Coral Gables Magazine October 2019

Communities Built by Women

Vertical Buildings in The City Core

“Like Althea Merrick, who designed the family home on Coral Way that’s now a museum, we want to leave a legacy and keep up the Merrick family’s tradition of planned development and sophistication,” says Ducret. “It’s an honor for me to work together with such high-quality women.”

More than a decade ago, “Maricris” Longo and her then-partner Fernando Menoyo aimed to create elegant townhomes in Coral Gables, much like those in Paris, London and New York. They worked with architect de la Guardia and her partner Teofilo Victoria to design a townhome zoning code and to advocate for city approval.

With a code in place, they developed a project. Later, Longo sold land to MG Developer to advance that townhome vision: “I trusted Jenny when she said she’d carry out the concept with focus.” Now, Longo’s thrilled to see her dream becoming reality: “I’ve worked on this project as if it were a baby.”

De la Guardia embraces townhomes as a smart, urban transition from single-family houses to denser, vertical buildings in the city core. She helped craft a zoning code for Coral Gables that requires back alleys for vehicles, so frontages show welcoming doors and other classic features instead of bulky garages. In designing Althea

Women

play a prominent role in MG Developer’s luxury townhomes rising at Biltmore Square, and that female presence sparkled at this September’s groundbreaking for Althea Row, its newest addition.

Althea Row is named for the mother of George Merrick, the visionary who founded Coral Gables. Work is overseen by MG Developer’s Chief Operating Officer, Jenny Ducret. Designs come from Harvard-trained architect Maria de la Guardia, a student of classical styles and new urbanism. And the concept for townhomes has been nurtured for years by long-time Coral Gables resident Maria Cristina Longo.

Jenny Ducret

Row, she drew inspiration from Mediterranean and Spanishcolonial styles found in Havana and Cartagena: “We’re going back to the same architectural sources that Merrick used,” says de la Guardia.

Ducret and her business partner, MG Developer’s CEO Alirio Torrealba, aim to debut Althea Row in 2021, its five spacious townhomes slated to sell for $3.1 million each. The project is the third section of Biltmore Square, which already features Biltmore Parc and Beatrice Row. In all, MG Developer is investing some $80 million in the Square, designed to feature 65 luxury townhomes and residences.

We’re going back to the same architectural sources that Merrick used Maria de la Guardia

By naming their newest venture for Althea Merrick, the team honors a woman who historian Arva Moore Parks calls an advocate of architecture and “a born leader.” In college, more than a century ago, a young Althea wrote in a paper on women in literature: “Now that her barriers have been removed, she can, without restraint, give full scope to her intellect. What can she not achieve?”

For more information visit www.MGDeveloperMiami.com or call 305-460-6719

Maria de la Guardia, Maricris Longo & Jenny Ducret

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Tailored for Your Tastes

GE CAFÉ APPLIANCES AT FERGUSON BATH, KITCHEN & LIGHTING GALLERY

Modern appliances come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colors—so picking appliances can be an overwhelming experience.

Don’t worry—your friends at Ferguson are here to help. Next time you’re in the market for a new appliance, consider shopping the full line of customizable GE Café appliances, which offer personalized colors and accents in nearly every kind of appliance, from ranges and dishwashers to refrigerators and wall ovens.

Many Options, Endless Variety

When it comes to the Café line, the potential is limitless. Check out a few of the different customizable appliances offered:

Ranges

These chef-inspired professional-level appliances come in a variety of different options. Gas? Check. Electric? Check. Single oven? Check. Double oven? Double check. The unquestionable quality of these ranges is sure to impress your guests during dinner parties.

Refrigerators

French-doors, bottom freezers, ice makers, LED lighting, flexible storage—you need it, GE Café refrigerators provide it. Select appliances even offer Keurig K-Cup brewing in-door and Wi-Fi connectivity so you can schedule your morning coffee without even getting out of bed.

Dishwashers

Hear that? Neither do we. GE’s quiet built-in dishwashers feature hidden controls and a clear LCD display. A cleaning system featuring 140 jets that can clean and sanitize dishes of any size. Ready to keep your kitchen beautiful and your dishes shiny? Yeah, we thought so.

Make It Personal

Why spend all that time and energy into designing something one-of-a-kind only to fill it with the same everyday appliances your neighbors have? GE Café appliances feature distinct customizable options to help add the finishing touch your new kitchen deserves. Choose from one of three finishes (Stainless Steel, Matte White or Matte Black) and then select one of four stunning styles—brushed stainless, black, bronze or copper—for your appliance’s hardware. According to GE, these options allow users to “accessorize your kitchen like you do your outfits.”

BEST. DECISION. EVER.

For projects of any size, perfection often requires making difficult decisions. Allow the experts at Ferguson to make things easy by introducing you to an extensive collection of stylish products from prominent brands, all designed to bring your vision to life. Learn more at fergusonshowrooms.com

DOUGLAS ELLIMAN LEADS THE MARKET

Established in 1911, Douglas Elliman Real Estate is the largest brokerage in the New York Metropolitan area and the second largest independent residential real estate brokerage in the United States by sales volume. With more than 7,000 agents, the company operates approximately 120 offices nationwide and 21 in Florida. From Miami, to Palm Beach, to St. Petersburg, let’s put the power of Elliman to work for you. For more information on Douglas Elliman as well as expert commentary on emerging trends in the real estate industry, please visit elliman.com/florida

$28.6B IN SALES VOLUME

Nº 1

2016-2019 YEAR-TO-DATE*

2ND

LARGEST INDEPENDENT BROKERAGE IN THE NATION BY SALES VOLUME

Nº 1

Utterly

Innovative design. One-of-a-kind amenities. Our Over-the-Water Villas and Bungalows were the first of their kind in the Caribbean, offering “sea-through” glass floors, Tranquility Soaking Tubs™ for two on expansive decks, overwater hammocks, and outdoor showers. Our Villas even have infinity-edge plunge pools that give you the experience of swimming in the water while floating above the sea. But Sandals has long-since revolutionized the

luxury experience with our Love Nest Butler Suites ®, offering you uniquely sumptuous amenities like private plunge pools—some on sky-high terraces—flowing river pools that you can step into from your patio, spa-style bathrooms where marble tubs float on a bed of river rocks, and personal butlers who cater to your every whim. Every detail has been carefully considered and exquisitely achieved to make all of your romantic dreams come true.

VOTED WORLD’S BEST YEARS IN A ROW 23

AT THE WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS

NEW LISTING! Sophisticated modern home with 97 ft. waterfront and access to bay. 3 car garage. All impact.

| 5,784 adj. sf. | 15,110 sf. lot | $4,185,000

NEW LISTING! Modern two story home, updated in 2017. 2019 roof. 3 car garage. Perfect for entertaining!

| 5,693 adj. sf. | 16,187 sf. lot | $2,995,000

adj. sf. | 23,069 sf. lot | ↓$4,448,000

Only 3 Left! Enjoy Landmark-resort living in this boutique condo of 11 units on the golf course. Prices from $1,971,000 to $2,468,000

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We invite you to take a glimpse into the ultra-high-end lifestyle at 23 Tahiti Beach Island Road in Coral Gables. Stay tuned for future stories about some of the finest South Florida residences represented by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty. WATCH THE FULL EPISODE AT EXPERIENCEULTRALUXURY.COM

Murder in the City Beautiful

A Handful of Horror Tales for Halloween. As All Hallows’ Eve approaches, it is time for adults to gather in the fading daylight and remind each other of the ghastly and grisly murders which haunt the history of Coral Gables.

Drama with an Edge

An interview with Joseph Adler, artistic director of Gablestage. In more than two decades as producing artistic director of GableStage, Joseph Adler has used his Coral Gables theater to push the limits of what can appear on South Florida stages to a point where it may seem there are no boundaries left to cross.

Start Early, Keep it Local, and Keep it Customized

Wealth Management in the Gables. Many of the boutique wealth management firms based here – versus national giants like Morgan Stanley or Northern Trust which have outposts here – have made it a practice of working with clients who are just beginning to create their fortunes.

It Makes a Village

Once an industrial warehouse district, the area now known as Merrick Village is becoming the Gables’ new multi-family bedroom community, with thousands of units under construction.

INNOVATION EXPLORATION

Laying the foundation for a lifetime of success!

Riviera Preschool and Kindergarten

Student-centered Taking care of each child’s needs. We know every child’s path to success. We have the best ratios in early childhood education.

Brand New Classrooms Designed and equipped specifically for early learners on a campus where they invent, play, and grow.

Experiential Learning Innovative curriculum developed by the foremost experts in early childhood education. Learning how to learn. Early academic immersion creating lifelong learners. Learning by doing. Sensory learning.

Social-emotional Learning Loving, supportive environment encouraging expression and exploration. Building the foundation for success in life. Conscious Discipline. Learning empathy, self-awareness, and self-regulation.

Beyond the Basics Spanish, Music, Physical Education, Coding, STEM, and more.

After School Program Full array of after school activities/options, including sports, arts, and academics.

A World of Our Own

John Allen, the executive director of the Coral Gables Museum and a native of our fair city, once put it to me this way: Anyone who is a true Gables resident doesn’t leave the city unless they absolutely must. And why would they? Everything we need is here.

Clearly this is true when it comes to wonderful places to live, exceptional places to work, a coterie of restaurants unparallel in South Florida, four live theaters, the best bookstore in the state, etc. But it was especially poignant on a Saturday evening in September when I attended the premier appearance of Gerard Schwarz, the new conductor of the Frost Symphony Orchestra.

I have seen many brilliant conductors, among them Seiji Ozawa of the Chicago Symphony, John Williams of the Boston Pops, and Michael Tilson Thomas of the San Francisco and New World symphonies. But I can honestly say I have never been as riveted. With performances of Alberto Ginastera’s Dances from Estancia and Brahms Symphony No. 2, the chemistry between Maestro Schwarz and the orchestra was palpable. And the energy and verve with which he conducted was enthralling.

Someone who attended the performance with me said, “Now I understand what a conductor does.”

I had the pleasure of speaking with Schwarz a few days after the performance, to ask him what he thought of UM’s Frost School of Music and his appointment there.

“Frost is a very special place,” says Schwarz. “I started working with the students just three weeks before the concert, but they were like sponges, it was a real joy. There is a wonderful spirit there, the kids play very well, and they have wonderful instructors.” And, when it came to the concert itself, says Schwarz, “I was floored by how phenomenally they played. They sounded like a first-class professional orchestra.” Of course, noted the Maestro, “we practice a lot more than a professional orchestra.”

You can ascribe that professionalism to Shelly Berg, who has done a superb job as dean of the Frost School of Music. He has elevated it to the ranks of UM’s other world class schools, in medicine, law and architecture, to name a few.

But just as importantly is the fact that you can experience such excellence without ever having to leave the Gables.

J.P.Faber Editor-in-Chief

PUBLISHER

Richard Roffman

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

J.P.Faber

EVP / PUBLISHER

Gail Scott

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Amy Donner

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Monica Del Carpio-Raucci

ART DIRECTOR

Jon Braeley

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Toni Kirkland

VP SALES

Sherry Adams

STAFF WRITER

Lizzie Wilcox

SENIOR WRITER

Doreen Hemlock

WRITERS

Patrick Alexander

James Broida

Mike Clary

Andrew Gayle

Mallory Evans Jacobson

RESEARCH

Gloria Glanz

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Michael Campina

Jonathan Dann

Robert Sullivan

SENIOR ADVISOR

Dennis Nason

CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION

CircIntel

Coral Gables Magazine is published monthly by City Regional Media, 2051 SE Third St. Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. Telephone: (786) 206.8254. Copyright 2019 by City Regional Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Send address changes to City Regional Media, 2051 SE Third St. Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. General mailbox email and letters to editor@ thecoralgablesmagazine.com. BPA International Membership applied for March 2019.

coralgablesthemagazine.com

Keeping it Local: Interviewing Marjorie Stoneman Douglas at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

READERS LETTERS

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

TIME TO SAVE OUR HISTORY

Coral Gables’ nine member quasi-judicial Historic Preservation Board has a directive to “preserve and protect historic or architecturally worthy buildings, structures, sites, quaint neighborhoods and artifacts which impart a distinct historical heritage of the city.” Recent actions by the Board show otherwise.

Last year, the Preservation Board rejected historical designation of the LaSalle property – the only remaining building of the original nine that launched Merrick’s Coral Gables Business District. It was subsequently demolished. Sad but true.

Such losses continue, including the recent demolition of a one-of-a-kind, 1940s Frank Lloyd Wright-style home, built of crab orchard stone. Sad but true.

Now residents stand to lose a Mission Revival apartment building located at 333 Catalonia Avenue in the Crafts Section of Coral Gables – one of the few period buildings still standing in that area. In August, the board denied designation 5-3, despite the city staff’s recommendation to designate the property historic. Sad but true.

However, unlike the LaSalle property, 333 Catalonia is still standing. The Catalonia decision was appealed by a local resident, and the hearing will take place at 9 a.m., Tuesday, October 22 at City Hall. We urge the public to fill the chambers in support of history. Letters can also be sent to the city’s historic preservation officer Dona Spain at dspain@coralgables. com

Karelia Martinez Carbonell, Historic Preservation Association of Coral Gables

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

As the new school year unfolds, I wanted to reach out to the readers of Coral Gables Magazine to let them know how much our City Beautiful has to offer in the arena of arts and culture. At our Frost School of Music alone, we offer more than 100 concerts a year at UM’s Gusman Hall, along with many other cultural offerings at UM, such as theater performances, museum exhibitions, lectures and more. Our concerts are open to the public, many are free, others are inexpensive for the quality of performers you get, in an intimate concert hall. Sometimes I see venues with empty seats… and

I wonder if our residents are aware of all the gems available to us. Anything less than a full house is heartbreaking, considering how convenient and easy it is for my fellow neighbors to attend these wonderful performances. Thank you for doing your part in spreading the word.

Patricia San Pedro  Frost School of Music at UM

LONDON’S CALLING

We’re in for a roaring good time as our time-honored tradition, The Biltmore Ball to benefit the Coral Gables Community Foundation, is fast approaching – and we ask our residents to join us! Coral Gables’ finest will don their tiaras and tails as they’re welcomed by Royal Guards for a Windsor Wonderland. It will be our privilege to recognize this year’s distinguished honorees as we twist and shout to the sound of Beatlemania and celebrate the good work of the Coral Gables Community Foundation over the past year.

Chaired once again by Sissy De-MariaKoehne and Lauren Harrison, our annual gala is a tremendous point of pride for us and we look forward to our most successful installment yet. Visit gablesfoundation.org or call 305-4469670 to learn how you can take part in the top social event in the c ity!

Mary Snow, Coral Gables Community Foundation

441

WWW.441GERONAAVE.COM

LUXURIOUS TOWNHOME IN COVETED ALMERIA ROW IS THE EPITOME OF REFINED LIVING IN A RELEVANT LOCATION

Pictured from left to right: CARRIE FOOTE, SUZANNE SANTOS, BEATRIZ CARDONA, BLAIR SONVILLE, MARIANNA PEREZ, CARLA OLIVARES, LANI KAHN DRODY, PATTI CECCHERINI, JJ SNOW HANSEN, LILIANA QUINTERO-SIDERIS, LAUREN BILLINGSLEA DOWLEN, JOHANNA ROLDAN

Streetwise p26

The State of the City

Why I’m Running for Mayor Guns, Styrofoam and Trees

Information Please

A Tale of Two Historic Residences

Nimble Fingers

A Vision from the Past

The State of the City

MAYOR RAÚL VALDÉS-FAULI LAUDS THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY

Each September, the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce devotes its monthly Good Morning Coral Gables session to two things: installing its new Board of Directors and hosting the city’s mayor to give the State of the City Address. This year, Mayor Raúl Valdés-Fauli had more compliments than criticism, reporting that all is moving ahead in a laudatory fashion.

“The success of our city is a direct reflection of the success of our business community,” Valdés-Fauli told the audience of more than 200 Chamber members and city officials, assembled in the Biltmore’s enormous Country Club Ballroom. One major reason, he told the audience, was that while businesses operating in the downtown represent just five percent of the city’s geographic area, they provide 27 percent of its tax income.

For that reason, he said, the city will continue to enhance the viability of the downtown by maintaining its strategy of creating the right mix of retail and restaurants. “The strategy identified five areas we should be concentrating on: women’s apparel and accessories; home and design retail; men’s apparel and accessories; athleisure wear; and chef-driven restaurants.”

The mayor then named four restaurants recently opened, another five to open in the near future, and four companies recently relocated to the central business district – along with the addition of a vice consulate of Hungary and honorary consulates for Portugal and Singapore.

In order to ensure the vibrancy of the downtown, however, Mayor Valdés-Fauli advanced his agenda for more residential density through mixed-use projects, saying, “Reaching critical mass in the urban core is needed to sustain a healthy downtown.”

He also complimented the use of public art installations, especially on Giralda Plaza, for attracting “new waves of visitors,” and noted efforts by the Business Improvement District (BID) to bring live, street corner music to Miracle Mile on Friday nights.

The result, said the mayor, was an increase of daily foot traffic on Giralda Plaza from 9,000 pedestrians in November of 2017 to 31,000 in September of this year.

Mayor Valdés-Fauli also complimented the contribution of local education – and the trained talent it provides – to improving the business climate.

More than anything, however, Mayor Valdés-Fauli emphasized the importance of using technology and innovation to support business – something he has long advocated. “Today, we’re known nationwide as a smart city, leveraging information and communication technologies to step up marketing efforts, improve safety, and enhance quality of life, not to mention make our city more resilient and sustainable.”

In particular, the mayor noted the array of smart devices, sensors, and systems around the city that now form an interconnected network to gather and analyze data. This ranges from the city’s ability to track downtown foot traffic (“We can even tell how long visitors stop in front of your windows”) to its closed-circuit TV cameras that help police monitor crime. For the future, a new online permitting process should speed up reviews when it goes online next year.

“To sum up," said the mayor, “the City of Coral Gables has a laser focus on supporting companies, improving the business climate, and attracting potential customers to help ensure that our city continues to thrive…”

THE RIGHT RETAIL MIX OF APPAREL, HOME DESIGN, AND RESTAURANTS DOWNTOWN

THE LEVERAGING OF TECHNOLOGY TO STREAMLINE BUSINESS PROCESSES

THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO FIGHT CRIME AND HELP WITH MERCHANT MARKETING

THE INCREASE OF RESIDENTIAL DENSITY TO BRING MORE PEOPLE DOWNTOWN

THE USE OF PUBLIC ART TO ATTRACT NEW WAVES OF VISITORS

THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION TO BUILD A BETTER TRAINED WORKFORCE

THE MAYOR’S STRATEGIES FOR A MORE VIBRANT CITY

JO-ANN FORSTER

#1 TOP PRODUCER COMPANY-WIDE 2018 & 2017 ONE | SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY

2 PARK GROVE #10A ∏ COCONUT GROVE

10A offers the buyer a one of a kind custom floor plan with modifications not found in any other condo at Park Grove. One of the hardest things to find in condo living is large open spaces. The most important change in this condo is the enlarged main social areas that enjoy expansive water views and expanded room for comfortable living. 4 en suite bedrooms, large pantry/closet. 2 best parking spaces and large storage room. 5 star amenities.

4 BEDS ∏ 4.5 BATHS ∏ 3,592 SF $3,550,000 ∏ ParkGrove10A.com

1674 NOCATEE DR ∏ COCONUT GROVE

Designer’s Spanish Revival home on a gated corner lot with a coral rock wall. Spectacular living room, formal dining room, 5th bedroom or den, and new family room addition. Magazine quality cook’s kitchen, bar and breakfast room. 2nd story tree top terrace overlooking the fishpond, waterfall, free form heated pool, and BBQ. 2-car garage, impact glass, security, mosquito repellent system, and smart house. This is a treasure of a home.

4 BEDS ∏ 3.5 BATHS ∏ 4,757 SF ∏ 12,524 SF LOT $2,595,000 ∏ 1674Nocatee.com

13055 SW 57 AVE ∏ CORAL GABLES

Located inside the gated community of Gables by the Sea, this new construction modern house is ready for a buyer who appreciates fine detailing. The heart of the home is the open social areas with an oversized terrace that gives magnificent long water views of an enclosed lagoon. Take a canoe, paddle board or kayak and enjoy the serenity. The master suite has a large terrace to watch the sunset and to relax. Elevator ready. Why buy just a house when you can get an experience beyond your walls?

6 BEDS ∏ 6.5 BATHS ∏ 4,720 SF ∏ 12,233 SF LOT $2,395,000 ∏ 13055sw57.com

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT | GLOBAL ESTATE AGENT ONE SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY

JOANN @ UNIQUEHOMESOFMIAMI.COM

UNIQUEHOMESOFMIAMI.COM

305.778.5555

Vince Lago: Why I’m Running for Mayor

CG: WHY DID YOU JUMP IN THE RACE SO EARLY?

Ever since I decided to run [for public office] six years ago, I’ve looked for opportunities to get my platform out there, to really speak with the residents. Obviously, being in public office, I’ve taken it to the next level [and] have decided to implement a really transparent form of government, one that is based on giving residents real access to their public officials.

CG: SO, THIS GIVES YOU A LONGER TIME PERIOD TO COMMUNICATE WITH VOTERS?

Yes. Because what I’ve done is something that a lot of other elected officials are not willing to do – which is give up a lot of my time, to ensure that people have access to me as a public official. We hold town hall meetings multiple times a year, and we have crafted those meetings to be mostly about public input. We also hold open door Fridays, where you can just come in and there is no need for an appointment.

CG: WHAT PAST LEGISLATION ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? AS A CITY

COMMISSIONER YOU HAVE BEEN HIGHLY ACTIVE IN PROMOTING SUSTAINABILITY…

I’m incredibly proud of insuring that our downtown is financially stable but, yes, I’m proud of our plastic and polystyrene bans, and I’m proud that the city has the largest electric car fleet in the state of Florida.

CG: SO, YOU WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE THAT…

People say that sustainability is an environmental issue. But it’s also a financial issue. Imagine if we don’t have clean water and clean air, what do you think is going to happen to the beautiful homes [on our waterfront] that pay 25 percent of our budget? Their value is going to go down… and having an electric car fleet that doesn’t require gas lowers our maintenance costs.

CG: WHAT WILL BE YOUR PRIORITIES AS MAYOR?

I will continue to push for financial responsibility. I am a firm believer in insuring that our city is financially viable…. I want to make sure we are cautious when we hand out increases in salary, or pension benefits. I’ve told our

This past month, Coral Gables Vice Mayor declared his intention to run for mayor, a full 18 months before the election. We recently sat down with the vice mayor to ask him why he declared now, and how that office would extend the agenda he has pursued as a city commissioner.

three unions that I’m in favor of giving employees what they deserve, but I’d rather give it as a cash bonus – a check. What I don’t want is to add more to our unfunded liability.

CG: THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY IS BASICALLY PENSION AND BENEFITS THE CITY IS COMMITTED TO?

Yes, these are basically pension [commitments], and we’ve knocked it down to about $210 million when it was at $250 million. But it is still a major albatross around the city’s neck, and we need to continue to lower it – because I will not raise taxes. I believe in us living within our means.

CG: WHAT WOULD BE YOUR OTHER PRIORITIES AS MAYOR?

To continue to expand our portfolio of public parks… We’ve seen so many young families moving to the city of Coral Gables, and they want places to take their children. They don’t need massive programs with basketball courts and football. They need a simple pocket park in their neighborhood, where kids can go play under a shade tree. I think that is a big deal.

My eventual goal is that every individual who lives in the city can walk within five minutes to an open space.

CG: IS THAT THE TOP OF YOUR LIST, AFTER THE CITY’S FINANCIAL WELLBEING?

What is always the most important in my opinion is public safety, ensuring that our police and fire have all the necessary resources. You know we are investing $52 million in a world class facility for public safety, which is going to be the home to our police and fire and a few other departments of our city – along with revamping our two existing fire stations and then finding another fire station along Sunset.

I think we also need to continue to invest in neighborhood safety aids, which I think has paid significant dividends. That’s why you are seeing the lowest crime rates in the last 14 years, this year. And I think that has to do with more vigilance, more eyes and ears on the street, including bringing in those neighborhood safety aids – and we have a full complement of police officers now at 191, and we’re growing.

Sunday, Oc tober 13

Adventure Day for All

Embracing People for All Abilities

11 a.m. –3 p.m.

In front of City Hall, 4 0 5 Biltmore Way

In celebration of Disability Awareness Month. This family-friendly event is for all ages and features a resource fair, challenges, craf ts, water ac tivities, food truck , live enter tainment, and more.

Fre e

Saturday, Oc tober 19

Pumpk in Patch at Pittman Park

2– 6 p.m.

2 2 0 0 Galiano Street

On the corner of Galiano Street & Merrick Way

Hundreds of pumpk ins in all sizes will take over Pittman Park Enjoy live music, pumpkin decorating, face painting, food and beverages for purchase, and adorable pic ture -per fec t por trait areas.

Fre e

T hursday, Oc tober 31

Halloween Haunted House

6:30 –10 p m

War Memorial Youth Center 4 05 University Drive

Prepared to be scared! Join us for a frightful evening at the 4 0 5 Haunted House if you dare! Tour our haunted house and hope that you don’t get spotted by the creepy crawlers that dwell in it.

Not suitable for children under 5 years of age.

Tickets: $5 available at w w w.playgables.com

The City of Coral Gables provides a variety of events for children, adults and the entire family all year-round.

w w w.GablesRecreation.com

parks@coralgables.com

305-460-5600

Guns, Styrofoam and Trees

THE CITY’S FIGHT FOR LOCAL RIGHTS

The Gables is currently dealing with state legal challenges to its local authority, in particular its ability to regulate the sale of automatic weapons, to restrict the use of Styrofoam, and to prevent property owners from randomly cutting down trees.

On the firearms front, the city voted last year to ban the sale of assault rifles in the Gables. That ban was rescinded in the face of a 2011 NRA-backed Florida law which states that municipalities can’t do that. Moreover, if a city does try to ban assault rifles, the law allows the governor to remove any elected officials who voted for the ban, and to fine the local lawmakers $5,000 each. It also allows citizens to sue the lawmakers for fees of up to $100,000.

What’s more, the city cannot pay the fines or pay to defend the individual lawmaker. “It’s really crazy,” says Coral Gables City Attorney Miriam Ramos. “One of the main concepts of government is that you are insulated from lawsuits when you act in a public capacity.” The city challenged the penalty portion of the law, and in

July a judge ruled that it was unconstitutional. The state of Florida is appealing that ruling.

On the Styrofoam front, the city is moving ahead with a request that the Florida Supreme Court rule against a state law banning local governments from regulating food containers. In 2016, Coral Gables joined the ranks of other pro-environment cities by banning the use of Styrofoam as a food container.

The Florida Retail Federation sued the city, but a Miami-Dade County circuit judge ruled the state law unconstitutional. The FRF appealed, and the Third District Court of Appeal overturned the county ruling, saying the state ban was, in fact, constitutional.

That same Third DCA recently denied the city’s motion to certify the question for consideration by the Florida Supreme Court, as to why it’s important to the public. “Having the appellate court certify the question increases the chances of the Supreme Court taking it up,” says Ramos. “But we are moving ahead anyway with our request.” We will keep you posted.

Information Please

This is surely the mark of a Smart City: Unveiled at the end of September, downtown Gables now has four information kiosks. Roughly the size and shape of the monoliths that appeared in the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey,” they are likewise intended to bring intelligence to those who touch it. Put your finger to the screen and it reveals icon links to info about transportation, restaurants & bars, events, shopping, activities, public parks, and more. We gave

it a test run and loved the feature that showed the location and walk time to nearby retailers. You can even use it to take a massive selfie that you can send to yourself.

All that’s needed now is some fine tuning of the information. While mostly accurate, it did identify Chicken Kitchen as a Korean restaurant (ouch) and said that the Monday night jazz sessions at the Open Stage start at midnight on Tuesdays. The city says the bugs will be out soon.

Finally, on the tree front, the city is trying to deal with a new state law, 163.045, that prohibits local governments from requiring permits for the removal of trees on residential property – so long as the homeowner has “documentation” from a licensed landscape architect or arborist that the tree poses a potential threat to property or lives. Previously, anyone who wanted to cut down a tree in Coral Gables had to file for a permit. Such permits could be denied if it was rare or spectacular “specimen” tree. Or, mitigation could be agreed upon, allowing the tree to be removed

so long as it is replaced.

“If we slowly start to chip away at the canopy and don’t have to replace it, over time we will lose something very important to Coral Gables,” says Ramos. Currently the new law is being challenged by other cities. “We are following that case very closely, and we’ll probably add this to our legislative suggestions [when city officials visit Tallahassee]. This again takes away local control and gives it to private companies – and to the state,” says Ramos. “It represents another preemption of local authority.”

A Tale of Two Historic Residences

Sometimes the decisions of the city’s Historic Preservation Board defy logic. Such seems to be the case with two recent decisions, one to deny historic designation and the other to approve.

The first house came up in the board’s August meeting, a Mission Revival style apartment building at 333 Catalonia Ave., in what had been the city’s Crafts Section — part of founder George Merrick’s vision of affordable housing for artisans. While the building apparently met all the criteria for historic designation and had the blessing of the city’s historic preservation officer Dona Spain, the board voted 5-3 to reject. “I was shocked,” says Spain.

The second house came up in September, a 1926 home at 1224

Country Club Prado designed by architects Keihnel and Elliott, the same team that designed the Coral Gables Elementary School and the Coral Gables Congregational Church (both 1923). The house was also recommended by Spain for historic designation, and this time the board voted unanimously to approve. “I was very happy,” said Spain.

As to why the Crafts section house was rejected remains a mystery, except that some board members did not think it was architecturally splendid enough. The good news is that if a nearby resident appeals, the decision to designate goes to the city commission. And someone did. “Hopefully the Catalonia building will be saved in the end,” says Spain. “I have faith in the commission.”

At Gulliver, students are inspired to follow their passions, gain respect for each other and the world, and apply their skills to solve real-world problems.

Nimble Fingers

IN HONOR OF HOME ARTISANS

ring us your knitters, your weavers, your yarn lovers. Or maybe just kids who are curious about a time in America when people made their own garments. We’re not saying that someone you know doesn’t do a little quilting now and then. But the craft of knitting, once ubiquitous, is fast becoming the province of either the elderly or “fabric artists.”

Strengthening our through EDUCATION

BIn honor of the venerated art of crafting handmade textiles, the Coral Gables Museum has been exhibiting “America Weaves” since June, a display of colorful possibilities executed by two dozen artists of the cloth.

As a final tribute, the museum is holding a knitting event Saturday, Oct. 12, from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. The idea is for the curious to come by and look, learn and participate. As the iconoclastic artists of the Bauhaus once declared, “We must come back to craftsmanship!” Just BYOY (bring your own yarn); there might be some to spare, but just in case…

Come tour the world of a child. See it. Believe it. Be amazed by Montessori at Alexander Montessori School. Once you understand our philosophy, learning anywhere else is unthinkable. Call 305.665.6274 to schedule your FREE PRIVATE TOUR at Alexander Montessori School.

Toddler (18 months)Elementary (5th Grade)

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Preschool 6050 SW 57th Avenue

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Toddler and Preschool 14400 Old Cutler Road

Elementary 14850 SW 67th Avenue

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Alexander Montessori School does not discriminate on the basis of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.

Top: Amazzonia by Eielson

Left: “America Weaves” at the Coral Gables Museum is a nostalgic look back at the Arts and Crafts movement

A Vision from the Past

Mogul Charles Deering was nothing if not a great collector of art. Among the master works of his collection were two stain glass panels which came from 16th century European chapels – quite rare to have survived not only the destruction of religious icons during the Reformation but also to have escaped the subsequent destruction of Europe during the world wars.

After the death of Deering in 1927, the panels were put into storage in Chicago for years. They were subsequently donated to the Deering Estate by Charles Deering’s daughters, Marion and Barbara.

“It is amazing to think that these works of art that hung in the Stone House almost 100 years ago will go back on display for the public to enjoy,” said Maria McDonald, President of the 100 Ladies of Deering, the philanthropic arm of The Deering Estate Foundation, Inc., that oversaw the project.

Both pieces depict the Flight into Egypt motif, when, according to the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph and Mary fled with the baby Jesus to escape King Herod.

The newly restored pieces will go on permanent display at the Deering Estate beginning October 19.

Restoration experts Julie Flynn (right) and Celeste Mahoney (left) hold one of the rare stain glass panels.

Photo by Elias Horna

THE RETURN OF ART FROM THE MIDDLE AGES TO THE DEERING ESTATE

Mercury Rising

BLUEMERCURY’S MIRACLE MILE SHOP IS CORAL GABLES’ NEIGHBORHOOD DESTINATION FOR NATURAL SKINCARE AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS FROM THE NATIONAL BRAND

By Mallory Evans Jacobson

Our Picks

LUNE+ASTER CC CREAM BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 50+

Designed to cover and correct, this breathable cream helps to even skin tone and smooth the skin while protecting against harmful UV rays.

INDIE LEE COCONUT CITRUS SCRUB

If you haven’t yet jumped on the clean beauty bandwagon, what are you waiting for? And if you’re still not sure what “clean beauty” is, here’s a primer: we’re talking about non-toxic beauty products made without an ever-expanding roster of ingredients and additives that can result in harmful side effects. Fortunately, today, many companies are offering healthy options, and they’re sold everywhere from drugstores to luxury department store counters.

One of those purveyors is the Washington, D.C.-based company Bluemercury, which was founded in 1999 as an e-commerce website. The following year, husband-and-wife team Marla and Barry Beck launched their first brick and mortar shop, and since, they’ve grown to 187 outlets – as well as over 20 locations within Macy’s department stores. Although the retail giant acquired the company in 2015, the Becks are still running the show, and their unique approach to the beauty shopping experience has garnered a cult-like following.

Instead of overwhelming the customer with flashing lights and booming house music, the experience at each shop is one that’s more akin to that of a zen-inducing spa. Each

Bluemercury actually has a spa, offering massage treatments, facials and makeup application. Overall, the company’s goal is to provide a hands-on approach, where customers are guided by true beauty junkies who really know the products.

A visit to Bluemercury’s Miracle Mile outpost does not entail chasing down an employee who barely offers any guidance. Instead, it means a thorough skin consultation and sampling of products, followed by a deep tissue massage if you’re so inclined. Instead of overwhelming the customer, the strategy is to tailor the shopping experience to each customer’s unique needs.

Another benefit to shopping at Bluemercury is the impeccably organized range of products they offer. Beyond carrying coveted mainstream lines like Kiehl’s and La Mer, Bluemercury also stocks lesser-known natural brands such as Indie Lee and One Love Organics. Of course, the company also sells its own proprietary lines: M-61 is hailed as a healthy approach to skincare, while Lune+Aster offers vitamin-infused makeup.

Before you visit (if you haven’t already!), take a peek at our list of the top five natural beauty and skincare products that you can try from Bluemercury.

This nourishing scrub is made from a blend of raw cane sugar, and coconut and jojoba oils, leaving the skin smooth and hydrated.

M-61 POWERGLOW PEEL

One of the company’s best-selling products, this exfoliating glycolic peel resurfaces and firms the skin instantly with the help of calming white chamomile and lavender.

LUNE+ASTER LIMITED EDITION REALGLOW HIGHLIGHTER

Made with natural ingredients such as Vitamin E, apple fruit extract, and licorice extract, this highlighter works on all skin tones to increase the skin’s luminosity for a dewy, ultra-sheer glow.

LUNE+ASTER POWERLIPS QUICKSTICK

This long-lasting lip color promotes elasticity and reduces inflammation using a soothing blend of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and orange oil.

BLUEMERCURY

317 MIRACLE MILE 305.476.1180

The Art of Autumnal Shopping WHAT’S HOT

EMBRACE THE START OF FALL (AND STAY ON TREND) BY LEANING INTO A WARMER COLOR PALETTE INFUSED WITH ART-INSPIRED ELEMENTS.

By Mallory Evans Jacobson

GOLD STANDARD

Freshen up your home with the addition of these sculptural vases from Crate & Barrel. Made from aluminum and coated with a brassy finish, we think they would add the perfect pop of glamour to a dining table or entryway. Retail: $99.95 each.

Crate & Barrel, 358 San Lorenzo Ave. 305.460.3560

CARRY ON

CROWN JEWELS

Created by twin sisters Lizzie and Kathryn Fortunato, the Lizzie Fortunato jewelry line is inspired by fine art, travel, and artisanal craftsmanship. We adore these statement-making earrings and think they would make a special gift for a friend or loved one (or for yourself, of course).

Retail: $345. Neiman Marcus, 390 San Lorenzo Ave. 786.999.1000

Known for carrying playful jelly accessories, Italian brand Carmen Sol just opened its fifth South Florida store at the Shops at Merrick Park. Perfect for running around town or hitting the beach, the Fico large crossbody bag is eco-friendly, water-resistant, and stylish. While we want it in every color, we’re especially gravitating towards this darker gray hue. Retail: $195. Carmen Sol, 370 San Lorenzo Ave., #2400 305.529.1215

HAUTE SEAT

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its iconic Up armchair, B&B Italia has introduced a special edition beige and green design. While it’s a perfectly cozy vehicle for lounging, the history of its design is also quite noteworthy; it was initially inspired by silhouettes of ancient fertility goddesses (hence the rounded design), and the attached ottoman echoes a ball and chain. Therefore, its 1969 release and today’s relaunch offer a nod to the empowerment of women.

Retail: $7,057. B&B Italia, 2331 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.448.7367

ART ON YOUR SLEEVE

This lightweight jacket will take you through the season while adding a vibrant conversation piece to your wardrobe. Made by Herschel Supply Company and available at the menswear boutique Back and Forth, it features original work from the heralded artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Retail: $90. Back and Forth, 226 Almeria Ave., 786.359.4054

BROKERAGE SALES SINCE 1980

SELECT LISTINGS

68'

39'

Mark Peck + Vinny Pyle + Ryan Danoff + Helen Wozunk Paul Denton + Ed Breese + Charlie Fluery + Billy Maus + Louis Dvorak

Mayors Reinvented

THE VENERABLE SOUTH FLORIDA BRAND HAS A NEW LOOK, LAUNCHED IN THE GABLES

By J.P. Faber

What Ian Rahm wanted to do was get rid of the islands. “That’s the old way of selling jewelry,” he says. “I wanted people to flow. See how much open space I left?”

Rahm makes a sweeping gesture across the 5,500 square feet of the new Mayors flagship store in the Shops at Merrick Park. As the executive VP of Mayors in charge of new buildouts – as well as all of their highend jewelry – Rahm is justifiably proud of the new, spacious look and feel of what amounts to Mayors re-inventing itself.

The Coral Gables store is the first of seven “flagships” – redesigns and expansions of company outlets in Florida and Georgia, almost half their total of 15 stores. The idea, says Rahm, is to create “zones” where a customer can comfortably move between watches and jewelry,

between exclusive lines from famous designers and those created by Mayors itself.

The first zone, by the entrance, features watches by the two anchor brands Rolex and Cartier. The middle zone is a flexible and changing retail space for Mayors jewelry (including lines designed exclusively for them) and other watch brands like Breitling and Tag Heuer. The final zone features displays of bridal and “high” jewelry – i.e. the ultra-expensive.

“We put a huge amount of thought into this,” says David Hurley, executive VP of The Watches of Switzerland Group USA, the stateside division of the UK-based luxury watch company that bought Mayors in 2017.

“There are a lot more areas for people to sit and relax, to hang out. We want people to spend time in our stores, to talk about

watches, to look at some wonderful jewelry, and perhaps have a drink while they are getting a watch repaired.”

Yes, have a drink; in his flagship design, Rahm included a cozy bar in the final zone, where customers can get a coffee or a cocktail.

The Watches of Switzerland Group is betting that, when it comes to something as important as jewelry, customers still want the experience of seeing things up close and personal rather than online. “People say retail is dying. We don’t feel that way. But it is changing,” says Hurley. “What we thought we could add to the business was investing in

Above: Ian Rahm is the executive VP of Mayors in charge of new buildouts and is justifiably proud of the new, spacious look.

Top: The new 5,500 square foot store in Shops at Merrick Park, is the first of seven Mayors “flagships” – redesigns and expansions of company outlets in Florida.

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the stores, and in the training [of staff],” he says. “We are not just competing with other luxury jewelry stores. We are competing with luxury holidays and restaurants. We are competing with the luxury experience.”

The other thrust of the new store design is its fresh emphasis on jewelry. This is a return, of sorts, because Mayors was founded as a jewelry store in 1911. Only in recent years has it followed the industry trend toward luxury watches, which last year made up 70 percent of sales at Mayors. “We were a jewelry store first, a watch store after,” says Rahm. “For the last 20 years, the growth in our industry has been watches, especially on the Rolex side of it, the Cartier side,” he says. “But I myself am a curator. I love fine jewelry. It’s like art.”

The result, says Hurley, is that “on the jewelry side we have invested a huge amount in high jewelry – in one of a kind, one-off pieces, and also exclusive lines.”

At the recent grand open-

ing of the new Mayors, Rahm was only too happy to show off some of the exclusive lines and pieces. “Everything here [in the third zone] is $15,000 to $2 million [for a diamond necklace]. This is true high jewelry, which no one is doing anymore,” he says. In one case sits a 22-carat diamond ring selling for $1 million. Nearby is an $800,000 yellow diamond ring. On the lower end of the scale, a glowing sapphire ring is selling for a mere $18,000.

Among the exclusive collections at Mayors is a colorful and contemporary line by Miami native (now New York-based) jewelry designer Pamela Love; a special Roberto Coin collection of designs in heavy, 18-carat gold; and Messika jewelry, the latest work by Valerie Messika of Paris.

“It’s one of the newest brands in the world,” says Rahm. “Beyoncé put on a ring and earrings of hers and it went viral. We introduced her [Messika] five years ago. Now she is gigantic.”

MAYORS

SHOPS AT MERRICK PARK SAN LORENZO AVENUE, 342, CORAL GABLES, 33416 PHONE: 305.446.1233

MON-SAT 10:00 AM-9:00 PM SUN 112:00 PM-6:00 PM

Best in Facelift

Facelifts have come a long way.

They began years ago as a skin tightening procedure. But skin is not designed by nature to lift and hold up under excessive tension.

You probably have seen someone with a stretched or pulled look who is uncomfortable to look at and thought ‘I don’t want to look like that’, I’d rather stay how I am.’ The abnormal tension on the skin also produced poor scars around the ears, along with ear and hairline distortions visible on profile.

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The principles are simple: restore tightness to the facial infrastructure which has dropped - the muscles and associated support tissues below the skin - actually lifting the face from within. Then re-drape and trim the overlying skin whose natural function is to cover the face, not to hold it up.

This takes time, about four hours, and when expertly performed, renders beautiful and natural looking results. A clean neck and jawline without jowls. A refreshed, not pulled look. A younger, not distorted version of yourself, making others wonder why you look good.

Trimming excess skin and ‘bags’ around the eyes, restoring lost volume with fat transfer, along with some Botox and fillers plus good skin care, round out the rejuvenation.

It all sounds easy but it’s not - sort of like figure skating.

It takes aesthetic ability and years of Plastic Surgery training and experience.

So, when you’re ready to refresh your look, do your research, check credentials and view before-and-after photos.

It is your face and you can’t hide it.

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Chef Antonio Alfano working his magic at Caffe Abbracci

Photo by Jonathan Dann

Late-Night Tacos on Giralda

Coyo Taco was one of the first restaurants to open in Wynwood, back when it was actually edgy and raw. Having perfected their Todo es Fresco philosophy on the wanna-behipsters of that district, and then among the young professionals in Brickell, Coyo Taco arrived on Giralda Plaza in August with its third location in Miami.

The eatery, instantly popular among Gables residents eager to not have to trek to Brickell or Wynwood for its fresh menu, Coyo is the first of several restaurants bringing life to the former Scientology building on Giralda. Back in the day, the building was originally a post office, and part of the reclamation from the secretive Scientologists was to restore the original high ceilings of the building’s first floor. While the elevated space feels refreshing, however, Coyo’s wide variety of tacos are even more so.

For a more familiar taste, the Pollo al Carbon tacos are nothing short of mouthwatering. Marinated grilled chicken, queso, pico de gallo, and salsa fresca

are all packed into hand-pressed tortillas. Feeling risky? Try the Lengua – or beef tongue – tacos. What really won us over were the Grouper Frito tacos, made with Modelo beer-battered Florida grouper, roasted jalapeño aioli and avocado. The fish, though battered, was light and crisp, and the aioli gave it a zesty burst of flavor.

Besides tacos, Coyo also shines in the drinks department. Like any respectable Mexican restaurant, they make a mean margarita, frozen or on the rocks. Our personal favorite is the passionfruit margarita with a heavily salted rim. And on weekdays from 4 – 7 p.m., you can get it for half off in the speakeasy, located through the Employees Only swinging doors.

Even more welcome are the hours. Open at 11 a.m. every day, Coyo doesn’t close until midnight Sun.-Wed., and not until 2 a.m. Thurs.-Sat. Is this the beginning of a new late, late night scene in Coral Gables that we didn’t know about? -

Lizzie Wilcox

Secret Places

SACHA’S HIDDEN COURTYARD

As the weather begins to turn pleasant this month, it means we can return to the civilized practice of eating alfresco. One of the best places to eat outside is the pleasant and hidden courtyard of Sacha’s Café, located behind Fleming’s at 2525 Ponce de Leon. Here you will find luncheon sandwiches and plates that are decidedly gourmet yet reasonably priced at $9-$11. In a recent visit there, choices included turkey & brie on

panini and prosciutto & mozzarella on baguette.

The “hot plate” of the day was honey mustard chicken with roasted vegetables. “There is also fresh salmon every day,” says proprietor Sacha Viertl. “It’s a big runner. We get it every two or three days from Chile, never frozen.” They also make two fresh soups a day, “and one is always vegetarian,” says Viertl, who started his first gourmet food store on Miracle Mile in 1994.

Evolving the Menu

The Sweet Life

For the devoted fans of Caffe Abbracci, consistency is paramount. When you like a certain dish, it’s good to know it will still be there the next time you visit. That philosophy has worked well for owner Nino Pernetti for some 30 years.

Now, however, “It’s time to evolve,” says Pernetti. Thanks to cable TV and the internet, “diners today have enormous knowledge about food,” he says. “They want to see sophistication at its best, they want to see creativity at its best. Long gone is the breast of chicken in marinara sauce.”

Chef Antonio Alfano (shown above), who joined Abbracci in the spring, is the first new chef Abbracci has had in three decades – and the perfect man to reinvigorate the restaurant’s palate, says Pernetti. The secret lies in the daily specials. While the main menu of triedand-true favorites rarely changes, Chef Antonio is free to create dramatic new special dishes

each day. Pernetti says that more than two-thirds of his regular customers order the specials, and for good reason. “In the morning I dedicate about an hour and a half to talking to the suppliers,” says Chef Antonio, who was trained as a cook in Tuscany. “We have four or five fish suppliers, we have different suppliers for vegetables, and so on. So, first I look at what the ingredients are –because if you have good quality ingredients you are most of the way there – then I concoct the idea. All the specials are made like this – what the market has available, and then the gastronomical creativity.”

The result are daily specials like a recent Dover sole stuffed with smoked salmon and mascarpone on a bed of oven roasted baby eggplant, drizzled with orange shallot mustard sauce and topped with pearl cranberries. “When I walked in, in the morning, it didn’t exist,” says Chef Antonio -JP Faber

Having just launched a brunch menu over the winter, Doc B’s has quickly become a fan favorite, named one of the best brunches in Coral Gables by Thrillist. It’s no surprise that the menu, offered on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., has won over the hearts of Gableites. With everything from açai bowls for the health conscious to Cinna-Swirl pancakes for those who are not, it satisfies everyone’s morning cravings.

We broke the fast with Doc B’s famous candied bacon, coupled with crispy breakfast potatoes. Coated in sugar and cayenne, the bacon is both sweet and spicy. The potatoes came not only with a side of ketchup, but also jalapeno aioli, which gave it a creamy kick.

For the main event, we opted for those Cinn-a-Swirl pancakes, because you’re never too old to have dessert for breakfast. Drizzled with icing and topped with confectionary sugar, it’s essentially a giant cinnamon roll. When our waitress put the plate down in front of

us, we thought it was a stack, but no, it’s one massive pancake. In case you need more glucose, it comes with a side of syrup.

For a less diabetic option, the Breakfast Pizza came highly recommended. Think of it like the ingredients of an omelet –eggs, sausage, onions – but on a warm, soft crust. Instead of a cheese pull when you cut each slice, you get a satisfying yolk run for dipping the crust. Plus, the onions are pickled, which are far superior to regular onions.

Now let’s talk about the real reason we brunch: the drinks. The Miracle Mile locale strays from the typical brunch cocktails. Doc B’s doesn’t offer bottomless, but at just $5 a pop for all of their cocktails, you can still sip mimosas to your heart’s content. And for a fresh take, order the pink mimosa, where orange juice is replaced with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. For the hard liquor fans, try the Bloody Maria, which is made with tequila instead of vodka. To enhance your Sunday Funday experience, Hayes Ranch Rosé is $5 all day. -

Lizzie Wilcox

DOC B’S ENTERS THE BRUNCH SCENE

CAFFE ABBRACCI HAS A NEW CHEF

Miami Cancer Institute’s Benign Breast Clinic

EVALUATING AND TREATING NONCANCEROUS BREAST CONDITIONS

When one discovers a lump in the breast or experiences pain or discomfort in the breast area, the mind immediately jumps to the worst scenario: breast cancer. The good news is that not all breast changes or abnormalities are caused by cancer. Nevertheless, a thorough medical examination and diagnosis are essential to rule out the possibility.

Fibroadenomas — The most common benign solid tumors found in the female breast. These round, rubbery, slippery lumps that move freely in the breast when pushed are the result of excess formation of lobules (milk-producing glands) and stroma (connective tissue in the breast). Fibroadenomas are usually painless. They occur most often between the ages of 20 and 40 and are more common in African-American women.

The Benign Breast Clinic has been a great addition to our Breast Program as it provides exceptional care and expertise to patients with noncancerous breast conditions.

The Benign Breast Clinic at Miami Cancer Institute is a comprehensive clinic dedicated to diagnosing and treating patients who have experienced breast changes, breast pain and other noncancerous breast problems. The Clinic’s physicians, who are primary care physicians with training in breast health, are dedicated to providing patients with expert clinical care, assisted by a support team of academically trained and Board-certified breast surgeons, breast imagers and advanced practice providers (APPs) with experience in breast health.

“The Benign Breast Clinic has been a great addition to our Breast Program as it provides exceptional care and expertise to patients with noncancerous breast conditions,” said Jane Mendez, M.D., FACS, a breast surgical oncologist and chief of breast surgery at Miami Cancer Institute.

Some of the benign conditions treated at the Clinic are:

Fibrocystic changes — Changes in hormone balances during normal, monthly menstrual cycles that can lead to the development of fluid-filled lumps. Tenderness and lump size commonly increase the week before the menstrual period and lessen a week after. The lumps may be hard or rubbery and can appear as a single breast lump that may be large or small.

Fibrocystic changes also can appear as thickening of the breast tissue. Fibrocystic changes can occur in one or both breasts and are the most common cause of benign breast lumps in women age 35 to 50.

Breast cysts — Benign, tiny, fluid-filled sacs that usually occur in both breasts and feel like lumps and vary in size. Tenderness and lump size often change with the woman’s menstrual cycle.

Gynecomastia — A condition that causes tender enlarged breasts in boys and men often with a lump beneath the nipple. It can happen due to a hormone imbalance in the body or may be related to certain medications.

If a patient’s breast problem indicates cancer, a referral will be made to Miami Cancer Institute’s Multidisciplinary Breast Cancer Program. The team consists of academically trained, Board-certified physicians and surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and plastic reconstructive surgeons who subspecialize in the care of patients with breast cancer.

Jane Mendez, M.D., FACS, breast surgical oncologist and chief of breast surgery at Miami Cancer Institute.

State-of-the-art breast imaging available.

Healthy Happy Hour

SEASONS 52 SERVES KILLER DRINKS AND BITES YEAR-ROUND

No Gluten No Problem

DORA’S BAKERY IS UNIQUELY GLUTEN FREE

It says it right in the name: Seasons 52. It focuses on fresh, seasonal food. And their weekday happy hour, from 3 to 6:30 p.m., focuses on marvelous cocktails, wines and beer at an even more marvelous price.

To waste no time on getting that early evening buzz, start with the Hawaiian Pineapple Cosmopolitan. The ingredients are rather self-explanatory, but the main one is vodka. And like all specialty cocktails it’s just $7. For $12, you can pair a glass of wine with a flatbread of your choosing. The roasted corn, aged cheddar, and spiced bacon flatbread is one of their seasonal options, with corn being currently in season. But we opted for the lobster and fresh mozzarella flatbread for an additional $5.

As for the wine pairing, our advice is to go straight to the sangria (shown above). This isn’t your basic red wine, seltzer and fruit combo. Seasons 52 muddles the fruit, pours in the Syrah – a sweet red wine – and then adds brandy, peach schnapps and rum.

Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Other than the selection of five different flatbreads, they also have a number of small plates for munching. When they say small, they’re not kidding. But they’re only $5, so don’t be afraid to order more (or all) of them. The kona-crusted lamb comes with two pieces of lamb, drizzled in a balsamic glaze. Delicious but gone in three bites each. The caramelized grilled sea scallops win the award for best presentation, with three scallops served in a large clam shell.

Maybe on the not-sohealthy side are their decadent desserts. Served in a shooter (a double shot glass), they have everything from s’mores to key lime pie. We practically inhaled the peanut butter dessert and couldn’t get enough of the texture of the blueberry cheesecake. For our fellow coffee addicts, the caramel macchiato is a must. Their shot glass-sized portions will make you feel less guilty about the indulgence – unless you eat three.

– Lizzie Wilcox

One of today’s diet fads is the avoidance of gluten, a protein found in grains like wheat, barley and rye. Advocates of a gluten-free diet say it reduces chronic inflammation, increases energy, sharpens cognition, and above all, improves digestion. If you are a victim of celiac disease, you don’t have a choice but to avoid it, or face havoc with your intestines and immune system. Such was the case for Dora, the Uruguayan great grandmother of Alex Sosadias (above), who now runs the family bakery on Le Jeune Road just sorth of Havana Harry’s. She suffered from celiac, and consequently

developed her own recipes for gluten-free bread and pasta. Those recipes are now the mainstay of the tiny bakery, which bakes everything from chocolate chip cookies to cinnamon buns, all gluten free.

Opponents of gluten-free food say it doesn’t taste as good. That is where Dora’s recipes come in. “We eat everything here, and if we don’t like it, we don’t put it out,” says Sosadias. “We’re going for good food that happens to be gluten free.” For us, their standout is a serrano ham croqueta with gluten-free bread crumb crusts. A guilty pleasure with just a little less guilt. – JP

Faber

COMINGS AND GOINGS

We are sad to note the exit of Chef Norman Van Aken from Ad Lib, the nouveau American restaurant on Ponce de Leon that replaced Swine. Credited with putting Coral Gables on the national culinary map, Van Aken says he will now focus on his new restaurant in Orlando…. Testing the city’s taste for chain restaurants that usually reside in malls, the Cheesecake

Factory on Ponce and Valencia is expected to open soon. It replaces the popular Bricktops Within the next two months, expect to see the beloved Red Fish Grill reopen in Matheson Hammock... Another new entry into the steak race, Perry’s Steak House, is opening in the Shops at Merrick Park. It must do battle with Fleming’s, Ruth’s, Christy’s and Morton’s

DINO-LIGHT

FALL LINEUP:

BENISE “FUEGO!”

October 12 / 8 pm

ENRIQUE CHIA IN CONCERT

October 13 / 3 pm

CARMEN PARIS “EN SINTESIS”

October 18 / 8 pm

MEME SOLIS “SIEMPRE CONTIGO”

October 19 / 8 pm

PIONEER WINTER COLLECTIVE & JDT

October 23-24

DINO-LIGHT

FREE!

October 26 / 3 pm

SPOOKY SYMPHONY

FREE!

October 27 / 4 pm

REMAIN IN LIGHT BY BRIGID BAKER

October 31–

November 3

RAIZ DE 4 - BY CASA PATAS

November 9-10

DOS HERMANAS Y UN PIANO BY NILO CRUZ

November 21-24

THE NUTCRACKER

December 7 / 7pm

BLANCA NAVIDAD (WHITE CHRISTMAS)

December 8 / 5pm

LIVE! READY 4 CHRISTMAS

December 13 / 8pm

CHRISTMAS IS IN THE AIR

December 14 / 8pm

2019 HOLIDAY SEASON SERIES THE NUTCRACKER

RAIZ DE 4

BENISE

Living p56

Her Hips Don’t Lie

Yes, You Can Smoke in Coral Gables

Moon Mission Culture Preview: Best Bets

Taste Test

The belly dancer Rena shaking her hips at Sawa

Photo by Jonathan Dann

Yes, You Can Smoke in Coral Gables

THE GALIANO CIGAR ROOM IS A STOGIE LOVER’S DREAM

You can come here for a drink, or to buy a cigar from the temperature/humidity controlled walk-in humidor. But people come here to smoke, in a leisurely and comfortable fashion.

While smoking (especially cigarettes) has disappeared from virtually all drinking and dining establishments in the Gables, it is alive and well at the Galiano Cigar Bar. According to state law, you are allowed to smoke at an indoor bar so long as it doesn’t earn more than 10 percent of its income from food. That eliminates places like John Martin’s Irish Pub, which does a hearty business in pub grub as well as drink.

But Galiano Cigar Bar is no smoke-filled man cave (though most of its clientele are male.) Thanks to a 10-ton AC unit, a powerful exhaust system and an air purifier, the indoor atmosphere remains refreshingly free of smoke. Just think of the top casinos in Vegas, like the Wynn or the Bellagio. No sour odors.

“We get lots of compliments for the air filter,” says Ozzie Gomez, one of the owners. “We had a mechanical engineer design it… we went above and beyond, about three times [the capacity] the space called for.” The patrons definitely appreciate the difference, as well as the amenity of a full bar, comfortable leather couches and

lounge chairs, and a broad selection of cigars in the humidor room, ranging in price from $6 to $100; Gomez says the sweet spot for a good quality cigar is about $12.

I drove to the Gables just for this,” said one patron, as he puffed away. “It’s one of the few places in Miami – and the only place in Coral Gables –where you can smoke." And while the bar can’t sell you any food, you can order small plates from nearby Mara restaurant, which will walk the dishes over.

For the more hard-core cigar aficionados, you can become a VIP member of the Galiano Cigar Room for $2,000. This gets you a personalized locker that is climate controlled and can hold hundreds of stogies, discounts on your bar tab and cigar purchases, and priority for cigar tours to places like the Dominican Republic.

By James Broida GALIANO CIGAR ROOM 2310 GALIANO ST. 305.753.8888

“We’re in Coral Gables because it’s a more affluent crowd, and this is not a cheap hobby,” says Gomez. “So we fought long and hard to be the first – and only – full liquor cigar bar in the city.”

Photos by Jonathan Dann

Moon Mission

A FULL MOON-INSPIRED MONTHLY HEALTH AND BEAUTY EVENT LIFTS OFF AT THE CORAL GABLES MUSEUM

By Lizzie Wilcox

The full moon affects more than just the tides. It also affects us as human beings, as astrologer Valerie Mesa explained to the audience at the Coral Gables Museum. The powerful energy emitted by the full moon is what inspired the Full Moon “Glow-Up” event, where guests are invited to align the mind, body and spirit before entering the next astrological month.

The inaugural event in August consisted of mini beauty treatments by Glamsquad, a onehour yoga session and a halfhour astrology talk where Mesa explained what the next month holds for each astrological sign.

The yoga class was led by GreenMonkey yoga instructor Yasmyn in the courtyard of the museum. Why pay for a hot yoga class when you can just take your mat outside in August? We were sweating from places we’d rather not say in a family publication. But as we enter the cooler fall

and winter months, we can’t think of a better place for an outdoor yoga class than under the stringed lights of the museum’s courtyard.

You don’t have to be a devoted yogi to participate in the event. Levels varied from the advanced yogis to those who didn’t know Virabhadrasana (warrior pose) from Vriksasana (tree pose). Those not participating in the yoga class could shop at vendors like Athleta and Be RAD cosmetics, which focuses on cruelty-free fake eyelashes, or they could hang by the bar, which had complimentary Barcelo rum. Though it felt kind of cruel that people were sipping rum cocktails while we were sweating and shaking in Garudasana (eagle pose).

The monthly Full Moon

“Glow-Up” event series is open to the public. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased on Eventbrite. Dates vary depending on the moon cycle.

Her Hips Don’t Lie

MIDDLE EASTERN ENTERTAINMENT AT SAWA

The music comes on dramatically, the rhythm of drums, cymbals, tambourine and that oboe-like sound of Arabic music, piped in from hidden speakers. And then she appears, bejeweled and smooth-skinned, draped with shimmering scarves: Rena the belly dancer. She twirls, she spins, she undulates, moving her hips in ways that defy the physics of what a body ought to be able to do.

This is the weekend scene in the courtyard outside Sawa, in the Shops at Merrick Park. With shows at 8 pm and 10 p.m., diners at the Mediterranean/Japanese restaurant are beguiled by

the ancient art of torso manipulation that originated in Egypt.

“We are trying to show Middle Eastern entertainment at its best,” says Venneza Romero, the owner of Your Exquisite Entertainment, the company that provides the performers. “These dancers have had years of training, working in dance studios… of course, it’s different in front of a live audience.”

Weekend belly dancing has become a signature event at Sawa, says GM Melissa Bolieu. “Our shows have run every Friday and Saturday night since the beginning of Sawa. These are fabulous dancers.”

Above: The one-hour yoga class was led by GreenMonkey instructor Yasmyn

Astrologer Valerie Mesa (right) with mom, Esperanza Luna (left)

Photos top and left: Alexander Luna

Photo below: Jonathan Dann

BEST BETS IN OCTOBER

25TH ANNUAL CORAL GABLES OKTOBERFEST

No need to fly to Germany. Oktoberfest is happening right in Downtown Coral Gables at Fritz and Franz Bierhaus. Enjoy authentic food, bands from Austria and Germany, and, of course, beer! Oct. 3 – 13. Free admission. Visit www.oktoberfestinmiami.com for details.

CITIES OF THE MIND (RIGHT)

The most recent project by renowned Cuban-American artist Carlos Estévez, Cities of the Mind features nine large circular paintings that reference the artist’s fascination with city planning. Inspired by the Havana of his youth and the Medieval European cities he has visited, Estévez has created personal maps of the human mind. Opens Oct. 24 at the Lowe Art Museum.

7TH ANNUAL DOGGIE COSTUME CONTEST

Dress up your pooch and head over to the Coral Gables Museum on Halloween. Dogs can strut their stuff down the “catwalk” for a chance to win prizes. Registration begins at 6 p.m., contest begins at 6:30. $5 registration fee benefits the Humane Society of Greater Miami. Don’t have a dog? You can still attend and watch the pups parade in their outfits.

PUMPKIN PATCH AT PITTMAN PARK (OPPOSITE TOP)

Celebrate fall in the City Beautiful. There will be hundreds of

pumpkins to choose from, live music, pumpkin decorating, face painting, portrait areas, and food and beverages. Oct. 19 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the corner of Galiano St. and Merrick Way. Free and open to the public.

HISTORIC GHOST TOUR (TOP RIGHT)

Step into the past as you explore the haunted history of the Deering Estate. Learn about the Estate’s previous inhabitants and the paranormal activity that has been witnessed by staff and visitors alike. Oct. 10 and 24 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets: $35.

HALLOWEEN AT THE BILTMORE (BOTTOM RIGHT)

The iconic Halloween party at the Biltmore returns on Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. Enjoy an open bar, buffet dinner, and costume contest. Tickets: $150. Available for purchase at Eventbrite.com. Discounted hotel rooms available with ticket purchase.

Banesco USA combines the latest technology and the human touch because we´re more than a bank; we´re a mindset and a way of doing things. Local, technological, human and FDIC Member.

PROUD TO BE A LOCAL BANK

Taste Test

IF IT’S FRIDAY EVENING, YOU’LL FIND JEFFERY WOLFE POURING THE WINE

There are some things in Coral Gables that are simply part of the fabric of the community. One of those is the Friday evening wine tasting at Wolfe’s Wine Shoppe on Miracle Mile.

At the start of every weekend, you can find Jeffery Wolfe standing at a long wooden table in the back of his shop, with between six and nine bottles of wine open, pouring generous sips of each into the glasses of 20 or 30 people who have come to learn something about the wonderful world of vino. (Sometimes as many as 70 or 80 people show up, but usually it’s a couple of dozen).

Many of those who come to taste and possibly invest in a given vintage are regulars. On a recent Friday night, one of the samplers was delighted to

see his umbrella hanging in the back room, kept safe from weeks earlier when he’d misplaced it. Vice Mayor Vince Lago, another regular (on the right, next to Wolfe), often stops by after his Friday evening session at the gym. “This is what it’s all about,” he says, smiling. “Breaking bread and sharing wine.” (You would never guess he is Catholic).

The drill is simple. Wine lovers who want to learn more about their favorite alcoholic beverage sign up for $20 at the front desk, where they receive a wine glass that’s theirs for the keeping. They then proceed to the back of the shop, where Wolfe awaits. He has an uncanny ability to keep tabs on who has tasted what (“I tell everyone I used to count cards in Vegas,” he

jokes), and with each pour will tell you about what you’re tasting. This is when his vino vocabulary unfolds. We attended a white wine tasting, working through German and California Mosels and Rieslings. We particularly liked a spicy Merkelbach Urziger Wurzgarten. “Urziger

Wurzgarten stands for spice garden, and it’s definitely stately, high end, with a wicked aromatic profile,” Wolfe told us. As for the J. Brix “Augur,” said Wolfe, “It’s completely dry, so if sweet Riesling isn’t your thing, but bright, citrusy, minerally wine is, you’ll love it.” And we did. - J.P.

Faber

People Gerard Schwarz

Sheikh

Gerard Schwarz, Conductor of the Frost Symphony Orchestra

Chef Adrianne Calvo

Farah

Known internationally for his moving performances, Gerard Schwarz is Conductor Laureate of the Seattle Symphony, and Music Director of the All-Star Orchestra, Eastern Music Festival, the Mozart Orchestra of New York, and Conductor Emeritus of New York’s Mostly Mozart Festival. He has recorded over 350 albums as a conductor, and has received 6 Emmy awards, 14 Grammy nominations, 8 ASCAP Awards and numerous other accolades. He is a noted composer, and a champion of new music, having conducted more than 300 world premieres. His muchanticipated memoir, “Gerard Schwarz: Behind the Baton,” was published in March 2017.

Gerard Schwarz

FROST SCHOOL DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF MUSIC, CONDUCTOR OF THE FROST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT WHAT HE SAYS

Appointed as the Frost School of Music Distinguished Professor of Music, and de facto Conductor of the Frost Symphony Orchestra. He succeeds Thomas Sleeper, who conducted the Frost Symphony Orchestra for 25 years.

“I hope I will be able to add to the growth of this wonderful school of music,” says the maestro. “Specifically, I would like to expand the graduate conducting program to train conductors, who will lead ensembles of all levels.” Schwarz is also talking with Frost Dean Shelly Berg about annual festivals, beginning with one on 20th century American music. “I have always believed in the interaction of

the community with an orchestra or school, and I would like to expand this with the Frost Symphony Orchestra.” On the programming side, Schwarz says he’ll focus on three areas: “The most important works of the great repertoire of the past, works that have proven to be excellent of the 20th century that need exposure, and new works.”

I have always believed in the interaction of the community with an orchestra ...

Chef Adrianne Calvo

After graduating from Johnson & Wales University, Calvo studied under notable chefs in South Florida and then Napa Valley, which inspired the opening 12 years ago of her namesake restaurant, Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar (in West Kendall). Calvo recently released her fifth and sixth cookbooks, and continues to expand her fine-casual concept, Cracked by Chef Adrianne, which she launched via food truck at The Wharf (downtown, on the Miami River). After becoming the rave among millennials for that riverfront pop-up (can you say Truffled Pepperoni Pizza Fries?) she opened Cracked as a free standing restaurant in the former No Name Chinese location in South Miami.

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT WHAT SHE SAYS

Chef Adrianne has announced that she will take the helm at the former Red Fish Grill Restaurant in Matheson Hammock Park, which has been closed since being devastated by Hurricane Irma two years ago. The fully renovated 1938 coral rock structure will open later this fall – the only waterfront restaurant in Coral Gables.

“I believe in the magic of Red Fish. It had such a wonderful following, full of beautiful memories that people made there. That alone deeply resonated with me. When the owners [Hammock Marine Corporation] reached out to me about the project, I knew I couldn’t say no,” says the homegrown South Florida chef. “What drives me as a chef is the ability to please

people, and elevate their mood, through my craft,” she says. “My goal with Red Fish is to restore the love affair South Florida had with this restaurant and location.”

CHEF, AUTHOR, TV PERSONALITY, RESTAURATEUR

What drives me as a chef is the ability to please people, and elevate their mood…

While training to be an Olympic ice skater, Farah Sheikh suffered a career-ending injury. Having to take a different path, she is now in her third year of law school at the University of Miami with a Presidential Law Scholarship. Sheikh still has a passion for figure skating and uses it to coach children who have dreams of skating professionally. She now hopes to win the Miss Florida title in 2020. With her expertise in coaching, future Juris Doctorate and the platform that would come with winning Miss Florida, she hopes to create a scholarship for children overcoming handicaps.

Farah Sheikh

MISS CORAL GABLES USA

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT WHAT SHE SAYS

Being crowned Miss Coral Gables USA in March. Sheikh now goes on to compete for the Miss Florida title in 2020. If she wins that, it’s on to Miss USA.

“When you put a crown on, you have to present yourself in a higher manner,” she says. “You have to be confident, be credible, be authentic, and you learn that you carry your values with your crown. It’s a really big growing experience.” Everything she does – the pageants, the coaching, the law degree – is, she says, to help

others. “With my law degree I will be able to help people with handicaps. With the [Miss Florida] title, I will be able to help all of Florida,” says Sheikh.

It’s a really big growing experience…

By Patrick Alexander

October is the time of year when the elusive Florida bonneted bats swarm beneath the banyan trees of Granada Golf Course, and swarms of little kids gather in their batman outfits and red riding hood capes to go trick-ortreating. As All Hallows’ Eve approaches, it is time for adults to gather in the fading daylight and remind each other of the ghastly and grisly murders which haunt the history of Coral Gables. Our first tale is the murder of Dora Suggs, that took place in what was then, a desolate backcountry of Coral Gables called Devil's Den.

DORA SUGGS AND THE DEVIL’S DEN

Long before George Merrick turned the wilderness west of Coconut Grove into the city of Coral Gables, various hardy souls, known as homesteaders, lived on isolated farms out in the backcountry. In December 1905, one of these souls, Dora Suggs, rode her mule and wagon into Coconut Grove (or Cocoanut Grove as it was then spelled) to buy Christmas provisions for her husband Gideon and their children. That was the last time her family saw her alive.

Returning from Coconut Grove, in the gathering winter twilight, she was riding through an especially desolate stretch of countryside known as “The Devil’s Den,” when she was dragged from her carriage and assaulted. These days The Devil’s Den is a place of manicured lawns and gracious single-family homes at the intersection of Granada Boulevard and Blue Road near Riviera Country Club. But in those days, it was a narrow, muddy track that followed a creek, through a dark grove of Florida slash pines and palmettos.

The unaccompanied wagon and mule arrived back at the Suggs’ homestead and her husband immediately organized a search party. Her body was found in The Devil’s Den at 10 p.m.; she had been brutally raped and mutilated. Her skull had been crushed-

in with rocks. Footprints around the body showed that her assailant wore size 12 boots, but there were no other clues.

The following day, Edward (Cady) Brown was arrested for Dora Suggs’ murder. The main evidence against him appears to be that he was black. On being sentenced to death he said, “I don’t know how they can hang a man for something he knows nothing about.” Within just six months he was charged, tried, found guilty and hanged. Despite his neck being broken by the fall, he continued to show signs of life and his boots continued to kick for a further 18 and a half minutes. His boots were a size 10.

Dora Suggs is buried in Coral Gables’ historic Pinewood Cemetery where her tombstone reads “1872 - December 18, 1905. Died tragically at The Devil’s Den, Wife of Gideon David Suggs.”

FATTY WALSH, THE GHOST OF THE BILTMORE

The most famous murder in the City Beautiful was of course that of Thomas “Fatty” Walsh, a well-known New York mobster.

Walsh was a close associate of Charles “Lucky” Luciano, Jack “Legs” Diamond and “Dutch” Schultz with whom he shared various business interests. Earlier in his career, Mr. Walsh had been employed as a bodyguard for Arnold Rothstein, the legendary gangster famous for fixing the 1919 World Series. Ironically, Walsh was also suspected of murdering Rothstein over a gambling debt in 1928.

Riviera Country Club

KILLED

But, on March 4, 1929, less than a year after Rothstein’s assassination, Walsh had his own problems with a gambling debt. The details remain murky, but Walsh appears to have been running a card game in a Prohibition-era speakeasy which he was operating from his suite on the 13th floor of the Biltmore Hotel. The suite is commonly known as the Al Capone Suite, named after another of Mr. Walsh’s business associates who shared his affection for the Coral Gables hotel. Following a possible misunderstanding over cards played, money owed or a lady disrespected, Walsh was shot dead by a rival underworld figure, Edward Wilson, who then fled to Cuba.

Possibly because his murder remained unpunished, the ghost of “Fatty” Walsh continues to haunt the hotel, especially on the 13th floor. During his lifetime, Mr. Walsh was known as a ladies man, which perhaps explains why the elevator, unexpectedly and unbidden, often delivers attractive young women to the 13th floor. One young couple pressed the button for the fourth floor where they were staying but arrived at the 13th floor for no reason. No sooner had the wife stepped out than the elevator slammed shut and returned her husband to the hotel lobby.

Strange sounds in the 13th floor suite, lights turning on or off, the elevator behaving erratically are all signs that “Fatty” Walsh is restless and seeks company.

MAGGIE LOCASCIO AND THE BROTHER-IN-LAW

If the 20th century in Coral Gables had a bloody beginning with the murder of Dora Suggs, so too did the 21st century.

On October 30, 2001 (the day before Halloween), Maggie Locascio drove her Mercedes into the garage of her home at 2806 Granada Blvd., opposite the DeSoto Plaza fountain and just a few blocks from “Fatty” Walsh’s Biltmore Hotel. Returning home with a new hairstyle and a fresh manicure, she was about to start a whole new phase in her life. The following day, she was due to appear in court to end her marriage of 28 years. As part of the divorce settlement, the court would award her 50 percent

Walsh was shot dead by a rival gangster, Edward Wilson on the 13th floor of the Biltmore Hotel of her husband’s assets; however, being a CPA, Maggie knew that her husband, Edward Sr., had declared only a small portion of his vast fortune. In court the following day she was scheduled to reveal to the judge where all the other millions were hidden. Unfortunately, she never made it to court. Her dead body was found sprawled on the kitchen floor. Her head had been brutally bludgeoned, and her body badly kicked and repeatedly stabbed. There was blood everywhere. Her husband lived in a condo on Miami Beach and the security cameras showed him popping out of his condo for no more than a few moments throughout the day and night of the murder. His alibi could not be more solid and the following day, in court, he demanded that the divorce proceedings be dismissed and all his assets be unfrozen and returned.

Eventually, blood samples, fingerprints, DNA swabs and a bag full of evidence proved that the murder was committed by Edward’s estranged younger brother Michael who lived in Charlotte N.C., was unemployed and addicted to pills. The two brothers had not made contact for several years. But then, in the six weeks prior to the murder, they exchanged 39 phone conversations. The condo security camera that proved Edward’s alibi also showed his blood-spat-

Thomas "Fatty" Walsh

Maggie Locascio was brutally murdered in this upscale residence at 2806 Granada Blvd.

tered brother, Michael, visiting him just two hours after the murder.

Michael was quickly arrested, found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. Despite constant pressure on the authorities from his son, Edward Jr., it was not till many years later that Edward Sr. was finally charged as co-conspirator and the mastermind of the murder. The evidence was entirely circumstantial; the trial was lengthy and included one of those “only in Miami” moments when it was revealed that the lead detective had been sleeping with one of the major witnesses. Despite the lack of a smoking gun, Edward Locascio Sr. was found guilty of murder in the first degree and sentenced, like his brother, to life in prison.

Years later, in a prison interview, Edward Sr. argued that he and his brother had been framed by his own 20-year-old son, Edward Jr., who would now inherit the mansion on Granada Blvd. as well as all the family millions. For almost 20 years following the murder, the house remained empty until the court recently ordered it sold at auction. It has now been fully restored and the blood stains finally removed.

SUSAN SUTTON AND THE BAD SON

Just a couple of years later, in August 2004, another murder case featured a father and son facing each other in a courtroom. The cases were also similar in their focus on security cameras. In each case the security camera provided a rock solid alibi but, ironically, the cameras also provided evidence of guilt.

John Sutton, a well-respected Coral Gables lawyer, and his wife Susan had hosted a birthday party in their home on Orduna Drive, off Granada Blvd. in the area once known as The Devil’s Den – where Dora Sugg had been brutally murdered exactly 100 years earlier.

Guests at the party included their son Christopher, his girlfriend Juliette, and John’s law partner, Teddy Montoto. Soon after the guests left, and after John and Susan retired to their separate bedrooms, somebody entered the house and shot both of them where they lay. Susan died immediately but her husband, seriously wounded and blinded,

eventually survived.

Moments after police reached the house, Teddy Montoto also arrived. He told police he had been on the phone with Susan when he heard shots. He also told police that he was an expert marksman and had spent the day at target practice with his gun. The police tested his gun and gave Montoto a polygraph test. His gun passed the test, but he did not. After further questioning, Montoto confessed that he and Susan had been conducting a passionate affair.

Another possible suspect was the couple’s 25-year-old son, Christopher. Christopher

still resented his parents for sending him to a brutal reform school as a teenager 10 years previously. Christopher had a long history of violent behavior, death threats, and even a journal entry describing how to get hold of his parent’s wealth. At his mother’s funeral, Christopher seemed to know details of the crime known only to the police. However, at the time of the murder, Christopher and his girlfriend were both attending a late-night movie, as proved by the theatre’s security cameras. It seemed to be a solid alibi.

However, the security cameras also showed Christopher leaving the cinema

around midnight and immediately calling someone on his cellphone. Phone records showed that the person he called, and whom he had called 331 times over the previous few days, was Garrett Kopp. Police then discovered that Kopp had been arrested less than 24 hours after the murder for threatening somebody with a gun. Tests soon proved it was the same Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol that had killed Susan Sutton. After six hours of intense interrogation, Kopp confessed to the murders and said he had been hired by Christopher, who wanted his parents dead.

During the lengthy and emotional trial it was shown that Christopher and Kopp were longtime dope-dealing buddies. It was also shown that Christopher had purchased the gun and had drawn Kopp a plan of the house, marking his parent’s bedrooms. His girlfriend Juliette described how Christopher had spent five years talking about killing his parents and constantly demanding money from them. After a day and a half of deliberations, the jury found Christopher guilty of first-degree murder. Before sentencing, an emotional John Sutton addressed the court

but did not request leniency for his son.

“Regardless of the result, this is a bad case,” he said. “I lost Susan. I lost Christopher long before that. I lost my eyesight ...” Asked if he still loved Christopher, the father told the court, “I would have to say that I do not. And it’s hard...”

Christopher is serving life without the possibility of parole and Kopp will not be eligible for release till 2035.

On Halloween, if you dare to walk alone at night across Granada Golf Course - our village green in the center of townnot only will you catch glimpses of foxes and bats beneath the trees, but you may even hear the faint, wild sounds of the pipes of the Great God Pan himself. The sound should remind us that our sophisticated City Beautiful is less than 100 years old, and the primitive memories of nature, red in tooth and claw, lie not far below the surface. It would appear that despite all the manicured lawns and elegant mansions on Granada Boulevard, the dark shadows of The Devil’s Den still linger to this day. Boo!

Above: The approach on Blue Road over the creek at Devil's Den, a location now notorious for two bloody murders.

Miami is unique among American cities for having so many bizarre and exotic murders. In celebration of Halloween, author Patrick Alexander traces backwards through a history of unusual murders that took place in Miami and Coral Gables. His book, “Miami Murders Most Foul,” is available at Books & Books for $9.95.

Drama with an Edge

AN INTERVIEW WITH JOSEPH ADLER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF GABLESTAGE

Words By Mike Clary

Photos by Robert Sullivan

In more than two decades as producing artistic director of GableStage, Joseph Adler has used his Coral Gables theater to push the limits of what can appear on South Florida stages to a point where it may seem there are no boundaries yet to cross. Nudity, simulated sex, blood-chilling violence, rough language, even cannibalism? Yep, done that.

But as Adler prepares to launch his 23rd season at the helm of the cozy 150seat theater in the Biltmore Hotel, he has more provocation in mind, especially with a staging of “Fairview,” a 2019 Pulitzer Prize winner that he says is “probably the most controversial play we’ll ever do. It disturbs the audience, especially the white audience. And I love making audiences uncomfortable.”

Born in New York and raised in Miami Beach, Adler studied drama at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, and graduated from the Film Department at New York University. Under Adler’s direction, what was formerly the Florida Shakespeare Theatre has won more than 60 Carbonell Awards – recognizing excellence in South Florida theater – and Adler has been named best director 11 times. Productions are regularly taken to other county stages and performed for the Miami-Dade Public Schools’ Cultural Passport Program. And, should the Coconut Grove Playhouse’s planned $21 million restoration ever actually occur, GableStage is slated to become the theater-in-residence.

Sitting down to talk one recent afternoon in the theater at 1200 Anastasia Avenue, we asked Adler about his philosophy as a dramatic director.

CG: Why do you insist on challenging audiences with material that is often hard to forget?

I decided pretty early we wanted to do theater that is usually called “cutting edge.” What you see is what’s going on outside the theater, life as it’s being lived, the type of things not being done then on a regular basis in South Florida theater. We built our theater by pioneering edgy, contemporary shows.

CG: Did audiences take to it right away, or were they turned off when, for example, in 2000 you did Tracy Letts’ “Killer Joe,” a play set in a trashy Texas trailer park that is chock full of sex and violence? We had to build an audience for that. I think what you do is drive out the people who want conventional theater. They quickly decide this is not for us. They don’t like the language, the concerns of the play. There are people who say, “We live in a time with so much stress. We want to

see a musical, a light comedy, a play I can enjoy and by the time I get to the parking lot, get in my car, can forget about.” Great. But that’s not what we do.

CG: What do you do?

We want you to get in the car, go to a restaurant and argue about it. And hopefully, if it’s disturbing, still be disturbed by it, be challenged by it, the next day. And a lot of people don’t want to go along for that ride. But the amazing thing to me, the encouraging thing, is how many people were starved for that kind of theater. Over the years, we were able to build a loyal base of support which has stayed with us. We’re very lucky that way.

CG: GableStage is a nonprofit, reliant on gifts and grants for its $1.5 million annual budget. Among its sponsors are Miami-Dade County, the City of Coral Gables, the Knight Foundation and many others. Do you get pushback? For example, has

the city ever told you to tone it down, that what you’re presenting is not consistent with the image of the City Beautiful? No. Even in down years. No draconian cutbacks. We have never, ever had difficulty getting grants from the City of Coral Gables, or had any people with the administration come to me say they are unhappy with material. Groups and foundations, yes, there is some reluctance.

CG: You have a reputation for working with unknown actors, especially young actors. Among the best-known is Oscar Isaac, who did several plays with you before going on to Hollywood to star in films such as Inside Llewyn Davis and Star Wars sequels. Do you set out to discover new talent?

I love giving actors their first professional gig. Nothing makes me happier. To see them go on from that, and continue in the field, and get more work – that means the world to me. Acting is such a demanding profes-

2019 FALL SEASON PLAYS & EVENTS

WIESENTHAL by Tom Dugan

September 21 – October 20, 2019

Filled with hope, humanity and humor – this is the riveting true story of Simon Wiesenthal, who devoted his life to bringing more than 1,100 Nazi war criminals to justice. Intelligent, funny, flawed and noble – his unbelievable dedication and tenacity over decades is honored in this play, which gives equal weight to his wisdom and wit during his long, purposeful life.

HILLARY AND CLINTON by Lucas Hnath

November 23 – December 22, 2019

In New Hampshire during early 2008, a former First Lady is in a desperate bid to save her troubled presidential campaign. Her husband sees things one way; her campaign manager sees things differently. This play is a profound and timely look at two of the most controversial figures in American political history.

sion. To be an actor, you have to be open to your emotions, be vulnerable. But how to stay vulnerable, when facing constant rejection? That’s the dilemma. The bottom line is that it has little to do with talent. It takes luck, and probably having the temperament to go through long periods when the phone is not ringing.

CG: What is your approach to directing, bringing actors of various ages and experience together in service of the play? That’s the challenge, how to create a space, the environment, where people feel comfortable taking risks, where people can do their best work. You have to find a way to orchestrate all those temperaments and training and get them on the same page. Acting is about making choices. I allow people to make choices that serve the play better, and create the conflicts that need to be there.

CG: You used to direct every play in a season. You have pulled back from that, in part because you have been busy with the new theater that could result in GableStage moving from the Biltmore Hotel to the site of the Coconut Grove Playhouse.

What’s the timetable for that?

The money is there, plans drawn up, the designs are ready to go. But some roadblocks have been placed in our way by people who think it is not big enough. I’d be sorry to see us leave Coral Gables. But we will be here for at least two, possibly three more seasons. And I have been working on finding a successor. I can’t do this forever. I am ready to bring in other directors, find people who can move in and take my place.

CG: Your liberal politics are out front. In fact, some are plastered in stickers on the box office window.

We have done benefits for Planned Parenthood, the Women’s Emergency Network, the ACLU. And I have expressed my politics, at times from the stage, and had people walk out. That was a mistake. The audience comes to see the play, not to hear my opinions. But my politics don’t get in the way of choosing plays that express points of view that are contrary to my own. I say to young actors all the time, “If we don’t stand up for First Amendment rights, who will?”

CG: You have been open about your past troubles with substance abuse. Tell me about that.

I was a functional alcoholic and drug addict. People think that’s good; it means you can keep doing it. It’s not. 27, 28 years ago, I picked up a phone, called a treatment center, and then walked into a bar and said to the bartender, “Give me an Absolut on the rocks. This is my last drink.” He asked why, what’s the matter? “Because I’m alcoholic.” And then I checked into rehab. I also smoked three packs of cigarettes a day, and threw them away at the same time. I’m just grateful that I’ve been able to continue doing what I loved to do. The passion is just as great now as it was then.

CG: What’s on your bucket list?

To celebrate my 75th birthday, I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane at 10,000 feet. It was on my bucket list because it was something that has always terrified me. But sitting on the edge of that seat, I was wondering, ‘Why am I here?’ I’m glad I did it. But I wouldn’t do it again.

BUSINESS QUARTERLY

The New Merrick Village

TRANSFORMING THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT INTO THE HOTTEST RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD

Plus Del Monte Stays Fresh

Retail: Sharp keeps his edge

Villa Valencia’s High-Tech Touch

Wealth Management in the Gables

Sponsored by

Henry Torres Developer of Merrick Manor

PRECISION CANCER CARE

Miami Cancer Institute brings to South Florida access to personalized clinical treatments and comprehensive support services delivered with unparalleled compassion. No other cancer program in the region has the combination of cancer-fighting expertise and advanced technology to best understand what’s driving your cancer and deliver the precise treatments to achieve the best outcome. Selected as Florida’s only member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance, Miami Cancer Institute is part of a meaningful clinical collaboration to improve the lives of cancer patients.

With Miami Cancer Institute, you no longer have to leave South Florida to receive the best and latest cancer care.

To schedule an appointment, please call 786-596-2000 or visit MiamiCancerInstitute.com.

Goings On: News Briefs on Business

Commentary: Mark Trowbridge

Retail: The Well-Honed Entrepreneur

International: Del Monte Keeps it Fresh

Banking: The Great Gables Rebranding

Corporate Philanthrophy: SeaKeepers

Real Estate: The Healthy Highrise

Wealth Management: Keeping it Local

Development: The New Merrick Village

Homes: What $4-5 Million Buys in the Gables

Welcome to Gables Business 2.0

When Coral Gables Mayor Raúl Valdés-Fauli gave his State of the City address at The Biltmore last month, he began by thanking the business leaders present, “because the success of our city is a direct reflection of the success of our business community.”

As a city magazine, we are now well into our second year of writing about all aspects of life in Coral Gables: the lifestyle, the politics, the personalities, and the business. But we have come to understand that the business life of Coral Gables is much larger than the average citizen realizes – including ourselves – and too large for us to cover in our monthly mix.

Consequently, we have decided to produce what you hold in your hands (unless you’re reading the digital version). Each fiscal quarter we will create a mini magazine on business in the Gables, to give our readers the option to learn more about commerce in the City Beautiful. And there is a stunning amount going on, from the activities of our 150-strong multina-

tional community to our numerous professionals, from the vibrant array of retailers to the cluster of innovative startups, from the dynamic energy of our developers to the solid performance of our financial institutions.

Simply put, Coral Gables is a fantastic place to locate a company and conduct business, for reasons ranging from intelligent transit systems to elegant class A office options, all with proximity to many of the best restaurants in South Florida – and to one of the world’s greatest international airports.

In this effort, we would like to thank the Economic Development Department of the city – in particular Acting Director Belkys Perez – and the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce – in particular CEO and President Mark A. Trowbridge. Both of these individuals and organizations have generously contributed their time and insights to help us produce this report, which will only grow in quality and depth as we proceed.

J.P.Faber Editor-in-Chief

PUBLISHER

Richard Roffman

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

J.P.Faber

EVP / PUBLISHER

Gail Scott

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Amy Donner

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Monica Del Carpio-Raucci

ART DIRECTOR

Jon Braeley

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Toni Kirkland

VP SALES

Sherry Adams

STAFF WRITER

Lizzie Wilcox

SENIOR WRITER

Doreen Hemlock

WRITERS

Patrick Alexander

James Broida

Mike Clary

Andrew Gayle

Mallory Evans Jacobson

RESEARCH

Gloria Glanz

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Michael Campina

Jonathan Dann

Robert Sullivan

SENIOR ADVISOR

Dennis Nason

CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION

CircIntel

Coral Gables Magazine is published monthly by City Regional Media, 2051 SE Third St. Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. Telephone: (786) 206.8254. Copyright 2019 by City Regional Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Send address changes to City Regional Media, 2051 SE Third St. Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. General mailbox email and letters to editor@ thecoralgablesmagazine.com. BPA International Membership applied for March 2019. coralgablesthemagazine.com

Katz Barron

THEN AS NOW, LEADING THE WAY

Katz Barron is a Coral Gables based law firm that offers big firm expertise while providing the accessibility and individualized client service that are the hallmarks of a boutique firm. Practice areas are tailored to the needs of the firm’s clients in real estate, estate planning, corporate and litigation.

The Katz Barron real estate team routinely handles complex financing, leasing and buy/sell transactions. Locally, the firm has served as counsel for the lender to the Biltmore Hotel since 1994 and, more recently, handled the lease for the first Target store in Coral Gables at the former OfficeMax site on Ponce De Leon Boulevard. This summer, Katz Barron’s team closed a $550 million loan for Bal Harbour Shops that will fund a major expansion project that has been decades in the making and is now underway.

The real estate team also counsels clients on construction and design contracts from single family residences to major commercial projects, and it enjoys a unique capability in hospitality and private club representation.

With more than 60 years of combined experience, the attorneys in the Estates and Trusts Group advise on wealth planning and preservation. Whether establishing an estate plan to minimize income and transfer taxes, developing succession planning for a closely held business, or administering a complex estate or trust, the Katz Barron team develops custom solutions to each client’s unique challenges.

The corporate group, based in the firm’s Ft. Lauderdale office, advises clients from early state start-ups to mature industry leaders in formation and governance, financing, and mergers and acquisitions. With decades of industry specific experience, the corporate attorneys understand their clients’ business

objectives and become an integral part of the team in achieving their goals.

The Katz Barron litigation team takes on a variety of business disputes, including many high value, commercial claims involving contracts, business torts, employment disputes, and real estate disputes The firm has substantial experience in construction disputes, with a concentration in general contractor representation.

The longevity of the relationships the firm enjoys is a marker of its success. The core group has been together for more than 30 years, and the firm has had the privilege of representing many of its clients for decades, some of them for more than 40 years.

Then as now, Katz Barron continues its long standing tradition of providing South Florida’s finest and most sophisticated legal representation

APPLE WATCH BANKING

NEWS BRIEFS on Business in the Gables

THE OFFICE CONDO AS INVESTMENT

Offizina, the state-of-the-art office condominium that opened on northern Ponce last year, has developed a new tactic for selling units: as fully leased investments. While nearly 80 percent of the building’s units sold to business occupants, a quarter of those that didn’t sell were leased. Now those leased units are being sold as investments, mostly to foreign buyers.

2011. The 3,485 square foot, two-story home has four bedrooms and a coral stone courtyard with a fountain-fed pool. It is reportedly renting for $8,000 a month.

APPLE WATCH BANKING

Professional Bank took the idea of mobile banking a step further recently with the launch of its Apple Watch app. The app allows clients “on the go” to check balances, view individual transactions, and find branch locations. Bank officials say it’s one more step in plans to dramatically enhance its online experience for customers.

CASHING IN ON THE BRAND

PUT THAT GREEN ON THE STREET

New developments in downtown Gables may be seeing less rooftop terraces. A new zoning law passed earlier this year no longer allows builders to satisfy their open space requirement with rooftop gardens and terraces. Now the requisite open space has to be on the ground and accessible to the public.

OUR HIGHEST PAID CEO

Each year the South Florida Business Journal puts together its list of the highest paid CEOs in the region. This year the top spot went to Gables resident Frank Del Rio, the Chairman of Norwegian Cruise Lines. While his salary was $1.75 million, his total 2018 compensation was $22.6 million, up from $10.5 million the year before.

The University of Miami has signed a contract with sports merchandizing giant Fanatics. UM signed a 10-year exclusive licensing partnership with the Jacksonville-based company, which also has a deal with sports rival University of Florida. Fanatics Brands, the company’s in-house apparel division, will design, manufacture and distribute an expanded selection of UM products for men, women and students.

opened their regional (South Florida-Caribbean) office here in September.

MG BREAKS GROUND WITH ALTHEA ROW

MG Developer has broken ground for Althea Row, the second half of its Biltmore Square “community” project just west of downtown. The set of five 3-story luxury townhouses are seen as part of the growing trend toward walkable urban living, designed in a Mediterranean revival style. The townhouses face Almeria Avenue.

JEB BUSH SELLS TOWNHOUSE

Speaking of townhouses, former Florida governor Jeb Bush has sold his townhouse on Anastasia Avenue for $1.625 million. Records show he paid $1.3 million for it in

TOPPING OFF THE PLAZA

The Plaza Coral Gables development on Ponce Circle has officially topped off two of the four midrise buildings that comprise the $500 million project. The final concrete pours for the two remaining buildings has also taken place. The pour is part of 55,000 cubic yards of ready-mix concrete being supplied by Mexico’s CEMEX; the project is being developed by Mexico-based Agave.

THE LATEST ARRIVALS

Coral Gables collection of 150 multinationals can now expand by one, with the relocation of American Towers cell tower company to the Gables. The new offices of the $70 billion company are here to run operations for Latin America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. They are being joined by the recent relocations from Miami to the Gables by law firm

30 SOMETHING

The Coral Gables culinary scene is notoriously competitive, a jungle where only the strong survive. This year alone has seen the fall of La Palma, Le Provençal, Bricktops and Swine. So, it is all the more remarkable that John Martin’s Irish Pub and Caffe Abbracci are both celebrating their 30th anniversary this year. “When we started you could have rolled a bowling ball down Miracle Mile at night and hit nothing,” says Martin Lynch, who shares the name of the pub with partner John Clarke.

Katz Barron and City National Bank. Mutual of Omaha also

By Mark Trowbridge

Stand Up and be Counted!

A CENSUS IS COMING. IT’S ONE MORE WAY WE CAN HELP

Welcome to Coral Gables Magazine’s Business Quarterly – an incredible opportunity for our Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce to showcase the local business community in the most authentic way, while highlighting the movers, shakers and deal makers in our City Beautiful.

Our vision for the past 94 years (we celebrate our anniversary on October 10) has centered on relevance, inclusiveness and integrity, the values that have propelled us to being ranked the second largest Chamber in all of South Florida, a recognition and

leading voice for business in our community and this will be no different as we dive head-first into 2020, when the U.S. Census will be in full gear, endeavoring to count every single person in the United States.

The decennial census is more than just a counting exercise, however; it is the catalyst for resource allocation, Congressional representation, and state and local business decisions that will be made over the next 10 years. In 2010, some believe that certain neighborhoods in Miami-Dade County may have been undercounted by as much

The census is required by the Constitution, which has called for the once-a-decade tradition of counting every person living since 1790. The 2020 population numbers will shape how political power and federal tax dollars are shared in the U.S over the next 10 years.

honor we do not take for granted.

Our Chamber is focused each day on building a robust business climate in Coral Gables alongside our partners, driven by a cadre of engaged members, well regarded businesses, and corporate leaders we all admire. It’s one reason our millage is so low and services so high, as our businesses contribute nearly 40 percent of the City’s tax base while doubling the size of our community from Monday through Friday when more than 50,000 people come to work (and spend) in the City Beautiful.

Beyond the work we do to help our businesses engage and grow is the way we tackle substantive issues that affect everyone, whether it be our advocacy efforts in Tallahassee and D.C., our newly launched Green Business Certification Program, our vigorous support of SMEs, or our long-standing Permitting Assistance Program. All have helped bring significant investment and talent to Coral Gables over the past decade. We are the

as 30 percent. That equates to billions of dollars in resources that did not come back home, leaving us woefully underfunded for such essential programs as Medicaid, Title I, Pell Grants, transportation and infrastructure dollars, and more.

Florida is now the third largest state in the U.S., a milestone that has occurred since the last Census, and boasts a trillion-dollar economy that is driven significantly by the businesses in Miami-Dade County. A complete count next year will ensure that we receive our rightful share – dollars that help our schools, roads, seniors, employees, and families.

When you receive your census form in early 2020, be sure to complete it fully (by mail or online) and most importantly, encourage your colleagues, employees and their families to do the same. Never in the history of our great country has it been more important that we all stand up and be counted!

Until the next time…

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

The Well-Honed ENTREPRENEUR

By J.P. Faber

If you ask Nick Sharp what the golden rule is for starting a new business, his answer would be to prepare for the worst-case scenario, and then make sure you can afford it. That, and stay true to your vision, not pandering to every customer.

Sharp was working as comptroller for a commodities company in Miami, and living in the Gables, when he decided to try his hand at starting something popular in his native Melbourne, Australia: the chef-driven café. “We just wanted to do something that was very familiar and similar to what we have at home,” he says, having moved to the Gables in 2012. “For us a café means really, really good coffee and a chef-driven kitchen. There were bakeries and coffee shops [in the Gables], but

nothing like that.”

Before he launched Threefold Café on Giralda Avenue, however, he employed his accounting experience. Having worked in risk certification, he was an expert at looking at how things can go wrong. “It was a new venture, but we did understand the numbers and set realistic targets. And we did something that we knew we could afford. So, we kind of based it on, ‘What if nobody comes? What are we committed to and can we afford it?’ Anything above that was a bonus.” They took a one-year lease with options, on a storefront where Nick had spotted a for-rent sign.

As it turned out, Threefold was able to break even just a couple of months after launching, largely because Sharp and his

equally inexhaustible wife Teresa did most of the heavy lifting.

“We were pretty tight when we opened, with a small amount of capital, so we did pretty much everything ourselves. All the interior work we did ourselves” says Sharp. “We opened with a kind of skeleton crew – a trainee working in the kitchen, a good guy up front, Teresa running the coffee… We didn’t want to invest in 30 people and then have to let them off if we weren’t busy, or not be able to pay them.”

As luck would have it, says Sharp, “we got busy early, and then we started building a team.” More than luck, it was the formula: noticeably good coffee coupled with a breakfast/lunch menu served from early morning till mid-afternoon. And it was on the Millennial edge, serving

"It all started with a love of good coffee... and maybe avocado on toast." So says Nick Sharp and his wife Teresa. Now this hard working team have opened a second Threefold Café in South Miami and recently launched Someone's Son, a restaurant in the Gables Entrance.

THREEFOLD CAFÉ

141 GIRALDA AVE, CORAL GABLES, 33134 305.704.8007

Monday : 7:30am – 3pm

Tuesday - Friday: 7:30am - 4pm Saturday - Sunday: 8am – 4pm

AFTER STARTING MODESTLY IN THE GABLES, NICK SHARP HAS NOW GROWN A STRING OF RESTAURANTS. THE SECRET: STAY MODEST.

Photo by Robert Sullivan

the first smashed avocado toast in Miami. “If it wasn’t for avocado toast and Instagram we probably wouldn’t have succeeded,” says Sharp, only half kidding.

“Coffee was becoming king, and people were looking for those [kind of places],” says Mark Trowbridge, who recently interviewed Sharp for his Trow Knows CEOs roundtable series. “There was nothing like it in Coral Gables, or even in all of Miami-Dade.” It also wasn’t for everybody, something that Sharp says he was keenly aware of when cultivating what has become a loyal clientele.

“Our model all along, though it’s not exactly the ‘customer service’ school, is that if you don’t like it, don’t come,” he says. “It’s not that the customer isn’t always right, but not everybody is your customer. The thing really is to identify them. If someone is not your customer, you’re never going to please them, they’re just not in the right place.” On the

other hand, if they are the right clientele… “We’re just over five years old, and we have customers that came the first week and they are still coming.”

Within two years of starting Threefold in the Gables, Sharp and his wife Teresa launched a second Threefold in South Miami. By then Nick had quit his day job, splitting his time between the locations and, in 2017, with another small coffee shop in the Gables Entrance building.

In mid-2017 the Sharps opened and almost immediately sold the Corner Coffee and Pantry in Key Biscayne – too far afield – and instead became partners in the Deco Coffee Company last year, in order to supply theirs and other local venues.

This year things are moving even faster, starting with Someone’s Son, the Sharps’ first venture into a restaurant with a dinner menu. It opened in the location of their coffee shop in Gables Entrance, where it al-

ready caters to the MasTec staff that works in the building. “Then we had the opportunity to open a Threefold on Brickell. It just sort of came our way,” says Nick.

Next on the list is to bring a trend to the Gables that has raged elsewhere, but not yet here: The local brew pub, where the beer is made on the premises. Sometime close to the start of 2020, Sharp will be opening Bay 13 Brewery and Kitchen at 65 Alhambra Circle, near the Alhambra Tower and the former La Palma on Minorca. But now, just as it was five years ago, it’s all about hoping for the best while preparing for the worst.

“It’s not how do we become millionaires, but how do we break even,” says Nick. “Looking at it from that point of view, and obviously as a small family business where we don’t have millions in capital to invest, pretty much everything we do has to have a good chance of breaking even.”

It’s not that the customer isn’t always right, but not everybody is your customer. The thing really is to identify them. If someone is not your customer, you’re never going to please them, they’re just not in the right place....

- NICK SHARP

DEL MONTE: Keeping it Fresh

FROM

ITS CORAL GABLES HEADQUARTERS,

DEL MONTE FRESH PRODUCE COORDINATES THE WEEKLY DISTRIBUTION OF APPROXIMATELY 100 MILLION BANANAS IN THE U.S. AND CANADA. PLUS, MUCH MORE.

By Doreen Hemlock

Walk through downtown Gables, and it’s hard to miss the red sign on an office tower for Del Monte Fresh Produce. But few people are familiar with the press-shy company, which is sometimes confused with its canned food sibling, Del Monte Foods.

Del Monte Fresh Produce employs some 275 people on Sevilla Avenue in a farm-tostore business that mainly grows, transports and sells fresh fruits and vegetables. Coral Gables hosts the U.S. executive office for the brand, whose holding company now ranks among the world’s biggest distributors of bananas, pineapples and other fresh produce. Just in North America, the company distributes about 100 million individual bananas every week.

Spun off from Del Monte’s canned food unit in the 1980s, the produce venture has been evolving since the 1990s under the leadership of Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh. He took the holding company Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1997 and retains a large stake. His team has diversified the business from bananas and pineapples, even developing cutting centers for grab-and-go packages. The company now also makes juices and some prepared foods. Worldwide, sales last year topped $4.4 billion in 80-plus countries.

“No one else in the produce industry comes close to offering the range of products and ser-

vices Fresh Del Monte does,” says equity analyst Mitchell Pinheiro, CFA, who has been following the company at Sturdivant & Co. and other firms. He calls Abu-Ghazaleh “a visionary.” Running day to day operations from the Gables is Youssef Zakharia, president and chief operating officer since 2016. Among his recent corporate initiatives: buying Mann Packing Co., a California business that grows and markets fresh vegetables and had $535 million in annual sales when acquired. He’s diversified the company’s executive team to include leaders from the U.S., Italy, Jamaica, Guatemala, and other nations. And he’s launched the company’s Fresh Cut Grab-andGo line in resealable containers, including some that fit into car cupholders.

FROM DRONES AT FARMS TO BISTROS IN THE MIDDLE EAST Innovation extends beyond products to technology, too, says COO Zakharia. “For example, in the Middle East, we have been experimenting with growing lettuce and other fresh products in greenhouses. On our farms in Central America, we have been using drones to monitor the health of the plants.”

The company also is trying out new channels for distribution, including its own bistros. “These stand-alone café establishments are offering a wide selection of

Top: Look skyward on Sevilla Avenue and you will see the familiar brand of Del Monte on the Coral Gables offices of Del Monte Fresh Produce.

Right: Running day to day operations from here is Youssef Zakharia, president and chief operating officer. He started with Del Monte in 2000, serving as Director of Operations for the Europe, Africa and Middle East region.

Bottom: Making its debut this year is a prepared meal line for busy on-thego consumers. Each meal is 130 calories or fewer per serving and has 4 grams of protein.

healthy food and beverage options directly to consumers, initially in the Middle East,” says Zakharia. Plans call for expanding the cafes into the United States, with the first scheduled for its Coral Gables locale before the year end.

For analyst Pinheiro, it’s “smart” that Fresh Del Monte is reducing its reliance on bananas, long the company’s core product. “The banana business is not predictable. Pricing changes every three months with a new crop. [Profit] margins are low. Household penetration is high. There’s really not a cheaper fruit,” he says. He likes that management is expanding into fruits that command higher prices, from blueberries to avocados and mangoes. And he’s keen on the company leveraging its assets –from packing plants to refrigerated ships and warehouses with ripening rooms – to offer a wider range of products and services to wholesalers, retailers and other customers.

“Fresh Del Monte now can come to a U.S. supermarket, and say, ‘We’re a one-stop shop,’ even offering to chop fresh fruits and vegetables at its U.S. cutting centers for stores that increasingly outsource that task,” says Pinheiro. “No one else can do that.” Still, bananas continue to represent nearly 40 percent of the company’s worldwide sales, or $1.7 billion of last year’s revenue. That ranks it among the world’s top three suppliers of the fruit, together with Dole Food Co. and Chiquita Brands International.

Growing and distributing bananas are not without their challenges, however, with crops subject to pests, bad weather, and natural disasters. “We have farms in Guatemala, and the recent Fuego Volcano eruption is a good example of the kinds

Right: These stand-alone cafés rolled out in the Middle East offer a wide selection of healthy food and drinks. The first one in the United States is scheduled for Coral Gables before the end of this year.

Bananas represent nearly 40 percent of the company’s worldwide sales, or $1.7 billion of last year’s total revenue

of incidents we have to be ready to respond to every day,” says Zakharia, including sending emergency aid to workers and their communities.

INVESTING TO PRODUCE PINK PINEAPPLES

The company has been diversifying partly by launching its “Gold Extra Sweet” variety of pineapples in the 1990s. It grows the variety mainly in Costa Rica and the Philippines. Last year, “Gold” pineapples accounted for nearly $500 million of its revenue, helping make Del Monte Fresh Produce the single largest supplier of fresh pineapples worldwide.

“But we are not resting on our laurels,” says Zakharia in answers by email. The company’s pineapple efforts even include development of new pink-flesh fruit that already has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for eventual U.S. sale. Changing the color of a fruit is a long way from Del Monte’s start. In 1886, the name first appeared on a premium coffee blend, packaged for the prestigious Hotel Del Monte in Monterey, California. The future, Zakharia says, portends lots more innovation for the fresh-produce dynamo, with its roots in Coral Gables.

FRESH DEL MONTE PRODUCE INC.

Business: Produces, markets and distributes fresh fruits and vegetables worldwide under the Del Monte brand. Also sells fresh-cut produce, juices, prepared foods, and more.

Global Headquarters: Cayman Islands

US Executive Office: Coral Gables

Financials: $4.4 billion in sales and $38.6 million in operating income in 2018. Bananas provided $1.7 billion in revenue, “Gold” pineapples $488 million, and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables $943 million. Sales now span 80-plus nations.

Ownership: Trades on the New York Stock Exchange as FDP.

Employees: Roughly 40,500 full- and part-time staff at farms, packing plants, refrigerated ships and trucks, warehouses, food-cutting centers, offices and other facilities.

In Coral Gables: Employs 275 people at 214 Sevilla Ave. in transport, corporate IT, and other fields. Former parent company bought West Indies Tropical Fruit of Coral Gables in 1968, establishing its presence in the city a half-century ago.

CEO and chairman: Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh. Has led Fresh Del Monte since the 1990s and, with his family, owns a large stake. Also chairs International General Insurance Co. and the Royal Jordanian Air Academy. President and COO: Youssef Zakharia. Started with the company in 2000 as director of operations for the Europe, Africa, and Middle East regions.

Some Recent Initiatives: Bought Mann Packing Co. of California for $361 million. Investing at least $100 million over seven years in banana operations in Panama.

A Rose by Any Other Name…

A SLEW OF BANKS THAT SERVE CORAL GABLES ARE IN THE MIDST OF REBRANDING, INCLUDING CAPITAL

By J.P. Faber

For Roberto Muñoz (shown right), the idea of changing Capital Bank to First Horizon makes common sense. As part of the holding company First Horizon National Corporation, Capital is part of a banking group that also includes First Tennessee, which holds the largest market share in that state. It’s confusing.

The current Capital Bank brand (it had been a Miami bank in the ’80s and ’90s) was brought back to life in 2010, when several Florida banks, including Metro Bank and The Keys Bank, were cobbled together and marketed as a new banking entity. Two years ago, First Tennessee acquired the new Capital Bank, along with its network of 30 branches in South and Southwest Florida.

“Capital is a wonderful name, and we have spent a good amount of money building the brand in our region. It has a very good service reputation,” says Muñoz, who in January was named Miami Market President for Capital. “But when we got acquired by First Tennessee, we were marketing two brands –First Tennessee in Tennessee, and Capital Bank in South Florida. The third thing was, we had a holding company called First Horizon. So, how do you align branding? How do you align marketing?”

In the case of Capital, the decision was to market all its eggs in one branding basket, First Horizon. “A lot of banks … are rebranding and remarketing

just based on a common-sense approach to how clients feel, and whether they feel at home anywhere they bank,” says Muñoz. “Having a single brand allows that to happen. We are name brand changing so that we can maximize our spend, and make sure we are maximizing the same brand image in Tennessee [as here].”

Capital Bank is far from alone in what amounts to a flurry of bank rebranding for institutions that are based, or serve significant market share, in Coral Gables.

The first of these is already complete: the rebranding of Mercantil Bank to Amerant Bank, a process completed earlier this year. Mercantil had been part of Venezuela’s Mercantil Servicios Financieros, spun off last year as a Coral Gables-based community bank. The rebranding reflected that change. “We want to simplify everything to focus exclusively on the U.S. market,” says Amerant CEO Millar Wilson of the new brand.

Other re-brandings have to do with mergers and acquisitions. The outward face of Marquis Bank, for example, will be rebranded as Professional Bank, when its merger with the latter Coral Gables-based institution is completed over the next several months. Brickell Bank, meanwhile, is currently being acquired by Banesco, and will take on the name of that once Venezuelan and now global brand.

Though no decisions have been officially made, BAC is

The Great Name Change Game Was Is Now/Will Be Reason

Mercantil Amerant Rebranding

Capital First Horizon Rebranding

Marquis Professional Merger

BAC Bradesco Acquisition

Brickell Banesco Acqusition

Biscayne First Citizen Rebranding

Suntrust/BBT Truist Merger

another locally recognized bank name that is expected to change – to rebrand as Bradesco once their acquisition by that second largest bank in Brazil is complete. “Bradesco wants a recognizable presence in the U.S., because they’ll be doing private banking here, and the name Bradesco will be recognizable to Brazilians,” says banking consultant Dennis Nason.

“Banking is all about marketing,” says Nason, who previously ran Miami’s top executive search firm for bank executives. “The only thing you can sell is service, and all the banks are pretty much alike [in service ca-

pabilities], so what they want to do is rally around a name. Brand loyalty is to get a name easily recognizable and have people be loyal to it.”

“There’s lots of inherent thoughts that go through a person’s mind when they see a [bank] name,” says Muñoz, including a bank’s capabilities, its reputation, its price points (yes, there is comparison shopping), and whether it’s here to stay. In the end, however, it may come down to a simple emotional association with a brand. “I mean, is it a bank that cares?” asks Muñoz. “That is a thought a person comes to.”

Sea Worthy

WHEN THE BIG BOATS HELP SCIENCE

By James Broida

Tony Gilbert was just out of law school when attorney Michael Moore asked him to help out on a temporary project for the International SeaKeepers Society, an oceanic philanthropy headquartered in Coral Gables. Gilbert, having spent every weekend of his youth at the family house in Key Largo, loved the idea of working on anything aquatic.

That was more than two years ago, and Gilbert has never left. He is now program director at SeaKeeper, where he matches the needs of local research scientists with vessels that are offered for service by local yacht owners.

“In the past two years I’ve learned so much that I joke that I am a fake scientist at this point,” says Gilbert, who never did practice law. “My job, basically, is finding those who have the resources and the means to help, and who want to give back,” he says. “More and more [yacht owners] are becoming aware of the damage to the global ecosystem, and what scientists need to learn in order to mitigate the damage.”

SeaKeepers was founded in Monaco in 1998 by a group of philanthropists, including Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, to advance marine science with the help of yacht owners. Years later it was moved to Coral Gables because Moore, a Gables maritime attorney with a global reputation, agreed to become its chairman.

“SeaKeepers consists of many wonderful people using their yachts for the good of humanity,” Moore says. “And the model is simple. If you want to go on a scientific expedition, and your budget is one million dollars, and SeaKeepers provides you a vessel for free, your budget is now

$100,000. We take 90 percent off the table.”

What this comes down to, says Gilbert, is two sorts of ‘inkind’ donations: giving scientists time aboard vessels so they can conduct research, or asking the vessel owners to take on the role of “citizen scientist.” In the first case, scientists can hitch rides to do everything from testing coral reefs to tagging and getting blood samples from sharks. In the second case, yacht owners can do things like dropping data buoys or collecting marine samples.

One aspect of the Discovery Yachts Program is the use of special nets to collect microplastics and toxins from the ocean, for later analysis. “We have six nets right now, picking up samples,” says Gilbert. “We just give them the equipment, and the training to use it.”

In the last year, 17 yachts have been deployed by SeaKeepers, including one not-sohuge 37-foot fishing boat that retired Coral Gables MD Marty Arostequi has let SeaKeepers use for a variety of purposes, including water sampling. “I would personally go out with him and test the nature of the water in the Bay,” says Gilbert.

Right now, most of the vessels that SeaKeepers enlists are docked in Fort Lauderdale or the Coral Reef Yacht Club in the Grove. But for his wish list, says Gilbert, “We would love more participation from the yacht owners in Gables by the Sea and Gables Estates.”

The International SeaKeepers Society is holding its 21st Annual Founders Dinner on Oct. 31 to honor Amos Nachoum, awardwinning wildlife photographer, as SeaKeeper of the Year.

Top: Tony Gilbert, program director at SeaKeepers, keeping records aboard a volunteer vessel. He says, "We would love more participation from the yacht owners in Gables by the Sea and Gables Estates.”

Above: Working with the yacht Marcato off the coast of the Bahamas

HEALTH: the Ultimate Amenity

AT THE ULTRA-LUXURY CONDOMINIUM PROJECT VILLA VALENCIA, THE DEVELOPERS ARE ALSO OFFERING CLEANER AIR, CLEANER WATER AND A LIGHTING SYSTEM THAT MIMICS THE SUN’S CYCLE

By J.P. Faber

The old saying is that health is the real wealth, and that no amount of riches exceeds the importance of being healthy. While that may be true, affluence is also something that can help people stay healthy, with everything from better food to top medical care.

So, why should a luxury residential lifestyle – with the help of modern technology – be anything different? When you can have anything in the world, why not make sure your habitat is uber healthy?

That is the thinking behind developer Rishi Kapoor’s strategy of equipping Villa Valencia, the latest luxury condominium rising in the Gables, with state-of-theart technology to scrub the air and water. The Darwin system he is installing in all units also includes lighting that imitates the rising and setting of the sun. Buyers should expect nothing less, he says, for units touted as

the area’s most expensive.

“Everybody wants to seek better health,” says Kapoor, founder and CEO of development firm Location Ventures. “So, we are using leading-edge technology to create the healthiest environment possible.” The new technology is also helping the Villa Valencia capture the highest prices in the city. “We want to establish the most luxurious building in the city of Coral Gables,” says Kapoor. “We have achieved over $1,000 per square foot. There is a demand for that here.”

Kapoor does not build only high-end luxury dwellings. One of his firm’s projects is a shared living complex at 800 S. Dixie Highway, near UM, where students can pay $1,000 per bedroom. “It’s for those who can’t find housing in the urban core,” he says. But at Villa Valencia, he can afford to “cater to a clientele that is really the best of the best,

from a financial standpoint.”

The Darwin system being installed is made by New Yorkbased Delos corporation, using research from top medical facilities such as the Cleveland and Mayo clinics. The system purifies all drinking and bathing water, and removes allergens, toxins, pathogens, and pollen from the air. Each room is continuously monitored for air quality.

In order to recreate the sun’s natural circadian rhythm, which is wrecked by our use of artificial lighting, the system controls overhead banked lighting; in the morning, light with cool tones helps a person wake up, while warmer tones in the evening help him or her get ready for sleep.

“For most of history, we lived outdoors,” says Paul Scialla, founder and CEO of Delos, and founder of the International Well Building Institute. “We

breathed pure air and drank pristine water. Today, most people spend 90 percent of their time indoors. Darwin brings back the benefits of an outdoor environment so people can live like nature intended.”

In addition to Darwin, Villa Valencia will have other, more predictable health amenities, such as a gym, his-and-her hammam spas, and hydrotherapy pools. But for Darwin’s new system of environmental control – previously surfacing only in select estates in places like Beverly Hills – the Villa Valencia is a condominium first.

“I have always been fascinated by technology and what it can do to improve our lives,” says Kapoor. “Certain things, like air, water and light, are universal to maximizing health and wellness, so why not use technology to bring us the best we can experience?”

Rishi Kapoor, above, developer of Villa Valencia, Coral Gables’ latest and most expensive condominiums, which is eqippped with state of the art air and water quality controls.

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WEALTH MANAGEMENT IN THE GABLES

By J.P. Faber

Photo by Robert Sullivan

Even though we now manage north of $1.5 billion, we want to be a resource for the local community and appeal to most households in the city...

JOHN HARRIS, MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR THE CORAL GABLES TRUST COMPANY

As F. Scott Fitzgerald once famously wrote, “Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me.”

What Fitzgerald was talking about was generational wealth, families he depicted in novels like The Great Gatsby and The Last Tycoon, where a sense of self-entitlement and superiority came from enjoying too much too soon, without the work required to attain it. While the wealthy are indeed different, and certainly have different needs, in Coral Gables these have more to do with protecting what’s been created through hard work than any sense of arrogant self-worth.

“There is a great deal of wealth in Coral Gables,” says local attorney Michael Moore. “But more often than not, that wealth has been built by these individuals, these entrepreneurs, and not inherited. This is a city largely composed of those who have created their own wealth.”

For that reason, many of the boutique wealth management firms based here –versus national giants like Morgan Stanley or Northern Trust which have outposts here – have made it a practice of working with clients who are just beginning to create their fortunes. “Even though we now manage north of $1.5 billion, we want to be a resource for the local community and appeal to most households in the city,” says John Harris, managing director for the Coral Gables Trust Company. Harris’ firm will work with clients whose assets fall below the threshold for many national firms – hundreds of thousands rather than millions – because these clients are tomorrow’s opulent investors. “We want to recognize the wealth creators, and is the businesses

Opposite: John Harris is the managing director of the Coral Gables Trust Company. This firm works with clients whose assets fall below the threshold for many national firms –hundreds of thousands rather than millions – because these clients are tomorrow’s opulent investors.

Above: Half of South Florida’s highest-value zip codes, in terms of real estate value, are in Coral Gables.

that create wealth,” says Harris. “We want to be there when they get there, down the road. These are people we want as longterm clients, like little sapling trees. We don’t need the instant gratification that the larger firms need; we are privately owned.”

Evensky & Katz/Folds Financial is another locally based wealth management firm, headquartered in the Gables since 1986, with some $2 billion under management. Similar to Coral Gables Trust, the firm makes it a point to work with up-and-coming wealth builders. “Our median client has multi-millions under portfolio management with Evenksy,” says principal David Evensky, son of the eponymous founder of the firm. “However, being a boutique firm, we have the ability to work with HENRYS – High Earners Not Rich Yet. These individuals are successful business owners or professionals in the making. Although they don’t meet the traditional minimum at a large bank or institution, we have the ability and desire to begin working with them now.”

Similar to other wealth management firms, large and small, both Evensky and Coral Gables Trust take a longterm view when it comes to building wealth. “What we try to do is explain to clients that we take a longterm view, longer than a year, or two, or three,” says Harris. “We are looking to build longterm wealth. We don’t lead with returns. We have strong returns, and are proud of that, but we aren’t marketing that.”

Carol Kaufman (shown left), vice president and senior partner of Firestone Capital Management, agrees that returns are not paramount for clients. “Most of our clients are wealthy, and whether they make an eight or nine percent return is not as material as having proper diversification and the proper protections put into place for all of their financial assets,” she says. “Of course, nobody is in this role not to make money. Our goal is to generate solid returns that help clients reach their goals,” says Kaufman. “When we do longterm planning, we try to project modest rates of return. You can’t expect to earn more than the market gives you. Our clients’ financial plans need to hold up when markets are roaring or crying.”

Firestone, like Evensky and Coral Gables Trust, is based here, in a city that has a brand-name cache for wealth. Half of South Florida’s highest-value zip codes, in terms of real estate value, are in Coral Gables. It is also a beacon location for multi-nationals and for professionals, such as lawyers, accountants, bankers, doctors and dentists. And these are among the top client targets for Firestone and other wealth managers.

“Our typical clients fall into three stages of life,” says Kaufman. “The first is the young

Photo by Michael Campina

professionals, the doctors, lawyers, dentists, etc. They probably don’t meet our minimums but are saving and building their assets aggressively. Then we have people in their 40s and 50s who are trying to juggle college costs and looking toward retirement. And then there are the older clients, in their 60s, 70s and beyond, who are trying to distribute their assets.”

Regardless of which group clients fall into, says Evensky, they all want to delegate. “They understand that their highest and best use is focusing on their business or profession, or enjoying their grandchildren and travel in retirement. They want to have their personal finances in good order and properly managed, but realize that they do not have the time or access to the institutional markets necessary to implement it. So, they delegate to us.”

The process of accepting that responsibility means, above all, that each client is treated uniquely, with an investment package tailored specifically to them.

“Ours is a planning-based model, where we build a plan for each client in terms of their life cycle, their risk tolerance and their personal goals,” says Jay Pelham, president of the wealth management subsidiary of accounting firm Kaufman Rossin. “You could have someone many years away from retirement, with small sums to invest, and they take a lower risk. You may have someone with a shorter time window who will need to have stronger returns. It’s a matter of personal risk tolerance.” One of the tools used by Kaufman Rossin Wealth is a 10-question

Above: David Evensky, principal at Evensky & Katz/ Folds Financial has headquartered in the Gables since 1986, with some $2 billion under management.

Right: Carlos Lowell, is a financial advisor at the Coral Gables office of UBS who specializes in working with athletes in the National Football League and Major League Baseball.

application to gauge their tolerance for risk.

Prior to creating the wealth management division of Kaufman Rossin, launched earlier this year, Pelham served as president of TotalBank and, prior to that, executive VP at Gibraltar Private. Via his 30+ years of living and working in the Gables, he has come to see a variety of client profiles, each in need of custom approaches: owners of closely held businesses; owners that are in a retirement stage; partners in professional firms; executives with stock concentrations; and recent divorcees. “With all of those clients we are developing investment strategies and risk strategies, helping plan the next stage of their lives,” he says.

Personalizing the approach to clients reaches its rococo with Carlos Lowell, a financial advisor at the Coral Gables office of UBS who specializes in working with athletes in the National Football League and Major League Baseball (yes, his brother is Mike Lowell, the former Marlin and Red Sox great who was voted World Series MVP in 2007).

“The pro athlete has an earning path that goes up high and then drops to zero,” he says, so that a lot of what he does is to protect their wealth while they re-invent themselves in a post-play profession. Typically, he says, the younger athletes tend to dissipate their wealth a little more readily than older athletes, who can see the end of their careers approaching. He says he understands that pattern from his years at Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs in New York, working with entrepreneurs who build businesses and then sell them, before going on to the next project. “You get a saw tooth pattern, and that’s similar…”

In such cases, it’s an almost biblical matter of putting aside the fat from the good years so that the lean years can be weathered. This is also true for all wealth management clients, whose portfolio growth can vary with the ups and downs of the overall economy.

“We try to hold on to the gains when we have them,” says Kaufman of Firestone Capital Management. “That’s part of the diversification process – to harvest and preserve gains so you don’t have to give it all back when the market takes a turn.”

Like most money management firms in Coral Gables, both Firestone and UBS offer what is known as a “holistic approach,”

which ranges from how to maximize the value of a business, to legacy planning, to how best to handle philanthropic endeavors. Even so, few wealth managers in the Gables go without the help of outside professionals. This is especially true when it comes to financial research. While some global firms have huge in-house research capabilities, that is rare for boutique firms – though this does not necessarily put them at a disadvantage. “We recognized, six years into the business, that we couldn’t do the best research in house,” says Harris of Coral Gables Trust. “So, we seek the best individual money managers out there, small cap, mid cap, etc. We look for the best managers in each area.” CGT hired Folio Dynamics in 2012, for example, paying them a fee for research that comes from a team of 30-plus Stanford, MIT and equivalent graduates. They also use Morning Star, and the research coming out of Charles Schwab, which is where they custody all of their client assets.

Legal work is another area typically outsourced by “pure” money management firms. Manuel Garcia-Linares, for example, is the managing partner for the four Florida offices of national law firm Day Pitney, including in Coral Gables, where he is based. In addition to advising clients in matters of

complex business litigation, the firm also has a strong private clients practice that works with affluent individuals and families – and their wealth managers – on tax planning, wealth transfer and succession planning for future generations.

“Neither accounting firms nor wealth managers can do the legal work on trusts and estates,” says Garcia-Linares. “They can give advice, but the actual drafting of the trust and estates, we do that.”

Another area of specialty that plays well in Coral Gables, a city where many residents maintain collections of Latin American painting and sculpture, is Day Pitney’s expertise in art. “We have a number of lawyers that specifically advise clients on art deals –acquiring, protecting, selling, and how to pass the art from one generation to the next,” says Garcia-Linares. “Really, it’s any asset that someone has, in terms of what’s the best way to pass that on.”

So, are the very rich really different from the rest of us? “The more wealth they have, the larger the number of potential problems they have, which they need assistance with,” says Garcia-Linares. “There are more potential issues, especially how they are going to pass wealth from one generation to the next.”

These are problems we all wish we had.

Manuel Garcia-Linares, managing partner for the Coral Gables office of national law firm Day Pitney. The firm has a strong family practice that works with affluent families and their wealth managers

IT MAKES A VILLAGE

ONCE AN INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, THE AREA NOW KNOWN AS MERRICK VILLAGE IS BECOMING THE GABLES’ NEW MULTI-FAMILY BEDROOM COMMUNITY, WITH THOUSANDS OF UNITS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

By Doreen Hemlock

When Frank Trabold was growing up in Coral Gables, he remembers the area around Bird Road and South Dixie Highway as industrial. You’d drive by and see auto shops and warehouses, but you wouldn’t head there to have fun or walk around.

Now, Trabold is investing more than $50 million in that area, completing a 10-story building with 120 rental apartments above and retail below. He’s excited to be part of a fast-emerging neighborhood where residents stroll, shop, dine, and hop on public transport. “When you’re on the streets in the area, it’s quiet and private, because there’s not a lot of transient traffic. People feel safe walking their dogs,” says Trabold, a principal at Terrace Mountain Investors. “It’s a nice walkable area.”

Trabold’s venture – The Henry, named for Florida real-estate pioneer Henry Flagler – exemplifies the transformation of a stretch of Coral Gables now referred to as the Village of Merrick Park neighborhood. A triangle of land bordered roughly by Bird Road, Le Jeune Road and U.S. 1, the area began changing with the 2002 opening of the upscale Shops at Merrick Park. It’s booming today because of a decade-old zoning change that allows mixed-use development in the industrial district, with retail downstairs and housing above.

“We have about 1,500 residential units now, with the addition of Merrick Manor, and we’ll be delivering some 2,000 more in or on the edge of the neighborhood by 2022. The market is on fire,” says Myles Stepner, an associate with real estate firm Avison Young, who represents The Henry for ground floor retail, and describes himself as an “ambassador” to the area. “To give some perspective, this tiny Merrick Park triangle – which is about 20 percent the size of Wynwood [Miami’s industrial-turned-arts district] – will be adding double the number of units as Wynwood. That’s pretty staggering.”

New projects run the gamut from the $330 million, three-tower, 496-unit apartment Gables Station being built adjacent to the Metrorail, to Baptist Health’s just announced plan to develop a senior citizen community at 250 Bird Road near Ponce de Leon Boulevard. Developers like Trabold are busy tearing down older oneand two-story structures and replacing them with residential-focused buildings, mostly mid-rises. The new housing is attracting young professionals, young families, executives relocating to Miami, empty nesters, and folks linked to the University of Miami. Residents like the central location, with easy access to downtown Miami and UM by Metrorail, plus proximity to downtown Coral Gables and to Miami International Airport – at a price generally lower than the

Above: Myles Stepner, an associate with Coral Gables real estate firm Avison Young. "The market is on fire" says Stepner, "We have about 1,500 residential units now, with the addition of Merrick Manor, and we’ll be delivering some 2,000 more by 2022.

Opposite: The Henry, named for Florida real-estate pioneer Henry Flagler is at 4015 Laguna Street in the Village of Merrick neighborhood. See map above. The Henry is a 10-story mixed-use project pairing luxury residences with high-end retail.

Photo above and opposite by Miachael Campina

Bird Road LeJeune Road

Village of Merrick Park

Gables’ Miracle Mile area and with less density and a mellower vibe than Miami’s Brickell corridor. Little wonder then that Stepner now finds himself in the area, both day and night, for work and play. For work he’s often busy finding retail tenants for new building projects. In the evening, he frequently hangs out with friends, preferring an area “fun, but not wild” and “urban, but clean, polished and spacious.”

LUXURY CONDOS JUST OPENED, STEPS FROM THE SHOPS AT MERRICK PARK

Henry Torres felt the allure of the neighborhood while frequenting one of his favorite restaurants, Villagio, in the Shops at Merrick Park. The trend for multi-family housing had already started with the Residences at Merrick Park, mid-rise apartments that were connected to the outdoor shopping center. Down the block on Bird Road were another couple of apartment mid-rises in the works, but nothing yet in the luxury category.

So, Torres started buying up land in 2010 to develop a high-end building where residents could walk to the nearby tony stores and restaurants of the mall, or simply relax in its courtyard. It took him years to assemble the 1.5-acre parcel that now hosts elegant Merrick Manor, a 227-unit luxury condo complex featuring warm bronze tones, original artwork and a lush swimming pool/garden deck.

The 10-story modern Mediterranean building debuted in March at 301 Altara Ave., offering well-appointed condos starting at $380,000 for a studio and climbing to $2.65 million for a penthouse. Torres and his Astor Companies invested $110 million and some nine years in the Village’s most upscale project yet.

“I built this building like I wanted to live here,” Torres said during a recent visit. He was standing by a marble-tiled outdoor grilling area near tall potted plants rustling in the morning breeze. Across the pool deck was a sunny social room with TVs on the wall, where residents can meet neighbors or take a break. All the units feature high ceilings at 13 feet, plus Italian cabinetry, European appliances, and other top-notch finishes. “I’ve taken a lot of my own personal time to come in,” he says of the many details added, even 24-hour valet service. “And I put a lot of money in this building into landscaping.”

Merrick Manor condos now are about 60 percent sold, many to South Americans and some to empty nesters downsizing from houses in the Gables. For remaining units, interest has come from Mexicans and families from China, says Torres. His only regret is that he has no more land in the area to develop. “If I could do a replica of this, I’d do the same across the street,” says Torres. “But it’s not for sale.” Indeed, most property apt for mid-rise development in the Village triangle “is already spoken for.”

MOSTLY APARTMENTS FOR RENT IN THE TRANSIT-ORIENTED AREA

Like Merrick Manor, most of the housing projects rising in the Village area consider the Shops as an amenity. The multi-story mall now has grown to some 100 tenants, including high-end stores, a movie complex and fitness centers. Its first direct housing spinoff was the adjacent Residences at Merrick Park, built in 2003 and offering 120 apartments in mid-rise buildings, with ground-floor retail.

As the area’s mixed-use zoning took off, the next wave of projects also centered on apartments targeting young professionals. Those included One Village Place, a 112-unit building opened in 2008 at 4100 Salzedo St., with retail below and plenty of two- and three-bedroom units above. Apartments there now list for rent from about $2,600 to $4,000 per month and for sale from almost $300,000 to $1.1 million. Next came Gables Ponce, at 310 Granello Ave., which added 370 apartments in 2013, followed by Berkshire

Top: Henry Torres, the developer of Merrick Manor, a 227-unit luxury condo complex boasting high ceilings, Italian cabinetry and European appliances

“I

built this building like I wanted to live here,” Torres explains. "I’ve taken a lot of my own personal time to come in and I put a lot more money in this building into landscaping."

Bird Road

THE

LeJeune Road

The Shops at Merrick Park

S.DixieHwy

Bird Road

MERRICK

THE LINK AT DOUGLAS STATION, nearly 7.5 acres by US1-Metrorail, 1,500 apartments, 2,500 sq. ft. retail and 200,000 sq. ft. office in unincorporated Miami-Dade County. (Under construction)

U.S.Hwy1.

Coral Gables and Modera Douglas Station, both on Bird Road, which added 278 and 262 apartments, respectively, in 2014 and 2015.

Nowadays, projects in the Village marketed more broadly, even to seniors. Nonprofit healthcare provider Baptist Health South Florida announced plans this spring to develop a 2.8 acre site on Bird Road with Houston-based Belmont Village Senior Living, a specialist in communities for the over-55 set. Details have yet to be announced, but the partners say they aim to start construction in 2020 and take two years to build residences that offer seniors independent living, assisted living, and memory care.

Perhaps the most ambitious venture in the triangle is Gables Station, with 496 apartments and 120,000 square feet of retail, anchored by a 90,000-square foot Lifetime wellness center offering a gym, salons, and co-working space. NP International plans to open late next year, with rents likely averaging $3 per square foot, says chief executive Brent Reynolds. He came up with the project while commuting on busy U.S. 1 and realizing the area “was ripe for transit-oriented development, adjacent to the Metrorail.”

“I consider the location really to be a convergence point for Brickell, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, the University of Miami, and South Miami,” says Reynolds. “The intent is to take this underutilized, lack-of-master-planning corridor and turn it into something more of a boulevard.” He sees Gables Station becoming a destination for residents on both sides of U.S. 1 because of its ample outdoor spaces, public art, and links to the Underline park planned for the pathways beneath the Metrorail: “The more you create a community that’s walkable, the more you can shed the single-use vehicle,” he says.

Not all Village projects are big, of course. Roger Development plans Laguna House, a roughly $15 million, deluxe condo venture

NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE VILLAGE OF MERRICK PARK 2018-2022

near the Shops. The group had proposed just 13 condos above ground-floor retail, each unit half a floor or larger, and slated to sell for $1.5 million and up. Now, it’s looking to “broaden the market for a wider range of buyers,” perhaps offering some two dozen units from studios to three bedrooms, says executive Oscar Roger Jr. “Ideally, we’d like to start construction within the next year,” says Roger Jr., calling the area “a hot destination.”

Also on tap for visitors: an upscale hotel adjacent to the Shops. Hersha Group of Pennsylvania already has some city approvals for the project, initially intended to rise seven stories, offer 135 hotel rooms and cost $35 million. But there are no imminent plans to build, says a spokesman from Hersha Hospitality Trust.

A PUSH FOR NEW URBANISM: TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY IN THE AREA, RELYING LESS ON CARS

For architect Burton Hersh, the Village development is a more sustainable turn toward new urbanism, where people live, work and play in the same area, walking more and driving less. He collaborated with the city and developer George de Guardiola on the mixed-use “overlay” of the industrial area.

Hersh says that in the early 2000s, de Guardiola – a new urbanist known for the Abacoa planned community in Palm Beach County – started buying up land in Merrick Park, picking up the former Deel Ford property. He hired Hersh’s firm to work on urban design. They advocated for mixed-used zoning and secured it. Hersh also designed two 10-story buildings for the property, but de Guardiola later sold the land. One design was pursued by a different developer and then modified to become what’s now Gables Ponce, says Hersh,

MERRICK MANOR, 301 Altara Ave. 227 condos, roughly 20,000 sq. ft. retail (Complete)

HENRY, 4131 Laguna St. 120 units, roughly 10,000 sq. ft. retail (Under construction)

LAGUNA HOUSE, 4220 Laguna St. maybe 24 condos, roughly 3,000 sq. ft. retail (planned)

GABLES PONCE III, 363 Granello Ave. 190 units, roughly 12,000 sq. ft. retail (planned)

BELMONT VILLAGE CORAL GABLES, 250 Bird Rd, senior-citizen housing and retail (planned)

PARK HOTEL, 4241 Aurora St. perhaps 135 hotel rooms (planned)

GABLES STATION, nearly 4.5 acres by US1-Metrorail, 496 apartments, 120,000 sq. ft. retail (Under construction)

a long-time Gables resident. “When you put people together with retail, it creates a neighborhood,” says the architect. “It’s the old Main Street we got away from after World War II, and now you see people fleeing the suburban sprawl to get back to the urban core.” Still, with many traditional downtowns expensive, the opportunity for new neighborhoods lies in “these little pockets near downtown city cores,” says Hersh.

Ron Shuffield, the real estate veteran who runs Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty, also credits Gables officials for vision – starting with the innovative lease for the Shops, which had the city buy extra acreage to lease out to the mall developer longterm. “The city and developer were very smart in that negotiation, and we all won,” said Shuffield, calling the Shops a magnet for development and source of solid, longterm revenue for the city. Add in officials’ mixed-use zoning approval for the neighborhood, and “it’s almost a textbook on how to build a community and turn from a pre-existing use of an area.”

Success in the Village also is spilling into adjacent areas – in projects small and large, says Shuffield. Some single-family, mid-century houses near Ponce de Leon Boulevard are being renovated, their kitchens, bathrooms, and closets made bigger and more up to date. Families in those houses now can reach the mall and other nearby retail by foot. “They’re so happy to be in a more urban setting, where you can walk to everything,” says Shuffield.

On the multi-family side, there is more to come. Just over the Coral Gables city limits – but still within the Village triangle — the $500 million-plus the Link at Douglas Station project has broken ground. Adler Group and 13th Floor Investments started this spring on the first of five towers set to rise by Metrorail’s Douglas Station: a 22-floor building to host 312 apartments and 6,000 square feet of re-

tail. In all, Link developers plan some 1,500 apartments, 25,000 square feet of retail and a 200,000 square feet of office space on seven acres in unincorporated Miami-Dade County over the next five years. One of its towers is expected to be the largest in the area, rising 36 floors

Still, within the Village, some gaps remain to be filled. Trabold, the developer of The Henry, sees the need for more restaurants, especially casual eateries that don’t require hours for a fine-dining experience. “That’s a very difficult use in the Gables, primarily because of parking,” says Trabold, principal at Terrace Mountain Investors. Fortunately, when he’s in Coral Gables, he doesn’t drive.

Top: Brent Reynolds, developer of Gables Station, with 499 apartments and 120,000 square feet of retail, is one of the most ambitious ventures in the triangle known as Village of Merrick Park. Says Reynolds about the area, "It was ripe for transit-oriented development, adjacent to the Metrorail."

What $4 to $5 Million Will Buy in Coral Gables

Coral Gables has some of the most valuable real estate in South Florida. As Forbes Magazine puts it, “Coral Gables has long set the high bar for luxury real estate,” with a median home value of $766,600, more than twice the median home value for Miami-Dade County as a whole. The median price per square foot ($451) is also

more than twice the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach average of ($221). To see what $4 to $5 million would buy today, we asked three real estate agents to submit one of their homes for sale in that price range – give or take a few hundred thousand dollars. Here is what they came up with, in different Gables locations.

Listing Price

$5.0m

Boater’s Dream

12891 DEVA ST.

5 bed/4 bath/1 half bath/pool 4,575 sq. ft.

On a cul-de-sac in gated Gables by the Sea, this contemporary home (2001) has direct access to the ocean. Lots of light, with floor-to-ceiling hurricane impact windows. Out back is a huge covered deck, backyard and play area. The rooftop offers excellent views. Also features an elevator and heated lap pool. Listing Agent: Roberto A. Tercero (Douglas Elliman Real Estate), 305-343-4383

Listing Price $4.185m

High Elegance

7270 W. LAGO DRIVE

5 bed/5 bath/1 half bath/pool 5,784 sq. ft. Located in the Islands of Cocoplum, this is a contemporary house dressed in Mediterranean style, with double-height ceilings in the foyer and living room. Large master suite on the second floor with huge terrace, walkin closet, and vast bathroom. Lovely wood and marble floors, three-car garage and salt-water heated pool; 97-feet of waterfront. Listing Agent: Consuelo Stewart (Shelton and Stewart Realtors) 305.216.7348

MERRICK TALKS: WHAT BUYERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SALT

The Astor Companies and The Agency Collective recently hosted the second edition of “Merrick Talks,” an exclusive speaker series at the Merrick Manor Sales Gallery. The event focused on how the cap on SALT (State and Local Taxes) deductions and other provisions from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are fueling substantial domestic migration to South Florida from high-tax states. Faith Gorman of Daskal Bolton LLP, Joseph Hernandez of Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman, and Mike Pappas, CEO of the Keyes Company, gave the real estate professionals and other invited guests an in-depth understanding of the impact of the Act on the South Florida real estate market and the steps an out-of-state buyer must take to establish residency in Florida.

Below: Joe Hernandez, Faith Gorman, Mike Pappas, & moderator Erick Kalis

Top right: Henry Torres, Joe Hernandez, and Al Arostegui

Bottom right: Joel Valencia, Nancy Dowson, Myriam Mandiola, David Dowson, and Alvaro Coraspe

Rodney Barreto Rich Barbara Bradley Barreto

Rooted in the Northeast. Growing in Florida.

Through its merger with Richman Greer, Day Pitney, one of the Northeast’s largest law firms, now serves the legal needs of the Sunshine State with offices in Miami and West Palm Beach, in addition to its existing offices in Delray Beach and Boca Raton.

Across all of our offices, you can count on Day Pitney for clear and innovative legal guidance on matters, including litigation, corporate transactions, trusts and estates, change of domicile, business and tax planning, private equity and investment funds, family offices and real estate.

Boca Raton | Delray Beach | Miami | West Palm Beach

What started in 1994 as Estate Wines and Gourmet Food on Miracle Mile has become Sacha’s Cafe with multiple locations

Sacha’s at Blue Lagoon | Sacha’s at Brickell | Sacha’s in Coral Gables

Sacha’s at Blue Lagoon | Sacha’s at Brickell | Sacha’s in Coral Gables

Euro Table Catering & 800 Beans and Coffee Bar

Euro Table Catering & 800 Coffee Bean

HOUSE IN THE

HOUSE KITCHEN AND BAR IS BOTH CLASSY AND COMFORTABLY DOWN TO EARTH

By Andrew Gayle

When it comes to dining in Coral Gables, there is plenty of elegance. What House Kitchen and Bar delivers is casual elegance, a relaxed dining experience that perfectly blends its American comfort food with a sophisticated setting.

If you spend any time in downtown Gables, you can’t miss House. It’s on the corner of Ponce and Aragon, part of the Colonnade building – which provides House with a wraparound veranda for outdoor dining at low slung tables. Inside is designer hominess, with dark couches and wooden tables and chairs enameled black. Low lighting from open bulbs overhead gives the dining room a vintage Edison look, and the semi-open kitchen provides the Edward Hopper glow of a latenight diner.

The dining area is attached to a dark, comfortable lounge, with one of the signature bars of the Gables, a horseshoe of twoinch thick white marble. It’s here that House concocts its own parade of classic and signature cocktails (we recommend Cynthia’s Tequila Sour).

The philosophy of House is posted on a chalk board hung on a central brick column inside the dining room, right behind an old armoire that now holds wine bottles. There are a dozen “House Rules” written here, a combination of hearty welcomes and motherly admonitions. Things

like “Our house is your house” and “Leave your diet at the door” are followed by “Say please & thank you” and “Don’t play ball in the house.” My favorite: “No whining.”

What sets the House menu apart from the usual American comfort standard (good burgers and hearty salads and small pizzas), is an eclectic selection of dishes honed over the years by chef Michael Altman, with a leaning toward seafood.

The star of the show is the Daily Cast Iron Fish. There is only one choice of fish – the freshest that day, usually something local like snapper or grouper. It’s filleted and grilled on an iron skillet, then perfectly seared on the bottom by the iron, which gives it a nice crisp edge. It’s accompanied by a forest of wild mushrooms cooked in garlic bits, with superb flavor and texture for both fish and fungi.

Another stand-out is the spinach dip. The name does not do it justice. It arrives in a round iron cooking dish, in a circle of brioche bread used for dipping. In the center is a hearty, rib-sticking pool of spinach cooked with cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and pepper

HOUSE KITCHEN AND BAR

180 ARAGON AVE. 786.482.5599

Photos by Michael Campina

Top: The Spinach dip surrounded by brioche bread, served in a cast-iron cooking dish. Opposite left: House Kitchen and Bar has a casual relaxed ambience with dark couches and wood tables. Opposite right: Many dishes, like the Brussels sprouts, are perfect for sharing with friends. Opposite bottom: The daily Cast Iron Fish is their signature dish served in an iron skillet.

jack cheese, delicious and easily enough for four.

With the exception of its steaks and the cast-iron fish, almost all of the dishes at House fall in the $10 to $20 range, even the entrees. You can treat them like small plates you can share, a kind of American tapas. Among the other dishes we sampled was the calamari, which came glazed in an addictively sweet chili paste, and a short rib risotto with pan-

seared sea scallops, a surprisingly savory combination of flavors. The diners in our group declared the crisp Brussels sprouts with lemon aioli and maldon salt the best they’d ever had; and for dessert, House serves a key lime pie that actually tastes like tart lime and not lemon.

House is also one of the few places in the Gables where you can get excellent oysters. They are not cheap — $3 each

— but consist (as of our visit) of a Davenport East Coast oyster and a Kumamoto from the West Coast. “The East Coast oysters are brinier and larger, while the West Coast oysters are sweeter and smaller,” says general manager Daniel Cahill. The quality, he says, depends on “a good relationship with your fish monger.”

Overall, Cahill defines House as “casual fine dining in an American bistro concept.” For

us, it felt like nostalgic food, in the best sense, confidently updated with some clever tweaks and served in a modern, urban décor. We liked the generational mix, comfortable for large families or groups of young professionals blowing off steam. In a word, it feels like home – albeit one wrapped by a colonnade that acts like an outdoor café in the daytime, and a romantic European setting at night.

THE TOP

RESTAURANTS IN CORAL GABLES

Coral Gables is a movable feast, a veritable mecca of fine dining. It has the highest density of quality restaurants for any city in South Florida – close to 100 good dining establishments. The restaurants do cluster near the main street of Miracle Mile and on the Giralda pedestrian plaza, but are also spread throughout the Gables. There are some good choices at the Shops at Merrick Park, and some hidden gems to be found even in out-of-the-way strip malls.

Dining hours in the Gables stretch from the early evening – when it is common to see people at restaurants close to where they work – until late at night, when it’s not unusual go to a restaurant at 10 p.m. and find the place packed, even with children. Many restaurants in Coral Gables are world-class. But the culinary scene is also changing. Where once the top-flight, traditional dining spots catered to lawyers, bankers, businessmen and diplomats, there is a new crop of edgier places, with young chefs and new tastes, catering to a younger clientele. What follows is our list of the tried and true, and the innovative and new.

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

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

$$$ ........ $35-$75

$$$$ ...... $70-$100+

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

AMERICAN

Ad Lib

Brought to you by the same folks behind Swine, and located in the same place, this new, modern-looking restaurant offers innovative takes on American cuisine, with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and humanely sourced meats. Try the roasted pumpkin toast, the charcoal roasted shitake mushrooms or the dry-aged duck with crispy rice, sour cherries and black garlic. $$$ 2415 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.504.8895

Bachour

World-renowned pastry chef Antonio

Bachour opened his new bakery and restaurant back in Feb. 2019. The menu, on top of rows of fresh and decadent pastries, features eggs benedict, croissant French toast, guava and cheese pancakes, sandwiches and salads. $ - $$ 2020 Salzedo St. 305.203.0552

Copper 29

Mostly known for its happy hour, the Miracle Mile restaurant and bar also has a wide range of food options. We especially love the BBQ Chicken Flatbread and Pork Sliders. They also serve bottomless brunch all weekend that includes mimosas, wine, mojitos, Bloody Marys and champagne. $ 206 Miracle Mile 786.580.4689

Doc B’s Restaurant + Bar

Offering a no-veto menu, meaning there’s something for everyone, Doc B’s Restaurant + Bar serves craveable American fare dishes made from

scratch daily, incorporating the highest quality ingredients. Offering brunch, lunch, dinner and happy hour, signature dishes include the Wok Out Bowls, The Wedge Burger and “Hot” Chicken.$$

301 Miracle Mile 786.864.1220

Eating House

Groovy place with inventive ever-changing menu, with dishes like nutmeg risotto, pumpkin tiradito, and fried Brussels sprouts. Dynamite freerange fried chicken. Simple artsy décor but superb food, excellent presentation, great value. $$

804 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.448.6524

Hillstone

Situated at the corner of Ponce de Leon and Miracle Mile, Hillstone has been a longtime staple in the Gables. Known for their steaks, like the Hawaiian, which is made with a pineapple-soy-ginger marinade. Though an American restaurant, they also have great sushi and offer dozens of fresh rolls. $$$

201 Miracle Mile 305.529.0141

House Kitchen & Bar

On the corner of Ponce and Aragon, right next to the Colonnades, House is open for lunch, dinner, happy hour and brunch. They even have a happy hour solely for oysters, weekdays from 3 – 4 p.m. We recommend sitting outside on their gorgeous patio. $$ - $$$

180 Aragon Ave. 786.482.5599

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 is really a nice touch. It’s a chain, but we forgive them. $$ 321 Miracle Mile 305.442.8552

Shula’s 347 Grill

If it’s beef you are after, but want to avoid the formality of a high-end steak

house, Shula’s is perfect for you. Good service and pleasant décor – including lots of photos of the coach – make this a go-to place for professionals in the area. Great use of cheeses – Boursin in their mac & cheese, and gorgonzola in their cream spinach. $$$

6915 Red Rd. 305.665.9661

Tap 42

Winner of Best Overall Burger by Coral Gables Magazine, Tap 42 is big, noisy and fun, with a huge island bar and lots of booths. 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, Asian coleslaw). $$-$$$

301 Giralda Ave. 786.391.1566

The Local Craft Food & Drink

One of the best places in Coral Gables to enjoy locally sourced food, hence the name. Chef Juan Bedoya wants to create a pub feeling with comfort food. We’re obsessed with the fried chicken, which served on a short stack of cheddar cheese pancakes with bourbon maple syrup. The flavor is enhanced by watermelon jelly on the side for a sweet, spicy bite. $$

150 Giralda Ave. 305.648.5687

Yard House

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

320 San Lorenzo Ave. 305.447.9273

ASIAN

Ichimi

This off-Mile eatery has developed a cult following, with diners content to

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

Izakaya

Located across the street from the Colonnade building, this tiny, bustling Japanese restaurant serves a great bento box for $11.25 – along with an impressive array of daily specials that are posted on the wall in chalk. Super popular lunch spot, for good reason. One nice touch: Hot towels for your hands before you eat. $$ 159 Aragon Ave. 305.445.2584

Kao Sushi & Grill

A fresh and interesting take on sushi as it is blended with the flavors of Peru. Steamed gyoza dumplings with chorizo? Tuna tataki with traditional Peruvian sauce? Cooked white rice over chipotle seasoned furikake? They also do some interesting things with steak, since the creators of the Sushi Club come from Buenos Aires. Outdoor seating on the Mile. $$ 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

Red Koi Lounge

If you like Thai food, then you will love Red Koi, which takes the Asian specialty up a notch. Their Bangkok Shrimp is worth the visit alone, and their cashew curry chicken will make you come back. Hopefully they will be expanding their few outdoor tables soon. $$ 317 Miracle Mile 305.446.2690

Palme d’Or

Sawa

Delicious take on Japanese flavors served in parallel with Lebanese Mediterranean, Sawa offers seating inside or outside at Merrick Park. A vast selection of sushi rolls and tapas that range from chicken yakitori to octopus ceviche, along with super fresh Middle Eastern comfort food. Some nice “samplers” let you check out the menu’s range, plus great naan flatbreads. World’s best lamb chops. Also has a doggy menu. $$$

360 San Lorenzo Ave. 305.447.6555

FRENCH

Frenchie’s Diner

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

2618 Galiano St. 305.442.4554

Palme d’Or

The award-winning Palme d’Or is a dining icon. At once traditional and innovative, the French cuisine created by Chef Gregory Pugin is a work of art, literally. Each serving in his $115 six-course meals – or his $155 chef’s tasting menu – is impeccable. $$$$

1200 Anastasia Ave. (at the Biltmore Hotel) 305.913.3200

Pascal’s On Ponce

Elegant, quaint and delicious, Pacal’s is the home and culinary canvas of owner-chef Pascal Oudin, who brings authentic French cuisine to the heart of the city. Oudin excels in seafood, soufflés and desserts. Try the leeks & hearts of palm salad. $$$

2611 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.444.2024

ITALIAN

Caffe Abbracci

A Gables icon, Nino Pernetti’s Italian restaurant is both a power lunch favorite for the business elite and a cozy evening gathering place for families and couples. Closely shepherded by the welcoming Pernetti, Abbracci is quiet, elegant and flavorful. The food is so consistently good that Pernetti had to publish his own cookbook. $$$

318 Aragon Ave. 305.441.0700

Cibo Wine Bar

Cibo has two locations in South Florida, one on South Beach and the other here, on Miracle Mile. Rustic Italian food in a warm interior with exposed brick, wood finishes, butcher block tables and a wall of wine selections. Traditional Italian menu, with lots of pizza options cooked in a brick oven. $$-$$$

45 Miracle Mile 305.442.4925

Fiola

Brought to you by Washington, D.C. chef Fabio Trabocchi, this new entry

into the Gables dining scene is a game changer. From the place settings to the artwork to the innovative cuisine, Fiola offers an exquisite dining experience. Among their must-try dishes are the porcini mushroom soup, the sea scallops ceviche and the signature lobster ravioli. Elegant presentations only add to this encounter with gustatory greatness. $$$$

1500 San Ignacio Ave. 305.912.2639

Fontana

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

1200 Anastasia Ave. 305.913.3200

Fratellino

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

264 Miracle Mile 786.452.0068

Salumeria 104

A rustic, trattoria-style restaurant serving traditional, house made

Italian classics. Since a salumeria is the Italian equivalent to a delicatessen, we definitely recommend some sort of meat dish, whether it’s prosciutto for an “antipasti” or porchetta for a “secondi.” Unbeatable lunch special of a sandwich and a soup or salad for $10. $$

117 Miracle Mile 305.640.5547

Terre Del Sapore

True Neapolitan pizza in the heart of Coral Gables. Owner Angelo Angiollieri is obsessed with quality ingredients, including minimally-processed flour from Italy, and you can taste it. Offers a great lunch special of a side salad, entrée and drink for $13. $ 246 Giralda Ave. 786.870.5955

Zucca

A worthy heir to the hallowed grounds of the old St. Michel restaurant, this is a star in the galaxy of Italian eateries in the Gables. Distinctly northern Italian, with the home-taught recipes that chef Simone Mua learned in his native Milan. Modern Italian design, sophisticated, with haute comfort food and great service. $$$-$$$$

162 Alcazar Ave. 786.580.3731

LATIN & SOUTH AMERICAN Aromas del Peru

The shrine for ceviche, with a wide range of choices – 18 ceviches at last count – for great prices. Haute Peruvian appetizers and good fish dishes, right up to the whole fried snapper. And

DINING GUIDE

don’t miss the pisco sour soup. Comfortable leather seats, too. $$

1930 Ponce de León Blvd. 305.476.5886

Caffe Vialetto

Two brothers, managing to keep sibling rivalry at bay, have concocted a menu of upscale Latin food that is consistently changing and interesting. Yuca, mofongo (garlic flavored mashed plantains), and other Caribbean and Latin flavors make for an out of the ordinary experience. Reservations required. $$$

4019 Le Jeune Rd. 305.446.5659

Caja Caliente

Opening its second location in Coral Gables in May 2019, Caja Caliente serves “the original Cuban tacos.” Their flour tortillas come stuffed with any kind of meat from lechon to mahi mahi, and are topped with pico de gallo, aioli, beans and cilantro. Also serve poke and quinoa bowls. $ 808 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 786.431.1947

COYO Taco

Bringing its “Todo es Fresco” philosophy to the Gables, COYO opened its third location in Miami on Giralda Plaza in August 2019. Their guac and array of salsas can’t be beat and their tacos are the real deal – and mouthwatering. We love the Grouper Frito. Don’t forget to hit the speakeasy lounge in the back. Open until 2 a.m.

Thursday to Saturday. $ 126 Giralda Ave. 786.629.7929

Graziano’s

This large, bustling Gables mainstay is true Argentine. A deep selection of Argentine wines (which line every wall) to go with churrasco meats slowly roasted over a quebracho wood fire, old school style. They have seafood and pasta, empanadas and salads, but come here for the meat, the selection of which will stun even hardcore carnivores. $$$ 394 Giralda Ave. 305.774.3599

Havana Harry’s

It’s big, it’s easy, it’s comfortable, and it’s where the shredded onion/garlic chicken dinner (pollo vaca frita) with rice, beans and plantains is still just $12.95. The same with the fried pork chunks (massas de Puerco). Large menu with all your Cuban favorite dishes along with – surprising for a Cuban place –some nice dinner salads.  $$

4612 S. Le Jeune Rd. 305.661.2622

Mikuna Peruvian

“It’s time to feel the real Peru” boasts the Mikuna website, and they do indeed move beyond ceviche to the other dishes that make Peruvian food one of the best cuisines in Latin America. These include lobster with Peruvian yellow pepper sauce, seafood rice with squid ink, and skewered swordfish. Other unique tastes include shrimp bisque with rice and egg. $$$ 325 Alcazar Ave. 786.420.2910

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 at $17. $$ 2299 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.444.2955

SEAFOOD

La Dorada

Regarded by many to be the finest restaurant devoted to seafood in the Gables, La Dorada is traditional Spanish cooking with a deep-sea focus (and a pleasant, ocean-deco décor). The house specialty is a baked whole fish crusted in sea salt, but don’t miss the traditional Mediterranean seafood stews or the shellfish prepared Galician style. $$$$ 177 Giralda Ave. 305.446.2002

MesaMar

Some of the best – if not THE best –seafood in the Gables with inventive fusions between Peruvian and Japanese cuisine. Their fish is caught daily in local waters and brought to your table for inspection. Their whole fried fish is a marvel. Also, make sure to try the lobster tacos. $$$ 264 Giralda Ave. 305.640.8448

Sea Grill

Just a few months old, Sea Grill is

already a popular weekend destination for lovers of Mediterranean seafood. A brightly lit and futuristic space with lots of energy, it serves fish that is caught in the Aegean Sea and flown to the Gables. Their octopus, which takes two days to prepare, is simply the best. $$$ 4250 Salzedo St. 305.447.3990 (Shops at Merrick Park)

SPANISH

Bellmónt

Modern décor meets traditional Spanish dishes. Their house specialty is the roast suckling pig. If you want the whole pig ($230 for 4) you need to order four hours in advance. If it’s just you ($49), you’ll need to wait just 50 minutes. As for the rest: authentic Spanish cuisine, with great seafood dishes, fantastic paella. $$$ 339 Miracle Mile. 786.502.4684

Bulla Gastrobar

As valued for its cocktails as for its tapas, Bulla is also something Coral Gables needs – an informal, smart neighborhood hangout with a young, boisterous vibe. Great “small plates” and refreshing sangria. Yes, it is a national chain, but it still feels local. $$ 2500 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.441.0107

La Taberna Giralda

Routinely rated among the top tapas places in South Florida, La Taberna brings the added twist of a chef from Galicia, who puts his own regional spin

on the dishes. It’s a small place with a neighborhood vibe, orange walls, string lights and live flamenco on the weekends ($5 cover), so reservations are a must. $$

254 Giralda Avenue 786.362.5677

Mara Basque Cuisine

If you have ever wanted to taste authentic Basque cuisine from northern Spain, this is your chance. Its entry into the international cuisine scene on Giralda brings the best of Basque cooking: Cod prepared with Vizcaina sauce (made from red onions and choricero pepper), Iberian ham with eggs and potatoes, meatballs with tomato sauce and guindilla peppers, and beef oxtail stew. Many dishes served as tapas to be shared. $$$ - $$$$

112 Giralda Ave. 305.504.9274

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. And their classic Caesar salad is still the best in town. 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 of its depth. 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 glow.

Good menu at the bar. $$$-$$$$

2525 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.569.7995

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. Dependable quality, prime-aged beef, and excellent salads. Good place to take that important client. Great happy hour with filet mignon sandwiches or short rib tacos for $8. $$$

2333 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.442.1662

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse

There is a reason that the tables at Ruth’s are typically full, even on weeknights. This is where the best steaks are sent and where cholesterol is sent to the devil for the sake of extraordinary taste. Lots of wood paneling, wonderful service, and huge wine selection complete the package. $$$$

2320 Salzedo St. 205.461.8360

PUBS, CAFES & MISC.

Crema Gourmet Espresso Bar

Though it’s named an espresso bar (and definitely try the coffee), Crema also has great food options for both breakfast and lunch. Start your day with a croissant breakfast sandwich or take

a midday break with a soup, salad or sandwich. Satisfy your sweet tooth with their Nutella cheesecake. $

169 Miracle Mile 786.360.4026

Fritz and Franz Bierhaus

Be transported from Coral Gables to Oktoberfest. Enjoy German comfort food like Weisswurst and Heringsschmaus. Naturally, you have to order a beer, but here you can have it served in a giant class boot. Proost.  $$

60 Merrick Way 305.774.1883

John Martin’s Irish Pub

Where else in the Gables can you find a relaxed Irish pub with excellent comfort food like shepherd’s pie, bangers & mash, and fish & chips? Answer: nowhere. Which is why this long-established eatery and bar (just celebrating its 30th anniversary) is so beloved by its clientele. Lots of American staples as well, from hot pastrami on rye to their signature Pub Burger. Jazz every Wednesday night. $ 253 Miracle Mile 305.445.3777

Ortanique on the Mile

A long-time favorite on Miracle Mile, Ortanique is named for a tropical citrus fruit (their sister restaurant is in Grand Cayman) and its Caribbean fine dining reflects chef Cindy Hutson’s commitment to “cuisine of the sun.” A warm and welcoming place, which takes dishes like jerk chicken to new culinary heights. $$ 278 Miracle Mile 305.446.7710

Someone’s Son

Brought to you by the same people as Threefold Café, Someone’s Son is shifting the focus away from breakfast and toward quality dinner entrées. The Gnudi is a must as a starter. For an entrée, we recommend The Softy for carnivores and The Branzino for seafood lovers. $ - $$

800 Douglas Rd. 786.334.6374

The Seven Dials

Calling itself an “eclectic American gastropub,” Seven Dials is a fusion of American recipes with British culinary standards, with nice twists. The shepherd’s pie is made from lamb, the chicken breast is cooked with curry sauce. There is also a nice Welsh Rarebit snack and a beer-battered Indian-inspired cauliflower with mint aioli and tamarind. Relaxed, pub-like interior.

2030 S. Douglas Rd. 786.542.1603

$$ British American

Threefold Café

You have to love a place that is dedicated to breakfast all day long. But who needs dinner when you can get shrimp tacos for breakfast, along with salmon scrambled eggs, chicken parma, and that Millenial favorite, smashed avocado toast? The brain child of Australian Nick Sharp, Threefold is popular for Sunday brunch – partly because of nice outdoor seating on Giralda Plaza. The coffee is some of the best around. $$ 141 Giralda Ave. 305.704.8007

Elevate Your Workout

ELEV8 PILATES TONES, BURNS AND STRENGTHENS

Words

and Photos

After sitting at a desk for eight hours, nothing feels better than a good workout. Here in the Gables there are plenty of options, with streetfront gyms popping up like coffee shops. You can box, run, lift, even bicycle underwater. Or you can try that trendy discipline known as Pilates.

Pilates focuses on controlled movement to work one particular muscle group at a time. It improves flexibility, builds strength and improves coordination and balance. The exercise also emphasizes alignment. Improper alignment is a major cause of back pain, which is why some may seek the form of exercise as an antidote.

One of the newest Pilates studios, Elev8 Pilates, is on the second floor of the 1001 Ponce de Leon Blvd. building, in the northern stretch of Ponce where office buildings abound – as does easy parking, especially toward the end of the day. It was opened by Pilates pro Simon Sliva in June, with Jessica Bircann as his lead instructor.

There are two different types of Pilates: mat and reformer. In mat Pilates, the entire class is done, well, on a mat. Elev8 uses “reformers,” machines that have a number of springs and straps to work different muscles. The Gables studio goes above and beyond by offering different types of reformers: the traditional and a “new and improved gravity machine,” the Encompass GTS.

“We try to make this studio unique not only with our new equipment, but also with our very own branded method of Pilates training,” Sliva says.

The studio has two rooms: one for classes and one for private

By Lizzie Wilcox

sessions. We took Sliva’s Total Pilates class. This isn’t some high intensity cardio routine; Pilates enables you to get a good workout without sending your heart rate through the roof. You focus on one or two muscle groups at a time, strengthening them through isolated movements.

The focus is always the abdominal core, so even while doing leg, glute or arm exercises, the core is still engaged. The legs and abs are worked by doing leg presses and “jumping” off of the base board. When you turn out your legs into a “Pilates V,” you really start to feel your inner thighs burning. To work the biceps and triceps, you sit on a box atop the reformer and pull yourself forward using the straps.

The intensity level is changed by the red, blue and yellow springs. Don’t be surprised if Simon adds a spring in the middle of a set, intensifying the burn. But he’ll deny it and say it was “magic.”

If you’ve been doing Pilates for seven years, you’ll be fine. If not, like any workout, it will be challenging at first, but it gets easier as you get stronger. If you are a beginner, they offer 30-minute intro classes.

One of the things we loved about the Elve8 studio was the class size. There are only half a dozen reformers in the room, creating an intimate feel where the instructors can pay close attention to you and your form, making adjustments if needed to avoid injury. Packages for regular classes are available for four ($130), eight ($245), 12 ($335), or unlimited ($250) sessions. Private classes are available.

ELEV8 PILATES

1001 PONCE DE LEON BLVD. SUITE D 786.452.7688

WWW.ELEV8-PILATES.COM

MONDAY TO THURSDAY 6AM TO 8PM

FRIDAYS 7AM TO 1PM

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY 9AM TO 1PM

Elev8 Pilates was opened by pilates pro Simon Sliva in June. Jessica Bircann, on the right, is the lead instructor.

Pretty in Pink

By Lizzie Wilcox

As you’re crossing over the grand Sunshine Skyway Bridge into St. Pete, look west toward the Gulf of Mexico. There you get your first glimpse of the historic Don CeSar hotel, a giant pink castle built in 1928.

Back then, “The Don” hosted guests like Clarence Darrow and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Indeed, the Don CeSar is no stranger to celebrities. Generations of Hollywood elite have flocked to meet the “Pink Lady” - and some have fallen in love. Robert Altman leaned on the seaside locale for his 1980 ensemble comedy “Health,” while Sergio Leone similarly capitalized on its rich history for his masterpiece, 1984’s “Once Upon a Time in America.”

Following in the footsteps of those greats was Florida’s own prodigal son Tom Petty. In 1985, the late Gainesville rocker

scaled the rooftop of the picturesque hotel for a promotional gig ahead of his sixth studio album, “Southern Accents.” Naturally, the occasion drew fans, press, and even helicopters. It was Florida’s own Let It Be moment - and it lasted 45 minutes.

Today, “The Don” is a hangout for everyone from locals spending the day to out-of-towners spending the week, from young couples to families to retirees.

There is a long list of amenities and activities to fill your time. Guests have 24-hour access to the fitness center, and yoga classes are held on the beach at 9 a.m. daily. Paddleboards and kayaks are available for rent from 9 a.m. to noon, which may not seem like a large time frame, but when the afternoon wind picks up you’ll be glad you’re relaxing under an umbrel-

la with a fruity frozen drink in hand.

If you’d rather spend the entire time at the pool or on the beach, we can’t blame you. Each room is given three chaise lounges and an umbrella, so you can work on your tan or snooze in the shade.

As for meals, there are several food options available on-site. Sea Porch Café is a casual spot right next to the pool, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We recommend any of their seafood, from the poke bowl to the lobster roll. If you’re missing the Hispanic flair from South Florida, they have a Cubano sandwich for lunch and dinner and Cuban bread French toast for breakfast.

The Rowe Bar, equipped with couches and fire pits, is the perfect place to watch those famous West Coast Florida sunsets.

THE DON CESAR IN ST. PETE BEACH HAS REMAINED A FLORIDA ICON FOR NEARLY A CENTURY

The Don CeSar hotel sits on a seven-mile private stretch of beach, with two pools facing the ocean. The hotel boasts three on-site restaurants from casual to formal dining.

For lunch, you can order food and drinks from the pool bar or flag down the waiters roaming the beach. If you eat on the beach, do so at your own risk; the seagulls are relentless. The Maritana Grille and The Lobby Bar are currently under renovation and are expected to be completed later this fall.

For dessert, Uncle Andy’s Ice Cream Parlor is a must. While the jazz music being played throughout the ground floor brings you back to the days when F. Scott Fitzgerald was roaming the halls, Uncle Andy’s jumps ahead a few decades to the ’50s.

Slip further into relaxation mode at The Don’s Spa Oceana, which offers such an array of treatments that it requires a 22page spa menu. Massages, facials, wraps, hair treatments, manicures, pedicures –Spa Oceana is your one stop shop to relax and rejuvenate.

If you get cabin fever (difficult given the grandeur of the property) venture into St. Petersburg, home to The Salvador Dalí Museum. The Dalí holds the largest collection of the artist’s paintings outside of Spain. Join one of the free tours to gain a more in depth knowledge of both the painter’s life and artwork. Feeding off of Dalí’s lifelong curiosity with technology, they have an exhibit entitled, “Visual Magic: Dalí’s Masterworks in Augmented Reality” that brings eight of his masterworks – meaning exceeding five feet in height or width and painted over a period of at least one year – to life in one room.

Not far from the museum is Central Avenue, packed with retail and home décor shops, restaurants, coffee houses, and bars. It oozes a hipster, bohemian vibe. One store, appropriately named Brutique, is half-boutique, half-brewery, selling everything from candles to clothes to craft beer. And Zazoo’d isn’t your average home décor shop. It has a chaotic antique-store vibe, though the items themselves are far from antiques: Serving platters, coasters, bar carts, glasses and recipe books, it has every kitchen necessity you never knew you needed.

Though it’s less than a four-hour drive, St. Pete and The Don CeSar are a refreshing respite from the bustle of Miami. After a few days on the white sand of the pink lady, you’ll come back better prepared to take on US 1.

– Michael Roffman

contributed to this article

The Statues of Coral Gables

Coral Gables is not a city filled with statues, like Rome or Washington, D.C. Maybe it’s because these cities are so much older and have more of a heritage to honor. But here in the Gables we have our own heroes, as well as creatures we revere. And being such a green city, we appreciate the maxim of poet Joseph Beach: “A garden without its statue is like a sentence without its verb.” So here are the statues of the Gables. If you can name where they are located, then you are a true aficionado of the Gables. Send your answers to letters@thecoralgablesmagazine.com. Anyone who guesses correctly will receive a poster, “The View from 37th Avenue,” the cover of our Summer issue.

Photos by Lizzie Wilcox

Five-Star Review From Your Neighbor

“Carole Smith and her team were the consummate professional real estate brokers. We had a specific time frame to try and sell our Coral Gables house and they went over and above to make it happen. AND THEY DID!

We highly recommend them and would definitely consider using them in any future buying or selling of our real estate.”

- C. Singer

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