Greetings {name},

The majestic grounds of the Biltmore Resort and Golf Course.

Friday, June 23 is United Nations’ Public Service Day, celebrating the value and virtue of service to the community.

It's also International Widows' Day, a time to consider the hardships that widows and their children often face.

Friday, June 30 is International Asteroid Day, the anniversary of the Tunguska impact, considered to be the largest asteroid impact on Earth in recorded history.

Saturday, July 1 is National Postal Worker Day, a chance to show appreciation and give thanks to all postal workers.

Tuesday, July 4th is the anniversary of the publication of the Declaration Of Independence from Great Britain in 1776, celebrated with gatherings and picnics, often highlighted by fireworks or sky lighting demonstrations.

Wednesday, July 5 is International Bikini Day. (really?) In 1946, the new bathing suits were named in reference to Bikini Island, where the United States tested atomic bombs. Remember Raquel Welch's famous bikini shot in the One Million Years B.C. movie?

Thursday, July 6 is National Southern Fried Chicken Day, so set aside some time to enjoy crisp and tasty, finger-licking good southern fried chicken.

Monday, July 10 is Piña Colada Day, so get the rum, cream of coconut and pineapple juice ready for the blender, to enjoy this sublime taste and texture of the tropics.

Tuesday, July 11 is World Population Day, a time to increase people’s awareness about various population issues such as the importance of family planning, gender equality, poverty, maternal health, and human rights.

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

Saturday, July 1 from 8:30am to 7:30pm

Superstar Summit 2023

Enjoy a celebration of inspiring leaders and their ideas as Superstar Activator's Superstar Summit takes place at the Hyatt Regency at 50 Alhambra Plaza. Are you a contribution-oriented leader? Do you love learning about new ideas, strategies, and paradigm shifts for growth? Want to be surrounded by other creators, innovators, and change-makers? Superstar Summit is where some of the coolest, kindest, and smartest people you'll ever meet share their hard-won wisdom, best practices, and strategies for a successful and fulfilling life. Use promo code "friendsandfamily" for discounted registration. The price is $97. Call 888-531-3830. Get details and register online.

Now Energized

Miami-Dade 2023 Solar Co-op

Residents and small businesses of Miami-Dade County are eligible to join this co-op to understand the fine details and get the best prices for clean green solar energy installations. Solar United Neighbors (SUN) is a national nonprofit helping people go solar, join together, and fight for their energy rights. SUN provides unbiased, installer-neutral support through each stage of the process of going solar. There is no obligation to install, and no cost to join. For details, send email to: flteam@solarunitedneighbors.org or visit the web page online.

Coral Gables Woman's Club Centennial Year: celebrating one hundred years of volunteer service to the community — and highlighting the significant contributions of women in the first century of Coral Gables. Find out how you can buy a memorial brick to commemorate a loved one. gfwccoralgableswomansclub.org/

Starts Friday

Wes Anderson's Asteroid City

Asteroid City takes place in a fictional American desert town circa 1955 where the itinerary of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention (organized to bring together students and parents from across the country for fellowship and scholarly competition) is spectacularly disrupted by world-changing events. The film features an impressive ensemble cast, including Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Ed Norton, Adrien Brody, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Jeff Goldblum, among others. Get details online.

Now Playing

Native Gardens at GableStage

In this sparkling comedy of good intentions and bad manners at GableStage, cultures and gardens clash, turning well-intentioned neighbors into feuding enemies. Pablo, a rising attorney, and doctoral candidate Tania, his very pregnant wife, have just

purchased a home next to Frank and Virginia, a well-established D.C. couple with a prize-worthy English garden. But an impending barbeque for Pablo’s colleagues and a delicate disagreement over a long-standing fence line soon spirals into an all-out border dispute, exposing both couples’ notions of race, taste, class and privilege.

Get details and purchase tickets online.

Now Through September 4

Dragons and Mythical Creatures at Fairchild Gardens

Larger than life dragons have migrated to Fairchild. Behold the fully animatronic beasts as these mythical giants roar and share their legendary tales. Kids will enjoy scavenger hunts, dragon quests and will even have the opportunity to become knights and dragon royalty. It’s the must see summer experience in Miami. Tickets include general admission to explore the garden. Get details and purchase tickets online.

Thursday, June 22 at 7pm

Writing Group With Dana Swift

Join a new Writing Group at Books and Books with YA Fantasy author Dana Swift. Dana will be discussing the craft of writing along with publishing insights. You’ll get the chance to ask any and all your questions about writing, querying, and publishing. She’ll also be leading the group in a five page critique. So please bring five pages of your book or short story to read aloud for feedback. All are welcome and not required to read to attend. Get details online.

Thursday, June 22 at 7:30pm

Cellist Mark Kosower

Principal Cello of the Cleveland Orchestra, Mark Kosower, embodies the complete musician, exemplified through his numerous awards and accolades. Joined by pianist, Melivia Raharjo, it’s an incredible evening with music of Beethoven, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, Krenek, Myaskovsky, and Martinů. Get details and purchase tickets online.

Thursday, June 22 at 9:30pm

A Tribute to Taylor Swift at Colonnade Hotel

Candlelight Concerts brings the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience by Listeso String Quartet to the Colonnade, featuring the music of Taylor Swift. Selections include Lavender Haze; Love Story; Cardigan; Blank Space; Enchanted; Anti-Hero; We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together; All Too Well; Wildest Dreams; Lover; I Knew You Were Trouble; You Belong With Me. Get details and purchase $37 tickets online.

Saturday, June 24 at 7:30am

Woman's Club Centennial Million Orchid Project

The Coral Gables Woman's Club has set a date and time -- Saturday, June 24 at 7:30am -- to install more than 140 orchids in the trees of their historic property as part of Fairchild Garden's Million Orchid Project, restoring native orchids. The work is scheduled to begin early in the morning to avoid the heat later in the day. With the club’s many volunteers, the orchids should be installed within a few hours. For more information about the orchid event, or to volunteer, please contact: Robin Burr, 305-794-1541 by text or email: robin.burr@gmail.com or visit GFWCCoralGablesWomansClub.org

Saturday, June 24 at 2pm

Soul of the Caribbean

Take a musical journey with Reggie Paul (Mr. Smooth), one of the Caribbean's most popular performers at the Coral Gables Library. Reggie prides himself on mastering various musical styles including Reggae, R & B, Light Rock, Calypso, Meringue, Bossa-Nova, Bolero and Jazz. Made possible by the City of Coral Gables. Appropriate for all ages. Call 305-442-8706 or email: capleybr@mdpls.org. Get details online.

Saturday, June 24 at 4:30pm

Chess Club at Gables Library

Meet up with fellow chess enthusiasts for chess lessons open to kids, teens and adults. If you already know how to play, sharpen your chess skills by challenging others. Ages 6 an up. Call 305-442-8706 or email: capleybr@mdpls.org. Get details online.

Saturday, June 24 at 7:30pm

Voices of Miami  - Opera Cinema

Enjoy the Opera Cinema production of film excerpts and performances of great Opera music used in award winning films, presented by Voices of Miami with guest artists, accompanied by a music ensemble. Directed by Maestra Greisel Dominguez. The event takes place at Sanctuary Of The Arts, 410 Andalusia Avenue. Get details and purchase tickets online.

Saturday, June 24 at 9pm

Phantom of the Paradise

Winslow Leach (William Finley), a young and talented composer who is betrayed by a powerful record producer named Swan (Paul Williams) and sent to prison for a crime he did not commit. After escaping from prison, Leach seeks revenge on Swan and his record label, Death Records. Leach discovers that Swan has stolen his music and used it to create a new rock venue called the Paradise, where he plans to debut a new and revolutionary sound. To get his revenge, Leach becomes the Phantom, a masked figure who haunts the Paradise and terrorizes Swan's performers. Featuring a rock-infused score by Paul Williams and stylish direction by Brian De Palma, Phantom of the Paradise has become a cult classic and a must-see for fans of horror, rock music, and 1970s cinema. Get details online.

Sunday, June 25 at 1pm

Federico Fellini's 8 1/2

The Bill Cosford Cinema at UM presents Sight & Sound -- Best Movies of All Time selections. Winner of two Academy Awards (for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Costume Design) and one of the greatest films about film ever made, Federico Fellini’s 8½ marks the moment when the director’s always-personal approach to filmmaking fully embraced self-reflexivity, pioneering a stream-of-consciousness style that darts exuberantly among flashbacks, dream sequences, and carnivalesque reality, and turning one man’s artistic crisis into a grand epic of the cinema. The movie, which took the seventh-place spot in the directors’ poll, stars Marcello Mastroianni playing a director whose new project is collapsing around him, along with his life, as he struggles against creative block and helplessly juggles the women in his life -- including Anouk Aimée, Sandra Milo, and Claudia Cardinale. An early working title for 8½ was The Beautiful Confusion, and Fellini’s masterpiece is exactly that: a shimmering dream, a circus, and a magic act. Get details and purchase tickets online.

Sunday, June 25 at 1pm

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

When John Singer moves to a Southern town to continue his friendship with a recently institutionalized fellow Deaf man, his profound compassion changes the lives of a small circle of struggling people. Singer (Alan Arkin) boards with a family desperately in need of his rent money, but 14-year-old Mick (Sondra Locke) resents giving up her room -- until Singer introduces Mick to classical music, which he can feel but never hear, and inspires a lifelong passion in the teenage girl. In the town, Singer's gentle influence saves an alcoholic on a downward spiral (Stacy Keach Jr.) and helps a dying African American doctor (Percy Rodriguez) understand that his daughter (Cicely Tyson) has forsaken everything for which he has labored, but has found love. Now, in this deeply moving story, can John Singer's compassion save the person most in need of redemption -- himself? This film is an adaptation of the 1940 Carson McCullers novel of the same name. Both Alan Arkin and Sondra Locke received Academy Award nominations for their performances. Get details online.

Starting Sunday, June 25 at 4pm

Frost Chopin Festival - A Viennese Salute

The Frost Chopin Festival returns to Miami for a weeklong event series offering high-caliber classical music with unforgettable performances. Pianists Dmitry Ablogin and Kamil Pacholec present two waltzes by Chopin and Schumann’s Forest Scenes: Joseph Haydn – Piano Sonata in C minor, Hob. XVI: 20; Ludwig van Beethoven – Rondo in C major, Op. 59 No. 1; Franz Schubert – Impromptus Op. 90, Nos. 2 and 3; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Sonata in C major, K. 545. Get details and purchase tickets online.

Tuesday, June 27 at 7:30pm

Years of Pilgrimage - Kevin Kenner

Kevin Kenner has been hailed by The Financial Times as a "player of grace, subtle variety, and strength with a mature grasp of dramatic structure and proportion.” In this program at Gusman Concert Hall, Kenner takes the audience on a sonic and scenic journey through the nine awe-inspiring movements of Liszt’s Years of Pilgrimage: Switzerland. Get details and purchase $10 tickets online.

Every Tuesday

50¢ Wings at JohnMartin's

What goes better with draft pints? Enjoy a great deal on delicious 50¢ chicken wings every Tuesday at JohnMartin's on Miracle Mile -- from open ’til close. Pair with a hearty Smithwick’s Red Ale, Tank IPA, Harp Lager, the house special JohnMartin’s Lager, or the classic Guinness Stout Irish Pint. JohnMartin's is located at 253 Miracle Mile. Call 305-209-0609. Get details online.

Wednesday, June 28 at 6pm

Urban Sketch Crawl

Embark on a captivating artistic journey through the vibrant streets of Coral Gables with the summer walking tour series: Urban Sketch Crawl. Immerse yourself in the beauty of this charming city as you explore its architectural gems and breathtaking landscapes, and bring the city to life on paper one sketch at a time. Get details and purchase $15 tickets online.

Thursday, June 29 at 7pm

Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny

Harrison Ford returns as the legendary hero archaeologist in the highly anticipated fifth installment of the iconic "Indiana Jones" franchise, directed by James Mangold. Get details online.

Thursday, June 29 at 8pm

The Globe Comedy Show

Prepare for non-stop laughter as The Globe is hosting a comedy show with top-notch comedians. Get details and purchase $15 tickets online.

Tuesday, July 4 starting at 5pm

A Gables Fourth at the Biltmore

Enjoy a night of colorful fireworks that will fill the night sky over the Biltmore Hotel this Independence Day, featuring a special concert, with concession vendors. Grounds open at 5pm. The concert begins at 7 and fireworks begin at 9pm. The Biltmore Hotel is located at 1200 Anastasia Ave. Call 305-460-5600. Get details online.

Thursday, July 6 at 7:30pm

5 String Swing

The Community Arts Program presents 5 String Swing -- sweeping concertgoers onto their feet with music of Cole Porter to George Gershwin, and everything in between, from the Great American Songbook. Featuring Dr. Steffen Zeichner, violin; Flexter Henderson, clarinet, saxophone, cajón; Dr. Greg Diamond, guitar; and Dr. Benjamin Whitman, bass create a lush, holiday celebration. Get details online.

Saturday/Sunday, July 8_9 from 10am to 5pm

Fairchild Mango Festival

Enjoy this celebration of the King of Tropical Fruit at Fairchild Gardens. Take your taste buds to the tropics for a weekend devoted to all things mango, including the 30th annual Mango Brunch. You'll find mango smoothies, mango-infused cocktails, food trucks, chefs and local vendors all serving mango dishes. Get details purchase online.

Saturday, July 8 at 2pm

Children's Stage - Stuart Little

Based on the classic book by E.B. White, this charming musical about a “little guy underdog” who is determined to survive in a “real people’s world” will touch your heart and tickle your funny bone. Cats, cars and ships are just a few of the challenges that Stuart faces in his quest to be accepted for who he is and not what he looks like. Get details online.

Wednesday, July 12 from 7 to 9pm

Whiskey Dinner with Jack Daniels

Reserve your space for this special event at JohnMartin's -- an interactive Whiskey Dinner with Jack Daniel's. This tasting experience, featuring five premium selected expressions, will guide you through the rich history of this iconic Tennessee Whiskey, from its origins to the present day, paired with a five course menu. The cost is $135. JohnMartin's is located at 253 Miracle Mile. Call 305-209-0606. Get details and RSVP online.

Starts July 19

Defending The Cavewoman

Whose cave is it anyway? The raucous mid-life existential crisis unfolds as Defending the Cavewoman digs deep into the caves of the female psyche and sends the males of the species scattering in all directions by debunking the stereotypical myths about how women think. It’s a tongue-in-cheek, affectionate look at the quirks, foibles and idiosyncrasies of both men and women, from the modern female perspective. This inspirational, laugh-a-minute comedy written by Emma Peirson is about two completely different creatures, desperately trying to co-exist on one tiny planet -- and sharing one bathroom. Don’t miss the United States premiere of this wild one-woman show starring the award-winning actress Lindsey Corey. Get details and purchase tickets online.