Wellington The Magazine November 2009

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contents

NOVEMBER 2009

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departments WELLINGTON SOCIAL SCENE

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Band Brass Evolution Launches Live Arts Florida Concert Series

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Village Of Wellington Celebrates Halloween With Fall Festival

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Viso LASIK Medspas In Wellington Hosts ‘Martini And A Lift’

58 WELLINGTON AT HOME When Hurricane Jeanne devastated Dougie Mutch’s Sugar Pond Manor home, the interior designer marshaled her forces and turned lemons into lemonade by having the entire house gutted, redesigning the layout to her own specifications. BY DEBORAH WELKY

68 WELLINGTON TABLE Now one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains in the nation, Jason’s Deli opened its Wellington location in July and has been winning fans ever since. The secret to Jason’s success involves quality ingredients, diverse offerings, affordability and good ol’ southern hospitality. Its extensive menu goes far beyond the traditional concept of a delicatessen. BY MARK LIOI

20 WELLINGTON WATCH 71 WELLINGTON DINING GUIDE 77 WELLINGTON CALENDAR 82 AROUND WELLINGTON

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features 24 STEEPLECHASE RETURNS TO WELLINGTON Horses and riders will race across the historic fields of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 28 as steeplechase returns to Wellington. The Second Annual Palm Beach Steeplechase is being staged by Equestrian Sport Productions, the same firm that manages the Winter Equestrian Festival. BY LAUREN MIRO

31 HOLIDAY GALA WILL BENEFIT THE USET An exciting Holiday Gala Fundraiser will be held Dec. 11-12 at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center to benefit the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation. The gala will feature some of the biggest names in the equestrian world from a variety of disciplines. LAUREN FISHER

34 FROM BRONCO STAR TO GATOR LINEBACKER Hard work pays off. That’s the message University of Florida freshman linebacker Jon Bostic would like to send to students currently attending his Wellington alma mater, Palm Beach Central High School.

BY DEBORAH WELKY

42 PROFESSIONAL OFFICES, COMMUNITY FEEL On the shores of Lake Wellington, tucked behind the Wellington Community Center, is the Lake Wellington Professional Centre.

The three unimposing buildings quietly house 90 professional offices with the shortest commute in town. Soft breezes, swaying palm trees and a magnificent view only add to the attractiveness of the location.

BY DEBORAH WELKY

ON THE COVER Horse racing action at last year’s inaugural Palm Beach Steeplechase.

The lead horse shown here — Major Malibu ridden by jockey William Dowling — went on to place third in the race.

PHOTO COURTESY PALM BEACH STEEPLECHASE

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50 HELPING PATIENTS DEVELOP HEALTHY HABITS Dr. Mariaclara Bago and Dr. Vincent Apicella have developed a healthcare practice in Wellington that goes beyond just treating ailments. They offer their patients tools to pursue a healthy lifestyle.

BY RON BUKLEY

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Wellington The Magazine

A MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Help Us Honor Wellington Entrepreneurs volume

6, number 11 | november 2009

publisher/executive editor

Joshua I. Manning associate publisher

Dawn Rivera graphic designer

Suzanne Summa circulation coordinator

Betty Buglio bookkeeping

Carol Lieberman account managers

Michelle Deegan Evie Edwards Wanda Glockson Nicola Jimenez photography

Bill Barbosa Bea Bolton Devin Jacoviello Gary Kane Susan Lerner copy editor

Mark Lioi contributors

Jason Budjinski Ron Bukley Denise Fleischman Lauren Fisher Lauren Miro Carol Porter Deborah Welky Wellington The Magazine

12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31 Wellington, FL 33414 Phone: (561) 793-7606 Fax: (561) 791-0952 www.WellingtonTheMagazine.com

Published by Wellington The Magazine, LLC Barry S. Manning chairman/chief executive officer Maureen Budjinski vice president Wellington The Magazine is published monthly in Wellington, Florida. Copyright 2009, all rights reserved by Wellington The Magazine, LLC. Contents may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising. The publisher accepts no responsibility for advertisement errors beyond the cost of the portion of the advertisement occupied by the error within the advertisement itself. The publisher accepts no responsibility for submitted materials. All submitted materials subject to editing.

In January 2010, Wellington The Magazine will begin an exciting new program honoring Wellington entrepreneurs. With your help, we will feature one area business owner each month. Those featured entrepreneurs will be the nominees for our first “Wellington’s Entrepreneur of the Year” award to be announced at the end of 2010. Do you know a Wellington business owner you find inspiring? Perhaps this entrepreneur has adopted an innovative approach, gone out of his or her way to secure our community’s future or shown dedication to the community through service. If so, head over to our web site at www.wellingtonthemagazine.com and learn how you can make your “Wellington’s Entrepreneur of the Year” nomination.

We’re about to begin the winter social season, which kicks off later this month with the Second Annual Palm Beach Steeplechase. I had the pleasure of attending last year’s inaugural steeplechase and was surprised by what an entertaining time I had watching a sport that I knew virtually nothing about. Of course, it’s not too hard to follow the concept of horses racing really fast to see which one crosses the finish line first. Mingling with the crowds and visiting tailgating friends only added to the entertainment. We feature the 2009 Palm Beach Steeplechase this issue, and if you didn’t make it last year, put Saturday, Nov. 28 on your calendar and make sure to drop by.

Also in this issue, we profile University of Florida football player Jon Bostic. Now a freshman linebacker for the top-rated Gators, Bostic chats about his Wellington roots playing for Palm Beach Central High School and the crucial support offered by his family — including his father Jon Sr., who once played for the Detroit Lions.

A visit to the doctor should be about more than just treating today’s symptoms. That’s the message of doctors Mariaclara Bago and Vincent Apicella. Their practice, Premier Family Health & Wellness, is featured this month along with their innovative programs to give patients the tools they need to create a healthy lifestyle. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a healthy atmosphere for your small business, look no further than Lake Wellington Professional Centre, also featured this month. Located in the heart of Wellington, the facility offers 90 professional offices with the shortest commute around.

Wellington at Home visits the Sugar Pond Manor residence of designer Dougie Mutch, who rebuilt her home to her exacting specifications after an unwelcome visit from Hurricane Jeanne. Wellington Table stops by Jason’s Deli, now open near Whole Foods Market on State Road 7. This Texas-based chain serves up quick, healthy fare that redefines the traditional image of a delicatessen. All this and more as you turn the page to enjoy the November issue of Wellington The Magazine.

Joshua Manning Publisher/Executive Editor

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Wellington Advertiser List Advertiser Page Advanced Medical Clinic .........................37 & 79 American Heritage School ................................ 6 American Shutter Designs .............................. 63 Ankle & Foot Centre of South Florida ............. 67 Armand Professional Services .........................61 Backyard Depot................................................ 63 Bea Bolton Photography ..................................81 BrightStar Healthcare ...................................... 39 Cabinets Plus of Palm Beach .......................... 65 Cambridge School ............................................45 Campagnolo Trattoria ...................................... 72 Centanni Italian Restaurant..............................75 Claudia Diesti .................................................. 78 Clean Simplicity ............................................... 46 Cosmetic Plastic Surgery ..................................38 Designer’s Touch Jewelry ................................ 27 Diagnostic Centers of America ........................19 DJ Computers .................................................. 80 Dolce Dental ...................................................... 8 Dr. Isaac Halfon ............................................... 46 Eclipse Salon & Spa..........................................53 Eisenman & Eisenman, MDs ...........................81 Fit Studio ......................................................... 49 Floor Specialists .............................................. 64 Florida Public Utilities ..................................... 65 Flower Kingdom ...............................................41 Generations Hair Salon, Anthony Gutilla ......... 4 Generations Hair Salon, Monica Hoffman ..... 55 Good Samaritan Medical Center......................83 Grayhills & Mohip Dental ................................38 Hair Spray Salon, Nikki Bailey..........................41 Hair Spray Salon, Samantha Kohlhorst .......... 49 Hi Lites Hair Studio......................................... 39 Horticulturist ................................................... 46 Illustrated Properties, Boardwalk Group .........17

I’m Greek Today ................................................75 Insurance for You..............................................77 Jason’s Deli ...................................................... 72 JEZ Capital ........................................................ 13 Kanold’s Welding ............................................. 63 Kontiki Wine & Raw Bar ...................................71 La Hacienda Show Stables .............................. 20 La Mer Nails & Spa ..........................................53 Law Offices of Daniel R. Brinley, PA.................41 Merrill Lynch, Laura Hanson Virginia ..............32 My Whole Pet Market ...................................... 76 Mystique Jewelry ...............................................37 Ncognito Massage ...........................................81 Nicole’s Pasta & Grill ...................................... 74 Norlug Enterprises .......................................... 66 OACES Tennis ...................................................33 O’Dell Inc. ....................................................... 30 Pacillo’s Custom Furniture ...............................61 Palm Beach Hair Solutions ............................. 47 Palm Beach Opera ........................................... 76 Palm Beach Psychological Associates .............53 Palm Beach Steeplechase.................................16 Palm Beach Wellness Center ........................... 36 Palms Wellington Surgical Center................... 29 Palms West Chamber SalsaFest .......................57 Palms West Hospital ........................................ 11 Paymaster ........................................................ 80 Perfect Smile Dentistry .....................................21 Photo Designs Inc. .......................................... 78 Plastic Surgery of Palm Beach............................5 Pleasure Island Tanning ...................................54 PMI Remodeling & Repairs............................. 65 Psychic Reading Advisor ................................. 79 Red Balloon Consignment Shop ..................... 53 Rejuva Med Spa ............................................... 44

Ristorante Vino ................................................ 72 Robert R. Morris, Attorney at Law.................... 55 Royal Inn .............................................................3 Royal Palm Auto Spa ....................................... 79 Royal Palm Flooring ........................................ 66 Sadati Center for Aesthetic Dentistry................ 2 Sal’s Italian Restaurant.....................................75 Sea Breeze Air Conditioning ........................... 67 Shop on Impulse .............................................. 55 Smiles by Jiveh ................................................. 84 Smith Service ................................................... 64 South Florida Gastroenterology ...................... 44 South Florida Radiation Oncology ...................23 South Florida Skin & Laser............................... 15 Spices Modern Thai & Sushi............................75 Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., Thomas Leinwol ......... 49 Stonewood Grill ............................................... 74 Subscription Form ............................................77 Suburban Volvo of Palm Beach ........................37 Tanism ............................................................. 79 Tipsy Salon & Spa............................................ 46 TooJay’s Gourmet Deli......................................73 Ultima Fitness ................................................. 80 Van Dell Jewelers ..............................................18 Visions Salon ................................................... 30 Viso LASIK Medspas ........................................12 Vital Longevity Water, Susan Lerner.................73 WellingTAN .......................................................37 Wellington Agency ............................................41 Wellington Marketplace....................................54 Wellington Nails & Spa ................................... 49 Wellington Regional Medical Center................. 7 Wellington Royal Marble & Granite ................ 63 Wellness Experience ........................................ 67 Zen Massage ................................................... 27

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Wellington Social Scene

Photos by Denise Fleischman

Band Brass Evolution Launches Live Arts Florida Concert Series The new Wellington cultural group Live Arts Florida kicked off its inaugural season on Saturday, Oct. 17 featuring a performance by the band Brass Evolution at Wellington High School’s performing arts theater. The show was a tribute to the music of Chicago, Steely Dan and Blood, Sweat & Tears. The next concert will feature reggae greats the Wailers on Saturday, Nov. 7. To purchase tickets, or for upcoming shows, call (888) 841-ARTS or visit www.liveartsfl.org.

Brass Evolution’s Jody Marlow sings with backup from the “Sick Puppy” horn section.

Live Arts Florida founders Shelley and Win Blodgett.

Mason Phelps, Ron Neal and Nappy Tranter.

Toy and John Wash.

Denise and Jeff Smith with Peggy and Mark Candreva.

Irwin, Eric and Laurie Cohen.

(Left) Miles Levitan sings the Spider-Man theme song.

(Below) Brass Evolution ends the performance to a standing ovation.

(Above) Maureen and Don Gross, Maggie Zeller and Ray and Susan Giddings.

(Below) Volunteers from St. David’s-in-thePines Episcopal Church served as ushers.

(Above) Joanna and Catherine Boynton enjoy girls night out.

(Below) Lead vocalists Jeffery Harris and Astrid Pazmino.

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Wellington Social Scene

Photos by Joshua Manning

Village Of Wellington Celebrates Halloween With Fall Festival The Village of Wellington, with help from the Palms West Chamber of Commerce and Royal Palm Nissan, presented a Halloween-themed Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Village Park on Pierson Road.

(Above) Volunteers Valerie Yeakel and Leslie Hernandez.

(Below) Juan Morales gets his face painted by Terry Knight.

(Above) Mark and Luke Willhite.

(Below) Logan Haig and Kailey Homoky ready to fight for their country.

(Top) Catherine Engel and Jaene Miranda of the P.W. Chamber.

(Above) Gianna Garcia as a pumpkin. (Right) Lincoln Belanger as a crayon.

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Wellington Social Scene

Viso LASIK Medspas In Wellington Hosts ‘Martini And A Lift’

(Above) Dawn Hasty, Tamara Moyer and Alexandra Davenporte.

(Below) Alexia Davis, Andrea Plevin and Lucy Bukowski.

(Above) Rose McEwen, Evelyn Ambler and Dr. Salvatore DeCanio.

(Above) Abbi Johnson and Diana Wright.

(Right) Tricia Ward Waldman, Barbara McMillin and Bernadette Green.

Viso LASIK Medspas in Wellington invited guests to “Martini and a Lift” on Friday, Sept. 25.

More than 50 guests attended the open-to-public soiree. Guests received medspa treatments and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere into the evening. Complimentary Nuvo martini cocktails set the mood as guests received complimentary massages and chatted with Viso’s team of skilled medical staff about laser vision correction and non-invasive anti-aging treatments. The Wellington medspa is located at 2515 State Road 7, Suite 210. For more info., call (561) 795-4772 or visit www.visolasikmedspas.com.

(Right) Nina Yurick and Kristen Curry Jenkins.

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Wellington Watch

BY joshua manning, lauren miro & ron bukley

$5 Million Pledge Envisions Major Horse Park In Wellington Wellington pioneers Ken and Arle Adams have pledged $5 million to keep Wellington an equestrian community through the creation of a major equestrian park.

Ken Adams, a longtime Wellington businessman, said the donation is designed to help the village plan and execute a public/private partnership between the

Village of Wellington and its equestrian community to make the park a reality.

According to Village Manager Paul Schofield, the couple offered the money with two conditions: that the money to fund the project would be supplementary to the normal budget, and that Wellington create a plan to bring permanence to the

already-existing equestrian venues. Vice Mayor Dr. Carmine Priore said the commitment by existing equestrian venues to remain in Wellington is an integral part of the envisioned park’s success. “The most important element is a commitment by the Winter Equestrian Festival and the International Polo Club that the facilities will continue being intact and will remain as part of the community,” he said.

Adams believes a public/private partnership is needed to create a park the caliber of what he envisions. “All major achievements have been due to a partnership between the public and the private sector,” he said, citing Disney as an example.

Adams said he hopes to create an equestrian foundation to oversee the funding and development of the park. It would be modeled after the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation. Schofield said the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington is a good model, and that although it is larger than any single venue in Wellington, in combination, Wellington’s horse facilities could be as large in area as the Kentucky facility.

There are many equestrian disciplines represented in Florida that compete elsewhere during the winter, and Adams hopes they would be attracted to an equestrian park in Wellington. “We want to expand beyond the horse show and polo, and become the winter equestrian capital,” he said. “The western competition is huge, and they compete outside of Wellington.”

Currently the proposal is in the planning stages. However, Schofield hoped to have an agreement with Adams ready to present at the Wellington Village Council’s first November meeting.

Adams said that the equestrian park would be “a tide that lifts all ships,” from which all businesses and taxpayers in

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Wellington would benefit. “We have an opportunity, if we plan to work together, to create something unique to Florida and to North America,” he said.

Mayor Darell Bowen Announces Re-Election Bid — Wellington’s 2010 election season got off to an early start in October when Mayor Darell Bowen announced that he intends to seek re-election in March. “It’s a little early, but I wanted to get a jump on things,” Bowen said, adding that he has risen to the challenge of being mayor during a major economic downturn. He said his greatest challenge over the past two years has been balancing the village’s budget and decreasing spending without sacrificing crucial services. “The budget was cut from $119 million down to $85 million over four years,” Bowen said. “I consider that quite an accomplishment.” Bowen said that he is committed to maintaining village services in the future because it’s important to the community. “We are a community with a high level of services,” he said. “We have to continue to do everything we can to maintain them and to continue to improve them.” Aside from the mayor’s job, two council seats will be up for grabs next year: Seat 2 held by term-limited Lizbeth Benacquisto and Seat 3 held by Howard Coates. The election will be on Tuesday, March 9.

proximity to Stormwater Treatment Area 1-West. Further, county officials generally agreed that the prices being asked for the two sites on offer were inflated far above their appraised value, and also noted that falloffs in the county’s population growth and economic activity have extended the life expectancy of the existing county landfill, giving them more time to reach a decision. The year’s delay will give the county time to negotiate out a land swap

with the SFWMD, which is currently negotiating the state’s purchase of 73,000 acres of U.S. Sugar property for Everglades restoration. The county’s goal is to get some of that land in exchange for 1,600 acres already owned by the SWA near the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. That site was purchased in 1996 to be used as a landfill, but it was later deemed too environmentally sensitive for the purpose.

County Drops SR 80 Landfill Site — Wellington officials had reason to celebrate Oct. 7 when the Solid Waste Authority rejected the two existing offers of a new landfill site, instead pinning hopes on a future land trade with the South Florida Water Management District. Wellington had joined with Glades officials earlier this year to lobby against the county’s preferred site for a new landfill, located at the intersection of State Road 80 and U.S. 98. Area officials believe that having a landfill directly on SR 80 will be an eyesore that will jeopardize the future economic growth of the area. Another site, located on County Road 880, drew objections from environmentalists over its WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE • november 2009

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Palms West Chamber’s

M

Mark your calendars for Saturday, Nov. 21 as the Palms West Chamber of Commerce presents its third annual SalsaFest at Greenacres Community Park on Jog Road just north of 10th Avenue. What should you expect to see at SalsaFest? Everything from Chihuahua races to international recording artists.

“We are excited to announce that our honorary chairman for the event is Dr. Jose Ortega, a noted orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at the Center for Bone & Joint Surgery of the Palm Beaches,” said Jaene Miranda, CEO of the Palms West Chamber.

“Having the opportunity to present this dynamic and cultural event to the community continues to be a priority for our business,” Ortega said. “The three major international recording artists will make this event the premier Latin festival in Palm Beach County for 2009 — Rey Ruiz, Lalo Rodriguez and Anthony Cruz.”

With a great musical lineup and nearly

Returns Nov. 21

$300,000 in support from local media, including Mia 92.1, West Palm Beach’s first Latin FM radio station, record crowds are expected at SalsaFest. “We are pleased to present SalsaFest in collaboration with the Palms West Chamber of Commerce,” said Raymond Hernandez, Mia 92.1’s program director. “Our relationship with the music industry allows us to partner with record labels and their agents to help us present the best Latin entertainers who have ever appeared at any festival event in Palm Beach County.

The combination of great musical talent and the chamber’s ability to deliver a great event should make for quite a show.”

SalsaFest Committee co-chairs Martha Reyes and Rafael Perez of Havana Restaurant and Chris Marrero of IBIZA also give credit to the sponsors who have made a commitment to supporting this unique cultural experience. “It’s great to have our presenting sponsors Royal Palm Toyota, Palms Wellington Surgical Center, Optimal Wellness Center and the Center for Bone & Joint Surgery recommit to our event again this year,” Reyes said.

“It is a vote of confidence when your sponsors return without hesitation,” Marrero added. “We had a wonderful showing last year with over 12,000 in attendance and expect the same, if not better, this year.”

The SalsaFest excitement does not stop on the main stage. Appearances by costume characters, dance and domino competitions, salsa cookoffs, bounce houses, a battle of the bands, a business expo, arts and crafts, and many other activities will give festival visitors much to enjoy.

Ortega is excited about his new role with SalsaFest. He has long been active in the community, serving as team physician for the Royal Palm Beach High School Wildcats football team since 2002, among other volunteer commitments.

“I have had the fortune of building my business here,” Ortega said. “Part of my success can be directly attributed to my ability to market to the Hispanic population, which continues to grow in our service area. Like my predecessor Dr. Harvey Montijo, I look at my support of

Headliners at this year’s SalsaFest include Rey Ruiz (right) and Lalo Rodriguez (left). Also appearing will be Anthony Cruz. All three are internationally known recording artists.

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Dr. Jose Ortega, honorary chair of this year’s SalsaFest, shown here on the set filming a TV commercial to promote the Latin-themed event.

SalsaFest as a means to teach others that marketing to this important segment of the population is a ‘have to’ in today’s economic climate.”

All area businesses and nonprofit organizations are invited to take advantage of this unique marketing opportunity through sponsorships or by purchasing an exhibitor’s booth.

“Presenting the Toyota brand to this ethnic segment of my service area has become an important part of my marketing plan,” said Ira Greenbaum, general manager of Royal Palm Toyota. “SalsaFest has provided my sales team the opportunity to have direct contact with customers. No amount of advertising can replace that face-to-face interaction.”

SalsaFest does have a charitable component. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the City of Greenacres Department of Leisure Services for the purpose of expanding its award-winning youth programs to underprivileged children.

For more information about how you can be a part of SalsaFest, visit www.salsafest.net or contact Catherine Engel at (561) 790-6200 or catherine@palmswest.com.

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CATCH THE THRILL OF THE

Race

Palm Beach Steeplechase Returns To Wellington On Saturday, Nov. 28 STORY BY LAUREN MIRO

PHOTOS COURTESY EQUESTRIAN SPORT PRODUCTIONS

Horses and riders will race across the historic fields of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center Stadium this Thanksgiving weekend as steeplechase returns to Wellington.

The Second Annual Palm Beach Steeplechase scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 28 will provide a day of excitement and fun for area residents as well as visitors from all over the world who flock to Wellington for its vibrant equestrian community. The event is being staged by Equestrian Sport Productions, the same company that produces the Winter Equestrian Festival.

“I’m looking forward to highlighting the community with this event,” said Equestrian Sport Productions CEO Mark Bellissimo, who is chairing the Palm Beach Steeplechase along with his wife Katherine. “We work hard to celebrate Wellington and the equestrian lifestyle, helping to make Wellington more successful and unique in the world of equestrian sports.”

After attending other steeplechase events up and down the east coast, Bellissimo knew that the sport was something he wanted to bring to Wellington. “Steeplechases are such great community events,” he said.

In its inaugural year, the Palm Beach Steeplechase drew a crowd of over 8,000

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(Above) Horses and riders sail over a jump during last year’s Palm Beach Steeplechase Race #2, the $25,000 Sport of Kings Maiden Hurdle.

PHOTO BY DAVID LOMINSKA

(Left inset) Palm Beach Steeplechase founders Katherine and Mark Bellissimo (right) congratulate the winners of last year’s Race #1, the $25,000 Maiden Filly & Mare Hurdle. Included in the photo are jockey Matthew McCarron, owner Daniel Geitner and trainer Dave Washer.

‘I’m looking forward to highlighting the community with this event. We work hard to celebrate Wellington and the equestrian lifestyle, helping to make Wellington more successful and unique in the world of equestrian sports.’

Mark Bellissimo, CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions

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spectators who were treated to a number of exciting races over a day filled with gourmet food, drinks and entertainment. More established steeplechase events routinely garner crowds as high as 70,000 people, Bellissimo noted, and that is his vision for the future. “I hope this event turns into tens of thousands of people,” he said.

Already the event is shaping up to be bigger and better than 2008. “Our phones have been ringing off the hook from people who didn’t go last year and want to come this year,” Bellissimo said.

Suncast Corporation recently signed a twoyear deal to be the title sponsor of the Palm Beach Steeplechase. “We believe that this is a great family and community event for Wellington, and we are proud to be a part of it,” Suncast CEO Tom Tisbo said.

(Above) Shari Circus riding for the Palm Beach Hounds during last year’s opening ceremonies.

(Below) Horses and riders run neck-and-neck during last year’s Race #4, the $25,000 Starter Allowance Hurdle. In the foreground is horse Slip Away, owned by Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey and ridden by jockey Padge Whelan.

The race will serve as a kickoff point for Wellington’s winter equestrian season with riders and their horses arriving in town earlier than ever before. “It’s the introduction to the scene for the year,” Events Coordinator Elizabeth Hedley said.

Top steeplechase riders will bring their horses from Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and beyond to compete in five races for $200,000 in prize money. It will be the final race of a steeplechase circuit that includes famous courses such as Middleburg in Virginia and Saratoga Springs in New York. The Palm Beach Steeplechase is officially sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association, the sport’s governing body.

Steeplechase originated in Ireland in the 18th century as a race from one church steeple to another, hence the name. It has evolved into a major sporting event that fosters competition and community all over the world.

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The Palm Beach Steeplechase course runs along the perimeter of the stadium, located on the site of the old Palm Beach Polo Stadium at the corner of South Shore Blvd. and Pierson Road. The location makes it

10/27/2009 11:38:05 AM

easy to find. “The event is very accessible with the stadium being right on South Shore Blvd.,” Hedley said. “Most people are familiar with South Shore but may not be with Pierson or the show grounds.”

Horses and riders will race clockwise over hurdles for a total of 2.25 miles. The featured race is the Palm Beach Stakes, a $100,000 Grade I novice hurdle. The other four races include a three-year-old stakes and a filly-and-mare stakes. There will also be a sixth celebrity race. “If you go to one equestrian event this year, this would be it,” Hedley said.

The event is the perfect introduction to the season for horse people and non-horse people alike, Bellissimo added. Even those who know nothing about equestrian sports will feel right at home. “It’s easier to identify with a horse race more than with jumping or polo,” Bellissimo said. “It’s easier to digest and very exciting.”

Attendees don’t have to understand the tallying of points, or follow a ball. Instead they can just share the excitement as the horses fly around the track and over hurdles. “Last year was amazing,” Bellissimo said. “At the end, when there were eight to ten horses coming around the back stretch, they were flying, and the crowd was going crazy.”

The stadium gates will open at 9 a.m. for tailgaters, with the entertainment kicking off at 11 a.m. and the first race at 1 p.m.

Tailgaters will line up along the outside and inside rails of the track in cars or tents, bring their own food and drink, and set up camp where they can leave belongings while checking out all the activities. There will be four tailgating areas delineated with different color flags so they can easily be found.

Whole Foods Market will be sponsoring a tailgate competition, judging participants on the most creative, most equestrian, most culinary and most Palm Beach.

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Horses head over a fence during last year’s Race #2, the $25,000 Sport of Kings Maiden Hurdle. Don’t miss the excitement of this year’s Palm Beach Steeplechase on Nov. 28.

Hedley said. “They bring china and tablecloths, and even leftovers from Thanksgiving. You just buy a spot and do your own thing.”

Tailgate spots are $295 per car with four tickets included or $395 for a 10-by-10 tent with eight tickets. They can be bought online at www.palmbeachsteeplechase.com.

The event offers a wide variety of entertainment. Attendants will have the opportunity to see local mayors race on Segways or cheer on local firefighters and sheriff’s deputies as they battle it out in a tug-of-war.

There will also be a classic car parade and exhibition, and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle parade, in which anyone with a Harley can come out and join. Vendors will be on site selling jewelry, hats, art, sports memorabilia and other fine goods as well as gourmet food and drink.

For the ladies there will be the return of the hat contest where female contestants will compete for the titles of most creative, most elegant, most equestrian and the best of Palm Beach. The contest will take place on the Trophy Stage between the second and third races.

Families can take advantage of the children’s carnival with jugglers, face painters, balloon artists, a petting zoo, pony rides and bounce houses. Also popular are the Jack Russell terrier races. “The terrier races are hilarious,” Hedley said. “They have to wear little muzzles.”

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For adults, there will be no shortage of refreshments with wine and beer gardens complete with televisions to show football games. Hedley hopes the areas will foster an environment for single people to feel comfortable and mingle. “It’s an event where people can come and just be comfortable,” she said. “We want everyone to have fun, and for kids to be able to just run all over the infield, play with the ponies, see the animals and have a great time.”

Also available is a Stadium Turf Club table for $600 with eight passes, a cash bar and buffet; a Stadium Terrace table for $1,000 with eight passes, an open bar and buffet; a second floor finish line Stadium Tiki Hut table for $1,500 with six passes, an open bar and buffet; or a Palm Club table located upstairs in the infield for $1,500 with six passes, open bar and buffet.

General admission tickets are $20 in advance or $25 the day of the race, but free for children under 12.

For large groups, Equestrian Sport Productions offers a Home Stretch Chalet — a tent on the home stretch that holds up to 90 people — for $3,000, which includes 40 tickets.

Attendants can purchase an individual ticket to the Players Club for $150 with an open bar and buffet, or a second floor table at the Players Club for $2,000 that includes ten tickets, an open bar and buffet.

To order tickets, or for more information, visit www.palmbeachsteeplechase.com or call (561) 793-5867. To learn more about the sport of steeplechase, visit the National Steeplechase Association website at www.nationalsteeple chase.com.

PALM BEACH STEEPLECHASE

Saturday, Nov. 28 at the PBIEC Stadium South Shore Blvd. at Pierson Road Gates Open at 9 a.m., First Race at 1 p.m.

General Parking $10, VIP Parking $25 General Admission: $20 in Advance, $25 on Race Day Tailgating Spots: $295 - $395, Tables: $600 - $1,500 Home Stretch Rail Chalet: $3,000 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.PALMBEACHSTEEPLECHASE.COM OR CALL (561) 793-5867

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USET Foundation

Holiday Gala Fundraiser At Brandon Center Dec. 11-12

BY LAUREN FISHER

An exciting Holiday Gala Fundraiser will be held Dec. 11-12 at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center to benefit the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation. The gala will feature some of the biggest names in the equestrian world from a unique combination of disciplines, all coming together for a good cause and a fun holiday celebration.

The USET is the non-profit organization that supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America’s elite and developing international, high-performance horses and athletes in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation.

Many of the USET’s top members compete in Wellington throughout the winter at the renowned Winter Equestrian Festival, and the USET Holiday Gala Fundraiser will be the perfect opportunity to raise money for the USET Foundation and support the future of equestrian sport.

tal equine digestive health for optimal appearance, temperament and performance.

The event will be hosted by Wellington Classic Dressage and Succeed, a daily nutrient program that supports to-

Held at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center just east of Wellington off Forest Hill Blvd., the USET Holiday

In addition to supporting the USET Foundation, the Holiday Gala will also help families in need during the holiday season by collecting donations for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots. The Toys for Tots program collects new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distributes those toys as holiday gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.

PHOTO BY SUSAN J. STICKLE/PHELPSSPORTS.COM

PHOTO COURTESY MPRI ARCHIVES/WWW.MONTYROBERTS.COM

Supporters of the Dec. 11-12 USET Holiday Gala Fundraiser include well-known eventing rider and trainer Gina Miles (left) and world-renowned author, trainer and horse communicator Monty Roberts (right).

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Gala Fundraiser will be an equestrian event like no other. The gala will feature a combination of clinics, fun demonstrations, team competitions and many holiday surprises from some of the top horses and riders in the country.

Equestrian journalist, commentator and radio host Chris Stafford will serve as master of ceremonies and is excited to see all of the equestrian stars who have signed up to participate.

Olympian David O’Connor is among the top equestrians expected to attend the event. photo courtesy USET

“I think that this is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the talent that we have in this country by bringing riders from all of the different disciplines together to enjoy the festive season, as well as raise money for such a worthwhile cause,” Stafford said. “Many of these riders have been on the team or aspire to be on the team one day, and I think it is going to be a marvelous spectacle to have so many great riders together in one place. It is going to be very exciting, and I am really looking forward to being part of it.”

The list of equestrians scheduled to attend includes Steffen Peters, the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup and CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival dressage champion; dressage Olympian Courtney King-Dye; Pan Am Games Gold Medalist Pierre St. Jacques; and dressage riders and trainers Reese Koffler-Stanfield, Kim Gentry and Stephan Kiesewetter.

Also included will be eventing Olympic medalists David and Karen O’Connor; 2008 U.S. Olympic Eventing Silver Medalist Gina Miles; Canadian eventing Olympians Hawley Bennett and Samantha St. Jacques; eventer and trainer Cathy Wieschhoff; show jumper Kate Levy; U.S. Four-in-Hand Driving Champion Chester Weber; trainer and best-selling author Monty Roberts; equestrian sports psychologist Jeanne Lambrecht; bestselling author Tami Hoag; and AQHA champion and trainer Lynn Palm. Several other top names are expected to take part.

“This USET holiday fundraising event is

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what I look forward to as the culmination of my three-month, five-country, Willing Partners Tour,” said world-renowned author, trainer and horse communicator Monty Roberts. “When my friends at Succeed approached me months ago to participate, they didn’t have to say anything more than ‘it’s for the kids and for the horses.’ I look forward to riding with some of the best horsemen in the world!”

Gina Miles, a rider and trainer well loved in the world of eventing, is looking forward to being involved with such a great cause as well. “I am really excited to be participating in what will be a fun event that will promote the sport and entertain the fan base,” Miles said. “This event is a chance to help the USET fund gold medal winning teams for the 2010 World Equestrian Games, and I hope everyone will join us in Florida to support this.”

Along with the exciting equestrian performances, the Holiday Gala will feature

The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve will be on hand at the holiday gala to collect Toys for Tots donations.

a catered VIP dinner along with a fundraising auction featuring many one-of-akind items. The Jim Brandon Equestrian Center will also host a special shopping village featuring Wellington’s favorite vendors, which will be perfect for holiday shopping.

Tickets for the USET Holiday Gala Fundraiser are on sale now. Ticket pricing will be $175 for VIP seating per night ($275

for both nights) and $30 for preferred seating per night.

For further information on the event, or if you are interested in being a vendor, visit the fundraiser web site www.succeed event.com for details. To purchase tickets, call (561) 227-1525 or e-mail tickets@ wellingtonclassicdressage.com. E-mail inquiries should include “USET Fundraiser” in the subject line.

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Jon Bostic on the field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville during the Sept. 5 game against the Charleston Southern University Buccaneers.

PHOTO BY JIM BURGESS

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WELLINGTON’S Jon Bostic Makes The Transition From Bronco Star To UF Linebacker

BY DEBORAH WELKY

HARD WORK PAYS OFF. THAT’S THE MESSAGE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FRESHMAN LINEBACKER JONATHAN BOSTIC II WOULD LIKE TO SEND TO STUDENTS CURRENTLY ATTENDING HIS WELLINGTON ALMA MATER, PALM BEACH CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL. BOSTIC GRADUATED FROM PBCHS IN DECEMBER 2008 SO HE COULD GET A HEAD START AT UF IN JANUARY 2009. WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE RECENTLY CAUGHT UP WITH THIS BRAND-NEW GATOR AS HE CAME IN FRESH FROM THE UF PRACTICE FIELDS. Not surprisingly, Bostic has football in his blood. His father, Jonathan Bostic Sr., played three seasons (1985-87) as a cornerback for the NFL’s Detroit Lions. Yet it was his mother Jacqueline who signed him up for football at age five.

“My wife got on me about it,” Jon Sr. said. “I may have been tired, late, couldn’t make it to every game, but it was important to my son, so I volunteered. I was out there probably six or seven years.”

“Coming up playing football, I knew how kids get hurt, and I didn’t want to be the one to put him in something like that,” recalled his father. “I said, ‘Once he starts, he has to finish.’

He ended up liking it, and he has been playing ever since.”

Jon Sr’s. coaching helped Jon II excel. At Palm Beach Central, Jon II primarily played offense (running back), but under UF Coach Urban Meyer, he has become highly successful on the defensive line. It was a switch-up that Jon II embraced.

The first team Jon II played on was the Dekalb Yellowjackets in Lithonia, Georgia, where the family then lived. When Jon II was six, the family moved to Wellington, where he began playing for the Western Communities Football League. Jon Sr. soon was recruited as a coach, then as a WCFL board member.

“I just like hitting people more than having people hit me,” he laughed. “I’m starting to learn different techniques. My dad told me to go learn as much as I can.”

Bostic is following that advice, both on the field and off.

While he had a 3.0 grade point average at Palm Beach Cen-

‘I just like hitting people more than having people hit me. I’m starting to learn different techniques. My dad told me to go learn as much as I can.’

Jon Bostic II on the transition from running back to the defensive line (Right) Jon Bostic during his days as a star player on Palm Beach Central Broncos.

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tral, during his first semester at the University of Florida he earned a perfect 4.0.

He is majoring in health science with the goal of becoming a physical therapist. He doesn’t participate in any extracurricular activities aside from football.

“For right now, that takes all my time,” Bostic said. “I stay in a dorm down on campus. I like it. It’s in the center of everything.”

With excellent grades, a dorm in the hub of it all and some national TV exposure on weekends, Jon II seems to have found his groove as a Gator. He even hints that he’d like to play in the NFL someday if the opportunity presents itself. In the meantime, his father continues to stress the importance of a good education.

Freshman linebacker Jon Bostic during the Sept. 12 game against Troy University.

The Gators went on to win 56-6. photo courtesy UF athletics

“I tell him that it’s never guaranteed that you make it to the NFL. Less than one percent do. If you’re good enough, go do it, but never plan on it. The NFL stands for

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National Football League, but also Not For Long,” Jon Sr. said. “When I was with the Lions, I felt a little twinge, went to see a doctor, and before I knew it, it was ‘thanks for your time.’ The NFL is a business. You can be there at the height of your career, and then it can be over just as quickly.”

After his football career was cut short, Jon Sr. went through a period of depression, but education was the key to putting his life back together. “I taught school for two years, and then my wife suggested I go to pharmacy school,” he said. “That worked out very well. It was a great choice.”

So maybe hard work is in Jon II’s genes.

Maybe success both on the field and off is meant to be. Or maybe it’s the adrenaline rush that keeps Jon II at the top of his game. After all, playing in front of 90,000 wildly enthusiastic fans does serve to boost a guy’s confidence.

“It was interesting when we first went out there,” Bostic recalled with a smile, trying to express what it was like to take the field at UF’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (a.k.a.

“The Swamp”) for the very first time. “I was going out there with another new linebacker. They told us how it was going to be — the noise, the crowds — but we forgot everything we learned. I’m not a loud, vocal person and, that first game, I was trying to be calm; I was trying to communicate.

But you can’t hear yourself talk.”

The top-ranked Florida Gators and their avid fans are looking toward both SEC and National Championship victories this season, but linebacker Bostic hesitates to make any predictions. “I just go out there and play every day, game by game,” he said.

And what about the Heisman Trophy? Will it go, for a second time, to Gator quarterback Tim Tebow, who scared the Gator Nation when he was hospitalized after being knocked unconscious by a Kentucky sack on Sept. 26? “We’ll see,” Bostic said, again choosing not to prognosticate.

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photo by Jim Burgess

When not on the field, Jon Bostic is studying health science with the goal of becoming a physical therapist.

OK, then. But what about a Heisman for Jon Bostic II someday? “They don’t give those to defensive players,” he laughed.

While Bostic has three more seasons in front of him at UF, many of the team’s current star players are reaching the end of their college days. The fact that he may soon reign as one of the team’s more experienced members is not lost on him.

“I kind of see it as an opportunity,” Jon II said. “They’re trying to get me to do more, to start picking it up and getting used to it.”

“That’s actually one of the things that attracted me to Florida, the older players,” added his father. “Jon works out with Tebow, with Brandon Spikes. Those are two of the leaders on the team, and they’re talking to Jonathan and preparing him for a leadership role. They’re going to have about three linebackers who stay, and they need one more kid. Then they’ll be set on linebackers for the next three or four years… Jonathan’s potential is only limited to as far as he decides to take it, and he’ll take full advantage of that. We’re all so proud of him.”

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Gator Country photo by Tim Casey

And the torch continues to be passed down through the Bostic family. Sister Jayla, 16, plays volleyball and basketball at PBCHS. Brother Justin, 5, will play next year with the WCFL. “I’m sure his mom will sign him up for that,” laughed the senior Bostic. “It’s kind of good to keep them active, busy… I also had to let Jonathan know that if his game conflicts with Justin’s, I’ll have to watch his game on TV. I told him, ‘I have to be there for Justin, same as I was for you.’”

Commitment is more than a word for the Bostic clan. Still, they say that if you have a job you love, you never have to work a day in your life. So if being a linebacker for the University of Florida is Jon Bostic II’s current job, he loves every day. And if he has to go to the office, The Swamp is a great office to have.

ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso perhaps put it best when he said, “There is no better place than ‘The Swamp.’ That opening on the big screen with the alligators, it’s the best ever. When the Gators run out of the tunnel, it is absolutely the moment of moments in college football.”

Jonathan Bostic II couldn’t agree more.

“I love it there,” he said.

Go, Gators!

Gator Country photo by Tim Casey

‘Jon works out with [Tim] Tebow, with Brandon Spikes. Those are two of the leaders on the team, and they’re talking to Jonathan and preparing him for a leadership role…

Jonathan’s potential is only limited to as far as he decides to take it, and he’ll take full advantage of that.’

Jon Bostic Sr. on his son’s future

They told us how it was going to be — the noise, the crowds — but we forgot everything we learned.

I’m not a loud, vocal person and, that first game, I was trying to be calm; I was trying to communicate.

But you can’t hear yourself talk.’

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Lake Wellington

Professional Offices With A Community Feel STORY BY DEBORAH WELKY PHOTOS BY SUSAN LERNER

On the shores of Lake Wellington, tucked behind the Wellington Community Center, is the Lake Wellington Professional Centre. The three unimposing buildings quietly house 90 professional offices with the shortest commute in town. Soft breezes, swaying palm trees and a magnificent view only add to the attractiveness of the location.

“It’s the best building site in Wellington,” said LWPC owner Ken Adams, a former Palm Beach County commissioner and a longtime Wellington resident. “Of course, that’s kind of easy to do when you own several thousand acres.”

He’s not speaking of himself. He’s speaking of early Wellington developers Bill Ylivasker and Guerry Stribling of Gould Florida Inc., who initially constructed the buildings to use as their offices while they designed the nascent community.

Today, lucky business owners who lease space at the

Lake Wellington Professional Centre can walk in those pioneers’ footsteps, enjoying the same sunsets, the same water lapping gently against the shoreline and, hopefully, the same success.

“We’re about 95 percent full right now,” said Diane Brockway, LWPC managing director. “It’s amazing. We have all phases of real estate, a booking agent for a recording star, family counselors, family planners, CPAs, attorneys; it’s very diversified. When I came on board about eight years ago, it was almost all real estate related, but this is so much more fun. Everybody gets along. They cross the hall and talk to their neighbors. It’s just wonderful.”

Lake Wellington Professional Centre has a Forest Hill Blvd. address but is accessed by a road behind the Wellington Community Center.

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The Lake Wellington Professional Centre staff includes (L-R) receptionist Samantha Tosner, owner Ken Adams, manager Diane Brockway and assistant Valerie Flannery.

Lake Wellington Professional Centre’s well-appointed reception area greets visitors with a clean, comfortable look.

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Manager Diane Brockway runs the facility for owner Ken Adams.

That comfortable, anti-cubicle atmosphere is what Adams had hoped to create when he bought the complex 15 years ago. “I didn’t want it to look like other office spaces,” he said. “I wanted it to be more comfortable, a mixture between elegance and an efficient work space.”

Yet the idea could have been tossed aside.

“I had read in The Wall Street Journal where executive suites were popping up in Europe and taking hold primarily in larger cities in the United States,” Adams recalled. “I was a county commissioner at the time and working downtown, looking at the sun during the drive both ways, and I wondered if the concept would work in a bedroom community like Wellington. So I went to a meeting of an association of executive suite owners and hired a professional advisor to come out and take a look.

He charged me quite a bit of money and told me ‘no.’ When I ran into him years later, he asked how things were going, and I told him ‘we’re filled up and have a waiting list.’ But Wellington has been underestimated by many people over the years.

People want to work where they live.”

Adams has made several upgrades to the

property, including new marble in the lobby and increased technical services in the conference room, an airy meeting place available to those who rent space in the building. Executive suite clients also share a lobby, reception services, cleaning and maintenance crews, and have tech support available onsite. “The electricity is on all the time, the a/c people come through once a month. We take care of everything,” Brockway said.

And that includes many little things that give LWPC a community atmosphere.

“There are doughnuts on Wednesdays and chocolate candy at all times. I get in trouble if I don’t have the doughnuts there on time,” Brockway laughed. “Our staff, as well as our clientele, are warm, wonderful, fun people. Yet we’re all extremely professional. We take our jobs very seriously. We spend more time at work than we do anywhere else, why shouldn’t it be fun?”

One of those clients, the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, works with LWPC to host a holiday mixer on the veranda behind the building. The expanded veranda was another Adams upgrade.

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“Many new businesses contact the chamber when they come to town,” Adams said.

“Many of them do business together.”

The chamber was already housed in the building when Michela Perillo-Green took over as its executive director in 2004, but she knows full well why the chamber chose to locate there eight years ago.

“We chose the building because of the location,” she said. “It’s in the heart of Wellington and just made sense. Ken Adams offered a beautiful space, and the people here are fantastic to work with. Since Diane Brockway took over a few years ago, it has just been exceptional. She really has a talent for hiring exceptional people at the reception area. She has fostered a family environment here.”

“The chamber is a big asset for both of us.

We help each other,” agreed Brockway.

Always with an eye to the future, Lake Wel-

The directory near the entrance lists the professionals with offices at Lake Wellington, along with a place for business cards.

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Richard Carey, Chad Hildebrand and Charles Fetrow use Lake Wellington’s conference room offering the latest amenities.

lington Professional Centre is also licensed to sell telecommunications services all over the world (Internet and telephone) and currently hosts 25 to 30 clients with “virtual offices.”

“That’s where a client does not have a physical office but does have a legal address, and we answer the phones for them,” Brockway explained. “They can always move up from a virtual office to a real office as their business grows.”

at LWPC. “I like, first of all, being in Wellington,” he said. “Business has been good for me out here. The center has a lot of amenities — reception staff, phone answering, kitchen service, a full conference room with media available all the time, and it’s a nice place to be. I plan to be out here for a while.”

If you’re ready to work in your own backyard, saving time and gas, you might want to consider leasing space in the Lake Wellington Professional Centre.

For more information, call Brockway at (561) 227-1500 or visit LWPC at 12230 W. Forest Hill Blvd.

That’s exactly what Wellington resident Dale Grimm did. A certified public accountant, Grimm moved to Wellington in 1987 and, like most Wellington residents at the time, was commuting to West Palm Beach.

“When I first came out here, I had a virtual office for about a year — a drop box and the availability of a conference room to meet with clients,” Grimm said. “I decided to close my office in West Palm Beach in July 2002.”

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Valerie Flannery, Diane Brockway and Samantha Tosner at the front desk.

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Dr. Mariaclara Bago and Dr. Vincent Apicella (center) with staff members. (L-R) Staci Mishkin, Stephanie Silva, Elizabeth Tringali, Dr. Bago, Dr. Apicella, Jhaleh Jiveh, Shan Lezark and Elizabeth Prol.

‘It is a known fact that a healthy lifestyle and wellbeing go hand in hand. However, I found that treating a patient’s chronic diseases with traditional medicines did little to improve their overall health, so the programs that I’ve created help meet this goal by providing an easy-to-follow system that has lasting impact.’

Dr. Mariaclara Bago

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Doctors Bago And Apicella Help Patients Develop Healthy Lifestyles STORY BY RON BUKLEY PHOTOS BY SUSAN LERNER

The husband-and-wife medical team of Dr. Mariaclara Bago and Dr. Vincent Apicella has developed a healthcare practice in Wellington that goes beyond just treating ailments. They offer their patients tools to pursue a healthy lifestyle.

Bago and Apicella founded Premier Family Health & Wellness to promote overall wellness in a doctor’s setting. The couple met in 1997 when they both were studying medicine at Nova Southeastern University.

“We founded Premier Family Health & Wellness back in 2004,” Bago recalled. “We graduated from Wellington Regional Medical Center’s residency program and opened our doors the next day.”

Their medical practice focuses on treatment with disease prevention in mind. “Our specialty is in preventive medicine, men’s health, women’s health, health and wellness,” said Bago, who received her master’s in public health education before attending medical school. “I’ve always been a fitness advocate.”

While she routinely has offered patients lifestyle counseling, such as diet and exercise options, in addition to traditional medical therapies, Bago lacked a means of follow-up until she recently implemented her longstanding wellness center vision. The wellness center serves as a resource for patients to get the information they need on treatment options in addition to medical therapy.

In 2007, Bago implemented her TLC Weight Management Program to help patients in their efforts with weight control. The Premier Center for Healthy Aging opened in 2008 and is designed for older individuals who want to develop or maintain a healthy, quality lifestyle. Specially trained staff members work with patients to create a “healthy aging plan.”

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Dr. Mariaclara Bago speaks with patient Roberto Estape as nurse Jhaleh Jiveh sets up his Bioelectrical Impedence Analysis.

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“It’s all about wellness,” Bago stressed.

“It’s not about giving them a pill and sending them out the door. We always try to give more, educate. Our motto is, ‘empowering the patient through education and motivation.’”

Bago believes people can achieve more in life through optimal wellness, and it is through Premier’s programs that they can attain the goal. “It is a known fact that a healthy lifestyle and well-being go hand in hand,” she said. “However, I found that treating a patient’s chronic diseases with traditional medicines did little to improve their overall health, so the programs that I’ve created help meet this goal by providing an easy-to-follow system that has lasting impact.”

(Above) A chart shows the differences between healthy and unhealthy intestinal function and how your diet is involved in overall intestinal health. (Below) Elizabeth Tringali counsels a patient in detox and cleansing.

Bago, Apicella and physician assistant Elizabeth Tringali have certification in anti-aging and functional medicine through the American Academy of AntiAging Medicine (A4M). “They offer a fellowship in functional and integrative medicine,” Bago explained. “Through that organization, we’ve been learning treatment protocols that we’ve been implementing into our program.”

The program includes hormone analysis and replacement, lifestyle counseling, detoxification programs, colon hydrotherapy, metabolic testing, and nutraceutical and herbal supplements, as well as cosmetic treatment such as laser hair removal, Botox and Juvederm.

“This evolved with the idea of trying to provide complete information and leav-

ing patients with no excuse not to improve themselves,” Bago said. “They ask, ‘OK, doc, how do I eat?’ Well, you know what? Go to the wellness center and learn how to eat in methods that are medically founded. We have the resources to get them where they need to be.”

Available weight management programs now include HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), an injectable that helps control fat. “The weight management program is all about body composition, looking at muscle mass, good, solid nutrition and exercise programs,” Bago said.

Through the A4M training, Premier staff members learned alternative services such as colonic therapy and detoxification, the process of cleaning the body from the inside out, removing toxins, Apicella said, explaining that detoxification can reduce sluggishness people often assume is a part of their physiology.

“In the toxic world we live in, whether it’s from the foods we eat, the air we breathe, what’s inside and on top of our food, and then not to mention all the toxic things that people do to themselves, be it drugs, alcohol, tobacco abuse — all of these things slow down the body’s normal metabolic processes until you cleanse your organ systems and do things the right way through proper nutrition,” Apicella said.

Programs offered at Premier challenge what patients might already have given up trying to change.

‘Many people have become accepting of their inadequacies with their health... What they end up getting is Band-Aid treatments for the end stage of the problem, whereas if you fix the problem from the inside out on a cellular level, you’re much better off. That’s what we do here.’

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(Left) Dr. Vincent Apicella administers a Botox treatment to one of his patients.

(Below) Premier’s state-ofthe-art Libbe Colonic room.

“Many people have become accepting of their inadequacies with their health, whether it’s a little beer belly or it’s constipation or a feeling of sluggishness or fatigue,” Apicella said. “What they end up getting is Band-Aid treatments for the end stage of the problem, whereas if you fix the problem from the inside out on a cellular level, you’re much better off. That’s what we do here.”

However, Apicella stressed that Premier is a medical practice primarily and a preventative treatment facility secondarily.

“We have an integrated approach to healthcare, which is giving an alternative to people who want to steer clear of prescription drugs and traditional medicine,” he said. “It is giving them another option. But we are a medical office first, and diagnosing an existing disease is extremely important. Ultimately, we help patients find that balance.”

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Dr. Mariaclara Bago discusses test results with patient Roberto Estape.

Doctors Bago and Apicella are both osteopathic physicians, and as such they try to take a more all-encompassing view of medicine. “The key points of osteopathic medicine are a holistic approach toward the patient, where it’s a well-rounded approach to healthcare,” Apicella explained.

Treatment for a patient with a headache, for example, goes further than prescribing aspirin. “We’ll ask if they had their eyes checked lately or if they sit in front of a computer often,” Bago said, adding that other questions might be about the food they eat and how much water they drink. “We always try to look at it from more than one aspect and teach them.”

The A4M certification allows Premier to implement therapy programs that go a step beyond exercise, diet and nutrition.

Tringali, a nutritionist as well as a physician assistant, said one of the therapies

she provides is hormone replacement, with natural rather than synthetic hormones.

The definition of aging is the loss of hormones, Tringali said. “On a daily basis, you and I are both losing hormones, testosterone in men, and for women you think estrogen, but men are making estrogen as well,” she said.

A man’s body might be manufacturing too much estrogen and too little testosterone, which will make him feel tired and make his hair gray and receding. It can cause impotence, lack of muscle and lack of lean body mass. For women, a lack of estrogen might mean saggy skin, a loss of memory, lack of cognition and osteoporosis.

“There are great ads for Viagra, Levitra and Cialis, but nobody talks about the hormones that they actually need to

make their bodies work properly and our bones nice and strong,” Tringali said. “I think men tend to miss out on having the proper body structure, that they just get those pharmaceutical drugs.”

Women who balance their hormones can feel youthful again, Tringali said.

“You can increase your libido; your skin can look young and dewy again,” she said. “Your teeth will be strong and healthy. There’s all sorts of things that we can do to balance the body systems to prevent body aging through hormones.”

Premier Family Health & Wellness and TLC Weight Management are located at 1037 State Road 7, Suite 211 in the Wellington Reserve. Call (561) 798-3030 for more info. The Center for Healthy Aging is at the same address in Suite 213. Call (561) 839-1870 for more info. Visit them online at www.premierfamilyhealth.com.

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WELLINGTON

at Home

Hurricane Allowed Designer Dougie Mutch To Perfect Her Sugar Pond Manor Home STORY BY DEBORAH WELKY PHOTOS BY BEA BOLTON

“I found this place on the Internet 12 years ago,” recalled interior designer Dougie Mutch, standing amid the lush greenery that surrounds the front porch of her Sugar Pond Manor home. “It was battleship gray and white with three palms, a pine tree and not a single bush to be found.”

Today, the cozy three-bedroom, two-bath home boasts a welcoming front porch, a shady arbor, a faux mahogany door and several coats of butter yellow paint. Tucked into foliage both front and back, it has the cottage feel that Mutch desired.

Mutch gives credit to Tommy D’Allesandro of D’Allesandro Landscaping for bringing in trees of varying heights, low maintenance plantings and flowers that will take turns blooming throughout the year. Bermuda shutters in white hide the more utilitarian hurricane shutters installed after Hurricane Jeanne ravaged the home in 2004.

“The roof hadn’t been built properly. The wind peeled it back, and the ceilings in all the main rooms collapsed,” recalled Mutch, sharing pictures of the devastation. “My friends and neighbors helped me pull my furniture out of three inches of muck onto the lawn, where we hosed everything off.”

(Left) An heirloom plank table and Indonesian birthing chair are focal points of the back porch.

(Inset) The Mutch family: Dougie and her dog Biscuit.

(Right) Mutch added pavers and planters, reupholstered the iron furniture and added a front porch rail to give her new patio a cozy, cottage feel.

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(Above left) Faux-painted walls, a Victrola turned tea table and an armchair with leather “elbow patches” greet visitors in the formal living room.

(Above right) In the formal dining room, an antique column and glass tabletop support Mutch’s collection of art and design books, collected as souvenirs during her travels.

French doors open onto the lushly landscaped backyard.

(Below) A leather couch, plenty of pillows and a working fireplace make this family room the heart of Dougie Mutch’s home.

Yet Mutch, who owns Gracie Street Interior Design in downtown West Palm Beach, marshaled her forces and now sees things differently. “Hurricane Jeanne was a gift,” she now says.

Mutch turned lemons into lemonade by having the entire house gutted, redesigning the layout to her own specifications. The roof was rebuilt to last by Wellington Remodeling, a company Mutch often partners with in her work — and

with roof, ceilings and virtually all the drywall ruined, there was a lot to do.

Today, when visitors enter the home, they’re immediately impressed by the foyer. Though just big enough to hold a trompe l’oeil dresser, it seems much larger. That’s because Mutch had antiqued bronze mirror tiles installed on the ceiling, an improvement that was probably the most costly of the entire renovation.

The foyer’s walls are also unique. Gracie Street artists covered them with tracing paper, which had been crushed into a ball, dipped in a paint glaze, left to dry, then ironed and put up like wallpaper.

The glaze is of the same khaki color used in the living room to faux-paint palm trees on the walls, giving additional height and depth to the room.

Upholstered and period pieces combine to make several seating areas, the most important of which belongs to her Jack Russell terrier Biscuit, who spends much of the day at the front window, monitoring the neighborhood from the arm of a comfy wingback chair. When Biscuit wore through the chair’s arms, Mutch simply added leather patches.

Across the room, Dave the Monkey (ac-

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tually a plush gorilla) adds a touch of humor as he sits behind a tea table made from an old Victrola. Stonelike porcelain floor tile laid in a French pattern has replaced soggy carpeting to add a sense of permanence. And, throughout the home, carefully chosen artwork has a gallery effect due to placement in the “English stacking” style. “I’m a bit of a collector,” Mutch confessed.

The dining room’s glass-top table is testament to that fact. Instead of dishes, the table sports candlesticks and piles upon piles of art and decorating books.

“I love books,” Mutch said. “I buy them every time I go somewhere and just pile them up. I use them for resources all the time.”

(Below) A collection of original watercolors and Biscuit in her crate vie for attention in the breakfast nook/office area.

To the left of the dining room is the master suite, where Mutch had a four-poster bed custom made in order to incorporate a favorite kilim rug into the headboard. An antique Victorian loveseat sits proudly at the bed’s foot. An old brown wicker desk and matching chair, somewhat worse for the wear since Jeanne, add vintage charm to a quiet corner. And fireplace mantels abound through the home, although the only working fireplace is in the family room.

A meticulously organized walk-in closet that Mutch calls “a designer’s heaven” was the only room in the house that didn’t suffer damage during the storm. Pullout drawers for accessories and wooden shelves replaced the wire shelving. A 12inch slide-out clothes rod that tucks neatly away when not in use is “life’s greatest luxury,” according to Mutch.

In the master bath, things were kept true to scale, that is, small and cottagelike. A faux marble tub has been resurfaced in bright and shiny white, a clear glass enclosure has been added to the shower, and granite countertops in terra cotta were installed over the existing low vanity. New knobs provided a costeffective update for cabinets and doors, while Ralph Lauren wallpaper in a large cabbage rose pattern dominates. Wood flooring and light dimmers make everything feel that much more cozy.

“My thinking was that I didn’t want to over-improve for the neighborhood,” said Mutch, who used her skills as a highly regarded space planner to make the most of each room.

To the right of the dining room, a former galley kitchen was expanded to become

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a more convenient L-shape. Bright white cabinets, some with seeded-glass fronts, and plenty of display space make this a favorite gathering spot for guests. Older appliances and a stainless steel double sink reinforce the retro style, while a paneled beadboard ceiling adds a wonderful finishing touch.

The kitchen opens into a breakfast nook featuring an antique English oval pedestal table and diminutive “country office,” necessary when so many of her clients live in Wellington’s equestrian area.

Original watercolors featuring Northeastern horse show grounds are unique in that not a single horse or person is featured in any of them. “Just interior design and architecture, which is perfect for me,” Mutch said.

Stacked baskets act as a mini divider (Left) Granite in shades of terra cotta now top the vanity and tub while beadboard and Ralph Lauren wallpaper add a vintage touch.

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between the nook and the family room.

Yet, upon closer inspection, visitors realize that the bottom basket is actually Biscuit’s crate. “I like my houses to look beautiful, but you’ve got to be able to live in them,” Mutch said. “This is the family room, and Biscuit is my family. Form follows function.”

Distinctive wood beams and the original fireplace withstood Jeanne’s fury, and the room is filled with its original furniture, now safe and dry. “Most of what I have is family collections and things other people didn’t want. When I came here from college and started my design business at Palm Beach Polo, I had those three

wooden signs,” the Virginia native said, pointing to another gallery wall where the sports of golf, tennis and horseback riding are touted. “I had the room painted to echo the red of their frames.”

Red? Mutch offers a close-up of the walls’ dark green leather look finish, which is indeed infused with tiny flecks of red, a custom job completed through Gracie Street. An old wooden drafting table flanks one side of the fireplace, while a niche to the right houses the television and media center.

Mirrored French doors between the family room and breakfast nook “privatize” the guest suite.

The first bedroom has wall-to-wall, padded seagrass on the floor, which is both “functional and quiet,” Mutch said. The (Left) In the master suite, a Victorian loveseat snuggles up against a custom four-poster bed. In the corner is the Hurricane Jeannebattered antique wicker desk and chair.

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dresser and side tables are antiques.

Mutch’s first office desk, old pine with a green leather top, has followed her home, and the pillowcases are embroidered with Mutch’s monogram — mDm. The second bedroom features antique furniture as well as a table converted from a Singer sewing machine. “I bought that for $5 when I was in college,” Mutch recalled.

Roman shades done in a large floral print add privacy and charm to the room, while Mutch’s great-grandmother’s quilt evokes a touch of nostalgia. A handhooked rug featuring Corgis pairs well with a hooked horse pillow. “I love animals,” Mutch said. “And family is really important to me.”

Several sets of French doors open onto a screened-in back porch where Mutch paved the floor with the same bricks she used on the front patio. Weather-resistant furniture includes an old work table that belonged to her grandmother and an Indonesian birthing chair.

Yet it’s the landscaping just beyond the screening that truly captivates. An arbor was built out from the back porch and is, today, covered in bougainvillea and flowering vines. There are shady outdoor seating areas, riotous spots of color in planter areas and wide expanses of thick green lawn. “Where the grass didn’t grow under this tree, I put my own beach,” said Mutch, digging a toe into the sand.

“I do my morning exercises out here.”

And, when Hurricane Jeanne ripped the top off one of her pine trees, Mutch kept the trunk, topping it with a planting in a pot instead. “I had to keep it. It holds up one end of my hammock,” she laughed.

“I love outdoor living. I probably cook out here more than I use my kitchen. I really do love my home. Everything has its own little spot, except my dog.”

The dog has the run of the place, and that’s as it should be.

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Wellington Table

enjoy deli favorites & more served with

Southern Hospitality at jason’s deli

STORY BY MARK LIOI PHOTOS BY DEVIN JACOVIELLO

n

ow one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains in the nation, Jason’s Deli opened its Wellington location in July and has been winning fans ever since.

Wellington The Magazine paid a visit to the restaurant on State Road 7 near Whole Foods Market and came away convinced that the secret to Jason’s success involves quality ingredients, diverse offerings, affordability and good ol’ southern hospitality.

Jimmy Allen, district manager for Jason’s Florida locations, helped us navigate the extensive menu and cautioned that Jason’s goes beyond the traditional concept of a delicatessen.

“We call ourselves a deli for one simple reason: we have cold cuts; we have great corned beef and pastrami,” he said. “You can get a traditional deli sandwich here. But outside of that, the menu is far more than just deli.”

Jason’s Deli, founded in 1976 in Beaumont, Texas, is still helmed by its founder Joe Tortorice and reflects its regional roots. Along with the southwestern flavor that is part of the Lone Star State’s heritage, the easternmost part of Texas also is influenced by the cultural gumbo of nearby New Orleans and the Gulf coast, and Jason’s brings that special blend to you.

Prime evidence is the muffaletta, a New Orleans specialty sandwich with Mediterranean roots. Essentially a grilled sandwich on distinctive round bread, Jason’s muffalettas are made with oven-roasted turkey breast or ham

and salami, but the heart of the sandwich is the zesty olive salad at its center. A whole nineinch muffaletta ($10.99) would challenge the most robust of appetites — that’s why Jason’s also offers the sandwich in halves and quarters. The Quarter-Muff Deal includes a cup of soup or fresh fruit for only $6.99.

Jason’s also offers a selection of po’ boy sandwiches, the New Orleans version of a sub or grinder that often features warm ingredients.

The cold-cuts version, the Italian Cruz, features ham and hard salami, organic stoneground mustard, Italian dressing, peppers and tomatoes, asiago cheese and lettuce. We tried (and loved) the Sergeant Pepper, which was filled with hot roast beef, sautéed onions and bell peppers, provolone and mayonnaise, and served with a cup of au jus on the side to kick it up another notch.

And just as a po’ boy should be, each is made on New Orleans French bread. That’s not just a fanciful description — in fact, all the breads served at Jason’s Deli, including panini, multigrain ciabatta, focaccia and wraps, are baked in the Crescent City. And that’s just an ex-

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(Right) Jason’s Deli District Manager Jimmy Allen holds one of the restaurant’s tasty sandwiches.

(Above) The Nutty Mixed-Up Salad offers a delightful symphony of flavors. (Top) Try a tasty mini muffin with your meal.

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(Above) Jason’s Reuben sandwich with baked chips. (Below) The Ciabatta Garden with fresh steamed veggies

ample of the care and attention Jason’s puts into its offerings. The chain actually operates its own distribution company, which means Jason’s Deli arranges directly with suppliers to provide all its ingredients according to exact specifications: meats, greens, cheeses and everything else.

Allen explained that a year ago Jason’s became the first American restaurant chain to eliminate high-fructose corn syrup from all its foods, which also contain no artificial trans fats or MSG. Icons on the menu direct patrons to vegetarian items and foods that contain organic ingredients. And because of its direct relationship with producers, Jason’s gets such premium ingredients at advantageous prices.

“The portions, the quality of the food, the freshness of the food, the value in the size — we’re going to wow you with our product,” Allen said. “You’re not going to be disappointed by anything that you order off our menu.”

(Above) Jason’s take on a traditional club sandwich. (Below) The Pollo Mexicano baked potato.

The hardcore deli enthusiast certainly wouldn’t be disappointed by Jason’s Reuben, a mini-mountain of hot corned beef topped with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing, and grilled on a traditional seeded rye. Another deli mainstay gets the Jason’s touch as the New York Yankee, combining hot corned beef and pastrami with Swiss on rye.

Along with these and other favorites such as the club, tuna melt and BLT, Jason’s original sandwiches include the Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich, which features marinated chicken breast, homemade guacamole, bacon, tomato, Russian dressing and Swiss cheese, grilled on whole wheat.

Jason’s also offers patrons the “Build Your Own” sandwich option: choose from among eight meats, nine bread choices, then go for the toppings, extras, cheeses and sides. While a whole sand-

wich costs just $5.79 or $6.59, diners can also choose either a half sandwich or a “slim” that puts a half portion of meat between whole slices of bread.

And the new “Just-Right Kid’s Menu” for those 12 and younger works on a similar principle, allowing the kids to combine one of several sandwiches, salads or dishes with their choice of sides, drinks and extras.

For $6.99, the Famous Salad Bar gives diners all they can eat of fresh-cut vegetables, select organics, homemade pasta and potato salads, and more. But Jason’s also offers a creative range of signature salads, such as the Chicken Caesar with cheddar cheese, kalamata olives, tomatoes and homemade guacamole, and the Big Chef with ham, turkey breast, Swiss, cheddar, tomatoes, olives and hard-boiled egg slices. We tried the Nutty Mixed-Up Salad and discovered a delightful symphony of organic greens, grapes, chicken breast, feta cheese, walnuts, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, raisins and organic apples, topped with balsamic vinaigrette.

And that’s only scratching the surface of this extensive menu — we haven’t even mentioned the nine soups available each day (including gumbo and chili), the pasta dishes, the delicious baked potatoes and wraps, the “Real Choices” selections featuring lower fat, calories and sodium, catering service that can feed parties of four or 4,000, the scrumptious dessert offerings (including five cheesecakes) or the free soft-serve ice cream. The best course to take is to try it yourself: deciding what to order might be tough, but liking it will come easy.

Jason’s Deli is located in the Wellington Green Commons at 2605 State Road 7 near Whole Foods, and is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. For more information, or to place an order for takeout or delivery, call (561) 333-1263. Visit them on the web at www.jasonsdeli.com.

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Wellington Dining Guide Backstreets Neighborhood Bar & Grill serves the finest seafood, steaks, salads, burgers and pizzas as well as daily specials. Stop by on Sunday for a 14-ounce prime rib dinner. Backstreets is located in the Wellington Plaza and is open for lunch and dinner. Call (561) 795-0100 for info.

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant is located on Forest Hill Blvd. near the Mall at Wellington Green. Specializing in family-style Italian cuisine, Buca di Beppo is known for its large portions designed to serve several people. If you’ve got a large party, reserve the Pope’s Room; for a unique experience, reserve the table in the kitchen. For more info., call (561) 7903287 or visit www.bucadibeppo.com.

Campagnolo Italian Restaurant offers a taste of New York’s Little Italy in Wellington. In the Marketplace at Wycliffe, Campagnolo serves family-style Italian cuisine with huge portions meant to share. For an appetizer, try the stuffed artichokes or mussel soup.

For an entree, try the Chicken Campagnolo, veal pizzaiola or penne con broccoli rabe. Located at 4115 State Road 7, it is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. For more info., call (561) 434-9427.

Campagnolo Trattoria is now open in the Mall at Wellington Green, serving high-quality Italian cuisine in a casual setting. Open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Mall at Wellington Green. For more info., call (561) 790-1311.

Centanni Café & Restaurant in Royal Palm Beach serves up delicious Italian dishes cooked to order. It is located at the corner of State Road 7 and Southern Blvd. near Kmart. Call (561) 792-7677 for info.

The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach has added a hip new element to its 60-year tradition of offering the finest steaks and ribs with the Polo Steakhouse. For “ladies that lunch” there is a lighter menu, and now the hotel introduces the Palm Court al Fresco with lounge seating and billowing curtains in a lush garden setting. Open for breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch and dinner. Located at 155 Hammon Ave., Palm Beach, call (561) 655-5430 for more info.

Executive Chef David Palmateer, previously of Café Chardonnay, recently opened deVine Bistro & Bar with his wife Sara. The restaurant’s atmosphere is chic yet comfy, and the gourmet menu focuses on hand-selected and all-natural ingredients. DeVine Bistro & Bar is located in the Plaza at Wellington Green at 2465 State Road 7, Suite 300. For more info., call (561) 204-5432.

Field of Greens, located at 10140 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in the Pointe at Wellington Green, serves some of the freshest and healthiest food in town. It is a quick, contemporary restaurant specializing in salads and sandwiches. Enjoy customized salads with homemade dressings, as well as signature salads and wraps. For more info., call (561) 795-4345.

Gabriel’s Cafe & Grille is Wellington’s oldest restaurant. Serving breakfast and lunch, Gabriel’s is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily in the Wellington Plaza at the intersection of Forest Hill Blvd. and Wellington Trace. For more info., call (561) 793-0675.

Drop by the Gypsy’s Horse Irish Pub & Restaurant and relax in a warm, traditional Irish setting complete with oak-barrel tables and a full bar with many types of beer flowing from the tap. Regular live entertainment is offered. The Gypsy’s Horse is located in the original Wellington Mall at 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd. Call (561) 333-3700 for more info.

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Wellington Dining Guide I’m Greek Today features a menu with a strong emphasis on one of the world’s healthiest diets — food that is simple and elegant, fresh, timeless and Mediterranean. Enjoy authentic Greek cuisine as well as wines from around the world. I’m Greek Today is located in Southern Palm Crossing at 11051 Southern Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach. For more info., call (561) 333-4233 or visit www.imgreektoday.com.

Jason’s Deli, where everything is free of artificial trans fats, MSG and (except for fountain drinks) high-fructose corn syrup. Enjoy wonderful sandwiches, wraps, soups, salads and fruit. You can even build your own sandwich! Jason’s Deli is located at 2605 State Road 7 near Whole Foods Market in Wellington. For more info., call (561) 333-1263 or visit www.jasonsdeli.com.

Kontiki Wine & Raw Bar is located in the Courtyard Shops of Wellington at the corner of Wellington Trace and Greenview Shores Blvd. Steaks and seafood are featured, prepared with a Euro-Asian fusion flair. Enjoy the full sushi bar and a glass or bottle of wine from a large and varied list. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. For info., call (561) 296-0404.

La Fogata Restaurant serves delicious Mexican cuisine. The restaurant, located in the Wellington Town Square at 11924 W. Forest Hill Blvd., features a tequila bar. Call (561) 422-1641 for info.

Family owned and operated, Mamma Mia’s Trattoria has served South Florida since 1983. Huge portions; open for lunch and dinner; featuring New Yorkstyle brick oven pizza; specializing in fresh seafood, oakwood-grilled lambchops, slow-roasted ossobuco and frutti di mare. Mamma Mia’s is located at 8855 Hypoluxo Road at Lyons Road. Call (561) 963-9565 for more info.

Max & Erma’s restaurant is now open in Royal Palm Beach, serving gourmet hamburgers, steaks, chicken, pasta, salads and sandwiches. Call-ahead seating and carryout available. Max & Erma’s is located at 11111 Southern Blvd. in the Southern Palm Crossing shopping plaza. For more info., call (561) 383-8878 or visit www.maxandermas.com.

Nature’s Table Café in the Wellington Marketplace offers a wholesome menu featuring hearty soups, specialty salads, gourmet wraps, signature sandwiches and fruit yogurt shakes. Free Wi-Fi access is available, as well as online ordering. For more info., visit www.ntcwellington.com or call (561) 383-8343.

Nicole’s Pasta & Grill, formerly Nicole’s Village Tavern, is located at 12300 South Shore Blvd. in Wellington. Recent changes have added a full menu of popular Italian dishes while maintaining a number of favorites from the old menu. For more info., call (561) 793-3456 or visit www.nicoles villagetavern.com.

The Original Hawaiian Ice Co. brings a taste of the tropics to Wellington with over 100 refreshing treats featuring Hawaiian shaved ice, gourmet Italian ice, smoothies, hot Kona coffee brewed to order and much more. Catering is available for any function.

Original Hawaiian Ice is located in Wellington Town Square at 11924 W. Forest Hill Blvd. and is open seven days a week. Call (561) 693-2822 for more info.

The Players Club Restaurant & Bar (13410 South Shore Blvd., Wellington) features gourmet cuisine along with a popular piano bar, outside dining, two outside smoking bars, live entertainment and catered events. Call (561) 795-0080 for more info.

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Wellington Dining Guide Sal’s Italian Ristorante is your neighborhood Italian restaurant. In addition to pizzas of all sizes and toppings, Sal’s offers a large selection of pastas, steaks, chops, chicken and seafood dishes. Also available are a variety of desserts and wines. You can dine in, take out or call for delivery. For more info., call (561) 790-3780 or visit Sal’s at 11924 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington Town Square.

Got a craving? Master Chef Shingo at Shingo’s Authentic Japanese Restaurant can satisfy that craving with so many sashimi and sushi varieties, you could never taste them all! Try them a la carte or in combo platters. The restaurant also features many other Japanese specialties. Shingo’s is located in the Woods Walk Plaza at the corner of Lake Worth Road and State Road 7. For more info., call (561) 963-5050.

Spices Modern Thai & Sushi Bar features delicious Asian cuisine in an inviting atmosphere. Enjoy authentic savory Thai cuisine coupled with a full-service sushi bar. Spices is open every day for lunch and dinner, and is located at 11071 Southern Blvd. in the Southern Palm Crossing shopping plaza behind Bank Atlantic. For more info., call (561) 798-3877 or visit www.enjoyspices.com.

Stonewood Grill & Tavern in the Pointe at Wellington Green serves up exciting flavors in a casually sophisticated setting. The gourmet American fare features delicious entrees with the perfect wines to accompany. Call (561) 784-9796 or visit www.stonewoodgrill. com for more info.

A family tradition since 1905, Strathmore Bagels is located in the Marketplace at Wycliffe at the corner of State Road 7 and Lake Worth Road. For more info., call (561) 357-0044.

Too Bizaare Café wine, sushi bar and gallery in Jupiter has a varied menu and wine list. There are a variety of tapas, and the sushi bar features various sushi and sashimi as well as classic and hand rolls.

Specialty dishes include pastas, seafood and chicken dishes. Too Bizaare Café is located at 287 E. Indiantown Road. For more info., call (561) 745-1032 or visit www.toobizaare.com.

Drop by the award-winning TooJay’s Original Gourmet Deli in the Mall at Wellington Green for breakfast, lunch or dinner. TooJay’s is reminiscent of your favorite New York delicatessen. Specialties include signature overstuffed sandwiches, chicken noodle soup and traditional deli classics. For more info., call (561) 784-9055 or visit www.toojays.com.

Tree’s Wings & Ribs is located at 603 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. in the Royal Plaza. Eat in or pick up your order of signature wings, ribs, chicken and more.

Tree’s also delivers mouthwatering menu items, and caters events and parties. Visit www.treeswingsand ribs.com or call (561) 791-1535 for more info.

Tub Tim Thai Restaurant in the Marketplace at Wycliffe features authentic Thai cuisine and decor. Thai dishes made with fresh seafood, juicy duck and authentic ingredients are prepared for you to enjoy. For more info., call (561) 641-5550 or visit Tub Tim Thai Restaurant at 4095 State Road 7 at Lake Worth Road.

Zensai Asian Grill & Sushi Bar features Thai, Japanese and Chinese cuisine, offering something for everyone. Sushi is made fresh to order daily in an upscale, soothing atmosphere. The restaurant is located at 10233 Okeechobee Blvd. in the Super Target shopping center. Call (561) 795-8882 or visit www. zensairestaurant.com for more info.

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Wellington Calendar Thursday Nov. 5 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Finger Puppets” for ages six and up on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 3 p.m. Make your own crazy finger puppet. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens (4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach) will present the lecture “One Hundred Years of Sharing Paradise” on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Panelists will speak on community relations between the Yamato settlers and their neighbors.

The cost is $7 for members and $10 for non-members. Advance registration is required. Visit www. morikami.org or call (561) 495-0233, ext. 235.

Friday Nov. 6 • The West Palm Beach Antiques Festival will be held Friday, Nov. 6 through Sunday, Nov. 8 at the Americraft Expo Center (9067 Southern Blvd.). Known as one of Florida’s biggest and best antique shows, the festival attracts dealers from all over the country. Visit www.festivalofantiques. com or call (941) 697-7475 for more info.

• The Feast of Little Italy will be held at the Abacoa Town Center in Jupiter Friday, Nov. 6 to Sunday, Nov. 8. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under. For more info., visit www.feastoflittleitaly.com. saTurday, Nov. 7 • The Palms West Community Foundation will present the Wellington Community Fitness 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, Nov. 7. Participants will gather at the Wellington Plaza with race kickoff at 7:30 a.m. To register, or for sponsorship information, visit www.communityfitnessrun.com or call Maureen Gross at the Palms West Community Foundation at (561) 790-6200.

• The 28th Annual Wellington Boys & Girls Club Golf Classic will be held Saturday, Nov. 7 at the Binks Forest Golf Club. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. Immediately following the tournament will be an awards ceremony, buffet luncheon and a silent auction.

Entry is $175 per golfer. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more info., call (561) 6833287 or visit www.bgcpbc.org.

• Mounts Botanical Garden (531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach) will hold “More Than a Fall Plant Sale” on Saturday, Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This annual plant sale features over 80 vendors from all over the state showcasing an amazing assortment of quality plants and goods. Members will be admitted free; there is a $5 admission for non-members. Register by calling (561) 233-1757. Additional information is online at www. mounts.org.

• Whole Foods Market café in Wellington will come alive Saturday, Nov. 7 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. with vibrant music, delightful aromas and the colorful crafts of Africa as part of “Giving Thanks... for a Dream.” The event will benefit Dream Sponsors, a non-profit that provides food, basic needs and school fees to needy orphans in Kenya. RSVP by e-mailing lexy@dreamsponsorsinc.org or by calling Carla Neumann at (561) 795-2223. A $10 admission donation will be collected.

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Wellington Calendar SUNDAY, NOV. 8 • The Jewish Community Center of the Greater Palm Beaches will hold a Family Author Event on Sunday, Nov. 8 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Temple Beth Torah (900 Big Blue Trace, Wellington). This fun-filled event will feature dancing and singing with Amalia Hoffman, the author of The Klezmer Bunch. The author will be available for book signing following the event. Admission is $20 per family. For more info., call Sharon at (561) 6764104 or e-mail sharonl@jcconline.com.

MONDAY, NOV. 9 • The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will host a luncheon on Monday, Nov. 9 at 11:45 a.m. at the White Horse Tavern (2401 Equestrian Club Rd., Wellington). RSVP to Anitra Harmon at (561) 790-6200.

• Authors James Patterson, Jerry Spinelli and Patrick Carman will sign autographs and speak on Monday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive). Books provided by Classic Bookshop in Palm Beach will be for sale.

Call Doug Crane at (561) 790-6070 for more info.

TUESDAY, NOV. 10 • The Palms West Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with ProActive Training & Consulting, will host “Chamber University Money Maker” on Tuesday, Nov. 10 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at Beef O’Brady’s (1179 Royal Palm Beach Blvd.). Attendees can learn effective networking skills. The cost is $5 for chamber members and $10 for nonmembers, and includes a light breakfast. RSVP to (561) 790-6200 or visit www.palmswest.com.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Storigami” for ages eight to 12 on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m. Learn to make origami figures by listening to clues in a story. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Wellington Village Council will meet Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Call (561) 791-4000 for more info.

• Maltz Jupiter Theatre (1001 East Indiantown Road, Jupiter) will present Fanny Brice: The Real Funny Girl Nov. 10-22. The woman who kept Broadway audiences laughing for three decades is the subject of this intriguing world premiere play. For more info., visit www.jupitertheatre.org or call (561) 743-2666.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11 • The Village of Wellington will honor veterans at the Veterans Day Ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 11. The Veterans Day Parade will begin at 8:45 a.m. at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) and end at the Veterans Memorial located on the corner of Forest Hill and South Shore boulevards. The ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. For more info., call (561) 791-4733 or e-mail nicolee@ci.wellington.fl.us.

• Taste of the Palm Beaches will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 11 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at PGA Commons in Palm Beach Gardens. Experience one of Palm Beach County’s finest food and wine celebrations. Enjoy live entertainment, ice carving contests and more. Visit www.tasteofthepalm beaches.com or call (561) 630-8630 for info.

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Wellington Calendar THURSDAY, NOV. 12 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Families Reading Together” with the Florida Classical Ballet Theatre for ages three and up on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 3:30 p.m.

Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

FRIDAY, NOV. 13 • “World Quilt Show XIII: Florida” will be held Friday, Nov. 13 through Sunday, Nov. 15 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center (650 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach). Visit www.quiltfest. com or call (561) 366-3000 for more info.

SATURDAY, NOV. 14 • St. Michael Lutheran Church (1925 Birkdale Drive, Wellington) will host a Family Fun Fair on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. There will be something for everyone. Admission is free.

For more info., call (561) 793-4999.

• The Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens (4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach) will present the family fun program “Chigirie: Paper Collage” for all ages on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. The cost is $2 with paid museum admission.

Reservations are not required. For more info, call (561) 495-0233, ext. 237.

• The Acreage Fall Festival will be held on Saturday, Nov. 14 from noon to 10 p.m. at Acreage Community Park. The festival will feature live bands, Nashville recording artists, games, giant slides, a backyard barbecue and rib cookoff. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages four to 10 and free for children three and under and members of the military. For more info., call (561) 420-9509 or visit www.acreagefallfest.com.

SUNDAY, NOV. 15 • Temple Beth Zion (129 Sparrow Drive, Royal Palm Beach) will hold its Holiday Bazaar on Sunday, Nov. 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event will offer one-stop shopping for all your holiday needs.

There will also be live entertainment and food. For more info., call (561) 798-8888.

TUESDAY, NOV. 17 • The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will host the Farm City Luncheon on Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 11:30 a.m. at the Sundy Feed Store at the South Florida Fairgrounds. RSVP to Anitra Harmon at (561) 790-6200.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will hold “Let’s Make Music!” for ages three to five on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 10:15 a.m.

Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Socrates Café” for adults on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 6:30 p.m. The Society for Philosophical Inquiry initiated the concept for this discussion led by Marji Chapman. Find out this month’s thought-provoking topic when you preregister at (561) 790-6070.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts will present Verdi’s La Traviata by the internationally acclaimed Teatro Lirico D’Europa on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. Visit www.kravis.org or call (561) 832-7469 for more info.

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THURSDAY, NOV. 19 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Busch Wildlife Sanctuary Presents Florida Animals” for ages five and up on Thursday, Nov. 19 at 10:30 a.m. Call (561) 7906070 to pre-register.

FRIDAY, NOV. 20 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Express Yourself: Book Discussion Series” for adults on Friday, Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. Barbara Harnick will lead a discussion of The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig. Call (561) 7906070 for more info.

SATURDAY, NOV. 21 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Step-by-Step Beginner’s Crochet Class” for adults on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. Participants will learn basic stitches to make a colorful holiday potholder or hot pad. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Palms West Chamber of Commerce’s annual SalsaFest will be held Saturday, Nov. 21 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Greenacres Community Park (corner of Jog Road and Constitution Way). The event celebrates the diverse heritage of Hispanic populations from many backgrounds. Tickets are $8 in advance; $10 at the gate. Visit www.palms west.com or call (561) 790-6200 for more info.

TUESDAY, NOV. 24 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will hold “Let’s Talk Turkey” on Tuesday, Nov. 24 for ages two to four at 11:15 a.m. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Wellington Village Council will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Call (561) 791-4000 for more info.

SATURDAY, NOV. 28 • The Second Annual Palm Beach Steeplechase will take place Saturday, Nov. 28 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center Stadium at the corner of Pierson Road and South Shore Blvd.

Stadium gates open at 9 a.m. for tailgaters, with the entertainment kicking off at 11 a.m. and the first race at 1 p.m. For more info., visit www.palm beachsteeplechase.com or call (561) 793-5867.

• The 10th Annual Downtown Delray Beach Thanksgiving Weekend Art Fest will be held in Pineapple Grove Arts District on Saturday, Nov. 28 and Sunday, Nov. 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission is free. Visit www.artfestival.com or call (954) 472-3755 for more info.

• The Smothers Brothers with Norm Crosby will perform at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) on Saturday, Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. Visit www. kravis.org or call (561) 832-7469 for more info.

MONDAY, NOV. 30 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present “Take a Sentimental Journey” for adults on Monday, Nov. 30 at 6:30 p.m. Kim Daughtry of Hospice of Palm Beach County will teach simple ways to record your legacy for future generations. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

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Around Wellington

Golf Tourney Benefits Rivera Family — The third annual Wellington PAP board members (L-R) President Eileen Friedman, Secretary Barbara Rockoff, VP Communications Karen Paull, VP Fundraising Leah Nettis, VP Programming Serena Burke and VP Membership Anita Rizzo.

PAP Fundraiser — The Wellington unit of the Papanicolaou Corps for Cancer Research (PAP) held its inaugural fundraising dinner dance on Friday, Oct. 23 in the Leopard Lounge at the Chesterfield Hotel in Palm Beach. Guests enjoyed a threecourse dinner and danced the night away to the sounds of Trademark Trio. For more information about PAP, call Anita Rizzo at (561) 795-7929.

James Ryan Rivera Muscular Dystrophy Golf Tournament was held Saturday, Oct. 24 at the Binks Forest Golf Club in Wellington. Rivera was diagnosed in 2007 at the age of five with Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy. Proceeds from the tournament will help the Rivera family offset costs related to the illness. (Above) TV news anchor Jim Sackett with Milagros Rivera, grandpa Harold Hendricks and James, Peter and Guillermo Rivera. Photo by denise fleischman

(Below left) Bob & Peg Cohen. (Below right) Jules Nettis and Bill Schwartz.

Showtime For Seniors Club — The Wellington Seniors Club presented “Showtime 2009” on Sunday, Oct. 25 at the Wellington Community Center. The event featured comedy, dinner and dancing, as well as music provided by Very Musically Yours DJ Bob Flaster. For more info., visit www.wellingtonseniorsclub. org. (Below) Event committee members Bob and Helen Prior, Joan Kahler, Mary and Tony Alfalla, Estelle Rubin and Howard Trager. Photo by Denise Fleischman

Talent show winners included the OB nurses’ “Thriller” in second place, Faith Brown in first and the “Michael Jackson Tribute” dancers in third.

Wellington Regional Talent Show — Wellington Regional Medical Center presented its second annual talent show “Wellington’s Got Talent” on Friday, Sept. 25 at Palm Beach Central High School.

Doctors, nurses and other hospital personnel came together to show off their talents by performing a variety of acts, including singing, dancing and comedy skits. Proceeds will benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Photos by Denise Fleischman Talent show judges Dr. Gordon Johnson, nurses Denise Mercandetti and Geri Colbert, and Dr. Jeffrey Bishop.

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