Event Chairwomen Rosemary Krieger and Anne Vegso. Photo provided

By Amy Woods

The shelter’s statistics say it all. Four hundred women and children received emergency housing last year while another 750 received referrals to other resources because the facility was at capacity. Outreach services increased 32%. Programs for community education, professional training and violence prevention grew 136%.

In all, Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse helped more than 15,000 residents in 2019.

“The number of people demanding our services is at an all-time high,” said Pam O’Brien, AVDA’s president and CEO. “For the last three years, it has been that way.”

O’Brien, who is gearing up for her organization’s annual fundraiser, the Heart of a Woman Luncheon, on Feb. 26, said the Me Too movement has empowered more women to come forward and report abuse.

“I think that the conversation nationally about intimate-partner violence is so prevalent today that it’s made people more comfortable reaching out for help,” she said. “They know they’re not alone, and our numbers show that.”

Proceeds from the luncheon will benefit AVDA’s 24-hour crisis hotline and 32-bed apartment complex in addition to the services and programs mentioned above.

“We have had a tremendous outpouring of sponsorships for this event, which has already exceeded our expectations,” O’Brien said. “I’m grateful for the support from the community.”

Audrey-May Prosper is the keynote speaker. Prosper will share her shocking story of survival, what she learned from it and how it led to a lifelong mission of helping others like her thrive in the aftermath.

“She speaks as a woman who has lived through something horrific,” O’Brien said. “Her focus will be on the positive and making the best of a scary situation and moving past it.”

The luncheon begins at 10:30 a.m. with a mix-and-mingle, a silent auction and a luxury raffle. A community service award will be presented to Kol, an 8-year-old golden retriever certified by Golden Paws Assistance Dogs and owned by Jane Eisenberg.

Therapy dog Kol will be honored for work at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Photo provided

The two spent nearly four months at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland following the 2018 mass shooting there.
“I have been very involved in AVDA for many years, and it is an organization that is close to my heart,” event Chairwoman Anne Vegso said. “We’re just wanting this event to be the best ever.”

Chairwoman Rosemary Krieger agreed.

“We want to make this the best yet,” Krieger said. “We want to acquire sponsors, and we want to be out there telling people why we’re here.”

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

If You Go

What: Heart of a Woman Luncheon

When: 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 26

Where: Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, 2425 W. Maya Palm Drive, Boca Raton

Cost: $175

Information: Call 561-265-3797 or visit

www.avdaonline.org

Cathy Sauer and her brother Bobby Wollenberg run Nina Raynor, their family-owned business in downtown Delray. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Nina Raynor has a new address, but the same personal service and showstopper dresses

By Joyce Reingold

On a Saturday afternoon in January, a customer arrives at Nina Raynor, Delray Beach’s special occasion women’s clothing boutique, carrying a dress she’d recently purchased. A club event is hours away and although she loves the dress, she’s having second thoughts about whether it’s right for the party.

Store associates show her a small selection of options. After a few try-ons, an accessory tweak and a discussion about shoes, the woman leaves the store smiling, her original purchase on her arm.

“They’re just great,” she says of the Nina Raynor team. “And so patient, listening to me obsess.”

That kind of personal service, no-pressure sales environment, and singular garments that look like works of art are some of the reasons Nina Raynor is Delray Beach’s oldest clothing store in continuous operation.

In December, the boutique opened its doors for the 62nd season at a new location: 210 NE Sixth Ave.

The shop, which traditionally operates seasonally from October through June, was a presence at its previous location, 1031 E. Atlantic Ave., for 29 years. Last year, Ocean Properties, the building’s owner, announced plans to repurpose the space, according to Bobby Wollenberg, who operates the family-owned boutique with his sister Cathy Sauer.

“They decided to expand their office space, so they needed to come into that part of the building,” he said. “Change is difficult, but yet it’s fun and exciting at the same time.”

When customers first learned the store was leaving its East Atlantic Avenue home, they had two main concerns, Wollenberg said. “All they kept repeating was they didn’t care where the store was, they just wanted Nina Raynor to exist. And the biggest request was that it would have parking. … So, I was able to accomplish that. It’s a great location and great parking.”

Fashions have changed, but the mannequin has remained the same over the decades at Nina Raynor. The store is in its 62nd season.
Photo provided

“We are thrilled the store was able to remain in Delray Beach,” Sauer said. “Local businesses are the fabric of a community. They are what make up the unique character of a town but also create a synergy that helps it thrive. For instance, there are people coming to the store that may not have had a reason to visit Delray previously. We direct them to restaurants for lunch or dinner, where to shop for shoes, order flowers, advise them of special events taking place, hotels to stay in. My brother is a huge advocate of promoting business in town, so much so we joke that he is the concierge of Delray.”

Joanne Wollenberg at work in 1991. Photo provided

The late Nina (pronounced NINE-ah) Raynor opened her eponymous boutique in 1958, offering a collection of resort clothing that was largely sportswear-driven. Wollenberg and Sauer’s mother, Joanne Wollenberg, purchased the business in 1983. She ran the store until her death in 2012.

Wollenberg said it was Joanne, a former fashion model, who established the shop as the destination for special occasion clothing.
“She was beautiful on the outside, but she was more beautiful inside,” Wollenberg said of his mother and mentor. “The customers adored her.”

From one millennium to the next, the boutique has helped women select designer clothing for important life events.

“What brings most women in for the first time is a special event. The No. 1 category is weddings, but the bar and bat mitzvahs are a close second,” he said. “Very often we will dress the mother of the bride, the mother of the groom and grandmothers for the same occasion. I would say 50% of the time we’re dressing both sides of the family. We try to make everyone look beautiful for the same occasion.”

Nina Raynor has customers who’ve shopped there for 50-plus years, Wollenberg said. In addition to its local devotees, the shop draws women from across North America. “We have a very large Canadian following and we’re deeply appreciative of that,” he said.

Stella, with Bobby Wollenberg, has been on the Nina Raynor team for over 30 years. Tim Stepien / The Coastal Star

When Gerry Ehrlich of Boca Raton walked past the shop’s signature topiaries and into the boutique for the first time, she was looking for a special occasion dress.

“I was just really impressed by the personal attention they gave to me — how they helped me to find something that not only suited me, but was the right size, color, that sort of thing,” she said. “And I think besides the attitude and the service and then the quality of what they offer, is the fact that if something doesn’t quite suit, if it doesn’t really fit you perfectly, they have a seamstress there … who with a little twitch here and a little tuck there can make something just look like it was made for you.”

Wollenberg said: “We’d rather not sell to you than to sell you something that, a) doesn’t look well on you, or b) that we know there’s already one at your party, your club, etc. Because that’s how you lose customers. We build relationships. We like to think that once you become a customer you’re part of the family.”

In the boutique’s showroom, elegant gowns hang at perfectly spaced intervals. Fabrics are sumptuous to the eye and touch. In the fashion trade, the feel of the fabric is called the “hand,” Wollenberg said.

“When I’m on a buying trip, it’s all about the fabrication. If the hand is not of a certain quality or caliber, then it wouldn’t be chosen for this store because our clients are quite particular — and should be. They’re very much into beautiful fabrications and that’s something we’re known for.”

The details on the dresses also are showstoppers. There are exotic birds hand-embroidered on tulle. Crystal jewel trim on black peau de soie. Beaded lace appliqué. A bodice swathed in hundreds of artistically arranged Swarovski crystals.

Wollenberg describes Nina Raynor’s fashion aesthetic as “beautiful, classic, unique and elegant.”

The shop features designers like Peggy Jennings, who has designed clothes for U.S. first ladies, and Catherine Regehr, known in part for using laser-cut fabrics that move like soft, kinetic sculptures. The shop is hosting trunk shows by these and other designers this season. The full schedule is available at www.ninaraynor.com.

In addition to its evening wear, the store carries accessories and what Wollenberg calls “nice casual” clothing. That’s one of the reasons longtime customer Carole Ann visits the shop.

“I don’t go to all that many formals, so I’ve bought a lot of my sports clothes there,” says the Boynton Beach resident, who asked to be identified only by her first names. “But the main thing about it is they’re very, very warm and friendly. And when you come in, they offer you a Coca-Cola or water. And at Christmas, Bobby’s sister bakes cookies for everybody. It’s that kind of a warm, family feeling.”

Stella and Bobby in 1998. Photo provided

In talking about the business, Wollenberg is hesitant to use the word staff. “We’re a team here, so they’re more like family to me,” he said of his associates. One of those family members is Stella, known to all by her first name, who’s been with Nina Raynor for more than 30 years. She “was my mom’s right arm,” he said.

Laura Simon, executive director of the Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority, also cites family as an important value in talking about Nina Raynor’s importance to downtown Delray Beach.

“They are family-owned, provide true customer service and have become a destination for unique fashion and gowns,” she said. “We are thrilled that during their relocation process the decision was made to remain here in downtown Delray Beach and the DDA district. They are a piece of the fabric of the community and a part of our legacy as a small, family-owned business.” 

Cathy Sauer and Bobby Wollenberg with their mother, Joanne Wollenberg, in 2010. Joanne Wollenberg ran the Nina Raynor store from 1983 until she died in 2012. Photo provided

“Mom’s idea about the business was to treat each customer as a guest,” Wollenberg said. “Because without the customer there’s no store, and without a store, no one has a job. So, it’s all about the experience. … We just really try our best to make you feel welcome and special. … Just the fact that someone makes the effort to come here and wants to even look, I mean, that’s an honor.”

Giovanni and Grace Marquez celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a vow renewal celebration. Giovanni vividly remembered the day he met Grace in downtown Pittsburgh in 1967. He was picking up someone after work and noticed Grace as she came out of the building. ‘It was the best part of my day,’ he said. Soon after, he saw her at a dance. He asked her out on the floor, and that was it — a love match! They were married two years later, on Sept. 19, 1969, at Saint Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh. The couple lives in Boca Raton and at Marina Village in Boynton Beach, near their menswear store, FSB, on Ocean Avenue. Both are 73 and agree that the secret to a happy marriage is prayer. ‘A family that prays together, stays together,’ Giovanni said. In their spare time, the couple enjoys the arts, live entertainment, going out to dinner, traveling, spending time with family — they have two grown children — and, of course, dancing. Photo provided

Organizers of the breakfast (l-r) Gloria Sumerville, Lineen Nickel, Jeanne Visentin, Gail Greene and Martha Lowther. Photos provided

Crown Colony Club had a welcome-back breakfast to meet and greet old-timers and introduce new residents. There was an air of camaraderie as everyone enjoyed homemade baked goodies and sipped coffee.

 Keith and Patty Bartlett. Photos provided

Diana Ross with Lois Pope. Photos provided by CAPEHART

Legendary singer Diana Ross wowed the capacity crowd of 600-plus at LIFE’s 26th annual fundraiser with a rousing concert of hits. Guests also laughed out loud as comedian Rita Rudner delivered one-liners. Drinking, dining and dancing followed, all to benefit the Pups4Patriots program for veterans. More than $1 million was raised.

Simone and Dr. Peter Bonutti. 

Luke and Nanci Breedlove, Rick and Suzi Goldsmith and Ashton Breedlove.

Margaret and Gerry Kazma with their daughter, Leigh-Ann Kazma. Photo provided by CAPEHART

What better gift than the promise of love, safety and a better life? That is what American Humane and a powerful group of guests pledged to give animals in the new year. Having led efforts to rescue, shelter, feed and protect millions of earth’s creatures, Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of the organization, led a hope-filled toast to aid more animals in 2020.

Michael Benenson and Robert Alrod. Photo provided

About 40 people gathered at the Gold Coast Tiger Bay Club event to hear local activist Suzanne Spencer speak about the public health crisis of the opioid epidemic and how to advance the dialogue on the issue. ‘She could have spoken for another hour because she has so much information about it,’ club President Howard Appell said of Spencer, CEO of Living Skills in the Schools. ‘She talked about just about everything that the opioid crisis touches on.’

Paul Miller, Steve Pate, Sandy Alcántara of the Miami Marlins, Stephen Lewis and Mark Wood. Photo provided

Jennifer Arndt, Chris Bell and Marshall Duane, all of Merrill Lynch in Delray Beach, helped raise $106,100 at the second celebrity golf tournament benefiting Achievement Centers for Children & Families. The event featured Major League Baseball players grouped with foursomes. Proceeds will go toward the development of the Nature Playscape at the agency’s Nancy K. Hurd campus, where 125 preschoolers and their families can learn about the connection between nature and healthy living as well as the importance of environmental stewardship.

Kathy Adkins and Frank Weed. Photos provided by Warner-Prokos Photography

Ellen Elam and Karen Sweetapple. Photos provided by Warner-Prokos Photography

Impact 100 Palm Beach County members and prospective members applauded the 26 nonprofits named as semifinalists in the chance to receive one of multiple $100,000 grants. The finalists will be announced in March; they then will pre­sent their projects at the Grand Awards in April, when votes will be cast to award the funds.

The Garden of Lights at Mounts Botanical Garden of Palm Beach County was a success thanks to a $10,000 donation from The Gentlemen of the Garden.
The colorful Christmastime show that extended into January turned the treasured grounds all atwinkle on select evenings. Visitors marveled at jewel-toned illuminations of the lush tropical foliage, majestic trees and signature structures.
“Bob Eigelberger and The Gentlemen of the Garden have a long history with Mounts,” Curator-Director Rochelle Wolberg said. “Now, thanks to their generous support, this year’s Garden of Lights was a magical way to light up the holiday season for couples, families and groups of all sizes.”
Send news and notes to Amy Woods at flamywoods@bellsouth.net.

Children decorated the hearts on the Legacy Wall. Photo provided
Founded in 1969 as the Community Child Care Center of Delray Beach, Achievement Centers for Children & Families began as a pilot program in response to the overwhelming need for affordable care for the sons and daughters of low-income working mothers.
Fifty years later, the organization has expanded to serve 900 local children and their families annually at three sites.
In recognition of the numerous programs that help prepare youths for academic and social success as well as inspire them to discover their talents, a Legacy Wall has been installed at the Barbara D. Smith Toddler Center. The children who attended the installation added artistic touches to the decorative hearts that make up the wall.

The late Bessie and Raymond Kravis in an undated photograph. Photo provided by the Kravis Center

Delray Beach resident Jeffrey Stoops, chairman of the Kravis Center, recently announced that the performing arts hall’s capital campaign, Kravis 2020, was given a big boost.

The Raymond and Bessie Kravis Foundation has gifted $10 million to the expansion project. As a result, the center’s new urban plaza will be named the Kravis Family Plaza.

“Throughout the years, the Kravis family has continued their parents’ legacy of supporting the center through its foundation,” Stoops said. “Their steadfast commitment has played an important role in contributing to the cultural well-being of the community and in introducing us to artists who have not previously appeared in Florida. We are truly grateful that the family has continued such an outstanding tradition of support for the center and its mission.”

Jason Hagensick, president and CEO of the YMCA of South Palm Beach County, with campaign Chairwoman Jackie Reeves and board Chairman Christopher Warren. Photo provided

With support from more than 1,400 donors, the YMCA of South Palm Beach County raised $684,607 for its 2019 Annual Giving Campaign, far surpassing its target of $600,000.
The donations, a record amount, will enhance the agency’s ability to provide assistance to people in need.
“This is a huge accomplishment and would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of all our campaign volunteers and staff,” campaign Chairwoman Jackie Reeves said. “In addition, 100% of donations are restricted for the Y’s financial-assistance programs, so donors can feel proud about making an immediate and lasting impact to those in need.”

By Scott Simmons

The Plate: Steak and Eggs
The Place: Sande’s, 1717 N. Federal Highway, Delray Beach. 561-272-9104. Cash only.
The Price: $11.50
The Skinny: It’s everyone’s favorite breakfast place, so I’ve been told.

So I’m adding Sande’s to my list of go-to spots for a weekend breakfast or lunch. The Sunday morning we visited, the restaurant was packed and had a waiting list. Once seated, we ordered comfort food. The steak and eggs? Well, the beef is not like that in a steakhouse.

But it was the centerpiece of a hearty breakfast, with a slice of New York cut sirloin, two eggs ordered sunny side up, so the yolks yielded to the fork, offering gooey goodness. Oh, and the biscuit offered on the side was homemade and the sliced tomatoes were sweet and fresh.

Despite their small size, microgreens, like these sold at the Lake Worth Beach Farmer's Market, pack a nutritional punch, often containing higher nutrient levels than more mature vegetable greens. Linda Haase/The Coastal Star

By Linda Haase

“Even when it rains we shine.”

With a motto like that it’s no wonder the Lake Worth Beach Farmer’s Market — now in its 14th year — is so popular. But there are plenty of other reasons people make this market part of their Saturday ritual.

“We are literally on a peninsula with water views almost everywhere you look. We offer free parking, but we also love to see people walk, bike or drive their golf carts here. There is also a beach to dock your kayak and a boat dock,” says Emily Theodossakos, the bustling market’s former manager, who took over the helm after founder Peter Robinson retired this season.

The pet-friendly market at Old Bridge Park at the corner of A1A and Lake Avenue is shady, compact and easy to navigate. And with nearly 60 vendors, there’s plenty to experience.

Truffle cheese? Check. S’mores cupcakes? Absolutely. Artisan jewelry, clothes, notecards and more? It’s all here. Live music? Check it out, along with quiches, microgreens, keto desserts, organic pickles, seafood, lush plants, glass art, brisket or octopus tacos — and even a chiropractor. The list is nearly endless.

“Our market is more than just a place to shop and go. Those who really get the best out of it are the ones who stroll through slowly, check out all the different vendors, and just relax and have a coffee, juice or meal by the waterfront,” says Theodossakos.

You’ll meet some extraordinary vendors, like Nathalie Cormouls Verre, whose one-of-a-kind Blu Nomad attire is not only immensely wearable, it’s making an impact across the world. She designs the clothes but they’re handcrafted by widows in India.

“I am happy to support them and their kids, and proud to allow them to walk on their path to independence and dignity,” she explains on her Facebook page.

Alicia Falcone, whose Shogo Zen Art booth beckons with her unique hand-dyed scarves, towels, bags and other creative endeavors, often studies abroad learning crafts like rice-paper lamps and indigo shibori from the masters. Falcone, a feng shui consultant and Zen painter, is imaginative down to the very last detail.

Whether you go home with seafood, clothes or other goods, it all makes a difference, says Theodossakos. “Shopping helps the local economy and helps to support many small businesses and their families more than people know. Many of our vendors either live in Lake Worth Beach or have small businesses there or nearby. So the market really is the epitome of ‘shopping local.’”

It often serves as a business incubator, she explains, giving entrepreneurs who don’t have money to open a restaurant or store front a start: “The market gives them the opportunity to build up their business and a regular customer base, which often leads to the opportunity to open a store or restaurant.”

It also brings residents from neighboring towns together, she says. “Many of our customers come from South Palm Beach and we love that we provide an opportunity for people from both sides of the bridge to meet, interact and get to know each other.”

Theodossakos loves the vibe of the market, but wants to mix things up a bit. So she created the Lunar Market, a monthly evening event at the same locale (the next one is Feb. 13, 6-10 p.m.) with boutiques, creative chefs, entertainment, libations — and a full moon.

What can visitors expect?

“Same great location, totally different experience.”

GREEN MARKETS

Boca Raton Greenmarket every Saturday at City Hall (north side), 201 W Palmetto Park Rd. 8 am-1 pm. Free. downtownboca.org; 299-8684 elilly707@aol.com

Delray Beach Greenmarket every Saturday at Old School Square Park, 50 NE 2nd Ave, one block north of Atlantic Ave. Fresh local produce, baked goods, gourmet food items, plants, live music, children’s activities. 9am-2pm. 276-7511; delraycra.org

Lantana Greenmarket every Sunday at Bicentennial Park, 321 E Ocean Ave. 10 am-2 pm. 515-9919; shorelinegreenmarkets.com

Lake Worth Farmers Market every Saturday by the bridge at A1A. 1873 Lake Ave, Lake Worth. 9 am-1 pm. Free. 547-3100; lakeworthfarmersmarket.com

By Joyce Reingold

It may be a mouthful, but the pooled cohort risk assessment equation is a helpful phrase to add to your lexicon in February, American Heart Month.

And with this being a leap year, we have 24 extra hours this month to spend understanding heart disease risks and engaging in heart-healthy pursuits.

“I think it’s important that everybody over the age of 40 know what their cardiovascular risk factors are. They should be aware of their own family history and they need to speak with their physician about assessing their long-term risks for heart disease and stroke in the future,” says Dr. Carlos Victorica, a family physician with Boca Raton Regional Hospital’s BocaCare network.

“We don’t want the first sign of heart disease to be a heart attack. We’ve failed in that case.”

Victorica cites the assessment tool, for individuals over the age of 40, as one of the most important diagnostic advances in recent years. It uses factors such as gender, age, race, cholesterol level and blood pressure to calculate cardiovascular risks.

“We now really try and give you a risk score so we know within a certain probability what the chances would be of a heart attack or stroke within 10 years. And we use that to help dictate what level of testing we do,” he says. “There are all sorts of new tests that we can now do by doing this risk stratification.”

Since President Lyndon B. Johnson established American Heart Month in a December 1963 proclamation, the body of research and recommendations has changed and grown exponentially. Today, doctors regularly emphasize the importance of lifestyle changes — particularly a healthy diet and regular exercise — to stave off heart disease. The recommendations are familiar, but a heart-themed month offers a good opportunity for a refresher.

The American Heart Association recommends:

• “Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (or an equal combination of both) each week,” the AMA says on its website.

Victorica says: “I try and tell people that it should be something that is pushing your fitness. It depends on your risk factors and co-morbidities, but if you have the capability to do more vigorous exercise, I encourage it.”

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that people who could “do more” on a treadmill during an exercise stress test — regardless of whether they were smokers or had diabetes or high blood pressure — tended to outlive their counterparts, Victorica says.

“I want it to be something where you’re trying to get more physically fit than where you’re at now,” he says. “The main thing I try to do is to make an agreement with the patient where we can have a reasonable goal.”

• “Eat a variety of nutritious foods from all the food groups,” the AMA recommends.

Victorica says to think plant-based foods. He suggests that parents with children at home start inching up a meal’s vegetable quotient to half of the plate. That advice goes for the grown-up set, too.

“I say a plant-based diet, but it’s not that they should become vegetarian. It’s more that the bulk of what they put on their plates should be plant- or legume-based. I do still want them to have meats and, to some degree, animal products because protein is very filling — especially animal protein — and it allows them to consume less carbohydrates,” he says.

“And that’s my bigger issue. We’ve really vilified and demonized fats and cholesterol and meat so much that people … just consume a lot of carbohydrates. And that becomes a bigger problem,” he says.

“I’d rather that we still focus on the main thing that we know is good for you, which is really just fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts … just a healthy, balanced diet.”

Victorica says he also tells patients, “Life is a marathon and the goal is to try and make small bite-size changes that lead to something greater over time.”

That’s good advice for matters of the heart — heck, life in general — in this leap year and beyond.

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

Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley

To get the most out of your visit to the Karesansui or Zen garden at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, put away your cellphone and pay attention to what’s around you.

Then, as you experience the peace that seems to envelop and emanate from this garden, let it guide you toward mindfulness just as the Zen Buddhist monks used viewing these  gardens to aid their meditation.

“Visiting the garden is like a mini-therapy session,” says garden curator Heather Grzybek, who explains that the Karesansui Late Rock Garden, dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, is one of six historic Japanese gardens represented at Morikami.

Heather Grzybek, garden curator at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, rakes the Karesansui Late Rock Garden into a wave pattern that mimics the water. The shrubs to the left represent mountains and the rocks in the background are islands. 

Here, carefully chosen rocks and granite gravel, instead of plants, represent the essence of nature. Boulders, with their best faces forward, are set in a grouping of three to represent islands; the precisely raked gravel suggests water rippling around the stones.

Although this garden is reminiscent of a traditional Zen garden in Japan, it has unique touches. For example, a traditional rock garden has walls on all four sides to create an intimate space that helps you focus on the here and now instead of what is around the corner.

But this one has tile-topped stucco walls on only three sides with a hedge filling the void. That’s because the garden’s designer Hoichi Kurisu, who was born and educated in Japan, believed that when the garden was created in 1999, Japan had been a closed society. He wanted his country to be more open for the new millennium. “So, he broke the wall,” says Grzybek.

When it comes to maintaining the beauty of this garden, Grzybek or a volunteer spends about 90 minutes sculpting the gravel.

The process — done at least weekly — begins with a leaf rake used in one direction to remove any debris covering the stones. Then a heavy homemade wooden rake with large wedge-shaped teeth and a bamboo handle fashions the gravel to look like current and waves.

Grzybek uses a wooden rake with a bamboo handle to pull the gravel into patterns.

“It’s a very methodical way of raking,” Grzybek says. “You don’t just rake here and there. It’s almost like a dance. Each step leads to the next.”

When she’s done, no footprints remain. If a visitor bypasses the subtle bamboo barricades and leaves footprints in the gravel or rain ruins the current and wave pattern, the job has to be done more often.

The work is hard.

“Often it’s 85 to 90 degrees with 100% humidity and the sun is reflecting off the gravel right into your face. Your brain is already telling you that you don’t want to do this,” she says. But Grzybek has learned that these forces of nature help her focus.

“It’s almost like what you experience in a yoga session,” she says.

As you approach the garden, notice backless wooden benches overlooking the meticulously combed gravel and carefully placed boulders.

The garden is designed to be viewed from one vantage point so that no single element draws your attention. You see the landscape as a whole, as if it is a museum exhibit.

A lantern stands sentry in the garden.

Of course, it’s up to you how you experience this garden. You can hurry in, grab a selfie and move on to another historic garden. Or you can take a seat, turn off your phone, quiet your mind so you don’t think about that game on television tonight or what to make for dinner. Then, just let yourself be.

That’s how Buddhist monks have experienced these types of gardens for centuries and that’s how this Karesansui garden can remain relevant as a spiritual resting place for visitors today.

To see a Karesansui raking demonstration at Morikami, go there at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 22. It’s free with admission to the museum and gardens. For details, call 561-495-0233.

If You Go
What: Karesansui Late Rock Garden at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
Where: 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach
More info: 561-495-0233; www.morikami.org
Public programs: The garden holds periodic raking demonstrations and soon will add “raking as therapy” sessions to its calendar. Raking demos are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Feb. 22 and 10:30 a.m. March 27. The demos are free with paid admission; check the website for more information.
Admission: Adults, $15: seniors 65 and up, $13; youngsters (ages 6-17), $9; children (5 and under), free; no discounts on festival days
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday; closed Mondays and major holidays

Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley can be reached at debhartz@att.net.

Honorary Executive Chef Patrick Duffy with Flavors 2020 Chairwoman Richalyn Miller (left) and Cristy Stewart-Harfmann at The Addison in Boca Raton. Photo provided

By Jan Norris

Once again, the Junior League of Boca Raton kicks off its year with the annual food and wine extravaganza Flavors 2020, on Feb. 6 at The Addison.

The 11th year of the dine-around format has 30 South Florida restaurants serving up tasting plates for guests. They get to vote on their favorites this year, and a people’s choice will be awarded.

Among the participating restaurants: Harvest Seasonal Grill, Kapow Noodle Bar, Loch Bar, M.E.A.T. Eatery and Taproom, Melting Pot, Lemongrass Asian Bistro, Just Salad, Ramen Lab Eatery, Benihana’s, Burton’s Grill and Bar, and Rebel House.

The theme is “Fall in Love with JLBR” — a tie-in to Valentine’s Day.

Flavors committee Chairwoman Richalyn Miller of JLBR worked with the volunteers who stage the fete. Patrick Duffy, The Addison chef and honorary executive chef of the event, serves as coordinator for food and beverage.

Along with the food stations, unlimited wine, craft beer and spirits are available. A raffle, a number of pop-up shops and a live auction are included.

A DJ and live entertainment, including Fred Astaire dancers, will perform.

VIP ticket holders will have their own lounge and get early admission at 6 p.m. and swag bags.

It’s typically a sold-out event with only 600 tickets available.

Proceeds from the all-volunteer event benefit the Junior League of Boca Raton and its community projects, including promoting children’s welfare, eliminating hunger, and supporting Boca’s community diaper bank. 

Junior League of Boca Raton’s Flavors 2020, Feb. 6 at The Addison, 2 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton. Tickets are $100 general admission, $165 for VIP entry. For information and tickets, call the Junior League at 561-620-2553 or go to www.JLBR.org.

Boca Bacchanal is ready to rock the town March 6 and 7. Several events lead up to Boca’s largest wine and food festival, including this month’s Bubbles and Burgers.

Feb. 20 at the Boca Beach Club, Bubbles and Burgers is hosted by the Alina residences. It’s an informal bash with a wide variety of specialty burgers and a selection of Champagne, sparkling and still wines to taste.

Tickets for the party, 6-8:30 p.m., are $100.

Vintner dinners are set for March 6 in private residences and historic sites around Boca Raton. Limited tickets to the dinners are $350.

Six chefs or pairs of chefs have been matched with local resident hosts and vineyard representatives. A multicourse dinner prepared by visiting chefs is the highlight.

The Grand Tasting, set for March 7, is usually a sell-out. The dine-around at the Boca Raton Resort and Club features top wineries pouring samples to match foods prepared by local and visiting chefs.

More than 100 live and silent auction items will be up for bid, including travel packages, wine, perfume, electronics, art works, and experience packages.

To learn more about any of the events or to buy tickets, go to www.bocabacchanal.com.

Prime Catch in Boynton Beach is opening its new dock-and-dine Prime Island bar with events Feb. 7-9. The restaurant has already redecorated the dining room, which now offers water views from every table.

With the new docks, Prime Catch will accommodate more boats. The bar is situated right on the docks. A special Bar Bites menu is in place as well.

For a look, get to one of these events:

Feb. 7, Happy Hour: At all bars, 3-6 p.m. and again 9-11 p.m. Live music, complimentary chef’s table with light bites from the new menu, signature cocktail specials and more.

Feb. 8, Prime Island: Boat display, live music, special tastings and half off Bar Bites menu.

Feb. 9, Prime for Brunch: New brunch menu, Bloody Mary bar with $5 Grey Goose, bottomless mimosas for $15, live music and boating “Funday” on Prime Island.

Prime Catch is open daily for lunch and dinner 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more info, phone 561-737-8822 or go to www.primecatchboynton.com.

Lionfish, a sustainable seafood restaurant, is a San Diego import coming to Delray Beach, opening this spring on Atlantic Avenue.
The James Beard Foundation twice recognized the restaurant as a Smart Catch Leader for its sustainable “sea to table” menu.

It will go into the former Luigi’s Coal Fired Pizza space next to Johnny Brown’s.

Lionfish — the namesake fish — is the invasive species decimating reefs locally, as it has nearly no predators. The meat on it is sweet and marketable, but handling the fish’s poison-laced spines is a drawback to mass harvest.

The fish isn’t on the menu at the San Diego location, but with the restaurant’s commitment to locally sourced seafood, there’s a good chance it will appear on the South Florida version.

Sushi and entrees featuring sustainables such as snapper, octopus, shrimp, lobster and mussels are on the San Diego menu and expected to be on Delray’s.

Chef Jose “JoJo” Ruiz of the San Diego restaurant will oversee the startup of this second location. A March opening is expected.
The group behind the restaurant, Clique Hospitality, operates a number of “boutique” restaurants in Las Vegas and California and presents celebrity events featuring foods.

Lionfish will be at 307 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach.

The Butcher & The Bar, coming to 510 Ocean Ave. in Boynton Beach, aims to be a full-service butcher shop, restaurant and old-school bar playing vinyl records. Chef Daniel Ramos of Red Splendor Sausage, and former chef at the Sundy House in Delray Beach, is behind it. No opening date is yet set. Watch the progress at www.butcherandbar.com.

We reported last month that Jewell Bistro would be moving from Lake Worth Beach into the Ambassador Hotel in Palm Beach. After press time, we learned owner Dak Kerprich could not reach an agreement with the owners of the hotel and the deal is off. Jewell remains open in Lake Worth. No word on what restaurant will go into the former Sergio’s at the Ambassador.

Briefly:

The Boca Raton City Council gave a nod to Restaurant Row, an area in front of the new complex approved at Butts Road and Town Center Road. Four 5,000-square-foot spaces are available, plus patios. Already there’s a call out for a bakery, sushi and “high-end Italian” from Prakas & Co., broker for the complex.

The South Florida Garlic Fest, now held in John Prince Park in Lake Worth Beach, is celebrating its 21st anniversary Feb. 8-9. Among the new offerings this year are a garlic-avocado grilled cheese, sensory play zones for people on the spectrum and others; and “luxury potties” available to $5 all-day potty-pass holders. Tri-Rail offers a $5 “ride all day” weekend fare. Go to www.garlicfestfl.com to get all the info and tickets.

Jeremy Bearman and spouse Cindy Bearman, owners of Oceano Kitchen in Lantana, are opening the doors at their new seafood restaurant High Dive, in downtown West Palm Beach. The 5,000-square-foot space in Rosemary Square, formerly B.B. King’s Restaurant and Blues, will focus on small plates of globally inspired seafood. The creative pastry and dessert menu was created by Cindy, a veteran of noted restaurants across the country. Jessie Bell will lead the beverage program. https://www.loc8nearme.com/florida/lantana/oceano-kitchen/3401308/

Another South County name is also opening in Rosemary Square. Andrew Weil will open a second True Food Kitchen in the old Restoration Hardware space sometime this year. Its sister location is in Boca Raton.

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

By Christine Davis

Dr. Peter Asnis has been appointed medical director of HSS Florida, the soon-to-open new home of Hospital for Special Surgery, which has been ranked No. 1 in the nation for orthopedics for the past 10 years by U.S. News & World Report. 

A specialist in knee and shoulder sports injuries, Asnis was trained at HSS in New York before serving as the lead physician/medical director for the Boston Bruins, head team orthopedic surgeon for the Boston Red Sox, and a team physician for the New England Patriots. He rejoins HSS from Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was chief of the Sports Medicine Service.

He earned his undergraduate degree cum laude in biology at Harvard College and his MD with honors in research from what is now known as Weill Cornell Medicine.

Asnis completed his orthopedic residency at HSS in New York. He completed a fellowship in orthopedic sports medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, afterward joining the hospital staff. Asnis is an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School.

A board certified orthopedic surgeon with subspecialty certification in sports medicine, he is a member of the Team Physician Societies for the National Football League, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball. 

HHS Florida is at 300 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach. The new 60,000-square-foot center will offer outpatient orthopedic care, including radiology, ambulatory surgery, rehabilitation and sports performance programs.

HSS Florida will specialize in hand and upper extremity treatment, hip and knee replacement, physiatry, shoulder surgery, sports medicine, and treatment of trauma and fractures.

A satellite location is open at 1395 S. State Road 7, Suite 410, Wellington.

 
Dr. Larry Bush has become the 2020 president of the Palm Beach County Medical Society.

Bush has practiced in the specialized field of infectious diseases in Palm Beach County since 1989. He is an affiliated professor of medicine at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University, as well as affiliated associate professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Pennsylvania, and his medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania. He did his residency in internal medicine at the Pennsylvania Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, where he went on to serve as chief medical resident.

He completed specialty training as a fellow in infectious diseases at the Medical College of Pennsylvania before relocating to South Florida. 

 
In addition to walking in and waiting, anyone with a minor illness or injury can now reserve a spot at a Baptist Health South Florida Urgent Care or Urgent Care Express. With the “Save My Spot” online reservation system, patients can select a desired arrival time at one of the Baptist Health Urgent Care centers, complete a basic form and wait from home.

“During flu season, patient volumes in our centers can be high. With Save My Spot, our patients will spend considerably less time sitting in a busy waiting room when they’re feeling under the weather,” said Luis Bellmas, vice president of outpatient services, which includes Baptist Health’s Urgent Care and Urgent Care Express centers.

Moving from the No. 23 spot last year, Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing’s online master’s degree in nursing is now ranked No. 7 in the nation and is the top-ranked program in Florida for “Best Online Graduate Programs” in 2020 by U.S. News & World Report.

FAU’s College of Business, College of Education and overall online bachelor’s programs also made the list.

“Our college is grounded in caring science, which also extends to and is integrated into the delivery of our online graduate programs,” said Safiya George, Ph.D., dean of the College of Nursing. “Faculty, staff and students co-labor together to ensure a positive online learning experience, full engagement with the content and learning environment and mastery of content.

“A combination of exceptional talent, use of best practices, and great leadership from our associate dean for academic programs, Dr. Kay Edwards, and our assistant dean for graduate programs, Dr. Joy Longo, are the keys attributable to this success.”

The FAU College of Nursing’s online master of science degree programs include nursing administration and financial leadership, a 37- to 39-credit-hour program; clinical nurse leader, a 33-credit-hour program; and advanced holistic nursing, a 33-credit-hour program.

The College of Nursing also offers a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner post-master’s certificate, a 22-credit-hour program.

The crew aboard Old No. 7, including Capt. Jamie Ralph, pulls into Sailfish Marina on Jan. 10 after winning the 83rd annual Silver Sailfish Derby, with a two-day total of 17 sailfish releases. Willie Howard/The Coastal Star

By Willie Howard

Three Delray Beach natives ran the top boat in the 83rd annual Silver Sailfish Derby, held Jan. 9-10 despite heavy seas and stout winds.

Capt. Jamie Ralph skippered the Old No. 7, while his brother, Dane Ralph, and another Delray Beach native, Nick Cardella, handled the rigging, fishing kites and lines in the cockpit to help the team’s anglers release 17 sailfish in the two-day tournament.

The Ralph brothers honed their fishing skills working out of Boynton Harbor Marina on various private and charter boats. Cardella grew up fishing the ocean with family and friends and bass fishing from a skiff in the canals around Delray Beach.

Old No. 7’s anglers — Austin Musselman of Louisville, Ky., John Duval of Lantana and Billy Bryan of Lantana — chalked up a respectable six releases on Jan. 9, then went on a roll the second day by catching and releasing another 11 sailfish to beat second-place Native Son, which finished with 14 releases. (Native Son Capt. Art Sapp of Pompano Beach ran the top boat, Liquid, in the 2016 Derby).

A few of the 50 registered teams chose not to fish this year because of heavy seas driven by easterly winds that topped 25 mph at times.

One captain said his heart was pounding as he ran his boat through the Palm Beach Inlet on the afternoon of Jan. 9 — when the outgoing tide was pushing against the wind to produce tall waves.

The ride was rough for the Old No. 7 crew, but the 62-foot Titan sportfishing boat was among the largest vessels in the Derby, a sailfish release tournament that the West Palm Beach Fishing Club started in 1935.

“It was so rough you couldn’t even see land half the time,” Cardella said, adding that the view through his sunglasses was blurred by saltwater on the lenses during much of the tournament.

The Old No. 7 team welcomed family and children aboard to celebrate the victory with champagne, some of which was sprayed on crew members who were already soaked in saltwater.

Capt. Travis Ralph of the Reel Captivating team stopped by to congratulate his brothers, Jamie and Dane. Reel Captivating finished 23rd, with five sailfish releases.

The Chips Ahoy fishing team, led by Capt. Chip Sheehan of Boynton Beach, tied for ninth place, with nine sailfish releases. Sheehan operates Chips Ahoy Charters based at Boynton Harbor Marina.

Team No Regrets, led by Capt. Chris Agardy, operator of Fish Envy Charters at Boynton Harbor Marina, finished 18th with six releases.

A total of 244 sailfish were released in two days of fishing. That compares with 201 sailfish released by 43 teams in last year’s Derby.

Restoration takes shape in Lake Worth Lagoon

The first phase of the Tarpon Cove island-building restoration project, located on the west side of the Lake Worth Lagoon in West Palm Beach, is complete, with the second phase to begin this spring. Willie Howard/The Coastal Star

Palm Beach County recently completed the first phase of Tarpon Cove — another island-building environmental restoration project in the Lake Worth Lagoon, the county’s largest estuary.

The Tarpon Cove project eventually will restore 46 acres on the west side of the lagoon near West Palm Beach’s historic El Cid neighborhood.

The Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management used sand dredged for the Rybovich Marina expansion as well as the town of Palm Beach’s channel dredging and the Florida Inland Navigation District’s dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway to fill a dredged hole in the area that had accumulated muck, creating an unstable bottom.

The first phase of the Tarpon Cove project — two mangrove islands — cost $814,000.

Tarpon Cove’s restored shallows will create nearly 35 acres of bottom where sea grass can grow as well as 2.7 acres of mangrove tidal marsh and 2.1 acres of oyster reef.

The islands and shallows, planted in part with mangroves and cordgrass, will improve water quality and provide habitat for fish and wildlife. Limestone boulders surrounding the islands will protect them from erosion.

County environmental officials said coastal birds used the islands while they were under construction in the fall, including black skimmers, royal terns and ruddy turnstones.

Last spring, a pair of American oystercatchers nested on the piles of sand and produced a pair of chicks.

Phase 2 of Tarpon Cove, scheduled to begin this spring, will create three more mangrove islands and is scheduled for completion in early 2021.

Miami Boat Show set for Feb. 13-17

The Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show, based at Miami Marine Stadium Park & Basin on Virginia Key, is scheduled to run Feb. 13-17.

Show hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except on Feb. 17, when the show closes at 5 p.m.

Adult admission (ages 13 and older) is $45 on Feb. 13 and $30 other days.

Free shuttles will be offered from Brightline’s Miami station and several parking garages.

For details and a transportation map, visit www.miamiboatshow.com.

Coming events

Feb. 1: New rules take effect for spotted sea trout in South Florida. Under the new rules, sea trout must be between 15 and 19 inches in total length to be legal to keep. For details, visit www.myfwc.com and look for rules on recreational saltwater fishing.

Feb. 4: Boynton Beach Boating and Fishing Club meets, 7 p.m. at the clubhouse building near the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Call 561-614-1550 or visit https://bbbfc.org.

Feb. 22: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $20. Register at the door. Call 561-331-2429.

Tip of the month

Fish in the surf for winter pompano. If you don’t have a long surf-casting rod, use a standard spinning rod holding a banana-shaped pompano jig, such as the Gulfstream High Jinks, which comes with a trailing tail.

Tie the jig to 30-pound leader and cast to a sandbar where waves are stirring up muddy water. Move it slowly, twitching, along the bottom and remember to pause. Pompano feed head-down, searching for crustaceans.

A Florida saltwater fishing license is required, unless exempt. Minimum size: 11 inches to the fork of the tail. Daily bag limit: six pompano.

Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.