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Coconut Grove

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This article is about the neighborhood in Florida. For other uses, see Cocoanut Grove.
Skyline of Coconut Grove, as seen from its respective Metrorail station

Coconut Grove, (originally spelled Cocoanut Grove), is a neighborhood located in the City of Miami, Florida in Miami-Dade County, United States. The area is defined as southeast of US 1, from N. Prospect Ave as the southern border to the intersection of US 1 and Brickell Ave as the northern border. The western border is Le Jeune Road and the eastern border is Biscayne Bay. Technically, all of Coconut Grove has a zip code of 33133, which actually extends the area north of US 1 into what is called "Silver Bluffs". The region is often referred to simply as "The Grove".

Several waves of immigration established Coconut Grove, the first in 1825, when the Cape Florida lighthouse went into operation and was manned by John Dubose. The post office was established in 1873, around the same time that the area saw an influx of Americans from the Northeastern US, as well as British immigrants. Coconut Grove's first black settlement, in the 1880s, was established by Bahamian craftsmen and sailors and their families. The first hotel on the south Florida mainland was located in Coconut Grove. Called the Bay View Inn (later known as the Peacock Inn), it was built in 1882, on the site of present-day Peacock Park, by English immigrants Isabella and Charles Peacock, who had been the owner of a wholesale meat business in London.

Formerly an independent city, Coconut Grove was annexed by the city of Miami in 1925. In fact, Miami's City Hall is actually located in Coconut Grove, in the former terminal building that served as the first world headquarters of Pan Am. The first Pan Am flight, on a seaplane named the "General Machado," was from Coconut Grove to Havana.

Today, Coconut Grove is the City of Miami's most affluent neighborhood, with a lush tropical canopy, winding streets with roaming peacocks, and parrots often flying overhead. Because of its ideal bayside location, Coconut Grove is also a renowned sailing community, with many world-class regattas taking place during the season, starting with the Columbus Day Regatta in October, the Orange Bowl Regatta in December and continuing through May. The Grove has a sailing club [Coconut Grove Sailing Club], two yacht clubs [Coral Reef Yacht Club], and [Biscayne Yacht Club] and a marina (Dinner Key.

[Image:Crispinporterboguskyheadquarters.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Mayfair in Coconut Grove]]

The second largest tourist destination in South Florida (South Beach being first), Coconut Grove is home of the world-renowned Coconut Grove Arts Festival, the second largest street art festival in the country, which traditionally takes place over Presidents Day weekend. Coconut Grove is also know for the irreverent King Mango Strut, a parade held the last weekend of the year. It began as a parody of the Orange Bowl Parade, which it has outlasted, and features ordinary citizens spoofing local, national and international current events of the year.

January starts off with The Great Taste of the Grove, a two day outdoor food and jazz festival presented by the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce, that highlights the local cuisine.

The Goombay Festival is a tribute to the Bahamian settlers that originally came to the Grove, and features Bahamian dancing, food, Caribbean music (Junkanoo) and culture.

The Grove is known for its many restaurants with a variety of cuisines, and particularly for its open air cafes. Among the favorite sidewalk cafes is Greenstreet's Cafe, for its strategic location on the corner of Commodore Plaza, it is equally favored for weekday breakfast meetings by area movers and shakers, leisurely weekend brunch, and the evening and late night outdoor lounge crowd.

'Mr. Moe's also on Commodore, and the SandBar, around the corner are UM student favorites. French cafes abound, including Le Bouchon, Le Moulin, La Petite Paris, and Georges and a bit of a French twist, New Orleans cuisine at Christabelle's Quarter. Italian restaurants and Trattorias include Ludos, Foccacia Rustica, Cita's Italian Chophouse, Bice Bistro (the international chain), and the innovative terrace restaurant, Al Fresco. Located in the middle of the Commodore Plaza, in a terrace setting that is actually the Arts and Minds Academy, a high school for the arts, the kitchen serves the kids in the daytime and becomes a charming open air terrace cafe at night, with movies and videos playing on a large wall. There is Indian at Anokha, Middle Eastern at Alladin, and Peruvian Cuisine is represented at Pisco's and Panorama (at the Sonesta), while Jaguar features Pan-Latin fare. The Knife is popular and inexpensive Argentine steakhouse. Waterside favorites include Scotty's Landing, Monty's Raw Bar and the Charthouse. Perhaps themost romantic and exclusive waterside setting in South Florida is that of Baleen' at the Grove Isle Hotel.

High-end cuisine can also be found at Biscaya at the 'Ritz Carlton, and at Ideas which features world class Spanish cuisine and an impressive bible-thick wine list.

There are plenty of chain franchises as well, such as Cheesecake Factory, '''Chili's''' and Johnny Rockets.

Shopping in the Grove is different from a regular mall, little boutiques feature unique items, such as Ana G's hand painted fabrics. CocoWalk, is perhaps the best known shopping and entertainment center. Streets of Mayfair also includes interesting boutiques. By night, the Grove becomes a center of nightlife frequented by young professionals and students from Florida International University and the University of Miami. Among the favorites in NIKKI Coconut Grove.


File:Vizcaya from the water by tom schaefer large.jpg
Villa Vizcaya, built in 1916, is a popular Miami tourist attraction


Coconut Grove is also home to The Kampong, an 8 acre (32,000 m²) tropical garden that forms part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden.

Coconut Grove is also the location of The Barnacle Historic State Park. Built in the late 1800s, the former home of Ralph Middleton Munroe is one of the oldest homes in Dade County and is situated on the shore of Biscayne Bay. The forest surrounding the home is hardwood hammock and is the last of its kind in the area. The unique architecture includes period furniture and wide porches that afford magnificent views.

Demographics

Demographically, Coconut Grove is split up into North Grove, Center Grove, South Grove and West Grove. As of 2000, the total population of all the neighborhood's sections made up 18,953.[1]

As of 2000,[1] North-East Grove had a population of 9,812 residents, with 5,113 households, and 2,221 families residing in the neighborhood. The median household income was $63,617.82. The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 35.24% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 2.25% Black or African American, 60.96% White (non-Hispanic), and 1.55% Other races (non-Hispanic).

As of 2000,[1] South-West Grove had a population of 9,141 residents, with 3,477 households, and 2,082 families residing in the neighborhood. The median household income was $63,617.82. The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 14.80% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 48.27% Black or African American, 35.27% White (non-Hispanic), and 1.66% Other races (non-Hispanic).


Peacocks

Coconut Grove is known for its large population of free-roaming peacocks.

CocoWalk


The Grove in music

Joni Mitchell lived in Coconut Grove with David Crosby for a short time before moving out to LA where she wrote "Ladies of the Canyon," that featured a young woman named Estrella, whom she had met performing tin the Grove at the Gaslight South

  • John Sebastian also stopped by long enough to write the song 'Coconut Grove' which he often performed with The Lovin' Spoonful.
  • The infamous Doors concert where Jim Morrisson exposed himself took place at the Dinner Key Auditorium in Coconut Grove. Ironically, the place went on to become the convention center known as the "Expo Center." (No pun intended)/

The Grove in film

  • In the film "Meet the Fockers," (2004), the sequel to "Meet the Parents," Ben Stiller's parents, Barbara Streisand and Dustin Hoffman live in Coconut Grove.
  • In the film, "Absence of Malice, (1981)" with Paul Newman and Sally Field, which was based in Miami, Sally Field, a Miami Herald reporter, lives in an apartment in the post Grove Isle condo in Coconut Grove.
  • The film HootHoot, produced by Frank Marshall, Toby Emmerich and Jimmy Buffett (who also appears in the film and sings on the soundtrack) and based a novel by Carl Hiaasen, is set in Coconut Grove.
  • The set for the film Marley & Me, (2008) was the Coconut Grove Expo Center (convention center). The film starring Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson was directed by Miamian David Frankel, many locations shots in the Grove were substituted for West Palm Beach.


  • In the movie Bad Boys, Martin Lawrence and Will Smith follow a suspect through Coconut Grove.
  • The movie Hoot, produced by Frank Marshall, Toby Emmerich and Jimmy Buffett (who also appears in the film and sings on the soundtrack) and based a novel by Carl Hiaasen, is set in Coconut Grove.
  • In Big Trouble, by Dave Barry, the main setting is Coconut Grove.


The Grove on TV

  • The pilot for the TV series (SHO) Dexter, was shot in Miami, the cast and crew stayed in Coconut Grove. In the series, Dexter Morgan, lives in Coconut Grove.

The set for the TV series Burn Notice (USA) is Coconut Grove, in what was once the City of Miami's Convention Center, and many scenes are regularly shot in and around the Grove.

The Grove in Music Video

  • In the video for the song 'Careless Whisper' George Michael can be seen looking out at sea from a hotel balcony in Coconut Grove as a seaplane flies by.


The Grove in Literature

  • Tennessee Williams lived in the Grove. So did Dave Barry.

Points of interest

Plymouth Congregational Church

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Demographics of Coconut Grove Miami, FL". miamigov.com. Retrieved 2008-06-11.

25°42′45″N 80°15′25″W / 25.71250°N 80.25694°W / 25.71250; -80.25694

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