Wellington The Magazine January 2009

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contents

JANUARY 2009

94 68

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departments 22 24 26 28 31

WELLINGTON SOCIAL SCENE A Fabulous Time At The Wellington Boys & Girls Club Gala P.W. Chamber Celebrates 25 Years Of Holiday Parades Thousands Enjoy The Inaugural Palm Beach Steeplechase Wanderers Club Event Supports Diabetes Research Art Society Donates Paintings To Pediatric Department

94 WELLINGTON AT HOME The dated Palm Beach Polo home of Elizabeth “Betsy” Green springs to new life under the guidance of Helly Pierre from City Furniture’s Dianne Davant Academy of Design. BY JANN SEAL

20 WELLINGTON WATCH 34 WELLINGTON BUSINESS 104 WELLINGTON TABLE 108 WELLINGTON DINING 112 WELLINGTON CALENDAR 118 AROUND WELLINGTON ON THE COVER Equestrian star Georgina Bloomberg with horse Radio City, photographed at her Wellington farm. Hair and makeup by Lisa Michele Winters.

PHOTO BY BILL BARBOSA/ PHOTO DESIGNS INC.

features 36 2009 WEF: READY TO RIDE Record prize money will be up for grabs when the 2009 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival opens this month at the newly renovated Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

BY KEN BRADDICK

44 GEORGINA BLOOMBERG: NO LOOKING BACK After a disappointing 2008 season, equestrian star Georgina Bloomberg is working to rebuild her stable and her career — and prove to the world she belongs riding in the big leagues.

BY KENNETH KRAUS

56 AROUND THE WORLD WITH PHELPS MEDIA Phelps Media Group International, founded by Olympian Mason Phelps Jr., has writers and photographers covering the equestrian circuit around the world… but home is Wellington.

BY RON BUKLEY

68 RENDINA, THE NEXT GENERATION Two years after Wellington businessman Bruce Rendina lost his battle with brain cancer, his family works to keep his company and his legacy alive. BY ANGIE FRANCALANCIA

78 FREE YOURSELF FROM GLASSES & CONTACTS Think you’re not a candidate for LASIK vision correction? A visit to Viso LASIK Medspa in Wellington might surprise you.

But vision correction is just one service offered by this unique facility. BY DEBORAH WELKY

86 PERFECT TEETH, PERFECT SMILE At Wellington’s Perfect Smile Dentistry, Dr. Rasmi Akel now offers Lumineers, ultra-thin laminates that revolutionize the veneer procedure to beautify a patient’s teeth. BY RON BUKLEY WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2009

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Wellington The Magazine

A MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Welcome Equestrians, Welcome 2009 VOLUME

6, NUMBER 1 | JANUARY 2009 PUBLISHER

LEW BLATTE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

JOSHUA MANNING MARKETING DIRECTOR

DAWN RIVERA CREATIVE DIRECTOR

AMY PANZER OFFICE MANAGER

VICKYE POLIZZI CIRCULATION COORDINATOR

BETTY BUGLIO

It’s January, and with the New Year comes a new equestrian season. Highlighting the season is the return of the Winter Equestrian Festival to the newly renovated Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. In this issue, we preview the festival and its record prize money on offer. We also chat with equestrian stars Georgina Bloomberg and McLain Ward. After a disappointing 2008 season, Bloomberg has regrouped with a new stable and a new outlook on life. Ward had anything but a disappointing 2008. Notching his second Olympic team gold medal, this perennial star recalls two decades of winters in Wellington and reveals his plans for the future.

ACCOUNT MANAGERS

ERICA BLATTE NICOLA ROGERS LISA STOLZ LOIS WINDHORST GRAPHIC DESIGNER

SUZANNE SUMMA PHOTOGRAPHY

BILL BARBOSA GARY KANE LISA KEENEY SUSAN LERNER COPY EDITOR

MARK LIOI CONTRIBUTORS

JASON BUDJINSKI RON BUKLEY DENISE FLEISCHMAN ANGIE FRANCALANCIA CANDACE MARCHSTEINER CAROL PORTER JANN SEAL COURTNEY WATSON DEBORAH WELKY Wellington The Magazine

12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31 Wellington, FL 33414 Phone: (561) 793-7606 Fax: (561) 791-0952 www.WellingtonTheMagazine.com

Also on the equestrian theme, we profile former Olympian and longtime Wellington resident Mason Phelps Jr. Through his Phelps Media Group International, his writers and photographers travel the world covering the equestrian scene, but the company’s home remains in Wellington. Meanwhile, many of the older Palm Beach Polo homes built in the heyday of the late ’70s and early ’80s are showing their age, and Wellington at Home this month shows how Betsy Green, with help from designer Helly Pierre, breathed new life into an old Wellington classic.

It has been two years since Wellington businessman Bruce Rendina lost his battle with brain cancer. At the time of his death, his Rendina Companies were known across the nation for constructing innovative medical office buildings. This month we explore how Rendina’s family has worked tirelessly to keep Bruce’s company — and his legacy — alive.

Looking to improve yourself this year? We’ve got what you need featured this issue.

Viso LASIK Medspa offers the opportunity to see clearer, along with a suite of other services. Meanwhile, Dr. Rasmi Akel at Perfect Smile Dentistry specializes in a new Lumineer procedure sure to give you something to smile about in 2009.

Wellington Table enjoys the taste-tempting fish creations at Bacalao, while Wellington Social Scene visits the Wellington Boys & Girls Club Dinner Dance, the Palms West Chamber Holiday Parade, the inaugural Palm Beach Steeplechase and more.

Welcome 2009… Here’s to a more prosperous year!

Published by Wellington The Magazine, LLC BARRY S. MANNING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Wellington The Magazine is published monthly in Wellington, Florida. Copyright 2008, all rights reserved by Wellington The Magazine, LLC. Contents may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising. The publisher accepts no responsibility for advertisement errors beyond the cost of the portion of the advertisement occupied by the error within the advertisement itself. The publisher accepts no responsibility for submitted materials. All submitted materials subject to editing.

Publisher

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Wellington Advertiser List Advertiser Page Acts 2 Worship Center.......................................................55 Advanced Medical, P.A......................................................71 All Florida Structures...................................................... 100 Altona of Palm Beach ....................................................... 65 American Heritage School ............................................... 47 Ankle & Foot Centre of South Florida.............................. 82 Apple of His Eye ............................................................... 91 Arbonne, Nora Clemens.................................................. 117 Armand Professional Services .........................................99 Armory Arts Center..........................................................110 Bacalao Tapas & Seafood Grille ...................................... 111 Backstreets Bar & Grill ................................................... 109 Bainbridge Companies ..................................................... 39 Bank Atlantic Center/Florida Panthers ............................ 30 Black Canyon Grill .......................................................... 108 Blue Horizon Jets ............................................................. 61 Cabinets Plus ...................................................................101 Café Las Palmas................................................................ 10 California Nails ..................................................................55 Cambridge School ............................................................ 85 Capricious Salon .............................................................. 88 Caribbean Choice Restaurant & Bakery ......................... 109 Centanni’s Italian Restaurant..........................................110 Chez Porky’s ................................................................... 109 Children’s Dental Place .....................................................35 Claudia Diesti .................................................................. 112 Colony Hotel .....................................................................66 Computer Resolutions ..................................................... 97 Designer’s Touch Jewelry .................................................20 DJ Computers ..................................................................116 Dolce Dental ..................................................................... 74 Doubletree Hotel ...............................................................53 Dr. Blaine Cameron .......................................................... 82 Dr. Jane Bistline ................................................................ 50 Dr. Richard Hays.............................................................. 72 Dr. Steven Miller ............................................................... 83 Eclipse Day Spa ................................................................ 89 Edward Jones Financial Services.....................................101 Eisenman & Eisenman, MDs........................................... 88 Estates International Realty ............................................. 98 Euro Experts.....................................................................103 European Day Spa .............................................................17 Executive Airlink ............................................................... 93 Faith Farm Ministries ...................................................... 117 Family Medical & Wellness .............................................. 83 Fit 2 Run............................................................................ 27 Florida Institute for Periodontics & Implants ................ 114 Foreign Affairs Auto.......................................................... 59 Fusion Med Spa................................................................ 93

GEL Healthcare................................................................ 117 GP Wellness..................................................................... 117 Grayhills & Mohip Dental .................................................81 Hairspray the Salon ...........................................................12 Heath Evans Foundation.................................................. 77 Hi Lites Hair Studio..........................................................90 Hillary’s Heart ................................................................. 111 Hobe Sound Polo ............................................................. 23 Ideal Elementary School/Dream Middle School ............... 6 Illustrated Properties, Boardwalk Group ........................... 7 Illustrated Properties, Crowe Team.................................. 92 Insurance for You ............................................................ 117 International Polo Club Palm Beach...............................119 Isle Casino ......................................................................... 11 J. Douglas Jewelers ........................................................... 19 King’s Academy .................................................................71 Kontiki Wine & Raw Bar ....................................................33 La Fogata Mexican Cuisine ............................................ 109 La Hacienda Show Stables...............................................40 Lake Wellington Professional Centre ............................... 93 Law Offices of Alysia WolfsKeil ........................................ 88 Learning Express ...............................................................71 Mamma Mia’s Trattoria.................................................. 107 McDermott & Associates................................................. 91 Moda Hair Design & Spa ................................................... 4 Nature’s Bouquet Florist..................................................90 Nature’s Table Café .......................................................... 29 Ncognito Fitness ..............................................................99 New Beginnings Detox.....................................................80 Nicole’s Village Tavern ................................................... 108 O’Dell Inc. .........................................................................31 Pain & Rehab Physicians of Palm Beach ..........................75 Palm Beach Day Academy................................................64 Palm Beach Opera............................................................ 43 Palm Beach Pops..............................................................49 Palm Beach Psychological Associates ............................. 82 Palm Beach Puppies......................................................... 28 Palms MRI .........................................................................73 Paradise Tan...................................................................... 91 Paris Nails......................................................................... 85 Paymaster ........................................................................ 117 Perfect Smile Dentistry..................................................... 41 PGA National.....................................................................18 Photo Designs ...................................................................81 Plastic Surgery of Palm Beach/Spa Zen ...........................25 Players Club ........................................................................ 5 Raymond James Financial, Boyntons .............................. 58 Regency Party Rentals .....................................................101 Robert R. Morris, Attorney at Law.................................. 100 Roderick C. Moe, CPA ......................................................60

Rosarian Academy ............................................................ 98 Royal Inn ............................................................................. 3 Royal Palm Auto Spa ........................................................ 77 Sadati Center for Aesthetic Dentistry................................. 2 Sandra Williams Salon ................................................... 100 Scoops! Fitness .................................................................13 Sea Breeze Air Conditioning ............................................ 97 She’s the One ...................................................................60 Shingo’s Japanese Restaurant ....................................... 109 Shop on Impulse .............................................................. 48 Shullman Orthodontics...................................................103 Smile Designs....................................................................73 Smiles by Jiveh................................................................ 120 South Florida Gastroenterology Associates .................... 43 South Florida Skin & Laser .............................................. 34 Southampton Limousine ................................................116 St. Juliana Catholic School .............................................. 113 Stonewood Grill.............................................................. 109 Susan Lerner Photography.............................................. 115 Techomarine ..................................................................... 67 Telfair Plantation................................................................. 8 Three J’s C-Cigar Emporium ............................................ 61 Tipsy Salon & Spa............................................................ 115 Too Jay’s Deli .................................................................. 107 Top Notch Caterers..........................................................110 Treasure Consignments.................................................... 97 U.S. Building Inspectors ................................................ 100 Ultima Fitness ................................................................. 112 Ultra Cleaners ................................................................... 42 Van Dell Jewelers .............................................................. 54 Vicomte Arthur .................................................................64 Villari’s Studio of Self Defense........................................ 117 Virtual Snow..................................................................... 114 Visions ..............................................................................80 Viso LASKIK Med Spa ........................................................ 9 Weiss Chiropractic...........................................................101 WellingTAN ....................................................................... 82 Wellington Auto Collision................................................. 91 Wellington Auto Service .................................................. 113 Wellington Christian School............................................. 89 Wellington Dental............................................................ 117 Wellington Regional Medical Center................................ 14 Wellness Experience ......................................................... 72 Western Communities Internal Medicine.........................81 White Lotus Collection ......................................................55 Whole Foods Market .........................................................21 Window Doctor................................................................ 117 Wycliffe Dental................................................................. 113 Zen Massage .................................................................... 85 Zoo Health Club ............................................................... 88

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Wellington Watch

BY JOSHUA MANNING

Crime Rate Low... But Does Economy Signal Trouble Ahead?

In the news: Wellington’s top cop makes his annual presentation, Bob Margolis signs off and stables may be coming to Paddock Park.

Crime Under Control, But Worries On The Horizon — On Dec. 9, the village’s top cop told the Wellington Village Council that the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office has reached or exceeded its law enforce-

ment objectives over the past year, keeping Wellington the safest large community in the county. However, several council members expressed concerns that the weakening economy could be a harbinger of crime problems ahead. More traffic deputies writing more citations has contributed to a decline in traffic accidents, Richter said. Richter further noted that

his substation aimed for a five-percent reduction in property crime and achieved a 15-percent reduction. In its efforts at crime suppression, Richter said the district’s “Street Team” worked hard to detect and eliminate gang activity and maintain the village’s low crime rate. Toward those goals, he said, deputies identified 11 gang members, made 126 felony arrests and filed 355 drug-related charges. The Village of Wellington’s crime rate of 3.6 incidents per 1,000 population is the lowest crime rate for any city in Palm Beach County with a population of 50,000 or more.

“Violent crime is rare in the Village of Wellington,” Richter said. “The vast majority of the thefts are retail.” Richter cautioned that a significant portion of the crime in Wellington is perpetrated by criminals from elsewhere. “Wellington is no longer the sleepy bedroom community it once was,” he said. “There are a lot of problems that float into Wellington from outside.”

After the presentation, Councilman Matt Willhite noted that the struggling economy might generate a rise in crime. “Not to alarm anyone, but there is a potential for more crime and for more serious crime,” he said. “You are on top of the situation, and you are working as hard as you can.

You may need to take the time to consider increasing the number of deputies.”

Council Bids Farewell To Margolis — Members of the Wellington Village Council said goodbye Dec. 9 to Councilman Bob Margolis, as it would be his last council meeting before his resignation becomes effective. Margolis ran unsuccessfully for Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections last year and was required by law to file a letter of resignation from his council seat, effective at the end of the year. Margolis has served on the council since 2003. The remaining council members will have the opportunity to appoint a replacement to serve out the remainder of Margolis’ term, which ends in March 2010. Margolis said he remembered the first day he sat on the dais, and how he was so nervous that he

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could barely sit in his seat. “Everything I have done, I have always tried to do in the residents’ interests,” he said. “Hopefully I have left Wellington a better place. You will not hear the last of me.” Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto thanked Margolis for his service. “You have been a strident advocate for the issues important to you,” she said. “I have considered it a true honor to serve with you… I am sure we will continue to hear from you on a variety of issues. It will be welcome.” Margolis has told sources that he intends to “take a year off,” raising the possibility that he will seek re-election to the council, or possibly run for mayor, in 2010.

stables allowed on more than just the 37 lots identified. Pacer Circle resident Andy Langsam told the board he lives on a lot far larger than one acre, but he had been excluded from the proposed ordinance.

“The valuation of homes with stables is higher,” Langsam said, adding that he pays $1,000 a month to have his daughter’s horse kept in a commercial stable.

Board Member Eugene DiFonte said one concern is access to stock feed and clean

out manure. “I don’t know how you would access it,” DiFonte said. “You would have to drive through the front yard. Those are very large trucks that can create all kinds of problems.”

Joshua Manning has served as executive editor of the Wellington Town-Crier since 1999. In that position, he monitors life in our community week in and week out.

Zoners Consider Allowing Paddock Park Stables — Wellington’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board asked village staff Dec. 2 to reconsider the scope of a proposed ordinance that would allow some property owners in the village’s Paddock Park 1 neighborhood to build stables.

Horse stables are currently allowed only in the Equestrian Preserve Area (EPA) in western and southern Wellington, where large lots and equestrian-centered homes predominate. Paddock Park 1, north of the EPA, has generally smaller lots. Staff members told the board that the neighborhood was seen as moving away from equestrian development when the EPA’s boundaries were established, and it was excluded. About a dozen residents at the meeting spoke both for and against the amendment, including 12-year-old Paddock Park resident Madison Boyd, who launched an effort to reinstate the ability to build stables in her neighborhood. The draft ordinance would allow small stables on 37 lots in Paddock Park that had lost that right in 2003. The eligible lots all have direct access to an equestrian trail, cover an acre or more and also abut lots of at least an acre. Madison Boyd’s father Al said his daughter had been riding since age three. They live along the canal on the north end of Paddock Park 1 on a 1.17acre lot. “We moved into Paddock Park in 2001 with the intention of putting in stalls,” he said. Several residents wanted WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2009

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Wellington Social Scene

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN

A Fabulous Time At The Wellington Boys & Girls Club Gala Guests enjoyed an evening “Under the Tuscan Moon” at the Boys & Girls Club of Wellington’s 21st Annual Dinner, Dance & Auction on Saturday, Dec. 6 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington. The co-chairs of the event were Dr. Harvey Montijo and his wife Zulma, and Dr. Vincent Apicella and his wife Dr. Mariaclara Bago. The black-tie event is known for kicking off the busy social season in Wellington. It began with a cocktail reception and high-end silent auction, followed by dinner, dancing and a live auction.

(Above left) Boys & Girls Club Chair Reed Kellner presents a gift to Dr. Vincent Apicella and his wife Dr. Mariaclara Bago. (Above center) Maria and Dr. Edward Becker.

Dorian Zimmer-Bordenave with her husband Roch.

Ben & Joanna Boynton, Kirk Alexander, Dr. Veronica Pedro, and Bobby & BJ Ewing.

Joe and Ashley Maguire.

Event c0-hair Dr. Harvey Montijo pledges $25,000 to the club as Dr. Veronica Pedro and Reed Kellner look on.

(Above) Wellington The Magazine’s Lew Blatte with Debbie LeVine, Joyce Bashein and Bobby Goldwasser.

(Below) Wellington Vice Mayor Dr. Carmine Priore presents a $50,000 check to Boys & Girls Club Chairman Reed Kellner.

(Above) Dr. Tony Apicella, Dr. Harvey Montijo, Dr. Vincent Apicella, Dr. Mariaclara Bago and Erin Apicella.

(Below) The Wellington Boys & Girls Club Chorus directed by Susan Mosley greeted guests as they arrived.

(Above) Representatives from the Law Offices of Marshall Watson. (Below) BJ and Bobby Ewing with Susanna Palomares and Dave Cowan.

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Wellington Social Scene

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER

Palms West Chamber Celebrates 25 Years Of Holiday Parades

(Above left) Chamber President John Spillane and CEO Jaene Miranda get into the holiday spirit. (Above center) Mayor Darell Bowen announces the start of the Holiday Mile.

Grand marshal Roxanne Stein.

(Above) The Wellington Christian School float. (Right) Angelica and Gabriella Schmidt with mom Araceli.

Kids from the Boys & Girls Club take part in the parade. (Below) The float from Sacred Heart Catholic School was honored as “Best in Show.”

Councilman Matt Willhite rides along.

Parade judges Kathy Foster and Karen Cavanagh.

The Palms West Chamber of Commerce celebrated 25 years of memories and traditions on Sunday, Dec. 14 with its holiday parade “Silver Bells in the City.” The parade along Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington showcased beautiful floats, marching bands, strutting horses, clowns and costumed characters. WPTV NewsChannel 5 anchor Roxanne Stein served as grand marshal.

Right before the parade, the annual Holiday Mile kicked off, with scores of runners making their way down Forest Hill Blvd. to the finish line.

(Above) Vice Mayor Dr. Carmine Priore waves to the crowd. (Below) Brett Schlichting, James Meyer and Andrew Meyer watch from the sidelines.

Sgt. Larry Lawler hands out flags.

Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto in the parade with daughter, Gabriella.

Wellington Regional was honored as “Best Adult Float.”

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Wellington Social Scene

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN

Thousands Enjoy The Inaugural Palm Beach Steeplechase

(Above left) Blackwater’s Chris Gay parachutes in during the national anthem. (Above center) William Gallo, Franny Abbott and Lou Raffetto of the National Steeplechase Association.

Judith Lauro and Erin Downey.

Palm Beach Steeplechase organizers Katherine and Mark Bellissimo (far right) with the representatives Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue’s of first race winner Roseland.

Honor Guard marches onto the field.

Former Wellington mayor Kathy Foster, John Walsh of “America’s Most Wanted” and Wellington Chamber of Commerce President Mike Nelson.

Wellington Mayor Darell Bowen and his wife Sherry with John and Toy Wash of the International Polo Club Palm Beach.

Wellington Mayor Darell Bowen with Business Development Board President Kelly Smallridge and Palm Beach Polo owner Glenn Straub.

Lisa and Tim Shields with Katherine, Benjamin and William.

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Thousands turned out for the inaugural Palm Beach Steeplechase held Saturday, Nov. 29 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center Stadium in Wellington. The event offered a mix of exciting horseracing over fences, gourmet food, wine tasting, boutique shopping and tailgating along the rail of the newly created course. For more info., visit www.palmbeach steeplechase.com.

Representatives from sponsor Lamborghini Palm Beach.

State Rep. Joe Abruzzo, Leigh Katzman, State Sen. Dave Aronberg and Wellington Councilman Matt Willhite.

The Jack Russell terrier races.

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Wellington Social Scene

Wanderers Club Hosts Event To Support Diabetes Research

Joe and Ashley Maguire.

Sandy and Brenda McAdam.

Mace Horoff, Larry Smith and Gary Kozan.

Terri and Carmine Priore III.

Jeff, Tyler, Lani and Blake Dever.

Ashley and Joe Maguire, in conjunction with Brenda and Sandy McAdam, hosted an event Sunday, Dec. 14 at the invitation-only Wanderers Club at Wellington. The event, which drew more than 100 guests, raised more than $14,000 to benefit the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

The invitees became Wanderers Club “members for the day,” pampered with a daylong schedule of bliss and indulgence. An announcement was made that Terri and Carmine Priore III will be chairing the 2010 event in Wellington for the Diabetes Research Institute.

Karen Cavanaugh, Karen Carney and Debbie Plaxen.

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PHOTOS BY CANDACE MARCHSTEINER

Wellington Social Scene

Art Society Donates Paintings To Hospital Pediatric Department

(Above left) Hospital Community Relations Director Lisa Gardi thanks Karen Knight. (Above center) Joanne Baker MacLeod with her painting Rainforest Friends.

Maria Lentine with her Good Morning, Sunshine!

Leslie Pfeiffer with her Fantasy.

Ursula Fernandez with her painting Friendship.

Palms West Hospital staff met with members of the Wellington Art Society on Monday, Dec. 8 to present them with a plaque thanking them for donating more than 60 original pieces created specifically for the hospital’s pediatric department and pediatric emergency room. “Our approach was to make the hospital a more joyous place for kids to be,” said Karen Knight.

The project was part of the society’s new Art Reach program.

Gabriella Bianchini painted The Vibrant Beach.

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WHO Will Be The Next Equestrian Idol Equestrians can do more than ride — but can they sing? The answer is “yes,” but it will be the guests at the Equestrian Idol event on Friday, Feb. 6 who will ultimately decide.

The event at the International Polo Club Palm Beach will benefit the Equus Foundation, a non-profit grant-giving charity that seeks to raise public awareness of the value of the horse in society. In 2008, the foundation awarded over $300,000 in grants to 50 charities that use the horse to benefit the public, promote horse welfare and elevate equestrian sports, bringing the total to more than $1.1 million since 2003.

Riders, trainers and even horse show officials will demonstrate their musical talent and endure the scrutiny of a panel of wellknown equestrians that includes living legend and U.S. Show Jumping Chef d’ Equipe George H. Morris, Susie Schoellkopf, Mark Leone and Mason Phelps Jr. Equestrian Idol, hosted by the Newman’s Own Foundation, will feature musical performances by Heather Caristo, Hillary Dobbs, Patricia Griffith, Casey Hodges, Brian Lookabill and Chad Watridge, some newcomers, and encore performances by the 2007 and 2008 Idols, Taylor Blauweiss and Ki-Juan Minors.

This will be the third year that the Equus Foundation is sponsoring the Equestrian Idol event, but the first year that the event will be held at the International Polo Club.

The casual-attire evening will be held in the Grand Marquee Tent. “We welcome the residents of Palm Beach County and especially Wellington, equestrian and non-equestrian alike, to attend the event,” Equus Foundation Chair Jenny Belknap said.

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people united by a common interest — and the Equus Foundation is no exception.

It was the belief that horses have a positive impact on everyday life and not just in the competitive arena that spawned the birth of the Equus Foundation in August 2002.

It is a belief that horses enrich and empower — whether you come from a privileged background or a disadvantaged one.

In its effort to share this vision with the larger community, the Equus Foundation makes grants in three areas. Public welfare grants support organizations like the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center.

For the past two years, the Equus Foundation has funded their programs, which are a wonderful example of how using the gentle movement of the horse as therapy

(L-R) 2008 Idol Ki-Juan Minors, 2009 Contender Patricia Griffith and 2007 Idol Taylor Blauweiss.

and recreation enhances the lives of those with special needs.

In addition, grants are awarded to promote the sport, from scholarships for students participating in intercollegiate riding programs to the efforts of the United States Equestrian Team Foundation to promote the eight high-performance equestrian disciplines: dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, para-equestrian, reining, show jumping and vaulting.

Equus also awards relief grants for equestrians in need. One such recipient charity is the Wellington-based Equestrian Aid

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Foundation, whose mission is to assist anyone in the equestrian world suffering from life-threatening illness, catastrophic accidents or injuries by providing direct financial support for their medical or other basic needs. The Equus Foundation also supports an emergency relief fund administered by the American Hunter-Jumper Foundation.

“While we are gratified that we were able to award grants to 50 charities in 2008, we received over 100 requests that were worthy of support,” Belknap said. “We know that there are hundreds more charities that need our help that are not aware of us yet.”

The funds raised by the Equestrian Idol event will also help support organizations that do not have the benefit of a public as educated and familiar with the horse’s value as the public in Wellington and its surrounding communities. Equestrians do a lot more than ride. They can also sing.

Help decide who will be the next Equestrian Idol.

The Equus Equestrian Idol Musical Talent Show takes place Friday, Feb. 6 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Tickets are $175 per person with reserved tables of eight from $1,800. For more information, visit www.equusfoundation.org.

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Wellington Business

BY JANN SEAL

Start The New Year With A Resolution To Get (And Stay) Healthy!

The holidays are over, and now it’s time for all of us to think about getting back into shape and putting our health at the top of the list of New Year’s resolutions.

A good place to start is at Ncognito Fitness, a workout studio that puts the emphasis on the individual, setting specific

goals. Training sessions are taught with a maximum of four people per group by Marcus Nisbett, a certified personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. Nisbett takes a detailed evaluation of each client before setting upon a routine, and then places them into a goal-specific training group. From building balance and core

stability, flexibility training, sport-specific training, to his corrective exercise program, where past injuries are addressed and corrected before moving onto other strength-specific training, Nisbett is on hand every day to guide clients through their workout. Touch therapy, nutrition and motivational techniques are the basis of Nisbett’s philosophy, and he builds from there with exercises designed for every individual client. But the best part is the massage Nisbett rewards every client with at the end of their session, focusing on stretching, unknotting and simply putting the body into a calm and peaceful state of being. To set an evaluation appointment, call Nisbett at (561) 283-5635.

Visit www.ncognitofitness.com for a full explanation of the studio and its goals.

Once your body is in shape, it’ll be time for a spa day, and one of the best places to unwind is the Fusion Med Spa, where cosmetic medicine is administered in an atmosphere dedicated to the improvement of the mind, body and soul. Owned and operated by aesthetician Jaquelyn Hill, Fusion Med Spa offers everything from reducing wrinkles and restoring a more youthful appearance, to smoothing skin, removing unsightly veins or just simply a relaxing soak in a hot tub. Facials and body care are popular offerings, but their menu of services is quite detailed. Some of Fusion Med Spa’s most creative treatments are for either prenatal or postnatal moms, with soothing massages and treatments all geared at de-stressing a woman at a critical time in her life. Fusion Med Spa is located at 6250 Lantana Road in the Pinewood Square Shopping Plaza at the corner of Lantana and Jog. Call (561) 3047444 for an appointment or visit www. resultsarepriceless.com for more info.

Now that we’re all well and healthy, how about taking care of the animals who share our space? June Eleanor Collins is in the Reiki business, a Japanese alternative medicine practice said to tap into the life

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force. If your animal (and we specifically include horses here) is healthy, reiki is purported to balance its energy system and promote health and well-being. If illness or stress (yes, animals do get stressed) is the case, reiki goes directly to where the animal is experiencing discomfort. After a reiki treatment, the animal may initially appear sleepy or drowsy, but in a very short time it will be more alert and energetic. If your animal is ill, reiki will ease its dying process, as it does with humans in a hospice environment. While the practice of reiki has its detractors, a therapy that taps into the universal life force is certainly an alternative to popping a pill. Call June at (561) 827-7298 to discuss the healing effects of reiki.

as finishing your education when practicing dentistry,” Grayhills said. “At the pace technology is advancing, it takes a continuing education to stay ahead of the learning curve in providing our patients with the best and latest care. It’s a lifelong pursuit that never ends and provides the excitement that makes going to work every day invigorating.” Grayhills & Mohip Dental is located at 250 Professional Way

off Binks Forest Drive just south of Southern Blvd. For an appointment, call (561) 798-1600.

Jann Seal used to write soap operas; now she lives a soap opera life!

In between acts, she works as a modeling consultant, a writer for business publications and as the editor of At HOME magazine.

Next, it’s golf! Valerie Moore, a member of the LPGA and a PGA teaching professional, is offering courses at the Park Ridge Golf Course for those interested in private or group instruction. Her walk-up clinics, held on Saturdays at 10 a.m., are a low-cost alternative to sitting around and thinking about playing golf. Priced at just $15 per session, all you have to do is show up on the driving range! Moore also offers tune-up clinics, golf schools and adult player development programs, all at reasonable prices. She will also speak at your homeowners’ association about the advantages of playing golf and its health benefits. Call Valerie at (561) 662-8195 or the Park Ridge Golf Course at (561) 629-8752. Park Ridge is located at 9191 Lantana Road in suburban Lake Worth.

Professionals are always learning, and that includes dentist Dr. Laurence Grayhills of Grayhills & Mohip Dental of Wellington. Having just completed his mastership in dentistry at the University of Florida College of Dentistry, Grayhills’ studies included instruction in cosmetic dentistry, oral surgery and implantology.

By completing his mastership, Grayhills can be described as a general dentist whose ongoing commitment to providing quality care is directly related to his continuing education. “There’s no such thing WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2009

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Ready

Ride To

Record Prize Money Up For Grabs As WEF Opens At Renovated Show Grounds STORY AND PHOTOS BY KEN BRADDICK/HORSESPORT USA

he 2009 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival is offering record prize money of more than $5.5 million at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center show grounds in Wellington.

Millions of dollars in improvements have turned the facility into one of the most stunningly beautiful in the world. Last year, the PBIEC was the testing grounds for the teams from the United States and Canada that went on to the 2008 Olympics and captured the gold and silver medals, respectively. Adding luster to North America’s supremacy, Canada’s Eric Lamaze and Hickstead won the individual gold and the USA’s Beezie Madden and Authentic took the individual bronze. Like most of their Olympic teammates, joined by Olympians from Mexico, Russia and Venezuela, they’ll be back for the 2009 WEF, which starts on Jan. 7 and runs for 12 weeks through March 29.

The International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center is shown here nearing the completion of a multi-million-dollar makeover, transforming it into one of the top horse show arenas in the world.

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE SPECIAL WEF EVENTS Sunday, Jan. 11 $50,000 Speed Derby/Six Bar Sunday, Jan. 18 $50,000 Equisport Agency Grand Prix Saturday night, Jan. 24 $55,000 “Battle of the Sexes” Sunday, Jan. 25 $75,000 Braman Motorcars Grand Prix CSI 2* Saturday night, Jan. 31 $150,000 Exquis World Dressage Masters CDI 5* Sunday, Feb. 1 $75,000 Bainbridge Companies Grand Prix CSI 3* Saturday night, Feb. 7 $150,000 Spy Coast Grand Prix CSI W Saturday night, Feb. 14 WCHR Hunter Spectacular Sunday, Feb. 15 $50,000 CN Jumper Derby (on grass) at the Stadium Saturday night, Feb. 21 $75,000 Grand Prix FEI CSI 3* Friday night, Feb. 27: CN Nations Cup Sunday, Feb. 29 $150,000 CN Grand Prix FEI CSIO 5* Saturday night, March 7 $200,000 CN Grand Prix CSI W Saturday night, March 14 CDI W Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle Sunday, March 15 $75,000 Bank of America Grand Prix FEI CSI 3* Saturday night, March 21 $400,000 FTI Finale Grand Prix CSI 5* Saturday night, March 28 Hunter Derby Finale Sunday, March 29 Young Horse Finals WELLINGTON WELLINGTON THE THE MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• JANUARY JANUARY 2009 2009

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To add a large extra dose of spice, the PBIEC will host the inaugural event of a new World Dressage Masters series in January that has a total purse of $150,000, an unheard-of amount for dressage, expected to draw the top riders in the world.

The glamour of the World Champion Hunter Rider Spectacular will take center stage along with its traditional Saturday night dressed-to-the-nines dinner in February. And equestrian legend George H. Morris will direct his Excellence in Equitation event, which was created in 2008 as the ultimate test of equitation.

The 2009 version in March will have some surprises dreamed up by the man who has guided U.S. teams to the pinnacle of the world of jumping since becoming the official USA chef d’equipe four years ago.

The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center was developed

by Wellington Equestrian Partners, a group of horse sport lovers dedicated to keeping the show grounds right where they have been for the past quarter-century.

Wellington Equestrian Partners removed the uncertainty that once hung over the horse show by buying the 100-plus acres on which it is held. The investors set up a separate company, Equestrian Sport Productions, to manage shows that now are produced 40 weeks a year through fall, winter and spring series.

It used to be that residents of Wellington knew when WEF was around the corner because horse trailers started appearing on the

(Above) Canada’s Eric Lamaze and Hickstead celebrate their individual 2008 Olympic gold medal. Lamaze, who has a home in Wellington, competes at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

But the Winter Equestrian Festival is not just for lovers of horse sports. In a difficult economy, the PBIEC is an oasis of beauty and fun in Wellington, a place where anyone can walk down palm treelined boulevards and marvel at the majesty of horse sports, where families can laugh together at face painting, street performers, the children’s fair, pony rides and more. To make that a reality, the festival producers are considering extending free admission every day except those of headliner events.

(Right) Danish Olympic and World Cup star Lars Petersen is shown here competing aboard Success at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in December. Petersen may compete in the $150,000 Exquis World Dressage Masters in late January.

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streets in November and disappeared

by April. Now the lure of a competition schedule equal to the world’s best means that top equestrians from around the world base themselves in Wellington.

Among them are 2008 U.S. team gold medallist Laura Kraut; proven stars Margie Engle, Todd Minikus and Kent

Farrington; and 2008 individual gold medallist Eric Lamaze of Canada among jumper riders.

sen from Denmark; Marco Bernal of Colombia; Patrick Burssens of Mexico; and Oded Shimoni of Israel.

Top hunter trainers Ken Smith and Geoff Teall live in Wellington, as do dressage Olympians and international competitors Michelle Gibson, Arlene Page and Susan Dutta of the U.S.; Lars Petersen, Bent Jensen and Mikala Gunder-

FTI, a New York Stock Exchange-listed global financial consulting company, is the WEF title sponsor for the first time in 2009.

The lineup of events is designed to provide top-level competition and to entertain, thrill and enchant spectators whose closest relationship to a horse might be the distance between where they’re sitting and the steed performing in the ring.

The experimental Saturday night events that proved so popular with spectators in 2008 are returning in 2009 to showcase top competitions. Among the highlights of the 2009 festival: The “Battle of the Sexes,” already one of the most anticipated events, in which many top riders have agreed to contest the mix of jumping events on Saturday, Jan. 24.

The $150,000 World Dressage Masters, which is attracting some of the world’s top riders, is on the calendar for the following Saturday night, Jan. 31.

The WCHR Hunter Spectacular is slated for Feb. 14.

The CN Nations Cup, in which teams from several nations compete in a popular and emotionally charged event, will fill the traditional Friday night slot on Feb. 27.

Two jumper grand prix with prize money of $150,000 each and one with $200,000 are scheduled for both Saturday night and the traditional Sunday afternoon.

The show jumping finale is the FTI Grand Prix with a whopping purse of

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$400,000 and is also the finale of the immensely popular $200,000 FTI Rider Challenge. So on Saturday night, March 21, a total of $600,000 will be at stake.

The impact of WEF on the economy of South Florida is enormous, in the hundreds of millions of dollars. But like every other sector of the world economy, the festival faces issues never before encountered in its history. Participants at the horse show share everyone’s concerns about the state of the economy, falling property values, the impact of declining investments and the pain of lost jobs.

More competitors than ever before are expected from Mexico and Latin America. Among the Europeans in Wellington in December or expected within the first month of WEF are Olympians Ljubov Kochetov of Russia and Ben Maher of Great Britain, both of whom competed at WEF for the first time in 2008.

Despite the climate of uncertainty, Wel-

lington Equestrian Partners has been steadfast in making the investment necessary to make Wellington the world’s premier equestrian lifestyle destination.

The investment of millions of dollars began in December 2007 when Equestrian Sport Productions took over management of the horse shows just a month before WEF 2008 began.

It was uncertain how economic conditions would affect the number of riders and horses coming to Wellington in the lead-up to the start of the festival. However, Equestrian Sport Productions took steps beginning right after the 2008 festival to broaden the base of participants in an effort to offset a decline in participants from other areas.

Jessica Springsteen, the 2008 ASPCA Maclay Champion, one of the top awards for equitation, will be returning to Wellington to compete in the 2009 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. She is shown here at the Maclay final.

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Those first weeks saw a remarkable transformation of the show grounds.

The most critical feature, the surface of the competition arenas, was upgraded first. Olympic footing expert Bart Poels was brought in from Europe and joined forces with Brett Raflowitz, based in Palm City but whose work on equestrian facilities takes him throughout the Americas, to install the distinctive coral-colored competition surfaces in the centerpiece International Arena and another major competition ring. Other major improvements were begun at an investment of about $10 million before WEF 2009. The most obvious change has been the construction of permanent spectator areas around the International Arena.

At the 2009 Winter Equestrian Festival, Team USA will be looking to repeat its victory in the 2008 Nations Cup competition. On the medals podium are (left to right) Hunter Harrison of CN, U.S. Chef d’Equipe George H. Morris, team members McLain Ward, Hillary Dobbs, Danielle Torano and Kent Farrington, and Equestrian Sport Productions CEO Mark Bellissimo.

The International Club, the primary VIP hospitality center, has been significantly expanded, and the number of VIP boxes has been increased from fewer than 40 to about 90, and 1,500 permanent stadium-style flip-up seats have been installed, all part of the complete makeover of spectator areas around the International Arena.

The changes drew rave reviews in what amounted to a preview during the Holiday & Horses horse show the first week of December. The now-famed coral footing was added to more arenas, drainage was completely rebuilt throughout the facility and a totally new vendor village has been created. The goal is to make the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center a venue not only to show horses and accommodate the horsey set, but to make it a beautiful place to visit offering top-notch food and drink concessions — perfect for a fun family excursion.

The 2009 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival will open Jan. 7 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (14440 Pierson Road, Wellington). For tickets, visit www.equestriansport.com or call (561) 793-5867.

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No Looking Back Rebuilding Her Stable And Her Career, Star Rider Aims To Put A Disappointing Season Behind Her

BY KENNETH KRAUS

PHOTO BY ERIN COWGILL

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From the early days competing on her pony and junior hunter champions, and up through the jumper ranks, each year has offered tough new challenges. And up until this past season, Bloomberg was always able to match those tough tests with corresponding victories.

At the end of the 2007 show season, a well-thought-out plan devised by Bloomberg and her trainer Jimmy Doyle in hopes of gaining a spot on the 2008 United States Olympic team began to unravel. A sequence of devastating injuries to Bloomberg’s top show jumpers transformed the potential contender into a rider just going through the motions.

(Left) Georgina Bloomberg rides Curius at 2008’s Super League Series in Barcelona.

“I had a strong string of horses and was looking forward to proving myself at the 2008 Olympic trials,” Bloomberg recalled. “But then, at the end of the 2007 season, my top horse Cim Christo was injured.”

Bloomberg realized that without Cim Christo, her chances of advancing beyond the Olympic trials in Wellington were slim. “Before he got hurt, I was realistic about my chances of making the team, but I was hopeful that I could be competitive, and maybe end up in the top ten,” she said. “But it was quickly apparent that that wouldn’t happen without my top horse.”

(Above) Georgina Bloomberg and Nadia race to a win at the Las Vegas World Invitational CSI 5* in 2005.

(Below) Bloomberg rides her star mount Cim Christo before an injury sidelined him last season — just the start of the misfortunes that marred her 2008 season.

PHOTO BY KENNETH KRAUS

But things changed quickly for Bloomberg as the 2008 show season tested her determination and resolve in the face of adversity and misfortune.

PHOTO BY PETER LLEWELLYN

eorgina Bloomberg will be among the top equestrians competing at the 2009 Winter Equestrian Festival opening this month in Wellington. The 25-year-old New York City native has enjoyed a remarkable list of successes in her young equestrian career, including two North American Young Rider gold medals, victories with the United States Equestrian Team on the Developing Riders and Samsung Super League tours, plus wins in major grand prix events around the globe.

The loss of Cim Christo was demoralizing enough, but Bloomberg’s season of setbacks was only just beginning. “The second blow came for us when my longtime partner Riviera had to be retired,” she said. “He was the horse that helped me win the gold at Young Riders, we won together on the Super League tour, and he was the horse that took me to the World Cup Finals in Las Vegas in 2005.”

But the adversities didn’t end there. The final frustration came with the unexpected retirement of an old friend, Nadia. “She was the first horse I ever purchased as WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2009

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PHOTO BY KENNETH KRAUS/PHELPSSPORTS.COM

(Above) Georgina Bloomberg rides District as last year’s Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington.

(Below) Bloomberg listens to trainer Jimmy Doyle. The two are now plotting her 2009 comeback strategy.

PHOTO BY KENNETH KRAUS/PHELPSSPORTS.COM

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a baby,” Bloomberg said. “I raised her, trained her and brought her up myself. She was a super speed horse, but could also do the smaller grand prix classes. She was the horse I rode to my first-ever career grand prix win at the Metropolitan National Horse Show in New York.”

But last year Nadia apparently decided to call it quits. “She had always been a little nervous in combinations, and one day in Florida this past year, she just stopped,” Bloomberg recalled. “We gave her some time off, and tried to get her going again, but every time we would bring her back, she would just shut off.”

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I’m a very positive person. I know that things will get better.

I have been so fortunate in the last 25 years and have been able to do things that some people can only dream of doing.

I try to remember that every day. I know that I can succeed if I try my hardest.

Georgina Bloomberg

The loss of Nadia was akin to the departure of a top utility player from a good baseball team. “Not having her was a huge blow to the rotation of my horses, because she had always been the one that I could use to fill the gaps,” Bloomberg said.

So with the Olympic trials looming, Bloomberg knew the hope and promise she held just a year earlier had evaporated. “All of a sudden we found ourselves with a broken chain of horses and no real contenders,” she said.

Bloomberg’s career, formerly on the fast track, had suddenly ground to a halt — unfamiliar territory, to be sure.

“The year was obviously a disappointment for us,” she said, “but I was realistic enough to know that I am only 25 years old, and in this sport, that is still very young. I will have many more chances to make championship teams.

But I couldn’t help but be very disappointed and feel like I had failed.”

The real pressure on Bloomberg came from the unrelenting media attention she received in New York. After all, she is the daughter of well-known businessman and current New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

“Everyone in the industry understood the situation,” she said, “but the immense scrutiny from the New York media became increasingly more difficult to deal with. Despite all of our best efforts to explain that I had very little chance of making the team, the newspapers made a huge deal that I was ‘going for the Olympics.’”

The fever over Bloomberg’s possible Olympic bid began two years earlier for the New York City papers. “While attending an unrelated event in the city, I was casually asked if I would be doing the trials,” she said. “I simply said, ‘yes.’ The next day there was a picture

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of me in Times Square accompanied by the headline ‘Bloomy girl goes for it in 2008.’ The article wrongly gave the impression that I had intentionally announced my plans for the Olympics in Times Square.”

Cim Christo headed to the injured reserve list just as the New York hype was building. “There was a lot of press leading up to the trials, and when Cim Christo went lame and my shot at the top ten faded away, it was too late to escape the attention,” she said. “They didn’t understand the situation. They were kind enough to let me slip away after the trials, and get out of the spotlight, but I couldn’t help letting the situation get me down.”

something and then not have it pay off,” Bloomberg said frankly. “But I am trying to look forward to the next chapter of my career. I’m a very positive person.

I know that things will get better. I have been so fortunate in the last 25 years and have been able to do things that some people can only dream of doing. I try to remember that every day. I know that I can succeed if I try my hardest.”

So, over the past year, Bloomberg worked to reassess, rebuild and breathe new life into her young career.

“Jimmy and I went and looked for good young horses with the idea of strengthening my string of horses from the bottom up,” Bloomberg explained. “I’m concentrating only on young horses, making sure that I always have a new

Bloomberg realized that her rapid fall from the top was even more difficult to swallow because of her great achievements during the 2005 season.

“It was an unbelievable year,” she recalled with a smile. “I won two WEF Challenges, I was on a winning Super League team, I won a number of big classes in Europe, and competed at my first World Cup Finals in front of a hometown crowd in Las Vegas. The thrill of my success, so early into my international career, I think jaded me a little. I began to think that all of the years would go exactly like they did in 2005.

I was on top of the world. How could I possibly fail?”

Her wakeup call came in 2006. “I fell off ten times in nine months and started to really wonder what was going so wrong,” she laughed. “The 2007 show season was a bit better. I had some good wins in Florida, and then won two Nations Cups. I made it back into the Super League, and I was able to prove that I still belonged on the big teams. Then, all of those devastating injuries to my horses…”

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I am going to come out in 2009 trying my hardest and trying to prove to others, and most importantly to myself, that I belong in this sport... I am going to work hard, but I’m also going to enjoy every second of it.

Georgina Bloomberg

horse coming along behind the next,” she said.

Bloomberg looks ahead to the new season with high hopes but also a touch of humility. “I am going to come out in 2009 trying my hardest and trying to prove to others, and most importantly to myself, that I belong in this sport,” Bloomberg said. “I think I lost my confidence over the last few years and stopped enjoying the sport. I am going to work hard, but I’m also going to enjoy every second of it.”

(Above) Georgina Bloomberg won the Cindy Mead Memorial Trophy for riders under 25 while competing at Hickstead in Great Britain.

Call the setbacks a matter of paying dues. “This tough stretch has taught

me that it’s how you get through the bad years, not how you get through the good ones, which makes you a good horseman,” she said.

Done feeling sorry for herself, Bloomberg has big plans for the future. “I am going to come out fighting to prove that I can be at the top again,” she said. “I am now going to concentrate on the rest of my career and make the 2010 World Championships and the 2012 Olympics my priorities above anything else. I have a British passport, so both the WEG 2010 in Kentucky and the 2012 Olympics in London are home games for me, and those will be my top priorities.”

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PHOTO BY KENNETH KRAUS/PHELPSSPORTS.COM

McLain Ward

On Living And Competing In Wellington

(Above) McLain Ward and Sapphire compete at the 2008 CN Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist McLain Ward calls Wellington

his second home. Ward lives in Brewster, N.Y. when not traveling the world as one of the top show jumpers. Last summer, he returned from Hong Kong, the site of the 2008 Olympic equestrian events, with his second gold medal in team jumping. He followed by blazing a trail of success throughout the remainder of the year’s competitions. This winter, he will live in Wellington, like he has for decades, and will compete at the 2009 Winter Equestrian Festival.

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However, Ward is making a huge jump for part of the winter season. For a few weeks he will be taking his horses and staff to compete at the HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, CA. The HITS Desert Circuit is an eightweek horse show similar to the Wellington show series, but with lots of new faces and competition.

“We’ll be in Wellington for several of the shows, but not the entire time,” Ward explained. “I’m going to break the cir-

cuit up, go out to California, enjoy something different, and see a different group of people and clients. It is always good to expand your reach.”

For the past 22 years, Ward has been competing in Wellington during the winter, and his family has competed at the Winter Equestrian Festival since its inception in the old Palm Beach Polo stadium.

“I remember as a kid showing in the parking lot of the polo stadium,” he re-

I remember as a kid showing in the parking lot of the polo stadium.

It was a simpler time, but there was something nice about that.

Wellington has definitely grown into a horse mega-center.

Olympic Champion McLain Ward

called. “I remember watching my dad show in the great grand prix out on the polo field with a great stadium. There was a two-ring horse show across the street. It was a simpler time, but there was something nice about that. It’s definitely grown into a horse mega-center in Wellington.”

Ward recalls his rise in the equestrian world, and many of his big accomplishments have happened in Wellington. He started out showing in the pony hunters here more than 20 years ago, and then progressed to become one of the best junior riders in the country. He started riding in the grand prix division when he was 17 years old, and turned professional at the age of 18. Since then, he has climbed the national and international rankings to become one of the best show jumpers in the world. All this was done while maintaining his relationship with Wellington and traveling here every winter.

Ward enjoys the time he spends in Wellington. It is a time when people come together, enjoy each other’s company, and reconnect with old friends.

“This has been the center of equestrian activity in the United States, for the most part,” he explained. “A lot of horse professionals and competitors on the amateur level have invested in properties and houses. There’s a huge built-in group here. I bought my first house in Wellington in 2001. It’s a great place to live and a great community.”

While Ward is one of the top riders in the world, he also has a thriving business of buying and selling horses.

In his 22 years competing at the Winter Equestrian Festival, McLain Ward has seen Wellington grow up around him.

“Like any business, you have to reach out and touch people,” he said. “One-onone, face-to-face contact is the best way.

Particularly in these economic times, I

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PHOTO BY JENNY ROSS/PHELPSSPORTS.COM

McLain Ward and Sapphire compete at the 2008 Olympic Games. The equestrian events were held in Hong Kong.

Ward helped the United States win the team gold medal in show jumping.

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hope going to California for part of the winter show season will open some new avenues.”

But Ward maintains that the best competition is still to be found on the nation’s east coast.

“It’s not necessarily that the top riders

here are better than the top riders there; it’s that there are more here. That raises the level,” he explained. “The west coast riders have really made a huge effort to progress and get up to the standard — they have been traveling to Europe, to Calgary and the east coast. You see riders like Richard Spooner, Rich Fellers, Will Simpson, Nicki Simpson, and

several other riders raising the level on the west coast. I don’t think competing in California is going to be a cakewalk.

It’s going to be plenty hard, and I’m going to have to be on the ball.”

Ward looks forward to his two-week tour at Thermal, and hopes it will be the start of an annual relationship.

“The HITS Desert Circuit is a great event; that’s why I’m going there,” he said. “There are people involved in the HITS Desert Circuit that are trying to make it better for all equestrians.”

Although Ward is making a small change this year, he will still compete in Wellington and owns a second home here.

“Anywhere I compete, I hope that my horses and I are good enough that they raise the standard and the competitive stakes,” he said.

PHOTO BY SUSAN J. STICKLE/PHELPSSPORTS.COM

The United States show jumping team of Will Simpson, Laura Kraut, Beezie Madden and McLain Ward won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games.

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PHELPS MEDIA GROUP WORKING AROUND THE WORLD, BUT HOME IS WELLINGTON STORY BY RON BUKLEY

PHOTOS BY SUSAN LERNER

he Wellington-based Phelps Media Group International got its start six years ago when horse show promoter Gene Mische asked well-known equestrian Mason Phelps Jr. to help with publicity for the National Horse Show. Back then it was not the Phelps Media Group. It was just Phelps helping out an old friend. Since then, the business has expanded around the world to represent some of the best-known names in equestrian sport.

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Mason Phelps Jr., founder of Phelps Media Group, has had a presence in Wellington since Palm Beach Polo opened its gates in 1979.

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Phelps has had a presence in Wellington since Palm Beach Polo opened its gates in 1979. Wellington polo pioneer Bill Ylvisaker and the Phelps family were longstanding friends, having grown up in the Chicago area together, Phelps recalled. Bill Ylvisaker and Phelps’ father, Mason Sr., attended Yale University together long before Ylvisaker arrived in Wellington as chairman of developer Gould Corp.

“I did not come here because of Bill Ylvisaker,” Phelps said. “I came here because I had a professional show stable, and I would come here in the wintertime back in 1979 with horses to compete. It was coincidental that it was Bill Ylvisaker’s brainchild that created something that I came to.”

At the time, Phelps was a rider and competitor, having been named to the U.S.

Equestrian Team that went to the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. While still in his 20s, Phelps expanded his role in the horse world to event management.

In 1976, he founded and produced the first International Jumping Derby in Newport, R.I. In the late 1970s and in the 1980s he produced fundraising events for the Newport Preservation Society, and in the 1990s, he created innovative classes at the Winter Equestrian Festival for riders who had represented the U.S. at the Olympic Games, Pan American Games or the Nation’s Cup. He also created the Hunter Classic for the American Hunter-Jumper Foundation in 1997.

However, the notion of working in the public relations field never crossed Phelps’ mind until Mische planted the seed.

“I have no background in journalism. I Kenneth Kraus, senior editor of PhelpsSports. com, stands beside Mason Phelps Jr. at the Lake Wellington Professional Centre office of Phelps Media Group International.

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have no background in photography. I just have a very in-depth knowledge of networking within the equestrian community,” Phelps said. “I have certainly been involved with the United States Equestrian Team. I was an Olympian in 1968, and I was on their board of directors, and I participated in several big fundraising events to help the equestrian community.”

You’re only as good as the people who work for you, and I’m very fortunate that I have a great group of people with a great wealth of knowledge that all have equestrian backgrounds.

Mason Phelps three days we got something organized, the tables committed and the caterer.”

Phelps initially suggested that they launch

a publicity campaign for the remainder of the season, but Mische originally said it wasn’t in the budget. But after the National, he was more willing.

Phelps began his career in publicity in 2002 when the National Horse Show moved to Mische’s Stadium Jumping facility, now part of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

“I did not mean to get into the field,” Phelps recalled. “When the National Horse Show came to Florida for their 119th event six years ago, Gene called me up. It had left New York, he was producing it, and he said, ‘we have a Friday night event and we have tables to sell and I need help.’ I wasn’t planning on coming down from my summer residence that early. I came back. I got on the phone, and in

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“By the seat of my pants, we started,” Phelps said. “It wasn’t a hard thing to market the National Horse Show, and it was successful, and we got a lot of ink.

That went very well. Then Gene said to me, ‘well, maybe you’d like to help us do the Winter Equestrian Festival.’ What better way to start in a business than Stadium Jumping and the National Horse Show as your first two clients?”

In building his business, Phelps surrounded himself with top-notch writers and photographers. “You’re only as good as the people who work for you, and I was very fortunate that I have a great group of people with a great wealth of knowledge that all have equestrian backgrounds,” he said. “I have nine full-time employees, and I have a resource of about 70 freelancers that I can tap worldwide.”

Equestrian events are what Phelps calls a “minor sport” when it comes to publicity.

“It’s my job to try and get it in the forefront as best I can,” he explained. “If you can’t get ink, you can’t attract sponsors, you can’t attract gates. It’s all about servicing the media in order to get the best exposure we can.”

In many instances, Phelps has sent his staff to events around the world although they weren’t necessarily representing a client or being paid by a client, including the 2006 FEI World Cup finals in Malaysia. He sent four staffers to Hong Kong for the equestrian element of the 2008 Olympic Games. “It’s all about having a pulse on the business,” Phelps said.

In recent years, the Phelps Media Group has continued to grow, taking on a wider range of clients from locales as far-flung as California, Texas and Illinois, as well as numerous additional South Florida clients.

“Here we are in a down economy and everyone is suffering, but I have proposals for six new clients that are talking

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If my participation, however minor, can help keep a corporate sponsor or attract a new one or increase prize money because we’ve had a little luck getting them some ink, it’s a good thing… If there’s a corporate VIP that we can introduce to stars like Lou Dobbs or Bruce Springsteen because it makes him feel better and included, it’s all part of the job.

Mason Phelps

about coming on board,” Phelps said. “I thought I was going to go backward like the rest of the world and have to lay some people off, and I’m not.”

Phelps has also survived the loss of two major accounts in recent years. Phelps Media Group was on the Stadium Jumping payroll when the company transferred its two big Wellington events to Mark Bellissimo’s Wellington Equestrian Partners in 2007. Phelps kept the new promoter as a client for 90 days, but ultimately could not represent both Mische and Bellissimo.

“I was on the wrong side of the fence where the Bellissimo camp was concerned,” Phelps said. “It was a smooth transition. We passed the torch to Ken Braddick, who had been a freelancer for us.”

Phelps also lost his office space when Mische turned over the show grounds to Wellington Equestrian Partners, but stayed in town, setting up shop at the Lake Wellington Professional Centre.

“We got into this facility here and kept it going,” Phelps said. “It was a tough year in that our contract with International WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2009

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The Phelps Media Group team includes (seated, left to right) office manager Julie Tannehill, Mason Phelps and bookkeeper Betsy McKenzie; (standing, left to right) senior account manager Jennifer Wood, records keeper Kira Johnson, account manager Jenny Ross and senior editor Kenneth Kraus.

get renewed at the same time that Bellissimo took over for Stadium Jumping, so they were two very large accounts that went bye-bye at the same time. There was a little regrouping, but we pulled up our bootstraps and went back to work.”

Phelps Media Group still has a presence at major equestrian events across the nation. If not representing the events themselves, Phelps’ staffers are there on behalf of individual clients or his own equestrian sport news agency.

“We have a subscription web site called phelpssports.com, and we will definitely have staff covering all the action for the web site on a daily basis,” he said.

Phelps likes to think his company has been a positive force for equestrian sport nationwide over the past six years.

“In the days that I was representing Stadium Jumping, you couldn’t go to a European equestrian web site and know what was happening in Wellington until I started

I have no background in journalism... I just have an in-depth knowledge of networking within the equestrian community.

Mason Phelps

sending them releases, and I think that with the Rolexes and the CNs and some of those type of corporations that got involved, it’s all about media impressions. If my participation, however minor, can help keep a corporate sponsor or attract a new one or increase prize money because we’ve had a little luck getting them some ink, it’s a good thing… If there’s a corporate VIP that we can introduce to stars like Lou Dobbs or Bruce Springsteen because it makes him feel better and included, it’s all part of the job.”

For more information about Phelps Media Group International, call (561) 753-3389, e-mail pmginfo@ phelpsmediagroup.com or visit www. phelpsmediagroup.com.

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Mason Phelps Jr., founder of Phelps Media Group, has had a presence in Wellington since Palm Beach Polo opened its gates in 1979.

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Palm Beach Day Academy

Palm Beach Profiles

Palm Beach Day Academy has produced confident learners for more than 80 years, serving students from pre-primary through ninth grade.

Head of School Dr. Rebecca van der Rogert and her staff have found the right balance of challenge and support; the right balance of personal achievement and social awareness; and the right balance of disciplined structure and boundless creativity. Palm Beach Day Academy is located at 241 Seaview Avenue in Palm Beach, 33480. For

more information call (561) 655-1188 or visit www.palmbeachdayacademy.com.

Altona

Altona, a fixture on Rue de l’Odeon in Paris, opened in Palm Beach a decade ago followed by a boutique in Southampton. Both reflect owner Caroline Freeze’s desire to showcase collections of chic apparel and accessories for the discriminating shopper. Altona is opened Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and dur-

ing the season, Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. You can find Altona in the Esplanade, 150 Worth Avenue, Suite 118 in Palm Beach, 33480 or visit www.altona.com. For more information call (561) 832-0303.

TechnoMarine

With the introduction of its first luxury chronograph in transparent gel colors and diamond bezel, TechnoMarine imposed a new concept that created waves in the traditionally conservative watch-making industry. With the Cruise, TechnoMarine had invented a new class of high-end Swiss watches. More than ever, TechnoMarine exceeds the expectations of those who seek a trendy luxury accessory. For more information visit www.technomarine.com or call (800) 822-2312.

The Colony Hotel

Host to presidents Bush and Clinton, various Windsors and other royalty, plus movie stars and corporate czars, the Colony Hotel has been the center of Palm Beach society for more than 60 years, and in 2008 again was awarded the prestigious four-diamond rating from AAA. This privately owned, intimate, friendly boutique hotel offers guests the choice of charming rooms, luxurious suites, spectacular penthouses and two bedroom villas – plus beautiful grounds and Frette linens. Restaurants at the Colony include: Polo, Palm Beach’s number-one steakhouse, offering dining al fresco in the hotel’s remodeled Palm Court featuring a Florida-shaped swimming pool; the Royal Room, praised by the Palm Beach Post as “probably the best place for cabaret on the planet”; and Café 155, the perfect place for breakfast, lunch and delicious box lunches for busy people on the go. For more information about the Colony Hotel located at 155 Hammon Avenue in Palm Beach, or the dining and entertainment offered, call (561) 655-5430 or visit ww w.thecolonypalmbeach.com.

Vicomte Arthur

After the successful opening of its first American store on Worth Avenue, Vicomte Arthur opened in a new location in New York City, on Madison Avenue at 81st Street. The collection will also be available this season at the Winter Equestrian Festival, as well as at the International Polo Club every Sunday. Owner Bertrand de Soultrait also invites you to visit the Vicomte Arthur store located at 150 Worth Avenue, Suite 110A in Palm Beach, 33480 or at www.vicomte-arthur.com. For more information call (561) 833-3011.

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RENDINA, The

Generation

TWO YEARS AFTER BRUCE RENDINA’S PASSING, HIS FAMILY WORKS TO KEEP HIS LEGACY ALIVE STORY BY ANGIE FRANCALANCIA PHOTOS BY SUSAN LERNER AND CAROL PORTER

erhaps it was by design that Wellington Regional Medical Center would be the site of the first office building the Rendina Companies would develop under Rich Rendina’s leadership.

It would be the fourth for the company at the hospital, and the preceding one was like a lesson plan for Rich, who at the time was working under the tutelage of his well-known father Bruce Rendina, in the elder Rendina’s waning months before succumbing to brain cancer.

In September, the 28-year-old Rich took the microphone alone for the first time at a

groundbreaking ceremony for WRMC’s new office building.

Glance quickly, and you see a younger version of Bruce with the same dark eyes and brows, the same jaw line. No one knows better than the young CEO how big the position is, leading the company created by his larger-than-life father, a Wellington favorite son.

Two years after Bruce died from the aggressive cancer,

(Left) Brothers Michael and Rich Rendina at the site of the Rendina Companies’ latest building under construction on the Wellington Regional Medical Center campus.

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his company and his family persevere. Along with the WRMC medical office building, the Rendina Companies was selected to build offices on the campus of Glades General Hospital. And under Rich’s lead, the company has brought South University to the western communities.

The family also continues the legacy of giving that Bruce Rendina was known for, holding the second annual Raising the B.A.R. Bruce A. Rendina Memorial Golf Tournament last year in the Bahamas, and planning now for the third event to be held at Admiral’s Cove in Jupiter.

PAINTING IMAGE COURTESY RENDINA FAMILY

It has been two years since Rendina Companies founder Bruce Rendina, shown in the painting above, died after battling brain cancer. His family has been working to keep Bruce’s legacy alive.

Perhaps Bruce’s greatest skill was understanding the people. Everyone he worked with became our friends.

They’d join us on vacations. He was a tough, tough, tough arbitrator, but such a likeable man.

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Rich said he knows the company lost out on deals because people had questions about its future without his father.

“I could do everything under the sun to prove we’re still around,” he said. “Time had to pass before people believed it.”

It’s a twist of fate that Rich took over the company in the midst of the poorest economic climate in a generation. The similarly weak economy of the early 1990s was what drove his father to focus on medical

Marji Rendina

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“Since the day my dad passed away, we knew he would want us to come together as a family and carry forward his legacy, and at the same time put our stamp on it,” Rich said. “Putting that first shovel in the ground didn’t come until August at Wellington Regional.

We were so close on so many deals. When it finally comes together, it’s a great feeling.”

12/22/2008, 11:59 PM

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offices and formulate his creative equity participation program that allows tenants a stake as part-owners. The policy differentiated the company, allowed for financing in hard times and built the foundation for partnerships that still exist today.

Those partnerships are why many medical providers return to Rendina, WRMC CEO Kevin DiLallo said.

“We’ve built the last four buildings on our campus with them, and it’s been very, very successful,” DiLallo said. “Their ties into this community makes it real easy to do these buildings. These guys understand the needs of the doctors. They understand the financing.”

Perhaps Bruce’s greatest skill was understanding the people, his wife Marji said.

“Everyone he worked with became our friends,” she said. “They’d join us on vacations. He was a tough, tough, tough arbitrator, but such a likeable man.”

Marji recalls Bruce’s fun side on one such vacation, in which he had taken over the microphone from a tour guide to lead a tram full of people in his own version of “Name That Tune.”

“He had no inhibitions about being silly,” she said.

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We’ve built the last four buildings on our campus with them, and it has been very, very successful.

Their ties into this community makes it real easy to do these buildings. They understand the needs of the doctors.

They understand the financing.

Wellington Regional Medical Center CEO Kevin DiLallo It was one of those longtime friendships that brought the family to Wellington in the mid-1980s. Bruce’s early work as an accountant with Coopers & Lybrand took the family to Chicago, Florida and Atlanta, Marji recalled. Then he got a call from one of his earliest associates, offering him a job with real estate developer the Satter Companies in West Palm Beach. Once settled, Bruce chose to keep his family in the western communities, passing up an opportunity for a position in New Hampshire when Satter underwent a merger.

Instead, Bruce partnered with Donald A. Sands in DASCO, a company specializing in medical real estate development. It was the beginning of Rendina’s niche as a medical office developer.

While the medical community met Rendina through his business, the rest of Wellington knew him by his charity. Bruce and Marji were instrumental in helping finance the Wellington Boys & Girls Club with a golf tournament known as the Rendina Classic. Marji was a part of the club’s dinner dance committee for eight years.

In addition to donating to his alma mater, Florida State University, and Catholic (Left) Marji Rendina, Dr. Jeffrey Bishop and Wellington Regional Medical Center CEO Kevin DiLallo at the groundbreaking for the Rendina Companies’ new building on the WRMC campus.

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Since the day my dad passed away, we knew he would want us to come together as a family and carry forward his legacy, and at the same time put our stamp on it. Putting that first shovel in the ground didn’t come until August at Wellington Regional.

Rich Rendina

Charities, the couple was a frequent supporter of local area charities, including the western communities’ own chapters of the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.

“Bruce was on our board for several years and was a supporter for as long as I’ve been here,” said Mary O’Connor, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. “I think several of his kids learned how to play baseball when the Boys & Girls Club used to do all the leagues out there.

The whole family has had a connection with us since the kids were really little.”

Michael Rendina, 25, senior vice president of operations at the Rendina Companies, recalls playing baseball and football at the Boys & Girls Club, but dad instilled his love of golf in his sons as well. There were idyllic summer days spent traipsing across the course at the Palm Beach Polo & Country Club. “Growing up, my mom would drop us at Polo in the summertime, and we’d go with our clubs and play golf every day out there,” he recalled.

Michael is already making arrangements for the third annual Raising the B.A.R. Golf Tournament. The Rendina Family Foundation was created in 1997 to continue the giving Bruce Rendina had begun.

“His mission was to support friends in need and other entities like the Boys & Girls Club,” Marji said. “Of course my boys and I, after he passed away, decided to narrow it to entities that help to find a cure for all forms of cancer.”

In May, the family gave a $500,000 donation to Massachusetts General Hospital, where Bruce had been treated and where he underwent two surgeries in his fight against the aggressive cancer.

“The quality of care they gave us and how they made the transition go for us, the

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Michael and Richard Rendina at a memorial to their father located on the Wellington Regional Medical Center campus.

doctors were all great,” Michael said. “It was good to give back. [My father] always wanted to give back. It made us feel good to accomplish that.”

This year the tournament will be held in Admiral’s Cove, where Marji recently settled. “It will be held May 1,” Michael said.

“We’ll have a sponsor party afterward at my mom’s house. We’ll have a band. Also, the next quarter, we’re going to host a wine tasting. She doesn’t know about that yet,” he added.

There are sponsorship and underwriting opportunities available for both events.

For more information, visit www.rendina familyfoundation.com.

The Rendinas also will be giving back to Hospice of Palm Beach County, which helped the family through Bruce’s death.

They’ll help sponsor the Horizons Fishing Tournament slated for July.

“As a family foundation, we still have the opportunity to give to somebody like Hospice. I couldn’t imagine going through it without them,” Michael said. “The people were great. They became like part of the family.”

While the foundation helps fund cancer research, the business could play a role in research of illnesses as well, Rich explained. “We’ve been talking to Dr. [Richard] Lerner, president of Scripps. They want to focus on Alzheimer’s and diabetes,” he said.

The Rendina Companies hopes to build a skilled nursing facility on land it owns across from the Scripps research facility in Jupiter’s Abacoa that could serve as the site for clinical trials, Rich said. “This gives us the ability to tie in the research and development with Scripps,” he said.

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PHOTO COURTESY RENDINA FAMILY

(Below) Last year, the Rendina family gathered to present a $500,000 donation to Massachusetts General Hospital, where Bruce had been treated for cancer. (Below) Michael and Richard Rendina with grandma Rose at August’s WRMC groundbreaking.

the state nursing home requirements, and the fact that it is “a more complex deal than most,” Rich noted. Ultimately, the results could be far more satisfying than the financial reward, though, he said.

“I saw this firsthand with my father as he was battling brain cancer,” Rich said. “To have access to the University of Massachusetts and these cuttingedge drugs — that’s what gave him the confidence to go on.

When it’s your loved one, you don’t think ‘guinea pig.’ We’re calling it our Integrated Health and Science Park.”

Marji said she believes her husband would be proud of what Rich has done. “His dad raised him up well,” she said.

“He was provided every opportunity, from the choices of schools… Little did we know how soon he’d use it.”

Rich was the only member of the family not to attend Florida State. A third son, David, is currently a junior at FSU. Rich headed instead to the University of Notre Dame, a choice he thinks his father wanted more than he did at the time.

When times were hectic, “Bruce used to say, ‘I wish I could clone myself,’” Marji recalled.

Seeing her sons take over the company makes her think Bruce’s wish was fulfilled in a way. “They will all find their respective spots in the company,” she said. “They’ll be able to do it because they’ll have each other.”

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FREE YOURSELF from

GLASSES & CONTACTS VISO LASIK MEDSPA MAKES IT EASIER THAN EVER TO PERFECT YOUR VISION

BY DEBORAH WELKY

ou searched high and low; you found them atop your head; you wiped their lenses before you started reading, and now they’re slipping down your nose. If glasses have become an irritating fact of life for you, keep reading. It doesn’t have to be that way.

“Each year, only one to one and a half percent of the population eligible for a LASIK procedure is getting it done,” said Dr. Salvatore DeCanio, medical director of the Viso LASIK Medspa in Wellington.

“Yet the majority of the 10 million people who have had it done are extremely happy. In fact, two of the most common things we hear post-procedure are ‘Is that all there is to it?’ and ‘Why didn’t I do this sooner?’”

The procedure room at Viso LASIK Medspa in Wellington.

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The reason is often fear or cost. At Viso LASIK Medspa, DeCanio has solved both problems, virtually eliminating the need for glasses or contacts for those who are eligible.

“Together with my two European partners, we’ve launched a new concept in the way laser vision correction is delivered and provided — and the environment in which it takes place,” DeCanio said. “It’s what separates us from the rest. We have world-class technology and are dedicated to providing a world-class experience for our guests. And that’s what we call them — guests, not patients.”

����������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������������������� �����������������������������������������������������������������������������

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With viso derived from the Italian word for “face,” the medspa delivers more than just vision correction. It also offers minimally invasive skincare procedures like resurfacing, dermal fillers (wrinkle removal) and laser hair removal — all in an effort to achieve a more youthful appearance for the face. By using their VIP Passport Spa Miles (or “S’Miles,” as DeCanio likes to call them), guests can offset virtually all costs of their LASIK procedure. For example, a $6,000 vision correction entitles the guest to 50 percent off all other spa services until they’ve reached that $6,000 total. Best of all, the VIP Passport can be shared among family members. “The passport creates added value,” DeCanio explained. “No one else in the U.S. offers it.”

OK, but what about the fear?

“Unlike other LASIK surgery centers, Viso LASIK Medspa has invested in not one, but two highly advanced technologies,” DeCanio explained. “When you and I had LASIK years ago, the eye flap was cut with a blade. If any problems ensued, it usually had to do with the eye flap. We don’t use any blades here, so those problems virtually do not exist. We use the IntraLase FSL laser to create the flap, which is much safer. Our second laser, which we use to reshape your cornea, is a computercontrolled excimer, the fastest laser in the world. And faster is better.”

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So much better, in fact, that the actual LASIK procedure takes only 15 minutes, although guests will spend 90 minutes in pre- and post-operative medspa suites, snuggling into cozy recliners while sipping champagne, mimosas or privatelabel bottled water. This is also where friends and supporters can wait and watch the procedure on flat-screen TVs — unless, of course, they prefer to monitor things up close through the glass wall of the procedure room (with blinds available for the shy).

In a climate-controlled room with the temperature kept at a constant 68 degrees and humidity at 40 percent, guests will choose soothing background music from selections available through two XM radio tuners. Also serving to reduce stress is the presence of an impressive battery backup system, allowing the procedure to continue without a ripple despite any storm Florida can dish out.

Dr. Paul Maurer was certified as a LASIK surgeon in 1998 and joined Viso LASIK Medspa when the original Wellington location opened as the Palm Beach Laser Eye Institute. Why? “They’re delivering state-of-the-art technology in a dedicated facility — a facility that was designed for LASIK from the ground up,” he said.

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Even with Viso’s no-cost consultations, Maurer admits to seeing very few “bad” candidates for LASIK. “A good candidate is just about anybody who wears glasses or contacts on a daily basis,” he said. “If we turn anyone away, it’s generally an older patient with cataracts or another vision problem that is contributing to their vision loss. In cases like those, cataract surgery may be the better option for them.”

Maurer added that better technology has made good candidates of those who were at one time ineligible. “I think that the procedure is becoming appealing to more and more people because most of the early complaints — glare, night vision problems, large pupils — have been resolved,” he said. “LASIK has always been a great procedure, but now it’s becoming so good that people are seeing better after LASIK than they ever did in glasses or contacts.

The technology is truly capable of producing better vision than people ever had in their lives.”

“We believe that LASIK is going to become a rite of passage, like braces,” DeCanio added. “In the future, if a 25-yearold doesn’t want to wear glasses, they’ll get Viso LASIK Medspa’s Dr. Salvatore DeCanio examines a patient’s vision.

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PHOTO BY SUSAN LERNER

Dr. Salvatore DeCanio

Dr. Paul Maurer

LASIK has always been a great procedure, but now it’s becoming so good that people are seeing better after LASIK than they ever did in glasses or contacts. The technology is truly capable of producing better vision than people ever had in their lives.

Dr. Paul Maurer LASIK, just like a 15-year-old gets braces today.”

“It’s bloodless and bladeless procedure,” Maurer explained. “No blade touches the eye, and even the laser is much more precise than it used to be. If we do need to go in and do an enhancement five or even ten years down the road, we can usually lift the flap we already made. Typically, that’s five percent or fewer of our patients, however, and the problems are usually related to healing — some people are slow healers; some are fast healers. In the future, lasers will get faster and faster, and this is important when dealing with microns of 1/100th of a millimeter. When conditions are able to stay the same throughout the procedure due to speed, that’s a good thing.”

“Enhancements” are part of the lifetime guarantee given by Viso LASIK Medspas, although few guests ever need them.

“And if a person got a medical opinion that ruled out LASIK ten years ago, it’s time to come in for a free consultation,” DeCanio said. “After all, you’re not driving the same car you were a decade ago.”

DeCanio also stressed his willingness to work with a patient’s optometrist or ophthalmologist. “I’ve been an optometrist in Palm Beach County myself for 27 years,” he said. “We want to partner with their existing doctors. After all, their doctor knows all about their eyes. And we still want them to see their eye doctor once a year, of course, so they can be checked for

other things — glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetes.”

Growing by leaps and bounds, Viso Lasik Medspa opened locations in Charlotte, N.C. and San Antonio, Texas in 2008, and DeCanio is planning additional medspas in Boston, San Diego, Atlanta, New York City and the Washington, D.C. metro area before the end of 2009. “We want to create something so special that our guests will not forget it — neither the experience nor the location,” DeCanio said.

The Viso LASIK Medspa is located in the Plaza at Wellington Green, behind Office Depot, at 2515 State Road 7, Suite 210. For more information, call (561) 795-4772 or visit www.visolasikmedspas.com.

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Dr. Rasmi Akel at Perfect Smile Dentistry’s Wellington office.

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Perfect Teeth,

Smile DR. RASMI AKEL OFFERS GROUNDBREAKING LUMINEER PROCEDURE STORY BY RON BUKLEY PHOTOS BY LISA KEENEY

f you’re looking for the latest technology to improve your smile, check out Wellington’s Perfect Smile Dentistry, which now offers an ultra-thin new laminate called the Lumineer that revolutionizes the veneer procedure to beautify a patient’s teeth.

“There’s no trimming or grinding of teeth,” Perfect Smile’s Dr. Rasmi Akel said. “It’s a very, very thin porcelain laminate, almost like a contact lens, typically, and if you have fairly straight teeth, it doesn’t matter if they are broken or discolored or chipped, we can put that very thin laminate on the surface and make them look perfect. This way you’re not trimming your natural tooth. You’re not taking away from tooth structure that you have in there that makes them sensitive. You actually give them an extra layer of insulation.”

One of Perfect Smile Dentistry’s high-tech examination rooms.

[With Lumineers] you’re not trimming your natural tooth.

You’re not taking away from the tooth structure... you actually give them an extra layer of insulation.

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Application of Lumineers by Cerinate usually requires two treatment sessions, although some preliminary treatment such as straightening might be necessary. “The first time, we do a consultation,” Akel said. “If they want to go through it that day, we can take impressions and send them to the lab.”

On the second visit, the veneers are cemented in. “Sometimes we have them come back to see that the bite is good, everything is healthy, that they are comfortable with them and that there is no extra cement, just to make sure everything is cleaned up and they are happy,” Akel explained.

Lumineers are under full warranty for the first five years, although they are designed to last 20 years, Akel said.

“During that five years, they’ll be replaced once for no charge,” he said.

“Research shows that they last 20 years.

I’ve had them for about three and a half

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years and not one single time have I had an issue with them.”

Perfect Smile Dentistry has offices in Wellington and Boynton Beach. Akel practices with Dr. Barbara Bates and Dr. Gustavo Leal. All three are certified to do the Lumineers treatment, which Akel said is simpler than most other veneer processes because the patient’s teeth require no temporary covering while the permanent veneer is made. Lumineers are made of porcelain, so they will not be stained by food.

Aside from Lumineers, the staff at Perfect Smile Dentistry is qualified to do most all dental procedures, even some that other dental offices refer out. “We have a periodontist with us,” Akel noted.

“He is in the Boynton office and does all the procedures from implants to gum Perfect Smile Dentistry prides itself on its hightech environment. Shown here, Dr. Rasmi Akel reviews digital X-rays.

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surgery. We also have an endodontist in the Boynton office who can do root canals and retreats of root canals.”

Perfect Smile also offers the popular Invisalign procedure. “That’s a type of clear braces, mostly for adults, but teenagers also can have it,” Akel explained.

“It’s removable, so this way you don’t have to have the metal and all the wires and all the brackets. You take it out, you eat and brush your teeth and put them back in. Nobody can see that you have them on, so it’s for all those adults who always wanted to have braces and never got around to doing it. In reality, it works faster than braces.”

Perfect Smile uses only white resin composite fillings to treat dental cavities. “We don’t do any amalgam or silver fillings,” Akel said.

The fillings are then cured using ultraviolet light. “It actually bonds to the sur-

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We do all aspects of the dental field. We refer to specialists in cases that are beyond our scope, but overall, we try to make sure our patients are taken care of in our office.

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Dr. Rasmi Akel of Perfect Smile Dentistry face of the tooth so it prevents any micro leakage and holds the tooth together,” Akel said. “Old-style fillings are kind of wedged into the space. The good thing about the resin filling is that you only drill out the part of the tooth that is decayed and it doesn’t matter what shape it is. With amalgam fillings, you have to have the tooth at a certain depth and a certain shape in order to have that filling be retained in place.”

The well-appointed, comfortable waiting area at Perfect Smile Dentistry’s office in Wellington.

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cases that are beyond our scope, but overall, we try to make sure our patients are taken care of in our office.”

Akel, 38, received his dental degree in 2001 from Nova Southeastern University. Married and the father of two children, he divides his time between the Perfect Smile Dentistry offices in Wellington and Boynton Beach, working at each on alternate days.

Dr. Akel’s practice covers all aspects of dentistry, from complex reconstructions to regular checkups.

Treating adults, as well as children from age three, Perfect Smile Dentistry encourages regular checkups, X-rays and cleanings, Akel said, so when cavities are detected, they are usually small. Such

prompt care reduces any future need for root canals and crowns.

“We do all aspects of the dental field,” Akel said. “We refer to specialists in

Perfect Smile’s Wellington office is located at 12300 South Shore Blvd., Suite 208, in the Mizner Place plaza, and the Boynton Beach office is at 7593 Boynton Beach Blvd., Suite 200. Both offices are open six days a week from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

For more information, or to make an appointment, call (561) 204-4494, or visit www.perfectsmiledentistry.com.

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ELLINGTON at Home

(Above) Walls were knocked down and sliding glass doors were replaced with French doors, all in an effort to meld the interior with the exterior of this Palm Beach Polo bungalow.

The area rug, from the City Furniture rug gallery, is hand-woven and unique, made in India.

(Below) Elizabeth “Betsy” Green and City Furniture’s Helly Pierre, who put all the pieces together via City Furniture’s Dianne Davant Academy of Design.

STORY BY JANN SEAL PHOTOS BY LISA KEENEY

I

A Dated Palm Beach Polo Home Springs To New Life Under The Guidance Of City Furniture’s Helly Pierre

t was eight years ago that Kansas City resident Elizabeth “Betsy” Green walked into a charming bungalow in Wellington’s Palm Beach Polo and saw not what was, but what could be. “The home was owned by an elderly Swiss couple and was decorated in what I call ‘1970s Florida’ — mauve, gray and pinks throughout, with the dramatic wood ceilings covered in a whitewash. It was, to say the least, dated,” Green explained.

With a hectic lifestyle that involved owning and showing horses, tending to an ailing husband and traveling between properties, Green’s renovation of her winter home took a back burner. Until she strolled into Wellington’s City Furniture store to look for two pieces of furniture. Before she knew it, Helly Pierre of the company’s Dianne Davant Academy of Design was taking charge of the project.

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Opening up the dining room and dual-purposing the space created an airy backdrop for the contrasting bold furniture.

The contrast continues with a light tile floor and the restaining of all the wood on the ceiling and the trim.

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The two women clicked immediately. “I could say a few words, and she’d just run with it,” Green recalled. “I was on board for the duration — and those two pieces of furniture turned into a total remodel of my home!”

Pierre’s background in kitchen and bath design provided the expertise for landing the job. “Betsy’s kitchen, and in fact her entire home, was so boxedin that when I gave her my vision, that’s what did it,” Pierre said. “We connected, and the rest is history.”

The view from the kitchen was obscured by a wall. The living room was (Above) Eliminating a wall separating the kitchen from the dining area and totally gutting the kitchen gave Helly Pierre the impetus to suspend the cherry wood kitchen cabinetry from the ceiling. Granite replaced blue Formica countertops, and the dining and kitchen areas flow seamlessly.

(Left) Attention to detail is a hallmark of the work of designers associated with the Dianne Davant Academy of Design at City Furniture.

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chopped up into two sitting areas. The effect was a closed-in series of small living spaces with no attention paid to a flow from one room to another. What Pierre saw in Green’s house was a floor plan screaming to get out.

Walls came down, revealing mold and resulting in the removal of all the walls in the home. Cabinetry was ripped out, flooring was pulled up, bathroom tiles demolished.

A total gutting left the kitchen/dining area and living room space wide open to the beautiful views beyond… and gave Pierre the incentive to “be creative.”

“In the kitchen, I floated the cabinetry above the main kitchen counter, which meant one end of the cabinets wasn’t anchored to a ceiling or the wall,” she explained. “It was the only way to continue a view through to the far side of the home. That meant the contractor had to go through the overhead crawlspace in search of a place to put an anchor to hold the cabinetry up.”

A pillar was fitted into place and the cabinetry attached. The look is exciting, befitting the rest of the home.

It was at the beginning of the renovation that Betsy Green’s husband passed away, which gave Pierre the impetus for her design imprint. “I wanted to open the space up for her,” Pierre said. “I needed to let light into her world. Her taste is Old World, which meant heavy and dark.

The only way I could counter that was to take walls down, texture the walls we kept, make the floor light, add color and make sure the windows were always in view.”

One way to achieve that goal was to remove the walls of sliding glass and replace them with French doors. Then, instead of placing draperies over the doors, elegant panels of shantung silk were hung to frame them, leaving the view open and the light streaming in. Green’s idea of knotting the tops of the panels over elaborate rods was further elaborated by the drapery maker,

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Interiors by Vita of Fort Lauderdale. Moldings, millwork, new doors and new tiling came in as well, totally converting the Swiss chalet into a baronial (or should we say baronessial) palace.

The color selection was also specific to the owner’s tastes, with terracotta, bronze and gold as the base. Green deepened the palette by adding hues and tones, and the overall look is one of deliberate choice.

“The colors we chose complement me, my taste and what I want to be surrounded by,” Green said.

Angled wood ceilings were stripped of their whitewash and stained. To offset the Although heavy in appearance and color, the interior design of Betsy Green’s home inspires a lightness of spirit and a feeling of being at one with the outside world.

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Everyone needs a comfortable reading chair, and Betsy Green’s was found at City Furniture, along with the rest of her furnishings. Placed against the faux finish of the walls, you’re transported to a villa in Tuscany!

“chalet” feeling, a skylight was installed in the hallway, allowing sun to pour through.

Dramatic lighting from Leif Lighting in Stuart hangs in appropriate places and casts a glow on the faux-finished walls.

The Old World look is achieved without sacrificing the spirit that natural light brings to the environment.

Drawing on an extensive list of recommended sources specifically chosen by the Davant Academy, Pierre was able to bring in subcontractors to work with general contractor George Haddock. Employing a crew of Portuguese artisans, Haddock’s team not only ripped the old residence apart, they carefully put it back together again every evening.

“I was so impressed by George’s men,” Pierre said. “Before they left the job site at the end of the day, they cleaned up and made the home as immaculate as possible. Betsy was living here through some of the renovation, so they were diligent and accommodated that fact beautifully.”

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When Green was away from the property, the two women used e-mail to communicate, with Pierre sending Green photographs of furniture, and “over and over

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again, the piece would be exactly what I would have chosen on my own,” Green laughed.

Living with a hectic schedule and four dogs, the furnishings needed to be as carefree as possible.

Nearly nine months after the renovations began, Pierre felt it was time to call in the academy’s Christine Magone, who orchestrated the placement of the accessories, all from City Furniture. The end result is a cozy environment that suits its owner perfectly. Green is completely satisfied.

“I live in Tuscany when I come through the door,” she said. “The rooms are homey, yet lavish.”

For more information about the services of the Dianne Davant Academy of Design at City Furniture, contact Helly Pierre at (954) 547-4763.

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I needed to let light into her world. Her taste is Old World, which meant heavy and dark.

The only way I could counter that was to take walls down, texture the walls we kept, make the floor light, add color and make sure the windows were always in view.

Interior Designer Helly Pierre

(Left) The furnishings of the office suite dictate an environment meant for work, blending the boldness of the pieces with feminine touches.

(Below) Betsy Green’s luxurious bedroom is highlighted by a terracotta wall, contrasted with faux finishing on the adjacent walls. Elegant bedding and a comfortable wicker chair bring the design choices together.

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Wellington Table

FRESH FISH, TAPAS AND MORE AT BACALAO

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STORY BY JANN SEAL PHOTOS BY LISA KEENEY

et’s get this out of the way first: bacalao is Spanish for dried and salted cod. But at Bacalao Tapas & Seafood Grille, recently opened in the Pointe at Wellington Green, their cod is served fresh. Very fresh!

Bacalao is an offshoot of Miró Marisquería Catalana, a seafood restaurant in San Juan, Puerto Rico that has already won ten “Golden Fork” awards for excellence. The owners are hoping their magic skillet translates well in Wellington.

The four owners — Carlos Ortiz, Silvio Diaz, Jose Lavilla and Blanca Vazquez — bring with them a blended heritage that includes Cuba, Barcelona, Puerto Rico and New York, and their menu reflects that diversity.

Visitors are at first dazzled at the aqua, silver and white décor of the restaurant, evoking life under the sea, creatively designed by co-owner Silvio Diaz. Your head turns constantly to catch sight of the array of artwork stretched across the walls and perched atop the room dividers. It’s elaborate and gets attention without being intrusive.

Warm bread is brought to your table immediately after you are seated, and the “it’s not butter” that accompanies it isn’t butter. Bacalao prides itself on not using butter at all, and the delicious spread

(Above) The decor at Bacalao Tapas & Seafood Grill is designed to evoke images of the ocean.

(Left) A tapas selection of grilled cuttlefish, grilled baby octopus, Bacalao croquettes and Bacalao cakes are served with a garliccilantro-tomato marmalade.

(Opposite) Palomilla Cubanstyle steak sizzled on the luncheon platter, accompanied by a refreshing salad and dipping sauce.

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adjacent to the bread is actually a garlic emulsification. Smooth, delicate and creamy, the garlic spread melts into the warmth of the freshly baked bread. It’s a perfect start to what follows.

Chefs Silvio and Carlos started putting a magnificent tapas selection in front of us. The exquisite tastes emerging from the Bacalao kitchen included Bacalao croquettes, light and tasty with a delicate crispy crust and served in a béchamel sauce; Bacalao cakes in cilantro sauce bound with a tomato base that added robustness to the cake; grilled baby octopus, crispy along the edges with a hint of lemon; shrimp swimming in a rich, garlic sauce; grilled cuttlefish, a new taste that was light and delightfully chewy; and Bacalao stuffed piquillo peppers, soft and rich in the pepper taste.

(Above) Fresh cod Bacalao has a fine, flaky texture and is covered with a delicate béchamel sauce. A side of house rice, prepared with French onion soup, is served with it to complete the meal.

(Below, left to right) Co-owner Silvio Diaz, bartender Christina Welch, server Kimberly Valeo, co-owner Carlos Ortiz, hostess Morgan Bishop, and chef assistants Gregg Halacy and Ricky Odom.

If an overriding taste of garlic is left in your mouth, it is explained away by Chef Silvio. “We’re all about the garlic and the olive oil,” he smiled.

Grade the tapas a 10-plus — all were taste sensations! Served with the tapas was a choice of white or red sangria, made in house and both tart and fruity,

not sweet. “I should be drinking my water, but I keep reaching for the sangria,” said one of our guests as her hand clasped the base of her wine glass!

Feeling well fed and content, our eyes and stomachs were hit with another surprise as our friendly waitress Kimberly Valeo brought several more dishes to our table. The tapas were just the beginning.

We were in for a tasting of the rest of the Bacalao menu!

Dramatically stretched across a platter and curled at the tip for effect, a skirt steak that had been grilled was served accompanied by a Cabrales cheese sauce, a version of blue cheese but without the edge, and a tangy chili sauce, both for dipping. With the taste of the skirt steak barely gone from our mouths, the house specialty bacalao was served.

“We cook it on a flat French top first, then finish it off in a clay pot so that it doesn’t lose its moisture,” Silvio explained. “When you cut into the fish and it crumbles, you know it’s fresh.”

Our bacalao was very fresh. “When food remains on the plates as they’re brought back into the kitchen, I’m offended,” laughed Silvio, who prides himself on the 12 sauces the kitchen prepares every evening to accompany the restaurant’s nine fish dishes.

Not to be forgotten are the side dishes, especially their rice, which is prepared with a French onion stock instead of water. The flavor is rich without being overpowering. Fried plantains and pastas are also available as accompaniments to both the fish and meat dishes.

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Of special note is the fact that without holding a full liquor license, Bacalao manages to produce what appears to be a full bar. That is accomplished by the use of wine-based stand-ins for ingredients such as tequila and vodka, plus

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specialty drinks such as Maloney’s Irish Cream, a fusion of fresh dairy cream and wine resulting in a natural flavor that is smooth and carries no edge. Besides the sangrias, bartender Christina also offered glasses of Monticello Rioja, and at the end of the meal, espresso and cappuccino. Attention to their customers is paramount in the Bacalao formula!

The lunch and dinner menus at Bacalao are the same, with repeat customers favoring the black paella and the lobster, either with shrimp au gratin in a roasted garlic cream sauce or with scallops in a Cabrales cheese sauce.

Diners have the option of sitting outside in comfortable cushioned chairs and sofas to sample tapas and sangria, or at a more formal setting inside. Both are ideal for an evening of total relaxation and delectable food. With the opening of Wellington’s Bacalao, a new definition of the word has been created — magnificent!

Bacalao Tapas & Seafood Grille, located at 10140 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 170, is open Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. Reservations can be made by calling (561) 753-2836, or visit www.bacalao seafoodgrille.com for more information.

(Below) Desserts are a special treat at Bacalao and include a mountainous chocolate mousse cake or a creamy, vanilla-infused crème brulee.

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Wellington Dining Guide Social Scene Enjoy the ocean’s freshest, most succulent seafood and enjoy mouthwatering cuts of beef at Wellington’s hottest new culinary gem, Bacalao Tapas & Seafood Grille. One nibble and you’ll be hooked!

Open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner.

For full menu, visit www.bacalaoseafoodgrille.com or call (561) 753-2836 for more info.

Backstreets Neighborhood Bar & Grill serves the finest seafood, steaks, salads, burgers and pizzas as well as daily specials. Stop by on Sunday for a 14ounce prime rib dinner. Backstreets is located in the Wellington Plaza and is open for lunch and dinner.

Call (561) 795-0100 for info.

Black Canyon Grill is an American-style restaurant with a Southwestern flair. The open grill kitchen allows diners to see their food being prepared with the finest ingredients. The full bar features specialty margaritas and the house’s famous 42-ounce Black Canyon Margarita. Located at 12041 Southern Blvd. near Albertson’s at the corner of Southern and Crestwood boulevards. For more info., call (561) 296-1147.

Café Las Palmas, located at 7750 Okeechobee Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach, has an international menu with a focus on Cuban and Colombian cuisine. It is open for lunch and dinner, and features live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. For more info., call (561) 697-1786.

Campagnolo Italian Restaurant offers a taste of New York’s Little Italy in Wellington. In the Marketplace at Wycliffe, Campagnolo serves family-style Italian cuisine with huge portions meant to share. For an appetizer, try the stuffed artichokes or mussel soup.

For an entree, try the chicken Campagnolo, veal pizzaiola or penne con broccoli rabe. Located at 4115 State Road 7, it is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. For more info., call (561) 434-9427.

Caribbean Choice Bakery & Restaurant has opened its third location at 955 Sansbury Way featuring roti and wraps, patties and delicacies made with fresh, traditional ingredients. Enjoy authentic dishes such as oxtail, curry goat, jerk chicken, escoveitch fish and more. You don’t have to leave Palm Beach County to get a taste of the islands! For more info., call (561) 784-3737 or visit www.caribbeanchoicebakery.com.

Chez Porky’s BBQ & Louisiana Kitchen recently opened near Fresh Market in Wellington Green Square at 10610 W. Forest Hill Blvd. Enjoy great food and a full wine and liquor bar surrounded by flatscreen TVs broadcasting sporting events. For more info., call (561) 333-7199.

Centanni Café & Restaurant in Royal Palm Beach serves up delicious Italian dishes cooked to order. It is located at the corner of State Road 7 and Southern Blvd. near Kmart. Call (561) 792-7677 for info.

The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach has added a hip new element to its 60-year tradition of offering the finest steaks and ribs with the Polo Steakhouse.

For “ladies that lunch,” there is a lighter menu, and now the hotel proudly introduces the Palm Court Al Fresco with lounge seating and billowing curtains in a lush garden setting. Open for breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch and dinner. Located at 155 Hammon Ave., Palm Beach, call (561) 655-5430 for more info.

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The Equestrian Club by Tavern on the Green, located at 3401 Equestrian Club Road in Wellington, is now open to the public. Everyone can enjoy a wonderful dining experience in this equestrian-style setting. Selected meats, fresh seafood and vegetables make up the menu. For reservations, call (561) 333-1150.

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Wellington Dining Guide Social Scene Drop by the Gypsy’s Horse Irish Pub & Restaurant and relax in a warm, traditional Irish setting complete with oak-barrel tables and a full bar with many types of beer flowing on tap. Regular live entertainment is offered. The Gypsy’s Horse is located in the original Wellington Mall at 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd.

Call (561) 333-3700 for more info.

Ironwood Grille, located in the PGA National Resort & Spa, is now open to the public providing an amazing new contemporary American dining experience.

The heart of the menu is a tempting list of steaks and fresh seafood. Guests will find room for private dining and a wine room featuring a floor-to-ceiling collection of 2,000 bottles. For reservations, call (561) 227-2681 or visit www.ironwoodgrille.com.

When you are planning an outing to the Isle Casino Pompano Park, make sure to include a first-class dining experience. Start out with a specialty themed buffet or a meal at Farraddays’ Steakhouse, where the bar features live jazz every Friday and Saturday night. For more info., visit www.theislepompano park.com or call (877) ISLE-2WIN. The Isle Casino is located at 777 Isle of Capri Circle off Powerline Road, south of Atlantic Blvd. in Pompano Beach.

Kontiki Wine & Raw Bar is located in the Courtyard Shops of Wellington at the corner of Wellington Trace and Greenview Shores Blvd. Steaks and seafood are featured, prepared with a Euro-Asian fusion flair. Enjoy the full sushi bar and a glass or bottle of wine from a large and varied list. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. For more info., call (561) 296-0404.

La Fogata Restaurant serves delicious Mexican cuisine. The restaurant, located in Wellington Town Square at 11924 W. Forest Hill Blvd., features a tequila bar. Call (561) 422-1641 for info.

Lutina’s Pizza serves up New York-style Italian cuisine in a casual atmosphere located in the Shoppes at Chancellor, 12020 South Shore Blvd., Wellington.

Call (561) 422-2929 for info.

Family owned and operated, Mamma Mia’s Trattoria has served South Florida since 1983. Huge portions; open for lunch and dinner; featuring New York style brick oven pizza; specializing in fresh seafood, oakwood-grilled lamb chops, slow-roasted ossobuco and frutti di mare. Mamma Mia is located at 8855 Hypoluxo Road at Lyons Road. Call (561) 963-9565 for more info.

Fondue becomes a memorable four-course dining experience at The Melting Pot, where patrons can dip into something different and discover all the ingredients for a unique dining experience. The Melting Pot, located at 3044 S. Military Trail in Lake Worth, features a relaxed atmosphere, private tables, attentive service, fine wines and signature fondue dinners. It’s a little different, and a lot of fun. For more info., call (561) 967-1009.

Mr. Food No-Fuss Meals is located in the Pointe at Wellington Green. Assemble ready-to-cook meals using fresh ingredients, or let Mr. Food cook for you.

Call (561) 333-4044 or visit www.nofussmeals.com for more info.

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Nature’s Table Café is located in the Wellington Marketplace and offers a wholesome menu featuring hearty soups, specialty salads, gourmet wraps, signature sandwiches and fruit yogurt shakes. Free Wi-Fi access is available, as well as online ordering.

For more info., visit www.ntcwellington.com or call (561) 383-8343.

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Continental cuisine, steaks and seafood are on order at Nicole’s Village Tavern, conveniently located at 12300 South Shore Blvd. in Wellington. Visit Wednesday night for their prime rib dinner special.

For info., call (561) 793-3456 or visit www.nicoles villagetavern.com.

The Players Club Restaurant & Bar (13410 South Shore Blvd., Wellington) features gourmet cuisine along with a popular piano bar, outside dining, two outside smoking bars, live entertainment and catered events. Call (561) 795-0080 for more info.

Sakura’s Steak House, an Asian fusion restaurant, is now open in the Wellington Reserve shopping plaza at 1035 State Road 7, Suite 118. Sakura’s features hibachi tables and a sushi bar, as well as a full liquor bar with nightly martini specials. Call (561) 790-6779 for more info.

Got a craving? Master Chef Shingo at Shingo’s Authentic Japanese Restaurant can satisfy that craving with so many sashimi and sushi varieties, you could never taste them all! Try them a la carte or in combo platters. The restaurant also features many other Japanese specialties. Shingo’s is located in the Woods Walk Plaza at the corner of Lake Worth Road and State Road 7. For more info., call (561) 963-5050.

Stonewood Grill & Tavern in the Pointe at Wellington Green serves up exciting flavors in a casually sophisticated setting. The gourmet American fare features delicious entrees with the perfect wines to accompany. Call (561) 784-9796 or visit www.stonewoodgrill.com for more info.

A family tradition since 1905, Strathmore Bagels is located in the Marketplace at Wycliffe at the corner of State Road 7 and Lake Worth Road. For more info., call (561) 357-0044.

Too Bizaare Café wine, sushi bar and gallery in Jupiter has a varied menu and wine list. There are a variety of tapas, and the sushi bar features various sushi and sashimi as well as classic and hand rolls.

Specialty dishes include pastas, seafood and chicken dishes. Too Bizaare Café is located at 287 E. Indiantown Road. For more info., call (561) 745-1032 or visit www.toobizaare.com.

Drop by TooJay’s Original Gourmet Deli in the Mall at Wellington Green, one of 25 locations in Florida, for lunch or dinner and try their award-winning cuisine. For more info., call (561) 784-9055 or visit www.toojays.com.

Trees Wings & Ribs is located at 603 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. in the Royal Plaza. Eat in or pick up your order of signature wings, ribs, chicken and more.

Tree’s also delivers mouthwatering menu items, and caters events and parties. Visit www.treeswingsand ribs.com or call (561) 791-1535 for more info.

Tub Tim Thai Restaurant in the Marketplace at Wycliffe features authentic Thai cuisine and decor.

Thai dishes made with fresh seafood, juicy duck and authentic ingredients are prepared for you to enjoy.

For more info., call (561) 641-5550 or visit Tub Tim at 4095 State Road 7 at Lake Worth Road.

Zensai Asian Grill & Sushi Bar features Thai, Japanese and Chinese cuisine offering something for everyone. Sushi is made fresh to order daily in an upscale, soothing atmosphere. The restaurant is located at 10233 Okeechobee Blvd. in the Super Target shopping center. Call (561) 795-8882 or visit www.zensairestaurant.com for more info.

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Wellington Calendar WEDNESDAY, JAN. 7 • The 2009 Winter Equestrian Festival opens in Wellington on Jan. 7 and continues through March 29 with a series of weekly show jumping and dressage competitions at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (14440 Pierson Road, Wellington). Shows run Wednesday through Sunday culminating with a Sunday grand prix. For tickets, call (561) 793-5867 or visit www.equestrian sport.com.

THURSDAY, JAN. 8 • The 2009 polo season will open Thursday, Jan. 8 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach with the kickoff of the 20-goal Joe Barry Memorial Cup. The Joe Barry tournament continues until Sunday, Jan. 18. The International Polo Club is located at 3667 120th Avenue South in Wellington.

For tickets, brunch reservations or more information, call (561) 204-5687 or visit www.international poloclub.com.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present “Young Artists Series: Dot It!” on Thursday, Jan. 8 at 3:30 p.m. for ages five through eight. Paint a picture with dots using Qtips. Dress appropriately. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Wellington Women’s Club will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8 for a dinner meeting at the Binks Forest Golf Club. The speaker will be local media personality and entrepreneur Taylor Morgan, daughter of Radio Hall of Fame member Jerry Williams. The guest fee for the evening is $30 and includes a full dinner and the program. RSVP to Mair Armand at (561) 635-0011 or mair@armandpest.com.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present “Pizza & Pages: The Book Thief” on Thursday, Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m. For ages 12 through 17. Participants will discuss The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. Copies will be available at the children’s desk. Pizza will be provided by the Friends of the Library. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

FRIDAY, JAN. 9 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present “Science Club: Snowflakes” on Friday, Jan. 9 and 16 at 3:30 p.m. for ages eight and up.

No two snowflakes are alike. Participants will see if this is true by looking at snow crystal morphology.

Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

SATURDAY, JAN. 10 • The Duncan Theatre at Palm Beach Community College (4200 Congress Avenue, Lake Worth) will present the Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats as part of its Saturday Family Fun Series on Saturday, Jan. 10 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. All seats are $12.

For more info., call (561) 868-3309.

SUNDAY, JAN. 11 • Temple Beth Tikvah (4550 Jog Road, Greenacres) will present “Jewels of Jewish Music” with Nat Titanoff and Dr. Maxine Schackman on Sunday, Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m. They will present a musical slide show highlighting the golden age of Jewish entertainment. The evening is free and open to the public. Call (561) 967-3600 for more information.

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MONDAY, JAN. 12 • The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will host a Chamber Breakfast on Monday, Jan. 12 at 7:45 a.m. at the Gypsy’s Horse Irish Pub & Restaurant in the original Wellington Mall. For more information, call Anitra Harmon at (561) 790-6200.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present violinist Itzhak Perlman with pianist Rohan de Silva in the Dreyfoos Concert Hall on Monday, Jan. 12 at 8 p.m. Call (561) 832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org for more info.

TUESDAY, JAN. 13 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present “Five Secrets to Permanent Weight Loss” on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. for adults. Chiropractor Dr. Sabrina Morgen will explain how your metabolism works and share secrets that can lead to increased energy, weight loss and better health.

Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

THURSDAY, JAN. 15 • The 2009 polo season will continue Thursday, Jan. 15 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach with the start of the 20-goal Ylvisaker Cup. Ylvisaker Cup play will continue until Sunday, Feb. 1. The International Polo Club is located at 3667 120th Avenue South in Wellington. For tickets, brunch reservations or more information, call (561) 2045687 or visit www.internationalpoloclub.com.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present ’70s Soul Jam hosted by Jimmie “J.J.” Walker in the Dreyfoos Concert Hall on Thursday, Jan. 15 at 8 p.m. Call (561) 832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org for more info.

FRIDAY, JAN. 16 • The 2009 South Florida Fair will open at the South Florida Fairgrounds on Southern Blvd. on Friday, Jan. 16 and continue until Feb. 1, offering two weeks of fascinating exhibits, great entertainment, games, rides and tasty fair food. For more info., visit www.southfloridafair.com.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present its Discover the World Book Discussion Series on Friday, Jan. 16 at 2 p.m. for adults.

Barbara Harnick will lead a discussion of Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Sign up and check out the book. Call (561) 790-6070 for more information.

• A Gift Gathering Party to support the Wellington Rotary Club’s March gala will be held on Friday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. at the home of event chair Karen Hardin (9847 Royal Cardigan Way, Wellington). For more info., call Hardin at (561) 324-1149 or e-mail kjhsedona@aol.com.

• The Duncan Theatre at Palm Beach Community College (4200 Congress Ave., Lake Worth) will present Ballet Gamonet for two performances at 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan 16 and Saturday, Jan. 17.

Miami’s resident contemporary ballet company makes its Duncan Theatre series debut as artistic director Jimmy Gamonet de los Heros presents a program designed especially for the Duncan Theatre. Tickets are $29 and $35. For tickets, call (561) 868-3309.

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Wellington Calendar SATURDAY, JAN. 17 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present “Meet the Author: Elizabeth Brundage” on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 2 p.m. for adults.

Meet a promising new author known for writing fast-paced psychological thrillers in a literary style.

Get the scoop on Somebody Else’s Daughter, her recently released second novel. A book signing will follow. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present “Laughter and Reflection with Carol Burnett” in the Dreyfoos Concert Hall on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 8 p.m. Call (561) 832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org for more info.

MONDAY, JAN. 19 • The Quantum House will present the Fifth Annual Taste of Compassion on Monday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Harriet Himmel Theater in CityPlace.

“Dine Around the World” with 25 of Palm Beach County’s finest chefs, who will prepare a selection of gourmet tastings. Tickets cost $75 per person or $125 VIP. For more info., call Bryn Little at (561) 494-0515.

TUESDAY, JAN. 20 • The Fidelis Foundation, a non-profit offering hope, healing and sanctuary to children through equine-assisted therapy, will host its inaugural Peppermint Ball charity gala on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 8 p.m. at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington. For more information, call (561) 860-4567 or visit www.fidelis-foundation.org.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present “Socrates Café” on Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 6:30 p.m. for adults. Marji Chapman will lead a discussion group for amateur philosophers on a variety of group-chosen subjects. Call (561) 7906070 to pre-register.

THURSDAY, JAN. 22 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present “Science Club: CSI” on Fridays, Jan. 23 and 30 at 3:30 p.m. for ages eight and up. Learn some of the techniques forensic scientists use to solve crimes. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present Aquila Theatre Company in Homer’s The Iliad in the Rinker Playhouse on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 22 and 23 at 8 p.m. Call (561) 832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org for more info.

• Palm Beach Opera will present Norma by Vincenzo Bellini at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) in the Dreyfoos Concert Hall on Friday, Jan. 23 through Monday, Jan. 26. Call (561) 832-7469 or go to www.kravis.org for more info.

SATURDAY, JAN. 24 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present “Relationships: The Feng Shui Way” on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 1 p.m. for adults. Pat Heydlauff, an energy design consultant, will show how to attract romance and respect with feng shui. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

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Wellington Calendar • The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., WPB) will present the Aquila Theatre Company in William Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors in the Rinker Playhouse on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 24 and 25. Call (561) 832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org for more info.

TUESDAY, JAN. 27 • The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will host its first Young Professionals Meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 5:30 p.m. at Nicole’s Village Tavern (12300 South Shore Blvd., Wellington). For more info., call Jessica Clasby at (561) 790-6200.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host its Poetry Discussion Group on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 6:30 p.m. for adults. Engage in a provocative discussion of published poems written by various poets. Pick up copies at the information desk. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis in the Dreyfoos Concert Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 8 p.m. Call (561) 832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org for more info.

THURSDAY, JAN. 29 • The 2009 polo season will continue Thursday, Jan. 29 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach with the start of the 20-goal Philip Iglehart Cup. Iglehart Cup play will continue until Sunday, Feb. 22. The International Polo Club is located at 3667 120th Avenue South in Wellington. For tickets, brunch reservations or more info., call (561) 204-5687 or visit www.internationalpoloclub.com.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present “Presidents & Their First Ladies: Richard & Pat Nixon” on Thursday, Jan. 29 at 2 p.m. for adults. William and Sue Wills will present the compelling story of this first couple’s years in the White House. Pre-register in person for free tickets. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info.

• The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will present Power Networking on Thursday, Jan. 29 at 4:30 p.m. at the original Wellington Mall (12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). For more info., call Debi Leed at (561) 790-6200.

FRIDAY, JAN. 30 • The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., WPB) will present Chicago City Limits “MySpace or Yours?” in the Rinker Playhouse on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 30 and 31. Call (561) 832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org for info.

• Ballet Florida will present Norbet Vesak’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) in the Dreyfoos Concert Hall on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 30 and 31. Call (561) 8327469 or visit www.kravis.org for more info.

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SATURDAY, JAN. 31 • The Susan G. Komen’s 2009 Race for the Cure will take place along Flagler Drive in downtown West Palm Beach on Saturday, Jan. 31. Get involved by registering online at www.komensouth florida.org or calling (561) 841-0041.

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Around Wellington

Calendar Donation — Nicole’s Village Tavern in Wellington hosted a unique calendar signing party on Thursday, Dec. 4 featuring Gary and Carrie Kane, the photographer and stylist behind the 2009 equestrian women calendar Les Femmes Équestres. The calendar contains fashionable images of local riders Georgina Bloomberg, Paige Johnson, Amy Swerdlin, Monica Burssens, Ainsley Vince and several other notables. At the event, the Kanes presented a $5,000 donation to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, one of the charities benefitting from the calendar. Shown right is Shauna Hostetler, Terri Priore, Gary and Carrie Kane, Tony Robinson and Julie Denning with the Making Strides donation. PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN

Viso LASIK Support Guide Dog Foundation —

(Above) Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind volunteer Tom Collins with Vacca. (Left) Vacca with Raquel McInnis, Marc-Anthony Fraser, Tricia Knorr, Melody Duploy.

Viso LASIK Medspas in Wellington teamed up with the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind on Tuesday, Dec. 2 for a day of beauty. The event featured hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, as well as special discounts on beauty services, with ten percent of all sales for the day donated to the foundation. Viso LASIK Medspas is located at 2515 State Road 7, Suite 210. For more info., call (561) 795-4772 or visit www.visolasikmed spas.com. For more information about the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, visit www. guidedog.org. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN

WHS Marching Band Hosts Pearl Harbor Day Concert — The Wellington High School Mighty Wolverine Sound marching band presented a memorial concert in honor of Pearl Harbor Day on Sunday, Dec. 7 at the original Wellington Mall. Members of the Mighty Wolverine Sound have been honored with an invitation to perform at the battleship USS Missouri, which is permanently docked in Pearl Harbor.

The performance is scheduled for March 30, 2009. PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER (Left) Members of the clarinet section perform.

(Below) WHS Band Boosters Association Event Coordinator Maria Becker addresses the crowd.

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