Lots of Pomp & Circumstance at JohnMartin’s for the Royal Wedding


I am a Royal Wedding Junkie! There, I said it.



Like many who probably won’t admit it, woke up at 5 a.m., got all dressed up, popped on feathery fascinator (look it up) and walked out the door in need of some strong Earl Grey tea and Scones.

JohnMartin’s Restaurant & Irish Pub in Coral Gables was the place for the viewing the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Upon my arrival, I was surprised to receive a complimentary Kir Royal instead of tea to start the morning celebrations. Well, I guess it’s a special occasion so Happy Hour start’s this early!

Many others were enjoying traditional breakfast treats of smoked salmon crowns and breakfast scones with butter and clotted cream and the official Royal Wedding drink, “The Regal” a concoction made of Chambord flavored Vodka, simple syrup garnished with raspberries and cucumbers slices, definitely a cocktail fit for a princess.

Nandi Fernandez and Aida Zayas



Aida Zayas and Nandi Fernandez stylishly dressed for the occasion; wearing fabulous traditional hats arrived at John Martin’s at 5:45 a.m. for the festivities before heading off to work. Both ladies were so captivated by the romance of the day that they planned to stop by the Biltmore later in the day for High Tea.

Eveyln Russell, Queen Elizabeth look alike winner

The event was well attended by locals and folks from as far away as West Palm Beach. Mrs. Evelyn Russell and her daughter Camille Terry woke up at 1 a.m. to get ready for the trip to Coral Gables. Mrs. Russell was born in England and was delighted to be part of the nuptial celebration and was even crowned the winner of the Queen Elizabeth look-alike contest, well deserved!

JohnMartin’s was happy for the patronage as well as the media which set up early and conducted live telecasts throughout the morning. They usually close up the Pub at 3 a.m. and today they were getting the place ready at that time. A long day indeed for JohnMartin’s, and more guests were expected for lunch during a re-broadcast of the Royal Wedding.

JohnMartin’s has been continually recognized for its cuisine by publications that voted the restaurant “Best Pub Food.” The restaurant features live entertainment every Friday and Saturday nights, from Contemporary Top 40 hits to rock to today’s popular Irish ballads. They also have The Trivia Night on Thursday nights beginning at 8 p.m.

Mixing up The Regal

JohnMartin’s is located at 253 Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. For more information, call 305-445-3777, or go to www.johnmartins.com.

http://gableshomepage.com/news/2011/04/29/lots-pomp-circumstance-johnmartin’s-royal-wedding

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/29/2193028/blog-lots-of-pomp-circumstance.html

Pulsed the Night Away at the New World Symphony



photo by Irela Bagué

I was lucky to get some last minute tickets to the ever popular and sold out, Pulse: Late Night at the New World Symphony.

VIP Guests were treated to cocktails sponsored by Grey Goose on the rooftop of the impressive Gehry-designed New World Center concert hall. The views of Miami Beach were gorgeous but the best part of the evening was yet to come.

The NWS transforms the hall into a South Beach style nightclub! Combining NWS with the musical artistry of Mercury Soul made up of Jason Bates (the DJ), Anne Patterson (the Artist) and Maestro Benjamin Schwartz (Conductor). The trio brilliantly presents the public a new way of appreciating classical music and contemporary art in marvelous social setting.

I admit, I was treated to an amazing sensory experience. The group effortlessly blends symphonic arrangements with electronica rhythms which are magically enhanced by art installations, a lightshow and cinematic projections creating an ambience which I had yet to experience anywhere in Miami.

This was the second performance this year and from what I can tell, it was a huge success.



photo courtesy of NWS

The Lounge at Norman's 180 brings live music to the Gables

Now there is more to Norman’s 180 than just fine dining. The restaurant owners have made the daring but wonderful decision of bringing live music to Coral Gables on a weekly basis.

The Lounge at Norman’s 180 will delight music enthusiasts with a variety of wonderful bands every Thursday and Friday night.

Happy hour at The Lounge begins at 4 p.m., Girls Night Out on Thursday nights offers free champagne for the ladies, 50% off cocktails for all and delicious bar bites for $6. Finally Fridays offers the same specials sans the bubbly.

After receiving an invitation for the launch of The Lounge, I couldn’t resist temptation and ventured over that Thursday night for Girls Night Out, of course! The champagne flowed and the bar bites were delicioso. My favorites, the Mojo Pork Boniato Croquettes and the Jerk Chicken Wings, fell off the bone.

I was also thrilled that the featured band was Elastic Bond. The band mixes funk and Latin rhythms combined with velvety vocals of the lead singer, Sofy Encanto, and topped off with the amazing guitar styling of Buffalo Brown, who happens to be a fixture/treasure of South Florida’s music scene www.elasticbond.com.

The Lounge’s promoter, who lists a number of South Beach hotspots as clients, knows that music lovers will come out and support this live music venue in Coral Gables. There are virtually no consistent live music spots in the City Beautiful until now. Thank you, Norman’s 180, for stepping up.

I’m certain that with the combination of “Good Music-Good Vibes-Good Food” -- The Lounge’s slogan -- it is destined for success. I’ll certainly be back!

Hours: 

Breakfast: Sun-Sat: 7 a.m.-11 a.m. Lunch: Mon-Sun: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dinner: Sun-Thur: 6 p.m.-10 p.m.; Fri & Sat: 6 p.m.-11 p.m. Happy Hour: Mon-Sun: 4 p.m.-8 p.m.

http://www.gableshomepage.com/out-and-about/restaurants/lounge-normans-180-brings-live-music-gables

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Dance Now! Performs in Coral Gables, Florida

The Dance Now! Ensemble (DNE) is one of Miami’s hottest dance companies.  The DNE is in residence at Miami’s Little Haiti Cultural Center, however, on Sunday, April 17, they brought their electrifying and sensual choreography to Coral Gables for a performance at the Cocoplum Women’s Club as part of the Miami Dance Festival as part of Dade Heritage Days.

Dance enthusiasts and the public were treated to small vignettes of larger dance pieces from DNE’s extensive repertoire. As a former dancer, it was most refreshing to see modern dance choreography representing the cultural life of South Florida and dancers representing the region’s multi-ethnicity which happens to be DNE’s mission.

The ensemble's goals are to choreograph and perform high-quality dance, build community, promote diversity, and through teaching and outreach, help audiences gain a deeper understanding of the creative process in dance.

The company was founded in Miami Beach by Diego Salterini and Hannah Baumgarten; both were dance partners and collaborators. DNE is deeply committed to our community and has a long-standing commitment to arts education. The company offers daily classes for children and adults at its home studios, where it also rehearses and performs.

In addition, DNE created and continues to implement DIP (Dance in Public Schools), a comprehensive educational outreach program, stimulating arts awareness, critical thinking and freedom of expression. This program reaches over 1,000 children annually with master classes, workshops, in-school performances, site visits and open dress rehearsals at Little Haiti Cultural Center as well as an apprenticeship program.

The artistic work of the ensemble has received critical and popular acclaim both at the local and national level. “It was certainly a treat to get to see this type of creative dance come to our city. I look forward to future DNE shows,” said Jenny May, a Coral Gables resident.

For additional information regarding future performances go to www.dancenowmiami.org

http://www.gableshomepage.com/news/2011/04/20/dance-now-performs-coral-gables

The Power of the Cookie

Another Girl Scout cookie season has come and gone and as always I am inspired to express my gratitude to our community for continuing to support the future of girls in Miami-Dade & Monroe Counties. 

As we prepare to celebrate our 100^th Year of Girl Scouting, I reflect on how this whole cookie business came about and how it impacts the lives of girls.

The cookie sale was a way to finance troop activities after Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouting in 1912. It all started in 1917, in the kitchens of our early girl members and their mothers. The cookie sale became and still is an American tradition.

The Girl Scout cookie sale is the first encounter into the world of business for many of our girls. It provides an important ingredient for forming leadership skills, goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.

Most Girl Scouts start selling at the tender age of six (Daisies) and by the time they graduate to Junior, Cadettes and Seniors levels are selling well over a 1,000 boxes.

It is no wonder that many of our Girl Scouts grow up to be top leaders and successful business women in our country. From top CEO’s like Val Ackerman, President of the WNBA to Hilary Clinton, former First Lady, U.S. Senator and currently our Secretary of State to powerful performers like Mariah Carey and sports figures like Venus Williams, they were all Girl Scouts who became leaders and have opened doors for more girls.

So, the next time you see a cute little “Daisy” selling cookies at your local grocery store, buy a box or a case because you are investing in our mission of creating girls of courage, confidence and character that make the world a better place and you never know she may just end up being your President one day.

http://www.gableshomepage.com/conversations/2011/04/03/blog-power-cookie