Issuu

MARS MISSION 1 SURVIVING THE KESSLER EFFECT

PALM BEACH

SUMMER 2026

LUXURY MAGAZINE

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PALM BEACH

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ROLLS-ROYCE AND YACHTING: A SHARED HERITAGE

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A SPRINGTIME VISION TO CARRY INTO THE YEAR AHEAD

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ROLLS-ROYCE SPECTRE INSPIRED BY PRIMAVERA EVANESCENT - SPIRIT OF ECSTASY

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, NJ 07675-1227 Tel: 1-877-877-3735 | www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com © Copyright Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The Rolls-Royce name and logo are registered trademarks. Summer 2026

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The Nature of Jean

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8 Metropolitan Palm Beach | metmagny.com Metropolitan Magazine | metmagny.com

chlumberger.

July 2023 April 2025 Summer 2026

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PHOTOGRAPHER: DAVID SCAROLA

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Summer 2026

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

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“We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” -President John F. Kennedy Nothing worthwhile is easy. It requires vision, hard work and perseverance. Every page of our magazines is dedicated to inspiring, informing and delighting our readers, from gorgeous Palm Beach Models, to the very best in luxury travel, cuisine, resorts and beyond, as we honor our stakeholders for their ongoing commitment to these beautiful magazines. Our cover star, Christopher Lee Jones, has spent his entire life trying to help protect people and save lives while in the merchant marines, as a Firefighter, Paramedic, EMT and now as a space researcher. Today, Christopher lives in South Florida, where he researches space exploration, orbital debris, and the growing threat of the Kessler Syndrome. His passion for educating others about this critical issue inspired him to write Mars Mission I: Surviving the Kessler Effect (Second Edition), a fact-based science fiction novel designed to raise awareness about the challenges facing humanity's future in space. While SpaceX Trillionaire Elon Musk is at the forefront of Mars exploration, Jones spends his time meeting with NASA scientists and others to help devise a safe and effective way to dispose of space debris and head off a potential space catastrophe that could pose an existential threat to everyone on earth. Years ago, in the mid 1800s, sci-fi author Jules Verne accurately predicted how advances in technology might one day transform our world. The same way a certain U.S. President, in 1962, once predicted that mankind would one day walk on the surface of the moon. Author Christopher Lee Jones just might be this generation’s Jules Verne. We are honored to feature a true American hero and thought leader like Christopher Lee Jones on our magazine cover. Happy 250th Birthday America! The land of the free and the home of the brave. Cheers! Chase Backer Publisher Metropolitan/25A Metropolitan Palm Beach

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Natural Beauty. Expert Craftsmanship.

V IEW OUR SPECTACUL A R COLLECTIONS IN PR I NC E T ON and PA L M BE AC H PRINCETON

PA L M BE AC H

PA L M BE AC H G A R DE N S

H A M I LTON J E W EL ER S.COM

@H A M I LTON J E W EL ER S

July 2023 April 2025 Summer 2026

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palm beach

Model: Madison Sohaney Photographer: Megane Claire

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EDITOR’S NOTE EDITOR’S NOTE

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“Now you're in New York. These streets will make you feel brand new. Big lights will inspire you. Let's hear it for New York!” “Oh, how this spring of love resembleth, The uncertain glory of an April -Alicia Keys, Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z day, Which now shows all beauty of the Sun, And by and by a cloud takes all away”

It’s been a whirlwind of ticker-tape and euphoria in Manhattan this summer as point guard Jalen Brunson

- William Shakespeare showed that a lifetime of hard work, grit, perseverance and talent was more than enough to lead the city’s beloved basketball team, the New York Knicks (Go New York, Go!), to it’s first NBA title in 53 years! Alicia Keys Spring is here and Metropolitan magazine is also in full bloom with stories on the latest in fashion,

serenaded NYC as the team received the keys to the city at City Hall. health, wellness and beauty.

Meanwhile, across the USA, soccer fanatics from Europe and all points have joyously descended on American Celebrating beauty and empowering women is what Chase Backer, luxury magazine publisher and

cities to cheer on theirAesthetics soccer heroes likeowner, Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe, Neymar Palm Beach Advanced MedSpa is all about. Nobody does it better.and AndEngland’s nobody Harry Kane. They are

flooding social media with reports that their has gotten it allChase. wrongHeabout America cares more about striving to be your best. That’smedia why everybody loves is a loyal friend all this time. Americans and friendly a visionary businessman whoair is inconditioning constant pursuit of excellence, thinking state biggerof and are and kind. There’s everywhere, enormous thenever art football stadiums and giving with up onunique what ortraditions who he believes in. Chase is all about newEverything stories, andisnew cities and culture. incredible foodnew andchapters, free refills. bigger. There are endless adventures while always supporting and dreams celebrating his friends, old and new. choices. Americans think bigger. worthwhile There are charities hopes and across this great country. Cover Star Kimberly Guilfoyle is just one of Chase’s extraordinary, multi-talented friends. She honors

The World Cup has brought the world to New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Seattle and the San Francisco area us yet again. So do you, dear reader.

and the world is seeing the USA, which is celebrating its 250th birthday, in a whole new light. Sports can truly bring people together. The world has been waiting for a chance to celebrate our collective humanity, shared Cheers! experiences and common goals. As Thomas Jefferson once declared at the birth of this great nation —a very

important truth —that all people have the natural, unalienable rights to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Adam Kluger Editor inAmerican, Chief Proud visionary publisher and successful entrepreneur, Chase Backer, is the embodiment of the

Metropolitan/25A American Dream. He goes for it daily and encourages all around him at the Metropolitan magazine group and Metropolitan Palm Beach everyone in his circle to do the same.

We hope you enjoy this summer issue which has sports, hot fashion, art, books, music and incredible thought leaders like Christopher Jones who is dedicated to protecting the earth.

18 Metropolitan Palm Beach | metmagny.com Pretty amazing stuff.

Enjoy! Adam Kluger Editor in Chief Metropolitan/25A Metropolitan Palm Beach

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Uncompromised Clean Beauty

Model: Xen Sams Summer 2026

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CONTENTS SUMMER 2026 PAGE 52

COVER CHRISTOPHER JONES

FASHION 24 WEDDING SEASON 30 THE ENDURING MUSE

FOOD 36 GREAT BITES 40 SUMMER GRILLING

TRAVEL 46 THE BOCA RATON

PAGE 84

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luxury

Photo credit: Daniel Perry studio

Summer 2026

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CONTENTS SUMMER 2026 PROFILE

PAGE 98

PAGE 114

32 SPOTLIGHT WITH JULIANNE MICHELLE 33 MELISSA HORNUNG 48 DESIGNER LEAH LOGUE 52 CHRISTOPHER JONES 62 XEN SAMS 70 JEN SELTER 77 DR ROBERT MELILLO 80 SHARON MAHN 82 OXBRIDGE ACADEMY 84 BILLY KENT 90 EPYPE MARKETING 92 YOURHOMETV 96 GRETCHEN PHILYAW 98 NOVERA SKINCARE 102 AMERICA'S FEHSF 104 ANNIE WATT: THROUGH THE LENS

ART FORM 76 AUTHOR MIKE VACCARO 100 MOM'S BOOK OF WISDOM

SOCIAL 101 LITERACY PARTNERS 110 NY WOMENS FOUNDATION 111 COUTURE CROISETTE 112 ZEY HOTEL 113 GREENWICH POLO CLUB 114 MONACO GRAND PRIX 117 PICKLEBALL CHARITY 118 TRIBECA'S MIDNIGHT PARADE 119 THE BERKSHIRES 120 JEWELER ALBERTO LUZZI

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Publisher Chase Backer

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Editor-in-Chief Adam Kluger Assistant Publisher Jaime Backer Art Director Lonee Telemaque LUXURY MAGAZINE

PALM BEACH

Sales Manager Jeffrey Strahl

SPRING 2026

Copy Editors Sean Buttimer; Whitney Thompson; Maribel Alvarez; Lillian Langtry; Nicole Ashley Schubert, Cade Callen Features writer: Gia Carillo Lifestyle Editor Norah Bradford Luxury Editor Stephanie L. Howitt

JULIANNA

Editor at Large | Art, Culture, Fashion Rachel Vancelette; Douglas Evans

STROUT FROM MISS AMERICA PAGEANT TO POLITICS

Global Culture Editor (Paris Office) Coco Dolle

Palm Beach Fashion, Travel & Art Editor Melissa Hornung Fashion Photographers Jason Konrad Profiles Editor Alexandra Appino-Tabone Social Editor Clara Morgan

FEBRUARY 2026

LUXURY MAGAZINE

Food Editor Sean-Patrick Hillman, Andrea Correale; Maribel Alvarez Digital Media Director Nancy Molina Sr. Music Editor Cade Callen

JEN

Contributors Rachel Vancelette, D.D. Rice, Paul Prince, Peter Elston, Johnny Angel, Harry White Contributing Photographers Thomas Concordia, Jacques Malignon, David Scarola, Tara Quinn, Jason Konrad, Luciana Pampalone, Michael Gaida, Michael Paniccia, Jay Mathews, Filip Shobot, Chris Carroll, Lenny Stucker, Patrick McMullan, MA , Tom Fitzgerald and Pam Deutchman, Sandy Ramirez, Jan Klier, Mitchel Gray, Paul Prince, Kristiina Wilson For advertisement info: 646-300-1852 Info@metmagny.com | 25amag.com Facebook.com/metropolitanmagazinepb Writers, models, musicians and photographers, please inquire.

© Copyright 2021 by Metropolitan Magazine, All rights reserved. Metropolitan is published eleven times per year. Reproduction without permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publisher and editors are not responsible for unsolicited material and it will be treated as such and unconditionally assigned for publication subject to Metropolitan magazine’s right to edit.

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wedding season Photography: Misty Higgins

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Photography: Misty Higgins 26 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

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Photography: Misty Higgins Summer 2026

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THE ENDURING MUSE The Mysterious Redhead By Melissa Hornung Fashion, Travel & Art Editor

Every frame contains a small secret. Some are found in the light; others are hidden in the pages. For centuries, artists, poets, and philosophers have returned to the same enduring muse. Long before beauty became curated or manufactured, it was discovered in youth—in alabaster skin touched with a sprinkling of freckles, expressive eyes, copper curls illuminated by natural light, and the quiet confidence that exists before the world begins to redefine it.

Today, young women are increasingly encouraged to refine, alter, and reinvent themselves in search of a manufactured ideal. Yet these portraits quietly remind us that natural beauty has always been the greater muse. Alabaster skin touched with a sprinkling of freckles. Copper curls that refuse perfect order. Expression before performance. Character before conformity.

These qualities have endured from the Renaissance to modern portraiture because they speak to something deeply human. The mystery of the Mona Lisa. The quiet intimacy of Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring. The ethereal grace of Botticelli's Venus. Across centuries, the qualities that have inspired artists have remained remarkably constant. They are remembered not because they conform to a single standard of beauty, but because they reveal individuality, light, humanity, and the quiet poetry of youth.

There is a quiet confidence throughout the series, balanced by a gentle sense of curiosity and the first subtle hints of womanhood. A pocket mirror reflects more than a face. A thoughtfully chosen book offers a playful clue to those willing to linger a little longer. Every composition invites a second look, rewarding observation rather than demanding attention.

Looking at these photographs, one is reminded that the language of beauty has changed remarkably little. What has changed is our pursuit of it.

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Perhaps that is why these images feel so timeless. They do not imitate the great masters; they quietly participate in the same conversation. The model remains anonymous. The mystery remains intact.

Photography: Madeleine Brookes Mysterious Redhead: Alice Lily Styling: Elizabeth Darling

Summer 2026

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SPOTLIGHT WITH JULIANNE MICHELLE

Longevity Through a Wellness Lens By Julianne Michelle

n May 10, 2025, I had the privilege

members Nadira Saban and Justin Alexander.

of hosting an extraordinary evening

I was deeply grateful to our volunteers, Chris

at Sophie Kanter’s elegant Upper

Agianian and Gee Wang, whose efforts ensured

East Side townhouse in support

the event ran seamlessly, as well as to Annie

of Mommy’s Heart, the nonprofit

Watt for her outstanding photography and

I founded to provide free legal, mental

PairMe Wines for their generous contribution.

health, and advocacy services to survivors of

A highlight of the evening was guest speaker

domestic abuse. The event brought together

Dr. Nadine Macaluso, psychotherapist, author,

philanthropists, advocates, and public figures

and survivor whose life inspired The Wolf of

from across political and professional lines, all

Wall Street’s Naomi Lapaglia. Dr. Macaluso

united in our shared mission to protect children

shared her powerful story of surviving abuse

and parents at risk.

and rebuilding her life, later channeling her experience into meaningful advocacy work.

One of the evening’s defining moments was

Her recent book, Run Like Hell: A Therapist’s

honoring New York State Assembly Member

Guide to Recognizing, Escaping, and Healing

Rebecca Seawright with the Mommy’s Heart

from Trauma Bonds, offers invaluable insight

Champion for Families and Justice Award

and support to survivors across the world.

for her dedication to advancing family court reform. Among our distinguished guests were

Since founding Mommy’s Heart, I’ve witnessed

Virginia Maloney (Democratic Nominee, NYC

firsthand how urgently our services are needed.

Council District 4 and board member), Alina

We’ve assisted over 100 survivors forced to

Bonsell (Republican Nominee, District 5), Sir

battle lawfare while seeking safety from abuse.

Ivan Wilzig, Dr. Elliot Heller, James Pecora,

Our volunteer-run organization continues to

Count

champion legislative reform, most notably

Edward

Stroh,

and

fellow

board

supporting bill A01154/S6825, which seeks to hold courts accountable when systemic failures place children in harm’s way. The statistics are staggering. 2,000 children die each year from neglect or abuse, and 58,000 are courtordered into unsafe custody arrangements. The funds raised at this benefit directly support Mommy’s Heart’s trauma-informed legal assistance, mental health resources, and advocacy initiatives. Each donation helps protect families navigating the most painful and complex challenges of their lives and moves us closer to a future where justice and safety are within every survivor’s reach. For more information or to contribute, please visit www.mommysheartfoundation.com. 32 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

Summer 2026

25A 25A OnceUpon UponAACoconut Coconuttranscends transcends Once the boundaries of a mere brand;itit the boundaries of a mere brand; embodiesaadevotion devotiontotococonut coconut embodies water's natural, hydrating water's natural, hydrating essence

essence and a mission profoundtomission and a profound foster a to foster a more compassionate more compassionate and inclusive

and inclusive world. We pledge world. We pledge to redefine to redefine hydration throughline a that hydration through a product product line that champions purity, champions purity, sustainability, and sustainability, and philanthropy. philanthropy.

A dedication to the simplicity of A dedication to the simplicity of nature is at the core of our ethos. nature is at the core of our ethos. We source premium coconuts We source premium coconuts from from sustainable farms, ensuring sustainable farms, ensuring that our that our products contribute to products contribute to everyday welleveryday well-being and reflect being and reflect a commitment to a commitment to environmental environmental stewardship. stewardship.

Once Upon A Coconut aspires Once Upon A Coconut aspires to epitomize transparency in the to epitomize transparency in the beverage industry by meticulously beverage industry by meticulously crafting each product with coconut crafting each product with coconut water-derived ingredients selected for water-derived ingredients selected their hydrating properties, culminating for their hydrating properties, in a celebration of the versatile health culminating in a celebration of benefits of coconuts. the versatile health benefits of coconuts. Our commitment extends beyond

crafting exceptional beverages. Once Our commitment extends beyond Upon A Coconut is on a mission crafting exceptional beverages. toOnce impact theAworld positively. Upon Coconut is on By actively giving back tothe communities, a mission to impact world uplifting individuals, and supporting positively. By actively giving charities, we foster a brighter, back to communities, upliftingmore compassionate world for all. Join us individuals, and supporting

incharities, sipping with purpose as we hydrate we foster a brighter, not just bodies but also contribute more compassionate world for all. toJoin the us well-being our purpose global in sippingofwith community. as we hydrate not just bodies but

also contribute to the well-being of Learn more community. at www. our global onceuponacoconut.com, and follow

usLearn @onceuponacoconut more at www. onceuponacoconut.com, and follow us @onceuponacoconut

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THE TASTE OF SUMMER MEMORIES By Sean-Patrick M. Hillman

Growing up, summer was always about fresh and flavorful produce, brilliant barbecue, movie theater popcorn and an insatiable desire for fairground treats. So, this month, I wanted to take you on a trip down memory lane and learn how to make some summertime yumminess of your own! When it came to fresh produce, I was spoiled as a Manhattan kid who spent his weekends in the Hudson Valley. Especially during the summer. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of shucking fresh corn from Mr. Potts’ farm in Tivoli, just as my dad and I were wrapping up grilling steaks for our Saturday night dinner. I remember going to farm stands, and farms themselves, in towns like Red Hood, Rhinebeck, Tivoli and around the Taconic region. Whether it was running to get berries from “The Wayside Stand” by Montgomery Place Orchards just west of Red Hook or grabbing fruit pies at Meisner’s Heritage Farm stand outside of Hudson, there was always an abundance of yumminess in the summer air. In honor of that, I thought a little summer pie was in order. As strange as this sounds, I am not a fan of Apple Pie in the summer because prime apple picking season is in the Fall (YUMMO!). During July/August, I prefer more traditional summer flavors, like strawberries!

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SULLIVAN’S STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PIE Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • •

1 Cup Cane Sugar 1/2 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract 1/2 Teaspoon Salt 1 Tablespoon Orange Juice 1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour 1 Pound Rhubarb, Cut Into ¼-Inch Slices 4 Cups Fresh Strawberries, Hulled and Quartered 1 (14.1 Ounce) Package Pastry for a Double Crust 9-Inch Pie 2 Tablespoons Irish Butter, Chopped 1 Large Egg Yolk 2 Tablespoons Coarse Sugar for Sprinkling Garnish

INSTRUCTIONS While the oven preheats to 400°F, mix flour and sugar together in a large bowl, set aside. Add strawberries, chopped rhubarb, vanilla extract, orange juice and salt to a bowl and stir. Then mix with sugar and flour bowl, let stand for 30 – 40 minutes. Pour filling into prepared pie crust (layering bottom dough into the tin). Add butter chunks evenly across the top of the filling.

Take the dough for the top crust onto a floured surface, and using a pastry wheel, sharp knife, or pizza cutter, cut strips 1/2- to 1-inch wide. Carefully thread the strips over and under one another, pulling back strips as necessary to weave. Press the edges of the strips into the bottom pie crust edges to seal. Use a small knife to trim off excess dough. Seal edges of top and bottom crust where they meet with water. Lightly brush top lattice with egg yolk. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Keeping the pie in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350°F and bake for an additional 30 minutes. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, you should wrap the rim of the pie crust with foil so it just covers the crust to prevent the edges from browning too quickly. Cool pie on wire rack for about 2 hours to let the filling thicken and set. Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy! Summer 2026

25A You can’t go to a street fair, carnival or county fair without having funnel cake! This is a no-nonsense simple recipe I’ve used for years for backyard parties.

Ingredients

A Tast y

AF-FAIR OF FOOD

Now when it comes to that nostalgia fueled moment of fairground food, I always look back to those scorching childhood summer days at the Dutchess County Fair at the end of August. After riding the Gravitron, because no one was silly enough to eat before that gravity sucking adventure, there was nothing like strolling along the Midway eating cotton candy, or being on the Ferris wheel enjoying a funnel cake or bag of zeppoles. Yes, fair and carnival food is certainly a tempt of fate as you board the cholesterol roller coaster ride, but it is worth every triglyceride – until the stomachache hits you the next morning if you ate too many fried Oreos, corn dogs or sweet Italian sausages and peppers!

MIDWAY FUNNEL CAKE

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• • • • • • • • •

1 1/3 Cups All-Purpose Flour 1 1/2 Tablespoons White Sugar 3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder 1/4 Teaspoon Salt 1 Egg 3/4 – 1 Cup Whole Milk 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 1/3 Cup Confectioners’ Sugar for Dusting Vegetable Oil for Frying

Instructions

Using a heavy pan, fill with oil (about 1-inch deep) and heat to 375°F. In a large bowl, beat together egg, vanilla extract, and 3/4 cup of milk (reserve 1/4 cup). Using the same bowl, sift flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder in; beat together until mixture is smooth. If mixture is too thick, slowly add more milk to thin it out. If you have a funnel, pour batter through it over hot oil in a circular motion to form a rounded mesh. If you don’t have a funnel, you can use a measuring cup and pour it in a thin stream in a circular motion into the hot oil. Fry in hot oil until bottom is golden brown; flip and continue cooking until golden brown all over. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until the batter is gone. Sprinkle cakes with confectioners’ sugar through a sifter while still hot.

Ingredients • • • • • •

5 Cups Corn Flakes Cereal 1 Cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut 2 1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon 1/2 Cup Salted Butter 1 Quart of Vanilla Ice Cream, Firm Enough To Shape But Just Soft Enough To Scoop Honey

COUNTY FAIR FRIED ICE CREAM

Instructions

Crush the cornflakes to small bits. Melt butter in a nonstick medium size fry pan over medium heat. Stir in crushed cornflakes, coconut, cinnamon and increase heat to just under medium-high. Pan fry mixture, stirring constantly until golden brown (corn flakes and coconut should be crispened up a bit), 2 – 3 minutes. Remove from heat, pour mixture in a shallow bowl, letting cool. Remove ice cream from freezer and scoop out desired serving (8 single and 4 double scoops are in each quart). Using gloved hands, shape into a ball. As soon as ice cream balls are formed, drop into cornflake/ Coconut mix and roll to evenly coat. Pressing mix into outside of ice cream ball for a thicker crust. Freeze for 15 minutes to harden ice cream and keep frozen until ready to serve. When ready, place ball into a bowl, and drizzle honey over the top. You can also use hot fudge, chocolate syrup or whatever other topping you want. Enjoy!

SNACK BITES

The Crunch That Changed Everything If you haven’t crunched into a bag of Jackson’s Chips

What really sets Jackson’s apart is their commitment

yet, you’re seriously missing out on one of the boldest,

to real ingredients and wellness. Made with non-GMO

cleanest snacking experiences around. And that’s

heirloom sweet potatoes and absolutely no artificial

saying something from me considering I was reticent

flavors or preservatives, these chips are a go-to whether

about trying it. I am normally not a fan of sweet potato

you're gluten-free, paleo, or just looking to eat a little

chips, or chips made in anything other than traditional

smarter without sacrificing flavor. And let’s talk flavor:

oil. However, since trying Jackson’s Chips, I have

from Sea Salt to Spicy Jalapeño, each variety pops with

become a true believer – lighter on the gut, great on

personality.

crunch, healthier (per se) and packed with yummy flavors!

Even better, the story behind the brand is heartwarming. Created in honor of Jackson—the founders' son—who

Born out of passion and purpose, Jackson’s sweet

had special dietary needs, this company stands for

potato chips aren’t your average chip. These beauties

health, love, and legacy. It’s a mission you can taste in

are cooked low and slow in premium avocado oil,

every bag. To learn more, or to find out where to buy,

delivering a crisp that’s addictive—but never greasy.

please visit snackjacksons.com

Summer 2026

25A

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SUMMER GRILLING Grilling Recipes, Tips, and Products By Sean-Patrick M. Hillman

There are certain smells that instantly tell me summer has officially

distinctive vinegar- and mustard-based sauces that have become

arrived. For me, that unmistakable aroma of charcoal, hardwood

legendary in their own right. None of them are wrong. They're simply

smoke and sizzling meat drifting through the neighborhood has

different expressions of the same passion.

always been the true scent of summer. It doesn't matter whether I'm grilling in New York City, out in the Hudson Valley, or at a friend's

Personally, I find myself gravitating toward Kansas City-style flavors

backyard cookout. The moment the lid comes off the grill and that

because I love the balance between sweetness, smoke and tang. A

first plume of smoke rises into the air, I know I'm exactly where I

properly balanced sauce should never overpower the meat. Instead,

want to be.

it should complement it, creating layers of flavor that keep you reaching for another bite.

After 45 years behind a grill, I still get excited every single time I light the coals. Yes, I'm a charcoal purist. I appreciate the convenience

That's really become my philosophy whenever I grill; build layers.

of gas grills, and smokers have become a huge part of my outdoor cooking repertoire, but charcoal continues to produce a flavor that

Maybe the seasoning starts with pepper and garlic before a little

simply can't be replicated. There's something primal about cooking

brown sugar adds sweetness. Maybe the sauce finishes with

over live fire that connects us to the food in a way no kitchen

a drizzle of hot honey or a touch of vinegar for brightness. Great

appliance ever will.

barbecue isn't about one dominant flavor—it's about creating harmony.

What I love most about grilling isn't necessarily the food. It's what the food creates.

People often ask me whether they should make their own sauces or buy them. The answer is simple: do whatever tastes good to you.

Summer cookouts have always been about bringing people together. Whether it's a neighborhood barbecue, a family reunion,

There are some incredible artisan brands producing sauces and

a pool party or simply friends dropping by on a Saturday afternoon,

seasonings today that rival anything homemade. I regularly reach

the grill naturally becomes the center of attention. Conversations

for products from Blazing Star BBQ, Cackalacky, PS Seasoning,

start there. Stories are told there. Someone always wanders over

Duane Paul's BBQ and Melinda's because every one of them

with a cold drink in hand asking, "How much longer?" even though

offers something unique. Whether I'm making ribs, wings, burgers

they know perfectly well that great barbecue can't be rushed.

or steaks, those products allow me to build different flavor profiles depending on who I'm cooking for.

Those are the moments I remember long after the meal is over. That's another thing I've learned over the years. The people you're One of the biggest misconceptions about barbecue is that it's simply

feeding matter just as much as the food itself.

cooking meat over fire. It isn't. Barbecue is a culture. Every region has its own traditions, techniques and fiercely loyal followers. Texas

Some friends love intense heat. Others prefer sweet barbecue. Kids

celebrates beautifully smoked beef brisket seasoned with little more

usually lean toward sticky sauces, while adults often appreciate

than salt and pepper. Kansas City is famous for rich, sweet sauces

more complex flavors. Great grilling isn't about impressing people

built around tomato and molasses. Memphis leans heavily into pork

with complicated techniques—it's about giving everyone around the

and dry rubs, while both North and South Carolina have developed

table something they'll genuinely enjoy. Summer 2026

25AAs an example, a perfectly grilled burger remains one of life's simple pleasures and everyone loves my burgers (recipe below). I prefer using ground brisket whenever I can because its higher fat content creates incredible flavor and juiciness. Keep the toppings simple and let the beef shine. The same goes for a beautifully marbled ribeye. People often search for the secret to grilling the perfect steak, but there really isn't one. Start with quality meat. Season generously. Get your grill properly hot. Use a thermometer instead of guessing. Then—and this may be the hardest part—let the steak rest before slicing. Those few extra minutes make all the difference. One of the most exciting parts of this summer is collaborating with my friend Josh Axelband of Axelband Kitchen. From July 20 through the end of summer, we'll be sharing recipes, techniques, product reviews and plenty of laughs across Great Bites Media's social channels (IG: @ GreatBitesMedia). We intentionally left in some of the bloopers because grilling isn't supposed to be intimidating. Even experienced grill aficionados make mistakes. The important thing is to keep learning. If I had to offer just a handful of tips after four decades standing behind the flames, they'd be these: let your meat come closer to room temperature before grilling, create different heat zones so you have both direct and indirect cooking areas, resist the temptation to constantly flip your food, and always invest in a quality digital thermometer. Those four habits alone will dramatically improve almost everything you cook. Finally, don't limit your grill to meat. Some of the biggest surprises at my cookouts have been grilled pineapple, charred romaine, blistered tomatoes and smoked vegetables that people never expected to enjoy as much as the steaks sitting beside them. That's the beauty of grilling. There's always something new to try. Every cookout becomes another opportunity to experiment with flavors, techniques and ingredients while creating memories with the people gathered around your table. For me, that's what summer has always been about. Sure, the ribs, burgers and steaks are delicious. The smoke is intoxicating. The sauces and seasonings are part of the fun. But long after the charcoal has cooled and the plates have been cleared away, what remains are the conversations, the laughter and the memories shared around the grill. And honestly, I can't imagine a better way to spend a summer. 42 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

Patty’s Classic Burger Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground brisket

Frugoni’s Seasonings TX.SP (Salt & Pepper), garlic powder 4 slices cheese (optional)

4 hamburger buns, split; toasted

Instructions Split the meat into 4 equal portions. Hand shape each portion into a 3/4-inch-thick burger and make a depression in the

center with your thumb. Season both sides of each burger with salt, pepper and garlic.

Heat a gas grill to high or heat coals in a charcoal grill until they glow bright orange and ash over. Grill the burgers until golden brown and slightly charred, about 3 minutes.

Flip. Cook until golden brown and slightly charred on the

second side, 3 – 4 minutes for medium rare or until cooked to desired degree of doneness.

Add the cheese, if using, to the tops of the burgers during the last minute of cooking and top with a cover, close the grill cover, or tent the burgers with aluminum foil to melt the cheese properly.

Sandwich the hot burgers between the toasted buns and serve immediately.

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Sean-Patrick’s Hot & Smoked Candied Baby Backs Ingredients 1 Rack Baby Back Ribs

1/2 Cup Blazing Star BBQ Pork N’ Rub 4 Tb Salted Butter

1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup Melinda’s Hot Honey

1 1/2 Cup Cackalacky Cheerwine Sweet Sauce

Instructions Preheat your smoker to 200°F. Remove the membrane. Rub with Blazing Star BBQ’s Pork N’ Rub. Place the seasoned baby back ribs on the grates of your smoker, meat side up, and smoke for 2 hours. Then remove from the smoker and turn the temperature up to 250°F.

Create an aluminum boat and place the ribs inside. Pour a cup of apple juice over the ribs into the boat and seal the aluminum foil. Return the ribs to the smoker for another hour. Remove the ribs from the apple juice bath. Lay out a piece of butcher paper. Put the ribs, meat side up, on top and drizzle Mike’s Hot Honey over the top. Sprinkle brown sugar across and lay on the tabs of butter. Close the butcher paper up and put back in the smoker for an hour. Then remove, and turn the temperature of the grill up to 350°F. Brush with Cackalacky Cheerwine Sweet Sauce twice so it creates a

decent, but not overpowering layer. Return the ribs to the smoker when it hits 350.

This is the part where the top gets “candied.” Make sure you only leave your ribs on the smoker grill for about 15 minutes. Brush the rack at the

5- and 10-minute marks with a thin layer of the Cackalacky Cheerwine

Sweet Sauce. Please note that you should not leave the grill unattended as the sugar from the sauce and juice can burn very easily.

Let the ribs rest for about 15 minutes off the grill. Serve and enjoy!

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THE BOCA RATON

BECOMES ONLY RESORT IN THE AMERICAS TO EARN QUADRUPLE FIVE-STARS FROM FORBES TRAVEL GUIDE he Boca Raton is awarded a total of 24 stars in Forbes Travel Guide’s (“FTG”) 2026 Star Awards, announced today by the only global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas and cruise ships. Beach Club and Spa Palmera retained their prestigious Five-Star ratings, with Yacht Club and Flybridge restaurant newly joining that tier. Tower hotel was also recognized with a Four-Star award. This distinction places The Boca Raton among just seven resorts worldwide to earn quadruple Five-Star status and marks a milestone achievement for the storied property’s continued pursuit of excellence.

“To receive this distinction during our centennial is especially meaningful,” said Daniel Hostettler, President & CEO of The Boca Raton. “For 100 years, our Club and resort have helped define luxury hospitality, creating extraordinary experiences for generations of guests and members. To now stand among just seven resorts in the world—and the only one in The Americas—with quadruple Five-Star ratings speaks volumes about the passion and dedication of our team and the enduring vision that has shaped this property since 1926. As we look ahead to the next century, our commitment to innovation, excellence, and world-class service has never been stronger.”

The accolades arrive as The Boca Raton ushers in its second century, commemorating 100 years of heritage, innovation, and hospitality. Originally founded as the Ritz-Carlton Cloister Inn in 1926 by visionary and architect Addison Mizner, the private club and resort has evolved into one of America’s most iconic destinations. The latest recognition follows the resort’s incredible $375 million transformation, including the unveiling of a newly reimagined Beach Club, setting a new standard for coastal luxury and experiential travel.

“The Boca Raton’s four Five-Star ratings signal its arrival into an exclusive global circle of luxury resorts,” said Amanda Frasier, President of Standards & Ratings for Forbes Travel Guide. “This achievement underscores South Florida’s growing stature as a global destination for sophisticated travel and reflects how The Boca Raton delivers at the highest level across every dimension of hospitality as a place where families, couples, wellness seekers, and discerning travelers alike can find world-class experiences tailored to them.”

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Stay up to date on 100 Year offerings by visiting TheBocaRaton. com, and follow along on Facebook and Instagram @TheBocaRaton. The Boca Raton: The Boca Raton originally opened in 1926 as The Ritz-Carlton Cloister Inn and today stands as one of South Florida’s most storied luxury destinations, and the only quadruple Forbes FiveStar resort in The Americas. Spanning 200 waterfront acres, the property is exclusive to The Boca Raton Club Members and resort guests, and comprises five distinct hotels: Beach Club, Bungalows, Cloister, Tower, and Yacht Club. Following a multi-year transformation, The Boca Raton continues to evolve while honoring a century of iconic hospitality. Amenities include a private beach, the Forbes Five-Star Spa Palmera, 18-hole golf course, a full-service marina, Racquet Club with pickleball and tennis courts, Harborside Pool Club, seven swimming pools, retail shops, state-of-the-art fitness clubs, and wellness programming. Culinary offerings span more than 18 restaurants and lounges, including signature concepts in partnership with Major Food Group. For reservations, call (561) 447-3000 or visit TheBocaRaton.com. Forbes Travel Guide: Forbes Travel Guide is the only global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, cruises and their restaurants. Our anonymous professional inspectors evaluate based on hundreds of exacting standards, with an emphasis on exceptional service, to help discerning travelers select the world’s best experiences. The only way to get a Five-Star, Four-Star or Recommended rating is by earning it through our independent inspection process. For more information about Forbes Travel Guide, please visit ForbesTravelGuide.com.

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SETTING THE STAGE:

LEAH LOGUE on Design, Determination, and Defying a Stage IV Diagnosis

eah Logue, one of Palm Beach’s most in-demand interior designers, has been quietly fighting for her life behind the scenes: delivering headline-worthy design while undergoing treatment for stage IV metastatic colon cancer. Known for her bold, detaildriven

aesthetic, Logue’s story blends design excellence with extraordinary resilience — offering a powerful narrative about creativity, purpose, and perseverance.

A second-generation South Floridian, Logue is largely self-taught, having spent more than a decade flipping properties hands-on before transitioning into full-scale interior design and ground-up construction projects. What began as informal decorating and consulting evolved rapidly into a thriving design firm working alongside leading architects and developers, with a client roster that includes professional athletes, celebrities, business moguls, and Palm Beach’s most discerning homeowners. Logue’s work is instantly recognizable — a sophisticated balance of transitional design layered with coastal influences, statement moments, and unexpected details. Her reputation for precision and hands-on involvement has made her exceptionally selective in accepting projects. A self-described perfectionist, Logue oversees every detail from conception to completion, often committing months or years to a single vision — a level of dedication that has led to a business built largely on referrals and repeat clients.

“Design has always been about creating joy, beauty, and meaning,” Logue shares. “Cancer didn’t change that — it clarified it.” 48 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

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In March, Logue was diagnosed with stage IV terminal metastatic colon cancer, with widespread disease including over 50% of her liver. Given months to live, she made the decision to pursue chemotherapy alongside holistic therapies — a choice that transformed her life but did not stop her work. Instead, she continued designing, leading projects, and showing up creatively while undergoing treatment. “Design has always been about creating joy, beauty, and meaning,” Logue shares. “Cancer didn’t change that — it clarified it.” Despite the physical demands of treatment, Logue remains deeply involved in her projects, continuing to design spaces that evoke emotion, gratitude, and connection. Her ability to maintain creative leadership while navigating illness has inspired clients, colleagues, and followers alike, reframing the conversation around what resilience truly looks like. For Leah, design has never been just about aesthetics, “It’s about intention, integrity, and creating spaces that evoke emotion” — values that became even more essential after her diagnosis. Her story is not one of stepping away — but of standing fully in purpose. It offers a rare and powerful look at resilience, redefining success, and what it means to continue building beauty when life demands courage. As she continues to design and advocate for living intentionally, her work serves as a testament to perseverance and the healing power of creativity. For more information or to view Leah Logue’s portfolio, visit @lifeinlogue on Instagram. Summer 2026

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MARS MISSION I: Surviving the Kessler Effect (Second Edition)

Book by Christopher Lee Jones

By Cade Callen & Adam Kluger

n his latest book, Mars Mission I: Surviving the Kessler Effect, Christopher Lee Jones presents a sci-fi nightmare where a missile attack destroys two satellites, triggering the Kessler Effect, an apocalyptic scenario elaborated by NASA scientists Donald J. Kessler and Burton Cour-Palais that describes a runaway chain reaction caused by exponential collisions of space debris in low Earth orbit. Collisions create debris that decimates all of humanity’s satellites. As a result, life on Earth effectively returns to the 1800s. No phone service, no power, no gasoline, no GPS, no transportation, no food, and no municipal water. Riots soon break out, and the National Guard is deployed to restore order. People are dying. No one knows who is to blame for the growing chaos. NASA cannot communicate with any of the astronauts on the International Space Station or on a recently launched mission to Mars. The astronauts are left to fend for themselves. Things look very grim for the people of Earth, the astronauts on the ISS, and the astronauts on Mars. Can they survive, and if so, how?

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Q: Why did you write this book? A: I wrote the book to get the message out about the Kessler Effect, and also, I’m a lover of action movies. So, I wanted to create an action-packed, cliff-hanging thriller. Q: Why is the message of this book so important? A: If the Kessler effect takes place, many people in the United States and every developed country will die because we are so dependent on our satellitedriven infrastructure, and nobody- not NASA, not the Department of Defense- has stopped to think, 54 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

“What happens if we lose all of our satellites?” It's just something they wouldn't consider. It's unthinkable. Q: So, from a military standpoint, could satellites be targeted in future wars? A: Well, that's the key to the book—The Joint Chiefs are racking their brains, wondering who would do this. Russia has satellites; all of Europe depends on them. Much of Mexico and South America is also satellitedependent. The relationship between the China National Space Administration and NASA has always been adversarial… The book couldn’t be more timely in its message.

Q: What is the Kessler effect —how would you describe it? A: I normally describe it as analogous to blowing on a cosmic dandelion. All the seeds (cosmic debris) would go in the direction you blow, but they also circle around, and some go left, some go down, and some go up. That's what an initial debris hit, or strike, would be like. Q: Quite a disturbing image A: And that's only the initial phase —now you have

what's called a debris field, and now imagine that hitting 20 or 30 or 50 or 100 satellites and all of those doing the same thing, exploding out like a bunch of dandelion seeds blowing in the wind, and every 90 minutes they circle the Earth and they're back again for another strike. So the Kessler Effect can develop within three hours of the initial strike. Q: Then what would happen? A: We could lose every satellite; all communications would be shut down in three hours.

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Q: Why does the Kessler effect make such a timely and interesting science fiction adventure book or movie? What’s the danger of the Kessler effect to the average person? A: Imagine a housewife on her way into the grocery store, checking her texts, when her cell phone suddenly stops, and it doesn't have a signal, and she starts looking around, and she sees everybody else doing the same thing. Then, all of a sudden, she looks up and sees a car crash straight into a telephone pole. Her credit card won't go through at the store, and while that's happening, all power is being disrupted. The power companies cannot see what the other companies are doing, making it impossible to coordinate the power supply. Too many power companies are interlinked via the web to manage and coordinate supply to protect their equipment and infrastructure. So all power-producing facilities are shut down. Q: Is there a solution to this Kessler effect? A: The solution is to try to clean up the debris, but doing so is incredibly difficult. Several companies are currently trying to remove individual rocket bodies, along with literally millions of small debris fragments smaller than 10 centimeters that are orbiting at 17,000 miles per hour. And that’s the debris we can’t track. A few agencies monitor space specifically to provide launch windows for agencies like NASA and companies like SpaceX. You probably heard the window is open for about 30 minutes, which means that, as best they can tell, the spacecraft should be able to make it through without catastrophic damage. I’m meeting with people all the time, talking to retired colonels from the Air Force and Space Force, and people from the Pentagon, trying to find a better answer than the one currently being pursued.

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“I found your book to be both interesting and an accurate reflection of what could happen in the future. I found it hard to put the book down because of how well the story is put together. I think the book illustrates the orbital debris issues better than the movie “Gravity”. - Donald Kessler, Retired NASA Senior Scientist for Orbital Debris Research

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Q: Tell us more about the book and its connection to Elon Musk. A: I wrote the book when I believed that Elon was going to send a crew to Mars, and then I started sitting back and thinking to myself, well, how would he do that…so then I started putting the math together—he'd have to send nine starships in advance. Two would have to start making oxygen and methane in advance. In the book, 21 astronauts are sent up to Mars, get marooned there, and nobody on Earth even knows much about it because there's no communication left. The International Space Station is a nightmare and is doing a predetermined altitude maneuver, an emergency maneuver to try to avoid the debris, and those are just some of the realistic scenarios I have in the book. In the end, if we could just get the message out about the Kessler effect as a little more emergent concern, that is really the main goal. Q: If this book were to be turned into a movie, given how timely it is, you know what, who would be the star? A: I imagine this actor would be in his 50s or 60s, because the older you are, hopefully the more educated you are. Maybe Tom Hanks would be great, or another actor of like stature.

the crew capsule part of it doesn't even leave much space for water and fuel. So, what I found in my recent studies: crew isolation leads to insanity over extended periods, and we're talking about typical training periods of about three months so far. But they've had Russians who literally pulled guns on each other. There was a message sent by one Russian back to their command headquarters that said, "Get me out of here, or you're going to end up with two dead bodies returning.” So it's the isolation that's the issue. Other than that, as long as you can allow for a lot of versatility, as you know, you get tired of watching movies after the 10th movie, and have been encapsulated for two years. Q: What are your favorite space movies? A: I loved “The Martian.” I thought that was exciting. I loved “2001: A Space Odyssey”. I don't know what year it came out. When I saw the spaceship approaching the space station in “2001,” it just blew my mind. Q: What did it mean to you to have Donald Kessler say that your book would be more exciting as a film than “Gravity”?

Q: How realistic is Elon Musk's vision for visiting Mars and populating Mars?

A: I was excited because the people who made “Gravity” had referenced him for some questions and background investigation when they made the film, so when he thought that my book might make a better movie than “Gravity,” I thought that was saying a lot!'

A: Honestly, in recent research that I've done, the biggest issue is crew isolation. I think the rest of it is all doable, but just spending six months in a capsulethat's really the key: to have a lot of versatility, and I mean in that capsule. I imagine it is in my mind, like five or six stories in the starship cruise capsule. Just

About the Author: Christopher Lee Jones grew up in Southern Michigan and attended Jackson High School and Michigan State University. He moved to South Florida just before Hurricane Andrew. He obtained his Advanced Scuba Diver certification and his USCG Captain's license,

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working in the Merchant Marine industry and assisting with numerous sailboat and powerboat deliveries throughout the Caribbean. He has been fortunate enough to take his personal boats to many of the islands of the Bahamas. He obtained his Fire Certification, Paramedic, and EMT certificates and worked for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue for many years, retiring in 2019. He has always been a self-admitted space nut in hibernation. After watching one of the first Falcon 9 launches, where the booster returned and landed safely, and then watching the first Falcon Heavy in person, where both boosters landed safely back at Kennedy Space 60 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

Center, he knew he needed to pursue his love of Space again. Since then, Christopher has traveled to many NASA destinations for research, including the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and has toured the Marshall Space Flight Center and the Redstone Arsenal, where the staff patiently answered his numerous questions. Today, he still resides in South Florida and continues his astronomical studies. Additionally, Christopher Lee Jones is the founder of Satellite Orbital Access and Removal (SOAR), a space debris clean-up company that has just partnered with the University of Texas at El Paso.

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XEN SAMS

From New York to Nationwide How Xen Sams Built a Broadcast Ecosystem That Brands Can’t Ignore

By Adam Kluger

hen A Moment of Xen expanded from its flagship home on New York’s historic 710 WOR to audiences across the country, it marked a new era in talk radio, one where authenticity, purpose, and innovation converge. For creator and host Xen Sams, it isn’t just a show; it’s an ever-evolving ecosystem connecting millions of listeners, brands, and thought leaders coast to coast.

A Multitalented Voice of New York For six consecutive years, A Moment of Xen has held the #1 weekend spot on 710 WOR, a station with more than a century of broadcasting excellence. Founded in 1922, WOR is now over 104 years old , one of America’s most storied radio stations, with a built-in, loyal listenership and a powerhouse primetime lineup that includes icons like Mark Simone and Sean Hannity. Within that distinguished roster, Sams carved out her own signature lane , a magnetic blend of Hollywood access, health, finance, and culture, all filtered through the relatable lens of a millennial mom.

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25A “From film and fashion to pop culture, cryptocurrency, fintech, cannabis, and health, we cover it all through the lens of the millennial mom,” Sams says. Her “experts-on-themicrophone” format and sharp yet soulful delivery have made her one of the most trusted voices in modern talk media. While the show remains proudly branded under iHeartRadio’s 710 WOR, The Voice of New York, it now reaches audiences well beyond the Tri-State area. A Moment of Xen is heard in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Dallas, with additional markets being added, and airs on WNEW FM 3 Saturdays at 9 AM EST. Across the country, the show continues its signature Saturday-night model, airing between 8 PM and 10 PM in local time zones. “Congratulations to our dear friend, Xen Sams. She is a natural leader with innovative communication and creative skills,” says

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Sean Stockell, CEO of Your Home Digital LLC and Executive Producer of Your Home TV. “Her show consistently ranks in our top 1% with more than 5 million views. Xen collaborates enthusiastically with diverse thought leaders, delivering insightful content across topics that truly resonate.”

The Power of the Ecosystem

“A Moment of Xen is more than a show; it’s a movement connecting purpose-driven brands with an engaged national audience...” - Shawn Dougherty

Sams has engineered what she calls The Moment of Xen Ecosystem, a synergistic network where advertisers, influencers, experts, and VIPs all collaborate under one storytelling roof. Each recurring segment , whether Hydration with Heart, Clean Collective, or Going Deep ; is designed not as an ad, but as a shared narrative that turns brands into characters audiences genuinely connect with. “Partnering with Xen for Once Upon A Coconut’s Hydration with Heart segment has been nothing short of legendary,” the brand’s team says. “The energy, authenticity, and passion she brings to both the show and our brand align perfectly with our mission. Seeing the show’s continued growth and national reach is no surprise , it’s exactly where this magic belongs.” Lumisque Skincare Founder, Lana Kerr , Home of CO₂Lift, echos that praise: “Congratulations, Xen! We are so proud of you and in awe of your brilliance,” says the Lumisque team. “Your vast knowledge, the genuine way you connect with guests, and how seamlessly you align with our brand values truly set you apart. Your professionalism and warmth elevate every interaction.” And Shawn Dougherty, Co-Founder & COO of Society Brands — whose portfolio includes Cleanomic, Crunchi.com, Primal Life Organics, Wolf Tactical, to name a few - adds: “At Society Brands, we partner with founders and storytellers who think beyond the product , and that’s exactly what Xen Sams represents. A Moment of Xen is more than a show; it’s a movement connecting purpose-driven brands with an engaged national audience. As the media ambassador for several companies in our portfolio, Xen brings authenticity, energy, and credibility to every collaboration. Her platform sets a new standard for how mission-based brands connect with consumers.”

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From Local Phenomenon to National Sensation Today, A Moment of Xen reaches millions through both terrestrial radio and global digital streaming. Its influencer-driven model extends far beyond airwaves: the show’s Instagram presence generates over 1 million views per month, fueled by a roster of “showfluencers” who amplify each episode’s message. On the streaming side, A Moment of Xen enjoys worldwide distribution on Your Home TV (OTT platform) — where it has surpassed 5 million views since its 2022 debut — and on Traverse TV (overthe-air broadcast), delivering both accessibility and prestige to a broad, multi-demographic audience reaching over 1.2 million subscribers, over 1700 hotels in Orlando's hotel row. For sponsors, this integrated reach translates into measurable impact. Sams’ format isn’t about selling, it’s about storytelling. Listeners don’t just tune in; they follow, share, and engage.

“Xen Sams has built a media ecosystem that mirrors the way Society Brands builds companies, rooted in authenticity, community, and performance,” notes Dougherty. Building an Era of Connection Beyond ratings and reach, Xen Sams is redefining what it means to host. She writes, produces, and directs every segment , ensuring that education, empathy, and entertainment intersect seamlessly. Her partnership with Dr. Robert Melillo, Founder of The Melillo Centers for Developing Brains and creator of the Brain Blueprint and Right Brain segments, showcases her commitment to content that informs as much as it inspires.

“Collaborating with Xen Sams has been one of the most dynamic media experiences of my career,” says Dr. Melillo. “Through our segments, she’s created a space where neuroscience meets everyday life, making complex topics about brain balance and child development accessible to millions. Xen is not just interviewing experts; she’s elevating public awareness, one conversation at a time.” Through her ever-expanding network, Sams now oversees an integrated platform that combines: • Branded Segments with premium partnerships • Cross-Market Broadcast: flagship station WOR 710 AM in NYC; WNEW FM 3 at 9 AM EST; national airtime across Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas, and more to come. • Influencer Integration: a digital collective of experts, creators, and guests who extend the show’s message to millions monthly. • Philanthropy & Purpose: initiatives like We Play It Forward and Hydration with Heart, merging entertainment with impact.

The Moment Expands As A Moment of Xen continues its national rollout and digital growth, one truth remains constant: Xen Sams is not following trends , she’s creating them. With a century-old flagship station as her foundation, a nationwide radio footprint, and a global digital audience exceeding five million views, she’s built more than a broadcast. She’s built an ecosystem, one that unites brands, experts, and audiences under a shared purpose: to educate, elevate, and entertain. In a media landscape hungry for authenticity, Xen Sams delivers it - one moment, one microphone, one meaningful connection at a time.

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JEN

SELTER Health Influencer Jen Selter shares the secrets to her success By Adam Kluger & Gia Carillo

You were one of the original influencers before the word even existed. How has the industry changed since you started, and how do you continue to reinvent yourself?

J: When I first started, the word influencer didn’t even exist. I was just sharing my workouts and lifestyle online because I loved connecting with people, not because I thought it would ever become a career. Back then, everything was organic no rules, no playbooks, just real connection. Today, the industry is much more structured. There are contracts, metrics, strategy, and brands now understand the power of social. To reinvent myself, I stay curious. I experiment with new content, and I listen to my audience. I’ve learned that growth comes from adapting while staying true to who you are. Trends come and go, but authenticity lasts. Summer 2026

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@jenselter

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone looking to stay motivated and consistent in their health or personal goals?

Stop aiming for perfection, focus on consistency. You don’t need a perfect workout, a perfect meal plan, or a perfect routine. You just need to show up for yourself daily in small ways. I always say: it’s the little habits that build big results. Motivation will always come and go, but discipline and self-love are what keep you moving forward. What do you think has been the secret to keeping your audience engaged for over a decade in such a fast-changing digital world?

I think the real secret is connection. Trends change, platforms change, but people always want to feel seen and understood. From the beginning, I’ve treated my community like friends I share the highs, the struggles, the funny bloopers, and the lessons I’m learning. I’ve also never been afraid to evolve. When the industry shifted, I shifted with it, whether that meant trying new platforms, new content formats, or exploring wellness beyond just fitness. But at the core, I’ve stayed true to who I am. Authenticity is what people stick around for, no matter how much the digital world changes.

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I’ve realized health is really about longevity creating habits that allow me to feel energized, balanced, and strong down the road, not just for the moment.

You’ve inspired millions with your fitness journey. How has your definition of “health” evolved from your early 20s to now?

In my early 20s, I thought health was just about training hard, eating clean, and chasing a certain look. But as I’ve grown, I’ve realized health is really about longevity creating habits that allow me to feel energized, balanced, and strong down the road, not just for the moment. To me now, health means managing stress, taking care of my gut, and making sure my body can recover just as well as it performs. It’s about doing things today that my future self will thank me for whether that’s better sleep, lifting weights for strength, or focusing on nutrition that supports my energy long-term. True health isn’t just how many years you live, but the quality of those years. That’s what I care about now: not just adding years to my life, but adding life to my years. 74 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

Jen Selter

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PROFILES

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NEW YORK POST SPORTSWRITER MIKE VACCARO

on the New York Yankees and his new book

By Adam Kluger

Please talk about the Bronx Zoo and the love-hate triangle between Billy Martin, Reggie Jackson and George Steinbrenner. Has there ever been such other dysfunctional relationships in sports? What are your favorite stories/examples from your new book of this well-publicized/ volatile relationship?

What revelations or surprises will baseball fans find in your new Bosses book? A: I think the thing that will really strike Yankees fans will be just how fundamental George was to guaranteeing the Yankees future in New York. When he and his partners bought the team in 1973, the Yankees had one foot out the door — bound either for New Jersey or New Orleans, which was building the Superdome and wanted a baseball team. The Mets were the clear No. 1 team in town and by a wide margin. George said they’d be winners in three years and by 1976 they were in the World Series. George Steinbrenner was a larger than life figure who was instrumental in bringing the Yankees back to prominence. He redefined what the term Boss meant. He was feared, respected and in some cases beloved. Who was he? A: All of the above, honestly. He had a sign on his desk that said “Lead, follow or get the hell out of the way” and he just always assumed he’d be the leader in any group he was in. From the start, he was the clear voice and face of the partnership that bought the team. The other 11 partners put up most of the $8.8 million that bought the team, George put up only $168,000 but he was the only choice to be managing general partner. Even before the newspapers discovered that it’d be easier to use “Boss” than “Steinbrenner” in headlines, Steinbrenner referred to himself as “the Boss.” That was who he was. That was who he always saw himself as. 76 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

A: There’s never been anything quite like it because all three men were stubborn, all three men were very good at their jobs and at various times all three men could barely stand the sight of each other. They wouldn’t just fight, they’d throw uppercuts on the back page of the tabloids. Again and again and again. George kept hiring Billy and kept firing him and Billy would go away and they would invariably miss each other because each had what the other wanted: George controlled who occupied the managers office; Billy brought the kind of fire and daily intensity George craved in a manger. He almost surely would have hired Billy a sixth time in 1990 if Billy hadn’t been killed in a car crash on Christmas. And when you had Reggie and all his ego-fueled dramas to the mix — and add the fact that he was maybe the most clutch big-game player of his generation — it was irresistible drama. Time and time and time again. What new stories did you discover about Reggie? A: As much as anything what I tried to do with the book was take familiar stories — the famous Reggie “straw that stirs the drink” quote, for example — and find details behind those stories that sort of illuminated them. A favorite of mine is the magazine story with the quote that appeared and sent Thurman into a tizzy. Fran Healy tried to calm Thurman down and say “maybe Reggie was misquoted.” And Thurman said “For five f***in’ pages?” How do the Yankees of the 90’s with Jeter O’Neill, Mariano, Bernie, Posada and Joe Torre compare with those 1970’s Yankees? How does Hal Steinbrenner compare with his famous father? Where do Brian Cashman and Gene Michael fit in? Is Boone the right manager for the current team?

A: The 90s teams essentially worked in a bubble compared to the 70s teams. George was older and less inclined to incite. And because they were so talented whatever distractions they did have were sort of automatically dissolved. They were better but less fun. Hal is diametrically different than his father. The story he told me is this: “when the Yankees lose a tough game, I throw my shoe at the TV. When my father did that, he’d throw his shoe at the TV and then call the Post and the Daily News and say “I just threw my shoe at the TV” And there’d be three days of stories. It would never occur to Hal to do something like that. Stick is a seminal figure in the Steinbrenner story because he was in charge during George’s second suspension. He had zero inclination, as George had, to trade prospects for fading stars. He kept the stars. And that allowed the Yankees to ascend to extraordinary heights. Cashman learned at Stick’s knee. Though Yankee fans don’t hold him in the same esteem as Stick, the fact is he delivers 94, 95 wins a year. But they haven’t won a title since 2009. And Cashman bears the brunt of the fan’s ire for that. I think Boone is a good manager. I think if young George were in charge he’d have fired him by now … but he might also be on his third tenure as manager, the way George kept recycling Billy. What are your thoughts on the current Yankees? Do they have championship mettle based on your observations? What do they need this year to get over the hump and beat the Dodgers? Can they fix the pen? Are Lagrange, Lombard, Spencer Jones, Elmer going to play a role? Is the Martian still an option? Volpe? A: They won 94 games last year and that’s as many as anyone in the American League. A lot of talk this spring about running it all back as if that was a felony, when, again, it was 94 wins. That’s not a bad run back. Yes, I think they can win a title. I also know — and Yankees fans hate this word — that it’s mostly a crapshoot. The Dodgers are viewed as an unbeatable team but they should have lost the World Series three different times last year. It IS a crapshoot.

DR ROBERT MELILLO World-Renowned Clinician, Professor, Brain Researcher, Best-Selling Author

r. Robert Melillo is a leading expert in developmental neurological conditions such as ADHD, autism, OCD, tics, dyslexia, anxiety, and depression in both children and adults. With extensive knowledge of brain function, he has perfected a noninvasive, multi-modal method to significantly improve and correct many neurological disorders. His expertise in functional neuroanatomy and neurophysiology is unparalleled, backed by 30 years as a clinician, professor, brain researcher, and bestselling author. His recently released 3rd edition book, Disconnected Kids, is a cornerstone in its genre, translated into 18 languages. Co-founder of Brain Balance Achievement Centers and developer of the Melillo Method®, he also runs the Melillo Center for Developing Minds in NY. Dr. Melillo directs the National Institute for Brain and Rehabilitation Sciences and co-hosts the web series Disconnected Kids Reconnected Families with his wife Carolyn, boasting over 3 million views. He also hosts The Melillo Method Podcast, Everything Brain. Dr. Melillo is a top expert in understanding and helping kids with language delays, like nonspeaking autism, find their voice while keeping their gifts.

Socials: FB: DrRobertMelillo

IG: @DrRobertMelillo YT: DrRobertMelillo

DrRobertMelillo.com

Summer 2026

SPOTLIGHT FEATURE

25A

SHARON MAHN

on Legal Recruiting’s High-Stakes Market

By Meghan Hemingway

Sharon Mahn understands the ecosystem of a deal: the rainmaker, the firm, the spouse, the whispered possibility of a move and the enormous business that may follow.

For more than two decades, Mahn has lived inside that world. A former trial lawyer turned founder and CEO of Mahn Consulting, she has moved major partners, helped build teams and brokered deals that shift millions in revenue and alter the future of a practice. She has done it through instinct, nerve and a relationship network built the old-fashioned way – one cold call, one lunch, one leap of trust at a time. “It was about building a career and a life that felt more aligned with who I am,” says Mahn. “The best placements are not just transactions. They are relationships that continue to build over time.” Mahn is clear-eyed about how much the business around those relationships has changed. As Big Law has grown larger, richer and more mobile, legal recruiting has grown with it – into a high-stakes market where information can be as valuable as the move itself. Mahn has seen that evolution from every angle: as a lawyer, as a recruiter, as an entrepreneur and now as a commentator co-anchoring The Exchange Briefing from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange with veteran journalist Jane King. Mahn has built an exceptional career by understanding power in all its forms: who has it, who is trying to move it and what is at stake when it changes hands. Her own story is proof of what can happen when women insist on keeping theirs. “Nobody is coming to save you,” Mahn says. “You have to stand up and fight for the life you want.” Mahn is named to the 2026 Lawdragon 100 Global Leaders in Legal Strategy & Consulting. Lawdragon: Where did you grow up? Sharon Mahn: I was born in New York and raised in New Jersey. People keep leaving for Florida, but New York has always had my heart. I love

78 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

the energy, the neighborhoods, the water, the fact that it keeps changing. Once you spend any real time here, you’re a New Yorker. LD: What drew you to recruiting? SM: I came to recruiting as a lawyer, and that has always shaped the way I look at the work. I understood what lawyers were weighing when they considered a move – their clients, their firms, their compensation, their families, their fears and their ambitions. Recruiting is about judgment, timing and trust. You are helping someone make a decision that can change the direction of their career and their life. I have worked on major placements and combinations, watched lawyers grow into positions of real power and helped people make moves that changed their lives. I love that part of the work. The best recruiters do more than make introductions. They help people see what is possible. LD: How did you get comfortable building a career around cold calls? SM: I am extremely social, and I always wanted to meet everyone. I loved being in New York. I loved coming to work every day. I loved going out, meeting people, going to games, concerts, dinners – all of it. So it never really felt like cold calling to me. It felt like building relationships. I became good friends with my clients and candidates, and over time those relationships became real friendships. People I met 25 years ago are still in my life now. At the time, legal recruiting was much more secretive than it is now. People were afraid to be seen with a recruiter. They would say, “Do not tell anyone I am talking to you.” Some people used fake names. It felt very old-school and private. Now managing partners call because they want to know what is happening in the market, what is happening at their own firms and how to think about talent. I have watched lawyers go from young partners

to chairs, managing partners and leaders of major firms. Now I get to share what I have learned over 25 years – how to build business, how to position yourself, how to make good career decisions and how to think long-term. That is really exciting to me. LD: What have been some of the most significant placements of your career?

SM: The stakes are enormous now. Legal recruiting is not what people may imagine it to be. This is not just someone sending a résumé and making an introduction. In the partner market, you may be talking about lawyers with $50M books of business. If a major partner or team moves, that can change the financial picture of an entire firm.

SM: I have worked on very large deals, including the merger of a major firm where I moved about 150 lawyers. Those matters are interesting because of their scale, complexity and impact on the market.

Law firms are not like public companies. Their value is tied very directly to their lawyers, their client relationships and their revenue. If you take out a major team, you are not just moving people. You are moving business. You are moving institutional knowledge. You may be shifting a meaningful percentage of a firm’s bottom line.

But I really do think every deal is interesting in its own way, because you are helping someone make a life-changing decision. Of course, the big lucrative deals are wonderful for your bottom line. But even a smaller placement can have tremendous impact. You may be helping someone get a better opportunity, more money, less stress or a clearer path to build a book of business.

That is why law firms need to be much more sophisticated about how they work with recruiters and what they share. If a recruiter knows that one office has a need, or that one partner may be vulnerable, or that a practice group is under pressure, that information can be used in ways the firm may not expect. And because the industry is not meaningfully regulated, there is very little in place to prevent that.

I see my role as going beyond simply placing someone in a job. I help candidates market themselves and think about their careers long-term. Sometimes that means making personal introductions. Sometimes it means putting them on my show at the Stock Exchange. Sometimes it means connecting them with business contacts or helping them understand how to position themselves in the market. When my candidates grow, I grow with them. If they build business, become more successful and develop stronger practices, that is good for everyone. The best placements are not just transactions. They are relationships that continue to build over time.

LD: What should lawyers understand before they speak candidly with a recruiter?

LD: Tell us more about your show. You’re co-hosting The Exchange Briefing from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. How did that come about? SM: I teamed up with my friend Jane King, who I’ve known for 20 years. Jane is a powerhouse – she’s a national financial reporter, a former anchor on CNN and Bloomberg, and she is at the New York Stock Exchange early in the morning doing financial reporting. In between all of that, we fit in our show. It’s called The Exchange Briefing, and we bring guests to the Stock Exchange to talk about the legal market, what their clients are doing and the broader trends they’re seeing. We’re targeting managing partners, practice leaders and people who are very high up in the industry. The show gives us a way to bring in lawyers and business leaders who can speak to what’s happening in real time. Most of what you see from the Stock Exchange is finance or tech. We’re saying, “Let’s also talk about the legal implications.” There are all these emerging growth companies, especially in AI and digital assets, and the market is moving so quickly. Companies that were started three years ago are being sold for billions of dollars. It’s hard to keep up, even when you’re trying to keep up. LD: As Big Law has grown, how has that changed the stakes in legal recruiting?

SM: Speaking with a recruiter is not the same as speaking with a lawyer. There is no attorney-client privilege. There may be a relationship of trust, and there are many recruiters who take that very seriously, but as an industry matter, candidates should not assume that everything they say is protected. That matters because candidates often tell recruiters deeply personal information – compensation, conflicts, health issues, family pressures, internal firm problems and why they are afraid to leave. A good recruiter needs context to help someone position a move properly. But where does that information go? Who sees it? Is it accurate? Can it be shared, sold, hacked or used later in a way the candidate never intended? Those questions are even more serious now because of AI. Information that used to sit in one database may not stay there forever. Once data is aggregated, searched or processed by new tools, the candidate may have no control over it and no ability to correct it. People think legal recruiting is simple. It is not. There is an entire world behind it, and lawyers need to understand that before they share information that could affect their careers, their reputations and their firms. LD: How does AI affect the way sensitive recruiting information can be collected, stored and used? SM: AI raises the stakes because it can process and amplify information without necessarily understanding whether that information is true, complete or fair. It does not have judgment. It can read what is public, what is repeated, what is best marketed or most visible – but that does not always mean it is the most accurate information. That is why I keep coming back to oversight. Recruiting has always involved sensitive information, but the technology has changed the scale. Information can move faster, travel farther and be interpreted by Summer 2026

25Asystems that do not know the people involved. A human recruiter may understand nuance. AI does not necessarily understand context.

The question is not just whether AI will help or hurt the recruiting industry. The question is: What duties do we have when we collect, store and use information about people’s careers? Because if the information is wrong, and it gets amplified, the harm can be very real. LD: How should we be thinking about regulation in legal recruiting? SM: I think there should be a licensing component, an ethics board and some form of enforcement authority. I say that as someone who is a lawyer by background. Lawyers answer to the bar. Doctors, financial professionals – there are systems in place. If you mishandle money, client information or professional obligations, there are consequences. In recruiting, we are handling incredibly sensitive information, but there is no comparable oversight. There are industry organizations with ethics rules, but they do not have real enforcement power, and not every recruiter or recruiting company is even subject to them. So the question becomes: Who is actually regulating the industry? I have lived through this myself, and it has made me think seriously about what happens when there is no meaningful check on the industry. To me, regulation is about protecting everyone – candidates, law firms, clients and recruiters – who are trying to do the work the right way. The legal market has changed. The money has changed. The technology has changed. The oversight needs to change too. LD: Tell us about rebuilding your career after leaving Major, Lindsey. SM: When I left, I had already learned the business and had been very successful. I was one of the top producers. But the environment had become too big, too competitive and too cutthroat for the kind of life and business I wanted to build. At the same time, my mother was very sick. She had leukemia and died when she was only 62. I was going to Sloan Kettering every week while I was working, and watching someone you love go through that changes your perspective very quickly. It makes you realize that time is not guaranteed. So when I left, it was not just about starting another recruiting business. It was about building a career and a life that felt more aligned with who I am. I wanted to do excellent work, but I also wanted to enjoy my life, protect my relationships and work with people in a way that felt personal and human. What I learned is that you have to love your life while you are living it. I came to New York in my 30s, and now I am pushing 60. It goes by fast. Every day counts. Every day is an opportunity to meet someone new, help someone, make a connection, see something, do something different. That is how I rebuilt. I kept working. I kept making placements, kept 80 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

helping people and stayed close to my candidates, my clients, my lawyers, my friends. I served on boards. I run marathons. I try to connect as much as I can back to charity, service or helping other people. Every day you spend feeling sorry for yourself is a day you are not out there connecting with people or doing something good. Nobody is coming to save you. Whatever your circumstances are – illness, litigation, divorce, heartbreak, professional setbacks – you have to stand up and fight for the life you want. You have to stay hopeful, stay positive and keep going. LD: Looking back on your career, is there anything you would change about your journey? SM: I wouldn’t change a thing, because I think you have to go through everything you have gone through in order to be where you are now. You make the best decisions you can with the information you have at the time, and then you keep moving forward. Of course, there are hard moments. I do not know anyone who has reached a high level and has not failed or been knocked down in some way. If that has never happened to you, maybe you have not pushed hard enough. The key is not to stay down. I am inspired by women who keep going. When you are younger, you want to believe everything is fair and just. But as you get older, and as you become more successful, you see how hard it still is for women to get to the top. So I do think there is value in refusing to disappear. One of the best pieces of advice I received was, “Do not hide. This does not define you. It is a moment in time.” At first, that sounds easy. But sometimes you have to fake it until you make it. You get up, you go back out into the world, and every day you keep pushing forward until you get where you need to be. Failure is an opportunity to learn. You get back up. You keep going. That is resilience.

SHARON MAHN’S TOP 10 TIPS

FOR FINDING & VETTING THE BEST LAWYERS

Prioritize Specialization Over General Practice

Look Beyond Online Reviews

Look for attorneys who focus deeply on your specific issue (e.g., whitecollar defense vs. general criminal law).

Reviews can be misleading—verify through referrals and professional networks.

Evaluate Track Record, Not Just Reputation Case outcomes, deal history, and courtroom experience matter more than branding.

Gauge Communication Style Early Responsiveness and clarity during the consultation phase often reflect future interactions.

Assess Firm Resources vs. Solo Attention

Ask About Strategy, Not Just Outcomes.

Larger firms offer resources; boutique firms often provide more personalized service.

A strong lawyer should articulate a thoughtful, realistic approach—not just promises.

Check Peer Recognition & Industry Rankings. Honors like Super Lawyers, Chambers rankings, and peer reviews can signal credibility.

Understand Fee Structures Clearly Transparency in billing (hourly, contingency, flat fee) is essential to avoid surprises.

Confirm Licensing & Disciplinary History. Always verify standing with the state bar and check for any red flags.

Trust Professional Matchmaking When Stakes Are High. Legal recruiters and insiders often know which attorneys truly excel in niche areas.

Summer 2026

25A

OXBRIDGE ACADEMY Advances a Bold, Student-Centered Model of Education xbridge Academy is an independent, coeducational, college-preparatory school for grades 6–12. Founded in 2011, the school delivers a world-class education that blends academic excellence, experiential learning, and whole-student support within an inclusive community where students are known, challenged, and cared for. Founded by philanthropist William I. (Bill) Koch, Oxbridge Academy was envisioned as a place where opportunity could flourish regardless of economic background. Since its founding, the school has awarded $5 million in financial aid annually, opening doors for students to thrive academically, creatively, and personally. With an enrollment of 615 students, a 9:1 student-teacher ratio, and an average class size of 14, Oxbridge provides a highly personalized educational experience. Students learn on a 54-acre, college-style campus featuring advanced science labs, art studios, performance spaces, and athletic facilities. Signature programs—including the Free Enterprise Institute, Artificial Intelligence, Aviation, the Cambridge Scholars Program, and Independent Research & Study - offer advanced, real-world learning opportunities across disciplines. Led by Head of School Dr. Ralph Maurer, along with Assistant Head of School John Perlette, Assistant Head of School for Advancement Jay Boodheshwar, Chief Business Officer Rebecca 82 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

DeJesus, and Health & Wellness Director Dr. Kelly Prisco, Oxbridge offers an innovative and purpose-driven education. Oxbridge prepares students to think critically, lead confidently, and make meaningful contributions in college and beyond. Student Care: An Integrated, WholeStudent Model Oxbridge Academy has unified its Health & Wellness Clinic, Mental Health Support Team, and Learning Support Team into a collaborative, integrated support system in the Health & Wellness Department. This approach addresses students’ physical, mental, emotional, and academic needs in a coordinated manner. Strengthened communication across teams allows for earlier intervention and more comprehensive care. The model emphasizes prevention, resilience, and student well-being. Together, these services ensure consistent, accessible support for every student. Health & Wellness is led by Dr. Kelly Prisco and includes two athletic trainers, two mental health professionals and three learning support staff… Dining Services: Supporting Wellness Through Nutrition Oxbridge Academy’s on-campus dining program supports student health and performance through fresh, healthy meals. A dedicated chef curates balanced menus designed to fuel academic focus, athletic performance, and creativity. The program

emphasizes quality ingredients, nutrition, and variety. Culinary services align with the school’s broader wellness initiatives. Together, they reinforce a holistic approach to student success. Academics: Free Enterprise Institute: Entrepreneurship in Action The Free Enterprise Institute (FEI) serves as Oxbridge Academy’s center for entrepreneurship and business innovation. Through a robust curriculum in finance, economics, and entrepreneurship, students gain practical, real-world skills. Students develop an understanding of capitalism, markets, and global economic systems. FEI prepares students to innovate, think strategically, and lead with confidence. Programs such as the FEI Summer Experience, guest speakers, partnerships, and field experiences connect students directly with professionals and industry leaders.

Artificial Intelligence: Preparing Students for a Data-Driven Future The Artificial Intelligence Program introduces students to one of the most transformative technologies of our time. Through handson, future-focused learning, the curriculum integrates computer science, data analysis, ethics, and real-world applications. Students participate in coding challenges, interactive projects, and applied problemsolving using industry-standard tools. Areas of study include machine learning, natural language processing, robotics, and

algorithmic thinking. The program builds technical expertise while encouraging critical evaluation of emerging technologies. Aviation: Signature Program Expands Experiential Learning Oxbridge Academy’s Aviation Signature Program offers students hands-on exposure to aeronautics through flight simulation, STEM-based coursework, and real-world training. Enhanced simulation tools allow students to practice instrument flying and aviation scenarios in a controlled environment. The program integrates math, science, geography, government, and economics with aviation studies. Students benefit from industry-aligned curriculum and expert instruction. Alumni have pursued pilot certification, aerospace engineering, and aviation careers. Cambridge Scholars Established in 2014 through a unique partnership between Oxbridge Academy and Cambridge University in England, the Cambridge Scholars Program offers a transformative two-week academic experience for 15 select juniors. Hosted at one of the world’s most prestigious universities, the program immerses students in British history and literature through indepth seminars on a range of dynamic topics. Participants sharpen their critical thinking and writing skills, build confidence, and develop a broader understanding of global perspectives. Oxbridge Academy is proud to be the only U.S. school to offer this exclusive collaboration with Cambridge University, making the program a truly distinctive academic opportunity.

Fast Facts • Founded: 2011 • Grades: 6–12 • Enrollment: 615 students • Student–Teacher Ratio: 9:1 • Average Class Size: 14 • Campus: 54-acre college-style campus with advanced labs, studios, performance spaces, and athletic facilities • Location: 3151 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33409 NOTABLE OXBRIDGE ACADEMY ALUMNI Siblings Michael Benarde ’15 and Shirah Benarde ’20: Got a deal on Shark Tank in 2021 for their drink-spiking prevention hair scrunchie,

Nightcap, and have since expanded their product line. The siblings were named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2024 and Shirah was selected as one of Inc.’s Top 500 Female Founders for 2025. Last year, Nightcap hit the one-million-sold sales mark. They are also active in advocating for drink safety legislation around the country as well as advocating for legislation to improve patent protection for small businesses. Tyree Smith ’15: After a stint at his hometown ESPN station in West Palm Beach, Smith headed to Portland, Oregon, where he has been a popular TV sports anchor since 2023, first at ABC affiliate KATU-TV and more recently at CBS affiliate KOIN-TV. Crystal Primm ’15: Recruited by Duke to play basketball, played for Auburn and FAU. Currently plays guard for the Jamaican National Basketball Team; she will be participating in the Commonwealth Games in Scotland this summer; also plays for a team in Portugal. Travis Homer '16: Originally drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2019 after starring at the University of Miami, and a member of the Chicago Bears since 2022, he built a reputation as a versatile running back also known for his receiving ability and impact on special teams. Career highlights include a 73-yard fake-punt TD run and returning an onside kick for a touchdown. G. Terrell Seabrooks ’17: Elected 139th president of the Harvard Law Review in Feb. 2025. (Harvard Law Class of 2026) A South Florida native, Seabrooks attended Princeton University, where he majored in public policy and international affairs, and was on the men’s lacrosse team and

debate team. Keidron Smith '18: After solid college football careers as a defensive back at Ole Miss and Kentucky, Smith initially signed with the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2023 but ended up on the roster of the Denver Broncos where he made an impact on special teams. He signed with the New York Jets in December 2025. Shawn Steuerer ‘20 – Steuerer was a star baseball player for the Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays, graduating in 2025 as the school’s alltime leader in home runs, hits, RBIs, doubles, and runs scored! He did it while earning a degree in Economics with minors in Accounting and Financial Management and Entrepreneurship and Management (and a 3.77 GPA). He declined offers to try out for major league baseball and now works as an equity sales and trading associate at Oppenheimer in New York. Barron Trump ’24: Fifth and youngest child of President Donald J. Trump began attending NYU’s Stern School of Business in 2024, transferring in 2025 to the school’s Washington, D.C. campus, near the White House. Summer 2026

25A

SPOTLIGHT FEATURE

FILMMAKER BILLY KENT

ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF CREATIVITY By Adam Kluger & Kira Joe Photos by Billy Kent

84 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

Billy Kent is an independent filmmaker, director, writer, producer, educator, and photographer whose work explores the intersection of humor, intimacy, and human contradiction. Born in Manhattan and

Billy, you’ve had such a prolific career as a writer, filmmaker, and

teacher. Tell us a little bit about your creative process and some of your favorite films and commercials.

raised on New York City's Lower East Side, Kent has spent his career telling stories about people searching for connection, meaning, and

I think my creative process is really about observation and accumulation.

a place to belong. His work is grounded in observation, emotional

I tend to collect little human moments, awkward conversations,

honesty, and a deep respect for character.

gestures, fragments of memory, light on a wall, somebody trying and failing to say what they mean. A lot of my work starts there rather than

Kent made his feature debut with The Oh in Ohio (2006), starring Parker

from plot. I'm interested in emotional texture and the strange comedy

Posey, Paul Rudd, Danny DeVito, Heather Graham, and Liza Minnelli.

of being alive.

The film premiered at SXSW and the Edinburgh International Film Festival and was praised for its intelligence, warmth, and emotional

As a filmmaker, I'm drawn to work that feels human and lived in.

insight. He followed with HairBrained (2013), starring Brendan Fraser,

Films like Five Easy Pieces, Manhattan, Old Joy, Paterson, Moonlight,

Alex Wolff, Parker Posey, and Julia Garner, a coming-of-age comedy

and The Headless Woman, along with the work of filmmakers like

about identity, ambition, and belonging.

Jim Jarmusch, Aki Kaurismäki, Paolo Sorrentino, Kelly Reichardt, Lynn Shelton, Barry Jenkins, and Lucrecia Martel. I love filmmakers

Over the course of his career, Kent has directed more than 350

who trust silence, observation, rhythm, and emotional contradiction,

films and commercials and received five Emmy Awards. Through his

and who trust their actors enough to improvise and discover those

production company, Love Lane Pictures, he has collaborated with

unexpected, beautiful moments that can't be written into a script.

internationally recognized artists and cultural institutions, creating films

Filmmaking is often about creating the conditions for surprise.

with figures including Ai Weiwei, Olafur Eliasson, Cristina Iglesias, El Anatsui, and Steven Holl. His work often explores the creative process

I've also been incredibly fortunate to work with remarkable actors over

and the relationship between people, ideas, and place.

the years, including Parker Posey, Danny DeVito, Paul Rudd, Heather Graham, Liza Minnelli, Alex Wolff, Julia Garner, and most recently Dave

Photography has been a parallel creative practice throughout

Hill. What I've learned from all of them is that great performances often

Kent’s life. Influenced by photographers including Earlie Hudnall Jr.,

emerge from trust. When actors feel safe enough to bring themselves

Hiroshi Sugimoto, and Elliott Erwitt, his images focus on landscape,

fully to the work, they inevitably surprise you.

architecture, and fleeting moments of human presence. Working primarily with medium-format cameras, he is drawn to observation,

Whether I'm making a feature film, a museum piece, or a commercial,

imperfection, and the small, unexpected moments that reveal

I'm always chasing the same thing: authenticity, connection, and

character and place. His photographs have been exhibited throughout

moments that linger after the screen goes dark.

the Hudson Valley and reflect many of the same themes found in his films: memory, humor, connection, light, and the passage of time. Since 2014, Kent has taught directing and visual storytelling at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where he encourages students to trust observation, performance, and cinematic language as tools for discovering their own artistic voice. Now based in Saugerties, New York, Kent is developing In the Wind, a deeply personal feature inspired in part by his experiences with loss and grief. The film follows a musician returning upstate to scatter his father's ashes, only to confront unresolved friendships, questions of authorship, and the possibility of renewal. Across all of his work, Kent returns to a simple belief: that meaning invite audiences to look closely, embrace ambiguity, and discover the extraordinary within everyday life.

Billy Kent

is found not in spectacle, but in presence. His films and photographs

Summer 2026

25A

You first came to my attention at Vassar when you produced a really cool Madonna video for True Blue. How did that all come about and what was that experience like?

wonderfully prehistoric now. I'm fairly certain my family treated it as a civic responsibility and called thousands of times on my behalf. Looking back, it was probably my first lesson in both filmmaking and audience building. You could make something

Well, that whole chapter really started at Vassar College. I

creative, but you also had to find a way to connect people to it. In

somehow got my hands on a Bolex camera, and the magic of

many ways, that's not so different from what I'm doing today.

the Bolex was that you could stop the film and start it again,

I'm currently making a new independent feature film called In

which opened up all kinds of creative possibilities and made

the Wind, starring Dave Hill. It's a story about friendship, grief,

filmmaking feel playful and experimental. Around that time, I

creativity, music, and getting older, and we're hoping to shoot

was making films with friends like Evan Wright, Joe Messina,

this summer in the Hudson Valley.

Matt Sampton, and Kerri Green from The Goonies. We were all young, curious, and completely obsessed with making things.

The film recently received fiscal sponsorship through the

There was a feeling that if you had a camera, a few friends, and

Woodstock Film Festival, which means all donations are fully

enough energy, you could create almost anything. One of those

tax deductible. Independent filmmaking has always depended

friends was offered an internship at MTV but passed on it, and

on communities of people helping stories find their way into the

the opportunity found its way to me. Suddenly I was working

world, and it's exciting to still be doing that all these years later.

around the VJs during the height of MTV's influence in the mid1980s. It was an incredible time when music, film, fashion, art,

Who are some of your sources of inspiration?

and pop culture were all colliding in real time. The summer after that, MTV held a nationwide music video competition. A few

My mother Evelyn was probably my first and greatest creative

friends and I put together a video that ended up in the Top 10. I

influence. She loved movies and understood their power to

believe Pamela Adlon was also among the finalists. The winner

shape how we see the world. We spent countless hours in

was determined entirely through call-in voting, which feels

theaters together watching films like 2001: A Space Odyssey,

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Summer 2026

25A Chinatown, The Man Who Fell to Earth, My Life as a Dog, and

Timeless work is usually simple. One idea. One feeling. One clear point

Arthur. Seeing Liza Minnelli in Arthur was especially memorable and

of view. The audience feels when something has been crafted with

helped me understand how vulnerability and humor can coexist in a

care. Most importantly, people don't remember what you told them.

performance. I'm also inspired by photographers Earlie Hudnall Jr. and

They remember how you made them feel.

Hiroshi Sugimoto. Hudnall's ability to see ordinary people with dignity and humanity, and Sugimoto's sense of time, light, and stillness, have

Any thoughts on how creatives can embrace AI?

both influenced how I think about images. I think every generation of artists faces new tools that change the way The ocean has been another lifelong source of inspiration. I carry a Fujica

work gets made. For me, the more interesting question isn't what AI

645 medium format camera whenever I can and have photographed

can do, but what remains uniquely human.

Newcomb Hollow Beach for most of my life. I'm fascinated by places that aren't home but become temporarily comfortable, where people

The same is true when working with actors. No technology can replace

reveal something of themselves. Finally, I owe a tremendous debt to

the moment when an actor brings something unexpected to a scene,

the people I've worked with at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

a look, a hesitation, a line reading, a piece of themselves that wasn't

Making films there over many years taught me that storytelling isn't

on the page. Some of the best moments I've captured with actors like

just about narrative. Through the humanity, intellect, and generosity of

Parker Posey, Paul Rudd, Danny DeVito, Liza Minnelli, Julia Garner, and

Gary Tinterow and Mary Haus, I came to see film as a bridge between

Dave Hill happened because people were willing to trust each other

people, ideas, and communities. That's become one of the central

and stay open to surprise. Technology can help us make things faster,

beliefs behind all of my work.

but creativity isn't really about speed. It's about curiosity, observation, empathy, and connection. Whether I'm standing behind a medium

What's the secret to creating a timeless commercial?

format camera on a beach in Wellfleet or sitting with actors working through a scene, the goal is the same: to pay attention to what it feels

I think the secret to a timeless commercial is that it can't begin with

like to be human.

marketing language. It has to begin with something emotionally true. The tools will continue to change. What matters is preserving our ability The commercials people remember years later usually contain a

to see, listen, and connect. I believe in the power of community and

genuine human insight. They understand longing, humor, connection,

that is a creative renewable power that no tech can undermine or take

aspiration, insecurity, or joy. The product matters, but the emotional

away.

truth matters more.

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Summer 2026

25A One Tap to Share It All Epype acts like a digital Swiss army knife— packaging images, offers, videos, social handles, and ecommerce links into one shareable mobile interface. For content creators and media partners on Your Home TV, that means their shows and promotions can now be shared instantly to audiences across the globe with a single tap—no apps, no downloads, just direct digital engagement. This is a timely solution for brands and content distributors grappling with the fragmentation of digital platforms and the overhead of maintaining multiple engagement tools. By offering a centralized, no-code way to promote programs and offers across mobile, Epype removes complexity while maximizing reach.

Taps Epype to Supercharge Mobile Sharing for Streaming & Brands

“Businesses are overwhelmed by platform overload,” Stockell added. “With Epype, we’ve centralized the process and accelerated mobile sharing for everyone on our network.”

Your Home TV and Epype Join Forces to Simplify Mobile Content Sharing and Boost Viewer Reach Big Reach, Low Friction our Home TV, the fast-growing OTT network known for accessible, family-friendly content, has announced a strategic partnership with Epype, a mobile-first digital engagement platform designed to simplify and amplify brand and content connectivity. The goal? To make mobile sharing as seamless as a tap—literally. The collaboration gives Your Home TV’s content creators, brands, and marketers a powerful tool to instantly share their streaming programs, ecommerce links, offers, and contact information without the friction of traditional apps or multi-platform clutter.

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“We’re introducing a streamlined solution that allows businesses to connect with customers and distribute content seamlessly,” said Sean Stockell, CEO of Your Home Digital. “That’s the genius behind Epype.”

Since its 2022 launch, Your Home TV has carved out a growing niche in the OTT space with 1,100 programs, 112 million views, and global accessibility via mobile and Rokuconnected TVs. Featuring short-form content across 20+ genres—from cooking to sports— the network offers both viewers and creators a cost-effective way to produce and consume streaming entertainment. Now, with Epype embedded into its sharing infrastructure, the platform is giving creators the distribution velocity they've needed all along. “Epype will enable Your Home TV content creators, brands, and media partners to share programs and offers in under 30 seconds,” said Steve Eastland, CEO of Epype. “No app, no hassle—just real-time engagement.”

The Broader Implications

Mobile Is the New Media Hub

This move reflects a growing trend among streaming and content platforms: streamlined, app-free engagement. With audiences increasingly mobile and attentionfragmented, reducing the number of steps between discovery and action is more than convenience—it’s a competitive edge.

Together, Epype and Your Home TV are capitalizing on a media reality where mobile isn’t just a channel—it’s the channel. The ability to instantly share branded content, campaigns, and direct offers—without asking users to jump through hoops—is the kind of streamlined engagement that modern marketers crave.

For marketers, sales teams, and media personalities like Xen Sams, the value is obvious.

As Epype CEO Steve Eastland puts it:

“Epype’s intuitive, mobile-first tech stack allows us to connect across all digital touchpoints while maintaining authenticity, speed, and ROI,” said Sams, host of A Moment of Xen on iHeartMedia’s 710 WOR. “It’s a gamechanger.”

“We started by asking, what if businesses could share news, programs, or offers instantly with vast mobile audiences? With Epype, the answer is now clear—and the results are astounding.”

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YOUR HOME DIGITAL Tampa-based

began by disrupting the home industry, now focuses on family-friendly program streaming worldwide By Adam Kluger

ean Stockell launched Your Home Digital in 2015, following a 32-year career in mortgage lending and community banking. He achieved significant success in banking and managed U.S. mortgage production offices in the Midwest and Southeast before a career pivot. Stockell has an entrepreneurial spirit and unique ability to navigate change. The backstory: Stockell began developing technology for home consumers in 1994, before the Internet emerged as a driving force. His first product was called, LoanSource. It was a floppy disk system, which loaded onto a home PC and provided an easy-to-use guide through the mortgage process. Stockell described his first real-tech endeavor as an experience similar to using TurboTax, but it focused on the home financing industry instead. Stockell said, “it was powerful because it included an interface with a large regional bank, which just happened to be the first beta partner with Freddie Mac on the Loan Prospector automated underwriting system. Stockell said, “LoanSource included a glossary of real estate terms, a quick guide to compare loan products side-by-side, closing cost estimates, payment calculator, forms to complete for employment and asset verification, the convenient ability to submit a loan application in minutes from a home computer, and receive an automated underwriting loan decision quickly.” He added, “this had never been done before. Our system was developed before the launch of Quicken, Ditech, LendingTree, or Rocket. LoanSource was revolutionary, but timing and partnership issues derailed the project. This was a significant learning experience for me, which led to understanding the importance of ownership control, and extreme caution in partner selection for the future.” 92 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

Your Home Digital introduced YourHome1Source.com to the U.S. market in October of 2015, as the nation’s first All-Things-Home website. This extensive home resource portal provides a myriad of home topics and products. It is FREE for site visitors with no registration requirements, no fees, no questions to answer, and no apps to download. YourHome1Source offers about 400 original articles, books and guides, photo galleries for home ideas, DIY resources, links to lenders, insurance providers, home movers, home security, warranty, inspection, home furnishings, and online store. It’s truly a one-stopshop. YourHome1Source expanded into video production and hosting in 2016, launching Your Home TV with more than 200 home product videos. Stockell said, “this was our gateway into global streaming.” Your Home TV launched in 2022. It is a browser-based global streaming network available on Roku and easily accessed via mobile device worldwide. “It’s a fast-growing OTT platform because Your Home TV focuses on non-scripted original content, not re-run TV series or old movies.”, says Stockell. “Your Home TV is best described as the upstreaming network, because we serve brands, influencers, and upand-coming filmmakers. We’re quite different from the large brand CTV (connected TV) brands like Netflix, Paramount+, or Amazon Prime. Your Home TV features short-run programs, i.e., five to fifteen minutes and ideally serves today’s viewers on mobile devices.” Your Home TV has scaled by forming more than 50 alliances with media partners involved with content creation and distribution though the network. Board Director, Miles Robinson, says, "I am excited about what founder, Sean Stockell and his passionate team of technology and media partners have created. Their collaboration of producers, influencers, and filmmakers is truly revolutionary in the streaming industry. Your Home TV provides audiences with genuine stories, experiences to cherish,

"Your Home TV is thriving because our network carries original and unique content. We're not limited to rerun content which most streaming networks carry, like redundant movies, documentaries, or television series reruns. Our network covers a multitude of topics and features emerging creative producers who are often overlooked or excluded by megastream outlets. Viewers find our shows about Real People, Real Stories, and Real Life to be compelling. They connect with and develop a relationship with

these stories. Binge watching of our programs is common. It's a wonderful experience, our producers and audience connecting. Your Home TV provides a low cost, high visibility gateway for leading brands to reach new audiences through streaming. Our global streaming network is affordable for brands, influencers, filmmakers, and advertisers to reach millions of viewers in the U.S. and abroad via Your Home TV." says, Sean Stockell, founder and executive producer of Your Home TV.

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OUR SERVICES:

Provide FAST Channel Build, Tech Support, Production Resources, and Marketing Bundle (Turnkey Streaming)

55 SIGNED PARTNERSHIPS, 46 CHANNELS ALREADY LAUNCHED: 1,000+ Shows Published Since 2022

CONTENT:

Family Friendly Content Across 20 Genres. Non-Scripted, Short-run, Educational and Experiential Programs More Topics and Titles in Production

MEDIA:

iHeartRadio, Uptone Pictures, Faith + Sports Network, The Disability Channel, ESTV, MTR7 Soccer Legends

and features an array of "feel good programs" today's viewers are seeking. In my 40 years in the entertainment, film, and music industry, it's rare to see an alliance come together as we're seeing with Your Home TV.

to studios, connect them with videography and editing resources, and provide marketing assistance. We allow our channel partners to thrive, and we provide them with a worldwide stage,” Stockell said.

Your Home TV offers FREE streaming for families on a variety of topics and interests. Equally important, Your Home TV offers creators and producers a place to showcase their content affordably and to reach a large and growing global audience. “We are truly a turnkey streaming gateway for creatives. We host and distribute content, provide access

Your Home TV has quickly amassed over 1,000 programs and episodes since 2022, and has logged 100 million views across all shows. The platform allows creators to tell their stories, retain ownership of their work, and collect 100% of their sponsor revenue. According to Stockell, there are currently 56 channel partnerships providing content in 20 genres.

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www.foa.yourhometv.com

Summer 2026

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About Gretchen Philyaw Host of Fabric of America Executive Producer & Host Gretchen Philyaw Gretchen Philyaw is the host of Fabric of America. Gretchen is a CEO, a founder and writer. She's a proponent of American industry, a skilled hand and entrepreneur and now, Gretchen is about to show the world the excitement of making it in the USA. Please join Gretchen on the ultimate road trip for America where she will travel the USA to celebrate the people, places and experiences that show the American Dream is alive and well.

Fabric of America

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MARIAH KALHOR

Summer 2026

NOVÉRA SKINCARE

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Makes Its U.S. Debut with Manhattan Launch Event at Emanuel New York By Adam Kluger

Canadian luxury skincare house introduces Gemstone Infusion face mist collection at Midtown Manhattan’s “home of ultra niche”

ovéra Skincare, the Canadian luxury skincare house founded by Zeeshan “Zee” Mohammed, celebrated its United States launch with a New York event at Emanuel New York.

treated water with actives including sodium hyaluronate, niacinamide and a stable form of vitamin C. The collection includes Rose Quartz for her, Clear Quartz for him and Amethyst, a unisex, scent-free mist created for sensitive and reactive skin.

The launch introduced Novéra’s debut collection of gemstone-infused, clinically driven face mists to the American market. Built around the idea that gentle and effective skincare should not be a trade-off, Novéra began as a personal search for a better skincare ritual after Mohammed watched his young daughter, who has eczema, dread the daily routine of creams and topical products.

The New York launch was held at Emanuel New York, 329 West 39th Street, a Midtown Manhattan luxury boutique known as “the home of ultra niche.” The store offers a curated mix of niche fragrance, beauty, skincare, clothing and accessories, shaped by fashion designer Victor dE Souza and beauty veteran Dustin Lujan. Emanuel New York is also the exclusive New York City home of City Rhythm perfumes and has become a destination for scent lovers, fashion clients and guests seeking a highly personal luxury retail experience.

Rather than create another traditional moisturizer, Mohammed reimagined the face mist as the center of the skincare ritual. The result is Novéra’s Gemstone Infusion collection, which pairs quartz-

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“Novéra did not begin in a boardroom. It began with my daughter,” said Zeeshan “Zee” Mohammed, founder of Novéra Skincare.

Novéra Skincare Gemstone Infusion collection (Photo Credit: Novéra Skincare)

“I wanted to create something gentle enough for sensitive skin, beautiful enough to feel like luxury and effective enough to become part of a real daily routine.” Every Novéra formula is vegan, cruelty-free, alcohol-free, Halal certified and made in Canada. The brand excludes more than 1,800 ingredients and positions its mists as a 10-second skincare ritual designed to hydrate, balance and refresh the skin without friction, heaviness or irritation. Notable attendees included: Zeeshan Mohammed, Victor DeSouza, and Dustin Lujan. About Novéra Skincare: Novéra is a Canadian luxury skincare house founded in 2025 by Zeeshan “Zee” Mohammed and born from a personal moment at home — his young daughter’s struggle with eczema, and the question of why hydration had to feel like a chore at all. Its debut collection, the Gemstone Infusion™ Face Mist in Rose Quartz, Clear Quartz and Amethyst, pairs gemstone treated water with clinically studied actives such as hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and vitamin C, while excluding more than 1,800 ingredients by name. Every formula is vegan, cruelty-free, Halal certified, alcohol-free and made in Canada. Born from Earth. Perfected by Science. For more information, please visit: www.noveraskincare.com IG: @noveraskincare | FB: novera | X / T: @noveraofficial About Emanuel New York: Emanuel New York is a Midtown Manhattan luxury boutique located at 329 West 39th Street, offering a curated mix of niche fragrance, beauty, skincare, clothing and accessories. Positioned as “the home of ultra niche,” the store brings together emerging and distinctive fragrance houses, fashion-forward retail and a couture sensibility shaped by designer Victor dE Souza and beauty veteran Dustin Lujan. Emanuel New York is also the exclusive New York City home of City Rhythm perfumes and has quickly become a destination for scent lovers, fashion clients and guests seeking a highly personal luxury retail experience. For more information, please visit: www.emanuelnewyork.com IG: @emanuel_newyork | FB: emanuelnewyork | PIN: emanuelnewyork Summer 2026

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“MOM’S BOOK OF WISDOM” Brings Timeless Mother to Child Advice to Bookshelves for any occasion to Celebrate Mothers By Norah Lawlor

Norah Lawlor

Image Credit: Hatherleigh Press

here is a familiar moment that arrives with age, sometimes quietly, sometimes midsentence: you hear your mother’s voice coming out of your own mouth. In “Mom’s Book of Wisdom: Timeless Advice from My Mother & Yours,” author Norah Lawlor captures that universal experience and turns it into a warm, practical collection of guidance meant to be returned to again and again. Published by Hatherleigh Press, the hardcover release is now available for order on amazon and at all good book stores. In the book, inspired by her own mother, the author gathers essential lessons passed down through generations, the kind that shape how people handle disappointment, choose resilience, show up for family and keep moving forward when life becomes complicated. Built for gift giving and everyday reference, “Mom’s Book of Wisdom” is positioned as both a keepsake and a conversation starter, offering

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accessible encouragement that meets readers wherever they are, from milestone moments to ordinary days that still require courage, bringing a storyteller’s sensibility to a subject that is deeply personal and widely shared. Order Mom’s Book of Wisdom by Norah Lawlor on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4229srW For Wholesale ly/4tE75HR

Purchases:

https://bit.

Distributed by Penguin RandomHouse: https:// bit.ly/4suR1Ht About the Author: Norah Lawlor is the founder of Lawlor Media Group, a New York based Public Relations, Marketing and Communications Agency focused on the art, beauty, creative, entertainment, fashion, film, hospitality, literary, nightlife, and real estate fields, as well as a number of philanthropists, charitable and notfor-profit foundations and charitable endeavors in markets including New York, The Hamptons,

and Palm Beach. Norah has written and contributed publications covering the social and society scene in New York, the Hamptons and internationally. Norah has contributed to many books including writing the foreword to Manners that Matter Most. For more information, please visit www. lawlormediagroup.com About Hatherleigh press: Hatherleigh Press is dedicated to publishing reliable and authoritative content in healthy living. Hatherleigh encourages active and healthy lifestyles, involvement in family and community, earth-friendly choices, and mindful awareness of the interconnectedness of all things. Projects are carefully selected for relevance and interest to knowledge-seeking consumers. For more information, please visit www.hatherleighpress.com IG:@HatherleighPr | F: HatherleighPress | X: @HatherleighPr

LITERACY PARTNERS

Event Raises $1.3m to support life-changing literacy programs iteracy Partners hosted its 2026 Evening of Readings & Gala Dinner at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers, bringing together New York’s literary, philanthropic, civic and business leaders for a festive black-tie evening celebrating the power of literacy to change lives, which also marked the 40th anniversary of the gala, first held in 1986, by its founder, Liz Smith.

The annual gala hosted by award-winning journalist Lesley Stahl, supports Literacy Partners’ mission to advance literacy two generations at a time, helping adults, parents and caregivers build the skills and confidence they need to create stronger futures for themselves and the children in their care. One of the highlights underscoring the importance of the work of the Charity was where a Literacy Partners student shared her journey from learning English to now helping other students increase their literacy skills. Thanks to Literacy Partners she is also pursuing a career in healthcare and her children are thriving in school. This year’s gala honored four distinguished leaders whose work reflects the organization’s commitment to education, storytelling, service and opportunity:

commitment to culture, philanthropy and civic engagement. A patron of the arts, publishing maven, and lifelong New Yorker, Barbara Tober helmed BRIDES magazine as its Editor-in-Chief for over 30 years. The award is named in honor of Liz Smith. Sherrie Westin, president and CEO of Sesame Workshop, received the Champion of Literacy Award. Westin’s work at the helm of the global nonprofit behind “Sesame Street” reflects a deep commitment to children’s learning, early education and the lifelong value of literacy. Commenting on the importance of the annual Gala Asaf Bar-Tura, Literacy Partners, CEO said, "This gathering, which celebrated remarkable literacy champions, demonstrated that when we come together, a better future is possible. Literacy is a gateway to social mobility and economic opportunity. The Literacy Partners community will continue to insist on a nation where everyone has the opportunity to read, work, engage, and thrive." Notable Attendees included: Lesley Stahl, Patricia Cornwell, Sabastian Niles, Barbara Tober, Sherrie Westin, Asaf Bar-Tura, David Westin, Jean Shafiroff, Sheila Nevins, Perri Peltz, Courtney E.K. Lewis and Bill Buford.

Patricia Cornwell, award-winning author, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. A pioneering figure in contemporary crime fiction, Cornwell has built an internationally acclaimed body of work that has captivated readers and helped define a genre. Sabastian Niles, president and chief legal officer of Salesforce, received the Distinguished Leadership in Literacy Award. Niles was recognized for leadership that reflects the importance of access, equity and opportunity in building stronger communities. Barbara Tober received the Lizzie Award, recognizing her longtime Summer 2026

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AMERICA’S FINANCIAL FIRST RESPONDERS (FEHSF)

dedicated to protecting the families of our fallen heroes. By Gia Carillo

Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation (FEHSF), Richard S. Kendall, Founder and Chairman has been leading the effort for over 30 years. The Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation was not created for recognition. It was created for response and immediate impact. In a Nation secured each day by men and women whose names are rarely known, the Foundation stands as a quiet but decisive force — the Financial First Responder for Federal Law Enforcement Agents/Officers and their families when tragedy strikes. Structured as a 501(c)(3) humanitarian, apolitical, directgiving organization, FEHSF occupies a singular space in American philanthropy: it exists to move quickly, discreetly, and meaningfully in moments when time is everything. Closing the Gap Between Sacrifice and Support Federal Agents operate in spaces most citizens will never see — confronting terrorism, organized crime, cyber threats, narcotics trafficking, and emerging national security threats. Their work is defined by unpredictability and risk. When tragedy occurs — when an Agent is killed or gravely injured in the line of duty, or when a family faces sudden medical or disaster-related crises — traditional systems are often slow, layered and procedural. FEHSF was built to close that gap. The Foundation’s mandate ensures Emergency Funds are received by suffering Families within 24 to 48 hours. There is no protracted approval process. No distant bureaucratic review. Only swift action, guided by dignity, urgency and respect. In the most vulnerable hours of a family’s life, the Foundation becomes a stabilizing force — ensuring mortgages are paid, medical bills are covered, children’s financial needs are met, and grief is not compounded by financial fear. This speed is not incidental. It is structural. FEHSF was engineered for precision. Since its inception, the Foundation has distributed millions of dollars in direct support to hundreds of Families across a wide range of Federal Law Enforcement Agencies including: 102 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

ATF, CBP, DEA, FBI, HSI, IRS, Secret Service, USMS and USPIS. FEHSF honors the sacrifices of fallen, wounded and suffering Agents not only with words but with tangible care and gravitas. A Private–Public Partnership with National Weight FEHSF’s credibility is reinforced by the stature of those who guide it. It represents a rare alignment of public service and private leadership — a Partnership between senior Federal Law Enforcement Officials and accomplished Leaders in business, medicine, law, technology and finance. Serving as Honorary Chairman, Governor Tom Ridge brings historic gravity to the Mission. As the first U.S. Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Governor Ridge understands firsthand the pressures and responsibilities borne by those protecting our beloved Nation. His presence signals both continuity and seriousness of purpose. Governor Ridge often refers to the service performed by those FEHSF supports as a Calling. The entire Family shares and bears the burdens and risks when danger is confronted. Ridge Awards presents its Lifetime Achievement and Patriot Awards to distinguished and philanthropic individuals in the Private Sector. Most importantly, Agents from the Agencies FEHSF supports who performed heroically and effectively in the Field are duly acknowledged. Founder and Chairman, Richard S. Kendall established the Foundation with a clear vision: to create a permanent, reliable support system for Federal Agents/Officers in crises. Under his leadership, FEHSF has grown into a nationally respected and trusted institution defined by efficiency, discretion, response, trust and integrity. The Executive Leadership Team ensures that compassion is matched by discipline. Ariel K. Grossman, Chief Operating Officer, maintains operational agility. Executive Director, John B. Devito translates donor

Founder Richard S. Kendall

commitment into immediate aid. Financial stewardship is led by Vice Chairman and Treasurer Dan Knopf, whose oversight safeguards transparency and fiscal strength. Medical oversight is provided by Dr. Jordan Josephson, ensuring that health-related assistance meets the highest professional standards. Vice Chairmen Josh Fox, Michal Grayevsky, and Min Kyriannis bring strength across nonprofit partnership, communications strategy, and national security technology. The Board of Directors reflects a similarly distinguished blend of influence and commitment, including financier and communicator Anthony Scaramucci; legal advocate Marie Napoli; physician and wellness author Nicholas Perricone; and attorney and civic leader, Sharon Mahn. Their collective oversight ensures that the Foundation’s growth never eclipses its core purpose: direct support to those in need. This is philanthropy governed not by abstraction, but by accountability Where Philanthropy and National Security Intersect Beyond Emergency Grants and a multitude of FEHSF Sponsored Events, The Foundation has cultivated another signature forum: its recurring National Security Briefings. These convenings are deliberately structured to bridge a gap that too often remains abstract — the distance between Federal Law Enforcement Leadership and civilian business executives whose industries are increasingly shaped by geopolitical volatility, cyber threats and regulatory risk. In private settings that encourage candor over ceremony, senior officials and corporate leaders engage in substantive dialogue about real-time challenges confronting the Nation. Discussions range from evolving counterterrorism priorities to cyber intrusion trends, supply chain vulnerabilities, financial crimes, and the broader economic implications of global instability. The objective is neither spectacle nor partisan commentary. It is alignment.

For business leaders, the Briefings offer rare, high level intelligence and informed perspectives from those operating on the front lines of National Security. For Law Enforcement professionals, they provide insights into how emerging threats reverberate across markets, infrastructure, and innovation ecosystems. The result is a more integrated understanding of how public safety and private enterprise intersect — and how the Missions of both communities, though distinct, increasingly overlap. In an era when National Security risk can migrate from a distant conflict zone to a corporate balance sheet in a matter of hours, these Forums serve as both an educational platform and strategic bridge. They reflect a broader truth embedded in the Foundation’s work: safeguarding the Nation is no longer the sole province of Government. It is a shared responsibility, requiring informed Partnership between those who enforce the law and those who power the economy. The Schneiderman Cup: Legacy in Action Among the Foundation’s signature Events is the

Annual Golf Outing now known as The Schneiderman Cup, held at Alpine Country Club. What began as a philanthropic initiative established by the late Fred Schneiderman — a former FEHSF Board Member and devoted supporter — has evolved into a gathering defined as much by purpose as by tradition. Senior Business Executives, corporate leaders and Law Enforcement professionals convene not merely for sport, but in quiet affirmation of a shared commitment: to ensure that the families of those who protect the Homeland are never left unsupported. The Value of Being There First The value added by FEHSF is not abstract. It is measured in immediacy. It is the difference between waiting and relief. Between uncertainty and stability. Between isolation and solidarity. In the upper tiers of philanthropy — where global finance, civic responsibility, and influence converge — few organizations operate with such clarity of purpose. FEHSF does not compete for attention. It competes against time and urgent Family needs. America’s Federal Agents form a discreet circle of protectors. They move quietly, often anonymously, into harm’s way. The Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation

stands quietly behind them — ensuring that when sacrifice meets hardship, response is swift, dignified, and certain. But this Mission endures only through Partnership. Supporting FEHSF is more than a charitable contribution; it is a tangible affirmation that the Nation stands behind those who stand in its defense. By donating funds, attending Ridge Awards Annual Gala, participating in The Schneiderman Cup, National Security Briefings or other Foundation Sponsored Events, supporters help sustain a rapid-response lifeline for the Federal Law Enforcement Community in crisis. FEHSF is in the process of developing its Emerging Leaders Council for next Generation Leaders to ensure the Foundation’s Legacy. An Education Fund is being established to ensure that children left behind based on a Line of Duty death are protected financially regarding their College Education. To learn more and become engaged with FEHSF Mission as a supporter/donor, please visit https://www.fehsf.org (https://www.fehsf. org/). When the next call comes — and it inevitably will — the strength of that response will depend on those willing to stand behind it. FEHSF Mantra: “They Have Our Backs. We Have Theirs”. Summer 2026

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THROUGH THE LENS For twenty years, the Annie Watt Agency (AWA) has documented the people whose generosity has helped shape New York's philanthropic and cultural communities. Through thousands of photographs taken at charity galas, benefit dinners, museum events, and private celebrations. The agency has created a visual history of those who quietly—and sometimes very publicly—make a difference.

Through the Lens

The following pages feature highlights fromcause, six previous fundraising photography exhibitions in Annie New York Whether it is a magazine cover, a charitable or a special occasion, the photographers with City and Palm with images capturing significant events and distinguished guests. Watt.com makeBeach, an occasion more memorable. Annie and her associate photographers embody the essence of professionalism, seamlessly moving through any assignment with finesse and an innate ability toWould capture thelike moment at its our heart. To book a photographer, contact you to attend next event? On September 16, annie@anniewatt.com 2026, the agency will mark its 20th

ANNIE WATT ANNIE WATT anniewatt.com

Photography by AnnWattAgency.com

anniversary with a seventh fundraising photography exhibition in midtown Manhattan. The event will include a special "FAMOUS" presentation, offering guests professional portraits and the opportunity to engage with photographers. For ticket information, email: annie@anniewatt.com

JOHN'S BIRTHDAY PARTY

Annie Watt Agency NYC photographers

Barbara Tober, Cici Cord, Sharon King Hoge

Eleanora Kennedy, Alex Powers

Mai Hallingby, Sharon Handler Loeb

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Annie Watt Agency Florida photographers

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Annie Watt, Amelia Ogunlesi

Annie Watt Agency NYC photographers

Barbara Tober, Cici Cord, Sharon King Hoge

Annie Watt Agency NYC photographers

Barbara Tober, Cici Cord, Sharon King Hoge

Eleanora Kennedy, Alex Powers

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Photo Credits | pg 116 cont... ( Left to right - top to bottom) GROUP: Annie Watt Agency Florida photographers 01 Annie Watt Agency NYC photographers 02 Barbara Tober, Cici Cord, Sharon King Hoge 03 Eleanora Kennedy, Alex Powers 04 Mai Hallingby, Sharon Handler Loeb 06 Annie Watt, Amelia Ogunlesi 07 Geoffrey Bradfield, Amy Hoadley 08 Cornelia Bregman, Cole Rumbough 09 Franck Laverdin, Jean Shafiroff 10 Stephanie Stokes, Michele Gerber Klein 11 Somers Farkas, Frederick Anderson 12 Suzanne and SydneyBea Murphy 13 David Hochberg, April Gow 14 Mark Gilbertson, Cheri Kaufman 15 Judy McLaren 16 Arnie Rosenshein, Laurence Kaiser, Daniel Colon 18 Franck Laverdin, Heidi Roberts 19 Anne Nitze, David Beer 20 Michel Witmer 21 Katrina, Othon, and Kathy Prounis 22 Anne Van Ness, Patricia Shiah 23 Karl and Norio Rozak 24 Chase Backer, Randi Schatz 25 Cece and Lee Black 26 Margo Langenberg, Edgar Batista 27 Lee Fryd, Jeannette Hektoen, Dr. Penny Grant 28 George Ledes, Christine Schott Ledes 29 Alex Donner, Annette De Loreno 31 Robert Caravaggi, Annie Watt, Eda Viner, Cliff Viner, Eric Viner 32 Errol Rappaport, Artist Taty Horoshko, Iris Apfel, Annie Watt, Chief of the PB Police Nicholas Caristo 33 Sharon Marantz Walsh, Anne Akers 34 Ron Burkhardt, Julie Hayek 35 Bob Murray, Sharon Bush 36 Tracy Turco

37 Mary Bryant McCourt 38 Kay List, Guy Clark, Harrison Morgan, Camilla Webster 39 Ken and Maria Fishel Rick Rose 41 Carol Calicchio 042 Nandini Jayaprasad, David Beil, AlexandraDana Guisita 43 Harry Benson, Monique Ogilvie, Pamela O'Connor

44 Metodija (Miki) Mihajlov, Art Benvenuto, Anne Akers, Errol Rappaport 45 Catherine Carey 46 Dr. Dino Rivera, Kathleen Giordano, Dr. Penny Grant 47 Anthony Haden-Guest, Barbara Dixon 48 Matt & Linette Semino

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PARK AVENUE IN BLOOM: A LIVING LEGACY Park Avenue’s spring blooms this year carry special resonance, marking 250 years of American history while celebrating the enduring community spirit that makes the avenue a perennial New York treasure.

into a living gallery each spring. This year also introduces new sculptures by Michele Oka Doner and Manolo Paz, further enriching the avenue’s long-standing dialogue between art, nature, and civic pride.

That spirit was on full display at the annual Tulip Party at Scully & Scully on April 16, 2026. Inside, 13 interior designers transformed tables into evocative tableaux inspired by the original colonies. Participants including Barba-Hill Design, Jennifer Cohler Mason Design, Phoebe Beachner, Gramercy Design, and Rudy Saunders brought imagination and elegance to the theme, blending historical references with the freshness of the season.

The Tulip Party celebrates more than design; it honors the visionaries who shaped Park Avenue. Decades ago, philanthropist Mary Lasker championed the idea that beauty and horticulture could flourish in the heart of the city, inspiring the creation of The Fund for Park Avenue. Since 1980, The Fund has relied entirely on donations to maintain the avenue’s iconic malls—ensuring that Park Avenue continues to bloom, season after season, in the heart of Manhattan.

Outside, Park Avenue’s malls burst with tulips in shades of red, white, and blue(ish)—continuing a beloved tradition that turns the thoroughfare

To learn more, read David Patrick Columbia’s A stroll down Park Avenue and what it evoked.

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10 Bob and Liz Austin, Susan and Bill Thomas, Marilyn and Larry Lee 11 Kevin Stewart and Patrick (p.s.) Gordon 12 Skylar Dyer, Felix Hernandez, Karl Jones, Justin Hull, and Jonathan Kok 13 Parker Wayne and Johnny Murrell 14 Emily Stewart and Ryan Jude Tanner 15 Emily Stewart, Carly Wignarajah, Ben Stewart 16 Tulsa CARES 2026 Gala

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NEW YORK WOMEN’S FOUNDATION

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Launches The Invisible Womxn, a New Landscape Analysis of Climate Justice in New York City

The Invisible Womxn (Image credit: The New York Women’s Foundation) By Norah Lawlor

he New York Women’s Foundation launched The Invisible Womxn: Creating a Climate-Resilient New York City that Centers Gender Equity, a report exploring how the climate crisis disproportionately affects women and gender-expansive people of color in New York City. Commissioned by The New York Women’s Foundation in 2025, the report was written by urban sociologist Tiasia Obrien-Shah. It draws on field visits, focus groups, and interviews with a gender- and racially inclusive cohort across the city. The research highlights how climate-vulnerable workers are often overlooked in the data systems that shape climate policy and funding. At the same time, it documents the critical role that community-led organizations in Environmental Justice neighborhoods play in advancing climate resilience. “You cannot solve compounding harm with single issue policy,” said Tiasia Obrien-Shah, author of the report, “You need spatial intelligence, You need to understand place, people, and community at a local level. We need to honor the lived experience and expertise that live in that community.” To mark the launch, The New York Women’s Foundation convened an expert panel comprised of advocates, community

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leaders, and partners in New York City for a conversation on climate justice, gender equity, and representative data. The panel included Tiasia Obrien-Shah (Report Author), Allyson Martinez (Brooklyn Level Up), and Elizabeth Yeampierre (UPROSE and Climate Justice Alliance). Cecilia Cortes Vila, Associate Director of Programs at The New York Women’s Foundation, moderated the conversation on community-led climate solutions. The discussion reinforced a key message of the report: those most affected by the climate crisis must be at the center of shaping the response. “Economic justice has been a key component of our strategy since the inception of The New York Women’s Foundation. But why environmental justice? We made this deliberate decision because we know that investing in environmental justice is essential for advancement. Climate change, pollution and resource depletion are not abstract issues. They are economic realities, and they have disproportionately impacted marginalized communities,” said Camille A. Emeagwali, Senior Vice President of Programs & Strategic Learning at The Foundation. The Invisible Womxn serves as a landscape analysis of New York City's climate justice ecosystem, surfacing community knowledge, identifying gaps in data and policy systems, and providing a foundation for future action.

on the

hiTechMODA Showcases International Designers During Cannes Film Festival Week Designs by Divine Silk, House of Zora, Marc Defang (Photo Credits: Cecile Rangheard)

The international fashion production platform presented designers Divine Silk, House of Zora, Marc Defang, House of Anastasia and Zaggaro, with Charles Madelaine Champagne as sponsor hiTechMODA brought its global runway platform to the French Riviera with a fashion presentation in Cannes, France, staged during one of the world’s most watched cultural moments for film, fashion and international style. The presentation took place at the historic Carlton Cannes, a Belle Époque landmark on the Croisette long associated with cinema, glamour and red carpet history. Against that backdrop, hiTechMODA presented an international designer lineup featuring Divine Silk, House of Zora, Marc Defang, House of Anastasia and Zaggaro, placing emerging and established creative voices in a setting defined by Mediterranean elegance and global visibility. The Cannes event was positioned by hiTechMODA as part of its expanding international season, following the brand’s ongoing work to connect designers, models and creatives with major fashion audiences across the world. The evening blended runway presentation, luxury hospitality and Riviera atmosphere, with Charles Madelaine Champagne serving as sponsor. Guests were welcomed into a setting designed to reflect the intersection of fashion and film, with the presentation offering designers a platform to showcase their work in the same city where global media, celebrities, tastemakers and cultural leaders gather each year during Cannes Film Festival week. For hiTechMODA, the Cannes presentation

marked another step in its international growth, extending the company’s footprint beyond New York and across fashion capitals and cultural destinations. The brand’s 2026 global calendar includes additional showcases in Tokyo (June 19th, 2026), New York (September 11th-12th, 2026), Milan (September 26th, 2026) and Paris (October 3rd, 2026), underscoring its continued commitment to creating opportunities for designers to present on high-profile stages and connect with broader audiences. Known for producing runway experiences that emphasize diversity, innovation and global access, hiTechMODA continues to build a platform where designers can be seen within polished, professionally produced environments. In Cannes, that mission took on a distinctly cinematic tone, pairing couture, craftsmanship and red-carpet energy in a presentation that celebrated both the artistry of fashion and the power of place.

About hiTechMODA Productions:

hiTechMODA Productions is an awardwinning production company that produces world-class fashion events with a focus on technology, sustainability, and inclusivity. By offering designers of all levels an opportunity to showcase their work on a high-profile stage, hiTechMODA is setting the new standard for modern fashion showcases. For more information, please visit www.hitechmoda.com IG: @hiTechMODA | FB: hitechmoda | X: @HitechModa | YT: @hitechmoda Summer 2026

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GREENPORT GETS ITS GROOVE:

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ZEY HOTEL BRINGS BOUTIQUE STYLE TO THE NORTH FORK From the owner of 75 Main in Southampton, the Greenport property blends boutique hotel design, Mediterranean dining and cafe culture steps from ferries, shops and the harbor By Norah Lawlor

EY Hotel, ZErdem Restaurant and Zey Cafe are bringing a fresh hospitality experience to Greenport, blending boutique hotel style, Mediterranean dining and cafe culture in one of the East End’s most vibrant port towns. Located on Main Street, the destination places guests in the heart of Greenport, with walkable access to shops, galleries, the waterfront and ferry connections to Shelter Island and onward to the Hamptons. ZEY Hotel offers a hip, contemporary boutique stay with eight rooms and two suites, designed for travelers seeking a more intimate and stylish alternative to the traditional East End hotel experience. The property features modern design touches, colorful interiors, comfortable guest accommodations and amenities including sumptuous bedding, indulgent minibars, Egyptian cotton bathrobes and complimentary wireless internet. The hospitality concept is led by owner Zach Erdem, the restaurateur behind 75 Main in Southampton, who has expanded his signature East End energy to Greenport. ZErdem Restaurant, located at 314 Main Street, brings a Mediterranean-inspired dining experience to the village, with a menu known for vibrant dips, shareable plates, kebabs, seafood and warm bistro-style atmosphere.

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ZErdem restaurant is now open from and welcoming guests. Reservations can be made via OpenTable: https://bit.ly/48VOmzE Together, ZEY Hotel, ZErdem Restaurant and Zey Cafe position Greenport as a stylish base for a modern East End escape: part seaside village, part dining destination and part launch point for ferry-hopping to Shelter Island and the broader Hamptons. With its port-town charm and contemporary design, Zey Hotel offers visitors a relaxed but scene-aware way to experience the North Fork this season. Zey Hotel and Zey Cafe 439 Main Street, Greenport, NY 11944 Tel: (631) 477-4000 ZErdem Restaurant 314 Main Street, Greenport, NY 11944 Tel: (631) 477-6540

RIDES INTO SUMMER with its 2026 Sunday Polo Season

The celebrated high-goal polo venue returns with world-class sport, signature hospitality and one of the East Coast’s stylish summer traditions By Norah Lawlor

reenwich Polo Club, one of the world's premier high-goal polo venues, announces the return of its 2026 Sunday Polo season, inviting guests to experience an afternoon of world-class sport, summer style, and field-side hospitality in the heart of Connecticut's backcountry.

Set within the exclusive Conyers Farm community, Greenwich Polo Club offers a distinctive Sunday escape just outside New York City, bringing together elite players, exceptional equine athletes, and spectators from across the tri-state area. Established in 1981, the club is recognized as one of the leading high-goal polo destinations in the world and serves as the home of the legendary White Birch polo team. The 2026 season opened with the American Cup on June 7th, followed by the East Coast Silver Cup on June 14th and June 21st, with the final taking place on June 28th. The East Coast Gold Cup, presented by Interactive Brokers, will be contested on July 5th and July 12th, culminating in the championship final on July 18th. The celebrated East Coast Open, presented by Audi, begins August 30, with additional Sunday match dates on September 6th and September 13th. The season concludes with CSI Greenwich on September 26th and 27th, bringing Olympic-level international CSI5* show jumping to Greenwich Polo Club and adding another major equestrian event to the club's calendar. Sunday match days are designed as a complete afternoon experience. Gates open at 1:00 p.m., the match begins at 3:00 p.m., and play

concludes at approximately 5:00 p.m. General admission is available, with on-site parking available separately. Children under 12 receive complimentary admission. Guests may choose from a variety of viewing experiences, from relaxed lawn seating and reserved umbrellas to bistro tables, SkyBoxes, private cabanas, and elevated hospitality offerings. The CTC&G Players' Lounge provides a turnkey social experience featuring furnished lawn seating, shaded bistro tables, live music by MOJO, a premium cash bar by The Cup Bearer, and private restroom access. Food and beverage remain a signature part of the day. The Pony Bar by The Cup Bearer returns with polo-inspired cocktails, while Marcia Selden Catering offers pre-ordered hospitality packages and a rotating selection of gourmet food trucks adds to the festive atmosphere. Guests are also invited to participate in the tradition of stomping the divots at halftime, one of the sport's most iconic spectator experiences. Over the years, Greenwich Polo Club has hosted many of the sport's most celebrated players, including Mariano Aguerre, Facundo Pieres, Hilario Ulloa, and Nacho Figueras. Its fields have become synonymous with top-level competition, champion horses, and an atmosphere that welcomes both longtime polo enthusiasts and first-time visitors. Greenwich Polo Club's 2026 sponsors include Interactive Brokers, presenting sponsor of the East Coast Gold Cup and official online trading solution, Audi, presenting sponsor of the East Coast Open and official vehicle partner, Mohegan Sun Online Casino, Hospital for Special Surgery, U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management, Barbados Tourism Marketing, FlyHouse, UBS, COVQ®, Morano Group Landscapes, U.S. Polo ASSN., La Suite Skincare, and Penmax Communications, Inc. Summer 2026

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When the World's Most POSH CITY Becomes the World's Fastest Street Circuit

MONACO GRAND PRIX By Melissa Hornung Fashion, Travel & Art Editor

or one remarkable week every spring,

something

unimaginable

happens.

almost One

the world's most posh, elegant, and historic destinations willingly

closes its streets, transforms an entire city into a Formula One circuit, and welcomes the world's elite for what many consider the most glamorous race weekend on earth. Even standing there in the middle of it, I found myself asking: How did they make this happen? Monaco doesn't simply host Formula One. For one extraordinary week, Monaco becomes Formula One. The Monaco Grand Prix is more than a race; it is a tradition that has captivated generations. Historic streets become racing lines while Port Hercule fills with magnificent yachts and every balcony, rooftop, terrace, and harbor becomes another front-row seat. Monaco's glamour is inseparable from its royal story, from Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III to Prince Albert II, whose presence continues the Principality's traditions at events like Formula One and the Monaco Yacht Show. There is no better place to experience this transformation

than

the

iconic

Fairmont

Monte Carlo. Positioned beside the legendary Fairmont Hairpin, the circuit literally wraps around the hotel, making it one of the world's most extraordinary Formula One vantage points. Guests arrive from around the globe— 114 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

many directly from the Cannes Film Festival and the Côte d'Azur's spring social calendar—bringing their yachts into Port Hercule before continuing the celebration in Monaco. From the rooftop terraces, suites, and restaurants, drivers negotiate the famous Hairpin just below while the roar of Formula One echoes across the city. Nobu, Amù, Nikki Beach, exceptional hospitality, and panoramic Mediterranean views make the Fairmont not just a hotel, but an essential part of the Grand Prix experience. Everywhere I looked, something was happening. Crowds gathered whenever a famous driver appeared on foot. Cameras followed every arrival. Helicopters traced the coastline overhead. There wasn't an inch of available space—on the ground or above— that wasn't part of the spectacle. Whether watching from the Paddock Club, a private suite, a rooftop terrace, or aboard one of the extraordinary yachts moored throughout Port Hercule, every perspective offered another unforgettable view of the race. As the checkered flag falls, Monaco changes outfits. The excitement simply shifts from the circuit to the city's legendary nightlife. Back at the Fairmont Monte Carlo, guests gather for cocktails before making their way into the evening. Outside Lilly's—one of Monaco's most sought-after places to see and be seen—a procession begins to form. Men arrive in impeccably

tailored tuxedos while women step from Bugattis, Aston Martins, Ferraris, and Rolls-Royces wearing flowing designer silk gowns in champagne hues, crisp white, and rich jewel tones that shimmer beneath the Riviera lights. Some have just stepped off private yachts in Port Hercule. Others arrive from intimate dinners, elegant rooftop receptions, or private villas perched high above the Principality. Fashion photographers wait patiently as each arrival becomes part of the evening's spectacle. Champagne continues to flow, conversations drift effortlessly from Formula One to art, fashion, yachts, and business, and for a moment the entrance to Lilly's feels less like the doorway to a nightclub and more like the red carpet of Monaco itself. Formula One in Monaco cannot truly be explained. It has to be experienced.

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The sound. The speed. The Mediterranean. The yachts. The fashion. The rooftops. The extraordinary feeling that an entire city has transformed itself into the world's greatest stage. That story continues this September as I return to the Fairmont Monte Carlo during the Monaco Yacht Show with Palm Beach Models PR & Global Activations for a curated rooftop fashion experience overlooking Port Hercule. Life is good in Monaco. During Formula One, it becomes unforgettable. The story continues this September. Stay tuned. Melissa Hornung

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PICKLEBALL WITH PURPOSE Center for Family Services Palm Beach County Serves Up Charity Tournament By Norah Lawlor

The event at Replay will bring players, spectators and supporters together for a day benefiting behavioral health services and family support programs he Center for Family Services of Palm Beach County will present “Paddles for a Purpose,” a charity pickleball tournament bringing together players, spectators and community supporters for a day of competition, connection and giving back.

The event will take place Friday, June 26th, 2026, at Replay, 6600 High Ridge Road, Boynton Beach, Florida. Registration begins at 9:00am, with play beginning at 10:00am. The event is hosted by the Palm Beach Royals, the local Palm Beach Pro Pickleball team, with Copperpoint Brewing Co. serving as the exclusive beverage sponsor. Other community supporters include the Paddle Bag Sponsor by Razorback Electric and the Volley Sponsor donated by Kipu Health. All players will receive a goody bag for their participation created with the collaborative partnerships from Jade Dental, Smash House Burgers, PuraVida Chiropractic and Wellness, and Applied Nutrition. “We developed ‘Paddles for a Purpose’ because pickleball is inherently about community, connection and physical activity, all of which are pillars of good mental health,” said Todd L’Herrou, CEO of the Center for Family Services of Palm Beach County Inc.

Player registration options include individual and double player entry, plus a league package. Spectator tickets are also available and include food, two adult beverage tickets, tournament viewing and participation in chance drawings. All proceeds directly benefit the Center for Family Services of Palm Beach County. For more information about the event, please visit: www.ctrfam.org/ paddles/ About The Center for Family Services of Palm Beach County, Inc. Since 1961, The Center for Family Services of Palm Beach County, Inc. has embraced the philosophy that families should be the center of the community, and the center of every family should be a healthy connection. The Center provides innovative programs that meet the changing and growing needs of individuals, families, and children in the community with their resources and social service programs. The Center for Family Services is accredited by CARF® International and by Nonprofits First for Excellence in Nonprofit Management. For more information, please visit www.ctrfam.org IG: @cfspbc | FB: centerforfamilyservicespbc | X: @Center4FS Summer 2026

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TRIBECA’S MIDNIGHT PARADE: CHUCK CONNELLY’S ART RUNS WILD AT ONE ART SPACE Exhibition invites guests into Chuck Connelly’s imaginative vision of Tribeca, where neighbors, artists and passersby become a bustling urban menagerie

One Art Space in Tribeca will present “Chuck Connelly: Tribeca’s Midnight Parade — When Art Runs Wild” Co-Curated by Adrienne Connelly and MaryAnn Giella McCulloh. This special exhibition honors the late artist Chuck Connelly through a body of work that reflects the energy, individuality and creative spirit of downtown New York. The exhibition opens with a private VIP reception followed by the public exhibition on view from Friday, April 24th through Sunday, May 3rd, 2026, daily from 12:00pm to 6:00pm, at One Art Space, 23 Warren Street, Tribeca. At the heart of the exhibition is “Animals in the Street,” a 1994 painting created during a period when Chuck Connelly was living and working from his loft studio on Franklin Street in Tribeca. The work transforms everyday neighborhood life into something theatrical, charged and unforgettable. In Connelly’s vision, the people moving along the street take on animal identities, each one carrying a distinct personality and rhythm. Friends and neighbors emerge from the crowd in altered form, while one commanding figure, a judge, becomes a fierce lion in a trench coat on his way toward Chambers Street. The artist himself appears as a horse, standing softly to the side in bohemian dress, quietly observing the rush around him.

championing dynamic and culturally resonant programming in downtown Manhattan, the show underscores the lasting power of Connelly’s vision as previously shown in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum and the continuing relevance of his art to the story of New York. For more information, please visit www.chuckconnelly.org ABOUT One Art Space: One Art Space opened in May 2011 in the heart of Tribeca and has been a distinctive venue for both museum-caliber and emerging artists for 15 years led by co-owner and gallerist MaryAnn Giella McCulloh and Mei Fung, who combine business expertise with art and curatorial skills specializing in fine arts, and secondary art market sales. Located at 23 Warren Street in New York City, the gallery occupies a versatile ground-level space with a glass façade, offering natural light and an inviting view from the street. This unique and versatile space for exhibitions provides a perfect backdrop for both the artwork and artist to shine.

Rich with movement, wit and urban tension, the painting captures the fast pace of New York life while also preserving the character of a neighborhood that once felt freer, more intimate and deeply rooted in its artistic community. “Animals in the Street” serves as both a vivid snapshot of Tribeca in an earlier era and a reflection of Chuck Connelly’s singular ability to blend figuration, symbolism and emotion into scenes that feel at once surreal and unmistakably real. His art has attracted a celebrity following appreciative of his craft including Martin Scorsese and Nick Nolte among others.

MaryAnn’s background in creativity stems from her father, Joe Giella, a renowned Batman illustrator hired by Stan Lee, whose artwork featured on two USPS stamps issued in 2006 as part of the DC Comics Superheroes release (The Green Lantern and The Flash). The gallery’s programming mixes storied figures in New York's art scene, most recently Al Diaz, world-famous street artists like Shepard Fairey, abstract contemporary painters like Andrew Salgado, and a solo exhibition of work by Purvis Young. Celebrity attendees of previous exhibitions have included Alec Baldwin, Spike Lee, Ice-T, Tommy Hilfiger and Marky Ramone.

This exhibition offers audiences an opportunity to experience Chuck Connelly’s museum-caliber work in the very neighborhood that helped inspire it. Presented at One Art Space, led by co-owner and gallerist MaryAnn Giella McCulloh and Mei Fung is a gallery known for

One Art Space’s mission is to create a place where the giants of art history and the visionaries of art’s future come together in One Art Space. For more information, please visit: www.oneartspace.com IG: @oneartspace | F: OneArtSpaceNYC | X/T: @oneartspace

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THE BERK SHIRES Photo credits: 1 Berkshire

Turn early-Summer Into a Season-Opening Invitation

Get ready to swap the city sirens for birdsong! Whether you're looking for world-class culture, epic outdoor adventures, or the perfect farm-to-table bite, the Berkshires are officially open for summer fun 1Berkshire is highlighting the Berkshires as a timely Northeast getaway for early summer travel, welcoming visitors to the rolling hills, cultural landmarks, historic villages and outdoor experiences that define the region. For travelers from New York City, Boston, Albany, Hartford and surrounding markets, the Berkshires offer a scenic and accessible seasonal escape marked by fresh air, vibrant downtowns and memorable discoveries along the way. Early summer in the Berkshires brings a distinctive “just arrived” energy, with blooming gardens, lush green trails, bustling patios, local coffee shops, craft breweries and independent businesses setting the tone for the season. From the historic charm of Stockbridge and Lenox to the artistic pulse of North Adams and Williamstown, the region offers a flexible itinerary for travelers interested in outdoor adventure, cultural exploration, distinctive dining and classic New England hospitality. Culture remains one of the Berkshires’ defining draws. Tanglewood in Lenox, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, is preparing for its 2026 season, continuing its role as one of the region’s signature summer traditions. A Tanglewood picnic on the lawn, with music carrying across the grounds at sunset, remains one of the most recognizable experiences of the Berkshires summer calendar. Jacob’s Pillow in Becket will celebrate its 94th annual international festival beginning June 24th, bringing world-class dance, performances, workshops and campus programming to one of the country’s most celebrated dance destinations. The festival continues to draw artists, audiences and cultural travelers to the Berkshires each summer. In North Adams, MASS MoCA continues to anchor the region’s contemporary arts scene with large-scale installations, exhibitions and

live performances. Visitors to the northern Berkshires can also explore Bright Ideas Brewing, local shops and nearby cultural destinations, including the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown. For a touch of Gilded Age history and architectural grandeur, The Mount, Naumkeag and Chesterwood offer historic settings, exhibitions, gardens and seasonal programming. Theater also remains central to the Berkshires experience, with stages across the county lighting up through organizations including Shakespeare & Company, Berkshire Theatre Group and Barrington Stage Company. Outdoor recreation is another key part of the early summer season. Now is the time to explore the Appalachian Trail, Mount Greylock, scenic lakes, forest paths, waterfalls and other natural landmarks across the region. Travelers can plan hikes, paddling routes, cycling excursions and outdoor experiences through berkshiresoutside.com. The Berkshires’ food and hospitality scene also plays an important role in the region’s seasonal appeal. Farm-to-table dining is deeply connected to the county’s agricultural identity, with farmers markets, bakeries, casual gathering spots, craft beverage destinations and refined restaurants contributing to the visitor experience. Lodging options range from romantic inns and boutique properties to familyfriendly retreats and countryside stays. The Berkshires offer a summer rhythm shaped by art, music, food, nature and historic character. With the summer season underway, 1Berkshire invites travelers to explore the region’s villages, cultural institutions, trails, restaurants and scenic routes as part of an early summer escape. Additional travel planning information is available at berkshires.org. Summer 2026

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The jewelry brand celebrates its Hamptons appearance with an opening-night reception showcasing Italian craftsmanship and contemporary design

lberto Luzzi will bring the artistry of Italian jewelry-making and the contemporary energy of New York to the 2026 Hamptons Jewelry Show, taking place Thursday, July 23rd, through Sunday, July 26th, at the Southampton Fairgrounds. The SoHo-based jewelry house will mark its participation by welcoming collectors, clients, media representatives and invited guests to a VIP reception at its exhibition space during the show’s opening-night preview on Thursday, July 23rd, 2026. The evening will offer guests an opportunity to meet designer Alberto Luzzi, view the brand’s latest creations and discover the detailed craftsmanship behind its distinctive jewelry. With roots in Rome and New York, Alberto Luzzi is known for expressive, handcrafted designs that balance traditional technique with a relaxed, modern sensibility. The brand’s earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings are created in sterling silver and 18-karat gold vermeil, with collections characterized by sculptural silhouettes, intricate metalwork, woven wire, filigree detailing and carefully finished surfaces. The brand is currently developing a collection in solid gold with diamonds and emeralds which will debut in the coming months. 120 Metropolitan Palm Beach | 25amag.com

Luzzi has worked in jewelry design for more than 20 years, developing an aesthetic shaped by Italy’s tradition of skilled artisanship and the individualism of downtown Manhattan. Together with business partner Nic Canal, he opened the Alberto Luzzi boutique at 102 Thompson Street in SoHo during the Fall of 2025. The intimate store presents jewelry as part of everyday personal style rather than something reserved solely for formal occasions.

Aima 18k Gold Vermeil Lariat Necklace with Gold Mesh

The Hamptons Jewelry Show returns to Southampton for its second year, bringing together contemporary designers, estate jewelry dealers, gemstone specialists and luxury watchmakers. Produced by the team behind the Hamptons Fine Art Fair, the four-day event approaches jewelry as wearable art and provides collectors with access to distinctive pieces from exhibitors representing a range of styles, periods and international traditions.

Aurora 18k Gold Vermeil Bezel-Set Statement Cuff Bracelet with Amethyst

About Alberto Luzzi: Alberto Luzzi is a contemporary jewelry house blending traditional Italian craftsmanship with modern New York style. Known for handfinished designs in sterling silver and gold vermeil, the brand creates sculptural earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings for clients who value individuality, artistry and versatile elegance.

Aima 18k Gold Vermeil Drop earring with black mesh

IG: @albertoluzzi_jewelry FB: AlbertoLuzzigioielli

Ricami 18k Gold Vermeil Wide-Cuff Bracelet

Summer 2026

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The Ultimate Luxury is Choice

Artist Conceptual Drawing

2QO\ RQH DGGUHVV LQ DOO RI :HVW 3DOP %HDFK R௔HUV GLUHFW Intracoastal Waterway frontage, a private owners’ dock with boat slips, and the exclusivity of a property limited to only 55 total residences.

Sales Gallery & Showroom

THE NEW ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST 250 N Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach THE NEWBox ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC, 1227, Westwood, THEP.O. NEW ROLLS-ROYCE GHOSTNJ 07675-1227 Tel: 1-877-877Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, NJ 07675-1227 Tel: 1-877-877-3735 Developed by 561.933.7497 | sales@albapalmbeach.com 3735Westwood, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, NJ 07675-1227 Tel: 1-877-877-3735 www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com © Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The Rolls-Royce name and logoand are registered © Copyright Copyright Rolls-Royce Motor The Rolls-Royce name are trademarks. registered Copyright Rolls-Royce Cars.Cars. The Rolls-Royce name and logo are logo registered trademarks. ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE© RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATINGMotor THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, MAKE REFERENCE AND TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, trademarks. FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. © Scuba Club WPB, LLC. All Rights Reserved.