Coral Gables Magazine January 2022

CORAL GABLES

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Why I Give: Dr. Samir & Samata Kulkarni

As an anesthesiologist at Homestead Hospital, Samir Kulkarni, M.D. routinely prepares patients for surgery. But it was his own cancer diagnosis that helped him better understand his patients’ needs. “Once I realized how it is for myself, I was able to actually talk to the patients with more empathy and explain to them, you know, I’ve lived through this—we can do this,” he says.

Recognizing the hospital’s many challenges, Dr. Kulkarni wanted to lend his support and decided to help fund the hospital’s new teaching library. “Every time I walk by, I’m happy and proud that I was able to do something small yet significant,” he says.

While Dr. Kulkarni also gives to Miami Cancer Institute, which he says provides “just really wonderful care,” he remains most passionate about supporting Homestead Hospital. “As hard as it is, it’s something that needs to be done,” he says. “It’s my pleasure. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“I think Baptist gives care that is a notch above.”

Photo by Lynn Parks

NEW YEAR. NEW YOU

Each New Year, we tell ourselves this is the year we are finally going to get really fit, committing ourselves to a disciplined workout routine. And, as we all know, it can be hard to stick to that resolution. Here in the Gables the options abound. May you be inspired to find a New Year’s fitness regimen with the stickiness to last past January!

THE YEAR THAT WAS: 2021

We thought it would be the year when Covid ended, when everything would return to normal. Well, sort of. At least the economy was getting back to normal, with restaurants again thriving and workers returning to the downtown. Here, then, is a quick look at the year’s most important events in Coral Gables.

TIME TO RE-BRAND?

Entrepreneurism in the Gables is alive and well, but the city could be getting a larger share of new ventures. With so much money and talent pouring into the area (in the last year nearly three dozen companies have committed to projects in Miami-Dade County, creating some 5,000 jobs) the city is exploring how best to compete in the changing marketplace.

YOGA AT @REVETE

THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING OPENS

JULIAN PEREZ, DIRECTOR OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

Cover: New Year, New You. Click on the QR code and become one with the magazine.

CEO & PUBLISHER

Richard Roffman

The Un-Written Page of Opportunity

One of the deepest convictions of the American spirit is that anyone can succeed, starting with a blank slate. Right from the start, penniless, indentured servants from England –an astonishingly large part of America’s initial population – were granted freedom and land in exchange for seven or eight years of service. Roughly speaking, it is the same formula for success as today: Work hard for years to accumulate capital, then plant your dreams.

Coral Gables’ economic mix is not unlike that of other Florida cities. Most of its businesses are small. Yet, when you hear the word entrepreneur – and even more so, the compound ‘start-up’ – you think high tech or digital, something small that can scale up to Amazonic size. The truth is that most small businesses here are either retail, hospitality, or professional. The city’s cache is upscale quality, so it’s a great place to start an investment banking firm, or sell diamonds, or purvey fine cuisine.

What Coral Gables does not have is a reputation as a swirling center of digital innovation. It’s no miniature Palo Alto. Like all of Miami, it does not possess a large pool of digirati – like coders, engineers, or app designers. The city itself has other disadvantages, too, such as no warehouse space and limited affordable housing.

That doesn’t mean we have no innovative companies here. Far from it. Stashed in our shared workspaces are scores of small innovative firms, and larger ones too. And, as Doreen

Hemlock’s feature story about entrepreneurialism in Coral Gables points out, there are resources here and they are growing. We just haven’t reached the tipping point yet. That, of course, begs the question of what it will take to reach the tipping point. A big part of the answer: Work more closely with the University of Miami. Their research and application of advanced technologies in design and engineering, in areas like 3-D printing and virtual reality, are world class. The city should create low-cost startup spaces for graduates to develop ideas here, rather than relocate elsewhere. And there are plenty of other ways to interface, especially with the city’s planned Innovation District next door to UM.

In the meantime, the Gables will continue to do what it does best – attract the headquarter units of larger companies. Like the CEOs who buy waterfront homes here because, well, it’s Coral Gables. Ironically, it’s the city where successful ‘startups’ want to move, after they’ve succeeded big time. Why? Partly because it’s a tree-covered architectural showcase. But also because of all those other entrepreneurs who provide the superb restaurants, interesting retail, top professional services, and quality entertainment that makes the city what it is.

JP FABER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CORAL GABLES MAGAZINE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

J.P.Faber

EVP / PUBLISHER

Gail Scott

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Amy Donner

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Monica Del Carpio-Raucci

ART DIRECTOR

Jon Braeley

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Toni Kirkland

VP SALES

Sherry Adams

STAFF WRITER & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Carmen Sofia Fraga

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Grace Carricarte

SENIOR WRITERS

Mike Clary

Doreen Hemlock

WRITERS

Andrew Gayle

Parker Gimbel

Mallory Evans Jacobson

Katelin Stecz

FILM AND VIDEO CRITIC

Michael Roffman

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Rodolfo Benitez

Jonathan Dann

Emily Fakhoury

CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION

CircIntel

OFFICIAL FRAMER

Adam Brand / Frames USA

Coral Gables Magazine is published monthly by City Regional Media, 1200 Anastasis Ave. Suite 115, Coral Gables FL 33134. Telephone: (305) 995-0995. Copyright 2021 by City Regional Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Send address changes to subscriptions@ coralgablesmagazine.com. General mailbox email and letters to editor@coralgablesmagazine.com. BPA International Membership applied for March 2019.

coralgablesmagazine.com

Each month we print letters we receive from our readers. We encourage all commentary, included criticism as well as compliments, and of course any commentary about our community. If you are interested in writing to us with your opinions, thoughts, or suggestions, please send them to letters@coralgablesmagazine.com. Letters are edited for brevity.

Thanks For Your Hard Work

We would like to give a shout out to our fabulous Coral Gables garbage collection team: Calvin, Jaheart, Powell and Marcus! Terrific guys! We very much appreciate all their hard work!

Dawn Bowen and Miguel Caridad

Editor’s Note: We normally do not print shout outs like this, but the job that Gables sanitation workers perform is so exceptional that we could not help but share your enthusiasm

Make it More Mobile

As an avid bike rider who lives in Coral Gables, I applaud any ideas that promote safe biking in the city, including more well-marked bikes lanes. Hopefully the new Mobility Hub will advance that progress, by providing a location to safely park and store bicycles. From the looks of it, however, I would say that the city needs to create more room for “micro mobility” – including bikes – on the ground floor. Right now, it looks

like an afterthought, with lots of retail there but not much in the way of facilities for those of us who want to reduce the carbon footprint.

Jan Trauer

Yay for the new Mobility Hub

The City is finally doing something right, recognizing, with the Mobility Hub: A) Miracle Mile cannot survive financially without adequate parking. If you owned a retail store, would you sign a five-year lease, for half a million dollars, in a zone already subject to a zoning code allowing new four-story buildings but with a requirement of “mandatory remote parking”?  No parking, no income! That is the law of the retail marketplace. B) The brightly lit breakthrough technology of this building – parking lots and garages are the 3rd most dangerous property types for violent crimes in the United States, per US FBI statistics – means this parking garage will unquestionably be the safest in the State of Florida, if not the re-

gion and entire country. Safety from violent crime makes this well-lit architecture far superior to Mediterranean architecture. C) The Streetscape project eliminated over 1/3 of Miracle Mile on street parking, creating a lack of adequate parking – hurting retail store income – at present.

Jackson Rip Holmes

Editor’s Note: Without a doubt, convenient, safe, easily accessible parking is a requirement for the success of Miracle Mile. However, the city’s parking director, Kevin Kinney, points out that existing Gables parking garages in Mediterranean style have been well policed and perfectly safe for residents and visitors who use them.

Home Style Cooking

Thank you for including Fratellino in your list of Italian restaurants. We went last night and maintain our opinion that it is one of the best!

Roberto Borbolla

Editor’s Note: We agree

We thank our clients, employees, shareholders and other partners for their trust and friendships in the past and for the future.

From City Hall

AT ITS LAST MEETING IN DECEMBER, THE CITY COMMISSION:

LISTENED TO FIRE CHIEF MARCOS DE LA ROSA commend his firefighters for taking 1st place in the North American Vehicle Rescue Association’s annual competition for speedy, safe rescue operations. The team had practiced in an auto junk yard, with off duty firefighters volunteering as trapped victims.

GAVE THE KEY TO THE CITY TO Raúl Valdés-Fauli for his years of service as a City Commissioner and Mayor (twice). Mayor Vince Lago apologized for the long wait to give the ex-mayor the key, but Lago refused to give any keys to the city that were not made in America (the previous stock of keys had been made in Communist China).

SQUELCHED RUMORS THAT GABLES billionaire John Ruiz was moving ahead with plans to tear down Coral Gables High School to build a football stadium for the University of Miami. “This is not the first time that misinformation has circulated like wildfire,” said Mayor Lago, adding that the rumors were “ludicrous and reckless.”

REITERATED ITS COMMITMENT TO never support curbside pickup of garbage, rather than backyard removal. “That is against the quality of life in Coral Gables,” said Mayor Lago, who also implored residents to get rid of trash pits in the swales in front of their homes. “The city will fill in your trash pit and replace it with grass, for free,” he said.

REVIEWED THE PROJECTED COST AND income from the planned Mobility Hub on Andalusia Avenue. The commission was responding to concerns by the Coral Gables Neighborhood Association that costs of the $42 million parking structure would be a money drain. While estimates of parking income do fall below the cost of borrowing to build, income from retail on the ground floor, and events on the rooftop park, would put the project into the black.

REJECTED 3-1 COMMISSIONER Rhonda Anderson’s request to send the design of the Mobility Hub back to the city’s Board of Architects for revisions. Anderson expressed concerns that the surface of the building would reflect heat onto the street, and that it’s steep entrance ramp would be difficult for elderly drivers. Commissioner Kirk Menendez was absent for the vote.

REVIEWED THE CITY’S OPTIONS TO enforce requirements that businesses keep the front and back of their properties clean, including removing weeds, pressure cleaning sidewalks, and picking up any trash. Warnings began in December, and citations will

begin this month.

VOTED 4-0 TO APPROVE A $2 MILLION giant, bronze KAWS mouse statue by artist Brian Donnelly, (shown right) to be placed in the courtyard of Plaza Coral Gables. Installation is planned for January 2023. “It is very family friendly,” said Carlos Beckmann, managing director of the Plaza project. “We wanted to stay away from controversial sculpture.” Commissioner Menendez was absent for the vote.

REJECTED APPEALS FROM DIFFERENT community leaders and activists that alternatives for the design of the futuristic Mobility Hub be presented to the public. “How many versions of this were shown? One. That is disappointing,” said Dr. Gordon Sokoloff to commissioners. “For $2 million [in design fees] we deserve to see more.” Vice Mayor Michael Mena, an advocate for the modern design, said the Mediterranean style parking lot on Aragon Avenue was an alternative look. Commissioner Jorge Fors, noting that a 961-signature petition to stop the modern design represented less than two percent of Gables residents, said, “It’s intellectually dishonest to assume that the majority of people are against this.”

REJECTED REQUESTS FROM Sue Kawalerski, chair of the Transportation Advisory Board, that the ground floor of the new Mobility Hub be entirely devoted to micro-mobility – with bike lanes, bike storage, scooter parking, charging stations, etc. Retail on the ground floor will remain, at least for now.

VOTED 4-0 TO DENY AN EIGHT PERCENT cost of living increase for city employees retired before 2014. Commissioner Menendez was absent for the vote. (see story pg. 18)

LISTENED TO PROGRESS ON MAYOR LAGO’S agenda to build additional sidewalks, and sidewalk access to bridges, in the Gables (see story pg. 18)

LISTENED TO A PRESENTATION BY Julian Perez, director of the Economic Development Department, on a proposal by Mayor Lago, for a series of five international cultural events in the Gables, to celebrate the city’s cultural diversity and to lure more foreign consulates to the city. One event will be the Mexican “Dia de los Muertos.” ■

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It began in October, with a presentation to the City Commission (made at the request of Mayor Vince Lago) on the state of the bridges inside of the Gables. “When you drive by a bridge it should not look moldy,” Lago explained to his colleagues. “I am not talking about spending a lot of money here,” he said, but just repainting or pressure cleaning.

As the presentation unfold-

Mind the Gap A Painful Vote

ed, however, it became apparent that the biggest defect in the city’s bridge system (there are 11 bridges under the city’s jurisdiction and another half dozen under the county’s control) was pedestrian access. In photo after photo, it was clear that many of the bridges were simply not accessible. There was a sidewalk across the bridge, which then dropped off, cliff-like, to the grass below. In many cases, there

was no sidewalk in the area. “It doesn’t make sense. You are asking people who are handicapped, or who have strollers, to cross the bridge on the actual road,” the mayor remarked.

Those defects (at least six city bridges have no pedestrian connectivity) are now in the process of being repaired. At the commission meeting in December, staff reported that the bridges for Pisano Avenue (near Granada) and for Granada Boulevard (between Alfonso Avenue and S. Alhambra Circle) would soon be accessible by foot, with plans underway next for the Blue Road bridge between

University and Granada, and the Alhambra Circle bridge near Taragona Drive. Those latter two will require extensive new sidewalks, however; on Blue Road approximately 10,000 square feet of sidewalk is proposed, at a cost of $132,000. As for that bridge, and a second Blue Road bridge (between Orduna and Biltmore drives), city staff spruced them up with pressure cleaning, despite both being county bridges. “They look so good, it’s night and day,” gushed the Mayor. “Even though we are not responsible for their maintenance, this is the way they should look.” ■

KEEPING BELTS TIGHT TO INSURE THE FUTURE

One of the benefits to working for Coral Gables is the city’s impeccable finances, confirmed by triple-A ratings from investor watchdogs S&P, Fitch, and Moody’s. Among other things, this means that when you retire, your pension is not going to disappear.

To meet its future pension obligations, the city needs a fund of approximately $605 million. Unfortunately, the fund is still almost $190 million shy. So, each year the city pays a required minimum amount toward this “unfunded liability” – $22.7 million this past year. In addition, since 2015 the city has gone

beyond the required payment, with an additional $6.8 million last year and another $5.1 more the year before.

At the present rate, so long as there is not a stock market crash, the fund should be whole by 2027, says the city’s finance director Diana Gomez. To reach that goal, however, the city must keep its purse strings tight when it comes to granting a cost-ofliving increase to retirees. Each year, union representatives come before the City Commission to ask them to approve an increase for those who retired before 2014. (Those who retired after that year get an automatic raise

when the full retirement fund earns 10 percent or more in annual investment return). And each year they are turned down. The reason? Any increase will add to the unfunded liability.

At the December commission meeting, the request was for an 8 percent increase. According to Gomez, had that COLA (cost of living allowance) been granted it would have added

an immediate $27.8 million to the unfunded liability. So, with heavy hearts, the commission again turned down the raise.

“This is not an easy vote, and it pains me,” said Mayor Vince Lago. “But we can’t put [more] debt on the pension fund, after the sacrifices we have made to pay it down... We have to ensure the future for so many people who work so hard for the city.” ■

MAYOR VINCE LAGO

GRANADA BOULEVARD BRIDGE AFTER THE UPGRADE

HARDEE RD BRIDGE BEFORE THE UPGRADE

MAKING CITY BRIDGES WALKABLE

From left to right: Rie Nakai, Laureen Wheeler, Lisa Sayfie, Jeanie Vidaurreta, Connor Murray, Audrey Ross, Janet Tralins, Stefano Balli, Liliana Lopez, Cristina Cipoletti and Carolina Caraccia

Urban Reading Room

When the Coral Gables Branch Library closed last year for a long-awaited $3 million renovation, a new, temporary branch was opened at 308 Miracle Mile. While only 20,000 out of the library’s collection of 120,000 “materials” (books, plus video, audio discs, etc.) made the move, they were concentrated in the areas of greatest interest. Among the most popular categories were children’s books, cookbooks, computer books, and anime, which together make up almost two thirds of checkouts.

If those books don’t match reader interests, the good news is that library-goers have access to any book in the Miami-Dade Public Library System, with the

option to transfer a desired book from a different branch within two days or have it delivered straight to your home. Users can search for titles at the library computer or from home at MDPLS.org.

While the new branch is considerably smaller than the main branch (2,200 square feet vs. 28,446 feet) it is a comfortable space that has been well received by the community. The buzz on neighborhood social media is in favor of keeping the space on The Mile even after the main branch reopens this fall. After all, what is more convenient – not to mention symbolic – than to have a public reading room in the heart of the downtown? Carmen Fraga ■

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New Faces. New Places

Even though it is steeped in tradition and history, the Gables continues to evolve. Part of that is reflected in its demographics, and part of that is reflected in the retail landscape. For a perspective on both, here are the latest updates.

New Faces

Historically, the Gables has skewed to an older demographic, with a median age older than 50. Current figures show that we are getting younger. In the latest census, the median age of Gable residents is now 39. The biggest single population group is still those 65 and older (8,700), but the second largest cluster is aged 20 to 29 (7,280). Neck and neck are those 10 to 19 and those 50 to 59 (6,758 vs. 6,835). Females are still the majority, at 53 percent vs. 47 percent male.

New Places

With most of the retail and hospitality damage from the pandemic occurring in 2020, a significant number of new restaurants and stores opened in 2021, albeit with a few more casualties. Here is a sampling:

RESTAURANTS THAT OPENED IN 2021

Asago; Baires; Christy’s (had closed in March 2020); Bay 13; Forte; Luca Osteria; Orno; Randazzo’s; Seasy; Sweetgreen; Las Tapas Gables; The One on Sunset; Zitz Sum

RESTAURANTS THAT CLOSED IN 2021

Buenos Aires Bistro; Eating House; Giardino; Green Gables Café; Gusto Fino Café; The Local; Mint Leaf; Swensen’s; Taste of India

RETAIL THAT OPENED IN 2021

Aya Taha Gallery; The Bakery Smoke Shop; Bliss Imprints & Gifts; DGX (convenience store); Janus et Cie; L’Artisane Bakery; Life Time Fitness; Stem Boutique; Trader Joe’s; Veranda Plants & Gifts

RETAIL THAT CLOSED IN 2021

Burn Boot Camp; The Hairy Ape; Home Design Store; Brooklyn Fitboxing; Martell Deco Art Gallery ■

ORNO RESTAURANT

Best Bets FOR

JANUARY

Symphony on Jan. 21 and 22; Florida Grand Opera’s production of A Streetcar Named Desire from Jan. 22 to 25; and a reprise of the Cleveland Orchestra in Miami, performing Mozart and Dvorak on Jan. 28 and 29. Purchase your tickets online at www.arshtcenter.org.

FROST LIVE!

New Year, new Frost performances! Join Frost Live starting on Jan. 23 through the end of the month with both live stream and live performances. Live performances include Concert Under the Stars (Frost Opera Theatre) on Jan. 27; the 40th Annual Frost Honor Band Concert (Frost Wind Ensemble) on Jan. 29; Schubertiade, Part 1 on Jan. 30; and Schubertiade, Part 2 on Jan. 31. All at the Gusman Concert Hall off San Amaro Drive. Visit frost.miami.edu and click on Events for a full list of performances, times, and ticket purchases.

BURGERLISCIOUS BLOCK PARTY

Burger lovers! Join the ultimate street food fest hosted by the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, Samuel Adams, and Bacardi. The Burgerliscious Block Party will take place Thursday, Jan. 13. Local restaurants will compete for Best in Bun and People’s Choice Awards. A portion of proceeds will go to the Coral Gables Chamber Foundation to help small businesses. So, head to Alhambra Circle in front of the Chamber’s office to answer the question, “Where’s the Beef?” Tickets $40 to $75. Visit coralgableschamber.org and click on Events & Meetings in the drag-down menu.

CHOCOLATE GARDEN AT FAIRCHILD GARDEN

For all the chocoholics out there, the annual (and delicious) Chocolate Garden is back at Fairchild Jan. 15 and 16. Explore Fairchild’s 83 acres of gardens while indulging in sweet treats and fun activities. Participate in lectures and demonstrations of cooking with the unique ingredient from Miami master chefs and chocolatiers. There will also be cupcake and cocktail pairings. And don’t forget to visit Fairchild’s own Cacao plant. Admission $25 for adults, $18 for seniors, and $12 for children 6-17. Visit www.fairchildgarden.org for tickets.

ON YOUR FEET!

You’ll be on your feet for this one. Come to Actors’ Playhouse for the inspiring story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan. This original production about heart, heritage and two people who believed in each other features iconic songs such as “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” “Get On Your Feet” “Don’t Want To Lose You Now” and more. The performance runs from Jan. 26 to Mar. 6. Purchase your tickets online at www.actorsplayhouse.org

ADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER

If you dare to journey out of the Gables for a night of theater or classical music, Adrienne Arsht Center has plenty of good shows running in January. These include the musical GringoLandia from Jan.13 to 30; the Cleveland Orchestra performing Tchaivaosky’s Fourth

GableStage has something new in store for you from Jan. 14 to Feb.13. Composed of two scenes by the award-winning poet Claudia Rankine, The White Card poses the question: Can American society progress if whiteness remains invisible? Find out and experience this revolutionary performance directed by Lydia Fort, who leaves you with plenty to think about. Visit gablestage.org for tickets. ■

THE WHITE CARD

Gone With The Wind

CONFESSIONS OF A GABLES WINDSURFING INSTRUCTOR

BY KATELIN STECZ

The first time I saw kiters was at Matheson Hammock Park. I had just moved to Coral Gables a couple months earlier from South Georgia, and I was still adjusting to the “cultural differences.” But out of everything I’d seen in Miami so far — from Homestead to Hialeah — this was by far the craziest yet.

Kiteboarding – sometimes called kitesurfing – is an extreme sport where the participants willingly attach themselves to a giant kite and then use that giant kite along with a kiteboard (a glorified surfboard) to slide across the water like an X-games Jesus.

At first, I couldn’t imagine what idiot would want to do something so dangerous and potentially life-threatening – until I started kiteboarding and eventually became an instructor. It turns out that a lot of my initial impressions were wrong.

First, not all kiters are professional athletes or reckless Evel Knievel types. Most kiters I’ve met at Matheson Hammock Park are normal, everyday people with regular jobs. A few of them are actually in their 70s. And while it seems impossible, anyone can learn. In fact, a large portion of people who learn how to kite at Matheson Hammock don’t

have any board sport experience and are in their 40s and 50s. You also don’t have to be in great physical shape to learn, though having a little bit of balance and some core strength does help.

Secondly, while kiteboarding technically is classified as an extreme sport it’s one of the safest and easiest extreme sports to pick up. Like with any sport, there is some risk, but your instructor won’t let you kite on your own until you’ve mastered basic safety skills. If you think about it, you’re probably safer learning how to kiteboard than driving home in rush hour traffic on U.S.1.

Learning kiteboarding takes an average of eight to 12 hours, depending on the person. If you have board skills and an understanding of the wind (hello sailors!) it might take less time. If you’ve never done any sport or athletic activity, it will take a little longer.

At the Adventure Sports

Kiteboarding School in Matheson Hammock, lessons will run you $120 an hour, and they’re taught in two-hour blocks. So, you’re looking at $240 for a 2-hour lesson. But if you buy a pack of 10 hours (5 lessons), then the price is reduced to $100 an hour. There is also an intro lesson for $50 to see if you have the mettle to move forward.

You don’t need your own equipment to learn, but once you get up and riding, you’ll want to buy the kite gear. A total setup can run you from $2,000 to $4,000. But if you take lessons at Matheson Hammock and buy gear through Adventure Sports, they’ll give you a good discount.

Windy season in Miami is from November to April, so now is the perfect time to learn. The kite school is usually busier on the weekends, so call ahead or schedule a lesson during the week. To get set up with lessons or learn more, call 305.733.1519 or go to adventuresportusa.com. ■

“MOST KITERS I’VE MET AT MATHESON HAMMOCK PARK ARE NORMAL, EVERYDAY PEOPLE WITH REGULAR JOBS. A FEW OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY IN THEIR 70s”

KATELIN STECZ, KITEBOARDER

Live, from THesis Hotel

A JAZZ EVENT AT “EMMET’S PLACE”

When the pandemic hit, jazz performances – like most live events involving an audience – went online. Among those who kept the genre alive with “live” streaming was jazz prodigy (and Miami native)

Emmet Cohen. From his apartment in Harlem, the jazz pianist and composer broadcast live sessions to an audience that grew to tens of thousands. “His is the most successful live streaming event in the world of jazz,” says Rick Katz, executive director of the Miami Jazz Co-op. “He is one of the real up and coming stars in jazz.”

This month THesis Hotel will host one evening as “Emmet’s Place,” using a cadre of national jazz artists in town for the annual Jazz Cruise. Starting at 7 pm on Sunday, January 16, the hotel’s ballroom will become an impromptu nightclub, with two sets. The first will feature Shelly Berg, Dean of UM’s

Frost School of Music, where Cohen was a student. Berg, himself a wizard on piano, will be joined by jazz singer Tierney Sutton and clarinetist Ken Peplowski. The second set will feature Cohen on piano, with James Morrison on trumpet and Wycliffe Gordon on trombone. Both groups will be backed by Russell Hall (bass) and Kyle Poole (drums), from the Emmet Cohen Trio.

Brent Reynolds, the CEO of NR International, which owns and operates THesis and the Paseo building where it resides, says the jazz night is another way to engage the surrounding community. “The premise around THesis was to create a cultural hub that continuously reinvents itself. Jazz fits right into that.” ■

EMMET COHEN

SHELLY BERG

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Bites Quick Bites Page 36

THE BAIRES STEAK SALAD AT THE BAIRES GRILL IN THE COLONNADE, THE LATEST ARGENTINE RESTAURANT IN THE GABLES.

Healthy Eating

BY CARMEN FRAGA

With hidden ingredients ranging from too much salt and fat to MSG flavor enhancers, eating out is not always as healthy as eating at home, even if it tastes better. Fortunately, that’s not always the case. The local eateries that follow make healthy eating central to their mission.

GreenLife Organic Bistro

Tucked away at the eastern end of Giralda is a cozy little place called GreenLife Organic Bistro, a quick stop for breakfast or lunch with a healthy twist. Take notes New Year’s Resolutioners. Here you’ll find egg dishes, toasts, protein bowls, organic smoothies, salads, wraps, acai bowls, and oats. We went with the Almond Butter Bowl: acai topped with almond butter, bananas, almond slices and cacao nibs. You also can customize or make your own bowl from scratch. Order in and enjoy their seating on Giralda Plaza, or take it on the go.

FRSHst

FRSHst by Del Monte Produce is another healthy alternative if you’re looking to stay loyal to your New Year’s diets. For lunch options, you can create your own sandwich, create your own bowl, try one of their soups of the day, or indulge in one of their uniquely delicious and colorful toasts. Ours was spread with feta cheese, topped with avocado slices and pomegranate seeds, and drizzled with honey. We washed it down with an Almond Banana Breakfast Smoothie made of banana, oats, almond milk, peanut butter, almonds, and dates.

Seasons 52

Not all the national chains ply you with calories gone wild. Seasons 52 on Miracle Mile will help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions, with nothing on their calorie-labeled menu surpassing 600 calories. We tried the delicious cedar plank-roasted salmon for 550 calories, and their wood-grilled trout for 470, both including green beans and marble potatoes. We couldn’t pass up their adorable (and tasty!) mini desserts that range from 190 to 220 calories. Minimal damage done, and you’ll be satisfied the rest of the day.

Carrot Express

The name and carrot logo says it all, especially if you are a rabbit. Ready to nibble? Located on Miracle Mile, Carrot Express is a place where you can get tasty salads, power bowls, wraps, juices, smoothies, and a bunch of other stuff that’s good for you. Our favorites? The Mexican Salad and the Oriental Crunch Salad. All salads come sans protein, but you can add chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon, tofu and more. A tad pricey for the simple fare, but clean and light. Order at the counter to eat in, or take it to go.

Sweetgreen

The year 2020 brought us our very own Sweetgreen on Giralda Plaza. People flock to this healthy fast food joint for their giant salads, but at least giant salads are still healthy, right? They have a standard yearround menu, and also a seasonally rotating menu during Fall and Spring. Everything is customizable, including your own salad you can create from scratch instead of ordering from the menu. We love the Pesto Chicken bowl, but customize it to hold the quinoa and hot sauce, and blacken the chicken instead of grilling it. ■

FROM THE TOP: GREENLIFE ORGANIC BISTRO FRSHST SEASONS 52 CARROT EXPRESS SWEETGREEN

Quick Bites

From the Land of Meat

Nothing says Argentina more than a good piece of beef. The newest Argentine restaurant in the Gables, Baires Grill in the Colonnade, offers a full panoply of steaks, from skirt to flap to ribeye. Best dinner deal: the one-pound picanha steak for $28. For lunch, the Baires steak salad with caramelized onions, avocado slices and tomato wedges is a tasty, healthy compromise at $19. For the same price try the classic Argentine milanesas – beef or chicken thin sliced and breaded.

Where Baristas Live

Demetrios, with its historic building and shady courtyard on Salzedo, is more than just an old-world coffee shop. Their breakfast/brunch menu includes things like French toast, eggs Florentine and Belgian waffles. But coffee is king, and no one does it better. In addition to the requisite cappuccinos, espressos, etc., their $4.95 specialties include a dark cacao latte and a caramel mocha. And their baristas dress each coffee with a lattice of dark chocolate.

Roast Pig

Cuban sandwiches can easily be found in Gables eateries. But there is only one local café that serves pan con lechon: the Vicky Bakery on University Drive just off Ponce. You can order other Cuban staples there as well, like cortaditos, pastelitos, and croquetas, but nothing beats Vicky’s hot sandwich of roast pork with cooked onions from the takeout window. A bargain at $8.

Asian Inspired

A few months ago we reviewed Zitz Sum, the dim sum wonderworld of chef Pablo Zitzmann in the 396 Alhambra building. For his amazing dumplings you still must visit for dinner, but now you can taste Zitzmann’s spin on Chinese cuisine for lunch Tues.-Thurs. Instead of dumplings there is a whimsical menu of bowls and soups that changes daily. We reveled in a wonderfully refreshing salad of pear and cucumber on a bed of crème fraiche for $16.

From the Greek

Not all prix fixe menus are the same. One of the more outstanding is the “pre fixe lunch” at Sea Grill in Merrick Park (assuming you forgive their bad French), which offers eight first course choices, six second course picks, and six dessert options. We started with a crisp Greek salad, followed by organic Faroe Islands salmon and Greek yogurt with honey. A mini feast for $24.95. ■

FROM THE TOP: STEAK SALAD AT BAIRES GRILL CAPPUCCINO AT DEMETRIOS PAN CON LECHON AT VICKY BAKERY PEAR AND CUCUMBER SALAD AT ZITZ SUM FAROE ISLANDS SALMON AT SEA GRILL

Top producer Mauricio J. Barba has been a mainstay in Miami’s uber competitive high-end real estate market since 1994. Respected in his native community by clients and colleagues alike; he has logged top honors for elite performance in his field. Mauricio is connected worldwide but specializes in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne, Brickell, Village of Pinecrest, South Miami, Palmetto Bay/ Falls area and the Beaches. His expertise is demonstrated through his ability to facilitate trouble-free transactions winning him clients for life who also become friends.

Mauricio enters every room with confidence and professional approachability. But more importantly he is prepared and precise, saving you time and effort. Clients rely on him to deliver and he takes the responsibility very seriously. “People trust me with their single largest asset. It’s a role that drives me to push for excellence every day. I give 110% because my success is their success.”

305.439.8311

mauricio@miamisignaturehomes.com

MiamiSignatureHomes.com

927 Valencia Avenue

Coral Gables | $5,295,000

6 beds | 7.5 baths | 2-car | 6,764 adj sf

7,133 total sf| 18,750 sf lot | pool

Ceremoniously crafted in 2021 by the acclaimed Torre Companies, Villa Verano embodies a harmonious fusion of old world architecture with that of today’s modern finishes. The estate enjoys a plethora of attributes including double height ceilings, several sitting rooms, beverage centers/ wet bars, wine display, summer kitchen, fireplace and an array of windows/doors/balconies which filter light all day long. The luminous kitchen features posh appliances including a chef-worthy Wolf gas range, three sinks and a vast amount of counter space. The bedroom plan, all are en-suites, consists of 2 downstairs suites and 3 upstairs including the dreamy and expansive main suite. The north loggia path leads to the semidetached guest suite “casita” that is ideal for your guests or live-in staff. An interesting fact is that the home is flexible in its floor plan and will likely work for most family dynamics. The gated 18,750 SF lot enjoys verdant and colorful landscaping that also serves as privacy for the home’s large and romantic pool and covered patio. In addition to the 2-car garage, there is plentiful parking within the gates of the property. Villa Verano is sited in a prominent Coral Gables location and walking distance to golfing, parks, tennis, library, Venetian Pool and a stroll to restaurants, shoppes and galleries. It’s all here; call for your private tour.

Fruit Cocktails and Asian Fare

PUBLIC

WEEKDAY HAPPY HOUR IS A WINNER

Although only a year removed from its grand opening, Public Square has established itself as one of the best spots in the city for a cheap drink and lively happy hour. On weekdays from 5 pm to 7 pm, it offers half-priced cocktails, wines, beers and select spirits (top price $7) along with a small-plate menu of $10 sushi rolls and eclectic bites. The corner location on Red Road and San Ignacio Avenue is upscale-casual, drawing a mix of professionals, grad students (UM is across US1) and dinner dates. The sound of ice smacking against frosty, metal shakers rings from the central bar as mixologists pour out specialty cocktails for customers lining the marble counter. The Somi, made with Maestro Dobel Tequila,

jalapeno, lime, pineapple, and grapefruit juice, offers a subtle kick of spice and citrus that goes down easy. For something on the sweeter side there’s the house-favorite Public Square Punch, a saccharine, Tito’s-based cocktail made with St. Germain, Creme de Peche, strawberry, peach puree, and lemon juice.

On the bites menu, it’s hard to go wrong with the fish, beef or anything in between. The “Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice” offers contrasting, balancing flavors, with the tuna tartare (enhanced by chili oil, scallions and sesame seeds) atop a crispy bed of rice. For a bold, meaty flavor, the “Fire Roasted Churrasco” is as filling as it is flavorful. And if you go on a Thursday night, stay for the live jazz band. ■

—Parker Gimbel

SQUARE’S

Shop

Page 44

At Carrousel, the styling is strictly for the kids. As only mothers would know.

OWNERS ARIANNA DA GAMA AND JIMENA ALONSO OUTSIDE CARROUSEL BOUTIQUE IN SHOPS AT MERRICK PARK

Photo by Jonathan Dann

What’s Hot: January 2022

LIVING WELL IN THE NEW YEAR

BY MALLORY EVANS JACOBSON

It’s easy to change your mindset in the new year and welcome the opportunity for a fresh start. But to truly make measurable changes, it’s important to equip yourself with the right tools. Here are several ideas to add to your updated routine.

GAME ON [ TOP ]

Hosting a nostalgic game night has always been on your to-do list, but why not actually make it a reality? Ask your guests to put their phones away, and reconnect with your inner child (and your aesthetically partial current self) with Anthropologie’s vintage take on your favorites. Retail: from $138. Anthropologie, 330 San Lorenzo Ave., 305.443.0021, anthropologie.com.

NO STRESS [ RIGHT ]

Whether you spend way too many hours sitting in a chair each day, or you’re experiencing post-workout fatigue, you can combat muscle soreness and stress with the help of the Theragun Elite. This revolutionary device offers a powerful deep tissue massage on the go, and employs QuietForce technology to make the treatment basically silent. Retail: $399. Relax the Back, 212 Miracle Mile, 305.445.0445, relaxtheback.com.

HOME MADE [ FAR RIGHT ]

If you’re wondering how to finally decorate (or de-clutter) your home in a way that evokes joy and authenticity, pick up a copy of Feels Like Home by designer Lauren Liess. It explores the notion that all homes have a certain feeling, and curating the specific mood that will put you at ease is a process that’s less complicated than you think. Retail: $37.99. Barnes & Noble, 152 Miracle Mile, 305.446.4152, barnesandnoble.com

GET YOUR KICKS [ RIGHT ]

Beyond offering a myriad of health benefits, walking outside each day just feels good; enjoying the outdoors, breathing in fresh air, and moving your body has been proven to increase productivity, too. If you’re in the market for a new pair of sneakers, consider this sleek pair, designed by model and entrepreneur Devon Windsor for Ash. Retail: $220. Neiman Marcus, 390 San Lorenzo Ave., 786.999.1000, neimanmarcus.com.

NATURAL BEAUTY [ BOTTOM]

Made from clean and entirely vegan ingredients, HUM Nutrition’s roster of products was designed to promote beauty from within. Start with Glow Sweet Glow, made with skin-brightening nutrients that improve collagen production for a more luminous complexion, and Hair Sweet Hair, which helps to strengthen hair and promote growth. Retail: $26 each. Nordstrom, 4310 Ponce de Leon Blvd., 786-999-1313, nordstrom.com.

A Children’s Go Round

AT CARROUSEL, THE STYLING IS STRICTLY FOR KIDS. AS ONLY A MOTHER WOULD KNOW

BY KIM RODRIGUEZ

Owners and best friends

Arianna Da Gama and Jimena Alonso have brought their love of children’s fashion (they have eight kids between them) to their Merrick Park boutique Carrousel. Everything you need for your children – and didn’t know you needed for them – is here. In fact, there are pieces you’d like to see in adult sizes and twin with your kids.

You may recognize the fashion duo, who were previously owners of a franchised children’s store called Nanos in both Aventura and Merrick. But since November, they have poured their energies into the multi brand children’s store they named after that quintessential amusement park ride also known as a merry-go-round.

The friends share the same passion for style, motherhood, and entrepreneurship. Arianna was born and raised in Venezuela and came to Miami 15 years ago to study journalism. She worked in the field of media covering entertainment news. Much of her work focused on fashion writing, which was her passion. She now has three children under the age of 10 and realized her enthusiasm for fashion translated easily into choosing clothes for her children as well.

Jimena was born and raised in Spain and had a marketing career in both Spain and Mexico before moving to South Florida. She has five children and says her inspiration comes from them – and her love of dressing them. She realized, however, that if she wanted unique pieces she would have to call her parents in Spain and have them send clothes. “A lot of people would stop me in

the street and ask me where I got their clothes from,” she says. The epiphany was that there existed a niche here for European kids’ fashion.

When you walk into Carrousel, it’s a large, pretty space that is warm with vignettes of styles for newborns to 14-yearolds, well curated and merchandised. The brands are mostly from Spain with a few other European labels sprinkled in. Some of the most popular are Nanos, Paz Rodriguez, Martin Aranda, Minnow, and Maileg. Because the brands are European the pieces are bit more unique, and more design oriented, than some of the usual suspects we find here in the States. Prices range from $50 to $100, but there is something interesting at every price point. They also have an amazing dollhouse with the cutest accessories for sale – and a children’s “kitchen” for play while parents shop.

Walking into Carrousel I wish I had younger kids to shop for; it reminds me of stores I used to go to for my daughter in New York City. Whimsical and cool, with classic designs throughout the boutique. “In Carrousel you will find the best curation from Spanish children designers because being a mother myself helps me know what parents are really looking for when they want to dress their children,” says Arianna. “Coral Gables is the perfect place for our dream venture, and we love the people who shop with us.” ■

Kim Rodriguez is a Personal Stylist and Shopper whose clients include many Coral Gables residents. Krpersonalstyle.com

CARROUSEL SHOPS AT

PARK 305.529.1215

IG @CARROUSEL_KIDSOFFICIAL

“IN CARROUSEL YOU WILL FIND THE BEST CURATION FROM SPANISH CHILDREN DESIGNERS BECAUSE BEING A MOTHER MYSELF HELPS ME KNOW WHAT PARENTS ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR WHEN THEY WANT TO DRESS THEIR CHILDREN”

ARIANNA

DA

GAMA, CO-OWNER OF CARROUSEL

ABOVE: OWNERS ARIANNA DA GAMA AND JIMENA ALONSO ARE BOTH MOTHERS WHO SHARE A PASSION FOR CHILDREN’S FASHION

MERRICK

Photos by Jonathan Dann

" E n t e r t h i s n e w y e a r w i t h a g r a t i t u d e f o r t h i s n e w c h a n c e t o c r e a t e y o u r d r e a m s . "

- A v i n a C e l e s t e

W i t h e v e r y n e w y e a r c o m e s a c l e a n s l a t e s o w h a t w i l l y o u d o w i t h t h i s f r e s h s t a r t ?

I t ' s a n e w y e a r , a n d a c h a n c e f o r a n e w y o u ! W h y n o t s t a r t i t o u t w i t h a n e w h o m e , t o o ?

W e w i s h a l l o f o u r n e i g h b o r s , c l i e n t s a n d f r i e n d s a p r o s p e r o u s a n d h a p p y n e w y e a r .

w w w a s h l e y c u s a c k c o m

Remember Paper?

AT BLISS, AN OLD-FASHIONED REMINDER

You can buy other gifts here, like drink coasters that resemble tiny LPs, or beach bags, or miniature “radios” that blast music via your blue-tooth hookup. But the reason to visit Bliss is for the paper.

Returning to the Gables after a multi-year hiatus, proprietors Marilyn and Eddy Martinez focus on the oldworld notion that people enjoy receiving invitations and thankyou notes they can touch. “Our number one thing is stationery and invitations,” says Eddy, such as a beautifully inscribed invite to a wedding, or a card with a personal message written by hand – as distinct from a digital holiday card or any other digital evanescence. Officially opened

last month, the Bliss store on Miracle Mile is a charming throwback to an earlier era when paper mattered. With a room full of printing devices, cutters, thermography machines, etc., in the back, the Martinez’s can produce custom designed invitations or custom stationery, along with marketing materials for retailers.

Bliss had been on the Mile 1996 to 2006, when the couple left the street to become wholesalers. Now they are back in the business of retail, with the added element of an online component. “You can’t just have a store now,” says Marilyn. But you can still sell seals for sealing wax, so your clients’ invitations can look like they were sent from a more elegant time. ■

PROPRIETORS MARILYN AND EDDY MARTINEZ RECENTLY REOPENED BLISS ON MIRACLE MILE TO SELL STATIONERY AND INVITATIONS AND MORE.

New Year, New You

2022 already! How time flies, despite all!

Another year with new (or old) aspirations, again a time for fresh starts, new beginnings and self-renewal, leaving the past behind and looking ahead to a new and happier You.

Let this again be a year when we focus on our blessings and the importance of our health and well-being, which underlies all. Without health, not much else really matters.

So, continue, or finally start, with making healthy lifestyle choices, like good nutrition, healthy relationships and some level of physical activity. It’s a law of nature (described by Sir Isaac Newton in 1687) that a body in motion stays in motion, and a body at rest stays at rest. Your wellness, physical and emotional, benefits greatly from you staying in motion. Also, don’t miss your annual check-ups and preventive care. As we get older, “something’s gotta give” (borrowing from the popular 2003 Keaton/Nicholson movie). Problems diagnosed early are (much) easier to manage and treat effectively.

Beyond this, 2021 might be the year to consider ‘maintenance’ facial surgery to address the inevitable signs of aging (neck laxity, jowls, tired eyes) and restore a refreshed, rejuvenated appearance, be it for personal or work-related reasons. Turtlenecks do get hot in the summer - again borrowing from the delightful Keaton/ Nicholson dialogue.

There’s also age-related body contouring surgery to help rejuvenate the breasts with a lift or a reduction, or removal of aged implants.

For the younger moms, 2022 might be the year to reclaim your pre-baby body with a ‘’mommy makeover”- a tummy tuck to restore tightness and breast enhancement surgery (implants, lifting or reduction).

For the still younger patient, it might be the year to tackle a developmental issue such as a nasal imperfection, an overly small or large breast size or a congenital tubular breast shape. These concerns can be improved to increase your personal happiness and confidence.

So this year, again, there will be many ways and opportunities to improve ourselves and the quality of our lives, if we elect to make good choices and commit to the needed effort.

Should any involve Plastic Surgery, as always, be diligent in your research and understanding before proceeding so that hopes and aspirations may be fulfilled as best as possible.

Have a great year!

NEW YEAR NEW YOU

It’s that time of year to make fitness resolutions

EACH NEW YEAR, we tell ourselves this is the year we are finally going to get really fit, committing ourselves to a disciplined workout routine. And, as we all know, it can be hard to stick to that resolution even for a few months, let alone all year long. The good news is that we no longer need to wear masks at the gym, so we can finally participate in group fitness classes. Maybe that’s just what we need to make it routine. Here in the Gables the options

abound. Organized fitness programs range from weekend outdoor yoga classes at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden to the brutally intense 54D program that will set you back $4,000 but leave you ripped. To help you get off on the right foot, we visited six different fitness institutions in Coral Gables, trying their classes and exploring their facilities. May you be inspired to find a New Year’s fitness regimen with the stickiness to last past January!

BY CARMEN FRAGA

TREMBLE PILATES

EQUINOX

Although Equinox at Merrick Park is a membership-only institution, there are plenty of perks to signing up. You could easily spend half a day at its 41,000 square foot facility, which includes two strength building floors, a cardio center, a yoga studio, a juice bar, an apparel shop, and a locker room with showers, stocked with Kiehl’s products. Aside from having any equipment you’ll need to work out on your own, Equinox also offers a variety of group fitness classes such as strength building, cycling, yoga, barre, Pilates, boxing, athletic conditioning, and more. I took the opportunity to try the boxing class. I think I’ve found a new hobby.

We started off warming up with jumping jacks and shoulder openers. Then we moved on to air boxing routines to accustom ourselves to the motions. Once we warmed up, it was time for gloves and a series of routines with the punching bag. These included simple punches, cross punches, jabs, and uppercut combinations; later we added in some forceful kicks. In between punching routines we did short rounds of floor exercises, like pushups, planks, and sit-ups, before getting back up again to face the bag. If you’ve never boxed before, it’s a rush. You feel powerful and relieved from stress after beating up the bag for nearly an hour.

You can get a membership at Equinox Coral Gables for $190 per month, which includes more than 100 in-club classes and over 1,000 virtual classes through the Equinox app. As a new member, you’ll get a complimentary fitness assessment, a one-hour personal

training session, and one 50-minute private Pilates session along with 15 percent off at the apparel shop.

370 SAN LORENZO AVE

(786) 497-8200

EQUINOX.COM

TREMBLE PILATES

If toning, balance, and building strength are at the top of your New Year’s Resolutions list, then Tremble on Ponce de Leon is the place. Tremble is a Pilates studio with workouts designed to strengthen each part of your body through high intensity and low impact exercises using traditional Pilates equipment. Class sizes are small in order to ensure you get the attention you need from trained instructors who make sure you perform the movements correctly and safely. And yes, you will tremble a good amount while you work those muscles.

Our instructor jumped right into it with intense core exercises accompanied by upbeat EDM music. We started with planks, placing our hands on a moving carriage and pulling ourselves back and forth. Your abs will thank you (later, of course). Then our focus shifted to the right leg, where we did donkey kicks with our leg hooked to a spring. Much harder than you think. We did the same leg exercises on the left side, then moved onto the arms. The exercises were intense, but done in short intervals, and you do each movement

repeatedly at your own pace for about 15 seconds before you switch.

Pilates is an exercise that will challenge you mentally and physically, especially while exercising on moving equipment. You can purchase individual classes for $35 each, $165 for five, $289 for 10, or $540 for 20. If you’d like to buy packages monthly, you can sign up for $116 for 4 classes within 30 days or $216 for 8 classes within 30 days. You can also become a member for unlimited classes per month for $269 or unlimited classes for 6 months for $1,498.

4203 PONCE DE LEON SUITE 100

(833) 873-6253

MAKEITTREMBLE.COM

@REVETE

New to the Coral Gables yoga scene is @revete, the brainchild of influencer and wellness coach Magda Lopez. She makes you feel welcome and comfortable at @revete, serving not only as a yoga guide, but as gracious host. Her studio has a homey feeling, with soothing white walls, scented candles, and LED string lights outlining the shape of the room along the floor. UV lights hang from the ceiling to provide that extra heat for your workout – and to combat contaminants that could make you sick.

Classes are offered morning, afternoon, and evening by a variety of yoga instructors. I opted for the Magda Mashup class taught by Magda herself. It’s a little different each time in terms of challenge level and purpose of practice, but it’s always consistent in movements that focus on engaging the entire body in one hour. We began by lying on our backs and centering our minds, letting go of a long week. We then gradually began to loosen up with shoulder openers, hip openers and neck stretches. For the rest of our practice we held different poses, such as “warrior one” and “extended side angle,” deepening each to work the muscles while properly aligning our bodies. We finished the class by lying on our back in a corpse pose; cold lavender scented towels were placed over our eyes to enhance relaxation.

Yoga is a great way to build strength and discipline while centering and calming your mind. @revete offers a single class session for $25, a 10-pack of classes for $230, 6 months unlimited for $1,000, and an annual unlimited pass for $1,900. You can also purchase classes month to month for $200.

2615 PONCE DE LEON

(786) 953-5251

ATREVE-T.COM

SOULCYCLE

Walking into SoulCycle feels like entering a surprise party. If you’re not a regular, the loud bubbly energy will catch you off guard. But that is what SoulCycle cultivates – contagiously high spirits. It’s not a bad way to bring a positive reset to your new year.

SoulCycle is known for its fun cardio workout, but also its inspiring mental motivation as you physically challenge your body. The theme for our class was seeing opportunities in challenges and reaping the benefits of leaving your comfort zone. With our peppy instructor constantly reminding us of this throughout the class, we got our hearts pumping and blood flowing as we spun our anxieties away. We started out in our seats with resistance low. Then we ad-

vanced out of our seats to pedal standing while moving side to side to the beat of the music. In the mirror across from us, it looked like everyone was dancing together on their bikes.

The combination of liveliness from the instructor, the upbeat people in class, and the uplifting music make you eager to put your body to work and feel the endorphins flow. I walked out of the class thinking “man, that was fun.” Every instructor has a different playlist and workout style, so if you don’t get the most out of your class, try another instructor! You can start your new year at SoulCycle for $32 per class, or $20 if you’re a new rider. If you love it, you can purchase class packs from $60 to $3,500 or subscribe to automatically renew monthly.

370 SAN LORENZO AVE.

(305) 740-3600

SOUL-CYCLE.COM

LIFE TIME

That massive structure you see on US1 between Ponce and Le Jeune is now home to Coral Gables’ very own Life Time fitness center. Opened last August, this elegant 80,000 square foot facility boasts 3 floors dedicated to physical wellness, with a grand lobby that makes you question whether you’re in a fitness center or a 5-star hotel.

Life Time’s first floor is dedicated to its 66 different group fitness classes, which is where I began. I decided to take the Strictly Strength class, thinking that building some muscle would make for a great New Year’s resolution. The class began with warmups targeting our larger muscle groups like shoulders, lower body and back. Our instructor helped us pick weights appropriate for our size and strength goals, then focused on basic movements that would bring effective results; we started by holding a plank, intended to keep us mindful of engaging our core throughout the class, and moved from there to squatting with a kettlebell. You can expect your muscles to be sore after this class, but in a good way!

Life Time also has a competitive cycling studio, a barre class studio, and a designated yoga boutique – even a Kids’ Academy with a full schedule of activities. The second floor is where you’ll find their cafe, full-fledged spa, locker room (with showers), steam room, sauna, Jacuzzi, and outdoor pool deck. The third floor is dedicated to cardio and strength building equipment, all with the latest technology.

Life Time is for member use only. Standard membership is $219 a month, and includes access to all fitness classes, gym equipment, spa, pool and locker rooms. The Signature membership is $249 a month, and includes small personal training groups and the recovery center.

237 S DIXIE HWY

(786) 437-4388

LIFETIME.LIFE

PURE BARRE

Combining the movements of ballet, floor exercises, weight training, and a little bit of cardio is Pure Barre. The best part about joining Pure Barre is the long and lean muscle toning results, and the careful guidance you’ll receive from instructors and staff. Class sizes are small, and the instructor gives you personalized attention so you get the most from your workout. It usually takes three to four classes to fully get the hang of barre exercises; the first one is free for newbies.

The class targets muscle tone and agility, with small movements that have a large impact on your muscles. In our Pure Empower class we were instructed to go up to the ballet barre and face it, turn our feet out, get on our tippy toes, and move up and down slightly. These tiny motions really work the thigh and calf muscles. We also did floor exercises to work on our lower abs, using stretchy bands around our ankles for resistance, lifting our legs and slightly opening and closing them. The exercises make you feel the burn, with each set followed by guided counter stretches to reset you for the next round.

There are four different 50-minute Pure Barre classes to choose from, depending on your level and what you want to focus on. Foundations is the class recommended for beginners to gradually introduce movements and build confidence. Classic is the fastest and most effective full body workout, with low impact exercises to strengthen and tone your body. You can get an 8-pack membership for $129 and an unlimited membership for $170 monthly. ■

205 ALTARA AVE

(305) 529-0036

PUREBARRE.COM

PURE BARRE

w ander-ful weather

UP FOR A EXPERIENCE

Here, extra wide sidewalks call for wandering through blocks of delicious outdoor eateries, specialty boutiques, curated happenings, cultural offerings and so much more.

COME EXPERIENCE CORAL GABLES

The Year That Was

2021

We thought it would be the year when Covid ended, when everything would return to normal. Well, sort of. Miami-Dade County was more than 80 percent vaccinated by the end of the year (the leader in the state), and most masks were off in the Gables, indoor and out – except for mass entertainment events, where people sat next to each other in large groups. And the economy was getting back to normal as well, with restaurants again thriving and workers returning to the downtown. While it wasn’t over yet, with pernicious mutations forcing booster shots and continued observations of protocols, by year’s end life was strongly on the rebound. Here is a look at the year’s most important events in Coral Gables.

FEBRUARY: ILLUMINATE CORAL GABLES TAKES OVER THE DOWNTOWN WITH FIREFLY RICKSHAWS PARADING THROUGH THE STREETS.

JANUARY

city, reopens with its original menu from 1978. Prices return to normal days later, but no one complains.

The city commission approves a new zoning code for the city, which simplifies permitting, adds height restrictions in residential areas, and up-zones the Crafts District near Ponce Circle.

After being shut down for 10 long months, the Venetian Pool reopens. Families rejoice.

A 9-foot Burmese python is discovered in front of a home in the Gables. No pets are reported missing.

The city inaugurates its new $68 million Public Safety Building. The five-story, 190,000-square-foot building at Salzedo and Minorca houses police, fire, IT, emergency management and communications.

MARCH

The University of Miami holds it first outdoor live concert in a year, just for vaccinated students.

Gables high-tech entrepreneur Manny Medina closes on his Cyxtera deal, creating a new public company worth $3.4 billion.

The city gives $15,000 grants to each of 60 small businesses in Coral Gables to help them pay rent.

Parents of children at historic Carver Elementary sue to stop the construction of a Wawa gas and food station across the street from the school on Grand Avenue. Ultimately, they are unable to stop it.

FEBRUARY

The Coral Gables Art Cinema reopens at 50 percent capacity, to allow social distancing to safeguard against the pandemic.

After months of debate, the city commission votes to rezone Miracle Mile, limiting height to four stories with a setback, and allowing smaller buildings to be built without onsite parking. Only Vice Mayor Vince Lago votes no, saying it still allows for too much density and height.

APRIL

Christy’s Restaurant on Ponce, the oldest surviving steakhouse in the

Swensen’s Grill & Ice Cream Parlor on US1 closes after 44 years. The burger and milkshake hangout was one of the last three U.S. locations for the franchise chain, which started in 1948.

The city votes to spend $3.2 million for software to automate all city systems for permitting and payments MAY

As protests erupt nationwide over the death of George Floyd, the Gables gains national attention for its peaceful demonstrations, in which police chiefs from around the county join the CGPD in taking a knee to pray.

JUNE

The

The news of Marc Anthony’s late May sale of his mansion in Gables Estates for $22 million becomes the biggest Coral Gables news event in the national media for the month of June.

The city’s first commission meeting under Mayor Vince Lago, who pledges to let all citizens speak their minds, lasts for 13 hours and goes past 1 am.

Gables developer Armando Codina does a three-way property swap that saves the historic “brutalist” architecture building on Salzedo, the former police and fire building now to become a Mercedes showroom.

Vince Lago is elected mayor with 58 percent of the 10,354 votes cast. Rhonda Anderson and Kirk Menendez are elected as commissioners in runoffs at the end of the month.

The CG Public Library shuts down for a $3 million renovation. A new temporary branch opens at 308 Miracle Mile.

University of Miami decides to remove the name of city founder George Merrick from a campus parking building, due to allegations by students of racist behavior late in Merrick’s career – more than a decade after he funded UM and donated its land.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens reopens after shutting down for the pandemic. Only 100 visitors are allowed in at a time, and only with masks.

The city commission instructs staff to begin a long-term plan to put the city’s powerlines underground. The cost estimate is at $350 to $390 million.

The city is recognized by Keep Florida Beautiful for its unique program to recycle household toxic wastes at City Hall.

Community groups rally to save Burger Bob’s when the city threatens to not renew the lease of the beloved institution on the Granada Golf Course.

The city votes to begin the process of installing sidewalks where they are missing, on streets like Riviera Drive, Granada, and Hardee south of US 1, drawing on $2 million in federal funding.

requires all students, staff, and faculty to get the Covid vaccine; unvaccinated students must get tested twice a week on campus.

Twilight Fridays is launched at the Coral Gables Museum, with live music and open bar for patrons to attend the museum on the first Friday night of each month.

The ribbon is cut for the $500 million Life Time Coral Gables building. The massive 14-story building on US1 with 80,000 square feet for athletic facilities, 25,000 square feet of workspace, and 495 rental units will combine work, living, retail, and wellness in the same building.

SEPTEMBER

The city passes an ordinance permitting outdoor live music performances on private property in the Central Business District. Must be 80 decibels or less, like Miracle Mile.

Under the insistence of Commissioner Rhonda Anderson, the city begins a moratorium against any developer requesting larger sized buildings using the “Mediterranean” bonus.

AUGUST

Five hundred residents rally at the Coral Gables Country Club to protest city plans to change the management, fearing that it will change the neighborhood feel of the club and turn it into a high-priced country club.

The city commission decides to fight the county’s attempt to take control of the “transportation corridor” along the Metrorail and US 1 that will allow them to open it up to high-rise development, similar to the 38-story building it permitted next to the Douglas Road metro station.

University of Miami students return to live classes with masks. UM still

The Billboard Latin American Music Awards are held at the Watsco Center on the UM campus.

The $600+ million Plaza Coral Gables tops off with a copper dome.

OCTOBER

The Coral Gables Community Foundation resumes its annual tradition of holding a themed fundraising ball with a Gables Odyssey.

The city re-opens Salvadore Park with sensory play equipment for children of all abilities.

NOVEMBER

Live theater returns, as GableStage at the Biltmore re-opens under its new director Bari Newport (above), and Actors’ Playhouse at The Miracle Theatre launches its first live season since the pandemic began.

DECEMBER

Despite pushback from community organizations that want a more traditional building, the city commission votes to move forward with its $42 million, futuristic looking mobility hub.

The 95-year-old gondola building on the Biltmore Hotel golf course collapses. The building was once used to house gondolas that took visitors from the Biltmore to Tahiti Beach on the edge of the bay.

Nightgarden, the award-winning nightime holiday light display, returns to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.

The city approves a $2 million giant mouse to be installed in the Plaza Coral Gables courtyard.

UM hires University of Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal as the new head coach for the Hurricanes football team, firing coach Manny Diaz after his 21-15 record for three seasons. Cristobal is a former UM player.

The city briefly panics as unfounded rumors spread that billionaire John Ruiz will seek to level Coral Gables High School in order to build a football stadium for the University of Miami.

The city extends trolley service to Saturdays and weeknights.

Gables native Jonathan Fisher wins a quarter million dollars in an 11-game winning streak on TV brain bowl show Jeopardy! As Grand Marshall, he will later ride the city’s float during the Junior Orange Bowl Parade.

The Junior Orange Bowl Parade returns as thousands of viewers line the streets of Miracle Mile and Ponce de Leon Boulevard.

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BUSINESS QUARTERLY

JANUARY 2022

Entrepreneurialism in the Gables. Is it time to reboot?

Page 68

Business Briefs

AMERANT TO SELL HQ/PINO WANTS TO BUILD ON CHURCH SITE/PROGRESS AT THE PLAZA/CG TRUST CRESTS $2 BILLION

AMERANT BANK SELLS, THEN LEASES, GABLES HQ

In one of the nation’s largest sale-leaseback deals of the year, Amerant Bank is selling its Coral Gables headquarters to Fortress Investment Group for $135 million. As part of the deal, Amerant agreed to lease the 177,000-square-foot building, located at 220 Alhambra Circle, for 18 years at market rate. Amerant, which purchased the building in 2014 for $75 million, reserves the right to sublet the space. Fortress Investment also owns the Brightline rail line.

TERRANOVA REFINANCES ITS MIRACLE MILE PORTFOLIO

Terranova Corp., the largest landlord on Miracle Mile, has refinanced its portfolio of properties on downtown’s premiere commercial boulevard. Miami Beach-based Terranova secured $55 million in financing from City National Bank, which now houses its executive team in the Gables. The new debt consolidates loans on 14 properties, according to Terranova Chairman Stephen Bittel. The properties refinanced include 220 Miracle Mile, 253 Miracle Mile and 300 Miracle Mile. Earlier last year, Terranova purchased the 232 and 330 Miracle Mile buildings for $8.7 million, and before that the 300 Miracle Mile building for $6 million. The firm also owns 308, 348 and 360 Miracle Mile.

PROGRESS AT THE PLAZA CORAL GABLES

The Plaza Coral Gables, the massive Mediterranean project rising on the east side of Ponce Circle, continues to make progress. Construction, which began in March 2019, is expected to wrap up in December 2022 with the completion of a new dome-towered Loew’s Hotel on the property. Already complete is The Reserve, a luxury apartment building with 153 units – all of which have been rented, according to Carlos Beckmann, managing director of the developer, Agave Holdings. “It’s beyond our expectations,” says Beckmann, whose firm “bet on the high end” rental market. The commercial North Tower of the complex is already 40 percent leased, with deals in the works for a further 40 percent, he says. In an effort to be a good Gables citizen, Agave has so far contributed $2.7 million toward the completion of the city’s new Public Safety Building, $4 million for public art, $2 million to improve Ponce Park, and $6 million for neighborhood improvements, including installing swales, paver stones and 320 trees. All in, says Beckmann, the project’s cost will approach $700 million.

PINO TO BUILD ON CHURCH SITE

Coral Gables-based Century Homebuilders Group hopes to build a 10-story, 200-unit apartment building on the 1.5-acre site of the St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church at 110 Phoenetia Ave. According to the Real Deal, the property – across the street from the historic Coral Gables Women’s Club. – was purchased for $9.8 million through an affiliate of Century. The new development will also include a one-story building for the Crystal Academy, which now leases the church for its school that helps children with impaired cognitive functions. Century CEO Sergio Pino said he wants to take advantage of the current demand for rental apartments. Greater Miami, including the Gables, has seen a 25 percent spike in rental rates over the last year.

CROSSING $2 BILLION

The Coral Gables Trust Company, one of the top trust and wealth management firms headquartered in Florida (let alone the Gables) has surpassed $2 billion in assets under management. The milestone, announced by Chairman and CEO James Davidson, was attributed to a record year in asset growth from existing portfolio gains and new customers from New York, California, and Greater Miami. “The fact that the firm has grown from $1 billion in [assets under management] to more than $2 billion in the past four years is a testament to our unwavering approach to sound money management,” said Davidson. Coral Gables Trust was founded in 2004 by Davidson and Dean Klevan. ■

CARLOS BECKMANN AT THE PLAZA (WITH CO-MANAGER JOSE ANTONIO PEREZ)

The Great Revitalization

For the better part of two years, our world has lived in a state of uncertainty and prolonged heartache. We have endured, as a global community, a culture of fear and loss unprecedented in our lifetimes.

And to lose over 800,000 Americans to this pandemic (and more than 5.3 million souls worldwide) is unfathomable. It simply does not compute. Neither do the ancillary effects of COVID-19: supply chain challenges, advancing inflation, and workplace woes related to the Great Resignation. Yet, here we are, living in Florida and experiencing an economic revitalization like no other state. We are setting the pace and enjoying the fruits of our labors.

Not that prosperity has come to all in one fell swoop. There are still significant issues, especially rising costs, access to products, and employment of human capital. Business may be booming, but it is not uniform across all industries. There are still many obstacles to overcome.

However, the Great Revitalization we are experiencing in our local economy is buoyed by several factors. High among them is that we live in a paradise which allows us to be outdoors year-round (and to operate our businesses in much the same manner). Indeed, people are flocking to Florida from around the U.S. at a pace of nearly 900 a day. More than 330,000 people moved to Florida between April 2020 and April 2021 – half of them from Texas, New York, and California. Those are heady numbers.

We all know why we love living here. In this latest issue, our friends at Coral Gables Mag-

azine help further illuminate the “why” of the great revitalization here in the Gables. It begins with the idea of entrepreneurialism, something that’s been part of our business community’s DNA since George Merrick first laid his eyes on the tract of land now known as The City Beautiful.

Merrick was not only a developer and planner; he was a man with extraordinary vision and chutzpah. He possessed all the accoutrements of an entrepreneur: risk taker, dreamer, empire builder, evangelist, and promotional genius. He hired the best of the best to help him craft and create his vision. Like most, he had setbacks and failures. But today we live in an idyllic place where those with their own imaginings are encouraged to catch fire with the same heat and intensity as Merrick.

At our core, we are a community of small businesses – always have been – many of which started in the same way as Merrick envisioned Coral Gables: A dream cobbled into an idea, then forged into a plan.

Take a walk down Miracle Mile or across Giralda Plaza as the New Year dawns. You will see this spirit of entrepreneurialism on display everywhere. From the owner of a burger place that flourished during COVID by serving frontline workers, to the coffee shop that turned their outdoor seating into a gathering post, there is a story on every street in The City Beautiful.

So, here’s to the dreamers, creators, and makers in our community – all entrepreneurs in their own right, and all essential to our economic recovery and revitalization. ■

Mark A. Trowbridge is the President and CEO of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce

THE SPIRIT OF ENTREPRENEURIALISM IS AT THE HEART OF CORAL GABLES, ESPECIALLY AS WE EMERGE FROM COVID

“TAKE A WALK DOWN MIRACLE MILE OR ACROSS GIRALDA PLAZA AS THE NEW YEAR DAWNS. YOU WILL SEE THIS SPIRIT OF ENTREPRENEURIALISM ON DISPLAY EVERYWHERE...”

Millicom vs. the Covid

HOW THE MULTINATIONAL WITH HEADQUARTERS IN THE GABLES TOOK ON THE PANDEMIC

BY DOREEN HEMLOCK

Imagine overseeing 21,000 employees on three continents, including hundreds in Coral Gables. Now imagine overseeing those same 21,000 employees throughout the pandemic, even helping some countries gain access to scarce vaccines.

That’s been Susy Bobenrieth’s task for nearly two years as chief human resources officer for Millicom International Cellular, a telecom company with operational headquarters in the Gables WeWork office space on Giralda Avenue.

Millicom provides services in nine countries in Latin America and one in Africa, offering mobile phone, internet, pay TV, and more under the brand name TIGO. Its revenues topped $4 billion last year. Beyond its 21,000 direct employees, it also works with 30,000 contractors who sell pre-paid phone cards or install TIGO’s equipment overseas.

As soon as Covid hit, Millicom’s leadership adopted two guiding principles: “One, protecting our people, and two, protecting the business,” says Bobenrieth. The people, she says, came first, as the company vowed not to dismiss any employees, while keeping telecom operations (vital during a pandemic) strong.

First, Millicom sent staff home and made sure they had laptops and internet access, often giving them TIGO’s internet service at a discount or free. For employees who couldn’t work from home, such as staff who deliver pre-paid cards to stores, Millicom bought protective gear. It also re-trained salespeople for other tasks such as collections or customer service calls. To preserve cash for operations, the company trimmed shareholder dividends. “The one thing we did not want to do was to let people go,” says Bobenrieth, who is also executive vice president. “It was a strategic choice.”

Other companies took different approaches, but Millicom counts four key stakeholders as essential: shareholders, communities, employees, and customers. Bobenrieth says listening to workers and addressing their needs – including providing workshops on mental and physical health during Covid – helped boost staff morale, customer service, and talent retention.

During Covid, Millicom also partnered with overseas governments to buy vaccines, volunteering TIGO parking lots for medical teams to administer them to company staff and the general public. “We’ve found that when the doors re-opened country by country, we had a sales force that was not only ready and trained to go back out, but grateful and committed to the company,” says Bobenrieth. “Because many were living in households where they were the only people bringing in any money during the pandemic, in countries where there’s no safety net, they had an increased level of engagement with TIGO.”

The task remains complex. At least 35 Millicom employees have died from Covid to date. And with vaccination rates differing widely among nations, re-openings are uneven. To increase health safety at its WeWork space in Coral Gables, Millicom now allows only those among its 220 local employees who are vaccinated to use the offices.

Founded in 1990, based in Luxembourg and part-owned by a Swedish group, Millicom has big plans for growth. The Nasdaq-traded company has opted to focus solely on Latin America and divest elsewhere. It’s been expanding in Colombia and Panama, adding financial services for money transfers and looking at opportunities in remittances and micro-lending. That growth likely will add more staff, says Bobenrieth, even as Millicom aims to keep its corporate hub in the Gables lean, clean and “super-fast to market in the countries where we operate.” ■

TOP: SUSY BOBENRIETH, CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER, AT THE GABLES WEWORK OFFICE SPACE ON GIRALDA AVENUE. ABOVE: MILLICOM PROVIDES SERVICES IN NINE COUNTRIES, OFFERING MOBILE PHONE, INTERNET, PAY TV, AND MORE UNDER THE BRAND NAME TIGO.

“A

THE WHITE CARD

Award-winning poet Claudia Rankine’s first published play, The White Card is a moving and revelatory distillation of racial divisions as experienced in the white spaces of the living room, the art gallery and the imagination itself.

Me Before You

Book by Janece Shaffer

Music by Kristian Bush

Lyrics by Kristian Bush and Janece Shaffer

Feb. 25 - Mar. 27

A World Premiere!

Fade

By Tanya Saracho

Jun. 3 - Jul. 3

By Claudia Rankine

Directed by Lydia Fort

Jan. 15 - Feb. 13

Preview: Jan. 14

A Florida Premiere!

BOCA

By Jessica Provenz

Apr. 22 - May. 22 A Rolling World Premiere!

Rubenology: The Making of an American Legend

by Vanessa Garcia and Ruben Rabasa

July 14-31

A World Premiere!

Time to Re-Brand?

ENTREPRENEURIALISM IN THE GABLES IS ALIVE AND WELL, BUT THE CITY COULD BE GETTING A LARGER SHARE OF NEW VENTURES

BY DOREEN HEMLOCK

Real-estate developer Rishi Kapoor was clearly onto something when he launched a co-working space in downtown Coral Gables in late 2020. Today, his Forum center hosts some 40 ventures, most with one or two people per office. Renters are mainly professionals, from lawyers to architects to designers. Forum offers them support services on-site: administration, marketing and even a business coach.

DEVELOPER RISHI KAPOOR, FOUNDER OF FORUM, A NEW WORKSPACE ON ALHAMBRA CIRCLE.

Photo by Rodolfo Benitez

Some of the tenants are new to the area. They’ve come from the U.S. Northeast or the Pacific Coast since Covid-19 surfaced, lured by lower taxes, warm weather and the buzz around South Florida’s booming eco-system of tech and finance companies dubbed the “Miami Movement.”

“We have people in Forum and our building who are relocators from New York and California. It’s a real migration story due to our business climate,” says Kapoor. “And we’re in the early innings.”

Coral Gables long has welcomed business owners and their ventures. After all, the city was started by Pennsylvania-born real-estate entrepreneur George Merrick, and many successful entrepreneurs have opted to live here since. Yet these days, not all types of founders are flocking to the City Beautiful. While scores of professionals set up shop, many of the new tech start-ups, venture-capital firms and larger emerging businesses are looking elsewhere, especially in denser Miami and its Brickell, Wynwood, and Design District.

And that poses a challenge: How can the Gables build on its reputation as a well-planned, affluent city attracting professional service providers, upscale restauranteurs, and corporate headquarters to also lure more of the edgy tech and finance companies moving south or sprouting locally? Is greater promotion or new infrastructure needed? Is it time for a re-brand?

CREATING A HAVEN FOR ENTREPRENEURS

With so much money and talent pouring into the area (in the last year nearly three dozen companies have committed to projects in Miami-Dade County, creating some 5,000 jobs) the city is exploring how best to compete in the changing marketplace. It’s working on an economic study with urban planner Ned Murray of the Metropolitan Center at Florida International University to see how Coral Gables stacks up and where it’s most likely to succeed in attracting and growing businesses.

Study results are expected late this year, says Julian Perez, director of the city’s economic development office. “The study will look at what would be complementary to companies in Coral Gables, so we can target appropriately and sustainably,” he says.

In addition, the city aims to create an Innovation District “to encourage tech companies to come,” Perez says. It seeks to re-zone the Merrick Park area south of Bird Road, between Le Jeune and Ponce de Leon, for the district. Plans call for equipping buildings there with high band-width fiber-optic cable and other infrastructure key for tech businesses, says Perez.

Coral Gables already has many strengths to entice a larger share of new tech and finance ventures. The well-heeled city has long attracted successful local entrepreneurs, once their businesses prosper. The Mas family behind what’s now the Fortune 500 company MasTec, for instance, moved their corporate headquarters to the Gables after founders bought homes in the area. Manny Medina chose the city for his newer Cyxtera and Appgate tech ventures after selling Miami-based Terremark in a $2 billion deal.

Some organizations catering to entrepreneurs also work from the Gables. The University of Miami opened The Launch Pad entrepreneurship center in 2008, creating a model now used at universities nationwide. Medina launched his eMerge Americas program in the city a decade ago to develop South Florida as a tech hub, helping lay the foundation for today’s tech boom. And global nonprofit Endeavor set up its first U.S. office here in 2013, assisting founders to speed business growth. Yet there are drawbacks. Tech ventures with larger, younger staffs tend to favor downtown Miami over the

“THOSE FOUNDERS ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEIR TEAMS ARE GOING TO LIVE. THAT’S THE BIGGEST DRIVER OF THEIR LOCATION DECISIONS...”

Gables, says Laura Kozelouzek, CEO and founder of Quest Workspaces, which operates 10 co-working locations in Florida and New York. One reason: Easier access to housing for employees.

“Those founders are trying to figure out where their teams are going to live. That’s the biggest driver of their location decisions,” says Kozelouzek. The Brickell area offers numerous high-rise apartments that young employees can afford to rent and maybe share. Many residents in that dense urban core opt not to own cars. In the Gables, contrariwise, houses prevail, apartment options are more limited, and cars abound.

Today, Quest rents space in its Gables locale to some 55 ventures, most offering professional services and nearly all employing fewer than five people, Kozelouzek says. Another 155 companies keep a virtual address at its Ponce de Leon location, tapping the cachet of the upscale Gables brand.

LAURA KOZELOUZEK, CEO AND FOUNDER OF QUEST WORKSPACES, DISCUSSING EASIER ACCESS TO HOUSING FOR EMPLOYEES.

START-UP ENTREPRENEURS: TEST YOUR IDEAS FIRST

Nurturing and attracting entrepreneurs and their ventures requires attention to different stages in the business life cycle. Brian Breslin sees the challenges facing start-ups as director of UM’s The Launch Pad. The center helps students, alum, and staff who create businesses, assisting some 330 ventures annually – many in food, fashion or phone apps, Breslin says. Recently, he’s been seeing a greater sophistication in some endeavors, and more older people deciding to launch businesses.

Breslin defines entrepreneurship as “using business as a problem-solving tool,” and says many entrepreneurs make the same error starting out: They fail to test their business ideas to make sure the market accepts their solution to the problem.

“The key mistake is spending too much money before they’ve validated their idea,” perhaps taking out a multi-year lease on a property or “ordering 100,000 units of an item before you’ve figured out if anyone wants one,” says Breslin. “And it’s not just college students who do that. We work with alum and staff who pull out their life savings for some idea they think is the bee’s knees,” without testing their thesis.

Breslin sees UM gaining importance in South Florida’s booming tech ecosystem. With talent in high demand, more founders and financiers are getting involved with the university. “They’re looking to give back, sometimes through mentoring, and to use the U as a feeder for their staff,” says Breslin. “Skills in engineering, marketing, and tech, that’s where the demand is coming from.”

Still, he doesn’t see many 20-somethings straight out of the U setting up tech ventures in the Gables. “From a cost perspective, there are cheaper neighborhoods with denser populations,” he says. To gain more “Miami Movement” business, he suggests Coral Gables target private-equity or venture-capital firms, especially their top executives, who likely seek ample houses for their families.

SCALING UP VENTURES THROUGH NETWORKS

As director of the Miami office of nonprofit Endeavor, Claudia Duran helps early-stage companies soar. In its first eight years, the office has accepted 51 entrepreneurs from 32 South Florida companies into Endeavor’s ultra-selective worldwide network, aiming to grow each business at least tenfold. The 32 local ventures already have created more than 3,000 jobs and have revenues topping $500 million a year, says Duran.

That prestigious group features two Gables-based companies that are quickly expanding: Pincho Factory, the fast-casual restaurant chain that received a $20 million majority investment from private equity firm Mercato Partners’ Savory Fund in September; and Aprende Institute, the vocational education platform in Spanish that raised $22 million in October in a funding round led by Valor Capital Group. “Our job is to connect people,” says Duran. “We believe in the power of the network. The more you connect people, the better you can get the right capital.”

Raising capital locally used to be hard for South Florida ventures, because local groups invested in little more than small and early angel or seed rounds, Duran says. But local funding has become easier in the past few years, since Japan’s Softbank launched its $5 billion Latin American fund and its $100 million-plus Miami Initiative from Miami, attracting other venture-capital groups to the region. “Local founders now have an opportunity to pitch locally to a broader group of VCs that also are investing in A and B rounds,” says Duran. “They don’t have to fly to California or New York to make those pitches.”

“THE KEY MISTAKE IS SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY BEFORE THEY’VE VALIDATED THEIR IDEA. AND IT’S NOT JUST COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO DO THAT. WE WORK WITH ALUM AND STAFF WHO PULL OUT THEIR LIFE SAVINGS FOR SOME IDEA THEY THINK IS THE BEE’S KNEES”

BRIAN BRESLIN, DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI’S THE LAUNCH PAD.

SOME RECENT FUNDING DEALS FOR CORAL GABLES COMPANIES

CYXTERA TECHNOLOGIES DATA-CENTER NETWORK: WENT PUBLIC ON THE NASDAQ EXCHANGE IN JULY

PAYCARGO, CLOUD-BASED PLATFORM TO PAY FOR FREIGHT MOVES: $125 MILLION SERIES B IN JUNE

PINCHO FACTORY, FAST-CASUAL RESTAURANT: $20 MILLION MAJORITY PURCHASE IN SEPTEMBER

APRENDE INSTITUTE, ONLINE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH: $22 MILLION SERIES A FOR EXPANSION IN OCTOBER

APPGATE, CYBERSECURITY SOFTWARE: WENT PUBLIC IN OCTOBER, EXPECTS TO TRADE ON NYSE OR NASDAQ IN 2022

Source: Company announcements

For Duran, connecting people also means attending and sometimes hosting events for South Florida’s entrepreneurial and tech community. Recently, she’s organized a few meet-ups in Coral Gables, including one for female founders held at Cebada’s rooftop bar and restaurant on Giralda. To raise the Gables profile in such circles, she suggests Gables locales host more happy hours and meet-ups, like the ones popular in Wynwood. The city also might consider a flagship event yearly, featuring noted Gables entrepreneurs as speakers. “And there could be more activities with the University of Miami to showcase talent for start-ups,” says Duran.

TRIMMING BARRIERS TO ENTRY IN A “SMART CITY”

Mark Trowbridge, CEO and president of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, sees unparalleled room for entrepreneurship in the city now, as more people leave corporate jobs to strike out on their own in what some call “The Great Resignation.” The Gables offers some dozen co-working spaces that can host professionals and others: WeWork, Quest, Regus, Pipeline, Forum and just-opened Grou, among them.

Trowbridge defines entreprenurship in a much broader context than high tech startups, however. “Every business that begins with a dream can be defined as a startup ,and thus is by its very character entrepreneurial. Whether it’s a gift shop, a vegan bakery, or a one-person firm that designs on-line apps, all are created and driven by entrepreneurs,” says Trowbridge. “From that point of view, the Gables is awash in small, entrepreneurial ventures, and has been since our earliest days. We used to call them Mom and Pops, but in essence, these were startups that grew from a single idea. Now, if you are talking about high-tech startups that then seek investors to help them scale up, that is another matter.”

Trowbridge acknowledges there are some barriers to entry for ventures seeking larger, more traditional workspaces. Coral Gables has stricter building and operating codes than most municipalities, and meeting those requirements can sometimes add a month or more to the schedule for launching a business. “We cross every ‘T’ and dot every ‘I’ here in the city,” says Trowbridge.

To speed the set-up process, Coral Gables is now offering expedited permitting in certain cases, and the city is putting more of its procedures and data online for easier compliance, says economic development chief Perez. Indeed, the Gables has ranked No. 1 among U.S. participants for the last two years in the Open Cities Index, a ranking by Public Sector Digest on how cities use open data to help their residents.

“Coral Gables has a reputation of being buttoned up and a little formal, but that’s changing every day,” Trowbridge says. “We’re becoming a leading city for our size among smart cities, not only for infrastructure but how we deal with business.”

Kapoor certainly embraces the Gables for his upscale businesses. The UM grad recently moved the headquarters for his real-estate company, Location Ventures, from Coconut Grove to Coral Gables. That office now employs about 45 people. He was drawn to the city by its safety, walkability, restaurants, cleanliness, proximity to the airport, easy access to highways, and its pro-business environment.

Indeed, he touts those attributes to sign up tenants for his downtown Forum co-working space, including one company fresh from California and active in venture-capital. “There’s so much upside,” says Kapoor, optimistic about the future for business in the Gables. “It’s called the City Beautiful for a reason.” ■

“LOCAL FOUNDERS NOW HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PITCH LOCALLY TO A BROADER GROUP OF VCS THAT ALSO ARE INVESTING IN A AND B ROUNDS. THEY DON’T HAVE TO FLY TO CALIFORNIA OR NEW YORK TO MAKE THOSE PITCHES”

METRO AREA GROWTH TOP INDUSTRIES

GREATER ORLANDO 46% SOFTWARE & IT SERVICES, CORPORATE SERVICES, MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS

GREATER MIAMI 45% ENTERTAINMENT, FINANCE, MANUFACTURING

GREATER TAMPA 43% SOFTWARE & IT SERVICES, MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS, HEALTHCARE

GREATER HOUSTON 41% SOFTWARE & IT SERVICES, CORPORATE SERVICES, CONSUMER GOODS

GREATER DALLAS 40% MANUFACTURING, DESIGN, FINANCE

CLAUDIA DURAN, DIRECTOR OF THE MIAMI OFFICE OF NONPROFIT ENDEAVOR,

Source: LinkedIn Economic. Shows growth of companies founded between July 2018-July 2019 and July 2020-July2021, ranked by metro area, and new companies by industry.

FASTEST-GROWING U.S. METRO AREAS FOR ENTREPRENEURS

Wonderwall

KEEPING IT GREEN IN AN INCREASINGLY URBAN WORLD

When Covid-19 hit, Jonathan Taylor’s phone kept ringing. His company makes living walls – vertical gardens set in durable panels and automatically watered. Folks stuck at home wanted to install the plant walls to improve air quality in their houses and patios, and to beautify their surroundings.

Taylor was already keen to expand his venture, Andromeda District. He wanted to open a showroom, separate from his Doral warehouse, a shop that could serve as a prototype for franchises. Living in Coral Gables, he looked closer to home. He opened his shop on U.S.1 in November 2020, offering vertical gardens as well as individual plants, planters, and other garden-center wares.

“We’re a biophilic design store. Our starting point for designing spaces is nature. And Coral Gables is aligned with nature and beauty. It invests in parks and recreation. Beauty’s even in its name: City Beautiful,” says Taylor, explaining his decision to open in the Gables.

Business has been blossoming since attracting area residents, home builders and even real estate pros looking to stage homes for sale, says Taylor. With a Starbucks next door and free parking, locals sometimes stop in with a coffee just to enjoy the greenery. “We make it an experience for the customer,” says Taylor, with staff that can explain different varieties of plants, the light and space they need, and how to care for them.

One frequent visitor: garden lover and realtor Jo-Ann Forster. Forster visited Taylor’s after driving by and noticing some plant holders there. “I’d looked for nearly two years for some really special pots and finally found them,” says Forster. She calls Taylor’s taste “beautiful,” recommending his living walls and plants to builders, designers, and friends.

Andromeda District began humbly. Miami-born Taylor, son of a Honduran family, started out in 2010 by designing plant holders. He sourced them in Mexico and sold them to Florida retailers. Then, he saw the potential to supply landscape architects with living walls. He developed a panel-based system that automatically drips water into the pots, using a programmable timer. The panels were first made in Mexico from fiberglass, but since 2020 he’s had many manufactured in nearby Delray Beach using recycled plastic. “The panel made in the USA is more sustainable,” says Taylor.

Today, Andromeda’s living walls grace many Florida homes and businesses, including the Marriott Stanton South Beach hotel and high-rises built by The Related Group (costs typically run $99-$129 per square foot). But the company’s biggest installation resides in Tennessee: a seven-wall project spanning 4,300 square feet at the Joseph Hotel in Nashville, completed during the pandemic in July 2020.

Nashville is one of the cities Taylor hopes will host a franchise for Andromeda soon. He aims to open some 10 showrooms in U.S. southern cities over the next five years, tapping into growing awareness about climate, air quality, and how plants cleanse and beautify the environment. “As vertical gardens become more of a need,” he says, “green-wall installers will be seen as electricians or plumbers.” ■

– Doreen Hemlock

“WE’RE A BIOPHILIC DESIGN STORE. OUR STARTING POINT FOR DESIGNING SPACES IS NATURE. AND CORAL GABLES IS ALIGNED WITH NATURE AND BEAUTY”

TOP: JONATHAN TAYLOR, OWNER, ANDROMEDA DISTRICT

ABOVE: ANDROMEDA’S LIVING WALLS GRACE MANY FLORIDA HOMES AND BUSINESSES, INCLUDING THE MARRIOTT STANTON SOUTH BEACH HOTEL AND HIGH-RISES BUILT BY THE RELATED GROUP.

A Start-Up by Any Other Name

GROU PLANS TO DO JUST THAT – AND HELP OTHER NEW COMPANIES ALONG THE WAY

Since their days as high school sweethearts in Venezuela, Barbara Safina and Orlando Superlano have grown plenty: College in the states. Career starts in Texas. A new baby.

Now, the couple in their early 30s wants to nurture a broader community. They’ve just opened a hip café and co-working space near the Village of Merrick Park, offering foods and drinks made locally. The name for their emerging community: Grou, a mash-up of the words grow, group and ground. “We want to help businesses grow, bring people together and serve as a platform for local brands who may not have a physical space,” says Barbara, 30, a graduate of the University of Miami.

The dual concept combines the couple’s individual personalities and their different ways of enjoying coffee. Barbara’s been a marketing consultant and sips to socialize. She runs the café, with 32 seats inside and four seats outside. Orlando was a tennis coach and drinks coffee to focus and become more productive. He runs the co-working space, with eight offices and a conference room. “We grow better together,” says Barbara, lovingly holding their months-old son Adriano. The idea for Grou came partly from the couple’s experience living in Fort Worth, Texas. They liked how local businesses there helped one another: A pizzeria offering desserts from a nearby bakery and then cross-marketing on Instagram, for example. And they appreciated how entrepreneurs there worked to develop a personal relationship both with suppliers and customers.

Preparing to have a child, the pair chose to move to MiamiDade to be near family and friends who’d relocated from Venezuela. Relatives had businesses in Coral Gables, so they followed that lead. But starting up Grou took longer than expected – more than a year, both because of Covid-19 delays and the complexity of permits, especially for plumbing and other needs for a new food business. Orlando says he initially left all permitting issues to their contractor, who was juggling multiple jobs across the county. Later he chose to work “hands-on,” talking directly to city employees about requirements and next steps – a shift that helped speed the process and calm his nerves.

His advice to other entrepreneurs entering Coral Gables: Get involved with the city. Ask questions. Learn the system. Get phone numbers for city departments. Be present when inspectors come. “The city building code is complicated, if you don’t know it,” says Orlando, 33, a graduate of Texas Christian University. “When we got hands-on, we found that people in the city were happy to help.”

Opened in December, Grou’s café at 4100 Salzedo St. already is gaining a following. Customers like the distinctive wares made in greater Miami: coffee from Per’La Specialty Roasters, teas from My Tea Bar, vegan empanadas from The Plantisserie, and cookies from Madame Lecker, to name a few. And they’re keen on signature drinks like Mojito Brew, a coffee lemonade made with cold brew and fresh mint.

Being co-entrepreneurs is a long way from when the couple first met in 2005 at a tennis center in Caracas, splitting to attend separate U.S. colleges and then reconnecting through friends, marrying in 2016. Now, says Barbara, “We talk things through all the time – so we can grow.” ■ – Doreen Hemlock

TOP: OWNERS BARBARA SAFINA AND ORLANDO SUPERLANO OUTSIDE GROU, AT MERRICK PARK VILLAGE.

ABOVE: GROU CAFÉ AND CO-WORKING SPACE, HAS 32 SEATS INSIDE AND FOUR SEATS OUTSIDE WITH EIGHT OFFICES AND A CONFERENCE ROOM.

“WE WANT TO HELP BUSINESSES GROW, BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND SERVE AS A PLATFORM FOR LOCAL BRANDS WHO MAY NOT HAVE A PHYSICAL SPACE” BARBARA SAFINA, CO-OWNER

Youthful Insight

Matias Aviñó was only in fifth grade when he came up with a helpful idea: Create an app for students to schedule tutoring sessions with their peers. The then 11-year-old Gables resident figured an app would benefit everyone. Students wouldn’t have to be embarrassed to ask teachers to arrange the sessions, and teachers wouldn’t have to devote so much time to work out the schedules manually.

YTeach, named for Young Teachers, was born. Nearly four years later, the app is being used in some 35 schools in Florida, Kentucky and other states, and with more signing on. Schools typically pay a set-up fee of $1,500 and then a subscription fee of $2-$4 per student per academic year. Revenue is being reinvested to expand the venture, says Matias and his co-founder mom Lourdes Aviñó.

“My goal for next school year is 60 schools. That would be amazing,” says Matias, now 14 years old and in 9th grade. Spurring growth is support from Gear Up, a federal grant program for schools in high-poverty areas. Credit mom and lawyer Lourdes for planting the seed for Matias’ entrepreneurship. She routinely asks her children after school, “What did you do today to help someone?”

Matias made his app proposal to answer her question one afternoon in 2018. Soon, he was working on a business plan. Then, mom and son sought help on software from a fellow parent at his school, Ramon Branger of digital agency Branger_Briz.

YTeach launched in the AppStore in spring 2019 right before Matias pitched his venture at the eMerge Americas Startup Showcase, finishing among the top 10 early-stage companies out of more than 100 entrants. Not yet 12, the 6th grader stood out as the youngest founder at the event. eMerge chief Melissa Medina, a mother of five children, was so impressed that she’s been mentoring Matias since. To roll out YTeach, Matias piloted the app in his own Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, where students earn community service hours for tutoring peers. At least 25 percent of Belen’s 1,400 students now use it, he says. Another big user today: private Catholic school Cardinal Gibbons in Fort Lauderdale, which tested YTeach in early 2021 and subscribed this school year.

Stephen Louy, who leads Gibbons’ theology department and its peer-tutoring program, says the software platform is “like Uber for tutors,” simplifying interactions for everyone involved. Gibbons requires students in the National Honor Society (and others) to provide at least 10 hours of peer tutoring each semester. Louy used to handle that scheduling solo, matching hundreds of honor students with peers seeking help. “When this came along, it was a dream,” says Louy.

Still, Matias faces a challenge that many founders don’t: his youth. “I feel like a lot of people undervalue what I’m offering because of my age, and they have a bias,” says Matias. “At eMerge, I was stopped by security from entering the Convention Center, because they had a rule no child was allowed… We had to call Melissa [Medina], and she had to explain that I was participating.”

Youth was a definite advantage in crafting YTeach, says mom Lourdes. After all, who knows better than students what they need to tutor one another? Adds Matias, “Young people have new and exciting ways to solve problems. And that can really add a lot of value, not just to education but to everything.” ■ – Doreen Hemlock

TOP: MATIAS AVIÑÓ WAS AN 11-YEAR-OLD CORAL GABLES STUDENT WHEN HE HAD THE IDEA FOR THE YTEACH APP.

ABOVE: SCREENSHOTS TAKEN FROM THE YTEACH APP IN THE APPLE APP STORE.

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“I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERVALUE WHAT I’M OFFERING BECAUSE OF MY AGE, AND THEY HAVE A BIAS...”

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HOME & GARDEN

A Family Affair

Cocó D’Ascola’s Form Follows Function

Page 82

THE FAMILY ROOM SHOWS A STUDY AREA CUSTOM DESIGNED FOR THE KIDS. IT IS MADE FROM OAK, TO REFLECT AND TIE

Daniel’s Style

CORAL GABLES DECK GARDENING

BY GRACE CARRICARTE

Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622) is credited with the quote: “Bloom where you are planted.” At the home of Sidney and William “Bill” Daniel the saying is augmented to: “Bloom where you are planted – by Bill.” While Bill may indeed do all the planting at the couple’s home on quiet Rodrigo Avenue, only visitors would know that just behind their house lies a kaleidoscopic garden perched on the back deck.

The deck itself is made of Dade County treated Florida pine wood for its strength and durability in our semi-tropical climate. “I had always wanted to be able to step out my back door and not have to go down steps,” says Sidney, a member of the Coral Gables Garden Club. “I wanted to open the doors outside like another extension of the house. I asked around for a carpenter and found an old gentleman named Mr. Castillo. He built it and I just fell in love with it.” That was more than two decades ago, and the 500-squarefoot deck remains in impeccable condition.

Wanting a Caribbean feel, the Daniels selected a bright teal paint for the wood. From there they started to add more color. “I started ordering beautiful planters from Morocco and Spain, and then of course a lot locally. We would try to get the plants mixed together, and this was to us like bringing nature into our home. We could sit right here on our sofa and look at this wonderful picture.” Their double, glass backdoors frame the floral mélange of greens, reds, oranges, pinks, burgundies, yellows, and purples; a shaded area, it accommodates a variety of annuals and perennials including crotons, caladium, cordyline, coleus, hostas, heuchera, ferns, blue ibis, impatiens, and more.

“I WANTED TO OPEN THE DOORS OUTSIDE LIKE ANOTHER EXTENSION OF THE HOUSE. I ASKED AROUND FOR A CARPENTER AND FOUND AN OLD GENTLEMAN NAMED MR. CASTILLO. HE BUILT IT AND I JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.”

The Daniels estimate they have about 75 potted plants on their deck. “I place pots on stands so they aren’t directly on the deck, staining and rotting the wood,” says Bill. “This also allows for improved drainage since pots require holes at the bottom. Otherwise the roots will rot.” The shaded plants they chose tend to be fleshier, requiring watering once a day during the hot season and less when it rains or is cooler. Another tip from Bill: Don’t overfertilize. “That’s the biggest danger, particularly for plants with sensitive root systems,” he says. “And it damages our Florida waterways.” On this note Sidney adds, “We also do not use mulch because it is bad for the environment. It attracts all types of bugs and some say even termites.”

As for the windchimes that add a pretty tinkle of sound, Sidney bought those at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden’s gift shop. She says they make it feel like one is off on a retreat. “It’s a lifestyle,” says Bill, “I go out at dawn. I look up at the sky. The change from night to day is one of the most relaxing times in my life.” Tinker, the couple’s seven-year-old Chihuahua/Shih Tzu mix, enjoys watching the cardinals and blue jays in their bird bath, along with the butterflies and squirrels. “People say to us all the time, ‘Why don’t you just

ABOVE & OPPOSITE: THE DANIELS USED AROUND 75 POTTED PLANTS ON THEIR 500 SQ.FT DECK WHICH IS EASIER TO MANAGE THAN A TRADITIONAL GARDEN. SAYS BILL, “ IT’S A HECK OF A LOT EASIER THAN GETTING OUT IN THE YARD, DOWN IN THE DIRT, AND TRYING TO KEEP A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN – AND KEEP IT CLEAN...”

TOP: WILLIAM “BILL” AND SIDNEY DANIEL OPEN THE DOORS TO THEIR COLORFUL CARIBBEAN INSPIRED GARDEN.

SIDNEY DANIEL, HOMEOWNER AND MEMBER OF THE CORAL GABLES GARDEN CLUB, ON THE TEAL PAINTED DECK

live out there?’ says Sidney. “Well, I hate to admit it, but to mosquitos I am the most popular woman in all of Coral Gables.” She is also popular with neighbors – or at least not unpopular – because the leaf blower she uses to keep the deck clear is battery operated. “It’s quiet and light weight because I couldn’t hold the heavy ones,” she laughs.

“Bill and I can both sincerely say this is the best thing we ever added to our house. It’s a heck of a lot easier than getting out in the yard, down in the dirt, and trying to keep a beautiful garden – and keep it clean. I’d done that for years and it’s much easier to have it on a deck. It has been a joy.” When asked if gardening helps their relationship grow (pun intended) Sidney does not hesitate blushing, “It is a hobby we both have a great passion for. We get excited when we find something new. It’s the first hobby we’ve both shared.” ■

A Family Affair

WHEN IT COMES TO INTERIOR DESIGN, COCÓ D’ASCOLA’S FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION

BY J.P. FABER/PHOTOS BY GILBERT DE LA ROSA

For almost 13 years, Cocó D’Ascola has designed interiors with families in mind. What that means for her Gables-based firm, Cocó Interior Design, is a belief that you need to create what she calls “hard working spaces”— i.e. rooms that can withstand families with lots of kids, friends, and relatives. “I think of accommodating their lifestyle and what their functional needs are,” she says. And that translates into things like family friendly fabrics, study areas for youngsters, and private spaces set aside for the adults.

For this home on Castile Avenue, one block north of Coral Way, the family consists of mom, dad and two daughters. So, the idea was to create rooms that were not too formal, and with special nooks for the girls (ages 9 and 13) to study as well as relax. “Everything I do has a fresh and modern look but with enough classics in it. I stay away from super trendy so that it lasts over time,” says D’Ascola. She likes to balance designer pieces with less costly items, both to balance budgets and to reduce worry from the wear-andtear of family life. “I do a lot of high and low, putting money into statement pieces, with affordable pieces to fill in,” she says, many of which are locally sourced. “I like to see things in person,” she says. ■

FAMILY ROOM (TOP)

The family room furniture is locally sourced and deliberately affordable, assuming wear and tear to come. The leather couch is from Pottery Barn at Merrick Park, the armchair from West Elm in Dadeland, and the Ottoman-cum-coffee table is from Target. The custom-built wall nook was originally a TV location, repurposed as a reading area for the kids and a twin bed for their guests.

DAD’S ROOM (ABOVE)

This is the “Dad Room,” where there is a wine rack (off camera), television, and comfortable chairs. “It had high ceilings and I wanted to modernize it,” says D’Ascola. The two “starburst” mirrors in mixed metal are from Crate and Barrel in Merrick Park.

DINING ROOM (TOP)

The heavy buffet chest which anchors the light room was found at the recently closed Home Design Store on Biltmore Way. The mirror is from Ballard Designs, the chandelier from Shades of Light. “The light modernizes the room,” says D’Ascola, while the white slip covers on the Ikea chairs can be removed and washed.

THE MASTER BATHROOM (ABOVE)

More than other rooms in the house, says D’Ascola, the master bathroom was transformed. “It was a complete gut job,” she says, removing walls, red marble flooring and a built-in tub. Instead, she used a hexag-

onal tile floor pattern and free-standing bathtub. The sconces over the sink are from Shades of Light, while the overhead lamp, which mimics the floor pattern, is from Pottery Barn for Kids. “In kids’ places you can sometimes find things that add a whimsical touch,” she says. The vanity is blonde oak (off camera).

GUEST BATH (ABOVE)

Since it is close to the pool area, D’Ascola wanted a nautical theme for the guest bathroom, which she created with a round mirror, blue colors, and chrome goose-neck sconces. The shiplap walls add to the feeling of being onboard a vessel.

What $2 Millon (or Less) Will Buy in Coral Gables

Demand for homes in Coral Gables continues to outstrip supply, especially true in the $1.5million to $2 million range, now the average sale price. “That is the sweet spot,” says Patrick O’Connell, Senior Vice President at BHHS/EWM Realty. “There are a lot of buyers still chasing a relatively low amount of inventory in that price range.” At present, there is only one month’s worth of inven-

tory for homes at around $2 million. The result, says O’Connell, is that “people are frequently coming in over the asking price.” To see what $2 million or less would buy today, we asked two real estate agents to submit one of their homes for sale in that price range – give or take a few hundred thousand dollars. Here is what they came up with, in two different Gables locations.

“Post War” in Central Gables

536

ALMINAR AVE.

Listing Price

$1.399m

3 bed/2 bath. 2,709 sq. ft.

Located blocks from the Shops at Merrick Park, this 1949 post-war home has wooden floors, a new roof, a one-car garage, a fireplace, update plumbing and high impact glass doors and windows. The spacious kitchen, with bonus refrigerator, opens both onto a sunny family room and the dining room, with 400-square-feet of covered porch.

Listing Agent: Carole Smith (Compass), 305.710.1010

“Wood Manor” in Central Gables

3703 SEGOVIA ST.

Listing Price

$1.85m

A Colonial Revival style home designed by renowned architect Upton C. Ewing for the Wood family in 1939, “Wood Manor” is designed for dual dwelling, with two staircases and two kitchens. Impressive entry, lovely staircases, fireplaces, tall ceilings, niches, large closets, and authentic custom millwork, all within a walled and gated quarter-acre lot two blocks from the public library.

Listing Agent: Mauricio J. Barba, P.A. (Compass), 305.439.8311

4 bed/3 bath/2 half bath. 3,435 sq. ft.

Mark Peck + Vinny Pyle + Ryan Danoff + Helen Wozunk

Dave Hayne + Ed Breese

Art & Hors d’oeuvres

MG Developer held its annual Holiday Party last month at the Coral Gables Museum, with an event co-sponsored by Coral Gables Magazine. In addition to hors d’oeuvres curated by Zucca Restaurant, guests were also given a guided tour of the current exhibition of paintings by Cuban artist Julio Larraz.

1. Amy Donner, Richard Roffman, Jill Hornick, Israel Kreps, Mark Trowbridge

2. Marianna Perez, Lee Casey, Gail Scott, Lani Drody

3. Patrick O’Connell, former Mayor Raul Valdes-Fauli, Venny Torre

4. Lucille McKey and Audrey Ross

5. Vice Mayor Michael Mena, Alirio Torrealba, Mayor Vince Lago

6. Manny and Carol Mencia,with Joe Kulenovic

7. In the gallery for the guided art tour

Sirens, Muses, and Legends

Beaux Arts celebrated its 69th annual fundraiser – the oldest costume ball in Greater Miami – at the 1925 Mediterranean-Revival Thalatta Estate. The theme for the October event was “Sirens, Muses, and Legends.” More than 200 guests attended the gala, chaired by Amber Seidle Lazo and Francesca Valdes. The event was emceed by Emmy winning news anchor Cynthia Demos and President and CEO of the Coral Gables Chamber Mark Trowbridge. For close to seven decades Beaux Arts, a group of 100 women and 300 associates, has introduced children from underserved communities to the world of art, and encouraged art awareness and advancement through support of the Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami. Sponsors for the night included Northern Trust, University of Miami, Segrera Associates, BHHS/EWM Ashley Cusack Team, Torre Companies, Caribe National Realty Corporation, and JRG Construction Group.

1. Ansley Campbell, Amy Poliakoff, Brittany Wicklund, Doug Wicklund, Chris Sanchez, David Hughes, Liz Hughes, Taylor Sanchez, Priscilla Rettig

2. Amber Seidle-Lazo, Elizabeth Green, Francesca Valdes

3. Cecilia Slesnick, Monique Lavender-Greenberg, Marisol Espinosa, Rosy Rodriguez, Monica Mase, Nancy Levy, Meghan Burns

4. Amy Erbesfeld, Michael Erbesfeld, Sarah Christensen

5. Doris Richards, Ana Freitas, Carli Hoppe, Jaclyn Taylor, Danielle Milota, Susana Gold, Candace Falsetto, Maxine Earle, Oana Reedy

6. Monica Sanchez

THE TOP 45

2022

RESTAURANTS IN CORAL GABLES

With the pandemic receding and a preponderance of people vaccinated, the restaurant scene in Coral Gables is undergoing a renaissance. Coral Gables has always been a moveable feast, a mecca of fine dining with more than 100 quality establishments. Now those restaurants are back in full swing, with hardly a seat to spare on weekends nights. For the past year and a half, in an abundance of caution, we listed only restaurants with outdoor seating. While most still do have dining al fresco options – and this is the season for it –- we now list all restaurants. What follows is our list of the best of the tried and true, and the best of the innovative and new. We dine at all locations anonymously, and we list only the places where we love to eat.

$ ............ Under $25

$$ .......... $25-$40

$$$ ........ $35-$75 $$$$ ...... $70-$100+

Prices are per person for appetizer and entrée, no tax, tip or drinks. Prices are approximate.

CHEF DRIVEN Cebada Rooftop & Raw Bar

It’s hard to pigeonhole this new rooftop restaurant by Chef Jorge Ramos (fresh from his acclaimed Barley restaurant in Dadeland). He calls it “contemporary American with a Latin overlay” which means roast bone marrow with salsa verde and baby back ribs with pimiento marmalade. A good raw bar, a great view. $$-$$$

124 Giralda Ave. 786.409.2287

Forte by Chef Adrianne

Chef Adrianne’s new restaurant, in the former Cibo Wine Bar space, features her take on Italian food (the name comes from her Sicilian grandmother). One of the Gables’ star chefs, Adrianne punches up traditional dishes with some bold flavors. Best: Tuscan white bean soup, wagyu truffle-oil meatballs, spaghetti carbonara. $$$-$$$$

45 Miracle Mile. 305.517.6181

Luca Osteria

The latest place by local celebrity chef Giorgio Rapicavoli (the Eating House), Luca Osteria became an overnight, reservations-only hit for dinner on Giralda Plaza. His inventive take on classic Italian food is fresh and new; the Pasta al Limone and mortadella toast with fig balsamic are just the beginning.

Great Italian cocktails. $$-$$$$ 116 Giralda Ave. 305.381.5097

Mamey

Chef Niven Patel, who is fast gaining a national reputation, hits it out of the park with this new restaurant, heir to the creative Caribbean cuisine of Ortanique, but with its own unique and refreshing overlay of Polynesian, Thai and Indian gastronomy. If your taste buds seek a new adventure, this is the place. $$$

1350 S. Dixie Highway (Thēsis Hotel) 305.667.5611

Pascal’s on Ponce

Elegant, quaint and delicious, Pascal’s is the home and culinary canvas of owner-chef Pascal Oudin, who brings authentic French cuisine to the heart of the city. Oudin excels in seafood, soufflés and foie gras. Try the diver sea scallops and tomato tartin. $$$-$$$$ 2611 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.444.2024

Tur Kitchen

This relative newcomer to the Gables has a wonderfully inventive menu of Mediterranean cuisine. Chef Christian plates beautiful dishes that combine the flavors of Turkey, Greece, Lebanon, and Egypt. Amazing stuffed Turkish pide bread, stunning braised goat with gnocchi. Elegant seating under arches along Giralda. $$$-$$$$ 259 Giralda Ave. 786.483.8014

Zitz Sum

Brought to you by Chef Pablo Zitzmann of No Name Chinese fame, this “pop up” restaurant off the huge lobby of the 396 Building feels pretty solid. The result of a year-long pandemic dive into dim sum by Zitzmann, the dumplings

(dinner only), hand-rolled daily, are superb. Other menu items are highly inventive and flavorful. $$-$$$ 396 Alhambra Circle. 786.409.6920

Zucca

Located at the elegant St. Michel hotel, this is a star in the galaxy of Italian eateries in the Gables. Distinctly northern Italian, with recipes that chef Manuel Garcia developed in a career that included the legendary Casa Tua on Miami Beach. Lovely outdoor seating, Italian design inside, sophisticated, with great service. $$$-$$$$ 162 Alcazar Ave. 786.580.3731

AMERICAN

Bachour

Maybe it was the lure of pastries by world-renowned chef Antonio Bachour, but this airy, industrial chic spot has become the new power breakfast place in town, with amazingly good eggs benedict and challah French toast. Also open for lunch and an early dinner, with great Greek salad and roast chicken breast. $$

2020 Salzedo St. 305.203.0552

Cheesecake Factory

We still don’t know how they can offer over 250 menu items, but there is something for everyone here, from Thai peanut lettuce wraps to chicken salad sandwiches on toasted white bread. Their cheesecake is still a calorie overload, but now balanced by their “SkinnyLicious” menu. $$ 2418 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.529.0703

Clutch Burger

You may have to unhinge your jaw to take in some of their burgers,

but they are the best. Most of the burgers hover close $20 because they’re made with quality Wagyu beef. The “Clutch” is the cheeseburger of the house, but our favorite is “My Boy Bleu.” They also specialize in craft beers brewed here in Miami. $$

146 Giralda Ave. 305.400.8242

Doc B’s Restaurant + Bar

Offering a no-veto menu, meaning there’s something for everyone, Doc B’s Restaurant + Bar serves craveable American fare dishes made from scratch daily, incorporating the highest quality ingredients. Offering brunch, lunch, dinner and happy hour, signature dishes include the Wok Out Bowls, The Wedge Burger and “Hot” Chicken. $$

301 Miracle Mile 786.864.1220

The Globe

The Globe is a Gables icon, and one of the coolest places to eat in the city – assuming you like a smart, Euro-style bistro. Decorated with classic paintings (and globes over their old-world bar), the menu is mostly American dishes – salads, burgers, fish, steaks, etc. – perfected over the years. Best conch fritters. $$

377 Alhambra Circle 305.445.3555

Hillstone

There are very few restaurants in the Gables where clients will wait in a line outside. Hillstone is one of them. A power lunch spot, a happy hour singles anchor, and a family restaurant at night, the food and service are consistently top notch, with an elegant interior that is both comfortable and sophisticated at the same time. $$$

201 Miracle Mile 305.529.0141

MAMEY

DINING GUIDE

Public Square

This popular re-configuration of the former Shula’s steakhouse still serves great steaks and burgers, but with lots of other options (seafood, pasta, sushi, salads) and plentiful outdoor seating on Red Road and San Ignacio Ave. $$$

6915 Red Rd. 3221.342.1695

Seasons 52

The restaurant for healthy eaters who enjoy quality as well. The menu, changing four times a year with each season, is always full of inventive treatments for fresh veggies, soups and salads. Their fish and meat dishes are great values, and the flatbread menu is a nice touch. It’s a chain, but we forgive them. $$

321 Miracle Mile 305.442.8552

Tap 42

Winner of Best Overall Burger by Coral Gables Magazine, Tap 42 is big, noisy and fun, with a huge island bar and lots of booths. Good ribs, steaks and burgers, plus shines in the sides (roasted Brussels sprouts with maple mustard, truffle mac & cheese with parmesan crust). Nice random Asian dishes (grilled salmon Zen bowl, Asian coleslaw). $$-$$$

301 Giralda Ave. 786.391.1566

Yard House

A cavernous space with huge screens for sports fans, oversized paintings, classic rock in the background and large booths, all making for a comfortable space in which to pick and choose from an immense and reliable menu of American classics with Asian dishes interspersed. Literally something for everyone. $$

320 San Lorenzo Ave. 305.447.9273

ASIAN

Ichimi

This off-Mile eatery has developed a cult following, with diners content to wait and stand and stare, just for the opportunity to eat Ichimi’s Japanese noodles and rice bowls. And the wait is worth it. Delicious, rich and faraway flavors in dishes you can’t find just anywhere, in a raw, cool space. $$$ 2330 Salzedo St. 305.960.7016

Izakaya

Located across the street from the Colonnade building, this tiny, bustling Japanese restaurant serves a great bento box – along with an impressive array of daily specials that are posted on the wall in

chalk. Super popular lunch spot, for good reason. $$ 159 Aragon Ave. 305.445.2584

Khaosan Road

Formerly Bangkok, Bangkok, this Giralda Plaza mainstay – with plenty of outdoor tables – has reinvented itself as the new home for Thai street food. Think you know Thai food? Be prepared for new and delicious tastes. $$ 157 Giralda Plaza 305.444.2397

Malakor Thai Isaan

This eatery on Miracle Mile prides itself on delivering true, tasty Thai food. That means pork skewers with sticky rice, grilled fatty pork neck sliced and tossed with lime juice, or the Gang Aom, a Thai curry with fish sauce, dill and herb paste. $$ 90 Miracle Mile 786.558.4862

Miss Saigon

Voted the best restaurant in Coral Gables a few years back by the readers of New Times, Miss Saigon serves the kind of vegetable-rich food that makes you feel light and clean afterwards. Excellent seafood choices, and any of their crispy rolls (spring, vegetarian, shrimp) make great starters. Also, good dump-

lings. But their clear, hearty soups, called Pho – are the big winners. $$ 148 Giralda Ave. 305.446.8006.

Moon Thai & Japanese

Can’t decide between Japanese or Thai food? No problem. Here, you can have a Japanese house salad or miso soup as an appetizer and pad thai as an entrée. Truly the best of both worlds. Comfy booths inside and umbrella-covered outdoor tables. Across the street from UM’s campus. $ - $$

1118 S. Dixie Hwy. 305.668.9890

Sawa

Delicious take on Japanese flavors served in parallel with Lebanese Mediterranean, Sawa offers seating inside or outside at Merrick Park. A vast selection of sushi rolls and tapas that range from chicken yakitori to octopus ceviche, along with super fresh Middle Eastern comfort food. World’s best lamb chops. Also has a doggy menu. $$$ 360 San Lorenzo Ave. (Shops at Merrick Park) 305.447.6555

FRENCH

wood or black frame

Picture Frame SALE

Brasserie Central Secretly owned by Pascal’s on Ponce fame, the restaurant is half

Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce member

or while supplies last.

inside half in the courtyard of the Shops. A typical French bistro with wonderful onion soup, fresh bread and a superb paté. Everything on the menu is fresh, French, and all you would expect from Pascal. Lots of little French touches, though not cheap. $$ - $$$

Shops at Merrick Park

786.536.9388

Chocolate Fashion

The restaurant and bakery is a breakfast and lunch hotspot. Lunch is a steal with most sandwiches priced around $11 that come with a side salad and cornichons (mini pickles) Although being in Miami they still serve cortadito. Don’t forget the French pastries and desserts. $-$$

248 Andalusia Ave. 305.461.3200

Frenchie’s Diner

It looks like an all-American diner (which it once was) but this is pure French cooking in a small but comfy setting. Frenchie himself is usually there. Some items on the menu can get pricey (filet mignon, $34) but the onion soup ($9) and escargots ($11) are great values, and the croque monsieur ($14) for lunch is a meal unto itself. $$$

2618 Galiano St. 305.442.4554

Gustave

Launched by a couple of friends with a track record in Paris, Gustave’s a light-filled, lovely entry into the local French cuisine scene. With a good selection of baked goods, this is a Paris-style café with good coffee and solid fare. Good to know where you can get a croque monsieur for lunch and boeuf bourguignon for dinner $$-$$$

366 Miracle Mile. 305.640.5675

ITALIAN

Amore

Small, sweet Italian spot on Miracle Mile, with a half dozen tables with umbrellas outside. A wide selection of pastas, including pumpkin and lobster ravioli, and fagottini de pera – pasta stuffed with mascarpone and pears. Great homemade gnocchi cooked with porcini powder. Nice service, reasonably priced, good house wines. $$

94 Miracle Mile. 305.200.3216

Bugatti

Based on Ponce for several decades, Bugatti prides itself on its pasta. And for good reason, since the restaurant started as a pasta factory. The décor is simple and

contemporary, with a good number of booths, while the service is crisp and superb. The dinner menu is straightforward, with pasta dishes mostly under $20 and entrees mostly under $30. We especially like the fact that they have as many dessert listings (12) as pasta choices. $$

2504 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.441.2545

Caffe

Abbracci

A Gables icon, Nino Pernetti’s Italian restaurant is both a power lunch favorite for the business elite and a cozy evening gathering place for families and couples. Closely shepherded by the welcoming Pernetti, Abbracci is quiet, elegant and flavorful. The food is so consistently good that Pernetti had to publish his own cookbook. He now has a new chef who hails from Tuscany, so the daily specials have a whole new spin. $$$ 318 Aragon Ave. 305.441.0700

Fiola

Brought to you by Washington, D.C. chef Fabio Trabocchi, this new entry into the Gables dining scene is a game changer. From the place settings to the artwork to the innovative cuisine, Fiola offers an

exquisite dining experience. Among their must-try dishes are the porcini mushroom soup, the sea scallops ceviche, and the signature lobster ravioli. Elegant presentations only add to this encounter. $$$$

1500 San Ignacio Ave. 305.912.2639

Fontana

The setting is as elegant as it comes: the Biltmore’s famed fountain courtyard. You can sit under the stars, in a covered archway, or inside to enjoy classic Italian dishes. Fresh ingredients, from the salads to the pasta that is made daily. Great octopus, pastas cooked perfectly. One of the most romantic restaurants in the Gables. $$$

1200 Anastasia Ave. (Biltmore Hotel) 305.913.3200

Fratellino

Small, family run, with a fanatically loyal fan base, brilliant Italian comfort food. The long narrow set up with tile floors, wooden chairs and tablecloths makes it feel like New York’s Little Italy. Their calamari, in any variation, is superb, and the fettuccine with prosciutto, mushrooms and green peas is to die for. $$$

264 Miracle Mile 786.452.0068

Salumeria 104

Tratorria-style Salumeria is now two years old, with a loyal clientele, especially at lunchtime. Partly that is because the food and ambience is so authentically Northern Italian and rustic. It may also be thanks to their $10 lunch special of sandwich (with artisan cured meats) with soup or salad, always fresh and flavorful. Regardless of price or time of day, those sliced salumi meats are buono! $-$$ 117 Miracle Mile. 305.640.5547

Villagio Ristorante

Surprisingly good prices in this cavernous restaurant in the Shops at Merrick Park, with lots of outdoor seating. Even the dinner menu serves pasta entrees for less than $15, and the amazingly extensive selections of meat and fish mostly run in the mid to low twenties. Also, good soups (the fresh crabmeat is a delight) and –randomly enough – perhaps the best apple pie anywhere. $$ 358 Sand Lorenzo Ave. 305.447.8144.

SEAFOOD

Gringo’s Oyster Bar

A great selection of oysters at this

neighborhood favorite. And they change sources twice weekly, like malpeques from Canada, or wellfleets from Main, or steamboats from Washington state. Also, great lobster rolls, crab cakes and conch ceviche. Specials include Lobster Tuesdays and a daily oyster happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. when prices drop in half. 1549 Sunset Dr. $$ 305.284.9989

MesaMar

Some of the best – if not THE best – seafood in the Gables with inventive fusions between Peruvian and Japanese cuisine. Their fish is caught daily in local waters and brought to your table for inspection. Their whole fried fish is a marvel. Also, make sure to try the lobster tacos. $$$

264 Giralda Ave. 305.640.8448

Red Fish by Chef Adrianne

The only waterfront restaurant in the Gables, Red Fish was reborn last year after being closed for years from hurricane damage. With the addition of Chef Adrianne, the menu presents a stellar display of gourmet seafood. $$$$ 9610 Old Cutler Rd. 305.668.8788

Sea Grill

Just a few months old, Sea Grill is already a popular weekend destination for lovers of Mediterranean seafood. A large, brightly lit and futuristic space with lots of energy, it serves fish that is caught in the Aegean Sea and flown to the Gables. Their octopus, which takes two days to prepare, is simply the best. $$$

4250 Salzedo St. (Shops at Merrick Park) 305.447.3990

SPANISH

Bellmónt

Modern décor meets traditional Spanish dishes. Their house specialty is the roast suckling pig. If you want the whole pig ($230 for 4) you need to order four hours in advance. If it’s just you ($49), you’ll need to wait just 50 minutes. As for the rest: authentic Spanish cuisine, with great seafood dishes, fantastic paella. $$$

339 Miracle Mile 786.502.4684

Bulla Gastrobar

As valued for its cocktails as for its tapas, Bulla is also something Coral Gables needs – an informal, smart neighborhood hangout with

a young, boisterous vibe. Great “small plates” and refreshing sangria. Yes, it is a national chain, but it still feels local. $$

2500 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.441.0107

La Taberna Giralda

Routinely rated among the top tapas places in South Florida, La Taberna brings the added twist of a chef from Galicia, who puts his own regional spin on the dishes. It’s a small place with a neighborhood vibe, orange walls, string lights and live flamenco on the weekends ($5 cover), so reservations are a must. $$ 254 Giralda Avenue 786.362.5677

Las Tapas Coral Gables

Intimate setting in the space previously occupied by Mynt, Las Tapas is the newest entry in the category of fine Spanish cuisine. Fish flown in from the Atlantic and Mediterranean, with a special focus on dishes from Galicia in the northwest and Barcelona on the east, run by the consummate hand of chef/manager Florian Tomas. $$$-$$$$

Bringing Natural Smiles To Coral Gables

There are very few dental practices with a hyper-focus on cosmetic and implant technology. Drs. Laura Davila and Cristina Osorio have an emphasis and specialization in Prosthodontics - i.e. Full Smile Restorative Dentistry (veneers & implants) with timely dental treatment. There are very few dental practices with a hyper-focus on cosmetic and implant technology. In addition to Prosthodontics, we perform all General and Family Dentistry. Coral Gables Dentistry believes in making their patients’ comfortable and o er complimentary nitrous gas sedation as an adjunct to treatment and hygiene visits. Their philosophy is to provide comprehensive dental care along with treatment options that cater to one’s specific needs. Identifying and addressing your unique desires is often the best way for patients and dentists to share a fulfilling relationship and meaningful outcomes.

And May Your New Year Be Bright

Holiday lights are a big deal in the Gables, especially in certain areas – like Granada Boulevard south of Bird -- where neighbors vie with one another for the best

and brightest. This home on Toledo Street, just east of Granada, wins our vote for how to dazzle the ‘hood for the New Year. Photo by Emily Fakhoury.

Wheels-up to a New Year

We look forward in welcoming back the Coral Gables Community to new adventures. Thank you for your support and Happy New Year!