FHA

FHA Limits by FHA.com

Cuban Hambuger - the 'Frita'

One of Miami’s best 'Fritas,' can be found at Morrow Castle – the milkshakes are unbelievable as well.

For those of you who have never experienced a frita, it is a spicy hamburger made of ground beef and Spanish sausage. It is topped with hair like fries (made from scratch), chopped onions and then packed into a soft hamburger roll while still hot.

Prices are moderate and so is the decor. Attire should be very casual and light for a semi-outdoors experience – no AC. No luxury here, just great quality. The staff is pleasant and very helpful. I suggest you don’t order all the fritas at once, if you and your guest ( yes, great place for a group) are still hungry after the first one, order a second – they turn them very quickly..

My favorite combination is 2 fritas (they are too good, 1 is not enough), a malt chocolate shake (The menu offers an endless variety of flavors) and an order of fries. After I am done, it is time to order churros (5 in an order – you can share) and cafe Cubano like the pros.

Located at 2500 NW 7th ST in Miami. Check reviews at yelp.com

The Beautification of Ponce de Leon

The beautification of Ponce de Leon project in Coral Gables is almost completed. The palms are up and the ground covering foliage is being planted as we speak - I also noticed new concrete benches along the way.



My guess is that once this is completed, they will start to repave the streets. What a difference this will be for the appearance of this busy area. Pedestrians will get shaded from the sun and trolley goers will have a place to sit while they wait for the trolley.



The yellow ropes running the length of the medians are unsightly, but had to be put there to keep people from stepping on the newly planted shrubs. Time after time I see people crossing the street and stumping on the foliage. They are not only damaging the landscape, but also risking their safety.


We all need to remember it is not safe to cross streets anywhere other than designated areas. We must also observe the signs letting us know when to cross and drivers need to observe traffic signals, particularly when driving in pedestrian busy areas

the Venetian Pool, located in Coral Gables Florida

Did you know that the Venetian Pool, located in Coral Gables Florida, is like no other aquatic facility in the Country? The pool was created in 1923 from a coral rock quarry containing 820,000 gallons and is fed by an underground aquifer. In the spring and summer the pool is filled and drained daily.

The Venetian Pool was opened in 1924 and then called the “Venetian Casino” and was part of George Merrick’s grand plan to create a city with a sense of true hometown living.

With the efforts of George Merrick, artist Denman Fink and architect Phineas Paist, the pool became a paradise which  todate remains included in the National register of Historic places.  

Some of the Gables’ Amenities -- Coral Gables, Florida

Some of the Gables’ Amenities

Coral Gables is not just a superbly clean and beautiful city appointed with lush trees and manicured lawns, it offers its’ residence and visitors many magnificent amenities.

The following are some of the City’s great amenities.

·         Golf courses, Riviera Country Club (private), Granada Country Club and the Biltmore Hotel (public).

·         The Coral Gables Fitness Center

·         The Venetian Pool-Formed from a rock quarry in 1923, is included in the National register of Historic Places. www.thevenetianpool.com 

·         An array of Summer Camps for Children of all ages. www.coralgablesrecreation.com

·         Free Trolley service for the Coral Gables Commerce and Business area.

·         Over 40 parks and open spaces.

The City of Coral Gables

Ponce De Leon

The City of Coral Gables has begun planting beautiful date palms along the center of Ponce De Leon as part of the installation of new medians and road improvements. Once the City has completed planting, these elegant palms they will be lit at night from below.

The City Beautiful as Coral Gables is commonly referred to, is recognized for its beauty and well appointed amenities making it one of the most desirable cities in the world.

Coral Gables is one of Miami-Dade County's greatest municipalities. The Gables, offfers many sites and activities for people to enjoy. World class hotel accomodations, dinning, shopping and entertainment is just minutes from anywhere within the City limits. Coral Gables is a metropolis, centrally located and only minutes away from  the international airport, Miami Beach, Downtown Miami and the Brickell area.  

Florida’s existing home, condo sales up in February

According to NAR, ORLANDO, Fla. – March 21, 2011 – Florida’s existing home and existing condo sales rose in February, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. Existing home sales increased 13 percent last month with a total of 13,701 homes sold statewide compared to 12,164 homes sold in February 2010, according to Florida Realtors. February’s statewide sales of existing condos rose 29 percent compared to the previous year’s sales figure.

At the National level, however, the National Association of Realtors reports that in February existing-home sales decline following sustained gains.

WASHINGTON – March 21, 2011 – Existing-home sales fell in February following three straight monthly increases, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR).

Existing home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, dropped 9.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.88 million in February from an upwardly revised 5.40 million in January, and are 2.8 percent below the 5.02 million pace in February 2010.

NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun expects an uneven recovery.

“Housing affordability conditions have been at record levels and the economy has been improving, but home sales are being constrained by the twin problems of unnecessarily tight credit, and a measurable level of contract cancellations from some appraisals not supporting prices negotiated between buyers and sellers,” he said. “This tug and pull is causing a gradual but uneven recovery. Existing-home sales remain 26.4 percent above the cyclical low last July.”

See the rest of the report at www.floridarealtors.org