Coral Gables Magazine July-August 2018

CORAL GABLES

BEST BURGERS IN TOWN

Beatrice Row is The City Beautiful’s newest enclave of luxury townhomes situated along the dreamy tree-lined streets on Anderson Road between Biltmore Way and Valencia Avenue, bringing a new level of sophisticated urban ‘row’ living reminiscent of the townhomes found in London’s Grosvenor Square to the highly sought-after Coral Gables zip code. A limited collection of three-story Georgian style townhomes ranging in size with up to 5,600 square feet of space, prices start from $2.35 million.

DEVELOPED BY

“BUILDING THE CITY BEAUTIFUL”

Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for those who live, work, learn and play here... p48

Mary Snow, Executive director, Coral Gables Community Foundation

Realty International’s #1 ranking is based on total number of transactions (199) and total dollar volume of sales ($237,663,000). Data was extracted from the Miami Association of Realtors, The Greater Fort Lauderdale Association of Realtors, and the Southeast Florida Regional MLS on 6/13/2018 for single-family homes and condos sold in Coral Gables in all price ranges for the period beginning

Inside the Mind of Stephen Bittel

Thoughts on the future of downtown by miracle mile’s leading landlord.

Bring on the Burgers

Nothing says summer – or Americana – more than a hamburger. Grilled, fried, or flame broiled, we don’t care how it’s fixed so long as it tastes great. Add a slice of cheese, and you’re there.

60

10 Ways to Beat the Heat

Our guide to avoid the clammy, oppressive heat of the mean season in and around the Gables that will get you off the couch but keep you cool.

I said that if George Merrick, the creator of Coral Gables, were alive today he would be smiling ear to ear...

Stephen Bittel

Burgers and Beauty

Every so often, even in a city as highbrow as Coral Gables, you must drill down to the street level. This month’s cover story is a perfect example. Even in a city renowned for fine dining, there is always room for a good, all-American hamburger. Just ask Mark Trowbridge, president and CEO of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce. Each November he hosts the Burgerlicious event (burgerlicious.com) where two dozen or so restaurants vie for top honors, while raising money for good causes.

In this vein, for the last several weeks our staff has been eating nothing but hamburgers. We have gone to every specialty burger place in the city, and to a slew of places that serve a broader selection of food, but with a good burger on the menu. The results (besides a substantial weight gain) begin on page 56. Elsewhere in this issue, as we move to the more sublime, we remain deeply impressed with the continued commitment of the city’s citizens to its beauty. On page 48 we interview Mary Snow, executive director of the Coral Gables Community Foundation, about her concept of the Umbrella Sky now overhanging Giralda Plaza. As she had hoped, the rainbow of colors overhead has drawn visitors from across South Florida – while providing a nice bit of shade for summer.

In our Streetwise section, we talk about

another potential asset to the historic beauty of the city: The possible salvation of the LaSalle Cleaners building at the intersection of Aragon Avenue and Le Jeune Road. Thanks to a groundswell of citizen support for saving the structure – the building where Gables founder George Merrick laid out the blueprints for the city – there will at least be public dialogue about restoration vs. demolition.

Also in Streetwise, we interview the city’s arborist, the man responsible for maintaining the trees that line our streets and shade our parks. Talk about an obsession with natural beauty! Few citizens of Coral Gables are aware that the city maintains a database of its 38,000+ public trees: Where each is located, what kind of tree it is, and its approximate height. This is a true commitment to natural beauty.

In this light, we must mention another of the Chamber’s initiatives, its recent City Beautiful Awards for interior and exterior spaces. While it is typical to acknowledge the handsome historic buildings of the city, we also appreciated their nod to beautiful interior spaces – including those of INFINTI of Coral Gables, Copper29 Bar and the Well Groomed Gentleman.

As Frank Lloyd Wright once remarked, “If you foolishly ignore beauty, then you will soon find yourself without it.”

Kudos to keeping the city beautiful, inside and out.

On the cover: Winner of best overall burger... Tap42’s

PUBLISHER

Richard Roffman

EDITOR IN CHIEF

J.P.Faber

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Amy Donner

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Monica Del Carpio-Raucci

ART DIRECTOR

Jon Braeley

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Toni Kirkland

VP SALES DIRECTOR

Sherry Adams

SALES EXECUTIVE

Gloria Glanz

STAFF WRITER

Lizzie Wilcox

WRITERS

Karen F. Buchsbaum

Mike Clary

Doreen Hemlock

Maya Ibars

Kimberly Rodriguez

Cyn Zarco

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Philip S. Avello

Steven Brooke

Jonathan Dann

SENIOR ADVISOR

Dennis Nason

CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION

CircIntel

J.P.Faber Editor in Chief

Coral Gables Magazine is published monthly by City Regional Media, 2051 SE Third St. Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. Telephone: (786) 206.8254. Copyright 2018 by City Regional Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Send address changes to City Regional Media, 2051 SE Third St. Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. General mailbox email and letters to editor@thecoralgablesmagazine.com. BPA International Membership applied for March 2018. thecoralgablesmagazine.com

thecoralgablesmagazine.com

DOUGLAS ELLIMAN LEADS THE MARKET

OUR SALES SPEAK VOLUMES

We are the largest independent, non-franchise brokerage in the nation and the fastest growing real estate firm in Florida.

CONGRATULATIONS TO BARBARA ESTELA AND HILDA JACOBSON ON THEIR SIGNIFICANT SALE OF CASA COSTANERA IN CORAL GABLES.

Each month we will print letters that we receive from our readers. We encourage any and all commentary, including compliments as well as criticism, and of course comments about our community.

If you are interested in writing to us with your opinions, thoughts or suggestions, please send them to: letters@thecoralgablesmagazine.com

For the First Time

Good morning!! My name is Monica Pardo and I am a Gables resident and a recent fan of your magazine. I am very excited every time I receive it, and for the first time look forward to reading and knowing about businesses and goings-ons in the City Beautiful.

Monica Pardo/Design it Studio

Take Courage

I’ve watched your magazine evolve over these past few months and seen it steadily gain in heft & stature. It takes courage and commitment to launch a print publication these days, both of which you and your team seem to have in abundance.

Please keep the faith and keep Coral Gables, The Magazine moving forward along with the City…. Great story on Venny [Torre], by the way.

Bruce Fitzgerald

Saving

the

LaSalle Building

Recently, the Coral Gables City Commission showed a great respect for our city’s historic legacy and patrimonial heritage by rescinding the April 24, 2018 Resolution that “authorized the City to enter into a parking agreement with owner MML [Mirella La Salle] once the owner demolishes the structure.”

And in a second resolution, the Commission asked staff to discuss with Mrs. La Salle options that would “save” the La Salle building [at LeJuene and Miracle Mile]. Let’s hope Mrs. La Salle will consider overtures by the City to preserve this unique historical property…. The only

hope [if time allows] is for the City of Coral Gables and La Salle to agree on a “saving grace” for the birthplace of Coral Gables.

Karelia Martinez Carbonell, President Historic Preservation Association of Coral Gables

The Place for Suits

Hello Coral Gables The Magazine. My name is James Massey, Style Influencer and Custom Expert of Q Clothier of Atlanta.

The reason why I am writing to you is because I recently visited Coral Gables Florida and fell in love with not only the city but the menswear throughout the area.

James Massey

Local is the Way to Go

After having received several editions, I am pleased to tell you that, as a reader, I very much enjoy your publication.

The production quality of the magazine, layout and mostly the editorial content is very enjoyable from a reader standpoint.

Coral Gables, The Magazine: from culture and arts to restaurants and shopping; and from events to features on people … it’s all so relevant to Coral Gables. I very much enjoy your efforts in creating such a nice and pertinent magazine to all the Gables has to offer.

Jay Fraioli, President Penthouse One

Hispanic Festival

Good Afternoon Coral Gables Magazine.

My name is Emilio Sauma. I am the president of the Coral Gables Hispanic Cultural Foundation. We are a nonprofit organization that is celebrating their 9th Annual Hispanic Cultural Festival in “The City Beautiful” Coral Gables.

We celebrate with local and international artists, musicians, and designers to showcase the diversity that the Hispanic Culture brings to South Florida. Over 20,000 people attend the festival… The two-day festival will be in October.

Emilio Sauma

Reaching Out

My name is Nazy Madani, I am a resident of Coral Gables, and I am a stay-at-home mom and freelance magazine article writer. I just received my first copy of Coral Gables the Magazine in the mail, enjoyed reading it, and am inspired to reach out.

Nazy Madani

New Vice Dean

I wanted to let you know that the University of Miami Business School has recently announced Dr. Henrik Cronqvist as the new Vice Dean for Faculty and Research. Dr. Cronqvist was formerly the Chair of the Department of Finance and Director of PhD Programs, and a Professor of Finance. In addition to his new role, Dr. Cronqvist will continue to oversee the Miami Business School PhD Programs.

Emily Morrow

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Keeper of the Canopy

Streetwise p12

Looking for a Savior...

The Lady Gets an Upgrade

Saving a Cemetery Shooters Beware

Trending

From the city’s inception 93 years ago, George Merrick’s vision was to have a community of treelined streets...

Brook Dannemiller, director,public services

Streetwise Keeper of the Canopy

MAKING SURE THE STREETS OF CORAL GABLES STAY TREE-LINED IS BROOK DANNEMILLER’S JOB

By Mike Clary

Coral Gables is known for its foliage. It has been named a Tree City USA for more than three consecutive decades by the National Arbor Foundation. That designation means the city meets the core standards of sound urban forestry.

“From the city’s inception 93 years ago, George Merrick’s vision was to have a community of tree-lined streets,” says Brook Dannemiller, director of the city’s public services division responsible for those trees. “And that vision has not wavered.”

The city is so obsessed with its canopy of green that it maintains a My Tree Keeper website (coralgables.mytreekeeper.com), where every one of its 38,175 trees in public spaces (streets and parks) are catalogued. They can be individually located on the website, which includes an interactive map that lets you see when a tree is scheduled to be removed from or planted in front of your house.

Maintaining the city’s canopy takes work. Trees have a life span, and to have a healthy urban forest you need a mixture of ages and species.

“The idea is to replace aged or damaged trees with younger, more vigorous ones, and never having to start from scratch,” says Dannemiller.

Three years ago, the city began its ambitious Tree Succession Project, which aimed to plant more than 3,000 trees in residential areas. It was 300 live oaks and coconut palms short of completion when Hurricane Irma struck in September 2017, knocking down 1,600 trees.

By the end of this summer, however, the project should be back on track, with 1,000 Irma-downed trees replaced and the last 150 palms from the succession project in place.

The idea is to replace aged or damaged trees with younger, more vigorous ones...

Brook Dannemiller director, public services division

$447,503

Looking for a Savior...

SHOULD THE CITY SAVE THE BUILDING WHERE IT WAS BORN?

It is a building little noticed these days, muted with dark grey paint and hidden behind a one-story addition where LaSalle cleaners operated for years before it moved up the street. And it was little noticed when, in February of last year, the city’s Historic Preservation Board voted against granting historic designation to the building, located on the northeast corner of LeJeune and Aragon.

But it turns out that the 1923 structure was literally where Coral Gables was invented.

“That building is the birthplace of Coral Gables,” says Karelia Carbonell, president of the Historic Preservation Association of Coral Gables. “It’s where George Merrick and Denman Fink created the plans for the city. That building preceded City Hall. It’s where Merrick’s construction company was housed.”

According to Dona Spain, the city’s historic preserva-

tion officer, the building had been altered too drastically for historic designation – which would have protected it. “There is no question that the history of that building is significant,” she says. “[But] it had been so altered that its historic significance had been compromised.”

Also, the building’s owners did not want a historic designation, since that would compromise their ability to develop the property, strategically located across the street from City Hall. The result was a deal cut with the city in April to lease the property for a parking lot, once it had been demolished.

Then a member of Carbonell’s private, non-profit historic association learned of the imminent demolition, and spread the word. The result was a ground swell in popular opposition to the idea, which prompted the city – during a heated July city commission meeting – to rescind its offer to lease the property for parking.

Commissioner Michael Mena closed the debate by making

a first motion to rescind the original resolution in support of the building’s demolition, then a second motion to pursue negotiations with the property owner. Both motions were passed unanimously.

Does this mean the building will be saved? Far from it. As Spain points out, the city cannot legally block demolition if owner Mirella LaSalle wants to knock it down. But the city staff has been instructed to negotiate with her, and the building “could be brought back with sufficient funding,” she says.

Whether the city has the resources to do that, or whether a heroic developer will come forward with a plan to restore and save it, are big “ifs.” To the naked eye, the main building still seems to be intact, albeit without the porte-cochere that once served as an early gas station – though internal damage is reported to be severe. (See Time Machine, page 80).

Tell us what you think: letters@ thecoralgablesmagazine.com

Source: City of Coral Gables; i-tree

The Lady Gets an Upgrade

BEGAN: 2017 AND COMPLETED: DEC. 2018

COST TO UPGRADE THE GYM: $500,000

COST TO UPGRADE THE LOBBY: $550,000

COST TO REPLACE ALL 800 WINDOWS: $5.5 MILLION

COST TO PRESERVE THE BUILDING: $10.5 MILLION

COST TO UPGRADE THE GOLF COURSE: $2.5-3 MILLION

Few buildings are more iconic for Coral Gables than the Biltmore Hotel, the grand dame of elegant hospitality that rose in 1926 as part of the original Mediterranean-styled city. Now, the old girl is in the middle of a $25 million remake.

The massive, vaulted lobby has already seen more than half a million spent to upgrade its beige furniture and tired rugs to reflect the blue of the restored frescoed ceilings and the green of the Gables canopy. Another $5.5 million is being spent to replace the hotel’s 800 windows. Twice that amount is going into fundamental renovations to preserve the structure, including a new roof and elevator renovations. All rooms will also be upgraded with the new color scheme, with additions like gemstone

chandeliers over the beds.

Even the golf course is getting a $3 million upgrade, returning it to the 1925 Donald Ross that included more sand traps so as to “maintain the playing interest of the accomplished player,” says Brian Silva, the veteran gold course architect overseeing the restoration. The goal: A future PGA Tour event.

“This historic landmark is a treasure of the City of Coral Gables, and the newly redesigned elements allow us to highlight the hotel’s old-world feel,” says Gene Prescott, president and CEO of the hotel. Part of the cost will be picked up by the city, which leases the property to the Biltmore Hotel Limited Partnership, in the form of reduced rent.

THE $25 MILLION BILTMORE RESTORATION

TO BE UPGRADED: THE GOLF COURSE

UPGRADED: A GUEST ROOM

UPGRADED: THE VAULTED LOBBY

Streetwise Shooters Beware

Saving a Cemetery

RESTORING A CENTURY-OLD CEMETERY WHERE MANY OF THE WORKERS WHO BUILT CORAL GABLES ARE BURIED

“I felt something hard under my foot and I was standing on a vertebra,” says John Allen, executive director of the Coral Gables Museum, recalling the first time he visited Lincoln Memorial Park.

Coral Gables Museum is playing a major role in cleaning up the historic Miami cemetery, which is less than 4 miles north of the city. Their work will be on display at the museum in the “Sacred Grounds” exhibit starting August 2. Allen, a genealogist by hobby, became invested in the project when Malcolm Lauredo (above right), the museum’s resident historian, brought him to the grounds last winter.

“This is a big part of Miami’s history, of Coral Gables’ history, and we’re trying to pay homage to it,” says Lauredo. Much the work is restoring and cleaning crypts that have been smashed and broken into – by brujeria religious cults in search of human bones – or are so dirty the names can’t be read. “One person came up to the caretaker and offered him $1,000 if he would just

give him a skull,” Allen said. Since the museum’s presence at Lincoln Memorial Park, the number of graves desecrated has decreased drastically.

When Lauredo and Allen first visited the 25-acre plot in December, there were still fallen trees from Hurricane Irma, and when their clean-up efforts began the following month, they had about two dozen volunteers. Now around 100 people are at Lincoln every month lending a hand.

The cemetery is the final resting place for some of Miami’s most famous black leaders, such as D.A. Dorsey, Miami’s first black millionaire who sold Fisher Island to Carl Fisher. Many of the workers who helped build Coral Gables in the 1920s are buried at Lincoln, including Bahamians housed by George Merrick in what is now known as the McFarlane area. Many of those buried inside are unknown.

“There’s a number of very, very prominent black people buried there, right next to anonymous souls,” Allen said. “There’s a certain equality in death.”

Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland. Our country is no stranger to school shootings. So, as students get ready to head back to school, the question looming over the heads of parents, students and teachers alike is: Is it safe? The Coral Gables Police Department is ready to respond, in 45 seconds to be exact. The CGPD has always trained for an active shooter scenario, says spokesperson Officer Kelly Denham, but has increased its

regimen since Parkland.

Police Chief Ed Hudak eased concerns at a Town Hall meeting earlier this summer, saying there would be an officer stationed at every school within city limits starting this school year. Hudak recognized that, though the department does not deal with the same frequency of crime as in other municipalities, it has the same responsibilities. “I’m very confident in the training that we’ve done,” he said.

Trending

While much attention was brought to the city with the launch of its umbrella rainbow installation, (see People, page 48), the number one story about Coral Gables that trended nationwide was the announced $19 million sale of the “Casa Costanera” mansion belonging to Bacardi heiress Hilda Maria Bacardi to Latin

superstar Marc Anthony.

The story appeared in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, the New York Daily News, Architectural Digest – even the New Haven Register. The mansion, built in 2016 and originally listed for $27 million, has 12 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, three kitchens and an elevator.

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Shop p20 Bathing Beauties

LIVING LARGE IN YOUR BACK YARD

BathingBeauties

By Kim Rodriguez

Tucked a bit off Miracle Mile on Biltmore Way, a half block from City Hall, is the brain child of two Coral Gables sisters who wanted to bring European-style bathing suits to a city renowned for its European influences.

With its name taken from the middle names of sisters Jeanette Roger and Lyanne Vidal, Nic del Mar opened as a swimwear boutique in March 2010. Born and raised in Coral Gables, the sisters never considered any other location to feature their “dream come true” shop. “Coral Gables is such a beautiful city with European influences, which is much of what you see in the clothing of our store,” says Jeanette.

The sisters grew up traveling with their parents to different Caribbean islands over the years but found themselves drawn to one in particular: St.

Barts. “The tiny French island felt like home and we wanted to bring a piece of St. Barts back to Miami,” says Jeanette. So, they bought pieces from the posh island, hosted local trunk shows, created a shopping website, and 8 years ago opened their store.

Nic Del Mar is today a lifestyle resort and swimwear store catering to women from 15 to 60 years old. Although they do carry a small selection for men and children, the store really captures the woman living here for the summer or the gal who is globetrotting through the islands or Europe. They can dress you for the pool, the beach, the resort or your evenings out while on vacation.

The shop carries several popular brands, from Mara Hoffman and Indah to Cold Stone Fox and Zimmerman, but also a smattering of small

FROM UNIQUE INTERNATIONAL BRANDS TO MIRRORS IN THE DRESSING ROOMS, NIC DEL MAR ISN’T YOUR AVERAGE BATHING SUIT STORE

international brands that can’t be found anywhere else in town. This summer look for trends such as highwaist 2 piece suits and a growing selection of the trending one-piece suit. The fashion pieces range from cute cover ups and one piece jumpsuits and rompers, to crop tops set with skirts and wide leg breezy pants.

When asked what sets Nic Del Mar apart from so many other bathing suit boutiques, Jeanette replies, “We understand that trying on bathing suits can be very uncomfortable, so we try to make the experience as easy and pleasant as possible.” One unique feature: Mirrors in the dressing rooms, a nice touch since many small boutiques offer only the proverbial large mirror outside the curtains, which can be intimidating for many women trying on bathing suits. They want their customers to feel comfortable with the

Rodriguez is a

Kim

personal stylist and shopper whose clients include many Coral Gables residents. krpersonalstyle.com

Co-owner Jeanette Roger (right); a model displays a romper (above) and one-piece bathing suit (below)

Staycation Envy

WHEN THE REST OF THE WORLD WANTS TO BE YOU: LIVING LARGE IN YOUR BACK YARD IN CORAL GABLES

by Cyn. Zarco

1) Make ‘em jealous. Lollygag by the pool like Grace Kelly in this St. Tropez striped cabana with a fringe on top by TUUCI. Divino! A room of one’s own. Doubles as storage. Comes in many options, colors. The St. Tropez Pavilion, Price Available Upon Request. Patio & Things, 240 Aragon

2) Dive in, swim a few, then rinse off under this slim, portable outdoor shower that hooks up anywhere your garden hose goes. Designed by Alain Gilles, this 66-pound skinny is made of powder-coated galvanized steel and rubber. Fresh! Chic. Levantine Outdoor Shower, $898-$1069.

Luminaire, 2331 Ponce de Leon

3) But, don’t scare the neighbors. Dress discreetly behind this genius wonder-wall/ planter modular system designed by Gordon Tait. Stack yourself silly. Be the first on your block to build a beautiful functional sculpture. Gardenwall, $155-$306/per.

Luminaire. 2331 Ponce de Leon

4) Oops, out of beer! Time to go to the corner store. Come on, honey, ride over with me. I’ll race you on my super, Bosch-powered Electra Townie Go! 8I E-bike. What are you riding? That old thing? What took you so long? $2,599.99.

No Boundaries. 220 Aragon

5) Ahh, the sun’s going down. Time to have a few friends over for din and cocktails. Time to roll out the grill and throw some steaks on the barbie. Easy peasy. Its Touch-N-Go electronic gas ignition lights briquettes with the push of a button! Coals ready in 20. And, it’s self- cleaning. What’s not to like? And if you want vegetarian, no problem. Add this accessory that turns the Weber BBQ Blue into a wood-burning pizza oven. Weber Blue Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill, $399.99, Outdoor Pizza Oven Kit, $199.95. Exclusive to Crate & Barrel, 358 San Lorenzo

6) And, now for a little lie-down. Climb into the palm of this comfy hammock from Tommy Bahama. Handwoven from soft yarn, this cool “air bed” doesn’t brand you with a waffle imprint, and its anti-spill factor keeps you snug as a bug so you don’t have to worry about flipping out. If you snooze, you snooze. Sunset Ombre Hammock, $199. Tommy Bahama. 320 San Lorenzo

7) Not ready for a nap? Grab a nightcap instead and rock the night away on this fun Copenhagen rocking chair designed by Strand+Hvass. Made of all-weather, powder-coated aluminum, it works as a playful element in the Cane-line lounge collection, inside or out. $1,065. Fine Line. 4217 Ponce de Leon

Bites

How Sushi Maki Rolls

p28

New Kids on the Block...

Small Cafe: Big Flavor

Chocolate Fashioned in the Gables

Garlic Fever

How Sushi MakiRoll s

THE NG FACTOR:

ECO SUSTAINABILITY + HIP HOSPITALITY = SWEET SUCCESS

by Cyn. Zarco

Eighteen years after Abe & Christina Ng opened the second Sushi Maki off Miracle Mile, they’re still on a roll, a drum roll, if you will. Kudos to the happy couple who first brought Cali-style, contemporary Japanese cuisine to South Florida. “Christina’s from LA; I’m from here,” says Abe over pretty plates of Miso Yaki Sea Bass and Salmon Usuzukuri, new items on the menu. “We’re both Chinese-American, but we had a real passion for sushi and wanted to give Miami something it didn’t have back then – a neighborhood Japanese restaurant for sushi connoisseurs that served delicious fresh food at good prices.”

Fast-forward. So, they did. Headquartered in Coral Gables, they opened five Sushi Maki locations in Miami-Dade, a

dozen in-store kiosks at local Whole Foods, and setups at FIU, UM and Miami International Airport. Now, that’s a lot of sushi.

“Business is a team sport,” says Abe, looking quite the leader in tangerine New Balance kicks. “In 2000, Sushi Maki had many co-founders – my dad, my sister Iva, my brother-in-law. They all pitched in.”

It’s a family affair alright. Abe’s dad, Allan Ng, now 78, grew the Canton Chinese chain from a take-out counter. He still works at the main restaurant down the street from Sushi Maki on Ponce de Leon. Abe tells his Horatio Alger story: “Dad left Hong Kong for New York in the Sixties with $70, a high-school diploma, and his Protestant work ethic. [FYI, the Ngs are

Most of what we do for the brand happens right here in the Gables...

Co-owner Christina Ng

Baptists.] After working classic immigrant jobs, in a Chinese laundry and as a busboy for a Chinese restaurant in Long Island, he married my mom Betty and they went to Miami on their honeymoon. With the help of his friend, a pastor, they moved down to Miami where Dad learned all about the business working at Chinese restaurants all over town.”

Abe also got his hands dirty, working at Canton Chinese and Tiger, Tiger till he went to Cornell to study Hotel Administration. There he met a bright, young law student named Christina Tsai, married her, and brought her home to the family. Three kids, five restaurants and two decades later, the dynamic 40-somethings juggle work, play and parenthood like, dare we say it, a master sushi chef. (FYI, Abe is certified by the California Sushi Academy.) And, after a stellar 11-year relationship with Whole Foods providing sustainable seafood sushi, Amazon awarded them the honor of “Florida Supplier of the Year.”

New Kids on the Block... Salumeria 104

Says Christina from their administrative offices above the store on Ponce: “Most of what we do for the brand happens right here in the Gables. We have a great team led by our Corporate Chef Dominique Bustamante and Head Chef Fe Banzon. And, we do our own graphic design in-house.”

Abe talks food: “In the last 18 months, so much is being delivered. We’re like a Remote Sushi Kitchen! There are lots of third-party delivery orders to businesses and homes, from DoorDash, Grub Hub, Uber Eats. And, we also deliver within a three-to-five-mile radius for only $3.50.” A green, three-wheeler marked DELIVERY waits outside.

Adds Christina: “Since the streetscape on Miracle Mile was completed, we’ve seen a resurgence in foot traffic, more people driving in at night and on weekends. The city did a great job activating Giralda Plaza’s restaurant row, which is right across the street from us, so it’s great for business.” Drum Roll.

For fans of this wonderful, authentic Midtown eatery with quality, affordable food from rustic Northern Italy, it’s time to rejoice. Salumeria is now open on 117 Miracle Mile.

There you can eat from their core menu of salumi (cured ham), pasta and meats or try the daily specials. Where else can you find braised rabbit served with artichokes for $25?

M House

The idea behind M House, says chef Abraham Silva, is to present food inspired by the European Riviera of Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece. On top of that, this new, lushly designed restaurant at 2524 Le Jeune

boasts a Josper Charcoal Oven. That means unique dishes like smoked shrimp cocktails and naturally raised chickens “Jasper-baked” with pale ale and Taggiasca olives.

Clutch Burger

Is Coral Gables just the place for a $20 hamburger? The answer is yes, says Clutch Burger owner Steven Bradley – especially if that burger is made from expensive Wagyu beef. It also

helps to have 75 beers and wines, and to be on Giralda Plaza.

As for the name, that’s what you have to do with the towering 2-patty cheeseburger with onion rings.

Bites

Chocolate Fashioned in the Gables Small Cafe: Big Flavor

Named one of the top 10 coffee shops in Miami by the Miami New Times, Café Curuba has been serving freshly brewed coffee to Coral Gables residents since 2014. Located just off Ponce on Almeria, this petite shop bustles in the morning with customers grabbing a coffee and heading to the office or working on-site while sipping an Instagram-worthy cortatido. Debbie Rabinovici, the Colombian-born owner, worked

part-time as a barista in New York after college.

What she thought was going to be a weekend job “consumed” her. “I’ve always loved coffee,” she says. “I’m from Colombia.” Rabinovici’s favorite drink? A simple black coffee. As for the source of beans they brew, one has a special significance: Finca La Victoria, a coffee from Nicaragua produced by the family of Mario Lovo, the Gables’ immigration attorney.

When Persy Berger worked at the now-defunct Biga Bakery on Alcazar in the 1990s, she says many of the customers thought she was the owner. “One day I said to myself, ‘I will have my own bakery in Coral Gables someday,’” she recalls. “Unbelievably, it happened.” The first Chocolate Fashion opened 14 years ago on Andalusia, followed by

another on Alhambra and a third on Sunset.

Today each shop brings a sit-down Parisian patisserie vibe, offering macaroons, truffles, croissants and the “best baguette of 2017.” But what they excel at is chocolate, imported from Switzerland and France and then fashioned into such popular items as their chocolate truffle cake.

Garlic Fever

Speaking of sports bars, the Yard House at the Shops at Merrick Park is exemplary: Cavernous with wooden beams and jumbo screens, a stunning collection of beer, and blaring rock ‘n’ roll. Less known is that its voluminous menu contains a slew of tasty and offbeat Asian

selections, from Philippine eggrolls with sweet chili sauce to grilled Korean BBQ beef. One standout is their shitake garlic noodles with chives. They call it a snack, but it’s really a meal at $6.75. And enough garlic to keep vampires away for a week.

CAFE CURUBA, A NEIGHBORHOOD COFFEE SHOP

880 AM

Tune in every Friday at 5 pm for a live radio show about the City Beautiful – its people, its places, its politics – and your chance to call in and be on-air.

The hottest in fashion, retail, sports, travel, food, books, music, politics and interesting personalities in the City Beautiful.

Presented weekly on 880 AM “The Biz”

Fridays 5-6pm 880AM The Biz

Hosted by Rich Roffman

CORAL GABLES

CORAL GABLES

Living

Summer of the Big Bands

Out with a Bang Water Movement

It’s Elementary

Summer of the Big Bands

A RARE RUN OF BRIGHT BRASS JAZZ

The Miami Jazz Cooperative permanently occupies the Monday night slot at the Open Stage Club on Galiano street, and every week they bring in some of the best curated jazz trios, quartets and quintets in South Florida, let alone Coral Gables. This summer, however, they are outdoing themselves with a series of big band jazz presentations.

Anyone who has not listened to a big band jazz orchestra is in for a unique experience. A standard, full-size jazz band means 17 or 18 musicians, including four trumpets, four trombones, four saxophones, a piano, a bass, drums, and a couple of wild cards, either more brass or a vocalist, guitarist, percussionist – any number of ad hoc musicians. Altogether, they blast out a wall of bright, crisp, electrifying sound. “All the different bands this summer will be playing different kinds of charts,” says Rick Katz, the executive director of the Miami Jazz Cooperative. “For all those people who love the combinations of multiple horns and individual solos, there’s nothing like this.”

What makes the Summer of the Big

Bands so unique, says Katz, is that big bands just don’t perform any longer on a regular basis. This summer’s ensembles are composed of musicians who have joined up for what amount to rare performances.

“It’s not like this is their main musical occupation,” Katz. “They are out playing, or teaching, and they come together as a big band sometimes as infrequently as a few times a year.” In past decades, the big band was a regular feature in night club entertainment, but that era has long passed. “There was a time in the 40s and into the 50s – and it started in the 30s –when you had bands like Glenn Miller’s and Count Basie’s, and they performed together on a non-stop basis. And that was their sole gig,” says Katz. “Then the jazz world changed in the 50s.” That’s when soloists took center stage, talents like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz. “There is still a Count Basie band that does a tour, but even that is not nonstop,” he says.

So, now is your chance to both trip back in time and hear the latest in jazz styles and arrangements.

By J.P. Faber

Photos by Philip S. Avello

Summer

of the Big Bands

Miami Jazz Coop 2018, Open Stage Club

Already performed:

Miami Big Sound Orchestra (June 4)

Ed Calle’s MAMBLUE (June 11)

Javier Nero Jazz Orchestra (June 25)

Remaining Performances:

July 23: Melton Mustafa Jazz Orchestra

July 30: Horizons Jazz Orchestra

August 6: Raices Jazz Orchestra

August 13: Stephen Guerra Big Band

August 20: Russ Spiegel Jazz Orchestra

September 10: South Florida Jazz Orchestra

All performances at 8 pm and 9:30 pm

Cover charge: $10

Open Stage Club, 2325 Galiano St. 305.441.7902

Miami Jazz Coop www.miamijazz.org

Mauricio J. Barba, P.A.

Broker-Associate I Estate Agent

ONE Sotheby’s International Realty

t 305.444.7224 c 305.439.8311

mauricio@miamisignaturehomes.com

MiamiSignatureHomes.com

HomesofSplendor.com

700CoralWayPenthouse.com

3920 Palmarito Street, $849,000

CORAL GABLES — The Gables Bath Club: a distinctive 12-unit tower overlooking the Granada Golf Course on historic Coral Way. Now, presenting its crème de la crème, floor 12 Penthouse. Offering tall ceilings and rows and rows of windows/doors (all impact-resistant) overlooking the Granada Golf Course and far beyond. With 3200 SF of living space, the penthouse enjoys 360 degree views all around as this condo tower offers only one unit per floor. Its views to the golf course are unobstructed and the evening views of the Coral Gables and Miami skyline to the east are truly remarkable. Marble floors grace this home while the sleek, updated kitchen enjoys lots of space and glorious natural light. Its master suite is expansive with its equally large master bath and walk-in closet. The Gables Bath Club is walking distance to downtown Coral Gables’ famous restaurants and equidistant to the Venetian Pool, Biltmore Hotel, Tennis Park and public library. Incomparable penthouse unit; priced to sell.

CORAL GABLES — Villa Valencia, a historically designated Old Spanish residence originally designed in 1926 by noted architect, Charles Paul Nieder, is now available for purchase. Resurrected in 2011, the renovations herald its original design and is now infused with all the modern amenities we have grown accustomed to. Significant attributes include impactresistant windows/doors, corner fireplace, tall ceilings, wood & marble floors and a gourmet kitchen featuring a charming breakfast nook. All 3 bedrooms are generously sized and the 3 baths are stunningly renovated. Adjacent to the media/TV room is a separate kitchenette (possible in-law quarters here) which is perfect for storing your libations and snacks as you binge your favorite shows. Drenched in natural light and dripping in charm, this residence will not disappoint! This offering is best suited for “love” buyers only

3962 Park Avenue, $2,080,000

4 baths 3,728 adj sf

4 beds 4,024 total sf 24,840 sf lot

MIAMI — Introducing 3962 Park Avenue in deep South Grove. Sited on a mesmerizing 24,840 SF lot (115 X 216) and set on a no-thru street under Coconut Grove’s famed tropical landscape. Originally built in 1937, it does feature some glimpses of the Art Deco Movement and enjoys numerous windows looking out to the greenery and its never-ending view of its gardens and pool. It has been expanded through the years with additional bedrooms, family room/media room and consequently many of the windows and doors are now impact-resistant. However, the essence of this home is not the wonderful structure itself but the serene and magical land it is set on. Truly a choice property in a premier location. The offering is impact-priced and not expected to last long on the open market!

5/1 baths 3,608 adj sf 4 beds 4,322 total sf 7,790 sf lot

MIAMI — Be number ONE! Yes, be the first to reside in this North Grove residence that embodies a modern architecture that is profound and features a measured openness that blends inside and outside living. Its floorplan consists of 2 equally-proportioned master suites with one on the first floor and the other upstairs. With a total of 4 spacious bedrooms and 5.5 baths, it also enjoys custom cabinetry, cocktail bar, volume ceilings, balconies, highgrade appliances and a loggia that connects to the cabana bath and the 2-car garage. Its alluring pool is surrounded by verdant landscaping and privacy fencing. Top it off with a dazzling metal roof and you then have your brand new home. No longer a dream, but a reality! Best priced new construction in Coconut Grove!

700 Coral Way #12PH, $1,196,000

2370 Secoffee Terrace, $1,750,000

See Video - 3920PalmaritoSt.com

Water Movement Out with a Bang

The entire history of the universe in 90 minutes?

The Actor’s Playhouse closes its season this summer with “The Big Bang,” a musical comedy about two men trying to convince potential theatrical backers (the audience) to fund their big-budget Broadway show about, well, everything – from Adam and Eve to Napoleon and Josephine, all in one and a half hours.

The Playhouse first produced “The Big Bang” in 2003 (before the TV comedy!) and has gotten more requests for a reprise than any other show they’ve produced, says Playhouse Artistic Director David Arisco. Starts Friday July 27 and runs through Sept. 2.

Actor’s Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, 280 Miracle Mile. www.actorsplayhouse.org 305.444.9293

By Lizzie Wilcox

WaterBiking Studio

59 Merrick Way 786-577-8927

waterbikingstudiocom

Having stuck to biking on land my whole life, I didn’t know what to expect entering the WaterBiking studio on Merrick Way in downtown. I was first given a tour of the facilities, of their locker rooms, public and private showers, bathrooms and, of course, the pool, which is lined with stationary bikes. I quickly realized I was unprepared, but the studio was very accommodating, supplying me with water shoes, a lock and a towel. I changed, rinsed off in the shower, and hopped into the comfortably heated pool.

I was greeted by the instructor, Elodie, a woman from southwest France, who has been working at the studio for about a year. I hopped on the bike and started pedaling. A different feeling, to say the least, but not as hard as I expected. I have been to SoulCycle a few times on the rare occasions I felt like splurging $30 to be inspired by a perfect-

ly toned cycling guru in a candle-lit room. WaterBiking is similar in that it is a 45-minute total body workout: legs, arms, back and core. But instead of reaching back into the bike’s basket and pulling out what you hope are just one-pound weights for lifting, you use the resistance of the water. Instead of bicep curls, you simply push your arms back and forth, across your body and in circles under water. The faster you go, the more intense the burn. The class ends with targeting the core. Yes, that means doing crunches on a bike.

Other than getting a sense of what it would like to be a mermaid, the best part of the class is you’re not sore the next day from these or other exercises. That’s the beauty of working out in the water. Plus, you burn twice the calories and don’t even break a sweat – at least it doesn’t feel like it, since you’re already under water.

THE ULTIMATE RESISTANCE TRAINING MEDIUM? H2O

It’s Elementary

WANT TO SOLVE A MYSTERY IN THE GABLES? START WITH A GREAT ESCAPE

by Karen F. Buchsbaum

The first mystery you must solve when going to The Great Escape Room Miami is finding the entrance. Don’t be confused by the red herring in the name “Miami.” It’s actually in Coral Gables. And even though the address is on LeJeune, you need to enter via a flight of stairs in the back of the building, off Aragon Avenue.

Once you find it, you are in for a solid hour of confusion, chaos, frustration, satisfaction, and plain old fun – all in the quest to satisfy your inborn passion to solve puzzles. In this case, it’s a set of clues you must uncover to find the key to escape the room.

There are four rooms and three scenarios, all of which depict Sherlock Holmes themes (although the nuclear bunker option is a bit of a time stretch). Each room has a maximum number of players, ranging from 8 to 14. You

can bring your own gang, or join others at the scene of the crime. The game is part scavenger hunt, part teamwork, and part brain-teaser. A monitor stays in the room to offer a bit of help, should you get completely stumped.

On our evening in Sherlock Holmes’ Library we shared the search with a senior couple, a Gables family of five, and a group of University of Miami student leaders fresh from a day of planning workshops. One clue for readers: having team players like those students is a plus.

This group of diverse players, ranging from millenials to septuagenarians, quickly came together to divvy up areas to search, brainstorm, share details and commiserate. We searched for keys, numbers, and messages, we looked under drawers, behind books, on the backs of furniture, and in the end – with just 5 minutes to spare – we cracked the case. All in a day’s work, Dr. Watson.

The Great Escape Room Miami

Open Thurs.-Sun. till 10 pm, 11 pm Sat., 6 pm Sun.

Sessions hourly starting at noon $28 plus tax, $5 less on Thursday

https://www.thegreatescaperoom.com/florida/miami/

Left: Corner of one of the four Sherlock Holmes rooms

Right: Selection of props

July 30

MUSIC

War

Remember “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” and “Low Rider”? The 1970’s funk band is back!

July 28 (Sat. 8 pm)

Tickets: $39-$79

Knight Concert Hall, Arsht Center

Horizons Jazz Orchestra

Big band jazz orchestra, part of the Summer of Big Bands series

July 30 (Mon.) 8 p.m.

$10 donation to Miami Jazz Coop

Open Stage Club

Christian Sands Trio

Featuring pianist Sands, bassist Eric Wheeler, drummer Jonathan Barber

Aug. 2 (Thur.) 8 pm

General admission: $35 advance, $40 at the door

Coral Gables Congregational

Fleetwood Mac Rumours

(Tribute)

Classic Albums Live performs the best-selling albums note for note

Aug. 4 (Sat.) 8 pm

Tickets: $35, $50 VIP (table seating)

SMDCAC Main Stage

Raices Jazz Orchestra

Big band jazz orchestra, part of the Summer of Big Bands series

Aug. 6 (Mon.) 8 p.m.

$10 donation to Miami Jazz Coop Open Stage Club

A Tribute to Nat King Cole

South Florida vocalist Wendy Pedersen and pianist Jim Gasior present the tribute

Aug. 11 (Sat.) 8:30 pm

Tickets: $30 in advance; $35 day of SMDCAC Black Box Theater

Stephen Guerra Big Band

Big band jazz orchestra, part of the Summer of Big Bands series

Aug. 13 (Mon.) 8 p.m.

$10 donation to Miami Jazz Coop

Open Stage Club

Classical & Flamenco

Guitar

Featuring Spain’s world renown classical guitarist Pepe Romero

Aug. 2 (Thur.) 8 pm

Ode to Almodóvar

General admission: $35 advance, $40 at the door

Coral Gables Congregational

Russ Speigel Jazz Orchestra

Big band jazz orchestra, part of the Summer of Big Bands series

Aug. 20 (Mon.) 8 p.m.

$10 donation to Miami Jazz Coop

Open Stage Club

Pimpinela en Concierto

The legendary Argentinian duo returns with Tour Hermanos

Aug. 25 (Sat.) 8 pm

Tickets: $63-$203

MDCA

Bizet’s Carman

Miami Lyric Opera performs the classic story of passionate love.

Aug. 25-26 (Sat. 8 pm, Sun. 4 pm)

Tickets: $27-$47

SMDCAC Main Stage

Gary Campbell Trio

Jazz saxophonist & composer, part of the Monday night jazz series

Aug. 27 (Mon.) 8 p.m.

$10 donation to Miami Jazz Coop

Open Stage Club

DANCE

Contemporary Dance Heat Wave

The Peter London Global Dance Company returns with a one-time performance of cutting-edge contemporary dance

Aug. 4 (Sat.) 7 pm

Tickets: $10

Coral Gables Museum

XXIII International Ballet Festival of Miami

One of the most acclaimed ballet festivals in the world returns to Miami for one night

Aug. 19 (Sun.) 5 pm

Tickets: $38-$65

MDCA

Siempre Flamenco

The 13th Annual Festival de Cante

Flamingo Miami

Aug. 31-Sept. 2 (Fri-Sat. 8 pm, Sat. 3 pm, Sun. 4 pm)

Tickets: $48, general admission

Carnival Studio Theater, Arsht Center

CORAL GABLES ART CINEMA

THEATER

The Big Bang

Two comedy writers try to raise enough money for the most historically expansive show ever conceived about the entire history of the universe

July 25 – Sept. 2

Tickets: $40

Actors’ Playhouse

Fuácata! or A Latina’s Guide to Surviving the Universe

A one-woman comedy show on what it means to be Latina in today’s America

Aug. 1 -Aug. 19 (Wed.-Sat. 7:30 pm, Sun. 4 pm)

Tickets: $50, general admission

Carnival Studio Theater, Arsht Center

El Cuarto de al Lado (The Next Room)

The story of how a doctor provides a vibrator to a female patient shortly after the discovery of electricity, with unexpected consequences.

Aug. 2-12 (Thurs.-Sat. 8 pm; Sun. 2 pm)

Tickets: $30, general admission

MDCA

Cabaret

An American author and a singer fall in love in Berlin. As the Nazis begin to take over, their lives begin to change

Aug. 10 – 26

Tickets: $15-35

Area Stage Company

Miami Lyric Opera: Carmen

High drama, passionate characters, a love story and great melodies

Aug. 25 – 26 (Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m.)

Tickets: $27 - $47

SMDCAC

Simpre Flamenco’s 13th Annual Festival de Cante

Flamenco

Production featuring three acclaimed Spanish singers and world renowned dancer Jose Barrios

Aug. 31 (Fri.) 8 p.m.

Tickets: $48

Carnival Studio Theater, Arsht Center

PERFORMANCES

SIRO-A: Techno Circus

Japanese performers fuse mime, stunning visual effects and techno soundtrack for a wild night.

July 28-29 (Sat. 8 pm, Sun. 2 pm)

Tickets: $30-$75

Ziff Ballet Opera House, Arsht Center

Comic Cure

Florida’s “Funniest Female 2018”

Sheena Reagan performs

Aug. 17 (Fri.) 8:30 pm

Tickets: $20

SMDCAC Black Box Theater

ART/MUSEUMS

The Art and Sculpture Program at Fairchild Presents: Emerging Artist Matthew Hanzman

An exhibition of original art by local artist Matthew Hanzman featuring the music that inspires his drive for visual storytelling

July 21 – Aug. 26

Tickets: $25 adults, $18 seniors, $12 children

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Sacred Ground

Coral Gables Museum pays homage to the historic Lincoln Memorial Park by displaying artifacts, sculptures and records

Aug. 2 (Thurs.) through November

Coral Gables Museum

Admission: $10 ($8 seniors, students)

Coral Gables Gallery Night

Showcases works from European and Latin American art masters to contemporary artists

Aug. 3 (Fri.) 6 p.m.

Tickets: Free Various galleries

The Words of Others

Ferrari and Rhetoric in Times of War

Through Aug. 12, 2018

Admission: $16 ($12 seniors, students, under 19)

Pérez Art Museum Miami

The World’s Game

Fútbol and Contemporary Art

Through Sept. 2, 2018

Admission: $16 ($12 seniors, students, under 19)

Pérez Art Museum Miami

Dresden

Sebastian Spreng depicts the decimation of this eastern German city by Allied bombers in Feb. 1945, representing mankind’s capacity for both good and evil

Through Sept. 23

Admission: $12.50 ($8 seniors)

Lowe Art Museum

Hands & Earth: Six Perspectives on Japanese Contemporary Ceramics

This exhibition comprises six thematic groupings of important works created

over the course of the past eight decades by some of Japan’s most important artists

Through Sept. 23

Admission: $12.50 ($8 seniors)

Lowe Art Museum

Painted Pixels

Created on the iPad and printed on aluminum, Sheila Elias’ works enable viewers to enjoy the “in-between spaces”

Through Sept. 23

Admission: $12.50 ($8 seniors)

Lowe Art Museum

William Cordova’s Now’s the Time

Naratives of Southern Alchemy

Through Oct. 7, 2018

Admission: $16 ($12 seniors, students, under 19)

Pérez Art Museum Miami

Sid Grossman: Photography, Politics and the Ethical Image

Through Oct. 28, 2018

Admission: $16 ($12 seniors, students, under 19)

Pérez Art Museum Miami

LOWE ART MUSEUM

INDIE FILM

Love, Cecil

A look at Cecil Beaton, famed photographer, author, painter and Oscar and Tony-winning designer of Gigi and My Fair Lady

Aug. 10 (Fri. 6 pm); Aug. 11 (Sat. 6:15 pm); Aug. 12 (Sun. 7:30 pm); Aug. 13 (Mon. 5:30 pm)

Tickets: $11.75 ($10 seniors, students)

Gables Art Cinema

Vertigo

Hitchcock masterpiece mystery about fear of heights and doomed love.

Aug. 10 (Fri. 8 pm); Aug. 11 (Sat. 8:15 pm); Aug. 12 (Sun. 5:00 pm); Aug. 13 (Mon. 7:30 pm)

Tickets: $11.75 ($10 seniors, students)

Gables Art Cinema

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

Classic Disney film about two dogs and a cat who cross the wilderness to return home

Aug. 11 (Sat. 11 am); Aug. 12 (Sun. 11 am)

Tickets: $11.75 ($10 seniors, students)

Gables Art Cinema

My Fair Lady

Classic film of Lowe & Lerner’s hit musical about the remake of a poor flower girl

Aug. 11 (Sat. 3 pm); Aug. 12 (Sun. 1 pm); Aug. 15 (Wed. 7:30 pm)

Tickets: $11.75 ($10 seniors, students)

Gables Art Cinema

El Topo

The bizarre, ultra-violent Western that launched the midnight movie cult craze

Aug. 25 (Sat. 11:30 pm)

Tickets: $11.75 ($10 seniors, students)

Gables Art Cinema

Dial M for Murder (3D)

Hitchcock tale of the perfect murder, starring Grace Kelly, Ray Milland, and Robert Cummings

Aug. 11 (Sat., 1 pm), Aug. 14 (Tues., 8:30 pm), Aug. 16 (Thurs., 6:15 pm)

Tickets: $11.75 ($10 seniors, students)

Gables Art Cinema

VENUES

Actors’ Playhouse

280 Miracle Mile www.actorsplayhouse.org 305.444.9293

Area Stage Company

1560 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 103 www.areastagecompany.com 305.666.2078

Arsht Center 1300 Biscayne Blvd. www.arshtcenter.org 305.949.6722

Coral Gables Art Cinema

260 Aragon Ave. www.gablescinema.com 786.472.2249

Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ 3010 De Soto Blvd. 305.448.7421, ext. 153 www.communityartsprogram.org

Coral Gables Museum 285 Aragon Ave. www.coralgablesmuseum.org 305.603.8067

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

10901 Old Cutler Road www.fairchildgarden.org 305.667.1651

Lowe Art Museum 1301 Stanford Dr. www.lowe.miami.edu 305.284.3535

Open Stage Club

2325 Galiano St. www.openstageclub.com 305.441.7902

Miami Dade County Auditorium (MDCA) 2901 W. Flagler St., Miami miamidadecountryauditorium.org 305-547-5414

Pérez Art Museum Miami 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami www.pamm.org 305.375.3000

South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center (SMDCAC) 10950 SW 211th St., Cutler Bay www.smdcac.org 786.573.5316

Ode to Almodóvar

This summer the Coral Gables Art Cinema pays homage to Spain’s most celebrated filmmaker, director Pedro Almodóvar. Ten of his best films will be shown this summer (a $50 pass lets you see all 10), followed by a panel discussion with the director, moderated by CGAC Director of Programming

Nat Chediak

What Have I Done to Deserve This?

The tragicomedy about the eccentrics who invade the life of an overworked cleaning lady

July 30 (Mon.) 6:30 pm; Aug. 4 (Sat.)

4:15 pm

Matador

Dark comedy of a bullfighter past his prime, his student (Antonio Banderas) and his murderous lawyer.

Aug. 1 (Wed.) 8:30 pm, Aug. 5 (Sun.)

6 pm

All About My Mother

Deeply felt portrait of sisterhood about a hospital worker, her teenage son and his transsexual prostitute father.

Aug. 5 (Sun.) 1:15 pm; Aug. 9 (Thurs.)

8:45 pm

Talk to Her

Touching, oscar-winning (screenplay) film about two men in love with two women in comas.

Aug. 4 (Sat.) 2 pm, Aug. 9 (Thurs.)

6:30 pm

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Hilarious absurdist comedy about a pregnant TV actress and the boyfriend

who is leaving her.

Aug. 3 (Fri.) 6:45 pm; Aug. 7 (Tues.)

6:45 pm

Law of Desire

A deadly love triangle about three men drowned in desire, jealously and deceit.

Aug. 2 (Thurs.) 8:45 pm; Aug. 6 (Mon.) 9 pm

Volver

Three generations of women deal with death, incest, adultery, murder, fear and humor.

Aug. 1 (Wed.) 6:15 pm; Aug. 4 (Sat.)

6:30 pm; Aug. 8 (Wed.) 6:15 pm

Broken Embraces

A moving meditation on filmmaking and cinema that involves love, obsession, and voyeurism.

Aug. 2 (Thurs.) 6:15 pm; Aug. 5 (Sun.)

3:30 pm

Live Flesh

Erotic passion and dark thrills about a drug dealer, set in Franco’s Spain.

Aug. 4 (Sat.) 9 pm; Aug. 7 (Tues.)

8:45 pm

Bad Education

A film noir about two old friends and their memories of a Catholic boarding school

Aug. 3 (Fri.) 8:45 pm; Aug. 8 (Wed.)

8:45 pm

Panel Discussion with Pedro Almodóvar

Nat Chediak moderates a free panel discussion with the famous filmmaker at Books & Books

Aug. 7 (Tues.) 8 pm

The Fast and the Furious

When Tony drove around a curve during a training of speed car racing, he realized that one of the back tires of his car was taking the wrong direction, but the powerful engine roared like a wounded lion and the car ended up crashing against a retaining wall to get stuck there. Tony felt an acute pain on a shoulder that lasted a few seconds. Other than that, everything seemed to be all right.

This is the real story of one of the greatest speed car racers nowadays, several times champion at wellknown international races (champion at the Formula Europa Boxer; at the Indy Lights Series; at the IndyCar Series; winner at the U.S. 500, at the Indianapolis 500, and absolute champion at the 2015 Daytona 24 Hours, just to mention some of his achievements.) The shoulder of the Brazilian racer Kanaan got seriously injured and recovered its functioning with the assistance of my PROMETEO procedure based on stem cells and biologicals.

After consulting the most famous doctors and orthopedic specialists, most of them recommended surgery, that is, a big incision on the shoulder to explore the causes of the damage. The inconveniences were the surgery’s risks and almost a year of estimated recovery time. Tony decided that there should be an alternative, and contacted me through Sergino, a common friend who had successfully gone

through the PROMETEO procedure.

After assessing the injury through my T3 MRI, I concluded that through an implant of his own stem cells and biologicals, he could have the broken fibers of his shoulder regenerated.

Six weeks later, Tony was back at the speedway, to the surprise of his team, the rest of the racers and even myself. His pain had gone one hundred percent and his abilities at the wheel were completely back to normal.

However, at my institute, StemCell USA, you will not only find famous sports people and musicians but a variety of persons of multiple background, sex, and age. The PROMETEO procedure is successful as opposed to surgery, therapy and medications because it modifies the illness and, as in this case, it regenerates the damaged tendon.

Should you feel in doubt – since this procedure with stem cells and biologicals are rather new and controversial– just think that someone as famous as Kanaan would not have risked his career if this procedure would not work and would not be significantly safe.

The procedure has many variants, some of them partially covered by medical insurance companies, others available to different sectors of the population, and specially to Latin American patients because it is a one-time procedure, and the patient may travel back to his country a day after it is performed, but all variants have something in common: The success is absolute!

If you are interested in being evaluated at USA StemCell by Dr. Castellanos and his team to undergo the PROMETEO procedure, please call 305-250-CELL (2355). The evaluation of your MRI is free. Latin America or outside Miami please write to contact@stemcellusa.net Follow us at USA StemCell in Facebook and Instagram

Dr. Ramon Castellanos, MD (left) and race car driver, Tony Kanaan

People p48

Mary Snow

This will be a public art installation that will bring people from all over Miami...

DEAN, UM BUSINESS SCHOOL

LAW OFFICES OF SLESNICK & CASEY LLP

FOUNDER & OWNER, THE OPEN STAGE CLUB

John Quelch

Don Slesnick

Juan Della Torre

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CORAL GABLES COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

John Quelch

London-native John Quelch is now beginning his second year as Dean of the UM Business School, continuing his mission to position it as a top 25 business school by 2025. Already, Quelch has increased the number of its programs by 20 percent, with a focus on graduate level quality. Prior to coming to UM, Quelch was dean of the London Business School and dean of the China Europe International Business School in Shanghai, making him one of the few deans to serve business schools on three continents. Most recently, Quelch was a professor at both Harvard Business School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He is a recognized expert in global marketing and author of six books on the subject.

LATEST ENDEAVORS WHAT HE SAYS

Changed the name of the School of Business Administration to the UM Business School; now launching a new MS in Finance, with courses in financial technology that include cutting-edge curriculum in blockchain and cryptocurrency exchange.

Quelch says he faces two big challenges. “First, the fame of the school does not match what is being delivered here. So that is a brand-building challenge,” he says. “The second challenge faces all higher education schools – how to differentiate the Miami Business School brand from other international brands.” Quelch intends to rectify that with his acumen in marketing, promoting what he calls the “bright

spots in our arsenal.” These include strong curriculum in behavioral finance, finance technology, business analytics, health care management, real estate management, and, naturally, business marketing. His strategy? “Building excitement around the brand, refreshing the program content, and focusing on social media and digital marketing as opposed to traditional media.”

DEAN, UM BUSINESS SCHOOL

Boston and New England is the Old America and Miami is the New America

Mary Snow is a life-long Gables resident who has served as Executive Director of the Coral Gables Community Foundation since January 2014, directing its fundraising events and initiatives to improve life in Coral Gables. She previously worked for eight years as the managing director of client services for the Gables-based Washington Economics Group, and before that as a government relations consultant and registered lobbyist with the State of Florida.

Mary Snow

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CORAL GABLES COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT WHAT SHE SAYS

Conceived and executed the Umbrella Sky Project, a two-month installation of 700 mutli-colored umbrellas over Giralda Plaza in downtown Coral Gables, creating public art and attracting visitors to the new pedestrian streetscape.

“This will be a public art installation that will bring people from all over Miami,” says Snow, who first saw the installation in Pensacola and then got help from the City of Coral Gables and the BID (downtown Business Improvement District) to help fund it. Among myriad other projects, Snow also spearheads the CGCF’s annual gala ($500,000 raised), its annual scholarship program ($300,000 invested in Gables

High grads), and its charitable funds (60 separate funds).

“Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for those who live, work, learn and play here. We link charitable people to their charitable goals, to good causes in their neighborhood,” she says. “We make giving simple, easy and hyper local. You can see what your giving is doing, and it’s so impactful to see the tangible benefits for the community.”

The umbrella sky project will enhance our cultural landscape

Photo by Jonathan Dann

Don Slesnick was Coral Gables’ mayor, from 2001 to 2011. Since then he has remained active in public service, most recently as president of the Orange Bowl Committee (through January of this year) and as Chair of the Labor and Employment section of the American Bar Association (through August of this year). He continues to serve on the Ethics Advisory Committee of the Miami-Dade County School Board, on the FSU Collins Institute Board, and as the honorary consul for Australia.

Don Slesnick

PARTNER,

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT WHAT HE SAYS

At the Florida Bar annual convention in June, Slesnick was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Labor and Employment Law section. Almost simultaneously, he received the 2018 Distinguished Member Award from Leadership Florida, the prestigious statewide non-profit that trains and promotes community leaders.

“Since leaving office as mayor the thing that I have been thankful for is that my life has been full, and not just in terms of children and grandchildren, which are of course fundamental,” he says. “Instead of sitting around pouting that I wasn’t mayor any longer, I put myself on track with the Orange Bowl and with the American Bar Association.” Slesnick says he was so surprised by his two awards this year that he couldn’t make travel arrangements in time,

and was late for the one from Leadership Florida.

“I got there by three in the afternoon and they had already given it to me during the luncheon. So, everyone was laughing. They said they called my name three times, so that was embarrassing.” As for his role as the city’s chief executive, “I miss being mayor because I miss serving the people. But I don’t miss the politics. It’s not a gentleman’s game anymore.”

MANAGING

LAW OFFICES OF SLESNICK & CASEY LLP

I miss being mayor because I miss serving the people. But I don’t miss the politics...

A native of Buenos Aires, Juan Della Torre moved to Miami in 2002 as an officer of Citibank. Here he earned an MBA from FIU to advance his banking career, but never forgot his love of music. After starting a band and seeing how difficult it was to be a musician here, he decided he could do more to advance music in South Florida by providing a venue. In 2013, he founded the Open Stage Club, downtown Coral Gables’ only nightly live music establishment.

Juan Della Torre

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT WHAT HE SAYS

Celebrating this August his 5th year in business at 2325 Galiano St., successfully programming music to appeal to a variety of audiences.

“I love all music. There are no good or bad genres, only good or bad music in each. We have jazz nights, rock nights, Latin nights – we have disco nights. And I enjoy all of them,” says Della Torre. As to why he located his club in Coral Gables, he says, “At one point I was looking at Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach, but I realized there was something about [both places] that was too touristy. They weren’t going to take

it seriously. I wanted to appeal to a crowd that resided in the area, and with a cultural interest that would appreciate it. So, the Gables was a great fit.”

Among his favorite nights: One Friday each month when they play Argentina rock from the 1990s, which raged across Latin America in the wake of anti-English sentiment following the war with Britain over the Malvenas (Falkland) islands.

FOUNDER & OWNER, THE OPEN STAGE CLUB

The city is on the upswing, but there are not enough options for entertainment… if you just wait for it to happen, it’s never going to happen

Photo by Jonathan Dann

I have long likened what I do for a living to be a grownup game of Monopoly. I get to buy it and sell it and finance it and rent it, just like we did as kids when we played the game. The difference is that we try to do it in a thoughtful way that is good for the community as well as good for the valuation of our portfolio...

Inside the Mind of Stephen Bittel

THOUGHTS ON THE FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN BY MIRACLE MILE’S LEADING LANDLORD

Fifteen years ago Stephen Bittel – Chairman and founder of South Florida commercial real estate powerhouse Terranova – decided to begin buying property on Miracle Mile. Today, Terranova is the largest property owner on what Bittell calls Coral Gables’ “high street,” and a firm believer that families today want to live in walkable urban environments rather than in the suburbs. We recently caught up with Bittel and asked him for his insights about Coral Gables, where in recent years he has played a growing role as a civic booster.

WHY DID YOU START TO INVEST IN CORAL GABLES?

It’s almost 15 years now since we bought out first buildings in an eight-property portfolio on Miracle Mile. We had at that time one of the largest suburban supermarket-anchored portfolios in the state, but as the communities got built out, the customer base stopped growing… So, this was the first re-diversification of our portfolio, focused on the high street. When we did it on Miracle Mile no one really paid much attention. But we believed it was the right play because these urban cores were where more and more people wanted to live and work. For the generation that I grew up as part of, every time you changed something in your life and you needed a little more space at home, you moved further out of town and more desperately into the suburbs. And that was changing. It became apparent to me through our younger employees, who weren’t going an hour away to Kendall but were taking a smaller, older house in Coral Gables and renovating it.

WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW IN THE DOWNTOWN MARKET?

The Streetscape project has really triggered what we believe will be the renaissance of the community, and Miracle Mile really is the core of the community. The Merrick Park development took away from downtown Coral Gables, but we think the market is big enough for both to succeed, and as we add more residential housing in the downtown we think it really becomes the true urban live, work, play community that changes everything.

We’ve watched, with the Streetscape completed, how as tenants put tables and chairs on the street sales jump up immediately by 40 percent.

SO YOU THINK THE STREETSCAPE PROJECT WILL HAVE A BIG IMPACT?

Giralda [on weekends] is packed now. It’s not busy – it’s packed. And it’s not [just] packed with people my age having a wonderful dinner. It’s packed with young

people, and there’s music and activity, and energy, and I think you’ll see that now on Miracle Mile.

Look, we expected this to be the result of the Streetscape. We just didn’t expect it to be instantaneous. And it took tremendous guts, courage and foresight from our city leaders… We’ve worked hard to get everyone comfortable, including me standing up in a city commission meeting and urging the commission to vote in favor of it, including taxing us [property owners]. The properties on the block have paid 50 percent of the cost, which we believe to be well worth it.

HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS CHANGED?

We had this giant suburban portfolio where we operated in a lot of municipalities. We never knew any of the elected officials. You just didn’t need to. You [only] needed to know the staff of building and zoning to get a building permit… Now, the government-relations part of our business has become gigantic, because we have much-smaller-in-square-footage

Interview by JP Faber Photos by Lizzie Wilcox

but much-higher-in-price-per-foot and much-higher-profile properties in the heart of the community. So all of a sudden the city leaders really care about what you’re doing [and] we take the philosophy that if we do what’s good for the community, it’s also good for our property… So we fought like crazy and played a very active role in the Streetscape.

ARE YOU SEEING A DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT IN THE DOWNTOWN?

You see it now. Go out on Thursday or Friday or Saturday nights, or for Sunday brunch, and look at who is going to Copper 29 or Plomo. It’s a whole different demographic. My age group is still patronizing lots of the table-service restaurants, but there is a whole new group. Where once was just Houston’s – now Hillstone – and Tarpon Bend, we’ve got House and Tap 42 and the addition of new cool places where people want to go and eat and drink and have fun. It has dramatically changed over the last year in Coral Gables, and we think there is more coming.

WHAT IS YOUR VIEW OF CORAL GABLES IN TERMS OF GROWTH CYCLE?

The surprise in Coral Gables is that our base of office space is almost as much as on Brickell Avenue. So, it has the best daytime population of any of our markets, other than Brickell. It’s why it was always a great restaurant location, because restaurants could do two meal segments [lunch and dinner], which they really

couldn’t do anywhere else in Miami. If you are a restaurateur on the beach you just do dinner, for example… So the vision has to be that we need more housing in downtown Coral Gables, because having people that can take the elevator down from their apartment and walk out to go eat, to drink, to shop, to meet with friends, that’s what changes a city. When you go to great cities around the world, people live and work and eat all in the same place.

WHERE DO YOU SEE TERRANOVA’S ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY?

Today people seem to do everything online – they date online, they shop online, they order food online. They have a vastly different level of human interaction than they did in a different era… So providing meeting places, like a street front with tables and chairs and umbrellas, provides a place for human interaction. It’s a place where people get together. And that’s the future... We think that the widening of the sidewalks, enabling tables and chairs and the whole change of culture in downtown Coral Gables, will lead to continued growth.

SO YOU WERE PART OF THE STREET SCAPE PROJECT?

Yes, I went to meeting after meeting with the Cooper Robertson firm that did the designs, and a group of us got to give our input on lighting, and on the granite pavers and furniture and signage and all the things that make that Streetscape come together and be so effective.

When I spoke to the city commissioners [about the Streetscape project] I said that if George Merrick, the creator of Coral Gables, were alive today he would be smiling ear to ear…

TERRANOVA’S MIRACLE MILE PORTFOLIO

105 Miracle Mile

135-137 Miracle Mile

136 Miracle Mile

200-230 Miracle Mile

244 Miracle Mile

247 Miracle Mile

257-263 Miracle Mile

348 Miracle Mile

350 Miracle Mile

360 Miracle Mile

DO YOU DO ANY INCUBATING?

That’s how Copper 29 and Plomo got in business. We made them an unusual deal that had more percentage rent than base rent, so we shared both the risk and the upside with them. Conde Contemporary Galleries also is there with a deal like that… When you have a lot of buildings on one street, you don’t need to maximize the revenue for every space, you need to maximize the customer experience so that, over time, you get to maximize the value of the street. And that means occasionally you will find some uniquely special tenant that you think can change history and you make a different kind of deal.

WHAT ABOUT THE MIX ON MIRACLE MILE RIGHT NOW?

We think there is a lot of opportunity for improvement. It’s historically been widely known for having a lot of bridal stores. Certainly it has less today than it did a dozen years ago, and probably will have less in a dozen years from now. But the challenge is how to become sensitive to the needs of the community while you push that transition forward. It would be insensitive to try to eliminate all of them at once, but over time we’d like to see more restaurants, more apparel, and more services. We believe the street has got to work from early morning to late in the evening. The restaurant we hope to put on the corner of Ponce and Miracle Mile – we’re insisting it serves all 3 meal segments, because we want the activity on the street to be all the time.

WHAT ARE THE CITY’S BIGGEST CHALLENGES?

There’s going to be forever a challenge between property owners and developers and the community about how much of the past you preserve versus how much of the future you reach out to achieve. Historic preservation is always a complication. I always complain that we have to compete with newer buildings, but with lower ceilings and more columns and older storefronts. On the other hand, some of the features of the historic buildings are absolutely the charm that makes Coral Gables unique and special and unusual… So that’s a challenge.

DO YOU BELIEVE BRICK & MORTAR CAN COMPETE WITH ONLINE RETAIL?

Clearly we have known for a long time that a lot of our retail consumption was going to move online, [but] we’re more in the meeting place and dining and entertainment business that we are in the retail business. If we provide great places for people to come together and visit, all the other things that people do will happen, and our stores and restaurants will be successful… People are social animals, and despite all the ways they are finding to [communicate online] I firmly believe that we need to provide places for people to come together.

In a different era, in older cities, it was a corner bar. Today it is a public street with tables and chairs and umbrellas, where people can run into a friend, have a meal,

get a drink, or just sit and have a cup of coffee and watch people walk by.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE CURRENT MARKET?

We are as bullish on Coral Gables today as we’ve even been… And I think the Streetscape is great. I mean, I just cannot walk down the street and not smile. It was a heavy lift by everyone involved, and there was lots of fear in doing it.

Everyone said you are going to put a lot of the stores out of business. In fact, that didn’t happen, and store sales are up. Some even went up during the project. Two of our stores in May had their highest sales in history.

WHAT ARE YOUR INVESTMENT PLANS FOR CORAL GABLES? DIVESTING?

There is no plan for any divestment of our assets in Coral Gables at any time in the foreseeable future. It is our intention for these to be generational holdings, and we are invested for a long, long time…. Most [real estate] professionals are pretty much in the build it and sell it business.

We are in the own it, build it, rebuild it, renovate it, lease it, lease it again, refinance it, and keep it business, because we believe when you get great [property on] corners like Ponce and Miracle Mile, they are irreplaceable assets… And it is our expectation that we will continue to, every year or so, add on a building or two when the opportunity presents itself.

NOTHING SAYS SUMMER – OR AMERICANA – MORE THAN A HAMBURGER. GRILLED, FRIED, OR FLAME BROILED, WE DON’T CARE HOW IT’S FIXED SO LONG AS IT TASTES GREAT. ADD A SLICE OF CHEESE, AND YOU’RE THERE

Coral Gables may be known for its sophisticated palate and culinary acumen, but it’s not above a good old-fashioned burger. The city is rife with burger joints, and just about every restaurant serves its own version. Here’s our take on the top cheeseburgers in town.

BEST OVERALL BURGER Tap42’s Prohibition

You must appreciate a restaurant that offers just two choices of burger and stands by them. For Tap42, it’s The Prohibition and The Drunken Goat. For our purposes, The Drunken Goat – a mouthwatering mix of lamb and beef with whipped goat cheese – can’t be used for comparison. But The Prohibition, their cheeseburger with white cheddar, Applewood bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, dijonnaise and secret sauce is our best choice for overall burger, in terms of flavor, juiciness, and value.

The secret, says executive chef Andrew Balick, is a combination of fresh, quality ingredients and putting all their eggs in one basket. “A lot of places use ground chuck,” says Balick. “We use whole muscle, not trim products, not leftovers. Just beef tenderloin and ribeye and strip loin.” The patties are made and delivered daily by their local supplier, as are the buns. “A lot of places use brioche, but we use challah, which has a higher moisture content and a little more sugar.” As for the single offering, says Balick, “We believe in conceptualizing and creating the best burger and presenting that. So, it has both sauces, with everything on it, bacon, cheese, etc.” ($14.50 w fries) 301 Giralda Ave. 786.391.1566

BEST BURGER BORN IN THE GABLES

Pincho Factory’s Pincho Burger

The new trend in burgerdom, captured initially by Shake Shack, was for a smaller, well-cooked

patty that supplied some crunch combined with cheese and a delicious secret sauce. Here in Coral Gables, the locally-launched Pincho Factory came up with its own version – the Pincho Burger: well cooked, laden with secret sauce, LTO, and in this case given extra crunch by tiny potato sticks. Beats the Shack with a stick. ($6.99 w/o fries)

30 Giralda Ave. 305.446.5666

BEST BASIC BURGER VALUE

Burger Bobs’ Burger

There was a day when a burger was a straight forward thing: a patty of ground chuck on a white bread bun, with lettuce, tomato and onion. Period. Add ketchup or mustard to taste. Add a slice of cheese and you have a cheeseburger. If you want to flashback to your childhood – or simply take a time machine to the 1950s – then go to Burger Bobs on the edge of the Granada Golf Course. It hasn’t changed in a half century, thank heaven. And for $5.25, the price can’t be matched.

2001 Granada Blvd. 305.567.3100

TAP 42’s PROHIBITION

THE PINCHO BURGER

If you want to flashback to your childhood or simply take a time machine to the 1950s then go to Burger Bobs...

Photo by Jon Braeley

Being a steak house, Shula’s naturally is obsessed with quality beef, and that translates to its burger...

SHULA’S FRENCH ONION

BEST SPECIALTY BURGERS

Shula’s French Onion

Being a steak house, Shula’s is naturally obsessed with quality beef, and that translates to its burgers. Specifically, they make theirs from a signature blend of fresh premium Black Angus chuck, short rib and brisket. They also use buns from Cusano’s Bakery, family owned in the Gables since 1966. While their standard burger is darn good, their specialty burgers – in particular, French Onion (caramelized onions, gruyere cheese, garlic mayo and crushed garlic croutons) and House of Bleu (bleu cheese and red onion jam) are unparalleled when it comes to dressing up a burger with special flavors.

($14 w fries)

6915 Red Rd. 305.665.9661

BEST BURGER FOR A SWEET TOOTH

Swensen’s Crispy Cream

Swensen’s is an old-fashioned sort of place, with as much emphasis on the soda fountain as anything else. They make nice, fat hamburgers with LTO, where the burger is thicker than the bun. They also make no less than 15 specialty burgers, with toppings as random as fried mac n’ cheese and avocado. Their claim to fame is

the diabetes inducing Crispy Cream Donut Burger. A real teeth rattler for those who dare. (Burgers $14-$16 w fries).

1568 Dixie Hwy. 305.661.7658

BEST NON-MEAT BURGER

Shake Shack’s ‘Shroom Burger; BurgerFi’s Beyond Meat

The idea of a meatless burger might seem sacrilegious to some, but for those who have sworn off meat, let’s all have a little pity. Up to now you could get veggie burgers, which are more akin to fried falafel balls than meat; crunchy and tasty, but not the real thing. In that category, the Mushroom Burger ($6.99) at Shake Shack, with melted cheese inside, is the winner. Now, however, comes Beyond Meat, which not only looks like the real thing but tastes like it, too. Burger Fi offers this plant-based (peas!) Beyond Burger ($8.75), which actually has more protein and iron than the real thing. Shake Shack, 1450 S. Dixie Hwy. 786.470.3701. BurgerFi. 136 Miracle Mile. 305.967.8260

MOST UNEXPECTED BURGER

Tarpon Burger

Since when does a massive raw bar with specialty cocktails also produce a great burger? That would be since Tarpon Bend started serving them. Like Tap42, they use a challah roll, Applewood smoke bacon and cheddar cheese to produce a darn good fresh and juicy burger. Starting August 1, they are also offering a Wednesday two-for-one special. This is only for sit-down customers, says owner Wayne Eldred, so it’s for a friend – or to see how much you can eat in one sitting. ($15 w fries) 65 Miracle Mile. 305.444.3210

BEST BAR BURGER

John Martin’s Pub Burger

Sometimes it’s not just the burger. Sometimes it’s also the place. John Martin’s puts out a solid sirloin burger, but what makes it really great is the pub itself. John Martin’s is one of the oldest continuously operating bar/restaurants in Coral Gables, with a reputation for authentic Irish pub grub and an ambience enhanced by its 20foot mahogany bar and flooring from a church in Ireland. This is as close to Cheers as it gets in the Gables, and a fine place to wash down a cheeseburger with blackened seasoning and a great selection of beers. ($15 w fries)

253 Miracle Mile. 305.445.3777

ALSO OF NOTE

Five Guys

For those of us who once loved this burger joint, which has grown into a chain with a Gables outlet on Dixie Highway, remember: greasy is not the same as juicy.

Hillstone

There are many things on your menu that we love, but your well-reputed burger, timid and tasteless, is not one of them. Plus, it has way too much shredded lettuce.

Clutch

The name of the store is what you’ll do with your wallet for their $20 burger. It’s also what you need do with the burger itself, stacked so high you must unhinge your jaw to eat it.

BurgerFi’s Beyond Meat not only looks like the real thing but tastes like it...

BURGERFi’S BEYOND MEAT

TARPON BURGER

1 WAYS T BEAT

2. CORAL GABLES ART CINEMA

A quintessential way to escape the blazing sun for a couple of hours has always been to retreat to the dark recesses of a movie house. But catching a flick at the Coral Gables Art Cinema is a movie-going experience like no other. Gables Art Cinema shows independent and international films, classic movies and film festivals. The theater has only one large screen and the films are rotated frequently, with some movies being shown for about a week at a time and others just once. So, don’t miss the movie magic.

260 Aragon Ave. (786) 472-2249. www.gablescinema.com

3. BIRD BOWL

Bowling is for everyone. And the Bird Bowl – now in its 62nd year on Bird Road – has an alley for everyone, 60 in all. Opening at 9 am daily, it also stays open late, till 1 am on weeknights and 3 am on Friday and Saturday. The basic rate is $31.95 per hour per lane, but Bird Bowl has deals almost every night. On Tuesday night, or “College Night,” two hours of bowling costs $9.99 per person including shoe rental. On “Wacky Wednesday,” each game is only $1.50 per person not including shoe rental.

9275 SW 40th St. (305) 221-1221. www.birdbowl.com

4. SKY ZONE

This indoor trampoline park has several different attractions, and can even count as your workout for the day. A wall-to-wall trampoline, the “Freestyle Jump,” is nothing short of bouncing heaven. Always wanted to dunk, but could never get enough height? Using their trampolines, you can “SkySlam” like Lebron. Sky Zone also has ultimate dodgeball and a foam zone. “A kid’s favorite is being able to jump and bounce and run on the walls,” says Gables resident and owner Juan Brandt. “They can literally bounce off the walls.” $15 per hour, $23 for two hours.

5450 NW 82nd Ave. or 10200 SW 186th St. (305) 640-5424. www.skyzone.com

5. TOPGOLF

It’s a driving range, but better. Instead of sweating in the Miami heat, you can practice your swing in a climate-controlled “hitting bay.” It is also a restaurant and bar. On top of the 100+ bays, you can also hang out in the lounges or on the rooftop terrace. It’s everything that you love about golfing, without the country club “golf pros” impatiently waiting for you to tee off. Opens at 9 am daily, stays open till 1 am weeknights and 2 am weekends.

17321 NW 7th Ave., Miami Gardens. (305) 357-6151. www.topgolf.com

BIRD BOWL

SKY ZONE

TOPGOLF

THE HEAT

OUR GUIDE TO AVOID THE CLAMMY, OPPRESSIVE HEAT OF THE MEAN SEASON IN AND AROUND THE GABLES THAT WILL GET YOU OFF THE COUCH BUT KEEP YOU COOL ....

By Lizzie Wilcox

1. THE VENETIAN POOL

Opened in 1924, the Venetian Pool was created from a 4-acre coral rock quarry used for many of the city’s public structures at the time. “A lot of people tell me this is the place to go because every other pool is like a hot tub,” says Carolina Vester, assistant director of Community Recreation. That is because the 820,000 gallons of water that fill the pool are drained and replaced every night from an underground aquifer. The pool opens weekdays at 11 am and weekends at 10 am. Non-residents pay $20 for entry ($15 if you are 15 or younger), locals pay just $5.75 and $4.75 respectively. No children under 3 years of age are allowed. Closes at 6:30 pm weekdays, 4:30 pm weekends. 2701 De Soto Blvd. (305) 460-5306

6. BOOKS & BOOKS

Maybe we’re biased being in the publication business, but nothing compares to reading a printed copy of a book. Books & Books, however, is more than just your average bookstore. On top of having a massive collection of titles and genres, it also has a café and on many evenings authors come to talk about their work. It also has a courtyard that serves wine and beer, but if you want to stay cool inside, buy a book, grab a café con leche, and listen to that author your friend won’t stop talking about – all without breaking a sweat. A locally owned Coral Gables institution. Opens at 9 am, closes at 11 pm weeknights and midnight on weekends.

265 Aragon Ave. (305) 442-4408. www.booksandbooks.com

Photo by Jon Braeley

7. CORAL GABLES MUSEUM

A building that is as vintage as the exhibits within, the Coral Gables Museum explores architecture, urban design and sustainable development through exhibitions, programs, art and history. In what used to be the Old Police and Fire Station, visitors can view the former jail cells and courtroom. The museum offers audio tours as well as exhibit tours on Sundays at 1 p.m. or by appointment. The museum now includes a 5,000 square foot public plaza and a courtyard off of the main lobby, but you’re going to want to stay inside until the summer is over. Opens at noon most days, open till 6pm weeknights, 5 pm Sat. & Sun. Closed Mondays.

285 Aragon Ave. (305) 603-8067 www.coralgablesmuseum.org

8. THE GLASSHOUSE CAFÉ AT FAIRCHILD

Yes, it’s a jungle out there. That’s what Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is all about. But inside the gloriously air-conditioned Glasshouse Café, you can enjoy salads, sandwiches and ice cream while listening to live music performed by local artists. For that matter, you can also grab breakfast there after it opens at 9:30 am; the music starts daily at 1 pm.

10901 Old Cutler Road (305) 667-1651 www.fairchildgarden.org

9. ON MIRACLE MILE

Sometimes it just takes an icy drink or a cold bite to cool down while you walk the summer streets of Miracle Mile. Fortunately, there are a couple of easy solutions. For adults, there is the Starbucks next to the Miracle Theater, where they now serve their Nitro Cold Brew, in which the coffee is infused with nitrogen to keep it cooler longer. For kids (okay, for some adults, too) there is Morelia Gourmet Paletas, Mexican-style fruit and ice cream pops on a stick that are as inventive (from Banana filled with Nutella to Strawberry filled with condensed milk) as they are cold and delicious.

Starbucks, 292 Miracle Mile, (305) 442-4179. Morelia Gourmet Paletes, 76 Miracle Mile, (833) 423-7677

10. FROST SCIENCE MUSEUM

The new Frost Science Museum in downtown Miami is as vast as it is fascinating. From its Planetarium to its Aquarium, it is a cornucopia of entertaining and instructive exhibits. Among the current displays are the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci and an exhibit on the power of nature’s poisons, something your kids will be fascinated by. There are also interactive exhibits, such as the Design Lab and the MeLab. Here’s your chance to explore the frontiers of innovation and technology, all while staying cool. Tickets for Miami-Dade residents are $17 for kids, $24.65 for adults, open 9:30 am to 6 pm daily, except open till 8:30 pm Saturdays.

1101 Biscayne Blvd. (305) 434-9600 www.frostscience.org

CORAL GABLES MUSEUM

ON MIRACLE MILE

FROST SCIENCE MUSEUM

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse

THE ONLY THING THAT AGES BETTER THAN PRIME BEEF IS A GOOD RESTAURANT

by

Perhaps the best compliment for a restaurateur in Coral Gables is longevity. Few cities are more competitive or more discriminating. It is a testament to its quality that Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse is now in its 13th year on the corner of Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Andalusia Avenue. As a purveyor of fine steaks, it has stood the test of time – despite some stiff competition in the neighborhood.

The interior, recently re-done, is low key, using fabric seating and carpeting to mute the clatter of a busy restaurant. The main, high-ceilinged dining area is enhanced by a glass wine room that displays Fleming’s selection of hundreds of mostly red Californians, and by a long elegant bar in front that exudes a kind of Manhattan vibe. The room is brought to life by the bustling kitchen in back, revealed through a glass wall.

An open kitchen is always a sign of culinary transparency, and provides its own entertainment; in Fleming’s, it is capped by a large copper

panel overhead that runs the width of the kitchen and adds a rich glow. The menu is ruled, naturally enough, by top cuts of steak. If you’re a carnivore, it’s hard to go wrong here. We tried the bone-in filet mignon and the prime dry-aged ribeye. Both extraordinary in taste and tenderness – and if you want to enhance the flavor and toss out the cholesterol counter, they are served with signature butters and can be topped with shrimp, crabmeat or lobster, all richly sauced.

Fleming’s also prepares a limited but excellent lineup of seafood. In addition to lobster tail and barbecued salmon, they serve a perfectly delicate miso-glazed Chilean sea bass. In the starter department, the sweet chile calamari is light, crisp, sweet and just hot enough. For a more spectacular starter, Fleming’s chilled seafood tower – a minaret of ice with snow crab, king crab, jumbo shrimp, and lobster – is a showstopper.

Beyond the fixed menu, chef Pablo Guarella offers different, changing dishes under

The menu is ruled, naturally enough, by top cuts of steak. If you’re a carnivore, it’s hard to go wrong here…

Above: Lava cake with molten Belgian chocolate

Below: Ceiling height glass wall encloses the busy kitchen

Andrew Gayle

the heading Chef Pablo’s Table. We tried his roasted in-bone bone marrow dish with sweet bacon onion jam. A little Paleolithic, but surprisingly tasty.

The staff of Fleming’s is warm and well informed, with long-time patrons requesting favorite servers. Our waiter Hernan has been with Fleming’s since it opened in the Gables; he made excellent recommendations both for wine and dishes. Our only caveat is that Fleming’s chills its red wines, which may offer some an antidote to the Gables summer but which struck our table as slightly odd. Regardless, our Migration Pinot Noir and Stag Leap Merlot were both spoton and well-priced.

Two other things you

should know about Fleming’s: First, even though it’s no longer on the menu, ask your waiter for the lobster mac. If sous chef Bo Almonte will make it for you, you will thank him, and us. Second, and it is on the menu, the chocolate lava cake has molten Belgian chocolate in the center and is served with vanilla ice cream and chopped pistachios… need we say more?

Fleming’s is not an inexpensive restaurant, but its quality is impeccable. If you want a taste that won’t break your budget, they have a new bar menu with colossal shrimp tempura and sliced filet mignon with potato waffles; happy hour is also a steal.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

2525 Ponce de Leon Blvd.

Coral Gables (305) 569-7995

Mon-Fri: 11:30 am - 2:30 pm.

Sun-Wed: 4 pm - 12 am.

Thurs-Sat. 4 pm - 11 am

Classic surf n’ turf with lobster and steak

TOP RESTAURANTS IN CORAL GABLES

Coral Gables is a moveable feast, a veritable mecca of fine dining. It has the highest density of quality restaurants for any city in South Florida – close to 100 good dining establishments. The restaurants do cluster near the main street of Miracle Mile, but are also spread throughout the Gables. This is not the sort of town where one wanders about in large shopping malls, but nonetheless there are some hidden gems to be found there and even in out-of-the way strip malls.

Dining hours in the Gables stretch from the early evening – when it is common to see people at restaurants close to where they work – until

$ Under $25

$$ $25-$40

$$$ $35-$75

$$$$ $70-$100+

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

Aromas del Peru

The shrine for ceviche, with a wide range of choices – 18 ceviches at last count – for great prices. Haute Peruvian appetizers and good fish dishes, right up to the whole fried snapper. And don’t miss the pisco sour soup. Comfortable leather seats, too.

1930 Ponce de León Blvd. // 305.476.5886

$$ Peruvian

Bellmónt

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

339 Miracle Mile // 786.502.4684

$$$ Spanish

Caffe Abbracci

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

318 Aragon Ave. // 305.441.0700

$$$ Italian

Bulla Gastro

As valued for its cocktails as for its tapas, Bulla’s is also something Coral Gables needs – an informal, smart neighborhood hangout with a young, boisterous vibe. Great ‘small plates’ and refreshing sangria. Yes, it is a national chain, but it still feels local.

2500 Ponce de Leon Blvd. //305.441.0107

$$ Spanish

Brasserie Central

Secretly owned by Pascal of Ponce fame, the restaurant is half inside, half in the courtyard of the Shops. A typical French bistro with wonderful onion soup,

late at night, when it’s not unusual go to a restaurant at 10 pm and find the place packed, even with children. Many of the restaurants in Coral Gables are world-class. But the culinary scene is also changing. Where once the top-flight, traditional dining spots catered to lawyers, bankers, businessmen and diplomats, there is a new crop of edgier places, with young chefs and new tastes, catering to a younger clientele.

What follows is our list of the tried and true, and the innovative and new. We dine at all locations anonymously, and we list only the places where we love to eat.

fresh bread, and a superb paté. Everything on the menu is fresh, French, and all you would expect from Pascal. Lots of little French touches.

Shops at Merrick Park // 786.536.9388

$$-$$$ French

Bricktop’s

Massive bar, lots of booths and an indoor/outdoor area with a fire pit all add to the traditional chop house and seafood Americana feel of Bricktop’s. The place to go for lobster bisque, grilled grouper or blackened rib eye. Good bites for happy hour (4 to 7 pm).

2418 Ponce de Leon Blvd. // 305.443.9992

$$ American

Caffe Vialetto

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

4019 LeJeune Rd. // 305.446.5659

$$$ Cuban/Latin

California Pizza Kitchen

A local favorite, the home of “California-style” pizza, this national chain that started in Beverly Hills is both casual and polished, with an inventive array of non-traditional pizzas. Things like cauliflower crust, spicy chipotle chicken, carne asada. And then there are the patrons who come only for the butter cake, which they consider one of the best things on earth.

300 Miracle Mile // 305.774.9940

$$ Pizza/American

Christy’s

Touted as Coral Gables oldest steakhouse, Christy’s was long the power lunch go to – until it stopped serving lunch except on Fridays. Still, its aged steaks are consistently excellent, as are the seafood entrees. And their classic Caesar salad is still the best in town.

3

101 Ponce de Leon Blvd. // 305.446.1400

$$$ Steakhouse

Eating House

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

804 Ponce de Leon Blvd. //305.448.6524

$$ Innovative American

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse

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

2525 Ponce de Leon Blvd. //305.569.7995

$$$-$$$$ Steak & Seafood

Fratellino

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

264 Miracle Mile//786.452.0068

$$$ Italian

Frenchie’s Diner

It looks like an all-American diner (which it once was) but this pure French cooking. Frenchie himself is usually there. Some items on the menu can get pricey (duck confit, $32) but the onion soup ($9) and escargots ($11) are great values, and the croquet-monsieur ($12) for lunch is a meal unto itself.

2618 Galiano St. // 305.442.4554

$$ French

Graziano’s

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

394 Giralda // 305.774.3599

$$$ Argentine

La Taberna Giralda

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

254 Giralda Avenue // 786.362.5677

$$ Spanish

Ichimi

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

2330 Salzedo St. // 305.960.7016

$-$$ Japanese

John Martin’s Irish Pub

Where else in the Gables can you find a relaxed Irish pub with excellent pub comfort food like shepherd’s pie, bangers & mash, and fish & chips? Answer: nowhere. Which is why this long-established eatery and bar is so beloved by its clientele. Lots of America staples as well, from hot pastrami on rye to their signature Pub Burger, music on weekends.

253 Miracle Mile // 305.445.3777

$ Pub Food

La Dorada

Regarded by many to be the finest restaurant devoted to seafood in the Gables, La Dorada is traditional Spanish cooking with a deep-sea focus (and a pleasant, ocean-deco décor). The house specialty is baked whole fish crusted in sea salt, but don’t miss

food is light fare, as one might expect at a Neiman Marcus, with prices not so light. Salads, soups, cocktails – a casual place to rest after having spent far more than you planned.

Shops at Merrick Park //786.999.1018

$$$ New American

Matsuri

Just over the city line at Bird and Red roads, Matsuri is tucked humbly away in non-descript Red Bird Shopping Center. Yet it serves the world-class sushi, the finest anywhere in South Florida, and has an enormous menu of traditional Japanese food as well. You will need reservations to snag a seat from its devoted clientele.

5759 Bird Rd.// 305.663.1615

$$-$$$ Japanese

Mesa Mar

A relative newcomer, though the family has been in the restaurant business for many years. Some of the best seafood in the Gables. Try the golden-fried hogsnapper accompanied by lobster bisque with whole chunks of Florida lobster. Also serves delicious ceviches.

264 Giralda Ave. // 305.640.8448

$$$ Seafood

Morton’s Coral Gables

Morton’s in the Gables is not just another Morton’s. It’s setting in the Colonnades gives it a unique elegance, with outdoor seating under the arches. Dependable quality, primeaged beef, and excellent salads. Good place to take that important client. Great happy hour with filet mignon sandwiches or short rib tacos for $8.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse

the traditional Mediterranean seafood stews or the shellfish prepared Galician style.

177 Giralda // 305.446.2002

$$$$ Spanish Seafood

La Palma

Exquisite setting in a historic building with lovely courtyard dining. For years, La Palma was known for its incredible lunch buffet. At $13.95 it’s still a bargain, but now served only on Tuesdays. For other weekdays, they have an executive lunch for $17.95. And good to know they always have pasta fagioli, the Tuscan white bean soup.

116 Alhambra Circle //305.445.8777

$-$$$ Italian

La Provencal

This Gables mainstay (30 years in the same location) is under new ownership, so expect some innovations to French standards duck l’orange and steak au poivre – like a Mediterranean grill with octopus, mussels, scallops, black rice and saffron garlic aioli. New sidewalk seating, perfect pre-theater location.

266 Miracle Mile //305.448.8984

$$$ French Mediterranean

Mariposa

Mariposa floats like a butterfly in a far-off corner overlooking the garden courtyard of the Park. The

Old Lisbon

2333 Ponce de Leon Blvd. // 305.442.1662

$$$ Steakhouse

It’s just outside the Gables in South Miami, but if you want great Portuguese food this is the place. The best codfish in town (11 variations), great mussels with a special sauce, and unique dishes like grilled Portuguese sardines and traditional caldo verde (potato and sausage) soup. Good service, and Portuguese wines at good prices.

5837 Sunset Drive// 305.662.7435

$$-$$$ Portuguese

Ortanique on the Mile

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

278 Miracle Mile // 305.446.7710

$$ Caribbean

Palme d’Or

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

1200 Anastasia Ave. (at the Biltmore Hotel)

305.913.3200 $$$$ French

Pincho Factory

One of the few places where you can get delicious food at a low price in the Gables, this home-grown chain (based here) combines Brazilian shish kabob (served in rice bowls or as wraps) with uniquely flavored hamburgers. A guilty pleasure for the well to do.

30 Giralda Ave.//305.446.5666

$ Latin Street Food

Red Koi Lounge

If you like Thai food, then you will love Red Koi, which takes the Asian specialty up a notch. Their Bangkok Shrimp is worth the visit alone, and their cashew curry chicken will make you come back.

317 Miracle Mile //305.446.2690

$$ Thai

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse

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

2320 Salzedo St. //305.461.8360

$$$$ Steakhouse

Seasons 52

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

321 Miracle Mile // 305.442.8552

$$ Healthy American Swine

Like the name says, this place is about everything porcine, from pork belly salad ($8) all the way to the suckling pig ($38). A kind of upscale-rural woodand-brick feel, and a tad pricey for country fare, but man, do they know their way around a pig – along with other Southern things, like fried chicken.

2415 Ponce de Leon // 786.360.6533

$$$ Southern

Talavera Cocina Mexicana

High ceilings and ceramics make this a pleasant venue, but it’s the authentic fare that shines. The place for Mexicans home sick for cooking that’s not TexMex. The chicken mole poblano is a winner at $20, and their huarache grill is great at $17.

2299 Ponce de Leon Blvd. // 305.444.2955

$$ Mexican

Tarpon Bend

Tarpon Bend is full even on off days. Why? Great, fresh fish at reasonable prices, like cedar plank salmon with veggies for $25 or Asian tuna burger for $15. Owner Wayne stays on top of quality and it shows. Their daily special features three fish prepared any way you like. Big happy hour scene, loyal followers. 65 Miracle Mile // 305.444.3210

$$ Seafood

Zucca

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

162 Alcazar Ave. // 786.580.3731

$$$ Northern Italian

Home & Garden

Describing how her colorful, cozy garden makes her feel, homeowner Sheila Revell says “it feeds me, makes me happy, and challenges me.”

After moving into their 1926 Coral Gables home in 1996, Sheila began to work on creating a usable outdoor living space. The addition of a pergola covered with brilliant fuchsia bougainvillea added the perfect canopy, and installation of a Chicago brick floor created a perfect setting for intimate dining, reading and lounging spaces. Pots of herbs, orchids, delicate plants, and seasonal bloomers are frequently moved around to freshen the space.

A garden-lover all her life, Sheila is always on the lookout for new tropical plants and does much of the work herself. She gathers ideas from her worldwide travels, favorite garden books, and volunteer work planning local garden tours. She says a garden, no matter what the size, is always “a work in progress.”

Walter and Sheila Revell in the garden she has created.

While he is master of the business world outside (chairman of NCL, International Finance Bank, and Revell Investments), she is master of the universe at home.

It feeds me, makes me happy, and challenges me

Sheila Revell

Secret Gardens

CREATING AN OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE: THE HOME OF SHEILA & WALTER REVELL

by

Karen F. Buchsbaum

Photos by Steven Brooke

TThis past year has been rough – politics, healthcare, the environment, rising rents, traffic, the economy –so I was feeling stuck and needed a push.

The year before I had gone in for a hypnotherapy consultation at what was then called Coral Gables Hypnosis. I didn’t act on it, but I couldn’t get the upbeat yet grounded therapist I spoke with, Patty Fuenzalida, out of my head. Since I’d kept thinking about it, why not give it a shot now?

his past year has been rough – politics, healthcare, the environment, rising rents, traffic, the economy –so I was feeling stuck and needed a push. The year before I had gone in for a hypnotherapy consultation at what was then called Coral Gables Hypnosis. I didn’t act on it, but I couldn’t get the upbeat yet grounded therapist I spoke with, Patty Fuenzalida, out of my head. Since I’d kept thinking about it, why not give it a shot now?

My anxieties dissipated as soon as I walked into the feng shui designed wellness center, located at the intersection of Ponce de Leon and Giralda, and named after the tree under which Buddha became enlightened. Calm and warmth filled me. From the scent of candles and sage to the light blue walls, rustic wooden furniture, and crystals blinking in sunlight, the warm space radiated with positive energy – not to mention good humor.

My anxieties dissipated as soon as I walked into the feng shui designed wellness center, located at the intersection of Ponce de Leon and Giralda, and named after the tree under which Buddha became enlightened. Calm and warmth filled me. From the scent of candles and sage to the light blue walls, rustic wooden furniture, and crystals blinking in sunlight, the warm space radiated with positive energy – not to mention good humor.

As I sat down again with Patty Fuenzalida, a trained hypnotherapist and reiki

As I sat down again with Patty Fuenzalida, a trained hypnotherapist and reiki

We believe in practical magic. We have decided it is not weird or taboo...

Patty Fuenzalida Co-founder and CEO, Bodhi Wellness

We believe in practical magic. We have decided it is not weird or taboo...

Patty Fuenzalida Co-founder and CEO, Bodhi Wellness

What $1 Million Will Buy in Coral Gables

Coral Gables has some of the most valuable real estate in South Florida, with a median price per square foot ($423) that is almost twice that of the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area. Average prices over the last five years have risen 43 percent.

To see what $1million or below would buy today, we asked four real estate agents to submit one of their homes for sale in that price range – give or take a few hundred thousand dollars. Here is what they came up with, in different Gables locations.

1950’s South Gables

440 CASTANIA AVE

Listing Price

$949,000

Listing Agent: Mauricio J. Barba (ONE/Sotheby’s International Realty), 305.444.7224

On the Bay

Listing Price

$999,000

3 bed/2 bath/1 half bath. 2,750 sq. ft. Updated fourth-floor condo with expansive, wraparound balcony that looks onto rich greenery and the bay beyond. New wood and porcelain floors, impact glass, updated baths, plantation shutters, huge bedrooms and closets, large master and laundry room. Two assigned parking spaces and a storage room, with 24/7 security.

13643 DEERING BAY DR. #146

Listing Agent: Evan Goldman (RE/MAX Advance Realty//Goldman Residential Group), 305.607.8880

Mid Century Modern

6410 CELLINI ST.

Listing Price

$999,000

5 bed/4 bath/2,813 sq. ft./10,082 sq. ft. lot

On a tree-lined street deep in the South Gables, the corner lot home features a one-bed, one-bath maid’s quarters. Open floor plan with large living room, eat-in kitchen, large bedrooms and undated bathrooms. Wood floors in bedrooms and kitchen, travertine in the living area. Includes a two-car garage and accordion storm shutters.

Listing Agent: Ilaria Belloni (EWM Realty International), 305.607.5556

Listing Price

$899,000

Urban Living

275 GIRALDA AVE. TOWNHOUSE

2 bed/2 bath/1 half bath. 1,396 sq. ft.

In the downtown, walkable access to top-flight restaurants, galleries and boutique shops, this brand new two-story condo features 11.5 foot ceilings, a Snaidero Italian kitchen with Wolfe appliances, and a 24/7 lobby concierge. The mixed-use building has a large pool and lounging deck on the 7th floor and state-of-the-art gym.

Listing Agent: Chris Zoller (EWM Realty International), 305.321.3221

From Main Street By Mark Trowbridge

Food... Glorious Food

IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE THE RESTAURATEURS

Restaurants are often viewed as the most fragile and unpredictable type of business in the hospitality sector. The sheer number is massive, with more than one million American establishments and more than $800 billion in sales each year, according to the National Restaurant Association (the other NRA). Of that, more than 90 percent of independent concepts (non-chain) will close in a year, with 75 percent of the remaining not likely to reach their fifth anniversary. It is a rough and tumble business.

Opening a new restaurant has inherent challenges, particularly for independent restaurants and smaller chains. But, the ones that do make it past the first few years tend to thrive for a long time, especially if they are adaptable, located in a great spot, and able to anticipate their customers’ needs.

For the past eight years, our Chamber has had a robust portfolio of foodie-focused activities and promotions to support our restaurant community. This began as a highly local attempt to bolster Gables’ restaurants suffering from the Great Recession. Many still closed, sadly, but most found a way to survive and flourish in today’s strong market.

At that time, Miami and Coral Gables were not lighting up any Top 10 lists when it came to restaurants, chefs, or hip neighborhood pop-ups that would send a Thrillist or Eater blogger into a food coma. Sure, we had our own James Beard award winners in Michael Schwartz and Michelle Bernstein, and heralded restaurants

like Palm d’Or at The Biltmore. But no buzz.

Then it all began to change. Building on the strength of Miami Spice and fast-forwarding to our own uber-local Coral Gables Restaurant Weeks, we were on the hyper loop to foodie fandom. Shining stars like Cindy Hutson at Ortanique on the Mile were also opening locations in Las Vegas and the Cayman Islands, as well as new concepts in downtown Miami. Old hands in the kitchen like Norman Van Aken returned to the Gables for a star turn and Chef Allen Susser took over the reins at the Books & Books Café. Throw in a few hungry entrepreneurs like Wayne Eldred at Tarpon Bend and Abe Ng at Sushi Maki, and you had an emerging enclave for the palate conscious.

The Chamber, meanwhile, created Burgerliscious in 2011, to pay homage to the great American hamburger and our local restaurants who grill them up better than anyone else. It was a smash hit from the first bite. Now, eight years later, we celebrate this November burger festival as a centerpiece of our restaurant programming portfolio each year.

I am very proud to be the son of a restaurateur. I learned the value of rolling up my sleeves early on, washing dishes in the kitchen of my father’s restaurants. It was not a fun job by any means, but it came with an important lesson: There is nothing more honorable than hard work and nothing more satisfying than a happy customer.

Mark Trowbridge is the president and CEO of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce

I learned the value of rolling up my sleeves early on, washing dishes in the kitchen of my father’s restaurants

Artwork by Jon Braeley

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MG Developer Breaks Ground on Villa Blanc

MG Developer celebrated the ground breaking on its latest project in Coral Gables in July, the Villa Blanc at 311 Santander Ave. The Frenchstyle luxury villas are located half way between Miracle Mile and the Shops at Merrick Park, linked by trolley. Attending the groundbreaking and evening celebration at the 290 Aragon Avenue pop up gallery that followed were Coral Gables Mayor Raúl Valdés-Fauli and BID president and builder Venny Torre. Villa Blanc was designed by renowned Z.W. Jarosz Architect, PA.

Above: Venny Torre, Coral Gables Mayor Raúl Valdés-Fauli, Alirio Torrealba, Coral Gables Commissioner Patricia Keon, Zbigniew Jarosz, Fernando Pinto, Daniel Guerra

Right: Fernando Pinto, Coral Gables Mayor Raúl Valdés-Fauli, Venny Torre, Alirio Torrealba, Coral Gables Commissioner Patricia Keon, Richard Roffman

427 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables

v 24 one bedroom/one bath Units

v Asking Price $4,925,000

v Annual Net Operating Income: $236,763

v Current Capitalization Rate: 4.80%

v Value-Add & Development Opportunity

v Zoning allows for operation as Multi-Family, Short-Term Rental (Air BNB), or Assisted Living Facility

v Zoning allows for development of Townhomes by right

v Excellent tenant demographic

v 8 minutes away from University of Miami, Coral Gables Business District

v Access to world class shopping and dining

v AMENITIES: Venetian Pool, Granada Golf Course, Coral Gables Youth Center, Riviera Country Club and Biltmore Golf Course

Top: MG Developer CEO Alirio Torrealba gives toast at Ninoska Huerta Pop Up Gallery

Top right: Ninoska Huerta with Dorys Martin-Torrealba and sons

Right: Magaly “Maggie” Sanchez and Anniella Tabraue

Far right: Celebrants at the after party at Ninoska Huerta Pop Up Gallery

Time Machine

THE LASALLE BUILDING

In 1923, Coral Gables founder George Merrick set up shop in a building that still stands at the intersection of Aragon Ave. and LeJeune Road. Here, he headquartered his construc-

tion company, and here he and artist Denman Fink – the man who desinged City Hall and the Venetian Pool – drew up plans for the city. It was also the city’s first gas station.

The first motel (aka motorist’s hotel) opens, in California

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” is published

The Mount Rushmore National Monument is dedicated

The Scopes Monkey Trial on teaching evolution is held in Tennessee

The Chrysler Corporation is founded

Historic photo provided by City of Coral Gables 2018 photo by Lizzie Wilcox