By Thom Smith
For decades the family yacht tied up at local marinas, the better for dad to entertain big clients and the family to enjoy a little respite from Northeast winters.
Malcolm Forbes died in 1990, but the wining and dining aboard Highlander has continued, albeit at its seasonal berth in Fort Lauderdale. So it isn’t like Steve Forbes is unfamiliar with Palm Beach. In fact, he’s a welcome guest at many homes on the island.
But until a few weeks ago, the businessman, unsuccessful presidential candidate and editor and publisher of Forbes magazine had never been to the home — the estate most synonymous with Palm Beach: Mar-a-Lago.
On a whirlwind tour for Northwestern Mutual to drum up business among its clients and prospects and to inspire company agents, Forbes teamed with Northwestern CEO John Schlifske to host a luncheon of beef filet and sea bass in the grand ballroom and to offer his take on the economy.
“I think within five years, the dollar will again be tied to g-o-l-d.”
“A weak dollar means a weak recovery.”
In investing, “Emotions are your enemy; consistency is the key.”
Since Mar-a-Lago’s owner was elsewhere, weighing a decision to withdraw — as pace car driver for the Indy 500 — Forbes and Schlifske took a brief look around Mar-a-Lago on their own. After climbing the iron spiral staircase in the parlor, Forbes could only shake his head.
“It’s amazing,” he said.
Asked if he still harbored any political ambition, the affable Forbes laughed and answered,
“I’m an agitator now; I’m in my Tom Paine mode.”
Advice for Trump? Silence and a smile.
Remember Jeff Greene, one of the few candidates rolling in dough who wasn’t elected last year? The onetime Breakers busboy made the Forbes 400 list by investing in, and then betting against, the real estate market. Then last year he ran for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate (yes, some Democrats are rich, too!) and was trounced.
For a while we didn’t hear much from Jeff. Having licked his political wounds, he’s back doing what he does best — buying real estate — but not before signing on in February to The Giving Pledge. That’s the campaign spearheaded by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates to urge rich folks to give half their wealth to charity.
Greene likes to spend money almost as much as he likes to make it. Earlier this year he bought a 43,000-square-foot loft in New York’s Soho for $26 million.
With one young son, and another baby due in September, Greene reportedly was looking for some property where he and wife Mei Sze Chan could raise them. On May 3 he bought Tyndal Point, a 55-acre estate in the Hamptons. The price was not reported, though its most recent listing was $44.99 million.
Back in Palm Beach, as a “fun investment,” he got a deal worthy of Donald Trump, picking up the Omphoy Ocean Resort for a reported $42 million. Not bad considering it offers 134 rooms, a spa and two restaurants, including Michelle Bernstein’s. Through their Ceebraid Signal Corp., previous owners Richard and Leslie Schlesinger had paid $42 million in 2005 for the former Palm Beach Hilton and poured an additional $55 million into renovations.
“We love Palm Beach and want to continue having the Omphoy run as the great hotel that it is,” Greene told The Palm Beach Daily News. “It’s packed on the weekends. It’s the most elegant boutique oceanfront hotel in Florida and maybe in the country.”
Speaking of big oceanfront homes, Casa Pugilista is for sale … again. Well, that’s not really the name, but pugilism did buy it for boxing promoter Don King. Now he hopes he’ll have less of a fight trying to sell the Manalapan estate. Asking price: $19.95 million. That’s down from $27.5 million in 2009, but up from the $14.3 million they (technically King’s wife, Henrietta) paid for the two adjacent lots and houses in 1999.
King, whose Only In America offices lie on the east side of I-95 in Deerfield Beach, turns 80 in August. Henrietta died in December. When he first put it up for sale, he said the kids were grown and it was time to downsize. Now he has even more reason to sell.
So what does $19.95 million bring?
Three acres, 300 feet of beachfront and two docks on the Intracoastal, two houses, two pools, a tennis court, a generator, a grill big enough to barbecue 100 slabs of ribs, an illuminated replica of the Statue of Liberty facing the ocean. The larger house (18,000 square feet) has nine bedrooms. The smaller “guest” house (6,800 square feet) includes five bedrooms, an outdoor cabana with kitchen and an ice cream parlor.
Seems like only a few weeks ago we were announcing the opening of the Atlantic Ocean Club and its upstairs sibling Buddha Sky Bar on Atlantic next to the tracks in Delray. Actually it opened Jan. 24, and while the Sky Bar is going strong, AOC is history. Shuttered in mid-May, it’s being replaced by The Pop-Up … but only for four months. At the helm is Glen Manfra, last heard from as culinary director for David Manero’s restaurants, which include Vic & Angelo’s across the street and The Office, half a block west.
Manfra first emerged two decades ago as the chef at Bice in Palm Beach. He was a partner in Amici and Galaxy Grill, then dropped from the scene for a few years before teaming with Manero.
Sources say the menu will change frequently and will offer lower prices.
New to Delray: Island Flair on the Ave, featuring Caribbean vendors, musicians and food, premiered May 21 in Southwest Fifth Avenue Plaza. The Flairs are held the third Saturday of every month from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.. Admission is free. Potential vendors should call (561) 290-6739.
Starting over. Apicius, the controversial upscale Italian restaurant on Ocean Avenue in Lantana is history. In its place: Bar Italia. Reportedly under new management, although ownership remains with the controversial Leo Balestrieri. Apicius’ brief stint (It opened last September), was greeted with generally positive reviews for the quality of food, but a mixed bag on service, including unpleasant encounters from Balestrieri toward customers who complained. We’ll wait to judge the book by its new cover.
Palm Beach Golf Course, which Golf Digest has called “the best par 3 in the U.S.,” has a lot going for it: location (smack dab against the ocean), reasonable rates and its recent renovation by golf legend Raymond Floyd. Plus the folks who run the snack bar claim to make the best burger in Palm Beach and soon will add a roaming food and beverage cart … with full liquor service.
But there’s more. On June 2, they tried a singles night, an 18-hole scramble, including cart and one “adult” beverage for just $20. It could become a regular event.
Thom Smith is a freelance writer. Email him at thomsmith@ymail.com.
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