Greetings,

The weather is marvelous this time of the year.

Monday is National Freedom Day and the first day of Black History Month. Tuesday is Groundhog Day -- again. Thursday is a day to honor civil rights icon Rosa Parks. Next weekend, the 74th Super Bowl will be played in Tampa, the first time a competing team is also the host of the game at their own stadium.

Make plans to enjoy the great outdoors in our little city. Walk down Miracle Mile, visit the parks. Stay safe, and enjoy the best of Coral Gables in the coming days.

Robert and Robin Burr

Every Sunday
Biltmore Sunday Brunch
The Biltmore is unveiling an A La Carte Sunday Brunch experience, with first seating at 10am. Enjoy an array of delicious breakfast and lunch boards featuring all of your favorite hot and cold selections. Reserve your table today and enjoy their new Sunday brunch experience at the Biltmore. Seating is limited. Second seating at noon; third seating at 2pm. Call 877-752-2171. Please reserve in advance.

The Hunter Douglas Gallery at Biscayne Décor
Offering a complete shopping experience, with 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/

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

Historic Biltmore Pool

Coral Gables scenic photo illustrations ©  Robin and Robert Burr.

Fontana At The Biltmore
Fontana offers indoor dining plus outdoor alfresco seating in the lush tropical courtyard surrounding a magnificent Mediterranean fountain, featuring Italian-inspired cuisine punctuated with local and seasonal ingredients and an exceptional wine list. Readers rave about the truffle fries, burrata salad and Caesar salad. Or, try the fried calamari and shrimp, tuna tartare or the cheese/panini board for starters. Insalata Caprese is simply marvelous. Among the favorite entrées are Pollo Milanese, Wagyu strip steak, Fettuccine Carbonara, Veal Scallopine, New York Strip, Wood roasted Spanish octopus or crispy pork belly, black ink lobster ravioli, Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina and Risotto Pescatore. For dessert, the tiramisu is superb and the Key lime pie is respectable. Fontana At The Biltmore, 1200 Anastasia, is open for lunch from 11:30 am to 3pm, then again for dinner from 6 to 10pm. Call 305-913-3200. https://www.biltmorehotel.com/dining/

Thursday, January 28 at 5pm
Fairchild Full Moon Session: Nighttime Photography
South Florida’s sunsets seem to get richer with color and the moon bigger as it begins to rise. In this one-night class at Fairchild Garden students will photograph the rise of the moon. Sturdy tripods and cameras with interchangeable lenses or point-and-shoot cameras with close-up settings and user-adjustable settings are strongly recommended. This class is designed for intermediate to advanced students. Member Adult: $40. Non-Member Adult: $50. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is located at 10901 Old Cutler Road. Call 305-667-1651. https://www.fairchildgarden.org

Opens January 29
Supernova at Gables Cinema
Sam (Colin Firth) and Tusker (Stanley Tucci), partners of twenty years, are travelling across England in their old campervan visiting friends, family and places from their past. Following a life-changing diagnosis, their time together has become more important than ever until secret plans test their love like never before. View trailer. Now playing at the theater. Coral Gables Art Cinema is located at 260 Aragon. Call 786-385-9689 or visit the web site for details. https://www.gablescinema.com/events/supernova/

Virtual Screening Room:

True Mothers - After a couple adopt a young boy, a woman claiming to be his mother appears on their doorstep demanding his return in Naomi Kawase's deeply touching celebration of motherhood.
https://www.gablescinema.com/events/true-mothers/

What Happened Was... - A 4K restoration of Tom Noonan's directorial debut, a darkly humorous take on dating dread.
https://www.gablescinema.com/events/what-happened-was/

Saturday, from 8am to 2pm
Coral Gables Farmers' Market
Every Saturday through March 27 the community Farmers Market presents fresh produce, prepared foods, baked goods, flowers and workshops for all ages from 8am to 2pm at City Hall. Be safe. Wear a mask. https://www.coralgables.com/farmers-market-at-merrick-park

Sunday, January 30 at 11am
Kids: Goldilocks and Little Red Riding Hood
The fun-filled children’s classic story of Goldilocks tells of spoiled child and how the three bears teach her a lesson after she disrupts their charming home. Featuring colorful costumes and upbeat, character-oriented dance movement, the tale is told through dance, music and narration. Goldilocks transforms from a spoiled brat into a delightful young lady after her encounter with the three bears. Also -- Red Riding Hood learns not to talk to strangers, and gets a big scare. Colorful costumes, comic characterizations and exciting dance sequences add to the familiar story. Now available via Momentum Dance Company’s Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/MomentumDanceCompany/

Saturday, January 30 at 7:30pm
The Percussion Collective on YouTube Live
Presented by Frost Music Live Signature Series & Premier Peformances, The Percussion Collective is a stunning collection of artists poised to reinvent the concert experience. The group transcends the medium of percussion through memorable performances that engage audiences at a profound emotional level. Premier Performances presents this world-class chamber ensemble in an evening of virtual performance, featuring Frost School of Music's very own faculty member, Svet Stoyanov. https://events.miami.edu/event/the-percussion-collective

Monday, January 31 at 3pm
Matthew Sabatella & the Rambling String Band
With vocals, guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and bass fiddle, The Rambling String Band brings to life music that is woven into the fabric of the United States: traditional folk songs, fiddle tunes, old-time country, bluegrass, Appalachian music, ragtime, blues, spirituals, railroad and cowboy songs, work songs, sea shanties, reels, breakdowns, ballads, and more. A popular favorite, your kids will have a rollicking, foot-stomping, good old time. Tickets are: $10 for Kids (3-17), $12 Seniors (65 & Up), $15 Adults, $36 for a Family pack. Get your ticket today by visiting http://bit.ly/msrsb2021. For more information, please visit http://orchestramiami.org

Wednesday, February 3 at 6pm
COVID-19 Community Meeting Online
Join Commissioner Patricia Keon, Fire Chief Marcos De La Rosa and FIU Professor Dr. Aileen Marty for a virtual community meeting regarding all things COVID-19 vaccines. Join online via the Zoom app on your smart phone, pad or computer. https://zoom.us/j/3054466800

Saturday, February 6 at 4pm
Seraphic Fire - In Pursuit of Peace
Exploring humanity’s continual quest for peace through the music of American composers Steve Reich and Samuel Barber, Seraphic Fire sets the anonymous poems of Irish monks from the 8th to the 13th centuries to music composed in the 20th century. Samuel Barber’s Hermit Songs are a meditation on solitude, isolation, and the simple joys of life. A special rebroadcast of the 2016 performance of Reich’s The Desert Music by Seraphic Fire and New World Symphony, conducted by Patrick Quigley, raises the duality of war and peace and questions the lengths humankind will go to achieve its goals. https://www.seraphicfire.org

Saturday, February 6 at 6:30pm
Daddy & Daughter Dinner - Luau at Venetian Pool
The traditional daddy-daughter dance has been transformed this year into a Daddy & Daughter Dinner Luau at the Venetian Pool with early seating at 6pm. Cost is $50 per person, which includes a welcome and take-home gift, keepsake invitations, dinner/desert, souvenir photo, and table games and crafts. Venetian Pool is located at 2701 DeSoto Blvd. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Saturday, February 13 at 1pm
Secret Garden Tour Of Coconut Grove
Enjoy a self-guided tour of six private gardens in Coconut Grove. Ticket sales are very limited especially for car tickets. Bikes and scooters are encouraged. All proceeds benefit Friends of the Commodore Trail. Link to Tickets.

Saturday, February 20 at 2pm
Wizard Of Oz - Live On Stage
After a tornado whisks her away to the magical land of OZ, young Kansas farm girl Dorothy Gale teams up with a Scarecrow, a Tin Woodsman and a Cowardly Lion to avoid the clutches of the Wicked Witch of the West to find the mighty Wizard who can send her home. Originally produced by the award-winning Prince Street Players, this funny and clever musical is sure to entertain both the largest and smallest of munchkins. https://www.actorsplayhouse.org/childrens-theatre/

Sunday, February 21 at 2pm
Charles H. Baker and Java Head
The Miami Pioneers and Natives of Dade historical society welcomes members and friends to an online presentation about the life of world travelers and celebrated bon vivants Charles and Pauline Baker, creators of the famed Java Head residence on the Coral Gables Waterway. Charles Henry Baker Jr. was an American author best known for his culinary and cocktail writings. During prohibition, Charles Baker traveled the world in search of exotic alcoholic beverages in addition to interesting people with whom he could share them. The Gentleman’s Companion: The Exotic Drinking Book is the summation of Baker’s drinking experiences abroad. https://www.mpnod.org/events/feb-21-charles-h-baker-and-java-head/

Many of our favorite eateries in the Gables are offering curbside takeout, as well as delivery services. Here's a handy list of choices for Gables residents and friends.

http://www.greatgables.com/CoralGables/ToGo.html

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