's Most Deserving of Destruction-  The Grove's former convention center has been cluttering our waterfront for years.  Tear it down, now!

 Saddest Way to End a Story-  The Bookstore In The Grove is the only bookstore in the City of Miami.  Last month the landlord told the owners he would not be renewing their lease.
Yesterday co-owner Felice told me they have not been able to find a new home.  When they move out in two weeks once again Miami will not have a book store. Update:  Felice & Co. were able to lease another location on the east end of Mayfair.  They are open for business again.

The 2012 Hangin' In There Award goes to The Last Carrot, our village's oldest eatery.  Mike the healthy hippie started it forty years ago.  Now his daughter (Erin, also a healthy hippie) runs the joint.  She's great and so is her Grand Avenue restaurant.   Stop in for a hit of wheat grass, sprout sandwich, and a vibe that says, "This is what the Grove used to be".

   And now let me present the Coconut Grove building that makes us smile, even as creeps cover it with graffiti.  It is the Grove's most ancient barber shop sitting lonely and abandoned on the west end of Grand Avenue. The Grove Guy now proclaims it to be 2012's Building Most Deserving of Historical Preservation....

 2012's It's About Time Award goes to the Coconut Grove Bike Path.  For ten years its potholes, broken lights and overgrown shrubbery led to accidents and muggings. After promising for ten years the county finally fixed it up.
  Its one of the nicest things in Coconut Grove.

 The 2012 Greenest Building Award goes to 

the Zen Center on Main Highway.

The Best Restaurant Accessory Award goes to the scooter parked at Greenstreet's.   The place was a dump until Sylvano started parking his red Vespa out front.

He said that God told him, "Park it there and they will come".

They did. 

 Now he is the proud owner of the Grove's most popular restaurant (and Lulu's across the street!). 

 2012's Sometimes the Good Guys Win Award goes to the Coconut Grove Sailing Club.  For years the City of Miami threatened to end their lease.   Why they wanted to get rid of the club, despite its long, successful history -and being the only public "yacht club"- made no sense.  Sadly,  that's what we often expect from City Hall.

Happily, the club now has a new, long lease and a bright future.

Anyone can join.  Stop by and check it out.

 

City Hall's Saddest Joke-  Four years ago the City of Miami took the King Mango Strut Parade permit away from its originators .  The annual procession hasn't been the same since.

 2012's Coolest Cars-   Miami (and the Grove)

got a mini-fleet of mini-rental cars this year, "Car2Go".  Flash you credit card at one of these Smart Cars and you've got yourself some mini-wheels.

 Nicest Walk-  Along the bay from Peacock Park to Monty's.  Yes, it does take weird detours and you might have to dodge a 40-ton boat lift but, hey, between the yachts you can see

the sea that connects us all...and, you can pass by the,

 Best Place to Take Out of Towners- Scotty's Landing on beautiful Biscayne Bay.  Unfortunately, the restaurant's owner is getting the same treatment that the sailing club got.  The City is doing its best to end Scotty's lease so it can give the property to someone else.  How sad it would be to lose the Grove's Groveiest restaurant.

Let's Save Scotty's! 

The Coming Year's Most Anticipated Event-  The three seconds when  dynamite reduces the former the Grand Bay Hotel to rubble.

Where we see concrete we'll soon see sky again.

Make haste to enjoy it the view.  The space will soon be filled with two new twisting condos.

 2012's Best Kept Secret-  The Barnacle State Park.  Seven beautiful acres and one historic house on Biscayne Bay.  It's on Main Highway, across  from the red Vespa.

  That's my take on 2012 (again, the first half is just below).  Let's hope there's more good news than bad in the coming year. 

The Grove Guy, Glenn

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE GROVE-Y (Part 1)

    It's been a while since I've done my end-of-the-year Coconut Grove review.  Now, in words and pictures, I'll catch up for the last couple of years.

  For starters, isn't it amazing that we now have to wear sunglasses at night?

 2012's Worst Choice of Streetlights-   Earlier this month the City of Miami ripped out the downtown Grove's signature gas streetlights and replaced them with eye-searing super-bright monsters.  

   There was no public discussion. It just happened.

Best New City Service -  The city's new big blue bin recycling program. We can now recycle everything.

 Best Public Outhouses- Several years ago the City of Miami erected these colorful bathrooms on downtown sidewalks.  Again, ther was no public discussion.  These too "popped up".  The City called them "information booths". 
The three useless structures cost $62,000 each and have been empty 99% of the time.  There are often puddles of urine behind this one.

2012's Best Way to Save Lives- Installing crosswalks, with signs, on Main Highway.  

 Best Example of Government Ineptitude-  The City, County, and State's failure to lead us out of the Coconut Grove Playhouse mess.  Closed for years, it was once our village's shining star.

  Fix it up, tear it down, who cares anymore?

 Good examples of outstanding Grove architecture that endure,

Plymouth Congregational Church

 Some of our fancier residences

 and the Grove-y simple cottages

 2012's Best Way to Cause an Accident-  Park your car in the middle of Main Highway.  Just before I took this, there were two police cruisers parked side-by-side.

  

Best Way to Screw Up  a Bayside Park-  Erect a wall of trees and bushes so you can't see Biscayne Bay.   

   They did to Peacock Park thirty years ago.  City officials admit it was a terrible mistake and and say there is nothing they can do about it.  

Miami is the only place I know,with parks on the water, that has managed to get this wrong.

 Somehow, next to Peacock Park, the Coconut Grove Sailing Club got it right. It has managed to balance their mangrove wall with a water view.

 Best Place to Walk Your Kids on a Leash-

Peacock Park.  If they should break free the Wall of Trees may keep them from the water's edge.

 Best Grove Gathering-  The Drum Circle that meets regularly.  Here they are beating the skins on Christmas Day.

Worst Use of a Public Building-  The Glass House was built 30 years ago to be a community center in Peacock Park.  We used to enjoy art and recreational programs.  Twenty years ago the City of Miami decided to convert it into offices for itself and a chamber of commerce.

Every year there are efforts to make the building, and the park, something we can all enjoy again.

All have failed.

 Stupidest Place to Put a Collection of Cheap Gym Equipment-  A few years ago the City was apparently given a truckload of metal that moves.

   In 2011 the City tried to put this junk in Merrie Christmas Park.  When irate neighbors roared in disapproval the City put it back in storage.

A year ago they snuck it into Ken Meyers Bayside Park.  There was no one around to fight it.  Most of the condo dwellers nearby were away for the season and sadly, Mr. Meyers is no longer with us.  A few years ago the former legislator died while reaching for a mango from his roof top.

I guess I should add that you can't see the bay from Ken's bayside park either...

Or, from Kennedy Park, on the bay, a half mile north. 

It is absolutely crazy to put a wall of anything between the public and the water in  bayside parks. 

 There are more 2012 superlatives. I will add the rest manana.

  The Grove Guy hopes there will be more "positives" in the coming year.

BEATNIK SANTA

In 1960 I gave a friend this holiday hipster.  Ten Christmases later he gave him back.

 I have spent Decembers with Beatnik Santa ever since. 

 His faded sign reads, "Man, I dig this Xmas bit". 

RUNAWAY COOKIES

  My wife, Francesca, has a wonderful classroom holiday tradition.  Last Wednesday she read "The Gingerbread  Man"  to her 20 pre-K students.  On Thursday she baked gingerbread men with her kids. 
  As the cookies were cooling the class went to lunch.  When they returned from the cafeteria the little brown men were gone!
 It happens every year. 

Before they ran away
   
They search the room then figured they had probably slipped under the door.  The crack at the bottom is about as wide as a gingerbread man. The whole class then searched the school for the runaway cookies. 
   Stopping at several classrooms they ask the students, "Our gingerbread men ran away.  Have you seen them?"   They always get, "Sorry, we haven't been here" or "Yes.  They went that-away!", from students who participated in these desperate hunts when they were younger.
   The four-year-olds finally get to the front office where the scent of fresh ginger cookies hangs in the air. 
   The kids were happy to find their little men resting in a tray on a small table.  The students gobbled them up before they can run off again. 
   Wouldn't it be nice to end every desperate search with success and warm cookies?

IMAGINING NEWTOWN

    This morning I stood before 25 first-grade children.  I was there to teach them a few things about art.  For a moment I tried to imagine someone bursting through the door with guns a'blazin' to kill us all.

   I could not.  It didn't seem possible.

   Reflecting on last Friday's tragedy, it's almost as hard to imagine what a gun-happy country we've become.  Why have we chosen spineless leaders who have helped make this long series of shootings possible?

   Make some noise.  Sign the petitions.  Call your congressman for the first time.  
    Get as angry as you should be.  The smiling children I faced today -and every kid in this country- deserve better.