37-Gloria sounds off in miami (People)
People
Gloria sounds off on Miami
Copied from The Miami Herald.
By. John Van Beekum
Posted by.U.S.A Lending and Realty
Gloria Estefan, who might as well be Miami’s first daughter, will be
Hitting the stage here for the first time in four years.
Save the date – Oct. 24 for a concert at the Seminole Hard Rock to
Benefit education groups from Miami-Dade to Indian River
Counties. The show will be a celebration of her greatest hits
And, as she said, “a fun party from top to bottom.”
We caught up for with Estefan before she headed to Europe for another
Leg of her current tour.
How have you seen Miami change?
“Well we have grown from leaps and bounds, needless to say, since
I was here when I was 2 years old. In the beginning, the influence was very Cuban-American and now it’s from all over Latin American and Europe. It’s a very international city and a city that I love and adore. Its unique … not just because of our beautiful weather, but because of the combination of so many different cultures that get along very well together. Having traveled the world, I know sometimes you tend to look at the negative things in the community, and we are not that way at all – despite our differences.”
What are your favorite places to hang out?
“Oh man, the beach – c’mon! I am a nature girl and I love the water, so anything that has to do with outdoors and the water. I love to walk on the beach, and I think we have some fantastic places. Of course now we have a new residence, a little further north,
In Indian River county, which I love so much because of their focus on the environment and nature and protecting that environment. They really have some hard laws protecting that and protecting the turtles, which I love. My friends call me Doolittle one.”
Would you ever consider a Vegas show like Celine dion?
“You know what I did Celines’s gig for a little bit, right before my last tour, and hat’s off to her. That’s a desert. I am a tropical girl. I need humidity and I need some water. Its fun to go out and do a couple of shows once in a while, but I think that I will shrivel up and die in the dryness.
You are looking great what have you been doing?
I added Pilates to my routine, so that’s something new. I really didn’t think I could add anymore but I did. It’s been great. Especially for my condition, because I have hardware in my back [from a 1990 bus accident]. I work out usually 5 days a week, although ive been badly this summer.”
How does it feel to be a Miami icon?
“This is my home, you know. Even though I am still considered a Cuban exile, the only home I have ever had, really, has been Miami. I can’t imagine life elsewhere. I really love this place, and they love me and have given me a lot of support over the years. I cant imagine going anywhere else.”
