Drew Kern
June 29, 2015
To say it’s hot in the summer in Miami is an understatement. But enjoying perfect weather for nine out of twelve months a year is well worth enduring even the sweltering days of June, July, and August. Plus, it’s easy to beat the heat at these three beautiful and refreshing Miami pools. The Biltmore The 23,000-square-foot pool at the landmark Coral Gables hotel is the stuff of aquatic dreams. Treat yourself to a stay or reserve a private cabana to enjoy a full day of lounging by the legendary oasis, where Hollywood’s original Tarzan, Johnny Weissmuller, was once a lifeguard and full-fledged water shows drew thousands of spectators every Sunday. The Venetian This fantastic public facility in Coral […]
June 16, 2015
If you’ve been following my posts on George Merrick’s six whimsical themed villages of Coral Gables, this marks the fifth installment of the series. (Check out previous posts on the Florida Pioneer Village, the Italian Village, the French City Village, and the Chinese Village.) The Dutch South African Village was an interesting architectural project. Aside from its origination as part of Merrick’s already visionary concept for bringing diverse design influences into the City Beautiful, this village’s particular focus is on the homes of Dutch colonists who settled in South Africa in the 17th century (which is just a little more obscure of a reference point than, say, the Italian or Chinese village). Designed by the well-known Palm Beach architect Marion […]
June 8, 2015
One of Coral Gables’ most alluring characteristics as a neighborhood is that it has its own thriving, highly regarded restaurant scene. There is no better opportunity to sample the local flavors and get a feel for the neighborhood’s unique foodie fervor than during Coral Gables Restaurant Week. This year, the 8th installment of the annual tradition kicks off on June 4, with Taste of the Gables, a ticketed food-and-drink-sampling event taking place at the Westin Colonnade Hotel. The official promotion window for Restaurant Week then begins June 8 and runs through June 28 (so…it’s actually three weeks long, which is a good thing, because that gives you more time to try more spots). No matter your preferred cuisine or dining […]
May 27, 2015
The neighborhoods of South Miami have so much to offer, including great educational options for families of all different learning preferences and budgets. While the residential enclaves of Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay offer outstanding private academies (check out my previous posts on the Gulliver Academy and Westminster Christian), there are many respectable public and Magnet schools in the area as well, like these three highly regarded elementary schools. David Fairchild Elementary School, located at 5757 SW 45th Street, is home to students from the surrounding South Miami, Coral Gables and Schenley Park neighborhoods. It offers half-day Pre-K, kindergarten and first-grade programs as well as full-day grades 2 through 5 and has a total enrollment of about 620 children. With cheery […]
May 19, 2015
Of the themed villages scattered throughout Coral Gables, the Chinese Village is truly an architectural departure from the surrounding Miami area. Envisioned by planner George Merrick and designed by architect Henry Killam Murphy, this colorful period-revival subdivision was constructed between 1926 and 1927. (For more on these themed villages, check out my previous posts on the Florida Pioneer Village, the Italian Village, and the French City Village) The Chinese enclave is located immediately south of U.S. 1 and includes 5125, 5129, 5133 and 5100 Riviera Drive; 5104, 5108 and 5112 Maggiore Street; and 534 Avenue Mendez. Murphy, a Yale alum who designed several educational buildings in China and was a proponent of adapting traditional Chinese architectural styles to modern uses, […]
May 11, 2015
Miami is pulsing with energy – and heat – this time of year, and there are plenty of ways to get outdoors and into the action. In fact, if you’re thinking of moving to the area or relocating to a different neighborhood, it’s a great way to explore your options. Whether you’re a fan of water sports or more comfortable getting into gear on land, there is an activity for you in across Coral Gables, Palmetto Bay and Pinecrest. Stand-Up Paddleboarding at Matheson Hammock The calm waters of Matheson Hammock Park’s manmade tidal pool is the perfect place to test your balance with this challenging water sport. Then, once you’re ready to go, there are plenty of inlets and canals […]
May 4, 2015
If you’ve traveled anywhere in Europe or Latin America in the past few months, you’ve enjoyed the dollar’s strength against many foreign currencies—a departure from years past, when our bucks didn’t stretch far in cities like London, Paris, and Rio de Janeiro. The dollar still lags behind in regions like Great Britain, Japan and China, but virtually everywhere else in the world, U.S. currency is very strong. So what does that mean for foreign buyers, who account for a substantial part of the Miami real estate market? If you look at market data comparing financial real estate data from 2015 and 2007, you get a sense of how changes in official foreign currency rates have affected prices for those buyers […]
April 27, 2015
If you find yourself charmed by the whimsical homes in Coral Gables, chances are the block of 18th-century-inspired houses along Hardee Road has much to do with capturing your attention. These properties make up the French City Village, one of six unique period-revival subdivisions in the Gables. (Check out these previous posts for more on planner George Merrick’s villages and the Florida Pioneer Village and Italian Village) The French City Village is one of the most cohesive of the themed enclaves and is bounded by Maggiore Street, San Vicente Street, Caligula Avenue, and Barbarossa Avenue. Mott B. Schmidt, a prolific architect renowned for his work in the traditional niche of American Georgian Classicism, teamed with Anderson Fowler, a New Jersey […]
April 17, 2015
A few weeks ago, I shared information about Pinecrest’s Gulliver Academy. For this post, I wanted to turn to my own alma mater, Westminster Christian School, in Palmetto Bay. I consider it to be a wonderful place for a child to learn—if it is a fit for your family’s religious beliefs and education budget—in fact, my own children are currently enrolled. This highly regarded institution was founded in 1961 and is a private, college-preparatory Christian school for grades PreK3 through 12. The WCS mission is threefold: To empower learners, to prepare hearts, and to inspire young people to serve faithfully as ambassadors for Jesus Christ. It shapes its academic program from a Biblical worldview and is committed to providing a […]