Talk of the Town: Donna Fales, Grammy Nominations, and More

A Gables Global Tennis Champ

DONNA FALES WINS AGAIN, FOR HERSELF AND THE USA

Gables resident Donna Fales has racked up countless honors in her 75 years of playing tennis. Most notably, she won the 1962 U.S. Clay Court singles title, first place at the 1966 U.S. Open mixed doubles championship, and was inducted into the Women’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame and Virginia All Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.

Now 85, Fales has remained active, recently competing in the 2025 International Tennis Federation Masters World Team Championships in Croatia. Fales won the 85-year-old and over singles and doubles play, as well as the 80-and-above mixed doubles competition. She is also a part of the USA squad that has controlled the Angela Mortimer Cup (85+) since it began in 2019. 

Since 2017, Fales has won three international titles on five separate occasions. Her 2025 success marked the fourth time in five years that she has done so.

Above all, Fales is proud to have the opportunity to represent the United States overseas. “I think the greatest honor that any athlete can have is to represent their country, so I am very proud to be selected as a member of a United States team that competes internationally, and to win the event obviously is one of the highest achievements I can achieve,” she says. – Luke Chaney

Making the Kids Even Smarter

GULLIVER PREP AND HARVARD GRAD SCHOOL OF EDUCATION FORGE AN ALLIANCE TO ELEVATE EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

Gulliver Preparatory School, which has its PK-8 campus in the Gables (and its high school campus just outside the city in Pinecrest), is collaborating with Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education to establish the Harvard-Gulliver Prep Alliance. The partnership – the first of its kind between Harvard and a local school – is an unprecedented strategic initiative in professional development for pre-college educators.

Through the collaboration, Gulliver faculty will have direct access to cutting-edge research, best practices, and thought leadership from Harvard, one of the world’s most respected educational institutions. Gulliver educators will receive specialized training and immersive experiences, strengthening the school’s ability to prepare students for the future. In addition, Harvard has chosen Gulliver as its first field-based learning laboratory for professional development, pedagogical advancement, and applied practice in pre-K through 12th grade.

“Our collaboration with Harvard is a powerful affirmation of our dedication to pedagogical innovation, faculty development, and student outcomes,” said Gulliver President Simon Hess. Added Dr. Nonie K. Lesaux, dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education: “Partnering with Gulliver [underscores] our shared commitment to shaping the future of education by preparing education leaders and innovators who will change the world.” – J.P.Faber

Erik Spoelstra’s Mansion Burns

THE HEAT COACH’S GABLES HOME IS LOST TO FLAMES

Miami Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra’s $6.6 million Coral Gables mansion was destroyed by fire while he was returning home from a game against the Denver Nuggets in early November. More than 20 fire units responded to the scene, where parts of the property collapsed. Firefighters struggled to reach the home because of a privacy wall and heavy tree coverage, with only one way to access the property. Miami-Dade officials said the fire was so intense that smoke hung over the area through the next morning.

Spoelstra bought the home in December 2023 and had been making extensive renovations. Investigators are working to determine what caused the fire; fortunately, no nearby homes were affected. Spoelstra is one of the NBA’s most respected coaches, who has led the Heat since 2008, winning two NBA championships as head coach and one as assistant coach. Adding insult to injury, the Heat lost to the Nuggets 112 to 122. – Amanda Martell

UM’s Homecoming

THE WEEKLONG CELEBRATION CULMINATES WITH A ’CANES WIN

The University of Miami recently celebrated its annual homecoming, centered around the motto, “Alma Mater, Stand Forever,” to align with the school’s centennial theme. The week of fun started on the first Monday in November, with opening ceremonies and a pep rally parade. Other highlights of the week included the Spirit Tree Competition, the Organized Cheer Competition, the Alma Mater Singing Competition, and a service event that supported the local community. The Association of Commuter Students was crowned as homecoming champions after finishing in first place in several homecoming-themed contests.

Friday night capped off the week with a block party, boat burning, and fireworks that featured a dazzling, 10-minute drone show lighting up the Coral Gables sky with messages celebrating the last 100 and next 100 years of the university. The school’s football team also played its homecoming game at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday.

The Hurricanes started slow but stormed past the Syracuse Orange to win 38-10. Defensive back Keionte Scott returned an interception for a touchdown, marking UM’s first defensive score of the season. The game provided some solace for Miami, which ranked as high as No. 2 in the AP Poll earlier this year before stumbling to No. 16. It remains in the mix for a College Football Playoff (CFP) berth as the regular season winds down. – Luke Chaney

Timbaland Moves On

THE GRAMMY-WINNER SELLS HIS GABLES MANSION

Music producer, writer, and rapper Timothy Zachery Mosley, best known as Timbaland, has sold his Coral Gables home for $14 million, marking one of the area’s most notable real estate deals this year. The 8,452-square-foot residence includes seven bedrooms, nine full and one half-bath, floor-to-ceiling windows, a wine cellar for collectors, and a separate guest house.

According to Zillow, Timbaland purchased the home for $7.95 million in November 2019. Less than two years later, he listed it for $13.9 million but removed it from the market. It resurfaced in April for $15.9 million but sold for $14 million. The buyers are Zeri and Beatrice Zapata, business owners of Gables-based COR Medical Center and the 1-800-NO-FAULT network. The mansion is situated in the exclusive Hammock Lakes gated community. – Amanda Martell

A Gables Protest March

JUSTICE FOR JANITORS INCLUDES A MARCHING BAND

You might have seen them move through downtown Coral Gables, more than 100 janitors and supporters, following a marching band of around 80 people dressed in purple T-shirts, drumming and chanting “Justicia para conserjes,” Spanish for “Justice for Janitors.” The demonstration, organized by service employees union 32BJ SEIU on the Wednesday before Halloween, focused on workers’ rights to organize and demands for improved working conditions.

Protesters included janitors from the University of Miami, who departed campus to participate, as well as janitors employed by Broward-based AK Building Services, who work in commercial properties throughout South Florida. Marchers were protesting troubling workplace conditions, including a lack of basic safety equipment, from gloves to proper cleaning products. According to the union, police were called in to intimidate AK workers at a Coral Gables building simply for speaking with union organizers on private property.

AK CEO Shari Cedar denies the allegations, stating that AK provides competitive wages and characterized the demonstration as disruptive tactics by unions that workers are not interested in joining. After marching from various starting points, participants concluded at The Plaza Coral Gables. – Amanda Martell

A Few (Very) Good Musicians

THE FROST SCHOOL GARNERS 10 GRAMMY NOMINATIONS

The Grammy Awards are considered the most prestigious music awards in the world. They are presented each February by the Recording Academy to recognize the best and brightest in the industry. Just to be nominated is considered an honor. With that in mind, kudos to the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, which this year received 10 nominations for their alumni, faculty and students.

Among them is the nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, “Some Days are Better,” performed by The Frost Jazz Orchestra. The recording features solos by conductor John Daversa, the brilliant trumpet player who is chair of Studio Music and Jazz at Frost (and a multiple Grammy winner), Frost Dean Shelton Berg (piano), and Frost School faculty members Etienne Charles (sax), Brian Lynch (trumpet), and Maria Quintanilla (vocals).

Other nominees include: Gonzalo Rubalcaba, a lecturer at Frost, nominated for Best Latin Jazz Album; Pharrell Williams (yes, of “Happy” fame) – a Frost online alumnus who earned a master’s degree in Music Industry – for Album of the Year, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video; Gloria Estefan (a UM alumna) and Emilio Estefan Jr. (Frost honorary doctorate holder) for Best Tropical Latin Album; bass guitarist Christian McBride, JAS Academy artistic director at Frost, for Best Jazz Performance and Best Jazz Instrumental Album; Federico Vindver, Frost alumnus, for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album; and Frost alumni Connor Rohrer, David Mason, and Jason Charos, all for Best Jazz Vocal Album.

“It’s inspiring to see the sheer number of Frost School of Music alumni who are out in the world, making a significant impact on the music industry,” says Frost interim vice dean Serona Elton. “Frost School alumni are influencing how things are done and experienced on a global level.” Awards will be announced at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, Feb. 1. – J.P. Faber

The Final Row

THE GEORGE, THE FINAL PIECE OF THE BILTMORE SQUARE PUZZLE, BREAKS GROUND

It was 10 years ago when Alirio Torrealba, the CEO of MG Developer, began his ambitious project to create a community of townhouses just west of downtown Coral Gables called Biltmore Square. It began with Biltmore Parc, and then came Beatrice Row, Althea Row, and Biltmore Row. (FYI, Althea was the name of city founder George Merrick’s mother). Now comes The George, a 13-unit townhouse enclave on Valencia Avenue that is the final phase of the Square.

While Biltmore Parc is more of a low-rise row of condominiums, the following four structures are all pure townhouse, the kind you would find on the streets of New York, Philadelphia, or London. Designed by Gables-based De la Guardia Victoria Architects & Urbanists in historic Georgian and Spanish-colonial styles, the buildings have won awards for their architecture – and all speak to the modern urban concepts of walkable neighborhoods and downtowns.
“Breaking ground on The George is a defining moment not just for MG Developer, but for Coral Gables as a whole,” said Torrealba. “This project represents the apex of our architectural and cultural vision, an homage to George Merrick’s legacy.” Each of the townhomes in the final ultra-luxury phase of Biltmore Square will span more than 5,000-square-feet and list at $6.275 million. The buildings are expected to be finished by the summer of 2027. – J.P. Faber