Piccolos Restaurant

[fredgarvin]

[I][/COLOR]



And lets not forget the Spring 1980 riots. In reality, South Beach and for that matter Miami Beach hit a rapid decline from approx. 1971 till the middle 80's (Miami Vice Area). I remember my two last trips to M.B. during that era 1976 and 1980. Me and my 2 friends during spring break (1976) walked around Lincoln Mall and for old time sake I dragged them into the Shelborne. What an experience. I remember the lobby virtually the same as it was back in 1963 when we stayed there on a family trip. The in the wall aquariums were gone and, the bellmen carts were done in a tacky worn blue shag carpet. We had a drink in what was then called "The Shellbar." And, on the jukebox Glenn Campbell bleated out "I'm a Rhinestone Cowboy." What are now the classic boutique hotels on the even numbered side of Collins still were the original layouts with the last of the geriatric generation sitting on their porches waiting for the grim reaper.

In 1980, Lincoln Mall was a ghost town. My aunt and uncle told me it was even worse in 1985 when most of the businesses in the outdoor mall were down and out video game arcades. The trams were gone.
The beach overall was eroded to the point of no beach in many places. We stayed at the Marco Polo where the ocean pounded against the seawall and you had to enter the sliver of beach by a rickety stairway at the neighbor the dumpy Chateau which is now the public access for Sunny Isles and much prettier. The only saving grace was the fact, that all the great food places Picciolos, Wolfies, Rascal House, Corky's (Inland near the Golden Glades Interchange) and the Newport Pub were in their twilight days. Motel row still was there (Sunny Isles) but, the writing was on the wall. Regarding Picciolos, if only they could have held on for another two to five years, they would probably be thriving today and be a popular attraction and get rave reviews here on our forums. I guess that old addage time waits for no one really was true.
As with old Atlantic City if I could go back in Mr. Peabodies or the Back to the Future time machine, I'd"
1. spend a night in each old hotel and motel
2. eat at each of those old classics and get wasted and make a full of myself all in good fun at the kitschy Luau.
3. If only the Luau could have survived into the period when Ultralounge was the thing of the day!

4. And, I would have begged, borrowed and stole to get my ham hands on old South Beach property.



And, while we are on funky classic restaurants: Check out Les Violins Supper Club
When we were kids, my parents took us there for my birthday and we saw a kitschy show where a Kirstie Alli/"Precious" sized woman with a turban of fruit ran off the stage to interact with the diners/audience and she embraced me with her Jamon Manos which make me laugh and scared the shit out of my little sister. My mom was ROTFL as my sister was freaking out. My dad had the honors of calming my sister down.

Great post!!!!

Interesting to note is there is a new Italian restaurant in that building featured in rk's picture.

[2zippyjet]

[I][/COLOR]



And lets not forget the Spring 1980 riots. In reality, South Beach and for that matter Miami Beach hit a rapid decline from approx. 1971 till the middle 80's (Miami Vice Area). I remember my two last trips to M.B. during that era 1976 and 1980. Me and my 2 friends during spring break (1976) walked around Lincoln Mall and for old time sake I dragged them into the Shelborne. What an experience. I remember the lobby virtually the same as it was back in 1963 when we stayed there on a family trip. The in the wall aquariums were gone and, the bellmen carts were done in a tacky worn blue shag carpet. We had a drink in what was then called "The Shellbar." And, on the jukebox Glenn Campbell bleated out "I'm a Rhinestone Cowboy." What are now the classic boutique hotels on the even numbered side of Collins still were the original layouts with the last of the geriatric generation sitting on their porches waiting for the grim reaper.

In 1980, Lincoln Mall was a ghost town. My aunt and uncle told me it was even worse in 1985 when most of the businesses in the outdoor mall were down and out video game arcades. The trams were gone.
The beach overall was eroded to the point of no beach in many places. We stayed at the Marco Polo where the ocean pounded against the seawall and you had to enter the sliver of beach by a rickety stairway at the neighbor the dumpy Chateau which is now the public access for Sunny Isles and much prettier. The only saving grace was the fact, that all the great food places Picciolos, Wolfies, Rascal House, Corky's (Inland near the Golden Glades Interchange) and the Newport Pub were in their twilight days. Motel row still was there (Sunny Isles) but, the writing was on the wall. Regarding Picciolos, if only they could have held on for another two to five years, they would probably be thriving today and be a popular attraction and get rave reviews here on our forums. I guess that old addage time waits for no one really was true.
As with old Atlantic City if I could go back in Mr. Peabodies or the Back to the Future time machine, I'd"
1. spend a night in each old hotel and motel
2. eat at each of those old classics and get wasted and make a full of myself all in good fun at the kitschy Luau.
3. If only the Luau could have survived into the period when Ultralounge was the thing of the day!

4. And, I would have begged, borrowed and stole to get my ham hands on old South Beach property.



Another classic pic from The Luau


My earlier pic of the Luau tiki schnaaps didn't take.
The Luau was so Ultralounge ahead of its time!
And, while we are on funky classic restaurants: Check out Les Violins Supper Club
When we were kids, my parents took us there for my birthday and we saw a kitschy show where a Kirstie Alli/"Precious" sized woman with a turban of fruit ran off the stage to interact with the diners/audience and she embraced me with her Jamon Manos which make me laugh and scared the shit out of my little sister. My mom was ROTFL as my sister was freaking out. My dad had the honors of calming my sister down.

[GandJ]

2zippyjet -

Great recount of your past times in Miami Beach!


Glenn

[rk]

As you know from your perch on the top of the Apogee, or your weekend digs at the Continuum, the South Pointe Park renovation was 'finished' before 2010 (last year). The 'birdseye' picture shows the park half finished. Heck, even your exclusive Apogee residence looks as if it were added. So FOR SURE the picture is before January 2010 (last year).

Sorry

FG, may be some possible confusion because of the way I phrased my post. I did not mean to imply the Bing birdseye view is current, it is definitely from 2009. The photo I posted is from Jan 1 2010. I took that picture myself from near Big Pink. It is just one day into 2010, almost 2009. Apogee was finished at the time as you can see it in background. I think even had a doorman. As I recall I was shooed away by the doorman for getting too close to the fountains. He was apologetic, said management (you?) had asked him to keep riff-raff away from the 'hood.

[rk]

[I][/COLOR]



And lets not forget the Spring 1980 riots. In reality, South Beach and for that matter Miami Beach hit a rapid decline from approx. 1971 till the middle 80's (Miami Vice Area). I remember my two last trips to M.B. during that era 1976 and 1980. Me and my 2 friends during spring break (1976) walked around Lincoln Mall and for old time sake I dragged them into the Shelborne. What an experience. I remember the lobby virtually the same as it was back in 1963 when we stayed there on a family trip. The in the wall aquariums were gone and, the bellmen carts were done in a tacky worn blue shag carpet. We had a drink in what was then called "The Shellbar." And, on the jukebox Glenn Campbell bleated out "I'm a Rhinestone Cowboy." What are now the classic boutique hotels on the even numbered side of Collins still were the original layouts with the last of the geriatric generation sitting on their porches waiting for the grim reaper.

In 1980, Lincoln Mall was a ghost town. My aunt and uncle told me it was even worse in 1985 when most of the businesses in the outdoor mall were down and out video game arcades. The trams were gone.
The beach overall was eroded to the point of no beach in many places. We stayed at the Marco Polo where the ocean pounded against the seawall and you had to enter the sliver of beach by a rickety stairway at the neighbor the dumpy Chateau which is now the public access for Sunny Isles and much prettier. The only saving grace was the fact, that all the great food places Picciolos, Wolfies, Rascal House, Corky's (Inland near the Golden Glades Interchange) and the Newport Pub were in their twilight days. Motel row still was there (Sunny Isles) but, the writing was on the wall. Regarding Picciolos, if only they could have held on for another two to five years, they would probably be thriving today and be a popular attraction and get rave reviews here on our forums. I guess that old addage time waits for no one really was true.
As with old Atlantic City if I could go back in Mr. Peabodies or the Back to the Future time machine, I'd"
1. spend a night in each old hotel and motel
2. eat at each of those old classics and get wasted and make a full of myself all in good fun at the kitschy Luau.
3. If only the Luau could have survived into the period when Ultralounge was the thing of the day!

4. And, I would have begged, borrowed and stole to get my ham hands on old South Beach property.



And, while we are on funky classic restaurants: Check out Les Violins Supper Club
When we were kids, my parents took us there for my birthday and we saw a kitschy show where a Kirstie Alli/"Precious" sized woman with a turban of fruit ran off the stage to interact with the diners/audience and she embraced me with her Jamon Manos which make me laugh and scared the shit out of my little sister. My mom was ROTFL as my sister was freaking out. My dad had the honors of calming my sister down.

Great post and pictures! Please post some more.

[Carlos Miller]

Interesting posts here.

[Richiep]

My grandfather Alfredo Santisi owned Piccolo's from 1980 until 1984. Mariel boat lift completely killed business (shootings, panhandling, etc). It's a shame he couldn't hold on to it until the area bounced back.

[Maria de los Angeles]

Hi Richiep, thanks for stopping by. Yeah, that is sad ... it sounds like it was a real institution.