DELRAY Magazine January/February 2024 by JES Media

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contents january/february 2024

50 28

12 editor’s letter

Resolving to choose daydreams over resolutions is a lot more fun.

32 up close

BY MARIE SPEED

A local actor with a traumatic past channels real-life drama into her art, and a musically adventurous couple takes its listeners on a cosmic journey.

15 hot list

BY TYLER CHILDRESS AND JOHN THOMASON

A new dessert purveyor tells it like it is, Beatles on the Beach pulls off a Cheap Trick, tennis stars hold court, and the Spady Museum’s Charlene Farrington brings local Black history to the forefront. Plus, our “After Dark” spotlight is all about flippers and plungers. BY TYLER CHILDRESS

21 snapshots

Lionfish welcomed a new top toque, the Morikami hosted a renowned metalsmith, TD Bank opened a West Delray outpost, and other recent happenings around our favorite city.

22 top 5/calendar

This issue’s A&E highlights include a fiery program from Miami City Ballet, Pop art paintings of Palm Beach icons, and new digs for the South Florida Garlic Fest. Plus, an Alanis Morissette musical, an orchid festival, an onstage memoir from the creator of “Sex & the City” and much more. BY JOHN THOMASON

28 style

With cooler temps finally rolling in, there’s no need to sacrifice style for comfort, thanks to this fashion-forward winter apparel from Delray retailers. PHOTOGRAPHY BY AARON BRISTOL

63 out & about

This past season, “witches” stirred up two-wheeled fun for the Achievement Centers, women volunteers from South Palm Beach County toasted another beneficent year, FemCity Delray celebrated its 12th anniversary, and other community news and notes. BY TYLER CHILDRESS

42 dine

From its old-school chalkboard menu to its “Cheers”-like conviviality, Jimmy’s Bistro remains a paragon of reliable, approachable cuisine.

75 dining guide

Our review-driven dining guide showcases great restaurants in Delray and beyond.

BY CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT

44 new year’s resolution

80 community connection

survival guide

Each year around this time, we go through the motions: lofty goals in January that are usually jettisoned by February. Experts on everything from money management to weight loss to decluttering share insights on the best way to maintain your resolutions—through December and beyond.

Ed Kosiec shares how a brush with death inspired him to become a national advocate for CPR. BY RICH POLLACK

BY TYLER CHILDRESS

50 fresh catch

From the Atlantic to the Gulf Stream, our waters teem with the nation’s best seafood, sautéed and poached and grilled to perfection. We take a deep dive with two of the Palm Beaches’ top suppliers on their ocean-to-table process. BY MARIE SPEED

59 home

Interior designers are singing the blues this year, drawn to the color’s wide range of tones and textures, from vibrant to earthy, bright to subdued. BY CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT

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LEON JEWELERS LEONFINEJEWELERS.COM 16950 JOG ROAD #112 DELRAY BEACH, FL 33446

MUSIC | ART GALLERY | COMEDY | THEATRE VOLUNTEERING | ARTS EDUCATION

group editor-in-chief marie speed managing editor john thomason web editor tyler childress senior art director lori pierino production manager rafael quiñones graphic designer james karpinen photographer aaron bristol contributing writers christie galeano-demott, margie kaye (promotional writing), rich pollack director of advertising and marketing nicole ruth advertising consultants daisy abreu, mandy forrester, karen kintner, bruce klein jr., jenna russo special projects manager gail eagle

ArtsGarage.org 94 NE 2nd Ave. Delray Beach, FL 561-450-6357

customer services/video editor david shuff

561/997-8683 (ph) • 561/997-8909 (fax) 1000 Clint Moore Road, Suite 103 Boca Raton, FL 33487 bocamag.com editor@bocamag.com (editorial) publishers of Boca Raton Delray Beach Mizner’s Dream Worth Avenue Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce Annual Delray Beach magazine is published five times a year by JES Media. The entire contents of Delray Beach magazine are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Delray Beach magazine accepts no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts and/or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. Delray Beach 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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SERVICES DIRECTORY Delray Beach magazine is published five times a year, with bi-monthly issues in-season and combined issues in the summertime. If you have any questions or comments regarding our magazine, call us at 561/997-8683. We’d love to hear from you.

[ subscription, copy purchasing and distribution ]

For any changes or questions regarding your subscription, to purchase back issues, or inquire about distribution points, ask for our subscriptions department at 877/553-5363.

[ advertising resources ]

Take advantage of Delray Beach’s prime advertising space—put your ad dollars to work in our award-winning publication. For more information, contact our sales department (nicole@bocamag.com).

[ custom publishing ]

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

[ story queries/web queries ]

Delray Beach magazine values the concerns and interests of our readers. Story queries for the print version of Delray Beach should be submitted by email to Marie Speed (editor@bocamag.com) or John Thomason (john. thomason@bocamag.com). Submit information/queries regarding our website to tyler@bocamag.com. We try to respond to all queries, but due to the large volume that we receive, this may not be possible.

[ letters ]

Your thoughts and comments are important to us. All letters to the editor may be edited for style, grammar and length. We reserve the right to withhold any letters deemed inappropriate for publication. Send letters to the address listed below, or to Marie Speed (editor@bocamag.com).

2 great locations: downtown and the beach

[ calendar ]

Where to go, what to do and see in Delray Beach. Please submit information regarding fundraisers, art openings, plays, readings, concerts, dance or other performances to managing editor John Thomason (john.thomason@bocamag.com). Deadline for entries in an upcoming calendar section is three months before publication (e.g., to list an event in March/April, submit info by December 20).

[ dining guide ]

Our independent reviews of restaurants in Delray Beach. A fine, reliable resource for residents and tourists. For more information, contact Marie Speed.

[ out & about ]

A photo collage of social gatherings and events in Delray Beach. All photos submitted should be clearly identified and accompanied by a brief description of the event (who, what, where, when); photos will not be returned. Email images to people@bocamag.com. Or mail photos to: “Out & About” Delray Beach magazine 1000 Clint Moore Road, Suite 103 Boca Raton, FL 33487

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[ editor’s letter ] B Y M A R I E S P E E D

Thinking Bigger Resolutions are well and good, but don’t discount the power of daydreams

lthough we have a few experts in this issue who can tell you how best to make those new year’s resolutions stick (page 44), I, for one, do not try to make them. I have shifted to another model at this stage of my life, which is one of The Perpetual Resolution, better known as chipping away at an endless bucket list. This list includes ongoing mainstays like lose 20 pounds, start walking at 6 a.m. every.single.day, catch (and release) a blue marlin, plant Campari tomatoes, cover everything with WeatherTech, try to read Ulysses again and a few more. This list is updated regularly as I think of things that I really have to do before another year goes by. One is to finally go to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and watch it from an as-yet-unidentified secret private vantage point that serves hot chocolate. The 150th Kentucky Derby is this year as well, and our ancestral family home, which is a museum now called Farmington, is in Louisville. So I’m practically a legacy, but I’ve never been to the Derby, despite the fact that I harbor an unreasonable love of hats. 2024 is also a leap year, which, according to ancient cultural mythology, means women can freely propose to men, which apparently had not been done with great frequency in olden times. I love that idea. I can’t quite see the point of getting married again, but I love the idea of proposing all over the place. There are so many other things I’d like to do as well, from staring down an elephant at Amboseli National Park, to getting eight solid hours of REM sleep, to learning how to speak two more languages, seeing the northern lights, finding a pearl in an oyster. These daydreams are far removed from New Year’s resolutions, and that might be the point: What’s better than fueling wonder? I’d trade 20 pounds for a dream come true any day of the week. So, as we start off the New Year in Delray’s festive winter season, here’s a shout-out to all the dreamers out there, all the possibilities they may entertain, and the hope for a productive and peaceful year in our city.

delray beach magazine

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FIVE (MORE) THINGS I LOVE ABOUT DELRAY [ 1 ] St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, ca.1929 [ 2 ] Coffee at Zeke’s [ 3 ] Bianca Brakton Bellomo, the Scissor Wizard [ 4 ] A cocktail Saturday night at The Colony Porch Bar [ 5 ] Bedner’s sweet corn

january/february 2024

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At Bethesda Hospital, Our Donors Give from the Heart. At Bethesda Hospital, a not-for-profit organization, philanthropy benefits our patients by funding state-of-the-art facilities, innovative programs and advanced technology. It also provides our caregivers with training opportunities and support resources so they can perform at their best. World-class, compassionate care is at the heart of everything we do. And it’s made possible by the generous donors of Baptist Health Foundation.

Find out how you can support Bethesda Hospital. Visit BaptistHealth.net/Giving Giving@BaptistHealth.net 561-737-7733, ext. 84445

BARCELONA FLAMENCO BALLET: LUXURIA RENÉE FLEMING

100 YEARS OF RHAPSODY IN BLUE

MARCH 1-10 festivalboca.org 561-757-4762

ISAAC MIZRAHI

AUTHORS & IDEAS SERIES

ROTARY FUTURE STARS COMPETITION RENÉE FLEMING

DAISY DOWLING

NICHOLAS THOMPSON

TM & © Universal Studios

RICHARD BLANCO

HENRY MANCINI AT 100

JAWS LIVE WITH ORCHESTRA

Presented by The Schmidt Family Centre for the Arts outdoors in Mizner Park Amphitheater, Boca Raton. Sponsored in part by the Board of County Commissioners, the Tourist Development Council, and The Cultural Council For Palm Beach County.

hot list NEWS AND NOTES FROM DELRAY BEACH

A Very Delray New Year JORDAN BRAUN PHOTOGRAPHY

We’re kicking off the new year with sweet tooth heaven, a celebration of Black history, rock ‘n’ roll royalty headlining a tribute to the Fab Four, and more. Damn Good Sweets is a new Delray indulgence (page 16)

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BY TYLER CHILDRESS

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[ hot list ]

In a world of products oversaturated with marketing buzzwords, it’s refreshing to find a place that gets straight to the point and, more importantly, delivers. And that’s exactly what Damn Good Sweets, West Atlantic Avenue’s latest stop for sweet treats, does. Created by Damn Good Hospitality, the group behind Warren Delray and Revolution Live, this latest offering at Plaza Delray not only features Instagrammable takes on typical no-frill desserts such as milkshakes, cookies and brownies, but ups the game with confectionary creations that could put a French bakery to shame. For those looking for a permanent cure for a sweet tooth, try the petit gâteau (French for “little cake”) or, for your next special occasion, an entremet, an over-the-top towering cake composed of differently textured layers of cake that come together to utterly euphoric effect. 8854 W. Atlantic Ave., Suite B2, Delray Beach; damngoodsweets.com

JORDAN BRAUN PHOTOGRAPHY

DAMN GOOD SWEETS— ’NUFF SAID

Goodies at Damn Good Sweets

BEATLES ON THE BEACH RETURNS Delray Beach’s iconic music festival honoring the Fab Four returns this year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Beatles’ arrival in America, and this year is shaping up to be the biggest bash yet, courtesy of headliner Cheap Trick. Expect to hear the hits “Surrender,” “I Want You To Want Me,” “The Flame” and hopefully a few renditions of classic Beatles tunes. Beatlemaniacs can also look forward to a performance by the Fab Faux, which Rolling Stone has lauded as “the greatest Beatles cover band—without the wigs.” Come together at the Amphitheatre at Old School Square from Jan. 24-28 for a weekend of Beatle-inspired festivities including a Beatle Art Exhibition, costumed fun at BeatleCon, and Celebrity Symposium, where special guests reminisce about their wild Beatles stories. Beatlesonthebeach.com An orchestral tribute to the Beatles

Beatles on the Beach has become an annual music event.

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SPADY CULTURAL HERITAGE MUSEUM CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY The Black History Youth Art Awareness Festival is returning for its third year to once again light up the streets of West Settlers Historic District with the energy of local youths’ art, talent and entrepreneurship. Created in partnership between the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum and Palm Beach-based nonprofit CAPE Universal, the festival is an opportunity for creative young minds to share their poetry, music and dance onstage while local vendors set up shop selling homemade crafts and artwork. Held at the Spady Museum, the event welcomes local activists, cultural teachers, artisans, food vendors, youth musicians and performers to join in celebrating Black history as well as the community’s future. Feb. 16; 170 N.W. Fifth Ave., Delray Beach; spadymuseum.com

Downtown Delray’s Festival of the Arts Returns

BRUCE R. BENNETT/ ZUMA PRESS WIRE

The nationally renowned Downtown Delray Beach Festival of the Arts returns for its 35th year on Jan. 13-14. Longtime favorites from Delray’s arts scene will be joined by buzzworthy up-and-comers in displaying vibrant works of art on mediums that include glass, photography, painting and much more, for sale in a stunning outdoor gallery along Atlantic Avenue. Attendees can also look forward to food trucks, live entertainment and more.

Children coloring flower pots at the Spady Museum

OPEN UP The Delray Beach Open will once again bring together the top athletes from the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour for the world’s only dual event of ATP Legends and ATP 250 topranked players. One of only 10 ATP Tour events held in the U.S. every year, this event draws a crowd of more than 60,000 visitors to watch the sport’s top professionals duke it out for top placement in a hard court tournament. Guests can also look forward to a week of lavish events, amateur tennis tournaments, live music performances and more. Last year, Taylor Fritz claimed a hard-won victory to become the 2023 Delray Beach Open Singles champion, and this year’s tournament is sure to deliver another nail-biting display of the sport’s top performers. Feb. 9-18; 201 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; yellowtennisball.com The Delray Beach Open

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AFTER DARK:

SILVERBALL RETRO ARCADE

The folks at Silverball Retro Arcade know that a bar is no place for your inner child, which is why they’ve created a wonderland of nostalgia filled with all your favorite arcade games and activities. For the new year, we’re ditching the Atlantic Avenue bars crammed with seasonal tourists in favor of a night out that speaks to the best part of ourselves—the one that hadn’t yet discovered taxes or hangovers, and only concerned itself with high scores. Take your pick from more than 80 classic pinball machines, more than 20 arcade games, Skee-Ball, air hockey and more, in a space plucked right out of the mall arcade where you blew all your allowance as a kid. Be sure to bring your appetite and partake in the menu of All-American classics ranging from hot dogs and hamburgers to funnel cakes and corn dogs. 19 N.E. Third Ave., Delray Beach; silverballmuseum.com/delray-beach

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[ hot list ]

SPOTLIGHT:

CHARLENE FARRINGTON

here is a missing chapter of Black history that Charlene Farrington, executive director of the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, has made her mission to preserve and share. “Probably the largest portion of people of African descent in South Florida don’t consider themselves African American, because they are primarily of Caribbean descent,” says Farrington. “The story of African Americans in the United States as it has been written really did not include them. Their story was a different story.” Farrington joined the museum in 2001 as soon as it began hiring staff, after her mother, Vera Farrington, and activist Charles Spencer Pompey worked to establish it. As her mother and Pompey were gathering stories from the local Black community, Farrington was surprised by just how much she didn’t know. “It fascinated me to know that there is an actual history for Black people here in South Florida, because up until that point, who knew? How would we know?” says Farrington. Since taking over as executive director in 2012, Farrington has helped establish and grow the organization’s collections, archives and budget. “We’ve been able to do more and find more ways to share the history that we’ve collected with people in the community,” says Farrington.

WHAT SHE HOPES THE SPADY CULTURAL HERITAGE MUSEUM WILL ACCOMPLISH Our vision is that everyone who lives in Delray Beach will respect the culture and the history of everyone else. WHAT SHE IS MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2024 We’ve been expanding our collaborations, and we look forward to doing that even more this year. HER BIGGEST INSPIRATION FOR HER WORK AT THE MUSEUM Everybody that we talk to, interview, every bit of history we learn from people in the community. Elders—even people my age—they all inspire me, because when I talk to them I get a sense [that] they were waiting for someone to come and ask them what they know, and finally someone has come to them and recognized that this history they hold in their minds and in their records is valid.

WHAT MAKES DELRAY SPECIAL Residents don’t have a problem speaking up and speaking out about their viewpoints. A lot of times they conflict, and not everyone’s opinion can win the day, but people don’t have a problem speaking up and speaking their minds. And I love that about a community, because it’s better to know where your community members stand on certain issues than not know.

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AARON BRISTOL

HER NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS That’s wishing on a star. I am of the mindset that you can determine a person’s heart or viewpoint based on what they do and not what they say, and New Year’s resolutions are all about what you say. You’ll know my New Year’s resolution by any changes that I make in myself over the course of the year.

Charlene Farrington

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Welcome to Heartwarming Care.

At Baptist Health, healing starts with humanity. That’s why we offer you the most advanced treatments and clinical trials, delivered with a compassionate, human touch. Our accomplished and respected cardiovascular experts work collaboratively to ensure you receive the best care, giving you and your loved ones the peace of mind we all deserve. Here, we’ve got your best interest at heart. Welcome to Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care.

For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Heart.

snapshots

TD Bank hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the debut of the bank’s new outpost in West Delray along Jog Road. Pictured: The TD Bank team cutting the ribbon to officially open its new location in West Delray.

At the unveiling of the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens’ new exhibit, “Stories on the Planet: Jewelry of Maeda Asagi,” a meet-and-greet was hosted with the exhibit’s creator, jewelry designer Maeda Asagi. Pictured: Maeda Asagi.

VISUAL HONEY

Guests dressed up in their finest attire to enjoy French-Vietnamese cuisine at Le Colonial for Cary Roman’s TheGourmetClub.com black tie Halloween dinner. Pictured: Jonathan Sheer, Katie Ott, Jimmy Gaskins, Kee Delcambre, Thor Conklin.

Chef Emerson Frisbie, founder of the Clandestine Culinary pop-up dinners at Palm Beach Meats, is bringing his talents to Delray’s Lionfish. Pictured: Chef Emerson Frisbie

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Delray’s Achievement Centers for Children & Families (ACCF) officially announced its new partnership with the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation. This partnership will help the ACCF provide invaluable resources to the next generation of leaders. Pictured: Kids in the ACCF’s Early Learning Program.

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[ calendar ] B Y J O H N T H O M A S O N

Top 5

A folky troubadour, a Broadway diva, a country-fied Garlic Fest, and more winter A&E delights

Steve Forbert

Tovah Feldshuh

Addison Mizner painting by Serge Strosberg

January/February 2024 [5]

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Steve Forbert Duo

Tovah Feldshuh: “Aging is Optional”

“Reimagining Palm Beach”

WHEN: 7 p.m. Feb. 25 WHERE: Arts Garage, 94 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach COST: $40-$45 CONTACT: 561/450-6357, artsgarage.org In 1978, when he was just starting out in music, folksinger Steve Forbert was one of countless guitar-strumming troubadours to earn the sobriquet “the new Bob Dylan,” an honor—and an immense pressure—foisted upon him by the Village Voice. Forbert brushed off the comparisons, though his only megahit, “Romeo’s Tune,” released the following year and peaking at No. 11 on the Billboard singles chart, evokes the richness of Dylan’s ‘70s storytelling. Twenty-one albums later, Forbert is recognized alongside the Band as a godfather of Americana, the mongrel genre that combines folk, rock, blues and country into a national sonic gumbo. Forbert is touring in support of his latest release of new material, 2022’s Moving Through America, whose roadworn title song feels like a spiritual successor to Simon & Garfunkel’s “America.” At his intimate Arts Garage return, he’ll be joined by electric guitarist George Naha and keyboardist Rob Clores.

delray beach magazine

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WHEN: Jan. 8-10, various show times WHERE: Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 N.W. Ninth St., Delray Beach COST: $75 CONTACT: 561/272-1281, delraybeachplayhouse.com Longtime thespian Tovah Feldshuh, 74, has displayed equal prowess in comedic and dramatic parts, and has earned countless awards in a career that has spanned theatre, the movies and television, such as her recurring stint on “The Walking Dead.” Her versatility has included the title roles in “Yentl,” “Gypsy” and “Hello, Dolly!” and portrayals of Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Tallulah Bankhead and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. “Aging is Optional” is filled with songs, stories and impersonations—with a schtickle of Yiddish—which Feldshuh calls “an hour of Resytlane for the soul, a booster for the heart and a probiotic of laughter.” After a half-century in show business, Feldshuh says she’s just getting started, telling audiences on Broadway last year, “I plan to work ‘til they carry me out of here. … I want to be thoroughly used up when I die. The longer I work, the more I live.”

WHEN: Feb. 9 through May WHERE: Cornell Art Museum, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach COST: Free, but donations appreciated CONTACT: 561/654-2220, downtowndelraybeach.com Though born in Belgium and residing in New York, painter Serge Strosberg has long had a connection to the Palm Beaches, where its cultural venues have presented many of his most prominent exhibitions, from Boca Raton to West Palm Beach to Jupiter. He’s shown so often on our coast that he might as well be an honorary member of the region’s cognoscenti— and the ideal artist to, as this exhibition suggests, reimagine Palm Beach. Strosberg will focus his distinctive and eye-popping style—a hyperreal combination of expressionism and naturalism, often revolving around the leisure class—on the titans and eccentrics who helped transform swampland into an upscale playground. Solomon Spady, Henry Flagler and Addison Mizner (the latter shown here with members of his menagerie), are among the subjects of Strosberg’s fresh and reverent gaze. The exhibition will also deploy augmented reality to place spectators in the middle of various points of interest on Palm Beach island. january/february 2024

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Garlic Fest headliner Ryan Montgomery

[2]

[1]

South Florida Garlic Fest

Miami City Ballet: Winter Mix

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Feb. 3, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 4 WHERE: Village of Wellington Town Center & Amphitheater, 12100 Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington COST: $15 CONTACT: 561/279-0907, garlicfestfl.com In celebration of its 25th birthday, the former Delray Beach Garlic Fest is moving once again, to the comfier confines of Wellington’s recently renovated Town Center & Amphitheater. The space, which features upgraded facilities and (finally!) real restrooms instead of portalets, is being billed as the festival’s new permanent home. For two days in February it’s the best place to enjoy its titular aromatic bulb in more than 100 delicacies, from shrimp scampi and Argentine barbecue to ice cream and draft beer (don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it). Saturday night’s musical headliner, country singer Ryan Montgomery, is a local boy made good—a Lake Worth native who has ascended from free tailgate gigs at local amphitheaters to a Nashville recording contract and headline concerts for up to 5,000 fans. Sunday afternoon will feature music from the Resilient, a rock band founded by severely wounded combat veterans, which will coincide with a special tribute to the Armed Forces. They will be followed by Dirty Work, a tribute to jazz-rock pioneers Steely Dan.

january/february 2024

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WHEN: 2 and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3, 1 p.m. Feb. 4 WHERE: Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach COST: $45-$249 CONTACT: 561/832-7469, kravis.org The ballet “Firebird” is so rich in fantasy archetypes that it seems sprung from the mind of a Grimm, or a Disney, or a Hans Christian Andersen. But the fantastical narrative was hatched in Russia circa 1910, and the overnight success of the work put its neophyte composer—one Igor Stravinsky—on the map. Centering on a hunting trip, with an emphasis on a trip, it follows heroic prince Ivan, who stumbles upon a magical forest realm ruled by a villain whose magic egg grants him immortality, and who has mesmerized 13 princesses to do his bidding. To thwart him, Ivan will need to summon the mythical Firebird for a grandiose intervention. Reimagining the ballet from George Balanchine’s 1949 choreography, Miami City Ballet will present this special-effects-laden stunner as its winter headliner, preceded by Alexei Ratmansky’s “Concerto DSCH,” a world premiere from Miami-born choreographer Margarita Armas scored to the music of Nina Simone, and a debut work from MCB School resident choreographer Durante Verzola.

“Firebird” from Miami City Ballet

Cutline

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[ calendar ] B Y J O H N T H O M A S O N

January/February 2024 Jan. 2-7:

Jan. 7:

Jan. 14:

Jan. 19-27:

“To Kill a Mockingbird” at Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; various show times; $39-$109; 561/832-7469, kravis.org. Aaron Sorkin scripted this daringly free adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel about race and justice in the Deep South, which positions Atticus Finch (played by Richard Thomas), the crusading defense attorney, as the protagonist, not his daughter Scout. The show’s Broadway premiere earned nine Tony nominations in 2019.

Koto New Year Music Performance at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach; noon and 2:30 p.m.; $9$15 museum admission, plus $5; 561/995-0233, morikami. org. Yoshiko Carlton, a teacher of the traditional Japanese stringed instrument known as the koto, will lead her Morikami students through a delightful program of music to celebrate new beginnings in 2024.

Choro Das 3 at Arts Garage, 94 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach; 7 p.m.; $40-$45; 561/450-6357, artsgarage.org. Masters of the Brazilian popular music genre known as choro, this trio of talented sisters—Corina Ferreira on flute, piccolo and percussion; Lia Ferreira on seven-string guitar; and Elisa Ferreira on mandolin, banjo, clarinet, accordion and piano; will perform a delightful set of the spirited, syncopated, improv-heavy music.

“Boeing Boeing” at Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 N.W. Ninth St., Delray Beach; various show times; $39-69; 561/272-1281, delraybeachplayhouse.com. A Guinness World Record holder for the most-performed French play throughout the world, this English translation by Beverley Cross charts the farcical antics when a Parisian lothario, carrying on trysts with three flight attendants, discovers that all his paramours are scheduled to “lay over” in his Paris apartment at the same time.

Orchid Weekend

Koto New Year Music Performance

Choro Das 3

Feb. 3-4:

Feb. 4:

Feb. 7-8:

Feb. 10:

Orchid Weekend at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; free with museum admission; 561/9950233, morikami.org. Vendors from such far-flung Florida locales as Homestead, Myakka City, Apopka and Kissimmee join local orchid growers in this extensive sale. Additionally, at 1 p.m. each day, Serena Roman will lead a talk on the cultivation of Vandaceous orchids.

Reverend Raven & Westside Andy with the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys at Arts Garage, 94 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach; 7 p.m.; $40-$45; 561/450-6357, artsgarage.org. Blues traditionalist Reverend Raven has been playing the soulful genre for 50 years, while his bassist, PT Petersen, has been strumming the low notes for more than six decades. The quartet will perform originals with nods to formative influences such as Slim Harpo and Jimmy Rogers.

“Imagine: The Life and Song of John Lennon” at Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 N.W. Ninth St., Delray Beach; 2 p.m.; $35; 561/272-1281, delraybeachplayhouse.com. In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Beatles’ first appearance in the United States, this performance charts John Lennon’s life, activism and career with and without the most important band in pop music history. Expect to hear songs such as “Help!,” “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Norwegian Wood” woven into the story.

50th Anniversary of “A Prairie Home Companion” at Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; 8 p.m.; $39 and up; 561/832-7469, kravis.org. This touring version of the last live radio variety show will feature a standup routine from host Garrison Keillor, comedy sketches, duets and other live music from Guy’s Hot Shoe Band, audience participation and, of course, news updates from the idyllic community of Lake Wobegon.

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january/february 2024

12/1/23 2:35 PM

Jan. 26:

Jan. 26-28:

Feb. 2-18:

Screening of “I Wish” at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach; 7 p.m.; $9-$15 museum admission, plus $5-$7; 561/9950233, morikami.org. Another nuanced portrait of family dynamics from master Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, “I Wish” centers on a 12-year-old boy who attempts to mend the relationship of his divorced parents through the uncertain logic of an urban legend.

Candace Bushnell at Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; various show times; $50-$125; 561/832-7469, kravis. org. Pioneering “Sex and the City” scribe Bushnell, who modeled Carrie Bradshaw on herself, spearheaded one of HBO’s most successful TV franchises of all-time. Now, she emerges from behind the curtain in this onstage memoir, which covers her whirlwind history of literature, fashion and sex in the Big Apple.

Palm Beach Opera: “Tosca” at Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun.; $25-$200; 561/832-7469, kravis.org. Set during Napoleon’s invasion of Italy, Puccini’s masterpiece “Tosca” contains torture, murder and suicide—all before the final act even begins. Another day at the operatic office, you might say, in a drama that is as thrilling as it is tragic.

“The Cancellation of Lauren Fein” at Palm Beach Dramaworks, 201 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; various show times; $89; 561/5144042, palmbeachdramaworks.org. Award-winning Miami playwright Christopher Demos-Brown scripted this world-premiere play about a professor at a prestigious American university who, despite representing two minority populations, sees her career at risk when she runs afoul of her school’s DEI policies.

“I Wish”

Candace Bushnell

“Jagged Little Pill”

Feb. 12-14:

Feb. 16:

Feb. 20-25:

Feb. 22-23:

“Funny Women of a Certain Age” at Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 N.W. Ninth St., Delray Beach; 2 p.m.; $45-$59; 561/272-1281, delraybeachplayhouse.com. Created by comedian Carole Montgomery as a 2019 Showtime special, the touring iteration of “Funny Women” has enjoyed a long life of its own. This winter’s edition may include such veteran female comics as Luenell, Janeane Garofalo, Thea Vidale, Kerri Louise, Tammy Pescatelli and Julia Scotti.

Yoko Miwa Trio at Arts Garage, 94 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach; 8 p.m.; $45-$50; 561/450-6357, artsgarage.org. Endowed with a more harmonious tone than that other famous musical Yoko, this versatile pianist from Japan has released nine albums of mellifluous melodies across a wide range of genres dating back to her auspicious 2000 debut, In the Mist of Time. She is touring with her jazz trio in support of their latest release, the aptly titled Songs of Joy.

“Jagged Little Pill” at Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; various show times; TBA; 561/832-7469, kravis.org. Alanis Morissette reworked songs from her 1995 landmark LP Jagged Little Pill into this jukebox musical. Spotlighting the underbelly of suburban America, this national tour of the 15-time Tony-nominated musical follows a family riven by various addictions and conflicts, with Morissette’s iconic tunes adding depth, color and a rock pulse.

Hideaway Circus: “Beyond Babel” at Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; 7:30 p.m.; $35 and up; 561/832-7469, kravis. org. In this relevant and imaginative dance-theatre take on “Romeo and Juliet,” companions on either side of a dividing wall will have to scale great heights—and do so to a riveting hiphop soundtrack and first-rate street dancing—to cement their love.

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LIFESAVING INNOVATION

AT THE HEART OF ACADEMIC MEDICINE Tampa General Hospital is among the nation’s top 10% for Heart & Vascular Care Tampa General Hospital (TGH) continues to grow our network of world-class physicians caring for patients in Palm Beach County with the addition of Dr. Amy Mostafavi. As a Palm Beach County-based surgeon, Dr. Mostafavi brings 25 years of experience and an esteemed reputation in both general and vascular surgery to the TGH Heart & Vascular Institute, joining our expert physician network to deliver world-class care. And for patients needing more complex procedures, our health ambassadors coordinate critical care in Tampa with convenient pre- and post-care locally with Dr. Mostafavi. Just what you’d expect from Florida’s leading academic health system for over 50 years.

Amy Mostafavi, MD, FACS BOARD-CERTIFIED IN GENERAL AND VASCULAR SURGERY

For a consultation, please call (561) 644-0125.

TGH.org/ThePalmBeaches Florida’s Leading Academic Health System For Over 50 Years

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9/19/23 8:56 AM

eader in Financial Advice and Planning

Elizabeth Bennett, PRINCIPAL AND CEO

CHESAPEAKE FINANCIAL PLANNING & TAX SERVICES

“Women need to be involved in their financial plans and have an understanding of where all of their assets are, and what they are used for,” says Certified Financial Planner™ Elizabeth Bennett. As a woman who has reared a child, been through a divorce and is working toward her own financial future, she forges a relationship with her clients from her own personal experiences. “You need be in control of your finances and not leave that responsibility to someone else,” she cautions. “Knowing the types of investments that you have, the log-ins for your accounts, and sharing that information with your spouse is very important. Being involved in reviews with your financial advisor and understanding how to access those assets is imperative,” Bennett says. “Taking responsibility for your financial wellbeing, starting at a young age, is probably one of the best things you can do for yourself. You should take advantage of your employer’s retirement plan, understand what your short-term savings need to look like and what your assets’ tax implications are. Be aware of your spending habits and where all of your money is going, whether you are single or married. As women, we know the value of delegating. My advice is to take one thing off of your plate and reach out to an advisor to get your financial house in order with someone you can trust. I am here for you,” she says.

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Sea Lily necklace, $115, from Unique Boutique; pearl necklace, $78, from Voyage Boutique; All Black wedge, $205, Monique Lhuillier AirEssence diffuser, $140, both from Wish & Shoes; Cotton Citizen dress, $185, from One Door North; Renaud Pellegrino bag, $1,200, cashmere wrap, $125, both from Nina Raynor

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Delray Cozy It’s that time of year, when a little bundling up may be in order. PHOTOGRAPHED BY AARON BRISTOL

By Belgin Francis leather jacket, $295, Julie Voss necklace, $285, Mary Frances beaded bag, $220, all from Unique Boutique; Nina Raynor pearl halter top, $670, from Nina Raynor; Kimberly Taylor pants, $375, from One Door North; All Black boot, $228, from Wish & Shoes

january/february 2024

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delray beach magazine

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Artesano hat, $210, from One Door North; Sea Lily clutch, $175, from Nina Raynor; necklace, $75, NHM jacket, $312, Fidelity jeans, $225, Azurée wedge sandal, $299, all from Wish & Shoes

NINA RAYNOR, 210 N.E. 6th Ave., Delray Beach, 561/276-5714, ninaraynor.com ONE DOOR NORTH, 253 N.E. Second Ave., 561/450-6535, 1doornorth.com WISH & SHOES, 16850 Jog Road, #112, 561/638-7700, wishandshoes.com VOYAGE BOUTIQUE, 400 Gulfstream Blvd., 561/279-2984, voyageboutique.com UNIQUE BOUTIQUE, 204 E. Atlantic Ave., 561/272-6654, uniqueboutiquejewelry.com

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january/february 2024

12/1/23 2:46 PM

Arcadia bag, $325, from Unique Boutique; All Black loafers, $220, Lisa Todd jacket, $415, both from Wish & Shoes, Marina V shirt, $149, Sam & Lili pants, $129, both from Voyage Boutique

STYLIST/ART DIRECTOR: LORI PIERINO

january/february 2024

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delray beach magazine

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[ up close ] B Y T Y L E R C H I L D R E S S

A’Keyah Williams

An actor mends the trauma of her past through the voices of her characters

t only took one monologue for A’Keyah Williams to fall in love with acting. She was in fifth grade at her very first theatre audition, at Bak Middle School for the Arts in West Palm Beach, playing a character who was getting the news that her grandmother had passed away. Williams’ own acquaintance with loss following her grandfather’s death grounded her in the role, and she felt a connection to the character that revealed a deeper regenerative magic that would empower her through the traumas of the years to come. Williams recounts her family history almost diagnostically, climbing a chain of cause and effect through time, looking for anything that might explain the strangeness of her own life. “If I go far back enough,” says Williams, “will I find the incident that caused all this stuff to happen and then be able to understand how to undo it from here?” As a child, Williams says she could have set a world record for the num-

recalls Williams. “[It led to] me feeling even more unprotected and feeling like my voice has no power.” When she was discharged, Williams began to retreat into herself, escaping through books by James Baldwin, Cicely Tyson and Viola Davis, discovering how each had overcome their own traumas. One day she was scrolling through social media when she happened upon a post promoting the National Society of Arts and Letters’ (NSAL) drama competition. Williams hadn’t been onstage in more than four years, but felt she may have found the perfect outlet to reclaim her power and voice. “The stage, or arts in general, just gives you that freedom, that liberty to say, ‘hey, it’s not all great, but it will be,’” says Williams. She entered the competition with low expectations, and performed monologues that “all spoke about something that I didn’t have the words

“The stage, or the arts in general, just gives you that freedom, that liberty to say, ‘hey, it’s not all great, but it will be.’” ber of teeth in her mouth (37 as opposed to the normal 32). She recounts being struck by a machine in an arcade that left her forehead permanently scarred, and the abuse inflicted by a family member. Williams was still trying to make sense of her looming past when she was confronted with another trauma that would change everything. After going broke in Los Angeles following her 2018 film debut in “Me Little Me,” Williams began teaching at Atlantic Community High School where, in January 2023, a troubled student threatened to shoot her and his fellow classmates. “I was frozen,” says Williams, confused as to what prompted the threat and wondering, after the incident, what would be done to keep everyone safe. Days of uncertainty followed, with the school making vague promises about the situation being handled. Then, Williams took to social media, expressing her frustrations, saying she felt that she didn’t want to live anymore. The post quickly circulated among students and faculty and it wasn’t long before the police showed up to her door, cuffed her on the floor of her bedroom and took her to Delray Medical Center, where she was put under a 24-hour psychiatric hold. “People were touching me, asking me if I’m on drugs, being invasive,”

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for yet.” As the tragic heroine Electra from the eponymous Sophocles play, she confronted her childhood abuser. As Norca from “Our Lady of 121st Street,” Williams confronted her feelings of abandonment. And as Rose from “Fences,” she navigated the battlefield of love with streaming tears. The judges were blown away, and so was Williams: “It was the most amazing experience I’ve ever felt in my life.” Williams won the state competition and moved to the national stage, where she won fourth place overall and first place among the women. Williams has been more selective about the characters she plays since returning home to Boynton Beach, taking roles only where she “actually feels called.” Despite the anxiety surrounding classrooms, she returned to teaching this year and took over the Theatre Academy at Boynton Beach Community High School. In March, she will be co-chairing alongside her mentor, Shari Upbin, NSAL’s musical theatre competition. Beyond future stage ambitions, Williams hopes to write a book about her life that she hopes will inspire other survivors of trauma. Its message? “It’s never the end when you think it’s the end; it’s probably just a new beginning.”

january/february 2024

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AARON BRISTOL

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[ up close ] B Y J O H N T H O M A S O N

Brooke McPoyle and Ruston Grosse A new musical duo brings us cosmic relief

n a rainy night last summer, in a bell tent outside their ranch in western Lake Worth Beach, musicians Brooke McPoyle and Ruston Grosse fine-tuned their instruments for an intimate performance of their new project, Enter the Stargate. Many tools in their repertoire were unfamiliar to most western ears. Among the array was a Turkish bağlama, a longnecked lute made of cedar and rosewood; an Afro-Peruvian cajón percussion box; musical anklets from Russia; a homemade “thunder drum” that’s struck with a mallet; an ocarina, a European wind instrument; and a pyramidal, triangle-like chime whose resonant tone serves as the performance’s climax. The duo played some 13 mostly exotic instruments over the course of a free-flowing, hour-long performance. The concert also featured McPoyle’s singing, narration and breathwork direction, all of which was intended to el-

“We’d sit around and jam on the guitar and sing, and we were like, why don’t we do something?” Grosse says, of their project’s origins. “We started out playing goofy covers, because that’s what seems to work in South Florida. Then we both quickly realized that neither of us wanted to do that at all. Then, we had a little meditative experience where we both saw this similar image and felt that it meant something in terms of creating musical things together, and it developed naturally from there.” The performance starts with yogic-style stretching, to loosen the limbs before loosening the mind, and segues into the musical flow, with participants lying down, closing their eyes and letting the ethereal sounds wash over them. McPoyle’s intermittent narration tells a story of emerging from darkness to light through the transformative power of music. (She is a major proponent of cymatics, a form of therapy in which sound waves are

“There’s this underlying message of raising our consciousness to a point where we can live in a state of peace right here, with the things we have. We don’t need to fill our life with more things or more drugs or more medicine; it’s all right here if we can slow ourselves down to it.” evate the consciousness of its listeners by triggering alpha brain wave patterns and renewing a sense of clarity and peace. McPoyle and Grosse say they like to perform music “for the priest class,” be it ministers, druids or shamans. “We can live in harmony with the land; this always comes through when we’re making the music,” McPoyle says. “There’s this underlying message of raising our consciousness to a point where we can live in a state of peace right here, with the things that we have. We don’t need to fill our life with more things or more drugs or more medicine; it’s all right here if we can slow ourselves down to it.” Though only 11 performances in at the time of this writing—including at the Salt Suite and the Love and Healing Energy Center, both in Delray Beach, and an ongoing monthly engagement in Delray’s Casa Mannabliss—Enter the Stargate emerged last year as an ambitious, bespoke synthesis of its creators’ talents. McPoyle, 33, is a breathwork instructor and classically trained singer and visual artist; Grosse, 38, is a revered drummer in the extreme metal scene, having played with bands such as Incantation, Hellwitch and Master. Partners in life and music, they formed Enter the Stargate just a few months after the met, in August 2022, on a forum for Leos, their shared star sign.

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directed at the body to promote better health.) Drawing from science and metaphysics, and the spiritual and the secular, the self-described “magickal frequency experience” of Enter the Stargate is a unique animal in the South Florida music space. McPoyle and Grosse are still building their concept, and developing relationships with the venues that fit best. At the time of this writing, they had just had a productive meeting with the Norton Museum. “We’re trying to create a vibe in sacred, beautiful spaces—gardens, museums, art galleries, places where people can stretch out and dance a little and be in a hypnotic state without being in a chair the whole time.” McPoyle and Grosse certainly have one element of traditional concert showmanship down pat: leaving the audience wanting more. At their show in that backyard tent in rural Lake Worth, an hour passed in what felt like 20 minutes; clearly, I had “journeyed” somewhere else. I emerged, as if from a successful spa treatment, bushy-tailed and alpha-brained, to the sound of mewing peacocks and occasional raindrops. Even the crickets seemed to be chirping in sync. For a while at least, all was well with the world.

january/february 2024

12/1/23 3:08 PM

IF YOU GO WHAT: “Sound Storm” with Enter the Stargate WHERE: Casa Manabliss, 2000 N. Federal Highway, Delray Beach WHEN: Jan. 11 and Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m. AARON BRISTOL

COST: $55 CONTACT: etsmusic.com

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PRESENTS

CHAPTER 17

Jo i n us i n t he hear t o f Down t ow n D elray for t h i s h igh - s pi r i t e d n igh t o f c o c ktail s , fa b u lou s fo o d by Ni c hol s o n Mui r and h i lar iou s comedy.

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Sponsorships & Tickets Available Now Please contact Kae Jonsons • 561.266.0798 or kae.jonsons@delraylibrary.org

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11/29/2023 10:48:54 AM

[ dine ] B Y C H R I S T I E G A L E A N O - D E M O T T

JIMMY’S BISTRO

9 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach 561/865-5774 PARKING Street parking / lots nearby This page, rigatoni Bolognese; opposite, from top left, roast duck, ceviche, pork dumplings

HOURS Sun. – Thurs., 5 – 9 p.m. Fri – Sat., 5 – 10 p.m. PRICES $18 – $48 WEBSITE jimmysbistrodelray.com

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january/february 2024

12/1/23 3:12 PM

Jimmy’s Bistro

This cozy neighborhood favorite has been a Delray icon for almost 15 years

AARON BRISTOL

s we settled into our table by the window, I started to hum, “Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name.” At first, I thought it was one of those random tunes that sometimes pop into my thoughts, but then I realized it was just my mind catching up to what I was observing. The hostess warmly greeted guests as they entered (some even by name), and bar patrons chatted among themselves like friends instead of strangers sitting in a row. To say the energy at this quaint bistro is welcoming is an understatement. Believe it or not, this was my first time dining at Jimmy’s, a Swinton Avenue staple for around 14 years. Perusing the colorful chalkboard menu hanging over the bar, I notice many cuisines inspire chef-owner James Mills, and I’m here for it. Jimmy’s Bistro is a casual neighborhood concept with a menu that has a broad appeal. If you’re craving Asian, Latin, Italian or good ol’ American comfort food, it’s all here and more. The server also proudly shared that the fish arrives daily from Delray’s Captain Clay and Sons Seafood Market. We started with the local ceviche ($24), a sizable appetizer portion with homemade chips. True to a classic ceviche, it was citrusy but had a spicy undertone that woke up my palate in the best way possible. january/february 2024

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And the red and green peppers gave it a wonderful crunch. We then traveled east with a sampling of the shao mai pork dumplings ($17). They were tender and delicate but also hearty, as they were stuffed— almost exploding—with savory pork and hints of ginger. For entrées, we chose a voyage to Italy with the house-made rigatoni in a Bolognese sauce ($32). The two-meat pasta was the definition of comfort food. It felt like mom had made it at home, perfecting the art of al dente noodles over many years. The roasted half duck ($48) was more of a chef-driven dish that came out nicely presented on the plate, perfectly seared on the outside and juicy on the inside. It was topped with a sweet orange glaze that made the flavors pop, and I happily dunked my forkful of basmati rice into it as well. There were only a few dessert options, but we didn’t need more after all that food. I appreciated that the sweet treats were simple; we chose the strawberry tart ($18). It was more of a deconstructed dessert with the berry compote topped with indulgent vanilla ice cream and a slim puff pastry. It was the perfect final flourish to our first dinner. Every neighborhood needs a welcoming restaurant serving consistently delightful dishes from a diverse menu, and downtown Delray is lucky to have just that at Jimmy’s Bistro. delray beach magazine

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Experts weigh in on how to keep your New Year’s resolutions

New Year's Resolu t

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u tion Survival Guide BY

Tyler Childress

he odds are stacked against us when it comes to making New Year’s resolutions. Studies show that a mere 8 to 12 percent of resolutions survive the year, with upwards of 80 percent being abandoned by February. At least those of us who don’t make the two-week mark have Quitter’s Day to look forward to, the second Friday of January that serves as a soft reboot for the lofty ambitions with which we started the year. The reasons for our resolutions fizzling out so quickly vary—from setting the bar too high and hitting unforeseen challenges to simply losing interest. Experts agree that going in with a plan is the most surefire way of staying committed to your goals. “There needs to be a plan, and you need to know how to execute it,” says Boca-based Life and Parenting Coach Elise Montgomerie, “and you also need to know what’s going to get in your way and what to do before that issue gets in your way.” Studies suggest it takes 21 days for any new activity to become a habit, so getting over the hump of the first three weeks is of utmost importance. We chatted with experts in the fields of common New Year’s resolutions for more advice on keeping our promises, and how to cross the many roadblocks along the way.

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the ideal budget Master of Budgets

JASON NUTTLE

Gaining control of personal finances is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions, and with inflation sending the cost of living through the roof, it’s never been a better time to get your finances in order. But while forming a reasonable budget looks great on paper, there’s always some new expense that comes up, whether it’s an

emergency car repair or subscribing to your 10th streaming service. Fortunately, Intercoastal Wealth Planning Certified Financial Planner Elizabeth Bennett has some tips for making a budget and sticking to it. “Set clear financial goals,” says Bennett. “You want to assess or review your current financial standing and take a snapshot of where you are.” Starting with getting a lock on the state of your finances is the crucial first step. Take inventory of every expense you make throughout the day, week and month. The next step is writing out your budget followed by the hard part, sticking to it. “If you can really do that and keep your spending contained, it’s a

Elizabeth Bennett

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have someone to help keep you accountable

good way to help you manage your financial life,” says Bennett. According to Bennett, an ideal budget spread should include 30 percent of gross monthly income going toward housing (including utilities, interest, homeowners insurance and property taxes), 25 percent going toward food and other necessities, 15 to 20 percent going to retirement and savings (preferably a high-yield savings account) for your emergency fund, and the rest (25 percent) used for discretionary spending (shopping, entertainment, etc.). But in times of economic turbulence, discretionary should be the first thing you’re cutting, which can be difficult. Bennett says to ask yourself, “what are some of the less expensive or free activities that you are able to do and take advantage of?”

25% Necessities

30%

housing

discretionary 25% 20% savings

Another way to cut expenses is to assess your monthly bills. “Some of those bills that are a fixed number, such as your cell phone bill or car insurance, call them and see if you can get a lower rate,” says Bennett. “There may be a plan that’s more economical for you.” Bennett also suggests having someone in your life to help keep you accountable to your budget. “Sometimes it’s easier to go through it with someone else,” says Bennett. “Whether it’s a friend or your parent or a financial advisor, find somebody that can help you hold yourself accountable.” Securities offered through Registered Representatives of Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a broker dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory, Insurance, and Tax Services offered through Bay Financial Planning and Tax Services, DBA Intercoastal Wealth Planning LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Cambridge and Bay Financial Planning and Tax Services, LLC are not affiliated.

Cleaning Out Your Closet

Everyone has at least one item that has outlived its usefulness that they just refuse to part ways with despite all appeals to reason. The result is emotionally charged clutter taking up space where other items—or better yet, nothing at all—could rest. Whether it’s a pair of shoes with sentimental ties or that Rolodex full of numbers you’ve already 46

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quick

tips take on small doable actions Bracha Hurwitz

programmed into your cellphone, local decluttering expert Bracha Hurwitz, owner of home organizing company Clear Co Florida, has some tips for getting rid of things around the house which are no longer serving you. “The most important thing is taking on really small doable actions,” says Hurwitz. “Start with a single drawer or a single shelf or a single closet and give yourself a time limit of the maximum amount of time you’ll spend on it.” As a professional organizer, Hurwitz understands the emotional value some items may have to their owners and urges would-be organizers to acknowledge that value but also appreciate an item in practical terms. “You loved it, it was amazing, you got good use out of it, and now it’s time to move on. You’ll get better use out of this space,” says Hurwitz. As for pricier clutter, Hurwitz advises to think about these items mathematically. “If you spent $1,000 on an item and used it for five years, that’s $200 a year; that’s a pretty good deal.” Once the decluttering is done, then comes the next step: maintenance. “People forget that with organizing, you need to maintain,” says Hurwitz. “You’re not going to wash your dishes once and expect them to

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be clean forever.” Fortunately, the maintenance is much easier than the decluttering. “If you came into a new house that was filthy, then you gotta deep-clean it,” says Hurwitz. “But once it’s clean, mopping it every week is pretty doable.” Hurwitz is always able to tell a noticeable difference in her clients after a deep decluttering. “It makes your life easier, saves time, builds a sense of peace—there’s so many benefits,” says Hurwitz. “You can spend your life focusing on what you love instead of focusing on organizing.”

Crunch Time

January 1 just might be the best day of the year for gyms. Memberships soar as people looking to shed those holiday pounds resolve to be more active in the new year. Unfortunately, those convictions wear thin by the time February rolls around, with one study revealing that nearly 50 percent

of gym memberships get canceled after the first month. For advice on how to combat fitness fatigue, we reached out to Johnny Olsen, owner of Johnny O’s Gymnasium in Boca. According to Olsen, the first step in any fitness journey is selecting the right gym. “Don’t join a gym because it’s around the corner from you,” says Olsen. “Join a gym that’s going to motivate you.” From there, he says, getting in shape is about three things: “hard work, sacrifice and discipline.” To maintain discipline, Olsen advises to create calendar appointments in your phone dedicated to workout sessions. “When you have an appointment that’s in your calendar, you’re much more likely to follow up on that,” says Olsen. But this discipline needs to extend to the kitchen as well, he adds. “You cannot out-train a bad diet.” For both exercise and diet, Olsen says that preparation is key. “When you eat good, when you train

properly and when you do proper fat burning is when you’re going to be at your best.” That means meal prepping and going into the gym with a plan instead of just hopping on the first elliptical you see. Because planning and executing an exercise regimen can be daunting, Olsen recommends using a personal trainer to get you started.

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Johnny Olsen

Join a gym that will motivate you.

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“The trainer will talk to you about what you need to do and show you how to do it,” says Olsen. But the real work begins when it comes to maintaining your exercise routine, and for that, Olsen recommends vigilantly monitoring your progress. “Progress is one calorie, it’s a half a mile an hour, it’s a half a pound more,” says Olsen. “And when you have progress and you can visually see it, you’re going to stick with your resolution.”

mated 44 million Americans experience “significant loneliness,” and the United States Department of Health and Human Services has declared the country in the midst of an ongoing “loneliness epidemic,” the consequences of which affect both our physical and mental well-being. Studies show that those suffering from loneliness are at a 29-percent increased risk of heart disease; a 32-percent

Make the Connection

The world has never been more connected, and people have never felt more alone. A recent Gallup poll found that an estiDr. Robin Vallacher

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increased risk of stroke; and a 50-percent increased risk of developing dementia. We spoke with Dr. Robin Vallacher, director of the Dynamical Social Psychology Lab at Florida Atlantic University, to get a better idea of why forming connections is so difficult and how to take the first step in doing it. “In today’s world, especially young people, with all the time spent on social media looking at their screens, they lost the usual sort of synchronous, nonverbal behaviors that occur in face-to-face interactions,” says Dr. Vallacher. Putting down the phone is step one, but doing so is easier said than done. “What social media does, is it doesn’t always tell you what you want,” says Dr. Vallacher. “It gives you things you can’t look away from.” The addictiveness of social media isn’t a bug, either; it’s a feature. “The people who make the algorithms understand psy-

chology and what hooks people.” To limit screen time, Dr. Vallacher suggests making a positive goal rather than a negative one. “Rather than trying to say ‘don’t do this,’ think what you can do in very detailed terms, and it’s easier to regulate and control yourself,” says Dr. Vallacher. “Spend 15 minutes in the morning or 20 minutes in the afternoon; make a very detail-specific plan.” Once the phone is cast aside, however, the real work begins. “Life is inherently awkward,” says Dr. Vallacher. “That fear of rejection is a very strong force,” one that requires a fair amount of courage to overcome. “You’ve got to take a risk and realize everyone’s in the same boat you are. People learn from failures and setbacks. ... But until you get to that point where you’re willing to take a risk, you’re not going to improve.”

Put down the phone!

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The History of New Year’s Resolutions The tradition of making New Year’s resolutions

Breaking the Habit

Despite the outpouring over the last half century of research indicating that smoking is just about the worst thing you can do to your body, many of us still fall victim to the siren call of cigarettes. According to a 2021 survey from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 22 percent (more than 60 million) Americans reported using nicotine products in the past 30 days. Quitting smoking may not be easy, but George Van Wie, tobacco cessation coordinator at Everglades Area Health Education Center, has some tips for ditching the cigarettes. “The first thing they have to do is decide they want to help themselves,” says Van Wie, and that “they have to change their mindset in terms of what their irrational beliefs are.” This means accepting that cigarettes aren’t the stress relievers we make them out to be.

George Van Wie

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dates back to the Babylonians more than 4,000 years ago. The new year began on the vernal equinox with a 12-day festival called “Akitu” wherein crops were planted, kings were crowned and the Babylonians made promises to pay off their debts before year’s end. The practice was later picked up by the Romans and medieval knights renewing their chivalrous vows, and eventually made its way to America by the 17th century, by which time New Year’s resolutions were so common that it was an amusing exercise to make and break them.

“People believe it helps them relax—it doesn’t—it’s a stimulant, so it kind of has the opposite effect,” says Van Wie, who recommends the same approach of mindset management when it comes to navigating nicotine withdrawal. “The biggest belief people have is that they will automatically gain weight when they quit smoking,” says Van Wie, and while it’s true that your metabolism does slow down after quitting smoking, “the problem isn’t so much that people quit smoking and their metabolism slows down; it’s that they substitute [with food].” Van Wie suggests better management of caloric intake, as well as exercise, to avoid weight gain. While there’s never been a better time to quit smoking due to a burgeoning field of therapeutics including acupuncture,

accept that cigarettes aren't stress relievers they are stimulants

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hypnotism, prescription drugs and more, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. “Really the one thing it comes down to is intent,” says Van Wie. “If somebody wants to quit smoking, then chances are they can do it.”

Keeping the Promise

The key to successfully keeping your New Year’s resolution ultimately relies on the willingness to change. While the concept of a “new year” is attached to ideas of rebirth and new beginnings, it’s still up to you to make it happen. “The people who it’s going to stick with are the people who, on just a random Wednesday, started to make a change in their life,” says Elise Montgomerie, who urges people to find their “why,” their reason for wanting to change in the first place. A New Year’s resolution is nothing if not a promise we make to ourselves, which Montgomerie believes should be held sacred. “We find it easier to break promises to ourselves, but in

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tips find your why! reality that is the worst person that you can do that to,” says Montgomerie. “It shows the world how they can treat you.”

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Fresh C 50

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Our own backyard offers the best fish and seafood in the country By Marie Speed

e have it all. We know this. A region bubbling over with different cultures and cuisines, languages, music, holidays. But sometimes we take for granted the undercurrent of natural bounty native to South Florida which, aside from farms and fruit and cattle, is seafood. Fish. Crustaceans. Between the Atlantic on one side and the Gulf on the other, and the tropical Keys curving southwest into Florida Bay and points beyond, South Florida has long been known as a sportsmen’s paradise, and a seafood diner’s delight. Within 20 minutes of my desk in Boca Raton are at least four fresh fish markets, not to mention the larger groceries and specialty markets that sell fish and seafood. On any given day, you can buy a pound of Key West pinks or fresh yellowtail, or pumpkin swordfish, if you’re lucky. These markets will steam a lobster for you, or sell you fancy olive oil and homemade smoked fish dip; one we know even has regular deliveries of fresh produce from Belle Glade if you’re in the mood for onestop shopping.

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South Florida has a much larger variety [than the Northeast]. ...they have cod, haddock, flounder, [not] the range we have: wahoo, mahi, cobia, swordfish, hogfish...all kinds of snapper ...” —Captain Clay Brand (pictured)

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We talked to a couple of market owners to see what they do, and what we’re buying, as well as the challenges they face and the pride they have in harvesting our local waters to bring us a fresh catch—whenever we want it. Captain Clay S. Brand, a Florida native and U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain, is synonymous with fishing (and catching) in Delray; he and his sons run Captain Clay and Sons Seafood Market. He’s been fishing these waters, from the Dry Tortugas and the Marquesas to the Bahamas and Cape Canaveral, for more than 40-some years with a “tight group of fishermen” who used to sell their catches to local markets. When Brand and his wife decided to open their own market in Delray in 2006, he

told his buddies, “This is where you bring your fish now—and that’s why we have the freshest fish,” he says. Brand often goes out fishing and spearfishing himself—leaving at 2 in the morning towing his Mako with twin 135s to Sebastian and Cape Canaveral, where he’ll be on the reef by dawn, and fish all day, getting home at 10 that night. “It’s a long day, but I have a lot of spots and GPS numbers I go to,” he says. In fact, the proliferation of GPS has changed fishing; more garden-variety fishermen are able to access their proven (and flagged) fishing spots within 10 or 15 feet, so “you have to work a little harder to get the same number of fish. There are a lot more fishermen fishing on the spot. You gotta move more.” Another change in fishing is the strict limits on certain species every year, to prevent overfishing. Clay thinks that’s a good thing (except when it comes to sharks, but more on that later), because “if you catch the last fish, the fishery is going to shut down. ... The reason we have all kinds of fresh fish is this kind of [conservation.]” Clay worked directly with state of Florida conservation agencies in the early 2000s, gathering data through his work like weight and grouper reproductive organs/gonads to determine breeding times for that species. “They determined that they come in but they don’t start breeding until April-May—that’s when the eggs are loose. But if you start fishing for them then, you might have 200 female groupers and two males—the males are the biggest and the most aggressive. When you start fishing for them, you get rid of the males right off the bat, and you have all these females unable to breed. The data that I and other people provided helped them realize that we have to shut [the fishery] down in January when they first start coming down so that you don’t get rid of the males.” Clay does not feel the same way about the current shark protection guidelines. “I used to go right out here and anchor up where all the yellowtail hang out, chum up the water and just start pulling up yellowtail one after the other, but now in the last 10 years they’ve been protecting the sharks because over in Asia they’ve been overfishing them. We decided to protect them here, so the worldwide population would not go down. We’ve got more here than we’ve ever had since

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Fish Markets We Love CAPTAIN CLAY’S 1319 N. Federal Highway, No. 1, Delray Beach, 561/266-2068. The “new” Delray location of Captain Clay’s may offer more room and an upgrade to the old store, but you can count on the same top-quality fish and seafood. The market tends toward more local fish, caught by Captain Clay himself or his circle of longtime local captains, and is duly known for its fresh fish— some caught the same day.

CAPTAIN FRANK’S, 435 W. Boynton Beach Blvd., Boynton Beach, 561/732-3663. The top-notch quality and wide selection of Captain Frank’s is practically legendary, with a dizzying array of everything from fresh fish, wild shrimp, conch, scallops, and all kinds of clams and shellfish, to a wall of olive oils and pastas and musthaves like anchovies and capers, homemade ravioli, a smattering of produce and more. And now the market features its own in-house sushi chef who wil make rolls and sushi to order while you wait.

LUFF’S FISH MARKET, 261 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, 561/668-2212. This is definitely a Boca version of a seafood market, with gourmet prepared foods from the owner’s popular high-end restaurants in addition to beautiful local and non-local fish and seafood selections. One-stop shopping in a sparkling atmosphere.

OLD DIXIE, 7000 N. Dixie Highway, Boca Raton, 561/988-0866. This family-owned (and very cute) market has been a hit since it opened its doors in 1996, and is the go-to for its smoked wahoo dip, for starters. But it also has everything else under the sun, from rock shrimp (you can’t find this anywhere) and wines to homemade salads, soups, beautiful fresh fish and stone crabs that will make you weep.

POP’S, 131 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach, 954/427-1331. This seafood market has everything (plus real character), and is the only one we know that serves lunch. Crab cakes? Shrimp cocktail? Fried grouper sandwich with okra? This is a longtime local gem with excellent quality and a wide range of fish and seafood. Down-home goodness. Luff’s Fish Market

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the beginning of time. … So now, as soon as you catch one or two yellowtail snappers, the sharks get there, eating them up. I think sometimes our conservation methods work very well, and other times they go overboard. I think the save-the-shark deal is one of those. We need to fix that.” But Brand isn’t complaining; he knows he’s in fishing heaven, despite South Florida’s growing

marine community and seasonal restrictions. In fact, there’s nowhere in the country where the fishing is better. “South Florida has a much larger variety [than the Northeast],” he says. “Up there they have cod, haddock, flounder. … They don’t have the whole range of good eating fish we have: wahoo, mahi, cobia, swordfish, hogfish. And all the kinds of snapper—vermillion,

FLORIDA FISH WE LOVE

YELLOWTAIL

HOGFISH

SHRIMP

TILEFISH

STONE CRABS

PERMIT

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TRIGGERFISH

SWORDFISH

LOBSTER

MAHI-MAHI

GROUPER

POMPANO

FLOUNDER

RED SNAPPER

mutton, mango snapper, queen snapper, yellow-eye snapper, blackfin snapper.” As for the quality controversy, he says it’s a myth that we don’t have cold-water fish (which have a higher fat content and are therefore thought to be tastier). “People think we don’t have cold-water fish because of the weather in the summertime, but I pull a fish out of the [deep] cold water on one of my electric reels, and when you are gutting it, it feels like you are sticking your hand in ice cubes, because the water here, even in summer, is very cold down there. When you fish the deep water for the golden tilefish, the snowy grouper, the yellowedge grouper, the mystic grouper, these deeper water fish are always excellent.” And Brand has the customers to prove it. The byword for Captain Clay’s market locally is its freshness. “When it comes out of the water and goes through the back door, we put it on the board—often the same day,” he says simply. The “board” is a whiteboard, scribbled in magic marker, which lists local fish that day, and in another column, the non-local ones for sale. The small market (which has a booth at the Delray Beach GreenMarket every Saturday) has a loyal following and a reputation for quality; it moved last year from its cramped Fourth Street storefront to 1319 N. Federal Highway, nine blocks up the road. Another market with a decidedly different vibe is the chic Luff ’s Fish Market on Palmetto Park Road in Boca Raton, owned and run by Arturo Gismondi, best known for his mini fine-dining empire comprised of Trattoria Romana, La Nouvelle Maison, Luff ’s Fish House and Biergarten. For Gismondi, the market is a perfect complement to his restaurants. He can order in greater volume, he can cherry-pick the fish he wants to serve in his restaurants, and he can also showcase selected signature restaurant dishes in the expansive refrigerated shelves along one wall. But why? Why would the busiest man in Boca’s restaurant business decide to add a fish market to his portfolio? “I just saw the synergy,” Gismondi says. “I found it was a good move for everything—for the customer in the area who wanted to eat at home and have a great piece of fish, and it’s great for the restaurants. It’s a win-win for everybody.” We tried to ask how he managed to do it all, but he only said he “lives close by” and “has

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I just saw the synergy [in opening the market]. It was a good move for the customer who wanted to eat at home and have a great piece of fish, and it’s great for the restaurants. It's a win-win for everybody.”

AARON BRISTOL

— Arturo Gismondi

Luff’s Fish Market

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Florida Fishing Icons Ted Williams, who died in Florida in 2002 at the age of 83, might be better known as “The Kid,” a professional baseball player for the Boston Red Sox and one of the greatest hitters in baseball history—but he was also a legendary angler and sport fisherman. Martyn Vickers, who fished with Williams for 30 years, is quoted as saying a good fly fisherman should be able to cast 50 to 60 feet; Williams’ “average cast was 85 to 95 feet.” Williams fished out of Islamorada for tarpon and bonefish, and was described by longtime guide Gary Ellis as “the best fly fisherman I’ve had on my boat.” He was inducted into the International Game Fish Association’s Fishing Hall of Fame in 2000.

DAVID MARLIN/ZUMA WIRE/ZUMAPRESS.COM

TED WILLIAMS

Ted Williams

ERNEST HEMINGWAY Ernest Hemingway changed the course of American writing and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. His larger-than-life macho sportsman persona was borne out by his prowess in big-game fishing, when he lived in Key West (1930s) and in Cuba (1940s and 1950s). Described as actually “shaping the sport” of big-game fishing, Hemingway is credited with developing fighting techniques, inventing advances in fishing tackle and crafting iterations to sport fishing boats, including a very rudimentary tuna “tower.” He served as vice president of the International Game Fish Association, and in his lifetime caught some record-breaking fish, including a 468-pound marlin off Cuba in 1954, the largest caught on a rod and reel at that time.

Ernest Hemingway

ROLAND MARTIN Roland Martin, known for his Roland Martin Marina on Lake Okeechobee as well as a TV show, “Fishing with Roland Martin,” is a legend in bass fishing circles, having won nine Bassmaster Angler of the Year titles between 1971 and 1985 and winning 19 elite-level B.A.S.S. tournaments. He is credited with the concept of “pattern fishing,” which identifies spots where fish gather through a set of water conditions including depth, temperature and other factors.

RICHARD STANCZYK

Roland Martin

Captain Richard Stanczyk grew up in Miami and began offshore fishing in the 1960s, buying the iconic Bud N’ Mary’s marina in Islamorada in the 1970s and becoming a bonefish guide of some renown. After the bonefish all but vanished, in the early 2000s, Stanczyk is credited with pioneering daytime swordfishing—they were traditionally only caught at nighttime—which required entirely different techniques. Angler’s Journal reported: “The team caught their first daytime broadbill—a 60-pounder—in 2003 using 15 pounds of concrete to take the bait down and hold it in place.” The Stanczyk family still runs Bud N’ Mary’s with its own fleet of fishing boats. Captain Richard and Nick Stanczyk, 2007

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great people working for me.” (He also said he’s thinking of opening a catering company in the future, but that’s another story.) The spacious market is an ode to having it all, as we said at the outset. Banks of snowy ice cradle mussels, clams, three kinds of shrimp and stone crabs; in one corner is an array of prepared dishes, including ceviche, octopus salad, hearts of palm salad, house smoked salmon, salmon burgers. There is mahi and snapper and grouper and more, and an enormous lobster tank bubbling at one end, full of heavy dark shapes lumbering along the bottom. Gismondi opened the market in 2020, and he says he’s been pleased with its success so far, but the biggest challenge is that “people in East Boca don’t cook all that much.” In that case, he carries prepared foods—the most popular foods from his restaurants— that people can heat up, including vodka and fra diavolo sauces, dips, salads, caviar, pâté, homemade bread—even desserts. “We have all the specialty products, the ratatouille, the langoustine and French bread from La Nouvelle. The Key lime pie and fish dip from Luff ’s. The eggplant pie and stuffed meatball and gnocchi from Trattoria. … If anything, we want to pursue even more of the prepared items. … And, we have the best desserts here,” he says. “Who would have thought to buy a dessert at the fish market? But our pastry chef at the French restaurant does all the desserts…” Gismondi’s restaurants, plus the market, allow him to buy a higher volume of fish, and over the years he has built up a strong relationship with quality vendors. “We are very fortunate that we have a great local supplier. The fish that comes in here is amazing. We also have relationships with fisheries in the Northeast so we can buy in bulk for the restaurants and also bring it to the fish market. … Originally, I just wanted to do South Florida, but we have a lot of customers from the Northeast. It’s a good way of showing them the freshness that we have.” Gismondi says, “The most beautiful thing is that everything on display here can go right to the restaurants. Tomorrow we start all new again; other fish markets don’t have that ability.” As you’d expect with a clientele heavily from the Northeast, Gismondi says his most popular fish is salmon.

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BLUE HEAVEN’S YELLOWTAIL (Serves two) Although most cooks who prepare fish often (including Captain Clay and Arturo Gismondi) believe in a very simple approach to fresh fish, here’s a chance to get fancy—with a recipe from a Key West icon.

“We get it from the Faroe Islands—there’s no bloodlines and no belly meat—it’s all prime. You are dealing with prime cuts; that’s why you are paying a little extra, too. It’s all fresh. That was the goal, and I’ve reached it too. Just give me the freshness. Fish is very perishable, and you also have to watch when you get it in as well. You have to make sure it wasn’t mishandled when you get it in; that’s very important— fortunately through the years we’ve had great purveyors.” As for his own favorites, Gismondi likes our own local yellowtail, although he also says you can’t beat a steamed Maine lobster. He is also smitten with soft-shell crabs, which he gets from a North Florida/Georgia coast supplier. And, as was true with Captain Clay Brand, Gismondi said an excellent—but relatively underappreciated—fish is the golden tilefish, which is sold at both markets. People tend to stick with what they know, Gismondi says, although his onsite Chef Anthony is available to tell any of his customers exactly how to cook any fish they buy.

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“Every fish is different, and the fresher a fish, the quicker it cooks. There was a time,” he says, “when beef needed to be rare and fish needed to be well done, but you get different flavors of fish cooking at different temperatures, especially fresh fish. It makes a big difference.” Gismondi likes to fish, although he doesn’t claim to be a fisherman. And he loves the Keys. Just as Captain Clay sees it, he thinks people living here are lucky to have the kind of connection we have to the sea—and its seafood. “We have the Gulf Stream,” he says. “You have the Bahamas and the Keys. We have a great fishing area, and it’s 12 months out of the year. The weather is appropriate for it. I remember growing up in New York and we’d go fishing for six months; the other six months, the boat was in the shop. Also, the inlets are so close by, you are right out in the water. In New York you’d have to travel an hour or 45 minutes to just get to the marina. We’re kind of spoiled that way. South Florida is very unique and very inviting.”

INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon lime juice 1/4 cup whipping cream 5 tablespoons cold butter Salt and pepper to taste 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 6- to 8-ounce yellowtail snappers PREPARATION For citrus beurre blanc, combine wine and juices in a pan and boil until reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 10 minutes. Add cream and simmer to about 1 1/4 cup and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 4 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and pepper, set aside and keep warm. Meanwhile, pour flour in a shallow dish and dip fillets in it to coat. Melt remaining butter in a pan and cook fillets, turning once, until fish flakes easily, about 8 minutes. Serve fish over a pool of beurre blanc with fried plantains, steamed fresh green beans and fresh corn. —diningandcooking.com

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[ home ]

A Touch Of The Blues We’re looking at 50 shades of blue this year as this versatile coastal hue helps refine this dazzling South Florida interior.

JESSICA GLYNN

Written by Christie Galeano-DeMott

A dining room reimagined in calm blues and natural light

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JESSICA GLYNN

[ home ]

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Designer Krista W. Alterman had a challenge when tasked with transforming an ornate South Florida Mediterranean house into a more light-filled, contemporary space— without losing the charm of the original. She embraced this Italian villa’s striking architecture while transforming its drab interiors into sun-drenched contemporary spaces that are as lavish as they are livable—with a strategic placement of blue accents and furnishings throughout. OPPOSITE PAGE Top left: The bedroom’s Made Goods kabibe shell chandelier and table lamps add metallic, modern touches. The stark white is complemented by blue chairs and accent pillows. Top right: The homeowners opted to keep the kitchen’s original hammered silver sink and range hood crafted of hammered metal and polished nickel. The fresh but subdued blue cabinetry warms the space, while offering a continuity in the home’s color palette. Bottom: The living room has 29-foot ceilings, so Alterman used large blue and white area rugs to ground the open floor plan, help absorb sound and deliver a sense of warmth and relaxation. THIS PAGE Top: The family room overlooks the pool and features airy Kravet drapes, while the plush Holly Hunt sectional and Interlude Home armchairs infuse the space with comfort and ease. Right: The long traditional hallway has as its focal point a painting of the ocean by local artist Megan James.

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A different kind of horse power.

A FUNDRAISER TO SUPPORT CHILDREN LIVING WITH PARENTAL ALCOHOLISM & ADDICTION

Thursday, February 22, 2024 • 6:30 PM to 10:30 PM

FO RT IC

Hosted by BMW of Delray Beach • 1311 Linton Boulevard • Delray Beach, FL 33444

Using horses to help children living with parental alcoholism & addiction since 2009.

A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS

[ out & about ]

Charlene and Richard Johnson

Patrick Tenbrink, Elizabeth Tenbrink, Pierson Tenbrink, Pierce Kenny, Harry Tenbrink

Giles Stambaugh, Tori Willard

HANLEY FOUNDATION’S FAMILY PICNIC

Elizabeth Matthews, Chip James, Rachel Docekal

Ellen DuPree, Kim Koslow, Deja Gilbert, Hester Williams

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WHAT: The Hanley Foundation’s Family Picnic returned for its 28th year to benefit substance misuse prevention programming in schools throughout Florida. More than 200 of the organization’s supporters and their families enjoyed the fall-themed waterfront event, which included lunch, live entertainment, a silent auction, and kids’ activities ranging from a live petting zoo to a dazzling magic show. The event’s highlight was the reveal of the winners for the Hanley Foundation’s annual Alcohol Prevention Poster Design Contest, wherein kids through grades K-12 submitted art fitting the theme of “The Best Me is Alcohol Free.” Sponsors included Origins Behavioral Healthcare, Hanley Family Foundation, Gratitude House and more.

Patricia Warner and John Picket

WHERE: Lake Pavilion in West Palm Beach

James and Taylor Schneider and their daughters

delray beach magazine

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[ out & about ]

Shona Castillo

Lisa Levinson, Lisa Ricco

WITCHES OF DELRAY BEACH BIKE RIDE WHAT: More than 400 Delray “witches” grabbed their brooms and “took flight” on a seaside route along A1A to raise funds benefiting Delray’s Achievement Centers for Children & Families (ACCF). The ride was the finale of a monthlong event series benefiting ACCF, which also included the Witchy Walk at Sandoway Discovery Center, the Hocus Pocus Brunch at Del Fuego, and Witch Trivia and the annual Witches Brew fundraiser, both at Tim Finnegans Irish Pub. The witches’ ride hit the finish line at Anchor Park, where guests enjoyed live music and an awards ceremony wherein witches were awarded for best costume, best broom (bike), best witch cackle and best group theme. Funds raised from Delray’s witchy events totaled more than $33,000, all of which supports ACCF’s programs and the families and children it serves within the community. WHERE: Downtown Delray Beach

Nathalie Riseley

Deborah Dowd, Leonora Andersson

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Judges Marusca Gatto, Amanda Perna, Deborah Dowd

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ACCF Platinum Steppers

Brandy Lee

ETHAN DANGERWING

Janell Murphy Smith, Ashytn Smith

Jennifer Botsford

Dr. Diana Carrau, Dr. Francesca Lewis, Marissa Randazzo

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delray beach magazine

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[ out & about ] FEMCITY BOCA DELRAY’S 12THANNIVERSARY CONNECTION EVENT WHAT: FemCity Boca Delray, an organization dedicated to fostering support for women in business, celebrated its 12th anniversary with a networking event that drew more than 65 “Fems” to Copperfish Kitchen in Boca Raton. Guests were treated to business advice from guest speaker and FemCity Founder Violette de Ayala as they enjoyed a delicious lunch, and the organization also celebrated the induction of its new president, Reba Larney. FemCity’s philanthropic partner, Diaper Bank, Covering South Florida, was also in attendance and shared with the crowd the incredible work they’ve done for women and children in Palm Beach County with the help of FemCity. WHERE: Copperfish Kitchen in Boca Raton

Michelle Olson-Rogers, Natalie Hatjes, Christina Karas, Melanie De Vito, Reba Larney, Pattie Goldenberg, Michelle Ballaun, Leslie Excell, Maru Acosta

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SB MEDIA GROUP

Leslie Excell, Melanie De Vito, Reba Larney, Pattie Goldenberg

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Kery Knutsen, Dawn Burke, Sandi Dalton

Dawn Cirone, Stephanie Edison, Lindsay Muntz

Pamela Polani, Natalie Hatjes, Typhani Ali

Stacey Luces, Reba Larney, FemCity Founder Violette de Ayala

Jojo Sauvage, Amy Wasserman, Michelle Ballaun, Evelyn Falconer

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Dre Garcia, Margi Cross, Reilly Glasser

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[ out & about ] JUNIOR LEAGUE OF BOCA RATON WOMAN VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR KICK-OFF WHAT: The Junior League of Boca Raton (JLBR) announced its highly anticipated list of 50 nominees for the Woman Volunteer of the Year award at a reception hosted by the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation and Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute. The list of women were nominated for their work at nonprofits throughout South Florida and their tireless dedication to serving their communities. The event served as a kickoff for the JLBR’s Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon hosted at The Boca Raton on Nov. 10. WHERE: Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute

Renata Sans deNegri, Pam Polani, Ashley Bacon, Julie Peyton

Tracie Swanson, Betsy Owen, Christine Turner, Brit Sanford

Elizabeth Pankey-Warren, Danielle Rosse, Amy Kazma

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Cristina Lewis, Suzy Broad, Victoria Matthews, Dre Garcia

Nancy Dockerty and Margaret L. Blume

Debbie Kellogg, Kristin Calder, Sharon Hill

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It's not the handbag, it's not the shoes... Never Boring

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DELRAY’S FAVORITE DINNER PARTY IS ON AGAIN—AND FIVE BLOCKS LONG! P R ES ENTED B Y P R ES ENTED B Y

magazine magazine

To learn more about Savor the Avenue, visit Bocamag.com/Savor-The-Avenue-2024 or DowntownDelrayBeach.com/SavorTheAvenue

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EVENT DE TAILS

WHERE: Right on the street, outdoors on East Atlantic Avenue, at tables stretching from Swinton Avenue to East Fifth Avenue/U.S. 1. #OUTSIDEDINING WHEN: Monday, March 25, 2024, 5:30-9 p.m. WHO IT BENEFITS: EAT BETTER LIVE BETTER. The mission of Eat Better Live Better is to prevent, reverse and reduce childhood obesity and other dietary-related illnesses by pro-

viding healthy foods and nutrition education to our food-insecure neighbors. The program offers grocery assistance for Palm Beach County families and seniors, and healthy snack packs for children in schools, camps and after-school programs. It provides a turkey to every teacher and support staff in our public schools. Eat Better Live Better’s vision is that all children, families and individuals have access to nutrition education and healthy foods regardless of background or life experiences.

HOW YOU CAN GO: This is a RESERVATION-ONLY style event!! Guests cannot buy tickets to the event; reservations must be made directly with the participating restaurants of your choice. Review the restaurant listings on the following page; menus are available online at bocamag. com/Savor-The-Avenue-2024 or DowntownDelrayBeach.com/SavorTheAvenue or at the restaurant. But you have to act fast; when reservations open up Feb. 1, 2024, seats go quickly, and the event is usually sold out. Reservations reserved with a credit card depend on each restaurant’s policy. Each restaurant has a limited number of seats at its table on Atlantic Ave for the event. The total capacity for this event is between 900 and 1,000 people. **However, all the restaurants both participating in the event and along the street will be open for dinner service!! That is what makes this event so much FUN! HOW TO CHECK IN AT THE EVENT: REMEMBER: East Atlantic Ave is closed, because the actual event is in the street!! You’ll need to check in at the restaurant location on the Avenue the night of; you’ll get a wristband and a lanyard to identify you as a Savor participant, which you are required to wear. For more particulars, please visit DowntownDelrayBeach.com/SavorTheAvenue. TABLE DÉCOR CONTEST: Savor the Avenue restaurants will be competing for the “Best in Show” table. From elegant to eclectic, each restaurant stages a unique theme through its table settings to showcase its special style or cuisine. Arrive early and walk the Avenue to view the beautifully decorated tables. DEBRA SOMERVILLE

WHAT IT IS: This signature tradition of dining under the stars down the middle of Atlantic Avenue is here again—our 15th year!—featuring a multicourse legendary downtown Delray Beach dining experience you won’t want to miss.

SHARE YOUR PHOTOS FROM THE EVENING! #DowntownDelray • #BocaMag • #SavorTheAvenue • #OUTDOORDINING

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DINNERTIME! 5:30 P.M. TO 6:15 P.M.: After checking in, enjoy a welcome drink at a welcome reception provided by each participating restaurant. Locate your seats at Florida’s longest dining table, and prepare to enjoy a beautiful night. 6:15 P.M.: Seating begins, and your Delray hosts will welcome you. 6:30 P.M. TO 9 P.M.: Dinner begins, with four courses of sheer indulgence, served with custom adult beverage pairings. 7:30 P.M.: The table décor contest winner will be announced. GOING GREAT LENGTHS This year, the layout of Savor will return to its traditional five-block-long dining table, an elegant yet communal experience that is the hallmark of this beloved event. ATTIRE: Downtown Delray Beach evening casual or themed attire, depending on the restaurant motif. PARKING: Public parking lots and garage parking are available, as well as some valet locations. Atlantic Avenue will be closed during the event.

Side streets will remain open for vehicle access. (East Atlantic Avenue is closed from Swinton to Federal Highway to vehicle traffic.) AVAILABLE GARAGES: • Old School Square Parking Garage • Northeast First Street and Northeast First Avenue • Robert Federspiel Garage • Southeast First Avenue between Atlantic and Southeast First Street • 4th & 5th Delray Garage Southeast Fourth Avenue between Atlantic and Southeast First Street Visit DowntownDelrayBeach.com/ Parking for more information. SHARE YOUR PHOTOS FROM THE EVENING! #DowntownDelray #BocaMag #SavorTheAvenue #OUTDOORDINING We ask that you please Savor responsibly. Produced by Downtown Development Authority of Delray Beach, FL, Delray magazine and Boca magazine.

THE RESTAURANTS: AVALON STEAK AND SEAFOOD Delray’s sumptuous seafood and chophouse is a crowd pleaser. CABANA EL REY Our beloved (and hip) Cuban restaurant has all the moves—and great Latin cuisine. CAFFE LUNA ROSA This oceanside Italian bistro is a tradition for locals as well as tourists. CITY OYSTER The heart of the Avenue, with its long friendly bar and diverse menu, is a seeand-be-seen dining spot. COSTA BY OK&M This fresh farm-to-table restaurant features innovative dishes sourced from local vendors. ELISABETTA’S From pastas to pizzas and a great outdoor porch, this is Delray’s Saturday night central. LE COLONIAL The Avenue’s glamorous French-Vietnamese dining experience is both chic—and delicious. LEMONGRASS This Asian restaurant is a tried-and-true Avenue benchmark, with a mean sake selection. LIONFISH Delray’s buzzy and stylish seafood restaurant has been a hit from day one. ROCCO’S TACOS Tableside guac, Taco Tuesdays and an epic Avenue hangout make this a Delray fave. ROCK STEADY STEAKHOUSE This new Delray addition offers a modern spin on the traditional chophouse, with prime steaks and seafood. ROSE’S DAUGHTER Mom’s Sunday Italian dinner—with a fresh new spin—is elevated comfort food. SALT 7 An elaborate nightlife merges with creative and flavorful surf and turf at this trendy chophouse. VIC AND ANGELO’S This longtime Avenue staple is great Italian on the right side of the tracks. THE WINE ROOM Delray’s definitive wine tasting experience and restaurant has a loyal following.

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SPONSORS * : 4th and 5th Delray Sundy Village International Materials Grimes Events and Party Tents Avalon

*These sponsors reflect sponsors to date at magazine press deadline.

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DELRAY

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dining guide

Your resource for Greater Delray Beach’s finest restaurants

STAFF PICK

IF YOU GO Left, grilled octopus; above, lobster roll

The Hampton Social

PARKING: Parking lot HOURS: Mon.–Thurs., 11 a.m.–11 p.m.; Fri., 11 a.m.–1 a.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.–1 a.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.–10 p.m. PRICES: $9–$39 WEBSITE: thehamptonsocial.com

AARON BRISTOL

hen I first heard that Delray was getting a new restaurant called The Hampton Social, I must admit its “rosé all day” lifestyle conjured a trendy bar with mediocre food that one would ingest for the sake of not getting terribly tipsy on the blush wine. I get it: Rosé is cherished for being a crisp, fresh, easy-drinking sip. And we’ve all heard the catchy sayings (“you had me at rosé,” anyone?) that have joined its rise in popularity. But let me tell you, The Hampton Social doesn’t just slay its rosé; its food is equally as tempting. Exuding major casual-coastal vibes, The Hampton Social does a standout job of incorporating its 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 and spicy Sunburnt Margarita. Its seafaring design is more Insta-worthy than tired nautical, with bright floral walls and chic herringbone ceilings sharing the space with rope detailing and glowing shell chandeliers. The rosé menu boasts about 10 options (including The Hampton Social’s own namesake wine) alongside other wines by the glass and bottle, cocktails, zero-proof drinks (pro tip: you can add alcohol to any of these too) and beer. We ordered two appetizers, a handheld and an entrée to share. I was impressed by how quickly the food came out but was taken aback when it all hit the table at the same time. The waiter recommended the grilled octopus ($24) that he assured us would not be chewy or slimy, and it certainly was not. It was tender, herbaceous, and accompanied by a

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mixture of capers, pistachios and oven-roasted potatoes. It’s topped with greens tossed in a vinaigrette, adding a nice acidity to the dish. The second appetizer, the crispy quesadilla ($16), was a unique take on a dish I’ve seen hundreds of times on menus. It was a welcome surprise. Creamy goat cheese is slathered on one crispy tortilla and topped with honey and balsamic vinegar for that balance of sweet and zingy before it’s topped with another crispy tortilla and a bit of tart arugula. I couldn’t go to a New England-inspired restaurant without trying the lobster roll ($34), offered in both Manhattan (I always called it Connecticut, but nonetheless, it’s warm and buttery) or Maine (chilled and creamy) styles. I opted for the cool lobster. It’s served on a buttery brioche that could not have been more perfect—toasted but not too hard, and warm but not too hot. The tender meat is tossed in a juicy mayoand-parsley mix and hits it out of the park. As we were enjoying the spicy pipette pasta ($24), which delivered on its name, the manager came by to check on us—a noteworthy and appreciated touch. The Calabrian peppers certainly offer an after-kick to the dish, but the creaminess of the vodka sauce doesn’t let it linger or destroy your palate. We cooled down with a fruit-forward and refreshing blueberry bread pudding ($15) that provided a minty and citrusy finale to an overall relaxed and enjoyable meal that made me wish it was a rosé kind of day every day. —Christie Galeano-DeMott

delray beach magazine

AARON BRISTOL

This fun rosé-all day place is easy, bright and delicious

12/4/23 9:39 AM

DINING KEY $ Inexpensive: under $17 $$ Moderate: $18 to $35 $$$ Expensive: $36 to $50 $$$$ Very expensive: $50+ DELRAY BEACH 50 Ocean—50 S. Ocean Blvd. Seafood. The former Upper Deck at Boston’s on the Beach is now the more upscale, seafood-oriented spot. The menu ranges from familiar to slightly more inventive, from a classic lobster bisque and crisp-tender fried clam bellies to rock shrimp pot pie and baked grouper topped with blue crab. The cinnamon-dusted beignets are puffs of amazingly delicate deep-fried air and should not under any circumstances be missed. • Lunch Mon.-Sat. Dinner nightly. Brunch Sun. 561/278-3364. $$

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-seafoodhouse 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. $$$

Akira Back—233 N.E. 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 nightly. 561/739-1708. $$$$

turkey meatballs in Parmesan-enhanced broth, and Cremona pizza with a sweet-salty-earthy-pungent mélange of pears, pancetta, Gorgonzola, sun-dried figs and mozzarella. • Dinner nightly. 561/381-0037. $$

chio 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. $$

Atlantic Grille—1000 E. Atlantic Ave. Seafood/ Contemporary American. This posh restaurant in the luxurious Seagate Hotel & Spa is home to a 450-gallon aquarium of tranquil moon jellyfish and a 2,500-gallon shark tank. Savor inventive cuisine that takes the contemporary to the extraordinary. Bold flavors, inspired techniques and the freshest ingredients make every meal a culinary adventure. • Lunch and dinner daily. Brunch Sat.–Sun. 561/665-4900. $$

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 trufflescented wild mushroom pizza. • Dinner nightly. Sunday brunch. 561/638-6380. $$

Avalon Steak and Seafood—110 E. Atlantic Ave.

Cabana El Rey—105 E. Atlantic Ave. Cuban Tropical.

Seafood. The enticing reasons we all go to a steakhouse are present here—boozy cocktails, a diverse wine list, dry aged steaks, prime cuts, rich accompaniments, decadent sides and more. The menu is then enhanced with a selection of seafood like a raw bar medley of oysters, shrimp and crab alongside the customary octopus, fish, scallops and lobster. Don’t miss Avalon’s signature dish, the Angry Lobster. • Dinner nightly. 561/593-2500. $$$$

Little Havana is alive and well in Delray. The menu is a palette-pleasing travelogue, including starters like mariquitas (fried banana chips) and main courses such as seafood paella (think mussels, shrimp, clams, conch, scallops and octopus). • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/274-9090. $$

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. $

Bar 25 Gastropub— 25 S.E. Sixth Ave. American. Taking inspiration from the Northeast, the menu boasts staples like Philly cheesesteak, Rhode Island clams, pierogis, Old Bay fries and plenty of mootz (aka mozzarella). Loyal to its gastropub DNA, dishes here aren’t complicated or complex but satisfying, interesting takes on the familiar without being boring. • Lunch and dinner daily, weekend brunch. 561/359-2643. $

Beg for More Izakaya—19 S.E. Fifth Ave. Japanese

Amar Mediterranean Bistro—522 E. Atlantic Ave. Lebanese. From the moment you step inside, there’s a familial feeling, a hidden gem that everyone is drawn to. Amar is a quaint bistro amidst the buzzy Atlantic Avenue that serves Lebanese food. But this isn’t your typical hummus and pita joint. Here, the proprietor’s family recipes take center stage alongside Mediterranean favorites that have been elevated with slight tweaks. • Dinner nightly. 561/278-3364. $$

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. $$

Angelo Elia Pizza • Bar • Tapas— 16950 Jog

Brulé Bistro—200 N.E. Second Ave. Contemporary American. The regular menu of 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 pista-

Road. Italian. Nothing on the menu of Angelo Elia’s modCern, small plates-oriented osteria disappoints, but particularly notable are the meaty fried baby artichokes stuffed with breadcrumbs and speck, delicate chicken-

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Caffe Luna Rosa—34 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach. Italian. This multiple Delray Beach-award winning restaurant has sparkling service, comfort food taken to a higher level, and a setting just steps from the Atlantic. Open since 1993, and a success since then, 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. $$

Casa L’Acqua—9 S.E. Seventh Ave. Italian. Diners can expect white tablecloths, tuxedoed staff and attentive service at this fine-dining restaurant. 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. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/563-7492. $$

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. $$

Coco Sushi Lounge & Bar—25 N.E. Second Ave. 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. 561/908-2557. $$ january/february 2024

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Costa By OK&M—502 E. Atlantic Ave.. Contemporary American. Hipper decor, a more casual vibe and an inventive take on steakhouse 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 wet-aged beef is appropriately tender and tasty. • Dinner nightly. 561/272-9898. $$ Cut 432—432 E. Atlantic Ave. Steakhouse. Hipper decor, a more casual vibe and an inventive take on steakhouse favorites make this sleek restaurant just different enough to be interesting. Starters such as ceviche (prepared Peruvian style) and ultrarich oysters Rockefeller are first-rate, while the wet-aged beef is appropriately tender and tasty. • Dinner nightly. 561/272-9898. $$$ 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 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. $

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 toast 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 Wed.Mon. 561/270-3156. $ El Camino—15 N.E. Second Ave. Mexican. This 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. $$ january/february 2024

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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. 561/650-6699. $$ The Grove—187 N.E. Second Ave. Contemporary American. The Grove, which has been tucked inside the tranquil Pineapple Grove District for nearly a decade, continues to surprise diners with its vibrant dishes. The upscale but casually comfortable nook has an international wine list that spans the globe and a seasonal menu that’s succinct and well-thought-out. • Dinner Tues.–Sat. 561/266-3750. $$$$

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. $$

Avenue is big on taste and ambience, and has been busy since 2009. You can travel the world with dumplings, conch fritters, pork schnitzel, rigatoni Bolognese, étouffée and more. Reservations are recommended at this laid-back, comfortable venue. • 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. 561/2726100. $$ La Cigale—253 S.E. Fifth Ave. Mediterranean. Popular venue since 2001, with Greek and Italian dishes and more. Highlights are seafood paella, roasted half duck and grilled jumbo artichoke appetizer. Lots of favorites on the menu: calf ’s liver, veal osso buco, branzino, seafood crepes. Nice outdoor seating if weather permits. • Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/265-0600. $$

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. $$$

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. $$

J&J Seafood Bar & Grill—634 E. Atlantic Ave. 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. • Lunch and dinner Tues.–Sat. 561/272-3390. $$ Jimmy’s Bistro—9 S. Swinton Ave. Contemporary American. This small gem off noisy Atlantic Burrata and vegetable salad from Elisabetta’s

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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 and everyone in between. 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. 561/566-1800. $$$ Lemongrass Bistro—420 E. Atlantic Ave. PanAsian. 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. 561/2785050. (Other Palm Beach County locations: 101 Plaza Real S., Boca Raton, 561/544-8181; 1880 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach, 561/733-1344). $ Lionfish—307 E. Atlantic Ave. Seafood. Focusing on sustainable and locally sourced ingredients, Lionfish’s menu is diverse while its coastal décor is both stylish and comfortable. Choose from oysters, octopus,

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Lulu’s—189 N.E. Second Ave. American. Lulu’s in

American. Your office is nothing like this eclectic gastropub, unless your office sports more than two dozen craft beers on tap. 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. 561/276-3600. $$

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. $

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. $

MIA Kitchen & Bar—7901 W. Atlantic Ave. 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. $$$

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. $$

Racks Fish House + Oyster Bar—5 S.E. Second Ave. Seafood. Gary Rack, who also has scored with his spot in Mizner Park, certainly seems to have the

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specialty sushi rolls, fresh catches and, of course, the namesake white flaky fish in a variety of preparations, including whole fried and as a bright ceviche. Make sure to save room for the Key Lime Pie Bombe dessert. • Dinner nightly. Brunch weekends. 561/639-8700. $$$

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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. While not your traditional Italian trattoria, it is a place to find new favorites and revisit old standbys updated with delicious ingredients and high standards. Try the Monetcolored lobster risotto, or housemade pasta, pizza, bread and desserts. • Dinner Wed.-Sun. 561/271-9423. $$

Salt7—32 S.E. Second Ave. Modern American. All the

Prices are reasonable; leftovers are popular. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/272-5540. $$

Taki Omakase—632 E. Atlantic Ave. Japanese. Taki Omakase, a shining example of omakase done right, is pricy but worth it, so long as you 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. $$$$

pieces needed to create a top-notch restaurant are here: talented chef, great food, excellent service. From the pea risotto to the crab cake to the signature steaks and a lot more, this is a venue worth the money. Thanks goes to Executive Chef Paul Niedermann, who won TV’s notorious “Hell’s Kitchen” show, and his talent is displayed here on the plate. • Dinner Mon.-Sat. Brunch Sunday. 561/274-7258. $$$

Terra Fiamma—9169 W. Atlantic Ave. Italian. The

Sazio—131 E. Atlantic Ave. Italian. This long-lived

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

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.

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. 561/495-5570. $$

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. $$$

Veg Eats Foods—334 E. Linton Blvd. Creative Vegan. This is comfort food for everyone; the dishes will impress carnivores, too. Smell the fresh coconut vegetable curry soup, which tastes as good as it sounds. Try the grilled brawt sausage, the Ranch chixn, the banh mi and a Ruben—all from plant-based ingredients that will fool your taste buds. • Lunch daily. 561/562-6673. $ 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. Thincrust pizzas are family-friendly, but you won’t want to share the Quattro Formaggi Tortellini filled with al dente pear and topped with truffle cream. If you have room for dessert, the classic sweets include cannoli and a tiramisu. • Dinner nightly, brunch weekends. 561/278-9570. $$ WEB EXTRA: check out our complete dining guide only at BOCAMAG.COM.

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[ community connection ] B Y R I C H P O L L A C K

Ed Kosiec Founder and President, Every Second Counts CPR

THEN:

Ed Kosiec was a healthy guy who focused on being in good physical shape. With a 50th birthday just over the horizon, he began taking yoga classes, then started running 5K races, 10K races, half marathons and marathons. “I was in the best shape of my life, and I felt like I was 18 again,” he recalls. Kosiec, now 56, had just finished a 10-mile training run on a March day four years ago and had a hankering for a Chick-filA sandwich. Kosiec and his wife sat in the Boynton Beach restaurant until, without warning, he started getting dizzy and sweating. He got up to get some air and never made it; He was in full cardiac arrest and had collapsed at the table. Seeing what had happened, the manager called out asking if any of the 30 or so people in the restaurant knew CPR. Silence filled the room until then-18-year-old Sarah Van Roekel, a Medical Sciences Academy student at Boynton Beach High who was working the French fry machine, came racing out and began administering compressions. Paramedics would soon arrive and had to shock Kosiec four times before jump-starting his heart.

NOW:

A passionate crusader for people to learn CPR, Kosiec founded the nonprofit Every Second Counts CPR in 2019 and has been preaching its life-saving values ever since. “I want to spread awareness,” he says. “I decided to have a voice.” Kosiec attended training programs within months of recovering from the cardiac arrest and became a certified CPR instructor. In May of 2021, he took an almost four-month leave of absence from his real estate business, bought an RV and traveled the country, stopping in all 48 mainland states to spread the message. Wherever he went, he would set up his tent or a table, display his mannequins and start sharing his CPR story. Kosiec also worked closely with local state representatives to help pass legislation in 2021 that requires high school freshmen and juniors to take one hour of instruction on administering CPR. He is now involved with two national CPR advocacy groups and attends an annual national rally in Washington, D.C., that he created to spread awareness.

AARON BRISTOL

“It’s important for me to have a voice for so many who wished they had had someone to step up to the plate and save a life. Everyone can do it. It just takes two hands.”

Ed Kosiec

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2023 – 2024 SEASON CLASSICAL CONCERT SERIES

DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Jader Bignamini, Music Director Alisa Weilerstein, cello February 17–18 Saturday at 7:30pm Sunday at 2pm Tickets start at $35

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For tickets, visit kravis.org • Group sales: 561.651.4438

All programs, artists, dates, prices and seating are subject to change.

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