DELRAY
The Pineapple Newspaper
www.PineappleNewspaper.com
Main • November 2015 • 1
PineappleNewspaper.com I DELRAY BEACH I NOVEMBER 2015
Ellie’s 50s Diner Celebs Test Skills Volunteer Delray Local Diner Serves Quality Food with a Side of Kitsch
D
ELRAY BEACH, FL – North Federal Highway in Delray Beach was a desolate stretch of road back in 1990. Ellie and Bob Smolar took a huge chance when, after eight years of running a successful take-out deli on George Bush Boulevard and three lunch trucks serving food around town, the couple decided to expand and move into their current location, 2410 North Federal Highway, in the former Bahama Smokehouse. Hoping their loyal Delray Beach customers would follow them north, the Smolars also purchased the building next door, which they demolished and added more parking to accommodate their many patrons and guests. They renovated the space into a 50s-style theme restaurant with plenty of chrome and neon to spare. With a ‘50s era juke box cranking out the tunes, retro, feel-good menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and a rockin’ 50s vibe, Ellie’s harkens back to a time when diners really were the hip places for teens to hang out, just like on the 1970s’ show “Happy Days.” In 1997, the Smolars bought the property directly behind the diner and added another room to accommodate 40 more people, decorating it in the Marilyn Monroe Continued on page 7 theme. Beyond that, they added
LOOKINSIDE COMMUNITY NEWS
section 1
Holiday Happenings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 - 5 Event Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 - 13 HEALTH
section 2
Beyond the Mat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 - 5 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 - 11 BIZ
section 3
Real Estate Briefs . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 People. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 - 9 LIFE
section 4
Arts & Ends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Style/Fashion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 - 11
At Evert / James Pro Tennis Classic
A group of five celebrities will be playing in their first Chris Evert/Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Classic, coming up November 21 & 22 at the Delray Beach Stadium & Tennis Center. Chelsea Handler, Vanilla Ice, Dennis Miller, Jason Biggs and Antonio Sabato, Jr are all making their first appearance in the 26th annual charity event, which raises funds to combat drug abuse and child neglect in South Florida. Evert, the 18-time Grand Slam champion and International Tennis Hall of Famer, also has a loyal group of returning celebrities that include Jon Lovitz, Gavin Rossdale, Alan Thicke, Timothy Olyphant, Maeve Quinlan and David Cook. The Pro-Celebrity event pairs celebrities and tennis pros for two days of tennis, and the weekend also includes a Saturdayevening Gala at the Boca Resort & Club. Tennis pros who will Continued on page 10 be pairing up with the celebrities Above: “Umpire” Jon Lovitz gets up close attention from “Bold and Beautiful’s” Maeve Quinlan. Both are playing in the Pro-Celebrity Event.
Matches nonprofits with interested volunteers
DELRAY BEACH, FL – When Kelly Kerr set up a table at Volunteer Delray last year, she met 30 people interested in learning about more opportunities available in the Guardian Ad Litem program, which helps to ensure that children who have been abused, abandoned or neglected have an advocate in court proceedings. “It was a good conversation about what the program is, the need for it in Palm Beach County and what the volunteer opportunities entail,” said Kerr, the program’s outreach coordinator. By the time the annual expo had come to an end, Kerr had found several new volunteers for the program. But she also discovered that being at Volunteer Delray helped her provide valuable information to visitors just passing by about what the Guardian Ad Litem program does. “We got some great volunteers but we were also able to educate the community about our program,” she said. Continued on page 7 The Palm Beach County
Plein Air Painters Capture Delray’s History
D
ELRAY BEACH, FL – The opening night preview party for the “Nostalgic Delray” exhibit at the Delray Beach Historical Society (DBHS) will be held Saturday, Nov. 21, at the historical society’s campus, 3 Northeast First Street, in Delray Beach. The DBHS partnered with the Plein Air Painters of Palm Beach County to capture the unique history and nostalgic essence of what makes Delray Beach unique. Since September, artists have been painting some of Delray Beach’s most iconic and treasured homes, cottages, historic buildings, landmarks and scenic locations around town. The historical society and the Delray Beach Preservation Trust identified about 80 significant locations to be captured on canvas in an effort to piece together the city’s 100-year history and raise awareness of the historical significance of these locations. The one-of-a-kind, nostalgic paintings will be for sale starting on the evening of the preview party, with the proceeds benefiting the preservation and expansion of the city’s priceless archives, housed at the DBHS. The event is presented by the DBHS, the Florida Coalition for Preservation and the Delray Beach Preservation Trust, and chaired by Michelle Donahue, Claudia Willis and David Cook.
“This is a continuation of our ‘Celebrating Our Neighborhood’ series,” said Leslie Callaway, president of the DBHS. “We’re excited to re-introduce the community to our historic districts and the stories behind some of our most treasured destinations and areas of Delray Beach.” “This is a great way for residents and visitors to wrap their heads and hearts around preserving Continued on page 10