Entertaining is in Jesse Furman’s blood.
Furman, who was managing director at Jupiter’s Atlantic Theater and a teacher at the Atlantic Arts Academy, both of which closed this year, also performs comedy as part of the Jove Comedy Experience. He still teaches arts at St. Mark’s School in Palm Beach Gardens.
And he stays busy performing — his latest Reel Comedy video, 99 Problems But A Fish Ain't One, is a rap song about his other passion, fishing.
He loves the outdoors, and his hangouts reflect that.
“I like to take (visitors) to the Square Grouper (1111 Love St., Jupiter; 575-0252 or squaregrouper.net) or Sailfish Marina (98 Lake Drive, Palm Beach Shores; 842-8449 or sailfishmarina.com), and they're not too touristy,” he said. “There's a lot of locals there, so you feel like you're not looking at something fabricated. If I wasn't at work, I think that's where I'd be, with a beer in hand just kind of relaxing.”
It helps that Furman, who lives in Palm Beach Gardens, has a history in the area.
“I grew up here, so I have these old haunts I went to as a kid,” he said. “There are a couple of places in Lake Park.
One is Camilli’s Pizza (927 Park Ave.; 844-3424).
“Their salad dressing is amazing,” he said.
“We’re big fans of Pronti's (1440 10th St.; 842-3457). “It's great and it's been there a million years.”
There’s a certain familiarity.
“The waitress Irene calls me ‘meat sauce,’” he said. “They were around and they are still around and still surviving in a big-box world.”
Speaking of small spots, another favorite is the Dune Dog (775 Old Dixie Highway, Jupiter; 744-6667 or dunedog.com).
But where did he take the entertainers who played Atlantic Theater?
“Too Bizaare in Jupiter (287 E. Indiantown Road, No. 2B, Jupiter; 745-6262 or toobizaare.com) is great. It has great sushi and a really eclectic vibe in there. It’s almost the opposite of Square Grouper,” he said. “Late at night you're pretty limited. It's open later and has a hip vibe to it…. Bobby Collins would like a Too Bizaare kind of vibe.”
— Scott Simmons
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