No matter your day job is, we’re sure you’ve had to hit up a good amount of networking events and happy hour meetings. These events are often happening over beers, open bars, cheese plates and sometimes pastelitos and croquetas.

And if you throw into the mix all those “quick coffee chats,” that can add up to a lot of alcohol, sugar and not-so-healthy foods.

With that in mind, we wanna know the best ways to conduct business in Miami without having to throw back beers or load up on lattes. So tell us: What’re your best tips for getting business done in Miami while not doing in your health?

Hit reply to this newsletter and let us know! We’ll share your best tips out with everyone.

MADE POSSIBLE BY BAPTIST HEALTH SOUTH FLORIDA

It’s Day 2 of 10 Days of Connection, which means we’re just getting started – but there are only eight days left to get in on this rad social experiment. Dale!

TODAY’S OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT:

In the Facebook group: Describe in one word how you feel when you’re in a new place, surrounded by new people. Got pro tips for building connections in those situations? Share those too.

• Check out Overtown’s new B&B
• Why millions of ex-cons can’t get jobs and why you should care
• Try out LovingKindness meditation

LOOKING AHEAD

Here are a few Connect Miami events happening Thursday that you might wanna check out.

• Break through stereotypes of the Middle East with the podcast Kerning Culture
• Talk about sex
• Learn a little bit about Islamic mysticism
• Ask an Asian anything

Check out the whole calendar of events here.

Count ‘em. As a private company, Brightline doesn’t have to share its rider numbers. But the Palm Beach Post was curious, so it sent a bunch of its reporters out to ride 44 randomly selected trains over six weeks and count the passengers. What it found: The average train had only about 20 percent of seats filled. Brightline says it’s not worried, because it expects numbers to jump when trains begin running from Miami this month. (Palm Beach Post)

On a related note… Miami-Dade Transit has run into a wall trying to make the SMART Plan happen. The proposal to build or expand six rail lines across Miami-Dade is just too costly and ambitious for the transit agency to do it on its own. That’s why it’s now encouraging private companies to propose plans for public-private partnerships any of the rail lines in the plan. The hope is that with private money in the picture, the process will speed way up. (Miami Herald)

Reading tea leaves. Democrat Javier Fernandez won the Florida House District 114 special election last night, continuing Florida Democrats’ winning streak. It’s only a six-month term – he’ll be finishing out his ousted predecessor, then probably running again for a full term. Republicans say Fernandez’s win is NBD, but Democrats are pointing to it as a sign of what’s to come in the midterm elections in November. (Miami Herald)

Seems… ambitious. Dockless bike sharing is all the rage right now, and LimeBike, the owner of those bright green bikes littering the sidewalks all over pockets of the 305, is perhaps the biggest of them all in the 305. Now, it’s expanding west to Kendall. So far the response from residents in the car-centric suburb has mostly been “huh?” LimeBike admits that Kendall isn’t exactly the most bike-friendly neighborhood, but if it can take off there, then that’s a big win. (Miami Herald)

Unexpected hurdle. One of the 10 fastest mid-distance runners in the U.S. hails from right here in the 305. Miami Norland High School senior Tyrese Cooper is faster than Usain Bolt was when Bolt was his age. He seemed destined for track stardom, as one of many runners trained by the “Miami Gardens Xpress” team. But last week he was arrested for trying to steal cars at Miami International Airport, and now he might be out of the state tournament and all the big things a victory there could bring him. (Miami New Times)

Insta-worthy hustle. It’s time for the South Florida Business Journal’s annual “coolest offices” contest. They’ve narrowed the field to 10 finalists, so head on over to see if your office made the cut. If it did, vote so that the whole 305 can know how fly your cubicle is.

ATTN: Anyone who parks on Miami Beach. Parking garage rates have gone up to $2 per hour. But if you’re a Miami Beach resident, you get to keep that sweet, sweet $1/hour parking rate – if you register your car with the city as belonging to an official Miami Beach resident. Residents also get $1/hour rates for street parking and surface lots, plus no transaction fees for the Parkmobile app. If this is news to you, get the details on how to register here. (City of Miami Beach)

Anchorman. Been wondering what former Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado is up to these days, after leaving office last year? The former TV journalist might be headed back to the airwaves. Sen. Marco Rubio proposed that Regalado take over the federal office that runs Radio and TV Martí, the network that’s been trying to fight Cuba’s state-run media for decades. One potential snag though: Regalado is no fan of President Trump – just peep this profile of him last year – and the post requires Trump’s approval. (Politico)

ONE LAST THING.

Did you get a chance to join our digital potluck yesterday? We’re still swapping recipes.