Talk of the Town: Ultimate Road Rally, Miami Film Festival, and More

RIGHT (L TO R): ALIRIO TORREALBA, CEO OF MG DEVELOPER, HOSTED A PRE-RACE PARTY AT ZUCCA, SHOWN WITH GASTON ROSSATO AND ALESSANDRO COMMOGLIO. – AND HIS FERRARI.

Ultimate Road Rally

Considered by Italians to be the “Most Beautiful Race in the World,” Italy’s 1000 Miglia has come to Florida. To Coral Gables, in fact, where it started and ended at the Biltmore Hotel last month. The three-day 1000 Miglia Experience Florida competition started at the Biltmore on Sunday, Feb. 23, for the first leg to Tampa through Naples. The second leg, on Monday, Feb. 24 went from Tampa to West Palm Beach by way of Cape Canaveral. The third and final leg, on Feb. 25th, went from West Palm back to Coral Gables. Some 127 cars, of brands that included Ferrari, Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Lamborghini, Jaguar, and Fiat, participated in the race. Prior to the race, MG Developer – which sponsored the race – hosted an exclusive celebration at Zucca in the Hotel St. Michel, welcoming dignitaries, classic car drivers, and officials from the Italian consulate. “This celebration is not just about launching an iconic event; it’s about honoring the legacy and future of Coral Gables,” said Alirio Torrealba, CEO of MG Developer. “Partnering with 1000 Miglia Experience Florida allows us to bring a historic, internationally renowned race to the City Beautiful during its centennial year.” An avid car enthusiast, Torrealba participated in the race in his red Ferrari. At press time, the winner had yet to be revealed. – JP Faber

Local Viewing

The annual Miami Film Festival, now in its 42nd year, takes place from April 3 to 13 this year. Among its seven venues, two are in Coral Gables: UM’s Cosford Cinema and Coral Gables Art Cinema. “We’re part of the entire festival, that’s all we’ll be doing [that week],” says Art Cinema director Brenda Moe. As for which of the 180-plus films will be shown at the cinema, Moe says that remains a secret until the program release party. But rest assured, she says, the flicks shown here will be tailored to our tastes. “They will put on films they know will do really well with our audience,” says Moe. “We get prime films, top notch.”Films at last year’s sold-out festival at the Art Cinema included the locally made Fallen Fruit, the “gorgeous art house film” Ghostlight, and Skywalkers, a love story about gymnasts. – JP Faber

Double Jeopardy

You may recall that four years ago, when Coral Gables native Jonathan Fisher had a winning run on the national trivia game show “Jeopardy,” he appeared that year on a float in the Junior Orange Bowl Parade. He defeated 38-game champion Matt Amodio and then won 10 more games himself to net $246,100 in the process. Last month, Fisher reappeared in the Jeopardy Invitational Tournament but lost in the first round to another past champ, Emily Sands from Minnesota. The question he could not get in Final Jeopardy was what ancient author wrote the following: “I must make the founder of lovely and famous Athens the counterpart of the father of glorious Rome.” Fisher guessed Virgil. The answer was Plutarch. – JP Faber

Global Tech in the Gables

Another major company is coming to the City Beautiful. Kandji, a global Apple device management and security company, is opening its new East Coast headquarters at The Plaza Coral Gables. With 30,000-square-feet of office space in one of its office penthouse floors, Kandji will be neighbors with Apple itself, also now in residence at the mixed-use development. Founded in 2018, Kandji helps companies manage and secure Apple devices for their employees, plus provides customer support and AI-driven automations for IT teams. The California-based firm’s Miami office had recently grown to 70 employees, driving the need for an expansion. In total, Kandji employs over 300 people in San Diego, San Francisco, London, Sydney, Tokyo, and Miami. With the new headquarters comes new hirings; Kandji has now posted over 100 new job openings across almost all departments, including engineering, software, data, and customer support. The company chose Coral Gables in part for its Smart City initiatives. –Kylie Wang

Smugglers Caught

In the space of less than two weeks, Coral Gables police interdicted two different human smuggling operations. Both took place on Old Cutler Road in January, and both were based on citizens calling in tips. The first took place Jan. 17, when a “very alert” security guard at a homeowner’s association saw what appeared to be an abduction of a woman by men with a U-Haul truck and a Toyota car. Gables police responded and stopped the truck and car, discovering 21 migrants – 19 Chinese nationals plus one Ecuadorian and one Cuban – in the U-Haul. Three alleged smugglers were arrested. On Jan. 26, thanks to a call to 911, another two vans were stopped by Coral Gables police, this time with 13 Chinese migrants – men and women – in each van. “There was also evidence impounded, including a firearm that is being processed and will be turned over to [Homeland Security],” said Gables Police Chief Ed Hudak Jr. “We are very concerned that a firearm was recovered because, in the end, we are concerned about our officers’ safety and the public’s safety.” Two alleged smugglers were arrested. Both operations were apparently part of international rings that started in Hong Kong and entered the U.S. by water from the Bahamas. – Luke Chaney

St. Mark’s at Carnegie Hall

Few stages hold as much history as Carnegie Hall. Next year, the Chancel Choir of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church of Coral Gables will be part of it. The choir has been invited to perform on December 1 of this year as part of “This is Christmas,” a concert conducted by renowned composer Mary McDonald. The opportunity came after McDonald discovered the choir’s performance of her piece “All Are Welcome at the Table” on YouTube. Moved by their interpretation, she extended an invitation to join the production, which will feature 200 singers from across the world, accompanied by a full orchestra. “We are deeply honored and thrilled to receive this invitation to perform at Carnegie Hall,” said St. Mark’s music director, Krystal di Espada. “To have our choir recognized by a composer as esteemed as Mary McDonald is a testament to the passion, dedication, and faith of our singers.” – Amanda Martell