Boca Raton magazine Dec. 2015

BOCAMAG.COM

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS UFOS: FACT OR FICTION?

HOW DOES IT FEEL? REAL-LIFE ADVENTURES

GREAT FOODIE FINDS DINING NEWS/REVIEWS

AW A R D S

THE [ONLY] BOCA RATON MAGAZINE

Drink in the Bling HIGH-SEASON GLITZ AND GLAMOUR

+ 50 Things We

Love About Boca

hermes_brm1215.indd 2 0201_457,2x276,2_BocaRatonMag_US.indd Toutes les pages

10/26/15 2:03 PM

FLĂ‚NEUR FOREVER

Miami Design District 163 North East 39th Street (305) 868-0118 Palm Beach 240 Worth Avenue (561) 655-6655 Hermes.com

hermes_brm1215.indd 3

10/26/15 PM 21/10/20152:05 11:52

BOCA RATON

|

PALM BEACH

|

FORT LAUDERDALE

|

MIAMI

|

MIAMI BEACH

|

© 2015 Douglas Elliman Real Estate.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

6016 Le Lac Road | Boca Raton | Web# RX-10174042 Edmund Bogden | 561.235.7575 | $9,950,000

DE_Branding_brm1215.indd 2

10/26/15 6:23 PM

NEW

|

NEW YORK

|

LOS ANGELES

|

ASPEN

GREAT BOCA RATON HOMES DON’T FIND THEMSELVES. Whether it’s a relaxing getaway or an oceanfront estate, dream homes in South Florida are ubiquitous. Home to sun, sand, and breathtaking views, it is no surprise that South Florida draws buyers from around the world. Palm Beach to Miami Beach, when it comes to South Florida, Douglas Elliman agents are the experts. Let Douglas Elliman guide you in your search from beginning to end.

ASKELLIMAN.COM

DE_Branding_brm1215.indd 3

10/26/15 6:23 PM

lesbijoux-bulgari_1115.indd 2

10/27/15 5:52 PM

lesbijoux-bulgari_1115.indd 3

10/27/15 5:52 PM

Authorized Dealer A. Lange & Söhne • De Bethune • FP Journe • Harry Winston • IWC • Jaeger LeCoultre • Van Cleef & Arpels Mizner Park, Boca Raton • 561.361.2311 • Town Center, Boca Raton • 561.362.9660 • lesbijoux.com

lesbijoux-branding_1115.indd 1

11/2/15 5:19 PM

Harry Winston Midnight Diamond Drops 39mm

MIZNER PARK BOCA RATON, FL 561 361 2311 H A R R Y W I N S T O N . C O M

AD_BOCA_DIAMONDDROPS_228.6X276.2MM.indd 1 LesBijoux_Brm_HarryWinston1215.indd 1

10/21/2015 10:25:59 AM 10/21/15 11:15 AM

V

Nirvana | RX-10134593 | $25,000,000

Royal Palm Yacht & CC | RX- 10132660 | $6,900,000

One Thousand Ocean, 602 | RX- 10105436 | $6,585,000

One Thousand Ocean, 402 | RX-10164941 | $6,495,000

Excelsior PH3 | RX-10161397 | $5,995,000

One Thousand Ocean, 102 | RX-10070008 | $4,299,500

One Thousand Ocean, 308 | RX-10106650 | $3,995,000

Pelican Harbor | RX-10172208 | $1,995,000

Azura | RX-10170919 | $1,950,000

© 2015 Douglas Elliman Real Estate. All material presented herein is intended for information purposes only. While, this information is believed to be correct, it is represented subject to errors, omissions, changes or withdrawal without notice. All property information, including, but not limited to square footage, room count, number of bedrooms and the school district in property listings are deemed reliable, but should be verified by your own attorney, architect or zoning expert. Equal Housing Opportunity.

SENADA’S FALL COLLECTION

Le

We Sto Ra unp

v

SENADA ADZEM DIRECTOR OF LUXURY SALES 561.322.8208 | 917.913.6680 444 E Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton www.TheSenadaTeam.Elliman.com DE_Sedada_brm1215.indd 2

10/27/15 9:51 AM

Š 2015 Douglas Elliman Real Estate. All material presented herein is intended for information purposes only. While, this information is believed to be correct, it is represented subject to errors, omissions, changes or withdrawal without notice. All property information, including, but not limited to square footage, room count, number of bedrooms and the school district in property listings are deemed reliable, but should be verified by your own attorney, architect or zoning expert. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Le Lac | RX-10146368 | $19,950,000

Welcome to Le Palais du Lac, a magnificent nine-acre sanctuary that seamlessly integrates elements of an inviting family-style compound. Masterfully designed by Randall Stofft, the estate boasts 16,140 sf of living space, a guest house, a sports complex and its own private lake - all set amidst beautifully manicured grounds in Le Lac, Boca Raton’s most desirable community. Sismai Roman and Miguel Bolanos of Epicoutu Design have meticulously integrated residential and environmental splendor with an unparalleled luxury design and experience - one that promises a lifetime of memories. RX-10146368 I $19,950,000.

DE_Sedada_brm1215.indd 3

10/27/15 9:51 AM

S:17.5”

* 445 horsepower based on the 750i xDrive Sedan. ©2015 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.

INTRODUCING THE ALL-NEW BMW 7 SERIES. THE MOST INNOVATIVE VEHICLE IN ITS CLASS.

Experience uncompromised luxury and cutting-edge technology, with 13 innovations found in no other luxury vehicle. And with its lighter Carbon Core frame and 445-horsepower* engine, this BMW delivers exactly the kind of performance you’d expect from the Ultimate Driving Machine.®

Special lease and finance offers will be available through BMW Financial Services.

bmwsfl.com Braman BMW West Palm Beach and Jupiter

BMW_brm1215.indd 2

Coggin BMW Ft. Pierce

Vista BMW Coconut Creek and Pompano Beach

10/29/15 5:53 PM

The all-new BMW 7 Series

bmwsfl.com

S:10.375�

BMW_brm1215.indd 3

10/29/15 5:53 PM

Boca Raton, Florida 6 bedrooms, 8 full and 2 half baths $11,995,000 Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate Search RX-10175491 on ColdwellBankerHomes.com

WE ONLY MARKE T THE E XTRAORDINARY Luxurious. Exquisite. First-class.

Since only a select few properties meet the Coldwell Banker Previews International® standard, they all share the same distinctive qualities.

Put simply: If a home isn’t magnificent, it isn’t Previews®.

ColdwellBankerHomes.com 86,000 agents | 3,000 offices | 6 continents

Boca Beach 561.395.2233 | Boca Central 561.994.8886 Boca Downtown 561.391.9400 | Boca Resort 561.447.3229 Boynton Beach 561.736.2400 | Delray Beach 561.278.0300 Jupiter Beach 561.744.2500 | Palm Beach Gardens 561.622.5000 Port St. Lucie 772.344.7279 | Stuart 772.286.1300 Wellington 561.793.3400 | West Palm Beach Intracoastal 561.832.4663

coldwellbanker_brm1215.indd 2

10/22/15 12:05 PM

The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations.

Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Agent and office numbers for the Coldwell Banker Previews International program include all Coldwell Banker-branded offices in the Coldwell Banker franchise system as of December 2014. Š2015 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker logo, Coldwell Banker Previews International and the Previews logo are registered and unregistered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. 11365FL_10/15

coldwellbanker_brm1215.indd 3

10/22/15 12:07 PM

CrystalA:Layout 1

10/21/15

2:56 PM

Page 1

Enjoy a perfect blend of luxury and all-inclusive value plus extra benefits with the REID TRAVEL ADVANTAGE

Best Fares Ever Crystal celebrates with a 25th Anniversary Silver Savings Event on a worldwide range of 2017/2018 itineraries Reserve by December 30, 2015 for this exceptional offer

Experience some of the world’s most intriguing destinations aboard the two top-rated ships in the world - the all-inclusive Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.

contact us today

www.reidtravel.com 561/395-6670 800/248-8404 326 E. Palmetto Park Rd., Boca Raton, Florida

2-for-1 cruise fares; complimentary gratuities, fine wines, champagne and premium spirits, an evening of specialty restaurant dining and so much more

THE REID ADVANTAGE Over 40 year Experience Personal Service Connections Trust

Fares are per person, double occupancy. Restrictions apply. Contact Reid Travel for details. Ship’s Registry: Bahamas

reidtravel_brm1215.indd 1

10/22/15 11:46 AM

design a n d technology.

luminor 1950 10 days gmt automatic (ref. 533)

PANERAI BOUTIQUES ASPEN - 400 East Hyman Avenue - Tel. 970-544-1868 - aspen@panerai.com BOCA RATON - 318 Plaza Real - Tel. 561-361-6526 - bocaraton@panerai.com NAPLES - Waterside Shops - Tel. 239-598-2221 - naples@panerai.com PALm BEACh - 150 Worth Avenue - Tel. 561-833-8955 - palmbeach@panerai.com Exclusively at Panerai boutiques and select authorized watch specialists. pa n e r a i . c o m

LesBioux_Panerai_brm1215.indd 1

11/2/15 5:18 PM

Vista BMW of North Broward

www.vistabmw.com 1-866-504-4244

Hablamos Español

Where Luxury Meets Value

Pure BMW Performance.

Special Lease & Finance Offers Available by Vista BMW Through BMW Financial Services.

Coconut Creek

AtlanticAve.

Pompano Beach

4401 W Sample Road • Coconut Creek

744 N. Federal Hwy • Pompano Beach

(NE Corner of Sample Rd. @ Lyons Rd. Just 1 Mile West of Florida Turnpike)

(On US-1 North of Atlantic Blvd.)

1-888-805-3796 VistaBMW.com

Sales Hours: M-F: 9am-9pm • Sat: 9am-8pm • Sun: 11am-6pm

vistabmw_brm1215.indd 1

Commercial Blvd

AtlanticAve.

1-888-288-1249 VistaBMW.com

Sales Hours: M-Thu: 9am-8pm • F-Sat: 9am-7pm • Sun: 12pm-6pm

10/21/15 3:39 PM

BAR REFAELI

by Chen Man

T

H

E

A

R

T

O

F

F

U

S

I

O

N

Big Bang Pop Art. A unique model inspired by the famous art movement. Automatic chronograph in 18K yellow gold. Bezel set with 36 amethysts.

Pink alligator-skin strap and blue rubber.

Limited edition of 200 pieces.

1531_Hublot-BocaBoutique_PopArtEmotion.indd 1 Hublot_brm1215.indd 1

10/28/15 5:14 4:17 PM PM 10/28/15

THE NEW 170 RESIDENCES ADJACENT TO MIZNER PARK FUSE TECHNOLOGY, STYLE, LUXURY AND LOCATION.

PRECONSTRUCTION PRICING FROM $500K TO OVER $2 MILLION VISIT OUR ON-SITE SALES CENTER | FURNISHED MODELS 199 EAST BOCA RATON ROAD, BOCA RATON, FL 33432 BROKERS WELCOME

MON - FRI: 10AM - 5PM | SAT - SUN: 11AM - 5PM

561.396.2787 | TOWER155.COM This residential development TOWER 155 (“Project”) is being developed 155 Boca Raton Road, LLC ("Developer"), which has a limited right to use the trademarked names and logos of Compson. Any and all statements, disclosures and/or representations shall be deemed made by Developer and not by Compson, and you agree to look solely to Developer (and not to Compson and/or any of its affiliates) with respect to any and all matters relating to the marketing and/or development of the Condominium and with respect to the sales of units in the Condominium.

ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, MAKE REFERENCE TO THIS BROCHURE AND TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. These materials are not intended to be an offer to sell, or solicitation to buy a unit in the condominium. Such an offering shall only be made pursuant to the prospectus (offering circular) for the condominium and no statements should be relied upon unless made in the prospectus or in the applicable purchase agreement. In no event shall any solicitation, offer or sale of a unit in the condominium be made in, or to residents of, any state or country in which such activity would be unlawful. This is not intended to be an offer to sell nor a solicitation of offers to buy real estate to residents of CT, ID, NJ, NY and OR, unless registered or exemptions are available, or in any other jurisdiction where prohibited by law, and your eligibility for purchase will depend upon your state of residency. For correct representations, reference should be made to the documents required by section 718.503, Florida Statutes, to be furnished by a developer to a buyer or lessee.

All images and designs depicted herein are artist’s conceptual renderings, which are based upon preliminary development plans and are subject to change without notice in the manner provided in the offering documents. All such materials are not to scale and are shown solely for illustrative purpose.

Tower155_brm1215.indd 1

10/29/15 10:30 AM

Geophysic Universal Time watch Philippe Jordan, Chief Conductor and Music Director in Paris and Vienna

Open a whole new world BocaRaton_JLC15095_GeophysicUT.indd 1 Jaeger_brm1215.indd 1

10/26/15 9:08 3:53 AM PM 10/27/15

Legendary Country Club or Unrivaled Beach Club? Yes! THE SEAGATE COUNTRY CLUB IS HOST TO THE LPGA LEGENDS TOUR.

H OT E L • S PA • B E AC H C LU B • CO U N T RY C LU B • YAC H T C LU B • R E S I D E N C E S Annual resort, golf, and associate* memberships are now available at the world-class Seagate Country Club. Members enjoy: • 18-hole championship course and practice facilities

• Seagate Beach Club access for Resort and Associate Members

• Legendary golf instructor, Craig Harmon

• Selection of world-class dining venues

• Kids’ golf and tennis programs

• 4,200 sq. ft. fitness center, classes, and pools

• Har-Tru tennis courts

For more information, please contact Membership Director, Kate Park, at 561-510-2843, kpark@seagatedelray.com, or visit SeagateGolfMembership.com The Seagate Country Club 3600 Hamlet Drive, Delray Beach, FL 33445 *Associate memberships are for those 40 years old and under.

SHG 40354 Boca Magazine_FP 4C_Country Club_MECH.indd 1 Seagate_countryclub_brm1215.indd 1

A Seagate Hospitality Group Property

11/3/15 4:36 PM 11/3/15 4:43 PM

We are celebrating F. A. Lange’s 200th birthday – by devoting every minute to our watches.

F. A. Lange devoted his entire life to perfecting the mechanical

pursue the perfection of every watch down to the smallest detail – for

watch. He invented pioneering designs and production methods and

example of the Lange 1. Its balance spring was specially developed to

developed totally new precision measuring instruments – based, for

match its movement and crafted at the Lange manufactory. Entirely

the very first time, on the metric system. Today, we also passionately

in keeping with the ultimate in precision. www.alange-soehne.com

Mizner Park · 306 North Plaza Real · Boca Raton, FL 33432 · Tel. (561) 361-2311 · www.lesbijoux.com

Final_GG_USA_C_LesBijoux_BocaRatonMagazine_L1_PG_228,6x276,225_ATMO-299-15.indd 1 Les Bijoux_ALange_Brm1215.indd 1

26.10.15 16:51 10/26/15 2:42 PM

Where Boca Comes Ashore Waterstone Bar & Grill

Boca Landing

Stay and Play the Boca Way Meet the new jewel of the Boca waterfront, the Waterstone Resort & Marina, a AAA Four Diamond award-winning boutique hotel with a chic, modern decor.

Featuring two new restaurants, Waterstone Bar & Grill and Boca Landing, A DOUBLETREE BY HILTON

spectacular event space and easy beach access, Waterstone Resort & Marina is the best way to experience all the fun Boca has to offer.

999

E AS T

CAMIN O

R E A L

|

B O C A

W AT E R S T O N E B O C A . C O M

BOCA-1513_BocaMag_DEC2015_FullPg.indd 1 Waterstone_brm1215.indd 1

R AT O N |

|

F L O R ID A

3 3 4 3 2

5 6 1. 3 6 8 . 9 5 0 0

10/14/15 3:42 PM 10/14/15 5:36 PM

IWC PIlot.

EngInEErEd for avIators.

Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN

indestructible. Small wonder, then, that it occa-

Miramar. Ref. 3880: An XL uniform doesn’t turn a

sionally goes much further than its wearer’s wrist.

man into a great pilot. After all, the cream of the

i wc . e n g i n e e r e d fo r m e n .

crop – as members of the TOP GUN squadron are trained to be – regularly go way beyond the limits of ordinary humans. A watch designed to do the same is the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Miramar. Its high-tech ceramic and titanium case, together with a soft-iron inner case to protect the movement against magnetic fields, is absolutely

lesbijoux-IWC_brm1215.indd 1 BocaRaton_IWC14856_T3BL2.indd 1

Mechanical chronograph movement, Self-winding, 68-hour power reserve when fully wound, Date display, Stopwatch function with minutes and seconds, Flyback function, Small hacking seconds, Soft-iron inner case for protection against magnetic fields, Screw-in crown, Sapphire glass, convex, antireflective coating on both sides, Water-resistant 6 bar, Ceramic

10/19/15 11:31 AM 9/28/15 9:06 AM

B O C A

T H E I S

C H I C

N A T I O N ʼ S N O W

U N D E R

B O C A

# 1

W E S T

L I F E S T Y L E

C O N S T R U C T I O N

Siemens Group is excited to announce that Akoya is now under construction; the most highly anticipated real estate offering to hit Boca Raton in two decades. Akoya is ideally located on the grounds of the Nation’s #1 Private Residential Country Club – Boca West. New buyers can immediately take advantage of club membership with Boca West’s unequalled resort-style amenities. Akoya residents will enjoy the 120,000 sq. ft. club expansion which will be completed just in time for move-in day at Akoya, with no assessment. Act now so you can have it all, limited pre-construction pricing from the 800’s.

561.362.2719 • AkoyaBocaWest.com SALES GALLERY & DESIGN CENTER located in the Sports Center at Boca West | 20583 Boca West Drive | Boca Raton, FL 33434 FOUR CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSES • AWARD-WINNING CLUBHOUSE • SPORTS AND AQUATICS CENTER • WORLD-CLASS SPA AND TENNIS • FITNESS AND AEROBICS • SIX DINING VENUES ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, MAKE REFERENCE TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. ALL DIMENSIONS ARE APPROXIMATE. PLANS, MATERIALS AND SPECIFICATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO ARCHITECTURAL, STRUCTURAL AND OTHER REVISIONS AS THEY ARE DEEMED ADVISABLE BY THE DEVELOPER, BUILDER OR ARCHITECT, OR AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY LAW. BOCA WEST COUNTRY CLUB, INC. IS A PRIVATE CLUB. ALL PARTIES WHO INTEND TO PURCHASE REAL PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN BOCA WEST MUST APPLY TO AND BE APPROVED BY THE CLUB TO OBTAIN A CLUB MEMBERSHIP. ALL PARTIES APPROVED AS AND WHO BECOME CLUB MEMBERS SHALL BE SUBJECT TO AND MUST COMPLY WITH THE CLUB’S ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, BYLAWS AND RULES AND REGULATIONS.

Akoya_Brm1115.indd 1

10/30/15 3:42 PM

“I invented it and made it”

signs François-Paul Journe; a guarantee of an invention entirely made in our workshops

Ref. CO Platinum or Gold case 18K rose Gold movement Manual winding

THE BOUTIQUES BOCA RATON 310 North Plaza Real +1 561 750 2310 fpjourne@lesbijoux.com GENEVA

PARIS

TOKYO

NEW YORK

LOS ANGELES

MIAMI

HONG KONG

BEIJING

fpjourne.com

lesbijoux_fpjourne_brm1215.indd 1 FPJ_BocaRaton_CO_228,6x276,2.indd 1

10/20/15 11:37 AM 20.10.15 15:26

742 US HIGHWAY 1 NORTH PALM BEACH, FL 33408-4410 561-882-0066 chumneyads.com

Chumney and Associates

Chumney and Associates

Get to know Lincoln Black Label at Lincoln.com/BlackLabel.

Chumney and Associates

ALPackerLincoln_dbm.indd 1

742 US HIGHWAY 1 153O Military Trail NORTH N. PALM BEACH, FL 33408-4410 West Palm Beach 561-882-0066 chumneyads.com -689-655O 561 AlPackerLincoln.com

Chumney and Associates

742 US HIGHWAY 1 NORTH PALM BEACH, FL 33408-4410 561-882-0066 chumneyads.com

742 US HIGHWAY 1 NORTH PALM BEACH, FL 33408-4410 561-882-0066 chumneyads.com

10/26/15 3:26 PM

USA-RD-Excalibur45-Boca-228,6x276,2mm.indd 1 RogerDubois_brm1215.indd 1

03.07.15 11:46 11/2/15 5:44 PM

78 Royal Palm Place • Boca Raton, FL 561-393-3532 • www.verdijewelers.com

verdi2_brm1215.indd 1

10/23/15 2:26 PM

CLASSIC COMBINATION bracelet and ring in coral and diamonds

78 Royal Palm Place • Boca Raton, FL 561-393-3532 • www.verdijewelers.com

verdi1_brm1215.indd 1

10/23/15 2:24 PM

License #IBF000548 / License #IB0001203

40 ann BocaMag_Layout 1 9/30/15 4:35 PM Page 1

int er ior design

www.brownsinteriors.com www.brownsinteriors.com

BOCA RATON 4501 N. Federal Hwy (561) 368-2703 • JUPITER 661 Maplewood Dr., Suite 22-23 (561) 744-1116

brownsinteriors_brm1115.indd 1

10/15/15 12:19 PM

MH_KnowSource_Boca_Layout 1 10/21/15 3:10 PM Page 1

Know the source.

It is said that it is the waters of Scotland, used in the finishing, that produce that singularly soft, luxurious touch that defines the world’s best cashmere - cashmere from Scotland. We agree.

We have visited the factories, we have observed the process.

We have yet to meet the goats, they roam the hills of Mongolia and Tibet. Someday, maybe.

By knowing the source of all that goes into Maus & Hoffman cashmere we can assure you that there is a difference.

Know the difference.

800 East Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale • 954-678-1936 312 Worth Avenue, Palm Beach • 561-655-1141 NAPLES • VERO BEACH www.MausandHoffman.com

maushoffman_brm1215.indd 1

10/21/15 3:56 PM

Untitled-3 2

10/13/15 12:31 PM

Untitled-3 3

10/13/15 12:32 PM

YOUR HOLIDAY STORIES BEGIN HERE

ENJOY A $100 RESORT CREDIT OR MORE ON YOUR NEXT GETAWAY. A modernized Mediterranean Resort Village spanning over 300 acres, Boca Raton Resort & Club and Boca Beach Club, Waldorf Astoria Resorts, have every imaginable amenity to offer today’s luxury traveler. From FlowHouse Boca featuring the FLOWRIDER wave simulator and 13 restaurants and bars to the award-winning Waldorf Astoria Spa, your holiday stories begin here.

Best of Waldorf Astoria Package Rates from $294.*

BRR-9472 DecBocaMagazineSpread.indd 1 BocaResort_brm1215.indd 2

11/2/15 3:17 PM

ria

2016 YOU ARE INVITED TO

ROCK INTO 2016 The 3rd annual New Year’s Eve Party includes live music performances, dining options, and entertainment for all ages.

This year there will be zip lining for the kids and V.I.Pink at the Spa Gargen ( limited ticket availabiliy) for adults only.

ROBIN S (Show Me Love, Luv 4 Luv)

DEV (Naked, In the Dark, Bass Down Low)

NAUGHTY BY NATURE (O.P.P., Hip Hop Hooray, Feel Me Flow)

Resort guest tickets start at $115++ and are now available at BocaResort.com/Events.

To book your room to rock in 2016, visit BOCARESORT.COM or call 561.447.3000.

13 DINING OPTIONS • 1/2 MILE PRIVATE BEACH • 6 SWIMMING POOLS AWARD-WINNING SPA • TWO FITNESS CENTERS • QUEST CLUB FOR KIDS KIDS ARCADE • TWO 18-HOLE GOLF COURSES • 18 TENNIS COURTS M A R I N A • B O U T I Q U E S H O P S • F L O W R I D E R W AV E S I M U L AT O R

888.543.1286 or visit BocaResort.com/Events

For reservations, call

B O C A R E S O R T.COM

© 2015 Hilton Worldwide

*Offer is subject to availability. Two-night minimum stay is required. Black-out dates may apply.

Visit bocaresort.com for full terms and conditions.

BocaResort_brm1215.indd 3

*Must be a resort guest on December 31, 2015 or a Premier Club Member.

Artists subject to change. Tickets are non-refundable and have no cash value. Rain or shine event. Ticket prices do not include service charge or tax.

Visit www.bocaresort.showclix.com for complete terms and conditions.

11/2/15 3:17 2:09 PM PM 11/2/15

Cristino_brm1215.indd 2

11/2/15 10:31 AM

Cristino_brm1215.indd 3

10/30/15 4:48 PM

Gucci_Brm1215_.indd 1

11/6/15 11:31 AM

DECEMBER 2015

VOL. 35, ISSUE 8

Yellow-gold Bellarri necklace with multicolored stones and diamonds, $29,460; Bellarri bracelet, $11,400; Bellarri necklace, $29,460; Bellarri ring, $3,160; Bellarri pin, $5,600; yellow-gold Dove earrings with quartz and diamonds, $8,330; and yellow-gold Dove ring with quartz and diamonds, $2,675; all from Cristino Fine Jewelry, Mizner Park, Boca Raton Cushnie Et Ochs dress, $1,495, from Neiman Marcus, Town Center at Boca Raton

features

JORDY MARIN

50 THINGS 131 WE LOVE ABOUT BOCA

Sometimes, we forget just how many reasons there are to dig our own backyard. Let this serve as a high-season reminder that Boca offers something for everyone. by casey farmer, emma grubman, cresonia hsieh and kevin kaminski

DOES IT CAME 142 HOW 152 FEAST 158 IT FEEL? YOUR EYES FROM OUTER SPACE In our annual ode to the human experience, we learn what it’s like to escape Communism in the middle of the night, endure middleschool bullying—and sound the most famous cowbell in rock-n-roll history. by emily j. minor photography by eduardo schneider

Light up your high-season wardrobe with some of Boca’s most glamorous and stylish luxury jewelry pieces. photography by jordy marin

Only one state has more UFO sightings than Florida, many of them easily explained. But does every close encounter deserve a roll of the eyes? Boca turns to investigators, believers and non-believers for the interstellar answers. by john thomason

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

TOC 1215.indd 39

|

39 10/29/15 2:01 PM

DECEMBER 2015

VOL. 35, NO. 8

126

114 107 FLORIDA HOME

Add a little floral drama to your high-season centerpieces with these special arrangements.

departments

56 MAIL

Readers comment on articles in recent issues of Boca Raton.

60 EDITOR’S LETTER

High-season community events never fail to produce their share of memorable moments, some we’ll never forget, some we’d like to forget. by kevin kaminski

63 HOME TOWN

We’ve spiced up our opening department with more community-oriented insights—including some insider buzz, a man who can put wind in your sails and the favorite dish of FAU’s champion of entrepreneurialism.

by kevin kaminski, rich pollack and marie speed

40

|

TOC 1215.indd 40

by brad mee

122 81

SHOP TALK

We have your glam demands covered, just in time for season—from the best blowdry bars to a place that turns nails into mini works of art. Also, get a high-end look for less.

114 FLORIDA TABLE

Good things come in small packages this season thanks to the inventive spin on bar-glass desserts and hors d’oeuvres. by brad mee

117 CITY WATCH

The ever-controversial issue of sober houses in Boca and Delray continues to spark debate, especially with South Florida maintaining its status as the Rehab Capital.

by randy schultz

by lindsay swing and taryn tacher

93 FEEL GOOD

Some like their yoga hot, which explains why a new Boca studio is drawing raves. Also, learn the dos and don’ts of a postholiday detox from our own Green Goddess.

68

by lisette hilton

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

10/29/15 3:46 PM

AQUAZZURA

saks.com

Boca Raton

TOWN CENTER MALL, 5800 GLADES RD. 561.393.9100

152922_BR_AQUAZZURA_M.indd 1 saks_brm1215.indd 1

10/26/15 10:08 AM 10/26/15 3:04 PM

DECEMBER 2015

VOL. 35, NO. 8

158

departments

122 FACE TIME

Meet an activist trying to preserve the agricultural reserve, a nonprofit CEO who knows all about the Gift of Life, and a classically trained brother combo who showed America that they’ve got talent.

by allison bowsher, carol brzozowski and felicia levine

167 BACKSTAGE PASS

With the cultural season in high gear, our award-winning A&E department showcases the best of a jam-packed December calendar. In addition, we go behind the scenes with the Boca Raton Singers—and discover how filmmaker John Waters is putting the X in X-mas. by john thomason

ON THE COVER JEWELRY: Classic earrings; double-strand rivière necklace in fancy-cut diamonds; and emerald and diamond rings; all prices upon request; all from Verdi Jewelers, Royal Palm Place, Boca Raton FASHION: Talbot Runhof dress, $2,895, from Neiman Marcus, Town Center at Boca Raton PHOTOGRAPHER: Jordy Marin, www.delraybeach.photography STYLIST/HAIR & MAKEUP: Jenna DeBrino, Hot Pink Style MODEL: Courtney O’Connor/Mega Miami STYLIST ASSISTANT: Amanda Miller, Hot Pink Style ART DIRECTORS: Lori Pierino and Nancy Kumpulainen PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT: Tibor Toth SHOT ON LOCATION AT: Boca Photo Studio, jeffremas.com/studio

42

|

TOC 1215.indd 42

183 DINING GUIDE

Don’t leave home without it! Our comprehensive guide to the best restaurants in South Florida includes new reviews of Tramonti in Delray and Houston’s in Boca, as well as some sweet treats courtesy of the pastry chef at Arturo’s.

172

reviews by bill citara

223 OUT & ABOUT

You might just see some familiar faces in our snapshots from talked-about social events in and around Boca Raton.

by kevin kaminski

240 MY TURN

What else do we love about Boca?

Let us count the ways.

The comforts of home inspire the author to reflect on the meaning of the holidays and some paternal wisdom that never grows old.

by marie speed

by john shuff

239

SPEED BUMPS

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

11/2/15 9:39 AM

OYSTER PERPETUAL DAY-DATE 40

town center at boca raton • 561.368.6022

rolex

Mayors_Rolex-M228238-0006_BocaMag_v1_Dec.indd 1 Birks_Mayors_brm1215.indd 1

oyster perpetual and day-date are

®

trademarks.

08/10/2015 17:03:37 10/13/15 10:23 AM

bocamag.com WEB EXTRAS Check out these bonus items unique to bocamag.com, related to stories in the December issue of Boca Raton or pertaining to events in our area: Eddie Van Halen at Perfect Vodka Amphitheater

SPECIAL ENGAGEMENTS: The events division at Boca Raton magazine is gearing up for a full slate of high-season extravaganzas, from a holiday spectacular to a new, don’t-miss dining showcase— and much more. To see highlights of past events, or to find out what’s on tap, visit our new Facebook page at SceneMakers at Boca magazine.

KEEP ON ROCKIN’: No magazine website gives you a front-row seat quite like bocamag.com, thanks to Ron Elkman. This fall, our concert/event photographer brought you face-to-face with everyone from Janet Jackson to Van Halen. In December, look for images (under the A&E link) from events ranging from Blue Man Group (Dec. 8 at Kravis Center) to the Boca Raton Bowl (Dec. 22 at FAU Stadium).

THREE CHEERS FOR CHURROS: Forget the holiday cookies.

Follow Victor Meneses’ lead and make some homemade churros with chocolate sauce this month. Thanks to the chef at El Camino in Delray, we have the step-by-step recipe to go with the insider cooking tips he shares as part of our “Deconstructing the Dish” segment in the Dining Guide (page 202). Visit Web Extras at bocamag.com for all the delicious details.

FOODIE NEWS: While Bill Citara continues to be our esteemed food critic, bocamag.com has turned to former Palm Beach Post writer Lynn Kalber to cover the tri-county dining scene like never before.

Look for Kalber’s posts every Monday, Tuesday and Friday.

MUST-SEE TV

With high season in high gear, it’s time for BocaMagTV to take viewers behind the scenes at some of the area’s most popular social events.

Expect to see our cameras out and about this month at galas, celebrity appearances and community affairs—as well as Boca Raton’s own holiday spectacular, Frost, which is set for Dec. 8 at Seminole Coconut Creek Casino. Go to unitedwaypbc.org/events for details.

44

|

RON ELKMAN

CITY WATCH: In addition to his award-winning commentaries in each issue of Boca Raton (page 117), Randy Schultz continues to cover the community like no other local reporter. Don’t miss his “City Watch” blog every Tuesday and Thursday for the latest city, regional and state news.

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Don’t miss Boca Raton on everything from Facebook (facebook.com/bocamag) and Instagram (instagram.com/ bocamag) to Pinterest (pinterest.com/bocamag) for community news, insider tips, beauty trends, behind-the-scenes images, fashion inspiration—and much more. Follow us on Twitter (@ bocamag) for restaurant and retail updates, as well as special-event coverage.

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

webtoc 1215.indd 44

10/29/15 3:53 PM

Mayors_Patek_Brm1215.indd 1

10/15/15 10:51 AM

bocamag.com In Case You Missed It

No one covers the community more thoroughly than Boca Raton and bocamag.com, the only South Florida magazine website with unique daily content and a dedicated team of reporters. Here are just a few recent highlights from our award-winning blog coverage.

RON ELKMAN

Amy Schumer

WELCOME TO AMY’S WORLD “[Amy] Schumer … treated fans to a practice run of the monologue [she performed the following week on] ‘Saturday Night Live.’ It’s hard to know how much of the material will make it onto the show, but let’s hope she keeps the bit about how no Kardashian should be a role model for young girls, especially when Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, et al, each took the face she was born with as ‘a light suggestion.’”

—Kevin Kaminski, review of the Oddball Comedy Festival, A&E link

TO ARM OR NOT TO ARM “Supporters don’t acknowledge it, but all their arguments rest on this premise: Young people, whose brains aren’t fully developed (that doesn’t happen until at least age 25) and who haven’t received extensive firearms training, could use a gun safely and effectively during a crisis without endangering themselves or others. It’s a dubious premise, in large part because of this state’s casual attitude toward guns. Floridians can obtain a concealed carry permit after as few as two hours of training. For comparison, the police academy at Palm Beach State College requires 88 hours of training—most of them devoted to judgment, not mechanics.”

—Randy Schultz, “City Watch” blog about 2016 legislation that would allow any student with a concealed carry permit to have a gun at any university facility, Community link

FALL TRENDS “It’s hard to spot a trend off the [fall/winter Fashion Week] catwalk that can be worn in everyday life. Insider tip: Design-

ers don’t expect the average American woman to walk out of the house wearing a $10,000 8-pound animal on her back.

They produce these styles for the art of fashion in hopes that other designers (affordable designers) will produce a toneddown version of their craft.”

—Fashion Forward with the LL Scene team, Shopping link

HISTORY BECOMES MEMORY “The exhibition is bracketed by its two most inspirational—and, it must be said, least compelling—elements, while its middle portion does the heavy dramatic lifting. The work of these four middle artists sobers and devastates, leaving attendees shaken and more than a little uncomfortable. It’s rare for art to have such a visceral impact while still engaging museumgoers intellectually, but these artists thread that needle, stimulating our brains while punching us in the gut.”

—John Thomason, review of the Boca Raton Museum of Art exhibition that runs through Jan. 1, A&E link

BLOG CENTRAL STAY CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY WITH OUR TEAM OF BLOGGERS: A&E: John Thomason takes read-

DINING: Lynn Kalber breaks

ers inside the arts with concert, exhibition and movie reviews, cultural news and special profiles every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

down the tri-county restaurant scene every Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Also, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, look for foodie bloggers Amanda Jane (dishing on seasonal finds and recipes) and Alina Z., aka, “The Green Goddess” (bringing you the latest on healthy eating options).

HEALTH & BEAUTY: Lisette Hilton delivers local news from the worlds of exercise and medicine every Wednesday in her “Fit Life” blog.

46

|

SHOP: Discover upcoming trunk shows, store openings, moneysaving tips and fashion trends throughout the week with our style specialists, including the ladies from LLScene and a monthly contribution from Dana Ross of Lilly List.

COMMUNITY: Randy Schultz brings a reporter’s eye to Boca and beyond every Tuesday and Thursday with his “City Watch” blog; Michelle Olson-Rogers explores the family scene with “Boca Mom Talk” every other Wednesday; and our in-house team keeps you on top of local events and happenings—including our Friday “Staff Picks.”

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

webtoc 1215.indd 46

10/27/15 12:15 PM

速ROBERTOCOIN

POIS MOI COLLECTION

Town Center at Boca Raton 561.368.6022 Mayors_Brm1215.indd 1

10/5/15 2:25 PM

THE [ONLY] BOCA RATON MAGAZINE group editor-in-chief

marie speed

Youth With Experience.

The Next Generation of Wealth Management.

The Heller Financial Group of Wells Fargo Advisors Senior Vice President - Investments

taryn tacher

assistant art director

nancy kumpulainen

photographers

aaron bristol eduardo schneider production manager

mandy wynne

production coordinator

valentine s. fracassi

contributing writers

allison bowsher, carol brzozowski, casey farmer, emma grubman, lisette hilton, cresonia hsieh, lynn kalber, felicia levine, emily j. minor, rich pollack, randy schultz, john shuff, lindsey swing

contributing photographers/illustrator

ron elkman, jordy marin, jarom west, scot zimmerman video production/customer service

david shuff food editor

bill citara

home editor

brad mee

tim schwab

advertising consultants

5355 Town Center Road Suite 600 Boca Raton, FL 33486 561-347-3880 280 Park Avenue, 29W New York, NY 10017 212-338-4859

Toll Free 844-791-6109 Keith.Heller@wfadvisors.com

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. Trust services available through banking and trust affiliates in addition to non-affi liated companies of Wells Fargo Advisors. Wells Fargo Advisors and its affiliates do not provide legal or tax advice. Any estate plan should be reviewed by an attorney who specializes in estate planning and is licensed to practice law in your state.

Masthead 1215.indd 48

john thomason

web editor

group advertising director

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC

KeithHeller_BRM1116.indd | Bd eOcCe AmMb eAr G2.0C11O5 M 48

managing editor

lori pierino

Keith A. Heller, MBA

NO Bank Guarantee

kevin kaminski

senior art director

With more than 18 years of experience, Keith Heller of The Heller Financial Group of Wells Fargo Advisors is proudly helping affluent clients meet all their Investment needs, servicing them at his Boca Raton and New York offices.

NOT FDIC-Insured

editor

MAY Lose Value

gail eagle, georgette evans, bruce klein, ginie meadows, rebecca valenza marketing and events director

bianca romano

JES publishing

1000 Clint Moore Road, #103 Boca Raton, FL 33487 561/997-8683 (phone), 561/997-8909 (fax) www.bocamag.com magazine@bocamag.com (general queries)

Boca Raton magazine is published eight times a year by JES Publishing. The contents of Boca Raton magazine are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Boca Raton magazine accepts no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts and/or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. Boca Raton magazine reserves the right to edit, rewrite or refuse material and is not responsible for products. Please refer to corporate masthead.

10/29/15 4:39 PM

11/2/15 9:04 AM

WILD AND WONDERFUL WOMENSWEAR

GARDEN SHOPS 7050 W PALMETTO PARK RD (AT POWERLINE) BOCA RATON FL 33433 (561) 447 4117

fillyandcolt_brm1214.indd 1

11/4/15 5:14 PM

JES publishing

president/publisher margaret mary shuff group editor-in-chief marie speed

controller jeanne greenberg

subscription coordinator kat algeo

JES Publishing produces:

Boca Raton magazine Delray Beach magazine Mizner’s Dream Worth Avenue Boca Raton Chamber Annual Salt Lake magazine Utah Bride and Groom • Utah Style & Design The Canyons • Salt Lake Visitors’ Guide

FLORIDA MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION 2015 CHARLIE AWARDS charlie award (first place)

Give the Gift of Luxury

best department (Boca Raton) best column (Boca Raton) best feature (Boca Raton) best feature design (Boca Raton) best overall use of photography (Boca Raton) best custom publication (Worth Avenue)

silver award

Everyone deserves a Spa-liday This holiday season, gift someone special with a complete day of indulgence at the Seagate Spa. Booking any of our decadent massage, facial, or body treatments, exclusively featuring Elemis and ESPA skincare, grants you all-day access to an array of complimentary hotel amenities, including: Hotel Pool • Jacuzzi • Pool Bar • Fitness Center • Tranquility Room • Steam Room The Seagate Spa also features a Vichy shower for body treatments, an exclusive manicure & pedicure suite, and a luxurious couple’s ’s spa suite, where guests can relax in their very own retreat.

best feature (Boca Raton) best public service coverage (Boca Raton) best overall design (Boca Raton)

bronze award

best overall online presence (Boca Raton) best editorial/commentary (Boca Raton)

2014 CHARLIE AWARDS charlie award (first place)

best overall magazine (Boca Raton) best overall writing (Boca Raton) best overall use of photography (Boca Raton)

silver award

best redesign (Boca Raton)

bronze award

best overall online presence (Boca Raton) best feature (Boca Raton) best cover (Boca Raton) best custom consumer magazine (Worth Avenue)

Gift someone special a complete day of indulgence with a Seagate Spa gift card. Visit TheSeagateHotel.com/giftcards to purchase a gift card online.

PAST FMA HONORS (2008 to 2013) charlie awards (first place awards)

Purchase $500 or more in Spa Gift Cards and receive a handmade Moroccan straw beach tote.* 561.510.2842 | TheSeagateSpa.com | Open daily 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Located at The Seagate Hotel & Spa, 1000 E. Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards “Top 75 Hotel Spas in the U.S.” *While supplies last

2013: best overall online presence (Boca Raton) 2013: best department (Boca Raton) 2012: best overall magazine (Boca Raton) 2012: best feature (Delray Beach) 2012: best photographic essay (Boca Raton) 2011: best new magazine (Delray Beach) 2011: best custom publication (Worth Avenue) 2010: best overall magazine (Boca Raton) 2010: best overall design (Boca Raton) 2009: best overall magazine (Boca Raton) 2009: best overall design (Boca Raton) 2009: best feature (Boca Raton) 2008: best overall magazine (Boca Raton) 2008: best feature (Boca Raton) 2008: best single, original B&W photo (Boca Raton) Plus: 10 silver awards (2008-2013) 7 bronze awards (2008-2013)

State of Florida, Department of Health, Massage Establishment. License # MM 23691

Seagate_spa.indd | Bd eOcCe Am1Mb eAr G2.0C1O5 M 50

Masthead 1215.indd 50

10/26/15 4:21 PM

11/2/15 9:06 AM

When It’s Time to Sell Your Jewelry

Cartier Platinum Diamond Bracelet — Circa 1920

KNOWLEDGEABLE | PROFESSIONAL | IMMEDIATE PAYMENT PALM BEACH 44 COCOANUT ROW, SUITE L101 BOCA RATON* MIZNER PARK • 433 PLAZA REAL, SUITE 275 *BY APPOINTMENT ONLY CALL US TO SCHEDULE YOUR PRIVATE APPOINTMENT AT (855) 347-7027 OR GET STARTED ONLINE AT circajewels.com BEVERLY HILLS | CHICAGO | GREENWICH | LONG ISLAND | NEW YORK CITY SAN FRANCISCO | SHORT HILLS | WASHINGTON D.C. | BARCELONA | MADRID | HONG KONG FREE INSURED MAIL-IN SERVICE AVAILABLE

12-2015_CIRCA-BOCA MAG_Cartier Bracelet(9x10.875).indd 1 circa_brm1215.indd 1

10/20/15 4:43 PM 10/21/15 4:05 PM

services [ DIRECTORY ] Boca Raton magazine is published eight times a year, with January, February, March/April, May/June, July/ August, September/October, November and December issues. If you have any questions or comments regarding our magazine, call us at 561/997-8683. We’d love to hear from you.

[ subscription, copy purchasing and distribution ] For any changes or questions regarding your subscription, to purchase back issues, or to inquire about distribution points, call circulation at 877/553-5363.

[ advertising resources ] Take advantage of Boca Raton magazine’s prime advertising space—put your ad dollars to work in the premier publication of South Florida. For more information, contact group advertising director Tim Schwab (tim@ bocamag.com).

[ custom publishing ] Create a magazine tailored to fit the needs and character of your business/organization. Ideal for promotions, special events, introduction of new services, etc. Contact Marie Speed (editor@bocamag.com).

[ story queries ] Boca Raton magazine values the concerns, interests and knowledge of our readers about the community. Please submit story and profile ideas by e-mail to Kevin Kaminski (kevin@bocamag.com). Due to the large volume of pitches, the editor may not respond to all queries. Boca Raton does not accept unsolicited, ready-for-print stories.

[ web queries ] Submit information regarding our website and online calendar to Web editor Taryn Tacher (taryn@bocamag.com).

[ letters ] Your thoughts and comments are important to us. All letters to the editor may be edited for style, grammar and length. Send letters to the address listed below, or to Kevin Kaminski (kevin@bocamag.com).

Letter to the Editor Boca Raton magazine 1000 Clint Moore Road, #103 Boca Raton, FL 33487

EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF AMERICA’S #1 HOLIDAY TRADITION! Ft. Lauderdale, Dec. 11 - 13 West Palm Beach, Dec. 27 - 29 Tickets available from $25 305.929.7010 877.929.7010 toll free

[ arts & entertainment ] Where to go, what to do and see throughout South Florida. Please submit information regarding galas, art openings, plays, readings, concerts, dance or other performances to A&E editor John Thomason (john.thomason@ bocamag.com). Deadline for entries in an upcoming A&E section is three months before publication.

miamicityballet.org Lourdes Lopez, Artistic Director

Shimon Ito in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™, Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust. © Alberto Oviedo.

Masthead 1215.indd 52

Our independent reviews of restaurants in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. A fine, reliable resource for residents and tourists. For more information, contact Marie Speed or Kevin Kaminski.

[ people ]

TM

miamicityballet_brm1215.indd | Bd eOcCe AmMb eAr G2.0C1O51M 52

[ dining guide ]

A photo collage of social gatherings and events in Boca Raton and South Florida. All photos submitted should be identified and accompanied by a brief description of the event (who, what, where, when). E-mail images to people@bocamag.com.

10/27/15 4:17 PM

11/2/15 9:07 AM

intheblackclothing_brm1215.indd 1

11/4/15 4:39 PM

services [ DIRECTORY ] THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBING TO BOCA RATON MAGAZINE! GEORGIO BRATO HELMUT LANG RICK OWENS AVANT TOI

We appreciate your business, and we want you to get the most from your subscription. This customer guide will help you contact us for all your subscription needs.

[ first issue ] Your first issue will be mailed four-to-six weeks after receipt of your order. Subsequent issues will arrive every other month and monthly from November to February.

[ missing or late issues ] Once in a while, production, transportation or the postal service may delay delivery. If you don’t get an issue, or if your magazine is repeatedly late, please call and report your problem to our subscription department at 877/553-5363, or send an e-mail to: subscriptions@bocamag.com.

SEA MAJESTIC MARSELL

[ if you have questions about your invoice ... ] ROYAL PALM PLACE FALIERO SARTI

BOCA RATON 561-367-9600

LAS OLAS FT. LAUDERDALE 954-524-2585

www.DeborahJames.com

deborahjames_brm1215.indd 1

10/15/15 4:26 PM

The World’s Finest Man Made Gems

Diamond Quality Cubic Zirconia Set in Solid 14K Gold, 18K Gold & P LATINUM

Seeing is Believing!

Visit us today and experience Palm Beach’s best kept secret for over 35 years!

Ideal Jewelry for Traveling Customer Conndentiality  Thousands of styles available  Custom Design & Replica Specialists  Serving Jewelry Lovers since 1978  

If you have already paid your bill and then receive a new bill, here’s what you should do: 1. If you have paid your bill within the past four weeks, ignore the new invoice. (The computer simply has not given your account credit quickly enough.)

2. It’s most likely that your payment and our notice just crossed in the mail; check the date on the notice to see when we mailed it.

3. If you get another bill or renewal notice, call our subscription department at 877/553-5363, or send an e-mail to subscriptions@bocamag.com, and we will straighten out the problem.

[ change of address ] PERMANENT: If you are changing your address, send us your complete old address, complete new address, including ZIP code, and the effective date of the change.

You can also leave us a message with your old and new address by calling 877/553-5363. You can also change your address online at bocamag.com.

TEMPORARY OR SEASONAL: Please send us your complete permanent address, your complete temporary address and the dates that you want your issues forwarded.

[ back issues ] If you are interested in purchasing any back issues, please call 877/553-5363, ext. 222, indicating the issue date you would like. The cost of each issue including shipping and handling is $9.95.

[ gift subscriptions ]

Martini Studs in 14K Gold starting at $125/pair

Cushion with Trapezoids ring in 14K gold, starting at $1595

Margarita Studs in 14K Gold starting at $295/pair

Mystique of Palm Beach

250 WORTH AVENUE , PALM BEACH FL (561) 655-3008 www.MystiqueGems.com mystiquecreatedgems_brm1215.indd | Bd eOcCe AmMb eAr G2.0C1O5 M 54

Masthead 1215.indd 54

1

You’ll find a subscription to Boca Raton magazine makes a thoughtful and useful gift that lasts throughout the year. If you’d like more information about giving a gift subscription, please call our subscription department at 877/553-5363.

[ online subscriptions ] Receive additional savings by subscribing online. Visit bocamag.com for more information.

[ for any of the above services, please contact our subscriptions services department ] Call TOLL FREE: 877/553-5363 E-mail: subscriptions@bocamag.com Write: Boca Raton magazine Subscription Department 1000 Clint Moore Road, #103 Boca Raton, FL 33487

10/21/15 3:20 PM

11/2/15 9:07 AM

LAUREN TANNEHILL

888 EAST LAS OLAS BOULEVARD, FORT LAUDERDALE

Levinson_brm1215.indd 1

|

954 462 8880

|

LEVINSONJEWELERS.COM

10/15/15 10:56 AM

mail

Be Bold

CAT SCRATCH FEVER The excerpt from Randy Schultz’s online “City Watch” column about feral cats, a short paragraph that ran in the September/October issue, had Boca’s cat lovers ready to pounce.

this holiday season at THE SHOPPES AT ADDISON PLACE 16950 Jog Rd #105 561.303.3223 ®2015 FranLogic Scout Development LLC. Franchises Available.

addisonplace.scoutandmollys.com ScoutMolly_Brm1215.indd 1

10/9/15 9:37 AM

“Before you and your staff from Boca Nursing Services started taking care of Helen and I, we existed; now we are living again! Thank you, Rose.”

-Dr. K.D.

Rose Glamoclija, R.N. Founder and Administrator

It’s The Personal Touch That Makes The Difference

• • • • •

Registered Nurses Licensed Practical Nurses Certified Nursing Assistants Home Health Aides Physical Therapy

• • • • •

Lic#HHA20196095

Offering Quality Private Duty Nursing Care and Care Management Services Since 1993 Available 24 Hours a Day Companions Live-Ins Homemakers Speech Therapy Occupational Therapy

Serving Broward, Palm Beach, Martin & St. Lucie Counties 342 E. Palmetto Park Rd., Suites 1 & 2 Boca Raton, FL 33432

340 Royal Poinciana Way, Suite 322-B Palm Beach, FL 33480

Fax (561) 347-7567

Fax (561) 833-3460

(561) 347-7566

bocanursing_brm1115.indd | Bd eOcCe AmMb eAr G2.0C1O15 M 56

mail 1215.indd 56

(561) 833-3430

I read that you don’t understand cat people, and that you think all feral cats should be killed [Editor’s note: Mr. Schultz made no such comment.]

Apparently you are not much of an animal lover. So I don’t understand you!

There is a huge nationwide effort to control the feral cat population, which is both effective and humane. It is called TNR: trap, neuter, return.

And it works! I have a feral outdoor cat that I feed.

The birds eat right next to her. She does NOT kill birds!

It is said [that you] can tell a person’s character by how he regards animals.

Enough said.

—Suzy Wiberg E-mail Randy Schultz has done it again! He has managed to offend a bunch of people who buy and read your magazine. … He finds it annoying that cats can roam unleashed, that cat lovers feed cats; he states that he doesn’t understand cat people.

There are more cat owners than dog owners in this country. The most-watched videos on TV and the Internet are cat videos. Why would your magazine allow this to be printed? …

My family, friends and I have lived in Boca Raton for our entire lives. We are a large, hardworking, conservative family. Boca has a rat problem, not a cat problem. We live in a city surrounded by water, manmade lakes, parks and retail centers.

All of this attracts rats. There are many communities in Boca that have spent thousands of dollars trying to get rid of the rats. Miraculously, their rat problems went away when they adopted a couple of fixed cats.

I guess Randy wants Boca Raton, which stands for Mouth of the Rat, to truly become the City of Rats. He really should keep his rude opinion to himself. Hopefully, you will replace this clown so that we can continue to buy and support your magazine, which we have loved for years.

—Concerned Boca Citizen

BLACK AND WHITE I just finished reading “May Lightning Strike” [in the September/October issue]. I can’t see any difference between the murder of Henry Patterson in LaBelle in 1926 and the murder of Jonathan Ferrell in Charlotte, N.C., in 2013—and the decision by the prosecutor in August not to re-try [police officer] Randall Kerrick after a hung jury. Why do we continue to be blind to these travesties,

10/20/15 2:19 PM

11/2/15 9:13 AM

where the crime of asking for help from a white person is punishable by summary execution?

Shame on us all.

—John Mulhall Facebook

TRAIN TALK Can you please do an article on the proposed new train service between Miami and Orlando? We are thinking of moving to the Boca area from Connecticut, but we’re concerned about the impact of the railroad on the towns along the coast.

Also, if tickets will be $100 per person, one way, then it will cost a family of four $800 for round-trip transportation. You can make the same round trip with four people by car for about $100. Common sense seems to have been thrown to the wind.

—Pim Epler North Haven, CT Editor’s note: Thank you for the idea! We’ll pass this along to “City Watch” writer Randy Schultz— unless, that is, he’s being held hostage by a radical group of cat extremists.

FEATURED EVENT

ABSOLUTE MAKEOVER REFINISH YOUR OLD PATIO FURNITURE TRANSFORM YOUR OUTDOORS

POWDER COATING • SANDBLASTING • LARGE SELECTION OF METAL FINISHES CUSTOM FABRIC CUSHIONS • SLINGING • STRAPPING

BEFORE

AFTER

FROST: THE HOLIDAY EVENT When: Dec. 8, 7 to 9 p.m.

Where: Seminole Casino Coconut Creek What: The event division at Boca Raton presents a festive and memorable evening of winter majesty, including special entertainment, artistic ice sculptures, cocktails and five-star bites courtesy of the casino’s signature restaurant, NYY Steak. Sponsored

by Douglas Elliman, Les Bijoux, Roger Dubuis, Lord & Taylor, NYY Steak and South Florida BMW Centers.

Tickets: $95 Contact: unitedwaypbc.org/events, 781/636-8842

ALSO ON TAP

GINGERBREAD CONCERT When: Dec. 13, 3 p.m.

Where: Boca Raton Resort & Club, Great Hall What: For the 13th year, the Lynn University Philharmonia Orchestra spreads a little holiday cheer with a performance of seasonal classics. The event raises scholarship funds for the Lynn Conservatory’s student-musicians.

Tickets: $35 Contact: 561/237-9000, lynn.edu/events

PRIVATE RESIDEN RESIDENCES NCES • HOTELS CONDOS • COUNTRY CLUBS Restore your patio furniture for a fraction of the cost of replacement.

Save money and the environment.

C ALL FO R A F RE E E STIM ATE

954.917.2715

Follow us at www.facebook.com/bocamag

1254 N.W. 21st Street | Pompano Beach, Fl 33069 | www.absolutepowdercoat.com

absolutepatio_brm0514.indd 1

mail 1215.indd 57

57

9/30/15 BOCAMAG.C O M 2:52 PM follow the leader

|

11/5/15 11:32 AM

peterglenn.com PeterGlenn_1215.indd 1

Delray Beach (561) 330-8501 West Palm Beach (561) 622-7940 Miami (305) 254-3309

Ft. Lauderdale (954) 484-3606 North Miami (305) 622-6440 Toll Free (800) 818-0946

10/23/15 4:15 PM

LUXURY REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR EVENT

ONE OF A KIND CARS – ONE OF A KIND PROPERTIES!

Friday December 18th thru 20th • 10am-5pm RESERVATION TO ATTEND REQUIRED CALL 561-447-3000

Engel & Völkers Boca Raton • bocaratoneast.evusa.com 310 East Palmetto Park Road • Boca Raton • Florida 33432 • United States • Phone 561-288-6001

QuantumMarketing_BRM1215_Final.indd 1

11/2/15 3:59 PM

editor’s letter

[ by kevin kaminski ]

It’s Party Time

E

vent season in and around Boca Raton never fails to produce its share of memories. As editor of our awardwinning publication for the past decade, I’ve had the great honor of representing the magazine at black-tie galas, fundraising luncheons, daylong workshops and issue-driven speaking engagements.

I’ve emceed a few of these gatherings, worked the microphone for BocaMagTV at others and even served as “judge” several times— including a midnight tattoo contest at Dada that brought me faceto-thigh with a woman inked in fleshy Bette Midler tributes.

Beyond the pomp and circumstance, beyond the celebrity encounters, beyond the cavalcade of creative mini-desserts that force me to double-up on my cholesterol medication, event season inevitably produces an incident or two that stay with me for entirely different reasons.

I once saw an impeccably dressed gala co-chair tumble down a flight of steps after cracking the heel on her Jimmy Choo. I nearly caught a gentleman’s hairpiece after it snagged on a low-hanging tree branch. I witnessed a relationship disintegrate in front of the stone-crab table at a foodie affair. A Boca socialite once invited me to smoke pot with her in the bathroom at a $300-a-plate fundraiser (I politely and professionally declined).

One night, during my first year at the magazine, I ran into my then-primary care physician at an event at Mar-a-Lago Club. She had just left her husband, and after her second glass of Champagne kicked in, she told me why: He had rejected her in the bedroom.

By her third glass of Champagne, she began sharing with me, in explicit detail, all of the things that she missed about sex. It was the kind of conversation I never expected to have with the person who, two weeks earlier, had administered my electrocardiogram.

A few years back, during an event at One Thousand Ocean, I suffered through an evening better suited for one of the “How Does It Feel?” vignettes in this issue (page 142). The stars of the HGTV show “Selling New York,” real-estate broker Michele Kleier and her daughters, had traveled to Boca to celebrate the premiere of an episode shot, in part, at the luxury condo.

That night, only one bathroom was available to guests inside the 8,000-square-foot penthouse condo in which the event was staged.

Prior to the start of the video, I visited the bathroom and, naturally, locked the door. After I washed my hands, I went to open the door—and the handle wouldn’t budge. I spent a few minutes trying to unclick the lock, which was a small button under the handle.

Soon, the button disappeared completely.

I quietly knocked on the door, hoping someone would walk by. Nothing. Five full minutes passed. I went from knocking to

60

|

controlled pounding. Finally, a woman tapped on the door.

“Is everything OK in there?” she asked.

“No, it’s not. I’m locked in this bathroom.”

“Stay calm,” she said. “I’m getting help.”

Five more minutes passed before I heard a worker jiggling the handle. At one point, he told me to stand back while he tried to “Starsky & Hutch” his way inside with a few well-placed shoulder thumps.

Still nothing. “Don’t worry,” the woman said. “He’s getting a crowbar.” I could see the wood splintering around the lock as the worker finally pried the handle off, shredding the bathroom door at this $10 million condo in the process.

In all, I spent nearly 20 minutes locked inside the guest bathroom before sheepishly taking my seat. To this day, the PR team at The Adler Network, which orchestrated the event, shares that story as often as some parents read Goodnight Moon to their children.

There’s no telling what kind of memories await during this season’s slate of high-season affairs, but we can tell you that our publication will play a role in making them.

Thanks to our new events division—SceneMakers at Boca Magazine—expect a yearlong slate of VIP opportunities, including the upcoming “Frost: The Holiday Event” extravaganza Dec. 8 at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek. A portion of the ticket proceeds ($95 per person) will benefit programs supported by United Way of Palm Beach County. Visit unitedwaypbc.org/events for details.

From all of us at Boca Raton, have a safe and joyous holiday season. Enjoy the issue.

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

editor letter 1215.indd 60

10/29/15 4:09 PM

JT-Mil Altier_BocaMag (9x10.875)B_Layout 1 10/26/15 11:02 AM Page 1

WELCOME TO MY WORLD

In the lead role: John Travolta, movie legend and aviation aficionado.

Guest star: the legendary North American X-15 that smashed all speed and altitude records and opened the gateway to space. Production: Breitling, the privileged partner of aviation thanks to its reliable, accurate and innovative instruments – such as the famous Chronomat, the ultimate chronograph. Welcome to a world of legends, feats and performance.

altier-breitling_brm1215.indd 1

CHRONOMAT 44

10/26/15 1:43 PM

Grove_Optician_Brm1215.indd 1

10/14/15 11:41 AM

hometown [ 64 boca by the numbers • 66 my favorite dish • 68 boca chatter • 70 where to donate • 72 the great outdoors ]

GOING BATTY Over the years, we’ve asked more

GARY JAMES

than 50 South Florida residents to share their remarkable tales for our “How Does It Feel?” feature (page 142). Only once, with help from Caroline Geertz (pictured), did we run a story that really was too good to be true. In 2008, the former senior design editor at the Weekly World News explained how it feels to be friends with “Bat Boy,” the tabloid’s half-human, half-bat mascot, during the latter part of its 28-year run.

“You hear rumors that he’s saving money for plastic surgery, but they’re all lies,” Geertz said, tongue firmly in cheek. “Some even claimed that I used Photoshop to create the images. Good Lord, no. ... That would be against our journalistic integrity.”

HT lead dec15.indd 63

10/28/15 8:49 AM

home town [ BOCA BY THE NUMBERS ] SPECIAL HOLIDAY EDITION ’Tis the season in and around Boca. What does this month have in store? The following numbers tell part of the story.

15.1 carats:

Mayors is setting the bar impossibly high when it comes to holiday jewelry, thanks to its historic unveiling of the Birks “North Star”—the record-setting diamond extracted earlier this year in the Northwest Canadian Territories. The diamond weighed in at 55.07 carats, the largest ever mined in North America; Birks mounted 15.1 carats of it in a platinum setting, valued at $3.7 million. Boca residents interested in purchasing this one-of-a-kind piece can call the Mayors at Town Center mall (561/368-6022) and arrange for a private viewing.

$23,300:

For about the same amount that a nemesis drops at the Baccarat table when playing James Bond, locals can live like 007 during a two-night stay at the Brazilian Court Hotel.

The Palm Beach resort’s “Brazilian Bond” package, which runs through Dec. 31, includes a private helicopter tour, sunset yacht cruise, an Aston Martin DB9 rental, Tom Ford cuff links for him, Louboutin “Pigalle” heels for her, a seven-course Chef’s Table dinner—and expert cat-care tips from Blofeld (OK, maybe not). Call 561/6557740 for details.

100:

39,500:

The 100-foot Christmas tree that the city of Delray Beach will light up Dec. 3 (look for Santa to eschew the reindeer and arrive via helicopter) will sport at least this many ornaments, as well as some 15,000 LED lights.

64

|

To celebrate the 100th birthday of Ol’ Blue Eyes, the South Florida Jazz Orchestra, and guest vocalist and Broadway star Johnny Rodgers, will pay tribute to Frank Sinatra with a special performance at Arts Garage in Delray. Raffle items that night include a special package that features $1,000 in Arts Garage tickets.

Call 561/450-6357 or visit artsgarage.org for information.

$307 million:

That’s the worldwide box office for the 2004 holiday hit, “The Polar Express.” Boca is planning its own version of the Polar Express, Dec. 18 at Mizner Park Amphitheater, including free train rides for the kids and a showing of the Tom Hanks film at 6:30 p.m.

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

by the numbers 1215.indd 64

10/28/15 9:05 AM

AmericanHeritage_Prep_BRM1215.indd 1

10/14/15 11:55 AM

home town [ MY FAVORITE DISH ] FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Do you have a favorite local restaurant dish? Send it to kevin@bocamag.com—and we may feature you in an upcoming issue!

Octopus “Barigoule” SAYS WHO: Kimberly Gramm WHERE TO FIND IT: Max’s Harvest WHY IT’S HER FAVORITE: “Normally, I am not a big fan of octopus. But when I tried this dish, it was delicious. It wasn’t chewy—and it was so flavorful. The chorizo aioli provides the ‘wow,’ and the fennel and compressed apple provides the ‘mmmmm.’ It’s worth the risk for non-octopus lovers!” (Editor’s note: The dish is also served with fall roots.)

ABOUT KIMBERLY: As director of the Adams Center for Entrepreneurship, Gramm always has been Florida

66

|

Atlantic University’s champion for innovative thinkers.

But with the success of the college’s Tech Runway initiative that she co-founded in 2014, which fosters technology startups, the Boca resident can add modern-day genie to her résumé. By providing everything from resources and mentors to funding, this “ecosystem” is giving a select group of enterprising visionaries the tools and opportunities to bring their ventures to fruition. Visit techrunway.fau.edu for more information.

ABOUT THE RESTAURANT: Max’s Harvest, 169 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach, 561/381-9970

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

HT favorite dish 1215.indd 66

10/28/15 8:55 AM

Boca Ad Fisher Ben 09-14 full page:Boca Ad

9/10/14

9:09 AM

Page 1

The simple solution to your complex divorce.

Jeffrey D. Fisher, Esq.* Odette M. Bendeck, Esq.*

Fisher & Bendeck

*B o a r d C e r t i f i e d M a r i t a l a n d Fa m i l y L aw A t t o r n e y s

501 South Flagler Drive, Suite 450 West Palm Beach, FL 33401 Tel. 561.832.1005

fisherbendeck.com

fisherbendeck_brm1215.indd 1

10/14/15 11:46 AM

home town [ BOCA CHATTER ]

Bowls, Baubles and Beautiful Desserts This December the holidays are up in lights—here are a few ways to get the most out of them.

BOCA STAFF PICKS

We asked members of our staff to tell us what they associate most with this time of year.

Here are a few of their responses—just to get you in the holiday spirit: “Helping my grandma make potato latkes.”

— Taryn Tacher, Web Editor “After-work happy hour at Piñon Grill, followed by an alcohol-driven holiday shopping spree at Town Center mall.”

— Kevin Kaminski, Editor “Ribbon candy that gets stuck at the bottom of the Christmas stocking.”

—Marie Speed, Group Editor “Receiving a poinsettia for my birthday (Dec. 1). Costco has the best for the price.”

—Lori Pierino, Art Director

“An absolute must: Good quality Christmas crackers and, yes, everyone has to wear the funny hats at the dinner table!”

—Mandy Wynne, Production Manager “Two years ago I began hosting a ‘Finnish baking party’ where we make Karelian pies and fruit tarts that are a Christmas tradition in Finland. My friends learn how to bake something new, and I get help making these holiday goodies!

—Nancy Kumpulainen, Assistant Art Director “I love the Christmas desserts prepared by Elisa Gismondi at Arturo’s (see page 183).”

—John Shuff, Founder

SPARKLE PLENTY

Boca’s not shy when it comes to decking itself out in fine jewelry (see page 152), and it’s during gala season you see the real ice come out. We asked our friend Siran Wassilian of Verdi Jewelers what she thought was hot this year.

Here’s what she said, without missing a beat: “Paraiba tourmaline. And turquoise and coral will be a big trend, mixed with diamonds or sapphires.”

HT chatter 1215rev.indd 68

HOLIDAY DON’TMISS EVENTS ■ Gingerbread Concert: Seasonal classics performed at the Boca Resort by the Lynn University Philharmonia Orchestra to raise scholarship funds for the conservatory’s studentmusicians. Dec. 13 at 3 p.m. Tickets: $35. Call 561/237-9000.

■ The tree lighting: Be there for the lighting of Delray’s 100-foot Christmas tree and helicopter landing by Santa on Dec. 3 (5 p.m.) at Old School Square.

■ Boat parades: Boca holiday boat parade, Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m.; Delray boat parade, Dec. 11, 5:30 p.m.

■ Seasonal parades: Boca holiday parade, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m.; Delray holiday parade, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m.

■ Matzo Ball: A holiday party for Jewish singles on Dec. 24, LIV, Fontainebleau Miami Beach, 4441 Collins Ave., 9 p.m.–4 a.m., $50.

Visit matzoball.org.

10/29/15 4:29 PM

HOT TICKET

WHAT: The second Boca Raton Bowl, in which college football teams from the Mid-American Conference and the American Athletic Conference will square off at FAU Stadium.

WHEN: Dec. 22 TELEVISED: ESPN WHAT FAU PRESIDENT JOHN KELLY SAYS: “Florida Atlantic University, the City of Boca Raton and our entire region have the opportunity to shine before a national television audience thanks to ESPN and the Boca Raton Bowl (sponsored this year by Marmot). We are thankful to all of our local government officials and community leaders for bringing this game to our stadium, and we’re honored to host such an exciting event.”

For more information, visit thebocaratonbowl.com or call customer service at 561/362-3650.

Savor the Holidays

Our own glamorous gourmet, Stephanie Miskew (who also owns an online wine boutique, The Wine Atelier) gives us her three holiday dessert picks—and wine pairings!— from Savor The Moment, the James Beard award-winning cookbook published in 2000 by the Junior League of Boca Raton. (By the way, Miskew cooked her way through the cookbook in 2011, a la “Julie & Julia.”)

1 2 3

Fallen chocolate souffle cakes (page 254): This chocolate-y deliciousness is always a crowd pleaser! Pair with the fruity and spicy M. Chapoutier Banyuls, from Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Black and white torta (page 24): An elegant dessert perfect for a New Year’s Eve soiree! Pair with the slightly sweet sparkler Schramsberg Crémant Demi-Sec, from the North Coast, California

Apple tarte tatin with oatmeal crust (page 270): A French spin on a holiday

COOLEST COFFEE IN TOWN A local entrepreneur iced the contenders at the FAU Business Plan Competition with a cool idea that earned him second place in the student track. After surpassing his Kickstarter goal of $15,000 in August (291 backers pledged $16,371), Nick Anusbigian started taking pre-orders for the HyperChiller, which turns fresh hot coffee into iced coffee in 60 seconds.

At press time, the gadget that uses stainless-steel chambers filled with frozen water to “flash-cool” coffee to about 62 degrees was patent-pending.

But if the momentum of the past year is any indication, look for the HyperChiller (hyperchiller.com) to start shipping this month.

“Since I was a kid, I was always coming up with crazy little ideas,” Anusbigian says. “It’s exciting. I’d much rather be working for myself and create something.”

—Cresonia Hsieh

favorite! Pair with the sweet, golden Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume, from Loire, France

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

HT chatter 1215rev.indd 69

|

69 11/2/15 10:05 AM

home town [ WHERE TO DONATE ] Show the community you care.

Follow the lead of these local charities and make a difference during the holiday season.

PALM BEACH COUNTY FOOD BANK What: This locally operated food bank partners with more than 100 hunger relief agencies to help people in our community. Every dollar donated translates to $6 worth of food.

How to help: Visit the website to make a donation.

Contact: 561/670-2518, pbcfoodbank.org

SPIRIT OF GIVING NETWORK

What: Some 35 Palm Beach County nonprofit organizations participate in an effort to assist children and families in our area. Each winter, the network partners with the Junior League of Boca Raton for a holiday gift drive, providing presents for more than 4,500 children within the various organizations.

How to help: Hang tags—with gift wishes from children connected to nonprofits in the area— will be distributed at participating banks, hospitals, restaurants, schools and supermarkets in Boca Raton. Select one, and purchase the gift for that child. Cash and gift donations also are accepted; bring your gift to one of the many drop-off locations by Dec. 7.

Contact: 561/385-0144, or visit spiritofgivingnetwork.com for drop-off locations

THE GIVING TREE What: The Giving Tree of Temple Beth El provides needy families, senior citizens and kids aging out of foster care with necessities throughout the year. During the holidays, the Giving Tree delivers specific need-based items, as well as toys and gifts, to some 2,000 children and seniors.

How to help: Donate clothing, furniture, toys and food.

Contact: 561/391-8900, or e-mail givingtreeboca@gmail.com

FAMILY PROMISE What: This interfaith charity organization provides shelter, food and life skills for homeless families in our area. Its unique program keeps struggling families together, while teaching them strategies to become self-sufficient.

How to help: Donate basic necessities (toothbrushes, clothing, shoes, Tylenol), as well as furniture, toys and Publix gift cards.

Contact: 561/265-3370, familypromisespbc.org

BOCA HELPING HANDS

WHAT: Boca Helping Hands provides hot meals and groceries to families, the elderly and anyone in need. The organization collects items year-round for meals, its pantry program and homeless kits.

HOW TO HELP: Donate nonperishable food items to the Food Center at 1500 N.W. First Court.

CONTACT: 561/417-0913, or visit bocahelpinghands.org

What: The center offers free health services to the uninsured, working poor families of Palm Beach County.

Through education and outreach programs, the center delivers homework assistance, college scholarships and emergency services year-round to those in financial crisis.

How to help: Give cash, checks, stocks or make an online donation; also, inquire about the Adopt-A-Family program.

Contact: 561/737-6636, caridad.org

|

What: This national, locally headquartered nonprofit strives to provide support services for more than 1.4 million children and young adults in the U.S. who care for injured, ill, elderly or disabled family members.

How to help: Monetary donations help young caregivers with school supplies, Internet access, respite services and inhome tutoring sessions.

Contact: 561/3917401, aacy.org

Connie Siskowski

James Gavrilos

Caridad Center

70

THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CAREGIVING YOUTH

THE SALVATION ARMY

What: This international movement aims to feed, clothe, comfort and care for people battling addiction, hunger and poverty. Every year, the Red Kettle Campaign begins right before Thanksgiving and lasts until Christmas Eve. Volunteers and paid workers throughout the county collect donations; 82 cents of every dollar goes to help the homeless, and families and senior citizens in need.

How to help: Donate to a red kettle, or become a volunteer.

Contact: 561/391-1344, salvationarmypalmbeachcounty.org

TOYS FOR TOTS

What: This national U.S. Marine Corps Reserve program collects gifts for underprivileged children. New, unwrapped toys collected during October, November and December will be distributed during Christmas to children throughout the community.

How to help: Bring an unwrapped toy (suggested price is around $10) to one of the drop-off locations throughout Palm Beach and Broward counties.

Contact: For local drop sites and information, visit toysfortots.org.

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

HT donate 1215.indd 70

11/2/15 11:57 AM

Accessory Collections of Enduring Quality and Style.

Quintessential: the most perfect example of quality of a given class (collection) as in: correct, ideal, accurate as possible to be.

Essential: basic, indispensable, intrinsic, essence of a thing, in everyday luxury with intrinsic craft value without superficial value.

W H E N YO U R O W N I N I T I A L S A R E E N O U G H .

2 5 6 Wo r t h A v e n u e • V i a A m o r e • Pa l m B e a c h | 5 6 1 . 6 5 9 . 9 8 8 0 W W W. Q E PA L M B E A C H . C O M

Quintessentials_BRM1215.indd 1

10/27/15 9:53 AM

home town [ THE GREAT OUTDOORS ]

WIND IN HIS SAILS

NO ONE CAN TEACH NOVICES HOW TO TACK AND JIBE QUITE LIKE DELRAY’S BEN IFILL.

ONLY IN FLORIDA: Part of the fun of sailing in our backyard is that this part of South Florida enjoys a more constant wind.

A big part of that is geography; Delray, for example, sticks out a little further east than other parts of the state. Another factor is the landscape along the beach. “High-rise buildings change the wind,” he says, adding that there are fewer beachside skyscrapers in Delray. For those interested in learning to sail, Ifill suggests reading up on wind dynamics and how sailing works—and then going out on the water and floating on your back or stomach. “It helps to get a feel for the waves,” he says. Ifill then recommends taking three to five lessons, about an hour each.

—RICH POLLACK

72

|

EDUARDO SCHNEIDER

WHAT’S THE ATTRACTION: The part-time sailing instructor for Delray Beach Water Sports got his sea legs at age 6, when he and his family (including three brothers and two sisters) lived aboard a 48-foot sloop that traveled the Caribbean for two years. Later, after the family moved to New York state, Ifill pumped gas and saved $1,000 to buy his first sailboat, a 16-foot catamaran. Since then he’s sailed hundreds of boats from small Hobie Cats, like those he teaches with in Delray, to dozens of sailboats more than 30 feet long. “I can sail with my eyes closed,” he says.

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

HT great outdoors 1215.indd 72

10/28/15 8:50 AM

shawnelliottfl.com

SHAWN ELLIOTT LUXURY HOMES & ESTATES

COMES TO BOCA. LIST WITH US. SELL WITH US. JOIN OUR LUXURY TEAM OF AGENTS. BRINGING NEW YORK BUYERS TO SOUTH FLORIDA

366 EAST PALMETTO PARK ROAD BOCA RATON, FLORIDA 33432 (561) 923-9696 Featured on HGTV Selling New York, CBS Living Large and LX TV Open House NYC

ShawnElliot_brm1215.indd 1

11/2/15 5:23 PM

Find a little holiday magic close to home at Boca Center. Enjoy the heart of the holidays in the heart of Boca.

5150 TOWN CENTER CIRCLE

MILITARY TRAIL, JUST NORTH OF PALMETTO PARK

ShopsatBocaCenter_brm1215.indd 2

10/28/15 5:42 PM

ShopsatBocaCenter_brm1215.indd 3

10/28/15 5:43 PM

G REAT G IFTS to give... AND receive!

Western Nut Located in downtown Salt Lake City, this unique store specializes in delicious gourmet nuts and gorgeous handcrafted gifts since 1966. You won’t find quality like this anywhere else.

434 South 300 West, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 | 800/825-9912 | westernut.com

Featured Gift: A colossal gift basket filled with a variety of 20 delicious nut, chocolate and candied tastes comes wrapped with a gigantic, beautiful Holiday themed bow.

GLM Publishing Featured Gift: Multiple, award-winning series, Adventure of the Sea Kids help children to have compassion, understanding, and love for others! Children, parents and teachers love the bold illustrations and captivating stories! A must have for every child’s library to help build a strong, foundation in Jesus! A 2015 Mom’s choice award winner! 2165 NW 30th Rd., Boca Raton | 561/409-7696 | www.glmpublishing.net

Christino Jewelers Cristino Jewelers represents leading American and European jewelry designers with the finest craftsmanship of jewelry made in Gold, Platinum and sterling silver with prices range from $50 to $50,000.00, they also carry a large selection of Diamond engagement rings and Diamond anniversary bands, located in Mizner Park – Boca Raton, for any inquiries you can call 561-210-5222.

421 Plaza Real, Boca Raton | 561/210-5222

Featured Gifts: (from left) Dove design pendant , crafted in 18 karat yellow gold and diamonds

featuring 49.28 carat of Rutilated Quartz, Retail $4,850.00; Dove design earrings crafted in 18 karat yellow gold and diamonds featuring 60.29 carat of Rutilated Quartz, Retail $8,330.00

GreatGiftIdeas_BRM1215.indd 2

11/2/15 9:36 AM

Special Advertising Section

Altier Jewelers As the first jeweler in Boca Raton, Altier has been synonymous with name-brand luxury since opening its family-owned and operated store in 1960. In addition to hosting the only Gucci shop-in-shop in Palm Beach County, Altier features breathtaking pieces from companies such as Cartier, Breitling, Roberto Coin, Marco Bicego, Temple St. Clair, Kwiat, Ralph Lauren and Baccarat—as well as the largest selection of Patek Philippe timepieces in South Florida. Let our knowledgable and professional staff make your jewelry dreams come true. 701 S. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton | 561/395-3462 | www.altierjewelers.com

Featured Gifts: (from left) Gucci sterling silver horsebit light pendant necklace, $980; Patek Philippe Twenty-4, $12,100

Deborah James At Deborah James, we put an emphasis on emerging designers and the season’s key trends. Assisting our customers to create their own personal style with fashions from Europe and around the US is our goal. Choose from a beautiful selection of exotic accessories and delicate jewels for your gift giving this season.

402 Via De Palmas, Boca Raton | 561/367-9600 / 623 E Las Olas, Ft. Lauderdale | 954/524-2585 www.DeborahJames.com

Featured Gifts: (from left) Ling Wu handbag; La Soula Necklace

Fashion Scoop Fashion Scoop The Boutique, Boca Raton’s newest fashion hotspot is excited to offer the latest trends in women’s clothing, handbags, jewelry and accessories.

9212 Glades Road, Boca Raton (Boca Lyons Plaza) | 561-674-0031 | www.FashionScoopUSA.com

Featured Gifts: (from left) S’well Bottles: Rid the world of plastic and stock up on these reusable water bottles! S’well Bottles keep your favorite drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for 12 hours. Made of non-leaching and non-toxic 18/8 stainless steel; MantraBands: Find all-day-long inspiration for yourself and loved ones with these gorgeous bracelets inscribed with special uplifting messages. They are adjustable to every wrist size and come in gold, rose or silver.

GreatGiftIdeas_BRM1215.indd 3

11/2/15 9:41 AM

FashionScoop_BRM1215.indd 2

11/5/15 12:50 PM

9212 Glades Road , Boca Raton, FL 33434

(Boca Lyons Plaza) 561-674-0031

www.FashionScoopUSA.com www.facebook.com/fashionscoop

FashionScoop_BRM1215.indd 3

11/4/15 10:03 AM

WISHING YOU JOY & PEACE From All of Us to All of You

Restaurants

Another Broken Egg Café Biergarten Boca Breakfast & Lunch Club Casimir Bistro Chops Lobster Bar Cote France Café Domus Restaurant & Lounge Estia Greek Taverna Farmhouse Kitchen Fro-Yo Frenzy Giovanni's Pizza Gourmet Phile Havana Nights Cigar Lounge Hijinks Sports Grill Ichiyami Buffet, Sushi & Bar Juiceateria Lemongrass Asian Bistro Pat's Wine Bar Ristorante Sapori Sapphire Indian Cuisine Saquella Caffe The Funky Biscuit The Wishing Well Irish Pub TwentyTwenty Grille Yakitori Sake House

Salons & Spas

Advanced Aesthetics & Wellness Back Bay Salon Boca Nails Brazelia Med Spa Green Wave Body Waxing La Mirage Salon Mane Bar Nu Beauty Bar Oasis Men's Hair Place Oxygen Salon Royal Hair & Spa Royal Palm MedSpa Royal Palm Nails Salon 300 Adorn Boutique

Fashion, Apparel & Fine Jewelry

Be-Friend Boutique Consign with a Heart Deborah James D'Vara Jewelers Ivivva Jasmin Boutique Magenta Couture Swimland Swimwear Verdi Jewelers Vianna B.R.A.S.I.L Fine Jewelry Vicki Soble Couture

California Closets Honey Bee Designz

Shop DNA

Art & Design

DeConceptShop Design & Style Unlimited Fiat Custom Framing Gervis Design Studio Grand Interiors International Mummaw + Associates Royal Designs The Place for Kitchens & Baths Tomasz Rut Gallery Yaacov Heller Gallery 22

Specialties & Services

40 Day Reset All Phones Pro Balistreri Realty International Carrington Real Estate Services Chewy Chic Cloud 9 Adventures Core Medical Group Edward Jones Investments Fred Astaire Dance Studio Genesis Tax House John M Sortino, MD Lifestyles of Lynne Gifts Pure Barre Rod Squad Fitness Royal Palm Academy Royal Palm Hearing Aid Center Showtime Performing Arts Theatre TravelGroup International

Federal Hwy, South of Palmetto Park Rd, Boca Raton | www.royalpalmplace.com

RoyalPalm_brm1215.indd 1

PETS WELCOME!

11/2/15 6:02 PM

[ by taryn tacher and lindsey swing ]

shoptalk

BETTER OFF RED

In the same way that the little black dress never goes out of style, we find a timeless elegance to holiday gowns that have us seeing red. Designers apparently agree; red dresses in a variety of styles have found their way into winter collections. Visit your favorite local boutique and make your own high-season statement.

From left: Halston Heritage sleeveless V-neck gown; Halston Heritage sideslit gown; JS Collections Sweetheart tulle ball gown

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

shoptalk DEC15.indd 81

|

81 10/30/15 10:22 AM

shop talk [ FASHION ]

Danielle earrings, $60, Kendra Scott, Mizner Park

Ciara belt, $28, Francesca’s, Town Center at Boca Raton or Mizner Park

Get the Look …

For Less

Ramy Brook Emma sleeveless top, $285, Bloomingdale’s, Town Center

L

ook at model Lily Donaldson (pictured right), on the runway in Paris earlier this year, just owning this fall 2015 ensemble

by Olivier Rousteing, the red-hot creative director at Balmain. Stunning, isn’t she?

You know what else is stunning?

The price.

Let’s face it. Ready-to-wear clothing from the world’s leading fashion designers is not for the faint of pocketbook. A high-waist leather belt by Balmain, like the one worn by Donaldson in the photo, goes for more than $1,800. That’s just the belt. The wideleg pants? Similar selections from the Balmain line run in the neighborhood of $3,000.

Do you always have to break the bank to be runway chic? Not necessarily.

Inspired by Balmain’s jaw-dropping creation, our style team set out to find a budget-conscious alternative. Here’s what we found—right in our own backyard.

—TARYN TACHER Striped wide-leg trousers, $70, Topshop inside Nordstrom, Town Center

MOBILE BOUTIQUE TOUR

Steven by Steve Madden “Adell” anklestrap pump, $118.95, Nordstrom, Town Center

82

|

WHAT: Fierce Finds, the brainchild of Kristiana White and husband David, is doing more than just redefining the way we shop with its 250-squarefoot boutique on wheels. For the past few months, the couple has staged a Fashion Truck & Mobile Boutique tour, which makes its final stop this month in Boynton. In addition to multiple fashion trucks, expect live music, art showcases, giveaways, food and drink specials—and more.

Indulge and enjoy—this is the new age of fashion.

WHEN: Dec. 13 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and more dates in 2016 WHERE: Sunshine Square Plaza, 501 S.E. 18th Ave., Boynton Beach

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

shoptalk DEC15.indd 82

11/2/15 11:46 AM

Somerset Shoppes | 8903 Glades Rd.

152-073C_Boca Magazine_decissue.indd 1 SaksoffFifth_brm1215.indd 1

10/26/15 11:51 AM 10/30/15 10:32 AM

*Total savings off Market Price. Percentage reflects the reduction off the Market Price at which we’ve normally sold that item. Or, if we have not previously sold the item, the price that item (or a comparable item) is normally sold in the market.

shop talk [ INSPIRATION ]

NAIL IT! H

aving your nails done is more than just a matter of grooming at Boca Nail Bar: It’s a chance to express yourself. To that end, we asked the experts there to suggest three looks for the holiday season; they took it a step further—and offered do-it-yourself instructions.

THE NAKED TRUTH

DRINK IT IN

THE CONVERSATION STARTER

Toss out traditional reds and greens for something a little shinier this year. Polish the nails to completion with a creamy nude color, wait for them to dry, and then apply silver glitter to the bottom of the nail bed in a side-to-side motion to complete this holiday party favorite.

Note: Use OPI’s Be There in a Prosecco, $9.50, from the Venice Fall 2015 collection to create this look.

Coming off its haute turn at New York Fashion Week, merlot remains the color of the moment. To achieve this style, paint each nail, let dry, then cover with a shimmery topcoat. Want to take a walk on the wild side? On the ring finger, apply iridescent rhinestones using nail glue.

Note: Use Essie’s In The Lobby, $8.50, from the Fall 2015 collection to create this look.

Metallic polishes have been trending in 2015. Polish the thumb, middle finger and pinky with metallic gold, dip a wooden manicure stick into black polish and apply dots. Then coat the pointer finger with black polish, followed by a thin application of two lines of gold glitter on the uppermost part of the nail bed. To attain the unique textured look of the ring finger, apply a coat of clear polish, lay the nail flat over loose glitter, and roll it back and forth to cover the sides. If you find the glitter to be uneven or chunky, gently pat it down with your fingers.

Use Essie’s Leggy Legend, $8.50, from the Fall 2015 collection, and OPI’s My Gondola or Yours?, $9.50, from the Venice Fall 2015 collection, to create this look.

ABOUT THE BIZ In addition to its standout manicure and pedicure services, Boca Nail Bar (9841 W. Glades Road, Boca Raton, 561/372-9226) offers permanent eyebrows, eyelash extensions, a host of waxing options and much more. Its signature Voesh manicure/pedicure treatments include the Vitamin Recharge, Ocean Refresh, Lavender Relieve, Lemon Quench, Green Tea and Virgin Olive Sensation (each of which incorporates elements that speak to the title). At more than 1,800 square feet, Boca Nail Bar can accommodate parties or special events of more than 100 people.

—LINDSEY SWING

84

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

shoptalk DEC15.indd 84

11/2/15 12:04 PM

GBS_Beauty_brm1215.indd 1

11/2/15 6:03 PM

shop talk [ BEAUTY ]

BLOWN AWAY

With season in full swing, there is no time to have a bad hair day. It’s no wonder that blow-dry bars are more popular than ever in Boca. Here are four local spots that encourage women to sit back, relax and let the professionals go to work.

CLOUD 10 WHERE: Palmetto Park Shoppes, 289 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, 561/465-3900 RARE AIR: Owner Jodi Dery went on a cross-country blow-dry bar pilgrimage to cull ideas for her popular salon (there is a second location in Delray). The result is a chic, customer-driven establishment that offers a variety of hair services—including color and hair extensions—as well as makeup and makeovers. Special touches include celebrity wash shampoo chairs, which provide a shiatsu back massage during the shampoo, and the use of a mini iPad, which showcases the long list of menu options.

IN-STORE IMPULSE BUY: Kevin Murphy’s shimmer shine, $28. This finishing mist treats hair while making it shine. Complete with vitamins A, C and E, baobab, immortelle and bamboo extracts, this product will add a natural glimmer without an oily residue.

GK BLODRYBAR & SALON WHERE: 199 W. Palmetto Park Road, Suite C, Boca Raton, 561/303-2545 RARE AIR: The team at GK, led by owner Gianna Sara Kohl, never stops trying to raise the industry bar. In addition to core services—blowouts; full and 10-minute makeup services; men’s, women’s and kids cuts; color services—GK offers weekly classes for stylists and students to keep up with ever-changing trends.

IN-STORE IMPULSE BUY: Bumble and Bumble thickening hairspray, $29.99. It’s perfect for any type of hair—thin, thick, straight or curly. Spray into wet hair for heat protection before blow-drying to add volume and lift.

BLOW & GO WHERE: 5030 Champion Blvd. Suite B-3, Boca, 561/9898911; 6361 N. Federal Highway, Boca, 561/241-7455 RARE AIR: Leaving the cutting and color to the salons, Blow & Go’s focus is to eliminate bad hair days by providing blowouts in less than 30 minutes. Count on an experience complete with full-on pampering, unlimited cappuccinos, “girly movies” and a round brush expert to give you a glamorous red-carpet finish.

IN-STORE IMPULSE BUY: BlowPro blow out hairspray, $19.75. This nonstick hairspray styles and sets hair without a trace of sticky residue or crunch.

86

|

Pretty Pretty Tease in Boca

PRETTY PRETTY TEASE WHERE: 148 S. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, 561/542-1047 RARE AIR: Owner Samantha Colton recently launched this prettyin-pink addition to the boutique salon world in downtown Boca, which has been drawing early buzz and A-list clients. The salon is home to some talented trendsetters with expertise in everything from dimensional color and sleek blowouts to designer dos and hair extensions.

IN-STORE IMPULSE BUY: Framesi color lover shampoo and conditioner, $16. It’s no secret that coloring your hair can lead to breakage and damage that takes years to repair.

Framesi’s vegan-based products counter that by delivering a daily dose of compounds rich with cereal extracts, vitamins and antioxidants, thus providing deep moisture for thirsty, colortreated hair.

—LINDSEY SWING

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

shoptalk DEC15.indd 86

10/30/15 10:22 AM

BOCA’S FIRST BOARD-CERTIFIED FEMALE PEDIATRIC DENTIST GETS NEW iPLUS LASER! After having used Biolase laser technology since she opened her office in Boca Raton, Dr. Saadia has invested in the latest technology for her patients. The iPlus laser allows her to treat most of her little patients who have cavities with no shots. The laser also allows her to help gently “wiggle” teeth out rather than the old fashioned pulling.

Call us today to schedule your appointment!

561-477-3535

What are the benefits of iPlus laser dentistry?

• Since, in most cases, there are no needles or any numbness, kids will not chew their lips or tongue upon leaving the office and can eat right away.

• The laser’s pinpoint accuracy allows the dentist to leave as much healthy tooth as possible, when removing tooth decay.

• The laser performs numerous soft tissue (gum) procedures with little or no bleeding and no need for sutures.

• Soft tissue healing after laser surgery is faster than surgery done with traditional scalpel blades or elector surgery. iPlus laser uses only light and water to cut, so surgical sites heal very quickly and with minimal or no bleeding.

What can be done in the dental office with iPlus laser?

• iPlus Laser results in the very conservative removal of decay resulting minimally invasive cavity preparations.

• iPlus Laser is very efficient at gum re-contouring (gingivectomy) procedures, especially during and after orthodontics (braces).

• iPlus Laser is ideal for relieving a child who is tongue-tied. Where the tongue cannot move normally because it is held by too short of a fibrous cord of a tissue in the floor of the mouth.

• iPlus Laser can relieve painful canker sores with guaranteed accelerated healing.

Saadia I. Mohamed, D.D.S. First female Board Certified Pediatric Dentist in Boca Raton Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry Member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Member of College of Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry

9250 Glades Rd., Suite 212 Boca Raton 561-477-3535 pbpdcares.com

palmbeachpediatricdentistry_brm1215.indd 1

11/2/15 6:01 PM

嬀 攀渀∠挀栀愀渀琀攀搀崀 愀搀樀⸀ ㄀⸀ 䌀愀瀀琀椀瘀愀琀椀渀最 猀瀀攀氀氀 琀栀愀琀 漀渀攀 椀猀 甀渀搀攀爀 愀昀琀攀爀 眀椀琀渀攀猀猀椀渀最 琀栀攀 挀栀愀爀洀 漀昀 愀 戀攀愀甀琀椀昀甀氀 眀漀洀愀渀 眀椀琀栀 愀渀 愀甀爀愀 猀漀 洀愀最渀攀琀椀挀 礀漀甀 眀椀氀氀 戀攀 椀渀猀琀愀渀琀氀礀 搀爀愀眀渀 琀漀 栀攀爀⸀⸀

㠀㐀㐀ⴀ䰀䤀嘀ⴀ匀䔀堀夀 簀 䰀 䤀 嘀 倀 䰀 䄀 匀 吀 䤀 䌀 匀 唀 刀 䜀 䔀 刀 夀 ⸀ 䌀 伀 䴀

liv_brm1215.indd 1

10/20/15 3:36 PM

The Allianz Championship is an official PGA Champions Tour golf tournament that is played at the Old Course at Broken Sound, in Boca Raton, from February 1-7. All proceeds from the tournament benefit the Boca Raton Regional Hospital. Whether you prefer being on the grounds of a championship golf course or relaxing and entertaining clients in our hospitality tents, you are sure to have a great time. Get your tickets today!

Good-Any-One Day Grounds Pass allows the ticket holder access to the tournament grounds any one day between Friday through Sunday.

Grounds Pass

$20

Weekend Grounds Pass allows the ticket holder access to the tournament grounds every day from Friday through Sunday.

Weekend Grounds Pass

$50

WIN A FREE CRUISE Slush Lounge is good for one day purchased Friday through Sunday. Enjoy “cool� beverage options, including Slush frozen drinks. Celebrity Cruises curated menu of flavor-rich and fresh frozen cocktails.

Cocktails are perfectly balanced with ingredients ranging from fresh pressed lemon juice, raspberries, cucumbers and mint to Persian Lime, Florida Valencia and Hamlin orange juice with organic agave nectar.

Celebrity Cruises Slush Lounge One Day Pass

Club 18 Presented by is an upgraded ticket with a VIP Parking Pass includes unlimited upscale food and beverage that will be served throughout the day with a full open bar.

Club 18 One Day Pass

Club 18 Weekend Pass

$75

$150

$450

PURCHASE FOR A CHANCE TO WIN! One grand prize winner will receive a World Golf Village Vacation Package from the World Golf Hall of Fame that includes a 3 day/2 night stay at the Renaissance Resort in World Golf Village, a round of golf for 2 and a half hour lesson for two at PGA Tour golf academy!

For more information call 561.241.GOLF (4653) or visit AllianzChampionship.com Follow Us On

Allianz_Brm1215.indd 1

Benefiting

10/26/15 1:50 PM

Find yourself lacking energy?

Maybe you’re not sleeping well or feel tired all the time?

Perhaps if you’re a man, you find your libido lessening or if you’re a woman, you’re noticing unusual moodiness?

The answer to improving your health could be hormone replacement and anti-aging therapies that work to help you begin to feel like yourself again.

“Hormone and vitamin imbalances are all considered part of the natural aging process,” says Heather Schwartzmann, PA-C, a Physician Assistant at Core Medical Group, which has offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach. “By restoring balance in your body, we’re helping to slow the ageing process.”

Core Medical Group uses a combination of hormone replacement therapy, nutritional and vitamin therapy and various aesthetic procedures to help restore vitality.

One of the most common reasons men visit Core Medical Group is for treatment of “Low T,” or low testosterone levels.

Studies show that one in four men over the age of 30 suffer from “Low T,” and that those men are at an increased risk for medical problems including diabetes, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

Core Medical’s skilled staff uses hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to help men with Low T and also uses HRT to help women who may be suffering

from reduced hormone levels that can impact their daily lives.

Patients will find that Core Medical Group also offers a variety of other treatments that can help to reverse the aging process.

Among those are: • Treatments for vitamin deficiencies • Low-growth hormone treatments • Elevated toxin treatments • Medical weight loss treatments “Each of these treatments either individually or together will help bring your body back into balance and restore

you to optimal health,” says Sidney Gordon, CEO of Core Medical Group.

A detailed treatment process has been developed that is focused on each individual’s needs. It includes: • A consultation and physical exam • Drawing of blood followed by an evaluation of lab results and symptoms • Creation of a tailor-made protocol for each patient • Continued in-home or in-office treatment • Follow-up blood tests every three months to evaluate progress

Founded in 2010, Core Medical Group is led by an experienced and highly respected team.

BOCA: 101 Plaza Real, Suite A Boca Raton, FL 33432 • 561.571.3321

Elliot Lach, MD – Medical Director Dr. Lach received his bachelor’s of science degree at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and while still a student there, completed course work at Harvard Medical School. He received his Doctorate of Medicine from Yale University and completed his post-doctoral fellowships at Harvard Medical School.

“Healthy bodies look and feel good when the person’s hormones are optimally balanced,” he says. “Patients feels healthier and they’re rejuvenated and restored to where their body was 20 years ago but its not going to happen without paying attention to their hormone status.”

Heather Schwartzmann, PA-C – Physician Assistant Heather Schwartzmann earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Lynn University and a Master’s of Science in Medicine from Keiser University, Schwartzmann works directly with patients and guides them through the treatments that provide the best results.

“Restoring a patient’s hormones to their correct balance essentially gives them their life back,” she said. “It’s really rewarding to be able to educate patients and give them the care that creates such a positive influence in their lives.”

DELRAY: 1200 NE 2nd Ave., Suite 105 Delray Beach, FL 33444 • 561.243.1219

Florida: coremedicalgrp.com • New York: coremedicalny.com • Massachusetts: corenewengland.com

coremedical_brm1215.indd 2

10/22/15 4:53 PM

I have been on your products for two weeks. Today was the start of my third week. Let me tell you, not only do I feel as strong as I did when I was 25, I’m forty now, but the way they give me energy, help me breathe better and heal faster is amazing to me! I started playing softball again this year and have had semi pulled muscles in both legs each night after a game to the point I could hardly walk after the game. Since I’ve been on TRT and glutathione and ghrp-2, by the end of the following day I’m pretty much normal! Thank you for your products you are a godsend. My regular

physician suggested TRT but I am glad I went to you guys before I went on some cream. The injections are painless and no need to worry about my son or wife contacting my cream sites. I feel great no more depression, very high energy, I sleep better, I have vivid, colorful dreams, I can’t wait to play with my son, you guys are everything you claim. Thank you for answering all my bothersome questions no matter what time.

You have a customer and a friend for life!

Chuck S. – Tomahawk, WI 05/24/13

I am a long term patient with CMG and I don’t mind saying that the services are exceptional! Where traditional doctors ignored the symptoms and blood work, CMG took action. Thanks to CMG I finally feel like my old self again! Mood is stable again, I sleep better, have more energy, motivation and confidence. Don’t let yourself fall victim to aging. If you want to feel like your young self again contact CMG. You’ll be glad you did.

Jesse M. - Spring Brook Twp, PA

My name is Rich M., I’m 38 years old and have been on the testosterone replacement therapy from Core Medical Group for nine weeks after finding out I tested very low for testosterone. I already lost two belt sizes on my waist. My energy level has increased a lot. I had some rear fat and man boobs. They are gone and my entire body is getting tone. My co workers have told me how my stomach went down and upper body increased lean muscle mass. I have received the best care and knowledge from the doctors and medical staff at CMG. I highly recommend getting your levels checked and joining this team.

If you think you may suffer from low testosterone

and feel the symptoms of Low T, call CMG and find out how to get started. If you qualify for their therapy, I guarantee you’ll look and feel better in weeks. I saw many doctors before seeing them and they are by far the best option. The customer service is amazing, the doctor and staff at CMG are always calling me to check in to see how everything is going or to see if I have any questions about my protocol. Unlike any other doctors they actually care a lot about my health and are always looking out for me with diet tips and recommendations. Thank you!

Rich M. – Freehold, NJ 04/27/13

ADVERTISEMENT

coremedical_brm1215.indd 3

10/22/15 4:50 PM

Saint Andrew’s School MIND, BODY, SPIRIT

This Distinguished Scholar is driven to succeed. Meet Daniela Garcia ’19.

Math and Science League competitor. Talented pianist, flutist, and guitarist.

She masters the art of problem solving as part of the Mu Alpha Theta national honor society.

On the court, she dominates as a middle blocker on the varsity volleyball team.

And she is just getting started.

Distinguished Scholar Award Program for Students Entering Grade 9 Saint Andrew’s School Distinguished Scholars demonstrate outstanding achievement inside and outside the classroom. These scholars embody Saint Andrew’s values by being honorable, respectful, and responsible.

Learn more about our Distinguished Scholar Award Program at www.saintandrews.net/scholarship.

3900 Jog Road

Boca Magazine Ad December 2015.indd 2 saintandrews_brm1215.indd 1

. Boca Raton, Florida 33434 . 561.210.2020 . www.saintandrews.net 10/26/2015 5:45:55 PM 10/27/15 4:03 PM

[ by lisette hilton ]

feelgood In the Spotlight:

RIAN TO THE RESCUE

It speaks volumes about the journey of Rian Robert Klenke that his current position as ocean rescue lifeguard for the City of Boca Raton may be the most mundane item on his résumé.

Born in Pusan, South Korea, Klenke lived as an orphan until age 4, when he was adopted by a U.S. family in Oregon. He would make the most of his new lease on life, embarking on a 17-year modeling/talent career that took him from print ads and TV commercials (with the likes of tennis stars Maria Sharapova and the Williams sisters) to the silver screen. His movie credits include playing a mongrel pirate alongside Johnny Depp in “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” as well as bit parts in “All About the Benjamins” with Ice Cube and “Holy Man” starring Eddie Murphy.

Fitness-wise, the 45-year-old Delray Beach resident (who also works as an exercise specialist trainer) stays in shape by doing martial arts, functional training, agility training and sports leagues, like beach and indoor volleyball. He was the agegroup winner for the beach flag event (competitors race to snag a beach flag buried upright in the sand) at the 2015 National Lifeguard Championships, held in Daytona Beach.

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

feelgood DEC15.indd 93

|

93 11/2/15 12:10 PM

feel good [ FITNESS ] Hot Wheels

Some Like It Hot

Not only is the Fuji Barnebey 3 cute and comfy, it offers something that many beach cruisers don’t: a footforward frame design. The bike’s lower center of gravity makes getting on and off the bike—and putting your feet flat on the ground—easier than with other frames. With a few speeds for tackling the Intracoastal bridges, and a cushy seat, the Fuji Barnebey 3 makes getting around town a breeze. Starting price is $349. (Performance Bike, 9887 Glades Road, Boca Raton)

Co-founders Paige Held and Kelly Green have launched their signature “hot fusion flow” concept—The Yoga Joint—in west Boca (there are two locations in Fort Lauderdale) just in time for the holiday season.

WHAT’S DIFFERENT? Green says these 75-minute classes (single sessions run $18) in a heated room will work every part of the body. She describes it as a more athletic yoga style but with a big emphasis on the mental side. In addition, The Yoga Joint offers bargain-priced babysitting—$5 (per child).

FAVORITE POSE? “My favorite pose is the camel [position], because it’s an invigorating backbend, and it feels so good stretching the front of the body,” Green says. “Most of our lives are spent more in a posterior position, which wreaks havoc on the neck and shoulders. People tend to get that shrinking disease as they age.

Backbends really help you elongate that … they keep posture great and the spine healthy.”

HEALTH BENEFITS: Held and Green say studies suggest a regular yoga practice can calm the central nervous system, lower the

Paige Held

stress hormone cortisol, and boost serotonin, norepinephrine and melatonin, which helps you sleep and stabilizes your mood. Yoga also burns fat and calories, and, mentally, it helps clear the clutter.

LABOR OF LOVE: Pregnant women might not want to start hot yoga while pregnant—but if they’re used to doing it, there’s no reason to stop. Just ask Green: “I did a yoga class in the morning, and by 11 p.m. I was [going into] labor.”

CONTACT: 19575 State Road 7, Boca, 561/419-9414, theyogajoint.com

SNACK OF THE MONTH What: Fro Pro Bar Why: Boca Raton resident and local personal trainer Matt Williams has created this protein-packed bar in flavors of chocolate peanut butter, vanilla bean and coffee bean.

Each bar packs a healthy mix of organic plant-based proteins, peanut butter, oats, honey and cinnamon.

Cost: $3 to $4 at Boca establishments like Juice & Java and Juiceateria Order online: gofropro.com

94

|

STOCKING STUFFER

Juan Carlos Santana

Juan Carlos Santana, CEO of the Institute of Human Performance (IHP) in Boca Raton, has written Functional Training, due out this month.

The comprehensive book for anyone interested in the training that focuses on movements instead of muscles is slated to be translated in five languages. Visit the IHP website (ihpfit. com) for details.

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

feelgood DEC15.indd 94

11/2/15 12:11 PM

S:8.5 in

S:10.375 in

UNIQUE PERSON. UNIQUE CANCER. UNIQUE TREATMENT. Just like no two people are the same, neither are their cancers. Today and tomorrow, the team of researchers, cancer physicians and other experts at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center discover, develop and deliver the most precise cancer treatments for your unique cancer. And that leads to faster responses, fewer side effects, better outcomes and more hope. No one is more prepared to fight your cancer.

S y l v e s t e r. o r g

MIAMI

sylvester_brm1215.indd 1

•

CORAL SPRINGS

•

DEERFIELD BEACH

•

HOLLYWOOD

•

KENDALL

•

PLANTATION

•

CORAL GABLES COMING 2016

10/26/15 11:38 AM

feel good [ HEALTH ]

Ready to Detox?

Few of us walk away from the holidays having exercised more and eaten less.

A juice cleanse can help your body detox from high-calorie, high-sugar foods.

Boca Raton’s own “Green Goddess”—Alina Z.—shows you how.

Alina Z., aka the Green Goddess

THE BIG NUMBER

36%

DOS

DON’TS

■ CHOOSE A THREE- TO FIVE-DAY CLEANSE if you’re new to the process. If you’re a juice-cleansing pro, seven to 10 days of a super clean diet might be more your style.

■ SET YOUR INTENTIONS FOR THE CLEANSE by asking what you want to accomplish. More energy? Better sleep? Less stress? Smoother skin? Write those down and look at them every day while on the detox. This will help you through those weak moments when you feel like a cookie binge or a bite of a nice, juicy steak.

■ CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR or a nutritionist before the cleanse to make sure it’s safe, based on your existing health.

■ EAT LIGHT, VEGAN FOODS in the days before and after, to ease in and out of the juicing cleanse. Avoid gluten and processed foods.

■ CHOOSE ORGANIC FOOD and juices to avoid putting toxins and pesticides into your body.

■ HAVE A GREEN APPLE or a handful of organic hemp seeds if you’re hungry for something to bite into.

■ DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. The goal?

Eight to 10 glasses a day. Plain hot water— the temperature of hot tea—is best. Sip on it throughout the day. It will help avoid bloating and headaches.

■ LIMIT EXERCISE to gentle movements— walking on the beach or yoga—during the cleanse.

■ USE A DRY SKIN BRUSH during the cleanse to help invigorate the skin and remove dead skin cells.

■ STAY AWAY FROM HEAVY FOODS, including breads and animal proteins, in the days before and right after the cleanse.

■ DON’T USE THE CLEANSE AS A QUICK FIX. “It is a reboot for the system, not a crash diet,” Alina Z. says.

■ DON’T PRESSURE YOURSELF into doing a long cleanse if you aren’t ready. Three to five days will do.

■ AVOID STRENUOUS WORKOUTS. “Your body needs to focus on cleansing instead of rebuilding muscle,” she says.

More than a third of U.S. adults do not participate in any leisure-time physical activity. None. That’s according to Healthy People 2020. The lack of physical activity is taking a toll on our nation’s health, according to a Florida Atlantic University researcher.

“Lack of physical activity accounts for 22 percent of coronary heart disease, 22 percent of colon cancer, 18 percent of osteoporotic fractures, 12 percent of diabetes and hypertension, and 5 percent of breast cancer,” says Charles H. Hennekens, professor and senior academic adviser to the dean at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at FAU. Furthermore, physical inactivity accounts for about 2.4 percent of U.S. health care expenditures—or approximately $24 billion a year.

96

|

Alina Z., a board-certified health coach and detox specialist, is the creator of DLrevAmp, which offers nutritional advice and three- to 10-day detox plans, delivered to your door.

Call 561/367-5621 for more information— and check out the Green Goddess’ blog every other Wednesday at bocamag.com.

SAVE THE DATE Jan. 23

What: 54th Boca Raton Regional Hospital Ball Where: Boca Raton Resort & Club Did you know? Goldie Hawn—yes, that Goldie Hawn—will serve as special guest emcee at the black-tie event, which will benefit the Gloria Drummond Physical Rehabilitation Institute at BRRH. The 40,000-square-foot institute, slated for completion in 2016, was named with a gift from Elaine J. Wold in honor and memory of Drummond.

Tickets: Call 561/955-4142

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

feelgood DEC15.indd 96

10/30/15 10:41 AM

Faces.

It’s what we do ... naturally.

- Rafael C. Cabrera, MD, FACS

• Board Certified Plastic Surgeon • Cornell / NYU School of Medicine • Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital • Four Fully-Accredited Operating Rooms • Private Overnight Suite • Over 15 Years in Private Practice • Specializing in Face / Neck / Eyes • Recognized as a Master Injector

561.393.6400 | 951 NW 13th Street, Suite 4A, Boca Raton, FL | www.pssbocaraton.com

drcabrera_brm1115.indd 1

10/26/15 4:49 PM

Stay Where You Are. We’ll Be Right Over.

HOme HeAltH CARe living at home offers aging adults an important sense of wellbeing. morselife is at the forefront of supportive home health care that promotes independence, security and comfort.

24-hour personal response and care

888-616-0707 | morselife.org Short-Term Rehabilitation I Long-Term Care I Independent & Assisted Living I Memory Care Assisted Living I Home Health Care Care Management I Aphasia Therapy I Meals-on-Wheels I Honors I PACE I MorseLife Foundation License #HHA21179096

MorseLifeHealth_Brm1215.indd 1

Marilyn & Stanley M. Katz Seniors Campus

10/23/15 3:38 PM

Diamonds aren’t her best friend…

Dr. Dardano is.

ANTHONY N. DARDANO D.O., F.A.C.S.

not an actual patient

Excellence in Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery

drdardano_brm0913.indd 1

DOUBLE BOARD CERTIFIED 951 NW 13th Street, Suite 4D • Boca Raton, FL 33486 Phone: (561) 361-0065 • www.drdardano.com Become a fan of Dr. Dardano on Facebook

10/29/15 4:31 PM

Leveillee Boca ad_Layout 1 10/20/15 8:27 AM Page 1

State-of-the-art prostate care deserves a state-of-the-art physician.

Bethesda has both.

Ray Leveillee, M.D., FRCS-G Urologic Surgeon With its new da Vinci Xi , Bethesda Health brings the most modern robotic surgical system to south Palm Beach County. Now, internationally acclaimed surgeon Ray Leveillee, M.D., FRCS-G, renowned for his expertise with the da Vinci system, has relocated his practice to Bethesda Health in Boynton Beach. ®

™

The da Vinci Xi provides greater precision of movement and enhanced optics and magnification, allowing minimally invasive surgery. As a result, patients have less pain, smaller incisions, faster recoveries, minimal scarring and reduced risk of infection.

As a urologic surgeon, Dr. Leveillee specializes in using the da Vinci system for prostate cancer, kidney cancer, complex kidney stones and reconstruction.

DA VINCI® XI™

©2015 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

Learn how Dr. Leveillee and da Vinci can make your recovery faster and easier. Call Bethesda’s Center for Advanced Robotics and Urologic Care at (561) 737-7733, ext. 84405, or visit www.BethesdaWeb.com/AdvancedRobotics.

BETHESDA HEALTH CenteR FoR AdvAnCed RoBotiCS And URoLogiC C ARe

2815 S. Seacrest Boulevard • Boynton Beach, FL 33435 • (561) 737-7733 • www.BethesdaWeb.com

bethesdahealth_brm1215.indd 1

11/4/15 5:45 PM

Ha

ppy

Ho

lida

ys!

“I enjoy my work and strive to help each individual find the right procedure to recapture a radiant self-image that reinforces their confidence and self-esteem.”

– Vivian Hernandez, M.D., F.A.C.S.

P

INJE

C

P

O

E

T

EX

R

R

EX

RT

TO

E

C RT INJE

Actual patient of Dr. Hernandez

• Board Certified Plastic Surgeon • Dedicated to facial procedures for the past decade • Specialist in face, neck, forehead and eyelid surgery • Expert Injector: dermal fillers, volumizers and Botox® • Accredited surgical facility with overnight suite • Trained at Cornell: North Shore University Hospital • Advanced specialized facelift training, two fellowships with renowned surgeons at: - Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital - Baker and Gordon in Miami

www.DrHernandez.com

DrVivianHernandez_1215.indd 1

561-750-8600

4799 N. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton

10/27/15 5:31 PM

Devoted to Healing, Defined by Results

Expert Diagnosis Progressive Treatment Complete Privacy

Photography by Lemore Zausner

Depression, Anxiety Bipolar Disorder Eating Disorders, Addiction, DBT

Raul J. Rodriguez M.D.

The Delray Center Clinical Team

Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology Diplomate, American Board of Addiction Medicine

DELRAY CENTER FOR HEALING 888-958-1059 • DelrayCenter.com 403 S.E. 1st St., Delray Beach, FL 33483 delraycenter_brm0914_2.indd 1

10/29/15 4:34 PM

Dr. Daniel Man

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction

Natural Looking Face Lift

Tickle Lipo is a patented liposuction technology that enables: the use of local anesthesia. less bruising, better results. removal of deeper fat pockets, as well as “high-definition” sculpting. fast recovery & Fat harvesting for use as a long lasting n atural facial filler.

Keep everyone guessing with Dr Man’s Natural Looking FaceLift. Invisible incisions, no hair line distortion, improved jowl lines & pleasant contouring of the face will restore your radiant appearance and have you looking as young as you feel.

S pa S pecials Rejuvenati on Fa cial & Hand Treatment 3 Microneedling Treatments S kin Tig htening (per treatment)

$ 80 $ 600 $225

“When It C omes To Your Fac e, Body & Health. D

DanielMann_brm1215.indd 1

o N ot C o m p r o m i s e ! ”

10/29/15 4:39 PM

Please Join Us

As we celebrate 30 years of service to the community,

Celebrating AVDA’s Pearl Anniversary With “30 Years 30 Faces – the Survivors, the Champions and Those Who Serve and Protect”

AVDA’s Heart of A Woman Luncheon continues in its

Wednesday • January 20, 2016 • 10:30 AM Boca Raton Resort & Club The Great Hall

tradition of celebrating the strength, courage and

Sponsorship Packages With A Variety of Exciting Benefits Are Available Individuals Tickets Are $150 and Tables Are Available

determination of women,

Event Co-Chairs Jeannette DeOrchis Anne Vegso

especially those overcoming domestic abuse. The Heart of a Woman Luncheon is one of

Committee Tami Babij Tish Carlo

Barbara Gutin Dorothy MacDiarmid Rosemary Krieger Jean Magrella

Honorees Gail Veros Congregation B’nai Israel NCCI Holdings, Inc.

AVDA’s largest fundraising events of the year.

Proceeds benefit AVDA’s programs and services.

®®

For reservations, sponsorship, or more information, call 561-265-3797 or visit www.avdaonline.org sponsors

AVDA_BRM1215.indd 1

Jeannette DeOrchis

11/2/15 3:42 PM

Dr. G BOCA FP Ad 11.2015_Layout 1 10/30/15 1:46 PM Page 1

StePheN t. GReeNBeRG, m.d.

NeW YORk CeLeBRitY COSmetiC SuRGeON

Is Now in Boca Raton OFFeRiNG BOtOx ANd FiLLeRS AS WeLL AS COmPLimeNtARY COSmetiC SuRGeRY CONSuLtAtiONS

www.GreenbergCosmeticSurgery.com Our New LOcatiON 1599 NW 9th Avenue, Ste 3 • Boca Raton, FL 33486

561.208.1080

Woodbury, NY Park Avenue, NYC 516.364.4200 212.319.4999

Southampton, NY 631.287.4999

AS FeAtuRed ON NOt aN actuaL patieNt

DrGreenberg_brm1215.indd 1

10/30/15 3:58 PM

Live in Seagate Style.

When you live in a Seagate community, you can experience all that the Seagate lifestyle has to offer, with membership opportunities at The Seagate Beach Club, the recently renovated Seagate Country Club, and the brand new Seagate Yacht Club.

Luxury Homes at The Seagate Country Club

3200 South Ocean

Open floor plans, meticulously planned features, and golf course and lake views make this stylish collection of Delray Beach homes as comfortable as they are enjoyable.

Located on the Intracoastal in Highland Beach, these luxury residences feature unparalleled amenities, breathtaking views, and a private boardwalk to the ocean.

150 Oceanside

The Residences at The Seagate Yacht Club

Located in Delray Beach, just minutes from downtown and the ocean, these residences feature floor-to-ceiling windows, sweeping floor plans, and jaw-dropping contemporary kitchens.

Spacious townhomes in Delray Beach, featuring rooftop terraces, private elevators, and pools in every home, as well as a 44-slip marina on the Intracoastal for yachts up to 120 feet.

Seagate Residences

600 Seasage

Elegant condominiums with beautifully landscaped exteriors and tastefully detailed interiors. Situated on A1A, directly across from the historic Seagate Beach Club in Delray Beach.

This 5-bedroom, 4-bathroom home is located in east Delray Beach’s most prestigious neighborhood, within walking distance of the Seagate Beach Club and the Atlantic Ocean.

Contact Seagate Realty at 561-202-1172, or visit SeagateRealtyGroup.com

601 N. Congress Avenue, Suite 114 | Delray Beach, FL 33445 Oral representations cannot be relied upon as correctly stating the representations of the developer. For correct representations, reference should be made to the contract and the documents required by section 718.503, Florida statutes, to be furnished by a developer to a buyer or lessee. All dimensions, features, and square footage are approximate and subject to change without notice. Renderings are artist’s concept. 11/15

Seagate_realty_brm1215.indd 1 SHG 41784 Boca Mag_Dec_FP_3200_MECH.indd 1

10/26/15 10/26/15 6:54 5:01 PM PM

floridahome

[ by brad mee ]

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM FINKLE (UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

Big centerpieces may dominate Florida’s floral world this festive time of year, but smaller grouped arrangements bring a fresh perspective to seasonal decorating. We share some inspiring examples and tips for maximizing their impact in your home.

REPEAT YOURSELF

TIP: Repetition provides an easy way to create cohesion and unity among multiple arrangements. Whether you choose identical flowers, similar colors or like vases, repeated elements make multiple arrangements come together as one. THE LOOK: Burgundy dahlias are staged in a trio of gold-dipped bud vases to bring an easy elegance to this chic arrangement.

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

florida home1215.indd 107

|

107 10/28/15 10:26 AM

floridahome

LET IT BLOOM, PART 1 Brighten your seasonal decor with these festive floral arrangement tips.

CREATE CONTRAST

SCOT ZIMMERMAN

TIP: Pair casual flowers and formal vases to lend an element of surprise to a collection of small arrangements. Here, the flowers’ masculine hues and rich textures make the crystal look less dressy and create an unexpected composition.

THE LOOK: Hanging amaranthus, white calla lilies and a single chocolate sunflower are showcased in a trio of elegant crystal vases.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

TIP: The risk in using a large number of vases in a collection of arrangements is the increased likelihood that the overall look will be chaotic and busy. Prevent this by limiting the varieties of flowers and foliage you display.

THE LOOK: Here, there are glass vases of various sizes and shapes, but there are only two floral elements to help maintain the desired effect. Scabiosa pods and loose garden roses join for minimalist splendor in this contemporary grouping of glass vases.

TOY WITH TEXTURE

TIP: Use a slab of stone, a block of wood or a stack of books to add height and dimension to similarly shaped containers.

By elevating one of the arrangements, you also elevate the interest of the entire presentation.

THE LOOK: Teardropshaped vases become more beautiful courtesy of a stone block that elevates a vessel filled with maidenhair fern. Below, two thickstemmed peonies contrast with the ferns’ delicate sprigs.

108

|

SCOT ZIMMERMAN

SET THE STAGE

TIP: Sure, color can turn any flower arrangement from blah to ahhh, but it’s not the only tool in a florist’s bag of tricks. Texture is equally powerful, especially when used to enhance a monochromatic or subtly toned display. Mixing matte and high-gloss containers, lush blooms and spare twigs, delicate flowers and heavy pods—all of similar tonal qualities—can result in arrangements that are just as compelling as those featuring bright and brilliant blooms.

THE LOOK: Soft green stoneware and a green bottle anchor individual arrangements of hanging millet, wheat and a single leafy branch. The lightness of the branch balances the weight of the lush hydrangea bloom.

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

florida home1215.indd 108

10/28/15 10:26 AM

Pool Remodels Installs & Repairs Drainage Issues

Root Removal Clean / Seal Bad Sealer Removal

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

AFTER

AFTER

AFTER

The way we design:

Simple, Clean lines that make BOLD statements & Must Function for our client’s daily lives.

SuperPavers_brm1215.indd 1

10/26/15 3:19 PM

floridahome

LET IT BLOOM, PART 2

Our home editor offers more suggestions for how to best present your floral arrangements.

FINESSE WITH FOLIAGE

TRAY CHIC

TIP: Look beyond buds and blooms. Vibrant leaves and lush foliage can be just as eyecatching while adding color, texture and unique shapes to your arrangements.

THE LOOK: A wine-colored dahlia and stems of black calla lilies mix with colorful coleus, delicate olive branches and dark smoke bush leaves.

TIP: Few decorative pieces work as hard and as stylishly as the tray. Place numerous items on a tray and the individual pieces suddenly become a single design statement and focal point. This holds true for a collection of small floral arrangements that become a beautiful whole when grouped and confined. What’s more, trays make moving and transporting diminutive collections of bloom-filled vases a breeze.

THE LOOK: Unexpected pheasant feathers, dried mushrooms, cacti and golden owl accents join more traditional flame calla lilies, football mums, dahlias and a cymbidium orchid to shape the arrangement set in and around a gold tray.

PETAL PROVIDERS You have the accessories to create one of our recommended arrangements—but what about the flowers? Here are just a few of the local shops that carry everything needed to fill your vases.

EXCEPTIONAL FLOWERS & GIFTS

Address: 2800 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton FYI: In business since 1992, the team of master florists at Exceptional deliver more than 100 years of combined experience to their creative arrangements. The shop offers everything from orchids, roses, tropicals and plants to special gifts involving Godiva chocolates and Mrs. Fields cookies. Ask about its free local delivery.

Contact: 561/353-4720, exceptionalflowersgifts.net

110

|

BOCA RATON FLORIST

Address: 301 S. Federal Highway, Boca Raton FYI: This family-run business has access to a variety of classic and exotic flowers, from lilies, ginger and orchids to birds of paradise, bromeliad, leucadendron and much more. Gift baskets include a healthconscious offering, and a fruits and sweets holiday basket.

Contact: 561/395-1943, bocaratonflorist.com

PETAL DESIGNS

Address: 21090 St. Andrews Blvd., Boca FYI: Inspired by the work of master florist Petal Harvill, who studied Japanese floral design in Tokyo and earned her degree from the Rittners School of Floral Design in Cambridge, Mass., this shop brings a discernible artistry to its eye-catching compositions. Arrangements range from mixed European offerings to contemporary, tropical and “fairy garden” presentations.

Contact: 561/391-5394, petal-designs.com

NEW YORK FLORAL DESIGN

Address: 1934 N.E. Fifth Ave., Boca Raton FYI: Serving the Boca area for nearly three decades, this boutique shop is renowned for its special occasion and holiday arrangements, as well as its seasonal flowers, prom flowers, plants, gift baskets— and a host of other options.

Contact: 561/338-5355, newyorkfloraldesign.net

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

florida home1215.indd 110

10/28/15 10:26 AM

COMMERCIAL + RESIDENTIAL LEASING WAREHOUSE

E

O F F I C E

R T A I L Shopping Centers . Mixed Use Strip Centers . Free-standing Ground Leases . Bank Sites

Office Parks . Free-standing Executive Suites . Virtual Offices Meeting Rooms . Day Offices

S I N G L E FA M I LY

M U LT I - F A M I LY

COMMUNITIES Luxury living . On-site Management Excellent Locations Wonderful Amenities

Warehouse Bays . Light Industrial Storage Units . Flex Space Auto Repair

Convenient Locations Updated Units Wonderful Amenities

High-end homes on the water Condos in Downtown High-rise / Gated Communities

RETAIL, OFFICE, WAREHOUSE & RESIDENTIAL LEASING + MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE GREATER BOSTON AREA FOR OVER 40 YEARS

561.392.8920 INVESTMENTSLIMITED.COM 215 NORTH FEDERAL HIGHWAY, BOCA RATON, FL 33432

RoyalPalm2_brm1215.indd 1

11/2/15 6:06 PM

LEARN HOW TO

MASTER YOUR LIFE WITH

OMAR PERIU INTERNATIONAL Enjoy the rewards of your greatest potential, one moment at a time.

Omar Periu

OMAR PERIU MENTORING: 1on1 Mentoring With America’s #1 Motivational Teacher

• If you and I could design your life, what would it look like?

• Set strategic business & personal goals • Push yourself using Omar Periu as your life coach

OMAR PERIU SPEAKER & LIFE COACH CERTIFICATION: • Become a certified speaker or coach • Earn the income you deserve

OMAR PERIU TRAINING SEMINARS: • Increase productivity in your sales team • Motivate employees to maximize results • Proven results with Omar Periu Training Seminars

Investigative Selling

Get the competitive edge in today’s marketplace

From Management to Leadership

Out-think, out-perform & out-produce the competition

Mastering Presentation Skills

Speak without fear & conduct effective presentations

Get Fired Up!

How to get motivated & stay motivated

Book Omar To Speak At Your Next Event!

If you want your next meeting or convention to be a guaranteed success CONTACT US NOW! Omar@OmarPeriu.com • 470.777.2074

OMAR PERIU INTERNATIONAL Omar Periu International 470.777.2074 Omar@OmarPeriu.com OmarPeriu.com

• Authored 14 Best-selling books • Speakers Hall Of Fame • Florida Business Man Of The Year Award

• Trained 2/3’s Of Fortune 500 Companies • Board Of Directors: School Of Entrepreneurs, Nova Southeastern University.

“SUCCESS IS IN THE MOMENT, MAKE EVERY MOMENT COUNT.” - OMAR PERIU OmarPeriu_BRM1115.indd 1

10/13/15 5:57 PM

PRE-SEASON SALE

HOA FEES WAIVED FOR 2 YEARS OR DECORATING UPGRADE PACKAGE (CHOICE OF WINDOW TREATMENTS, HOME THEATRE UPGRADE, FLOORING, ETC)*

1200 The Ocean, a boutique collection of only 18 oceanfront condominium residences, offers a rare opportunity to own a new home on Hillsboro Mile, one of South Florida’s most desirable addresses. This is the only oceanfront residence in this part of Southern Florida. A few of the fantastic amenities offered are: a day dock, two private pools, workout facility and clubroom.

1200 The Ocean. This is the place you’ve been looking for. Move in by the end of 2015. 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom residences starting at $895,000. Sales office is open daily from noon-5 p.m.

Please Contact: KELLY MURPHY 954.418.8033 JAN FARINATO, P.A. 561.727.8500 AUBREIGH HUTCHISON, P.A. 951.775.2207 Email: sales@1200TheOcean.com 1200TheOcean.com

Luxury Oceanfront Residences

*Prior sales excluded, limited time offer, applicable to sales that close by 1/31/16.

© 2015 Douglas Elliman Real Estate. All material presented herein is intended for information purposes only. While, this information is believed to be correct, it is represented subject to errors, omissions, changes or withdrawal without notice. All property information, including, but not limited to square footage, room count, number of bedrooms and the school district in property listings are deemed reliable, but should be verified by your own attorney, architect or zoning expert.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

1200_Ocean_Boca_Mag_December.indd 1 DE_1200Ocean_brm1215.indd 1

10/26/15 10:22 AM 10/26/15 6:47 PM

floridatable

[ by brad mee ]

TAKE A SHOT

Bar glasses put huge flair and fabulous fare into tiny tumblers that will have your guests reaching for another taste of winter’s flavor-forward menus. Bottoms up!

H

igh season in Boca often means more food than we can shake a breadstick at. Thankfully, small bites are all the rage, evolving as a portion-friendly way to serve guests with variety and ease.

The question, for those who love to entertain, becomes this: Does size matter when it comes to presentation? Is it possible to create bite-sized

portions that make big-time visual statements?

Answer: You bet.

We’ve packed everything from savory main-dish faves to sweet desserts and cocktails into an array of mini glasses. Eat, drink, be merry—and, by all means, treat yourself to another.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Beet Salad

Bangers & Mash

Butternut squash, balsamic mousse and fried baby spinach

Diced red and golden beets, layered with goat cheese

Lamb sausage with mashed potatoes, gravy and petite vegetables

114

|

FL Table 1215.indd 114

Thanksgiving Dinner Shaved honey-roasted turkey, cranberry stuffing and sage apple chutney garnished with a fried sage leaf

CranberryPomegranate Shortbread Topped with vanilla whipped cream and dried cranberries

The Elvis Banana cream pie layered with peanut butter sauce and topped with brown sugar bacon chips

ADAM FINKLE

Pepato Bread Pudding

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

10/28/15 10:46 AM

Shot Glass Strategies w Use shot glasses for chilled or roomtemperature foods only. Hot foods cool quickly and can be difficult to handle. w Use shot glasses when convenience is key.

They are less cumbersome than plates to handle, and they’re easier to clean. w Serve alongside cocktail napkins and demitasse forks and spoons. w Use shot glasses when you are serving a broad tasting menu. They allow guests to sample many dishes without having to self-manage portions. w Use a variety of shot glasses to stylize your presentation. Group like items together for a more modern presentation. w Prepare shot-glass fare ahead of time and store assembled in the refrigerator before serving. w Layer ingredients to enhance visual interest and the tasting experience. w Use creative garnishes to add complementary flavor, contrasting texture and height to shotglass fare. w Freeze shot glasses ahead of time when serving iced desserts or palate cleansers like sorbets. w Use pastry bags (with tip removed) to fill individual shot glasses with prepared ingredients. Small funnels perform well for beverages and soup courses.

Apple-Brandy Mousse with Fried Doughnut Drizzled with cinnamoncaramel sauce

Deconstructed Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Old Fashioned

Layered with maple syrup and crowned with a tuile chip

With spicy stir stick and candied orange rinds

Cranberry Spritzer Basil sugar rim and sugared fresh cranberries garnish

High West Whiskey Served straight up

w Choose chilled, stemmed glasses for foods that will quickly melt from the heat of hands holding the vessel. w Limit each recipe to two or three ingredients crowned with a topping or garnish. —Courtesy of Emily Lavin

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

FL Table 1215.indd 115

|

115 10/28/15 10:46 AM

Join us at the 54th Annual

Boca Raton Regional Hospital

SnowBall A Sparkling Winter’s Eve with Celebrity Emcee

Goldie Hawn

Saturday ~ January 23, 2016 Elaine J. Wold, Honorary Chair Celebrating the new Gloria Drummond Physical Rehabilitation Institute Opening 2016

Recognizing outstanding physicians for their profound level of care and compassion: Richard G. Cartledge, MD Barry L. Davis, MD Seif M. Elbualy, MD Patricio S. Espinosa, MD David C. Mishkel, MD Daniel E. O’Hara, MD Ralph Palumbo, MD

Theodore Raptis, MD Alan L. Saperstein, MD Stephen J. Servoss, MD Edna L. Tokayer, MD Charles V. Toman, MD Bryan S. Vinik, MD

Sponsorships are available from $1,200 to $100,000 Visit our website at https://donate.brrh.com

For more information, please contact Kimberly Read, 561-955-4142, kread@brrh.com.

Black Tie Valet Parking Boca Raton Resort & Club 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Individual tickets $400

BRRH WinterBall BocaMag FINAL Ad.indd 1 BRRHFoundation_brm1115.indd 1

9/28/15 5:08 PM 10/29/15 4:26 PM

city watch [ by randy schultz ]

Sobering Reality

THE NEVER-ENDING DEBATE ABOUT RECOVERY HOUSES IN “THE REHAB CAPITAL OF THE NATION” HEATS UP AS MORE AND MORE OPERATORS SET UP SHOP IN OUR BACKYARD.

T

he record shows that Boca Raton lost its four-year court fight to restrict the location of sober houses.

Did Boca, however, actually win for losing?

Mayor Susan Haynie says yes.

Delray Beach Mayor Cary Glickstein is inclined to agree, even though Boca’s victory may have come at Delray’s expense.

For years, both cities have heard residents complain about sober houses (aka, recovery residences), which operators rent to people who have completed treatment for drug and/or alcohol addiction and are trying to stay clean.

No issue frustrates Boca and Delray officials more, because there’s so little they know and so little they can do.

Unlike treatment centers, which the state regulates, sober houses don’t need licenses.

They are classified as residential use, even though the operators make money on them.

Sober houses don’t have to register, although a new state law creates a voluntary registration program.

No one knows how many sober houses operate in Boca Raton and Delray Beach. “I’ve

heard rumors that there may be a thousand,” says Delray Beach City Commissioner Shelly Petrolia. “That’s hard to believe, but it wouldn’t be surprising.”

Even if cities knew the number, the law still would limit their response. In August 1999, the Department of Justice and the Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a joint statement regarding group homes for persons with “disabilities.” Under the Fair Housing Act, local governments cannot “utilize land-use policies or actions that treat groups of persons with disabilities less favorably than groups of non-disabled persons.”

The statement classified drug and alcohol addicts as disabled, and made sober houses mostly off-limits.

Still, the Boca Raton City Council believed that the statement left an opening. In 2002, the council passed Ordinance 4649, which restricted sober houses to the city’s medical district or areas zoned for hotels and motels. “We thought it was reasonable,” says Palm Beach County Commissioner Steven Abrams, who was mayor at the time. “Many sober houses were poorly run. We brought in all the police complaints.”

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

citywatch 1215.indd 117

|

117 10/28/15 10:50 AM

city watch Then, as now, Steven Manko was the largest sober house operator in the city. He sued, on behalf of himself and some clients. In February 2007, U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks issued what Abrams correctly called “a very narrow ruling.” Middlebrooks found for the plaintiffs, but awarded them just $1 each in damages.

Manko had sought roughly $1 million.

Nevertheless, Boca had to pay Manko $1.2 million for legal fees, $600,000 to the city’s lawyers and a $280,000 judgment resulting from a related Department of Justice lawsuit.

So how could the city have won by losing?

Haynie theorizes that because the lawsuit went on for so long, the uncertainty drove many smaller sober house operators out of town. They didn’t have to go far.

Like Boca Raton, Delray Beach has subtropical amenities that operators market to addicts in the Northeast and Midwest who want to break from their past. Delray’s restaurants also offer jobs that require little training. Consider also that by 2006 the real-estate bubble was bursting. As home prices plunged, sober house operators found many cheap properties.

ASA_Brm1215.indd | Bd eOcCe AmMb1 eAr G2.0C1O5 M 118

citywatch 1215.indd 118

Nine months after Middlebrooks ruled, The New York Times called Delray Beach “the epicenter of the country’s largest and most vibrant recovery community.” According to Glickstein, the lawsuit and the real estate bust created “a perfect storm” that hit his city.

No issue frustrates Boca and Delray officials more ... there’s so little they know and so little they can do.

Delray, Manko notes, “is saturated” with sober houses. “They’re everywhere,” Glickstein adds, but especially in lower-income neighborhoods where home prices dropped the most. “You can see housekeepers going from door to door.”

Many in recovery believe that the larger the

community, the better their chance for sobriety. Clients make enough progress to become coaches. Given the country’s continuing drug problem—Baby Boomers are getting hooked and re-hooked at high rates—projections are that the demand for recovery houses will grow.

But what about the effect of a booming, unregulated industry on Boca Raton and Delray Beach? Many owners of sober houses don’t live there. Temporary residents usually don’t care about the surroundings. “The biggest problem,” Haynie says, “is the number of city services they require—far more than the typical multifamily residence. The uses are not compatible with a residential neighborhood.”

The Florida Association of Recovery Residences disputes a link between sober houses and increased crime and fire-rescue calls. Police and fire departments in Boca Raton and Delray Beach can’t reliably compare calls to sober houses because they don’t have addresses for all the houses. Still, Delray Beach Police Chief Jeffrey Goldberg says, “We can’t identify numbers,” but if the city had fewer sober houses “there’s no doubt we would have less crime.”

10/28/15 3:45 PM

11/2/15 9:44 AM

MORE CITY WATCH Boca Raton limits the number of unrelated residents in a house to three. If a sober house is well run, it could seem little different than a home three Florida Atlantic University students are renting. But if a house is badly run, Petrolia says, “People are coming and going all night, yelling into their cellphones in the yard.

Many are well-run. The problem is the bad ones, and there are a lot of bad ones.”

Bad operators submit excessive urine tests.

They churn clients, who after being evicted have no place to go. They provide little support, making clients more likely to relapse.

Between the resurgence of heroin (as reported in the November issue of Boca Raton) and the emergence of flakka, the region’s drug problem would be serious enough. Delray Beach and now Boca Raton are reporting more heroin overdoses and deaths. With an unregulated sober house industry drawing more people to this area, that problem will be even harder to manage.

And the marketing continues. Manko’s Boca House features pictures of Mizner Park and the beach, and touts sober living “in the midst

Randy Schultz, former editorial page editor at the Palm Beach Post and a Boca resident, reports on city, county and statewide issues twice a week at bocamag.com. Catch his popular “City Watch” blog every Tuesday and Thursday for the latest buzz about Boca and beyond.

of the rehab capital of the nation.” Manko says he and his wife, Alana, operate 170 beds in Boca and employ about 100 people. Their umbrella company is Treatment Alternatives, on North Federal Highway, where the couple runs an outpatient treatment center. The Mankos are about to open a treatment center in Delray Beach. “We want to do the right thing,” Alana Manko says. “I don’t look good in orange.”

Suzanne Spencer is director of the Delray Beach Drug Task Force. She says bad sober house operators “don’t just degrade a neighborhood; they take advantage of those in recovery, who are a vulnerable population.”

Insurance companies, she adds, soon may drive out some bad operators by getting tougher on bogus claims for testing. Spencer also acknowledged that the 1999 joint statement “may need to be revised, as can be true with any law.”

Spencer wants to build “an integrated community model with Delray leading the way.”

That can happen in Delray Beach and Boca Raton only if they and other cities have more information about, and control over, the recovery industry whose presence is growing. More regulation also would benefit those in recovery, by making it easier to close down bad operators and to provide more information about which sober houses produce the best results.

That new state law requires treatment centers to refer patients only to sober houses that register with the state. Only Congress, however, can provide significant help. Glickstein says federal lawmakers have failed “to give us any tools.”

Sober houses may be residences, but they also are businesses. Their residents may be part of a protected class, but cities need protection of their own.

Master Matchmakers Master Matchmakers® is the only fully licensed and accredited matchmaking service in Palm Beach County.

Locally owned and operated by internationally known, mother-and-son matchmakers JoAnn and Steven Ward; stars of VH1’s Tough Love.

100% guaranteed introductions with feedback and personal coaching included.

Each match comes with verified photos, a personal profile and the peace of mind knowing they passed a criminal background check.

Call (561) 962-0953 to speak with a local representative or visit http://mastermatchmakers.com for more info.

MasterMatchmakers_brm1115.indd 1

citywatch 1215.indd 119

|

119

BOCAMAG.CO M 10/29/15 4:37 PM follow the leader

11/2/15 9:45 AM

Excell_brm1115.indd 1

11/4/15 1:28 PM

MEET

AT

COCO WHATEVER YOUR OCCASION, IT’S SPECIAL TO US. PLAN AN EVENT WITH US THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT THE GROUP SALES MANAGER AT 954-977-6700 EXT. 2795 OR COCOGROUPDINING@STOFGAMING.COM.

casinococo.com Must be at least 21 years old to play Slots and Table Games or to receive Player’s Club benefits. Must be 18 or older to play Bingo and Live Poker. See Player’s Club for complete details. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please call 1.888.ADMIT.IT.

Seminole_coco_brm1215.indd 1

11/4/15 1:30 PM

facetime [ by allison bowsher ]

Emil and Dariel Liakhovetski

A PAIR OF STRING-SATIONAL BOCA-BASED BROTHERS PUT THE CLASSICAL IN ROCK.

W

ith artists like Justin Bieber and Cody Simpson scoring record deals thanks to the videos-goneviral they posted as no-names on their YouTube pages, the Internet has become much more than a place to Google for the post-Millennial generation.

For aspiring performers like Emil and Dariel Liakhovetski, it’s the world’s biggest audition stage. So when the Boca Raton brothers drew YouTube attention in the summer of 2013 for their classical-meets-classic rock versions of songs like Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” and Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” the dueling cello players hoped to hear from a record producer.

Instead, Emil and Dariel received an unexpected reality check.

Fast forward to 2014 and Season 9 of “America’s Got Talent.” Captivating a summer TV audience hungry for a reprieve from reruns, the two teenage musicians became overnight sensations with their brand of headbanging cello playing.

“It’s an interesting thing, because we didn’t think of it from the perspective that there was a camera, and on the other side of the camera there are 15 million people watching,” says Dariel, 15. “We kind of forgot about that while we were on TV; only after we got off the show did we realize how many people know us.”

“We were stopped in airports nonstop,” says Emil, now 17. “We couldn’t make it through the security line.”

Performing at Radio City Music Hall on national television every week will have that effect. After winning their way to the finals on AGT, the brothers were the only act to not make the top six but still score an invitation to perform in Las Vegas as part of the live AGT shows.

Building on the momentum of the reality show, Emil and Dariel have continued playing gigs across the U.S., as well as recording and releasing their debut album, “Rock Cellos.” Comprised of classic rock anthems dating back to the 1970s, the album (released this past June) includes three tracks that feature the original vocalists, including Rick Derringer, who spent time at a Hallandale Beach studio with the cellists.

When asked whether recording near their home influenced the album, the answer is unanimous. “Being at home, in our neck of the

woods,” Dariel says, “we really felt more inspired and more creative.”

The brothers speak as fast as they play, finishing each other’s sentences, their voices often indiscernible from one another. Growing up only two years apart, attending home school together, and practicing cello for hours every day has produced a bond that is evident in everything they do.

“Give us 10 years,” Emil jokes. “Maybe that will change.”

It’s not likely, given the importance of family to Emil and Dariel, who were classically trained under the watchful eye of their grandfather, Leonid, himself a principal cellist. When the brothers filmed their debut music video—a cover of Paul McCartney and Wings’ “Live and Let Die”—they paid homage to their grandfather, casting him as the lone actor.

Although the judges on AGT, not to mention the American viewing audience, embraced their talent, Emil and Dariel are not without detractors. The brothers have received criticism from musicians in the classical community who feel they’re “selling out” or doing “cheap music.”

“At some point, we really didn’t care what the classical world thought of us, and that really helped us in our success because people see what we do as revolutionary and unique,” Emil says. “I think that we’re part of this bigger movement that’s changing string instruments and the perception that kids and people in general have of instruments.

“A lot of kids feel that by learning a classical instrument that it’s … an ‘old thing’ to do; they’d rather play guitar. What many of them don’t realize is that guitar was at one point a very classical instrument. It was with Jimi Hendrix and that movement that guitar became a rock-androll instrument. We feel that cellos and violins can all be part of that same movement. What we’re doing is really very basic. We’re just playing the music that we like on the instruments that we use.”

Armed with an audience that is hooked on the brothers’ classical interpretation of rock, Emil and Dariel are taking on their next challenge—writing original music together.

“The process is entirely different,” Emil says, “but it’s a lot of fun for us, because we get to experiment and try new things.”

“At some point, we really didn’t care what the classical world thought of us.”

122

|

facetime 1215.indd 122

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

11/4/15 1:43 PM

From left: Emil and Dariel

Did You Know?

Some “fun facts” about Emil and Dariel, according to their website (emilandariel.com): • Both are second-degree black belts in karate.

• Their favorite bands range from Metallica and Black Sabbath … to Justin Bieber.

• They have two toy poodles named Apple and Bentley.

• They both like to wear Converse shoes.

• Both agree: Chocolate milk is the greatest creation of mankind.

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

facetime 1215.indd 123

|

123 11/4/15 1:43 PM

facetime [ by felicia levine ]

Jay Feinberg

J

ay Feinberg was working as a foreign currency exchange analyst for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in June 1991 when he started experiencing stomach pains.

“I thought it was a flu,” he says.

It wasn’t. At age 22, Feinberg was about to embark on a journey that, ultimately, would change not only his life but the lives of thousands of others.

“You hear what the doctor is saying, but it’s almost like you’re not listening,” recalls the Delray Beach resident of being diagnosed with leukemia. “I was relieved to learn that a bone marrow transplant could save my life.”

Or so he thought. But after his two brothers tested as incompatible donors (ironically, they were perfect matches for each other) and a registry search came up empty, Feinberg was told he had three years—max—to live.

“Because of my Jewish Ashkenazi heritage, the likelihood of finding a match was like finding a needle in a haystack,” he recalls. “The doctor recommended I do chemotherapy and prepare my bucket list.”

But the doctor hadn’t factored in Arlene

124

|

facetime 1215.indd 124

Feinberg, who told him exactly what she thought of his bucket list idea. “I had a stereotypical Jewish mother who wouldn’t take no for an answer,” says Feinberg, 47, whose beloved mom died last year.

So began Gift of Life, a Boca-based international nonprofit donor registry that facilitates bone marrow and blood stem cell transplants for patients with leukemia, lymphoma and other blood-related diseases. As of this summer, the organization had registered more than 240,000 donors throughout the country— and facilitated nearly 3,000 transplants.

It started small. With Arlene leading the charge, the Feinbergs gathered at command central (aka, their dining room table) in West Orange, N.J., and organized a donor drive via flyers (this was pre-social media). As the press took notice, calls came in from across the country. “It just exploded,” Feinberg says.

While matches were made for others, Feinberg grew sicker. By early 1995, his illness had accelerated, forcing him to go with a “multiple mismatch” donor. “The chances of getting through the transplant were slim, but it was better than none,” he says.

Then came the call that changed everything.

“A Chicago college student wanted to run one last drive, because one of ours had saved his friend’s life,” Feinberg says. “We told him to have the drive because it would help others, though it was probably too late for me.”

A substitute volunteer at that event was the

By the Numbers 242,000*: Registered Gift of Life donors (including 20,000 from Florida) 12,240: Donation matches 2,900: Transplants facilitated, in 44 different countries WANT TO HELP? The foundation’s sixth annual Walk for Life takes place Jan. 17, 2016 at FAU, and its Havana Casino Night fundraiser is slated for Jan. 30 at Mizner Country Club. For more information, call 561/982-2900 or visit giftoflife.org. * Statistics as of late summer 2015

very last person to be tested.

“That was Becky Faibisoff—my donor,” Feinberg says.

After four years, 250 A cake celebrating drives and registering the 20th anniversary 60,000 potential doof Feinberg’s transplant nors, he underwent his transplant in July 1995 at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

“No family should go through what we went through when there’s so much technology to save a life,” says Feinberg, whose registry is the first started by a transplant recipient, the first to recruit donors online and the first to utilize cheek swabs in lieu of blood testing at recruitment drives.

This year, Gift of Life rolled out another first: Its Campus Ambassador Program (CAP) includes 105 college students from 50 states tasked with educating and recruiting donors ages 18 to 24 (the optimal donor age range).

“There’s this misconception that donating is a painful process—but 80 percent of the time, it’s just like giving blood,” explains Crystal Mahannah, 21, one of two Florida Atlantic University ambassadors. The other 20 percent of the time donations are made via syringe through the hip while under anesthesia, which is done on an outpatient basis.

While Ashkenazi Jews now have a 75 percent chance of finding a match (up from 5 percent in 1991), Feinberg hopes CAP adds more ethnic diversity to the registry because “minorities are still woefully underrepresented.”

Feinberg celebrated the 20th anniversary of his transplant this year during Gift of Life’s annual gala in New York City. Faibisoff flew in for the occasion. He describes his donor as a humble woman who prefers no show of gratitude.

“I don’t say ‘thank you’ as often as I’d like, because I know that’s not what she wants to hear,” says Feinberg, who every year sends Faibisoff flowers on her birthday, and on the anniversary of his transplant. “But she’s proof, as my mother always said, of the power in the individual to save a life.”

EDUARDO SCHNEIDER

THE CEO AND FOUNDER OF GIFT OF LIFE GOES FROM SURVIVOR TO SAVIOR.

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

11/4/15 1:43 PM

Award-Winning!

Promoting Christian values for children

“e books are filled with critical life lessons set within a winsome gospel message, all framed in award winning graphic art. e result is a prize winning gift for little children as well as their parents!”

– Dr. Warren Gage, .M., J.D., Ph.D.; e Alexandrian Forum, President

“Remember, kids, to say your prayers and always have Jesus in your heart.

Have fun looking for the hidden in the pictures!”

Christmas Promo: 25% off Nov-Dec! Fast Freddy ISBN: 978-0-986-36041-1 Hardcover $16.99, ISBN: 978-0-578-14076-6 Softcover $6.99 (introductory offer)

What A Bragger! ISBN: 978-0-986-36042-8 Hardcover $16.99, ISBN: 978-0-986-36040-4 Softcover $7.99

ese stories teach children to trust and pray to Jesus during difficult times, showing compassion, concern and love for others.

BUILDING a STRONG FOUNDATION in CHRIST JESUS!

GLMPublishing_brm1215.indd 1

GLMpublishing.net 11/4/15 1:30 PM

facetime [ by carol brzozowski ]

Roni Freedman

A LOCAL ACTIVIST HOPES THAT HER STAR SHINES BRIGHTLY ENOUGH TO CURB AG RESERVE DEVELOPMENT.

R

oni Freedman climbs into her car for a scheduled tour of the Ag Reserve in west Delray Beach, a 21,000-acre stretch of Palm Beach County land once tilled by the area’s farmers. Today, a huge parcel of that land—encompassed by Clint Moore Road, Boynton Beach Boulevard, Florida’s Turnpike and the Loxahatchee Wildlife Preserve—is home to the restaurants, retail stores, movie theater and specialty shops that comprise Delray Marketplace.

More development is on the horizon. Pointing to a nearby horse farm purchased for parking lot construction, Freedman says, “That’s what they call progress.”

Freedman has been fighting what others call “progress” for 10 years when she started Save the Ag Reserve (STAR), a group set on halting the area’s development. The organization meets as needed and has a Facebook page.

“I want the farmland to be valued as farmland,” she says. Freedman envisions farms growing niche crops, forming partnerships with local restaurants and hosting farm-to-table events akin to those conducted at Swank Farm in Loxahatchee.

Instead, some Ag Reserve farmers and nursery owners envision their land as a ticket to retirement; they want an easier path to sell. Other farmers are aligned with STAR’s mission but do not want to make enemies of their neighbors by speaking out, Freedman says.

Builders had been required to preserve 60 acres for each 40 acres developed. Preserved parcels had to be contiguous to other preserved land. But all that changed in late October, when the County Commission approved a proposal that will allow developers to meet the requirement by using smaller properties throughout the reserve—a change that would appease smaller operations wanting to sell their development rights. The result of passing this proposal, according to Freedman, has the potential to create a further checkerboard of development and farmland, leaving less land preserved. That means even fewer farmers and fewer equestrians, she adds.

“I’m not against development,” Freedman says. “But go into the blighted areas of our cities and rebuild where it’s already developed.”

Freedman’s passion for the area dates back to the early 1990s following a family trip to a dude ranch, where she fell in love with horses.

After returning to her Highland Beach home, Freedman schooled herself in equestrianism. She bought and bred an 11-year-old mare.

Freedman would drop off her two sons (now grown men) at school and meet at a farm in west Delray, where she and two riding companions would follow the horse trails along the Ag Reserve canals, passing vegetable farms, nurseries and horse stables.

“We’d talk about our kids, our husbands, our lives,” she says. “It is good therapy. There’s this saying: ‘There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.’”

These days, her husband, Boca Raton urologist Alan Freedman, heads to work while Freedman, a speech pathologist, packs her car with materials to do home health care—as well as a change of clothes.

After work, she heads to the barn, where her 9-year-old male horse is boarded, and rides what’s left of the Ag Reserve’s horse trails.

“I go home dirty, sweaty and happy,” Freedman says.

Freedman and other equestrians were happy when, in 1999, Palm Beach County voters approved a $100 million bond to buy 2,400 acres now leased to farmers. The county wrote a comprehensive plan. “We thought we were going to be in heaven,” says Freedman of the planned horse trails.

She points to a winding cement trail that parallels Lyons Road. “Would you ride a horse here?

The traffic is going 60 miles an hour,” she says.

Freedman contends that the comprehensive plan is full of loopholes that give developers an advantage, and the recent county commission vote to make development easier, despite voters’ wishes, only deepens that concern. The Ag Reserve, Freedman says, is not only losing farmland and horse trails but also permeable land into which storm water can percolate down into the underground aquifer, the region’s drinking water source.

Freedman says her greatest disappointment is that the farmers themselves don’t see that Save the Ag Reserve is on their side and that commissioners “are not listening to the will of the people.” She is buoyed, however, by support from members of the Audubon and Sierra clubs, people she says who share her passion and unwillingness to give up.

Others who have never seen the Ag Reserve may share that passion if they visited it, Freedman believes.

“They need signage at every entrance that indicates ‘You are now entering the Ag Reserve, a Palm Beach County treasure,’” she says.

126

|

facetime 1215.indd 126

EDUARDO SCHNEIDER

“If I see something that needs repairing, I want to be there,” she says.

“I don’t give up without a fight.”

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

11/4/15 1:43 PM

Fight the Good Fight Freedman, who volunteers for the South Palm Beach County Jewish Federation, says what drives her is “tikkun olam,” which, in Hebrew, means to “repair the world.”

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

facetime 1215.indd 127

|

127 11/4/15 1:43 PM

W H AT

YOU?

Photography by Angie Myers Content by Rich Pollack

Special Advertorial

Vista_Advertorial_BRM0915.indd 2

11/4/15 2:08 PM

DR. ANTHONY DARDANO D.O., F.A.C.S. Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon

R ESID EN C E

Coastal Boca Raton

WHAT H E D O ES

Dr. Dardano is a double board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon with a Boca Raton-based practice that specializes in all aspects of aesthetic facial, breast and body surgery. “I am always looking for new ways to provide my patients naturallooking and long-lasting results,” he said.

O FF D U TY

When he’s not working, Dr. Dardano can be found taking an early morning walk on the beach or enjoying a variety of water sports. “I love the beach,” he says. During football season, you’re likely to find him tailgaiting in the parking lot of Sun Life Stadium before Miami Dolphin games.

CLA IM TO FAME

Dr. Dardano has been in private practice for more than 15 years and has held almost every medical leadership position at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. He is the current president of the hospital’s medical staff and is also an associate professor at Florida Atlantic University’s new College of Medicine. “Surgical education is one of my passions,” he said.

IND U LG EN C E R ID E WHY HE C H O SE B MW WORDS T O LIVE B Y

“I love to cook,” he says. “I love to prepare a meal for friends or family and have everyone enjoy it.” His specialties: Seafood paella and just about anything cooked on an outdoor grill.

2015 BMW 528 M Sport, white with black leather interior. “It has a lot of zip to it,” he says.

“My BMW suits my lifestyle. It is the ideal car to drive to work every day and a lot of fun to drive on the way to dinner in Miami or Palm Beach on a Saturday night. The team at Vista BMW in Coconut Creek always works around my schedule and ensures that I never have to sacrifice my time in the operating room to sit in a waiting room,” he said.

“To quote Vince Lombardi: ‘The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.’ ”

www.drdardano.com

Vista_Advertorial_BRM0915.indd 3

11/4/15 2:08 PM

AmericanHeritage_Merit_BRM1215.indd 1

11/4/15 1:32 PM

Things We Love About Boca Every so often, it’s important to take a few moments to remember exactly why Boca Raton is such a slice of paradise. Here are just a few reasons that come to mind.*

By Casey Farmer, Emma Grubman, Cresonia Hsieh and Kevin Kaminski * What do you love about Boca? Send your suggestions to the editor at kevin@bocamag.com.

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

50 things feature 1215.indd 131

|

131 11/4/15 1:47 PM

1

Byte Me Techie geeks can debate the origins of the personal computer until their screens freeze.

Does the MITS Altair 8800 count (1975)? What about the Apple I (1976)?

Or how about the HP 65, a calculator on which you could play games (1973)?

All we know is that the IBM 5150, created right here in Boca and unleashed in 1981, put PCs on the map.

2

Casey Casperson

No one brings a random audience suggestion to life like our resident improv troupe, the Sick Puppies. Founder Casey Casperson and his rotating cast of performers—many of which started by taking one of the comedy courses also offered by the Puppies—have weekend shows slated throughout high season at Center Stage Theater (7200 W. Camino Real, #330). For details or to learn more about the improv and comedy classes ($249 for seven weeks), visit sickpuppiescomedy.com.

3

Going Green Who needs the grocery store when you can shop for farm-fresh food and listen to live music at the same time? For 19 years and counting, that formula has made the Boca Raton Green Market a weekend hot spot at Royal Palm Place. Expect a host of local vendors, with products ranging from seasonal fruits and vegetables to soaps and lotions, as well as fresh seafood, baked goods and even doggie treats. The 2016 Market runs each Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., through May 7.

4 132

Home at the Movies

8

It’s that feeling of watching a movie in your living room—the lights are dimmed, you’re snuggled up on the couch, and half the fridge is spread out on the coffee table. Since opening in 2012, iPic Theaters has brought an over-the-top version of this experience to life with luxurious seating that provides moviegoers with blankets and pillows, craft cocktails and gourmet bites—think lobster rolls, pulled pork grilled cheese, fish tacos, truffle fries and even cheesecake brûlée.

(301 Plaza Real, 561/299-3000)

6

We Produce Docs

With the opening of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at FAU in 2011, Boca officially became a destination for the next generation of physicians. This past spring, the inaugural class became the first doctors (53 students in all) ever produced in our county.

7

Let’s Eat

It’s often said that the one hobby all Boca residents share in common is dining out. It’s no wonder given the variety of restaurant concepts and the level of kitchen talent in our backyard.

We could list a few of the area’s top dining establishments in this space—but why spoil the surprise? Check out the January 2016 issue of Boca Raton, in which we reveal the Top 20 Restaurants in (and around) Boca.

ROYAL TREATMENT

Though its salons, fashion outlets and fine jewelry boutiques are reason enough to visit this 14-acre mixed-use destination, ROYAL PALM PLACE also has emerged as the Restaurant Capital of downtown Boca with more than 20 spots from which to choose. (101 Plaza Real S.)

JONES CROW

ED

UA

RD O

S C H N EI D E R

We Love Being Sick

5

|

50 things feature 1215.indd 132

11/4/15 1:47 PM

10

Wheel Around Town What does Al Capone have to do with our neck of the woods? You’ll find out about that and much more during Ultimate Florida’s Segway tour of the city’s coastal area. The tour starts in Deerfield Beach, goes to the Intracoastal and ends at the north tip of the Boca Raton Inlet. (954/903-7049)

We Know How to Swing Of the estimated 140-plus golf courses in Palm Beach County, Boca has its share of A-list country-club tracts. But we also have one of the sweetest, and shortest, public layouts—Red Reef Executive Golf Course, nine holes and 1,357 pristine yards tucked between the ocean and the Intracoastal. Call 561/391-5014 for sameday tee times. (1221 N. Ocean Blvd.)

11

Ariana Grande

Sing the Night Away Nightlife in Boca isn’t all galas and gourmet dining. At O’Brian’s Irish Pub, Boca cuts loose—especially on Friday nights, when locals come out in droves to channel their inner Swift, Springsteen and Sia during one of the best karaoke nights around. (51 S.E. First Ave, 561/338-7565)

?

DID YOU KNOW Paul Newman, Connie Chung and Marilyn Manson all lived in Boca at one time or another.

12

Yoga With a View Why should our exercise routine be confined to a sweat-soaked gym? After all, we live in Boca. Thanks to Yoga at the Beach, workouts also can be a breath of fresh air. The combination of top-notch instructors and scenic backdrop, not to mention the variety of classes (like sunset and full-moon sessions), make for a fitness experience to remember. (Classes are held at 1400 N. Ocean Blvd.; visit yoga-at-the-beach. com for details.)

STAR SEARCH

Instructor Veronica Fowler (right) of Yoga at the Beach

OK, we’re not quite Palm Beach when it comes to celebrity sightings, but there’s still a chance that you’ll bump into “Happy Gilmore” himself, Adam Sandler, at Boca Beach Club or “King of Queens” star Kevin James at a Boca or Delray restaurant (both have homes in the area). On the music front, Dashboard Confessional front man Chris Carrabba and the reigning doughnut diva, pop songstress Ariana Grande, both have Boca roots.

AARON BRISTOL

8

9

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

50 things feature 1215.indd 133

|

133 11/4/15 1:47 PM

13

Our Sun Beats Their Spuds

Of the two college bowl games being played on Dec. 22, which one do you think holds more appeal for out-of-state fans of the participating football teams? The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, where the bone-chilling temperature in Boise that time of year hovers in the mid-20s? Or the BOCA RATON BOWL at FAU Stadium (last year's game pictured), where the game-time temp should be in the low 70s or high 60s? That’s what we thought.

We Love to Give

Boca’s benevolence is one of the defining characteristics of this community. Over the years, our largesse has paved the way for life-altering medical treatment, sent deserving scholars to college, provided hope for at-risk children, put food on the tables of those who most need it and so much more.

15

?

DID YOU KNOW

You can valet park at the Mercado Real Publix on Federal Highway in downtown Boca.

134

|

Our Water is Paddle-Worthy

Thanks to Spanish River Paddle Company, locals need only bring their balance to explore Boca’s canals and waterways on stand-up paddleboards. Guided eco tours are offered at sunrise and sunset—and even during the full moon. If you’d rather sit and explore, rent a kayak. Call 561/7052716 for more info.

16

Boca Knows Joe We’re not claiming to be Seattle when it comes to coffee on every corner, but in addition to the Starbucks and Dunkin’s that populate town, we have a few trendy spots that serve fresh morning brew—including The Seed,

which offers locally roasted specialty coffees, cold-pressed juice concoctions, smoothies and fresh-baked goods. We also dig the hip design inside. (99 W. Palmetto Park Road, Suite E, 561/430-5640)

17

Six Degrees of Jimmy One of the Boca Raton Resort & Club’s current promotions—the four-day Legends of Boca Experience, which goes for $20,000— gives guests an opportunity to spend time on court with five-time U.S. Open champion Jimmy Connors. As tennis fans know, Connors was engaged in the 1970s to longtime Boca resident Chris Evert, winner of 18 Grand Slam singles titles and a co-founder of the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca (celebrating 20 years).

Another former pro standout, Aaron Krickstein, the director of tennis at St. Andrews Country Club, famously lost a five-set classic to Connors, who was 39 at the time, at the 1991 U.S. Open. The two reunited last February at St. Andrews for a private exhibition match—which Krickstein won.

Aaron Krickstein (inset) and Chris Evert (above, middle)

18

Our Holiday Spirit Delray may have its 100-foot Christmas tree, but Boca has an entire historic neighborhood filled with holiday cheer. As the story goes, Addison Mizner created Old Floresta in the 1920s so that the executives and directors of his development company had a place to live. Today, the classic Spanish Mediterranean designs,

SUSAN MULLANE/CAMERAWORK USA

14

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

50 things feature 1215.indd 134

11/4/15 1:47 PM

19

We Tickle the Ivories As evidenced by our growing reputation as the “Silicon Valley” of the South, Boca stays ahead of the curve when it comes to business and innovation. But we also turn back the clock from time to time—which is why restaurants like Arturo’s (6750 N. Federal Highway) and Truluck’s (351 W. Plaza Real) maintain a little throwback charm thanks to featured piano players who never fail to draw raves and bring back memories.

21

Matters of the Art

The Boca Raton Museum of Art is better than ever under the guidance of executive director Irvin Lippman, who continues to impress with exhibitions that stir the senses—and sell tickets. Starting in January, look for a trio of Andy Warhol-related exhibits, including a collection of Warholdesigned album covers. Also on tap this winter: the 30th annual outdoor juried art festival (Feb. 6-7), with more than 250 artists showcasing their works at Mizner Park.

22

Shop ’Til You Drop What Disney World is to a local elementary school student, Town Center at Boca Raton is to that child’s mother. One of only two malls in the U.S. with four high-end anchors (Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom) under the same roof, Town Center is retail heaven on Earth with 200-plus stores and restaurants. (6000 Glades Road)

SUSAN MULLANE/CAMERAWORK USA

OL R I ST

Last August, the George Snow Scholarship Fund once again asked eight prominent members of the community to step out of their comfort zones and dance for charity at its annual “Boca’s Ballroom Battle” event, which raised more than $350,000. So where did those locals, many of whom had no dance experience, learn their moves? Credit owners Jean-Marc and Pam Casanave of Fred Astaire Dance Studios, which has been helping locals put their best foot forward for three-plus decades.

NB

Only 15 different universities have hosted a presidential debate since the televised format first debuted in 1960 (at a Chicago TV station). Boca’s Lynn University joined that exclusive list in 2012, when it hosted the third and final presidential debate between President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney. Organizers of that year’s debates shared with Boca Raton that our city, by far, staged the best event. The debate ended up having a $13.1 million impact on Palm Beach County.

Boca Can Cut Some Rug

RO

No Debating It

23 AA

20

JOEL P BLACK-PHOTOSBYBLACK.COM

as stately and as charming as ever, continue to draw interest—especially in December, when residents go all out with holiday lights and decorations.

Pam and Jean-Marc Casanave

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

50 things feature 1215.indd 135

|

135 11/4/15 1:47 PM

BEN BURGER

Boca resident Bernhard Langer

25

Pop in for a Popover

24

Let’s face it: Shopping at Town Center mall can work up an appetite. Thankfully, the good folks at Neiman Marcus have a restaurant right in the store.

But as much as we appreciate the globally inspired cuisine at Mariposa, it’s the hot popovers with strawberry butter that bring us to our culinary knees. Just ask group editor Marie Speed (page 239).

26

Destination: Downtown Boutique retail, world-class jewelry shops, casual and upscale dining, the Boca Raton Museum of Art, a Lord & Taylor anchor, an amphitheater that hosts signature city events … what’s not to love about Mizner Park? (327 Plaza Real)

WHERE THE CHAMPIONS COME TO PLAY

Not only has the ALLIANZ CHAMPIONSHIP become one of the most popular stops on the Champions Tour for the legends of golf, it’s also emerged as one of the community’s most reliable partners, delivering more than $15 million each year to local businesses—and supporting a slew of Boca-based charities. Golf fans, meanwhile, have the chance to walk the Old Course at Broken Sound with some of the greats of the game, including Boca’s own Bernhard Langer, who won the 2010 event. This year’s tournament and pre-tourney events run from Feb. 1-7. Visit allianzchampionship.com for more info.

136

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

50 things feature 1215.indd 136

11/4/15 1:47 PM

27

29

We Tend to Turtles

Boca Knows Classical

As one of the five most important nurseries for loggerheads, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Palm Beach County is a sanctuary for sea turtles. Boca has the rare opportunity to observe this miracle of nature up close thanks to the Turtle Walk and Hatchling Release programs that run from May into September at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. Visit gumbolimbo.org for details. (1801 N. Ocean Blvd.)

Some of the world’s most talented classical musicians are training right here in Boca at Lynn University’s Conservatory of Music. Each year, Boca residents have the privilege of hearing these artists in action during the Lynn Philharmonia Orchestra series; the 2015-16 season concludes with concerts in February (6-7), March (19-20) and April (16-17) at the Wold Performing Arts Center. Visit lynn.edu/events for ticket information.

30

Boca Knows How to Party While the 1-percenters in Palm Beach are throwing their same-old, sameold black-tie affairs at Mar-a-Lago, Boca is staging some of the most talked-about galas and events in South Florida. Two years after bringing the Beach Boys to town for its annual ball, Boca Raton Regional Hospital has Goldie Hawn handling emcee duties on Jan. 23. Saks Fifth Avenue turns the Junior League’s Woman Volunteer of the Year luncheon into a fashion fest by inviting red-hot designers like Rebecca Taylor to host the runway show. The annual Boating & Beach Bash (March 12) has become the largest, most heart-

Gumbo Limbo

28

Boating & Beach Bash

Saks GM Rebecca Shaw with designer Stacey Bendet at the WVOY luncheon

An oft-quoted Forbes story from 2004 lists three Boca neighborhoods— Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, The Sanctuary and Le Lac— among the 10 most expensive gated communities in the United States.

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

50 things feature 1215.indd 137

?

DID YOU KNOW

DOWNTOWN PHOTO

Things That Go Bump in the Night We have no hard proof with which to back this up, but it does add a little ghoulish mystery to our town. According to the website hauntedplaces.org, Boca has its share of spooky apparitions—Esmerelda, a former hotel maid, is said to reside at the Boca Raton Resort & Club; Screaming Man and Mary have been known to raise Cain at Boca Raton Cemetery; and a spirit is said to loom in the Arts and Humanities Building at FAU.

warming celebration for people with disabilities in the country. Countless other organizations continue to find inventive ways to raise funds—way to go, Boca!

|

137 11/4/15 1:48 PM

33 We’re Close to Everything

?

DID YOU KNOW

Boca Raton Regional is one of just 24 hospitals in the U.S. (out of 4,500) to earn HealthGrade’s Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence for 10 or more consecutive years.

138

|

31 Pedal Power Bask in the splendor of some of Boca’s most eye-catching backdrops with tours hosted by the Boca Raton Bicycle Club. The Club takes cyclists down A1A in a relaxing route that allows participants to take in the scenery of Boca’s coastlines, as well as the impressive properties that line the shores. (bocaratonbicycleclub.com)

32

Snorkel Off the Coast How far do you need to venture out to sea to snorkel in one of South Florida’s most striking coral reefs? Try right off the shore. At Red Reef Beach, adventure seekers can take in the colors and excitement of Florida’s reefs with nothing more than a pair of goggles— and maybe a floatie or two. (1400 N. Ocean Blvd.)

People who work all over South Florida plant roots in Boca for a variety of reasons. Among them: Easy access. Using Town Center mall as a starting point (since it’s close to I-95), look how we’re only a hop, skip and short drive from the following destinations: ■ Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach (9 miles) ■ Palm Beach International Airport, West Palm Beach (25 miles) ■ Fort Lauderdale International Airport (26 miles) ■ BB&T Center, Sunrise (27 miles) ■ Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens (34 miles) ■ Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter (40 miles) ■ AmericanAirlines Arena, downtown Miami (45 miles) ■ Miami International Airport (46 miles)

34

35 Boca’s Funky How many cities boast not one, but two Funky spots? At Funky Biscuit in Royal Palm Place (303 S.E. Mizner Blvd., 561/395-2929), live music is on the menu—the December slate includes appearances by Pat Travers, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band and Edwin McCain. At Funky Buddha (2621 N. Federal Highway, 561/3684643), original craft beer concoctions are only part of the draw at this laidback hot spot that features live music, comedy shows, trivia nights and much more.

36

Fun for the Kids There’s no shortage of family-friendly activities in Boca—among them, the Boca Raton Children’s Museum (498 Crawford Blvd., 561/368-6875), where kids can enjoy a myriad of holiday activities this month, including breakfast with Santa and a menorah lighting, as well as a Kwanzaa celebra-

We’re Pet Friendly

Boca loves its dogs and cats.

Thanks to organizations like TriCounty Animal Rescue (21287 Boca Rio Road, 561/482-8110), countless pets have found a loving home in our community. And thanks to the city, those pets have an oceanfront place to roam.

Bring your pooch to the beach at Spanish River Park on weekends between 7 and 9 a.m., and 3 p.m. and sunset. Just make sure you purchase a permit from any of the city’s community centers, or buy a one-day pass at the gatehouse. (3001 N. Ocean Blvd., between lifeguard towers 18 and 20)

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

50 things feature 1215.indd 138

11/4/15 1:48 PM

tion. Meanwhile, the Children’s Science Explorium at Sugar Sand Park (300 S. Military Trail, 561/347-3912) not only engages with its interactive exhibits, it also gives moms and dads a date night. Ask about Friday Nights at the Museum, where children ages 7 to 12 can feast on pizza, watch a movie and have fun from 6 to 9:30 p.m.

37 Foodie Fun at Sunset Cove Capable of hosting more than 6,000 patrons for concerts, Sunset Cove Amphitheater has emerged as a popular west Boca destination. But here’s another reason to check it out: On the first and third Wednesdays of every month through January, a host of food trucks descend on Sunset Cove from 5 to 9 p.m., for an evening of fun that includes live music and a featurelength movie. Visit pbcgov.com/parks/ amphitheaters for more info. (20405 Amphitheater Circle)

38

AARON BRISTOL

Science Explorium

BROADWAY COMES TO LIFE

Since opening in April 2013, the COSTUME MUSEUM inside the WICK THEATRE has showcased original costumes from dozens of Broadway productions—from Julie Andrews’ dress in “My Fair Lady,” to iconic outfits from shows like “Camelot” and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” Knowledgeable theater professionals lead guests on an interactive tour that includes behind-the-scenes stories about the shows and the collection. (7901 N. Federal Highway, 561/995-2333)

Kimberly Wick of the Wick Theatre

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

50 things feature 1215.indd 139

|

139 11/4/15 1:48 PM

39

?

DID YOU KNOW

An outbreak of African red ticks contributed to the closing in 1961 of one-time Boca tourist attraction Africa USA.

In addition to fulfilling its core mission for the city’s 1,500 member businesses, the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce raises awareness and funds through its numerous initiatives. Two that we love: the Chamber’s Golden Bell Education Foundation, which has donated more than $1.2 million to Boca’s public schools; and Leadership Boca, an annual program that provides invaluable insight into entities—from government to health care to social services—that make our community tick.

40

Of Course We Have Gators Learn about South Florida’s unique swamp habitat—from belowground up—at Daggerwing Nature Center.

The interactive center begins underground, continues underwater and rises above the surface into the canopy of a swamp. Along the way, guests can explore Daggerwing’s interactive exhibits, which feature a number of live animals—frogs, snapping turtles and, yes, even an alligator or two. (11435 Park Access Road, 561/629-8760)

ROBERT STOLPE

Taking Care of Business

Festival of the Arts

41 We Like to Treasure Hunt We’re not talking about the buried gold version. We’re talking about the geocaches that are hidden all over town. Never heard of a geocache?

Visit geocaching.com to learn the basics, as well as the coordinates for dozens upon dozens of geocaches—at locations from FAU to the Pondhawk Natural Area.

42

Cook Like the Pros

The Sur la Table at Mizner Park is the only location in South Florida that hosts cooking classes—which is a shame for foodies in Aventura, Coconut Creek and Palm Beach Gardens, because the sessions couldn’t be more popular. Novices and seasoned cooks alike will enjoy the sheer variety of options; the December schedule includes a ravioli workshop, winter soups/ stews, vegetarian holiday dishes, onepot meals and special date-night sessions. Classes this month range from $45 to $150, but can you really put a price on raising your kitchen game?

(438 Plaza Real, 561/953-7670)

140

|

43 STAYCATION: RESORT-STYLE

When you live in paradise, what’s the point of leaving?

Especially when we have a world-renowned luxury resort in our backyard. So we say, live a little—and enjoy all that the BOCA RATON RESORT & CLUB (501 E. Camino Real, bocaresort.com) has to offer. While you’re there, take a guided walking tour of the Resort, courtesy of the Boca Raton Historical Society.

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

50 things feature 1215.indd 140

11/4/15 1:48 PM

44

BOCA DRAWS CULTURAL ICONS

Few events have raised the profile of our city quite like FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS, which is celebrating its 10th season of bringing internationally renowned performers and speakers to Mizner Park Amphitheater. Over the years, the likes of Itzhak Perlman, Audra McDonald, the Russian National Orchestra, Conrad Tao, Renee Fleming and countless others have graced the stage during the weeklong celebration. Check out the 2016 schedule (March 4-16) at festivaloftheartsboca.org.

45 We’re a College Town Yes, we’re a city of affluence and influence, a town with world-class shopping, four-star restaurants and a thriving tech hub. But the fact is that we’re also a hotbed of higher education. Between FAU, Lynn Uni-

versity and the Boca campus of Palm Beach State College, as well as specialty schools Everglades University and Digital Media Arts College, Boca has upward of 40,000 students working toward degrees.

■ Flakowitz (1999 N. Federal Highway): A breakfast and lunchtime deli classic ■ V&S (2621 N. Federal Highway): Best Italian subs in town

Light Bites

Why We Love Boca: By the Numbers 2: Bloomberg Businessweek ranked

46

Here’s to a few small restaurants that have been serving Boca for decades: ■ Sonny’s Café (2151 N. Federal Highway): More than 40 flavors of gelato Boca Raton Resort & Club

Before settling on Florida Atlantic, one of the suggested names for FAU before it opened in 1964 was A-Okay University.

47-50+

Boca Raton No. 2 nationally among its top 10 places to start a new company.

6.5: Boca’s annual holiday boat parade, scheduled for Dec. 19, follows a 6.5-mile route along the Intracoastal and draws upward of 40 decorated vessels.

15: According to our local Chamber, this many different companies make their national or international headquarters in Boca.

23: Since starting varsity competition in 1984, Lynn University’s athletic teams have captured 23 national championships—including five men’s soccer titles.

40: Want to spend time outdoors?

Boca has this many parks from which to choose.

300: Arguably the city’s most iconic structure, the pink tower at the Boca Raton Resort & Club is also our tallest building at 300 feet.

30,000: Division I football is played by Florida Atlantic University at FAU Stadium, the 30,000-seat facility that opened in 2011.

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

50 things feature 1215.indd 141

?

DID YOU KNOW

|

141 11/4/15 1:48 PM

SHOT ON LOCATION AT MARATHON MUSIC CENTERS/ BOYNTON BEACH

142

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

how does it feel2 15.indd 142

11/4/15 1:51 PM

?

HOW DOES IT FEEL

Boca Raton asks the South Florida residents who know best what it’s like to experience everything from surviving a bully’s wrath to risking it all in search of freedom to giving a ’70s rock band exactly what it needed—more cowbell!

As told to Emily J. Minor • Photography by Eduardo Schneider

TO BE NEIL DIAMOND? CHARLES LAPAGLIA

I

AKA NEIL ZIRCONIA, TRIBUTE ARTIST

was discovered by Elvis.

My wife and I were at Marathon Music in Boynton Beach.

This is about eight years ago. I’ve been playing guitar since I was 10, and I still collect them. So I’m looking at one in the store, and my wife says, “Play that Neil Diamond song you’ve been doing for me at home.”

There was no one in the store except for the guy at the front desk, so I figured why not? I start singing “Play Me.” You are the sun, I am the moon. You are the words, I am the tune …

Play me.

I look up and Scott Ringersen is standing there. (Editor’s note: He’s the retired Delray Beach policeman who, to this day, takes the stage as Elvis every Monday night at what is now Johnnie Brown’s). Scott goes, “Oh my god. You sound just like Neil Diamond!” I got flustered and said, “Well you look just like Elvis.”

He invited me to come to one of his shows at Elwood’s and sing a few songs. I’d always wanted to perform, but I was shy. At about the age of 40, I finally got up the nerve to sing a few numbers at this local bar. They’d pay me 45 dollars and give me pizza and beer. But this was different. I was afraid. Finally, my wife just says, “You’re doing it.”

We showed up that Thursday night, and there were like 400 people.

Scott introduced me as a friend of his who sounded like Neil Diamond. I wore this shiny black jacket that my wife found for me, and I sang three songs, including “Cracklin’ Rosie” and “Sweet Caroline.” My knees never stopped shaking. The crowd went bananas. They mobbed me after the show, wanting to know where I was playing next. I was hooked.

At the time, I was 50. Now, I’m 58. This year, we’ll do 150 shows. I quit my job as a stockbroker so we could take the show on the road.

“It’s time for you to live your dream,” my wife said. She’s always on stage with me, playing the tambourine. She also handles all the bookings, plus my wife makes all my outfits. She’ll research Neil’s vintage clothes—and then sew the exact sequins on my shirts and jackets.

My stage name is Neil Zirconia. We thought that was pretty funny: the real faux diamond. But people come up and ask, “Zirconia. Are you Italian?” I’ll say, “Yes, and my brother’s name is Cubic.” Then they get the joke.

When I step on stage, it’s like taking off on an amusement park ride.

Neil has the greatest fans; I look at their faces and everything changes.

It’s like you stepped out of a wormhole. I love it.

I used to fight it, but I don’t anymore. I really do sound just like Neil Diamond.

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

how does it feel2 15.indd 143

|

143 11/4/15 1:51 PM

HOW DOES IT TO LIVE WITH PTSD? MAXWELL NELSON

I

U.S. ARMY SERGEANT, VIETNAM WAR ’ve never really spoken about this before.

It was my first week in Vietnam. December 1969.

I was 24. There was a soldier who had like three days left in the country—and he tried to kill his first sergeant. But the gun jammed. Instead, the first sergeant killed him. They removed the first sergeant—and then other soldiers were trying to kill him. This is us. This is the U.S. military. That’s when it hit me that things were not going to be like I thought in Vietnam. I could be killed by [an American] soldier.

While there, I was an artillery man. I had a map, a compass, a radio. I carried an M16, and my job was to make

contact with the enemy. Locate them. When I did, I’d call in the artillery. All I ever thought about there was survival.

When I came home in October 1970, I didn’t go to the VA for treatment because of the stigma about us being baby killers and drug addicts. I didn’t want anyone to know I’d been in Vietnam. I received a Bronze Star, but I didn’t even know what it meant.

Some nights, I’d be watching TV, and I’d see something about Vietnam or some war. And that would put me right back in Vietnam. It made me sad; I would change the channel or walk away. I had dreams about being in combat. Sometimes, a sound on the street would startle me. I didn’t know I suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.

But then came 9-11.

I was working in a building for the phone company in New York. When we saw the news on TV about the first plane, we went to the top of the building. I watched the second plane hit the tower. Later, when I saw the buildings come down, that’s when everything came down on top of me.

We started working at ground zero. I was sent there every day, trying to restore as much equipment as we could. But I was a wreck.

I felt helpless that we’d been attacked and I couldn’t do anything. That was the worst part of it. The helplessness. I wanted to avenge what had happened to us. That was the trigger. I haven’t slept without pills since 9-11.

I’ve been in group therapy for 11 years now, and all the guys are Vietnam veterans. We meet every Monday. I thought I was beyond shell shock. And I thought I was the only vet [affected] by 9-11. But I found out all these guys felt the same thing. If I weren’t going to therapy, I’d be a completely different person.

The other night, my wife woke me up because I was screaming in my dreams. She never asks me what’s wrong. She just wakes me up, and we go back to bed.

SPECIAL REPORT For more on this topic, don’t miss the January issue of Boca Raton—and investigative reporter Eric Barton’s in-depth look at the impact PTSD is having on local military veterans of all ages.

144

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

how does it feel2 15.indd 144

11/4/15 1:52 PM

FEEL...

TO GO TO JAIL OVER MONKEY BUSINESS? GARY SERIGNESE

O

ANIMAL ACTIVIST, SOUTH FLORIDA SMASH HLS ur protests are very intense and very loud. But very legal. We had seven megaphones, which can be disruptive. We used to have more, but some of them have been confiscated by the police. I’m good about interacting with the police; they’re usually the ones who are losing their tempers and not following the law.

When we’re out there I’m chanting, and I’m full of energy, but I’m not lost in emotion. I’m very focused and measured. I’m full of passion about the cause, but I’m a very clear-headed person.

My mom and my aunt, they all support me, but there’s concern too. I’m safer than most people, though, because I’m a white male. In the last six years, I’ve been arrested six times, maybe nine or 10 charges.

I think the first time, I was outside the shipping company Amerijet. (Editor’s note: The company used to fly in monkeys for U.S. research.) That time I was arrested for having a bandana over my face. They said I was concealing my identity, but that law was found unconstitutional. I think it was originally invented to combat the KKK. Even though I’ve been arrested all those times, I have no convictions from any of those charges at all.

I’ve always been sensitive about animals.

When I was young, I saw fishing, and that traumatized me because I saw the fish gasping. My aunt had a fur coat, and I would cry. I think I was 3, and it would freak me out.

The thing is, I don’t want people to just feel bad about the suffering. We have to act.

We have to change the world. That’s why our organization, which I started in 2010, is pretty in-your-face. We’ve gone to the country club where [the individual they were protesting was] playing golf. We’ve protested outside gated communities. We had 65 protesters outside someone’s house once. Another time a resident said, “I like you. Get in my car.” She plopped us in front of this [CEO’s] house.

We try to get the message across that we’re not going to back down until they stop treating the animals like this.

The places we’re targeting are the importers. We specifically target the monkey facilities in South Florida. They’re buying the monkeys from China, for example, quarantin-

ing them, then selling them to labs around the country.

Florida has the most monkey importing facilities in the country. We’ve stopped five local airlines from transporting monkeys.

I thought [the organization] would attract all the anarchists of the world, which I’m fine with. But we have one lady named Betsy, and she’s in her mid-70s. She’s so small.

She was a gym teacher, and she’s so cute.

My grandpa is in his 90s. He said, “If I could stand, I’d be there with you.”

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

how does it feel2 15.indd 145

|

145 11/4/15 1:52 PM

HOW DOES IT FEEL...

TO DISSECT A HUMAN CADAVER? EMILY SENDEREY

D

SECOND-YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT, FAU’S COLLEGE OF MEDICINE issecting a human body engenders an array of emotion for medical students. First and foremost, it’s an honor. It makes it all feel real: I’m in medical school. I’m going to be a doctor. This is what all doctors before me have done. There’s also the excitement and natural curiosity that comes with learning about the anatomy.

At the same time, you’re dissecting a human cadaver, which is dark. You question it. Is this right?

I struggled with this, but not because I questioned myself. I struggled because I didn’t feel anything.

We began anatomy three weeks into my first year of med school. My first dissection involved identifying muscles in the shoulder region. It was like peeling an onion; a layer of skin followed by layers of fascia that overlie the muscles. We need to be careful and not cut through important structures—the nerves that innervate the muscles and blood supply. The most time-consuming part is removing the fat underneath the skin. Fat is oily; we use paper towels to soak up the grease. This helps to prevent the scalpel from slipping out of your hand.

The whole time, I had no sense of guilt. I wasn’t thinking that this was a person. I wasn’t thinking about their family.

It was all business. I was learning the anatomy.

And that bothered me.

I’m a very empathetic person; that’s why I entered this field. I really want to help people. Prior to my first dissection, my concern was that I would be too attached. So having complete detachment was a total surprise. It made me feel like all my empathy wasn’t real. I felt guilty about not feeling guilty.

I needed to do something to feel.

At most medical schools, there is an anatomy closing

ceremony at the conclusion of dissection class. Historically, that’s been done for the students to have some sense of closure. I wanted to take it to another level.

I wanted to meet the families of the donors.

After [receiving the go-ahead from the medical school] I contacted a professor at the University of Miami connected to the willed-body program through which we receive our donor bodies. I explained what we wanted to do.

Of course, there were concerns. What if the families had made their peace? Perhaps donating the body was their closure. Would our proposed event re-open wounds?

Of the eight donor families we contacted, only four were residents of Florida. Of those four, three families came to the event. We had eight speakers. One of my classmates performed a song on his guitar. Another classmate read a poem. It was all forms of expression about what the anatomy experience meant to the students.

The feedback we later received from the attendees was that our ceremony provided closure. Meeting all of us, and seeing how appreciative we were, helped certain people understand a decision that, in some families, proved controversial.

When it was my turn to speak that day, I told the families that because of the donor experience, I realized the depth of responsibility that’s placed on us. It made it tangible. These individuals donated themselves—what a selfless gift—because it was their hope that a medical student would do everything in his or her power to learn from their bodies.

In that sense, the donor was my first patient. One day, my patients will put that same responsibility in my hands—and they’ll trust that I have the skills necessary to help them.

—AS TOLD TO KEVIN KAMINSKI

FOLLOW EMILY SENDEREY’S MEDICAL SCHOOL JOURNEY AT FAU THROUGH HER ONLINE DIARY ENTRIES, EXCLUSIVELY AT BOCAMAG.COM.

146

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

how does it feel2 15.indd 146

11/4/15 1:52 PM

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

how does it feel2 15.indd 147

|

147 11/4/15 1:52 PM

HOW DOES IT F TO RISK YOUR LIFE TO ESCAPE COMMUNISM? MANUELA COVINGTON

F

DEERFIELD BEACH RESIDENT; FLED ROMANIA ON FOOT or me, it was a lifetime preparing for this moment. I grew up in a very poor family, as did my friends. We lived in a Communist country (Editor’s note: Romania’s single-party socialist state existed from 1947 to 1989) with leaders who tried to brainwash us. Somewhere in our minds, even as children, we knew: There must be a better life somewhere.

We finally decided it was time to go—my three male friends, who all lived on my street, and me. I had just turned 22. It was September 1989. I packed a suitcase with little soaps and the best clothes in my closet—dresses, skirts and hats—thinking I was actually going to wear them.

We took a train heading toward the border of Yugoslavia, which was heavily patrolled by police and military. As we drew close, we threw our luggage off the train and then jumped. It was pitch black outside; whatever pieces of luggage we could find, we kept.

The rest we left behind. Our plan was to run up this hill into a wooded area and find a place to cross the border by the morning.

Instead, it took us three days and three nights.

I can’t even describe the fear. We had heard the stories about people trying to cross the border. If the police or military caught someone, they were supposed to say, “Stop,” three times. And then they shoot. And they kill. Bodies were coming back to Romania in aluminum boxes. The girls who were caught? They were raped.

That was my biggest fear. I’ve met a lot of Romanian men who escaped, through the river or on foot. I’ve never met another girl.

At a certain point, we broke into groups of two. We ran and ran and ran. My heart was palpitating. We didn’t know where we were. I looked on the ground, and I found this crumpled pack of cigarettes.

Oh my god! The writing was in Slavic. We were in Yugoslavia!

Next, we had to make it to the Austrian border (some 300 miles from Belgrade, then the capital of former Yugoslavia). For days, we hiked through the wilderness. We had no food. We had no water; the dehydration was so bad at times, we couldn’t think straight.

Plus it was September, so it was cold. We wanted to stop at houses for food and water. We wanted to ask for rides. But we couldn’t. We just kept going [on foot]. You can’t rest because of the fear.

In the mornings, we would lick the [moisture off of] leaves. We ate whatever we could find in the woods—wild fruits, berries from the trees. We followed the roads, mostly during the night. In the daytime, we often slept in ditches. I don’t remember all the details.

We made it to the Austrian border, maybe a week later. My shoes were ripped. My legs were swollen from my knees down to my feet.

People were staring at us, but they helped us get to the refugee camp. Two years later I was placed with a family in America.

I had to leave my suitcase at one of the borders. I couldn’t carry it anymore. So I don’t have anything from Romania. Just me. I don’t know if I could ever do it again, but you never know. You don’t think you can do something until you have to.

148

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

how does it feel2 15.indd 148

11/4/15 1:52 PM

T FEEL...

TO BE BULLIED IN SCHOOL? COLBY GUY

I

2015 DO THE WRITE THING ESSAY WINNER t was hard for me to make friends in elementary school while we were living in Long Island. Everyone always bullied me. It never stopped; there was no break from it. People would pretend to be my friend, then not be. My feelings were always hurt. I dreaded school, and my mom eventually switched me to a different school. But it didn’t get any better. We moved down here because of it.

I don’t really know why it happened. I guess because I was a little different, because of the way I acted. Or just the fact that I had autism.

When we moved to South Florida, I attended a middle school in Palm Beach Gardens, and things were a little better at first. But then I started getting bullied online. I had joined ask.fm (a global social networking site popular with that age group) because everyone else did. Then people started writing all these things.

“We wish you were dead.”

“You’re a dumb autistic loser.”

“All I want for Christmas is for Colby Guy to die.”

Someone even said he was going to kill me if I didn’t kill myself first. This went on for a couple of days, maybe even a week. After that, I just couldn’t take it anymore.

I was in my sixth-period civics class, and I just felt like I

was trapped. I felt like I couldn’t get out.

So I tried to asphyxiate myself with the lanyard from my school ID. I wanted to choke myself to death. I just kept twisting and twisting and twisting. Kids were freaking out.

They sent me to the office to talk to the school guidance counselor, and then my mom came. I ended up going to therapy. Eventually, everyone came to my defense. The school really helped me through it, and all the kids were supportive—except for that one kid.

The essay I wrote (a Palm Beach County contest that was part of the National Campaign to Stop Violence) was originally for a class assignment. After I started working on it, I figured it might really help someone else. They’d know how I felt, and they’d know that it got better.

Today, I have a good life. I’m a freshman [at William T. Dwyer High School in West Palm Beach]. I have good friends who have stuck with me, and that essay helped.

People come up to me and say, “Hey, I saw you on the news.” Or, “Hey, you’re that kid who wrote the essay.”

That essay pretty much changed my life.

(Editor’s note: Colby, now 14, was one of two county ambassadors selected to speak in Washington, D.C., last summer during Do The Write Thing recognition week.)

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

how does it feel2 15.indd 149

|

149 11/4/15 1:52 PM

HOW DOES IT FEEL...

TO INVENT “MORE COWBELL”?

DAVID LUCAS

T

COMPOSER, RECORD PRODUCER he song needed something.

We were recording “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” by Blue Öyster Cult on the 10th floor of the Record Plant in New York City. I had produced the band’s first album on eight-track.

It got some attention, and then their manager, Sandy Pearlman, not one of my favorite people, went off and produced them. That effort was kind of mediocre, so they came back and asked me to produce their next album, “Agents of Fortune” (which was released in 1976).

Donald Roeser, the Cult’s lead guitarist, had a [health] issue at the time and was a little worried about dying of a heart attack. He wrote the song in his basement—“Don’t Fear The Reaper,” which means don’t fear death. He wasn’t trying to write a hit song. We write and we write. Some are good. Some are bad. Who knows?

I wasn’t even much of a heavy rock and roller. I was a jingle writer—and I was very successful.

I had 18 people and two studios; I had to knock out these jingles. I wrote “Reach Out And Touch Someone” for AT&T and “Catch that Pepsi Spirit.”

What this song needed was four on the floor, which is a colloquialism for a beat on every quarter note. One. Two. Three. Four. Repeat. So I went to my studio, The Warehouse, around the corner on 46th Street, and opened up my trap case. It’s part of a drum kit that has all the shakers and tambourines in it—all the bullshit percussion instruments.

I got my cowbell, and I just played. Konk. Konk. Konk.

Konk. I actually play it with the opening of the bell facing me, so it’s not as hollow-sounding. That was it. The song went on to become a hit, but not because of the cowbell.

Because of the song.

Flash forward 25 years to “Saturday Night Live.” Will Ferrell decides to do [a VH1 “Behind the Music”] sketch about the making of “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper.” He sends his gofer out, and she picks up a Blue Öyster Cult greatest hits compilation, which was put together by an engineer named Bruce Dickinson.

In the skit, Will Ferrell is the [fictional] cowbell player.

Christopher Walken plays the producer who comes in and keeps asking for “more cowbell.” The skit is hilarious; everyone in the scene cracks up.

The only problem is that Walken is cast as the producer—Bruce Dickinson. They say Bruce Dickinson like a thousand times. It really pissed me off. Bruce Dickinson had nothing to do with that recording.

Even today, everyone’s memory is different. Albert Bouchard, the drummer, claims he played the cowbell.

Eric Bloom, the lead singer, says he played the cowbell.

The fact is that I produced that song. And when we were getting ready to mix it, I went and did it in the middle of the night.

I added the cowbell.

Will Ferrell (second from left) as "Gene Frenkle" in the iconic SNL skit that made "more cowbell" part of the pop culture lexicon

150

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

how does it feel2 15.indd 150

11/4/15 1:52 PM

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

how does it feel2 15.indd 151

|

151 11/4/15 1:52 PM

style

Diamond bangle in white gold from the Birks RosĂŠe du Matin Collection, $14,995; diamond ring in yellow gold, $3,995, and diamond earrings in yellow gold, $3,295, from the Birks Bee Chic Collection; yellow-gold bangle, $3,195, yellowgold drop earrings, $3,395, yellow-gold necklace, $4,095 and chandelier pendant, $3,595, all from the Birks Muse Ribbon Collection; all pieces from Mayors, Town Center at Boca Raton, mayors.com/jewelry Props courtesy of Z Gallerie, Mizner Park; zgallerie.com

152

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

Jewelry.style DEC15.indd 152

11/4/15 1:54 PM

Feast Your Eyes

Whet your style appetite this season with a taste of sparkle and splendor from some of Boca’s finest jewelers.

Classic earrings; doublestrand rivière necklace in fancy-cut diamonds; exquisite five-row cuff; contemporary cuff in white and fancy yellow diamonds; and emerald and diamond rings; all prices upon request; all from Verdi Jewelers, Royal Palm Place, Boca Raton, verdijewelers.com Talbot Runhof dress, $2,895, from Neiman Marcus, Town Center at Boca Raton

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JORDY MARIN

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

Jewelry.style DEC15.indd 153

|

153 11/4/15 1:54 PM

style

Yellow-gold Bellarri necklace with multicolored stones and diamonds, $29,460; yellow-gold Bellarri ring with multicolored stones and diamonds, $3,160; yellow-gold Bellarri pin with multicolored stones and diamonds, $5,600; and yellow-gold Dove ring with quartz and diamonds, $2,675; all from Cristino Fine Jewelry, Mizner Park, Boca Raton, cristinojewelers.com

154

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

Jewelry.style DEC15.indd 154

11/4/15 1:54 PM

Franck Muller King Conquistador watch in white gold and diamonds; diamond bangle bracelets in rose gold, white gold and yellow gold; ladies diamond ring in white gold with lemon quartz; ladies necklace in white gold with colored diamonds and diamond bezels; and pavĂŠ diamond hoop earrings in rose gold; all prices upon request; from Jewels In Time, Shoppes at the Sanctuary, Boca Raton, jewelsintime.com Cushnie Et Ochs dress, $1,695, from Neiman Marcus

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

Jewelry.style DEC15.indd 155

|

155 11/4/15 6:25 PM

style

Cartier Tank Anglaise bezel timepiece in pink gold, $31,500; Gucci Marina link necklace in yellow gold, $11,900; Gucci Marina link bracelet in yellow gold, $5,950; Gucci Horsebit necklace in pink gold and black diamond, $8,300; Gucci Horsebit cuff bracelet in pink gold and black diamond, $5,000; Gucci Horsebit drop earrings in pink gold and black diamond, $4,800; Kwiat Cobblestone stackable diamond rings, $1,750 (white) and $3,900 (fancy yellow); Kwiat Cobblestone stackable diamond bracelets, $5,900 (white) and $15,050 (fancy yellow); all from Altier Jewelers, downtown Boca Raton and the Boca Raton Resort & Club, altierjewelers.com Christian Dior dress, $5,200, from Neiman Marcus

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jordy Marin, www.delraybeach.photography STYLIST/HAIR & MAKEUP: Jenna DeBrino, Hot Pink Style MODEL: Courtney O’Connor/Mega Miami STYLIST ASSISTANT: Amanda Miller, Hot Pink Style ART DIRECTORS: Lori Pierino, Nancy Kumpulainen PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT: Tibor Toth, delraybeach.photography SHOT ON LOCATION AT: Boca Photo Studio, jeffremas.com/studio

156

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

Jewelry.style DEC15.indd 156

11/4/15 1:54 PM

Platinum and yellow-gold ring with flawless radiant-cut diamond and two trilliant-cut diamonds, $400,000; pearl cocktail ring in white gold with diamonds, $3,595; diamond necklace in yellow gold with South Sea pearl pendant, $50,000; South Sea pearl drop earrings with diamonds in yellow gold, $10,995; pearl earrings in white gold with accent diamonds, $11,195; pearl necklace in white gold with accent diamonds, $23,595; white-gold eternity band with cushion-cut diamonds, $49,995; South Sea pearl ring in yellow gold with brilliant diamonds, $4,295; and yellow diamond pendant in two-tone gold, $27,995; all from Raymond Lee Jewelers, Palms Plaza, Boca Raton, raymondlee jewelers.net

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

Jewelry.style DEC15.indd 157

|

157 11/4/15 1:54 PM

It Came From 158

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

UFO feature NOV 15.indd 158

11/4/15 2:02 PM

There are more UFO reports in Florida than in any state but California. Local researchers, communicators and skeptics look to the skies for answers.

By John Thomason illustrations by Jarom West

Outer Space BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

UFO feature NOV 15.indd 159

|

159 11/4/15 2:02 PM

M

iami’s most famous case of alleged alien abduction all started with the search for a pig.

On Jan. 3, 1979, Filiberto Cardenas, a 45-year-old Cuban exile and Hialeah giftshop owner, received a call from his friend, Fernando Marti. Fernando wanted to buy a pig to roast that weekend, and he asked Cardenas to come along. Accompanied by Marti’s wife and daughter, they drove Cardenas’ station wagon to three farms, all of them sold out of pigs.

As the discouraged travel-

filled the air, and as the light phenomenon intensified, the car began to shake.

Cardenas tried to remove himself from under the hood, but he found himself paralyzed. The same force impeding his movement then lifted him into the air. A petrified Marti recalled hearing his friend shout, “Don’t take me! Don’t take me!” Cardenas later reported that, “I was about three feet above the ground when I felt like everything was becoming dark, and I lost track of what was happening.”

All of this occurred in a matter of seconds, a frightening blip that ended with Marti gazing into the sky to see “a bulky object that

History of Oddities UFO reports have been with us long before we had a term for them. The oldest sighting dates back to classical antiquity, when the Roman historian Livy spoke of “ships in the sky” as a portent of winter.

Florida, with its rich heritage of high strangeness, has long been a UFO hotbed. Arguably the first recorded UFO sighting in the state occurred in 1871 in Cedar Key, when, according to the book Weird Florida, resident Josiah Wilcox described a “fireball” UFO that “shot up like a gun straight into the sky” from the island’s shore.

the national ufo reporting center lists more than 5,300 florida sightings in its sprawling database. our state ranks second in number of sightings per month (40 to 50), according to the mutual ufo network.

A still of the controversial 2015 “twin UFOs” spotted over Vero Beach

160

|

ers exited the third farm on Okeechobee Road, the car petered to a halt shortly after 6 p.m. The engine was dead. The two men opened the hood of the station wagon but found that everything seemed to be functioning properly. It wasn’t until Cardenas was bent over the hood to inspect the car’s electrical connections that the engine began to reflect alternating red and violet light. A strange sound, later described as “a swarm of bees,”

ascended and then moved away.”

The lights disappeared, the rumbling ceased and the car sprung back to life, but Cardenas was nowhere to be found.

He turned up, disoriented, two hours later, in the middle of Tamiami Trail, nearly 10 miles from the scene of his disappearance. He had 108 marks on his body, and his head felt like it was being pricked by hundreds of needlepoints.

As he readjusted to his daily life, side effects of the incident included unquenchable dehydration, an unusually voracious sexual appetite and the bodily emission of a sulfurous odor that no deodorant could quell.

Under hypnosis, Cardenas later described a journey straight from the imagination of Asimov or Heinlein, charting his time as a cosmic guinea pig for humanoid aliens.

In its report, under “Offense,” the Hialeah Police Department wrote “Close Encounter of the Third Kind.”

Other unsolved cases in Florida’s history include the 1952 experience of a Belle Glade scoutmaster, who noticed strange lights in the woods while driving home some of his Boy Scouts.

He left the car to investigate, and when he didn’t return, the Scouts called 911. Finally, the scoutmaster stumbled out of the woods “looking dazed and scared.” He claimed to have encountered a disc-shaped metallic object hovering above the ground, which shot a hot mist at him, rendering him unconscious. An examination found burns on his hat and arms; grass and treetops in the area, according to reports, were scorched.

In April 1967, hundreds of students and eight teachers from Opa-Locka’s Crestview Elementary School witnessed three craft hovering over an adjacent field, during recess. A witness described the two smaller craft as appearing “to be dancing around the larger oval-shaped object coming down toward us,” which

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

UFO feature NOV 15.indd 160

11/4/15 2:02 PM

seemed to be “about the size of a cruise ship.” The Miami Herald printed the official response— helicopters on maneuver from nearby Homestead Air Force Base—but many witnesses don’t buy it.

The most famous—and most controversial—Florida case occurred Nov. 11, 1987 in the Panhandle hamlet of Gulf Breeze, a region notorious for UFO sightings. That’s the date a building contractor named Ed Walters claims to have seen a motley UFO in his front yard. He grabbed his Polaroid and positioned himself underneath it—at which time he was blanketed by a bluish-white light and lifted off the ground, where a voice announced, “Don’t worry, we will not harm you.” Like Cardenas, he then blacked out.

Walters’ story, covered by mainstream media as well as tabloids, has since come into question, but dozens of Gulf Breeze residents witnessed objects that night, and Walters passed every polygraph test he took.

Fact From Fiction These days, according to the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), the field’s leading investigative body, Florida ranks second behind California in the number of sightings, at 40 to 50 per month. The National UFO Reporting Center has been collecting eyewitness reports since 1974 and confirms MUFON’s numbers, listing more than 5,300 Florida sightings in its sprawling database. (Samples: Aug. 8, 2015, Lauderhill, 15 minutes, “I saw a formation of five or six illuminated round crafts moving overhead from east to west under the low cloud cover”; March 3, 2015, Boynton Beach, two and a half minutes: “Rounded triangle with red, green and blue lights.”)

Credible UFO researchers will concede that most of these objects—between 80 and 90 per-

cent, according to most studies— are common aerial objects. The sky is littered with unorthodox airplanes, bright stars, meteors, blimps, satellites, weather balloons, Chinese lanterns, flares, searchlights and experimental military aircraft.

But that still leaves a significant number of cases deemed to be “unknown” or “unidentified” by such investigative bodies as Project Blue Book, the Condon Committee and the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena. In Florida, the man most responsible for separating the wheat from the chaff is Morgan Beall, state director for MUFON. An outspoken 35-year-old with a background in earth science and a career in industrial hygiene, Beall has been involved with MUFON—like most ufologists, on a volunteer basis—since 2008. He spoke to Boca Raton, via Skype, from his home base in Southwest Florida.

“You have to weed out the people that are lying or are crazy, and you need a doctor for that,” he says. “Then you have the attention-getters and the witnesses that are telling the truth, the people that will report to a database like MUFON because they want people to know their experience or they want help.

“The person may sound like they’re being a little bit hysterical, but who wouldn’t be if they’d seen a craft larger than a city block over the top of their house?” he adds. “People do get into situations where they have PTSD, and they can’t get it out of their minds. I know it sounds disrespectful to soldiers, but it’s really no different than having an explosion right next to you. It alters your mind. It’s not a violent situation, but it turns your world upside down.”

Beall specializes in field research, responding to sightings and recording the results using the Close Encounter, or “CE,”

SCIENCE SAYS

Eric Vandernoot, an astronomy and physics lab coordinator at Florida Atlantic University, is a fan of science fiction and describes himself as “quite a Trekkie growing up.” As enticed as he is by the prospect of intelligent life in the universe, he’s not quick to accept the theory of extra-terrestrial visitations. Here are a few of his astronomical insights.

BURDEN OF PROOF: “Astronomers and NASA are looking for the evidence of life. They know of the existence of precursors: amino acids found in meteorites and comets and even just mixed in the gases existing out there. So there seems to be nothing that precludes the existence or possibility of actual life. That’s the rationale for the locations where they put the probes and rovers to investigate Mars. Many people who are talking about intelligent life will sometimes say that NASA is trying to hide the evidence of this, and that’s not true at all.”

STAR SEARCH: “The pursuit of exoplanets is slowly increasing in capability and is driving astronomers to come up with ever better technology to seek this stuff out. It’s quite the competition to be the first person to say, ‘I found a planet in the Goldilocks zone outside the solar system that has water on it,’ and the other conditions we think would be necessary for life.”

THE EINSTEIN FACTOR: “If [aliens are] really determined to [come here], there’s nothing to stop them, but it seems extremely unlikely that they would. First of all there’s Einstein’s relativity. General relativity, the one he came up with later on, doesn’t really preclude fasterthan-light travel. But special relativity, the instant-by-instant, locationby-location dealings that you have to encounter with the universe itself? That does preclude traveling faster than the speed of light.”

SIZE MATTERS: “The picture you see of the sombrero UFOs from the 1950s seems too small to accommodate that stuff. You need something more along the lines of ‘Battlestar Gallactica,’ where they lived their entire existence onboard the ship, and people had children, and people died. … It just doesn’t seem likely that they would have made their entire trip to be known to one or two individuals, possibly. Seems like a waste of effort!”

THE TRUTH HURTS: “There’s lots of sources [for aerial phenomena], but the fact that it came from somewhere else? I just don’t buy it.

I’ve looked in the sky for a long, long time. I’ve never seen anything I could not explain.”

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

UFO feature NOV 15.indd 161

|

161 11/4/15 2:02 PM

FOR A ROUNDUP OF SIGNIFICANT UFO SIGHTINGS AND EVENTS IN SOUTH FLORIDA IN THE 1990S AND 2000S, AS WELL AS A ROUNDUP OF LOCAL SIGHTINGS THAT WERE DEBUNKED WITH LOGICAL EXPLANATIONS, VISIT BOCAMAG.COM.

162

|

ratings developed by pioneering French researcher Jacques Vallee. A CE1 indicates a UFO within 500 feet of the witness, but leaving behind no aftereffects; in a CE2, the craft has left physical traces or injuries to the witness; a CE3 indicates the presence of occupants onboard the craft; and in a CE4, the witness has been abducted.

Beall has investigated a few CE3s but says that, “for the most part, they resulted in inconclusive results.” That’s because MUFON is careful and sober in its approach.

Anyone looking for wild-eyed theories about UFO motivations won’t find them from Beall.

“UFOs get put into an area of the paranormal, but it’s not,” he says. “It’s forensic science. It’s

no different than if you were going out to investigate a missing person, a homicide, an insurance fraud, or just a historical family tree. You do everything you can to be thorough, and you try to take everything in an objective process. It’s a matter of delineating the facts, finding out what we know about the case and what we don’t know.”

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

UFO feature NOV 15.indd 162

11/4/15 2:02 PM

in his first outing on boca raton’s beach, an orb appeared over the water and hovered for "about 20 minutes,” says larry coudriet. “do i believe this? no,” he says. “i know this. there’s no question.”

Local Legend MUFON is a massive, manytentacled nonprofit that has been operating for 45 years, with a member list exceeding 3,000.

But some researchers prefer to be lone wolves. Virgilio Sanchez Ocejo founded the Miami UFO Center in 1976, and it’s still a one-man research organization.

Ocejo is something of a celebrity in local UFO lore. He saw his first UFO in 1956 while attending the University of Havana, and he has seriously studied the phenomenon for nearly 40 years. He has appeared on paranormal specials on the National Geographic channel and Animal Planet, and in 2008 he was invited onto “The Howard Stern Show” for a surreal conversation about, per Howard’s introduction, “some strange crap happening in Chile.”

He is also the man responsible for breaking the Filiberto Cardenas abduction case, devoting 70 pages of his third and latest book, UFOs: The Physical and Psychic Phenomenon, to Cardenas’ remarkable narrative. On the UNICAT scale, a measure of credibility for UFO experiencers, Cardenas’ case ranks as an 8 out of 9, with a 9 being the asyet-unattainable “perfect case.”

(Cardenas has reportedly relocated to California since the turn of the century and has lost touch with Ocejo).

Today, Ocejo, 79, is largely retired from UFO studies—“If I go to get a floor sample, I’ll have to call 911 to stand back up,” he says—and he rarely accepts interview requests. But he agreed to meet in a Cuban

café near his home. Avuncular and affable, and usually spotted wearing a white panama hat, he proved to be transparent and good-humored when discussing a topic that remains inscrutable and shadowy. After some four decades of research and countless hours of unpaid legwork, he has yet to come to a conclusion about the reality of extra-terrestrials. Asked several times what he believes, he balked at the question, like any scientist yet to confirm a hypothesis.

“It’s very easy to say, ‘I believe,’” he says. “It’s not a matter of believing. It’s possible. The only thing I believe in is God. The rest is possibility. You have to collect data, analyze, and see what happens.”

His quest to do just that has led him to some perilous situations. When asked if his investigations have placed him under any danger, he replied, without hesitation, “many times.” It’s no surprise that he only agrees to be interviewed in public places.

In 2000, he visited Chile to investigate an unexplained light column in the sky, when “I was followed by people I called the Men in Black.

They were Chileans, probably from the government, dressed in suits and ties—very rare in the middle of the desert—in a white car. I said, ‘I cannot face them, because I’m a tourist.’ My friend opened the door and said, ‘Come out, I want to talk to you,’ and they sped away. …

They were terrorizing our witness.

My friend started receiving serious threats on his life.

“The problems I have do not [concern] extraterrestrials or beings from other dimensions. The problems I’ve received are from people on Earth.”

ALIEN ENCOUNTERS, PART I

Former Florida resident Jim Sparks claims to be a multiple abductee, and he has written a book based on his experiences. Recalling a 1994 abduction from his home in Fort Myers Beach, he told Florida Weekly that the “Grays” escorted him down a beach access path, where the glimmering craft was “docked” offshore. He remembers stubbing his toe on the elevated platform to enter the ship. He claims to have been a victim of genetic experiments onboard, but he’s OK with it, because the Grays are a peaceful race whose primary mission is saving Earth’s environment.

Kindred Spirits Other UFO devotees believe that they have the phenomenon figured out. On Jan. 27, 2015, a small gathering of UFO enthusiasts led by nationally known ufologist Steven Greer sat on folding chairs on Vero Beach, meditating. They were trying to establish contact with extraterrestrials by sending love and light to the beings in the sky, thus drawing the aliens toward them—a method Greer calls “CE5,” an addition to the Close Encounter scale that emphasizes, per Greer, “mutual, bilateral communication rather than unilateral contact.”

At around 9:10 p.m., in a video later posted on YouTube, a Canon EOS camera captured a glowing orange orb appearing out of nowhere, turning sharply to the right and settling just over the Atlantic Ocean, an estimated two miles from the beach. Less CONTINUED ON PAGE 238 BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

UFO feature NOV 15.indd 163

|

163 11/4/15 2:02 PM

& AFTER PARTY

....if you stay home you might miss something... — Andy Warhol

SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2016 Boca Raton Resort & Club Gala & After Party | 6:30 pm

After Party only | 8:00 pm

Featuring performances by DJ Jellybean Benitez and Michael Israel Honorary Chairs: Jennifer & Marc Bell Gala Co-Chairs: Terry & Shelly Adelman, Nancy & Martin Mallinger After Party Co-Chairs: Leslie & Scott Farber, Mhegan & Andrew Kravit, Kristen & Michael Majhess, Marzena & Greg Silpe Jean Spence Award recipients: Charlotte & Norman Codo Gala & After Party: $400-$50,000 | After Party only: $150-$500 Visit www.bocamuseum.org/gala or call 561.392.2500, ext. 208

BocaMuseumGala_brm1215.indd 1

Media sponsor:

11/4/15 1:39 PM

DECEMBER 10 - 27

w dates.

Performers rotate during sho ry performance. eve Not all performers will be at

CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON AT THE WICK THEATRE! Between our Dancing extravaganza featuring stars from

Dancing With The Stars and So You Think You Can Dance to kicking off the new year with the Lennon Sisters, you’ll never have to leave Boca to celebrate the holidays. With The Wick Theatre’s intimate, authentic setting, you’ll experience live theater the way it is truly meant to be seen. Visit our website for our entire schedule, and come discover why

Palm Beach Arts Paper calls The Wick Theatre and Costume Museum, “a credible, substantial new player in town.

RING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH THE LENNON SISTERS December 31 - January 2, 2016

BUY YOUR TICKETS! 561-995-2333 • TheWick.org THEATRE | TAVERN | COSTUME MUSEUM

CALL TODAY FOR RESERVATIONS

WickTheater.indd 1

MATINEES AT 2 PM • EVENINGS AT 7:30 PM 7901 North Federal Highway • Boca Raton, FL 33487

11/4/15 1:34 PM

On view through Jan. 10, 2016 A moving tribute to the human spirit and reminder of the fundamental importance of freedom and tolerance, marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and the Holocaust.

Left to right: Samuel Rothbort, Jewish Windmills [detail], 1956. Terry Berkowitz, Veil of Memory, Prologue: The Last Supper [detail], 2014. Shimon Attie, The Neighbor Next Door [detail], 1995. Izhar Patkin, You Tell Us What to Do [detail], 2010. Renata Stih & Frieder Schnock, Rosie Won the War [detail], 2015.

IN MIZNER PARK, 501 PLAZA REAL, BOCA RATON, FL 33432 561.392.2500 | BOCAMUSEUM.ORG

BocaMuseum_brm1215.indd 1

11/4/15 1:33 PM

backstagepass [ 168 hot list • 170 spotlight: boca raton singers • 172 take 10: john waters ]

[ by john thomason ]

MORE A&E COVERAGE AT BOCAMAG.COM Visit BOCAMAG.COM for all your local A&E coverage, including John Thomason’s Monday breakdown of the upcoming week’s cultural events; movie, concert and theater reviews; interviews with local entertainers— and much more.

“THE BARBER OF SEVILLE” WHEN: Dec. 3 and 5 WHERE: Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale ABOUT: Florida Grand Opera opens its landmark 75th anniversary season with a bona fide classic of the operatic repertoire—only this wasn’t always the case. When Gioachino Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” premiered in Rome in 1816, he was the fourth composer to adapt an opera from the same source material: the 1775 French comedic play “Le Barbier de Seville,” one of a trilogy of adventures revolving around the iconic trickster Figaro. It bombed

on opening night. Audiences hissed, booed and disrupted the production, thanks to an effective protest mounted by a previous adapter of the source material, Giovanni Paisello—the Salieri to Rossini’s Mozart. Needless to say, Rossini has enjoyed the last laugh, as his opera has emerged as the definitive interpretation of “The Barber of Seville,” which NPR lauded as “maybe the perfect comic opera.” Rossini’s sprightly score, full of earworms that burrow as infectiously as today’s pop songs, propels a farcical story about a count, his beloved, her grumpy keeper and the clever barber who orchestrates their madcap rendezvous.

COST: $65–$200 CONTACT: 954/462-0222, fgo.org

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

Backstage Pass 1215.indd 167

|

167 11/4/15 2:26 PM

backstage pass

WHEN: Dec. 5–6 WHERE: Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami ABOUT: In a holiday season where productions of “The Nutcracker” are produced by regional dance companies every weekend, audiences usually have their pick between traditional-opulent and traditional-budget productions. This is something else entirely—Tchaikovsky with two turntables, a microphone and a backbeat—so purists beware.

Reportedly conceived by hip-hop impresario Mike Fitelson at his parents’ kitchen alongside a bottle of scotch, “The Hip-Hop Nutcracker” reimagines the pine forest, the Land of Sweets and the iconic pas de deux with rap choreography, 12 professional dancers, an onstage DJ and a electric violinist performing “hip-hop hoedowns,” per the New York Times. Fitelson and choreographer Jennifer Weber take liberties with the source material—their Drosselmeyer is a telekinetic magician, and “Myron the Nutcracker” sells nuts from a grocery cart in present-day New York City—but its magical holiday spirit remains intact. The eveninglength hip-hop ballet includes a live performance by pioneering rapper Kurtis Blow, who is credited with creating the first successful hip-hop single with 1980’s “The Breaks.”

COST: $45 CONTACT: 305/949-6722, arshtcenter.org

© MARY ELLEN MARK

“THE HIP-HOP NUTCRACKER”

WHEN: Dec. 10–March 26 WHERE: Norton Museum of Art, 1451 S. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach ABOUT: “Tiny” Erin Charles, the teenager depicted in Mary Ellen Mark’s 1983 photograph “Tiny, Halloween, Seattle, 1983” cuts a sullen portrait, her costume a black dress with gloves, a veil and a funereal frown. Tiny had few reasons to be happy at the time. She was a 13-year-old prostitute hooking for a better life: diamonds, furs, a horse farm, a baby of her own. She was one of the most enduring subjects to emerge from Mark’s “Streetwise” exhibition, which shed a rugged light on the panhandlers, pimps, drug dealers and other forgotten figures living on the fringes of the Pacific Northwest.

Mark kept in touch with Tiny ever since, documenting her evolution through photographs, as the wayward teen became a mother of 10 (in the photo above, Tiny is to the left of her mother, Pat), five of whom were fathered by her husband, Will. Powered by Mark and Tiny’s decades of intimacy, “Streetwise Revisited” offers a powerful glimpse into intergenerational poverty, a topic whose branches encompass such issues as health care, mental health and child welfare. The exhibition doubles as a tribute to Mark, who passed away this May at age 75.

COST: $5–$12 CONTACT: 561/832-5196, norton.org

© MARY EL

“STREETWISE REVISITED”

LEN MARK

hotlist

LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III WHEN: Dec. 10 WHERE: Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach ABOUT: It’s hard to imagine now, but when he was a young man, future folk legend Loudon Wainwright III sold his guitar to pay for—wait for it—yoga lessons in San Francisco. We’re pleased he ultimately decided to value arpeggios over downward dogs, because he’s enjoyed a 40-plus-year career in music that has lost none of its vibrancy. Seeing Bob Dylan at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival solidified his career change; for a spell, he was one of countless folksingers to earn the sobriquet “the new Dylan.” Indeed, he’s managed to channel the self-effacing humor and social commentary of the early Dylan recordings—his biggest hit is still the 1972 novelty tune “Dead Skunk”—with an autobiographical poignancy all his own. On the heels of his 70th birthday, the singer-songwriter and father of accomplished composer Rufus Wainwright and folk rocker Martha Wainwright will visit West Palm Beach to support his 23rd album, the critically acclaimed “Haven’t Got the Blues (Yet).”

COST: $39 CONTACT: 561/832-7469, kravis.org

Backstage Pass 1215.indd 168

11/4/15 2:26 PM

BRAD ROSS: “UNBELIEVABLE” WHEN: Dec. 29 WHERE: Aventura Arts and Cultural Center, 3385 N.E. 188th St., Aventura ABOUT: If he’s good enough to impress Mickey Mouse, he ought to impress us humble South Florida folks. For the past six years, Brad Ross has been the timeless mouse’s magician of choice, touring with Mickey and his cast of characters on the Disney Live! world tours. Along the way, Ross has performed in 25 countries on five continents, earned praise from Rosie O’Donnell and received a Merlin Award for his eclectic and interactive performances. Not bad for a kid from Scotch Plains, N.J., who discovered magic at age 6 through a class offered at his Jewish Community Center. Now he’s a member of four magicians’ societies and the founder of Get Well Magic, a nonprofit that uses magic as a form of rehabilitation for hospitalized children. “Unbelievable,” a collection of new tricks and illusions Ross has been touring since 2014, offers a broad survey of his talents, from large-scale illusions involving disappearances, fire, levitation and swordplay to closeup tricks with pint-sized audience volunteers.

COST: $25.50–$35.50 CONTACT: 954/462-0222, browardcenter.org

h is b a n d ! rt is ts liv e w it h a zz ja st te a to d a y’ s g re Hear one of

24, 4pm y r a u n a J , y a Sund Church piscopal ry’s E a Raton St. Grego Blvd, Boc r e n z i M E 100 N

For tickets and venue informatio n, visit stg regorysep

iscopal.org

or call 561.395.82 85

gory’s Part of St. Gre ert Series 2015-16 Conc

DEC 6

PINK TALKING FISH WHEN: Dec. 18 WHERE: Revolution Live, 100 S.W. Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale ABOUT: It sounds like the name of a lost Dr. Seuss book, but Pink Talking Fish is actually a hybridized tribute band honoring the music of three iconic acts: Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish. On paper, it makes little sense. Trey Anastasio’s goofy jam-band noodling, David Byrne’s ironic postpunk precision and Roger Waters’ transcendent classic-rock bombast don’t seem to share the same musical playgrounds, let alone sandboxes. But great live music doesn’t exist on paper, and this impeccably tight quartet is rising on the strength of its surprisingly effective mash-ups, whether it’s sandwiching Talking Heads’ “Making Flippy Floppy” and Phish’s “Piper” in between the intro and outro of Pink Floyd’s “Run Like Hell” or discovering unlikely 20-minute medleys like the “Time/Ghost/ Psycho Killer” performance at this year’s Wanee festival. Open-minded listeners will appreciate the band’s imaginative concoctions.

COST: $29 CONTACT: 954/449-1025, jointherevolution.net

KODÁLY | MOZART | BEETHOVEN

JAN 10

BACH | PACHELBEL | PIAZZOLLA

FEB 7

COPLAND | POULENC | FAURÉ | MOZART

MAR 20

BEETHOVEN | IVES | MENDELSSOHN

SUNDAYS | 3PM

The Roberts Theater at Saint Andrew’s School | Boca Raton 866-687-4201 | Tickets@thesymphonia.org | www.thesymphonia.org

thesymphonia_brm1215.indd 1

Backstage Pass 1215.indd 169

169

B O C A M A G . C O10/21/15 M 3:36 PM follow the leader

|

11/4/15 2:29 PM

Gerald Luongo

A PROPER SALUTE Sometimes, the group’s most memorable performances are private shows for assisted living facility residents.

Luongo reflects on one that he’ll never forget: “The room was packed with senior citizens, and we did a patriotic concert. ... When we did ‘American Salute,’ with the themes of every branch of the military, we asked them, ‘When you hear your branch, stand up.’ These men and women stood up. You turned around and saw that some of them were so proud. You’d say, my God, look what we’ve done today. We’ve enriched their lives, brought back memories of the Second World War, or Korea or Vietnam.

This is what they need. It’s exciting to bring them music.”

170

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

Backstage Pass 1215.indd 170

11/4/15 2:26 PM

backstage pass [ SPOTLIGHT ]

All the Right Notes

LED BY ITS PASSIONATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, BOCA RATON’S PITCH-PERFECT COMMUNITY CHORUS PREPARES TO SING A NEW TUNE.

I

f you’re onstage with the Boca Raton Singers, you don’t want to get an eye roll from conductor and artistic director Gerald Luongo.

Because that means somebody’s off-key. Founder, board president and chorister Connie Paladino knows it well.

“I get the eye rolling onstage,” she says. “I’m facing the audience, and his back is to the audience. He’d be looking at me as if to say, ‘Why did he sing that note wrong?’ He could pick it out of 200 people.”

It’s a bad habit, Luongo concedes, but at this point it’s involuntary— the honest and irrepressible reaction of a pitch perfectionist when his internal antenna detects a flaw. But tough love is partly why this hardscrabble, everchanging, semiprofessional chorus has maintained such a high standard of quality over its 10 years singing for Boca residents. Passion for the craft tumbles out of Luongo like candy from a piñata.

Get him started discussing music, and he doesn’t stop. “[Potential choristers] have to understand one thing,” he says. “You have to be willing to learn. You have to be openminded, and you can never say, ‘I know it.’ You have to say, ‘Maybe I can learn it better.’ That’s what separates musicians.

The other thing is the preconceived knowledge that they know ‘how to sing.’

You have to teach them the mechanism. You try to give them a little theory—we’re doing this song because it has a rhythmic pattern, and the rhythm is this—and they get bored quickly: ‘But I’ve been a soloist!’

“It’s like I say, there’s no I in the word ‘chorus.’ If the Phantom just went out and sang his songs, and to hell with everybody else, ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ wouldn’t be so beautiful.”

“Gerald’s an outstanding director, he’s very demanding, and some people who can’t deal with that just want to go and have fun,” Paladino says. “The rest of the group is excited about learning and singing the right way.”

Part music sensei, part drill sergeant, Luongo joined the fledgling chorus in 2005, less than a year after its founding, and has programmed nearly every season since. He typically mixes classical choral repertoire with Broadway salutes and other pop programming at annual spring and winter concerts, as well as private appearances in assisted-living facilities.

The next performance, “Music and Candlelight,” will be Dec. 13 at Delray Center for the Arts, offering classical and holiday compositions.

Fluctuating regularly in size—the chorus originally had up to 60 voices, but Luongo has quality-controlled it to around two dozen—the Boca Raton Singers are comprised of all ages, faiths and walks of life: retired professionals, doctors, lawyers, homemakers, students, veteran vocalists from Florida Grand Opera. Members pay $125 in seasonal dues, agreeing to rehearse every Thursday and perform at concerts when scheduled.

Now 77, Luongo tried to retire from the helm in 2013, but his replacement didn’t share his conviction. As with “The Godfather,” they pulled him back in, just in time to usher in a new phase in the company’s history. Since 1983, Paladino has been running Language Exchange International, a Boca-based language school, and beginning with the Dec. 13 concert, the Singers will be integrating foreign-languagespeaking students into the chorus, comprising about 25 percent.

“I’m a French teacher, and the first thing I do with my kids is teach them a simple French song,” Paladino says. “It’s amazing how it becomes a universal way of teaching. They get the intonation, the rhythm, and they remember the words later on. I think we’ll have a lot more interest in the group when we’re announcing that it is now a combination of the former Boca Raton Singers and the intercultural group from Language Exchange.”

They can always use more interest. For its decade spent providing twice-annual cultural sustenance to a small but dedicated audience, the organization has operated without much of an advertising budget.

Paladino works for free, and Luongo takes a stipend when the board can afford to pay him, which hasn’t been often lately. The group was on the verge of bankruptcy just a few years ago, saved only by the Countess de Hoernle, who committed to a $10,000 yearly donation. Needless to say, neither Paladino nor Luongo do what they do for the money.

“My grandmother, who died at 102, was still singing opera,” Paladino says. “Maybe that’s part of the heritage you get, the love of it and the passion. The shows Gerald puts on are magical. No matter what else is happening in your life, that couple of hours is magic.”

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

Backstage Pass 1215.indd 171

|

171 11/4/15 2:26 PM

backstage pass

take10

John Waters

IN HIS ONE-MAN HOLIDAY SHOW, THE CONTROVERSIAL FILMMAKER DECKS THE HALLS WITH NAUGHTY HOLIDAY MUSINGS.

172

|

Q1

Conservatives have been saying for years that we have a War on Christmas in this country. If they saw your show, would they consider you one of the warriors?

That’s a tough one, because I wrote in my book Crackpot why I love Christmas, and I guess I do love it un-ironically. However, I’m violently against state and church. I go to living crèches like people go to Halloween horror houses. I’m really frightened when I see them. I feel like Diane Arbus on a bad trip. So [conservatives] probably would not go for my act, even though I really do love Christmas.

Q2

Growing up in the Waters household, did you have holiday rituals?

We used to go down every Christmas Eve to our little community and sing carols. Santa would come, but I could see that Santa was the man that lived two doors up. It was so obvious to me, the voice and everything. And then we used to go to midnight mass, which I always hated.

Divine used to go to midnight mass.

The only time he passed in conventional drag—I always said he didn’t want to pass as a woman, he wanted

to pass as a monster—but the few times he was in regular drag, he’d go to midnight mass. The parents were all nice, but the children would give him dirty looks, because they knew something was wrong.

I always sent Christmas cards, and I still design one every year for 2,000 people. The famous story that happened in my family was that a Christmas tree fell over on my grandmother. I put a scene sort of like that in “Female Trouble,” and I talk about it in my show.

Q3

You dive into Christmas horror stories in this show.

Why do you think there are so many stories of disaster surrounding the holidays?

Because the emotions are so high. Everybody has been brainwashed to believe that it’s supposed to be this time of complete family happiness. And I know a lot of people that go home, and it’s abusive at Christmas. That’s why I recommend if you’re from an abusive family, bring a few abuse whistles home, and pass them out to everybody, and anytime anyone feels someone says something hurtful, you blow the whistle. People will be so shocked when it starts out, but then they’ll start laughing, and they won’t be mean.

GREG GORMAN

F

or cult filmmaker John Waters, sobriquets like the Pope of Trash and the Prince of Puke are not insults. They are compliments he’s earned over a 51-year career of cultural transgression.

His filmography is a dirty laundry list of subversive themes and sundry characters. In notorious 1970s titles like “Mondo Trasho,” “Pink Flamingos” and “Desperate Living,” sexual hedonists, foot festishists, lesbian wrestlers and deviant cannibals engage in all manner of unprintable behavior, all shot in his hometown of Baltimore and much of it performed by Divine, his cross-dressing leading “lady” and longtime muse. As author John G. Ives wrote in his monograph of Waters, “The good guys in a Waters film more often resemble the bad guys in most films.”

Throughout the ’80s and ’90s, Waters drifted toward more mainstream subjects, directing the socially conscious, PG-rated “Hairspray” and the juveniledelinquency satire “Cry-Baby,” both of which have been adapted into successful stage musicals. The man behind the movies, however, has lost none of his edge.

These days Waters is an elder statesman of trash, a 69-year-old provocateur whose career has shifted away from movies and toward other pursuits, like painting, writing (his memoir Carsick, which documented his journey hitchhiking across the American heartland, was a best-seller) and especially performing one-man shows.

For years, this unlikely spokesman for yuletide cheer has been touring his live Christmas special—promising to “put the X in X-mas”—and it’s finally coming to South Florida this month. He shares some of his holiday insights with Boca Raton, but be warned: They’re best absorbed with minds open and eggnog spiked.

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

Backstage Pass 1215.indd 172

11/4/15 2:26 PM

“[Conservatives] probably would not go for my act, even though I really do love Christmas.”

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

Backstage Pass 1215.indd 173

|

173 11/4/15 2:26 PM

backstage pass [ TAKE 10 ]

Q4

What’s been the most memorable Christmas present you’ve given and received?

One year I gave Divine a mink coat. We were hippies at the time, so it was a big deal. Of course, Divine wore it in “Multiple Maniacs,” so I got some wear out of it too. I think that was the most fun, because I got to give Divine a mink coat in a period when nobody talked about fur being a problem. But it was used, and as Liberace said, it was dead when I bought it.

As far as gifts I’ve received, usually rare books I don’t know about. I talk about how you should sexually reward people to give you good Christmas presents, and which acts you should perform considering how good the present is.

Q5

You released a Christmas music compilation in 2004. Do you have a favorite Christmas song?

I love the one on my album called “Fat Daddy,” because it was by the local deejay who I based the character Motormouth Maybelle in “Hairspray” on. … I think the most obnoxious one I’m secretly thrilled about is the barking dogs singing “Jingle Balls.” It’s the ultimate Christmas novelty song, where you could torture someone into a false confession if you played it enough.

Q6

You were set to film a children’s holiday movie at one point, called “Fruitcake.” What was the story?

It was about a happy family of meat thieves in Baltimore. We have them; they come around and say “Meat man!” You come down and order what meat you want, they shoplift it, and you pay half the price. It was a touching drama for children about a functional family of meat thieves, and how they help the poor people of Baltimore. Who knows, I still might make it.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “A John Waters Christmas: Holier and Dirtier” WHERE: Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami WHEN: Dec. 14, 8 p.m.

COST: $40–$125 CONTACT: 305/949-6722, arshtcenter.org

174

|

Q7

I’m curious about your career trajectory, having not released a movie since 2004, and having written a couple of books and done numerous live tours instead. Have you soured on filmmaking?

I wouldn’t say soured. As long as I have a way to tell a story, I’m fine. The film business radically changed, but who knows … I may have a TV show soon. I can’t talk about it, because it’s in development. But sour is a word that would imply bitterness or anger; I’ve had an amazing career. I just had a 50-year tribute at the British Film Institute; last year I had a 50-year tribute at Lincoln Center in New York.

I don’t have much to complain about. I’m scheduled for the next two years already.

Q8

If you were to release a film like “Pink Flamingos” now, would it still be considered controversial, or are millennials so jaded they’ve seen it at all?

When I do my show, the average age that comes to see me is like 25. They weren’t even born when I made “Pink Flamingos.” I think it’s not my best movie, but it’s one that still does its job.

It didn’t mellow in the can. It’s about limits, and everybody has limits. All young people are testing limits, and that’s the point of being young— wrecking what came before.

Q9

Any thoughts on the presidential elections so far?

I’ll vote for Hillary. And I want Bill as First Lady. I want him in an apron baking pies, like Mamie Eisenhower. I want Bill to be an oldfashioned first lady.

Q10

If you were to run for president, what would be your main plank?

Free hairdos for the poor. Let in immigrants to Donald Trump’s neighborhood. I did campaign for gay marriage with Gov. O’Malley, and we won, and I campaigned to get rid of the death penalty in Maryland, and that did happen.

I’ve even voted! One time, I voted a couple times.

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

Backstage Pass 1215.indd 174

11/4/15 2:26 PM

Celebrate 25 years with Us!

Artistic Directors: Dan Guin & Jane Tyree

One Night Only – Special Performance

Michael & Madelyn Savarick Trust presents

25th Anniversary Gala Performance Sat., March 19, 2016 at 6:00 pm

Countess de Hoernle Theatre at Spanish River High School Join us at this special performance recreating highlights from the past 25 years by the amazing guest dancers who brought their artistry to our stage.

25th Anniversary Post-Performance Celebration

sponsored by Boca Raton Magazine Following our Gala Performance join us at Boca Ballet Theatre’s studios to celebrate with the guest artists, patrons, former student dancers and their families from our 25 seasons of dance!

Tickets sold separately

Boca Ballet Theatre’s Season of Dance 2015-2016 • For Tickets (561) 995-0709 or www.bocaballet.org

Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Dept. of State, Div. of Cultural Affairs, Florida Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Performances, guest artists and dates subject to change. Photos by: Norman Gorback, Keith May, Silvia Pangaro, David Seabrooke, Tim Thomas.

bocaballettheatre_brm1215.indd 1

11/4/15 2:12 PM

OBIN BABITT FINE ART ROBIN BABITT FINE ART ROBIN BABITT FINE ART ROBIN BABITT FINE ART ROBIN BABITT FINE A RT

UnitedArtists_BRM1215.indd 1

Advertisement

N ATA LYA KO C H A K A native New Yorker and graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago, Natalya Kochak delivers in her work a strong yet empathetic approach to humanity in her figurative art. Her childhood was characterized by movement and relocation throughout the United States, and her adult life has seen equal visits abroad.

These experiences have trained Natalya’s eye and hand to skillfully recognize and capture elements of personal, social, and cultural dramas, from the obtuse to the all but hidden.

Natalya has worked as an Artist in Residence in Berlin and

Beijing. Additionally, she received a Kickstarter grant in 2011 for a public works project and the teaching of western artistic methods in Uganda. Now, a resident of Miami, Natalya continues in her practice, a synthesis of painting, mixed media, and printmaking, to explore the patterns of contemporary culture and the subsequent homogenization and disintegration of the individual.

For more information contact Robin Babitt, Artist Representative: (c)954.798.6122 (e)peaceandharmony37@gmail.com

DEBRA BRANITZ Debra Branitz was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.

While majoring in Art Education with a minor in Art History at SUNY New Paltz, she discovered the works of the French Impressionists, the Neo-­Classicists and the Romantic Realists.

Their use of color and play of light and shadow had a profound influence on her.

Debra’s work has appeared in various publications,including“New York Optimist”, “Art is Spectrum” and “International Contemporary Masters”,Vol. 8. Debra has exhibited at The Agora Gallery and The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery in New

York City, the Art Fusion Galleries in Miami as well as the Arts Arena Gallery in Delray Beach, Florida where she is currently a resident artist. Debra works predominately in oils on canvas and on wood panel and her style is considered contemporary representational painting. The subject matter she chooses is alternately whimsical and emotionally expressive. Debra currently resides in South Florida.

For more information contact Robin Babitt, Artist Representative: (c)954.798.6122 (e)peaceandharmony37@gmail.com

CAROLINA MISHAAN Carolina Mishaan’s art has always been an expression of her experience and ongoing exposure to the urban art scene through the streets of Bogota, Columbia and Miami, Florida. Carolina studied Art History at both Rollins College in Winter Park, FL and The University of Florida’s College of Fine Arts in Gainesville, FL. Her inspirations are drawn from pop culture, advertisements, sexuality and current events.

As a ‘Pop Graffiti Artist’, Carolina creates her art by using aerosols and acrylics, changing surfaces from canvas to wood,

cement, metal and glass. Carolina became a featured artist for Gainsville Fashion Week’s Art Gala & Auction in support of Rocket for the Art Foundation. In 2012, she exhibited at Wynwood Art Walks and donated one of her greatest pieces to the Morgan Pressel Foundation, signifying her view of a woman’s strength in the battle against breast cancer. Carolina currently resides in South Florida.

For more information contact Robin Babitt, Artist Representative: (c)954.798.6122 (e)peaceandharmony37@gmail.com

FRANCINE ROGERS

Francine hails from Bayside, New York where she was instilled with the love and excitement of photography, by her father, at the extremely young age of five. She enjoyed being in her darkroom where she developed her own negatives and prints As a young child, she saw her surroundings through the lens of her camera. For many years she captured the world without any formal training.

A graduate of Hunter College, of the City of New York, with a Master’s of Science Degree, she taught Elementary and Middle School for more than 30 years in New York and Florida. She incorporated creative photography into the curriculum wherever she taught. After retiring from teaching, she started taking formal photography classes.

“Much of my photography is reminiscent to Impressionistic

Photography. I use slow shutter speeds and double exposures to explore and show movement and the modulation of time as it passes from past to present and to future. I have recently embarked on working with landscapes, attempting to illustrate abstract, and evocative scenery as a motif to epitomize the idea of imagined space, a reminder that what I create through the viewfinder is only real to me.”

Francine’s photographs are in display in galleries in Florida and Atlantic City, New Jersey as well as several private showings. Her work has been selected to be on the cover of the all-photographer’s magazine, “ArtBlend” and won an international photographical contest in first place.

For more information contact Robin Babitt, Artist Representative: (c)954.798.6122 (e)peaceandharmony37@gmail.com

11/4/15 2:40 PM

Hans Aichinger, Sonnenfinsternis (Solar Eclipse), 2015, Oil on canvas, 31.5 x 39.4 in, Courtesy Maerzgalerie, Leipzig | Berlin

19th Edition 90 International Dealers Contemporary art, sculptures, fine art glass and photography Preview January 20, 2016 Fair January 21 - 24, 2016

Special Pavilions Emerge Site: Installations & Projects Works on Paper artpalmbeach.com

Palm Beach County Convention Center 650 Okeechobee Boulevard West Palm Beach, Florida 33401 USA

NextLevelFairs_brm1215.indd 1

11/4/15 1:42 PM

WEDDINGS BAR & BAT MITZVAHS QUINCEANERA & SWEET 16 CORPORATE EVENTS CHARITY GALAS

one stop shop for all of your event needs •event rentals, tents, tables, chairs & linens •fabulous florals designs & centerpieces •unique themed decor & props •Invitation, favors & gift baskets •draping, lighting & more

fringeandcompany.com Fringe_brm1215.indd 1

561-361-4918 11/4/15 1:43 PM

Linens so amazing you’ll want to take them home!

WWW.ATLASPARTYRENTAL.COM | INFO@ATLASPARTYRENTAL.COM | 561.547.6565

atlaspartyrental_brm1115.indd 1

11/4/15 1:44 PM

WorthAvenue_brm1115.indd 1

11/4/15 1:45 PM

F L O R I D A ’ S P R E M I E R G O U R M E T C AT E R I N G A N D B E V E R A G E S E R V I C E C O M PA N Y

Mobile Bars • Gourmet Catering • Liquor Promotions • Full Service Event Printing 53 2 NW 7 7t h St , B oca R a t on , Fl 33487 • 1-87 7 PA R T YN I GHT • 5 6 1 - 9 8 9 - 8 8 7 9 • gotdri nk s@ gmai l . com

Celebrating 10 Years

W W W . G O T C O C K T A I L S . C O M L i c e n s e d & I n s u re d

PotionsMotion_BRM1215.indd 1

11/4/15 2:11 PM

“IF YOU M A K E GR E AT i ta l i a n FOOD T H E Y W IL L COM E ” Offering Complimentary Transportation To & From Area Hotels Open For Dinner Nightly Private Rooms Available for Parties of 6–45 499 East Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton • 561-393-6715 www.trattoriaromanabocaraton.com TrattoriaRomana_brm1215.indd 1

11/4/15 1:58 PM

diningguide [ 184 tramonti review • 186 houston’s review • 192 the boca challenge • 202 deconstructing the dish ]

for starters ARTURO’S

6750 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, 561/997-7373

ELISA’S BAKERY

I

f you want to give your sweet tooth a present for the holidays, let Elisa Gismondi-Tufano play Santa.

The longtime pastry chef at Arturo’s, the Gismondi’s elegant Boca Raton ristorante, won’t come down your chimney, but she has a dazzling array of sweets for the holidays.

Some are classically Italian, and others have a distinctly American pedigree. Pumpkin stars in a variety of guises, from cookies to ricotta cheesecake and biscotti with white chocolate. (You can even order a package of assorted cookies to take home.)

Gismondi-Tufano offers an authentic and rarely seen (at least in these parts) Neapolitan dessert, Pastiera Napoletana (pictured). A flaky tart crust is filled with a mixture of grains that are cooked down like rice pudding with milk, sugar, citrus peel, cinnamon and vanilla, then mixed with ricotta, eggs and candied fruit—and topped with a lattice of the crust.

It’s rich and creamy with a riot of flavors—enough to make jolly old Saint Nick with his plain milk and cookies just the tiniest bit jealous.

—BILL CITARA

DESSERTS AT ARTURO’S: $9–$22 (for Bananas Foster or zabaglione for two) SPECIALTY CAKES: Options include: giant cupcake-shaped cake, Barbie cake, Cat in the Hat cake, two- and three-tiered cakes, strawberry shortcake cake—with 10 different cake/filling combinations; prices upon request, based on order WEBSITE: arturosrestaurant.com

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

dining guide 1215.indd 183

|

183 11/4/15 2:08 PM

w

dining guide

IF YOU GO

review

HOURS: Daily 5–11 p.m. Lunch Mon.–Sat. 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m.

TRAMONTI

PRICES: Entrées $26–$39.50 WEBSITE: tramontidelray.com

I

f you’re not selling a pig, you don’t need lipstick. Or to put it somewhat less cryptically, if you turn out a really good product, you don’t need to tart it up with all sorts of ruffles, flourishes and assorted other lily gilders.

At Tramonti they’re not selling a pig. And they don’t need lipstick. What they are selling is firstrate Italian fare that channels the highly refined simplicity at the heart of one of the world’s great cuisines. So the artifices of many restaurants— the overly stylized decor, the too-hip-for-you ambience—are here as necessary as a tail on a Ferrari. It’s an approach that clearly resonates with local diners, who, since Tramonti was launched more than 10 years ago by Luigi Silvestri and family, have made it one of the most popular restaurants in town.

The elegant yet comfortable dining room fairly hums with energy at peak hours, while tables set on the spacious, sheltered outdoor patio give a bird’s-eye view of the perpetual bustle on Atlantic Avenue. Service is smoothly efficient and professional, while the wine list is lengthy and well-chosen.

Most any of those wines would make a fine complement to such classics as spiedini di mozzarella Romana and spaghetti al cartoccio. Both dishes, Tramonti signatures, are ones you’re not likely to see at area restaurants.

184

|

The spiedini is a cube of pure decadence, layers of bread and mozzarella, baked until the cheese oozes seductively and the bread takes on a sun-burnished hue. The spaghetti reveals its charms more slowly, arriving at the table hidden inside a foil packet, which is then opened to release the beguiling scents of precisely al dente pasta infused with a cognactinged tomato sauce, bits of salty prosciutto and sea-sweet shrimp.

The kitchen here isn’t afraid to let ingredients speak plainly for themselves. The message from a slab of perfectly grilled swordfish

What’s Inside

Tramonti’s calmer, more relaxed pace and Old World-esque—some might say “dated”—decor is part of its charm. The faux-painted walls—fake flowers in fake urns in fake stone alcoves—are probably a design anachronism, but they also feel like something you’d find in a venerable ristorante in Rome or Florence or Naples that sniffs at current trends and continues to do what they do best. Other design elements—the long row of French doors that open to the patio, the intricate brass-work shielding the wine alcove— are stylistically more contemporary.

Above: Tramonti’s dining room Inset: Spaghetti al cartoccio

anointed simply with lemon juice, mint and olive oil was, “I’m so fresh and exactingly prepared I don’t need any of that fancy-schmancy stuff.” (An extra spoonful or two of the not-sofancy-schmancy “sauce,” however, wouldn’t have compromised the message.)

Braciole Napoletana—a sheet of thinpounded pork wrapped around a filling of bread crumbs, herbs and cheese, then slipped into a tomato sauce—is lusty, rustic eating at its best.

There are the usual suspects on the dessert menu: tiramisu, cannoli, tartufo. But I’d put my money on the torta della nonna, a deceptively simple silken custard, rich shortbread crust and toasted pine nuts. It’s pure gastronomic lipstick.

No pig required.

—BILL CITARA

AARON BRISTOL

119 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, 561/272-1944

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

dining guide 1215.indd 184

11/4/15 2:08 PM

Parlez-vous Franรงais?

located in the 5 Palms Building | 455 E. Palmetto Park Rd., Boca Raton (561) 338-3003 | LNMbocaraton.com we offer Complimentary Transportation To & From Area Hotels Private Rooms Available for Large Parties

lanouvellemaison2__FINALBRM1215.indd 1

11/4/15 2:11 PM

dining guide review HOUSTON’S

1900 N.W. Executive Center Circle, Boca Raton, 561/998-0550

G

iven its standing as one of Boca’s most popular business-lunch destinations, it’s safe to assume that some of what happens inside Houston’s stays inside Houston’s. Who knows how many hush-hush deals have been made—or broken—over an order of Scottish salmon and seasonal vegetables?

But not everything about this staple of the Hillstone Restaurant Group (there are nearly 20 Houston’s around the country, including three in Florida) is classified information. It’s no secret that Houston’s can stand on more than its reputation as a lunchtime haunt for the corporate crowd; locals of all stripes also pack the place for dinner. Still, even for a chain restaurant that is more the exception than the rule when it comes to an overall grade, there is room for improvement.

The ambience is bustling but adult, with a design that nods to Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Prairie House” structures. Service is impeccable, so efficient and accommodating that you’ll check your GPS to make sure you’re still in South Florida.

On the menu front, there is nothing fancy,

186

|

IF YOU GO PRICES: Entrées $17–$46 HOURS: 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.

WEBSITE: hillstone.com/houstons nothing special, nothing to make the hardcore foodie heart go pitter-patter. What is offered certainly keeps the regulars coming back, but upon further review, several of the dishes could use just a bit more focus.

Clam chowder, for example, had the makings of a home run—just the right creamy-butnot-viscous texture, rich and clammy flavor, and plenty of crunchy croutons. The only thing missing? Clams. There were only a few in the entire bowl.

Caesar salad, meanwhile, was composed of too many tough outer leaves of romaine and a mustard-based, eggless dressing that tastes nothing like a traditional Caesar dressing. It’s not a bad salad—it’s just not a true Caesar.

A pair of sizable crab cakes hit and missed.

Both were loaded with fat chunks of crab just

barely bound together; one was sea-sweet and succulent, the other tasted old and fishy. Parsley-laden cole slaw, however, was terrific.

Among the sandwich favorites, the crispy grouper and the hickory burger with applewood-smoked bacon stand out, not to mention a French dip with thinly sliced, melt-inyour-mouth prime rib that might be one of the best in town.

You wouldn’t think barbecue baby back ribs would be a popular item at a restaurant like Houston’s, but they are—and for good reason. They’re not really smoked low-n-slow like true barbecue, but they’re definitely tasty and tender ribs. (The sauce was a bit too sweet, but that’s the case with most barbecue sauces.) If you get the baked potato, it will be approximately the size of a duffel bag and generously garnished with all the usual accompaniments.

Dessert selections are limited, though you can do a lot worse than the dense, chocolate-y brownie with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

It turns out that Houston’s is taking care of business in more ways than one.

AARON BRISTOL

Sashimi ahi tuna salad

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

dining guide 1215.indd 186

11/4/15 2:08 PM

Angelo Elia Pizza Logo - Color Profile

WHERE SIMPLICITY WHERE SIMPLICITY AND ARTISTRY DINE AND ARTISTRY DINE TOGETHER NIGHTLY. TOGETHER NIGHTLY. AUTHENTIC ITALIAN CLASSIC

DISHES PAIRED WITH AN AUTHENTIC ITALIAN CLASSIC AWARD-WINNING DISHES PAIREDWINE WITHLIST AN IN A CONTEMPORARY SETTING AWARD-WINNING WINE LIST EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE INWITH A CONTEMPORARY SETTING WITH EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE

UPSCALE ITALIAN ITALIAN UPSCALE TAPAS, PIZZAS, PIZZAS, TAPAS, AND WINE BAR AND WINE BAR GATHERING PLACE WHERE

GATHERING WHERE FRIENDS PLACE CAN ENJOY SMALL PLATES, GREAT FRIENDS CAN ENJOY AND AUTHENTIC SMALL PLATES, ITALIAN GREAT PIZZA IN A VIBRANT AND AUTHENTIC ITALIAN ATMOSPHERE PIZZA IN A VIBRANT ATMOSPHERE

4215 North Federal Highway Oakland Park | 954.561.7300 1201 North Federal Highway Fort Lauderdale | 954.564.1234 171 East Palmetto Park Road

1201 North Federal Highway Boca Raton | 561.996.1234 Fort Lauderdale | 954.564.1234 Atlantis 171 East Palmetto Park Road Paradise Island, Atlantis | 242.363.3000 | Boca Raton 561.996.1234 www.casa-d-angelo.com

Atlantis Paradise Island, Atlantis | 242.363.3000 www.casa-d-angelo.com CasaD'Angelo_brm1115.indd 1

1370 Weston Road

4215Weston North Federal Highway | 954.306.0037 Oakland Park | 954.561.7300 16950 Jog Road 1370 Weston Road | 561.381.0037 Delray Beach

Weston | 954.306.0037

5920 Coral Ridge Drive | 954.344.1233 Jog Road Coral16950 Springs Delray Beach | 561.381.0037 www.angeloeliapizza.com

www.dangelopizza.com

Coming soon to Coral Springs!

11/4/15 1:59 PM

dining guide DINING KEY

$ Inexpensive: Under $17 $$ Moderate: $18–$35 $$$ Expensive: $36–$50 $$$$ Very Expensive: $50 +

PALM BEACH COUNTY BOCA RATON 13 american table —451 E. Palmetto

Fine Wines

Every year since 2000, chef Angelo Elia at Casa D’Angelo has been honored with the “Best of Award of Excellence” from Wine Spectator magazine.

Park Road. Contemporary American. This cozy, artfully rustic spot is one of the few restaurants in the U.S. that has a Josper oven, a pricy, charcoal-fired grill-oven hybrid that cooks foods quickly at high heat to retain maximum flavor and texture. It works like a charm on chicken, resulting in remarkably crisp skin and tender meat, as well as on fist-sized shrimp you can customize with one of several sauces.

Don’t miss feather-light profiteroles filled with caramel and pumpkin mousse. • Dinner nightly. 561/409-2061. $$

abe & louie’s —2200 W. Glades Road.

Steaks. This outpost of the Boston steak house cooks up slabs of well-aged, USDA Prime beef like nobody’s business. Two of the best are the bone-in rib-eye and New York sirloin. Start with a crab cocktail, but don’t neglect side dishes like steamed spinach and hash browns.

• Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly. Brunch Sun. 561/447-0024. $$$

arturo’s ristorante—6750 N. Federal Highway. Italian. Arturo’s quiet, comfortable dining room; slightly formal, rigorously professional service; and carefully crafted Italian dishes never go out of style. You’ll be tempted to make a meal of the array of delectable antipasti from the antipasti cart, but try to leave room for main courses like fresh jumbo shrimp grilled in hot marinara sauce. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. 561/997-7373. $$$ biergarten—309 Via De Palmas, #90. German/Pub. Part vaguely German beer garden, part all-American sports bar, this rustic eatery offers menus that channel both, as well as an excellent selection of two-dozen beers on tap and the same number by the bottle. The food is

188

|

basic and designed to go well with suds, like the giant pretzel with a trio of dipping sauces and the popular “Biergarten burger.” • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/395-7462. $

boca landing—999 E. Camino Real. Contemporary American. No Hollywood celebrity has gotten a better face-lift than Boca’s aging Bridge Hotel, now the sleek, contemporary Waterstone Resort & Marina. The hotel’s new signature restaurant, Boca Landing, is equally stunning, showing off its prime waterfront location and views. The mostly small-plates menu features Asian-inflected tuna tartare, green curry mussels and fried calamari. Probably the best dish, though, is the thoroughly continental filet mignon with crab and béarnaise, with wickedly luscious house-made hazelnut gelato coming in a very close second.

• Dinner daily. 561/368-9500. $$

bonefish grill—21069 Powerline Road.

Seafood. Market-fresh seafood is the cornerstone—like Chilean sea bass prepared over a wood-burning grill and served with sweet Rhea’s topping (crabmeat, sautéed spinach and a signature lime, tomato and garlic sauce.) • Dinner nightly. Lunch on Saturdays. 561/4834949. (Other Palm Beach County locations: 1880 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach, 561/732-9142; 9897 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth, 561/9652663; 11658 U.S. Highway 1, North Palm Beach, 561/799-2965) $$ brio tuscan grille—5050 Town Center Circle, #239. Italian. The Boca outpost of this national chain does what it set out to do—dish up big portions of well-made, easily accessible Italianesque fare at a reasonable price. If you’re looking for bruschetta piled with fresh cheeses and vegetables or house-made fettuccine with tender shrimp and lobster in a spicy lobster butter sauce, you’ll be one happy diner. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. Brunch Sat.–Sun. 561/392-3777. (Other Palm Beach County locations: The Gardens Mall, 3101 PGA Blvd., 561/622-0491; CityPlace, 550 S. Rosemary Ave., 561/835-1511) $$

butcher block grill—7000 W. Camino Real, #100. Steak house/Contemporary American. This casual steak house with a Mediter-

ranean twist and a local, seasonal, sustainable ethos gives the stuffy old-fashioned meatery a swift kick in the sirloin. Beef here is all-natural and grass-fed, delivering big, rich, earthy flavor; the New York strip is 12 ounces of carnivorous pleasure. Seafood, whether raw (tuna crudo) or simply grilled (wild-caught salmon), is palatepleasing as well. Don’t miss the fresh mozzarella, made and assembled into a salad at your table. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/409-3035. $$$

the capital grille—6000 Glades Road.

Steaks. This is one of more than three dozen restaurants in a national chain, but the Boca Grille treats you like a regular at your neighborhood restaurant. Steaks, dry-aged if not Prime, are flavorful and cooked with precision, while starters from Wagyu beef carpaccio to a lighter version of the hardy chopped salad are nicely done too.

Parmesan truffle fries are crispy sticks of potato heaven; chocolate-espresso cake a study in shameless, and luscious, decadence. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. 561/368-1077. $$$

casa d’angelo —171 E. Palmetto Park Road. Italian. Angelo Elia’s impeccable Italian restaurant is a delight, from the stylish room to the suave service to the expansive wine list, not to mention food that’s by turn elegant, hearty, bold, subtle and always delicious. Dishes off the regular menu make excellent choices, like char-grilled jumbo prawns with artichoke, arugula, lemon and olive oil. But pay attention to specials like pan-seared snapper and scallops in a spicy, garlicky cherry tomato sauce. • Dinner nightly. 561/338-1703. $$$ the cheesecake factory—5530 Glades Road. American. Oh, the choices! The chain even has a Sunday brunch menu in addition to its main menu, which includes Chinese chicken salad and Cajun jambalaya. Don’t forget about the cheesecakes—from white chocolate and raspberry truffle offerings. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/393-0344. (Other Palm Beach County locations: CityPlace, West Palm Beach, 561/8023838; Downtown at the Gardens, Palm Beach Gardens, 561/776-3711) $$

chops lobster bar—101 Plaza Real S., Royal Palm Place. Steak, seafood. Steaks are

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

dining guide 1215.indd 188

11/4/15 2:08 PM

The perfect party always starts with the right setting.

The Seagate Country Club

The Seagate Hotel Coral Ballroom

The Atlantic Grille

The Seagate Country Club

Come celebrate the holidays at The Atlantic Grille Christmas Day: Join us for our Signature Christmas Dinner and special holiday-themed menu.

New Years Eve: Enjoy a special menu, live entertainment, and a champagne toast at midnight.

For reservations, call 561.790.8568 Whether you choose our chic country club with banqueting for up to 300 guests, one of our exquisite hotel ballrooms, or the sleek Atlantic Grille, The Seagate has the ideal setting to set your party apart.

Call 561.228.4184 to start planning your event.

TheSeagateHotel.com HOTEL • SPA • BEAC H CLUB • COUNTRY CLUB • YACHT CLUB • RESI D E N C E S

Seagate_grille_brm1215.indd 1 SHG 39916 Boca Magazine_FP_Holiday Events_AG_MECH.indd 1

11/4/15 2:00 10/26/15 1:29 PM PM

dining guide aged USDA Prime—tender, flavorful and perfectly cooked under a 1,700-degree broiler.

There’s all manner of fish and shellfish, but you’re here for the lobster, whether giant Australian tails flash-fried and served with drawn butter or sizable Maine specimens stuffed with lobster. • Dinner nightly. 561/395-2675. $$$$

although there are more than 40 nationwide. It’s one of the hottest lunch spots in town, hosting business types and power shoppers. The menu is straightforward—big burgers on sweet egg buns, Caesar salad, roasted chicken, filet mignon—but it’s not lacking in ingenuity. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/998-0550. $$

cuban café —3350 N.W. Boca Raton Blvd.

josef’s table —5030 Champion Blvd.

Cuban. Diners pack this traditional Cuban restaurant for lunch specials that start at $7.95, including slow-roasted pork served with white rice and black beans. Other highlights include the Cuban sandwich and (on the dinner menu only) lechón asado. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/750-8860. $

Continental. Though the kitchen does have a timid hand with sauces and seasonings, there’s no quibbling about the execution, whether a light, refreshing “tower” of lump crabmeat with mango, cucumber and tomato; rosy-rare double-cut lamb chops with port wine-mint sauce; pan-seared hogfish with orange beurre blanc; or the richly decadent half-moon chocolate tart. • Dinner nightly. Lunch Mon.–Fri. 561/353-2700. $$$

davinci’s of boca—6000 Glades Road.

Italian. Expect carefully prepared Italian fare that will satisfy both traditionalists and the more adventurous. The former will like crisp, greaseless fried calamari and hearty lasagna made with fresh pasta. The latter will enjoy creamy burrata with prosciutto, tomato jam and arugula and a branzino served with spinach, clams and shrimp. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/362-8466. $$ dorsia—5837 N. Federal Highway. Continental.

The simple pleasures of the table—good food, personable service, comfortable ambience—are what this modestly stylish restaurant is all about.

The menu has a strong Italian bent, evidenced by dishes like a trio of fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with an airy three-cheese mousse, and a cookbook-perfect rendition of veal scaloppine lavished with artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and a tangy lemon-white wine sauce. • Dinner nightly 561/961-4156. $$ farmer’s table —1901 N. Military Trail.

American. Fresh, natural, sustainable, organic and local is the mantra at this both tasty and health-conscious offering from Mitchell Robbins and Joey Giannuzzi. Menu highlights include flatbreads, slow-braised USDA Prime short rib and the popular Buddha Bowl, with veggies, udon noodles and shrimp. • Breakfast Mon.–Fri. Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly.

Brunch Sat.–Sun. 561/417-5836. $

Crazy Happy

As if the food weren’t sublime enough, La Ferme offers “Insanity Bliss” happy hour specials at the bar, Monday through Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m.

grand lux cafe —Town Center at Boca Raton. American. The Cheesecake Factory’s sister brand is an upscale take on the original formula, with an atmosphere inspired by the great cafes of Europe. The menu offers a range of international flavors, and the specialty baked-to-order desserts are always a big hit. • Lunch and dinner daily; breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. 561/392-2141. $$ the grille on congress—5101 Congress Ave. American. Dishes at this longtime favorite range from tasty chicken dishes and main-plate salads to seafood options like Asian-glazed salmon or pan-seared yellowtail snapper. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/912-9800. $$

houston’s—1900 N.W. Executive Center Circle. American. With rustic features like butcher-block tables and comfy padded leather booths, Houston’s has created a “nonchain” feel,

190

|

josephine’s —5751 N. Federal Highway.

Italian. Tradition trumps trendy, and comfort outweighs chic at this Boca favorite. The ambience is quiet and stately but not stuffy, and the menu is full of hearty dishes to soothe the savage appetite, like three-cheese eggplant rollatini and chicken scarpariello. • Dinner nightly. 561/988-0668. $$

kapow noodle bar—431 Plaza Real. PanAsian. This wickedly stylish Asian-inspired gastropub delivers a delicious and inventive punch to the taste buds. Among the hardest hitters is tuna poke with sesame citrus soy-marinated ahi tuna, crispy wontons and habanero cucumber cream—not to mention cheesecake springrolls with a banana caramel dipping sauce. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/347-7322. $

kathy’s gazebo café —4199 N. Federal Highway. Continental. This local stalwart smoothly rolls along with its signature blend of French and Continental dishes. The ornate, formal dining room and equally formal service are anomalies these days but are comforting nonetheless. Classic dishes like creamy lobster bisque, house-made duck paté, broiled salmon with sauce béarnaise and dreamy chocolate mousse are as satisfying as ever. • Lunch Mon.– Fri. Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/395-6033. $$$

ke’e grill—17940 N. Military Trail.

American. The attraction here is carefully prepared food that is satisfying, flavorful and reasonably priced. The fist-sized crab cake is a good place to start, followed by sea bass with a soy-ginger-sesame glaze. • Dinner nightly.

561/995-5044. $$$

la ferme—9101 Lakeridge Blvd. French/ Mediterranean. Classic style and classically oriented French cuisine come together at this elegant yet comfortable restaurant in a west Boca shopping mall. Though there are a few Asian and Italian-inflected dishes on the menu, at its heart Le Ferme (“the farm”) is as French as the Eiffel Tower. Start with gougères, cheesy pastry puffs filled with béchamel; don’t miss the unconscionably savory cassoulet; and finish with a tux-n-tails version of pineapple upsidedown cake that takes a classic one better. • Dinner daily. 561/654-6600. $$$

BUZZ BITES I GELATO IN DELRAY: A taste of the tropics from the other side of the country has arrived in west Delray with the debut of Papalani Gelato (16950 Jog Road, 561/536-5866), a purveyor of artisan gelato, sorbetto, cookies and breakfast dishes that has set up shop in the always-bustling Shoppes of Addison Place.

Look for gelati inspired by the tropical flavors of Hawaii—macadamia nuts, coconuts, mangoes—as well as more traditional flavors, plus gelato cakes and pies, handmade chocolates, coffee drinks and smallbatch coffees.

The Delray Papalani is the first on Florida’s east coast for the Hawaiibased chain, whose two other Florida shops are in the Tampa area.

Additional shops are projected to open in other Palm Beach locations and in Broward County.

—BILL CITARA

la nouvelle maison—455 E. Palmetto Park Blvd. French. Elegant, sophisticated French cuisine, white-glove service and a trio of (differently) stylish dining rooms make Arturo Gismondi’s homage to the Boca’s storied La Vieille Maison the home away from home to anyone who appreciates the fine points of fine dining. The cuisine showcases both first-rate ingredients and precise execution, whether a generous slab of silken foie gras with plum gastrique, posh lobster salad, cookbookperfect rendition of steak frites and assortment of desserts that range from homey apple tart to bananas Foster with chocolate and Grand Marnier. • Dinner daily. 561/338-3003. $$$

la rosa nautica—515 N.E. 20th St. Peruvian. Expect no ambience, no pretensions, low prices and food that satisfies on a very high level. Good starters include antichuchos, chunks of grilled beef heart, and causa, a terrine-like layering of mashed potatoes and chicken salad.

Ceviche and the lomo saltado are among the best in South Florida. • Lunch and dinner daily.

561/296-1413. $$ la tre —249 E. Palmetto Park Road. Vietnamese. For almost two decades, this elegant little spot has been celebrating the delicate, sophisticated flavors and textures of traditional and contemporary Vietnamese cuisine. A house signature, shrimp tossed with coriander curry

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

dining guide 1215.indd 190

11/4/15 2:08 PM

451 E. Palmetto Park Rd. 路 Boca Raton 路 561-409-2061 Open Daily at 5pm

FOOD & DRINK FOR ALL! Find us on Facebook Badge

CMYK / .ai

@13AmericanTable

13AmericanTable_BRM1215.indd 1

Same owners as

#13AmericanTable

11/4/15 2:01 PM

dining guide the boca challenge

Chili

T

he first rule of pleasant conversation is don’t talk politics. Or religion. Or pizza. Everybody has an opinion—the correct opinion—and everybody else is wrong, wrong, wrong.

It’s probably best to avoid talking about chili too. Beans or no beans? Ground beef or shredded beef? Tomatoes or peppers? You don’t want to get in the middle of that debate when it starts heating up like a radioactive habanero. This space, however, has no fear of such white-hot foodie fisticuffs, which we proudly proclaim from our spot beneath a table in a fortified concrete bunker at an undisclosed location.

To prove our bravery (or foolhardiness), we’ve chosen a bowl o’ red as the subject of this month’s Boca Challenge. Chili, for the most part, is a pretty simple dish, so we kept the judging equally simple: taste, texture and value, averaged to yield an overall score.

As to whether a proper chili is made with or without beans, with ground beef or shredded beef, with tomatoes or peppers or both, we take no position.

So, please, put down the brass knuckles.

—BILL CITARA

TASTE

TEXTURE

VALUE

TOTAL

THE DISH

BREWZZI

The good—tender ground beef and kidney beans, big chunks of tomato and onion. The meh—a high ratio of beans to meat, very tomato-tasting sauce.

Still, not a bad effort. $9

CHILI’S

Sadly, the name doesn’t guarantee a good bowl o’ red. A murky taste, excessive salt and oddly gelatinous texture overwhelmed tender shredded beef and no beans. $5.29

GRANGER’S

Famous since 1977, according to the menu, and deservedly so. A big portion with lots more meat than creamy beans—and sauce that tastes strongly of chilies and spices. $8.

ratings:

fair

Brewzzi: 2222 Glades Road, Boca Raton, 561/392-2739

192

|

good

very good

Chili’s: 21078 St. Andrews Blvd., Boca Raton, 561/391-2300

excellent

Granger’s Grille: 215 N.E. Sixth Ave., Delray Beach, 561/276-7881

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

dining guide 1215.indd 192

11/4/15 2:09 PM

R I S TO R A N T E

For 33 years the family tradition continues...

DISTINGUISHED RESTAURANT OF NORTH AMERICA

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN CUISINE NEW ELEGANT OUTDOOR PATIO AVAILABLE PERFECT FOR AFTER DINNER DRINKS + CIGARS

Open daily for dinner and lunch (M-F) and special events for parties of 6-150. Live music nightly.

6750 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton | 561-997-7373 | www.ArturosRestaurant.com

arturos_brm1215.indd 1

11/4/15 2:02 PM

dining guide of a Canadian chain that styles itself a “New York grill and bar.” What Madison’s has going for it is an exceedingly handsome and capacious space, as well as service that is as professional as it is personable. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/994-0808. $$

Nick’s white-clam pizza

maggiano’s —21090 St. Andrews Blvd.

Italian. Do as the Italians do and order familystyle, sit back and watch the endless amounts of gorgeous foods grace your table. In this manner, you receive two appetizers, two salads, two pastas, two entrées, two vegetables and two desserts. • Lunch and dinner daily.

561/361-8244. $$

EDUARDO SCHNEIDER

mario’s osteria—1400 Glades Road.

Italian. This popular spot is swanky in its reincarnation, but the rustic Italian and ItalianAmerican fare keeps with an osteria’s humbler pretensions. Signature dishes like the garlic rolls, lasagna and eggplant “pancakes” are on the new menu, as are butternut squash ravioli and thick, juicy rib-eye served “arrabiata” style.

• Lunch and dinner daily. 561/239-7000. $$

pesto, is an inspired riff on Vietnamese classics.

Service and wines match the refinement of the cuisine. • Dinner nightly. 561/392-4568. $$

la villetta—4351 N. Federal Highway. Italian. This is a well-edited version of a traditional Italian menu, complete with homemade pastas and other classic dishes. Try the signature whole yellowtail snapper encrusted in sea salt; it’s de-boned right at tableside. Shrimp diavolo is perfectly scrumptious. • Dinner nightly. (closed Mon. during summer). 561/362-8403. $$ le rivage —450 N.E. 20th St. French. Don’t

Egg-celent

The eggplant stack appetizer at Merlino’s is a meal unto itself, with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and balsamic glaze.

194

|

overlook this small, unassuming bastion of traditional French cookery. That would be a mistake, because the dishes that virtually scream “creativity” can’t compare to the quiet pleasures served here—like cool, soothing vichyssoise, delicate fillet of sole with nutty brown butter sauce or perfectly executed crème brûlee.

Good food presented without artifice at a fair price never goes out of fashion. • Dinner nightly.

561/620-0033. $$

madison’s —2006 N.W. Executive Center Circle. American. This location is something of a Bermuda Triangle for restaurants, with at least four eateries preceding this local outpost

matteo’s —233 S. Federal Highway. Italian.

Hearty Italian and Italian-American food, served in giant “family style” portions, needs no reinventing. Though there is no shortage of local restaurants cooking in that genre, it’s the details of preparation and service that make Matteo’s stand out. Baked clams are a good place to start, as is the reliable chopped salad.

Linguini frutti di mare is one of the best in town. • Dinner daily. 561/392-0773. $$ max’s grille —404 Plaza Real. Contemporary American. After 24 years in Mizner Park, Dennis Max’s modern American bistro is a true local classic. The food and decor are both timeless and up to date, the ambience is that of a smooth-running big city bistro. Service is personable and proficient. The menu is composed of dishes you really want to eat, from grilled artichokes with rémoulade to wild Alaskan salmon with citrus beurre blanc to the wickedly indulgent crème brûlèe pie. It’s a classic.

Just like Max’s Grille. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Brunch Sat–Sun. Dinner daily. 561/368-0080. $$ merlino’s —39 S.E. First Ave. Italian. Promising to bring a little South Philadelphia swagger to the local dining scene, this handsome but not ostentatious restaurant got its initial buzz from the sometime involvement of reputed Philly mob boss Joey Merlino. The more long-lasting buzz should be about its first-rate Italian/Italian-American cuisine, which can satisfy both delicate (cheese-stuffed zucchini blossoms, simply roasted whole branzino) and hearty (classic pasta fagioli, lusty veal South Philly). • Dinner daily. 561/756-8437. $$$

morton’s the steakhouse —5050 Town Center Circle. Steak house. There’s seemingly no end to diners’ love of huge slabs of high-quality aged beef, nor to the carnivores who pack the clubby-swanky dining room of this meatery. The star of the beef show is the giant bone-in filet mignon, which trumps with unusually deep and meaty flavor. The side of

Grand Marnier soufflé is a cloud of luscious, citrus-y beauty that says while beef may be what’s for dinner, I am what’s for dessert. • Dinner daily. 561/392-7724. $$$

new york prime —2350 N.W. Executive Center Drive. Steak house. This wildly popular Boca meatery packs them in with swift, professional service, classy supper club ambience and an extensive wine list. And, of course, the beef—all USDA Prime, cooked to tender and juicy lusciousness over ferocious heat. The bone-in rib-eye is especially succulent, but don’t neglect the New York strip or steak-house classics like oysters Rockefeller, garlicky spinach and crusty hash browns. • Dinner daily.

561/998-3881. $$$$ nick’s new haven-style pizzeria—2240 N.W. 19th St., #904. Italian. Cross Naples (thin, blistered crust, judicious toppings) with Connecticut (fresh clams and no tomato sauce), and you’ve got a pretty good idea of the pies coming out Nick Laudano’s custom-made ovens. The “white clam” pizza with garlic and bacon is killer-good; Caesar salad and tiramisu are much better than the usual pizzeria fare. • Lunch and dinner daily.

561/368-2900. $

ninja spinning sushi bar—41 E. Palmetto Park Road. Japanese/sushi. “Whatever floats your boat” isn’t just a saying at this hipster sushi bar. Your sushi really does float on a boat, one of many bouncing along a channel cut into the top of the restaurant’s large, square sushi bar. High notes are the Mexican roll with tempura shrimp and avocado, and the sneakily fiery jalapeño-laced tuna tartare. If sushi doesn’t float your boat, gingery gyoza and crispy fried shrimp with a drizzle of spicy mayo probably will. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner daily. 561/361-8688. $$ pellegrino’s —3360 N. Federal Highway.

Italian. The bold, brash flavors of New Yorkstyle Italian-American cuisine are as in your face as a Manhattan cabbie at this low-key favorite of chef-owner Bobby Pellegrino, nephew to the clan that owns the legendary Rao’s in East Harlem. Pungent smells of garlic, anchovies, tomatoes and peppers fill the air; dishes like the rarely seen spiedini alla Romana, chicken Scarpariello and seafood spaghetti in Fra Diavolo sauce fill your belly. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/368-5520. $$$ p.f. chang’s —1400 Glades Road. Chinese.

There may have been no revolution if Mao had simply eaten at the Boca outpost of P.F. Chang’s—the portions are large enough to feed the masses—and the exquisite tastes in each dish could soothe any tyrant. We particularly like the steamed fish of the day, as well as the Szechuan-style asparagus. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/393-3722. (Other Palm Beach County location: 3101 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, 561/691-1610) $$ piñon grill—6000 Glades Road. Contemporary American. The menu seemingly lists every recent trendy dish to come out of modern American restaurant kitchens, but Piñon

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

dining guide 1215.indd 194

11/4/15 2:09 PM

We believe in sourcing our ingredients locally. We believe in perfecting the smallest details. We believe in the environment. We believe in craft.

And atmosphere. And people.

We stand for the lost art of dining.

We are Max's.

Book your holiday party with us!

(561) 756-9474 | honey@themaxgroup.com

MaxsGrille.com

maxgroup_brm1215.indd 1

MaxsHarvest.com

SoHoDelray.com

11/4/15 2:03 PM

dining guide succeeds with spot-on execution, mammoth portions and reasonable prices. Try the grilled artichokes with a zippy Southwestern-style rémoulade, a pair of giant crab cakes with more of that good rémoulade or a chocolate waffle with raspberry sauce that is the irresistible definition of lusciousness. • Lunch and dinner daily.

Brunch Sat.–Sun. 561/391-7770. $$

racks downtown eatery + tavern— 402 Plaza Real. Contemporary American.

Though the menu generally falls under the heading of modern American comfort food, that can mean anything from elegant presentations like the jaw-dropping lobster cobb salad to homier offerings like burgers and pizza, fiery Buffalo-style calamari, succulent chicken roasted in the wood-fired oven and an uptown version of everyone’s campfire favorite, s’mores.

• Lunch and dinner daily. 561/395-1662. $$ renzo’s of boca—5999 N. Federal Highway. Italian. The buzzword is fresh at Renzo’s. Fish is prepared daily oreganata or Livornese style, sautéed in white wine with lemon and capers or grilled. Homemade pasta is artfully seasoned, and Renzo’s tomato sauce is ethereal. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly.

561/994-3495. $$

ristorante sapori—301 Via de Palmas, Royal Palm Place. Italian. Sapori features fresh fish, veal and chicken dishes imbued with subtle flavors. The grilled Italian branzino, the veal chop Milanese and the zuppa di pesce served over linguine are especially tasty, and the pasta (all 17 kinds!) is available in full and half orders, with your choice of 15 zesty sauces. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly. 561/367-9779. $$

ruth’s chris steak house—225 N.E.

Currying Favor

Bring a little spice into your life: Sapphire can make you a party tray for up to 50 people.

Mizner Blvd. Steak house. This is a refreshing departure from the ambience common to many steak houses; the room is comfortable, and conversation is possible. Naturally, we come here for the steak (they are sublime), but the lobster and fish are great. All your favorite sides are here, too. • Dinner nightly. 561/392-6746. (Other Palm Beach County locations: 661 U.S. Highway 1, North Palm Beach, 561/863-0660; CityPlace, West Palm Beach, 561/514-3544) $$$

sapphire indian cuisine —500 Via de Palmas. Indian. Raju Brahmbhatt’s modern, sophisticated restaurant will smash any negative stereotypes of Indian cuisine or the restaurants that serve it. It’s sleek and stylish, with a well-chosen wine list and a staff that’s eager to please. The food is elegant and refined and alive with the complex blend of spices that makes Indian cuisine so intriguing. Try Bagarey Baigan, plush-textured, thumb-sized baby eggplants in a lush coconut-curry sauce. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/362-2299. $$

seasons 52 —2300 Executive Center Drive.

Contemporary American. The food—seasonal ingredients, simply and healthfully prepared, accompanied by interesting wines—is first-rate, from salmon roasted on a cedar plank to desserts served in oversized shot glasses. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/998-9952. (Other Palm

196

|

Beach County location: 11611 Ellison Wilson Road, Palm Beach Gardens, 561/625-5852) $$

sushi ray—5250 Town Center Circle. Japanese/Sushi. Impeccably fresh and exactingly prepared sushi and other Japanese specialties are on display. The Nobu-esque miso sea bass gives a taste of this modern classic at a fraction of the price of the original, while the chef’s sushi assortment offers a generous arrangement of nigiri and maki for a reasonable $20. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. 561/394-9506. $$

tanzy—301 Plaza Real. Italian. Part of the swanky iPic Theater complex (though it does not service the theater), this handsome spot relies on quality ingredients and careful preparation instead of culinary special effects and car chases. The Parma Bar, a sort of sushi bar for meat and cheese fanatics, also does terrific quattro formaggio fiocchi and spiced pear. Savory grilled skirt steak and massive bone-in veal chops are excellent, as are the braised Angus beef short ribs with toasted pearl barley and collard greens. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily.

Brunch Sat.–Sun. 561/922-6699. $$$ taverna kyma —6298 N. Federal Highway.

Greek/Mediterranean. Few present Greek cuisine better. Expertly prepared dishes cover the spectrum of Mediterranean cuisine, from cold appetizers (dolmades—grape leaves stuffed with rice and herbs) to hot starters (spanakopita, baked phyllo with spinach and feta cheese) to mouthwatering entrées like lamb shank (slow-cooked in a tomato sauce and served on a bed of orzo), massive stuffed peppers or kebobs.

• Lunch and dinner daily. 561/994-2828. $$ trattoria romana—499 E. Palmetto Park Road. Italian. This local mainstay does Italian classics and its own lengthy list of ambitious specials with unusual skill and aplomb. The service is at a level not always seen in local eateries. Pay attention to the daily specials, especially if it includes impeccably done langostini oreganata and the restaurant’s signature jumbo shrimp saltimbocca. • Dinner daily. 561/393-6715. $$$ truluck’s —351 Plaza Real. Seafood.

This stylish and sophisticated Mizner Park restaurant applies the steak house formula of classy, clubby ambience, formal service and an extensive wine list to seafood from across the nation, with great and consistent success. Crab is the specialty here and there are myriad versions—stone, Dungeness, Alaskan, soft-shell and more. Crispy soft-shells stuffed with crab and andouille are very good, if served without a drizzle of ketchup-y sauce on top. • Dinner nightly. 561/391-0755. $$$

twenty twenty grille—141 Via Naranjas. Contemporary American. You’ve probably licked postage stamps that are larger than Ron and Rhonda Weisheit’s tiny jewel box of a restaurant, but what it lacks in space it more than makes up for in charm, sophistication and imaginative, expertly crafted food. Virtually everything is made in-house, from the trio of breads that first grace your table to the pasta in

BUZZ BITES II FROM PIZZA TO JERK: Dak Kerprich is one chef-restaurateur who’s not afraid to roll the dice.

He came up aces with Pizzeria Oceano in Lantana, turning out acclaimed pies in a thimble-sized, out-of-the-way location with only a handful of indoor and outdoor seats, a cash-only policy and haveit-my-way (or else) culinary ethos.

Of course, all that success only made him want to roll the dice again, remaking Oceano as a fresh-local-sustainable Caribbean restaurant now called Jerk O (201 E. Ocean Ave.). It’s still tiny, cashonly and as unique as its chef and owner, but now it’s dishing up plates like blackened red shrimp with sweet pepper gravy and coconut grits, and wahoo with curried salt and hot-and-sour honey.

Picking up the black-and-whites once more, he’s opened another pizzeria, this one called Swell Pizza (309 N.E. Second Ave., 561/292-2020) in Delray’s Pineapple Grove district.

These pies are a little different than those at Oceano, the result of extensive experimentation with dough and a focus on healthy pies made with organic ingredients.

The menu is pretty basic. Three pies, either large or smaller, two reds and one white, with a roster of add-ons that lets you customize your pie to your individual taste.

The “Basic” pizza, for example, comes with tomato sauce, mozzarella, provolone, pecorino and basil, but can be jazzed up with everything from arugula to salame Calabrese.

It’s not cheap, and it’s takeout and delivery only, but if you’re hungry for Kerprich’s pies … well, you know what to do.

—BILL CITARA

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

dining guide 1215.indd 196

11/4/15 2:09 PM

The Office is a modern American gastropub that serves delicious, gourmet comfort food, in a setting reminiscent of a luxurious home office. Menu favorites include an array of juicy burgers, inventive salads, swell sandwiches, wonderful appetizers, mouthwatering seafood, chicken and beef entrees.

Vic & Angelo’s serves up delectable, rustic Italian cuisine, including soulsatisfying house-made pastas, crispy, thin-crust pizzas, refreshing salads, fresh fish and seafood, and enticing veal and chicken dishes, in a warm and welcoming setting.

• Lunch & Dinner Served Daily • Early & Late Happy Hour at Indoor & Outdoor Bars • Dine Indoors or on the Patio

• Lunch & Dinner Served Daily • Early & Late Happy Hour at Indoor & Outdoor Bars • Brunch Served Saturday & Sunday • Indoor and Outdoor Dining

201 E. Atlantic Ave. • Delray Beach • 561-276-3600 theofficedelray.com

290 E. Atlantic Ave. • Delray Beach • 561-278-9570 4520 PGA Blvd. • Palm Beach Gardens • 561-630-9899 vicandangelos.com

Vic&Angelos_Office_BRM_1115.indd 1

11/4/15 2:04 PM

dining guide in some rustic Italian hill town as the smells of garlic and tomato sauce waft through the air.

Start by sopping up the house olive oil with slices of crusty bread, then move on to a stellar version of clams Guazzetto and delicate fillets of sole done a la Francese. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner daily. 561/470-0112. $$

Uncle Tai’s chang sha shrimp

BOYNTON BEACH bar louie—1500 Gateway Blvd., #100. Eclec-

CRISTINA MORGADO

tic. Attempting to split the difference between happening bar and American café, Bar Louie in the sprawling Renaissance Commons complex mostly succeeds, offering burgers, pizzas, fish tacos and a variety of salads, all at moderate prices and in truly daunting portions. In South Florida’s world of trendy and expensive bistros, this is a welcome relief. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/853-0090. $

a suave dish of tagliatelle with duck and chicken confit. Don’t miss the jerk pork belly and grilled veal strip loin. • Dinner daily. 561/990-7969. $$

Glass Happy

Vino wine bar has more than 200 wines by the glass.

uncle julio’s —449 Plaza Real, Mizner Park. Mexican. Taking Tex-Mex cuisine gently upscale with better-quality ingredients and more skillful preparation, this colorful restaurant offers more than the usual suspects. You can get honey chipotle chicken fajitas, as well as beef fajitas, and one of the only palatable tamales around. • Lunch and dinner daily.

561/300-3530. $ uncle tai’s —5250 Town Center Circle.

Chinese. In an area with more cookie-cutter Chinese restaurants than cookies, Uncle Tai’s stands out for the elegance of its decor, the professionalism of its service and its careful preparation of familiar and less-familiar dishes. The “specialties” section of the menu has exciting dishes, like the Hunan vegetable pie, finely minced veggies sandwiched between sheets of crispy bean curd skin, and Hunanstyle lamb, whose seared and succulent meat shows off the kitchen’s skill in the use of wok qi.

• Lunch and dinner daily. 561/368-8806. $$$ villagio italian eatery—344 Plaza Real. Italian. The classic Italian comfort food at this Mizner Park establishment is served with flair and great attention to detail. The reasonably priced menu—with generous portions— includes all your favorites (veal Parmesan, Caesar salad) and some outstanding seafood dishes (Maine lobster with shrimp, mussels and clams on linguine). There is a full wine list and ample people-watching given the prime outdoor seating. • Lunch and dinner daily.

561-447-2257. $$

198

|

vino —114 N.E. Second St. Wine Bar/Italian.

An impressive wine list of some 300 bottles (all available by the glass) offers a multitude of choices, especially among Italian and California reds. The menu of “Italian tapas” includes roasted red peppers with Provolone, as well as ricotta gnocchi with San Marzano tomatoes.

• Dinner Tues.–Sat. 561/869-0030. $

WEST BOCA city fish market—7940 Glades Road.

Seafood. A multimillion-dollar remodel of the old Pete’s has turned it into an elegant seafood house with a lengthy seafood-friendly wine list, impeccably fresh fish and shellfish cooked with care and little artifice. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. 561/487-1600. $$ sybarite pig—20642 State Road 7. Contemporary American. A labor of love, pork and beer, everything at the Pig but the coarse-grain mustard is made in-house, from the bread for sandwiches to the eclectic sauces to the variety of terrific sausages. Roasted bone marrow and wagyu duck fat burgers, along with subtly spicy “Hellswine,” are among the standouts. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. Brunch Sun. 561/883-3200. $ tempura house—9858 Clint Moore Road, #C-112. Japanese/Asian. Dark wood, rice paper and tiles fill the space. An appetizer portion of Age Natsu, fried eggplant, is a consummate Japanese delicacy. Don’t miss the ITET roll with shrimp tempura and avocado, topped with spicy mayo, tempura flakes and eel sauce. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/883-6088. $$

villa rosano —9858 Clint Moore Road. Italian. You can be forgiven for imagining yourself

china dumpling—1899-5 N. Congress Ave., #5. Chinese. Chinese restaurants in South Florida are routinely maligned, but this modest little strip-center gem holds its own, year after year. Everything is well-prepared, but the dim sum basket is an instant classic. Meanwhile, the pork dumplings and shrimp dumplings are not to be missed. • Lunch and dinner daily.

561/737-2782. $ prime catch—700 E. Woolbright Road.

Seafood. Waterfront restaurants are few and far between in our neck of the woods, and those with good food are even more rare. Prime Catch, at the foot of the Woolbright bridge on the Intracoastal, is a best-kept secret. The simple pleasures here soar—a perfectly grilled piece of mahi or bouillabaisse overflowing with tender fish. Don’t miss one of the best Key lime pies around. • Lunch and dinner daily, Sunday brunch. 561/737-8822. $$

sushi simon—1614 S. Federal Highway.

Japanese. It’s been called “Nobu North” by some aficionados, and for good reason. Local sushi-philes jam the narrow dining room for such impeccable nigirizushi as hamachi and uni (Thursdays), as well as more elaborate dishes like snapper Morimoto and tuna tartare.

Creative, elaborate rolls are a specialty. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/731-1819. $$

DELRAY BEACH 3rd and 3rd—301 N.E. Third Ave. Gastropub. John Paul Kline’s quirky, individualistic, obscurely located little place is one of the most important restaurants in Delray. The menu changes frequently, but hope the evening’s fare includes plump scallops with caramelized mango sauce, stunning delicious roasted cauliflower with Parmesan mousse and bacon, and wicked-good espresso panna cotta on it at your visit. • Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/303-1939. $$ 32 east —32 E. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American. At a time when chefs and restaurants seem to be constantly shouting their own praises, Nick Morfogen and 32 East go quietly about their way of serving thoughtfully conceived, finely crafted dishes with a minimum of

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

dining guide 1215.indd 198

11/4/15 2:09 PM

“The Italian Restaurant on the Beach” –proudly serving you for 20 years!

BEST ITALIAN READERS’ CHOICE AWARD 2009, 2012, 2013 BEST WINE LIST BOCA RATON MAGAZINE 2008, 2012 BEST BRUNCH BOCA RATON MAGAZINE 2006, 2012 BEST OCEANFRONT DINING READERS’ CHOICE AWARD 2005, 2010 WINE SPECTATOR AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 2003-2014

34 South Ocean Boulevard, Delray Beach • 561-274-9404 • caffelunarosa.com •

/caffelunarosa

Now Serving Our Brunch & Dinner Menus 7 Days | Live Entertainment | Valet Parking

caffelunarosa_brm1215.indd 1

11/4/15 2:04 PM

dining guide Jalapeños rellenos at Cabo Flats

comfort food to west Delray. A few dishes from Max’s other eatery, Max’s Grille, have made the trek, like the hearty chopped salad and bacon-wrapped meatloaf. Other dishes are variations on the comfort food theme, including a stellar truffle-scented wild mushroom pizza. • Dinner daily. Sunday brunch.

561/638-6380. $$$

cabana el rey—105 E. Atlantic Ave. Cuban tropical. Little Havana is alive and well in Delray.

The menu is a palette-pleasing travelogue, including starters like mariquitas (fried banana chips) and main courses such as seafood paella (think mussels, shrimp, clams, conch, scallops and octopus). • Lunch and dinner daily.

561/274-9090. $$ cabo flats—Delray Marketplace, 14851 Lyons Road. Mexican. Mexican cuisine often has more personas than Madonna. This highly stylized cantina adds another—that of California’s Chicano culture. All your favorite Mexican dishes are there, as well as enormous margaritas, but also niftier items like the crispy tuna tacos. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/499-0378. $

fuss and artifice. The menu changes daily, but recent examples of Morfogen’s culinary expertise include crispy squash blossoms on eggplant caponata and local black grouper—cooked Greek style with red beet hummus and tzatziki.

When the food is this good, you don’t need to shout. • Dinner daily. 561/276-7868. $$$

Do Not Disturb

Not in the mood for a crowd?

Atlantic Grille at the Seacrest Hotel has two private dining rooms that can seat up to 18 guests.

50 ocean—50 S. Ocean Blvd. Seafood. The former Upper Deck at Boston’s on the Beach is now the more upscale, seafood-oriented spot.

The menu ranges from familiar to slightly more inventive, from a classic lobster bisque and crisp-tender fried clam bellies to rock shrimp pot pie and baked grouper topped with blue crab. The cinnamon-dusted beignets are puffs of amazingly delicate deep-fried air and should not under any circumstances be missed. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner daily. Brunch Sun. 561/278-3364. $$ angelo elia pizza • bar • tapas —16950 Jog Road. Italian. Nothing on the menu of Angelo Elia’s modern, small plates-oriented osteria disappoints, but particularly notable are the meaty fried baby artichokes stuffed with breadcrumbs and speck, delicate chicken-turkey meatballs in Parmesan-enhanced broth, and Cremona pizza with a sweet-salty-earthy-pungent mélange of pears, pancetta, Gorgonzola, sundried figs and mozzarella. • Lunch Tues.–Sun. Dinner daily. 561/381-0037. $

apeiro kitchen & bar—14917 Lyons Road. Mediterranean. Burt Rapoport has another winner and west Delray diners have another reason to stay in their neighborhood

200

|

with the debut of this stylish, contemporary Mediterranean eatery. With former Chicago toque David Blonsky as chef and partner, Apeiro’s menu spans the entire Mediterranean, with dishes like Moroccan-spiced lamb ribs, 14-ounce double-cut pork chops, and fluffy meatballs adorned with tomato sauce, ricotta and pesto. The apple crostata, baked in a wood-burning oven, is one of the best desserts in town. • Dinner daily. 561/501-4443. $$

atlantic grille—1000 E. Atlantic Ave. Seafood/Contemporary American. This posh restaurant in the luxurious Seagate Hotel & Spa is home to a 450-gallon aquarium of tranquil moon jellyfish and a 2,500-gallon shark tank.

Savor inventive cuisine that takes the contemporary to the extraordinary. Bold flavors, inspired techniques and the freshest ingredients make every meal a culinary adventure. • Lunch and dinner daily. Brunch Sat.–Sun. 561/6654900. $$ buddha sky bar—217 E. Atlantic Ave. #3. Pan Asian. Don’t miss a meal at this stylish Asia-meets-industrial chic spot with a view of the Delray skyline. Chinese-influenced dim sum is inspired, while rock shrimp tempura and Tokyo beef skewers with twin chimichurri sauces touch the heart and the taste buds. Veggie fried rice is exemplary thanks to the kitchen’s application of wok chi. • Dinner daily. 561/450-7557. $$

burt & max’s—9089 W. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American. Burt Rapoport and Dennis Max have struck gold with their first collaboration in years, bringing an accessible and affordable brand of contemporary

caffé luna rosa—34 S. Ocean Blvd. Italian.

This favorite is always lively, and alfresco dining is the preferred mode. Entrée choices are enticing, but we went with the housemade pasta with pancetta, tomato and basil. Also delicious was the costoletta di vitello, a center-cut 14-ounce veal chop lightly breaded and served with San Marzano tomato sauce. For dessert, you can’t go wrong with the cheesecake imported from the Carnegie Deli. • Dinner daily. Brunch Sunday.

561/274-9404. $$ casa di pepe —189 N.E. Second Ave. Italian. A welcoming staff, familiar Italian dishes done right and moderate prices define this cozy spot with a spacious outdoor patio. • Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/279-7371. $$

city oyster—213 E. Atlantic Ave. Seafood.

This stylish mainstay of Big Time Restaurant Group serves up reasonably priced seafood that never disappoints, such as shrimp and grits with jumbo crab cake and jalapeño cheddar grits. • Lunch Mon.–Sun. Dinner nightly. Outdoor dining. 561/272-0220. $$ cut 432 —432 E. Atlantic Ave. Steak house.

Hipper decor, a more casual vibe and an inventive take on steak-house favorites make this sleek restaurant just different enough to be interesting. Starters such as ceviche (prepared Peruvian style) and ultrarich oysters Rockefeller are first-rate, while the wet-aged beef is appropriately tender and tasty. • Dinner daily. 561/272-9898. $$$

dada—52 N. Swinton Ave. Contemporary American. The same provocative, whimsical creativity that spawned Dada the art movement infuses Dada the restaurant, giving it a quirky charm all its own. The comfort food with a moustache menu has its quirky charms too, like shake-n-bake pork chops with sweetsavory butterscotch onions, and a brownie-vanilla ice cream sundae with strips of five-spice

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

dining guide 1215.indd 200

11/4/15 2:09 PM

powdered bacon. The wittily decorated 1920s-vintage house-turned-restaurant is, as they say, a trip. • Dinner daily.

561/330-3232 $$

d’angelo trattoria—9 S.E. Seventh Ave. Italian. Don’t go expecting the tired old “Italian” culinary clichés at this wickedly stylish spot. Open your palate to more authentic and exciting Roman-style cuisine, like roasted veal bone marrow with brisk caper-parsley pesto, creamy-dreamy burrata with roasted fava beans and watercress salad, the classic tonnarelli cacio e pepe (“cheese and pepper”) and the best gelato this side of a real Roman trattoria. • Dinner daily.

561/330-1237. $$ deck 84 —840 E. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American.

Burt Rapoport’s ode to laid-back tropical dining is like a day at the beach without getting sand between your toes.

Though the restaurant is casual, the kitchen takes its food seriously, whether the steallar flatbreads, the thick and juicy 10-ounce special blend burger or homey seasonal cobbler.

And the waterfront location just seems to make everything taste better. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Brunch Sat.–Sun. Dinner daily.

561/665-8484. $

el camino —15 N.E. Second Ave. Mexican. This sexy, bustling downtown spot is from the trio behind nearby Cut 432 and Park Tavern. Fresh, quality ingredients go into everything from the tangy tomatillo salsas to the world-class tacos of fish clad in crisp, delicate fried skin and set off by tart pineapple salsa. Cinnamon and sugar-dusted churros are the perfect dessert. And do check out the margaritas, especially the half-and-half blend of smoky mezcal and blanco tequila. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/865-5350. $$

fat rooster—204 E. Atlantic Ave. Southern. Southern cookery is not for the faint of diet, but if you’re willing to splurge a little there’s lots to like at this Gary Rack outpost. Tart, crunchy fried green tomatoes topped with blue crab-studded rémoulade, for one. Crispy fried chicken and lusty shrimp-n-grits for another. You can count calories some other time. • Breakfast and lunch weekdays. Brunch Sat.–Sun. Dinner daily. 561/2663642. $$

(

(

Full Party and Event Planning Professional Photography & Video Event Activities ◊ Furniture Rentals DJ/MC Entertainment ◊ Performers “WOW” Factors

fifth avenue grill—821 S. Federal Highway. American.

Since 1989, this upscale tavern has been a Delray favorite.

The straightforward menu focuses on entrées, especially the famed Allen Brothers beef; choose from numerous cuts and preparations—and add a lobster tail for good measure. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/265-0122. $$

greek bistro —1832 S. Federal Highway. Greek. Flaky, overstuffed spanikopita and light and delicate beef meatballs should be at the top of your appetizer list, and though entrées don’t always reach those heights, both a longbraised lamb shank and grilled whole snapper are certainly satisfying. And the baklava is great. • Lunch and dinner daily.

561/266-8976. $ the grove —187 N.E. Second Ave. Contemporary American. Chef-partner Michael Haycook and chef Meghan O’Neal change their menu biweekly, turning out dishes exhilarating in their freshness, creativity and elegant simplicity. An appetizer of octopus with olive oil, crushed potato aioli and lemon is outstanding. • Dinner Tues.–Sat. 561/266-3750. $$ henry’s —16850 Jog Road. American. This casual, unpretentious restaurant from Burt Rapoport in the west part of town never fails to delight diners. Expect attentive service and crisp execution of everything—from meat loaf, burgers and fried chicken to flatbreads and hefty composed salads. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/638-1949. $$

Bar/Bat Mitzvahs ≈ Weddings Social Gatherings ≈ Sweet 16 BIRTHDAYS galas ≈ charity events ≈ Corporate Events 561.213.2688 Angela@EventStudioPro.com 1020 Holland Drive, Suite 103 Boca Raton FL, 33487 W W W. E V E N T S T U D I O P R O . C O M EventsStudioPro_BRM1115.indd 1

dining guide 1215.indd 201

201

10/27/15 5:24 PM BOCAMAG.CO M follow the leader

|

11/4/15 2:09 PM

dining guide deconstructing the dish

churros with chocolate sauce Courtesy of Victor Meneses, Executive chef, El Camino

T

acos, burritos, nachos, enchiladas, fajitas. Those ubiquitous Mexican (or Mexican-esque) dishes are probably as familiar to even the least food-conscious American as hamburgers, hot dogs, apple pie and lemonade.

Churros? Eh, not so much.

Too bad, because churros roll the best of doughnuts and beignets into one crisp, airy, sweet and irresistible package. Make that one fluted, golden, cinnamon- and sugar-dusted, chocolate-dipped log.

Victor Meneses, executive chef at Delray’s Mexican-with-a-modernAmerican-twist restaurant, El Camino (15 N.E. Second Ave., 561/865-5350), has made these classic South-of-the-Border sweet treats a signature of his eclectic menu. And now it’s a signature you can put your own name to.

Sticky Business: You can tell the dough is ready when it sticks to the sides and bottom of the pot— and turns golden-brown.

Beat It: Make sure you’ve beaten all the steam out of the dough before adding the eggs.

Otherwise they will scramble.

NOW THE BEST PART: For

Meneses’ step-by-deliciousstep breakdown of his churro recipe, visit bocamag.com.

202

|

Cool It: Chill the dough as quickly as possible by spreading it out on a cookie sheet and refrigerating. That will prevent the baking powder from activating until the dough is fried (resulting in churros that are crispy on the outside, light and airy on the inside).

Be Certain: Don’t guess at the temperature of your oil. Use a home fryer that allows you to set a temperature or, if frying in a pot, use a candy thermometer to make sure the dough is at 350 degrees.

Squeeze It: If you don’t have a pastry bag to pipe dough into the oil, double up heavy-duty plastic freezer bags and cut off one corner. When finished cooking, drain the oil off the churro and roll evenly in a cinnamon and sugar mix.

AARON BRISTOL

—BILL CITARA

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

dining guide 1215.indd 202

11/4/15 2:10 PM

S TAy

•

Dine

•

Drink

•

C e L e B r AT e

Sundy House Restaurant & Inn, the hidden jewel & historic landmark of Delray Beach, offers a tranquil tropical garden experience for creating those memories that last a lifetime. You can dine with us six nights a week, have brunch on Saturday or Sunday, enjoy a weekend getaway or staycation or host your special event, including weddings, corporate and other social events. Our outdoor garden seating and 3 indoor dining rooms make us ideal for any occasion, rain or shine.

Open for dinner • 5pm to 11pm • Tuesday – Sunday • Open for Brunch • 10am to 3pm • Saturday & Sunday Call for reservations to dine, relax overnight or plan your next event.

SundyHouse.com • 561.272.5678 • 106 South Swinton Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444

SundyHouse_brm1115.indd 1

11/4/15 2:05 PM

dining guide #116. Thai. The normally riotous flavors of Thai cuisine are muted at this family-friendly downtown spot, but that seems to suit diners just fine. Dishes, well-prepared and generously portioned, include steamed chicken and shrimp dumplings with sweet soy dipping sauce and crisp-fried duck breast in a very mild red curry sauce. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. 561/330-9191. $$

hudson at waterway east —900 E. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American.

Blessed with a solid-gold location that offers Intracoastal views and plenty of parking, this bistro-esque eatery in the former Old Calypso spot starts off with a couple big advantages.

“Kitchen Nightmares” victor Paul Niedermann has given the food a shot in the arm, especially entrées. Roasted chicken is a dish that challenges a kitchen’s skill, and the kitchen aces it. Even better are fillets of crisp-skinned local snapper, set atop herbed polenta with tomato fondue. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/3031343. $$

il girasole—1911 S. Federal Highway.

Northern Italian. This South Florida classic is not trendy, but it offers a level of comfort and consistency that has been bringing people back for 30 years. The food is fine hearty Italian, with excellent service. Try the veal Kristy or the calves brains. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/272-3566. $$

Get the Memo Avoid the cocktail flu by ordering from The Office’s late-night menu (until 2 a.m.!), which features sliders, dogs, corn on the cob, pretzel bread and the popcorn of the day. You’re welcome.

j&j seafood bar & grill—634 E. Atlantic Ave. Seafood. This local favorite on Atlantic Avenue—owned by John Hutchinson (who is also the chef) and wife Tina—serves up everything from burgers and wraps to a menu brimming with seafood options. Don’t forget to inquire about the stunning array of 10 specials—every night. • Lunch and dinner Tues.–Sat. 561/272-3390. $$ jimmy’s bistro —9 S. Swinton Ave. Eclectic. Best bets are a lovely salad of ripe tomatoes and fresh, milky house-made mozzarella; a rich, elegant version of lusty Cajun etouffee; and caramelized bananas in puff pastry with silken vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. • Dinner daily. 561/865-5774. $$ la cigale —253 S.E. Fifth Ave. Mediterranean. True culinary professionals turn out gently updated and classically oriented dishes notable for the quality of their ingredients and careful preparation. Sweetbreads in chanterelle cream sauce are glorious; a barely grilled artichoke with mustardy remoulade is gloriously simple. Watching your server skillfully debone an impeccably fresh Dover sole is almost as satisfying as eating it. • Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/265-0600. $$

lemongrass bistro —420 E. Atlantic Ave. Pan-Asian. Casually hip ambience, friendly service, moderate prices and a blend of sushi and nouveau pan-Asian fare make this a popular destination. The quality of its seafood and care in its preparation are what gives Lemongrass its edge. • Lunch and dinner daily.

561/278-5050. (Other Palm Beach County loca-

204

|

tions: 101 Plaza Real S., Boca Raton, 561/5448181; 1880 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach, 561/733-1344). $

mastino —25 N.E. Second Ave. Italian/pizza.

While pizza from the restaurant’s oak-fired oven may be the focus, Mastino also dishes an array of small plates, from an achingly rich mac-n-three cheeses to a hearty “Old School” meatball with tomato sauce and ricotta to plump littleneck clams in a garlicky white wine-olive oil broth. • Lunch Fri.–Sun. Dinner daily. 561/921-8687. $

BUZZ BITES III Beer-braised mussels

SHAINA WIZOV/TAKEABITEOUTOFBOCA.COM

house of siam—25 N.E. Second Ave.,

max’s harvest —169 N.E. Second Ave. Contemporary American. Dennis Max, instrumental in bringing the chef and ingredientdriven ethos of California cuisine to South Florida in the 1980s, is again at the forefront of the fresh, local, seasonal culinary movement.

Max’s Harvest soars with dishes like savory bourbon-maple glazed pork belly. • Dinner daily. Brunch Sat.–Sun. 561/381-9970. $$

max’s social house —116 N.E. Sixth Ave. Gastropub. Dennis Max has hit on a winning formula at this residence-turned-restaurant that has seen its share of incarnations. Expect inventive farm-to-fork small plates, artisan cocktails and craft beers, and a hip, urban vibe. Highlights include house-made pimento cheese with pickled tomatoes, the Wagyu beef hotdog, thick and juicy all-American burgers, and gum-tender braised short rib with killer mac-n-cheese. Banana cream pie is so ridiculously luscious you’ll wish they served it in a gallon bucket instead of a mason jar. • Dinner daily. 561/501-4332. $$ the office —201 E. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American. Your office is nothing like this eclectic gastropub, unless your office sports more than two dozen craft beers on tap and a menu that flits from burgers and fries to mussels. Don’t miss the restaurant’s winning take on the thick, juicy Prime beef burger and simply wicked maple-frosted donuts with bacon bits and two dipping sauces. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/276-3600. $$

park tavern—32 S.E. Second Ave. Contemporary American. The guys from Cut 432 have done it again with this hip, casual modern American tavern. The menu is tightly focused and tightly executed, whether Maryland crab cakes featuring fat chunks of succulent crab or the behemoth slab of tender, juicy prime rib for a near-saintly $29. Don’t miss the decadent soft pretzel bites. • Dinner daily. Brunch Sat.– Sun. 561/265-5093. $$

the porch—85 S.E. Sixth Ave. Italian. The concept is simple: fresh, honest, inviting food.

The husband-wife team of Heinrich Lowenberg and Pamela Lomba delivers with classic and creative dishes, alike. Highlights include house-made capellini and the cocoa-dusted tiramisu. • Dinner daily. 561/303-3647. $$

prime —29 S.E Second Ave. Steak/Seafood.

TAP 42 IN BOCA: One of the most anticipated restaurant debuts in the traditionally slow summer season has finally occurred in Boca, with the opening of the second branch of Fort Lauderdale-based Tap 42 (5050 Town Center Circle, 561/235-5819).

The stylish upscale gastropub slips into the location once home to the ill-fated English Tap & Beer Garden, a place that staggered from the very beginning and never did find its culinary feet.

The new Tap has a sleek industrial-esque look that features rustic reclaimed wood walls, towering ceilings, a giant bar beneath multiple TVs and steel superstructure, tall aluminum “Navy” chairs at tall bar tables, a blackboard scrawled with a dizzying array of craft beers, plus a spacious outdoor patio with indoor-outdoor bar.

The menu is extensive, packed with haute bar bites from spicy crab and tuna rolls and beerbraised mussels with chorizo to fish-n-chips and a truffled steak sandwich.

There’s also a roster of burgers, composed salads, sides and desserts. Weekend brunch is offered, as are a variety of cocktails and a handful of wines.

—BILL CITARA

Prime is aptly named for its heart of the action location, classy neo-supper club decor, ex-

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

dining guide 1215.indd 204

11/4/15 2:10 PM

Get your boots and ball gowns ready and join us for the event of the season! We look forward to seeing you there.

Emily Pantelides & Peter Robbins Chairs, The Cowboy Ball

Friday, March 18, 2016 The Mar-a-Lago Club, Palm Beach Benefiting The Arc of Palm Beach County Mesmerizing Entertainment Dining & Dancing Exhilarating Casino Action Luxury Live & Silent Auction Sponsorship Opportunities Available Limited Tickets For Information, Please call The Arc of Palm Beach County

www.arcpbc.org The mission of The Arc of Palm Beach County is to improve the lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities, and their families, through services, education and advocacy.

TheCowboyBall_brm1215.indd 1

Photo: Tatyana Chuchaeva

(561) 842-3213

11/4/15 2:09 PM

dining guide LAKE WORTH couco pazzo —915-917 Lake Ave. Italian.

Despite the name, there’s nothing crazy about the cooking at this homey eatery. It’s the hearty, soul-satisfying Italian cuisine we’ve all come to know and love. Spaghetti Bolognese is a fine version of a Northern Italian classic. • Dinner nightly. (Tues.–Sun. during summer). 561/5850320. $$ paradiso ristorante —625 Lucerne Ave. Italian. A Tomasz Rut mural dominates the main dining room, and there is also a pasticceria and bar for gelato and espresso. Chef Angelo Romano offers a modern Italian menu.

The Mediterranean salt-crusted branzino is definitely a must-try. Plus, the wine list is a veritable tome. • Lunch and dinner daily.

561/547-2500. $$$

Racks Fish House + Oyster Bar

tensive wine list and roster of designer steaks.

Starters and desserts fare better than entrées, especially plump, crabby Maryland-style crab cakes and indecently luscious chocolate bread pudding. Service is a strong suit too, so with a bit of work this good-looking restaurant will fully live up to its name. • Dinner daily.

561/865-5845. $$$

racks fish house + oyster bar—5 S.E. Second Ave. Seafood. Gary Rack, who also has scored with his spot in Mizner Park, certainly seems to have the restaurant Midas touch, as evidenced by this updated throwback to classic fish houses. Design, ambience and service hit all the right notes. Oysters are terrific any way you get them; grilled fish and daily specials are excellent. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/4506718. $$$

smoke—8 E. Atlantic Ave. Barbecue. With

Lunch Hour There are sandwiches and then there are Clay Conley’s sandwiches. Try The Sandwich Shop next to Buccan for a pork loin sammy with broccoli rabe, provolone and lemon shallot vinaigrette.

206

|

famed pit master Bryan Tyrell manning the smoker, this joint smokes every other barbecue spot in South Florida. Pretty much everything that comes out of Tyrell’s three-wood smoker is good, but his competition-style ribs are porkysmoky-spicy heaven, the Sistine Chapel of rib-dom. Crisp-greaseless house-made potato chips, meaty baked beans and plush-textured banana-coconut pudding are also excellent.

The ambience is an inviting blend of Southern hospitality, urban chic and sports bar. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/330-4236. $$

sundy house—106 S. Swinton Ave. Contemporary American. It’s fine dining served in arguably the most beautiful restaurant and gardens in Delray. Menus are seasonal and imaginative. Try any of the fresh local fish dishes. • Lunch Tues.–Sat. Brunch Sun. Dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/272-5678. $$

terra fiamma—9169 W. Atlantic Ave. Italian.

The pleasures of simple, hearty, well-prepared Italian-American cuisine are front and center at Wendy Rosano’s latest venture. Among the pleasures you should enjoy are delicate, pillow-y veal meatballs in Marsala sauce; lusty chicken Allessandro with mushrooms, spinach and artichoke hearts; and a finely crafted tiramisu that’s as satisfying as it is familiar. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/495-5570. $$

tramonti —119 E. Atlantic Ave. Italian.

With its roots in New York’s Angelo’s of Mulberry Street, this venue is always packed.

Homemade stuffed manicotti is aromatic and glorious. Tramonti’s platter for two, containing fillet marsala, veal cutlet with prosciutto, fried zucchini and potato croquettes, is terrific. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner daily.

561/272-1944. $$ tryst —4 E. Atlantic Ave. Eclectic. It’s tough to beat this hotspot with the lovely outdoor patio, well-chosen selection of artisan beers and not-the-usual-suspect wines, and an eclectic “gastropub” menu of small and large plates. Try the fried green tomato caprese. • Dinner nightly. Brunch Sat.–Sun. 561/9210201. $$

vic & angelo’s —290 E. Atlantic Ave. Italian. God is in the details at this upscale trattoria, and he doesn’t miss much. Ingredients like Buffalo mozzarella, house-made pastas and San Marzano tomatoes are first-rate, and execution is spot on. Try “John’s Mom’s Meatball,” which comes with spaghetti. Portions are substantial, so expect leftovers. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/278-9570. (Other Palm Beach County location: 4520 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, 844/842-2632) $$$

safire asian fusion—817 Lake Ave. PanAsian. This stylish little restaurant offers food that gently marries East and West, plus a roster of more traditional Thai dishes and inventive sushi rolls. Menu standouts include tempurafried rock shrimp or calamari cloaked with a lush-fiery “spicy cream sauce.” Expect neighborly service and reasonable prices. • Lunch Tues.–Fri. Dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/588-7768. $

LANTANA the station house —233 Lantana Road.

Seafood. If you’re hungry for Maine lobster, plucked live out of giant tanks and cooked to order, this modest replica of a 1920s train station is the place to go. Lobsters come in all sizes (up to 6 pounds) and are so reasonably priced that getting a taste of one without reservations is highly unlikely. • Dinner nightly.

561/547-9487. $$$

PALM BEACH bice—313 Worth Ave. Italian. Bice continues to hold the title of favorite spot on the island. The venerable restaurant offers a marvelous array of risottos and fresh pastas and classic dishes like veal chop Milanese, pounded chicken breast and roasted rack of lamb. The wine list features great vintages. • Lunch and dinner daily. Outdoor dining. 561/835-1600. $$$ buccan—350 S. County Road. Contemporary American. Casual elegance of Palm Beach meets modern culinary sensibilities of Miami at the first independent restaurant by chef Clay Conley. The design offers both intimate and energetic dining areas, while the menu is by turn familiar (wood-grilled burgers) and more adventurous (truffled steak tartare with crispy egg yolk, squid ink orrechiette). Dinner daily.

561/833-3450. $$

café boulud—The Brazilian Court, 301 Australian Ave. French with American flair. This hotel restaurant gives Palm Beach a taste of Daniel Boulud’s world-class cuisine inspired by his four muses. The chef oversees a menu encompassing classics, simple fare, seasonal offerings and

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

dining guide 1215.indd 206

11/4/15 2:10 PM

ANNIE FALK & TEAM MAX | December 06 FARMSTAND | January 10 THE YEAR OF THE MONKEY | January 31 THE ENVELOPE PLEASE... | February 28 GAUCHOS ASADOS | March 6 AMERICAN ARTISANS | March 20 3RD ANNUAL DINER EN BLANC | April 10 THREE LITTLE (RED WADDLE) PIGS | April 24

561 202 5648

Untitled-3 1

11/4/15 2:06 PM

dining guide dishes from around the world. Dining is in the courtyard (not available during summer), the elegant lounge or the sophisticated dining room. • Dinner daily. 561/655-6060. $$$

café l’europe—331 S. County Road. Current international. A Palm Beach standard, the café has long been known for its peerless beauty, the piano player, the chilled martinis and the delicious Champagne and caviar bar. Try one of its sophisticated classics like Wiener schnitzel with herbed spaetzle, grilled veal chop and flavorful pastas. • Lunch Tues.– Fri. Dinner nightly (closed Mon. during summer). 561/6554020. $$$

Established 1991

7 DAYS

6:00 am to 10:00 pm

cucina dell’ arte —257 Royal Poinciana Way. Italian.

The wide range of items on the menu and the great quality of Cucina’s cuisine, combined with its fine service, ensures a fun place for a casual yet delectable meal—not to mention being a vantage point for spotting local celebs. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Outdoor dining. 561/655-0770. $$

BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER 80 S. Federal Highway • Deerfield Beach, FL • (945) 480-8402

www.olympiaflamediner.com OlympiaFlameDiner_brm1115.indd 1

chez jean-pierre —132 N. County Road. French.

Sumptuous cuisine, attentive servers and a see-and-be-seen crowd are hallmarks of one of the island’s premier restaurants. Indulgences include scrambled eggs with caviar and the Dover sole meunière filleted tableside. When your waiter suggests profiterolles au chocolat or hazelnut soufflé, say, mais oui! • Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/833-1171. $$$

10/15/15 7:55 PM

echo —230A Sunrise Ave. Asian. The cuisine reverberates with the tastes of China, Thailand, Japan and Vietnam. The Chinese hot and sour soup is unlike any other, and the sake list is tops. This offsite property of The Breakers is managed with the same flawlessness as the resort. • Dinner nightly (during season). 561/802-4222. $$$ hmf—1 S. County Road. Contemporary American. Beneath the staid, elegant setting of The Breakers, HMF is the Clark Kent of restaurants, dishing an extensive array of exciting, inventive, oh-so-contemporary small plates. Don’t depart without sampling the dreamy warm onion-Parmesan dip with house-made fingerling potato chips, the sexy wild boar empanaditas, chicken albondigas tacos and Koreanstyle short ribs. The wine list is encyclopedic. Dinner daily.

561/290-0104. $$

Early Bird Special

.

5-6:30pm • 3 Course Menu

$21.90

also try our $10

lunch

Polo Club Shoppes 5030 Champion Blvd. #D3, Boca Raton, FL 33496

(561) 997-0027

208

|

www.ChezMarieFrenChBistro.CoM

imoto —350 S. County Road. Asian Fusion/Tapas. Clay Conley’s “little sister” (the translation of Imoto from Japanese) is next to his always-bustling Buccan. Imoto turns out Japanese-inspired small plates with big-city sophistication, like witty Peking duck tacos and decadent tuna and foie gras sliders. Sushi selection is limited but immaculately fresh.

• Dinner daily. 561/833-5522. $$ jové kitchen & bar—2800 S. Ocean Blvd. Contemporary Italian. Jové is named for the Italian god of the sky, and when the folks at the tony Four Seasons decided to remake their premier restaurant, they reached high to offer the kind of food, service and ambience that would appeal to both their affluent older clientele and a younger, hipper, foodieoriented crowd. Mission accomplished with dishes like the inventive take on octopus marinated and grilled with baby fennel, red pepper sauce, artichoke and olives. Desserts sparkle too. • Dinner daily. 561/533-3750. $$

leopard lounge and restaurant —The Chesterfield Palm Beach, 363 Cocoanut Row. American. The restaurant offers excellent food in a glamorous and intimate club-like atmosphere. In fact, it’s advisable to make early reservations if a quiet dinner is the objective; the place becomes a late-night cocktail spot after 9. The menu is equally decadent. • Breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner daily.

561/659-5800. $$

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

dining guide 1215.indd 208

11/4/15 2:10 PM

HOMEMADE ITALIAN BAKERY

Cosa Duci

meat market—191 Bradley Place. Steak house. “Meat Market” may be an inelegant name for a very elegant and inventive steak house but there’s no dissonance in its food, service or ambience. Multiple cuts of designer beef from multiple sources can be gilded with a surprising array of sauces, butters and upscale add-ons. Whole roasted cauliflower is an intriguing starter, while a meaty Niman Ranch short rib atop lobster risotto takes surf-n-turf to a new level. Cast your diet to the winds and order the dessert sampler. • Dinner daily.

561/354-9800. $$$$

TM

Life’s Short...Eat Cookies!

Italian Artisan Bakery & Café ORDER YOUR HOLIDAY GIFTS TODAY!

nick & johnnie’s —207 Royal Poinciana Way. Contemporary American. Expect flavorful, moderately priced California-esque cuisine in a casual setting with affordable wines and young, energetic servers. • Lunch and dinner Mon.–Sat. Breakfast Sun. 561/655-3319. $$ renato’s —87 Via Mizner. Italian with continental flair.

This most romantic hideaway is buzzing in season and quietly charming all year long with Italian classics and a Floridian twist—like the sautéed black grouper in a fresh tomato and pernod broth with fennel and black olives and the wildflower-honey-glazed salmon fillet with crab and corn flan. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/655-9752. $$$

ta-boo—2221 Worth Ave. American. This self-described “American bistro” is less typical “American” restaurant or classical French “bistro” than it is posh-casual refuge for the see-and-be-seen crowd in and around Palm Beach. The eclectic menu offers everything from roasted duck with orange blossom honey-ginger sauce to dry-aged steaks and an assortment of pizzas. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/835-3500. $$

trevini ristorante —290 Sunset Ave. Italian. Expect a warm experience, complemented by a stately but comfortable room and excellent food. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/833-3883. $$$

PALM BEACH GARDENS café chardonnay—4533 PGA Blvd. Contemporary American. This longtime stalwart never rests on its laurels.

Instead, it continues to dish finely crafted American/ Continental fare with enough inventiveness to keep things interesting. The popular herb-and-Dijon-mustard rack of lamb, regular menu items like duck with Grand Marnier sauce, and always superlative specials reveal a kitchen with solid grounding in culinary fundamentals. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. 561/627-2662. $$

WEST PALM BEACH café centro —2409 N. Dixie Highway. Italian. There are many things to like about this modest little osteria—the unpretentious ambiance, piano Thursday through Saturday during season, the fine service, the robust portions and relatively modest prices. And, of course, the simple, satisfying Italian cuisine. The kitchen breathes new life into hoary old fried calamari, gives fettucine con pollo a surprisingly delicate herbed cream sauce, gilds snowy fillets of grouper with a soulful Livornese. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner daily.

561/514-4070. $$

Come discover a hidden gem filled with pastries, cookies, espresso, gelato, cappuccino, italian imports, daily lunch menu, wine, beer & an authentic Italian family!

We change our menu daily! We also do catering!

Visit our site to see what mamma is cooking today: www.cosaduci.com

leila—120 S. Dixie Highway. Mediterranean. Flowing drapes and industrial lighting complete the exotic decor in this Middle Eastern hit. Sensational hummus is a must-try.

Lamb kebab with parsley, onion and spices makes up the delicious Lebanese lamb kefta. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner Mon.–Sun. 561/659-7373. $$

marcello’s la sirena—6316 S. Dixie Highway. Italian.

141 NW 20th Street B-21 Boca Raton • 561.393.1201 Baking for a good cause: A portion of our proceeds will benefit research for Multiple Sclerosis.

You’re in for a treat if the pasta of the day is prepared with cosaduci_brm1215.indd 1

dining guide 1215.indd 209

209

BOCAMAG.CO M 10/23/15 4:29 PM follow the leader

|

11/4/15 2:10 PM

dining guide modern American cookery and a couple gallons of the owners’ savoir faire, and you have Eddie Schmidt’s and Ozzie Medeiros’s spot.

The menu roams the culinary globe for modest contemporary tweaks on classically oriented dishes. Try the fried calamari “Pad Thai.” • Dinner daily. 561/855-2660. $$$

BROWARD COUNTY COCONUT CREEK nyy steak—Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, 5550 N.W. 40th St. Steak house. The second incarnation of this New York Yankeesthemed restaurant swings for the fences—and connects—with monstrous portions, chic decor and decadent desserts. The signature steaks, dry-aged for 21 days, are a meat lover’s dream; seafood specialties include Maine lobster and Alaskan king crab. Don’t miss the NYY Steak 151 volcano for dessert. • Dinner daily.

Brunch Sun. 954/977-6700. $$$$

DEERFIELD BEACH tamarind asian grill & sushi bar Shrimp and yellow rice from Taverna Opa

What’s New? 3030 Ocean reopened in late October after undergoing major interior and menu renovations.

what might be the best Bolognese sauce ever. • Dinner Mon.–Sat. (closed Memorial Day–Labor Day). 561/585-3128. $$

pistache —1010 N. Clematis St., #115.

French. Pistache doesn’t just look like a French bistro, it cooks like one. The menu includes such bistro specialties as coq au vin and steak tartare. All that, plus guests dining al fresco have views of the Intracoastal Waterway and Centennial Park. • Brunch Sat.–Sun. Lunch and dinner daily. 561/833-5090. $$

FORT LAUDERDALE

rhythm café —3800 S. Dixie Highway.

Casual American. Once a diner, the interior is eclectic with plenty of kitsch. The crab cakes are famous here, and the tapas are equally delightful. Homemade ice cream and the chocolate chip cookies defy comparison. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/833-3406. $$

3030 ocean —Harbor Beach Marriott

rocco’s tacos —224 Clematis St. Mexican.

Big Time Restaurant Group has crafted a handsome spot that dishes Mexican favorites, as well as upscale variations on the theme and more than 200 tequilas. Tacos feature housemade tortillas and a variety of proteins. Madeto-order guacamole is a good place to start. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly. 561/650-1001.

(Other Palm Beach County locations: 5250 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton, 561/416-2131; 110 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, 561/8081100; 5090 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, 561/623-0127) $

bistro 17—Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Ho-

table 26°—1700 S. Dixie Highway. Contemporary American. Take a quarter-cup of Palm Beach, a tablespoon of Nantucket, a pinch of

210

|

—949 S. Federal Highway. Asian. Quiet and soothing, this multicultural venue serves sushi, sashimi, yakitori and wide-ranging Japanese appetizers. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/4288009. $$

15th street fisheries —1900 S.E. 15th St. Seafood. Surrounded by views of the Intracoastal, this Old Florida-style restaurant features seafood and selections for land lovers.

We love the prime rib. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/763-2777. $$

Resort, 3030 Holiday Drive. American. Now led in the kitchen by Adrienne Grenier of “Chopped” fame, the new-look 3030 has a farm-to-table focus, along with an emphasis, as always, on locally sourced seafood. • Dinner nightly. 954/765-3030. $$$

tel, 1617 S.E. 17th St. Contemporary American.

This small, sophisticated restaurant continues to impress with competently presented food.

The menu is surprisingly diverse. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 954/626-1748. $$

bistro mezzaluna—1821 S.E. 10th Ave. Italian. The bistro is all Euro-chic decor—mod lighting, abstract paintings. It also has good food, from pastas to steaks and chops and a wide range of fresh seasonal fish and seafood.

Don’t forget the phenomenal wine list. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/522-9191. $$

bongusto ristorante—5640 N. Federal Highway. Italian. This is a well-kept secret,

BUZZ BITES IV A TASTE OF ARGENTINA: The summer heat and humidity may have slowed down most of us in South Florida, but there are still a few hardy restaurateurs looking to debut their latest creation.

Among them are former Orlando restaurateurs Ramiro and Joanne Calomarde, who have opened an Argentine/Italian spot called Don Che Bistro (324 N. Federal Highway, 561/572-9639) in Boynton Beach. The couple has joined up with Argentine chef Omar Galvan, a 30-year kitchen vet, to serve up everything from empanadas, blood sausage and the classic Argentine rolled veal dish called matambre to beef carpaccio, fettuccine Alfredo and chicken Marsala.

Of course, no Argentine restaurant would be complete without a roster of grilled steaks and other meats, and Don Che is no exception, offering steaks from skirt to strip and Argentine grills with abundant meaty options that should bring a smile to any carnivore’s face.

—BILL CITARA

featuring dishes that will meet the standards of those who savor authentic Italian. Involtini capricciosi—tender-rolled veal stuffed with spinach, prosciutto and fontina cheese—is satiating, while the whole yellowtail snapper is an equal delight. • Dinner daily. 954/771-9635. $$

café emunah—3558 N. Ocean Blvd.

Kosher, organic. Don’t let the New Age “spirituality” throw you off. Focus on the fresh, organic ingredients that are incorporated into inventive sushi, soups and salads and (mostly) Asian-influenced entrées. • Lunch and dinner Sun.–Thurs. Lunch Fri. 954/561-6411. $

café martorano —3343 E. Oakland Park Blvd. Italian. Standouts include crispy calamari in marinara sauce and flavorful veal osso buco.

Our conclusion: explosive flavor, attention to all the details and fresh, high-quality ingredients. Waiters whisper the night’s specials as if they’re family secrets. • Dinner daily. 954/5612554. $$

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

dining guide 1215.indd 210

11/4/15 2:10 PM

canyon—1818 E. Sunrise Blvd. Southwestern. Billed as a Southwestern café, this twist on regional American cuisine offers great meat, poultry and fish dishes with distinctive mixes of lime, cactus and chili peppers in a subtle blend of spices. The adobe ambience is warm and welcoming, with a candlelit glow. • Dinner nightly. 954/765-1950. $$

Chef Paul Collange offers a selection of timeless French classics in a warm and friendly environment, which is sure to delight your senses and your palate.

casablanca café—3049 Alhambra St. American, Mediterranean. The restaurant has an “Arabian Nights” feel, with strong Mediterranean influences. Try the peppercorn-dusted filet mignon with potato croquette, Gorgonzola sauce and roasted pepper and Granny Smith relish. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/764-3500. $$

casa d’angelo —1210 N. Federal Highway, #5A. Italian.

Many dishes are specials—gnocchi, risotto and scaloppine.

The marinated grilled veal chop is sautéed with wild mushrooms in a fresh rosemary sauce. A delightful pasta entrée is the pappardelle con porcini: thick strips of fresh pasta coated in a light red sauce and bursting with slices of porcini mushrooms. • Dinner nightly. 954/564-1234. $$ chima—2400 E. Las Olas Blvd. Steaks. The Latin American rodizio-churrascaria concept—all the meat you can eat, brought to your table—is done with high style, fine wines and excellent service. The sausages, filet mignon, pork ribs and lamb chops are very good. • Dinner daily. 954/712-0580. $$$ eduardo de san angel—2822 E. Commercial Blvd.

Mexican. Try master chef Eduardo Pria’s pan-sautéed Florida blue crab and yellow corn cakes. As far as soups go, there’s the pasilla-chile-flavored chicken broth with fresh “epazote” (fried corn tortilla strips, sliced avocado, sour cream and homemade cheese). The pan-seared beef tenderloin filet mignon is sublime. • Dinner Mon.–Sat. 954/772-4731. $$$

Open for Dinner 7 Days 5:00pm-9:00pm

450 NE 20 St • Shore Centre • Boca Raton • 561-620-0033

www.restaurantlerivage.com

LeRivage_brm1215.indd 1

Established 1981

il mulino —1800 E. Sunrise Blvd. Italian. This modest, unpretentious Italian restaurant doesn’t attempt to reinvent the culinary wheel. Instead, it dishes up big portions of simple, hearty, flavorful food at extremely reasonable prices.

Zuppa de pesce is a wealth of perfectly cooked seafood over linguini in a light tomato-based sauce. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/524-1800. $

10/28/15 3:50 PM

French Continental

indigo —Riverside Hotel, 620 E. Las Olas Blvd. Seafood.

Enjoy delightful al fresco dining while sampling fresh seafood and exotic specialties. Dependable choices like ahi tuna are joined by more intriguing seafood dishes; landlubbers will enjoy a selection of steaks and chops. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 954/467-0671. $$

johnny v—625 E. Las Olas Blvd. American. Johnny Vinczencz made his mark at Boca’s Maxaluna and Max’s Grille and (the former) De La Tierra at Delray’s Sundy House. Now in his own restaurant on Las Olas Boulevard, Vinczencz has evolved. As for the impressive wine list, Johnny V has more than 600 selections. • Lunch and dinner daily. Outdoor dining. 954/761-7920. $$ sea watch—6002 N. Ocean Blvd. Seafood. For a righton-the-beach, welcome-to-Florida dining experience, there’s Sea Watch. Decked out in a pervasive nautical theme, this is definitely tourist country, but it’s pretty and on the beach.

The perfect entrée for the indecisive: The broiled seafood medley brochette, with lobster tail, jumbo shrimp and scallops, yellow squash, zucchini, mushrooms and pineapple. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/781-2200. $$ sublime—1431 N. Federal Highway. Vegetarian. Not only does the menu offer an alternative to animal agriculture, the company’s profits support animal welfare. The haute vegetar-

Rediscover the classic

4199 N. FEDERAL HWY. s BOCA RATON s 561.395.6033 s KATHYSGAZEBO.COM BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

dining guide 1215.indd 211

|

211 11/4/15 2:10 PM

dining guide ian cuisine delivers with dishes like mushroom ravioli. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 954/615-1431. $

sunfish grill—2775 E. Oakland Park Blvd. Seafood.

Think inventive, sophisticated food, the kind that made the original Pompano Beach restaurant a major destination. Its take on tuna tartare is still the gold standard, and you can’t go wrong with entrées like onion-crusted salmon or the grilled Atlantic swordfish. • Dinner Tues.– Sat. 954/561-2004. $$ timpano italian chophouse —450 E. Las Olas Blvd., #110. Italian. Sink yourself into oversized booths with elegant white tablecloths and prepare to dive into excellent signature bone-in steaks. The menu includes chops and a diverse array of fresh fish and pasta dishes.

• Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. 954/462-9119. $$

HOLLYWOOD lola’s on harrison —2032 Harrison St. New American. Chef-owner Michael Wagner reinvigorates quintessentially American dishes with exacting technique and inventive flavor combos. Short ribs braised in Coca-Cola come with indecently rich, tarragon-laced creamed corn. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 954/927-9851. $$ taverna opa—410 N. Ocean Drive. Greek. Bring all your friends here and order a million mezes (Greek appetizers). Try the keftedes, Greek meatballs, and the

lamb chops or snapper, which is filleted at the table.

Don’t be surprised when your waiter pulls you up on the table to dance. • Dinner nightly. 954/929-4010. (Also: 270 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, 561/303-3602). $$

LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA blue moon fish company—4405 W. Tradewinds Ave. Seafood. This is one of the best spots in Broward County for waterside dining. Choose from a raw bar and fish nearly every which way, as well as daily, seasonal fish specials. • Lunch and dinner daily.

Brunch Sun. 954/267-9888. $$$

LIGHTHOUSE POINT le bistro —4626 N. Federal Highway. Modern French.

The menu modern and healthy—98-percent glutinfree, according to chef/owner Andy Trousdale. Check out the prix-fixe menu, which includes pan-roasted duck to beef Wellington. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 954/9469240. $$$ seafood world —4602 N. Federal Highway. Seafood. This seafood market and restaurant, more suited to a pier, offers some of the freshest seafood in the county. Its unpretentious atmosphere is the perfect setting for the superb king crab, Maine lobster, Florida lobster tails and much more. Tangy Key lime pie is a classic finish. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/942-0740. $$$

W O L L E Y

POMPANO BEACH calypso restaurant —460 S. Cypress Road. Caribbean. This bright little dining room and bar (beer and wine only) has a Caribbean menu that is flavorful, imaginative—and much more. Calypso offers a spin on island food that includes sumptuous conch dishes, Stamp & Go Jamaican fish cakes and tasty rotis stuffed with curried chicken, lamb or seafood. • Lunch and dinner Mon.–Fri. 954/942-1633. $ darrel & oliver’s café maxx—2601 E. Atlantic Blvd. American. The longstanding institution from chef Oliver Saucy is as good now as when it opened in the mid-1980s. The peppered sea scallops appetizer is a must, as is Café Maxx’s beloved cheese plate. Main courses offer complex flavor profiles, such as the sweetonion-crusted yellowtail snapper on Madeira sauce over mashed potatoes. Parts of the menu change daily. • Dinner nightly. Brunch Sunday. 954/782-0606. $$$

WESTON cheese course —1679 Market St. Bistro. Locals love the made-to-order bistro sandwiches on fresh baguettes, daily quiche selections and cheese plates.

Favorites include the applewood-smoked bacon with goat cheese brie sandwich. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 954/384-8183. (Other location: Mizner Park, 305 Plaza Real, #1305, Boca Raton, 561/395-4354.) $

MILOS

RAONIC

.

G..

NO

W

IN V SER

GRIGOR

DIMITROV

212

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

dining guide 1215.indd 212

11/4/15 2:10 PM

“house specialties,” contemporary takes on bistro fare. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 305/644-4675. $$

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

CORAL GABLES

AVENTURA bourbon steak—19999 W. Country Club Drive.

Steaks. Michael Mina’s elegant steak house in tony Turnberry Isle features impeccable service, an encyclopedic wine list and a roster of USDA Prime Angus, Wagyu and Kobe steaks. Try the feather-light beignets accompanied by cookbook-perfect crème brûlée and chocolate pot du crème. • Dinner nightly. 786/2796600. $$$$

BAL HARBOUR the palm— 9650 E. Bay Harbor Drive. Steaks.

The portions are giant, but you’ll surely clear your plate of 3- to 7-pound jumbo Nova Scotia lobster or a tender filet mignon. S&S cheesecake shipped from the Bronx is pure heaven. • Dinner nightly. 305/868-7256. $$$

COCONUT GROVE bizcaya grill—Ritz-Carlton, 3300 S.W. 27th Ave. European-American. The versatile menu features “simply grilled” items. The boldly flavored menu also offers

caffe abbracci—318 Aragon Ave. Italian. The dining room is handsome and understated, a fitting ambience for Miami’s movers and shakers. That’s just part of the draw of Abbracci, though the regional Italian fare has achieved its own status as some of the best in the Gables. You can’t go wrong with the porcini risotto or the pounded veal chop “tricolore.” • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly. 305/441-0700. $$ la palme d’or—The Biltmore, 1200 Anastasia Ave. French. Chef Philippe Ruiz emphasizes modern French fare from the southern regions of France, doing so with classic technique and light-handed manner. The portions are relatively small, encouraging five courses, and guests may design their own custom tastings, with a wide variation in price. • Dinner Tues.–Sat. 855/9693084. $$$$

ortanique on the mile —278 Miracle Mile. Caribbean. Menu highlights include tropical mango salad, spicy fried calamari salad, Caribbean ahi tuna with wasabi potatoes and jerk-spiced Cornish game hen. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 305/446-7710. $$$ pascal’s on ponce—2611 Ponce de Leon Blvd.

French. When Pascal Oudin ran the kitchen at the Grand

Bay Grand Café, his tropical take on French cuisine earned him national acclaim. Now, he offers a more streamlined, but still contemporary, French menu. We definitely suggest the sea scallops, which are topped with short ribs and served with truffle sauce. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner Mon.–Sat. 305/444-2024. $$$$

MIAMI azul—500 Brickell Key Drive. Contemporary FrenchAsian fusion. This award-winning restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental serves jaw-dropping fare, from wild Maine scallops with parsnip and Brussels sprout to Kurobuta pork belly with braised cabbage. While looking out over the stunning expanse of Biscayne Bay from the chic, elegant dining room, check out the equally stunning wine list, which reads like an encyclopedia of the world’s great vintners. • Dinner Tues.–Sat. 305/9138288. $$$$ michael’s genuine food & drink—130 N.E. 40th St. American. At James Beard award-winning chef Michael Schwartz’s unpretentious restaurant, you’ll get plenty of genuine satisfaction from genuinely delicious food, exactingly prepared and simply presented. Woodroasted double yolk farm egg and crispy pork belly are divine. Surprisingly, all the desserts from rock star pastry chef Hedy Goldsmith aren’t rock-star quality, but dining here is such a genuine pleasure it almost doesn’t matter. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. Brunch Sun. 305/573-5550. $$

FEB 12-21

DOWNTOWN DELRAY BEACH RAONIC, DIMITROV, HAAS, BRYAN BROS. 561.330.6000 I YellowTennisBall.com 213 BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

dining guide 1215.indd 213

|

11/4/15 2:10 PM

mixology

dining guide

A Boca Magazine Event

michy’s —6927 Biscayne Blvd. Contemporary American. There’s a lot to like about Michy’s. Dishes like creamy truffled polenta with poached egg and bacon are lovely.

The wine list is exciting and exceptionally well-chosen, and service is on a level rarely seen in South Florida restaurants.

• Dinner Tues.–Sun. 305/759-2001. $$$

THE CRAFT SPIRITS EVENT

GOOD SPIRITS. GOOD MUSIC. GOOD FOOD. GOOD TIME.

romeo’s café —2257 S.W. 22nd St. Northern Italian.

There is no menu per se. After ascertaining your food allergies and preferences, Romeo will dazzle you with six courses. We loved the lightly breaded sea bass with lima beans, the risotto with scallops and cilantro, and the penne with capers and porcini mushrooms. Excellent service and a good wine list. • Lunch Tues.–Fri. Dinner nightly. Prix fixe six-course menus. 305/859-2228. $$$$

versailles —3555 S.W. Eighth St. Cuban. Versailles has been one of Calle Ocho’s most popular restaurants since 1971. This is good-to-the-last-black-bean Cuban with a menu the size of the Old Testament. It’s also one of the better people-watching spots in town. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 305/444-0240. $

MIAMI BEACH barton g. the restaurant—1427 West Ave. Contemporary American. Barton G., an event impresario with a flair for serious theatrics, has fashioned his unique restaurant with fun and interesting fare. Choices include popcorn shrimp— served with real popcorn in a movie-theater container.

Desserts look like props from “Pee Wee’s Playhouse.”• Dinner nightly. 305/672-8881. $$$

OV E R 2 0 TO P B R A N D CRAFT SPIRITS A N D L O CA L R E S T AU R A N T FA R E .

casa tua—1700 James Ave. Northern Italian. This 1925 Mediterranean Revival property with an oft-changing menu showcases simple, sophisticated ingredients that typify the best of Italian cooking. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. Outdoor dining.

305/673-1010. $$$$

joe’s stone crab—11 Washington Ave. Seafood. You’re likely to wait a few hours for the privilege of getting a taste of old Florida (not to mention the best stone crabs on the planet).

But it’s worth it. Fried oysters, lyonnaise potatoes, creamed spinach and Key lime pie are other specialties. • Lunch Tues.– Sat. Dinner nightly in season. Dinner Wed.–Sun., mid-May–July (Closed Aug., Sept. and half of Oct.). 305/673-0365. $$$

ola at sanctuary—1745 James Ave. Nuevo Latino.

Creative ceviches are a signature of chef Douglas Rodriguez, none better than a mix of shellfish with octopus “salami.”

Foie gras and fig-stuffed empanadas turn the humble into haute, as does the sublime pork with black-trumpet mojo. • Dinner nightly. 305/695-9125. $$$$

Save the Date

osteria del teatro —1443 Washington Ave. Italian. The exceptional Northern Italian cuisine at this restaurant has been consistently ranked among the best in Miami Beach. • Dinner nightly. 305/538-7850. $$$

SATUR DAY, FE BR UARY 1 3 | 4 -8 PM

sardinia—1801 Purdy Ave. Italian. The food is exact-

M IZNE R PARK AM PITHE ATE R | BOC A RATON

ingly prepared, extraordinarily fresh and always delicious.

Whether a selection of high-quality salumeria, tube-like macaronis with veal meatballs in a lusty tomato sauce, or superb salt-baked branzino, dishes deliver the kind of soulful satisfaction all the “fusion cuisine” in the world can’t match. • Lunch and dinner daily. 305/531-2228. $$$

TICKE TS: $75 | VIP: $ 1 5 0 WWW.M IXOLOGYE VENT.C OM

Sponsored by:

CHECK OUT OUR COMPLETE TRICOUNTY DINING GUIDE ONLY AT BOCAMAG.COM. Mixology_Fractional_BRM1115.indd | Bd eOcCe AmMb eAr G2.0C1O5 M 1 214

dining guide 1215.indd 214

10/27/15 4:42 PM

11/4/15 2:10 PM

Savor the Future

AT BOCA RATON’S WINE & FOOD WEEKEND BENEFITING THE BOCA RATON HISTORICAL SOCIETY & MUSEUM

Holiday Ticket Special!

Buy your Bacchanalia ticket(s) before January 5, 2016 and receive $25 off the $125 regular ticket price.

April 8

Bacchanalia

at the Mizner Park Amphitheater

2016

April 9

Vintner Dinners at Private Residences

Tickets on sale now! BOCABACCHANAL.COM * Boca Raton’s Premiere Wine & Food Festival * BB 2016_ad_9.25x11_2.indd 1 BRHS_brm1215.indd 1

10/26/2015 1:12:37 PM 11/4/15 2:02 PM

Boca Raton magazine's

insider ADVERTISING • PROMOTIONS • EVENTS

Jan. 24

WYCLIFFE GORDON AT ST. GREGORYS EPISCOPAL CHURCH

The annual St. Gregory’s Concert Series brings internationally acclaimed artists like jazz musician Wycliffe Gordon to Boca Raton, providing outstanding musical performances in the heart of the local community. From jazz artists to contemporary bands to classical performers, this Concert Series offers variety you’ll find nowhere else. St. Gregory’s is proud to serve as a cultural hub for downtown Boca and a gathering spot for locals and visitors alike to enjoy high-quality music.

NEW YORK GRILLED CHEESE NEW LOCATION OPENING SOON!

New York Grilled Cheese Co. is coming soon to Boca! The new location will be across from Mizner Park and the iPic Theater.

The menu will include all items from the Wilton Manors location, as well as new breakfast items and vegan options!

Follow us on Facebook for updates and announcements.

493 N. Federal Hwy. Boca Raton, FL 33432 newyorkgrilledcheese.com • facebook.com/NYGCBoca

For tickets and performance information, visit stgregorysepiscopal.org or call 561.395.8285.

CAFFÉ LUNA ROSA

Caffé Luna Rosa, also known as “The Italian Restaurant on the Beach,” was honored as the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce’s 2014 Restaurant of the Year—and it’s nominated again for the 2015 Restaurant of the Year. Caffé Luna Rosa serves its award-winning brunch and dinner menus every day.

Check out the restaurant’s free VIP rewards program.

34 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach 561/274-9404 • caffelunarosa.com

MAYORS DIAMONDS COLLECTION

For more than a century, Mayors has been defining luxury by bringing the world’s most exclusive selection of iconic brands to connoisseurs of fine jewelry and timepieces. The Mayors Diamonds collection consists of uncompromising quality, inspiring beauty and impeccable craftsmanship. Mayors has 18 stores across Florida and Georgia.

Town Center at Boca Raton 6000 Glades Rd #1119, Boca Raton, FL 33431 561.368.6022 • mayors.com

Visit bocamag.com/events for more information.

insider_brm1215.indd 1

11/4/15 2:02 PM

TICKETS ON

SALE NOW SOBEFEST.COM|877.762.3933|

PREFERRED CARD

FEBRUARY 24-28, 2016 FEATURING

TITLE

PRESENTING

BENEFITING

SCOTT CONANT

ALEX GUARNASCHELLI

RACHAEL RAY

GIADA DE LAURENTIIS

ROBERT IRVINE

MARTHA STEWART

GUY FIERI

EMERIL LAGASSE

MICHAEL SYMON

BOBBY FLAY

MASAHARU MORIMOTO

& MANY MORE

HOSTED BY

HOST HOTEL

PREMIER

OFFICIAL AIRLINE

Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management

SPECIAL THANKS

SOBEWFF_brm1215.indd 1

11/4/15 2:01 PM

en Era d l o G a’s ES S CA P g Boc n I DA E DEALS i R t i O s L i EL TF GR E A ER TRAV S T: Rev M LE

E PA R IN GAINHEESRVIPILPER SUM A RT I N S HOE RDTY H T M E M T Q&A: E IN COM M U R D S AFTER T FRO

B LBOACSA I N TEESRTVEIFEAWN C R25AYFETARB E EOR ACTRRAEZNED TAPPIN

G INT

AZIN MAG TON A RA ] BOC Y L [ON TH E

R ] BOCA [ONLY TH E

G .C O AMA

NOWNG I SHOW

THE

E

ZINE MAGA ATON

AZINE N MAG CA RATO [ONLY] BO

LATE P L L A SM RTISTRYL A TOP LOECAATE

Fashiond e h s a e l n U

BOC

M A G .C BOCA

BOCAM

A G .C O

M

OM

M

T H E GLORIA Q &A :

IF HIS L

e n i v i D n F O g i DesBEST

CR CHEFES-PERFECTS E R PEICNTDUS & DISH R T FA L L PUPS RE SCUE

A C BO 15

R TIPS O I R E T 12 IN ANTEED TOACE GUAR TE ANY SP ELEVA

20

MYSTEREYLLE: IN YLTAIMBE WH ILL STANDS ST

SAVE 40% ON

YOUR GIFT SUBSCRIPTION.

*Bonus: Get a free year of Delray magazine!

Holiday sub ad_2015_BRM.indd 1

GIVE THE GIFT THAT Dogs & KEEPS sses e r D GIVING.

TO HERE’SALTH E YOUR HWORKOUT

ESS END HIGH- THING, FITNORE CLO RARY & M ITINE

The more you give, the more

you save!

- SUSCRIBE NOW Visit Bocamag.com and enter Promo code BRMGIFT15 at checkout.

A card will be sent

announcing your holiday gift!

11/4/15 1:59 PM

Private Security & Investigation Executive Protection • Private Investigation Security Consulting • Global Security Response Escort Services (Travel, Jewelry, Trial) • Estate Security

VIPprotection.indd 1

Luxury Concierge Travel Arrangements • Rentals (Cars, Yachts, Jets) VIP Access • Luxury Travel • Day to Day Errands VIP Airport Services and Event Planning

VIP Protective Services 954-687-9444 www.vipprotectiveservices.com

Roy Skali Consulting Group 305-504-7881 www.royskaligroup.com

Executive Jet Center 1710 W.Cypress Creek Rd. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309

Executive Jet Center 1710 W. Cypress Creek Rd. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309

11/4/15 1:57 PM

proudly presents

frost

The Holiday Event

t

oast the holidays Manhattan-style—right here in South Florida. A little ballet, a little blackjack, a little libation, a little shopping, a little snow and ice!

This holiday ball will be the talk of the town—the night out this season that you don’t want to miss!

7-9pm 5550 NW 40th St, Coconut Creek, FL

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek Pavilion

PURCHASE TICKETS Visit: www.UnitedWayPBC.org/Events

S E N D E M A I L : events@bocamag.com

Frost_BRM1215.indd 1

A portion of the proceeds to benefit UNITED WAY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY

11/4/15 1:56 PM

Robin Babitt began her career early on as a Decorator and Needlepoint Artist. Featured with another designer at Art Basel Miami - Miami Project in 2013, her love of art continued and representing emerging and established artists became her pulse. Robin is the essence of life and sees the artists' true “light", feels their intention and identiďŹ es with their passion to bring their art experience to the world.

954-798-6122 • peaceandharmony37@ gmail.com

Untitled-2 1

11/4/15 1:51 PM

Helping you achieve your goals has always been ours Congratulations to Eric S. Glasband for being recognized on the Barron’s Top 1200 in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

For more than 100 years, our clients have been at the center of everything we do. That’s how we measure success — today, and in the years ahead.

To find out more, please contact:

Glasband Stempel & Associates Eric S. Glasband Managing Director - Wealth Management Senior Financial Advisor Portfolio Manager 561.361.3437

Merrill Lynch 5200 Town Center Circle Suite 101 Boca Raton, FL 33486 561.361.3437 www.fa.ml.com/gs

Life’s better when we’re connected® Source: Barron’s magazine, February 20, 2012, February 16, 2013, February 22, 2014, America’s Top 1200 Financial Advisors list. Advisors considered for the “America’s Top 1200 Financial Advisors list” ranking have a minimum of seven years financial services experience and have been employed at their current firm for at least one year. Quantitative and qualitative measures used to determine the Advisor rankings include: client assets, return on assets, client satisfaction/retention, compliance records, and community involvement, among others. Barron’s does not receive compensation from Advisors, participating firms and their affiliates, or the media in exchange for rankings. Barron’s is a trademark of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Bull Symbol, Merrill Lynch and Life’s better when we’re connected are registered trademarks or trademarks of Bank of America Corporation.

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management makes available products and services offered by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“MLPF&S”), a registered broker-dealer and member SIPC, and other subsidiaries of Bank of America Corporation (“BAC”).

Investment products: Are Not FDIC Insured Are Not Bank Guaranteed © 2014 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

glasbandstempel_brm0914.indd 1

May Lose Value ARL9MJVW | AD-07-14-0296.A | 471003PM-0414 | 07/2014

11/4/15 1:56 PM

out&about

[ by kevin kaminski ]

BRISTOLFOTO

[1]

BEAUTY SCHOOL AT LORD & TAYLOR

WHERE: Mizner Park, Boca Raton WHAT: Lord & Taylor packed its Mizner Park store for a special cosmetics show that introduced attendees to the hottest fall makeup trends, as well as some new fragrance launches. The evening, co-sponsored by Boca Raton, featured everything from free Champagne to a deejay who had the crowd dancing to “Beauty School Dropout” from the “Grease” soundtrack.

[ 1 ] Ruby Benkendorf, Mindy Horvitz, Suzanne Davis and Bobbi Morein

MORE EVENT COVERAGE Visit BOCAMAG.COM for photo galleries from social events, store openings, charity fundraisers and other community gatherings in and around Boca Raton. To submit images for Out and About, e-mail appropriate material to people@bocamag.com.

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

Out&About_people 1215.indd 223

|

223 11/4/15 2:13 PM

out&about BEAUTY SCHOOL AT LORD & TAYLOR (CONT.) [2]

[3]

[4]

[5] [6]

[2]

Jill Pavlov, Elizabeth Kelley Grace, Richalyn Miller and Cortney Hickey Lindsey Swing, Heather McMechan and Lilly Robbins Martha Benhayon, Dianne Upson and Marla Senzon Annette Gold and Donna Bilmes Katrina Fraga, Jeanne Valencia and Sharon Hill

[4]

[3]

[5]

BRISTOLFOTO

[6]

224

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

Out&About_people 1215.indd 224

11/4/15 2:14 PM

[1]

BATTLE OF THE BARTENDERS

WHERE: M.E.A.T. Eatery and Taproom, Boca Raton WHAT: Teams of local dignitaries, including Boca resident and Miami Heat announcer Eric Reid, tried to out-pour one another on behalf of Best Foot Forward at this annual fundraiser. Some 300 people attended the event, which raised more than $15,000 for educational programs that benefit Palm Beach County children in foster care.

[1] [2] [3]

[4] [5]

[2]

Stu Opperman, Julie Mullen and Eric Reid Randy Nobles and Andrea Garcia Roxana Scaffidi, Donna Biase, Tatiana Stratigakis, Debbie Ellman, Rosie Martin, Patricia Burdett and Shaheer Hosh Jackie Reeves and Ingrid Fulmer Shari Kessler and Lisa Pechter

[3]

[4]

[5]

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

Out&About_people 1215.indd 225

|

225 11/4/15 2:14 PM

out&about [1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

BOCA’S BALLROOM BATTLE

WHERE: Boca Raton Resort & Club WHAT: Eight prominent members of the community went “Footloose” for the George Snow Scholarship Fund, setting a record in the process. The eighth edition of this wildly popular evening of dancing and fundraising, set this year to tunes from the 1980s, drew some $350,000 for the Scholarship Fund—including $122,185 by Donna Parlapiano, who proved that she knows how to “Walk Like an Egyptian.”

[1] [2] [3] [4]

[5]

Pam Casanave and Frank McKinney Elias Janetis and Sayra Vazquez Jacob Reide Jennings and Wendy Sadusky Back row (left to right): Jean-Marc Casanave, Ashley Jones, Chris Nichols, Kirill Hitroff, Frank McKinney, Jacob Reide Jennings, Brian Altschuler, James Bran and Elias Janetis. Second row: Peg Anderson, Pam Casanave, Donna Parlapiano, Wendy Sadusky, Anna Tabolina, Holly Meehan and Sayra Vazquez. Front row: Yvette Palermo, Phoebe Chapman, Jennifer Palermo and Michele Martin Anna Tabolina, Brian Altschuler, Donna Parlapiano and Kirill Hitroff

226

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

Out&About_people 1215.indd 226

11/4/15 2:14 PM

[1]

WHITE COATS-4-CARE

WHERE: Boca Raton WHAT: Future physicians took center stage at Waterstone Resort & Marina for this annual reception that celebrates the incoming class at FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. The event, founded and presented by Kaye Communications, drew more than 200 attendees— and raised more than $45,000 to help equip the new class.

[ 1 ] Robert and Doreen Alrod, Jan Savarick and Richard Cohen [ 2 ] Daniel Man, Ingrid Fulmer, Linda Petrakis and Yaacov Heller [ 3 ] Terry and Jerry Fedele, Marleen Forkas, Patti Carpenter and

Jerry Cafaro

[3] [2]

[4]

GBREPC SCHOLARSHIP DINNER

WHERE: Boca Raton WHAT: Woodfield Country Club was the site of a Greater Boca Raton Estate Planning Council event that awarded checks to FAU, Lynn University, George Snow Scholarship Fund, Palm Beach State College and four public high schools.

[4]

[5]

[6]

Abigail Thierman, Stuart Morris, Sharon DaBrusco and Stephanie Midler John Gallo, Bernadette Russell, Paul Roman, Tim Snow and Stacey Turner Bruce Winter, Shari Cohen and Andrew Kravit

[5]

[6]

JEFFREY THOLL

[6]

227 Out&About_people 1215.indd 227

11/4/15 2:14 PM

out&about [1]

GOLDEN AGE GALA

WHERE: The Addison, Boca Raton WHAT: Some 100 leaders of the South Florida Orthodox Jewish community were on hand to sample The Addison’s original brand of ORB-supervised glatt kosher catering.

The evening included a performance by tenor Christopher Macchio—as well as a presentation by the Academy of Hospitality Sciences, which bestowed The Addison with the 2015 Five-Star Diamond award.

[ 1 ] Sara Traikoff, Cindy Pierce, Helene Parsons

and Grace Eurglunes [ 2 ] Marlene and Marcel Rotenberg [ 3 ] Patrick Duffy and Joe Cinque [ 4 ] David and Beverly Strauss [ 5 ] Tony Senecal, Joe Cinque and

Christopher Macchio

[2]

[3]

[4] [5]

228

|

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

Out&About_people 1215.indd 228

11/4/15 2:14 PM

ValiDATE_BocaMag_Dec2015.indd 1 validate_brm1215.indd 1

10/21/2015 4:12:19 PM 11/4/15 1:55 PM

out&about [1]

[2]

[4]

TIMELESS

WHERE: Seminole Casino Coconut Creek WHAT: Legends Lounge provided the “timeless” backdrop for this VIP evening staged by Boca Raton’s events division. NYY Steak catered, and models clad in Bloomingdale’s fashions strolled the room.

Additional sponsors included Excell Auto, Les Bijoux and Roger Dubuis.

[1] S tanding: Chris George, Fay Hadid, Claudia Veiga, Ivan Narvaez and Mychael Garcia; Sitting: Jennifer Miller, Bianca Romano and Erin Constantine [ 2 ] John Scarlatos, Ivan Narvaez and Richard Combs [ 3 ] Scott Hoar and Megan Jack [ 4 ] Valentine Fracassi, Guillaume Fracassi, Chabbert Sebastien, Kathy Barnagaud, and Bruno Barnagaud [ 5 ] Sherry Zepatos, Kelli-Anne McLeod, Keren Gee and Ellen Korelitz [ 6 ] Jennifer Miller, Fay Hadid, Mychael Garcia and Victoria Garcia

230

|

[3]

[5] [6]

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

Out&About_people 1215.indd 230

11/4/15 2:15 PM

jewels in time ShoppeS at the Sanctuary

4400 n. Federal highway, Boca raton, Florida 33431 (1/4 mile south of yamato road, on the east side of the street)

(561) 368-1454 ▼ (888) 755-tIMe www.jewelsintime.com

Specializing in fine new & pre-owned timepieces ▼ Buy - Sell - trade Diamonds ▼ Fashion & estate Jewelry 5 not an authorized agent, representative or affiliate of any watch appearing in this advertisement. all watch names, dials & designs appearing in this advertisement are registered trademarks in the u.S.a.

Boca Raton magazine's

insider ADVERTISING • PROMOTIONS • EVENTS

BOCA CENTER

When Tom Crocker developed Boca Center in the mid-1980s, then called Crocker Center, he had a vision of creating a luxurious dining and shopping experience in the heart of Boca Raton.

Almost 30 years later, Crocker Partners has repurchased Boca Center to fulfill Crocker’s vision and revitalize the Center.

The extensive renovation project will make Boca Center one of the finest high-end lifestyle centers in South Florida.

5150 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton • bocacenter.com

SIDNEY ESCOWITZ ART

"The Wave" original fused glass sculpture by Sidney Escowitz.

Artist work can be viewed at Stewart Fine Art Gallery, Boca Raton.

608 Banyan Trail, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 561.995.2760 • sfaglass.com

MIAMI CITY BALLET PRESENTS "THE NUTCRACKER" IN FORT LAUDERDALE AND W. PALM BEACH

Join Marie and her Nutcracker Prince as they travel through a winter wonderland of dancing snowflakes, the sugar plum fairy and epic battles between heroic toy soldiers and mischievous mice. George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ is the perfect holiday treat for the entire family. Tickets available from just $25.

Miami City Ballet • 2200 Liberty Avenue, Miami Beach 305.929.7010 • 1.877.929.7010 (toll-free) miamicityballet.org

VERDI JEWELERS

Verdi Jewelers of Boca Raton offers the finest collection of unique and original designs. Verdi’s creations withstand changing trends and are meant to last a lifetime for the classic, chic women. At Verdi Jewelers, only impeccable is acceptable.

78 Royal Palm Place, Boca Raton 561.393.3532 • verdijewelers.com

Visit bocamag.com/events for more information.

insider_brm1215_2.indd 1

11/4/15 1:53 PM

Untitled-1 1 DelrayLibrary_brm1215.indd 1

9/28/15 2:36 PM 11/4/15 1:52 PM

A L L I N CL U SI V E V E N U E i n c l ude s : cutting edge DJ & event planner•LITE UP FURNITURE• TABLES•COUCHES DELUXE LIGHTING• VIDEO PROJECTION• RED CARPET ENTRANCE•LINENS DECOR•photography• video•ACTIVITIES + wow factors available.

All types of events up to 80 guests: Bar/BaT mitzvahs•birthdays•corporate parties product launches & pop-up events

MODERN, STYLISH CLUB-STYLE VIBE

w w w . ev entspaceboca.com • an gel a @ev ent st udiopro.com•561 .443.5553• 1 020 holla nd dr., sui te 10 3, b oc a raton

EMCEES • DJS ENTERTAINERS CREATIVE IDEAS TALENT • VENUES

Cutting Edge | Innovative | Creative

BAR/BAT MITZVAHS SOCIAL & CORPORATE events WEDDINGS

561.997.9777 • info@nikkoent.com • www.nikkoent.com

Untitled-2 1

11/4/15 1:49 PM

WHO WE ARE We are a team of master level craftsmen and aeronautic experts dedicated to providing superior design and refinishing services to our clientele. Years of experience leading the industry in aircraft customization has distinguished us among governmental, ministerial, corporate, and other executive entities as a leading authority in Completions.

FULL MODIFICATION We are a fully equipped to transform your aircraft into the best deal – inside and out!

VIP Completions utilizes the most advances facilities to provide a superior standard to clientele, giving us the ability to meet nearly any realistic request. Associated with excellence since its inception, VIP Completions surpasses all other in scope, service, and craftsmanship. Master level craftsmen assist in the realization of every phase of design & upgrade.

DESIGN + PLAN Your new aircraft interior will be completed based on your unique tastes and specifications. Our team of expert designers could translate your custom interiors ideas into renderings to make sure you are comfortable and satisfied with the project before executing.

INTERIORS

EXTERIORS

Supple material, plush seating, and gleaming accessories are the difference between transportation and luxury. VIP Completions is recognized as a pioneer in quilted interior patterns, a style that mimics the rich intimacy of top-line automobile interiors. Sensitive color palettes add depth and warmth to all our aircraft. Comfortable accommodations ensure long flights are restful and productive.

Premium components and unrivaled mastery of design allow us to serve you better.

Each of our elegantly windswept designs is derived from cutting edge aeronautic engineering, incorporating the most elegant design elements from classic and contemporary vehicles.

Our expert artisans practice environmentally sound methods and make use of ecologically friendly products. However minor or major the change, our designers will assist in finding the best color palette and finish for your aircraft.

Our experts provide services in : Avionics, Audio, Video, Cabinetry, Certifications, Design, Engineering, Finishing, Planning/Project Management, Procurement, Program Management, Quality, Control, Sheet Metal, System, Upholstery.

www.vipcompletions.net

sales@vipcompletions.net

1710 West Cypress Creek rd. Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309 +1(954)771-1795 Office

VIPCOMPLETIONS_BRM1215.indd 1

11/4/15 1:47 PM

robinsonmediagroup_brm0715.indd 1

11/4/15 1:40 PM

presents

at

Allianz Championship

SAVE THE DATE WEDNESDAY, FEB 3 | 6-9 PM

The Old Course at Broken Sound Enjoy upscale dining from one of Boca and Delray’s top restaurants— seated on the fairway near the 18th hole during the Allianz Championship.

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANT MENUS COMING SOON! Sponsored By:

www.SavorTheSeries.com

Savor the Green.indd 1

11/4/15 1:39 PM

It came from outer space CONTINUED FROM PAGE 163

than a minute later, a second, identical orange orb materialized next to it. Greer can be heard telling his fellow-meditators, “Connect to your consciousness and invite them here.

These are the Golden Ones I talked about.

Open your heart chakra and send them the beauty of humanity.” The objects pulsated just above the water for a few minutes before slowly receding from view.

Despite the best efforts of Hollywood—and the harrowing stories of self-proclaimed abductees—Greer’s view of alien life is mostly Pollyannaish: They are angelic species in a two-way conversation with humanity, not interstellar terrorists who appear only on their terms.

Greer’s champion in our neck of the woods is Larry Coudriet, a seasonal Deerfield Beach resident, 69, who began hosting local CE5 ses-

ALIEN ENCOUNTERS, PART III

A Florida man, sharing his story with the site ufocasebook.com, described an outdoor abduction from 2003. It began with a smothering feeling, shortness of breath and blurred vision. Moments later, he found himself lying on a hard surface, in a room of antiseptic whiteness. A creature that resembled a tall human female grabbed his wrist, slicing a sharp instrument into his hand.

This is where the report begins to sound like a letter to Penthouse: “Then I felt something crawling up my arm. I couldn’t see it but I could feel it. It was heading for the cut. I wasn’t afraid. It was like I wanted it to happen.” Perhaps it was love at first probe; the witness also reported waking up one day with a heart-shaped burn on his hand.

sions in 2015 after training with Greer in Arizona. A retired engineer who jokes that he has “drunk the Kool-Aid,” Coudriet had a spiritual awakening around 2010, when he discovered transcendental meditation.

“One day I was on a computer somewhere, and I came across Steven Greer,” Coudriet recalls. “This guy is the embodiment of all the pieces of me—you’ve got the interest in extra-terrestrials, Larry the meditator, Larry the spiritual guy. You mean I could go out and make contact? I’ve got to do this!”

Coudriet takes his responsibility as a group leader seriously. The goal of his CE5 sessions is to promote peace, prosperity and connect-

238

|

ALIEN ENCOUNTERS, PART II

One of the wildest claims of alien-human interaction comes from a seemingly credible source: Clark C. McClelland, a man who claims to have been a spacecraft operator for NASA’s Shuttle Fleet at the Kennedy Space Center from 1958 to 1992. In 1991, he says, while monitoring a mission from Kennedy’s Launch Control Center, he witnessed an 8-foot to 9-foot-tall alien humanoid converse with two tethered U.S. astronauts for a minute and a half. The alien’s shuttle, he says, rested in a stabilized orbit nearby. “Aliens are here on Earth, they walk among us,” McClelland said. “They may have been implanted into our various Earth governments.” edness, and to raise personal “vibration levels” in anticipation for eventual government disclosure of ET life.

“Our government has made some contact, but we’re not privy to that, so Greer did an end-run and started this organization that now encompasses thousands of people,” he says. “Eventually, what we’re doing will cease to be ignored, especially when something like Vero Beach happens.”

In his first outing on Boca Raton’s beach, an orb appeared over the water and hovered for “about 20 minutes” before disappearing, not unlike the Vero Beach objects. In his training with Greer, in the middle of a chanting circle, an inexplicable flashbulb-like light burst in front of Greer’s chest. These phenomena, Coudriet insists, are a result of the CE5 protocol.

“I suppose five years ago, if I saw what I saw, I would have said to you, ‘I’ve never seen anything like that in my life!’” he says. “But now, the only time I have seen these things is when we go out, meditate and make contact.

“Do I believe in this? No. I know this.

There’s no question.”

Agree to Disagree For others in the UFO community, let alone outside of it, there are plenty of questions about using meditation to draw aliens to earth, and especially the Vero Beach sighting.

MUFON’s Beall looked into it and found a logical explanation for the orange orbs.

“We found a privately owned airplane that … was flying at the exact same time, at the exact same hour, going on a northerly trajectory,” Beall says. “We can see, in the still images, the small dot moving from right to left, and the two flares that come out of it. He either dropped flares or, more than likely, he had pistol flares he shot out the window.

“But Greer is known for this—he’ll make a big deal out of a satellite or a flare. It’s one of the challenges that makes the real investigator’s job much harder. When we actually show the facts about a case like this, we’ll get thrown under a bus, because we’re the ones

trying to take away their dream.”

Coudriet counters: “They can always find an excuse, like the Vero Beach thing was flares. I’m not sure the MUFON people want to acknowledge that we can make contact.

They have been, for 50 years, out there recording stuff. What Greer and friends are doing is a huge step forward. We’re not looking; we’re contacting. We call them in.”

Herein lies the problem with UFOs: Nobody can agree on anything. One person’s smoking gun is another person’s earthbound explanation, and internecine squabbling continues to keep the issue on the fringes.

“We don’t take the time to truly understand what’s going on with any subject matter,” Beall says. “In our community, we say, ‘You’re a debunker, or you’re a government agent, or you’re a space-age kook.’ … There always has to be a fence, and they always have to be on one side or the other.”

For his part, Virgilio Sanchez Ocejo believes that those reporting fastidiously on every unexplained craft and unusual light pattern are missing the big picture. He uses the analogy of a movie theater, where the aliens are running the projectors.

“You’re going to a movie, and … the movie is a bunch of photographs, but when it passes through the projector, your brain doesn’t have time to center. It’s an illusion. Most of us don’t look at the projector. That’s what I’m doing.

I’m going behind the projector.”

December 2015 issue. Vol. 35, No. 8. The following are trademarks in the state of Florida of JES Publishing Corp., and any use of these trademarks without the express written consent of JES Publishing Corp. is strictly prohibited: Savor the Avenue; Tastemakers of Delray; Tastemakers at Mizner; Florida Style and Design; Delray Beach magazine; Boca Raton, South Florida At Its Best; bocamag.com; Florida Table; Boca Raton magazine. Boca (ISSN0740-2856) is published eight times a year (September/ October, November, December, January, February, March/April, May/June and July/August) by JES Publishing Corp. Editorial, advertising and administrative offices: 1000 Clint Moore Road, Suite 103, Boca Raton, FL, 33487. Telephone: 561/997-8683.

Please address all editorial and advertising correspondence to the above address. Periodicals postage paid at Boca Raton, Fla., and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions: $14.95/8 issues, $19.95/16 issues. Single copy $5.95. No whole or part of the content may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission of Boca magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Boca magazine, P.O. Box 820, Boca Raton, FL 33429-9943.

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

UFO feature NOV 15.indd 238

11/4/15 2:02 PM

speedbumps [ by marie speed ]

My Top 10 List

A HOLIDAY GIFT THAT LASTS ALL YEAR IS A PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BOCA.

I

t’s the perfect season to rhapsodize about all the reasons we love Boca Raton, with balmy winter weather and tropical flowers and turquoise water and on and on (page 131). But there are other reasons I fell in love with this place 24 years ago that may not be the Chamber of Commerce kinds of reasons as much as the Marie Speed fractured-sensibility kind of reasons. Here are some of them.

1

YOU CAN STILL SEE THE SHIMMERY BLUE OCEAN WHEN YOU DRIVE DOWN A1A, unlike places like Fort Lauderdale or Miami Beach, where A1A is nothing more than a dark stretch between wall-to-wall condos. This is because the city actually had the foresight to buy up its beach in 1974 and make it a public beach (and a tax district). Thank you to all those people who were smart enough to know it was worth saving.

2

TOWN CENTER MALL AT CHRISTMAS. You can go there to do your Christmas shopping but decide to have a bite first with your best friend upstairs at Mariposa at Neiman Marcus and have the good Champagne. Then one more. And then you can go downstairs and buy shoes instead.

3

MATZO BALL SOUP. In the last place I lived—Jacksonville—there were maybe five, six Jews. Here, the Jewish population numbers in the thousands, which has opened me up to a brave new delicious world of matzo balls, latkes, black-and-white cookies, kosher dills, and corned beef and rye.

4

THE COVE SHOE REPAIR. These people are wizards when it comes to shoe repair, and they do not make fun of your old Dansko clogs, even with a whole shelf of skinny Louboutins with their smug red soles lined up in front of them.

5

NAAN BREAD. DIM SUM. FALAFEL. Every kind of international food you can dream up is here.

6

THE COFFEE AT THE BOCA RATON RESORT & CLUB. You can keep your Starbucks and your Dunkin’. There is something heartily American in the coffee here that is the equivalent of a clean flannel shirt, Walter Cronkite and autumn in New York.

7

WE’RE AN HOUR AWAY FROM MIAMI, AND LESS THAN THAT TO FORT LAUDERDALE AND PALM BEACH. And two hours from the Keys. Which means South Florida crazy-town fun is at your fingertips. Tiki bars on the Florida Bay, Carl Hiaasen at the Miami Book Fair, Champagne at Ta-Boo, Monkey Jungle, Wynwood, the Yellow Green Farmers Market in Hollywood. It never ends, this place.

8

FANCY MOVIE THEATERS. Forget standing in line for a ticket and then trying to find an aisle seat halfway up that does not have chewing gum on the armrest. Here we have theaters with reclining chaise lounges you reserve, with little pillows and blankies. You press a button on your console and someone brings you a drink. That’s it. You are ruined for regular movies after this for all time.

9 10

GRANDMA’S PIZZA AT RENZO’S CAFÉ. Say no more. Pizza the way it was invented.

ROYAL POINCIANAS BLOOMING IN OLD FLORESTA IN JUNE AMONG OLD MIZNER HOUSES. This little moment is when Old Florida comes to life for a few weeks. You can find that feeling in old Town Hall, too, and Spanish River Park, or maybe the beach pavilion or the Inlet—the sense that an older Boca is still with us, still alive under the surface of all the glitz.

So that’s it, my starter list of why I love Boca, and it doesn’t even touch many more things, like Max’s Grille and the Snow Camp and Macy’s and FAU Stadium and on and on. It’s a list we’re all adding to—and that only keeps getting longer.

BOCAMAG.COM follow the leader

speedbumps 1215.indd 239

|

239 11/4/15 2:20 PM

my turn

[ by john shuff ]

Season’s Greetings

STILL MORE REASONS TO LOVE BEING HOME—AND SOME TIPS FOR MAKING THE HOLIDAYS BRIGHTER

I

n this issue we talk about all the things we love about Boca, and that resonates with me as I settle back into our high season here after a long summer in Park City, Utah. There is nothing like being away to make a homecoming special—particularly this time of year.

This year I am relishing the thought of being reunited with my grandchildren at Christmas. They are 7 and 6 now—and still believers. (They make me wish we had a chimney for Santa, but thankfully, they are not picky about how the toys arrive.)

The kids have made the holidays come alive again for my wife, Margaret Mary and I—and we make the most of it. I also love being home with my old friends in Boca— meeting them for movies, attending the occasional blacktie event, having them over now and then for an easy dinner and bridge.

This has its bittersweet moments as I see all of us growing older, or getting sick, or losing a loved one. Nothing pulls you up short quite like realizing how much faster time is spinning, and how every holiday season is made more precious because of it.

This is the kind of approach I want to take this year rather than getting caught up in Boca’s winter traffic, all the shopping madness, too many social engagements, work pressures and money woes.

I want to focus on what I love about living here, how warm and supportive my family is, how we can all make this time of year magical—not stressful.

So I’m going to take a few pointers from my dad, who used to keep a handy list of little life lessons on a yellow legal pad on his desk. Here’s a sample:

240 myturn1215.indd 240

|

u Drive carefully. It’s not only Margaret Mary Shuff, cars that can be recalled by Madelyn Rocha, John their maker.

Shuff and Chloe Rocha u If you can’t be kind, have the decency to be vague. u No one cares if you can’t dance well; just get up and dance. In other words, get in the hunt. u We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty, and some are dull.

Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box. u Always make right turns, thus avoiding crossing in front of traffic. u Always keep your words soft and sweet just in case you have to eat them. u Celebrate those birthdays. The more you have, the longer you’re around. u Accept that some days you’re the pigeon and some days you’re the statue. u A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour. u And Dad’s favorite from Will Rogers: “Never squat with your spurs on.”

The take away? Lighten up. Enjoy the moment. Celebrate the season.

Merry Christmas and happy Hanukkah to you and your family.

BOCAMAG.COM december 2015

11/4/15 2:23 PM

champion_brm1215.indd 1

10/22/15 4:54 PM

Captivating Vintage Alhambra Watch, yellow gold, white mother-of-pearl.

Haute Joaillerie, place Vend么me since 1906 BAL HARBOUR - 9700 Collins Avenue - 305-866-0899 BOCA RATON - 308 North Plaza Real - 561-955-8802 PALM BEACH - 202 Worth Avenue - 561-655-6767 vancleefarpels.com

VCA_Brm1215.indd 1

11/4/15 4:23 PM