Greetings ,

Sunday, February 12 is Lincoln's Birthday, a legal holiday in Florida, often observed as part of Presidents’ Day, a Monday holiday.

February 12 is also the day of Super Bowl, the second Sunday in February, is traditionally the most-watched sporting event in the United States.

Tuesday, February 14 is Valentine's Day, a time to celebrate the love of a spouse or partner, often a time to declare romantic inclinations.

Wednesday, February 15 is Susan B. Anthony Day in Florida, celebrating women's rights and the origin of the women's suffrage movement in the United States.

Thursday, February 16 is Do A Grouch A Favor Day, so make a grouch exceptionally miserable by helping him or her out with a favor and make the world a better place.

Monday, February 20 is President's Day, traditionally held on the third Monday of February, honoring presidents of the United States, including George Washington.

Tuesday, February 21 is Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), marking the last day before Lent, and often associated with lavish parades and parties in New Orleans.

As always, make plans to enjoy the great outdoors in our little city. Walk down Miracle Mile, experience the live theatre and the best movies, browse the book stores, look into the art galleries and meet up with friends at the restaurants -- including restaurant row in the 100 block of Giralda. Visit the parks and public spaces to appreciate the bounties of nature. 

Enjoy the best of Coral Gables in the coming days.

Robert and Robin Burr

please enjoy this image that reminds us of the beauty and serenity of our majestic city

a delightful day along the Coral Gables waterway

click on the image to see enlargement.

Coral Gables scenic photo illustrations © Robin and Robert Burr.

Now Playing

Jimmy Buffett's Escape To Margaritaville

Escape to Margaritaville is a musical comedy that features both original songs and the most-loved Jimmy Buffett classics, including “Cheeseburger in Paradise”, “Margaritaville,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” “Fins,” “Volcano,” and many more. With a book by Emmy Award winner Greg Garcia and Emmy nominee Mike O’Malley, this engaging fun-loving show is all about the choices we make -- and the people we become -- once we’ve had a change in latitude. https://www.actorsplayhouse.org/mainstage/

Through February 28

Los Trompos Art Exhibition - The Shops at Merrick Park

Experience the interactive vibrant outdoor display by world-famous Los Trompos art exhibition, created by Mexican designers Héctor Esrawe and Ignacio Cadena, at the Shops at Merrick Park. The lively installation features eight larger-than-life, three-dimensional colorful spinning tops in a variety of colors and shapes that invite visitors to play and engage with the art. Get details online.

Thursday, February 9 from 5:30 to 9:30pm

Eleventh Burgerliscious Block Party

It's a city block full of burgers at Alhambra and Ponce -- Burgerliscious Block Party, presented by the Chamber of Commerce, features a spectacular array of fine burgers from your favorite restaurants, with live music, cold brews, and more.

https://burgerliscious.com

Thursday, February 9 at 6:30pm

Soirée Des Arts

Enjoy a magical night of music and entertainment at Sanctuary Of The Arts to benefit Miami Circus Arts Center and the local circus arts community. Let Soirée des Arts transport you to the world of movies and symphony, featuring a wide range of performers from youth to semi-professional and professional. Suitable for all ages. Tickets are priced at $12. Get details and purchase tickets online.

Starts Friday

Saint Omer

Young novelist Rama attends the trial of Laurence Coly, a young woman accused of killing her 15-month-old daughter by abandoning her to the rising tide on a beach in northern France. But as the trial continues, the words of the accused and witness testimonies will shake Rama’s convictions and call into question our own judgment. This is France’s official submission to the 95th Academy Awards. 

https://www.gablescinema.com/events/saint-omer/

Saturday at 8am

Farmers' Market at City Hall

Every Saturday through March 25, from 8am to 2pm, bring the family out to Merrick Park across from City Hall for the Coral Gables Farmers Market. Local vendors bring fresh Florida produce, prepared foods, baked goods, flowers and plants, plus activities for children. https://www.coralgables.com/events/farmers-market-merrick-park

Saturday, February 11 at 9am

Market Seminar - Be A Citizen Scientist

Citizen Science is helping expand what we know about biodiversity around the world and how it is changing. Anyone can get involved in documenting sightings of common and rare species with the iNaturalist smart phone app. Joseph Montes de Oca, a local iNaturalist expert, will provide examples of how you can get involved and how to also use the iNaturalist app to learn about your local flora and fauna. https://www.inaturalist.org

Saturday, February 11 at 9am

Annual Tour of Kitchens

The Coral Gables Community Foundation is excited to present the 14th Annual Tour of Kitchens. Visit Coral Gables’ most exquisite private residence kitchens, indulge in bites from the City’s top restaurants, spirits samples and shop curated home goods from local merchants. Tickets are $125. Proceeds from the Tour of Kitchens benefit the Foundation’s pivotal outreach efforts including the Culinary Arts program and its students at Coral Gables High School. Get details and purchase tickets online.

Saturday and Sunday at 11am

60s Classic - Jason and the Argonauts

Fantastic special effects by Ray Harryhausen and exciting mythological adventures make this a film that is fun for everyone. It's the story of Jason (Todd Armstrong), a fearless sailor and explorer, who returns to the kingdom of Thessaly after a 20 year voyage to make his rightful claim to the throne. But to do so, Jason must first find the magical Golden Fleece. He selects a crew and with the help of Hera, Queen of the Gods, sets sail in search of the Fleece. Jason and his crew must overcome incredible obstacles including a 100-foot bronze giant, the venomous Hydra—a huge creature with the heads of seven snakes—and a spectacular battle with an army of skeletons. https://www.gablescinema.com/events/jason-and-the-argonauts/

Saturday, February 11 from 3:30 to 8:30pm

Oyster Fest at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club

Come out to the Coconut Grove Sailing Club for an amazing Oyster Feast while fundraising for their youth sailing scholarship program, showcasing the finest oysters and seafood from the Pacific Northwest, hosted by members Antony and Cora Barran. The event will also feature an assortment of the freshest available Pacific Northwest seafood. It's all-you-can-eat for $150 per person. Limited number of tickets available. Get details and purchase tickets online.

Saturday, February 11 at 6:30pm

Annual Daddy Daughter Dance

Enjoy a night of dancing and dining on Saturday, at the Coral Gables Golf & Country Club Grand Ballroom for the 25th annual Daddy-Daughter Dance. This annual event is open to all ages and includes dinner, music, photos, and lots of fun. Get details and RSVP online.

Saturday, February 11 at 9pm

The Outsiders: The Complete Novel

4K Restoration - Early 1960s. Tulsa, Oklahoma. The city is divided between teenagers who have grown up with wealth and privilege and the rough-edged "greasers" from the wrong side of the tracks. The greasers yearn for the life they see on the other side of town, but the rich kids want to keep them in their places. Then, one greaser dares cross the line to talk, and to dream of more, with a girl from across the tracks, an action that can only lead to conflict on a hot, steamy night. Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation of S.E. Hinton's classic novel helped launch the careers of several actors who would go on to become Hollywood stars, including Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Diane Lane, Matt Dillon, Emilio Estevez, and Ralph Macchio. This "Complete Novel" edition, intended to be more faithful to the source material, reintroduces 22 minutes of footage that was cut from the theatrical version and adds a rousing rock and roll soundtrack that complements the film's score. https://www.gablescinema.com/events/the-outsiders/

Sunday, February 12 at 4:30pm

100 Voices: Some Moor History

As Coral Gables approaches its 2025 centennial, the Merrick House brings you One Hundred Voices. Attend this delightful history event at the Coral Gablers Merrick House. Completely enamored by the romanticism of Spanish culture, George Merrick wrapped his dreams of building a city with images of seductive Moorish architecture spiced with the patina of a history lasting nearly 800 years on the Iberian Peninsula. His magical visions of the Alhambra palace culminated in selecting Castles in Spain as the design inspiration for Coral Gables. Join Brett Gillis, Ziyad Mneimneh and Sadia Raja as they travel through time highlighting the history of the Moors and their vast influence on Spanish culture and Coral Gables. Get details and purchase $5 tickets online.

Monday, February 13 at 8pm

Monday Jazz - Jim Jago and Troy Roberts

Every Monday, the Miami Jazz Coop presents great musicians representing a wide range of jazz with cabaret style seating to ensure an intimate jazz experience at the UU Congregation of Miami, 7701 SW 76 Avenue (Ira Sullivan Way). Jim Jago and Troy Roberts get started at 8pm. Get details and tickets online.

Valentine's Day Special

MKT Kitchen's "Takeout & Chill" Dinner for Two

For those opting for a hassle-free romantic night in, MKT Kitchen is offering a special takeout dinner for two for $149 featuring two pounds of medium stone crabs; a house salad for two; choice of one side for two: creamed spinach or Pasta Arrabiata; choice of one dessert for two: 2 slices of key lime pie or 2 cookies; choice of red or white bottle of wine. Upgrade to large stone crabs for an additional $40. Please pre-order in-person at 305-882-2600, or email info@mktkitchen.com before February 14. https://mktkitchen.com

Tuesday, February 14 starting at 5:30pm

Valentine’s Dinner at Luca Osteria

Luca Osteria at 116 Giralda will be offering a seven-course sharing-style menu for $125 per person plus an optional wine pairing for an additional $75. Get details and RSVP online. https://lucamiami.com

Tuesday, February 14 at 7pm

Cane River

4K Restoration - Written, produced, and directed by Emmy Award-winning documentarian, Horace B. Jenkins, and crafted by an entirely African American cast and crew, Cane River is a racially-charged love story in Natchitoches Parish, a "free community of color" in Louisiana. A budding, forbidden romance lays bare the tensions between two black communities, both descended from slaves but of disparate opportunity -- the light-skinned, property-owning Creoles and the darker-skinned, more disenfranchised families of the area.

https://www.gablescinema.com/events/cane-river/

Tuesday, February 14 at 7pm

Private Cabana Valentine’s Dinner

Make plans for an exclusive and intimate setting for two at a Biltmore Hotel private poolside cabana. Your menu begins with a fresh little gem salad, followed by the luscious, yet sweet and mild taste of shrimp served with a tangy house made cocktail sauce. For your entrée, select either a perfectly cooked filet mignon with roasted vegetables or a fresh pan-seared red snapper with turnip puree and red curry sauce. Your meal closes with the dessert course featuring your choice of a heart-shaped strawberry tart or a chocolate caramel dome. The cost is $125 per person. Contact Vanessa at 305-445-8066, ext 2374. Get details online.

Tuesday, February 14

Four Course Celebration Dinner for Two

Bulla Gastrobar presents an elegant Valentine's Day menu with Chef's Board, grilled steak, Maine lobster Caldoso, short ribs, churros de chocolate and more. Get details online. 

Tuesday, February 14 at 7:30pm

Love Is In The Air - Solange Merdinian

Straight from Carnegie Hall and a performance at the Firdaus Orchestra at the World Expo Dubai, Solange Merdinian brings us an unforgettable, romantic Valentine's Day performance featuring a Global song book of classic love songs, Latin fusion, Tango, and a few surprises, at Sanctuary of The Arts. Get details and purchase $25 tickets online. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/love-is-in-the-air-tickets-523864612157

Wednesday, February 15 at 7:30pm

Zukerman Leads Mozart

World-class artist Pinchas Zukerman joins the Frost Symphony Orchestra at Gusman Concert Hall in an all-Mozart concert. The program includes the overture to The Marriage of Figaro and the light-hearted G major violin concerto. Mozart only wrote two minor-keyed symphonies, and both are in G. Sometimes called the "Great G minor Symphony," Symphony no. 40 in G minor is a masterwork of the Classical era and the finale for this marvelous evening. Get details and RSVP online.

Friday, February 17 at 7:30pm

Seraphic Fire - Enlightenment Festival - Life | Death

During an age of high mortality, Johann Sebastian Bach experienced the stark and tenuous nature of life and death firsthand. As a result, Bach’s music of human existence and death is, unsurprisingly, probing and profound. Seraphic Fire sings two of Bach’s haunting cantatas on death, and Reginald Mobley is featured in the solo alto cantata Vergnügte Ruh in this musical evening of inspiration and reflection. The performance takes place at St. Philip's Episcopal, 1121 Andalusia Ave. Get details and purchase tickets online.

Friday, February 17 at 8pm

West Side Story - Live Concert Performance

Enjoy a concert version of Leonard Bernstein’s beloved West Side Story at Pinecrest Gardens' Banyan Bowl Theater with the spectacular Alhambra Orchestra and some of the most outstanding voices in South Florida. Tickets are $20–30. Call 888-622-4849. http://www.miamiactingco.org

Saturday, February 18

Bird Day at Tropical Audubon

After a two year pandemic hiatus, Bird Day returns to the Tropical Audubon Society campus in South Miami. Now in its ninth iteration, this annual Bird Day is an engaging, educational afternoon chock-full of enriching outdoor experiences. Featuring interactive activities and prizes, the free nature festival is designed for children and families, students, scouts and naturalists of every age, with rehabilitated wild birds and animals rescued by the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station and Wildlife Rescue of Dade County. Take part in Owl Pellet dissection. Craft Piping Plover chicks. Hone your binocular skills. Try your hand at Nature Journaling. Hear author Marta Magellan read her new children’s book: Flying Jewels: A Hummingbird Story. Get details and RSVP online. https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/bird-day-2023

February 18-20

Coconut Grove Arts Festival

The legacy of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival continues with a long weekend of fabulous artists and artworks on display throughout the street of Coconut Grove. Proceeds help fund year-round arts programs. Since its inception in 1963, the association has awarded hundreds of scholarships to students who attend fine arts programs in local schools.

https://cgaf.com

Sunday, February 19 from noon to 3pm

Woman's Club Centennial Fashion Show and Brunch

The Coral Gables Woman's Club will be celebrating 100 years of community service with a  Fashion Show and Brunch spectacular featuring clothing from designer Nathalie Moya and Bloom Boutique, modeled with jewelry accessories from Lele Reis Boutique. This is the premier event of their Centennial Year -- focusing on women-owned businesses and services. Invite all the women in your circle to attend, see the show, nibble on brunch bites made by R Catering, and drink some bubbly... with more surprises for attendees. The Coral Gables Woman's Club, founded in 1923, appreciates your support as it strives to better serve our community in a variety of ways -- but most importantly, since 1939 -- their free Children's Dental Clinic, providing free dental services to low income children in Miami Dade county. Your participation helps to bring beautiful smiles to their faces. The Woman's Club is located at 1001 E. Ponce de Leon Blvd. Call 305-733-5290. https://www.gfwccoralgableswomansclub.org/events 

Save The Date
Sunday, February 26 at 4pm

March Madness III... In February

This performance by the Greater Miami Symphonic Band at Pinecrest Gardens features many famous marches, but maybe not so obvious. Led by Music Director, Robert Longfield, the program includes the "River Kwai March," "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral" (Wagner), "Star Wars," "In Quest of Excellence" (Robert Longfield original composition), and "If My Friends Could See Me Now," sung by vocalist Susie Blank Wolfe. Tickets are $20 for adults, $5 for children over age 5 and for students with school ID, and are available at the box office on the concert day, or in advance online. Free admission to the Gardens after 3pm with adult ticket on the day of the concert. Call the GMSB HotLine 305-273-7687 or get details online.

Behold Light Transformed

Experience The Hunter Douglas Gallery at Biscayne Décor

Offering a complete shopping experience, The Hunter Douglas Gallery at Biscayne Décor presents premium displays and a full line of window treatment products and services to enhance and elevate your home, delivering the utmost in both sophistication and quality. These shades are designed and custom-assembled in the USA, built to your specifications and guaranteed to last. Explore different materials, styles, operating systems, fabrics and colors and choose your perfect window-treatment solution. Behold light transformed. Biscayne Décor is located at 1404 Ponce. Call 305-569-0505. https://www.biscaynedecor.com/

New Age Agriculture

South Tip Hemp Tours

Described as a hemp-based CBD company, the team at South Tip Hemp consists of farmers, entrepreneurs and canabis specialists, using the latest technology with tried and true methods to produce the finest quality hemp plants. A myriad of products are derived from the crop, from medicinal tinctures and balms, to pain relievers, gummies, relaxants and consumables. Visitors are welcome to stop by the shop to learn more about South Tip Hemp’s unique products, take a tour of the facility and discover state-of-the-art farming and processing techniques. https://southtip.com/shop