Mary Kate Leming's Posts (242)

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12390127277?profile=RESIZE_710xGood humor and giggles were in abundance at the Delray Beach Public Library’s 17th annual fundraiser. It unfolded under the stars on the grounds of the pavilion and featured a casual night of cocktails, supper-by-the-bite and comedy. The headliner was Nick Thune, a well-known stand-up. The event raised more than $250,000 and was attended by 350 patrons. TOP: (l-r) Jordan Mansour, Hillary MacDonald, C. J. Minardi, Dr. Francesca Lewis, Jessica Minardi and Dr. A. J. Lewis.

12390127868?profile=RESIZE_710xTremaine and Jennifer Atkinson.

12390127885?profile=RESIZE_710xJ.R. and Nadia Davis.

12390128269?profile=RESIZE_710x Jeremiah and Lindsey Flores.

12390128859?profile=RESIZE_710x (l-r) Co-Chairwomen Jacqueline Owen, Paige Eber, Amanda Perna and Lynsey Kane. Photos provided

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12390126082?profile=RESIZE_710xThe Cultural Council for Palm Beach County welcomed more than 100 people to the launch of its 19th season of arts and culture discussions. This year’s theme is ‘Looking Back, Looking Forward,’ and the first installment, titled ‘Sages,’ featured a conversation between William Hayes and Michael McKeever.
Hayes is the producing artistic director and a founding member of Palm Beach Dramaworks. McKeever is an award-winning playwright, actor and designer. All proceeds from the series support the council’s mission to grow the local arts scene. RIGHT: Kyle Lucks and Agata Ren.
Photo provided by Jacek Gancarz

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12390124294?profile=RESIZE_710xIn February, we priced Old Fashioned well cocktails and found they differed. The classic recipe is 2 ounces of whiskey, sugar, bitters and a drop of orange flavor over ice. At the Wine Room (above), it was $16. Kapow’s was $12. Sweetwater’s well, made with Michter’s bourbon and a 2.5-ounce pour, was $15. And at the Blue Anchor British Pub in Delray Beach, a well Old Fashioned was $7. Photo provided by Michael Albanese

By Jan Norris

It’s not just food costs in restaurants that have tongues wagging. Cocktail prices are prompting some imbibers to do double takes when viewing their bar tabs.
Some cocktail menus have drinks up to $24 on their lists, when not long ago, an $18 glass was considered pricey.

Drink prices have gone up, says Vaughan Dugan, owner of Kapow in Boca Raton and West Palm Beach. Bars and restaurants can absorb only so much inflation before the customer check is affected.

“Bar ingredients are up, just like food costs. Limes have gone up 100%. We’re always following the price of citrus,” Dugan said. But while food prices are easier to swallow in some cases, he said, “we don’t love putting $24 cocktails on the menu. We don’t want customers hurting in their wallets before they sit down to eat.”

Most of Kapow’s cocktails are $18 or under.

“Cocktails used to be cheap,” said Bob Higginbotham, a former manager for several bars in the area and now a bar consultant living in Mexico. Bar sales were easy profit makers for both bars and restaurants. “But the game is changed,” he said.

“Remember all that’s new. Take, for instance, publicity. Restaurants 15, 20 years ago didn’t have publicists, unless they were a big name. Now they have to have PR people, social media people to manage all the Instagram, TikTok and other online accounts, and photographers to take pictures of menus as they change. Who needed menu photos long ago?

There was nowhere to post them.”

Ambiance is important because of social media as well. Special lighting to make customers and drinks look good, bold decor and photo-friendly drink presentation all come at a cost.

Higginbotham also points to restaurant leases. “Rents in South Florida are insane,” he said.

Sean Iglehart, owner of Sweetwater’s in Boynton Beach, said several fees required for business operations also have escalated. He’s working around “skyrocketing insurance” fees that all who serve alcohol must pay. The cost has soared in the past two years, he said, and “we’re paying $3,000 a month.”

Staffing also has affected drink costs. It’s difficult to retain good workers, when and if you can find them, Iglehart said.

“Before the pandemic, I had a staff retention of 90-plus percent. But after that, a lot of the people got out of the business altogether and decided they didn’t want to work these hours.”

The pendulum is swinging back to the employer, he said, but wages are still up, and that is reflected in the glass.

Higginbotham said, “A while back, the bartender would come in to work a half-hour early to cut up limes and set out cherries and garnishes. They now have full-time positions for bar prep.

“All these hidden costs go into the bill.”

Dugan agreed. “We don’t use bar backs. Some of the work that the mixologists do is as complex as the chef’s. They’re using commercial equipment.”

That includes sous-vide, infusion tools for spirits and more. “They’re playing in the culinary sandbox now,” he said. “You see a dish on the menu like my Peking duck. I don’t spell out all the work that goes into making it. At the bar, the customer doesn’t see the complexity that goes into their drink as it’s not spelled out.”

In a restaurant or a bar, owners set out a cost percentage in which they aim to make a profit. Dugan gives this example: “Take the raw cost of a negroni, which I approximate at Sipsmith gin, $1.34; Campari, $1.33; Dolin sweet vermouth, $.73; clear cut ice, $.75; grapefruit peel garnish, $.20. That’s $4.35.

“If I sold it at $16, I’m at a 27.19% food cost. If I wanted to get that down to the industry standard of 20%, I’d have to price that negroni at $21.75.

“I could use a less expensive gin, Campari and vermouth, but these make a great negroni, and that’s the experience we want our guests to have. So we sell a bunch of single-liquor drinks like vodka and soda that help us hit that overall ideal cost percentage.”

Customer perception of value in the glass counts, too.

Sometimes it’s a misunderstanding, Dugan said, especially when the bill appears with an up-charge. He pointed to complaints from customers for a “rocks” charge. “The customer doesn’t realize they’re getting twice the alcohol in the glass,” Dugan said.

Then there’s a $2 charge for a special ice cube that appeared on a check at a Boca Raton steakhouse, bringing a plethora of comments from shocked readers in an online forum.

“We talk about ice cubes,” Dugan said. “If you’re going to put a fancy cube in a drink, it’s usually for a quality drink. It’s our place to educate the consumer and let them know we’re using quality ingredients to justify it. I just build it into the drink cost. Nobody likes to be surprised when they get their check.”

He uses a $1 up-charge for the cubes if the customer requests them in a special Japanese whiskey, for instance.

“But that’s almost our cost. The special clear ice cube costs us almost $1 each. You can get them cheaper if you go with cloudy ice, but who wants that in their glass?”

He said most places buy ice to cut down on freezer space and on pouring molds and getting them just right, which would not be worth the time. “And to get perfectly clear ice is an art form.”

Speaking of glasses, Dugan uses specially designed tiki glasses for a signature “What’s New Pussycat” drink.

“We have about 40% of them stolen. We just chalk it up to our marketing budget. Go into an apartment in Boca or West Palm Beach and you may find one or two of the mugs with our logo. So it’s residual advertising.” He laughed, but said it’s “quite a bit of glassware” for which he has to budget.

“Not everything goes into a pint glass, either. So we have to have a variety of glasses.”

Blake Malatesta, executive chef at the Wine Room in Delray Beach, agreed that bar costs today have to be figured as food costs.

“Yes, it’s spirits and garnishes, but some of the other things are hidden. The back end of everything in the restaurant. Labor that goes into producing it and then serving, glassware, chemicals to wash the glasses, and so on. So when everything goes up, it makes the check prices go up,” Malatesta said.

He points out that alcohol profits are still greater than food’s. “There are larger margins on booze. A bottle of vodka costs you $20, and you’re getting 15 shots out of it. Think that a martini costs you $15.”

The fancy ice cubes, which customers ask for, do cost the bar up to $1.50 after tax and delivery are added in. “Ice is a big thing now. There are companies in the area where you can buy squares, prisms, spheres, or even get flowers put in it. Charging for it is interesting, but I’d build it into the cost of the drink. For me, even with menu items, I build it into the cost,” Malatesta said.

But the price should also be justified by the quality of the drink, he said. “You’re not going to put a fancy ice cube in a well drink.”

In a comparison with food, he said: “When you’re paying $25 for a burger, it should be an exceptional, quality burger. If you spend $20 on a cocktail, you should get quality ingredients.”

Cocktail programs have changed, Malatesta said, but seem to be trending toward classics again. “I find when it comes to food and beverage, it’s cyclical.

“Cocktails got a little crazy. When molecular gastronomy came about, especially. Nitrogen, smoke. Bars hired bar preppers. They actually have hawkers — bar chefs — who create the infused spirits and tinctures, bitters, all the house-made garnishes and simple syrups.”

Now, Malatesta said, most customers just want a well-built drink. People are focusing on properly created cocktails.

“I enjoy a cocktail more than most. I often go to Avalon. I get a negroni, and have it made with Monkey 47, a special gin from Germany, made with botanicals from the Black Forest. It’s $18. But it’s one of the best drinks I’ve ever had.”

Dugan said customer preferences help drive the market. At the West Palm Beach Kapow, “Tequila is still king of the castle.” In Boca Raton’s Kapow, the drinkers are a bit older, and the go-to quaff is a classic gin and tonic.

“We’re known for those there. We have gins from all over the world: Japan, Holland and the phenomenal German gin, Monkey 47.”

The bottom line is that people go out and order drinks to have a good experience, Dugan said.

“After all, that’s the business we’re in, hospitality. Making our guests happy.”

He prices drinks to get repeat customers. “We want them to come in and have a good time.”

In brief: Enter from the alley behind the Wine Room in Delray Beach to discover Radcliffe’s, a new speakeasy serving upscale food and drinks, and putting on a jazz club at the same time. The daily password to get in is written outside the back door and posted to Radcliffe’s social media pages. It is currently open only Wednesday through Saturday for dinner; 411 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. ... In Boca Raton, a Chicago import, Mia Rosebud, at 150 E. Palmetto Park Road, makes its debut. It’s part of the Rosebud group of restaurants, famous as Italian steakhouses and favored by the likes of Sinatra and his gang. ...
Road closure alert: The annual Savor the Avenue, a 5-block-long dinner party in the middle of Atlantic Avenue, is March 25. Tickets for the coveted seats are available through the participating restaurants. For details, go to https://downtowndelraybeach.com/savortheave.

Jan Norris is a food writer who can be reached at nativefla@gmail.com

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12390119295?profile=RESIZE_710x

Cason United Methodist Church will coordinate the sunrise service again this year by the Delray Beach Pavilion. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

On Easter Sunday, falling this year on March 31, hundreds of Christians will get up extra-early to go to a sunrise service held by one of our local churches.

Some will go to the beach in shorts and flip-flops while others will gather in a sanctuary, dressed in their Easter best. Still others will show up at a place of worship they see only a couple of times a year.

CNN, Christianity Today, Gallup, Pew Research Center and many church pastors agree: More people attend church on Easter, Christianity’s most important holiday, than any other day. Christmas and Mother’s Day are the second- and third-highest days of attendance.

Gathered for 45 to 90 minutes, congregations will pray and sing and listen to the resurrection story, greet friends and neighbors with smiles and hugs, then go home to Easter Sunday breakfast or maybe brunch at a local restaurant.

But for most churches and the pastors who run them, Holy Week begins way before Sunday. Even though Christmas has a lot more bells and whistles, pastors spend more time on their Easter messages than any other.

At St. Lucy Catholic Church, on Holy Thursday — also called Maundy Thursday — Father Brian Horgan plans to celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, which marks the final meal Jesus shared with his disciples before his crucifixion. The seder marks the beginning of the Easter Triduum, the three-day period from Thursday night to Sunday that memorializes the Last Supper and Jesus’s arrest, crucifixion, death and resurrection.

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper generally focuses on three changes Jesus taught his disciples: the Eucharist or Holy Communion, the establishment of a ministry, and the new commandment of love that Jesus gave his apostles as he washed their feet.

This commandment of loving each other appears 13 times in the New Testament, most often quoted from John 13:34-35: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you … ” and “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

It was Jesus’s most central message, a cornerstone of Christian faith, and yet it’s one we ignore every day.

As you make your way to services and Masses, remember those words. And thank the people who do the heavy lifting to make Easter celebrations possible. Here’s a summary of what’s coming up this year:

Beach service in Delray
Pastor David Schmidt of Cason United Methodist Church and his staff are coordinating an interfaith celebration at sunrise on Easter Sunday on the beach near the Delray Beach Pavilion — pending final approval from the city of Delray Beach. Cason has been a presence at Easter sunrise services for decades; still, check with the church or the city before you set your alarm clock.

The event itinerary features Easter messages from Bishop Michael Brennen, senior pastor at Ebenezer Wesleyan Methodist Church, and Rabbi Marc Labowitz, the spiritual leader of TAO in Weston.

TAO, also called Temple Adath Or, shares teachings rooted in the Bible, the Torah, Kabbalah and other traditional Jewish sources.
The service takes place from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m., with live music from the praise band.

Cason United  Methodist Church
Following the sunrise service, the church will offer an Easter service at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary, with music and a butterfly release.
342 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. 561-276-5302 or www.casonumc.org

St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church
Easter Sunday begins with a Beachside Eucharist at 6:30 a.m. at the South Beach Park pavilion, at the end of Palmetto Park Road in Boca Raton. Services at the church are at 7:30, 9 and 11:15 a.m. (with incense). A 6 p.m. Easter Eucharist is also planned.

Maundy Thursday services with optional foot-washing are planned at noon and 6:30 p.m.

On Good Friday, a service is planned from noon to 3 p.m. with guest speakers. Parishioners are invited to come for all or part of the service. A second Good Friday service takes place at 6:30 p.m.100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. 561-395-8285 or www.stgregorysepiscopal.org

St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church
The church is hosting a special sunrise service in the sanctuary. The service begins in the dark and gradually lightens as the resurrection story is told. The service is followed by breakfast and, at 9:30 a.m., a second service with several baptisms. Following that is an Easter Egg Hunt outside, and the day wraps up with the Unplugged Service at 11:45 a.m.
3300A S. Seacrest Blvd., Boynton Beach. 561-732-3060

First Presbyterian Church
Services are planned at 9 and 11 a.m. Easter Sunday. But much of the excitement is about the annual Easter Egg Extravaganza, which takes place at noon on Palm Sunday, March 24. With dozens of eggs to find and pizza for lunch, this is a must-do for kids. 33 Gleason St., Delray Beach. 561-276-6338 or firstdelray.com

Church of the Palms
Holy Week services are Maundy Thursday at 7 p.m., Good Friday at 7 p.m. and the Easter service at 10 a.m. The Rev. Todd Petty says a butterfly release is planned after the Sunday service. The monarch butterflies, which come from a farm in Orlando, are spiritually significant, representing rebirth and transformation. 1960 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. 561-276-6347 or churchofthepalms.net

Ascension Lutheran Church
The church’s celebrations begin at 10:30 a.m. March 24 (Palm Sunday), and continue at noon on Maundy Thursday, with the stripping of the altar. The Good Friday service at 7 p.m. features a Tenebrae service of lights; and the Easter Sunday service begins at 10:30 a.m. 2925 S. Seacrest Blvd., Boynton Beach. 561-732-2929

Advent Lutheran Church
A sunrise service begins at 7 a.m. on Easter followed by a traditional service at 9. At 10:30 is a contemporary service. 300 E. Yamato Road, Boca Raton. 561-395-3632

St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church
Easter Sunday services take place at 7 a.m., 9 a.m. (with the “overflow” service in the family life center at 9:10 a.m.), and 11 a.m. (overflow at 11:10 a.m.). 840 George Bush Blvd., Delray Beach. 561-243-3863

First United Methodist Church
The church is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt & Festival at 10 a.m. on Easter Sunday. 625 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. 561-395-1244; fumcbocaraton.org

Boca Raton Community Church
A Good Friday service is planned at 7 p.m. On Easter, services are at 9 and 11 a.m. 470 NW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton. 561-395-2400 or www.bocacommunity.org

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
The Maundy Thursday service is at 7 p.m. followed by Nightwatch, 8:30 to midnight. This vigil serves as a reminder that the apostles fell asleep after eating and drinking lots of wine instead of keeping watch.

The Liturgy of Good Friday is at noon. The Liturgy of the Seven Last Words is at 1:30 p.m., and the Stations of the Cross are presented at 2:30.

On Easter Eve, a 4 p.m. family service is planned.

Easter Sunday services are at 9 and 11 a.m., with an egg hunt sandwiched in between at 10:30. 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. 561-276-4541 or stpaulsdelray.org

Holy Spirit Catholic Church
Holy Saturday, a traditional Polish Blessing of the Food, takes place at 9 a.m. At 7 p.m., a vigil Mass begins.

Easter Masses are at 7:30, 9 and 10:30 a.m. and noon. At 2 p.m. a Latin Mass Extraordinary Form takes place. 1000 W. Lantana Road, Lantana. 561-585-5970 or holyspiritlantana.com

Contact religion columnist Janis Fontaine at fontaine423@outlook.com.

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First Presbyterian welcomes guest preacher Michael B. Brown to the pulpit on March 10.

12390118289?profile=RESIZE_180x180Brown is an author, motivational speaker and the former senior minister at Marble Collegiate Church in New York City, America’s oldest existing Protestant congregation. With roots dating to 1628, the church became an American institution in the ensuing centuries.

In 1932, the renowned Norman Vincent Peale found his way to MCC and over the next half-century he transformed it into one of the best-known churches in the world. Peale gained notoriety for his written work The Power of Positive Thinking (1952), which has sold more than 20 million copies.

Like his predecessor, Brown praises positivity. He is the author of six self-help books, including 2020’s The Love Principle: Daily Practices for a Loving & Purposeful Life and Love Is the Way: Ten Steps to Discovering Personal Happiness, published in 2018.

Brown believes the recipe to meaning, healthy relationships and joy in life begins with “practical positivity.”

Services are at 9 and 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach, 33 Gleason St. Visit firstdelray.com.

Managing your biases
“Recognizing and Managing Your Personal Biases,” a lecture and discussion led by Gail Price-Wise, MS, co-founder of the Florida Center for Cultural Competence, takes place at Temple Sinai, 2475 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, at 6:30 p.m. March 5.

This course is designed to uncover unconscious thoughts about others and recognize our tendency to divide the world into “us” and “them.” The event is sponsored by the Anti-Bias Coalition, formed by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Temple Sinai and the Islamic Center of Boca Raton.

To attend, call 561-276-6161, ext. 205.

Fashion show, luncheon
St. Lucy Church Council of Catholic Women presents its annual Swing Into Spring Fashion Show and Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. March 7 at Delray Beach Club, 2001 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach. A donation of $75 is requested. If you cannot attend, a donation would be greatly appreciated. Call Suzie Hiles at 561-702-4975.

Friday Fish Fry
The Knights of Columbus at Ascension Boca is serving a Friday Fish Fry from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Fridays during Lent through March 22.

These $12 dinners of baked or fried fish are served with fries or a baked potato and coleslaw. Extras include clam chowder and conch fritters, at $5 each. Soda is $1. Dine inside, carry out or drive through. A 50/50 raffle benefiting the Diocesan seminarians is planned. $5 per ticket or five tickets for $20.

Ascension Catholic Church is at 7250 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton. 561-997-5486 or ascensionboca.org

Women’s group
The Garden at Advent Lutheran is a monthly gathering for women to grow together “in the Word, in Worship and in Wonder of Jesus.”

Meetings are at 6:45 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at Advent Lutheran Church, 300 E. Yamato Road, Boca Raton. The next meeting is March 12. Call 561-395-3632 or email thegardenadvent@adventboca.org

Italian Night
The annual St. Lucy Italian Night Dinner Dance takes place at 5:30 p.m. March 16 in the St. Lucy Parish Center, 3510 S. Ocean Blvd., Highland Beach. A seven-course dinner with beer, wine and soda is planned. Music by Gino DeMarco. Gift baskets, door prizes. Tickets, $75, are available after all weekend Masses and at the rectory. Call 561-715-0017.

Spring Fling
12390118699?profile=RESIZE_180x180The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County presents its annual Spring Fling at 7 p.m. March 28, at Symphony Hall in Sinai Residences East Campus, 21036 95th Ave. S., Boca Raton.

The guest speaker is Jonathan Adler, an American potter, designer and author. $75 includes cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres. A minimum gift of $360 to the 2024 UJA/Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County annual campaign is required. 561-852-3163 or email marissav@bocafed.org.

Grant writer sought
A volunteer grant writer is needed at St. Gregory’s. If you have experience researching and writing grant proposals, contact Kristen Chaney at kchaney@st-gregorys.com. St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church is at 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton.

Pajama drive
First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach is holding a pajama and book drive through March 31 at the church for children and youth of Milagro Center. New pajamas in children’s sizes 6-16 and adult sizes S, M and L are being collected. New non-religious books for elementary through high school students are also being collected.
First Presbyterian is at 33 Gleason St. firstdelray.com or 561-276-6338.

Concerts, films and performances
• First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach 2024 Concert Series continues with a performance of “Broadway & Opera Classics” at 4 p.m. March 10 at the church. It features members of the FPC choir with Don Cannarozzi at the piano. $20. 33 Gleason St., Delray Beach. firstdelray.com

• Cantor Netanel Hershtik & Big Band Orchestra perform at 7:30 p.m. March 13 at B’nai Torah Congregation, 6261 SW 18th St., Boca Raton. $30-$80 members, $40-$105 nonmembers at www.btcboca.org/cs. Info: 561-392-8566 or info@bnai-torah.org.

• Music at St. Paul’s has reorganized its schedule; the next concert, at 3 p.m. March 17, features pianist Jose Lopez and “Stars of David — the Judaic Muse II,” with music of 19th 12390119256?profile=RESIZE_180x180century Jewish composers for piano. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is at 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. 561-278-6003 or musicstpauls.org

• A concert titled “Triumph of the Human Spirit” and featuring music from Les Misérables and The Sound of Music takes place at 8 p.m. March 18 and 19 at Spanish River Church, 2400 Yamato Road, Boca Raton. Performers include David Burnham, Kathy Voytko, Randal Keith, Heidi Webster and Andrew Ragone. Tickets start at $39. www.spanishriverconcerts.org

• “Fascinating Sephardim” is a film series presented in partnership with the Sephardi Federation of Palm Beach County, whose mission is to preserve and promote Sephardic culture and the Ladino language, while providing educational and social activities. 

Screenings are at 1 p.m. Wednesdays, March 27 (Rhodes Forever, 2003), April 17 (The Last Jews of Libya, 2007) and May 22 (The Key from Spain, 2000) at the Levis JCC Sandler Center, 21050 95th Ave. S. in Boca Raton. General admission is $10 per film. Visit levisjcc.org/culture or call 561-558-2520.

Send religion notes to Janis Fontaine at fontaine423@outlook.com.

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12390115692?profile=RESIZE_710xThe sunset provides a colorful background for yoga on the beach at the Seagate club. Jan Engoren/The Coastal Star

By Jan Engoren

With Van Morrison’s Moondance setting the tone, Delray Beach yoga instructor Corey Heyman welcomed her Full Moon class of yogis and yoginis to the Seagate Beach Club with dabs of essential oil — either full moon or grounding.

About 25 people, mostly women, got towels and Fiji water (courtesy of the Seagate) and laid down their yoga mats in the sand — with the ocean and anticipated full moon in front and the sun and anticipated sunset in back.

Class began with a 10-minute meditation and gentle stretching followed by “not too many chaturangas,” due to the uneven surface of the sand.

Madeline Burger, Seagate’s director of wellness and fitness, said the genesis of yoga on the beach grew out of the coronavirus pandemic when the club recognized a need for stress reduction and mental health wellness.

“We wanted to create a sanctuary for people to come, move, breathe and connect,” she says, “and to create a sense of community. Corey is a key player in the wellness community here in Delray Beach and we, and her students, love having her here.”

The 60-minute, vinyasa flow class is open to the public and includes a lunar meditation, moon salutations and yoga poses, followed by a moonlight savasana.

Heyman, 32, founded and runs the Coco Market — a wellness-centered event — the first Sunday of every month at Old School Square.

“I’m grateful to have this platform in which to shine and build more community,” she says. “By offering their space, members and services to the public at large, the Seagate Beach Club has elevated this experience for anyone who is interested.”

She says finding yoga has connected her more to her body and to her spirit.

“Yoga allows me to feel something greater — more of a spiritual element,” Heyman says. “It has made me stronger, and the stillness has given me a sense of peace.”
Heyman, who formerly worked in the substance abuse community, took a yoga class with her dad in 2019 and says, “I realized this was meant for me. It was divine intervention. I found peace I never had.”

She completed her teacher training during the pandemic, and her parents were her first clients.

At the Seagate, Heyman times her lunar yoga classes so attendees can see the sun setting in one pose and the moon rising in the next.

Two of her devotees are Gina Oriend, 48, who works in hospitality management in Delray Beach, and Joy Rico, 70, a retired dermatologist.

Oriend, who has a background in dance and gymnastics, says she was searching for yoga on the beach when she met Heyman.

“Corey has an inviting aura about her and a calming presence,” she says. “She has come into her own through yoga. Her classes are low-key and not intimidating and she is good at what she does.”

Rico, a member of the Seagate Country Club, says the yoga classes are one of the best reasons to join the club.

She especially likes being outdoors and witnessing nature. “Even if you just sit on your towel and breathe, you are doing yoga,” she says.

Rico credits Heyman for creating a welcoming event.

“Corey is respectful of her students, a great leader with a positive outlook.

“Here and with Coco Market, she created a community of beautiful, like-minded people. She’s a thoughtful and creative person, working to better her community.”

Namaste.

If You Go
What: Full-moon yoga
Where: Seagate Beach Club, 401 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach
When: 6:30 p.m. March 24, 7 p.m. April 23 and May 22
Cost: $20
Info: seagatedelray.com/events; 561-330-3775

 

Outdoor yoga
Yoga at the Beach, through Boca Raton Community Center: full moon yoga classes, sunset yoga classes and workout yoga at Red Reef Park East and West. yoga-at-the-beach.com; 561-393-7807
Leslie Glickman and Yoga Journey: Yoga in the Park, 9 a.m. Saturdays at Sanborn Square in Boca Raton. yogajourney.com; 561-479-7819
Bamboo Garden Yoga: 88 SE Fourth Ave., Delray Beach. Registration required. 561-665-1770; bamboogardenyoga.com
Wild Sky Yoga with Sara: Beach yoga at the south end of Delray Beach, 8:30-9:30 a.m. Thursdays, from November to May. 561-305-4952

 

Jan Engoren writes about health and healthy living. Send column ideas to jengoren@hotmail.com.

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Dr. Joseph Ricotta, national medical director of vascular surgery and endovascular therapy for Tenet Healthcare, recently completed his 350th transcarotid artery revascularization procedure since 2018.12390115078?profile=RESIZE_180x180

TCAR is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat carotid artery disease.

“Performing 350 successful TCAR procedures displays our team’s commitment to providing state-of-the-art treatment for patients with carotid artery disease and preventing stroke,” said Ricotta, professor of surgery and program director of the vascular surgery fellowship at Florida Atlantic University School of Medicine Delray Medical Center. “It gives us the unique ability to offer all available treatment options to people in need, including TCAR, carotid stenting, surgical carotid endarterectomy, and medical management under one umbrella.”

Being able to provide this lifesaving treatment is humbling, Ricotta said. In 2020, he received the national TCAR Clinical Operator of Excellence distinction, awarded by Silk Road Medical, the manufacturer of the TCAR device. With more than 20 years of experience in the field, he has earned consistent recognition as a National Top Doctor by Castle Connolly and has written more than 300 articles in peer-reviewed medical journals.
     
Palm Beach Health Network has introduced a new tagline: “Stronger Together. For You.”

Its network includes six hospitals: Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Palm Beach Children’s Hospital, Good Samaritan Medical Center, Delray Medical Center and West Boca Medical Center. The network also includes free-standing emergency rooms, imaging centers, surgery centers and a team of physicians. 

“We are thrilled to unveil our new tagline, ‘Stronger Together. For You,’” said Maggie Gill, group president for Tenet Healthcare. “This mantra represents our continued commitment to provide the highest quality, most comprehensive health care services in Palm Beach County. We are proud of our long-standing role as a pillar in the community.”
  
Heather Havericak was recently named the chief operating officer of Delray Medical Center. She will manage daily operations and oversee the development and 12390115258?profile=RESIZE_180x180implementation of long-range plans, goals and objectives for the hospital.

Previously, Havericak was at Broward Health, where she served in various leadership roles for 17 years. 

Send health news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com.

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12390113671?profile=RESIZE_710xEvent founder Susan Berkowitz-Schwartz (center in red) with some of the attendees at a past All People’s Day event at Pompey Park in Delray Beach. Photo provided

By Faran Fagen

When Susan Berkowitz-Schwartz moved to Delray Beach almost two decades ago, she and her husband made it their mission to visit as many cultural festivals as possible, for research as well as enjoyment.

She planned to bring to South Florida her All People’s Day, an arts festival that had much success unifying people of different cultures and backgrounds in New Jersey.

“People said no one would come, that people would stick with their own festivals, and I said, ‘they will come,’” Berkowitz-Schwartz said. “I invited all these people who organized all the local festivals and they came — and brought their family and friends.”

The first nonprofit All People’s Day at Pompey Park in Delray Beach welcomed 300 people. Now, with the 15th annual event set for March 30 at Pompey,  650 people are expected. Many of them are children.

“Every year, the same core people come, and every year we have new people,” said Berkowitz-Schwartz, the founder and president of All People’s Day. “We want everyone to be exposed to all the culture and art in the world.”

APD is a celebration of art, music and dance, with a wide array of activities for both children and adults.

Some of the highlights planned for this festival include puppet-making, 14 song and dance performers, Craft Dough People workshop, and an All People’s Day family mural where kids and their parents connect to other families.

“All People’s Day is about connecting people from many different cultures through the arts because the arts touch people’s hearts,” said Berkowitz-Schwartz.

She is no stranger to the unifying and healing powers of art. Diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, she learned to express herself through art. Although she had difficulty reading, her mom encouraged her to develop her skills through painting, drawing and sculpting. She eventually got her master’s in art therapy.

“I found that I was good at something,” she said. “Everyone needs to know that they’re good at something and that they can find it.”

The main portion of the festival takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and features 14 diverse song and dance performers. Among those set to perform are Cecilia St. King, whose songs have spiritual messages; the Delray Divas, doing African-American step dancing; South Florida Taiko Drummers; Pink Slip, European duo singers; Rosa Showers, who offers total body fitness including the audience; Angel, a Caribbean-American singer; Rod MacDonald, a European folk singer; Simone Huete, leading Zumba that includes the audience; Kailani C, a young dancer; the Gay Men’s Chorus, and Carol Garrett singing Jewish songs.

A free indoor event on Easter weekend, the festival will have 50 interactive booths — many showcasing nonprofit organizations — and free food from local restaurants representing diverse cultures.

Among restaurants scheduled to participate are Ziree Thai & Sushi; Paella De España; Bud’s Chicken & Seafood; Maoz, featuring vegetarian cuisine; Goldstein’s Haitian Café; Agliolio, featuring Italian food, and Furin Thai.

Prior to the main events is the kids’ free Craft Dough People workshop for ages 4 to 11 held from 9:30 until 11 a.m.

“The lesson is that we’re all made from the same materials and therefore we should all be treated with equal respect,” Berkowitz-Schwartz said of the workshop.

Free parking is again available, but this year guests will be asked to park a block away at S.D. Spady Elementary School because of Pompey Park renovations.

Vendor registration is required and can be done by contacting Berkowitz-Schwartz at apd22@bellsouth.net.

If You Go
What: 15th All People’s Day Diversity Festival
Where: Pompey Park, 1101 NW Second St., Delray Beach
When: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. March 30
Cost: Free
Info: allpeoplesday.org

For more information or to learn more about sponsorship, visit allpeoplesday.org.

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12390112672?profile=RESIZE_710xThe Palm Beach International Boat Show stretches along Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach and offers hundreds of boats, yachts and other watercraft. Photo provided

 

By Steve Waters

The 42nd Palm Beach International Boat Show is the ideal venue for people looking to buy a boat, update one they currently own with the latest in electronics, engines and other marine equipment, or simply see the boating industry’s newest products.

The show is March 21-24 along Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach and features more than 800 boats and marine accessories worth more than $1.2 billion.

“One of the things I like most about the Palm Beach show is it’s not Miami,” said Michael Brown, the president of Dusky Marine in Dania Beach, noting that frequent Interstate 95 shutdowns going south affect his employees and visitors trying to get to Miami Beach. “The traffic to the Palm Beach show moves from either direction.
“The show is very easy to get to and the parking is easy.”

Dusky has exhibited at the show for more than 20 years. Brown said Palm Beach is the company’s most profitable show, coming as it does after the Fort Lauderdale show in the fall and Miami’s in February.

“It’s always been my best show, because it’s the end of the boat show year,” he said. “Plus everything is outside and it attracts my kind of customers. They can drink a beer and not worry about spilling it as they walk around.”

The vessels on display on land and in the water range from 8-foot inflatables to new and used superyachts of nearly 300 feet.

The luxurious yachts, which are lined up side by side along floating docks, are impressive to look at, but you need to be a serious buyer to get invited aboard. Companies such as Galati Yacht Sales have a variety of makes and models at the show, including Viking yachts, Princess yachts, Prestige yachts and Vahalla center consoles.
Edmiston will have its Helios 2 and A2 for sale at the show. The Helios 2 is a 168-foot Palmer Johnson that was built in 2002 and refitted in 2023. It has five cabins that can accommodate 10 guests and it has a range of 4,000 nautical miles cruising at 12 knots. The price is $15.9 million.

The A2 is a 154-foot Feadship that was launched in 1983 and refitted two years ago. It has room for 12 guests and is priced at $16.9 million.
Fishing boats are plentiful at the show. Dusky Marine is known for its rugged center consoles and will have several on display on land. Regulator, Grady-White, Pursuit and other popular builders of center console fishing boats also will have several models at the show. If your boat needs new outboard motors, the newest and biggest engines will be on display.

If you get hungry, dozens of food concessions offer a variety of dining choices, from seafood to tacos and burgers, as well as vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free items. The show also offers free how-to fishing seminars as well as educational sessions on issues within the yachting industry.

There are five show entrances, from Lakeview Avenue at the southern end to the entrance at the northern end of Flagler Drive. Show hours are noon-7 p.m. March 21, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. March 22 and 23, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. March 24.

Tickets for the show are digital and can be purchased online at pbboatshow.com. Active military and veterans can attend the show for free on March 24.

A one-day Windward VIP ticket, $390, allows entry into the show one hour early March 22-24 and includes access to the Windward VIP Club at the Lakeside Pavilion on Flagler Drive, which features an open bar and gourmet food.

The show offers convenient, affordable parking in a number of municipal garages and private lots, with free trolley transportation.

If You Go
What: Palm Beach International Boat Show
When: March 21-24
Where: Along Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach
Admission: Adults, $33; ages 6-15, $17
Info: pbboatshow.com

Outdoors writer Steve Waters can be reached at steve33324@aol.com.

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The three-story estate has plenty of balconies overlooking the pool as well as the outdoor entertainment areas with multi-level terraces.

This special property at 1840 S. Ocean Blvd. has been recently updated and is part of a stunning ocean-to-Intracoastal Manalapan compound with beach house that is situated on almost two acres. It has 150 feet of direct ocean frontage and 150 feet of direct Intracoastal frontage.

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As you pass along the private, paved drive, you will arrive at the porte-cochere at the main entry. Off to the south are four attached garage spaces.

The home offers eight total bedrooms, 10½ bathrooms, an elevator, wet bar, fireplace and eat-in kitchen with breakfast bar. Included in this estate is a luxurious primary wing plus private office and gym. Many upgrades including new flooring, all new baths and new impact sliders.

12390110860?profile=RESIZE_710xThe main home has a split bedroom plan with a primary suite wing that overlooks the Intracoastal and has its own lanai.

12390111269?profile=RESIZE_710xWho wouldn’t enjoy bathing or soaking in this tub with a sunrise to the east or a sunset over the Intracoastal?

The manicured grounds feature a resort-style heated pool curling under one of the outdoor terraces as well as a spa. There is extensive landscaping which includes a sprawling lawn overlooking the Intracoastal. Boaters will especially appreciate the large dock and new sea wall affording easy ocean access via nearby inlets.

12390111655?profile=RESIZE_710x                             The estate of 20,106 total square feet has a dock on the Intracoastal side and a beach house on the east side of A1A overlooking the ocean.

 Offered at $29 million. Nicholas Malinosky, Douglas Elliman, 900 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33483. 561-306-4597; nicholas.malinosky@elliman.com

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Enticements to develop Milani land aim to scuttle county’s plan

By Rich Pollack

Highland Beach town leaders have offered the Milani family several favorable land-use adjustments in exchange for their vocal opposition to development of a beachfront park on land they sold to the county specifically for a park.

In their continuing efforts to persuade Palm Beach County commissioners to halt development of the 5.6-acre Milani Park at the south end of Highland Beach, town leaders sent Lucia Milani a multi-pronged proposal that would make it easier for her family to develop adjacent property in exchange for the family publicly speaking out against the plan.

“If you’re naming a park after someone and you now say you no longer want the park, that has credibility,” said Highland Beach Town Manager Marshall Labadie.

Labadie said the Milani family and the town have yet to come to agreement on all of the terms.

The town’s effort came in advance of a planned public meeting about the proposed park with Palm Beach County Commissioner Marci Woodward set for Feb. 1.

Included in the proposal would be an extension of a 30-year-old settlement between the town and the family that expires in 2025 and essentially grandfathers in land use improvements on two parcels owned by the family. A five-year extension on Milani property east of State Road A1A would enable construction of three homes on the parcel that under current code is only permitted to include one single-family home.

The proposal includes a three-year extension of the settlement agreement on the west side of A1A, with two one-year additional extensions. The town is also offering to allow the family to build townhouses on that property that would exceed the height limit set under the settlement agreement but is acceptable under current height limits. Those proposed land use adjustments have been previously requested by the Milani family.

Also included in the proposed agreement is a zoning change the town would offer on the property, now zoned for public use, should the county agree to sell the property back to the Milani family if it abandons plans to build the park.

What that zoning change would be and what it would allow have been sticking points in the discussions, town leaders have said.

The town would also transfer the Cam D. Milani naming rights from the park to the old fire station, which will be used as a public meeting facility once construction of the new fire station is complete.

In exchange for the land use changes, the Milanis would be required to attend public meetings and voice opposition to the development of the park, put their opposition in writing and put together a good faith offer to the county for purchase of the park property based on appraised value.

The family sold the property to the county more than 30 years ago for $4 million.

“I think this is a real good start,” Town Commissioner Don Peters said. “We have to build up trust with Mrs. Milani.”

In a recent email to The Coastal Star, she said she preferred not to comment on “ongoing public processes.”

Public input meeting
County Commissioner Marci Woodward is hosting a community meeting at 6 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Highland Beach Library to address the proposed development of Milani Park. Overflow parking at St. Lucy Catholic Church. Follow the issue at
thecoastalstar.com

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By Mary Hladky

How can downtown Boca Raton become more enticing and vibrant, and what should be part of a new plan for a city government campus?

When the city’s Community Advisory Panel asked residents to offer their input at a Jan. 18 “community conversation,” they packed the Downtown Library meeting room.

“I’m thrilled to see such a turnout,” said Linda Marenus, advisory panel chair.

The panel’s board will meet on Feb. 7 to create a presentation on residents’ ideas that will go to the City Council to help guide its decision-making on how to improve the downtown and the adjacent government campus, she said.

Council members attending the session were equally pleased that so many residents attended.

“This is more than I expected,” said City Council member Fran Nachlas. “I am happy so many people are participating in this discussion.”

“The success here is that the community is engaged in their own future,” said City Council member and Community Redevelopment Agency Chair Marc Wigder.

The meeting follows a City Council decision last fall to revive long dormant plans to improve the government campus on 30 city-owned acres north of West Palmetto Park Road between Dixie Highway and Crawford Boulevard where City Hall, the Police Department, a community center and the Downtown Library now stand.

While the library is relatively new, the other buildings are old and deteriorating.

A consultant submitted two options for a new government hub in 2019, but the projected $200 million cost stunned council members, who said they wanted to find ways to trim the cost. The start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 brought the project to a halt.

But the opening of the Brightline station east of the Downtown Library in December 2022 has spurred city officials to revive the idea of a government campus re-do.

They anticipate that the station will prompt redevelopment of the area, presenting an opportunity to use public-private partnerships to do so that potentially could generate funding to defray the cost of a revamped government campus.

A proposed cultural arts complex in Mizner Park, now slated to open in 2028, also is expected to spur redevelopment and interest in the downtown.

Residents were free to offer any suggestion, but to spark ideas, the panel offered lists of possibilities. Residents could affix green or red stickers to the suggestions they liked or disliked.

They were nearly evenly split on adding mixed-use development, but turned an adamant thumbs down on apartment complexes and affordable housing. They also were against a sports arena and convention center.

The addition of public art drew some support, but most residents offered no opinion.

They wanted more tree canopy, native landscaping and a community garden, but opposed electric vehicle charging stations.

Coffee shops, mom-and-pop stores and restaurants got positive nods, but the addition of major retailers and commercial office space were almost universally opposed.

A downtown shuttle service, shared use paths for walking and biking and bike paths with protected lanes got their approval.

The recreation/sports category drew strong resident reaction. A skate park received overwhelming support as users of the existing Tim Huxhold Skate Park near City Hall voiced their opinion loud and clear that a skate park should be part of any planning.

Green space, walking trails, tennis courts and playgrounds won support, but residents split on pickleball courts.

They also wanted a farmer’s market, live music and food truck events.

After affixing the stickers, residents divided into groups to talk with each other about their priorities and then shared them with all attendees.

Although opinions were not uniform, some areas of consensus emerged.

Residents want green space and more trees to improve the ambiance of downtown, better walkability and more and better bike paths. They also want more locally owned and operated retail stores and restaurants that give residents a reason to come downtown.

They don’t want high density or high-rises.

Brightline also was on their minds.

City officials plan to hire consultants to plan a pedestrian bridge that Brightline passengers would use to get to and from the train station and downtown. Several groups strongly endorsed the bridge, but one dissented without explaining why.

Officials are looking for ways to boost the city’s economy by enticing passengers to get off the train and visit stores, restaurants and cultural attractions.

One group suggested restaurant discounts for train passengers. Another idea was having the city partner with Brightline to offer day passes that would reduce the cost of visiting museums and special events in the downtown.

Residents will have additional opportunities to weigh in as planning proceeds.

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12369351467?profile=RESIZE_584xOne month after city staffers outlined how they intend to improve the safety and appearance of Sanborn Square, Boca Raton City Council members have tweaked the plan.

Staff had recommended removing the unsightly temporary barricades along Federal Highway that were installed about two years ago to prevent drivers — by accident or intentionally — from jumping the curb and injuring people using the popular downtown square.

They would be replaced by concrete Jersey barricades that, rather than lining the street, would be staggered in ways that soften their appearance. They also could be painted or covered with murals.

But Council member Yvette Drucker strongly objected, saying she did not like the look of Jersey barricades even if they were painted.

So Assistant City Manager Chrissy Gibson proposed a change. Relatively low-cost Jersey barricades would still be used, but 25 concrete planter boxes would be added to enhance the aesthetics, she told the council on Jan. 8. The project would cost $78,000, and the barriers and planters could be obtained in three to four months.

Drucker was less than thrilled, saying the combination is a better option but falls short of what other cities are doing.

But since this is a temporary fix, “I can live with it,” she said.

The city plans a $4 million renovation of the square that will begin in about three years.

Deputy Mayor Monica Mayotte was more supportive. “This looks much better, much more pleasing,” she said. The three other council members also supported the combination.

— Mary Hladky

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By Rich Pollack

For more than a decade, Highland Beach town leaders have been searching for a way to increase the cap that requires voter approval to spend more than $350,000 on any one project — a provision incorporated in the town charter in 1991.

In 2012, commissioners passed an ordinance raising the cap to $1 million only to discover — after a critical Palm Beach County inspector general report — that any change in the limit needed voter approval.

Then two years ago, voters shot down a proposal that would have raised the cap based on a percentage of the town’s total budget, after strong opposition from an influential group of residents.

Now town leaders — who say residents will benefit once the financial handcuffs are removed — are hoping the third time will be the charm.

“It will give us a more direct and efficient path to tackle small capital projects,” Town Manager Marshall Labadie said.

Voters will have a chance to raise the spending limit to what town leaders say is manageable when they go to the polls March 19 to vote on three referendum issues.

Town leaders say they are optimistic all three questions — raising the cap, approving $3.5 million to line sewer pipes, and letting the supervisor of elections oversee the town’s election canvassing board rather than requiring commissioners to be on it — will get the green light.

“It appears voters are willing to give full consideration to the referendum issues,” Labadie said.

To make changes to the spending limit more palatable to voters, town leaders propose a cap of $900,000 per project, with adjustments for inflation each year beginning next year.

The $900,000, says Vice Mayor David Stern, equals what the $350,000 limit set more than 32 years ago would equate to in today’s dollars.

“This just makes sense,” he said. “It’s very clean, it’s very clear and it’s very much needed.”

Stern has said in the past that one of the reasons the last effort to increase the cap failed was that it was difficult for voters to understand.

Jack Halpern, who leads the vocal Committee to Save Highland Beach, the political action committee that opposed the idea in 2022, says his group supports raising the spending limit this time because it’s simple and makes sense. The group is also in favor of the two other referendum issues.

“The spending cap has needed to be raised for years,” he said. “It’s ridiculous.”

Labadie said the $350,000 cap, one of the few spending limits on local elected officials in Florida, makes it challenging for Highland Beach to get things done.

With the town starting its own fire department, increasing the spending limit takes on a bit more importance because of the high cost of replacing equipment and apparatus, he said.

Labadie said inflation is also driving the need to increase the spending cap.

“Items that were previously under $350,000 now exceed $350,000,” he said.

Labadie said that increasing the cap will take away some of the concerns that come with presenting important spending issues to voters.

“There’s a real risk to day-to-day operations of systems if you have a referendum and don’t get voter approval,” he said.

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12369347061?profile=RESIZE_584xThe historic Singing Pines building that housed the former Boca Raton Children’s Museum will be moved along with two other old homes. 2018 file photo

By Mary Hladky

Three buildings that have long housed the Boca Raton Children’s Museum near City Hall will be relocated to make way for a new structure to house the city’s building department.

The museum, which offered educational programs to children and was operated for many years by the Junior League of Boca Raton, closed at the start of the coronavirus pandemic and never reopened. It is located on city-owned land at 498 Crawford Blvd.

City officials have been looking for a place to move the historically significant buildings, but ran into obstacles when objections were raised to placing them in Hughes Park or Sugar Sand Park.

Now, officials have settled on moving the Singing Pines and Rickards houses to city-owned Meadows Park at 1300 NW Eighth St. The less significant cottage building, known as the Rickett House, will go to the city cemetery for use by staff.

As of January, no date had been set to move the historic buildings or to begin construction of the new city building, said city spokeswoman Anne Marie Connolly.

The department currently is housed immediately north of the Police Department at 200 NW Second Ave. Other city offices also are in that building.

The Meadows Park location is acceptable to community residents and the Boca Raton Historical Society, said Susan Gillis, the society’s curator.

“As long as they are saved, we are happy,” she said.

The city is still deciding how the Singing Pines and Rickards houses will be used, but does not intend to operate a children’s museum, Connolly said.

The Singing Pines house, built in 1913 or 1914 at 301 SW First Ave., is the most historically significant building because it is the second-oldest home in the city that still exists, Gillis said. It was built by William Myrick on property purchased from Henry Flagler’s Model Land Co.

The Rickards house, built in the 1890s, looks like the original that once was located on Palmetto Park Road. But it was completely rebuilt and so has less historical importance, she said. It was built by the city’s first settler, Thomas Moore Rickards, who made his first expedition to Florida in 1876.

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Boca Raton: Parking limited at Gumbo Limbo

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The parking lot in front of the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is closed until the spring while three ADA-compliant parking spaces are created and a ramp between them and the center is built. ‘This is a big construction project with many moving parts,’ Nature Center Manager Leanne Welch said. The work includes adjusting the slope of the parking lot and creating crosswalks. The center’s front and side doors are being replaced with wider, accessible doors, and both restrooms will be completely renovated. A trailer restroom is available outside. Some parking spaces at Red Reef West, just south of the center, have been designated as ‘Reserved for Gumbo Limbo.’ At the same time, work continues on rebuilding the 40-foot-tall observation tower and its new multilevel access ramp. ‘We are hopeful that we can celebrate the completion of all of the projects at the same time in the spring,’ Welch said. Graphic provided

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The Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District will turn 50 years old in March and is busy making plans to celebrate.
On April 11 district commissioners will have a meet-and-greet session at Sugar Sand Park.
“We’ll display some of the old drawings and some of the old photos and things like we have inside some of the cases at Sugar Sand,” Briann Harms, the district’s executive director, said at the board’s Jan. 15 meeting.
Other ideas include a park cleanup barbecue and even a trivia contest.
“There’s a lot of history in the district. ... Some people like trivia — I do. So, it will be fun to learn about our community and about the history of our parks along the way,” Harms said.
At their Jan. 2 meeting, commissioners reelected Erin Wright to chair the district, Robert Rollins to be vice chair and Craig Ehrnst to be secretary-treasurer.
They also voted to pay $1,806 a month for January, February and March to keep the restrooms clean at the Glades Road soccer fields they rent from Florida Atlantic University, up from $1,492 a month last year, a 21% increase.

—Steve Plunkett

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AHOY! Cruising is back, with more luxury

12368624497?profile=RESIZE_710xThe Silver Ray from Silversea Cruises launches this summer with dining options that match the destinations.

New ships cater to passenger demand for best of all worlds

By Tao Woolfe and John Hughes

If you’ve been yearning to get back out on the seven seas, you’re in good company. People have shaken off the coronavirus blues and are cruising again in record numbers, according to travel industry reports.

The post-pandemic customer has evolved, however, and is especially interested in high- end, “mindful” cruises, as one company puts it.

“Luxury cruises are the quickest growing segment of the cruise industry,” said Jeff Dash, CEO of Dash Travel and Cruises in Delray Beach, which specializes in cruises and has been in South Florida for 40 years.

Travelers want to go to ports of call that add an extra layer of interest to the trip — such as historic or environmental significance, Dash says.

The Antarctic, for example, is a newly popular destination.

Le Commandant Charcot, a luxury cruise ship from Ponant, aims to attract high-end adventurers who want to learn about the planet. The cruise line lays claim to having the most advanced ice-breaking technology on the ocean, in addition to scientists and researchers onboard collecting data and sharing their findings.

Dash describes Ponant as a small, interesting French luxury line that focuses on smaller audiences and specialty destinations such as the polar regions. Le Commandant Charcot has room for 200 passengers.

The limited number means that guests maintain their privacy and enjoy the feeling of being on a private yacht — able to call at iconic ports as well as secret harbors, accessible only to smaller ships.

People want to see the Antarctic because “it’s on their bucket list,” Dash said.

The travel industry suffered mightily during the pandemic and subsequent COVID outbreaks — such as last winter’s surge — but is making up for lost time and money, Dash said.

The market, which peaked in 2019 at 29.7 million customers and went down to 20.4 million customers in 2022, roared back to life in 2023 with 31.5 million customers, he said.

“The expectation is that the market will go to 37 million customers in five years,” Dash said.

For 2024, at least 14 new luxury ships are under construction by many of the traditional sailing companies, such as Cunard, Seabourn, MSC, Regent and Viking.

A few ships are being produced by completely new cruise lines. Among them are small ultra-luxury ships such as the Explora I — built by a relatively new cruise line, Explora Journeys. Launched in 2023, the Explora I accommodates fewer than 1,000 guests and weighs 64,000 tons. The Explora II is due to be finished and launched with a tour of the Mediterranean later this year.

The traditional global routes are always available, but many of today’s travelers want an experience deeper than overeating and overdrinking for a week.

“Many of the luxury and expedition cruises now have specialists on board to offer lectures,” Dash said.

Viking is among them, offering resident historians and guest lecturers to shed light on a destination’s history, art and architecture. Guests have access to an extensive library as well.

Dash has seen a lot of advance booking and says most of the space on his 2024 cruises is sold out.

Here are some details about the luxury ships that have joined their respective fleets, and those that will grace the seas later this year:

 

12368626079?profile=RESIZE_710xThe Ilma by Ritz-Carlton, to launch this fall, has a stunning pool area. Photos provided

Ilma
Last October, Ritz-Carlton launched the Evrima and entered the cruising industry with the same promise of elegance for which its luxury hotels are known. This year it is expected to double its fleet with its second superyacht, the Ilma.

Late to the cruising business, Ritz-Carlton is something of a trendsetter ship-wise. Luxury hoteliers Four Seasons and Aman are also planning to launch ships in 2025.

Prices for the Ilma’s inaugural voyage, to and from Athens in September, start at around $7,400. Amenities include an attached marina that allows guests to be in the water while also on the water.

All 224 suites have private balconies, butler service and 24-hour in-suite dining. The ship has boutiques, fitness studios, spas and bars.

Guests can also learn about destinations from experts and immerse themselves in local culture as shared with artists and musicians at ports of call.ritzcarltonyachtcollection.com

Silver Ray
When it launches this summer, the Silver Ray (Silversea Cruises) is expected to further demonstrate that the luxury cruise business is back in the black. The Silver Ray is the sister ship of the Silver Nova, which launched last year and was lauded as a luxury-cruise game changer for its asymmetrical deck design and its “S.A.L.T.” dining experiences.

The name is an acronym for Sea and Land Taste — a program that matches menus with destinations and emphasizes the cuisine of a region.

At a starting price of $6,150, the Silver Ray promises the same “Nova class” experience: 728 guests plus 544 crew sharing the 801-foot vessel. silversea.com

Explora II
Last year, Explora Journeys (an outgrowth of the MSC shipping conglomerate) became the newest line hoping to exploit the nascent luxury sea-travel niche. Like others offering exclusive service on the seas, Explora Journeys eschews the word “cruise,” preferring instead “an ocean journey.”

This summer the company plans to launch Explora II: 813 feet, 922 passengers, and a guest-to-staff ratio of 1.25 to 1. Basic fares start at around $4,000.

As with others in its class, the Explora II experience promises to include ethical ecological practices. For example, the ship will not stock any single-use plastic, and its green technology includes the potential for using alternative energy sources — part of the parent company’s goal to have zero emissions by 2050. explorajourneys.com

12368625298?profile=RESIZE_710xSpa area with pools on the Viking Saturn

Viking Saturn
Last year’s rookie of the luxury-expedition vessels, the Saturn is almost identical to its sisters in the popular Viking fleet. And, in keeping with the sense of exploration for which the line is named, the Saturn will take 925 guests (considered a small crowd by the industry) on Europe’s most enchanting rivers to places travelers want to see but few reach via waterway.

The 745-foot Saturn is decked out in indulgence, with a side of cultural and culinary enrichment served with a glass of one of the ship’s champagnes.

From the single Owner’s Suite that has a private sauna to one of the 465 all-balcony suites, the ship has five price ranges starting at about $2,800.

The Saturn is another of the line’s stars that feature signature Scandinavian designs. vikingcruises.com

12368625664?profile=RESIZE_710xLe Commandant Charcot from Ponant cruises is equipped to churn through ice in the polar regions. Photos provided

Le Commandant Charcot
The words “luxury” and “Arctic” are rarely combined in sentences. But here’s one: Ponant features expeditions to the Arctic (and Antarctic) aboard a luxury ship that can churn through sea ice.

Yes, an icebreaker. Not the breath mint; in Ponant’s case, Le Commandant Charcot.

Ponant describes its fleet as offering “luxury cruises for the discerning traveler.”

If your discerning ways are somewhere between the polar regions, the line’s other ships sail to more traditional cruise destinations. 

But it’s Le Commandant Charcot that plows its way into polar cruising history as the first of its kind to use hydroelectric power; it uses recycled energy from its engines to heat the outdoor pool, deck benches and a “snow room.”

The ship is also a workplace: Voyages include research scientists, and sometimes the ship stops just to let them do their work.

Le Commandant Charcot (named for a French explorer) is an exclusive experience at a cost of about $46,500 per person. us.ponant.com

Regent Grandeur
The Regent, Jeff Dash’s favorite luxury line, “has the best food, the best experiences, the best everything,” he says. “The dining experience is great, and the staff is fantastic, the shore excursions offer great variety — something for everyone.”

The Grandeur is a new addition to Regent Seven Seas Cruises. It boasts sprawling suites, multiple dining options and spacious social areas.

The ship set sail for its inaugural season in November, and is scheduled to make 17 voyages to the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and transatlantic crossings.

The Grandeur is 735 feet long and can accommodate 750 guests and 550 crew members. It has 10 decks, 373 suites, weighs 55,500 tons, and is 102 feet wide.

Guests enjoy sumptuous all-suite accommodations, nearly all with private balconies, as well as highly personalized service throughout and expansive outdoor spaces. rssc.com

12368626687?profile=RESIZE_710xThe Antarctic, with its charming penguins, is a popular Viking cruise destination.

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