Coral Gables April 2023

CORAL GABLES

THE INNOVATION ISSUE

SUSTAINABILITY AND THE CITY

MAYOR VINCE LAGO STARTS WITH HIS HOME PLUS MENA’S PASSION FOR PARKS

INTERNATIONAL BANKING

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2022 BEST OF THE GABLES 5th ANNIVERSARY

In the magazine business almost 96% of new products fail in the first year. By the second year 75% of the remaining 4% go by the wayside. What sets us apart and how did we make it to our 5th year?

The answer is loyalty and support. Coral Gables Magazine is blessed to have a tremendous record of consistency: an incredible audience and readership, top-notch editorial, excellent printing, a strong team creating the book and, most vitally, quality advertisers. Without strong support from the business community, we’d be a memory. There are many stories of magazines that launched and then disappeared. We are blessed to have the support of Coral Gables business leaders, along with acceptance from the public. Our advertisers are the ambassadors for our success. We appreciate their friendship in the good times but especially when the road gets rough -- and with the pandemic we all know how bumpy the ride became. In short, the folks mentioned on these pages are our “road rangers” and we thank them for their support, loyalty, and goodwill.

Actors Playhouse

Adam Benna

Agave Ponce

Ageless Forever Institute

Alexander Montessori

Algo Law

All of Us Research

Allen Morris

Alumbra Lighting

Amerant

Americas Airlines

Ana Yeager

Area Stage

Arthur Murray

Ashley Cusack

Audrey Ross

Augusto Perera, P.A.

AV Yachts

Avila Rodriguez Hernandez

Mena & Ferri LLP

AVM Dentistry

BAC

Bacardi USA

Bachour

Baker, Stephen MD

Ballet Flamenco La Rosa

Banesco

Baptist Health South Florida & Foundation

Barakat Law

Barreto Group

Beaux Arts Festival

Belen Jesuit School

Bellmont Spanish Restaurant

Belmont Village

Ben & Giules Concept Store

BHHS/EWM

Biltmore Hotel

Biltmore School

Bioresponse Restoration

Biscayne Bank

Bliss Imprints & Gifts

Blue Serenity

Bogastyle Home/Calligaris

Books and Books

Braman Miami

Brian Exelbert

Brickell Bank

Brown Harris Stevens

Business Improvement

District

Ralph Cabrera

Café Grumpy

Caffe Abracci

Calamos Investments

California Closets

Capital Bank

Capital Care

Careaga Plastic Surgery

Caribbean Resort

Carlos Hidalgo

Carole Smith

Caroling Competition

Carrollton School

Casa Maria

Casabake

Catering by Les

Celebrity Cruises

Centerstate Bank

Cernuda Arte

Certain Homes

Chapman Partnership

Cheesecake Factory

Chocolate Fashion

Choice MD

City of Coral Gables

Clear the Clutter

Codina Partners

Coldwell Banker

Colson Hicks Eidson

Conchita Espinoza

Conde Contemporary

Coral Gables Arts Cinema

Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce

Coral Gables Community Foundation

Coral Gables Country Club

Coral Gables Dentistry

Coral Gables Festival

THE UNDERLINE WILL RAISE PROPERTY VALUES AND CONNECT THE CITY TO MIAMI AND SOUTH MIAMI... ”

MAYOR VINCE LAGO ON THE UNDERLINE. GO TO STREETWISE, PAGE 24.

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION

With strong direction from city leaders, Coral Gables cuts a leading path for good environmental practices. Initiatives include everything from minimizing fuel consumption with electric vehicles to reducing fertilizer pollution to piloting environmental research programs.

A PASSION FOR PARKS

The city’s parks system is undergoing a historic expansion and upgrade, thanks in large part to outgoing Vice Mayor Mike Mena – along with a little help from his friends. The result has been a half-dozen new parks over the last five years – as well as signifcant upgrades to existing parks. .

INTERNATIONAL BANKING IN CORAL GABLES

With trade through Greater Miami on the rise, and more foreign nationals moving here, global banking takes on a new meaning. There’s an international side to nearly every bank in the Coral Gables area.

Why It Matters:

Miami Cancer Institute

Patient Navigation

can help support cancer patients in need. BaptistHealth.net/GenerosityHeals or 786-467-5400.

You can help support cancer patients in need. BaptistHealth.net/GenerosityHeals or 786-467-5400.

27,500

More than patients impacted since 2019

Every patient remembers the moment he or she is diagnosed with cancer. But thanks to Baptist Health Foundation, our cancer patients don’t have to face it alone. Donor philanthropy funds the Patient Navigation program at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute, where patients are paired with a nurse navigator. The navigator serves as an advocate and guide, helping them with everything from diagnosis concerns and physician referrals to care coordination and support resources. The program ensures that patients receive a treatment plan that best fits all their needs - medical, psychological, emotional and spiritual.

You can help support cancer patients in need. BaptistHealth.net/GenerosityHeals or 786-467-5400. You can help support cancer patients in need. BaptistHealth.net/GenerosityHeals or 786-467-5400.

When a patient begins a difficult cancer journey, generosity helps lead the way.

Just Don’t Attack Chief Hudak!

In the five years that Coral Gables Magazine has been published, we have never endorsed any political candidates, or warned against their opponents. But there comes a time when good people must speak up.

In the race for the Group V City Commission seat between Alex Bucelo and Ariel Fernandez, the choice could not be clearer. On the one hand there is Alex Bucelo, a Gables native who is running on a pro-environment platform, opposed to large scale development. On the other hand, there is Ariel Fernandez, whose political blog Gables Insider has for years unfairly and very nastily attacked honest, hard-working city employees, and who is now introducing a level of vitriol to the campaign that denigrates the entire process.

Among the litany of attacks, backed with loads of misinformation, is his recent assault on Chief Ed Hudak, a beloved member of our community who has done a superlative job of making Coral Gables a safter place to live. Mr. Fernandez has falsely accused the police chief of hiding crime statistics in a massive coverup. Utterly false. And he has made these accusations with, among other things, insulting emails to the chief that demonstrate a vulgar lack of respect for the office and the person.

I could go on with the list of false accusations that Fernandez has hurled at long-time dedicated city employees – and against his opponent. In one email blast, he accuses the Bucelo camp of “pervert-

ed tactics” supporting a “developer-puppet.” Nonsense. Bucelo’s last vote as a member of the Planning & Zoning Board was against the latest high-rise proposed for Ponce Circle. Fernandez also accuses our current elected officials – all of whom have endorsed Bucelo – of a myriad of other falsehoods, from unsubstantiated claims of racism to dramatic declarations of “breaking protocol” and ignoring the public. (Keep in mind that all residents are welcome to address the City Commission at their meetings and the mayor holds open office hours on Fridays.)

The roster of endorsements for Alex Bucelo don’t include just all members of the current city commission, but also former mayors Don Slesnick, Raul Valdez-Fauli, James Cason, and Dorothy Thomson, and former city commissioners Chip Withers, Bill Kerdyk, Frank Quesada, and Jorge Fors. Many of these folks were former rivals. But all perceive that Ariel Fernandez will bring a terrible level of discord to a city commission that, unlike other governments, operates within the boundaries of respectful, civil discourse. It would be a major mistake for the city to elect Fernandez, a man who peddles falsehoods and has no government experience (Bucelo also served on the city’s Code Enforcement Board and the Mayor’s Advisory Council). We urge you go out and vote for Alex Bucelo, and not take this current election lightly.

CEO & PUBLISHER

Richard Roffman

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

J.P. Faber

EVP / PUBLISHER

Gail Scott

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Amy Donner

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Monica Del Carpio-Raucci

VP SALES

Sherry Adams

MANAGING EDITOR

Kylie Wang

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Natalia Clement

EDITORIAL INTERN

Isabella Cascio

ART DIRECTOR

Jon Braeley

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Grace Carricarte

SENIOR WRITERS

Doreen Hemlock

Mike Clary

Katelin Stecz

PROOFREADER

Lesley Fonger

PHOTOGRAPHERS

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Tiege Dolly

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Toni Kirkland

CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION

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OFFICIAL FRAMER

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On

Mayor Vince Lago starts with sustainability at his Coral Gables home.

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Each month, we print letters we receive from our readers. We encourage all commentary, including criticism as well as compliments, and any thoughts about our community. If you are interested, please send your thoughts to letters@coralgablesmagazine.com. Letters are edited for brevity.

The Sidewalk Issue

In 1989 or ‘90, then city manager Don Lebrun came up with a city-wide sidewalk improvement program. It was quite simple. The city split the cost with the homeowners. At that time, the cost per panel was $40. If the panel was damaged by city trees on the swale, the cost was the city’s. If the panel was damaged, but not because of city trees, the cost was the homeowners’. The homeowner was not required to pay at the time of repair. Rather, the city took a lien on their property for the amount due for sidewalk replacement. If you refinanced or sold your home, the city got paid.

Personally, I had eight damaged panels. Two were the city’s fault and the other six were my responsibility. I had the option of paying $240 at the time or putting a lien on my property for $240. I chose the latter option, and when I refinanced my home several years later, the $240 was deducted upon refinancing. Nobody squawked or complained about the deal because we had about five miles of sidewalks in bad shape. It was a fair,

equitable, and relatively simple solution to the problem. Nobody went bankrupt. Unfortunately, the current city manager lacks the ability to come up with reasonable solutions to city-wide problems without spending more taxpayer dollars. It made a lot of sense at that time, and it would work today.

Sally Baumgartner

Conflicts of Interest

The city commission will soon be considering a medical office project at 760 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, a proposal designed by lobbyist, [political] donor, and Planning Board member Robert Behar. The lot is MX1 facing Ponce and partially on Boabadilla and Avila. The proposal requests rezoning the entire lot to MX1. The latter of course is unacceptable to neighbors, who have fought rezoning once before.

There are three issues at hand: (1) Conflicts of interest when Planning and Zoning and Board of Architects members and lobbyists present projects to these bodies and the city commission members who may

have received donations; (2) Attempts to rezone residential areas; (3) Traffic impact when these large structures affect residential areas or surrounding small businesses. These issues need immediate attention and may require a city commission item. There are cities where large projects require voter approval and where Citizens United corporations endowed with personhood may present conflicts of interest in the urban vision of Coral Gables. As it is, there are three projects (one almost finished) proposed for the North Gables neighborhood. I have been writing to the Bar’s Code of Ethics, looking for legal precedent and the example established by cities like Key Biscayne.

In a recent public debate, I raised the issue of two candidates that have received over $100,000 with a noticeable presence from developers, architects, law firms, and realtors. It does not stand to reason that [these donors] are being civic-minded in contributing such amounts of money to Coral Gables commissioners.

Justo J. Sanchez

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From City Hall

AT ITS TWO MEETINGS IN MARCH, THE CORAL GABLES CITY COMMISSION:

LISTENED TO A PRESENTATION FROM JOLT, which hopes to provide electric vehicle charging stations for public parking spots in Coral Gables. “We’re looking at over 150 charging points coming online in the next few years,” the city’s Director of Parking Kevin Kinney said. The city is currently in talks with multiple companies regarding the acquisition and placement of the charging stations. (Sponsored by Mayor Vince Lago)

VOTED 4-0 (COMMISSIONER RHONDA ANDERSON recused herself due to a personal conflict) to reject an appeal for historic designation of The Garden of Our Lord, which would save it from being destroyed by the local developer who bought the property, Sergio Pino of Century Homebuilders Group. Bonnie Bolton, who has led the charge in advocating for the garden’s designation, brought multiple experts on architecture to make her case that the Garden of Our Lord’s “worthiness of historic designation” has been “mischaracterized,” presumably by the Historic Preservation Board, which voted 6-2 to not designate the Garden.

Warren Adams, Director of Historical Resources and Cultural Arts for the City, said the property does not meet the criteria for designation, arguing that there is “no clear evidence” that Robert Fitch, the architect who designed the James Evangelical Lutheran Church located in the same lot, designed the garden as well; and that the plants in the garden are not Biblical but only local flora. More than 20 residents came up to comment, most in support of designation. Those who were against were mostly the parents of children who attend Crystal Academy, the special education school for children with autism that currently uses the property. Pino has promised to give the Academy a permanent, updated spot in his development. For more information, see our story “Bolton’s Battle” in the November 2022 issue of Coral Gables Magazine.

VOTED 5-0 TO CODIFY A BAN ON the social media app TikTok on City phones. (Sponsored by Mayor Lago)

LISTENED TO A PRESENTATION FROM Police Chief Ed Hudak on crime statistics and discussed how traffic calming strategies like speed tables or roundabouts may impact police and fire response times. “We have to find a balance somehow,” said Mayor Lago. Traffic calming measures on Milan Avenue are currently in the approval process. In a separate discussion, Commissioner Anderson expressed interest in permanent electronic speed warning signs, which cost approximately $5,300 to install.

VOTED 5-0 TO OFFICIALLY PROHIBIT the placement of any garbage bags in trash pits before 6 pm the night before scheduled pickup. Green matter can be placed in the pits at any time but only without trash bags. The city will run a “Swale Responsibly” campaign to inform residents about the new measure. (Sponsored by Mayor Lago)

DISCUSSED ADDING BIKE LANES AND OTHER improvements to sections of Biltmore Way, Andalusia Avenue, and Valencia Avenue. The Commission seemed to be mostly in favor of changing parking to parallel parking spots and foregoing bike lanes in the 600-700 blocks of Biltmore Way, but more data was requested made before any decisions are made. (Sponsored by Commissioner Anderson)

RECOGNIZED THE SERVICE OF COMMISSIONER Michael Mena, who will not be running for re-election in the April election, especially in regard to his efforts to upgrade the park system (see story pg. XX)

VOTED 5-0 TO PURSUE ANNEXATIONS OF both Little Gables and High Pines/Ponce-Davis areas. Both neighborhoods are surrounded on three sides by the Gables. Advocates for annexation believe that it will increase the city’s tax base, as well as allow the city to provide superior emergency and police services, which are less than optimal from Miami-Dade County. “A majority of residents desperately want the Little Gables to become part of Coral Gables,” said one resident. The resolution was to commence the process of collecting information. As former mayor Jim Cason said, “Let’s find out what we need to find out,” and make the decision a year or two from now, including offering residents a chance to vote on annexation.

VOTED 5-0 TO PURSUE THE ACQUISITION OF a major work of art by Frank Stella for $1.25 million. Stella, now 86, is considered one of the greatest living artists in the world today, a major contributor to modernism and abstract expressionism, whose works are in every major art museum. The dollars to pay for what will presumably be a sculpture placed in Ponce Circle Park, will come entirely from the Art in Public Places fund, which is financed by a surcharge of 1.5% on all new developments in the city. The idea, said José Valdés-Fauli, who spoke on behalf of the city’s Cultural Affairs Council, is to invest in major “monumental” works rather than many smaller works scattered around the city. No taxpayer dollars will be used for the purchase.

RESOLVED 5-0 TO OPPOSE NEW BILLS in Tallahassee that would limit the ability of cities to block demolition of historic properties. Commissioner Kirk Menendez said the bills (House bill 1317 and Senate bill 1346) are further examples of how the state is currently “little by little taking away our ability to function.” Commissioner Anderson called it “an important resolution to protect the fabric of our city.” The state legislature already passed a bill last year preventing the city from blocking demolitions of historic homes in flood hazard areas.

LISTENED TO AN UPDATE ON PEA FOWL mitigation, in which the Board of County Commissioners did approve the ability to control the invasive birds as follows: If they are on private property, residents can contract with private animal control companies to remove them if they are not harmed. The city will also set aside $5,000 a year for removal from public property. The City Commissioners did not think the ordinance goes far enough. “Coconut Grove is infested and they are crossing LeJeune,” said Mayor Lago. “I feel bad when residents send emails.” Commissioner Menendez expressed concern that the pea fowl will invade the downtown and ruin restaurant businesses there. ■

Talk of the Town

Goodbye Power Lines

Last month, the City of Coral Gables and Florida Power & Light (FPL) began undergrounding power lines as part of the company’s Storm Secure Underground Program. The program aims to strengthen the power grid of vulnerable neighborhoods across the state that are prone to outages from storms and hurricanes, like Coral Gables. Mayor Vince Lago negotiated the deal between the city and FPL that will underground about 40 percent of Coral Gables’ lines. The $240 million project will be paid for by FPL.

At a recent kickoff event, the mayor highlighted the peace of mind this project will bring residents, especially the elderly and sick who depend on uninterrupted electricity. He also said it’s a win for the city’s aesthetics. “When you talk about the City Beautiful, you’re talking about our lush, gorgeous tree canopy,” he said. “That’s something that’s constantly affected by having to prune it back [for] the power lines. When you underground, you can allow the canopy to grow to its natural splendor.”

FPL is starting with 15 percent of the power line “miles” in the city, focusing first on the connections between homes and utility poles. Program director Robert Gaddis is hopeful the projected timespan of 10 years to complete the project will be accelerated if it stays on track and continues to gain approvals from the state’s Public Service Commission.

FPL is also reassuring residents concerned about construction. Representatives are sending out letters and going door-to-door with information about the process months before each home is affected, and the company is trying to minimize impacts on properties during the removal of backyard power lines and the installation of transformers in front yards. –

Natalia Clement

Free Baseball Tickets

If you’ve ever wanted to go to a University of Miami sports game but bemoaned the price or the lack of tickets, you’re in luck. Thanks to an agreement between the City of Coral Gables and the U, Gables residents can now receive free tickets to the university’s games. In Spring, that means baseball.

Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the War Memorial Youth Center (405 University Dr.) with up to four tickets available per household. You must show proof of residency and pick up your tickets in-person. Contact parks@coralgables.com or 305.460.5620 for more information. Available upcoming games are: Tuesday, April 4 at 6 pm vs. Central Florida; Tuesday, April 25 at 6 pm vs. Florida Atlantic; and Friday, May 19 at 7 pm vs. Duke.

Golf Carts? No. Low Speed Vehicles? Okay.

Residents owning golf carts should be aware that there is a firm distinction between a low-speed vehicle and a golf cart, the latter of which is not permitted on the streets of Coral Gables. Low-speed vehicles go a maximum of 25 mph, are registered with the state, and can travel on city roads with speed limits up to 35 mph. Golf carts, however, are un-registered and only go a maximum of 20 miles per hour. “If the golf cart is registered and has a license plate, with seatbelts and turn signals,

Photo by Richard Lewis // Miami Athletics

THE WORK BEGINS

A HOME RUN FOR RESIDENTS

then it is considered a slow-moving vehicle. It can park and be on a roadway, except [on higher speed roads],” Police Chief Ed Hudak said in a recent city commission meeting.

Golf carts are not permitted partly because there is no way to ticket them or enforce parking fees. They can also be dangerous. “We see children driving these, and we have seen in other jurisdictions traumatic accidents with kids out on the streets,” said Hudak. – Kylie Wang

inventory – somewhere in the 400 to 600 range, where it was prior to the pandemic. “The longer we go where the inventory is below that six-month mark, we’re going to continue to see an increase in pricing,” he says.

While the city continues to have a historically low level of available homes, O’Connell emphasizes that it’s not as concerning as it was a year ago. “It’s moving in the right direction in terms of balancing the market,” he says. It is still, however “a very good time to be a seller in Coral Gables. It’s a challenging time to be a buyer because there’s just so little to buy.” –

Natalia Clement

Saving The President

In 2004, President Bill Clinton had life-saving heart surgery, a quadruple bypass performed in part by Dr. Allan Stewart, the chief of cardiovascular surgery at Mercy Hospital. Steward also happens to be married to Donatella Arpaia, the celebrity chef of the recently opened NOMA Beach at Redfish (see story pg. 44). In a show of gratitude, the former president recently made a visit to Coral Gables to celebrate 19 years post-operation with Stewart and Chef Donatella at Fontana, the beautiful courtyard restaurant at The Biltmore Hotel. But why not NOMA Beach? It turns out the Secret Service vetoed the location due to its inability to be secured – probably something to do with the fact that the entire outdoor patio is directly connected to Biscayne Bay. Chef Donatella found another way to bring her personal flavor to lunch, however, presenting President Clinton with a personalized vegan chocolate cake. – Kylie Wang

Housing Trends Beginning to Normalize

As professionals and young families look to make the City Beautiful their home, Coral Gables’ housing market continues to be tight — but it may be steadying compared to last year.

Looking at February 2022, the city had about one month’s worth of housing inventory, with an estimated 120 single-family homes and condos available for sale. As for February 2023, that number had grown to 211 homes for sale, about two and a half months’ worth of inventory, despite the demand for homes still being high.

According to Patrick O’Connell, the senior vice president of business development at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty, the housing market ideally needs six months’ worth of

Shelter from the Storm

In late February, the Coral Gables City Commission voted unanimously to accept a $1 million grant from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for the Last Mile Transit Stop Improvements Program, which will upgrade the city’s trolley system. The money will go toward making trolley stops compatible with the Americans with Disabilities Act’s standards and will add roofs to some of the stops. The city will have to pick up the remainder of the tab, but the grant covers 55 percent of the total cost. “It’s a fantastic improvement to our system,” said City Manager Peter Iglesias, adding that about 1.25 million people use the trolley system in Coral Gables each year. –

Kylie Wang

■

CLINTON AT THE BILTMORE

MORE HOMES FOR SALE

COMING SOON: TROLLEY STOP UPGRADES

Update on the Underline

CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN THIS YEAR ON THE GABLES SECTION OF THE VAUNTED LINEAR PARK

BY MIKE CLARY

When Meg Daly had a bicycle accident 10 years ago and broke bones in both elbows, she remembers thinking, “They call it the funny bone. But this is not funny.”

Unable to drive, the crash got the lifelong Coral Gables resident to begin walking everywhere, including on the path beneath the Metrorail track. And that turned out to be a lucky break for her, the city, and Miami-Dade County as she envisioned what promises to be an attraction as iconic as Manhattan’s High Line and nearly seven times as long.

When it’s completed, The Underline will be a $140 million, 10-mile linear park and urban trail that will stretch from Downtown Miami to Dadeland South. Three miles of it will be in Coral Gables, with sections open by mid-2025. “You can’t feel the space until you’re in it,” said Daly, founder and president of Friends of the Underline. “It’s full of opportunity. We are taking something blighted and underutilized and giving it purpose.”

The first phase of the Underline, called Brickell Backyard, opened in February 2021. The second phase, also in the City of Miami, has been slowed by labor shortages and Florida Power & Light’s undergrounding of power lines.

Coral Gables residents can get a preview of what’s to come on June 1 when Friends of the Underline and the county host a public meeting in which a New York-based design team will reveal some features of the Gables’

section. Drawing on resident input, those features are likely to include pickleball and flex courts, a dog park at Le Jeune Road, a skatepark, a kayak drop and bridge over the waterway at Riviera Drive, landscaping with native trees and plants, and spaces for family programing and food sales. The evening meeting will be held at UM’s School of Architecture.

Work on the final seven-mile section of the 120-acre linear park, which includes the path through the Gables, could begin in September, according to Irene Hegedus, who is overseeing design and construction for the county’s department of transportation and public works.

The widest areas of the park are in Coral Gables, which means more space for the amenities, which will be paid for from a $7 million fund the city will contribute. Those dollars come from impact fees levied on developments within 1,000feet of the Metrorail, a funding mechanism championed by Mayor Vince Lago, an enthusiastic supporter. “The Underline will raise property values and connect the city to Miami and South Miami,” says Lago. “When you think of the Beltline or the Highline, these open people’s eyes to the importance of green space.”

“This park is going to be a sensational change for the whole area,” says Susi Davis, president of the Gables Good Government Committee, which recently invited Daly to give an update on the project. Daly likes to say that “big projects should solve

“

big problems,” one of which is to ensure the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians in a park running parallel to U.S. 1 and intersected by dozens of streets. Planners are still working on how to safeguard those crossings, says Hegedus.

Daly, retired from a 30-year career in sales and marketing, says that before

her bike accident, “I never saw myself leading a nonprofit, or could have imaged a project like this. I have no technical skills. But I can talk, I can story-tell, build a logical business case, [and] I am not afraid of asking for help… Has [the Underline] taken over my life? Absolutely. Am I happy? Absolutely.” ■

IT’S FULL OF OPPORTUNITY. WE ARE TAKING SOMETHING BLIGHTED AND UNDERUTILIZED AND GIVING IT PURPOSE.”

MEG DALY,

UNDERLINE FOUNDER

AND WUNDERKIND, SHARES A MOMENT WITH MAYOR VINCE LAGO

Photo by Rodolfo Benitez

Living

Best Bets: Finale of the Frost Symphony Orchestra’s season

Page 28

PLUS

GOLDEN FOOT RUBS, WALKING THE GABLES, & ECO EVENTS

Best Bets for April

$40, 10K is $50, and there is a $15 kids dash. The first 500 finishers receive a commemorative race medal. 405 Biltmore Way. For more information, go to runsignup.com

“EL HURACÁN” AT GABLESTAGE

Written by Miami native and recent Academy Award winner Charise Castro Smith (you may know her from Disney’s “Encanto” or Netflix’s “The Haunting of Hill House”), “El Huracán” tells the story of a family preparing themselves for the impending disaster of Hurricane Andrew. Inspired by Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” this play blends imagination with reality under the direction of GableStage’s producing artistic director, Bari Newport, from April 15 to May 15. Tickets run from $35 to $65. 1200 Anastasia Ave. Performances Wed.-Sat. 8 pm, Sun. 3 pm. gablestage.org/el-huracan.

ST. MARTIN IN THE FIELD CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

The world-renowned Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble is coming to the Sanctuary of the Arts on Easter Sunday. The ensemble consists of an oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and French horn, and will be joined by guest pianists Caroline Palmer and Marina Radiushina. The program will include works by Poulenc, Glinka, Schulhoff, and Beethoven. The program begins at 4 pm, April 9, with $30 general admission and $10 for students. The Sanctuary is located across from City Hall at 410 Andalusia Ave. Visit mainlymozart.com for more information.

TOUR OF THE GABLES RUN

Lace up your running shoes and head for the starting line on April 15 for the Doctors Hospital Tour of the Gables run at George E. Merrick Park across from City Hall. There is a 10K run and a 5K run, with tech shirts for the first 500 runners. Check in time is 6 am, warm up at 7:15 am, and start time at 7:30 am. 5K registration is

“LUCKY STIFF” AT UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI’S RING THEATRE

This comedic murder-mystery follows Harry Witherspoon, an English shoe salesman who needs to pass off his dead uncle as alive on a vacation so he can inherit $6 million. His uncle’s suspicious mistress, a dog-loving rival, and some French chorus girls are also along for the ride in this upbeat musical that was originally put on by the Tony Award-winning team that brought “Seussical,” “Anastasia,” and “Ragtime” to life. Tickets are $12 for students; $24 for UM alumni, faculty/staff, and seniors; and $27 for general admission. Runs from April 20 to 29. Jerry Herman Ring Theatre, 1312 Miller Dr. Performances Wed.-Sat. 8 pm, Sat. 2 pm. ring-theatre.as.miami.edu.

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DISNEY ON ICE: INTO THE MAGIC!

With performances featuring characters from “Beauty and the Beast,” “Moana,” “Coco,” “Frozen,” and “Rapunzel,” this Disney on Ice performance is a spectacular adventure highlighting courage, love, and the magic of dreams. The family-friendly event will be held at University of Miami’s Watsco Center from April 27 to April 30 with a total of eight performances. Tickets run from $25 to $95. 1245 Dauer Dr. Performances at 10:30 am, 11 am, 2:30 pm, 3 pm, 6:30 pm, and 7 pm, depending on the day. disneyonice.com.

In the finale of Frost Symphony Orchestra’s season on April 29 at 7:30 pm, University of Miami conductors Gerard Schwarz and Amanda Quist unite with Dean Shelly Berg on piano to put on works by David Schiff and George Gershwin, as well as Carl Orff’s famous “Carmina Burana.” The latter, a cantata that premiered in 1937 Germany, will feature Frost soloists, choirs, and the full orchestra to bring to life aspects of medieval life, originally written in medieval German and Latin. Tickets for the final performance of the season range from $15 for students and children to $25 for seniors and $30 for adults. Gusman Concert Hall, 1314 Miller Dr. events.miami.edu/arts.

ELECTIONS

On April 11, cast your vote for the two Coral Gables City Commission seats up for grabs. Mayor Vince Lago has already won reelection after he ran unopposed, but there are six candidates running for two four-year commission positions. Voting will take place at your assigned precinct (where you vote for all local, state, and federal elections) but if you’d like to vote early or drop off a mail-in ballot, you can do so at the War Memorial Youth Center on April 1, 2, or 8 from 8 am to 4 pm. For more information on the candidates, see our Voting Guide in the March issue of Coral Gables Magazine. Scan our QR code above.

SERAPHIC FIRE: THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

Honoring the conclusion of Seraphic Fire’s 20th anniversary season, the world-class choral group takes the stage on April 28 at 8 pm with a program including both their oldest and newest pieces as well as commissioned works from Brigham Young University and the James L. Knight Foundation. Join Seraphic Fire at the Church of the Little Flower to see their first performance of “Spem in alium,” Thomas Tallis’ massive 40-voice motet in which all 40 voices have individual parts, as well as other favorites from the Grammy-nominated ensemble’s repertoire. Tickets are $62. 711 Indian Mound Trail. seraphicfire.org.

“BRIGHT STAR” BY ACTORS’ PLAYHOUSE AT MIRACLE THEATRE

Get inspired by a true story featuring a Tony-nominated score by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell at Miracle Theatre. Set in the American South during the 1920s and ’40s, “Bright Star” tells a story of love and redemption with beautiful melodies and powerfully moving characters performed by the troupe at Actors’ Playhouse. Tickets start at $40. Performances run Wed.-Sat. at 8 pm and Sun. at 3 pm through April 16. 280 Miracle Mile. actorsplayhouse.org.

BEST REASON TO LEAVE THE GABLES: FROST SCIENCE MUSEUM

In celebration of Earth Day on Saturday, April 22, the Frost Science Museum in Downtown Miami is partnering with FPL to teach families all about the power of the sun and what everyday people can do to protect the Earth. As part of the event, local high schoolers will talk about environmentally friendly projects they’ve been working on, FPL will give a presentation on solar power, and the Frost Science education team will be making crafts with anyone who wants to participate. The programming runs from 11 am to 4 pm and comes free with museum admission, which is $24.95 for children ages 4-11 and $32.95 for all those 12 and up. 1101 Biscayne Blvd. frostscience.org. Want to see more? Visit our events calendar for a full list of events in Coral Gables. ■

“CARMINA BURANA” BY THE FROST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

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A Golden Foot Rub

IN WHICH WE VISIT THE EMPORIUM FOR FOOT MASSAGES IN THE GABLES

BY J.P. FABER

You have probably seen it a hundred, if not a thousand, times – the one-story red brick Golden Foot Massage & Spa building on the corner of 37th Avenue and Andalusia. It’s been there since 2010, its windows shuttered or blacked out. For those who have not visited, it’s a mystery. At night (and it is open until 11 pm) the appearance is even more cryptic, with little more than the sign lit up and the word OPEN glowing in red neon.

My wife and I called ahead to make sure we could schedule a foot rub at 8:30 pm. When we arrived, the desk clerk asked if we would prefer a full-body massage. The room was bright and white, decorated with a chandelier and Chinese artifacts, like wood carvings of the Buddha and vases in recessed shelves. We said that a foot rub was sufficient. We didn’t want to commit to a full hour just yet. She pointed to a door and said, “Go down hallway.” But what about payment? “Go down hallway!”

Partway down the hall were two signs: Full Massage to the right, Foot Massage to the left. We went left and entered a large, dark room which held a half-dozen beds on each side. The beds were arranged in pairs, separated by curtains of lace. Two people were already in the room, each with a masseuse working their feet. We sat down on two of the beds, unsure of what to do next. So, we took off our shoes and socks. Moments later, two men emerged from a corner door and gestured for us to lie down. A peaceful, slow piano melody played from hidden speakers, very relaxing. My

masseuse covered my eyes with a small cloth and then wiped my feet down with a warm, damp washcloth. And then the foot rub began.

In China, foot rubs are a big deal. Go to any major city and foot rub establishments pop up on every other street. Some are family affairs, where you sit in overstuffed armchairs and watch TV while they wash and then rub your feet. Very cozy. Some are more like medical facilities, with rows of beds in brightly lit rooms and masseuses dressed in white lab coats. They will be merciless with your feet, driven by reflexology – the concept that specific pressure points on your foot relate to different organs of the body. If the point that relates to a specific organ is sore, the idea is that something could be wrong with that organ.

I have no idea whether our masseuses were trained reflexologists. But when my guy dug deep, I assumed the pain meant I had some organ in peril. At the very least, I accepted that any discomfort was due to some deep stress or tension in my muscles, and just let myself go. And tried not to whimper.

The foot rubs lasted half an hour. Total cost for the two of us: $78. And well worth it. We gave heartfelt thanks (and an extra tip) to our masseuses; my wife said that she now felt a special bond with hers, since he understood her feet so well. And talk about walking on air! Our feet felt amazingly relaxed and revived for the next couple of hours. Now you know what to do after dinner in downtown Coral Gables. ■

FOOT MASSAGE & SPA 2500 DOUGLAS RD. 305.569.7188

GOLDEN

A unique collaboration between leading senior housing provider Belmont Village Senior Living and renowned Baptist Health is redefining senior living. Belmont Village Coral Gables will offer five-star hospitality and amenities, first class accommodations, a rich social environment, and first-rate care. The luxury community will feature Live Healthy by Baptist Health on the ground floor, a wellness center focused on a holistic approach to healthy living. Introductary rates available for a limited time. Scan the QR Code to chat with a team member.

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theWalkingGables

GUIDED TOURS EXPLORING THE NEW AND THE OLD IN THE CITY BEAUTIFUL

BY NATALIA CLEMENT

Whether you’re a history enthusiast or social butterfly, the walking tours of downtown Coral Gables provide a nice weekend outing filled with fresh air and a better appreciation of our city.

Every other Saturday at 10 am (excluding the summer), a small group of residents and Gables enthusiasts congregate at Coral Gables Museum for a guided history tour of the city’s Mediterranean Revival buildings – some of which have withstood weather, time, and the wrecker’s ball since the 1920s. With old photographs of the different stops from George Merrick’s time, you can see how the city came to life almost a century ago.

If the group is small enough, you can ride the 99-year-old brass elevator at Hotel St. Michel and walk inside the lobby of Alhambra Towers to admire the original stained-glass windows from the church that once stood on the property. The tour also grants you free entrance to the museum’s exhibits.

Another walking tour, which takes place on the last Saturday of each month and brings in a larger crowd, is hosted by the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce in partnership with AIA Miami and the Miami Center for Architecture and Design. March’s tour was led by Sarah Nesbitt-Artecona, a past chair of the Chamber and a fourth-generation Gableite. The excursion stops at mostly the same locations as the museum tour but focuses more on the architectural aspects – with some added color from the guide’s childhood memories of the City Beautiful.

For history buffs, we recommend attending the museum’s tour, which gives you a detailed look at each stop with more opportunities to ask questions. For families and those interested in casual, conversational learning, we recommend the Chamber’s. Either way, you’ll get your steps in, all while seeing Coral Gables in a new, sunny light. ■

UPCOMING TOURS

CORAL GABLES MUSEUM: APRIL 15TH AT 10 AM. 285 ARAGON AVE. MEMBERS $10, GENERAL ADMISSION $15. THIS WILL BE THE LAST TOUR THIS SEASON, AS THE MUSEUM’S WALKING TOUR GOES ON A HEAT-INDUCED HIATUS UNTIL SEPTEMBER – SO DON’T MISS OUT!

CORAL GABLES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: APRIL 29TH AT 10 AM. 201 ALHAMBRA CIRCLE, SUITE 100. CHAMBER AND AIA MEMBERS AND ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS $10, GENERAL ADMISSION $15. (SENIORS AND KIDS UNDER NINE ARE FREE.)

ABOVE: TOURS PROVIDE A WALK AROUND THE GABLES THAT IS TAILOR-MADE FOR HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE BUFFS

ABOVE LEFT: THE CORAL GABLES MUSEUM WHEN IT WAS A FIRES TATION IN THE 1920S

Best Bets Sustainability

BI-ANNUAL RECYCLING DRIVE-THRU EVENT

On Saturday, April 22, the city’s Keep Coral Gables Beautiful program is sponsoring an Earth Day recycling event from 9 am to noon at the parking lot behind City Hall. Coral Gables residents (with proof of residency) can bring electronic items, paper, large cardboard boxes, hazardous household waste (paint cans, pool chemicals, batteries, pesticides, etc.), and gently used clothing for donation to Camillus House. Styrofoam will not be accepted. 405 Biltmore Way.

MYSQUAD INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL

MySquad, which hosts social gatherings for adults with autism, will be meeting on April 26 at 6 pm for a special Earth Month meeting featuring Matt Anderson and Solanch Lopez from the Keep Coral Gables Beautiful program and Deena Bell-Llewellyn, Assistant Director of Public Works for Greenspace Management. The group will be learning about and removing invasive species from the Ruth Bryan Owen Waterway Park and making upcycled jewelry from soda cans. 3940 Granada Blvd.

ARBOR DAY

On Friday, April 28 from 9 to 11 am, the Landscape Beautification Advisory Board and The Coral Gables Garden Club are co-hosting a special Arbor Day celebration. Held at the park outside City Hall, the event highlights the importance of trees in the City Beautiful by

Lani Kahn Drody Broker | Owner 305.216.1550

showcasing a tree donated by the Garden Club that will be planted on-site by the Greenspace Management division of Public Works. All are welcome to join this free public event that celebrates the city’s unique canopy.

COMMERCIAL BEAUTIFICATION AWARDS

Coral Gables’ Commercial Beautification Awards recognize businesses that have gone beyond their standard city duties to maintain and beautify their storefronts and surrounding areas. This includes the use of plants and other greenery for landscaping, keeping the area free of litter, and cleaning windows and sidewalks. This month, ending April 30, you can nominate a Coral Gables business for the award at coralgables.com/kcgb. ■

RESIDENTS DRIVE UP TO RECYCLE

Bites

NOMA Beach at Redfish

Page 44

PLUS QUICK BITES, DISHIGOOD, & LUNCH AT FRATELLINO

Quick Bites

THE AUSSIE WAY

Bay 13 Brewery and Kitchen does its chicken parm two ways: traditional and Aussie-style. The Australian version is the way to go, with a fried egg on top of a small mountain of “chips” (aka French fries), bacon, caramelized onions, cheese, and barbecue sauce ($17). If you want traditional chicken parm, there are Italian restaurants by the handful here in the Gables. But there’s only one place you can go for pub food from “the Land Down Under.” 65 Alhambra Plaza. 786.452.0935

VEGAN DELIGHT

Cauliflower is not a typical menu item for Greek restaurants, but that hasn’t stopped Kaia Greek Restaurant on Miracle Mile from creating an excellent side dish from the cruciferous vegetable. Theirs is grilled and then tossed with tahini sauce, pomegranate, and cashews for a tasty, slightly crunchy serving that could feed two people ($11). 232 Miracle Mile. 786.362.6997

WRAP IT UP

These DIY Korean-style lettuce wraps ($16.50) have been fairly Americanized by Tap 42, but that doesn’t mean they’re not delicious – just don’t eat them in front of someone whose opinion you care about. The lettuce cups are great for eating, but not so much for holding in the marinated chicken, sweet soy glaze, and collection of extra greens. Be prepared for a thoroughly enjoyable mess and remember to ask for an extra napkin. 301 Giralda Ave. 786.391.1566

KAMIKAZE

Sawa may have the most eclectic menu we’ve ever seen – even more so than their sister restaurant, Ecléctico – featuring dishes from fettuccine alfredo to naan pockets to chicken yakitori. But it’s the sushi that shines in this fusion of cuisines, and the Kamikaze Tempura Roll is the sparkle on top ($18 or $14 on happy hour). With saku tuna, avocado, masago, spicy mayo, and eel sauce, each bite explodes in the mouth, hot and flavorful and very much living up to its name. 360 San Lorenzo Ave. Suite 1500 (Shops at Merrick Park). 305.447.6555

PEPPER UP

5he burger for people who like a little spice in their lives, Clutch Burger’s Volcano Burger comes with a veritable smorgasbord of peppers (roasted piquillo peppers, pickled habanero peppers, and pepper mayo) combined with onions, arugula, tomato, pepper jack cheese, and bacon ($18). Go on a Wednesday night to enjoy a burger with your comedy show – at 8 pm, stand-up comics take the stage. 146 Giralda Ave. 305.400.8242. ■

TOP TO BOTTOM: BAY 13 BREWERY: CHICKEN PARM

KAIA GREEK RESTAURANT: CAULIFLOWER

TAP 42: KOREAN-STYLE LETTUCE WRAPS

SAWA: KAMIKAZE TEMPURA ROLL

CLUTCH BURGER: VOLCANO BURGER

The Next Move Is Yours

Dishing Up the Goods

HOW AN AT-HOME COOKING STARTUP HAS GROWN INTO AN ONLINE GABLES FOOD BUSINESS

BY ISABELLA CASCIO

What are you going to make for dinner tonight? Well, the produce in your fridge is looking a bit limp, so you could order in. But is it really worth the delivery fees and the wait? You could go out, but then you have to get off the couch. So, frozen food it is! If only you could have a fresh, home-cooked meal without the effort.

Meet local entrepreneur Carolina Salazar, who wants to solve this daily dilemma with Dishigood, her new healthy food delivery service. Dishigood offers fresh homemade meals sold by the pound and delivered immediately after preparation. Each pound is enough for four servings, perfect for families or multiple meals.

The idea first came to Salazar when she moved to Coral Gables from Nicaragua four years ago. “When I moved here, I went out to eat and to the grocery store and I never felt like [the food] was actually fresh or healthy,” says the chef. So, she started cooking. She took her culinary school background and experience opening a restaurant in Nicaragua with her mother and made it her goal to bring fresh, homemade meals to the people of Coral Gables.

First, she sold via Instagram, posting menus, receiving orders from friends and family, and delivering the following day. Though the business was growing, it was still too small to support her, so she worked at local restaurants, including at Mamey with Chef Niven Patel and in the Grove at Tigertail + Mary under Chef Michael Schwartz. All the while, she continued cooking and deliver-

ing food from her home kitchen. But it wasn’t until COVID sunk in that Dishigood started to take off. With many restaurants closed, the demand for food delivery expanded rapidly, perfect for online businesses like Salazar’s.

In February 2022, the Dishigood website launched. It functioned similarly to its Instagram platform, but now the volume of orders was skyrocketing. By November of that year, Dishigood had become Salazar’s full-time job. “People that I didn’t know [started] placing orders through the website,” she says, “so that’s how it started growing, and it’s been growing by word of mouth since.”

Two months ago, Salazar added a mobile app. It has already increased sales over 300 percent, according to Salazar, and she expects the growth to continue.

To keep up with demand, the chef now rents a kitchen space in the Gables. Her cooking and delivering days are Monday and Wednesday, and she works long hours to make sure the food is as fresh as it can be. “I make my list of everything I have to cook,” Salazar explains, “and then I head over to BJ’s [and] Trader Joe’s, come back home, cook everything, and head out to deliver.” The whole process takes more than nine hours to complete, but to Salazar, it’s worth it. Her next goal is to have an in-person store in the Gables, expanding on the pop-up tent she set up at this year’s farmer’s market in front of City Hall.

Currently, Dishigood delivers from Pinecrest to Edgewater with orders received online through their website or app. ■

“ PEOPLE THAT I DIDN’T KNOW [STARTED] PLACING ORDERS THROUGH THE WEBSITE. SO THAT’S HOW IT STARTED GROWING, AND IT’S BEEN GROWING BY WORD OF MOUTH SINCE.”

CAROLINA SALAZAR, SHOWN WITH PARTNER EDUARDO UMANA

Drew Kern Closes a Sale EVERY 4 DAYS

Midday at Fratellino

WANT TO VISIT THIS LOCAL FAVORITE WITHOUT FIGHTING FOR A RESERVATION? LUNCH IS THE TICKET

BY KYLIE WANG

Getting a dinner reservation at Fratellino Ristorante –no matter the night – is nearly impossible without planning a week or two in advance. Its cultlike following is that dedicated. Lunch, however, is a different story. While patrons sometimes line up outside the restaurant before 12 pm, waiting for it to open, tables are generally still available from noon until 2:30 pm, when the restaurant closes in preparation for the evening rush at 5:30.

The Italian eatery is charmingly small, decorated with family photos from proprietor Beto DiCarlo’s family, and with an intimacy that calls for conversation. The patterned tile flooring is straight out of New York’s Little Italy. The menu is full of Italian favorites like chicken parm (aka pollo parmigiana), pasta carbonara, and spaghetti with meatballs, just the kind of authentic, family-style offerings that keep the clientele coming back for more.

While the full menu is available for lunch, the daily two-course specials will save a few dollars if you’d like a salad or soup with the meal. So, for $23, the price of entrees like pollo alla Francese or pollo alla Sorrentino, you also get the soup of the day ($8) or a salad ($9). And you get what may be the consistently best thing that Fratellino offers: their hot, homemade bread with a chilled, chopped tomato bruschetta.

As for the daily specials, each brings the choice of a pasta dish, a chicken dish and, except

for Thursday’s eggplant Parmigian, a salmon dish. The penne carbonara is available on Tuesdays, one of the days we visited. Tossed in a light, buttery cream sauce and then further enhanced with shallots, imported pancetta, and pecorino romano cheese, the dish rivals even its famous iteration at Eating House, Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli’s restaurant on Giralda Plaza, which is known for its delectability and density. Fratellino’s version is much lighter. The small pieces of pancetta (salt-cured pork belly) add depth and some salt to an otherwise savory dish, and the cheese is freshly grated. If you’re looking for that creamy taste without feeling the need to nap immediately afterward, this carbonara is for you. Other days of the week offer similarly well-prepared linguini and penne dishes.

Fratellino isn’t all pasta though, and we returned on a Friday to sample their salmon fillet with a picatta pomodoro sauce. It came with steamed broccoli and pan-fried potatoes dusted with paprika. A lovely tomato sauce with onion and capers, for that downhome Italian peasant – i.e. family – flavor. We also opted for a carrot soup instead of the house or Caesar salad. What can we say? It was a chilly day that required some warming up.

So, if you’ve ever been curious as to why Fratellino enjoys such a loyal following, but don’t want to wait for a dinner reservation to open up, the daily lunch special is a fine way to satisfy your curiosity, and appetite. ■

FRATELLINO RISTORANTE 264 MIRACLE MILE 786.452.0068

FROM THE TOP: CHARMINGLY SMALL INTERIOR CARROT SOUP PENNE CARBONARA SALMON FILLET

Redfish Reborn

CHEF DONATELLA BRINGS REFRESHING CHANGES TO THE REDFISH GRILL

BY ANDREW GAYLE

For anyone who grew up in Coral Gables, the snack shack in the historic coral WPA building by the lagoon in Matheson Hammock Park meant old fashioned beach concession food – hot dogs, hamburgers, and fries. Even when it became Redfish Grill, there was something bohemian about the place, very laidback, Florida Keys-style.

The building was severely damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and was closed until its resuscitation by the Barreto Hospitality Group into the very fancy Redfish Grill by Adrianne, using the culinary skills of Chef Adrianne Calvo (she of Cracked and Vineyard Restaurant fame).

Now Redfish is born again, this time as NOMA Beach at Redfish, under the command of celebrity Chef Donatella Arpaia (a regular judge on the Food Network’s “Iron Chef” series). We could not be happier with the results. The pricey haute cuisine of Chef Adrianne has been replaced with simpler, more moderately priced dishes that feel much closer to the old Redfish, albeit with an Italian seafood spin.

“My background is Italian, and I grew up spending my summers on the coast of Naples and Puglia,” says Chef Donatella. “When I saw this [opportunity], I thought about, obviously, a focus on seafood, on local, on seasonal. There are not enough people doing local fish, I find, in Miami… People are angry because I don’t have

TOP: SPECTACULAR OUTSIDE DINING WITH VIEWS ACROSS THE LAGOON & BISCAYNE BAY

OPPOSITE PAGE:

TOP LEFT: RIGATONI WITH MEATBALLS

TOP RIGHT: BABY ARUGULA SALAD

MIDDLE RIGHT: CRISPY SPICY CAULIFLOWER

BOTTOM RIGHT: WHOLE RED SNAPPER

NOMA BEACH AT REDFISH 9610 OLD CUTLER RD.

305.668.8788

NOMA-BEACH.COM

“WE REDID EVERYTHING. IT NEEDED A NEW HEART, AND NOW IT HAS A NEW HEART.”

CHEF DONATELLA ARPAIA, ABOVE

branzino, but it’s frozen. I want fresh fish.”

With that in mind, we started by sampling two of the thin-sliced crudos of marinated fish ($25-$26) – the sashimi-grade yellowfin tuna with lemon juice, olive oil, fried capers, and Fresno chilis, and the Florida Keys snapper with lemon, olive oil, pistachios, mint, and lemon zest. Both light, tangy, citrusy, and refreshing.

From the antipasti section of the menu, we tried the burrata salad and the baby arugula salad ($32 and $22 respectively). Burrata is a special ball of cheese, with mozzarella on the outside and a core of creamy stracciatella on the inside, ours resting on a bed of balsamic-laced heirloom tomatoes. A classic done perfectly. The arugula salad was a novelty – the arugula, combined with mint, Spanish almonds, and ricotta, was wrapped in prosciutto de parma. There was something about the contrast between leaf, cheese, salty ham, and almonds that made it a table favorite.

What really rocked us were the entrees. The first was the rigatoni with meatballs ($35). Immensely satisfying homemade pasta with Donatella’s famous meatballs (you can order them separately, and they are a perfect combination of braised veal, beef, Parmigiano Reggiano, and grilled focaccia, or Italian breadcrumbs). The second was a showstopper: the two-pound snapper, flash-fried whole and presented like an upright dragon (MP, about $65) and served with lemon vinaigrette. Each piece, pulled off and dipped, was moist and flavorful with a crunchy edge. Extraordinary. We split the fish among us, along with a side dish that also amazed: the crispy, spicy cauliflower, lightly fried in sesame oil. which could turn anyone into a lover of crustaceous veggies.

What remains the same at Redfish, besides the historic building, is the elegant contemporary décor of the enlarged patio area, open to the lagoon and Biscayne Bay beyond. The evening effect is magical, with the palms wrapped in white lights and blue lamps on each table. This is the only waterfront restaurant in Coral Gables, and part of the adventure – especially at night – is driving through the native flora from Old Cutler Road to Matheson Hammock Park.

Another nice pricing adjustment: cocktails that were $28 are now $16. We tried the Donatella special, of course, consisting of Tanqueray gin, cucumber, fresh lime juice, mint, and orange bitters. A strong cucumber flavor but also citrusy; a good thirst quencher for an afternoon visit (they also serve lunch).

Chef Donatella, who lives close to NOMA, is making it a truly chef-driven neighborhood restaurant, and she is having plenty of fun doing it. “We redid everything. It needed a new heart, and now it has a new heart,” she says. “It’s a very special place. I wanted something that I was passionate about, that was like an extension of my own home. It had to be within two miles – I have young babies.” ■

Greg Guiteras president CEO

People

Featuring:

William René Salamanca Ramirez

Luca Mencarini

William Castaño-Bedoya

LUCA MENCARINI STYLING HAIR

William René Salamanca Ramirez

Recently appointed Colombian Consul General William René Salamanca Ramirez has had a long police career in Colombia. In his time as Inspector General overseeing the public conduct of those in office and the functions of government agencies, he created the Human Rights Observatory and fought for transparency in the National Police. He also implemented a Children and Adolescents Police and strengthened the nation’s Environmental Police, among other accomplishments. His security assignments included the protection of presidential candidates and other political figures, and he has also advised the current Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, on issues of security, environmental protections, and natural resources.

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT

Last October, President Petro appointed Salamanca Ramirez to be the central consul general in Miami. Working out of the consulate’s Coral Gables office across from the Coral Gables Museum, Salamanca Ramirez is working to support government institutions like ProColombia, which helps promote international trade, tourism, and investment in Colombia, and to service the roughly 800,000 Colombians who live in South Florida. “We are also conscious that the goals of President Petro [include the] protection of the environment, water, and life, and how the government of the United States adds to these initiatives,” the consul general said.

WHAT HE SAYS

“It was an exclusive decision of [President] Gustavo Petro that I be chosen as the consul general in Miami, with various purposes. The first, to unite the Colombian community. The second, to accompany the Colombians here and strengthen his [advocacy] for their activities in academia, culture, sports, and gastronomy.... And third, to strengthen the cooperative bonds between the state authorities and federal authorities, and [ensure] that the Colombian Consulate be a consulate with an open-door policy to all Colombian citizens.” As for Coral Gables, Salamanca Ramirez says, “I’m delighted with the city’s welcome to the activities provided by Colombians here… I also find diverse cultures, which... requires admiration for a city like this that welcomes so many citizens from various nationalities.”

COLOMBIAN CONSUL GENERAL

I’M DELIGHTED WITH THE CITY’S WELCOME TO THE ACTIVITIES PROVIDED BY COLOMBIANS HERE… ”

Photo by Rodolfo Benitez

FABULOUS FLOOR PLAN FOR A LARGE FAMILY

Luca Mencarini

International hair stylist and photographer Luca Mencarini started styling hair when he was 20 years old, moving between Rome and London as he gained experience. The Italian has since traveled the globe, opening hair salons in such far-flung places as Bogotá and Mexico City. In 1994, he moved to Miami and began opening salons, the first of which was in Coconut Grove in 1996 and the second in Coral Gables in 2000, which he describes as “the artist’s salon in Miami.” Seven years ago, he moved to a more private studio space in the Gables at 145 Madeira Ave #101, and has never looked back. Mencarini has created his own specialized hair and skincare product line, worked with celebrities, and recently taken up photography. About six months ago, he partnered with his wife, Lola Green, to open a photography business – Green specializes in food imagery, while Mencarini focuses more on portraits.

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT

Mencarini has been styling hair for decades, often working with celebrities like soccer star Diego Maradona and fashion designer Silvia Tcherassi. In 2016, however, he discovered a new passion for photography, and a few months ago, when he and Green decided to have a baby, the inspiration to work together struck. The couple now often collaborate on shoots where Mencarini styles the model’s hair and then the two of them take the photographs together. Currently, they are working on a series called “Food Obsession,” which draws on Green’s expertise in food photography and Mencarini’s talents in hair styling and portraiture.

WHAT HE SAYS

“I used to live in Rome and I decided to come to the U.S. on vacation. At the time, I had an academy in Rome where I used to teach and a beauty salon. I [ended up moving] to Coral Gables, got a work visa, and then everything started. I opened salons in Bogotá and Mexico City, I did commercials, I traveled all over. My clients were all these famous people…. [But] I like Coral Gables because you can find professional people, elegant people, and I really like the neighborhood. There is a place in Rome that is very similar.”

“I ENDED UP MOVING TO CORAL GABLES, GOT A WORK VISA, AND THEN EVERYTHING STARTED... ”

Presents

With generous support from Henry R. Muñoz III and Baptist Health

A Miami story and a Florida premiere.

Directed by Dámaso Rodríguez

April 15 - May 14

Preview performance: Friday, April 14

As Hurricane Andrew threatens Miami, a mother and daughter ready themselves for the storm, but Abuela takes shelter in a world of memory, music and magic. A powerful tale of family and forgiveness, El Huracán, written by Miami native and recent Academy Award winner Charise Castro Smith (Disney’s Encanto), reveals what can be rebuilt in the aftermath of life’s most devastating tempests and what can never be replaced. A Florida Premiere inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

“…magical realism that touches on the domestic in drama-queen-like ways…”

The Houston Chronicle

William Castaño-Bedoya

Growing up in Colombia, William Castaño-Bedoya would jot down stories in school notebooks before he moved to Coral Gables as a young man in the 1980s. He started by bussing tables and cleaning department stores, but by the late ’90s had established an advertising and marketing agency in downtown Coral Gables alongside his wife, Dora-Luz Longas. The company grew to work with multinational clients like MasterCard, but Castaño-Bedoya’s mind always wandered back to his true calling: writing. Following the closure of the marketing agency in 2018, the writer decided to dust off a novel he had finished in the early 2000s and devote his time, alongside his daughter Camila, to sharing it with the world through their publishing agency, Book&Bilias, which they founded in 2021. “Flowers for Maria Sucel,” dedicated to Castaño-Bedoya’s mother, was written in the same Coral Gables home he lives in today. Although his work is fiction, much of it is based on personal experiences, which he expands upon in his second novel, “Los Monólogos de Ludovico,” which details absurd scenarios from a sixteen-day family reunion in the Gables.

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT

Castaño-Bedoya’s third and most recently published novel, “The Galpon,” will be available online in English this month via all major bookstores. The novel explores the double standards of the corporate world through a set of characters in the ’80s, including the main character, who lives in the Gables. His upcoming novel, “We the Other People: The Beggars of the Mercury Lights” is an American social story about a character who lives in a house on Alhambra Circle and becomes acutely aware of the struggles of others after suffering from depression. The estimated release date for the English version is May 30, with the Spanish version released June 15.

WHAT HE SAYS

“Thinking is a human’s best source of entertainment,” says Castaño-Bedoya. “We wouldn’t function the same without it. I’m a very observant person – I can look at anyone, whether it be the disenfranchised or the opulent members of the upper class, and wonder about their inner character. I study who they present themselves to be and create stories about them, regardless of who they actually are.”

AUTHOR AND CO-FOUNDER OF BOOK&BILIAS

“THINKING IS A HUMAN’S BEST SOURCE OF ENTERTAINMENT. WE WOULDN’T FUNCTION THE SAME WITHOUT IT.”

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

SUSTAINABILITY AND THE CITY

“ WE HAVE TO PREPARE OURSELVES TO CONSUME LESS WITHOUT AFFECTING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.”

MAYOR VINCE LAGO WITH HIS DAUGHTERS, ABOUT TO CHARGE THEIR ELECTRIC CAR, USING POWER FROM THEIR HOME’S SOLAR PANELS

Photo by Rodolfo Benitez

WITH STRONG DIRECTION FROM CITY LEADERS, CORAL GABLES CUTS A LEADING PATH FOR GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES

BY KATELIN STECZ

Matt Anderson, Coral Gables’ resiliency and sustainability manager steps out of his car at Kerdyk Park and takes a deep breath. Immediately it hits him, the rich aroma of pine, spruce, and fir: the smell of Christmas. Even though it’s March in Coral Gables, Anderson isn’t surprised by the out-of-place fragrance. For him, it’s just a marker of the city’s progress and commitment to the future.

For the last eight years, Anderson has headed up the city’s sustainability department, creating and implementing many of the initiatives that have made Coral Gables that much greener. One of the city’s more fragrant projects is its Christmas tree recycling program. Every year after the holiday season, the city offers residents free disposal of their Christmas trees. But instead of transporting them to the landfill, the city turns them into mulch that’s used as groundcover in green spaces like Kerdyk Park.

Coral Gables’ Christmas tree project is just one of the ways the city is setting the standard for sustainability. Its other initiatives include everything from minimizing fuel consumption with electric vehicles to reducing fertilizer pollution to piloting environmental research programs with local universities and organizations.

“What we define as sustainability is a very broad spectrum of things, but all of it really boils down to reducing our operational impacts on the environment,” says Anderson. “We’re looking to keep and improve our City Beautiful, not only for our current generation but for future generations as well.”

Mayor Vince Lago, who has been a staunch advocate of green practices for the city (see sidebar), puts it this way: “We have to prepare ourselves to consume less without affecting our quality of life, and that can happen through advancements in sustainability and the use of renewables.” For Lago, who

“ WE’RE LOOKING TO KEEP AND IMPROVE OUR CITY BEAUTIFUL, NOT ONLY FOR OUR CURRENT GENERATION BUT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS AS WELL.”

MATT ANDERSON, CORAL GABLES RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY MANAGER

is also an advocate for conservative fiscal management, good green practices are also good economics. “If your goal is to be as sustainable as possible, both to protect the environment and to put more money in your pocket… I am a big believer that there is a significant financial windfall from being sustainable, and that is evident in renewables like solar panels.” Walking the walk, Lago drives an electric vehicle which is charged by solar panels at his home. “Solar saves me personally more than 90 percent of the electric bill, and [going electric] affords me the privilege of not going to a gas station.”

The use of solar and other renewables, however, is just one tool in the city’s arsenal of techniques and technologies to be a green city.

RECYCLE

When it comes to making a city greener, most cities start with recycling. Outside of turning your old Christmas tree into festive mulch, Coral Gables offers myriad opportunities for residents to recycle personal items in addition to the recycling bins that all homeowners can use.

Every year in April and November, the city hosts a recycling drive-through at the War Memorial Youth Center. The drive gives residents the chance to shred sensitive documents, donate gently used clothing, and dispose of electronic and household hazardous waste.

Since the biannual event started in 2016, it’s grown immensely and has become a staple in the community. Coral Gables resident and chair of the city’s Sustainability Advisory Board, Marlin Ebbert, says that people wait in line for hours to recycle their items. “After the 4th of July and the tree-lighting ceremony, our two drive-thrus are the most popular events in the city. People line up half an hour

before we open up in the morning. I mean people are just delighted to get rid of this stuff,” says Ebbert.

Over the last seven years, the city has collected and diverted about 400,000 pounds of electronic and household hazardous waste, clothing, and sensitive documents from the landfill. Anderson estimates that the drive’s success will only increase. “We get anywhere from 400 to 500 cars coming every time, and I think it’s only going to grow,” he says. “I mean, everyone who shows up is really happy we have this event.”

In addition to its biannual recycling drive-through, the Gables has other unique recycling programs. Last year, the city started a battery recycling program and has already collected more than 1,200 pounds of the toxic fuel cells. Properly disposing of batteries has a massive impact on the environment as chemicals from just a few batteries can have devastating effects on the ecosystem.

Coral Gables also offers residents an opportunity to safely dispose of old prescription medication. Residents can drop off their medications at the police and fire headquarters throughout the year, and once the collection bin is full, the medications are taken to the waste energy plant in Doral, incinerated, and turned into energy for the facility. Just like batteries, prescription medications can be extremely hazardous to the environment, especially if flushed down the toilet. A study by Florida International University found that all 93 bonefish in a random sampling contained commonly prescribed pharmaceuticals.

Another recycling program that’s been the talk of the town –or rather the playground – has been the reverse vending machine at the War Memorial Youth Center. Thanks to a grant from the

“ PEOPLE LINE UP HALF AN HOUR BEFORE WE OPEN UP IN THE MORNING. I MEAN PEOPLE ARE JUST DELIGHTED TO GET RID OF THIS STUFF.”

OPPOSITE: MARLIN EBBERT, CHAIR OF CORAL GABLES SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD ON THE BI-ANNUAL RECYCLING DRIVE-THRU

ABOVE: DISPOSING ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

Florida Beverage Association, Coral Gables was able to launch a pilot program in November. Each time someone puts a container in the machine, they receive points, and at the end of the contest cycle, the top ten recyclers receive a sponsored prize from a local business.

So far, the machine has been a huge success, collecting over 4,000 containers in its first three months. “Now the Youth Center grounds are completely free of any bottles because you have all these kids running around trying to find bottles to win the contest,” says Solanch Lopez, the marketing manager for the city’s Economic Development Department, and the liaison for the City Beautiful program. “And the kids love the crunching sound the machine makes.”

REDUCE

After recycling, cities look at ways they can limit their impact on the environment via reduced energy consumption, and here again Coral Gables is a leader. One of the city’s crowning sustainability achievements is its use of electric transportation. The city has more

THE CLEANING OF THE GABLES

Over the last three years, volunteers have collected 245,000 pounds of debris from the streets and parks of Coral Gables. While much of this weight came from recycled Christmas trees, there have been numerous collection events sponsored by Keep Coral Gables Beautiful. A sampling:

DEBRIS

THE GREEN MAYOR

Part of what makes Coral Gables a model of sustainability is leadership from the top. Mayor Vince Lago, first as city commissioner, then as vice mayor, and now as mayor, has left behind a long record of pro-environmental legislation which he initiated. What follows are highlights of what he sponsored:

2015

A RESOLUTION DISCOURAGING USE OF POLYSTYRENE IN THE CITY

A RESOLUTION TO WAIVE ALL CITY PERMIT FEES FOR SOLAR PANELS

2016

AN ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT THE USE OF POLYSTYRENE BY THE CITY

AN ORDINANCE TO CREATE A WATERWAY ADVISORY BOARD

AN ORDINANCE FOR THE CITY TO PURCHASE SUSTAINABLE GOODS FIRST

2017

AN ORDINANCE PROTECTING THE TREE CANOPY AND PREVENT TREE REMOVAL

AN ORDINANCE REDUCING RESIDENTIAL STREET SPEED LIMITS TO 25 MPH

AN ORDINANCE LIMITING THE USE OF SINGLE PLASTIC BAGS FOR CARRY OUT

2018

AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS

AN ORDINANCE TO TRANSFER DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS IN RETURN FOR OPEN SPACE

A RESOLUTION TO USE PARK IMPACT FEES TO PURCHASE NEW PARKS

2019

AN ORDINANCE TO RECYCLE RESIDENTIAL CARDBOARD RATHER THAN DISPOSING AS REFUSE

A RESOLUTION TO EXPLORE THE COST OF UNDERGROUNDING POWER LINES

A RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE STATE STATUTES THAT PERMIT POLYSTYRENE AND PLASTIC BAGS

2020

A RESOLUTION DECLARING A CLIMATE EMERGENCY AND REQUESTING STATE AND FEDERAL ACTION

A RESOLUTION TO URGE THE COUNTY TO COMPLETE THE OLD CUTLER TRAIL BICYCLE PATH

AN ORDINANCE STRENGTHENING PENALTIES FOR DISCHARGING TRASH INTO WATERWAYS

2021

A PRESENTATION TO ADVANCE THE STORM WATER PURIFICATION PROGRAM

A PRESENTATION TO RE-ESTABLISH NATIVE OYSTERS TO COMBAT WATERWAY NUTRIENT POLLUTION

A RESOLUTION TO STRENGTHEN PROTECTION OF TREES IN CITY RIGHTS OF WAY

2022

A RESOLUTION TO WAIVE PERMIT FEES FOR RESIDENTIAL EV CHARGING STATIONS

AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING BUSINESSES TO MAINTAIN THEIR SIDEWALKS AND SWALES

A RESOLUTION TO CEASE THE USE OF GAS OPERATED LEAF BLOWERS

2023

A RESOLUTION TO INSTALL SOLAR PANELS ATOP THE GRANADA CLUBHOUSE

A DISCUSSION ON THE USE OF A PROGRAM TO RECYCLE GREEN WASTE INTO CONCRETE

AN ORDINANCE STRENGTHENING PENALTIES FOR ABANDONED CONSTRUCTION

SIGNAGE

than 70 electric vehicles (EVs), about 12 percent of its fleet. This is the highest percentage for any city in the state. The city also has 41 EV charging ports with plans to add 190 more in the next four to five years.

According to Ariel Manso, the sales director of Mercedes-Benz of Coral Gables, Coral Gables residents have jumped on the EV movement. Manso has seen demand for EVs steadily increase at the dealership, and he projects that as EV infrastructure develops and more models are made available, people will make the switch.

“At the beginning, I didn’t believe in them. And you know what? Now I believe in it. You have to drive one of these cars to see how nice it drives and how convenient it is,” says Manso. “Electric vehicles are the future. Slowly but surely, once you see more charging stations, you’re going to see the demand increase.” In 2023, Mercedes will produce 40,000 to 50,000 EVs – around 15 percent of its total cars for the year.

Coral Gables’ adoption of EV infrastructure also attracts more economic activity downtown. “We’ve spoken with a number of both residents and people that don’t live in our community that actually drive to Coral Gables to charge their electric cars,” says Anderson. “And while they’re charging their electric cars, guess what? They’re visiting our local businesses.” As Lago notes, the use of EVs also protects the city from fluctuations in fuel prices, “and they travel

in silence, alleviating some of the noise pollution.”

Another way the Gables uses EV technology is with Freebees. These funny-looking, elongated electric golf carts zip around downtown, toting Gables residents at no charge; residents need only download the Freebee app to request a ride. Not only do they avoid the use of polluting fossil fuels, but ridesharing services like this reduce total energy consumption.

Coral Gables is also looking to solar energy to reduce its energy needs. In 2018, the city installed 11 solar-powered charging benches in its public parks for free use by residents; they are especially useful during electrical outages. The city has also waived permit fees for residential solar installations, and has expanded the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. This program allows residents to borrow money for home energy improvements and pay

back the loan through their property taxes. Mayor Lago used PACE to help finance the solar panels on his home.

On the commercial side, in order to mitigate the environmental impact of new development, the city has implemented a green building initiative that requires all new buildings over 20,000-square-feet to be constructed to LEED Silver standards. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the widely used rating system by the U.S. Green Building Council. Buildings built to LEED standards use, on average, 18 to 39 percent less energy than their conventional counterparts.

In order to encourage LEED building practices, the city requires major development projects to set aside three percent of their construction cost as a “Green Building Bond.” The project then has two years to earn a green certification. Otherwise, the money is forfeited so that the city may take appropriate actions to fulfill the green building requirement.

PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES

On the community side of sustainability, Gables residents and businesses alike have made significant efforts for a greener city. From planting pollinator patches to enlightening citizens about climate change, the community is doing what it can to advance sustain-

“ ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE THE FUTURE. SLOWLY BUT SURELY, ONCE YOU SEE MORE CHARGING STATIONS, YOU’RE GOING TO SEE THE DEMAND INCREASE.”

ARIEL MANSO, SALES DIRECTOR OF MERCEDES-BENZ OF CORAL GABLES, ON EV PROLIFERATION

Photo by Rodolfo Benitez

ability. Greg Hamra, a member of the Coral Gables Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) and group leader for Miami’s chapter of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, is an educator who has taught at the University of Miami. He believes in looking at the big picture and advocates combatting climate change through policy change.

“It’s a global problem. It’s called global warming,” says Hamra. “This means that governments have to act with other governments.” And even though Coral Gables can’t dictate global policy, it can serve as an example and a leader. Two years ago, the city joined with 130 other local governments in passing a municipal resolution to support the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. This act would charge large producers of greenhouse gases a fee for every metric ton of CO2 they emit. Last year, the Gables passed a complementary resolution supporting a carbon border adjustment that would apply fees on imported goods based on their CO2 emissions.

Hamra suggests that Coral Gables residents get involved with the Citizens’ Climate Lobby to influence elected leaders for serious policy change. “We realize politicians don’t create political will. They respond to it,” he says.

Ebbert is another notable resident heavily involved in the community’s sustainability efforts. In addition to her work as head of the SAB, she’s also chair of the Coral Gables Art Cinema Board and a member of the Coral Gables Garden Club. Ebbert, along with Hamra, is one of the 11 members of the sustainability board, which advises the city commission on progressive actions.

Ebbert has been an integral part of city programs like its recycling drive-thru and is partially responsible for the Coral Gables Art Cinema joining the list of “green businesses.” The city launched its Green Business Initiative in 2019 to recognize and award local businesses for sustainability practices and educate them on further measures they can take. Businesses can apply for free for certification based on their solid waste reduction and recycling, energy and water conservation, and pollution prevention.

Ebbert says it’s important for businesses to take part in the larger conversation about sustainability because they have such a wide reach. “The cinema gets hundreds of patrons through the doors, and I think that it’s our duty and responsibility to set a good example. Simply changing out the light bulbs to LED bulbs, using timers, using paper cups instead of plastic, and having recycling bins – these small things can have a huge impact,” she says.

Lopez is another local leader who understands the impact of small changes on sustainability (see sidebar). As the volunteer head of Keep Coral Gables Beautiful, the city’s marketing manager for economic development has affiliated the city with the national Keep America Beautiful movement. This has translated into three years of organizing volunteer programs to collect trash from Matheson Hammock, clean city streets, and recycle waste. All told, including Christmas tree recycling and hazardous waste collection, Keep Coral Gables Beautiful has removed more than 245,000 pounds of debris from the city.

“Anybody can have an idea. And as long as you push forward and try, you can make something really wonderful that has a really big impact,” says Lopez.

The Coral Gables Garden Club is also, as you might expect, engaged in keeping the city green. Its Project Canopy focuses on planting native and flowering trees in Coral Gables public schools and green spaces. And its Red Mangrove Project, with help from member and City Commissioner Rhonda Anderson, retrieved hundreds of mangrove pups from Matheson Hammock last year and raised them in the Boy Scout property on Granada Golf Course for later re-introduction to the coastline. It was so successful that it

KEEPING CORAL GABLES BEAUTIFUL

Solanch Lopez, shown above with Matt Anderson, officially started her career with the city working in the city manager’s office after college. She soon became assistant to the city manager and began using her position to effect change. In 2020, Lopez proposed that Coral Gables become an affiliate of the Keep America Beautiful movement. She felt the city was already aligned with the mission of the movement, and that becoming an affiliate would open the city up to grant opportunities and programming ideas. Through the Keep Coral Gables Beautiful program, Lopez has helped jumpstart the city’s reverse vending machine and battery recycling programs as well as organize a variety of cleanup events.

Three years ago, Lopez helped put together the city’s (now) annual plogging event at Matheson Hammock Park, which kicks off Keep America Beautiful’s “Great American Clean Up” program. The project challenges its affiliates to pick up as much litter as possible from March 21 to June 22. Lopez introduced a concept she had recently heard about: “plogging,” a combination of the word “jogging” and a Swedish word that means to “pick up.” Volunteers were given trash-picking “arms” so they could jog while removing trash from the mangroves.

“Any litter that ends up in Biscayne Bay can come into the mangroves at high tide and then get stuck there, so it’s always a place where we can have a lot of positive impact,” says Lopez.

She also helps with other community clean-ups like the Chamber’s Downtown Community Cleanup and similar events by organizations like the Coral Gables Woman’s Club and the Girl Scouts. Lopez recounts the impact that a recent Girl Scout clean-up had at Matheson Hammock, saying, “It was great to see all the girls so excited. They got the opportunity to learn about their local environment. I think that experience really makes a difference because it shows them why it’s important to take care of the environment. And that matters because they’re our future. They’re going to have the biggest impact.”

Out of 700 certified affiliates, Keep Coral Gables Beautiful was just named the Keep America Beautiful Affiliate of the Month for April 2023.

ANDERSON, LOPEZ, AND RECYCLING MACHINE

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“ LITTER THAT ENDS UP IN BISCAYNE BAY CAN COME INTO THE MANGROVES AT HIGH TIDE AND THEN GET STUCK THERE, SO IT’S ALWAYS A PLACE WHERE WE CAN HAVE A LOT OF POSITIVE IMPACT.”

SOLANCH LOPEZ, LIAISON FOR THE CITY BEAUTIFUL PROGRAM, ON THE “PLOGGING” OF MATHESON HAMMOCK PARK, ABOVE.

attracted the attention of National Geographic RESILIENCY

While sustainability measures are aimed at reducing present and future waste, the city must also figure out how it will deal with climate change and the ensuing rise of sea levels.

The city now works with the University of Miami, Florida International University, and Miami Waterkeeper to look at research-driven solutions for problems like abnormally high tides as well as water quality in the Coral Gables Waterway. Tide gauges and water sensors line the canal to gather localized data.

By monitoring the bay and waterway on a regular basis, the city can get an idea of how much the water levels may increase in subsequent years. The data is part of the city’s larger resiliency plan to prepare for rising sea levels, for which the city has created a sea level rise mitigation fund. Every year since 2017, the city has set aside money for future generations to deal with climate change; the fund currently has $13 million, with a goal of $100 million by 2040.

“As far as I know, we’re probably the first city in the entire country that’s looked at something like this,” says Anderson. “We know everybody is going to be looking for funding for resiliency and adaptation as sea level rise continues, and we want to have something stored away for when the worst comes.”

Coral Gables also contributes to its resiliency by acquiring more green space and expanding its already extensive tree canopy. Currently, the city’s canopy – with 38,000 trees maintained in public spaces – provides 41 percent tree coverage, and for the last 37 years, Coral Gables has been a designated Tree City USA. By expanding green space and maintaining its tree canopy, the city safeguards itself from extreme weather events, reducing stormwater flows and cooling the city during extreme heat waves.

“One of the most important things we’ve done is the Parks Trust Ordinance, which places a 0.5 percent fee on every development permit in the city, which delivers the [funding] resources to purchase green space in the future,” says Lago.

Thanks to its plethora of green practices, Coral Gables is setting the example for how cities can operate a sustainable present and navigate the future of climate change. In 2015, the city came up with a ten-year sustainability master plan to cut energy use, fuel use, water use, and greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent. So far, the city is well on its way to achieving those goals. Thanks to its leaders, residents, and businesses, Coral Gables is showing the rest of the country how it can continue to grow while maintaining the environment. In the end, it comes down to each citizen doing what they can. Says sustainability chair Ebbert: “People want to do the right thing. You just have to make it easy for them.” ■

VOTE, CORAL GABLES

DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE THREE WAYS TO VOTE IN THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES?

Remember that for Coral Gables city elections you will be able to vote or drop-off your mail-in ballot early, at the Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center, 405 University Drive. These options afford you ample time and opportunity to cast your ballot. If you’re not able to vote early, you may vote by mail in addition to in-person precinct voting on the day of the election.

Important Dates

Tuesday, April 11 General Election

Tuesday, April 25 Runoff Election

On these dates, you vote at your assigned precinct.

You can vote early or drop-off your mail-in ballot at the Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center, 405 University Drive

General Election Early Voting

Saturday, April 1: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Sunday, April 2: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 8: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Runoff Election Early Voting

Saturday, April 22: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Sunday, April 23: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

For more information, call 305-460-5210 or visit www.coralgables.com/elections

WAYS TO VOTE

for Parks A Passion

“WHEN YOU CREATE A PARK IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, IT’S AMAZING THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK YOU GET FROM PEOPLE YOU’VE NEVER HEARD FROM.”

VICE MAYOR MICHAEL MENA IN MAGGIORE PARK

The city’s parks system is undergoing a historic expansion and upgrade, thanks in large part to outgoing Vice Mayor Michael Mena – along with a little help from his friends.

BY NATALIA CLEMENT

Sitting at the newly erected Maggiore Park, Vice Mayor Mena reflects on his time in local government through the lens of a parent. He recalls what pushed him to run for city commission back in 2017: the fact that his neighborhood park, William H. Kerdyk, Jr. and Family Park, had no playground.

“It had three stone animals that my kids would bust their lips on because they weren’t meant for climbing,” Mena says. “I tried going through the system but the feedback I got from the city at the time was, ‘Well, the neighborhood didn’t want a playground.’ I thought that was so absurd.”

MAGGIORE PARK, UNVEILED IN 2022

Mena was amazed at how easily a few opinionated neighbors could derail an issue as big as a park, which led him to seek an alternative route – public office. A key campaigning point for his 2017 election and 2019 reelection was enhancing the city’s parks and promoting green spaces. When he came into office, he viewed the parks system as earning “a solid B+.” He wanted to elevate it to an A+ system that other cities could look to as the standard.

Growing up in South Florida, playing sports outside was a major part of Mena’s childhood. To him, parks are the perfect opportunity for community engagement. “Everybody nowadays is connected to technology, even more so after the pandemic,” he says. “Parks get people outside; you get to meet your neighbors.” The pandemic also highlighted the need for more open spaces, with some parks becoming overrun with residents looking for an escape from lockdown.

Mena was not alone in his desire to upgrade the parks system, though the funding mechanisms in place to raise additional dollars for parks – namely park impact fees from developers, and a small surcharge on permitting fees – went largely towards purchasing new parcels. The goal of both the Community Recreation Department (formerly Parks & Rec) and Mayor Vince Lago was to have a neighborhood park within a half-mile or ten-minute walk of all residents.

The result has been nine new parks over the last five years – a prime example being The Betsy Adams and City of Coral Gables Garden Club Park, built in 2018 after the city purchased two adjacent, empty residential lots. Indeed, the city is committed to spending at least $5.5 million on the purchase of land for community recreation projects as part of its current 2023-2027 five-year capital improvement plan.

But what Mena wanted was, in addition to new space, an emphasis on upgrading the current parks. “My thing was highly focused on activating the parks, in particular for the kids; having families come out and have a place to go,” says Mena. So, in 2018, the vice mayor sponsored a resolution that would allocate 35 percent of park impact fees towards improvements for existing parks and open spaces, with the remaining 65 percent going towards acquiring new ones. “This was an amendment to legislation that [now mayor] Vince Lago had passed, to acquire land for parks,” Mena says. “My amendment was to improve existing parks. When I first ran [for commissioner] there were a few passive spaces and our core parks were not up to snuff, so I was trying to not just have the fees

“EVEN THOUGH I’VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS 27 YEARS, ONE OF THE REASONS I LOVE IT IS BECAUSE I’M A BIG KID.”

DIRECTOR

go to buying new parks, but for improving what we already had.”

Fred Couceyro, the city’s community recreation director, sees the last few years as the most “prolific and productive” in the evolution of the parks system throughout his 27 years of working for the city. Prioritizing funding to not only create new parks, but to maintain and enhance existing parks, was the driving factor, he says.

“If you only allocate enough money to create a decent park, but you don’t allocate enough money for an outstanding park,

you’re going to get what you pay for,” adds Mena.

Creating high-quality recreational areas in different parks – from better landscaping in pocket parks to installing new playgrounds in larger parks – is something the city is projected to spend $14 million on in the next five years, replacing and renovating “capital assets,” including playground equipment, structural components, dog parks, and so forth. This will provide renovations exemplified by Salvadore Park, which continues to receive praise from residents and visitors

FRED COUCEYRO, COMMUNITY RECREATION

TOP: PIERCE PARK, RENOVATED AND REOPENED IN FEBRUARY 2023

Maggiore Park

Pierce Park

Salvadore Park

Catalonia Park

William H. Kerdyk, Jr., and Family Park

Lamar Louise Curry Park

James T Barker Park

The Betsy Adams and City of Coral Gables Garden Club Park

Majorca Park

Phillips Park

Sarto Green

Jaycee Park

Ponce Circle Park

Alcazar Plaza

Alhambra Water Tower

Balboa Plaza

Carlos S. Kakouris Park

Robert J. Fewell Park

Country Club Prado

Enrique “Henry” Cepero Memorial Park

Granada Golf Course

Granada Park

J Fritz and Frances Gordon Park

Lisbon Park

Lola B. Walker Pioneers' Park

Merrick Park

Nellie B. Moore Park

Orduna Dr-Miller Rd Triangle Park

Rotary Centennial Park

Ruth Bryan Owen Waterway Park

San Sebastian Park

Sarto Green

William A. Cooper Park

Young Park

Graphic by Isabella Cascio

almost two years after its upgrade.

Couceyro says the park’s renovation is one of his career highlights, with a point of pride being the focus on accessibility and inclusivity. The renovation removed sidewalk barriers and added playground equipment and turf that allows for easy transfer from a wheelchair. Added sensory apparatuses within the playground cater specifically to kids with learning disabilities. All of this –along with more shade and an exhilarating, accessible zipline – keeps the park bustling with families.

Luis Debayle, a lifelong resident, frequents Salvadore with his three-yearold son. He considers it “the best park in Miami-Dade County” due to its enhanced safety and variety of activities for all ages. The location and popularity of the park also means Debayle frequently runs into family friends and his son’s preschool classmates. Compared to his time as a kid playing at

Salvadore in the ’90s, he says the upgrades have made a huge difference. “Back then, it was just a sandbox with a slide and a couple of swings…. Now, the entertainment for my kid is extensive.”

Debayle says his son is the biggest advocate of Salvadore. “He’s three years old, can barely speak, but he’ll say, ‘I want parky with papas,’” he says. “Even he recognizes a place where he feels safe and wants to play and have fun with his dad.”

Not everything has gone smoothly in the city’s efforts to upgrade parks. After his election in 2020, City Commissioner Kirk Menendez led a campaign to comprehensively upgrade the entire parks system, including creating an indoor swimming pool and track at the War Memorial Youth Center where he coached soccer for many years. That $160 million plan was rejected last year by his fellow commissioners, as was a scaled down $60 million version, both of which

TOP: SALVADORE PARK HAS BECOME A LOCAL RESDIENT FAVORITE AFTER BEING RENOVATED TWO YEARS AGO.

BELOW: THE BETSY ADAM PARK, CREATED FROM TWO EMPTY RESIDENTIAL LOTS.

NEW PARKS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS

NEW PARKS

BETSY ADAMS PARK

LAMAR LOUISE CURRY PARK

DURANGO PARK

CATALONIA PARK

MAGGIORE PARK

JAMES T. BARKER PARK

JAMES H. SMITH PARK

MAJORCA PARK

SOLANO PRADO

SARTO GREEN

UPDATED PARKS

KERDYK PARK

SALVADORE PARK

JAYCEE PARK

PIERCE PARK

CARLOS S. KAKOURIS PARK

would have required a public referendum to increase taxes to pay for it.

“With the uncertainty of the economy and inflation, the commission felt it was in the best interests of the city to hold off,” says Menendez, whose goal remains to have “the best parks system in the State of Florida.” What did survive in Menendez’s master plan was a dramatic upgrade to Phillips Park, the largest open space in the North Gables.

Out of a total of more than $49 million dollars projected to be allocated to the Community Recreation Department over the next five years, $9.5 million will be spent on a long-overdue renovation of Phillips Park. The funding will, among other things, expand the playground area with new equipment, swings, artificial turf, and shades; expand and renovate the bathroom building to include an activity room, a small office, and storage; remove the dugout, backstop structure, and chain link fence and replace

it with new perimeter fencing; renovate the basketball and tennis courts; and add the city’s first splash pad water playground.

“Phillips Park is what came out of [the master plan] because a large percentage of the money was already available, not through a bond issue or referendum, but through other funding sources,” says Menendez, referencing money from the city’s capital improvements fund. “We found a solution to be able to go forward.”

Another hurdle in upgrading and expanding the parks system comes from the “not in my backyard” mindset some residents have against building an activated park across the street from their homes. Mena says that improving communication through neighborhood meetings and passing

commission mandates saying, “We’re doing it, we’d like your input,” has allowed new parks to come to fruition. Another approach is simply going door to door, as Commissioner Rhonda Anderson famously did to garner neighborhood support for a dog run at Salvadore Park.

“To me, they’re easy wins,” says Mena. “When you create a park in a neighborhood, it’s amazing the positive feedback [you get] from people you’ve never heard from, saying, ‘Thank you so much, this is great. I take my kid every day.’ And that’s what it’s all about.”

Young families tend to support having more parks but might not be engaged in local government to make it happen. “With real estate prices being where they are right now, [families are] paying a lot of money

for a modest-size home that might not have a huge yard, but they really want to live in the city,” Mena says. “Having a park in their neighborhood gives them an extended backyard where they can take their kids.”

Couceyro says the changes to Phillips Park will turn it into a satellite for the Youth Center, allowing residents to get the most out of the play areas and open field. Two upcoming projects he’s looking forward to are the renovations to Cooper Park and Nellie Moore Park, where possible additions include playgrounds and fitness equipment. Neighborhood meetings will be set up soon to gain insight from nearby residents.

Couceyro commends the commissioners and the mayor, saying the city is in a “sweet spot where all of our elected officials really know the value” in making sure Coral Gables has quality parks. One arm of that strategy has been negotiations by Mayor Lago with developers, granting minor height variances for new projects in exchange for creating neighborhood parks. A prime example is a deal he cut with developer Armando Codina. In exchange for 14 additional feet to Codina’s new downtown Regency apartment building on Salzedo (between Valencia and Almeria), the developer will donate a 10,000-square-foot park across the street on land valued at millions of dollars. “The fact that [the development] is creating green space is hugely important,” said Lago at the time.

“We’re going to continue to see that kind of overhaul and that kind of commitment, financially, from the city… to continue seeing our parks system grow to be the best in Miami-Dade County,” says Mena, who is retiring from office this month.

As his time in office ends, the vice mayor looks back on his tenure proudly. As we talked, we watched a toddler roam around the jungle gym at Maggiore Park, which not long ago was simply a plot of land that still doesn’t even appear on Google Maps. Passing by Kerdyk Park, the beginning of the vice mayor’s “passion project,” we see children running around, enjoying the shaded playground while their parents sit and chat. This was always the goal: creating activated green spaces that add to the city’s small-town feel. ■

TOP: THE WILLIAM H. KERDYK, JR., AND FAMILY PARK, WITH NEW EXERCISE GEAR

BELOW: THE LAMAR LOUISE CURRY PARK, DEDICATED LAST YEAR, LOCATED ACROSS FROM THE VENETIAN POOL.

Our Chamber Takes the Hill

Equal parts advocacy trip and opportunity for greater fellowship and networking, the Coral Gables Chamber’s yearly forays to D.C. are an invaluable opportunity to tell our story while sharing the needs of our local business community.

Of course, no matter how much planning we do around the issues we wish to highlight, there is always something that sucks the oxygen out of the room. This year, as Congress was coming off a district work week, we found ourselves in D.C. in the middle of a banking crisis conversation not seen since 2008. Yes, the issues were different, and the breadth and depth of the failures were not what we saw 15 years ago (thankfully), but they served as a reminder of how fragile our economy is and the stress that inflation has put on its recovery.

Nonetheless, we soldiered on with our legislative priorities that covered the gamut – funding for our mobility hub in the Gables, opposition to the FTC’s desire to eliminate all non-competes, greater dollars for small business, $725 million for Everglades restoration, and reauthorization/modernization of the Small Business Administration. We were joined by partners from Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and the Florida International University Alumni Association, along with members of our Business & Government Affairs Committee. FIU also hosted us in their gorgeous new space on New Jersey Avenue, in the shadow of the Capitol, for a briefing and tour.

With earmarks in play for the first time in nearly 15 years, the City of Coral Gables is seeking $4 million in funding for its future-forward mobility hub, thanks to the skillful work of Becker, the City’s federal lobbyist. We were able to meet with representatives from the offices of Congressman Gimenez, Congresswoman Salazar, and Congressman Diaz-Balart (who is the dean of the Florida delegation and a leader in appropriations) to lend our full-throated support for these dollars. We also met directly with Senators Rubio and Scott, both of whom support our stance on non-competes, small business funding (for the SBDC, SBA and SCORE), and greater accountability in government, especially as it relates to financial services.

While the news we are often fed in Miami is different from what may be happening in D.C., it is important for our leaders to hear directly from small business owners and those who are engaged in the day-to-day challenges of hiring a qualified workforce, having access to capital, and being able to scale and grow their businesses. This will be the theme of our Small Business Summit on May 3 at the Coral Gables Art Cinema. We hope you will spend the afternoon with us as we continue to be the leading advocate and champion for small business in our region. It’s in our DNA.

And do consider making plans to join us next year in either Tallahassee or D.C. to share your own story and how government can be more solutions-oriented. As we heard many times during our trip, members of Congress can’t help solve problems if they don’t hear and know about them. As a

Chamber, it’s our job to further amplify your voice. ■

This year, as Congress was coming off a district work week, we found ourselves in DC in the middle of a banking crisis conversation not seen since 2008...”

THIS PAST MONTH, OUR CORAL GABLES CHAMBER MEMBER DELEGATES “TOOK TO THE HILL” FOR OUR ANNUAL FLY-IN TO THE NATION’S CAPITAL.

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

Recent Business News of Interest

QUEST EXPANDS TO THE ALHAMBRA

Miami-based Quest Workspaces will occupy the entire 10th floor of the prestigious Alhambra Towers building at 121 Alhambra Plaza. The 22,522-square-feet of space will be Quest’s 13th location and is expected to open in the third quarter of this year. Quest’s other location is at 2525 Ponce de Leon Blvd., in the building which houses Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse. The coworking space will include individual offices, shared meeting spaces, and conference rooms.

EARNINGS REPORT

Coral Gables-based Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc., reported fourth quarter net income of $25.5 million on posted gross revenue of $60.8 million. For the year, the company reported revenue of $214.2 million and a profit of $83.1 million. Catalyst manufactures specialty drugs for rare diseases.

Coral Gables-based Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. reported fourth quarter net income of $18.3 million on posted revenue of $1.04 billion for the period. For the year, the food producer posted revenue of $4.44 billion and $98.6 million in profit. Fresh Del Monte has agriculture operations throughout Central and South America.

THE VILLAGE ADVANCES

With final approval from the City Commission, MG Developer is moving forward with the Village at Coral Gables residential compound. The Village at Coral Gables, previously called Gables Village, is an award-winning, low-rise complex of Mediterranean-styled townhouses, lofts, and condos consisting of 48 residential units on one full 2.6-acre block bounded by Malaga Avenue, Hernando Street, Santander Avenue, and Segovia Street.

MACPHERSON DROPS HER PRICE

In a sign that the white-hot, high-end real estate market might be coming back down to earth, supermodel Elle Macpherson has lowered the price of her Gables Estates home from $29 million to $22 million. She purchased the 8,314-square-foot home on a 1.71-acre lot for $8.1 million in 2018, and initially listed it last year. The six-bedroom house was first built in 1989, inspired by Tuscan architecture.

Coral Gables-based AerSale reported fourth quarter income of $9.2 million on revenue of $95.1 million, down from $11.2 million in income on revenue of $116.8 million the year before. For the full year, revenue reached $408.5 million, up from $340.4 million the year before. The company supplies flight equipment to major aircraft manufacturers.

CHURCH LAND FOR HOMES

The Christ Journey Church in Coral Gables has sold 13.5 acres of a 19.4-acre site that it owns on Sunset Drive and SW 73rd Court, just east of State Road 826 (the Palmetto). Coral Gables-based CC Homes, a joint venture between James Carr and Armando Codina (shown above), acquired the land for $13.25 million to build a residential community of 26 single-family homes. The church will use the funds to build a new 45,000-square-foot home on the remaining land, downscaling from their current 60,652-square-foot church at 624 Anastasia Ave. Two acres of existing forest on the property next to the development will be preserved.

NEW OFFICES

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., the mega wealth manager investment bank, has opened new offices in Coral Gables. More than 30 financial advisors are working in the new space at 2811 Ponce de Leon Blvd. – the north office tower of the Plaza Coral Gables project – having relocated from the firm’s former Miami headquarters in Coconut Grove.

ONWARD WITH ANNEXATION

A poll taken by the consulting firm McLaughlin & Associates shows 55 percent of voters in Coral Gables support the annexation of Little Gables, a 205-acre enclave surrounded by Coral Gables on three sides. Proponents of the annexation, including Mayor Vince Lago and Police Chief Ed Hudak, say it will increase the city’s tax base by millions of dollars and make policing the area more efficient. ■

Co smeti c B r e a st Su rge ry

Challenges

First, the ‘easy’: If you look in the mirror and like what you see but it’s only a bit small, consider yourself blessed, as only an implant should serve you well. The main challenge here is to find the anatomically appropriate, proportional implant size for you (best done during surgery), which will optimize your beauty - the main goal (!), not just making you bigger Also, an implant looking great on your friend does not mean it’s the best one for you

If your initial implant size exceeded your anatomical boundaries, due to your or your surgeon’s choice, future, and potentially avoidable, challenges are courted: excessive thinning of the breast, premature sagging, rippling, palpable implant edges - to name a few Oversized implants likely will

removing aged implants. Some patients develop symptomatic internal scarring around their implants (“capsular contracture”) that can be a challenge to manage and may require scar release or other surgery.

Implants simply become old after 10 to 15 years and need to be replaced or removed. A broken silicone implant often requires additional surgery to remove the silicone impregnated scar membrane (“capsule”) around the implant

It’s always easier to replace implants before their “expiration date”, involving minimal discomfort and downtime.

Quite a number of young patients have developmental issues with their breasts. Some simply grow too large and disproportionate, causing discomfort and interfering with their lifestyle. These can be helped, almost dramatically, with breast reduction surgery, an artistically challenging operation as the goal is not just smaller but beauty as well. Of course, this operation also helps non-adolescent patients whose previously pleasing breasts may have become heavy and sagging with nursing and time.

Constricted) Breast Deformity’, a congenital condition. This can vary from mild, requiring only an implant to distressingly severe, requiring several, separate challenging surgeries to arrive at an acceptable result. Hallmarks are significant asymmetry, underdevelopment, a tube-resembling (or constricted) breast appearance, along with disproportionate areolar dimensions.

Major (“bariatric”) weight loss also presents breast challenges

Usually, the severe atrophy and sagging requires substantial volume replacement with silicone implants plus major breast lifting.

If you were an A or B when young, then a small implant alone can do wonders for the deflation incurred after breast feeding or simply with time. Patients who were happy with a full B or C or larger cup in earlier years typically develop undesirable

specific symptoms If these symptoms cannot be medically explained or treated otherwise, despite a thorough medical work up, it’s probably best to remove such implants, at least to find out if the symptoms would disappear

After all, you choose to have implants to make yourself happier If implants don’t accomplish this goal, for whatever reason, removing them makes sense, even though you might need a breast lift to restore your aesthetics. Yet it’s worth mentioning that the majority of patients have no significant problems and are happy with their choice to have implants

Overall, cosmetic breast surgery is highly variable and always challenging as creating beauty is never easy, yet worth all the

As always, research and reflect carefully before proceeding with any cosmetic plastic surgery

STEPHAN BAKER , MD, FACS Plastic Surgery

of

the Face Breast

and

Body

Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery

305.381.8837 | www.drbaker.com

3850 Bird Road Suite 702, Miami, FL 33146

Keeping a Finger on the Gables Pulse

PACIFIC NATIONAL BANK LOOKS TO THE GABLES FOR NON-RESIDENT FOREIGN CLIENTS

BY J.P. FABER

Like many Miami area financial institutions, the headquarters for Pacific National Bank is located on Brickell Avenue, now dubbed Wall Street South. And like many Miami area banks, Pacific National maintains a presence in Coral Gables. It is, after all, the most affluent city in Miami-Dade County.

“Coral Gables is very important to us,” says Carlos Fernandez-Guzman, president and CEO of Pacific National. “Our Coral Gables Branch is a good source of non-resident alien (NRA) mortgages and personal interest-bearing accounts.”

While the Gables tilts a little more domestically than the bank’s Brickell branch (they also have one in Aventura), it still supplies an international clientele that is an important and growing part of the bank’s business mix. “Many of the domestic [Gables] clients have relationships with, and refer us to, foreign nationals… and referral sources appreciate the handholding and consultative approach we give to their referrals,” says Fernandez-Guzman.

Pacific National has always had a foreign connection, ever since it arrived in Miami as an Edge Act bank with Ecuadorian ownership in 1985. Fernandez-Guzman came on board in 2010, and in 2014 the bank was bought by a private group from Connecticut. “Initially, the bank was entirely focused on the Ecuadorian traffic and business. Today, we have international accounts from Ecuador [and from Chile, Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil] but we are 85 percent domestic,” he says. Most of that domestic business is in commercial real estate, everything from neighborhood retail centers to Class B suburban office buildings.

The 15 percent of the bank’s business that is international, however, is growing, and a big jump from the four to five percent it had dropped to when Fernandez-Guzman arrived. “[The global share] has grown prudently so that we don’t run into any compliance issues,” he says. “It does add some cost, but our goal is to meet every compliance need… We are extremely tough with due diligence.”

The relatively small percentage of foreign clients may also be deceptive. “We focus on domestic commercial real estate, but there are often foreign partners…. The majority [of deals] are domestic with some foreign participation,” says Pacific National’s CEO.

And while the bank does fund the purchase of real estate by foreign nationals, they do not facilitate the purchase of second homes for individuals, but rather for residences held in company names and used to produce income. “The bank does a lot of foreign national financing for folks that want a home they can live in eventually, but that can generate income now,” Fernandez-Guzman says.

The other side of international banking for Pacific National are “businesses or persons who want to maintain an account, sometimes for safety and sometimes for paying their bills through a U.S. account,” says the CEO. This includes keeping small accounts that clients use to pay for the management of their commercial properties.

One thing the bank does not do is trade finance. “Over the years, the letter-of-credit business has gone away” says Fernandez-Guzman. “We used to do it a lot, but we rarely provide that kind of lending now. Trying to maintain compliance [for trade finance] became too difficult.”

Leaving those activities to banks that specialize in trade finance hasn’t hurt the bank’s bottom line, however. Last year they crested $1 billion in assets. ■

CARLOS FERNANDEZ-GUZMAN, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF PACIFIC NATIONAL BANK

Coral Gables is very important to us. Our Coral Gables Branch is a good source of non-resident alien mortgages and personal interestbearing accounts.”

Photo by Rodolfo Benitez

International Banking in Coral Gables

“ IN THE LAST YEAR, WE’VE BROUGHT IN OVER $1.5 BILLION IN NEW MONEY FROM BRAZIL...

HENRIQUE

Photo by Rodolfo Benitez

”

LIMA, CEO AND PRESIDENT OF BRADESCO BANK

BY DOREEN HEMLOCK

Walk past the sprawling new The Plaza Coral Gables complex, and you might easily miss the headquarters of a multi-billion dollar bank based inside. The bank has no first-floor branch for local customers to come in and out. Indeed, it has no branch network, just one hub inside occupying two floors.

Coral Gables-based Bradesco Bank (assets: roughly $3.5 billion) moved into its new penthouse home in March from its long-time offices on Miracle Mile (which also drew little attention). That’s because the bank does not target walk-in customers, but rather focuses on clients overseas, increasingly in Brazil. Long owned by a group from Central America and formerly known as BAC, it was acquired in 2020 by Brazil’s heavyweight Bradesco Bank (assets: roughly $345 billion), partly to help its clients in Brazil safeguard money in the United States in U.S. dollars and U.S. investments.

“We capture the deposits of foreign nationals here, so we don’t need branches,” says CEO and President

With trade through Greater Miami on the rise, and more foreign nationals moving here, global banking takes on a new meaning

Henrique Lima, 48, the longtime Brazilian banker who led the acquisition and then moved to Florida in 2020 to helm the digitally-reliant Gables bank. “In the last year, we’ve brought in over $1.5 billion in new money from Brazil.”

Bradesco is not alone in banking internationally in the City Beautiful. There’s an international side to nearly every bank in the area. Consider the largest Gables-based bank Amerant (assets: roughly $9 billion), formerly known as Mercantil Bank, which has roots in Venezuela and holds some $2 billion in deposits from Venezuelans. Miami-based City National Bank of Florida (assets: roughly $23 billion), which keeps executive offices in the Gables, has been owned since 2015 by Chile’s Banco de Credito e Inversiones (BCI). Pittsburgh-based giant PNC (assets: roughly $557 billion) is expanding its PNC Private Bank in the Gables to serve more overseas clients. And Illinois-based First American Bank (assets: roughly $6 billion) set up shop in the Gables to finance international trade.

“Here in South Florida, we’re really a three-in-one banking community, with retail banking, wealth management, and trade finance, and each has a strong international component,” says Ken Thomas, a banking analyst in Miami and longtime faculty member at The Wharton School in Pennsylvania. “Many people think of banks as that place on the first floor, but upstairs are the other banks: the ones dealing with overseas customers, corporate clients, and international transactions.”

Indeed, South Florida ranks second nationwide for international banking, trailing only after New York, says David Schwartz, president of the Financial and International Business Association (FIBA), known until 2022 as the Florida International Bankers Association. Most international activity in South Florida focuses on Latin America and the Caribbean: holding deposits for customers from the region, lending to non-residents to buy real estate here, investing their money in U.S. stocks and bonds, or financing trade.

Nowadays, the banks are welcoming an influx of money because of a shift to the left in many South American countries, including Brazil. “Whenever there’s political instability in Latin America, there’s a flight to safety here,” says Schwartz. To bring in that money, many Miami area banks are expanding their units for wealth management and increasing staff who speak Portuguese or Spanish.

That’s where Pedro Parra comes in. He’s just been named Amerant’s head of international banking, charged with attracting more wealth from clients abroad, especially from countries other than Venezuela. Amerant now relies on Venezuelans for nearly all of its overseas cash, including about 80 percent of its $2.5 billion in deposits from abroad, says Jerry Plush, CEO since 2021.

“International banking is part of our DNA. For many years, it was the singular purpose of this bank to serve overseas clients [from Venezuela], offering deposit and wealth management accounts with the strength and safety of the dollar,” says Plush. “Now, we see international as a great opportunity for growth, building on our infrastructure and expertise.”

Part of the international push involves opening a new Amerant branch this year in Key Biscayne, where many wealthy Latin Americans have second homes. In all, Amerant plans four new branches in 2023: Key Biscayne, Met Square in Downtown Miami, Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale, and one in Tampa, boosting its branch count to 27 across Florida and greater Houston.

Photo by Tiege Dolly

“ INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS TEND TO LOOK MORE TO THE U.S. FOR SAFEKEEPING OF THEIR MONEY LONGER-TERM, WHILE DOMESTIC CUSTOMERS HAVE MORE DAY-TODAY OR FULL-SERVICE NEEDS.”

PEDRO PARRA, HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL BANKING, AMERANT BANK

People who love and serve Coral Gables stand with Alex Bucelo

IN THE CORAL GABLES COMMISSION RACE, ALEX BUCELO IS ENDORSED BY NUMEROUS CITY LEADERS, INCLUDING FOUR FORMER MAYORS. HERE’S WHAT THEY SAY:

“Alex is a fresh face who will bring a new vitality to the commission while maintaining what we all love about Coral Gables.”

- Dorothy Thomson

“Having lived his entire life in Coral Gables, Alex understands what works and what doesn’t. The commission will benefit from his perspective.”

- Don Slesnick

“Alex is a bright young attorney who has already made his mark on the zoning board, Youth Center and other areas.”

- Jim Cason

“I’ve known Alex for years – he’s a breath of fresh air, with smart ideas and a respect for the past.”

- Raúl Vadés-Fauli

#74

CHALLENGES OF INTERNATIONAL BANKING: LANGUAGE, CULTURE, REGULATIONS

Yet serving overseas clients is not the same as catering to U.S. ones. For starters, their primary needs tend to differ, says Venezuela-born Parra, 48, who’s worked 22 years in Florida with what’s now Amerant.

“International clients tend to look more to the U.S. for safekeeping of their money longer-term, while domestic customers have more day-to-day or full-service needs,” he says.

Language and culture vary too. People tend to feel more comfortable entrusting cash for safekeeping with someone who knows their language and even their dialect – a Mexican with a Mexican, for instance. They also appreciate when bankers know their customs, offering Latin Americans a coffee and conversing first about family before jumping into hard talk about business.

Then, there’s the question of compliance with U.S. regulations. To meet “Know Your Customer” rules, for example, international bankers must know how to navigate databases and registries across different countries. Finding information abroad may not be as easy as pulling a credit report from a big U.S. credit bureau or checking for company registration in Florida’s Sunbiz website.

Also tricky is managing the risk associated with each country, from its political and economic stability to foreign exchange rates. Some banks limit how much they’ll lend to any one nation overseas, and they check if clients aim to pay with income from businesses in unstable countries. Lloyd DeVaux, CEO of Palmetto Bay-based Sunstate Bank (assets: roughly $500 million, with the largest of its three branches in Coral Gables), says Sunstate won’t offer new loans nowadays to clients who rely on income for repayment from Venezuela because of instability there. It will lend to a Venezuelan, however, who buys property in Florida and rents it out, deriving income to repay from the more secure United States.

“International banking is specialized. You need an understanding of how to evaluate risks and opportunities,” DeVaux says. His bank, an affiliate of Brazil’s Banco Sofisa, is now rolling out a digital platform in Brazil that will let Brazilians open Sunstate accounts online or invest through a U.S. brokerage in U.S. stocks or other U.S. investments. Says DeVaux, “We’re seeing a lot of Brazilians who want to get their money out of Brazil, and this creates opportunity.”

How international clients keep their money in South Florida keeps evolving too. Overseas customers used to park dollars mainly in deposit accounts and conservative investments such as government bonds. But they’re becoming more sophisticated, using more financial planning services and varied investment options, including mutual funds, says Fidelma Leonor Fariñas-Cobas, the newly-appointed international market leader in greater Miami for PNC Private Bank, PNC’s wealth management arm.

“There’s more of a strategic view and more asset-allocation talk with our international clients now,” says Fariñas-Cobas, who has nearly 20 years of experience in international banking in South Florida. “The approach is more thought out, not so transactional.”

FINANCING TRADE, ESPECIALLY EXPORTS TO LATIN AMERICA

Of course, international banking encompasses more than deposits and investments. Also significant is trade finance, a growing focus for Coral Gables-based Intercredit Bank (assets: $550 million), which also lends to non-resident aliens for home purchases.

“Right now, the bank’s activities are increasingly focused on

“ INTERNATIONAL BANKING IS SPECIALIZED. YOU NEED AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO EVALUATE RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES. WE’RE SEEING A LOT OF BRAZILIANS WHO WANT TO GET THEIR MONEY OUT OF BRAZIL, AND THIS CREATES OPPORTUNITY.”

LLOYD DEVAUX, CEO OF PALMETTO BAYBASED SUNSTATE BANK

the trade finance side” with a concentration on Latin America, says bank president and CEO Simon Cruz. “With interest rates rising, trade finance is perfect because it’s a 180-day loan, so we can keep up with fluctuations up or down. It is becoming increasingly important in our portfolio.”

“In terms of banking, there are a limited number of banks involved in trade finance,” a function usually left to large financial firms such as Hemcorp and Expo Tech. But, says Cruz, “My sense is that trade has been rising, and there is a ton of business out there. This is a function of [our] bank that is right now about 20 percent of our business – and growing.” At present, Intercredit will lend up to $8 million for a trade deal.

Trade finance is also a specialty for First American Bank (assets: $6 billion). The Illinois bank has been helping small and mid-size family businesses in Greater Miami for decades to finance their imports and exports, mainly with Latin America. In 2014, it bought The Bank of Coral Gables to expand in the state. It now has one location in Tampa and six branches in South Florida, including its Florida headquarters near Gables City Hall.

With interest rates rising in recent years, First American has been working with customers on ways to affordably extend the time to pay for imports or exports. It’s been issuing more letters of credit – essentially, a note that assures the bank will pay later – so that vendors can feel more secure they’ll get paid as specified, perhaps in 60 or 120 days, says Brian Hagan, First American’s president for Florida. And it’s been securing credit insurance for clients when possible.

To serve customers with needs beyond trade, First American has also been financing construction projects in Florida. It manages that risk by requiring non-resident clients to keep enough cash in the bank to finish the project, says Hagan, who works with some 15 lending specialists at his Gables hub.

“International banking and finance is everywhere in Miami,” he says. “If you’re not a business buying or selling overseas, chances are you are dealing with someone who is. Or your neighbors may be working with a company that’s owned overseas or sells overseas. Housing prices here are inflated by demand for real estate coming from overseas. International really touches everything here.”

HOW GREATER MIAMI DIFFERS IN INTERNATIONAL BANKING

Still, the way international banking works in Miami often differs from other global hubs. In New York, there’s a stronger focus on big corporate clients doing business across the U.S., says FIBA’s Schwartz.

In Brazil, there’s a more holistic approach to customers, with banks often offering retail, investment, and wealth management services from the same locale, says Bradesco’s Lima. That explains why Bradesco’s Gables offices provide not only banking but also the services of Bradesco’s affiliated broker-dealer and its wealth management or Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) unit. All three units together employ more than 240 people at the bank hub.

“Different from other shops in South Florida, we try to treat clients as single individuals, so they don’t feel a difference between the bank, broker-dealer, and RIA,” explains Lima. European banks also tend to integrate banking and investment services more so than U.S. banks do.

From Coral Gables, Bradesco even handles overseas business for banks themselves. It regularly holds deposits for Central American banks that keep dollars in the U.S. to make U.S. payments. That all adds up to lots of international banking that you might never imagine walking down a local street. ■

“

IN TERMS OF BANKING, THERE ARE A LIMITED NUMBER OF BANKS INVOLVED IN TRADE FINANCE. MY SENSE IS THAT TRADE HAS BEEN RISING, AND THERE IS A TON OF BUSINESS OUT THERE...”

SIMON CRUZ, CEO OF CORAL GABLES-BASED INTERCREDIT BANK

Photo by Rodolfo Benitez

April 2023 Coral Gables Dining Guide

TOP RESTAURANTS IN CORAL GABLES

With summer coming on, there’s no better way to escape the heat – or bask in it, if you so choose – than dining at one of Coral Gables’ fine dining establishments. 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, without tax, tip, or drinks. Prices are approximations.

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

Cebada Rooftop & Raw Bar

It’s hard to pigeonhole this 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 bone marrow with oxtail marmalade and baby back ribs with pimiento marmalade. A good raw bar, a great view. $$-$$$

124 Giralda Ave. 786.409.2287

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. Still, our favorite: Godiva chocolate cheesecake. $$

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 to $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

Doc B’s Restaurant + Bar serves craveable American fare dishes made from scratch daily. Offering brunch, lunch, dinner, and a solid happy hour, signature dishes include the Wok Out Bowls and a range of American sandwiches. But our favorites are the candied bacon, the grilled California artichokes, and the one-pound “angry meatball.” $$ 301 Miracle Mile. 786.864.1220

Eating House

Back in a new location post-pandemic, Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli’s new iteration of his fan-favorite is a lot more mature – but still features the fun, inspired dishes that made the original restaurant so popular. The cavatelli carbonara? To die for.

The Cap’n Crunch pancakes? Back for brunch and better than ever. $$$

128 Giralda Ave. 786.580.3745

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. Catch a jazz show on Saturday nights. $$

377 Alhambra Cir. 305.445.3555

The Gramercy

They meant it to be over the top, and they succeeded. To us, it feels a little like a bordello in New Orleans, circa 19th century. But this is now the singles hot spot, replacing

Tarpon Bend. Good sushi counter, interesting sides, and Wagyu hamburgers, but happy hour is where they shine. $$$-$$$$

65 Miracle Mile. 786.747.4854

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

Lion & The Rambler

At Lion and the Rambler, everything is made from scratch, from the creme fraiche down to the finishing salts, which are extracted from Miami seawater and hand-delivered to the restaurant by a local fisherman. The inventive restaurant serves up an ever-changing menu as much inspired by the three-Michelin-star Denmark restaurant Noma as the humble Cool Ranch Dorito. $$-$$$ 804 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.603.7612

Orno

Located in the same building as Mamey (Thēsis Hotel), Orno is Chef Niven Patel’s latest creation,

focusing on “New American” cuisine with a focus on local produce sourced from his own farm. An eclectic menu lets Patel stretch his culinary imagination, using a wood-burning oven and grill. Be prepared for new and fascinating flavors. $$$

1350 S. Dixie Hwy. (THēsis Hotel) 305.667.6766

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

Tap 42 is big, noisy, and fun, with a huge island bar and lots of booths. Reliably 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, Korean-inspired chicken lettuce wraps). $$-$$$

301 Giralda Ave. 786.391.1566

Yard House

A cavernous space with huge screens

MAMEY

VILLAGIO

START DISHING stop searching

PERRY’S STEAKHOUSE / YARD HOUSE / VILLAGIO RESTAURANT

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. Over 100 beers on tap. $$

320 San Lorenzo Ave. 305.447.9273

ASIAN

Canton

Why there are not more Chinese restaurants in the Gables remains a mystery, but Canton has been serving reliably good Cantonese-style food for decades. Feels like you are in New York’s Chinatown, with sweet and sour pork, chicken chop suey, barbecue spareribs, and wonton soup. Plus, the best lunch deals in town. $$

2614 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.448.3736

Ichimi

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

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 flavors. $$

157 Giralda Ave. 305.444.2397

KAO Sushi & Grill

Not sure of the vibe here – the décor inside feels oddly like you’re in Las Vegas – but the outside seating on the Mile is quite nice. Menu-wise, it has specialty rolls with an interesting Peruvian spin that includes a wide selection of ceviche, along with empanadas and chorizo. $$

127 Miracle Mile. 786.864.1212

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

Repeatedly voted the best Vietnamese restaurant in Miami 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 or dumplings make great starters. Their clear, hearty soups – what they call pho – are the big winners here. $$

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

Namaste

Hidden on a side street off Ponce, the last standing Indian restaurant in the Gables is small and humble (“namaste” means “I bow to you”), yet superb in its rendering of classic Indian dishes, from tandoris to biryanis. Our favorite is the mango curry chicken, followed by the chef’s special black pepper shrimp. $$

221 Navarre Ave. 786.534.2161

Sakura Japanese

A vast menu for rolls, along with selections of noodles, yakitori, katsu, tempura, teriyaki, etc. But they serve some of the best sushi and sashimi in town if raw fish is your thing. We also love their seating – a half dozen alcoves that line the walls and provide a sense of private space. $$

440 S Dixie Hwy. 305.665.7020

Sawa

Delicious take on Japanese flavors served in parallel with Lebanese Mediterranean and American favorites, 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 and American burgers. Also has a doggy menu. $$$ 360 San Lorenzo Ave. (Shops at Merrick Park) 305.447.6555

Sushi Sake

Just one block south of Sushi Maki, Sushi Sake is the latest contestant in the battle for sushi fans, with an upscale edge and a menu that stretches past sushi, sashimi, and handrolls to hibachi, katsu, and noodle dishes. A full bar gives them happy hour honors (weekdays 4 to 6 pm) with half-off drinks, appetizers, and Thai donuts. $$-$$$ 202 Miracle Mile. 786.636.8125

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 is now here to stay. 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 Cir. 786.409.6920

FRENCH

Brasserie Central

Secretly owned by Pascal of Pascal’s on Ponce, the restaurant is half inside, half in the courtyard of the Shops. A typical French bistro with wonderful onion soup, fresh bread, and superb paté. Everything on the menu is fresh, French, and all you would expect from Pascal. Lots of little French touches. $$-$$$ 320 San Lorenzo Ave. (Shops at Merrick Park) 786.536.9388

Chef Sucre Café

“A French restaurant bistro with a Latin Twist,” this inexpensive café serves breakfast all day – including great croque madams and croque monsieurs. Good sandwiches, lovely croissants, and a flourless chocolate cake to die for. $

475 Biltmore Way. 305.444.2025

Chocolate Fashion

This restaurant and bakery is a breakfast and lunch hotspot. Lunch is a steal with most sandwiches priced around $11 with a side salad and cornichons – those mini pickles the French are famous for. Don’t forget the French pastries and desserts, ready to go. $-$$

New Kid on the Block

Among new eateries in the Gables, one stands out. Tulio, which opened last month, is the latest offering from Lucio Zanon, of Portosole fame. Zanon, a native of Venice, is focusing on Italian seafood – in deference to his father, a former fish merchant in the famous Italian city. Tulio occupies an elegant space with vaulted ceilings and muted lighting, with impeccable service. 160 Andalusia Ave. 305.926.4208

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, $45) 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 addition to 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

Pascal’s on Ponce

Elegant, quaint, and delicious, 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

ITALIAN

Amore

Small Italian spot with a half dozen tables and 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. Nice service, reasonably priced, good house wines. $$ 94 Miracle Mile. 305.200.3216

Bugatti

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 lots of booths, and the service is crisp and superb. The dinner menu is straightforward, with pasta dishes mostly under $30 and entrees mostly under $40. And as many dessert listings 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. Abbracci is quiet and elegant, and the food is so consistently good that Pernetti had to publish his own cookbook. We miss him every day. $$$

318 Aragon Ave. 305.441.0700

Caffe Vialetto

Not a huge menu, but when it comes to risotto, pappardelle, fettuccini, and ravioli, they do it right. And we love their Wednesday and Thursday “family” dinners for $100 that serve four or five diners. Reservations required, always full. $$$

4019 Le Jeune Rd. 305.446.5659

Fiola

Brought to you by Washington, D.C. chef Fabio Trabocchi, this is fine dining at its finest. 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, sea scallops ceviche, and the signature lobster ravioli. Beautiful presentations. $$$$

1500 San Ignacio Ave. 305.912.2639

Fontana

The ambiance 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. Excellent seafood. One of the most romantic restaurants in the Gables. $$$

1200 Anastasia Ave. (Biltmore Hotel) 305.913.3200

Fugato

They will tell you they serve “continental” fusion cuisine, and yes, there is a touch of French and Spanish cooking here. But the chicken florentine, ravioli aragosta, ravioli zucca, golden calamari, and veal ossobuco say otherwise. Well prepared dishes in an intimate setting make this a romantic choice. $$$-$$$$

325 Alcazar Ave. 786.420.2910

Fratellino

Small, family run, with a fanatically loyal fanbase, 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, as is the fettuccine with prosciutto, mushrooms, and green peas. $$$

264 Miracle Mile 786.452.0068

Luca Osteria

Local celebrity chef Giorgio Rapicavoli’s (Eating House) second restaurant in the Gables, 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 patate fritte with black truffle and egg yolk are just the beginning. Great cocktails. $$-$$$$

116 Giralda Ave. 305.381.5097

Portosole

When they bring the pecorino cheese wheel to toss your pasta, you’re in heaven. Short of that, they do a fine job with the fritto misto, a mixture of calamari, shrimp, filet of sole, tiny artichokes, and zucchini, all lightly fried. Equally appetizing is the fresh burrata with heirloom tomatoes, a deceptively simple salad of tomato and burrata cheese. $$-$$$ 264 Miracle Mile 786.452.0068

LATIN & CARIBBEAN

Aromas del Peru

Yes, they serve a dozen types of ceviche here. But it’s the breadth of the menu that impresses, with traditional soups, grilled meats, wok stir fries, and signature dishes such as aji de gallina (shredded chicken in yellow pepper sauce) and seco de res (beef stewed in beer and cilantro, with vegetables). Good service, good prices, nice ambiance. $$ 1930 Ponce de León Blvd. 305.476.5886

Divino Ceviche

Bringing a taste of Peru to Giralda Plaza, Divino Ceviche is known, as you might guess, for its ceviche. From the Ceviche Tradicional to Ceviche de Mercado to Ceviche Nikkei, there’s no shortage of the stuff. The restaurant also has notable non-ceviche dishes like octopus croquetas and a tasting of three different causas (layered potatoes with chiles, avocados, tuna, boiled eggs, onion). $$

160 Giralda Ave. 786.360.3775

Ecléctico

Brought to you by the folks at nearby Sawa, Ecléctico is an open, airy, Latin-fusion restaurant that serves “light” and inventive variations on Latin small plates with a Mexican overlay – and a truly awesome selection of mezcal and tequila. A fun place for dinner. $$

320 San Lorenzo Ave. (Shops at Merrick Park) 786.615.5735

Graziano’s

This large, popular Gables mainstay is true Argentine. A deep selection of Argentinian wines (which line several walls) go with beef slowly roasted over a quebracho wood fire, old school style. They have seafood,

pasta, empanadas, and salads, but come here for the meat, a carnivore’s delight. $$$

394 Giralda Ave. 305.774.3599

Mamey

Chef Niven Patel, who has gained a national reputation, hits it out of the park with this 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 tastebuds seek a new adventure, this is the place. $$$

1350 S. Dixie Hwy. (THēsis Hotel) 305.667.5611

Talavera Cocina Mexicana

High ceilings and ceramics make this a pleasant place to dine, but it’s the authentic fare that shines. The place for Mexicans homesick for cooking that’s not Tex-Mex. The chicken mole poblano is a winner at $20, and their huarache grill – masa flatbreads that are really haute tacos – are great. $$

2299 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.444.2955

MEDITERRANEAN

Calista Greek Seafood Taverna

Fun and bright inside, comfortable outside (seating on Giralda Plaza), they serve all the Greek classics, such as moussaka (ground lamb with a top layer of mashed potatoes), which they do exceptionally well, and spanakopita, a spinach pie with feta and phyllo dough. Our favorite is the keftedes, beef meatballs with tzatziki. $$ 150 Giralda Ave. 786.310.7660

Maroosh Mediterranean

Inside, the impression is Turkish, thanks to paintings of men wearing the Fez (made popular by the Ottoman Empire). Even the tea glasses, which sit in brass holders, feel Turkish. The food, however, is Pan-Middle Eastern, which means dishes like falafel with tahini sauce, lamb kababs, baba ghanoush, and hummus. $$-$$$

223 Valencia Ave. 305.476.9800

TUR Kitchen

A wonderfully inventive menu of Mediterranean cuisine by Chef Christian Chirino, who plates beautiful dishes that combine the flavors of Turkey, Greece, Lebanon, and Egypt. Amazing stuffed Turkish pide bread, stunning braised goat with gnocchi, the best crème fraiche you’ve ever tasted. Elegant seating under arches along Giralda$$$-$$$$ 259 Giralda Ave. 786.483.8014

April 28, 2023

11:30 am – 2:00 pm

Trish & Dan Bell Honorary Chairs

Victoria L Mallete True Inspiration Award Recipient

Patricia Denson Success Story

Loews Coral Gables Hotel

Ariel Penzer-Milgroom

Tamara Rodriguez Beliard

Tatiana Arteaga-Teo

Renee Lopez-Cantera

Brigid Cech Samole

Event Co-Chairs

Event Honorees

Raquel Watters Brittnie Bassant

Vania Laguerre

Lucy Benedetti

Angelica Santibañez

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 to 6 pm when prices drop by 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. The whole fried fish is a marvel. Also, make sure to try the lobster tacos. $$$

264 Giralda Ave. 305.640.8448

Sea Grill

Sea Grill is 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. Lots of outdoor seating. $$$

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 ($340 for six or $295 for four) you need to order several hours in advance. If it’s just you ($69), you’ll need to wait just an hour. As for the rest: authentic Spanish cuisine, with great seafood dishes, fantastic paella, and live Flamenco twice a month. $$$

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 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. Great lunch specials. $$ 254 Giralda Ave. 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 in the east. $$$-$$$$ 276 Alhambra Cir. 305.381.0636

STEAK

Christy’s

Touted as Coral Gables’ oldest steakhouse, Christy’s was long the power lunch go-to – until it stopped serving lunch except on Fridays. Still, its aged steaks are consistently excellent, as are the seafood entrees. Their classic Caesar salad is still the best in town, and the jumbo shrimp cocktail is a house specialty. $$$ 3101 Ponce de Leon Blvd.

305.446.1400

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse

Fantastic, aged steaks, a seafood tower that won’t quit, and a wine cellar that appears to have no end. A place for special celebrations. Recently redecorated, but the open kitchen with its copper “sash” across the top still gives the main dining room a warm glow. Good menu at the bar. $$$-$$$$

2525 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.569.7995

Fogo de Chão

At Fogo de Chão, meat reigns supreme. Try the “churrasco experience” ($61) and let expert gaucho chefs keep the finely cut slabs coming, from beef ribeye to flank steak to lamb pincanha. If you’re a Wagyu fan, this is the place to be. The interior is as grand as the experience, which is a show in itself, Brazilian-style. Great happy hour deals with $5 bites. $$$-$$$$

2801 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 786.297.8788

Morton’s The Steakhouse

Morton’s in the Gables is not just another Morton’s. Its setting in the Colonnades gives it a unique elegance, with outdoor seating under the arches.

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Where Am I?

If you know where these busts in Coral Gables are located, send the answer to editor@coralgablesmagazine.com. The first two winners will receive two free tickets to the Actors’ Playhouse production of their choice at the Miracle Theatre and the next 10 winners will be sent two free passes to the Coral Gables Museum. Photo by Nicholas Faber.

Last month’s photo was of the Buddha sculpture in front of Gringo’s Oyster Bar on Sunset Drive.

The Club at The Biltmore offers multiple benefits, including Technogym® strength and cardio equipment, numerous weekly group classes, special savings on stays and spa services, world-class restaurants, and much more. Join today.

Membership: 305-913-3230 1200 Anastasia Ave. Coral Gables, FL 33134 www.biltmorehotel.com