Coral Gables Magazine January 2021

CORAL GABLES

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NEW YEAR, NEW YOU

Getting in Shape in 2021. One of the most common New Year’s resolutions that people make is to get in shape – and then by January 17 they’re hitting the snooze button and sleeping through their morning workout class. But this year will be different! Especially since we all need it more. Fortunately, most gyms have reopened and offer in-person and/or virtual classes. Here are a half dozen Gables gyms that will help you get – and stay – in shape.

BUSINESS QUARTERLY:

ENTREPRENEURISM

What, exactly, does it mean to be an entrepreneur? By definition, it’s simply the idea of going out on your own and taking the risk to create a business.

THE ENTREPRENEURS: RESORCITY FEMCITY SCRIVAS, LLC PER’LA

KARATE COMBAT PINCHO ESQ. SUITES AUDIENCE

Back!”

e Palace at Coral Gables is unlike any Senior Living Community you have ever seen.

Apart from the obvious luxury, you’ll discover everything is here for an active and rewarding lifestyle. From theaters and art studios to cultural events and college lectures, along with a full social calendar and gourmet dining, there’s never a feeling of compromise or regret.

And when extraordinary events like pandemics and hurricanes arise, you’ll see that e Palace is built to handle them. With state-of-the-art facilities, and a sta trained and certi ed to provide award-winning 24/7 service, you’ll never doubt your decision.

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“We are so glad to see visitors again!”

The Thing with Feathers

The poem by Emily Dickinson is as graceful as it is alluring:

“Hope” is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul

And sings the tune without the words And never stops - at all…

It’s a perfect poem for this season of joy, the birth of a New Year. It’s a time of hope for better times to come, for fresh starts, and for picking yourself up and moving forward.

For that reason, we chose to dedicate our Business Quarterly in this issue to the idea of entrepreneurism, that dicey but tantilizing art of risking everything on what you “hope” will be a success. Coral Gables is full of entrepreneurs. It is a city built by a dreamer, and that spirit lives on.

But what is starting over without also pulling in the proverbial gut? Fortunately, Coral Gables is a city also full of people who want to get (and stay) in shape, and its array of street-fronting gyms is surprisingly prolific. Our intrepid Associate Editor Lizzie Wilcox put on her sweats and sampled a half dozen local “guided” exercise programs for you. So, no excuses.

Of course, we have a much bigger reason than usual to see this as a year of hope

and starting over, and that is the light waiting at the end of the pandemic tunnel. With vaccines already being deployed, it’s only a matter of time before we are free again to roam and do the things we love without fear or masks. The return of economic activity will be contagious, in a good way.

But that time has not yet come. We still have months to go, and this is no time to let our guards down. Since I began this note with a favorite quote, I’ll end it with two others. The first is from Admiral Tōjō, the scrappy commander of the Japanese fleet in the astonishing upset victory over the Russian fleet in the 1905 battle of Tsushima: “In victory, tighten your helmet.”

A military quote? Sure, why not. Fighting the pandemic is like fighting a war, with families separated and hundreds of thousands dying. Which leads to my final quote, from another great leader in a time of war, Winston Churchill: “When you find yourself going through hell, keep going.”

We are almost there. Don’t give up now. We can do this. Happy New Year.

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 & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Lizzie Wilcox

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Grace Carricarte

SENIOR WRITER

Mike Clary

WRITERS

James Broida

Karen Buchsbaum

Andrew Gayle

Doreen Hemlock

Mallory Evans Jacobson

Samira Navas

Kim Rodriguez

Richard Westlund

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Michael Campina

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: (305) 995-0995. Copyright 2020 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@ coralgablesmagazine.com. BPA International Membership applied for March 2019.

Never before was the importance of home made more clear to me than during this trying period. I sought refuge and comfort in my own beloved home while my team and I helped 65 families find their shelter midst the storm.

As we look forward to all the possibilites of this new year, we offer our gratitude to all who entrusted us with the responsibility of welcoming them home during the most uncertain of times.

Each month we print letters that we receive from our readers. We encourage any and all commentary, included 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@thecoralgablesmagazine.com

Soul Street

In response to the question posed by Mike Clary’s article “The Soul of Miracle Mile,” the answer is yes, Miracle Mile has a soul. A historic one. In the 1920s, City founder George Merrick established the business section of Coral Gables and planted seeds for its healthy development. In the 1940s developers led by George Zain saw the potential for the four-blocks of undeveloped commercial property and began working to develop a ‘miracle mile’ unique shopping experience.

Miracle Mile, according to the historical marker erected a few years ago is “composed of small boutiques in the heart of the Central Business District and is one of the few remaining developments of its type that has maintained its original purpose and significance in the continental United States.” According to a study commissioned by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American towns that make historic preservation a priority enjoy an economic dividend to the local economy. Additionally, heritage tourists are spending 15 percent more than non-heritage tourists. Small and local businesses often show a preference for locating in historic commercial areas. In study after study, the rate of value increase in historic districts outperforms the market as a whole.

In contrast, our city government continues to follow a losing proposition when it comes to the historically significant Miracle Mile. The most recent experiment was spending millions of tax-payer dollars in a streetscape project that failed to revitalize the commercial district. Now a proposed zoning change to approve remote parking will irreparably change the historical integrity of the downtown community. Dollars spent removing parking [ironic], widening sidewalks, and adding new paving, did not draw the economic relief so heralded. Neither will a zoning change to allow taller buildings.

There is a concept in economics called “revealed preference” – consumers reveal their preference through their economic decisions. According to the U.S. Chamber study, “in cities large and small, consumers prefer living, shopping, visiting, and locating their businesses in historic neighborhoods. That built history in your community is not nostalgia – it is an economic asset.” Yes, Commissioner Keon, opposition to changes

to Miracle Mile is “rooted in nostalgia” and according to studies, this is good for business.

Pricing Out the Interesting & Fun

I recently participated in the Sunshine Meeting of the Coral Gables Commission regarding changes to the zoning code. I was primarily interested in the changes to Miracle Mile. I feel that the real problem with the Mile lies with the landlords and the rents charged. When these spaces were owned by residents of Coral Gables who had owned them for a long time, rents were low and, as a result, they were able to draw interesting, fun businesses. As these properties were sold and resold to developers, the rents had to increase in order to provide a good return on investment; thereby, driving out these stores. A perfect example was Tarpon Bend paying $44,000 dollars a month in rent. The larger chains came in and even they could not justify these rents. Of course, all this is pre-COVID. This is the same scenario as Lincoln Road today, where there are a lot of empty stores. Changing the code to add more footage will only aggravate the problem, as nothing is being done to address the real issue of very high rents.

Wawa Still Bad for GW Carver

I am writing to correct your inaccurate article “Wawa Wins” which, like city officials, minimizes the concerns expressed by parents opposing the building of a gas station in front of GW Carver Elementary and Middle Schools.

First, the 2014 public hearing your article refers to was about a since-abandoned project, to be called Gables Pointe Plaza, for a restaurant and 2,450 square foot community center. There has never been a public discussion – then or now – about the wisdom of putting a six-pump gas station within 300 feet of a busy entrance used every day by hundreds of small children.

The outrage expressed was not the view of parents who with “only a few exceptions” were not Coral Gables residents. Of the 42 parents who spoke, 23 are city residents. Among them was Julie Kanter, not “Julia Cantor,” as the article misstated.

In addition to getting the facts wrong,

your article takes the side of city officials with little scrutiny. It is worth recalling that neither Carver nor the Miami Dade School Board ever received notification because of a unique legal settlement in which the city volunteered to expedite permits for a private development project on what was originally public land. Had we been notified, there would have been an opportunity to highlight EPA guidelines recommending against gas stations within 1,000 feet from schools.

We do not believe that this project is in the best interests of our students, our school community or Coral Gables. The last thing U.S. 1 needs is another gas station. We urge city officials to find a more suitable use for the empty lot, one that honors the rich 120year history of the Carver schools and the surrounding Bahamian American community of residents who built the City Beautiful.

Editor’s Note: Your sentiments are appreciated. Would anybody, let alone a parent, prefer a different development in that location? Of course. But to say the article was inaccurate because of a misspelled name or misestimate of how many residents vs. non-residents complained does not change the facts of the situation. Our apologies to Julie Kanter, whose name was misspelled phonetically when she addressed the commission. But that does not change the facts of the situation. Our apologies that 21 city residents (two from the same household, btw) rather than “a few” voiced their opposition (this is the City Clerk’s actual count). Perhaps we were reacting to threats by non-residents to vote out the city commission. But that also does not change the facts of the situation.

Why not mention the fact that a community center was actually built on the property or that local residents want the Wawa? The worst part of the project – the entranceway across from the school on Grand Avenue rather than on U.S.1 – was the county’s decision, not the city’s. And speaking of U.S.1, air pollution from six gas pumps is probably moot in light of the exhaust from 650,000 cars passing by daily. The city cannot stop a development that complies with the zoning. We recommend taking the opposition to Wawa. Perhaps they can be scared off, like the restaurant that was to be built there six years ago – which ironically looks like a pretty good alternative right now. ■

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Streetwise

BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF NATIONAL NEWS COVERAGE, THE BIGGEST EVENT COMING OUT OF CORAL GABLES AS 2020 WOUND DOWN WAS THE LISTING OF LATIN SUPERSTAR MARC ANTHONY’S MANSION IN COCOPLUM. SEE PAGE 16.

From City Hall

IN ITS MOST RECENT MEETING... THE CITY COMMISSIONERS:

LISTENED TO MORE THAN AN HOUR of residents complain about the installation of a Wawa service station across the street from G.W. Carver Elementary School. At one point, Mayor Raúl Valdés-Fauli admonished a particularly trenchant complaint, saying, “Miss, you have made serious accusations of corruption. If you have any evidence, please submit it to the state attorney’s office.” City Attorney Miriam Soler Ramos explained again that the complaints did not constitute a public hearing and went through the long history of the site, previous approvals and ultimate settlement agreement.

DISCUSSED FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR how to deal with residents who are building playhouses for their children directly on their property lines, which invades the privacy of their neighbors. In the end, the commission voted 4-to-1 to require play structures to be set back in the same fashion as auxiliary structures (five feet) except if screened from neighboring property; then it may be reduced to 2.6 feet. The dissenting vote came from Commissioner Keon, who wanted to keep the five-foot setback.

VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO EXTEND the relaxation of restrictions on outdoor/open-air dining and signage for restaurants through June 15, 2021. This means restaurants can continue to create special outfront seating areas in parking spaces.

REJECTED THE GRANTING of a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) to retirees that would increase pension payments. At issue was the city’s recent success in reducing its unfunded liability for future pension payments from $250 to $209 million. “I don’t think the city can withstand this COLA,” said Vice Mayor Vice Lago. “It would wipe out 83 percent of the progress we have made” reducing the funding liability. Added Commissioner Jorge Fors: “If ever there was a year [for a COLA], this is not the one.” The last COLA increase was 3.2 percent in 2018.

VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO FINALIZE THE ORDINANCE making it illegal to keep a trash pit on Red Road, Bird Road, Coral Way, Miller Road, Kendall Drive, Sunset Drive or Old Cutler Road if the home had a second street frontage for the pit.

DECIDED TO DELAY ITS VOTE ON THE NEW city zoning code –including changes to zoning for Miracle Mile – until the Feb. 9 City Commission Meeting, pending a public meeting at 5 p.m. on Jan. 14. ■

Cracking the Case

The Coral Gables bank robber was striking at fiveday intervals, always in the late afternoon. Detective Sgt. Ted Nguyen noticed the pattern. “I am not an expert in bank robberies,” says the 25-year Gables police veteran. “But he was a serial bank robber… I told the chief I was going to follow up on what I’d noticed.”

And that’s exactly what Nguyen did. On a Tuesday afternoon in late October – five days after a masked man attempted to hold up the HSBC Bank branch at 2222 Ponce de Leon Blvd. – Nguyen enlisted four other officers to set up a perimeter around the city’s downtown banking district. At 3:30 p.m., Nguyen was in an unmarked car, westbound on Alhambra Circle, when he stopped for a red light at Salzedo Street. There he spotted a man in the crosswalk. “I had seen the [bank surveillance] videos, the still pictures. Dark shirt, dark shorts, black sneakers with white soles,” says Nguyen. “I saw his face. Light blue eyes. I was certain this was the guy.”

The suspect walked north on Salzedo. His actions were “furtive,” the detective said. The man entered an alleyway and Nguyen called Det. Jimmy

McKee, who was stationed at the end of the alley. “He’s going to walk right into you,” Nguyen told McKee. Nguyen parked and hurried toward the alley. McKee, wearing his tactical vest, saw the suspect duck into a parking garage. The detective ordered him to stop and put his hands up.

McKee and Nguyen took the man – Miami lawyer Aaron Honaker, 41 – into custody without resistance. According to the U.S. attorney’s office, Honaker “had a ball-point hammer tucked in his waistband and carried what appeared to be bank robbery demand notes and instructions on ‘how-to’ commit bank robberies.”

Honaker was charged with committing a series of bank robberies, including four in Coral Gables. Held without bond, he is to be arraigned on Jan. 25.

For his astute sleuthing, Nguyen was named Officer of the Month. “There are movies where a cop picks out a bad guy cruising through the streets,” said Chief Ed Hudak. “This is exactly what happened.” And, as in the movies, the hero responded with modesty. At the award ceremony, Nguyen thanked his team of officers and then added, “Serendipity and Lady Luck came in there.” ■

Cashing out of Cocoplum

MARC ANTHONY LISTS HIS GABLES ESTATE FOR $27 MILLION, GOES VIRAL

The Art of Trash Pickup

Based purely on the amount of news coverage it garnered, the biggest event in Coral Gables as 2020 wound down was the listing of Latin superstar Marc Anthony’s mansion for $27 million. Located in Cocoplum, the three-story, 12-bedroom, 21,000-square foot home with 480 feet of waterfront was designed by architect Rafael Portuondo.

Anthony, whose real name is Marco Antonio Muñiz, is a singer, songwriter, actor, record executive and TV producer. He bought the estate from Hilda Maria Bacardi, the great, great granddaughter of Facundo Bacardí Massó (founder of the Bacardi spirits empire) in 2018 for $19 million. Does that mean that the top selling salsa artist

of all time is leaving the Gables? That depends on whether exwife Jennifer Lopez continues to quarantine at the nearby mansion of fiancée Alex Rodriguez, where they have been raising the twins of Lopez and Anthony along with Rodriguez’s kids.

The story of the sale appeared in media platforms, from Yahoo! Finance, Architectural Digest, the Real Deal, Variety and Hola! USA to MarketWatch, Celebrity Net Worth.com, EliteAgent.com, Forbes and The New York Post. Most made note of the $8 million price hike.

Anamaria Velasquez of Nexxos Realty and John Parsiani of Cervera Real Estate are listing the estate. “This is a one-of-a kind masterpiece,” says Velasquez. ■

Covid Visits City Hall

At the last city commission meeting in December, Mayor Raúl Valdés-Fauli was noticeably absent from the podium. That was because he and wife Francia had tested positive for the coronavirus. Nonetheless, thanks to modern technology, he ran the show from home. At City Hall itself, all of the commissioners and staff wore medical grade KN95 masks, instead of the orange cloth city-branded facemasks sported at previous meetings. The mayor remained quarantined at home through the holidays, with mild symptoms. Coral Gables has now had more than 5,000 cases in a city of 50,000 residents. ■

Each fall the City sponsors a cleanup event, encouraging families to swarm Coral Gables’ waterways for a weekend and clean up as much trash as possible. This past fall, to ensure pandemic safety, the city’s Keep Coral Gables Beautiful committee partnered with VolunteerCleanup.org for a six-week Solo Cleanup event. Cleaning supplies were made available at City Hall and the Biltmore Tennis Center, and the event ran from Sept. 10 to Nov. 1, with an added twist: Two photo contests, one that showcased the best before and after picture of a solo cleanup, and one that showcased four or more cleanups by one contestant.

The photo contest was sponsored by a $1,000 donation from the family of Vice Mayor Vince Lago, with $500 for each first prize. Lago says he got the idea from Gables resident Lucy Lopez, a construction manager

who has coordinated cleanups before and “wanted to bring coastal cleanup efforts to Coral Gables.”

The winner of both contests was Carlos J. Garcia, who used his kayak to collect (and photograph) trash on the Coral Gables Waterway. Of the 1,534 pounds collected during the six-week event, Garcia collected 314 pounds of it himself – including a couple of heavy plastic lounge chairs (above, and photo pg. 96).

“It’s surprising what can be found littering the waterways,” said Solanch Lopez, assistant to the city manager, who helped coordinate the event. “And Mr. Garcia liked winning the prizes.”

That was the goal, says Vice Mayor Lago, who wants to see the prize money next year grow to $5,000 “to get people motivated … I want people to say that Coral Gables is the only one that’s willing to put up real prizes.” ■

Pat Keon: Why I Am Running for Mayor

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO RUN FOR MAYOR?

I’ll have been a commissioner for eight years in April, and I would like to finish out my time in office here as mayor. Your authority isn’t particularly different as a commissioner than as the mayor [the four commissioners and mayor have equal votes] but you are the spokesperson for the city, and you do set the tone for the commission.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PRIORITIES AS MAYOR?

I think you always start with maintaining our neighborhoods, and the values of our homes and the aesthetics of the city. What is of paramount importance is maintaining the quality of life. That, and to continue to keep the city as financially sound as it is.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR WISH LIST FOR THE CITY?

To work to have administrative excellence and performance measures. From the time I was elected – and I remember telling [then] City Manager Cathy Swanson – my goal has been for the city to win the Malcom Baldrige National Quality Award.

WHAT ARE YOUR SHORT-TERM GOALS FOR THE CITY?

Short-term is being financially solid to meet the requirements to maintain and improve all elements of the city – to maintain the fountains and keep them working, to maintain the youth center so children have a great place to play, to maintain the streets and the sidewalks.

WHAT ARE YOUR LONG-TERM GOALS FOR THE CITY?

Long-term, like every other city, is to deal with the issues of sea rise and climate change. And drainage. I think that drainage is going to be one of the big issues [because] we have drainage problems in a lot of areas in the city. Then there is the issue of septic tanks, because the level of the water table continues to rise below us. Fortunately, [most of] the city was built on high ground … and the low lying [properties] of the waterfront communities along the Bay are on

Commissioner Pat Keon, who was first elected to her position in 2013, formally announced in November that she will be running for mayor in the April election. We caught up with Commissioner Keon in her City Hall office to ask about her priorities and her record.

sewers. But [sea rise] is going to come, so we need to start looking at where we can put sewer lines.

WHAT IS YOUR STANCE ON DEVELOPMENT?

I’m not pro-development, I’m not anti-development. I recognize that people have property rights. We have a [zoning] code that we should follow. I have been pretty good [in dealing with developers]. I don’t give much away. But I don’t hold a resentment toward developers or land use attorneys. They can come and it’s what we give them, it’s what we allow. Far more things are built “as of right,” [meaning in accordance with zoning code] than are ever built coming through the commission. So, part of the issue is the zoning code.

WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS WITH THE ZONING CODE?

We have no provision in the code for mixed-use buildings where you could have commercial below and residential above… We don’t have a middle. We have regulations for low development and very big development, but we don’t really have anything for a 10,000square foot lot. [The code] has to retain the texture of smaller buildings, medium-sized buildings and big buildings throughout the city, so it’s not just massive buildings. You want to be able to retain that aesthetic of varying heights and sizes. The code as it is written encourages the assemblage of property for large developments.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF AS COMMISSIONER?

After I was elected, I would come to City Hall down Granada Boulevard and go past Temple Judea. There was this house behind the temple that was an abandoned construction site. It had been abandoned two or three years before. And I would say, “How can that be, that we have these abandoned construction sites in the city?” There were a lot of them from the 2007 and 2008 economic crisis… People lived next door to those for years and felt helpless [so] we developed a whole set of abandoned property ordinances [which required banks to finish or remove them]. ■

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Macdonald’s Mission

A GABLES-BASED NONPROFIT QUIETLY PROVIDES FUNDING FOR MEDICAL PROJECTS

What does the University of Miami’s cutting-edge Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute (BioNIUM) have in common with a small children’s dental clinic in the back of the Coral Gables Woman’s Club?

Both were funded by a low-profile Gables foundation that has been backing both high intensity health research centers and community health programs.

Located on Madruga Avenue on the south side of U.S. 1, the Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation has been funding local healthcare initiatives for almost three decades. The foundation is named after one of the founders of Doctors Hospital, Dr. John Temper Macdonald, and was established by his colleagues when he died in 1951. In 1992, when Doctors Hospital was sold to HealthSouth Rehabilitation Corporation for $12 million, the foundation used the proceeds to become a grant-making nonprofit.

Since then, the foundation has given more than $47 million in grants to over 300 community-based organizations, including the Coral Gables Woman’s Club for their dental clinic for underprivileged children. Recent grants have been especially important due to the pandemic. “Extra expenses have been required to purchase PPE equipment, sanitizers, masks, gloves, gowns, cleaning liquids – and more that are required by the CDC,” says Ruth Martinez, president of the Woman’s Club. With foundation support, they reopened the clinic in June and have seen more than 200 patients since then.

At the other end of the health spectrum is the Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute at the University of Miami. Run by Professor Sylvia Daunert of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UM’s Miller School of Medicine, the

nanotechnology institute was funded by the Macdonald Foundation in 2012 with a $7.5 million grant. In 2015, the institute inaugurated its nano fabrication facility, capable of producing “nano carriers, that act like a tiny submarine with a GPS to deliver drugs or stem cells in the body,” says Daunert. The facility is open to every South Florida company that needs to design and fabricate “very precise devices and materials at the micro and nano scales,” she says.

That is music to the ears of the Macdonald Foundation. “Our board is appreciative of the work being done by our grant recipients throughout the community,” says Aldo C. Busot, chairman of the foundation. Busot has served on the foundation board since 1998 and, as a senior vice president for wealth management at Morgan Stanley, is one of the directors responsible for growing the fund over the years.

The foundation has also funded UM’s Department of Human Genetics and its School Health Initiative. Created in 2007, the Department of Human Genetics has already identified key genes that lead to Alzheimer’s. “It is one of the leading hubs for translational research, where state of the art technology and tools are used for both the treatment and prevention of genetic-related diseases,” says John Edward Smith, managing director of the foundation.

The School Health Initiative, meanwhile, provides primary healthcare and mental health counseling to students at nine public schools in MiamiDade. The foundation also provides scholarships to nursing and medical students at UM, Barry University and Florida International University. To learn more or to apply for a grant, visit jtmacdonaldfdn.org. ■

Keeping it Green, Rain or Shine

THE CITY’S RECYCLING DAY BREAKS THE RECORD

So, what do you do with those old cans of paint or chemicals that you know are bad for the environment? Hide them in the recycling bin and hope they won’t muck up the recycling plant somewhere down the line?

What you do is wait until the city holds one of its bi-annual America Recycles Day events. Then you can drive to The United Methodist Church parking lot, or City Hall, and dump your hazardous and electronic trash – along with old documents you want shredded (a nice bonus for a city filled with professionals).

Last year’s April event was canceled due to the pandemic, but the fall event was not. And on that one day in November, the city collected 17,000 pounds

of electronic waste and 17,000 pounds of household hazardous waste and shredded 9,000 pounds of sensitive documents. “It was our largest event since we have been holding these events over the last four years,” said Senior Sustainability Analyst Matt Anderson.

Because of early rains and pent-up demand, some of the 615 cars dumping their waste had to wait up to 45 minutes. Nonetheless, says Anderson, “All of our residents were extremely happy, and happy to wait in line and do right by the environment.” Since the program started in 2016, the city has “diverted” 217,000 pounds of waste from landfills or worse, as well as 41,000 pounds of paper. Next round: April 2021. ■

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Living

“DAY #8 DOMESTIC” FROM THE “QUARANTINE: 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS” EXHIBITION AT CORAL GABLES MUSEUM. PAGE 26.

Alienation, Parts I and II

CORAL GABLES MUSEUM OFFERS TWO FASCINATING EXHIBITS TUNED TO THE TIMES

The theme of alienation has long been the province of artists, many of whom feel like they live on the edge of the normal, predictable world. Combine that with the sense of separation that we’re all feeling, thanks to the pandemic, and you have the raison d’être of the two latest exhibitions at Coral Gables Museum.

The first is aptly entitled “Alien Nations 2020,” and draws on the work of nearly two dozen artists in mediums ranging from painting and sculpture to video and photography. “The experience of isolation and social distancing gives the idea of alienation an unprecedented meaning for all of us these days,” says John Allen, the museum’s executive director. “It’s always been the job of the artist to interpret troubled times, and these pieces do just that.”

Among the works are three paintings from Beverly McIver’s “Series: Covid 19,” each depicting the suffocating feeling of being covered with masks, which are simultaneously portrayed in bright, festive colors. A more traditional sense of social isolation can be found in two paintings by Andrew Stevovich: “Subway Riders” and “Subway Interior,” both of which depict a more traditional sense of loneliness in the midst of desen-

sitized commuters. Among the sculptures is “Useless Females: Don’t Stand There Like a Decoration,” a pair of golden Persian legs with a fez upon them, which portrays the perennial alienation of objectified women.

As interesting as “Alien Nations 2020” is, the sister exhibit “Quarantine: 40 Days and 40 Nights” is utterly compelling. This is a photographic series by Geandy Pavón, depicting 40 days of isolation spent with his girlfriend Imara López, in her small apartment in Buffalo, NY, during the first pandemic shutdown starting in March.

Each day Pavón posted one photo on social media. Beginning simply and playfully, they grow more intense as the days pass, many involving elaborate staging with whatever resources are at hand. Several use religious icons – a recreation of Michelangelo’s “Pieta,” for example – while others grow dark and even homicidal. “Some of these aren’t really suitable for kids to see,” says Allen. “We might have to put up a warning sign for families.” For those of you adult enough to handle it, “Quarantine” is one of the most fascinating exhibits ever put on by the museum, a truly dark – and darkly humorous – mirror of the times in which we now live. ■

Windows into the Past

THE LATEST STOREFRONT POP-UP ON THE MILE IS AN EXPERIENCE

Empty storefronts are the bane of any main street, including Miracle Mile. This past fall, the largest landlord on the Mile – Terranova – allowed the city and the downtown Business Improvement District to install working artists in a half dozen vacant stores (half of which have now been leased). The idea was that pedestrians would stop, watch and maybe go inside to chat with the artist (or buy their work).

Now comes a pop-up project by The Villagers, the county’s oldest historic preservation society. In a vacant storefront at 355 Miracle Mile, Kerdyk Realty has temporarily let Villager Joanne Meagher and artist Nancy

Martini – two friends who live in the Gables – set up a display of shadow boxes depicting 12 historic sites the organization helped preserve. Five of them –the Merrick House, the Woman’s Club, Douglas Entrance, Miracle Theatre and the Montgomery Botanical Center Greenhouse & Home – are in Coral Gables. But this is not just a static window display. It is an e-tail experience. Passersby can scan QR codes on the storefront and connect directly to The Villagers’ website for more information about the sites, future events, becoming a member or purchasing a copy of the award-winning coffee table book “Gardens of Miami,” which

is also on display. Another QR code takes visitors on a virtual tour of quilts The Villagers have crafted and raffled as fundraisers through the years. Each quilt highlights a different historic theme; several are included as backdrops in the display.

Like the art studios on the Mile, the pop-up fits into the downtown’s new approach to marketing itself as an “experience” rather than a shopping destination. “The retail experience is ever-evolving,” says Meagher. “This e-tail concept combines e-commerce with an engaging, interactive ‘window shopping’ experience that encourages [pedestrians] on and around the

Mile.”

According to artist Martini, the response to the e-tail window has been overwhelmingly positive. “The occupied storefront creates more foot traffic to help nearby stores and restaurants as well as making it more marketable for the realtor leasing the space,” she says. The other benefit, she adds, is that “the e-tail window Joanne and I created serves as an educational tool to help promote historic preservation in our community – while also serving as a fundraising tool by featuring The Villagers’ garden book.” For more information go to thevillagersinc.org. ■

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JANUARY

CORAL GABLES FARMERS MARKET

The annual Coral Gables Farmers Market returns this year in front of City Hall on Saturday, Jan. 16. Shop for fresh produce, baked goods, flowers and more. The market will be open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. through March 27. Social distancing and masks required.

VINTAGE AUTO SHOW

Take a stroll down memory lane at the 8th annual Vintage Auto Show. In collaboration with the Antique Automotive Club of America, Deering Estate has rescheduled the event to Sunday, Jan. 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Car enthusiasts can enjoy vintage models from 1969 and beyond. Tickets are $7 to $15 and must be purchased online in advance. Deeringestate.org.

ILLUMINATE CORAL GABLES

As we were going to press, Illuminate Coral Gables – scheduled to light up this month – has been postponed to February to avoid the Christmas corona spike expected in early January. So, sharpen your artistic appetite for this month-long visual exhibition that will “illuminate” buildings throughout the downtown, along with festooned pedicabs to take you on a tour. Also included: Workshops by local artists for children. Feb. 15-Mar.15.

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THE CORAL GABLES THE CORAL GABLES EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE

BROKERAGE SALES SINCE 1980

Shop

THE SIGNATURE AND PEACOCK SHOPS INSIDE THE BILTMORE HOTEL OFFER BOTH ESSENTIAL NEEDS AND LUXURY GIFT ITEMS.SEE PAGE 36.

What’s Hot

A FRESH START FOR JANUARY

It’s January, time again to renew your spirit and start the year on a relaxed note. Here are five items that will help you embrace new beginnings and feel more at ease. Shown from top to bottom.

SUPER SWING

You will love curling up with a book on the Bitta swing chair by Rodolfo Dordoni for Kettal. From the dense braiding and comfy cushions to the muted colors, it is truly a dream.

Retail: from $4,891. Kettal, 147 Miracle Mile, 786-552-9002, kettal.com.

CLEAN WINNER

If you’re trying to up your water intake (aren’t we all?), you should invest in this self-cleaning bottle by Larq. Every two hours, a purifying UV light is activated, removing 99.9 percent of germs.

Retail: $95. Nordstrom, 4310 Ponce de Leon Blvd., 786-999-1313, nordstrom.com.

ONE PIECE WONDER

What is simple and stylish yet comfortable enough for lounging at home? Eberjey’s super soft Elon Bound V jumpsuit, which is destined to become a piece you’ll continuously reach for.

Retail: $139. Eberjey, 360 San Lorenzo Ave. #1530, 305-763-8455, eberjey.com.

SECURITY BLANKET

Sleeping with the Stay Well weighted blanket is akin to wrapping yourself in a cozy hug. Moreover, it’s been known to treat insomnia, relieve anxiety and promote overall relaxation.

Retail: $195. Relax the Back, 212 Miracle Mile, 305-445-0445, relaxtheback.com.

STRIKE A POSE

Whether you are a self-proclaimed yogi or just a person who needs some Zen in their life, this three-piece kit from Lululemon offers all you need for a workout.

Retail: $98. Lululemon, 342 San Lorenzo Ave. #1055, 305-4619981, lululemon.com.

for jewelry enthusiasts alike. She's a custom jewelry designer so schedule some time to sketch, design, and view exotic and rare stones from all over the world to create your one of a kind piece. Certified in polished, and rough diamonds, as well as gemstones, Daniella sits on 15 years of experience. A visit to the showroom is a guaranteed good time. Come in and play with diamonds and gemstones.

Gift Shops for Curious Travelers

THE BILTMORE’S TWIN SHOPS MIX THE PRACTICAL WITH THE ELEGANT

Part of the fun of visiting the two gift shops in the downstairs lobby of the Biltmore is visiting the Biltmore itself. Located on either side of the ground floor entrance to the grand hotel are the Signature and Peacock shops, both well stocked with a wide array of items appealing to the well-heeled traveler – and not too unappealing for the rest of us, either.

As it turns out, both shops are part of the same store, says head salesclerk Dahlia Ricketts. “I love working with both,” says Ricketts, who helps with shop layout and ordering.

Still, the twin shops serve different purposes. The Signature Shop side is more for your essential needs, while the Peacock side – named for George Merrick’s wife Eunice Isabella Peacock – is a bit fancier. Merrick, for those who don’t live here, is the city’s founder who built the hotel in 1926.

Beyond taking care of a traveler’s needs for toothbrush, shirt, phone charger, or sandals, the shops provide an easy pop-in for finding great gifts. After all, the kinds of things the shops sell to help hotel guests enjoy their stay – pajamas and robes for optimal relaxation, bathing suits, hats, coverups, Ray-Bans for poolside, even a new book selection with novels to pass the time – are gifts any South Floridian would like. And for frequent travelers, they carry the Anatomie clothing line, which does not wrinkle. “It’s an excellent brand,” says Ricketts. “They fit nice, they stretch, and they are amazing.”

For other outings there is jewelry and dining attire including pashminas, purses, cufflinks and bowties as well as a children’s section. “We have all sorts of candies, cookies, small gifts and even those gifts one can give themselves,” says Ricketts. Jewelry lines include La Costa, Mary Louise Designs, Deena K, and Umbellina Paris. The shops sell wines with the Biltmore label, including red, white and red reserve, which are also available in gift baskets.

With several outdoor restaurants where smoking is permitted, there is a Biltmore Humidor located inside the Signature Shop, which has a wide variety of quality cigars. Guests come by to purchase Winston Churchill Cigars, Padron Cigars, or the 80th Anniversary Cigars, which they say is a favorite of Biltmore owner Gene Prescott. For the uninitiated, a staff member is available to assist in your selection based on the length, taste and duration of the cigar.

Finally, because the Biltmore is a dog friendly hotel, they carry items for your four-legged companions as well, including bowls, leashes and elegant collars. And never overlook the 50 percent-off sale items upfront.

As for the shopping experience itself, the Biltmore offers some nice perks. There is easy free parking in the vast lot adjacent to the hotel (or you can valet instead), and you can linger for lunch poolside, have a cocktail at the bar, or sip afternoon tea in the stunning lobby upstairs. ■

“WE

Keep Calm and Shop On

BLUE SERENITY OFFERS A PEACEFUL SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

Nestled between Chocolate Fashion and her parent’s architectural business on Andalusia Avenue (2+ Architects), Noel Macchi took a leap of faith and opened her boutique in the midst of the pandemic.

Open since June, Blue Serenity takes its name from Macchi’s love of the beach. “The ocean is so calming and peaceful, it brings me great joy and is essentially my happy place,” says the first-time business owner. Walking into her store, you know exactly what you’ll find there: Clothing and accessories that speak to the South Florida and resort lifestyle, even down to the fixtures and décor. With a little help from her dad, she created (and built) a beach-style boutique that you’d find in any little Caribbean town.

Though her shop is new to the Gables, Macchi is no stranger to retail. While going to school for psychology, the FIU grad worked for several major chains in Miami. After getting her bachelor’s degree, she continued to work in retail fashion, which became her passion. Flash forward to the present, where she decided to work for herself, in her favorite city. “Coral Gables is so unique on its own,” says Macchi. “I love the feeling of being within walking distance to so many different businesses.”

Blue Serenity carries a range of apparel that appeals to the casual and sophisticated, and to the bohemian spirit. There are bathing suits, beach bags, hats and even towels to outfit you for a day at the beach and beyond. They carry a mix of handmade products, such as pottery, jew-

elry and special bags that range from $7 to $140. Although she opened only six months ago, Macchi already has a following due to both her customer service and her shop’s different offerings. “Customer service is everything,” Macchi says. “It’s a representation of not only your business, but of yourself.”

Blue Serenity is not just a nice boutique with pretty things, however. Macchi also wanted to create something that fueled her need to help the planet. “At the end of each year, we will be donating 5 percent of the profits to local charities such as Reef Relief, South Florida Wildlife Center, Florida Reef and hopefully more,” she says. She also carries bags handmade in Colombia by the Wayuu tribe, and for every bag purchased, a percentage of the proceeds go to building clean-water tanks for families of the tribe.

After the holidays, Blue Serenity will have a fresh inventory to keep clients coming back – and well dressed for any occasion. Visit blueserenityboutique.com or their Instagram and Facebook pages to see the latest pieces. ■

Kim Rodriguez is a personal stylist and shopper whose clients include many Coral Gables residents. krpersonalstyle.com

STORE OWNER NOEL MACCHI IS NO STRANGER TO RETAIL AND HAS WORKED FOR SEVERAL RETAILERS. SHE SAYS, “CUSTOMER SERVICE IS EVERYTHING. IT’S A REPRESENTATION OF NOT ONLY YOUR BUSINESS, BUT OF YOURSELF.”

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

2021, finally! A new year with new or old aspirations, a time for self-renewal and fresh starts. Let this be a year when we benefit from the lessons learned from the pandemic and focus on the importance of our health and overall well-being which should not be taken for granted. It starts with making healthy lifestyle choices, including sound nutrition and getting back, or continuing to stay, in shape. It also includes annual check-ups and preventive care. Until vaccinations are well underway (and beyond if at elevated risk), continue to protect yourself (and others) with a mask and remain vigilant in your social interactions.

Beyond that, 2021 might be the year to reclaim your prebaby body, through a tummy tuck, or addressing lingering breast concerns or renewing aging implants.

Zooming and FaceTiming has been great during the pandemic but, for some, also has led to disconcerting visualization of facial aging, especially given the past year’s stresses. Maybe this will be the year to reclaim a rejuvenated and refreshed facial appearance, by lifting sagging jowls, necks and tired eyes, be it just for personal or also workrelated reasons.

This year again, there are many ways and opportunities to improve ourselves and the quality of our lives, if we elect to make the right choices and commit to the necessary discipline.

Should any involve Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, remember to be diligent, as always, in your research before proceeding so that hopes and aspirations become fulfilled as best and as realistically possible.

Wishing you health and happiness in the New Year!

Bites

A New Kind of Thai

Any denizen of dining in Coral Gables is familiar with the Giralda Plaza mainstay Bangkok Bangkok II, which has been the city’s go-to spot for Thai food since 1987. After the pandemic shut it down in March, however, the restaurant did not reopen until August –and when it did, it had reinvented itself as Khaosan Road.

When it comes to the idea of Thai street food – intense, authentic, local cooking with flavors unfamiliar to Western taste buds – the actual Khaosan Road is emblematic. It is a short, busy street in Bangkok constructed in 1892 just over a half mile from the Grand Palace. Originally a rice market (Khaosan translates as “milled rice”), in the last 40 years it has become a kind of bohemian tourism magnet, with shops selling everything from handmade crafts and local fruits to steamed dumplings and barbecued insects.

While you won’t find

cooked bugs at Khaosan Road on Giralda, you will find a truly new and fascinating array of dishes that typical Thai restaurants do not offer. “Thai food is more than just Pad Thai,” says Owner Thanisara “Cookie” Mungkornpanich. “We want to showcase our customers the amazing and flavorful Thai food that they never had before.” Mungkornpanich, the new owner since 2017, describes Thai street food as the “quick, easy and true Thai experience” and a major part of Thai culture. “Walking through the streets in Thailand, you will see plenty of carts selling delicious treats and meals,” she says. “Our mission here is to bring the Khaosan Road experience directly to our customers.”

Mungkornpanich recommends trying the E-Sarn sausages, a typical Thai street snack of grilled tangy pork sausages served with lettuce wrap, and Koa Mun Gai, a poached chicken served over special herb rice pilaf. She

also touts their Kao Ka Moo, a slow-braised pork leg stew.

In our recent visit, we sampled several novel dishes. One was the Pad Chicharron Ga-Pao, crispy pork belly sautéed with basil, chili, garlic, onions and bell pepper (shown above). Chewy, crunchy, salty and delicious, balanced perfectly with crisp sweet peppers and sticky rice. We also tried the Khao Soy, their signature Northern Thai curry noodles. It was like an elevated ramen, made with yellow noodles, coconut milk, yellow curry, stewed chicken, and roasted crispy garlic-oil onions, topped with crispy egg noodles and a poached egg. Delectable, with just the right amount of heat.

While Khaosan maintains a “Bangkok Bangkok 2020” menu with 10 items for “die-hard fans” of their previous cuisine, the new array of dishes is stunning in its variety and modestly priced for what amounts to a whole new world of flavors. ■

Pasta Please

While it’s known for its Italian meats – those prosciuttos, salamis and mortadellas we love - Salumeria 104 (on Miracle Mile) also serves superb pasta dishes. Now you can try any of them on Monday evenings for $10 each. Our recommendation: The Farro Alla Nerano, an organic Farro spaghetti with zucchini, pecorino roman cheese and basil. Sophisticated, nutrient rich and delicious.

From Deli to Outdoor Café

Chandler’s Place is one of those deli shops you hardly notice, unless you work nearby. But now, when you turn the corner of Ponce and Alhambra toward Galiano, you can’t miss it. Thanks to new city rules that let restaurants annex parking spaces for outdoor tables, Chandler’s is suddenly a shady street-side café. And they still serve a slew of sandwiches, wraps and salads for under $10.

Heavenly Dessert

Part of the dining experience at Portosole (on Ponce) is the interaction with the Italian staff, especially when it comes to several dishes prepared tableside. One of these is their dessert Sgroppino Veneziano, which comes from the home of its proprietors. This dessert is a mixture of lemon gelato, ice, vodka and prosecco, which is tossed into a slushy consistency. Incredibly refreshing would be an understatement. ■

CHEAP EATS!

One of the great pleasures lost to all of those still working remotely from home rather than in a downtown office is the midday meal. Coral Gables has one of the greatest and most concentrated collections of restaurants in South Florida. The good news is that many offer inexpensive lunch specials. Here are some of the best.

LUNCH $8-$12

What is the threshold for an inexpensive lunch that is both high quality and satisfying? We set the bar at $12. And we are not talking about pizza or hamburgers. These are good midday meals.

IZAKAYA JAPANESE

159 ARAGON AVE. 305.445.2584

Patrons come for the extensive menu and the blackboard specials. They also come for the luncheon bento box, which at $11.99 features a protein choice (sashimi, chicken or fish teriyaki, garlic beef or sushi) along with vegetable tempura, California roll, salad and miso soup. The chicken or beef donburi bowls at $9.95 are also hearty.

YARD HOUSE

SHOPS AT MERRICK PARK 305.447.9273

Everything is big at Yard House: Enough TV screens to fill a Best Buy, a vast menu, 200 types of beer, oversized booths. But not so the lunch combo price, soon to return post-pandemic. For $9.95 you get a hearty half sandwich with a soup or salad. And good ones, too: Tomato bisque, clam chowder, Caesar, etc.

BURGER BOB’S

2001 GRANADA BLVD. 305.567.3100

Burger Bob’s is a time machine to an earlier age, with round stools at the lunch counter and waitresses that call you “hon.” The menu is 1950s style, with burgers, BLTs, chicken salad, club sandwiches and chili by the bowl or cup – and prices to match. The most expensive thing on the menu is the $7.50 tuna melt, and the burgers are still $5.

CANTON CHINESE

2614 PONCE DE LEON BLVD. 305.448.3736

The long-time mainstay for traditional Cantonese food in the Gables, Canton Chinese does not disappoint. Here you will find those comfort food favorites like chicken chow mein, sweet and sour pork, pepper steak and shrimp in lobster sauce. At lunch time, you can order these and more, with a side of soup or egg rolls, for $8 to $10. Generous-sized dishes and plenty of seating.

STEPHANIE’S CREPES

2423 GALIANO ST. 786.636.8939

Small, charming house of innovative crêpes and vegan smoothies. Three tables are set up outside under a shady tree and inside it’s all wood. Their salad and vegetarian crêpes at $11.50 to $11.75 are taste sensations. Try the chicken teriyaki salad crêpes, or the veggie crêpe with brie, apple and walnut.

AND, FOR A LITTLE MORE ($13-$16)

LA TABERNA GIRALDA

254 GIRALDA AVENUE 786.362.5677

This authentic Spanish tavern is known for its tapas and live continued on page 46

TOP: SWEET AND SOUR SOUP AT CANTON CHINESE

MIDDLE: BURGER BOB’S CHEESEBURGER

BOTTOM: GRILLED OCTOPUS AT LA TABERNA GIRALDA

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 Build on the progress already achieved in addressing issues such as ocean pollution and sea-level rise, among others.

 Support the needs of our residents by providing accessibility for the disabled, recreational programs for seniors and community green spaces for families.

 Encourage civic engagement and participation in policymaking.

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flamenco shows. But its lunch specials are quite amazing. For $13 you can order from a two-course menu that changes daily, with two choices each for first and second courses. On Thursdays, for example, you start with fried sardines or lentil soup, and finish with grilled salmon in a light lemon sauce or arroz con pollo

ICHIMI RAMEN

2330 SALZEDO ST. 305.960.7016

This urban hideaway, just around the corner from the Coral Gables Museum, serves large, delicious ramen noodle or rice bowls with meat, fish and veggies for $14-$15.50. Everything on the menu is outstanding – fresh, delicious and filling.

AROMAS DEL PERU

1930 PONCE DE LEON BLVD. 305.476.5886

The perfect place to discover that Peruvian food is more than just ceviche. Their chaufus – Peruvian style wok-fried rice with beef, chicken or fish – run $14-$17, and are delicious. They also serve Seco de Res – beef stewed in beer – for $16 and Aji de Gallina – shredded chicken in Amarillo and walnut sauce – for $14.

HAVANA HARRY’S

4612 S LE JEUNE RD. 305.661.2622

It’s big, it’s easy, it’s comfortable, and it’s where the mojito chicken lunch special (a half-roasted chicken cooked in a lime, orange and herb sauce) with rice, beans and plantains still cost just $12.95. You can also get juicy pork chunks, shredded roast pork, or palomilla steak, with two sides, for $13.95.

EATING HOUSE

804 PONCE DE LEON BLVD. 305.448.6524

This hip hangout for foodies has an inventive and ever-changing menu, with dishes like grilled cauliflower with toasted corn nuts and fried sesame-ginger Brussels sprouts. Except for their fried chicken and waffles ($21), all their lunch plates are $15-$16. Our favorite: Grilled free-range chicken with Greek yogurt dip, pita bread, green salad and the best French fries ever. ■

Brews from Down Under

From the people who brought you Threefold Café and Someone’s Son, Bay 13 Brewery and Kitchen is an Australian-style brewpub that opened last month on Alhambra Plaza. Owner and Aussie Nick Sharp named his latest gastronomical venture after a section of the Melbourne Cricket Ground infamous for its rowdy spectators. They offer beers brewed in-house, an extensive Australian wine list and three different menus: Lunch, dinner and all-day. “You can come here and spend $20 and have a couple beers. You can come here and spend $2,000 on wine,” said Sharp during Bay 13’s grand opening weekend.

On the east end of Alhambra, directly across the street from the Hyatt Regency, the brewery has both indoor and outdoor seating – and an indoor and outdoor bar. The interior is spacious with the massive steel brewing vats on display. The exterior is inviting, with tables and cushioned chairs on artificial grass or under umbrellas on the patio.

I don’t know what I like better about Bay 13: The craft beers or their names. The Old Man is a very flavorful brew. A Belgian-style wheat ale, it has a “fluffy” mouthfeel. My personal favorite is the Woop Woop. Partially because of its name – how could you not love it? – and partially because of its earthy and herbal notes from Australian hops. Hailing from Arkansas, Greg Berbusse is the head brewer.

Unlike the casual pub food served at most breweries, Bay 13’s menu is elevated. It ranges from a zesty watercress salad with soft boiled egg, to fresh scallops served with corn sauce and radish, to strip loin steak that comes with a killer potato puree and a savory brown ale espresso sauce. Hats off to Head Chef Bjorn De La Cruz.

Sharp emphasizes Australian hospitality at Bay 13. Whether you’re a day laborer or an investment banker, “It’s going to be welcoming, it’s going to be fresh, it’s going to be something different in South Florida,” he says. ■

Born, raised and educated in Bakersfield, CA, Hajir Nuriddin spent 30 years with her hometown police force – earning the nickname “Relentless” for her drive and determination – before retiring as a captain in January 2016. She began her career as a dispatcher, and then, as a sworn officer worked homicide, SWAT, narcotics and sexual assault cases while becoming the first female supervisor of the motorcycle division. In 2002, she was named “Law Enforcement Officer of the Year” by the Southern California National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.

Hajir Nuriddin

ASSISTANT CHIEF, CORAL GABLES POLICE DEPARTMENT

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT

Nuriddin was appointed the assistant chief of the Coral Gables Police Department in March of last year. Before that, Nuriddin had gained national recognition as a speaker and trainer on police leadership and diversity. She published “The 8 Time-Tested Templates,” a guidebook for law enforcement agencies, in 2019, and through her own consulting firm conducted training workshops for thousands of police officers and executives. She also served as a faculty member in Advanced Criminal Justice at California State University, Bakersfield.

WHAT SHE SAYS

“From what we see in the media, there are unfortunately some officers who have dishonored the badge, and that makes it extremely difficult and dangerous for all of us in this profession,” says Nuriddin. “Regardless of ethnicity or gender, illegal and unethical behavior impacts all of us.” Nuriddin is also a proponent of public openness and access to police. “It is important that our officers perform our duty as sworn to do so. It is just as important we hold ourselves and [other] officers accountable. I strongly believe people want transparency.”

“PEOPLE WANT A VOICE, AND TO SIMPLY BE TREATED FAIRLY.”

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

STAY ON THE BIKE, IN THE GAME, OR ON TRACK

As we start a new year, turning to exercise can reduce stress and help to stay healthy. But no matter your age, injuries can get in your way. Sports injuries, car accidents, workplace injuries, and falls are the most common causes of bone fractures.

Dr. Charles Jordan, an orthopedic trauma surgeon at Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute, part of Baptist Health, is the first in the world to implant a new-tothe market, 3-D printed Graft Cage to heal long bone injuries. It works by supporting bone grafts, which act as fillers to aid new bone growth and later absorbs into the body, meaning no follow-up procedure is required. Previously, there was often just a piece missing to fully heal and restore long bone injuries. This is the piece.

This is all possible because our donors generously support life-saving research inspired by innovation and the latest technology.

Generosity Heals.

Don Slesnick has been in private practice as a labor and employment lawyer since 1976, representing public sector employee organizations. He served as Mayor of Coral Gables for 10 years, from 2001 to 2011, and was President of the Florida League of Mayors for 2009-2010. For the past six years he has been the Honorary Consul of Australia for Florida. A Vietnam veteran and former U.S. Army advisor to NATO forces in Germany, Slesnick is an “Ambassador” for the Chief of the Army Reserve.

Don Slesnick

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT

In November, Slesnick was inducted into the State of Florida’s Veterans Hall of Fame. He is just one of 100 veterans to have been inducted into the Hall, out of the estimated 1.5 million veterans living in the state. He is the only veteran from Miami-Dade County among last year’s class of 20 inductees, one of the largest. The award is given to veterans not only to honor their service, but also for the contributions made to their state after leaving the military. In the photo here, Slesnick is about to jump with the Golden Knights of the Army at Homestead Airforce Base, which he fought to preserve.

WHAT HE SAYS

“To be recognized is a great honor. I am humbled. Obviously, this is a state where there are a lot of people deserving of this recognition,” said Slesnick, who went to Vietnam in 1971. He served as a military advisor to the civilian police in Danang, helping set up police academies to train officers. “I also worked with the judges of Danang, since I was a law grad,” he said.

“But I never got a purple heart or the Medal of Honor.” The worst trouble he got into in Vietnam was when he appeared on the CBS News with Walter Cronkite, telling a reporter that “we are trying to buy our way out of Vietnam.”

“THIS IS SOMETHING I NEVER EXPECTED…. I AM NOT A MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER OR A PURPLE HEART WINNER.”

Raquel Regalado

Raquel Regalado is a Miami native and graduate of Coral Gables Senior High who practiced law as a commercial litigator for Holland & Knight and has hosted several daily Spanish language radio programs in South Florida along with the weekly television show “Esta Semana con Raquel.” She currently hosts a morning show about politics and social issues on 1260 AM. From 2010 to 2016 she served on the Miami-Dade County Public School Board, where she led initiatives to advance classroom technology, including special computer science training for Hispanic and African American girls. She was also instrumental as a lobbyist for school board issues in Tallahassee. Regalado has served on numerous boards, including the Chapman Partnership to help the homeless.

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT

In November, Regalado was elected as Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 7, which includes South Miami, Pinecrest, Brickell, Coconut Grove and most of Coral Gables. She replaces outgoing Commissioner Xavier Suarez, Sr. Among the challenges she faces is disaffection from city mayors who have felt left out of county decisions regarding Covid restrictions (such as early curfews that damaged restaurants) and the stalled CARES act funding, which is meant to offset Covid related revenue losses for cities across the county. So far, she has hit the pavement running, laying down a series of agenda imperatives that include dealing with damage from sea level rise and stabilizing commercial property values.

WHAT SHE SAYS

“We are pushing agenda items that have to do with the cities, and we are doing everything we can to be on the same page,” says Regalado. Among her priorities is preventing damage to water quality from rising sea levels reaching septic tanks – and developing a funding program to pay for linking homes to the sewer system. “Septic tanks are a big deal, and I have always been talking about the impact on Biscayne Bay,” she says. Another top priority is “pandemic trash” and how to deal with “these masks and gloves that are everywhere, clogging the drains.” Her most pressing Covid agenda, however, is to provide rental assistance for small businesses so commercial property values don’t collapse.

“PEOPLE THINK THE COUNTY JUST GETS IN THE WAY. THE COUNTY IS NOT HERE TO GET IN THE WAY, BUT HERE TO PARTNER.”

NEW YEAR NEW YOU

Getting in Shape in 2021

One of the most common New Year’s resolutions that people make is to get in shape – and then by January 17 they’re hitting the snooze button and sleeping through their morning workout class. But this year will be different! Especially since we all need it more. Not only is there holiday weight to lose, but there is also the Covid 19 – the pounds we’ve put on while stuck at home during the pandemic. Fortunately, most gyms have reopened and offer in-person and/or virtual classes. Here are a half dozen Gables gyms that will help you get – and stay – in shape.

TAPOUT FITNESS

If you’re looking for a workout that will kick your butt and also teach you how to kick someone else’s butt, Tapout Fitness is the gym for you. They offer half a dozen different kinds of classes, including Tapout Strike, a high-intensity kickboxing class. It begins with a cardio warmup of jumping jacks, squats, high knees, etc., followed by several rounds of boxing and kickboxing. I consider myself in shape and I was still dripping sweat after just a few rounds.

Tapout Strike definitely takes some coordination. At first the rounds are just simple cross, jab and uppercut moves. But the routine quickly becomes more complex, adding in hooks and various kicks. Despite the challenge, roundhouse kicking a lifeless punching bag is both empowering and therapeutic. You’ll need boxing gloves for the class, which they sell at the gym if you don’t have a pair.

The only downside is that maintaining social distancing is sort of difficult during the class. There are stickers on the floor in front of each punching bag, marking six feet of distance. However, between all the kicking and jabbing, you don’t stay on the sticker for a majority of the class.

Other classes include Tapout Strong, an interval-based workout

that incorporates dumbbells, TRX and medicine balls; Tapout Fit, a high-intensity, circuit-training workout; and Tapout Fusion, which, as the name describes, is a fusion of all the different types of Tapout classes. The first class is free; membership rates vary based on classes per week.

475 BILTMORE WAY

305.299.9666

TAPOUTFITNESS.COM

BURN BOOT CAMP

I know what you’re thinking: Boot camp sounds intense. I’m not going to lie; even I was a little intimidated going in. But the gym is very welcoming and the instructor Laura explained everything in depth. The entire class was 45 minutes and was broken up into a warm up, four different stations, cardio and a cool down. Every class is different, but ours focused on the upper body.

Since this class was all about the arms, the warm up consisted of push-ups and bird dogs. You spend five minutes at each of the four different stations and they all consist of two different workouts.

While you’re doing one, your partner is doing the other. The stations included exercises like bicep curls, shoulder presses and lateral raises. Breaking up your workout into five-minute intervals really makes it go by quicker. The cardio section alternated between jumping jacks and burpees. You’ll definitely be sore the next day.

Burn Boot Camp has a dozen classes you can take every day (except Sundays) both in-person and virtually, with the first at 5:30 a.m. and the last at 7:30 p.m. They offer a seven-day trial that includes unlimited classes, one-on-one focus meetings and access to virtual content. They have memberships for one month, six months, 12 months or 18 months that comes with unlimited classes at all of their locations. If you don’t want a membership, you can also purchase a Camp Pack for five or eight months, or a Fit Card for 10 or 20 classes. Prices available upon request.

2320 GALIANO ST.

786.534.7399

BURNBOOTCAMP.COM

PURE BARRE

Just north of the Shops at Merrick Park on Altara Avenue, Pure Barre is in its own category of fitness classes. Combining ballet, Pilates, cardio and weight training, Pure Barre is a low-impact, full-body workout. There are three different types of classes: Classic, Empower and Reform.

The Classic class begins with a warmup, then goes straight into arms using a light set of weights and then abs, including a 90-second plank. The next portion of class focuses on the lower body, working your thighs, glutes, abductors and adductors. Most of the lower body work is done at the barre (like a ballet barre). Then it’s mat work for the remainder of class, doing more abs and glute exercises. Don’t let the low-impact nature of the exercises fool you; just because your heart rate doesn’t go through the roof doesn’t mean it’s not a good workout. Who knew tiny movements could make such a big difference?

But if you do want cardio, Empower is the class for you. Mixing barre with interval training, this class moves at a faster pace while still strengthening and toning the aforementioned muscle groups. There is also Pure Reform, which is mostly resistance training.

I am a Pure Barre regular and have taken all three types of classes with a variety of instructors and can attest that you can’t go wrong with any instructor or type of class. The intro class is free for first timers. After that you can purchase the Pure Start membership for $169 per month, which is a three-month agreement and includes unlimited classes. Or the Pure Lifestyle membership for $159 per month, a 12-month agreement with unlimited classes. You can also buy a 10 class package for $240.

205 ALTARA AVE.

305.529.0036

PUREBARRE.COM

RUKUS CYCLING STUDIOS

Having just opened in October, Rukus is one of the newest additions to the Gables fitness scene. Located on Giralda Avenue right next to the WeWork building, they offer a variety of high-intensity spin classes. There are three different types: Rukus Prime, a 45-minute class filled with hills, jumps, intervals and upper body toning with resistance bands; Rukus Impulse, a heart rate-based class where

the RPMs align with the beat of the music; and Rukus Surge, a 30-minute High Intensity Interval Training class that helps you reach your fitness goal in less time.

We took a Rukus Prime class with Lee, who is nothing short of a ball of energy. He incorporated hills, sprints, tap backs and choreography (don’t worry, if you’re new to spinning, he’ll explain everything). It wasn’t easy, but it was fun. The true test of a good fitness instructor is the music selection, and Lee’s playlist was perfectly curated for the tone of the ride. I would definitely take the class again.

Rukus’ “CycleArena” – the room with the stationary bikes – can typically accommodate over 30 riders, but social distancing keeps it under 20. One of our favorite features of the studio is that if you’re running on Miami time and are late to a class, you can hop on a bike in their “on-demand” room and take a class from there; Rukus members can take previously recorded classes in this room at any time. The first ride with Rukus Cycling is free. Membership rates vary depending on ride packages.

BODY & BRAIN

This is not your typical yoga studio. Whereas “traditional” yoga is from the Indian culture, Body & Brain teaches Korean yoga. Founded by Ilchi Lee in 1985, this practice, known as Dahn Yoga, focuses on physical vibrations, flexibility and meditation. Having practiced Iyengar and Vinyasa Yoga for almost nine years now, Dahn Yoga was definitely a change of pace for me, but in a good way.

Dahn Yoga is less intense than Iyengar or Vinyasa Yoga (there are no inversions or strenuous flow series), but you still get the benefits of any yoga practice. Most of the class was spent doing standing stretches that really warm up the body. Toward the end of class, we laid down on the mat for more passive stretches. The best part of any yoga class, in my opinion, is the very end where you lie in a quiet meditation for a few minutes. You’ll leave class feeling restored physically and mentally.

Body & Brain offers a variety of yoga classes, plus tai chi and meditation. They reopened for in-person classes in November, but they still offer virtual classes as well. In the studio, all yoga mats are placed six feet apart and students wear a mask for the entirety of class. You can either bring your own mat or they will provide a sanitized one for you. At the time of publication, the only in-person classes were the yoga class at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and tai chi at 10 a.m. on Sundays. The first week is just $10 for unlimited classes. One class is $15, a package of five classes is $45 and unlimited classes is $99 monthly.

CLUB PILATES

There are two types of Pilates: Mat Pilates and Reformer Pilates. This studio teaches the latter, meaning that the majority of the class is spent on a Reformer machine. Club Pilates offers a multitude of classes from Level 1 Foundation to Level 2.5 Mastery. Level 1 is for beginners to build a solid Pilates foundation, focusing on form and alignment. Level 2.5 is the most advanced class for those who are familiar with the proper Pilates techniques and know their way around the Reformer. The studio requires experience at each level before moving on to the next.

Having done Reformer Pilates before, I was allowed to join a Level 1.5 Progression class. We started out lying on our backs on the Reformer with our feet on the foot bar at the base of the machine. Our instructor Nicole told us which springs to use depending on the difficulty level we wanted. Pushing off of the bar with our feet in varying positions worked our hamstrings, calves and inner thighs. Then we stepped off the Reformer to a pull down bar that targeted our biceps and triceps. The most difficult part – at least for me – was the end, which involved lots of planking. I was happy about the low-impact nature of the class; I wanted a good workout but didn’t have a lot of energy.

One thing I noticed was the age range of the students. From your 20s to your 70s, Club Pilates really is a workout studio for everyone. The first class is free and memberships range from four to eight to unlimited classes per month. They also offer a passport membership, which allows you to work out at any Club Pilates location in the U.S. Prices available upon request.

77 MIRACLE MILE 305.209.5679 CLUBPILATES.COM

COMING IN 2021…

Coming to Coral Gables this year is Life Time. Life Time isn’t just a gym, it’s really more of an athletic resort. Not only will it have the standard equipment, but it will also have six group fitness studios for Pilates, yoga, spin and barre classes. All of the locker rooms will have a sauna, steam room and hot tub. Additionally, like all Life Time locations, there will be an outdoor pool and a full service café and spa – not to mention a chiropractor and physical therapist on-site. “We want to make it easier for people to live a healthy lifestyle,” says Gino Santia, Village Director of Life Time Living Coral Gables.

For the families, Life Time Athletic also has a Kids Academy, where children will be supervised while you get in a workout. Or the whole family can work out at the same time, as they have fitness programs for children from three months to 12 years. “If mom and dad are taking a yoga class, the kids can be in a yoga class,” says Santia.

Life Time Athletic is a part of the Life Time Coral Gables development on U.S. 1 and Ponce de Leon Boulevard, which includes Life Time Living (luxury residences) and Life Time Work (shared workspace). The nearly 70,000-square foot athletic center is slated to open in early 2021. The only membership that will be available is their diamond level membership for $199 a month, which grants you access to all Life Time gyms in the country. Membership is included for residents of Life Time Living. ■

CGAC MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES

UNLIMITED ACCESS TO GYM (INCLUDING ALL CLASSES) POOL & TENNIS CENTER EXCLUSIVE MEMBER ONLY EVENTS

CGAC MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES

UNLIMITED ACCESS TO GYM (INCLUDING ALL CLASSES) POOL & TENNIS CENTER EXCLUSIVE MEMBER ONLY EVENTS

OUTDOOR BOOTCAMP - YOGA - PILATES - GROUP CYCLING

OUTDOOR BOOTCAMP - YOGA - PILATES - GROUP CYCLING

ZUMBA - LOCKERS - WIFI - ENHANCED CLEANING

ZUMBA - LOCKERS - WIFI - ENHANCED CLEANING

ENTRY SAFETY CHECKS - HAND SANITIZER STATIONS

ENTRY SAFETY CHECKS - HAND SANITIZER STATIONS

A/C FILTRATION + UV LIGHTING - MULTIPLE CARDIO EQUIPMENT ZONES

A/C FILTRATION + UV LIGHTING - MULTIPLE CARDIO EQUIPMENT ZONES

Take advantage of our popular NEW YEAR NEW YOU PROMO!

Take advantage of our popular NEW YEAR NEW YOU PROMO!

Three Cheers for the Entrepreneurs

The life of an entrepreneur is filled with ebbs and flows, ups and downs, confidence and fears, and eternal positives and negatives.

I know this life well. My father was an entrepreneur and restaurateur most of his working life, in an industry with notoriously more ebbs than flows and often more tears than cries of joy. Such is the challenge of striking out on your own, turning your more secure livelihood toward uncertainty while eschewing the comforts of the known.

Coral Gables has enjoyed a rich history of entrepreneurialism, buoyed by many of the family businesses and “mom and pop” stores that have long called our community home. Yet, when you think of local cities that are synonymous with entrepreneurism, Coral Gables is not often top-ofmind, and well, that is on us. We need to be better storytellers and evangelists about the innovators that dot the landscape of the city, showcasing the companies that have grown and thrived here, some on a global scale.

Think of Mike Fernandez or the Mas family – iconic entrepreneurs who fearlessly invested their own precious venture capital in ideas, products and the future of their industries. They would likely tell you that each decision to invest was filled with pros and cons, with both risk and reward at the very heart of those decisions.

Think also of Anna Mae Esslinger, Dodie Wooten and Arline Maxwell, the three women who founded what is today the regional real estate juggernaut Berkshire Hathaway Home Services EWM Realty. Who would have imagined

three women entrepreneurs and realtors coming together in 1964 in the Gables to found what is today a company affiliated with billionaire Warren Buffett?

Finally, think about Manny Medina, the Gables-based serial entrepreneur who brought us eMerge Americas – co-founded and co-created with his daughter and fellow entrepreneur Melissa – and his newer companies like Cyxtera, cutting edge providers of cyber security.

All of these good men and women of Coral Gables started with a dream, an idea, and a specialized skill set they put into practice (sounds a bit like our old friend George Merrick, eh?).

These risk takers help make our local economy hum, and ensure our brand goes even more global. And, with our local government embracing a Smart City approach to its own bureaucracy, innovation is alive and well, poised for a strong decade ahead.

We are big thinkers and our infrastructure for success is growing. Even our local University of Miami is home to an entrepreneurial think-tank for startups, The Launch Pad, that has already added new businesses to the local, regional and global landscape.

We count heavily on this next wave of idea generation and investment to help us face the new normal of business, and we crave the fighting spirit of the entrepreneur as part of our shortterm – and long-term – recovery.

Here’s to those who have taken a risk, savored the rewards and succeeded in changing our world along the way. And three cheers to those who have done that right here in our beloved City Beautiful. ■

“CORAL GABLES HAS ENJOYED A RICH HISTORY OF ENTREPRENEURIALISM, BUOYED BY MANY OF THE FAMILY BUSINESSES AND ‘MOM AND POP’ STORES THAT HAVE LONG CALLED OUR COMMUNITY HOME.”

A person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so.

See: EPGD Business Law, providing entrepreneurs and business owners the resources and sophistication of a large law firm combined with the individualized service and responsiveness of a boutique.

Kreps de Maria Splits, PayCargo Gets Pumped Up

THE BIG SPLIT: KREPS DE MARIA PR MORPHS INTO TWO FIRMS

After three decades of representing a “who’s who” of top South Florida clients, Gables-based PR firm Kreps de Maria has split into two new PR companies. The agency’s two principal partners, Sissy DeMaria-Koehne (above left) and Israel Kreps (right), have each formed separate firms in Coral Gables.

DeMaria has moved to 300 Sevilla Ave. with her new company Cultivate PR. Kreps will remain at 220 Alhambra Circle, and for now will be known as Kreps PR & Marketing. Staff and clients from Kreps de Maria will be evenly split. “Sissy and I have had a wonderful run, said Kreps. “We are working through an amicable, seamless transition, as we have been, and will continue to be, close friends.” Said DeMaria-Koehne, “We are both committed and invested in our clients and to offering them a smooth transition.”

Kreps confirmed that the partners split due to an offer last year from a larger PR firm to merge. He wanted the merger, DeMaria-Koehne did not. Kreps said he would continue to pursue the merger with the company, which will remain unnamed until the process is complete.

A SHOT IN THE ARM: LOGISTICS FIRM PAYCARGO GETS A CASH INFUSION

Coral Gables-based payments transactions company PayCargo recently received a $35 million investment led by New York private equity firm Insight Partners. PayCargo was launched by CEO Eduardo del Riego in 2007 to develop an electronic system to pay airlines, trains, ports and others in the transport business, so that shippers could get their freight released quickly and safely.

The company now works with 5,000 vendors, from shipping lines to warehouses and air carriers, and handled more than $4 billion in cargo transactions in 2020 alone, says del Riego.

With its new cash infusion, PayCargo expects to double its payment transactions annually over the next few years, boosting worldwide staff from 60 to over 100. It now has offices in Coral Gables, Madrid and Amsterdam, and aims to open in Los Angeles, Asia and Latin America. Growth potential remains enormous, del Riego says, because most international trade still relies on paper-based payment systems such as checks, cash and vouchers. PayCargo set up headquarters in Coral Gables in 2009.

Business Briefs

CORAL GABLES’ DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVEOPMENT has begun to distribute $800,000 in small businesses recovery grants to be used for rent payments. While the city received more than 115 grant applications, it could only afford to fund 53 of the applications, on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each recipient will be granted $15,000 to be used exclusively to pay back rent. $750,000 of the funds are from the CARES Act, with another $50,000 diverted from technical workshops. Recipients include such local companies as Small Tea, Gables Cigar Shop, Fritz & Franz, Punto Criollo, Blue Serenity, Bellmónt Spanish Restaurant and Club Pilates.

CORAL GABLES COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT firm the Allen Morris Company has joined forces with Miami-based Black Salmon and Atlanta-based Stormont Hospitality Group to form AMS Hospitality. The joint venture was formed to acquire $300 million in distressed hospitality assets across the country, including hotels. Allen Morris developed the iconic Alhambra Towers in downtown Gables, the SLS LUX in the Brickell area and multiple properties in Atlanta.

GABLES-BASED FRESH DEL MONTE PRODUCE has been awarded first place in the Green and Environmental Stewardship category at PR Daily’s prestigious 2020 Corporate Social Responsibility Awards. The award reflects the company’s growing commitment to sustainable practices. Currently, Del Monte owns and conserves more than 23,000 acres of forest across its pineapple and banana operations in Costa Rica. Del Monte also recently joined the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), which promotes science-based emissions reduction targets by the private sector. ■

Start Me Up: Entrepreneurism in Coral Gables

“THE INTENT OF FORUM IS TO BE NOT JUST REAL ESTATE, BUT TO SUPPORT A BUSINESS WITH THEIR GROWTH OBJECTIVES. SO, WE LAUNCHED NOT JUST AS AN OFFICE, BUT ONE WITH SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THOSE BUSINESSES.”

RISHI KAPOOR, THE CEO OF VENTURE LOCATIONS, THE DEVELOPMENT FIRM BEHIND FORUM

IS THE GABLES A GOOD PLACE TO START A BUSINESS? THE ANSWER IS YES. MOSTLY.

The idea that you can start your own business and thereby make your fortune is a big part of the American Dream. It is not the only part of that dream. You can also become successful working for an organization, like a corporation, or a school or the government. But there is something about being your own boss and running your own enterprise that plays to the heart of what the American Dream is all about. And if you tie that notion to the idea of innovation, then you’ve got that dream in spades – which is what Ralph Waldo Emerson meant when he said, “Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door.”

But what, exactly, does it mean to be an entrepreneur? Is that the same thing as being a small businessperson? And what about professionals who practice on their own, like a lawyer with a solo practice?

To some extent, all of these come under the umbrella of entrepreneurism. By definition, it’s simply the idea of going out on your own and taking the risk to create a business.

“An entrepreneur could be running a café, or selling papers or flowers, or starting a pharmaceutical company,” says Brian Breslin, director of The Launch Pad at the University of Miami. “It is someone who is using business to solve a problem and create value.”

Breslin, whose UM Launch Pad business incubator has helped start some 500 companies since it began in 2008, says that all small businesses are entrepreneurial ventures. But he points out the fine line between a small business and a startup. A single café is a small

business; a chain of cafés is a startup. And then comes the ingredient of creativity. “I would say that innovation and entrepreneurship are attached at the hip,” says Breslin.

That message is well understood at UM, which over the last decade has increasingly encouraged faculty, students and alumni to become entrepreneurs – and is now beginning to connect with the Gables’ business community.

Norma Sue Kenyon, Ph.D., UM’s Vice Provost for Innovation, believes that UM has enough depth of medical research alone to become the center of a biomedical hub. Through the school’s Office of Technology Transfer, faculty is encouraged to commercialize scientific discoveries, with UM paying for all legal and patent work up front in exchange for a share of the royalties. More down to earth, The Launch Pad has helped companies like Per’La Specialty Roasters and The Salty Donut get started; out of the 500 companies they’ve helped start, about half have remained in the area.

“We are very interested in engaging with the community,” says Dr. Kenyon. “There are a lot of successful businesspeople here [and] we are looking for mentors… and I would like some of the resources of UM Innovation to be open to the community.”

In the meantime, the nitty gritty business world of Coral Gables marches on, with an amazing preponderance of small and growing companies. By its very composition, Coral Gables is demonstrably a great place to start a new business. While there are some

corporate heavyweights here with hundreds of employees (think Baptist Health, Del Monte, Bacardi and MasTec), the vast majority of businesses are small – which Coral Gables Chamber President and CEO Mark Trowbridge defines as having 15 employees or less.

“We have all of the ingredients to be a great place to start a business,” says Trowbridge, who estimates that 80 percent of the Chamber’s membership consists of small companies. “When you are talking about starting a business it’s about investing in a dream. That is the very character of Coral Gables. Look at our founder. That defines him and the City Beautiful movement itself.”

To some extent, that spirit of entrepreneurism is embedded in the DNA of the city. Besides being a “smart city” with an award-winning IT department, the mayor maintains an Innovation Council for policy advice. Even Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens has an Innovation Lab where students are currently working to develop plants for deep-space travel.

And Trowbridge is not alone in his assessment that Coral Gables is a great city to launch a new venture, be it a brick-andmortar shop or a digital design firm. In a study done in 2019 by Go.Verizon.com, Coral Gables ranked No. 3 out of 300 “best small cities to start a small business.” Among the criteria examined were the number of businesses per capita, percentage of residents with college degrees and commute times. Last year the city fell to No. 18, with a surge by cities in Montana and North Dakota, where real estate is cheap.

The high cost of real estate, both residential and commercial, is of course a barrier to small business startups in the Gables. Gone are the days when the city had cheap warehouse space, for example, for young firms that needed a place to make or store things. Solving that issue has been a burst of flex or shared workspaces in the Gables, which have exploded over the last decade. WeWork has more than doubled its multi-story footprint on Giralda Avenue, occupying a second building; Quest now has two locations; Pipeline is filled with innovative startups; and ESQ.Suites was launched just for lawyers. Forum opened late last year with a concept of providing its clients an array of professional support services domiciled in the same building.

“The intent of Forum is to be not just real estate, but to support a business with their growth objectives,” says Rishi Kapoor, the CEO of Venture Locations, the development firm behind Forum. “So, we launched not just as an office, but one with support services for those businesses.” These range from administrative services like call forwarding, document processing and in-house catering, to marketing services, bookkeeping services and business legal services. “It’s a whole ecosystem, a network that we can bring to the table,” says Marketing Director Joanna Davila.

Rishi sees Coral Gables as a growing center for new startups, despite it not being part of a high-tech, venture capital cluster like Silicon Valley, because of the lifestyle that it offers.

“Year by year the world is shrinking with advances in technol-

ogy and communications, which means companies can find a home base outside of the traditional startup centers,” he says. “And Coral Gables is well placed to feed that trend… Ultimately, it’s a fun community to be a part of – a great place to enjoy leisure time.”

Indeed, a significant number of the small companies that locate in Coral Gables do so because of the physical environment, especially in the downtown – the architecture, the human scale, the diversity of eating places, the art cinema and theater, the tree canopy, the bookstores, the cafés and so forth.

“I think Coral Gables has a great mix of the modern and the historic,” says Claudia Duran, managing director of Endeavor Miami, an accelerator program located on Alhambra Circle. “Our team used to be in the office every day [pre-pandemic] and we used to love walking to restaurants, to juice bars, to gyms. It’s nice because if you are an entrepreneur with a startup, you can go out of your office and connect with other entrepreneurs in a cool environment.”

Endeavor Miami is one of 40 such offices worldwide, specializing in helping established startups – “companies that are in the process of scaling up” – grow to the next level. For startups earning less than $5 million annually, Endeavor provides a four-month “accelerator” program where the young companies are mentored. They also select three to five companies a year with annual revenues over $5 million, which become Endeavor Entrepreneurs, and are connected with their network worldwide – which includes access to capital.

The need to go outside the city for venture capital is one of the

weak threads in the entrepreneurial fabric of Coral Gables, though not for small businesses per se. Many of the banks here support small businesses, but that is not the same as venture investments.

“Traditional banks, and especially community banks, don’t play a major role in terms of providing venture capital to startup businesses, either large or small,” says Lloyd DeVaux, president and CEO of Sunstate Bank, which is an active lender to small businesses in the Gables. “We are a big supporter of small businesses, [but] most banks generally loan money to businesses that have good physical collateral – or that have strong cash flow and have been in business for a couple of years. Banks are also highly regulated and just not able to place huge bets on risky startup ventures.”

Typically, Gables startups and scaleups have to look elsewhere for venture capital. A multi-million scale-up investment for the Gables-based Pincho restaurant chain (an Endeavor Entrepreneur, btw) came from New York, for example. “In the beginning it was so difficult for me [to raise money here], but it is easier now,” says Violette de Ayala, CEO of the national women’s network FemCity. “I suspected it would be a great place for venture capital because you meet other entrepreneurs. [Fortunately] I had money to begin with that came from angel investors, but they weren’t based here.”

Helping to bridge that gap is Coral Gables-based eMerge Americas, launched in 2013 as a nonprofit aiming to connect the dots in South Florida’s tech scene by linking startups, investors and others with partners in Latin America and beyond. Launched by longtime

local entrepreneur Manny Medina, it held mega-events at the Miami Beach Convention Center each April until the coronavirus hit. The group’s 2019 conference drew a record 16,000 people from 40 countries, representing more than 400 companies, plus universities and governments. That event helped South Florida tech companies attract a record $2.39 billion in annual venture capital that year.

This year will not reach those numbers, but could still approach $2 billion. And while those investments are spread across the tri-county area and its five million residents, they create an environment that reaches even to the Gables, where last year PayCargo wooed $35 million to grow its electronic payments system for freight.

“In 2019, metro Miami rose to become No. 7 in venture capital dollars in the U.S., up from No. 11 and ahead of such established tech cities as Austin and Chicago,” says eMerge CEO Felice Gorodo. “And it’s telling that Softbank chose to launch their Latin America innovation fund here,” pledging $5 billion in investment across the region.

In the end, having massive venture funds available may not be as important for the Gables as its innovative spirit and the simple fact that the city is a place where you want to live, work and play. “It’s all about the character and pedestrian nature of the Gables,” says Jesse Stein, who has set up three successful companies in the city (see story pg. 81). “There are not a lot of nice pedestrian areas in South Florida. Among other things, it makes it easier to recruit employees.” ■ Doreen Hemlock contributed to this report.

City Smarts

HOW ONE LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR IS REINVENTING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

For as long as he can remember, Tony Newell has been passionate about civics. During high school, he binged the TV series “West Wing.” At the University of Florida, he majored in political science. After graduation, he ran for Coral Gables office. For years, he’s been volunteering on local boards.

Now, the 38-year-old Gables resident is developing a tech company to bring city government, business, nonprofits and people closer together. The first phase of his Resorcity venture debuted this summer: An app that offers discounts and loyalty points for purchases at Coral Gables restaurants and stores. More than 65 businesses and over 550 shoppers have signed up so far.

Over time, Newell plans to expand the platform to offer points and rewards to people attending city meetings, answering city surveys, taking part in coastal cleanups and other nonprofit activities. The points could be redeemed at shops or for public services like parking. He envisions Resorcity (a combination of “resource” and “city”) becoming a hub for civic engagement nationwide.

“When this platform is mature, the idea is to help local governments tap into people as a resource,” says Newell. “Every community has brilliant scientists, businesspeople, philanthropists, etc., that they’re not really tapping into when it comes to solving public problems.”

The tech venture started as a passion project. Newell was working at his family’s construction business in Miami and noticed that some building inspectors did a better job than others. Yet there was no accountability for the weak ones nor rewards for those providing outstanding service. So, three years ago he launched City Grader, a platform that lets users rate public employees, aiming to boost accountability. Soon, he found users busy chatting on the site about local government. He found many citizens spoke more freely on the private platform than they did on official sites, where city employees posted news and answered questions.

Spurred by user feedback, Newell and his team developed “a QR-based product that cities could add in their front-line offices.” If you went to a city department, there’d be a placard with the QR code. When you scanned it, you could enter your review and it would go straight to that department manager.

Newell was talking to Miami Beach about buying a one-year contract when the coronavirus hit, evaporating in-person contacts at city offices. Newell and his team pivoted. With small businesses in trouble, he created the initial Resorcity app to encourage local shopping and offered the platform free to Coral Gables and its merchants. “He really wants to share everything he’s learned with the city,” says a grateful Aura Reinhardt, executive director of the Business Improvement District, who has knocked on doors with Newell to sign up merchants for the cross-marketing program. She sees opportunities for community building through Resorcity as “huge.”

Several Florida cities are now considering using Resorcity. Newell says he’s talking to Miami, West Miami and Fort Myers, offering them service contracts for $10,000 to $50,000 annually, depending on volume. “We think we can be every bit as prevalent as NextDoor,” the app for neighborhoods, says Newell, who has already invested $100,000 from founders, family and friends, and is now looking for $1 million to scale up. ■

“WHEN THIS PLATFORM IS MATURE, THE IDEA IS TO HELP LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TAP INTO PEOPLE AS A RESOURCE...”

TONY NEWELL, 38-YEAR-OLD GABLES RESIDENT AND DEVELOPER OF RESORCITY.

The Female Factor

HOW A GABLES ENTREPRENEUR SET UP A NATIONAL NETWORK FOR STARTUPS BY WOMEN

Ask Violette de Ayala what is the secret to starting a new business in Coral Gables, and she will tell you it comes down to one word: Networking.

“What I love about Coral Gables is that there is accessibility to so many other entrepreneurs that have created businesses here,” says de Ayala. “Because, to start and grow a business, and to create multiple streams of income, you need to be surrounded by those who are doing the same, who are creating capitalistic ventures.”

With that in mind, de Ayala launched FemCity back in 2009. “It started with just 20 women, and all we did was meet monthly for lunch,” she says. In 2010 she started a second South Florida chapter, and then one in Philadelphia. Today there are 75 active chapters, with over 3,000 active members, holding 100 to 200 local events weekly. Google had become a participant, offering classes on how to feature your business online through their platforms, and Yelp had reached out, offering to teach members how to leverage their platform.

But through it all, de Ayala has never veered from her core focus: “Our whole mission is to help women start their own businesses and then to grow them and succeed.”

To implement that mission, de Ayala set up FemCity to give women who are small business owners access to marketing education and other tools they can use from their own homes. This includes online classes on subjects such as how to create a Shopify story, how to monetize Ebay, and how to sell on Amazon. FemCity chapters also offer weekly mentorship classes for women, including a 20-module course on how to start a business for the first time.

With an entry fee of $15.99 a month, or $150 a year, de Ayala wanted FemCity to be affordable for all women – even single parents trying to start a business while raising kids. And, she says, while the pandemic has put a kibosh on the group gatherings that were the hallmark of FemCity, it has also provided opportunity.

“With the pandemic, a lot of people are starting freelance businesses, where they have been furloughed from a professional position and now are offering it themselves, freelancing those professional services,” she says. “A friend of mine, a traditional attorney, created a way to be an [affordable] attorney for others by using templates, making it less expensive.”

Even with all the educational tools that FemCity offers members, however, in the end it comes back to its mantra of networking. “I have been a part of FemCity for over 10 years, and the ways the community continues to connect women through local programming and global events is outstanding,” says Coral Gables attorney Amy Renee Bales (Bales & Bales, P.A.). “I have made connections in all parts of the U.S. and Canada through the FemCity community… I love to leverage the opportunity to network around the world.”

That global perspective is FemCity’s next target. Even with vibrant chapters like Philadelphia (526 members), Toronto (212 members) and McAllen, Texas (1,200 members), she is currently working to set up the first chapter in France. ■

“WHAT

I LOVE ABOUT CORAL GABLES

IS THAT THERE IS ACCESSIBILITY TO SO MANY OTHER ENTREPRENEURS THAT HAVE CREATED BUSINESSES HERE. BECAUSE, TO START AND GROW A BUSINESS, AND TO CREATE MULTIPLE STREAMS OF INCOME, YOU NEED TO BE SURROUNDED BY THOSE WHO ARE DOING THE SAME, WHO ARE CREATING CAPITALISTIC VENTURES.”

The Scribe is in the House

HOW A GABLES PHYSICIAN CREATED A GROWING MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION SERVICE

Fernando G. Mendoza, M.D., knows that not all advances in patient care come from the laboratory. The Coral Gables physician, who is board-certified in pediatrics and pediatric emergency care, recognized that doctors could spend more face-to-face time with their patients if they didn’t have the tedious task of entering notes into electronic health records (EHRs).

In 2014, Dr. Mendoza founded Scrivas, LLC, which provides in-person and virtual medical scribe services to a growing number of South Florida hospitals and physician groups. “My goal was to improve the quality of care delivered to patients and the quality of life to physicians experiencing the burden of electronic health record requirements,” he says. “Our medical scribes act as personal assistants to the physician.”

The way it works is almost old fashioned, albeit wedded to modern IT. Initially the “scribe” – an almost Medieval term – comes into the emergency room with the doctor (it is still mostly an ER service). As the doctor describes his diagnosis, the scribe writes it down on an electronic pad and puts in the correct coding for billing.

Scrivas has now grown from serving a single emergency department to servicing multiple medical offices and healthcare networks in South Florida. Along with better patient care, the service provides financial benefits – since the doctor, now freed from excessive paperwork, can see 20 to 25 percent more patients.

“Using Scrivas’ services have been helpful to our practice in two ways,” says Jose E. Portuondo, M.D., an emergency physician at Doctors Hospital. By taking care of the documentation, they allow more time for patient interaction – and because scribes know the coding system for billings, costly errors are avoided. Today, Scrivas has about 300 scribes, primarily young professionals interested in medical or health-related careers, who work on site directly with physicians or, since Covid, remotely in a separate area.

The pandemic, rather than hurt business, actually helped expand revenues. Dr. Mendoza drew on his entrepreneurial instincts and talent base to offer private contact tracing services to businesses, schools and other organizations. The company’s Covid Exposure Management Platform monitors and tracks infected, symptomatic, and exposed students, faculty, staff and employees. “We needed a tool that would complement our school protocols to help us trace and track any potential positive cases and identify possible outbreaks or hotspots on campus,” says Vivian Bileca, director of True North Classical Academy in Miami. “Without Scrivas, it would be impossible to maintain the same level of teaching. [They helped] us remain open and bring back most of our students.”

While the need for COVID-19 tracing is likely to disappear when effective vaccines arrive, South Florida physicians will continue to need medical scribe services. “Our company was born from a desire to improve the patient experience and deliver better clinical care,” says Dr. Mendoza. “Being able to talk to a patient or family member without worrying about charting – that can make a big difference.” ■

“MY GOAL WAS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CARE DELIVERED TO PATIENTS AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE TO PHYSICIANS EXPERIENCING THE BURDEN OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD REQUIREMENTS.”

A New Cup of Coffee

THE AMBITIONS OF PER’LA ARE NOTHING LESS THAN INDUSTRY CHANGING

For company co-founder Christopher Nolte, “People telling me that I’ve ruined their perception of coffee is my greatest win.” That, in a nutshell, is the aim of Per’La Specialty Roasters: To re-educate the taste buds of coffee drinkers, so that they will come to appreciate – and demand – a finer, fresher brew.

So far, with accounts won at numerous local hotels and restaurants, Per’La is doing just that – teaching staid coffee drinkers that there is a better approach, with locally roasted blends that elevate the experience. No more stale coffee from places like Italy, where it’s likely to have been warehoused for many months.

The idea for Per’La was born five years ago, when two buddies from the University of Miami rekindled their friendship and decided that the specialty coffee industry was decades behind the specialty, locally brewed beer industry.

Both of them – Nolte and partner Paul Massard – had been business majors at UM, and both had 10 years in the working world under their belts. Nolte had been a successful sales executive in the medical industry while Massard had been working for coffee roasters in the Midwest and Hawaii. “He had become a master roaster, an expert in sourcing and roasting, while I had become really good at sales and marketing,” says Nolte. “It was a nice, harmonious blend.”

After running their business plan past advisors at UM’s Launch Pad business incubator, the team combined resources to purchase a $90,000 coffee roaster. They located it in a warehouse just outside Coral Gables (you can’t have food production facilities in the city), later setting up a retail “House of Per’La” outlet on Almeria Avenue. But first came the tough job of establishing the brand.

“There was a lot of cold calling and the awkward conversations. You don’t have any credibility at first,” says Nolte. “Our biggest hurdle was getting people to take the risk to switch to a higher quality product, rather than the established multinational brands they were comfortable with.” The breakthrough came with an account at the Ritz Carlton Bal Harbor, followed by the Ritz Carltons in South Beach and Key Biscayne. Since then, they have scored numerous local hotels and restaurants, places like the Café at Books & Books and Eating House.

“It was a great experience getting to work with Paul Massard in creating a custom blend for us at the restaurant,” says Giorgio Rapicavoli, the chef/owner of Eating House. “It was such a great product, and their enthusiasm for it was contagious.” Within three months of starting up, Per’La had broken even, and was debt free within 15 months. By 2019, the company had annual sales close to $1 million – though the pandemic tapered sales last year. They source their beans mostly from Central and South America, with some from East Africa and Indonesia. Almost all comes from individual farms with which Massard developed relationships.

“Roasting to order is the future of the industry,” says Nolte. “We ship the same day the coffee is ordered, roasted the day before. Charging four or five dollars per cup for year-old coffee is not where it’s at.” ■

“HE [MASSARD] HAD BECOME A MASTER ROASTER, AN EXPERT IN SOURCING AND ROASTING, WHILE I HAD BECOME REALLY GOOD AT SALES AND MARKETING. IT WAS A NICE, HARMONIOUS BLEND.”

CHRISTOPHER NOLTE

Kick Started

HOW A GABLES COMPANY IS SCALING UP ITS CONCEPT OF KILLER KARATE MATCHES ON TV

Mixed martial arts combat has become a global phenomenon, so why not offer full contact karate fights? And why not stage those bouts in a sloped pit and add in high quality graphics to look like videogames?

That’s the idea behind Karate Combat, a venture based in Coral Gables whose full contact karate matches now are available on TV channels in more than 40 countries and online.

A New York group led by entrepreneur and investor Robert Bryan came up with the concept in 2018, initially offering the matches in “exotic locations,” including one at the former Miami Herald building locale on Biscayne Bay, featuring palm trees lit in the purple and teal of Miami Vice fame.

The company relocated the following year to the Gables, with Bryan as CEO. Now, the team is preparing a third season of its professional league fights – with taping in Budapest, Hungary, in front of green screens, and then editing in wrap-around visual effects of “exotic” backgrounds such as Valhalla, Neo Tokyo and Angkor Wat, says Enrique Veloz, vice president of production.

“It’s more of a spectacle, rather than a traditional karate match on a square mat in a gym with the traditional point system,” says Veloz. In Karate Combat’s full contact fights, “karatekas” typically fight three rounds of three minutes each in the patented pit and earn a bonus for knockouts. Broadcasts include dramatic music with the high-tech visuals. “We’re trying to tap into a younger audience more tuned into the gaming world and the digital experience,” says Veloz. “Typically they would not be attracted to combat sports.”

TV network BeIN Sports this summer acquired the rights for the matches in 37 markets spanning five continents. The allure: “Karate Combat is the first sports league to blend real world fights with eye catching special effects,” says Antonio Briceño, managing director for BeIN Sports North America, based in Medley. The league “presents martial arts in a way never before seen.”

Karate Combat set up its Gables headquarters in the Pipeline coworking space because production manager Veloz was living in the area. “We love being in a walking community,” says Veloz. “And there’s a great balance of industry and culture in a four-block radius, including theater, art, bookstores and restaurants.”

The head office is lean, with just three top managers. Some employees work remotely from New York, and visual effects are handled largely through Falcon Creative Group of Orlando and ATK PLN of Dallas. Karate operations are run from Budapest by Hungary’s traditional karate champion Adam S. Kovacs, who helped develop the rules and recruited some 150 karate stars from 50 countries to start the full combat league.

Viewership for the fights is rising fast, with about 1 million clicks on recent episodes on Karate Combat’s own YouTube premiere channel and millions more watching other channels, including ESPN Deportes in North America, Gol TV in Spain, Match TV in Russia and Zhibo TV in China. The company now is seeking to grow its audience in Latin America and is also looking to stage live events closer to home, possibly in Las Vegas. ■

“WE’RE TRYING TO TAP INTO A YOUNGER AUDIENCE MORE TUNED INTO THE GAMING WORLD AND THE DIGITAL EXPERIENCE. TYPICALLY THEY WOULD NOT BE ATTRACTED TO COMBAT SPORTS.”

Building a Better Burger

PINCHO, NOW IN ITS NINTH YEAR, GETS READY TO GO NATIONAL. AGAIN.

In some ways, you could say that Otto Othman owes his success to the taste buds of Coral Gables. Yes, he also owes it to a good idea and plenty of hard work. But at the critical moment, it was the appetites of downtown workers and residents that launched a 10-location South Florida chain that is now ready to scale to a national brand.

The story is this: Otto and his cousin Nedal and Nizar Ahmad had started a new fast-casual restaurant called Pincho Factory, on Bird Road in Westchester. It was based on unique family recipes for burgers and the South American street food-on-a-skewer known as the “pincho.” But, after a year of tepid sales, it was about to go under. Instead, CEO Othman convinced his partners not to close, but to open a second location in Coral Gables.

That location, at the far end of Giralda Avenue – east of Galiano – did $1 million in business the first year. “After that I quit my marketing job and went into the business full time,” says Othman. The company immediately set up headquarters in the Gables, in an office building across the street from their winning location.

Over the following six years, the company expanded to 11 locations in Florida, and along the way became part of Endeavor, the Gables-based accelerator for young companies that want to scale up. They did a multi-million dollar raise in 2018, which they used to lay the foundation for a national roll out.

One of the first things they did was national market research on their brand. After a survey of 40 people in Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, they decided to drop the word “Factory” from the name. It originally came from a shop that Othman saw during a trip to India called The Kebob Factory. That may work when everyone knows what a Kebob is, but outside of South America, the pincho is little known. “People were asking, ‘What do you guys manufacture?’” says Othman. “If you are non-Hispanic, and you don’t know what a pincho is, you read [the name] as an actual factory.”

So, today the name is just Pincho, and the chain has shrunk by one, from 11 to 10. That loss (their Doral location) was due to Covid-19. But, outside of that, the company has survived the pandemic in good shape.

“If you go fine dining, you go for the experience. But with fast casual it’s a little more transactional,” says Othman, meaning getting it to go – or eating quickly – is fairly common. Pincho decided not to furlough any employees, which represented “a significant hit” in the months before PPP grants defrayed expenses. What saved them was their loyal customer base. “The amount of support and love from the community was insane,” says Othman. “I have never seen so many people posting that you should support local brands.”

That brand may not be local for long, however. As the pandemic subsides, Pincho is ready to expand nationally. “What Shake Shack is to New York and In-N-Out is to California, Pincho is going to be for Florida,” says Othman. ■

“THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT AND LOVE FROM THE COMMUNITY WAS INSANE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE POSTING THAT YOU SHOULD SUPPORT LOCAL BRANDS.”

OTTO OTHMAN

Where Everyone Knows Your Game

ESQ. SUITES SHAPES THE SHARED WORKSPACE TO FIT A LEGAL NICHE

Sometimes the best idea for a new business comes from a solving a problem that you yourself face. Such was the case with real estate attorney Alejandro E. Jordan. After working for most of a decade for Becker & Poliakoff, he struck out on his own in 2013, sharing office space in Coral Gables with another law firm. Then the building was sold, and the law firm decided to break up.

“Instead of panicking, I saw this as an opportunity,” says Jordan. As he’d already realized, a solo practitioner faces steep upfront expenses: Deposits for a rented space, personal guarantees for the lease, hiring a receptionist, furnishing the suite, etc. Sharing space with another attorney or small firm is more economical, especially one that’s already set up.

So, Jordan decided to take a gamble. In early 2019 he leased the south side of the 15th floor of downtown’s prestigious Alhambra Tower building: 6,000 square feet with 23 offices. At the time, he had only three attorneys ready to join him. “It was a huge risk,” he says. That was in April. But by August 2019 Jordan had rented half the offices, and by December had commitments for 90 percent of the space. “It was by word of mouth in the beginning,” he says. “Then I started doing an email marketing campaign, addressed to lawyers in Miami.”

The proposition was compelling: ESQ. Suites was created as a shared workspace – with the usual shared receptionist, conference rooms, coffee lounge, mailroom, office equipment, etc. – but only for lawyers. A place to talk shop, share information and refer work cases to each other.

“The secret sauce to our business model is the niche – exclusivity to lawyers. You’re not next to a travel agent or a business startup. You’re sharing with like-minded individuals, and not all of them do what you do, so there are hundreds of thousands of dollars in business referrals,” says Jordan.

“For those of us rainmakers that are consistently able to develop our own portfolio of clients, developing collaboration is the other wing of the bird,” says attorney M. Christina Del-Valle. “As a solo practitioner at ESQ. Suites, my real estate and art law practice is enhanced by having, right next to me, attorneys that bring expertise in, for example, commercial leasing, construction law, commercial litigation, copyright, etc.,” she says. “Having accomplished colleagues at elbow-length is not small change.”

Del-Valle says she was also attracted by the amenities at ESQ., including the upscale interiors, state of the art equipment and, last but not least, the views.

“It’s unheard of to find 23 enclosed offices with windows in a 6,000-square foot footprint,” says Jordan. “That was due to the unique [triangular] shape of the building. Sometimes I think our success is largely due to the fact that we could get so many windows.”

It didn’t hurt either that the space had been previously built out to high standards by the Rockefeller Group, which wanted to relocate at least some of their people from New York to Coral Gables in the early 2010s, before changing their mind and moving back north. ■

“WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE ANYONE TO BOUNCE IDEAS AGAINST, YOU CAN FEEL LOST. BUT JUST BEING ABLE TO GO TO THE LOUNGE AND ASK A COLLEAGUE, ‘HAVE YOU EVER DEALT WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS?’ THAT’S WORTH A LOT.”

The Power of the Personal Touch

JESSE STEIN’S LATEST IDEA REINVENTS AN OLD-FASHIONED TOOL

The pen is mightier than the email, especially when wielded by a robot. That is what serial entrepreneur Jesse Stein is betting on with his latest Coral Gables company, Audience.

The backstory on Stein’s latest innovative startup is as compelling as the idea itself. When he was a boy, his grandfather – a consummate seller of wholesale clothing – explained to him the -power of writing personal notes to his customers.

“He took out of his pocket a beautiful fountain pen, a Dupont, and told me, ‘Jesse, this pen is magic. With a handwritten note you can reach anybody,’” recalls Stein. “He said it was the secret to growing any business.”

Stein, who now has several Gables-based successes under his belt, never forgot that advice. Last year, he finally acted on it, creating his new company. It’s goal: To create a robot arm that could write letters and notes precisely like a human being. Except much faster.

Basing his company at the WeWork coworking space on Giralda Avenue, Stein had to rent warehouse space in Doral to set up his small army of robot writers. Warehouse space in the Gables is now either nonexistent or prohibitively expensive – unlike decades ago, when Stein set up his first company here, a sports memorabilia firm in the Merrick Park area. He later sold the company, and it is now the largest of its kind in the country.

Stein subsequently leased conventional office space on Valencia Avenue for Dietspotlight, a company that thrives on the sale of diet supplements online. In 2018 it was named by Inc. magazine as one of the 5,000 fastest growing companies in the U.S.

With his latest venture, Stein has gone in a more high-tech direction – though Dietspotlight succeeded thanks to his “reverse engineering” of the latest Google algorithms so that it would pop to the top for those searching for diet supplements.

But that doesn’t compare with the futuristic vision of a room full of robotic arms writing letters to the clients of companies now engaging his services, each machine applying the perfect pressure that a human would apply – and even making a slight mistake every so often, so as to look authentic.

“This is great for wealth managers, or real estate professionals, or anyone else who wants to reach prospects with a personal note,” says Stein. “And even though it’s done by machines, it’s their words. For less than the cost of a greeting card you can send a handwritten note to customers, stamped and sealed in the same way. Normal email does not get people’s attention like it used to. This gets 10 times the response.”

Stein’s grandfather, whose name was Yudy, would be proud. Stein calls the robots the Yudis, after his mentor. And like his grandfather, Stein still appreciates the old-fashioned pleasure of working in a charming city that is far from futuristic. “Coral Gables is a great place to start a business because of its character and pedestrian nature. When you go to recruit employees, this is an attractive place to work. There are not a lot of areas like it in South Florida.”■

“THIS IS GREAT FOR WEALTH MANAGERS, OR REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS, OR ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO REACH PROSPECTS WITH A PERSONAL NOTE.”

JESSE STEIN ON HIS NEW STARTUP, AUDIENCE

What$700,000 Will Buy in Coral Gables

Coral Gables continues to be among the hottest housing markets in South Florida. According to Redfin, in the past year the median sale price of homes in the city has risen an astonishing 49.3 percent, to reach $875,000. The price per square foot has also risen by 23.8 percent, to $419. Nonetheless, there are still

affordable homes available for young families looking to move here, or for older buyers looking to downscale. We asked three real estate agents to submit one of their homes for sale in the $700,000 price range – give or take a few thousand dollars. Here is what they came up with, in different Gables locations.

North Gables Post-War

813 CATALINA PLACE

Listing Price

$695,000

3 bed/2 bath/1 half bath 1,888 sq. ft.

Completely remodeled 1947 home on a private street with only four houses. Situated in the North Gables “Cortez” neighborhood, this home has been remodeled to create an open concept kitchen and great room with porcelain “wood” floors throughout. Also has new electric, plumbing, irrigation system and impact windows, plus garage. Listing Agent: Eduardo Pruna (One Sothebys International Realty) 305.775.3154

Listing Price

$710,000

Historic Urban

410 ALHAMBRA CIRCLE

3 bed/2 bath 2,047 sq. ft.

Located on a historic street with massive trees, this 1926 Frank Wyatt Woods home is walking distance from downtown restaurants, stores, theaters, etc. The vaulted ceilings of pecky cypress and the floors of cherry hardwood are updated by high-impact doors and windows. Has a remodeled kitchen, fenced back yard with garden, and one-car garage. Listing Agent: Ashley Cusack (BHHS EWM Realty International) 305.798.8685

West Gables Pre-War

1306 MILAN AVE.

Listing Price

$699,000

3

Located just blocks from the

Course and the Coral

Country Club, this 1936 home features volume ceilings, wood floors, a working fireplace and a flow-through floor plan. Kitchen has wood cabinetry and granite countertops. Well maintained with new barrel tile roof, updated electrical and impact windows throughout. Listing Agent: Gloria Arango (Coldwell Banker Realty) 786.268.4956

Inspired leadership. Traditional values.

Born and raised in Coral Gables, I understand what makes this community special: beautiful neighborhoods, kind neighbors and an enviable quality of life. That’s why I’m running for Commission to help keep The City Beautiful strong, and a great place to live, work and play.

As your Commissioner, I’ll bring new energy and vision to city government, while respecting the legacy of past and current leaders. My plan includes:

 Supporting controlled development and New Urbanism practices.

 Maintaining focus on pension funding and reform.

 Pursuing federal support for environmental resiliency initiatives.

You can find out more about me and my platform at BuceloForCoralGables.com

Thank you for your vote in April 2021!

 Improving public parks and recreational facilities.

 Implementing technologies to keep crime rates at an all-time low.

Iam no stranger to Jamaica, having traveled to the island a good half dozen times over the years. But on this trip, my first international voyage since the pandemic hit, I did not want to go out exploring, or shopping, or reggae concert hopping. I just wanted to unplug. And for that, Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay was perfect.

Going to Jamaica is a great way to resume offshore travel. It’s remarkably close, just an hour and fifteen minutes away by air. Suddenly you’re in the Caribbean, where the waters are crystal clear and the air deliciously balmy. Jamaica is also a relatively safe place. The country adopted a national face mask policy early on, so the rate of infections and mortality is less than one tenth, per capita, of the United States. In other words, we had 10 times the chance of catching Covid if we stayed home for the weekend.

The trip itself also felt safe. We took American Airlines, which has a strict mask policy – you’re asked to disembark if you can’t wear a mask the whole trip and banned from further travel on the airline if you remove it inflight. Their aircrafts have highvelocity air circulation systems that continuously scrub the air with hospital-grade air

Escape to Jamaica

A WEEKEND IN THE CARIBBEAN AFTER MONTHS OF STAYING AT HOME? YAH MON!

filters. Safer than food shopping at home, according to the research. And if you want to feel extra safe, fly business class. Not only do you enjoy the privilege of first on, first off, the two comfortable seats on each side of the aisle instead of three (we flew a 737) means no sitting next to strangers if you are traveling as a couple.

As for the airports themselves, the system is not perfect. But they are less crowded than pre-pandemic, and people generally do their best to socially distance – and politely back off if you ask them. All visitors to Jamaica must show proof of a recent negative Covid test, and the airport in MoBay dispenses hand sanitizer relentlessly. Once you are past the final bag scan, Sandals takes over. Their lounge in the main reception hall immediately proffers a Red Stripe beer, a coffee, or a snack while they arrange a car for the 10-minute trip to the resort.

Sandals is all-inclusive, which means you don’t need to carry any cash. Tipping is prohibited. Instead you can wander from

ABOVE: A PRIVATE ENCLAVE JUST MINUTES FROM THE AIRPORT INCLUDES ALL THE AMENITIES OF A COMPLETE RESORT WITH BEACHES, POOLS, DINING & ENTERTAINMENT.

OPPOSITE TOP: ‘SPICES’ RESTAURANT OFFERS TRADITIONAL ISLAND DISHES AND IS AMONG THE NINE RESTAURANTS IN THE ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORT.

MIDDLE: OVERLOOKING THE BEACH OR OVER THE WATER, ALL ROOMS FEATURE BREATH-TAKING VIEWS WITH SOAKING TUBS AND PRIVATE DINING FACILITIES.

BOTTOM: OUR ROOM FEATURED A KINGSIZE BED, SMART TV AND SEPARATE LIVING AREA COMPLETE WITH A FULLY STOCKED WET BAR. IF THIS GRANDEUR IS NOT ENOUGH A PERSONAL BUTLER AND 24HOUR ROOM SERVICE IS INCLUDED.

one meal to the next, or one bar to the next, in a kind of moveable feast. The rooms are laid out in a maze along a half mile of beach; offshore is a separate Sandals Island you can reach via ferryboat. On the shore side there is a French restaurant, an Indian restaurant, a Caribbean cuisine restaurant, a beachside seafood bar & grill, a pizza station, and a pub – along with a variety of shops. On the island there is a Thai restaurant that looks like a temple, and a jerk shack on the sand in a thicket of trees. There is also a swim-up pool bar on the island, and a hidden, clothing optional beach, which we carefully avoided.

Overall, the food at Sandals is fresh and well prepared, and the wait staff is friendly and efficient. All members of the staff wear masks, but once guests arrive and have their temperatures taken, they can go mask free. And most do. There is plenty of space for distancing, and a nearly perpetual breeze comes off the water as the Jamaican hills heat up during the day and draw the air inland.

That breeze, plus the sound of Caribbean waves breaking on a sandbar 100 yards from shore, turns your beach time into a blissful meditation – especially in the quiet morning when the other guests are still hungover. Did we mention that alcohol is ubiquitous?

We stayed in what is known as a “butler suite,” which comes with a butler on duty 12 hours a day. He or she will take care of anything you need, from unpacking your bag (too British for us) to reserving a pair of recliners on the “quiet beach” and placing a cooler of beers there for you. Our suite had a bathtub on the porch; inside was a living room with a stocked bar, followed by the bedroom, with its own oversized tub.

While watersports abound at Sandals, we were having none of it. We started with a beer at the airport, a rum punch for lunch, champagne in the room, and then vodka cocktails on the veranda of the Bombay Indian restaurant. Our butler had drawn a warm bath for us, and we felt pretty relaxed, watching Lester Holt on the NBC Evening News describing the ravages of the pandemic at home. We felt smugly safe, and only slightly guilty. ■

The Art of THE STEAK

FLEMING’S HAS GREAT SIDES AND A SEAFOOD TOWER THAT WON’T QUIT. BUT IN THE END, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MEAT

Part of the fun of eating at Fleming’s is watching the ballet of food preparation. One entire wall of the spacious restaurant on Ponce de Leon Boulevard is occupied by the kitchen, where the chefs and sous-chefs concoct meals behind a glass partition. Here, beneath a cornice of polished copper that provides a warm accent to the main dining room, they work on salads, potato dishes, roast vegetables and baked seafood. But center stage is the grill that sears in the flavor of their beef cuts with temperatures in excess of 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Most of our meat is wet aged,” says Chef Andre Mills, who shares his title with Chef Pablo Guarella. “That means it’s vacuumed sealed in plastic for 21 days, which keeps in the moisture.” Only one of their cuts, the bone-in ribeye, is dry aged, where the outside is exposed to chilled air, just above freezing, for up to 30 days. The trade-

off is that dry aged meat has a sharper, nuttier flavor, while wet aged is juicier.

The quality of the meat (theirs comes from Texas) is, of course, the first factor in a great steak, and restaurants pay a premium price for cuts that generally don’t make it to the supermarket shelves. Next comes the aging process. And then there is the cooking.

“The magic is really in the passion and the love when the chef cooks,” says Zory Mata, the managing partner of the Coral Gables Fleming’s. “You cannot have passion and love and cook a bad steak.” Of course, there are a few other magic ingredients as well – the mixture of peppers and salts that are packed onto the surface, for example, or the splash of butter that is added to all the steaks before they are served. And then how the steaks are prepared – in Fleming’s case, they are first seared on a grill, then put into the 1,600 degree broiler.

FLEMING’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE & WINE BAR 2525 PONCE DE LEON BLVD. 305.569.7995 FLEMINGSSTEAKHOUSE.COM

ABOVE :

CHEFS PABLO GUARELLA AND ANDRE MILLS. THE OPEN KITCHEN, WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS.

OPPOSITE CLOCKWISE:

CRAB CAKES WITH A LIME BUTTER SAUCE AND A CRUNCH.

CAESAR SALAD WITH ROMAINE, PARMESAN, FRIED CAPERS, CRISPY PROSCIUTTO.

PRIME TOMAHAWK STEAK FOR TWO, BEFORE AND AFTER SLICING.

“And we rest our steaks,” says Chef Guarella, a nine-year veteran with Fleming’s, who tag teams with Chef Mills during the week and doubles up with him on weekends when it’s busy. “Letting them rest for a few minutes really allows the juices to balance throughout the steak. That’s why when you cut into the steak you don’t see the red juices rush out.”

Of course, Fleming’s is not just about steaks. Besides their dramatic seafood tower, with crab, tuna poke, shrimp and lobster on ice, they serve starters that include calamari tossed with a sweet chili sauce and banana peppers (addictive), and crab cakes with a lime butter sauce and a nice outside crunch

that really taste like fresh crabs (because they are).

The sides and salads are also exceptional. Their Fleming’s salad is a refreshing mix of lettuce with dried cranberries, red onion, walnuts, tomatoes and lemon balsamic vinaigrette, while their Caesar salad is a more sophisticated version of the steak house classic, with fried capers and crispy, bacon-like prosciutto added, and with a lighter anchovy-infused dressing that is tangier and less cloying than traditional Caesar dressing.

The sides are also dependable and scrumptious, starting with their Fleming’s potatoes au gratin, with two cheeses, leeks and jalapeño peppers – kept warm by its hot serving dish.

And what would a steakhouse dinner be without creamed spinach, blended with parmesan cheese, cream and spices, like grandma used to make it. We also tried their sautéed mushrooms, which combine button, shiitake and portobello mushrooms with fresh garlic. Again, a simple dish, but one that really brings out the mushroom flavor.

Among the entrées, Fleming’s serves chicken breast in white wine, Scottish barbecue glazed salmon, and a Chilean sea bass sauteed in a sesame-orange miso. But we came for the steaks, and they were superb. We tried the New York strip, a lean cut that was juicy and oh-so tasty; the bone-in ribeye, for that dryaged nutty flavor; and the mas-

sive tomahawk for two – tender yet robust, and worth it just for the presentation of something so Flintstone primordial.

The interior of Fleming’s main dining room is as comforting as its food, with neutral grey walls enhanced by rich mahogany beams, ceiling ribbing and wainscotting, with a glassed-in wine cellar to one side. The cozy bar up front, which feels like a neighborhood hangout in Manhattan, is worth a visit by itself, as is the chocolate lava cake for dessert.

Add to this a veteran serving staff that provides an old-world standard of proper service and you will understand why Fleming’s has remained a popular Gables mainstay for nearly two decades. ■

January 2021 THE TOP OUTDOOR RESTAURANTS

Usually our dining guide is a listing of the finest restaurants Coral Gables has to offer, sorted by types of cuisine. Once the coronavirus forced dining rooms to shut down, we switched to listing restaurants that were offering takeout options, then those with outdoors dining. Even though indoor dining is allowed again, we’re sticking with our listing of outdoor dining, which feels like a safer bet when venturing out. We list the best establishments that have al fresco dining in some form or another.

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

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

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

$$$$ ...... $70-$100+ Prices are per person for appetizer and entrée, no tax, tip or drinks. Prices are approximate.

AMERICAN

77 Sport Bar

77 Sport Bar already had outdoor dining, like most restaurants on Giralda Plaza, so they’re ahead of the game. They’re known for having the coldest draft beer, which is exactly what we need for the summer heat. $ 180 Giralda Ave. 305.735.1477

Bachour

Their expansive courtyard is perfect for a pandemic. It has plenty of outdoor seating options and it was designed to have a breeze blow down the center, circulating fresh air throughout. $ - $$ 2020 Salzedo St. 305.203.0552

Burger Bob’s

Great burgers and chili. They’ve set up a few tables outside, so you can eat your classic burger virus-free while enjoying the views of the Granada Golf Course. $ 2001 Granada Blvd. 305.567.3100

Cheesecake Factory

With over 250 menu items from flatbread pizzas to “glamburgers,” Cheesecake Factory has something for everyone’s food mood. They also have outdoor tables in a covered area on Andalusia Avenue. $$ 2418 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.529.0703

Clutch Burger

Being on a pedestrian walkway, outdoor dining is plentiful for this home of gourmet burgers that required you to unhinge your jaws. Fans for when there isn’t a breeze. $$ 146 Giralda Ave. 305.400.8242

Copper 29

The outdoor dining setting is more or less the same as before the pandemic, with a handful of high top tables on the sidewalk (now they’re just farther apart). A great setting for brunch, happy hour and people watching on the Mile. $$ 206 Miracle Mile 786.580.4689

Denny’s

If you don’t know about Denny’s, then you probably don’t live in the US. Now this emporium of American breakfast and lunch standards has 14 outdoor tables. Stack of pancakes and sausage anyone? $-$$ 1 Miracle Mile. 305.445.2300.

Doc B’s

This American eatery has taken advantage of the city’s temporary outdoor dining permit and has set up tables on the corner of Miracle Mile and Salzedo. We can finally have their cinnamon swirl pancakes again. $$ 301 Miracle Mile 786.864.1220

Eating House

Pre-coronavirus, Eating House didn’t have any outdoor seating, so they made their own. Now there are three tables and a tent where two parking spots used to be. They get an A for effort. $$ 804 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.448.6524

Seasons 52

The restaurant itself is massive –especially for a space on Miracle Mile – which means they have plenty of sidewalk real estate. Their desserts alone are worth the visit. $$ 321 Miracle Mile 305.442.8552

Sports Grill

Now you can enjoy those famous Sports Grill special grilled wings without the fear of catching COVID. Outdoor seating both in front and along the alleyway. $ 1559 Sunset Dr. 305.668.0396

Tap 42

The outdoor scene at Tap 42 hasn’t changed a whole lot. The booths already have a high back that separates diners from each other. We’re just happy that the brunch scene is alive and well. $$ 301 Giralda Ave. 786.391.1566

The Globe

Plenty of tables on Alhambra Circle. The Globe always keeps their doors open, so you can sit inside and enjoy the cooler air while munching on their incomparable conch fritters and their famous Globe salad. $ - $$ 377 Alhambra Circle 305.455.3555

The Local

Plenty of shaded seating on Giralda Plaza where you can enjoy their downhome cooking, though we wonder what has happened to their fried chicken. Stick with the warm spinach salad. $$ 150 Giralda Ave. 305.648.5687

Titanic Restaurant and Brewery

The brewery/restaurant down the street from the University of Mi-

ami has teamed up with the university to create outdoor seating in a park-like setting adjacent to the parking lot behind the restaurant. $ - $$ 5813 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.667.2537

Yard House

The Shops at Merrick Park is a haven for outdoor dining. Even with six feet between tables, all restaurants here have enough space to still seat upwards of a dozen parties on their outdoor patios. $-$$ 320 San Lorenzo Ave. 305.447.9273

ASIAN

Benihana

The national chain now has seating on Miracle Mile. It’s not the same as sitting around the grill trying to catch veggies in your mouth, but at least we can still have their hibachi steak. $$ 242 Miracle Mile 305.567.2000

Canton Chinese

The only sit-down Chinese restaurant in the Gables now has outdoor seating on Ponce. Their fried rice, lo mein and sweet and sour chicken is just the comfort food we need right now. $$ 2614 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.448.3736

Ichimi

This off-Mile eatery has developed a cult following for its Japanese noodles and rice bowls. Now it has a couple of tables outside. Wish there were more! $-$$ 2330 Salzedo St. 305.960.7016

Izakaya

Across from the Colonnade hotel on Aragon, Izakaya is a must

Experience You Can Count On

Elect José Valdés-Fauli for Commissioner

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As your commissioner, José will focus on the issues that matter to residents:

 Building financial strength and stability.

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 Supporting historic preservation, culture and the arts.

ITALIAN

Amore

Small, sweet Italian spot on Miracle Mile, with a half dozen tables outside. A wide ranging selectin of pastas, including linguini vongole, pumpkin and lobster ravioli and fagottini de pera. Nice service, good house wines. $$ 94 Miracle Mile. 305.200.3216

Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza

Big pies and lots of seating at tables on the corner of Ponce and Almeria. Their specialty: Pies cooked at 900 degrees, so they are a little charred at the edges. $-$$ 2626 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 786.456.9200.

Caffe Abbracci

Nino Pernetti’s Italian restaurant is both a power lunch favorite for the business elite and an evening gathering place for families and couples. Now it has a few tables on Aragon for outdoor dining. $$$ 318 Aragon Ave. 305.441.0700

Caffe Italia

Enjoy homemade pastas and other Italian cuisine, along with a hearty

wine list, now served on their outdoor “patio” on 8th Street. $$ 3800 SW 8th St. 305.443.8122

Cibo Wine Bar

This Miracle Mile establishment now offers outdoor patio dining. A great setting to sip vino from their extensive wine menu. And the Gigli pasta is a must-have. $$$ 45 Miracle Mile 305.442.4925

Forno’s

Maybe the best pizza in the Gables – super flavorful, with a thin, crisp crust. Last time we checked they were only making personal pizzas, but we’ll take them, with a couple of tables outside. $-$$ 1403 Sunset Dr. 305.661.3964

Fiola

This upscale Italian restaurant offers intimate al fresco dining with tables tucked away on the side of the building facing San Ignacio Avenue. Perfect for date night and special occasions. Expensive but brilliant cuisine. $$$$ 1500 San Ignacio Avenue 305.912.2639

Portosole

The latest entry in the battle for Italian food lovers in downtown

Gables, started by former staff of Zucca. With glass walls opening onto Ponce, there is now plenty of seating at this elegant new North Italian eatery. 2530 Ponce de Leon Blvd. $$$ 786.359.4275

Salumeria 104

Another restaurant that has plenty of outdoor dining options. You can sit underneath the overhang or right on the street to enjoy the best shaved Italian meats in town. $-$$ 117 Miracle Mile 305.640.5547

Terre del Sapore

We love eating here (seriously, they have some of the best pizza in the city), and their small outdoor presence has expanded. Still, come in the evening when its cooler. $$ 246 Giralda Ave. 786.870.5955

Villagio

One of the most popular Italian restaurants in town, with lots of outdoor seating in the Shops at Merrick Park courtyard and down the “tunnel” of San Lorenzo Ave. Surprisingly good apple pie dessert. $$-$$$ 358 San Lorenzo Ave. 305.447.8144

January at the Coral Gables Museum

LATIN & SOUTH AMERICAN

Buenos Aires Bistro

Every table has wide, cushioned chairs and couches, under the arches of the Colonnade building. Perfect for relaxing with a cocktail, or dining on Argentine grill or healthy quinoa and salmon bowl. $$ - $$$ 180 Aragon Ave. 786.409.5121

Caja Caliente

Prior to COVID, Caja didn’t have any tables outside. Now they set up three with two chairs at each. So, not a ton of seating, but their $4 lechon tacos on Tuesdays make up for it. $ 808 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 786.431.1947

Calle 23

We’re excited to have another hangout that will draw the Millenial crowd to the Gables with neon signs and happy hour deals. Owned by the same people Copper 29, with high tops out on the sidewalk and a lounge by the entrance. $-$$ 230 Miracle Mile 786.325.3474

Divino Ceviche

Divino takes ceviche to another level, along with lots of other

Morton’s the Steakhouse

Morton’s in the Gables is not just another Morton’s. Its setting in the Colonnade gives it a unique elegance with outdoor seating under the arches. Prime aged beef, excellent salads. $$$ 2233 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.442.1662

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse

Fantastic aged steaks, a seafood tower that won’t quit, and a wine cellar that appears to have no end – and now tables wrapped around the building, if you wish to eat outside. $$$ - $$$$ 2525 Ponce de Leon Bvld. 305.569.7995

Perry’s Steakhouse

The latest entry into the battle for the hearts of steak lovers, Perry’s also brings it with the world’s biggest pork chop. Lots of outdoor seating at the Shops at Merrick Park. $$$$ 4251 Salzedo St. 786.703.9094

PUBS/CAFES/MISC.

Bagel Emporium & Grille

Great bagels, as you would expect,

but also a vast menu that includes omelets, waffles, soups, sandwiches, burgers and off course brisket, blintzes and roast turkey. And now outside seating. $-$$ 1238 S. Dixie Hwy. 305.666.9519

Bazille

Located inside Nordstrom in the Shops at Merrick Park, Bazille has long been the go-to bistro for shoppers in need of sustenance and down time. Now they are offering patio dining on the third floor. $$$ 4310 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 786.999.7119

Café at Books & Books

Most people might not think about Books & Books when trying to decide where to eat, but it actually has a large courtyard. Amazingly good Cuban sandwich. $-$$ 265 Aragon Ave. 305.442.4408

Crema Gourmet Espresso Bar

If outdoor dining were a monarchy, Crema would be king. Tons of seating options on the expanded sidewalk to larger tables and couches by the entrance. We prefer the lounge-like area, which is shaded by the Colonnade building.

$

169 Miracle Mile 786.360.4026

Fritz and Franz Bierhaus

Massive outdoor patio on Merrick Way for German fare and beer. Enjoy schnitzel and Weissbier in a two-liter boot, sans fear of getting infected with COVID. $$ 60 Merrick Way 305.774.1883

Liberty Caffe

Whether it’s just grabbing a coffee or sitting down for a full meal, Liberty Caffe offers a picturesque outdoor setting at the Coral Gables Country Club. $-$$ 997 N. Greenway Dr. 305.392.1211

Mamey

It is hard to pigeonhole this new restaurant, with its mix of Caribbean, Polynesian and Thai gastronomy. The good news is that they have outdoor seating so you can sample a new taste palate. $$$ At the Thēsis Hotel, 1350 S. Dixie Highway. 305.667.5611

Pinch Me Gastrobar & Market

Yes there are cool neighborhood pubs in the Gables. And they have a leafy patio out back! Happy hour sliders, bennies and crepes for

brunch, and a tasty dinner selection of meat and fish. $$-$$$ 216 Palermo Ave. 786.801.1071

Sacha’s Café

The courtyard at Sacha’s is one of our favorites. Not only are the tables now distant from each other, but, tucked away off of Ponce, the whole area is distant from crowds of people. $ 2525 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.569.1300

Threefold

The first breakfast-only-all day restaurants in the Gables, Threefold has a cult following for their favorites of smashed avocado toast, salmon scramble, and mushrooms with white beans. Plus, great coffee. $$ 141 Giralda Ave. 305.704.8007

Tur Kitchen

This relative newcomer to the Gables has a wonderfully inventive menu of Mediterranean cuisine, including excellent lamb and Aegean seafood dishes. Elegant seating under the arches along Giralda. $$$-$$$$ 259 Giralda Ave. 786.483.8014

Ode to a Pristine Past