Related: How many stories needed for office buildings downtown?

By Tim Pallesen

    City commissioners agreed Nov. 18 that future downtown buildings should be limited to four floors.
    But to achieve a complete downtown where people live, work and play, they are stumped over how to get more office buildings.
    “We’re missing the work component,” Commissioner Jordana Jarjura alerted the others before they approved the city’s new downtown development regulations on first reading. Final approval is set for Dec. 9.
    Limits on height and residential density have been the most controversial aspects of proposed regulations for new buildings.
    Mayor Cary Glickstein called Delray a “four-story town” in October and the other four commissioners now support that height limit. The proposed density limit is 30 units per acre with some flexibility.
    But the discussion shifted Nov. 18 when Community Redevelopment Agency executive director Diane Colonna pleaded for a fifth floor as incentive for office buildings to be built downtown.
    “Without it, it seems to be putting a nail in the coffin of our ability to have office space,” Colonna told city commissioners.
    New residential buildings have been built around the popular Atlantic Avenue entertainment district in recent years. Delray’s downtown has become a great place to live and play.
    But the city wants to lessen traffic congestion by encouraging a pedestrian- friendly place where residents also have a place to work and don’t need a car to drive someplace else.
    Commissioners agreed with Colonna that office space is needed. They instructed staff to find some incentive to attract office developers before the new regulations are approved on Dec. 9.
    The new regulations are an update to a downtown master plan approved in 2002 when city leaders wanted higher-density housing to generate year-round customers for Atlantic Avenue shops.
    Worthing Place, the highest-density project at 92 units per acre, started construction as the economic recession began in 2008.
    Other big new projects have been approved since then. Atlantic Crossing on East Atlantic Avenue prompted the Beach Property Owners Association and others to argue that height and density incentives are no longer necessary to attract residential developers.
    “The city was trying to get residential development back in 2002,” city planning and zoning director Dana Little explained to commissioners.
    “But the city has become much more sophisticated in the last 12 years,” Little said. “The regulations need to reflect that.”
    The proposed rules would require wider sidewalks and public open space on private property equal to 5 percent for new buildings that have 20,000 to 40,000 square feet of floor space and 7 percent for larger buildings.
    The latest Nov. 18 draft still allows residential density bonuses above 30 units per acre. The mayor said he will oppose any density or height bonuses on Dec. 9.

Paradise Bank executives: (front row, l-r) William J. Burke, Dennis Gavin, (back row, l-r) Ward Kellogg and David Englert.
Tim Stepien/ The Coastal Star

By Thomas R. Collins

    Bill Burke walks through the main lobby of Paradise Bank’s Boca Raton branch — you could call it a lounge — on North Federal Highway, and sees a customer sitting at a desk with a teller.
    “Hello, Michael,” he says.
    Burke, the bank’s president and chief operating officer, and a few other top banking executives will be having lunch later with Michael. The customer mentions a doctor’s appointment he has that day. That’s how tight he is with the top management.
    “Don’t forget to give the doctor some help,” Burke quips.
    Burke then continues giving his tour of the bank: the vault door made in 1899, the kitchen that is quite possibly nicer than yours at home, the exercise room, the pool table upstairs and the varied but somehow seamless array of artwork, including some by the Florida Highwaymen.
    He gives the tour as if he’s showing people around his own home — which makes sense, because this bank is clearly close to his heart. His work ethic shows it, he says.
    “There’s no such thing as bankers’ hours,” Burke says. That’s got to be a popular line in the banking field, but you get the sense that Burke means it.
    As mergers and mega-banks have become the norm, the number of banks based in Florida has plummeted from more than 800 in the 1970s to fewer than 200 today, Paradise CEO Ward Kellogg says. He and the other founders are not involved with the bank in order to part with it, they say.
    “This concept — it has a long-term horizon,” Burke says. “Our intent is not to grow it in order to sell it.”
    Burke — along with 13 other board members — founded the bank in 2005, along with the pledge that it would not be yet another bank that would grow inexorably larger and larger until it was bought by an even bigger bank. It was going to be a community bank that ranked service and a personal touch above size, and it was going to stay a community bank for the long haul.
    So don’t tell anyone … but Paradise Bank is growing. It just raised $4.3 million in capital through employees  buying stock options. And it just became the largest Palm Beach County-based bank, after Boca Raton-based 1st United Bank was sold to Valley National Bank. It’s almost an awkward fact for a bank that is based on a small-is-best philosophy.         “It’s an honor,” Burke says. “It wasn’t a goal.”
    The bank does have an intensely local flavor. Burke has been in South Florida since 1974, and now lives in Davie. Ward Kellogg, the CEO and chairman, lives in east Boca Raton and met Burke when they were both in business school at Florida International University. David Englert and Dennis Gavin, who are managing directors and live in Boynton Beach and Boca Raton respectively, have been in South Florida since the 1980s.
    Board members also include James Comparato and Thomas McMurrain, two Palm Beach County developers; Allen McGee, CEO and chairman of Radiology Corporation of America, and an east Boca Raton resident. Board members David Dickenson and Lisa Wheeler also are Boca Raton residents.
    Burke, Kellogg, Englert and Gavin are the four board members who are most active with the daily operations of the three-branch bank.
    No owner holds more than 6 percent of the bank’s shares, so a decision to sell would need a lot of votes.
    Paradise is a Subchapter S bank — meaning it must have fewer than 100 shareholders.
    Its connection with the local community and the local culture is its defining characteristic. The logo — which is even stitched into the starched business shirts of the executives — is a palm tree and sun rising over the ocean. There’s even a pair of green and orange flip-flops at the bottom of every page of the company’s website.
    Given the connotation of leisure, it’s a little funny to hear the top executives say that everyone associated with the bank has been “hand picked” largely because of a tireless work ethic.
    “We’re also the executives and we handle customer relationships,” Kellogg says.
    “We’re sitting on the board and we’re turning the lights on in the morning,” Englert says.
    Despite that hard work, the bank is not seeking growth, they say.
    “It’s easier to manage a smaller bank and customers get better service,” Kellogg says. The bank’s return on assets is close to 2 percent and its return on equity approaches 20 percent, two impressive figures they say would be imperiled if the bank grew much beyond $500 million total assets. It is now at about $312 million.
    Dividends, rather than the prospect of a handsome payment once the bank sells for an enormous sum to a bigger bank, are what keep shareholders happy, the executives say. That lends stability to the idea of the bank remaining a manageable size and remaining off the market.
    Even as the top executives obsess over customer service and maximizing returns, they maintain a surprisingly playful spirit. They joke with each other freely, and take a “work hard, play hard” approach, Gavin says.
    As their lunch with the customer Michael approaches, Gavin says it wasn’t a calculated attempt to please a client who needs pampering. It’s much more casual than that.
    “It’s not necessarily that they have a need,” he says. “It’s, ‘Let’s have lunch.’ ” Ú
    Paradise Bank has offices at 2420 N. Federal Highway in Boca Raton, 1351 N. Federal Highway in Delray Beach and 540 N. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale.

Dec. 6:  The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation celebrated a reception to collect silent-auction items for the upcoming gala, which will take place at the Hyatt Regency Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale. Honoree is Dr. Daniel Kantor. Time is 6 pm. Cost is $200. Call 954-776-6805 or visit msfocus.org. PHOTO: Isabella Glazer, foundation Development Director Nathalie Sloane, volunteers of the year Dr. Marietta and Ira Glazer and Gabriella Glazer. Photo provided

Dec. 7: Guests will feast on vegan cuisine, bid in a silent auction and view photography of ‘patients’ from the South Florida Wildlife Center. Time is 5 pm. Cost is $200. Call 954-524-4302, Ext. 25, or visit southfloridawildlifecenter.org. Photo: Center veterinarian Antonia Gardner helps a yellow-crowned night heron. Photo provided by Aaron Ansarov

Ashley Knox and Miami City Ballet dancers in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, which comes to the Kravis Center Dec. 27-30. Photo by Alexandre Dufaur

Let your inner child go wild with scores of holiday-related events to watch and enjoy

Note: Events are current as of Nov 28. Please check with organizers for any changes.

December 6
Saturday -  12/6 - 44th Annual Boynton Beach Holiday Parade begins at the corner of 12th Ave. and Federal Hwy and proceeds north to Ocean Ave. in downtown Boynton Beach. Floats, marching units, bands, and dance troupes. All ages. 3 pm. Free. 742-6640.
12/6 - A Christmas Opera: Amahl and the Night Visitors at Palm Beach Atlantic University Desantis Family Chapel, 901 S Flagler Dr., West Palm Beach. Produced and directed by Marilyn Mims. Fully staged with orchestra. 3 & 8 pm. Held again 12/7 at 8 pm. $20 general admission; $10 student with ID. 888-468-6722 or www.pba.edu.
12/6 - Wonder of the Season presented by Delray Beach Chorale at First Presbyterian Church, 33 Gleason St., Delray Beach. 60-voice chorale accompanied by an ensemble of professional instrumentalists perform a selection of Judaic and Christian holiday music. A reception follows. Held again 12/13 at The Duncan Theater at Palm Beach State College, 4200 South Congress Ave., Lake Worth. All ages. 3-4:30 pm. $25 in advance; $35 at the door; students with ID $5. 800-984-7282.
12/6 - 38th Annual Boca Raton Holiday Boat Parade - Intracoastal Waterway beginning at the C-15 Canal (Boca Raton/Delray Beach border). Bleacher viewing at Silver Palm Park & Red Reef Park. Boats enter for free, prizes and monetary awards. 6:30 pm. Free. 367-7073.
12/6 - Colors of Christmas with Peabo Bryson, Taylor Dayne, Jennifer Holiday and Ruben Studdard at the Kravis Center Dreyfoos Concert Hall, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. Singing hits from their individual repertoires, as well as songs of the season, this stellar lineup of award-winning artists are joined by a gospel choir. 8 pm. Tickets start at $25. 832-7469.
12/6-7 - A Christmas Carol at Sol Children Theatre, 3333 N. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton. Runs through 12/21. F&Sat.: 7 pm; Sat. & Sun.: 2 pm. $15/adults, $10/juniors. 447-8829 or www.solchildren.org.
12/6-13 - Festival of Trees “Honoring Our 50 States” Community Days at Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, 253 Barcelona Road, West Palm Beach. See what has been called the “#1 Holiday Tradition in Palm Beach County” as you explore the lights and sounds of the Gardens, while enjoying the creativity and beauty of the Americana-themed trees. 6-8:30 pm. $15 adults; $7 children. 832-5328.
12/6-27 - “Christmas at Cason Cottage” Open House and Docent Guided Tour at Cason Cottage, 3 NE 1st St., Delray Beach. Take a journey of Christmas past inside Delray’s beloved Cason Cottage House Museum, decorated to reflect the holidays during the 1920s. All ages. Thu, F, & Sat. 11 am-3 pm & 5-8 pm. $6. 274-9578.

The FAU Tuba Christmas will return to Boca Raton’s Mizner Park on Dec. 14. Tim Stepien/2010 File Photo

December 7-13
Sunday - 12/7 - Holiday Concert - Presented as part of the ARTful Adventure Sunday series at The Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real. Family program features art workshops and live performance by the West Boca High School’s Vanguard. Includes an interactive opportunity for all ages to learn, create and enjoy the arts. 2-3 pm. Free with paid museum admission: $12/adults, $10/seniors, free/students with ID and children 12 and under. 392-2500.
12/7 - 12th Annual Gingerbread Holiday Concert by Lynn University Philharmonia Orchestra at the Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center, Lynn University, 3601 N. Military Trail, Boca Raton. Celebrate the beloved music traditions of the holidays. Also featured at this year’s concert is Seanna Pereira, 9-year-old singer and actress. Seanna will perform two songs and lead the sing-along portion of the concert. 3 pm. $35. 237-9000.
12/7 - Concert: Holiday Music with Merritt & Moreau - Presented as part of the Friends Music Series at the Boca Raton Public Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. For adults. 3-4 pm. Free. Reservations: 393-7852.
12/7 - Christmas Cantata Glad Tidings of Great Joy presented by the Chancel Choir of Church of the Palms, 1960 N Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. The retelling of the Christmas story as seen through the eyes of the elderly patriarch Simeon. Music by Robert Hebble and narration by Jason Doyle Fairbanks. Reception follows. 4 pm. Free-will offering taken to support the Music Ministries at Church of the Palms. 276-6347.
12/7 - Nova Singers Holiday Tidings Concert at Trinity Lutheran Church, 400 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. Christmas & Hanukah choral selections featuring Randall Bass’ Gloria, Dan Forest’s Arise, Shine and many audience favorites of the season. 4 pm. Adults: $15/advance, $20/at the door; $10/seniors, $5/students. 278-1737.
12/7 - Christmas Concert at First United Methodist Church of Boca Raton, 625 NE  Mizner Blvd. 7 pm. Free. 395-1244.
12/7 - Handel’s Messiah at FAU’s Boca Raton campus, University Theatre, 777 Glades, Road. Features FAU students, faculty, and alumni. 7 pm. $15. 800-564-9539.
12/7 - Winter Tapestry: A Holiday Concert at Kravis Center Dreyfoos Concert Hall, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. Young Singers of the Palm Beaches presents a night of beautiful music, laughter and warmth. Enjoy Palm Beach County’s award-winning community choir, made up of 300 talented singers spanning ages 8 to 18. Concert highlights classical choral music, pop and Broadway tunes. All ages. 7-9:30 pm. $11-41. 832-7469 or www.kravis.org.
Tuesday - 12/9 - City Christmas at The Harriet Himmel Theater, City Place, 600 S Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach. The King’s Academy award-winning vocal arts and dance departments will have you feeling as if you are walking through a winter wonderland. All ages. 7 pm. $10. 686-4244, Ext. 362, or www.tka.net.
Wednesday - 12/10 - G-Star Holiday Car & Bike Light Parade & Show Salutes Our Veterans! at G-Star School of the Arts, 2030 S Congress Ave., Palm Springs. Classic and antique car, motorcycle, and float parade lit up with holiday lights through the city of Palm Springs then back to the school for a party with recording artists Cecilia Lauren and the Ocoee River Band, plus raffles, holiday music, food vendors, and more. All ages. Proceeds go to Honor Flight and Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, and G-Star School Foundation. 5:30 pm. Free but donations are  accepted. 386-6275 or www.asphaltangelscarclub.net.
12/10 - “An Appalachian Christmas” with Mark O’Connor and Friends at Society of the Four Arts Walter S. Gubelmann Auditorium, 2 Four Arts Plaza, Palm Beach. 8 pm. $40 balcony; $45 orchestra. 655-7226 or www.fourarts.org.
Thursday - 12/11 - Chanukah Party at the Children’s Museum, 498 Crawford Blvd., Boca Raton. Chanukah sing-along, craft, and storytime for children and their families. All ages welcome. 5-6 pm. $5/family. RSVP: 368-6875 or www.cmboca.org.
12/11 - Carols & Cocktails In The Garden at Sandoway House Nature Center, 142 S. Ocean Blvd. Delray Beach. Mix & mingle with friends while spreading the holiday cheer. Featuring cocktails and light bites at the Sandoway House covered in lights with live musical entertainment. All proceeds donated to support the Sandoway Nature Center. 6-9 pm. $25. 274-7263 or www.sandowayhouse.org.
12/11 - “Twas the Night Before Christmas” Story Hour and Pajama Party at Cason Cottage, 3 NE 1st St., Delray Beach. Join us around the Christmas tree as special guests read aloud this classic poem written by Clement C. Moore.  Plus, old-fashioned sing-a-long, cookies, and hot apple cider. All ages. Space is limited. 6-7 pm. $20/person (benefits Children’s Programming at the Delray Beach Historical Society). Reservations: 274-9578.
Friday - 12/12 - Story Time and Cookies with Mrs. Claus at the Seagate Hotel & Spa, 1000 E Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. The Seagate is inviting children from the Palm Beach County Achievement Center and the Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach for a special visit with Santa and story time with Mrs. Claus. Also open to Seagate’s guests and the public. Mrs. Claus will read the holiday favorite Twas the Night Before Christmas and hand out freshly baked cookies; Children are then invited to get their picture taken with Santa while they tell him what they want for Christmas. 4 pm. Free. 877-57-SEAGATE or www.theseagatehotel.com.
12/12 - Annual Boynton/Delray Holiday Boat Parade - The flotilla of brightly decorated boats lines up at the Boynton Beach inlet and travel south along the Intracoastal Waterway to the C-15 canal in Delray Beach. Viewing areas are located at the Boynton Harbor Marina (735 Casa Loma Blvd.) and along the parade route. Please bring new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots. Food and drink vendors available. No pets allowed. Pre-party starts at 5:30 pm, featuring live music, pictures with Santa and more, at the Boynton Harbor Marina by Two Georges Waterfront Grille. To enter your boat, call 737-3256, Ext. 204. Parade: 6:30 pm. Information: 737-3256.
12/12 - Town of Ocean Ridge Annual Holiday Celebration at Ocean Ridge Town Hall, 6450 N Ocean Blvd. Holiday celebration for Ocean Ridge residents includes a visit from Santa and light snacks and beverages. Free parking at Oceanfront Park. All ages. 5:30-7:30 pm. Free. 738-6735.
12/12 - Divas Holiday Party at the Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave., Lake Worth. Join your favorite divas as they celebrate the holidays as only the divas can. Songs, skits and a comically good time. 8 pm. $15. 586-6169.
12/12 - The Perfect Gift: Christmas with the Tenors at Kravis Center Dreyfoos Hall, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. Clifton Murray, Victor Micallef, Remingo Pereira and Fraser Walters perform holiday classics. 8 pm. Tickets start at $15. 832-7469.
12/12 - Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony and Concert in the Plaza at Cultural Plaza, 414 Lake Ave., Lake Worth. Featuring live music, food vendors, crafts and artists selling their artwork. Held the first & third Friday of each month. 6-10 pm. Free. 588-8344.
Saturday - 12/13 - 21st Annual Breakfast With Santa at the Children’s Museum, 498 Crawford Blvd., Boca Raton. Featuring real snow, pancake breakfast, pictures with Santa, train rides, multicultural crafts, sand art, entertainment by Flora Belle The Clown and caricature artist Dick Kulpa. 8:30 am-noon. Advance tickets: $10/person, free/infants under age 1; at the gate $15/person. Reservations: 368-6875 or www.cmboca.org.
12/13 - Breakfast with Santa at Palm Beach Zoo, 1301 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach. Enjoy a scrumptious hot buffet breakfast that includes waffles, eggs, bacon, sausage, omelets, pastries, coffee and juice; mimosas available for purchase. Private up-close animal encounters, a meet and greet plus photo opportunities with Santa and all-day admission to the Zoo. 8:30 am. Held again 12/14 at 8:30 am; 12/20-21 at 8:30 or 10 am. Zoo members: adults (13+) $22.95; children (3-12) $14.95; toddlers (0-2) $4.95. Non-members: adults $32.95; children $24.95, toddlers $4.95. 547-9453 or www.palmbeachzoo.org.
12/13 - Breakfast with Santa at Intracoastal Park, 2240 N Federal Hwy. Boynton Beach. Kids have an opportunity to visit with Santa and make a holiday craft. Register early as space is limited! Family fare. 9-11 am. $7/person. 742-6423 or www.boynton-beach.org.
12/13 - Cookie Cruise with Santa aboard the Lady Atlantic departs from Veterans Park, 801 E Atlantic Ave. Celebrate the holidays with Santa aboard the Lady Atlantic. This event is first come first serve and is sure to sell out! Call Delray Yacht Cruises for reservations. Visit with Santa, cookies and milk or hot chocolate, coffee and tea, craft activities included. 10:30 am-12 pm. Held again 12/20. $18 per person; children under 2 free. Special photo with Santa also available for $10. Reservations: 243-0686.
12/13 - Delray Beach Holiday Parade  - Presented by Delray Beach Parks and Recreation and Festival Management Group Inc. Parade starts on Atlantic Ave. at the Intracoastal Bridge and continues west to NW 5th Ave. More than 70 entries. With a special connection to the North Pole, the Delray Beach Fire Department will have Santa riding along on their fire truck. 6 pm. Free. 243-7277.
12/13 - “Ignite the Night” Lake Worth Holiday Parade - Bring your lawn chair and line the streets of Lake and Lucerne Avenues in downtown Lake Worth. Wind up in the Cultural Plaza with the Kiwanis Club who’ll be presenting this year’s Santa’s Workshop, a fun-filled day for children of all ages. Parade begins at 5 pm. Free. 398-8340 or www.lakeworth.org.
12/13 - A Holiday Spectacular presented by Florida Dance Conservatory at Kravis Center Persson Hall Cabaret, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. A holiday dance performance inspired by Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular. 7 pm. $25. 832-7469 or www.kravis.org.
12/13 - Boynton Beach Holiday Movies in the Park featuring “Elf” at Ocean Avenue Amphitheatre, 129 E Ocean Ave. Bring your beach chair or blanket. Food and beverage available for purchase. Family fare. 7 pm. 742-6246 or www.CatchBoynton.com.
12/13-14 - The Nutcracker  - Presented by the Harid Conservatory at Spanish River High School, 5100 Jog Road, Boca Raton. The dance school features Act II and a variety of other character dances. 3 p.m. $25-$30. 997-2677.

December 14-20
Sunday - 12/14 - Children’s Special Christmas Program: The Christmas Story According to Luke at Unity of Delray Beach, 101 NW 22nd St. The Sunday School children’s gift to the congregants followed by Santa’s visit. Visiting children and grandchildren are invited and encouraged to participate. Magical Show with costumes provided. All ages. 9:25 am. Free. 276-5796.
12/14 - FAU Tuba Christmas 2014 at Mizner Park Amphitheatre, 201 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. Help support the tradition of holiday music performed by tubas and euphoniums.  Conductor Sean Murray brings this tradition to the Boca Raton community for the fourth year. Outdoor event, bring chairs or blankets. 5-6:30 pm. Free. 297-3853 or www.fau.edu/arts.
12/14 - The Palm Beach Pops:  A Holiday Concert with The Manhattan Transfer at Kravis Center Dreyfoos Hall, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. 7:30 pm. $33. 932-7469.
Tuesday - 12/16 - Menorah Candle Lighting Ceremony at Delray Beach Center for the Arts front lawn, 51 N. Swinton Ave. Sundown/5:30 pm. Free. 243-7000.
12/16 - A Christmas Carol at The Crest Theatre, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. 8 pm. $40. 243-7922, Ext. 1.
Wednesday - 12/17 - Dr. Robert Sharon’s Holiday Show at South Palm Beach Town Hall, 3577 S. Ocean Blvd. 7:30 pm. $10. 588-8889.
12/17 - Sarge: The Chanukah Chutzpah Tour at the Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave. Featuring a very special holiday show by one of America’s favorite entertainer/comedians. 8 pm. $29-$35. 586-6169.
12/17-19 - It’s A Wonderful Life: Radio Theatre  - Presented by Arts Garage, 180 NE 1st St., Delray Beach. The second season of the acclaimed Radio Theatre series. In this classic holiday tale, an angel helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing what life would have been like if he never existed. 8 pm. $15-25. 450-6357.
Thursday - 12/18 - Music in the Museum at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real. Celebrate the sounds of the season with holiday favorites performed by concert pianists Heather Coltman and Krisztina Kover - features beloved carols and selections from the Nutcracker. 6-7 pm. Free with paid museum admission. 392-2500.
12/18 - Holiday Open House at the Boynton Beach City Library, 208 S. Seacrest Blvd. Celebrate the wonder of winter and the beginning of the holidays. Enjoy entertainment, crafts and light refreshments. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library. For all ages. 6-7:30 pm. Free. 742-6380 or www.boyntonlibrary.org.
Friday - 12/19 - Chanukah Under the Stars - Presented by Temple Beth El at Mizner Park Amphitheatre, 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. Family activities and food for purchase 5-7 pm; children’s Chanukah service and songfest 6 pm; Chanukah musical celebration and community menorah lighting 7:30 pm. 5-9 pm. Free. 391-8900.
Saturday - 12/20 - Nutcracker - The Royal Ballet presents Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Film Screening at the Society of The Four Arts Walter S. Gubelmann Auditorium, 2 Four Arts Plaza, Palm Beach. 1 pm. Free. Tickets required. 655-7226 or www.fourarts.org.
12/20 - Downtown Dance Presents: A Holiday Extravaganza at the Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave. Including a tribute to the Rockettes’ Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Featuring The Ballet: Les Patineurs “The Ice Skaters” & Handel’s Messiah by Demetrius Klein. Two shows: 2 & 7 pm. $15/advance, $20/at the door. 586-6169.
12/20 - Robin Spielberg: Spirit of the Holidays at Kravis Center Persson Hall, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. Robin Spielberg’s enchanting piano performance celebrates the songs, spirit and moods of the season through music and stories. 7:30 pm. $35. 832-7469 or www.kravis.org.

December 21-27
Sunday - 12/21 - Lessons and Carols: A Renaissance Christmas - Presented as part of Music At St. Paul’s series at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. St. Paul’s Choir presents their annual celebration of the season. 3 pm. Free. 278-6003.
12/21 - Chanukah Festival - Presented by Chabad Boca Beaches at Sanborn Square, 72 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton. Featuring rides, food, concert starring Eduardo, Menorah Lighting with Dignitaries. Rides and food begin at 4 pm; Menorah Lighting at 5 pm followed by concert. Nominal fee for food and rides. 417-7797 or www.chabadbocabeaches.com.
12/21 - The Symphonia Boca Raton: Christmas Concerto at  Roberts Theater, St. Andrew’s School, 3900 Jog Road, Boca Raton. Philadelphia Orchestra concertmaster David Kim conducts Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Corelli’s Christmas Concerto. 3 pm. $45-$75. 866-687-4201.
12/27-30 - The Nutcracker at the Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. The Miami City Ballet performs the George Balanchine version, danced to the accompaniment of the Opus One Orchestra. 12/27: 7:30 pm, 12/28: 1pm & 6:30 pm, 12/29-30: 2 pm  & 7:30 pm. $25-79. 832-7469.

Dec. 28-Jan. 3
12/31 - First Night 2015  - Family friendly New Year’s Eve special event throughout Downtown Delray Beach including a fireworks finale at the Tennis Center at 9 pm and midnight. Admission by puchased button. Purchase your button at the 100-foot Christmas Tree and City Hall as well as at the Delray Beach Library, the Crest Theatre, Delray News Stand and the Chamber of Commerce. All ages. 4 pm -12 midnight. $10 until 12/30; $15 on 12/31. www.100ftchristmastree.com.

Trevor Zankl, a third-grader at Gulf Stream School, got friends and classmates to donate Halloween candy to be sent to U.S. troops overseas. Photo provided

By Amy Woods

    More than 130 pounds of Nerds, Reese’s, Skittles and Starburst are on their way to U.S. military members around the world. So are bags of Bazooka bubble gum, containers of Tic Tac mints and tasty Tootsie Roll twists.
    The substantial stash of sweets started rolling in to the hands — but not the mouth — of Gulf Stream School third-grader Trevor Zankl during Halloween. The 9-year-old coordinated a candy-collection drive to benefit Operation Gratitude, a volunteer organization that sends treats to the troops every year.
    “I think the candy might taste a little better than the food they have over there,” Trevor said.
    He got the idea from his dentist, Dr. Maria Castaneda of Boca Delray Pediatric Dentistry, an Operation Gratitude volunteer. He then sought permission at school to ask his classmates whether they would donate their Halloween bounties.
    “I’m very thankful for my teacher because she said yes,” Trevor said. “I actually have 133 pounds of candy.”
    He didn’t part with the personal pile of goodies he earned circling his Delray Beach neighborhood dressed up as a boxer.
    “I kept my favorites, which is [Nestle] Crunch, M&M’s and [Hershey’s] chocolate,” Trevor said.
    Mother Kristen Zankl said the response to the effort was more than either of them expected.
    “Right off the bat, he came home with 47 pounds,” Zankl said.
    On day two, Trevor collected 27 pounds. Day three saw 16 pounds. He and his mother made five trips to the dentist’s office to drop it all off.
    He wants to do it again next year.
    “Trevor’s such a thoughtful person,” Kristen Zankl said. “He understands the sacrifices that the people in the military make.”
    Grandmother Linda Bokinsky said Trevor’s determination to help others should be celebrated.
“We always hear the bad things kids do,” Bokinsky said. “We never hear the good.”

Author Patsy West gave a slide-show and lecture presentation about the history of American swimwear, showing the audience of Boca Raton Historical Society supporters vintage bathing suits. The old, bulky, fabric-centric pieces then were contrasted with Lord & Taylor’s modern-day — and much-skimpier — swimwear. ABOVE: Joyce DeVita, Mary Csar, Lord & Taylor’s Mindy Horvitz, Denise Alman and Lisa Vander Ploeg. Photo provided 

The Boys & Girls Club of Boca Raton had its annual high-stakes fundraiser to generate proceeds for programs that benefit more than 100 at-risk youths. Upward of 170 guests tested their luck and donated $61,000-plus during the evening, which included a live auction of getaways to Ireland, Key Largo and Miami. ABOVE: Casino Night Co-Chairs Kathryn Gillespie and Zak Odhwani, with Auction Chairwoman Nancy Wilkinson. Photo provided

The Junior League of Boca Raton celebrated its 27th-annual luncheon by recognizing 27 nominees from nonprofit organizations throughout Palm Beach County for their volunteerism. The winner was Anne Rutherford, of Spirit of Giving Network. Helen Babione and Connie Berry received the Lifetime Achievement Award. ABOVE : Former Mayor Susan Welchel; Co-Chairwoman Yvette Drucker; Jan Savarick, of the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation; Rutherford, an award recipient; and Co-Chairwoman Kirsten Stephenson. Photo provided by Downtown Photography

More than 350 young and young-at-heart supporters of the Dreyfoos School of the Arts Foundation dressed in white and brought outlandish table décor with them as they traveled to the top of the CityPlace Macy’s parking garage for the pop-up dinner event. The unconventional location was kept a secret until one hour before the fundraiser, with ticket-holders being notified via email and text messages. It was modeled after Diner en Blanc, a 25-year tradition in Paris. ABOVE: David Veselsky, Linda Silpe, Ken Elias and Donald Silpe. Photo provided by Lila Photo

The Palm Beach International Film Festival’s grand-finale gala honored CEO Randi
Emerman, community leader George Elmore and actor Joe Manganiello, star of television series ‘True Blood’ and blockbuster movie ‘Magic Mike’. ‘This event celebrated a tremendous
milestone for the festival with tributes to the many filmmakers and actors we have had the privilege to meet and get to know over the years,” Emerman said. ABOVE: Chris and Lori Alf, with Rochelle and Kevin Mulligan. BELOW: Wendy Honig and Monika Herbichova.  

Photos provided by Larry Richman

Florida Atlantic University’s Division of Institutional Advancement celebrated members of the Horizon Society, the planned-giving arm of the university’s foundation, thanking benefactors who have remembered the school with estate gifts. Horizon Society members were recognized with rose corsages and boutonnieres. TOP: Judith Teller-Kaye and Molly Foreman-Kozel. BELOW: Ellen Krystofik and Marny Glasser.

Photos provided

The Cultural Council of Palm Beach County granted $45,000 to 11 local nonprofit arts organizations
during the annual program that offers informative business, financial, fundraising and marketing sessions, as well as guest speakers. More than 200 attended. ‘The collaboration between SmARTBiz and the grant-recipient organizations presented training opportunities that will eventually lead to concrete connections between business and the arts and the partner institutions,’ said Cressman Bronson, of sponsor PNC Bank. RIGHT: Vicki Chouris, Dale McNulty, Larry Rosensweig, Carol Roberts, Matthew Korinko, Sue Ellen Beryl, Ray Ellis, Susan Namm Spencer, Katie Deits, Michael McKeich, Sung Knowles and Cynthia Palmieri. Photo provided by Jacek Photos

The seventh annual parade and community celebration was a star-spangled success, featuring a Color Guard, several veterans’ organization and local school bands. The parade was organized by the Palm Beach County Veterans Committee. ABOVE: George Fisher and Kip Monroe, of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 717, with Charleen Szabo, director of the VA Medical Center. Photo provided by Janis Bucher

More than 130 attended the Boynton Woman’s Club’s annual fashionable fundraiser, resulting in more than $1,700 in scholarship money for the club’s scholarship fund. High-school students in Boynton Beach who plan to attend a Florida college are eligible to receive grants from the fund. ‘These students are so grateful to receive one of our scholarships,’ Co-Chairwoman Barbara Grimes said. ‘That’s what makes all our hard work so worthwhile.’ ABOVE: Co-Chairwomen JoAnne Kriesant-Weld and Grimes; members and models Denise Chamberlain and Donna Artes; and Past President Kay Baker. Photo provided

The sound of a drum performance by students of the Creative City Collaborative at Arts Garage highlighted Impact 100’s membership event. The special presentation served as an example of the ‘impact’ the organization makes in the
community. It has given $688,000 to 15 nonprofits in three years.  ‘We invite all women in Palm Beach County to join Impact 100 to discover the power of women giving as one,’ Co-President Susan Duane said. RIGHT: Lisa Peterfreund, Phil Perlman, Lindsay Perlman and Tandy Robinson. Photo provided by Sherry Ferrante

Delray Beach Mayor Cary Glickstein holds up a certificate presented by Ron Fairchild (l), the keynote speaker during the kickoff breakfast at the Third Annual Delray Reads Day. The certificate names Delray Beach as a ‘Pacesetter’ community in the National Campaign for Grade Level Reading.  More than 275 volunteers took part in the program by visiting a public elementery school classroom and reading to the children. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Thom Smith

     The first Boca Raton Bowl is just around the corner (Dec. 23) and the folks at ESPN are already planning camera shots from atop the stadium that show the Atlantic Ocean in the distance. “There’s not another view like this in the country,” event executive director Doug Mosley said.
    Even though planning time is short — teams won’t be announced until the second week in December, Mosley isn’t worried. “Once they see how the weather is down here, they’ll be making reservations real quick,” Mosley said.   
    Boca Bowl has other advantages, too. The teams will stay at PGA Resort and the Boca Raton Resort & Club and attend fan parties in West Palm Beach’s CityPlace and in Delray Beach. Can other bowl cities such as Boise or Shreveport top that?
    City and county officials, too, are banking on that exposure, each investing $140,000 in sponsorship money annually for the initial six-year run. Other local sponsors include Bank of America, Duffy’s, FAU, JM Lexus, Papa John’s, People’s Trust, Tenet Health Care, Oxbridge Academy and Tire Kingdom. And while some will pay for suites to entertain clients on game day, others are in it for year-round benefits. For example, Tenet doctors have already conducted sessions on concussions and head injuries for parents of young football players. ESPN predicts a first-year economic impact of about $2.5 million.  
    “The response has been great considering the short lead-in time,” said Steve Politiziner, who runs ESPN’s West Palm Beach operation. “The community is thirsty for it. They’re excited about the signage during the game or renting stadium suites to entertain clients. Other want to take advantage of vendor areas outside the stadium. But sponsors see the year-round benefits… It isn’t just for the game.”
                    ***       
    As the rest of the nation moved mountains… of snow, Palm Beach County — more specifically Boca Raton and Florida Atlantic University — enjoyed a balmy, sunshiny plug on the Today show. Credit NBC Correspondent Kerry Sanders, a Fort Lauderdale resident, who filed a report on the potential danger of personal drones being flown at spectator events such as football games.  
    Sanders’ 9 a.m. report began in the bleachers at FAU’s football stadium, then cut away to some video of flying drones. When the live report resumed, Sanders, who once worked at Miami’s WTVJ, was standing on the stadium turf, a large “Home of the Owls” banner in the background.
    While the topic addressed the danger of small drones, Sanders was fortunate not to be interrupted by noise from potentially more dangerous corporate jets taking off from Boca Raton Airport a few hundred feet to the east. “He was lucky,” FAU publicist Lisa Metcalf said. “But most of the people who fly in those jets don’t leave that early.”
    Metcalf noted that Sanders has used FAU’s facilities and its staff on several occasions. It doesn’t hurt that his wife, Deborah Sharp, author of the Mace Bauer series of humorous mysteries (Mama Gets Trashed is the latest), is an FAU graduate and member of the university’s Alumni Hall of Fame.     
                          

Nicky Mill (left) and Alex Mill (right) pose with their mother, Chris Evert, during a gala held as
part of the three-day charity event held at the Delray Beach Tennis Center. The Classic is now
in its 25th year and has raised more than $21 million to fight against drug abuse and child
neglect in Florida. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

 It isn’t Davis Cup. It isn’t Wimbledon. Nevertheless, the Chris Evert/Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic is special. Despite the lousy weather, the 25th anniversary event the weekend before Thanksgiving offered decent tennis at the Delray Beach Tennis Center and lots of partying, laughs and music at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Most important, the $700,000 raised this year for programs funded through Florida’s Ounce of Prevention Fund and the Drug Abuse Foundation of Palm Beach County brings the quarter-century total to nearly $22 million.
The auctions at the gala brought in $140,000: donors bid $8,500 for two tickets to any Swissair destination in Europe, $10,000 each for two Wimbledon packages — seats for two and four nights at a London hotel. A one-hour lesson and hitting session with the person responsible for all this — Chris Evert, went for $15,000.
But Evert, at the gala in a stunning Carlos Miele-designed floor-length red gown, turns 60 just before Christmas and  knows she’s not playing singles when it comes to the classic: “I have some great friends and great sponsors, And we have great support in South Florida. It’s all about the team around you, and we have a great team.”
Despite the red carpet and photographer corral at the entrance, the event was relatively low key as patrons and celebrities mingled: No groupies screaming to get close to rocker Gavin Rossdale. Today’s Hoda Kotb checking out the silent auction items. A rather unassuming Jon Lovitz posing for selfies with old Saturday Night Live fans, saving his “devilment” for next afternoon’s tennis. As always, the event is a family affair with Chris’ brothers John and Drew and their wives, sister Jeanne, and Chris’ sons Colton, Alex and Nick, already shaping their young adult lives.

***
                            
If only the restaurant that bears his name had been open. Instead, Joey Merlino stopped by Havana Nights, a Boca cigar bar, last June, and don’tcha know, he bumped into an old acquaintance, Johnny Ciancaglini. Boca’s a friendly city and Merlino’s a friendly guy, who loves to greet customers at Merlino’s, the new Italian hot spot at the corner of Southeast First Avenue and Royal Palm Road. Some folks in the opertation claim the restaurant actually is named for Rita Merlino, Joey’s mother, whose recipes stock the menu, but regardless Merlino isn’t supposed to say a word to Ciancaglini or anyone else who has a rap sheet.
    That’s because Merlino also has a rap sheet, reputed to be the boss of the Philadelphia mob. After a decade in prison for racketeering, he moved to Boca Raton. Last year, he and a group of investors announced plans for the new restaurant serving meals from his mother’s recipes with “Skinny Joey” as maitre d’.  Then he bumped into Ciancaglini.
    Bam, the feds swooped in and Merlino was soon on a private jet back to Philly for an Oct. 24 hearing before U.S. District Judge R. Barclay Surrick. Two FBI task force members said they saw Merlino talking with Ciancaglini and other felons in a glass-enclosed VIP room at Havana Nights.
    A random meeting, “a couple of minutes of chit chat,” Merlino’s lawyer claimed.  
    Assistant U.S. Attorney David Troyer countered it was an obvious “night on the town with his mob buddies.”
    The judge agreed and ordered Merlino to surrender within 30 days to serve an additional four months.
After the hearing Merlino brushed any worries aside, telling a Philadelphia reporter,  “I could use a good four months. Get back in shape. Get my six pack back.” Then he headed back to Boca Raton, greeting guests at the restaurant through mid-November.
                            ***
    Big news for Caffe Luna Rosa — from outside and from inside.
First, the outside: The beachside Italian bistro, a Delray staple for 22 years, was honored with the Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural restaurant of the year award. Luna Rosa, a finalist with 50 Ocean and City Oyster from the city’s 350-plus restaurants, was cited for its cuisine, service and atmosphere and especially for its community involvement. The restaurant supports nonprofit groups through sponsorships and donations,  and founder Fran Marincola and other partners serve on city boards and the boards of nonprofit organizations.
    “We strongly believe in our city, and that is why Caffe Luna Rosa and its partners actively promote Delray Beach as the fantastic destination it is today and will be for many years to come,” Marincola said.
    Inside, you would expect a chef to be upset when management decides to remove some seats, but Ernesto di Blasi is thrilled. The seats and a view-blocking wall near the kitchen were removed to make way for a fresh pasta machine and display.
    “Pasta is made during dinner service … so the guests can watch,” di Blasi said with a broad grin. “We’re an Italian restaurant. We do pasta … and it’s fresh.”
                            ***
 The formal name: Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival.The reality: A four-day pigout that would bring big smiles to the faces of Henry Flagler and Col. Bradley. The festival, showcasing chefs of national and local renown, kicks off Dec. 11 with dinners at Buccan and PB Catch, both of which are sold out. Action moves Friday to the Four Seasons, the host hotel, where chefs will play volleyball at 2 p.m. and sing their lungs out at Late Night Rock starting at 11:30 p.m. Tickets are available for both; however, in between, the Chef Welcome Party at The Breakers at 7 p.m. is sold out.
    Saturday’s schedule, all at The Four Seasons, includes Kids Kitchens in the morning with Chefs Robert Irvine and Lindsay Autry, afternoon Chillin’ ’n’ Grillin’  with Elizabeth Karmel, Robert Irvine, Mike Lata, Jeff Mauro, Christina Tosi, Fabio Viviani, Four Seasons Exec Chef  Darryl Moiles and Marc Murphy, chef-judge on Food Channel’s Chopped. Street Food, with 10 chefs, follows at 7.
    The party continues Sunday at Cafe Boulud at 11 a.m. with Daniel (Boulud) and Friends, among them Gabrielle Hamilton, Christina Tosi; and the event closes at 150 Worth with the eighth annual Grand Tasting from 5 to 9 p.m.
    For information and tickets, ranging from $45 to $125 with discounts of 15 percent to 20 percent for packages, go to www.pbfoodwinefest.com.
Bon appetit!
                            ***
    Hope springs eternal. Reality takes a little longer. Some day, perhaps, rudeness at concerts, plays and lectures will disappear completely, but unfortunately, this community remains notorious for its bad behavior. Such was the case Nov. 9 when pop music legends Judy Collins and Don McLean played the Kravis Center. Collins opened; McLean closed, albeit earlier than he planned.
    After performing American Pie, he brought up the lights so audience members could dance in the aisles to an updated version of his anthem.
    Oops. Lights up, dear, time to go. Mass exodus. McLean left the stage in disbelief. Instead of his encore of Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) and Collins’ classic Both Sides Now, the curtain closed.
    “Actually, people have gotten a lot better about leaving in recent years,” Kravis program director Lee Bell said. “To be honest, the show ran too long. It was close to 11 and when the lights came up, they thought it was time to go. With a younger audience for someone like John Legend, they would have still been there at midnight.”
    Indeed, Dave Mason (Nov. 19) sold out and the audience — “feelin alright” — stuck around. Of course, the crowd may have been younger. Collins is 75 and McLean 69. Mason is only 68.
Comedian Lewis Black will bring his unique brand of comedy to the Kravis on Dec. 13. He’s 66, and if anyone dares to leave, they’ll likely hear about it from the stage.  
                             ***
    Kelly Slater, undisputed greatest surfer of all time, was spotted enjoying dinner at Buccan in Palm Beach the week before Thanksgiving. When searching for waves, surfers are known to sack out in the back of a station wagon or in a hammock strung between palm trees. However, this time Slater, an occasional visitor to Nomad Surf Shop near Briny Breezes, reportedly had better accommodations: Jimmy Buffett’s beachfront estate.
                            ***
    Featuring a cast of 25, most with South Florida ties, A Chorus Line opens Dec. 5 for a 10-day run in The Crest Theatre at the Delray Beach Center for the Arts. A joint effort by Crest and MNM productions, the Broadway classic is the first self-produced theatrical show in the center’s 25 years. Director/choreographer Kimberly Dawn (KD) Smith, a member of the original Broadway cast, is one of a handful of professionals annointed by the show’s creator Michael Bennett to stage the show. Tickets are $47 at delrayarts.org or call 243-7922.
    Three days later, Elayne Boosler, a cast of one, brings her unique style of comedy to the Crest, and Jason Alexander, the former George Costanza, comes to Boca to direct When You’re in Love, The Whole World is Jewish, at the Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center from Dec. 11 to Jan. 11. For tickets, call 919-7727.
                             ***
Jazziz will host The Eve Party on Dec. 24 to celebrate not only Christmas Eve, but also Hanukkah and any other holiday evening. Live music, dancing, dining and no cover with advance reservation at theliveball.com.
December national acts include David Benoit, Dec. 9-10, Ben Vereen, Dec. 16-17, and Jon Secada’s Christmas show, Dec. 23.


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

The Plate: Chicken Fennel Ravioli
The Place: Café Frankie’s, 640 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach; 732-3834 or online www.cafe
frankies.com
The Price: $18.50
The Skinny: We love Café Frankie’s — from the food to the ambience to Frankie himself — a parrot that holds court out front.
Frankie had the night off the evening we visited his namesake café, but the food was fine, as always.
This plate of tender, homemade ravioli was stuffed with chicken with a subtle hint of fennel that flavored but did not overwhelm the dish, which also was loaded with bits of sun-dried tomato. The rich Alfredo sauce was creamy and tasted homemade.
We also are big fans of the Blue Pizza at Frankie’s. That has spinach, eggplant and grilled chicken and blue cheese atop a wafer-thin crust. Good, if not good for you.

— Scott Simmons