Axios Miami

December 20, 2024
🙏 Deck the halls with Friday vibes.
☀️ Weather: Sunny. High 80. Low 57.
🎵 Sounds like: "Fa La La," Justin Bieber ft. Boyz II Men
Today's newsletter is 885 words — a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: 🐖 Why Miami pardons pigs
Miami doesn't roast chestnuts for Christmas. We prefer pork over an open fire.
Why it matters: The ubiquity of lechón, or roasted pork, on Miami dinner tables has led to a unique holiday tradition: the annual pig pardoning.
- Every year since 2018, the county mayor pardons two pigs bound for la caja china — or the roasting box.
The latest: Today, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava will pardon Glinda and Elphaba, two pigs with names inspired by the musical "Wicked," at Latin Cafe 2000 in Brickell.
The big picture: Roasting pork for Christmas and other holidays is a staple of Miami's Cuban community.
- The tradition typically involves slow-cooking a whole pig (or a pork shoulder) in a caja china as family members gather around.
- Members of Miami's Haitian community also eat seasoned roast pork — griot — for Christmas.
- "Pretty much every culture here has their own take on holiday pork," Latin Cafe 2000 owner Eric Castellanos tells Axios.
What they're saying: Castellanos says the hallmarks of Christmas in Miami are cajas chinas and lit-up palm trees.
- "While the rest of the country is roasting turkeys, nearly every neighborhood here is filled with the smell of sazón, mojo and pork floating through the streets."
Stunning stat: At Latin Cafe 2000's three locations Castellanos says he serves up to 20,000 pounds of lechón every holiday season.
Catch up quick: Castellanos and his wife, Kali, came up with the pig-pardoning idea in 2018 after watching President Trump pardoning turkeys for Thanksgiving.
- Then-county Mayor Carlos Giménez embraced the idea and became Miami's first official pig pardoner.
What's next: Glinda and Elphaba will be moved to Bonanza Equestrian Center, where Castellanos says they will be "treated like royalty."
2. 🍽️ Where to dine out this Christmas
Many Miami restaurants are offering holiday service for Christmas and New Year's.
Here's a sampling:
Havana Harry's, the Cuban staple, is offering family-style dining, along with classics like vaca frita and Cubanos and the quintessential holiday cocktail, coquito.
Bourbon Steak, the American steakhouse at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa, features a choice of appetizer and entree, accompanied by a trio of truffle mac and cheese, potato purée and creamed spinach.
- $250+ per adult, including dessert.
Roa's at Loews Miami Beach Hotel has holiday specials, including the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve.
- On Christmas Day, enjoy pan-seared scallops, lasagna and Osso Bucco. Prices vary.
Hell's Kitchen Miami, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay's Brickell restaurant, will be serving a special holiday menu on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
- The prix fixe menu — featuring beef wellington, truffle risotto and more — is $125 per person or $180 with a wine pairing.
- Also: Veggie and select menu options.
Margot Bar & Bistro on South Beach is serving up a Christmas Day menu inspired by Chinese takeout classics.
- Dishes include carne frita on guava and soy sauce, baby ribs on kimchi and a coquito cheesecake.
- Also: Live DJ, festive cocktails and natural wine
Keep reading: The World Famous egg roll
3. Cafecito: ⚽ Inter's 2025 schedule announced
⚽ Inter Miami's first match and its home opener for the 2025 MLS regular season is set for Feb. 22. The regular season schedule was released yesterday. (MLS)
🎨 Lucky Energy Official collected trash during Art Basel and is now selling the pieces at ArtBaselTrash.com. The proceeds will be donated to a local Miami inner-city arts program. (Lucky Energy)
🏗️ Several Keys municipalities are expected to ask state officials to consider changing the law that governs the area's development capabilities. (WLRN)
- The chain of islands currently has one of the state's strictest building development systems.
4. 🍿 Holiday movies to stream
Get into the holiday spirit with Christmas movies available to stream this month on Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, Apple TV+, Prime Video and Max.
What we're watching: bona fide classics, new rom-coms and movies for the whole family.
The classics
"Miracle on 34th Street (1947)" on Paramount+, Disney+, Peacock and Hulu
"Home Alone" on Disney+
"Elf" on Max and Hulu
"How The Grinch Stole Christmas" on Hulu and Peacock
New holiday flicks
"Nutcrackers" on Hulu
- Ben Stiller stars in this heartwarming comedy about a big city businessman who unexpectedly has to care for his four orphaned nephews in rural Ohio.
"Our Little Secret" on Netflix
- Two exes are forced to spend Christmas together after discovering that their current partners are siblings in this rom-com starring Lindsay Lohan.
"Brewster's Millions: Christmas" on BET+
- Richard Pryor and John Candy's 1985 comedy is reimagined in this film.
More: Family-friendly movies
5. 🎄 Christmas tree pics to go
Martin and Sommer here, sending some Christmas cheer your way.
- We're also here to debate real versus artificial Christmas trees.
Martin's take: I always loved real big Christmas trees, but we bought this fake fir a few years ago to avoid the hassle of brooming up after a real tree and figuring out how to dispose of it.
- This 6-foot-tall tree is easy to install and looks like the real deal.
- Is it better for the environment? That's inconclusive.
Sommer's take: I'm a real tree-only kinda gal (sorry, Martin!). So the day after Thanksgiving, my parents came with me to pick one out.
- I wanted a 6-footer; they suggested otherwise. I ended up with a cute little 3-footer.
- I propped her up on a stool, added lights and BAM, she's a cutie (and worth the brooming)!
What say you, dear readers? Email us your take.
🎅 Sommer's favorite Christmas movies are "Miracle on 34th Street" and "Elf."
🎄 Martin loves "The Grinch."
This newsletter was edited by Jeff Weiner (who likes "Scrooged").
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