Rachel Alves De Lima
w/ Beatriz (8) & Sebastiano (5)
Famed Today Show and NBC News Producer Rachel Alves De Lima and her family aren’t complaining about their move from The Big Apple to Island Paradise. “The beach never grows old for us, we are lucky to have the ocean as our backyard,” says the Grand Bay resident. “We also love playing tennis together, it’s a sport both of our children love and something you can play the rest of your life.” Another whole-family activity Rachel and her kids take advantage of: baking banana bread! “We use a Bahamian recipe I learned growing up in The Bahamas,” she says. “It’s a nice family tradition to pass on to my children.” At times, Rachel admits that frequent travel for work can be a challenge, but having their homebase in Key Biscayne makes the coordinating of schedules and special events a lot easier. “We have made very close friends on the island who are like family,” she says. “It takes a village and we are a village — our extended Key Biscayne family is always there to support!”
PURE LOVE: “The absolute best aspect of being a mom is the total love and devotion I have for my children. Raising them and watching them grow up to be happy, kind and generous human beings is the most rewarding part of my life. Every single stage of their growing up is unique and special, and I cherish them all because it goes by so quickly!”
Andrea Ruiz-Urquiola
w/ Adrian (4) & Winston (8)
Andrea Ruiz-Urquiola moved to Key Biscayne from Oviedo, Spain, with her family when she was 10 and immediately felt right at home with the culture and beach lifestyle of the island. “My father wanted to come to Miami to live the American Dream and build hotels and resorts all over The Caribbean and the world, and that’s exactly what he did,” she says, mentioning she attended KB School, then St. Agnes and Lourdes before heading north to Boston University. After college, she moved to NYC to start her career in advertising; that’s where she met her husband, Christian Hosford. They lived in The Big Apple for 15 years before moving to Key Colony to put down their roots. “I always knew we would return to The Key when we started our family,” she says. “There’s nothing like island living — I love the boho lifestyle, the international culture, all the activities, and the freedom to drive our golf carts and bikes anywhere!” As the Founder of MioMio.co and the Creative Producer of Florence Fancy, both popular kids brands, there’s never a dull day in Andrea’s household. “Having boys, I get a lot of affection,” she says. “They are always hugging me and excited to see me after school. What else could a girl ask for?!”
PERFECT DAY: “This year, I’d like to spend Mother’s Day like I spend most of my Sundays…Key Rat style! I want to be surrounded by my boys, my husband and a cafe con leche from Oasis followed by a fun day on the water, seeing everyone enjoying themselves. The final stop would be Dune at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne in the afternoon to sip one of Gino’s special cocktails along with many other moms and friends from the island!”
Liza A. Schiavone
w/ Michelle (15), Lauren (10) & Sarah (7)
For Bahia Mar mom Liza A. Schiavone, the allure of raising a family in Key Biscaybe is second to none. “Our island boundaries are nothing but an invitation to fun-filled outdoor family activities surrounded by natural beauty,” she says. “An oasis of peace, Key Biscayne has the charm of a small town, yet only two bridges away from the thriving megacity that is Miami.” When it comes to being a mom, Liza can’t stop gushing about her “3 Musketeers!” “Through my girls, I have the ability to be a kid again, to relive all those magical moments from the innocent and thrilling perspective of a child,” she says. “The toughest part of being a parent is finding the perfect balance between holding their hand and letting go. There will come a point when I won’t be able to protect them from their mistakes and failures, all I can do is teach them how to get back up and, eventually, know how to pick up the pieces on their own — every single life stage is a quintessential chapter of this epic tale we parents are blessed to share with our children!”
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: “We love volunteering for beach restoration projects and clean-ups, where I have the golden opportunity of showing my children the importance of giving back to the community. From planting trees in a restoration site near the bike trail in Virginia Key to creating hygiene kits to distribute alongside meals to the homeless, the idea behind these activities is not only to plant a seed in the earth and in someone else’s life, but to plant a lifetime seed of love and hope in their hearts!”
