Coral Gables October Dog Issue by Coral Gables Magazine

CORAL GABLES

THE POSH LIFE FOR GABLES DOGS GABLES OWNERS AND THEIR DOGS

WEALTH MANAGEMENT

CUBAN SURREALISM

THE SHOPS AT MERRICK PARK

The Palace spends a fortune designing and furnishing every new community to look like a Palace. There’s nothing else like it.

The staff is amazing. In fact, The Palace was rated Fortune’s #1 Workplace in Aging Services in the nation in 2023.

The Palace is not corporate-run. It’s family run, by Helen & Jacob Shaham and their two sons. The owners give you their personal phone number so you can call them about anything.

The Palace invests in the newest and the most innovative technologies. That’s why we have our own Oculus Virtual Reality so residents can visit any place in the world virtually. And we are the only senior community in South Florida with our own hyperbaric chamber for oxygen therapy.

Nothing is typical. And almost everything that goes into this remarkable life they give us is included.

A Tribute to The Art of Living

EDITOR’S NOTE

Who Let the Dogs Out?

READERS’ LETTERS

Readers’ Feedback

STREETWISE

THE PAMPERED POOCH

Coral Gables is no stranger to human indulgences. So why not for our canines as well? In a city recently deemed the ritziest residential neighborhood in the country, it is no surprise that there is an abundance of companies designed to pamper Gables residents. From luxury spas to designer brands, the Gables is no foreigner to the idea that it’s life’s “little pleasures” that really matter.

THE DOG PORTRAITS

Each year, we present a portfolio of Coral Gables dogs and their owners from all walks of life. What follows in our gallery are this year’s “parents” and their pooches.

COVID, GENDER & GENERATION

As the quarter-century mark approaches, Gables financial advisors unpack an unprecedented era. 2024 represents a singular moment for financial planning, as we are experiencing the convergence of several consequential phenomena, all overlapping: falling interest rates, a post-COVID world, and an unprecedented transfer of wealth from Boomer men to women.

You can be a champion for our dedicated nurses. BaptistHealth.net/GenerosityHeals or 786-467-5400.

“You realize the goodness of others who are supporting what you do.”

Stephanie

Childress, RN, BSN, CCRN, CEN

Stephanie Childress, Emergency Services patient care manager at Baptist Health Fishermen’s Community Hospital, leads a nursing staff that often handles lifethreatening cases. “It gets very busy,” she says. “There’s not a lot of time to take a breath before you go to the next room.”

Thanks to donors to Baptist Health Foundation, she and other nurses had the opportunity to attend the American Nurses Association’s National Magnet Conference in Chicago. “We brought back a lot of information on mental health and ways for nurses to decompress. Studies showed how it improved well-being and job performance. I came back thinking, we can do that — we’re going to get it done.”

Stephanie is grateful for the donors who believe in the importance of nursing support. “Even though we’re the ones always trying to help people, it’s nice to have people who care about you.”

Photo by Rodrigo Varela

Who Let the Dogs Out?

It’s our annual Dog Issue, for which this editor’s note usually extolls the virtues of canines; their love, loyalty, etc. This note, however, must be used to call out the outrageous behavior in City Hall.

What had once been a domain of decorum is now a painful embarrassment. The incessant attacks on Mayor Vince Lago by Commissioner Ariel Fernandez have reached a level of painful absurdity. With Commissioners Melissa Castro and Kirk Menendez voting in tandem on every issue, Fernandez has been deliberating stripping the mayor of even the power to run Commission meetings. No matter what the mayor suggests – be it lowering the millage rate or accepting the donation of a luxury French clock – he is lambasted and voted against.

Most recently, the mayor was accused of not adequately preparing for needed repairs of the City Hall building – despite the reality that the Commission has carefully planned for restoration for years, first by completing the adjacent Development Services Building so that employees could work there during reconstruction. The latest of Fernandez’s lunatic attacks came during the last two Commission sessions, when he declared that the meeting had to be moved elsewhere because the building was in imminent danger of collapse – despite a detailed report by a structural engineer asserting that the building was structurally sound. Even the assistant city manager found himself exasperated by Fernandez’s insistent claims and leading questions.

Before that, Fernandez led a 3-2 vote to strip the mayor of his staff, and to back the new city manager (hired by a 3-2 vote with no prior search or vetting) in prohibiting the mayor from talking to city workers.

The 3-2 troika also voted to deny any support for the new clock being installed on Miracle Mile, since the Swiss company donated it through the mayor’s office. And because its commemoration was first set for Sept. 11, due to the donors’ schedules, Fernandez had fire department officials from around the country show up to express their apparent displeasure during the City Commission meeting.

It has reached the point where, if the mayor wants to limit someone from the public attacking him for 10 minutes (the allotted time for public comment is three minutes), the Fernandez/Castro/Menendez troika will override him and let the speaker go on.

All of this might be just bad poker, so to speak, if it were not for what’s coming next.

Rather than adjust the current budget to accommodate City Hall repairs, Commissioner Fernandez is pushing to borrow the money. This fiscally irresponsible act is the first step to losing the city’s triple A bond rating. It is still just over six months to the next election, in which the 3-2 dictatorship can be unhinged by voting the complicit Kirk Menendez out of office. Until then, it’s just a matter of riding out a very bad storm. I urge you to watch the City Commission meetings, either live or previous ones which are recorded and available on the city’s web site. You will be appalled

JP FABER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CORAL GABLES MAGAZINE

CORAL GABLES

CEO & PUBLISHER

Richard Roffman

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PRODUCTION MANAGER

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CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION

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Coral Gables Magazine is published monthly by City Regional Media, 1200 Anastasia Ave. Suite 115, Coral Gables FL 33134. Telephone: (305) 995-0995. Copyright 2024 by City Regional Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Send address changes to subscriptions@coralgablesmagazine.com. General mailbox email and letters to editor@ coralgablesmagazine.com.

Cover: Laura Torrente, owner & founder of Kisses & Paws, a grooming service

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

Time Again

According to Miami New Times, the latest comic soap-opera controversy to embroil the Coral Gables Commission concerns the city’s $100,000 new clock, donated by the luxury Swiss watchmaker F.P. Journe, to commemorate the centennial of the city’s founding. Apparently, nobody informed the Swiss that the city already has four very fine clocks, prominently displayed in the rotunda above City Hall. The clocks face the four points of the compass, they each tell a different time, and all of them are wrong.

Patrick Alexander

A Little Birdie Told Me!

I’m very happy to say that the wait is almost over! After an online vote in early August to rename the former “Burger Bob’s” diner, the Birdie Bistro will at last be opening its doors! Under the skilled and capable management of Rita Tennyson and her two children, Saesha and Corey, the aroma of

freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon will soon again be wafting over the historic Granada Golf Course and the 2000 block of Granada Boulevard. The floor, the ceiling, the tables, the chairs, and all the equipment is sparkling and new – but I feel certain that the familiarity and the sense of community camaraderie will return as soon as we all walk over the new threshold, and it will once again become the “heartbeat” of the neighborhood! I can’t wait!

Marlin Ebbert

Not So Shakespearean

I enjoyed reading your September issue but please don’t compare Othello to Sergio Pino. Othello worshipped his wife, but his mind was poisoned by someone into believing that Desdemona was unfaithful to him. So, Othello killed his wife and then turned the sword on himself when he learned he had been deceived and, in fact, she was pure. Two

different stories and motives.

June Frost

A Call to the Silent Majority

It is becoming blatantly obvious that there is a growing disenchantment with the politicization of many issues facing Coral Gables. It’s important for residents to be honest with themselves about who the true culprits are in the embarrassing political antics that plague the Coral Gables Commission. I hope the silent majority sees how important it is to ensure their voices are being heard and the desire to seek change in the April 2025 municipal election becomes more vocalized. Each one of us has the responsibility to ask for change rather than just expect it. The call to action is clear; now, it’s up to us to decide what we want to do with the information provided to us and how we actively decipher fact from fiction to determine the future of the City Beautiful.

Nicolas R. Cabrera

Co smeti c

B r e a st Su rge ry

Challenges

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

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

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

Implants simply become old after 10 to 15 years and need to be replaced or removed. A broken silicone implant often requires additional surgery to remove the silicone impregnated scar membrane (“capsule”) around the implant. It’s always easier to replace implants before their “expiration date”, involving minimal discomfort and downtime.

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

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

Major (“bariatric”) weight loss also presents breast challenges. Usually, the severe atrophy and sagging requires substantial volume replacement with silicone implants plus major breast lifting.

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

sagging in later years, with or without heaviness. These are helped with either a breast reduction or a breast lift or a combo of a lift and silicone implants. The latter presents its own unique challenges as the tightening forces set into motion with the breast lift run opposite to the expanding force of the implant.

On the cryptic topic of ‘Breast Implant Illness’: there are patients who, for unknown reasons, just don’t seem to do well with

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

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

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

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

STEPHAN BAKER , MD, FACS

Plastic Surgery of the Face Breast and Body Certiﬁed by the American Board of Plastic Surgery

305.381.8837 | www.drbaker.com

3850 Bird Road Suite 702, Miami, FL 33146

Streetwise

Making the Mark

See Page 32

CORAL GABLES TRAFFIC

From City Hall

At its meeting in August, the Coral Gables City Commission:

DELAYED ANY INVESTIGATIONS

Deferred an item to direct the city manager to take the necessary steps to conduct a full forensic audit of all city transactions, partly to investigate claims by Commissioner Ariel Fernandez that city employees were making inappropriate purchases with city funds and claims by Commissioner Kirk Menendez of corruption within the city. The issue is tied to another controversy: hiring an inspector general to investigate these same claims. That issue has been repeatedly postponed by Commissioners Melissa Castro, Kirk Menendez, and Ariel Fernandez, who claim the only proper way to do so is via the city charter, which could take roughly a year, but would be done procedurally. Mayor Vince Lago and Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, meanwhile, think the issue should be a top priority of the Commission and should move forward now to restore residents’ trust in the city. The discussion turned heated when Fernandez accused Lago of “attacking” himself and Castro by continuing to push for an inspector general, calling Lago “the politically violent person on this Commission.”

DEFERRED BUDGETING CITY HALL REPAIRS

Deferred a resolution sponsored by Vice Mayor Anderson to revise the city budget for more funding for structural repairs to City Hall, which needs renovations. Anderson’s plan included not filling certain positions scheduled to be added next fiscal year in departments like code enforcement and solid waste. Commissioner Castro vehemently disagreed with Anderson’s assertion that some of those positions were not necessary. The conversation went on for almost an hour, during which Commissioner Fernandez accused former City Manager Peter Iglesias and Mayor Lago of neglecting the upkeep of City Hall. “This building has been neglected for 13 years while you’ve been sitting here for 12,” the impassioned commissioner yelled, before drawing a comparison to the Surfside condominium collapse. He then made a motion to move all future City Commission meetings to a different location pending repairs on City Hall. Lago explained that repairs had to wait until the Building Services building was complete so that employees in that department still had an office while construction was ongoing. The discussion continued for another hour, debating whether City Hall was safe to occupy, despite a recent letter from a structural engineer saying it was structurally sound. After a break, the item was deferred until the next meeting.

UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED PUBLIC ART

Voted 5-0 to approve two public artworks: “Secrets That the Wind

Carries Away” by Morel Doucet, which honors Black and Bahamian residents as part of the city’s centennial and will be installed in the park outside City Hall; and a work donated to the Coral Gables Garden Club and installed at the Coral Gables Library by artist Xavier Cortada, which also seeks to celebrate the club’s centennial while simultaneously highlighting the importance of pollinators within our shared ecosystem.

SHUT DOWN ANNEXATION

Voted 4-1 to end the annexation process for Little Gables. Residents voted overwhelmingly (62 percent) in a nonbinding straw ballot on August 20 to not incorporate Little Gables into the city, citing concerns over the short-term cost of annexing and the stretching of city services. Mayor Lago, a longtime proponent of the long-term benefits of annexation (reduced crime in the area, more city resources), was the only dissenter.

REDUCED THE MAYOR’S STAFF

Voted 5-0 to freeze the hiring process for a vacancy in the mayor’s office, to replace one of his aides who was promoted. Commissioner Fernandez, who sponsored the item, claimed the mayor did not need two aides, while the rest of the Commission only had one to share. In response, Mayor Lago showcased data from the IT department showing that all four commissioners had received a total of 907 calls in the last three months, compared to 920 to his office alone. “There comes a point when you have to stop making excuses,” said Lago, appalled by the efforts of Fernandez, Menendez, and Castro to strip the mayor’s office of resources. In the end, he encouraged Anderson – his only supporter – to vote in favor of the motion. “Join the circus with me,” he said incredulously, as he voted in favor.

LISTENED TO THE CLOCK UPDATE

Listened to an update on the F.P. Journe clock installation on Miracle Mile. Mayor Lago donated the high-end clock to the city for its centennial. Commissioner Fernandez has opposed the use of any city money to install the clock and reprimanded the mayor for scheduling its unveiling on Sept. 11. The mayor explained this was to accommodate the schedules of F.P. Journe representatives. Fernandez motioned to move the date of the unveiling, then accused Lago of disrespecting not only himself but the “residents who elected [him]” by calling him by his first name. At this point, Vice Mayor Anderson pointed out that Fernandez himself had called her by her first name and further disrespected her during the recent budget hearing – which, she said, multiple residents had spoken to her about. Fernandez withdrew his motion to change the unveiling’s date; Lago later changed it to Sept. 12. ■

From City Hall II

At its meeting in September, the Coral Gables City Commission:

CENTENNIAL CONCERT

Voted 5-0 to have Commission members raise funds from private entities and individuals for a centennial celebration and concert at the Venetian Pool. Though the pool is currently undergoing renovations, these will hopefully be finished by the time of the concert.

ARTISTIC NOTICE

Voted 5-0 to explore additional notice options for residents when the City is acquiring and installing new works of art using the public art fund. Previously, residents have expressed varying opinions on artworks installed near their homes, despite strong support from the Art Advisory Panel and Cultural Development Board. Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, who sponsored the item, said this was a mechanism to get more public feedback to those boards before they vote to approve artworks. The Commission retains final say.

POLICE AND FIREFIGHTER APPRECIATION

Voted 5-0 to declare January 9 as Law Enforcement and Firefighter (LEAF) Appreciation Day in the City of Coral Gables. Created by Willy Bermello, chairman of Bermello, Ajamil & Partners, and Tom Prescott, executive VP of the Biltmore Hotel, LEAF also represents a new endowment fund for local firefighters and police officers and their families at the Coral Gables Community Foundation. The organization will host a yearly gala, with the first scheduled for January 9, 2025.

LIVE LA VIDA LOCAL

Voted 5-0 to work with adjacent local governments to provide notice of Live Local Act projects within 1,000-feet of another municipality’s border. The Live Local Act, recently passed by the State of Florida, prohibits municipalities from enacting zoning code restrictions on workforce housing projects.

LET THERE BE LIGHT

Discussed city standards for residential lights. Some residents have complained about the lights across from them shining too brightly into their homes. Lower light temperatures mitigate negative effects on the environment and on human health. Recently, several large U.S. cities, including Austin, TX and Los Angeles, CA have begun replacing LEDs with 3000 or 4000 Kelvin lights, which are much warmer and easier on the eyes. A resolution will be brought at the next Commission meeting.

CITY HALL REPAIRS

Discussed the repairs needed for City Hall, some of which were

outlined by structural engineering firm Douglas Wood Associates in a letter presented to the Commission during its last meeting. Thirteen out of the 16 items will be completed by Oct. 2 while the other three are in progress and will be completed in three to four months. In the meantime, City Hall is safe for occupation.

Where the funding will come for these projects remains to be seen, as the Commission earlier voted 3-2 to shoot down revisions to the 2024-2025 budget that Vice Mayor Anderson suggested to allocate funding toward repairs. Part of the revisions included only adding one sanitation worker rather than two, which Commissioner Castro opposed. Her two fellow commissioners joined her in voting against changing the budget.

Instead, the three commissioners voted 3-2 vote to direct staff to bring back an intent resolution stating that the city intends to go into debt by borrowing against its available cash. The resolution will also set aside $5 million dedicated to a five-year capital improvement program, and use the funds instead for debt service. The debt is not to exceed a maturity of 15 years. Vice Mayor Anderson and Mayor Lago both voted against, saying putting the city in debt was fiscally irresponsible.

ALHAMBRA SIDEWALK POSTPONED

Voted 3-2 to further postpone the Alhambra Circle sidewalk project. Ballots were sent out to affected property owners with two potential options, taking into account tree roots and ADA compliance. Commissioners Melissa Castro, Ariel Fernandez, and Kirk Menendez expressed concern for pedestrian safety where the sidewalk comes close to the street.

Vice Mayor Anderson advocated for traffic calming measures to mitigate safety concerns, as well as removing two trees in poor condition to allow the sidewalk more room. With multiple locals weighing in via public comment in support, Anderson pushed to move the project forward, but the three commissioners voted against. A third option will be presented in the future.

PATRIOT DAY

Voted 5-0 to designate Patriot Day (Sept. 11) as an official city holiday and urge the U.S. Congress to recognize the day as a federal holiday. The issue of 9/11 arose at the last Commission meeting, when Mayor Lago invited his colleagues to a clock unveiling on Sept. 11, which Commissioner Fernandez found offensive. Multiple firefighters spoke during the meeting to urge Lago and his colleagues to make the day a city holiday.

Commissioner Castro took things a step further, demanding an apology from Lago “not only to the City of Coral Gables, but to the rest of the country.” Lago, meanwhile, explained that his words at the last meeting had been taken out of context and pointed to his track record of supporting police and fire, though his relationship with the Coral Gables Fire Department has notably soured in recent years.

CITY STAFF CLEARED

Listened to an update on the audit and review of Amazon purchases by city employees. Finance Director Diana Gomez stated, “[We] found that no misuse of city funds had been identified. It was noted that certain purchases were made to increase engagement and productivity in the workplace for employees and the public.” All purchases were approved by department heads. Despite this, Commissioner Castro insisted that “… there could’ve been questionable transactions, but they all fit into the policies and guidelines.” Commissioner Fernandez, who earlier accused city employees of making private purchases, joined her in her skepticism. ■

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State of the City

THE CHAMBER INVESTS & THE MAYOR’S ADDRESS

BY J.P. FABER

Each year at this time, the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce holds its annual investiture ceremony at the Biltmore Hotel, attended by a who’s who of the business community along with top city officials, including the mayor, vice mayor, police chief, fire chief, and the heads of most city departments. The Chamber honors various business leaders, after which the mayor swears in the Chamber’s Executive Board and then its Board Members at large.

Each year, in a now time-honored tradition, the mayor is also invited to address the assembled Chamber and dignitaries with a State of the City speech. This year’s speech by Mayor Vince Lago was remarkably positive, especially considering the current turmoil at City Hall, which he mostly avoided mentioning.

Lago began by thanking the Chamber for the honor of making his fourth State of the City address “as we stand on the brink of a new century for the City of Coral Gables.” He then recognized Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson for her service, thanked the three absent city commissioners and city manager, and acknowledged Chamber CEO Mark Trowbridge and Chair Addys Kuryla.

The mayor then gave a shoutout to the vision of city founder George Merrick in light of the city’s upcoming 100th anniversary. Merrick, he said, didn’t just create beautiful architecture, but “a city where people could live, work, learn, and thrive,” leaving today’s leadership – public and private – a legacy to “carry forward into the next century.”

Emphasizing the importance of public-private partnerships, the mayor touted the city’s 10-year program with Florida Power and Light to underground power lines in the city – something Lago spearheaded during seven years of negotiation with FPL, and which the power company will fund.

The mayor also noted the increased vibrancy of Miracle Mile, recently named by Time Out as one of the “coolest streets” in the world. This year, the Mile has been

visited 3.2 million times, with visitors returning an average of three times. He noted the recent arrival of FIFA, Ryder, Apple, and the Agave Group that built The Plaza Coral Gables, and the fact that businesses pay 27 percent of city property taxes.

Lago discussed his policy of expanding parks downtown, with four new ones scheduled to come onboard – one of them a 20,000-square-foot park on Valencia at LeJeune, when the Publix there redevelops itself. “When I was elected, I realized, as a business owner… that every great city has parks... green spaces that are downtown.” While the residential areas of the city have 300 acres of greenspace, “our downtown was lacking,” he said. He spearheaded the idea of giving new buildings an extra floor in exchange for open space – such as a 10,000-square-foot park next to the new Armando Codina apartment building on Salzedo at Almeria or a 15,000-square-foot park provided by The Plaza Coral Gables project.

The mayor also touted the city’s public arts program, its advances in technology, and its triple-A bond ratings. He promised

never to touch the city’s emergency reserves, and to continue to advocate for lower taxes. He then opened the floor to questions, adding, “No easy softballs.” Among those questions were:

WHAT CAN WE DO TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN BISCAYNE BAY?

Answer: Form a city, state, and federal alliance to fund the conversion of septic tanks to sewer lines and mitigate effluents that drain into the bay when it rains.

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PROVIDE MORE WORKFORCE HOUSING IN THE CITY?

Answer: Because of high cost of land and construction, one of the only routes is to zone for greater density of multi-family housing in north Gables.

HOW CAN WE INCREASE SAFETY FROM BREAKINS, ESPECIALLY IN AREAS NEXT TO MIAMI?

Answer: In some areas next to Miami, there have been gates installed with cameras, but the best solution is vigilant neighbors, crime watch, better relationships with police officers, and more neighborhood safety aides. ■

MAYOR VINCE LAGO PREPARES TO GIVE A STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS

Talk of the Town

Clock Time

In commemoration of the city’s 100th anniversary, Swiss luxury watch maker F.P.Journe donated a $100,000 clock, installed last month on Miracle Mile in front of Hillstone restaurant. Mayor Vince Lago, an avid watch collector himself, unveiled the donation on behalf of the city on Sept. 12. The event had been scheduled for Sept. 11, a date convenient for the F.P.Journe representatives, but was changed to Sept. 12 after City Commissioners Ariel Fernandez and Melissa Castro accused the mayor of dishonoring those who died on Sept. 11. Fernandez and Castro, along with Commissioner Kirk Menendez, also voted against allocating any city resources to the project. In the end, Lago personally paid for all installation costs, including the police presence. More than 150 well-wishers attended the event, including former mayors Dorothy Thomson and Don Slesnick, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce President Mark Trowbridge, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, and former Coral Gables City Manager Peter Iglesias. “I want to thank all of you for being here…. I never expected to see so many people,” said the mayor. “The reason why we did this is I have an obsession with time… I think of what my dad always told me: ‘You can have everything in the world, but you can never get time back.’ I hope [this clock] reminds you of the importance of time… And it’s on time! – J.P. Faber

UM’s New Banking Partner

The key to longterm client loyalty, as any good marketer knows, is to get the brand planted early in the mind of the consumer. Kudos,

then, to City National Bank of Florida for striking a deal to become the official bank of the University of Miami. The partnership will include creating a new City National banking center on-campus, along with branded ATMs across the main Gables campus, where it will offer exclusive banking products and preferred services to students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

City National will also be the official bank of the Miami Hurricanes sports teams, and sponsor an array of UM activities, including the university’s centennial celebrations. “The University of Miami and City National Bank have been fixtures in South Florida for a combined 175 years, and we share a deep commitment to improving

ON TIME: MAYOR VINCE LAGO CELEBRATES THE UNVEILING OF THE E.P. JOURNE CLOCK ON MIRACLE MILE, WITH FORMER MAYOR DON SLESNICK (L) AND E.P. JOURNE REPS

CREATIONS. UNCOVERED.

GUCCI

our community for future generations,” City National Bank CEO and Vice Chairman Jorge Gonzalez said. One hundred of those years belong to UM; City National was founded in Miami in 1946. The bank, now the state’s second largest with $26 billion in assets, maintains its executive offices in Coral Gables. – J.P. Faber

Certified Spanish Excellence

Fans of Bulla Gastrobar will be excited – but not surprised – to hear that the tapas hotspot just received a Certification of Excellence from the Spanish Embassy and Foods and Wine From Spain (FWS).

Now a “Certified Restaurant from Spain,” Bulla celebrated the award with an all-day celebration on Sept. 12 at its nine locations across the U.S., including in Coral Gables, where Trade Commissioner of Spain Ester Cuevas Gómez showed up to honor the restaurant.

“Being recognized by the Spanish Embassy and receiving this recognition is a huge achievement,” said Carlos Centurion, president and founder of the restaurant group that owns and operates Bulla. “This honor acknowledges Bulla’s commitment to creating an experience that transports the consumer to Spain and honors that country’s incomparable culinary prowess.” According to FWS, the honor signifies that Bulla is committed not only to authentic Spanish cuisine, but also to high-quality produce from Spain. Restaurants that receive the certification “are excellent examples to other businesses that wish to offer Spain on a plate around the world,” FWS says. Bulla opened in Coral Gables in 2012 on Ponce de Leon Boulevard a block south of Miracle Mile. – Kylie Wang

A Species on the Edge

The Key Largo tree cactus (Pilosocereus robinii), once a defining feature of the Florida Keys, is now extinct in the wild in the United States. Standing up to 30-feet-tall with its towering, columnar shape, this cactus was an unmistakable presence in southern Florida. Its branches, adorned with clusters of blue-green stems wrapped in a velvety layer of spines, were once a striking sight, and on warm summer nights, the cactus would burst into bloom with white flowers. But the Key Largo

tree cactus has now disappeared from the wild, due to rising sea levels, storm surges, and king tides that have flooded its roots with saltwater. With just one population in the U.S. – the Florida Keys –it was highly vulnerable to habitat loss and climate change.

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The good news is that conservationists at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden are racing to save this endangered species. Led by Jennifer Possley, the team is doing more than just growing the cactus at Fair-

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child’s nurseries. With no natural pollinators left, they’ve resorted to hand-pollination, using Q-tips to transfer pollen and encourage fruit development. These fruits are harvested for seeds, the lifeblood of the species’ future. Over a thousand seeds have been collected and preserved, with plans to partner with the Florida Park Service to plant them at new, undisclosed locations. Secrecy is essential, as poachers often seek this rare plant for personal collections. While the cactus no longer exists in the U.S., it still clings to survival in Cuba and the Bahamas, where it faces similar dangers. Possley is hopeful that renewed attention to preventing the total extinction of the Key Largo tree cactus will inspire more public concern and action to save it – though success in its native habitat is far from guaranteed. – Amanda Martell

Planting Seeds, Cultivating Community

Anyone who’s taken a walk outside during the summer in Coral Gables knows that temperature is affected by shade. The temperature in shaded areas can be roughly 25 degrees cooler on concrete and up to 50 degrees cooler on asphalt. That’s one reason why the City of Coral Gables is obsessed with its canopy. Nonetheless, there are still a few areas in the city where canopy lacks, and one of those was at Coral Gables High School (CGHS).

On a recent Sunday in the east parking lot at CGHS, volunteers from myriad organizations teamed up with Coral Gables Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson to fix the shade issue. With help from students at CGHS, as well as the Coral Gables Garden Club, Cub Scout Troop Seven, the Coral Gables Rotary Club, local firefighters and police officers, and more, some 60 volunteers came together to plant gumbo limbo and mahogany saplings all over the parking lot.

VOLUNTEERS FROM MYRIAD ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE CUB SCOUTS, CAME TOGETHER TO PLANT TREE SAPLINGS AT CORAL GABLES SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Gumbo limbos were planted where they may overhang cars, since they don’t drop nuts or break up the pavement with their roots. The event, which Anderson organized, was also an opportunity for volunteers to network and learn from each other.

Fire rescue cadets from the high school got an opportunity to speak with firefighters and police officers, and the younger children learned the value of volunteering and collaboration. “You can’t do anything alone – in anything we do, any endeavor we undertake,” said Mari Tere Rojas, School Board Chair of District 6, which includes Coral Gables. “I’m elated to see how many students we have out here that are walking the walk and actually doing what they believe in.” Added Anderson, who also serves on the Environmental Board of the Garden Club, “We’re planting seeds in them right now.” - Kylie Wang

A Celebration of Diversity and Disability

October is Disability Month, and Coral Gables is responding with an initiative to include people with disabilities in their stock photography. This idea originated from discussions at the city’s Disability Advisory Board several years ago.

Recent photo shoots showcase people with mobility issues taking the trolley, young adults with Down Syndrome having lunch on Miracle Mile, and those with invisible disabilities – such as one recent photo the city took of Maria Palacio with her son David, who is autistic, strolling down Miracle Mile. “As a parent and resident, I am grateful for the city’s support in prioritizing awareness and inclusion,” says Palacio, founder and president of the nonprofit Crystal Academy, the Gables’ leading therapy center and school for autism and other developmental delays. —J.P. Faber ■

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Making a Mark

CORAL GABLES COPS GET A TECHNOLOGY UPGRADE

BY KATELIN STECZ

Like many Coral Gables residents, Officer Tanis starts his day at rush hour. From 7 to 8 am, he’s at Coral Gables Senior High, enforcing the speed limit so students can safely get to class. After that, he’ll head over to Somerset Gables Academy to do the same.

Once traffic abates, he might handle a few accidents, but mostly he’s found at Coral Gables’ busiest intersections, keeping the community safe from reckless drivers. While Officer Tanis’ daily routine is fairly consistent, the recent introduction of new technology in the Coral Gables Police Department (CGPD) has transformed how he and fellow officers perform their duties.

After a 12-month onboarding and training process, CGPD finally rolled out its new Mark43 software system on June 25. Even though the software has only been in use for a few months, CGPD Chief Ed Hudak says it has already made the department more effective. “My officers are spending less time doing mundane paperwork, and more time out in the community,” he says.

Mark43 works by making two critical systems in policing – dispatch and records management – more efficient. With its computer-aided dispatch (CAD), Mark43 uses geospatial technology to identify the nearest officer to the call. From there, the officer receives real-time information from dispatch, enabling them to assess the situation and determine if backup is necessary, all before arriving on-scene.

What sets Mark43 apart from traditional systems is cloud technology. Traditional dispatch centers rely on servers physically located in the city, making them vulnerable to natural disasters. By running on a cloud-native platform, Mark43 allows officers to operate from anywhere, under any condition, as long as they have a cell signal.

“Officers save the day, but we help keep the system alive,” says Bob Hughes, CEO of Mark43.

Mark43’s record management system is also helping police officers cut down on time spent writing reports. According to Hughes, about half of an officer’s time is spent on paperwork. Speeding this process up allows officers to spend more time on the street. “You look at police TV dramas, there’s a reason they’re so popular. It’s all the action. What they don’t show you are the hours and hours of paperwork,” says Hudak.

Having a faster and more accessible record system allows officers to share information more quickly with other agencies. As soon as a report is uploaded, other detectives and police departments across the wider community can see it. “I’ve got five departments that touch Coral Gables – Pinecrest, West Miami, South Miami, Miami-Dade, and Miami,” says Hudak. “I can send information seamlessly, so they know if something’s going on in my city and theirs. We can compare notes immediately instead of waiting for days.”

And due to Mark43’s instant upload system, officers have the most updated information about an individual at their fingertips. They know immediately if the person they just pulled over got a ticket for the same offense even just a day earlier. “I think, in time, we’re going to see that we’re solving more crimes on the street faster because we have this ability. What used to take a week to process… is now done almost overnight,” Hudak says. ■

“ MY OFFICERS ARE SPENDING LESS TIME DOING MUNDANE PAPERWORK, AND MORE TIME OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. ”

CHIEF ED HUDAK, CORAL GABLES POLICE DEPARTMENT

THE NEW MARK43 SOFTWARE SYSTEM BEING USED BY CORAL GABLES TRAFFIC POLICE

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What to do in the Gables

FREE KIDS’ PIANO LESSONS

The latest community offering from one of our favorite performance venues in the Gables is here, as Sanctuary of the Arts is now offering free piano lessons for elementary-aged students on Thursdays from 3 to 4 pm. The group classes are in partnership with the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and will be held at St. Mary’s Church. Email musicreach@miami.edu to secure your child’s spot. 136 Frow Ave. 786.362.5132

A SIGNING WITH RUPI KAUR

No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Rupi Kaur is coming to Books & Books on Oct. 9 at 6 pm to sign copies of her 2014 poetry collection “milk and honey,” the self-published book that launched her into fame with over six million copies sold worldwide. Hailed as “the writer of the decade” by The New Republic, Kaur is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of “milk and honey” in Coral Gables. For $25, guests will receive a deluxe 10th anniversary edition of the book and a chance to have it signed. The new version of the book features a new chapter of poetry, a new introduction, and a collage of behind-the-scenes photos. Tickets at booksandbooks.com. 265 Aragon Ave. 305.442.4408

A BRIEF HISTORY OF WESTERN MUSIC

Florida’s GRAMMY-nominated vocal ensemble Seraphic Fire is kicking off its 2024-2025 season with a performance of “A Brief History of Western Music” at the Church of the Little Flower on

Oct. 11 at 8 pm. Under the direction of Patrick Dupre Quigley, a GRAMMY-nominated conductor, producer, and arranger who has worked with celebrities such as Shakira and Lady Gaga, this concert explores western musical eras, ranging from the Medieval era all the way through contemporary times. Tickets range from $45 to $65 and can be bought at seraphicfire.org. 2711 Indian Mound Trail. 305.446.9950

All throughout October, join Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden for its kid-friendly Haunted Birdhouses event, included with your general admission ticket. Daily from 10 am to 5 pm, follow spooky clues to find the 13 haunted birdhouses throughout the Garden and fill out your map for a chance to win a family membership to Fairchild. Tickets are free for children under six, $11.95 for children under 18, $17.95 for seniors, and $24.95 for adults. 10901 Old Cutler Rd. 305.667.1651. fairchildgarden.org

On Oct. 12, Keep Coral Gables Beautiful is partnering with Phade, a company whose all-natural, compostable straws have revolutionized the fight against plastic, to host a beach and mangrove cleanup

HAUNTED BIRDHOUSE SCAVENGER HUNT

MATHESON HAMMOCK BEACH CLEAN-UP

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at Matheson Hammock from 9 to 11 am. Volunteers will have the opportunity to receive exciting products and gift cards from Phade and students can receive volunteer hours. Take the step to eliminate litter from our beautiful coastal areas by registering at miamidadeparks.com today! 9610 Old Cutler Rd. 305.619.4258

MAPPING THE HOLY LAND

From the earliest days of the Roman Empire to the current war between Israel and Hamas, mapping the Holy Land has been a never-ending source of high aspirations and bitter conflict.

Sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, the Holy Land has always inspired all three groups to follow the sacred routes and places of their ancestors. Mapping the Holy Land is the first book to tell the thrilling story of these travels and the incredible prints and maps they spawned. Hear authors Neal Asbury and Jean-Pierre Isbouts discuss and share. At Books & Books, Oct. 15 at 7 pm free. 265 Aragon Ave. 305.442.4408

NAPOLI NOBILISSIMA: ART AND MUSIC IN 18TH CENTURY ITALY

Art and music lovers will enjoy this spectacular lecture and performance on 18th century Italian art and music on Oct. 22 from 7 to 9:30 pm at the Lowe Art Museum. Located on the University of Miami campus, the event features a lecture from Lowe Curator Dr. Jill Deupi on “The Martyrdom of Saint Catherine,” an 18th century Neapolitan painting by Giacinto Diano (pictured above). There will also be a performance featuring 18th century Italian music by Illuminarts, a Miami-based organization that collaborates with museums and galleries to present curated music programs. Tickets are $15 for general admission and free for Lowe members. 1301 Stanford Dr. 305.284.3535. lowe.miami.edu

TRAILS

AND TRIALS CENTENNIAL CONCERT

Featuring the University of Miami’s first centennial commission, a work by Dorothy Hindman, as well as Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hänsel und Gretel Suite” and Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Fifth Symphony,” the Frost Symphony Orchestra takes the stage at the Gusman Concert Hall on Sat., Oct. 19 to bring these iconic works to life. At 7:30 pm, conductor Gerard Schwarz and the orchestra will premiere Hindman’s work, the first of six new works created to

celebrate the university’s centennial throughout this season and next. Tickets range from $10 to $20 and can be found at events.miami. edu. 1314 Miller Dr. 305.284.2241

THE BILTMORE HALLOWEEN PARTY

Coral Gables’ most haunted landmark is back to celebrate the spooky season with its annual Halloween Party on Oct. 26 from 8 pm to 1 am. The 11th edition of the soiree will feature an open bar, dinner, and, of course, a costume contest. Categories include Best Couple, Most Creative (must be handmade), and Best Group (max six people). Winners will receive exclusive Biltmore certificates. Tickets are $300 and can be bought at eventbrite.com. 1200 Anastasia Avenue. 855.969.3080

BEST REASON TO LEAVE THE GABLES: SOBE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL

The South Beach Seafood Festival is back for the 12th year in a row! Brought to you by Breakthru Beverage and partners, this festival is a curated showcase of all the culinary talent and divine seafood offered up in South Florida. Guests can kick off stone crab season by enjoying the four blocks of pop-up cafes, bars, games, music, and cooking demonstrations, all while walking along iconic Ocean Drive. Runs from Oct. 23 to 26 all day. For more information on specific events, ticket prices, and packages, go to sobeseafoodfest.com. Lummus Park, 14th Street and Ocean Drive, Miami Beach. 305.255.3500 ■

Cuban Surrealism

A NEW EXHIBIT AT CERNUDA GALLERIES IS AN EYE OPENER

BY J.P. FABER

One of the great art movements of the 20th century was Surrealism, which developed in Europe after World War I. The aim, founder André Breton said, was to meld the “contradictory conditions of dream and reality” into a super reality, or surreality. Think of the fantastic imagery of Salvador Dalí’s melting clocks, or René Magritte’s rooms with walls of cloud-filled skies.

Other movements sprang from Surrealism, including Dadaism in France, Cobras in Scandinavia, and Magical Realism in Latin America. It is from the latter movement that the latest exhibit at the Cernuda Arte Gallery derives its energy, a fantastic display of some 180 canvases and sculptures by Cuban artists.

Surealism, says gallery owner Ramón Cernuda, “really changed the way people look at art and created art, going beyond what was real, going beyond what was romantic, going beyond what was abstract. It was a combina-

tion of all of those things and much more. It was imagination running wild.”

The Cernuda Gallery has now grown to three buildings on Ponce, just south of The Plaza and Ponce Circle. If it were not a gallery, it would be a museum – and operates as such during the hours of 10 am and 6:30 pm Monday to Friday, and from noon to 5 pm on Saturdays. Of course, unlike a museum, all the artworks are for sale – and, in this case, run the gamut from $6,000 for a small painting by Vicente Hernandez, to a 1943 painting – “Danze Afrocubano” by Mario Carreño Morales – for $5 million.

On display are many remarkable works, not the least of which are a half-dozen paintings by Wifredo Lam, the most collectable of Cuban artists. While most of these are more abstract than surreal, they reflect the years Lam lived in Paris after fleeing Franco’s post-civil war Spain – a city where he spent time with both Breton and Pablo Picasso.

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OPPOSITE: ROBERTO FABELO BRONZE WORK OF A WOMAN DECORATED WITH SMALL RHINOS

ABOVE: MANUEL MENDIVE, “RED”, 1991

ABOVE RIGHT: ROBERTO FABELO, “HAVANA GOTHIC”, 2017

RIGHT: VICENTE HERNÁNDEZ, “THE ARK, THE TOWER AND MOUNT ARARAT”, 2019

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For pure Surrealism, there are the wonderful ghostlike characters in paintings by Manuel Mendive, and the dystopic, futuristic Tower of Babel with its layered circles of tilting architecture by Hernandez, entitled “The Arc, the Tower and Mount Ararat.”

Of great interest are the sculptures, in particular two by Roberto Fabelo. One is a bronze of various heads of men and animals clumped together in a kind of carousel. The other is of a naked woman whose figure is decorated with small rhinos. “In his world, the rhinos symbolize the male,” says Cernuda. “He’s picking up from Botticelli [the female figure] and these rhinos that represent the male figure are all over the beautiful body of the woman.” This statue was one of a series of nine, one of which sold at Christie’s for $500,000.

Another canvas is by the famous landscape painter Tomás Sánchez, simply titled “Landscape.” It portrays a pristine island in the distance with the foreground jammed

with the menacing litter of civilization. “He typically does these very romantic, almost sublime landscapes,” says Cernuda. “But this one is about stress, the tension between the garbage that is attacking and the island.”

Perhaps the most dramatic painting is one by Fabelo entitled “Havana Gothic,” a large black and white canvas showing a demonic, half-naked woman riding a giant dog with a large red tongue. It is a dark reflection of the Cuban dictatorship (with an escape “float” in the foreground), as is another work by Tomás Esson, a 1994 painting called “Rapunzel,” in which the

dictatorship is portrayed as a king of partbull, part-human monstrosity.

And then there is Mendive, whose works speak of Santeria and the Lucumí religion, an aspect of Surrealism that is very much Cuban. “Another thing that Magical Realism incorporates into Surrealism is the African influence, which you don’t see with Breton,” says Cernuda. “There was no acceptance of that religious aspect of the surreal until Lam arrived to the movement, because Lam brought all of those African religious values into his creations – and then Mendive continues that path.”■

Mexican Cocktails, Brazilian Samba, and Chinese Foot Rubs

THE INTERNATIONAL NATURE OF THE GABLES MEANS THERE’S NEVER A DULL NIGHT

BY J.P. FABER

It was Samuel Johnson who famously said, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford.” That might be an exaggeration when it comes to Coral Gables, but not by much.

We tested this premise on a recent Saturday night with a trifecta of entertainment. First stop: the third-floor outdoor bar at Maíz y Agave, the new Mexican restaurant on the corner of Miracle Mile and Le Jeune Road. We could hear the mariachi band playing as we rode the elevator up, and there they were, colorfully dressed and performing for a cluster of people at the bar, one of whom (an Eva Longoria lookalike) knew the words to every song.

We ordered what the waitress said was the popular cocktail of the moment – the spicey mango margarita. It was perfect, an initial bite of heat balanced by the sweet tang of the icy drink. Across Le Jeune you could see the sun setting behind City Hall.

With a slight buzz, we walked to The Globe on Alhambra Circle. Our aim: to catch the 8 pm set of Oasis – not the pop group

recently re-united, but an Afro-Cuban jazz band with percussion (congas!), keyboard, and bass guitar. After ordering a vodka martini and their superb Steak Frites, we settled into the 60-minute set, soon enhanced by a comely singer in an elegant beige dress, who added Brazilian samba in melodic Portuguese to the rhythmic jazz of Cuban salsa and rumba.

By that time, The Globe was animated with an audience of all ages. One table had a half dozen Millennials, one with hair and makeup like Cleopatra. An older couple (he in white guayabera, she in white cocktail dress) could not help but dance to the music. Every table was full, so I thanked myself for making reservations.

We would have stayed for dessert (The Globe has delicious caramel profiteroles), but our 9:30 appointment awaited at the Golden Massage & Spa on Douglas Road, a block south of the Mile. This mysterious looking place – windows blacked out, with a red neon “Open” sign glowing in the dark – has been in the Gables for 14 years. Fortunately, it doesn’t close until 11 pm.

Golden Massage offers a panoply of treatments, from Swedish massage to aromatherapy, for either a half hour or an hour. We were there for the foot rubs, which they dub “reflexology,” the science of foot pressure-points affecting different organs of the body. We went for the full hour, which started with a warm bath for the feet.

After an hour in a large, dark room with a dozen cots and soothing meditation music, I was so deeply relaxed I never wanted to move again. But we roused ourselves to walk – or should I say float –back to our car near City Hall, with just a quick stop at Morelia’s on the Mile for a fruit bar dipped in dark chocolate as a night cap. ■

TOP LEFT: MARIACHI BAND AT MAÍZ Y AGAVE RESTAURANT

BOTTOM LEFT: BRAZILIAN SAMBA AT THE GLOBE

RIGHT: INSIDE THE GOLDEN MASSAGE, FOOT RUB BELOW

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Live, Work, Play: The Vision for Merrick Park

FOR 22 YEARS, THE SHOPS AT MERRICK PARK HAVE ANCHORED THE GABLES

BY RACHEL COSTA

Aplace to shop, live, and work: that’s the vision the City of Coral Gables had in the late ‘90s for what has now become the Shops at Merrick Park.

The open-air retail center, known as “Village at Merrick Park” until 2019, officially opened in 2002. Over the past two decades, it has evolved into a well-rounded destination far beyond a typical shopping mall, featuring fine dining, entertainment, fitness, offices, residences, and, of course, myriad high-end shopping options.

While its vision has remained the same since opening, Carlos Limontes, senior general manager of the Shops, says that in recent years, the mall’s strategy has been to better cater to what he calls the “Gables’ aesthetics.” “I think consistency is just a core part of Coral Gables,” says Limontes, who is a Gables native himself. “Coral Gables has a simple elegance that’s not in your face. There’s a classic established look, and we follow that consistently across the board.

“ CORAL GABLES HAS A SIMPLE ELEGANCE THAT’S NOT IN YOUR FACE. THERE’S A CLASSIC ESTABLISHED LOOK, AND WE FOLLOW THAT CONSISTENTLY ACROSS THE BOARD... ”

CARLOS LIMONTES, SENIOR GENERAL MANAGER OF THE SHOPS AT MERRICK PARK

We intentionally mimic that because we want folks to understand that Shops at Merrick Park is Coral Gables.”

Coral Gables has become one of the most affluent communities in the country and is now home to the second most expensive zip code in Florida, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. Naturally, there has been a push to expand the Shops’ retail portfolio.

“Our strategy is now elevating what we have,” says Limontes. “We’ve evolved to the point where we have really good merchandising plans, and post-COVID, [we’ve] seen a lot of development on our property. Fifteen stores have opened in the last two years; we’ve relocated 10 stores, which is great for a store to have a new design and feel; and eight stores are under construction right now.”

Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom are the Shops’ two anchor stores, which speak to Coral Gables’ customers across all demographics and socio-economic backgrounds. Under the management of Brookfield Properties, the Shops’ luxury portfolio now includes brands like CH Carolina Herrera, Jimmy Choo, Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and 120% Lino.

“The store in Merrick Park was [our] first retail outlet in the United States,” says Jolanda Marini, CEO of 120% Lino, which took up residence in the Shops over 10 years ago. “It’s like a historic

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POPULAR BRANDS LIKE JIMMY CHOO AND CAMILLA (ABOVE), AND LULULEMON (RIGHT) ADD VARIETY TO THE RETAIL MIX, WHILE RESTAURANTS LIKE PERRY’S STEAKHOUSE ELEVATE THE DINING EXPERIENCE

store for us. We were embraced from the beginning.” Of the shop’s typical customers, she says, “The store gets a mix of people, but a lot of them are from South America. They love [linen], they know the material, but they don’t see it in their countries in the variety of colors, prints, and styles that we have. Merrick Park is definitely an international mall.”

With the development of the property and its surroundings, the demographic at The Shops has become even more diverse. Limontes says that, along with the usual families, he has noticed an influx of younger shoppers thanks to the proximity of Coral Gables High School and the University of Miami. While those shoppers may not be visiting Gucci, they are regulars at brands like Lululemon, Alo Yoga, and Vuori. “We’ve seen a lot of emerging brands that choose us because we’re proven and have a wide range of audiences,” says Limontes. “It might be the proximity to the University of Miami or just the fact that we’re in a warm climate and people are into health and fitness, but we’ve seen a lot of success, for example, in the athleisure market.”

On the health and fitness end, SoulCycle and Equinox have done particularly well, while home goods and furniture retailers like Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn have also excelled. Overall, the property has over 700,000-square-feet of retail space with over 90 retailers.

“I’ve also noticed a desire to elevate dining,” says Limontes. “I think that’s driven a lot by our focus on luxury. All our partners want that elevated dining experience and Perry’s [Steakhouse & Grille] has proven to be phenomenal. That’s what folks want.” Restaurants at The Shops at Merrick Park run the gamut from fast-casual C’est Bon, to in-store restaurants like Bazille at Nordstrom or Mariposa at Neiman Marcus, to high-end dining like Perry’s or SeaGrill (which is currently in the process of combining with Villagio).

To appeal to even more consumers, the mall also welcomed a luxury movie theater at the tail-end of 2016. The Landmark theater offers only seven screens, but includes a bar, reclining leather seats,

and a full food menu. There are also specialty shops like Tumi, Tempur-Pedic, Sephora, and even a Gymboree. And now, every Sunday, there’s a farmers’ market as well. At its core, the charm of this open-air center is that while it offers luxury shopping, it also provides a sense of the Coral Gables community. “There are people that have been going to these stores for years,” says Limontes. “It’s part of why people are attracted to Merrick Park.” ■

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A Good Look in the Mirror

SILVER MIRROR FACIAL BAR GIFTS US WITH CONFIDENCE AND CLEAR SKIN

BY AMANDA MARTELL

We’ve all faced those frustrating breakouts – whether from hormones, genetics, diet choices, or just simple stress. Many of us dealt with acne during our teenage years. But for others, like me, adult acne is still an issue. Indeed, according to Yale Medicine, 50 percent of women in their 20s, 33 percent of women in their 30s, and 25 percent of women in their 40s suffer from it. So, I turned to Silver Mirror Facial Bar, hoping their expertise could offer relief and give my skin the reset it needed.

The space inside Silver Mirror feels welcoming and modern –clean lines, open areas, and a calming ambience. Natural light floods through large windows, creating an airy feel, while the minimalist decor and carefully arranged skincare products add subtle pops of color. The design is intentional, offering a refreshing, peaceful, and uncluttered environment.

After checking in, I sat down with one of the facial bar’s skincare specialists to discuss my concerns, explaining how my recent breakouts had left behind stubborn spots and clogged pores. Silver Mirror offers different facial treatments, tailored to a client’s needs. After we reviewed my skin together, she recommended the aptly named Acne-Fighting Facial, tailored specifically to tackle the issues I was facing.

The treatment started with a warm towel around my neck, immediately helping me relax. My hair was gently tucked away, and my facial specialist began with a double cleanse and deep exfoliation. As

she removed the towel, I could already feel my skin breathing again, lighter and refreshed.

Next came the extraction phase, where she leaned in with a magnifying lamp to get a closer look at my pores, using instruments to clear each blockage. I expected the usual discomfort – sharp pinches and redness – but instead, she worked with a steady, gentle touch. As she carefully cleaned each pore, there was no harsh tugging or painful pinching. When she finished, my skin felt clean and renewed, with no redness or discomfort – just a calm, clear sensation.

My facial therapist – because that is what she is, a kind of therapist for the skin – used a high-frequency therapy wand to promote collagen stimulation and increase oxygen to my skin. Other than a slight tingling sensation, I could barely tell it was there. Then she covered my eyes with goggles and used a blue LED light to target acne-causing bacteria underneath the skin. It was so calming that I almost fell asleep – it felt more like a quiet, meditative escape than a medical treatment.

To finish, my therapist applied green and red-light therapy to promote healing and maintain my skin’s clarity in the days to come. The final touch was a lightweight moisturizer and sunscreen, with a reminder of the importance of UV protection.

When I looked in the mirror after, the difference was immediately clear. My skin was glowing and smoother than it had been in months. It felt like a weight had been lifted – not just from my face, but from my self-esteem. ■

SILVER MIRROR FACIAL BAR 2955 PONCE DE LEON SUITE 222

PLAZA CORAL GABLES)

A SPECIALIST BEGINS BY APPLYING A WARM TOWEL BEFORE A DEEP EXFOLIATION TREATMENT (TOP RIGHT), THEN USES A HIGH-FREQUENCY THERAPY WAND (BOTTOM LEFT), BEFORE FINSIHING WITH BLUE LED LIGHT TO TARGET ACNE-CAUSING BACTERIA UNDERNEATH THE SKIN (BOTTOM RIGHT).

Bites

Raising the Steaks

See page 58

PLUS QUICK BITES: WINGS NEW PLACES HAPPY HOUR

THE MAIN FILET MIGNON AT FLEMING’S REMINDS US WHY WE COULD NEVER GO VEGAN.

Quick Bites Wings

Now that football season is back, it’s time to break out our favorite Sunday afternoon snack: wings. Is there anything better than watching the Miami Dolphins over a plate of wings and a cold beer? Not much that we can think of.

ANTHONY’S COAL FIRED PIZZA

You’ll need multiple wet wipes for these sticky wings, which are tossed in Mike’s Hot Honey dressing and come saturated in a pool of the gooey sauce. Deliciously sweet and wonderfully messy, they’re also seasoned with rosemary, giving them an herby overlay. You can have five for $12 or 10 for $19. 2626 Ponce de Leon Blvd. acfp.com

SPORTS GRILL

This sporty Gables staple brings the heat with its Dale Style wings (10 for $17), a delightful marriage between Sports Grill’s Miami Heat sauce and its Special Grilled wings. If you don’t like spice, you can do Special Grilled on its own, though we think Dale, the man who first had the idea for these wings, had the right idea. You can get them boneless or regular, in increments of five, but fair warning: these are hot and spicy! 1559 Sunset Dr. sportsgrill.com

DOC B’S

This stack of exceptionally flavorful oven-roasted wings is baked at 700 degrees and then smothered in chimichurri and topped with Reggiano cheese. Though it’s advertised as an appetizer, it can easily count as a full meal, and they’re so delicious we’d definitely order them in bulk for Football Sunday – even with the $19 price tag. 301 Miracle Mile. docbsrestaurant.com

TAP 42

The smoky aroma of Tap 42’s Flame Grilled Chicken Wings ($16.50) is the first thing to capture your attention; a subtle char blends seamlessly with balanced seasoning, creating a layered and satisfying flavor profile. Accompanied by three dipping sauces – buffalo for bold heat, BBQ for a sweet and tangy contrast, and creamy ranch for a cool finish – these wings offer a variety of complementary tastes. It’s a classic done right. 301 Giralda Ave. tap42.com

YARD HOUSE

With so many options at Yard House, the Traditional Wings ($15.49) might not be your first pick – but they’re worth trying. The Lemon Pepper Dry Rub delivers a bright, citrusy kick with crispy skin. Meanwhile, the Whiskey Black Pepper wings stand out with their smoky glaze, offering a bold mix of black pepper heat and savory whiskey, with just a hint of sweetness. There are several more flavors to choose from as well. 320 San Lorenzo Ave. yardhouse.com ■

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New Places in the Gables

The Brunchful

With the glut of breakfast spots in Downtown Gables, opening a restaurant like The Brunchful on Miracle Mile seems a risky move. The establishment is half-brunch restaurant, half-bakery, where customers can either opt for a sit-down meal or order at the counter. Advantage: in comparison with other Gables hotspots, the menu is relatively cheap; sandwiches cost no more than $10.50, smoothies $7.95, and even their caffeinated beverages fall below $5.25.

Like many Miami dining experiences, the menu contains dishes borrowed from Hispanic cuisines without fully labeling itself as a Latin restaurant. In this case, The Brunchful sells Argentinian classics such as empanadas, crumb sandwiches, and a few steak dishes.

All of The Brunchful’s juices are fresh pressed, so we opted to start our meal with a glass of orange juice ($6). We then dug into their classic pancakes ($7.95), which unfortunately fell a bit short of our expectations. The syrup was almost unbearably sweet, and the pancakes themselves were dense and overly crispy on the edges. However, the almond alfajor ($4.70), stuffed with dulce de leche, was a huge hit and a decadent end to our meal. Now to see if the latest addition to the Gables brunch scene can face the competition! – Maya Rego

369 MIRACLE MILE

@THEBRUNCHFUL THEBRUNCHFUL.COM

Casero By MDQ Sweets

Another Argentinian eatery and bakery, Gusto Casero By MDQ Sweets features a multifaceted menu that offers guests a wide selection of items for breakfast or lunch, as well as a litany of pastries and desserts for those craving something sweet.

We stopped by for lunch and were immediately met by the tantalizing empanadas on display. We tried the chicken option, which was fresh and flavorful, though very oniony, which some might find a bit overpowering (though we liked it).

For our entrée, we went with the parma sandwich, recommended by our waiter. This layered sub was filled with prosciutto, tomatoes, and arugula, and finished off with a drizzle of balsamic glaze, which tied everything together nicely.

The most difficult part of our visit to MDQ Sweets was picking the right dessert. After careful consideration of the many worthy options, we landed on the brownie individual, a cold, tart-like cake layered with caramel and topped with a toasted meringue. While the dessert, especially the meringue portion of it, was scrumptious, the heaviness suggests it’s worth sharing.

Like the food, the service was excellent, creating a cozy and friendly atmosphere at this laidback cafe. – Luke Chaney

2030 DOUGLAS RD. #102 (THE MINORCA) @GUSTOCASEROBYMDQ

LEFT: PARMA SANDWICH AND BROWNIE INDIVIDUAL WITH MERINGUE

Gusto

TOP: PANCAKES AT THE BRUNCHFUL

Lien Bruno: Masterful French Pastries

Some might argue that another bakery is the opposite of what Miracle Mile needs. But the eponymous Lien Bruno, run by Chef Lien Bruno herself, proves that one can never have enough baked goods –especially when they are as masterfully crafted as the French classics served here.

We first dug into the ultimate test of a boulangerie: the pain au chocolat ($6). Fail here, and calling yourself an authentic French bakery goes off the table. Fortunately, Lien Bruno’s was splendid: a perfect chocolate-to-croissant ratio with buttery dough, though the outside shell could have had a bit more crunch.

The chausson aux pommes vanille ($7.20), a flaky apple-filled turnover spiced with an almost overwhelming amount of vanilla bean, tasted as beautiful as it looked. Once again, the dough was exceptional; not too chewy while remaining upright under the weight of the filling, while the crispness of the minced apples kept it from becoming a glorified jelly donut.

Lastly, we tasted two flavors of paris-brest ($13), a dessert made of pâte à choux and a praline-flavored cream, one hazelnut and the other pistachio. While the hazelnut version was quite sugary, the pistachio balanced savory and sweet, topped with lightly salted pistachios that paired perfectly with the gluttonous cream. We’ll definitely return for some of Chef Bruno’s other consummate confections. – Maya Rego

135 MIRACLE MILE

786.503.5323

LIENBRUNO.COM

Emmy Squared

Though pizza abounds everywhere in the Greater Miami area, we were surprised – and a bit hesitant – to see the Gables’ newest pizza place advertising Detroit-style ‘za. However, Emmy Squared, which has locations up and down the East Coast (including Fort Lauderdale), makes a solid claim to the City Beautiful’s best fast-casual pizza spot IMG_3046.HEIC.

We were thrilled by our VIP pizza ($23-$28), which was topped with crispy slices of pepperoni, Calabrian chiles, and parsley pesto. The Detroit pizza format means the pies here are rectangular pan pizzas with thick, crispy crusts. The VIP takes it a step further with a sesame seed crust and homemade vodka sauce base. We were skeptical of the sauce, wondering what vodka sauce was doing on a pizza and whether it would entirely smother the dish, but were pleasantly surprised by its lightness, which deftly tied together cheese and bread. Our only complaint was the distribution of the Calabrian chiles, clumped together and therefore making for some extremely spicy bites.

We also tried the award-winning Le Big Matt Burger ($18), a half-pound double-stacked sandwich loaded with grass-fed beef, American cheese, pickles, lettuce, and Emmy’s special Sammy sauce between pretzel buns. We won’t give it the same accolades as the pizza, though it was scrumptious and definitely worth a shot if you’re not a fan of Detroit-style ‘za. We expect an appearance at Burgerliscious next year. – Kylie Wang

Maman

The Gables is full of what one may call “third places” – ones outside of home or the workplace that allows people to comfortably connect with their community. Maman, the latest addition to Miracle Mile’s food scene – and a New York City staple – measures up to the plethora of cafes, restaurants, bars, and bookstores that make up “third places” in the City Beautiful.

With locations in Wynwood and Miami Beach, Maman is self-described as a blend of North American and Southern French cuisine. The space is charming; the combination of earth-toned woods, marble tables, and faux flowers hanging from the ceiling create a welcoming atmosphere. The menu consists of both breakfast and lunch options, somewhere between restaurant, bakery, and café. Guests looking for a quick snack will be happy to find a pastry case displaying a bountiful assortment of heavenly-looking French viennoiseries

The Carol Tomato Soup ($14) is creamy but not overindulgent; pair it with a grilled cheese and you’ll be transported to your childhood. But our favorite dish was the Catalina’s Veggie Sandwich ($16), which features grilled halloumi, zucchini, avocado, and a tangy jalapeno-celery giardiniera, all on crusty bread. For dessert, we opted for the pistachio-chocolate croissant ($5.50). While the dough was a bit chewy, the rich pistachio filling made up for it.

All in all, Maman is an excellent spot to knock out some work or have a chat with a friend while enjoying a good meal. – Maya Rego

RIGHT: PISTACHIO-CHOCOLATE CROISSANT

Raising the Steaks

FLEMING’S REMINDS US WHY WE COULD NEVER GO VEGAN

BY KYLIE WANG

Beef is one of the iconic mainstays of the American diet, right up there with apple pie. It is not uniquely American – nobody likes a good filet mignon more than the French – but that large, juicy cut of porterhouse is part of our frontier culture, right along with the great Western cattle drives.

It’s no wonder then that the Gables is laden with top quality steakhouses. For this review, we visited one of the best – Fleming’s on Ponce de Leon Boulevard – to sample the finest they had to offer.

Fleming’s is part of a national chain, as are all Gables’ steakhouses except for Christy’s. Perhaps because it is corporate, the main dining room feels a bit like it could be in an upscale hotel, a huge space with soaring ceilings warmed by dark wooden ceiling beams. Large photos of the Gables adorn the walls, adding local color to a space dominated by the theater of an open kitchen topped by a horizontal marquee of quilted copper. There is also a glowing bar off the entrance.

We liked the open kitchen, where the magic takes place. It’s here that they sear the meat before placing it in the scalding hot ovens, so that it emerges with a nice crust but stays red and juicy on the inside.

On our visit, we naturally went straight for the beef. The carpaccio ($25), served with a side of toasted croutons smothered in gruyere and spiced with paprika for a slight kick, was a table favorite. The paper-thin slices of tenderloin are drizzled with a creamy caper-Creole mustard sauce made in-house. Atop are spinach, basil, and shredded egg, a salad-like garnish.

Another interesting appetizer was the seared pork belly ($21), small at only four ounces but almost violently flavorful. Plated in a bed of creamy goat cheese grits, it was blanketed with cilantro oil

TOP: A SOARING SPACE THAT WOULD FEEL AT HOME IN AN UPSCALE HOTEL, THE INTERIOR WITH DARK WOOD CEILINGS AND WOOD ACCENTS CREATES A WARM AMBIENCE.

ABOVE: A VARIETY OF COCKTAILS TO GET THE EVENING STARTED.

OPPOSITE PAGE:

TOP LEFT: BEEF CARPACCIO WITH TOASTED CROUTONS SMOTHERED IN GRUYERE AND SPICED WITH PAPRIKA.

TOP RIGHT: SCALLOPS SEARED TO A GOLDEN-BROWN CRUST WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS AND SCALLIONS.

BOTTOM LEFT: MAIN FILET MIGNON, COULD BE A CONTENDER FOR THE BEST STEAK IN THE GABLES.

BOTTOM RIGHT: CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE, WITH A MOLTEN CENTER OF BELGIAN CHOCOLATE AND SIDE OF VANILLA ICE CREAM.

FLEMING’S PRIME STEAK HOUSE 2525 PONCE DE LEON BLVD.

and a demiglace infused with fig jam. A romantic marriage between sweet and savory, we paired it with the California Jam Jar cocktail (vodka, basil, strawberry, and citrus) to take the relationship between saccharine and piquant to the next level.

Before we got to the real meat of our dinner (pun intended), we also tasted the Miso-Glazed Chilean Sea Bass ($53), a twice-glazed fish with an Asian flair. It’s glazed before being baked, then glazed again and broiled so that the homemade miso soaks deeply in. You can taste each element of the sauce, from the sake to the brown sugar. We took the advice of our waiter and forsook our cocktails for a moment to try it with a sip of Chardonnay: a perfect pairing.

Sticking with seafood, our next foray was to the seared scallops ($47), flipped constantly to get a golden-brown crust without raising the internal temperature. With a mix of shiitake mushrooms and scallions, cut on a bias (roughly 45 degrees) to help them brown, the five scallops were delicately topped with a ginger salsa verde. We loved it with the Pineapple Castaway (rum, pineapple, and lime and yuzu-flavored sparkling water).

Finally, we reached the crown jewel of dinner: the steaks. We

tried two: one from the Classic Cuts section of the menu, and one USDA Prime Cut. USDA Prime beef is rated for its abundant marbling. Only two percent of all beef earns this top-tier industry rating, and Fleming’s offers four cuts: a bone-in ribeye, a dry-aged ribeye, a tomahawk, and a New York Strip. We tried the strip ($66), deftly trimmed and lightly seasoned. It was only slightly less flavorful than the Main Filet Mignon ($62), which, while not USDA Prime, was a contender for best steak in the Gables. You can also get this 11-ounce behemoth petite-style ($56 for eight ounces) or with the bone-in ($72 for fourteen ounces). Hand cut by the in-house chefs, the quality here is guaranteed and exceptionally flavorful.

All of this came with a coterie of sides, including the eponymous Fleming’s potatoes ($18), which Sous Chef Joseph Brooks described as scalloped potatoes with a twist. He declined to reveal the secret to the sauce, but we tasted leek, jalapeño, and Monterey Jack.

The finale of the night was the Chocolate Lava Cake ($17), a decadent gateau with a molten center of Callebaut Belgian chocolate and a side of vanilla ice cream. Paired with a Salted Caramel Espresso Martini, this was the perfect epilogue to a night we’ll long remember. ■

Five, Now Six, Now Seven

HAPPY HOUR AT COPPER 29 SETS THE BAR

If there’s a place in the Gables where you can get a better happy hour deal than Copper 29, we haven’t found it yet. Seven days a week from 5 to 8 pm, the bar and lounge (which just expanded its main dining area to include more seats and two separate bars) offers up escalating happy hour deals on cocktails, well drinks, wine, and beer. From 5 to 6 pm, you can get a drink for only $5; from 6 to 7 pm, you can get them for $6; and from 7 to 8 pm, they clock in at $7. No matter when you go, you’re still getting one of the best deals in town, and there are happy hour bites starting at just $4. Play your cards right and you could have a whole meal with a drink for just $10 to $15.

We particularly love the BBQ Chicken Flatbread ($4), a cheesy concoction topped with chicken and a healthy drizzle of barbecue sauce. The Truffle Mac ‘N’ Cheese is our next top contender, though it’s a bit pricier at $10 (and even cheesier). Still well worth it, if only for the exceedingly generous portion of bacon bits piled on top.

Though the cocktail selection is limited to only nine drinks, many of them are classics, and we found much to be enjoyed here as well. A classic mojito is, of course, always a favorite, but the real star here is Copper’s passion fruit martini. Sweet and fruity with a slight citrus tang, it’s well worth $5… or six… or seven.—Kylie Wang

TRUFFLE MAC ‘N’ CHEESE AND PASSION FRUIT MARTINI

People

ARELY RUIZ, PRESIDENT, CORAL GABLES WOMAN’S CLUB

FEATURING: ARELY RUIZ

MICHAEL WALSH

GIANNA RICCARDI

Arely Ruiz spent her early childhood in Brooklyn, the daughter of Cuban immigrants. She credits this period with fostering the “pay it forward” mentality that has defined her personal and professional life. Her father had fled Cuba with little to nothing, and, a few months later came her mother – and a few months after that, an ultrasound that showed baby Arely was on her way. At age 11, the family moved to Miami, where Ruiz went to high school before attending Boston University. She returned, she said, “because I didn’t want to be left out of what was happening here.” She got a job at the South Florida Business Journal, where she worked for seven years in advertising – except for one year as membership director of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce. After the SFBJ, she was membership director for the Bankers Club, the Doral Country Club, and the La Gorce Country Club, before starting Arely PR in 2011. In 2015, she joined the Coral Gables Woman’s Club.

Arely Ruiz

PRESIDENT, CORAL GABLES WOMAN’S CLUB

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT

“I WANT THIS CLUB TO BE SUSTAINABLE FOR YOUNG MEMBERS. HERE, WE ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE THREE DIFFERENT GENERATIONS OF MEMBERS....”

In May, Ruiz was inaugurated as the president of the Coral Gables Woman’s Club for the 2024-2026 term. She previously occupied the position fron 2018 to 2020. What brought her back was the feeling of unfinished business; COVID-19 sidetracked most of her projects, which she now believes will come to fruition. One of her overarching objectives is to move the club into the digital era, already commenced with the launch of the organization’s digital newsletter. She is also committed to continuing the Woman’s Club historic mission: providing free dental care to needy children. Since its inception in 1938, the Woman’s Club has provided dental care to 90,000 low-income children, paid for through community events sponsored by the Club.

WHAT SHE SAYS

“I want this club to be sustainable for young members,” Ruiz says. “Here, we are so lucky to have three different generations of members, each of which bring different viewpoints – which is good, but difficult at times. I want to keep those young members engaged and grow the membership of the club, which has gone from 43 four years ago to more than 100 today.” Ruiz says she will also push to expand the fundraising events held in partnership with various charitable groups. “We need to expand our footprint in the community by supporting not only our Children’s Dental Clinic but other nonprofits as well. That is our mission.” ■

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A New Jersey native, Michael Walsh has now so deeply embroidered himself into the fabric of Coral Gables we might as well just call him a Gableite. The young finance hotshot first met his mentor, Deena Katz (of Evensky & Katz), in graduate school, which is how he ended up in the Gables. “She’s like the Einstein of financial services,” says Walsh. “She’s the Joe DiMaggio, the Babe Ruth, the biggest hitter in the entire world.” When Katz told him he was going to work at her firm after his first year of graduate school at Texas Tech, he said simply, “Yes, ma’am.” So began Walsh’s career at Evensky & Katz / Foldes Wealth Management, where he’s moved from intern to wealth manager and principal over the last nine years. Today, Walsh handles about $300 million in client assets and chairs the Coral Gables Community Foundation, where he’s volunteered since he first arrived in the Gables.

“WE HAVE TRACTION IN TERMS OF WHAT WE’RE ABLE TO REINVEST IN AMAZING ORGANIZATIONS AROUND CORAL GABLES...”

Michael Walsh

PRINCIPAL, EVENSKY & KATZ / FOLDES WEALTH MANAGEMENT CHAIR, CORAL GABLES COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT

This year, Walsh was named Chair of the Coral Gables Community Foundation, the city’s largest charitable organization. As Chair, Walsh is heading up the Foundation’s Strategic Plan, which involves initiatives like board development, increased fundraising goals, and sponsoring a community needs assessment to determine how best to serve the community. This year, the Community Foundation has issued $1.4 million in scholarships to local students, as well as $300,000 in community grants. Total giving is around $3.2 million year to date, up from roughly $350,000 when Walsh first joined the board in 2017.

WHAT HE SAYS

“We have big, big goals for the future to continue to expand in the community,” says Walsh of the Coral Gables Community Foundation. “There is tremendous need, and we have traction in terms of what we’re able to reinvest in amazing organizations around Coral Gables. A lot of my time is spent on the Strategic Plan, working with different board members and stakeholders to make sure that we’re focusing on the impact that’s most critically important for our fundholders, stakeholders, and our community itself.” ■

Besides handling programming at Coral Gables Museum, Gianna Riccardi is also a certified art therapist, with a master’s degree in art psychotherapy from Goldsmith’s University of London. As part of the museum’s programming, Riccardi runs “Art for Healing,” a therapeutic initiative designed to support mental health through the power of art. The program has already established partnerships with local organizations like Seeds of Hope, a group of Ukranian refugees, and Doctors Hospital, where it supports front-line medical staff. Riccardi is working on expanding the program to general community and corporate settings, hoping to reach all members of the City Beautiful. She names stress relief, dexterity, and connection with the self as some of the main benefits of her workshops, which are each tailored to the individuals in attendance.

Gianna Riccardi

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS, CORAL GABLES MUSEUM

LATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT

WHAT SHE SAYS

“ART IS ALL AROUND US, FROM THE OUTFIT WE CHOOSE TO THE COLOR OF OUR PHONE CASE. I JUST WANT TO TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER TO SHOW YOU THAT YOU CAN USE THIS TO BETTER YOUR OWN WELLNESS… ”

Besides the expansion of Art for Healing, Riccardi was also recently honored as a Thirty Under 30 member by The Learning Guild, a global organization that promotes organizational learning – the first museum education professional to have been so recognized over the last 15 years. “My inclusion in this cohort marks a significant moment for museum education, highlighting the role that museums play in public learning and community engagement,” she says. The young director also runs an Instagram page (@art.inthe.know) where she highlights museum education programming around the world, categorizing them by themes like kid-friendly, wellness, and nature.

“My goal is to bring art and wellness to our community in an accessible way because wellness should not be a luxurious thing,” says Riccardi. “A lot of people don’t realize that art is all around us, from the outfit we choose to the color of our phone case. Everything has design. I just want to take it a step further to show you that you can use this to better your own wellness…. We all go to the doctor’s for checkups every year; we should do the same for our mental health.” ■

The PamperedPooch

LISETTE CALDERON, DOG OWNER AND CEO OF NEOLOGY GROUP

Coral Gables is no stranger to human indulgences. So why not for our canines as well?

BY MAYA REGO

In a city recently deemed the ritziest residential neighborhood in the country, it is no surprise that there is an abundance of companies designed to pamper Gables residents. From luxury spas to designer brands, the Gables is no foreigner to the idea that it’s life’s “little pleasures” that really matter. Thus, it would only make sense that this “dolce vita” concept not only applies to the humans of the Gables, but to their four-legged friends as well. That’s right: living in the Gables as a dog means being treated like royalty. And we’re not mad at all.

Of course, these dogs don’t know how good their opulent lives truly are. It’s the age-old tale: You look at your dog, whose existence is purely made up of long walks, eating, and being entertained by tennis balls, and think to yourself, “How is it that this thing once survived in the wild?” It truly is an impossible challenge to imagine the dogs of today, sleeping in palatial beds and being pampered in salons, going out to hunt for their food as they did thousands of years ago. Whether it is humanity’s increasing desire to prioritize comfort, or simply driven by consumerism itself, a whole industry has been created to make the lives of man’s best friend as splendid as possible. Here is a sampler of pamper in the Gables, where this industry has soared.

KISSES & PAWS DOG GROOMING

Nandog

When guests walk into Nandog’s small, unassuming storefront, they are first greeted by extravagant dog beds, quite a switch from the largely plain exterior. Located on the fourth block of Miracle Mile, between Spacagna Italian Hair and the Capital One Café, Nandog opened their Gables brick and mortar in March 2021. But their history began 12 years earlier and some 2,000 miles away in Studio City, Los Angeles.

The now-defunct Los Angeles Nandog store was opened in 2010 by Hernando “Nando” Vergara, who discovered an opportunity in the market for consumers who wanted to provide their furry friends with trendy merchandise but lacked the funds needed for the majority of high-end pet products. Flash forward 14 years, and Nandog pet gear is now sold to retailers across the country. The Gables store is owned by Alfonso Navarro, Vergara’s childhood friend from Barranquilla, Colombia, and Javier Reyes.

Nandog and the goods it sells accurately represent the place pets inhabit in American society nowadays. Deep down, we may know that our dogs and cats are not our biological children, and yet we still treat them as such. Carrier bags, interactive toys to stimulate their brains, agave oil to ensure they never suffer from dry paws, even car seats – these are all items sold at Nandog. And keeping in line with Vergara’s original vision, these products are not ridiculously expensive. The plush quilted car seats, complete with safety hooks and seat belts, range from $59 to $79, ensuring that even those with a limited budget can practice canine safety. Dog beds, which come in a vast selection, never exceed $79 – even the whimsical pineapple, banana, and cupcake shaped ones.

As if the plethora of dog toys and accessories weren’t enough, in April 2023, Nandog launched their Friday grooming services. Pups can enjoy a pampering appointment complete with a wash, cut, and blow-dry of their coat, as well as nail trimming. Throughout the treatment, specialty Nandog products are used, such as the pets paw balm wax ($14.99). During our visit, we witnessed one zestful Chihuahua jumping up and down after finishing his appointment, indicating that dogs, just like people, always enjoy a spa day.

Scenthound

Hidden just around the corner from the designer stores of Merrick Park, Scenthound may be less expensive than the shops that surround it, but it’s just as luxurious. With additional locations in Kendall and Pinecrest as well as others across the country, the journey of this Florida-based franchise began with husband-wife duo Tim and Jessica Vogel in 2005. They first entered the world of doggie grooming as a mobile service called Scenters, a company they owned and operated for a decade before transitioning to a permanent location.

Where Scenthound differs from the Vogel’s previous endeavor is in their respective mission statements. While Scenters was primarily focused on grooming, Scenthound offers a more holistic, wellness-based approach to pet care. Having worked with animals for over 20 years, the Vogel’s journey revealed to them the ways in which different kinds of dogs receive the same treatments, leading their hygiene and health to suffer because of a “one-size-fits-all“ approach. “Not all dogs need traditional grooming,” they write on their website, “but all dogs need routine hygiene.”

The list of services offered at Scenthound is extensive. To start, visitors can choose from three different packages: basic hygiene,

NANDOG, 60 MIRACLE MILE, 786.391.0733

NANDOG STORE GREETS YOU WITH THE CUTEST OF DOG BEDS

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which includes a bath, towel-dry, nail trim, ear cleaning, and teeth brushing; the blow-out package; and the barber package. The price of each treatment differs depending on the coat of the dog. Regardless of the kinds of service provided, however, owners will receive a S.C.E.N.T. check that informs owners about the wellbeing of their pooch. Each assessment is complete with six sections dedicated to evaluating the dog’s skin, coat, ears, nails, and teeth.

For those who seek pristine cleanliness in their four-legged companions, the additional services extended by Scenthound are likely to meet any desired outcome. A blueberry oatmeal scrub to exfoliate your pup’s face? Check. Eyebrow trims that can keep your dog’s complexion sharp and up to date with the current trends? Check. A thorough conditioning treatment designed to demat, detangle, and repair damaged hair, leaving you wanting the human equivalent? Check. Scenthound is expertly curated to suit the high-maintenance needs of dog owners across the City Beautiful.

Mobile Services

A recent trend in the pet care industry has been the boon of mobile grooming – pampering conducted in a van or truck that pulls up to your home. These luxury four-wheelers are limited in how far they can travel, with most of the Miami businesses serving only a particular section of the ever-expanding city.

Although their storefront (which provides overnight care in addition to their grooming services) is located just outside the Gables’ city limits in West Miami, Kisses & Paws is one of the many groomers-on-wheels that operate within Coral Gables. Run by sibling team Laura and Christian Torrente, the Kisses & Paws van began with the intended mission of making grooming services easier for those with anxious pups. The lack of distractions from other dogs creates an environment marked by solitude and peace, perfect for hyperactive dogs or those that are simply homebodies (if such a thing exists in the canine world). Services start at $120 and up, depending on the size and coat of each animal.

As with providers who have a physical storefront, there exists a hierarchy of exclusivity within the mobile grooming industry. Best in Show Pet Spa definitely resides on the higher end of the exclusivity spectrum. Currently, the salon, whose customers are largely Coral Gables residents, has a full client roster for 2024 and is not accepting any new pups. Its services are the most expensive out of those listed here: $150 dollars per hour for a full groom. However, the steep price tag associated with the business is largely explained by the type of care they offer. The team comprises award-winning stylists who solely employ vegan, hypoallergenic, and natural products, and it is the only Fear Free certified grooming service in the city, meaning their employees are uniquely trained to make their clients – in this case, dogs – have the most enjoyable experience possible.

While most mobile groomers limit their coverage to distinct areas of Miami, Tito’s Dog Grooming does not. The company, which provides salon-style treatment to both cats and dogs, services nearly every neighborhood in Dade County. Aside from the Gables, Tito’s temperature-controlled van drives as far north as Hallandale Beach and as far south as The Hammocks. Using aromatherapy, classical music, warm cleansing water, and massages, Tito’s creates an experience specifically tailored to the needs of overly sensitive and anxious dogs.

While there appears to be an ample number of groomers available in the Gables, few pet care businesses specialize in teeth – except for Snuggly Tails Dental, that is. With offices located on Minorca Avenue, Snuggly Tails’ procedure is simple: each pooch receives a free dental examination upon their first visit, which determines if they are a prime candidate for anesthesia-free oral work. The free examination can also uncover other, more severe issues beyond teeth in need of brushing, such as periodontal disease, bone loss, bone fracture, visible tumors, and cavities, all of which must be treated by a vet. As for the work Snuggly Tails provides, those dogs deemed to be good candidates then undergo a procedure to remove the calculus, or tartar, found in nearly every canine’s mouth. Oral hygiene is often overlooked in pets, and Snuggly Tails notes that these cleanings should occur at least every six months to avoid potential side effects such as bacterial infections. Luckily, its mobile service means you can care for your pup’s fangs just a few steps from your front door.

Stress Be Gone

There are certainly numerous businesses that help dogs look their best. But what about those that ensure they feel their best too – and not just physically? Dogs, just like humans, can suffer from mental health problems, usually in the form of anxiety or depression. And treating them is obviously not as cut and dry as talk therapy. Which is why Let Go Stress opened their doors to pets five years ago.

After 16 years in the wellness industry, Roland Gonzalez decided to move Let Go Stress in 2019 from its original location in an office building off Coral Way to a storefront in the Gables, hoping to attract a wider clientele. With a bigger and carpet-less space, Gonzalez and his team opted to finally go forward with their Let Go Stress for Pets Program, a project that had been in the works for years. Owners can bring their four-legged friends, those that deal with mental health problems and those that do not, and enjoy a wide variety of treatments designed to target the root of whatever is ailing them both.

Many of the treatments offered at Let Go Stress are rooted in Gonzalez’s background in quantum studies, such as the quantum wellness BioCharger. Located inside the “Healing Pets” room, the device itself looks like something straight out of a science fiction movie, emitting multi-color lights at different frequencies. During a BioCharger session, a dog and their owner are essentially forced to sleep by the energy being transmitted from the device. It is known to resonate with those who deal with chronic pain, fatigue, or mood swings, stimulating the entire body to improve overall health and wellness. Spike, the on-site service dog and the most zen animal

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we’ve ever laid eyes on, is a huge fan of the device, following Gonzalez to the room until he is granted some time to bask in BioCharger therapy.

Upstairs, the health center houses a zero-gravity chair that, while pups cannot sit in, is part of another treatment available to dogs. The chair resides in the Anuhazi Room where Gonzalez conducts sessions using Rasha, a technology system that communicates with your DNA to achieve “Consciousness-Coherence.” It operates under the “base-12” numerical system, used by some scientists to analyze structures deep in the cosmos, emitting frequencies that accelerate your moods, harmonize your body, and guarantee peak mental performance – both for you and for your dog. And as the Rasha device works its magic, owners drift away in the zero-gravity chair, an astonishingly comfortable experience with clients’ backs parallel to the ground, their doggies sound asleep beside them.

LET GO STRESS ON PONCE DE LEON OFFERS A PET PROGRAM FOR DOGS THAT SUFFER FROM STRESS OR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

Miami Pet Concierge

When Nicole Packin founded Miami Pet Concierge, the concept was about “giving Coral Gables residents back their time.” An unapologetic dog lover, the longtime Gables resident had been working at the Humane Society of Greater Miami. “More and more dogs were being returned for lack of time,” she says – time needed for walking, feeding, and general pet care. “We wanted to create customized care for the parents of dogs in Coral Gables.” So, in 2007, she found Miami Pet Concierge, offering services that include dog walking during typical work hours, pet sitting when owners are traveling, and even providing “pet taxis” for trips to the groomer or the vet.

Since then, her company has added overnight pet care. “When I started, it was not the norm to have someone stay overnight with your pets,” she says, “but the pet care business has become more progressive.” Among other advances, Packin notes that owners are learning more about nutrients and exercise. At the same time, “fewer people are having kids,” opting instead to become “parents” of their pets. “Pet parents are those who dress their dogs, take them to functions, and want them to be groomed. We act as nannies for their dogs,” she says.

Miami Pet Concierge also provides services for owners of cats, lizards, lemurs, and monkeys – “You name it we’ve seen it, even a miniature cow,” Packin says – though dogs comprise the majority. “What I do is a luxury and [Gables dog owners] want luxuries for their pets.... Once we come in, they realize how much time they save.” ■

MIAMI PET CONCIERGE, ALHAMBRA CIRCLE. (305) 773-3999

MIAMI PET CONCIERGE OFFERS CUSTOMIZED CARE FOR YOUR PET

Coral Gables, here is what Commissioners Kirk Menendez, Ariel Fernandez, and Melissa Castro have done for you lately:

Refused to allow the RESIDENTS to vote on whether or not an Inspector General should be appointed, even though City of Miami and City of Miami Beach just did.

Refused to move elections from April to November, even though the move would increase voter turnout and save the city $140,000 per year in election costs.

Voted to raise your property taxes by refusing to lower the millage rate, in spite of skyrocketing property values.

Gave themselves a 101% raise including a brand new car allowance and doubled their expense accounts!

Who are Commissioners Kirk Menendez, Ariel Fernandez, and Melissa Castro working for??

The Dog Portraits

DAISY

Golden Retriever, 5

THE OWNER

Ceci Slesnick

Girl Scout, Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida

DOG STORY

It was an easy sell for lifelong Gables resident Ceci Slesnick and her brother to convince their parents to get Daisy, one of several Golden Retrievers the Slesnick parents have owned. “She’s very energetic,” Ceci says. “But also super cuddly. She loves to come in our rooms and hang out with us. Even though she has her own bed, she always ends up sleeping on my parent’s bed.” The 70-pound ball of fluff spends much of her time chasing lizards and expending energy by running up and down the Slesnick’s street. “During COVID when all the streets were empty, we would take her offleash and she would just run up and down the street, back and forth, so many times,” says Ceci. Daisy has also developed a particular taste for running water. “If she’s inside one of our rooms, she’ll go up to the bathroom faucet and jump onto the counter to try to get water from the sink,” says Ceci. She’ll even wait outside the bathroom door to signal to her owners that she’s ready for a drink, pawing them when they pass.

“She’s super cute,” says Ceci, who’s angling for another pup from her parents.

SUKI Mixed Breed, 16 Bacci

Yorkie Biewer, 7

THE OWNER

Addys Kuryla Chair, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce External Affairs Manager, FPL

DOG STORY

At 16, Suki is still Addys Kuryla’s baby, a fun-loving mixed breed the family was told was a Bichon. “I think she ended up being everything but that – but it doesn’t really matter what they end up being, right?” says Kuryla. “You love them anyway.” Seven years ago, the family added Bacci to the mix, who Kuryla refers to affectionately as her “little chunky monkey.” Though it took a while for Suki to accept Bacci, the two are now best friends. “Suki lays on the bed and watches cartoons,” Kuryla explains. “When Bacci came in and would try to get on the bed, she would tell him to get out! But little by little, something happened between them… and one day they were both lying there watching TV.” The two love “Paw Patrol” in particular, she says. And though Suki has outgrown her puppy-era habit of chewing on Kuryla’s expensive heels (“Always the ones I cared the most about!”), Bacci is still a troublemaker who grabs snacks from his owners’ hands with “a devilish little look in his eyes.”

NANCY SANABRIA

EDDIE V. Poodle, 9 JIMI P. Poodle, 1.5

THE OWNER

Jerry Plush

Chairman, President, and CEO of Amerant Bank

DOG STORY

Both Eddie V. and Jimi P. are poodles, but because of their haircuts they look like doodles, says owner Jerry Plush. “They don’t have the shaped cuts” usually associated with a poodle, he explains. Both came from a breeder in a farm outside of Richmond, a French woman who has had her poodles on the cover of Vogue. Having been in a band growing up, Plush named his pooches after his favorite guitarists – Eddie Van Halen, and a combination of Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page. Even though both dogs are ball-obsessed, “the temperament of my first guy could not be more laid back. He is just happy to exist. The little [younger] guy is the exact opposite, the most curious and athletic dog on the planet.” The older Eddie V. now recognizes dogs on television, thanks to the high-def screen. “We know when the dog commercials are on because he starts barking at the TV… Jimi looks at him like he doesn’t get what’s going on.”

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ASPEN Mini Australian Shepherd, 6

CORONA

Mixed Breed, 5

THE OWNER

Lisette Calderon Founder and CEO, Neology Group

DOG STORY

With two dogs already in the house, Lisette Calderon’s husband was adamant that their latest foster dog would not be a permanent addition to the household. But Lisette, who fell in love with Noah (renamed Corona, as he was adopted during the coronavirus pandemic and had a difficult time differentiating between his name and “no”), couldn’t give him up. That’s why Corona is the only pup to have her last name, rather than her husband’s. “He was a stray from the Miami-Dade Animal Shelter,” Lisette explains. “I received a message that the shelter was going to euthanize the larger dogs [because] they didn’t have anywhere to keep them…. [So,] I said, ‘Just give me the biggest dog, the dog that nobody wants. I’ll take him.’” When the shelter called a few months later, “he was already part of the family.” Now, Corona is one of the three “frat boys,” as Lisette calls her three pups. “They look like fraternity brothers. They’re not related by blood, but they’re just fun and funny and they’re best friends,” she explains. “They’re super athletic and always up for a party.”

GIA MARGARITA Schnauzer, 7

THE OWNER

Fernando Pinto Executive Director, MG Developer

DOG STORY

Well-loved and soon-to-be Instagram famous (follow her at @giamargaritapinto), Gia Margarita stays humble through prayer. Every day before Fernando and his wife Angelica feed Gia, the pup takes a moment “to pray,” standing perfectly still before she digs into her food. The gorgeous Schnauzer is, apparently, a model citizen, who has “never broken anything” in her life, according to the Pintos. She spends her days watching television in bed with her parents and jetting off to Venezuela, where the family is from. As “a dual citizen,” Gia Margarita speaks Spanish and knows to sit on her mom’s lap during plane rides. Though she loves Fernando, it’s her mom whose ringtone she recognizes. When she hears the sound indicating Angelica is on her way home, she runs to the door to wait for her. Fernando, meanwhile, receives a no-less loving – though perhaps slightly less anticipated – welcome.

ARCHIE Toy Maltese, 5

THE OWNER

Marisol Henriquez

JCT Management Inc. / Enriquez Group

DOG STORY

“The only way I can describe Archie is very travieso (mischievous),” says Henriquez about her third child, after her two adult children. “When the kids left for college, Archie became the baby of the family – and he uses that to his advantage.” While most dogs bark when they want to get their way, Henriquez describes Archie’s means of communication as far more advanced: “If he wants to go downstairs, he sneezes until he gets my attention… if he wants to go outside, he will grab his go-bag and drop it at my feet.” His impish behavior extends beyond the house, having once jumped out of the car en route to the dry cleaners. “There I was, running around the parking lot in my heels and Valentino sunglasses, chasing after him,” she recalls. Archie, who lives with his family in Coco Plum, lives a lavish lifestyle: bi-weekly grooming at The Dog from Ipanema, three walks a day, and afternoon rides in Henriquez’s sports car. And while Archie is not the biggest fan of trips to the spa, Henriquez loves their services, so much so that she moved up his appointment for the photoshoot. “He can’t be in a magazine without a blow-out!”

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“ EVERYONE THOUGHT, FROM THE FINANCIAL SERVICES SIDE, THAT WE WERE GOING TO ENTER THE ICE AGE – WITH EVERYONE BRACING FOR THE WORST.... ”

ANDY GARGANTA, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND HEAD OF WEALTH MANAGEMENT AT AMERANT BANK, RECALLS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

COVID, GENDER & GENERATION

As the quarter-century mark approaches, Gables financial advisors unpack an unprecedented era

BY DREW LIMSKY

2024 represents a singular moment for financial planning, as we are experiencing the convergence of several consequential phenomena, all overlapping: falling interest rates; finding ourselves on the other side of a post-COVID world that saw both home values and portfolios take off; and moments of both urgency and opportunity for Generation X and Baby Boomers, with the latter group seeing an unprecedented transfer of wealth from men to women.

Adding to the complexities of generation and gender, locally at least, is the impact of the COVID-era Great Migration to Florida (a flood of wealth, estimated at $40 billion, has landed in the state), which means that 2024 and the years that follow will register as both an exciting and challenging time for financial planners and their clients.

Andy Garganta, senior vice president and head of wealth management at Amerant Bank, recalls that during COVID, “everyone thought, from the financial services side, that we were going to enter the Ice Age – with everyone bracing for the worst.” Instead, clients in the wealth management space increased their wealth, due, Garganta says, to “growth in the equity market and rising real estate prices in major metropolitan areas, with Miami leading the way.” (Amerant holds $2.4 billion in assets in its wealth management department.) South Florida, he says, has been the beneficiary of wealth

transfers from people fleeing states like New Jersey, New York, and California. But upheavals, transitions, and mega-transfers are never uncomplicated.

A RUDE AWAKENING

This is a momentous, and arguably more complicated, time for Gen Xers (born between 1965 and 1980) than for the Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964). Often referred to as the “sandwich generation,” because they are simultaneously caring for their aging parents and their children at home or in college, members of Gen X are often stressed out. Still, in 2019, the economically secure members of this generation, smack in the middle of their peak earning years (between 45 and 54, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics), felt youthful, vital, and adventurous, often globetrotting when they weren’t taking care of career and family obligations.

But COVID rocked their world. “People started feeling their mortality more,” says Al Maulini, who, as managing director of Private Wealth Management of Coral Gables/Raymond James Financial Services, serves a demographic aged 50 and older. “They want to get in front of any negative thing that could happen. It’s a cold slap of reality. It’s a feeling of being shell-shocked. After a big decrease in the market – even though the market has recovered since then, it was pretty harsh in the moment – I think there’s a general decrease in risk appetite.” Maulini says that he’s hearing more requests for life

insurance. “Before COVID,” he says, “that really didn’t happen.”

During the pandemic, Gen Xers were trying to simultaneously manage work, home school, and childcare while being stuck at home. With the national unemployment rate spiking at 13 percent, remote workers were some of the lucky ones. “It was a time of great uncertainty in the job market, as what the world was going through was unprecedented,” says Catherine Lapadula, managing director and market executive of UBS Florida International. “People started thinking, ‘What does my financial plan look like?’ Many people who had never even spoken to a financial advisor, during and after COVID, started to take stock of their situation.” Indulgent self-care (think facials, massages, and travel) became synonymous with a menu of life-threatening risks.

Many Gen Xers who are on the latter end of the generation –in 2019, they were in their early- to mid-50s and feeling young and vigorous despite those AARP materials landing in the mail – came out the other side of the COVID-era feeling anxious and exhausted, and even panicked about being behind on their financial planning. The oldest of the Gen Xers are now turning 59.5. That’s the age when you can extract money from your IRA or 401(k) without penalty. Nothing makes you feel old like the government telling you that you’re entering the final third of your life and may require an emergency infusion of cash. Even if you’re far from needing those funds, the psychological effect is undeniable.

John Harris, a Gen Xer himself who is the managing director at Coral Gables Trust, has experienced the pressures of the sandwich generation first-hand, and is attuned to the concerns of his cohort.

AL MAULINI, BELOW, OF PRIVATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT OF CORAL GABLES/RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL SERVICES

“ MORE VOLATILITY IN THE MARKETS AND HIGHER INFLATION – THESE THINGS CAN BE IMPACTFUL TO FAMILIES OF GEN XERS ” JOHN HARRIS, ABOVE, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT CORAL GABLES TRUST

“More volatility in the markets and higher inflation – these things can be impactful to families of Gen Xers,” he says. “These are wealth-creating years, but they come with incredible demands on families. It’s a difficult spot.”

Harris explains that COVID’s combined health, economic, and psychological shocks have led Gen Xers to strike a more conservative pose. “There was a period of time where there was an aggressiveness to investing in the markets,” he says. “Now, they’re not as aggressive in terms of the portfolio requests as they had been. They generally are less involved now with aggressive real estate investing, or Bitcoin and things like that, because of COVID and other factors.” Overall, he says, “Boomers are in a better position [than Gen X], in terms of having wealth – at least the clients that we deal with [and] their current financial positions and the issues that they’re facing.”

Garganta notes that Gen Xers are experiencing more divorce and are therefore raising more blended families (Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck being the most high-profile example), which can complicate financial planning even further. This is not to say that Boomers don’t have their challenges – Harris cites worries about long-term care, for example – “but in many cases, these people are part of a generation that was still provided with pensions, so perhaps they had more legs on the stool with regard to ongoing income after leaving the workplace.”

Maulini says that he’s seeing more interest in legacy planning, as in, ‘What happens to my name after I’m gone?’, which feels more

like a Boomer concern. To meet this need, Maulini offers a seminar series on philanthropic estate planning.

GENDER TROUBLES – AND OPPORTUNITIES

The first male Baby Boomers are closing in on 80-years-old. According to a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health report, “We’ve known for more than a century that women outlive men. But new research… shows that, at least in the United States, the gap has been widening for more than a decade.” Women, on average, live nearly six years longer than men. “The pandemic, which took a disproportionate toll on men,” according to the Harvard study, “was the biggest contributor to the widening gap from 2019-2021.”

According to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, most male deaths occur after age 60 – especially recently, due to COVID. In married heterosexual couples, that means the estate is typically passed onto the widow. The operative term: The Great Wealth Transfer. High net-worth Baby Boomers have seen their wealth grow on steroids since 2020, and according to business consulting firm McKinsey & Co., women are poised to control two-thirds of investible wealth – most of it Boomer money – by 2030.

“Women and COVID have two things in common: money-in-motion,” says UBS’s Lapadula. “The fact is that more men suffered fatalities during COVID than women, especially older men. That was an abrupt change for many women. All of a sudden, countless women were left wondering about their financial future. That is why financial planning is so important and will continue to be so. With up to $9 trillion expected to be passed along to spouses and partners in the coming years, the largest beneficiary of that will be women. At UBS, we call this the horizontal wealth transfer. Most people think of wealth transfer as intergenerational. We see it as intragenerational [and] we think it’s going to be unprecedented.”

Lapadula believes that women need to do a better job of wealth management. “There are three key reasons for that,” she says. “One: Women factually outlive men. Two: Women sometimes have had part-time jobs, or have taken a few years off for childcare, so they may not have had the same income or retirement savings as men. And three: historically, women have been more risk-averse.” Lapadula argues that women, especially Gen X women, are adept at short-term, hands-on wealth management (budgeting, large purchases, and bill-paying), but need to be more focused on longer-term planning.

“UBS has set something up called the Woman’s Wealth Academy,” Lapadula says. “It allows you to choose the stage of life you are in and then select the educational modules that best fit your profile or stage in life. The concept is that it will allow all women to better understand the financial markets. The modules can be either product-based, as in private investing, or focused on expanding your knowledge of financial markets in general.… This just a small part of what UBS does to ensure that we help women own their own worth and plan for their future. I think all wealth management firms are going to have to pivot….”

WHO’S

THE BOSS?

Diego Yvan Polenghi, senior vice president and market leader at PNC Wealth Management, acknowledges the cultural conditions that keep women on the financial sidelines. He emphasizes the need for financial literacy for everyone – and the ubiquity of wealth education. “I have to say, many institutions are paying attention to [education]. I mean, this is nothing new. There are seminars; there are workshops particularly tailored for women. At PNC, we spend a lot of time on these particular topics where we want to include the wife.”

PNC offers workshops for both clients and prospects on family

“ WITH UP TO $9 TRILLION EXPECTED TO BE PASSED ALONG TO SPOUSES AND PARTNERS IN THE COMING YEARS, THE LARGEST BENEFICIARY OF THAT WILL BE WOMEN... ”

CATHERINE LAPADULA, ABOVE, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF UBS FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL

and succession planning, as well as women’s events focused on discrete topics. “It might be an educational session,” he says. “It might be a lunch and learn.” And to Polenghi, trust is also gained by using a team approach. “Who talks to the client? It’s not just the one trusted advisor having the conversations. You have an investment advisor, you have a bank, you have the fiduciary, you have a relationship manager.” If the wife has not been involved before, PNC wants her to feel confident in the institution’s expertise and professionalism. One gender-based trend that poses a challenge for financial advisors is that women tend to leave their financial advisors after the deaths of their husbands, because men have traditionally owned the client/advisor relationship. “The simplest thing [for widows] to do is just sell and put the proceeds into bank CDs,” Maulini says. The only way to counter that impulse, he says, is education, so that

“ WHO TALKS TO THE CLIENT? IT’S NOT JUST THE ONE TRUSTED ADVISOR HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS. YOU HAVE AN INVESTMENT ADVISOR, YOU HAVE A BANK, YOU HAVE THE FIDUCIARY, YOU HAVE A RELATIONSHIP MANAGER... ”

DIEGO YVAN POLENGHI, RIGHT, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND MARKET LEADER AT PNC WEALTH MANAGEMENT

women can gain confidence.

“It is very common that many times I’m speaking with the husband,” says Peter Zubizarreta, senior vice president of wealth management at UBS Financial Services, “so it does take some effort from the point of view of the financial advisor to really build the relationship with both spouses.” Zubizarreta says that professionals in the financial services industry tend to speak in technical jargon that is not only off-putting to women, but to men as well. “I think, as an industry, we need to really make a strong effort to build a relationship with women,” he advises. “Our industry is really about relationships, and I think women are more relationship-oriented than men.”

Unsurprisingly, traditional gender roles are most pronounced in the Boomer generation, which can put women in a tough spot when it comes to financial planning. “The men are passing away, as they do tend to die before the women, and these widows don’t even know their ATM PINs,” says Michelle Grillone, managing director at Mariner Wealth Advisors. (Mariner’s Miami office handles assets of $2 billion.) “The husbands did not leave things in order, so we are getting a combination of frantic widows not knowing what to do because they didn’t have their affairs in order, or the reverse, where the husbands get diagnosed with something terminal, and then they look for a financial advisor when they’re literally on their deathbeds. We’ve seen around three of these cases in the last year.” In one sad situation, the client died while the advisor was flying out to see him, financial documents in hand, ready to be signed.

David Evensky, principal of Evensky & Katz/Foldes Wealth Management, has tried to overcome the limitations of traditional gender roles. “Financial advisors have often built relationships primarily with the husband in a couple,” he agrees. “However, at Evensky & Katz/Foldes, we take a more holistic and inclusive approach from the very beginning. We believe it’s essential to involve both partners in financial discussions and planning, regardless of who may initially take the lead. This helps ensure that both voices are heard, and both individuals are equally empowered to make decisions.”

Evensky advises building these relationships early on and across the family, to “ensure that both partners – and often their children – feel connected and informed about their financial future… We see the results in that we rarely have experienced this phenomenon play out where the ‘secondary’ spouse leaves the advisor relationship after the death of the primary.” Evensky says advisors should challenge the notion that there is a “primary” in the relationship at all.

“We find that when both spouses are involved from the outset, not only do they feel more secure in their financial plan, but they’re also more likely to stick with us through life’s inevitable changes,” he says. “After all, our fiduciary responsibility is to the entire family, not just one person.”

FACE TO FACE

Grillone stresses that women value the human touch when it comes to their advisors. “My advisors almost take on a husband role, not only for the financial areas, but even for things around the house,” she says. “They even end up helping the widows fix the leaky toilet.” Still, she notes, all things considered, female clients would prefer to

work with female advisors.

Harris echoes that and says that, at Coral Gables Trust, one of the managing directors is a woman, and that the majority of relationship managers dealing with clients – including executive vice presidents, senior vice presidents, and vice presidents – are women.

“It’s a mega- trend, and rightfully so,” he says. “So, I think firms have to adapt. They need to have more women involved with their firm.” He says that firms that have historically overlooked the wives “are paying a heavy price for that, because the spouse is in control of those funds now. A lot of those firms are losing that wealth, and it’s going to other firms, in part because women felt slighted to some degree.”

Bridgelane Wealth Management

Congratulates the Coral Gables Community Foundation for the work it does in providing much needed scholarships for students on their journey to college.

This year the foundation awarded over $1.4 million in scholarships. In collaboration with the foundation, the Zubizarreta charitable fund granted scholarships to students first generation in their families to attend college.

Peter Zubizarreta, CIMA®, CPWA®

Senior Vice President–Wealth Management

305-536-9380

peter.zubizarreta@ubs.com

UBS Financial Services Inc.

100 Southeast Second Street Suite 2500

25th Floor Miami, FL 33131

advisors.ubs.com/bridgelane

CIMA® is a registered certification mark of Investment Management Consultants Association Inc. doing business as Investments & Wealth Institute® in the United States of America and worldwide. For designation disclosures, visit ubs.com/us/en/designation-disclosures. As a firm providing wealth management services to clients, UBS Financial Services Inc. offers investment advisory services in its capacity as an SEC-registered investment adviser and brokerage services in its capacity as an SEC-registered broker-dealer. Investment advisory services and brokerage services are separate and distinct, differ in material ways and are governed by different laws and separate arrangements. It is important that you understand the ways in which we conduct business, and that you carefully read the agreements and disclosures that we provide to you about the products or services we offer. For more information, please review the client relationship summary provided at ubs.com/relationshipsummary, or ask your UBS

Coral Gables Trust offers a Women and Wealth Seminar series and is heavily involved in community organizations. “That resonates with women,” Harris says. “You can preach it, but you have to practice it.” He says that women particularly appreciate the complimentary financial planning that Coral Gables Trust offers to clients with $1 million or more in assets with the bank.

Harris also notes that it’s important to be cognizant of different investing habits between men and women, in both style and substance. Picking up on the relationship theme, Harris has noticed that women prefer to meet with their advisors in person, while men are fine with Zoom. And he says that while men tend to be more aggressive than women in terms of their expectations, “there are some studies out there that show that women are better long-term investors than men. Women are more qualitative than quantitative –not always, but generally.”

Amerant’s Garganta seconds that impression, adding that there are gender differences in both Boomer and GenX marriages. “I think there’s a huge opportunity with younger women investors,” he says, “and in many ways, what we’ve seen – and I think the data backs this up – is that younger women, from a wealth management perspective, tend to value the services that wealth advisors like us provide more than men do. They are more inclined for planning. Again, I hate painting with a broad brush [because] there’s nuance in everything. But if you look at it from the data and anecdotally, we see [younger] women taking a much more active role in creating the wealth plan for the household and they are more inclined to think about capital preservation.” Garganta says men, meanwhile, are more focused on the types of investments to choose from, and shorter-term outcomes.

“ A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF OUR CLIENTELE ARE SAME-SEX COUPLES. THERE’S ALMOST ALWAYS ONE PARTNER WHO’S MORE FOCUSED ON FINANCE AND MONEY WHILE THE OTHER ONE IS NOT... ”

PETER ZUBIZARRETA, ABOVE, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF WEALTH MANAGEMENT AT UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES

MODERN FAMILIES

Of course, the husband-wife model doesn’t always apply. UBS, for example, is especially attuned to the needs of LGBT+ couples. “A good percentage of our clientele are same-sex couples,” Zubizarreta says. Lapadula points out the considerable wealth of DINK (Double Income, No Kids) marriages, as well as same-sex partners who are raising children. Zubizarreta adds that both spouses in a same-sex marriage typically are in the workforce, unlike some of the wealthy opposite-sex couples that UBS advises.

Zubizarreta shares that sometimes the dynamics of same-sex couples mirror those of straight couples. “There’s almost always one partner who’s more focused on finance and money while the other one is not, and it might not necessarily be the wealthier one” who is more passionate about finances, he says. “It even happens in my relationship with my wife, where I’m more of the numbers person and she’s not, and it’s no different with a same-sex married couple. But I think the most important thing is to make sure you involve both spouses in the relationship while planning.” ■

MICHELLE GRILLONE, BELOW, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT MARINER WEALTH ADVISORS.

What’s your

why?

Everyone’s “why” is different. And we want to hear all about yours, because the answer gets to the heart of everything that’s important in life. Asking why can lead you to your ultimate purpose, the reason for working so hard, for protecting what’s valuable, and for passing on what you’ve achieved. We’ll work with you on the how. You just tell us, what’s your why?

Let’s talk about your why. Call Diego Y. Polenghi, Senior Vice President, Market Leader, at 305-307-9443 or visit pnc.com/privatebank

Tree Time

OUR GREENSCAPE CONTINUES TO DEFINE CORAL GABLES 100 YEARS AFTER THE CITY’S FOUNDING

BY BRUCE FITZGERALD AND KARELIA MARTINEZ CARBONELL

PHOTOS BY STEVEN BROOKE

You know you’re in Coral Gables when you look up and see the leaves. The city’s signature tree-lined streets owe much of their appeal to the leafy canopies gracefully arching overhead, providing not only shade and color, but also mitigation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Beauty has its benefits in the City Beautiful.

As it happens, Coral Gables is among 3,600 “Tree Cities” listed by Tree City USA, which identifies and designates green communities in all 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C and Puerto Rico. “Greening,” as the word implies, aims to incorporate environmentally-friendly materials and practices throughout the built environment, where trees stand on the frontline of defense against the impact of global warming. In the Gables, trees such as oaks, banyans, palms, sycamores, pines, elms, and others don’t just beautify the city – they protect it, even as local development encroaches on their territory.

New York, like all industrialized cities, faces similar issues. Developers and city officials recently drew the ire of grade school children when it was announced that the Downtown’s Elizabeth Street Garden would be replaced by a housing project. According to an August 11, 2024 story in The New York Times, fourth-grade students became agitated about where they’d play and have their Easter egg hunts once the Garden was gone. One young student, when questioned about its loss, asked: “What’s going to happen to the animals [who live in the trees]?”

If the loss of trees and gardens has global repercussions, it’s on the local level that most environmental concerns are addressed. In Coral Gables, many of our green initiatives are overseen by the Greenspace Management Division of the city’s Public Works Department, which maintains almost 40,000 trees in public rights-of-way, road medians, and other public spaces. Unfortunately, as new buildings proliferate in the city, our greenscape has diminished, leaving us to wonder if two seemingly irreconcilable environments – the natural and the built – can co-exist to the advantage of neither but to the benefit of both? ■

As part of the city’s effort to promote the preservation of trees in our “urban forest,” the Landscape Beautification Advisory Board will host a Tree of the Year contest. Residents are invited to nominate one or more trees, with a prize going to the person who nominates the winning tree. Results will be announced on Arbor Day, April 25, 2025. To enter, go to coralgables.com/department/public-works/tree-year-contest

CHOOSE YOUR NOMINEE FOR THE “TREE OF THE YEAR”

B I L T M O R E

HALLOWEEN PART Y

Join us for our annual Halloween Party. Get ready for a night full of mystery, including dinner, dancing, open bar, and costume contest.

OC TOBER 26, 2024

8PM - 1AM

For more details and to purchase tickets, visit www.eventbrite.com

Tickets sold in advance and at the door until 10PM day of event. MUST be 21 and over to attend.

Meandering Around Town #15

AN ADVENTURE IN WHICH A FORMER MAYOR CONTINUES TO SEEK THE “SOUL” OF HIS HOMETOWN

BY DON SLESNICK

The underlying theme of my monthly essays is “seeking the soul of our hometown.” On closer examination, the “soul” is an amorphous entity which exists existentially – not a specific place or thing. On the other hand, the “heart” is a definable vital organ of substance which pumps life blood to the rest of the body – in this case, the city. That is why I have rambled from North Greenway Drive to City Hall, our town’s hundred-yearold heart, situated at the western terminus of Miracle Mile.

For the last century, City Hall has been the site of Coral Gables governance; the place where our Commission, boards, and committees meet to set policies, adopt legislation, and formulate master plans – in other words, lay the foundation for successfully creating and maintaining the “City Beautiful.”

It is certainly our most important municipal landmark created by Merrick’s architect “dream team” (comprised of Phineas Paist, Walter DeGarmo, and Denman Fink). The structure exemplifies classical Mediterranean design, featuring a bell/clock tower, fountains, and a majestic second-floor semicircular columned portico (with a striking resemblance to the Philadelphia Exchange Building), capped by a detailed relief of the city’s Coat of Arms.

It majestically fronts the bustling central business district and stands guard over the peaceful residential streets to its rear. More recent additions of interest include: the flags of various nations which encircle the Commission Chambers, representing the locations of our Sister Cities and those countries whose consulates are situated within the city; an impressive wall-sized Erika King collage inside the west entrance, with scenes from around the community; and, most importantly, the two-story statue of George Merrick facing Miracle Mile, authorized by the City Commission in the late 1920s and finally erected in 2006. (A more complete discussion of the building’s physical attributes can be found in Patrick Alexander’s

soon-to-be-released book, “Coral Gables, The First Hundred Years.”)

Every mayor from Doc Dammers to Vince Lago has been housed in this building along with the many Commissioners who have served and continue to serve at their side. Besides the legislative branch of our municipal government, City Hall is the home of the administration, including the city manager, the city clerk, and the city attorney. Thus, we can rightfully say that this structure is where we find the heartbeat of Coral Gables.

Before starting my meander home, I reflected on the splendor of our city while sitting in the shadow of Mr. Merrick’s statue. A tribute poem written by one of our longtime residents (before departing to spend

her “golden years” with family in California), Evelyn King George, captures this moment:

“A city of beauty, A city to love; With palm trees and bougainvillea, swaying ‘neath bright skies above; Coral rock homes on curb-less streets, architecture blending where new and old meet; A city with shimmering blue waterways, inviting egrets and seagulls to nest there and play; A city of charm with preserved style and grace, creating tranquility like no other place…That’s Coral Gables!” ■

This column appears monthly by Don Slesnick, who served as mayor of Coral Gables from 2001 to 2011. If you wish to reach him with suggestions on where he should next meander in search of the city’s soul, email donslesnick@scllp.com.

TOP: FORMER MAYOR DON SLESNICK IN HIS DAY AT CITY HALL ABOVE: CITY HALL UNDER CONSTRUCTION. COMPLETED IN 1928

36 Restaurants in Coral Gables

OCTOBER DINING GUIDE

October 2024

With so many new restaurants opening in the Gables, you’ll always have plenty of places to try. What follows is our list of the best of the tried and true, and the best of the new, many of which opened just this year. We dine at all locations anonymously, and we list only the places where we love to eat.

FAIRWAYS

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

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

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

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

Prices are per person for appetizer and entrée, without tax, tip, or drinks. Prices are approximations.

NEW

Bouchon Bistro

Michelin-starred Chef Thomas Keller is considered one of the top masters of French cuisine in the country, which he proves with aplomb at his latest venture into traditional French fare. With romantic courtyard seating outside at the restored La Palma Hotel and an elegant interior, to sup in Bouchon is to dine in late 19th century Paris. Try the Poulet Roti and the rainbow trout. 2101 Galiano St. 305.990.1360. $$$-$$$$

The Collab

When we first heard Chef Niven Patel was leaving his two concepts at the THesis Hotel, Orno and Mamey, we were despondent. But, we’re happy to report that Orno’s replacement, Chef Nicolas Mazier’s The Collab, is a gastronomic success equal to that of Chef Patel’s. We love the beef tartare, served on bite-sized pieces of crispy bao buns and combined with black garlic aioli, pickled mustard seeds, chives, and an onion jam that elevates the beef to astronomic levels. Simply divine. 1350 S Dixie Hwy. (THesis Hotel). 305.667.6766. $$$

Emmy Squared

This Detroit-style pizza spot is the first of its kind in the Gables, featuring rectangular pan pizzas with thick, crispy crusts. We love the VIP, which is topped with crispy slices of pepperoni, Calabrian chiles, and parsley pesto and features a sesame seed crust and a homemade vodka sauce base. There’s also an award-winning burger! 230 Miracle Mile. 786.607.3669

Though the food is great, and the drinks even more so, it’s the ambience and the views that wow at this golfer’s paradise by the Biltmore Hotel golf course. Sunset views of the course and a beautiful outdoor patio pair with an airy interior well-suited for the hotter summer days. All-day breakfast items are a huge plus. 1200 Anastasia Ave. The Biltmore Hotel. 305.445.8066. $$

Kojin 2.0

There must be something in the air at 804 Ponce de Leon, the spot which formerly hosted the first iteration of Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli’s Eating House and Chef Michael Bolen’s Lion & The Rambler. Today, the address belongs to Kojin 2.0, another second version of a beloved local favorite that closed in 2023 in Little River. At the new Coral Gables location, you can find twice-cooked chicken, a Japanese take on the traditional chicken sandwich, and callops with white bean sauce and pork. The modern Japanese restaurant features an a la carte menu as well as tasting menus from $85-plus with constantly changing ingredients depending on the season. 804 Ponce de Leon. 786.747.1404. $$$

La Pata Gorda

Ecuadorian restaurant La Pata Gorda has expanded its reach to Coral Gables, the first outside of its home country. Here, you can find authentic Ecuadorian sea cuisine, including crab claws, Ecuadorian ceviches, and various fish and shellfish-based dishes. Proprietor Josué Sánchez says the name alludes to eating Ecuadorian crabs family-style, where everyone is vying to grab “the fat crab leg.” 232 Miracle Mile. 786. 963.8171. lapatagorda.com. $$-$$$

Mai Sushi Tapas & Bar

A large portion of the menu here is on sticks, a variety of skewers and sushi pintxos inspired by the Spanish bar snacks but reinvented to spotlight sea ingredients like freshwater eel, sea urchin, and octopus. And as the name

suggests, there’s sashimi – both traditional and elevated – as well as sushi rolls and beverages made with shochu, the distilled Japanese spirit. 98 Miracle Mile. 206.696.0674. $$

Maiz y Agave

With three stories, three menus, and three different concepts for lunch, dinner, and happy hour/drinks, Maiz y Agave is probably Coral Gables’ most ambitious restaurant.The first floor is devoted to a more casual lunch, the second-floor is for a more refined dinner, and the rooftop bar has spectacular sunset views of City Hall. Every dish here comes straight out of Oaxaca, Mexico, including the insects! 375 Miracle Mile. 305.723.9898. $$-$$$

Ojo de Agua

With over 35 locations in Mexico, restaurant chain Ojo de Agua now has a second location in Miami, right here on Miracle Mile. Ojo de Agua provides Gableites with a long list of fresh options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even late-night bites (it’s open until 10 pm on weekdays), but what differentiates it from the slew of other health-conscious restaurants in the Gables is its nod to authentic Mexican flavors, albeit adapted for the American palate. 219 Miracle Mile. @ ojodeagua.usa. $$

Pisco y Nazca

Peruvian seems to be the taste of

2024, including the opening of ceviche gastrobar Pisco y Nazca. This prime location received a modernizing facelift and has myriad seating options ideal for happy hour outings and group dinners. The pisco sours are exquisite. 101 Miracle Mile. 786.810.2266. $$-$$$

Sanguich De Miami

An unpretentious menu, a walk-up ventanita, and milkshakes made from local fruits are what characterize this newest offering at The Plaza Coral Gables. Sanguich made waves by winning three Bib Gourmand awards from the Michelin Guide over the last few years, and features a short menu comprised of the classics: pan con bistec (our favorite), media noche, pan con lechon, etc. It also offers coffee, batidos (fruit milkshakes), and a short collection of appetizers. 111 Palermo Ave. (The Plaza Coral Gables, first floor). $

Vita Bistro Italiano

Amongst a sea of fine dining Italian restaurants comes Vita Bistro Italiano, a more casual take on traditional Italian cuisine. The latest establishment to hit Giralda Plaza, the bistro is cozy and informal, with ingredients imported directly from Italy, including the wine. While we can’t say we found the plating particularly attractive, the food itself was fair and the menu large. 147 Giralda Ave. 305.456.9536. $-$$

LUCA OSTERIA

THE COLLAB

450Gradi

Even with so many Italian restaurants in Coral Gables, it’s hard to find a good slice of pizza. Yes, we like a lot of them – but love… that’s reserved for 450Gradi’s pizzas, which are wonderfully inventive and deliciously layered, featuring ingredients like pork cheek and truffle cream. Chef Antonio applies the same panache to the eggplant parm, steak tartare, branzino, tomahawk steak, carbonara truffle, and so much more. 130 Miracle Mile #101. 786.391.1276. $$$

Bugatti

Bugatti prides itself on its pasta – and for good reason, since the restaurant started as a pasta factory. The décor is simple and contemporary, with lots of booths, abd the service is crisp and superb. The dinner menu is straightforward, with pasta dishes mostly under $20 and entrees mostly under $30. And as many dessert listings (12) as pasta choices. $$ 2504 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.441.2545

Fontana

The ambiance is as elegant as it comes: the Biltmore’s famed fountain

courtyard. You can sit under the stars, in a covered archway, or inside to enjoy classic Italian dishes. Fresh ingredients, from the salads to the pasta that is made daily. Excellent seafood, pastas cooked perfectly. One of the most romantic restaurants in the Gables. $$$ 1200 Anastasia Ave. (Biltmore Hotel) 305.913.3200

Fratellino

Small, family run, with a fanatically loyal fan base, brilliant Italian comfort food. The long narrow set up with tile floors, wooden chairs and tablecloths makes it feel like New York’s Little Italy. Their calamari, in any variation, is superb, as is the fettuccine with prosciutto, mushrooms and green peas. $$$ 264 Miracle Mile. 786.452.0068

Luca Osteria

The latest place by local celebrity chef Giorgio Rapicavoli (the Eating House), Luca Osteria became an overnight, reservations-only hit for dinner on Giralda Plaza. His inventive take on classic Italian food is fresh and new; the Pasta al Limone and mortadella toast with fig balsamic are just the beginning. Great Italian cocktails. 116 Giralda Ave. 305.381.5097. $$$-$$$$

Portosole

When they bring the pecorino cheese wheel to toss your pasta, you’re in

heaven. Short of that, they do a fine job with the fritto misto, a mixture of calamari, shrimp, filet of sole, tiny artichokes, and zucchini, all lightly fried. Equally appetizing is the fresh burrata with heirloom tomatoes, a deceptively simple salad of tomato and burrata cheese. 2530 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 786.359.4275. $$$

Tullio

The brainchild of Lucio Zanon and his son Sebastiano — who previously launched Portosole — Tullio is a refreshing twist on Italian cuisine, with a northern sensibility, a focus on seafood, and

some very inventive dishes. The fish is exceptionally fresh, the branzino flown in from the coastal waters of Italy, the shrimp from the coastal waters of Argentina, and the lobster from the coastal waters of Maine. 2525 Ponce de Leon. 305.926.4208. $$$

Zucca

Moving soon out of the elegant St. Michel Hotel to a new location, this is a star in the galaxy of Italian eateries in the Gables. Distinctly northern Italian, with recipes that chef Manuel Garcia developed in a career that included the legendary Casa Tua on Miami Beach. Lovely outdoor

FONTANA

seating, modern Italian design inside, sophisticated, with great service. 162 Alcazar Ave. 786.580.3731 $$$-$$$$

LATIN AMERICAN & CARIBBEAN

CVI.CHE 105

If you want to delve into the wide array of flavors that Peru has to offer, there is no better place than the new CVI.CHE 105 at The Plaza Coral Gables. The menu is rich with seafood, including a fine selection of tiraditos, ceviches, and rolls, along with an array of fried and grilled selections of mahi mahi, snapper, Pacific white fish, shrimp, etc. And there’s even a special Gables menu that you won’t find at any of the other South Florida locations. 111 Palermo Ave. #108. 786.527.3939. $$-$$$

Bistro Café

The popular Puerto Rican restaurant Bistro Café has opened a location in the Gables following its stellar success in Downtown Miami. Lucky for us, they brought their upscale breakfast, right by The Shops at Merrick Park. All-day breakfast is never a bad idea, especially when it’s this elevated. The expansive menu has a huge list of savory and sweet options, from inno-

vative plates to upgraded classics. 4155 Laguna St. 305.530.8193. $$

Graziano’s

This large, popular Gables mainstay is true Argentine. A deep selection of Argentine wines (which line several walls) go with beef slowly roasted over a quebracho wood fire, old school style. They have seafood and pasta, empanadas, and salads, but come here for the meat, a carnivore’s delight. $$$ 394 Giralda Ave. 305.774.3599

Maiz y Agave

Ojo de Agua

open until 10 pm on weekdays), but what differentiates it from the slew of other health-conscious restaurants in the Gables is its nod to authentic Mexican flavors, albeit adapted for the American palate. 219 Miracle Mile. @ ojodeagua.usa

Pisco y Nazca

Peruvian seems to be the taste of 2024, including the opening of ceviche gastrobar Pisco y Nazca. This prime location received a modernizing facelift and seating options ideal for happy hour outings and group dinners. The pisco sours are exquisite. 101 Miracle Mile.786.810.2266. $$-$$$

Talavera Cocina Mexicana

Recently renovated, this is a pleasant place to dine, but it’s the authentic fare that shines. The place for Mexicans homesick for cooking that’s not TexMex. 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

NEW BAKERIES & CAFES

The Brunchful

Half-brunch restaurant, half-bakery, customers at The Brunchful can either opt for a sit-down meal or order at the counter. In comparison with other

MAIZ Y AGAVE

Gables hotspots, the menu is relatively cheap and features some Argentenian themes. We love the fresh-pressed juices. 369 Miracle Mile. @thebrunchful $$

Gallery Café

Though Gallery Café is nestled within The Watermark at Coral Gables, a senior living community near the Shops at Merrick Park, you can still visit the surprisingly expansive dining area whether you’re a member of the Watermark community or not. The café dishes include coffee-house classic pastries, as well as an assortment of more substantial breakfast and lunch items. 363 Granello Ave. 786.688.6010. $-$$

Gusto Casero By MDQ

Sweets

GreenG Juice & Acai

Another health-conscious cafe has made its way to the Gables. Located on Miracle Mile, GreenG Juice & Acai is the perfect spot to go for an energizing breakfast or post-workout

bite. We love the avocado toast with goji berries and a nut-based sour cream, the acai bowls, and the coldpressed juices are a nice touch. 376 Miracle Mile. $-$$

Lien Bruno

With some of the finest pastry chefs in Miami taking their skills to the Gables, some argue that another bakery is the opposite of what Miracle Mile needs. But the eponymous Lien Bruno, run by Chef Lien Bruno herself, proves that one can never have enough baked goods – especially when those are as masterfully crafted as the French classics served here. We love the pain au chocolat and the pistachio paris-brest. 135 Miracle Mile. 786.503.5323

Maman

With locations in Wynwood and Miami Beach, Maman is self-described as a blend of North American and Southern French cuisine. Their menu consists of both breakfast and lunch options with a pastry case featuring French viennoiseries. We love Catalina’s Veggie Sandwich in particular. 136 Miracle Mile. $$

Sansa Bakery

is the pastéis de nata ($3.50), a rich Portuguese egg custard that was the highlight of our experience. The bakery also offers savory choices, such as its specialty hot-dog croissant ($7), the perfect lunch break snack. 72 Miracle Mile. @sansabakery. $

Tartine

Featuring a selection of croissants, cookies, macarons and more, Sansa Bakery takes the cake in affordability without sacrificing taste. With all its pastries made in-house, its most famed

Tartine in Coral Gables welcomes you with the same clean, modern ambiance as Gustave, the French restaurant it replaced. Rather than attempt to woo diners with a complex menu of haute French cuisine, as did Gustave, Tartine keeps it simpler, providing an inviting

spot for excellent coffee and pastries, along with salads and sandwiches, in the tradition of a French café. 366 Miracle Mile. $

Sundays Croissanterie

Conveniently located on the first block of Miracle Mile, Sundays Croissanterie specializes in intricately made croissants, but also offers coffee, sandwiches, and other pastries in a light and airy space. Limited seating and a delectable case full of colorful sweets at the front. 374 Miracle Mile. $ ■

ANTONIO CERRATO Creator Chef

PISCO Y NAZCA

Where Am I?

There are four of these brightly colored speech-bubble benches located across the Gables. If you know where this one is located, send the answer to kwang@coralgablesmagazine.com along with your home address. The first four winners will win two tickets to

the Actors’ Playhouse or GableStage production of their choice and the next 10 will receive two tickets to the Coral Gables Museum. Last month’s “Where Am I?” was the four-sided sculpture outside the Coral Gables Woman’s Club. Thanks for playing!