Coral Gables Magazine February 2019

That’s Amore

THE MOST ROMANTIC RESTAURANTS IN THE GABLES

THE SPA LIFE

OUR BOATING WORLD ART COLLECTORS PART III

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

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Waterfront contemporary redesign by Ramon Pacheco.

Gated entrance and Islands of Cocoplum Amenities!

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7610 SW 47 Ave. (Erwin Road) Ponce Davis, Miami Custom Portuondo Perotti Architects, Ana Bru Interiors with owner’s custom finishes and upgrades.

5/4/2 | 5,971 adj. sf. | 11,251 sf. lot | $3,798,000

Amazing views! Great opportunity to own a Stunning Lake-front estate in gated, prestigious Hammock Oaks. 5/4/1 | 9,109 adj. sf. | 38,840 sf. lot | $3,350,000

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Designed by Arquitectonica! Open, bright, great finishes.

Gated entrance and Coral Gables Police Patrol!

| 5,653 adj. sf. | 20,923 sf. lot | ↓$2,999,000

adj. sf. | 15,950 sf. lot | $2,599,000

Split

Great family home on quiet cul-de-sac. Oversized lot!

Gated entrance and Coral Gables Police Patrol!

5/5/1 | 5,173 adj. sf. | 22,712 sf. lot | ↓$2,498,000

Fully updated/expanded on prestigious Riviera Dr. If you like naturally bright and flowing interiors, look no more! 5/5/1 | 4,003 adj. sf. | 12,000 sf. lot | ↓$2,099,000

DOUGLAS ELLIMAN LEADS THE MARKET

I think it is the goal of the medical profession not necessarily to enhance longevity, but to enhance the quality of life during the aging process...

Features

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Vol 2. Issue 2

60

Eat Drink Love

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, a look at the most romantic restaurants in town.

64

Great Art Collections, Part III

Portrait of the Collector as a Young Man: The Bacardi Collection lives on through its scion.

60

Down Time

Inside the spas of Coral Gables. Is there a better way to reset than by turning off your phone, slipping on a bathrobe, and spending a few hours at the spa?

68 74

On the Water Front

Boating – and yachting – in Coral Gables is deeply imbedded in the community’s psyche. With miles of intricately carved canals and waterways, it is part of the city’s DNA.

64

Anyone who doesn’t take advantage of the water in South Florida is missing a huge opportunity...

Armando Codina, iconic developer and long-time Gables resident

Editor’s Note

Romancing the Gables

You might call this issue our love song to the city. Not that any issue avoids embracing Coral Gables. But this is the month we celebrate Valentine’s Day, so there’s an extra reason to celebrate our indulgences.

First, we pay a visit to our city’s most romantic dining spots, an obvious place to start. You may not agree with our top choices, but you won’t be disappointed by any of Andrew Gayle’s picks for quality places to dine.

Next, we sojourn with staff writer Lizzie Wilcox to half of our city’s spas, for a sampling of what to expect – and why going to a spa is the perfect way to relax in advance of your romantic dining date.

Or maybe it’s the romance of the high seas that interests you. In an eye-opening article on the importance of boating for the Gables – with a nod to high-end yachting – you’ll learn just how many miles of coast line we have and how many properties line the shore. It will surprise you how significant the shore line is to our city.

If you don’t own a boat, don’t despair. You can see the water side of the Gables – or just get a little closer to nature – by

following the paddle strokes of writer Mike Clary, who braved the journey up the Gables Waterway (mind those low-flying golf balls!) for his report on this passageway into the heart of the city.

We also bring you the usual roundup of entertainment, public art, culture, gardens, interiors, fashion, business, quick bites, persons of interest, real estate, politics, events – the kaleidoscope of everything that makes Coral Gables the compelling and fascinating place it is to live, work and play. We also peek at another handsome art collection in the third installment of our series on Great Art Collections in the city.

As per our mantra – local, local, local – it remains our conclusion that you never have to leave Coral Gables to find what you want, from great educational opportunities to the finest dining anywhere. What other city our size has three golf courses and four live theaters? From the physical to the sublime, everything you need lies within our city boundaries. As Samuel Johnson once said, “Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” Ditto for Coral Gables.

PUBLISHER

Richard Roffman

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

J.P.Faber

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Amy Donner

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Monica Del Carpio-Raucci

ART DIRECTOR

Jon Braeley

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Toni Kirkland

VP SALES DIRECTOR

Sherry Adams

SALES EXECUTIVE

Gloria Glanz

SENIOR WRITER

Doreen Hemlock

STAFF WRITER

Lizzie Wilcox

WRITERS

Karen F. Buchsbaum

Mike Clary

Andrew Gayle

Kylie Wang

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jonathan Dann

Robert Sullivan

Donna Victor

SENIOR ADVISOR

Dennis Nason

CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION

CircIntel

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

Readers Letters

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

Not All Dog Lovers

Recently you wrote the glorifying article “The Dogs of Coral Gables.” Now you better write an article on the irresponsible, disgusting and uncaring Dog Owners of Coral Gables! At least once a week I find dog feces on my front lawn, on the easement more often. The easement is City Property. Dogs can relieve themselves there without ANY CLEANUP RESPONSIBILITIES by the dog owners! At least I was told that by dog owners when I asked for a cleanup… As long as the dog craps on someone else’s lawn and NOT IN THEIR FRONT YARD, they don’t care. No this is NOT the City Beautiful.

Renate Van Kempema

Editor’s Note: Actually, it IS against the law in Coral Gables not to clean up after your dog, and code violators can be fined up to $500. To place a ‘waste station’ in your neighborhood (bags plus a trash receptacle) call 305-460-5620.

A Hidden Agenda?

[In Response to our article on local opposition to new fire station near Cartagena Plaza]: I was present at the Nov. 13 Coral Gables Commissioners’ meeting and would like to share some facts… The article by Lizzie Wilcox leads a reader to understand that two people died due to long response times by CG emergency response units. Though both Quesada and Keon shared emotive stories as a means of gaining support for the proposal, neither one stated that the actual response time resulted in the death of their loved ones. I think Wilcox should be more careful and describe more accurately the particulars of a story as it is misleading when she writes “her husband died from an aneurism after first responders took 14 minutes to get to her Edgewater Drive home.” Per Commissioner Keon (“We could have gotten there 5 minutes earlier and he still could have passed – we don’t know”), the 14 minutes arrival time could not have saved Mr. Keon though Wilcox

slants the story to indicate otherwise. It makes me wonder if Wilcox had a personal agenda to misrepresent the facts.

Editor’s Note: Though the arguments by Commissioners Keon and Quesada were both couched with “I don’t know for sure” comments, the fact remains that, according to Fire Chief Marcos De La Rosa, for every minute that goes by the chance of survival reduces by 10 percent. No personal agenda here, just a desire to get EMS to residents ASAP.

A Good Man

Re your Commissioner Wayne “Chip” Withers story [“Moving Up the Supply Chain”]: Very nice article. I can only add a little-known fact. When “Chip” retired from the Coral Gables City Commission he calculated his commissioner’s salary for 20 years at $300,000, then wrote a check for that amount to the city. Thank you, Chip!

Streetwise

A New HQ

The City Electric City Hall’s CrosswalkRainbow

How We See Ourselves

The Riviera’s New Sparkle

Heart Song

Streetwise A New HQ

CONSTRUCTION OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING BEGINS

City officials were all smiles as they broke ground for the new Police and Fire Department complex on Salzedo Street between Alcazar and Minorca. The new $52 million Public Safety building will be the nexus for first responders, housing its Emergency Operations Center, Fire Station 1, 911 Call Center and admin offices for police and fire. City Manager Peter Iglesias described it as “a groundbreaking project that will change the landscape of Coral Gables.”

The five story state-ofthe-art building is designed to

withstand a “100-year hurricane,” according to Iglesias, and will be equipped with two generators. At the Groundbreaking Ceremony last month, Mayor Raul Valdes-Fauli called it the “biggest public works project since George Merrick founded the city,” a building that “reflects the greatness of Coral Gables.”.

“It represents the commitment of this city to the safety and security of its residents and visitors,” said Fire Chief Marcos De La Rosa. The building should be completed in fall 2020 ––

The City Electric

EAT A SANDWICH, CHARGE YOUR PHONE

Last month, the city installed 11 solar-powered benches to our public parks. Residents and visitors will now be able to recharge devices like phones and tablets, so long as they bring a charger. While this offers an everyday convenience, the benches may also become

crucial during times of a natural disaster. The benches are located at Ponce Circle Park, Coral Bay Park, Phillips Park, William H. Kerdyk & Family Park, Salvador Park, Jaycee Park, War Memorial Youth Center and Pittman Park. Anyone low on juice?

City Hall’s Rainbow Crosswalk

ART IN PUBLIC PLACES HITS THE ROAD

It was painted in late 2017 as part of the city’s opt-in to Art Basel: two multi-colored crosswalks from City Hall to the adjacent side streets of Coral Way and Biltmore Way. Since then, the striped crosswalks have gotten a little faded – but won’t stay that way for long. The city commission has approved $180,000 from its Art in Public Places fund to purchase the two works of art, though no money has changed

hands yet. That won’t happen until artist Carlos Cruz-Diez is satisfied with the painters who will be doing the repainting. “In the contract that we are working on now it’s an annual repainting of the colors, with a quarterly inspection to see if it needs touchups,” says Donna Spain, the city’s historic preservation officer. “On our end, we have submitted a contract to the painting studio and are waiting to hear.”

News & Notes

STAYIN CLOSE TO BASE

Where else would former University of Miami president Donna Shalala celebrate her election to Congress than back on campus? Shalala, who won the election to represent Florida’s 27th District (home to Coral Gables), was sworn in Jan. 13 in a ceremony at UM’s Newman Alumni Center.

THE NEW OFFICE-CONDO MARKET

State-of-the-art office building Ofizzina (right), rising 16 stories at 1200 Ponce de Leon Blvd., was officially dedicated in November. Already it’s almost sold out. Sold out? Among its innovations: Office spaces not for lease, but sold as condos. A reported 41 of 54 spaces went for a combined $50 million by late January.

B&B PULLS A BOOK

In a story that made it all the way to Yahoo! Finance, Books & Books pulled the latest edi-

tion of DK Eyewitness’ “Top 10” book on Miami & the Keys for its “racist” description of West Coconut Grove. The book called the area “the blighted ‘Black Grove,’ an area plagued by high crime rates, drugs and deprivation.” Not so much anymore. B&B owner Michell Kaplan banned the book until the offensive passage is removed or updated.

A PRICE TOO HIGH

The Coral Gables city commission has decided not to purchase the old LaSalle Cleaners building (bottom-right) on LeJeune Road near City Hall. Not only was the asking price of $5 million too high, said the officials, it did not include $2 million more needed to restore the oldest commercial building in the city. Unless a private solution is reached, the owners now have a green light to bulldoze the historic structure and put a parking lot in its place.

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How We See Ourselves

THE “CAPTURE CORAL GABLES CONTEST” CONCLUDES

The Coral Gables Museum has announced the winners of the contest Capture Coral Gables 2019 at the opening reception for the photo exhibition, which was briefly on view at the museum. First place went to James Palma for his “Umbrella Sky,” a photo of a transparent glass ball showing a panoramic view of Giralda Plaza. The award

for Nature/Landscape went to Irina Lawton for “Granada Magica” a foggy shot of the Granada Golf Course. In the Portraiture category, Celia D. Luna won for her “Coral Gables Woman.” Other categories included Street Photography and Digital Photo Manipulation. The People’s Choice went to Matthew Kanakis’ “Books on Books in Books & Books.”

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The Riviera’s New Sparkle

THE VENERABLE COUNTRY CLUB GETS A MAJOR FACELIFT

After a year and a half, the construction of the Riviera Country Club clubhouse has finally been completed. The $37 million dollar project consists of a 60,000 squarefoot building and a 17,000 square-foot patio and dining terrace. Aside from sporadic additions to the facilities over the years, this is the first largescale improvement since 1945. “[The project] just brought it up to the expectations of a clubhouse in 2019,” says Mark Snure, the club’s general

manager. “The members are just over the moon...” Meeting the changing demands of its membership, the new clubhouse also includes an 8,000 square-foot state-of-the-art fitness center and lap pool. To join the club, however, is tougher than a round of highspeed golf. Located at 1155 Blue Rd., the club is currently capped at 1,000 members, with a two-year waitlist for a social membership and a one-year waitlist for a golf membership.

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Heart Song

A CAPPELLA LIVES AT UM

Twenty students singing together in perfect harmony. No drums, piano, guitar or instrument of any kind. Their voices are the only sound they need. This is BisCaydence, one of the University of Miami’s three a cappella groups. Established in 2011, the group brings together some of the top vocal talents on campus.

Popularized by the movie series “Pitch Perfect,” there is more to a cappella than just singing. Auditions for BisCaydence include range testing, sight reading and harmony improv. Most members join as freshmen, hearing about the organization through friends or via a performance at orientation.

While BisCaydence was the first whack at a cappella for some, Artistic Director (and music-major junior) Christina Martino is a veteran. “I did a cappella in high school, so I was pretty sure I wanted to do a cappella in college,” she says. “When I heard BisCaydence sing I was like, ‘Okay, this is a cool group that I want to be a part of.’”

Anna Park, co-music director and classical voice major, joined because it allows her to explore music in another way. “It’s so different from what I do in school. I’m finding ways to connect what I learn [in class] and what we do here,” the junior says.

Students don’t have to be in the Frost School of Music to join BisCaydence, but they must be students –

BisCaydence is entirely run by them. “I kind of wanted an outlet to be able to sing and be musical, but not have it be the absolute focus of my life,” says Jess Calvero, a public relations major. The group performs both on and off campus. They performed in November at the Betsy A Cappella Festival Showcase on South Beach, and before that at Au Rene Theatre in Broward. “My personal favorite was [my] freshman year when we opened for Jay Leno,” says Co-Business Manager Michael French.

Last year the group made it to the semifinals of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) South, after winning a slew of awards at the quarterfinal competition. But those mattered less than the exhilaration, says Martino. “It was more of the feeling after we got off the stage. Everyone was just… electric.”

With a repertoire that includes hits like “Focus” by Ariana Grande, “No Air” by Jordan Sparks and Chris Brown, and a mashup of “Feelings” by Maroon 5 and “American Boy” by Estelle, the group is preparing for this year’s ICCAs. They will compete in the South Quarterfinals on Feb. 10 at University High School in Orlando.

“There’s something about singing together with all these voices,” says Martino. “There’s this vibration that everyone feels and it’s just so energizing.”

When I heard BisCaydence sing I was like, ‘Okay, this is a cool group that I want to be a part of...

Christina Martino, Artistic Director

Shop p28

Merrick Style

Baby Luxe

Chilling with the Flag

Merrick Style

DO THE RESIDENTS OF CORAL GABLES DRESS WITH A DISTINCT LOOK? IS THERE SUCH A THING AS A LOCAL MODE OF EXPRESSION? HERE IS OUR VALENTINE’S TAKE ON THE FLAIR THAT IS MERRICK STYLE

Each month we look at the stylings offered by a local fashion outlet, and each month we draft a local notable to model the wear. This month we have chosen Vera and Vladimir Kosarev, the owners of the Fred Astaire dance studio in Coral Gables.

Vera and Vladimir are not afraid of expressing themselves in front of an audience. In the world of dance, they are twotime World Masters Smooth Champions, Fred Astaire World Champions, and US National 9 Dance Finalists, among other accolades that include top teaching awards. They are both from Russia – though they met here in Florida.

For our photo shoot, we had Vera dressed by Diane Von Furstenberg and Vladimir dressed by Harmont & Blaine, both in the Shops at Merrick Park. Photos were taken on site at the Shops.

Smart & Light (cover): Vlad is wearing a white cotton shirt w/contrasting cuffs ($235) and a stripped light blue summer jacket ($635). Completing this light and fresh Springtime look, Vlad is also sporting dark blue narrow-fit 5-pocket pants ($295) with dark blue suede ankle boots ($375) and a dark blue suede belt ($195)

Pattern Attitude (above): Going with a strong pattern look, Vera is wearing a blue and white Jeanne Two-Silk Jersey Wrap dress ($498) accented by a red Soiree Velvet Crossbody Bag ($398). On her feet are understated Frankie Heels ($298). All from Diane Von Furstenberg.

Blue Embrace (opposite): In this dramatic pose, Vera is wearing an Eloise Silk Jersey Maxi Wrap Dress ($598) with champagne colored Frankie heels ($298), both from Diane Von Furstenberg. Vladimir is wearing a dark blue cotton summer jacket ($725) over a white cotton shirt with pattern details in blue ($265), and sporting white narrow-fit 5-pocket pants ($295) and dark blue leather drivers ($395), all from Harmont & Blaine.

Color Me Spring: Combining a high-contract pattern with the color of the season, Vera is wearing a Carla Tulip Dress ($398) with an East/West monogram clutch ($268) and Heidi suede platform shoes ($298). All from Diane Von Furstenberg.

Drew Kern Closes a Sale EVERY 4 DAYS

CORAL GABLES

CORAL GABLES

CORAL GABLES

PALMETTO BAY CORAL GABLES MIAM

7370 SW 170 Ter $925,000

Wonderful 2 story, 6 bdrm/ 5bath in gated Old Cutler Palms. 3 bdrm upstairs / 3 downstairs.

13780 SW 73 Ct $789,000

Spacious 5 bdrm/4 bath home + bonus room awaits your touch. Screened in pool & patio.

——————————————

7621 SW 162 St $729,000

One of a kind contemporary 4 bdrm/4 bath home. High ceilings. Large open living spaces. Corner lot. ——————————————

15845 SW 87 Ave $625,000

Spacious 4 bdrm/ 3 bath home on corner lot. Open living area with access to covered patio/pool. ——————————————

PALMETTO BAY

7865 SW 158 Ter $580,000

Lovely 4 bdrm/ 2 bath (+ office) on a friendly, peaceful cul de sac, blocks from Coral Reef Park. Pool. ——————————————

8901 SW 155 Street $599,000

Spacious 4 bdrm 3 bth home ready for your updates. Two master suites & newer roof.

14590 SW 81 Ave $578,000

Vintage 4 bdrm 2 bth home awaits your touch. Fabulous Palmetto Bay location, in A school district.

7455

3800 Granada Blvd $3,300,000 Historical style, modern comforts, 7 bdrm/5.5 bath, 1924-built, on nearly an acre

1317 Obispo Ave $1,960,000

Completely remodeled historic, old Spanish 5 bdrm 4 bth home. Spectacular 2nd floor master. Impact windows & doors.

5901 Maynada St $1,400,000

Contemporary meets modern in this 4 bdrm 3 bath home w/ many updates. Lagoon style pool & 2 car garage.

215 Grant Drive $340,000 3 bdrm 2 bth home ready for your touch! Newer roof. Close to A schools.

COCONUT GROVE

CUTLER BAY

9115 SW 210 Ter $354,000

Wonderful 2 story lakefront home. 3 bdrm, 2 1/2 bth w/ high ceilings & lots of natural light.

19650 Old Cutler Rd $240,000 Vacant, buildable 25,432 sq ft lot in booming residential family neighborhood.

PINECREST

7790 SW 132 St $3,800/month

5008 SW 72 Ave $575,000

Exclusive waterfront townhome community of Marina Lakes. 3 bdrm/ 2.5

3350 SW 27 Ave #1002 $1,150,000

3 bdrm/3.5 bath professionally designed, corner unit at Ritz-Carlton Coconut ——————————————

5008 SW 72 Ave Exclusive waterfront community of Marina 2.5 bath with incredible

7620 SW 168 St $564,999

Lovely 4 bdrm/ 2 bth home w/ updated kitchen & baths. Screened in pool.

Stately, 2 story home in gated enclave. First floor master suite, grand formal spaces, lovely eat in kitchen. Wonderful pool area for outdoor living, landscaped lot. 2 car garage.

4/3.5 | 4,201 sf | 15,074 sf lot | $1,050,000

Lovely and well kept 3 bdrm 2 bath home in the Village of Pinecrest. Screened in pool/patio.

Beautiful views of Sailboat Bay displayed throughout this professionally designed corner unit. 1 assigned parking space along with 1 complimentary valet parking space.

3/3.5 | 2,032 sf | $1,150,000

13450 SW 104 Ave $585,000

Lovingly maintained 5 bdrm 3 bath home by Triple split floor plan. Fully fenced & spacious ——————————————

1551 NW 1 St $575,000

3350 SW 27 Ave #1002 3 bdrm/3.5 bath professionally corner unit at Ritz-Carlton

Investment opportunity near Marlins Stadium. structures, 7500 sq ft lot, needs extensive

PALMETTO BAY

Lovingly maintained 5 bdrm Triple split floor plan. Fully fenced ——————————————

9300 SW 118 Ter $545,000

Fantastic .75-acre residential vacant lot your dream home. Located on cul de

Investment opportunity structures, 7500 sq ft lot, needs ——————————————

8739 SW 2 Ter $409,000 Spacious 4 bdrm/ 2.5 bath, 2 story home at Century Parc. Vaulted ceilings, 2 car

Fantastic .75-acre residential your dream home. Located ——————————————

12450 SW 186 St $279,000 Great Opportunity to own this 3 bdrm home in move in condition.

Wonderful 2 story home in this prestigious gated community. Soaring ceilings and an abundance of natural light. Elegant kitchen, spacious master suite with balcony overlooking the pool and patio.

Spacious 4 bdrm/ 2.5 bath, at Century Parc. Vaulted ——————————————

8735 SW 137 Ave $250,000 Impeccably updated 2 bdrm 2.5 bath townhome in Kendale Lakes Community.

Great Opportunity to own ——————————————

445 SW 11 St #401 $199,000

Picture Perfect, 1 bdrm/1 bath, gated Roads

6/5 | 5,100 sf | 15,209 sf lot | $925,000

Remodeled kitchen & bath, laminate floors, ——————————————

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

2780 NE 183 St #101 $189,000

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

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

2780 NE 183 St

3 Lovingly Triple structures, Fantastic Spacious Remodeled Spacious

Spacious 2 bdrm 2 bth condo Plaza in Aventura. Remodel

Baby Luxe

FOR THE FASHIONABLE DAD

The Liapela store in the Shops at Merrick Park is proud to announce that it’s now carrying the coveted E.C. Knox diaper bag, a $395 designer solution for upscale dads forced to carry the necessities of baby care. The bag has reportedly been sold out at Barneys in Manhattan four times, and includes a flashlight for those desperate in-the-dark searches for a bottle, pacifier or fresh nappy for Junior. So, rejoice, stylish dads. No more embarrassing appearances at the club with a plastic Hello Kitty bag. Liapela, 358 San Lorenzo Ave. 305.441.0658

Chilling with the Flag

No, it’s not a pro-Trump fridge. It’s made by Italian appliance manufacturer SMEG, as a kind of Pop Art design in 1950s-retro style. For sale by the good folks at La Cuisine in the downtown, it can be yours for $1,999. You can get it with any flag, by the way, says sales coordinator Rosy Munoz. La Cuisine Appliances, 50 Aragon Ave. 305.442.9006

FROM THREEFOLD CAFÉ TO NOW SOMEONE’S SON, NICK AND TERESA SHARP HAVE FOUND CULINARY OPPORTUNITY IN THE GABLES

Up from Down Under

When Nick and Teresa Sharp decided to plunge into the high-risk restaurant business back in 2014, they had a clear concept of their goal, but no clear path on how to get there.

“We sort of stumbled into opening a cafe,” Nick admits. “We didn’t know what we were doing when we started.”

But the couple stuck to their vision: Threefold Café would be a welcoming oasis of good coffee and innovative breakfast offerings, which basically served breakfast all day long, albeit with a couple of lunch-style dishes. It was a concept that was ubiquitous in their native Australia but rarer than wallabies in South Florida.

“We did what we wanted to do, and we ended up with a loyal customer base,” said Nick Sharp, 36. Indeed, the original Threefold Café on Giralda Pla-

za – and a second location that opened in 2016 on Red Road in South Miami – are thriving. Their single menus serve the same food from morning until afternoon, so you can get eggs for lunch or fried rice with shrimp for breakfast. And signature dishes such as Smashed Avocado (with feta, lime, basil and roasted mushrooms on toast) and Pope Benedict (two poached eggs on hash browns) have become local favorites.

The Miami New Times awarded them “Best Breakfast” in 2016; the year before, the Miami Herald named Smashed Avocado the “Dish of the Year.”

Now the Sharps are about to launch a new venture, expanding their menu of locally-sourced dishes from two breakfast-all-day restaurants into the dinner hour. Someone’s Son, which takes its name from a phrase in a popular song by Australian singer John

Farnham, is to open in Coral Gables this month (February) or next. The restaurant will be adjacent to Coffee Et. Al., a small coffee shop the Sharps own in the Douglas Entrance complex.

On the Threefold website, Someone’s Son is described as “a simple Australian inspired restaurant focused on local produce.” The menu is “about incorporating things that are quintessentially Australian [think lamb, beets, etc.] and infusing it with some local twists, pulling from produce found close by,” says Teresa.

Neither Nick or Teresa grew up in the restaurant business. Both are natives of Mildura, a small city in northwest Victoria, where they were high school classmates. They moved to cosmopolitan Melbourne to attend university. Teresa majored in finance, economics and marketing, and

Threefold Café

141 Giralda Ave.

305.704.8007

Open 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

We did what we wanted to do, and we ended up with a loyal customer base...

Nick Sharp owner, Threefold Cafe

A SAMPLING OF OUR EXCLUSIVE LISTINGS: EXQUISITELY REMODELED ESTATE IN

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Bites

Nick in accounting.

After finishing their studies, Nick took a globe-trotting job with a Dutch-based supplier of dairy food products while Teresa worked from home raising the couple’s two daughters. The family moved first to Boston and then, in 2012, to South Florida.

To succeed as restaurateurs, Teresa says, “You need to have a clear vision and stick to it.” Good employees are critical. “When you find employees that care more about working than a pay check, do everything you can to keep them around!” she says.

Like other local merchants, the Sharps suffered during the build-out of the city’s Streetscape Project, which transformed their stretch of Giralda Avenue into a pedestrian mall. But art installations such as the Umbrella Sky Project and now the Sunlit Sky have drawn thousands of visitors to the new Giralda Plaza promenade,

and many of those art lovers discovered – and became fans of –Threefold Café.

Beyond their menu of innovative, flavorful foods, the Sharps pride themselves on serving good coffee. In 2017, Threefold partnered with a local coffee roaster to form Deco Coffee Co. Located in Miami’s Allapattah neighborhood, Deco produces specialty coffee for the café, as well as selling it wholesale and providing training and education in coffee-making.

And the Sharps aren’t done. Once Someone’s Son is up and running, the couple has plans to partner with Australian beer experts to open a brew pub, to be called Bay 13, on Alhambra Plaza near the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables.

“There is an incredible amount of opportunity here,” says Nick Sharp. And success in the super-competitive restaurant business? “It’s a balance between creativity and consistency,” he says.

Das Boot

AT FRITZ AND FRANZ BIERHAUS, ONLY THE BRAVE GO FOR IT

For anyone who has seen the cult classic comedy “Beerfest,” the “Boot” is a familiar object. It is a glass boot that takes two liters of beer to fill.

In the movie, a team of Americans must win a beer drinking contest in Germany to redeem their honor. The ultimate challenge is to chug the Boot. The catch is that, as you guzzle, an air pocket forms in the boot’s toe, which then pops and releases a flood of beer.

“It’s all about how you twist it at the end,” says Fritz

When Hungover…

If you go to WebMD, they will tell you there is no cure for a hangover except time. And maybe water, to counter dehydration. Healthprep. com is more hopeful. While “many rely on a greasy cheeseburger and a cola to turn their

hangover around,” the best bet for salt, fat, carbs and grease as an antidote is breakfast. Maybe so, but if you want that cheeseburger, the place to go is Pincho Factory on Giralda. Hey, it’s got your fried egg! (That’s their sign above).

and Franz bartender Chris Shipp, who says the Boot is requested at least once or twice daily in the Beirhaus at 60 Merrick Way.

For those who have not imbibed at Friz and Franz, it’s the closest place in the Gables to a true German beer hall. The large space is bracketed by walls of beer bottles. The best of the four beers on tap, says Shipp, is Bitburger; his favorite of the 20 varieties in bottles is the Schneider Weisse. So, drink up! Just don’t get Booted.

Coming to a Courtyard Near You

BARCHOUR GETS READY TO DEBUT

Mega-developer Armando Codina’s sense of pride in his company’s new 2020 Salzedo building – a true “mixed use” complex of office, residential and retail –is palpable. Inside the office section is a series of elegant organic designs completed by artist Naomi Fisher, daughter of a famed Fairchild botanist. Outside its entrance (the building is two blocks north of Alhambra Circle) is a slab of embedded concrete with the forever-frozen signatures that he and his high school buddies drew in wet cement many decades ago.

But nothing gives Codina more pride than the commodious space carved out for Barchour, the restaurant dedicated to Antonio Barchour, a culinary master who was voted by his peers last year as the finest pastry chef in the world. Yes, in the world. “People from all over know this guy,” says Codina. “I had to romance him. I was relentless.”

The space which Codina allocated for Barchour was then transformed by the chef’s business partner, Javier Ramirez, and his wife Andreina Matos, into a high-ceilinged “minimalist industrial chic” arena for the chef. Seating inside will accommodate 73, while another 60 can sit

outside in the building’s huge courtyard. Using the principle of convection, air rising from the courtyard will draw a continuous breeze through the east-west aligned entrance corridor.

Even from there, diners will be able to watch Barchour create his pastries behind a glass wall – a cooking-as-entertainment concept.

“We created a fishbowl in the middle of the space, not only for Antonio to create pastries but to provide a place for cooking lessons,” says Ramirez. Another unique fixture: glass-enclosed pastry shelves that look more like displays for jewelry than food. These will be temperature and humidity controlled for the perfect bite.

The main menu, says Ramirez, will be classic American food “with a modern approach and visually appealing plating.” Both breakfast and lunch will be served, but not dinner; Barchour will close at 7 p.m. in deference to the residents above.

“We are going to offer brunch on Saturday as well as Sunday,” says Ramirez. “This will become the place for brunch, people will come from all over.” It may become the place, period. Opening day is set for Valentine’s Day, February 14.

The space which developer Armando Codina allocated for Antonio Barchour was transformed by the chef’s business partner, Javier Ramirez, and his wife Andreina Matos. Seating inside will accommodate 73, while another 60 can sit outside in the building’s huge courtyard – cooled by the arched breezeway (top).

Wine & Food Fest Right Here

CORAL GABLES JOINS IN THE SOUTH BEACH WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL

This month the South Beach Wine & Food Festival celebrates its 17th anniversary, drawing talent from the culinary world nationwide. This year, the Gables will join in with a couple of its own gastronomic gurus. James Beard Award-winning chef Fabio Trabocchi, who recently brought Michelin-bound Fiola to the Gables, is sharing his kitchen with TV personality and cookbook author chef Rocco DiSpirito. Together they

will provide an unparalleled Italian dining and wining experience for $250, Sat. Feb 23, 7-10 p.m. Or, for a more Latin (and swine-centric) menu, you can join chef Eileen Andrade (Kendall’s Finka Table + Tap) and Goya Executive Chef Fernando Desa at the Biltmore Hotel, as they prepare unforgettable flavors while you dance and sip the evening away for $105, Sun. Feb. 24, 5:308:30 p.m.

The Happiest Hour

NOT JUST CHEAP DRINKS

When you hear those two magic words, “happy hour,” two more equally magical words come to mind: cheap alcohol. But a new kind of Happy Hour has come to the Gables to weed out the Millenials who just want to take a selfie with a drink they can actually afford. Instead of just low cost drinks, a select number of fine dining spots with happy hours offer special happy hour food menus. Here is a sampling. –– by Lizzie Wilcox

KAO SUSHI

127 Miracle Mile

Sometimes getting to happy hour by 7 p.m. is challenging. Kao Sushi understands, which is why theirs goes ‘til 8 p.m. – including the food menu. Rolls like Spicy Tuna Tartare are only $8. And for $6 you can order sushi (six pieces), the

Roca Chicken (served with fries) or the Pork Delight (in steamed buns.) Can you say “YUM” in Japanese?

SEASONS 52

321 Miracle Mile

Clock out early and head to Seasons 52, where happy hour kicks off at 3 p.m. Hey, it’s 5

o’clock somewhere. Other than beer, which is $4, their small plates for $5 cost less than the drinks. These include scallops, meatballs and chicken skewers. What really caught our eye? The kona-crusted lamb lollipops. Lamb for $5? We’re freaking out, too.

HOUSE KITCHEN & BAR

180 Ponce de Leon Blvd. House is happy hour heaven. Their bar food doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to small plates – and at happy hour they’re all half off! White bean hummus, chicken wings or calamari for $6.50? But wait, it gets better. Four ribs in a chimi glaze for $4.50. Happy hour starts at 4 p.m. Just don’t get too excited, you’re in public.

YARD HOUSE

The Shops at Merrick Park Move your afternoon meeting

to Yard House because weekdays starting at 3 p.m. they offer half off on select appetizers and all pizzas. Don’t Wisconsin Fried Cheese Curds with honey hot sauce make you want to kick your diet to the curb? For $5.50 you can. The list is long, so we’ll save you time: Go for the Filipino eggrolls with white truffle sauce ($6).

TARPON BEND

65 Miracle Mile

In celebration of 15 years in the Gables, Tarpon Bend has taken some of its most popular dishes and knocked them down to $10 each, from 3 to 7 p.m. What’s a visit to a raw bar without an order of Szechuan Calamari? Now it’s $7 cheaper. Or turn it up a notch with blackened shrimp & cheddar grits, $9 cheaper. Then blow your savings on the two-forone drinks. Cheers!

Living p46 Up the Creek... But with a Paddle Best Bets of What to do This Month

Living Up the Creek... But with a Paddle

THE GABLES WATERWAY CANOE TOUR TAKES YOU TO A SECRET WORLD

When city founder George Merrick dreamed up Coral Gables, he imagined miles of tranquil inland waterways on which visitors could step into Italian-made gondolas and be ferried from the Biltmore Hotel to a private beach on Biscayne Bay. There, on the white sands of a South Sea-style oasis, guests could sip cocktails under coconut palms and dance to live music. And for a few months – until the mighty hurricane of September 1926 – that vision came true.

There are no Venetian gondolas plying the Coral Gables Waterway these days, but it is possible to follow their historic trail by paddling your own canoe. At least once a month, the Coral Gables Museum, in partnership with Miami-Dade’s Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department, sponsors guided canoe trips on the Waterway that provide a fascinating view of the city that’s impossible to

get from the street.

On a recent Sunday morning, 12 canoeists glided northwest from the put-in spot under the Metrorail at Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Riviera Drive in a leisurely journey toward the Biltmore. Guides Ed Pritchard and Diwaldo Rabre made sure that paddlers took note of the oolitic limestone walls lining the waterway, the old house numbers on or near their docks for mail once delivered by boat, and noted the ospreys, cormorants and kingfishers perched in overhanging trees. At times, manatees, alligators and even crocodiles can be found in the waterway, though none of those creatures were sighted on this trip.

“I think many people are surprised about how much life there is on the waterway, even though we are in the midst of an urban center,” said Pritchard. While warning of shifting currents and pointing out wildlife, Pritchard emphasized

Paddling a two-person canoe in a protected waterway is easy, and guides can offer instruction to novices.  Canoes, paddles and life vests are provided. The next Waterway tour sponsored by the Coral Gables Museum is scheduled for Feb. 24. The cost is $40 per person.

See http://coralgablesmuseum.org/portfolio-item/waterway-canoe-tours for reservations, or call Miami Eco Adventures at 305.666.5885

Living

the ecological importance of a waterway linking the city to the bay and the Atlantic Ocean. When the paddlers neared the Biltmore Golf Course, the guides cautioned adventurers to be alert for low-flying golf balls – though no one’s been hit yet, Pritchard said.

“This is a great chance to see beautiful houses from a different perspective,” said Karoline Carvajal, a physical therapist from Kendall who took the two-hour tour with her husband, Milton. Indeed, from the canal, paddlers can peer into the landscaped backyards of sumptuous historic homes and their boat houses.

Among insights Carvajal picked up during the outing: large, sturdy sea grape leaves have been used as postcards, and those ubiquitous Egyptian geese are not native, but rather

exotics from sub-Saharan Africa. By journey’s end, the Carvajals were considering investing in kayaks for further exploration.

Along with providing waterfront sites for hundreds of Gables residences, the waterway canal system serves as a barometer of sea level rise and aquatic health that is monitored closely by the city’s Public Works Department.

In general, the canals are in good shape, says Gables’ Utilities Director Jorge Acevedo. Yet pollution is a constant threat. “The canals do come close to a large area of septic tanks and cross golf courses where there is nutrient runoff from landscaping,” said Acevedo.  “So we, along with university scientists and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, pay attention.”

This is a great chance to see beautiful houses from a different perspective...

Karoline

Best Bets of What to do This Month

Andrea Bocelli

Italian singer, songwriter and record producer, Andrea Bocelli returns to Miami for his annual Valentine’s Day performance. One of the most renowned tenors and beloved voices of our time. Don’t miss the world’s most romantic voice perform on the most romantic day of the year. AmericanAirlines Arena, Feb. 14 (Thurs.) 8 p.m. Tickets: $143 - $383.

Waitress

Brought to life by a groundbreaking all-female creative team, this irresistible hit features original music and lyrics by six-time Grammy-nominee Sara Bareilles. A waitress and expert pie maker, Jenna dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s new doctor may offer her a chance at a fresh start, but she must summon the strength and courage to rebuild her own life. Ziff Ballet House, Adrienne Arsht Center, Feb. 26 - Mar. 3. Tickets: $34 - $123.

Parkland

From the author of “Columbine,” comes “Parkland” by Dave Cullen, one of the first to arrive on the scene at Columbine High 19 years ago. He swore he would never return to the locale of a ghastly crime after suffering from PTSD while writing “Columbine.” But he went to Marjory Stoneman Douglas the month following the shooting because he was awed by the courage, anger and conviction of the Parkland students. Books & Books, Feb. 27 (Weds.) 8 p.m.

Fine Wines and Upscale Ales

A night of wine-tasting, craft beers, decadent food and live music. Dance in the ballroom overlooking tropical gardens, and then eat on the grounds. All profits go toward the Fairchild Challenge, an award-winning environmental education program designed to engage South Florida students from Pre-K to 12th grade. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens, Feb. 16 (Sat.) 7 p.m. Tickets: $65 - $85.

Indecent

The New York Times called “Indecent” the best play of the year. Inspired by true events surrounding the controversial 1923 Broadway debut of Sholem Asch’s God of Vengeance, the play charts the history of the incendiary drama and the path of the artists who risked everything to perform it. It also unveils a time when Jewish culture and the depiction of lesbian love collided. Thurs.Sun., through Feb. 24, at the Gables Stage. Tickets $50 to $65.

Miami Yacht Show

In the market for a yacht? Or just want to imagine what life would be like on board? The annual Miami Yacht Show returns to the 305 displaying the world’s most extraordinary and uniquely designed yachts and superyachts from the world’s foremost custom boat builders. Sea and be scene at the new location at One Herald Plaza - between the MacArthur and Venetian causeways. Feb. 14 - 18. Go to www.thecoralgablesmagazine.com for discounted tickets.

March 13 through April 7, 2019

“If you want to help the theater, don't be an actress, be an audience ” - Tallulah Bankhead

MAURICIO J. BARBA, P.A.

4001SantaMariaSt.com

12601 Old Cutler Road | Coral Gables

Absolutely enchanting Euro-style residence located on historic Old Cutler Road in the Gables-by-the Sea area (opposite the Village of Pinecrest). Walled and gated for privacy, the home is sited on an oversized 37,000 SF lot and offers access from the rear road in addition to the main entry on Old Cutler.

4001 Santa Maria Street | Coral Gables

Cote d’Or is a classic estate-sized home backing to the newly renovated Riviera Golf Course! Expanded in the early 2000’s, it features a sprawling floor plan with views of the golf course from many rooms of the home.

616 Candia Avenue | Coral Gables

A study in elegance, this incomparable Mediterranean estate built in 1998 features architectural elements of a caliber that reach design greatness. The graceful curving staircase, designed by skilled craftsmen and artisans, is made of hand forged iron and polished brass railings.

1800ColumbusBlvd.com

11111 SW 77 Avenue | Pinecrest

Your eyes are not failing! The price is right and absolutely mind-boggling. Live like a royal in this 2006 Mediterranean-inspired estate. Besides its lush, tropical greenery, the outdoor area offers a pool, a barbeque area and half basketball court.

1800 Columbus Boulevard | Coral Gables

Coral Gables’ Iconic “Turret House” is finally available for purchase. This heavenly residence embodies the very essence of The Gables and has been featured in numerous books and magazines. First erected in 1938 and masterfully expanded in the mid 90’s to include an upstairs master suite.

637SantanderAve.com

2614 Alhambra Circle | Coral Gables

“Villa Verano” is a contemporary gem that is engulfed in natural light and masterfully crafted with the finest materials, offering all the modern amenities available today! Stroll to the famed Biltmore, Salvadore Tennis Park and the Venetian Pool!

637 Santander Avenue | Coral Gables

The much celebrated Santander Townhouses are a collective set of 10 homes and located in a choice, tree-lined neighborhood where walkability and bikeability is a way of life. Just a short distance to Venetian Pool, Library, Youth Center, Salvador Tennis Park, The Biltmore and the Golf Course.

People

Manny Diaz

NEW HEAD COACH, MIAMI HURRICANES

Miami native Manny Diaz (son of the eponymous former Miami mayor) began his coaching career in 1988 at Florida State University, as a graduate assistant to Defensive Coordinator Mickey Andrews. He became a full-time coach at NC State in 2002 as a linebackers coach. After he left NC State in 2005, he went on to coach at Middle Tennessee, Mississippi State, Texas and Louisiana Tech as a safeties coach, linebackers coach and defensive coordinator. He came to Miami in 2016 as the Canes’ defensive coordinator, transforming the defense into a playmaking machine (he created the morale-building Turnover Chain). By 2018, his defense was besting the top national teams (Alabama, Clemson, Michigan) in everything from defensive points scored and least yards given up, to third downs denied and turnovers gained.

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT WHAT HE SAYS

On Dec. 13, Diaz accepted a position at Temple University as head coach of their football program. However, after Miami’s head coach, Mark Richt, unexpectedly retired, the position was offered to Diaz. On Dec. 30, Diaz was announced as head coach at the University of Miami.

When Richt released his statement announcing his retirement, Diaz was announced as head coach by the end of the day. “When you have an opportunity like this, you have to jump on it,” Diaz says. Three things went through the new head coach’s mind when offered the position: worrying about Richt, his former mentor; having to disappoint Philadelphia’s Temple University; and then grasping the reality of the situation. “If it was something

someone would have told my 12-year-old self, I don’t know if I would have ever thought it possible,” he says. Diaz is committed to making the 2019 roster top notch with both current players and recruits. “We have to find out how good our football team can be,” he says. “The best coach there is, is competition – to make everybody reach their highest level.”

Choosing a quarterback will be a “major point of emphasis in spring practice.”

When you have an opportunity like this, you have to jump on it

Since I became mayor of Coral Gables, I have been privileged to be a part of the city’s most ambitious improvement plans in years. Here are some of the many successes we have achieved over the past two years:

Crime in the city is now at its lowest rate in 15 years.

Broke ground on new state-of-the-art Public Safety building.

No new property taxes in 2017-18 — 12th lowest tax rate in the county.

City AAA bond rating affirmed by the top three rating agencies.

New standards and improvements to better manage traffic.

Downtown improvements that resulted in record non-holiday retail sales.

Smart City technology to streamline local services.

Online tools that allow residents to access city financial information.

New environmental and sustainability initiatives.

Opened Betsy Adams Garden Club Park and an Adult Activity Center.

$10 million in facilities and infrastructure repairs.

Together we can keep making Coral Gables better than ever!

Brenda Moe

Brenda Moe is now in her third year as the person who runs the Coral Gables Art Cinema, the city’s super successful downtown indie movie house. She’s in charge of everything from staff and budgets to grant acquisition and the cinema’s relationship with city officials. With a background in film and TV production (she produced a series of short films with such potent directors as David Frankel of “The Devil Wears Prada” and “Marley & Me” fame), Moe was one of the original team that created the Art Cinema in 2010. She also oversaw the launch of the Miami International Children’s Film Festival in 2013. Before rejoining the Art Cinema in 2016, she produced the fourth annual edition of the children’s festival and spent three years creating a planetarium film library for distribution nationwide.

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT WHAT SHE SAYS

Moe is currently negotiating with the city to expand the Art Cinema to adjacent city property, to include two more small theaters with 60-70 seats each (the main theater currently has 141 seats) for additional classic and indie titles. Current target date: Late 2020. Also, pushing for more films to be shown from 70mm reels rather than digitally.

“I love the art form of cinema, and I love the process [of filmmaking]. It’s really an incredible process to get something up on that screen; the amount of time and people and creativity really blows me away,” she says. As for the Art Cinema’s role in the city, she says, “When I look at Coral Gables and think about what there is to do at night that is not going to a bar or restaurant – and I’m talking

about in the evening – there is not a lot.

We provide one of the only entertainment and cultural options in the city. Thankfully we have Books & Books across the street!” As for the Cinema’s ambition to expand: “We are coming to the city not with a problem, but with a chance to expand the opportunities for people to enjoy the cinema.”

We provide one of the only entertainment and cultural options in the city [besides restaurants and bars]. Thankfully we have Books & Books across the street!

Joshua Hare, MD

Dr. Joshua M. Hare, MD, is one of the leading stem cell research scientists in the world. As founding director of the University of Miami’s ISCI, Dr. Hare has been a leader in the quest to develop new therapies for regenerative medicine. Renowned for his early work in rebuilding damaged heart tissue, he is now moving into the world of applied medicine with Longeveron, a cutting-edge company backed with National Institute of Health grants that has licensed his UM research to use stem cells to combat the frailty that comes with aging.

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT WHAT HE SAYS

Recently addressed the prestigious World Stem Cell Summit in Miami on “Trends in Biotechnology Research Aimed at Extending Healthy Lifespan,” which he dubbed as “How to stay healthy to 120 years of age.” He has completed successful Phase II clinical trials on using stem cells to reverse aging frailty, and is currently recruiting subjects for clinical trials on the use of stem cells to treat Alzheimer’s patients.

“Longevity is increasing, inevitably,” he says. “I think it is the goal of the medical profession not necessarily to enhance longevity, but to enhance the quality of life during the aging process.” Dr. Hare points out that the last decade of life for most Americans is typically beset by disabilities. “Even though we are living longer, the last part of our lives is not particularly good,” he says. “We want to improve health span.” As for increasing life span, Dr. Hare

says that most deaths are due to diseases (think heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s) ultimately caused by chronic inflammation, loss of immunological function, and loss of stem cells, all of which can be improved by infusing patients with new stem cells. “It is for this reason that we hypothesize that [stem cells] might address these [causes of death], because they modulate the immune the system and could replenish the source of endogenous stem cells.”

Human beings are of course obsessed with how long we live, but it really is about the quality of life that we live...

Eat Drink Love

A LOOK AT THE MOST ROMANTIC PLACES TO DINE IN THE GABLES

What makes a restaurant romantic? What transforms it from just a place to dine – even with excellent food -- to a magical setting where you can charm your date? Is it the service? Is it the ambience? Should it be exotic or cozy or both?

With these questions in mind we walked the streets of Coral Gables and dined in a variety of places. We asked scores of people what they thought. And the answer comes down to not one, but to a combination, of amorous elements.

First, the restaurant must feel intimate. This means a relatively small place – or at least one that has a diminutive nook for you and your partner. No food halls need apply. Next, it must be relatively quiet. You have to be able to hear the person across from you without yelling. So, nix all noisy, boisterous places.

Third, it must have muted lighting. Hemmingway may have liked a well-lit place, but that was for drinking. For romance, you need the half-light that makes everyone look attractive. Finally, it must have something inexpressible that makes it memorable, something that transports you from the mundane world of the ordinary to someplace different, someplace special.

Using these guidelines, we chose the following establishments as the most romantic dining spots in the Gables. See if you agree.

Opposite: The Venetian fountain and tropical foliage of the Fontana courtyard restaurant

Above: Roast shrimp with aioli sauce

The Most Romantic of All

THE FONTANA’S SETTING WINS THE RING

For anyone who has not entered the courtyard of the 1926 Biltmore Hotel, the first experience will wow you. At the center is a large Venetian fountain in an octagonal reflecting pool, which fills the courtyard with the pleasant sound of sprinkling water. You are surrounded by tropical foliage, palms in great terracotta urns and alexanders soaring from the corners; above and around you are the elegant arches and columns of Mediterranean architecture. Is this Europe? Is this Italy? Is this even in this century? The outdoor setting of the Fontana immediately conveys you to a distant place, and it’s almost impossible to beat as a romantic destination in Coral Gables. You can also eat inside, but if

weather permits, there is nothing quite as pleasant as sitting outside. The chairs are metal but with good cushions, the circular tables covered with linen.

Chef Beppe Galazzi prepares a wellrounded variety of Italian dishes, leaning toward seafood combined with organic, locally sourced ingredients and a few creative twists. Among the antipasti are some real standouts, including a perfect Fiori di Zucca – zucchini blossom stuffed with ricotta and goat cheese – fried to a delicate golden crisp crust outside to balance the warm, soft inside. His bruschetta, with a nod to Millenials, adds a base of avocado under the diced plum tomatoes; it sounds forced but produces a perfect mix

of crunchy toast, creamy ‘cado and garlicky basil tomato. Yum.

In the fish and meat realm, you can’t go wrong with the roasted boneless rack of lamb, done just right and served along with the ribs if you are inclined to nibble. But the stars are from the sea: a flavorful wood-roasted Spanish octopus, roasted prawns with spicy aioli sauce, and a salt-crusted branzino that is served table side so your wait staff can remove the salt layer and debone the delicate filet; at $48 it easily serves two, and is light and delicious (the salt somehow sweetens the fish with an alchemy we don’t understand.)

Pasta, as you’d expect, is second nature to Chef Galazzi, and he prepares his

al dente, which gives it a proper resistance to the bite, rather than the soft, overdone pasta that Americans seem to prefer. There are daily pasta specials; we tried a fusilli cooked with eggplant and red sauce that was as close to Italian comfort food as you can get. We also tried a spectacular risotto pascatore, with a rich mix of calamari, scallops, clams, mussels, shrimp and lobster in a tomato broth. Creamy and delicious.

For desserts, Fontana serves a topnotch tiramisu, and a delightfully refreshing ‘frutti de bosco al limone” – fresh berries marinated in lemon juice and whipped cream – but we went with their signature devil chocolate cake with chocolate ganache icing and vanilla ice cream. Fab.

Fontana also has a substantial wine list, and staff will suggest good pairings. We started the evening with a chilled Chateau Saint-Maur French rosé from Provencal ($50) and ended it with a Briccotondo Barbera, an Italian red from the Piemonte region ($55) recommended by Chef Galazzi. Both were excellent and both lulled us, along with the just-right background of Italian operettas and accordion music, the sound of the fountain, and the taste of the succulent food, into a most agreeable evening of amore.

Fontana Restaurant

1200 Anastasia Ave. (Biltmore Hotel) 305.913.3200

More Romance

ROMANTIC DINING IN CORAL GABLES DOES NOT END AT THE BILTMORE. THE CITY HAS OTHER ROMANTIC GEMS IN ITS CROWN OF FINE DINING

Abbracci

Nino Pernetti’s ever-popular Abbracci restaurant on Aragon Street is an icon. It has reigned as the power lunch locale for decades, attracting a who’s who list of local business and community luminaries as well as visiting presidents, Congressional leaders, and celebrities.

At night, however, the mood shifts to a more romantic air, especially on the weekends. Abbracci has most of the important requisites for a romantic venue: It is small and intimate, it has solicitous service, the lighting is low, and the food

is superb. It also has a secret weapon: the walls and ceilings are lined with the same sound-proofing material that’s used in recording studios. So, no matter how rambunctious the room chatter, you can hear the person you are with.

For Pernetti, the romance of Abbracci is about attitude. “In order to make a restaurant romantic, it has to be for the ladies, from the bathrooms to the menu,” he says. “Our bathroom is magnificent, with flowers and a painted ceiling. And the food is geared toward the ladies, because she is one who will decide.” What does that mean? At least one special chocolate dessert with gold flakes.

Caffe Abbracci

318 Aragon Ave.

305.441.0700

Zucca

One of the tongue-and-cheek responses as to what makes a restaurant truly romantic is the ability to retire to a room upstairs. That’s certainly the case with Zucca, which occupies the ground floor of the old St. Michel Hotel.

But the restaurant deserves the accolade of romantic all by itself. It has great down lighting, with a baby spotlight on each table. The design is very chic, with an urban and sophisticated flair that comes from the northern Italian area (can you say Milan?) where much of the world’s great design in fashion (and food) originates.

The cooking itself also provides a special experience; it is artisanal food from the Lombardy region of Italy that specializes in slow braising and stewing, and where rice and polenta are the dominant starches rather than pasta. Overall, with its forest green velvet curtains and smoky brown walls, Zucca has attitude, but quiet attitude, with just the right amount of noise from diners’ chatter – some of it in Italian, always a romantic sound.

Zucca

162 Alcazar Ave.

786.580.3731

Christy’s

It’s dark, with red paneled walls and lots of woodwork. Each table has its own shaded

lamp, with shaded lamps spaced on the walls. And it’s out of the way, just off the beaten path, with a rich past and peerless service delivered by deft, veteran servers. So, what’s not romantic about Christy’s, the historic steak house on Ponce just south of the circle? Not much.

The only question is, can a good steak be sexy? Yes, says managing partner Chris Klaic, especially if your date is a carnivore and especially if he or she is a fan of Christy’s legendary Caesar salad and their ever-popular escargot. And if you wash it down with a Manhattan from the glowing bar, you can take a page right out of Mad Men. “I don’t remember the last time I took a date out in the Gables, but if I did…” We know the answer. Just make it the weekend. “It’s a very business oriented crowd during the week,” says Klaic. “During the weekend it’s more couples, more young people.”

Christy’s

3101 Ponce de Leon Blvd.

305.446.1400

MesaMar

According to manager Antonio Acevedo, there have been at least three proposals at Mesa del Mar in the last year. And we are not talking real estate contracts. Their main room, aka The Library, has muted lighting and white tablecloths, and there is a separate smaller room for even more intimate dining. “We do have families come in, but we get a lot of couples,” says Acevedo.

There are two things in particular we like about Mesa del Mar. The first is the interior. The back light from the recessed book and display cases of the Library casts a surreal, dreamy glow to the dining area. The second is the menu. Despite our proximity to the ocean, we have surprisingly few restaurants dedicated to seafood (their name literally means sea table). From their creamy lobster bisque and blue soft shell crab, to calamari with garlic butter and grilled corvina with homemade rum sauce, this is the place to win the heart of any mermaid (or merman) you have eyes for.

MesaMar Seafood Table

264 Giralda Ave.

305.640.8448

Notable Mentions

Where Power is the Aphrodisiac

The space is a little too cavernous to be truly romantic, but if power is the ultimate aphrodisiac, then Fiola is the place to go. Air dropped straight from the streets of Washington DC, this is the new elitist hangout, with exquisite silver wear, china, and food plating – and every detail perfect. 1500 San Ignacio Ave. 305.912.2639

Somewhere on the Gables/ Paris Border

What, no French restaurants made the list? Okay, if you want to feel the romance of sitting at a café in Paris, go to Le Provençal on Miracle Mile. Even their chairs are the type used in cafes on the Boulevard San Michel. If you want a more intimate interior, try Pascal’s on Ponce, a perennial favorite for couples in the Gables. 266 Miracle Mile. 305.448.8984. // 2611 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.444.2024

And for Something Completely Different

If romance means mystery and a trip to a less familiar world, Bangkok Bangkok II’s special cushioned dining area deserves mention. It’s only for the young and flexible – you must remove your shoes, cross your legs and sit against a cushion – but your date will never forget the experience. 157 Giralda Ave. 305.444.2397

Top to bottom:

Abbracci’s, intimate dining room

Zucca in the St. Michel Hotel

Christy’s romantic dining room

MesaMar’s “Library”

THE GREAT ART COLLECTIONS PART III

Portrait of the Collector as a Young Man

THE BACARDI COLLECTION LIVES ON THROUGH ITS SCION

“It’s very sad that we don’t have more multi-generational collections, that collections simply go back to market,” says Ramón Cernuda, proprietor of Cernuda Arte and a leading expert on Cuban paintings. “It’s not like in the old days, when you would see collections grow from one generation to the next, building to museum quality. The Bacardi’s are one of the few families that will continue this.”

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the person of Juan Bergaz, the sixth generation of descendants from the founder of

the Bacardi spirits empire. A resident of the Gables, where Bacardi USA also maintains its headquarters, Bergaz not only spent the last 11 years working for the company, but for the last three and a half years oversaw the family archives at HQ on Le Juene Road.

“I have always been surrounded by art growing up,” he says. “My grandfather and mother are both big collectors.” Bergaz himself has begun to collect works of famous Cuban painters, many of them passed down from his grandfather in anticipation of future inheritance.

“My grandfather has a great collection. His concentration is in Cuban art, but he likes Mexican art as well, as do I,” says Bergaz. That may be so, but in the burgeoning Bergaz collection, Cuban artists dominate. Among them is “La Isla en Peso,” a 1992 work by Cuban diaspora artist José Bedia, which translates roughly as “The Island in Weight.” It alludes to a poem by Cuban author Virgilio Piñera and expresses one of Bedia’s themes – the pain of leaving Cuba.

“Bedia is my favorite Cuban artist. He paints a lot of things having to do with exiles, which is something I can relate to,” says Bergaz, whose famous family was forced to leave Cuba after initially supporting the Revolution. “Bedia’s paintings show the struggle of his exile.” They also show the artist’s fascination with African symbols and images, and other native cultures.

Another of Bergaz’s favorite paintings is by Tomás Sánchez, the Cuban landscape painter who is one of the most collectable of living Cuban artists today (he is now 70 and lives in Costa Rica). The painting, titled “Vatey Del 75,” depicts a cluster of homes against a green edge of mangroves. “Supposedly one of the houses is his dad’s, which used to have an ice cream shop, so the clouds are supposed to be ice cream,” says Bergaz. Adds Cernuda, “Works by Sánchez are very much sought out at an international level and they have reached the $700,000 range at auction. He is very spiritual, and his landscapes are all imaginary…”

As a car and motorcycle enthusiast, another piece that Bergaz enjoys is entitled “Motociclus,” painted in Havana in 1998 by Carlos Estevez, an emerging young master whose works are still in the affordable range of $25,000 to $35,000, says Cernuda. The painting depicts a motorcycle overlain with the image of sprinting ostrich. “I love motorcycles, so it was perfect for me,” says Bergaz.

At Bacardi corporate headquarters, the art work is more geographically diverse. Included in that collection are such paintings as “Nun Eating an Apple” by Colombian artist Fernando Botero, and “Psalterium,” a 1998 work by Chilean artist Claudio Bravo.

But what dominates the collection is a mural by Antonio Gattorno (19041980), the indisputable founder of Cuba’s Modernist Movement and the first Cuban

artist of his generation to achieve an international reputation. Gattorno originally painted the mural in the 1930s for the Bacardi U.S. headquarters in the Empire State Building in New York City. Entitled “Waiting for Coffee” it shows a country scene in Cuba.

“It’s kind of a funny story,” says Bergaz. “Gattorno actually took a goat into the building as a model. He used to get up there in the morning and listen to Trio Matamoros music, and have fights [with other workers] because the music was so loud.” The mural remained in New York until 1961, when it was moved to the Bacardi building in Miami and from there to the Gables headquarters. Its value today is estimated at $7 million.

At the Bacardi HQ, “Waiting for Coffee” came under the watchful eye of Bergaz, whose job it was not only to expand the collection of art and memorabilia, but to help protect “the soul of the brand, and the soul of the company.”

Bergaz is no longer the curator for Barcardi, having recently left the company to start Bergaz Productions, a movie production company that already has multiple projects in the pipeline. He will nonetheless remain active in the world of art (he is on the board of the Wolfsonian and the NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale) and continue to expand his – and his family’s – collection.

“For me, art collecting is a family affair,” he says. “All of us are collectors, and we do everything as a family together.”

The Home Collection (page 64-65)

“Motociclus,” by Carlos Estevez, 1998 (p. 64)

“Vatey Del 75,” by Tomás Sánchez, 1993 (p. 65)

“La Isla En Peso,” by José Bedia, 1992 (p. 65)

The Corporate Collection (above and opposite)

“Waiting for Coffee,” by Cuban master Antonio Gattorno, 1936 (top, partial image)

“Psalterium,” by Chilean artist Claudio Bravo, 1998 (right, partial image)

“Nun Eating an Apple,” by Colombian artist Fernando Botero (far right)

Bedia is my favorite Cuban artist. He paints a lot of things having to do with exiles, which is something I can relate to...

DOWN TIME

INSIDE THE SPAS OF CORAL GABLES

Is there a better way to reset than by turning off your phone, slipping on a bathrobe, and spending a few hours at the spa? None that we can think of. Lucky for us, there are a dozen spas in the Gables. But with so many options, how do you choose? Your life is stressful enough, that’s why you’re heading to the spa in the first place. To make your decision easier, we visited a half dozen, sampling their recommended treatments.

YOU CAN THANK US LATER.

THE SPAS OF CORAL GABLES

THE BILTMORE SPA

1200 Anastasia Ave. 305.913.3187

MASSAGE ENVY 256 Miracle Mile 305.774.0000

PECAN’S DAY SPA 385 Alhambra Circle, Suite A 305.284.8636

ELEMIS DAY SPA 330 San Lorenzo Avenue, Unit 2345 305.774.7171

SKINTIQUE MIAMI 4100 Salzedo Street 305.569.0612

SPA BAR MIAMI 475 Biltmore Way, Suite 309 305.812.3881

LAUREN’S FACE THE DAY 386 Minorca Avenue 305.448.9400

CAMELOT SALON + SPA 2600 Galiano Street 305.443.5953

VELOUR MED SPA 136 Madeira Avenue 305.603.7511

MINT WELLNESS CENTER 349 Miracle Mile 305.391.1274

CAREAGA PLASTIC SURGERY 220 Alhambra Circle 305.960.7511

MERIDIAN MED SPA 61 Miracle Mile 305.695.1506

LAUREN’S FACE THE DAY

NAME OF TREATMENT: SECRETS DE SOTHYS LE SOIN EXCELLENCE

COST: $225

What’s the secret to having a soft, smooth, glowing complexion?

The “Secrets de Sothys Le Soin Excellence” treatment at Lauren’s Face the Day. Though technically an anti-aging treatment, it doesn’t matter if you’re 52 or 25. If you don’t have wrinkles, the Secrets treatment has benefits like reducing frown lines and boosting collagen. The experience is soothing from the second you step into the spa on Minorca Ave. Imbibe one of their hot teas while you wait in the calming atmosphere; we recommend the fruit sangria.

Once in the dimly-lit treatment room, you change into a sleeveless robe. Even though it’s a facial treatment, the serums and creams are also applied to the neck and collarbone area. On top of the robe, blankets and even fuzzy socks keep you warm. The esthetician, Gloria Taboada, has been in the business for 25 years, so your face is in good hands – literally. Using a brush made of carbon, the dead skin cells are gently removed. Taboada’s magical hands caress a number of moisturizers, exfoliants and cool anti-aging serums into your skin.

While hot stones are used in a typical body massage, the Secrets facial treatment uses cold stones to stroke the face and neck. The coolness provides a soothing effect for the skin, especially around the eyes. Although you won’t want the signature facial to end, there’s no better way to finish it off than with a “lifting mask” to reactivate the skin’s youth. While your skin absorbs the nutrients, enjoy a much-needed arm and hand massage. Now you’re ready to face the day!

THE BILTMORE SPA

NAME OF TREATMENT: REJUVENATING LIGHT THERAPY COST: $210

Though too much exposure to sunlight is known to be harmful to skin and actually causes wrinkles, LED lighting does the opposite. The Biltmore’s newest Rejuvenating Light Therapy facial promotes elasticity and collagen production. Slip out of the cozy Biltmore robe onto the blanketed massage table. The 70-minute treatment begins with an esthetician gently massaging a series of serums into your face, neck and collarbone area to sculpt and firm. The excess lotion is softly wiped away with a warm towel.

A semicircular machine of LED lights then surrounds your face, while a cool cloth is placed over your eyes for protection. Don’t be afraid to tell your esthetician if the lighting is too bright – they will be happy to adjust it to your satisfaction. While your face is reaping the benefits of light therapy, your arms and feet are given a little love with a massage.

Then, the lights are turned off and the face mask put on. While the mask is on, a cool jade roller moves in an upward motion across the face and down the neck. The coolness of the stone aids in decreasing puffiness, under-eye circles and fine lines. The roller also works the serums deeper into the skin. Because the area around your eyes can never get enough TLC, the treatment is finished by softly applying a couple more creams in a circular motion from the eyebrows down to the top of the cheekbone. They recommend leaving the lotions on for as long as possible, so your skin can absorb all their vitamins and hydration. Seventy minutes may seem like a long time for treating just one part of

the body, but when you’re being this pampered, you’ll wish it were for 70 minutes more.

CAREAGA PLASTIC SURGERY

NAME OF TREATMENT: SWEDISH FLOW THERAPY COST: $80

You may not typically think of getting a massage from a plastic surgeon’s office, but in the case of Dr. Careaga, you should. No, Dr. Careaga won’t be massaging your back; instead you will be treated by a woman named Vicky, who has been with the team for over a year now. Leading you down a scented hallway and into one of the treatment rooms, you’ll have a private consultation with her. Instead of filling out paperwork, however, you can openly explain the reason for your visit and the areas that need some extra TLC. And TLC you shall receive.

Vicky incorporates all the best parts of spa treatments into one: scalp massage, hot stones, foot reflexology, you name it. For anyone that has never gotten reflexology, but has squirmed in a pedicure chair, keep in mind that they are two separate entities. Whereas you’d rather have calloused heels than have the pedicurist touch you for one more second, reflexology applies pressure to your feet in just the right spots, relieving tension that builds from standing all day. The hot stones are the perfect addition halfway through the treatment, once your muscles have been loosened a little by massage, adding a pleasant sensation of warmth and weight. Vicky is even certified in aura-cleansing Reiki, and her

Hot stone massages are a staple treatment at Gables’ spas. The heat from the stones ease muscle stiffness and increase circulation.

positive energy is definitely contagious. She also works aromatherapy into the massage session with lavender-scented lotions and sprays. Just remember to drink plenty of water for the rest of the day after your treatment, to flush out the toxins that have just been released from your muscles. You can go in for a nose job later in the week.

PECAN’S DAY SPA

NAME OF TREATMENT: POWER PEEL MICRODERMABRASION

COST: $165

With a boutique-like atmosphere, Pecan’s Day Spa offers an intimate, relaxing experience. And the Power Peel offers younger, healthier looking skin. The Power Peel consists of a mini facial and then microdermabrasion of the face and the eyes, cleaning your skin from the inside out. Yes, a microdermabrasion can be done by a dermatologist, but the hour-long service at the spa is twice as long and infinitely better. The reason being is that most dermatologists will do just one or two “passes,” meaning the exfoliating machine goes over your skin once or twice. But at Pecan’s Day Spa, they do it three times, and it really makes a difference – all part of going beyond a perfunctory treatment. “We’re big on experience here,” said Tass Vorous, owner, masseuse and esthetician.

The treatment sounds more aggressive than it is. The machine that is used to remove dead skin cells feels like a cat’s tongue licking your face. But in lieu of a hairball, you get soft skin and a clean complexion. Vorous recommends anywhere from four to eight microdermabrasion treatments, depending on how damaged and wrinkled your skin is. As Vorous is also a masseuse, she incorporates a heavenly shoulder and neck massage, along with a reflexology that even the ticklish can appreciate. The benefits of the Power Peel are visible after just one treatment. Don’t be surprised if your friend, or in my case my boss, asks: “Did you get a facial? You’re glowing!”

SPA BAR MIAMI

NAME OF TREATMENT: ULTIMATE TRIPLE SHOT FACIAL COST: $150

No matter how overwhelmed you may be prior to your appointment at Spa Bar Miami, every worry will immediately melt away the second you step through the door. From the peaceful, scented, oil-diffused atmosphere to the citrus-infused water you sip while filling out the paperwork, the experience is calming from the getgo. And it only gets better from there with the Ultimate Triple Shot Facial. While it sounds like a Starbucks drink, the treatment minimizes pores and lifts, tightens and tones the skin.

To start, a number of gels and serums are worked into your skin by the esthetician’s soft hands. We had the pleasure of being pampered by Natalia during our visit.

The facial includes a microdermabrasion, where a light, foamy cleanser is applied to the skin and sucked away by the microdermabrasion machine. After all the dead skin cells are gone, a cool gel is applied to the skin and rubbed in with a heated roller. The different temperatures of the two create a cool, yet cozy feel. This treatment may not be for the claustrophobic: the finale consists of a wet hydrating mask, which is painted on your face and then dried with LED lighting. For those who can relax with a machine surrounding your head, you may actually fall asleep, coaxed into a near comatose form of relaxation from a shoulder,

neck, arm and hand massage. The Ultimate Triple Shot Facial leaves you with immediate visible results, and the skin will even improve as the days go on from the infrared lighting, which takes time to activate the skin’s natural ability to produce collagen.

SKINTIQUE MIAMI

NAME OF TREATMENT: MADERA TERAPIA COST: $85

Have you ever felt like your muscles are so tense that you need someone to take a rolling pin to them? Then this is the treatment for you. Though known for its facial treatments, Skintique’s wide array of body treatments should not be overlooked. The Madera Terapia, or wood massage, uses several wooden devices to loosen tight muscles. It is recommended for those who want to lose weight, as it also reduces cellulite. But it has many benefits beyond body contouring, like stimulating blood circulation, lymphatic draining and relaxing the mind and body – effective for overall improved health.

The handheld wood tools massage the body in a way that hands just can’t. Among those in the box in the corner of the treatment room is a roller with two separate wheels. Rolled up and down the back, it gets to the muscles surrounding the spine without putting any pressure on the vertebrae. What looks like a bowl with a handle is used on the back and calves. Cupping the muscles in an upward motion, it “scoops” the pain right out of the body.

The device that felt the best looks like it came straight out of William Sonoma - a rolling pin. When rolled down the back, arms and legs, it reduces tension in muscles you didn’t even know were tight. The tools allow the masseuse to get deep into the tissue without causing any pain. You’ll walk out of Skintique feeling calm, yet awake, relaxed and revitalized. Either that, or like a relaxed pile of rye bread dough.

Cocoplum Gables Estates

WATERWAYS Old Cutler Road

For anyone who has not traveled the waters of coastal Coral Gables, your first journey into the maze of channels and canals that permeate the southern half of the city will be a revelation. At the entrance to the Gables Waterway, and in waterfront communities such as Cocoplum, Gables Estates, Gables by the Sea and Deering Bay, hundreds of boats – some of astonishing size – line the waterfront properties. Hundreds more fill private marinas in the same communities; the public marina at Matheson Hammock alone has slips for 243 boats.

Just how significant waterfront living is to Coral Gables is illustrated by two facts. The first is that, all told, there are more than 40 miles of coastline in the city. This includes the Gables Waterway, which snakes from Biscayne Bay all the way to the Biltmore Hotel. The second is that more than 10 percent of all Gables homes are on the water, some 1,400 properties, according to city estimates. “When George Merrick was originally planning Coral Gables he envisioned a Venice of

Amount of waterfront footage in Coral Gables: 40+ miles

Number of properties on the waterfront: 1,600

Annual cost to maintain a yacht: 15 percent of purchase price

Economic impact of Boating on South Florida: $12.5 billion

sorts, where people would travel down these waterways,” says Lani Kahn Drody, president of Gables-based Lowell International Realty. “It didn’t turn out that way, but there are incredible opportunities for people to live on these waterways.”

That opportunity comes with a price, of course. Because they are so rare, Gables waterfront properties with easy access to Biscayne Bay rarely sell for less than $22.5 million, says Drody. “For some people it is very, very important,” she says.

“Anyone who isn’t connected to the water in South Florida is missing a huge opportunity,” says Armando Codina, the iconic developer and long-time Gables resident whose corporate headquarters are based in downtown Coral Gables. “I’m a workaholic so I can never spend enough time on the water, but it’s my greatest pleasure. I don’t play golf or socialize, or hang out with the beautiful people. I go boating.” The name of Codina’s 112-foot yacht, “What a Country” is his homage to the nation he came to as an immigrant from Cuba.

Codina’s friend and fellow Cuban

the Waterfront

BOATING – AND YACHTING – IN CORAL GABLES IS DEEPLY IMBEDDED IN THE COMMUNITY’S PSYCHE. WITH MILES OF INTRICATELY CARVED CANALS AND WATERWAYS, IT IS PART OF THE CITY’S DNA.

émigré, Mike Fernandez, is also a Gables yachting enthusiast. His 180-foot Benetti – and earlier vessels -- have taken him and his family across the world. His most memorable journey, he says, was a three-month cruise through the waters of Croatia, Montenegro and Greece. “Having been born on an island, salt water is in my veins. And a boat is a place that makes the family do things together.”

Suhel Skaff, who lives on the Gables Waterway, says boating has been a central part of his life since he moved here in the mid ‘80s. The retired builder owns a 42-foot Bertram – “our best toy for a long time now” – the largest boat that can clear the bridge downriver from his home. “It always was a big part of our family life. The boat was an island of joy for family and friends, and always brought the family together to do something.”

A HOME TO BOATERS

The waterfront properties in Coral Gables – albeit enhanced the city’s cultural offerings and natural beauty – are a salient draw for residents who live here, especially high net-worth individuals. “With some exceptions, Coral Gables is prominent in the yacht world because Coral Gables is becoming a known destination,” says Michael Moore, a Coral Gables attorney who specializes in maritime law. “Coral Gables is now a brand. It may not be the brand that Monaco is, or that New York or London is, but for yachting it’s a brand.”

Florida itself is the number one state in the country for boating and yachting, notes Phil Purcell, president and CEO of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida. It has the most boat registrations in the country, and is number one in visits from foreign-flagged vessels. “Florida is the most important place in the world for boating,” he says, “and Coral Gables is a huge driver in our boating community.”

The overall impact of the marine industry on South Florida’s economy is huge. The most recent estimate puts it at a $12.5 billion industry here, producing between 136,000 and 141,000 jobs. “You have a diverse group of boaters from all over, and a heck of a lot of entrepreneurs,” says Purcell.

By “entrepreneurs,” Purcell means the titans of industry who live – and own yachts – in South Florida generally and in Coral Gables specifically. These include the CEOs of manufacturing concerns, lo-

Top to bottom: The Gables Waterway

Gables by the Sea Matheson Hammock’s Marina

gistics firms, software companies, national apparel chains, health care conglomerates, banks, homebuilding companies, security firms, and so on. “If you look at who owns [the yachts], they are the job creators, whether they started a business or built homes,” says Purcell. “You shouldn’t say, ‘Look at that rich guy.’ You should say, ‘Look at that entrepreneur who’s part of our community.’”

“Coral Gables doesn’t have the heavy industry,” says Moore. “It doesn’t have the big boatyards, the big refit yards and the big repair yards. But this is where the rock stars live. They live in Coral Gables, or they aspire to live in Coral Gables.”

LOCATION, IMPACT & COMMUNITY

The lure of yachting, says Moore, is not difficult to understand. “The yachting world is a world of people that like to get out on the water, leave their troubles behind, and have enough money to do it,” he says. And Coral Gables fits perfectly, not only for the prestige of its name and neighborhoods, but for its location on Biscayne Bay.

“We are lucky to have access to Biscayne Bay, the Bahamas, to be so close to the Keys – there are so many destinations,” says Capt. Jon C. Emory, who lives in Gables by the Sea, and who currently captains two 39-foot vessels for Gables residents; previously he captained a 66-foot boat for 10 years. “When you get up to Palm Beach you have a completely different ecosystem there. You have the Intracoastal but you don’t have Biscayne Bay, which gives you a myriad of options even on windy days.”

Emory, who also runs a charter business called FishingSanSalvador (his favorite fishing destination), says he “grew up fishing and boating” with a charter captain father and relatives who made their living fishing. “It’s a lifestyle here. There are just so many boating people in our community.”

Coral Gables relationship with the water doesn’t stop with individual boaters, but extends to its institutions. The University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School, located on Key Biscayne, is considered one of the premiere marine research and education facilities in the world, on the cutting edge of areas that include hurricane prediction, aquaculture, coral reef restoration and shark behavior. While most of the donations made to UM by Gables residents go to the entire university rather than just

Rosenstiel, says Dean Roni Avissar, the Gables marine community works with the school in other ways. One is through Seakeepers International, a global nonprofit headquartered on Aragon Avenue near Books & Books. Through Seakeepers, yacht owners can volunteer their vessels to help in certain marine research missions.

“We have one program called Citizen Scientist, in which lay people can do data collection or instrument deployment,” says Anthony Gilbert, programming director for SeaKeepers. The other way that larger vessels can help is to carry researchers to their destinations, such as “taking a scientist and his team to the Bahamas for shark tagging,” says Gilbert.

Attorney Moore, who is also the chairman of Seakeepers, says the real benefit of the larger vessels that call Coral Gables home is their economic impact. “Yachts cost a lot of money to maintain and operate,” says Moore, who estimates that the average yacht costs 15 percent of its purchase price to maintain annually. That quickly adds up when you have boats that sell for $5 million to $40 million. “The piece that most people don’t get is that this money doesn’t go off into cyberspace. It goes into somebody’s pocket. And that person is somebody offering goods and services in Coral Gables.”

Crew staffing alone adds significantly to the local economic kick. “A kid out of high school can get on a boat and make 40 grand a year right off the block,” says Purcell. “An average captain in the 80 to 100 foot range gets a six figure salary. A steward can get 75k to 100k… if you have a yacht with four to eight crew members, that’s a couple of million in economic impact just sitting there.” And then there is the economic impact of having so many citizens of substance drawn to live in the Gables. “You start realizing it’s the entrepreneurs who are in those boats,” says Purcell. “It’s a who’s who of the world and they become part of your community.”

For the boaters, it’s more about having a home where you can dock your boat, so that you can have immediate access to the gin-clear waters of Biscayne Bay. “Once you get used to it you never want to stop,” says Gables Waterway resident Suhel. “When you go into any of the waterways you see things from the waterside you don’t see from the road. To see the Miami skyline from the water is spectacular and if you don’t see it, you’re really missing out.”

Coral Gables is prominent in the yacht world because Coral Gables is becoming a known destination. Coral Gables is now a brand. It may not be the brand that Monaco is, or that New York or London is, but for yachting, it’s a brand...

Michael Moore, Coral Gables attorney & chairman of Seakeepers

THE TOP

February 2019

RESTAURANTS IN CORAL GABLES

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

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

$ Under $25

$$ $25-$40

$$$ $35-$75

$$$$ $70-$100+

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

AMERICAN California Pizza Kitchen

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

300 Miracle Mile 305.774.9940

$$ Pizza/American Eating House

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

804 Ponce de Leon Blvd.

305.448.6524

$$ Innovative American Seasons 52

The restaurant for healthy eaters who enjoy quality as well. The menu, changing four times a year with each season, is always full of inventive treatments for fresh veggies, soups and salads. Their fish and meat dishes are

great values, and the flat bread menu is really a nice touch. It’s a chain, but we forgive them.

321 Miracle Mile 305.442.8552

$$ Healthy American

Shula’s 347 Grill

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

$$$ Steak and seafood

Tap 42

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

301 Giralda Ave. 786.391.1566

$$-$$$ American Pub

Yard House

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

320 San Lorenzo Ave. 305.447.9273

$$ American and more

to a restaurant at 10 pm and find the place packed, even with children.

Many of the restaurants in Coral Gables are world-class. But the culinary scene is also changing. Where once the topflight, traditional dining spots catered to lawyers, bankers, businessmen and diplomats, there is a new crop of edgier places, with young chefs and new tastes, catering to a younger clientele.

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

ASIAN

Ichimi

This off-Mile eatery has developed a cult following, with diners content to wait and stand and stare, just for the opportunity to eat Ichimi’s Japanese noodles and rice bowls. And the wait is worth it. Delicious, rich and faraway flavors in dishes you can’t find just anywhere, in a raw, cool space. 2330 Salzedo St. 305.960.7016

$-$$ Japanese

Izkaya

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

159 Aragon Ave. 305.445.2584

$$ Japanese

Kao Sushi & Grill by Sushi Club

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

127 Miracle Mile 786.864.1212

$$ Peruvian Japanese

Matsuri

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

Dining Guide

from its devoted clientele.

5759 Bird Rd. 305.663.1615

$$-$$$ Japanese

Red Koi Lounge

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

317 Miracle Mile 305.446.2690

$$ Thai Sawa

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

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

$$$ Japanese and Mediterranean

FRENCH

Brasserie Central

Secretly owned by Pascal of Ponce fame, the restaurant is half inside half in the courtyard of the Shops. A typical French bistro with wonderful onion soup, fresh bread and a superb paté. Everything on the menu is fresh, French, and all you would expect from Pascal. Lots of little French touches, though not cheap. Shops at Merrick Park 786.536.9388

$$-$$$ French

Frenchie’s Diner

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

2618 Galiano St. 305.442.4554

$$-$$$ French

Le Provençal

This Gables mainstay (30 years in the same location) is under new ownership, so expect some intriguing innovations. But what they do extremely well

Le Provençal

is classic French cuisine, with such crowd-pleasing favorites as duck a l’orange, Coquille St. Jacques, escargot and steak au poivre. New sidewalk seating for the Parisian café experience, perfect pre-theater location.

266 Miracle Mile 305.448.8984

$$$ French

Palm d’Or

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

ble in taste and appearance.

1200 Anastasia Ave. (at the Biltmore Hotel) 305.913.3200

$$$$ French

Pascal’s On Ponce

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

2611 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.444.2024

$$$ French

Enjoy a laugh with friends in a charming atmosphere

Dining Guide

ITALIAN

Caffe Abbracci

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

318 Aragon Ave. 305.441.0700

$$$ Italian

Cibo Wine Bar

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

45 Miracle Mile 305.442.4925

$$-$$$ Italian

Fontana

The setting is as elegant as the service and food: The Biltmore’s famed fountain courtyard. You can sit under the stars, in a covered archway, or inside to enjoy Italian classics. Fresh ingredients, from the salads to the pasta that

is made daily. Great octopus, pastas cooked perfectly. One of the most romantic restaurants in the Gables.

1200 Anastasia Ave. (Biltmore Hotel) 305.913.3200

$$$ Italian

Fratellino

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

264 Miracle Mile 786.452.0068

$$$ Italian

La Palma

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

116 Alhambra Circle 305.445.8777

$$-$$$ Italian

Zucca

A worthy heir to the hallowed grounds of the old St. Michel restaurant, this one-year-old is a new star in the galaxy of Italian eateries in the Gables. Distinctly northern Italian, with the home-taught recipes that chef Simone Mua learned in his native Milan. Modern Italian design, sophisticated, with haute comfort food and great service. 162 Alcazar Ave. 786.580.3731

$$$-$$$$ Northern Italian

LATIN & SOUTH AMERICAN

Aromas del Peru

The shrine for ceviche, with a wide range of choices – 18 ceviches at last count – for great prices. Haute Peruvian appetizers and good fish dishes, right up to the whole fried snapper. And don’t miss the pisco sour soup. Comfortable leather seats, too. 1930 Ponce de León Blvd. // 305.476.5886

$$ Peruvian

Bocas House

Interesting take on traditional Latin food, fused with Asian and American tastes. The Arroz al Wok specials (shrimp, beef, or chicken/mixed) consist of Latin style rice cooked in a wok with a reduction of

soy, sesame oil and oyster sauce. The signature dish is fried green plantains with ‘wok-smoked’ pork steak covered with shredded white cheese. Big selection of arepas, great (albeit pricey) milkshakes. 2 Aragon Ave. 786.631.3703

$$ Latin American fusion

Caffe Vialetto

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

4019 LeJuene Rd. 305.446.5659

$$$ Cuban/Latin

Graziano’s

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

394 Giralda Ave. 305.774.3599

$$$ Argentine

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Dining Guide

Havana Harry’s

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

4612 S. LeJeune Rd. 305.661.2622

$$ Cuban

Mikuna Peruvian

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

325 Alcazar Ave. 786.420.2910

$$$ Peruvian

Talavera Cocina Mexicana

High ceilings and ceramics make this a pleasant place to dine, but it’s the authentic fare that shines. The place for Mexicans homesick for cooking that’s not Tex-Mex. The chicken mole

poblano is a winner at $20, and their huarache grill – masa flat breads that are really haute tacos – are great at $17. 2299 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305.444.2955

$$ Mexican

SEAFOOD

La Dorada

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

177 Giralda Ave. 305.446.2002

$$$$ Spanish Seafood

M House

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

2524 S. Le Jeune Rd. 786.369.5155

$$$ European coastal cuisine, seafood

MesaMar

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

264 Giralda Ave. 305.640.8448

$$$ Seafood

Tarpon Bend

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

Miracle Mile 305.444.3210

$$ Seafood

SPANISH

Bellmónt

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

to order 4 hours in advance. If it’s just you ($49) you’ll need to wait just 50 minutes. As for the rest: authentic Spanish cuisine, with great seafood dishes, fantastic paella.

339 Miracle Mile // 786.502.4684

$$$ Spanish

Bulla Gastro

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

2500 Ponce de Leon Blvd.

305.441.0107

$$ Spanish

La Taberna Giralda

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

Home & Garden p96 Southern Serenity Real Estate The Seamless Life

What Will $1 Million (Or Less) Buy in Coral Gables?

Coral Gables has some of the most valuable real estate in South Florida, including five of the top 10 zip codes for property values. It’s median price per square foot ($423) is almost twice that of the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area. To see what

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

Listing Price

$996,000

North of Bird

616 CANDIA AVE.

3 bed/3 bath/pool/2,390 sq. ft.

Built in 1998 in Mediterranean style, this house has a rarity for its price and size: A graceful curving staircase made of hand-forged iron with polished brass railings. It also has Saturnia marble floors, coffered ceilings and elaborate moldings, plus pool and garage – and is near the library and University Park. Listing agent: Mauricio J. Barba, P.A. (ONE Sotheby’s International Realty), 305.439.8311

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Contemporary South Gables

Southern Serenity

OAKS AND NATIVE PALMS IMBUE THE COSCULLUELA HOME WITH A QUIET AUTHENTIC AMBIENCE

Creating a low-country southern look for his growing family was the motivation behind the lush Coral Gables property of Eugenio “Chino” Cosculluela. Inspired by the ambiance of coastal South Carolina, Cosculluela teamed up with life-long family friend, landscape-designer Santi Diaz, to make his vision a reality. A builder by profession, Cosculluela transformed an overgrown, old settler’s property near the Snapper Creek Canal, demolishing the existing home and stable. He constructed his Florida vernacular-style home to take advantage of the outdoor spaces, incorporating several of the large oaks that existed on the property into his plans. Diaz interpreted Cosculluela’s vision with a detailed design, adding 20 more oaks, 100 sabal palms, and 150-200

saw palmettos. He selected native plants to create a natural, low-maintenance landscape. Wart ferns provide ground cover with the result being a very private, relaxing sanctuary. A shady haven by day, when night falls the beautifully lit trees create a magical atmosphere.

When the home was built about 15 years ago, a large grassy area was included, creating a perfect place for the kids and their nearby cousins to play soccer. The property has been tweaked through the years as the children have grown-up and needs have evolved. Today, Cosculluela’s favorite spot is the firepit that was a more recent addition.

“I wanted it to be like the house fell from the sky,” says Cosculluela. Mission accomplished.

Photos by Steven Brooke

Eugenio “Chino” Cosculluela

I wanted it to be like the house fell from the sky...

MODERN DESIGN

The space connecting the living room area with the kitchen/lounge area uses three cold-ceramic stones from Belgium to accentuate the curved wall of the bar concealed bar. “I put them in as an architectural element,” says Poggi, “though you can sit on them.” In the background is a walnut table designed by Eduardo Martinez, that can be used as a dining table, or just kept as sculpture.

Juan Poggi first landed in Coral Gables in 2006 with a shop on Miracle Mile, and three years later moved to his current location in the Minorca building on Douglas Road. Having studied first in his native Peru and then working in the Design District, Poggi has now done scores of homes, from residences in Panama, Aurba, Paris and Ibiza to eight homes in Gables Estates and numerous others around the city. For his personal home on San Antonio Avenue just west of the Shops at Merrick Park, Poggi chose a ‘soft contemporary’ style for the open architecture to maximize the sense of space in the 3,000 square foot building. “It is designed mainly for entertaining,” he says, noting that it is a home with “only three doorways inside” –one each to the master bedroom, the bathroom and the second bedroom.

OPEN ARCHITECTURE, SOFT CONTEMPORARY

Stunning New Construction in Coral Gables

6345 Riviera Drive, Coral Gables

Offered at $3,098,000

5 Beds | 5.5 Baths

4,600 SqFt LA | 13,000 SqFt Lot

Modern architectural style house on one of the most prestigious streets in Coral Gables. The front of the house is adorned by a magnificent 60 year old oak tree. Full height windows giving lots of natural light and outstanding views of the exterior greenery. European style kitchen and bathroom fixtures. Luxury finishes selected by one of London’s finest interior designers giving the house a cutting edge vibe. Oversized master bedroom suite and enormous balcony with full height windows overlooking the front and rear gardens rendering the feel of being in a private luxurious tree house. Pre-wired for sound system and motorized shades. Open gazebo with provision for summer kitchen. Provision for elevator. This house is Coral Gables living at its finest.

6345Riviera.com

395 Alhambra Circle Suite 301

Coral Gables, FL 33134

786 271 7192

Interiors

THE LOUNGE

The lounge space uses five upholstered Naoto Fukasawa swivel chairs (from Luminere on Ponce) focusing on a circular glass table which, at 27 inches, is a perfect height for drink placement (higher than a coffee table, lower than a dining room tables). The circular rug, designed by Poggi, works with the “roundness of the setting,” he says.

THE KITCHEN

“I designed it to look more like a bar than a kitchen,” says Poggi. The cabinets and walls are darkstained walnut; the counters are done in black granite with “a leather finish” that feels like leather but is actually stone. The fridge and other appliances are all under the counter tops, with Viking appliances from La Cuisine on Aragon. The blonde wooden grid on the ceiling is designed to hide the exhaust openings above the stove.

THE BEDROOM

“I wanted to play with the geometry of the space,” says Poggi, who framed it using a Max Alto bed with an oak four-poster. The nightstands are also done in a darkly stained oak; the chair to the left is a ‘mummy’ chair wrapped in an elastic material. The bed also has storage, and sits on a custom-made wool rug edged in canvas material.

THE BATHROOM

The bathroom continues the geometry of bedroom with a ‘Japanese’ sliding wall that adds a layer to the glass wall. The shower is backed by a limestone wall from Spain. The toilet is Japanese from Designer’s Plumbing & Hardware on Douglas; the seat is heated, the toilet flushes automatically, and there is a built-in bidet.

José Andrés

David Burtka

Rhonda Carano

Giada De Laurentiis

Guy Fieri

Neil Patrick Harris

Missy Robbins

Nancy Silverton

Trisha Yearwood & Many More

$28M+

Where There is a Will…

With the start of every year come resolutions and a fresh start to tackling priorities that may have been cast aside due to procrastination or every day responsibilities. Often, an important priority is a financial plan that may include writing or updating a will to ensure your estate is in order for those whom you wish to benefit.

Most people have a general understanding of what a will is: a way to designate who will get which of your assets when you pass away. Many think the will is the principal governing document in your estate plan, but that’s not entirely true. Many assets don’t fall under a will or probate, and without considering those things, even the best will can be almost meaningless.

Most people have accumulated real estate, life insurance, mutual funds (as part of, or separate from, a 401k or IRA), bank accounts, and other assets. In most of these cases, when you purchase the asset or sign a life insurance contract, you’re asked to designate a beneficiary, and sometimes a contingent beneficiary.

One of the biggest estate-planning mistakes people make is not reviewing these other financial instruments and aligning the beneficiaries with their total financial plan, or not keeping the beneficiaries current. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t have a will; there are still assets that fall under probate, including your checking accounts, brokerage accounts, other accounts held in your name only, personal property, automobiles, jewelry, family heirlooms and things of that nature. You don’t want to die intestate, because then state law will determine how your

estate is divided, and it will be divided mechanically.

A little thought when setting up your accounts can yield big benefits for your family. Some elderly people add one of their children as a signer on checking and savings accounts, because then the child can help with paying bills and keeping track of finances. But this can be very dangerous, because, if not done correctly, that child will inherit that money when you die, which can cause hurt feelings and disputes among the other heirs. The proper way is to use a limited-purpose power of attorney, so that the adult child can sign on the account but is not necessarily the sole beneficiary. If you don’t want that child to inherit that money, and don’t designate it properly, that property would be solely theirs.

While it’s important to know what does or doesn’t fall under probate, it’s equally crucial to identify all your assets before you ask a lawyer to draw up or revise your will, to have a clear understanding of which of your beneficiaries are already designated to receive certain assets. If not, there can be a great deal of family unhappiness, or, even worse, costly litigation. When you’re sitting in the lawyer’s office, the meter’s running and it becomes costly if you don’t have all that information organized.

If you’ve lived a good life and nurtured your relationships, your family will understandably be sad when you pass away. The object of good estate planning is to minimize their unhappiness, hurt feelings, and, most of all, strife, and to pass your estate to those whom you wish to benefit.

You don’t want to die intestate [without a will], because then state law will determine how your estate is divided, and it will be divided mechanically...

Demystifying the Facelift

Q&A’s: MINI OR WHAT?

1. MINI FACE: For someone with early cheek skin relaxation but no neck concerns.

2. MINI NECK: For the patient whose mid face looks good but with early neck skin loosening and no need for muscle band tightening.

3. FACE PLUS MINI NECK: Addresses prominent cheek jowls and early neck skin relaxation but no muscle bands.

4. NECK LIFT: For the patient with a saggy neck and visible muscle bands that need tightening. Usually part of the Face and Neck Lift.

5. FACE AND NECK LIFT: The gold standard and longest lasting result. For the patient with cheek jowls, neck sagging and muscle bands that need tightening. Restores tone to the cheek and neck muscles and removes all loose skin. You look yourself but refreshed and no longer tired. Skin looks young again.

What to Choose?

It depends on anatomical findings and a patient’s expectations.

Where are the scars?

Designed carefully around the ear to be imperceptible.

Is there a scar under the chin?

Only if the neck muscles deserve tightening which provides for the longest lasting and best neck result. One inch long and hidden.

What about anesthesia?

Everyone’s worry, yet it’s safer than driving in South Florida. Local numbing is always utilized to prevent pain. How much other anesthesia is used depends on the procedure, but most patients prefer to sleep and wake up when surgery is over.

How to get started?

Consult with an experienced plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Face surgery isn’t easy, so do your research - it’s your face after all.

Time Machine

MIAMI DAILY NEWS OFFICE

The original building at 300 Alhambra Circle was built in 1924 during the first phase of Coral Gables’ development, and briefly served as the offices for “The Miami Daily News,” the area’s first newspaper (which moved in 1925 to what is now the Freedom

Tower in Downtown Miami). Since then the building has been repurposed multiple times, becoming (among other things) a tennis boutique in the 1970s and a hair salon in the 1980s. It is now home to Cafe Demetrio, one of our more elegant coffee houses.

The First Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is held in New York City

Ellis Island closes as an immigration entry point to the U.S.

Joseph Stalin begins his bid for leadership after Vladimir Lenin dies

The first ever Winter Olympics are held in France

The first regular airmail services start in the U.S.

What Would You Do With An Extra $140,000?

Many of my clients are gleefully asking themselves that question right now. After all, in 2018 I sold Coral Gables homes at an average of $448 per square foot versus the market average of $408.

If I sell your 3,500 square foot home, that extra $40 per square foot can translate into an additional $140,000!

That incremental profit is what I strive to deliver to my clients along with unparalleled expertise and conciergestyle service.