Deerfield Beach! Magazine July 2018

JULY/AUGUST 2018

Project History!

THE EVOLUTION OF DEERFIELD’S BEACH

By Sally J. Ling

Lessons from Irma

IS THE CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH PREPARED?

By Marie Puleo

CASEY McNUTT SHARES HER STORY OF OPENING MERMAID COVE

The Buzz on Bees DEERFIELD BEACH OPENS NEW APIARY

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contents

DEERFIELD BEACH! JULY/AUGUST 2018

20

A HISTORIC LOOK AT DEERFIELD’S BEACH

From nasty bugs, to a WWII look-out tower, the stories of our city’s beach are some for the history books.

22

LESSONS FROM IRMA

Beachgoers marvel at the surf before Hurricane Irma tore into town.

Photo by Jeff Graves

DEPARTMENTS 10 Creatively Speaking

Can baking a croquembouche cure a fear of failure?

16 DFBee Apiary

Learn about Deerfield Beach’s new bee apiary aimed to help the honey bee population.

18 Down to Business

12 Beach Bits

6

News, culture and happenings from Deerfield Beach and beyond. Plus local July Fourth events. Plus, read about JM Family Enterprises’s new $150 million renovation, and new regulations on short term rental properties

Deerfield Beach!

Deerfield Beach’s Casey McNutt, owner of Mermaid Cove, shares her story of loosing a business to Hurricane Irma and rebuilding her dreams.

Last year the city of Deerfield Beach learned many lessons during and after Hurricane Irma’s looming threat. Reporter Marie Puleo finds out how the city is preparing for hurricane season this year, looking back on last year’s key issues.

28 Dining Out

Your guide to local dining options.

34 Photo Opps

There is always something to smile about in Deerfield Beach, including The Country Music Fest and Cuisine of the Region.

38 Unsolicited Advice

Noah Brockman, our fearless summer intern, tells us his qualms with the university application system.

P

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circulation

Deerfield Beach! is published monthly by Point! Publishing and mailed free of charge to select residents and businesses in Deerfield Beach!

Also distributed as the in-room magazine at: The Wyndham Deerfield Beach Resort Embassy Suites by Hilton Deerfield Beach Resort & Spa Royal Blues Hotel Relais & Châteaux Comfort Inn Oceanside Double Tree by HIlton Hotel, Deerfield Beach

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Drop us a line and let us know what you’re thinking.

Deerfield Beach! magazine is all about community. Your ideas and comments are important to us. All letters to the editor may be edited for grammar and length. Send letters to: Editor, Deerfield Beach! magazine 2436 N. Federal Hwy. #311 Lighthouse Point, FL 33064 or email editor@pointpubs.com

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Deerfield Beach!

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Deerfield Beach Magazine! is owned and published 12 times per year by Point Publishing, LLC. Copyright 2018 Point! Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.

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9

creatively speaking

BY SUSAN ROSSER

Croquembouche Fail I learned one of the most valuable lessons of my lifetime in ninth grade English class. One day as we sauntered into the classroom, our teacher Mrs. Robbins directed us to pull out pen and paper and commanded us to write. Naturally, we asked, “Write what?”

“Write anything,” she declared, “just write.”

And so we did.

I have no recollection of what I wrote about that day. But from time to time, we would arrive in class ready to discuss “Macbeth” or “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” only to be told to sit down and write something — anything.

Finally, we collectively asked our teacher Mrs. Robbins what was the deal with all of this aimless writing? To paraphrase her answer, she said something like this, “People are afraid to write. A blank page is intimidating.

But if you sit down and just write something — anything — you realize that it’s not scary after all. You can go back and change it. You can rewrite it. You can write about something completely different. But just write. Do not be afraid.”

Julia Cerreta and Angelina Conforti with their croquembouche

She went on to say that no matter what path we chose in life, we would surely have to write something. The irony here is I remember thinking to myself “Ha, not me.”

The true value of Mrs. Robbins’s lesson transcended writing. It was the larger lesson about overcoming a fear of failure. As a risk averse person, I have found myself replaying her words “Don’t be afraid,” many times over the years.

10

Deerfield Beach!

On a recent Sunday afternoon, one of my teenage daughter’s friends casually mentioned she wanted to make a croquembouche.

For the uninitiated baker, a croquembouche is an inverted cone-shaped tower constructed of creme puffs and held together by caramel. I love to cook so I agreed to the challenge — after all, the three of them planned on using my kitchen. I sent them out to procure the ingredients and pastry bags.

We started with the pastry creme as it would need time to set in the refrigerator. We all tasted it and agreed that nine egg yolks, sugar, milk and a vanilla bean is a miraculous combination. We made pate au choux (the dough) and the girls piped the puffs-to-be onto the cookie sheets. Into the oven they went.

After two hours in the fridge, the pastry creme was not even close to thick. The girls valiantly tried to pipe the soupy creme into the puffs only to watch it leak out the bottoms. Failure was upon us. By this point, we were seven hours into “adventures in baking.” I suggested we build the tower using our unstuffed puffs and serve the heavenly, albeit soupy, creme on the side. The girls agreed.

The final step in croquembouche construction is to build a caramel “cage” around the structure of puffs. This didn’t work either. Perhaps BuzzFeed was not the best source for a complicated recipe.

I’d like to think that maybe the girls learned a lesson on that rainy Sunday. You want to bake a croquembouche? Bake a croquembouche. Our creme was too soupy, we couldn’t seem to engineer the tower to be the majestic confectionery structure we envisioned and the caramel cage was a flop. But in the end, when we dipped the hollow puffs into our homemade pastry creme and drizzled it with the warm caramel — the combination was extraordinary. So I decided to write about it. Mrs. Robbins would be proud.

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beach bits [ happening in and around the town ]

Fourth of July Festival at Deerfield Beach

Come on down for a free Fourth of July Celebration at Deerfield Beach’s Main Beach Parking Lot (149 SE 21st Ave.). Starting at noon, live music, food vendors and festivities will help you celebrate Independence Day beachside. There will be three entertainment stages — the main stage at the Main Beach parking lot; a side stage at Hillsboro Blvd. and Ocean Way; and another side stage at Third St. and Ocean Way. Parking on the island is extremely limited, but a complimentary shuttle will be available from the Cove Shopping Center (1580 SE Third Court), Sullivan Park (1701 Riverview Rd.) and St. Ambrose Catholic Church (380 S Federal Hwy). Shuttle service will run continuously from 11am to 5:45pm. The Hillsboro Blvd. Bridge will be closed to car traffic between 5:45 and 11pm, so the shuttle will not run during those hours. The bridge will remain in the locked down position for pedestrian traffic.

The shuttle will resume at 11pm and run until midnight.

The fireworks will start around 9pm from the end of the pier. For more information visit deerfield-beach. com/1178/4th-of-July-Celebration

Deerfield Beach Implements New Emergency Alert System

BY DENNICA WORRELL

In preparation for hurricane season, which kicked off June 1st, Deerfield Beach city officials have implemented a new emergency alert system called AlertDFB. AlertDFB is linked to county and state disaster notifications. Through the system, residents can receive updates straight to their cell phones, landlines or emails about adverse weather conditions and evacuations. AlertDFB allows residents to enter up to five addresses within the city’s boundaries to receive emergency information. The signup process for AlertDFB is easy. There are three options to register as residents: 1) Text DFB to 888777 to automatically sign up for text messages from the City about emergency alerts 2) Visit www.dfb.city/AlertDFB and click the sign-up button in the middle of the page 3) Download ‘Everbridge Public Safety’ on iOS, Android or Windows app stores

Beach Bits contains information originating from other organizations. While every attempt is made to ensure all information is accurate, schedules do change. We recommend confirming events prior to setting out on your adventure.

12

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beach bits JM Family Campus Headquarters Will Undergo a $150 Million Renovation in Deerfield Beach

BY DANIELLE CHARBONNEAU JM Family Enterprises is launching a $150 million headquarters campus renovation and expansion in Deerfield Beach. The renovation is projected to take three years and will transform the grounds into a pedestrian-oriented campus with eight structures, including three office buildings, a two-story dining hall, a 20,000-square-foot sports complex, 900-vehicle parking garage and a 55,000-square-foot conference and training center. The plans include demolition of seven out of eleven of the current campus buildings.

JM Family Enterprises announced the renovation in a press release on April 18. The campus overhaul coincides with the organization’s 50th Anniversary celebration “Our intention is to reinvest in our company, our loyal associates, and our headquarters in Deerfield Beach,” said Colin Brown, chairman and CEO. “JM Family has called Deerfield Beach home since 1981 and these plans reaffirm our commitment to this city, the community and our role in the local economy.”

JM Family Enterprises, Inc. is a $15.1 billion diversified automotive company with more than 4,200 associates across North America. The Deerfield Beach headquarters is home to more than 1,200 associates from JM Family Enterprises, Southeast Toyota Distributors, Southeast Toyota Finance and JM&A Group.

The current campus includes 11 buildings and on-site services including a health and wellness center, fitness center, two company subsidized cafes, a salon and the JM family center — a 15,000 square-foot facility with nine classrooms, an art studio, parent resource center, outdoor play area and vegetable garden. All of these amenities will be incorporated into the new campus.

“JM Family’s existing facilities are an eclectic mix of buildings... Our facilities have served us well, however, some of our buildings are dated and require significant improvements in order to bring them up to modern levels of efficiency and functionality, said Mike Tiufekchiev, vice president of enterprise services for JM Family. “The decision to upgrade our existing campus has been in the design stage for several years and the timing to move forward now with construction was ideal, as it coincided with our 50th Anniversary celebration.”

RIGHT Associates from JM Family Enterprises, along with their families and friends, volunteered with the Arbor Day Foundation and Community Greening to plant 500 trees in Deerfield Beach. Community Greening, a local environmental non-profit, will lead JM Family’s urban greening project by replacing trees lost in Hurricane Irma and adding more trees to contribute to the city’s greenery.

14

Deerfield Beach!

Pompano Beach & Deerfield Beach Enforces Short Term Rental Regulations

BY DENNICA WORRELL If you are a Pompano Beach or Deerfield Beach homeowner who rents out their property for six months or less, then you are required to have a Short Term Rental Permit. Pompano Beach residents had until June 1 to register their homes or be subject to fines. If Pompano Beach property owners operate their rentals without applying for a permit, they face up to $1000-a-day fines for violating the city’s ordinance. All short term rental properties are subject to inspections by the city.

According to a representative for Deerfield Beach’s Planning and Zoning department, Deerfield Beach homeowners wishing to rent properties short-term can begin registering on October 1.

Owners of rentals are expected to provide the city with a 24/7 contact person who is responsible for managing the property. Additionally, owners are prohibited from holding outdoor musical performances, and must take necessary tenant screening measures to ensure that their homes aren’t being rented out to registered sex offenders. The rules also state that no more than one automobile can be parked overnight per bedroom and no more than two people can stay per bedroom.

According to a report in the Sun Sentinel, Deerfield Beach estimates there are about 350 short-term rental properties in the city, while Pompano Beach has about 400. Both cities have reportedly implemented software programs to scour short-term rental sites for addresses within their city limits so they can monitor and regulate short-term rental properties.

Pompano Beach’s short term rental application can be found online at pompanobeachfl.gov/assets/docs/pages/ btr/short-term_rental_app.pdf. The initial fee is $675 for a single family or Duplex; and $750 for a triplex or quadplex.

Deerfield Beach’s short term rental application will be made available Oct. 1. You can call the City’s Planning and Zoning office at 954-480-4206 on, or after, Oct. 1 for an application, or visit the City’s website at deerfield-beach.com.

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DFBee Apiary

THE BUZZ ON DEERFIELD BEACH’S NEWEST ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE

PHOTOS AND STORY BY DENNICA WORRELL On June 2 upwards of 50 people came to the grand opening of Deerfield Beach’s new micro-apiary — a small collection of beehives to help sustain the local honey bee population, which plays a critical role in pollinating local food sources and crops.

It is estimated that one third of the food we consume each day relies on pollination, mainly by bees. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the decline of our bee population can be linked back to factors like pesticide poisoning, habitat loss and invasive pests. Apiaries not only promote educational awareness, they also help reverse some damage by providing a controlled environment for beekeepers to nurture growing bee populations.

“If you take bees out of the system, then you won’t have food, its plain and simple,” said Hillary Silverstone, the Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Deerfield Beach who spearheaded the DFBee Apiary project.

South Florida is home to just two other apiaries — one in the city of Oakland Park, and the other in Coconut Creek at Tradewinds Park. The new Deerfield Beach apiary is one of several recent environmental initiatives organized by the city, including Earth Month’s Native Tree Giveaway and the annual Beach CleanUp at the Pier.

Along with Silverstone, City Commissioner Todd Drosky provided political push-through for the apiary, taking the project under his wing and serving as the middleman between the government and vendors. The apiary was then built by John Coldwell, the president of the Broward Beekeepers Association, and owner of Urban Beekeepers. Coldwell designed the structure to make it appealing to visitors.

“The structure is long and skinny, which makes it a little harder Hillary Silverstone, Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Deerfield Beach and Commissioner Todd Drosky

for beekeeping management, but easier for kids to come and observe through the windows,” said Coldwell.

Another distinctive part of the DFBee Apiary’s design is a butterfly garden plant wall.

“Most of the time, the apiary enclosures are four sided and this one is three sided.” Coldwell said, “The city allowed us to use the natural environment, which is the shrubbery behind, as a back wall. Broward Beekeeping Association then expanded our educational program to include butterflies as pollinators.”

One of the biggest questions from people who attended the opening of DFBee Apiary was, “What will you do with all the honey?”

“Bees don’t produce as much honey as people think, and they also need honey for their energy. So if you take honey from a hive, then you are taking their food, and you really have to prepare and condition the bees for that. That’s really not the goal of our program,” Silverstone said. “We want to be able to educate people and help with the bee population…I want people to say, ‘If I plant these plants in my yard, they are going to attract bees, and this is going to make the whole system better.”

Commissioner Drosky agreed with Silverstone, saying he hopes the apiary educates residents and helps combat stigma.

“Bees have a negative stigma when you think about them,” Drosky remarked, “But when you realize all the good they do for the environment, you know just how important it is to have apiaries and beehives around.”

The DFBee Apiary is located at 401 SW Fourth St., in Deerfield Beach at the Central City Campus. Together with the Broward Beekeeping Association, the city will be holding educational sessions at the apiary every quarter. For information on upcoming sessions, visit the City of Deerfield Beach’s Facebook Page at facebook.com/ CityOfDeerfieldBeachFloridaMunicipalGovernment/

16

Deerfield Beach!

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17

field work

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Mermaid Obsession

CASEY McNUTT, OWNER OF MERMAID COVE, SHARES HER STORY OF FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE OCEAN, DISCOVERING HER INNER MERMAID, BEING DEVASTATED BY HURRICANE IRMA AND REBUILDING HER DREAMS

BY DANIELLE CHARBONNEAU • PHOTO BY JOE YERKOVICH From rural east Texas, Casey and Jeff McNutt were unlikely candidates to become avid scuba divers, but when they were attending Stephen F. Austin State University, they both took scuba lessons to earn P.E. credits. Casey had been fantasizing about life under the sea since she was a little girl going to the library in middle-of-nowhere-Texas to rent National Geographic VHS tapes about sharks. She always suspected she was part mermaid, and her innate love for scuba confirmed her childhood suspicion.

It was in Galveston that Casey and Jeff fell in love with scuba, and with each other. They were engaged in Key West and after a year of marriage, moved to the British Virgin Islands to work at a scuba shop called Dive BVI in Virgin Gorda. They worked their way up the ranks from employees, to general managers, to part owners in just five years. They purchased the business with one other partner in 2008. The business was a dream-come-true.

The McNutts were still successfully running Dive BVI when they relocated to Deerfield Beach in March of 2017 to dig roots and be closer to family. They had planned on running the business from a distance with the help of their partner and managers, but in September, Hurricane Irma completely demolished the island.

“We lost every one of our stores and all of our boats crashed,” Casey said. “When that happened, essentially our income was gone.

We really wanted to make sure that our employees were taken care of, so we stopped drawing a salary, but I needed to find a job.”

While Jeff was still a diving instructor with a training agency and could continue to work, Casey was left in a predicament. She was in charge of fundraising for recovery and relief efforts on the island, and was working diligently to rebuild Dive BVI, but also needed a paying job.

“I was thinking, ‘how do we do this?’” she recalls. “After loosing everything you realize what you’re passionate about and the important things in life. I wanted to do something that would make me happy and make others happy. Being a little mermaid obsessed, I thought, this [Deerfield Beach] is the perfect place to open a mermaid store.”

Casey had been running an online side business called the Mermaid Cove Collective for a few years selling monthly, mermaid-inspired gift packages. The brick-and-mortar Mermaid Cove essentially expanded and evolved that business. Casey found a shop for lease in The Cove shopping complex in Deerfield Beach.

Her and Jeff invested their life savings. Casey designed the shop, which carries a wide variety of mermaid and ocean themed retail products for both adults and kids. From sassy tee-shirts, to bath products, jewelry and, most notably, wearable mermaid tails, the store is a whimsical and fun place to shop.

Mermaid Cove also hosts events. Small birthday parties can be held in the shop, or Casey can send her live mermaids offsite. The mermaids are beautiful models wearing ornate, swimmable tails.

Some of her mermaids can perform acrobatic and underwater routines sure to create a memorable experience for guests.

Mermaid Cove partners with other catering companies for events of all kinds. In addition, Mermaid Cove often attends local festivals such as Pompano Beach Untapped, the Boynton Beach Pirate Festival and the Seafood Festival.

“At all those shows we do bring products, but it’s also about just sharing the fun,” Casey said.

The online portion of Casey’s business has expanded as well.

Before opening the store, the Mermaid Cove Collective website only sold one monthly subscription gift package.

Now there are three; and in August, there will be a fourth. The options include “The Filthy Mermaid,” which features sassy, occasionally foul-mouthed, adult attire and products; the crate and mini crate, which feature gift products; and in August, a kid’s crate.

“Opening the store was healing,” Casey said. “It made me happy in a really difficult time in my life and it has been something that has made me wonderful friendships and introduced me to amazing women and people in business. It’s been a labor of love, but also of recovery and healing.” Y Mermaid Cove is located in the Cove Shopping Center in Deerfield Beach at 1645 SE Third Court, unit #102.

You can reach the store at 754-757-7766. Or visit online at mermaidcoveshop.com.

18

Deerfield Beach!

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No-See-Ums, Rumrunners and Spotting Towers A HISTORIC LOOK AT DEERFIELD’S BEACH

By Sally J. Ling

T

he beach is one of Deerfield Beach’s biggest attractions.

Yet, in the early days of the city, living near the beach was the farthest thing from a resident’s mind. No matter what you called them – sandflies, sandfleas or no-see-ums – the irritating, tiny, black insects dominated the beach, especially at sunrise and sunset. And if you were in the vicinity, they left you with painful itchy bites. This caused pioneers to settle inland and rarely visit the beach.

Aside from the pesky no-seeums, there was no bridge over the Intracoastal at Hillsboro Boulevard before 1917, so one had to cross the waterway either by row boat or swimming. After the swing bridge was installed, access to the beach brought recreation and development, but the no-see-um was still a problem. Clint Moore, a farmer in Boca Raton, came to the rescue.

Clint Moore Road, on the Boca Raton/Delray Beach border, was named after the early farmer, but his claim to fame is more important than being a road contractor during the mid-1920s or becoming one of the area’s most successful farmers (his farm covered 4,500 acres). His greatest contribution to South Florida was documented in a 1937 citation issued by the State of Florida and the United States Government for his work in eliminating the sand fly.

Once the no-see-um was no longer a problem, Deerfield’s residents frolicked in the Atlantic, and fishing became an important pastime. For the city’s black residents, however, it was a different story.

Charlie Thompson, who was born in Deerfield in 1926, said that during his

20

Deerfield Beach!

youth, blacks weren’t allowed to go in the water; however, they did hold clandestine church picnics at the beach by walking to a secluded spot behind a sand dune.

“The men would go out in a boat and fish — jacks, blue runners, grunts — and the women knew what time they would be back . . . the women would fry the fish and make lemonade. Everyone had a lemon or lime tree in their yard; we’d just buy the sugar. We had a good time. The adults had a drum, don’t know where the skin came from but they’d heat it up and beat the drum and the men and women would dance, the kids would stand around,” he said.

Rumrunners often brought illegal booze from the Bahamas onto Deerfield’s beaches during Prohibition (1920-1933). Al Capone, one of the nation’s most infamous gangsters during this time, oversaw his Deerfield operation from his Palm Island home on Miami Beach. On occasion, federal agents captured a boatload, and local citizens always seemed eager to assist in burning the contraband liquor. Of course, it wasn’t unusual to find that a few bottles had disappeared in the process.

During World War II (1942-1945), a spotting tower was built on Deerfield’s beach. Trained volunteers manned the structure 24/7 and scanned the horizon for German submarines and aircraft.

Many times, residents stood on the beach and watched as freighters traveling north on the Gulf Stream bringing lifesaving supplies to England burned and sank after being hit by torpedoes from Hitler’s U-boats during Operation Drumbeat.

Originally, the beach extended about two blocks farther east than it does today, and a street ran parallel to A1A on the ocean side. A gambling house and several structures were located there and residential lots extended 260 feet to the surf. A category 4 hurricane in September of 1947 destroyed the lots, structures and the street, and pushed the beach back toward A1A. In the post war building boom, the beach became one of the

city’s most important amenities. But it lost its precious sand every time a storm or hurricane passed through. To counter the erosion, a permanent solution was sought, spearheaded by then city commissioners Ed Dietrich, Sr. and Odas Tanner. Art Strock, city engineer, worked on the project, and in 1962, the city installed over a dozen concrete groins (post and wall-like systems) to halt the sand from migrating. In addition, coral rocks were placed at regular intervals along the shoreline. After the waves broke on the rocks, the groins captured the sand and deposited it on the beach.

Thanks to these structures and sand renourishment projects, the latest one completed in 2015 as a joint effort of the city, the state, and the Town of Hillsboro Beach, residents and guests will be able to enjoy Deerfield’s beautiful beach for decades to come.

Unless otherwise noted, information and photos for this article were provided by the Deerfield Beach Historical Society.

OPPOSITE erosion on Deerfield Beach THIS PAGE TOP a burning freighter during WWII, courtesy of the Boca Raton Historical Society MIDDLE the Hillsboro swing bridge BOTTOM spotting tower on Deerfield Beach, courtesy of the Boca Raton Historical Society.

Deerfield Beach!

21

Ready or Not?

BY MARIE PULEO HURRICANE IRMA PHOTOS BY JEFF GRAVES

FIND OUT HOW THE CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH HAS PREPARED FOR THE 2018 HURRICANE SEASON, BASED ON LESSONS IT LEARNED FROM HURRICANE IRMA The 2018 Atlantic hurricane season has begun, and with memories of Hurricane Irma still fresh in many people’s minds, hurricane preparedness is something they may be taking more seriously than in the past.

The City of Deerfield Beach has been making its preparations, and is using what it learned from Hurricane Irma, which struck Florida last September, to enhance its emergency response and recovery operations. Soon after Hurricane Irma, the city conducted an afteraction review with its emergency response personnel to identify the city’s strengths and specific actions to improve effectiveness of emergency operations.

Although Hurricane Irma headed toward southern Florida as a Category 5 hurricane, measuring 500 miles wide and with winds reaching 185 miles per hour, when the storm made landfall in the Florida Keys it was at Category 4 intensity. According to the National Hurricane Center, Deerfield Beach had the highest recorded wind gust in Broward County, which was 111 mph (low Category 3 strength), but nothing sustained for any amount of time.

“As large as that storm was, the impacts here in Deerfield Beach were minimal,” said David Santucci, who is the city’s assistant city manager, and also the emergency manager. “For us, it was officially categorized as a tropical storm. If we have a major hurricane, we’re going to be in a completely different set of circumstances.”

The city has taken stock of how it handled the challenges it faced during and after Hurricane Irma, such as storm debris removal; a lack of timely information from FPL regarding power outages and restoration efforts; ensuring the well-being of the city’s vulnerable population; and providing continuous information to residents about the storm and its impacts.

Using lessons learned from the storm that was nicknamed “Irma-geddon,” Deerfield Beach has been working to strengthen its response and recovery efforts to ensure the city is successful in the event of a hurricane this season.

22

Deerfield Beach!

LESSONS FROM IRMA POWER OUTAGES: FPL

After Hurricane Irma, a complaint from a number of mayors in Broward County was that they had trouble communicating with Florida Power and Light (FPL) and learning when the power would be restored to critical facilities like nursing homes and water treatment plants.

They also had difficulty getting information about which city neighborhoods were without power and when they might be restored, which complicated efforts to deploy police patrols to darkened neighborhoods and efficiently manage staff scheduling.

Santucci said there is certainly room for improvement in the way FPL communicates to municipalities exactly where power outages are, which in turn allows municipalities to identify where they need to deploy their resources.

“However, if you compare FPL’s efforts to what they were in Hurricane Wilma, overall FPL did a fantastic job,” he said.

Deerfield has several representatives from FPL that it communicates with on a regular basis. During Hurricane Irma, the city was able to get in touch with those representatives, but because they were serving the entire county, not just Deerfield Beach, they were extremely busy, said Santucci.

Santucci would like FPL to provide documentation or maps that show the exact location of power outages, so the city knows where the issues lie. Deerfield Beach made this recommendation to FPL, but hasn’t received any follow-up from FPL yet.

As with all storms, most power outages during Hurricane Irma were caused by trees that had fallen on power lines. On a regular basis, FPL’s private contractors have been trimming trees close to the power lines. The city trims all the trees that it’s responsible for at the beginning of hurricane season, and then again six months later.

Additionally, the city relies on its Code Compliance to ensure that residents are maintaining their trees properly.

ESSENTIAL INFO • Deerfield Beach disaster preparedness website: deerfield-beach.com/1623/hurricane-preparedness • Broward County hurricane preparedness website: broward.org/hurricane • Deerfield Beach Call Center: 954-XXX-XXXX. This new service was put in place by the city to handle various issues through a live person, rather than a recorded line. During emergency conditions, it is open 24/7.

• Broward County Call Center: 311 or 954-831-4000.

Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5pm. During emergency conditions, it transitions to a 24/7 hotline. Residents can pre-register for special needs shelters or the Vulnerable Population Registry.

VULNERABLE POPULATION REGISTRY

• Residents who are at risk due to a disability, frailty or health issue, regardless of age, should register in advance with the Vulnerable Population Registry.

The registry is not a guarantee of services, but enables city emergency workers to better respond to vulnerable resident needs in a recovery effort. For more

information or to register, visit broward.org/hurricane and select “Residents at Risk,” or call the Broward County Call Center at 311 or 954-831-4000.

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): 1-800-621-FEMA

STAY INFORMED

• Alert DFB: Residents and businesses can sign up for Alert DFB, the city’s new emergency notification system. Alert DFB is provided through the Everbridge critical communications platform, which has replaced CodeRED. Register online at deerfield-beach.com/1623/ hurricane-preparedness to receive notifications by phone call, text message or email. In addition, an “Everbridge” mobile app is available for download from Google Play or the iTunes App Store.

• Facebook: facebook.com/ CityOfDeerfieldBeachFloridaMunicipalGovernment • Twitter: twitter.com/DFB_City • National Hurricane Center Information: nhc.noaa.gov Deerfield Beach!

23

SUPPORTING THOSE IMPACTED In the days after Hurricane Irma, Deerfield Beach was very proactive with outreach to its communities that needed water, ice and food to get them through until power was restored, said Santucci.

“In the case of Irma, we found the need to deliver food to some of our vulnerable population, and luckily, using what is commonly referred to as the ‘whole community approach’ to emergency management, we were able to find some very gracious local partners to provide the food for those communities,” said Santucci.

Food and water were delivered to residents of The Palms, Praxis and B’nai B’rith communities, where many elderly people live. There was also a food giveaway at Oveta McKeithen Park, with food donated from local restaurants.

The city provided buses to transport seniors and anyone in areas where there was the most need – lower income

apartment

complexes,

assisted living facilities and nursing homes – to the Northeast Focal Point Senior Center so they could have access to air conditioning and food.

Plans are in place to have the same transportation service available this hurricane season.

The Deerfield Beach International Fishing Pier prior to Hurrican Irma Photo by Jeff Graves

LESSONS FROM IRMA KEEPING RESIDENTS INFORMED For Hurricane Irma, Deerfield Beach pushed public information and outreach to residents through social media and the city’s website to provide up-to-date and accurate information.

“Communication to our residents was definitely a strength of ours during Irma,” said Santucci. “The feedback we received was that people appreciated it.”

The city used Facebook, Twitter, and the mobile app for its website. It also used its emergency CodeRED services, which blast out information through phone calls.

“Luckily, during this storm, we didn’t have any cell phone issues, so we had that available to us,” said Santucci.

In a post-hurricane analysis, the city identified several ways it could enhance its communications to residents and

business owners for future storms.

The city has just replaced its CodeRED emergency notification system with a new one that uses the critical communications platform Everbridge.

The city has branded the new system “Alert DFB.” Everbridge will broaden the number of residents the city can reach, and will give them several options for how they can be notified, the frequency of notification, and the type of notifications they receive.

The city will also update its hurricane preparedness webpage regularly as new emergency information becomes available. As of this hurricane season, a call center will be in place, rather than a recorded line, for various pre- and postdisaster uses, such as missing persons and general information for the public.

A point of distribution (POD) site for water and ice was set up by Broward County at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, which is the designated regional site for the north section of the county. The POD site was not just for Deerfield Beach residents, but all of the surrounding areas as well.

In the event of a hurricane this season, Deerfield Beach has already made arrangements with the county to open and operate a city POD at Oveta McKeithen Park, if a county POD at Quiet Waters Park is not sufficient to meet the community’s needs.

ADVICE FOR RESIDENTS David Santucci, who is Deerfield’s assistant city manager, and also the emergency manager, said the most important thing residents should do in the event of a hurricane is ensure they have the resources they need to survive for at least five days, when they’re without power and water. They should have the expectation that they need to be selfsufficient for at least that long because it usually takes a couple of days for the city to get resources, depending on the path and severity of the storm, and how many other storms have occurred. Hurricane Irma affected almost every county in Florida on the heels of a devastating hurricane in Texas, so resources were very scarce.

“Just prepare and plan,” said Santucci. “Preparing in the off-season is the most important factor to be successful during a hurricane.”

The worst thing that someone can do is trim their trees and put a pile of debris in front of their house prior to a storm, said Santucci. It’s not only a hazard to themselves, but to their neighbors. Any loose debris needs to be secured, otherwise it can become a projectile.

24

Deerfield Beach!

HURRICANE DEBRIS REMOVAL

Following Hurricane Irma, Deerfield Beach used both its in-house resources and a contractor to perform debris removal. The city’s own solid waste and recycling department used its crews and equipment to pick up approximately 33 percent of the overall debris and take it directly to a solid waste disposal site.

AshBritt, the city’s contractor, gathered the remaining storm debris from all districts in the city and took it to a temporary debris management site, or staging area, on the southeast corner of Powerline Road and Green Road.

Once there, the debris was reduced through a chipping process, and then taken to the landfill.

AshBritt, based in Deerfield Beach, is one of the nation’s largest disaster cleanup companies, and was under

contract with numerous local governments in Florida for debris recovery operations after Hurricane Irma.

In the wake of the storm, a price-bidding war had ensued because debris haulers were in such demand, not only due to the sweeping scope of Hurricane Irma,

but because many were needed in Texas to clean up the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, which struck toward the end of August. They were demanding more money than their contracted rate, and in some cases, walked off the job until they got it. Deerfield Beach was among the cities being forced to pay higher rates.

AshBritt was subpoenaed by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, as part of an ongoing investigation into debris-removal companies that were not honoring their pre-storm debris removal contracts. Soon after, AshBritt announced that it would stick to its original contract rates.

Deerfield Beach will likely be moving forward with AshBritt as its primary contractor again this year, but is looking for a secondary contractor as well.

This hurricane season, Deerfield’s staging area will not be at the corner of Powerline Road and Green Road.

The city has entered into an interlocal agreement with the county, which will allow it to use one of four locations the county has designated as temporary debris management sites.

The city’s plan for future hurricanes is to continue to use its own trucks and personnel to clean up as much storm debris as it can.

“One of the largest lessons learned from Hurricane Irma was that in order for us to be successful, we needed to use our own resources to ensure we provided the services that our residents deserved,” said David Santucci, who is the assistant city manager of Deerfield Beach, and also the emergency manager.

Deerfield Beach!

25

OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS During

Hurricane

Irma,

city

employees

lost

Internet

and

phone

communications only in facilities that didn’t have generator power, and that was few and far between, said Santucci. All of the city’s critical facilities are equipped with emergency generators; the facilities that did not have backup power were not considered critical.

“We were able to maintain emergency operations through the duration of the storm and after the storm without any issue,” he said.

The city has redundancy measures built in to ensure communications, but they were not utilized during Hurricane Irma because the lines of communication did not go down.

Rough seas prior to Hurrican Irma Photo by Jeff Graves

SANDBAGS Before Hurricane Irma hit, the City of Deerfield Beach handed out sandbags to 800 to 900 people, with a limit of 10 sandbags per person.

After the storm, city staff identified equipment that will help automate the filling of the sandbags and improve the distribution process. The city hopes to purchase this equipment and have it available for use this hurricane season.

The city would fill the sandbags in advance, either at the time of a hurricane

SHELTERS

The number of Deerfield Beach residents that were affected by Broward County’s mandatory evacuation order for Hurricane Irma was about 6,500. The evacuation areas included the entire barrier island and everywhere east of Federal Highway, as well as all mobile home parks.

For Hurricane Irma, Broward County did not open any shelters in Deerfield Beach. The closest county shelter that was available for residents of Deerfield was Monarch High School in Coconut Creek.

The county opened only 27 out of a potential 40 shelters, and had to rely more heavily on its own employees because the American Red Cross decreased its traditional shelter services. The county has said there’s a need for more emergency shelter workers, and if they get more workers, they can open more shelter space.

“A shelter really should be a last resort for individuals,” said Santucci.

Residents are encouraged to have plans to stay with family or friends, or at a hotel, outside the evacuation zone, because that is where they will be most comfortable.

The sheltering plan for Hurricane Irma was adequate, said Santucci, but for Deerfield Beach, it was not a significant storm.

“Should we have a Category 3, 4 or 5, we may be in an entirely different situation when it comes to sheltering,” said Santucci.

“The population growth in South Florida has bloomed so much that there is a regional concern for sheltering in the long term should we have a major hurricane.”

warning or hurricane watch, depending on the severity of the storm.

NURSING HOMES & ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES In the days following Hurricane Irma, 12 people died in oppressive heat at a nursing home in Hollywood because there was no backup power to run the air conditioning.

In an effort to avoid any similar situation in Deerfield Beach, the city took steps to ensure the welfare of the residents in all 10 of its nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

“We reached out to everyone on our vulnerable population list and all the assisted living facilities and nursing homes before the storm, immediately after the storm, and then until power was restored and we felt very comfortable that they were safe,” said Santucci. “We’ll do that again this hurricane season.”

Immediately following the tragedy at the Hollywood nursing home, Gov. Rick Scott implemented emergency rules requiring

26

Deerfield Beach!

assisted living facilities and nursing homes to have generators capable of powering air conditioners and fuel to operate them for up to four days in the event of a power outage.

In March, the governor signed legislation that makes it a permanent requirement for nursing homes and assisted living facilities to have access to an alternate power source, such as a generator, and fuel to operate it for two or three days, depending on the size of the facility, in order to power air-conditioning systems. The deadline to comply with the new state law was June 1.

Deerfield Beach will make sure that all of its nursing homes and assisted living facilities meet the requirement through inspections by the city’s Code Compliance department, said Santucci.

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dining out

BY LUPÉ AND GASPAR SOMERSET

Email us with any additions, closings, or corrections at editor@ pointpubs. com. We try to be accurate, but it’s always a good idea to call first before heading out on your dining adventure.

DEERFIELD BEACH

$$ Moderate ($17-$35) $$$ Expensive ($35-$50) $$$$ Pricey (over $50)

gorgeous views of the plush gardens and waterfall. The restaurant offers daily lunch and dinner specials, a Sunday breakfast buffet and covered patio dining so you can dine al fresco. 2801 Deer Creek Country Club Blvd., 954-421-5553 $$

Amante’s. ITALIAN Close to the International Fishing Pier, steps from the sand, stands Amante’s Italian Cuisine (and Bob’s Pizza).

You choose from a fantastic, casual family pizza experience to an elegant dinner and everything in between. Amante’s is usually bustling: filled with locals and visiting guests there for a sumptuous, after-beach meal or pizza. The menu has all the Italian favorite pasta dishes, meat entrées and daily chef specialties. Everything is very well prepared. 2076 NE Second St., 954-426-1030 $$

Deerfield Beach Cafe. AMERICAN Part of the Deerfield Beach International Fishing Pier, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner to all the beachcombers. So skip the cooler and grab something here — so easy. 202 NE 21st Ave., 954-426-0500 $

American Rock Bar & Grill. LIVE MUSIC • KARAOKE • JAZZ •

vate glass room perfect for business or family affairs. 300 N. Ocean Way, 954-571-5220 $$$

COMEDY Full menu until late, early dinner specials with a full bar too. 1600 E. Hillsboro Blvd., 954-428-4539 $$

KEY $ Inexpensive (under $15)

IN THE NORTH BROWARD BEACHES

Antonio’s. ITALIAN For 56 years Antonio’s has been serving au-

thentic Italian cuisine. They’ve got all the classics with a few out of the ordinary dishes too. We were positively swooning over the chicken marsala. In the mood for pizza? They’ve got that too. Dine in or take out with delivery and catering available.

Located in the Cove Shopping Center. 1636 SE Third Court, 954427-4871 $$

Baja Cafe. MEXICAN A hometown favorite is Pepe’s spinach en-

chiladas with the added chicken or shrimp. It’s creamy and savory with every bite and is served with a heaping helping of refried beans and rice. 1310 N. Federal Highway, 954-596-1304 $

Barracuda Seafood Bar & Grill. SEAFOOD • BRAZILIAN This spot by the sea serves seafood with a touch of Brazilian flare such as the Bobo de Camarao, shrimp sautéed in coconut milk, saffron, palm oil and yucca cream baked in a cast iron skillet. 1965 NE Second St., 954-531-1290 $$

Biondo’s. ITALIAN. • PIZZA Enjoy traditional Italian fare in a small, intimate setting. 606 S. Federal Highway, 954-427-7754 $$

Café Med. ITALIAN Authentic Italian restaurant right on the ocean with an Italian chef from Rome. Excellent service, coupled with carefully prepared dishes just across from the ocean always provides for a lovely dinner. Live music nightly. Breakfast and dinner available daily. 2096 NE Second St. (at the Wyndham Hotel), 954-596-5840 $$$ Casa Maya. MEXICAN Start with a margarita and it only gets

better from there. This is not your typical Mexican joint — it’s better. Try gobernador tacos: a combination of shrimp with diced poblanos, onions, tomatoes and cilantro on a crispy corn tortilla topped with melted cheese. See, we told you it’s not ordinary. 301 SE 15th Terrace, 954-570-6101 $$

Chanson at the Royal Blues Hotel. SEAFOOD • SEASONAL

Chanson gives you the opportunity to eat a fine, fresh seafood meal, and then take a stroll to see the ocean from which it came.

45 NE 21st Ave., 954-857-2929. $$$$

Deer Creek Grille. AMERICAN Enjoy the club atmosphere with

JB’s on the Beach. SEAFOOD Glorious beach views and a pri-

Kevin’s. SUSHI • THAI The juxtaposition of the outside (a strip

mall) — to the inside which is a lovely atmosphere is quite surprising. Kevin’s serves high quality fare for the sushi enthusiast.

Very friendly staff serving a lot of regulars. 706 S. Federal Highway, 954-418-3939 $$

La Val de Loire. FRENCH Whether it’s a night out with the family or a romantic dinner for two, this quaint spot in the Cove Shopping Center serves classical French cuisine. 1576 SE Third Court, 954-427-5354 $$$ Little Havana. CUBAN Little Havana has fantastic lunch specials and most of their dinner plates will feed two. Their masas de puerco frita and their Little Havana steak are two of the standout menu items, aside from their zesty chimichurri. 721 N. Federal Highway, 954-427-6000 $$ Luigi Di Roma. ITALIAN Enjoy all your favorite classic Italian dishes served in a clubby room complete with brick arches, warm tones and lighting. 718 S. Federal Highway, 954-531-6151 $$$ Muddy Waters. ISLAND • AMERICAN A relaxing neighborhood place offering fresh seafood, chowders, burgers, wraps, salads and plenty of appetizers to go along with their full bar. Finish off with their pretzel crusted tequila key lime pie made in house daily.

2237 W. Hillsboro Blvd., 954-428-6577 Ocean’s 234. SEAFOOD Amazing views of Deerfield Beach and the pier with gluten free options available. 234 N. Ocean Blvd., 954428-2539 $$$ Patio Bar & Grill. AMERICAN Everything is freshly prepared and served just steps away from the beach. Live music nightly. 2096 NE Second St. (at the Wyndham Hotel), 954-596-8618 $$ Rattlesnake Jake’s. TEX MEX Dive bar close to the beach with

live music and plenty of menu items to choose from. 2060 NE Second St., 954-421-4481 $$

Taj Indian Restaurant. INDIAN We have two words for you: lamb korma. This classic Indian dish varies from restaurant to restaurant, and while we don’t have their recipe, we can tell you

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Open to the Public • 365 Days • 954-421-5553 2801 Deer Creek Country Club Blvd • www.deercreekflorida.com

Enjoy our tropical garden and waterfall views!

dining out it’s juicy leg of lamb cooked in a rich cream sauce with raisins and cashews. 201 SE 15th Terrace, 954-304-7032 $$

LIGHTHOUSE POINT

Tamarind. SUSHI • THAI Did you get caught up in a tornado and

Bonefish Mac’s Sports Grille. AMERICAN Bar food and a wide

land in Nobu — that most famous of all sushi restaurants? Probably not. You’re most likely just at Tamarind which offers a hipper vibe than your run-of-the-mill sushi place — and some inventive rolls and Thai entreés. 949 N. Federal Highway, 954-428-8009 $$

Tijuana Taxi Co. MEXICAN Perhaps it’s the all day happy hour

(Mon.-Fri., 11am-7pm) with $5 El Jimador margaritas, but as soon as you enter, the weight of the day lifts off your shoulders. The atmosphere is friendly and fun all around. There is outdoor patio seating available and a large U-shaped bar inside. The portions are generous — certainly enough for a doggie bag. We loved the spicy shrimp tacos — soft flour tortillas filled with Cajun-grilled shrimp in a spicy chile lime sauce, topped with cilantro slaw, avocado and pico de gallo. The menu has a lot more than tacos — there’s all the Mexican favorites plus burgers, sandwiches, steaks and more. And for the little ones there is kids night on Sunday: kids eat for 99 cents from the $4.99 kids menu. 1015 S. Federal Highway, 954-708-2775 $

The Tipperary Pub. IRISH • AMERICAN A classic neighborhood

pub — where if you go often enough, everyone will indeed know your name. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Try a red eye — half tomato juice, half beer. 1540 SE Third St., 954-421-9769 $

Two George’s. SEAFOOD An intracoastal hot spot with live music, a great view and a legendary Friday happy hour. 1754 SE Third Court, 954-421-9272 $$

Whales’ Rib. SEAFOOD Locals know it well and tourists know it from Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Whatever you do, don’t skip the whale fries. 2031 NE Second St., 954-421-8880 $$

array of televised sports games with a game room for kids. 2002 E. Sample Road, 954-781-6227 $

Cap’s Place. SEAFOOD Lighthouse Point’s own hidden seafood joint dating back to prohibition. Take the short boat ride over to the restaurant. 2765 NE 28th Court, 954-941-0418 $$$

Fetta Republic. GREEK Traditional Greek offerings close to home. 2420 N. Federal Highway, 954-933-2394 $$ Le Bistro. FRENCH • BISTRO Professional chef, Andy Trousdale serves up both classics and inventive new dishes at this little neighborhood gem. Fresh and local produce is always used and vegetarian, dairy free and gluten free menu items are available.

The restaurant also offers cooking classes. 4626 N. Federal Highway, 954-946-9240 $$$ Lito’s Turf & Surf. SEAFOOD • AMERICAN Family-owned and op-

erated with catering options available. 2460 N. Federal Highway, 954-782-8111 $$

The Nauti Dawg Marina Café. AMERICAN Nestled in at the Lighthouse Point Marina, the Nauti Dawg is a local favorite. Start with the tuna wontons—crispy fried wonton wrappers topped with tuna tartare, seaweed salad, red pepper mayo, wasabi and a hit of sirracha. For a taste of New England with a twist, try the lobster roll. Of course you can’t go wrong with the fresh fish sandwich—ask what the catch of the day is. The fish Reuben is another great sandwich option—just sub in some fresh fish for the pastrami and you’ve got yourself a little healthier version of the classic.

All sandwiches come with a side and while French fries are al-

Staff Breakfast at Cafe Med Café Med

2096 NE SECOND ST., DEERFIELD BEACH (at The Wyndham Deerfield Beach Resort) 954-596-5840

We work in a creative business and at times it takes more than coffee to get our juices running. No worries — the Deerfield Beach magazine staff enjoyed a refreshing breakfast on the beach at Cafe Med which is located at The Wyndham Deerfield Beach Resort.

Cafe Med is open for breakfast and adds an Italian twist to many of your morning favorites.

Treat yourself to breakfast on the beach. You know what they say — it’s the most important meal of the day. Here’s what we tried... and yes, we did go back to work after this.

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Deerfield Beach!

RIGHT Frittata Della Domenica (an Italian Sunday favorite) — a frittata made with potatoes, onions, Italian sausage, fresh mozzarella and pecorino BELOW Omelette Alla Milanese — eggs, prosciutto, ham, fontina, carmelized onions and roasted red peppers

ABOVE Eggs Benedict Alla Genovese — poached eggs on ciabatta bread with fontina, pancetta and house-made basil pesto LEFT Panettone French Toast — sliced Panettone dipped in vanilla custard and cooked until golden brown FAR LEFT Uova in Purgatorio — eggs poached in pomodoro sauce with red bell peppers, onions, sun dried tomatoes and basil

From the Owners of Heart Rock Sushi in Fort Lauderdale and Taste of Siam!

HAPPY HOUR

Monday-Friday, 3pm-6pm and 9pm to close Half priced mixe d drinks Domestic Beer $2 House Wine $3/g lass Special Beer $4 Specialty Cocktai ls $5

NOW OPEN IN LIGHTHOUSE POINT! Serving Lunch and Dinner Outdoor Seating • Private Parties • Catering • Take Out Delivery by Delivery Dudes Appetizer Specials Happy Hour: Monday-Friday, 3pm-6pm and 9pm-close

954.933.7163 • 4460 N. Federal Highway, Lighthouse Point

a i p m y l O e m a l F DINER 80 SOUTH FEDERAL HIGHWAY DEERFIELD BEACH, FLORIDA

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dining out ways a delicious option—the restaurant offers a tangy cucumber salad (among other choices) that provides a nice crunch to any sandwich. They are a dog-friendly restaurant. 2830 NE 29th Ave. (at the Lighthouse Point Marina), 954-941-0246 $$

Papa’s Raw Bar. SUSHI • SEAFOOD Situated next door to their parent restaurant Seafood World, Papa’s indeed seems like the hip child of an established restaurant. While the fresh food is the real star, the Keys-inspired décor certainly accounts for part of their charm. The menu goes way beyond typical raw bar offerings with inventive tacos and sliders. Papa’s also offers a wide array of sushi and sashimi. Start off with one of the towers of Van Buskirk (you’ll find a few menu items named after locals.)

The bare naked lady version is a combination of spicy wahoo and tuna with tobiko and masago topped with spicy mayo and served with taro chips. And to wash it all down, they have about a zillion craft beer options and a good wine list too. 4610 N. Federal Highway, 754-307-5034 $$ Red Lotus. THAI Red Lotus serves all of your favorite Thai dishes from pad Thai to red and green curries and more. Start with the dumplings—the pasta is delicate and they are packed with flavor.

4460 N Federal Highway, 954-933-7163 Seafood World Market & Restaurant. SEAFOOD They offer

the freshest seafood with simple ingredients. There is also a seafood market in the restaurant. 4602 N. Federal Highway, 954-9420740 $$$

Sicilian Oven. ITALIAN • PIZZA Casual seating and bar seating

to accompany your thin and crispy pizza. Don’t skip the Gorgonzola salad. 2486 N. Federal Highway, 954-785-4155 $

Fast & Casual

DEERFIELD BEACH Fast & Casual Biondo’s Pizza. PIZZA • SUBS Dine-in or take-out available. For something other than pizza, try the stromboli or the wings. 606 S. Federal Highway, 954-427-7754 Bob’s Pizza. PIZZA • ITALIAN Pizza served remarkably close to the beach — as if pizza could be get any better. 2076 NE Second St., 954-426-1030 Burger Craze. BURGERS Top quality ingredients come together to create unique taste sensations. Enjoy juicy burgers, hot dogs, wings and others daily. 2096 NE Second St. (at the Wyndham Hotel), 954-596- 5949 $$ Charm City. BURGERS Try the emperor — an American kobe

beef patty with aged Swiss, truffled aioli and sautéed mushrooms — a burger fit for a king. 1136 E. Hillsboro Blvd., 954-531-0300

El Jefe. MEXICAN For a truly inventive take on Mexican street food, this small yet bright and cheery taco joint is full of surprises.

27 N. Federal Highway, 954-246-5333 Fat Boyz. BARBECUE Serving all the classics from ribs and

PointPubs.com

chicken to pulled pork and all the fixings. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Catering available. 204 Powerline Road, 954-415-4810.

Gelateria. GELATO Offering more than 26 flavors of gelato. Open daily. 2096 NE Second St. (at the Wyndham Hotel), 694-428-2850 Michael’s Pizzeria. PIZZA Closed Mondays 1645 SE Third Court, Deerfield Beach, 954-426-1515

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Deerfield Beach!

Nick’s Pizza. PIZZA Nick’s family moved from the Bronx to Deerfield Beach 13 years ago and opened Nick’s Pizza. The restaurant offers an extensive Italian catering menu and New York Style pizza. They offer delivery service too. 137 NE Second Ave., 954-4216700.

The Pickle Barrel. DELICATESSEN Get in touch with your inner

New Yorker at this old style deli complete with friendly guys behind the counter filling your sandwich with enough pastrami to feed a family. 33 E. Hillsboro Blvd., 954-427-0650

Olympia Flame. DINER With a traditionally huge diner menu, you can’t go wrong at the Olympia Flame. Friendly staff makes you feel like a regular — even if you aren’t — but you should be.

80 S. Federal Highway, 954-480-8402 Pizza Piez. ITALIAN 614 SE 10th St., 754-212-2396 The Sticky Bun. DELI • BAKERY • BRUNCH Everyone will find

something to munch on, whether it be their flourless chocolate cake or a short rib panini with fontina cheese and pickled red onions… yum. We’re still dreaming about the BLT. 1619 SE Third Court, 754-212-5569

Tropical Grill Island Cuisine. CARIBBEAN Don’t be fooled by

the counter service at this beachside eatery where the offerings range from escovitch snapper to shrimp curry. Other dishes include jerk chicken, salmon skewers, all sorts of island curries and of course a counter and grab a table outside for to of the line people watching. Meal prices range from $11-$25. 241 N. Ocean Drive, 754-227-5055.

Umberto’s Pizza. PIZZA Family tradition baked into every bite.

Try Grandma’s pizza, square pizza with fresh tomato and basil and of course, mozzarella. 233 N. 21st Ave., 954-421-7200

LIGHTHOUSE POINT Fast & Casual Burger Fi. BURGERS Everything at Burger Fi is cooked to or-

der. Don’t miss the fries and the larger-than-life onion rings are a meal unto themselves. The breakfast all day burger is topped with a fried egg. 3150 N. Federal Highway, 954-933-7120

Legends Tavern and Grille. AMERICAN With three locations, they must be doing something right. 3128 N Federal Highway, 754-220-8932 Red Fox Diner. DINER Treat yourself to one of the daily specials at the Red Fox and you just may think that you aren’t at a diner at all — but a bonafide restaurant. But if you are in the mood for some comforting diner food, Red Fox never disappoints. From tuna melts, to burgers to some of the best biscuits and gravy around, you will always leave satisfied. For an indulgent breakfast, go with the sunshine stacker — a stack of hash browns, topped with corned beef hash, two eggs any style and melted cheese. Breakfast and lunch served daily. 2041 NE 36th St., (Sample Road) 954-783-7714 Packy’s Sports Pub. SPORTS BAR If you are looking for a local spot to watch the game, Packy’s always seems to pack them in. 4480 N. Federal Highway, 954-657-8423

Deerfield Beach!

33

photo opps Memorable moments around town

Cuisine of the Region The Hillsboro Club, Hillsboro Beach

PHOTOS BY JEFF GRAVES The annual Cuisine of the Region food and wine tasting benefited N.E. Focal Point CASA, a non-profit organization that serves children, Alzheimer’s patients, seniors and adults. The event featured tastings from local restaurants.

Gordon, Andrea, Bill and Janice

Carol and Gary

Silvia and Kenny

Al, Donna and Kristina

Maureen, Judy, Jane, Pat and Judith

Debbie, Donna, Sherry and Commissioner Todd Drosky

To submit photos to be included in Photo Opps email editor@pointpubs.com. For event photos, please include the name and location of the event, and the names of those pictured.

34

Deerfield Beach!

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35

photo opps

Heather and David Hernandez

Desarey

Boots & Bourbon Country Music Fest Quiet Waters Park Deerfield Beach PHOTOS BY JEFF GRAVES

Kristin Cotter and Helen Boyer

Dad (Thomas) with Rebecca and Katie

Gordon Vatch, Christina Fink and Janice Muenzenmaier

Kenny Brighton, Joan and Henry Gould

36

Deerfield Beach!

Kelli and Clint Tracy

WE BUY DIAMONDS & GOLD

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Deerfield Beach!

37

unsolicited advice

The College Admission System is Fundamentally Broken

BY NOAH BROCKMAN AS A COLLEGE EDUCATION PARADOXICALLY BECOMES BOTH INCREASINGLY PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE AND A VITAL ASSET FOR ECONOMIC SURVIVAL WE MUST ASK ourselves why we ever let it got this way. College admissions is an incredibly dysphoric experience at best and a completely unimaginable set of expenses at worst. The college essay writing process is incredibly weird when you think about it in the abstract. Colleges are asking kids to in 750 words or less to explain why they deserve an education more than their peers.

The whole process is framed as a competition where you’re

put up against people you’ve gotten to know for the past twelve years. When have you ever gotten a good sense of who someone is based on an essay they wrote to you about the time they performed CPR on a child they were babysitting?

The essence of a person can’t be boiled down to one universal anecdote.

The college application process is almost laughably

38

Deerfield Beach!

expensive but serves as a cruel taste of what prospective students can look forward to for the next four years. The average student will apply to around eight colleges. With a conservative estimate of a $38 application fee and $25 for each transcript, a hopeful student can expect to pay just over $500 before they even start their first semester. For families living in poverty or kids supporting themselves, this is simply unaffordable. As the gap between the rich and the poor increases, colleges must hold themselves accountable for higher application fees, especially if they want to keep on considering themselves engines of upward mobility.

Beside all-in-one application services like Common App, web portals for college applications can be confusing and poorly designed. I remember hours of fumbling through drop down menus and slowloading web pages, praying for some sign that I was doing the right thing, or clicking on the right prompts.

The tension didn’t stop even after I submitted the application either. Slow moving confirmation emails and/or hidden tasks that I might have forgotten about kept me paranoid and without sleep for seemingly months after I submitted all my applications. I’d wake up in the middle of the night, whisper to myself “Did I properly format my resume?”, than fall into a deep and dreamless sleep punctuated by resume-centric bouts of paranoia. Everyone I know, rich or poor, lost a staggering amount of sleep over college applications on top of the sleep they were already losing over regular schoolwork.

College applications are a pain and need reform, even if they do lead to the joys of higher education. Y Noah Brockman is a student at University of Central Florida studying film and creative writing. He is Point! Publishing’s newest media intern. If you’d like to reach him, please email noah.brockman@knights.ucf.edu. If you’d like to be a Point!

Publishing intern, contact danielle@pointpubs.com

Creating L asting C h ange Focused y t i n u m m o C

ter Future h ig r B a g in iv r D

Community

Fifty Years of

Trees, like communities, must have deep roots to grow strong. It’s because of our roots that JM Family has grown into a leading automotive company driven by Jim Moran’s remarkable legacy of caring for our associates and giving back. As we reflect on the past 50 years, we know some things will never change — our dedication to each other and the communities around us.

Commnity

u Comm nity Community 50 Years of

Thank You

50 Years of

Impact

Celebrate with us as we share our journey at 50yearsoffamily.com.

50 Years of

Deerfield Beach Community Redevelopment Agency

50 Years of

for hosting the 2018 Fourth of July Celebration.

Relax on the beach and join the festivities.

There’s no better place to celebrate the independence of our great nation.