Greetings {name},

Friday, May 20 is National Defense Transportation Day. Congress approved the third Friday of May each year as National Defense Transportation Day, recognizing the men and women who work in the transportation industry and who contribute to the nation’s well-being and defense, a part of National Transportation Week.

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

Snapper Creek Marina on Old Cutler Road

click on the image to see enlargement.

Coral Gables scenic photo illustrations © Robin and Robert Burr.

Now Playing through June 5

Murder on The Orient Express

The exotic Orient Express is about to go off the rails. With a locomotive full of suspects and an alibi for each one, it’s the perfect mystery for detective Hercule Poirot. This new adaptation of Agatha Christie’s masterpiece will take audiences on the most suspenseful, thrilling ride of Actors’ Playhouse’s 2021-2022 Season. Tony Award-winning Playwright Ken Ludwig succeeds in almost driving the Orient Express right off its rails. https://www.actorsplayhouse.org/mainstage/

Now Through October 30

Painting in Excess: Kyiv’s Art Revival

Enjoy the current exhibit in the Carole A. Fewell Gallery at the Coral Gables Museum -- Painting in Excess: Kyiv’s Art Revival, 1985-1993. The years following the inception of perestroika policies and encompassing the collapse of the Soviet Union remarkably transformed Kyiv’s art scene, successfully launching Ukrainian contemporary art as a truly global phenomenon. The calm waters of the culturally provincial capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Republic became radically stirred with new and daring art made publicly visible for the first time since the avant-garde period. This explosion of styles, rediscovered histories, and newly found freedoms blossoming against the background of the collapsing Soviet empire, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986, and increasing economic scarcity created an effect of baroque excess. Get details online.

Acting Classes For Kids
Area Stage Summer Session

As part of their mission to educate the next generation of theatre artists, the Area Stage Company is proud to offer group classes, private lessons, and professional-caliber performance opportunities to aspiring artists, ages 3 and up. Area Stage presents the best curriculum of classes in the coming session for the talented members of your family. Enrollment is now open for the summer season. https://www.areastage.org/enroll-in-classes-and-productions

Thursday, May 19 at 5:30pm

Sip & Stroll in the Garden

Enjoy a twilight stroll through Fairchild Garden with a plethora of delightful activities, including Traditional Jazz by Miami Jazz Collective; Access to the Rainforest & Plant Conservatories during Golden Hour; Signature Cocktail and Specialty Bar; Food Trucks; Lawn games; Picnic Baskets for Two ($70). Tickets are $24.95. Get details and tickets online.

Thursday, May 19 at 7pm

José Martí in Florida - The Untold Stories

The Sanctuary Of The Arts Distinguished Speaker Series presents 

Learn untold stories of the vital role of Florida's first Cuban American communities in support of their homeland's independence, featuring the Honorable Emiliano "E.J." Salcines, retired appellate judge, Tampa civic leader and eminent historian. Admission is free. The program is in English. Sanctuary of the Arts is located at 410 Andalusia Avenue, across from City Hall Park. Call 305-859-4010. https://www.sanctuaryofthearts.org/programs/

Starts Friday, May 20

Memoria at Gables Cinema

From the extraordinary mind of Palme D'Or-winning director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and starring Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton, comes a bewildering drama about a Scottish woman, who, after hearing a loud 'bang' at daybreak, begins experiencing a mysterious sensory syndrome while traversing the jungles of Colombia. The film had its world premiere at the 74th Cannes Film Festival and was awarded the Jury Prize. It was selected as the Colombian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards. https://www.gablescinema.com/events/memoria/

Friday, May 20 at 7:30pm

Robin Peguero - With Prejudice

No one knows what happened that night. Seven strangers must decide. Earl Thomas, a straight-laced taxman with his fair share of police encounters, is the begrudging foreperson in a high-stakes trial in Miami. Laura Hurtado-Perez is a physician whose unassuming manner conceals a private pain. Joseph Cole is the founder of his local neighborhood watch, unduly obsessed with the families around him. Along with four others, these jurors of varying ages and walks of life whose paths would likely never have otherwise crossed must come together to make one of the most important decisions of their lives. With striking originality and expert storytelling, Robin Peguero’s debut novel explores the prejudice that hangs over every trial in America. You’ve never read a legal thriller quite like this. There’s never been a thriller writer quite like Peguero. And you will not be able to predict how it all ends. Meet the author at Books & Books. This event is free. Get details and RSVP online.

Saturday, May 21 at 4pm

Vienna - A Journey From Beethoven Through WW1

Mainly Mozart Festival's favorite, this season the Amernet String Quartet will present a specially curated program titled "Vienna: A Journey from Beethoven through World War I" at Sanctuary of the Arts, featuring works by Beethoven, Schulhoff and Brahms. Praised for their "intelligence" and "immensely satisfying" playing by the New York Times, the Amernet String Quartet has garnered recognition as one of today's exceptional string quartets and are Ensemble-in-Residence at Florida International University in Miami. Their sound has been called "complex" but with an "old world flavor." Get details and tickets online.

Monday, May 23 at 5pm

Downtown Community Cleanup

Meet in front of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce office located at 201 Alhambra Circle, Suite 100 for another Downtown Community Cleanup. Participants are invited after the event for light bites and refreshments, courtesy of Baptist Health South Florida. Volunteer hours are available upon request. Presented by Keep Coral Gables Beautiful, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, and Business Improvement District. https://www.coralgables.com/kcgb

Tuesday, May 24 at 6pm

W. Allen Morris - All In

Local Real Estate icon Allen Morris discusses his book: All In: How to Risk Everything for Everything that Matters in person at Books & Books. This is a freedom manual for hard-driving, success-oriented leaders who are ready to explore the terra incognita of their hidden self in order to find and experience the life they deeply want -- the path to greater freedom, joy, creativity, and power. Drawing on the insights of neuroscience, psychology, addiction recovery, and biblical wisdom -- and sharing dramatic stories from his own life and those of other leaders -- Morris delivers a practical and inspiring plan for how men can achieve exponentially greater effectiveness, fulfillment, creativity, and influence for good. Get details and RSVP (required) online.

Wednesday, May 25 at 6:30pm

Yoga By The Sea

Enjoy restorative yoga in a natural setting, free from pesticides, traffic exhaust fumes, and bustle from modern life with Yoga by the Sea at the Barnacle. Participants are invited to breathe and stretch on the grassy lawn beneath the open skies. Set your intentions to begin a tranquil practice with us here. Bring your yoga mat and enjoy a session of Hatha Yoga with instructor Gabby Goldbaum in the calm oasis of this bayside setting. Price is $15 per class, $65 for the 5-class pass, including parking at The Barnacle. https://thebarnacle.org/events/

Starts Thursday, July 9 at 8pm

CAP Starry, Starry Nights Concert Series

Enjoy the return of the Community Arts Program virtual concert series bringing stellar artists to concertgoers’ homes every other Thursday evening from June 9 to August 18. Experience superb musical evenings within the historic Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ -- directly across from the world-famous Biltmore Hotel. From opening night with renowned clarinetist Ken Peplowski in a dazzling tribute to Benny Goodman, to Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition finalist Quiana Lynell, six concerts feature outstanding classical and jazz luminaries. Get details and purchase tickets online.