The Market On Main And Rock'n Riverwalk - Still Packing Them In On Sundays...

Stuart, Florida has grown by leaps and bounds since my parents moved here back in 1976. Lots more people and lots more traffic, especially since its neighbor to the north, Port St. Lucie, with suburban developments from the Indian River into what is essentially feral pig territory, is now the 6th largest city in Florida. But Stuart itself is basically a small town, very much still like the old Florida, with no buildings over 4 stories allowed in the entire county. Its downtown is especially attractive, thanks to a revitalization project back in the 1980s and 1990s led by renowned urban planner Andres Duany, whom I first learned about reading Miami: City of the Future, published back in 1987. But my point is that as a small town, there are usually certain events that everyone in town attends, and Market on Main, which takes place in Flagler Park just west of downtown Stuart, seen in the photograph on the left, and Rock'n Riverwalk, which takes place nearby at the Stuart Promenade, are two of those events.

Market on Main is a farmer's market for local farmers, artists, and other artisans that takes place every Sunday from 9:00 until 2:00 during the season and until 1:00 the rest of the year. I have walked through it many times, and I must say, it is not so much the market that I like but the location, right along the St. Lucie River, not to mention the peoplewatching, which makes for a pleasant afternoon stroll. Thanks to a major city just to the north, the demographics are much more diverse in Stuart than years ago, when it was just the locals and retirees from the north, which makes for a much more vibrant mix. And after walking through the market, Rock'n Riverwalk, seen in the photograph on the right, takes place just a few blocks away from 1:00 until 4:00 every Sunday, too, thus offering the option of spending an entire day in downtown Stuart, which I assume was the whole reason Stuart Main Street, a non-profit focusing on improving downtown Stuart, came up with those events in the first place. And, by the way, the Bryce Allyn Band was playing reggae this past Sunday on that stage and were pretty damn good, if I say so myself.

Right next to the Stuart Promenade is a park, where many people prefer to sit and listen to the music under the trees, with a nice view of the river, many of them bringing their own chairs, as seen in the photograph on the left. All in all, Stuart Main Street has done a good job of making downtown Stuart a very lively place, although I do have one complaint about that organization. For many years, in the month of August, there would be a major festival in downtown Stuart called Dancing in the Streets, with three stages featuring musical acts, and lots of booths selling food, drinks, and all other manner of items. Working for the University of Denver Bookstore, our slowest time was in August, and so I was usually visiting my mother Mary down in Stuart when that event took place. All over town I would hear people asking their friends and acquaintances if they were going to attend - it usually took place from 5:00 until midnight on a Saturday night and was the major event of the summer, the slowest time of the year. But then Dancing in the Streets was ended for good. I actually contacted Stuart Main Street and asked what happened, and I was told people had just lost interest in the festival. But I really can't believe that. Did the merchants object to losing a night of business? The locals often referred to the event as "drinking in the streets." Were the natives getting too rowdy? Who knows? But I still miss it. August in Stuart will never be the same.

The 29th Annual Downtown Stuart Art And Craft Festival

The 29th Annual Downtown Stuart Art and Craft Festival took place this past weekend on Osceola Street here in Stuart, Florida. This is a very popular event. Combined with the weekly Market on Main held in nearby Flagler Park and the Rock'n Riverwalk concert along the St. Lucie River, it was very crowded yesterday afternoon when my sister Susan and I finally arrived, after finding a parking spot just far enough away so that nobody else wanted it. There were over 150 artists showing their work this year, including 10 booths showing photography, and much of it was quite good.

The festival started two blocks east of Haney Circle, seen in the photograph on the right, continued around it and then ran down Stuart's main retail street to the Stuart Promenade, where the Rock'n Riverwalk concert was taking place along the St Lucie River. In the center of Haney Circle is Lady Abundance, a statue that was purchased by the Women's Club of Stuart in 1949 to be placed in this exact spot to honor Cynthia Burnett Haney, "a prominent prohibitionist, women's suffragist, and advocate for social justice." But when the statue arrived, it was decided that the scantily covered female and its association with wine was not appropriate, and it was placed on the east lawn of the Martin County Courthouse, along with its accompanying fountain, instead. But when downtown Stuart underwent a major revitalization project in 1991, it was decided to move the statue and it fountain to the location it was originally meant to occupy.

And famously, back in 1993, when Susan and I were visiting my mother Mary down in Stuart, Susan decided to step into the fountain, climb up the statue, and pose for the photograph seen on the left, with my mother standing beneath. Happily, this was during the month of August, with not another soul around, and so none of us were collared by the Stuart Police. I did suggest to Susan yesterday that she climb up the statue for old times' sake, so I could have then and now photos to put on the blog, but she politely declined. What a spoil sport. In any case, the Downtown Stuart Art and Craft Festival was quite enjoyable, and definitely worth the long walk to get there. If you missed it, be sure to catch it next year. And also be sure to take a photograph with Lady Abundance.

The River To Reef Art Festival

Yesterday afternoon my sister Susan and I attended the River to Reef Art Festival, which takes place at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum, located where the Loxahatchee River meets the Atlantic Ocean in Jupiter, Florida. The stated purpose of this festival is to celebrate local and regional artists, nature, and community. I was worried that we would not find parking at the lighthouse, and so we parked on Jupiter Island and walked across the drawbridge to the festival. Which turned out not to be necessary, but it was a nice day, and we arrived right at the assigned time for our entry. I took the photograph on the left from a boardwalk along the Loxahatchee, showing the artist's booths in the background.

The art show was fine, and the prices a lot more reasonable that the last few festivals we visited, but the artwork was overshadowed by the setting itself, which was really nice. Not only do you have views of the river and the lighthouse, but the landscaping was very impressive, too. There was also musical entertainment, although I thought it was strange that everyone was sitting in a central area, while the musicians were behind a rope and actually facing away from the audience, as seen in the photograph on the right. No matter. The view across the river definitely made up for it.

The Jupiter Lighthouse itself was the big attraction, as seen in the photograph on the left. The lighthouse became operational on July 10th, 1860, and was designed by George G. Meade, who later commanded the Army of the Potomac. Years ago, when we were visiting our mother Mary in Stuart one summer, Susan and I climbed to the top of that lighthouse while our mother waited down below. This time we decided to skip it - the walk to Jupiter Island and back was quite enough, thank you very much. All in all, visiting the River to Reef Art Festival made for a very pleasant day. The festival continues today from 10:00 until 4:00, although unfortunately, all the free tickets have been claimed, and so you will have to fork out $5.00 if you decide to attend. Plus another $5.00 to climb the lighthouse, if you so choose. What can I say - the early bird gets the worm. Or do they not say that anymore? I never know.

The March Issue Of Chicago Magazine

I just got around to reading the March issue of Chicago Magazine, and I must say, it makes for very interesting reading. The cover story is about Pete Crow-Armstrong, the 23-year-old Chicago Cubs superstar. Last season Crow-Armstrong became only the second Cub in history to hit 30 home runs and have 30 stolen bases. The other player was none other than Sammy Sosa. The first half of the season Crow-Armstrong stole 25 bases, hit 25 home runs, and batted in 70 runs, something no other player has ever done before the break. He became the second youngest Cub to ever start an All-Star game, but during the second half of the season, he hit only .187 with 6 home runs. Crow-Armstrong was not happy about that and is determined to regain his form this season. And although he grew up in California, he has grown to love Chicago and the dedication and passion of the fans at Wrigley Field. He comes across as a nice kid and an intense competitor. He very well might make the difference this season up on the North Side. 

A truly fascinating article this month is The Power 50, which lists the 50 most influential Chicagoans who "have shaped policy, molded minds, and redefined this city - and this country." It is not possible to discuss all 50, but what amazed me were all the Chicagoans on the list who I have never heard of, but have a major influence across this country, including Blase Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago, who now has a major influence on the Catholic Church due to Pope Leo naming him to the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State; Penny Pritzker, head of Harvard's top governing board; Valarie Jarrett, who has overseen the creation of the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park and helped raise the $850 million to pay for it, and Mellody Hobson, wife of Star Wars creator George Lucas, who was once the chair of Starbucks, is currently a director of JPMorganChase, and who owns pieces of the Chicago White Sox, the Denver Broncos, and the WNBA. And did you know that Nick Fuentes, White Nationalist Streamer and number 7 on the list, lives in west suburban Berwyn? I sure didn't. 

There is also an article about seven Chicago-area staycation spots, where you can feel like you've gotten away without the travel costs and headaches. All of them sound very nice, but most would cost about the same as a week or two in Europe. The cheapest on the list was the Wind Creek Chicago Southland in south suburban East Hazel Crest, a casino and hotel, with prices ranging from $199 to $299 per night. The article says it has a "glitzy" Italian steakhouse atop the 17th floor. What? There is a 17-story hotel and casino in East Hazel Crest, Illinois? I used to live near there. How the hell did that ever happen? In summary, it is definitely an issue you should check out. And yes, the two photographs of Chicago on this blog were taken by me on my last visit to my old hometown in April of 2010. Definitely time for another visit.

The First Day Of Spring (aka The Spring Equinox)

Today is the first day of spring, and right on time, the Tabebuia trees, one of which can be seen in the photograph above, are in full bloom all over Stuart, Florida and environs. These trees were the brainchild of Edwin A Menninger, who came to Stuart in 1923 to start the Stuart News, which, by the way, still exists, although is now owned by USA Today. Menninger felt there should be more flowering trees in the area to welcome in the spring, and contacted people from around the world, asking them to send him seeds from their flowering trees. Which they did. His favorite was the Tabebuia tree, which is native to Mexico and the Caribbean. He distributed the tree's seeds to people all over town, who dutifully planted them, with the result that they are now everywhere, a vibrant symbol of spring coming to Stuart, Florida. Thanks Edwin!

The 2026 Major League Baseball Season Begins Exactly One Week From Today!

And yes, I do know that the official opening of the season takes place next Wednesday night between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants, but that is just a gimmick. It is indeed next Thursday, March 26th when most of the teams start play, including my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox, who will be opening the season at 1:10 against the Brewers in Milwaukee. Their North Side rivals, the Chicago Cubs, will have their home opener at 1:20 that same day against the Washington Nationals. Meanwhile, my adopted hometown team, the Colorado Rockies, who now actually have people who know something about baseball in charge, will be waiting until Friday at 7:10 Florida time to begin their season against the Marlins in Miami. Last season the Rockies lost 119 games, 2 short of the record for worst team in the history of baseball - which is of course held by the 2024 White Sox - and so I suspect there is no great rush by the Rockies to start the season. They will definitely return to contention over time with new management, but definitely not this year. Or the year after. Or perhaps even the year after that. But it doesn't matter right now. Every team is starting out undefeated next week, and hope springs eternal. We should all enjoy it while we can. And yes, that is indeed the view of Coors Field from the press box, which I took at the Colorado Rockies Fan Fest this past January. A great view of the field, although last season I imagine many of the reporters did not want to look.

Watching The Marlins Take On The Blue Jays - A Late Spring Training Matchup

My sister Susan and I watched the Miami Marlins take on the Toronto Blue Jays this past Monday afternoon at Roger Dean Stadium in the Abacoa neighborhood of Jupiter, Florida. The weather forecasters predicted heavy thunderstorms starting after lunchtime, and so we were taking a chance, but since we already had the tickets, we forged ahead. The first thing I noticed as we approached the ballpark were the number of license plates from Ontario and Quebec, showing that despite what you hear on the news, there are still large numbers of Canadians who still winter in Florida, not letting one unhinged bully drive them away. And when they played the Canadian national anthem, there were lots of cheers, which I was very happy to hear, especially since Florida is such a red state. And best of all, when the first pitch was thrown at 1:10 P.M., the sun was shining brightly.

During the game I was surprised to hear a Toronto batter announced whom I knew well: none other than Eloy Jimenez, the former star player for my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox, who gave him a six-year, $43 million contract in 2019 even before his major league debut. Eloy got a base hit, seen in the photograph on the right leading off first base. Eloy did very well for the White Sox, winning the Silver Slugger Award in 2020. Then in 2024, the year the Sox lost 121 games and knew they were about to undergo a major rebuilding, they traded Eloy to Baltimore, who the following year declined his club option for 2025. Eloy then signed with the Tampa Bay Rays, and the year after that signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, where he is currently a designated hitter and outfielder. And will he go north with the Blue Jays when they break camp next week? Although only 30 years old, he is not the same player he was with the White Sox, but perhaps he can regain his form with Toronto. After all, that was a pretty sold hit he made this past Monday. Good luck Eloy!

It was indeed warm and sunny for the first 2 1/2 innings. Then the storm clouds came, and it started to rain. Susan and I made our way to the main concourse, and under the shelter of the roof. As we discussed what we should do, the sun came out again, and we made our way back toward our seats. The usher suggested we take the two handicapped seats right behind home plate, since it would be easier for Susan and me to leave when the rain started again (I think he had inside information). And so, we sat back and watched the game until there were two outs in the bottom of the 6th inning, which is when I took the photograph on the left. Then the downpour began and we hightailed it back out to the main concourse. As we headed toward the ramp, I saw all the players heading for the dugouts, and when we approached the exit saw that everyone was leaving. The game had been called. Toronto, the visiting team, was leading 5-4 after 5 innings, which made it an official game. Since everyone left the stadium at the same time, it took forever to get out of the parking garage. But no problem. Two groups of Canadians were parked on either side of our car and were very friendly and entertaining. Despite Donald Trump. Go Blue Jays!