Wellington The Magazine December 2009

December 2009

Holiday A Fashionable WELLINGTON

Plus

Community Groups Spread Holiday Cheer Wellington’s Safe Neighborhoods Initiative At Home With Joe And Ashley Maguire Ristorante Vino’s Authentic Italian Cuisine

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contents

DECEMBER 2009

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departments WELLINGTON SOCIAL SCENE

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Marshall Foundation Celebrates Everglades At Wellington Gala

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A Fun And Fit Time As Wellington Community Run/Walk Returns

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Puttin’ On The Ritz Gift Gathering Supports Diabetes Research Gala

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Wine Tasting At Star Liquors Benefits Wellington Rotary Charities

60 WELLINGTON AT HOME The majestic Aero Club home of Joe and Ashley Maguire features Old World charm with modern conveniences. “It has great bones, and the minute we walked in, we had a vision of how to transform it into our dream home,” Joe recalled. BY DEBORAH WELKY

70 WELLINGTON TABLE If you love authentic Italian food, you’ll definitely want to check out the new Ristorante Vino. Owners Joe and Mariann Billante greet every guest with a complimentary glass of chianti, and the wine is just a warm-up for great things to come. BY DEBORAH WELKY

20 WELLINGTON WATCH 75 WELLINGTON DINING GUIDE 81 WELLINGTON CALENDAR 86 AROUND WELLINGTON ON THE COVER Rachel Oshinksy models an ivory and gold strapless dress by Masquerade, available at Dillard’s in the Mall at Wellington Green.

Justin Fundiler models a black singlebutton tuxedo and tie by Jos. A. Bank in the Mall at Wellington Green.

They are shown with 2007 Ford Mustang GT convertible available through Auto Sport.

Photographed at Palm Beach Polo.

Styling by Nicole Caceres.

Hair & Makeup by Gabriella Bianchini.

PHOTO BY GARY KANE

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features 24 LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS HELP THOSE IN NEED For many this year, holiday celebrations will be meager. But hundreds of disadvantaged families will have the opportunity to experience holiday cheer thanks to the kindness and generosity of many Wellington organizations this month. BY LAUREN MIRÓ

34 A FASHIONABLE WELLINGTON HOLIDAY With the cooler weather bringing the reminder of a change in seasons, we remember that the holiday season has arrived. This month’s special holiday-themed fashion feature aims to capture the youth, style and exuberance of the season. BY GARY KANE

40 DANCING ON ICE: A PASSION FOR SKATING Missing the traditional northern weather this holiday season?

When nationally recognized figure skater Debra Fertig relocated to Wellington from New York two years ago, she brought a little bit of the magic of ice with her. BY DEBORAH WELKY

48 VILLAGE INITIATIVE TARGETS PROBLEM AREAS Wellington’s so-called “transitional neighborhoods” are getting more attention than just cops and code enforcement these days.

The village has invested about $1 million in a program known as Safe Neighborhoods. Its goals are not only to reduce crime, but also to improve property values and engage community residents through recreation, family activities and civic efforts. BY ANGIE FRANCALANCIA

56 AT BRIGHTSTAR, HEALTHCARE IS ABOUT FAMILY Bruce and Beth Perrotta learned the value of quality home healthcare when they were thrust into the roles of patient and caregiver after Bruce suffered a car accident and Beth spent more than a month at his side in the hospital as he recovered. Seeking a business they could operate together, the couple found a fit with BrightStar Healthcare. BY RON BUKLEY WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2009

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Wellington The Magazine

A MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER

We Salute Holiday Service Organizations volume

6, number 12 | december 2009

publisher/executive editor

Joshua I. Manning associate publisher

Dawn Rivera graphic designer

Suzanne Summa circulation coordinator

Betty Buglio bookkeeping

Carol Lieberman account managers

Michelle Deegan Evie Edwards Wanda Glockson Nicola Jimenez photography

Bill Barbosa Bea Bolton Devin Jacoviello Gary Kane Susan Lerner contributors

Jason Budjinski Ron Bukley Denise Fleischman Angie Francalancia Lauren Miró Carol Porter 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

Published by Wellington The Magazine, LLC Barry S. Manning chairman/chief executive officer Maureen Budjinski vice president Wellington The Magazine is published monthly in Wellington, Florida. Copyright 2009, 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.

The holiday season is about giving, receiving and celebrating the good things in life. But in tough times, too many are going without. That’s why Wellington’s holiday service organizations are more important than ever. This month, Wellington The Magazine profiles just a few of the dozens of worthy organizations out to spread holiday cheer this season. For the past 25 years, Beverly Perham and her Back to Basics crew have made sure that thousands of needy children start the year with new sneakers, socks and underwear. Meanwhile, St. Therese de Lisieux’s Angel Tree program is one of many churchbacked efforts designed to help those less fortunate.

Also featured are the good works of the Wellington Women’s Club and My Brother’s/Sister’s Keeper Charitable Trust.

On the lighter side of the holiday season is an exciting fashion feature presented by well-known Wellington photographer Gary Kane celebrating the playful, stylish splendor that only festive holiday events can bring. And if you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, you may be interested to know that ice skating is alive and well in the Palm Beaches. This issue we profile nationally recognized figure skating trainer Debra Fertig of Wellington, who aims to spread her passion for this traditionally northern pursuit.

Longtime Wellington writer Angie Francalancia returns to our pages this issue with a look at Wellington’s new Safe Neighborhoods Initiative, a million-dollar project designed to shore up the village’s problem areas, reduce crime and beautify older neighborhoods. The multi-pronged endeavor has already shown concretes signs of progress.

Wellington at Home celebrates the season at the Aero Club estate of Joe and Ashley Maguire. It may look like a palace fit for a king, but this is one home designed for living, and alive with the sounds of young children. Wellington Table dines at the new Ristorante Vino in Royal Palm Beach, which serves up authentic Italian cuisine backed by generations of experience. We also visit with local business owners Bruce and Beth Perrotta to learn the background behind their BrightStar Healthcare franchise, and we preview some of the exciting Wellington events planned this season to benefit the EQUUS Foundation.

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and wonderful New Year to all our readers.

We’ve got many exciting things in the works for 2010, Wellington The Magazine’s seventh year of “bringing you the best of Wellington.”

Joshua Manning Publisher/Executive Editor

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Wellington Advertiser List Advertiser Page Advanced Medical Clinic .............................. 51 & 80 Agliolio Fresh Pasta & Wine Bar .......................... 76 Alexander L. Domb, PA .........................................32 American Heritage School ....................................12 American Shutter Designs ................................... 68 Ankle & Foot Centre of South Florida .................. 45 Anthony Vince Nail Spa........................................ 80 Armand Professional Services ............................. 79 Backyard Depot..................................................... 67 Bea Bolton Photography ...................................... 82 Brass Monkey Tavern............................................ 74 BrightStar Healthcare ...........................................69 Cabinets Plus of Palm Beach ............................... 65 Cambridge School ................................................ 45 Campagnolo Trattoria ........................................... 76 Centanni Italian Restaurant.................................. 74 Claudia Diesti ....................................................... 84 Clean Simplicity .................................................... 39 Cosmetic Plastic Surgery ...................................... 46 Designer’s Touch Jewelry ..................................... 43 Diagnostic Centers of America .............................. 6 DJ Computers ........................................................81 Dolce Dental ........................................................... 8 Dr. Isaac Halfon .....................................................53 Eclipse Salon & Spa............................................... 51 Equestrian Footings & Services ........................... 39 Errands Etc. of Palm Beach .................................. 63 Fit Studio .............................................................. 80 Floor Specialists ................................................... 63 Florida Eye Microsurgical Institute .......................32 Flower Kingdom ................................................... 30 Generations Hair Salon ........................................ 44 Generations Hair Salon, Anthony Gutilla ............ 27 Global Gold Rush ..................................................55 Grayhills & Mohip Dental .................................... 46 Green Team Solutions .......................................... 67 Hair Spray Salon, Nikki Bailey.............................. 36 Hair Spray Salon, Samantha Kohlhorst ................55

Hi Lites Hair Studio.............................................. 42 Hillary’s Heart....................................................... 39 Horticulturist ........................................................ 36 Illustrated Properties, Boardwalk Group .............. 13 I’m Greek Today .................................................... 74 Insurance & Financial Services Group ................ 80 Insurance for You...................................................85 Jason’s Deli ............................................................73 JEZ Capital .............................................................17 Kanold’s Welding ..................................................66 Kontiki Wine & Raw Bar ........................................75 La Mer Nails & Spa ...............................................83 Lana Lobell Farms .................................................18 Law Offices of Daniel R. Brinley, PA..................... 79 Merrill Lynch, Laura Hanson Virginia .................. 44 My Whole Pet Market ............................................ 15 Mystique Jewelry ....................................................32 Nicole’s Pasta & Grill ............................................77 Norlug Enterprises ...............................................66 OACES Tennis Center ........................................... 59 O’Dell Inc. ............................................................ 20 Pacillo’s Custom Furniture ................................... 63 Palm Beach Hair Solutions .................................. 50 Palm Beach Psychological Associates .................. 51 Palm Beach Wellness Center ................................ 19 Palms West Hospital .............................................. 4 Paymaster ..............................................................81 Perfect Smile Dentistry ..........................................21 Photo Designs Inc. ............................................... 84 Plastic Surgery of Palm Beach................................ 7 Pleasure Island Tanning ........................................83 PMI Remodeling & Repairs.................................. 65 Psychic Reading Advisor ...................................... 76 Red Balloon Consignment Shop ...........................32 Rejuva Med Spa .....................................................33 Ristorante Vino ..................................................... 74 Robert R. Morris, Attorney at Law........................ 46 Royal Inn ..................................................................3 Royal Palm Auto Spa .............................................83

Royal Palm Flooring ............................................. 65 Sadati Center for Aesthetic Dentistry..................... 2 Sal’s Italian Restaurant..........................................73 Sam Jon’s Salon & Day Spa ..................................53 Sanda Gané European Day Spa ..............................5 Sea Breeze Air Conditioning ................................69 Smiles by Jiveh ...................................................... 88 Smith Services ...................................................... 65 South Florida Gastroenterology ........................... 47 South Florida Radiation Oncology ........................23 South Florida Skin & Laser................................... 16 South Shore Dentistry ...........................................55 Spices Modern Thai & Sushi.................................73 Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., Thomas Leinwol .............. 79 Stonewood Grill .................................................... 78 Strawn & Monaghan PA ........................................53 Subscription Form .................................................81 Suburban Volvo of Palm Beach .............................83 Tanism .................................................................. 54 Tipsy Salon & Spa................................................. 36 TooJay’s Gourmet Deli...........................................77 ToothTown Pediatric Dentistry .............................69 Ultima Fitness .......................................................85 USET Holiday Gala Fundraiser by Succeed ......... 29 Van Dell Jewelers .................................................. 28 Visions Salon ........................................................ 30 Viso LASIK Medspas ............................................ 87 Vital Longevity Water, Susan Lerner..................... 82 WellingTAN ........................................................... 39 Wellington Agency ................................................ 36 Wellington Day Spa .............................................. 59 Wellington Entrepreneur of the Year .................... 78 Wellington Marketplace......................................... 51 Wellington Nails & Spa ........................................ 54 Wellington Regional Medical Center..................... 11 Wellington Royal Marble & Granite ..................... 68 Wellness Experience ............................................. 43 Westside Bagels .................................................... 76 Zen Massage ........................................................ 42

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Wellington Social Scene

Photos by Denise Fleischman

Marshall Foundation Celebrates Everglades At Wellington Gala

Commissioner Jess Santamaria accepts his award surrounded by Marshall Foundation board members.

John Marshall (center) honors Tara Fain and Mark Perry of the Everglades Coalition.

“Jazz It Up! for the Everglades,” a benefit in support of the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation’s Everglades education and outreach programs, was held Sunday, Nov. 8 at the original Wellington Mall. Highlights included entertainment featuring the Palm Beach Central High School Jazz Ensemble and pianists Copeland Davis and Matt Savage. The second annual “Champions of the Everglades” awards were presented to former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, County Commissioner Jess Santamaria and the Everglades Coalition in honor of significant contributions to environmental issues.

Bobbi Horwich and Shelley Graham.

Don Baylor, Paul Rowan, Chef Guy Grass and Colin Jackson from the Gypsy’s Horse, which provided the buffet dinner.

Sheriff Ric and Dorothy Bradshaw with former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham.

Harry & Bobbi Horwich with Shelley & Bill Graham.

(Above) Steve and Jayme Horowitz with Sylvia and Charlie Pelizza. (Below) John Marshall, Event Chair Roberta Drey, Nancy Marshall and Honorary Chairs Victoria and Jess Santamaria.

(Above) Pianists Matt Savage and Copeland Davis. (Below) Gisela Pferdekamper and Gisa Wagner.

(Left) Norma Barbee and Norman Gitzen.

(Below) The Palm Beach Central High School Concert Jazz Ensemble under the direction of James Yaques.

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Wellington Social Scene

Photos by Carol Porter and Stu Ulrich

A Fun And Fit Time As The Wellington Community Run/Walk Returns After a year’s hiatus, the Wellington Community Fitness 5K Run/Walk returned on Saturday, Nov. 7, presented by the Palms West Community Foundation and volunteer co-chairs Joanna Boynton and Terri Priore.

A portion of the event’s profits will go to the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. For results, visit www.accuchiptiming.com and click on the “Race Results and Event Pictures” link.

(Above) Runners take off from the starting line. (Below) Ultima Fitness trainers provide entertainment.

Event co-chairs Joanna Boynton and Terri Priore.

Ashley Pickford, Taryn Lentz and Nina Mangiola.

(Above) Members of Boy Scout Troop 208 lead the Pledge of Allegiance before the race. (Left) Dr. Farokh Jiveh with his wife Jhaleh and daughter Ella.

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Wellington Social Scene

Photos by Denise Fleischman

Puttin’ On The Ritz Gift Gathering Supports Diabetes Research Gala A “Puttin’ on the Ritz” gift-gathering party was held Saturday, Nov. 14 at the Breakers West Country Club. Party-goers dressed in 1920s fashions. The gifts will be incorporated into baskets to be used in the silent auction at the Feb. 20 Vintages Gala to benefit the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI). For more info., visit www.vintagesdri.org.

(Left) Norma Vega and Peter Lashmet.

(Below) Carmine Priore III and his wife Terri with Karen and Bob Cavanagh.

Raffle winners Darlene and Aaron Cohen (center) with hosts Carmine Priore III and wife Terri.

Norma Vega, Joe Librizzi, Terri Priore, Phyllis and Barry Manning, Gabriella Bianchini and Kate Reagan.

Scott and Mair Armand with Terri and Glenn Wescott.

Mike and Marie Bianchini.

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Wellington Social Scene

Photos by Joshua Manning

Wine Tasting At Star Liquors Benefits The Wellington Rotary Club

Corinne Lozach and Lew Blatte.

Star Liquors in the Wellington Town Square plaza hosted a wine tasting Saturday, Nov. 14. For $10, participants were able to sample a wide variety of wines and liquors while enjoying appetizers and hors d’oeuvres from area restaurants. The money was donated to the Wellington Rotary Club Scholarship Foundation and other local charities. For more about Star Liquors, call (561) 790-2432.

Courtney Kolb, Georgette Rentz and Antonete Venezia with Johnnie Walker.

Karen Hardin, Susan Odell and Judy Tannehill.

Bob and Susan Friedman with Carmen Perez of Woodford Reserve.

Barry Manning with Carri and Bob Salerno.

Representatives of host Star Liquors included (L-R) Dhruv, Amit, Priti and Vishal Patel with Divesh Joshi.

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Wellington Watch

BY joshua manning, lauren miró & ron bukley

Wellington Gets $3.8 Million For Forest Hill Blvd. Work The Wellington Village Council approved a resolution Nov. 24 that will put $3.8 million in federal stimulus money to work on Forest Hill Blvd. improvements starting in January.

The village has identified almost $15 million in improvements for Forest Hill Blvd., Deputy Village Manager John Bonde said. The project will include street lighting on portions of the thoroughfare, directional signage, new pavement, new curbing, sidewalks and landscaping.

“The project is ‘Forest Hill Boulevarding’ — which is what we’re calling the project — a redo of main street Wellington,” Bonde said. “Although the project cost much exceeds the stimulus money, we’re going to use that stimulus money to supplement what the village has set aside for the project.”

The project is slated to begin in January, when village staff will come back to the council with contracts for several of the construction phases.

“We’re trying to get our project designed, approved and constructed on the timeline. That will put people to work. The whole concept is to put people to work.”

“We’re trying to move this project,” Bonde said. “Evidently, the State of Florida is lagging behind as far as construction with stimulus money. The governor on down have stated they want to move the projects as quickly as possible, so we’re trying to meet their requirements and schedules.”

Wellington To Review Tennis Program — The Wellington Village Council, worried about paying too much for its tennis program, agreed Nov. 10 to try renegotiating its contract with tennis professional Tommy Cheatham and his company Cheatham Inc. The council also directed village staff to solicit new tennis proposals and evaluate them by the end of the current budget year next September. The village has contracted with Cheatham since opening the Wellington Tennis Center in 1999. The contract calls for Cheatham’s company to run the 16-court center. Cheatham provides management, lessons, programs and tournaments, earning nothing directly from the village, but profiting from daily fees, league

Bonde said the village has done well with receiving the stimulus money. The original agreement was for $3 million, but $800,000 in unused money from other projects was transferred to Wellington, increasing its allotment to $3.8 million, Bonde said.

“That was very good news,” he said.

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fees, lessons and the pro shop. But Wellington spends about $120,000 a year on maintenance and electricity at the tennis center. Under a proposed new contract, Cheatham Inc. would absorb the cost of a customer service employee, saving the village $57,000 annually. The council agreed that the tennis program was being run well by Cheatham, but Councilman Howard Coates proposed that the council try renegotiating the contract. “This isn’t an issue of quality,” he said. “This is an issue of cost.” Longtime Wellington activist Alan Medoff urged the council not to renew the contract, calling Cheatham’s agreement “a sweetheart deal.” However, council members felt that not renewing the contract at least through Sept. 30, 2010 would be disruptive to programs already in place.

into focus in November when three candidates announced their intentions to run. Councilman Howard Coates Jr., who was appointed to fill a vacancy earlier this year, confirmed that he will indeed seek election to a full council term.

An attorney, Coates narrowly lost a 2008 bid for a council seat. Two candidates — attorney Rob Ostrov and longtime Wellington activist Anne Gerwig — opened campaigns for the seat being vacated in

March by Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto. Leaving due to term limits, Benacquisto is currently running for a seat in the Florida State Senate. Aside from the two council seats, the mayor’s post is also up for election in March. As of late November, incumbent Mayor Darell Bowen is the only announced candidate for the village’s top elected post. Candidates have until Feb. 9 to file. The election will be held on March 9.

Village Employees Lend A Helping Hand — Wellington’s senior management has begun monthly “help days” in an effort to make life better for residents in need.

One Friday each month, several Wellington staffers volunteer their day off on projects focused on making home improvements for residents who are unable to do so themselves. The first project was held Nov. 13 and aided a woman and her mother who live off Social Security disability and received multiple code violations but were unable to repair their home, Wellington Neighborhood Advocate Meridith Tuckwood said. “They had no way to get it resolved,” she said. “We went out there to help bring them up to code. We did landscaping and even pressure washed the roof.” The next project is set for Dec. 18 and will benefit a 77-year-old woman who cares for her 98-year-old mother. Tuckwood said the woman has been unable to afford to make improvements on their home after she took out a second mortgage to pay for her late son’s medical bills.

After the village helps renovate the home, scouts will paint it on Dec. 19 with paint donated by a local company.

Wellington Election Update — Wellington’s upcoming election season came WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE • december 2009

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EQUUS Foundation Plans Two Wellington Events This Season

The thousands who enjoy equestrian events in Wellington each winter can not only reap the benefit of the exciting sports of show jumping, dressage and polo, they can also give something back.

The EQUUS Foundation was established in 2002 as a national charitable organization to raise public awareness of the value of the horse in society through education and the awarding of grants to equestrian and horse-related charitable organizations.

“We are thrilled that with our 2009 awards, we have topped $1.3 million in grants since our first awards in 2003,” EQUUS Chair Jenny Belknap Kees said.

Horses make a significant contribution not just in the competitive arena, but also in everyday life. Bonding with these gentle giants produces many emotional and cognitive benefits: empowerment, motivation, improved self-esteem, problem-solving, decision-making, memory development, self-expression, ability to (Below left) 2009 Equestrian Idol Jen White Kane (center) with Jenny Belknap Kees (left) and Clea Newman Soderlund (right). (Below right) McLain Ward wowed the crowd with this stunt at the 2005 Fete Cheval.

follow direction, attention to detail and the willingness to face challenges. The relationship builds cooperation, independence, patience, trust and hope.

But the global economic crisis has resulted in more than just people going hungry. The number of neglected and abandoned horses in the United States has reached an epidemic level. With no other place to go, many are shipped to Canada and Mexico for slaughter. This tragedy becomes truly needless when these horses could become critically important, sentient aides to the public, especially children.

The EQUUS Foundation relies on the support of individuals and organizations to further its mission. Recognizing that competition for charitable dollars is fierce, the foundation sponsors unique and entertaining events each year and raises almost all of its money for grant awards from event attendance.

The EQUUS Foundation will host not one, but two events for the Wellington community to enjoy in 2010.

Featuring musical performances by talented equestrians, the Equestrian Idol

event has emerged as an eagerly awaited annual tradition. It will be held on Friday, Feb. 12 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Mason Phelps Jr. will again serve as the master of ceremonies.

The evening’s judges will include equestrians Margie Goldstein-Engle, Leslie Howard and Frank Madden. The fourth slot will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Past performers have included Dianne Bricker, Heather Caristo, Hillary Dobbs, Patricia Griffith, Casey Hodges, Brian Lookabill and Chad Watridge, along with Jen White Kane, who was named the 2009 Equestrian Idol before a sellout crowd.

“Each year we have sponsored this event, we have been amazed by the talented equestrians who volunteer to perform at Equestrian Idol. Anyone interested in performing should contact us at (203) 259-1550 or via e-mail at equus@equusfoundation.org,” said Visse Wedell, who is co-chairing the event with Gray Fadden.

The EQUUS Foundation will also be bringing back another unique event Friday, Feb. 26, 2010 at the International Polo Club. Hundreds of guests attending the Fete Cheval in 2005 and 2006

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Photos courtesy Phelps Media Group

enjoyed an evening of cocktails, a silent auction and dinner, but the highlight was the internationally known Grand Prix riders and trainers who demonstrated not only their unique equestrian talent, but also great sportsmanship in the gymkhana games performed following dinner.

Spy Coast Farm is hosting Fete Cheval 2009. Ralph Caristo and Susie Schoellkopf will be on hand to “judge” the competitors in a round of Musical Stalls and a Power & Speed Relay, concluding with a Surprise Ride-Off among the game winners. Karen Flynn of the University of Miami Intercollegiate Equestrian Team will be donating the horses for the event.

The audiences were up on their feet roaring and rooting throughout previous Fete Chevals, but the final ride-off surpassed everyone’s expectations when in 2006 Todd Minikus rode his horse sitting in the saddle backward, matching the amazing feat performed by McLain Ward in 2005 riding his mount standing up.

The proceeds from the Wellington events will be used to award grants in three priority areas: public welfare grants for therapeutic horseback riding and equine-assisted activities for individuals in need; horse welfare grants supporting horse rescue, rehabilitation, adoption and more; and sport welfare grants given to programs such as scholarships, land conservation, public education, youth programs and providing relief to equestrians affected by illness or injury.

For more information, or to attend either of the events, contact the EQUUS Foundation at equus@equusfoundation.org or visit www.equusfoundation.org.

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(Clockwise from top left) County Commissioner Jess Santamaria, founder of My Brother’s/Sister’s Keeper Charitable Trust; Ellen Stroope, Denise Miles and Back to Basics founder Beverly Perham hold the names of the 6,000 children the local charity hopes to support this year; Laurie Piel, Cheryl Rivelli and Allyson Samiljan of the Wellington Women’s Club stuff baskets with food for Thanksgiving; and Paty Gustafson-Barr, Mae Loglisci, Linda Messina, Jean McKeen and Teresa Gitto of the Angel Tree program at St. Therese de Lisieux Catholic Church.

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Holiday Cheer

SPREADING

Wellington Organizations Reach Out To Those In Need STORY BY LAUREN MIRÓ  PHOTOS BY SUSAN LERNER

The holidays are a time when families gather for celebrations of food, gifts and good cheer.

But many families in Wellington and all over Palm Beach County face the reality that their celebrations will be meager this year. Yet several disadvantaged families will have the opportunity to experience holiday cheer thanks to the kindness and generosity of many organizations in the western communities.

“I think we’re supposed to be aware of the community around us and help out if we’re able to,” longtime Wellington activist Beverly Perham said. “We should contribute to the community we live in and care about it.”

Perham is the president and founder of the non-profit organization Back to Basics, which provides disadvantaged children with basic necessities. Since 1984, Perham has been providing needy children with sneakers, socks and underwear — basic items that many of them don’t have.

Just days before Christmas in 1984, Perham received a phone call from a friend. “She said that 30 kids had just gotten off a boat from Haiti and had absolutely nothing,” Perham recalled.

With her own $500, Perham bought sneakers, socks and underwear for all 30 children — and the idea of Back to Basics was born.

Perham now helps about 6,000 children each year from depressed areas in Palm Beach County.

“I’m just trying to provide a little additional generosity at Christmas,” she said. “That way, when the kids go back [to school], they have something to show off.”

The children’s names are provided to Perham through the schools, where she has many contacts. She gives out the children’s names, ages and sizes to local churches and other organizations whose members donate the items.

‘I think we’re supposed to be aware of the community around us and help out if we’re able to. We should contribute to the community we live in and care about it.’

Back to Basics founder Beverly Perham WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2009

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The organization has even garnered support from tennis star Andy Roddick, who Perham said is a big donor.

However, Perham puts her own blood, sweat and tears into the project. “It’s a mom-and-pop organization,” she said.

“There’s no paid staff, and often I spend my own money.”

She said that after they give out names, Perham and her husband provide gifts from their own money for any child who hasn’t been chosen.

“I wish I could cover 6,000 more children each year,” she said. “But I’m only one person with limited resources.”

Perham said she keeps the organization small and stays out of the public eye because she’s not looking for the glory. “I see a need, and I’m supposed to fill it,” she said. “It makes a difference in the kids’ lives and in the parents’ lives, and people like to donate because they know a special child will get their gift.”

(Above) Back to Basics founder Beverly Perham has developed procedures that make this huge effort function smoothly. (Below left) Perham keeps a “store” of items to add to incomplete or missing gifts. (Below right) These packages will be placed in plastic bags for pickup once all the gifts for the school are ready.

For more information about Back to Basics, or to donate, call Perham at (561) 7957766. 

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St. Therese de Lisieux Catholic Church in Wellington provides similar joy to special children in need with its Angel Tree.

For each of the past six years, parishioners select one or more angels from the tree at the church and fulfill that child’s holiday wishes. “The majority of what children ask for is clothing and books,” organizer Mae Loglisci said. “But people always include a little toy, too.”

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which provides temporary housing for women and children in need.

In its inception, the Angel Tree sponsored children in Belle Glade, but many other organizations have also focused on Belle Glade, so the church decided to help children from other disadvantaged areas, Loglisci said.

The Angel Tree is covered with between 300 and 400 angels each year, and Loglisci said that parishioners often buy for as many children as their means allow.

“We have been blessed with such a giving parish,” she said.

For more information about the St. Therese’s Angel Tree program, call the church at (561) 784-0689. 

Paty Gustafson-Barr, Mae Loglisci and Jean McKeen select angels off of St. Therese’s Angel Tree.

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In the spirit of giving, the Wellington Women’s Club has provided local fami-

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(Left) The Wellington Women’s Club baskets are created entirely out of donations from club members.

(Right) Laurie Piel, Allyson Samiljan and Cheryl Rivelli stuff the baskets with food prior to Thanksgiving.

lies in need with a complete Thanksgiving meal for more than 20 years.

“This year we’ve collected enough money for six really nice sized baskets,” Corresponding Secretary Allyson Samiljan said. “We’ve already picked six families who get to have a dinner they might not have had otherwise.”

The baskets are created entirely by donation from club members and local merchants. They include all the essentials to make a Thanksgiving meal, along with a gift card to Publix so the family may purchase a fresh turkey or ham and fresh dessert. “We’re not the biggest group in the world,” Samiljan said. “We only have about 50 members, but they’re very generous.”

Samiljan said that the families are referred to the club through the Royal Palm Beach Child Development Center at the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) and through the Harmony House, a secure shelter for women who face domestic violence.

The club supports both organizations all year long and also helps the Harmony House bring Christmas to the women and children living there. They collect personal items and toys to give to the women “who often show up with nothing, just the clothes on their back.”

With the downturn in the economy, there is often a rise in domestic violence, Samiljan noted. Club members donate toys along with items like cosmetics or robes — things that the women may have had to leave behind.

The items also are meant to help the women when they transition out of Harmony House. The YWCA provides the means for them to transition, including teaching women a trade or helping with interview skills. “The Y helps them get back on their feet,” Samiljan said.

For more information about these Wellington Women’s Club programs, call Allyson Samiljan at (561) 798-6741. 

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Helping residents get back on their feet is what inspired County Commissioner Jess Santamaria to begin My Brother’s/ Sister’s Keeper Charitable Trust (MBSK) five years ago. The organization’s mission statement notes that “the strong and the fortunate have a social obligation to protect and assist the weak and less fortunate amongst us until they are able to help themselves.”

Santamaria said he believes in the proverb “give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime,” and has focused his orga-

nization on giving the less fortunate the means to help themselves.

In the spirit of giving, MBSK hosts two events for the holidays: one that provides essential items to the less fortunate residents of Belle Glade, and one to bring cheer to the homeless in Palm Beach County.

Four years ago, the organization partnered with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to help some of the poorest families in Palm Beach County.

Armed with $10,000 donated by MBSK, the deputies of Belle Glade and Pahokee pick out 100 of the most disadvantaged families in the area and bring them to the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Belvedere Road in Royal Palm Beach the second week of December.

Each family is given $100 to spend on food, clothing and other necessities. “It serves two purposes,” Santamaria said.

“It helps these families, but it also helps the PBSO’s image. It’s nice to show how much they care about the poor in the Glades.”

The families are accompanied by deputies who wheel the shopping carts, partially as a courtesy but also to ensure the money is not being spent on non-essential items.

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“Many of these families are single moms with two or three kids,” Santamaria said.

“Most are so grateful and happy to have someone who really cares about them.”

In an effort to show care for those who may have nothing at all, MBSK also hosts

a holiday party for homeless residents of Palm Beach County. “My interest has long been to help the homeless in Palm Beach County,” Santamaria said. “I’ve partnered with the Lord’s Place because it is similar to my organization — they help the homeless help themselves.

They don’t just provide food and a place to sleep, they offer counseling and job training so they can get employment.”

In partnership with the Lord’s Place and the Wellington Rotary Club, last year MBSK held its first holiday party in the original Wellington Mall. Santamaria provided food from Boston Market for over 250 people from the Lord’s Place shelter, and Rotarians donated toys.

Commissioner Jess Santamaria, founder of My Brother’s/Sister’s Keeper Charitable Trust.

In addition to food and non-alcoholic drinks, Santa and Mrs. Claus made a special appearance to hand out toys to all the children.

This year, the event will return on Sunday, Dec. 20, and Santamaria said he hopes to make it an annual event.

“It was an exciting time and a chance to have personal contact with the people we’re helping,” he said. “They are just people who got lost for a while. We have to help them find their way back.”

For more information about either of the MBSK-sponsored events, call Santamaria’s office at (561) 793-4500.

‘My interest has long been to help the homeless... I’ve partnered with the Lord’s Place because it is similar to my organization — they help the homeless help themselves.’

MBSK founder Jess Santamaria

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WELLINGTON FASHION

A Colorful Wellington

Holiday STORY & PHOTOS

BY GARY KANE

With the cooler South Florida weather (finally!) bringing the reminder of a change in seasons, we remember that the holiday season has arrived. As a location fashion photographer, I thrive on the energy from the environment I’m in and from my subjects.

This special holiday-themed fashion feature aims to capture the youth, style and exuberance of the season.

Models Rachel and Justin exhibit the playful, yet stylish excitement that only festive holiday events can bring. So visit some of the Wellington area’s fantastic clothing establishments, and let’s erase those pre-holiday blues with a few smart purchases.

Happy Holidays!  

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(Left) Rachel shows off an ivory and gold strapless dress by Masquerade, available at Dillard’s in the Mall at Wellington Green, while Justin sports a black single-button tuxedo and tie by Jos. A. Bank in the Mall at Wellington Green. They are shown with a 2007 Ford Mustang GT convertible available through Auto Sport.

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Rachel shows her holiday colors in a crimson red beaded neckline chiffon gown by Adrianna Papell, available at Dillard’s in the Mall at Wellington Green. Justin looks on in a black singlebutton tuxedo and tie by Jos. A. Bank in the Mall at Wellington Green.

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WELLINGTON FASHION

Rachel is ready for a holiday party in this teal ruched party dress by Jessica McClintock, available at Dillard’s in the Mall at Wellington Green. Justin wears a black single-button tuxedo and tie by Jos. A. Bank in the Mall at Wellington Green.

Even dog Emma has dressed for the holidays.

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Wellington Fashion (Left) Rachel is off to celebrate in a plum strapless stretch satin gown, Xscape by Joanna Chen, available at Dillard’s in the Mall at Wellington Green.

She is shown with a 2007 Ford Mustang GT convertible available through Auto Sport.

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  Photography Gary Kane (561) 333-2198 KanePhotography.net Production Carrie Kane KanePhotography.net Hair & Makeup Gabriella Bianchini GabriellaBianchini.net Styling Nicole Caceres Models Rachel Oshinksy Michele Pommier Models (305) 394-8683 Justin Fundiler OmegaModelGroup.com Location Palm Beach Polo home provided

by Jordan’s Estates (561) 315-3889 Car 2007 Ford Mustang GT convertible 525 horsepower supercharge in vista blue provided by Auto Sport (561) 301-8812 www.springermotors.com 38 DECEMBER 2009 • WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE

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A nationally recognized figure skater, Fertig has been ranked by the United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA) as a silver medalist in pairs, freestyle and figure skating. She is also a member of the Professional Skaters Association.

Trainer Debra Fertig works with Miola Hedayat at the newly opened Palm Beach Ice Works facility.

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Dancing On Ice STORY BY DEBORAH WELKY PHOTOS BY BEA BOLTON

Debra Fertig Brings Her Passion For Ice Skating To Wellington

Missing the traditional northern weather this holiday season? When Debra Fertig relocated to Wellington from New York two years ago, she brought a little bit of the magic of ice with her.

“When my husband Paul retired from the Greenburgh (New York) Police Department after 20 years, we decided that we really wanted to enjoy the Florida lifestyle, and that meant no longer dealing with cold winters and shoveling snow,” Fertig said. “We were always bundling the children up, and they weren’t able to enjoy as many outdoor activities as they can here in Florida.”

Yet even in Florida, daughters Kelsey, 8, and Nicole, 11, are not to be deprived of the opportunity to ice skate — their mother sees to that. A nationally recognized figure skater, Fertig has been ranked by the United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA) as a silver medalist in pairs, freestyle and figure skating.

She is also a member of the Professional Skaters Association. Fertig coaches at Palm Beach Skate Zone on Lake Worth Road and is on staff at the newly opened Palm Beach Ice Works off Okeechobee Blvd.

From the age of five and on into her teens, Fertig competed, training six days a week around her school schedule. “I would go to the rink before school at 5:30 a.m. and stay until 8 a.m.,” she said. “Then I would go to school and go back to the rink from about 3 to 7 p.m. And I’d be there all day Saturday and Sunday.”

Fertig trained at rinks throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. At 18, she went pro, eventually settling into a career as a trainer. “I had not succeeded in placing in the top two or three at nationals, which would have qualified me as a world team member for the Olympics, and I had just started college,” she said. “I wanted to concentrate on going to school, and I had an opportunity to teach and share my love of the sport with young children.”

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When she first arrived in Florida, Fertig was surprised to learn that many parents didn’t even realize there was a local ice rink.

“I met parents my age and they would ask, ‘Do you work?’ and I’d say, ‘Yes, I’m an ice skating instructor.’ They would look at me in astonishment,” Fertig recalled. “I was excited to tell them that they could expose their children to another sport, and it gives children something to do that’s out of the heat.”

Plus, with the opening of Palm Beach Ice Works in October, there are now more options. And children aren’t the only ones who benefit — adults can skate, too.

“I train both recreational and competitive students,” Fertig said. “They start as young as two, and I also have adults who, for the first time, have said, ‘I’ve always wanted to learn to skate and I’m going to do it.’ It’s gaining in popularity.”

Personally, Fertig gives private lessons to 15 to 18 students. She also teaches groups — tots as young as two-and-ahalf to three, on up to teenagers.

“They come in at various skill levels and can work their way up through the USFSA Basic Skills program, a standardized testing system, so they can go up to the next level,” Fertig explained. “I have some students who are going to be competing at the regional level next year.

One is eight years old, and one is 11. Students can start competing at any level.

Even preschoolers can compete locally at the most basic level.”

Fertig knows about competition.

“Up north, I used to teach ice hockey,” Fertig added, noting the popularity of roller hockey in Wellington. “I worked with the ‘pee-wees’ in an ‘Intro to Hockey’ course. We would do little drills — how to hold the stick and get power in 42 DECEMBER 2009 • WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE

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their pushing. The primary difference is, in roller hockey, you don’t have different edges like you do with a blade. There’s no ‘outside’ and ‘inside.’ You’re on the center of the wheel the whole time.”

Yet ice skating offers different forms of competition. There’s ice dancing, which is similar to ballroom dancing on the ice; solo figure skating, which is often referred to as freestyle; and pair skating (with a man and a woman).

The United States Figure Skating Association is the only organization that recognizes accomplishments in these areas.

To achieve “medal” status, you have to be proficient in a discipline and pass tests to prove it.

Palm Beach Ice Works is hoping to attract students who want to become Olympians in either figure skating or ice hockey.

The 58,000-square-foot facility has one Olympic-size ice surface, one ice studio

Young ice skater Sierra Gnecco works with trainer Debra Fertig, who teaches individual students and also works with groups.

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arena (60 feet by 120 feet), an indoor running track, a strength and conditioning room, and a work-out gym. Off-ice classes in pilates, ballet and dance are on the drawing board as well.

“The facility’s goal is to be a figure-skating and hockey-skating destination like

the equestrian center is a destination,” Fertig said. “They want people to come from all over to get the best training at the best facility with the top coaches in the country. To be asked to be part of this Olympic training facility was quite an honor. They have a state-of-the-art Olympic ice sheet and offer every amenity to

Debra Fertig with top Canadian figure skater Patrick Chan at Palm Beach Ice Works.

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‘It’s a sport that, when you learn it, it stays with you. You can skate as a child, as an adult, and once you have a family, you can take your children. That’s what makes it my passion and makes me want to pass it on to others.’

Debra Fertig on her passion for figure skating. help both figure skaters and hockey skaters achieve their dreams, whether they just want to be a better skater or they want to be a competitor.”

Noted champion skater Patrick Chan is already leaving his mark on the ice as he trains with Don Laws, a permanent member of Palm Beach Ice Works staff who also happened to train Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton.

Figure skating is a sport that every member of the family can enjoy, noted trainer and Wellington resident Debra Fertig.

“It’s a sport that, when you learn it, it stays with you,” Fertig said. “You can skate as a child, as an adult, and once you have a family, you can take your children to skate. That’s what makes it my passion and makes me want to pass it on to others.”

For more information about ice skating, call Debra Fertig at (561) 398-5486, Palm Beach Skate Zone at (561) 963-5900 or Palm Beach Ice Works at (561) 656-4046.

On the web, check out Palm Beach Skate Zone at www.pbskatezone.com and Palm Beach Ice Works at www.pbiw.org.

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(Above) Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Malora Duplantis, Deputy Robert Maione, Cpl. Roy Demarco, Cpl. Paul Rubino and Cpl. Alex Nunes are among the law enforcement officers assigned to the Safe Neighborhoods Initiative areas. The program focuses on the concept of community policing, where officers and residents become partners in protecting the neighborhood.

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Safe Neighborhoods New Million-Dollar Wellington Initiative Targets Problem Areas

STORY BY ANGIE FRANCALANCIA PHOTOS BY BEA BOLTON AND ANGIE FRANCALANCIA

When it comes to defining a great place to live, safety is always among the top considerations. And no one would deny that Wellington ranks as a safe hometown. But in recent years, those in the know — sheriff’s deputies, school principals, village officials — detected rising problem pockets.

The boom years further segregated Wellington’s troubled neighborhoods, where older multi-family homes often had been left to deteriorate as beautiful new neighborhoods sprang up elsewhere. Coupled with the lack of upkeep were lower-income renters with issues that challenged educators, the village leaders and law enforcement.

In addition, a handful of headline-making shootings in the White Pine/12th Fairway area made Wellington’s relatively small crime problem appear out of control. Some gated neighborhoods had made a point to contract for extra patrols.

Today, the so-called “transitional neighborhoods” are getting more attention than just cops and code enforcement. The village has invested about $1 million in a program known as Safe Neighborhoods. Its goals are not only to reduce crime, but also to improve property values and engage community residents through recreation, family activities and civic efforts.

(Below) Wellington staff members working with the Safe Neighborhoods Initiative include (L-R) Community Advocate Meridith Tuckwood, Recreation Specialist Joe Piconcelli and Community Programs Director Ivy Fivey.

The program grew from individual initiatives, such as the village’s nuisance abatement program in which the village cleaned individual properties that had become health hazards. It’s an integrated effort to address all the issues at once.

Last December, the village added two community-policing deputies, who were assigned to two of the four focus neighborhoods. It allowed them to intensely patrol the areas, becoming a hindrance to the drug dealers whose businesses had become all too common in certain sections, such as White Pine/12th Fairway. The other areas are the communities surrounding the intersections of Goldenrod Road/Hyacinth Place, Hawthorne Place/Morning Glory Drive and Yarmouth Drive/ Folkstone Circle.

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In April, the expanded Safe Neighborhoods program took shape. Modeling it on a Boston program known as StreetSafe that combined social programs and recreation with crime fighting, Wellington brought on a neighborhood advocate and a recreation specialist, and then put them, the deputies and the code compliance officers in the same small office. Their direction: solve problems.

“We took components of different programs and took what we thought were the most applicable pieces and made them a part of Safe Neighborhoods,” Community Programs Director Ivy Fivey said.

A group of kids clown around courtside while their older siblings play basketball at the Safe Neighborhoods open house in June.

The recreational basketball program has been one of the initiative’s most successful endeavors reaching out to neighborhood youth.

‘We took components of different programs and took what we thought were the most applicable pieces and made them a part of Safe Neighborhoods.’

Community Programs Director Ivy Fivey

The parts work in concert, all operating from a former customer service office on Wellington Trace just a few blocks from White Pine Drive. In June, the village hosted an open house at the office, coupled with the rollout of a new basketball league designed to keep the kids in healthy activities and engage the families in community events. There are now four community-policing deputies — one for each of the transitional neighborhoods.

It was only two days before the program began achieving results, said PBSO Cpl. Roy DeMarco, who has been assigned to the White Pine/12th Fairway area since December. “Two days

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after I began, a house of drug dealers moved out,” he said. “I explained that the village has placed me here, and this is the way it’s going to be for the indefinite future.”

why a resident may not have fixed a code violation on their property — or offer to find them help to do so. “We have a huge crew of volunteers to help people who do have a hardship,” Fivey said.

While the deputies’ heightened presence in the neighborhoods makes criminals squirm, it also allows law enforcement time to meet the residents. Cpl. Alex Nunes is known to throw a football around with teens in his area around Goldenrod. One of the newest additions is a dance program that Deputy Maloris Duplantis started in her zone around Hawthorne Place. “I started actually just cheering with them outside their apartments,” Duplantis said. “I love it because it gives the girls something to do. Actually, we have a few boys as well.”

Volunteers and creative partnerships played a huge role in a recent improvement effort. With cooperation from the Solid Waste Authority’s Paint Your Heart Out program, along with hundreds of volunteers from Wellington Presbyterian Church and Palm Beach Atlantic University, the Safe Neighborhoods team was able to get most of the quadraplexes on White Pine Drive repainted.

It took some fast talking from Community Advocate Meridith Tuckwood to pull together all the components, including securing donated time from a pressure cleaning contractor and a painting contractor, who agreed to paint the wood portion of the buildings. The SWA’s paint is intended only for stucco.

The program grew quickly. Duplantis now drives kids in a bus several times a week to the Village Park gym where the Wellington Steppers practice for performances.

Working as a team is what makes Safe Neighborhoods work, DeMarco said.

“We come in. We have meetings; discuss what needs to be done,” he explained.

“That’s kind of unique in itself. They don’t tie our hands with bureaucracy.”

Tuckwood is often the face of the Safe Neighborhoods initiative, making it her business to talk to as many residents as she can to learn their needs. Tuckwood serves as the icebreaker, DeMarco said.

“A lot of times people are a little uncomfortable talking to somebody in uniform,” he said.

Unlike traditional code enforcement, the code officers on the team try to look into

They warm up to Tuckwood, though. Recently, a young man with health issues

walked into the Safe Neighborhoods office because he was being evicted amid a foreclosure action. Tuckwood helped to find him another place to live.

Even so, Tuckwood’s had her challenges, sometimes encountering uncooperative landlords. She expressed frustration that she was unable to get permission to paint one of the buildings targeted for a November painting project because it’s bank-owned, and the bank was uncooperative. “It’s a shame,” she said, “because the rest of the street will be done, and that one will still be a mess.”

Regardless, they’re making inroads. Joe Piconcelli, a longtime Wellington activist who signed on as the program’s recreation specialist, runs the basketball program. He said there’s an element of discipline both on and off the courts, a vehicle that has allowed him to meet some of the families. The Safe Neighborhoods team holds monthly neighborhood meetings. On Halloween, the office hosted trick-or-treating. And earlier in October, they launched the first Movie Madness night. “But the big events are only a fraction of the everyday work,” DeMarco said.

Deputies are seeing residents starting to trust them. As they drive the streets, residents who have welcomed the changes wave to them. At a recent meeting, resi-

(Below left) PBSO Deputy Malora Duplantis (center foreground) watches her Wellington Steppers rehearse. (Below right) Students from Palm Beach Atlantic University help volunteers from the community paint the wall along Wellington Trace; part of an effort to beautify the neighborhood.

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dents told Nunes about a house they suspected had drug activity and another where they believed minors were being served alcohol. “A regular road patrol deputy wouldn’t have time to look into those situations. We can address it,” Nunes said. “The community involvement is just huge. We’re including residents in the solutions.”

For example, one neighborhood decided to remove a stand of trees that had been shielding loiterers. The Safe Neighborhoods team discovered the trees belonged to a homeowners association that no longer existed, and consequently no longer trimmed the trees.

Whatever the problem, the deputies can call in the right tactical unit to address it, whether it be the PBSO Street Team for drug sweeps or detectives for larger investigations.

One factor that has helped remove criminals from Wellington is Section 8 hous-

ing fraud investigations. If deputies discover that someone who has committed a crime gets public assistance through the federal Housing Assistance Voucher program, they use the strict rules of the program to weed the criminals out. The program bars almost anyone involved in crime from getting public assistance. If deputies can prove the individuals have knowingly lied about their criminal activities to the housing authorities, they prosecute the individuals for fraud.

“Individuals who are criminals in one aspect of their lives tend to be criminals in other aspects,” PBSO Capt. Greg Richter said. “When someone comes to our attention through the booking blotter, we then check their public assistance records.”

The housing fraud investigations have been so successful that the PBSO recently promoted Deputy Mike Leatherman, who originally made the cases in Wellington, so he can work cases throughout the county. Cpl. Paul Rubino, who

previously investigated contractor fraud, replaced Leatherman in Wellington.

Since the Safe Neighborhoods program began, crime rates have dropped significantly in the target areas, but its overall effect is more difficult to measure, because Wellington’s crime rate is low by any national measure. A different statistic the deputies point to is overall calls for service. The drop in the kinds of calls that don’t always lead to an arrest will be evident in both the target neighborhoods and the adjacent neighborhoods.

“When you eliminate the bad element, you alleviate a lot of calls for service — loitering, loud music, suspected drug dealing or suspicious persons,” DeMarco said.

That’s where the targeted program will have immediate spillover effects in other communities. “The calls for service all over the village have gone down,” he noted.

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BrightStar’s Bruce and Beth Perrotta at their office in Royal Palm Beach. (Inset) Brochures detail the many services available.

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At BrightStar, Healthcare Is All About

Family Story by Ron Bukley Photos by Susan Lerner

Bruce and Beth Perrotta learned the value of quality home healthcare when they were thrust into the roles of patient and caregiver after Bruce suffered a grievous car accident. Beth spent more than a month at his side in the hospital as he recovered. Seeking a business they could operate as partners, the couple found a fit with BrightStar Healthcare.

The Perrottas were impressed by the values of the growing national franchise company, which was founded by another couple who experienced a similar family crisis. That couple, JD and Shelley Sun, set their mission to make BrightStar the premier home healthcare staffing agency nationwide, focused on a staff that treats patients as if they were family.

The Perrottas opened their office in Royal Palm Beach in June.

Today, they have a staff of about 30 nurses, home healthcare specialists and certified nursing assistants available to help in the home, school or medical setting.

“With the baby boomers, this industry is becoming more and more needed,” said Beth Perrotta, president of the Royal Palm Beach franchise. “People would like to stay in their own home, so we’re providing one-on-one assistance with a variety of different nurses or caregivers. We’re 24/7; someone is always available. An RN is always available to the family or the patient, and we don’t have any limitations as far as who we service.”

The office provides healthcare assistance for all ages, from pediatric to senior level in-home care, and for all types of ailments including debilitating injuries, Beth said. They also provide temporary staffing for doctors’ offices, hospitals, labs or assisted-living facilities, but the focus and pride of BrightStar is in-home care, delivering a personal level of attention.

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for their patients and families. “The main goal is quality of life, where we want to make sure that people get in the best care situation for them,” Bruce said. “There are some people who need the companionship that goes with assisting-living facilities, but there are many others whose roots at their home are very important to them. Taking them out of that situation often can be very troubling and ultimately physically and mentally debilitating for them.”

Sometimes, students with special needs require extra help at school, and BrightStar can provide it, Beth said. “It doesn’t have to be in a private home,” she noted.

“If a child needs extra help, we can send a nurse along.”

Beth holds a bachelor’s degree in special education and a master’s degree in the study of mental retardation. She has taught special needs children for over two decades. She said she especially identifies with the school environment of mentally disabled students. “I come from a 25-year

background as a special ed teacher right here in Palm Beach County,” she said.

“I’ve taught medically fragile, handicapped children for many years, and I had some nurses in my room from agencies before I did this.”

semi-pro football player who worked in computer network management. “It was touch-and-go for a while. I was in the hospital for two months, in a coma for much of that. When I got home, I needed a lot of therapy and time to recover.”

The Perrottas’ office is accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), which sets standards for healthcare facilities and issues accreditation to agencies that meet the standards.

The couple met at a ballroom dancing facility in Pompano Beach in 2002 and became competitive dancers and instructors. “We had been dancing five years when he had his accident,” Beth recalled.

“I slept in a chair by him in the ICU for 40 nights, and the only time I left was to change my clothes, take a shower and go teach our group classes and private lessons. I took a leave of absence from the school system for two months to take care of him, and he came out of it. After this incident, he decided he better not let me go.”

The joint commission is a national agency that has long evaluated hospitals and now is moving into home healthcare agencies, Beth said, explaining that the commission’s standards are higher than the state’s. “We passed our first survey at 100-percent satisfaction,” she noted.

The Perrottas got involved in home healthcare — and got married — after Bruce’s near-fatal accident three years ago.

“A truck sat on me,” said Bruce, a former Bruce and Beth Perrotta met at a ballroom dancing facility in 2002. After Bruce recovered from a serious accident, they decided to start a business together.

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Bruce has metal pins in his jaw and hand.

His neck, which was broken in two places, has mended. “He’s a living miracle, and that’s actually what kind of got us,” Beth said.

‘We had been dancing five years when [Bruce] had his accident. I slept in a chair by him in the ICU for 40 nights, and the only time I left was to change my clothes, take a shower and go teach our group classes and private lessons. I took a leave of absence from the school system for two months to take care of him, and he came out of it. After this incident, he decided he better not let me go.’

Beth Perrotta

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To spend as much time as possible together, the Perrottas decided to open a business together. “He wanted to be around people more than just with his dance time,” Beth explained. “With me being a special ed teacher, I’m very into helping people, so when BrightStar came to us, and we learned about the founders and the philosophy behind it, it was like a perfect fit.”

we’re proud to send out the people we hire,” she said. “We’re looking for those people who will treat people that they are caring for like they were their own family.”

While Beth handles the technical aspects, Bruce’s job is to meet with people and introduce them to the company, which he said was the lifestyle change he had been looking for. “I used to sit in front of a computer and could get lost on it for days. Now, after half an hour, I really need to get up and be with people,” he said.

Bruce noted that BrightStar’s founders started their business when they had healthcare issues of their own.

Beth said the quality of care makes a huge difference in the speed of recovery.

“We screen our people very carefully, and

Beth added that they try to find people who are in the healthcare profession because they like it and derive satisfaction from it.

“The grandmother of the husband was dying of cancer, and they had to struggle to find good care for her,” he said. “The result was they decided they would form their own organization to provide the care that they wanted.”

The family focus of BrightStar extends to the corporate structure as well. “They have grown quite an organization. They

‘The main goal is quality of life, where we want to make sure that people get in the best care situation for them.’

Bruce Perrotta are very strong and very supportive of each and every one of their offices,” Bruce continued. “They’re very much interested in quality… When we talk to our people, it is about them being able to provide great care as if it was their own family that they’re going to be dealing with. Ultimately, that is what BrightStar is about — creating a larger and larger family of great people.”

The Royal Palm Beach BrightStar office is located at 560 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. in the Royal Plaza. For more information, call (561) 383-6967 or visit www.brightstar healthcare.com.

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W

W ELLINGTON at Home

STORY BY DEBORAH WELKY PHOTOS BY SUSAN LERNER

Joe & Ashley Maguire

Majestic Aero Club Home Of Features Old World Charm With Modern Conveniences

On a quiet cul-de-sac in the Aero Club, the majestic home might well bear witness to a lifetime well lived. Yet behind the cascading fountain and huge wrought-iron doors belonging to Joe and Ashley Maguire, there is plenty of evidence that life is just beginning.

A three-foot-tall plush pony stands guard in the foyer, a plastic retro kitchen set nestles against a wall in the family room, and included among the many custom features are several specially engineered baby gates. The Maguire home isn’t just for show, it’s for living.

Joe Maguire, a native New Yorker who moved to Florida in 1989, and his wife Ashley (born and raised in Boca Raton) have three children between them — 11-year-old Natalie, four-year-old Kathryn and eightmonth-old Bryson. The family moved into their sixbedroom, six-and-a-half bath home three years ago.

“It had an ‘old home’ charm that you don’t see in many South Florida homes,” Joe recalled. “It had great bones, and the minute we walked in, we had a vision of how to transform it into our dream home.”

The Maguires went straight to work, gutting the interior and starting fresh. “The foyer railing was the first major project we did,” Joe said. “It was wood, and we replaced it with iron, custom-made for this spot.”

A grand piano sits under the protection of the stairway’s curve. Although neither Joe nor Ashley plays, perhaps one of the children “will take a liking to it,” Joe said.

The couple added antiqued crown molding, wainscoting, trim and ceiling panels throughout the home, and replaced wood floors with 24-inch saturnia mar-

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Looking down from the upstairs hall into the gathering room. A player piano adds warmth and charm when the Maguires entertain, as they frequently do.

(Top Left) Joe and Ashley Maguire with eight-month-old Bryson and four-year-old Kathryn.

(Bottom Left) Lush greenery and an Indian fountain grace the front drive to the Maguire home.

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(Above) A formal living area with a working fireplace, classic pleated loveseat and “Joe’s chair” (at right) occupies one end of the gathering room. The Maguires added ceiling ornamentation and chandeliers throughout the house.

(Right) Ashley Maguire stands at the entrance to the wine cellar. The wroughtiron door and hammered trim are both of her own design.

ble in most of the rooms. Distinctive chandeliers and sconces were chosen with a careful eye toward scale as well as style. Four fireplaces (including one that is double-sided) were original to the house, but a wine room was carved out of the space where a redundant second pantry once stood. Now, it’s a focal point of what the Maguires refer to as “the gathering room.”

Ashley, who was crowned Mrs. Florida International in 2008, designed the door to the wine room and had it made in Mexico of Malaysian mahogany and iron. Inside, there is room for 450 bottles, vertically stacked in actual wooden 62 DECEMBER 2009 • WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE

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wine crates. The room is temperature and humidity controlled with lighting on dimmers and a painted mosaic on the back wall.

While improving the home, the Maguires had help from interior designers Simmons & Saray with much of the construction work done by PMI.

“We designed it to maximize the space we had,” Joe said. “We’re now in the process of stocking it for the holidays.”

To the right of the spiraling grand staircase is the formal living room and dining room. Both are furnished with comfort-

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able plush armchairs and sofas, including two upholstered loveseats custommade to fit around the circular dining table, alongside four straight-back chairs.

“We love to entertain, and we wanted a round table so all our guests had the same opportunity to interact with each other,” Joe said. “The loveseats can be for couples or for people who want to get to know each other. But doing the round table gave us voids in the corners. That’s why we brought in the two corner cabinets.”

Two faux marbleized pillars draw the eye upward, as do the room’s draperies, which are layered in complementary fabrics, tassels and beads. The Maguires spent over a year searching for the perfect mirrors, researching online as well as in shops. “We’ve entertained close to 100 guests at a time here,” Joe added.

From the living room, visitors enter the billiard room with its brick fireplace, dark paisley wallpaper and top-stitched burgundy leather drapes. “We wanted it to be masculine in here, hence the leather,” Joe explained. “We kept the wood floors and fauxed the baseboards and French doors to look like dark wood.”

A statuette of Frank Sinatra tops the mantel, and an arcade game console fills one corner. Yet Ashley’s touch is here, too, in the crystals that shimmer from the threeglobe billiards light. “I got all the lighting fixtures from Capitol Lighting,” she said.

On the other side of the wood-burning brick fireplace is its counterpart in stone, the focal point of one wall in the family room. As alluring as it is, however,

(Top left) A billiard room featuring burgundy leather drapes and darker colors was designed to have a masculine edge.

(Middle left) A single 10-foot slab of granite dominates the kitchen and invites friends to keep the cook company.

(Bottom left) Four-year-old Kathryn’s retro kitchen is three feet tall and pretty in pink.

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the eye is drawn instead to a diminutive kitchen play set in retro pink. “It’s Kathryn’s, but Bryson is starting to play there, too,” Ashley smiled. “They have such a good time with it.”

Crossing into the kitchen, one notices that the fabric on the chair in Ashley’s mini-office matches that of the pillows in the family room, the wallpaper in the billiard room and the cushions of the kitchen barstools, providing continuity throughout the rooms.

The antique print over Kathryn’s headboard once hung over her great-grandmother’s crib.

The welcoming work-a-day kitchen is dominated by a 10-foot seamless slab of barely green granite, which tops a six-seat bar and workspace. Shades of antiqued country white on cabinets and a tumbled marble backsplash are offset by ultra-modern appliances — a full-size refrigerator and freezer, a stacked double dishwasher, two convection ovens, a warming drawer and a microwave.

The Maguires converted to a gas range, which meant running venting to the

outside, then added a pot-filler faucet.

The deep porcelain farm sink is topped off by a commercial faucet system. “The kitchen is all new,” Joe said.

Finding the granite itself was a big job.

“We looked at two dozen places until we finally found the green we wanted, with an element of brown,” Joe said.

“It’s sort of a marble-granite,” Ashley added. “I liked the veins in it. It’s easy on the eyes.”

An outdoor kitchen makes cooking easy poolside, and looking up, one can admire the usefulness of a porch that extends the length of the back of the house.

Upstairs, wood floors remain intact between the rooms — the master bedroom and bath, housekeeper’s quarters, children’s rooms and Joe’s home office. As president of the Rosen Group, a commercial real estate firm, Joe has actual offices in Boca Raton and New York.

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(Above) A small vanity area is fit for a queen thanks to the addition of a ribboned and tasseled gathered-satin chair.

(Inset) A bronze underlay glows golden under an inch of molded glass in the master bath’s sink.

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The master bedroom, done in shades of aqua and blue, is home to family photos including a black-and-white print of Joe’s grandfather in his NYPD inspector’s uniform. A multi-tiered satin bas-

sinette that Ashley designed herself isn’t in use now that son Bryson has moved to his own room, but a cradle swing testifies that the baby still spends time in the master suite.

A telephone resides on each bedside table, and his-and-hers flat-panel television sets assure that the busy parents can each relax according to their taste.

“We both have headphones,” Joe said.

The impressive master bath features gold fixtures that match unusual twin sinks — they’re made of inch-thick glass that has the look of bronze applied to the underside. There’s a Jacuzzi tub with gold-toned jets, a glass-walled shower, a built-in dressing table and a vanity chair with a big bow on the back that Audrey Hepburn would’ve died for.

Down the hall, four-year-old Kathryn enjoys a bedroom suite fit for a princess.

Not only does she have her own bathroom and a “sitting room” perfect for tea parties, but a crystal chandelier adds elegance to a retreat decorated primar(Left) The children have outgrown this bassinette in the master suite — but who could part with it?

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ily in the colors of lime and strawberry sherbet.

Organza curtains dotted with tiny pink rosebuds ensure privacy in the custompainted four-poster bed. A little white stepstool assists m’lady when it’s time to climb in. Cozy quilts abound in case the night gets chilly. And a vintage print that once hung above Ashley’s grandmother’s crib now keeps watch over Kathryn.

In one corner, a collection of stuffed animals reside in a dollhouse-shaped bookcase. Kathryn refers to them fondly as “my little guys.” Ashley credits Bellini Baby in Boca Raton for help in designing the furnishings.

At the end of the hall, 11-year-old Natalie’s room signals that the teen years are right around the corner. Posters, a beaded doorway and a black chandelier with hot pink crystals are a marked departure from the rest of the home. “That chandelier had to be cool,” Joe said.

There’s a bunk bed for when friends stay the night and a collection of American Girl dolls in the corner. Wallpaper sporting lipstick tubes and sunglasses adds charm to the bathroom, as does its white, cabinet-style vanity.

“Every bedroom has its own full bath, and all the bathrooms were completely redone,” Joe noted.

That includes baby Bryson’s room, a work in progress, as is Bryson himself.

“We’re not done,” Joe said. “There are a lot of changes we still want to make. I think, next, I’d like to put an ornate decorative beamed ceiling in the Gathering Room.”

It’s hard to believe any more improvements can be made — or that the house is for sale.

“We don’t expect to sell it anytime soon,” Joe shrugged. In the meantime, work — and life — continues.

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Wellington Table

(Right) Ristorante Vino’s Linguine Pescatore features fresh mussels, clams, shrimp and calamari in a fresh tomato sauce. Enjoy it with a nice red wine.

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AUTHENTIC ITALIAN CUISINE AT NEW

Ristorante Vino STORY BY DEBORAH WELKY  PHOTOS BY DEVIN JACOVIELLO

If you love Italian food, you’ll definitely want to check out the new Ristorante Vino, located at the northwest corner of Southern and Crestwood boulevards near Albertson’s.

Owners Joe and Mariann Billante, together with Joe’s sister Anna Dunlap, have three generations of experience behind them.

“Our whole family is in the food business,” Joe said. “Mariann’s mother had a diner, my father had a produce market, and I have 30 years in the restaurant business. Anna is in Pittsburgh, where she and her husband own several successful restaurants.”

Dozens of black-and-white photographs of the family warm the walls of the restaurant. Plush booths, soft lighting and a full bar along one wall adds to the ambience.

In true Italian style, every guest is greeted as they enter and thanked as they leave. A complimentary glass of the house wine, a special chianti blend, is given to each adult customer as they are seated. “It’s a welcome to our restaurant,” Joe said.

And the wine is just a warm-up for great things to come.

Appetizers include calamari fritti, mussels marechiaro, carpaccio di manzo, baked clams oreganata, mozzarella caprese, antipasto della casa for two, pizzetta pazzo, mozzarella fritta and stuffed mushrooms. There are soups and salads, of course, but the stars of the show are the entrees.

Linguine Pescatore features fresh mussels, clams, shrimp and calamari in a fresh tomato sauce. Spaghetti Puttanesca includes anchovies, olives, capers, garlic and just a touch of tomato. Rigatoni Rosalia features fresh shrimp, scallops, mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes in a brandy cream sauce. Lasagna Nunzio is a special recipe, homestyle three-cheese lasagna topped with marinara sauce. Or you can have it with meat sauce as Lasagna Bolognese. The Melanzane Parmigiana offers baked eggplant with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and penne pasta pomodoro.

Fish dishes run the gamut from Tilapia Livornese (a fillet made with onions, olives, capers, garlic and a touch of fresh tomato over linguini) to Trout Arancia (a fresh trout fillet in Grand Marnier orange sauce). Chicken dishes include Pollo Scarpariello (boneless chicken medallions, Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, capers and Kalamata olives in a light demi glaze), Pollo Paillard (chicken breast, grilled and topped with fresh mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and oil, served with potatoes and a vegetable) and a traditional favorite, Pollo Marsala (chicken breast sautéed with mushrooms in a Marsala wine sauce.

And if you want to taste a secret family recipe, try Papa Nunzio’s Specialty Bracciole — a flank steak pounded thin and stuffed with seasoned bread crumbs, prosciutto, mozzarella, egg and fresh spices, then slowly cooked in tomato sauce and served with penne pasta.

“We say Papa Nunzio’s, but it’s really Mariann’s recipe,” Joe confided.

There’s also sausage and peppers, six veal dishes and two New York strip steaks — Bistecca Gorgonzola (in a gorgonzola butter sauce) and Bistecca Barolo (in a mushroom wine sauce). Veal Chop Parmigiano features a pan-seared bone-in chop topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese served with penne pomodoro.

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(Top) Ristorante Vino owners Joe and Mariann Billante. (Above) Stuffed mushrooms, pollo marsala and desserts tiramisu and a four-layer cassata.

All entrees are served with pasta or potatoes, some with a vegetable as well. A garden fresh, family-style salad accompanies each entrée. A children’s menu offers five options, each priced at just $5.99 — pizza, fettuccine alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs, cheese ravioli or chicken fingers.

“We serve a great Tuscan bread, right out of the oven,” Mariann said. “Joe’s background is southern Italy and mine is northern Italy, so we have a good mix of food.”

Ristorante Vino opened Oct. 8 and has quickly developed a loyal following.

“Someone told us he’s already been back eight times,” Joe said. “Others have been back four, five, six times.”

You’ll certainly want to save some room for one of the homemade desserts, even if you have to take it home. There’s tiramisu, walnut amaretto tartufo, cannolis, Italian cheesecake, triple chocolate cake and a four-layer cassata, a rum cake made with cannoli cream and candied fruit.

Ristorante Vino seats 160, with or without reservations. There are cozy booths, three big family tables, several four-tops, high-tops near the bar and even a few tables outside — seating arrangements to

suit any gathering. The bar offers mixed drinks and a varied wine selection.

“In our other restaurants, we used to get dressed up, but here we wanted a more casual atmosphere,” Mariann said. “People come from their home and enjoy a good meal.”

“We serve large portions, moderately priced,” Joe added.

To check it out for yourself, visit Ristorante Vino at 12041 Southern Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach. The restaurant opens for dinner at 5 p.m. seven nights a week.

For reservations, call (561) 790-3232.

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Wellington Dining Guide

Wellington Social Scene

Backstreets Neighborhood Bar & Grill serves the finest seafood, steaks, salads, burgers and pizzas as well as daily specials. Stop by on Sunday for a 14-ounce prime rib dinner. Backstreets is located in the Wellington Plaza and is open for lunch and dinner. Call (561) 795-0100 for info.

The Brass Monkey Tavern, located at 7781 Lake Worth Road near Florida’s Turnpike, features great food and drinks to enjoy while watching every game on TVs located throughout the tavern. Appetizers, specialty wings, salads, burgers and a variety of steaks and fish are available for lunch or dinner. For more info., call (561) 968-9559 or visit www.brassmonkey lakeworth.com.

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant is located on Forest Hill Blvd. near the Mall at Wellington Green. Specializing in family-style Italian cuisine, Buca di Beppo is known for its large portions designed to serve several people. If you’ve got a large party, reserve the Pope’s Room; for a unique experience, reserve the table in the kitchen. For more info., call (561) 7903287 or visit www.bucadibeppo.com.

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 information, call (561) 4349427.

Campagnolo Trattoria is now open in the Mall at Wellington Green, serving high-quality Italian cuisine in a casual setting. Open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more info., call (561) 790-1311.

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 information.

Executive Chef David Palmateer, previously of Café Chardonnay, recently opened deVine Bistro & Bar with his wife Sara. The restaurant’s atmosphere is chic yet comfy, and the gourmet menu focuses on hand-selected and all-natural ingredients. DeVine Bistro & Bar is located in the Plaza at Wellington Green at 2465 State Road 7, Suite 300. For more info., call (561) 204-5432.

Field of Greens, located at 10140 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in the Pointe at Wellington Green, serves some of the freshest and healthiest food in town. It is a quick, contemporary restaurant specializing in salads and sandwiches. Enjoy customized salads with homemade dressings, as well as signature salads and wraps. For more info., call (561) 795-4345.

Gabriel’s Cafe & Grille is Wellington’s oldest restaurant. Serving breakfast and lunch, Gabriel’s is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily in the Wellington Plaza at the intersection of Forest Hill Blvd. and Wellington Trace. For more info., call (561) 793-0675.

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 from the taps. 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.

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Wellington Dining Guide I’m Greek Today features a menu with a strong emphasis on one of the world’s healthiest diets — food that is simple and elegant, fresh, timeless and Mediterranean. Enjoy authentic Greek cuisine as well as wines from around the world. I’m Greek Today is located in Southern Palm Crossing at 11051 Southern Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach. For more info., call (561) 333-4233 or visit www.imgreektoday.com.

Jason’s Deli is where all the food is free of artificial trans fats, MSG and high-fructose corn syrup. Enjoy wonderful sandwiches, wraps, soups, salads and fruit. You can even build your own sandwich! Jason’s Deli is located at 2605 State Road 7 near Whole Foods Market in Wellington. For more info., call (561) 333-1263 or visit www.jasonsdeli.com.

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) 2960404.

La Fogata Restaurant serves delicious Mexican cuisine. The restaurant, located in the Wellington Town Square at 11924 W. Forest Hill Blvd., features a tequila bar. Call (561) 422-1641 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 Yorkstyle brick oven pizza; specializing in fresh seafood, oakwood-grilled lambchops, slow-roasted ossobuco and frutti di mare. Mamma Mia’s is located at 8855 Hypoluxo Road at Lyons Road. Call (561) 963-9565 for more info.

Max & Erma’s restaurant is now open in Royal Palm Beach, serving gourmet hamburgers, steaks, chicken, pasta, salads and sandwiches. Call-ahead seating and carryout available. Max & Erma’s is located at 11111 Southern Blvd. in the Southern Palm Crossing shopping plaza. For more info., call (561) 383-8878 or visit www.maxandermas.com.

Nature’s Table Café in the Wellington Marketplace 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.

Nicole’s Pasta & Grill, formerly Nicole’s Village Tavern, is located at 12300 South Shore Blvd. in Wellington. Recent changes have added a full menu of popular Italian dishes while maintaining a number of favorites from the old menu. For more info., call (561) 793-3456 or visit www.nicoles villagetavern.com.

The Original Hawaiian Ice Co. brings a taste of the tropics to Wellington with over 100 refreshing treats featuring Hawaiian shaved ice, gourmet Italian ice, smoothies, hot Kona coffee brewed to order and much more. Catering is available for any function.

Original Hawaiian Ice is located in Wellington Town Square at 11924 W. Forest Hill Blvd. and is open seven days a week. Call (561) 693-2822 for more info.

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.

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Wellington Dining Guide Enjoy authentic Italian cuisine at Ristorante Vino, located at 12041 Southern Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach near Albertson’s. The restaurant opens for dinner at 5 p.m. seven nights a week. For reservations, call (561) 790-3232.

Sal’s Italian Ristorante is your neighborhood Italian restaurant. In addition to pizzas of all sizes and toppings, Sal’s offers a large selection of pastas, steaks, chops, chicken and seafood dishes. Also available are a variety of desserts and wines. You can dine in, take out or call for delivery. For more info., call (561) 790-3780 or visit Sal’s at 11924 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington Town Square.

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! 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 info., call (561) 963-5050.

Spices Modern Thai & Sushi Bar features delicious Asian cuisine in an inviting atmosphere. Enjoy authentic savory Thai cuisine coupled with a full-service sushi bar. Spices is open every day for lunch and dinner, and is located at 11071 Southern Blvd. in the Southern Palm Crossing shopping plaza behind Bank Atlantic. For more info., call (561) 798-3877 or visit www.enjoyspices.com.

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.

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 the award-winning TooJay’s Original Gourmet Deli in the Mall at Wellington Green for breakfast, lunch or dinner. TooJay’s is reminiscent of your favorite New York delicatessen. Specialties include signature overstuffed sandwiches, chicken noodle soup and traditional deli classics. For more info., call (561) 784-9055 or visit www.toojays.com.

Tree’s 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 Thai Restaurant 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 Friday, dec. 4 • The Armory Art Center (1700 Parker Avenue, West Palm Beach) will hold its Holiday Sale in the Armory Studios on Friday, Dec. 4 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The sale will feature student and faculty works including jewelry, ceramics and sculpture.

An opening reception will be held Friday, Dec. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. Call (561) 832-1776 or visit www. armoryart.org for more info.

• Palm Beach Atlantic University will present “An Evening of Diverse Chamber Music” on Friday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Helen K. Persson Recital Hall (326 Acacia Road, West Palm Beach).

The performance is free. Call (561) 803-2970 or visit www.pba.edu for more info.

Saturday, dec. 5 • Mounts Botanical Garden (531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach) will host a Water Gardening Workshop on Saturday, Dec. 5 from 9 a.m. to noon. Participants will observe the installation of an in-ground water feature. Call (561) 233-1757 or visit www.mounts.org for more info.

• The Society of the Four Arts (2 Four Arts Plaza, Palm Beach) will present “Delicious Flavors by Victoria Amory” on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 11 a.m. Jump-start your holiday mood by enjoying a demonstration and tasting from the recipes of Amory’s new book Delicious Flavors. Call (561) 805-8562 or visit www. fourarts.org for more info.

• The Lifelong Learning Society will present “How to Be a Music Critic” on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 1 p.m. at Florida Atlantic University’s John D. MacArthur Campus (5353 Parkside Drive, Jupiter). Call (561) 799-8667 for more info.

• The 22nd Annual Wellington Boys & Girls Club Dinner, Dance & Auction will be held on Saturday, Dec. 5 at the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club starting at 6:30 p.m. For more info., call (561) 683-3287.

Sunday, dec. 6 • The Sisterhood of Temple Beth Zion will present lecturer, author and humorist Judith Levy on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 1:30 p.m. at the temple (129 Sparrow Drive, Royal Palm Beach). Refreshments will be served. Tickets cost $10. RSVP by calling Liz at (561) 798-8888.

• The Flagler Museum (Cocoanut Row and Whitehall Way, Palm Beach) will hold its Christmas Tree Lighting on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 3 p.m.

Festivities include refreshments, choral group performances, holiday music played on the original 1,249-pipe organ and the 1902 Steinway piano. For more info., call (561) 655-2833 or visit www.flaglermuseum.us.

• Bob Lappin and the Palm Beach Pops will present “Memories of Mercer” on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. at the Palm Beach Community College Eissey Campus Theatre (11051 Campus Drive, Palm Beach Gardens). Call (561) 832-7677 or visit www. palmbeachpops.org for more info.

Monday, dec. 7 • The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will host a “Year in Review” luncheon on Monday, Dec. 7 at 11:30 a.m. at Breakers West Country Club. Call (561) 790-6200 to RSVP. WELLINGTON THE MAGAZINE • DECEmbEr 2009

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Wellington Calendar TUESDAY, DEC. 8 • The Wellington Village Council will meet Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Call (561) 791-4000 for more info.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host a Writers’ Critique Workshop for adults on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m. Share, offer and accept constructive analysis and comments in a supportive atmosphere led by Florida Writers’ Association member Mark Adduci. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Fairytales with a Twist: Little Red Riding Hood” for ages six and up on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• Florida Stage (262 South Ocean Blvd., Manalapan) will present The Storytelling Ability of a Boy by Carter W. Lewis starting Wednesday, Dec. 9 and running through Sunday, Jan. 17. Love gets dangerous when a young English teacher gets involved in the personal lives of two of her students. Call (561) 585-3433 or visit www.florida stage.org for more info.

THURSDAY, DEC. 10 • The Wellington High School Music Department will present a winter concert on Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. in the WHS performing arts theater (2101 Greenview Shores Blvd.). The school’s bands and choruses will perform holiday favorites and traditional instrumental and vocal works.

Admission is free and a dessert reception will follow the program. E-mail oserm@palmbeach.k12. fl.us for more info.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Pizza & Pages: The Giver” for ages 12-17 on Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. Jonas lives in a perfect world... or does he? Pizza will be served. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• Enjoy an old-fashioned Christmas in Yesteryear Village to be held Dec. 10-13 at the South Florida Fairgrounds. Call (561) 793-0333 or visit www.southfloridafair.com for more info.

SATURDAY, DEC. 12 • Buckler’s Craft Fair will return to the Americraft Expo Center at the South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd.) on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 12 and 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

For more info., call (386) 860-0092 or visit www. bucklerpromotions.com.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Meet the Author: John Radanovich” for adults on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 2 p.m. Meet music journalist John Radanovich and get the scoop on Wildman of Rhythm: The Life and Music of Benny Moré, the singer known as the Cuban Sinatra. 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 “The Christmas Music of Mannheim Steamroller” by Chip Davis in Dreyfoos Hall on Saturday, Dec. 12. Call (561) 651-4257 or visit www. kravis.org for more info.

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Wellington Calendar SUNDAY, DEC. 13 • The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will hold its 26th Annual Holiday Parade on Sunday, Dec. 13 at 1 p.m. along Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington. The event will kick-off with the Seventh Annual Holiday Mile Run/Walk, starting and finishing in front of the Wellington Community Center.

A holiday park for kids will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the community center. For more info., call (561) 790-6200 or visit www.palmswest.com.

MONDAY, DEC. 14 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Tween Scene: Gift Making” for ages eight and up on Monday, Dec. 14 at 6:30 p.m. Make small gifts for the special people in your life. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Meet the Author: Eliot Kleinberg” for adults on Monday, Dec. 14 at 6:30 p.m. Chat, ask questions and get the scoop on Wicked Palm Beach: Lifestyles of the Rich and Heinous. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Jazz Arts Music Society of Palm Beach will present “An Evening of Duke Ellington” with Ted Howe on Monday, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. at the Harriet Himmel Theater at CityPlace. Call (877) 722- 2820 or visit www.jamsociety.org for info.

TUESDAY, DEC. 15 • Kretzer Piano in conjunction with the Rotary Club of West Palm Beach will present the top five finalists from Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches’ “Watch a Rising Star” vocal competition in concert on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Harriet Himmel Theater at CityPlace. Call (866) 449-2489 or visit www.kretzerpiano.com for info.

• The Society of the Four Arts (2 Four Arts Plaza, Palm Beach) will host the Palm Beach Symphony for an evening of “Concert Music by Opera Composers” with guest conductor Ramón Tebar on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. Call (561) 655-7226 or visit www.fourarts.org for more info.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present Tenor Salvatore Licitra and Pianist Warren Jones in Dreyfoos Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 15. Call (561) 651-4257 or visit www.kravis.org for info.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 16 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “I Love My Family” for ages three to five on Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 10:15 a.m.

Celebrate family with stories, songs and a craft.

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

• The Wellington Chamber of Commerce will host a luncheon on Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 11:30 a.m. at the Binks Forest Golf Club featuring Herve Jaubert, author of Escape from Dubai. RSVP to (561) 792-6525.

• The Palm Beach Gardens Concert Band will present a holiday concert on Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre (1001 E. Indiantown Road, Jupiter). Call (561) 972-6132 or visit www.jupitretheatre.org for more info.

THURSDAY, DEC. 17 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Teen Game Night” on Thurs-

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day, Dec. 17 at 6:30 p.m. for ages 12 to 17. Play Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero and board games. Snacks will be provided. Call (561) 7906070 to pre-register.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (9701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra with Pinchas Zuckerman conductor and solo violinist and Amanda Forsyth solo cello in Dreyfoos Hall on Thursday, Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. Call (561) 651-4257 or visit www.kravis.org for more info.

• The Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival will present The Woman in Black Thursday, Dec. 17 through Sunday, Dec. 20 at 8 p.m. at the Seabreeze Amphitheater at Carlin Park (400 State Road A1A, Jupiter). This event is free. Call (561) 966-7099 or visit www.pbshakespeare.org for info.

FRIDAY, DEC. 18 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Express Yourself: Book Discussion Series” on Friday, Dec. 18 at 2 p.m. Barbara Harnick will lead a discussion of Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Sign up and check out the book. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info.

SUNDAY, DEC. 20 • The Masterworks Chorus of the Palm Beaches will present Handel’s Messiah with a live orchestra on Sunday, Dec. 20 at 5 p.m. at the Royal Poinciana Chapel (60 Cocoanut Row, Palm Beach). Call (561) 845-9696 for more info.

MONDAY, DEC. 21 • The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present the musical Chicago Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 21-23 in Dreyfoos Hall. Call (561) 651-4257 or visit www.kravis.org for more info.

THURSDAY, DEC. 24 • The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present the Moscow Classical Ballet performing The Nutcracker Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 24-26 in Dreyfoos Hall. Call (561) 651-4257 or visit www.kravis.org for more info.

SATURDAY, DEC. 26 • The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present “Forbidden Broadway” Saturday through Thursday, Dec. 26-31. Call (561) 651-4257 or visit www.kravis.org for more info.

TUESDAY, DEC. 29 • Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., WPB) will present Tommy Tune and the Manhattan Rhythm Kings in “Steps in Time” on Tuesday, Dec. 29. Call (561) 651-4257 or visit www.kravis.org for more info.

THURSDAY, DEC. 31 • Maltz Jupiter Theatre (1001 East Indiantown Road, Jupiter) will present “Capitol Steps: New Year’s Eve” on Thursday, Dec. 31 at 5 and 8 p.m. and Friday, Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. The group is back with a hilarious new show. Call (561) 972-6132 or visit www.jupitertheatre.org for info.

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Around Wellington

Volunteers from St. David’s-in-the-Pines Outreach Ministries help Live Arts Florida at the Wailers concert.

Reggae Legends Visit — Wellington-based cultural organization Live Arts Florida presented a performance by reggae legends the Wailers on Saturday, Nov. 7 at the performing arts theater at Wellington High School. For information about future events, call (888) 841-ARTS or visit www.liveartsfl.org. Photos by Denise Fleischman

The Wailers’ Anthony Watson gives signed drumsticks to Shelly Reid.

The Wailers on stage at Wellington High School.

First-place golf tourney winners Doug Santaniello, Frank Ferante, William Clinkscales and Charles Fall.

B&G Club Golf Tournament — The 28th Annual Wellington Boys & Girls Club Golf Classic was held on Saturday, Nov. 7 at the

DCA Grand Opening — Diagnostic Centers of America (DCA) cel- Binks Forest Golf Club. Following the tournament was an awards ebrated the opening of its newest office in Wellington on Thurs- ceremony, buffet luncheon and a silent auction. For more inforday, Nov. 19. Wellington Chamber of Commerce ambassadors mation about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, visit were on hand to help with the ribbon cutting. DCA offers MRIs, www.bgcpbc.org. Photos by Denise Fleischman digital x-rays, CT and PET scans, ultrasound, bone density and Victor Rivera of the Boys & Girls Club receives a check from the Florida digital mammograms. The office is located at 2565 S. State Road League of Cities presented by Wellington Vice Mayor Dr. Carmine Priore.

7. For more info., call (561) 727-2300. Shown below is DCA staff members with the CT scanner. Photo by Denise Fleischman Talent show judges Dr. Gordon Johnson, nurses Denise Mercandetti and Geri Colbert, and Dr. Jeffrey Bishop.

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