Coral Gables January 2019

CORAL GABLES

GREAT ART COLLECTIONS

PART II THE ARGIZ COLLECTION

PLUS: THE GABLES’ HIGH LIFE MASTEC GOES MASSIVE

JANUARY 2019 $5.99

Dear friends of Coral Gables,

It feels like just yesterday when we broke ground on our first project here in Coral Gables. Coming in as a new developer in 2015, we wanted to establish an enclave within this historic city and create the next chapter for you to take part in. These enclave are found in Biltmore Parc and Valencia Townhomes, and it’s where Coral Gables comes to unwind and live a distinct lifestyle found nowhere else in South Florida.

Since our first project, we’ve stayed true to our mission of “Building Beautiful” throughout the Gables, creating a number of new developments that not only complement the city’s character, but elevate its standard of living in a variety of ways. Whether it’s through new art initiatives or functional art for the public to use, everything we do is meant to evoke the spirit of Coral Gables.

Developing new projects is not our principal focus, so we decided to open three pop-up galleries this year for the public to enjoy. These galleries revitalized arts & culture in the city, a key component necessary for the introduction and growth of international artists that needed a place to share their ideas and creativity. The idea of bringing artists close to the public in a personal setting allowed us to see the importance of arts & culture in Coral Gables, and fortunately, we were just getting started.

Right before Art Week 2018, we wanted to show South Florida what gives The City Beautiful its rightful name by dedicating “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to the City of Coral Gables, an original stone bench at Balboa Plaza that served as the inaugural dedication to the City’s Art in Public Places, Public Art in Private Development program. Designed by Roberto Behar & Rosario Marquardt of R & R Studios, it was an opportunity to showcase the Biltmore Square community with functional art that residents can enjoy.

We would be remiss not to address our latest ‘Living Beautiful’ contributions. Villa Blanc and The Ponce, two residences with the soul of a French resort and a touch of old-world Caribbean personality, broke ground recently. Additionally, Beatrice Row which unveiled in December. Finally, Biltmore Row and Althea Row, our next two projects that will complete Biltmore Square, are the perfect expression of European charm and urban sophistication defined by a Mediterranean style designed by De La Guardia Victoria Architecture.

With so much going on in Coral Gables, we thank you for allowing us to come in and keep “Building Beautiful” for you. This is a chapter that pays homage to the city’s storied legacy, lively present, and exciting future, and it’s one that we can’t wait to build with you as we move toward a new City Beautiful in 2019.

For more information on any of MG’s projects visit: www.mgdevelopermiami.com, or 718 Valencia Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33134 305.460.6719 #BuildingBeautiful

BISCAYNE BAY

Pop Gallery In Coral Gables

Ponce Groundbreaking

Celebrating Art Gallery in Biltmore Parc

Fundahigado Event

Coral Gables Bus Tour

The

Beautiful homes deserve beautiful storage solutions. That’s why we’ve been collaborating with homeowners for over 40 years to design, build, and install custom storage solutions for every room in the home. With a wide selection of carefully-curated premium finishes, accents, and accessories, we’re confident we can create a solution that matches your needs, taste, and style.

7610 SW 47 Ave. (Erwin Road) Ponce Davis, Miami, FL 33143

When only the best will do! Custom Portuondo Perotti Architects, Ana Bru Interiors with owners’ custom finishes and upgrades. American walnut and Limestone floors, finest custom millwork/wainscoting,grass wall cloth, sleek frameless doors,custom window treatments. Custom kitchen and breakfast open to pool area, courtyard, grill and cabana bath. 5 beds conv. to 6 / 4 baths / 2 half baths | 5,971 adj. sf. | 11,251 sf. lot | $3,798,000

166 Isla Dorada Blvd. Islands of Cocoplum, Coral Gables, FL 33143

New Price! Best price pes SF. Across from Park, Tennis and Clubhouse! Fresh and bright, set far back from street. Classic two story great family floor plan, with updates/impact glass. Wood and marble floors, great eat-in kitchen with new quartz countertops, open to the covered terrace and heated salt water pool, patio and large yard.

| 5

/ 5

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7222 Monaco St. Cocoplum, Coral Gables, FL 33143

Split level home, gated with a brick courtyard, marble floors, high ceilings and doors and crown moldings throughout. The renovated eat-in kitchen opens to the large family room with built-in media center. Pool area has a large covered terrace, summer kitchen and cabana bath. Impact windows and accordion shutters.

Gated entrance and Coral Gables Police Patrol | 6 beds / 6 baths / 1 half bath | 6,722 adj. sf. | 20,000 sf. lot | $2,595,000

Evidence-based multisensory instruction to successfully educate children with dyslexia

For more than 18 years servicing Coral Gables, our staff would like to welcome you to our new office location!

Our team is excited to meet you and help you achieve and maintain a vibrant, healthy smile.

We open the world even wider in 2020–21, from exciting new ports in Japan, Greenland, and Italy, to our long-awaited returns to Turkey, Morocco, and Malaysia, and Canadian Rockies Cruisetours that take the adventure deep into the wilderness. You can choose from more than 280 ports, 77 countries, and 165 overnight stays to create your perfect escapes.

Contact one of our Holidays In Motion cruise specialist at 1-800-871-1777 or 305-443-3090 | CruiseLeaders.com

ships will get modernized as part of the $500 million Celebrity RevolutionSM

Plus, four of our

Visit new places. Discover new spaces. Sail beyond borders.

New Celebrity ApexSM, the second ship in our Celebrity Edge® Series, debuts summer 2019 in historic Europe, followed by winter in the sunny Caribbean.

award-winning

The Son Also Rises

How José R. Mas made Mastec the first Coral Gables-based firm to join the Fortune 500

The Great Art Collections

The Argiz collection consists of four dozen masterworks by 20th century and modern Cuban painters

The High

Life

Vertical living is coming to Coral Gables. How will it change the city’s character?

My mother never saw her parents again when she left Cuba. They put everything on the line, so their children could have a better future...

MasTec CEO José R. Mas

Editor’s Note Another Year Ahead

Is there anything more promising than a new year? Like most Americans, I will break most of my New Year’s resolutions in a matter of weeks. But like most of us, I stubbornly believe the best days are still to come, and that with a little luck and determination this new year will be better than the last.

This is our second year of publishing Coral Gables Magazine, and we could not be more pleased with the response from our readers. And, of course, we are determined to make it better than the last. Coral Gables remains a fascinating city to write about, filled with extraordinary people, innovative businesses, exquisite

neighborhoods and so many things to do that you never have to leave.

As this new year unfolds, we will continue to adhere to our mantra, which is to write about things you will find actionable and interesting, intelligence that will make living here a more informed experience. That is one resolution we will keep. Let us know what you think at letters@thecoralgablesmagazine.com

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

Kylie Wang

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Philip S. Avello

Jonathan Dann

Robert Sullivan

Donna Victor

SENIOR ADVISOR

Dennis Nason

J.P.Faber

Editor in Chief

CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION

CircIntel

Coral Gables Magazine is published monthly by City Regional Media, 2051 SE Third St. Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. Telephone: (786) 206.8254.

Copyright 2019 by City Regional Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Send address changes to City Regional Media, 2051 SE Third St. Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. General mailbox email and letters to editor@thecoralgablesmagazine.com. BPA International Membership applied for March 2018. thecoralgablesmagazine.com

thecoralgablesmagazine.com

On the Cover: “Gypsy with Fruit” by Victor Manuel, from the Argiz collection.

Photograph by Jon Braeley

The Long Ball “A Pass-Through Oasis”

Every few months Coral Gables city commissioners hold town hall meetings, to better inform the public and listen to suggestions. At the end of November, Commissioner Michael Mena and Vice Mayor Vince Lago joined forces, holding a packed town hall meeting at the Adult Activity Center on Andalusia. The audience of more than one hundred listened to various public officials, but what they most wanted to hear about was traffic and crime.

“People need to drive through your neighborhoods in a civil way,” Assistant Public Works Director Jessica Keller told the audience. To that end, Keller noted the newly implemented neighborhood speed limit of 25 mph. But she also pointed out that three quarters of Gables commuters drive to work alone in their car, and that alternatives are needed. She pointed out the city trolley, the FreeBee taxi

service downtown (“sort of a free golf-cart Uber”) and the city’s experiment with public scooters. “More people are afraid of these than have tried them,” she said. The average scooter ride? One mile.

On the safety front, Police Chief Ed Hudak noted that crime – especially violent crime – continues to drop, partly due to the city’s hightech approach, using cameras to capture license plates of cars entering and leaving the city. “We are a pass-through oasis, where 788,000 cars pass through daily,” said Hudak. Addressing criticisms of the camera network being installed citywide, Hudak noted that it’s entirely funded by the city’s forfeited assets account (“monies from ill-gotten gains”) and that regardless, “We still need the officers to respond.” The good news? Average emergency response time in the city has been shaved to a mere four minutes.

It has been one year since Jim McLean shook up the national golf school scene by leaving his roost at the Trump National Doral and relocating to the Biltmore Hotel. Now a resident of Coral Gables, McLean – ranked the No. 1 golf instructor in Florida and the No. 4 in America by Golf Digest magazine – says he couldn’t be happier about the “chance to move to the nicest part of Miami.”

McLean was at Doral for 26 years, but decided to move after the Trump property lost its PGA Tour. McLean has worked with some of the top golfers in national tournaments, including Tom Kite when he won his U.S. Open and Keegan Bradley when he won the PGA. McLean also trained Miami native Cristie Kerr, who became the No. 1 ranked female pro in the world.

The Biltmore does not host any national championships, but that may change. In July of 2018, The Biltmore began to restore its 18-hole, par-71 course to the grandeur

of Donald Ross’ original 1925 layout. The renovation included adding Bermuda grass to existing tees, fairways and greens, as well as building new bunkers and enhancing shortgame practice. Most notably, the course length was extended to reach over 7,100 yards, making it worthy of championship-level play. The project was completed and opened to the public Dec. 15.

“The Biltmore Hotel and Golf Course is an integral part of golf’s history,” says McLean, who would love to enhance that history. If you want to book a lesson with the master, visit jimmclean.com.

JIM MCLEAN CELEBRATES ONE YEAR AT THE BILTMORE

THOUGHTS FROM THE LATEST TOWN HALL MEETING

The Biltmore Hotel and Golf Course is an integral part of golf’s history...

Jim McLean

The New Sky

It rustles with the breeze and shimmers like a school of shiny fish. For those of us who miss the rainbow hues of the Umbrella Sky installation above Giralda Plaza, the sky is back, this time as the Sunlit Sky. Brought to you by the same Portuguese firm that created the Umbrella Sky, the new installation consists of 27,500 strips of silver and gold strips

that glimmer in the sunlight and sway with the wind. The new sky was officially dedicated Dec. 14 and will remain aloft for three months.

Already the Lonely Planet web site has declared “You’ll be dazzled if you visit the City of Coral Gables…” We’ll keep you posted on the increase in foot traffic – and the viral burst of Instagram traffic.

GOOD DEBT

Notes and News Return of the Farmers Market

Outstanding credit card debt nationwide is now at its second-highest point since 2008. But not to worry, Coral Gables. According to research reported last month by Wallet Hub, the City Beautiful is among the top 10 cities nationwide in terms of sustainable credit card debt, based on calculating the cost and time to pay off the median card balances of its residents.

SOUL MAN

Coral Gables resident Sam Moore, the music legend of the Sam and Dave duo, was among the invited guests last month at the funeral for President George H.W. Bush at the Washington National Cathedral. Moore, 83, and partner Dave Prater produced such hits as “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I’m Coming.” Moore performed at an inaugural event for Bush in 1989.

WRONG ADDRESS

The panache of the Gables is such that, even if you aren’t

located in the city but just close by, you want that moniker. Or at least the press wants to give it to you. When a man was thrown out of the Whole Foods Market on Red Road in South Miami earlier this winter (for consuming too many samples), the story was datelined Coral Gables, even by CBS Miami. As the story went national, it became the Coral Gables Whole Foods. Sorry guys, wrong city.

REPLACING THE PIG

For those saddened to see the demise of Swine Southern Table & Bar on Ponce, take heart. Early this year it will be replaced by Ad Lib, a new American-style eatery that promises “sophisticated playfulness” from the same 50 Eggs firm that launched Swine five years ago.

Legendary Miami pastry chef Hedy Goldsmith will be returning from a three-year stint in L.A. to run the show, featuring local produce, wildcaught seafood and humanely raised meats.

The Coral Gables Farmers Market is back, with its four-dozen tented stands laden with goods. But let’s call it a local bazaar: Most vendors offer not farm produce but a cornucopia of gourmet treats, drinks and food to go, virtually all of it locally produced.

Among the stands are those selling guava bars, crois-

sants, empanadas, macarons, pickles, Lebanese food, honey, hanging plants, fresh pasta, smoked fish, jams, guacamole, stone crab claws, BBQ pork, pies, and fresh squeezed juice. So, farmers aside, no complaints here! Starting Jan. 13, the market is open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in front of City Hall.

Sandals® offers all the luxuries of a 5-star resort with so much more, because here, the best of everything is always included. Every land and water sport. Exclusive 5-Star Global Gourmet™ dining at up to 16 restaurants per resort, and endless pours of premium spirits and Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks® wines. The best beaches and most romantic Love Nest Butler Suites®. Even the tips, taxes, and Sandals transfers* are included. Yet the true beauty of Sandals lies in the endless ways that time spent here can change the way you view the world…and the two of you in it.

Merrick Style

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS A CORAL GABLES STYLE? DO THE RESIDENTS OF THE GABLES DRESS WITH GREATER REFINEMENT THAN THOSE WHO LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY?

Photography by Jon Braeley

We return this month with another edition of Merrick Style, our showcase of fine fashion that is available here in the Gables and modeled by a notable local. This month we are highlighting clothing for men, using as our model Coral Gables attorney Christopher B. Spuches of the Agentis law firm on Alhambra.

For our clothing showcase we went to Hugo Boss in the Village of Merrick Park, for a look at their Pre-Spring 2019 Collection, selected by store manager Yusleidy Cabrera. The clothing is smartly tailored, and includes a range of looks that move from the corporately sleek to the less formal (but elegant) sports jacket and tapered slack ensemble. We also show a business look for creative types, with a classic black turtleneck, and a stylishly outdoorsy look for travel to colder climes.

Enjoy this month’s panoply of attire for the Gables man. Next month we return with a loving couple for Valentine’s day. Stay tuned.

BUSINESS CASUAL (this page)

Tailored regular-fit suit in checkered virgin wool: $1,395

Turtleneck sweater in extra-fine Italian merino wool: $178

Tennis-style sneakers in grainy calf leather: $398

ELEGANT INFORMAL

Slim-fit jacket in checked fabric with AMF stitching: $795

Vegetable-tanned leather belt with signature buckle in cow leather: $158

Slim-fit pants in mohair-look virgin wool: $228

Tailor Slim-fit shirt in cotton: $278

Tailor dark-red leather shoes: $645

Merrick Style

OUTDOOR TRAVEL

Water-repellent field jacket in lustrous technical fabric in regular fit with patch chest pockets: $546

Suede belt with antique-effect buckle in cow leather: $98

Windowpane check polo shirt in mercerized-cotton, fil-coupé intarsia in regular fit: $178

Slim-fit chinos in micro-patterned stretch cotton, pocket bottom front with French pocket: $178

Suede desert boots with EVA-rubber sole: $298

Merrick Style

Tailor slim-fit suit with check pattern with notched lapels: $1,695

Tailor slim-fit shirt in cotton: $278

Tailor medium brown leather shoes: $645

In Search of the Fried Bird

IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK, THE GABLES HAS FINE FRIED CHICKEN

African-American slaves created what we now call “fried chicken” in the early 1800s, by combining Scottish frying and African seasoning techniques. It was a rare dish, reserved for special occasions. With the explosion of poultry production in the 20th century, chicken became cheap and plentiful, and places like KFC thrived. In our search for great fried chicken in the Gables, we avoided the chains and sought a balance between crispy, juicy, spicy, and salty. Here are places that serve the best in town, with their dinner prices.

TARPON BEND

Gourmet Fried Chicken

Owner/Chef Wayne Eldred calls it a ‘Moorish’ taste, but whatever you dub his secret combination of 26 herbs & spices (cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg among them), it is delicious, with a light, slightly nutty flavor, using only brined, dark meat, boneless cuts. It also comes with the best side “pairings” anywhere, including truffle mac & cheese and roast garlic & onion mashed potatoes. $25.

THE LOCAL

The Sweet Side of Fried

Chef Juan Bedoya wants to create a “local” pub feeling with comfort foods. His “comfort” fried chicken is brined then dredged in flour mixed with BBQ spices. Served on a short stack of cheddar cheese pancakes with bourbon maple syrup, it’s amped up by watermelon jelly on the side for a sweet, spicy bite. $26.

THE EATING HOUSE

The Salty Side of Fried

Is there any better way to salt up your fried chicken than by serving it with slices of salty meat? Not according to this popular spot on the north end of Ponce de Leon Blvd., where

the fried chicken is served with waffles and candied Applewood-smoked bacon. $26.

THE YARD HOUSE

Southern Style

The menu lists it as “Southern fried chicken breast” and that’s what it is, thickly battered, but boneless and fluffy inside, with a creamy bourbon gravy just like momma made. Comes with spinach mashed potatoes, BBQ beans and creamed corn. $17.45

Top: The Eating House Right: The Local Below left: Tarpon Bend Below right: Yardhouse

Booyah!

Your Daily Dose of Jazz

For those in search of jazz in the City Beautiful, we have good news. There is now somewhere to go every day except Tuesday.

If you wake up Sunday morning and crave authentic Spanish cuisine and a new spin on sangria, then call the Uber for Bulla Gastrobar, the downtown restaurant inspired by Madrid’s tapas scene.

During a recent visit, we failed to make a reservation so we sat at the bar. Not a bad option, since we had direct access to the most important person, the bartender. Instead of flagging our waiter and sending him to place the order, we were handed another sangria approximately 37 seconds after sucking down the first one.

For $19, Bulla offers bottomless mimosas and three different types of sangria: The traditional red wine sangria, a white wine sangria, and a beer sangria. Our suggestion? The beer sangria. It may sound weird, but trust us on this. La Rubia beer, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice and pear purée, garnished with mint leaves and tiny orange slices, come together to make a light, refreshing weekend morning drink, the

perfect hangover cure.

To soak up the cocktails, Bulla has a $27 three-course menu. Come hungry, because each course is essentially an entrée. For the first course, we tried the Coca – a flatbread made with Mahón cheese, quail eggs, bacon, caramelized onions and mushrooms. Pizza for breakfast? It has eggs and bacon, so it counts. For the second course, it was a tossup between the Bulla Burger and chicken with waffles. The bartender tilted us toward the burger, topped with piquillo peppers, caramelized onions and tetilla cheese. Good choice. And because life is too short, we got the churros and the hazelnut waffles for the third course. It wasn’t humanly possible to finish everything, but the wait staff graciously brought us about six takehome boxes.

Luckily, brunch is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., so you have five hours to chow down all that food. Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

You can sit in for a set Wednesday night at John Martin’s Irish Pub, Thursday night at Zucca’s Italian restau-

rant, Friday night at the Books & Books café, Saturday night at the Globe on Alhmabra, Sunday for brunch at Fiola’s, and Monday night with the Miami Jazz Co-op at the Open Stage on Galiano. On Tuesdays? You can rest. (Above: Dafnis Prieto, photo by David Garten.)

That’s Entertainment

One of the perks of sitting at a Japanese sushi bar is to watch the itamae, or sushi chef, slice and roll.

Not wanting to deny its

customers, Hillstone on Miracle Mile has a mirror above its sushi chefs so that, seated at a table, you can still admire their steely skills.

Best Bets

FOUR CAN’T MISS EVENTS

13th Annual Chocolate Festival

It’s healthy, it tastes good and everyone loves it. Yes, it’s time again to indulge in delicacies from the cacao plant during the season’s most delicious event at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden: An entire weekend of enjoying samples from artisan chocolatiers and demonstrations from master chefs and chocolate makers. Take a “ChocoWalk” and learn about the life cycle of the cacao plant. Jan. 25–27, $25 adults, $18 seniors, $12 children and students, free for members.

The Kitchen Tour is Back

Over the past decade, it has become “a signature lifestyle experience” in the Gables. We’re talking about the Coral Gables Community Foundation’s Tenth Annual Tour of Kitchens, where for $75 you can spend the day trapesing from cupboard to pantry across the city. Starting with a lavish breakfast at the INFINITI of Coral Gables showroom, ticket holders can visit participating homes in any order. As the day unwinds, it’s time for champagne, coffee and desserts at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting, along with a silent auction. For tickets to this popular fundraiser that benefits Coral Gables Senior High’s culinary arts program, go to www.gablesfoundation.org or call 305.446.9670.

Hanging with Hillary Renowned photojournalist

Barbara Kinney was given rare and exclusive access to Hillary Clinton to document her historic campaign for president. Kinney comes to Books & Books to discuss her latest work that contains never-before-seen photographs and the stories behind them with those that are #StillWithHer. Sunday, Jan. 20, 6 p.m.

Antony & Cleopatra

Caesar and his assassins are dead. General Mark Antony now rules alongside his fellow defender of Rome. But at the fringes of the war-torn empire, Antony has fallen fiercely in love with the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra. Part of National Theatre Live, a project to broadcast British theater live from the London stage to cinemas around the world, this is a rare opportunity to see Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo perform without having to fly to England first. Coral Gables Art Cinema, Jan. 18-20 (Fri.Sun.) noon. Tickets $20, $18 for seniors, students or military.

Top to bottom: Hanging with Hillary

The Kitchen Tour is Back 13th Annual Chocolate Festival Antony & Cleopatra

Surf’s Up

MATHESON HAMMOCK’S SHALLOW WATERS OFFER AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR LEARNING THE ART OF KITE SURFING

Words and Photos by Julienne Gage

On hot days when the South Florida sun blazes and humidity hangs in the air, the palm-lined sands and soft bayside winds of Coral Gables’ Matheson Hammock offer an easy, breezy escape. Most visitors come to bathe on its beaches or wade with their children in its atoll, a shallow pool that flushes ocean water through holes in the barrier reef. But in recent years, a growing number of locals have been testing the waters with a far more adventurous endeavor: kite surfing.

“Jumping 30 to 40 feet up in the air is an adrenaline rush. It makes you feel like you can fly, like you have super powers,” says Tom Keeta, manager of Coral Gables Adventure Sports, which offers kite surfing lessons and rental equipment at Matheson Hammock.

The colorful nylon arches of nearly a dozen surfing kites dance in the sky behind him, pulling surfers across the light waves and into fancy, airborne spins. It might look tough, but Keeta says most clients learn the basics in a few hours.

“About 75 to 80 percent is knowing how to fly the kite properly and having an intuitive feeling about where the kite is, so that you won’t even have to look at it,” Keeta says, noting that Matheson Hammock is conducive to learning because its shallow water hovers over a flat sandbar. “You have the luxu-

ry just to stand up, and if you fall, you get right back up.”

Adventure Sports has a number of packages to teach visitors about this relatively new form of recreation, which emerged in the mid-1980s. A basic package explains kite safety, self-rescue, and the general principles of gliding across the waves. The more advanced courses explain how to jump and flip. Experienced kite surfers are welcome to simply rent equipment. On any given afternoon, Adventure Sports staff wade into the water to help kite surfers of all skill levels back to the shore with their gear, and as they do, a unique cast of local characters emerge.

One of the star kite surfers is octogenarian Louis Gomez. “I was 70 when I began. I just wanted a challenge, and I thought why not? You can do it,” says Gomez. “I’m stronger, I’m more flexible, I have more balance - this gets you young.”

Liliana Perez, 50, is a more recent convert. She and her husband got motivated a couple of years ago after watching a friend with a prosthetic limb get up on the board and maneuver his kite across the bay.

“That really inspired us,” she says. “I was afraid but I got over it. This company, this place is like a big family. There’s no discrimination. The professors are great, the owners are our friends, and we all help and teach each other.”

Top: A kite flies behind Louis Gomez, octogenarian kite surfer

Below: Tom Keeta, manager, Coral Gables Adventure Sports

It makes you feel like you can fly, like you have super powers...

Tom Keeta, Coral Gables Adventure Sports

Since 1990, Ruta Maya Coffee has worked in partnership with indigenous Mayan farmers to import 100% organic, shade -grown Arabica coffee beans from the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. By working directly with family-owned coffee cooperatives, we’re able to help support organic farmers in becoming a viable economic force within their communities.

Experience the taste of the Maya at our upcoming partner events:

Coral Gables, FL: 5th Annual Childrens Festival, hosted by the Coral Gables Woman’s Club. January 19, 2019-11am-3pm. 1009 E. Ponce de Leon Blvd. Open to public.

Austin, TX: The 2019 Mesoamerica Meetings-Dress Codes: Regalia and Attire in Ancient Mesoamerica. January 18-19, 2019, The University of Texas at Austin. Open to public with registration. Learn more at: UTMesoamerica.org

Sharing a morning cup with Ruta Maya co-op farmer, Elvia. Chiapas, Mexico 2018

Ruta Maya Coffee

Grace Smith (or Gracie, as she goes by on stage) is a communications major at the University of Miami. At the age of five, she began performing in glitz pageants under the direction of her mother and quickly realized her knack for performing. From her many titles in the pageant world to her plans to graduate a year earlier than her peers, Grace is a powerhouse of dedication to her future. She intends to pursue an international news broadcasting career after graduating and plans to return to the pageant circuit “as a fully formed woman rather than an accomplished teenager.”

Grace Smith

UM STUDENT, MISS FLORIDA TEEN USA 2016

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT WHAT SHE SAYS

Following a grueling weekend of interviews and performances, Smith was crowned Miss Florida Teen USA 2016 over 60 other competitors. Since then she has become an Honors student at UM.

“I was crowned my junior year in high school and I had a lot going on. From dual-enrollment classes to volleyball and piano practice to fundraisers and trips to Miami to speak with my director, I was always doing something. We logged a lot of miles and I did a lot of homework in the backseat,” she says. “If it had come a year later,

I think I would’ve come off as too old for the title, and if it came a year sooner I don’t think I would’ve been mature enough to handle it, so it was excellent timing even though it was a lot to juggle…

“Being a high school student [and] being a representative of the entire state on top of it was incredible.”

Words and photo by Kylie Wang

CONSIDERING A

Mommy Makeover?

I recently saw a pleasant mommy makeover patient. By the time she came into the office, she already had FOUR surgeries over a two year period: the first one over-augmented her breasts with a poor choice implant and left her disproportionally large.

The second surgery attempted to correct the first operation by reducing the implant size and utilizing a better choice silicone implant, with a still less than optimal result. The third operation was to address a belly button hernia, which is common after kids, but really didn’t and left her with a noticeable scar. The fourth operation was a “mini” tummy tuck done under local anesthesia, with sedation in the office which left her only with a long scar, but no aesthetic improvement at all and unnecessary CT scan studies to find out why her belly contour had not improved.

When she showed me her initial before surgery photos, she had no complicated problems – only a loose belly with a small belly button hernia and deflated breasts after two children. All she needed was ONE operation - a well performed tummy tuck, including the hernia repair, and an anatomically fitting breast augmentation, a ‘Mommy Makeover’ – a four hour procedure under general anesthesia and a two week recovery period. Her FIFTH surgery, under general anesthesia, finally provided her with the result she sought and deserved.

A tummy tuck under local anesthesia sounds good but simply doesn’t work. General anesthesia with complete muscle relaxation is needed to effectively correct the muscle laxity after kids. The belly button hernia is easily addressed at the same time and a properly chosen breast implant would have solved her breast deflation.

How could she have avoided her overly lengthy and unnecessarily costly experience? More research, more questions, more evaluation of a surgeon’s actual results and being less impressed by a doctor’s marketing claims.

Merrick Pointe • 3850 Bird Road Suite 702 • Miami, Florida 33146 Phone 305.381.8837 • Fax 786.513.2679 • www.drbaker.com

Photo by Nick Garcia

Health & Wellness

Punch it Out!

AMONG THE NEW WAVE OF STREET-LEVEL GYMS IN THE GABLES IS ONE THAT ALSO LETS YOU TAKE OUT YOUR FRUSTRATIONS

By Lizzie Wilcox

As an avid runner and someone who lives for the adrenaline rush of a workout, I can say I’ve never had a better endorphin high than both during and after my session at Brooklyn Fitboxing. Part-workout, part-anger management, in one 47-minute high intensity boxing class, you burn nearly 1,000 calories. You also get to pound a boxing bag. Finally, a workout you can look forward to.

The class is fit (no pun intended) for anyone, from a rookie to a former boxer who didn’t want to get hit in the head anymore. If you’ve never boxed before, like me, the instructor will go over the different names and techniques for each type of punch: Hook, cut, jab, dodge, etc. The first class comes with a pair of gloves and wraps to keep. Trust us, you’ll use them more than once, as you’ll be hooked on this workout (pun intended). They’ll also properly wrap your wrists and knuckles to avoid injury. It turns out that it’s crucial to have your wrists wrapped tightly enough to avoid “flexion” when punching, which means not letting them get bent.

As the only newbie in the class, I was afraid I would mess up; the man next to me somewhat jokingly asked me not

to kick him. But somewhere during the first round, my inner cheerleader came out and I picked up the movements faster than a homecoming pep rally routine. In between rounds of boxing, you work on other muscle groups with burpees, crab walks and planks.

The punching bag has sensors inside that detect your power. At the end of the class, everyone’s individual scores are displayed on the board. One hundred percent power equals 1,000 calories burned. It’s nearly humanly impossible to put in 100 percent power for the entire class, but even if you put in 80 percent, you’re still burning 800 calories. It may seem like a lot of energy, but it helps if you envision the bag as your former best friend who is now dating your ex!

The gym offers both monthly subscriptions and class packages. Monthly membership varies depending on how many classes you do per week. One class per week costs $89 monthly; two classes per week costs $129 monthly; three classes per week (12 per month) costs $169. If you can’t make it each week, you can opt to buy per session, or in increments of 5, 10 and 20 classes, which you can spread out over any length of time.

Monthly subscriptions & class packages:

One class per week costs $89 monthly

Two classes per week costs $129 monthly

Three classes per week costs $169 monthly

Brooklyn Fitboxing

2615 Ponce de Leon Blvd.

786.483.7518

Our intrepid reporter at the bag.

EXQUISITELY REMODELED

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

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The Son Also Rises

HOW JOSÉ RAMON MAS MADE MASTEC THE FIRST CORAL GABLES-BASED FIRM TO JOIN THE FORTUNE 500

By Doreen Hemlock

It’s a remarkable feat to take a company with less than $1 billion in annual sales and lead it to top $6 billion in a single decade. José

R. Mas has done just that, landing the construction venture founded by his hard-scrabble immigrant father onto the prestigious Fortune 500 list of the nation’s largest businesses.

MasTec appears to be the first company founded by a Cuban-American to make Fortune magazine’s iconic list and the first from Coral Gables. The infrastructure builder moved its headquarters to here from Doral in 2004.

How did Mas do it? Since becoming CEO at just 36-years-old, the humble leader has been seizing opportunities in new technologies.

60 percent of MasTec revenue comes from energy – including building transmission lines, wind turbines, solar farms and oil pipelines

His dad, Jorge Mas Canosa, started out in construction mainly for phone companies. José has expanded into projects for electric companies, wireless telecom, renewable energy, and oil & gas customers. Today, telecom no longer represents the bulk of MasTec revenue. About 60 percent comes from energy – including building transmission lines, wind turbines, solar farms and oil pipelines.

Mas and his team also target emerging technologies to keep their businesses evolving. They’re now keen on building for 5G wireless systems, battery storage for sun and wind energy, and the deployment of sensors vital for driverless cars and other super-fast, mobile applications.

“When you think about the next 10 or 15 years, we’re going to be living differently than today. How? We don’t really know yet. But it’s our job as a company to find what those technological advances will be and how we can play a role in helping develop and build that,” says Mas.

Key to the dynamism? Hardy immigrant roots, says Mas. His eyes mist up remembering his late father, who came to the United States at age 19 with no English, no money and no college degree, working as a shoe salesman, stevedore and milkman before getting a chance to run a tiny firm digging ditches for phone companies. His dad eventually bought that venture, named Church & Tower for its two founders, Iglesias and Torres. Mas recalls his father working late and sometimes struggling to make payroll.

“I saw the intensity he had, the desire to succeed,” Mas says lovingly. “I wake up every single day and I think about the sacrifices that so many people made before me – my parents, for one, because they left everything behind. My mother never saw her parents again when she left Cuba. They put everything on the line, so their children could have a better future,” says Mas, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Miami. “So many people in this community went through the same thing. Every day, I think about our obligation to continue that legacy forward and to continue making that legacy proud.” He calls that immigrant drive and hunger to prosper “our biggest competitive advantage” for business in greater Miami, where roughly half the residents are foreign-born.

MasTec now employs 350 people in

Coral Gables, part of their 22,000 full- and part-time staff in 400 permanent locales across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Mas says he tries to motivate employees to be innovative, too. “My management style is to give people plenty of room to manage their own business and make decisions, but at the same time, with a high level of accountability,” he says. Mas went as far as to participate in the television program “Undercover Boss” in 2012, to better understand what makes his workers tick.

To foster team spirit, MasTec recently opened an employee lounge at its headquarters on South Douglas Road, where staff can work, enjoy free coffee and buy $5 catered lunches, among other perks. “We want this to be a very collaborative workstyle,” says Mas, “where people can feel entrepreneurial and part of a family.”

Outside the office, Mas also aims to give back. The longtime Coral Gables resident serves on the executive board for the nonprofit United Way of Miami-Dade County. He’s also active with the Mas Family Foundation, which so far has given college scholarships to more than 230 students of Cuban descent. One thing he’s not busy with is politics, unlike his crusader dad, who co-founded and led the Cuban American National Foundation.

Many Wall Street analysts are bullish on MasTec. They spot growth opportunities for the company in oil and gas projects in Texas, in 5G telecom nationwide, and in Puerto Rico, where MasTec already has won an initial $500 million contract to help rebuild the island’s hurricane-ravaged electric grid. “We see tailwinds behind each of MasTec’s business units in 2018,” said a Stifel analyst team led by Noelle C. Dilts in a recent report, reiterating a “Buy” rating on the stock. Stifel, a global investment banking firm with offices in Miami, forecasts a 7 percent compound annual growth rate for MasTec’s net operating income over the next three years.

This year, Mas expects company revenues to reach a record $7 billion. Yet he has no plans to double sales or hit other revenue targets over the next decade. “We’re not trying to reach a particular goal. It’s about being a leader in the industries we serve,” including energy and telecom, he says. “What’s exciting ... is moving into those businesses where our industries go and where the dollars flow.”

MasTec

Founded: 1994, through the union of two companies Church & Tower and Burnup & Sims.

Headquarters: Coral Gables. Moved from Doral in 2004.

Financials: Record $6.6 billion in revenue and $347 million in net income in 2017. Trades on New York Stock Exchange since 1998 as MTZ.

Employees: 22,000 full- and parttime in North America, including roughly 350 in Coral Gables.

CEO: José R. Mas Santos, 47, son of Cuba-born founder Jorge Mas Canosa.

Community links: Mas serves on the executive board of United Way for Miami-Dade County. Also helps lead the Mas Family Foundation.

I wake up every single day and I think about the sacrifices that so many people made before me – my parents, for one, because they left everything behind...

José R. Mas, MasTec CEO

Marengo: A 140.4 megawatt electricity generating wind farm facility being built for PacifiCorp near Dayton, Washington

By J.P. Faber

Photography by Jon Braeley

Tony Argiz’ Coral Gables home feels like an art museum, with tall ceilings and massive wall spaces to hang large works of art. His collection includes some four dozen works by Cuban masters of the 20th century and several by contemporary Cuban artists; the only exception to the Cuban lineup being one piece by Argentine artist Antonio Segui.

Having left Cuba at the age of eight, Argiz says his collection of Cuban art makes him feel closer to the island where he was born. As an exile, Argiz has had a very successful career in the accounting industry. He is currently chairman and CEO of Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra, one of the top 40 accounting firms in the nation.

Upon entering the towering vestibule of the Argiz household, one is met by an immense canvas by Carlos Alfonzo, a modern Cuban artist who died at age 40 from AIDS. The 1987 work, an angry, dark swirl of knives, spikes and arrows entitled The Spiral, was painted after Alfonzo learned of his illness.

Nearby is a considerably brighter piece by Carlos Enríquez (1900-1957) entitled “Bembe en El Solar,” a vibrant painting that combines elements of Afro-Cuban religions (Yoruba, Santeria) while honoring La Virgin, the first symbolized by a rooster and the second by a female dancer in yellow. “The Solars were the

THE GREAT ART COLLECTIONS

Top left: “Bembe en el Solar” by Carlos Enríquez (1900-1957). This rare 1934 work mixes Afro-Cuban and Christian religious symbols

Tony Argiz in front of “The Spiral” by Carlos Alfonzo (1951-1991). This 1987 work was painted after the artist contracted AIDS.

THE ARGIZ COLLECTION

old Cuban mansions in neighborhoods that became undesirable to the wealthy. They were rented out room by room to poor families that shared the house and the kitchen,” says Ramón Cernuda, whose Gables gallery has specialized in Cuba art since it opened two decades ago. “It’s a beautiful work.”

The vestibule of the Argiz home leads immediately into a large living room with 24-foot ceilings and plenty of space to hang works of art. On one of them is a Wifredo Lam entitled “Si possible, la ofrenda” – “If possible, an offering” – a painting Argiz recently acquired which has become his favorite. Lam is easily the most famous (and most valuable) Cuban artist, a contemporary and colleague of Picasso in Paris and a master of the first wave of modern Cuban art.

Another of this first or “Vanguardia” movement of Cuban artists was Víctor Manuel (1897-1969), sometimes referred to as the Gaugin of Cuba. “Victor Manuel is recognized as the initiator of the modern art movement in Cuba, having gone to Paris first in 1925,” says Cernuda. “His work was about finding beauty in simple people and poor people, a very revolutionary concept in the ’20s and ’30s art scene in Havana.” One of the Bermuda works owned by Argiz is just that, a portrait entitled “Gypsy with Fruit.”

This Vanguardia group was followed by a second, post WWII wave of modern Cuban artists, epitomized by Cundo Bermúdez (1914-2008), whose painting “The Musicians” hangs on the great wall of the Argiz living room. It is a tableau of four musicians at a table, reminiscent of Matisse. “It’s a very important painting,” says Cernudo. “It’s a masterpiece.”

Among the other 20th century Cuban masters in the Argiz collection are works by Mariano Rodriguez (1912-1990), Amelia Peláez (1896-1968), Felipe Orlando (1911-2001) and René Portocarrero (1912-1985), as well as more contemporary (still living!) artists. Of these are works by Tomás Sánchez, Flora Fong and Roberto Fabelo, all highly collectable.

“I got into it [collecting] in ‘78 and started to realize that a big part of it was learning,” says Argiz. “I follow artists and then I acquire them… I could tell you that my favorite is Lam or Sánchez or Amelia Peláez but the truth is I really enjoy them all. As a Cuban, I love these paintings.”

Top: “The Musicians” by Cundo Bermúdez (1914-2008). This masterpiece was painted in 1960

Below: “Rainstorm Along the Shore” by Tomas Sanchez (1948+), the famous Cuban landscape painter whose works are now valued at between $600,000 and $900,000.

Opposite Page:

Top left: “If possible, an offering” by Wifredo Lam (1902-1982) Argiz recently acquired this 1955 work, which shows elements and symbols of voodoo.

Top right: “Gypsy with Fruit” by Victor Manuel (1897-1969), illustrates

Manuel’s radical notion in the 1920s and 1930s that paintings should be of ordinary people.

Bottom left: “Woman with Comb” Mariano Rodriguez (1912-1990). This 1945 painting is by a leader of the “second generation” of modern Cuban artists. His works fetch prices second only to Lam (one recently sold for $1 million: Lam’s work can sell for multi-million dollar price tags).

Bottom right: “Sit Down in Cuba” by Flora Fong (1949+). This contemporary work (2010) is by an artist who, despite international fame, remains in Cuba.

VERTICAL LIVING IS COMING TO CORAL GABLES. HOW WILL IT CHANGE THE CITY’S CHARACTER?

By J.P. Faber

You don’t have to be a city planner to see that something is in the air. Namely construction cranes, those steel skeletons rising above the downtown, along U.S. 1 and around Merrick Park. What they are creating may transform Coral Gables – and for the better, say proponents of mixed-use urban centers.

All told, there is approximately $1.5 billion dollars in new mid-rise construction that is just being completed, has been started, or is planned

Above: Coral Gables City Center project Opposite: Rooftop pool at Giralda Place

for the next couple of years in Coral Gables. The projects range from purely commercial, like the recently completed 16-story Offizina at 1200 Ponce to the purely residential, like the recently completed Biltmore Parc at 718 Valencia. Most, however, are mixed-use projects, such as 2020 Salzedo, the new 16-story headquarters for Codina Partners that also contains 213 luxury rentals, 50,000-sq.-ft. of office space and street level retail with a 5,200-sq.-ft. Bachour restaurant and bakery complex.

While some residents worry that the latest wave of construction might threaten the quiet, tree-lined lifestyle of the Gables, advocates of vertical development see the buildings as a boon.

“I think the city is simply evolving in the way it was intended,” says Ramon Trias, Coral Gables’ head of Planning and Zoning. “The city, as conceptualized by [founder George] Merrick was brilliant, because it had very well-established neighborhoods and commercial areas... these [new buildings] are mostly mixed-use projects going into very specific areas that don’t impact the rest of the community.”

Trias also points out the scale. Coral Gables has a strict height limit of 190 feet, which is about 16 stories, whereas on Brickell you have buildings soaring to 40 and 50 stories – and beyond. “Our ground level elements – the arcades, plazas, the sidewalks – are also well designed,” he says.

That is one reason, says developers, that the Brickell area is one source for residents moving into the growing number of mid-rise multi-use buildings in the Gables.

A NATURAL EVOLUTION

Regardless of how well the new buildings are designed, their advent is inevitable, say analysts, if you expect to have a growing and vibrant community.

“The evolution of any luxury market, even one not in such high demand as Coral Gables, is naturally going to move in the direction of vertical living – simply because there is not enough space,” says Jay Phillip Parker, Douglas Elliman Real Estate’s Florida CEO. “As population grows, people have to look toward high-rises.”

Having vertical options, especially for moderately priced apartment rentals, is also one of the ways to attract a younger demographic to a city with high property values. “I would like young people to live and work here, and to have a complete city with entertainment and a night life,” says Mayor Raul Valdes-Fauli. “I really do see that George Merrick was a visionary in [city planning]. Look at the architecture, at the villages. He built a university when Coral Gables was an hour by carriage from Miami. He built a lot of things to make this a city of the future, and I think he would approve of what we are doing today.”

Some of the mid-rise apartments recently completed include the 200-unit Gables Columbus Center, just off Alhambra in the downtown and before that the Residences at Merrick Park, which are connected to the Shops at Merrick Park. In both, one-bedroom rentals start in the low $2,000s per month, not too much higher than the $1,900 Miami average.

A younger demographic is one of the targets for two Gables projects that developer NP International expects to complete by next year on U.S.1. The $300 million Gables Station project near the Shops at Merrick Park will have 440 rental apartments (and 60 extended stay hotel rooms), while the $172 million Paseo de la Riviera project across from UM will have 204 apartments and a 241-room hotel.

Brent Reynolds, NP International’s CEO, says the buildings are designed to attract a full range of demographics, with a special focus on attracting a younger market by providing what he calls “co-living” amenities that range from common social areas and co-working spaces to food and beverage outlets, grocery stores, health centers, and entertainment options.

“Young professionals who want to get out of Brickell and take a step away from downtown congested living to a more integrated community want a meaningful life experience that is cohesive,” says Reynolds. “These vertical mixed-use projects create a lifestyle destination with adaptability.”

Reynolds also expects to attract “the more established residents” of Coral Gables who are looking to downsize, and,

I think the evolution of any luxury market, even one that is not in such high demand as Coral Gables, is naturally going to move in the direction of vertical living – simply because there is not enough space...

Jay Phillip Parker, Douglas Elliman Real Estate’s CEO for Florida

The High Life Apartment

Nancy Garcia (above) moved into a 1,000-sq.ft. apartment in the downtown Gables Columbus Center with her boyfriend and two dogs in August. She previously lived on Brickell Key and Harbor Island, but wanted to be more centrally located. “Now, Coral Gables is the heart of Miami. And I don’t miss the water after 20 years. I used to see that every day. Not anymore. Now I see windows and I hear noises and I love it. I grew up in Caracas in a very big city, so for me it’s like going back to childhood,” she says. Her top amenities? A dog-friendly policy, the gym and large closets. “Everything is walking distance,” she says. “And the fact that I can just go out and walk my dogs and there’s a little grass here and there, it’s not just cement – I love it.”

Brent Reynolds, CEO of NP International

with larger units, to entice young families.

Larger units that can accommodate families is a hallmark of the new rentals that are rising, including the 174 apartments that will be part of the 7-acre Plaza Coral Gables project on Ponce Circle, just south of Miracle Mile. “The trend is toward the larger, more luxurious rental buildings,” says Patrick O’Connell, senior vice president of EWM Realty. “As the millennials who have been occupying Brickell for the last decade are getting to the age where they are coupling up and having families, they are looking to Coral Gables as a happy medium. You have the urban life, but not so crowded and with good schools.”

Patrick observes that pricing for apartments in Coral Gables “doesn’t fall into what most people consider affordable housing,” so he expects an influx of young professionals who can afford them.

As for luxury condos, says O’Connell, the trend is toward smaller, boutique buildings that will attract some young professionals but also a preponderance of local baby boomers.

“Coral Gables developers have anticipated a need for baby boomers who have lived for years in the Gables, raised their kids here, and are now empty nesters,” he says. “They figure they would appreciate having a home in Coral Gables for the winter and then go to their second home for the summer… Between Giralda Place and the developments that MG Developer has done, like Beatrice Row and Biltmore Park, these [empty nest baby boomers] are the sort of buyers choosing these units.”

“Coral Gables is attracting a wide range of diverse buyers looking for a new kind of innovative living environment. Luxury condos like those at Bilmore Parc or large town homes like Beatrice Row are an ideal option for those looking to downsize in the community,” say Alirio Torrealba, Founder & CEO of MG Developer. Another attraction for Baby Boomers who want to travel: “They need to be worry free of locking the door and travelling the world without a concern.”

And what they are buying, and at prices of $600 to $700 a square foot, are not like the condos of yesteryear.

A NEW KIND OF CONDO

“Historically there has been a very big delta between a typical condo and a single-family home,” says Parker of Douglas Elliman. “Condos were high-density, high-volume initiatives, with hundreds of units with palliative amenities and services – very different for the single-family home where you have more exclusivity and private space…

“What we are seeing now is vertical residences with lower density, with larger floor plans and more sophisticated and curated amenities that are more in line with what single-family home provide –large balconies for indoor-outdoor living, garages, facilities to order food, concierge services, health and fitness centers, even small movie theaters – almost what you would find in a mega mansion.”

This is all well and good for the buyer-cum-residents, but what about the community impact?

That question may come to a head this month with the City Center project that developer Allen Morris wishes to build atop two proposed parking garages on Andalusia Street, directly behind the retail stores that line Miracle Mile. Morris has been trying to develop these spaces as mixed-use projects, with apartments, offices and retail, that will be similar in height and appearance to his iconic Alhambra Tower, which has become a city landmark.

Regardless of its design, the project is simply too big for its location, insists Vice Mayor Vince Lago, who has long been a champion of restraining developers who seek to put in oversized projects that threaten the Coral Gables lifestyle.

“I have been a staunch advocate of maintaining height limitations around the city,” says Lago. “But I also believe we should have a robust and vibrant downtown.” Consequently, he says, “I have always negotiated with developers to ensure that, while we may allow more density and additional floors of height, the quality of life for the residents is increased.” For Lago, this means three things: excellent sdesign standards, the provision of green space, and environmentally conscious construction.

Lago’s objection to City Center

A Sampler of 10 Mixed-Use Projects

2020 Salzedo. Just finished. Residential units: 213

Commercial space: 47,800 sq. ft.

Columbus Center. Finished. Residential units: 200

Commercial space: 3,400 sq. ft.

Merrick Manor. Near finished. Residential units: 180. Commercial space: 11,741 sq. ft.

Gables Station. Under construction. Residential units: 440. Commercial space: 81,873 sq. ft.

Paseo. Under construction. Residential units: 204

Commercial space: 35,732 sq. ft.

The Plaza. Under construction. Residential units: 174. Commercial space: 455,000 sq. ft.

Giralda Place. Finished. Residential units: 33

Commercial space: 13,390 sq. ft.

55 Merrick. Finished. Residential units: 181

Commercial space: 44,536 sq. ft.

33 Alhambra. Approved. Residential units: 146

Commercial space: 11,325 sq. ft.

Venera. Approved. Residential units: 147

Commercial space: 21,000 sq. ft.

SOURCE: City of Coral Gables; developers

focuses on its size relative to its location. Whereas the height had once been limited to below 100 feet, an earlier city commission voted to raise that to 190 feet, a height that would “cast a shadow on Miracle Mile,” says Lago, and create a canyon effect on Andalusia should Publix develop its parking lot on the other side of that street. He proposes that one of the two parking garages be turned into a public space instead. “We could create a world-class park, a place for gatherings and families, to increase the quality of life,” he says.

More residential units, more offices and more retail outlets will actually do more to help the downtown, says developer Morris, who believes density in certain areas was Merrick’s vision for the city. He cites studies that show how more people living in urban cores reduces traffic, since more people walk or use public transport to get to work or recreate.

“When you create a true livable,

walkable community, you have to do it with density,” says Morris. “You have to put enough people in the offices and residential buildings and they have to be close enough [to each other]. Then they will walk to work, go to their favorite places for lunch, meet their friends afterwards for drinks or dinner or at the Actor’s Playhouse or the Art Cinema. That is what a true walkable community is all about.”

Morris also points out that more than half the city’s property taxes come from the downtown, which means single-family homeowners pay lower taxes. “The neighborhoods are the glory and beauty of Coral Gables,” says Morris, a lifetime resident. “But at the same time, if you take away the areas designated for high rises by George Merrick and build low rises, it doesn’t help preserve the old Coral Gables. It actually hurts the future of the city… If we are going to have a walkable and livable downtown, we need density.”

The neighborhoods are the glory and beauty of Coral Gables. But at the same time, if you take away the areas designated for high rises by George Merrick and build low rises, it doesn’t help preserve the old Coral Gables...

Allen Morris, developer

The Plaza Coral Gables project on Ponce Circle

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Impeccably updated 2 bdrm ——————————————

2780 NE 183 St #101 $189,000

Spacious 2 bdrm 2 bth condo in the Commodore Plaza in Aventura. Remodel to fit your

Picture Perfect, 1 bdrm/1 bath, Remodeled kitchen & bath, laminate ——————————————

Lovingly Triple Investment structures, Fantastic Spacious at Picture Remodeled Spacious

2780 NE 183 St #101 Spacious 2 bdrm 2 bth condo Plaza in Aventura. Remodel

13780 SW 73 Court

7370 SW 170 Ter, Old Cutler Palms

What Will $1.25 to $1.5 Million 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

$1.25 to $1.5 million would buy today, we asked three real estate agents to submit one of their homes for sale in that price range – give or take a few hundred thousand dollars. Here is what they came up with, in different Gables locations.

On the Golf Course

Real Estate Historic Coral Rock Home

Listing Price $1.299M

ROJAS

Gables Garden

The Music of the Night

BLOOMING PLANTS FOR THE NIGHT OWL GARDENER

By Kenneth Setzer

Want to enjoy the rewards of your garden toil after the sun sets? Then choose plants that bloom at night, offering lovely flowers or a heady scent. Many night-blooming plants have developed relationships with, not surprisingly, nocturnal animals like moths, bats, certain beetles and lemurs, so you might also catch a glimpse of these animals at work—though in South Florida, the lemurs probably won’t show up. Most of the following plants aren’t restricted to night blooming, but their flowers may smell more intensely after dark. Some, however, open only at night, and can be called vespertine—my new favorite word—meaning active after dark.

The Tahitian gardenia (Gardenia taitensis) is a relatively small, bushy plant that isn’t actually native to Tahiti, but from further west, in Melanesia. It flowers in daylight, but fragrance increases at night, and the large white pinwheel flowers attract night-flying moths with their nectar. Gardenias don’t love our high pH alkaline soil, so if you notice foliage turning yellow, try an iron-based additive designed to increase soil acidity. Follow up with fertilizer for plants that like acidic soil, as per label directions.

There are loads of other gardenias we can grow here. If you stroll down the Allée at Fairchild, near the end in Plot 24 is starry gardenia (Gardenia thunbergia). Native to southern Africa, the starry gardenia also produces a pinwheel-shaped white flower; these flowers also offer long tubes accessible only to nocturnal hawkmoths.

Plumeria (or frangipani) are iconic of Hawaii, though the plant is native to Central and South America. Plumeria flowers are open during the day, but are most fragrant at night in order to lure sphinx moths to pollinate them. The poor moths are fooled, as Plumeria flowers provide no nectar. Nevertheless, the moths spread its pollen. Varieties are available in flowers of whites, yellows, pinks, reds and combinations of these. Plumeria prefers seasonally drier conditions, so don’t over-irrigate, especially before or while they are blooming. Fairchild has about 20 Plumeria varieties planted throughout the Garden.

Brugmansia, angels’ trumpets, are intensely fragrant at night. These aren’t strictly night-blooming, but often wilt come daytime heat. Brugmansia can be found in various shades of pink, yellow, peach, apricot, cream and yellow, with flowers forming large, pendant trumpets. There are a number of Brunfelsia

species from tropical America. Two in particular—Brunfelsia americana and B. nitida—are both called lady of the night for good reason: their scent wafts with the pulses of evening warmth. The more familiar yesterday-today-tomorrow plant, Brunfelsia grandiflora, is in the same genus, and while providing evening scent it is also more alkaline-soil tolerant. Night-blooming jasmine, Cestrum nocturnum, is not an actual jasmine. But its narrow, trumpet-shaped flowers tipped with star-like petals are known to perfume the night. Cestrum is also known as potentially invasive.

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1. Tahitian gardenia was made for tropical nights

2. Starry gardenia offers a gardenia variation.

3. Plumeria perfume the night and are available in far more variety than are commonly planted.

4. Peach colored Brugmansia, or angel’s trumpet

5. Brunfelsia americana provides an evening scent

6. The night blooming jasmine is actually not a jasmine

7. The flower of the night-blooming cactus looks like an egg

8. The odd sausage tree flowers at night only

A plant that blooms strictly at night is Hylocereus undatus, a night-blooming cactus also known as dragonfruit or pitaya. The flowers resemble fried eggs, with white petals and a yellow center. They may not smell sweet, but are glorious and worth staying up late to see; by morning, they will be gone. This sprawling, climbing cactus needs a firm hand to stop it taking over.

Look around South Florida and you may start noticing how many Sausage trees (Kigelia africana) there are, with fruit like giant sausages or loaves of Cuban bread. It is native throughout large areas of east Africa, and its fruit can grow to two feet long and weigh up to 15 pounds. It is worthwhile to trek out to see its night-blooming flowers, which are as unusual as the sausage-shaped fruit: large, red-maroon and dangling from what’s called a panicle. Although they may stay open for some of the day, their scent is strongest at night to attract their primary pollinators—bats.

There are so many more plants that seem to come alive after dark. I have had to omit many, but I encourage you to research the topic when planning your garden, particularly areas you may frequent in the magic hours after the sun goes down.

Kenneth Setzer is a writer for Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

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Great Gables Interiors

THIS MONTH’S SPOTLIGHT IS ON THE ARANGODESIGNED INTERIOR OF A GABLES ESTATES HOME

Ivette Arango is one of South Florida’s – and Coral Gables’ –most respected interior designers, having relocated her studio to Palermo Avenue two years ago from Miami’s DACRA. Her style is clean, contemporary and ultra-customized to her client’s space, including one-off furniture that she designs.

For this Gables Estates home, Arango worked from the start with architect Cesar Molina who designed the building. “The feeling of this house is very light,” she says. “It’s on the water with lots of windows, so it gives you a feeling that is refreshing but elegant. It’s casual, but it’s not a beach house.”

Arango says she kept her color palette simple and muted to harmonize the colors from outdoors with the highlights inside. “We used a lot of textures. I love to use textures and natural fabrics; they are soft and the colors are very neutral to carry [highlights] throughout the room, to carry the colors of the onyx [bar backboard] for example, and to create a feeling of continuity.”

FAMILY ROOM

The backs of the bar stools are a dark wicker that blends with the top of the bar, which is man-made Caesar quartz stone. The inset behind the bar is onyx, its colors showing movement and mirroring the accents of the room. The floor is a light beige marble. The oversized coffee table is walnut; the chairs and sofas are textured fabric.

I love to use textures and natural fabrics; they are soft and the colors are very neutral...

Ivette Arango

Enjoy a laugh with friends in a charming atmosphere

House & Garden

KITCHEN

The surface of the huge island consists of three marble slabs; the same marble is carried over to the splash behind the stove. On either side of the refrigerator and freezer are wine cabinets. The work areas on either side of the stove are Caesar stone quartz. The pendant lamps over the island are for accents; most lighting comes from the inset top hats.

BEDROOM

The master bedroom shows how the interior balances the colors of the outside. The Turkish-made rug is wool. The lamps are crystal with linen shades, designed to be transparent. The chandelier is framed in finished nickel; it is designed to provide atmospheric lighting to augment the “top hat” inset lighting fixtures. Both the bed and the chests are custom made.

BATHROOM

This is the master bathroom with his and hers sinks. The shower is encased in travertine that resembles wood. The sinks are white marble with polished nickel faucets. The bathtub is a composite of granite and other stone, made in Georgia. The sconces on either side of the sinks are LED for a natural white light. The mirrors are custom made.

A Different Taste

BASQUE FOOD TAKES ROOT ON GIRALDA

by Andrew Gayle

One of the welcome additions this past year to Giralda plaza – now a veritable international smorgasbord of restaurants with outdoor cafes – is Mara. If you’ve gotten tired of the Thai, Vietnamese, Peruvian, Mexican, Italian, Middle Eastern and Japanese food on Giralda, then it’s time to try authentic Basque cuisine.

The Basque country is an autonomous region of northern Spain, on the Atlantic Ocean right at the elbow of where France meets Spain. You may have heard of Bilbao, its largest city, now home to the world-famous Guggenheim Museum Bilbao of modern art.

The Basque are proud of their cuisine, which is heavily

influenced by seafood from the Atlantic – especially cod – and by meats and vegetables from the fertile Ebro valley. The Basques also have unique ways of preparing and sharing food.

Mara does a great job delivering the unique flavors and tastes of Basque food. As you would expect, their cod is superlative. If you don’t order the cod entrée with Vizcaina sauce, then go for the tapas version, the “bocaditos de bacalao” (bites of cod) with the same wonderful red sauce, which is made from red onions and choricero pepper, not tomatoes.

Speaking of tapas, the ones served here are not your typical tiny plates, but rather a larger dish meant to be

112 Giralda Ave. (Plaza) 305.504.9274

$$$-$$$$

Top: Scallops ceviche

Above: Tamara Fernández, master chef and maitre di

Opposite page

Top left: Mara on Giralda Plaza

Top right: Salmon

Bottom left: Potatoes with eggs

Bottom right: Meatballs

Mara Basque Cuisine & Lounge

communal. This is part of the fun at Mara – unless you are the kind of diner who does not like to share. So share we did, ordering tapas of garlic shrimp (very garlicy), scallops carpaccio (sprinkled with tiny slices of asparagus and bits of Iberian ham), and two uniquely Basque dishes. The first was meatballs in creamy tomato sauce – the flavor brought out by Basque guindilla peppers – topped with “paja” shoestring potatoes. The second was the “heuvos estrellados trufados,” fried eggs with truffle oil, potatoes and squares

of acorn-fed Iberian ham. Your waiter tosses it for you, and the result is a deeply delicious Spanish comfort food.

We also tried several entrées, and found them wellcooked, well-presented and flavored in the Basque palate. These included a perfectly grilled salmon, served with asparagus, a spinach cream sauce and the roots of the Ebro. Our favorite: The beef oxtail in a rich brown sauce served with a Basque Idiazabal cheese risotto and sweet red pepper; another example of a peasant dish tak-

en to new culinary heights.

As for ambience, there are really two Maras. One is outside, where you can sit at a linen-covered table on Giralda Plaza. Delightful in cooler weather.

The other is inside, where the motif is mauve, with inset chandeliers and large round tables for families. So, if this is a date, sit outside; if you are bringing the parents, they will feel quite comfortable inside, where on weekends you can hear either flamenco singers or a piano player performing

songs like “La Vie en Rose” and “Cuando, Cuando, Cuando”

Overall the vibe of Mara is very Spanish, with a unique Basque twist brought to you by Tamara Fernández, who is both master chef and maître di. This is her first restaurant, following years of study with chefs Alvaro Garido and Nacho Manzano, both of whom run Michelin-rated restaurants in Spain. (Mina in Bilbao, and Casa Marcial in Asturias, respectively). Mara is a strong debut for this budding chef/ restaurateur.

THE TOP RESTAURANTS IN CORAL GABLES

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.

Coral

Dining hours in the Gables stretch from the early evening – when It is common to see people at restaurants close to where they work – until late at night, when it’s not unusual go

321 Miracle Mile 305.442.8552

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 topflight, 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.

$ Under $25

$$ $25-$40

$$$ $35-$75

$$$$ $70-$100+

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

AMERICAN

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 a truly 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

Eating House

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

804 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.448.6524

$$ Innovative American

Seasons 52

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

$$ Healthy American Shula’s 347 Grill

If it’s beef you are after but want to avoid the formality of a high-end steak house, Shula’s is perfect for you. Good service and pleasant décor – including lots of photos of the coach – make this a go-to place for professionals in the area. Great use of cheeses – boursin in their mac & cheese, and gorgonzola in their cream spinach. Best Specialty Burger says Coral Gables magazine. 6915 Red Rd. 305.665.9661

$$$ Steak and seafood

Tap 42

Winner of Best Overall Burger by Coral Gables magazine, Tap 42 is big, noisy and fun, with a huge island bar and lots of booths. Reliably good ribs, steaks and burgers, plus shines in the sides (roasted Brussels sprouts with maple mustard, truffle mac & cheese with parmesan crust). Nice random Asian dishes (grilled salmon Zen bowl, Asian cole slaw).

301 Giralda Ave. 786.391.1566

$$-$$$ American Pub

Yard House

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

320 San Lorenzo Ave. 305.447.9273

$$ American and more

Tap 42

ASIAN

Ichimi

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

2330 Salzedo St. 305.960.7016

$-$$ Japanese

Izkaya

Located across the street from the Colonnade building, this tiny, bustling Japanese restaurant serves a great bento box – along with an impressive array of daily specials that are posted on the wall in chalk. Super popular lunch spot, for good reason.

159 Aragon Ave. 305.445.2584

$$ Japanese

Kao Sushi & Grill by Sushi Club

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

127 Miracle Mile 786.864.1212

$$ Peruvian Japanese

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

Red Koi Lounge

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

317 Miracle Mile 305.446.2690

$$ Thai

Sawa

Delicious take on Japanese flavors

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

360 San Lorenzo Ave. (Shops of Merrick Park) // 305.447.6555

$$$ Japanese and Mediterranean

FRENCH

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, fresh bread and a superb paté. Everything is fresh, French, and all you would expect from Pascal. Lots of little French touches, though not cheap. Shops at Merrick Park 786.536.9388

$$-$$$ French

Frenchie’s Diner

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

2618 Galiano St. 305.442.4554

$$-$$$ French

Le Provençal

This Gables mainstay (30 years in the same location) is under new ownership, so expect some intriguing innovations. But what they do extremely well is classic French cuisine, with such crowd-pleasing favorites as duck a l’orange, Coquille St. Jacques, escargot and steak au poivre. New sidewalk seating for the Parisian café experience, perfect pre-theater location.

266 Miracle Mile 305.448.8984

$$$ French

Palm d’Or

The award-winning Palm 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 six-course 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

Pascal’s On Ponce

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

2611 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.444.2024

$$$ French

ITALIAN

Caffe Abbracci

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

publish his own cookbook.

318 Aragon Ave. 305.441.0700

$$$ Italian

Cibo Wine Bar

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

45 Miracle Mile 305.442.4925

$$-$$$ Italian

Fontana

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

1200 Anastasia Ave. (Biltmore Hotel) 305.913.3200

$$$ Italian

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

CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF STEPHEN T. MAHER

Shutts & Bowen is extremely saddened at the passing of our partner Stephen T. Maher. Steve first joined the firm more than 20 years ago and played a vital role in the growth and development of the firm throughout his tenure.

Steve made important contributions as both a member and head of the firm’s Appellate Practice Group. His genuine caring for others and his unwavering commitment to his clients represent a remarkable legacy and will serve as an inspiration to others for many years to come. From his work with Legal Services of Greater Miami to his time as a professor at the University of Miami School of Law and ultimately as a partner with Shutts & Bowen, Steve touched the lives of many attorneys and students as a mentor, teacher and colleague.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Steve’s family and friends.

makes it feel like New York’s Little Italy. Their calamari, in any variation, is superb, and the fettuccine with prosciutto, mushrooms and green peas is to die for.

264 Miracle Mile 786.452.0068

$$$ Italian

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

Zucca

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

162 Alcazar Ave. 786.580.3731

$$$-$$$$ Northern Italian

LATIN & SOUTH AMERICAN

Aromas del Peru

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

1930 Ponce de León Blvd. // 305.476.5886

$$ Peruvian

Bocas House

Interesting take on traditional Latin food, fused with Asian and American tastes. The Arroz al Wok specials (shrimp, beef, or chicken/mixed) consist of Latin style rice cooked in a wok with a reduction of soy, sesame oil and oyster sauce. The signature dish is fried green plantains with ‘wok-smoked’ pork steak covered with shredded white cheese. Big selection of arepas, great (albeit pricey) milkshakes.

2 Aragon Ave. 786.631.3703

$$ Latin American fusion

Caffe Vialetto

Two brothers, managing to keep sibling rivalry at bay, have concocted a menu of upscale Latin food that is consistently changing and interesting.

Yuca, mofongo (garlic flavored mashed plantains), and other Caribbean and Latin flavors make for an out of the ordinary experience. Reservations required, always full. 4019 LeJuene Rd. 305.446.5659

$$$ Cuban/Latin

Graziano’s

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

of which will stun even hardcore carnivores.

394 Giralda Ave. 305.774.3599

$$$ Argentine

Havana Harry’s

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

4612 S. LeJeune Rd. 305.661.2622

$$ Cuban

Zucca

Mikuna Peruvian

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

325 Alcazar Ave. 786.420.2910

$$$ Peruvian

Talavera Cocina Mexicana

High ceilings and ceramics make this a pleasant place to dine, but it’s the authentic fare that shines. The place for Mexicans homesick for cooking that’s not Tex-Mex. The chicken mole poblano is a winner at $20, and their huarache grill – masa flat breads that are really haute tacos – are great at $17.

2299 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.444.2955

$$ Mexican

SEAFOOD

La Dorada

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

Mediterranean seafood stews or the shellfish prepared Galician style.

177 Giralda Ave. 305.446.2002

$$$$ Spanish Seafood

M House

New restaurant on the ground floor of the Aloft Hotel, M House has soaring ceilings and clever plant hangings that create a great space. Fantastic seafood and new tastes abound, as Chef Abraham Silva uses a Josper Oven to bake in flavors at high heats. Great new takes on octopus, scallops and mussels, along with a masterful whole fish. Delicious Josper-cooked lamb chops. 2524 S. Le Jeune Rd. 786.369.5155

$$$ European coastal cuisine, seafood

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

Tarpon Bend

Tarpon Bend is busy 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

FROM CITRUS GROVES TO CITY GROWTH

special features three fish prepared any way you like. Big happy hour scene.65

Miracle Mile 305.444.3210

$$ Seafood

SPANISH Bellmónt

Modern décor meets traditional Spanish dishes. Their house specialty is the roast suckling pig. If you want the whole pig ($230 for 4) you need to order 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

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

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

STEAK

Christy’s

Touted as Coral Gables oldest steakhouse, Christy’s was long the power lunch go-to – until it stopped serving lunch except on Fridays. Still, its aged steaks are consistently excellent, as are the seafood entrees. And their classic Caesar salad is still the best in town. 3101 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.446.1400

$$$ Steakhouse

Fleming’s Prime Steak- house

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

Florida is growing. Its population. Its economy. Its prospects for the future. We advocate for people who shape the Florida landscape, from the farmers whose crops flourish here to the builders who forge our skylines.

Our long‐standing client partnerships include the state’s biggest companies, which means we play an integral role in some of Florida’s largest deals.

That singular focus on our home soil reaches back to our roots as a firm founded in 1925. Now, with almost 200 attorneys in 18 practice areas across the state, we are even more immersed in Florida’s growth and its future.

Gunster. Statewide and state wise.

Morton’s Coral Gables

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

2333 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.442.1662

$$$ Steakhouse

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse

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

2320 Salzedo St. 205.461.8360

$$$$ Steakhouse

PUBS, CAFES & MISC.

John Martin’s Irish Pub

Where else in the Gables can you find a relaxed Irish pub with excellent comfort food like shepherd’s pie, bangers & mash, and fish & chips? Answer: nowhere. Which is why this long-established eatery and bar is so beloved

by its clientele. Lots of American staples as well, from hot pastrami on rye to their signature Pub Burger. Jazz every Wednesday night.

253 Miracle Mile 305.445.3777

$ Pub Food

The Seven Dials

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

2030 S. Douglas Rd. 786.542.1603

$$ British American

ThreeFold Café

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

141 Giralda Ave. 305.704.8007

$$ American

Old Lisbon

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

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

John Martin’s Irish Pub

“

art is

ever y where in the City Beautiful

Overhead speech bubble signs and inspired speech bubble artwork Along Miracle Mile & throughout Coral

Art

Hand-sculpted, white Italian

www.coralgables.com/publicart

SIBYLLE PASCHE

Carrara marble Giralda Plaza in Downtown Coral Gables

“Coral Forest” & “Secrets of the Sea”

Recognized by

Basel, 2018

HANK WILLIS THOMAS

Gables

The truth is I welcome you”

An immense dream sofa of oolitic stone Balboa Plaza, 2414 DeSoto Boulevard

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

This Paw is for You

PAWS4YOU RESCUE HOLDS KICK-OFF EVENT FOR UPCOMING GALA

Paws4You, a Miami-based, non profit animal rescue organization, held a kick-off party last month in anticipation of their upcoming “Chopard presents Diamonds are Forever” black-tie gala. The fundraiser will be held on February 16, 2019 at the Coral Gables Country Club, for the non profit’s no-kill animal shelter.

Paws4You Rescue is a volunteer, donor-subsidized animal rescue organization dedicated to saving pets in Miami-Dade County from euthanasia and finding them loving homes. The kick-off

event was held at Chopard’s showroom in Brickell City Center, where event co-chairwomen Rita Schwartz, Ann Rubino and Kathy Cowan gathered committee members and supporters. Guests sipped champagne as they tried on signature jewelry pieces from Chopard, one of the event’s key sponsors. The events other sponsors include La Prairie and Coral Gables Magazine Dogs from Paws4You Rescue that are up for adoption also participated in the gathering and a custom Chopard dog bowl was raffled off.

MONEY on Picture Framing

Above: Ozzie Rodriguez & Rita Schwartz

Below: Cynthia Demos & Brooke Rubino

The Seen

“We are so excited about the upcoming event,” said Carol Caridad, executive director of Paws4You. “Last year was so successful raising money for the no-kill shelter that saves the lives of so many animals – and we are so grateful to the volunteers who work endless hours.”

The February 16 fundraiser in Coral Gables will include a casino

theme with poker, roulette and other Vegas style games to raise money for the shelter. Well-known philanthropists and Paul and Suwanne DiMare will be the honorees at this year’s gala. For more information about Paws4You Rescue, and to purchase tickets or sponsorships to the event, please visit paws4you.org.

ables, FL

4 BD | 4 5 BA | 3,451 SF LA | $1,795,000

Gables Waterway Townhome with ocean access & walking distance to the Riviera Golf Course. Beautifully landscaped & gated home with private garage offers designer finishes throughout. Elevator, Gourmet kitchen with leathered granite countertops, gas range. Master suite has its own sitting room, hardwood flooring, and private balcony overlooking waterway and pool.

Above left: Rita Schwartz, Kathy Cowan, Ann Rubino & Lorraine Cadieux

Above right: Carol & Ron Caridad

José Andrés

David Burtka

Rhonda Carano

Giada De Laurentiis

Guy Fieri

Neil Patrick Harris

Missy Robbins

Nancy Silverton

Trisha Yearwood & Many More

$28M+

THE MERRICK RESIDENCE

The original Merrick residence was built in 1899 by Rev. Solomon Merrick as a home base for the family’s 3,000-acre grapefruit plantation. It was a modest frame house that, by 1918, had been upgraded to a home encased in coral rock that was quarried

from what is now the Venetian Pool. During the Great Depression, it became a boarding house and afterwards fell into disrepair. The city acquired and restored it in 1976. Restored again this year to its former glory, it is once again open to visitors.

Mahatma Gandhi is assassinated at the age of 78

Gasoline costs 16 cents a gallon

Israel is declared an independent state

The first Polaroid camera goes on sale

NASCAR holds its first race at Daytona Beach

Premier Coral Gables Realtor

The real estate landscape may be shifting in 2019 but there is one constant. Carole Smith remains one of the top-ranked Realtors in Coral Gables.

With over 20 years experience in your neighborhood, Carole is intimately familiar with the local market, buyers’ expectations, and the nuances of negotiating an advantageous deal.

This year, if you are considering selling or buying a home, take advantage of Carole’s unparalleled expertise. Vice

305.710.1010 csmith@veryspecialhomes.com veryspecialhomes.com