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GAZETTE VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 12 JUNE 10, 2021
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WILTON MANORS
Republished from the Sun Sentinel, a media partner of SFGN.
Has Hamburger Mary’s Come Back To
Haunt Rosie’s Bar & Grill? By Phillip Valys Sun Sentinel
For John Zieba, co-owner of Rosie’s Bar & Grill in Wilton Manors, the result, lately, has been an amusing revival of old rumors, bitter breakups and an oddly persistent local urban legend. “I’ve literally walked up to people having conversations about us being sued by the franchise and losing our name, and I have to giggle, because they explain what happened with such conviction,” Zieba says. “And none of it’s true.” Here’s what is true: Hamburger Mary’s, a San Francisco-born franchise with 18 locations, will debut in June inside the former Rumors Bar & Grill at 2426 Wilton Drive, and will be operated by California-based partners Dale Warner and Ruben Lopez. It will feature over-the-top hamburgers, salads, flatbread pizzas and nightly drag performances. It’s a one-minute walk across the street to Rosie’s, which began its life as a Hamburger Mary’s in 2002 before dropping its franchise deal and rebranding after a mutual breakup in 2006. Lately the rumor mill has flared up on public Facebook community groups like “What’s Happening on the Drive Wilton Manors,” full of these comments: “Rosie’s ripped off Hamburger Mary’s and Hamburger Mary’s sued so they had to change the name to Rosie’s.” And “Rosie’s ripped off Mary’s menu and style cause THEY didn’t want to pay the franchise fee price.” And, best of all: “This is gonna be one big cat fight!” In reality, Rosie’s split from Hamburger Mary’s and changed the menu to avoid $15,000 in monthly franchisee fees, Zieba
says. Another reason Rosie’s left: The franchise wanted the restaurant to install expensive pizza ovens because flatbreads were trendy in the mid-2000s. “I can’t believe we’re still talking about this 15 years later but you just have to brush it off,” Zieba says. “It’s not a competition, and we don’t have to make ordering burgers a tribal experience. It’s like what George from Georgie’s Alibi told me when we first opened: ‘Any business that you bring to the Drive is good business.’ “ “The fact that Hamburger Mary’s is moving across the street shows that, despite this pandemic, good restaurants are still coming to the Drive,” says Resnick, who has eaten at Rosie’s and its predecessor. Hamburger Mary’s menu, still being finalized, features 17 gourmet burgers with cheeky names such as “Buffy the Hamburger Slayer,” stuffed with garlic, Swiss cheese, Caesar dressing and doused in red wine; and the “Barbara-Q Bacon Burger” topped with bacon, Jack and cheddar cheese, crispy onions and western barbecue sauce. Customers can also build their own hamburgers with choice of patty (American Wagyu, ostrich, buffalo, ground chuck or Angus beef blend), or go leaner with salmon, chicken breast, quinoa, black bean-and-veggie and Beyond meat. All hamburgers come with choice of French fries, coleslaw and garden rice, and premium sides include onion rings, tater tots and steak-cut fries. The restaurant’s appetizer menu, also massive, includes mac ‘n’ cheese balls and
Hamburger Mary looms in the background of one of their signature burgers. Photo via Hamburger Mary’s Chicago, Facebook.
jalapeno poppers, chicken tenders, Asian potstickers and “Macho Mary Nachos” topped with steak chili or two-bean vegan chili. There are even non-burger entrees, such as Mary’s Fish & Chips with beer-battered cod, chicken and beef fajitas and seven flatbread pizzas ranging from tomato and basil to Hawaiianstyle. Along with beer, wine and champagne,
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Hamburger Mary’s cocktail menu includes Mary’s Glamorous Manhattan (whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters, cherry) and Orange Creamsicle (orange vodka, candied oranges, whipped cream, Sprite). Which may, of course, compete with Rosie’s popular Sunday brunch. So does this mean we’re in store for another “big cat fight”?
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OPINION
WILTON MANORS
Parks and Rec
Kiwanis Club property might be the ‘deal of the century’ but it’s not a good deal for Wilton Manors
2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305
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Editorial
Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com Oakland Park Editor • Christiana Lilly Wilton Manors Editor • John McDonald
Correspondents
Christiana Lilly• Sal Torre • James Oaksun
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Photo via the Wilton Manors Kiwanis chapter, Facebook.
bar is located, and get paid a sum of $350,000. Now granted, the $350,000 is so they could carry on with the philanthropic endeavors that are the foundation of Kiwanis International, however, not sure if all the taxpayers of Wilton Manors are looking to endow the interest of the Kiwanis Club. Another troubling part of this story is how certain Eastsiders are supporting this deal as a means to have their own community center and additional park space while over the years these same individuals have fought tooth and nail against any development for the long vacant church property off of NE 26th Street and the extension of the TOC-East. Having prevented any development and denying a much needed and continued tax revenue source year after year, these individuals now want to increase the financial burden to our city’s budget year after year with the acquisition of additional recreational facilities that the city does not need. Our city recently made a large investment in the expansion for Colohatchee Park. We still haven’t figured out how to repay the loan taken out from the Water and Sewer Fund to purchase land for the expansion at a cost of 1.3 million dollars. Add to that the cost for renovations and upkeep, one can begin to see the high cost of such park expansion
plans. The city’s current necessity to carry out significant infrastructure improvements, to maintain existing public facilities, the cost of police and public safety and many more urgent budget demands offer many reasons why this might not be the best time to make a deal on the Kiwanis Club. Over the past ten 10 we have heard over and over that we must take advantage of purchasing additional park space due to the expected growth in population. Well over the past 10 years that population growth never materialized. We hear the same arguments today, but with recent actions to prevent any serious new development in our city, we are not going to see the growth in numbers to where we will need to make additional purchases of park land. Thanks to Commissioner Mike Bracchi and Vice Mayor Paul Rolli for acknowledging this reality in comments concerning the donation of a small parcel of land from Broward County known as Site 92. This free parcel of land, if the city agrees to take ownership from the county, along with the recent land purchases for Colohatchee will offer more than enough park land to cover future population growth estimates for our city. Expanding and stretching our limited resources will only weaken our wonderful parks and recreation facilities. Let us maintain and improve what we already have, so that residents can enjoy first class facilities. Walking away from the “deal of the century” might be Leisure Services best option to maintain existing facilities for all to enjoy and to keep life just better here….
www.WMGAZETTE.com • 6 .10.2021
June 10, 2021 • Volume 8 • Issue 12
Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Associate publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com
Expanding and stretching our limited resources will only weaken our wonderful parks and recreation facilities.
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GAZETTE Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943
By Sal Torre This week’s city commission meeting on Tuesday night had a few surprises for us Island City political junkies. Leisure Services was front and center with the appointments of new members to the Recreation Advisory Board and with discussion on the possible acquisition of the Kiwanis Club property as a park facility. The large number of applicants seeking appointment to the Recreation Advisory Board demonstrates residents’ interest to serve our city and community. The Island City is very fortunate to have such vibrant interest amongst our citizenry who look to volunteer, serve on city boards, and seek to be active members in our community. Bravo to all who continually step up and look to serve, not just this week for the Recreation Advisory Board, but for all boards and committees as well as neighborhood associations and non-profits throughout our city. In the past, long serving board members were pretty much a sure bet on reappointment when their terms were up. Not the case these days, as commissioners bypassed long serving members seeking re-appointment with some bright new energetic faces. This influx of new members to our advisory boards is a good thing for our city. Any organization must adapt to change, bring in new membership and be flexible if they are to continue with their mission and their existence. Perhaps the few remaining members of our local chapter of Kiwanis should take a lesson from our city commission. Unfortunately, internal division caused many active members to leave in recent years, leaving behind those unwilling to broaden membership, embrace the diversity of the surrounding community, and to accept new ideas and new leadership. Now faced with dire circumstances, the organization is seeking to play “Let’s Make A Deal” with our city. In a recent letter to our mayor, the Kiwanians laid forth a plan that would turn over the parcel of land known as the Kiwanis Club to the city, but with stipulations that would allow them continued use of the club for their meetings, keep possession of one of the outbuildings which I believe is where the
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Sales Manager • Justin Wyse justin.wyse@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann edwin.neimann@sfgn.com Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. MEMBER
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Out Of The Closet’s Wilton Manors location, located on The Drive right next to City Hall. Photo credit: Carina Mask.
ON THE MENU
A CHAT WITH BRAVO PERUVIAN CUISINE’S OWNER Since 2008, Bravo Peruvian Cuisine at 2925 NE 6th Ave has been gracing Wilton Manors with its flavors, adding another unique menu to the local collection of restaurants. Co-founder Vanesa Oliva said Peruvian cooking has a mix of influences, including those from China, Italy and Africa, and has found popularity in Wilton Manors. “I know a lot of the same faces because they are very regular,” she said. “We have a lot of regulars, same as new clientele.”
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ISLANDER A WILTON MANORS NEWSLETTER
Oliva said the restaurant’s best seller is a dish called Lomo Saltado, pictured above – steak, onions and tomatoes with wine and soy sauce on top of french fries. Oliva said she also credits her husband and co-founder Dennis “Beto” Quiroz for the restaurant’s success. She said her experience as a server and her husband’s knowledge of cooking has led to a flourishing business. “With that combination – he in the kitchen and me on the floor – thank God, we made it,” she said. For more information visit Bravo Peruvian Cuisine’s website.
By Avraham Forrest
A string quartet played in the first summer concert, performing works from Ludwig van Beethoven and Antonín Leopold Dvoŕák,
Ginger’s Bar and Restaurant is hosting its weekly open mic from 7:30-11 p.m. Check it out!
SATURDAY Produce, baked goods, handmade items and jewelry are waiting for you at the Las Olas Oceanside Park Market from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at 3000 E. Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.
SUNDAY SUN: Live music and Sunday brunch at La Mexicana Taco Bar! For more on fantastic tunes and bottomless mimosas, check out the event here.
MON: Celebrity server Terry Dyer will work at Bona Italian for Sunserve’s Give Back Monday from 4:30-9 p.m. Ten percent of all dine-in and takeout dinners will be donated to Sunserve.
THE MAESTRA ON THE 2021 SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
“I felt like I was experiencing on another level, because it just felt so good, and it felt so live,” Alfonso said.
THURSDAY
MONDAY
MUSIC TO OUR EARS The South Florida Symphony Orchestra, headquartered in Wilton Manors, kicked off its summer concert series on May 21, and with the second of three events set for later this month. Maestra Sebrina María Alfonso, who founded the Orchestra in 1997, said she felt the energy while in the audience of the May concert.
CALENDAR
according to the SFSO website. The next program will have performances on June 17 and 24 with music from Franz Schubert, Francis Poulenc and John Gottsch, the symphony’s Composer-in-Residence.
ON THE HORIZON Friday, June 18: Congregation Etz Chaim will celebrate Pride Shabbat in-person at 8 p.m. at 2038 N. Dixie Hwy, Wilton Manors.
Alfonso encouraged people to mask and vaccinate and remained optimistic about the revival of live music in South Florida.
Saturday, June 19: Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival.
“I think that’s what this summer is about, reminding people the joy of being together and hearing this fabulous music with these top notch musicians,” she said. For more information, dates and ticket prices, visit southfloridasymphony.org.
Tell us about upcoming events we should know about!
Maestra Sebrina María Alfonso. Photo by Steven Shires.
THE NEWSLETTER YOU NEED NEED. WILTON MANORS NEWS... RIGHT TO YOUR INBOX. From events to local announcements, fun facts and so much more, the Islander is everything you need to wake up ready for a beautiful day in the Island City.
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NEWS
WILTON MANORS
Broward County Asks Cities To
Join Trash Compact By John McDonald It’s a dirty assignment, but somebody has Mayersohn said. “I do recognize that there is some difficulty regarding the state. The fear to do it. That somebody is Broward County is the state could come in at any time and Commissioner Beam Furr, who has been amend the parameters.” A dependent special district is also an visiting municipal chambers in an effort to option that the county could fund with an unite cities in taking out the trash. Furr gave the county’s solid waste ad valorem tax. Mayersohn said he is leaning presentation via Zoom to the Wilton Manors towards this option because of its flexibility. “My mind is still open,” he said. Commission May 25. Furr’s goal is to bring Ultimately it comes down enough cities together to to trust and recognizing a create a local agency to growing problem. Broward manage garbage disposal. produced nearly four million “No matter which way tons of solid waste in 2019, you look at it, the county up from 425,000 tons in 2013 and all the cities are gonna while seeing a big drop in have to find some way to recycling rates. finance it so we can take care “The recycling rate of the garbage,” said Furr, plummeted and the landfill who represents District 6 rate skyrocketed because on the county commission not everybody is taking which includes the cities of garbage to the incinerator Hollywood, Hallandale Beach anymore. One incinerator and Pembroke Pines. “We’re was dismantled because there trying to bring more and was not enough garbage to more cities into this because make it feasible,” Furr said. it gives us better leverage and While Broward was negotiating with whoever dismantling its incinerator, we’re dealing with.” Palm Beach was building The county ensures all a new one. Furr called the cities have a place to take switch a “hard lesson to processable waste, a different learn.” Palm Beach, with more service from hauling where - Beam Furr unincorporated land, has companies contract with developed a 45% recycling cities for curb-side pick-up. BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSIONER rate, compared to 31% for The dilemma is a looming Broward. expiration date on a contract Furr said Broward is aiming with Wheelabrator. Wilton Manors is one of 13 cities in the contract for a 75% recycling rate with an emphasis on with Wheelabrator which expires January 15, repurposing materials such as glass, plastic and metals. 2022. “We’re looking to do a robust recycling A working group was formed to come up with solutions. The group’s main focus, said program,” Furr said. Wilton Manors Mayor Scott Newton said Parkland Vice Mayor Bob Mayersohn, is to determine “what type of governance model the city once took pride in its high recycling we want solid waste to be in the county.” rate but when word got out all the materials Mayersohn is leading small cities in this were simply being dumped in a landfill it left effort and he joined Furr remotely for the “a bad taste in the city’s mouth.” Commissioner Gary Resnick, who once presentation. “I support the ILA [Interlocal Agreement],” presided over the Broward League of Cities,
“THE RECYCLING RATE PLUMMETED AND THE LANDFILL RATE SKYROCKETED BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY IS TAKING GARBAGE TO THE INCINERATOR ANYMORE.”
Photo via Waste Management - Fort Lauderdale Sun Recycling, Facebook.
recalled some of the messy history with managing waste. “I was around when the resource recovery board was falling apart so I still have sort of the battle scars from that,” Resnick said. “There really was a lot of lack of trust. A lot will depend on getting a lot of the larger cities to join in if we do an ILA.” Whatever district is formed, the county has voted to fund half of it with each city getting its share based on population. “Trust is the absolute key,” Furr said. “We have to understand everything way upfront. There’s not a lot of historical examples of big ILAs in the state.” When the last ILA dissolved in 2013, the garbage business became like the wild west, Furr said. “The county back then controlled everything unilaterally,” Resnick said. “When the [Resource Recovery Board] dissolved there were millions and millions of dollars unaccounted for and by the way we’re still
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waiting for that audit and I’m not kidding about it.” Furr said a waste generation study is needed at an estimated cost of $1 million which would also require an amendment to the memorandum of understanding between the county and cities. Using Palm Beach as an example, the annual single family residential rate is $175. “To get some of these big cities that were really hurt back then to join in is going to be a lot of work,” Resnick said. “Wilton Manors will have to follow along with what other cities decide to do. If big cities don’t join in it’s not going to succeed.” Furr said the county is moving slowly and methodically to earn back trust. In making his pitch to Lauderhill on Haitian Flag Day, Furr said he was struck by the Haitian proverb, Men Anpil Chay Pa Lou. “It translates into ‘Many Hands Make a Light Load’ and it really speaks to this if more cities are involved the assessments are reduced,” he said.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
WILTON MANORS
NEWS
WILTON MANORS
Expect Big Things from Parks & Recreation in Wilton Manors! As we emerge from COVID-19, our Wilton Manors parks and recreational services are beginning to thrive once again. Our small city has a lot to offer from tennis and pickleball courts, spaces for your kids and dogs to play, nature-oriented activities like bird watching or kayaking, and so much more. Our city is blessed to have an incredibly talented parks and rec staff as well as an advisory board made up of residents who are passionate about our community. Those residents serving on our Parks & Recreation Advisory Board play an integral role in creating and supporting the services we offer. At the June 8 city commission meeting, we appointed five residents to serve new terms on the advisory board. As a result of our increased emphasis and outreach efforts to attract a more diversity to our city boards, there were 12 extremely qualified applicants representing a diverse range of professional and personal backgrounds. If their applications and interviews were any indication, any of the 12 applicants would have been an asset to the board and our city. With so many well-qualified, diverse applicants, it took several rounds of voting to identify the top five appointees. I’d hope you’ll join me in congratulating the following newly appointed board members: • DION WESTERMAN • JANET YUEN • JOSÉ CEDENO • LISA THEISEN • PATRICK HARRIS
Photo via the City of Wilton Manors, Facebook.
Photo via the City of Wilton Manors, Facebook.
Wilton Manors Remodels Parks & Recreation Board and benefits associated with park assets are tremendously complex, and we’ve collectively agreed to do it holistically rather than making decisions in a silo. Money spent on acquiring new property might arguably be better spent upgrading our existing parks or providing additional programs for seniors and kids! Our city commission has made improving quality of life for our residents a priority, and recreational programs and park upgrades are likely to play a role in that. Budget cuts have put the creation of an (expensive) Parks Master Plan out of reach. Instead, we’ll focus on continuing to gather input and ideas from residents about what’s most important to them in order to craft a plan with short- and long-term goals. I am confident our newly appointed board members will be instrumental throughout the process. I hope you’ll be a part of the conversation by sharing your ideas with our Parks & Rec Board as well as your city commissioners. You can email me directly at ccaputo@ wiltonmanors.com, I’d love to hear from you!
With so many well-qualified, diverse applicants, it took several rounds of voting to identify the top five appointees.
If the rest of the commission meeting was any indication, our Parks & Rec Advisory Board members will have plenty of opportunity to provide input and share their ideas. The commission had a healthy debate about potentially taking over the Kiwanis Club location in East Wilton Manors, acquiring the county-owned park land behind Wilton Towers along the water, and whether the recent land addition to Colohatchee Park was the highest and best use of our city’s limited budget. Evaluating the potential cost
— Chris Caputo
WILTON MANORS CITY COMMISSIONER
New board better reflects city’s diversity By John McDonald
Wilton Manors Commissioners appointed five members to the city’s Parks & Recreation Advisory Board on Tuesday night. José Cedeno, Patrick Harris, Lisa Theisen, Dion Westerman and Janet Yuen were selected by commissioners to serve on the volunteer board. The Parks & Recreation Advisory Board makes recommendations on the acquisition, development and maintenance of parks, parkways and playgrounds. Wilton Manors has six parks, five pocket parks, a boat ramp, boat launch and the waterways of the Middle River in its parks’ inventory. Commissioner Chris Caputo said the new board reflects the city’s vibrant diversity. “Each member brings unique value to the board,” said Caputo. “The important thing now is to identify needs and evaluate what to do with our parks.” Yuen and Westerman received the most votes by the commission. Westerman, a senior probation officer with the Florida Department of Corrections, said he wanted to join the board to develop programs such as sports leagues and summer camps to deter young offenders from further engaging in criminal activity. Yuen brings an array of event management and communications experience having
developed strategies and programs for the Humane Society of Broward County, Lupus Foundation of America and National Multiple Sclerosis Society. “My agenda is to meet new people and engage them to participate in our local parks and facilities,” said Yuen, who has lived in the city for three years. “Diversity enhances brainstorming and encourages representation of all voices. It’s healthy to bring different viewpoints together — working towards a common goal.” Board members are appointed to two-year terms. There are seven board members with a staff liaison. The city received 12 applicants for five positions. John Fiore, former mayor and chair of the board, was not re-appointed. Fiore had served on the board since 2004. “Having that many very good, qualified people was great for the city,” said Mayor Scott Newton. “It just shows the love and care for this city.” Vice Mayor Paul Rolli added, “I am pleased to welcome all new members to city boards. These individuals bring a variety of perspectives that will assist the city to move forward in a comprehensive and inclusive direction. These appointments are yet another part of the winds of change.”
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