When friends from the Frozen North call and ask you about the weather, don’t you feel just a little bit guilty that the days here are so beautiful? OK, maybe not, but now is the time to start planning for their visits, as so many cornerstone events in our neighborhood[Read More…]

With three public libraries and a large variety of Little Free Libraries close at hand, Spotlight readers are already blessed with access to many free sources of information. However, the Miami-Dade library system now provides readers with even greater access through free online access to The New York Times. Included[Read More…]

While Miami is known for its beaches and high rises, insiders know that – incredibly – one-third of land in the county is agricultural. The Redland Riot Road Rallye creates a near-perfect way to explore those green areas, known as Redland. The Riot’s team format playfully explores the farms, gardens,[Read More…]

The week’s cooler weather is a great excuse to check out some outdoor spaces that have changed perhaps since you were last out.  Just a short hike or bike ride from Alice Wainwright Park towards Key Biscayne, you’ll find the north side of Hobe Island has been rebuilt after a[Read More…]

Everglades National Park can provide out-of-town guests—and you too—with a day that balances the energy of Miami and its beaches with the quietude of the ‘river of grass’.  Although the variety within the park is truly enormous, a few easily accessible spots may be a perfect introduction for your visitors.[Read More…]

Sharing a good book with a neighbor can spread goodwill through both the giving and receiving.  Shenandoah, Silver Bluffs and Coconut Grove are home to many Little Free Libraries—neighborhood book-exchange boxes installed and maintained by volunteer neighbors.  In fact, the official Little Free Library website map indicates that the Spotlight’s[Read More…]

The holidays are upon us so quickly this year and perhaps a few last-minute gift ideas might help you fill some stockings and bring year-round memories.

The Grove helped launch the career of legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell as she performed at the Gaslight Café. Located at the corner of Grand Avenue and Virginia Street, the Gaslight Café is long gone but its vibe is recreated in the GableStage production of Both Sides Now. There you’ll find[Read More…]

Locals searching for their perfect Christmas tree while supporting a local charity group visit the Boys and Girls Club just north of US-1 at McDonald Street.  Well before the arrival of a big box store, or other for-profit operations, the Boys and Girls Club was known for providing quality trees[Read More…]

Left-overs anyone? Your neighborhood holds a surprisingly large number of parks perfect for a Post-Thanksgiving picnic. If you choose to forego the Black Friday sales and meet up with neighbors and friends for the perfect potluck, consider rendezvousing in one of the two dozen parks nearby.   Cocowalk hosts a free[Read More…]