Greetings {name},

Saturday, February 12 is President Abraham Lincoln's Birthday. A wreath-laying ceremony and reading of the Gettysburg Address at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC are traditional events.

Monday, February 14 is Valentine's Day, a time to celebrate love between couples.

Tuesday, February 15 is Susan B. Anthony Day, commemorating her pioneer achievements promoting women's rights and starting up the women's suffrage movement in the United States.

Monday, February 21 is Presidents' Day, a public holiday celebrating George Washington and founders of the republic. Many stores hold sales on Washington's Birthday weekend.

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. 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

Entrance to Pinewood (Cocoplum) Cemetery

Coral Gables scenic photo illustrations © Robin and Robert Burr.

Weekend Special Sale

Valentine's Orchid Arrangements

R. F. Orchids has spectacular orchids and beautiful arrangements to express your feelings for someone special in your life this weekend. Stop by the nursery, call or order online. R. F. Orchids is located at 28100 SW 182 Ave. https://rforchid.com

Live Performances through March 6

On Your Feet Musical Debuts February 9

Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre presents its production of On Your Feet! -- the inspiring true story about heart, heritage, and two people who believed in their talent to become an international sensation: Gloria and Emilio Estefan. The Miami engagement of the hit Broadway musical will run from February 9 to March 6 at the Miracle Theatre -- here in the couple’s hometown -- in an original production that celebrates its South Florida Regional Premiere. The Miracle Theatre is located at 280 Miracle Mile. Call 305-444-9293. http://www.actorsplayhouse.org

Accepting Entries through April 1

Capture Downtown Coral Gables Photo Contest

The Coral Gables Museum and the Business Improvement District of Coral Gables (BID) invite photo-based artists of all ages and backgrounds to submit fresh and creative images of The City Beautiful to a Special Edition of the photography contest, Capture Coral Gables 2022. In honor of the 25th anniversary of the BID, this edition, devoted to Downtown Coral Gables, will offer 25 prizes to the best 25 photos. https://coralgablesmuseum.org/Capture-Coral-Gables/

Now Playing through February 19

Strong Black Leads Film Program

Experience a celebration of talented filmmakers and performers who, despite the odds, have made remarkable contributions to cinema through their respective crafts. Presented in recognition of Black History Month by the Coral Gables Art Cinema. The films include: Lilies of the Field, No Way Out, Paris Blues, Carmen Jones, Eve's Bayou, Chameleon Street, and Cotton Comes to Harlem. https://www.gablescinema.com/coming-soon/

Thursday, February 10 from 5:30 to 7:30pm 

Encore! Concert in Coral Gables

Stamps Brass Band, a student quintet from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music takes the outdoor stage at McBride Plaza in the second Encore! Series outdoor concert. Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago and Frost School of Music Dean Shelton (Shelly) Berg will introduce the performance. Get details online.

Friday, February 11 at 5:30pm

Pierre Cavalan - Amuletum, Totems 

Join the Lowe Art Museum online for an exhibit from Force of Nature: highlights from the Myrna B. Palley Art Jewelry Collection. Pierre  Cavalan broke new boundaries within the jewelry trade, mixing old and new materials in a baroque style that remains unique to his artistic style. His works have been collected by National institutions around the world. Get details online.

Friday, February 11 from 6 to 8pm

Audubon: Preserving the Past, Protecting the Future

Attend the free Opening Night wine and cheese reception celebrating the February Wirtz Gallery exhibit titled "Preserving the Past, Protecting the Future" -- an intimate look at Tropical Audubon Society's 75-year trajectory, with deep local roots and crucial conservation mission. This colorful and captivating illustrated history will be brought to life via vintage and contemporary images, iconic, original Double Elephant Folio and Octavo John James Audubon prints, canvases by South Florida wildlife painter Patricia Cummins and bird photographs by visual storyteller Federico Acevedo. The Wirtz Gallery is located at First National Bank of South Miami, 5750 Sunset Drive. RSVP in advance.

Friday, February 11 at 7pm

Sultry Shorts at Books & Books

In partnership with Books & Books, City Theatre will close this season’s City Reads series with a steamy favorite: Sultry Shorts. This free live reading of four sizzling shorts will have you blushing from excitement and giggling with delight. Reservations required. Get details online. https://www.booksandbooks.com/event/in-person-sultry-shorts-with-city-theatre/

Saturdays from 8am to 2pm

Farmers' Market At City Hall

Enjoy Coral Gables' iconic farmers market from 8am to 2pm every Saturday through March 26 featuring fresh fruits, vegetables, prepared foods, baked goods, flowers and plants, free tai chi classes, gardening workshops, cooking demos, and activities for children. https://www.coralgables.com/farmers-market-at-merrick-park

Saturday, February 12 at 9am

Fabulous Fungi Seminar

Enjoy a free seminar at the Saturday Coral Gables Famers Market By Dr. Lena Mueller, Professor, University of Miami, on Fabulous Fungi. One teaspoon of healthy soil contains more microorganisms than there are people on earth. These microbes -- yeasts, algae, protozoa, bacteria, nematodes, fungi -- turn organic matter into rich dark humus in the soil. Fungi are the largely invisible ecosystem engineers. Find out how fungi are responsible for almost all of our food production and a lot of important medicines. Discover how to treat these fabulous fungi with respect in your yard so they can do their magic. For more information call 305-450-5600 or email: parksandrecreation@coralgables.com

Saturday, Sunday at 11am

Babe: Pig in the City

Visit the Gables Cinema for the 1998 sequel by director George Miller, Babe: Pig in the City, as part of the Family Day on Aragon series. Babe the pig, while reveling in his sheepherding contest victory, returns to Farmer Hoggett’s farm to resume his life as a humble shepherd. https://www.gablescinema.com/events/babe-pig-in-the-city/

Saturday, February 12 at 6pm

Miami Symphony Orchestra at Peacock Park

Enjoy a fantastic evening with the Miami Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Eduardo Marturet at the historial Peacock Park in Coconut Grove. This free concert is open to the public. https://themiso.org/conciertos/06-miso-peacock-park/

Saturday, February 12 at 7:30pm

Strauss, Ravel, and Debussy

Frost Symphony Orchestra presents a tone poem in a single-movement of descriptive orchestral music from the Romantic era. Strauss’ Don Juan, composed when he was twenty-four, became an international success and established his reputation as an important exponent of modernism. Ravel’s Bolero was originally written as a ballet. Debussy’s La Mer is considered one of the supreme achievements in symphonic literature. A student soloist competition winner performs Chausson’s Poème. Gerard Schwarz conducts. Pre-registration and payment required. https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/10829993

Saturday, February 12 at 9pm

Chameleon Street

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 1990 Sundance Film Festival -- yet criminally underseen for over three decades -- Chameleon Street recounts the improbable but true story of Michigan con man Douglas Street, the titular "chameleon" who successfully impersonated his way up the socioeconomic ladder by posing as a magazine reporter, an Ivy League student, a respected surgeon, and a corporate lawyer. Elevated by a dexterous performance and daring direction from multi-hyphenate actor-writer-director Wendell B. Harris Jr., the film pins a lens on race, class and performance in American identity, which has lost none of its relevance. https://www.gablescinema.com/events/chameleon-street/

Sunday, February 13 at 3pm

Carnival - Orchestra Miami Family Fun Concert Series

Orchestra Miami’s Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Family Fun Series continues with Carnival at Pinecrest Gardens. Learn about the music and traditions of Brazilian Carnival and the traditions of Capoiera. Created by Brazilian slaves in the state of Bahia, Capoiera is a Brazilian cultural expression which combines martial arts, sport, popular culture, dance and music and is considered one of the greatest symbols of Brazilian culture. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, $8 for kids, and $39 for a family pack (2 kids and two adults). https://www.orchestramiami.org/carnival

Sunday, February 13 at 4pm

Fried Green Tomatoes

Adapted from the best-selling novel by Fannie Flagg, this inspiring buddy film stars Academy Award winners Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy alongside Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary-Louise Parker. When unhappy housewife Evelyn Couch (Bates) befriends Ninny, a woman in a nursing home with an exciting past, she lives vicariously through her thrilling tales. https://www.gablescinema.com/events/fried-green-tomatoes/

Monday, February 14 starting at 5:45pm

Valentine’s Day Dinner at Luca Osteria

Luca Osteria is opening on a Monday for its very first Valentine’s Day dinner. The seven course prix fixe menu highlights truffles and chocolate in every dish and is meant to be shared. Price is $149 per person and includes two glasses of rosé. Reservations are required. Luca Osteria is located at 116 Giralda Avenue. Call 305-381-5097. https://lucamiami.com

Monday, February 14 at 6pm

Romance Under The Stars At the Venetian Pool

The annual Romance under the Stars event at Venetian Pool features a night of fun, dancing and romance -- with buffet-style dinner, group dancing, and a souvenir photo to take home. Tickets are $75 per person. For complete details, email VPinfo@coralgables.com

Monday, February 14 at 7:10pm

Moonstruck

Loretta Castorini (Cher) lives a life that comes with many checked boxes. Boisterous and caring family? Check. Stable fiancé? Check. Fruitful job? Check. Yet, when she meets her fiancé’s over-the-top, dramatic brother (Nicolas Cage), she finds passion and excitement that she has never known. Has she really been living all this time, or has she just been existing as the dutiful, responsible woman in everyone’s life? As Loretta seeks out true happiness, her world opens up. Moonstruck was nominated for six Academy Awards after its debut. Cher won an Academy Award for her performance and supporting actress Olympia Dukakis and screenwriter John Patrick Shanley also won Oscars in this comedy classic. https://www.gablescinema.com/events/moonstruck/

Monday, February 14 at 7:30pm

An Italian Valentine - Chamber Ensemble

Miami’s newest chamber ensemble, I Solisti di Miami, takes us on a romantic musical journey to Vivaldi’s Venice at UM Gusman Concert Hall. Led by Frost faculty Bettina Mussumeli, Jodi Levitz, and Ross Harbaugh, the ensemble also features Frost alumni and current students. Pre-registration and payment required. https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/10829995

Monday, February 14 at 8pm

Outdoor Concert on Valentine's Day

The Moonlight & Music Valentine's Day Concert at the Deering Estate offers couples and friends the opportunity to celebrate their love at an outdoor concert under the stars in this delightful romantic setting. Pack a picnic, or preorder food through Joanna’s Marketplace, or purchase food when you arrive. Settle into your lawn chair or cozy up on a blanket to enjoy the sounds of this year’s featured artist, Keba, with an opening performance by The French Horn Collective. The concert starts at 8pm on the lawn of the Deering Estate. Guests can choose General Admission or Private Balcony seating. Purchase tickets online only. The Deering Estate is located at 16701 SW 72nd Avenue. https://deeringestate.org/event/valentines-day-concert-miami/

Wednesday, February 16 at noon

Saving Art Deco with Nancy Liebman

The Villagers’ free monthly Preserving Our Community webinar series presents Saving Art Deco with author Nancy Liebman. This former Miami Beach City Commissioner, Miami Design Preservation League Executive Director, and MiMo Biscayne Association Board member is perhaps best known for her book Preservation Dreams: Reflections of a Miami Beach Activist. The free one-hour Zoom program begins at noon. Please register in advance online. https://thevillagersinc.org/villagers-lunch-and-learn/

February 19-21

Coconut Grove Arts Festival

The Coconut Grove Arts Festival is three-day outdoor art festival with a focus on world-class art, with culinary displays, live performances, and family areas. Held every Presidents’ Day Weekend, the Arts Festival is one of the nation’s premier arts festivals with more than 360 internationally-recognized and jury-selected artists. On-site general admission tickets are $25 on-site and $20 online per person per day. Discount tickets and packages are available in advance online. https://cgaf.com

Saturday, February 19 at 5pm

Watching Movies With: Carmen Pelaez - Saturday Night Fever

Join playwright Carmen Pelaez and Cosford manager Rene Rodriguez for a screening and discussion of John Badham’s Saturday Night Fever (1977) at Cosford Cinema on the UM Campus. https://cosfordcinema.com/event/watching-movies-with-carmen-pelaez/

Starts February 25

The White Card at GableStage

The Florida premiere of Award-winning poet/playwright Claudia Rankine's first published play, The White Card comes to GableStage, posing the essential question: Can American society progress if whiteness remains invisible? https://www.gablestage.org/production/

Saturday, March 5 at 3pm

Frost Opera Theatre - The Leopard

Frost Opera Theater with the Frost Symphony Orchestra present the world premiere of The Leopard at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center. Based on the international best-selling novel Il Gattopardo. Set in Sicily in the year 1860, the opera is told through the eyes of Don Fabrizio Corbera, Prince of Salina (also known as the Leopard). Known for his commanding personality, he is a member of an impoverished Sicilian aristocracy soon to be obsolete. Now facing a society in upheaval, he is forced to choose between decay and progress, and between the downfall of the nobility and the future of his family. Music by Michael Dellaira. Libretto by J. D. McClatchy. The opera runs 120 minutes with intermission. Discount tickets are available online. Use code: FROSTFRIEND. The South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center is located at 10950 SW 211 Street in Cutler Bay. https://smdcac.org/events/leopard-world-premiere

The Season Is Here

Everglades Swamp Tours

Reserve space with Everglades Swamp Tours for an amazing adventure in the wild Everglades -- with your own custom tour of these vast open spaces. Experience the natural wildlife up close and appreciate the serene nature of this pristine environment. https://www.evergladesswamptours.com

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