|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Miami differentiates its communities: Wynwood, Mimo, Little Haiti, Doral, Allapattah, Downtown Dadeland, Hialeah, Little River, Coral Gables, South Beach, Brickell, Calle Ocho, Lincoln Road, Design District, Sunset Harbor, South Miami, Key Biscayne, etc. These are the neighborhoods we roll through with friends and family. But who’s got bragging rights, who’s #1, and why? So let’s explore one area at a time over the next few months starting with Coconut Grove.
Old timers spoke of the old Grove or West Grove, young folks know the new Grove and Cocowalk, but with the effects of our blessed developers and beloved gentrifiers, let’s just leave it with the Grove.
First of all, on all our overweight minds is this: can you eat well? Yes. Jaguar, Strada, Ariete, Bombay Darbar, Glass & Vine, Peacock Garden, Lulu, Kush, Atchana’s, Mister 01, Harry’s and Sapore di Mare all bring cred. There are several more.
Is the Grove noisy? Cars and motorbikes make it sound like morning garden time in Pinecrest; it’s bloody deafening.
Will you hear Cuban spoken on the streets? Mas o menos. Carrollton and La Salle represent their families.
Literacy? Books & Books has an outpost. The public library is charming. Ransom cranks out lawyers like Willy Wonka delivers chocolates.
Eye candy? Definitely. Greenstreet alone attracts beauty like bees do honey.
What about architecture? Top shelf. The two twenty story Bjarke Ingels towers and Arquitectonica’s Mr. C are masterworks. Seriously!
How about Parks and Rec? The Barnacle, Kennedy Park and Peacock Park are spacious and busy.
Ageism? All ages seem to coexist comfortably in the Grove, from baby carriage to surgical sorcery.
Tattoos, piercings, hipsters? Not so prevalent.
How about the sophomoric, backwards hat crowd? Yes, everywhere.
Pretense factor? Not too bad.
Can you hear any street music? Ain’t nothing happening here.
How many Starbucks? Two, but Panther is there as well.
Waterfront views? The Grove is adjacent to the Bay, so a variety of activities touch it directly. Sailing and yacht clubs are everywhere.
What’s the fear factor? Low
Can you reach it by public transportation? LOL. This is Miami. Even if you can catch some bus that gets you to Metrorail, then take a trolley, you’ll be on Social Security before you arrive.
Summertime? Hot and steamy, but the livin’ is easy.
Dives or Old School? A few remain like Barracuda, Sandbar, Taurus and The Last Carrot.
Are vegans welcome? Planta Queen and Minty Z are thriving.
Organics? The Saturday Organic Market has existed forever with inordinately expensive things and zero glamour.
Any bad looking sculptures? Not like Palmetto Bay Library or those old Coral Gables snails.
How is the breakfast and bakery scene? Top shelf. B Bistro Bakery, Le Pain Quotidian, Fireman Derek’s, Fookem’s, Le Bouchon, and Greenstreet.
Greenery: Nearby streets are gorgeous.
The envelope please: Rating: 4 Peacocks out of 5
