Barbara Schmidt says she tries to follow
the advice of Gandhi: ‘Be the change you
want to see in the world.’ About 10 years ago, she founded
a philanthropic organization called Spirit of Giving. Photo by Tim Stepien

By Linda Haase

As a kid, Barbara Schmidt was mesmerized by the classic Wizard of Oz. It wasn’t just the amazing Technicolor that captivated her: She was enthralled with Dorothy’s kindness, the way the precocious girl uplifted others’ lives, convincing them they were smart, courageous and loving. And, she proved how powerful a united group — even a small one — could be.  

Even at 5 years old, that message resonated with Schmidt. And that’s how she lives her life today. Now 54, the Boca Raton philanthropist certainly knows how to motivate and connect people. 

About 10 years ago, she founded the Spirit of Giving, a nonprofit organization that now unites more than 50 nonprofit groups focused on helping children and families in South Palm Beach County. 

“One of my biggest passions is that we are all united. We are such amazing human beings and we are so much alike. We tend to focus on our differences, but we need to focus on our likenesses,” she explains. “The Spirit of Giving has been an incredible way for nonprofits to work together, sharing ideas and resources.”

Schmidt also is very involved with Florida Atlantic University’s Peaceful Mind/Peaceful World Lecture Series, designed to “promote discussions and an understanding of the challenges individuals face as they seek peace within their own lives and in their communities.” 

Schmidt follows Mahatma Gandhi’s advice: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” 

She and her husband, Dick, who were married in 1992, also are very involved with the Schmidt Family Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to helping people here and abroad. “Our mission is to give people a hand to help them get started,” she explains. (Dick, a longtime Boca Raton resident, is also chairman of the board of directors of Boca Raton Regional Hospital, among other charitable endeavors.)  

Barbara Schmidt, who has lived in Boca Raton since 1992, takes time to balance her life, with pilates, yoga, walking for exercise, boating, snorkeling, skiing and watching movies with Dick and friends for relaxation. “I stop every day — and breathe — and think — and meditate. Everyone needs to have a quiet reflection of their day,” she believes. 

As a girl growing up in Chicago, Schmidt spent a lot of time with her grandparents. So her grandfather’s tutelage in all things plumbing helped her immensely when she owned and operated six McDonald’s franchises between 1979 and 1996. She started her McDonald’s career when she 14 and was promoted to manager at 17.

She looks back fondly on her days under the Golden Arches, recalling it as a rewarding and wonderful part of her life, but as a vegan now, she no longer eats there. But, it was a great learning experience, she says. And one that she shared with her daughter, Michelle, who is now 25. 

From an early age, Michelle learned that “no matter what life throws at you, you have ability to handle it.” To this day, says Schmidt, “Michelle is very resilient. She always has said when you are given lemons, make lemonade. She has great faith and trusts that the next thing that happens is what she needs even though it wasn’t what she expected.” 

It’s the unexpected that makes life interesting, Schmidt believes. “I look forward to the unfolding of the seeds that have been planted. Life unfolds so beautifully when we aren’t expecting it.”                       Ú

By Steve Plunkett

Perhaps the timing was wrong.

Heirs to Marco Musa Holdings Ltd. asked the town to reduce a $47,000 code enforcement fine the same month commissioners moved to resurrect the Code Enforcement Board.

At issue was the oceanfront residence that used to be at 3719 S. Ocean Blvd. Musa bought the property in 1999 for $1.7 million, according to county property records. By 2008 the home was assessed at $4.2 million, but was also racking up a code enforcement fine of $250 a day.

Commissioner John Pagliaro, who spent eight years on the enforcement board, reviewed the history of the violations. On March 19, 2008, the board gave Musa 30 days to replace siding, add railings to open balconies and replace windows and roof shingles.

Instead Musa decided to tear the building down at a cost of $15,000. But it took until September to complete the demolition. 

“Mr. Musa did do the things to come into compliance,” Musa Holdings attorney Daniel Taylor said. “But this wasn’t clipping the hedge or the grass or something with landscaping. This was a very big project with a couple of agencies and what have you. … It would have been impossible to comply within the 30 days.”

Taylor asked that the fine be slashed to $5,000.

The request did not sit well with town commissioners. Pagliaro noted the town clerk had checked cases of code violations back to 2007.

“Would you find it hard to believe that not one violator, not one violator, did not pay the fines that were due over that period,” he said.

Louis Reidenberg, who chaired the enforcement board at the time, also argued against lowering the fine. 

“Much time, energy and effort was spent by the Code Enforcement Board to deal with that issue, and to simply disregard it would denigrate the necessity or the opportunity for the Code Enforcement Board to exist in the first place,” Reidenberg said.

Commissioner Doris Trinley wondered why the company had not sought a code reduction years ago.

 “From the info available, it appears Marco Musa Holdings Ltd. has complete and utter disregard if not outright contempt for the town codes and the Code Enforcement Board’s findings of violation of the applicable codes involved. A figurative nose-thumbing,” Trinley said.

She also noted that the town’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report listed Marc A. Musa as paying the most property taxes in Highland Beach, on property assessed at $10.5 million, and Marco Musa the 10th-highest, with property valued at $7.1 million. 

“So I don’t think we’re dealing with poor folks here,” she said.

Vice Mayor Miriam Zwick, another Code Enforcement Board veteran, suggested shaving $2,000 off the original fine.

“It’s like people leaving a restaurant and leaving a dollar tip to show the waiter or waitress that they hadn’t done a good job. And I felt that the lawyers and the family of Marco Musa hadn’t done a good job,” Zwick said before voting with the rest of the commission to keep the full $47,000 fine.

The commission had first and second readings of an ordinance to bring back the Code Enforcement Board at their April and May meetings. They seemed pleased to learn that at least four former board members had applied to be on the revived board, as well as three other residents.

Mayor Bernard Featherman said it would not be a cookie-cutter-type board.

“It makes decisions and it makes it very clearly and helps people as well in our community. We have such smart people here in Highland Beach that we can draw upon,” Featherman said.

At the April workshop session he also urged commissioners to consider resurrecting the Financial Advisory Board, but having it meet quarterly instead of monthly.              Ú

By Steve Plunkett

The city’s attempt to settle a grassroots group’s lawsuit over the proposed Ocean Strand park lasted only one session.

Joe Pedalino, co-chairman of Keep Your Boca Beaches Public, said attorneys for Boca Raton and the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District asked his citizens’ group if they would object to having a 100- or 200-seat restaurant at the coastal site.

When the group replied “absolutely,” the lawyers said, “Then we’re reaching an impasse,” according to Pedalino.

The city filed a motion for a rehearing of the case, while the beach and park district filed a motion to intervene. Both were denied, City Attorney Diana Grub Frieser told City Council members at their late April meeting. 

“Fortunately or unfortunately, the courts in this country do not have to give explanations for things,” Grub Frieser said.

Keep Your Boca Beaches Public wants a special election on whether “development for private uses (including members-only beach clubs)’’ should be outlawed at Ocean Strand. The 15 undeveloped acres lie almost midway between Red Reef and Spanish River parks at State Road A1A and Ocean Strand Drive.

The judge has told Boca Raton to accept the group’s petition. Council members directed Grub Frieser to appeal the decision.

Meanwhile, the beach and park district and the city will have a joint meeting at 4 p.m. May 9 in the Boca Raton Community Center, adjacent to City Hall, 150 Crawford Blvd., to discuss Ocean Strand and other issues that affect both jurisdictions.

The beach and park district has also scheduled a special meeting May 23 to get its first report from Curtis + Rogers Design Studio Inc., its Ocean Strand consultants. By that time the firm will have spent eight weeks determining what engineering, environmental and geographical limitations its designers will face.

The initial report will not include a conceptual plan, said Robert Langford, the district’s executive director. “They will tell us what data they have accumulated,” he said.

After that, Curtis + Rogers will schedule meetings to get input from the public.

“There will be three or four of those [meetings]?” beach and park Commissioner Earl Starkoff asked.

“As many as needed,” replied Art Koski, the district’s attorney.

Keep Your Boca Beaches Public prepared a “vision” statement on what it thinks Ocean Strand should become: ‘’a park specifically designed to accommodate our citizens who are physically and/or mentally challenged.’’

The park would have a covered, central pavilion, wheelchair-accessible walkways and a wheelchair-accessible dock, the group said. A small parking lot would be open only to vehicles with handicapped permits. 

The public could walk to Ocean Strand along State Road A1A from lots in Spanish River and Red Reef parks and from metered spaces along Spanish River Boulevard or get dropped off at the pavilion.

Pedalino said group members released the statement because they feared city and district officials were trying to label them obstructionists.

The beach and park district bought the Ocean Strand property in 1994 for $11.9 million but never developed it. Penn-Florida Companies proposed a private cabana club there in late 2009 to complement a luxury hotel in Via Mizner, a $1 billion redevelopment project planned for downtown Boca Raton. 

Neighbors were surprised to discover the city’s comprehensive plan labels the parcel residential instead of recreational.                           Ú

By Mary Thurwachter

If you’ve ever enjoyed Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, you’ll want to thank Gordon J. Gilbert. He’s the fellow largely responsible for the center’s creation, although he’ll be the first to tell you that he had a lot of help along the way.

Gilbert was a science teacher at Boca Raton High School who shepherded his students “over to the ocean,” as he says, to study the tropical hardwood hammock which eventually became Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.

On May 21, Gilbert will be recognized at the Gumbo Limbo Golf Classic at Boca Greens Country Club.

Now 80, Gilbert says he’s received numerous accolades for his work. He never took on the project for the kudos, though. Science, he says, is his passion. 

Born in Ohio, Gilbert taught at Boca High School from 1965 to 1978, then continued with the school district as an environmental science teacher at Spanish River Park.

“Boca Raton was more environmentally concerned than many other cities,” he says. At his urging, the city took ownership of the 15-acre hardwood hammock in 1974. The nature center opened in 1984. Gilbert was the founding educator, director and its leading advocate. 

Has the nature center evolved the way he imagined?

“Better,” the octogenarian says. He still serves on the board of directors and visits the center often. His daughter, granddaughter and three great-grandchildren (who live in Tennessee) have been there many, many times, too, he says.

One of his favorite stories, he says, is the one he tells kids about how the gumbo limbo tree, one of many types at the center, got its nickname. “It’s sometimes called the tourist tree,” he says. 

“The first thing tourists do when they get here is to go to the beach. They stay way too long and their skin turns red and peeling — just like the bark of the gumbo limbo.”

                   Gordon J. Gilbert

Gilbert says there is a lot more history at the hammock than in any of the old buildings around. He speculates that Calusa Indians roamed the area hundreds of years ago.

Today, the center boasts nature trails, a 40-foot observation tower, aquariums, insect tank, butterfly garden and seasonal turtle walks. Kids of all ages continue to learn in Gilbert’s outdoor classroom. 

Had the city not bought the land in the 1970s as part of a $13 million beach property purchase for Red Reef Park, and transformed it into the nature center, “we’d have high rises.” Gilbert says. “We’d
have a concrete jungle here.”                                    

 IF YOU GO

Gumbo Limbo Golf Classic: Hosted by American Financial and the Advisory Practice of Swinehart, Shea & Associates, the event features a four-person scramble format, special events on the course, prizes, player gifts and box lunches. Proceeds benefit the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.

When: Saturday, May 21. Reegistration begins at 11 a.m., Shotgun Start at 12:30 p.m. Open Bar, 6 p.m. Gordon Gilbert Honoree Awards dinner, dance, entertainment, raffles and silent auction, 7 p.m.

Where: Boca Greens Country Club, 19642 Trophy Drive, Boca Raton

More information: Kevin Ludke, 954-551-1956

Online registration: www.tournevents.com/gumbo

Jerry Fedele took over as CEO of Boca Raton

Regional Hospital in 2008. This month, he will be

honored by the Chamber of Commerce  as Business

Leader of the Year. Photo by Tim Stepien

Boca Raton Regional Hospital has its own Undercover Boss — except, of course, he’s not actually undercover. Everyone knows Jerry Fedele is the president and CEO. And no one is filming his monthly stints doing all kinds of staff-level jobs, from housekeeping to working with dietitians or wheeling patients from X-ray to the lab.

Fedele, who lives along the ocean in Boca Raton, started the monthly workdays even before coming to South Florida. 

“I don’t have to wear a tie,” he says, when talking about working in various departments at the hospital. “I can learn so much from employees and it does affect decisions.”

While working as a transporter (at a previous hospital), taking patients to get X-rays or lab tests, he learned the importance of having enough wheelchairs. While staff had complained about the lack of wheelchairs, he didn’t see the need at first. But after working as a transporter, he returned to his executive office an ordered 80 wheelchairs on the spot.

To be a good CEO, a person needs honesty, transparency, ability to communicate, ability to connect with employee, a great team, he says.

Good management practices like that have catapulted Fedele, 58, to success. This month (May 19), the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce will honor him as Business Leader of the Year.

Fedele, 58, took the job in Boca in 2008 with a history of restructuring and improving financially challenged hospitals. Since he arrived, Fedele led an initiative that resulted in operations improvement of
$60 million over 18 months.  The hospital is consistently ranked among the top 5 percent of hospitals nationally and is ranked first in cardiac surgery, cardiology and stroke care in the state.

After college, he worked for an engineer contractor, but didn’t love it. That prompted him to go back to school, law school in his case. He ended up becoming valedictorian of his class. Still, Fedele insists he wasn’t always the smartest kid in his class.

“I worked harder than everyone else,” he says. 

He still works hard, starting at 7 a.m. and continuing until 8 p.m. at least three days a week.

His and his wife, Terry, have three grown children who are all in the finance business. Fedele tries to do something special with each of his children when time permits. Last year, he and his son Andy rode bikes from Prague to Vienna.  

“Going 15 miles an hour over seven days gives you a lot of quality time together,” he says. He treasures every minute of it. 

— Mary Thurwachter

Q. Where did you grow up and go to school?

A. Greensburg, Pa., a rural town about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh. Went to Hempfield High School, the University of Pittsburgh; B.S. in mathematics and an MBA, and a juris doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law.

Q. What prompted you to switch from the practice of law to running/saving financially challenged hospitals?

A. Opportunity: The biggest health care bankruptcy in U.S. history happened at a competing system in Pittsburgh. I put together a plan to remove four hospitals from bankruptcy and led a $140 mil-
lion turnaround when they needed a CEO.

Q. What are some of the highlights of your professional life?

A. The Pittsburgh bankruptcy where we saved four hospitals, made a $140 mil-
lion turn-around, and refinanced $750 million.

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

A. Great hospital with great opportunity to grow. Nice place to live.

Q. What do you like best about living in Boca Raton?

A. Community support, beach, climate.

Q. What kinds of things do you do in your free time?

A. Golf, photography, bike riding, college basketball fan.

Q. What do you see yourself doing five years from now?

A. Leading Boca Raton Regional Hospital to great success as the best hospital in South Florida for patients, visitors and employees.

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

A. ’60s rock, country.

Q. Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?

A. My dad for work ethic. A co-worker who taught me optimism. My first CEO boss, who taught me to shoot big.

Q. Who makes you laugh?

A. My three children: Kate, 27, Jeff, 25, and Andy, 23.

                                                                          Banana Boat, Boynton Beach

For more on renovations and changes to The Bridge Hotel in Boca Raton click here

By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley

Our area sports many fine as well as fun waterfront eateries. On the Intracoastal Waterway or the ocean, these restaurants offer everything from elegant dining rooms with sweeping views to docks that allow you to arrive by boat. 

With menu choices ranging from a Champagne brunch to surf and turf to a burger and a cold brew, there’s a place to sate every appetite. 

Need a last-minute idea for where to take Mom on Mother’s Day? 

One of these spots is sure to please (listed in alphabetical order; check for times and availability).

Banana Boat, 739 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach, 732-9400.

Fun and funky, this restaurant is known for offering an “authentic Florida experience.” And I admit it is one of the first waterfront restaurants I visited when I arrived in Florida 20 years ago. In fact, Banana Boat has been a family-owned restaurant since 1978.

Situated on the Intracoastal, the eatery’s inside seating and covered patio have water and boat-traffic views. Since there’s a 250-foot boat dock, many diners arrive by water to sample the simple but tasty fresh seafood, fun appetizers, sandwiches and cocktails, all at reasonable prices. Brunch is available 9 to 11 a.m. on Sundays.

Insider tip: Banana  Boat is brought to you by the same people who own Prime Catch in Boynton Beach (see below) and Fifth Avenue Grill in Lighthouse Point.

Carmen’s at the Top of the Bridge, Bridge Hotel, 999 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton, 886-4570, bocaratonbridgehotel.com

From its penthouse vantage point, Carmen’s at the Top of the Bridge offers sweeping views of the Boca Raton Inlet, Lake Boca Raton and the ocean. And it’s one of the few places that offers dancing. Come for dinner from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; dancing starts at 7 p.m.

There are many upscale dining options, including a prix fixe menu ($69 for two people buys three courses plus a bottle of house wine), an a la carte menu and a small-plates portion of the menu. Sunday brunch ($45 per person for a two-hour seating) with complimentary Champagne and mimosas is served 11 to 3 p.m. Reservations are required for dinner and brunch. 

n  Insider tip: For a casual meal, Water Colors Restaurant & Bar on the main floor is the perfect place to enjoy views of Lake Boca Raton and the Boca Inlet. The cooling blue and green color scheme makes this a soothing place to enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner or happy hour. “On Saturdays and Sundays it feels like everybody is here,” says executive chef Dudley Rich.

Deck 84 offers 10 slips for patrons to park

their boats, and there even is a spot for them to

clean their catches. The restaurant is in the former Busch’s Seafood

at Atlantic Avenue and the Intracoastal Waterway in Delray Beach. Photo by Tim Stepien  

Deck 84, 840 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, 665-8484.

A newcomer to downtown Delray Beach, Deck 84 is the work of Burt Rapoport, who is also known for Bogart’s Bar & Grille and Max’s Grille in Boca Raton, and Henry’s in Delray Beach. It’s located in the waterfront spot where Busch’s Seafood held sway for many years.

For those arriving by boat on the Intracoastal, there are 10 slips and even a dockside table to clean your catch. 

This restaurant features an indoor dining room done in exotic woods with orange and turquoise splashes. Some may think of it as a cool tropical color scheme, but Baby Boomers may think fondly of Howard Johnsons.

The place to be seated, however, is on the dog-friendly outdoor patio (reservations taken for indoor dining only). 

The menu features affordable casual American favorites. And there’s a Saturday (11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) brunch menu with options such as cinnamon and raisin French toast, a breakfast burrito and eggs Benedict. 

Dune Deck Cafe, 100 N. Ocean Blvd., Lantana. 582-0472.

Dine virtually on the beach under a cheerful striped awning at this Lantana tradition. Offering breakfast, lunch and brunch (7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Saturdays, Sundays and holidays), this is a fun and very casual place to enjoy the sand and sea. 

Subs, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs and a selection of entrees fill the lunch menu. Breakfast is heavy on eggs with homemade yogurt, French toast and pancakes also available. 

Insider tip: Beach attire is welcome as long as you wear a cover-up over your swimsuit.  Payment is cash only.

Latitudes Ocean Grill, Holiday Inn Highland Beach, 2809 S. Ocean Blvd., Highland Beach, 561-278-6241. 

We were surprised to find this beachfront hotel with its waterfront restaurant tucked between the condo buildings on A1A. 

Latitudes is a full-service, white-tablecloth restaurant with reasonable prices in the newly renovated Holiday Inn.  

The menu features steaks and seafood and the restaurant offers Sunday brunch from 10:30 to 2 p.m.
n Insider tip: For a more casual meal, try Cabanas at the hotel. It offers dining in a more relaxed outdoor setting overlooking the ocean. 

Michelle Bernstein’s at the Omphoy and MB Terrace, 2842 S. Ocean Blvd., Palm Beach, 540-6440.

Overseen by über-chef Michelle Bernstein, the surfside dining room is on the second floor of this boutique hotel.  

Open for dinner only, this restaurant offers a regularly changing menu that might include braised short ribs, Michy’s fried chicken, whole crispy snapper and Florida cobia. 

Portions are adequate but not large, and prices are what you’d expect at a chef-driven restaurant in a trendy hotel. 

n Insider tip: For Sunday brunch, served 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., visit MB Terrace on the first floor overlooking the beach and the water. Breakfast, a health-inspired lunch menu and tapas until midnight are available here, too. 

The Ocean Bistro, Four Seasons Palm Beach, 2800 S. Ocean Blvd., Palm Beach, 582-2800.

Overlooking the pool and the Atlantic Ocean, this bistro offers casual indoor and alfresco dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Those who rise early can enjoy the sunrise over the Atlantic. It’s a magnificent backdrop for your meal. On Sundays, a brunch menu that is a mix of lunch and breakfast items is available 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

During the more traditional lunch, the American light comfort food on the menu offers a range of family-friendly dishes, from sandwiches and salads to daily specials featuring fresh seafood and house-made pasta. 

Resort guests under the age of 5 can order complimentary meals from the Hatchlings menu.

n Insider tip: For a more relaxed lunch or dinner, visit the Atlantic Bar and Grill that’s virtually on the beach. It features poolside drinks and simple lunches with happy hour running Monday through Friday 5 to 7 p.m.

Old Calypso, 900 E. Atlantic Ave., No. 22, Delray Beach, 279-2300.

You can arrive by boat: There’s 5.5 feet of water at the Intracoastal dock even at low tide. 

Or, pull your car up to the door of the British Colonial-style restaurant that will have you thinking you are on a Caribbean island. 

The menu offers “tropical cuisine,” such as blackened dolphin, coconut shrimp, fried lobster tails and the “Best Damn Chicken” that’s roasted and served over potatoes. 

Saturday and Sunday an à la carte brunch is available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Old Key Lime House, 300 E. Ocean Ave., Lantana, 582-1889.

Old Key Lime House is one of our favorite places to arrive by kayak; it has a floating dock. But you can also get here by motorboat or even sea plane, according to the website. They’ll send a wave runner to pick you up.

 When you reach the dock, which is furnished with table swings, you’ll find this century-old waterfront restaurant housed in the second-oldest house in Lantana. 

Done in bright Caribbean colors with a thatched roof over the patio, Old Key Lime House offers cool beverages, fun food that’s heavy on seafood and a casual atmosphere. 

A small brunch menu is available 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Prime Catch, at Woolbright Road and the Intracoastal

Waterway in Boynton Beach, offers elegance with a view.  Photo provided

Prime Catch, 700 E. Woolbright Road, Boynton Beach, 561-737-8822.

Done in white and beige with touches of nicely finished wood and splashes of blue, this waterside restaurant at the Woolbright Road Intracoastal bridge feels pleasantly nautical. Although the dining rooms are attractive, your best Intracoastal views are from two patios out back.

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, providing steaks and fresh seafood, including lobster. There’s also a Sunday brunch menu served 11:30 to 3:45.

n  Insider tip: If you put the address into your GPS, it might send you to the east end of the Intracoastal Bridge. The restaurant is on the west side of the bridge on the south side of Woolbright Road. Look for the blue metal roof. 

Temple Orange, The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach, 100 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan, 540-4924.

Temple Orange is ideal to enjoy a meal any time of day.  

We hear that breakfast is executive chef Ryan Artim’s favorite meal and it shows in his extensive menu of fresh-baked goods, eggs, meats, fresh seasonal fruits and other tempting choices.
The light and airy atmosphere — both indoors and on the terrace — is also the perfect place to enjoy a lunch of Mediterranean salads, flatbreads, sandwiches and bento boxes.
At night, the white and bright orange décor of Temple Orange transforms into an inviting family-friendly restaurant offering local specialties.

n  Insider tip: For the best views, it’s best to dine at any restaurants along the ocean in daylight. 

After dark there’s not much to see, especially when protective turtle nesting lighting means beachside lights are dimmed May through October.

Tides Bar & Grille, Palm Beach Oceanfront Inn, 3550 S. Ocean Blvd., South Palm Beach, 582-5631.
The Tides boasts that it’s the restaurant that’s closest to the ocean in South Florida. 

Find out for yourself by enjoying yourself outdoors by the pool, indoors or upstairs on the sun deck.

Here you can order an all-American breakfast as you watch the sunrise. At lunch, choose from salads, sandwiches and wraps. And at dinner, the menu has a decidedly Italian accent. 

 Insider tip: For lots of pictures and virtual tours of the restaurant, be sure to visit its website.

In addition to its Boynton Beach location,

Two Georges also has a restaurant at The Cove in

Deerfield Beach. Photo provided

Two Georges, 728 Casa Loma Blvd., Boynton Beach, 736-2717.

A local landmark for 50 years, this mostly outdoor restaurant with a thatched roof and island décor offers a great view of the Intracoastal Waterway. 

It’s one of our favorite spots for a casual meal when driving A1A from Palm Beach to Broward County. 

Whether you arrive by boat or car, you will enjoy quality food in a relaxed atmosphere. 

Maryland crab cakes and fresh local fish are the house specialties.

n  Insider tip: Two Georges has another waterfront location, Two Georges at the Cove, 1754 SE Third Court, Deerfield
Beach, 954-421-9272.              Ú

Furniture in Carmen's at the Top has been spiffed up and the menu has been revamped

to include a selection of small plates and a prix fixe menu. Un Next: A new wine list. Photo by Tim Stepien

For a listing of 13 waterfront restaurants including those at The Bridge Hotel, click here.

By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley

Boasting views of the Boca Inlet, Lake Boca Raton and the Atlantic Ocean, the Bridge Hotel is undergoing over $2 million in renovations. 

“These changes are ongoing,” says Fran Bannon, who is director of sales and catering. “We’re attacking things as necessary but focusing on the creature comforts.” 

Water Colors, the hotel’s casual eatery, was gutted about a year ago and underwent a three-week transformation. 

It was totally redone, including new wicker-style furniture with sea green pillows and gentle floral upholstery on the newly installed banquette, new lighting, travertine marble flooring, an enlarged bar and oversized lime green Poggesi umbrellas for shade. 

The menu, reworked by executive chef Dudley Rich and his all-new culinary team, is heavy on fresh seafood, salads and burgers. 

Upstairs in Carmen’s at the Top, they’ve reconditioned the wicker furniture and upgraded the dance floor in the main dining room. And they’ve added new furniture and drapes to the private Starlight Room.

The menu laden with what Rich calls “country club fare” now also has a selection of small plates and a prix fixe menu. A new wine list featuring “wines of passion” will be available soon.

Other changes to the hotel include a totally redone lobby with chilly white accents, new carpet and paint in public corridors and a new air-conditioning system. 

Rooms have seen new beds, bedding, drapes and curtains, the addition of 38-inch flat-screen televisions and humidifiers as well as refinished walls. The hotel now also offers a do-it-yourself laundry.

In the conference rooms, there’s new carpet, artwork, furniture and drapes.

Coming soon, the hotel has plans for a boat dock that will wrap around the entire building and a retrofit and upgrade to the fitness center. 

“There may be only one or two other hotels in the country that have the potential like this property to become a four-star boutique hotel,” says general  manager Greg Kaylor.             Ú

A huge crowd turned out for the Further concert

in Mizner Park. It was the biggest event there since

the city took over last fall. 

Photo provided

By Tim Norris

As darkness drapes Boca Raton’s Mizner Park on this mild dusk in early April, the moon might reflect the mood best. Above a crush of fans and ticket-seekers and a line of traffic pressing past the amphitheater, it shows an upturned crescent, the smile of Alice in Wonderland’s Cheshire Cat.

A whole lot of others here are smiling, too, at fellow travelers and strangers alike, and in a way rarely seen since children of the ’60s counterculture slid flowers into the barrels of National Guard guns.

The cat may have disappeared; the smile stays. Keep on truckin’.

Two masters of a legendary band and their recruits are playing here, and they have brought with them a living signature of a generation: the Dead Heads.

This is the biggest event in the Mizner Park Amphitheater since city government took over its management last October, and the scene is, in Boca police officer Shawn Lyman’s words, “different for Boca, really different.” Just then, a young man with dragon tattoos and a handkerchief headband walks past, selling bongs made of coconuts and bamboo. No scent of dope, or even of cigarettes, follows him, though a cigar sends a pungent signal. No signs banning open containers show, either, though the city has outlawed them.

No hassles, man.

The band Furthur, formed in 2009 and named for the polychrome bus of writer Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters, is a vigorous vestige of the Grateful Dead, with Dead members Bob Weir and Phil Lesh at its core. Their cohort includes Jeff Chimenti, Joe Russo, Sunshine Decker and Jeff Pehrson.

This concert is the last of a four-stop southern tour, down from Hampton, Va. Furthur plans to cross the country this summer, bringing the band to St. Augustine in July. 

Across lawns straight east of the Mizner Park Amphitheater, where Furthur is getting ready to play, a portable love-in-and-let-me-get-in has broken out.

The scene swirls with out-springing hair, curling locks of henna and Rasta, and with flowered cotton maxi-skirts, bare chests and feet, mix-and-max many-looks, and with tie-dye to, well, dye for. Among a crowded row of vendor stands, nobody clutches at lapels or launches into a sales pitch or tries to look needy or wanty, and a horde of lookers and buyers slides easily through.  

‘Long strange trip’

On what once was called the “long strange trip,” this choice of stop might rank among the strangest. Boca Raton? Home of the country club showcase, of spammers and organized crimers, of the upscale strip mall? 

Tonight, the amphitheater and its area are the draw.

A hirsute middle-aged man is busking pale ale. A rug-for-sale reads: Grateful Dead, 36,086 songs, 2,317 concerts, 298 cities, 30 years, 11 members, one band. One stand offers Jerry Rolls, vegetarian egg rolls. 

A man in cut-offs strolls nearby, wagging $5 glow candles. “Get ’em while they’re hot!” he calls.

A young woman he passes shows off “Feathers For Ya Hair,” arrayed on a netted lyre, and they trade the eye-to-eye, gentle-smile greeting common to vendors. 

She also displays a popular gesture: an index finger lifted in the air. Need one ticket! 

The event has sold out, leaving many fans calling, “Extra tickets? Got extra tickets? I need tickets!” One man cries, “Does anybody have the miracle ticket?”   

That shared mantra, though, carries little stress. Most here seem to understand that the band’s live music will reach everybody nearby, ticket or not. Even a large company of dogs seems peaceful. “You wanna say ‘hi’?” a bearded guy in dreadlocks asks his St. Bernard, which happily noses a nervous terrier.

Among the large crowd, the overwhelming presence might be called I’m-straight-and-lovin’-it: plenty of men with short hair, much of it graying and going, and women in makeup and designer jeans. Their most renegade act in the last 20 years might have been parking that night in a neighborhood to the east along a lot marked “for sale,” to save the fee charged by downtown garages.

For anyone who came of age in the late ’60s and early ’70s and even into ’80s and ’90s, when the Grateful Dead and central figure Jerry Garcia still roamed the land, the event might seem a celebration, a museum piece, a carnival of good feeling, of mellow vibes, of memory. 

This was the jam band, receptacle of styles, avatar of convivial, in-the-moment innovation.

Furthur is, well, furthering that approach and energy. It can inform a lifetime. Phil Lesh, who has come through a liver transplant and prostate cancer, is 71. He looks, and plays, younger.

For the event’s planners and the Boca Raton Police Department and some residents, at least, the appearance is a test of authority and decency and order. Some locals are worried, officers say. “Boca hasn’t seen anything like this in a while,” Lyman says. 

Dead Heads have, for years. One long-time fan from Chicago recalls Grateful Dead concerts at Alpine Valley north of Lake Geneva, Wis., and the worry of residents there over the “hippie invasion.” He remembers fragrant clouds of marijuana smoke and fields of candles lifted by a forest of hands. He remembers a few angry naysayers and, even more, a general and overwhelming good feeling. He remembers, too, the profit made by locals selling food and renting their yards and fields for parking. Here, a sign at the very edge of the vending lawn reads: Preferred Parking $20.

Getting along

Can’t we all just get along?

All involved in Boca appear to pass this test with flying colors, and the colors flying most often are polychromatic swirls of tie-dye, earth tones of cotton and burlap, and the dark blue of police uniforms.

Alongside and amid the swarm, their black-and-white vehicles part of the scenery, the officers move easily, answering, directing, guiding. Containers all around are wide open, bottles of beer, ale, soda and spring water, bobbing amid ice in coolers, offered by single sellers and held in a multitude of hands, caps off, lifted to mouths. 

On the grassy median, behind see-through barriers, clusters of fans lean back into a line of chairs and chaises, waiting as if for a display of fireworks. On the grass nearest the amphitheater, a man sells tour T-shirts, tastefully tie-dyed, from stacks on his shoulders. 

‘So helpful’

“Those people with [shirts saying] Support Staff, they really were supportive,” she says. “So helpful.” 

There is no urgency in her approach. In fact, there is no approach. She seems happy for any attention, and she responds with welcome. She has a card and a website, but visitors have to ask for them.   

No one within view is busted or rousted. Now and then, even the police officers allow themselves a smile. 

Darkness deepens past 7:30, and from the amphitheater a galaxy of stage lights leaps on and up, to a swelling cheer from the crowd, ticketed and otherwise. Music throbs and sings and spills over the top of the seats, across barriers, through the clustered police officers and out among diners and couples holding hands at curbside. 

What’s so bad, a man in a “Let It Be” T-shirt says, about feeling good? He has, in his hand, an open, low-calorie
beer.                                     Ú

In Coasting Along, our writers stop to reflect on life along the shore.    

Clockwise from top left: Michael Serratore,

Nick Santa Maria, Kim Ostrenko and Kim Cozort,

in God of Carnage, at Caldwell Theatre. Photos provided

Ed Asner appears as Franklin D. Roosevelt in FDR.

By Greg Stepanich 

Early last month in downtown Delray Beach, one of America’s most important musical forms got a boost from a new partnership between arts-minded people who want to celebrate the history and future of jazz.

With veteran trumpeter Melton Mustafa and his quartet playing sets that included classic tunes such as Harold Arlen’s Somewhere Over the Rainbow, hundreds of guests snacked and sipped as they took in the music, an exhibit of photographs of jazz luminaries next door at the fledgling Jazzonian museum, and took a glimpse or two of Ken Burns’ documentary Jazz as it rolled by on another wall in the Arts Garage complex at 180 NE First St.

The Jazz Jubilee opening night marked the collaboration between Delray’s Creative City Collaborative and the Jazzonian, which is a jazz heritage museum founded in 2009 by Latin jazz flutist and saxophonist Bobby Ramirez. The ultimate goal is to establish the Arts Garage as a major home for jazz in South Florida, which should come as welcome news for the area’s substantial jazz community.

In addition to Mustafa, violinist Federico Britos and saxophonist Jesse Jones Jr. played the Garage in April. 

“We had great expectations that we would have 100 people with Melton, but at the very high end that night, we had 170,” said Calisha Anderson, marketing manager for the Creative City Collaborative. “So that definitely exceeded our expectations. But we said, ‘That was the first event, it’s the kickoff, let’s wait for the second one and judge it from there.’ ”

That second performance, the concert by Britos, sold out. “So that was a loud call from the public that there is interest in this kind of programming,” she said.

This month, there will be concerts on May 14 and 28, both featuring jazz vocalists, though the names of the South Florida acts weren’t available at presstime. 

Tickets for the concerts are $15. Visit  www.delraybeacharts.org, and enter “PB Arts” or “Coastal Star” to receive a $5 discount. Or call Anderson at 243-7129.

At the Caldwell: The French playwright Yasmina Reza has won two Tony Awards for her work, beginning in 1998 with Art, a look at three friends who argue when one of them buys a completely white painting and expects his friends to approve his costly purchase.

In 2009, she won again for God of Carnage, which has begun to get picked up at regional theaters across the country, including Boca Raton’s Caldwell Theatre, where it’s running until May 15. It’s a play about two couples who meet to discuss a playground fight between their two 11-year-old sons, and then end up behaving like beasts themselves.

The Caldwell’s mounting of the play stars Kim Cozort, Kim Ostrenko, Michael Serratore and Nick Santa Maria, and has been winning good critical notices for its spirited, veteran cast, its high laughs quotient and the technical wizardry that enables a humdinger of a projectile vomiting scene.

Another show that’s been getting decent notices across the country makes it to the Federal Highway theater on June 1, when veteran stage, TV and film actor Ed Asner arrives for seven performances of Dore Schary’s FDR, a one-man show about President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The shows run through June 5.

The 81-year-old Asner, long identified with liberal Democratic politics, has been performing the play — adapted from Schary’s Sunrise at Campobello — for a couple years now, all over the nation. While he doesn’t resemble the former president or sound much like him, many critics have found Asner’s portrayal compelling, and the play’s topics sharply relevant to our own time.

Tickets for God of Carnage range from $25 to  $75, and from $40 to $75 for FDR. Call 241-7432 or visit  www.caldwelltheatre.com for tickets.

Vickrey at Boca: Robert Vickrey died at his home in Naples on April 17, only nine days before a major retrospective of his work opened at the Boca Raton Museum of Art.

Vickrey was a master of the Renaissance technique of egg-tempera painting, which was superseded by oil painting in the 16th century, but which Vickrey revisited and expanded. 

The New York-born Vickrey was best-known for his earlier work, which often featured nuns, children, clowns and long, dark shadows, creating what many critics saw as a feeling of menace.

Vickrey was represented at the April 28 opening of the exhibit by William Meek of the Harmon-Meek Gallery in Naples, and guest Donald Miller, an art critic from the Naples Daily News who in 2002 co-wrote with Vickrey a monograph about the artist’s nun paintings.

Robert Vickrey: The Magic of Realism includes about 40 works, and is on display until June 19 in the museum. 

Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The museum is open until 9 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month, and closed Monday. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors 65 and up. Call 392-2500 or visit  www.bocamuseum.org.

Greg Stepanich is editor of Palm Beach ArtsPaper, updated daily at www.PalmBeach
ArtsPaper.com.

Easter Sunrise Service At Boca Raton Inlet

Hundreds gathered on Easter Sunday morning to watch

the sunrise, during a Mass held at South Boca Raton Inlet Park.

Two women embrace during the Easter

sunrise service. Photos by Lauren Loricchio

Passover preparation

In Boca Raton

Chana New, daughter of Rabbi Ruvi New,

helps prepare the tables for Chabad of East Boca

Raton’s community seder during Passover. Photo provided

Royal Wedding celebration

At Absynthe, Boca Raton

Guests raise their glasses in a ‘royal toast’ for Prince William and Kate Middleton at Absinthe bar in the Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center. The Royal Wedding celebration benefits the Go Pink Challenge and the Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute.                         Photo by Tim Stepien

Flossy Keesely’s  Gala Concert

At Mizner Park Amphitheater, Boca Raton

 

Flossy Keesely celebrated her 97th birthday with a concert, ‘Pathway to the Stars,’ which featured Doug Crosley, Jan McArt, Broadway Ziegfeld Entertainers and young future star performers.  Photo provided

 

Boca Raton Woman’s Club Luncheon

At Boca West Country Club, Boca Raton

The GFWC Boca Raton Women’s Club celebrated National Doctor’s Day at the 13th Annual ‘Honor Your Doctor’ Luncheon. Proceeds benefited the Helen M. Babione Medical Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarship assistance for students enrolled in medical studies at Florida Atlantic University, Lynn University and Palm Beach State College. Pictured are Gloria Drummond (left), Christine Lynn and Robin Muir. Photo provided

The Art School of the Boca Raton Museum Art Rocks fundraiser

At the Boca Raton Museum of Art

The Art School of the Boca Raton Museum of Art held its Art Rocks fundraiser drew more than 200 with an evening that included a silent auction and raffle, music and works of art produced by Art School instructors. The Art Rocks committee included Jody Grass, Karen Hoffheimer, Minette Hoffheimer,  Marlene Pomeranz,  Andrea Kline,  William May, Doreen Alrod, Deborah Welebny, Olive Johnson, Linda Kaplan, Robin May and Carol Borrow. Photo provided

Women’s Leadership Forum

At FAU’s Center for Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Boca Raton

Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies hosted its annual Women’s Leadership Forum and benefit breakfast. Keynote speaker was Alex Sink, former chief financial officer of Florida, president of Florida operations for Bank of America and candidate for governor.  Pictured: Josephine Beoku-Betts, director of the Center for Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies; Tara Laxer, women’s studies advisory council member; Skeets Fradkin, women’s studies advisory council member; Alex Sink. Photo provided

Boca Bacchanal

Boca Raton

Craig and Kathryn Hall and Marti and Tom White attended the Boca Bacchanal in March. The ninth annual event, a toast to the era of South Florida’s famous Mango Gang chefs, raised more than $300,000 for the Boca Historical Society. Photo provided

Super Sunday

At Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County Campus, Boca Raton

Ellen R. Sarnoff (left), CEO Irv Geffen and Board Chair Cindy Orbach Nimhauser joined volunteers to raise more than $632,000 to help the community, from more than 1,000 donors. Photo provided

Archbishop Timothy Dolan and Focolare President

Maria Voce at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York,

during the Thanksgiving Liturgy for the 50th Anniversary

of the Focolare Movement in North America. Photo by CB Hanif

By C. B. Hanif

I am acquainted with many genuine, loving Christians. Start with my dear, departed mother. And her mother. And hers. So it’s saying a lot to say I know no more genuine Christians today than the members of the worldwide Focolare movement.

As Christ Jesus talked and walked, so does this primarily Catholic lay community that is observing the 50th anniversary of its presence in North America.

Early members of this movement, founded by the late Chiara Lubich, emerged in 1943 from WWII bomb shelters in Trent, Italy, having clung to their Bibles and the realization that God is love. Since then they have proceeded to exemplify, in every corner of the globe, Jesus’ prayer: “May they all be one” (John 17:21).

Today the Focolare practice the “spirituality of unity” — the Gospel message of love of neighbor — in more than 180 countries, along with their Christian friends of other denominations, with their friends of different spiritual traditions and with others who claim no particular faith.

Recently 1,300 Focolare members and friends — including more than a dozen from Hialeah to Boca Raton to Vero Beach — trekked to the “50 Years of the Focolare in North America” commemoration at the Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Civic Center.

It was part family reunion, part Hollywood musical extravaganza, part spiritual counseling session. But mainly it was an exposition of “the art of loving” championed by the Focolare since those days of war destruction. Of particular note was the video of departed Focolare and friends as their words flashed across the screen:

“When I fail, I know I have to get up, shake off the dust, and start over.”

“Holy Spirit, would you hold my hand.”

“The idea is splendid; only in Heaven will we understand it fully.”

“Do whatever you can, but with Love.”

Among those departed was the blessed lady Lubich. Also Imam Warith Deen Mohammed, who was eulogized as “America’s Imam” when he died in 2008, six months after his friend Chiara. It was their mutual admiration, their appreciation for the importance of families and young people, their humanitarian unity that connected me and innumerable other Americans with the Focolare.

Most Focolare are observant Catholics, which makes their acceptance — rather than simple tolerance — of other spiritualities all the more commendable.

So not surprisingly, dozens of non-Catholic friends joined in on Sunday, April 3, as the commemoration shifted to Manhattan for a 50th anniversary Thanksgiving liturgy at the majestic St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

There the main celebrant, Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, was accompanied by other heavyweights: Cardinals Edward Egan, William Keeler and Theodore McCarrick, and Bishops Charles Grahmann and Michael Mulvey. The church’s warm embrace of this ecclesial movement was evident in Dolan’s beaming smile and arm upon the shoulders of Focolare President Maria Voce. Also in the words of congratulation and encouragement read from his eminence Pope Benedict XVI — just as the late Pope John Paul II had smiled on Chiara Lubich’s efforts.

“The Spirituality of Unity — a Gift for Our Times,” was the title of one of several other Focolare 50th events. It’s hard to give enough thanks for their championing this approach to spirituality.

“What Would Jesus Do?” is what the Focolare routinely do: Be the first to love. How can any sincere recipient do other than respond equally graciously, or better? 

Let’s pray that it becomes even more contagious.

The Focolare Movement

For more on the 50 years of the Focolare Movement in North America, see  www.focolare.us; for info on South Florida activities, contact Mercedes Mont, 

C.B. Hanif is a writer and inter-religious affairs consultant. Find him at www.interfaith21.com.

Arden's neighbor Flo Frum, age 86, made

arrangements for Buddy's care in the event

he outlives her. Photo by Arden Moore.

By Arden Moore

As you sit reading this column with perhaps a purring cat on your lap or snoozing dog next to you, ask yourself: If anything happened to you, what would happen to your pets?

Don’t have an answer?  You’re not alone. The ASPCA estimates that a half-million healthy pets are killed each year because their owners died or entered nursing homes, leaving no one to care for the animals.

It doesn’t have to be that way.  Just as most of us make funeral arrangements, set our affairs in order and draw up wills to help our families with painful transitions, it’s possible to make arrangements to help your animal companions as well. 

Life is fragile and the unexpected can happen at any time to anyone, young or old. Be prepared and be responsible by:

Identifying true pet allies. Select people who are willing to step in and care for your pets should you require hospitalization, become incapacitated or, worse, die. Do not assume that your relatives will adopt your pets. Select two or three caregivers and discuss details with them. Offer to reciprocate for their pets, if you desire.

Packing a pet-plus ID. Carry an emergency identification card in your wallet that identifies you, your basic health situation (blood type, if diabetic, etc.), names of two or three people to reach in case of emergency, type and names of your pets, location of your pets’ items and medicines, veterinarian contact and after-hours pet emergency clinic contact info. Also provide contact info of your pet’s backup caregivers. Post a copy of this info in a visible place in your home, such as on your refrigerator for emergency personnel to quickly spot.  Put the info inside an envelope and write in big letters:  EMERGENCY INFO. 

Spelling out your pets’ care in writing. Detail how your surviving pets should be cared for, by whom and where — in another home or in a pet sanctuary. Provide info on your pet’s personality, eating habits, special needs, favorite items and rituals. Let people know where you keep these instructions.

Budgeting for your pets’ care by setting up a fund. This fund should cover the cost of your pets’ food, medical needs and supplies. You can work out a monthly payment plan with estate planners, financial planners or life insurance company representatives. 

Jackie Treneer, a professional pet sitter in Fort Lauderdale, adopted a 14-year-old bichon frisé and a 4-year-old miniature poodle when she discovered that their owner — one of her longtime clients — had died and the woman’s husband had decided not to keep the dogs. 

“These two dogs are so bonded to one another and very sweet,” says Treneer, owner of Angels Pet Sitting Service. “It was not cheap for me to take on the care of these dogs, but it was the right thing to do.”

Treneer’s compassion is applauded by Amy Shever, founder of 2nd Chance 4 Pets, a nonprofit national group dedicated to this cause. 

Shever is speaking up for dogs, cats, birds and other pets who face a double loss: their
No. 1 person and their happy, safe homes. 

She is determined to deliver wake-up calls to people who are fortunate to share their lives with pets. She travels all over the country, educating and enlightening pet owners, veterinarians, animal rescue groups, civic organizations and anyone willing to listen.

I met Shever at a recent Pet Sitters International conference in New Orleans where we were both featured presenters. I attended her talk and, like everyone else in the audience, sat in silence, jolted by her message, powerful photos and short videos. At the end of her talk, Shever had a way of motivating us to take action now — not later.

Elizabeth Forman and her husband, David Closky, of Oxford, Ohio, heeded Shever’s advice by incorporating the care of their pets into their estate planning five years ago. They have four Weimaraners, a bull mastiff and three parrots.

“We have arranged for good friends to come and live in our house to care for our pets should something happen to us,” says Forman. “We put in money every single month to pay for pet care and our bank manages the money. We feel good that we have taken care of all the loose ends in our lives.”

My neighbor, Flo Frum, 86 years young, proclaims that Buddy, her energetic 6-year-old miniature schnauzer, keeps her invigorated to greet each new morning. After I talked with her about Shever, Flo put arrangements for the care of Buddy in writing — in case he outlives her.

And then she added with a twinkle in her eye: “But I plan to live to be 100.”

The 2nd Chance 4 Pets website (www.2ndchance4pets.org) contains a lot of information, forms and pet resources. You can also check out pet trust plans by visiting www.petguardian.com.

Our pets provide us with so many physical, mental and emotional benefits. Show them how much you really care by arranging for their well-being should they outlive you.

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

By Liz Best

BOCA RATON — Milton Stanley Holz of Boca Raton died April 2. He was 88 years old.

Born in Jersey City, N.J., in 1922, Mr. Holz attended New York University and served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He married his beloved wife, Shirley, in 1946. The couple was married for 65 years. 

He was a remarkably humble man, according to his son, Dr. Bruce Holz of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea.

“My father preferred no formalities be made upon his death.  He didn’t seek honor in life or death,” said Dr. Holz.  “He just led an honorable life.”

Mr. Holz worked in the advertising business in New York City before moving to northern New Jersey to open his own business, Contract Cleaning Inc., in Plainfield. Following retirement in the late 1980s, Mr. and Mrs. Holz moved to Boca Raton.

In addition to his wife, and son, Mr. Holz is survived by son and daughter-in-law Richard and Ruth Holz of Greenwich, Conn., son Scott Holz of Arlington, Va.; grandsons Craig Holz of Greenwich, David Holz of San Francisco, Calif., and Steven Holz of Orlando; granddaughter Megan Holz of Stamford, Conn.; and two great-grandchildren.

A private service and interment was held at South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to a favorite charity.

By Jan Norris

The mobile food mania — read that: food trucks — have hit South Florida, but oddly, have missed making a mark in Palm Beach County. 

Internet marketer Jochen Esser is out to change that. 

He’s sponsoring a Gourmet Food Truck Expo in Boca Raton at Boomers beginning at 6 p.m. on May 11,  just in time for dinner.

If you haven’t been following this trend, food trucks have come a long way since the days of  “roach coaches” dispensing pre-made sandwiches and a bag of chips or hot dogs sitting in day-old water. 

Today’s trucks sell everything from Kobe beef burgers to full-on freshly made pasta dishes and creative vegetarian salads or fresh seafood. 

The variety attracts everyone from the college crowd who follow the trucks from Twitter feeds, to seniors looking for an inexpensive meal out.

Miami already has a plethora of trucks that have weekly meet-ups in parking lots, most notably one at Johnson and Wales University on Tuesday nights. 

But so far, Palm Beach County has seen only a few trucks; most cities in the county have business regulations that ban them or restrict them from areas where they could draw diners from fixed restaurants. 

So Esser decided to judge the interest here in periodic food truck meet-ups — those groups who get together via Twitter and Facebook networking.

“There’s a lot of buzz about it already,” Esser said. “The event is really not geared to just the young people or older people, but everyone who wants quality food at a reasonable price.”

He chose Boomers for the site because there are few restaurants nearby. 

“I don’t want to compete with restaurants or hurt their business,” he said. 

He expects around 22 trucks to show up, serving everything from gourmet pizzas (4 Alarm Pizza) served from a refitted fire truck, to Asian fare.

“Overall they have great prices — I’d say from $2 to $12 or maybe $14, depending on what you order,” he said.

Some trucks do one thing only — such as Dog Eat Dog’s gourmet hot dogs. Others have an assortment of dishes, either in small bites or full meals — entrees with sides.

A Romanian truck, called Shao Roma, features a vertical rotisserie, with freshly made pita sandwiches. Gourmet Mexican foods from Ze Carlos Jimenez will be served at the MexZican Gourmet. Gastropod Miami, Guiseppe’s Italian Sausage, Chef on Wheels, and Divan Bakery and Café will bring international foods; the Blue Tree Café offers healthy food alternatives, along with mainstream dishes. 

Look for crab cake sandwiches, salmon burgers, steak and Caesar wraps and more from Catered Bliss. Gourmet ice cream, ices, cupcakes and more are expected to be found at dessert trucks.

If successful, Esser said, he’d try to do more food truck events; another one is planned for late May in Deerfield Beach. 

Find out more by following the website, gourmettruckexpo.com; or look up Gourmet Truck Expo on Facebook and sign up to attend. Information about the truck expo
is also at boomersparks.com.   

Boomers is at 3100 Airport Road, Boca Raton. 

By Emily J. Minor

Real estate interest in Highland Beach, Gulf Stream and the coastal area of Boca Raton seems to be loosening up a bit, with agents for these high-end properties seeing more listings, more viewings and even a few more sales.

“I am feeling better and breathing a little easier,” said John List, a Realtor who handles coastal sales for Lang Realty.

“At least we are writing offers. A few years go, we weren’t even putting pen to paper.”

In the March numbers released by the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches, new listings for Highland Beach properties increased 28.6 percent. Sales stayed the same for Highland Beach  — stagnant at 17 closings. But Realtors like List say the increase in listings means that sellers are sensing it’s a good time to put things on the market. 

Finally.

In addition to an increase in Highland Beach listings — which went from 28 in March 2010 to 36 in March 2011 — the median sales price increased dramatically. 

In March 2010, the average closing price was $375,000. In March of this year, the average home price was $795,000.

Of course, given the small size of the sampling, even one high-end closing can spike a statistic in that monthly report. 

And while there’s movement out there, it’s different from what was happening three or four years ago, List said.

Today’s buyers tend to be interested in a couple of things: “downsizing” from a very large estate home in western Palm Beach County. “Their children have graduated from college or graduate school or medical school, and they’re living out west and maybe giving up their 10,000-square-foot house,” List says.

Another “new” kind of buyer? The corporate conglomerate. List said many companies are pooling their interests and buying pricier coastal homes, then almost using them as company timeshares. Families are even going in on these large properties, then drawing straws to see who uses it when.

“That’s definitely a different kind of thing than what was happening 10 years ago,” he said.

In addition, residents of homes on the mainland are looking at places like One Thousand Ocean and loving both the simplicity and amenities that come with such luxury high-rise living.

Jamie Telchin, president-development of LXR Luxury Resorts & Hotels, said they pushed ahead with the One Thousand Ocean project in the mid-2000s — even when the market was taking a major hit — because of the uniqueness of what they were building. One Thousand Ocean’s right on the point of the Boca Raton Inlet, and it’s next door to the oceanside facilities for the Boca Raton Resort & Club.

“We felt that it was going to be a great product, so we rolled the dice,” Telchin said. 

And it paid off.

The 52-unit project, says Telchin, is 71 percent sold out. And the last few weeks have been amazing.

Since March 11, they’ve had five closings, he said, and three more are in line to close.

Average sales price? $4.4 million, Telchin said.

Both Telchin and List said these buyers of high-end properties — upward of $4 million or so — aren’t that much affected by the economy and market. 

Indeed, buyers in this premier range are getting a little bit antsy that prices are going up, not down, and that demand is going to outrun supply. So they’re pulling the trigger on buying, he said.

List said he and his colleagues think the more mainstream coastal market — that is, the homes going for $1 million or $2 million — will continue to draw more activity.

“I can’t say we’re getting a lot more sales,” List said. “I’d be lying if I said that. But things are definitely loosening up.

“We might even have a
good summer.”                      Ú

Chef Robbin Haas spoons lobster into bowls. His assistants, Michael Boothe and Alexandre Camilus from Silver Sac Catering of Boca Raton, follow along with sauce and vegetables in assembly-line fashion. They work in a 3-bay garage at the Boca Raton home of Robert Campbell.

See more photos from behind the scenes at the Boca Bacchanal Vintner Dinners by clicking here for working with chef Mark Militello and here for working with chef Robbin Haas.

By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley

After the guests leave their cars with the parking valets, they meander past the blue Bentley, silver Rolls-Royce and shiny red MG parked in the driveway of Robert Campbell’s home in Boca Raton.

Campbell is hosting one of six Vintner Dinners at his palatial residence in the Sun & Surf community. The dinner is part of the annual Boca Bacchanal weekend (this year it ran from March 18 to 20) for the benefit of the Historic Preservation and Heritage Education programs of the Boca Raton Historical Society.  

Campbell is the only person to have sponsored a dinner for each of the event’s nine years.

Robert Campbell

Many attendees return to Campbell’s home year after year because, “They know they’ll get an unusual dinner and be nicely entertained,” says Campbell, who is chairman and founder of BBC International that designs and sources children’s and athletic shoes.

Although the Bacchanal weekend also features guest chefs preparing Saturday dinner at the Boca Raton Resort and Club and a tasting of local restaurants at Mizner Park on Sunday, it is these Friday Vintner Dinners that have become the hot ticket.

For each of the six dinners hosted in a private home, a celebrity chef is paired with a winemaker. The chef creates a six-course menu to complement the wines. The evening of the event, the chefs finish and present their unforgettable fare to a small group of people at each host’s home. Attendees pay $300 each to take part.

Tonight the team at the Campbell home includes chef Robbin Haas and Blair Fox of Fess Parker Vineyards in Santa Barbara, Calif. This year’s Bacchanal features members of the Mango Gang, the group of young chefs including Haas, who put South Florida on the culinary map in the 1980s.

For the chefs involved in the Vintner Dinners, the work begins when they team up with the wineries. Haas asked for copious tasting notes from Fox so that he could plan his menu. By studying the wines, he knew to make his entrée — seared, dry-aged sirloin steak with truffled sunchoke gratin and glazed mushrooms — pair nicely with the Rodney’s Vineyard Syrah 2007.

“The dishes have to match the wines. This isn’t the time for me to show how creative I can be,” Haas says.

More planning follows as the participating chefs create their shopping lists. Ten days before the event, these are sent to the chefs at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. The club’s chefs do the ordering so the food is in-house when needed. 

Chefs orders 

Getting exactly what the chefs order isn’t always easy for the resort’s executive sous chef Donald Young. For example, Mark Militello, a consulting chef from Pompano Beach and a founding member of the Mango Gang, wanted Laughing Bird shrimp. It’s farm-raised in Belize without chemicals so it’s very sweet. But the fish farm was closed for the season. Others had to be substituted.

By Wednesday, Campbell is having the pool and ping pong tables removed from his game room and put in storage. He needs to make room for the seven large round dining tables that will fill the area.

He also has arranged for a caterer to help serve the meal, flowers, a singer and a rental company to provide tableware and cooking equipment. Because the host of each of the Vintner Dinners sponsors the party at his or her home, all proceeds go to charity. And, of course, the chefs donate their time and skills.

The work really begins around 5 p.m. on Friday when Haas, wearing his signature red Crocs, arrives at the Campbell home. The caterers are already here setting the tables with two layers of cloths, arranging silverware and polishing Riedel glassware for all the fine wines to be poured this night.

Setting up the kitchen

Now Haas sees his “kitchen” for the first time. It will be his home for the next seven hours.

Three bays of the five-car garage have been turned into a catering area. There’s a six-burner propane stove, convection oven and five 8-foot work tables brought in by Atlas Party and Event Rental of Boca Raton. The garage doors are open to provide air and light.

Haas also meets his staff. 

There is chef Justin Butera who he’s been working with him over the past two days at the Boca Raton Resort and Club where they did the brunt of the cooking and food preparation. Michael Boothe and Alexandre Camilus from Silver Sac Catering of Boca Raton are here helping out. 

Haas walks his staff through each course explaining what plate to use — square, rectangular or dimple — how food will be set on the white plate and what garnishes to add.

The chef is careful to let everyone sample any unfamiliar ingredients such as the rare white honey he has brought from Guatemala; the dulce buttons, tiny white flowers that taste 500 times sweeter than sugar; yuzu juice from a South Asian citrus fruit; and Beemster, a crumbly yellow cheese that’s aged 26 months and tastes like caramelized milk with a tang.

Then the chefs take inventory to see what is ready and what needs to be chopped, minced, grated or mixed. Their work develops a rhythm and soon it is time to start assembling the hors d’oeuvres for the catering staff to pass around to guests.  

Haas picks some palm fronds and purple bougainvillea from the garden to decorate the wooden serving plates. 

Meanwhile, the catering staff that has finished transforming the game room into a dining room changes into stiff white shirts, black pants, butcher aprons and ties. 

Before they begin service, Haas offers a short pep talk. “Keep the service expedited. I want us out of here early,” he says. There’s appreciative laughter.

The wait staff picks up the hors d’oeuvres platters and the party begins. 

The kitchen staff immediately sets to work browning $700 worth of scallops, slicing them and fanning them onto 60 square plates. Working like an assembly line, they add a bit of apple and Asian pear slaw flavored with yuzu vinaigrette.

Then Karin Larson, owner of Silver Sac Caterers, steps up to wipe the rim of each plate before her wait staff whisks them to the now seated guests.

The waiters work in teams of four, each carrying two plates, so that when they arrived at the table, everyone around it is served at the same time. They work with military precision.

Trouble shooting

A little wave of tension runs through the “kitchen” when a waiter returns with the news that three diners are vegetarians and two are allergic to shellfish. The chefs have to improvise a new dish. 

At a restaurant, this would not be a problem. But here, they don’t have many ingredients or much equipment available to create something on the spot.

Haas saves the day with a potato salad made from garnishes and ingredients he brought to use on other dishes. 

The staff works through the evening with each course taking shape on the plates and then being offered to the guests. The only signal that the party is going well is that plates return to the kitchen empty.

By about 11 p.m., the cheese/dessert course is on its way and the staff can take a much deserved break. Haas steps outside under a full moon to enjoy a Marlboro and a glass of vodka on ice. The wait staff is treated to a taste of the wines poured throughout the evening.

Haas joins them to offer an impromptu wine tasting lesson showing them how the Rodney’s Vineyard Syrah 2007 leaves legs in the glass. 

As the guests say goodnight to their host and retrieve their cars from the valets, the catering staff finishes packing up and then takes time to have Haas autograph copies of
the evening’s menu.              Ú

April is one of my favorite months and it’s not just because of April Fool’s Day and my penchant for practical jokes. 

It’s a love of spring with blooming flowers and trees and temperatures that are neither too shivery nor too muggy.

Oh, sure, the Portuguese man-of-war are still hanging around, but as long as I see them before I swim into them (or step on one on the beach), I can even appreciate their beauty.

Soon, the sea turtles will be lumbering onto the shoreline to lay their eggs, too. It’ll be months until the hatchlings break out and march toward the Atlantic — something we anticipate with fingers crossed for their survival.

Perhaps more than any other time of year, April inspires me to get out and about. The good news for me — and for all of us who live here — is that there is a plethora of entertaining or relaxing things to do without traveling far at all. Take a look at The Coastal Star’s community calendar and you’ll see what I mean.

For starters, you could take a fast and fun catamaran ride out to sea, or a more sedate mansion-viewing cruise on the Intracoastal. 

If you’re more of a landlubber, there are nature trails to conquer at inviting nearby spots like Gumbo Limbo and the Lantana Nature Preserve.

More energetic souls may prefer the batting cages, where swings can be perfected and calories burned.

For more suggestions, see “10 fun things to do” on
Page 24. Check them out. Then get up off the sofa or poolside lounge chair and go! Celebrate April. 

— Mary Thurwachter

Managing Editor

By Margie Plunkett

Boca Raton will not back off cutting back the sea grapes on A1A near Spanish River Boulevard, vowing to submit a plan to the state Department of Environmental Protection to trim the plants in four coastal view corridors.

The City Council reached a consensus after learning that in February the state had requested Boca Raton only cut back one corridor of sea grapes, expressing fears that cutting all four could increase lighting on the beach and hurt the procession of sea turtles that nest in the area.

Cutting on one of the corridors was one of three options the state gave Boca. A second would be a compromise that would allow the city to cut back two corridors and then monitor for a year before possibly proceeding with more sea grape trimming.. The third option: Go for all four corridors and, if the state denied the plan, continue to an administrative hearing on the matter.

The light the department is concerned with is from sky glow rather than street or other lighting in the area. 

 Council member Susan Haynie, however, questioned how the state justifies that both municipalities to the north and south of Boca Raton have open beachfronts.

Jennifer Bistyga of Municipal Services said that regulations tightened up after Delray Beach cut its sea grapes due to “impacts that may have happened there. They’re making it a tougher project.”

Tallahassee is, however, amenable to doing the two corridors, Bistyga said. 

Mayor Susan Whelchel protested that the state had already reeled in a more expansive program to trim the sea grapes and had agreed to the four remaining corridors. “But lo and behold, it’s changed on a whim,” she said.

“We backed down from the original,” Whelchel said. “Whatever we submit, it’s never quite right.”

Council members and the public debated whether the turtle population was negatively impacted by issues such as sky glow, noting recent reports that the hatchling population was flourishing and had grown. But others clarified that the one year of increasing number of hatchlings followed several years that saw the population decline. 

Council member Anthony Majhess supported trimming the sea grapes, explaining it allowed A1A motorists to see the road and the beach at the same time.

“It’s astounding to me,” said Jack Fox, president of the Beach Condo Association. “We were told it was reasonable and we’d like to have it.

“I’m an environmentalist, a fisherman. There’s nobody more concerned about the preservation of the species,” he said, adding that the question is that in front of Spanish River Park, the “beauty of that turquoise water shouldn’t be
blocked.”                              Ú

Cliff Viner, at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, is a
partner/majority owner of the Florida Panthers. He
will be honored by Florence Fuller Child Development Centers. Photo by Tim Stepien

By Linda Haase

When Cliff Viner interviews job applicants, he’s seeking three things: “Character, character and character.”

That trait, contends the 62-year-old Boca Raton resident, is paramount. 

“That is what counts, what defines us, what holds you in good stead in the long run,” said Viner, co-founder of Boca Raton-based AVM, L.P., a fixed-income broker/dealer and III Associates, a fixed income derivatives money management firm and general partner/majority owner of the Florida Panthers hockey franchise.

Viner’s character will be lauded on April 28 when he is honored as this year’s “Biggest Heart” at the 10th Annual Men with Caring Hearts awards luncheon, sponsored by Florence Fuller Child Development Centers. 

Viner is modest about the tribute, which is given to a philanthropic leader whose dedication has made life better for others. 

He plans to make a pointed, short speech and get out of the limelight as quickly as possible. He isn’t shy, however, about extolling the virtues of helping Florence Fuller Child Development Centers. He and his daughters, Elyse, 27, and Amanda, 23, spent many hours there when the girls were younger. 

“We would read to the kids, play games with them, take them to the playground and push them on the swings. I thought it was good for my girls to see kids who weren’t as fortunate as they are. I think my kids are nicely grounded because of experiences like that. They saw how appreciative the kids were when they were spending time with them. … It opened their eyes seeing something out of their own environment.”

Viner and his wife, Jill, have been active in the community since moving here from Chicago in 1984. They are involved with many organizations, including Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service, where they established the Compassionate Care Program, which provides financial aid and social services to families undergoing crisis. 

Jill Viner is a longtime member of Ruth Rales’ executive board, an executive board member of Kids Hear Now, which funds cochlear implants for young children who are born deaf, and has been active in juvenile diabetes organizations for more than 30 years. 

Viner is active in B’nai Torah Congregation and has served as board member, chair of budget and finance, president of the B’nai Torah Foundation and president of B’nai Torah Congregation. He also is involved with the Florida Panthers Foundation, which focuses on pediatric oncology causes, but also offers many other community outreach programs, including food and toy drives. 

Boca Raton has been a dream destination, says Viner, who was born in Brooklyn and has a bachelor’s in economics from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s from the university’s Wharton School. “I like Boca because it is a true community in the deepest sense. People here care about the institutions and are dedicated and loyal and very community oriented. It has heart and soul,” he said. 

A longtime sports fan who swims for 35 to 50 minutes five or six days a week, Viner is thrilled to be part of the Panthers organization. “We have changed the culture to a true professional, well-run organization that will bear fruit over time,” he said.

And, he maintains, it’s brimming with character.