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New Year News
From a new retail therapy option to more coffee please and some thoughts on aligning with the cosmos in 2023
BY CHRISTINA WOOD
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NEWS AND NOTES FROM DELRAY BEACH
OPEN FOR SERVICE
For the 25th year, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour will kick off its North American outdoor season of hard court events at the Delray Beach Open. The tournament, one of just 10 ATP Tour events held in the United States every year, always attracts an impressive lineup of players along with thousands of visitors. The annual event is also the only tournament in the world featuring an ATP Champions Tour event and an ATP Tour event in the same week at the same venue! That venue is, of course, the Delray Beach Stadium & Tennis Center. This year’s tournament begins Feb. 10 and runs through Feb. 19. A limited number of Senior Day Discounts are available for those willing to admit that they are 55 or older. 201 W. Atlantic
2022 Delray Beach Open
Taco and El Gringo cocktail from Taquiza
OH, GOOD
The O.G., which masquerades as The Oceanside Grocers, is back—and you don’t have to stay up past your bedtime to enjoy the new offerings that come along with the popular hangout’s seven-month, seven-figure renovation. What was a neighborhood cocktail bar with an almost cult-like late-night following is now offering a warm welcome at lunch and dinner, thanks to a partnership with Taquiza, Miami’s award-winning destination for authentic Mexican tacos and street fare. (Yes, we’re talking about the taqueria featured on “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” and “The Zimmerman List,” a coveted Michelin Guide recommendation!) In addition to the new kitchen, the completely reimagined 7,700-square-foot venue now also boasts an outdoor bar area and an expansive covered patio with a mural wall that winds through the garden area.
166 S.E. 2nd Ave., Delray Beach , 561/865-5639, delrayog.com / taquizatacos.com
ANTHONY NADER
HELLO, OLD BEAN
Among one of the many quotes attributed to Voltaire is: “Common sense is not so common.” Obviously, the 18th-century philosopher was a wise man. He was also a big fan of coffee. Could his passion for coffee (he is said to have consumed more than 40 cups of coffee a day!) and his wisdom be linked? An unofficial poll (taken by the coffeemaker) indicates it is highly likely. So, perhaps, the opening of a new Subculture Coffee location in Delray is cause for us to hope that we can all look forward to more wise and witty discourse in our fair Village by the Sea. 306 N.E. 6th Ave., Delray
Beach, subculturecoffee.com
SIMPLE PLEASURES
It’s the little things that make life sparkle. Something as simple (and simply delicious) as a buttery chocolate croissant or a scone bursting with plump blueberries can make you feel special. In a slump? Having a bad day? Take a little timeout to enjoy something fresh from the oven at Amar Bakery & Market, which began serving up European and Middle Eastern-inspired baked goods in November. Don’t rush, close your eyes, focus your thoughts on the flavors and open your heart to the pleasure. Lick the final crumbs from your fingers. Located on Atlantic Avenue next to Amar Mediterranean Bistro, the bakery also serves a variety of fresh sandwiches, dips, salads, and specialty coffees from Jupiter’s award-winning Pumphouse Coffee Roasters. And, if you’d like to brighten someone else’s day, you can shop for imported market items such as olive oil, tahini, halva, spices and a selection of fun housewares.
The Aching Void
It’s time to fill that lonely, empty space within! Within the former Stein Mart location in Delray Place, that is. Nordstrom Rack will be breathing new—and stylish—life into the 26,000-square-foot retail space this spring. “We look forward to opening our first Nordstrom Rack location in the Delray Beach community,” Carl Jenkins, senior vice president of Nordstrom Rack stores, said in a statement. “In addition to shopping the brands they love at a great price, we welcome our customers in Delray Beach to enjoy this convenient new location as a place to pick up online orders and make returns.” Parking may once again be at a premium at the shopping mecca, which is also home to Trader Joe’s, Pet Supermarket and Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar, among others, but it will be worth it! 1855 S.
Federal Highway, Suite 506, Delray Beach, nordstromrack.com
Amar Bakery
Jazz On The Avenue Returns
AFTER DARK: TAKING IT TO THE STREET
Art & Jazz on the Avenue returns to Pineapple Grove on Wednesday, Jan. 25. From 6 to 9:30 p.m., musicians, artists and local eateries will fill a stretch of NE 2nd Avenue, from Atlantic Avenue to NE 3rd Street, with color, sound and tempting aromas. The event features an interactive kids’ zone. Area merchants will also be joining in the festivities with special promotions and the Downtown Development Authority will be launching a new wellness initiative. 561/243-1077, downtowndelraybeach.com/artandjazz
SPOTLIGHT:
AMALIA NATALIO
After everything the past few years have thrown at us, we deserve a break. And spiritual coach Amalia Natalio says we might be about to get one. “It’s the start of the New Year, there’s going to be definitely a feeling of lightness, but there’s still going to be those last little bits for us to clear off,” she says, likening the process to a home improvement project. As we move into 2023, all the heavy lifting should be behind you. “Now we’re just doing a little bit of light sanding before we throw the paint on the wall and can stand back and say, ‘Wow, look at this life that I created… Look at this newfound relationship; look at this career that I brought into reality. Look at me and how I’m showing up differently in the world.’ It’s the beginning of the smoother sailing.”
Natalio, who has studied with the likes of Deepak Chopra and Emily Fletcher, has been in the area off and on for about 10 years and has been living here full-time for three years. Her signature workshop and coaching program, Soulful Life, focuses on empowering you to gain clarity on your desires and take intentional action to make them a reality. (For more information, visit karmickindness.com.)
HER THOUGHTS ON A HAPPY NEW YEAR: “At the start of 2023, we are going to feel a lot lighter because we will have released our attachments to people, places or circumstances that were holding us back or that were a burden to us.”
AND ON A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: “There are a number of planetary energies that are changing. And when the planetary energies change that allows everyone to make some changes in their lives. That will show up in different ways for different people based on their own personal astrology…They may see huge leaps, or they may just see small shifts but either way, there will be opportunities for people to really step into what they truly love, what they truly desire and what’s meant for them—if they’re aware of the signs.”
ON WHAT HOLDS SOME PEOPLE BACK: “The unknown can feel scary. Our brains are wired to keep us safe. What we consider safe is familiar and what is unfamiliar seems scary.”
ON WHAT MAKES DELRAY SPECIAL: “Delray has this really fun quirky vibe…You’ve got art, you’ve got culture, you have food and you have wellness. Wellness is so big in Delray!” HER FAVORITE THING TO DO: “There’s a yoga studio where I do workshops and practice yoga myself, Dancing Lion Studio in Delray. What else? Honestly, just walking around on the Ave., catching live music or going dancing on a Friday night.”
HER FAVORITE PLACE TO HANG: “Deke’s Coffee…Their cold brew and Monster green tea—one of the owner’s sisters mills that tea herself and it’s just unbelievably amazing.”
FREE TO CELEBRATE
February is National Black History Month. The Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, the only museum in Palm Beach County dedicated to showcasing the contributions that members of the African Diaspora have made to our community, will be marking the occasion with the second annual Black History Youth Awareness Festival. The free event, which will be held Feb. 17 from 4 to 9 p.m., will highlight the artistic and entrepreneurial talents of South Florida youth and feature live performances and food. 170 N.W. Fifth Ave., Delray Beach, 561/279-8838, spadymarketplace.org
