City of Coral Gables News!

THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2014 View, Climb & Explore! At The Big Toy Extravaganza Join the City of Coral Gables to celebrate this year's Big Toy Extrava­ganza taking place in front of City Hall, 405 Biltmore Way, on Saturday, January 11, 2014, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Children will have the opportunity to view, climb and explore all kinds of fun stuff. It's like a petting zoo for cars, trucks, and super-­sized and special­ized vehicles! "We are delighted to host this event again for the second year, continuing this new tradition of offering a free fun-filled time for the entire family," said Mayor Jim Cason. The Big Toy Extrava­ganza also features food trucks, face painting, arts and crafts, and inflatable rides and slides. For more information, call Parks and Recreation at 305-460-5600. • • • Fairchild’s GardenMusic Festival Brings Chamber Music To Life Set amongst the natural beauty of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, the chamber music ensemble Sixth Floor Trio takes up residence from January 9 to 19, 2014 for the second GardenMusic Festival. The festival pairs one of Coral Gables’ most beautiful settings with world-class music, bringing together talented musicians from around the world. The Sixth Floor Trio (Teddy Abrams, Harrison Hollingsworth, and Johnny Teyssier) and the 2014 GardenMusic guest artists will perform programs that range from jazz and classical to traditional folk, Broadway, and Latin jazz. Four evening performances, each creatively programmed around a unique theme, complemented by an evening of Broadway and a children’s concert, will round out this year’s festival. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is located at 10901 Old Cutler Road. For a festival schedule and more information, click here. • • • Solomon’s Fruit Festival Celebrate the Height of Winter Fruit Season As part of the Sundays on the Porch With George series, the historic Coral Gables Merrick House will celebrate the height of Florida’s winter fruit season with delicious family fun. The Solomon’s Fruit Festival, named after George Merrick’s father Solomon, takes place on Sunday, January 12, from 1-4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Join us for a cooking demonstration, tasting and talk by star chef Allen Susser, fruit trees and grafting seminar with Larry Schokman and Steve Pearson, decorating with fruit demonstration by Mario Fernandez plus local food artisans, fruit tree sales, fruit stand, fruit-infused beer and wine tastings, local artists painting en plein air, kids’ activities and games.  There will be Troop 7 flag raising and food trucks by Brother Jimmy’s Barbecue and Fireman Derek’s Key Lime pies. Docent-guided tours of the Merrick House will be available for a nominal fee. The Merrick House is located at 907 Coral Way. For more information, call the Historical Resources Department at 305-460-5093. • • • Free Admission For Seniors For “End of the Rainbow” Play Starting on Saturday, January 4, seniors living in Coral Gables can reserve free tickets, on a first-come, first-served basis, for the funny drama End of the Rainbow based on Judy Garland’s triumphant comeback. The free admission is for the January 22, 2 p.m. matinee performance at the Miracle Theatre, located at 280 Miracle Mile. The free ticket offer is part of the lease agreement between the City of Coral Gables and its tenant, Actors' Playhouse, an idea proposed by City Manager Pat Salerno. Residents ages 60 and over must come in person to the War Memorial Youth Center, 405 University Drive, to be placed on a reservation list after showing proof of residency and age. Tickets will then be available at the Playhouse's will-call window prior to each performance. There is a limit of 50 free admissions for each performance. Complimentary tickets will be available to an individual or household for only one show per season. If a patron accepts the ticket and does not show the day of the performance, the patron will have forfeited his one-time ticket offer for the season. For more information, call the Youth Center at 305-460-5600. • • • Open Stage Club Wins America’s Chef Competition Congratulations to the Open Stage Club, located at 2325 Galiano Street, for achieving the third place in the VIII America’s Chef Competition which took place recently in Miami Beach as part of the American Food and Beverage Show. In this two-day competition, national and international culinary teams battled for coveted positions of “Best Chef of the Americas.” The Competition was organized by the World Trade Center Miami in cooperation with the American Culinary Federation. Represented by Chef Nitza Mendoza, Open Stage Club was proud to bring home the third place medal for best American cuisine. • • • Bike Tour: It's Elementary, My Dear Martin With Martin Luther King Jr. Day coming up, the role of African-Americans in our local history is on the forefront of our minds. Did you know that Carver Elementary and Coral Gables Elementary were paired during public integration? Find out about our local history at the upcoming Gables Bike Tour “It’s Elementary, My Dear Martin,” scheduled for Sunday, January 19, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. starting at the Coral Gables Museum, 285 Aragon Avenue.  In the Coral Gables Elementary School exhibit, participants will see images of the first local integrated classroom before embarking on a ride to Coconut Grove to learn how the Bahamians of the oldest established community in Miami-Dade County contributed to the development of Coral Gables. The tour ends with a special event at the Peacock Garden Cafe.  Gables Bike Tours are presented by the Coral Gables Museum and Bike Walk Coral Gables. Gables Bike Tours are powered by Voss Water. Bike rentals and helmets (required for children under 16) are available at No Boundaries by calling 305-444-3206. Cost is $10 for general public; $5 for Museum members and children under 12. Space is limited so please RSVP by calling 305-603-8067. Unless otherwise noted, tours are for children over 10 years old, and who are able to ride up to eight miles at 10 mph. ——