We live in a pretty ritzy neighborhood where few would ever consider doing their own yard work. That's why it was so refreshing to see our neighbor, Roland, happily pulling weeds yesterday.
He and his wife live three doors down in this amazing house.
All week long everyone else is visited by crews of Central Americans that mow, clip and blow (leaves) for hours. Their bulky trucks block our narrow streets.
Leaf Blower Thursday is the worst. That's when most of them descend to blast leaves from one yard to the next. Their two-cycle sound is deafening. I spend most of the day -when I'm home- wearing ear protectors. Really.
Roland rakes. When we pass by he stops to smile and wave. He then resumes quietly stroking the ground. Our neighbor told us, "It makes me happy".
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Note: Francesca and I fall into a third "Let It Be" category. While we do pick up the occasional fallen palm frond, we let our plants grow and our leaves lying where God intended them to rot.
Coconut Grove's premiere yoga center, Dharma Yoga Studio, now has free classes for older folks. I've been going for a couple of months and enjoy it very much.
We do it seated. "Chair Yoga" consists of a series of exercises that leaves you feeling exhilarated and relaxed. You don't need a yoga mat or towel, chairs are included. Just come and take a seat.
The classes take place on Mondays and Thursdays, 2:15 to 3:15. Dharma is located on Commodore just east of the Lokal burger joint, 3170 Commodore Plaza.
Our teacher, Natalie, is inspiring and ever-smiling. Spending an hour with her brightens your day.
The free series is sponsored by the Woody Foundation. "Senior" is not defined by the Dharma folks but it seems to be anyone over 60.
Barbara Shale, who works the front desk told me, "I'm 71 but I'm no senior!".
I am.
The classes are not too serious and truth be told, a good bit of joking goes on within this bi-weekly circle of friends.
Dharma offers a wide variety of classes seven days a week. Most costs between $10 and $15 (you get a discount by buying a series card). To see their many offerings go to dharmastudio.com or call, 305-461-1777.
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Singing from a rooftop, Bobby Ingram & friends celebrated a big birthday last night. There was great food, cold beer, and another one of Francesca's magnificent cakes.
Bobby has been sharing stories and songs with Coconut Grove for over six decades. Last night we thanked him while wishing him the best in the coming year.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOBBY!
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Coconut Grove has had some weird characters passing through ( Heartless Steve Bannon rented a home here recently) but few had a dolphin in their swimming pool. Two houses east of us, Dr. John C. Lilly once kept Flipper in his concrete pond back in early 70's.
The well-known neuroscientist wrote 19 books, invented the isolation tank and hung our with with 
Timothy Leary and Alan Ginsberg.
His long exploration of the human consciousness included trying to communicate with porpoises. Besides Backyard Flipper, Lilly had tanks at his Coconut Grove lab, in the old Grove Bank building at Fuller St. and Main Highway. In the early 70's, almost anyone could walk in and share a few words -or a song- with them. The main idea was that if you took enough acid and gave our watery friends the same, you might have great conversations or, at least, imagine them. I think about this every time I pass the historic Lilly House at the corner of Hibiscus and Palmetto Ave.
This incredible residence was built in the mid- 20's. Dr. Lilly, hailing from frigid St. Paul, Minnesota, bought it in1965 and it was a part of the family until it sold last week.
Despite apparently ingesting prodigious amounts of hallucinogenic drugs, the non-stop scientist/philosopher held on for 86 years, dying peacefully in 2001.
His not-too-friendly daughter, Leslie Lilly, inherited the Mediterranean jewel and visited once a year until the the deal closed a few days ago. A backyard dolphin is something but here's the most amazing thing about the transfer:
The new owner will not be tearing the old house down to build a big white box!
He's English. Steve and his partner enjoy aged wine, expensive, cheese, and historic houses.
Before the deal closed the Lillys had an unusual garage sale. Leslie and her husband rolled out a lot of old junk and put high prices on everything.
For half a century the Flipper family kept to themselves, the tall iron gates rarely opened. I've always known it to be a little spooky, very elegant, well-kept, and quiet. With ten-foot walls surrounding it, I had never seen the fabled dolphin pool. That changed when the gates rolled open for the expensive junk sale.
I rushed in to see what I could not for years. There were a pair of Leslie's baby shoes, no steal at $20.
When I started snapping pictures of the Byzantine entrance Leslie quickly approached to tell me there was a $5 photography fee.
So funny, that Leslie.
She went on to tell me the life-size photo Marjory photo she's snagged at Marjory Stoneman Douglas' 100th birthday party could me mine for $75. I laughed and told her I'd be taking it from her trash pile the next day.
Her grandparent's steamer trunks ($50 each)were in awful shape. I was told they'd crossed the Atlantic many times. "I guess I shouldn't have let them rot", said Leslie. Still, their aging bones had a well-worn beauty, almost wabisabi.
The house and the back yard were off limits. I snapped this photo of the Mystery Dolphin Pool -through a garage window- before Leslie could charge me for it.
"Where's all the dolphin memorabilia?" I asked her husband who said, as a lawyer, he once represented the Grateful Dead. He smiled and said, "Oh, there isn't any out here. We kept the good stuff inside!".
But they did sell the best thing and we will be enjoying this Lilly House for years to come.
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Miami native, artist Ward Shelley, is featured in this month's Artforum magazine. Ward left the Grove years ago to see what New York living could bring. He and fellow artist, Alex Schweder, teamed up to created a series of live-in sculptures that describe ways we balance our lives.
Their architectural performances have led to latest creation, "ReActor". It sits atop a hill, three hours north of New York City. The thin house, perched on a pedestal, tilts if those on-board are not "in balance". It also swings in the wind.
If you ever imagined living on a carnival tilt-a-whirl, ReActor could be the house for you.
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A friend called last week complaining about the transformation of the tall Coconut Grove office building at the corner of SW 22 Ave. and U.S. 1. "If it's what I think it is", he said, "watch out".
He was referring to the large sign going up out front.
What does it spell?
Let's play Coconut Grove Wheel of Fortune. What do you think these draped letters will reveal when unveiled?
Will Tom Cruise or John Travolta be here for the occasion? Will the ghost of L. Ron Hubbard make a guest appearance?
We've had quite a mix in the Grove for many years. A few Scientologists will only make it more interesting. They've had a spot on Giralda in the Gables for decades. Somehow the City Beautiful has survived.
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Which of these does not belong?
Roland rakes. When we pass by he stops to smile and wave. He then resumes quietly stroking the ground. Our neighbor told us, "It makes me happy".
