Miami-Dade Commissioner Sen. Rene Garcia held a “Cafecito con Rene” event in Miami Lakes on July 20.      At the Vanilla Espresso French Cafe in the Windmill Gate Shopping Center, Garcia greeted constituents who decided to “come for the coffee and stay for the conversation,” as his invitation says.      Shown above are Miami Lakes Councilman Josh Dieguez; Ana...

     The Miami Lakes food scene is expanding and offers something for nearly everyone. A new place that aims to serve many tastes is Island Fin Poké Co., in the Royal Oaks Plaza.       The restaurant embodies the laid-back island feeling of Hawai’i where the poké dish was created by fishermen who ate their fresh catches while dockside.      Diners sit at indoor picnic tables....

Monica Munoz  Owner, BBs Bakehouse  Miami Lakes      “Our son Lucas is three-and-a-half, and Mommy and Daddy take him to KinderCare,” Monica Munoz said about getting her son to preschool in Miami Lakes. “There is a lot of traffic on Miami Lakes Drive, and you can spend sometimes a half-hour to go one block. Carpooling is a little difficult because the [other] parents...

    When new businesses open in town, elected officials and the Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce welcome them with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.       Carbon Collectibles celebrated the opening of their store in the Royal Oaks Plaza with a ribbon cutting on July 10. The new business, at 15410 NW 77th Court in Miami Lakes, sells baseball-style cards to fans of multiple sports and tabletop games such as...

    United Way Miami presented an Outstanding Youth Award to Julianna Correa of Miami Lakes.      Correa, 18, said she was recognized in June for reading projects that she did as a Girl Scout.       “Being in Girl Scouts not only taught me how to empower myself and believe in myself, but it’s also a part of my foundation,” Correa said. “They taught me how to be a good...