In today’s Spotlight, gifts come in many forms.
- The city restores benches to a cherished waterfront park,
- A Grovite’s key lime pie business expands and prepares for the holiday rush,
- Local organizations welcome new members, and
- Free concerts spread holiday spirits.
A doubly perfect gift idea. From now until December 31, any gift you make to the Spotlight will be doubled. NewsMatch, a nationwide fundraising program that supports local journalism, will match your donation, dollar for dollar, up to $1,000. For no cost, add a free Spotlight subscription for friends and family members.
Thank you for supporting your Coconut Grove Spotlight.
After a Spotlight report chronicled the removal of public benches at a popular South Grove pocket park, city officials ordered their return.
By Jenny Jacobi

After a two-and-a-half-year absence the benches are back at Big Hill Park, the waterfront pocket park at the end of Royal Road in South Grove. As the Spotlight reported last September, the benches were removed by city officials following complaints by nearby neighbors of excessive noise and increasing traffic.
Brian Carson, the landscape architect who led a group of community volunteers who spearheaded the park design and designation, applauded their return.
“The public spaces next to the bay need to be publicly accessible,” he said. “That’s the long-term goal of these types of spaces, that they’re not dead-end roads. They’re the public’s access up to and into the National Park of Biscayne Bay.”
Carson credits City of Miami District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo’s staff for working with city officials to negotiate their reinstallation. The rectangular limestone-slab benches were cleaned of spray paint graffiti and returned to their original locations last week. One of the three benches – which cost $2,000 a piece – broke in half during its storage, city officials say, resulting in two smaller sections.
Joshua Abril’s key lime pie business has a new location on Grand Avenue, just in time for the holiday season.
By Ethan Mannello

The longer Joshua Abril spent away from home in Miami, the more he couldn’t help but appreciate South Florida’s distinct culture. Whether it was Madrid, Lisbon or Berlin, wherever Abril’s travels took him, he couldn’t get home out of his head.
“I remember living in Madrid and unconsciously over-romanticizing aspects of Miami that were collective points during my lifetime,” said Abril. “Traveling definitely heightened my love for South Florida, but also my desire to emphasize the things that I love most about it and preserve those things.”
Abril’s key lime pie business, Fookem’s Fabulous, has been doing just that, serving South Florida’s traditional key lime pies since the 2020 pandemic.
“The source of inspiration for this business was trying to hold onto those quintessentially South Florida things that I love about where I’m from and that I want people to get the most out of when they come here,” said Abril.
This holiday season, he has stocked his first brick and mortar store, located at 3606 Grand Avene in Coconut Grove, with South Florida favorites. The store, which opened last month, will not only sell his famous key lime pies, but also jerk chicken sandwiches, key lime slushies and jerk hot sauce.
The holidays are upon us so quickly this year. Perhaps a few last-minute gift ideas might help fill some stockings and bring year-round memories.
Free subscriptions to the Spotlight for everyone on your Christmas list. Ho ho ho! Quick and easy. You can download and print a low-budget gift card and embrace frugality or combine the subscription with a gift of your own.
Memberships to a Grovey organization including:
- The Barnacle Society celebrates the state park in the center of Coconut Grove.
- The Kampong welcomes you to their growing program and nationally recognized garden.
- Friends of the Commodore Trail help guide the creation of a unifying pathway through the Grove. Free.
- Friends of the Underline help transform an urban thoroughfare into a tropical park serving many. Free.
- The Vizcayans preserve and protect our treasured Vizcaya Museum, garden and grounds.
- The Native Plant Network of Fairchild Tropical Gardens brings native pine rock land habitats to your garden. Free.
- A Miami Dade County Public Library card provides access to a near limitless array of media resources. Free.
- Miami Waterkeeper takes actions to improve the health of Biscayne Bay. Free.
Coconut Grove Library presents Disney’s A Christmas Carol (This is the Jim Carrey version of the timeless tale. PG. All ages.) Saturday, December 21. 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. 2875 McFarlane Rd. Free.
The Santa Clause is the Barnacle’s entry in the family Christmas movie genre. Presented as a picnic-on-the-lawn opportunity, actor Tim Allen stars in this Disney film. The Barnacle State Park, 3485 Main Highway. Saturday 12/21, 6:30 p.m. Tickets.
The final Wallcast® lawn concert of the year, Sounds of the Season, creates a perfect venue to listen to the New World Symphony’s holiday concert among friends and a bottle of champagne. At SoundScape Park outside the New World Center, 500 17th St, Miami Beach. Saturday 12/21, 7:30 p.m. Free. Bring your own champagne.
The Coconut Grove BID tracks many of the holiday happenings through their robust calendar which generally focuses on activities in the Center Grove.
There are many deeply meaningful religious celebrations during the week and houses of worship welcome visitors warmly. Among them:
- Christmas Eve will see St Stephens Episcopal Church’s Christmas Pageant start at 4:00 p.m. Music at 10:30 – 11:00 p.m. and service starts at 11:00 p.m. 2750 McFarlane Rd. Free.
- Plymouth Congregational Church holds its Christmas Eve Family Service at 5:00 p.m. followed by a cake reception. The evening continues with song (8:00 p.m.) and candlelight service (11:00 p.m.) 3400 Devon Road on Main Highway. Free.
Save Me a Seat
The Miami City Ballet’s The Nutcracker is nationally—and deservedly—famous, but it’s not the only game in town. NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet tours the US and soon will reach Miami Beach. Local child dancers join the touring company for a matinee performance Monday, 12/30, 3:00 p.m. The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater. 1700 Washington Ave, Miami Beach. Tickets.
Recent News
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is a senior partner at the real estate investment firm that is seeking to purchase 100% of the condo units at Mutiny on the Bay
West Grove community groups say the City of Miami’s planning and zoning policies unfairly discriminated against Black residents, in violation of federal law.
A lifelong resident of Coconut Grove who worked to preserve the history of the Little Bahamas neighborhood, Cooper Baker was 87 years old.
Among a list of suggestions to strengthen Miami’s tree protection ordinance at a community forum Monday, the District 2 commissioner says citizens should have their say.
Marching on City Hall, a group suing the City of Miami says a new study highlights urgent health and cleanup concerns for residents near the Old Smokey facility.
Copyright 2024 Miami News Trust, Inc. All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you signed up through our website or participated in a promotion.
The Spotlight welcomes your letters and commentary. Share them here.