Coral Gables Magazine June 2020

CORAL GABLES

MODERN TIMES

HOUSEBOUND? INNOVATION IN TRADITIONAL GABLES HOMES

STAYING BEAUTIFUL

When you search an official, peer-reviewed directory for leading physicians in Coral Gables, like the national Top Doctor list kept by Castle Connolly, you will see a dominant category: Beauty specialists. These are thoughts on beauty from some of the city’s leading cosmetic doctors, now open for business

SEPTIC TANK CRISIS

Coral Gables has earned its reputation as a world class city. Yet just beneath the surface in the City Beautiful lie some troubling problems. A Potentially hazardous, dangerous problem. Septic tanks.

HOME INNOVATION

In the world of traditional Gables homes, innovation is all about retrofitting with smart, modern interiors. So, what do we mean by innovative when it comes to the home? There are really two answers to that. The first is in terms of design, the second is in terms of technology.

Home, Sweet Home

There is something almost charming about the way that Coral Gables emerged from its two-month lock down to stem the tide of the pandemic. When the city announced that retail shops and grooming services could reopen on Monday, May 18, there were no stampedes to Miracle Mile or the Shops at Merrick Park. Only a few stores even opened.

It was as though everyone were cautiously sticking their heads out of a fox hole after a bad storm or an artillery bombardment. Heads poked out, tentatively.

On the following Wednesday restaurants were allowed to open at 50 percent capacity and by Friday people were beginning to come out. Many of the city’s more popular restaurants went to capacity – though rainstorms dampened the opening for the rest of the weekend.

By the following week the city started to loosen up, with more people hitting the streets to look around, check the damage, and scope out the strange the new world where everyone is masked and distant.

In terms of damage, the city has done well on the medical side. Our city hospitals never saw the surge that ripped through New York. As of press time, the number of confirmed cases had still not hit 150, and there were no confirmed fatalities of city residents. And out of more than 1,500 citizens tested by the city, only a few tested positive.

Economically it was not as pretty. City revenues took a big hit, and as many as 5,000 jobs were lost in retail and hospitality. Fortunately, most residents of the Gables are employed in the financial, academic, legal, medical, real estate and international sectors, which have so far remained intact.

The real question is, what now? How will things change going forward? Will the downtown ever be busy again? Or have so many people become comfortable working from home they’ll want to stay there?

They say there are home office efficiencies, but we’ll see how long that lasts when the novelty wears off. We’ll see in a few months if home workers don’t miss seeing colleagues, or meeting people for lunch or cocktails.

With that thought in mind, we decided to focus our Home & Garden section this issue on home innovation. After all, we are spending more time there than ever before. So why not upgrade the space?

Which leads to our cover: America’s favorite comedic TV couple of the 1950s, Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, placed in a modern Gables kitchen. We thought this conveyed two things: The traditional, conservative family values of I Love Lucy – a tropism of the Gables – and the feeling of being in a strange new world, which we are.

As it turns out, there is another connection here. After fleeing Cuba in 1934 (Batista had jailed his dad), Desi Arnaz’s mother lived for many years in a house on the southeast corner of Alhambra Circle and Camilla Street. So, the famous Cuban band leader visited the Gables often to be with her. It is also rumored that city founder George Merrick bought roof tiles for homes he built in the Gables from the Arnaz family in Cuba. But we can’t confirm that.

Stay safe,

J.P.Faber Editor-in-Chief

Cover: America’s favorite comedic TV couple of the 1950s, Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball. Composition by Jon Braeley.

CEO & PUBLISHER

Richard Roffman

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

J.P.Faber

EVP / PUBLISHER

Gail Scott

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Amy Donner

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Monica Del Carpio-Raucci

ART DIRECTOR

Jon Braeley

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Toni Kirkland

VP SALES

Sherry Adams

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Lizzie Wilcox

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Grace Carricarte

SENIOR WRITER

Mike Clary

WRITERS

James Broida

Katrina Daniel

Andrew Gayle

Mallory Evans Jacobson

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jonathan Dann

Emily Fakhoury

CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION

CircIntel

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

Miami Cancer Institute

Fighting Cancer, Keeping Patients Safe

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Miami Cancer Institute has remained fully operational using extreme caution to ensure safety while providing lifesaving treatments to patients.

Today, as we move forward toward a recovery phase as a community, the Institute is fully staffed and all therapies are available. “Because people with cancer are at higher risk for COVID-19, we quickly took extensive precautionary measures, oftentimes beyond CDC guidelines,” said Michael J. Zinner, M.D., CEO and executive medical director of Miami Cancer Institute. “Now that we are past the initial crisis, we have implemented a recovery plan that includes meticulous practices. We want patients to know that if they postponed care, they can safely start or continue treatment.”

Among the innovative measures the Institute has taken to combat the virus are ultraviolet light robots that zap germs and sophisticated computer programs that track COVID-19 exposure and diagnosis. A UV and HEPA filtration system that exceeds air quality standards for medical facilities and special sterilization procedures have been in place since the facility opened in 2017, showing the organization’s foresight.

To provide the best cancer care in a safe environment, customized safety measures include a multi-step COVID-19 screening process with rapid patient and employee testing and contact tracing when needed; no-touch registration/discharge/bill pay services and the continuation of policies that limit visitors and foot traffic within buildings; and complimentary COVID-19 testing for all patients before starting chemotherapy or radiation therapy. In addition, all patients, physicians and staff must wear masks that are provided to them.

Information gathered through the detailed screening process is entered into a Miami Cancer Institute-designed database and, through a sophisticated program, tested patients are followed at home. Patients report their temperatures and answer questions about symptoms twice a day. “A lot of institutions send these people home and then have no clue what is happening with them,” said Paul Lindeman, M.D., the Institute’s medical director of informatics, who engineered the program into the testing area. “But we can jump in immediately to assist patients.”

These safety enhancements are on top of the frequent deep cleaning and cleaning between each patient that already occurs. In addition, the reconfiguring of spaces that transpired to accommodate social distancing will stay in place.

During this period, in the spirit of “cancer cannot wait,” the Institute can again focus on surveillance for recurrence of cancer and detection of new cancers. For the foreseeable future, telemedicine visits will be interspersed with in-person visits. At Miami Cancer Institute telemedicine visits include those through the use of the Baptist Health Care On Demand App, where patients can virtually visit with cancer experts on their care team from the safety and comfort of home. While virtual and telemedicine visits are still available when practical, in-person visits are encouraged now for screenings and check-ups, blood work and imaging procedures and other follow-ups.

“It is important for patients to be vigilant with follow-up, because cancer caught in its earliest stages is most treatable,” said Michele Ryder, R.N., the Institute’s chief nursing officer and chief operating officer.

“Now that we are past the initial crisis, we have implemented a recovery plan that includes meticulous practices. We want patients to know that if they postponed care, they can safely start or continue treatment.”

READERS LETTERS

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

KUDOS TO THE GENEROUS

I’m fortunate to live among incredibly brave people who call Coral Gables their home and truly understand servant leadership. Beyond our first responders and healthcare providers, these people deserve recognition: Abe Ng, the owner of Sushi Maki Restaurants, and Nick and Teresa Sharp, the owners of the Threefold Café restaurants. Each independently joined forces with others to distribute high-quality meals to the hungry. Among those who helped the Sharps were Mary Snow of the Coral Gables Community Foundation and Rosa Santiago of The Kirk Foundation; those who helped Abe Ng were Chris Lane of the National Christian Foundation (located in Coral Gables), The Fuller Family Foundation, The Templeton Family Foundation and The Kirk Foundation. Through the generosity and volunteering of these groups and others, food and hope have been delivered to thousands of our fellow citizens over the past two months. I’m immensely humbled by their actions, and thankful for their tireless efforts.

Ron Shuffield, Berkshire Hathaway/EWM

OUR DOORS ARE OPEN

June brings the beginning of summer and the beginning of a new way that people will live, work, play and shop in our community. I am happy to say the doors have reopened at the Shops at Merrick Park. We are excited and prepared for our guests to shop and dine. Like many businesses, we have implemented new health and safety measures including plentiful hand-sanitizing stations, reduced hours to allow time for frequent cleaning, and social distancing directions.

While these specific efforts are new, they are rooted in our customer service philosophy – to be a resource in our community and keep the well-being of our guests and tenants a primary focus. As we all slowly ‘get back to normal’, we want our Coral Gables community to know that there are still good times to be had, belated birthdays to celebrate and redos on engagements, graduations and anniversaries that deserve their own sip and toast. I welcome everyone back to the new normal.

Andrew Peach, Sr. General Manager, Shops at Merrick Park

GET OUT THERE AND SHOP, DAMNIT

Telling a business they need to close from one day to the next is a nearly impossible task. To bring them back to life after eight-plus weeks takes even greater effort. Such was the case at the end of May when we gratefully “welcomed back” many of our retailers, restaurants, commercial businesses, cultural institutions and the personal care industry.

It was a glorious day as the front doors were unlocked, the shades were lifted, and employees returned for their shifts. Two months is a lifetime for most small businesses; now each of us is needed to sustain their short-term and long-term success. Today is a new day and you’re in the driver’s seat. Trust that each business has taken every precaution to ensure your safety – and theirs – and make a commitment to dine-out, shop or get a haircut. And while you’re at it, throw in a shave, coloring or a mani/pedi. Business is back in bloom and we ask you to harvest.

Mark Trowbridge, President & CEO, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce

Shelton-Stewart Group

Consuelo Stewart 305.216.7348

Tere Shelton Bernace 305.607.7212

Teresita Shelton 305.775.8176

Streetwise

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Lee Schrager’s Big Bake Sale

PLUS: AND SO IT BEGINS WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE RANCH HOUSE VOTE TEACHING ROBOTICS REMOTELY

South Beach Wine & Food Festival founder Lee Schrager

Photo by Emily Fakhoury

The Financial Impact

AS THE VIRUS SENDS PEOPLE HOME, AND CITY INCOME SHRINKS BY ALMOST $10 MILLION, BALANCING THE BUDGET BECOMES PARAMOUNT

While the complete impact of the coronavirus on city finances is still to be determined, a stark snapshot was presented to the City Commission last month by finance director Diana Gomez.

And So... It Begins

THE CITY STARTS TO REOPEN, CAUTIOUSLY

The symmetry was perfect: The city began to reopen on Monday, May 18, precisely two months after everything closed down on March 18. You could return to most retail outlets, albeit with masks and social distancing. While large parks, marinas, golf courses and tennis courts had reopened the week before, this was the first day that people could start going into stores. It was followed two days later with the opening of restaurants, announced officially by Mayor Raul Valdes-Fauli.

The initial response to this Phase I of reopening was tentative. There was no immediate rush to go shopping; indeed, not all the stores opened the first day. But by the weekend, the city’s more popular restaurants were filling up to their new capacity of 50 percent, and masked shoppers were poking through

open stores.

“The restaurants [and stores] are doing an absolutely wonderful job,” said Police Chief Ed Hudak, whose department was tasked with making sure the rules were followed. “We’ve had only a handful of calls about people not distancing.” A rainy first weekend also helped dampen the rush to return.

So, how will Coral Gables do? The big test will come in the first few weeks of June, when COVID-19 cases are expected to increase. “We are probably going to have an uptick, is it inevitable,” said City Manager Peter Iglesias. “You can’t have nothing happen if you open things up again. But will it come down again.”

The city has no benchmark for how high an uptick it’s willing to tolerate before slowing things down – or continuing forward with Phase II, which

Mayor Raúl Valdés-Fauli announcing the opening of restaurants. To the right are Vice Mayor Vice Lago and Police Chief Ed Hudak. To the left are Caffe Abbracci owner Nino Pernetti and City Manager Peter Iglesias

will expand the opening. So far, Coral Gables has done remarkably well during the virus. As of the last week in May, cases were still below 150, with no confirmed fatalities. It remains to be seen, however, if residents will follow the guidelines.

“The thing I’m most worried about is for the folks to understand that we have to do this in a responsible way,” says Iglesias. “Because we are opening doesn’t mean we don’t do social distancing or wear masks. People have to understand that we are opening under criteria that has to be followed.”

If code enforcement officials see restaurants or stores violating the rules, the first step is a verbal warning, followed by a written warning. If they still flaunt the rules, the city manager has the power to pull their license to do business and shut them down. ■

“We anticipate reductions in revenue for the four-month period from mid-March to mid-July,” Gomez mattter-offactly told commissioners. The good news? “We believe only certain revenues will be affected in this current year,” she said. Certain large revenue streams, such as those from property taxes and business licenses, were already collected in the first quarter of the fiscal year, so won’t be affected.

The biggest revenue shortfall will be in parking revenues, said Gomez – an 80 percent drop for a four-month loss of $4,600,000. Other hard-hit revenue streams include state revenue sharing, state sales tax, and waste management fees from businesses, all down by a third. Altogether the city faces a revenue shortfall of $9,937,000.

In order to offset that loss, Gomez outlined a city plan for a hiring freeze (excluding police, fire and communications operations), a departmental expenditure freeze, and the reduction and postponement of capital projects. Total savings: $7,575,000. That still leaves a $1.5 million gap to be covered, most likely from the city’s rainy-day banked surplus of $58 million. ■

We’re Open To Serve Children With Safety In Mind For Everyone.

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and select urgent care and outpatient centers are here to meet your child’s healthcare needs. Now more than ever, the safety of your child and family is our greatest concern. As additional precautions, we have implemented measures:

• Limiting visitors in our facilities. For inpatients and for surgery-related outpatient visits, two adult visitors may accompany the child. For all other outpatient visits, we ask that only one adult accompany the child.

• Temperature screening for all visitors, patients and staff upon arrival.

• Masks are required at all times for all visitors, patients and staff.

• Advance testing for elective surgery or procedures.

• Physical distancing by minimizing the number of patients and visitors in common areas.

• Deep cleanings of clinical spaces and common areas throughout the day.

• Advance registration and virtual visits are available to minimize exposure.

We’re here to serve and are champions for your child’s health. nicklauschildrens.org/Covid19Safety

HAS NATURE RETURNED TO THE GABLES, OR ARE WE JUST PAYING MORE ATTENTION?

BY GRACE CARRICARTE

You mostly notice it with the birds. An Eastern screech owl sitting on a stop sign. A peregrine falcon glowering from a roof’s edge. A jump in the volume of music by American songbirds like redstarts, grackles and cardinals. But it’s there: A noticeable increase in the presence of nature in Coral Gables.

One of the unexpected silver linings to the global pandemic has been a resurgence of wildlife, from coyotes cruising the streets of San Francisco to long-horned sheep invading Welsh towns. “In fact, the reduction in noise and traffic will allow more species to forage in areas that they will not normally go,” says Dr. Mauro Galetti, director of the John Gifford Arboretum at UM.

Where the Wild Things Are Adding Pounds to Save Eateries

On the other hand, says Galetti, we just may be growing “more aware of the biodiversity that lives in our own garden.” We are also in the middle of several springtime bird migrations, he says. Perhaps, but residents have been posting uncanny numbers of animal sightings on neighborhood social media.

“Now that we all have time to ‘smell the flowers’ I’ve begun to notice just how many critters abound in our urban neighborhoods,” wrote Al Perez of Granada East on the Nextdoor app. Residents were quick to pitch in. Increased sightings of mammals included: raccoons, opossums, squirrels, and foxes. Yes, foxes. Reports are up of these shy, clever creatures.

The local legend is that

Coral Gables’ population of foxes – perhaps four dozen –descended from the red variety of their species, hunted for sport by elite guests at the Biltmore in 1926. Wildlife biologists say that is nonsense, that our locals are a very urbanized descendant of the Florida gray fox, surviving here as much from pilfered pet food as from catching wild rodents.

Other species have also enjoyed the pandemic’s reduction in traffic, light pollution, and noise. Manatees, for example, have been premiere guests at the Biltmore, enjoying the quiet ca-

Leave it to the founder of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival to come up with a way to raise money to help the beleaguered restaurants of our community. On a Sunday afternoon in late April, Coral Gables resident and bon vivant Lee Schrager began a weekly baked goods sales in front of his house on Hardee Road, dubbed “Putting on the Pounds.” By the time the last sale had taken place at the end of May – actually on Schrager’s birthday – the weekly event had raised thousands of dollars for the SOBEWFF & FIU Chaplin School Hospitality Industry Relief Fund. Combined with other donations, the fund has raised more than $1.7 million, granted to 500 independently owned restaurants in South Florida.

“I can’t help but reflect on the great disco hit, I Will

nal waterways around the tennis courts and golf course until those reopened. Even our winged insects (despite Miami-Dade’s mosquito spraying) made a small comeback, including more Cassius blue butterflies, gulf fritillary butterflies, dainty sulphur butterflies, sleepy orange butterflies, zebra longwing butterflies, and monarchs.

Regardless of whether there are more creatures about, or we are just more aware of their presence, the lesson is clear: “Wildlife is better off without human traffic and noise,” says UM’s Galetti. ■

Survive, when I think about the many local restaurant and bar owners who are doing everything they can to reopen and make it in this crazy new normal,” said Schrager, who moved to his home in the French Country Village neighborhood five years ago. He launched his street-side bake sale to support “the people who have always been there to serve us.”

Dollars were raised by selling $25 bags of goodies donated by a slew of South Florida food icons, including Coyo Taco, Night Owl Cookies, The Salty Donut, Hy Vong, Knaus Berry Farm, Finka Table & Tap and pastry chef Hedy Goldsmith, with matching funds from Badia Spices. For more information about the Fund –to donate or to apply for a relief grant – visit www.sobewff.org/ industry-relief. ■

LEE SCHRAGER’S BIG BAKE SALE

Photo byEmily Fakhoury

Make Yourself at Home.

The past few months, everything that truly matters has been put into perspective: Family, physical and mental health, and, above all, the meaning of home. Home has been the haven in these challenging times, the four walls within which we find peace and joy in the simplest moments. Whether you’re looking for a backyard to run around in, a kitchen island to share a snack, or a garden to find sanctuary, my team and I would be honored to provide the in-depth, local expertise to guide you home.

Not Worth Saving?

THE CITY COMMISSION VOTES AGAINST SAVING A CONTROVERSIAL RANCH HOUSE

It was one of the more heated struggles in the battle between historic preservationists and private property proponents. For a full three hours at its first meeting in May, the City Commission listened to arguments for and against demolishing a 1937 ranch house on Asturia Avenue designed by Deco architect Russell Pancoast (of Bass Museum fame).

The city’s historic preservation department had strongly recommended the house be declared historic, because it was the city’s first break from Mediterranean-inspired architecture and one of the first ranch style homes in the country. The city’s preservation board did not agree and voted 5-4 to deny preservation in March.

Next door neighbor Vicki Cerda filed an appeal to challenge the board’s ruling, which preservationists believe was at least partly politically motivated, since the home belongs to the influential Valls family, owners of Versailles and La Carreta restaurants. Mayor Raul Valdes-Fauli, who was so vocally against preserving the house that he had to recuse himself from the commission’s quasi-judicial hearing, said that had nothing to do with his support of the board’s decision. “This is simply not a historic building. It is ranch style house and they are all over the place,” he said. Valdes-Fauli cited the city’s long history of supporting

historic preservation but felt it had become over-zealous in this case, to the point of damaging property values.

Even Vice Mayor Vince Lago, a strong supporter of historic preservation, voted to let stand the board’s decision to demolish. “I believe in historic preservation, to preserve and celebrate our past. But I had to side with the board. I can’t see how we have allowed beautiful structures like Ridgewood, LaSalle and Catalonia [be destroyed] only to fight to save a ranch house.”

Commissioners Pat Keon and Michael Mena did not agree. Both felt the city preservation’s office had presented more than sufficient evidence for preservation, and that ignoring those recommendations – which are rarely made – puts the city on a slippery slope favoring developers. “This house played a historic role in our city’s development,” said Keon. “It was a first.” What bothered Mena was the quick way the board turned down the recommendation to save the house, with little discussion. “The people who voted against gave no reason for their votes,” said Mena. “It is hard for me to understand why this [preservation] was not approved.”

With the vote split 2-2 (Commissioner Jorge Fors also backed the decision to deny preservation), the appeal to block demolition failed. ■

Teaching Robotics Remotely

AS EDUCATION GOES ONLINE, ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ADAPTS

Cindy Gonzalez’s technology classes for kids were already futuristic, so going online was easier than for most subjects. It was really a matter of learning new skill sets, says Gonzalez, who instructs kids from Kindergarten to 4th grade at Gulliver School’s Coral Gables campus.

Before the pandemic sent everyone home, for example, the kids worked with robots hands-on. Now they have to program their robots remotely – and the result may be better programming skills. “With a DASH simulator robot, they can code on their computers and then see them move around,” says Gonzalez, who is part of an early test group for the DASH program. “Back at school, they

could only code when I was there. Now they are able to continue coding in their own time.” For some students, she says, it’s a boon. “They have time to explore deeper into the things they are interested in… And, we are finding that some of the shy kids are thriving in this atmosphere. In the classroom they were feeling a little timid.”

Gonzalez also uses her Zoom class time to teach other hands-on things, like how to build a catapult with popsicle sticks, or how to make and edit videos with their laptops. But the robots are the stars. “We had second graders program them to dance to the theme from Star Wars with each other… Our campus may be closed but the learning has continued.” ■

t gether

our friends, family, neighbors, shops, and restaurants create the heartbeat of our community. we are excited that we can once again come together, to see our community flourish and thrive. together we can do great things, together we are better. welcome back.

shops at merrick park

visit shopsatmerrickpark.com to see open stores

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Living Love in the Garden

PLUS: YOUR PRIVATE DANCER COOKING WITH CAJA VIRTUAL SUMMER CAMP BEST BETS

Your Private Dancer

WANT TO EMERGE FROM LOCKDOWN MORE FLEET OF FOOT? ONLINE DANCE LESSONS ARE FOR YOU

BY MIKE CLARY

As we try to avoid infection by the COVID-19 virus, voluntary quarantine has offered many of us the gift of time. Time to learn, time for self-improvement. Time to dust off those Italian language CDs. Or maybe a YouTube video to help you fix the leaking toilet that’s been driving you nuts.

But here’s something equally beneficial, an activity that can foster self-confidence, promote good health and, when social distancing ends, have you prepped to join the fun with terpsichorean talents sure to amaze friends and strangers alike. It’s time to learn to dance. In the privacy of your own lockdown space, of course, without pressure or embarrassment. How? Remotely.

It’s easy. You can trip the light fantastic alone (think Billy Idol in “Dancing with Myself”) but if you have a partner, better. I enlisted my wife Ofelia to join me. Now, I don’t want to suggest that we’ve never danced before. At a wedding or in a lively bar where the salsa rhythms are pumping, we have been known to take to the floor, part of the crowd. But for my part, eagerness and a forgiving partner do not necessarily make up for lack of style and technique.

That’s where Vera and Vladimir Koserav, owners of Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Coral Gables, come in. Via Zoom, they came right into the house, no ballroom gowns or masks required.

The first 30-minute class offered what Vera calls “a few

basic elements,” starting with the foxtrot. Two steps forward, step to the side, feet together. And off we went, circling the Florida room while Vera through the magic of computer technology looked on with instruction and encouragement. How did we do on that first outing? Only once did Vera have to say, “Mike, your other left foot.”

The philosophy is simple. “We want to make sure you’re a good dancer no matter where you go,” says Vera, who, like her husband, is a former professional dancer. “Some people think they don’t need lessons because they already dance. But there is always something to learn.”

From the foxtrot we glided on to learn the basics of swing, merengue and salsa, with Vera emphasizing the importance of patterns, balance and weight transfer. After the second lesson, I waltzed away thinking I no longer had to fake it on the dance floor. With a little more practice, I may be ready for Vienna.

Now, I am no Fred Astaire. But when the lockdown ends, and Ofelia and I put on our dance shoes again, look out for the couple with new-found confidence. And Ofelia’s partner? He does know his left foot from his right. Mostly.

During the COVID-19 quarantine, the Fred Astaire Dance Studio is offering a free trial class. Regular Zoom classes begin at $67.50. No partner necessary. For information contact coralgables@fredastaire.com or call 305-443-0085. ■

Mr. Fred Astaire (seen here with Ginger Rogers) is considered to be the greatest multitalented dancer of all time. He wanted to establish a chain of studios under his name to make sure that his techniques would be preserved and passed onto the public. With the opening of the first Fred Astaire Studio on Park Avenue in New York City, Fred Astaire brought his immense talent out of the glamour of Hollywood and onto the dance floors of America.

FRED ASTAIRE DANCE STUDIO

45 ALHAMBRA PLAZA, FL 33134 305-443-0085

fredastaire.com/coral-gables

Cooking with Caja

THE OWNER OF CAJA CALIENTE SHARES HER RESTAURANT’S RECIPES

BY LIZZIE WILCOX

Another month has gone by without our weekend brunch routine. But with restaurants, bars and even cruise lines sharing their signature food and cocktail recipes, we can almost pretend that everything about this situation is normal. Mika Leon, the owner of Caja Caliente, is one of those sharing souls. She posted a video on Caja’s Facebook page of her cooking their signature French toast. So, I made my own. Here’s the recipe and how it turned out.

INGREDIENTS:

Brioche or challah bread

2 eggs

¾ cup milk

2 Tbs. sugar

Cinnamon (to taste)

1/3 cup Cuban coffee

Vanilla extract (to taste)

Frosted Flakes

DIRECTIONS:

Leave the bread out either the night before or a few hours before cooking it, so it gets stale and hardens.

Make Cuban coffee and let cool

before adding it to the batter. Put the Frosted Flakes in a Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin until it’s a powdery texture. Pour it out onto a flat plate. Combine the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, coffee and vanilla in a bowl and mix together.

Poke holes in the bread with a toothpick and dunk in the batter. Don’t soak the bread because you don’t want it to be soggy. Then dip either side of the bread onto the plate of cereal and cook on low heat until slightly brown.

Virtual Summer Camp

With the school year ending, parents are faced with the question, “Will camps be open?” The answer is mixed. Even the Actors’ Playhouse summer camp, where the show must go on (right), is considering making at least their first summer session virtual. Other local camps, like those at Gulliver, Palmer Trinity and Montessori, have already made plans to go online and “zoom in” for things like camp songs, dances and art classes.

You can also expect reductions in live-time camp at the

Coral Gables Youth Center, which takes up to 800 kids each summer. “It won’t be our normal camp,” says Fred Couceyro, who directs the program. “If the county allows us, we will come up with a plan for a hybrid.”

The problem, of course, is the potential spread of coronavirus. Any local live camp will involve small “fixed groups” that can be monitored. Sleep over camps has an advantage here, being able to test kids before they settle into what will amount to quarantined groups. ■

Thank you, Mika, for sharing this recipe. I will never be able to eat regular French toast again. As much fun as I had eating it, I enjoyed making it even more. The recipe itself is simple. The part that took the longest was getting the cereal to the right consistency – though there’s something therapeutic about smashing a defenseless bag of Frosted Flakes. We filled a sandwich-sized Ziploc bag with the sugar-coated cereal, and that was sufficient to cover six slices of brioche. The batter was enough for about eight slices, so

plan accordingly. The cereal crust did make it a little difficult to tell when it was cooked, as you can usually go by the color of the bread. But a few minutes on each side did the trick.

All that’s left to do is to dig in. The flavors in the batter complement each other so nicely that nothing is overpowering. Even non-coffee drinkers will love this dish. And while you’d think that restaurants sharing their recipes would put them out of business, food always tastes better when someone else makes it for you. ■

Love in the Garden

FAIRCHILD OFFERS VIRTUAL WEDDINGS

BY LIZZIE WILCOX

We’ve all seen stories on the news about couples getting married on their balconies while neighbors “attend” from their respective balconies. Now Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is upping the virtual wedding ante with their Garden of Love package. For $1,400, soon-to-be-wed couples get a videographer, full audio and video setup, an officiant and a virtual Prosecco toast with family and friends after the ceremony. “We are all being challenged to come up with out-of-the-box, innovative ideas that are also in tune with current county mandates,” says Kelley Ramer, Fairchild’s director of event design and sponsorship.

Couples can choose between five locations throughout the garden to tie the knot – like the secret sunken garden

featuring a waterfall or inside the conservatory surrounded by a koi pond. “A lot of these ceremony sites have never been used as ceremony sites,” Ramer says. “These are a little smaller, a little more intimate.”

For those who want to customize, you can add a bouquet from the garden for $55, a musician for $250 or a one-hour photography session throughout the grounds for $850. Weddings can be scheduled on Tues., Thur., Sat. and Sun. from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. or any day of the week from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. “You can’t stop love, and couples are still going to push through and try to find a way to have that official celebration and to make it special,” says Ramer. “So we’re trying to help with that.” For questions email lovelive@ fairchildgarden.org. ■

SMALL ENOUGH TO BE PERSONAL, LARGE ENOUGH TO BE GLOBAL

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Best Bets FOR JUNE

The coronavirus is still keeping major cultural events on hold, so don’t expect to attend the theater or a music concert any time soon. Nonetheless, a few things are open this month, including recreational facilities and museums. Stay tuned for more.

READ ALL ABOUT IT! MIAMI HERALD HEADLINES!

After being shut down since mid-March, the Coral Gables Museum is finally re-opening this month – and is pulling out all the stops for its long-anticipated retrospective exhibit of more than 75 frontpage headlines from the Miami Herald. These front page shout-outs will be accompanied by scores of artifacts, including the Miami Herald’s 1925 linotype, period typewriters and type sets, block phones used during Hurricane Andrew, and a scaled architectural model of the iconic Miami Herald Building (now demolished). Visitors will even be able to obtain a printed copy of the Herald’s front page from the day they were born. A portion of the proceeds from the exhibit will be donated to the Miami Herald Investigative Journalism Fund. 285 Aragon Ave. 305.603.8067

GOLF AT THE BILTMORE OR GRANADA GOLF COURSE

Even though golf carts are limited to one per person, at least we can get outside and unwind with nine to 18 holes. Both golf courses are open daily from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Granada Golf Course has a senior hour every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 7 – 8 a.m. Payments can be made by credit card only and reservations must be made in advance. You have to wear your mask until you get to the first tee, then you can breathe free! For the Granada Golf Course, call 305.460.5367. For the Biltmore Golf Course, call 305.460.5364 or go to biltmorehotel.com/golf.

Picture: Black Poodle Studio

Photo byEmily Fakhoury

In Case You Aren’t Ready to Go Out

STAYING HOME BUT SHOPPING LOCAL: A GUIDE TO THE BEST LOCAL RETAIL ONLINE EXPERIENCES

BY LIZZIE WILCOX

Even though retail has reopened, having a shopping day won’t be the same just yet. If you don’t want to wait to enter because the store is already at 50 percent capacity, or if you don’t feel comfortable leaving your house just yet, you can still support local boutiques by shopping online. We’ve rounded up eight local boutiques and checked out their websites to see how seamless it is to shop online from each.

EBERJEY

Eberjey is one of the most practical places to shop online. While we love taking advantage of all the sales for dresses, blouses and slacks out there, we’re not sure when we’ll need a cute brunch outfit. But loungewear and pajama sets? That definitely fits our home office dress code. They even have a work-from-home category filled with sweatpants, t-shirts and socks. Free shipping on U.S. orders over $100. Eberjey.com

to accessories and beauty products, it appears their entire in-store stock is online as well. And how do you say no to free shipping? mybestfriendscloset.com

OAK APPAREL AND HOME

OAK’s online shop is just as impressive as their brick and mortar on Valencia Avenue. Each category is well-stocked, and each item is clearly shown. We also love their home and kitchen section. From candles to hand-carved samosa bowls, they have everything you need to make your home a sanctuary. Shopoakonline.com.

TREND BOUTIQUE

Trend’s website isn’t as good as OHM’s or OAK’s – their home page is static – but clicking on “shop now” brings you to a page of literally every item they have online. If you don’t want to scroll down 12 pages, the categories are on the side. We may not love the layout, but the inventory makes up for it. Trendmiami.com.

ZOEY REVA

Zoey Reva started as an ecommerce site, so they had an edge when retail stores had to close. Their website is colorful and feminine, designed perfectly for its young female clientele. And yes, they have plenty of tie dye sweat sets, so you can be both cozy and trendy while staying at home. Zoeyreva.com.

OHM BOUTIQUE

The site is filled with pages of tops, bottoms, dresses and jewelry. The “What’s New” category alone has 13 pages of summer ready styles, everything modeled by owner Vanessa Sauma. In a time when online orders take longer than usual for delivery, OHM ships daily with a $5 flat local fee, and free for domestic orders over $100. Ohmboutique.com.

BACK AND FORTH

One of the few men’s boutiques in the Gables has a high-functioning online shop that includes brands like Richer Poorer, Spilled Milk and VGA Studios. Back and Forth has t-shirts and sweatpants for lounging at home as well as button downs and collared shirts for when you muster up the courage to step outside. They also sell men’s grooming products. Backandforthmiami.com.

MIZZEN + MAIN

This other men’s store has a clean and navigable website with a blue and white color scheme. Most importantly, they have polos. Your office might not be open, but the golf courses are. You can also shop for all of your virtual wedding attire needs. Mizzenandmain.com.

MY BEST FRIEND’S CLOSET

MBFC has one of the best ecommerce sites of our local boutiques. It’s well organized, aesthetically pleasing and easy to peruse. From clothing to shoes

What’s Hot

JUNE 2020

BY MALLORY EVANS JACOBSON

Father’s Day is looking a bit different this year, but you can still show your gratitude for Dad (or any fatherly figure) with a special gift. We’ve rounded up six options that will be sure to make his day.

GET YOUR KICKS (TOP RIGHT)

The Los Angeles-based company CLAE has given the basic court shoe a major upgrade with the release of its Bradley sneakers. Crafted from Italian nappa leather, they’re carried at local shop Back & Forth and are sure to be a win with Dad. Retail: $150. Back & Forth, 226 Almeria Ave., 786-359-4054, backandforthmiami.com

HEY BARTENDER (RIGHT)

This set of four Casamigos cocktail mixers offers dad the chance to up his bartending game. Include a bottle of tequila or another favorite spirit and dad will soon be making libations that could easily pass for drinks at an upscale bar (rather than his living room). Retail: $75.80. Williams Sonoma, 350 San Lorenzo Ave. #2005. 305-446-9421, williams-sonoma.com

BEDTIME STORY (BOTTOM RIGHT)

A sweet choice for new dads, this children’s board book will quickly become a favorite at bedtime. Written by Miami native Zack Bush, it endeavors to express the newfound joy that fatherhood brings and features adorable illustrations that kids will appreciate. Retail: $12.99. Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., 305-442-4408, booksandbooks.com

MAKE IT COUNT (BELOW)

This beautiful abacus designed by the Croatian home décor line VAU would be a stunning addition to Dad’s home office. Both functional and artful, the piece has an open frame, serving as a little reminder to think outside the box. Retail: $620. Luminaire, 2331 Ponce de Leon Blvd., 305-448-7367, luminaire.com

HIGH TIME

If you’re looking to gift a timepiece, consider this new take on the OMEGA Seamaster, available at Mayor’s. Designed in anticipation of the 25th film in the 007 franchise, which is scheduled to be released later this year, it’s an instant classic wristwatch. Retail: $8,100. Mayor’s, 342 San Lorenzo Ave. #1000, 305-4461233, mayors.com

Bites p36

Mamma Mia!

WHO HAS THE BEST TAKEOUT PIZZA IN CORAL GABLES? CAFE SOCIETY: OUTDOOR DINING

TERRE DEL SAPORE

The pizza is cooked in a wood-fired brick oven

PHOTO BY JON BRAELEY

Mamma Mia!

WHO HAS THE BEST TAKEOUT PIZZA IN CORAL GABLES?

One of the few constants in life during the coronavirus shut down has been take-out pizza. Except for the mask on the paisan behind the counter, the experience of picking up pizza has been pretty much the same, a welcome and reassuring habit.

Picking the best, however, is a challenge. Pizza comes in such a wide variety – thin or thick crust, New York style, Chicago deep dish, Neapolitan, fresh or frozen, with or without toppings – that one person’s favorite is another person’s disappointment.

Nonetheless, we set out to sample every independent pizza parlor in the city and came up with this selection of the top seven places. Buon appetito!

BEST NEOPOLITAN STYLE PIZZA (SHOWN RIGHT) Terre del Sapore

Now in its second year, Terre del Sapore has expanded their menu from pizza to pasta and even osso buco. But what they still do best is their Neapolitan-style pizza, with a super thin crust and moist, melty cheese and tomato sauce. All of the ingredients, including the minimally processed flour they use, comes from Italy, and you can taste it. 246 Giralda Ave.786.870.5955

BEST NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA

Pomodoro’s

As any native knows, New York style pizza has a thin, crispy crust that gets pliable toward the center, so you can fold it, with a generous spread of tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. That’s it. Then you sell it by the big, fat slice. If you want that here, go to Pomodoro’s, our version of a Brooklyn pizza dive. 2413 Galiano St. 305.461.0711.

HEALTHIEST PIZZA

Gables Juice Bar and Muscle Pizza

This bohemian vibe hangout for health-conscious folks (their logo is a muscular man holding a pizza aloft) is mostly known for its juices and healthy breakfasts and lunches (closes at 4 p.m.). But they make a great little $10 cheese pizza with whole wheat flour, flaxseed, quinoa, oatmeal and hemp protein. A nice veggie, too. 230 Almeria Ave. 305.529.9090

BEST COLLEGE PIZZA Miami’s Best Pizza

When you are serving a famished crowd of college kids, you had better deliver something satisfying. And that is just what Miami’s Best does with its “Special” Pizza, which comes loaded with ham, sausage, mushrooms, pepperoni, onion, green pepper. A meal in itself, with quality ingredients. 5833 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.666.5931.

BEST ONE-PERSON PIZZA Pummarola

Here they serve Napoletana pizza, which means “soggy and soft,” says manager/partner Larry Mele, using only Italian San Marzano tomatoes and bufala mozzarella made from Italian water buffalo milk. They serve large and extra-large, but their personal pizzas, cooked on a lava stone, are the sweet spot. 141 Aragon Ave. 786.409.6866.

BEST SPECIALTY PIZZA California Pizza Kitchen

Normally we would avoid any mention of a national chain, but these guys have been holding steady on Miracle Mile for a couple of decades now. While we aren’t awed by their plain cheese pizza, CPK was among the first to offer pizza with exotic toppings –and their BBQ Chicken pizza still kicks butt. 300 Miracle Mile. 305.774.9940.

BEST NEW PIZZA PLACE Merrick’s Pizza

Merrick’s Pizza had yet to open when the coronavirus hit, but that didn’t stop them from firing up the oven and offering pizza for takeout. Their motto is “Bringing Quality Back to Pizza” and they have definitely raised the bar. Their cheese pizza is thick and rich, and their gourmet pies are amazing. 1915 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 786.953.5693. ■

ALL OUR PROPERTIES ARE AVAILABLE TO BE SEEN IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY Our in person showings are done smart and safe. Please call or email us to discuss the right way for you to list or view a property in this environment.

Café Society

CONCERNED ABOUT DINING DURING THE CORONAVIRUS? TRY THE GREAT OUTDOORS

As epicurean Coral Gables emerges from the coronavirus shutdown, and our coterie of fine dining establishments begin to reopen, there remain safety concerns on the part of some diners. Is it safe to go back, even with all the precautions?

The answer is outdoor dining. With a nice breeze to dissipate the virus, and ample space to socially distance, dining al fresco is about as safe as it gets.

The added benefit is that dining outside is quite pleasant. In some societies it is the benchmark of civilized life. What would Paris be without its outdoor cafés? The good news is that Coral Gables has an abundance of outdoor options, some four dozen establishments with one form or another of outdoor seating. And there will be more to come, as the city eases restrictions on the placement of outdoor tables. Here, then, is a quick compendium of places where you can dine outside.

RESTAURANTS WITH OUTDOOR SEATING

ON MIRACLE MILE

Bellmont

Calle 23

Carrot Express

Copper 29

KAO Sushi & Grill

Ortanique

P. Pole

Patagonia

El Porteno

Rodilla

Salumeria

Seasons 52

ON GIRALDA PLAZA

77 Sports Bar

Clutch Burger

Divino Ceviche

La Dorada

Express Cubana

GreenLife Organic Bistro

The Local

Tapeo

Threefold Cafe

Miss Saigon

IN COURTYARDS

Café at Books & Books

Fontana (Biltmore)

Bachour

Demetrios

ON ALHAMBRA CIRCLE

Mint Leaf Brasserie

The Globe

AT THE SHOPS AT MERRICK PARK

Brasserie Central

Sawa Restaurant & Lounge

Sea Grill

Perrry’s Steakhouse

Villagio

THOSE WITH COVERED AREAS

19th Hole (Biltmore)

Bob’s Burgers

Buenos Aires Bistro

Crema

Graziano’s

Gringo’s Oyster Bar

Morton’s Tap 42

THOSE WITH LIMITED SIDEWALK SEATING

Caffe Abbracci

Chocolate Fashion

Madruga Bakery

Pascal’s on Ponce

Shula’s 347

La Taberna Giralda

Terre del Sapore

With a nice breeze to dissipate the virus, and ample space to socially distance, dining al fresco is about as safe as it gets.

Top: Bachour

Middle: Sawa

Bottom: Threefold Cafe

Photo by Jonathan Dann

Photo byEmily Fakhoury

Photo byEmily Fakhoury

What the years have taught me

What’s a MM?

In a nutshell, it’s about personal innovation and reclaiming your pre-baby body.

This should start with a return to regular exercise and sound nutrition. But there are challenges that are beyond these important self-help measures. Breastfeeding often causes breasts to look deflated or saggy. Replacing lost fill with an implant often can lift and re-energize breast appearance, although at times a breast lift or reduction might be indicated. That’s Part 1 of the MM.

Part 2 is the tummy. The last trimester of pregnancy is especially hard on the tummy since the muscle wall needs to stretch so much. Often the tummy doesn’t retighten enough, especially after more than one baby. Exercise is important to re-tone your muscles, but it won’t tighten the stretched-out areas between the muscles (so called ‘diastasis’). It also won’t remove loose skin. The job of the tummy tuck is to re-tighten the stretched ‘muscle’ tissues as well as loose skin, along with some optional liposuction on the sides.

Things the years have taught me:

1. Safety must be always come first, especially for moms. Thus, time in surgery should not exceed four hours and be performed in the safest environment possible and with safe anesthesia. For me, that means an ambulatory surgery center, next to and operated by a major hospital.

2. Doing good work takes time. An aesthetically pleasing tummy’s tuck takes about three hours. A breast augmentation adds about one hour, so both together are a safe combo in a healthy patient. But if an implant alone is not enough and a breast lift or reduction is indicated, it’s safer to divide the MM into two separate surgeries.

3. There are 3 keys to a good TT result: low, out-of-sight placement of the smiley-shaped tummy scar, thorough ‘muscle’ tightening, and a small, inconspicuous belly button. Surgical markings are critical for final scar shape and placement and are best done, without rush, the day before surgery.

4. To use or not to use a drain is NOT a critical issue. The point is to minimize the main complication of TT surgery which is the accumulation of fluid under the skin (called ‘seroma’). What is critical is that you end up with the best possible aesthetic result, independent of surgeon technique or drain preference.

5. Best TT results happen when patient and an experienced surgeon work together as a team. The TT addresses anatomic issues beyond the reach of the patient and patients can do things that go beyond the surgery. So patients who embrace good exercise and nutrition habits enjoy the best results.

6. Patients who have been well prepared and have realistic expectations do well.

As always, research carefully both the procedure and your plastic surgeon before proceeding, so you end up safe and happy.

Stephan Baker MD

People

Dr. Richard Levine

Cindy Lerner

Dr. Julio Frenk

p42

Dr. Richard Levine

Dr. Richard Levine graduated from Albany Medical College and went on to become an infectious disease specialist, now practicing for nearly 40 years as the leading epidemiologist for Doctors Hospital. At Doctors, he was part of the task force that Baptist South Florida set up to deal with the pandemic coronavirus. He was with Doctors when the Ebola and Sars viruses hit, which gave him and his team vital experience.

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT

Oversaw Doctors Hospital’s treatment of scores of patients with COVID-19, keeping fatalities to a minimum (lost two elderly patients to stroke) and successfully using a variety of cutting-edge treatments to get all other patients off ventilators and return them to health. Kept infections of the nurses and respiratory therapists to only a few cases.

WHAT HE SAYS

“The cases are definitely going down, and I think the social distancing and the staying home has made a critical difference. I am proud of what the city has done in this way,” says Dr. Levine. When asked what he expects will happen next, he says, “My concern is for college kids and children going back to school in September... I am concerned that asymptomatic infections will come home and infect parents and grandparents.” The only answer, he says, is a vaccine. “Everyone says testing is the answer. But it’s impossible to test everyone… Ultimately, it’s the vaccine that will be the answer, the thing that is going to save us… [In the meantime] What we need are aggressive studies of treatment modalities.”

HEAD EPIDEMIOLOGIST, DOCTORS HOSPITAL, CORAL GABLES

“ULTIMATELY, IT’S THE VACCINE THAT WILL BE THE ANSWER, THE THING THAT IS GOING TO SAVE US”

Top producer Mauricio J. Barba has been a mainstay in Miami’s uber competitive high-end real estate market since 1994. Respected in his native community by clients and colleagues alike; he has logged top honors for elite performance in his field. Mauricio is connected worldwide but specializes in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne, Brickell, Village of Pinecrest, South Miami, Palmetto Bay/ Falls area and the Beaches. His expertise is demonstrated through his ability to facilitate trouble-free transactions winning him clients for life who also become friends.

Mauricio enters every room with confidence and professional approachability. But more importantly he is prepared and precise, saving you time and effort. Clients rely on him to deliver and he takes the responsibility very seriously. “People trust me with their single largest asset. It’s a role that drives me to push for excellence every day. I give 110% because my success is their success.”

305.439.8311

mauricio@miamisignaturehomes.com

MiamiSignatureHomes.com

Cindy Lerner

Cindy Lerner served as mayor of Pinecrest for eight years, from 2008 to 2016. She is a past president of the Miami-Dade County League of Cities and served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2000 to 2002. Recognized as a leader in the fight for sustainability and preparing for sea-level rise, she served as the Chair of the National League of Cities’ Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Policy Steering Committee.

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT

Lerner has now thrown her hat in the race to become Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 7, which includes most of Coral Gables, as well as Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, and South Miami. The current commissioner for District 7 is Xavier Suarez. She is campaigning on a platform of increasing light and heavy rail to alleviate U.S.1 gridlock, preparing a master plan for sea level rise, and dramatically upgrading large public parks. She is also a proponent of self-determination for annexation, and for local film industry incentives.

“The county has been in paralysis for the last 20 years,” she says. “Nothing is being invested in infrastructure or transit or sustainability. No effort has been made to address these things.” What Lerner wants is a county prepared to become part of what she calls “the new economy,” and to provide solutions that partner with the private sector. “Having had the experience in local government as a mayor, and having served in the state legislature, I have seen how problems can and should be solved. It is just not happening at the county level.”

FORMER MAYOR OF PINECREST, CANDIDATE FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT FOR CORAL GABLES

WHAT SHE SAYS

“THE COUNTY HAS BEEN IN PARALYSIS FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS…”

Learn how your generosity can make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.

BaptistHealth.net/GenerosityHeals or 786-467-5400.

GENEROSITY HONORS OUR HEALTHCARE HEROES.

While we stay home to stay safe, they go to work. They are our heroes — the dedicated, compassionate healthcare professionals on the front lines caring for our patients in these unprecedented times. Through our COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund, the generosity of donors is more important than ever to help us respond to current and future needs, including patient care, medical supplies, equipment, technology, innovation and staff support.

Generosity Heals.

Dr. Julio Frenk

Born in Mexico City, Frenk is a fourth-generation physician who for six years served as Mexico’s minister of health before becoming dean of Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health in 2009.  He has also been an executive with the World Health Organization and a senior fellow in global health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He was named UM president in 2015.

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT

Along with leading the university through financial hardship due to the pandemic, Frenk has also been named interim CEO of UHealth while a search for a permanent CEO is underway. As such, he has accelerated UHealth research for better coronavirus testing and a vaccine. As UM president, he plans to reopen the university in the fall with coronavirus testing for all students and staff, contact tracing and social distancing. “The future is not going to be defined by the virus; it’s going to be defined by how we react to the virus,” Frenk told students via video.

WHAT HE SAYS

“I hope the positive of this [pandemic] is the realization that we need to be constantly investing in surveillance,” says the veteran healthcare administrator. “But often as soon as the emergency disappears, those investments disappear. We can’t have that. I hope the legacy of coronavirus is to understand that health security is a part of national security. These are permanent investments.” As for the long-term effects of the virus, he says, “This should make all of us more aware, and to observe general measures of hygiene. We may not stop shaking hands. But we have to keep washing hands and keep surfaces clean.”

PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

“HEALTH SECURITY IS A PART OF NATIONAL SECURITY… “

P EN O

to showing some local love

OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE THE BEATING HEART OF THIS COMMUNITY, AND THEY NEED US NOW MORE THAN EVER. YOUR FAVORITE SHOPS, RESTAURANTS, AND SERVICES ARE READY FOR YOU ONCE AGAIN!

Staying Beautiful in the City Beautiful

THOUGHTS ON BEAUTY FROM SOME OF THE CITY’S LEADING COSMETIC DOCTORS, NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS

BY JAMES BROIDA

“YOU DON’T WANT PEOPLE TO PICK UP ON IT. THE GOAL IS TO LOOK LIKE YOU HAVEN’T HAD ANYTHING DONE, BUT YOU LOOK BETTER.”

Dr. Stephan Baker

When you search an official, peer-reviewed directory for leading physicians in Coral Gables, like the national Top Doctor list kept by Castle Connolly, you will see a dominant category: Beauty specialists, be they dermatologists, plastic surgeons, or cosmetic dentists. Just driving around the city you see the signs: The Plastic Surgery Institute, Allure Plastic Surgery, Gables Perfect Smile, the Dental Studio (as though it was an artist’s workshop), the Miami Skin Institute, etc.

“I wanted to practice here, in this environment,” says cosmetic dentist Dr. Jose Abadin. “Looks are important here, so people are more inclined to do cosmetic dentistry.”

The same can be said about plastic surgery and cosmetic dermatology. “Your appearance is important in the workplace here, too,” says cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Oscar Hevia. “You want to look young and fresh because [then] you look like your performance would be better. You don’t want to look tired.”

That, in essence, is the philosophy of most doctors who work the aesthetic side of the street: It’s not about looking like someone else. It’s about looking like yourself, only younger, better, fresher.

“It is a perfectly reasonable thing if a patient wants a change, but I don’t like to make any drastic changes,” says Dr. Stephan Baker. “You don’t want people to pick up on it. The goal is to look like

you haven’t had anything done, but you look better. The stretched look is an aesthetic failure.”

In essence, says Baker, less is more. This has to do with breast augmentations, as well as facial rejuvenations. Dr. Baker says he is now performing numerous breast reductions, especially among women in their 40s and 50s “who prefer to go smaller. It makes them look lighter and younger. At a certain age large breasts make you look matronly.”

A NEW APPROACH

Dr. Baker, like other Gables plastic surgeons, is part of the movement toward volume restoration – as opposed to the old practice of cutting and pulling. “That look, where you look tight, is turning people off. Natural looks are what people want. In the past we over did it,” he says. Replacing volume by itself can lift the skin and give it a youthful plumpness. Also, if your own fat is used as the filler – as opposed to synthetic fillers – there are benefits that come from the stem cells in the fat that help erase wrinkles and restore a youthful glow.

“The fat can help with skin appearance – you can see improvement in the quality and texture of the skin,” says Gables plastic surgeon Dr. Daniel Careaga. While Careaga uses a patient’s fat as

“THE FAT CAN HELP WITH SKIN APPEARANCE –YOU CAN SEE IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY AND TEXTURE OF THE SKIN.”

Dr. Daniel Careaga (right)

a filler during a face lift procedure, he is also concerned that it may not be as consistent as a synthetic filler because some may be re-absorbed by the body. “A certain percentage doesn’t survive so it’s not entirely predictable,” he says.

Careaga says he is therefore inclined to use synthetic fillers, which have gotten better in recent years. “Facial rejuvenation has changed a lot with the development of better fillers,” he says, so much so that “fillers today can postpone the need for a facelift. And once you do [get a facelift] they help give better results.”

One thing that cannot be helped by fillers, however, is the excess skin that sometimes creates jowls as we get older. “The reality is that humans are living longer. Now people in their 80s can be the picture of health.” That does not mean, however, that they can avoid sagging neck skin – which if removed dramatically restores a youthful appearance. “Most of my patients were happy with how they looked before,” says Careaga. “They want to take a couple of years off, but they want to look like themselves.”

FACE TIME

While plastic surgeons like Baker and Careaga also perform body contouring and breast augmentation procedures, when most people think of beauty they think of the face. That is the focus for cosmetic dermatologists – as opposed to dermatologists who are helping rid you of skin cancer or a pernicious rash. And what they offer is rejuvenation without the knife.

Dr. Hevia says the two trending areas in his practice are eyes and jaw lines. “People are understanding that as your eyes age, so does your face. This is becoming more and more recognized,” notes Hevia, who says that under-eye filler is becoming a popular procedure. “With the hollow under-the-eyes tissue we can do wonders non surgically,” he says. “If you use filler around the bag you can make it look much better.”

The other new tool is “a nice non-surgical way to help define the jawline, which improves the appearance of the neck,” says Hevia. As we age, he says, the chin starts to recede and we start to lose definition of the jawline. This results in “a blurring of the jaw and the neck,” which loses the “youthful frame” of the face. “We can’t correct the goose neck, which does require surgery. But we can make the person look more youthful and refreshed with a sharper jawline.”

For that sweet blush of youth, of course, a rosy complexion is a must. And that is, ultimately, the specialty of the cosmetic dermatologist. At the offices of Dr. Flor Mayoral, who practices in the south Gables with both of her daughters, there is an arsenal of high-tech gear to augment the use of fillers – from lasers that can resurface damaged skin to intense pulsed-light devices that improve skin texture.

While volume replacement is important, says Dr. Mayoral, what her patients also want is “a creamy complexion, with a pink vibrant color to the skin.” In other words, they want a smooth face that is absent the brown, red or purple spots, patches and freckles that come with aging and years of exposure to the sun.

While laser and pulsed light can get rid of the surface blotches, Dr. Mayoral also uses tools such as a radio frequency device that tightens the skin and gives it a better tone. It works by heating the collagen beneath the skin’s surface, which damages those fibers and causes them to renew. “The new fibers are tighter and will change the contour of the face,” she says, and you won’t need another treatment for a year and a half.

Dr. Oscar Hevia, above, is a cosmetic dermatologist in Coral Gables. He says the two trending areas in his practice are eyes and jaw lines. “People are understanding that as your eyes age, so does your face. This is becoming more and more recognized.”

Opposite: Dr. Gordon Solokov of Coral Gables Dentistry, says: “Miami in general is a particularly image conscious place. People are very caught up in their appearance and cosmetic dentistry is a big part of that. Teeth are way up there in what makes us look young. ”

WHEN YOU’RE SMILING…

Of course, no amount of smooth skin or defined jaw line can impart an impression of beauty if your teeth are in bad shape. Nothing worse than the look of grey, yellow teeth, let alone teeth that are misshapen or missing.

“Miami in general is a particularly image conscious place. People are very caught up in their appearance and cosmetic dentistry is a big part of that,” says Dr. Gordon Sokolov of Coral Gables Dentistry. “Teeth are way up there in what makes us look young. In general people look at our eyes and then our teeth. I look at teeth first of course – and on dating sites, you will see ‘Must Have Nice Teeth.’”

The challenge, says Sokolov, is trying to convince people that a natural looking smile is more important than a perfect looking smile. “You can cross the line with people that want teeth that are too perfect looking…. You get people who choose a color we call toilet bowl white, or snow white. I try to talk them out of it.”

Dental technology, meanwhile, is making strides. The old, heavy-duty X-rays are being replaced with digital scanning technology that uses hand-held scanners. The materials used to cap teeth or create veneers has also gotten better, with different kinds of ceramics, porcelains, and silicates, which are stronger and more durable. Dentists are also using platelet rich plasma, taken from a patient’s

own blood, to accelerate the regrowth of gums.

“Dentistry has changed significantly the last 10 to 15 years. There is a lot more emphasis on appearance and beauty, and to compliment that is the feature of your smile,” says Dr. Abadin. The omnipresence of cell phones has also driven the demand for dental beauty “through the roof,” he says. “With selfies, people have a mirror of themselves at all times. And there is nothing better than having a beautiful smile to compliment the whole face.”

Except, perhaps, the whole face itself. And for that, besides returning the patient to a more youthful version of him or herself, it comes down to a matter of balance. Even in the realm of teeth, says Abadin, “there is a certain proportion that you need to look good.”

Before going to medical school, Dr. Careaga was an undergrad majoring in the branch of philosophy that deals with aesthetics. “What critically defines beauty in humans, art and nature is a combination of notes that sound beautiful, versus those that make your neck hair stand up…

“There is a component of symmetry, the golden ratio, that translates into a beautiful appearance, says Careaga. “It’s not so much that I am making a patient look beautiful, as it is that I’m finding a way to bring back that aesthetic balance.” ■

Jorge E. Acevedo, from the Department of Public Works, oversees work on new storm water drainage on Asturia Drive.

Photo by Jon Braeley

A Problem Beneath the Surface

BY MIKE CLARY

Known for Mediterranean Revival architecture, tree-shaded boulevards and winding waterways, fine dining and graceful living, Coral Gables has earned its reputation as a world class city, often cited in national surveys as among the most beautiful towns in America.

Yet just beneath the surface in the City Beautiful lie some troubling problems. Potentially hazardous, dangerous problems. Septic tanks. “This is a hot topic we’ve been talking about for years,” says Vice Mayor Vince Lago of the thousands of septic systems beneath the properties of Coral Gables homeowners and businesses. “There are lots of tanks that are not properly maintained, or not maintained at all, and when talking about our drinking water or Biscayne Bay, that’s a concern.”

In Coral Gables, an estimated 7,000 properties, most of them single-family residences, are on septic systems. That means between 40 and 50 percent of the city’s 51,000 residents flush toilets and drain grey water from sinks and washing machines into concrete boxes buried in the yard, according to city utilities director Jorge Acevedo. If the systems are working properly, the liquid waste then passes through a drain field before being filtered through a layer of dry soil. Most commercial properties in the downtown

NEARLY HALF OF CORAL GABLES RESIDENCES ARE ON SEPTIC TANKS. MANY MAY BE LEAKING. AS SEA LEVELS RISE, HOW BIG A PROBLEM IS THAT?

area and along the U.S. 1 corridor, along with a few hundred single-family homes near Granada Golf Course and along Old Cutler Road, are hooked up to a sewer system owned and operated by the city. The city sends the waste for treatment to the Miami-Dade Water & Sewer Department. The county also provides Coral Gables with its water, and handles billing.

In Miami-Dade County, where sea levels have already risen four inches since 1994, more than 105,000 residential properties still use septic systems, according to a 2018 Miami-Dade County report. More than half of those systems, 58,349, are periodically compromised – i.e., not working properly during storms or wet years, the report said. By 2040, that number is expected to increase to more than 67,000.

Sea levels are expected to increase an additional two to six inches by 2030, concludes the county’s report, entitled “Septic Systems Vulnerable to Sea Level Rise.”

As groundwater levels rise, “septic systems cannot function as designed. Improperly functioning septic systems can pose an immediate public health risk,” the report says. “There are also many financial and environmental risks, including contamination of the

freshwater aquifer, which is the community’s sole source of potable water.”

South Florida’s hydrogeology – the movement and distribution of underground water – is one of the most complex in the world. Underneath the large urban area that hugs the east coast is a layer of porous limestone connecting the groundwater supply directly to Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, says Douglas Yoder, deputy director of the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department.

“As sea levels rise, we need a foot of difference between the elevation of fresh and sea water to make sure salt water doesn’t move inland,” says Yoder. Salt water intrusion would pose a threat to both our drinking water and the built environment, including septic tanks. And, as the county’s vulnerability study found, “Septic systems were not designed with the assumption that groundwater levels would rise gradually over time.”

For Coral Gables, well-known for zealously protecting its upscale image with tough zoning and building codes, and for championing green initiatives, septic tanks present a quandary. They represent, as Lago says, a classic illustration of “out of sight, out of mind.” If septic systems are working

A multi-year study to be led by researchers at Florida International University (FIU) may reveal how much pollution might be leaking from the Coral Gables septic system. The study, for which the city has budgeted $1.2 million over the next five years, will sample water quality as a means of pinpointing the sources of nutrients that run off into ground water and Biscayne Bay.

Miami-Dade County and the State of Florida Health Department produce a number of free pamphlets that inform South Florida residents about their water and sewer infrastructure.

properly, no problem. But the city cannot afford to ignore the possibility that leaking tanks may be contributing to environmental pollution, and neither can the city afford to mitigate the threat by installing a city-wide sanitary sewer system.

The cost of converting all of MiamiDade County – including Coral Gables –from septic to sewer would top $4 billion, and take years, according to the latest estimates. Were the Gables to extend its own sewer system to homes now on septic, the cost would also be stratospheric.

“The concern is trumped by cost, which is so exorbitant it’s a little disheartening,” says Lago. “We are getting limited cooperation from the [Miami-Dade] county and the state. That leaves us in a tough position. But it’s a priority we have to take seriously.”

The city is now talking to Florida Power & Light officials about putting power lines underground, part of a 30-year, multi-billion-dollar plan authorized by the Florida legislature in 2019. “There is no way under our current financial state that we can undertake both undergrounding (power lines) and transitioning from septic to sewer,” says Lago.

What can be done, Lago says, is exploring legislation that would require septic systems be maintained, paired with a program of incentives encouraging homeowners’ compliance. “Do a simple analysis of the septic to see it’s performing appropriately, to make sure we’re not contaminating the aquifer or the environment,” says Lago. “Residents would be incentivized, not penalized.”

At the same time, Lago urges citizens and legislators to support Everglades restoration. City officials are also talking to state and federal officials about the money necessary to extend the sewer system throughout the city, according to Commissioner Patricia Keon. “We know that conversion [from septic to sewers] will need to start,” says Keon. “We need to start looking for funding sources. These are billion-dollar issues, large amounts of money.” (Monroe County recently wrapped up a massive project to install sewer lines to serve the entire 120-mile island chain, a project that began with legislation in 1999 and cost more than $1 billion).

Keon says “there is no immediate problem” with the Gables’ septic systems now because most of the city is on high ground. However, she adds, “We know that in the future it will be a problem. We acknowledge that as sea levels rise, and given the porosity of the whole state, it could create an issue. We have a 30-year window to address this issue.”

Miami Waterkeeper, a public interest

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUR SEPTIC TANK

HOW A SEPTIC TANK WORKS:

1. House waste water flows to the septic tank.

2. Watery waste, called “effluent,” fills most of the tank. Anaerobic bacteria breaks down the organic material in the effluent.

3. A layer of sludge falls to the bottom, which is composed of inorganic solids and the byproducts of bacterial digestion.

4. A layer of scum floats to the top, which is primarily composed of fats, grease and oil.

5. Effluent flows through a baffle to the drain field where it is allowed to seep into the surrounding gravel.

6. Aerobic bacteria in the gravel and soil complete the decomposition of the waste.

7. The Clean water percolates down into the groundwater.

HOW TO CARE FOR A SEPTIC TANK:

1. Have the system pumped out and inspected by a professional every three years.

2. Grow grass or small plants above the system to hold the drainfield in place.

3, Do not put grease or non-biodegradable materials down the toilet or sink.

4. Do not flush paint thinners, polyurethane, anti-freeze, pesticides, disinfectant, water softeners or other strong chemicals.

5. Do not flush indigestible materials such as diapers, cigarette filters, feminine products, cat litter, or plastic.

6. Do not plant trees within 30 feet of your system or park/drive over the system.

7. Do not do all machine washing in one day, to avoid overwhelming the system with excess wastewater.

Source for care: Miami Waterkeeper

Not to scale

group, thinks the situation is much more urgent. Of the more than 105,000 septic tanks in Miami-Dade County, including those in Coral Gables, “many are not functioning properly,” says Kelly Cox, general counsel of the nonprofit organization with a mission to protect South Florida’s watershed through science and citizen engagement. In addition to sewage leaking from septic systems, runoff from storm drains carry effluent and nutrients that can seep into the Biscayne Aquifer and eventually reach Biscayne Bay, Cox said. These excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus cause algae to grow faster than the ecosystem can sustain, reducing or eliminating the amount of oxygen in the water and blocking sunlight.

“We are moving a lot of nutrients into the waterway and the bay,” says Cox. “And Coral Gables, with the number of parcels on septic and its proximity to the bay, make it a hotspot.” Among sites monitored weekly by Miami Waterkeeper is the swimming pond at Matheson Hammock in Coral Gables. The group samples the water for enterococcus, bacteria frequently associated with sewage and which can both cause gastrointestinal problems and serve as an indicator of other sewage-related pathogens. Test results are posted on the website at theswimguide.org/beach.

Just how much pollution might be leaking from Coral Gables septic systems may

be revealed in a multi-year study to be led by researchers at Florida International University. The study, for which the city has budgeted $1.2 million over next five years, will sample water quality as a means of pinpointing the sources of nutrients that run off into ground water and Biscayne Bay, according to FIU lead investigator and scientist Tiffany Troxler. That information can then be used by city officials to manage the canal system and plan for sea level rise. Other agencies involved in the study include Miami Waterkeeper, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the University of Miami and the county’s Department of Environmental Resources Management.

“If you think about it, no septic tank is going to be 100 percent efficient,” Troxler says. The study, which is to begin this summer, will use chemical tracers and DNA fingerprinting to determine how much humans contribute to the bacteria found in ground water. “Coral Gables wants to understand how the city can manage potential water quality issues,” says Troxler.  “This has economic value for recreation and tourism, and could minimize the incidence of algae blooms.”

The environmental impact of faulty septic systems is difficult to track, says Acevedo, because the systems are the property of homeowners, regulated by the state Department of Health. “We don’t do inspections or tests,” says Acevedo. “We are really lucky

Kelly Cox, from Miami Waterkeeper, collects water samples at Matheson Hammock. “We are moving a lot of nutrients into the waterway and the bay, says Cox, “and Coral Gables, with the number of parcels on septic and its proximity to the bay, make it a hotspot.”

in the city because in the lower areas, south of Old Cutler, homes are on sanitary sewer,” he added. “And most homes with septic are on higher ground.”

The exception is Kings Bay (cq), a gated neighborhood adjacent to the bay where many homes are on septic systems and elevations are low. Public works officials say they are not aware of any issues with septic systems in that neighborhood.

Prior to the November elections, Miami Waterkeeper, in partnership with the Miami Foundation, plans to launch a campaign to inform voters about the importance of converting septic tanks to sewers. “We want to guide the conversation, make this a priority issue, a key component of environmental resiliency,” says Cox.

“Conversion is not easy. It is a significant undertaking; it means right of way acquisition and tearing up roads,” she says. “But we need to start thinking more critically, and decide what is going to work. We need to start making these decisions now.”

HOME & GARDEN

KITCHEN BY SCAVOLINI MIAMI SEE

HOME INNOVATION

IN THE WORLD OF TRADITIONAL GABLES HOMES, INNOVATION IS ALL ABOUT RETROFITTING WITH SMART, MODERN INTERIORS

BY JAMES BROIDA AND MALLORY EVANS JACOBSON

Walt Disney was fond of saying that the Carousel of Progress was his favorite attraction. This theatre-in-theround with robot actors – originally part of the New York World’s Fair in 1964 – is today located in the Tomorrowland section of the Magic Kingdom at Disney World. Walt wanted the Carousel to portray the American family going through the 20th century, experiencing all the wonders of evolving technology – from the new electric bulbs of the 1920s to the voice activated appliances of today.

Disney said he loved the attraction because it embodied two things that he considered paramount: the American family and the idea of progress.

We still hold those values dear in the City of Coral Gables, where home life has become increasingly central in the time of the pandemic. And if our world is now more home-inward than ever, we may as well make the most of it with innovative spaces.

So, what do we mean by innovation when it comes to the home? There are really two answers to that. The first is in terms of design, the second is in terms of technology.

“For me, home innovation means the change toward more open spaces,” says Juan Poggi of Gables-based Poggi Design. “Little by little we are going to floor plans where everything is open and integrated, so that you use your entire home.” Poggi says the days of the isolated kitchen are over, for example, and that innovate design connects that space with other rooms, such as the dining or living room. “We have more areas now where you can interact with the family…. There is a communion now among families.”

Another aspect of innovative design is seamlessness – that everything is hidden behind panels that are themselves sleek and free of handles or protruding hinges.

On the technology side, innovation means linking it all together so that the homeowner has remote control over everything from audio and lighting to temperature and security. “Innovation means technology, and installations where you don’t know it’s there,” says Spencer Hauldren, the founder and managing partner of Acoustic Architects. Hauldren’s firm has retrofitted numerous Gables homes, as well as engineered complete installations for new homes, installing high-tech sound and security systems, and controls for temperature and lighting.

“There is a lot of buzz in my space regarding health and wellness as it is related to technology – air, water and circadian light,” says Hauldren. “But the most important system in any home, when we are talking about innovation, is having a robust, wireless backbone throughout.” With that in place, innovation comes with the touch of a screen – and can be upgraded seamlessly.

As the song goes in the Carousel of Progress: “There’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of every day…”

OPEN Living

To create this captivating living space, Gables interior designer Maritza Capiro focused on making it the centerpiece of the home. “It was designed with entertaining in mind,” says Capiro, “and what emerged is a functional and beautiful space where friends and family can gather.” The designer transformed every inch of the space, making way for a contemporary bar area, a series of futuristic light fixtures, and a quartet of punchy abstract artwork.

But there is more to this redesign than meets the eye; Capiro also integrated state-of-the-art audio and video systems, as well as a streamlined automation system in the home. In-ceiling speakers were installed in the living room and throughout the other living spaces, and the lighting and air conditioning thermostats can easily be controlled by the touch of the homeowner’s iPad or cellphone.

AREA RUG: MODERN NATURE DESIGN MODERNNATUREDESIGN.COM

ARTWORK: CHRISTOPHER KENNEDY CHRISTOPHERKENNEDY.COM

WALL SCONCES: ARTERIORS ARTERIORSHOME.COM

MARITZA CAPIRO MARITZACAPIRO.COM 305.528.2332

The Ultimate Bureau

“We take space very seriously,” says Frank Rosell, one of the principals at StudioBecker. “Some people describe our designs as very James Bond, because a lot remains hidden… For me, it’s that we all have a little OCD, and we like things to be where they should be.” Being in the business of building and installing luxury installations, he says, “We feel that the ultimate luxury is not only that it looks [impeccable] but that it functions as such, and that you know where everything is, in order.”

StudioBecker is also fanatical about details for the kitchens, wall units, wine cellars, closets, etc, they design and build in Germany. Even the insides of the drawers have veneers, not just the outsides, with engineering that can take 150 pounds of contents but glide open effortlessly.

One of their installations – the dressing room bureau pictured here – has a cabinet that rises from a center console, revealing small shelves for everything from watches to colognes.

Frank Rosell, StudioBecker

WHERE: STUDIOBECKER 4216 PONCE DE LEON BLVD. 305.514.0400

STUDIOBECKER.COM

Photograph by David Duncan Livingston

“IT IS VERY JAMES BOND, BECAUSE A LOT REMAINS HIDDEN”

Bathroom Bedazzle

Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting stocks an enormous array of appliances, including the most advanced bathroom accessories, such as bidets with “smart toilet” technology and voice-enabled vanity mirrors (both by Kohler). But they are most excited by their Jacuzzi Arga Bath Collection, which provides a multi-sensory bathing experience.

Controlled by a glass touchpad, the Arga bathtub combines the swirling water of a Jacuzzi with softly colored lighting “to evoke a warm embrace of well-being,” according to the good folks at Ferguson. Bathers can adjust the jet streams, the lighting and a blend of Epsom salts as their “Whisper+” technology allows bathers to hear only the peaceful sound of a slow-moving stream. “It does everything except your laundry,” says Peg Hall Williams of Ferguson.

WHERE:

FERGUSON

“IT DOES EVERYTHING EXCEPT YOUR LAUNDRY”

Peg Hall Williams Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting

Back to the Future

Despite their namesake focus, “We can pretty much take on any room of the home,” says Julie Shvedyuk of California Closets. “It’s all about maximizing the use of space and organizing it so that it has the most efficient storage possible.” This can apply to not just closets, but to garages, bar areas, pantries, laundry rooms –or an office that wants to serve as a guest room.

“People are turning rooms into multi-functional spaces – a yoga space with an office, or an office space with a Murphy bed,” says Shvedyuk. A Murphy bed? Once popular in the 1950s, a Murphy bed disappears into the wall during the day, leaving the space functional for another purpose. California Closets custom-designs the shelving to fit existing or newly designed space.

GET THE LOOK:

SEVILLE OFFICE SUITE: INSTALLED FOR BETWEEN $5,000 AND $10,000

SURFACING: MELAMINE, AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY COMPOSITE

CALIFORNIA CLOSETS MIAMI CALIFORNIACLOSETS.COM 305.623.8282

“PEOPLE ARE TURNING ROOMS INTO MULTI-FUNCTIONAL SPACES – A YOGA SPACE WITH AN OFFICE, OR AN OFFICE SPACE WITH A MURPHY BED”

Julie Shvedyuk, California Closets

Room Service

When tasked with creating a bedroom and entertainment center for a teenage boy, Miami and Dallas-based interior designer Hillary Littlejohn Scurtis decided to channel a hip boutique hotel. “I was inspired by a screen that I saw in a yoga studio in SoHo in New York City,” says Scurtis, whose goal for the built-in cabinets was to hide a gaming console, processor and printer, while allowing for ventilation. What materialized were custom-made oak herringbone lattice panels, giving the setup an architectural flair.

GET

PENDANT LIGHTS: BARRY DIXON, BARRYDIXON.COM

CEILING LIGHTS: DELTA LIGHT, DELTALIGHT.COM

DESK CHAIR: THE FUTURE PERFECT, THEFUTUREPERFECT.COM

HILLARY LITTLEJOHN STUDIO DESIGN HLSINTERIORDESIGN.COM 214.775.0898

“WE POSITIONED THEM (NANO LIGHTS) IN PATTERNS AT THE ROOM’S ENTRYWAY AND THROUGHOUT THE SPACE....”

HOME & GARDEN

The Sleek Kitchen

“The options that we have are the finishes we offer, and the solutions we design,” says Scavolini USA’s national brand manager Daniele Busca. “We have very functional kitchens for small spaces, and we can build kitchens with a bar and a butler’s pantry. Thank God they have large kitchens in the Gables.” Busca says that yesterday’s trend toward dark colors has been usurped by a post-pandemic leaning toward light or white, “for something that looks clean and fresh and neat.” This includes high-impact porcelain surfacing, which is easy to clean and comes in 25 colors.

Bryson Cook, manager for Scavolini’s Gables showroom, says that part of his firm’s innovative approach to design is “minimalism without being stark.” No hardware is visible for drawers or cabinets, which integrates the handles into the design. Another innovative element is their use of reflective bronze glass in cabinets: when the recessed lighting is on, you can see what’s inside; otherwise it fades behind the reflective surface. Everything is built in Italy and custom installed for prices typically in a $30,000 to $60,000 range.

MODERN HOME & GIZMO

FIVE APPLIANCES THAT WILL TURN YOUR HOME INTO AN EPIC RETREAT

BY MALLORY EVANS JACOBSON

Sincewe will likely be spending more time at home this summer than expected, why not outfit your digs with appliances that will (almost) make you feel like you’re on vacation? We found five products that will immediately elevate any residence, and they are all available through Coral Gables’ Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery.

NETFLIX AND GRILL (TOP)

Forget about your basic barbecue and upgrade to the Shokunin Kamado Grill from Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet. Visually, it’s super sleek, and allows anyone to enjoy the Japanese kamado style of cooking, which allows for low and slow grilling thanks to ultra-insulation. Retail: $5,995.

NO STRESS (TOP RIGHT)

Turn your shower into a total oasis with Moen’s Aromatherapy Handshower with Inly essential oil capsules. There are four spa-inspired fragrances to choose from, and this product works to infuse them directly into the water flow, creating a luxurious experience that’s akin to a day at the spa. Retail: Starting at $129.

CHEF’S CHOICE (RIGHT)

These days, pops of color and punchy patterns are trending in the kitchen, and BlueStar offers you the chance to fully customize your appliances. With over 1,000 hues and designs to choose from, the options are seemingly endless and kitchen dreams can truly come true. Retail: Single range from $4,895.

LAUNDRY DAY (RIGHT)

Taking your laundry to the cleaners will become a thing of the past if you purchase the Styler steam closet from LG. You can use it to refresh everyday items, press dressy clothes, and dry delicate items. The Styler is fitting for use in our current climate, as it also sanitizes, removes allergens and eliminates over 99 percent of bacteria from fabrics. Retail: $1,699.

LET’S DISH (FAR RIGHT)

Washing the dishes might just become your family’s favorite chore thanks to Gaggenau’s latest dish washing technology. The 400 series back-wall illuminated dishwasher with zeolite drying enables all dishware, including plastics, to be fully dried. It can be operated via a remote control, making the whole process easier than ever. Retail: $3,199

Lords of the Ring

VIDEO DOORBELLS ARE SWEEPING CORAL GABLES, WHERE THEY SERVE AS ANTI-CRIME EYES AND EARS

BY KATRINA DANIEL

These are actual posts on the RING Neighbors app, incidents caught on camera by RING video doorbells in use across the Gables. Homeowners who have RING, or similar audio/video doorbell systems, use the app (and another like it called Neighbor’s Digest) to chronicle suspicious behavior –or downright criminal activity – in the neighborhood. That information is shared both with people who live nearby and the Coral Gables Police Department

The RING video system has two-way talk and motion-activated notifications. You can set it for alerts on your phone when someone comes close to your house, even if they don’t ring the bell. You can also set a distance perimeter so the video captures anything happening nearby. A delivery truck ran over your expensive landscaping?

“WATCH THESE SCUMBAGS AS THEY’RE STEALING THE BIKES FROM THE SIDE OF THIS HOUSE…”

“3:00 AM. THIEF CRAWLS AROUND IN THE BACKYARD, LOOKING FOR WAY TO ENTER THROUGH THE SLIDING GLASS DOORS.”

If your camera is set at the right angle and distance, you can capture the name of the business on the offending truck (and beware stealthy dog poop droppers!).

“Blonde woman, aged 5060, weighs 180 lbs… watch as she steals my neighbors’ Sunbrella cushions and candles from patio.” According to Neighbor’s Digest, where that post appeared, 3,488 other people also watched the woman porch pirating. Among them, Coral Gables Police.

Gables police have adapted quickly to the proliferation of RING and other audio/video doorbells, says CGPD Public Information Officer Kelly Denham; as many as 5,000 are now installed in the Gables.

“When there is a crime committed in our jurisdiction, it is the responding officer’s responsibility to inquire if there is any type of video available from the victim. We also canvass the

neighborhood to see if any other camera systems picked up on the crime,” he says. The video is then turned over to a detective, who will run down the case based on any identifying information in the video, which is also shared with other police departments. The detective might even run the video via social media to get help from the public.

Even without police intervention, a video/audio doorbell can be highly effective. In my case, I was able to get a refund from Amazon, which insisted that a package had been delivered. My video log proved otherwise.

Or take Linda Martinez’s story. It was 4:30 in the morning, and she was asleep and alone in her Granada Avenue home, when her doorbell rang and a guy who said he was her Uber driver demanded she open the door. Linda was confused

The round door peephole is now extinct, as the latest video doorbells enable the user to see or record those who steal or damage property

and frightened; her husband was out of town. Fortunately, the RING alert also went to her husband’s phone, and he responded as though he were right there, next to Linda in bed. The would-be intruder had no way of knowing that Linda was home alone and departed.

RING doorbells cost as little as $99 and attach to the outside wall of your home, connecting via WiFi. Their only downside, says Gables computer technician Bryan Allen, is that your WiFi network may need a booster to penetrate a thick front wall. But once installed, a video/ audio doorbell system can help you secure your property and give you some peace of mind. It can also provide you with hours of voyeuristic entertainment.

Gotta go now. Watching a heavyset blonde woman steal porch cushions. ■

ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, MAKE REFERENCE TO THIS BROCHURE AND TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. These materials are not intended to be an offer to sell, or solicitation to buy a unit in the condominium. Such an offering shall only be made pursuant to the prospectus (offering circular) for the condominium and no statements should be relied upon unless made in the prospectus or in the applicable purchase agreement. In no event shall any solicitation, offer or sale of a unit in the condominium be made in, or to residents of, any state or country in which such activity would be unlawful. All images and designs depicted herein are artist’s conceptual renderings, which are based upon preliminary development plans, and are subject to change without notice in the manner provided in the offering documents. All such materials are not to scale and are shown solely for illustrative purposes. The project graphics, renderings and text provided herein are copyrighted works owned by the Developer. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, display or other dissemination of such materials is strictly prohibited and constitutes copyright infringement. No real estate broker is authorized to make any representations or other statements regarding the project. This project is being developed by 515 Valencia SPE,

Homes for sale in the Merrick Historic Villages

When George Merrick founded the City Beautiful, he launched what was known as The Village Project. This was a joint venture between Merrick, The American Building Company and former Ohio Governor Myers Cooper, with more than 1,000 residences planned for a series of “villages” based on architecture from around the world. Merrick

planned seven of them: the Pioneer Village, the French Normandy Village, the Chinese Village, the Italian Village, the French City Village and the French Country Village. Unfortunately, the hurricane of 1926 and the Great Depression put an end to the endeavor, but 80 homes from the original project remain today. Here are three of them, for sale.

Dutch African Village

6705 SAN VICENTE ST.

Listing Price

$1.525 million

5 bed/5 bath/1 half bath. 3,385 sq. ft. This 1925 home is in the Dutch South African Village, designed by Palm Beach architect Marion Sims Wyeth, and built by Merrick’s construction company. The building draws its inspiration from the Dutch farmhouses of the wealthy planters of Cape Town, and features a guest house, a spacious veranda and a swimming pool. Listing Agent: Angel Nicolas (The Nicolas Group) 305.336.0916

French City Village

1030 HARDEE RD. Listing Price

$3.995 million

4 bed/4 bath/2 half bath. 5,716 sq. ft.

Designed by renowned architect Philip L Goodwin, this 1925 home – aptly named “La Belle Vie” – reflects classical French design. A substantial restoration in 2000 maintained the historic integrity while adding modern amenities. These include an elevator, 50-wine bottle refrigerator and custom closet systems. Also, a butler’s pantry, wood floors, gas fireplaces and swimming pool. Listing Agent: Carole Smith (Compass), 305.710.1010

Italian Village

4102

$1.198 million

4 bed/4 bath. 3,331 sq. ft. Built in 1926, this Mediterranean villa has updated kitchen and bathrooms, as well as a pool and a courtyard with cabana bathroom. Features include wood and tile floors, crown moldings and period plaster, working fireplace and two-car garage. Also, close to the Biltmore Hotel. Listing Agent: Scott Sime (Sime Realty Corporation) 786.344.2603

MONSERRATE ST.

LIFE RETURNS TO FONTANA

FINE DINING IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL DISTANCING

BY ANDREW GAYLE PHOTOGRAPHY BY JON BRAELEY

Even before the virus shut down the restaurants of Coral Gables, dinner at Fontana was a luxurious experience, sitting outside in the great courtyard of the Biltmore Hotel. What could be more pleasant than listening to the rhythmic splash of water from the Venetian fountain in the center, while eating the Italian dishes of Chef Beppe Galazzi?

Nothing, perhaps, except the ability to do it again.

Like all Coral Gables restaurants, Fontana was permitted to reopen May 20, and did so – except with fewer tables. The new spacing – both outside and inside (which is warmed by Tuscan orange walls with Spanish tile wainscoting) – creates a comfortable experience. Who doesn’t want more elbow room?

As for any trepidation about returning to the public domain to dine, everything feels a little safer sitting outside. The courtyard also has a new array of massive white umbrellas, which adds a nice ambient light and keeps things cooler during the daytime.

The drill for eating is one you are hopefully familiar with by now: Masks on the way in and out, but not required while sitting down with your meal (of course). Fontana has also designated separate entry and exit doors, for the sake of keeping

people from bumping into each other. All staff is masked, and there is hand sanitizer on every table.

And then there is the food. “We try to do recipes from all over Italy, north to south,” says Chef Galazzi, who hails from the town of Ferrara, north of Bologna. “The recipes are regional and the ingredients are simple,” he says.

Maybe so, but it’s the combination of those ingredients – and their quality – that makes all the difference. Such as two of his hallmark dishes, one a ravioli stuffed with veal shank, mushrooms and truffles, the other a ravioli stuffed with roast pumpkin, cheese and shrimp. The pasta for all of his noodle dishes is homemade, something that comes across in an authentic regional dish like his pappardelle Bolognese with a touch of bechamel.

Galazzi also knows his way around fish. We can’t think of anyone who does a better job preparing salmon; his is perfectly grilled and moist, with a crusty herbed skin and sundried tomato sauce on the side. Another regular item, kept on the menu by popular demand, is his flavorful fritto misto, a fried mix of calamari and shrimp with julienned (and fried) zucchini and onion. His wood-roasted

FONTANA ITALIAN RESTAURANT THE BILTMORE HOTEL 1200 ANASTASIA AVE. 305.913.3189

TOP: Chef Beppe Galazzi, ready to don his face mask and start cooking

POLIPO (right) Wood roasted Spanish octopus, fingerling potatoes & salsa verde

Spanish octopus, with salsa verde and fingerling potatoes, is peasant cooking gone Hollywood. And while it wasn’t on the menu, the night’s special of grilled snapper with a topping of spinach puree and a side of coconut curry sauce was as good as it sounds.

Galazzi also hits it out of the park with two of his appetizers. The first is his baked eggplant with tomato sauce, mozzarella and aged Grana Pandano cheese. It’s like a miniature eggplant lasagna but delightfully light and delicious. Galazzi says the secret is to first fry the eggplant in an egg and flour batter before you bake. The result is amazingly good.

The other appetizer we loved was the Burratina – a plate with four elements, which if joined together in one bite reveal the greatness of the Italian palate: a white dome of mozzarella with a soft heart (the star of the show), a pile of thin sliced Langhirano prosciutto, a small salad of arugula, fennel and onion, and a few chunks of sweet beets. Salty, sweet, tart and creamy, all at once.

As for the rest of the menu, the wine list has a very nice selection and range of reds, and the desserts offer good choices that include a selection of sorbet, key lime pie, cheesecake and tiramisu. Our take: don’t miss the tiramisu.

Overall, the experience of dining at Fontana is sublime. Its majestic setting sends you to another place in the world, where the food just happens to be authentic and well prepared. ■

BURRATINA (top left)

Creamy heart of mozzarella, Langhirano prosciutto, arugula, fennel, beet

PAPPARDELLE (top right)

Bolognese, touch of bechamel

SALMONE (below)

Grilled salmon, sautéed Brussels sprouts, sun-dried tomato sauce

THE TOP

RESTAURANTS WITH OUTDOOR SEATING

Each month we present a selection of Coral Gables’ finest restaurants, sorted according to their type of cuisine, and with guidance as to their specialties, ambiance and pricing. Now that the coronavirus is upon us, our usual dining experience has changed. Last month we listed only those restaurants offering takeout and delivery during the COVID-19 shutdown. This month, most of the city’s restaurants have re-opened, but with safety guidelines regarding the wearing of masks and distancing between tables.

We realize, however, that even with the precautions being taken by restaurateurs, some people may still not feel at ease sitting inside. For that reason, we have compiled a guide to restaurants that have outdoor seating – sure to make even the most cautious among us feel comfortable. What is amazing is just how many places in the Gables have one form or another of outdoor seating – more than 40 such establishments, with everything from courtyards to covered ways to true sidewalk café tables that Giralda Plaza and Miracle Mile were rebuilt to accommodate. So, enjoy your taste of café society – at least until the dog days of summer make sitting inside look not so unpleasant.

Ortanique on the Mile

Seasons 52

The Local Craft Food & Drink

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

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

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

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

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

MIRACLE MILE

Bellmónt

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

Kao Sushi & Grill

A fresh and interesting take on sushi as it is blended with the flavors of Peru. Steamed gyoza dumplings with chorizo? Tuna tataki with traditional Peruvian sauce? Cooked white rice over chipotle seasoned furikake? Yes, to all three. They also do some interesting things with steak, since the creators of Kao Sushi come from Buenos Aires. Outdoor seating on the Mile. $$ 127 Miracle Mile 786.864.1212

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

Patagonia Gastrobar

Tucked in a corner on Miracle Mile, with a nice array of outdoor tables, this part gourmet deli, part restaurant specializes (of course!) in Argentine-style meats, along with a selection of empanadas, red Argentine wines and pastries under glass. The Bife de Chorizo at $13.99 is a bargain, and their Nahuen sandwich gives its Cuban cousin a run for the money. $$ 244 Miracle Mile. 305.640.8376.

Salumeria 104

Tratorria-style Salumeria is now two years old, with a loyal clientele, especially at lunchtime. Partly that is because the food and ambience are so authentically Northern Italian and rustic. It may also be thanks to their $10 lunch special of sandwich (with artisan cured meats), soup and salad, always fresh and flavorful. Regardless of price or time of day, those sliced salumi meats are buono! $-$$ 117 Miracle Mile. 305.640.5547

The restaurant for healthy eaters who enjoy quality as well. The menu, changing four times a year with each season, is always full of inventive treatments for fresh veggies, soups and salads. Their fish and meat dishes are great values, and the flatbread menu is really a nice touch. It’s a chain, but we forgive them. $$-$$$ 321 Miracle Mile 305.442.8552

GIRALDA PLAZA

Divino Ceviche

Bringing a taste of Peru to Giralda Plaza, Divino Ceviche is known for, well, its ceviche. From dishes like Ceviche Tradicional to Ceviche de Mercado to Ceviche Nikkei, there’s no shortage of the stuff. The restaurant also has notable non-ceviche dishes like octopus croquetas and a tasting of three different causas (layered potatoes with chiles, avocado, tuna, boiled eggs and onion) $$ 160 Giralda Ave. 786.360.3775

La Dorada

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

One of the best places in Coral Gables to enjoy locally sourced food, hence the name. Chef Juan Bedoya wants to create a pub feeling with comfort food. We’re obsessed with the fried chicken, which is served on a short stack of cheddar cheese pancakes with bourbon maple syrup. $$ 150 Giralda Ave. 305.648.5687

Miss Saigon

Miss Saigon serves the kind of vegetable-rich food that makes you feel light and clean afterwards. Excellent seafood choices, and any of their crispy rolls (spring, vegetarian, shrimp) make great starters. Also, good dumplings. But their clear, hearty soups – what they call Pho – are the big winners here. $$ 148 Giralda Ave. 305.446.8006.

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. And the coffee is some of the best around. $$ 141 Giralda Ave. 305.704.8007

Photo by Jonathan Dann

Discover a unique gastronomic and culinary experience as Chef Rogelio offers his new menu, featuring classic dishes with creative flourishes with more indulgent portions.

Order a la carte or choose our $49 prix-fixe three course menu.

Innovative cuisine and impeccable service. One unforgettable culinary experience.

RESERVATIONS: 305.445.8066 EXT. 2373 1200 Anastasia Avenue | Coral Gables, Florida 33134 | www.biltm orehotel.com

ALHAMBRA CIRCLE

Mint Leaf Brasserie

Small, elegant Indian restaurant with a large selection of clay-oven baked breads, offering more than a dozen variations of the traditional Indian Naan bread, such as garlic and chili naan. Also some great briyani dishes, which combines slow cooked meats with rice, and South Indian specialties, like lamb dosa, shredded lamb rolled up in a foot-long rice and lentil pancake. $$-$$$ 276 Alhambra Cir. 305.443.3739

The Globe

The Globe is a Coral Gables icon, and one of the most pleasant, relaxed places to eat in the city. Decorated with classic paintings (and globes over their old-world bar), their Saturday night live jazz sessions offer the weekend’s coolest entertainment. The menu is a collection of mostly American dishes – salads, burgers, fish, etc. – that have been perfected over the years by owner Danny Guiteras. Best conch fritters anywhere. $-$$ 377 Alhambra Circle 305.445.3555

COURTYARDS

Fontana

The setting is as elegant as it comes: the Biltmore’s famed fountain courtyard. You can sit under the stars, in a covered archway, or inside to enjoy classic Italian dishes. Fresh ingredients, from the salads to the pasta that is made daily. Great octopus, pastas cooked perfectly. One of the most romantic restaurants in the Gables. $$$ 1200 Anastasia Ave. (Biltmore Hotel) 305.913.3200

Bachour

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

COVERED AREAS

Crema Gourmet Espresso Bar

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

sandwich or take a midday break with a soup, salad or sandwich. Satisfy your sweet tooth with their Nutella cheesecake. $ 169 Miracle Mile 786.360.4026

Gringo’s Oyster Bar

A great selection of oysters at this neighborhood favorite. And they change sources twice weekly, like malpeques from Canada, or wellfleets from Main, or steamboats from Washington state. Also, great lobster rolls, crab cakes and conch ceviche. Specials include Lobster Tuesdays and a daily oyster happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. when prices drop in half. $$ 1549 Sunset Dr. $$ 305.284.9989

Morton’s The Steakhouse

Morton’s in the Gables is not just another Morton’s. Its setting in the Colonnades gives it a unique elegance, with outdoor seating under the arches. Dependable quality, prime-aged beef, and excellent salads. Good place to take that important client. Great happy hour with filet mignon sandwiches or short rib tacos for $8. $$$ 2333 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.442.1662

Tap 42

Winner of Best Overall Burger by Coral Gables Magazine, Tap 42 is big, noisy and fun, with a huge

Photo by Jonathan Dann

island bar and lots of booths. Reliably good ribs, steaks and burgers, plus shines in the sides (roasted Brussels sprouts with maple mustard, truffle mac & cheese with parmesan crust). Nice random Asian dishes (grilled salmon Zen bowl, Asian coleslaw). $$-$$$ 301 Giralda Ave. 786.391.1566

SHOPS AT MERRICK PARK

Sawa Restaurant and Lounge

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

$$$ 360 San Lorenzo Ave. (Shops at Merrick Park) 305.447.6555

Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille

The latest entry among Coral Gables steak houses, Perry’s is a Texas chain that gets its beef from the heart of the Lone Star State. Great outdoor space with fire pit. The entrees are all carefully concocted, including excellent

reduction sauces for the finer cuts and their famous five-finger giant pork chop that is carved at the table and can easily feed two.

$$$$ 4251 Salzedo St. (Shops at Merrick Park) 786.703.9094

Villagio Ristorante

Surprisingly good prices in this cavernous restaurant in the Shops at Merrick Park, with lots of outdoor seating. Even the dinner menu serves pasta entrees for less than $15, and the amazingly extensive selections of meat and fish mostly run in the mid to low twenties. Also, good soups (the fresh crabmeat is a delight) and –randomly enough – perhaps the best apple pie anywhere. $$ 358 Sand Lorenzo Ave. 305.447.8144.

LIMITED SIDEWALK SEATING

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

Pascal’s on Ponce

Elegant, quaint and delicious, Pascal’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 foie gras. Try the diver sea scallops and tomato tartin. $$$ 2611 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.444.2024

La Taberna Giralda

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

own regional spin on the dishes. It’s a small place with a neighborhood vibe, orange walls, string lights and live flamenco on the weekends ($5 cover), so reservations are a must. $$ 254 Giralda Avenue 786.362.5677

Terre Del Sapore

True Neapolitan pizza in the heart of Coral Gables. Owner Angelo Angiollieri is obsessed with quality ingredients, including minimally-processed flour from Italy, and you can taste it. Offers a great lunch special of a side salad, entrée and drink for $13. No better pizza anywhere. $-$$ 246 Giralda Ave. 786.870.5955

Photo byEmily Fakhoury

Gables Street Style

Life in the era of the pandemic: Pictured here is Olga Gonzalez, an IP attorney based in Coral Gables, captured coming out of her office with mask in place and wearing gloves. Photography by Emily Fakhoury.