I am coming up with older memorable pictures not yet in my blog or very little mention and they should be more , me think, After all, this blog is my life’s history, Nostalgia sets in and I came up with a wonderful town of my youth heydays with memories forever, I am remembering my fav places in my dear Florida USA, a State I lived for 18 yrs of my life, in addition to 4 years of University studies, Let me tell you a bit more about Coral Gables !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The City of Coral Gables, nicknamed The Gables, is located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, directly south of the city of Miami. It is home to the University of Miami and the National Hurricane Center. The City was an early planned community and foreshadowed the development of the gated community and the “homeowners association,” notorious for its aesthetic regulations that we see all over today, This will a bit long post and fewer pictures here just for the memories of always as once my backyard,
The City of Coral Gables is bordered on the west by Red Road (West 57th Avenue) north of Sunset Drive (South 72nd Street) and West 49th Avenue and Old Cutler Roads south of Sunset Drive. Which I must add a wonderful side to drive bike or walk, It is bordered on the north by Tamiami Trail/U.S. Route 41 (South 8th Street), except for a small section that extends north of 8th Street for eight blocks between Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Douglas Road (West 37th Avenue).On the east, it is bordered by Douglas Road (West 37th Avenue) north of South 26th Street, Monegro Street south of South 26th Street to Cadima Avenue, Ponce De Leon Boulevard south of Cadima Avenue to South Dixie Highway (U.S. Route 1), LeJeune Road (West 42nd Avenue) south of U.S. 1 to Battersea Road, and by Biscayne Bay south of Battersea Road. On the south, it is bordered by the Charles Deering Estate, (see post), All this around the City of Miami !!
Among the many ranchers who purchased plots of up to 65 hectares in the area, William Harrison Gregory and Sarah Louise Gregory acquired their land in 1893. They deforested part of their plot to build a house and grow guavas. In 1899, Solomon G. Merrick, a minister of the Congregational church, purchased the property from the Gregorys. In 1906 they moved from their wooden house to live in a limestone house which they named Coral Gables in honor of the material used and Gray Gables, the summer home of former President Grover Cleveland in Massachusetts. They soon began to grow all types of citrus fruits (especially grapefruits) and their plantation became one of the most important in the area. In 1911, George Merrick inherited the plantation from his father and began to expand the business. Ten years later the plantation exceeded 1,200 hectares of land. In 1914, George Merrick entered politics, becoming a Dade County Councilman (later Miami-Dade) and began designing a Mediterranean village. Taking the names of most of the streets from a Spanish encyclopedic dictionary, he baptized the main arteries of his future city with names such as Granada, Alhambra, Segovia and Valencia. King Alfonso XIII of Spain would later award her the medal of the Order of Isabel the Catholic for emulating his nation. The old limestone quarry that provided the city’s building materials was converted into a Venetian-style swimming pool:. At the height of its prosperity, in 1925, Coral Gables became a city in April of 1925. The city’s architecture is almost entirely Mediterranean, characterized by terracotta tiled roofs, turrets, spacious interior courtyards, loggias and the use of wrought iron.
Located just four miles from Miami International Airport, “The Beautiful City” or Coral Gables boasts one hundred and forty fine dining restaurants and shops, as well as numerous international brand stores. In 1925, simultaneously after the founding of Coral Gables, the city was chosen as the home location of the University of Miami. It was built on 240 acres (97 ha) of land just west of U.S. Route 1, approximately two miles south of Downtown/city center Coral Gables. In the late 1940s, thousands of veterans took classes at the University of Miami and numerous businesses were created on Coral Way, whose commercial strip was named Miracle Way.
Some of the unique things to see and enjoy in Coral Gables and you must, we even once thought of living there but at the end decided for Silver Lakes in Broward county (see post) futher north, These are to drive, bike walk by and do come in on some,
The Villages of Coral Gables are a series of themed developments , Active today are the Dutch South African Village: inspired by the Dutch colonist farmhouses in 17C South Africa. LeJeune Road and 6705 San Vicente Street. Chinese Village: inspired by Oriental architecture, all houses are linked by a common wall, creating a unique compound. Contributing properties: bounded by Sansovino Avenue, Castania Avenue, Maggiore Street, Riviera Drive, and Menendez Avenue. French Normandy Village: inspired by the village houses in 15C France.Contributing properties: bounded by LeJeune Road, Viscaya Court, Viscaya Avenue, and Alesio Avenue. Florida Pioneer Village/Colonial Village: in the Georgial Colonial style and inspired by New England architecture. Contributing properties: 4320, 4409, 4515, 4520, and 4620 Santa Maria Street. French Country Village: inspired by the country houses in 18C France. (rustic style homes). Contributing properties: 500 block of Hardee Road., French City Village: inspired by the city village houses in 18C France.the north side of Hardee Road) (rustic style houses on the south side of Hardee Road). Contributing properties: 1000 block of Hardee Road. Italian Village: 17 houses inspired by Italian farm houses. Contributing properties: bounded by San Antonio Avenue, San Esteban, Segovia Street and Monserrate Street.
You must see the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden an 83-acre (34 ha) botanic garden with extensive collections of rare tropical plants including palms, cycads, flowering trees, and vines. Surrounded at the north and west by Matheson Hammock Park. Fairchild opened to the public in 1938 Fairchild is a museum, laboratory, learning center, and conservation research facility whose main role is preserving biodiversity. The Biltmore Hotel or The Biltmore Hotel,a luxury hotel. The hotel was built in 1926 as part of the Biltmore hotel chain. The hotel’s tower is inspired by the Giralda, the medieval tower of the cathedral of Seville. When completed in 1926, the Biltmore became the tallest building in Florida at 315 feet (96 m) Venetian Pool a historic public swimming pool It opened in 1924 as “Venetian Casino,” was created from a 4-acre (16,000 m2) old coral rock quarry, abandoned in 1921. The pool was founded as part of the development of Coral Gables, which was created in Mediterranean Revival style and utilized a large amount of coral for ornamental features of the community. Named for the Mediterranean city of Venice, Italy, the pool included a Venetian style bridge and classic mooring posts.
You have some wonderful street area we enjoyed and worth the detour me think, There were : Coral Way, aka State Road 972 (SR 972) between Douglas Road and US 1 in Miami, is a 16.4-mile-long (26.4 km) primary east-west street that extends from Southwest 157th Avenue in western Miami-Dade County to Brickell Avenue (US 1) in the Brickell neighborhood of Downtown Miami, It passes of course by Coral Gables, And Miracle Mile a half a mile long (almost a km) section of Coral Way between LeJeune Road (SW 42nd Avenue) and Douglas Road (SW 37th Avenue) It is the main east-west road through the city’s City center/ downtown central business district, consisting of many shops, financial institutions, restaurants and ar ts institution. The LeJeune Road end of Miracle Mile is anchored by the City/town Hall, Other streets/sights worth mentioning for a walk are Alhambra Circle, Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Giralda Avenue , Giralda Plaza, Alhambra Water Tower, Miracle Theater, and DeSoto Fountain.
My interest there turn to Crown Wines & Liquors a more French look and friendly folks which I entertain for years there, guided by able senior wine purchaser Chip Cassidy, who also ,put on the list for dinner/wine tastings in various restaurants around for several years before leaving the area, He even wrote a book « Chip Cassidy’s Wine Travels Paperback – May 1, 2002 » Patrick, “Chip” Cassidy, also known as “Mr. Wine of Florida,” spent over three decades in the wine business and has teached wine classes from 1984, Sadly he passed away in 2019, Iike to include this youtube video on his achivements here, He was one of my inspirational forces that make me enjoy and love wines in my life,RIP. Hope you all enjoy it as I
And after all that above, the only picture I got and me, taken on my visit of 2009 as before know of no interest to take pictures there !!! Sadly, My favorites stores were in the North Miami area at 12555 Biscayne blvd; where I came to lived nearby initially, but this store later closed,after we left the area, and the most frequented for wine tastings and shopping was at 1590 South Dixie highway, where they still are, The official Crown Wine and Spirits : https://crownwineandspirits.com/
The Globe Café, great bar and ambiance, sophisticated,business casual , evening dress to kill. The IN place in Coral Gables and sooo many years at the top. Cant missed it if in the area. 377 Alhambra Circle, The mojitos, daiquiris and classic Champagne cocktails are wonderful to go with Spanish chorizos and manchego quesadillas. My spot in the City and many parties there !! The official The Globe Café : https://theglobecafe.com/
The City of Coral Gables things to see : https://www.coralgables.com/attractions
The Miami and the Beaches tourist office on Coral Gables: https://www.miamiandbeaches.com/neighborhoods/coral-gables
The State of Florida tourist office on Coral Gables: https://www.visitflorida.com/places-to-go/southeast/coral-gables/
There you go folks, even if pictures are few as in those days were not onto picture taking more important the memories lingered forever, This is my youthful life in Coral Gables, Florida. It seems far away now as my last visit was in 2009 to visit my Aunt and cousins who lives there ! Again, hope you enjoy the post as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 