October Talk of the Town: Clock Donation, A Species on Edge, And More

Clock Time

In commemoration of the city’s 100^th Anniversary, Swiss luxury watch maker E.P.Journe donated a $100,000 clock, installed last month on Miracle Mile in front of Hillstone restaurant. Mayor Vince Lago, an avid watch collector himself, unveiled the donation on behalf of the city on Sept. 12.

The event had been scheduled for Sept. 11, a date convenient for E.P.Journe representatives, but was changed to Sept. 12 after city commissioners Arial Fernandez and Melissa Castro accused the mayor of dishonoring those who died on Sept. 11. Fernandez and Castro, along with Commissioner Kirk Menendez, also refused to allocate any city resources to the project. In the end, Mayor Lago personally paid for all installation costs, including the police presence. More than 150 well-wishers attended the event, including former mayors Dorothy Thompson and Don Slesnick, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce President Mark Trowbridge, Miami Mayor Frances Suarez, and former City Manager Peter Iglesias. “I want to thank all of you for being here…. I never expected to see so many people,” said the Mayor. “The reason why we did this is I have an obsession with time… I think of what my dad always told me, you can have everything in the world, but you can never get time back. I hope [this clock] reminds you of the importance of time… And it’s on Time! – J.P. Faber

UM’s New Banking Partner

The key to long term client loyalty, as any good marketer knows, is to get the brand planted early in the mind of the consumer. Kudos, then, to City National Bank of Florida for striking a deal to become the official bank of the University of Miami. The partnership will include creating a new City National banking center on campus, along with branded ATMs across the main Gables campus, where it will offer exclusive banking products and preferred services to students, faculty, staff, and alumni. City National will also be the official bank of the Miami Hurricanes sports teams, and sponsor an array of UM activities, including the university’s centennial celebrations. “The University of Miami and City National Bank have been fixtures in South Florida for a combined 175 years, and we share a deep commitment to improving our community for future generations,” City National Bank CEO and Vice Chairman Jorge Gonzalez said. One hundred of those years belong to UM; City National was founded in Miami in 1946. The bank, now the state’s second largest with $26 billion in assets, maintains its executive offices in Coral Gables. – J.P. Faber

A Species on the Edge

THE KEY LARGO TREE CACTUS (PILOSOCEREUS ROBINII)

The Key Largo tree cactus (Pilosocereus robinii), once a defining feature of the Florida Keys, is now extinct in the wild in the United States. Standing up to 30 feet tall with its towering, columnar shape, this cactus was an unmistakable presence in southern Florida. Its branches, adorned with clusters of blue-green stems wrapped in a velvety layer of spines, were once a striking sight; On warm summer nights, the cactus would burst into bloom with white flowers.

But the Key Largo tree cactus has now disappeared from the wild, due to rising sea levels, storm surges, and king tides that have flooded its roots with saltwater. With just one population in the U.S. – the Florida Keys – it was highly vulnerable to habitat loss and climate change.

The good news is that conservationists at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden are racing to save this endangered species. Led by Jennifer Possley, the team is doing more than just growing the cactus in Fairchild’s nurseries. With no natural pollinators left, they’ve resorted to hand-pollination, using Q-tips to transfer pollen and encourage fruit development. These fruits are harvested for seeds, the lifeblood of the species’ future. Over a thousand seeds have been collected and preserved, with plans to partner with the Florida Park Service to plant them at new, undisclosed locations. Secrecy is essential, as poachers often seek this rare plant for personal collections. While the cactus no longer exists in the U.S., it still clings to survival in Cuba and the Bahamas, where it faces similar dangers. Possley is hopeful that renewed attention to preventing the total extinction of the Key Largo tree cactus will inspire more public concern and action to save it – though success in its native habitat is far from guaranteed. – Amanda Martell

Planting Seeds, Cultivating Community

Anyone who’s taken a walk outside during the summer in Coral Gables knows that temperature is affected by shade. The temperature in shaded areas can be roughly 25 degrees cooler on concrete and up to 50 degrees cooler on asphalt. That’s one reason why the City of Coral Gables is obsessed with its canopy. Nonetheless, there are still a few areas in the city where the canopy lacks, and one of those was at Coral Gables High School (CGHS).

VOLUNTEERS FROM MYRIAD ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE CUB SCOUTS, CAME
TOGETHER TO PLANT TREE SAPLINGS AT CORAL GABLES SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

On a recent Sunday in the east parking lot at CGHS, volunteers from myriad organizations teamed up with Coral Gables Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson to fix the shade issue. With help from students at CGHS, as well as the Coral Gables Garden Club, Cub Scout Troop Seven, the Coral Gables Rotary Club, local firefighters and police officers, and more, some 60 volunteers came together to plant gumbo limbo and mahogany saplings all over the parking lot. Gumbo limbos were planted where they may overhang cars, since they don’t drop nuts or break up the pavement with their roots.

The event, which Anderson organized, was also an opportunity for volunteers to network and learn from each other. Fire rescue cadets from the high school got an opportunity to speak with firefighters and police officers, and the younger children learned the value of volunteering and collaboration. “You can’t do anything alone – in anything we do, any endeavor we undertake,” said Mari Tere Rojas, School Board Chair of District 6, which includes Coral Gables. “I’m elated to see how many students we have out here that are walking the walk and actually doing what they believe in.” Added Anderson, who also serves on the Environmental Board of the Garden Club, “We’re planting seeds in them right now.”

Certified Spanish Excellence

Fans of Bulla Gastrobar will be excited – but not surprised – to hear that the tapas hotspot just received a Certification of Excellence from the Spanish Embassy and Foods and WineFrom Spain (FWS). Now a “Certified Restaurant from Spain,” Bulla celebrated the award with an all-day celebration on Sept. 12 at its nine locations across the U.S., including in Coral Gables, where Trade Commissioner of Spain Ester Cuevas Gómez showed up to honor the restaurant.

“Being recognized by the Spanish Embassy and receiving this recognition is a huge achievement,” said Carlos Centurion, president and founder of the restaurant group that owns and operates Bulla. “This honor acknowledges Bulla’s commitment to creating an experience that transports the consumer to Spain and honors that country’s incomparable culinary prowess.” According to FWS, the honor signifies that Bulla is committed not only to authentic Spanish cuisine, but also to high-quality produce from Spain. Restaurants that receive the certification “are excellent examples to other businesses that wish to offer Spain on a plate around the world,” FWS says. Bulla opened in Coral Gables in 2012 on Ponce de Leon Boulevard a block south of Miracle Mile.

A Celebration of Diversity

DISABILITY MONTH HIGHLIGHTED WITH “STOCK PHOTOS”

October is Disability Month, and Coral Gables is responding with an initiative to include people with disabilities in their stock photography.  This idea originated from discussions at the city’s Disability Advisory Board several years ago. Recent photo shoots showcase people with mobility issues taking the trolley, young adults with Down Syndrome having lunch on Miracle Mile, and those with invisible disabilities – such as one recent photo the city took of Maria Palacio with her son David (who is autistic) strolling down Miracle Mile. “As a parent and resident, I am grateful for the city’s support in prioritizing awareness and inclusion,” says Palacio, the founder and president of the non-profit Crystal Academy, the Gables’ leading therapy center and school for autism and other developmental delays. – J.P. Faber

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