By Mary Thurwachter

For 20 years, my husband and I have spent a considerable amount of time traveling the Sunshine State. We have been everywhere from the Panhandle to the Keys, staying in homey bed-and-breakfasts, intimate boutique hotels, large luxurious resorts and one wildlife refuge for lions and tigers retired from the circus (but that’s a whole other story!).

We sipped water from the Fountain of Youth in St. Augustine, rode the glass-bottomed boats in Silver Springs, took in the sunset in Mallory Square, collected shells on Sanibel Island, watched the mermaids swim at Weeki Wachee, and even sat in on a séance in Cassadaga.  

Our travels took us to neighborhood cafes and five-star restaurants, to juried art shows and high-end galleries, to museums and historical sites.

For various reasons, this year — at least so far — we haven’t been able to get away. And that fact annoyed me like a blanket of dead lovebugs sticking to the grill of my car. 

However, I am much less bugged now, after we took a staycation. We live in a vacation wonderland, after all. Our beaches are beautiful. Our sunrises are awesome. We are blessed with gorgeous botanical gardens, great restaurants, an abundance of art and antiques shops and, last but not least, luxurious resorts with amenities that are as good and, in many cases, better than anywhere else in the state.

This year, we made it a point to visit some of the local resorts that tourists have enjoyed for decades. We had pancakes at The Ritz and took a historic tour of the Boca Raton Resort & Club. We sunbathed at Delray Beach and swam through the waves in Lantana. 

Whether you have or haven’t taken some time to visits a local resort, this is one of the best times of the year to do it because resorts are offering summer season specials and the crowds have thinned. Check out our local resorts story on Pages 10 and 11. You’re sure to find appealing ideas for a summer getaway close to home.

And, there’s a bonus: Driving to local destinations will surely help you avoid the sticky lovebugs-on-your-car’s-grill dilemma.

Have a great summer!

 Mary Thurwachter, Managing Editor

Arthur Jaffe’s passion is books. Photo by Tim Stepien

By Ron Hayes    

One lazy summer day when he was a boy, Arthur Jaffe wandered over to the Carnegie Library in Butler, Pa., and asked the helpful librarian to recommend a book.    

“She gave me a children’s, abridged edition of Robinson Crusoe, and I couldn’t put it down,” he remembers. “That was the book that got me started on reading as a passion.”    

He was 7 that summer day, maybe 8.    

On May 7, Jaffe turned 90, and the passion for books instilled by that nameless librarian is now the Jaffe Center For Book Arts, 4,800 square feet on the third floor of Florida Atlantic University’s Wimberly Library.     

The initial donation of 2,800 books that Jaffe and his late wife, Mata, donated to the library in 1998 has grown to 9,000 titles that celebrate the book as a work of art in itself. A novel told solely in woodcuts, for example. A pop-up book about birds that spreads its wings when opened.    

A first edition of Huckleberry Finn wouldn’t be a big deal here; an edition bound to resemble a log raft would be treasured.    

At the Jaffe Center, it’s the medium of the book, not its message, that’s honored.    

On May 6, FAU awarded Jaffe an honorary doctorate of humane letters, and on May 21, the library hosted “Time Flies When You’re Having Fun,” an open house to mark his retirement and celebrate his life.    

“Arthur hasn’t taken a day off yet,” said John Cutrone, the center’s director, greeting a steady stream of Jaffe friends and admirers, “so we always refer to it as his ‘retirement’ with quotation marks.”    

Indeed, Jaffe will keep the sunny office behind the exhibition room where he still arrives most mornings. The framed doctorate is on proud display, and so is the 7-year-old boy from Butler, Pa., still twinkling in Jaffe’s eyes when he talks about books.    

“I tell people, if you walk out of here today and think about a book the way you always did, you haven’t failed, I have,” he says. “You think a book is a cover, a spine, a front and a back, but that’s not what you see here. We have all kinds of shapes. Books made of aluminum, or wood. Pop-up books are 500 years old! Illuminated books, new printing techniques, books without words you can read — totally read!”    

After service in World War II — he was awarded a Bronze Star, and took part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy — Jaffe became a partner in his family’s chain of department stores.    

“I don’t really know when I began buying books, because I wasn’t thinking of building a collection,” he says. “I was buying books for me. I purchased books because I liked the way they looked, the way they felt in my hands.”    

In 1984, the Jaffes retired permanently to Delray Beach. He volunteered at FAU, and when the couple moved to smaller quarters, Jaffe offered the collection to his six children. They relished a book here, a book there, but Jaffe wanted to keep the collection intact. The kids’ loss was FAU’s gain.

At 90, he’s made few concessions to age. He gave up tennis a decade ago and no longer drives at night, but Jaffe’s enthusiasm for new frontiers in the book arts is forever young.    

Coffee table books?    

“Some are great, truly artists’ books, and some cater to showoffs,” he says. “An expensive chandelier doesn’t just give you light. It says, I can afford that chandelier.”    

But surely he has no patience with e-books, that purely functional box for downloading text. Isn’t the Kindle the antithesis of the book as objet d’art?

“It’s another form of book,” he says. “I have nothing against the Kindle, but it has some limitations. You can’t open it, and you can’t compare this page to this page, side by side.”    

He doesn’t talk like a man who’s truly retired, without quotation marks. Already, new business cards have been printed. Instead of Arthur H. Jaffe, he’s now Dr. Arthur H. Jaffe, Professor Emeritus.    

On the shelf in his office is one of his more recent purchases, an 1884 edition of Robinson Crusoe, illustrated by George Cruickshank.    

“I’ve never actually owned a copy before,” he says.    

So he’s reading it, the unabridged, adult edition now, while wrapping up a final project or two at FAU.    

“Stories On The Skin: Tattoo Culture at FAU” debuted at his “retirement” reception. Completed with Dr. Karen Leader, it’s a photo display of students’ tattoos.    

“Fifty years ago,” Jaffe says, “tattoos were considered kind of seedy. Only sailors and prostitutes had them. But did you know that now 45 million Americans have a tattoo? And more women than men.”    

It’s simple, really.    

“They have messages on their bodies,” he explains, with an eager smile. “I see them as walking books.”      Ú

                                                                                                Christine Carton

By Angie Francalancia

  It was Christine Carton’s love of adventure, appreciation for self-improvement and admiration of Japanese artwork that first led her to the Morikami Museum when she arrived in South Florida two decades ago.

It’s her desire to share the place she calls a jewel that keeps her involved.

“Oh my God, she says. “This is a jewel we have in town, and we must continue to grow it. We need to treasure that.”

In the nearly 20 years since she discovered the Morikami, Carton has held just about every volunteer position they could create. She’s taught classes, chaired gala committees and, recently, become a trustee and member of the Wisdom Ring, the museum’s highest level of membership. 

And through it all, she’s contributed to shaping the museum.

As a Wisdom member, she created a book group to read and discuss Japanese stories and authors, and she’s constantly coming up with new ideas for members and future members.

Credit it all to a sense of adventure that brought her from France to New York in the late 1960s.

“I was 23 and I needed adventures, and I wanted to get away from home,” she said. “I lived in Lyon, France, but I thought that Paris wasn’t far enough away. I had a cousin who lived in the U.S. I had my green card, so I went.”

With weak English language skills but lots of determination, Carton ended up working at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital by offering to work for three months for free.

“In not three but one month, I was on the payroll,” she said. She took advantage of the hospital’s affiliation with Columbia University, and went back to school. She took English classes and immersed herself in American culture.

Then, she studied electro microscopy at Fordham University, a field that later took her to work in labs at Sloan Kettering and Mount Sinai hospitals. 

She now lives in Boca Raton.

“In France, you don’t have the opportunity to change your field,” she said. “When I came to the U.S., I went back to school and changed my life. I had nothing to lose. I had a sense of adventure. It’s wonderful, the people I’ve met here, the opportunity I’ve had. If you want to work, you have the opportunity.”

To this day, Carton continues to visit museums and hear lectures to feed her thirst for knowledge. She’s traveled extensively, including trips to Vietnam, Cambodia and Japan.

“Every place I go is always my favorite,” she says. “I’m always in awe of other countries. I like everywhere I’ve been. Anywhere I go, I try to see the craft of the country,” she adds. “I’ve always been an admirer of traditional crafts.”

Her love of learning and appreciation for different cultures shaped her volunteerism at the Morikami.

In the mid-1990s, she taught herself basket weaving, then taught others. She still holds classes at her home twice a week. She brought an exhibit to the Morikami called Kindred Spirits, which showed the similarity in the art form of the Japanese and in Shaker art, like her baskets.

“Both are very simple, yet graceful,” she said. “They’re very utilitarian, but well done and pleasing to the eye,” she said. The exhibit included a workshop in which she demonstrated basket weaving.

She regularly attends the museum’s exhibits and workshops. But perhaps her favorite part of the Morikami is the garden.

“It’s always changing. It’s always beautiful,” she says. “I like where the bamboo grove is. I find it very restful. You hear the whistling of the leaves. Every time I go to the garden, that’s where I go. 

“Then I go back in the museum and see what’s going on in the gallery.”                    Ú

                                                                                  Kathleen Dailey Weiser

By Steve Plunkett

Town commissioners balked at signing a contract with Interim Town Manager Kathleen Dailey Weiser but this time around had no qualms about promoting the deputy finance director.

Weiser, Mayor Bernard Featherman and Town Attorney Tom Sliney negotiated a contract proposal calling for Weiser to be paid $125,000 starting June 30. But Featherman wasn’t comfortable with either the amount or the date.

“We thought the base salary should be between $90,000 and $100,000,” Featherman said.

Commissioner Dennis Sheridan said that range would be less than the $109,000 the police chief is paid, even though the chief reports to the town manager.

Featherman also was concerned about starting Weiser’s contract the same day the contract with suspended Town Manager Dale Sugerman expires. Others questioned how much Weiser should get in pension benefits, insurance and car expenses. Commissioners ultimately decided to have a special meeting at 9:30 a.m. June 6 to resolve the contract.

They had much less discussion over promoting Deputy Finance Director Cale Curtis to acting finance director. Curtis will get a 10 percent raise, to $70,567, and will drop the “acting” part of his title once he obtains his bachelor’s degree in July, Weiser said. Curtis said he is studying at the University of Phoenix.

 Sugerman last summer planned to hire a finance director, noting that town policy was to promote from within, and delete the deputy position. 

Commissioners told him not to hire department heads until they worked out his contract extension.

But Weiser said the Town Charter requires the town manager to appoint a finance director.

Sugerman was suspended in January after commissioners learned he planned to put Town Clerk Beverly Brown on a one-month unpaid suspension for forwarding racist e-mails on the town’s computer system.

Sugerman has been paid $144,000 this past year and has a leased car the town pays for, according to a summary for commissioners. Weiser has been interim town manager since Feb. 22 and is paid half what Sugerman was getting and has no benefits, other than a car allowance.

A hearing officer in April decided Brown should be punished with a written reprimand.     Ú

By Thom Smith

For decades the family yacht tied up at local marinas, the better for dad to entertain big clients and the family to enjoy a little respite from Northeast winters. 

Malcolm Forbes died in 1990, but the wining and dining aboard Highlander has continued, albeit at its seasonal berth in Fort Lauderdale. So it isn’t like Steve Forbes is unfamiliar with Palm Beach. In fact, he’s a welcome guest at many homes on the island.

But until a few weeks ago, the businessman, unsuccessful presidential candidate and editor and publisher of Forbes magazine had never been to the home — the estate most synonymous with Palm Beach: Mar-a-Lago. 

On a whirlwind tour for Northwestern Mutual to drum up business among its clients and prospects and to inspire company agents, Forbes teamed with Northwestern CEO John Schlifske to host a luncheon of beef filet and sea bass in the grand ballroom and to offer his take on the economy.

“I think within five years, the dollar will again be tied to g-o-l-d.”

“A weak dollar means a weak recovery.”

In investing, “Emotions are your enemy; consistency is the key.”

Since Mar-a-Lago’s owner was elsewhere, weighing a decision to withdraw — as pace car driver for the Indy 500 — Forbes and Schlifske took a brief look around Mar-a-Lago on their own. After climbing the iron spiral staircase in the parlor, Forbes could only shake his head.

“It’s amazing,” he said.

Asked if he still harbored any political ambition, the affable Forbes laughed and answered, “I’m an agitator now; I’m in my Tom Paine mode. 

Advice for Trump? Silence and a smile. 

Speaking of big oceanfront homes, Casa Pugilista is for sale … again. Well, that’s not really the name, but pugilism did buy it for boxing promoter Don King. Now he hopes he’ll have less of a fight trying to sell the Manalapan estate. Asking price: $19.95 million. That’s down from $27.5 million in 2009, but up from the $14.3 they (technically King’s wife, Henrietta) paid for the two adjacent lots and houses in 1999. 

King, whose Only In America offices lie on the east side of I-95 in Deerfield Beach, turns 80 in August. Henrietta died in December. When he first put it up for sale, he said the kids were grown and it was time to downsize. Now he has even more reason to sell. 

So what does $19.95 million bring? 

Three acres, 300 feet of beachfront and two docks on the Intracoastal, two houses, two pools, a tennis court, a generator, a grill big enough to barbecue 100 slabs of ribs, an illuminated replica of the Statue of Liberty facing the ocean. The larger house (18,000 square feet) has nine bedrooms. The smaller “guest” house (6,800 square feet) includes five bedrooms, an outdoor cabana with kitchen and an ice cream parlor.

What, no Whelchel!

Contestants for the Fourth Annual Boca’s Ballroom Battle have been announced, and not a Whelchel on the list to defend the family honor. Boca Mayor Susan Whelchel won the inaugural event in 2008 and her business executive son Jay “hustled” his way to the title last year. Other first family members, however, have insisted they aren’t willing to risk public embarrassment.

So this year’s charity competition, set for Aug. 19 at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, will include: travel agent and philanthropist Yvonne Boice, Coldwell Banker Real Estate Executive V.P. Ingrid Fulmer; Bell Rock Capital Managing Director Jackie Reeves; Boca Community Hospital trustee, super volunteer and grandma Pat Thomas; plastic surgeon Dr. Rafael Cabrera; Boca West boss Jay DiPietro; Mercedes Benz of Delray Beach GM Ralph Mesa; and, dancing clean-up, Bryan Tindell, Waste Management’s director of disposal operations in South Florida.

The competitors are paired with dancing pros from Fred Astaire Dance Studio to entertain guests who pay $150 each ($200 for seating at the edge of the dance floor, $1,500 for a table) for the George Snow Scholarship Fund. Tickets at (561) 347-6799 or scholarship.org.

Boosted by an infusion of $1.5 million by the city, the resuscitation of Boca’s Mizner Park Amphitheater continues, despite the occasional bump. Already-announced Selena Gomez is set for July 28, but Glee’s Matthew Morrison has canceled his July 13 gig. Promoters say his new album, just released in mid-May, needs more time to build interest. 

But you lose some and you win some. Newly added on Sept. 10 is one of the most ingenious pairings in recent memory. Fans have been absorbing the music of Return To Forever and Frank Zappa for more than four decades. Return To Forever, led by Chick Corea, has been at the forefront of jazz/rock/fusion, while Zappa’s similarly creative and bizarrely unpredictable Mothers of Invention tantalized audiences. Zappa died from prostate cancer in 1993, but son Dweezil has kept the spirit alive with Zappa Plays Zappa.

In addition to Corea at the keyboards, Return To Forever, version four, includes original member Stanley Clarke on bass, Lenny White on drums, Australian Frank Gambale on guitar, plus a new element: violin, by none other than Jean-Luc Ponty. 

   It may have opened in the space formerly occupied by the International Museum of Cartoon Art, but the latest news out of Zed451 is no joke. After three struggling years, the Mizner Park eatery has closed its doors. Managers blamed the economic collapse of 2008 and “continuing market conditions.” Growing competition from nearby restaurants and the loss of the movie theaters at Mizner Park, certainly didn’t help.

     It’s a shame to lose a business and a good citizen. The steakhouse served its meals rodizio style (with meats served on skewers and carved tableside) and, with its closing, donated leftovers to Boca Helping Hands. 

With a June 1 arrival in Delray Beach, Dennis Max says he is going back to his roots … in the soil of California. Max, whose Max’s Grille in Mizner Park continues to flourish, has taken over two storefronts on Northeast Second Avenue in Pineapple Grove. Max’s Harvest will be simpler — in décor and in food.

“People are realizing how important it is to get the freshest food, not trucked across the country and days or weeks old, and not sprayed with harmful chemicals,” Max told food blogger Jan Norris. “It’s become more of a concern in America, but it’s something Europeans have done forever. They go to the market every day to shop for their food for that night.”

While customers may be attracted by duck from France and asparagus from California, he sees the value in the trend toward home-grown. 

“So many people are starting small farms,” Max said. “We want to encourage them whenever we can. It’s not always possible in every instance, but we’re trying to be much more conscious. “

A year ago, life couldn’t have been worse for Tony Bova. The longtime Boca restaurateur was up to his noodle in debt, thanks largely to his partnership with Ponzi schemer Scott W. Rothstein. 

Bova declared bankruptcy; he shut down Bova Cucina and Bova Ristorante. About the only thing he didn’t lose was his nerve. Last July, in the old Ristorante spot at 1450 N. Federal, he quietly opened VIVO Partenza.  A year later, thanks to the money troubles plaguing McCormick & Schmick, Bova is expanding westward again, reviving his original Mario’s concept at University Commons on Glades Road just east of I-95.  Look for a late-July opening. 

For those who prefer food and drink from far away, Carmen’s Top of the Bridge in Boca has launched “Wines of Passion: The Best of South America.” The summer series offers twice monthly “Tastings & Tapas,” hosted by Frank Reider, and monthly dinners pairing South American wines with signature dishes prepared by Executive Chef Dudley Rich. 

Thom Smith is a freelance writer. Contact him at thomsmith@ymail.com

Israel Under The Stars

Sunset Cove Amphitheater, Boca Raton

Brett Loewenstern, 17-year-old American Idol semifinalist from Boca Raton, with students from the Donna Klein Jewish Academy choir.

                                       Judi Asselta (left), Joe Gillie, honoree Kassi Abreu, Alyce Erickson and Shari Upbin.

GFWC Boca Raton Chapter

Carmen’s, Top of the Bridge Hotel

The Greater Federated Women’s Club, Boca Raton Chapter, installed officers during a luncheon at which they held a fashion show.

                                          Outgoing President Gwen Herb and newly install President Susan Blum Gerding.

                                             Helen Babione, permanent director; Joan Weidenfeld; and Lisa Jensen, treasurer.

Mother and Daughter Garden Tea Party

Boca Raton Museum of Art

Pat Broaderick, Denise Zimmerman and Jordana Zimmerman hosted the event to support Becca’s Closet, which helps young girls attend their high school prom by donating slightly used ball gowns to students who otherwise could not afford them. 

Comedy Night Live

Zinman Hall, Boca Raton

Debra Halperin (left), Elliot and Wendy Koolik and Jill Deutch attend the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County’s young Metro Ben Gurion Society and Tikkun Olam Society Comedy Night Live event. 

Photos Provided

By Steve Plunkett

A motion to suppress the evidence of an after-homecoming party where high school students drank alcohol led to a judge’s withholding adjudication of the parents who hosted the affair. 

The plea deal means Paul and Ingrid Paolino, of the 2800 block of Spanish River Road, will not have a conviction on their records. They paid court costs of $253 each but were given no jail time or fine. Violations of the misdemeanor “open house party” law carry a penalty of up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.

The deal was reached May 9, just hours before Paolino attorney Charles Jaffee was scheduled to argue that the evidence should be suppressed because Boca Raton police entered his clients’ property along the Intracoastal Waterway without a warrant.

“The police made an error in judgment in terms of their conduct and that’s what led to the plea offer,”  Jaffee said.

In his motion to suppress, Jaffee said police received an anonymous phone call about a fight involving approximately 50 people on Spanish River Road. They rushed to the scene and saw no evidence of a fight; a limo driver told them there had been a disturbance. 

Police then moved to the Paolinos’ house, where they saw two girls sitting on chairs behind a gated driveway and a large group of people inside the house looking out, the motion said.

“There is absolutely no evidence of a fight or of an ongoing disturbance,” according to the motion. 

Police asked the girls to open the gate, the motion said, but when the girls refused, they jumped the fence.

“When the police were refused entry onto the property, they should have left,” Jaffee said he was ready to argue.

The evidence Jaffee hoped to suppress was “all beer containers and cups containing alcohol, the case of beer, and all other beer cans or bottles of beer, wrist bands, and a keg of beer,” as well as statements Paul Paolino and a party guest made to police, the motion said.

 “What am I supposed to do? If they don’t drink here they’ll drink somewhere else,’’ police reported Paul Paolino told them. 

Police said the guest told them the beer keg was for anyone who had bought a wrist band at the door and that the Paolinos knew the party attendees were under 21 and drinking alcohol.

Jaffee said his clients considered the plea arrangement “a very fine and good result” to the end of the case.

“I think that the Paolinos understood that they made a mistake, although it’s a difficult situation for parents of high school children,’’ Jaffee said.

He said his clients served as chaperones for Boca Raton High School’s Project Graduation sleepover. Seniors stayed inside the school overnight May 21 to celebrate their milestone without alcohol, Jaffee said.

The Paolinos’ Oct. 17 arrests followed another couple’s the previous weekend at the Sanctuary on the west side of the Intracoastal. 

Shlomo and Jeannie Rasabi were cited for open house party violations after Boca Raton police said four charter buses dropped off 600 students from American Heritage School in Plantation. 

All appeared to be under 21 and most were holding alcoholic beverages, police said. Four were found unconscious in the yard and taken to Boca Raton Regional Hospital.

Adam Harmelin, the Rasabis’ attorney, said he expects that case to be resolved at a hearing June 20. 

 The Rasabi family lives in Plantation, Harmelin said.

Shlomo Rasabi manages the home in the gated Sanctuary enclave for a partnership and had permission to have the high school party there, Harmelin
said.                                    Ú

Palm Beach County plans to use state money to expand a program of installing buoys and anchor pins along the shoreline in Boca Raton, Palm Beach and Ocean Ridge.

Commissioner Steven Abrams said the project, already under way, would add 28 buoys using money from private donations in conjunction with The Wildlife Foundation of Florida’s endowment fund. Permitting has already been secured. 

Buoys are tethered to the ocean floor using pins similar to oversized nails to provide boaters a safe and convenient spot to tie up while they dive. Using the mooring buoys, boaters can eliminate the risk of harming delicate sea life with their anchors. 

Some buoys have already been installed off the coast of Palm Beach. Plans call for adding 10 more at popular dive sites off the shores of Boca Raton at Patch Reef in September or October.

Next year, provided funding is available, buoys will be installed off the shores of Ocean Ridge.

  — Staff Report

Summer specials EXCLUSIVELY for readers of The Coastal Star

 The Four Seasons: 15 percent off dinner in The Restaurant. Offer available Sunday through Thursday evenings until Dec. 15.

The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach: Limited view room with automatic upgrade to Resort view for $199 plus taxes per night through Sept. 30.  Includes complimentary valet parking. Mention code FLDU

The Breakers: Unlimited golf on the Ocean Course and The Breakers Rees Jones Course, at specially priced greens fees (including cart: $60 per person, per day, from June 20-Sept. 30, 2011; $130 per person, per day (18 holes); $80 per person, per day (9 holes) — from June 1-19

Please present this box, or inform the resort that you read about its special in
The Coastal Star.

By Steve Pike

The great American novelist Thomas Wolfe wrote You Can’t Go Home Again about a town called Libya Hill. With all respect to Asheville, N.C.’s favorite son, why would South Floridians want to leave home?

Palm Beach County boasts some of the world’s great destination resorts and beachfront hotels, most of which offer Florida resident packages in the summer and fall, so locals can treat themselves to the same experiences as winter snowbirds, often for a fraction of the cost.

Most of the properties offer more than one summer package, so there should be something for the whole family, whether it’s golf, fine dining, water activities, spa treatments or kids camps.

The “drive” market as it is known — the market between here and south Georgia — has become increasingly important to this area’s resorts and hotels as they seek to fill rooms and restaurants that just a few weeks ago were occupied by northern visitors.

“The locals have been so supportive and so excited to see a luxury product like the Seagate Hotel & Spa in their area,” said Kate Connor, director of sales and marketing at the Seagate, which opened in 2009 on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. “We’re starting to see a lot of familiar faces in the restaurant and the spa.”

“A lot of our summer business and leisure business comes from the tri-county area: Palm Beach, Broward and Dade counties,” said David Burke, director of marketing at The Breakers in Palm Beach. “When the recession started hitting a couple of years ago, we started focusing more on the local market — not just in the summer time, but on a year-round basis.”

Given that gas prices remain in the $4 per gallon range, “stay-cations” might be even more appealing to locals, who can use the money saved on an additional amenity, such as a second massage, a cabana or another round of golf.

“We certainly look to South Florida as being our primary market,” Connor said. “Traditionally it’s the largest market for the hotels here in the summer, so we are looking at that market to be the strongest part of our occupancy this summer.”

                                                                            A bungalow at The Breakers

The Breakers

1 South County Road, Palm Beach, 655-6611

One of the world’s great resorts also is one of the most family-friendly, with an interactive kids camp and a family entertainment center, with more than 20 classic arcade games as well as video game systems.  Oh yes, there’s also the beach. 

The Breakers’ summer rates begin at $269 per room per night (through Sept. 30). Free or specially priced amenities include complimentary weekday continental breakfast, kids’ meals, kids camp and valet parking; complimentary daily benefits include unlimited tennis and fitness classes. Guests have access to the resort’s two golf courses (a shuttle is provided to the Rees Jones Course at Breakers West), as well as nine restaurants and the bungalows and cabanas around the pool and beach club. Overnight parking is complimentary Sunday-Wednesday; $20 per night Thursday-Saturday.

Hot tips: The cabana and bungalows around the pool and beach club are great for parents with kids who might need a nap because the adults don’t have to return to their rooms during peak tanning period.

Local attraction: “We always target the local market in the summer time” says David Burke, vice president of sales and marketing. 

“We sell out on the weekends and try to drive business Sunday through Thursday with kids camp and things like that. In the summer time families have a little bit more flexibility with their schedules so they can come midweek.” 

                                                   During the summer months, treatments at Spa Palazzo are 25 percent off.

Boca Raton Resort & Club

 900 S Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton,  447-3000

Addison Mizner’s masterpiece has been a prime destination address for more than 80 years.  The resort’s Uniquely Boca package is  $199 per night (through Oct. 1) and includes valet parking, breakfast for two, 20 percent off greens fees at the two golf courses, 25 percent off treatments at Spa Palazzo, 25 percent off tennis court time and 25 percent off Camp Boca for kids 3-12.

For those who want to stay on the beach, the Boca Beach Club is a short shuttle ride away from the main resort and features beachfront guest rooms, three pools and private cabanas.

Want luxury plus? Try the resort’s One Thousand Ocean Beach Villas & Residences, a seven-story building that is a mixture of 52 beach villas, residences and penthouse options.

Hot tip: The Boca Raton Resort & Club has some of the top restaurants in South Florida — available only to resort guests and club members, which is reason enough to visit.

Among the more popular is Morimoto’s Sushi Bar, directed by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. The real treat, however, is Serendipity, the candy and snack shop inspired by the popular Serendipity 3 in New York City. Try the frozen hot chocolate.

Rooms at the Seagate offer a zen-like feel, with soothing neutral color pallettes. All photos provided

Four Seasons Palm Beach

2800 S. Ocean Blvd., Palm Beach, 

582-2800

As part of parent Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts 50th anniversary, the beachfront resort is offering 50 rooms for $50 when guests stay at least one additional night at the prevailing summer rate of $465-$665 per night. The offer is based on availability and good through September. Reservations must be made by calling the resort directly.

The Four Seasons recently completed a two-year, multimillion-dollar improvement project that included a complete room redesign and the addition of a luxury salon and spa. To help highlight the rooms’ renovation, the resort has partnered with clothier Tory Burch for a gift of up to $500. The Restyle Package (through July 31) includes accommodations in the new guest rooms; a $500 Tory Burch gift card for suites or a $100 Tory Burch promotion card for other room categories; $150 daily spa credit; and complimentary breakfast. A minimum two-night stay is required.

Hot tip: The Four Seasons’ Atlantic Bar and Grill is a terrific oceanfront patio restaurant known for its tropical drinks. The Atlantic Bar and Grill hosts the only happy hour on the beach (beginning at 4:30 p.m.). Don’t pass on the conch chowder and the wagyu beef sliders.

Local attraction: “We do great business from Florida residents in the summer time. Why would anyone go away? You have the beach right there. The local market always has been very important for us. It’s a natural fit. Our Florida-residents rate is probably one of our best-kept secrets,” said Alan Reichbart, director of marketing. 

                                                        The Delray Beach Marriott offers a tie-in with Boston’s on the Beach. 

Delray Beach Marriott

10 N. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach,
274-3200

The Marriott is across the street from the beach and on the eastern edge of trendy Atlantic Avenue. The hotel’s Red, White and Blues Festival package celebrates Independence Day with Boston’s on the Beach, the popular nearby restaurant. Prices begin at $179 per night (July 1-4) and include overnight accommodations; two tickets per night to the Red White and Blues festival held at Boston’s on the Beach; and a 15 percent discount off the food and beverage check at Boston’s on the Beach (during the time of event only). Outside of the festival dates, Florida-resident rates (through Nov. 30) begin at $127 per night.

Hot tip: Atlantic Avenue, with its mix of bars and restaurants, is particularly pleasant on a warm summer evening, as “The Avenue” is far less crowded than in the high season. Make sure to watch for happy hour specials.

Local attraction: “The summer time always has been the drive market, especially for us on the weekends. The gas prices will hurt or hinder, based on the distances people have to drive. We might get more people from Palm Beach County than maybe Orlando or Tampa or Naples,” said Jim Graham, director of sales and marketing. 

The Ritz-Carlton has a spa package that’s good through Sept. 15.

Michelle Bernstein’s restaurant overlooks
the ocean from the second floor of The Omphoy.

The Omphoy Ocean Resort

2842 S. Ocean Blvd., Palm Beach, 540-6440

The Omphoy Ocean Resort blends Palm Beach elegance and South Beach chic. Opened in 2009, the Omphoy has quickly become one of the top boutique hotels in South Florida. The Omphoy is offering a “Come for Dinner, Stay for Breakfast” package as well as a Florida-resident package that includes 20 percent off the standard rate plus continental breakfast for two. Their third night free package is $289 per night.

Hot tip: If the beachfront location weren’t enough, there’s Michelle Bernstein’s restaurant that overlooks the beach from the second floor of the Omphoy. The restaurant is open to locals and guests and is a great dining experience. Try the braised short ribs.

Local attraction: “Our traffic for the summer has to come from the state and it has to come from Georgia and South Carolina. We have guests now driving down from North Carolina,” said general manager Deborah Carr.

The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach

100 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan, 533-6000

The resort’s premier summer package is aptly named “Beauty and the Beach,” as it defines The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach. Valid through Sept. 15 and beginning at $379 per night, the package includes overnight accommodations in a guest room with a private balcony and a $200 credit per night to be used for treatments at Eau Spa by Cornelia. At 42,000 square feet, Eau Spa by Cornelia is one of the largest and most opulent spas in the Southeast, from its Self-Centered Garden to the rubber ducks in the men’s and women’s pools.

Hot tip: Don’t forget the kids. The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach has a terrific program for kids ages 5-12 called AquaNuts that features a dedicated playroom, computers, music and costumes. Programs change weekly and are offered in half-day and full-day options.

Local attraction: “Local travelers make up a large portion of our leisure travelers. As the rates become more favorable in the summer, we attract many guests as ‘stay-cation’ visitors.  It is a great opportunity for locals to experience the resort and all the amenities we offer,” said director of travel industry sales Tim Luksa. 

Rooms at the Seagate offer a zen-like feel,
with soothing neutral color pallettes. All photos provided

The Seagate Hotel & Spa

1000 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, 
665-4800

Delray Beach’s newest hotel is helping celebrate the city’s 100th anniversary with its Sweet Summer Savings package (through Sept. 30) that begins at $159 per night. The package, which includes pineapple-inspired spa treatments, food and cocktails, is a nod to the tropical fruit’s local historical significance. When Delray Beach was incorporated as a town, pineapples were the area’s primary crop. The Seagate’s Carefree stay package (through Dec. 22) begins at $199 per night and includes a three-course dinner in Atlantic Grille; breakfast in Etc. Café; and complimentary parking.

Hot tip: Want pampering? Try the spa’s Pineapple Plantation Mani/Pedi (80 minutes for $100). Your hands and feet are treated with a pineapple-infused mineral salt bath, pineapple enzyme exfoliation, Florida honey and pineapple mask and warm stone massage. Perhaps best of all, a complimentary piña colada also is provided.

Local attraction: “The locals are such a huge force in helping spread the word. When they have family coming from out of town to visit, they’re recommending the hotel. We certainly look to South Florida as being our primary market for visitors this summer.  So many of our guests are local, coming from places like Fort Lauderdale and Jupiter. They feel like they can get away and have gone hundreds of miles when they’re only 20 minutes from home,” said Kate Connor, director of sales and marketing.

Leah Sessa leads the cast of Entre’Act Theatrix’
production of How to Succeed in Business Without
Really Trying, which will be at Boca Raton’s Caldwell Theatre.

Photo provided

By Greg Stepanich

If the success of AMC’s series Mad Men tapped an unsuspected cultural ardor for the early 1960s, then it was inevitable that the era’s signature musical, 1961’s How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, should enjoy another revival.

Currently showing on Broadway with, of all people, Daniel Radcliffe as J. Pierrepont Finch (the original star, Robert Morse, now shows up on Mad Men), the Frank Loesser-Abe Burrows show that hymns a guy who can bring the “slam, bang, tang reminiscent of gin and vermouth” to his quest for the corner office is set for the Count de Hoernle Theatre from June 16-26.

The show is a production of Entr’Acte Theatrix, which was spun off from the Palm Beach Principal Players, as part of its new alliance with the Caldwell Theatre. This will be the fourth production for Entr’Acte, which has mounted Hair, Cabaret and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Next February, it will co-produce Cy Coleman’s City of Angels with the Caldwell.

Entr’Acte executive director Vicki Halmos said her company offers a next step for emerging thespians to get “real performing opportunities.”

“People who are launching a professional career need opportunities outside of school,” Halmos said. “In New York, nobody cares what you did in school. That’s why we called it ‘Entr’acte’: It’s the music before the second act. We wanted to create a résumé-building opportunity for young artists.”

The show stars Shane Blanford as Finch, an ambitious window-washer, and Leah Sessa as Rosemary, the secretary at the World Wide Wicket Company who falls in love with Finch and helps him advance. John Costanzo is J.B. Biggley, Erin Pittleman is Hedy LaRue, and Jeanne McKinnon is Miss Jones. The show will be directed and choreographed by Kimberly Dawn Smith.

How to Succeed features a cast of 22, and is good for Entr’Acte because most of it is non-age-specific, Halmos said. And its retro setting offers room for diverting stage business.

“We’re going to have some fun with smoking in the office, secretaries who take out their emery boards and do their nails, and office politics,” she said. “It’s all done with a great deal of fun, and very tongue-in-cheek.” 

There will be a dozen performances of H2S, as it’s sometimes called: 8 p.m. June 16, 17, 22, 23 and 24; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. June 18 and 25; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. June 19; and 2 p.m. June 26. Tickets are available by calling 241-7432 or going to the Caldwell box office at 7901 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton.

Since 1950, the Florida Artist Group has presented an annual exhibition of work by its members at spaces all over the state.

This year’s show is spending a couple months at the Cornell Museum in Delray Beach before heading to Maitland in September. Until June 26, visitors to the Cornell can see 84 drawings, paintings, and photographs by 60 artists from across Florida.

The local chief of the Florida Artist Group (Area II) is Cecily Hangen, an abstract artist specializing in geometric shapes, who runs the Hangen Thompson Gallery in Palm Beach.

“The purpose of the exhibit is to show the range of art all over the state,” Hangen said, adding that the Florida Artist Group, which was founded in 1949, used to sponsor a traveling Florida art show that toured the country.  “That’s why we have the title cards with each piece of art that tells what city they’re from.”

Showing concurrently with the FLAG show is Body Language, a collection of 32 watercolor nudes by Rowena Smith, an artist based in Tamarac and a signature member of the Florida Artist Group. The Smith exhibit can be seen in the Cornell’s upstairs gallery.

The exhibit at the Cornell Museum of American Art and Culture at Old School Square is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $6, $4 for seniors, and $2 for ages 5 to 12 (under 5, admission is free). Call 243-7922.

In February, West Palm Beach resident and noted dance photographer Steve Caras was on hand for the Kravis Center world premiere of See Them Dance, a documentary devoted to his work.

This month, Caras will be in the studios of WXEL-TV in Boynton Beach for the television premiere of the documentary, which will be shown during a pledge drive for the station. 

During pledge breaks, he will speak with documentarian Deborah Novak and WPTV-Channel 5 anchor Lauren LaPonzina about the film and his career. Those talks will be repurposed for pledge drives by other public TV stations showing See Them Dance. 

Caras joined the New York City Ballet as a teenager, and danced for 14 years under the tutelage of George Balanchine, perhaps the most important choreographer of the 20th century. 

While working for the NYCB, Caras began taking photographs of the dancers, and built himself an important secondary career as a dance photographer.

The show is set to air at 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 7, on WXEL-Channel 42.  

Greg Stepanich is the editor/founder of the Palm Beach ArtsPaper, available online at www.palmbeach
artspaper.com.

Bob Burnell, a Boynton Beach
police officer, offers dog training.
He said he always is looking to
learn ways to protect pets. Photo provided.

By Arden Moore

If your cat suddenly started choking, would you know what to do? If your dog suddenly collapsed, would you know how to revive his breathing?

In emergency situations, every minute counts. One of the most important ways to show how much you care for your pet is by being trained in pet first aid, CPR and safety.

Recently, I took that step and an even bigger one by completing hands-on training to become a certified instructor in pet first aid, CPR and safety. The course was taught by Pet Tech, the internationally recognized leader in pet CPR, first aid and care training. Since its inception, Pet Tech has trained more than 30,000 pet owners and 500 instructors. Homeland Security officials rely on this safety training program to train their dog handlers. 

Less than one week after graduation, I had to put my safety skills to the test. Chipper, my 60-pound golden retriever-husky, excitedly raced to the front door to greet one of my friends. Somehow, Chipper’s back right foot got caught in the rug. Her fast movement caused her to rip off one of her back nails. 

I heard a yelp and looked over to see Chipper limping my way with a trail of blood on my white tile. Quickly, I grabbed my pet first aid kit. We placed Chipper on her side and my friend kept her from wiggling. I elevated Chipper’s right back leg above her heart and placed one hand on her pressure point to slow the spewing blood. I then placed gauze pads on her wound. 

After the fourth gauze pad, the bleeding had stopped. I wrapped her foot and contacted my veterinary clinic to alert them we were on our way. 

My quick action kept this situation from becoming worse and the veterinarian praised me for my bandage-wrapping skills. Chipper’s foot was examined, re-wrapped and she was given a week’s worth of pain medications and antibiotics to hasten her recovery.

Whew! I am happy to report that two weeks after this incident, Chipper was able to participate in our annual Leash Your Fitness weekend camping trip that included an 8-mile hike. 

Thom Somes, the Pet Tech founder who is known as “The Pet Safety Guy,” has dedicated his life to saving pets’ lives. He shared this startling statistic in class: “According to a recent study by the American Animal Hospital Association, one in four pets who died after experiencing a trauma would have survived if they received pet first aid.”

He is on a mission to improve those odds. His classes are designed to help pet owners not only react to emergencies, but to be proactive in their efforts to keep their pets healthy.

Since graduation, I’ve become a more responsible pet owner to my dogs, Chipper and Cleo, and my cats, Murphy and Zeki. Once a week, I invest the time to slowly and thoroughly give each pet a full-body wellness assessment. I look and smell inside their ears and mouth. I glide my hands through their coats to look for suspicious lumps, bumps or cuts. I carefully examine each paw and in-between their toes for any issues. I look into their eyes to see if they are clear and free of mucous and not cloudy. I know how to take their pulse, check their breathing and more.

I jot down information for each pet in a two-page worksheet and date it. I’m prepared in case my pets start acting sluggish, lose weight or display other abnormal signs. Rather than guessing, I will be able to provide my veterinarian with accurate data, which may aid him in pinpointing the right diagnosis and administering the proper treatment. 

I hope that I never have to perform CPR on my pets, but I feel better able to act should an emergency occur.  I encourage you to enroll in a pet safety and wellness course taught by a Pet Tech-trained instructor. 

To find a trainer in your area, just visit the PetTech.net site and click on the instructor directory. 

In Palm Beach County, here are the Pet Tech instructors to contact to attend a class:

• Laura Kays: nopaws4concern@msn.com and 561-809-3213

• Bob Burnell: RobertBurnell@SitMeansSit.com and 561-543-5583

I was able to reach Burnell, a Boynton Beach police officer and professional dog trainer. As a former K9 officer, Burnell told me that he wanted to learn more ways to protect pets.

“With all the K9 handler and different dog training I’ve completed, dog first aid never came up, so I decided to take this (Pet Tech) instructor training,” says Burnell. 

In doing a recent monthly nose-to-tail wellness assessment on Kody, his 4-year-old Belgian Malinois, Burnell discovered a suspicious lump on his back. The tumor was surgically removed, biopsied and, fortunately, turned out to be benign.

“Our dogs look to us and if something is wrong and we don’t know what to do, we are letting them down and ourselves,” says Burnell, who presented a lecture on pet first aid at the Law Dog Conference held in Las Vegas in late May. “I feel like I have much more knowledge so that I can better respond to situations involving injured pets.”

And so can you. Play it safe; sign up for a Pet Tech class in your area and truly be your pet’s best friend. 

Download PetSaver App Got a smart phone? For $4.99, you can download the PetSaver app that provides instant access to pet health and safety with the push of a button and the swipe of your finger. Enter the code word: ARDEN. 

Arden Moore, Founder of Four Legged Life.com, is an animal behavior consultant, editor, author, professional speaker and certified pet first aid instructor. She happily shares her home with two dogs, two cats and one overworked vacuum cleaner. Tune in to her Oh Behave! show on PetLifeRadio.com and learn more by visiting www.fourleggedlife.com.

Ann Lloyd, a self-described beach bum, is a hotelier
turned author who lives in Boca Raton. She
wrote a book titled Vodka on My Wheaties,
available locally at Hands in Delray. Photo by Tim Stepien

By Mary Thurwachter

People say Ann Lloyd is colorful. But, really, “colorful” is too dull a word for the 81-year-old former hotelier turned author. 

By her own account, she is “an eccentric Auntie Mame type” who began penning her autobiography when she was 62 while living in a porcelain-lined trailer (or, as she calls it, her rectangular bubble) because of a strange immune disorder that kept her from functioning in the real world.

Lloyd has been married three times, widowed twice and divorced once. Her first husband died in a car accident, her second in a plane crash she witnessed from the shoreline of their Bahamas resort. Her final marriage was a business arrangement that lasted a few years. 

She lived in the rectangular bubble for 10 years and says her doctors didn’t think she would ever be able to leave. But she did, and, while she still struggles with an out-of-sync immune system, Lloyd is anything but a downer. She is funny, upbeat and never, ever dull.

Her first husband, a favorite graduate student of her professor father, was a drug-store chain executive twice her age. 

Like her mother, Lloyd showed artistic talent at an early age and had her photographs displayed in the Cleveland Museum of Art when she was 19.

Lloyd and her second husband had a popular scuba diving resort called The Lloyd’s in the Bahamas  (Spanish Wells) for 15 years. During that time, she got to know many characters on the island and a whole slew of celebrities and other famous folks who came to stay. 

In fact, there were so many famous people (Raymond Burr, Bela Lugosi, Dr. Benjamin Spock, Lloyd Bridges, to name a few) in her life she included a celebrity index in her book, Vodka On My Wheaties (available at Amazon.com, various book stores and Hands Office Supply in Delray Beach), which she finally had published last year at the urging of family and friends. 

She worked as a real estate agent in Miami, operated a tavern in North Miami and was as a volunteer Job Corps supervisor to help women find employment. 

Over the years, Lloyd battled alcoholism and allergies. She has been very wealthy, but lives on less now.

“When I was very well-to-do, I found that money gave you power, but not love,” she said. “Now that I have less, I’m happier than ever in life.”

One source of her happiness, she said, is her family. She has three children nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Because she was an only child, she grew up around adults. She enjoyed childhood through her children, she said. “I could be naughty,” she laughs, “but we had fun.”

And about that book title, what does she mean? Has she actually ever poured vodka on her cereal?

“I like to keep people guessing about that,” Lloyd says. “I have put vodka on stewed tomatoes. The title came up in the 1960s in the restaurant (at the resort). Someone said I should write a book and I said I already had the title: Vodka On My Wheaties.”

Q. Where did you grow up? 

A. I was born in Sheboygan, Wis., but grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.  I was an only child and an adult from the time I was born, because I was always around adults. 

I married at 18. I ran off with my father’s graduate student. They were both art collectors. We were married three years before he died in an automobile accident. At 21, I was a widow with a baby.

Q. What is a highlight of your professional life? 

A. Building from scratch a skin-diving resort in the Bahamas.  I had a good business head and became a well-known hotelier. 

Q. Were you always a good writer? 

A. I never kept a diary, but I have always been a detail person. That gave me problems with proofreaders who always wanted to cut sentences short. I sent letters to my parents describing people on the islands and my mother saved them. I never found them, but I remember the stories. My parents loved the letters and the long, descriptive sentences.

Q. How did you choose to make your home in Boca Raton?

A. I needed to live by the ocean for my health. It’s so good for my immune system and allergies. I’m not a “Boca babe” though, not loaded with jewelry or a big fancy hairdo. I don’t need all the props.

Q. What is your favorite part about living in Boca Raton?

A. I’m a beach bum.  I go out to the beach at 6:30 in the morning for a few hours and then again at night for a while. 

The Boca beach I go to (almost at the Broward County line) is one of the best around. It’s not crowded, not a lot of people with suntan lotion. And it’s quiet.

Q. How would you describe your writing style?  

A. Wordy with character studies. I speak to my readers and people like that.

Q. What is your Vodka On My Wheaties about? 

A. It’s about everything. My life. I let it all hang out. Trust me, there are no secrets.

Q. If someone made a movie of your life, who would you like to play you and why? 

A. My family says Reese Witherspoon would be good.

Q. What music do you listen to when you need inspiration? When you want to relax? 

A. I like a Viennese waltz, Johann Strauss and Madama Butterfly. I have arias I like.

Q. Do you have a favorite quote? 

A. I like my mother’s quote regarding politics: “The insane are running the asylum.” Also: “There are no martyrs, only volunteers.” 

Joe Fiori of Joe’s Cigar Lounge in Delray Beach
says Cuban cigars have a mystique but they’re not
as good as those made in Honduras, Nicaragua
or the Dominican Republic.  Photo by Lauren Loricchio

By Jan Norris

Smoke shops are stocking up for Father’s Day — one of the hottest (no pun intended) day for cigar sales.

With hundreds of brands and styles to choose from, and cigars priced from $3 to $40 a “stick,” it can be a smoky maze to thread choosing the right cigar for Dad. But local tobacco and cigar experts are ready with advice for cigar buying.

First, is there a proper way to give cigars? “There is an etiquette involved,” said Bob Leone, of Crown Wines and Spirits in Boynton Beach. “You really never give just one cigar — give two at minimum. Whenever I give cigars, I bring a handful.” A gift box of five is a good start if you’re not sure if Dad will like them.

How about matching spirits with cigars? Leone said that’s easy. “With a single-malt scotch — I drink Macallan 12-year-old — I’d match it with an Ashton VSG. It’s Ashton’s top line, a Cuban-style cigar,” he said.

For bourbon, he recommends Knob Creek, and because of its sweeter taste, a Romeo and Juliet Reserva cigar. The same cigar works well with aged rum, too, such as Ron Matusalem 15-year-old. The cigar is a Cuban recipe in Dominican production, he said.

Over at the Cigar Connoisseur, a cigar shop with full liquor lounge in Delray Beach, manager Matteo Fronzaglia recommends buying dad a handpicked sampler box of several cigars, especially if you don’t know his exact brand. “I’d get a range of five cigars — different sizes, flavors and wrappers. It could range from $55 to $100,” he said.

Matching dad’s interest to a cigar is one of his specialties. “For a golfer, look for a bigger ring gauge and longer smoke to last on the course. I’d go with a Churchill or Corona size; it takes about an hour to smoke. For a fisherman or motorcycle rider, though, you want a Robusto — something they can toss away if they get a fish on or they have to leave suddenly. It’s a quicker smoke,” he said. A fine wine drinker would appreciate a Maduro-wrapped — darker, more robust flavored, in a Churchill size — a long, strong smoke to be enjoyed with a good wine.

What about Cuban cigars? Joe Fiori from Joe’s Cigar Lounge in Delray Beach said the Cuban cigars, which still carry a mystique, really aren’t as good as those now produced in Nicaragua, Honduras or the Dominican Republic. 

“Everybody wants what they can’t have, right? Cubans did produce the best cigars before the embargo. But today, the agriculture is better in the countries the Cubans fled to. They took their tobacco seeds with them and are making the same cigars in their new countries.”

He recommends that neophyte cigar buyers trust the tobacconist.  “It’s all about putting the person in the right cigar,” he said. “Do they prefer mild, medium or more robust flavor? Cigars from a certain region? Knowing their style helps; knowing their brand is even better.”

Lisabeth Bracho, co-owner with her husband, Eduardo Garcia, of Puros Cigars in Delray Beach, enjoys cigars herself. “I can tell you what the cigar is like, because I smoke, too.”

Premium cigars like Padron, Montecristo, Maduro, Kristoff, Macanudos, Oliva and La Gloria Cubana are big sellers at her shop, she said. 

These are among the top names in cigars, and are from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. “The Northern tourists like Cohibas, but locals have different tastes,” she said. But for unsure buyers, she stays middle-of-the-road with recommendations to be safe. “We try to give a medium-bodied cigar with a medium wrapper.

The darker the wrapper, like a Maduro — almost black — the bolder the flavor.

Like other shops, hers carries humidors ranging from $29 for 20 cigars, to those holding up to 160 cigars for $179. “They’re beautiful,” she said, and have hydrometers to measure humidity and temperature properly.

At his full tobacco shop, Bennington Tobacconist of Boca, owner James Bennington offers full lines of cigars and smokers’ accessories. He carries travelers’ humidors — small hard-case carriers that contain a humidifier packet. 

Davidoff cigars, which sell for around $10 each, are among his most popular. “Those are premium cigars; the Arturo Fuentes are ‘everyday’ cigars that are my best sellers. Both are from the Dominican Republic.”

His whole line of humidors, ashtrays and cutters also make good gifts, ranging from $150 to $2 for a simple cutter. Gift boxes, with a group of cigars plus a cutter also are available during Father’s Day.        

Cigar facts

• Cigars aren’t returnable to shops because there’s no guarantee the buyer has kept them properly upon leaving the shop’s humidor. 
•  Cigars are mild, medium or robust in flavor. They are sized from small, medium and large and burn from relatively quickly to up to 90 minutes. Decide how much time dad can commit to a smoke to help choose.
• All cigars need to be cut; a cutter and an ashtray are inexpensive gifts.
• Cigars must be kept properly — never in the refrigerator and never in the heat. A home or travel humidor is another good gift.

Ron Arflin, right

How congregations go about appointing a successor minister is a question prompted by the popular Rev. Dr. Ted Bush’s recent retirement.
“After 27 years of tremendous leadership, First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach has embarked on the daunting process of finding someone who can fill his big shoes,” says Rob Tanner, head of the pastor nominating committee.
Ron Arflin, chaplain at Abbey Delray South, knows just how daunting a process.
“That used to be my job,” said Arflin. “I worked with congregations in conflict resolution and helping to find new pastors with about 55 congregations in northern Virginia.”
Arflin, co-president of the Delray Beach Interfaith Clergy Association  ran down the myriad hurdles: Background checks. Reference checks. Phone calls. Interviews. Hearing the person speak, “so that you get some idea of the skills in that area.” More interviews.
Later, invitations to conduct the Sunday worship service, have a cookout with the youth of the church or “whatever might be a chance for people to meet the person.”
A week or so more to digest, then a decision. Arflin advised requiring a certain percentage of the participants to agree at a church meeting — anywhere from 85 percent to 90 percent — rather than “have people debating whether you ought to be there or not from the very beginning.”
Along the way, particularly following a pastor who was beloved, “Allowing people a chance to move through the grief process,” he said. “To make a healthy decision takes time, and it takes deliberate acts to move to that time.”
Our area churches employ permutations of those steps:
• The Rev. Joanna Gabriel served for five years as an assistant minister at Unity of Delray.
When Unity Light of the World in Miami Gardens lost its minister, she was among the guest speakers for many months before becoming their permanent minister last September.
More typically, she said, “The Association of Unity Churches keeps a database of ministers, with their resumes, and a database of churches,” allowing the association to facilitate mutual contact and, hopefully, matches made in heaven.
• At Boynton Beach Congregational United Church of Christ it took a seven member search commitee fifty-nine meetings and much prayerful consideration over a two-year period to vet the approximately 60 profiles of available ministers provided by the National Conference of Congregational United Church of Christ in Cleveland, Ohio.
After making their decision the individual was brought with her spouse to preach a sermon and learn about the congregation.
“We are pleased that our unanimous choice has been accepted with enthusiasm. We feel the Rev. Georgia Hillesland serves our needs,’’ said June Finke the chair of the search commitee.
• “Every Christian Science church has two Readers,” said Donna Brueggman of the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Delray Beach. “Every year on the second Thursday in February, we hold an election for our First and Second Reader. Those elected begin their term as Reader the first Sunday in April for a year.”
How’s that for democratic process?
At First Presbyterian, said Tanner, “Our church members have recently completed a survey that has developed input for the important church information form.
“The CIF will be our announcement to the Presbyterian world we are searching for a senior pastor and this document defines who we are as a church and what we seek in our next leader. “
With the Presbytery’s approval the committee can place the CIF on the Church Leadership Connection to begin matching applicants to the church’s requirements.
“The role of senior pastor requires strong positive characteristics that are so much more than just having preaching skills or having deep biblical knowledge or having strong relationship skills,” said Tanner.
“Pastors in today’s Christian churches are challenged by social and economic issues that require that special person who will have the dynamic ability to develop with us the future vision to keep and expand our deep tradition as ‘the Community Church by the Sea.’”
    C.B. Hanif is a writer and inter-religious affairs consultant. Find him at www.inter
faith21.com.

By Margie Plunkett

The Friends of the Library in Boca Raton want a bigger footprint for the new public library than initially proposed and are willing to give the city a $250,000 gift to do it.

The gift will support 1,250 more gross square feet — 800 net after space for walls, mechanical and restrooms are factored in — and the Friends want it to be used to increase the used-book store in the planned facility to 1,600 square feet from 1,200. The balance of the added space would be used to enlarge the library’s multipurpose room.

“It has always been our intent to buy additional space and not to provide an additional burden to the city of Boca Raton,” said Judith Teller-Kaye, the Friends’ liaison to City Council.

Teller-Kaye made it clear that if the library wasn’t made bigger, the Friends wouldn’t donate the money. 

“It is a gift contingent on enlarging the footprint of the library, to increase the size,” she said, explaining the money came to the Friends as a bequest. “We believe the city of Boca Raton is entitled to a larger library.”

Ian Nestler of architect design firm PGAL gave an overview of the library, showing off a 40,000-square-foot proposal that sits on the corner of Second Avenue and Fourth Street to give it a more urban setting . 

Cost of the building is about $200 per gross square foot.

The library, which houses children’s, youth and adult book collections, will have parking for 200 cars, a covered front entry with a drive-up book drop and a community park on the east side. 

The building takes advantage of the “wonderful light to the north,” Nestler said. The facility is organized on a diagonal that cuts from end to end to bring in the light, he added. 

The area with the bookstore and multipurpose room is in the vicinity of an entrance and can remain open even when the rest of the library is closed.

The Friends are working with the city to provide an operating agreement that would protect the city on providing income from the bookstore on an ongoing basis.  

                                            Ú

The city has received a draft permit from the Department of Environmental Protection to trim sea grapes in four locations on the north part of A1A, City Manager Leif Ahnell told the council on April 26.   

The project drew concern of the DEP, which feared that cutting back the sea grape would allow light that could affect turtle nesting.

The process is not yet complete, however. The city still needs to get some comments back to the DEP, Ahnell said, and a final permit must be advertised and public comment collected. The project is budgeted at up to $750,000. If there’s no protest, and the permit is issued, Boca Raton cannot begin the work until after turtle season has ended in the fall, he said.     

             — Margie Plunkett   

By Thom Smith

The recently revived and moved Elwood’s in Delray Beach (301 NE Third Ave.) seems to be hitting its stride — barbecue with a Virginia accent and a strong weekend lineup up of regional bands and the occasional national act, including The Dillengers and the HepCat Boodaddies and Johnny Ray’s ‘Elvis Thursdays.’ The locals get their shot on Open Mic Wednesday. Take H2O (above). That’s H as in Steve Hull and two Os, as in Billy and Bobby, the Ott twins. They play jazz. Bass player Hull and drummer Bobby live in Boca Raton. Keyboardist Billy calls Delray Beach home. They’re all pretty much retired, enjoying life and playing music for fun. And a plus for Elwood’s, they have a following: the loafer, khaki and buttondown crowd from beachside. Photo by Jerry Lower

Casey Cole (left), Timolin Cole and Jeff Josephson of Raymond Lee Jewelers in Boca Raton talk as guests arrive for the unveiling of a Diamond Horn Signature Pendant that was unveiled for the Nat King Cole Generation Hope Foundation. The organization supports music education in public schools and build awareness about the lack of funding available to those really need it. Photo provided

Forget Iowa. No way, New Hampshire. The 21st century spawning ground for presidential politics is Florida. Don’t be surprised if someday the Oval Office is renamed the Orange Office, which would be quite apropos if, by some quirk of the cosmos, one particular political noisemaker should take over. 

As in Donald Trump. He continues to toy with the media and the American people, some of whom believe all this candidate talk is a ploy to boost ratings on Celebrity Apprentice and some who really believe he would make a great president. 

Precedent? At the state level, we’ve had wrestler Jesse Ventura in Minnesota, terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger and “Gipper” Ronald Reagan in California. But no one has become president without holding some office before. 

Europe has its version of the Donald. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi made millions in real estate and then in the TV business, although Berlusconi is short (5-5, Trump is 6-2), and Trump isn’t saddled with a sex scandal. Berlusconi had hair transplants; Trump, well … 

The Donald plows ahead, adhering to the philosophy that you can say what you want about him, just spell the name right. He doesn’t hesitate to steal the spotlight from anyone, be it Rep. Allen West at a Boca Tea Party rally or taking credit for forcing President Obama to produce his “long form” birth certificate. 

So is he running, or isn’t he? He won’t fess us, but on at least two recent occasions at his Mar-a-Lago — a true gem of Trump’s remaking — eyewitnesses claim he requested presidential introductions.

Just before taking the stage at a March charity gala, Trump read over the master of ceremonies’ printed introduction, nodded a couple of times, then struck through the last sentence with his pen and wrote, “next president of the United States.”

At the April 15 Palm Beach Centennial kick-off reception attended by Gov. Rick Scott and Tea Party backer David Koch, he suggested to organizers that he be introduced as “the next president of the United States.” 

Questions are being raised about Trump’s draft status and the absence of military service during the Vietnam War, his truthfulness about his wealth and his endeavors in pushing for Obama’s birth records. He’ll have to come clean soon, or the advice offered by a former president could ring true: “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”  — Abraham Lincoln.

 Steffi Graf arrived on the international tennis scene just as Chris Evert was leaving, so tennis aficionados never saw them prime against prime. But come November, we’ll be able at least to see them on the court again. Graf, now married to Andre Agassi and mother of two, has committed to play in the Chris Evert/Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Classic, Nov. 11-13, at the Delray Tennis Center. It’ll be a class act.

Also on the bill: Scott Foley of The Unit, Cougar Town and Grey’s Anatomy fame. (www.chrisevert.org).

A month shy of her one year anniversary as executive director, Beth Johnston left her post at the Greater Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce. She’s coming to Boca Raton, where she will be the chamber’s executive vice president. 

The Boca job came about after discussions with Troy McLellan, president and CEO of the Boca Chamber and someone Johnston, who worked for the Delray Chamber for 11 years prior to taking the Lake Worth job, has known for a long time. 

Boca’s Wall of Recognition is shining a little brighter these days after the May 3 addition of Alyce Erickson, Mary and Harold Perper and Jamie Snyder. The wall, presented by the Boca Raton Historical Society, is under the Mizner statue at Royal Palm Place.

Erickson has immersed herself in Boca since the early ’80s, with leadership roles in the Children’s Museum, Lynn University, American Red Cross, Florida Symphonic Pops and more. The Perpers supported numerous charitable organizations and recently funded the “mildly ill clinic” at Florence Fuller Child Development Center. Snyder, known well for her leadership and vision for downtown redevelopment in the ’80s and ’90s, led the redevelopment of Sanborn Square, the adoption of a beautification plan in the mid-’80s, and was the driving force behind Mizner Park.

Could be the No Football League this fall if the owners and the players union don’t cool off.

Meanwhile, the players have no choice but to stay in shape, and a couple of tons of them are working out together in Delray Beach. They’re also planning to do something to put the community in better shape with “Grid Iron Greats Blitz Delux” at Delux nightclub at 6 p.m.May 26.

 Organized by Prep and Sports Inc. and Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Brandon Flowers, who played high school football at Atlantic High, the bash will feature several NFL stars and hopefuls as celebrity bartenders. They’ll compete for tips and guests will bid for “dates” with the players. Donations will go to the academic and educational programs of Prep and Sports, which helps high school athletes in Delray, Boca and Boynton improve their physical and academic fitness.

The Blitz is a kick-off event for Flowers Charity Weekend of comedy, bowling, a 7-on-7 high school football tournament and other events from July 7 to July 10. (www.prepandsports.org)  

On a sizzling Wednesday evening when the food could have cooked without additional heat, CR Chicks’ co-founder Rick Davis made sure the food stayed hot for SunFest’s VIP guests: tossed salad or slaw, the legendary mashed potatoes, a crispy roll, a brownie, a cookie and, of course, a quarter of barbecued chicken. Customers have been wolfing it down for two decades, so the SunFest crowd knew what to expect. 

CR Chicks’ seventh and newest store, however, has been a surprise for Davis. Nestled in a row of easy access eateries in The Commons, just east of Boca’s Town Center, it’s the first Chicks rotisserie south of Boynton. It opened last September, and Davis will be the first to admit, it wasn’t an overnight sensation. 

“It started off slow,” he said, “but gradually, month by month, it’s been building. But the thing that amazed us most is that most of the customers didn’t know anything about us.”

Chalk it up to insularity, a feeling that Boca is in its own little world. And when they do look beyond the city limits, Ratoneans first glance southward.

With three stores in central Palm Beach County and three up north, Davis says the company has no interest in leaving Palm Beach County. The one outside venture, in Stuart, closed in 2009 after seven years. 

“When we do something, it’ll probably be back up,” Davis said, “probably to Delray.”

Talent doesn’t guarantee success. Just a couple of months after he took leave from Taste, the much ballyhooed gastropub in Delray Beach, Allen Susser has closed his signature Chef Allen’s in Miami’s Aventura suburb. 

“I’ve loved every day I walked in the door. But this allows me to grow in other directions,” he told online food blogger and Coastal Star writer Jan Norris. The other directions for the Mango Gang founder and James Beard Award winner includes the Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. — he has six locations and is opening another in South Beach — and possibly a Brooklyn-style deli in west Delray. 

But in southern Palm Beach County, the trend seems to be two-for-one — two restaurants open for every one that closes. The latest announcement is the arrival in Delray of concept king Dennis Max. He’s taking over Susser’s old Taste space on Northwest Second Avenue and plans a June opening for Max’s Harvest. It’s a farm-to-table approach offering “clean, simple, unadulterated food” from local and regional growers and producers “that lets the land speak for itself.”

Max already has neighborly competition: Turkish owner Numan Unsal has converted an interior design shop into his first U.S. restaurant, and it’s garnering rave reviews. Sefa, which translates as “fare,” as in food and drink, shows a Mediterranean flair … and a fair price.

Tabbouleh, baba ghanouj, tzatziki, falafel, kibbe, kebabs, gyros, pasta, baklava and coffee done right, and the most expensive dishes on the menu are a mixed grill and Mediterranean dorado, both at $24. Most entrees, however, go for $14 to $18. Fridays and Saturdays, Unsal offers belly dancing … not with him, though, he’s in the kitchen. 

And for good measure, look for another high-profile addition to the Delray scene, as rumors have Angelo Elia setting up shop soon. Elia’s Casa D’Angelo has been one of the top-rated restaurants in Fort Lauderdale for more than a decade, and he’s building a similar reputation at a his Casa in Boca. (No connection to the since departed Cucina d’Angelo, late of Boca Center, or Café d’Angelo, on West Glades Road.) Now he wants to try the simply named D’Angelo, reportedly offering less pricey variants of his Tuscan specialties. Stay tuned. 

As if July couldn’t be any hotter, two shows at Mizner Park should boil the mercury in any thermometer. 

 The shows aren’t until July 13 and 28, but you’d be advised to get your tickets early. First up is Matthew Morrison, better known as Will Schuester on Glee. Long before his TV fame, he was making waves on Broadway in Footloose and Hairspray, and this month he’ll debut his first album, including a duet with Elton John. 

Two weeks later, Boca gets Selena Gomez. She’s not only earned two gold albums and enjoys a fervent following among Disney fans (She was in the Emmy-winning Wizards of Waverly Place), but she also is a UNICEF goodwill ambassador. Also on the bill, another Disney band, Allstar Weekend.

Thom Smith is a freelance writer. Contact him at ThomSmith@ymail.com

The city of Boca Raton recently transferred a significant archive of historical maps and photographs to the Boca Raton Historical Society to ensure their safekeeping and preservation. 

The maps and photographs have been scanned and added to the city’s database. 

The actual documents, which include original “linens” with hand-drawn ink maps, will be kept under archival storage conditions by trained professional staff at the Historical Society’s museum in Town Hall.  

The “linens” would have been used as a master to produce “blueprint” copies; today modern technology has eliminated their use. 

Besides the maps, some with a market value of as much as $1,000 each, the city has provided a copy of the scans for the Historical Society’s use. The scans themselves are of great value, as city staff has access to high quality large format scanners; the BRHS would otherwise have to pay a large sum to scan these oversized artifacts. 

Among the items are a circa-1938 property map showing the Spanish River Land Co. holdings (now the Boca Raton Resort & Club), a 1941 zoning map that shows the footprint of every structure in the then town limits (not many), and miscellaneous high quality aerial images. 

The transfer of this collection was made possible by Historical Society member and long time city employee Dick Randall, former mapping and design administrator for planning and zoning.  Randall recommended the scanning and transfer of this collection to eliminate the need for the constant handling of the fragile original items and to ensure their long-term preservation. “These maps document the amazing growth of our community and will be a significant resource for individual researchers and scholars in the years to come,”  Randall said.

Mayor Susan Whelchel agrees, “They belong at the Historical Society; what better place for them?” 

— Staff Report

Joseph Cannizzaro retired from marketing

and creates stone sculpture. Photo by Tim Stepien

See photos of Kneeling Enchantress as she is carved

By Ron Hayes

When he was finally satisfied with the effort, Joseph Cannizzaro called his wife.

“OK,” he told her, “I’m bringing it home. Get some Grand Marnier and we’ll have a little toast.”

His first sculpture arrived at their Highland Beach home covered by a pillow case.

“It’s a quirky thing,” he explains. “I never wanted my wife to see anything until it was done, so I’d always have an unveiling.”

Cannizzaro placed the draped sculpture on a table, his wife readied the Grand Marnier and — Voilà!

 “You did this!” Dolores Cannizzaro gasped.

Her husband, the retired vice president of worldwide marketing for Digital Equipment Corp., and estate agent for Lang Realty, had actually carved a sculpture that was … impressive.

“I was expecting a square or a triangle or something,” Mrs. Cannizzaro admits.

What she got was “Hope,” a female head of translucent white alabaster. Michelangelo’s reputation is secure. Donatello can rest in peace. But Joe Cannizzaro had created something anyone could be proud of.

Five years later, he’s just completed his fifth work, a Kneeling Enchantress carved from a 160-pound block of white marble, and proved once again that retirement can be both an end and a beginning.

For Cannizzaro, that new beginning began in a chance conversation with a fellow diner at the Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Boca Raton.

“This woman said, ‘I do stone sculpture at the Boca Raton Museum of Art,’ ” he recalls. “And I thought that’s something I would like to do.”

In 2005, he enrolled in the class, taught by William Reed.

“I didn’t know what I was going to do,” he recalls. “But Willie said just clean it up and see what comes out. It was kind of exhilarating. I think back to the block of stone I started with and what emerged and that really got my juices flowing.”

Next came Contessa, a nude in orange alabaster; then Isis, a head of black Belgian marble and Face, created from a triangle removed from the alabaster block that formed Contessa.

The work is slow and at times exhausting. Once a week, three hours each Thursday, Cannizzaro dons goggles, a dust mask and ear muffs and tackles the stone with chisels and files, a grinding wheel, a pneumatic air hammer.

“I’ve learned to be more patient,” he says, “and coming from a high-stress business environment, I’m not the most patient person. But you don’t want to go too fast. With clay, you can always add another piece of clay, but with this stone, it takes a long time to get to the image.”

His latest creation took two years, and when it was done, Cannizzaro held his now-traditional unveiling. This time, Dolores sent out invitations to about 20 old friends and on March 8, they gathered for drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

Kneeling Enchantress is another nude, with prominent derrière and a waterfall of thick, flowing hair.

He is, Cannizzaro admits, partial to the female form.     

“People tease me,” his wife laughs. “They ask if I posed for them. No way!”

All five are home now, on display in his waterfront living room and likely to remain there.

“I don’t think I’ll ever sell them,” he says. “I’ve put too much of my heart into each one of them. Maybe I’d do bronze castings sometime, but I get a little protective.”

He pauses to admire the Kneeling Enchantress.

“I like the way the rear
end came out,” he says.       

Leaving just in time to miss the really hot and humid months, not to mention the dreaded hurricane season? 

We will miss you — but we won’t forget to write. 

The Coastal Star publishes all year long, charging right through summer and into fall. 

Our intrepid writers and photographers will continue to keep a watchful eye on what’s new and important to you and your neighbors along the coast. 

If Boca Raton begins to trim sea grapes giving A1A residents a better ocean view, we’ll write about that.

If commissioners in Highland Beach have a change in heart regarding financial backing for the Lyric Chamber Orchestra, we’ll tell you all about it.

We will continue to be there to detail plans for Ocean Strand Park in Boca. And we’ll be there to report on whether or not Highland Beach will keep its temporary manager, rehire the one on paid leave, or bring in someone altogether different.

While we won’t be there to count every single sea turtle egg, or how many hatchlings make the march to the sea, we will write about the turtle season and what the folks at Gumbo Limbo are up to during the summer.

From parties and art shows, from fireworks and summer camps, we will have it covered. And, yes, if a hurricane crosses our path, you can count on us to report on that, too.

Readers often tell us that The Coastal Star is like a newsy letter from a dear friend. To keep those letters coming while you’re away, just sign up for a summer subscription and we’ll mail them to you. You also can find us online at www.thecoastalstar.com.

And, speaking of gone for the summer, you may notice that the Palm Beach ArtsPaper is on a hiatus, too, until the season preview comes out in October. 

In the meantime, ArtsPaper editor Greg Stepanich’s arts column will appear in The Coastal Star. You also can keep up with the arts scene online at palmbeachartspaper.com. 

                                                                       — Mary Thurwachter, Managing Editor