By Ron Hayes

BOYNTON BEACH — When I go, Eva Takacs often told her daughter and everyone else, I want to go with my swimsuit on, at the beach, in the water, on a lovely day.
On the morning of Dec. 31, her final wish was granted. She was 92.
“The beach was pretty much her life toward the end,” said her daughter, Patricia Takacs. “Go to the beach and come home and sleep, and go to the beach.”
For more than a dozen regulars who frequent the sand in front of Boynton Beach’s Oceanfront Park — the swimmers, the walkers, the lifeguards — Takacs seemed as much a part of that beach as the sand, surf and sky.
Jay and Nadine Magee saw her almost daily.
“I walk five miles on the beach every day,” Nadine Magee said, “and she was always positive, always a big huge smile on her face. I always told her I wanted to grow up and be just like her — and I’m 64.”
Eva Carrie Corrican Takacs was born on April 25, 1929, near Mount Vernon, New York.
A 1950 graduate of SUNY at New Paltz, where she was valedictorian, she went on to earn a master’s degree from Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. She was an elementary school teacher in Westchester County for 35 years, a wife to her husband, Albert, mother to Patricia, and always a swimmer.
In New York, she swam and took up windsurfing at the New Rochelle Swimming & Rowing Club, and when her parents retired to Boynton Beach more than 60 years ago, she discovered the ocean here.
In 1985, she retired from teaching, moved to Boynton Beach to care for her parents, and made the beach her daily destination for swimming and windsurfing.
In later years, she’d drive her little blue Toyota from Leisureville to Oceanfront Park clad in her swimsuit and Minnetonka moccasins.
“She must have had 30 pairs of those Minnetonka moccasins,” Nadine Magee recalled with a laugh. “I never saw her wear the same ones twice.”
With her smile so big, friends followed. They didn’t always know last names, but they came to know each other because they all knew Eva Takacs.
Tatyana Fishman shared a love of the ocean with Takacs.
“We met in the water,” Fishman said. “She was smart, extremely smart, and compared to her, we were children in our 50s and 60s. I admired her.”
As she aged, and her time in the water was limited to calm waves, Fishman and others helped her in and out of the surf.
“We didn’t know everybody’s last names,” explained George Stampoulos. “Everybody’s last name was Beach, but Eva was one of the crew. I used to help her in and out of the water. She’d say how long she wanted to stay, and I’d get her. She was a sweetheart.”
On her 90th birthday in 2019, the crew brought a cake to the beach, and a year later, she refused to let the coronavirus pandemic spoil her swimming time.
“I’m hanging in,” she told The Coastal Star that December. “I had no problem with the pandemic except when the ocean was closed. Horrible. I survived with the help of my friends.”
On the last day of 2021 and Takacs’s last morning at the beach, Stampoulos helped her into the surf, then continued on his walk.
“When I came back, I couldn’t see her in the water,” he recalled, “so I started to look and saw the lifeguards giving her CPR.”
The Boynton Beach lifeguards knew Takacs well. Every year, she’d bring a large box of Publix Christmas cookies to their tower.
Lifeguard Tom Mahady declined to discuss the guards’ lifesaving efforts, but was happy to speak of Takacs.
“She was a breath of fresh air,” Mahady said. “A great person. Joyful. It’s been pretty traumatic to our staff because everyone loved her and we miss her. She was awesome.” Apart from her daughter, Mrs. Takacs had no survivors, but on Jan. 12, about 15 of her crew from the beach gathered in the Boynton Beach Memorial Park & Mausoleum on Woolbright Road to see their friend, who loved the water, laid to rest in the earth beside her late husband, Albert, who died in 2005.
Jay and Nadine Magee were there, Tatyana Fishman and George Stampoulos, and the ones they knew only by first names, Joe and Kimberly, Chris and Mike and Sue. They knew each other because they knew Eva.
“She was vibrant and caring,” her daughter said. “Inquisitive, strong-willed. Everybody gets exhausted at the end, but for most of her life it was go, go, go. And she died with her swimsuit on.”

By Sallie James

OCEAN RIDGE — Glory B. King, a pioneering psychotherapist who founded the avant-garde Here and Now Institute in Boca Raton in the 1960s, died on Dec. 9 at Willowbrooke Court at St. Andrews of complications related to diabetes. She was 97.
A more than 30-year resident of Ocean Ridge, Ms. King was born on Sept. 30, 1924, in Waukegan, Illinois. She was raised in the Midwest with Midwestern values. Her upbringing set her on a lifetime course of helping others.
She attended college at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where she earned a bachelor of arts, then enrolled in graduate school at Smith College in Massachusetts, where she received a degree in psychoanalytic theory and practice.
Ms. King never married or had children. She considered her closest friends as family.
She moved to Florida for the warm weather in the 1960s, settling first in Stuart, then moving to Ocean Ridge. In the late 1960s she founded the HAN Institute in Boca Raton, a progressive center that focused on a wellness model instead of an illness model. The HAN Institute moved to Delray Beach in 1978 after fire ravaged the facility in 1977 and killed her business partner, artist Barbara Romine. The HAN Institute closed in 1995.
“We were dear friends and colleagues,” said Patricia Donaldson, a friend and business partner who met Ms. King 52 years ago when she went to her for marriage counseling. “I was so taken with the whole process of psychotherapy and group therapy and what I was learning that I went ahead and got a master’s in social work myself and worked with her for eight years.”
Donaldson’s marriage did not work out, but her friendship with Ms. King flourished. She eventually became Ms. King’s caretaker and took care of her until she died.
Ms. King, she recalled, was small but mighty.
“She was 5 feet tall, short, pillowy — a little chubby, with a radiant smile and clear eyes,” Donaldson recalled. “She could make eye-to-eye contact with you that actually felt almost a soul connection. And she was a natural redhead.”
Ms. King retained personal friendships that lasted more than 70 years, including a sorority sister from University of Michigan. She was a force to be reckoned with.
Ms. King was a charter member of the National Association of Social Workers and the Academy of Certified Social Workers; and a member of the American Orthopsychiatric Association and the prestigious Menninger Foundation. She taught at the College of Boca Raton, Palm Beach Junior College and University of Michigan.
One of her teachers was Virginia Satir, an author and psychotherapist known as the “mother of family therapy” for her work in family reconstruction therapy. Ms. King’s own work was influenced by the Esalen Institute in California and the Gestalt therapy of Fritz S. Perls.
“She was a trailblazer,” Donaldson said. “She integrated the mind, body, psychological and spiritual influences.
“She was pretty much all about work and she gave everything to her work. Her work focused on Gestalt therapy, transactional analysis, family therapy and sensory awakening. She was also known for groundbreaking sensory awakening therapies such as laughing meditation — and actions to bring out the inner child.”
Ms. King was a pioneer in addiction therapy in West Palm Beach and in hospice and psychiatric social work at Montefiore Hospital in Pittsburgh. In both instances, she designed and implemented psychotherapy and group therapy programs.
“I think she was one of the first if not the first clinical social worker in the county,” Donaldson added.
Ms. King developed a curriculum for Barry University, taught at Palm Beach Junior College and worked in a clinic before she founded her own private practice. She also worked at the 45th Street Mental Health Center in West Palm Beach.
She never did retire. After a full career in psychotherapy, she had a calling to the priesthood at age 69. She attended the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church in New York and graduated with a master of divinity at age 73.
“Glory King embodied love. She embodied it with her whole person, her whole heart and her whole soul in such a way that it became redemptive and transformational to those of us who had the privilege of being in her therapeutic efforts,” Donaldson said. Her obituary should be titled “Love and Glory,” Donaldson said.
Her survivors include a wide circle of dear friends.
Premier Funeral Services in Lake Worth handled arrangements. A celebration of life and service of burial will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Delray Beach at a future date.
Contributions may be sent to the Rev. Paul Kane Discretionary Fund at St. Paul’s, 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444.

GULF STREAM — Catherine Hohenlohe Jacobus, a voracious reader and creative writer, died in Delray Beach on Dec. 21. She was 79. For the last 40-plus years, she divided her time between Florida and Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, usually feeding, tending and celebrating her family members and friends.
Catherine Hohenlohe was born in 1942 in Washington, D.C., to Margaret Boyce Schulze and Alexander Hohenlohe, but grew up in New York City with her mother and stepfather, Morton Downey. She attended Marymount High School and then graduated from Manhattanville College in 1964 with a degree in English.
After college Ms. Hohenlohe worked briefly in journalism for McCall’s magazine. From 1964 until 1973, she sat on the board of Newmont Mining Co. as a principal shareholder.
In 1973, she married George H. “Jake” Jacobus and moved from Greenwich, Connecticut, to Little Rock, Arkansas.
The family moved to Florida in 1976, where she served as a board member and worked closely with the staff of the Achievement Centers for Children and Families to establish the Morton Downey Family Resource Center.
A children’s rights advocate, Mrs. Jacobus also had a passion for the arts and for education and she funded college scholarships privately for numerous young people.
She became a summer resident of Chappaquiddick, Massachusetts, in 1979 and contributed generously to the Martha’s Vineyard community over the years, including to the YMCA, the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, the Island Grown Initiative, and MV Community Services.
Throughout her life, she was a generous philanthropist, supporting many causes, organizations, institutions and individuals. The Bethesda Hospital Foundation honored her as a “Woman of Grace” in 2004.
Mrs. Jacobus read voraciously for her entire life. A poet herself, she composed many rhyming bawdy verses for loved ones’ special occasions, as well as more serious work, such as the collection of almost 50 poems she was editing at the time of her death. Her creativity went beyond words: She painted pictures and furniture, arranged flowers, made elaborate wedding and birthday cakes, and crafted gorgeous beaded necklaces.
She learned the life story of almost every person with whom she came into contact, usually within minutes. When faced with disappointing news, she typically responded with a burst of profanity, surprising some, delighting others. She also loved dogs and owned many sweet and not-so-sweet canines through the years.
Mr. Jacobus died in 2013, and Mrs. Jacobus is survived by her children: Alexandra Cook and husband John Conforti; Christian H. Jacobus and wife Ashley; stepchildren: Ann Kordahl and husband James; William Jacobus and wife Crystal; Lacy Jacobus; and Todd Jacobus and wife Shana. Also grandchildren: David, Christina, and Dylan Conforti; Catherine Jacobus and Jace Nienberg; James, John, Caroline, and George Kordahl; John Ficklen; Andrew, William, and Nathaniel Jacobus; and three great-grandchildren; her brother Christian Hohenlohe and wife Nora; and her goldendoodle, Colby.
A celebration of life service was held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Delray Beach.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Achievement Centers for Children and Families Foundation at www.achievementcentersfl.org/ways-to-give.

— Obituary submitted by the family

By Dan Moffett

BRINY BREEZES — When the Town Council had an open seat in 2016, Allen “Chick” Behringer stepped up and volunteered to fill it.
He said Briny Breezes had been good to him since his first visit in 2002, and now that he had left Long Island and become a full-time resident, he wanted to try to do some good for Briny.
“I want to do something for the community which I happen to love,” he said. “I want to keep it as it is. I want to keep it functional.”
A retired salesman and entrepreneur, he brought a business sensibility to the council’s work. Mr. Behringer’s input helped the council create a town manager position, overhaul aging infrastructure, hire staff, write job descriptions and keep budgets balanced.
Council President Sue Thaler said that, with a successful business career behind him, “he made very thoughtful contributions to Briny.”
“He brought a different level of thinking to the council,” Mayor Gene Adams said. “He didn’t miss a meeting. Chick just did a great job.”
The mayor said that when he and his wife, Alderwoman Christina Adams, moved to Briny, it was Mr. Behringer who reached out to them.
“He was so welcoming,” Adams said. “You could see how much he loved the Briny community.”
On Jan. 11, Alderman Behringer died in his Briny home, among family and with companion Kennedy O’Grady, after a brief battle with melanoma. He was 81.
“He enjoyed his work on the Town Council,” said O’Grady, his partner for most of the last decade. “His hobby was cooking, and he loved to entertain. He always added a laugh and was a wonderful, generous man.”
Alderman Bill Birch said he not only lost a colleague but a close friend.
“Chick was very intelligent, but he was not one of those people who spoke to hear himself speaking,” Birch said. “When he said something, it was worth hearing. His passing so suddenly is very upsetting.”
Mr. Behringer and his wife of 48 years, Mary (McCourt), bought a home on Mallard Drive in 2008 and became year-round residents two years later. She died in 2013.
They raised four children — Michael, Megan, John and Suzanne — with eight grandchildren: Nolan and Chloe Behringer; Connor and Katlyn Kestenbaum; Kerry, Jack, Ryan and Colleen Behringer.
“He felt lucky to live by the sea and among friends,” said his daughter-in-law Megan Abate, Michael’s wife. “Chick was full of life, light and laughter. He lived by the ethos it is not the length of life but the depth of life which is most important.”
Mr. Behringer was drawn to the ocean. He grew up in Oak Beach, New York, fishing with his older brother Neail, and was a member of the South Shore Marlin and Tuna Club. He enjoyed fish stories and those who told them.
A graduate of American University and St. Leo Catholic Academy in Corona, New York, Mr. Behringer started as a salesman for the Burlington Corp. and then ran his own successful company, Mr. Sign, which manufactured signs and displays for businesses throughout the New York area. He attended Our Lady of Mercy Church in Queens and frequented the American Legion Hall there. His favorite charity was the Wounded Warrior Project.
The family plans to hold a memorial gathering for Mr. Behringer in the Briny Breezes clubhouse beginning at 11 a.m. Feb. 5.

GULF STREAM — James Mellon Walton, a corporate and philanthropic leader in his hometown of Pittsburgh and humble volunteer serving Haitian children at Paul’s Place in Delray Beach, died Jan. 2 at his home in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, surrounded by his family. He was 91.
Mr. Walton and his wife, Ellen, funded and volunteered at Paul’s Place, a 20-year-old after-school program at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church where 30 Haitian American children are mentored, aided with homework and fed.
“It was nothing for Jim Walton to help kids with their homework and serve meals to them,” said the Right Rev. William H. Stokes, the Episcopal bishop of New Jersey, who led St. Paul’s for 14 years.
“When you are a rector, you come across people occasionally who end up caring for you as much or more as you care for them. He was that person for me,” Stokes told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Mr. Walton, who led one of Pittsburgh’s major foundations and established five new galleries at Carnegie Museums, usually avoided the spotlight.
In October 2020, he retired from the Vira Heinz Endowments board of trustees after 37 years. He oversaw more than 9,000 grants totaling $1.2 billion, the Pittsburgh newspaper reported.
Mr. Walton received a B.A. in English from Yale University and then served in the U.S. Army. Following his service, he attended Harvard Business School and received an MBA, before joining the Gulf Oil Corp., the company founded by his maternal grandfather, William Larimer Mellon.
As an oilman, Mr. Walton traveled extensively, including posts in Philadelphia, Houston, Tokyo and Rome. In 1968, he was asked to return to Pittsburgh to run the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History and Carnegie Library, a position he would hold for 16 years.
“They had no development operation and little endowment,” said Joseph Walton, Mr. Walton’s elder son. “He started an entire development operation and built the endowment.”
Mr. Walton’s true legacy is the way he gave to his communities and his family.
In recognition of his contributions to Pittsburgh, he was awarded honorary doctorate degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and Allegheny College.  
Recalled his daughter Rachel Mellon Walton, “Whatever we were involved with, he was cheering us on.” That included watching one grandson’s Friday night hockey game and staying in touch with another grandson learning to be a Navy pilot.
After moving to Gulf Stream later in life, he continued to give by getting involved with the Stephen Ministry at St. Paul’s, Paul’s Place and as a regular volunteer at Bethesda Hospital.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Ellen, his four children, Joseph (Molly), Rachel, Jimmy (Betsy) and Mary (Allen), seven grandchildren and his dog, Zeus.
A celebration of his life will be held later this year.

— Staff report 

OCEAN RIDGE — Barbara S. Traylor, longtime resident of Boynton Beach and Ocean Ridge, died peacefully at her home in Ocean Ridge on Jan. 21. She was 88.
Mrs. Traylor was an independent woman, a professional who made many contributions to the Boynton Beach community. She was very proud to be the founding partner of the accounting firm of Traylor and Gratton and one of the founders of the Boynton Beach Children’s Museum.
Barbara was married to Philip B. “Flip” Traylor, both native Floridians. Mr. Traylor died in 2016.
In 60-plus years together, they had many adventures while raising their family and taking trips to the Florida Keys and Bahamas. Many tours and cruises taken with friends provided so many great memories. She was a voracious reader and loved her Westies and a good margarita.
Mrs. Traylor is survived by her son, Gregory B. Traylor, daughter, Pamela T. Anwyll (Brad), granddaughter Ashton E. Krauss, great-grandson Landon, niece Vanessa Hurst (Randy), nephews Randy Spinks and Darrell Spinks (Roselyn), and many great-nieces and great-nephews.
The family will be forever grateful for the care provided by Lee Ann Cummins, Joan Watson, Visiting Angels and Trustbridge.
A celebration of Mrs. Traylor’s life will be held at a later date. Donations may be sent in her memory to the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum & Learning Center, 129 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach, FL 33435-4536, or Trustbridge Hospice Foundation, 5300 East Ave., West Palm Beach, FL 33407.

— Obituary submitted by the family

Downtown Delray Beach will be the fashion scene again in late February. ABOVE: A model on the runway at Old School Square during Fashion Week 2020. RIGHT: SuSu Smith models attire from Hy Pa-Hy Ma boutique in Delray Beach. Photos provided

By Christine Davis

Marking its 10th anniversary, Delray Beach Fashion Week will be held Feb. 23-27. The event will begin with a runway show, “Living In Paradise,” from 6 to 10 p.m. Feb. 23 at Old School Square Park, 50 NE Second Ave.
To take part in the Sunsational Shop & Sip, running throughout downtown Delray Beach from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 25, buy a ticket and check in at Rosewater Rooftop at The Ray Hotel, 233 NE Second Ave. Enjoy a continental breakfast with a complimentary beverage, and receive a goodie bag with specials from participating retailers.
Colors of the Tropics fashion show and luncheon will be on Feb. 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Meso Beach House, 900 E. Atlantic Ave. The Sand & Sea Fashion Event will be at 3 p.m. Feb. 26 at The Ray Plaza.
The Downtown Delray Beach Craft Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 26 and Feb. 27 along Northeast Fourth Avenue.
These events, except for the craft festival, require tickets. Proceeds benefit the Delray Beach nonprofit Achievement Centers for Children & Families.
For more information, ticketing and pricing, as well as event details, visit www.DelrayFashionWeek.com, Facebook.com/DelrayFashion, #DelrayFashionWeek, or phone 561-243-1077.

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On the first Saturday of the month through March, the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency will host Crafted on the Ave., a new open-air craft market with a Caribbean flavor. The event will be held 1-4 p.m. at the Ida Elizabeth “Libby” Jackson Wesley Plaza, located at the corner of Southwest Fifth and West Atlantic avenues.
Crafted on the Ave. aims to give small and home-based businesses and local and regional crafters and artists an opportunity to promote and sell their work. There will also be Caribbean music and a do-it-yourself station, along with local food and beverages.
Market dates are Feb. 5 and March 5. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Mosaic Group at 561-651-9565, events@mosaicgroup.co or visit www.delraycra.org/events.

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To promote and celebrate black cultural awareness, three nonprofits in Delray Beach — the Community Redevelopment Agency, Spady Cultural Heritage Museum and Arts Garage — are presenting Authors Speak Series 2022.
Kicking off the series will be former Palm Beach Post pop culture columnist Leslie Gray Streeter, who will share insights from her memoir, Black Widow, at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 10.
Streeter moved back to her hometown, Baltimore, two years ago, and this will be her first time back to Palm Beach County. In her memoir, she looks at widowhood through the prism of race, mixed marriage and aging. This event will be held at the Arts Garage, 94 NE Second Ave.
To RSVP for this free Authors Speak event, contact https://artsgarage.org/event/authors-speak-the-impact-of-race-on-american-society-2/.
Further events in the series are scheduled for April 21 and June 16.

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Delray Beach welcomed the following new businesses as 2022 arrived: Renata Fine Arts at 502 E. Atlantic Ave., a gallery; Beach Paradise at 533 E. Atlantic Ave., a clothing store; Meso Beach House restaurant at 900 E. Atlantic, and Ardor Boutique at 1128 E. Atlantic.
In the Pineapple Grove Arts District, Sugaring Delray, a health and beauty store, opened at 200 NE Second Ave., No. 105. The Rové Salon opened at 200 NE Second Ave., No. 112, and Lulu’s Café & Cocktails opened at 189 NE Second Ave.

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The Seagate was included in Vogue’s annual roundup of “The 26 Most Anticipated New Hotel Openings of 2022.” For details, visit www.vogue.com/article/the-26-most-anticipated-new-hotel-openings-of-2022  
Starting in May, The Seagate will undergo a full renovation to the hotel, spa, beach club and country club, led by the hospitality group Long Weekend, the design firm Studio Robert McKinley, and landscape architect Raymond Jungles. The new Seagate will open in phases beginning in November.

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James Farese, founder and CEO of ReachLink, was selected for the inaugural Forbes Next 1,000 list for 2021. ReachLink is a behavioral telehealth company that offers virtual therapy for mental health and substance abuse disorders.
Clients of ReachLink, which is headquartered in the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, include Aetna, United Healthcare and Humana.
“This honor is a reflection of the hard work of our whole team,” Farese said. “As a Boca Raton native, this is also representative of the fantastic environment that we have here in Boca Raton, Palm Beach County, and the state of Florida that empowers the building of social-impact businesses.” 
The Forbes Next 1,000 list, presented by Square, consists of 1,000 entrepreneurs and small business leaders who are announced in groups of 250 quarterly.
“As we enter another pandemic year, entrepreneurs and small business owners are finding new ways to thrive amidst ever-uncertain circumstances,” said Maneet Ahuja, senior editor at Forbes.
“The fourth and final class of Next 1,000 entrepreneurial heroes is writing the playbook for not only achieving financial recovery but speeding past it. These sole proprietors, self-funded shops and pre-revenue startups are proving that — through resolve, hard work, and solid planning — anything is possible.”

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In January, Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services announced the appointment of Aliyah Longhurst, BCBA, LMFT, as director of the new Toby and Leon Cooperman Therapy & Family Resource Center.
The center will officially open in the spring at 21100 Ruth and Baron Coleman Blvd., Boca Raton, on the campus of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County.
Longhurst will oversee the operations of the new resource center, which will provide children with varying needs and abilities affordable access to treatment and therapies. Most recently, Longhurst held the position of southeast regional director with Behavior Basics Inc., where her role encompassed providing applied behavioral analysis therapy and overseeing those services across Palm Beach County.

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 The Boca Raton branch of Wells Fargo Advisors announced that Noah Rubin has been named managing director/investments. 
“We are thrilled to add Noah to our burgeoning presence in South Florida, as he brings not only tremendous experience but is young enough for generations of families to trust he will be there to guide them,” said Michael Schwarzberg, branch manager. “He also has an impeccable reputation in the community and industry, even being a trusted FINRA arbitrator.”
Rubin, a certified public accountant, is past president of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Atlantic Chapter. He earned an MBA in global entrepreneurship from Florida Atlantic University and his bachelor’s in international economics from the University of Florida.
Seven years ago, he created the Noah Rubin Charitable Foundation, which provides grants for local charities. Rubin is active with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. 
Wells Fargo Advisors’ Boca Raton office is at 5355 Town Center Road.

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The global commercial real estate firm Avison Young appointed Randy Buddemeyer as principal and managing director of its Florida region, with offices from Miami to Jacksonville. Buddemeyer joins from Newmark Knight Frank, where he was president of the property management services division.

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Marcus & Millichap, a commercial real estate brokerage firm that specializes in investment sales, financing, research and advisory services, announced in December the sales of a grouping of residences that are part of the 196-unit Delray Swan Project.
The project is being developed by Miami-based Rosen Associates. The eight-property portfolio sold for $4.738 million. Brian L. Rosen, first vice president of investments in Marcus & Millichap’s Fort Lauderdale office, closed on the portfolio.
The single-family home portfolio is part of a 14-parcel development totaling over 2.5 acres, two blocks south of Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. The project is now in site plan approval.
“There were many challenges in working with eight different owners from large REITs like Tricon homes, which own tens of thousands of units, to individual families that had lived in the homes for decades,” said Rosen. “We were able to offer above-market value even in today’s hot market while providing time for the developer to get their ducks in a row. We structured the deal to give the sellers time to secure new homes and forgo rent during this period.”
The properties are located at 219, 223, 227, 231, 237, 243, 251 and 253 SE First Ave. According to Delray Beach property records, the land use category was amended from medium density to commercial core and rezoned from residential to a central business district.

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For the 2021 holiday season, agents and staff of Lang Realty decorated their offices with angel trees with names of people in need.
“This year, our agents and staff identified people in our community who would benefit from this program and might get overlooked by larger programs,” said Scott Agran, president of Lang Realty. “We had angels ranging from small children to grandparents, some of whom never received a gift for Christmas. This project is truly inspired by our Lang team members with the hopes of making a difference.”
Each angel included a wish list for the adoptee to fulfill, and the presents were delivered at a holiday event held at Lang’s central Boca Raton sales office, where the attendees also enjoyed holiday treats. 

$75 million listing tops hot month for Manalapan
An ocean-to-lake Manalapan estate, “Villa Oceano Azul,” 1400 S. Ocean Blvd., was listed in January for $74.99 million. The seven-bedroom, 16,609-square-foot house and guesthouse, sited on 1.85 acres with about 200 feet on the ocean and Intracoastal, is offered turnkey, features two swimming pools, a 50-foot dock on the Intracoastal, and garage parking for six cars.
The owners, Francis A. and Dolores Mennella, bought the estate in July 2016 for $25.2 million, according to public records. The house, built by Dale Construction with interiors by Marc-Michaels Interior Design, was completed in 2015 and developed by Manalapan real estate investor and Mayor Pro Tem Stewart A. Satter, who purchased the property for $6.8 million in December 2010. The listing is held by Philip Lyle Smith and Carla Ferreira-Smith, broker-owners of Luxury Resort Portfolio, Delray Beach.

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The estate at 860 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan, owned by Dr. William Joseph Gueck and his wife, Mary Deann, sold for $32.25 million on Jan. 11.
Sited on 1.6 acres, with about 150 feet on both the ocean and Intracoastal Waterway, the main house has 8,443 total square feet and the guesthouse has 1,344 square feet. According to realtor.com, the estate features a home theater, billiards room, artificial turf with putt-putt golf course and tennis court, and an infinity pool.
The new owner is a Florida limited liability company, 18500 Von Karman Ave., #600, Irvine, California. Also shown in public records on Jan. 11, the buyer was issued an $18 million loan on the property by a Delaware company named USC 860 S. Ocean LLC, 233 Broadway Suite 1470, New York — which is the same address as Urban Standard Capital, a real estate lender, development and investment firm in New York City.
Douglas Elliman Real Estate agent Gary Pohrer handled both sides of the sale, according to realtor.com.
The Guecks bought the estate in September 2015 for $13,756,250 from Russian businessman Aleksander Popov. Joseph Gueck is a retired Missouri physician of internal medicine and principal at SurgCenter Development. Deann Gueck is an attorney.
Pohrer listed the estate at $35 million at the beginning of October, according to realtor.com. The house was built by developer Frank McKinney.

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The ocean-to-lake 1960s-era geodesic-dome compound at 1860 S. Ocean Blvd. in Manalapan, owned by Jeanette Cohen as trustee of an irrevocable trust in the name of her husband, Stephen D. Cohen, has gone pending.
The Cohens’ estate, which they bought in 1978 for $620,000, is currently priced at its land value at $27.5 million. William Raveis South Florida agent Shelly Newman listed it for sale for $29.9 million in late May 2021 but later dropped the price.
She said the closing date was scheduled for July 8 but may be sooner.

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The late Selma H. Orleans’ estate at 1300 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan, sold on Jan. 12 for $26.25 million through trusts held by her children, Jeffrey P. Orleans and Patricia Orleans Siegel, in separate deeds. The one signed by Patricia Siegel recorded at $14,437,500, while the one signed by Jeffrey Orleans recorded at $11,812,500.
Selma, who died in September 2021, and her husband, Marvin Orleans, who died in 1986, built the five-bedroom custom home in 1983 on the 1.35-acre lot with 160 feet of oceanfront and 200 feet on the Intracoastal Waterway.
It was listed last October for $27.95 million, according to realtor.com. Christian Angle of Christian Angle Real Estate represented the seller. Per the deed, the buyer was 1300 South Ocean LLC, a Florida limited liability company, which was represented by Lawrence Moens of Lawrence A. Moens Associates, according to realtor.com.

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Medical-device entrepreneur Marlin E. Younker sold his Manalapan estate at 1880 S. Ocean Blvd. for $19 million on Jan. 12. He and his wife, Lynda G. Younker, since deceased, bought the estate through trusts in their names in 2011 for $5.1 million.
The 1980s five-bedroom, 10,200-square-foot house sits on 1.8 acres, with 150 feet fronting the ocean and 150 feet on the Intracoastal. Features include a movie theater, elevator, summer kitchen with pizza oven, 60-foot saltwater lap pool and spa, and new dock.
Douglas Elliman Real Estate agents Nick Younker and Nicholas Malinosky represented the seller. Agent Shelly Newman of William Raveis South Florida handled the buyer’s side of the sale.
The buyer is a Delaware-registered limited liability company, RX Colorado LLC, which is co-managed by Dr. Ravi Xavier and his wife, Rosemary. Dr. Xavier is an anesthesiologist and president of Florida Anesthesiology & Pain Clinic.

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

The Boca Raton Resort & Club, rebranded as The Boca Raton, includes the Cloister hotel in its original 1920s white color after decades in pink. RIGHT: Historic photos line the wall of a hallway near the entrance of The Boca Raton. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Related story: Eau zeros in on restaurants, pools, kids

By Mary Hladky

A breathtaking sight greets visitors to the completely renovated The Boca Raton: The famed Cloister now gleams white against the blue Florida sky.
“It is just gorgeous,” said Mary Csar, executive director of the Boca Raton Historical Society and Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum. “When I first saw it, I had tears in my eyes, it was so beautiful.”
That was just one of the visible changes as the rebranded Boca Raton Resort & Club formally reopened on Jan. 3 after a $200 million renovation that touched every part of the 200-acre property.
The new owners of the 95-year-old resort — MSD Partners and Northview Hotel Group — did not intend to trample its rich history when embarking on the project, Csar said. Architect Jorge Garcia and other members of the team met with historical society staff, which presented copious amounts of information about Cloister architect Addison Mizner and the resort’s history.
“They absorbed it. They understood. They showed us their plans,” Csar said. And while she objected to some of the changes, she realizes most had to be made and is very pleased with the result.

Public spaces at The Boca Raton, like the inside bar, have been updated.

“They are really trying to tell the story of the hotel and to keep that story alive, which is really wonderful,” she said.
That new “coastal white” color of the Cloister is one example. That was the building’s original color before it was painted pink decades ago.
Some of the departures from the past were of necessity. The porte cochere at the Cloister, for instance, had only one lane and was too narrow to accommodate today’s larger vehicles. It now has two expanded lanes.
But the new appearance is only part of the transformation. The owners and Daniel Hostettler, president and CEO of The Boca Raton, aim to have the resort reclaim the five-star status that it lost in 1985 no later than its 100th birthday in 2026.

The MB Supper Club pays homage to the former Monkey Bar, named for Addison Mizner’s monkey, Johnnie Brown.

Hostettler recalls a conversation he had with a man shortly after he was hired to lead The Boca Raton last March.
“He said, ‘Back in the day, when my company finally made money, I used to take my entire sales team to The Boca Raton. It was the epitome of grace and style and elegance,’” Hostettler said. “I really think that is the goal, to bring it back to that feeling in people’s hearts … that they have to visit Boca Raton and stay here.”
The intention, he said, is to create a “new golden era” for the resort.
To achieve that, The Boca Raton now operates as an independent luxury property. It is ditching its reputation as a convention hotel, focusing instead on hosting smaller conferences, attracting leisure guests and providing superior service and hospitality.
Hostettler emphasizes having staff members with great personalities. Previous experience at a resort is not necessary since those skills can be taught, he said. “I am a big believer that we hire for personality and teach for skills.”
The five resort hotels have been repositioned to appeal to different guest markets, and that includes younger, hipper people.

The Boca Raton has repainted the original 1920s Cloister, but will leave the Tower in its trademark pink.

The 27-story Tower will cater to the sophisticated “Four Seasons” market for travelers in their 40s with children. The adults-oriented Yacht Club, with 112 suites, will not allow children under 16. The 294-room Cloister is aimed at conference attendees and history buffs. The 58-suite Bungalows are for guests planning one- or two-month stays. The oceanfront, 212-room Beach Club focuses on guests in their 20s and 30s.
New dining options abound, with a number of restaurants operated in partnership with Major Food Group.
The MB Supper Club is a nod to the 1930s and ’40s gilded age of supper clubs and pays homage to the former Monkey Bar that honored Mizner and his monkey, Johnnie Brown.

The Flamingo Grill is a take on the mid-century American chophouse.

The Flamingo Grill is a take on the mid-century American chophouse, and Sadelle’s is a sibling to the famed New York brunch spot.
Other yet-to-open collaborations with Major Food Group will offer Italian and Japanese cuisine. More restaurants could be added to the roster.
Luxury retail is sprinkled throughout the resort, and more is on its way, including a line of shops that will open off the Cloister’s main lobby.
While the entire resort — including its 50,000-square-foot spa, now renamed as Spa Palmera — has been overhauled, one of the most substantive changes comes from the demolition of the Great Hall, a convention venue. That allowed the resort to take better advantage of its location on Lake Boca Raton, which was barely visible to guests in the past.

Harborside Pool Club has four pools, a lazy river that winds among them, water slides, a kids club and waterfront dining.

It now is the site of the Harborside Pool Club with four pools, a 450-foot lazy river that weaves around the pools, water slides, a kids club and waterfront dining. A promenade runs along the waterfront and the 32-slip marina.
The resort’s lack of lake and ocean views was decidedly “odd,” Hostettler said, and needed to be corrected.
“We are trying to open everything up to the water as much as possible,” he said. “Everything we did was to capture those water views.”
While most of the work is completed, details were being finalized in early January. The activity included workers refinishing doors on the cathedral room, an elegant wedding venue. The lobby of the Cloister was awaiting new furniture.
The Tower will reopen to guests on May 1. The project will be fully completed this summer.

The Sushi Bar at the revamped Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa. Photo provided

Related story: Boca hotel remodeled with history, water views up front

By Mary Thurwachter

Luxury hotels can’t rest on their laurels and Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa can’t be accused of doing so. The Manalapan resort next to Lantana’s public beach is wrapping up a multimillion-dollar renovation.
The project’s designers were focused on the hotel’s restaurants and bars, updating the pool experience and reimagining the kids club.
“We’ve prided ourselves in offering guests a Forbes five-star, AAA five-diamond experience and one of our goals with the renovation was to update our social spaces,” said General Manager Tim Nardi. “We want to offer a modernized look and continue to elevate guest experiences.”
Palm Beach County-based Bilkey-Llinas Design was tasked with putting that vision to work.
Eau’s two palm-fringed pools and the landscape around them have been redesigned to create a new focal point. Featuring neutral and organic materials, the new lounge furniture and sitting areas are located beside the sea wall.
Landscaping design firm EDSA did the garden palette, which is made up of lush palms, sea grass, palmetto and tropical floral.
More flexible event space can now be found on a new deck reconfigured near the lawn. And more wedding space, overlooking the ocean, has been added on the north side of the resort.
The adults-only Tranquility Pool on the south side of the hotel has added a seated bar with cold-pressed juices, creative cocktails and an all-day menu. New cabanas and daybeds are ideal hangouts for guests seeking champagne mornings or afternoon swims. Bluetooth headphones with a wide choice of music and podcasts and other VIP poolside services are provided.

The family-oriented splash pad on the north side of the resort has a turtle theme.

On the hotel’s north side, a redesigned family pool features cabanas and a turtle-themed splash pad next to the redone kids club. The area has been fitted with sections for crafting and culinary activities. The club has a beach resort feel with underwater images and a wall mural, an arcade with games and machines and direct access to the splash pad.
An interactive wall with a laser projector and sketch aquarium allows children to design sea creatures and watch them come alive on a giant screen. Other points of interest include a photo station, a cinema with tiered seating shaped like sand dunes and a theater stage.
A team of teachers and caretakers curates a program of activities taking full advantage of the Atlantic Ocean as the playground. The club’s educational component includes a collaboration with the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, a turtle hospital with which Eau already had a partnership.

The kids club has sections for crafting and culinary activities.

Besides the new kids club, Eau has six culinary outlets. Four of them are new — a coffee shop, ice cream parlor, spa café and the Sushi Bar.
Oceana at Eau Palm Beach is the new coffee bar near the entrance to Eau Spa. Coffees from Palm Beach County-based Oceana Coffee, house-made pastries and light bites are on the menu.
The ice cream and frozen yogurt parlor is adjacent to the kids club, taking the place of the previous Sun Shop. Popular ice cream styles and signature house-made selections are served, and the shop, due to open in February, has an outdoor seating area next to the splash pad. 
The Sushi Bar, led by Eau’s head sushi chef, Chris Cantrel, offers a modern take on sushi, sashimi and nigiri. The food is sourced with local ingredients and served at both communal and individual tables.

Polpo, an Italian-inspired seafood restaurant scheduled to open in February, has taken the place of the oceanfront Temple Orange at the revamped Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa.

Polpo, an oceanfront restaurant with an upscale ambiance and an emphasis on Italian seafood, has taken the place of the former Temple Orange bistro and will open early in February. Arched windows, a marine-themed wall mural and a bar are key features of the indoor-outdoor floor plan.
The resort’s famed Eau Spa has its own café, the Spa Terrace, with sunset views, waterfalls and lush gardens. A selection of fine wines and champagne are offered along with tea presentations and spa cuisine. The menu is driven by health-conscious dishes such as locally sourced salads, wraps and fresh-pressed vegetable juices.
Nardi said renovations at the 309-guestroom resort were substantially completed by Dec. 31, with planned celebrations to follow.

La Coquille Club
While there are no new design changes at La Coquille Club, located on the north side at business center level, members who have access to all the resort’s amenities are certain to appreciate the upgrades, says club manager Ian Kirby.
Creative things are happening at La Coquille.
“We are redesigning experiences surrounding dinner service and drink service,” Kirby says. “The goal is every single dining option is an experience in and of its own. So, we have smoked cocktails which come to your table and bring up the smells of campfire memories.
“We have interactive drinks such as one where there’s an orchid in an ice cube. We also have another type of martini where the ice cube is shaped like a diamond and when the drink is poured into the glass it swirls with gold dust. It’s a nice little presentation. A beautiful display of what we can do with culinary talent.”
Kirby says he wants members to bring their friends to the club and be proud of what it offers and how unique and interesting it is. “It is a dining experience I want to be consistent and great,” he says.
“We have tons of special events that started with the opening party on Jan. 14, which was an opening party to remember, especially a year after COVID.”
Other events include a Greek cuisine night on March 5, “That ’70s Night” on April 2, and “Butcher’s Block” with whiskey and wine pairings on April 30. Dates have yet to be determined for the “World Famous La Coquille Seafood Buffet,” intimate cabana date night, family golf night at Drive Shack and “A Night with Sinatra at La Coquille.”
Anyone who owns a home in Manalapan is entitled to a complimentary membership to the private club, but others can apply to join. For details, call 561-540-4909 or visit www.lacoquilleclub.com.
For more information on the resort, which has a 5-diamond rating from AAA and 5 stars from Forbes, call 561-533-6000 or visit www.eaupalmbeach.com.

By Amy Woods

A husband and father of three young children who simultaneously has emerged as a quick-witted comedian out of Chicago will headline this year’s Laugh with the Library.
Pat McGann is a last-minute fill-in for James Austin Johnson, who had a conflict with the event’s rescheduled date of Feb. 25, from Feb. 4.
“Yes, last week we had to change comedians when James Austin Johnson was suddenly not able to make our new scheduled date due to a conflict with the changing SNL schedule,” Kae Jonsons, the Delray Beach Public Library’s director of development and community relations, said of Saturday Night Live’s newest cast member. “James will be performing at the 2023 Laugh with the Library.”
The biggest fundraiser of the year for the nonprofit institution was canceled in 2021 because of the pandemic and was postponed this month for the same reason. The goal is to raise at least $100,000.
“It’s really hard when you don’t have your annual fundraiser,” co-chairwoman Alissa Rabin said. “We would love to see the guests be generous with everything that is going on.”
Proceeds from Laugh with the Library will go toward the purchase of materials. Not only has the pandemic led to an increase in demand, but the cost of books and especially digital literature has more than quadrupled.
“I think it is very important for the community to support the library,” Rabin said. “It offers some amazing services.”
She has patronized the library and been a volunteer for nearly a decade after seeing the difference it made in the eyes of her daughter. Blake, now 10, attends Gulf Stream School.
“It was a great way to get her interested in reading and exploring different books that she might not be offered at school or might not be aware of,” Rabin said. “It’s a great way for children to meet other children and for young families to meet other young families.”
McGann will fit the bill perfectly during the show at the Opal Grand Oceanfront Resort & Spa, she said.
“The event has definitely grown in size and really attracted a nice young crowd and a good mix of parents from local schools,” Rabin said. “It’s not your traditional black-tie dinner. You get to be dressed a little more casually, you get to walk around and socialize a little bit, and you get to hear a really funny comedian.
“With the world the way it is right now, everyone needs a good laugh.”

If You Go
What: Laugh with the Library
When: 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Feb. 25
Where: Opal Grand Oceanfront Resort & Spa, 10 N. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach
Cost: $400
Information: 561-266-0798 or www.delraylibrary.org.

Lois Pope donated $250,000 to the Palm Beach County Food Bank for a 53-foot vehicle that bears images of the well-known philanthropist with Boys & Girls Club members. Photo provided

By Amy Woods

Twenty-one nonprofits, each with a proposed project in South County, have the opportunity to apply for one of multiple $100,000 grants awarded by Impact 100 Palm Beach County.
The organizations represent the group’s five focus areas — arts, culture and historic preservation; education; environment and animal welfare; family; and health and wellness.
The semifinalists are:
• American Association of Caregiving Youth
• Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts
• Best Foot Forward
• Boca Save our Beaches
• Camelot Community Care
• Florence Fuller Child Development Centers
• Friends of Foster Children
• GBDC Entrepreneurship Institute
• Love Serving Autism
• Marine Education Initiative
• Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League
• Promise Fund of Florida
• Propel (People Reaching Out to Provide Education & Leadership)
• Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services
• Spady Cultural Heritage Museum
• The Lord’s Place
• The Soup Kitchen
• Unicorn Children’s Foundation
• University of Florida Foundation
• Xcel: A Mentoring Network
• Young Singers of the Palm Beaches
“Our mission … is to improve our community by collectively funding impactful $100,000 grants to nonprofits in our area,” Impact 100 President-elect Kelly Fleming said. “The more members we have, the more money we can give to nonprofits in Palm Beach County.”
Finalists will be announced March 31. The final vote is set for April 19 at the Grand Awards.
For more information, call 561-336-4623 or visit www.impact100pbc.org.

Youth of the Year finalists to earn scholarships
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County will celebrate its eighth annual Youth of the Year on Feb. 25, at which seven exceptional youths will compete for the 2022 title.
All finalists will be awarded four-year scholarships, with the winner to also receive room and board. The dinner will take place from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa in Manalapan.
“This incredible event takes place every year, allowing our teen members to showcase all of their accomplishments,” said Jaene Miranda, president and CEO. “On one of the biggest nights of their lives, they will have the opportunity to share their stories and will receive recognition for all that they have achieved.”
For more information, call 561-676-5472 or visit https://bgcpbc.org.

Food bank has new delivery truck
The Palm Beach County Food Bank recently unveiled an impressive 53-foot refrigerated semitrailer with images of Lois Pope surrounded by children at the Florence De George Boys & Girls Club.
Pope’s $250,000 donation financed the truck, which will increase food deliveries and pickups in 2022 to help hungry families.
“The excitement and joy that came from this reveal was just so contagious,” said Jamie Kendall, the food bank’s CEO. “I know the addition of this truck will elevate our distribution and have a positive impact on reaching our hungry neighbors.”
For more information, call 561-670-2518 or visit www.pbcfoodbank.org.

Send news and notes to Amy Woods at flamywoods@bellsouth.net.

The Rotary Club of Boca Raton had its 24th annual gala to honor Outstanding People and Leaders. Beverly Raphael Altman, Robyn Raphael-Dynan, Arlene Herson, Dr. Nathan and Fran Nachlas, and Gary and Bonnie Hildebrand were honored for making the city a better place to live, work and play. Proceeds from the event fund scholarships for underserved youths.

ABOVE: (l-r) Lindsay Raphael with award winners Robyn Raphael-Dynan and Beverly Raphael Altman.

BELOW: (l-r) Jay and Marilyn Weinberg with Yvonne Boice and Al Zucaro.
Photos provided

A winter wonderland-style, invitation-only fundraiser helped the Sweet Dream Makers Foundation purchase more than 1,200 beds for children in need by generating $300,000-plus. The fourth annual affair featured delicious food and live music and attracted nearly 300 guests. Neil and Doris Gillman were honored as the 2021 Sweet Dream Makers of the Year. ‘When we tuck our own grandchildren in at night and wish them sweet dreams, we feel so blessed that we’re able to provide children who are less fortunate the safety and security of having a bed of their own, too,’ Doris Gillman said. ‘That’s what every child deserves.’ ABOVE: (l-r, front) Ly Teo, Kelli-Ann McLeod, Diana Khatchikian, Rebecca D’emic and Jessica MacFarland; (back) Karolina Kanner, Alejandra Lippolis, Minelle Tendler and Cari Graber. RIGHT: (l-r) Doris Gillman with Sweet Dream Makers Executive Director Suzanne Broad and Neil Gillman. Photos provided by Downtown Photo

St. Lucy Catholic Church’s Palm Beach Diocesan Council of Catholic Women collected clothing, diapers, toys and other essential items throughout the 2021 holiday season as part of the Angel Tree program and then lovingly wrapped them for their recipients. Volunteers presented the items to the Birthline/Lifeline program as well as to Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse, Fisher House and Place of Hope in an effort to cheer up underserved mothers during Christmas. ABOVE: (l-r) Susan Hiles, MaryLou Goldberg, Karen O’Neil, Katherine Bowers, Eleanor Hoffmann and Anne Dunn. Photo provided

Spirit of Giving Network presented board member Ann Rutherford with its annual Community Spirit Award for outstanding commitment and service. The nonprofit has been the annual football game’s official charity sponsor since the bowl’s inception eight years ago. Spirit of Giving creates alliances with organizations focused on children and families in Palm Beach County. More than 75 organizations collaborate and meet on a monthly basis. ABOVE: Ann Rutherford with husband, Charlie, and son David. Photo provided

The 280-seat Meso Beach House, located on the Intracoastal Waterway at Atlantic Avenue, features a seafood-centric menu. Photos provided

By Jan Norris

Dane Asermely is realistic about the opening of the new 280-seat Meso Beach House during a pandemic. He knows from experience that “it’s going to be a challenge.”
The Delray Beach restaurant, located in the former Old Calypso beside the Intracoastal Waterway, is a sister to a New York restaurant, Meso Mediterranean. It opened in Rye at the end of 2019, just before the lockdown.
Plans were for Meso Mediterranean to be in the city, Asermely said. “We had signed a lease in Manhattan; fortunately, we were able to get out of it.”
After New York shut down, turning the restaurant and business scene into “a mess,” he said, the partners looked south.
His partners are Bobby Khorrami, with whom he owns the Tillage restaurant in Manhattan, and Miguel Olmedo, who Asermely says is “the backbone of the operation.” All are experienced in the hospitality industry in hotels and restaurants.
“Bobby had a house here in Delray, right across the water from the restaurant, and quarantined for several months here,” Asermely said. “He saw the Avenue exploding and business booming.”
Delray has become the new “it” destination for New Yorkers, Asermely said. “It used to be Miami or Palm Beach in the winter, and Hamptons in the summer. Now all you hear is Delray Beach! Delray Beach! Everyone is coming here now. I know of at least four of my acquaintances from New York who are opening up restaurants here.”
The South Florida restaurant follows the Rye model of a seafood-centric menu, taking cues from 22 countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea.
“It’s a melting pot of cuisines,” Asermely said.
Chef and partner Sean Olnowich leans on Greek, Italian and Middle Eastern influences and flavors to complement the seafood dishes.
Having 10,000 square feet to work with, along with water views, is both pro and con at this juncture in the pandemic, Asermely said. Filling positions for experienced waiters and kitchen staff to serve the number of diners in that space is still a major problem, he said. “It’s not just here, it’s everywhere.”
Service is limited to dinner, with lunch beginning soon and brunch in the works. The restaurant is closed Monday to give workers needed time off; weekends have been extremely busy since the restaurant opened in January, he said.
“We can’t stretch our staff. We have a great core team, but right now we’re handling all we can do, trying to figure things out.
“We’re limiting the menu to 17 items, working up to 30 or 40,” he said.
Already, the space has bookings for weddings and other parties. Live jazz and other creative events are planned; those will depend on staffing and an easing of the nationwide backup of supplies.
“The supply chain doesn’t just affect the food, it’s equipment, condiments, tableware, everything,” Asermely said. “The supply chain must widen before we’re able to be fully up to speed.”
He thinks brunch will be a big draw, bringing in boaters, Atlantic Avenue pedestrians and destination diners.
“Every 15 to 20 minutes someone comes up and asks about brunch. Even while we’re not open, if we’re loading up our cars, people will come up and ask about it. People want brunch,” Asermely said.
They also want outdoor dining, another plus here. With 120 seats outside, plus 42 with windows that roll away to create open dining, there’s not a bad view in the house, he said.
“Most of the 240 downstairs seats make you feel as though you’re outside,” Asermely said.
The interior is billed as “coastal chic,” intended to offer a resort feel. Custom carved wood tables and a tropical accent wall meant to encourage photos are installed.
Asermely is the creative director. He described the aesthetic as sophisticated, but approachable and inviting. “Laid back, no rush. Don’t just come here to dine. Come to enjoy the space and the view.”
Upscale but approachable describes Olnowich’s menu, with a mezze plate and charred prawns among appetizers; local burrata featuring bottarga and persimmon; and a cornmeal-crusted calamari with harissa aioli and date relish bringing in more of the Mediterranean flavors favored here.
Creative grain dishes include spaghetti served with sea urchin, lumache (snail-shaped pasta) with vodka sauce, chickpeas and chilies; and from the sea, charred octopus, diver scallops, and a bouillabaisse a l’Indochine — shellfish with red curry, coconut and kaffir lime.
Numerous dishes are gluten free. “Sean is more than a cook/chef,” Asermely said. “He’s aware of the restrictions and tries to have something available for all the diners.”
Olnowich shops the green markets and finds local purveyors to supply certain products, Asermely said. Diners can expect South Florida foods on the menu as it evolves.
Prices are from $14 for small plate appetizers to $51 for a prime New York strip steak, with entrees averaging $40.
A craft cocktail program includes the signature crystal clear margarita, made with clarified ingredients.
A sunset special is offered weekdays, 4-6 p.m., where select food and drink items are $10.
Asermely doesn’t see business slowing along the Avenue or in the downtown, despite all the competition. Yet he’s planning ahead for a summertime downturn.
“We just don’t see it slowing down. And we hear it’s changing. But we think the market is strong enough to support it right now. We have to get creative for our downtime. Our goal is to keep our employees throughout. It’s challenging, for sure.”
The Meso brand is likely to expand in South Florida, but for now, Asermely said, “we’re just trying to get this one rolled out.”
Meso Beach House, 900 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Open Tuesday-Sunday for dinner. www.mesorestaurants.com/meso-beach-house.

In brief
Got Girl Scout cookies? If so, consider yourself lucky — the supply shortage hit the girls in green, too. Their new cookie, Adventurefuls, a caramel-topped brownie affair, was parsed out and barely made the kits. A bakery backup didn’t work out, so what was initially sold was it. Sales are online elsewhere, however. Plus there’s an app to locate them: http://cookielocator.littlebrownie.com.

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Here’s a meet-up spot for people with competitive urges: Throw Social, an ax-throwing, game-area bar/lounge and live stage center at 29 SE Second Ave., Delray Beach. Best sharpen your aim before checking it out.

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

Cast members of Respect: A Musical Journey of Women toss their cowgirl hats in the air at the conclusion of a dress rehearsal last month. Rachel O’Hara is fourth from left. They all wore clear plastic masks to limit the potential of spreading COVID-19. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Rachel O’Hara

Being born in Delray Beach and raised there for almost 13 years was something truly special. Besides living near the beach and enjoying beautiful weather year-round, I was lucky enough to be involved in community theater.
When the acting bug bit me around the age of 7, my mother looked for places where kids like me could get involved in theater. I spent the next six years being in shows at Little Palm Family Theatre in Boca Raton. My weeknights were for rehearsals and my weekends were for performing.
I couldn’t have been happier.
When one of my theater friends mentioned going to classes with other kids at the Delray Beach Playhouse, I asked my mom if I could go, too. Those days were filled with theater games, vocal warm-ups and plenty of improv.
I moved back to the area in 2017 to be the communications associate at Gulf Stream School, after I had been living in Sarasota and working for the Herald-Tribune. Lucky for me, our music teacher, Toni Stamos, remembered me from my days at the playhouse and encouraged me to try out for Annie Get Your Gun that fall.
It had been a decade since I’d been involved with community theater and it felt so good to be performing again.
Here we are in 2022 and I’m in my third production — Respect: A Musical Journey of Women — at the Delray Beach Playhouse and my fourth production since I got back home. We are an ensemble cast and our characters/roles/attitudes change with whatever song/scene we are in. I go from being Betty Boop for one song to a member of the USO to a young woman working in a factory during the war.

ABOVE: Fast forward to this season. Rachel took a selfie of the Musical Journey of Women cast members after they read through the script for the first time at The Black Box. The majority of the cast is here in front of a mirror. Omicron had not arrived yet and they felt safe with everyone vaccinated and boosted. RIGHT: Rachel O’Hara as Piglet in The House at Pooh Corner at Little Palm Family Theatre. Her first big role! Photos provided by Rachel O’Hara

My other passion, photojournalism, stays alive thanks to freelance assignments for The Coastal Star.
When Editor Mary Kate Leming saw my Facebook post about getting back into theater after two long, pandemic-filled years, she asked me to keep a journal of how the rehearsal process was going. Is it the same as it was before the coronavirus? No. Has omicron come in and really stressed us all out? For sure.
But is it possible to get creative and talented people together again to create something beautiful for the stage? Yes, it is.
And you know what? I’m just as excited about returning to the stage as I was when I started at age 7. 
Here are some excerpts from my journal.

Dec. 6: Doing a rehearsal in person and preparing to get back on stage again feels so exciting and I’m a little giddy. It’s great to see some familiar faces, but I’m having a fun time getting to know the people I’ve never met before as well.
The whole show, from director to cast to stagehands and even the band, is made up almost entirely of women. The show tells the history of women through music. That can be pretty raw at times and there is a lot of history worked in throughout the dialogue.
Many of these songs are ones that our parents and grandparents grew up with, so we need to make sure we really get up there and perform them as authentically as we can. 

Dec. 7: Today is the first music rehearsal. Karen Nagy, the musical director, went through an extensive warm-up with us, which felt really good. I can’t remember the last time I warmed up my vocal cords and body in preparation to sing. We did some cool harmony exercises and did Do, Re, Mi in a round. It sounded awesome!
When I tell people I go to rehearsal from 7:30 to 10 at night and don’t get paid, some look at me like I’m insane. But there is a reason we all do it. We love it. 

Dec. 9: We got to work in the Children’s Theatre tonight. There is a lot more room for us to spread out and that always makes me feel a bit safer, especially since we are singing a lot! We recorded ourselves tonight for our director Suzanne Dunn to pass along to Jeannie Krouch, the choreographer, so she can get us ready to start moving and grooving. Better get out my character shoes and start stretching!
Unfortunately, we won’t have rehearsal tomorrow because one of our castmates has tested positive for the coronavirus. She’s fully vaccinated and doing OK, but I feel terrible that she has gotten sick.
I think that’s everyone’s biggest fear with going back to doing live theater. Hopefully, this will be our only case throughout the rehearsal process and the run of the show. This show means too much to all of us already to be derailed by the pandemic.

Dec. 28: I’m back to rehearsal after being away for a week to see my family back in Cleveland. We continue to practice everything while masked.

Jan. 5: Finally! It’s 2022 and we are having our first full cast rehearsal in I don’t know how long and I am so happy to see everyone again. We have all been working hard on our own time on our songs, lines and choreography. But it just isn’t the same as being able to be all together in the same room.

Jan. 15: Today was our big Saturday rehearsal! Five hours of working on blocking, choreography and singing on the stage. Five hours sounds like a lot, but I swear it flew by. We also got to meet the band. Spensyr, Sara and I stayed a bit later to listen to them practice and they sound great.

Jan. 18: Tonight we reviewed trouble spots that we encountered during what Suzanne referred to as our first “stumble-through” on the stage the night before. I cannot believe that in nine days we will be performing for a live audience! I am extremely nervous and excited to be in front of a live audience again.

Jan. 27: WE DID IT! Tonight’s Family & Friends performance was so much better than I could have ever imagined. Having a supportive audience filled with friends and family for everyone in the cast gave us all so much energy and I don't think any of us ever stopped smiling. This cast has been a dream to work with and everyone is so talented, yet humble, and seeing us all come together and give such an amazing performance had me smiling from ear to ear all night long.
There are women in this cast that have only performed once or twice in a show and women who have been in national Broadway tours of iconic shows. Where else can you find a cast like that? Only in the wonderful world of community theater. I cannot wait to perform with this amazing group of women for the next three weeks. I know that when we close the show, I will be sad but also so grateful for the new friendships and the opportunity to have gotten back to being on stage again.
I hope that those who come to the show enjoy not only the performance but the feeling of joy about being able to attend live theater again.

If You Go
What: Respect: A Musical Journey of Women
When: Through Feb. 13
Where: Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 NW Ninth Street
Tickets: $38
Info: 561-272-1281 or https://delraybeachplayhouse.com

The exterior makes the Big Red Bus a rolling billboard to promote blood donations. Photo provided

By Joyce Reingold

In January, a month traditionally earmarked for encouraging blood drives and donations, the messaging took an urgent turn: The U.S. was experiencing a blood supply crisis, the worst shortage in more than a decade.
“In recent weeks, blood centers across the country have reported less than a one-day’s supply of blood of certain critical blood types — a dangerously low level,” the Red Cross said in a statement made with the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies and America’s Blood Centers. “If the nation’s blood supply does not stabilize soon, lifesaving blood may not be available for some patients when it is needed.”
While maintaining a steady blood supply is always challenging, experts say the coronavirus pandemic has delivered a series of devastating blows to collection efforts, which they are working hard to counteract.
“The pandemic upended the traditional venues for blood drives and there’s no indication when, or if, it’s going to go back to what it used to be,” said Susan Forbes, senior vice president of corporate communications and public relations for OneBlood, the nonprofit organization that collects and distributes blood throughout Florida and in other parts of the Southeast.
“The new normal does not bring donors to the traditional places for blood drives, and that’s an issue when it comes to collecting blood.”
OneBlood’s familiar Big Red Bus fleet is mobilized but, with so many people still working from home, fewer businesses are hosting blood drives. High school and college events, which have accounted for 20% of OneBlood’s collections, have slowed, too. “So, then you have a surge in cases of COVID,” Forbes said. “You put all this stuff together and you can see how that is constantly impacting the blood supply.”

Trying to meet demand
Supply levels fluctuate, but the needs remain. People with sickle cell disease, cancer and leukemia rely on regular blood transfusions. A person injured in a car accident could require up to 100 pints of blood.
“Blood and platelets cannot be manufactured,” the Red Cross says. “They can only come from volunteer donors.”
And that’s the challenge and miracle of the blood supply. In a normal year in the United States, about 6.8 million people volunteer to donate blood.
The Red Cross doesn’t collect blood in Florida, but it does work with local hospitals and organizations like OneBlood to host drives, said Siara Campbell, regional communications director for the South Florida region of the Red Cross.
“During this blood crisis, it’s critical that we come together and roll up a sleeve to help ensure people in our communities receive the care they need,” she said.

A call for change
After the January announcement, the Human Rights Campaign renewed its call for the Food and Drug Administration to remove blanket restrictions on sexually active gay and bisexual men. The FDA is responsible for most of the eligibility rules governing blood donations. One study showed that removing this restriction could increase the annual blood supply up to 4%.
In 1983, during the AIDS epidemic, the FDA implemented a lifetime ban on blood donations from men who’d had sex with other men since 1977. In 2015, the FDA replaced the ban with a one-year period of abstinence and in 2020, to three months. The HRC supports a donation policy that is based on individual risk assessment rather than “membership in a group.” The FDA continues to study the issue.
“The FDA remains committed to considering alternatives to time-based deferral by generating the scientific evidence that is intended to support an individual-risk-assessment-based blood-donor questionnaire,” the FDA has said in a statement to media outlets.
To service the more than 250 hospitals in its footprint, OneBlood needs to collect more than 2,500 units of blood a day. What will it take to shore up the blood supply?
“We need a sustained donor response from the community, from people who are eligible to donate to step forward, do it each time they are eligible, and make it a habit. That will help ensure a ready blood supply,” OneBlood’s Forbes said. “Another thing is to encourage the community to host drives, and to get creative with it because we can roll that Big Red Bus up to just about anywhere.”
OneBlood offers donors incentives like promotional items, tickets and gift cards.
Prospective donors can learn more about types of donations and eligibility, find a collection location, and schedule an appointment by visiting OneBlood.org or calling 888-936-6283. OneBlood has centers in Lantana, Delray Beach and Boca Raton.

Joyce Reingold writes about health and healthy living. Send column ideas to joyce.reingold@yahoo.com.

By Christine Davis

Baptist Health, which owns Boca Raton Regional Hospital and the Bethesda hospitals in Boynton Beach, reported encouraging news on the coronavirus in late January.
As of Jan. 26, Baptist Health said it had 424 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized across its South Florida entities. This represented a 48% decline from that of two weeks earlier.
The hospital adjusts visitor guidelines as necessary. Those guidelines can be found at https://baptisthealth-coronavirus.com/patients-and-visitors/visitor-guidelines.
JFK Medical Center in Atlantis reported:
“At this time, we have the bed capacity, equipment and resources needed to care for our community safely and effectively. We continue to monitor the situation closely and respond accordingly with appropriate resources to support changes in patient care demands.
“The majority of COVID-19 patients being treated in our hospitals are unvaccinated. We strongly encourage people in our area to get the vaccine and booster shot if they’re eligible.”

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JFK Medical Center Main and North campuses named Dr. Alex Paya as chief medical officer in January. Paya joins JFK Medical Center from Palms West Hospital, where he served as chief medical officer.
He joined HCA Healthcare in 2018 as chief medical officer of the previous University Hospital (now HCA Florida Woodmont Hospital) and Plantation General Hospital.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from Florida International University, cum laude, before pursuing his doctor of osteopathy at Nova Southern University.
Paya did his clinical training at Shands Medical Center and is board certified in internal medicine. He also holds a master’s degree in health care administration from the University of North Carolina.

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Delray Medical Center offers the new Ensite X EP System for cardiovascular EP procedures. This technology uses HD images to collect data to give accurate and linear visualization for physicians to map out any area of the heart. Electrophysiologist Dr. Yoel Vivas was the first physician in the county to use this new system at the hospital, according to a news release.
Vivas is also the founder of the Arrhythmia Center of South Florida. Learn more at https://vivasmd.com.

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Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and Computer Sciences with Schmidt College of Medicine received a three-year, $1.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health for an automated HIV self-testing assay. Another $1.3 million could be awarded after a review of the progress made in phase one.
With this grant, researchers are aiming to further develop an affordable, disposable self-testing HIV-1 chip that can selectively detect HIV from whole blood samples.
The chip can be highly sensitive to detect HIV during the acute infection, treatment and viral rebound and be rapid within 40 minutes. It’s highly stable without requiring refrigeration and provides fully automated sample-in/answer-out analyses. 
Waseem Asghar, Ph.D., principal investigator and an associate professor at the College of Engineering and Computer Sciences, is developing this technology with Massimo Caputi, Ph.D., a professor of biomedical science in FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine.
Collaborators of the NIH grant include the University of Virginia and University of Pennsylvania.

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After training with Dr. Richard E. Busch III, author of Surgery Not Included, Dr. Timothy Kehrig, of Kehrig Family Chiropractic, offers Busch’s DRS protocol, a noninvasive treatment to relieve chronic neck and back pain. The program combines treatments that include spinal decompression, exercise and vitamins.
Kehrig Family Chiropractic is at 1815 S. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach.
For more info, visit www.chiropractorboynton.com/drs-protocol or call 561-737-7787.

Rabbi Shmuel Biston and his wife, Sarah Biston, are co-directors of Chabad of East Delray. It holds services at its synagogue at 10 SE First Ave., on the ground floor. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

A “rabbi with a gun” sounds like the punchline of a bad joke.
But nobody was laughing after a homeless man took four people hostage at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, just weeks after he arrived in the United States.
“That’s the reason we have TSA-level security,” said Rabbi Shmuel “Shmuli” Biston of Chabad of East Delray. It’s the reason he practices at the gun range and keeps his skills sharp through ongoing training. It’s part of his commitment to keep his congregants and family safe.
Biston wants people bowing their heads in prayer to be as worry-free as possible, and if that means he puts on a gun along with his yarmulke, he’ll do it. Worship is a place for unburdening, and people should — like students in school — feel safe there.
The irony is unrelenting.
So, if not rabbis with guns, what then? The rabbi and congregants involved in Colleyville had all undergone significant counter-violence training. It even has its own name: active shooter training.
“After Shabbat on Saturday, my phone was blowing up,” Biston said, recalling the events of Jan. 15. Members of his flock were calling for reassurance. “They wanted to know if we were ready. People were shocked, frustrated, angry, scared, every emotion you can imagine.”
As Biston prepared his remarks for Shabbat after the situation ended with the hostages freed, he wanted to remind his congregation “to be cautious but proud. Don’t be scared to wear your yarmulke. We must be proud of our heritage and work to break down misinformation. We have to talk about it again and again.”
Biston, the father of two and the son of a rabbi, has made peace with the reality of hate.
“I find a positive spin. Certain people hate us, but much of that is ignorance. And the answer is education.”
He doesn’t dwell on it and he finds respite in sports and depends on his quirky sense of humor to get him through.
The outcome in Texas was largely possible because the people involved were prepared and had discussed what to do.
“Fifteen or 20 people reached out and asked, ‘what are we doing?’” Biston said of his congregants. He reassured them, but he also plans to add emergency first aid to the roster of active-shooter training courses.
In reality, first aid means learning how to prevent someone from bleeding to death from a gunshot or stab wound.
At home, the rabbi has a high-tech alarm system and he keeps his gun locked in a safe but accessible. He’s learned to handle the stress of being on alert 24/7. “I’m used to it,” Biston said. “I’m a public figure. My address is out there.”
Biston says he’s faced hatred and discrimination his whole life (“I was egged,” he says casually) and has “thick skin.”
Biston, who says he is “pro sensible gun control,” has one or two other trusted members quietly armed at Shabbat events. All have training. “I want to be safe. But I say, ‘Don’t cower in fear. Spread goodness. Only light can dispel darkness.’”
That’s an irony as Biston sees it: The man in Colleyville was “obviously homeless and disturbed, not Jewish, but the rabbi brought him in and welcomed him.” The Dallas Morning News reported that Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, one of the hostages, invited the man in out of the cold and made him a cup of tea before the service began.
Who welcomes an attacker into the synagogue with kindness and compassion?
In East Delray, a rabbi with a gun. Just in case.

Janis Fontaine writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and community events. Contact her at fontaine423@outlook.com