#6 Walk in Coral Gables

I love walks. They are so relaxing, even when it's hot and steamy.


I have three favorite walks in Coral Gables.


One: walking around the youth center, where almost always there's a pick-up basketball, softball practice, or soccer game going on. It's also the lazy, short walk.

And the trees along the street are amazing: huge and prehistoric.

Two: The walk to the Biltmore, the historic, elegant hotel that's millions overdue in rent.

I get to stroll through the lushly green neighborhood.

And there are always lizards scurrying from my path.

And finally, three: the extra long walk around the Coral Gables golf course.

Can you see the steam?

#105 Admire the red trees

Washington, D.C. has its cherry blossoms. Pasadena, the purple jacarandas. In Miami, the signature flowering tree would have to be something loud, gorgeous and the color of sin: the royal poinciana.

The trees are from Madagascar - transplants like so much of South Florida. But they fit right in. I've been spotting them all around town. They are gorgeous.

I took a special walk along the historic South Miami Avenue to admire the poincianas' return to glory there.

On the avenue, the poincianas are blooming for the first time in two decades. People blamed obnoxious lights by the Florida utility for confusing the trees' cycle so much they couldn't flower. Lo and behold, the utility changes the lights and the trees return in blazing glory.

A rhapsody in red, as the story in the Herald describes it.