IN THIS ISSUE

BRIAN BARAKAT

CHAIR OF THE BOARD PARTNER | BARAKAT + BOSSA, P.A. BARAKAT@B2B.LEGAL

CHAIR OF THE BOARD PARTNER | BARAKAT + BOSSA, P.A. BARAKAT@B2B.LEGAL Love and Fireflies are in the air this month.

The Gables sported a festive scene on Saint Valentine’s Day, as our well-dressed revelers took to the streets to celebrate their main squeeze. My wife Michelle and I were on the Mile and Giralda with love and patience, but without reservations. Finally, the folks at Bangkok Bangkok took pity on us and gave us a bowl of curry. Thank you to Jill Hornick over at Jae’s for showing that I did not completely fail to plan.

If you’re wondering where the Fireflies fit in, Illuminate Coral Gables has kicked-off as a delight for the senses. My family and I biked the whole circuit. We were blown away by the diversity of concept and topic. My favorite was the light tables at the Coral Gables Museum featuring the opposing harbors. A big thank you goes out to Past Chair of our Chamber Patrick O’Connell and Venny Torre for making sure that our City once again stands out as Miami’s fine arts mecca.

There is still plenty of time to experience Illuminate Coral Gables, as it’ll light up our Downtown Wednesday – Sunday nights through March 13th. If you want to be part of this phenomenon, you can sign up to volunteer to drive a Firefly or act as an event ambassador. There no better way to thank those who have invested countless hours in ensuring Illuminate’s success and it’s a great opportunity to be part of something special.

This has been a banner month for new members of the Chamber, welcoming a number of new Trustees, amongst other levels. It is a testament to the tremendous ability the Chamber has to connect and promote our businesses.

It is because of the Chamber I met my best client, my best office mate, two of my best employees, friends and of course, the outsourced vendors who make this place tick. For that I am forever thankful!