Boca Magazine February 2023

BY DAVID ROSENBERG

18-HOLE

18-HOLE

Cherish the Lifestyle

Cherish the Lifestyle

Cherish the Lifestyle

Escape the everyday, every day at Boca Grove, where relaxation and recreation provide a refuge from the stresses of daily life. Invigorate your mind, body and spirit at our newest addition, The Curve. An over 14,600 sq ft center for health and wellness featuring two floors dedicated to fitness with Pilates, personal training, group classes, The Honeybell Café offering poolside and private cabana dining, child care at the Hive and children’s splash area situated around our refreshing resort style pool.

Escape the everyday, every day at Boca Grove, where relaxation and recreation provide a refuge from the stresses of daily life. Invigorate your mind, body and spirit at our newest addition, The Curve. An over 14,600 sq ft center for health and wellness featuring two floors dedicated to fitness with Pilates, personal training, group classes, The Honeybell Café offering poolside and private cabana dining, child care at the Hive and children’s splash area situated around our refreshing resort style pool.

Escape the everyday, every day at Boca Grove, where relaxation and recreation provide a refuge from the stresses of daily life. Invigorate your mind, body and spirit at our newest addition, The Curve. An over 14,600 sq ft center for health and wellness featuring two floors dedicated to fitness with Pilates, personal training, group classes, The Honeybell Café offering poolside and private cabana dining, child care at the Hive and children’s splash area situated around our refreshing resort style pool.

WWW.BOCAGROVE.ORG

WWW.BOCAGROVE.ORG

WWW.BOCAGROVE.ORG

Jessenia Cucalon (561) 487-5300 jcucalon@bocagrove.org

Jessenia Cucalon (561) 487-5300 jcucalon@bocagrove.org

Jessenia Cucalon (561) 487-5300 jcucalon@bocagrove.org

18-HOLE CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSE | NO TEE TIMES | ITALIAN RED CLAY TENNIS COURT | FITNESS

CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSE | NO TEE TIMES | ITALIAN RED CLAY TENNIS COURT | FITNESS

CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSE | NO TEE TIMES | ITALIAN RED CLAY TENNIS COURT

FITNESS | 12 HAR-TRU TENNIS COURTS | 5 PICKLEBALL COURTS | ACCLAIMED FINE & CASUAL DINING

| FITNESS | 12 HAR-TRU TENNIS COURTS | 5 PICKLEBALL COURTS | ACCLAIMED FINE & CASUAL DINING

The Ultimate Escape

58

The Boca Interview

International fashion designer Angel Sanchez developed a celebrity clientele and a career spanning magazine covers to red carpets. Now, the Delray Beach resident is entering a newer, slower phase—achieving success on his own terms.

By JOHN THOMASON

64

The Collectors

Some of us may be downsizing, but these individuals continue to build on their extraordinary passions.

By JUDY ALEXANDRA DIEDWARDO

70

Boca After Dark

Once a backwater after 9 p.m., Boca Raton has quietly amassed a nightlife culture that thrives—from stargazing to a dance club and a live-music mecca.

By JOHN THOMASON

98

Festival of the Arts Boca

The city’s 10-day cultural extravaganza is just weeks away. We introduce you to this year’s headliners, including a giant of Brazilian pop, one of New York’s definitive humorists, and a landmark animated film backed with live orchestration.

Angel Sanchez

36 91

24 Editor’s Letter

In the movies, love means swelling strings, a swirling camera and a quotable script. In real life, love stands for all the little things—as mundane as they are vital—that are usually left on directors’ cutting-room floors.

By MARIE SPEED

27 The Local

Meet a veteran blues rocker whose music “soars” in Boca and beyond, an entrepreneur with a talent for transforming tired trucks, and a prize-winning volunteer with a noble—and crime-stopping—calling. Plus, our extended “Boca Chatter” section is all V-Day, from romantic excursions to locals’ favorite love scenes and much more.

By TYLER CHILDRESS, MARIE SPEED and JOHN THOMASON

40 The Look

It’s a red alert this season, and not just on Feb. 14: Show your affection with these eye-catching scarlets and crimsons, from head to toe, all month long.

Photography by AARON BRISTOL

91 Backstage Pass

Golden-voiced jazz singer Nicole Henry, a top draw at next month’s Festival of the Arts Boca, reflects on the wide range of material that inspires her acclaimed arrangements. Plus, James Taylor, a Mozart opera, and a provocative exhibition at the Boca Raton Museum of Art are among this month’s curated A&E highlights.

By JOHN THOMASON

111 Florida Table: Eat & Drink

See what our food critic has to say about Costa by OK&M and the French Gazebo. Meanwhile, we break down the lineup at this year’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival, and we explore the ways in which the relaxing compound CBD is making its way into culinary creations.

By CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT

136 Social

Comedians stood up against Alzheimer’s at the Boca Chamber’s Brain Bowl, the Boca Raton Historical Society inducted local heroes into its Walk of Recognition, and city leaders past and present hobnobbed for nonprofits at the seventhannual Mayors Ball.

By TYLER CHILDRESS

144 Hometown Hero

For the past 13 years, certified permaculturist Lynn Russell has been making Boca Raton a greener place.

By MARIE SPEED

BY RAFAEL BALCAZAR

40

A New Kind of Legacy

With nearly 100 years of storied history, The Boca Raton is an iconic destination for memorable celebrations.

Discover exceptional experiences for events both indoors and out.

Web Extras

Visit bocamag.com for bonus items you won’t see anywhere else—extended stories, recipes, news and more.

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Don’t miss Boca on everything from FACEBOOK (facebook. com/bocamag) to INSTAGRAM (@bocamag) and TWITTER (@bocamag) for community news, retail trends, foodie updates and much more.

Best Bites

JP Soars

BEHIND THE MUSIC

Genre-traversing guitarist JP Soars, our featured artist this issue (page 34), shares more about his illustrious career—including how Florida influences his music. Plus, check out some of his music videos, all at bocamag.com/february-2023.

SAY UNCLE

Crazy Uncle Mike’s, included in our “Boca After Dark” feature (page 70), isn’t just a top venue for live music. We report on one of its favorite traditions, the biweekly Monday Game Nights—from board to card to video games—at bocamag. com/february-2023.

Think our dining guide is long? You haven’t seen anything until you’ve visited our digital version. We’ve got critic-reviewed restaurants from Jupiter to Miami on the web. Visit the Dining Guide tab to view the guide.

City Watch

Boca Raton is anything but sleepy, and Randy Schultz is the go-to for all the city politics, development and business news you need to know.

Launched in early 2020, Boca Goes Live is still keeping you connected to the community through conversations streamed live on Facebook with a curated roster of some of South Florida’s leading officials, entertainers and innovators. Follow us on Facebook so you don’t miss new entries, and visit bocamag.com/ live to see the full library of videos and watch them on demand.

For updates delivered straight to your email every Tuesday and Thursday, visit the City Watch tab on our website.

1000 CLINT MOORE ROAD, #103, BOCA RATON, FL 33487 561/997-8683 (PHONE) • 561/997-8909 (FAX)

BOCAMAG.COM MAGAZINE@BOCAMAG.COM (GENERAL QUERIES)

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER

Margaret Mary Shuff

GROUP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Marie Speed

CONTROLLER Jeanne Greenberg

JES MEDIA PRODUCES:

Boca Raton magazine Delray Beach magazine 1926 Worth Avenue

Boca Raton Chamber Annual Salt Lake magazine

Utah Bride and Groom Utah Style & Design Salt Lake Visitors’ Guide

FLORIDA MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION

2022 CHARLIE AWARDS

GENERAL EXCELLENCE magazine of the year best overall magazine

CHARLIE AWARD (FIRST PLACE) best overall writing best in-depth reporting best custom publication (1926) best advertising for a client

SILVER AWARD best feature best use of photography best advertising for a client BRONZE AWARD best custom publication (Worth Avenue)

2021 CHARLIE AWARDS

CHARLIE AWARD (FIRST PLACE) best public service coverage best in-depth reporting best feature best service feature best humor writing best column

best photo essay/series best advertorial best overall: digital innovator best special theme or show issue

SILVER AWARD best overall writing best public service coverage best department best use of photography best social media best custom publication (Worth Avenue)

BRONZE AWARD best traditional illustration

2020 CHARLIE AWARDS

CHARLIE AWARD (FIRST PLACE) best overall writing best in-depth reporting best public service feature

SILVER AWARD best overall design best overall magazine best website best commentary

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 and event 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, or to partner with Boca Raton on a community event, call 561/997-8683 ext. 300, or email nicole@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 email to Marie Speed (editor@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 tyler@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 Marie Speed (editor@bocamag.com). Letter to the Editor Boca Raton magazine 1000 Clint Moore Road, #103 Boca Raton, FL 33487

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 John Thomason (john.thomason@ bocamag.com). Deadline for entries in an upcoming A&E section is three months before publication.

Dining guide

Our independent reviews of restaurants in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. A reliable resource for residents and tourists. For more information, contact Christie Galeano-DeMott (christie@bocamag.com).

People

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). Email images to people@bocamag.com.

First issue

Boca Raton magazine is published eight times a year. If you have any questions or comments regarding our magazine, call us at 561/997-8683. We’d love to hear from you.

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 email to subscriptions@bocamag.com.

Questions about your invoice

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 email 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.

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. 233, indicating the issue date you would like. The cost of each issue including shipping and handling is $9.95.

Gift subscriptions

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

EMAIL: subscriptions@bocamag.com

WRITE: Boca Raton magazine

Subscription Department

1000 Clint Moore Road, #103 Boca Raton, FL 33487

Love, Actually

Celebrate the month with an everyday nod to everyday romance

Written by MARIE SPEED

t’s Valentine’s Day this month, and it only made sense that when we asked some of our friends what their ideas of romantic movie scenes were (page 30), the answers were immediate. Everybody knows movie scenes that make them choke up. Or sigh. Or melt completely. Like Robert Redford washing Meryl Streep’s hair on safari in “Out of Africa.” Or Ingrid Bergman telling Humphrey Bogart he has to “think for the both of them” in “Casablanca.”The moment Mr. Darcy tells Elizabeth Bennett at dawn on a drizzly windswept moor that she has “bewitched” him.

No wonder we’re all a mess when it comes to relationships. Who can compete with Rhett Butler?

Don’t get me wrong; I am all for romance (most of us are), but as time goes by, I find myself becoming more awestruck by the kind of love people nurture every ordinary and sometimes desperate day of their lives—without even thinking about it. The ones who volunteer at senior centers or food banks every Wednesday, the ones who help with homework after working all day or go to every high school football game, even though their kid never sees a minute of playing time.

Women like the “Lunch Lady Squad” at Wellington Middle School, who post TikTok videos of themselves dancing like J.Lo because they love the kids who file through that cafeteria. Or Jack the Bike Man in West Palm Beach, who works all year repairing and donating thousands of bikes to poor kids.

There are those who pack up and move every few years because of a spouse’s job and never make a big deal about it, or those who prop up a friend whose heart is broken. Again. Those who sit vigil, week after week, when someone is sick (and getting sicker) so they do not feel alone. Or those who just show up, every day, tending to a routine and tedious marriage full of leftovers and laundry—but knowing, somehow, that it’s worth it, that it’s actually bigger than both of you.

There’s no romance in figuring out how to send your kids to college, or in watching someone play Fortnite in his Gator sweats. She’s not exactly Margot Robbie when she’s fighting those Spanx like a bandit. But here it is. The romance that never makes it to the big screen, the Frances McDormand of heroines, the Ned Beatty of princes.

People call Valentine’s Day a “Hallmark holiday,” and of course it is, but it’s also a modest opportunity to pay a little homage to these people, the ones with a lead role in your life, the longtime partner or spouse whose sentences you can finish, the person who sticks up for you at work, the one who is always there, no matter what you may need. You may not hear the music swell, and your heart may not flutter, but I have a feeling this is where love is.

And that trumps romance any day of the week.

Bergman in “Casablanca”

DESIGNED FOR INDULGENCE

IMPECCABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, SPECTACULAR SERVICE, FOUR CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSES, A REJUVENATING SPA, AND A TROPICAL POOLSIDE OASIS. WE SET THE STANDARD IN LUXURY GETAWAYS. 4400 N.W. 87TH AVENUE MIAMI, FL 800.713.6725 TRUMPHOTELS.COM/MIAMI

Trump National Doral Miami is home to four iconic golf courses, including the renowned Blue Monster. It is time to play the best golf of your life.

THE LOCAL

BOCA CHATTER › 28 HOT LIST › 32 ARTIST › 34 GIVERS › 36 MISFIT › 38 LOOK › 40 HERO › 50 STUDENT › 52

Miami City Ballet “Modern Masters” (see page 32)

Don’t-Miss Events

FEB. 10-19: The Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com, Delray Beach Stadium & Tennis Center, 201 West Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. This 10-day tennis tournament— watched by 60,000 and televised in more than 50 countries—will be celebrating its 31th event in 2023. The event will begin with an ATP Champions Tour team event opening weekend Feb. 10-12 featuring a field of the game’s legends. Singles and doubles main-draw action for the ATP 250 event starts Monday, Feb. 13 and concludes with the ATP 250 finals on Sunday, Feb. 19.

FEB. 16-21: The Palm Beach Show, Palm Beach County Convention Center, 650 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. This top-level art show has a “Contemporary Focus” section dedicated to contemporary and modern works of art, as well as just about everything else, from a myriad of styles and periods. Don’t miss the special interactive installations, observational performance art and Instagrammable moments.

FEB. 23-26: The Honda Classic, PGA National Resort & Spa, 400 Avenue of the Champions, Palm Beach Gardens. This highly anticipated golf tournament is a capstone of golf in the region, featuring a world-class field of PGA stars, prime public seating options, a wide variety of food and beverage options, and more.

Locals sound off on issues affecting our community.

In homage to Valentine’s Day: What do you think is the most romantic scene in a movie you’ve seen?

“The scene at the end of ‘As Good as it Gets’ when Helen Hunt and Jack Nicholson are walking to the bakery at dawn. Jack Nicholson is willing to work on his OCD for the first time in his life because he fell in love with an unlikely partner, Helen Hunt. (And showing up at her door in the middle of the night still smacks of OCD.) They both take a leap of faith and step out of their comfort zones—literally—pajamas and all! The audience gets a sense that they really have a chance to work it out. And we are rooting for them!”

—Jan Savarick, president, Savarick Consulting Group

“The homecoming scene in ‘The Best Years of Our Lives,’ when Myrna Loy senses her husband has come back from the war even though she’s in another part of the house—the definition of transcendent love.”

—Scott Eyman, film critic and author

“I choke up every time I see the ending of ‘Sleepless in Seattle,’ when Sam (Tom Hanks) meets Annie (Meg Ryan) at the top of the Empire State Building. The way he says ‘Shall we?’, then reaches out and takes her hand … wow! With their first touch, we can feel their spark. As an aside … I must have a thing for hand-holding, because my second fave scene is Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) peeling off Madame Olenska’s (Michelle Pfeiffer) glove in ‘The Age of Innocence.’”

—Jan Tuckwood, author, former associate editor, Palm Beach Post

The Palm Beach Show

ROMANTIC DIVERSIONS FOR YOUR VALENTINE

1 DINNER AT RENATO’S, 87 Via Mizner, Palm Beach. 561/655-9752. Year in and year out, Renato’s always comes to the fore when dreaming up dreamy dinners out. Somewhere between the understated ambience, the French doors opening to the via terrace, and the tinkling piano is a classic fine dining experience you just don’t get anymore. The continental food is sublime, whether you opt for impossibly good Italian pastas or elegant stalwarts such as foie gras, ossobucco, rack of lamb, roast duckling, Cornish game hen. The formal service is delivered the way it used to be: the art of dining as opposed to eating, with plenty of time to luxuriate at dinner. Music wafting through the room, a light breeze outside ruffling the bougainvillea—romance, delivered.

2 OVERNIGHT AT THE BOCA RATON, 501 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton, 561/288-9933. One night many not be

our own backyard. We like how these people think; their couples’ massages offer it all, and you can even arrange for a private garden villa with a“secret garden”and a hand-drawn bath. Here are your options:

♥ The Garden of Eden has something to do with Arctic berries and melted botanical cream with a“decadent foot-to-scalp massage.”

enough, but it’s a start at the newly transformed The Boca Raton. It’s sumptuous and sleek, awash in all kinds of top-rate amenities—including great new dining options. For this romantic occasion, choices include Principessa and Flamingo Grill, both by Major Food Group (think Mario Carbone) or the endearing MB Supper Club, a retro take on dining when dining was an event—and over-the-top—as in dishes like beef Wellington, steak Diane, baked Alaska. Where to stay? Now you have several opulent choices. The chic (and sexy) Beach Club, the soaring and elegant Tower, Yacht Club with its private service, Cloister and more. On top of that, you have Spa Palmera, golf, surf lessons, beach yoga, and cocktails in Palm Court, just to rattle off a few options. No, it’s clear; one night will not be enough.

3 COUPLE’S MASSAGE AT EAU SPA, 100 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan, 561/540-4960. Eau Spa is one of only 49 five-star spas in the United States, and it’s right here, in

♥

The Turkish Rhassoul Mud Ritual encourages you to “wear your birthday suit to a muddy party for two”(it’s exfoliating) while sipping Champagne in an outdoor garden lanai.

♥

The Queen of Hearts starts with a redflower scrub, followed by a bath“fit for your royal highness,”while nibbling on sweets and sipping Champagne. Next is an hour-long redflower massage and hour-long facial.

4 STARGAZING (various locations). Stargazing at FAU (Boca After Dark, page 70) is always a safe bet, but if you are after a little DIY celestial romance—as in a road trip— winter is the best time. Here are some places you can view the stars in South Florida’s black velvety bowl of a sky. Be sure to bring good binoculars (if you don’t have a telescope), a star chart, download a stargazing app and bring a red flashlight (you can cover a regular flashlight lens with red paper). And don’t try this under a full moon.

♥ Bill Sadowski Park & Nature Center, 17555 S.W. 79th Ave., Miami. Every Saturday at 8 p.m., guests can enjoy views offered by the largest telescope in the county, which is on site and free to use.

♥ Winter Sky Party, 34200 Overseas Highway, Big Pine Key. The Southern Cross Astronomical Society holds its largest annual event, the Winter Sky Party, every February at the Girl Scout Campground in Big Pine Key. Visit scas.org/winter-star-party/ registration.cfm.

♥ Everglades National Park, 40001 State Road 9336, Homestead. There are two big campgrounds on site with running water and restrooms. And you are smack dab in the magical heart of Florida.

5 SUNSET CRUISE , departing from 141 S. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach, 561/881-9757. This option veers less toward romance and more toward affordable fun as you and others board the catamaran Hakuna Matata at the downtown West Palm Beach docks at Clematis Street and Flagler Drive for a fun cruise along the Intracoastal. Take in the city skyline, your feet dangling over the bow nets, sipping on a beer or a tropical drink. Pass Rybovich Yachts toward Peanut Island, site of the historic Coast Guard station next to John F. Kennedy’s private bomb shelter/bunker built in the 1960s. Your return trip will sail by Palm Beach mansions, the historic Biltmore Hotel, a view of The Breakers and the Flagler Museum and the gardens of the Society of the Four Arts.

THINGS THAT SAY I LOVE YOU

Taking the trash out without being asked to.

Coffee in bed.

Watching football ALL DAY.

Surprise favorite dinner for no reason.

Holding hands. Still.

Getting up when the baby cries because the other one has to get up extra early.

Crying together at the same movie you’ve seen five times.

—National Retail Federation, wallethub.com

Percentage of marriages that started online

Billion spent on Valentine’s Day in 2022

Percentage of women who want chocolates for Valentine’s Day

“OSWALDO VIGAS”

WHEN: Feb. 15May 21

WHERE: Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real, Boca Raton COST: $12-$16

CONTACT: 561/392-2500, bocamuseum.org

A self-taught genius with an eye for capturing deep feeling in various abstract forms, Vigas was a Venezuelan artist whose oeuvre encompassed painting, sculptures, prints, drawings, ceramics and tapestries. He was drawn to depict “witches” and “freaks” in his work, but he was no outsider artist. After his emigration to Paris, where he lived during the modern-art heyday of 1952 to 1964, he became a veritable sponge, absorbing and integrating influences of cubism, surrealism and more into his challenging body of work. Vigas has continued to enjoy a late-career renaissance that has continued after his 2014 death. This retrospective at the Boca Museum includes an introduction by his son, award-winning filmmaker Lorenzo Vigas.

TYLER HENRY

WHEN: Feb. 26, 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale COST: $49-$134

CONTACT: 954/462-0222, browardcenter.org

What do Snooki, RuPaul, Matt Lauer and Nancy Grace have in common? Beyond their seven-figure incomes, they’ve all been “read” by Tyler Henry, whose four seasons of “Hollywood Medium” on the E! network featured dozens of A- and B-listers from all walks of celebrity life being dazzled by the young Californian’s ability to solicit and receive information from the Other Side. In Henry’s most sobering psychic “hit,” he warned Alan Thicke of potential heart problems; a few months later, the actor died of an aortic dissection. Hopefully, the messages coming from Tyler—who now brings his sensitive talents and sweet nature to the Netflix reality series “Life After Death”—at this gallery reading in Fort Lauderdale will be on the more positive side. Tyler will explain how he works, read select audience members and answer questions.

MIAMI CITY BALLET: “MODERN MASTERS”

WHEN : Feb. 17-19

WHERE: Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach COST: $30-$115

CONTACT: 561/832-7469, kravis.org

In its 33 years of existence, Miami City Ballet has never mounted a work by the monumental modernist Martha Graham—until now. Graham’s “Diversion of Angels” is a plotless triptych inspired by the bold colors the choreographer so admired in the abstract paintings of Wassily Kandinsky. Her color-coded dancers, clad in white, yellow or red, embody love at three stages of life: in young, middle and mature ages. Miami City Ballet’s winter program also includes José Limón’s “The Moor’s Pavane,” a balletic interpretation of “Othello;” and two world-premiere works, one of which will feature the integration of dance with film and cutting-edge technology.

BIG THIEF

WHEN: Feb. 21, 8 p.m.

WHERE: Miami Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave., Miami Beach COST: $41.72

CONTACT: 305/672-5202, miamibeachbandshell.com

The first Florida appearance of Brooklyn quartet Big Thief is a long time coming: The Berklee College-educated group has been making music that sounds both timeless and out of time since 2015. Of Big Thief’s 2016 debut, Robert Christgau, dean of American rock critics, lauded its “fragile, noisy images of a love perpetually out of reach.”The group has only improved over its next four albums, which have collectively earned three Grammy nominations for their mix of rustic, back-porch Americana and clangorous noisepop. The band’s variegated musical influences pair with singer-songwriter Adrianne Lenker’s singular, affecting warble and literary lyrics, which conjure Bob Dylan in their pictorial details and poetic resonance. The group is supporting its 2022 opus Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You, a sprawling 20-track LP recorded in five different U.S. cities.

Tyler Henry

Big Thief

“Diversion of Angels”

ALEXA VISCIUS

TYLER HENRY PHOTO COURTESY OF BROWARD CENTER/JOANNA DEGENERES PHOTOGRAPHY

Lynn Cancer Instiute Pushing the Boundaries of Cancer Care

Patients of Lynn Cancer Institute will soon have access to a groundbreaking MRI-guided radiation treatment system that allows for more precise targeting of tumors with higher — and potentially more effective — radiation doses.

The ability to increase radiation may also result in shorter treatment protocols that are less disruptive to patients’ quality of life.

Lynn Cancer Institute, established at Boca Raton Regional Hospital and part of Baptist Health Cancer Care, is in the process of installing the ViewRay MRIdian® MR-guided radiation therapy system at its Delray Beach location on Military Trail. “This unit will enable us, as radiation oncologists, to treat cancer in a way that we never were able to do previously,” says Youssef Zeidan, M.D., Ph.D., part of the team overseeing the acquisition. “At Lynn Cancer Institute, we are committed to bringing the latest and most effective cancer therapy to Palm Beach County.”

The new system “marries” the technology used for radiation treatments with an MRI, allowing real-time monitoring as therapy is administered. Research has demonstrated it can be especially effective on pancreatic cancer, in some cases doubling life-expectancy. It also can be used on other inoperable or difficult-to-reach tumors in the liver, lungs and elsewhere, Dr. Zeidan says.

Combining radiation with real-time visualization allows oncologists to define very tight treatment margins, avoiding exposure to nearby organs. The system is so advanced it even adapts for movement when a patient breathes. “If you are able to see the treated area before and during the radiation, you can treat it as a sculpture

— you can carve out treatment in a very personalized way to match exactly what each patients needs, while also reducing toxicity,” Dr. Zeidan explains.

Currently, the nearest institute this technology is available is at Baptist Health’s Miami Cancer Institute, which has been an international leader in its adoption and development, Dr. Zeidan says. “We are excited to bring this technology closer to home for residents of Palm Beach County,” he says, adding the new technology will allow more patients to enroll in clinical trials pushing the boundaries of cancer treatment.

“This addition is an important expansion of our radiation oncology offerings and another example of our commitment to excellence and innovation,” agrees Michael Kasper, M.D., director of radiation oncology for the Institute.

Learn more at BRRH.com/LCI or by calling 561-955-LYNN (5966).

I knew, when I saw BB King, that [the blues] was timeless music. It went straight to my soul. ... This is music that I can be playing when I’m in my 60s, my 70s, my 80s, that crosses all boundaries.”

—JP Soars

To the Blues and Beyond

Whether swampy, fiery or jazzy, veteran guitarist JP Soars continues to find the right notes

Written by JOHN THOMASON

“Now we’re cooking with gas!”

That’s how JP Soars accurately characterized his own set during a break between songs last fall at the Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton. It was a Monday night, but you couldn’t tell it from the packed and energetic house.

Appearing with his signature flat cap and ponytail, and backed by a five-piece band, the longtime blues-rock guitarist had opened his set with a couple of scorching numbers, each tracking well north of jukebox length, with plenty of space for improvisatory exploration. Soars’ primal, protean playing carried each number; he occasionally finessed the notes from his guitar but just as often extracted them from the strings as a dentist would a stubborn tooth. To put it another way, if his instrument was a wild animal, Soars spent his set alternately taming it and letting it loose.

“The solos are pretty much 100-percent improvised,” Soars said, a couple of days later.“I have little road maps of where I’m going to go, but it’s never exactly the same. It’s whatever mood you might be in that night, the vibe of the room, the energy of the people—it all plays a part.

“It’s a lot of trial and error. In doing it for so long, you kind of learn what stuff works, and what doesn’t. You learn what notes not to go to.”

Soars frequented the right notes that night, balancing his bluesy bailiwick with dexterous Latin guitar, surf licks a la Dick Dale, and gypsy jazz inspired by one of his heroes, guitarist Django Reinhardt. But the flavors melded together, like in a good gumbo.

seven children,“I grew up on 100 acres of land and four miles of dirt road down another dirt road, in the middle of nowhere, up in the Ozarks,” he says.

His family moved to West Palm Beach in 1985 for work, and Soars, who knew from a young age that he wanted to pursue music, would enjoy his a-ha moment three years later, when he won a raffle. The prize? A Gibson S.G. electric guitar, two front-row tickets to see BB King live, and a backstage pass to meet the legendary guitarist.

“I knew, when I saw BB King, that it was timeless music,” Soars recalls.“It went straight to my soul. … This is music that I can be playing when I’m in my 60s, my 70s, my 80s, that crosses all boundaries.”

The moment reads like the origin story it is, but it would take years for Soars to channel the blues full-time. Enamored with Metallica as a teenager, Soars played in a thrash-metal band called Raped Ape for eight years, and from 1998 to 2005, he played in another metal outfit, Divine Empire, often while gigging his blues act simultaneously. The blues eventually won out.

“I couldn’t see myself being in my 50s playing that kind of music,” says Soars, who is now 54. “What I was noticing was, OK, I’m getting older, and the crowd is staying the same. I couldn’t imagine myself still playing for young, angry, pissed-off people at this age.”

WEB EXTRA: For more with JP Soars, including how living in Florida influences his music, visit BOCAMAG.OM/ FEBRUARY-2023.

As well they should: For decades, Soars has been an institution in South Florida music and beyond. He performs relentlessly, playing some 200 dates a year, many in the tri-county area but also Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Naples, Fort Myers. Music from his six albums—five of them self-released— garners regular airplay on SiriusXM’s Little Steven’s Underground Garage station, and in 2021, he was nominated for a national Blues Music Award in the Contemporary Blues Male Artist category.

All of which is a far cry from the musician’s humble beginnings, in Cedarville, Arkansas, population 1,410 per the 2020 Census. The oldest of

These days, Soars lives in Boca. He’s never been married, and he doesn’t have children, which helps to explain his road-tested lifestyle. But the COVID pause helped shift his priorities. His calendar is still stacked, but since the pandemic, he’s playing fewer tour dates and more hometown shows.

“I re-evaluated where I want to be, what I want to do, and how I want to spend the next 20 years of my life,” he says.“Touring is hard; it takes a lot out of you, sitting in the van for four hours a day, six hours a day, eight hours a day, trying to find healthy food to eat, trying to get exercise in between it all, trying to sleep well.

“I enjoy being home,”he adds.“I’ve slowed down a little bit. Here in Florida, we’re really lucky to have a good scene and places to play. I could stay busy playing here all year round if I wanted to.”

MARILYN J STRINGER

Across the Finish Line

A Boca

couple’s

passion project helps lift up the students who need it most

Written by JOHN THOMASON

Eda Viner knows all about the challenges of being a single parent. Enrolling two kids in university on her income as a real estate agent, she learned firsthand the financial burden that college tuition can cause on a household like hers.

“Everybody thinks that Boca is so rich, but the fact is that there are a lot of people that are struggling and working very hard to make ends meet, and they’re all around us,” she says.“I was one of those people, working very hard to send my kids to college, and for them to graduate without debt so they could move on and have a fruitful life.”

Since 2015, Eda and her husband, retired hedge fund executive Cliff Viner, have been assisting families in similar situations through their nonprofit, the Eda & Cliff Viner Community Scholars Foundation. A need-based,“last-dollar” scholarship often combined with Bright Futures or other student aid, their foundation has thus far helped 130 students attend Florida public universities, covering up to $10,000 of their tuition and related expenses each year.

Their students, whom they refer to as their “investments,” have a 95-percent graduation rate, thanks in part to the Viners’ rigorous acceptance process and their longtime commitment to each scholar.

“We’re a unique scholarship program for a lot of reasons,”Cliff says.“It’s a very substantial fouryear commitment and investment in the student. Most of the time, you get a check, and that’s the end of it. They don’t follow you or make sure you graduate. The second thing is the mentorship. Every kid

who goes to college with our scholarship gets a mentor from the community. At the beginning they have to call their mentor every week; we don’t want the kids running off the rails, losing interest, having to leave college. We want them to stay and graduate. Otherwise, you lose your investment.”

The Viners, who are involved in every aspect of their organization—Nicole Viner, Eda’s daughter, is the foundation’s executive director—begin seeking out new scholars each fall by presenting at high schools throughout South Palm Beach County. Students then apply for scholarships from December through March. To be accepted, students submit to an interview with Cliff and Eda, and if selected they must maintain a 3.0 GPA in college and complete at least 100 community service hours.Their notable graduates include Daniel, who was working while in high school while being raised by a single mother with a disability. He attended the University of Florida on a Viner Scholarship, graduating at the top of his class, and is set to receive his law degree, also from UF, this year. Another student was homeless, along with her single mother and autistic brother, when she was accepted as a Viner Scholar; she has gone from couch-surfing to attending medical school.

“These are extraordinary single stories, but almost all of them are great success stories,”Cliff says. “They’re going into law school, vet school, nursing school, engineering school, and they’re getting great

jobs.

... The 95 percent graduation rate is the success story, so to speak.”

The foundation is the capstone of the Viners’ successful careers in business, from Eda’s 15 years in real estate to Cliff’s founding of the III Finance Hedge Fund and former co-ownership of the Florida Panthers, which he sold in 2013, the same year he married Eda. It’s a second marriage for both of them, and together they raise a talented, blended brood of four children now dispersed in Florida, Pennsylvania and New York. In their downtime, they can be spotted at local theaters and restaurants;

Cliff competes in swim meets and has been taking voice and guitar lessons. He even played guitar at a restaurant at Town Center mall, joking that he’s responsible for its demise: “I played at Rex Baron, and they closed it down!”

But once you get them talking about education, their passion is most infectious.

“If you really want to empower youth, the no. 1 thing you’ve got to give them is the best education,” Cliff says.“It’s something nobody can take away from them. They have it their whole lives, and they can work with it to make not just themselves better, but it makes it better for their parents right now. It makes it better for their children.”

“These kids are super smart; all they need is a little bit of money and they’re going to flourish.”

—Eda Viner

Eda and Cliff

Viner

Need for Speed

Salvage to Savage owner Mike Rolleri is putting Boca on the map for custom vehicle builds

Written by TYLER CHILDRESS

It’s anyone’s guess why Mike Rolleri was banned by Florida Atlantic University police from ever again setting foot on FAU property. Maybe it was the screeching of tires, the billowing of burnout smoke, or perhaps it was the deafening roar of engines from the crew of his custom fabrication shop, Salvage to Savage, pushing one of their builds to the absolute limit in the vacant lot of FAU’s Research Park. But as the old adage goes, there’s no such thing as bad publicity, and the flashing lights of

the world of custom builds, he says the entire enterprise started with a single truck.

Before Rolleri opened his shop three years ago, he had already been burned by two shops that took deposits but wouldn’t commit to working on his 1965 Chevy C10 truck. Tired of being taken advantage of, he decided to put his background in metal fabrication to good use and went to work. The finished product was an incredible monster of a truck, with twin engines and flames spewing from

videos on YouTube. Between vehicles coming in from customers and the builds his team creates from vehicles found on social media, Rolleri is booked through 2024. The wheels are constantly turning, with no signs of slowing.

“I don’t sleep,” Rolleri says. “These builds constantly run through my mind; I’m always coming up with new ideas.”

The fruits of Rolleri’s restlessness can be seen at any number of the local events he participates in as well. A lifetime Boca resident

FAU PD surrounding a souped-up Nissan 350Z made for one hell of a promo video.

“We’ve never really built anything that was slow and quiet,” says Rolleri, whose Boca shop has amassed an impressive 188,000 (as of writing) YouTube subscribers since it started the channel in October 2020. While “slow” and “quiet” definitely can’t be used to describe any of the custom builds at Salvage to Savage, neither can “boring.” Each creation manages to be utterly unique, while also still carrying a signature, rugged style and an emphasis on speed. Radicalized. Badass. From a Chevy C10 pickup truck that Rolleri rescued from being scrapped and fitted with an electric motor to a DeLorean with twin engines that even Doc Brown would think twice about joyriding in, each build has its own “wow” factor that sets Salvage to Savage apart. While Rolleri’s brand is moving up fast in

the exhaust.“Cha-Ching,” as he named it, started getting recognition and was featured in several truck magazines—including one that named it one of the seven most influential trucks of 2021.

Rolleri says that Cha-Ching is the favorite build they’ve ever done, which is why it was so bittersweet when he had to sell it to start his business. Though parting with Cha-Ching wasn’t easy, doing so is what helped him to achieve the creative freedom and exclusivity he enjoys today.

“If a customer calls me, and they want to do [something simple], we don’t really take those kinds of jobs,” says Rolleri.“We try to stick to jobs that customers seek us out to do our thing and who don’t have a budget.”

And Rolleri has no shortage of customers seeking him out. One client shipped his truck all the way from Washington State after watching one of Salvage to Savage’s build

and active member of the community, Rolleri has participated in toy drives at Mizner Park, showing up in one of his custom creations with a truckbed full of toys. Last year, Salvage to Savage hosted its own toy drive at its shop, partnering with Children’s Harbor (a Florida-based child welfare organization) to help make sure kids had something under the Christmas tree. Rolleri says it was the biggest toy donation the organization had ever seen: “The guy had to come here three times to fill up his pickup truck with toys.”

Rolleri says the next step for Salvage to Savage is to focus on marketing and linking up with the biggest names in the industry to put Boca on the map as a leader in custom builds by staying true to what sets his brand apart.

“At the end of the day, it has to be something that I’m proud of, that I’m gonna stamp my name on and say ‘we built that.’”

We’ve never really built anything that was slow and quiet...If a customer calls me and they want to do something simple, we don’t really take those kinds of jobs. We try to stick to jobs that customers seek us out to do our thing , and who don’t have a budget...”

Mike Rolleri

Riviera round diamond necklace (just under 53 carats), large diamond bangle (about 40 carats), radiant pink diamond ring surrounded by micro-pave diamonds and brilliant round diamonds, large pearshaped pink diamond ring surrounded by pink micro-pave diamonds, all from Rosenberg Diamonds

creating a natural, healthy and more youthful appearance with feminine artistry, grace and aesthetic sensibility

Surgical Specialist Focused Uniquely on the Face, Neck, Eyes, Forehead Non-surgical Aesthetics And Expert Injector of Botox® and Dermal Fillers

RIMMEL sunglasses, $295, from Eye Catchers Optique

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN bag, $1,190, ALEXANDER MCQUEEN pump, $890, both from Saks, Boca Raton

Red

Step into 2023 with a flash of statement reds

AARON BRISTOL

PSYCHO BUNNY hat, $45, and shirt, $105, L.E.N. ostrich belt, $575, and licensed/registered elephant belt, $575, BUGATCHI martini socks, $27.50, MARCOLIANI MILANO striped socks, $29, all from Raise the Bar menswear

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN sneaker, $1,145, VALENTINO men’s shaving kit, $790, both from Saks, Boca Raton

A Well Red Man

Shake loose and allow a little bold color in your stride

YO U H AV E T H E

P OW E R TO S E C U R E

T H E J EW I S H F U T U R E .

THE $600 BILLION OPPORTUNITY.

Right now, there is an unprecedented opportunity to secure the funds necessary for a vibrant Jewish future. Over the next 25 years, a mind-boggling $68 trillion will transfer to the next generation, with $6.3 trillion allocated to charity. We estimate that 20 percent of this allocation, or 1.26 trillion charitable dollars, will be given from Jewish donors.

By taking the Jewish Future Pledge, you can help ensure that more than $600 billion is set aside for Jewish causes when wealth is transferred from this generation to the next. Your commitment will shape and sustain the organizations you care about long after you are gone.

A Commitment to the Jewish Future.

The Jewish Future Pledge is a worldwide movement working to ensure that vibrant Jewish life continues for generations to come. It calls on all Jews to pledge that half or more of the charitable giving in their estate plan will support the Jewish people and/or the State of Israel.

Secure the Jewish Future. Act Now!

Take the pledge at www.jewishboca.org/JewishFuturePledge

For more information, contact: Lottie Nilsen, CFRE, Vice President, Jacobson Jewish Community Foundation, at 561.852.3109 or LottieN@bocafed.org.

Jacobson Jewish Community Foundation

9901 Donna Klein Blvd, Boca Raton, FL 33428

ELISA CAVALETTI necklace, $265, and belt, $275, both from Evelyn Rolleder Boutique

JIMMY CHOO sunglasses, $349, from Eye Catchers Optique

CHIE MIHARA boot, $525, jogger, $220, both from Filly & Colt

Pretty in Pink

Rediscover the girly girl color of choice—with an edge

Fighting the Good Fight

Carly Yoost continues her father’s legacy in battling child abuse

Written by MARIE SPEED

Carly Yoost is under the radar. And changing the world, one day at a time.

This self-described“introvert” and Delray soccer mom runs the nonprofit Child Rescue Coalition (CRC), and was recently named Woman Volunteer of the Year by the Junior League of Boca Raton. (“I totally did not expect to win at all. I was honored and blown away!”)

Her work is a continuation of that of her father, the late Hank Asher, described by many as a genius—and highly colorful—pioneer in data mining software who spent millions of his own fortune fighting child pornography. After his death in 2013, his daughters Carly and Desiree sold his company TLO (the acronym for The Last One, the final of three companies, including Database Technologies and Seisint), to TransUnion.

“The Child Rescue Coalition was built upon more of the philanthropic feel-good department of TLO, just a team of programmers and law enforcement working on this project helping identify child predators and rescue children that were being abused,”Yoost says.“We built that technology, so when we sold it to TransUnion, we said ‘we want to maintain possession of this free technology.’ We licensed it through the nonprofit Child Rescue Coalition, and we were able to start the CRC that year. We just expanded how the world is using this tool and how many officers are using it.”

The technology CRC uses is a highly guarded secret, but Yoost says “it works by identifying people who are online in public peer-topeer file-sharing networks trading

illegal child sexual abuse material. We allow access to law enforcement globally to view those leads and make them actionable to find the person who is trading illegal content. We leave [law enforcement] to make the arrest of the individual and recover any evidence or any children who are being videotaped or abused.”

There are only 11 employees at CRC, but the nondescript office at BRIC has an international reach.

“We have trained investigators in 97 countries,”Yoost says.“We have big partnerships in other countries where they are actively building cases and rescuing children based on our leads…”

And they have managed to keep the technology free through grant funding, corporate partnerships, and individual small and large-level donors.

Yoost and her organization have won impressive awards, but she’s the last one who’d tell you that. Nor is she plugged into the local glittering social circuit, preferring to do her work and spend time with her family. When it comes to what drives her, she says,“For one, I was raised watching my dad have this big passion in life. And knowing you could build technology to solve world problems. This is one of the most important causes there is.

“What really motivates me is not only are these files illegal and

felony-level, but that 85 percent of the people dealing with this kind of content have already been hands-on abusers of children. I have seen the broken model of our telling survivors to ‘come forward’ and say they are being abused, but we see over and over again that there is not enough evidence to convict people. We need more proactive tools like this [technology] that are identifying predators, hopefully before they go on to abuse hundreds of children.”

About 14,000 child predators have been arrested because of the ever-evolving CRC technology, and Yoost says that helps when working in an organization engaged in fighting one of the darkest enemies extant today.

“That keeps us going. It feels like bringing light to a very dark topic— knowing that in some way you are chipping away at it and creating something that is making an impact. That you are preventing future children from being abused.”

We have trained investigators in 97 countries. We have big partnerships in other countries where they are actively building cases and rescuing children based on our leads.”

—Carly Yoost

Carly Yoost AARON BRISTOL

Life is never really a smooth road, but I’m thankful for that though, too, because I had an opportunity to kind of take some time and really learn about myself.”

—Bernard Harrigan

From Soldier to Scholar

At age 46, Bernard Harrigan became the first Udall scholar in FAU history—and he’s just getting started

Written by TYLER CHILDRESS

By the time Bernard Harrigan, 46, walked into his first class at Florida Atlantic University, the swell of nerves brought on by going to school and seeing a room full of students half his age had long since passed. Having two years of college experience at Palm Beach State College under his belt, he entered FAU singularly focused, intent on making the connections that would help him achieve his goal of creating a more equitable and sustainable Florida.

If you would have told Harrigan a few years ago when he was working odd jobs just to make ends meet that he would be a two-time national scholarship winner, or that he would be selected to represent the state of Florida for the All-USA Academic Team, he’d probably say you’ve got the wrong guy. Harrigan’s dream of pursuing higher education seemed trapped in 1999, after getting out of the military and realizing the benefits from the GI Bill were only a drop in the bucket of what he needed to cover the cost of his education. The years passed as he drifted between jobs, which were limited without a degree as well as from a back injury sustained during his military service. But as Harrigan prepares to graduate from FAU with his bachelor’s degree in 2023, he can’t help but think those aimless years of struggling were for the best.

“Life is never really a smooth road,” says Harrigan, “but I’m thankful for that though too, because I had an opportunity to kind of take some time and really learn about myself.”

Harrigan’s journey from soldier to scholar took years to finally manifest, but the credit, he says, doesn’t belong to him.“It wasn’t until I met my wife that I was able to really find the ways to be able to get the education I wanted to have,” says Harrigan, who first met his wife, Elizabeth, while he was working front-desk sales for a local gym.“She is the catalyst that has caused all the change in my life.”

Harrigan also credits his wife for igniting his passion for the environment. Elizabeth was working at The Reef Institute in West Palm at the time, an organization dedicated to restoring Florida’s reef systems. Harrigan spent his free time volunteering at the institute for a year before landing a position as the organization’s outreach coordinator. During his time working at the institute, Harrigan developed a sense of the intersection between social equity and environ-

mentalism while overseeing an internship program for inner-city kids.

“These high schoolers had never even seen a fish,” says Harrigan, who realized that any environmental initiative is meaningless if those less privileged can’t participate. With this realization came clarity for what he would finally decide to focus his education on, and he enrolled at Palm Beach State College, where he earned his associate’s degree before transferring to FAU.

“I started out really nervous about going to school after so many years,” says Harrigan, but that those years actually proved beneficial.“Because of the time I’ve spent out in the real world, I had really no inhibitions about saying things and doing things and being totally wrong in front of everyone and not caring, because that’s what college is all about.”

While at FAU, Harrigan was able to combine his dual passions of environmental justice and social change into a bachelor’s degree, and made FAU history when he became the university’s first student to earn the Udall Scholarship, which is awarded for demonstrating a commitment to causes related to First Nations and the environment. But for Harrigan, his work is just getting started.

After graduation, Harrigan plans to help businesses and governments develop committees that can ensure sustainable practices come to fruition. The process will start at the local level, but he hopes to eventually make it to D.C. As for the possibility of running for public office, Harrigan doesn’t rule it out. But for now, his focus is solely on preserving the environment for future generations.

“I just want to make sure that all kids, not just my own, have a future where there are seagulls, fish and squirrels, and the things that I grew up watching and enjoying.”

Bernard Harrigan AARON BRISTOL

Located in the prestigious Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club and designed by the awardwinning Bloomfield Construction Inc., this property comes with a wealth of amenities inside and out. Besides overlooking three of the fairways on the Jack Nicklaus designed golf course, the property includes 5 bedrooms and 6 full baths with separate his/her master baths plus a cabana bath and powder room, gym, an oversized swimming pool, spa, four-car garage with electric car charger, and both gourmet and summer kitchens. At 10,146 total square feet, it is fully furnished, including state-of-the-art home automation and water detection systems, and a wine room which can hold up to 388 bottles. Completion date – January 2023.

After decades of fashioning bridal gowns and eveningwear for A-listers and Fashion Weeks, this prizewinning designer is taking a much-needed breather

By JOHN THOMASON

Long before he designed couture

Beyoncé and Sandra Bullock and Taylor Swift and Meryl Streep, Angel Sanchez learned the basics of dressmaking by

Angel was 7, his mother, Maria Teresa, had opened a trimming shop and become a top seamstress in their quiet mountain town of Valera, Venezuela, tailoring wedding and cocktail dresses for fellow residents. The fashion magazines surrounding the sewing machine occasionally catching his eye, Angel, the fourth of six children, eventually assisted in the business—but only to help support his family, not out of an urgent desire to

It wasn’t until after Sanchez graduated from Venezuela’s Simón Bolivar University—with a seemingly incongruous architecture degree—that womenswear evolved into a hobby, then a vocation, then an art form. With no formal training in the trade, Sanchez won the first American fashion competition in which he entered, ultimately ushering him into the international market.

In the decades since he founded his fashion house in 1987, San chez has seen his graceful, subtly dramatic and uncluttered designs grace magazine covers, dazzle red carpets and entice customers at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks. He judged three seasons of “Project Runway Latin America” and has long been a staple on the whirlwind of international Fashion Weeks.

Until recently, that is. Like many of us, Sanchez migrated to South Florida in part to slow down. In 2018, he and his husband, interior designer Christopher Coleman, moved from New York to Delray Beach and opened Sanchez + Coleman Studios, pooling

their talents into a joint business and running it on their own terms. For the 62-year-old Sanchez, this has meant working less and enjoying life more.

“I’m very happy right now,” he says, speaking to over a steak lunch at Papa’s Tapas.“I’m looking for a peaceful mo ment in my life. Delray gives me peace of mind, compared to New York. … I have the possibility to think a little harder and explore new things. That is why I’m here right now, to have the chance to see my career in perspective.”

In this conversation, Sanchez discusses that remarkable career— how it began, where it took him and where it’s going next.

When you are a kid, you absorb everything. I was really fasci nated about my mom’s job. But I would never think to become a fashion designer. My mom had to work doing this, but it was not a career—not something I wanted to become. But in the back of my mind, it was there.

I worked with her when I was about 14 until 17. I remember my

As a young boy, what appealed to you about what your mom did for a living?

In Venezuela, I was very lucky to have the possibility to make mistakes and make crazy stuff and big things, and the country was able to give me the platform to express myself.”

mom’s customers liked me to recommend what kind of trimming or color matched with this and that; they wanted my opinion. I think in that moment I developed my skill in terms of details.

What led you to pursue architecture in college?

It was the only way to translate my ideas of creativity. I never thought my mom’s job would be my future job. It’s like when you see your mom cooking, and one day you become a chef. Still, if I had a choice to go to college and start a new career, I would not go to fashion. I would go to architecture again. It gives you the skills for proportion, for 3D ideas. The discipline I got from being an architect, and applied in fashion, really helped me. … And now that I’m going back to architecture and interior design, I realize the design process is so similar, in how you put together pieces.

Both need to reflect the owner’s personality. Exactly. In the beginning of my career in Venezuela, I used to work more custom-made, more person to person, and understand this lady is classic or this lady is sexy or this lady is more modern. So I tried to give them what they were looking for, and not just my point of view. I’m kind of a psychologist in terms of fashion, and with interiors, you have to do the same—to understand the client, to give them what they are looking for.

Do you surprise your clients sometimes—taking the look somewhere they didn’t expect?

Part of my job is to push them out of their comfort zone without ignoring their personalities. You cannot give exactly what they want. You have to give a little surprise. They’ll say,“I was thinking in red, but with a ruffle here…”“OK, why do you need me? There are so many red dresses in that pattern; let’s try another color. Let’s see how the orange looks.”That is a way to push people but not impose my ideas. I always try to respect my clients’ taste.

How did you make the transition from architecture to fashion?

I wasn’t really in love with my career choice, during my six years [studying architecture]. I was preparing myself to be the best ar chitect possible, and I was a very good student. At the same time, I was doing sketches of women’s dresses around the blueprints of my architecture projects.

My first real job was making a wedding dress for one of my friends from college. It was a very geometric dress. But I had started working in a big architectural firm in Caracas. And I started getting frustrated. It takes such a long time to see a building built. And I was working in a major firm. You were under a company name, and I think part of my ego was to do this thing that becomes mine.

I started spending my salary as an architect on fabrics. After two and a half years working as an architect, I decided to quit and open my first studio in Caracas.

It started getting so much attention and momentum that three months after the opening, I completely quit my job as an architect.

In that moment in 1986, fashion was not recognized as an important artistic discipline. Now you see fashion in museums. … I don’t want to sound pretentious, but in some ways I feel I was part of the pioneers of change in Venezuela, where pho tography, fashion, graphic design were more respected. I had a possibility to change that perception.

How did you get noticed in the U.S.?

I wasn’t known until 1995 when I came to an event in Miami called Ibero-American Fashion Week. I came with a collection, and I won two awards. But I didn’t want to start my career here. I wanted to go to New York and put myself in a major competition.

I went with the same winning collection to New York. I didn’t speak any English. [Eveningwear buyer] Judy Krull of [department store] Henri Bendel saw the collection, and she said,“thank you, but this collection is not for here. This collection is a little too cha-cha-cha. It’s not for the American market.”

At that moment, Latin fashion was not respected. The few fashion designers in the market were Carolina [Herrera] and Oscar [de la Renta]. And they were not Latin. They were more assimilated with the whole American industry. And I came here with a little cha-cha-cha, and they didn’t like it. And I was really frustrated. But at the same time, I learned so much. I walked around Manhattan for the first time, and I realized, she was right.

I went back to Venezuela, and on the plane, I sketched 17 dresses during my four-and-a-half-hour flight. I was so impacted by what she told me that I designed these 17 dresses. In Venezuela I had a big team, because I was already established. So I made those 17 sketches in three weeks. And I came back to New York.

So I went through the 17 dresses, and I think my career started in that moment, when Judy Krull called the vice president to see it. I signed a contract for three years exclusive with them. They gave me windows on Fifth Avenue, my own corner, my atelier. I learned so much about how you have to have, as a designer, the ability to understand different kinds of women and different kinds of tastes. My goal was to become international, and I did.

Who are some of the celebrities you’ve worked with?

From 2008 to 2012, celebrities started feeling their power, but they didn’t have these big deals with Chanel or Gucci or Valentino. And they had the freedom to call you if they liked your work. I had the opportunity to clothe Sandra Bullock, Eva Longoria, the Princess of Greece. There was momentum in my career. I didn’t need to call people. They called me. Sandra Bullock asked me to design her wedding dress, and then she invited me to her wedding, and I did her Oscar dress.

In some ways I feel I was part of the pioneers of change in Venezuela, where photography, fashion, graphic design were more respected...”

Do you still travel to all the fashion shows around the world?

No. My partner/husband and I lived for 18 years in New York. I got kind of tired. I didn’t want to kill myself more. … I decided to move all my family to Florida. Chris has his own independent interior design firm, and I have my firm. We decided to merge, and we founded Sanchez + Coleman Studios. But the idea was to take a break; I didn’t want to do more season collections; I just wanted to do collections when I had something new to show. This was two years before the pandemic that we established the business in Delray.

Then came the pandemic, and everything was canceled. It’s amazing how your life is determined by circumstances, but it is. I was looking for time to break from what I was doing—fashion shows, spending money on runway presentations, selling into department stores. I now do more custom-made, very special pieces, a Capsule Collection when I feel I have 12 or 16 ideas. I may go back to Fashion Week Miami. But I don’t want the pressure.

Tell me about your 2022-2023 Capsule Collection.

After all these months with no fashion, I thought, let me do a little something. It was the fastest collection I ever did. In less than a month and a half, I came up with 12 designs … related to my previous experience with private customers. I started calling every dress by the name of a client that inspired me, because I believe sometimes my clients and their needs inspire me to give them something new and fresh. One of my fears sometimes as a designer is, how do you keep your work modern? How can you still produce collections that surprise?

That started a very nice collaboration that we launched after Art Basel. I call it “Re-Edit.” I wanted to re-edit some runway ideas that I never produced, because the pieces were too modern at the time, or were not in my niche in the market. But I still believe the pieces had something to develop and explore a little further.

Have you developed a signature Angel Sanchez look? Do fashion insiders recognize right away that a dress is from your mind and your hand?

It’s not a process where I say, my signature elements are this, this and this. It’s not part of my process. But … in the end I know what I like. And through all of these 35 years of experience, I am going to make mistakes. The formula that’s behind my mind is there, but it’s not, 30 percent sexy, 30 percent architectural, 30 percent decoration. But in the end, there’s something there; my dresses have a coherent sense of style.

What I don’t like about designers is when they jump from one collection to another, and you don’t recognize them. … I like a coherent narrative. I’m a Libra; I’m very balanced.

Ariana, Alexandra and Dresden Peters; Dakota not shown

Written by JUDY ALEXANDRA DIEDWARDO • Photography by AARON BRISTOL

CHICKS WITH KICKS

Imagine a sneaker collection so vast you’d need an NBA-size basketball court to showcase them. Meet “The Chicks with Kicks”— Peters sisters Ariana, 29, Dresden, 27 and Dakota, 23—who oversee one of the world’s largest sneaker collections, valued at more than $2 million. (They also have a fourth sister, Alexandra.)

The Boca Raton trio inherited the collection a decade ago from their father, Douglas Peters, a retired real estate developer, who began amassing pairs of his favorite sneakers in the 1980s. Now, more than 6,000 in all, the collection includes a curated list of rare prototypes, players’ editions and vintage sneakers.

“He started collecting when we were very young, [out] of sheer love of the sneaker; he’s a forward thinker,” says Ariana, who, along with her sisters, also runs the family’s brokerage business, Peters Realty.

“He always bought one pair to wear and another to collect, because he saw them as art. So we grew up wearing Air Force 1s to elementary school instead of ballet slippers and sandals.”

In 2015 the collection became an international sensation when Dresden coined the ‘Chicks With Kicks’ Instagram moniker and posted a pair of classic Nike Air Force 1s, popularized by the movie “Entourage,” which was based on the hit HBO series (2004-11).

“The timing was parallel with the sneaker market boom and gained a lot of traction right away,” recalls Ariana. “When Sneaker News picked us up in January 2020, within 48 hours we had major collectors reaching out to us. That’s when my other sister and I were like, ‘Whoa, we’re really onto something!’ From there we began talking about what we would post on Instagram the next day.”

Sneakers aren’t just business. The Peters sisters, like their father, are passionate consumers: Ariana prefers New Balance; Dresden, Nike Daybreak and Cortez; and Dakota likes her Nike SBs, says Ariana: “Lately, she’s very into the new collectors’ editions.”

From vintage childhood toys and sports memorabilia to surfboards and sneakers, meet five south Florida collectors who are passionate about preserving the past.

HERITAGE HUNTER

What began as a curiosity and point of pride more than 30 years ago has grown into a passion for collecting memorabilia of Jewish athletes and celebrities—many of whom changed their names to conceal their Jewish heritage.

“It started with a Sandy Koufax (Sanford Braun) baseball card that I bought at a Georgetown flea market near my home outside of Washington, D.C.,” says Delray Beach CPA Neil Keller, the 62-year-old single father of two who moved to South Florida two years ago.“I placed it in a

small shoebox for safekeeping.”

That one card grew to thousands as Keller’s collection expanded to more than 20,000 items from a Who’s Who of famous people, including autographs from Bob Dylan (Robert Zimmerman), Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jeane Mortenson), Woody Allen (Alan Konigsberg), Jason Alexander (Jason Greenspan), David Copperfield (David Kotkin) and Jon Stewart (Jon Leibowitz), to name a few.“Even Whoopi Goldberg (Caryn Elaine Johnson) sent her autograph because she ‘feels’ Jewish,” Keller says.

But beyond the fun of collecting and the personal homage to his heritage, Keller appreciates the opportunity to shed light

on the extraordinary accomplishments of generations of high-profile people forced to live a shadowed life.

“I’m proud of my religion and want to educate people in a fun way; to show that these are good role models, like Jonas Salk, who developed the polio vaccine,”says Keller, who now writes for the Jewish Journal and exhibited some of his memorabilia, celebrating Jewish athletes during the Holocaust, in January at the Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center in Boca Raton.

“It’s a fun hobby with amazing perks,” he says.“I’ve been able to meet some of the most famous Jewish people on the planet.”

“IT

Neil Keller

TOY STORY

The discovery of a 1967 GI Joe lunchbox at a Sioux City, Iowa flea market more than 20 years ago set in motion an entire career reconnecting people with their vintage toys and memorabilia.

“I remember the moment I picked it up, like a video camera going off in my head, I was transported back to the lunchroom at Crescent Park Elementary school surrounded by my friends, eating the ham and cheese sandwich that my mother refused to add pickles to,” recounts Joel Magee, 61 (toyscout.com).“She said the pickles would make the sandwich too soggy by lunchtime!”

Not only did that event trigger Magee’s pursuit of other forgotten treasures, but it signaled the launch of a career that has become his life’s passion: buying, selling and collecting vintage toys and memorabilia valued at nearly $10 million.

Magee also has the world’s largest private collection of Disneyland and Disney World vintage memorabilia and props spanning decades of Disney history. The collection includes items from Disneyland’s opening day in 1955 and two iconic park rides: Peter Pan’s Pirate Ship and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride vehicle.

Now living in West Palm Beach, Magee travels the country 100-plus days a

year staging road shows for people to buy and sell their prized collectibles. He also manages the FXToys! eBay store (https:// www.ebay.com/str/fxtoys) selling a range of collectibles, from board games and Barbie dolls to posters and model cars.

Magee’s personal favorites? “Mr. Magoo, Bat Masterson, a rare Samantha doll from ‘Bewitched,’ a ‘Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ rifle set; there are many.”

In his spare time, from April through October, he races stock cars with the biggest amateur dirt track-sanctioning body in the country.“I guess you could say I’ve never really left my childhood,” he laughs.“I love toys and doing fun things.”

Joel Magee

SURF PATROL

South Florida’s century-long surfing heritage is in good hands thanks to one man’s passion for preserving its legacy and memorabilia, which is on display at the Cornell Museum in Delray Beach through July 2023. A portion of the collection will also be on display at the newly renovated Lantana Public Library, which is expected in February 2023. The exhibits feature dozens of vintage surfboards and museum-grade storyboard panels displaying priceless memorabilia.

“Delray Beach and the neighboring coastal towns from Jupiter to Boca have some of the richest surfing histories,”says Tom Warnke, executive director of the Surfing Florida Museum who—along with its 14-member board of trustees—is committed to preserving the history and future of East Coast surfing.

“It was a revelation when I began surfing in 1956 when I was 8 and rode my first waves on an inflatable mat. Delray had a good surfing spot at the end of Atlantic Avenue,” says Warnke. As modern surfing exploded in popularity during the 1960s, both its evolution and place in pop culture were on the rise, especially in coastal towns like Delray Beach, which was a mecca for an entire generation.

The turnkey collection of priceless memorabilia and professional-grade exhibits depicts over a century of surfing history along Florida’s eastern seaboard, with everything from vintage surfboards, photographs and surfing club jackets to more than 80 museum-grade storyboards.

Highlights include a 1947 surfboard made by Bob Simmons, who is considered the father of modern surfboard design.

Made of solid balsa wood, the double fin board stands 10 feet, 6 inches tall, weighs 70 pounds and is valued at $30,000. It also features one of the first Hobie surfboards ever made, valued at $7,000; a Holmesy Sidewinder surfboard valued at $5,000; and some of the very first Nomad and Fox surfboards that were manufactured in Lantana.

The exhibit is a huge milestone for a world-class collection that has lived a largely nomadic and, at times, closeted existence. Finding a permanent home has been more elusive than finding that perfect wave.

“We’ve moved from place to place for years and are thrilled to have a committed partner to host part of our exhibit,” says Warnke, who remains hopeful that a more permanent home for the entire collection can be found.

Tom Warnke

HOME RUN HERO

hen it comes to being a baseball aficionado, 43-year-old Boca Raton orthodontist Rob Shelling has secured his place in history with a collection of the sport’s most significant artifacts: baseball bats, many of which never leave his private vault (Instagram @ TheBatVault).

“I’m drawn to collecting bats because they are the actual instrument used to play the game; some even show actual lace marks from the baseballs,” explains Shelling, a married father of two who began collecting baseball bats more than 20 years ago.

“Collectibles like hats are just something players sweat on, right? It’s not as interesting to me.”

“I’ve always loved this stuff,”says Shelling, who remembers as a teenager standing next to a then-frail Joe DiMaggio but feeling too awkward to ask for his autograph. But, in the years that followed, Shelling was able to secure something far more valuable.“I have one of his three ‘streak’ bats used during his 56-game hit streak in 1941. It’s really incredible.”

Another of Shelling’s storied finds is the Louisville slugger that Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Roberto Clemente (the first Latin American to be enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame) used in his 3,000th hit 50 years ago—one of the most elusive artifacts in baseball history. Shelling secured it five years ago at an auction where it eluded other collectors’ notice.

“I had seen a picture of him holding it. Most bats are pretty plain, but this one is very distinct. When it came up, I was like, ‘Ooh, I need to get that,’ praying that no one else saw it.”

Rob Shelling

Boca after

BY JOHN THOMASON

was once sleepytown now offers nightlife worth living

e still remember the Onion headline from March 2021, the kind that took us a minute to realize it was satire: “Boca Raton Declares State Of Emergency After Person Spotted Outside Past 8 P.M.”

The report went on: “Fielding dozens of calls about a chaotic scene ..., Boca Raton officials declared a state of emergency Tuesday as numerous sources reported seeing a person standing outside after 8 p.m. ‘The city of Boca Raton is being put on high alert after a mob of one took to the streets tonight for a casual stroll after sundown,’ said mayor Scott Singer, adding that the man recklessly gather-

ing on the sidewalk after dark appeared to have no concern or remorse for the commotion he was causing.”

The implication, of course, is that Boca is a nightlife desert, a lifeless husk after sundown, the city that always sleeps. It’s a reputation we’ve been battling for decades, but only recently have we had enough ammunition to truly combat it. As we discovered when researching this article, from raucous live music venues to moonlit parks, from an upscale dance club to a communal drum circle, Boca Raton has an after-dark attraction every night of the week. Read on to discover why that Onion piece is so much fake news.

DRUM IT OUT

Boca Raton’s Michael Teller remembers the day, about a decade ago, when his wife, Claire, bought him a djembe drum for his birthday. As Teller recalls,“it sat in the corner of the family room for several months until I took it out and played it. I went to a drum circle, with four people, that I saw online. They showed me how to play djembe a little bit. I said, ‘I like this.’”

It’s a humble origin story for the man who currently organizes and leads at least three drum circles a week in the Palm Beaches, including a circle most Saturday nights at Sanborn Square. Performing in front of a pop-up peace flag, Teller starts each rhythm on his set of dundun drums— West African cylindrical drums with rawhide skins that provide for expert range and precision. His fellow-musicians try to follow along, or perhaps go in their own direction. Some bring other forms of percussion, such as washboards and tambourines, and some play wind instruments like flutes and didgeridoos.

Boca’s drum circle is generally more mellow than the Wednesday night drum circle at Delray’s Old School Square, a raucous tradition that can

attract up to 250 visitors drumming, dancing or just enjoying the positive vibes. These days, the circles have become communities, where drummers and dancers meet future loved ones, or help them grieve losses.“Everybody is connecting with each other in a way they don’t typically connect with people they don’t know that well,” Teller says.“It’s mentally and physically healthy, in a certain moderation that fits your lifestyle.”

And the number of participants is only increasing.“It’s relatively easy, at a basic level, to play the drum, and it’s easy to play together,”Teller adds.“It’s fun, and basically free, it’s open, it’s outside, and there’s nothing like rhythm.”

IT’S CURTAINS FOR YOU

Technically, theatergoing isn’t an exclusively nighttime activity. But I’ve attended enough matinees to notice a difference: The atmosphere tends to be more energized after nightfall, and the audiences more attentive (i.e. less inclined to indulge in their 3 p.m. nap during the show—you know who you are). Here’s what a few of Boca’s regional theaters have planned for February.

Above left and right, new “immersive” experience at the Wick Theatre

Michael Teller

THEATRE LAB AT FAU: “Last Night in Inwood” Jan. 28-Feb. 12

FAU’s professional new-play incubator presents this world premiere from New York playwright Alix Sobler, a modern-day spin, perhaps, on Sartre’s “No Exit.”When a disaster in Manhattan prompts its citizenry to seek higher ground, protagonist Danny’s one-bedroom high-rise becomes the only survival option for her family and friends. But they have to survive each other before they can wait out the apocalypse.

after a nearly 80-year-old matriarch spontaneously announces to her spouse of 50 years that she wants a divorce. Neil Simonesque laughs, and some surprisingly dark plot turns, ensue.

CHANGING LANES

The Bar Scene

Boca has a million great bars and lounges; here are a few that have their own consistent followings.

KAPOW! NOODLE BAR, 402 Plaza Real

The bigger and better hot buzzy restaurant and bar hang in Mizner (Karaoke Night Fridays)

HIJINKS, 133 S.E. Mizner Blvd. More upscale sports bar

THE LOCALE, 499 S. Federal Highway

Casual Latin-American food and craft cocktails

WOLD PERFORMING

ARTS CENTER AT LYNN UNIVERSITY: “42nd Street” Feb. 17-25

This Tony-winning musical, set during the Great Depression, centers on a small-town ingenue who lands a leading role in a splashy Broadway musical after a star actress breaks her ankle. Full of Broadway standards, the show will feature Lynn’s top B.F.A. drama students.

BOCA STAGE AT SOL THEATRE: “GRAND HORIZONS” Feb. 10-26

Set in the fictitious senior living community of the title, celebrated playwright Bess Wohl’s “Grand Horizons” tracks the familial fallout

In a year’s time, Boca Raton went from zero bowling alleys to two. Both reveal the shifting dynamics of this once-ubiquitous American institution—away from the sprawling megacenters and limited snack bars of Don Carter’s heyday, and toward a boutique, hipster experience with gourmet dining.

Strike 10 Bowling quickly became something of an anchor in Mizner Park after opening last February in the former Uncle Julio’s space. A dance music soundtrack, an always-shifting palette of neon lighting and an enormous video wall above the pins ensure that it’s a destination for youthful partiers. With only 10 regulation-size lanes (and two lanes of duckpin, or “mini” bowling!), the leisure sport is just one aspect of Strike 10’s entertainment options, which also include the only billiard tables in Mizner Park, an outdoor bar and a full-ser-

MAX’S GRILLE, 404 Plaza Real

The Boca staple since 1991 and popular now for cocktails and bar bites on the patio

O’BRIAN’S IRISH PUB, 51 S.E. First Ave. Irish pub with sports bar overtones

SALT & SPIRITS, 180 S. Federal Highway Hipster tiki bar with seafood and live music, games

THE REBEL HOUSE, 297 E. Palmetto Park Road Cool eclectic downtown restaurant with small bar and great bites

THE DUCK, 5901 N. Federal Highway Divey casual pub with live music (including Wolfhawk now and then)

67 VINES, 5050 Town Center Circle, #239 New wine tasting bar (with good food) at Boca Center

WALT’S AMERICAN GRILLE & BAR, 6030 S.W. 18th St. Sleek neighborhood bar (and restaurant) in Village Pointe Shopping Center

STRIKES CIGAR LOUNGE, 514 Via De Palmas, Suite 75 Upscale Royal Palm Place cigars and martinis, sports on the TVs

MOON’S TAVERN, 19575 FL 7 Irish pub, sports bar, darts, etc.

MILLER’S ALE HOUSE,1200 Yamato Road Sports bar

Strike 10 Bowling

vice restaurant; orders can also be taken, and delivered, lane-side, and include fresh wraps, salads, tacos, flatbreads and pizzas. Live DJs spin hits on Friday and Saturday nights, where the wait can occasionally eclipse two hours, so reservations are recommended.

At Bowlero, which opened in the former Strikes alley on Glades Road, blacklights and video walls similarly enhance the experience, playing everything from live sports to music videos to family films while bowlers wait their turn. There’s an onsite sports bar and a video arcade with new and vintage games, and the alley offers nightly bowling specials most nights of the week—like 2.99 games, tacos and select drinks after 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, and unlimited bowling for a fixed price on Mondays and Wednesdays after 8.

CLUBLAND

It’s been a star-crossed spot for Boca’s lone nightclub, Cosmo’s, at 99 S.E. First Avenue, a building formally occupied by Platforms, which was formally occupied by Polly Esther’s. So far, at least, the stars have aligned for Joe Galante and Cosmo Catanzano. They bought the property in June 2021, spent four months remodeling it, and opened just in time for Season. Last October, Cosmo’s celebrated its one-year anniversary with a Champagne bash and live performances.

Taking their cues from the New York nightclubs with which they grew up, Galante and Catanzano elevated the space in a more upscale direction than the former Platforms, which Galante describes as a “plastic cup” sort of place. They added a VIP section, and renovated the bars, bathrooms, floors and lighting and sound systems. And they programmed an eclectic schedule of DJs, including retro Saturday nights with hits from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, and salsa Sundays (with free dancing lessons). Thursdays usually

attract a younger crowd, featuring today’s Top 40. The location remains, as always, an outlier in Boca Raton. “I can’t tell you how many people come over to me and say thank you for having this place here,” Galante says.“There’s really no place else to go. You can go to West Palm to Fort Lauderdale, and you can’t find a strictly nightclub. A lot of these places in Delray, they’re restaurants, and they try to turn into nightclubs after 10:30 or 11 o’clock. We’re not that. We’re a nightclub; you only come here to dance and drink— that’s it.”

HE MAY BE CRAZY …

In just over four years, Crazy Uncle Mike’s has developed a cult following, its own array of novelty merchandise and an ornery sense of humor. A sign above one of the doors displays its mantra—“don’t be a dick”—while the restrooms are divided between “ladies” and “others.” Mischievous monkeys figure heavily into its branding. To wit, its seating area is lit by bulbs hanging from upside-down beer barrels painted inside with simian rock stars—a monkey Joan Jett, a monkey Ringo Starr. It’s a place that takes everything seriously while projecting the image that it takes nothing seriously.

Founder Mike Goodwin, a night-

Clockwise from opposite page bottom; Joe Galante and Cosmo Catanzano, Mike Goodwin, Crazy Uncle Mike’s and Red Reef Park

life veteran who established his bona fides in the Southwest back in the ‘80s, opened his namesake venue in 2018 as part brewery, part restaurant and part live music venue— or, in Goodwin’s shorthand,“brews, bites and beats.” Long before he opened, he hired a brewmaster to build an apparatus to concoct his own beers, and a chef to revamp the restaurant with refined gastropub fare, from mussels to seared tuna.

“Everything from our drizzles to our mayonnaises to our spicy everything is created here,” Goodwin says. “It’s not bought in bags or bottles. … People tell me it’s the best BLT they’ve had in their life.”

A who’s-who of Florida talent has performed on Uncle Mike’s professional-grade stage. On any given week, from Wednesday to Saturday, attendees may catch a classic-rock tribute group, an up-and-coming singer-songwriter or a veteran SoFla jam band. But there’s action every night of the week: Monday nights rotate between karaoke nights and game nights—the latter complete with board games, card games, Wii gaming, table tennis and more. Tuesdays are Latin night, with discounted tacos and margaritas.

As for the name Crazy Uncle Mike’s, Goodwin has long had an avuncular presence.“I’ve got eight brothers and sisters,” he says.“When my siblings had children, I was not having them. I was the uncle that owned bars and restaurants and rode Harleys and showed up to Christmas parties with fun toys.”

PARK LIFE

While most of Boca Raton’s 40-plus public parks officially shutter at sunset, we found at least nine facilities that remain open until 10 or even 11 p.m.—perfect for night-owl exercisers. Here are a few top facilities that, to borrow a phrase, leave the light on for you.

The sprawling, oceanfront RED REEF PARK (1400 N. Ocean Blvd.) remains open until 10 p.m., so evening snorkelers can linger in the water after sunset, enjoying the myriad colorful reef fish that swim amid the six artificial reef modules along the newly extended snorkeling trail.

COUNTESS DE HOERNLE PARK/ SPANISH RIVER ATHLETIC FACILITY (1000 Spanish River Blvd.) includes a walking/cycling trail, complete with an outdoor fitness center, that winds around an enormous lake where large waterfowl congregate. It’s one of Boca’s best spots for sunset gazing.

KIM SENG

SAND PINE PARK (300 Newcastle St.) reopened last July with plenty of upgrades, including new sports lighting, resurfaced fields and tennis/basketball courts, and a new playground and fitness equipment.

The anglers’ park of choice, SILVER PALM PARK (600 E. Palmetto Park Road) is open 24 hours a day, and reopened last summer with a renovated boat ramp and a new floating dock.

PATCH REEF PARK (2000 Yamato Road) stays open until 11 p.m. with all your favorite park amenities.

MOONLIT HAPPY HOURS

Nearly every bar worth the salt on its margarita glasses has a late-afternoon/early-evening happy hour, which isn’t the most ideal timing for us working stiffs.

A select few intrepid destinations offer discounted libations in the wee hours of the night.

BIERGARTEN (309 Via De Palmas): all day until midnight Sunday

FLANIGAN’s (45 S. Federal Highway): 9 p.m. to close, nightly

LAZY DOG (9636 Glades Road): 9 p.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday

TAP 42 (5050 Town Center Circle): 10 p.m. to close, Monday through Friday

YARD HOUSE (201 Plaza Real): 10 p.m. to close, Sunday through Wednesday

THE FINAL FRONTIER

Should amateur astronomers wish to purchase their own quality telescope akin to the version mounted on a platform at FAU’s Astronomical Observatory, the device and its accouterments would set them back a good $14,785. Plus tax. Alternatively, they could make use of the university’s free public viewing times, on the first Friday or third Tuesday of each

AARON BRISTOL

Yard House

Eric Vandernoot

month, from 7:30 p.m. until “late.”

Eric Vandernoot, astronomy and physics lab coordinator at FAU, is usually on hand to guide his guests and answer questions.“There’s no way I could ever outdo images coming from the Hubble,” he says. “But what I can provide is a personal, one-to-one connection to these things in space that make it personal and relevant to [viewers].

“It’s one thing to know that Saturn has rings,” he adds.“It’s another to open up the telescope and see it for yourself. … If I train you how to look, you can recognize the Cassini Division inside Saturn’s rings, the different moons, how the shadow will fall upon the rings, and you recognize it’s a three-dimensional body.”

Vandernoot says the winter months are ideal for gazing into the Milky Way,“because images tend to be sharper because the winter sky is drier; it helps with vision capabilities. Orion’s nebula is fabulous; you can look at the surface details and

recognize 160 protoplanetary discs. … These are solar systems in the process of collapsing and forming planets.”And twice a month, they’re practically in our backyard.

A CASE OF THE MONDAYS?

Monday can feel awfully tumbleweedy at most performing-arts venues, but the Funky Biscuit starts the workweek thriving and jiving. At 7 p.m. every Monday, for just $10, the local supergroup known as the Funky Biscuit Allstars—often featuring Biscuit owner Al Poliak on the Hammond organ—welcomes a different special guest for the Biscuit Jam. Looser and freer than a typical structured set list, it’s a space for conviviality, collaboration and experimentation.

“Our Monday nights are robust,” Poliak says.“It’s not unusual to have 150 or 200 people in the place.”The same holds for the admission-free Tuesday nights, where the tribute

band Crazy Fingers holds court, playing Grateful Dead covers supplemented by taco specials and $5 house margaritas.

Though it nearly became a COVID casualty three years ago, the Funky Biscuit has persevered on the strength of a dedicated audience and its owner’s all-inclusive approach to genre. For the rest of the week and weekend, there might be a classic rock band one night, a jazz legend the next night, and a blues singer the following evening. It is, in a short, a musician-run institution, and Poliak’s reputation has helped him secure performances from big-name artists like Leon Russell, Gregg Allman, Billy Cobham and Larry Carlton.

“They have no business playing a small venue like the Biscuit, but they do,” Poliak says.“I think it’s a combination of the venue itself, the acoustics, and the relationship I have with these guys.”

Funky Biscuit Allstars

AARON BRISTOL

Have the Hair You Always Wanted!

One might think that by the time a woman reaches 50, she would have it all figured out. Faced with life changes, a time comes for reevaluation and sometimes reinvention.

Reinventing yourself is not a bad thing.

But for women struggling with thinning hair and hair loss, it’s difficult to forge ahead with confidence knowing that the world is judging you because of your hair – or lack of it.

Meet hair loss specialist

Elline Surianello who founded LeMetric Hair Design Studio while searching for a solution for her own hair loss.

She has helped thousands of women struggling with hair loss for over 25 years at her New York studio, and now also serves clients in Lakeworth, FL.

For a complimentary consultation, call now to speak with Elline. 800-217-9052 І elline@lemetric.com

LeMetric Hair Design Studio www.lemetric.com

We took the time to delve into the minds of some very interesting local experts to learn their inside scoop, answer questions you may have pondered and to help you find a new resource to add to your contacts.

Turn the pages and take a peek into the lives of an eclectic group of experts whose professions vary, but who never cease to inspire and inform.

The Expert in Financial Advice and Estate Planning

Elizabeth M. Bennett, MBA Principal and Certified Financial Planner ™ INTERCOASTAL WEALTH PLANNING

Certified Financial Planner™ and Certified Financial Fiduciary, Beth Bennett often “talks her clients off the ledge,” with sound advice and personal concern for their fears when the state of the market takes a plunge. Her decades of experience provides clients with a breadth of solutions for their wealth management and a voice of calm to forge a plan together, in both good and bad times in the market.

AYou do have time to make up losses in your retirement account if you have an advisor who helps you understand what your cash need is for a 1-3-year timespan. We need to make sure it is liquid enough and secure enough for you to live, and that you have a short-term solution in a safer asset class.

What

my portfolio?

Make sure you are correctly allocated. Live off of dividends without eroding too much of your principle. Look to me for guidance to keep your financial plans in place and for the long-term plan/direction on where we are looking to go--even when the market is doing somersaults.

We have a strong client focus. We actually return phone calls and “meet” with our clients on a regular basis whether that be in person, on the phone, or video conference. Additionally, I bring in the clients’ CPAs and attorneys to coordinate efforts when life events happen.

PHOTO: JASON NUTTLE

Q How can clients recover when the market is in turmoil?

Q

do I do now to make up these losses in

How do you go above and beyond for clients?

The Expert in Sustainable Office Buildings and Campuses

Marc Wigder, Founder THE GREENHOUSE OFFICES

Marc Wigder acquired an east Boca Raton distressed office building out of foreclosure in 2012 that was largely vacant. A real estate corporate business attorney by trade, Wigder renovated the building, and noticed small businesses were naturally gravitating to this building because there simply aren’t many buildings with small office solutions. The building, with its eco-friendly setting, was branded The Greenhouse, where businesses are grown in a sustainable way, organically. In the last 10 years, he’s expanded The Greenhouse into commercial and residential assets on Florida’s Gulf Coast, and in several other cities countrywide.

ASustainable buildings are more efficient when it comes to energy consumption and supply consumption. By installing an energy management system, converting lighting to LED, and other initiatives, we’ve reduced energy costs by 30% and saved the equivalent of 500,000 lightbulbs. By converting to air hand dryers, we’ve saved tons of paper over the years. By using reflective paint and tint, we’re reducing heat load. Since we’ve implemented these energy-efficient programs, in the last 10 years we’ve had one electrical increase—the equivalent of six cents per square foot. We share those savings with our customers. Small steps become big wins.

AHomeowners can take similar steps in their own homes as well. The first thing I would recommend is to buy a programmable, inexpensive thermostat like a Nest or Honeywell. If you can save 30% on your energy consumption, your air-conditioning system will last 30% longer. There are now also energy-efficient appliances—refrigerators, washers and dryers—that are more efficient. There are solar roofing programs, too, where you can buy or lease solar equipment—and leasing and financing programs like PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing. Also, install LED lighting inside or solar lighting outside to light up your property for no added costs, as well as a solar pool heater. Over time, little steps at home or at work will add up to big wins—for everyone.

QWhat makes a building sustainable, and what are the advantages to sustainable buildings?

QWhat affordable steps can homeowners take to make their homes more sustainable?

The Expert in Minimally Invasive Periodontal Treatments

Frederic J. Norkin, DMD PERIODONTOLOGY

Board-certified periodontist Dr. Frederic Norkin is one of the few periodontists in South Florida who is certified in conscious sedation, providing even the most apprehensive, “dentally phobic” patients a sense of calm while having the opportunity to receive a variety of treatments, including implant placement and minimally invasive bone and soft tissue regeneration. Some of his specialties include Yomi® Robot-Assisted Dental Surgery; minimally invasive surgical techniques for the treatment of periodontal disease such as Pinhole® and tunneling, Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure (LANAP®), fiberoptic bone regeneration, surgically facilitated orthodontic treatment, the esthetics of beautiful smiles, and the immediate loading of dental implants. Overall, he and his partners focus on problem-solving even the most complex cases.

AAt South Florida Center for Periodontics & Implant Dentistry, we have the expertise, knowledge, and technology to take care of your dental needs while minimizing pain, aggravation, and risk—the negatives associated with having periodontal and implant treatment. Infection control is constantly our top priority—and even more important in times of stress, medical challenges and in the age of COVID-19.

AOur practice developed a multi-tiered approach to managing potentially hazardous or contagious particles and aerosols in the office that greatly exceeds official recommendations. These include the use of special virus-killing mouth rinses, air filtration systems, electric hand pieces to reduce aerosols, and decontamination protocols throughout the office.

AWhile dental implants remain among the most predictable medical procedures, there is an increasing number of complications, exacerbated by more non-surgical specialists placing dental implants. Our role as periodontists is to help patients whose implants are losing bone. Fortunately, we have a number of techniques and tools at our disposal to help these patients manage or repair ailing dental implants.

PHOTO: AARON BRISTOL

Q What sets your practice apart from others?

Q How do you implement infection prevention?

Q How are you managing patients with dental implant complications?

The Expert in Advanced Face and Body Sculpting Technology

Nina Presman, Founder ANTI AGING CENTER OF BOCA

Nina Presman has been transforming clients’ faces, bodies, and lives since starting the Anti Aging Center of Boca in 2014. With a background in psychology, nutrition, and personal training, she has worked hard to help women and men feel good about their bodies and gain back confidence. Nina revolutionized body sculpting technology, Alfa Lypolysis with HIFU, which completely liquifies and melts the undesired fat cells on all levels, resulting in immediate and permanent loss of inches, lifting and rejuvenating the skin, and building collagen without side effects, pain, or downtime.

QHow is your technology different from other technology in body sculpting?

AIt permanently affects the levels of fat cells, together with tightening and lifting the skin on the face, neck, arms and body. Our technology consists of two different technologies used together as one. We have combined the most advanced form of lipolysis and HIFU in one handle. I am my best customer; I created it for myself. I do not believe in aging gracefully—or at all! CoolSculpting and liposuction are more invasive. This technology can actually correct the damage from CoolSculpting and liposuction.

Q What are the benefits of non-surgical procedures, as opposed to surgical procedures?

AThere is no downtime with non-surgical procedures (like this one), and no anesthesia. You do not have to be taken through the surgical procedure itself; there’s no pain and no side effects. You can see 90% of your results before you even leave the spa/center. And there’s no swelling and no draining, like with a face-lift or tummy tuck. You just need to drink water and walk to activate your lymphatic system.

Q What are the advantages of your technologies over others?

AAny foreign chemicals, like fillers and permanent makeup, can get stuck and create marionette lumps in your lymph nodes that will grow jowls. Our technology detoxes and removes them. The only way to prevent these issues is to not get permanent makeup or fillers at all—and to use the most natural moisturizers. Also, taking collagen (like NeoCell) is extremely important, as well.

The Expert in Consumer Banking

Howard Levine, Executive Vice President, Head of Consumer Banking AMERANT BANK

Howard Levine, EVP, Head of Consumer Banking, oversees the Private Client Group, Wealth Management, Business Banking, Retail Banking, and Amerant Mortgage. He has served in executive positions in banks throughout South Florida.

ANew technology is the biggest change that banking has experienced over the years. The fact that you can do your banking online today, in addition to visiting a financial center, has changed the game. Moreover, payment services like Zelle and Venmo have made money movement instantaneous. These enhancements have allowed customers to “consume” banking in their own way.

AI attribute my longevity in banking to the fact that I get to meet very interesting people each day. In my role, I get introduced to the bank’s most sophisticated and successful customers. I love hearing their stories about how they have achieved success in their fields.

AThe constantly evolving world of banking and finance has landed in a very interesting spot. How do we continue to serve our customers while adapting to the technological changes that make banking less personal? No matter if rates are rising or inflation is affecting the market, customer service and relationship-driven partnerships must remain constant—and are key. By offering personalized service, we can go beyond being merely personal—we rise to the level of collaborative partnerships with each and every customer.

PHOTO: AARON BRISTOL

Q How have banks and banking changed over the years, and how has that impacted customers?

Q To what do you owe your longevity in the banking industry? What advice do you have for young professionals in the industry?

Q How can banks stay competitive in this difficult market?

The Expert in Skin Care and Mohs’ Surgery

Robert S. Bader, MD R.S.B. DERMATOLOGY

Dr. Robert Bader’s dermatology and cosmetic surgical practice in Deerfield Beach offers comprehensive skin, hair, and nail treatments that include Mohs’ micrographic surgery, reconstructive surgery and dermatologic plastic surgery. Dr. Bader takes great pride in his versatile Ivy League training, board-certified expertise, and the personal connection he forges with his patients.

Dr. Bader graduated from George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences with Distinction, completed an Internship at Yale-New Haven Hospital, served as Chief Resident in Dermatology at Hahnemann University, and completed a fellowship in Mohs’ and Dermatologic Plastic Surgery at Affiliated Dermatology, a program affiliated with Columbia University.

QHow can you treat unsightly brown spots?

AWe offer a prescription compound that is safe and works very well and only costs around $35, which is far less than most non-prescription products. We offer IPL treatments, which is a safe and effective treatment for those with a fair complexion.

QWhat are the latest anti-aging treatments you provide?

ATopical creams have come a long way for evening out skin tones, improving skin texture and reducing wrinkles.  We offer our line of clinically tested products that do what they state. The most popular anti-aging procedure is non-ablative fractional laser resurfacing, which improves scars and reduces wrinkles with no downtime and requires no anesthesia.

QCan you get skin cancer without being a sun worshiper?

AAbsolutely! While squamous cell carcinoma is primarily caused by excessive sun exposure, both basal cell carcinoma and melanoma may be seen in areas that get little to no sun exposure, even though sun exposure is an independent risk factor for these types of cancer. There are many other types of skin cancer, which are uncommon, that are not sun related. Most skin cancers that we treat are found during routine skin cancer screenings, which is highly recommended. 954.421.3200 Drbader.com

The Expert in Functional Medicine

Nicole Rothman, DC, CACCP Menopause Maven ROTHMAN HEALTH SOLUTIONS

Dr. Nicole Rothman is one of the top functional wellness experts in the world. She’s helped thousands of women resolve chronic health challenges through her proven lifestyle blueprint. She’s the best-selling author of Awaken Wellness: Taking Back the Power to Control Your Own Health. Her passion is helping menopausal women reclaim their youth, their health and their lives. Overcoming her own health challenges that conventional medicine wasn’t resolving is what fueled her passion for helping others holistically. She discovered that a multifaceted approach was required to help people truly turn their health around.

The most common issues include weight gain, fatigue, insomnia, low energy, brain fog, hot flashes, gut issues, mood swings, joint pain, and lack of motivation and libido. Women are struggling at work and in family life, with their confidence, and even their intimacy. They’re told their labs are normal while still feeling awful and hopeless, unable to solve their issues on their own.

As the “Menopause Maven,” I help women get back to themselves without using hormone replacement. Hormones are misunderstood because they are just the tip of the iceberg, with many possible causes beneath the surface disrupting them. We offer a customized, all-inclusive, educational approach, including cellular detoxification, nutrition, mentoring, labs, movement and community.

We don’t rely on hormone replacement but instead look to the underlying problem. Even weight gain has a root cause that diet and exercise alone cannot address, especially in menopause or perimenopause. My team and I partner with practice members closely to achieve their health journey and transformation so they can live their best lives.

Q What are the biggest health issues your women clients face?

Q How do you help women get through menopause?

Q How is your functional medicine practice different from the others?

PHOTO: AARON BRISTOL

The Expert in Advocating For Injury Victims

Gary Cohen, Partner GROSSMAN ROTH YAFFA COHEN

Since joining Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen in 1995, Gary Cohen, Partner, has played an integral role in its success as a premier trial law firm in Miami and Boca Raton, winning millions of dollars in rightful compensation for clients. Attorney Cohen has been practicing medical malpractice law in Florida for more than 40 years. He is nationally recognized for his expertise in that area—and his experience and dedication have earned him a membership in the exclusive American Board of Trial Advocates, as well as the Presidency of the Broward County Trial Lawyers Association.

QWhat steps should victims of medical malpractice, mass casualties, catastrophic injuries, and corporate fraud take to get the best settlement possible?

AThe first thing they should do is get the right lawyer for the right case. If somebody does malpractice as a sideline, they may not be the right person. For 42 years, I’ve done nothing but malpractice. It’s important to research the attorney’s background, expertise, and results; do not rely on advertising or billboards. Those are the kind of lawyers who would refer you to somebody else. Or, if they do take the case, the settlement would be 10 percent of what it should be. In other words, they’re not always real trial lawyers.

ALook for somebody who actually tries cases, not a settlement lawyer. Call different lawyers and ask who they would use—or contact the Florida Bar. When you interview a firm, no matter how highly recommended, don’t be afraid to ask about their specific experience in what you’re dealing with. Any lawyer who’s offended by that question is not the lawyer you want. And, when you contact a law firm, it’s a good idea to seek out a second opinion. Get a commitment that the lawyer you interview is actually going to be your lawyer from beginning to end.

Q What should injury victims look for when it comes to choosing a trial law firm to represent them?

PHOTO: JASON NUTTLE

The Expert in Property Management

Maria Gabriela Joy, Property Manager BOCA GROVE

Gaby Joy spent 14 years moving up the ladder in the construction industry, finance world and property management in roles ranging from receptionist to human resources to assistant project manager. A determined and driven single mother, she forged ahead in her career with a natural affinity for facts and figures, which made her adept at learning statutes and laws and enforcing compliance.

Gaby also mastered the financial aspects, landing her in the equityowned community space at Boca Grove. After six years in accounting, an opportunity arose to combine her 22 years of knowledge as property manager. As a Florida Licensed CAM, Gaby has implemented changes and helped many residents settle into their new homes.

Q What makes Boca Grove special?

ABoca Grove offers the lifestyle of a large resort but with the intimate feel of a small family. Our community of 444 homes sits on 330 acres and surrounds a championship golf course with no tee times, a professional tested racquets program, award-winning cuisine and a state-of-the-art sports and wellness complex.  Even with all of these amenities, what really makes Boca Grove special are our people.

ABoca Grove attracts members with its beauty, from the undulating lush landscaping to the lakes with fountains, to the properties that are as unique as our members. They stay because they find a sense of community here among both homeowners and the team that keeps the property and amenities running. Our boutique size allows everyone to get know each other and really fuels camaraderie.

AI love seeing people find or create their dream home in Boca Grove. We have sold more than 100 homes since August of 2020, most involving enhancements including landscaping, renovations or complete rebuilds. I find such joy in meeting a new family and watching them grow generationally, but what always grows most is the sense of belonging at Boca Grove. 561.487.5300 gjoy@bocagrove.org

PHOTO: AARON BRISTOL

Q Why do people choose Boca Grove over another community?

Q What do you enjoy most about your role?

The Expert in Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery

Rafael

C. Cabrera, MD, FACS

PLASTIC SURGERY SPECIALISTS OF BOCA RATON

Dr. Rafael C. Cabrera is a double board-certified plastic surgeon. He has been practicing plastic and reconstructive surgery in Boca Raton for more than two decades and is on staff exclusively at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. Dr. Cabrera received his BA with Distinction from Cornell University in 1985 before graduating from New York University School of Medicine in 1989. He completed his General Surgery Residency and Plastic Surgery Fellowship at the New York University Medical Center Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and the prestigious Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. Dr. Cabrera is very excited to be an early adopter of the EMSCULPT NEO platform, the first and only non-invasive body shaping treatment the uses radiofrequency for fat reduction and electromagnetic energy for muscle strengthening and toning.

QHow does EMSCULPT NEO work?

AUsing simultaneous radiofrequency (RF), the temperature in the subcutaneous fat, gently increases to levels that results in permanent fat cell damage. These fat cells are then slowly removed from the body. During the same application, the high intensity focused electromagnetic energy (HIFEM) contracts 100 percent of the muscle fibers in the area at intensities that are not achievable during voluntary workouts, resulting in a 25 percent increase in muscle mass.

QWhat areas are commonly treated with EMSCULPT NEO?

AEMSCULPT NEO can be applied over the abdomen, buttocks, thighs, arms and calves.

Q

What is the protocol?

AFour 30-minute sessions, scheduled 5-10 days apart. There is NO downtime, the effects are felt immediately and final results are seen around 3 months after the last treatment. Treatments feel intense but should never be painful. EMSCULPT NEO is completely non-invasive and does not require surgery, needles or anesthesia. There is no other device in the industry that treats both fat and muscle in a single treatment. 561-393-6400 Pssbocaraton.com

PHOTO: CARLOS ARISTIZABAL

The Expert in Caring, Compassionate Personal Injury Law

C. Glen Ged, Esq., Founding Partner GED LAWYERS, LLP

C. Glen Ged and the attorneys at Ged Lawyers, LLP, a fullservice law firm in Boca Raton, with offices in Sarasota, Naples, Estero, and Panama City, are committed to being there when you need them, whether for evening or weekend appointments—or home visits if you’re unable to travel. He and his professional staff have the resources to represent your case against opponents of any size and have pledged since 1995 to provide comprehensive legal counsel in personal injury, wrongful death, and product liability cases.

AThey should do their research to find out if the firm has the experience, the track record of winning their cases, and the financial resources to take on billion-dollar [insurance] companies. We have set up a courtroom in our building, complete with judge and jury, to conduct mock practice trials and crossexaminations. After all, practice makes perfect.

AThere are three parts. First is liability. The clearer the liability, the better the case. Second is the extent of the injuries. The value of the case is based on the injuries—the worse the injuries, the higher the value of the case. Third, is there sufficient insurance to pay the claim? The best advice I can give is to purchase uninsured/ underinsured motorist coverage. Because Florida doesn’t require bodily injury coverage or uninsured/underinsured coverage, drivers are nowhere near protected. And, when you buy uninsured motorist coverage, you can stack it. For example, if you have $100,000/$300,000 uninsured motorist coverage, and you have two cars, stacked coverage would double to $200,000/$600,000. So, if someone hits you, each person has $100,000 in coverage, or $200,000 for two people. You’re protecting your family that much more. It’s really the biggest secret! 561-500-6000 gedlawyers.com

Q How can personal injury clients find the best firm to represent them?

Q What constitutes a solid personal injury case?

BACKSTAGE PASS

Simone Porter, performing Feb. 14 at Flagler Museum (page 96)

ELISHA KNIGHT

I love finding lyrics that have been out there and just bringing them back to our ears. It’s like reading a poem at a different time of your life, or watching a movie—you go back and watch it years later, and it means something different to you.”

—Nicole Henry

Nicole Henry

This acclaimed Miami vocalist continues to scramble genres

Written by JOHN THOMASON

Songs come to Nicole Henry in myriad ways. Regarding Joan Armatrading’s “Love and Affection,” “I’ve loved it since 1996, when a boyfriend of mine gave me a mixtape for Christmas,” she recalls. “And that was one of the songs on it. I just remember playing it over and over.”

Her version of Rodgers and Hart’s “I Didn’t Know What Time it Was” owes its origins to “laying at the beach with my mom, and I heard some house-music version of a jazz tune. I heard this tempo, and I thought, where can I apply something like that to another song?”

Maria Muldaur’s “Midnight at the Oasis” was recommended to Henry by her sister some seven years before Henry finally recorded it, as well as the aforementioned tunes, on her celebrated 2021 album Time to Love Again.“It’s fun; it’s like, let’s take a little here, a little there,” she says.“I grew up listening to all kinds of music, from classical to Pointer Sisters to Aretha Franklin. And I’m a child of the ‘80s and MTV, so I was a member of the Wham! fan club. I’ve got everything in my bag.”

Henry, a Pennsylvania native, has mostly called South Florida home since she earned her degree, in communications and theatre, at the University of Miami. The North Miami Beach resident has released eight albums since 2004, achieving a national reach. She has performed more than 3,500 concerts in more than 20 countries, and her music regularly wins awards and charts on Billboard.

Though often characterized as a smooth jazz singer, Henry enjoys discovering new arrangements for songs by a wide range of artists, from Sade to Frank Sinatra, Bob Marley to Fleetwood Mac. She will bring these eclectic sensibilities to Festival of the Arts Boca on March 10.

about our civilization as a whole, not only on the national level but internationally. And I say civilization because I refer to history, and how the world always ebbs and flows, and we just have to be careful where we’re ebbing to. It needs to flow more in the direction of love and humanity. And I know the arts are so helpful in assisting with that. That was really the statement. All of the songs on the album are covers. These are songs that I wanted people to love again. … I love finding lyrics that have been out there and just bringing them back to our ears. It’s like reading a poem at a different time of your life, or watching a movie—you go back and watch it years later, and it means something different to you.

ing-arts theaters are struggling in a different way, because [people] seem to be going to smaller venues. People say,“it feels so good to be back out again; you don’t know what we’ve missed, or what you’ve given us.” It’s beautiful to be appreciated.

What’s your process for selecting material that works for you?

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Nicole Henry

WHERE : Mizner Park Amphitheater, 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton

WHEN: March 10, 7:30 p.m. COST: $15-$100 CONTACT: 561/571-5270, festivalboca.org

What will you be performing at Festival of the Arts?

There’s definitely going to be music from Time to Love Again. ... So it’s going to be a fun, big production with the horn section and the percussionists, and my core four-piece band. I also have a new CD coming out in the first quarter of 2023, and it’s

a tribute to one of my favorite jazz legends, Nancy Wilson.

Interesting use of the word ‘again’ in your album Time to Love Again. Is that a comment on the strife we’ve all been through the past couple of years? It’s a political statement. It’s a statement

I feel like audiences have come back from the pandemic hungrier for live experiences that move them, and more appreciative of performers such as you. Have you noticed that?

It’s a mix, because I’ve been really fortunate where the shows that I’ve done on a national level have had a good response as far as audience attendance, but on a larger scale, perform-

I have always been a lover of music, and it’s 50/50—the groove or the lyrics. I believe any song can or should be redone. This last album is almost equal parts my band. That’s why I put on Spotify my quartet’s name on the album. These guys know me, we’ve created my sound, and continue to create my sound over the years. Most of the arrangements on Time to Love Again are ones we’ve come up with in our rehearsals or live performances.

What would be the most left-field selection in your catalog—something the average listener might be surprised that you would interpret?

Something rock ‘n’ roll. When I did my live ‘70s album, and I did “Stuck in the Middle With You,” that was really fun.

Nicole Henry RAFAEL BALCAZAR

Now-Feb. 12:

“Anything Goes” at the Wick Theatre, 7901 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton; $95; 561/995-2333, thewick.org. A frothy musical confection set aboard a luxury ocean liner, Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes” premiered as a bubbly balm to a Depression-era Broadway in 1934, and has enjoyed nearly 90 years of revivals and adaptations. Expect madcap characters, witty repartee and such Porter standards as “You’re the Top,” “I Get a Kick Out of You” and the title song.

Now-April 2:

“Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper” at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach; $9-$15 museum admission; 561/495-0233, morikami.org. Japan has been a leading nation in paper art for centuries, and “Washi Transformed” connects the past to the present. The exhibition highlights nine contemporary paper artists whose usage of the humble medium includes sculptures and installations as well as two-dimensional works.

Feb. 3-5:

GroundUP Music Festival at Miami Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; $125-$335; 305/672-5202, groundupmusicfestival.com. Veteran Grammy-winning jam-funk fusion band Snarky Puppy headlines this eclectic festival on all three nights. The nearly 20 other acts include genre-hopping electric bassist Meshell Ndegeocello, Jeff Tweedy of indie-rock innovators Wilco, and award-nominated singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham.

Feb. 4-5:

South Florida Garlic Fest at Village Park Athletics Complex, 11700 Pierson Road, Wellington; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun.; $15-$50; 561/2790907, garlicfestfl.com. The annual Garlic Fest welcomes headliner Drake White, who has blended the conventions of country music with a soulful roots-oriented sound. As always, the garlic-infused Gourmet Alley features more than 100 delicacies laced with the titular aromatic herb.

Feb. 6-14:

“Broadway Celebrates the Big Apple—A Musical Memories Concert” at Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 N.W. Ninth St., Delray Beach; various show times; $42; 561/272-1281, delraybeachplayhouse.com. It’s been said that more songs have been written for New York than were written for Frank Sinatra. This locally written and produced musical revue celebrates many of them, including Big Applecentric hits from “Annie,” “West Side Story,” “The Producers” and more.

Feb. 7-12:

“Tootsie” at Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; various show times; $31-$78; 561/832-7469, kravis.org. Sydney Pollack’s 1982 film “Tootsie” was a watershed moment in American comedy—a modern narrative of gender-bending that lent mainstream credibility to a culture then relegated to the shadows. In this touring, Tonywinning Broadway adaptation, the protagonist auditions for a musical, allowing the story to double as a satirical critique of its own genre’s conventional tropes.

South Florida Garlic Fest “Washi Transformed”

“Tootsie”

Feb. 3-19:

“The Science of Leaving Omaha” at Palm Beach Dramaworks, 301 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; various show times; $64$84; 561/514-4042, palmbeachdramaworks. org. This latest dramedy by prolific playwright Carter W. Lewis centers on two people who meet in a basement crematorium: the 18-year-old high-school dropout working the night shift, and the widow of the person lying on a slab in front of her. These strangers find shared solace in Lewis’ warm and humanistic play.

Feb. 4-April 2:

“Contemplating Character: Portrait Drawings & Oil Sketches from Jacques-Louis David to Lucian Freud” at Society of the Four Arts, 100 Four Arts Plaza, Palm Beach; $10; 561/655-7226, fourarts. org. This broad survey of portraiture from the 18th century to the present day features 81 works on paper by 68 artists. In addition to the major portraitists of the title, the exhibition includes works by Alfred Hitchcock, William Merritt Chase, George Wesley Bellows and many more.

Feb. 4:

Classic Albums Live: Fleetwood Mac at Wold Performing Arts Center at Lynn University, 3601 N. Military Trail, Boca Raton; 7:30 p.m.; $50-$70; 561/2379000, lynn.edu. Honoring the album era, the tribute project Classic Albums Live plays classic LPs live—note for note, cut for cut. This time, they’ll take on Fleetwood Mac, the band’s eponymous 1975 landmark album, and its first to feature Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.

Feb. 4:

Boyz II Men at Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; 8 p.m.; $39$139; 561/832-7469, kravis. org. Enormously influential in the velvety sound of 1990s R&B, Boyz II Men’s intricate vocal harmonies, wedded to hip-hop beats, galvanized audiences and critics to the tune of four Grammy Awards and more than 64 million albums sold worldwide.

Founding member Nathan Morris still carries the torch with Shawn Stockman and Wanya Morris.

Feb. 8:

REO Speedwagon at Pompano Beach Amphitheatre, 1806 N.E. Sixth St., Pompano Beach; 7:30 p.m.; $35-$229; pompanobeacharts.org. Still fronted by Kevin Cronin, whose soaring and iconic vocals have led the group since 1972, REO Speedwagon tours its more than 50 years of enduring heartland rock to the amphitheater stage, including Top 40 hits like “Keep On Loving You,” “Can’t Fight This Feeling” and “Take It On the Run.”

Feb. 8:

Delfeayo Marsalis Quintet at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 7:45 p.m.; $65; 954/4620222, browardcenter.org. Sometimes considered the most fun member of the eminently talented Marsalis family (his brothers are Wynton and Branford), the jovial trombonist Delfeayo has released eight albums under his own name, and has played with such jazz giants as Ray Charles, Art Blakey and Elvin Jones.

Feb. 10:

“The Spirit of Harriet Tubman” at Arts Garage, 94 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach; 8 p.m.; $30; 561/4506457, artsgarage.org. Now celebrating its 25th year, this solo show by award-winning actor-playwright Leslie McCurdy channels the spirit of Underground Railroad conductor Harriet Tubman, from childhood to old age, and with nothing but a trunk of costumes on a bare stage to supplement her vision.

Feb. 11:

Laura Bush and Barbara Pierce Bush at Kaye Auditorium at FAU, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton; 4 p.m.; $35-$125; 561/297-6124, fauevents.com. A notable champion for literacy and education during her eightyear tenure as first lady, Laura Bush established the annual National Book Festival in 2001, and also advanced causes for women. In this live discussion, she’ll speak on a range of issues and personal priorities with her daughter, Barbara Pierce Bush.

Delfeayo Marsalis “The Spirit of Harriet Tubman”

REO Speedwagon Boyz II Men

Feb. 12-26:

“Good People” at Maltz Jupiter Theatre, 1001 E. Indiantown Road, Jupiter; various show times; $71-$96; 561/575-2223, jupitertheatre.org. This play by David Lindsay-Abaire is set in his native blue-collar South Boston, where a newly laid-off single mother, who has just lost her job at a dollar store, contacts an old flame, now a successful doctor, with a scheme to blackmail him. Class and race figure heavily into Lindsay-Abaire’s absorbing and relevant drama.

Feb. 14:

Violinist Simone Porter at Flagler Museum, 1 Whitehall Way, Palm Beach; 7:30 p.m.; $75; 561/655-2833, flaglermuseum. us. This acclaimed and emerging artist made her professional solo debut at age 10 and has since performed with many of the world’s great orchestras and on the Emmy-winning TV show “From the Top: Live From Carnegie Hall.” With minimal accompaniment, she will perform masterworks from Beethoven, Von Biber and Franck.

Feb. 15-19:

“All Things Equal: The Life and Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsburg” at Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 N.W. Ninth St., Delray Beach; various show times; $49; 561/272-1281, delraybeachplayhouse.com. In Tony-winning playwright Rupert Holmes’ posthumous one-woman show “All Things Equal,” the influential Supreme Court Justice holds court in her chambers, sharing a life of challenges overcome and glass ceilings broken. In the process, Holmes captures his subject’s wit, compassion and directness.

Feb. 24:

America with Al Stewart at Pompano Beach Amphitheatre, 1806 N.E. Sixth St., Pompano Beach; 8 p.m.; $39-$125; pompanobeacharts.org. Though founded in London in 1970, America has spent decades living up to its namesake, with an eclectic sound rooted in the sundry musical threads of the U.S.—pop to jazz, folk to country, Latin to rock. Veteran Scottish folk-rocker Al Stewart will open the show with hits such as “Year of the Cat.”

Feb. 24:

Paul Reiser at the Parker, 707 N.E. Eighth St., Fort Lauderdale; 8 p.m.; $27.50-$47.50; 954/4620222, browardcenter.org. From his formative work in the 1982 cult drama “Diner” to his awardwinning run on the archetypal ‘90s sitcom “Mad About You” to his recent supporting roles on “Stranger Things” and “The Kominsky Method,” Reiser has enjoyed a multifaceted career on screens large and small. At this appearance, he returns to his standup comedy roots.

“Cosi Fan Tutte”

Feb. 24-26:

Palm Beach Opera: “Così Fan Tutte” at Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun.; $25-$170; 561/832-7469, kravis.org. Mozart’s 18thcentury opera buffa remains one of the signature pieces in the comedic operatic canon, offering farcical high jinks and insights into human nature and the relationships between men and women, through a story of a misogynistic schemer who tries to convince a pair of husbandsto-be that all women betray their partners.

Paul Reiser

Simone Porter

Feb. 15-May 21:

Whitfield Lovell: “Passages” at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real, Boca Raton; $12-$16 museum admission; 561/392-2500, bocamuseum. org. “Passages” marks the most comprehensive survey yet of this contemporary artist, including drawings on pencil, oil stick, charcoal or crayon, often paired with found objects salvaged and manipulated from flea markets and antique shops. His art addresses historical brutalities toward AfricanAmericans through the prisms of identity and memory.

Feb. 17:

“Polaroid Stories” at Studio One Theatre at FAU, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton; various show times; $25; 561/297-6124, fauevents. com. Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” helped inspire Naomi Iizuka’s “Polaroid Stories,” which combines themes from classical mythology with real stories from three modern street kids. Poetry and profanity share the stage in Iizuka’s compelling exploration of storytelling’s transcendent, transformational power, in this student production directed by Lee Soroko.

Feb. 18:

Stanley Jordan Plays Jimi at Arts Garage, 94 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach; 6 and 8:30 p.m.; $50-$55; 561/450-6457, artsgarage. org. Guitarist Jordan, most famous as a jazz artist—his 1985 breakthrough Magic Touch spent 51 weeks as No. 1 on the Billboard charts— returns to his roots as a rock artist with this searing and inventive tribute to hero Jimi Hendrix, featuring reimagined orchestrations and evocative costumes.

Feb. 18-19:

Downtown Delray Beach Craft Festival at Fourth and Atlantic avenues; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; free; 561/243-1077, artfestival.com. More than 100 of the nation’s most talented artisans will offer a variety of jewelry, pottery, ceramics, photography, painting, clothing and more, all handmade in America, at this third-annual downtown gathering, with price ranges for all budgets.

Feb. 25:

Martha Redbone: “Bone Hill” at Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; 8 p.m. Sat., 1:30 p.m. Sun.; $35 and up; 561/832-7469, kravis.org. Raised largely by Native American grandparents, soul singer Redbone combines the songs of this heritage with the ecstatic grooves of 20th century Black American music. In “Bone Hill” she explores the myriad sonic avenues that have affected her life and work, from Cherokee chants to bluegrass, R&B, gospel, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll.

Feb. 25:

James Taylor and his All-Star Band at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 7 p.m.; $195 and up; 954/4620222, browardcenter.org. With Grammy Awards spanning 1972 to 2021, James Taylor’s appeal has traversed generations. The consummate singer-songwriter and heartfelt tribune of the troubadour culture, Taylor will play many of his innumerable hits, alongside newer compositions, at this annual fundraising concert for Broward Center.

Feb. 28:

Placido Domingo: “A Life in Music and Song” at Society of the Four Arts, 100 Four Arts Plaza, Palm Beach; 3 p.m.; $50; 561/655-7226, fourarts.org. Opera-fluent in six languages, Domingo is one of the world’s most versatile and accomplished singermusicians, having accrued 14 Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards in a career that has spanned more than 65 years. In this appearance, he will perform as well as share stories and insights from his rich history in music.

Feb. 28:

Cuarteto Latinoamericano at Flagler Museum, 1 Whitehall Way, Palm Beach; 7:30 p.m.; $75; 561/655-2833, flaglermuseum.us. For more than 30 years, this esteemed Mexican quartet has been a leading exponent of Latin American music for the string quartet, winning two Latin Grammy Awards and performing more than 100 commissions written for them. In this program, they play music from Henry Purcell, Heitor Villa-Lobos and others.

Stanley Jordan Plays Jimi Martha Redbone

Placido Domingo Cuarteto Latinoamericano

the Festivalof

Young People’s Chorus of New York City

Live Performers

Nicole Henry

Since her debut, Nicole Henry has established herself among the jazz world’s most acclaimed performers, possessing a potent combination of dynamic vocal abilities, impeccable phrasing and powerful emotional resonance. Her passionate, soulful voice and heartfelt charisma have earned her a Soul Train Award for “Best Traditional Jazz Performance,” and four Top-10 U.S. Billboard, JazzWeek and HMV Japan jazz albums. Heralded by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Japan Times, El Pais, Jazz Times, Essence and more, Henry tells real stories through peerless interpretations of repertoire from the American Songbook, classic and contemporary jazz, popular standards, blues and originals.

She has captivated audiences in more than 20 countries, headlining at venues in cities including New York, Tokyo, Madrid, Moscow, Paris, Shanghai, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco and Miami. Henry has also performed in more than 30 music festivals worldwide and in some of the world’s most famous venues, including Blue Note; Jazz at Lincoln Center; Blues Alley; Arsht Center; Feinstein’s; Green Mill; Jazz St. Louis; Madrid Jazz Festival; the Regattabar; and Catalina Jazz.

She has recorded with some of today’s musical greats including Kirk Whalum, Julian Lage and Gerald Clayton; and has performed with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra and Michael Feinstein. In 2019, Henry returned to the theatrical stage and garnered critical praise in the musical version of “The Bodyguard.”

Based on Henry’s various career accomplishments and active commitment to supporting nonprofits such as Miami Music Project (board member), YoungArts and Miami Children’s Initiative (past board member), proclamations from the City of Miami Beach and Miami-Dade County have named “Nicole Henry Days” in 2011, 2016 and 2017.

Constantine Kitsopoulos

Festival Boca’s Music Director, Kitsopoulos has established himself as a dynamic conductor known for his ability to work in many different genres and settings. He is equally at home with opera, symphonic repertoire, film with live orchestra, musical theatre and composition. His work has taken him all over the world, where he has conducted the major orchestras of North America, the Hong Kong Philharmonic and the Tokyo Philharmonic.

In addition to Maestro Kitsopoulos’ engagements as guest conductor, he is Music Director of the Festival of the Arts Boca and General Director of Chatham Opera. He is General Director of the New York Grand Opera and is working with the company to bring opera, free and open to the public, back to New York’s Central Park.

During the 2021-2022 season Maestro Kitsopoulos conducted return engagements with the San Francisco Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Houston Symphony, Dallas Symphony and Indiana University.

Maestro Kitsopoulos has developed semi-staged productions of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” for which he has written a new translation,“Don Giovanni” and “La Bohème.” On Broadway, Maestro Kitsopoulos has been music director of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella,”The Gershwins’“Porgy and Bess” and many others.

Hina Khuong-Huu: “Scheherazade and Soloists”

A prizewinner of the Menuhin Competition, Violin Channel “Rising Star” Hina Khuong-Huu has been performing around the world appearing as a soloist and as a duo with her sister Fiona. Hina is a native to New York, where she studies at the Juilliard School under the tutelage of professors Li Lin and Itzhak Perlman, and Columbia University through their double degree program.

She has performed as a soloist with the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Geneva, Flanders Symphony Orchestra, Mittel Europa Orchestra and the Musica Mundi Orchestra. She has collaborated with artists such as Grammy award-winner Jennifer Koh in her “Alone Together” series, and she shared a stage with Maxim Vengerov at Carnegie Hall and Buckingham Palace. She has performed on the NPR radio show “From the Top” and was recently a recipient of the Salon De Virtuosi Career Grant. During the summer, she has studied chamber music with the renowned faculty of the Perlman Music Program, with Shlomo Mintz at Crans Montana Classics, and her mentors include the likes of Vadim Gluzman and Menahem Pressler.

Sergio Mendes

One common thread weaves throughout the staggeringly diverse tapestry of music that Sergio Mendes has created over his remarkable six-decade career: the spirit of joy. From his pioneering contributions to the foundations of bossa nova alongside the likes of Antonio Carlos Jobim, through the era-defining Latin-pop sound of his iconic group Brasil ’66; to his scintillating collaborations with jazz legends like Cannonball Adderley and Herbie Mann; to his chart-topping adult contemporary smash “Never Gonna Let You Go;” on through his 21st-century reinvention with the Black-Eyed Peas and John Legend or his Oscar®-nominated theme song from the animated hit “Rio”; an infectious spirit of joy pervades everything Mendes has ushered into the ears of listeners.

The Brazilian legend’s 2020 album is no exception. On In the Key of Joy, Mendes looks back the only way he knows how—by once again moving forward. Released to coincide with a new documentary on his life by acclaimed filmmaker John Scheinfeld (“Chasing Trane,”“Who is Harry Nilsson?”), the album melds the classic Brazilian, jazz and pop sounds that have long characterized Mendes’ music with contemporary inspirations that make the album sound at once timeless and wholly of the moment.

Christina Maxwell: “Voices Rise: Young People’s Chorus of New York City”

New York City-based singer and actress Christina Maxwell is a rising star on the Broadway scene. She was recently awarded the New York Musical Festival’s award for “Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role” as Laura Evans in “Sonata 1962,” and for appearing as Deanna Durbin and Judy Garland in the Papermill Playhouse production of “Chasing Rainbows.” Maxwell has performed with symphonies and in concert across the globe, from the Forbidden City in Beijing, China to Carnegie Hall, at Citi Field with the New York Mets, and on television as the new face and voice of Humira’s national commercial campaign.

Maxwell also passionately works at the intersection of the arts and the corporate world as a director at Related Companies, serving as the executive director of High Line Nine Galleries, and overseeing the company’s art collection and cultural partnerships. Additionally, she was named the Distinguished Young Woman of America in 2012, for her excellence in scholastics, leadership and talent, joining the ranks of women including Dianne Sawyer and Deborah Norville and traveling the nation performing and speaking. Maxwell is a native of Asheville, North Carolina, and graduated summa cum laude from University of Michigan’s acclaimed Musical Theatre program.

Kara Ravaschieri: “Scheherazade and Soloists”

Kara Ravaschieri of Jupiter, Florida, performs in the Wind Ensemble and Philharmonic Orchestra at Dreyfoos School of the Arts. In 2021, she won first place in the second Festival of the Arts Music Contest. Ravaschieri is a member of the Youth Orchestra of Palm Beach County, FMEA All State MS Band (2019/2020), and FMEA All State 9/10 Concert Band (2021). In 2021 and 2022 she served as principal flute in the renowned New World Symphony Side-by-Side Concert conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. Last January she was principal flute of the FMEA All State Concert Orchestra. In addition, Ravaschieri won the Palm Beach County Music Teachers Association Honors Competition (2021), and in 2022 she won the Florida Flute Association High School Young Artist Competition.

Young People’s Chorus of New York City

Young People’s Chorus of New York City (YPC) is a multicultural youth chorus internationally renowned for its superb virtuosity, brilliant showmanship and innovative model of diversity. Founded by Artistic Director Francisco J. Núñez, a MacArthur Fellow and Musical America’s 2018 Educator of the Year, YPC’s spectacular artistry has been showcased in award-winning performances around the world. With repertoire spanning Renaissance, classical, gospel, folk, jazz, pop and contemporary traditions, YPC also continually invigorates its catalog of music for young voices by commissioning pieces of diverse music from many of the most distinguished and emerging composers of our time.

The chorus frequently inspires invitations from a wide range of cultural institutions and festivals and recently performed in front of a national televised audience during the 9/11 20th Anniversary Memorial; at the renowned Global Citizen Live festival; at the Saks

Fifth Avenue Holiday Light Show, alongside guest speaker Michelle Obama; and at the 95th-annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Among YPC’s many awards is America’s highest honor for youth programs, a National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, presented to members of YPC at the White House. Under the direction of YPC’s Associate Artistic Director, Elizabeth Núñez, YPC also earned the distinction of “Choir of the World” at the 2018 International Choral Kathaumixw, marking the first time a North American chorus has ever won this title.

Authors & Ideas

Charles Fishman

Charles Fishman is the acclaimed author of One Giant Leap, A Curious Mind (with Brian Grazer), The Wal-Mart Effect and The Big Thirst. He is a three-time winner of the Gerald Loeb Award, the most prestigious prize in business journalism. A renowned investigative and explanatory journalist, Fishman spent six months covering the Challenger space shuttle disaster as a national reporter for the Washington Post, and has reported on space ever since, for The Atlantic, Fast Company and Smithsonian. His best-seller The Wal-Mart Effect explains how the world’s largest company really works.

Lynne Olson

Lynne Olson is a New York Times best-selling author of eight books of history, most of which deal in some way with World War II and Britain’s crucial role in that conflict. Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has called Olson “our era’s foremost chronicler of World War II politics and diplomacy.”

Her latest book, Madame Fourcade’s Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who Led France’s Largest Spy Network Against the Nazis, was published by Random House. Two of Olson’s previous books, Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh, and America’s Fight Over World War II,

1939-1941, and Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in Its Darkest, Finest Hour, were also New York Times best-sellers. Those Angry Days was named by the New York Times and Kirkus as one of the best books of 2013.

Born in Hawaii, Olson graduated magna cum laude from the University of Arizona. Before becoming a full-time author, she worked as a journalist for 10 years, first with the Associated Press as a national features writer in New York, a foreign correspondent in AP’s Moscow bureau, and a political reporter in Washington. She left the AP to join the Washington bureau of the Baltimore Sun, where she covered national politics and eventually the White House. An engaging speaker, Olson has lectured at many private and government organizations, universities and colleges, and libraries.

Fran Lebowitz

Fran Lebowitz stands out as one of our most insightful social commentators. Her essays and interviews offer her acerbic views on current events and the media— as well as pet peeves including tourists, baggage-claim areas, after-shave lotion, adults who roller skate, children who speak French, or anyone who is unduly tan. The New York Times Book Review calls Lebowitz an “important humorist in the classic tradi-

tion.”A purveyor of urban cool, Lebowitz is a cultural satirist whom many call the heir to Dorothy Parker.

Lebowitz worked odd jobs before being hired by Andy Warhol as a columnist for Interview, followed by a stint at Mademoiselle Her first book, a collection of essays titled Metropolitan Life, was a best-seller, as was a second collection, Social Studies. By turns ironic, deadpan, sarcastic, wry, wisecracking and waggish, Lebowitz’s prose is wickedly entertaining. Her two books are collected in the Fran Lebowitz Reader and she is also the author of the children’s book, Mr. Chas and Lisa Sue Meet the Pandas

Lebowitz can be seen in various documentary films including the “American Experience” series on New York City, as well as “Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures” (2016),“Regarding Susan Sontag” (2014) and “Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol” (1990). In 2010 Martin Scorsese directed a documentary about Lebowitz for HBO titled “Public Speaking.”A limited documentary series,“Pretend It’s a City,” also directed by Martin Scorsese, premiered on Netflix in 2021, and was nominated for the 2021 Emmys. Lebowitz was named to Vanity Fair’s International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 2008. She remains a style icon. Lebowitz lives in New York City, as she does not believe that she would be allowed to live anywhere else.

Charles Fishman

Lynne Olson

Fran Lebowitz

BRIGITTE LACOMBE

Boca Ballet Theatre 561-995-0709 mail@bocaballet.org

Boca Raton Museum of Art 561-392-2500 info@bocamuseum.org

Boca Raton Historical Society & The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum 561-395-6766 office@bocahistory.org

Florida Atlantic University College of Arts & Letters 561-297-3810 theatre@fau.edu

Festival of the Arts Boca 561-571-5270 info@festivalboca.org

Find it all at

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center 561-544-8605 info@gumbolimbo.org

The HARID Conservatory 561-997-2677 info@harid.edu

Lynn University 561-237-9000 tickets@lynn.edu

Mizner Park Amphitheater 561-393-7984 AdiNorscio@myboca.us

Sugar Sand Park 561-347-3900 sugarsandpark@myboca.us

The SYMPHONIA 561-376-3848 info@thesymphonia.org

This is what you want! ARTSINBOCA.ORG

The Wick Theatre & Costume Museum 561-995-2333 boxoffice@theWick.org

Youth Orchestra of Palm Beach County 561-281-8600 yomail@yopbc.org

MONTGOMERY, MOZART, PIAZZOLLA

Alastair Willis, Principal Conductor ETHEL SMYTH, DILORENZO, BEETHOVEN

EAT & DRINK

Escargot from the French Gazebo

Above, beets and burrata and heritage pork belly; right, petite filet

Costa By OK&M

502 E. Atlantic Ave., 561/501-6115

CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT

IF YOU GO

PARKING: Street parking, nearby parking lots

HOURS:

Sun., 8:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Mon.-Tues., 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Wed.-Thurs., 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Fri., 8 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Sat., 8:30 a.m. – 11 p.m.

PRICES: $14- $56

WEBSITE: costabyokm.com

takes chef/owner Coton Stine’s dedication to farm-to-table fare to an elevated level with its seasonal menu. Working closely with local farms and vendors, Stine curates deliciously healthy dishes that tempt your palate while fueling your body. The corner space is comfortable and embraces natural elements from its wicker chairs, lanterns and placemats to its greenery and expansive sliding doors that lead out to Fifth Avenue. Keeping true to its DNA, Costa is open for breakfast every day and brunch on the weekends in addition to its lunch and dinner service. The first part of the menu, designed to be shared, is divided

into small starters, salads and boards (think cheese, flatbreads and spreads). Most, if not all, the selections looked interesting and called to me, so it was difficult to narrow down my order. For those with dietary restrictions, the dishes are clearly labeled gluten-free or vegan, which adds a sense of ease to the experience. Entrees and shareable sides include a variety of options like steak, pasta, seafood and vegetables.

I usually prefer to dip my bread in olive oil, but I couldn’t get enough of the whipped butter (made with avocado oil) that kicked off our dinner. It was followed by the beets and burrata ($24), a beautifully presented dish highlighting tangy beets resting on pesto that begged to be slathered on both the beets and creamy cheese. The beets were drizzled with house-made granola and a hint of honey that gave this appetizer layers of flavor. I would happily eat this every day. I also tried the crab boulet ($24), which

were aesthetically reminiscent of hush puppies or conch fritters. I could taste the fresh crabmeat in the lightly fried balls that sat on an enjoyable sweet corn husk puree. The heritage pork belly ($22) was small pieces of the premium pork coated in a turmeric caramel glaze. Each slightly seared, tender morsel that I popped into my mouth hit my palate with an addictive balance of sweet and savory.

I ordered the fresh catch, and the hearty potion of several yellowtail filets reflected Latin and Caribbean influences with the savory coconut lemongrass broth and crispy tostones. The grass-fed petite filet was recommended, and for steak lovers it won’t disappoint. The a la carte dishes can be paired with one or more sides like the asparagus or truffle air fries. The best way to tackle the menu next time will be to curate an evening of shareable dishes; the variety of intriguing small plates and boards would make a fun evening of tapas.

xecutive Chef / Restauranteur Steven Botta has added the former Kathy’s Gazebo to his portfolio of high end restaurants. The 40 year tradition of excellence continues in a newly reimagined and newly renovated space. The name and decor may have changed but the menu has all the old menu favorites with some exciting new ones which will delight the palate. From the moment you arrive you will quickly realize that you have entered a restaurant where old world service is still the norm rather than the exception.

A throwback to the days when where guests become family and a place to make new memories while reminiscing about past ones. Come join us and see what all the excitement is about. We look forward to seeing you. Yevette, Steven and Anthony.

Yevette, Steven and Anthony

The French Gazebo

4199 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton; 561/395-6033

Written by CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT

Tiffany blue has been an iconic color long before millennial pink ever had its moment. So, when I stepped into the newly renovated French Gazebo, the shade instantly evoked the restaurant’s elegant sophistication. Formerly Kathy’s Gazebo, this space has been a staple in our community for 40 years, but late last year new owners Anthony Crupi, a Boca resident, and Steve Botta, a Northeast restaurateur, purchased it and updated its design while keeping the same French classics on the menu. The crimson chairs and tufted booths have been replaced with Tiffany blue successors, the carpet is gone, dated wood accents have been swapped out for clean, modern lines, and luminous chandeliers add a hint of glamour. Tuxedoed staff warmly welcomed us in and helped us into our booth. Here, the table swivels from side to side, allowing us to effortlessly sit without having to awkwardly bounce around the banquette to

find our tableware. An aperitif or glass of Champagne is offered before the warm baguette hits the table. We started with a classic French appetizer, the escargot Bourguignone ($18.95). The dish’s presentation tends to differ from restaurant to restaurant; here the delicacy is served in all its splendor: six spiraling shells, each tucked into a dimple oozing with garlic butter. Pro tip: Make sure to soak up all the saucy goodness with the baguette before your plate is whisked away.

The second starter, equally as French, were the crèpes royale. The paper-thin crepes were filled with tender crab, shrimp, scallops and mushrooms, and in true French fashion, the entire dish was finished in an incredible cream sauce. It was a sizable portion for an appetizer, yet it wasn’t too filling. My only note was that while the plate itself was piping hot, I wished the crepes were a bit warmer.

To honor its history, we ordered the famous Dover sole ($58.95),

which has been a staple for decades here and another classic French dish. It’s elegantly rolled out on a gueridon, where the waiter intricately fillets it. There’s an option to enjoy the fish with either a brown butter meunière or frothy amandine sauce. We chose the amandine, which was equal parts buttery and delicate, with a slight crunch from the sliced almonds. It’s served with silky mashed potatoes, each bite more indulgent than the next (forget your fat-free diet here). We also ordered the duckling ($38.95), which is served with the sauce of the day—this evening it was a sweet, aromatic orange sauce with wisps of orange liqueur. The crispy skin led into tender, moist meat that I hoped would be easier to slice into. There seemed to be more bone than meat, unfortunately. Desserts ranged from quintessential treats like crème brulée and profiteroles to Key lime pie and the housemade bread pudding—and were a perfect ending to the dinner.

Boca Raton Insider ADVERTISING

UNIQUE BOUTIQUE JEWELRY Simply The Prettiest Jewelry

"Beautiful cabachon gemstone rings in all shapes and sizes are Unique Boutique's Forever Favorite."

204 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444 561.272.6654

1185 Third Street South, Naples, FL 34102 239.643.8900

Mashpee Commons, Cape Cod, MA 02649 508.47 7.3900 uniqueboutiquejewelry.com

BOCA NURSING SERVICES, INC

Home safety has always been important to us, but never as important as during Covid. Therefore, all the precautionary measures have been implemented to ensure your safety and well-being. The concierge private duty nursing care is made available in the comfort of your home, a hospital room, during facility stays and while residing at assisted living or rehabilitation facilities. Offering quality private nursing care and care management services since 1993.

342 East Palmetto Park Road, Suite 1, Boca Raton 561.347.7566 bocanursing.com

PLASTIC SURGERY OF THE FACE

In private practice for over 20 years and specializing uniquely on faces, Dr. Vivian Hernandez has refined her skill and her ability to perform the treatment(s) that will help each patient achieve a natural, healthy, more youthful appearance. She offers patients a full range of options, from facelifts to dermal fillers, in her Boca Raton practice.

Dr. Vivian Hernandez 4799 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton 561.750.8600 DrHernandez.com

FLORIDA TABLE Dining Guide

Palm Beach County BOCA RATON

Abe & Louie’s —2200 Glades Road. Steakhouse. All Americans are endowed with certain inalienable rights, among them the right to a thick, juicy, perfectly cooked steak. At this posh, comfortable (and expensive) meatery, the USDA Prime steaks are indeed thick, juicy and perfectly cooked, also massively flavorful and served in enormous portions. Don’t miss the New York sirloin or prime rib, paired in classic steakhouse fashion with buttery hash browns and ubercreamy creamed spinach. Chased with an ice-cold martini or glass of red wine from the truly impressive list, it’s happiness pursued and captured. • Lunch Mon.-Fri., dinner nightly. Brunch on Sat. and Sun. 561/447-0024. $$$$

AlleyCat—409 S.E. Mizner Blvd. Japanese. Chef Eric Baker’s Japanese izakaya, or a casual spot for drinks and bites, is serving up dishes like sushi, dumplings and fried rice that have an unexpected whimsical element. Here you’ll find king crab tacos and hot fried chicken alongside the hamachi ponzu and spicy scallop roll. And to deliver the freshest sushi in town, he has partnered with celebrated sushi chef David Bouhadana of Sushi by Bou. • Dinner Tues.-Sat. 561/717-8415. $$

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 the veal shank served on a bed of risotto. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly. 561/997-7373. $$$

Basilic Vietnamese Grill —200 S. Federal Highway. Vietnamese. This popular restaurant offers satisfying food and reasonable prices. Plus, there’s bubble tea. Opened in 2014, it has a wide range of Vietnamese favorites, such as cha gio tom heo, fried shrimp and pork Imperial rolls, all kinds of pho, noodle bowls, chicken curry and more. • Lunch and dinner six days a week; closed Tuesdays. 561/409-4964. $$

Bluefin Sushi and Thai—861 N.W. 51st St., Suite 1. Sushi/Thai. Arrive early for a table at this Asian hot spot—it’s popular with no reservations for parties fewer than six. Don’t skip the tempura lobster bomb, big in both size and taste. The ginger snapper will impress both Instagram and your stomach. Try the chicken satay and pad Thai. Bluefin offers a variety of dishes from multiple cultures, all well done. • Dinner daily. Lunch Mon.-Fri. 561/981-8986. $$

Burtons Grill & Bar —5580 N. Military Trail. New American. Known for its reliable food as well as its non-gluten, Paleo and “B Choosy” kids menu, the first Florida location for this restaurant is deservedly crowded, so make reservations. Don’t miss the General Tso’s cauliflower, the pan-seared salmon (Paleo), the crab cakes or the Key lime pie. Popular half-portions are available, too. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/465-2036. $

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 the pan-fried calamari to the restaurant’s signature spin on the Cobb salad (lunch only) 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 nightly. 561/368-1077. $$$

Casa D’Angelo —171 E. Palmetto Park Road. Italian. Chef Rickie Piper, who has mastered the menu and cuisine of this fine-dining staple for more than a decade, knows when to say when with both plating and ingredients. His dishes, including the sides and accompaniments, are visually appetizing and aromatic. A grilled veal chop easily 3 inches thick proved tender and juicy, and the wild mushrooms served alongside in a marsala added earthiness. • Dinner nightly. 561/996-1234. $$$

Casimir French Bistro—416 Via De Palmas, Suite 81. French. Take a trip overseas without leaving the city and enjoy excellently prepared traditional French dishes, such as duck l’orange or beef bourguignon, or go with Cajun chicken and veal Milanese. The comfortable dining room is a Parisian experience, as is the apple tarte tatin. This is a local favorite, and may we add they have what is as close to real French bread as anyplace in Boca? • Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. 561/955-6001. $$$

Chez Marie French Bistro —5030 Champion Blvd. French. Marie will greet you at the door of this nicely decorated, intimate, classic French restaurant tucked in the corner of a strip shopping area. This feels like an intimate neighborhood bistro and is a welcome discovery. From escargot encased in garlic butter, parsley and breadcrumbs to a tender duck a l’orange to an unforgettable crepe Suzette, you’ll be in Paris all evening.

Voila! Also on the menu: pan-seared foie gras, tasty onion soup, coq au vin, rack of lamb, salads and more desserts. French food in an unassuming atmosphere.• Dinner Mon.-Sat. (closed on Mon. in summer) 561/997-0027. $$

Risotto from Il Mulino

AARON BRISTOL

Chops Lobster Bar —101 Plaza Real S., Royal Palm Place. Steak, seafood. There is nothing like a classic chophouse every now and then for a special dinner. At this upscale downtown restaurant, steaks are 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 Nova Scotian tails flash-fried and served with drawn butter or sizable Maine specimens stuffed with lobster. Let’s face it: Trendy menus come and go, but a great steakhouse is a win-win on all occasions. • Dinner nightly. 561/395-2675. $$$$

Corvina Seafood Grill—110 Plaza Real S, Boca Raton. Seafood. The seafood-centric menu incorporates South Florida’s varied Latin and Caribbean culinary influences into it. Peruvian and Honduran ceviches share the menu with Brazilian fish stew. You’ll also find plantain crusted corvina in a Creole curry sauce alongside Jamaican jerk chicken and island spiced pork ribs. With a focus on sourcing local ingredients, the menu spotlights several daily specials so look out for those. Then there’s the indoor/outdoor bar that invites you to come in and stay a while, especially during its daily happy hour. • Dinner & Sunday Brunch. 561/206-0066. $$

Cuban Café —3350 N.W. Boca Raton Blvd., Suite B-30. Cuban. One thing Boca needs more of is coffee windows—and real Cuban restaurants. Part of the charm of South Florida is its melting pot of Latin cultures, and Cuba is the granddaddy of them all. Which is undoubtedly why diners pack this traditional Cuban restaurant for lunch specials that start at $10.95, including slow-roasted pork served with white rice and black beans. Other highlights include the Cuban sandwich, the media noche and (on the dinner menu only) lechón asado. Full bar. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/750-8860. $

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. In the pantheon of healthy dining, Farmer’s Table is a standout in Boca, one of the first restaurants to elevate natural foods to fine dining. 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 Choice short rib and the popular Ramen Bowl, with veggies, ramen noodles and shrimp. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 561/417-5836. $$

Gary Rack’s Farmhouse Kitchen —399 S.E. Mizner Blvd. American. Natural, seasonal, sustainable. You’ll enjoy the varied menu, and won’t believe it’s made without butters or creams. Try the too-good-to-be-true buffalo-style cauliflower appetizer, the seared salmon or buffalo burger, and have apple skillet for dessert. Healthy never tasted so good. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/826-2625. $$

The Grille On Congress —5101 Congress Ave. American. Dishes at this longtime favorite range from tasty chicken entrees 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. Contemporary American. Convenient location, stylish ambience and impeccable service are hallmarks of this local outpost of

Everyday Favorites

For an affordable bite at any time, consider these durable chains and homegrown Boca favorites—where the attire is understated and reservations are rarely necessary.

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 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. $$

Bonefish Grill—9598 Glades 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. Brunch on Sundays. 561/483-4949. (Other Palm Beach County locations: 1880 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach, 561/732-1310; 9897 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth, 561/9652663; 11658 U.S. Highway 1, North Palm Beach, 561/799-2965) $$

The Cheesecake Factory—5530 Glades Road. American. Oh, the choices! The chain 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, 561/802-3838; Downtown at the Gardens, Palm Beach Gardens, 561/776-3711). $$

Nick’s New Haven-Style Pizzeria—2240 N.W. 19th St., Suite 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 of 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. 561/3682900. $$

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) $$

The Sandwich Shop at Buccan—350 S. County Road, Palm Beach. Takeout stop. Like big sister Buccan Italian restaurant, the Sandwich Shop is full of flavor and builds your favorite sandwich with just a touch of delicious creativity you won’t find elsewhere. Owned by celeb chef Clay Conley and partners, the menu has hot or cold sandwiches, salads, sides and drinks (both alcoholic and non). Good-sized portions mean the Italian and prosciutto subs include leftovers if you have some willpower.• Lunch daily. 561/833-6295. $$

Shake Shack—1400 Glades Road. American. We’re not sure there is really any such thing as a bad burger joint and when you have a really good one—like Shake Shack— there’s a little piece of heaven just a short order away. Shake Shack in University Commons has great all-Angus burgers, non-GMO buns, and a frozen custard that makes grown men weep. Throw in some crinkle-cut fries and life is the way it should be. And the outdoor patio is a definite bonus in these times. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/932-0847. $

Steve’s Wood Fired Pizza—9180 Glades Road. Italian. With an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients and rigorous preparation—the hand-rolled dough rises for three days before use—this reliable purveyor offers varieties of ‘za that are both familiar and novel, from BBQ chicken and veggie primavera to Mom’s White Roasted Garlic and the Mupsa (mushroom, pepperoni and sausage) . • Lunch and dinner Tues.-Sat., dinner Sun. 561/483-5665. $$

Tap 42 —5050 Town Center Circle, Suite 247. Gastropub. This hugely popular nouveau-Industrial gastropub is not for the faint of eardrums when packed, but don’t let that discourage you. The kitchen here executes the hell out of a short, simple all-day menu. Grilled salmon chopped salad with tomatillo ranch dressing is delightful, as is guacamole studded with fat chunks of bacon and charred corn. Same goes for decadent shrimp mac-n-cheese. The wicked-good chocolate bread pudding with salted caramel sauce would be the envy of any Big Easy eatery. • Lunch Mon.-Fri. Brunch Sat.-Sun. Dinner nightly. 561/235-5819. $

the Hillstone restaurant chain. There are plenty of reasons why this is one of the most popular business lunch spots in all of Boca, including menu items like Cajun trout, the mammoth salad offerings and the tasty baby back ribs. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/998-0550. $$$

Il Mulino New York Boca Raton —451

E. Palmetto Park Road. Italian. From the four pre-menu bites to the after-dinner coffee from freshly ground beans, this is a white-tablecloth venue that delivers on its upscale promises. Try the langostino, the red snapper, the risotto, the pasta, or

CBD Infusions

This food and drink trend is off and running

Written by CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT

While alcohol has been federally legal for decades, cannabis continues to evoke divided opinions. Federally, it is still illegal, while some states like California and New York have legalized it for adult recreation and others, like Florida, have legalized it for medical purposes. To confuse matters more, hemp is related to cannabis but is not illegal, thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill that authorized the production and sale of hemp.

The two plants contain a variety of cannabinoids at different levels, including THC and CBD. While THC is a psychoactive substance that can cause that sense of euphoria linked to “feeling high,” CBD offers health benefits to help with inflammation, pain, seizures and anxiety without that side effect. CBD also lives in a legal grey area. If it’s derived from cannabis, it’s still considered a Schedule I illegal substance—BUT if it comes from hemp with less than .3% THC, it’s perfectly acceptable on the federal level.

With all that said, CBD-infused food and drinks are all the rage these days. To explain it further, we sat down with Joe Durkin, cannabis expert and co-owner of South Florida

Distillers. The South Florida native was drawn to learning the chemistry and science behind cannabis. It’s important to him that infused foods also taste good, so he excels in knowing how to activate, or decarboxylate, the cannabinoids and infusing foods with the proper dosage. (THC is activated when you smoke or vape it, but for food, whether it’s THC or CBD, it needs to be decarboxylated, usually through baking, and then infused.)

Durkin hosts cannabis- and hemp-infused dinner and cocktail parties for locals interested in leveling up their soirees. Partnering with private chefs, he can infuse the menu with THC (only if all diners supply a medical card) or CBD (in Florida it’s legal if derived from hemp). Fair warning: Unlike a welcome drink at a dinner party that contains the same amount of alcohol for each guest, the same doesn’t translate with cannabis. Some bodies will react differently to varying amounts, so using his knowledge to properly dose guests is essential.

For those of us who are CBD novices, Durkin offers some advice:

Find a reputable brand. While the

internet opens a vast landscape to users, it sometimes is too overwhelming to sift through the garbage to find something authentic and reliable. He suggests going straight to the source by searching for a hemp farm, like Colorado-based Vitality Farms, that grows organically in soil and sells full-spectrum (derived from the whole plant) products with original terpenes (organic compounds). Other brands he recommends include Deerfield Beachbased Green Roads and Colorado-based Dram Apothecary.

Figure out how you’re going to use the CBD. If you’re planning on infusing it into food, a distillate is best, but if you want to add a few drops to your tea, coffee or water, go with a tincture.

If you’re weary of the .3% THC full-spectrum products can contain, opt for either broad spectrum or isolate. Both don’t have any THC, but the former does have other hemp compounds, while the latter is the purest form of CBD.

Always follow local, state and federal regulations.

For more information about the CBD-infused dinners, contact Durkin directly at joe@3vents.co.

Lemonade with marijuana

Pasta with marijuana pesto

go for the ceviches, caviars and seafood tower. Save room for dessert and complimentary lemoncello. Make a night of it. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/338-8606. $$$

Fries to Caviar —6299 N. Federal Highway. Contemporary American. Going one better than soup to nuts defines this Boca restaurant, an easygoing, affordable bistro that really does offer fries, caviar and more. Four varieties of fish eggs are shown off nicely crowning a quartet of deviled eggs, while the thick-cut fries complement a massively flavorful, almost fork-tender hanger steak in the classic steak frites.Try the seasonal soups as well. • Dinner Tues.-Sun. 561/617-5965. $$

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. Pan-Asian

This Asian-inspired gastropub delivers an inventive punch to the taste buds. Among the hardest hitters is its angry shrimp dumplings and the char sui pork belly bao bun. The Saigon duck pho is yet one more reason to go. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/347-7322. $$

The French Gazebo—4199 N. Federal Highway. Traditional French. There are new owners at what was Kathy’s Gazebo, and we’ll be reviewing the new iteration soon. But we are told the menu will not change dramatically, and we think that French offerings like Dover sole, escargot, coq au vin duck, veal, lobster and more will carry on the tradition. Don’t forget the rich, well-crafted desserts. Classical dining and an excellent chef. • Lunch Mon.-Fri. Dinner Mon.-Sat. 561/395-6033. $$$

Ke’e Grill —17940 N. Military Trail, Suite 700. Traditional American. In this busy dining scene for more than 30 years, you will find a lot of seafood (fried calamari, blue crab cakes, yellowtail snapper Francaise and lots more), a few steak, chicken, lamb and pork options, and a quality house-made apple crisp. Your traditional choices are baked, fried, breaded, grilled, broiled, sauteed. With Provencal, Francaise, maple mustard glaze, toasted macadamia nut pesto and piccata twists. A consistent crowd for a consistent menu. • Dinner nightly. 561/995-5044. $$$

La Nouvelle Maison —455 E. Palmetto Park Blvd. French. Elegant, sophisticated French cuisine, white-glove service and a trio of stylish dining rooms make Arturo Gismondi’s homage to Boca’s storied La Vieille Maison the home away from home to anyone who appreciates the finer points of elegant 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, cookbook-perfect rendition of steak frites and an assortment of desserts that range from homey apple tart to bananas Foster with chocolate and Grand Marnier. • Dinner nightly. 561/338-3003. $$$

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., Suite 103. French. Don’t 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

Feast Day

Matteo’s lavish “Platinum“catering package for a private event includes three entrees, in addition to different courses.

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. $$

Loch Bar —346 Plaza Real. Seafood. This sister restaurant to Ouzo Bay includes fried oysters, moules frites and Maryland crab cakes. The bar offers literally hundreds of whiskeys, a noisy happy hour crowd and live music most nights. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/939-6600. $$

Louie Bossi’s —100 E. Palmetto Park Road. Italian. This jumping joint serves terrific Neapolitan pizza (thin crust), but don’t miss the other entrées. Start with a charcuterie/cheese plate and grab the amazing breadsticks. All breads and pastas are made on the premises. Other faves include the carbonara and the calamari, and save room for house-made gelato. Unusual features: Try the bocce ball court included with the retro Italian décor. • Lunch and dinner daily, weekend brunch. 561/336-6699. $$$

Luff’s Fish House —390 E. Palmetto Park Road. Seafood. A renovated 1920s bungalow houses this shipshape restaurant, in addition to two large, outdoor deck and patio areas. It’s known for familiar dish names with new tweaks: smoked fish-hummus dip, falafel fish fritters, crab guacamole, mussels in coconut curry broth, plus the paella on Sundays only. Don’t leave without the enormous slice of the Key lime pie, topped with meringue on a graham cracker crust. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/609-2660. $$

Maggiano’s —21090 St. Andrews Blvd. Italian. Do as the Italians do, and order family-style: Sit back and watch the endless amounts of gorgeous foods grace your table. In this manner, you receive two appetizers, a salad, two pastas, two entrées and two desserts. The menu also includes lighter takes on staples like chicken parm, fettuccine alfredo and chicken piccata. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/361-8244. $$

Mario’s Osteria —1400 Glades Road, Suite 210. Italian. This popular spot features rustic Italian fare in a sleek environment. 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. $$

Matteo’s —233 S. Federal Highway, Suite 108. 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 nightly. 561/392-0773. $$

Max’s Grille —404 Plaza Real. Contemporary American. After 24 years in Mizner Park, This modern American bistro is a true local classic. The food and decor are both timeless and up to date, and 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 the applewood bacon-wrapped meatloaf to the wickedly indulgent crème brûlèe pie. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Brunch Sat–Sun. Dinner nightly. 561/368-0080. $$

Morton’s The Steakhouse —5050 Town Center Circle, Suite 219. Steakhouse. 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. While the star of the beef show is the giant bone-in filet mignon, seasonally featured is the American Wagyu New York strip. Finish off your meal with one of the decadent desserts.• Dinner nightly. 561/392-7724. $$$$

New York Prime —2350 N.W. Executive Center Drive. Steakhouse. This wildly popular Boca meatery Monday, Monday 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 nightly. 561/998-3881. $$$$

Patio Tapas & Beer —205 S.E. First Ave. Spanish. Be transported to the Iberian Peninsula with a variety of tapas. Chef Bryant Fajardo, who trained under celebrated chef José Andrés, specializes in one of Spain’s most traditional and iconic cuisines and delivers both classic selections like Manchego cheese and anchovies alongside premium nibbles like seared duck and foie gras. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/419-7239. $

Prezzo —5560 N. Military Trail. Italian. A reincarnation of a popular 1990s Boca venue, this version has updated the dining room, kept the yummy oven-baked focaccia bread slices, and added a 21st-century taste to the menu. Don’t miss the tender bone-in pork chop, thin-crust pizza and seafood specials. Vegetarian and gluten-free choices are on the menu, too. • Lunch Mon.-Fri. Dinner nightly. 561/314-6840. $$

Rafina —6877 S.W. 18th St. Greek. If you find the ambience of most Greek restaurants to be like a frat party with flaming cheese and ouzo, this contemporary, casually elegant spot will be welcome relief. Food and decor favor refinement over rusticity, even in such hearty and ubiquitous dishes as pastitsio and spanakopita. Standout dishes include the moussaka, the creamy and mildly citrusy avgolemono soup and the precisely grilled, simply adorned (with olive oil, lemon and capers) branzino. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/409-3673. $$

Rebel House —297 E. Palmetto Park Road. American Eclectic. As wild visually as it is in the kitchen, this place rocks on all points. Start with the popcorn flavor of the day (instead of bread) and don’t miss the cauliflower Caesar salad, Uncle Pinkie’s Fried Rice, the lobster meatballs or whatever duck option is on the menu. You can’t miss with these dishes. • Dinner nightly, brunch Sat.-Sun. 561/353-5888. $$

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 —225 N.E. Mizner Blvd., Suite 100. Steakhouse. Not only does this steakhouse favorite emphasize its New Orleans roots, it also distinguishes itself from its competitors by just serving better food. The signature chopped salad has a list of ingredients as long as a hose but they all work together. And how can you not like a salad topped with crispy fried onion strings? Steaks are USDA Prime and immensely flavorful, like a perfectly seared New York strip. The white chocolate bread pudding is simply wicked. • Dinner nightly. 561/392-6746. (Other Palm Beach County locations: 651 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach, 561/514-3544; 661 U.S. Highway 1, North Palm Beach, 561/863-0660.) $$$$

Seasons 52 —2300 Executive Center Drive. Contemporary American. The food—seasonal ingredients, simply and healthfully prepared, accompanied by interesting wines—is firstrate, from salmon roasted on a cedar plank to desserts served in

Roasted lamb from Six Tables

CRISTINA MORGADO

oversized shot glasses. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/998-9952. (Other Palm Beach County location: 11611 Ellison Wilson Road, Palm Beach Gardens, 561/625-5852.) $$

SeaSpray Inlet Grill —999 E. Camino Real. American. Unobstructed views of Lake Boca Raton, soaring palm trees and coastal décor peppered with fringed umbrellas all set the mood for a relaxing experience that will make you feel as if you’re on vacation. The menu accommodates different dietary preferences with gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options. Don’t sleep on the pear tortellini pasta starter; it’s a star item. Portions are hearty and can be easily shared. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 561/226-3022. $$

Six Tables a Restaurant—112 N.E. Second St., Boca Raton. American. The dimly lit chandeliers, burgundy velvet curtains and smooth Sinatra lyrics set the mood for a memorable evening that’s dedicated to fine dining without pretention. With a seasonal menu that’s ever changing, you can rest assured that whatever husband and wife chef-proprietors Tom and Jenny Finn prepare for you, it will truly be special and made with love. • Dinner Thurs.-Sat. 561/347-6260. $$$$

Sushi Ray —5250 Town Center Circle, Suite 111. 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 $22. • Lunch Mon.–Fri., dinner nightly. 561/394-9506. $$

Buzz Bite I

Where To Dine On Valentine’s Day

SIX TABLES

Let the husband-and-wife duo at this quaint Boca Raton restaurant take care of everything you need this Valentine’s Day. The romantic setting, complete with excellent food, wine and service, will impress both you and your date. 112 N.E. Second St., Mizner Plaza Shopping Center, Boca Raton; 561/347-6260; sixtablesarestaurant.com

LA NOUVELLE MAISON

A variety of classic French dishes will transport you to the City of Love this Valentine’s Day. And make sure to save room for its famous soufflé desserts. 455 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton; 561/3383003; lnmbocaraton.com

PAPA’S TAPAS

Sharing is caring, and at this Spanish restaurant you’ll get to choose a spread of tapas to savor and share for dinner. It’s frequented by savvy locals for its sangria; make sure to pair your sips with its beloved paella. 259 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach; 561/266-0599; papastapasdb.com

THE GROVE

Whether you sit inside or on its back patio, the Pineapple Grove staple delivers a romantic vibe that’s never stuffy. It will be hard to choose what to order from its expertly crafted menu, so don’t overthink it, and just know you’re in for a delightful journey. 187 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach; 561/266-3750; thegrovedelray.com

—Christie Galeano-DeMott

MY

CORPORATE JET INC.

The More, the Merrier Villa Rosano’s catering menus range from service for six to eight and up to 100, with three to five days’ notice.

Taverna Kyma —6298 N. Federal Highway. Greek/ Mediterranean. Hankering for a traditional Greek meal, and a menu that offers just about everything? This is where you want to try the meze plates (cold, hot, seafood, veggie), saganaki, grilled entrees and kebobs. From the taramosalata to the branzino and pastitsio, servings are generous and good. Don’t forget dessert. • Lunch Mon.-Fri. Dinner nightly. 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 restaurants. Pay attention to the daily specials, especially if they include impeccably done langostini oreganata and the restaurant’s signature jumbo shrimp saltimbocca. • Dinner nightly. 561/393-6715. $$$

Twenty Twenty Grille —141 Via Naranjas, Suite 45. 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 a suave dish of tagliatelle with duck and chicken confit. Don’t miss the jerk pork belly and grilled veal strip loin. • Dinner nightly. 561/990-7969. $$$

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. $$

Vino —114 N.E. Second St. Wine Bar/Italian. An impressive wine list of some 250 plus 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. $$

Warike Peruvian Bistro —2399 N. Federal Highway. Peruvian . Classic dishes, such as aji de gallina, and classic drinks—Warike Sour—make this small restaurant a place to remember. Modern, clean décor and a menu that includes well-prepared seafood, meat or vegetarian meals means it’s a busy venue, so reservations are recommended. • Lunch and dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/465-5922. $$

Yakitori —271 S.E. Mizner Blvd. Asian. This Japanese restaurant that has sat for nearly a decade in Royal Palm Place is still welcoming devoted diners and delivering consistent, premium dishes. Sip on one of its refreshing cocktails like the lychee martini or green tea mojito before perusing the vast menu that offers everything from sushi and sashimi to fried rice, ramen and entrées from the robata grill. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/544-0087. $$

WEST BOCA

Boon’s Asian Bistro —19605 N. State Road 7. Japanese/Thai. This is one of two Boon’s (the other is in Delray Beach), and it’s where the rush to eat excellent sushi started. The fast-moving staff is choreographed to deliver dishes such as shrimp pad Thai that’s light, delicate and happily filled with shrimp. The Thai fried rice is unusually delicate too, with lots of egg, and is some of the best around. The sushi rolls are as fresh and inventive (try the Daimyo roll) as they are beautifully presented. Go early or call for a reservation. • Lunch Mon.-Fri. Dinner nightly. 561/883-0202. $$

Chloe’s Bistro —6885 S.W. 18th St. Italian. One of the few venues that’s on the water, with food to match the view. Try the seafood linguine, the large snapper filets in Marechiara sauce, and the desserts to end on a sweet note. House-made pasta and a good wine list ensure a pleasant, satisfying meal. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/334-2088. $$

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 nightly. 561/487-1600. $$

Ditmas Kitchen —21077 Powerline Road. Contemporary kosher. This west Boca restaurant is named after a Brooklyn avenue in a district known for its food. Here you’ll find very good casual food, and no dairy products are used. Try the Hibachi salmon, all-kale Caesar salad, the shnitzel sandwich. • Dinner Sun.-Thurs. 561/826-8875. $$$

DVASH —8208 Glades Road. Mediterranean. The menu, a collection of Mediterranean fusion dishes with a variety of daily specials, caters to an array of diets, including vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free. The Cohen family, who previously owned Falafel Bistro & Wine Bar in Coral Springs for more than a decade, now welcomes diners to this West Boca restaurant that’s tucked away in the Publix Greenwise strip mall. • Lunch and dinner Tues.-Sun. 561/826-7784. $$

Oli’s Fashion Cuisine —6897 S.W. 18th St. Modern American. With the unusual name comes a menu sporting lobster risotto to tuna tacos, grilled mahi and more. There are Italian, vegetarian, steak, flatbreads, salads and desserts, all pleasing to the eye and palate. Inside is a bit noisy, so try the outdoor, lakeside patio for a quieter meal. • Lunch and dinner daily, breakfast weekends. 561/571-6920. $$

Oliv Pit Athenian Grille —6006 S.W. 18th St. Modern Greek. The owners’ goal of bringing together the best of Greek cooking under one roof, much like the melting pot that is Athens, is covered here in an extensive menu. The best way to enjoy the food is to share it: the Pikilia trio with tzatziki, spicy feta and eggplant spread is a starting place. Try the mix grill platter and the hearty red Greek wine. End the night with a unique, velvety frappe cappuccino. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/409-2049. $$

Skyfin Asian Bistro —8221 Glades Road. Asian. After nearly a decade of dishing out elevated Beijing cuisine at MR CHOW inside the posh W South Beach, chef Aden Lee left his sous chef position to venture out on his own. Here, you’ll find both playfully named sushi rolls and fresh sashimi alongside protein-rich house specials, fried rice and noodles. Don’t miss the Toro Roll and Tangerine Peel Beef. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/556-1688. $$

Villa Rosano —9858 Clint Moore Road. Italian. You can be forgiven for imagining yourself 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 nightly. 561/470-0112. $$

BOYNTON BEACH

Driftwood —2005 S. Federal Highway. Modern American. Take food combos that sound unusual (popcorn sauce, avocado chocolate ice cream) but that taste wonderful and you’ve got Chef Jimmy Everett’s ideas on the table. They don’t last long, because they taste terrific. Try the smoked swordfish, the lobster

Grilled calamari from Vino Wine Bar

Wine & Dine

South Florida’s most star-studded food fête returns to the Magic City

Written by CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT

The Food Network South Beach

Wine & Food Festival Presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF®) returns to Miami’s sandy shores this month from Thursday, February 23 through Sunday, February 26. The legendary Goya Foods’ Grand Tasting Village is back alongside fan favorites like Tacos and Tequila hosted by Danny Trejo, Guy Fieri’s Diners, DriveIns and Dives LIVE, Wine Spectator’s Best of the Best and Chicken Coupe hosted by Michelle Bernstein. The annual Tribute Dinner will be hosted by Bobby Flay this year and honors chef and Food Network star Alex Guarnaschelli and Alexandre Ricard of wine and spirits conglomerate Pernod Ricard. Further north, the Hallandale Beach Event Series welcomes Food & Groove back to the Village at Gulfstream Park on Sunday for a compilation of local bites and live music.

For loyal SOBEWFF patrons who have already savored the staple events, there are a few new happenings to anticipate. Those include Saturday’s Smorgasburg After Dark at the food market that’s hosted by Rev Run and Marcus Samuelsson’s Overtown EatUp! Samuelsson’s Sunday event, which is the sister festival to Harlem EatUp!, the African American-focused festival that celebrates the community’s culture, comes to Overtown to spotlight local talented chefs.

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is opening the doors to its new Wynwood headquarters to host a series of pop-up events and dinners including the Michelin Guide Dinner Series, which will feature celebrated chefs like Jeremy Ford, Gabriel Kreuther and Boia De’s Luciana Giangrandi and Alex Meyer. It will also host a daiquiri-making master class with influencer Gio Gutierrez and Julio Cabrera, who oversees Café La Trova’s bar program, which recently made the World’s 50 Best Bars list. This year, the festival’s finale brunch, usually hosted by Trisha Yearwood, will welcome two-time James Beard Award winner Mashama Bailey and a roster of chefs to the Loews Miami Beach.

Scenes from South Beach Wine & Food

with pickled okra, ricotta dumplings, the burger with gouda, the grilled octopus and pastrami’d chicken breast with roasted cabbage. • Brunch Sun. Dinner Tues.-Sun. 561/733-4782. $$

Josie’s Italian Ristorante—1602 S. Federal Highway. Italian. Famed chef and South Florida culinary godfather Mark Militello is back at Josie’s after a brief stint at Boca’s Prezzo, and his magic in the kitchen of this cozy, old-school Italian restaurant is duly noted. His influence is evident in the daily specials, but old favorites like beefy short rib meatballs, an upmarket version of the classic San Francisco cioppino, and Josie’s signature veal Bersaglieri (veal medallions with artichokes, olives and roasted peppers in lemon-white wine sauce) don’t fail to satisfy either. • Lunch Mon.-Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/364-9601. $$

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 1628 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. This 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. $$

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 nightly. Brunch Sun. 561/278-3364. $$

800 Palm Trail Grill—800 Palm Trail. American. This contemporary space is serving up American fare and classic cocktails. The menu has a steak-and-seafood-house feel to it but without any stuffiness. Instead, you’ll find dishes that entice the palate, like the loaded baked potato eggrolls and Wagyu boneless short rib. • Lunch and dinner daily, with patio dining. 561/865-5235. $$

Akira Back, 233 NE 2nd Ave., Delray Beach. Japanese Chef Akira Back’s Seoul restaurant earned a Michelin star a few years ago and now he’s showcasing his talented take on Japanese cuisine at his namesake restaurant inside The Ray hotel. Born in Korea and raised in Colorado, Back

blends his heritage with Japanese flavors and techniques he has mastered to deliver dishes that are unique to him. With plates made to be shared, the menu is divided into cold and hot starters followed by rolls, nigiri/sashimi, robata grill, mains and fried rice. Dinner. 561/739-1708. $$$$

Amar Mediterranean Bistro —522 E. Atlantic Ave. Lebanese. From the moment you step inside, there’s a familial feeling, a hidden gem that everyone is drawn to. Amar is a quaint bistro amidst the buzzy Atlantic Avenue that serves Lebanese food. But this isn’t your typical hummus and pita joint. Here, the proprietor’s family recipes take center stage alongside Mediterranean favorites that have been elevated with slight tweaks. • Dinner nightly. 561/865-5653. $$

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, sun-dried figs and mozzarella.

• Lunch Tues.-Sun. Dinner nightly. 561/381-0037. $

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. 561/665-4900. $$

We sell clothing from Paris, as well accessories, hats, purses and gifts for every occasion.

Voyage Boutique might be off the Ave, but we are on top of fashion! From casual to elegant, cocktail or dinner party…you are sure to find your next favorite outfit in our large specialty shop.

If you are the mother or grandmother of a bride, you will find something very special too…if it doesn’t fit perfectly, our in-house seamstress will make sure it does. Weekly shipments arriving from Paris and Italy. Have some fun – come shop with us - and be sure to mention you saw us in Delray magazine!

400 Gulfstream Blvd, Delray Beach FL 33444

Open 10:00AM to 4:30PM Mon-Sat 561-279-2984

Private Dining

It’s party time in South Florida, and Coco Sushi has a private dining room just for you that can seat up to 60.

Avalon Steak and Seafood—110 E. Atlantic Ave. Seafood/Steakhouse. The enticing reasons we all go to a steakhouse are present here—boozy cocktails, a diverse wine list, dry aged steaks, prime cuts, rich accompaniments, decadent sides and indulgent desserts. The menu is then enhanced with a selection of seafood like a raw bar medley of oysters, shrimp and crab alongside the customary octopus, fish, scallops and lobster. Don’t miss Avalon’s signature dish, the Angry Lobster, and for an unusual surprise check out the kimchi fried rice. • Dinner nightly. 561/593-2500. $$$$

Bamboo Fire Cafe—149 N.E. Fourth Ave. Caribbean. The Jacobs family joyously shares its Latin and Caribbean culture through food that’s bursting with bright island aromas and flavors. Tostones, plantain fries and jerk meatballs share the menu with curry pork, oxtail and conch. • Dinner Wed.-Sun. 561/749-0973. $

Bar 25 Gastropub —25 S.E. Sixth Ave., Delray Beach. American. Taking inspiration from the Northeast, the menu boasts staples like Philly cheesesteak, Rhode Island clams, pierogis, Old Bay fries and plenty of mootz (aka mozzarella). Loyal to its gastropub DNA, dishes here aren’t complicated or complex but satisfying, interesting takes on the familiar without being boring. • Lunch and dinner daily, weekend brunch. 561/359-2643. $

Beg for More Izakaya—19 S.E. Fifth Ave. Japanese Small Plates. The large sake, whisky and beer menu here pairs beautifully with the small plates full of everything except sushi. No sushi. And that’s fine. Try the takoyaki (octopus balls), the crispy salmon tacos and anything with the addictive kimchi, such as the kimchi fried rice. There are pasta, teriyaki and simmered duck with bok choy dishes—or 16 varieties of yakitori (food on skewers). You’ll be back to beg for more. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/563-8849. $$

Brulé Bistro —200 N.E. Second Ave. Contemporary American. The regular menu of this Pineapple Grove favorite always has satisfying dishes. Its specialties include crab tortellini with black truffles, chicken meatballs with coconut broth and cashews, plus signature dessert pistachio crème brùlée. Spirits and house cocktails steeped in speakeast style are paired with an ever-changing menu. Outside tables offer the best option for conversation. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/274-2046. $$

Burt & Max’s —9089 W. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American. This bastion of contemporary comfort food in west Delray is approaching local landmark status, forging its own menu while borrowing a few dishes from Max’s Grille, 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 nightly. 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. $$

Caffe Luna Rosa —34 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach. Italian. This multiple Delray Beach-award winning restaurant has sparkling service, comfort food taken to a higher level, and a setting just steps from the Atlantic. A success from day one, they dish up big flavors in a tiny space, so call for reservations. Try the calamari fritto misto, then the rigatoni pomodoro and leave room for dessert. Or come back for breakfast. • Open daily from breakfast through dinner. 561/274-9404. $$

Casa L’Acqua —9 S.E. Seventh Ave. Italian. You’ll get what you pay for here: very good Italian food in an upscale, modern, cool gray and white restaurant that is a refreshing change from busy Atlantic Avenue. The antipasti (bread, balsamic/honey dipping sauce, Parmesan chunks, bruschetta) are so good, they

could be dinner. But save room for the pollo Parmigiana, the scallopine piccate al limone, the four kinds of risotto, and dessert. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/563-7492. $$$

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 a jumbo crab cake. This is the place to see and be seen in Delray, and the food lives up to its profile. • Lunch Mon.–Sun. Dinner nightly. Outdoor dining. 561/272-0220. $$

Coco Sushi Lounge & Bar —25 N.E. Second Ave. Asian. Local hospitality veterans Tina Wang and chef Jason Zheng continue to grow their restaurant empire with this concept. The extensive menu caters to any palate, dietary restriction or craving and features both traditional and creative dishes. Soups and salads lead into sushi selections and appetizers divided into cool and hot. Cooked and raw rolls are followed by rice, noodle, land and sea entrée options. • Dinner Mon.-Sat. Sunday brunch. 561/908-2557. $$

Cut 432 —432 E. Atlantic Ave. Steakhouse. 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 nightly. 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 sweet-savory butterscotch onions, and a brownie-vanilla ice cream sundae with strips of five-spice powdered bacon. The wittily decorated 1920s-vintage house-turnedrestaurant is, as they say, a trip. • Dinner nightly. 561/330-3232. $$

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 stellar 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 nightly. 561/665-8484. $

Eathai —1832 S. Federal Highway. Thai. If you’re craving approachable and affordable Thai food, put Eathai at the top of your list. While you can expect to find curries, noodles, soups and fried rice on the menu, the dishes here aren’t the typical ones you’ll find around town. Indulge in the Thai Chicken French Toasted or Crispy Duck Breast with Lychee Curry Sauce or Oxtail Basil Fried Rice to savor the true talent of owner and chef Sopanut Sopochana. • Lunch and dinner daily, except Tuesday. 561/270-3156. $

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 fish tacos clad in delicate fried skin, set off by tart pineapple salsa. Cinnamon and sugar-dusted churros are the perfect dessert. And check out the margaritas, especially the smoky blend of mezcal and blanco tequila. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/865-5350. $$

Elisabetta’s —32 E. Atlantic Ave. Italian. An ornate Italian spot, with classically prepared dishes including spiedini shrimp, burrata de prosciutto bruschetta, costoletta di vitello (veal), a guanciale pizza, cacio e pepe pasta, malfadine Amatriciana and gemelli puttanesca. Portions are large and that, thankfully, goes for the homemade gelati, too. The best

Conch salad from Bamboo Fire

CRISTINA MORGADO

Buzz Bite II

South Florida Garlic Fest Returns

Heralded as the “Best Stinkin’ Party in South Florida,” the Garlic Fest is back on Feb. 4-5 at the Village Park Athletics Complex in Wellington. The 24th anniversary of the event will boast a variety of food vendors at the Gourmet Alley, all offering garlic-infused fare. When you’ve had your fill, peruse the nearly 200 exhibitors selling everything from art to homemade goods while you enjoy live music from local and national bands. Children will get in on the fun at the Kids Zone with a plethora of amusement rides. General-admission tickets start at $15. For more information, visit garlicfestfl.com.

seating outdoors is the second-floor balcony overlooking Atlantic Avenue. • Lunch and dinner daily; weekend brunch. 561/650-6699. $$

Ember Grill —233 N.E. Second Ave. Contemporary American. The Ray Hotel’s modern bistro is helmed by Joe Zanelli, who has created a variety of globally inspired dishes. Seafood, steaks and house specialties like the duck pancakes share the menu with delectable desserts like the baked Alaska ablaze on your table or the refreshing frozen pineapple. • Dinner nightly. 561/739-1705. $$

The Grove —187 N.E. Second Ave. Contemporary American. The Grove, which has been tucked inside the tranquil Pineapple Grove district for nearly a decade, continues to surprise diners with its vibrant dishes. The upscale but casually comfortable nook has an international wine list that spans the globe and a seasonal menu that’s succinct and well thought out. • Dinner Tues.-Sat. 561/266-3750. $$

Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar

1841 S. Federal Highway. American. You don’t have to worry about calories (most dishes are under 500), you don’t have to worry about finding something you haven’t tried before (new items are added every three months) and freshness is the silent ingredient throughout. Try the pesto Caprese flatbread, the supergrain salad and the steak or salmon or chicken. Desserts offer big tastes in small jars. • Lunch and dinner daily; brunch on weekends. 561/266-3239. $$

Henry’s—16850 Jog Road. American. This casual, unpretentious restaurant 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. $$

Il Girasole —2275 S. Federal Highway. Northern Italian. If you want Northern Italian in a low-key atmosphere,

—Christie Galeano-DeMott

“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

The Next Sequel

Racks Fish House & Oyster Bar is home to The Codfather, a classic signature fish and chips dish.

and nobody rushing you out the door, this is your spot. Start with something from the very good wine list. Try the yellowtail snapper, the penne Caprese and the capellini Gamberi, and leave room for the desserts. Reservations recommended. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/272-3566. $$

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. This is is a bona fide local go-to spot that never disappoints. • Lunch and dinner Tues.–Sat. 561/272-3390. $$

Jimmy’s Bistro —9 S. Swinton Ave. Contemporary American. This small gem off noisy Atlantic Avenue is big on taste and ambience, and has been busy since 2009. You can travel the world with dumplings, conch fritters, pork schnitzel, rigatoni Bolognese, étouffée and more. Reservations are recommended at this laid-back, comfortable venue. • Dinner nightly. 561/865-5774. $$

Joseph’s Wine Bar —200 N.E. Second Ave. Mediterranean-American. Joseph’s is an elegant, comfortable, intimate nook in Delray’s Pineapple Grove, and an ideal place for a lazy evening. This family affair—owner Joseph Boueri, wife Margaret in the kitchen, and son Elie and daughter Romy working the front of the house—has all tastes covered. Try the special cheese platter, the duck a l’orange or the rack of lamb. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/272-6100. $$

La Cigale —253 S.E. Fifth Ave. Mediterranean. Popular venue since 2001, with Greek and Italian dishes and more. Highlights are seafood paella, roasted half duck and grilled jumbo artichoke appetizer. Lots of favorites on the menu: calf’s liver, veal osso buco, branzino, seafood crepes. Nice outdoor seating if weather permits. • Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/265-0600. $$

Latitudes —2809 S. Ocean Blvd. Modern American. You should come for both the sunset and the food. This oceanfront restaurant is a gem tucked inside the Delray Sands resort. From the airy, bubbly interior to the raw bar, the décor is soothing and fun. Try the lobster and crab stuffed shrimp, the miso-glazed Skuna Bay salmon, the branzino or the veal Bolognese. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 561/278-6241. $$$

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 locations: 101 Plaza Real S., Boca Raton, 561/5448181; 1880 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach, 561/733-1344). $

Lionfish —307 E. Atlantic Ave. Seafood. Focusing on sustainable and locally sourced ingredients, Lionfish’s menu is diverse while its coastal décor is both stylish and comfortable. Choose from oysters, octopus, specialty sushi rolls, fresh catches and, of course, the namesake white flaky fish in a variety of preparations including whole fried and as a bright ceviche. Make sure to save room for the Key lime pie bombe dessert. • Dinner nightly, brunch weekends. 561/639-8700. $$$

Lulu’s—189 N.E. Second Ave. American. Lulu’s in Pineapple Grove offers a relaxed ambiance with unfussy, approachable food. The quaint café is open every day and serves an all-day menu including breakfast until 3 p.m. and a selection of appetizers, sandwiches, salads and entrées that are ideal for an executive lunch, lively tapas happy hour, casual dinner or late night snack (until 2 a.m.). • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 561/453-2628. $

MIA Kitchen & Bar —7901 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Contemporary American. Owner Joey Lograsso and chef Jason Binder have curated a balanced choreography of fascinating yet approachable dishes. The menu travels the world from Italy to Asia and showcases Binder’s formal training with elevated dishes that are exceptionally executed. It’s vibey with a great playlist, and the design, reminiscent of a cool Wynwood bar, is industrial with exposed ducts, reclaimed wood and sculptural filament chandeliers. It’s a place that amps up all your senses. • Dinner Tues.-Sun. 561/499-2200. $$$

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. Check out the high-top seating or bar stools during an excellent happy hour menu that includes deviled eggs, pork sliders, chicken wings and a happy crowd. Entrees are generous and well executed. Try the fish and chips, one of six burgers, fish tacos and more. • Dinner nightly. Brunch Sat.-Sun. 561/265-5093. $$

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. 561/450-6718. $$$

Rose’s Daughter—169 N.E. Second Ave. Italian. While not your traditional Italian trattoria, it is a place to find new favorites and revisit old standards updated with delicious ingredients and high standards. Try the Monet-colored lobster risotto, or house-made pasta, pizza, bread and desserts. From the mushroom arancini to the tiramisu, you will be glad Owner/Chef Suzanne Perrotto is in the kitchen. Indoor and outdoor seating. • Dinner Wed.-Sun. 561/271-9423. $$

Salt7—32 S.E. Second Ave. Modern American. All the pieces needed to create a top-notch restaurant are here: talented chef, great food, excellent service. From the pea risotto to the crab cake to the signature steaks and a lot more, this is a venue worth the money. Thanks goes to Executive Chef Paul Niedermann, who won TV’s notorious “Hell’s Kitchen” show, and his talent is displayed here on the plate. • Dinner Mon.-Sat. Brunch Sunday. 561/274-7258. $$$

Sazio —131 E. Atlantic Ave. Italian. This long-lived venue on crowded Atlantic Avenue is a reason to sit down and take a breath. Then take up a fork and try the linguine with white clam sauce or the ravioli Sazio or grilled skirt steak or pretty much anything on the menu. Prices are reasonable; leftovers are popular. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/272-5540. $$

Sundy House—106 S. Swinton Ave. Contemporary American. Set in a lush, tropical garden, the outside tables here are the most coveted, second only to the tastes and combinations in the shrimp and grits, or the eggs Benedict, Taru burger, Nutella French toast and prime rib roast. This is a place to sit and savor your meal and the surroundings. • Brunch Sat.-Sun. Dinner nightly. 561/272-5678. $$$

Taverna Opa —270 E. Atlantic Ave. Greek. Yes, you can order a side of belly dancing and napkin tossing with your moussaka and baklava at this chain. But the moussaka and baklava are very good; so is the rest of the food at the downtown Delray outpost. Also worth your while (and appetite) are appetizers like melitzanosalata, whipped eggplant with orange zest and roasted

Meatballs from Rose’s Daughter

Buzz Bite III

What to Eat for the Super Bowl

Whether you’re thinking about watching the game at home or at a restaurant, these staple foods are always big winners. We’ve compiled a short list so you can be the MVP of your Super Bowl festivities.

WINGS

TUCCI’S: It may be a pizza joint, but the wings are star players, and you can choose if you want them spicy or mild, and seasoned with rosemary and roasted garlic.

50 N.E. First Ave., Boca Raton; 561/6202930; tuccispizza.com

BARBECUE

PAPA SAUCE: A short jaunt south, and you’ll discover a modest takeout window that’s your access pass to savory meat that

purists can’t stop raving about. 269 S. Dixie Highway, Deerfield Beach; 954/571-8064; papasaucecatering.com

PIZZA

MISTER O1: In the American dream turned reality, Italian-born chef Renato Viola has created a pizza empire that has now expanded into Boca, where it values quality ingredients and attention to detail. 555 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton; 786/677-2903; mistero1.com

SUBS

LASPADA’S: Hoagie sandwiches piled high with meats and all the toppings imaginable. 2240 N.W. 19th St., Boca Raton; 561/3931434; laspadashoagies.com

Getyoursushion!

DIPS

AMAR BAKERY: Make your game day healthier (and still delicious) with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dips like hummus, baba ghanouj and labne.

526 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561/8199020; amar-bakery.com

7959 West Atlantic

Delray Beach, Florida 33446

Tuesday - Sunday / 5:00PM - 9:00PM

Friday - Saturday / 5:00PM - 10:00PM

Curbside take-out and delivery available

561-501-6391

Curbside pickup and delivery available at yellowtail-sushi.com.

80 and Counting

The iconic Ta-boo restaurant, in its landmark spot on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, celebrated its 80th birthday in December 2022.

red pepper, and tarama, a creamy emulsion of bread, olive oil and salmon roe. Whole grilled bronzino is finished with lemon and orange juices for a citrusy flavor boost, while tongue-tying galaktoboureko goes baklava one better by adding vanilla-scented custard to golden, flaky phyllo. • Dinner nightly. 561/303-3602. $$

Terra Fiamma—9169 W. Atlantic Ave. Italian. The pleasures of simple, well-prepared Italian-American cuisine are front and center here. Enjoy the 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. In a world where restaurants chase trends with the relentlessness of Casanova in full Viagra heat, Tramonti stands out as a classic outpost of authentic Italian cookery. Not trendy hardly means stodgy, however, as evidenced by expertly crafted, robustly flavorful dishes like the signature spiedini di mozzarella Romana, spaghetti al cartoccio and braciole Napoletana. Torta della nonna is a triumph of the highly refined simplicity that lies at the heart of true Italian cuisine. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/272-1944. $$$

Veg Eats Foods —334 E. Linton Blvd. Creative Vegan This is comfort food for everyone; the dishes will impress carnivores, too. Smell the fresh coconut vegetable curry soup, which tastes as good as it sounds. Try the grilled brawt sausage, the Ranch chixn, the banh mi and a Ruben—all from plant-based ingredients that will fool your taste buds. • Lunch daily. 561/562-6673. $

Vic & Angelo’s —290 E. Atlantic Ave. Italian. People watching is a staple ingredient here, a complement to the Italian fare. The wine menu is robust, mainly grounded in Italy but with choices from around the world. Larger than personal pies, thin-crust pizzas are family-friendly, while you won’t want to share the Quattro Formaggi Tortellini, fluffy purses filled with al dente pear and topped with truffle cream. For a protein, try the traditional chicken parmigiana, a hearty portion of paper-thin breaded chicken breast topped with a subtly sweet San Marzano sauce under a gooey layer of fresh mozzarella, and a substantial side of linguine pomodoro. If you have room for dessert, the classic sweets include cannoli and tiramisu. • Dinner nightly; brunch weekends. 561/278-9570. $$

Yellowtail—7959 W. Atlantic Ave. Asian. Chef and partner Andrew Marc Rothschild has cooked in notable international kitchens including France’s Michelin-starred Au Crocodile and Palm Beach’s The Breakers—and he’s bringing that elevated experience and cuisine to Delray Beach. What sets Yellowtail apart from the plethora of other sushi joints is its fully customizable menu with its impressive variety of not-so-basic proteins. Yes, there is chicken or shrimp for your pad Thai or curry, but there’s also duck, lobster, squid and scallops. You can also ramp up your maki with eel, ama ebi (prawns) and sea urchin, just to name a few. • Dinner Tues.-Sun. 561/501-6391. $$

LAKE WORTH BEACH

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. $$$

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 reasonably priced. • 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 nightly. 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 dishes from around the world. Dining is in the courtyard, the elegant lounge or the sophisticated dining room. • Dinner nightly. 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). 561/655-4020. $$$

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. $$$

Henry’s Palm Beach —229 Royal Poinciana Way. American Bistro. Part of The Breakers’ restaurant properties, this venue opened in 2020 and is an elegant addition to The Island. Try the pigs in a pretzel dough blanket, beer can corn, the lobster roll, butter crumb Dover sole and chicken pot pie. All comfort food with a Palm Beach twist, and it’s all delicious. • Lunch and dinner daily. 877/724-3188. $$$

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 housemade fingerling potato chips, the sexy wild boar empanaditas, chicken albondigas tacos and Korean-style short ribs. The wine list is encyclopedic. • Dinner nightly. 561/290-0104. $$

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 nightly. 561/833-5522. $$

Leopard Lounge and Restaurant—The Chesterfield Palm Beach, 363 Cocoanut Row. American. The

Zeppoles from Vic & Angelo’s

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. $$

Meat Market—191 Bradley Place. Steakhouse “Meat Market” may be an inelegant name for a very elegant and inventive steakhouse 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 nightly. 561/354-9800. $$$$

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. $$

WEST PALM BEACH

Banko Cantina —114 S. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach. Northern Mexican. Start with the Adelita cocktail and don’t look back. The bacon-wrapped shrimp, the Al Carbon steak tacos and the house guacamole add up to a full-flavor dinner. The west-facing rooftop bar is a nice sunset option, and the Pan de Elote (homemade sweet cornbread with vanilla ice cream and berries) is a delightful end to the evening. • Dinner daily. 561/355-1399. $$

Café Centro —2409 N. Dixie Highway. Modern American. A cornerstone in the Northwood neighborhood, this venue draws because of a complete package: food, drinks and great nightlife and music. Take some char-grilled oysters, add shrimp pesto capellini or a marinated pork chop with polenta, plus local singing fave Tessie Porter, and you have a fun and delicious night out. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/514-4070. $$

French Corner Bistro & Rotissorie

4595 Okeechobee Blvd. Classic French. It’s France in a tiny venue, with big-taste dishes that include all the faves: beef bourguignon, rack of lamb, duck à l’orange, frog legs Provencale, veal kidneys, tender branzino and simple desserts to end the meal. Reservations are mandatory for dinner. • Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. 561/689-1700. $$

Grato —1901 S. Dixie Highway. Italian. “Grato” is Italian for “grateful,” and there is much to be grateful for about Clay Conley’s sophisticated yet unpretentious take on Italian cookery. Anyone would be grateful to find such delicate, crispy and greaseless fritto misto as Grato’s, ditto for lusty beef tartare piled onto a quartet of crostini. Spinach gnocchi in porcini mushroom sauce are a revelation, so light and airy they make other versions taste like green library paste. Don’t miss the porchetta either, or the silken panna cotta with coffee ice cream and crunchy hazelnut tuille. • Dinner nightly. Sunday brunch. 561/404-1334. $$

Southern Charm

Tired of trendy? Go to the Regional for a few Southern classics, like sweet tea, pimento cheese, warm tomato pie and fried chicken thighs.

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. You’re in for a treat if the pasta of the day is prepared with 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. $$

Planta—700 S. Rosemary Ave. Vegan. For those who savor every juicy, tender and flavorful bite of a well-prepared burger, patronizing a vegan establishment may seem like a sacrilegious act. But what if a restaurant served up plant-based dishes that surprised your taste buds with exploding flavors? Here vegans don’t have to worry about ingredients making the cut, and non-vegans can enjoy approachable and appetizing plant-based dishes that won’t make you yearn for a steak. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/208-5222. $$

The Regional —651 Okeechobee Blvd. Southern. “Top Chef” alum and James Beard Foundation semifinalist Lindsay Autry embraces her southern roots while adding a dash of her Mediterranean heritage (her grandmother was from Crete) onto the menu. You’ll find traditional southern ingredients and dishes like collard greens, tomato pie, okra, fried chicken and shrimp & grits alongside smoked burrata, Greek salad, octopus and bucatini. • Dinner nightly. 561/557-6460. $$$

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. $$

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 425 tequilas. Tacos feature house-made tortillas and a variety of proteins. • 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) $

Table 26°—1700 S. Dixie Highway. Contemporary American. Take a quarter-cup of Palm Beach, a tablespoon of Nantucket, a pinch of 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 nightly. 561/855-2660. $$$

Tropical Smokehouse —3815 S. Dixie Highway. Barbecue. When you take the distinct tastes of Florida/Caribbean/Cuban dishes and pair them with barbecue, you end up with a place you visit a lot. Local celeb chef Rick Mace smokes the meats himself, and his recipes include all kinds of citrus in tasty spots (sour orange wings, pineapple carrot cake); you’ll discover new favorite flavors. Don’t miss the BBQ pulled pork, brisket and ribs. Try the hot and sweet hushpuppies or the homemade chorizo queso in this very casual spot that we can happily say is also unique—there’s nothing else like it. • Lunch and dinner Tues.-Sun. 561/323-2573. $$

Broward County DEERFIELD BEACH

Chanson —45 N.E. 21st Ave. Contemporary American/ French. A little bit of Palm Beach, a little bit of France come to Deerfield Beach in the form of this elegant, sophisticated restaurant in the oceanfront Royal Blues Hotel. Service is as stellar as the views from the cozy, modestly opulent dining room, notable for the 1,500-gallon aquarium embedded in the ceiling. Consistency can be an issue with the food, but when it is good it is very good. • Breakfast and lunch daily, dinner Tues.-Sat., brunch Sun. 954/857-2929. $$$

Oceans 234—234 N. Ocean Blvd., Deerfield Beach. Contemporary American. One of the only oceanfront (as in, on the beach) options in South Florida, this familiar-with-a-twist venue is fun to both visit and eat. Try the Infamous Lollipop Chicken Wings, a starter that could be an entrée. Seafood is definitely top-shelf, as are the desserts. A true Florida experience. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/428-2539. $$

Tradition —626 S. Federal Highway. French. This is a petite place with a large following, for good reason. Owners Eric and Anais Heintz start meals with an amuse-bouche and a menu that spans the length of France. Order a creamy Caesar salad with a light anchovy-based dressing. Try the coq au vin (sauce cooked for two days), and if you like calves’ liver, this is the best you’ll find in the area. End with a Grand Marnier soufflé (worth the 15-minute wait), and make your next reservation there before going home. • Dinner Mon.-Sat. 954/480-6464. $$

LIGHTHOUSE POINT

Cap’s Place 2765 N.E. 28th Court. Seafood. Eating here requires a boat ride, which is very SoFla and terrific for visitors. This is one of—if not the only—family-run, old-Florida seafood restaurants you’ve never heard of, open since the 1920s. The heart of palm salad is the best and purest version around. Seafood abounds; fish can be prepared nine ways and much more. (There are non-seafood dishes that are done well, too.) Go for the short boating thrill and for the food. • Dinner Tues.-Sun. 954/941-0418. $$

Le Bistro —4626 N. Federal Highway. Modern French. The menu is modern and healthy—98-percent gluten-free, according to chef Andy Trousdale and co-owner Elin Trousdale. Check out the prix-fixe menu, which includes pan-roasted duck to beef Wellington. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 954/946-9240. $$$

Seafood World —4602 N. Federal Highway. Seafood This seafood market and restaurant 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. $$$

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. Main courses of-

Dining at Marcello’s La Sirena

fer complex flavor profiles, such as the sweet-onion-crusted yellowtail snapper on Madeira sauce over mashed potatoes. Parts of the menu change daily. • Dinner nightly. Brunch Sunday. 954/782-0606. $$$

COCONUT CREEK

NYY Steak—Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, 5550 N.W. 40th St. Steakhouse. The second incarnation of this Yankees-themed restaurant swings for the fences—and connects—with monstrous portions, chic decor and decadent desserts. The signature steaks are a meat lover’s dream; seafood specialties include Maine lobster and Alaskan king crab. • Dinner nightly. Brunch Sun. 954/935-6699. $$$$

FORT LAUDERDALE

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. $$

3030 Ocean —Harbor Beach Marriott 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. $$$

Bistro 17—Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Hotel, 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. $$

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 nightly. 954/561-2554. $$

Canyon —620 S. Federal Hwy. 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. $$

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 nightly. 954/712-0580. $$$

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. $

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. $$

WEB EXTRA: check out our complete tri-county dining guide only at BOCAMAG.COM

Be the first to get a sneak peek of what luxury senior living will look like in Delray Beach!

Stop by our leasing center to discover the retirement you’ve always dreamed of.

6595 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach, FL 33446 561-556-7950

Monday–Friday | 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday | 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Sunday | by appointment only

Open house every last Thursday of the month from 9:30 a.m.

YMCA OF SOUTH PALM BEACH COUNTY’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY GALA

WHERE: The Boca Raton

WHAT: The YMCA of South Palm Beach County celebrated 50 years of service to the Boca community with a recordbreaking fundraising gala at The Boca Raton. The event, chaired by Terry and Jerry Fedele and presented by Myrna Gordon Skurnick, drew in more than 700 attendees and raised $2 million that will go toward purchasing and repairing buses to transport YMCA children. Funds raised also supported the Myrna Gordon Skurnick Creative Arts Initiative for teens, the Robes Family LIVESTRONG Fund for cancer care programs, and six legacy funds in honor of Mary and Peter Blum, Helen and Richard DeVos, Christine and Eugene Lynn, Charlotte and Melvin Weaver, Countess Henrietta de Hoernle, and William B. Ziff, Jr., who were recognized during the program for their generosity and stellar leadership of the YMCA of South Palm Beach County.

CARLOS ARISTIZABAL

SEVENTH-ANNUAL BOCA RATON MAYORS BALL

WHERE: Boca West Country Club

WHAT: The Rotary Club of Downtown Boca Raton presented its seventh-annual Boca Raton Mayors Ball at Boca West Country Club featuring a guest list of more than 500 Boca community leaders. Guests danced the night away to the music of the Steve Chase Band and raised more than $320,000 to support the health and wellness needs of nonprofits within the community. The resplendent event also featured an awards ceremony wherein ADT Security Services, the YMCA of South Palm Beach County, and Eda and Cliff Viner were honored with the annual George Long Awards. The Dr. Ira Gelb Health & Wellness Visionary Award was presented to Dr. Michael T.B. Dennis, founding chair of the dean’s Advisory Board for the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University. The 2022 Mayors Ball was produced by Kaye Communications PR and Marketing, and co-chaired by Rosie Inguanzo-Martin and David Eltringham, with Honorary Chairs Nicole and Jonathan Whitney and Gloria and Shaheer Hosh.

4.

George Long Award

Honoree ADT: Jesse Coomber, Derrick Dicoi, Holly Borgmann, Bob Tucker and David Small

Dr. Ira J. Gelb Health & Wellness Visionary Award Honoree Dr. Michael T.B. Dennis

Florida Atlantic University President Dr. John Kelly, Dr. Michael T. B. Dennis, FAU College of Medicine Dean Dr. Julie Plitsis

George Long Award Nonprofit Honoree YMCA of South Palm Beach County: Jason Hagensick and Gary Flaks

Mark Lepsettler, Dyana Kenney, Frances D’Almeida, Arthur D’Almeida

George Long Award Individual Honorees Cliff and Eda Viner

Former City of Boca Raton Mayor Steve Abrams, Debbie Abrams, City of Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer, Bella Singer, Former City of Boca Raton Mayor Bill T. Smith, Bonny Smith

BOCA RATON HISTORICAL SOCIETY WALK OF RECOGNITION CEREMONY

WHERE: The Addison

WHAT: The Boca Raton Historical Society welcomed more than 100 attendees to the 2022 Walk of Recognition ceremony at The Addison to honor individuals and organizations that have “served for the interest of our community and have enriched the lives of the citizens of Boca Raton.” Co-chaired by Marta Batmasian and Joyce DeVita, the 2022 Walk of Recognition inductees included former Boca Mayor Steven Abrams for the gold standard he set for Boca leadership, Arline and John McNally for their selfless philanthropic efforts in the community, and Lynn Russell, who has played a major role in developing local community gardens throughout Boca. In addition to these inductees, Olivia Hollaus, board chair of the Boca Raton Historical Society, presented a Special Historic Preservation Award to The Addison.

BRAIN BOWL COMEDY NIGHT

WHAT: Boca Chamber Festival Days wrapped up with a laugh during the Brain Bowl Comedy Night. Guests were treated to cocktails and light bites upon arrival and had the chance to network among each other before four local comedians took the stage and sent the Boca West Country Club aroar with their hilarious standup acts. Each comedian won a grand prize that was underwritten by sponsors including the Law Firm of Pamela HigerPolani, Boca West Country Club and more. Event proceeds benefited the Southeast Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association’s “Boca Walk to End Alzheimer’s,” a beneficiary of the Brain Bowl nonprofit which raises awareness and funds for those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

WHERE: Boca West Country Club

BATTLE OF THE BARTENDERS

WHAT: Celebrity bartenders duked it out during Best Foot Forward’s annual Boca Chamber Festival Days’ Battle of the Bartenders event to raise funds that will provide academic support and guidance to children in foster care across Palm Beach County. More than $36,000 was raised from ticket sales and tips from the nearly 300 attendees to their favorite bartenders. Bartenders Dan Davidowitz, representing Polen Capital, and Brian Altschuler, representing Boca Raton Regional Hospital, were the 2022 Battle Champions, and bartenders Pam Polani and Pam Weinroth took home the first-ever Creative Costume award for their decorative flamingo theme. Sponsors for this year’s event included Allegiance Home Health, Plum Productions Corporate Video Services, Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas LLP, Wyndham Hotel Boca Raton, and Boca Chamber Festival Days.

WHERE: Wyndham Hotel Boca Raton

THE SHOPS AT BOCA CENTER HOLIDAY KICKOFF

WHERE: The Shops at Boca Center

WHAT: Boca kicked off the holiday season in bright, festive fashion during a tree-lighting ceremony at The Shops at Boca Center. Kids enjoyed ornament decorating with ArtNest Boca, cookie decorating with Blueprint Cookies, and a visit from jolly old Saint Nick himself. The event also featured live holiday performances from St. Paul’s Handbell Choir, Boca Raton Community High School Choir and West Boca Community High School Choir. Adults present were able to enjoy dancing to the holiday rhythms of DJ Rodrigo and the lighting of Boca Center’s Christmas tree. The Holiday Kickoff was sponsored by Boca magazine, and all proceeds (including gifts brought from attendees) benefited Boca Helping Hands.

February 2023 issue. Vol. 43, No.

The following are trademarks in the state

Florida

JES Media, and any use of these trademarks without the express written consent of JES Media 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 8 times a year (September/October, November/December, January, February, March, April, May/ June and July/August) by JES Media. 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: $19.95/8 issues, $29.95/16 issues (shipping fee included for one- and two-year rates). Single copy $6.95. 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.

of

of

I think having a garden makes sense when you hear all about climate change and all the problems the earth is having. I feel like there are ways to solve these problems, and they aren’t that difficult.”

—Lynn Russell

Lynn Russell

This woman has been bringing the garden back to Boca since 2010

Written by MARIE SPEED

Lynn Russell remembers when bobcats strolled her backyard in Boca in the old days, but it wasn’t until 2010 that she helped bring a natural wonder—the Boca Raton Community Garden—to the city. Sponsored by the Junior League and spearheaded by then-Mayor, the late Susan Whelchel, Russell worked on the garden for 10 years applying the principles of permaculture (she’s certified in the practice), which is the growth of agricultural ecosystems in a self-sufficient and sustainable way. In addition to 103 leased community plots, she and master gardener Betsy Pickup helped establish a pollinator habitat, a food forest and a wildflower walk, in addition to publishing a monthly newsletter, the Garden Gazette

After the garden was relocated to make way for the Brightline station, Russell turned to a new project, the Allen’s Place Pearl City Community Garden, in 2020, named after late Pearl City community leader Allen Willis. Russell was honored with inclusion in Boca’s Walk of Recognition in 2022.

WHY PERMACULTURE: It is a design science that uses biomimicry of nature to develop an ecosystem that supports all living things. It’s one of my core belief systems. It’s based on ethics, care for the Earth, care for people, fair share, which means any surplus goes back to the Earth or to people. … If we used it in society, the world would be a better place.

This page is a tribute to community citizens who have demonstrated exemplary service and leadership to the city of Boca Raton and is in memory of John E. Shuff.

WHY GARDENS ARE IMPORTANT: It’s really terrible that we’ve gotten so disassociated with earth and nature. And kids come in the garden and they just light up. They are learning about worms and butterflies, and they are starting to notice things they never get a chance to notice these days. I don’t know how we even got away from it. A garden is about food, but we do things for pollinators, too. It’s all important and all intertwined—having the pollinators and having the food too.

WHAT THE GARDEN GROWS: Bananas and papayas, pigeon peas, longevity spinach, tomatoes, peppers, collard greens, broccoli, sweet potatoes and more.

DREAM GARDEN: I’d really love to be out on some

acreage of my own and to really do a homestead. Even an off-grid homestead. I think [having a garden] makes sense when you hear all about climate change and all the problems the Earth is having. I feel like there are ways to solve these problems, and they aren’t that difficult. If you are working with nature to do it the way nature does it, and to appreciate and use what happens, then there should be a way. … It can be done, and it’s a little frustrating that it’s not being done more.

Lynn Russell