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VOL. 45, ISSUE 6

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The Boca Interview

With inclusivity and community at the forefront, Boca Raton Museum of Art Executive Director Ena Heller aims to reshape the Mizner Park institution for a new era of museum engagement.

Written by JOHN THOMASON

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Best of Boca

From unforgettable restaurant openings to philanthropic heroes, a new FAU president and a century of history to celebrate, Boca kept busy this past year. We break down all of it—our fitness trends, our dancing mayor, our just desserts—while offering a scoche of snark where appropriate.

Written by TYLER CHILDRESS, CHRISTIANA LILLY and JOHN THOMASON

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Special Section: Florida Style & Design

Written by CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT AND AMANDA MESA

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Churrasco at Stage.

Read about more new restaurants in our "Best of Boca" on page 50.

LIBBY VOLGYES

The lanais of yesteryear have evolved into luxurious alfresco living spaces that seamlessly extend the home’s style and comfort into the backyard. Plus: Trend-setting products include mid-century modern accouterments and furniture that literally moves us.

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18 Editor’s Letter

The latest chatter on our eternally developing city—discussed by the anonymous panel of experts we convened for our annual Best of Boca feature—reminds us that today’s hot-button issues may well evolve into the places that represent, well … the best of Boca.

Written by CHRISTIANA LILLY

21 The Local

Meet the FAU professor whose latest book takes a walk on the wild side of South Florida, and a rabbi whose retirement from three decades at B’Nai Torah coincides with a perilous time for Judaism. Plus: Locals share their wish lists to improve Boca, the city’s newest public amenity is up in the air, and the Everglades’ Flamingo Lodge brings comfortable hospitality to the end of the world.

Written by CHRISTIANA LILLY and JOHN THOMASON

30 The Look

It’s travel season, but that needn’t mean relegating your flight apparel to baggy clothes and flip-flops. These TSA-compliant clothes and accessories from Boca retailers are fashionable even at 30,000 feet.

Photography by AARON BRISTOL

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136 Speed Bumps

Local funnyman David Sadaka’s downtown Boca comedy club—modeled after his favorite Greenwich Village haunts—is intimate, dimly lit and uncensored. Plus, Pop Art in Delray, Shakespearean fantasy in Jupiter, a yacht-rock triple bill in West Palm Beach, and many more A&E highlights.

Written by JOHN THOMASON

Summer ain’t what it used to be—but paradise still beckons.

Written by MARIE SPEED

ON THE COVER: The chocolate bonbons were made for Boca magazine by Norman Love Confections, now open in Boca Raton and Delray Beach.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Aaron Bristol

105 Florida Table: Eat & Drink See what our food critic has to say about CVI.CHE 105 and Driftwood. Plus, we carve out space for our favorite butcher shops, and pour over wine-sipping tips from one of Italy’s top purveyors of sparkling vino.

Written by CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT

128 Social

Stetson-hatted supporters saddled up to Boca West Country Club to eclipse $1 million in donations to the George Snow Scholarship Fund, the gloves came off at Sugar Ray Leonard’s YMCA speech, and The Boca Raton and our local historical society each hosted celebrations of food and wine.

Written by TYLER CHILDRESS

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bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

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For Moments That Matter With architecturally stunning settings and a golden beach, The Boca Raton resort and private club has

hosted Florida’s most magical events for generations. Whether you’re a Club member, a newcomer, or anything in between, our team of world-class planners, designers, and renowned chefs will work with you to create a celebration that exceeds all expectations.

T H E B O C A R AT O N . C O M

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Web Extras

Visit bocamag.com for bonus items you won’t see anywhere else—extended stories, recipes, news and more.

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Don’t miss Boca on everything from FACEBOOK (facebook.com/ bocamag) to INSTAGRAM (@bocamag) and TWITTER/X (@ bocamag) for community news, retail trends, foodie updates and much more.

Norman Love Confections

CHOCOLATE IS OUR LOVE LANGUAGE

Go behind the scenes and discover how we staged this issue’s cover—in collaboration with new Boca chocolatier Norman Love Confections—at bocamag.com/july-august-2025.

FOR THE BIRDS

FAU Professor Andrew Furman, featured on page 28, discusses his new book Of Slash Pines and Manatees: A Highly Selective Field Guide to My Suburban Wilderness, about the flora and fauna that defines South Florida. Visit bocamag.com/july-august-2025 to read an excerpt from the book,“The Problem With Pretty Birds.”

BOCA MAGAZINE WINS BIG!

At last summer’s Florida Magazine Association Charlie Awards, honoring excellence in magazine writing, design and advertising, Boca magazine collected 17 awards sweeping across 12 categories—including the first-place in eight categories, among them Best Overall Magazine in our subscription bracket. “The Boca magazine staff comes to work every day knowing they are producing the best magazine in Florida,” said Boca magazine Editor Emeritus Marie Speed. “To have the FMA agree with that assessment has always made us proud. … This year was my last awards submission to the Florida Magazine Association, and I am so happy with the recognition our magazines received.”

WELCOME TO PALM PARADISE

We’ve got more stories to tell, so we’re going where other local lifestyle magazines aren’t venturing—jumping off the page and into your ears with a monthly podcast.

Palm Paradise is an entertaining, thought-provoking and engaging podcast series serving Boca Raton and beyond. We invite you to join us and travel to Palm Paradise, now available on your favorite podcasting platforms and YouTube. Visit bocamag.com/palm-paradise-podcast for more.

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Best Bites

Think our dining guide is long? You haven’t seen anything until you’ve visited our digital version.

We’ve got critic-reviewed restaurants from Jupiter to Miami on the web. Visit the Dining Guide tab to view the guide.

City Watch Boca Raton is anything but sleepy, and Randy Schultz is the go-to for all the city politics, development and business news you need to know.

For updates delivered straight to your email every Tuesday and Thursday, visit the City Watch tab on our website.

bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

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Florida Atlantic University School of Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sustainability Florida Atlantic University’s School of Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sustainability (ECOS) is confronting the region’s most critical environmental challenges, building enduring solutions, locally and globally. An environmental hub for South Florida, the school is investing in collaborative research and impactful community programs to protect its unique ecosystems for decades to come.

Scan QR Code to make a gift

To work towards a sustainable future for the region and beyond, ECOS is educating the next generation of scientific leaders and stewards.

Support from public and private partnerships is advancing environmental education through scholarships and research.

Your investment in Florida Atlantic’s environmental programs will help us meet tomorrow’s challenges today.

For more information and to make your contribution, visit transcendtomorrow.fau.edu.

GROUP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Christiana Lilly MANAGING EDITOR

John Thomason WEB EDITOR

Tyler Childress EDITOR EMERITUS

Marie Speed SENIOR ART DIRECTOR

Lori Pierino PRODUCTION MANAGER

Rafael Quiñones GRAPHIC DESIGNER

James Karpinen FOOD EDITOR

Christie Galeano-DeMott PHOTOGRAPHERS

Aaron Bristol, Michael Connor, Carina Mask CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Marie Speed, Margie Kaye (promotional writing)

The business phone system that works as hard as you do.

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Gail Eagle ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Alex Fahmy, Karen S. Kintner, Jenna Russo, Skyler Ruth

Boca Raton magazine is published eight times a year by JES Media.

Call (888) 298-0165 to learn more. © Ooma, Inc. © Ziff Davis, LLC.

The contents of Boca Raton magazine are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Boca Raton magazine accepts no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts and/or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. Boca Raton magazine reserves the right to edit, rewrite or refuse material and is not responsible for products. Please refer to corporate masthead.

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LETTERS

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More on Schine I enjoyed your May/June issue,“Boca Raton Turns 100.” It was full of many wonderful facts, including how Hildegarde Feldman Schine and her husband, J. Myer Schine, bought the Boca Raton Hotel and Club in 1944. As a relative of J. Myer Schine, who died in 1971, I must add what Eliot Kleinberg of the Palm Beach Post reported in 2003—that Schine was an “unsung hero”who arranged for Boca Raton to save all that prime oceanfront property for beach parks.

Kleinberg reported that Schine owned a lot of oceanfront property in Boca and held back on development until money could be raised for the city to buy the tracts, because“he genuinely wanted the public to own that property,”said Bob Langford, then director of the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District. Kleinberg also quoted the late City Manager Jim Rutherford, that the beach buy was “probably the single most important decision that this city made in the last 25 to 30 years.”

Sharon Geltner

ALLYSE CIRILLO Founder & CEO

Shop now at shopsaintjo.com

A Hit and a Miss I really enjoyed reading about the history of Boca Raton, and learned so much interesting info. We went to the BR Historical Museum, which surprisingly we had never visited before. Loved it!

We also decided to try The Griddle for its historical value. First, they may have been around since 1945, but certainly not in their current location or in their current form. Second, perhaps a heads-up should have been given re their in-your-face political leanings. It certainly wasn’t the“warm ambiance”mentioned in the article. We took 2 steps inside, looked around, and walked out. What a disappointment.

Barbara Wolf Coral Springs FL

shopsaintjo.com / @shop.saintjo

July/August 2025 • • • • bocamag.com

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DIRECTORY

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For any changes or questions regarding your subscription, to purchase back issues, or to inquire about distribution points, call circulation at 877/553-5363.

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Take advantage of Boca Raton magazine’s prime advertising space—put your ad dollars to work in the premier publication of South Florida. For more information, or to partner with Boca Raton magazine on a community event, call 561/997-8683 ext. 300, or email nicole@bocamag.com.

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Create a magazine tailored to fit the needs and character of your business/organization. Ideal for promotions, special events, introduction of new services, etc. Contact Christiana Lilly (christiana@bocamag.com)

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Boca Raton magazine values the concerns, interests and knowledge of our readers about the community. Please submit story and profile ideas by email to Christiana Lilly (christiana@bocamag.com). Due to the large volume of pitches, the editor may not respond to all queries. Boca Raton does not accept unsolicited, ready-for-print stories.

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Your thoughts and comments are important to us. All letters to the editor may be edited for style, grammar and length. Send letters to the address listed below or contact Christiana Lilly (christiana@bocamag.com) Letter to the Editor Boca Raton magazine 1000 Clint Moore Road, #103 Boca Raton, FL 33487

Arts & entertainment

Where to go, what to do and see throughout South Florida. Please submit information regarding galas, art openings, plays, readings, concerts, dance or other performances to John Thomason (john.thomason@ bocamag.com). Deadline for entries in an upcoming A&E section is three months before publication.

People

A photo collage of social gatherings and events in Boca Raton and South Florida. All photos submitted should be identified and accompanied by a brief description of the event (who, what, where, when). Email images to Tyler Childress (tyler@bocamag.com)

CORRECTION Dr. Kanwal Bawa, featured in the Local section of our April issue (“Sexual Healing”), completed her residency in a Cleveland Clinic hospital, not a Cleveland Clinic “affiliated”hospital, as we published. We regret the error.

July/August 2025 • • • • bocamag.com

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FROM THE EDITOR

Written by CHRISTIANA LILLY

n the Boca magazine office, the arrival of summer means it’s time to put together our annual“Best of Boca” issue—a look back at the last year in Boca Raton, from headlines, city developments, and restaurant openings and closings to the moments that went viral.

I knew that this was a long-running tradition, but I was curious to see for exactly how long. I headed to our archives and kept going back in time until I finally found a table of contents that introduced the “Best of Boca.”It was the January/February 1992 issue, when readers voted for their favorite grocery store, news stations and dry cleaner. However, the format changed, as I’m told, as the voting model simply became a popularity contest as opposed to a more informed ranking. In our digital age, that’s easy to accomplish, by pushing out a Google Form to your social media followers and newsletter subscribers.

Instead, for decades, the editorial team has put their ears to the ground and talked to people in the know. What topics were coming up at City Hall? What did the rumor mill have to say about development? Who were the players who were showing up when it was needed? And no matter what century it is, what is the hot new restaurant in town that has everyone clamoring for a reservation?

I also couldn’t help but notice that the first iteration of “Best of Boca”also came months after the controversial Mizner Park project. Today it seems silly—how can an outdoor shopping plaza that people flock to be controversial? But that was the time, with residents taking sides for or against developing the former Boca Raton Mall space, arguing over coffee or lunch about the merits of a $68 million bond agreement and $50 million in infrastructure improvements. I even heard that friendships ended over the issue.

What about parking? What will it do to traffic? And that price tag? Yikes.

Fast forward to today, and we can almost use the script, verbatim, as our elected officials map out the future of downtown Boca Raton, with grand plans for a $1 billion-plus redevelopment of the 30 acres around City Hall. This would mean a new City Hall, community center, retail and restaurant space, and residential units. And from the renderings, some giant flamingo sculptures. I’m curious what we’ll think in 30 years—what will transpire. Hindsight is 20/20, of course, and all progress requires us to take a chance.

So what do you think about Boca Raton’s happenings? Check out our 2025 Best of Boca on page 50 for our rundown of the last year in dining, city news, retail, changemakers and the arts scene. Consider it also a checklist of what you’ve yet to try—I know that for me, it became that. The brand-new restaurants I’ve yet to dine at, museums I should revisit, and the new shops I’ll attempt to pop into just to see what’s up but will walk out with a bag of goodies.

In this issue we also introduce you to Ena Heller, the newly installed executive director of the Boca Raton Museum of Art (page 44). Our managing editor, John Thomason, had a sit-down with her, where we learned about her background in art and her vision for Boca’s cultural jewel. Definitely a place to escape the heat for the coming months!

Happy summer, everyone, and I hope to see you around town.

An early ad for Mizner Park

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COURTESY OF THE SCHMIDT BOCA RATON HISTORY MUSEUM

Decades pass, but one thing remains: People love to talk

CARINA MASK

It Was the Best of Times

bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

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LUXURIOUS

•

SOPHISTICATED

•

INNOVATIVE

RITZY CHRISTENSEN INTERIOR DESIGNER 1141 Holland Dr #22, Boca Raton, FL 33487

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thebocasa.com

3/20/25 9:50 AM

Boca Raton recently celebrated its centennial with a mesmerizing drone show over the BRiC campus—for upcoming summer events, turn to page 22.

THE LOCAL › › › › › ›

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INDIE HOUSE FILMS

B O C A C H AT T E R H OT L I S T H O M E T OW N H E R O AUTHOR T H E LO O K WO R T H T H E T R I P

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THE LOCAL

BOCA CHATTER

Don’t Miss Events FABULOUS FOURTH OF JULY

WHEN: July 4 throughout Boca Raton WHAT: Celebrate our nation’s independence with a full day of celebrations, including the Firecracker 5K at FAU; Liberty Cup Racquet Tournament at Patch Reef Park; a block party at Sugar Sand Park with yard games, crafts and food trucks; and the Fabulous Finale at Countess de Hoernle Park with live music, food trucks, vendors and a fireworks show. myboca.us/1456/ fourth-of-july

COVECHELLA

WHEN: July 26 at Cove Shopping Center in Deerfield Beach WHAT: Back for its second year, Cove Brewery is taking over the shopping center to celebrate its second anniversary with craft beer, food, live music, beer pong, cornhole, a Kids Zone and more. covebrewery.com/covechella

SUMMER SMASH

WHEN: Aug. 31 at 5 p.m., The Studio at Mizner Park, Boca Raton WHAT: Close out the summer with Boca Raton’s very own Championship Wrestling league duking it out in the ring. The all-ages event features a troupe of larger-than-life personalities, including WWE alums. bocaratonwrestling.com

Fabulous Fourth of July

Locals sound off on issues affecting our community.

What are some changes or improvements you’d like to see in Boca Raton?

“I would really like to see Clint Moore Road finally connect with Federal Highway.

It would revitalize the northeast area of Boca Raton and help ease the traffic congestion on Yamato Road.”

Jay Whelchel, principal/founder of Whelchel Partners Real Estate Services

“I’d love to see a little restaurant at Wildflower Park! That would be such a great vibe. Scenic, simple, and the perfect bridge between Downtown Boca, the Intracoastal and the beach.”

Michele Bellisari, REAL Broker, #SoooBoca Lifestyle @soooboca

AARON BRISTOL

Andre Weliky, owner of 4-95 Boca Car Wash

“Boca Raton needs more private-public partnerships for indoor and outdoor facilities like indoor tennis, indoor/outdoor pickleball, indoor soccer and lacrosse.”

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GABRIEL CUESTA

COME FLY WITH ME

Boca Raton Airport’s observation deck

There’s now a place where aviation buffs can watch the action at Boca Raton Airport: the new observation deck.

A circular path leads visitors to the deck with benches under a canopy of white sails. Since there are no stairs, people pushing strollers or those using wheelchairs and walkers can easily navigate the space. Ground speakers project air traffic control conversations; signage educates visitors about the planes and animals in the area.

The observation deck is free and open to the public from sunrise to sunset. To get there, enter 903 N.W. 35th St., Boca Raton, into your GPS. After Northwest Eighth Avenue, the observation deck is next to the airport administrative office.

Pack Your Bags

BOCA BY THE NUMBERS

Before you head off for your summer adventures, make a note to throw these Florida-born items into your bags.

1958 Boca Raton’s first Fourth of July celebration

PROMISE TO WRITE Do your vacation old school and write home to your friends and loved ones about your travels!

Rifle Paper Company, based in Winter Park, has a line of adorable stationery, including this letter writing kit. $40, riflepaperco.com

SUMMER BEACH READ It Happened in Florida: Stories of Events and People That Shaped Sunshine State History, by Vero Beach author E. Lynne Wright, chronicles 30 of the Sunshine State’s most riveting moments in history. $16.95, where books are sold

SHOE SAVERS Keep your shoes in tip-top shape in your luggage with Protect My Shoes’ collection of shoe stuffers, founded

by Boca Raton entrepreneur Olivia Hollaus. She also has shoe bags and sprays to keep your best kicks ready to roll for any occasion. $20 and up, protectmyshoes.com

CARRY ON There’s your travel bag, and then there’s the day-to-day bag while on vacation. Miami’s Joanna MacDonald founded Piper & Skye, and her Boca bag in sustainable pirarucu leather was calling our name with its card slots, cash pocket, and enough room for the necessities. $295, piperandskye.com

SEPT. 22 Last day of summer

No.15

Everglades National Park ranking in national campground searches Campspot

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD This year, residents Rosemary and Ben Krieger celebrated 67 years of marriage—one that is a testament to teamwork and giving.

The philanthropists met when they were in school in Ohio and married the year after Rosemary graduated from high school. Now living in Boca Raton, the two have been active in the Rotary Club, AVDA, Junior League of Boca Raton, the Peter Blum YMCA, Boca Raton

Regional Hospital, St. Jude Catholic Church and many more. The two cite their faith for carrying them through nearly seven decades, and working as a team both in marriage and as members of the community.“We worked together to keep our love strong and sincere, supported one another and always worked together,”Rosemary says.

“If [there was] ever a conflict, we would resolve it together.”

6,279

Length of Boca Raton Airport’s runway in feet

July/August 2025 • • • • bocamag.com

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THE LOCAL

HOT LIST

RYAN ADAMS

WHEN: July 26, 8 p.m.

WHERE: The Parker, 707 N.E. Eighth St., Fort Lauderdale COST: $39.50-$69.50 CONTACT: 954/462-0222, browardcenter.org

“CONFEDERATES” WHEN: July 10-27 WHERE: New City

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It’s been 25 years since singer-songwriter Ryan Adams released his debut, Heartbreaker, a turn-of-the-century statement of warmth, beauty and stratospheric talent that’s often shortlisted among the best albums of the 2000s. Adams proved to be no slouch before or after this pivot point, previously recording three successful albums with the seminal alt-country group Whiskeytown, and since releasing no fewer than 21 LPs. Adams is as creatively eclectic as he is furiously prolific, whether laying down aching ballads or up-tempo rockers, while earning fans as varied as Elton John, Taylor Swift and Norah Jones, despite a history of mercurial and diva-like onstage behavior. (For the benefit of all, it’s best not to heckle him.) Stephen King, another admirer, pinpointed the artist whom Adams most resembles in sound and attitude:“I won’t say Adams is the best North American singer-songwriter since Neil Young, but I won’t say he isn’t either.”His current tour celebrates Heartbreaker’s anniversary year and features many of its cuts alongside various surprises.

Ryan Adams

Darci Lynne

“THE VIRTUE OF VICE”

DARCI LYNNE AND FRIENDS

Highway, West Palm Beach COST: $18 general, $15 seniors CONTACT: 561/832-5196, norton.org Some artists have chosen to focus on the prettier sides of life—sunsets and seascapes, flowers and cats.

Others, like those selected for this exhibition, trained their gazes, brushes and pencils away from the rosier aspects of the world, and into the madding crowd of humanity’s vices. Then as now, in Europe and the Americas alike, poverty and sexual exploitation, boozing and gambling, have been rampant, and artists like the crew in“The Virtue of Vice”have observed, documented, critiqued and satirized the sordid sides of life. From Goya’s dark narratives to Reginald Marsh’s portraits of jobless New Yorkers to Peggy Bacon’s sardonic caricatures to works by Francis Bacon and Robert Henri,“The Virtue of Vice”offers a myriad of tones inspired by the myriad of realities that might have prompted others to look away.

GREYLAND

Players at Island City Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Highway, Fort Lauderdale COST: $40-$45 CONTACT: 954/3766114, newcityplayers.org Renowned playwright Dominique Morisseau penned this inventively structured drama set in two time periods 160 years apart. In one, Sara (Nai Fairweather), an enslaved woman from a Confederate plantation, works as a Union spy to deliver information to the north. In the modern story, Sandra (Rita Cole), a professor of political science, finds her tenured career at risk when she discovers a racist image on her office door. With both provocation and humor, Morisseau intertwines these stories of Black women confronting oppression and racial and gender bias across time, even using elements of farce as satirical arrows in her quiver.

An Off-Broadway hit in 2022, “Confederates” makes its Florida debut in a production from Fort Lauderdale’s New City Players.

WHEN: July 19-20, 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday, 6 p.m.

Sunday

WHERE: Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach COST: $37.50-$52.50 CONTACT: 561/832-7469, kravis.org Golden-voiced entertainer Darci Lynne was all of 12 years old when she appeared on “America’s Got Talent”in 2017, winning the Golden Buzzer for her audition performance, in which she nailed a pitch-perfect version of “Summertime”—through the “voice”of a rabbit puppet named Petunia. Lynne would go on to win the 12th season of “AGT,” shattering the record for most votes in any finale in the show’s history and becoming the youngest contestant to be crowned the victor. Now 20, she’s continued to grow creatively alongside her avatars, generating a renewed interest in ventriloquism among millennials and Gen Z. Though her comic timing is impeccable, Lynne’s niche in the puppetry world remains her soaring voice, whether crooning the Beatles or country, soul or opera, through such characters as Katie the yodeling cowgirl and Edna, a naughty nursing-home denizen.

WHEN: July 12-Jan. 4 WHERE: Norton Museum of Art, 1450 S. Dixie

“The Jury” by George Hart

bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

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6/2/25 10:37 AM

Welcome to Comprehensive Brain & Spine Care.

At Marcus Neuroscience Institute, healing starts with humanity. That’s why we offer the most advanced treatments for neurological conditions, combined with the most compassionate care.

From neurology to pain management and neurosurgery, we have everything and everyone you need to heal and get back to the life you love.

To learn more, visit BaptistHealth.net/MarcusNeuroscienceInstitute or call 561-955-4600.

THE LOCAL

HOMETOWN HERO

Rabbi David Steinhardt

The retired rabbi reflects on his 31 years with B’nai Torah

It’s not a particular achievement, but it’s an overall sense that a community was created here over time, and I know that it was done with intention.”

—Rabbi David Steinhardt

This page is a tribute to community citizens who have demonstrated exemplary service and leadership to the city of Boca Raton and is in memory of John E. Shuff.

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or Rabbi David Steinhardt, the synagogue is your home—and that means not saving a seat. “Imagine [guests] coming into your living room and sitting down someplace. You wouldn’t say to them, ‘That seat is saved,’” he says. “I use that as a metaphor for what life is going to be like.”

In June, the rabbi retired after 31 years at B’nai Torah in Boca Raton; he watched the congregation and staff grow as well as its programming and community service.

A generation of his family was killed in Auschwitz, but the Jewish tradition and faith survived in the U.S. He says that unlike most kids, he loved Hebrew school, and the two men who shaped his faith are the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jewish philosopher Abraham Joshua Heschel.“Those all became part of my understanding of what it meant to be Jewish, that is, to take responsibility in your society, to be able to look beyond the walls and outside the windows and be part of the world,”he says.

Originally from Connecticut, Steinhardt attended rabbinical school at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City. A battle that synagogues were facing at the time: whether to allow women to serve as rabbis. Steinhardt made a point to only work at a synagogue that permitted women rabbis.

He served in two Ohio synagogues, hosted interfaith services, worked with union strikers, welcomed Jewish Soviet refugees, participated in an AIDS task force with other religious leaders, and went toe-to-toe with Ohio Rep. Jim Traficant, who championed antise-

mitic causes in the House.

In 1994, Steinhardt moved to Boca Raton. At B’nai Torah, the staff grew from 10 to 140. He created an early childhood program, and he revamped the Hebrew school from a more sedentary format to activities-based; attendance more than doubled, to 85%. For two decades, Steinhardt led an interfaith clergy group with Rev. Andrew Sherman of St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church.

In 2012, the temple launched the Tzedekah, Learning and Chesed (TLC) Program, including a Little Free Pantry, free showers and meals for the unhoused, literacy programs, a diaper bank and outreach to elders. The adult education program has grown to 250 participants.

ON CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM: My congregants are people that care about tradition and want to see it preserved or conserved but also understand that we’re living in a world that constantly changes, and we do have to be responsive to those types of changes. I spoke about women becoming rabbis and the role of women in the synagogue, which is no longer an issue. It’s fully accepted. But it also has to do with accessibility to differently abled people and the projects that we have, like for our bar and bat mitzvah program. It also has to do with the attitude towards and the full acceptance of gay people or LGBTQ populations in our congregations.

POLITICS AND RELIGION: I speak about the values that I see as essential for us to uphold as religious people, and so sometimes people don’t like to hear that. I find that

MICHAEL CONNOR

Written by CHRISTIANA LILLY

Rabbi David Steinhardt

most of my congregants really do want to hear what I have to say about these things, and I don’t get into policy. I think it’s really, really murky waters for rabbis to get into policies and politics. And that’s interesting, because when I grew up, rabbis were very outspoken in the antiwar movement, very outspoken when it came to civil rights and congregations.

THE HOLOCAUST AND JEWISH IDENTITY: It’s very important that the Holocaust be something everybody is aware of, and we learn about it and we memorialize it appropriately. But on the other hand, we don’t want to just focus on Holocaust education or oppression as being the central part of our identity.

We want our identity to be based on aspiration and on hope and on celebration, and we have to be able to integrate those two things.

HIGHLIGHTS: Weddings are the best part about being a rabbi. I love it. My next career, I want to be a party planner.

bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

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6/3/25 4:23 PM

Doreen Yaffa

Certified Law Practitioner

Yaffa Family Law Group 301 Yamato Road #2190 Boca Raton, FL 33431

561.473.3679

yaffafamilylawgroup.com Through her leadership as Founder and Managing Partner of Yaffa Family Law Group, Doreen Yaffa has built a boutique firm where resolution is prioritized, and litigation is approached with purpose. Serving clients from Stuart to Miami, the firm is known for its strategic, compassionate, and outcome-focused representation in life’s most complex family matters.

With over 30 years of experience, Yaffa knows divorce isn’t just a legal matter, it’s a personal turning point.

Her cost-benefit mindset helps clients make informed decisions that serve their long-term well-being. “The best court result isn’t always worth the time, cost, and emotional toll,” she says. “People sometimes spend more fighting than they stand to gain. That’s not strategy.

That’s emotion.”

This mindset led her to launch SplytUp Services, a streamlined option for couples across the state of Florida, ready to divorce with mutual respect and efficiency. It’s one of several innovative models designed to expand access to legal support.

Board Certified in Marital and Family Law since 2001, Yaffa is among just six percent of Florida attorneys with this distinction. As a seasoned litigator and Certified Life Coach, she brings both strategy and empathy to every case, and recently launched an invite-only coaching group to support clients through life’s transitions.

Beyond her client work, Doreen empowers attorneys to embrace the same philosophy: pursue resolution with compassion, and be ready to litigate with precision.

At Yaffa Family Law Group, Doreen has built more than a firm, she’s built a mission: to empower, resolve, and advocate with purpose.

BRANDED CONTENT

THE LOCAL

AUTHOR

All Natural

An FAU professor’s illuminating new book reckons with humankind’s fraught connections to our local wildlife Written by JOHN THOMASON

I make a case for readers to undertake their own discoveries about the special animals and plants in their own region.

I hope they take me up on that.”

—Andrew Furman

WEB EXTRA: Visit BOCAMAG.COM/ JULY-AUGUST-2025 to read an excerpt from Of Slash Pines and Manatees.

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n the eternal divide between Florida’s native and non-native species, professor Andrew Furman, like most Sunshine Staters above a certain age, falls into the latter category. The native New Yorker moved to California with his family at age 5, and later to Pennsylvania for college and a teaching assistant job, then alighted to Boca Raton in 1996 for a tenure-track position at Florida Atlantic University. He’s remained here ever since, teaching English at the university while writing seven books, both fiction and non-.

If there’s a “character”that surfaces most often in Furman’s oeuvre, it’s his adopted home state, either as vivid backdrop or central subject, as in the 2014 memoir Bitten: My Unexpected Love Affair With Florida.

“I never really imagined myself as a Floridian,” he recalls.“It was where I visited my elderly relatives, when I ever came at all. So that was the ‘unexpected’ part. … Now I’m a die-hard Floridian. It would take a lot to get me out of here.”

This year, University Press of Florida published Furman’s companion piece to Bitten. Of Slash Pines and Manatees: A Highly Selective Field Guide to My Suburban Wilderness explores his family’s evolving relationships with South Florida’s flora and fauna through personal essays interwoven with history, zoology, botany and cultural criticism. Topics range from his efforts to transform the backyard of his home in the Palm Beach Farms subdivision into a wildlife refuge— with its canopy of nine live oaks— to the biodiversity hazards of algae blooms, the complicated majesty of the painted bunting, the bloody history of the yellow-crowned

night heron, and the perils of overfishing.

Furman is an astute and well-read nature and science writer, bolstering his own prose with references to such giants in the field as Henry David Thoreau, Mary Oliver and Bill McKibben.

His observations often transcend his focus on homo sapiens’ fraught commingling with the natural world, entering the realm of social critique. In a passage on bees sacrificing themselves for the survival of the hive, he writes,“While a hive mentality is not something we ought to emulate too closely, I worry that we’ve careened headlong toward the other extreme of narcissistic individualism and that this might be the source of many of our problems, environmental and otherwise. We’ve grown ever more atomized and hardly enjoy any sense of community at all.”

“What interests me about nature writing is when writers … don’t look at nature just in and of itself, as if it’s a separate, sacred thing, but that they write more in an ecological sense,” Furman says.

“I love nature writing that doesn’t just wax on about the beauty of the flower in and of itself but looks at the culture of nature, and how we’ve interacted, in ways that are good and ways that are bad.”

Furman’s chapter on slash pines is perhaps the most profound example of this philosophy. It evolves from a narrative about Furman’s daughter Eva’s efforts to plant one of these conifers in their backyard into a harrowing account of the tree’s role in Florida’s history of debt peonage, in which Black men were arrested off the street for vagrancy and forced to endure the brutal,

Andrew Furman

sometimes fatal labor of extracting resin from slash pines to make turpentine. Only in 1941 did Florida outlaw debt peonage laws, becoming the last southern state to do so.

The chapter also includes a history of the Yamato Colony, one of many site-specific references that local readers will recognize.

Yamato Scrub, Okeeheelee Park, the Morikami Museum and FAU cameo in the book. Furman hopes that the sense of place he evokes in his writing will resonate well beyond the tri-county area.

“I do worry that place matters less and less to young people, and people generally,” he says.

“It’s partly that we live in a world now where the world is at our fingertips. … If your home can be anywhere, it’s also nowhere.

“So I think that our attachment to our place is more and more tenuous. I don’t want to sound too gloomy about it, because one thing I try to do in the book is to constantly rediscover new things about my own place. And I hope the book inspires other people to do that, whether or not they happen to live in Florida. … I make a case for readers to undertake their own discoveries about the animals and plants in their own region. I hope they take me up on that.”

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6/2/25 10:49 AM

Elizabeth Bennett, MBA CFP™ Certified Financial Planner™

Intercoastal Wealth Planning 6751 North Federal Highway, Suite 400 Boca Raton, FL 33487

561.210.7339

intercoastalwealth.com With the season of giving quickly approaching, Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), Elizabeth Bennett has some important advice for those who are philanthropically inclined: “If you are of required minimum distribution age, (RMD), which is currently 73-years old plus, you may want to have your RMD sent directly to the charity of your choice, so you do not have to recognize that distribution as taxable income.”

When asked about the volatility in the market, Bennett offered these insights: It is important for you and your advisor to be looking at Tax Loss Harvesting as the second half of the year arrives. Given there is volatility in the market, Tax Loss Harvesting in years like this helps to offset years like we had in 2023 and 2024. Many people owed taxes this year. This was because many accounts were up 20% last year, which is the good news. The bad news is that if you’re making money, of course, you must pay taxes. So, in a year where there’s volatility, it could present an opportunity for Tax Loss Harvesting to help carry forward some losses into years when you have gains in your nonretirement accounts.”

Photography: Michael Connor

Bennett adds, “I can offer the most comprehensive advice when we address both your taxes and investments together. By looking at both areas simultaneously, we can create a strategy that aligns with your goals and maximizes your financial growth.”

Securities offered through J.W. Cole Financial (JWC) member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory Services offered through J.W. Cole Advisors, Inc. (JWCA). Financial planning, insurance, and tax services offered through Bay Financial Planning and Tax Services, LLC DBA Intercoastal Wealth Planning a Registered Investment Adviser, Bay Financial Planning and Tax Services, LLC and JWC/JWCA are unaffiliated entities.

BRANDED CONTENT

THE LOCAL

LOOK

n O y r r a C

show res n o i h o a fas local st o t n rom ne i ity li d looks f r u c e e the s prov Turn e TSA-ap thes with

ANNA KARIN KARLSSON sunglasses, $1,020, from Grove Opticians MALIPARMI necklace, $155 each, from Filly & Colt Pink wrap, $109; yellow jacket, $189; both from Voyage Boutique

AARON BRISTOL

VALENTINO bag, $3,690, from Saks Boca CUOIERIA FIORENTINA phone case, $125; PERLAVERA scarf, $100; BRUNO MENEGATTI shoes, $122; all from Wish & Shoes

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bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

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Introducing Lighthouse Point’s Ultimate Yachting Estate 4600 NORTHEAST 31 ST AVENUE, LIGHTHOUSE POINT 6 BEDS | 6.1 BATHS | 6,307 SF | OFFERED AT: $19,950,000 Introducing a newly constructed, gated estate on 161± feet of prime no-wake Intracoastal frontage across from Hillsboro Mile. This glass-encased masterpiece offers uninterrupted water views and seamless indoor-outdoor living. Enjoy a sleek pool, entertainment-ready lanai, deepwater dockage, and a rare industrial-grade boat lift.

Call Jackie today to schedule your private tour of this stunning property.

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561.400.2156 JFELDMAN@ONESOTHEBYSREALTY.COM

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JACKIEFELDMAN.ONESOTHEBYSREALTY.COM

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© 2025 ONE Sotheby’s International Realty. All rights reserved. Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty Logo are service marks licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC and used with permission.

CAREER SALES

THE LOCAL

LOOK

BALENCIAGA ball cap, $350; BURBERRY phone bag, $890; HONOR THE GIFT jacket, $199; CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN wallet, $450; CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN tennis shoe, $995; AMIRI belt, $490; all from Saks Boca

AARON BRISTOL

T HENRI sunglasses, $850, from Grove Opticians

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bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

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6/3/25 4:50 PM

WE DON’T RELY ON MIRACLES. We continually monitor over 800 quality and care metrics in real time, so we can constantly innovate and improve on every factor that impacts patient recovery and survival.

Our relentless focus on every detail has helped us to achieve the lowest mortality rates, the lowest hospital-acquired infection rates, and the lowest lengths of stay in the nation. That’s why we were named #1 for quality care in the U.S.

Better health starts with a better health system.

See what makes us the better health system

2024 Vizient Quality and Accountability Ranking. Ranked #1 out of 115 participating comprehensive academic medical centers, with lowest O:E mortality rate and length of stay in the top 5%.

Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Unplanned hospital visits, October 2024, lowest among academic medical centers in New York state.

THE LOCAL

LOOK

BELLAGIO sunglasses, $400; VALROSE eyeglass chain, $130; both from Grove Opticians CUOIERIA FIORENTINA tote bag, $400; makeup bag, $74; credit card holder, $65, and wallet, $205; AZUREE slides, $270; all from Wish & Shoes CHANEL twist and spray travel perfume, $155 each, glow stick, $48; from saks.com OBLIQUE belt, $130, from Filly & Colt

AARON BRISTOL

PARKHURST white wrap, $109; PARIS MON AMOUR eau de parfum, $39; both from Voyage Boutique

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bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

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6/3/25 4:50 PM

B&P Division Chairs: Geil Bilu & Sandy Gerstein

Ha ven Home Health FINANCIAL SERVICES

Scott Brenner

THE LOCAL

LOOK

Paris ball cap, $30; necklace, $20; both from Voyage Boutique IRIS HALD jacket, $248; WOODEN SHIPS sweater, $145; both from Wish & Shoes CHLOE hobo bag, $2,090; CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN sneakers, $945; both from Saks Boca

AARON BRISTOL

FACIALWORKS sea milk cleanser, $18, Facialworks Boca DIOR Addict lip maximizer gloss, $40, dior.com

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bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

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6/3/25 4:50 PM

Brian Ward

The Giani G Group at Douglas Elliman Real Estate

Giani Gurecky

Luxury Real Estate. Elevated Service. United Purpose.

444 East Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, FL 33432

elliman.com/team/giani-g-group Giani Gurecky 561.825.9071 | 786.326.9949 Giani.Gurecky@elliman.com

Brian Ward 561.703.1140 Brian.Ward@elliman.com

Leny Hill 561.997.4254 Leny.Hill@elliman.com

Asher Weintraub 786.676.8146 Asher.Weintraub@elliman.com

At The Giani G Group, we are more than a team of real estate advisors — we are a dynamic blend of cultures, generations, and professional backgrounds, united by one mission: to deliver exceptional real estate service rooted in integrity, passion, and results.

Leny Hill

Asher Weintraub

Backed by the prestige of Douglas Elliman and fueled by an unwavering commitment to excellence, we guide our clients through South Florida’s luxury market with confidence, clarity, and care.

Led by Giani Gurecky, a top-producing agent and recipient of the Leading Edge Award, The Giani G Group brings together professionals with expertise in finance, hospitality, public safety, and digital marketing.

We combine innovative thinking with deep market insight to elevate every step of the real estate journey.

Our strength lies in our differences, and together, we deliver seamless, high-touch experiences for buyers, sellers, and investors alike.

“Contact us for a private consultation, we’re here to serve you with integrity and results.”

“Proudly serving Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and the South Florida coast.”

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THE LOCAL

LOOK

ANNA KARIN KARLSSON sunglasses, $1,390, from Grove Opticians WOODEN SHIPS sweater, $139, from Wish & Shoes Belt, $55; belt bag, $139; bangles, $20 each; cashmere wrap, $199; all from Voyage Boutique BURBERRY AirPods case, $330, from Saks Boca HOMERS shoe, $450; HARMON camo bag, $1,260; both from Filly & Colt TORY BURCH eau de parfum, $155, toryburch.com

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AARON BRISTOL

CHANEL lip gloss, $42, chanel.com

bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

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6/3/25 4:51 PM

Jonathan Larkin Owner

Boca Raton Fitness Center (formerly Palm Beach Gym) 7561 N. Federal Highway Boca Raton, FL 33487

561-278-7111

Bocafitnessgym.com Jonathan Larkin has always been a fitness enthusiast and networker. After selling a big business in New York City, he moved to Boca Raton, joined a luxury heath club in the area and threw a party two years in a row, inviting 700 people from the gym to his house.

Larkin then used the local network he built to buy three fitness equipment stores, which morphed into 24 fitness equipment stores, Busy Body Gym to Go, in five years.

Along the way he also took over underperforming gyms in South Florida and rebranded them as Busy Body Fitness Centers. Between distribution of fitness equipment and membership sales, he proudly boasts over 20 percent of Boca and Delray as clients over the years.

After selling the stores and the gym locations in recent years, Larkin currently owns the Boca Raton Fitness Center, serving the east Boca and Delray Beach communities.

Michael Connor Photography

“Comprised of 25,000 square feet and the best equipment on the market, our Center has become the go-to destination for 4,600 affluent and sophisticated consumers who want to work out with like-minded people who savor the luxurious lifestyle in an upscale gym complete with towel service and sauna and all the amenities they desire.

“Our clients shop at the same stores, go to the same restaurants and enjoy working out where everyone knows one another. Plus, it’s the friendliest gym in Palm Beach County, where you can meet more people in six months than in 10 years at any other gym. … Come by for two complimentary weeks. You can make new friends, gain a new body and maybe even find your soul mate,” says Larkin.

BRANDED CONTENT

Clockwise this page: American alligator, anhinga and the Everglades at sunset

WORTH THE TRIP

Go Pink

Flamingo Adventures reinvents the southern tip of Everglades National Park Written by JOHN THOMASON

O IF YOU GO FLAMINGO ADVENTURES AT EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK WHERE: 1 Flamingo Lodge Highway, Homestead COST: Prices vary by lodging and activity, $35 park fee for up to seven days CONTACT: 855/708-2207, flamingoeverglades. com

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ur riverboat has barely moved from its moorings at the Flamingo Marina when the first American crocodile materializes in full view, leisurely parting the waters adjacent to the hull.

It won’t be the last time our naturalist on the boat, Ry—a native Midwesterner with a booming voice and an encyclopedic knowledge of the Everglades’ flora and fauna—directs our attention to a croc.

Over the next 90 minutes of the Backcountry Boat Tour, we’ll spot three more crocodiles of various sizes, each time savoring the novelty of the sighting; the Everglades is the only place in the country where American crocodiles and alligators coexist. While gators may dominate the cultural consciousness of Florida, they’re only tourists in the Glades. Because these freshwater beasts can’t survive for more than a couple of days in the climate’s brackish waters, the Everglades are croc country.

On the boat tour—which runs four times daily and traverses the mangrove-lined passage of Buttonwood Canal, through the vast seascape of Coot Bay, and

into Tarpon Creek and Whitewater Bay—scaly reptiles aren’t the only wildlife you’re likely to encounter. Ry called our attention to an enormous osprey nest, to which the predatory birds have returned for 11 years to raise their young, and to a number of tri-colored herons fishing in the canals. If you’re lucky, the fins of a shark or a massive tarpon—females of the species can weigh up to 355 pounds—will crest the waters, or even leap into the air for a full breach.

But the prevailing vibe is stillness. Much of the charm of cruising the Everglades involves basking in the relative quiet of this subtropical escape. On our tour, Ry paraphrased a mythology about the place: While other national parks, such as Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, communicate in loud tones, she said, “The Everglades speaks in whispers. You have to listen closely to see the magic of this national park.”

This past shoulder season, just before the summer swelter, we spent two nights attuning our ears to the Everglades’ plaintive rhythms at a press trip courtesy

FLAMINGO EVERGLADES ADVENTURES

THE LOCAL

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a red-shouldered hawk or a visitation from a murder of crows, the trail is an otherwise silent vista of dead white mangroves—gnarled remnants of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Irma in 2017—that makes for a sci-fi showrunner’s ideal alien planet.

And there is much to see even when hanging around the marina. On our last night, we strolled the site near sunset to find many of the morning boat ride’s beastly denizens still active.

Needlefish darted about the shallow waters, disappearing into an array of floating pine needles. An osprey chick departed its hulking nest, we think for the first time, for a few rounds of reconnaissance over the bobbing boats. And a crocodile chased an alligator away from its territory, a vision you can pretty much only see at the Everglades.

With scenes like this, you won’t miss Netflix.

From top: Flamingo Restaurant mahi-mahi sandwich, the view from Flamingo Lodge, and kayaking through the Everglades

BONNIE BARNES

of Flamingo Adventures. This authorized concessioner of Everglades National Park operates a campus of hospitality and recreational opportunities at the southernmost terminus of the park, a region of the Glades that is truly away from it all: After entering the national park from Homestead (a commute of approximately 80 minutes from Boca Raton), it takes another 40 minutes for motorists to arrive at the Flamingo Adventures complex. It’s no wonder the company considered branding itself as“the end of the world.”

But once they get there, visitors to Flamingo aren’t expected to rough it. Over the past five years, the concessioner has erected an array of comfortable—even, for the great outdoors, luxurious—lodging opportunities, from an RV park to four fully furnished houseboats, 20 glamping tents complete with beds and electricity, and the 24 suites of the Flamingo Lodge, the only hotel within Everglades National Park.

We stayed in the latter, a structure of utilitarian gray metal that opened less than two years ago. Inside, the rooms offer many of the trappings of upscale lodging—branded soap bars in the shapes of leaves, an A/C system that keeps the interior as chilly as a meat locker, and a balcony with a stunning view of the Florida Bay and its avian theatrics. There’s even free Wi-Fi, but the concessioners drew the line on in-room TVs; as one representative put it to me,“you shouldn’t be bingeing Netflix while at the Everglades.”

The Flamingo Restaurant and bar, adjacent to the lodge, satisfies dining needs for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Its options vary from excellent (the veggie quesadilla, the black bean burger, the chicken empanadas) to serviceable (the garden burger, the hummus platter; as a reducetarian, I gravitate to plant-forward options).

But with the closest grocer more than 40 miles away, its presence is more than welcome.

Speaking of which, the Guy Bradley Welcome Center, situated between the marina and the lodge, is another recent amenity, opening in 2023 and offering an indoor refuge from the blistering heat. Its highlights include a giant interactive touch screen with information about Everglades National Park, detailed and realistic dioramas of the park’s sea and bird life, and a “Mosquito Meter”tallying the amount of stinging insects from“Enjoyable”to“Insane.”(On my weekend, mercifully, the meter fell on “Enjoyable,” though just shy of“Bearable.”)

Flamingo Adventures also provides kayak, canoe and full-day boat rentals—plenty to keep one busy during their National Park Service-instituted maximum two-night stay. And there’s no extra charge to hike the myriad trails within the park, some of which are just minutes from the Flamingo complex.

Christian Point, the closest of these trails, is a singular wonder. Hikers enter a single-file pathway through dense thickets of forest only to suddenly find themselves in a wide-open desert-like biome of resplendent desolation. Punctuated by the occasional cry of

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André De Souza, DMD

Liliana Aranguren, D.D.S., M.D.Sc. Jeffrey Ganeles, DMD, FACD

Frederic J. Norkin, DMD

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The highly skilled and credentialed team of doctors at South Florida Center for Periodontics & Implant Dentistry are world-renowned for their clinical innovations, dental enhancements and excellence.

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Whether seeking to maintain natural teeth with laser-assisted

OUR DOCTORS Frederic J. Norkin, D.M.D.

Board Certified: Periodontology and Dental Implant Surgery; Fellow: ITI

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Diplomate: American Board of Oral Implantology/Implant Dentistry; Fellow: ITI

Liliana Aranguren, D.D.S., M.D.Sc. Board Certified: Periodontology and Dental Implant Surgery; Fellow: ITI

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Board Certified: Periodontology and Dental Implant Surgery; Fellow: AO, ITI Board of Directors: Academy of Osseointegration

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The focus of the practice is to first and foremost maintain healthy teeth and smiles. If those efforts are not achievable, the team helps to create new smiles with implant dentistry, utilizing every relevant technology available.

SFCPID was the first dental practice in the world to offer YOMI® robotic-assisted surgery, the first and only FDA-approved robotic system designed for dental implant surgery. They also utilize the latest technology in minimally invasive gum and bone regeneration procedures. Cosmetic/esthetic procedures offered include root (recession) coverage, crown lengthening, lip repositioning and gummy smile correction.

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Patients are invited to contact the center directly to schedule an appointment; no referral needed.

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BOCA INTERVIEW

Ena Heller

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As museums everywhere face changing tides, the Boca Raton Museum of Art’s new director aims to expand its scope and role

G

WRITTEN BY JOHN THOMASON PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARINA MASK

Ena

Growing up in Bucharest, Romania, Ena Heller was surrounded by the vocations that still consume her as the new director of the Boca Raton Museum of Art: history and art. As the child of academics—her father was a university professor, her mother a linguist—she was raised in an environment that fostered cultural engagement.

“My mom was an avid art lover and museumgoer, and she would take us to museums and galleries since we were very little,”Heller recalls.“She also had a wonderful art library at home, so I grew up with that, and I grew up with history, because my dad was a third-generation historian in the family. The joke was that I was supposed to be the fourth-generation historian in the family, but I defected to art history, and became an art historian.”

Heller received her bachelor’s degree in Art History and Museum Studies at the Institute of Fine Arts Nicolae Grigorescu (now the Bucharest National University of Arts) in Bucharest in 1988 before her family fled to the U.S. as political refugees.“My father took a stand against the regime’s effort to destroy our country’s history and patrimony,”she says.“They were demolishing

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entire historical neighborhoods in Bucharest to build nondescript apartment buildings in an effort to eliminate one-family homes and any private property. So he was blacklisted, and eventually we were allowed to leave, as the U.S. had granted us political asylum.”

Heller continued her arts education stateside, earning her master’s and Ph.D. in Art History from the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University. Her first museum directorship came in 2005, when she began a more than seven-year stint helming the Museum of Biblical Art in New York, which she left for a 12-year tenure at the Rollins Museum of Art in Central Florida. At the museum, affiliated with Rollins College in Winter Park, Heller oversaw more than 1,300 new acquisitions to the museum’s collection, quadrupled its visitor numbers, and spearheaded a $30 million capital campaign for a new facility for the museum.

She hopes to achieve similar success here in Boca, where she succeeded Irvin Lippman as director in February, following the latter’s 10-year stewardship of the museum. As Boca Museum Board Chair John DesPrez III noted in the announcement of Heller’s appointment,“the Board engaged PBR Executive Search, which undertook a national search to identify and recruit the right leader for the Museum. As it turned out, our chosen candidate was only 200 miles away.”

In the announcement of your appointment, you said, “the museum is at an inflection point in its institutional history.” What did you mean by that?

“Model For Device to Root Out Evil” by Dennis Oppenheim

Izhar Patkin’s “Don Quixote Segunda Parte”

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There’s an argument to be made for museums in general, but the Boca Raton Museum of Art has been here for 75 years. We have served with distinction this community. But I believe that this museum can offer so much more in the next 75—or 175—years, hopefully. And I think that ties into the particular moment that our museums nationwide, and probably worldwide, are going through.

Post-COVID and post- the social movement that started in 2020, there has been, in the leadership of museums, as in the leadership of many fields, a reckoning happening. And we’ve all started asking ourselves, how do we continue to be relevant institutions? That really started in a different form once we started the 21st century, because you always wonder how you’re going to remain relevant.

But I think with everything that’s been happening and continues to happen in the world, that discussion took on more urgency. And there is a change that is happening or that needs to happen in our museum for us to not only remain relevant for the rest of the 21st century, but also to remain sustainable.

The finances of museums are as important as their return on mission and the way they serve their communities, because we need to continue to be able to accomplish our mission. And sustainability is something we have to be very concerned about as well. So on both fronts, we are recognizing that the old models are not necessarily relevant or sustainable anymore.

On the relevant side of things, the old model of the museum as it was established back during the Enlightenment and has continued ever since, with putting things on a pedestal, literally and metaphorically, and I tell you it’s important because it’s in the museum, and you come and look at it and do this [pantomiming genuflection] … that’s not working anymore. Younger generations engage

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Heller with Mira Lehr’s “Norweky”

“Younger generations engage differently. Even older generations expect more than just a passive, looking experience.” —Ena Heller differently. Even older generations expect more than just a passive, looking experience.

We museum professionals need to offer them more. We need to offer them the possibility to arrive at art and engage with it through multiple avenues. What I like is irrelevant, and is very different from what you like, or somebody else. Also, the way I learn is very different from the way somebody else learns. And if we don’t lower those barriers and create those avenues so that a wider population, so that the entire community, can come in, feel at home, not feel intimidated or that they don’t belong, and be able to participate and engage, then we will not be successful.

That’s the inflection point. I think we need to offer a new model of engagement in our museum, and I think the Boca Raton Museum of Art is eminently well positioned to do that because of where we are in our history, because of the type of collection we have, and the type of exhibitions we have been doing. We just need to wrap our heads a little bit differently in the way we package that information and present it to our public.

What is the area where the museum most excels, and where can it most use improvement?

Where we excel is a two-part answer. First, in our education, because not only do we have a good education department here

at the museum, but we have an art school. And that combination is quite unique—definitely unique to the area, and not frequently seen elsewhere. And the other thing that we have been very good at is bringing interesting exhibitions to the community. What I would like to see more of, on the one hand, is a coordination between what we do at the art school and what we do at the museum so that people realize they are part of the same institution—which not everybody does—and leverage one another.

And I would like us to do a lot more with the collection—do exhibitions that are from the collection, and indeed grow the collection if at all possible. The other area that can use improvement is our marketing. We need to do better in marketing and social media and advertising, and create wide awareness of the museum.

You had much success at Rollins, ballooning the attendance and greatly expanding its collection.

Do you feel like this sort of growth is achievable here too?

I think it is totally achievable. I do hope that I’m able to leverage what I’ve learned there in the 12 years I was at Rollins to bring that same type of growth here as well. I think this community is definitely ready for a bigger impact of this museum and for a change. …

What the Rollins experience has given me, which will be very valu-

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BOCA INTERVIEW

able here, is the fact that we were a college art museum, so we operated on campus, but we were a community museum as well.

But the fact that we were part of a college meant that we had to work really, really hard to engage students for whom art was not an interest. We worked with all the different disciplines and with all the faculty and the students. And so we had to effectively do that work of finding those roads that lead to engagement with art but don’t necessarily go through the aesthetics or through the history of art, and find those points of connection.

And I think that those are really applicable to a wider community and public, because again, not all of them are going to be like me when I was a little girl, and I would go with my mom to all the museums, because she took me to them and I happened to like it.

You’ve had an eclectic background in various styles and eras of art. Are there one or two that stand out as your favorites, and that you’d like to see represented here at the museum?

I don’t believe that the collection of a museum needs to reflect the director’s preferences. I think that here at the Boca Museum, we need to look at where our strengths are and further develop them. The strengths of our collection, the core of the collection, is 20th century works on paper—photography, prints, drawings— on both sides of the Atlantic, starting about 1870 and going through 1980 or so. And then contemporary art. But it’s that modern art that was the core of the collection when the museum started collecting, and that’s where we can continue to grow.

I studied late-Medieval Renaissance, but I’m not going to start collecting 14th century altarpieces because it’s something I wrote my dissertation on.

Heller with “Underground” by Kiki Smith

From left, Luis Tomasello’s “Atmosphere Chromoplastique Rouge,” Antonio Santin’s “Pangea” and Wendy Wisher’s “Angels and Ancestors V”

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Heller with “Dilemma,” by Charles McGill; “Helmet Mask For Women’s Society” sculptures from Sierra Leone artists

“I don’t believe that the collection of a museum needs to reflect the director’s preferences. ... We need to look at our strengths and further develop them.” —Ena Heller The museum recently closed an exhibition on Spanish Baroque art that fell outside the museum’s usual bailiwick. How well did it do?

It’s an extraordinary collection, chosen as the season exhibition for the 75th anniversary of the museum. It didn’t do as well as we had hoped, in terms of numbers. To me, it says that there is less appetite for Old Masters, or a particular type of Old Masters exhibition, in this region, or people are not used to seeing that, or affiliating that, with our museum, and perhaps that’s why they were not coming.

Is it important to push spectators outside of their comfort zone with some of your programming?

Yes, it is, and it’s a fine balance, because on the one hand, it is very important to find the ways to bring the audience in and make everybody comfortable to be here. But then, once they’re here, to me the importance and the raison d’être of a museum is education.

I always joke that if you come to a museum and you learn one thing—and I don’t care what the one thing is, because it’s going to be different for everybody—it means that we will have done our job.

So yes, I think that being able to not only engage and enjoy, but also learn, is a very important component of the museum experience.

Can you give us a preview of what’s to come in the fall?

In the fall, we have a great exhibition on the art of Alphonse Mucha, the Art Nouveau Czech artist. What’s interesting about the

exhibition is that it does not stop at the art of Mucha and turnof-the-century Paris, but it follows his influence way into the 20th century, and possibly into the 21st, and the art of posters and other pop culture. It creates that relevance that this particular artist and art style that happened 100 years ago still has today in sometimes unexpected ways.

After that, we have a collage exhibit based upon works from the collection, and then there’s an exhibition in 2026 of jazz and artists who were part of the Beatnik Generation in the Bay Area, who documented visually some of what they were doing—connections with the literature and the writings of the period.

It’s impossible to know now where our economy will be in July when this article prints, but as of this writing we’re hearing the word “recession” a lot from pundits studying the numbers.

Generally speaking, how do economic downturns affect museums, and is this something you’re prepared to confront?

I’ve been through one before; I was at the helm of a museum in ’08.

This goes back to the beginning of our conversation and the idea of sustainability. I think we’re all bracing ourselves with relying a lot less on any government funding. We’re all looking at ways to increase our revenue streams as well as, in so far as possible, to increase philanthropy. Of course, we are lucky here, because we live in a very philanthropic and culturally sophisticated area, so that part is much better than in other parts of the country.

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A long-held tradition (since 1992—we checked!), we present this year’s edition of the Best of Boca, recounting the highs, lows and those quirky in-between moments in Boca Raton. Join us in taking a look at the past year.

Written by Tyler Childress, Christiana Lilly and John Thomason

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BEST OF BOCA & BEYOND

FOOD & DRINK • CVI.CHE 105’s grand opening became the unexpected hit of the season. Guests sampled chef Juan Chipoco’s authentic Peruvian fare and were dazzled by the restaurant’s vibrant ambiance during a festive ribbon-cutting ceremony.

• Penelope introduced

Boca to authentic Southern fare in a charming, New Orleans-inspired setting.

• Stage’s Boca debut might have been one of the most anticipated restaurant openings of the year, and the hype is well-deserved for chef Pushkar Marathe’s menu of globally inspired dishes.

VIRAL SENSATIONS

We love when local businesses rack up the views on social media (even if it means our favorite hidden gems are being exposed to the masses).

Lines started forming out the door at Vinny’s when influencers gushed over its chopped chicken Caesar wraps.

Instagram and TikTok were filled with foodies

LIBBY VOLGYES

MOST IMPRESSIVE RESTAURANT OPENINGS

Stage Pachadi Salad

recording their first bites of the wraps stuffed with Romaine lettuce, chicken breast, shredded Parmesan cheese, croutons and Caesar dressing. The new Garden Butcher came out of the gate swinging last summer when it introduced smoothie dupes inspired

by L.A. health food store Erewhon. Made popular

by Hailey Bieber, the restaurant introduced the Strawberry Glow Smoothie with strawberries, bananas, dates, coconut milk, Vital Proteins Vanilla Collagen, sea moss gel, maple syrup and lemon—giving it the nickname“the Erewhon of South Florida.”

Penelope Shrimp and Grits

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ANDREW MILLAR

BAR FLY

• Kapow Noodle Bar co-founder Angela Dugan is a true libation artist, creating a beverage program of gin-based cocktails that can’t be found anywhere else.

Dugan uses her own

IF I NEVER SAW THIS ON A MENU AGAIN I’LL BE HAPPY

• Overpriced avocado toast • Aioli on everything • Seed oils • “Bang Bang” anything • QR code menus brand of Dugan & Dame-flavored tonics and bitters to elevate the tried-and-true gin and tonic to inventive new heights. Kapow also boasts an impressive menu of mocktails that are intended to“align the chakras,”and while we can’t confirm if they do, they certainly taste great.

• American Social is the new happy hour hot spot, with specialty cocktails like the Basil Hayden’s Smoked Old Fashioned running only $10 from 2 to 7 p.m.

Monday through Friday.

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ANDREW MILLAR

Tres Amigos at Kasumi

WELCOME TO BOCA

Kazan Volcano Bowl cocktail at Kapow

DESSERTS WORTH EVERY CALORIE

We are not the type to say “no thanks” to the dessert menu, and some of our favorites include: • Eddie V’s Bananas Foster Butter Cake • The warm chocolate chip cookies stuffed with Nutella at Meat Market • We’re seeing more bread puddings on menus; bravo!

• When you’re yearning for something a little bit different, there’s Red Pine’s Milk Tea Sponge Cake • Playing the sorbet flavor guessing game with Chef Ron at TwentyTwenty Grille • The dessert spread at Boca West Country Club during special events,

filled with espresso martinis, cakes, cookies, chocolate-dipped fruits, an ice cream bar, and all of the above in gluten-free and sugar-free versions

SEEING STARS

In February, the lauded Michelin Guides announced that inspectors would be expanding into the Palm Beaches, Challah Bread Pudding at Motek

Fort Lauderdale and St. Petersburg-Clearwater.

And it’s about time, too, with plenty of chefs who have earned stars making their homes right here in Palm Beach County. While no Boca Raton restaurants made the cut, Konro in West Palm Beach received its first star while Palm Beach Meats and Aioli received the non-star Bib Gourmand designation.

Lots of restaurants opened their doors in Boca Raton in the last year, including: • Kasumi at the Waterstone—modern Japanese fare with a menu and service on the level of what you’d expect in New York City or London • Mia Rosebud—a Chicago import that celebrates classic Italian cuisine • Vale Food Co.—a health-food concept focused on sustainability and locally sourced ingredients • H&H Bagels—Coming to us from the Upper East Side of NYC, this favorite bagel shop has been featured in“Seinfeld” and“Sex and the City” • 388 Italian Restaurant By Mr Sal—hearty

Italian fare served up in an atmosphere that’s equal parts restaurant and nightclub • Savia—authentic Sicilian dishes served in a cozy, intimate dining room • Colombian Coffee House—coffee beans sourced straight from Colombia and a menu of Latin American breakfast and lunch favorites

TRENDS WE LOVE

We love to see more restaurants swapping out seed oils in favor of beef tallow. This alternative fry oil is unprocessed, more nutritious, and packed with flavor.

Boca’s Farmhouse Kitchen recently made the switch, and its tallow fries are enough to convert any skeptics.

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BEST OF BOCA & BEYOND

FOOD & DRINK TICK TOCK

We’re still waiting on the debut of Limani and Madame Tang’s at Town Center mall. Both restaurants were expected to open in spring of last year, but we haven’t heard a peep about either since

joint has been cultivating its loyal audience for some 17 years.

they were announced in fall 2023. Likewise, Charm City Burger Co.’s oncetouted relo to Boca Raton has been pending since winter 2023. The answer to“where’s the beef?” remains“Deerfield Beach,” where the beloved burger

RESTAURANT ROW UPDATE

• El Camino’s book of tequila selections has made us rethink our

position on huge menus.

We recommend trying one of its tequila flights, with curated selections for discerning palates.

• Restaurant Row recently welcomed Stage, the latest concept from acclaimed chef Pushkar Marathe.

• The row lost Fiolina at the end of last year, and there didn’t seem to be much disappointment around this closing. Motek, a Miami favorite, took its place

and has already won us over with its Eastern Mediterranean fare.

PIECES OF EUROPE IN OUR BACKYARD

• Cote France: The array of fresh pastries and breakfast delicacies at this Downtown Boca brasserie could make any Francophile swoon.

This is where you want to go on your cheat days.

• Mercato Italiano Boca Raton: This Italian negozio in Royal Palm Place is

With Boca Raton celebrating 100 years of incorporation this year, we couldn’t help but reminisce on some long-held dining institutions: • The Griddle (1945) • Fran’s Fried Chicken (1964) • French Gazebo (1980) • Arturo’s (1983) • Tom Sawyer’s (1985) • Renzo’s (1989) • Max’s Grille (1991) • Flakowitz’s Bagel Inn (1992) • Trattoria Romana (1993) • Tin Muffin (1994)

JERRY RABINOWITZ

OLD FAITHFULS

Drinks at El Camino Steak sandwich at Motek

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your one-stop shop for an authentic Roman meal at home, from top-shelf imported wines, pastas, pizzas and gelati to the products that enhance them, from truffle oils to balsamic vinegars.

• Le Rivage: Devotees of fine French cuisine held their breath after chef Paul Collange, founder of Le Rivage, hung up his toque in 2023—only to let out le sigh of relief when the restaurant, under the new ownership of a Parisian couple, maintained its standard of top-shelf ingredients

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and white-tablecloth elegance.

• Cosa Duci: This gem in the Shops at University Park serves up Italian favorites with a self-described“NY Attitude.”

Thankfully, this doesn’t mean grouchy servers insisting“no cannoli for you!” but an adherence to the Big Apple’s standards of quality and variety, whether you’re seeking hand-crafted mozzarella or a quadruple-meat “Godfather” sub.

EATING AND DRINKING EVENTS

• We simply can’t sing the praises of the Sunset Tequila Festival enough. The outdoor fête continues to grow each year, adding new artisanal tequila vendors and delicious food. The team behind the festival also put on the inaugural Proper St. Patrick’s Day Party in Downtown Boca last year, which was a huge hit.

• The Boca Raton hosted the first-ever Artisans of Wine & Food, bringing together more than 100 winemakers and 20 famed chefs for a weekend packed with

Chef Mario Carbone

culinary delights.

• Boca launched its very own seafood festival this year, with guests packing Mizner Park Amphitheater for a day of fresh ceviche, fried fish bites, crab-eating contests and more.

FOODIE FAREWELL

• Local seafood lovers were dealt a devastating shock with the closing of Copperfish Kitchen, leaving vacant the title for best crab cakes in town.

• We’re still unsure if Augy’s, a local pizza favorite for more than 40 years, will return. It’s been closed for more than a year for remodeling, and we’re worried it might never come back. Rumors abound that the family of

the original owners is in the process of reopening, and we can only hope that’s true.

Norman Love Confections

HIDDEN GEMS

• Beauregard’s Fine Meats and Butchery is a recent Boca addition that has become one of our favorite secrets. This artisanal butcher shop features an enviable selection of cuts from Florida-raised, grass-fed, hormone- and antibiotic-free beef. We encourage a visit for lunch to try one of its pastrami sandwiches, made from local, slow-smoked meat and served on rye bread from Wynwood’s famous Zak the Baker.

• Boca finally has its own arepa restaurant,

Pastrami sandwich at Beauregard’s

Doña Arepa. This authentic Venezuelan restaurant offers more than a dozen sandwich varieties served on the fluffy Central American-favorite corncake, including grilled steak with Guyanese cheese and chicharrón slathered in spicy salsa.

A NEW MAX’S GRILLE?

Mizner Roll at Max’s Grille

Max’s Grille, the iconic local eatery and one of Mizner Park’s first tenants, was sold last year to Arka Restaurant Group, of Kaluz fame.

We don’t know how much the restaurant will

change under new ownership, but as long as it stays pet-friendly and keeps the crispy Brussels sprouts, we’ll be happy.

LOVE AT FIRST BITE

Known for its jewel-like chocolates almost too beautiful to eat, Norman Love Confections has opened its first Boca location, meaning dessert-aholics with a taste for gourmet treats— including chocolates infused with orange, Key lime, tiramisu and even Kentucky bourbon—can satisfy their sweet tooth closer to home.

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BEST OF BOCA & BEYOND

UP IN THE AIR

The Boca Raton Airport celebrated the grand opening of its Observation Area this year, offering visitors a

360-degree, unobstructed view of takeoffs and landings, along with educational signage to better explain the science of aeronautics to onlookers. It’s the latest manifestation of the private airport’s community commitment; in the words of the airport’s executive director, Clara Bennett,“we’re creating a space where aviation enthusiasts, families and curious minds can come together to learn, observe and be inspired by the wonders of flight.”

THE DANCING MAYOR STRIKES AGAIN

mayor.” He resurrected his hip swinging at the Boca Raton Bowl in December, and we hope he gets another opportunity to bust a move before his term ends.

NEW TO FAU

It’s been a year of leadership shakeups at FAU, as the university finally announced a new president following a tumultuous search process that spanned more than two years.

Adam Hasner, who served two terms as House Majority Leader in the Florida House of Representatives—during which time he led efforts to secure funding for FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine—took the reins in March. Three months earlier, the

Zach Kittley

university announced the appointment of Zach Kittley, former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Texas Tech, as its new head football coach.

At the time of his hire, Kittley became the youngest head coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision, at age 33.

Adam Hasner

BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING THE CITY

• Not enough workforce housing—the people who work in Boca can’t afford to live in Boca.

GABRIEL CUESTA

(The Dancing) Mayor Scott Singer

Mayor Scott Singer first showed off his dance moves last year in the stands at Hard Rock Stadium, earning him the moniker “the dancing

JESSICA MARSHALL VERNOF/FAU ATHLETICS

CITY NEWS & PEOPLE

Ribbon cutting for the observation deck at the Boca Raton Airport

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• The condo market is in big trouble, with occupants forced to foot the bill for exploding reassessment fees in order to resell properties.

• Property taxes are rising with property values, making mortgage payments for some Boca residents unaffordable.

And with the rising cost of home insurance, many families are being priced out of their own homes.

• The state government’s ongoing assault on Home Rule severely limits Boca’s ability to self-govern.

• City Center is just too big, and is expected to only become more dense as projects like Aletto Square and the Mandarin Oriental finish construction.

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20 YEARS OF PINK

The Boca Raton Hospital Foundation’s Go Pink Luncheon went all out to celebrate its 20th year, inviting local and internationally renowned designers to create one-of-a-kind bras, and welcoming “Good Morning America’s” Robin Roberts as its keynote speaker. It’s a group effort, but we’d be remiss not to acknowledge chairwoman Carrie Rubin, who has treated the event like a full-time job since she took over the luncheon from the late Patti Carpenter.

7 THINGS WE LOVED ABOUT BOCA THIS PAST YEAR

• Cresting 44 feet tall, the Jacob’s Outlook tower is our new favorite amenity at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.

Named in honor of Jacob Kosowsky, a turtle lover and Boca Raton High School graduate who lost his life at 21, Jacob’s Outlook offers panoramic views of the Intracoastal, Atlantic Ocean, the nature park, and parts of the city.

• The City of Boca Raton completed phase one of a $9.6 million restoration and improvement project last year with the reopening of James A. Rutherford Park, now with a new observation pier, a reconstructed boardwalk and the removal of invasive species.

• BocaConnect, the city’s convenient, all-electric shuttle service, expanded to the beach this year, providing an option for locals and tourists to visit the busy beachfront without paying for parking.

• After 13 years of

Carrie Rubin with a bra by artist Salvatore Principe

Jacob’s Outlook

bringing the community together through sports, FAU Stadium finally secured naming rights, inking a 15-year, $22.5 million deal with a community financial institution; the venue became Flagler Credit Union Stadium beginning with the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl in December.

• We know all about Boca’s beneficence, but it’s nice when outside observers recognize it too.

Last winter, GoFundMe’s Year in Help Report ranked Boca Raton the 10th most generous city in the nation. According to the report, more than 25,000 Boca residents donated more than $3 million to various GoFundMe causes.

• Baptist Health opened a new, nearly 17,000-square-foot freestanding emergency room in Mission Bay Plaza, providing west Boca residents with a new urgent-care facility affiliated with Boca Ra-

James A. Rutherford Park

ton Regional Hospital.

• Speaking of health care, Boca Raton Regional Hospital is enjoying a baby boom: The hospital’s physicians topped all of Palm Beach County by delivering 2,919 babies in 2024.

END OF AN ERA

A beloved Boca Raton tradition came to an end last December: the holiday boat parade. A part

of seasonal festivities since 1975, the 2023 parade was canceled due to bad weather, and then in 2024, the city announced “we have decided to sunset our boat parade” due to a decrease in attendance by boaters.

Thankfully there are still boat parades in Boynton Beach and Delray Beach to the north and Deerfield Beach and Pompano Beach to the south.

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BEST OF BOCA & BEYOND

CITY NEWS & PEOPLE ANCHOR AWAY

Michael Williams, a beloved television news veteran who had been a fixture on West Palm Beach’s WPTV since 2010, retired this year after 44 years in journalism. Williams covered 9-11, the war in Iraq and the Columbia space shuttle tragedy, among

other national and world events. Locally, Williams was front and center for hurricanes and tornadoes, and he would often bring environmental issues to the forefront of his coverage. Luckily for some, his voice will still resonate in the Palm Beaches: Upon his retirement, he promptly joined Lynn University as an adjunct professor in the College of Communication and Design.

FITNESS AND SPORTS

Michael Williams

• Boxing is the newest wellness trend, and it is vastly superior to punishing CrossFit and Pilates classes—plus you get to hit stuff. The high-energy sessions at Rumble Boxing blend boxing and weightlifting for an engaging fullbody workout. All skill

Rumble Boxing

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levels are welcome, and the passionate coaches go the extra mile in motivating you to reach your fitness goals.

• Beginning a new workout regimen can be intimidating, which is why the professionals at JustLIFT put confidence at the forefront of their group strength-training classes. Learn the most effective weightlifting techniques to achieve the physique you’re looking for, from trimming off a few pounds to adding more muscle.

EVENTS WORTH WRITING HOME ABOUT

• Back by popular demand, the Royal Palm Place Farmers Market finally returned following a four-year hiatus.

Staffing shortages forced the market to close years ago, but an outpouring of community requests has brought back this beloved downtown staple just in time for its 60th anniversary. Here’s to 60 more!

• Speaking of farmers’ markets, our friends out west now have the Boca Farmers Market at Glades Road and Military Trail. Unlike many other markets, this one is year-round, so we can get our farm-to-table fix all summer long.

• We’ve enjoyed many breezy South Florida

Royal Palm Place Farmers Market

evenings at Boca’s downtown Night Market. Hosted at Sanborn Square, the market runs from 6 to 9 p.m. and is lined with gourmet food trucks and local artisans selling their wares.

• The Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce shows love to our local service workers at the

annual Platinum Service Awards Luncheon.

The ceremony celebrates employees at local clubs and hotels that go above and beyond in providing the best possible guest experience. This year's winner was Eltaina Alcime, a server at The Polo Club of Boca Raton.

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Men Giving Back

PEOPLE TO WATCH

• A couple we’ve had our eye on is Michelle and Michael Hagerty, who have put their money where their mouths are. Michelle helped raise $374,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County and is the organization’s Youth of the Year title sponsor, and the two donated $8.5 million to Boca Raton Regional Hospital (a courtyard is named for them) and $5 million to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.

The Hagerty Athlet-

Michelle and Michael Hagerty

ics Village at Florida Atlantic University was named in their honor after multiple significant contributions.

• With so many women-led philanthropy groups in Boca Raton, the guys are stepping it up with Men Giving Back, an organization using the Impact 100 formula in collecting donations from members to distribute to local nonprofits. Events include cigars, air hockey, golf, axe throwing and other activities. Since its founding in 2021,

members have donated more than $1.5 million.

• A volunteer on our radar is Cristina Lewis,

Cristina Lewis

who has been busy serving as the co-chair of the Go Pink Challenge with her bestie Alejandra Lippolis, a year-round initiative that includes Light the Night, Gentlemen Go Pink and the Go Pink Luncheon.

Then, of course, she’s running around town for Sweet Dream Makers, which hosts out-of-thebox events like Courts of Dreams and the Pajama Game Night.

It’s her sense of giving back that landed her as a candidate for Woman Volunteer of the Year— we’re sure this is just the beginning for Lewis.

• One of the co-founders of Home Depot, Bernie Marcus was a supporter of Boca Raton Regional Hospital; he and his wife, Billi, Bernie Marcus donated $15 million in 2020, and a $25 million donation in 2012 led to the founding of the Marcus Neuroscience Institute.

• Philanthropist Elaine Wold will forever be a part of Lynn University’s Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center, and she was a lifeElaine Wold long supporter of Boca Raton Regional Hospital, founded by her dear friend Gloria Drummond.

• Arthur Adler founded the Boca West Children’s Foundation in 2010, an organization that has raised more than $18 million and assisted more than 9,000 children. In March, the Arthur Adler nonprofit’s annual golf tournament, the Arthur Adler Memorial Golf Challenge, was renamed in his honor.

• After surviving the Holocaust, Polish-born Jack Pechter made a name for himself in real estate as well as philanthropy. He co-founded and was chairman of the Pechter Family Foundation in 2005 to support Jewish Jack Pechter organizations, children, health care, education and other causes.

• An advocate for health care, Helen Babione founded the Twin Palms Center for the Disabled and the Hab Center of Boca Raton, as well as creating the annual Honor Your Doctor luncheon and a scholarship for mediHelen Babione cal students.

• Larry Smith and his wife’s family foundation supported Lynn University’s athletes, including furnishing five locker rooms, the cardio and fitness area, and the student-athlete strength-and-condition center.

• Debi Feiler’s life work was supLarry Smith porting nonprofits, and for years she coordinated fundraising and event planning for the George Snow Scholarship Fund, Junior League of Boca Raton and the Diaper Bank.

She’ll be missed as the superhero behind the scenes.

Debi Feiler

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EDUARDO SCHNEIDER

CARLA AZZATA

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

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BEST OF BOCA & BEYOND

MISSING IN ACTION

• How is it that a city as increasingly youthful and retail-centric as Boca Raton doesn’t have a record shop? Some enterprising music lover with money to burn should get on this NOW. • It’s become the running joke in South Palm Beach County: Authentic Chinese food, like the kind on myriad NYC street corners, is nowhere to be found amid the processed offerings of our

interchangeable takeout establishments. When pressed, some cite Chili Crab in east Boca and Lisa’s Kitchen in west Boca as their favorites.

But in the words of one astute Redditor,“the best authentic Chinese food is mostly in Orlando.”

chelle Farmer, Alejandro Barzaga, Paulina Luna, Amanda Perna and Terry Singh to create a truly professional show. Sustainability is always top of mind, with designers and students following the 17 United Nations Sustainable Goals.

ROCK THE RUNWAY

PROJECTS TAKING FOREVER

Lynn University has done it again with its annual fashion show, with students working alongside fashion designers Mi-

Looks from Terry Singh at the Lynn Fashion Showcase

• Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Residences is making progress, if slowly. The development was originally slated for a 2020 debut, and now, five years and several lawsuits from disgruntled buyers later, is expected to debut by the end of this year.

• The former Ocean Breeze Golf Course in the Boca Teeca community has been an eyesore since 2016 when it closed, but there’s an ambitious plan to redevelop the area that includes a racquet sports complex, hiking trails, a community garden, a dog park and more.

STARRY EYED

The cosmos feels close at hand thanks to the FAU Astronomical Observatory, a hidden gem for students and the general public to gaze at planets, star clusters and nebulae.

MAKING LEMONADE

Boca’s years-long legal battle over the devel-

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AARON BRISTOL

CITY NEWS & PEOPLE Eric Vandernoot at the FAU Astronomical Observatory

opment of two controversial oceanfront lots came to an end last year, when the city agreed to a settlement with Azure Development that allowed a scaled-down version of the project to be built in exchange for the city not having to pay Azure’s legal fees, which would have been in the millions.

SORRY, WE HATE IT …

The Glades Road/I-95 Diverging Diamond Interchange—to some, the“Death Diamond”— has been complete for more than a year, and while it may have eased traffic on our busiest thoroughfare, we try to avoid it when possible, and we shudder to think of the tourists and new drivers approaching it for the first time. The Byzantine Empire itself

was less byzantine than this perplexing project.

GROWING UP

It’s become almost impossible to get an afterschool or summer camp spot at the Peter Blum Family YMCA of Boca Raton, and leadership is doing something about it: They’ve launched a capital campaign to increase programs by more than 50%. Already, they serve 40,000 people annually (4,600 kids learn how to swim here every year), and as our community’s needs change, the Y is needed more than ever.

NEW BUSINESSES

• Restoration Hardware outlet took over the former Lord & Taylor space in Mizner Park.

• Luxe shoppers: Chanel is opening at

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ALICIA DONELAN

Clockwise from left: Her 2nd Chance, Alina 220 and the Brightline

Town Center with a full cosmetics counter. Other Town Center arrivals: Rowan, Serena Uziyel, Aritzia, Alo Yoga, Anthropologie and many more to come, too.

• We love seeing new family-friendly spaces like Bubbeleh, a children’s boutique and social space.

• Michelle Farmer’s designer threads (made locally, too!) have a new home at Mizner Park, for everything from resort wear to gala gowns. Also new to the park is Facialworks, keeping our skin glowing, and the

innovative scent studio Aroma360.

•Equinox, the luxury fitness brand voted as the top gym in the country

by Fitness Magazine, will debut at the former Office Depot headquarters space, which will also include new apartments and retail.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOCA!

Forget a birthday month, it’s been a birthday year for Boca Raton as we celebrate 100 years since incorporation. There’s been special exhibits, engaging speakers, themed programming at Festival of the Arts, and a major party over Memorial Day weekend with alt-rock legends Weezer and Fountains of Wayne as well as a drone show over BRiC.

(Boca magazine’s special centennial issue was pretty fabulous, if we do say so ourselves.) The festivities aren’t over, though, as The Addison is hosting a birthday party for the city in November, and this year’s holiday parade will be centennial-themed, too.

THE BRIGHTLINE EFFECT

We were told Brightline would be a“game changer”for Boca Raton, but it’s looking more and more like a costly amenity. The rail service has reduced routes between Boca and Miami, instead prioritizing trav-

el between South Florida and Orlando. Fare prices have also increased, making the Brightline an untenable alternative for commuters hoping to avoid I-95. And while we’re on the topic of Brightline, can we make the stretch of rail into Boca Raton a little nicer looking? As it stands, riders’ introduction to Boca Raton is a string of run-down warehouses.

A CHARITY WIN

There’s no shortage of charities and philanthropy in the community, but one that has us impressed is Her 2nd Chance, a shop that offers“transitional employment” for women in recovery. Here, they Items from Michelle Farmer, Bubbeleh and Chanel

create custom gifts such as mugs, Christmas ornaments and magnets through an online storefront while also gaining confidence and learning leadership skills and job training. A big win for them this year: Her 2nd Chance celebrated paying $1,014,973 in wages.

SKY-HIGH PROJECTS

• The ALINA Residences are selling as quickly as they’re built— and sometimes faster.

Phases 1 and 2 of the luxury condos were sold before construction even completed, and work on Phase 3 is underway.

• New developments

by GL Homes are popping up all over west Boca—and they’re selling. After biting off more than it could chew when it tried to build on land in Palm Beach County’s Agricultural Reserve Area, GL Homes is showing no signs of slowing down in becoming one of the state’s largest, albeit controversial, developers.

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BEST OF BOCA & BEYOND

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

“Back to the Future” with a live orchestra

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Celebration with music from every era of Boca’s rich history.

THE REPORTS OF ITS DEATH HAVE BEEN GREATLY EXAGGERATED

As one Royal Palm Place business owner told us, every few years rumors will swirl that the Funky Biscuit is closing. And yet, despite a short disruption during COVID, it remains, stalwart and frequently at capacity for its curated mix of blues, rock, jazz and tribute bands. Unless and until we hear it from the horse’s mouth, we’re sticking with that durable Poe quote: “Believe nothing you hear, and only half that you see.”

Ena Heller

NEW BLOOD AT THE BOCA MUSEUM OF ART The Boca Raton Museum of Art capped off its 75th-anniversary season with a change at the top.

Following the retirement of Irvin Lippman, who shepherded the institution for 10 years, the board hired Ena Heller, whose decades of museum leadership includes more than 10 impactful years at the helm of the Rollins Museum of Art in Central Florida. For more on Heller’s background, philosophy and plans for the museum in an evolving era of cultural engagement, read our interview with her on page 44.

PLAY TIME

On the cusp of its 10th anniversary, Theatre Lab at FAU mounted one of its strongest seasons to date, featuring world-premiere plays that captured the zeitgeist of our ever-changing times. We were especially transfixed by the bookends of the season:“The Last Yiddish Speaker,” with its dark vision of a Christian Nationalist dystopia; and “The Impossible Task of Today,” which wrapped gun violence and the toxicity of social media into a portrait of overcoming grief, depression and PTSD.

MICHAEL CONNOR

A reminder to never count our cultural chickens before they hatch, the much-anticipated The Center for Arts & Innovation, the multi-pronged arts campus planned for the north end of Mizner Park, terminated its multimillion-dollar deal with the city of Boca Raton, citing a confluence of factors. Andrea Virgin, chair and CEO of the venture, maintains that this setback is not a death knell for her vision of a transformative arts center, and that her team is pursuing alternative sites. Onward and upward, as they say.

Festival of the Arts Boca served up another dynamic program this year. We loved its Authors and Ideas series, which featured fresh insights from historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, and much-needed laughs about Florida’s foibles from author and humorist Carl Hiaasen.

And we’re still talking about the 40th-anniversary screening of “Back to the Future,”whose indelible mix of comedy and sci-fi never looked or sounded better than with a full orchestra performing its iconic score live. The festival concluded, aptly enough, with more time travel—a multimedia Centennial

CARINA MASK

TIME WARP

PAUL RICHARDSON

THE CENTER CANNOT HOLD

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Priscilla Presley, left, with Marilynn Wick

Below: Lynn students perform “Greased Lightning” at Celebration of the Arts

Above: “The Impossible Task of Today”

I SAW THE SIGN

Boca Raton truly is lit.

The city kicked off 2025 with the installation of an LED sign in Sanborn Square that harkened to its vintage 1960s welcome sign. Nostalgic with a modern edge, the sign’s “Raton” changes color via remote control, from hot pink to various purples, blues and greens. Later, perhaps in 2026, there are plans to move the sign back to its original home on Federal Highway, welcoming drivers to Boca Raton as they leave Deerfield Beach.

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

In addition to another successful theatre season, the Wick Theatre welcomed a series of stars to its stage for intimate conversations about their lives,

legacies and especially their famous friends and families. These included Priscilla Presley, who spoke about her marriage to the king of rock ‘n’ roll; Mallory Lewis, the ventriloquist who inherited her entrepreneurial mother Shari’s spunky sock puppet Lamb Chop; and Wanda

Clark, secretary for Lucille Ball, who dished on working under the sitcom pioneer.

LIVE AT LYNN

The stars of tomorrow once again shone brightly at Lynn University’s annual Celebration of the Arts, during which the college’s B.F.A. in

Drama students, faculty, staff and alumni showed off their comedic, musical and dance chops through a motley blend of full-blown production numbers. Where else will you hear tunes from“Wicked,” the Four Seasons and the B-52s in the same revue?

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FLORIDA STYLE & DESIGN

VENJHAMIN REYES

TA K E I T O U T S I D E PRODUCTS

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This pool house designed by Laetitia Laurent doubles as an airconditioned guest casita featuring a private bathroom, as well as outdoor living and dining areas complete with a fully stocked bar.

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FLORIDA STYLE & DESIGN

OUTDOOR LIVING

Designer Matthew Boland opted for limestone flooring that effortlessly mirrors the color and texture of sand.

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Take It Outside

From patios to pool houses and everything in between, our favorite space in the home is actually outdoors Written by CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT

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LIVING PROOF

NICKOLAS SARGENT

I

n South Florida, where our weather treats us to seemingly endless days of sunshine and our summers are filled with radiant warmth and sultry nights, outdoor living isn’t an afterthought— it’s an essential part of life at home. Everywhere we look, talented designers are embracing nature, crafting outdoor living spaces that are just as stylish as they are comfortable, come rain or shine.

Take the pool cabanas of yesteryear. What these function-forward spaces lacked in style, they made up for in utility with their moist shower floors and piles of soggy towels and pool toys. But that was then. Today’s pool bungalows are lavish destinations, enticing us out to the backyard for afternoons of leisure and pleasure.

Designers like Matthew Boland of MMB Studio are creating pool houses that mirror their main home’s interiors, complete with separate living and dining rooms. In a recent Palm Beach project for a longtime client, Boland aimed to create an outdoor living space that felt as if it belonged indoors. His clients wanted a private pool pavilion where they could transition from sipping coffee at sunrise to late morning business calls to a poolside lunch and then sunset cocktails paired with dinner. Mission accomplished.

While this pool house retains a hint of a utilitarian role, it is much more an elevated alternative living space. Beyond being beautiful, it also needed to withstand all the elements, from rain to salt, so Boland was laser-focused on selecting sustainable products that are weather-friendly and durable. For instance, to activate the walls, he passed on wallpaper, choosing a hand-painted yellow floral mural instead.

He also painted the black cocktail tables with automotive paint that

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OUTDOOR LIVING

NICKOLAS SARGENT

FLORIDA STYLE & DESIGN

Three-dimensional tiles chosen by designer Matthew Boland create a whimsical, reflective fireplace with subtle art deco undertones.

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mimics black lacquer. He featured exterior weather-rated upholstery and draperies throughout, and even the colorful pillows are embroidered with UV-resistant thread.

“You can jump out of the pool, sit everywhere, and affect nothing,”he says.

For a family with young children, architect Daniel Kahan of Smith and Moore Architects designed a spacious pool bungalow that serves dual purposes: a playful recreational space for the kids and a sophisticated retreat for adults.“That’s the theme of this whole house; its design is elevated but not too precious for kids,” he says.

The project’s talented team of pros included interior designers Andrew Howard and Kelsey Heneveld, along with landscape architect Dustin Mizell of Environment Design Group. Together, they created the 800-squarefoot North Palm Beach pool house adorned with whimsical 1960s Italian deco touches. The bungalow’s style reflects the home’s blended design, which showcases 1940s French deco influences and mid-century modernism—a married aesthetic that feels more collected than drawn from a specific period.

The outdoor kitchen, which overlooks the expansive 65-foot pool and seaside spa, serves as an extension of

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LEFT: In keeping with Daniel Kahan’s cabana architecture, interior designers Andrew Howard and Kelsey Heneveld selected a wicker and Calacatta marble dining table from Giorgio Bonaguro to pair with McKinnon and Harris upholstered faux leather chairs that complement the McKinnon and Harris sofas.

SUN TO STORM: Tips for outfitting your outdoor living spaces

• Ensure furniture and accessories use stainless-steel nails or similar rust-free fasteners.

• Choose performance fabrics like Perennials or Sunbrella, but be mindful that textiles rated for outdoor use can still fade, so choose lighter colors if that is a concern. If you’re embroidering these fabrics, utilize UV-resistant thread.

• Choose stainless-steel appliances and nonporous countertops and flooring, such as porcelain or sealed natural stone.

• Invest in high-end lighting, polypropylene area rugs, and furniture made of teak, powder-coated aluminum or synthetic wicker.

• Consider using shade structures to prevent direct UV exposure and provide some rain protection.

• Invest in quality misters, fans and roll-down hurricane screens.

the home’s living space, thanks to the endless exterior customization options.“Advanced appliances, durable lighting, and outdoor fabrics and furnishings ensure comfort and longevity, creating a space to be enjoyed year-round,”Heneveld explains.

One of the best ways to bask in our eternal sunshine is by taking a dip in a sprawling resort-style pool. Laetitia Laurent of Laure Nell Interiors was tasked with renovating her first-time client’s primary residence while also designing an 82-foot pool and a detached, nearly 6,000-square-foot bungalow resembling a five-star resort.

The clients, who love hosting large-scale parties, wanted the backyard to be used to its full potential, so Laurent teamed up with Compson Homes to deliver exactly that.

Laurent credits the evolution of performance fabrics and weather-rated materials for elevating her designs while ensuring they remain sustainable and resilient against the elements. Interior decorative elements and floor coverings that were once limited to indoor spaces can now luxuriate in the sun, such as the performance chenille-upholstered sofa and woven coffee table. The clients wanted the main home and pool cabana to resemble one cohesive resort, so while the guest house

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VENJHAMIN REYES

ABOVE: Laetitia Laurent designed a linear fireplace to mirror the pool’s sunken living room fire pit, which perfectly enhances the backyard’s resort atmosphere.

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FLORIDA STYLE & DESIGN

ABOVE: Light, breathable limestone flooring balances the black granite countertops, while the kitchen wall, adorned with a striking silver wave of gold and black marble, delivers movement and depth to the space.

“It’s all about creating an outdoor space that looks refined but lives casually,” says Angela Reynolds.

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OUTDOOR LIVING

embodies a fun, coastal vibe with a West Indies flair, it remains relevant to the main house. Both residences offer direct views of the expansive pool, where Laurent designed sub-areas and unique features like towering palm trees for shade, a glass shelf for looking into the pool and swim-up stools for enjoying a poolside cocktail.

While some properties have the pleasure of spacious backyards for luxe destination pool houses, some interior designers get creative by optimizing their clients’ layouts with indoor spaces that still embrace that same swanky outdoor living ethos. Angela Reynolds, of Angela Reynolds Designs, created a barefoot luxury retreat where lounging and entertaining merge for avid boating clients who dreamed of a chic dockside lounge inspired by the five-star amenities they’ve enjoyed while traveling.

Channeling their easygoing, laid-back energy, Reynolds selected a crisp, coastal palette with black, white and sunwashed sand tones to establish a look that’s equal parts modern retreat and coastal cool.

Material choices balance beauty with durability, making this space feel contemporary, natural and a bit dramatic. The fireplace, for instance, is clad in a black bamboo granite 3D tile, instantly drawing the eye in and providing the space with a bold, sculptural focal point.

The designer incorporated multiple areas for lounging, dining and gathering alongside a sleek, oversized bar that

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BELOW: The 7,910-square-foot interior living space designed

by Steven Gurowitz features a fully open layout that maximizes natural light and the sprawling Intracoastal Waterway views.

ABOVE: Steven Gurowitz’s mellow, timeless design is accentuated with porcelain floors, white oak detailing and a granite fireplace.

serves as the social anchor.“Lanais and patios today blur the lines between indoors and outdoors—clients aren’t just asking for outdoor living; they’re asking for an outdoor lifestyle,”she says.“These aren’t just backyards anymore—they’re open-air sanctuaries designed for connection and everyday luxury.”

Instead of featuring only one space in the home that serves as an outdoor retreat, Steven Gurowitz’s entire house fully opens to the outdoors and lets the sunshine in. The founder of Interiors by Steven G, his biggest challenge with this project was ensuring that all spaces were livable and maintenance-free by ensuring materials could withstand the sun, wind, salt and rain. His secret?

Sunbrella.“It’s the No. 1 fabric.You can hose it off,”he says. Another key feature was the impact sliders with floor tracks that allow these expansive glass panels to be stacked for a seamless indoor/outdoor feel. Gurowitz, who has designed homes for more than 40 years, tips his hat to Affiniti Architects and admits that if he were ever considering leaving Miami, this would be the house to get him out of the Magic City. The home’s openness provides an enormous sense of depth where the water views and backyard effortlessly blend into the inviting living and dining areas, which are sheltered from the elements in the most natural way. And the best part is that these clients never have to ask for a rain check.

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Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center

COME EXPLORE BOCA'S CHIC BOUTIQUE

Our boutique has been a mainstay for savvy shoppers for more than 35 years. Boca Raton's "Chic Boutique" is so much more than great fashion finds, home furnishings and hidden treasures.

We are committed to making a difference in our community.

With your support we continue to enrich the lives of countless people in our area by: • • •

Funding scholarships for vital programs at our JCC Assisting families in times of hardship by outfitting individuals re-entering the workforce Collecting and donating items to other organizations that serve populations in need

You can help us make an impact in our community—shop, donate or volunteer!

(561) 368-3665 levisjcc.org/resaleboutique The Shops at University Park 141 NW 20th Street, F5-F7 Boca Raton, FL

For hours, information and special sales and promotions.

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FLORIDA STYLE & DESIGN

PRODUCTS

MID-CENTURY MODERN

Mid-century modern style’s sleek lines and timeless appeal get a maritime update for South Florida’s pools and patios with warm wood, crisp navy, and woven accents.

Curated by AMANDA MESA

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1. Arco Dining Table - $1,865, Rove Concepts, Hollywood, roveconcepts.com. 2. Lisse Brasse Indoor/Outdoor Wall Sconce Light, Set of 2 - $498, Crate & Barrel, Boca Raton, crateandbarrel.com.

3. Daughtery Outdoor Dining Side Chair - $799, Birch Lane, Boca Raton, birchlane.com. 4. Sunbrella Border Frame Outdoor Pillow Cover - $168, Serena & Lily, Palm Beach, serenaandlily.com. 5. Business & Pleasure Co. Hemingway 35 QT Cooler - $499, Anthropologie, Boca Raton, anthropologie.com.

6. Pebble Indoor/Outdoor Lounge Chair - $1,310, Modani, Boca Raton, modani.com. 7. Setago Portable LED Table Lamp - $225, Crate & Barrel, Boca Raton, crateandbarrel.com. 8. Taiko Stained Teak Outdoor Sun Lounger with Sunbrella Cushions - $2,299, CB2, Miami Beach, cb2.com. 9. 10’ Round Sunbrella Cabana Stripe Outdoor Patio Umbrella with Black Metal Frame - $799, Williams Sonoma, Boca Raton, williams-sonoma.com.

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FLORIDA STYLE & DESIGN

PRODUCTS

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Swivel loungers, rockers and hanging chairs bring movement to outdoor entertaining spaces, ensuring views from every angle.

1. Zora Hanging Daybed with Sunbrella Cushions - $2,499, CB2, Miami Beach, cb2.com. 2. Sevilla Outdoor Swivel Chair $2,000, Arhaus, Boca Raton, arhaus.com.

3. Lunar Swivel Chair - $2,299, Room & Board, roomandboard.com. 4. Magis Spun Chair - $1,200, Design Within Reach, West Palm Beach, designwithinreach. com. 5. Catalina Rocker - $898, Serena & Lily, Palm Beach, serenaandlily.com. 6.

Portside Outdoor Swivel Chair - $1,149, West Elm, West Palm Beach, westelm. com. 7. Bernhardt Cabo Outdoor Swivel Lounge Chair - $3,920, Perigold, perigold. com. 8. Healdsburg Wicker Rattan Swivel Chair - $898, Anthropologie, Boca Raton, anthropologie.com.

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1. Getty Images “Keep Your Cool”, Slim Aarons, January 1, 1978 Framed Print - $1,585, Hive, Palm Beach, hivepalmbeach. com. 2. Bocce Ball Set - $448, Serena & Lily, Palm Beach, serenaandlily.com. 3. Jolly Trolley Lighted Bar Cart - $899, Lumens, lumens.com. 4. Recess Pickleball Paddle Gift Set - $469, Anthropologie, Boca Raton, anthropologie.com.

5. Croquet Outdoor Game Set - $130, Crate & Barrel, Boca Raton, crateandbarrel.com. 6. Elakai Lawn Bowling Set - $120, Williams Sonoma, Boca Raton, williams-sonoma.com. 7.

Gidget Cornhole Boards - $350, Williams Sonoma, Boca Raton, williams-sonoma.com. 8. PoolCandy Inflatable Ball - $13, West Elm, West Palm Beach, westelm.com. 9. Soriya Fans $24, Jayson Home, jaysonhome.com.

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THE ART OF LIVING, PERFECTED We craft more than interiors—we curate legacies. Each residence is a masterfully designed sanctuary, where elegance, intention, and individuality converge. Impeccably tailored to reflect your unique identity, our spaces are expressions of timeless luxury—where every detail is considered, and every moment is elevated.

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Their talents amaze and inspire.

They share their resources and expertise to transform our homes and lives with style, color, comfort and functionality.

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The Face of

ULTIMATE HOME TRANSFORMATIONS Juliano Scherba, CEO JL Home Projects, Inc.

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uliano Scherba, founder and principal of JL Home Projects, is a leading figure in Boca Raton’s luxury design-build sphere.With more than two decades of experience, Juliano delivers a refined and deeply personalized vision—blending timeless European aesthetics with forward-thinking innovation. His firm is renowned for creating fully tailored living environments that are turnkey, sophisticated and impeccably executed.

Located in the heart of Downtown Boca Raton, JL Home Projects features a 7,000-square-foot Designers Showroom at 200 E. Palmetto Park Road, Suite 102.The space offers a curated experience of premier European brands such as B&B Italia, Maxalto, Arclinea, DePadova, Potocco and others. Clients can explore a world where design inspiration meets precision, comfort and contemporary elegance.

Juliano leads a talented team of designers and craftsmen who share his dedication to excellence.With more than 1,000 completed homes, JL Home Projects continues to raise the standard for luxury living in Boca Raton and surrounding areas—offering clients peace of mind and homes of enduring beauty.

561-347-7274 jlprojects.com

Michael Connor Photography

Supporting this vision is a 20,000-square-foot, state-ofthe-art woodwork factory, where JL Home Projects crafts custom cabinetry, architectural millwork and bespoke interior elements in-house. But the firm’s commitment extends far beyond craftsmanship—JL Home Projects handles every phase of a project, from demolition to final silverware placement. Clients enjoy a seamless experience where every detail, down to the finishing touches, is meticulously managed under one roof.

The Face of

MERGING MINIMALISM & MAXIMALISM DESIGN STYLES Rita Christensen Interior Designer The Bô Casa

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orking as a banker in Dubai, Rita Christensen was accustomed to dealing with high-net-worth individuals’ financial portfolios. One such client, a sheik, had recently purchased 48 homes in a GL community.When the designer hired to decorate the models failed to deliver, Christensen took on the project with her typical enthusiasm.

Eight model homes and three months later, the project was completed with rave reviews, and Christensen was promoted at the bank. During a subsequent vacation to Florida, she met her future husband and decided to move to America, where she pursued a degree from NewYork School of Interior Design and launched a new career.

Utilizing a blend of unique furnishings and finishes, lighting and accessories to create stunning, one-of-akind residences, Christensen’s projects exude the perfect combination of balance and function. Each exquisite home reflects the finest European accents curated from her vendors in Italy and Portugal—chosen for their superior inventory and artistry, and the 30-40% savings which Christensen graciously passes on to her clients.

310-773-8894 thebocasa.com

Michael Connor Photography

Since 2013, Christensen has been immersed in highend and modern interior design projects at her firm,The Bo Casa, where her ability to balance the simple to the elaborate has yielded stunning results and national acclaim.

“While Dubai had a manufactured gold, extravagant look, my tastes are more natural and neutral, which I incorporate into my clients’ projects. I spend hours in the first complimentary consultation listening intently to uncover their goals. I then provide them with a manifesto of design elements to envision their masterpiece in the making,” she explains.

The Face of

CO-CREATING MAGICAL HOMES Jason Alexander

Founder J. Alexander Interiors

A

t 18 years old, Jason Alexander took on his first project, designing his mother’s condo.

That labor of love sparked a passion and realization that he had a talent worth exploring on a professional level. Now with 25 years of experience and hundreds of homes later, J. Alexander Interiors continues to captivate clients with design creations that connect on a deep, personal level.

Alexander emphasizes that “It takes a village to build a home.” At J. Alexander Interiors, he has amassed a team of artistic co-creators and visionaries who bring their unique skills and contributions to every project.

“Great design, in my opinion, reflects how it feels to be human; how you identify with your surroundings; the feeling of belonging when you walk in the door; the comfort that washes over you like a warm, gentle wave.

It’s a connection that resonates on a very personal and individual level,” he shares.“That is what my team and I discover and deliver for our clients.”

Michael Connor Photography

Alexander has had the privilege of designing homes for multiple generations of families—clients old and new who have entrusted him with everything from a refreshing new look to total renovations.Alexander proudly shares that it is not uncommon for clients to be in complete awe as they see their finished project, stating,“We cannot believe this is actually our home. It is a dream come true.”

The backdrop pictured on this page reflects the third home Alexander has worked on with this client in the past 20 years. He shares,“I have seen their children grow into adults and have been along for the journey with them; what a joy to experience the beautiful human connections that evolve and endure, by design.”

954-655-5641 Jai.design

The Face of

ITALY’S MOST EXCLUSIVE TILE & MARBLE Michael Hummel Owner Just Tile & Marble

F

or more than 37 years, Just Tile & Marble has been specializing in exclusive lines of imported porcelain tiles, slabs and other beautiful natural stones, waterjet mosaics and unique glass and handmade tiles from around the world, earning owner Michael Hummel a prestigious standing in the industry.

“I always strive to bring only the most exclusive products to the forefront of the marketplace, with 85 percent of imports from Italy’s finest factories,” says Hummel, who is renowned for being one of the largest facilities in the country for 48X48 tiles, with more than 115 varieties in stock.

“I also carry over 100 24X48s, and have more than 250 slabs on display. Inspired by my unrelenting passion to continuously elevate our inventory’s wow factor to new heights, I have added grand-scale 63X63s to the mix that I personally designed, featuring today’s warmer palette with ivories, beiges, creams and taupes,” he explains.

Hummel is proud to share that he has welcomed the next generation into Just Tile & Marble with the addition of his daughter, Hayley, who brings with her a wealth of construction knowledge and the drive to be the best in the business … just like Dad.

561-272-4900 justtiledelray.com

Michael Connor Photography

Hummel boasts that he is now about eight months ahead of schedule with materials he purchased seven months ago in Italy that are just being introduced into the U.S.The timing couldn’t have been better to have these products delivered before the tariffs were imposed.“It saves my clients a great deal of time and money,” he assures.

The Face of

ELEGANT EMERGING DESIGN Ray-Lee Mezentsev IDS Principal Designer Ray-Lee M. Interiors

W

ith an engineering background and an astute eye for design, Ray-Lee Mezentsev began selectively buying and selling fixerupper homes in 2000.

Impressed by her accomplishments and immense talents, a friend persuaded Ray-Lee to pursue a Certified Interior Designer degree. After fulfilling that milestone, Ray-Lee went on to create her own award-winning full-scope interior design firm, Ray-Lee M. Interiors, specializing in new construction, remodeling and interiors. Ray-Lee employs a team of designers, contractors, architects and specialty artisans who lend their expertise toWest Palm Beach’s historical homes, and about six large projects a year throughout the country.

Michael Connor Photography

“While many seek inspiration about aesthetic design through books and magazines, my elegant perspective includes a technical point of view, looking at the space, and considering what it is you desire to accomplish with it,” Ray-Lee explains.

She finds today’s clients are quite sophisticated and want to integrate smart technology into interior design to enhance their lifestyle.

“This can be handled from anywhere in the world with the design management software programs I utilize.With over 50% of my clients having second homes out of state, whatever movement or minute detail I need done on the project, they can plug into my software and follow along. Even if they are away in Italy, they can see exactly what’s happening here and now.That connectivity lends itself to open communication, open eyes, and little margin for error,” she assures. The photo gallery on Ray-Lee’s website is testament to the design excellence her clients experience, and confirmation that her friend, indeed, steered her in the right direction.

561-429-7724 rayleeminteriors.com

The Face of

MEDITERRANEAN SIMPLICITY AND WARMTH Maria Giraldi

Co-Owner Iron & Oak Home

I

ron & Oak Home boutique showroom in Delray Beach welcomes shoppers to embark upon a unique Mediterranean and California seaside-inspired journey of furniture and home design options that seduce the senses from moment one.

Thoughtfully conceived by co-owner Maria Giraldi and her business partner of 30 years, Barry Tartarkin (whom she affectionately refers to as her “superpower”), Iron & Oak’s sprawling selections consist of distinct one-of-a-kind vintage pieces, artisanal accessories and high-quality manufactured custom-built furniture from North Carolina.

The tremendous array of awe-inspiring choices fills the 3,000-square-foot showroom, with a nearby warehouse brimming with ready-to-take-home treasures. Immediate gratification and white-glove service adds to the experience that keeps customers coming back for more.

561-908-2447 @ironandoakhome

Michael Connor Photography

A multifaceted fashionista, Giraldi possesses a sophisticated sense of style, honed from her previous career with Chanel and decades of design expertise as co-founder of Lemon, a brand that helped elevate loungewear into the luxury clothing space.“Just like in the world of fashion, you can layer elements here to find what is pleasing to your eye.There are no rules.The magic is in the mix,” she says with conviction. ​ The boutique’s inventory is a shopper-friendly symphony of colors, textures and eclectic elements made with natural materials in calming neutral tones.A series of vignettes invites clients to touch, feel and leisurely contemplate the selections that abound.

Interesting, organically driven, recycled, reclaimed and repurposed accessories from consoles to light fixtures, candles to kitchenware, pillows to serving pieces and aromatic diffusers are among the pieces to beautify a space or transform an entire home.

The Face of

MOODY SOPHISTICATION Hannah Brooke

Founder & Designer Hannah Brooke Design

W

hen tasked with a classroom design competition as a junior studying Education at the University of Miami, Hannah approached the challenge with creativity and insight.

Her natural talent for understanding student needs and classroom functionality, paired with her eye for aesthetics and organization, sparked a realization: design was her true calling. She quickly pivoted, spending the remainder of the school year pulling together her application to Parsons School of Design.

Hannah earned honors in her master’s program, providing a strong foundation in architecture and design. She graduated ready to take on projects around the globe, transforming each unique space along the way.

Since founding Hannah Brooke Design, Hannah has brought her passion and expertise to life through thoughtful, collaborative partnerships with clients— uncovering what truly reflects their taste and lifestyle. Her work flows across every home, from a posh Park Avenue retreat to an 18,000-square-foot Texas estate to a sizzling South Beach condo. Regardless of style, her portfolio shares a bold flair and moody touch. Her team embraces any style, anywhere in the world, blending her signature sensibility with each client’s goals for the space.

Recently, her ground-up build in Houston received awards for Best Residential Kitchen and Best Closet.The project, completed in collaboration with Molteni cabinetry, was featured at Salone del Mobile in Milan in April 2025.

Although her team is just getting started, they are ramping up quickly—and this small but mighty firm should not be overlooked.

203-803-5236 hannahbrookedesign.com

The Face of

INTUITIVE INTERIOR DESIGN EXPERTISE Nichola DePass

Interior Designer & Owner Nichola Francesca LLC®

N

ichola DePass and her full-service interior design team have provided project management and client representation for high-end and highprofile residential interiors, domestic and international hotels, restaurants and retail boutiques since 2017. Much like her early passion for creating her own line of custom jewelry and fashion, each project is distinct and resonates with the clients’ dreams, their space and their experience.

“I’m a very intuitive person, which has helped me throughout my career. I listen intently to their goals and dreams. I observe people’s mannerisms, the way they move [and] dress, and I recognize their idiosyncrasies early on.That wealth of information guides me in capturing the essence of their personality to infuse into each project.”

From Boca Raton’s sophisticated and sultry Baciami Boutique—where the showroom aesthetic is as alluring as the chic designer clothing—to the exclusive Bear’s Club home in Jupiter, where Nichola’s expertise united four distinctly different design styles in European-style elegance and harmony, delivering interiors from the heart and soul of her clients is the driving force behind everything she and her team does.

With new projects flourishing from Manalapan to Boca’s Seven Bridges and the booming new communities in Port St. Lucie, Nichola is in her element, transforming the ordinary into uniquely extraordinary interior designs.

“We are consistently on top of every detail throughout the entire design process. Our customer service is extremely personalized and impeccable, and we pride ourselves on the pleasurable experience our clients, team and vendors enjoy with every collaboration we share,” says Nichola.

305-414-9703 nicholafrancesca.com

The Face of

WALL-TO-WALL DESIGN TRANSFORMATION Fran Brady

Senior Interior Designer Clive Daniel Home

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he moment Interior Designer Fran Brady met Clive and Daniel on Florida’s west coast, she knew she had connected with kindred spirits who defined the profession she loved. Little did she know that introduction would lead the Chicago native to become a member of the Clive Daniel Home team. Fran has spent the last 31 years of her career exploring interior design.

Michael Connor Photography

Fran’s breadth of experience in new construction projects guides clients on a seamless journey, from reviewing architectural plans, lighting and electrical details, and space planning, to choosing tile, flooring, cabinets, furniture and all the pieces that create texture and bring color to the unique personality of each home.

“I believe that today’s clients are ready for a major change, welcoming warmer tones, pops of vibrant color and earthy woods. Past white and grey palettes can be transformed with fresh artwork, wallpaper and accessories.Wallpaper continues to add so much personality to a space with bolder color and largerscale prints,” she explains. Among the thousands of resources available under one roof in CDH’s 70,000-square-foot design studio and showroom is a library of wallpaper books with choices ranging from textured leather to metallics, grass cloth to linen, animal prints and big florals to patterned wood veneers.Whether adding interest to a small room or making a major statement with large mural panels, clients can experience an exciting transformation in their home.

561-617-5563 fbrady@clivedaniel.com

The Face of

TRUSTWORTHY RENOVATIONS AND HOME BUILDING Jeff Burns

Founder Sandhill Builders

J

eff Burns has spent the last 45 years carving out a notable niche in high-end home building, custom residential renovations, penthouse renovations, additions and historic property renovations. His current business slate includes three unique projects in Delray Beach’s historic landscape between Swinton and Seacrest, and three more Lake Ida properties ongoing, with two more to follow.

Burns started building his career at 15 years old, when he enrolled in trade school and became the youngest licensed general contractor in the state of Delaware in 1983.

He built one addition after another and soon had six carpenters and 20 subcontractors working for him. He and his team became a wonderful asset to his community and had a positive impact on the city ofWilmington and the state of Delaware.

With hundreds of projects under his belt and many more on the horizon, he is living his best life and doing his best work for our community, leaving an indelible mark professionally and personally.

561-424-1117 Jeffrey@sandhillbuildersfl.com

Michael Connor Photography

In 2000 he moved to Delray Beach and has been building there for the past 25 years. Mr. Burns is known for his honesty, his integrity and the quality of his work. He is also known to be one of the most experienced on-site contractors in the area with a reputation for being very personable, well-spoken and friendly. His popularity comes through in the countless referrals that suggest,“If you don’t know this guy, you should take the time to meet him.”

The Face of

WELLNESS-DRIVEN LUXURY INTERIORS Lina Vella Bryant Founder Vella Art & Interiors

W

ith more than 35 years of experience designing high-end residences, luxury commercial spaces, and wellness environments, LinaVella Bryant blends intentional design with the energy of mindful living. Her studio, Vella Art & Interiors, is more than a design firm—it’s a sanctuary for transformation, where luxury meets wellness and every detail supports how you want to live.

A first-generation Italian-American, Lina’s roots shaped her deep appreciation for craftsmanship, soulfulness, and the emotional rhythm of home. Her love of travel further refined her eye, influencing a globally inspired aesthetic defined by texture, elegance, and storytelling.

Her work spans major cities—NewYork, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami, Dallas, and Chicago—where she’s led national design for boutique fitness brands, luxury restaurants, curated residences, and private yachts. As the lead designer for Exhale Spa, she played a pivotal role in building the brand’s identity across the country.

Michael Connor Photography

A certified interior designer, ERYT-500 yoga instructor, and Feng Shui practitioner, Lina infuses each project with ancient principles and modern refinement. She crafts environments that breathe with intention—spaces that restore, elevate, and align beauty with wellbeing.

Now based in Boca Raton, Lina brings her unique philosophy to a community seeking both luxury and balance.Through coaching, workshops, and bespoke design, she helps clients create more than just beautiful homes—she helps them create spaces that support their highest way of living.

917-608-4044 vellaartandinteriors.com

The Face of

ZEN-INSPIRED CUSTOM CLOSETS & STYLISH STORAGE Lori Hoyt

Owner California Closets of Broward/Palm Beach

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verybody likes to have a place for their stuff, whether it’s in their closets, on display or tucked away in storage. Organization helps with quality of life by helping people to not be encumbered by things strewn about all over the place,” says Lori Hoyt, who has provided customers with attractive and functional solutions for organizing their possessions for more than 41 years.

Since taking the reigns as manager of California Closets in 1997, Hoyt is proud to report that the yearly revenue has quadrupled. She works alongside her brother, Scott Schiff, and sister, Patti Schiff, and a dedicated staff of designers and installers, who together help to transform homes and businesses into personalized havens of order and happiness!

“The key to organization is creating designated places for everything—hampers for laundry, built-in storage for jewelry and accessories, and customized shelving with specific sections for clothing. One of the newest proprietary offerings, Contour, accomplishes all those needs with neutral-colored inserts to ‘divide and conquer’ cluttered spaces,” Hoyt says.

California Closets’ expertise also extends to garages, where custom stylish cabinets with doors conceal items stored inside. Slat wall materials allow clients to attach the gamut of gadgets they use—everything from tools to bikes and luggage for easy access off the garage floor.

“Our creative, artistic innovation continues to evolve and change with the times. As a leader and innovator in the industry since 1980, there isn’t any room that California Closets cannot bring our style and organization to enhance your home or office,” says Hoyt.

954-946-2218 californiaclosets.com

Michael Connor Photography

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TAKE 5

David Sadaka

At a Boca comic’s Greenwich Village-style club, the jokes are fresh and the quarters are close Written by JOHN THOMASON

Comedy is not best in bright, cheery environments. So we have dark walls, a dark ceiling and close seating, because it creates an energy and a focus on the performer.”

—David Sadaka

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Sadman Comedy Café WHERE: 209 S.E. First Ave., Boca Raton CONTACT: 561/576-3076, sadmancomedycafe.com

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T

here’s intimate, and then there’s Sadman Comedy Café. The venue, which local comedian David Sadaka opened in downtown Boca in late 2023, holds just 50 people in its compact, dimly lit space. Some sit in chairs; others opt for the Victorian-style loveseat or church pews. VIP tables are so close to the performers that they essentially share the stage.

Comedians, Sadaka says, love the setup.“It’s a lot more interactive,” he says.“When you’re in a big arena, it’s exciting to have that kind of energy in the room, but it’s not as connected. This is like Eric Clapton doing an unplugged show. It’s very honest.”

Sadaka, a standup comic for the past seven years, began organizing comedy shows at various venues under the Sadman Comedy Productions umbrella in 2018. (“Sadman”is the nickname Sadaka earned while growing up in Brooklyn.) But his brick-and-mortar, sandwiched between Patio Tapas & Beer and Original Fat Cat’s, is the realization of his dream club, one that has hosted numerous marquee headliners, including Flip Schultz, Bret Ernst, Sheba Mason (Jackie’s daughter) and Kyle Grooms, a regular on“Chappelle’s Show.”Their black-and-white portraits, autographed during their visits to Sadman, line the walls of the venue, alongside pictures of legends like Jerry Seinfeld and Chappelle himself. These two haven’t performed at Sadman yet, but for this optimistic entrepreneur, hope springs eternal.

You describe Sadman as a New York-style comedy club.

What does that mean?

Much of the New York comedy scene is in downtown New York, in Greenwich Village. My favorite place is the Cellar, and it’s called the Cellar because it’s downstairs, and those buildings are really old.

We don’t have that here. We don’t even have basements in Florida.

But when we thought about what type of environment we wanted to create, and the feeling you get of watching comedy in that type of setting, there was no question that that’s what we wanted to create.

Comedy is not best in bright, cheery environments. So we have dark walls, a dark ceiling and close seating, because it creates an energy and a focus on the performer.

Sweeping technological changes have affected nearly every art form, but the fundamentals of standup haven’t really changed since the early days of Bob Hope—it’s usually one person, a micro

phone and no net. Would you agree with that?

The internet and social media have changed visibility and who’s hot right now. But once you’re onstage, it’s the same as it always has been. … It’s the rawest form of entertainment and performance I believe that there is. There’s no backup band, or backup singers; there’s nobody who wrote the material for you. It’s your outfit, your hair and makeup, your moment.

And it’s your audience, and it’s yours to lose. So when you win, and you succeed, it’s an amazing feeling for all comics.

It’s a great art form, and it takes a special person. There are people who say,“I don’t know how you people get up there in front of everybody and do that.”I used to think that was silly, but I believe them more now, because I know that public speaking is the No. 1 thing that people are afraid of. And this is beyond public speaking.

You’ve got to connect with strangers, make them laugh, make them feel good. And that’s why it’s a skill

set that takes so long to develop to a high level.

Is comedy resistant to AI as well, because AI isn’t funny?

I think AI will probably continue to improve, but I don’t know if it will ever have enough humanity to completely knock humans out of the box in comedy.

What’s changing in comedy? What are the trends you’re seeing more of or less of?

[Comics] aren’t holding back anymore. That’s why I believe New York is moving ahead as the mecca of comedy, because it’s grittier than the other cities. In my last few visits, I saw [comedians] talking about topics openly and successfully that were not topics you’d want to talk about onstage maybe three years ago. The pendulum is swinging, and all the woke, uptight issues are starting to fade away. In fact, I think that the people who are still doing woke material are starting to look weak and shallow, and people who are taking chances are the trend.

But can comedians go too far when it comes to freedom of speech?

All comedians should be mindful of being hateful onstage, and stay away from that. There’s no room for that in comedy. But I don’t think there’s a topic—or very few, at least—that we shouldn’t venture into in a fun way. We should be able to make fun of ourselves, our closest friends, our families, our own culture, everything. That being said, we should be able to make fun of each other too, as long as it’s lighthearted and not mean-spirited. Comedy is comedy, and if people are laughing, that’s the test.

bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

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CARINA MASK

David Sadaka

July/August 2025 • • • • bocamag.com

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July/August 2025

B AC K S TAG E PA S S

98

CALENDAR

Now-July 20:

Now-Aug. 31:

Now-Sept. 28:

“Blur, Obscure, Distort” at Norton Museum of Art, 1450 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; $10-$18 museum admission; 561/832-5196, norton.org. Often dismissed as errors, distortion and disorientation in photography can also be an artistic asset, as explored in this exhibition drawn from the Norton’s collection. Expect subversive images that disrupt the viewer’s sense of time, space, place and scale.

Benjamín Cañas exhibition at Museum of Central American Art, 290 S.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach; free with RSVP to suzanne@mocaart. org; 561/512-2467, mocaart. org. One of Latin America’s preeminent painters of the fantastic, this Salvadoran architect and artist worked in a variety of media while honing his signature magical-realist vision. This exhibition showcases 40 works, many of which have never been exhibited.

“The Art of Peace: Jizai Okimono” at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach; $10-$16 museum admission; 561/495-0233, morikami.org.

Translating as “articulated decorative objects,” the sculptures known as jizai okimono flourished in Japan’s peaceful mid-Edo period. These finely detailed creations typically focused on animal and insect life. “The Art of Peace” gathers 19 examples of the remarkably realistic art form.

“Back to the Future”

Fabulous Fourth

“The Art of Peace: Jizai Okimono”

July 3:

July 4:

July 4:

“Back to the Future” in Concert at Broward Center, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 7:30 p.m.; $45-$85; 954/462-0222, browardcenter.org. If you missed it at Festival of the Arts Boca this year, you have a second chance to experience director Robert Zemeckis’ 1985 time-traveling sci-fi adventure on the big screen, with the South Florida Symphony Orchestra performing Alan Silvestri’s sweeping, iconic score—including an extra 20 minutes of music exclusive to this live presentation.

Fabulous Fourth at various Boca Raton locations; 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; mostly free, with fees for athletic events; 561/393-7810, myboca. us/1456/fourth-of-july. The City of Boca Raton’s Independence Day celebration includes a 7 a.m. Firecracker 5K run, a 9 a.m. Liberty Cup tournament for tennis and pickleball players; a block party from 1 to 4 p.m.; and live music, food trucks and fireworks from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Countess de Hoernle Park.

Stars & Stripes Rock & Roll Tribute at Boca Black Box, 8221 Glades Road, Suite 10; 7 p.m.; $43-$63; 561/4839036, bocablackbox.com. Chief Elvis Presley impersonator Chris MacDonald will play hits not just from the King but from myriad icons of the quintessential rock ‘n’ roll era, including Van Morrison, CCR, Little Richard, Queen, Jimmy Buffett, Tom Jones, Chuck Berry and more, supplemented by a full band.

bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

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Now-Oct. 19:

Now-Oct. 26:

Now-May 2026:

“Artists’ Jewelry: From Cubism to Pop” at Norton Museum of Art, 1450 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; $10-$18 museum admission; 561/832-5196, norton. org. Diane Venet, one of the world’s foremost authorities on jewelry by major artists, guest-curates this exhibition culled from her collection, with its miniature masterpieces from the likes of Picasso, Koons, Calder, Man Ray and many more, which the Norton will pair with works in its collection from the same artists.

Laddie John Dill: “Eastern Standard Time” at Norton Museum of Art, 1450 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; $10-$18 museum admission; 561/832-5196, norton.org. Elements from the periodic table are part of the palette of this octogenarian artist representing California’s Light and Space Movement. The site-specific installation “Eastern Standard Time” is comprised of sand and glass tubes containing argon and mercury, which bathe the gallery in a blue glow.

“Glasstress” at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real, Boca Raton; $12-$16 museum admission; 561/392-2500, bocamuseum.org. “Glasstress” marks the latest in the museum’s ongoing collaboration with Berengo Studio in Murano, Italy, the international locus of blown-glass art. The 2025 iteration is another blockbuster show, with artists including Magdalena Campos-Pons, Sean Scully, Tony Cragg, Thomas Schutte and Chinese provocateur Ai Weiwei.

“Modern Love: The Artist Couple” at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real, Boca Raton; $12-$16 museum admission; 561/3922500, bocamuseum.org. Theresa Bernstein and William Meyerowitz married in 1919 and remained inseparable until Meyerowitz’s death in 1981. Affiliated with the Ashcan School of urban realism, they often focused their brushes on the working men and women of New York City and Massachusetts. “Modern Love” features more than 50 paintings and works on paper.

SOLO MIO

Now-Oct. 5:

Laddie John Dill: “Eastern Standard Time”

Ashleigh Walters of “Pop Culture” exhibition

Palm Beach Shakespeare

Patrick Lamb

July 5-Sept. 28:

July 5:

July 10-20:

July 11-25:

“Pop Culture” exhibition at Cornell Art Museum, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach; free (donations welcome); 561/654-2220. This splashy exhibition showcases modern adherents of the Pop art style popularized by Andy Warhol and others. Among the participating artists is GWAK, whose celebrity “Army Men” sculptures riff on G.I. Joes; and Annina Rust, a technology-based artist whose playable works of art include a “Pac-Mom” game that explores gender inequity and food insecurity.

Patrick Lamb at Funky Biscuit, 303 S.E. Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton; 6 and 9 p.m.; $35-$45; 561/3952929, funkybiscuit.com.

One of the youngest people to be inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame, philanthropist, vocalist and saxophonist Lamb has enjoyed a versatile career as both sideman and composer, performing with Smokey Robinson, Gino Vanelli and Bobby Caldwell and traversing jazz, blues and pop idioms with ease.

“The Winter’s Tale” at Seabreeze Amphitheatre, 750 South A1A, Jupiter; 8 p.m.; free, with suggested $5 donation; 561/543-8276, pbshakespeare.org. Tragedy begets romance and communion in William Shakespeare’s masterpiece, this summer’s al fresco production from the Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival. Though it begins with the actions of a mad king, elements of comic fantasy reach their apex in the play’s back half, complete with disguises, reconnections and statues brought to life.

“Summer in the City” Concert Series at Mizner Park Amphitheater, 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton; 8 p.m.; free; 561/3937810, myboca.us/2021/ mizner-park-amphitheater.

The City of Boca Raton concludes its annual series of free tribute concerts on three successive July Fridays. Hear interpretations of music by Steve Miller Band and Santana July 11, The Cure on July 18 and “Women of Country” on July 25.

July/August 2025 • • • • bocamag.com

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CALENDAR

July 11:

July 12:

July 18:

The Offspring at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre, 601-7 Sansburys Way, West Palm Beach; 7 p.m.; $44 and up; 561/795-8883, westpalmbeachamphitheatre.com. Peaking in the mid to late ‘90s, the California hitmakers behind “Come Out and Play” and “Pretty Fly” helped popularize punk music for mainstream America. They tour in support of their 11th album, Supercharged, with like-minded openers Jimmy Eat World and SoFla’s own New Found Glory.

Ben Schwartz and Friends at Broward Center, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 8 p.m.; $39.50-$99.50; 954/462-0222, browardcenter.org. This gifted improv comedian and actor, who was a cast member on “Parks and Recreation,” “Space Force” and “House of Lies” and has co-written four books, will bring along a cast of talented improvisers for an evening of bespoke humor unique to this engagement.

Toto at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre, 601-7 Sansburys Way, West Palm Beach; 6:45 p.m.; $40 and up; 561/7958883, westpalmbeachamphitheatre.com. The durable L.A. act known for such anthemic arena favorites as “Africa,” “Rosanna” and “Hold the Line” headlines this triple bill of so-called yacht rock linchpins, preceded by Christopher Cross (the ubiquitous No. 1 hit “Sailing”) and Men at Work (“Down Under,” the sax-y favorite “Who Can it be Now?”).

GARY ALTER

July/August 2025

B AC K S TAG E PA S S

Ben Schwartz

Toto

Hiroya Tsukamoto

Aug. 7:

Aug. 8:

Aug. 9:

A Journey Through the Strings with Hiroya Tsukamoto at Boca Black Box, 8221 Glades Road, Suite 10; 7:30 p.m.; $33; 561/483-9036, bocablackbox.com. Born in Kyoto and educated at Berklee College of Music, this onetime banjoist turned finger-style guitarist has released five albums of intricate and transportive guitar music that will appeal to fans of Leo Kottke and John Fahey.

His resume includes gigs at the United Nations and New York’s legendary Blue Note lounge.

Battle of the Bands at Mizner Park Amphitheater, 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton; 7 p.m.; free; 561/393-7810, myboca. us/2021/mizner-park-amphitheater. Local bands of various genres will compete in this fifth-annual community favorite, vying for a $2,500 grand prize and awards for the Under 20 and Over 20 age divisions.

Additionally, creators age 13 to 20 will offer their products at the onsite Young Entrepreneurs Market.

Ben Bankas at The Studio at Mizner Park, 201 Plaza Real, Boca Raton; 7:30 p.m.; $30-$40; 561/203-3742, thestudioatmiznerpark.com.

This Austin-by-way-of-Canada comic’s deadpan delivery and laid-back mien belies his quietly confrontational act. Attuned to trends in news and culture, Bankas skewers sacred cows from all ethnic and political stripes in his all-purpose and un-P.C. show.

bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

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July 19:

July 23-26:

Aug. 2-3:

Michael Loftus at Sadman Comedy Café, 209 S.E. First Ave., Boca Raton; 8 p.m. $35 to $45 with a two-drink minimum; 561/576-3076, sadmancomedycafe.com.

This center-right comic, recognized for poking fun at the overreaches and sensitivities of the American political left, has appeared on outlets such as Fox News’ “Gutfeld!” and Fox Business’ “The Bottom Line,” as well as Netflix and Comedy Central.

Jeff Kashiwa at Funky Biscuit, 303 S.E. Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton; 6 and 9 p.m.; $35-$45; 561/395-2929, funkybiscuit.com. In the ‘90s and 2010s, saxophonist Kashiwa released seven albums with the Rippingtons, a multiple chart-topping collective that helped define the sound of smooth jazz for a generation. Now an educator, composer and bandleader, Kashiwa has released 11 albums under his own name, including 2024’s Luminoso.

14 Year Anniversary Celebration at Funky Biscuit, 303 S.E. Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton; 7 p.m. Wed.-Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri., 7 p.m. Sat.; $45$65; 561/395-2929, funkybiscuit.com. The four-day birthday celebration of Royal Palm Place’s premier live music venue will feature two days of Trouble No More, an Allman Brothers Band tribute playing the Allmans’ Eat a Peach in honor of its 50th anniversary; and two days of the young and versatile guitarist Taz Niederauer.

Boca Ballet Theatre: “Summer Breezes” at Countess de Hoernle Theatre at Spanish River High School, 5100 Jog Road, Boca Raton; 7:30 p.m. Sat., 2 p.m. Sun.; $25-$55; 561/995-0709, bocaballet.org. Guest artists from the San Francisco Ballet will join the pre-professionals of Boca Ballet Theatre for this delightful mixed-repertory assortment of works, including two world premieres and an excerpt from Joseph Mazilier’s “Paquita.”

Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox

Obon Weekend

MADISON GARBER

AUSTEN WALDRON

July 18-19:

Michael Loftus

Boca Ballet Theatre

Aug. 14:

Aug. 16-17:

Aug. 21-Sept. 14:

Aug. 22-Sept. 14:

Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox at Broward Center, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 8 p.m.; $34.50$99.50; 954/462-0222, browardcenter.org. This musical collective originated in 2011 as a group of friends making music in a Queens basement. Since finding its niche—recording contemporary pop hits in swing, ragtime and other vintage styles—Postmodern Jukebox has became an internet and touring juggernaut, amassing more than 6 million YouTube subscribers.

Obon Weekend at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; $10-$16 museum admission; additional charge for certain events; 561/4950233, morikami.org. At this summer staple, attendees can experience a taiko drum concert, visit a Bon altar providing insights into the Obon tradition, and participate in a dance workshop. Guests can then fill out tanzaku slips with messages for their companions on the Other Side and float them on Morikami Lake.

“At the Wedding” at Island City Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors; various show times; $43-$55; 954/928-9800, islandcitystage.org. Playwright Bryna Turner’s 2022 Off-Broadway hit is a bittersweet comedy that follows Carlo, a lesbian who must endure her ex’s nuptials to a man—while holding off, as much as she can, the urge to get drunk, make a scene, and try to win her back.

“West Side Story” at Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 N.W. Ninth St., Delray Beach; various show times; $45; 561/272-1281, delraybeachplayhouse.com. Rooting the story in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” composer Leonard Bernstein and lyricist Stephen Sondheim’s shattering musical about young lovers on opposite sides of a New York City gang war has lost none of its power, humor and empathy over its nearly 60 years of productions and adaptations.

July/August 2025 • • • • bocamag.com

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CARINA MASK

C V I .C H E 105 R E V I E W D R I F T WO O D R E V I E W D I S COV E R I E S TA B L E TA L K

106 108 114 120

Ceviche Pimentel from CVI.CHE 105

July/August 2025 • • • • bocamag.com

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› › › ›

105 6/4/25 11:19 AM

Counterclockwise: Tiradito el de Carretilla, Trilogia Peruana, Lomo Saltado, Arroz Norteñazo and Ceviche Pimentel

REVIEW

CVI.CHE 105

6000 Glades Road, Boca Raton; 561/221-0940 Written by CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT

T

IF YOU GO PARKING: Lot parking HOURS: Monday – Thursday 11:30 a.m.

– 10:30 p.m.; Friday & Saturday 11:30 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Sunday noon – 10:30 p.m.

PRICES: $13 – $95

he moment I stepped into CVI.CHE 105 at Town Center mall, all of my senses were aroused. Peacocks perched overhead on lush greenery gaze down upon the vibrant dining room, which features a stunning kaleidoscopic textile art installation and massive turquoise portraits of chef-owner Juan Chipoco posing with an octopus. While the sensory overload is real, it’s whimsical and lively.

Just as the design is elaborate, the menu is, too. I’m all for options that cater to a variety of palates and do appreciate chef Chipoco flexing his Peruvian culinary skills and imagination. Still, while the over-the-top ambiance was fun, the menu’s endless fold-out pages and two extra inserts were overwhelming.

Now, let’s dig into the food. We started with two classic Peruvian dishes, the Tiradito el de Carretilla ($20) and Ceviche Pimentel ($26). Both feature raw fish, but ceviches are marinated, typically in citrus juice, while the tiradito is sliced and served sashimi style. The ceviche was as good as expected, with fish, shrimp and octopus in a leche de tigre sauce topped with choclo corn and a sweet potato puree. I did enjoy the tiradito more because the rocoto pepper sauce was brighter and more citrusy; plus, the crispy calamari and cancha corn added a nice crunch to each bite.

Our mains included the Arroz Norteñazo ($39) and Lomo Saltado ($25). The rice dish was beautifully plated, with hearty amounts of sauteed seafood, including calamari and shrimp, spilling out of a seashell.

The varying textures were perfect—the tender rice with a hint of cilantro was well cooked, while the fried fish, peas and corn added crispy notes. The lomo, a classic Chifa dish combining Chinese techniques and Peruvian ingredients, presented as tender strips of tenderloin, onion and tomato stir-fried in a wok and served with fluffy white rice and crispy French fries.

It’s hard not to love this dish.

For dessert, we ordered the Trilogia Peruana ($35).

While it’s a steep price for a sweet treat, its three portions of classic Peruvian desserts are fit for the whole table. These include a Suspiro Limeño, or caramel pudding similar to dulce de leche and topped with meringue; and two creamy mousses made of maracuyá, or passion fruit, and lucuma, a native Peruvian fruit.

As a club remix of “Sweet Dreams” hummed in the background, I looked around and admired the buzzy, colorful patio and plush green velvet bar stools packed with patrons enjoying an evening out, and I smiled.

CVI.CHE 105 has brought a lively Latin spirit to Boca, and I’m here for it.

CARINA MASK

E AT & D R I N K

WEBSITE: ceviche105.com

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bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

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E S T. 2 0 2 4

Cheers to good food with a view.

3100-3200 E Atlantic Boulevard • Pompano Beach, FL

954.876.1066

m i ra g g io it a l ia n.c o m

i n f o @ m i ra g g io it a l ia n.c o m

OPEN DAILY MONDAY - SUNDAY 11AM TO 9:30PM

E AT & D R I N K

REVIEW

Driftwood

2005 Federal Highway, Boynton Beach; 561/733-4782

Clockwise from above: Heritage pork jowl fried rice, ceviche, and smoked boneless Quincey Cattle short ribs

IF YOU GO PARKING: Lot parking HOURS: Wednesday – Sunday, 4 – 9 p.m.

PRICES: $7 – $52 WEBSITE: driftwoodboynton.com

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D

riftwood isn’t new. But what’s better than being the hottest ticket in town?

Being a beloved community staple. Thanks to the hard work and perseverance of husband-andwife team Jimmy Everett and Ilia Gonzalez, Driftwood consistently serves inventive dishes infused with Everett’s fine-dining training. It’s also their dedication to guests, local purveyors and their talented staff that truly makes them stand out.

Farm-to-table isn’t just a cliché at Driftwood; as a native South Floridian, Everett’s goal has always been to source hyperlocal ingredients. And that belief isn’t always easy or profitable for a commercial kitchen, and the menu may vary based on what’s available. On the evening I visited, Chiefland Quincey Cattle, Fort Lauderdale and Key West swordfish and Fort Pierce golden tilefish were proudly identified on the menu.

We started with the ceviche ($20) and smoked fish dip ($16).

The ceviche was thinly sliced

tilefish in a smooth, sweet potato gazpacho with hints of local passionfruit. The creaminess of the sauce was complemented by the crunch of plantain chips, red onions and sliced radishes, while the jalapeños and cilantro added their signature flavors to round out the dish. I eat a lot of ceviche, but this was different. It was sweeter and less citrusy than others but equally as refreshing. I hesitated to order the dip because the fish is usually lost in an overwhelming amount of mayo. Not here. The smoked swordfish was simply prepared with pickled celery, topped with dill and served with house-made crackers. I could taste its smokiness, the Old Bay in the crackers, and the fresh dill; delightful.

After every course, our dishes and silverware were changed without us asking—another nod to Everett’s attention to detail. The following smoked Heritage pork jowl fried rice ($20) and smoked boneless Quincey Cattle short ribs ($38) were equally impressive. The Carolina gold rice was a

mix of fluffy and golden-brown extra-crispy rice, which made the dish for me. It was mixed with collard green kimchi and crispy garlic and topped with a wonderfully oozy duck egg from Charmed Life Farm. The elevated presentation of the short ribs set the scene: Sliced radishes covered the tender meat in a burgundy-hued beet mole sauce. Its cacao dry marinade rub and smokiness came together in each bite and were balanced by the smooth horseradish crema.

We’d had our fill, but we had to indulge in one of the kitchen’s sweet treats, which are all made in-house. The 51/50 s’mores boca negra ($12) is a flourless cake made with Delray Beach’s 5150 Chocolate Co. chocolate and topped with a layer of toasted marshmallow and a side of passion fruit ice cream on salted honey streusel. It was the best, most sinful way to end this meal, as it truly captured Driftwood’s passion for sustainability, supporting our local economy, and feeding us the highest quality and freshest fare.

CARINA MASK

Written by CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT

bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

DINING GUIDE BRM JA25xx.indd 108

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E AT & D R I N K

RESTAURANT DIRECTORY

FLORIDA TABLE

Dining Guide Palm Beach County BOCA RATON 388 Italian Restaurant By Mr. Sal—3360 N. Federal Highway. Italian. This family-owned outpost of its Long Island flagship prides itself on nostalgic, quintessential dishes. Pastas like alla vodka, marinara and spicy rigatoni share the menu with chicken and veal entrees in beloved preparations like masala, Milanese and parmigiana. Choose from half or whole portions to share with the table. It’s also known for its lively ambiance, so come here for an Italian feast but stay for the party. Dinner nightly. 561/794-3888. $$$

AARON BRISTOL

Abe & Louie’s —2200 Glades Road. Steakhouse. All

388 Italian Restaurant by Mr. Sal

Americans are endowed with certain inalienable rights, among them the right to a thick, juicy, perfectly cooked steak. At this posh, comfortable (and expensive) meatery, the USDA Prime steaks are indeed thick, juicy and perfectly cooked, also massively flavorful and served in enormous portions. Don’t miss the New York sirloin or prime rib, paired in classic steakhouse fashion with buttery hash browns and uber-creamy creamed spinach.

Chased with an ice-cold martini or glass of red wine from the truly impressive list, it’s happiness pursued and captured.

• Lunch Mon.-Fri., dinner nightly. Brunch on Sat. and Sun. 561/447-0024. $$$$

AlleyCat—297 E.Palmetto Park Road. Japanese. Chef Eric Baker’s Japanese izakaya, or a casual spot for drinks and bites, is serving up dishes like sushi, dumplings and fried rice that have an unexpected whimsical element. Here you’ll find king crab tacos and hot fried chicken alongside the hamachi ponzu and spicy scallop roll. And to deliver the freshest sushi in town, he has partnered with celebrated sushi chef David Bouhadana of Sushi by Bou. • Dinner Tues.-Sat. 561/353-5888. $$

DINING KEY $: $$: $$$: $$$$:

Under $17 $18–$35 $36–$50 $50 and up

Arturo’s Restaurant—6750 N. Federal Highway.

Italian. After 40 years of feeding our Boca community, the Gismondi family is still going to great lengths to take care of its patrons, who, over the years, have become honorary family members themselves. Arturo’s brings generations of diners together with its warm ambiance, classic and consistent Italian fare, and its award-winning 1,000+-bottle wine cellar. • Lunch and dinner Tues.-Fri., dinner Sat.-Sun. 561/997-7373. $$$ Basilic Vietnamese Grill—200 S. Federal Highway. Vietnamese. This popular restaurant offers satisfying food and reasonable prices. Plus, there’s bubble tea. Opened in 2014, it has a wide range of Vietnamese favorites, such as cha

110

gio tom heo, fried shrimp and pork Imperial rolls, all kinds of pho, noodle bowls, chicken curry and more. • Lunch and dinner six days a week; closed Tuesdays. 561/409-4964. $$

Bluefin Sushi and Thai—861 N.W. 51st St., Suite 1. Sushi/Thai. Arrive early for a table at this Asian hot spot—it’s popular with no reservations for parties fewer than six. Don’t skip the tempura lobster bomb, big in both size and taste. The ginger snapper will impress both Instagram and your stomach. Try the chicken satay and pad Thai. Bluefin offers a variety of dishes from multiple cultures, all well done. • Dinner daily. Lunch Mon.-Fri. 561/981-8869. $$ Burtons Grill & Bar —5580 N. Military Trail.

New American. Known for its reliable food as well as its non-gluten, Paleo and “B Choosy” kids menu, the first Florida location for this restaurant is deservedly crowded, so make reservations. Don’t miss the General Tso’s cauliflower, the pan-seared salmon (Paleo), the crab cakes or the Key lime pie. Popular half-portions are available, too. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/465-2036. $

The Capital Grille —6000 Glades Road. Steaks.

This is one of more than three dozen restaurants in a national chain, but the Boca Grille treats you like a regular at your neighborhood restaurant. Steaks, dry-aged if not Prime, are flavorful and cooked with precision, while starters from the pan-fried calamari to the restaurant’s signature spin on the Cobb salad (lunch only) are nicely done too. Parmesan truffle fries are crispy sticks of potato heaven; chocolate-espresso cake a study in shameless, and luscious, decadence.

• Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly. 561/368-1077. $$$

Casa D’Angelo —171 E. Palmetto Park Road. Italian.

Chef Rickie Piper, who has mastered the menu and cuisine of this fine-dining staple for more than a decade, knows when to say when with both plating and ingredients. His dishes, including the sides and accompaniments, are visually appetizing and aromatic. A grilled veal chop easily 3 inches thick proved tender and juicy, and the wild mushrooms served alongside in a marsala added earthiness. • Dinner nightly.

561/996-1234. $$$

Casimir French Bistro—416 Via De Palmas, Suite 81. French. Take a trip overseas without leaving the city and enjoy excellently prepared traditional French dishes, such as duck l’orange or beef bourguignon, or go with Cajun chicken and veal Milanese.

The comfortable dining room is a Parisian experience, as is the apple tarte tatin. This is a local favorite, and may we add they have what is as close to real French bread as anyplace in Boca?

• Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. 561/955-6001. $$$

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Chez Marie French Bistro —5030 Champion Blvd. French. Marie will greet you at the door of this nicely decorated, intimate, classic French restaurant tucked in the corner of a strip shopping area. This feels like an intimate neighborhood bistro and is a welcome discovery. From escargot encased in garlic butter, parsley and breadcrumbs to a tender duck a l’orange to an unforgettable crepe Suzette, you’ll be in Paris all evening.

Voila! Also on the menu: pan-seared foie gras, tasty onion soup, coq au vin, rack of lamb, salads and more desserts. French food in an unassuming atmosphere.• Dinner Mon.-Sat. (closed on Mon. in summer) 561/997-0027. $$

Chops Lobster Bar —101 Plaza Real S., Royal Palm Place. Steak, seafood. There is nothing like a classic chophouse every now and then for a special dinner. At this upscale downtown restaurant, steaks are aged USDA Prime— tender, flavorful and perfectly cooked under a 1,700-degree broiler. There’s all manner of fish and shellfish, but you’re here for the lobster, whether giant Nova Scotian tails flash-fried and served with drawn butter or sizable Maine specimens stuffed with lobster. Let’s face it: Trendy menus come and go, but a great steakhouse is a win-win on all occasions. • Dinner nightly. 561/395-2675. $$$$ Corvina Seafood Grill—110 Plaza Real S, Boca Raton. Seafood. The seafood-centric menu incorporates South Florida’s varied Latin and Caribbean culinary influences into it.

Peruvian and Honduran ceviches share the menu with Brazilian fish stew. You’ll also find plantain crusted corvina in a Creole curry sauce alongside Jamaican jerk chicken and island spiced pork ribs. With a focus on sourcing local ingredients, the menu spotlights several daily specials so look out for those. Then there’s the indoor/outdoor bar that invites you to come in and stay a while, especially during its daily happy hour. • Dinner & Sunday Brunch. 561/206-0066. $$

Dorsia—5837 N. Federal Highway. Continental. The simple pleasures of the table—good food, personable service, comfortable ambience—are what this modestly stylish restaurant is all about. The menu has a strong Italian bent, evidenced by dishes like a trio of fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with an airy three-cheese mousse, and a cookbook-perfect rendition of veal scaloppine lavished with artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and a tangy lemon-white wine sauce. • Dinner nightly.

561/961-4156. $$

Eddie V’s Prime Seafood —201 Plaza Real.

Steak & Seafood. Eddie V’s is famous for its seafood and premium steaks, but this restaurant has also perfected the art of entertaining with nightly live music and a few tableside surprises. • Dinner nightly. 561/237-0067. $$$$ Farmer’s Table —1901 N. Military Trail. American. In the pantheon of healthy dining, Farmer’s Table is a standout in Boca, one of the first restaurants to elevate natural foods to fine dining. Fresh, natural, sustainable, organic and local is the mantra at this both tasty and health-conscious offering from Mitchell Robbins and Joey Giannuzzi. Menu highlights include flatbreads, slow-braised USDA Choice short rib and the popular Ramen Bowl, with veggies, ramen noodles and shrimp. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 561/417-5836. $$

Everyday Favorites For an affordable bite at any time, consider these durable chains and homegrown Boca favorites— where the attire is understated and reservations are rarely necessary.

Biergarten—309 Via De Palmas, #90. German/Pub. Part vaguely German beer garden, part all-American sports bar, this rustic eatery offers menus that channel both, as well as an excellent selection of two-dozen beers on tap and the same number by the bottle. The food is basic and designed to go well with suds, like the giant pretzel with a trio of dipping sauces and the popular “Biergarten burger.” • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/395-7462. $$

Cuban Café —3350 N.W. Boca Raton Blvd., Suite B-30. Cuban. One thing Boca needs more of is coffee windows—and real Cuban restaurants. Part of the charm of South Florida is its melting pot of Latin cultures, and Cuba is the granddaddy of them all. Which is undoubtedly why diners pack this traditional Cuban restaurant for lunch specials that start at $10.95, including slow-roasted pork served with white rice and black beans. Other highlights include the Cuban sandwich, the media noche and (on the dinner menu only) lechón asado. Full bar. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/750-8860. $

Los Olivos Bistro —5030 Champion Blvd. Argentine. The family-owned bistro’s menu honors familial Argentine roots with typical crave-worthy dishes like empanadas and plenty of red meat. Still, it also honors the cuisine’s Spanish and Italian influences with its standout paellas and housemade pasta. • Lunch and dinner Mon.Sat. 561/756-8928. $ Rocco’s Tacos —224 Clematis St. Mexican. Big Time Restaurant Group has crafted a handsome spot that dishes Mexican favorites, as well as upscale variations on the theme and more than 425 tequilas. Tacos feature housemade tortillas and a variety of proteins. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly. 561/650-1001. (Other Palm Beach County locations: 5250 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton, 561/416-2131; 110 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, 561/808-1100; 5090 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, 561/623-0127) $ The Sandwich Shop at Buccan—350 S. County Road, Palm Beach and 1901 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach. Takeout stop. Like big sister Buccan Italian restaurant, the Sandwich Shop is full of flavor and builds your favorite sandwich with just a touch of delicious creativity you won’t find elsewhere. Owned by celeb chef Clay Conley and partners, the menu has hot or cold sandwiches, salads, sides and drinks (both alcoholic and non).

Good-sized portions mean the Italian and prosciutto subs include leftovers if you have some willpower.• Lunch daily.

561/833-6295. $$

Tap 42—5050 Town Center Circle, Suite 247. Gastropub. This hugely popular nouveau-Industrial gastropub is not for the faint of eardrums when packed, but don’t let that discourage you. The kitchen here executes the hell out of a short, simple all-day menu. Grilled salmon chopped salad with tomatillo ranch dressing is delightful, as is guacamole studded with fat chunks of bacon and charred corn. Same goes for decadent shrimp mac-n-cheese. The wicked-good chocolate bread pudding with salted caramel sauce would be the envy of any Big Easy eatery. • Lunch Mon.-Fri. Brunch Sat.-Sun. Dinner nightly. 561/235-5819. $

Tropical Smokehouse —3815 S. Dixie Highway. Barbecue. When you take the distinct tastes of Florida/Caribbean/Cuban dishes and pair them with barbecue, you end up with a place you visit a lot. Local celeb chef Rick Mace smokes the meats himself, and his recipes include all kinds of citrus in tasty spots (sour orange wings, pineapple carrot cake); you’ll discover new favorite flavors. Don’t miss the BBQ pulled pork, brisket and ribs. Try the hot and sweet hushpuppies or the homemade chorizo queso in this very casual spot that we can happily say is also unique—there’s nothing else like it. • Lunch and dinner Tues.-Sun. 561/323-2573. $$

Gary Rack’s Farmhouse Kitchen —399 S.E. Mizner Blvd. American. Natural, seasonal, sustainable.

You’ll enjoy the varied menu, and won’t believe it’s made without butters or creams. Try the too-good-to-be-true buffalo-style cauliflower appetizer, the seared salmon or buffalo burger, and have apple skillet for dessert. Healthy never tasted so good.

• Lunch and dinner daily. 561/826-2625. $$

The French Gazebo —4199 N. Federal Highway.

French. Formerly Kathy’s Gazebo, this space has been a staple in our community for 40 years, but its new owners updated the design while keeping the same French classics on the menu

like escargots, crêpes, dover sole and duckling. Its vintage character still reigns but now with an airier, contemporary undertone. Dinner Mon.-Sat. 561/395-6033. • $$$

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RESTAURANT DIRECTORY

Gallaghers Steakhouse—2006 N.W. Executive Center Circle. Steakhouse. At this chophouse, the staff is laser-focused on service, the bar pours stiff drinks, and the kitchen dishes out perfectly cooked steaks—a pure embodiment of what you’d expect from a steakhouse. While Gallaghers proved itself a master of its craft, don’t overlook the other items on the menu, like the stuffed shrimp and veal chop. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/559-5800. $$$$ The Grille On Congress—5101 Congress Ave. American. Dishes at this longtime favorite range from tasty chicken entrees and main-plate salads to seafood options like Asian-glazed salmon or pan-seared yellowtail snapper. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/912-9800. $$

Houston’s —1900 N.W. Executive Center Circle. Contemporary American. Convenient location, stylish ambience and impeccable service are hallmarks of this local outpost of the Hillstone restaurant chain. There are plenty of reasons why this is one of the most popular business lunch spots in all of Boca, including menu items like Cajun trout, the mammoth salad offerings and the tasty baby back ribs. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/998-0550. $$$ Il Mulino New York Boca Raton—451 E.

PAPPHOTO

Palmetto Park Road. Italian. From the four pre-menu bites to the after-dinner coffee from freshly ground beans, this is a white-tablecloth venue that delivers on its upscale promises.

Try the langostino, the red snapper, the risotto, the pasta, or go for the ceviches, caviars and seafood tower. Save room for dessert and complimentary lemoncello. Make a night of it. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/338-8606. $$$

La Nouvelle Maison

Josephine’s —5751 N. Federal Highway. Italian.

Tradition trumps trendy, and comfort outweighs chic at this Boca favorite. The ambience is quiet and stately but not stuffy, and the menu is full of hearty dishes to soothe the savage appetite, like three-cheese eggplant rollatini and chicken scarpariello. • Dinner nightly. 561/988-0668. $$

Kapow Noodle Bar —402 Plaza Real. Asian. Kapow delivers an effervescent ambiance that makes you want to relax and stay a while. Its varied menu has something for every craving, from crispy rice and tacos to rolls and even Peking duck. Up your dinner game by reserving a seat at the separate omakase bar serving chef-curated bites that aren’t on the regular menu.

And if you’re looking for a memorable night out, book one of the three karaoke rooms.• Lunch and dinner daily. 561/567-8828. $

After Hours Eats

From 10 to 11:30 p.m.

Thurs. to Sat., Kasumi offers discounts across the menu, from sakes, wines and cocktails, to sushi rolls, edamame and soup.

Kasumi—999 E. Camino Real. Japanese. As the Waterstone Resort & Marina’s second waterfront restaurant, this modern Japanese eatery delivers an elevated level of cuisine. Its shareable menu features sushi rolls, nigiri, sashimi and a variety of larger entrées. • Dinner nightly. 561/226-3033. $$$

Ke’e Grill—17940 N. Military Trail, Suite 700. Traditional American. In this busy dining scene for more than 30 years, you will find a lot of seafood (fried calamari, blue crab cakes, yellowtail snapper Francaise and lots more), a few steak, chicken, lamb and pork options, and a quality house-made apple crisp. Your traditional choices are baked, fried, breaded, grilled, broiled, sauteed. With Provencal, Francaise, maple mustard glaze, toasted macadamia nut pesto and piccata twists. A consistent crowd for a consistent menu. • Dinner nightly. 561/995-5044. $$$ Kousine Peruvian Asian—1668 N. Federal Highway.

Peruvian/Asian. Chef and owner Danny Kou shares his Peruvian heritage with a curated menu of dishes that accurately represent his country’s famous ceviche while introducing patrons to unique dishes that are just as tempting. Kousine’s space is bright and modern, with

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exposed industrial ceilings complemented with warm woods and greenery. Lunch and dinner daily. 561/430-3337. $$

La Condesa —3320 Airport Road. Mexican. Mexico’s bold, colorful and lively culture is reflected in its cuisine, and it’s evident at La Condesa. This family-owned restaurant’s take on Mexican fare offers a sizable menu with a wide selection of popular drinks and dishes like margaritas, nachos, street tacos and burritos. You can also opt for less mainstream dishes like the mole cazuelitas, and you won’t be disappointed. Lunch and dinner daily. 561/931-4008. $

La Nouvelle Maison—55 E. Palmetto Park Road.

French. A dining experience at a French restaurant is never just about satiating your hunger. It’s about the entire experience, and La Nouvelle Maison embraces that joie de vivre from the moment you step inside. Whether you delight in the garlic-infused escargots, steak tartare or beef Bourgogne, none of the classic French dishes disappoint here.• Dinner nightly. 561/338-3003. $$$$ La Terraza Tapas & Bar —21170 St. Andrews Blvd. Spanish. La Terraza Tapas & Bar instantly transports you to Spain. Its brick barrel ceiling, moody lighting, crimson walls and wooden furniture create a charming, rustic aesthetic reminiscent of a Spanish taverna. Start with the Tabla Terraza charcuterie board before enjoying a few warm tapas, like the croquetas de jamon, camarones ajillo and octopus. • Lunch and dinner Wed.Sun., dinner Mon.-Tues. 561/576-3040. $$ La Villetta —4351 N. Federal Highway. Italian. This is a well-edited version of a traditional Italian menu, complete with homemade pastas and other classic dishes. Try the signature whole yellowtail snapper encrusted in sea salt; it’s de-boned right at tableside. Shrimp diavolo is perfectly scrumptious. • Dinner nightly. (closed Mon. during summer).

561/362-8403. $$$ Le Rivage —450 N.E. 20th St., Suite 103. French. Don’t overlook this small, unassuming bastion of traditional French cookery. That would be a mistake, because the dishes that virtually scream “creativity” can’t compare to the quiet pleasures served here—like cool, soothing vichyssoise, delicate fillet of sole with nutty brown butter sauce or perfectly executed crème brûlee. Good food presented without artifice at a fair price never goes out of fashion. • Dinner nightly. 561/620-0033. $$

Loch Bar —346 Plaza Real. Seafood. This sister restaurant to Ouzo Bay includes fried oysters, moules frites and Maryland crab cakes. The bar offers literally hundreds of whiskeys, a noisy happy hour crowd and live music most nights. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/939-6600. $$ Louie Bossi’s —100 E. Palmetto Park Road. Italian.

This jumping joint serves terrific Neapolitan pizza (thin crust), but don’t miss the other entrées. Start with a charcuterie/ cheese plate and grab the amazing breadsticks. All breads and pastas are made on the premises. Other faves include the carbonara and the calamari, and save room for house-made gelato. Unusual features: Try the bocce ball court included with the retro Italian décor. • Lunch and dinner daily, weekend brunch. 561/336-6699. $$$

Luff’s Fish House—390 E. Palmetto Park Road. Seafood.

A renovated 1920s bungalow houses this shipshape restaurant, in addition to two large, outdoor deck and patio areas. It’s known for familiar dish names with new tweaks: smoked fish-hummus dip, falafel fish fritters, crab guacamole, mussels in coconut curry broth, plus the paella on Sundays only. Don’t leave without the enormous slice of the Key lime pie, topped with meringue on a graham cracker crust. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/609-2660. $$

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Maggiano’s —21090 St. Andrews Blvd. Italian. Do as the Italians do, and order family-style: Sit back and watch the endless amounts of gorgeous foods grace your table. In this manner, you receive two appetizers, a salad, two pastas, two entrées and two desserts. The menu also includes lighter takes on staples like chicken parm, fettuccine alfredo and chicken piccata. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/361-8244. $$ Mario’s Osteria—1400 Glades Road, Suite 210.

Italian. This popular spot features rustic Italian fare in a sleek environment. Signature dishes like the garlic rolls, lasagna and eggplant “pancakes” are on the new menu, as are butternut squash ravioli and thick, juicy rib-eye served “arrabiata” style. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/239-7000. $$

Matteo’s—233 S. Federal Highway, Suite 108. Italian. Hearty Italian and Italian-American food, served in giant “family style” portions, needs no reinventing. Though there is no shortage of local restaurants cooking in that genre, it’s the details of preparation and service that make Matteo’s stand out. Baked clams are a good place to start, as is the reliable chopped salad. Linguini frutti di mare is one of the best in town. • Dinner nightly. 561/392-0773. $$$

Max’s Grille—404 Plaza Real. Contemporary American.

Since 1991, this modern American bistro in Mizner Park has been a true local classic. The food and decor are both timeless and up to date, and the ambience is that of a smooth-running big-city bistro.

Service is personable and proficient. The menu is composed of dishes you really want to eat, from the applewood bacon-wrapped meatloaf to the wickedly indulgent crème brûlèe pie. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Brunch Sat–Sun. Dinner nightly. 561/368-0080. $$

RESTAURANT DIRECTORY

Meat Market — 2000 NW 19th St. Steakhouse. Meat Mar-

New York Prime —2350 N.W. Executive Center Drive.

ket has infused Midtown Boca Raton with glamour. Its posh interiors and high energy complement its diverse menu that revolves around steak but is also sprinkled with daily specials and sushi that shouldn’t be overlooked. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/245-6777. $$$$

Steakhouse. This wildly popular Boca meatery Monday, Monday packs them in with swift, professional service, classy supper club ambience and an extensive wine list. And, of course, the beef—all USDA Prime, cooked to tender and juicy lusciousness over ferocious heat. The bone-in rib-eye is especially succulent, but don’t neglect the New York strip or steak-house classics like oysters Rockefeller, garlicky spinach and crusty hash browns. • Dinner nightly. 561/998-3881. $$$$

Medi Terra—301 Via de Palmas #99. Mediterranean.

Embracing western Mediterranean cuisine, the menu is seasonal and revolves around what the owners can freshly source, so make sure to wait for the specials before making any final decisions. The father-son duo bought Ristorante Sapori in Royal Palm Place and redesigned it to reflect their passion for Mediterranean cuisine. Dinner Mon.-Sat. 561/367-9779. $$

Morton’s The Steakhouse—5050 Town Center Circle, Suite 219. Steakhouse. There’s seemingly no end to diners’ love of huge slabs of high-quality aged beef, nor to the carnivores who pack the clubby-swanky dining room of this meatery. While the star of the beef show is the giant bone-in filet mignon, seasonally featured is the American Wagyu New York strip. Finish off your meal with one of the decadent desserts.• Dinner nightly. 561/392-7724. $$$$

Narbona —5250 Town Center Circle. Uruguayan.

This restaurant-market hybrid offers house-made pasta, private-label herbs and honey, fresh fish and meats, grab-and-go prepared items, and countless Narbona Wine Lodge wines.

You can also opt for a sit-down lunch or dinner at its central restaurant or at one of its two bars. The menu, with Italian and Spanish influences, features its pasta alongside a selection of meat and fish dishes. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

561/692-3933. $$

Patio Tapas & Beer —205 S.E. First Ave. Spanish.

Be transported to the Iberian Peninsula with a variety of tapas.

Chef Bryant Fajardo, who trained under celebrated chef José Andrés, specializes in one of Spain’s most traditional and iconic cuisines and delivers both classic selections like Manchego cheese and anchovies alongside premium nibbles like seared duck and foie gras. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/419-7239. $ Penelope —431 Plaza Real. Southern. Penelope honors a blend of cuisines and delivers comforting fare in a whimsy atmosphere. Its menu features a variety of New Orleans, southern and French-inspired dishes such as pimento cheese dip, oyster casino, shrimp po’boy and bouillabaisse. It also offers several well-labeled gluten-free dishes (or those with a GF alternative).

Lunch and dinner daily. • 561/896-1038. $$ Prezzo —5560 N. Military Trail. Italian. A reincarnation of a popular 1990s Boca venue, this version has updated the dining room, kept the yummy oven-baked focaccia bread slices, and added a 21st-century taste to the menu. Don’t miss the tender bone-in pork chop, thin-crust pizza and seafood specials.

POSITANO’S I TA L I A N R E S TA U R A N T

LOCAL DINNER-ONLY MAINSTAY FEATURING ELEVATED ITALIAN FARE & WINES IN A RELAXED SETTING

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Sunday to Friday from 4:30pm to 6:00pm* Choose any main course and get the second one of the same or less value for only $6…

…plus $10 House Wines and House Cocktails from 4:30pm to closing (all week except Saturday).

SUNDAY Dessert included with your 3-course meal

Available for Lunch and Private Events

SCAN FOR RESERVATIONS *Order must be placed by 5:15 pm

4400 N FEDERAL HIGHWAY SUITE #190, BOCA RATON, FL • 561-391-2120 • OPEN DAILY 5PM - 10PM • POSITANOSBOCA.COM July/August 2025 • • • • bocamag.com

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DISCOVERIES

Meat That Matters Palm Beach County’s butcher shops are a cut above Written by CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT

STEAK SHOP BY RANCHER’S RESERVE

Street Bakery.

FAVORITE CUTS HE CARRIES: Teres major

and bavette 497 N.E. 20th St., Boca Raton; 561/409-4783; beauregardsfinemeats.com

FAVORITE CUTS HE CARRIES:

Picanha, flat iron and bavette 500 Palm St., West Palm Beach; 561/815-1063; ranchersreservefl. com/steak-shop

PALM BEACH MEATS

BEAUREGARD’S FINE MEATS & BUTCHERY

When Cameron Falls moved to Boca Raton four years ago, opening a butcher shop wasn’t really on his radar. He’d been laid off and found work at a friend’s butcher shop; that’s where he discovered his passion for butchering whole animals. Then, about a year ago, he decided to open a butcher/ deli and name it after his son, Beau. Falls mainly sources from Florida farms and makes his own foie gras terrine and duck confit.

Falls’ fine-dining background shines with his sandwich menu of house-marinated or house-brined proteins, slow-cooked, and served in between slices of toasted local bread from celebrated bakeries like Zak the Baker or Sullivan

JUPITER COMPASS DIGITAL MARKETING

Owner Nick Scalisi, who is also behind West Palm Beach’s Fern (formerly Fern Street Wine Bar and Kitchen) explains that during the pandemic, he decided to double down on the food industry.

“We wanted Fern to be a farmto-table spot, but we didn’t just want to say we were farm-totable; we wanted to do it.”So he bought a cattle ranch. Rancher’s Reserve is now comprised of 700 acres throughout the state, and manages quality by overseeing everything from breeding to processing. Scalisi humanely raises hormone and antibiotic-free Wagyu cattle and Berkshire pigs.

The shop, which opened in March, features cuts from Rancher’s Reserve but also from like-minded farms like Adams Ranch. For Scalisi, it’s about transparency and husbandry, shortening the food

chain supply and giving customers exactly what’s advertised.“If it comes from us, you know the farm truly cares about the animal but also the quality we bring to the consumer,” he says.

Weighing cuts of meat at Steak Shop by Rancher’s Reserve

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This isn’t just a butcher shop; it’s a community connector. Clients come for the highest-quality Wagyu and specialty products from local purveyors, as well Beauregard’s owner Cameron Falls ties a as for the monthly boneless striploin dinners and annual events. The husband-and-wife opened a butcher shop with an team, Eric and Meghan San Pedro, adjacent space for catering. When opened the shop five years ago, customers started using the tables and they’re quick to point out that to sit and enjoy his prepared not all Wagyu is created equal, foods, he pivoted again. He dusted so finding the right supplier is off his formal culinary training key to enjoying that beautiful to open his restaurant, which marbling and rich flavor at home. features a 15-course omakase exThe duo carries exclusive Wagyu perience. But he kept the butcher brands like Kobe, Takamori and shop—he carries mainly prime Bushu.“While Wagyu’s price tag Angus and Wagyu, and as a proud can sometimes feel exclusive, Argentine, he prepares specialties we create a welcoming environlike blood sausage upon request. ment where guests can enjoy Muir also dry-ages in-house to everything from fast-casual bites develop the meat’s flavor and to fine-dining experiences,”says tenderness. And at night, the Meghan. butcher counter transforms into a Champagne and caviar bar.

TIPS FOR COOKING WAGYU: Use a small portion of the meat’s fat ADVICE WHEN PURCHASING MEAT: instead of butter in a cast iron pan.

Each cut deserves its own temperaSear the meat on both sides with ture, so tell the butcher what temjust salt. perature you prefer. They should guide you to the proper cut, not BEST CUTS FOR SUMMER: Austravice versa. Leaner steaks like filet lian Wagyu flank, flap or skirt steak. mignon should be medium rare, 4812 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm while a fattier rib-eye, for example, Beach; 561/623-7471; palmbeachcan be medium/medium well. meats.com

NICHOLSON MUIR DISTINGUISHED MEATS

James Muir is a master at pivoting.

After the pandemic decimated his catering business in New York City, he and his wife moved to South Florida. Three years ago, he

RACHAEL GANNON PHOTOGRAPHY

O

ur local butcher shops are enhancing their meat selections to ensure that animals are treated fairly, thus providing us with healthier and tastier options to grill this summer. We break down four of our favorites.

TIPS FOR GRILLING SKIRT STEAK:

Don’t remove the tissue (or membrane) before grilling. Cook low and slow, let it rest for 10 minutes, remove the skin, sear hot for 30 seconds on each side, slice and serve.

480 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach; 561/336-3977; nicholsonmuir.com

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RESTAURANT DIRECTORY

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Vegetarian and gluten-free choices are on the menu, too. • Lunch Mon.-Fri. Dinner nightly. 561/314-6840. $$

Buzz Bite I

oversized shot glasses. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/998-9952.

(Other Palm Beach County location: 11611 Ellison Wilson Road, Palm Beach Gardens, 561/625-5852.) $$

Rafina—6877 S.W. 18th St. Greek. If you find the ambi-

SeaSpray Inlet Grill—999 E. Camino Real. Amer-

ence of most Greek restaurants to be like a frat party with flaming cheese and ouzo, this contemporary, casually elegant spot will be welcome relief. Food and decor favor refinement over rusticity, even in such hearty and ubiquitous dishes as pastitsio and spanakopita. Standout dishes include the moussaka, the creamy and mildly citrusy avgolemono soup and the precisely grilled, simply adorned (with olive oil, lemon and capers) branzino. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/409-3673. $$

Restaurant Months

ican. Unobstructed views of Lake Boca Raton, soaring palm trees and coastal décor peppered with fringed umbrellas all set the mood for a relaxing experience that will make you feel as if you’re on vacation. The menu accommodates different dietary preferences with gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options.

Don’t sleep on the pear tortellini pasta starter; it’s a star item.

Portions are hearty and can be easily shared. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 561/226-3022. $$

Red Pine Restaurant & Lounge—1 Town Center Road. Chinese. The menu is designed to be enjoyed family-style, with substantial portions of classic dishes like housemade vegetable eggrolls, fried rice and General Tso’s chicken, to name a few. The space is bright and lively, with floor-to-ceiling windows, an expansive bar, and several dining spaces accentuated with crimson banquettes. • Dinner Tues-Sun. 561/826-7595. $$

T

he dog days of summer may be sultry, but they also usher in the beginning of our regional restaurant dining deals. The first two to kick off in August are Dine Out Lauderdale and Miami Spice. Both culinary programs run from Aug. 1 to Sept. 30 and feature a spectacular array of both fine dining and casual concepts for us to enjoy at a steal. Miami Spice participating restaurants offer three-course meals for lunch, brunch and dinner. Dine Out Lauderdale restaurants will also debut specially priced menus alongside other dining deals. miamiandbeaches.com/deals/spicerestaurant-months, visitlauderdale.com/ dineout

Six Tables a Restaurant—112 N.E. Second St., Boca Raton. American. The dimly lit chandeliers, burgundy velvet curtains and smooth Sinatra lyrics set the mood for a memorable evening that’s dedicated to fine dining without pretention. With a seasonal menu that’s ever changing, you can rest assured that whatever husband and wife chef-proprietors Tom and Jenny Finn prepare for you, it will truly be special and made with love. • Dinner Thurs.-Sat. 561/347-6260. $$$$

Rino’s of Boca—39 S.E. First Ave. Italian. Guests can expect nightly live entertainment that pairs perfectly with its Italian-American dishes like rigatoni vodka, bucatini carbonara, veal parmigiana and chicken marsala.• Dinner nightly. 561/2448282. $$$

Taverna Kyma —6298 N. Federal Highway. Greek/ Mediterranean. Hankering for a traditional Greek meal, and a menu that offers just about everything? This is where you want to try the meze plates (cold, hot, seafood, veggie), saganaki, grilled entrees and kebobs. From the taramosalata to the branzino and pastitsio, servings are generous and good. Don’t forget dessert. • Lunch Mon.-Fri. Dinner nightly.

561/994-2828. $$

Seasons 52—2300 Executive Center Drive. Contemporary American. The food—seasonal ingredients, simply and healthfully prepared, accompanied by interesting wines—is firstrate, from salmon roasted on a cedar plank to desserts served in

SUMMER

DINING .

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Trattoria Romana —499 E. Palmetto Park Road.

Italian. This local mainstay does Italian classics and its own lengthy list of ambitious specials with unusual skill and aplomb. The service is at a level not always seen in local restaurants. Pay attention to the daily specials, especially if they include impeccably done langostini oreganata and the restaurant’s signature jumbo shrimp saltimbocca. • Dinner nightly. 561/393-6715. $$$

Twenty Twenty Grille —141 Via Naranjas, Suite 45. Contemporary American. You’ve probably licked postage stamps that are larger than Ron and Rhonda Weisheit’s tiny jewel box of a restaurant, but what it lacks in space it more than makes up for in charm, sophistication and imaginative, expertly crafted food. Virtually everything is made in-house, from the trio of breads that first grace your table to the pasta in a suave dish of tagliatelle with duck and chicken confit. Don’t miss the jerk pork belly and grilled veal strip loin. • Dinner nightly. 561/9907969. $$$

Villagio Italian Eatery —344 Plaza Real. Italian.

AARON BRISTOL

The classic Italian comfort food at this Mizner Park establishment is served with flair and great attention to detail. The reasonably priced menu—with generous portions—includes all your favorites (veal Parmesan, Caesar salad) and some outstanding seafood dishes (Maine lobster with shrimp, mussels and clams on linguine). There is a full wine list and ample people-watching given the prime outdoor seating. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/447-2257. $$

Daimyo sushi roll at Boon’s Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar

Yakitori—271 S.E. Mizner Blvd. Asian. This Japanese restaurant that has sat for nearly a decade in Royal Palm Place is still welcoming devoted diners and delivering consistent, premium dishes. Sip on one of its refreshing cocktails like the lychee martini or green tea mojito before perusing the vast menu that offers everything from sushi and sashimi to fried rice, ramen and entrées from the robata grill. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/544-0087. $$

WEST BOCA

All Ears

Bring the kids to weekend brunch at Chloe’s, whose special children’s menu (ages 10 and under) includes pancakes shaped like Mickey Mouse ears, French toast sticks and waffles.

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Boon’s Asian Bistro—19605 N. State Road 7.

Japanese/Thai. This is one of two Boon’s (the other is in Delray Beach), and it’s where the rush to eat excellent sushi started. The fast-moving staff is choreographed to deliver dishes such as shrimp pad Thai that’s light, delicate and happily filled with shrimp. The Thai fried rice is unusually delicate too, with lots of egg, and is some of the best around. The sushi rolls are as fresh and inventive (try the Daimyo roll) as they are beautifully presented. Go early or call for a reservation. • Lunch Mon.-Fri. Dinner nightly. 561/883-0202. $$ Chloe’s Bistro —6885 S.W. 18th St. Italian. One of the few venues that’s on the water, with food to match the view.

Try the seafood linguine, the large snapper filets in Marechiara sauce, and the desserts to end on a sweet note. House-made pasta and a good wine list ensure a pleasant, satisfying meal. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/334-2088. $$

DVASH—8208 Glades Road. Mediterranean. The menu, a collection of Mediterranean fusion dishes with a variety of daily specials, caters to an array of diets, including vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free. The Cohen family, who previously owned Falafel Bistro & Wine Bar in Coral Springs for more than a decade, now welcomes diners to this West Boca restaurant that’s tucked away in the Publix Greenwise strip mall. • Lunch and dinner Tues.-Sun. 561/826-7784. $$ Embarcadero 41—8188 Glades Road. Peruvian.

Embarcadero 41 offers exceptional Peruvian and Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian fusion) cuisine. This family-owned establishment has four locations, including one in west Boca. Order a bright ceviche and a sushi roll—or two— and you’re sure to be completely satisfied. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/405-6014. $$ Oli’s Fashion Cuisine —6897 S.W. 18th St. Modern American. With the unusual name comes a menu sporting lobster risotto to tuna tacos, grilled mahi and more. There are Italian, vegetarian, steak, flatbreads, salads and desserts, all pleasing to the eye and palate. Inside is a bit noisy, so try the outdoor, lakeside patio for a quieter meal. • Lunch and dinner daily, breakfast weekends. 561/571-6920. $$

Oliv Pit Athenian Grille —6006 S.W. 18th St. Modern Greek. The owners’ goal of bringing together the best of Greek cooking under one roof, much like the melting pot that is Athens, is covered here in an extensive menu. The best way to enjoy the food is to share it: the Pikilia trio with tzatziki, spicy feta and eggplant spread is a starting place. Try the mix grill platter and the hearty red Greek wine. End the night with a unique, velvety frappe cappuccino. • Lunch and dinner daily.

561/409-2049. $$

Skyfin Asian Bistro—8221 Glades Road. Asian.

After nearly a decade of dishing out elevated Beijing cuisine at MR CHOW inside the posh W South Beach, chef Aden Lee left his sous chef position to venture out on his own. Here, you’ll find both playfully named sushi rolls and fresh sashimi alongside protein-rich house specials, fried rice and noodles. Don’t miss the Toro Roll and Tangerine Peel Beef. • Lunch and dinner daily.

561/556-1688. $$

Villa Rosano —9858 Clint Moore Road. Italian. You can be forgiven for imagining yourself in some rustic Italian hill town as the smells of garlic and tomato sauce waft through the air. Start by sopping up the house olive oil with slices of crusty bread, then move on to a stellar version of clams Guazzetto and delicate fillets of sole done a la Francese. • Lunch Mon.-Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/470-0112. $$

BOYNTON BEACH Driftwood —2005 S. Federal Highway. Modern

City Fish Market—7940 Glades Road. Seafood. A multimillion-dollar remodel of the old Pete’s has turned it into an elegant seafood house with a lengthy seafood-friendly wine list, impeccably fresh fish and shellfish cooked with care and little artifice. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly. 561/487-1600. $$

American. Take food combos that sound unusual (popcorn sauce, avocado chocolate ice cream) but that taste wonderful and you’ve got Chef Jimmy Everett’s ideas on the table. They don’t last long, because they taste terrific. Try the smoked swordfish, the lobster with pickled okra, ricotta dumplings, the burger with gouda, the grilled octopus and pastrami’d chicken breast with roasted cabbage. • Brunch Sun. Dinner Tues.-Sun. 561/733-4782. $$

Ditmas Kitchen—21077 Powerline Road. Contemporary kosher. This west Boca restaurant is named after a Brooklyn avenue in a district known for its food. Here you’ll find very good casual food, and no dairy products are used.

Try the Hibachi salmon, all-kale Caesar salad, the shnitzel sandwich. • Dinner Sun.-Thurs. 561/826-8875. $$$

Josie’s Italian Ristorante—650 E. Woolbright Road. Italian. This cozy, family-owned restaurant is looking better than ever after a renovation that gave its dining room a more modern, elegant atmosphere in which to enjoy chef Mark Militello’s classic Italian fare. It’s easy to fill up on the hearty portions of its pasta and meat entrees, but be sure to save room for dessert to

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try the absolutely decadent sixteen layer chocolate cake. In the cooler months, opt for patio seating for waterfront views. • Lunch Mon.-Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/364-9601. $$

Prime Catch—700 E. Woolbright Road. Seafood.

Waterfront restaurants are few and far between in our neck of the woods, and those with good food are even more rare. Prime Catch, at the foot of the Woolbright bridge on the Intracoastal, is a best-kept secret. The simple pleasures here soar—a perfectly grilled piece of mahi or bouillabaisse overflowing with tender fish. Don’t miss one of the best Key lime pies around. • Lunch and dinner daily, Sunday brunch. 561/737-8822. $$

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Local sushi-philes jam the narrow dining room for such impeccable nigirizushi as hamachi and uni (Thursdays), as well as more elaborate dishes like snapper Morimoto and tuna tartare. Creative, elaborate rolls are a specialty. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/731-1819. $$

DELRAY BEACH at Boston’s on the Beach is now the more upscale, seafood-oriented spot. The menu ranges from familiar to slightly more inventive, from a classic lobster bisque and crisp-tender fried clam bellies to rock shrimp pot pie and baked grouper topped with blue crab. The cinnamon-dusted beignets are puffs of amazingly delicate deep-fried air and should not under any circumstances be missed. • Lunch Mon.-Sat. Dinner nightly. Brunch Sun. 561/278-3364. $$

800 Palm Trail Grill—800 Palm Trail. American. This contemporary space is serving up American fare and classic cocktails. The menu has a steak-and-seafood-house feel to it but without any stuffiness. Instead, you’ll find dishes that entice the palate, like the loaded baked potato eggrolls and Wagyu boneless short rib. • Lunch and dinner daily, with patio dining. 561/865-5235. $$$

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Sushi Simon—1628 S. Federal Highway. Japanese. It’s

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Akira Back—233 NE Second Ave. Japanese Chef Akira Back’s Seoul restaurant earned a Michelin star a few years ago and now he’s showcasing his talented take on Japanese cuisine at his namesake restaurant inside The Ray hotel. Born in Korea and raised in Colorado, Back blends his heritage with Japanese flavors and techniques he has mastered to deliver dishes that are unique to him. With plates made to be shared, the menu is divided into cold and hot starters followed by rolls, nigiri/sashimi, robata grill, mains and fried rice. Dinner. 561/739-1708. $$$$

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Amar Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar —25 S.E. Sixth Ave. Mediterranean. No longer a quaint bistro, this new version is buzzing with energy while still as charming and welcoming as ever. Dishes deliver solid, bright flavors that honor owner Nicolas Kurban’s Lebanese roots, as his family recipes take center stage alongside Mediterranean favorites that have been elevated with slight tweaks. On some evenings, there is belly dancing entertainment. • Dinner nightly. 561/865-5653. $$ Avalon Beach House—110 E. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American. This steakhouse was transformed into a chic coastal haven for seafood and lively cocktails. Its menu features a variety of casual dishes like ahi tuna poke, fish tacos, double smash burger and short rib ragu. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/593-2500. $$

Bamboo Fire Cafe —149 N.E. Fourth Ave. Caribbean. The Jacobs family joyously shares its Latin and Caribbean culture through food that’s bursting with bright island aromas and flavors. Tostones, plantain fries and jerk meatballs share the menu with curry pork, oxtail and conch. A quintessential Delray gem. • Dinner Wed.-Sun. 561/749-0973. $

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Beg for More Izakaya —19 S.E. Fifth Ave. Japanese Small Plates. The large sake, whisky and beer menu here pairs beautifully with the small plates full of everything except sushi. No sushi. And that’s fine. Try the takoyaki (octopus balls), the crispy salmon tacos and anything with the addictive kimchi, such as the kimchi fried rice. There are pasta, teriyaki and simmered duck with bok choy dishes—or 16 varieties of yakitori (food on skewers). You’ll be back to beg for more. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/563-8849. $$ Brulé Bistro —200 N.E. Second Ave. Contemporary American. This Pineapple Grove favorite always has satisfying dishes. Its specialties include crab tortellini with black truffles, chicken meatballs with coconut broth and cashews, plus signature dessert pistachio crème brùlée. Spirits and house cocktails steeped in speakeast style are paired with an ever-changing menu. Outside tables offer the best option for conversation.

• Lunch and dinner daily. 561/274-2046. $$ Burt & Max’s —9089 W. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American. This bastion of contemporary comfort food in west Delray is approaching local landmark status, forging its own menu while borrowing a few dishes from Max’s Grille, like the hearty chopped salad and bacon-wrapped meatloaf. Other dishes are variations on the comfort food theme, including a stellar truffle-scented wild mushroom pizza. • Dinner nightly. Sunday brunch. 561/638-6380. $$

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Caffe Luna Rosa—34 S. Ocean Blvd. Italian. This

Lobster ravioli at Campi

multiple Delray Beach-award winning restaurant has sparkling service, comfort food taken to a higher level, and a setting just steps from the Atlantic. A success from day one, they dish up big flavors in a tiny space, so call for reservations. Try the calamari fritto misto, then the rigatoni pomodoro and leave room for dessert. Or come back for breakfast. • Open daily from breakfast through dinner.

561/274-9404. $$

Campi Italian—233 N.E. Second Ave. Italian. The Ray Hotel’s Campi Italian exudes a warm, relaxing ambiance. It’s perfect for an aperitivo and excels in pasta. Contemporary glass chandeliers illuminate its swanky bar and cozy rattan booths, while crisp white tablecloths adorn the tables. • Dinner nightly.

561/576-8366. $$$

Living the Dream

Eathai chef and Thailand native Sopanut Sopochana immigrated to New York at age 14 with no knowledge of English, took a job as a dishwasher at $2 per hour, and worked his way up to opening his own restaurant at age 28.

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Casa L’Acqua Ristorante Italiano—9 S.E. Seventh Ave. Italian. Casa L’Acqua is touted as a fine-dining establishment, and correctly so; diners can expect white tablecloths, tuxedoed staff and attentive service. The wine list is Italian-focused but does offer a variety of bottles from around the world, and each dish is expertly prepared with sizable portions.

The main dining room, with its vibey bar and wine cellar, is cozy, and so is its fully enclosed patio in the back. • Dinner nightly.

561/563-7492. $$

Costa By OK&M—502 E. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American. Costa takes chef/owner Coton Stine’s dedication to farm-to-table fare to an elevated level with its seasonal menu.

Working closely with local farms and vendors, Stine curates deliciously healthy dishes that tempt your palate while fueling your body. For those with dietary restrictions, the dishes are clearly labeled gluten-free or vegan, which adds a sense of ease to the experience. The corner space is comfortable and embraces natural elements with its wicker chairs, lanterns, greenery and expansive sliding doors. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

561/501-6115. • $$

Cut 432—432 E. Atlantic Ave. Steakhouse. Hipper decor, a more casual vibe and an inventive take on steak-house favorites make this sleek restaurant just different enough to be interesting. Starters such as ceviche (prepared Peruvian style) and ultrarich oysters Rockefeller are first-rate, while the wetaged beef is appropriately tender and tasty. • Dinner nightly.

561/272-9898. $$$

Dada—52 N. Swinton Ave. Contemporary American. The same provocative, whimsical creativity that spawned Dada the art movement infuses Dada the restaurant, giving it a quirky charm all its own. The comfort food with a moustache menu has its quirky charms, too, like shake-n-bake pork chops with sweet-savory butterscotch onions, and a brownie-vanilla ice cream sundae with strips of five-spice powdered bacon. The wittily decorated 1920s-vintage house-turned-restaurant is, as they say, a trip. • Dinner nightly.

561/330-3232. $$

Deck 84—840 E. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American.

Burt Rapoport’s ode to laid-back tropical dining is like a day at the beach without getting sand between your toes. Though the restaurant is casual, the kitchen takes its food seriously, whether the stellar flatbreads, the thick and juicy 10-ounce special blend burger or homey seasonal cobbler. And the waterfront location just seems to make everything taste better. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Brunch Sat.–Sun. Dinner nightly. 561/665-8484. $ Drift—10 N. Ocean Blvd. American. Inside the Opal Grand Resort & Spa, the restaurant’s coastal décor is polished with warm woods, textured stone walls, rope detailing and living walls. The bar is spacious, and several nooks overlook the ocean and the buzzy Atlantic Avenue. The all-day menu covers all the bases. You’ll find easy dishes to snack on after the beach, or if you’re craving an extended Happy Hour experience, enjoy the cheese board, hummus, baked oysters and poke alongside casual burgers, flatbreads and salads. The entrées offer something for everyone, including chicken, steak, lamb and fish. Lunch and dinner daily. 561/274-3289. $$

City Oyster—213 E. Atlantic Ave. Seafood. This stylish mainstay of Big Time Restaurant Group serves up reasonably priced seafood that never disappoints, such as shrimp and grits with a jumbo crab cake. This is the place to see and be seen in Delray, and the food lives up to its profile. • Lunch Mon.–Sun. Dinner nightly. Outdoor dining. 561/272-0220. $$

Eathai—1832 S. Federal Highway. Thai. If you’re craving approachable and affordable Thai food, put Eathai at the top of your list. While you can expect to find curries, noodles, soups and fried rice on the menu, the dishes here aren’t the typical ones you’ll find around town. Indulge in the Thai Chicken French Toasted or Crispy Duck Breast with Lychee Curry Sauce or Oxtail Basil Fried Rice to savor the true talent of owner and chef Sopanut Sopochana. • Lunch and dinner daily, except Tuesday.

561/270-3156. $

Coco Sushi Lounge & Bar—25 N.E. Second

El Camino —15 N.E. Second Ave. Mexican. This

Ave., Suite 208. Asian. Local hospitality veterans Tina Wang and chef Jason Zheng continue to grow their restaurant empire with this concept. The extensive menu caters to any palate, dietary restriction or craving and features both traditional and creative dishes. Soups and salads lead into sushi selections and appetizers divided into cool and hot. Cooked and raw rolls are followed by rice, noodle, land and sea entrée options. • Dinner Mon.-Sat. Sunday brunch. 561/926-9434. $$

sexy, bustling downtown spot is from the trio behind nearby Cut 432 and Park Tavern. Fresh, quality ingredients go into everything from the tangy tomatillo salsas to the world-class fish tacos clad in delicate fried skin, set off by tart pineapple salsa. Cinnamon and sugar-dusted churros are the perfect dessert. And check out the margaritas, especially the smoky blend of mezcal and blanco tequila. • Lunch and dinner daily.

561/865-5350. $$

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Elisabetta’s—32 E. Atlantic Ave. Italian. An ornate Italian spot, with classically prepared dishes including spiedini shrimp, burrata de prosciutto bruschetta, costoletta di vitello (veal), a guanciale pizza, cacio e pepe pasta, malfadine Amatriciana and gemelli puttanesca. Portions are large and that, thankfully, goes for the homemade gelati, too. The best seating outdoors is the second-floor balcony overlooking Atlantic Avenue. • Lunch and dinner daily; weekend brunch. 561/560-6699. $$

Il Girasole —2275 S. Federal Highway. Northern Italian. If you want Northern Italian in a low-key atmosphere, and nobody rushing you out the door, this is your spot. Start with something from the very good wine list. Try the yellowtail snapper, the penne Caprese and the capellini Gamberi, and leave room for the desserts. Reservations recommended. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/272-3566. $$

The Grove —187 N.E. Second Ave. Contemporary American. The Grove, which has been tucked inside the tranquil Pineapple Grove district for nearly a decade, continues to surprise diners with its vibrant dishes. The upscale but casually comfortable nook has an international wine list that spans the globe and a seasonal menu that’s succinct and well thought out.

• Dinner Tues.-Sat. 561/266-3750. $$

Seafood. This local favorite on Atlantic Avenue—owned by John Hutchinson (who is also the chef) and wife Tina—serves up everything from burgers and wraps to a menu brimming with seafood options. Don’t forget to inquire about the stunning array of 10 specials—every night. This is is a bona fide local go-to spot that never disappoints. • Lunch and dinner Tues.–Sat. 561/272-3390. $$

The Hampton Social —40 N.E. Seventh Ave. American. The Hampton Social is known for its “rosé all day” tagline, but it doesn’t just slay its rosé; its food is equally as tempting. It does a standout job of incorporating its casual coastal aesthetic into not just its décor but also its menu, from its seafood-centric dishes to its droll cocktail names like the vodka-forward I Like It a Yacht. • Lunch and dinner daily, weekend brunch. 561/404-1155. $$

Henry’s—16850 Jog Road. American. This casual, unpretentious restaurant in the west part of town never fails to delight diners.

Expect attentive service and crisp execution of everything—from meat loaf, burgers and fried chicken to flatbreads and hefty composed salads. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/638-1949. $$

J&J Seafood Bar & Grill—634 E. Atlantic Ave.

Jimmy’s Bistro —9 S. Swinton Ave. International. Jimmy’s Bistro is a casual neighborhood concept serving consistently delightful dishes from a diverse menu that can transport diners to Italy with house-made pasta or Asia with its delicate dumplings and tender duck. • Dinner nightly.

561/865-5774. $$$ Joseph’s Wine Bar—200 N.E. Second Ave. Mediterranean-American. Joseph’s is an elegant, comfortable, intimate nook in Delray’s Pineapple Grove, and an ideal place for a lazy evening. This family affair—owner Joseph Boueri, wife Margaret in the kitchen, and son Elie and daughter Romy working the front of the house—has all tastes covered. Try the special cheese platter, the duck a l’orange or the rack of lamb. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/272-6100. $$

RESTAURANT DIRECTORY

Buzz Bite II Boca Burger Battle, A Grilling Affair!

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elebrating its 12th anniversary, this summer favorite returns on July 12. Sanborn Square Park in downtown Boca will host a collection of local chefs competing to be crowned the ultimate grill master.

Last year, Yard House won first place for the second time. Will it return for a triumphant trifecta? Attendees will also have the chance to vote for their favorites. Last year, PZZA won. Who will impress the event guests this year with its delectable dish? Tickets start at $69, and VIP admission gets you in an hour early. bocaburgerbattle.com —Christie Galeano-DeMott

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Summer Bubbles

One of the best ways to cool down this summer is by enjoying a refreshing glass of chilled sparkling wine. So we chatted with Camilla Lunelli from one of Italy’s most prestigious wine-producing families to learn more about Trentodoc and her tips for relishing the perfect sip.

Written by CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT

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ajestic stony mountains gaze into sprawling verdant valleys dotted with endless rows of vineyards that crawl up the foothills. This is Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy’s northern wine region bordering Austria and Switzerland and an easy jaunt from Verona or Venice. It is also Camilla Lunelli’s domaine, where her family has cultivated and produced wine, specifically Trentodoc sparkling wine, for decades. Just as only wine produced in Champagne, France, can be called Champagne, Trentino-Alto Adige is where Trentodoc, the region’s renowned sparkling wine, is crafted.

The area’s leading Trentodoc is Ferrari Trento, Lunelli’s crown jewel. Named after a common Italian last name, the brand has no connection to the car company; instead, it is named after its founder, Giulio Ferrari. With no children to inherit his growing wine brand, Ferrari chose local wine merchant Bruno Lunelli, Camilla’s grandfather, as his successor.

As a prominent member of the

family’s third generation and vice president of Ferrari Trento, Camilla has diligently honored her grandfather’s vision by expanding the company’s reach into new markets. As director of communications and sustainability for Gruppo Lunelli, she is enhancing its legacy through sustainability efforts. The family’s parent company also owns gorgeous wineries in Tuscany and Umbria, which are all farmed organically.

“We’re a family business, so we want to leave our kids a land which is as fertile as we have now, as our grandparents gave it to us,” she explains. She adds that the family’s shift to organic and sustainable farming was implemented to protect those who work in the vineyards just as much as the region’s biodiversity.

A visit to Ferrari Trento’s estate includes a ride through those vineyards en route to the family’s 16th-century Italian Renaissance Villa Margon before ending at its Michelin-starred Locanda Margon for an unforgettable wine and food pairing experience. It’s never too early to start planning your next trip to Italy. Cin Cin! ferraritrento.com

Camilla Lunelli

CAMILLA’S TIPS FOR THE PERFECT SIP: BEST TEMPERATURE: Aim to serve it at 46 to 50 degrees.

BEST GLASSWARE: Opt for a white wine glass instead of a flute, and make sure it’s stemmed to avoid warming the wine inside.

TO TILT OR NOT TO TILT: There’s no set rule when holding a glass and pouring the wine in, but only pour half a glass at a time to ensure it doesn’t get warm in the glass.

FAVORITE SUMMER FOOD PAIRINGS: With a Ferrari Perlé, select cured meats, carpaccio or tartare (beef or fish). For a Caprese salad or pizza, choose a Ferrari Rosé or Ferrari Perlé Rosé Riserva to complement the acidity of the tomatoes.

BEST TIME TO DRINK: Start with an aperitif and continue enjoying it throughout the meal.

HOW TO STORE: Horizontally, so the cork remains wet. In the dark, so that light doesn’t affect the wine. At a constant 50 to 55 degrees.

Ferrari Perlé, made from the Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy’s northern wine region

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WHERE TO ENJOY IT: The Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach hosts a weekly seaside Ferrari Trento weekend brunch, and when you’re traveling, you can find it at any Four Seasons Resort nationwide.

It’s also available locally at Total Wine & More, Casa D’Angelo, Eddie V’s and Il Mulino.

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La Cigale —253 S.E. Fifth Ave. Mediterranean. Popular venue since 2001, with Greek and Italian dishes and more. Highlights are seafood paella, roasted half duck and grilled jumbo artichoke appetizer. Lots of favorites on the menu: calf’s liver, veal osso buco, branzino, seafood crepes. Nice outdoor seating if weather permits. • Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/265-0600. $$ Latitudes —2809 S. Ocean Blvd. Modern American. You should come for both the sunset and the food. This oceanfront restaurant is a gem tucked inside the Delray Sands resort. From the airy, bubbly interior to the raw bar, the décor is soothing and fun. Try the lobster and crab stuffed shrimp, the miso-glazed Skuna Bay salmon, the branzino or the veal Bolognese. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 561/278-6241. $$$

Le Colonial —­601 E. Atlantic Ave. Vietnamese French. Le Colonial radiates classic elegance that is as sophisticated as it is comfortable. Created to showcase Vietnamese cuisine and its French influences, Le Colonial has a standout method of curating classic Vietnamese dishes that appeal to various palates, from meat lovers and pescatarians to vegetarians. The space immediately transports you back to Saigon’s tropical paradise of the 1920s. Lush birds of paradise and palms line the halls that lead into intimate dining nooks throughout the 7,000-square-foot restaurant.• Lunch (on weekends) and dinner daily. 561/566-1800. $$$

Lefkes Estiatorio —33 S.E. Third Ave. Greek. This redesigned space, inside the former Delray Beach Market food hall, is home to Greek wines, traditional Greek classics, and a few contemporary takes on the cuisine. Make sure to save room

for the baklava. If you’re looking for a lively late-night Mykonos vibe, complete with napkin throwing and pulsating tunes, Lefkes also delivers. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/908-2331. $$$

Lemongrass Bistro—420 E. Atlantic Ave. Pan-Asian.

Casually hip ambience, friendly service, moderate prices and a blend of sushi and nouveau pan-Asian fare make this a popular destination. The quality of its seafood and care in its preparation are what gives Lemongrass its edge. • Lunch and dinner daily.

561/567-0442. (Other Palm Beach County locations: 101 Plaza Real S., Boca Raton, 561/544-8181; 1880 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach, 561/733-1344). $

Lulu’s—189 N.E. Second Ave. American. Lulu’s in Pineapple Grove offers a relaxed ambiance with unfussy, approachable food.

The quaint café is open every day and serves an all-day menu including breakfast until 3 p.m. and a selection of appetizers, sandwiches, salads and entrées that are ideal for an executive lunch, lively tapas happy hour, casual dinner or late night snack (until 2 a.m.). • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 561/453-2628. $ MIA Kitchen & Bar —7901 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Contemporary American. Owner Joey Lograsso and chef Jason Binder have curated a balanced choreography of fascinating yet approachable dishes. The menu travels the world from Italy to Asia and showcases Binder’s formal training with elevated dishes that are exceptionally executed. It’s vibey with a great playlist, and the design, reminiscent of a cool Wynwood bar, is industrial with exposed ducts, reclaimed wood and sculptural filament chandeliers. It’s a place that amps up all your senses. • Dinner Tues.-Sun. 561/499-2200. $$$

RESTAURANT DIRECTORY

Buzz Bite III Craft Food Tours

W

hen things slow down during the summer, it’s the best time to explore your backyard with Craft Food Tours. This small business offers two different tours in Delray for foodies looking to discover their new favorite culinary haunt. On Thursday evenings, the Downtown Delray Dinner & Drinks Tour is a two-and-ahalf-hour walking experience around downtown, where you’ll enjoy more than eight bites and four cocktails while taking in Delray’s vibrant nightlife.

If you want to multitask and get your vitamin D while tasting around town, the weekend Delray Beach Food Tour runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting at 11:30 a.m. craftfoodtours.com.

—Christie Galeano-DeMott

July/August 2025 • • • • bocamag.com

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RESTAURANT DIRECTORY

The Office —201 E. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American. Your office is nothing like this eclectic gastropub, unless your office sports more than two dozen craft beers on tap and a menu that flits from burgers and fries to mussels. Don’t miss the restaurant’s winning take on the thick, juicy Prime beef burger and simply wicked maple-frosted donuts with bacon bits and two dipping sauces. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/278-3796. $$

Papa’s Tapas —259 N.E. Second Ave. Spanish. This family-owned restaurant will make you feel welcomed, and its cuisine will satisfy your craving for Spanish tapas. Start with a few shareable plates and then enjoy a hearty paella that’s bursting with a selection of seafood, chicken or vegetables. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat., dinner Sun. 561/266-0599. $

Park Tavern—32 S.E. Second Ave. Contemporary American. Check out the high-top seating or bar stools during an excellent happy hour menu that includes deviled eggs, pork sliders, chicken wings and a happy crowd. Entrees are generous and well executed. Try the fish and chips, one of six burgers, fish tacos and more. • Dinner nightly. Brunch Sat.-Sun. 561/265-5093. $$

DUSTIN WRIGHT /ATLANTIC CURRENT

Racks Fish House + Oyster Bar—5 S.E. Second

Oceano Kitchen

Ave. Seafood. Gary Rack, who also has scored with his spot in Mizner Park, certainly seems to have the restaurant Midas touch, as evidenced by this updated throwback to classic fish houses. Design, ambience and service hit all the right notes. Oysters are terrific any way you get them; grilled fish and daily specials are excellent. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/450-6718. $$$

Rose’s Daughter —169 N.E. Second Ave. Italian.

Chef-owner Suzanne Perrotto, who also owns Brulé Bistro, celebrates her family’s Italian roots and its beloved recipes here—especially when it comes to her house-made pizza and pasta. Perrotto’s famous short rib pappardelle was even featured on Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” Dinner Wed.-Sun. • 561/271-9423. $$ Sazio —131 E. Atlantic Ave. Italian. This long-lived venue on crowded Atlantic Avenue is a reason to sit down and take a breath. Then take up a fork and try the linguine with white clam sauce or the ravioli Sazio or grilled skirt steak or pretty much anything on the menu. Prices are reasonable; leftovers are popular. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/272-5540. $$

Debuts for 2025

New menu items this year at the Station House include oysters Rockefeller and blackened swordfish with shrimp in a Cajun cream sauce.

Taki Omakase—632 E. Atlantic Ave. Japanese. Taki Omakase, a shining example of omakase done right, has opened not one but two locations in our community (the other is at 1658 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton). It is pricy—an experience is more than $100 per person—but it’s worth it, with one caveat: You must enthusiastically love eating raw fish. Every night is different because it prides itself on importing fish, meat and seasonal ingredients from Japan that arrive daily. So, if you do pine for the delicacies of the sea, buckle in and get ready for the talented chefs at Taki Omakase to guide you through a culinary journey unlike anything else.• Dinner nightly, lunch hour Fri.-Sun. 561/759-7362. $$$$ Terra Fiamma—9169 W. Atlantic Ave. Italian. The pleasures of simple, well-prepared Italian-American cuisine are front and center here. Enjoy the delicate, pillow-y veal meatballs in Marsala sauce; lusty chicken Allessandro with mushrooms, spinach and artichoke hearts; and a finely crafted tiramisu that’s as satisfying as it is familiar. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/4955570. $$

Tramonti —119 E. Atlantic Ave. Italian. In a world where restaurants chase trends with the relentlessness of Casanova in full Viagra heat, Tramonti stands out as a classic outpost of authentic Italian cookery. Not trendy hardly means stodgy, however, as evidenced by expertly crafted, robustly

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flavorful dishes like the signature spiedini di mozzarella Romana, spaghetti al cartoccio and braciole Napoletana. Torta della nonna is a triumph of the highly refined simplicity that lies at the heart of true Italian cuisine. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/272-1944. $$$

Vic & Angelo’s —290 E. Atlantic Ave. Italian. People watching is a staple ingredient here, a complement to the Italian fare. The wine menu is robust, mainly grounded in Italy but with choices from around the world. Larger than personal pies, thin-crust pizzas are family-friendly, while you won’t want to share the Quattro Formaggi Tortellini, fluffy purses filled with al dente pear and topped with truffle cream. For a protein, try the traditional chicken parmigiana, a hearty portion of paper-thin breaded chicken breast topped with a subtly sweet San Marzano sauce under a gooey layer of fresh mozzarella, and a substantial side of linguine pomodoro. If you have room for dessert, the classic sweets include cannoli and tiramisu. • Dinner nightly; brunch weekends. 561/278-9570. $$

LAKE WORTH BEACH Oceano Kitchen —512 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth Beach. Contemporary American. Chefs and owners Jeremy and Cindy Bearman have a talent for crafting a simple daily menu of ever-changing dishes that explode with flavors and are curated with thoughtfulness and the utmost detail. Genuine hospitality is at the core of their restaurant. For newcomers, it’s cash only and it doesn’t take reservations, so get there early or be prepared to wait. Dinner Tues.-Sat. 561/400-7418. $$$ Paradiso Ristorante —625 Lucerne Ave. Italian. A Tomasz Rut mural dominates the main dining room, and there is also a pasticceria and bar for gelato and espresso. Chef Angelo Romano offers a modern Italian menu. The Mediterranean salt-crusted branzino is definitely a must-try. Plus, the wine list is a veritable tome. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/547-2500. $$$

LANTANA Ravish Off Ocean—210 E. Ocean Ave. International. Ravish Off Ocean is a delightful dining experience less than a mile from the powdery sands of South Palm Beach. The coastal vibes are evident here with sea-inspired options like local fish ceviche, tuna tartare, fish tacos and a daily catch. • Dinner nightly, Sunday brunch. 561/588-2444. $$ The Station House —233 Lantana Road. Seafood.

If you’re hungry for Maine lobster, plucked live out of giant tanks and cooked to order, this modest replica of a 1920s train station is the place to go. Lobsters come in all sizes (up to 6 pounds) and are reasonably priced. • Dinner nightly. 561/801-5000. $$

PALM BEACH Acqua Café —2875 S Ocean Blvd. Italian. This quaint neighborhood restaurant serves quality Italian favorites with a coastal twist. It’s part of the Al Fresco Hospitality Group portfolio, which also includes Via Mizner’s legendary Renato’s.• Lunch and dinner daily, weekend brunch. 561/547-0005. $$$ Bice —313 Worth Ave. Italian. Bice continues to hold the title of favorite spot on the island. The venerable restaurant offers a marvelous array of risottos and fresh pastas and classic dishes like veal chop Milanese, pounded chicken breast and roasted rack of lamb. The wine list features great vintages. • Lunch and dinner daily. Outdoor dining. 561/835-1600. $$$

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Buccan —350 S. County Road. Contemporary American. Casual elegance of Palm Beach meets modern culinary sensibilities of Miami at the first independent restaurant by chef Clay Conley. The design offers both intimate and energetic dining areas, while the menu is by turn familiar (wood-grilled burgers) and more adventurous (truffled steak tartare with crispy egg yolk, squid ink orrechiette). • Dinner nightly.

561/833-3450. $$$ Café Boulud —The Brazilian Court, 301 Australian Ave. French with American flair. This hotel restaurant gives Palm Beach a taste of Daniel Boulud’s world-class cuisine inspired by his four muses. The chef oversees a menu encompassing classics, simple fare, seasonal offerings and dishes from around the world. Dining is in the courtyard, the elegant lounge or the sophisticated dining room. • Dinner nightly. 561/655-6060. $$$

Café L’Europe—331 S. County Road. Current International. A Palm Beach standard, the café has long been known for its peerless beauty, the piano player, the chilled martinis and the delicious Champagne and caviar bar. Try one of its sophisticated classics like wiener schnitzel with herbed spaetzle, grilled veal chop and flavorful pastas. • Lunch Tues.–Fri. Dinner nightly (closed Mon. during summer). 561/655-4020. $$$

Echo—230A Sunrise Ave. Asian. The cuisine reverberates with the tastes of China, Thailand, Japan and Vietnam. The Chinese hot and sour soup is unlike any other, and the sake list is tops. This offsite property of The Breakers is managed with the same flawlessness as the resort. • Dinner nightly (during season). 561/802-4222. $$$

Henry’s Palm Beach—229 Royal Poinciana Way. American Bistro. Part of The Breakers’ restaurant properties, this venue opened in 2020 and is an elegant addition to The Island. Try the pigs in a pretzel dough blanket, beer can corn, the lobster roll, butter crumb Dover sole and chicken pot pie. All comfort food with a Palm Beach twist, and it’s all delicious. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/206-1896. $$$

HMF—1 S. County Road. Contemporary American.

Beneath the staid, elegant setting of The Breakers, HMF is the Clark Kent of restaurants, dishing an extensive array of exciting, inventive, oh-so-contemporary small plates. Don’t depart without sampling the dreamy warm onion-Parmesan dip with housemade fingerling potato chips, the sexy wild boar empanaditas, chicken albondigas tacos and Korean-style short ribs. The wine list is encyclopedic. • Dinner nightly. 561/290-0104. $$ Imoto—350 S. County Road. Asian Fusion/Tapas. Clay Conley’s “little sister” (the translation of Imoto from Japanese) is next to his always-bustling Buccan. Imoto turns out Japanese-inspired small plates with big-city sophistication, like witty Peking duck tacos and decadent tuna and foie gras sliders. Sushi selection is limited but immaculately fresh. • Dinner nightly. 561/833-5522. $$ Meat Market—191 Bradley Place. Steakhouse.

“Meat Market” may be an inelegant name for a very elegant and inventive steakhouse but there’s no dissonance in its food, service or ambience. Multiple cuts of designer beef from multiple sources can be gilded with a surprising array of sauces, butters and upscale add-ons. Whole roasted cauliflower is an intriguing starter, while a meaty Niman Ranch short rib atop

RESTAURANT DIRECTORY

lobster risotto takes surf-n-turf to a new level. Cast your diet to the winds and order the dessert sampler. • Dinner nightly.

561/354-9800. $$$$

Renato’s—87 Via Mizner. Italian with continental flair. This most romantic hideaway is buzzing in season and quietly charming all year long with Italian classics and a Floridian twist—like the sautéed black grouper in a fresh tomato and pernod broth with fennel and black olives and the wildflower-honey-glazed salmon fillet with crab and corn flan. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/655-9752. $$$

WEST PALM BEACH Austin Republic—4801 S. Dixie Highway.

Barbecue. The casual backyard atmosphere sets the scene for chef James Strine’s unpretentious barbecue with a unique Mexican flair. The menu isn’t extensive, but all the barbecue greats are there alongside its Mexican counterparts. Brisket, ribs and pulled pork share the space with tacos, burritos and enchiladas. And don’t sleep on the chicken sandwich. Trust us.

• Dinner Tues.-Sat. $

Banko Cantina—114 S. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach.

Northern Mexican. Start with the Adelita cocktail and don’t look back. The bacon-wrapped shrimp, the Al Carbon steak tacos and the house guacamole add up to a full-flavor dinner.

The west-facing rooftop bar is a nice sunset option, and the Pan de Elote (homemade sweet cornbread with vanilla ice cream and berries) is a delightful end to the evening. • Dinner daily.

561/355-1399. $$

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July/August 2025 • • • • bocamag.com

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E AT & D R I N K RESTAURANT DIRECTORY The Blue Door—5700 S. Dixie Highway. Mediterranean.

The Blue Door’s vibrant hospitality welcomes you the moment you step through the arched, sapphire-hued entrance. Its lush landscaping and casual yet refined menu take you straight to the southern European coastline. • Dinner nightly. 561/360-2064. $$$

Café Centro —2409 N. Dixie Highway. Modern American. A cornerstone in the Northwood neighborhood, this venue draws because of a complete package: food, drinks and great nightlife and music. Take some char-grilled oysters, add shrimp pesto capellini or a marinated pork chop with polenta, plus local singing fave Tessie Porter, and you have a fun and delicious night out. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/514-4070. $$

daily specials, loch’d in.

FRESH FEATURES EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.

French Corner Bistro & Rotisserie — 4595 Okeechobee Blvd. Classic French. It’s France in a tiny venue, with big-taste dishes that include all the faves: beef bourguignon, rack of lamb, duck à l’orange, frog legs Provencale, veal kidneys, tender branzino and simple desserts to end the meal. Reservations are mandatory for dinner. • Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. 561/689-1700. $$

Grato —1901 S. Dixie Highway. Italian. “Grato” is Italian

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for “grateful,” and there is much to be grateful for about Clay Conley’s sophisticated yet unpretentious take on Italian cookery.

Anyone would be grateful to find such delicate, crispy and greaseless fritto misto as Grato’s, ditto for lusty beef tartare piled onto a quartet of crostini. Spinach gnocchi in porcini mushroom sauce are a revelation, so light and airy they make other versions taste like green library paste. Don’t miss the porchetta either, or the silken panna cotta with coffee ice cream and crunchy hazelnut tuille. • Dinner nightly. Sunday brunch.

561/404-1334. $$

The House —7301 Georgia Ave. Modern American.

Located inside The Park, West Palm Beach’s public golf course, The House has a bright contemporary aesthetic with massive floor-to-ceiling windows that spotlight the course’s natural beauty. The menu is approachable and offers something for everyone.

It also features unique and interesting takes on dishes like spiny lobster corn dogs. • Lunch and dinner Wed.-Sun., weekend brunch. 561/530-3791. $$ Leila—120 S. Dixie Highway. Mediterranean. Flowing drapes and industrial lighting complete the exotic decor in this Middle Eastern hit. Sensational hummus is a must-try. Lamb kebab with parsley, onion and spices makes up the delicious Lebanese lamb kefta. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner Mon.–Sun. 561/659-7373. $$ Marcello’s La Sirena—6316 S. Dixie Highway.

Italian. You’re in for a treat if the pasta of the day is prepared with what might be the best Bolognese sauce ever. • Dinner Mon.–Sat. (closed Memorial Day–Labor Day). 561/585-3128. $$ Pink Steak—2777 S. Dixie Highway. Steakhouse. This steakhouse offers plenty of choice cuts and classic chophouse appetizers, such as Caesar salad and shrimp cocktail, but don’t miss the other noteworthy options, like sushi and beef tartare.

The pink-hued space is accented with tropical murals, plush avocado-green booths, plume-like chandeliers and plenty of flamingoes. It’s undoubtedly a vibe. • Dinner nightly, Sunday brunch. 561/557-9083. $$$$ Pistache —1010 N. Clematis St., #115. French. Pistache doesn’t just look like a French bistro, it cooks like one. The menu includes such bistro specialties as coq au vin and steak tartare. All that, plus guests dining al fresco have views of the Intracoastal Waterway and Centennial Park. • Brunch Sat.–Sun. Lunch and dinner daily. 561/833-5090. $$

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Planta—700 S. Rosemary Ave. Vegan. For those who savor every juicy, tender and flavorful bite of a well-prepared burger, patronizing a vegan establishment may seem like a sacrilegious act.

But what if a restaurant served up plant-based dishes that surprised your taste buds with exploding flavors? Here vegans don’t have to worry about ingredients making the cut, and non-vegans can enjoy approachable and appetizing plant-based dishes that won’t make you yearn for a steak. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/208-5222. $$ Rhythm Café —3800 S. Dixie Highway. Casual American. Once a diner, the interior is eclectic with plenty of kitsch.

The crab cakes are famous here, and the tapas are equally delightful. Homemade ice cream and the chocolate chip cookies defy comparison. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/833-3406. $$

Table 26°—1700 S. Dixie Highway. Contemporary American. Take a quarter-cup of Palm Beach, a tablespoon of Nantucket, a pinch of modern American cookery and a couple gallons of the owners’ savoir faire, and you have Eddie Schmidt’s and Ozzie Medeiros’s spot. The menu roams the culinary globe for modest contemporary tweaks on classically oriented dishes. Try the fried calamari “Pad Thai.” • Dinner nightly. 561/855-2660. $$$

Broward County

RESTAURANT DIRECTORY

to Deerfield Beach in the form of this elegant, sophisticated restaurant in the oceanfront Royal Blues Hotel. Service is as stellar as the views from the cozy, modestly opulent dining room, notable for the 1,500-gallon aquarium embedded in the ceiling. Consistency can be an issue with the food, but when it is good it is very good. • Breakfast and lunch daily, dinner Tues.-Sat., brunch Sun. 954/857-2929. $$$

visitors. This is one of—if not the only—family-run, old-Florida seafood restaurants you’ve never heard of, open since the 1920s.

The heart of palm salad is the best and purest version around.

Seafood abounds; fish can be prepared nine ways and much more. (There are non-seafood dishes that are done well, too.) Go for the short boating thrill and for the food. • Dinner Tues.-Sun. 954/941-0418. $$

Oceans 234—234 N. Ocean Blvd., Deerfield Beach.

Contemporary American. One of the only oceanfront (as in, on the beach) options in South Florida, this familiar-with-a-twist venue is fun to both visit and eat. Try the Infamous Lollipop Chicken Wings, a starter that could be an entrée. Seafood is definitely top-shelf, as are the desserts. A true Florida experience. • Lunch and dinner daily.

954/428-2539. $$

Le Bistro —4626 N. Federal Highway. Modern French.

Tradition—626 S. Federal Highway. French. This is a petite place with a large following, for good reason. Owners Eric and Anais Heintz start meals with an amuse-bouche and a menu that spans the length of France. Order a creamy Caesar salad with a light anchovy-based dressing. Try the coq au vin (sauce cooked for two days), and if you like calves’ liver, this is the best you’ll find in the area. End with a Grand Marnier soufflé (worth the 15-minute wait), and make your next reservation there before going home. • Dinner Mon.-Sat. 954/480-6464. $$

DEERFIELD BEACH

LIGHTHOUSE POINT

Chanson —45 N.E. 21st Ave. Contemporary American/

Cap’s Place—2765 N.E. 28th Court. Seafood. Eating

French. A little bit of Palm Beach, a little bit of Italy comes

here requires a boat ride, which is very SoFla and terrific for

The menu is modern and healthy—98-percent gluten-free, according to chef Andy Trousdale and co-owner Elin Trousdale.

Check out the prix-fixe menu, which includes pan-roasted duck to beef Wellington. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 954/946-9240. $$$

Seafood World—4602 N. Federal Highway. Seafood.

This seafood market and restaurant offers some of the freshest seafood in the county. Its unpretentious atmosphere is the perfect setting for the superb king crab, Maine lobster, Florida lobster tails and much more. Tangy Key lime pie is a classic finish. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/942-0740. $$

WEB EXTRA: check out our complete tri-county dining guide only at BOCAMAG.COM.

As long-time residents of South Palm Beach County, how have you seen its civic needs change?

Over the years, our area has experienced significant growth, mirroring the broader expansion across Florida. Notably, we’re seeing more families with children and increased cultural diversity. These shifts have brought additional civic needs in a wide range of areas—from housing to transportation and from healthcare to recreation—all essential to support our dynamic and evolving community.

Strong communities support the less fortunate. What causes do you personally find the most compelling?

Kelly and Will Fleming Boca Raton leaders, community supporters, and residents for 30 years

As YMCA donors, why did you select the Y as a vehicle for your contribution?

Photo credit: Warner-Prokos Photography

Investing in our community through the YMCA

We’re most attracted to organizations that demonstrate a clear and worthy mission, strong leadership, effective execution—and can truly move the needle in their area of expertise. We believe that a healthy, resilient community must be supported across many fronts, including education, family services, healthcare, the arts, and animal welfare. Each plays a vital role in the overall well-being of our society, and we actively support efforts across all of them.

We chose to support the Y because of its role as a community hub that extends its reach through partnerships with dozens of local nonprofits. One example is how the Y hosts swim lessons for children served by other organizations - offering life skills to kids who might not otherwise have access. By investing in the Y, we’re doing more than supporting a single organization, we’re amplifying our impact across the broader community.

How would you describe the Y’s community role to someone who’s new to the area?

Our YMCA plays a uniquely powerful role in the community; it’s truly a place for everyone. From early childhood programs to senior wellness, the Y offers high-quality services, state-of-the-art facilities, and inclusive programming that supports individuals and families at every stage of life. It’s more than a gym or a pool; it’s a vibrant center for connection, growth, and community impact.

For information on the YMCA of South Palm Beach County's multi-year initiative, visit:

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AUTHENTIC ITALIAN IN THE SUNSHINE STATE Step into the world of 388 Italian Restaurant, now serving both Boca Raton and Roslyn—where timeless Italian recipes are elevated with a modern twist. From the famed Shrimp Luciano to the indulgent Penne alla Vodka, each dish is crafted with passion and authenticity. Whether you’re dining with friends, celebrating something special or enjoying on or off premise catering, 388 delivers bold flavors, warm hospitality, and an unforgettable culinary experience that’s turning heads from Boca to Roslyn, Long Island!

3360 North Federal Highway • Boca Raton, FL 33431 561-794-3888 388restaurant.com

INSPIRING SPACES: HIGH-END INTERIOR DESIGN Ritzy Christensen is celebrated for her ability to transform residential spaces into breathtaking sanctuaries by blending luxury with comfort, and contemporary elegance with timeless charm.

Her passion for aesthetics, rich textures, and refined color palettes has made her a highly sought after designer by high-profile clients, as well as being recognized by some of the top design publications. Ritzy’s keen eye for detail and personalized service ensures that each client’s unique vision is brought to fruition.

1141 Holland Dr #22 • Boca Raton, FL 33487 310-773-8894 thebocasa.com

TRANSFORM YOUR OUTDOOR SPACE INTO A LUXURIOUS RESORT Ocean Pools & Construction has the experience, design solutions and equipment to reimagine your home into a haven of relaxation. Working with us is a one-stop shop, with our inhouse team handling everything from construction permits to the excavation of your pool and finishing your new deck; even the owners are directly involved in each step of the project.

Call on Ocean Pools & Construction to make your home the relaxing and luxurious abode you deserve.

1300 SW 10th Street, Building A, Suite 6 Delray Beach, FL 33444 561-258-9037 • oceanpoolsfl.com

BRANDED CONTENT

SOCIAL

COWBOY BALL

WHERE: Boca West Country Club WHAT: The George Snow Scholarship Fund’s (GSSF) annual Cowboy Ball returned for its 31st year for a rootin’ tootin’ evening of Old West-inspired fun to benefit deserving scholars.

Nancy Dockerty, a longtime supporter of the nonprofit, served as honorary chair for the evening, and the program included an awards ceremony where Margaret Blume was honored with the Community Service Award for her commitment to improving the lives of South Floridians. Also honored was Tracy Ryan, CEO of the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), who accepted the Corporate Community Service Award for the company’s significant contributions to the community. Cowboy Ball attendees enjoyed a delicious dinner, live music and dance, and were delighted by the welcome surprise of longtime GSSF donor Joe Veccia pledging $150,000 to the nonprofit, bringing his total amount of funds donated over the years to $1 million. Sponsors included Amy and Mike Kazma, the James and Marta Batmasian Family Foundation, Boca magazine and many more.

1: Damiana Veccia, Joseph Veccia, Tim Snow 2: 2023 Snow Scholar Carly Dempsey

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3: George Snow Alumna Ana Gagula 4: Margaret Blume, Tracy Ryan, Nancy Dockerty 5: Jodi and Al Goldberg, Zoe Lanham, Mike Drews, Deputy Mayor Fran Nachlas 6: Terry and Jerry Fedele 7: WPBF’s Glenn Glazer 8: Robin Deyo, Tim Snow 9: Linda and Doug Paton

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GINA FONTANA

10: Wendy and Matt Maschler

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YMCA OF SOUTH PALM BEACH COUNTY’S INSPIRATION BREAKFAST

WHERE: Peter Blum Family YMCA WHAT: Boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard packed a motivational punch as keynote speaker for the 23rd-annual YMCA of South Palm Beach County Inspiration Breakfast. More than 600 guests gathered under a large outdoor tent at Peter Blum Family YMCA in Boca for an early breakfast to support the YMCA’s financial assistance scholarships for youth development programs.

The event was co-chaired by Linda Gunn Paton and Brad Winstead, presented by JM Family Enterprises, and raised a staggering $405,000.

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1: Robin Deyo

3: Jason Hagensick, Ken Kalee 4: Doug and Marcia Mithun 5: Brad Winstead, Sugar Ray Leonard and Linda Gunn Paton 6: Terry Fedele, Katrina Carter-Tellison, Jackie Reeves

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CARLOS ARISTIZABAL

2: Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Captain David Moss, Sugar Ray Leonard

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ARTISANS OF WINE & FOOD WHERE: The Boca Raton WHAT: Fine dining, wine and philanthropy coalesced into a memorable foodie fête at The Boca Raton’s inaugural Artisans of Wine & Food. The historic Boca resort partnered with Napa Valley Vintners and brought together more than 100 winemakers and 20 famed chefs for a weekend packed with culinary delights.

Presented by Capital One, the event welcomed more than 600 VIPs, guests and members of The Boca Raton Club to enjoy immersive dining experiences leading up to the grand finale, a charity auction and gala with a menu curated

by Fabio Trabocchi, the mastermind chef behind the Michelin-starred Fiola in Washington, D.C. This year’s Artisans of Wine and Food raised more than $600,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County and Napa Valley, and plans are already underway for the event to return next January.

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1: Kids from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County 2: The Boca Raton President and CEO Daniel Hostettler

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3: Kristen Waterhouse and Alberto Petocchi 4: Terry and Monica Mayotte 5: Shari Staglin, Scott Moss, Garen Staglin 6: Vasi Vasileva and Lisa Rectenwald

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ARTHUR ADLER MEMORIAL GOLF CHALLENGE WHERE: Boca West Country Club WHAT: Boca West Children’s Foundation (BWCF) hosted its biggest Golf Challenge yet, with more than $600,000 being raised to support the organization’s 36 nonprofit partners and the vital work they do for at-risk youths across Palm Beach and Broward counties. This year’s tournament held special significance for BWCF, as it was the first without Arthur Adler, who founded the organization and helped establish the tournament in 2012, and passed away in November of last year. The tournament has been renamed in his honor. More than 400 golfers from various nonprofits entered the tournament, competing in foursomes to win funds from a prize pool of $100,000. Following the tournament was the ceremonial duck drop, with 600 rubber ducks dropped on the greens and the closest to the hole winning a cash prize of $2,500. The winner, Scott Boilen, generously donated the winnings back to BWCF. Sponsors included AW Property Company, Boca magazine, Ronnie and Allen Flicker, and more.

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1: Scott and Tinka Grody 2: Shelly Adler, Lori Adler 3: Pam Weinroth, Charles Bender 4: Sally and Aubrey Strul 5: Tim Snow, Van Williams, Jay Brandt, Troy McLellan 6: Howard and Phyllis Boilen 7: Joel Macher, Matt Linderman, Richard Zenker 8: Terry Fedele, Christine Lynn 9: Propel team 10: 2nd Place winning team Roots & Wings 11: 1st Place winning team Education Foundation 5

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BOCA BACCHANAL WHERE: Across Boca Raton WHAT: Boca Bacchanal returned for another decadent celebration of all things food and wine. The weekendlong affair broke attendance records in its 22nd year, raising critical funds for the Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum and its mission of preserving the city’s past. The festivities kicked off with a Mizner era-inspired Cocktail Soirée hosted at the home of Nicola and Stephen Verses, followed by a series of vintner dinners hosted across town that highlighted the culinary expertise of local chefs and sips from the finest wineries.

The weekend wrapped with the Grand Tasting Afternoon, where more than 600 guests enjoyed a variety of wine, spirits and beer as well as bites from top local restaurants. Sponsors included Publix, Boca magazine, BRiC, The Boca Raton, The Addison and more.

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1: Olivia Hollaus, Paige Kornblue, LeAnn Berman, Rebecca Demonte 2: Tom Marano, John Bailey, Erin Marano 3: David Diaz, Zoe Lanham 4: Thom and Joyce DeVita 5: Denise Alman, Dr. Nathan and Deputy Mayor Fran Nachlas 6: Chef Angelo Elia, Jonathan Cheban, Nicola Verses 4

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July/August 2025 issue. Vol. 45 No. 6. The following are trademarks in the state of Florida of JES Media, and any use of these trademarks without the express written consent of JES Media is strictly prohibited: Savor the Avenue; Tastemakers of Delray; Tastemakers at Mizner; Florida Style and Design; Delray Beach magazine; Boca Raton, South Florida At Its Best; bocamag.com; Florida Table; Boca Raton magazine. Boca (ISSN0740-2856) is published 8 times a year (September/October, November/December, January, February, March, April, May/ June and July/August) by JES Media. Editorial, advertising and administrative offices: 1000 Clint Moore Road, Suite 103, Boca Raton, FL, 33487. Telephone: 561/997-8683.

Please address all editorial and advertising correspondence to the above address. Periodicals postage paid at Boca Raton, Fla., and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions: $24.95/8 issues, $34.95/16 issues (shipping fee included for one- and two-year rates). Single copy $6.95.

No whole or part of the content may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission of Boca magazine, excepting individually copyrighted articles and photographs. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Boca magazine, P.O. Box 820, Boca Raton, FL 334299943.

bocamag.com • • • • July/August 2025

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THE LOCAL

SPEED BUMPS

Notes on the Mean Season

Marie Speed

Don’t give up on Florida summers just yet Written by MARIE SPEED

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t’s here. That vast white-hot wave of heat that rolls in after the summer solstice. The long still days that drop silvery mirages on the roads and curl up the resurrection ferns. The days that fog up sunglasses, blister steering wheels, and send FPL bills through the roof.

This used to be our secret favorite season, the one no one up north needed to know about, full of tiki bars and warm turquoise waters, empty streets and easy dinner reservations. But that was before things heated up, literally, and sargassum found our beaches, and every other New Yorker moved here full-time for a tax break. Still, I am determined to cling to my illusion of summer as “our”time of year, a blessed interlude in the calendar of go-go South Florida. And here are a few ways I am seizing the moment.

• Vidalia onions. They arrived in May and are still here, and they need to be slapped on a white bread sandwich with fresh tomatoes and mayo.

And then eaten over the kitchen sink, as is customary.

Sea turtle season runs though the end of October

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• Relishing the complete absence of black-tie fundraisers, at least for a couple of months. This means you also get a reprieve from small talk, air kisses, waiting for the only Honda in the valet line, and trying to remember that one person’s name for the millionth time.

• Refining the art of floating, a summer tradition with no Instagrammable qualities, involving a long afternoon, maybe a cold Corona or two, and a pool toy upon which you bob in the ocean (if the

seaweed is not bad) or in a pool, chatting about absolutely nothing with your best friend.

• Exploring the great air-conditioned indoors. Go to the Norton. No, really, go. (At least eat lunch in the café.) Watch a bad summer movie matinee at the Premier Club. Slip down to the Wreck Bar in Fort Lauderdale to watch mermaids as you sip your Mount Gay and tonic.

• Exploring the great outdoors, even if it is beastly hot. Florida road trips, complete with bug-splattered windshields and miles of cattle country, are best in summer, and my favorite destinations will be St. Petersburg, Islamorada, St. Augustine. Or anywhere.

These are the times you get to legitimately stop at random McDonald’s drive-throughs to“save time.”

• Buying a new pair of really good OluKai sandals at Nomad Surf Shop. And a rash guard you don’t really need.

• Counting the days until college football season starts. With a full seven weeks away from kickoff, you are fully within your rights to be wildly optimistic about an SEC title.

Oh, there is more, of course, like our version of “snow days”as we huddle indoors and bingewatch old seasons of “Sex and The City.” (I don’t care what anyone says, I love Mr. Big.) Or those brilliant afternoons at 4 p.m. when the sky turns black and our windows rattle from thunder. Or how it feels to spot turtle tracks when you wander down to the beach just before bedtime in your pajamas (which you call “loungewear” when you are outside).

I still need to believe that we can love our way back into summer. That we can find that moment on vacation when you see the wide shallow Gulf of Mexico spin out forever, seagulls crying overhead, a memory of summers past suddenly shaken loose. The moment you realize that the Florida you remember is there, after all; you just have to let it in.

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Authentic Italian Cuisine Chef Rino Aprea Brings Brooklyn’s Fine Italian Fare to Boca Raton From Angelo’s of Mulberry Street and Ponte Vecchio in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Rino’s brings fine Italian fare and a lively atmosphere to downtown Boca Raton.

HAPPY HOUR - Daily 5pm-7pm at Bar Only ALL NEW SPECIALS $55 PRE FIXE MENU - Tuesday - Saturday All Night!

Choose From 9 Starters & 10 Entrees Plus Dessert LADIES NIGHT - Ladies Drink Free Thursdays at Bar Only SUMMER SPECIAL - 30% Off Wine by the Bottle • Live Music Thursdays & Saturdays • Private Party Room • Off-Premise Catering • Gift Cards - For Every $100 - Get $20 Free

39 SE 1st Avenue Boca Raton, FL 33432

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CALL FOR RESERVATIONS 561-244-8282 www.rinosofboca.com

HOURS: 5pm-10pm Closed Sunday & Monday July - October

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