Spring 2016

EXTREME CUISINE Meet today's most savvy chefs AND learn to be a physicist in your own kitchen

State-of-the-art Building Services and Superior WorkForce Management

CSI International, Inc. provides custodial, mechanical and corporate support services to commercial Class A properties — educational, manufacturing and industrial — in the eastern half of the United States.

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uberge is truly a treasured destination, located directly on the white sand beach of the Atlantic and offering an unparalleled standard in luxury living. From sunrise to sunset, Auberge offers the best in premium beachfront living. Spend mornings pampered at our state-of-the-art spa and fitness center, mid-day lounging in poolside perfection and evenings enjoying delicious bites at our James Beard award-winning restaurants.

EXCEPTIONAL BUYING OPPORTUNITIES NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE SOUTH TOWER North Tower over 80% sold.

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Oral representations cannot be relied upon as correctly stating representations of the developer. For correct representations, make reference to this brochure and the documents required by Section 718.503, Florida Statutes, to be furnished by a developer to a buyer or lessee. This Condominium is developed by PRH FAIRWINDS, LLC (“Developer”) and this offering is made only by the Developer’s Prospectus for the Condominium. Developer, has a right to use the trade names, marks, and logos of: The Related Group, Fortune International Group, The Fairwinds Group, and Auberge Resorts, LLC, each of which authorizes the use of their respective logos and names, but none of which is the Developer. Neither Auberge Resorts LLC, nor any of its affiliates or related persons (the “Auberge Group”), is related to, affiliated or associated with, or a partner in the business of the Developer, PRH Fairwinds, LLC, or any of Developer’s affiliates or related persons. No representation, warranty or guarantee is made or implied by the Auberge Group with respect to any statement or information made herein or otherwise about the Condominium. Neither the Auberge Group, nor any of its directors, officers, employees, or agents has or will have any responsibility or liability arising out of, or related to, this publication or the transactions contemplated by this publication, including any liability or responsibility for any statement or information made or contained in this publication.

Auberge® is the registered trademark of Auberge Resorts, LLC and used by license agreement. In the event the Auberge® license should lapse, this Condominium and any hotel affiliated with this Condominium will not be permitted to use the name Auberge®. The managing entities, hotels, brands, artwork, designers, contributing artists, interior designers, fitness facilities, amenities, services, and restaurants proposed are subject to change. The Developer is not incorporated in, located in, nor a resident of, New York. This is not intended to be an offer to sell, or solicitation of an offer to buy, condominium units in New York or to residents of New York, or in any other jurisdiction where prohibited by law unless the condominium is registered in such jurisdictions or exempt. Your eligibility for purchase will depend upon your state or territory of residency. This offering is not directed to any person or entity in New York by, or on behalf of, the Developer or anyone acting with the Developer’s knowledge. No purchase or sale shall take place as a result of this offering, until relevant registration and filing requirements are met, or exemptions are confirmed. Any art depicted or described may be exchanged for comparable art at the Developer’s discretion. Consult the Prospectus for all terms, conditions, specifications, and Unit dimensions. Reproduction for private or commercial use is not authorized. 2015 ® PRH FAIRWINDS, LLC, unless otherwise noted, with all rights reserved.

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for the love of home

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SOUTH FLORIDA

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Capturing the luxury living lifestyle COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF © Molecule-R (moleculargastronomy.com)

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T o p FEATURES

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66 Revving Up Gourmet Dining In a Gallery of Supercars

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What’s the Fuss Over Foss?

Unconventional Chef Phillip Foss Redefines Fine Dining at His MichelinStarred Dinner-Party Kitchen in The Windy City

54 B ecoming a Physicist in the Kitchen A Look at the History of Molecular Gastronomy and How Inquisitive Home Cooks Can Try It at Home

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I T’S H OW W E RO L L Dolce & Gabbana • Couture Salon

BAL HARBOUR CORAL GABLES FORT LAUDERDALE BOCA RATON PALM BEACH NEIMANMARCUS.COM

SOUTH FLORIDA

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Capturing the luxury living lifestyle

39 Meet the Man Behind the SoBe (and NYC) Wine and Food Festivals An Interview with Lee Schrager

40 Against All Odds How a French Cognac Cellar Master Founded America’s Favorite Premium Vodka

44 The Rub On Shrub Retro Vinegar Cocktails The History and Wonder of Shrubs from Colonial Americans to the McClary Bros.

46 How Taste Masters Score Specialty Coffee

60 The Man Behind The James Beard Foundation

81 Art & Sole of Mrs. Weitzman A Look at Famous Stuart Weitzman Store Window Shoe Art Commissioned by His Wife, Jane Gershon Weitzman

86 Engaging the Groom elebrity Wedding Planner David Tutera C Dishes on How to Get Your Groom More Involved

88 A Gentlemen’s Spa Day A Groom’s and Groomsmen’s Spa Packages at The Biltmore

90 Mirror, Mirror on the Wall The Art of Mirrors by Master Interior Designer Perla Lichi

94 Life As a Child of the Vanderbilt’s Butler

64 Five Celebrity Chefs, One Unforgettable Night Emceed by Robert Irvine

70 Clay Conley You’ve Come A Long Way Baby!

72 Renaissance of Hungarian Fine Art Crystal Ildiko Varga on the History of Handcrafted Varga Crystal

76 Bringing Imagination to Life The Whimsically Wonderful Art of Dana Donaty

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June Kingan Recalls Her Father’s Passion for His Work as Head Butler in the Gilded Era

97 Duties of a Modern-Day Butler A Look at the Role of 21st-Century Butlers

98 Historic Fatio-Era Palm Beach Mansion Restores Heaven & Earth A Tour of the Award-Winning Home of Marie and Rick Wackenhut

106 Flaming Art in the Night Landscape Scintillating Ways to Illuminate Your Home Outdoors

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features (continued)

134 Reimagining Renaissance Art At Just 26, Luis Enrique Toledo del Rio Has the Talent of an Old World Master

108 Capturing the Nostalgia of Norfolk The Nautical Photography of Matthew Usher

112 Best Kept Secret Florida Travel Destinations Discover Where You Can Kayak with Manatees and Other Great Adventures

116 Escape to Purple Isle

138 Photomicrography Where Science & Art Converge

142 Dinosaur Gestapo The Legal Plight of Fossil Collectors Facing Repatriation Demands from Mongolia and Questions About Why U.S. Authorities Are Using an Archaic Law to Justify Enforcement

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Quaint Beachside Cottage Resort Vacationing in Islamorada

Could One American Family’s DNA Trace Back to the Knights Templar and Maybe Far More?

120 The Spectacular Taselaar Family Home Tour New, Young and Fun Palm Beach Style of 2016

124 One on One with Sophia Loren An Exclusive Interview with the Timeless Silver Screen Legend

Knights Templar & the Holy Bloodline?

150 Decrypting the Dollar An Interview with the Washington, D.C. Freemason Grand Master on Hidden Symbols in the U.S. $1 Bill

128 Portrait of a Gentleman: Brinsley Matthews One Renaissance Man’s Remarkable Life as a Race Car Driver, Poet, Filmmaker, Home & Fashion Designer

departments Gadgets

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Calendar of Events

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Entertainment

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Miami Real estate

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Condo Law

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Condo Living

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Social Living

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editor’s letter

2016: The Year of American Epicurean Celebrations It’s almost uncanny. That is, the remarkable number of culinary-focused anniversaries, milestones and memorials in 2016 – both American and Floridian (or ‘Florribean’ as foodies once called the Sunshine State’s epicurean scene in the 1980s).

Case in point: The James Beard Foundation commemorates 30 years of advancing the legacy of the man The New York Times once anointed as the ‘Dean of American Cookery.’

For American chefs, winning a James Beard Award (or even being nominated for one) is like earning an Academy Award (see page 60).

Then there's Williams-Sonoma. The American cookware store that first introduced home cooks to classic French kitchen equipment commemorates 60 years. Its founder Chuck Williams, a close friend of the late James Beard, was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He celebrated his 100th birthday last October. (Sadly, the pioneer passed away in December, but leaves behind a legacy that’s stronger than ever.)

And, the South Beach Food and Wine Festival, founded by Lee Schrager 15 years ago (see page 39), is in full throttle as I write this, attracting attendees and media attention from around the world. For a recap of this year's top events, see pages 158 and 160.

Boy, our kitchens have come a long way in the last century. Two decades ago in South Florida, four trailblazing chefs set out to design food dishes made with local, seasonal ingredients – an homage to their James Beard hero. The ‘Mango Gang,’ as the group of men was affectionately known, included Chefs Allen Susser, Norman Van Aken, Douglas Rodriguez and Mark Militello. Together, they inspired what became known as ‘New World Cuisine' during the American Cuisine movement. Two members of the Mango Gang – Susser and Van Aken – recently participated in a Friends of James Beard Benefit dinner at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine emceed the culinary ensemble for a night South Florida foodies won’t soon forget (page 64.)

Also in this issue, we chat again with the very first celebrity chef who appeared in our inaugural issue of South Florida Opulence in 2010: Chef Clay Conley. Since that first interview, he's earned a James Beard Award nomination and has launched four thriving restaurants in Palm Beach (page 70). We also take you into the unconventional kitchen of Chicago molecular gastronomy chef Phillip Foss, who was just nominated for 2016 Best Chef: Great Lakes. We explore how you can become a physicist in your

HORIZON PUBLISHING Executive PUBLISHER & Owner Geoff Hammond, CEO Jayne Hammond, President Associate PUBLISHER David Hammond EDITOR IN CHIEF Robin Jay editor@southfloridaopulence.com SENIOR CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR Adriana Naylor artdirector@southfloridaopulence.com 954-331-3912 PR AND MARKETING MANAGER Chantal Forster marketingmanager@southfloridaopulence.com 954-331-3390 Business Development director Erika Buchholz ebuchholz@southfloridaopulence.com 954-609-2447 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT Michael Jay 954-593-5060 Contributing Writers: John D. Adams Stephanie Bonilla Stacy Conde Jana Soeldner Danger Darren Doyle April Erhard Ashley Hammond Steven Joseph Dale King & Julia Hebert Dr. Robert Lavinsky Lisa A. Lerner

Kristen Mager Jill Patterson Andrew Rand Ava Roosevelt Todd R. Sciore Alex Starace Carelton Varney Janet Verdeguer Kelly Villasuso Mary & Hugh Williamson

Photographers Douglas Lance Silvia Pangaro PROOFREADER Suzanne Shaw General Counsel Barry Weiss bweiss@csiinternational.com South Florida Opulence Magazine is published quarterly by Horizon Publishing LLC. Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved. Horizon Publishing LLC, 6700 North Andrews Avenue, Suite 400, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 – Vol. 6, No. 1, Spring 2016 (ISSN # 2157-5274)

own kitchen, as well as how to rev up your cuisinal curiosity while dining next to your favorite supercar (page 66). So, my dear readers, pull a chair up to the table, tie on your napkin bib and get ready to sink your teeth into a decadent issue of South Florida Opulence. Bon appétit!

Robin Jay, Editor in Chief 28

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Subscription Rates: $40 per year, $10 per issue. For subscription inquiries or change of address, contact the subscription department, (954) 308-4300 Ext. 4312, Fax: (954) 331-6028. Horizon Publishing, LLC, its affiliates and contributing writers have exercised due care in compiling the information contained herein, but with the possibility of human or mechanical error, cannot assume liability for the accuracy of this data. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in part or in full in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording and any information storage and retrieval system without first obtaining permission from the publisher.

O P E N S E VE N DAY S A W E E K NE W LU NC H ME NU O N S AT U R DAY S

#KUROH A RDROC K HOLLYWO O D, FL 路 SEM I NOLEHARDROC K HO L LY WO O D. C O M 路 9 54-58 5-53 3 3

G a d g e t s : BEST OF INNOVATION AWARD WINNERS AT CES 2016 The future of technology innovation stood center stage in January in Las Vegas, with more than 3,600 companies launching products across more than 2.4 million net square feet of exhibits – the largest show floor in CES history.

The following “Best of Innovation” award titles reflect innovative design and engineering in some of the most cuttingedge tech products and services coming to market. CES Innovation Awards entries are evaluated on their engineering, aesthetic and design qualities, intended function, user value and market differentiators.

BEST OF INNOVATIONS: COMPUTER HARDWARE & COMPONENTS HP ENVY Curved All-in-One

The HP ENVY Curved All-in-One delivers the most immersive experience with top of the line performance, in a QHD+ curved display larger than life, which is Technicolor Color Certified.

BEST OF INNOVATIONS: TABLETS, E-READERS, & MOBILE COMPUTING YOGA Tab 3 Pro

A multimedia tablet with a built-in projector! It transforms a wall or ceiling into a brilliant 70” screen. Enjoy a theater experience on the brilliant 10.1” QHD display, and the integrated JBL® 4-speaker sound bar. Up to 18 hours of general use on a single charge.

BEST OF INNOVATIONS: HOME APPLIANCES BEST OF INNOVATIONS:

Somabar Robotic Bartender

HEADPHONES

The world’s smartest bartender. Somabar integrates Wi-Fi connectivity, onboard sensors, electronic ingredient tagging and automated cleaning making bartending as easy as pressing a button.

Using the Somabar app, you can now share and create cocktails with anyone on the globe in seconds.

JBL Reflect Aware

The JBL® Reflect Aware™ headphones deliver both best in class noise cancelling performance and the ability to adjust noise level from your environment for greater awareness. It requires no battery because they draw power and audio directly from the lightning connector on Apple devices.

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Spring 2016

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G a d g e t s : BEST OF INNOVATION AWARD WINNERS AT CES 2016 BEST OF INNOVATIONS: UNMANNED SYSTEMS AND ACCESSORIES Lily Camera

The Lily Camera, Lily’s flagship product, is the world’s first throw-and-shoot-camera.

The product combines computer vision, GPS and stable, high-resolution image capture to grant users the freedom of documenting their lives while still living in the moment.

BEST OF INNOVATIONS: GAMING AND VIRTUAL REALITY iWear Wireless

Vuzix iWear Wireless is a high-end pair of video headphones that provide users with a streaming wireless personal home theater and mobile wearable gaming solution that extends the small mobile screen into a huge 125” screen that is connected to the web or smart phone for access to content on the go.

BEST OF INNOVATIONS: 3D PRINTING Mcor Arke Full Color 3D Printer

Mcor Arke is the world’s first full color, professional and safe desktop 3D printer.

There is currently no full color desktop 3D printer available on the market. Mcor Arke will also offer reliable and safe 3D printing with the opportunity to customize the design of each printer.

SFO's CES Innovation Pick: NinjaTek 3D Printed Shoes NinjaFlex is a 3D printing filament supplier for desktop 3D or fused deposition model printing that is a form of "additive manufacturing." Essentially, it is the process of heating up a material and laying it down on top of itself in a continuous pattern until an object has formed out of all those layers. Think about the extrusion process as similar to what a hot glue gun does in heating the adhesive to melt it down. Word of NinjaFlex filament spread like wildfire as consumers latched onto its unique blend of flexibility and strength. It is capable of stretching to 10 times its size before it breaks.

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Upcoming Events March

March

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MARCH 10-13

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Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts Slow Burn Theater Company

Itzhak Perlman

Kravis Center

Spring Awakening The winner of eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, Spring Awakening explores the poignant journey of a group of German students in the 19th century as they move from adolescence to adulthood.

20th Anniversary of In the Fiddler’s House Itzhak Perlman, violin; Hankus Netsky, music director, saxophone and piano; Andy Statman, clarinet and mandolin; The Brave Old World and Klezmer Conservatory Band; March and other special guests. www.kravis.org

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Kathy Griffin

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The new Cirque du Soleil touring show inspired by James Cameron’s record-breaking movie AVATAR, TORUK – The First Flight, will be presented at the American Airlines Arena as part of a global tour in arenas around the world. www.aaarena.com

April

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Frozen: Disney On ice

American Airlines Arena

April

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Wanda Sykes

Seminole Hard Rock-Hollywood

Au-Rene Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts

Jazz Roots: Sinatra sings sinatra

Adrienne Arsht Center

Whether she’s tearing up stars on the red carpet, making Anderson Cooper blush on CNN or keeping fans doubled over with laughter in her stand-up comedy specials, she has been making audiences laugh for years with rapid fire wit.

The heartwarming Academy Award®winning tale you love is now LIVE and skating into your town. www.aaarena.com

Comedian Wanda Sykes comes to Hard Rock Live at 7PM. seminolehardrockhollywood.com

April

MIAMI OPEN Tennis Tours 3/21-4/3, 2016

We join in the 100th birthday celebration of the music, life & legend of Frank Sinatra with SINATRA SINGS SINATRA. Once in a lifetime experience with FRANK SINATRA JR. delivers personal recollections of life on and off the stage with his father. www.arshtcenter.org

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PEARL JAM

BB&T Center, Sunrise

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21st Annual Las Olas Wine & Food Festival The much-anticipated Street Festival will feature more than 70 of South Florida’s finest restaurants and more than 45 wine tables and micro brews, live entertainment, music, and more. www.lasolasboulevard.com

Enjoy tropical and secluded Key Biscayne, filled with white sand beaches and palm trees, where the tournament takes place. The twelveday tournament features the top 96 men and women tennis players in the world and boasts a 13,800 seat stadium court. Come join us for the luxury, rich culture, and world-class tennis that only Miami can offer! tickets: 305-442-3367

Spring 2016

Pearl Jam will kick off their North American Tour at BB&T. Oct. 22, 2015 officially marked 25 years of Pearl Jam performing live. Ten studio albums, hundreds of unique live performances and hundreds of official live concert bootleg releases later, the band continue to be critically acclaimed and commercially successful – with over 60 million albums sold worldwide.

Upcoming Events

SPRING 2016 BROADWAY SEASON APRIL

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April 12-17

March 1-13

April 12-17

may 10-22

BOSTON

Seminole Hard Rock & Hotel-Hollywood Legendary rock ‘n’ roll band BOSTON celebrates 40 years at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Friday, April 29, at 8 p.m.

Broward CEnter for the performing arts

Tom Scholz’s band BOSTON became an iconic classic rock fixture when it joined the music scene with its self-titled album in 1976. With more than 17 million copies sold, BOSTON generated rock staples that are still in heavy rotation today such as "More Than a Feeling," "Peace of Mind" and "Smokin." With more than 31 million albums sold to date, BOSTON has stood the test of time, as evidenced by live audiences that span generations.

broadwayacrossamerica.com

Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

Broward CEnter for the performing arts

broadwayacrossamerica.com

broadwayacrossamerica.com

broadwayacrossamerica.com

May

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Tracy Morgan

Seminole Hard Rock & Hotel-Hollywood Comedian Tracy Morgan makes his triumphant return to the stage with his “TRACY MORGAN: Picking up the Pieces” tour. www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com

Broward CEnter for the performing arts

June

2016

Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts Slow Burn Theater Company

Wine Down Wednesdays

9-26

Heathers The Musical

This hilarious, heartfelt and homicidal new musical relives the greatest teen comedy of all time. It is the story of Veronica Sawyer, a brainy, beautiful teenage misfit who hustles her way into the most powerful and ruthless clique at Westerberg High: the Heathers. But before she can get comfortable atop the high school food chain, Veronica falls in love with the dangerously sexy new kid at school.

Sorrisi Every Wednesday. All night at Sorrisi Wine Bar. Enjoy specially-priced small bites paired with fine wines.

2016

Ladies Night

Legends Lounge Every Thursday beginning January 2016. Enjoy champagne specials, live entertainment and luxury brand giveaways.

Grand Season Finale The Miami Symphony Orchestra Adrienne Arsht Center Knight Concert Hall MISO welcomes back the stunningly beautiful virtuoso pianist Lola Astanova, performing Mozart's first piano concerto ever written in a minor key. Ginastera's Argentine-influenced Variaciones Concertantes, and Sibelius' epic Fifth Symphony culminate a heroic, optimistic conclusion to MISO's 2015/2016 season. www.arshtcenter.org

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JULY 7 CIRKOPOLIS

Adrienne Arsht Center• Ziff Ballet Opera House Culturist Member Pre-sale: February 3 • Public Sale: February 8 Cirque Éloize returns to the Arsht Center with Cirkopolis, a heart-pumping show that dazzles all!

Cirkopolis is a feast for the senses combining the worlds of circus, dance and theater with inventive stage design, original music and video projections, 10 acrobats and multidisciplinary artists!

entertainment

Come to the Cabaret Ole Chum & Celebrate Its 50-Year History

By Jana Soeldner Danger

W

hen Cabaret comes to the stage at Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts April 12-17 (and again January 10, 2017 at the Broward Center for Performing Arts), it will build on a 50-year history. The hit musical first opened on Broadway in1966 at the Broadhurst Theater with a wildly successful run of 1,165 performances.

It was a time of burgeoning political activism, with sentiment building against the war in Vietnam, and the civil rights and women’s movements growing stronger. Cabaret was perfect for that turbulent era, because although at first glance it may appear to be a romantic story set against a backdrop of memorable music, it also carries an ominous message about the danger of closing your eyes to what is going on in the world around you.

Cabaret is based on a 1939 novel, Goodbye to Berlin, by Christopher Isherwood, and the 1951 play I Am A Camera by John Van Druten. The original Broadway production directed by Hal Prince was an experiment in making a musical in which the message is as important as the plot. Set in 1930s Berlin during the violent rise

By Ashley Hammond

A

fter 31 Platinum records, 17 American Music Awards, a Country Hall of Fame induction, a beautiful second marriage and raising two children, Garth Brooks finally emerged from retirement. Returning to Florida in January, the BB&T Center in Sunrise overflowed with fans ranging from tweens to baby boomers. His return to the stage was no less thrilling as in the ’90s.

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of Nazism, Cabaret tells the story of the life and loves of flamboyant Sally Bowles, a 19-year-old American who works as a singer at the seedy Kit Kat Club. A raucous ensemble takes the stage there every night to tantalize a crowd trying desperately to lose itself in the decadent allure of Berlin nightlife to get through times that are growing uncertain. Sally falls in love with Brian Roberts, a bisexual Cambridge University student who has come to Berlin to complete his German studies. The two have an affair, but later, they fall under the spell of wealthy Baron Maximilian von Heune, who seduces them both. With the Kit Kat Club serving

as a metaphor for the world, the club’s master of ceremonies is the storyteller, and the rise of the Nazis is a dark, ever-present undercurrent.

South Florida Opulence sat down with Garth the afternoon before his first come-back show. Why did he choose South Florida for his first night back on stage? “When I was planning the tour, I was in Oklahoma in the cold. Florida was an easy decision because it has the best weather and the best fans – and Miss Yearwood [Garth’s wife] wanted to go where it was warm,” Garth said.

He concluded with “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old).” As the melody faded and the stage lights came up, he was gone.

The audience erupted, chanting his name.

He reappeared, singing several more songs.

Garth took the audience through an emotional roller coaster from “Papa Loved Mama,” “Ain’t Goin Down (‘Til the Sun Comes Up),” and “If Tomorrow Never Comes.”

The audience, swaying, sang along to every word. As Garth sang “In Another’s Eyes,” Trisha Yearwood arose from the dry ice mist mid-song. Their tandem vocals genuinely complemented one another. Later, Garth reentered and blew the audience away with a rendition of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.”

The production by the award-winning Roundabout Theatre Company comes directly from Broadway. Kelley Shanley, president and CEO of the BCPA, said, “Broadway shows spark the imagination and create lifelong memories. Through our partnership with Broadway Across America, each season boasts at least one regional premiere that offers our audiences the first chance of seeing the latest blockbusters right here.”

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified Garth Brooks as the top selling solo artist in U.S. history, with 136 million albums, along with the only solo artist to have six albums surpass the 10-million mark. He is the highest country debut leader of all time. Garth’s absence from the music industry wasn’t only for his family, but also for children everywhere. In 1999, he launched Teammates for Kids Foundationwith athletes, celebrities, and corporations, to raise money for the underprivileged.

“I want people to remember my songs and good deeds, not me.”

Meet the Man Behind The South Beach (& NYC!) Wine & Food Festivals

By Jana Soeldner Danger

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ee Schrager is the creator of both the nationally renowned South Beach and New York City Wine & Food Festivals, each of which has grown into a star-studded destination event. The senior vice president at Southern Wine & Spirits is also the author of three cookbooks, and his latest, America’s Best Breakfasts, celebrates his favorite meal of the day. “I love starting the day with a great breakfast,” he said. “It’s where I plan out the rest of my day.”

Schrager has loved to cook since he was a child. “My mother was a great cook, and I was always in the kitchen when my brothers were out doing other things,” he said. “My earliest memories are of family meals and the wonLee Schrager (far right) enjoys breakfast with derful smell of them. I his father Kenneth, and mother Marlene. love cooking the way some people love ballet and opera.” His culinary penchant grew during high school. “In those days, boys went to wood shop and girls went to home economics,” he said. “I hated machines and was afraid of the wood shop class, so my mom went to the school and arranged for me to take home ec. I thrived there.”

Simple Fare Although he is a food professional, Schrager prefers simple fare.

“I don’t like pretentious food,” he said. “I’m a basic eater, and I love good, hearty comfort food.” When he entertains at home, it’s usually a casual affair. “I dislike formal dinners, and I rarely do a seated dinner,” he said. “I’d rather have a good burger than a set menu at a formal restaurant and I’d rather cook for 25 people than four. I love having a meal in the kitchen with people sitting around talking about food and enjoying it. The popularity of cooking is growing among both men and women,” Schrager said. “The Food Network and the Cooking Channel have made it more mainstream.

“Cooking shouldn’t be intimidating,” Schrager continued. “It’s really just reading a recipe and following directions. But a good meal is more than just cooking. It involves serving it correctly and putting the right things together.” At his home, putting the right things together can sometimes take an unusual turn. He recently hosted a party to try out his new pizza oven. “I served pizza and filet,” he said.

Aspen inspiration What gave Schrager the idea for the SoBe Wine & Food Festival?

“Friends had taken me to the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen,” he recalled. “On the plane coming home I thought, ‘this is the greatest thing in the world. But think how much better it would be on our beautiful beaches.’ ” The annual SoBe Festival – the 15th of which took place in February – benefits the Chaplain School of Hospitality and Tourism at Florida International University. It grew from a small, one-day event to its current status as a three-day extravaganza that draws guests and media from all over the country. In 2008, many of his same partners in the Florida festival joined him to create its New York counterpart, an affair that stretches throughout the city from the Meat Packing District to Pier 54 while raising funds for the Food Bank for New York City and Share Our Strength.

his new breakfast cookbook Schrager still appreciates his mother’s cooking. In fact, his new cookbook has a recipe from her called ‘German Breakfast’, a concoction that includes, among other things, potatoes, onions and peppers. “We always had it for dinner,” he recalled. “It’s still one of my favorites.”

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AGAINST IN A SHIFT FROM GRAPES TO GRAINS

ALL ODDS

How A French Cognac Cellar Master Founded America’s Favorite Premium Vodka

By Stephanie Bonilla

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Throughout history, there are those fortunate few born as passionate innovators with an innate fire blazing from within to discover the extraordinary.

One such man is François Thibault. A coveted cognac cellar master, this innovator went on to achieve the ultimate challenge – one that others would have deemed nearly impossible for a Frenchman: to create an ultra-premium vodka that would spellbind upscale Americans. But achieve the impossible he did when he created Grey Goose.

How the Venture Began Born in the region of Cognac, France, most famous for its production of brandy and wine, Thibault developed his passion for creating extraordinary spirits early on. The son of a local wine grower, he quickly became immersed in all aspects of the spirit industry.

It was his unconventional upbringing that ignited his passion for the creation of quality spirits, leading him to pursue a formal education in wine making. Shortly after receiving a degree in Oenology, Thibault joined a leading Cognac house working under the tutelage of a maître de chai (cellar master), later earning the prestigious title of cellar master himself in 1992.

“The education I received from my family and my endless passion for my vocation led me to gain the confidence I needed to become a cellar master. You don’t go to school to become one,” says Thibault.

But gaining a formal education and a prominent title was not the highest level Thibault’s passion would take him. His endless thirst for an extraordinary concoction gave him the impulse he needed to fly much higher than that. The challenge came when another highflyer, Sidney Frank, made his way to Cognac in search of the cellar master who would brew his dream to life: a high-quality vodka that would sell well in the existing American market.

So how did Frank end up choosing a cellar master who knew nothing about vodka to become the creator of his dream elixir? Pure chance. An accidental meeting with Thibault led Frank to put all of his proverbial goose eggs in one basket, challenging Thibault into pouring all of his creative juices into the creation of what has become the world’s most popular vodka brand.

“My instinct and inspiration are what drove me to be crazy enough to take on the challenge. In the beginning, many skeptics believed I would fail since vodka is typically assimilated as an Eastern European drink,” says Thibault. “But the philosophy that has always driven me has been this: If you don’t know it’s impossible, then it is possible.” And since Thibault wasn’t certain it was impossible, he blindly challenged himself to make it possible.

Grains from the Breadbasket of the World After thoroughly researching the vodka making process, Thibault noticed that historically vodka had most often been produced using grain. Since he resided in the country known as the “breadbasket” of the world, Thibault sought the advice of experienced bakers, learning about the different parameters analyzed in order to select the highest-quality grain.

Shifting his mind from grapes to grain, everything else fell into

François Thibault, cellar master who created Grey Goose vodka in France.

place. “My goal was never to re-create the standard vodka. It was always to create something that had never been attempted before,” says Thibault. And that he did.

So why is it that mixologists all over the world choose Grey Goose over competitor’s brands? Well, it’s all in taste. Today, Thibault still oversees the crafting of Grey Goose vodka, personally tasting every batch, ensuring the vodka’s quality is always maintained and never compromised.

The creation of Grey Goose starts with the very best ingredients from France – including soft winter wheat grown by three local farming cooperatives in the Picardy region of Le Grenier à Blé (the same high grade wheat used in the finest French breads and pastries).

The harvested wheat is trucked to a dedicated mill and distillery, where a small specialized staff of less than two dozen people carefully weighs and verifies the starch content before milling the grain four times.

The wheat flour is then blended with exclusive natural spring water naturally filtered through limestone in the Gensac-La-Pallue region of Cognac. Then begins the ‘sacchar-

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ification’ process of converting starch into glucose and the activation of yeast that initiates fermentation. The resulting ‘wheat mash’ churns through a half-dozen tanks where simple sugars convert into alcohol on its way into a massive column still that ultimately produces the velvety smooth Grey Goose vodka.

“Even with today’s advances in technology, there is no machine capable of replicating the human qualities intrinsic to the creation of Grey Goose,” Thibault said.

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Top Notch QC Every batch of Grey Goose vodka undergoes more than 550 daily quality control checks, including the personal tasting and approval by Thibault. Once a batch receives his thumbs-up nod, the bottle receives a signature cork that serves as its seal of quality. From field-to-bottle, the expertise of the Maître de Chai François Thibault ensures an unparalleled smoothness and exceptional taste to the connoisseur palate.

Thibault’s passion for creating vodka has continuously grown over his tenure. Recently he enacted the novel idea of add-

ing real fruit flavored spirits to the Grey Goose portfolio: “Cherry Noir,” “L’Orange,” “Le Citron” and “Le Melon.”

Unlike the geese that appear on the iconic bottle of Grey Goose, Thibault has never desired to spread his wings and migrate elsewhere. Cognac will forever be his home. And although he dedicates his inspiration to his homeland, his spirit has become universally popular. Today, Grey Goose bottles are distributed throughout the world in more than 130 countries. So for the man whose passion overcame the impossible, and whose story teaches us to always aim to fly higher, we raise our glass to François Thibault – with a toast that he may always continue to fly beyond.

GREY GOOSE DRY MARTINI (Image left)

Ingredients • 2½ parts GREY GOOSE vodka • ½ part chilled NOILLY PRAT dry vermouth • Dash of orange bitters • Lemon zest to garnish

Method Add ingredients into a mixing glass.

Top with cubed ice and stir. Fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with lemon zest.

GREY GOOSE LE FIZZ Ingredients 1½ parts GREY GOOSE vodka 1 part St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur ¾ part freshly squeezed lime juice 2 parts soda water

Method Build all ingredients APART from soda water in a Boston glass. Top with cubed ice and shake. Fine strain into a chilled flute. Top with chilled soda water, and garnish with a GREY GOOSE stirrer.

GREY GOOSE L’OXYMORE An expression of defying expectations, this unlikely blend of umami French cèpes, sour lemon, sweet vanilla and sharp vinegar harmonise together perfectly. This creates a smooth and complex cocktail that will alter perceptions of flavour pairing. L’Oxymore is inspired by the theme ‘Against All Odds’ demonstrating a unique combination that comes together unexpectedly.

Much like many of the protagonists within this year’s film awards contenders, L’Oxymore is quirky, fun and deliciously intriguing.

Ingredients:

Method:

• 3/4 parts GREY GOOSE Le Citron Flavoured Vodka

Shake all ingredients and double strain into a chilled coupette rimmed with fresh vanilla and garnished with fresh vanilla pod.

• 3/4 parts French cèpes mushroom syrup* • 3/4 parts fresh lemon juice • 1 bar spoon of crème de cassis • Drizzle of aged sherry vinegar

*25 grams dried mushrooms (cèpes/porcinis) in 1 litre of water, bring to the boil, add 500 grams of sugar

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The Rub On

Shrub Retro Vinegar Cocktails

The History and Wonder of Shrubs From Colonial Americans to the McClary Bros.

By Alex Starace

Visit any hip neighborhood in America and you’re bound to find at least one retro cocktail bar serving artisanal OldFashioneds and Sidecars. But what’s the next big trend? It may very well be drinking vinegars, also known as “shrubs,” which offer crisp, strong flavors without the artificial sugars and preservatives found in many mixed drinks.

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hile the trend may be new, the process isn’t. Shrubs in some form or the other have been around since at least Biblical times, according to some, who note that Ruth partook of a vinegar drink while working the fields in Boaz. More commonly, the drink’s origin is believed to be 12th century Persia or 17th century England, though its current trendy form is thoroughly American.

As any early Yankee could tell you, few things beat the taste of fresh-picked fruit.

However in the colonial U.S., this truism was felt particularly keenly because without refrigeration and without dense produce distribution networks, fresh fruit was indeed fleeting. Early Americans needed to preserve their extra yield so it would last long after harvest. One of the easiest and healthiest methods was by pouring vinegar over it, allowing it to sit for a few days, then straining it out and eating it later.

As a byproduct of the process, the leftover liquid was actually a flavorful (and relatively mild) infused vinegar that could be mixed with sugar and seltzer water. The result was a refreshing drink similar to what we’d nowadays call a soda. Predictably enough, it didn’t take long before the colonials realized that shrubs could also be mixed with hard spirits such as rum and brandy, to make for a satisfying alcoholic beverage.

In fact, shrubs (which can refer to either the infused vinegar or the finished drink) were commonly consumed in the United States until the early 1900s, when refrigeration and other, easier preservation methods became available. By the 1930s, the local, practical process seemed destined to die out – it got skipped over as the world became more industrialized.

The shrub is cataloged by Slow Foods USA as a “culturally significant food in danger of extinction.” A small family farm, Tait Farm, outside of State College, Pennsylvania, was credited with first reviving the shrub in 1986, when they had a glut of extra raspberries. A friend suggested preserving the fruit using a recipe for an old colonial beverage called Raspberry Shrub. By 1987, the farm was selling the drink to customers; today Tait Farm Foods has created over 50 varieties of fruit shrubs for purchase.

But the current face of shrubs is none other than Jess SanchezMcClary, who appeared on the ABC’s season 7 debut of Shark Tank.

Her company, McClary Bros., is based in metro Detroit and sources its ingredients locally. “I like to introduce people to foods they didn’t know existed, or that they didn’t understand were so delicious,” Sanchez-McClary said. Her favorites include a batch of fig leaf shrub, where she got the fig leaves from an urban farm in Detroit, and Paw Paw, the only tropical fruit that grows in the upper Midwest, a fruit that can’t be found in grocery stores because it’s so delicate it doesn’t stand up to industrial shipping.

True to Sanchez-McClary’s environmental ideals, very little at McClary Bros. goes to waste, even though the company only sells the shrubs and not the fruit left over. For example, the company’s vinegared apples are used by another local company, Beau Bien, as the base for its chutneys, while some vinegared fruit is used by the Detroit Pop Shop to flavor their Ice Pops. The remaining produce is reused as compost at a local farm.

McClary Bros. is so committed to local, sustainable agriculture that they’re working with a non-profit in New Orleans to open another production facility that focuses on flavors specifically local to Louisiana. “That gives us a new agricultural zone,” said Sanchez-McClary. “There are so many amazing flavors grown there that are so different than what we have in Michigan. It’s really going to add to the variety that we already offer.”

And so the story of making shrubs is really a story of returning to bygone foodways and local roots. Even as SanchezMcClary pitches venture capitalists on Shark Tank, her story (and the story of shrubs) is the story of doing what our American forebears had done for generations. No matter whether it’s the eighteenth or twenty-first century, making a homegrown beverage that’s delicious will always be in style.

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Specialty Coffee 46

How

Taste Masters

Score

Specialty Coffee

By Darren Doyle

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e receive questions every week at International Coffee Farms on what the standards are for scoring fine coffee. First a bit of clarification: Specialty coffee should not be confused with “gourmet” or “premium” coffee. These are simply marketing terms with no defined standards.

According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), “Coffee which scores 80 points or above on a 100-point scale is graded ‘specialty’."

Specialty coffees are grown in special and ideal climates, and are distinctive because of their full-cup taste and little to no defects. The unique flavors and tastes are a result of the special characteristics and composition of the soils in which they are produced.”

So what does this mean?

Most of us are familiar with how wine is slurped, spat and graded by a wine connoisseur, who then awards the wine a score, usually from 50 to 100, and that score is one of the important factors that determine the quality and thus the value/price of the wine.

For consumers, we can, at a glance, see the score awarded to a wine that we know little about and can make an informed buying decision based on this score.It also separates the two buck chuck from the $200 bottle of Chateau Margaux!

This scoring method has its critics though. Some people point to the fact that this scoring method is subjective and open to interpretation. The Specialty Coffee Association of America, established in 1982, and with members in over 40 countries worldwide, has set very strict industry standards when it comes to scoring Specialty Coffee.

These standards are set by a Standards Committee. “It is a quantifiable and qualifiable measure, based upon scientific testing, which set values and/or ranges of values for coffee.”

Cupping Cupping the coffee is the process of evaluating and scoring brewed coffee.

Cue the sipping and slurping and spatting! This is where Q Graders (Quality Graders), or master tasters, certified by The Coffee Quality Institute (CQI)

Spring 2016

blind test the coffee and award scores based on fragrance, aroma, flavor, acidity, after taste, body, balance, sweetness, cleanliness and uniformity.

Each section is analyzed and broken down in detail, awarded points from 1 to 10 and independently scored by dozens of Q Graders. Aroma alone can be described as animal like, ashy, burnt, chocolate, earthy, floral, nutty, woody and even spicy.

Q Graders There are currently more than 3,500 certified Q graders worldwide, and growing. The Q Coffee System identifies quality coffees and brings them to market through a credible and verifiable system.

This system allows Specialty Coffee farmers to have their coffee tested against industry standards to ensure that they get top dollar for the coffee and are rewarded for years of hard work, with the focus on coffee Quality, not just Quantity.

The retail value of the U.S. coffee market is estimated at $46 billion dollars a year, with Specialty Coffee comprising approximately 51 percent volume share but nearly 55 percent value share. Up from only 1 percent almost 25 years ago and surpassing non-specialty for the first time ever.

traded commodity in the world after oil (in dollar terms)!

Quite the difference from your Bloomberg ticker price!

When you are watching Bloomberg in the morning and you see coffee scroll across the bottom of your screen, this is the New York “C” market index for commercial coffee.

As you can see from these prices, Boquete is well-known internationally as the perfect location to produce amazing Specialty Coffee. With the right altitude, rich volcanic soil and year-round perfect weather, it is no surprise that roasters from around the globe descend on our small town each year searching for the Best in Panama specialty coffee.

Trading right now in a range from around $1.20 - $1.30 a pound. Hard to get rich off that price when it can cost $1.50 a pound to produce it!

But Specialty coffee, coffee that scores 80 points and above when cupped by a CQI trained Q Grader, that meets strictly set SCAA standards, sells for 5, 10, 20, and even 100 times that price.

Here in Panama every year the SCAP (Specialty Coffee Association of Panama) hosts annual coffee auctions where roasters and producers from all over the world flock to Panama to bid on the Best of Panama coffee.

The lowest price on the list was $9.70 per pound, about 8 times the “C” market rate. The highest price paid was $140 per pound for Finca Esmeralda’s world class Geisha. The average price was somewhere around $17 to $20 a pound.

So you can see why everyone here at International Coffee Farms is excited about the bright future for the Specialty Coffee industry. We have acquired 3 farms so far in 2015 and are in negotiations with many more. These farms are ideally situated in the Boquete region and have all the attributes necessary to produce amazing Specialty Coffee. All they need is a little love!

If you like the idea of joining our Merry Band of Panamanian Coffee Farmers, please email me at darrend@internationalcoffeefarms.com or call 877-208-7988.

According to the International Coffee Organization (ICO), demand for coffee is set to increase by 25 percent over the next 5 years. “Consumption is increasing as societies in India, China and Latin America continue to be Westernized,” the ICO’s executive director Roberio Silva told The Wall Street Journal.

To promote and self-regulate this growing industry, growers, exporters, roasters, retailers and equipment suppliers have established trade associations. These associations exist in both coffee-consuming and coffee-producing countries.

Among the countries that are very famous for producing excellent specialty coffee are Ethiopia, Kenya, and Panama.

How is Q Grading coffee reflected in the price?

At the end of the day, coffee is a commodity. Although it is the 2nd most

The SCAA Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel

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What’s THE FUSS OVER FOSS?

Just Get The In Here

’EL

By Robin Jay

C

Chef Phillip Foss was recently nominated for a 2016 James Beard Award.

Bottom image: Chef Phillip Foss' take on the deconstruction of a White Russian cocktail: Ossetra/ Vodka/ Coffee

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The unconventional, unfiltered and unapologetic Chef Phillip Foss is redefining fine dining at his Michelin-starred dinner-party kitchen in the Windy City

hef Phillip Foss is to Chicago’s foodscape what Jim McMahon was to Chicago Bear’s football in 1986, when Ditka’s ‘Da Bears’ danced the Super Bowl Shuffle on their way to winning Super Bowl XX. The break-all-the-rules McMahon was a hunky, controversial media darling – perhaps most notably for mooning journalists when they asked about an injury to his buttocks. This in-your-face, take-me-as-I-am chutzpah is exactly the refreshing exuberance of Chef Foss at his adventurous but unpretentious small-dinner-party style eatery, EL Ideas, in the rather incognito Chicago neighborhood known as Douglas Park.

Given that Foss is a Green Bay Packer’s fan (he’s originally from Milwaukee – I won’t hold it against him) he may take my comparison to his rival team as an intentional dig. Consider it tongue-and-cheek payback my friend. You see, the first time I entered EL Ideas last December (as a gift from my brother and sisterin-law), Foss insisted we ‘lick the first plate

clean – no utensils allowed – or else get the hell out.’ That was right after his dry-witted headwaiter, Bill, handed me a slip of paper, said he wasn’t asking for my phone number nor trying to pick me up, and said within earshot of the other guests, ‘just use this to spit out your gum lady.’

It’s all part of Foss’ dinner party schtick. And a brilliant one at that.

Here’s the Dish “My quest for EL Ideas [shortened from ‘Elevated Ideas’ and an homage to the elevated train system in Chicago] is to make fine dining cuisine and service approachable and fun instead of pretentious and stuffy,” said Chef Foss, whose gas-station style uniform shirt is donned every day with a pair of shorts, without exception. When it’s bitter cold outside, he simply adds a pair of wool knee socks to his ensemble.

Once inside the unmarked building at 2914 West 14th Street, guests encounter a venue not usually associated with restaurants

serving upscale cuisine. No walls separate diners from chefs. Foss wants guests to expect the unexpected when served the fixed 13-course molecular gastronomy tasting menu.

“Interaction with the kitchen team, and other guests at our small 10-table-top establishment throughout the meal, is not only welcome, it is encouraged,” Foss said. “I love that I’ve got a place that is really an extension of my personality. Guests will come in here feeling a little bit stiff and stodgy, and by the time they leave, they’re all smiling and happy from eating some great food, having

a few laughs and hugging the host goodbye as if they attended a dinner party.”

The unconventional business model at EL Ideas involves a BYOB approach – with no corking fee. When guests arrive, they find an iced bucket adjacent to their table, ready to chill whatever beverages they have in tow.

Bill and the other waiters are like stealth snipers, swiftly slipping in without guests noticing to ensure glasses are always topped off. It’s an approach that allows guests to unwind and let their hair down.

“I’ve always had a pretty devious sense of humor,” said Foss who is not unlike a radio shock jock in the kitchen. [And while we’re on the subject, I would be remiss not to mention a fun anecdote – one told to me not by Foss, but a story he also doesn’t deny.

It’s the time when Chicago’s real shock jock, Mancow Muller, arrived at EL 30 minutes late, holding up all the other guests. A young lady at my brother’s table who had previously worked for the radio hotshot, thought he was a lousy boss, and being a bit under

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the influence, stood up to give him loud lambasting for being tardy. I’m told the local celeb took the scolding like a man, and dinner service returned to business as usual.] While it’s true that EL’s online reservation website insists guests must be prompt for their seating time, Foss swears there’s no truth to the notion that he locks the front door the minute a scheduled serving session has begun. A jerk? No. A prankster? Yes.

came about pretty much by accident. When growing up in Milwaukee, Foss admits he was a rabble-rouser in high school, getting into more than his fair share of trouble. But in his senior year, his culinary teacher took notice of a raw talent he saw in Foss and suggested he go to cooking school to become a chef. His mom agreed and insisted her son, deserving or not, attend the very best culinary school possible – and she paved the way for him to attend the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York.

Sometimes, however, the joke can be on Foss. One EL Ideas tasting menu includes ‘culinary cocaine’ – dried coconut and lime powder plated on a piece of mirror with a razor blade to cut it and a straw to suck it in through the mouth. It was a dish intended to poke humor, but one that nearly backfired the night an Illinois State Representative was a guest in the restaurant and

(Left): “This dish is inspired by a toad-in-a-hole, a fried egg is cooked in the middle of bread.

In this case, we just made an egg yolk fudge, piped it into the middle of a house-made potato bread and then just shaved copious amounts of white truffle over the top of that.

(Above): Allium (onion) – Let me count the ways! (r - l): Onion flan topped with ossetra caviar; Boiled leeks with hamachi crudo; Pickled pearl onion with bottarga roe; Scallion kimchi with sautéed shrimp; Compressed red onion with mojama atun; Confit onion with chicken liver mousse and air dried duck; Caramelized onions with maitake mushroom leather; and Spring onion jam with seared Wagyu beef.

raised an eyebrow at the unusual presentation. Fortunately, in the end, the congresswoman had a sense of humor and playfully rubbed some powder under her nose.

So we just make it a point to take people

“I’ve never done anything as far as professional performing is concerned, but I’m not afraid to be up on the stage and I’ve been told I’ve got a voice that resonates,” Foss said. “I think that is our niche. I mean, the food is great and I’m very proud of what we do, but I think the thing that really separates us from everybody else is the performance aspect and the connections that I’m able to make with the guests. I don’t like to feel like a corpse in rigor mortis sitting in my chair.

dish that we give guests is to make them

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out of that element and keep them out of their preconceptions as soon as they come in. That’s why, more times than not, the first lick their plates – sometimes clear plates to make sure everyone can see each other licking them. Who says a little humiliation can’t be fun? The crowd is very much a part of the performance. If the crowd buys into it and the crowd is willing to let go, the evening usually becomes more and more exciting.”

Success from Hard Knocks Foss’ five-year-gig so far at EL Ideas is a success story that didn’t come easy. In fact, it

At first when asked how he got the culinary bug, Foss says it was a fluke. “My idea of cooking was to follow directions on a box of mac and cheese,” he said with a laugh.

But when probed a little further, the truth comes out. “When I was a little boy, around 2 years old, there are pictures floating around that showed I enjoyed watching my mom cook – so much so that my dad decided to build a little stovetop out of cardboard, put it on the couch, and then take pictures of me sitting and stirring pots. It was a passion that just kind of went to sleep for the next 18 years until my mentor reawakened the interest.”

Foss graduated from CIA in 1991 and managed to land a whirlwind of impressive opportunities in the Big Apple, including Lafayette, Oceana, The Quilted Giraffe and Le Cirque. But with a loud mouth in an industry that demands respect for higherranking chefs, Foss found most of his stints short lived. In 2001, he relocated to Chicago to work briefly at Tru and Bistro Margot, before jetting off to Brazil for a couple of years.

The culinary gypsy returned to Milwaukee, then went on to Maui, then to Israel (where he adored the food – and the women – and found his wife), then off to Bermuda, back to Milwaukee and – holy smokes – to the esteemed Palmer House in Chicago in 2010. But that, too, wasn’t meant to be for long. The opinionated chef, argumentative with his colleagues, was let go for tweeting, “Can’t we just smoke a bong?”

Out of Necessity Comes Invention “At that point, I was out on the street,” Foss noted with humility. “I had two kids by this point, was very young and needed to get up and working really quickly. I kind of pioneered the food truck movement here in Chicago; at the time there weren’t any. I went about changing laws to make it easier for mobile vending to be allowed. I was lucky enough to find the kitchen here on West 14th Street, and was lucky enough to find a truck that I could rent to open up a food truck concept. That’s when my Meatyballs Mobile was born.

“We did a lot of fun takes on meatballs and anything that was in the form of a ball,” Foss reminisced. “Our dishes had a lot of puns to them – like schweddy balls, bulls’ testicles and chocolate salty balls. The clever concept

took off but eventually led to another setback: A swindling employee had skimmed the books to fund her wedding. Fortunately, there was a silver lining to the misfortune.

“I was getting a health inspection at this location where we made the meatballs so that I could get the kitchen’s license turned into my business’s name,” Foss said. “At the end of the health inspection, the inspector wasn’t sure what kind of a license to give us. She saw this little dining area in the front and decided to give us a restaurant license. As soon as she said that, it was like lightning striking, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, why didn’t I think about doing my restaurant here?’ That was it.

Two months later we were open.”

Hitting the Big Time Foss says his culinary ideas presented at EL Ideas are crafted with a modern sensibility

“This course is probably the most polarizing we’ve ever had on our menu. Some of our guests love it, some of them don’t like it at all. But we love it, so we don’t really give a s*!*. What we’re looking at is a shigoku oyster and daikon kimchi that are set in a lightly gelled smoked duck consommé. Enoki mushrooms and soy round off the preparation with a kiss of umami.

Enjoy (or don’t)!”

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that expresses his experience, palate, humor, and honest approach.

Before each course, Foss or a member of his crew gives a description about the inspiration, stories and guest interactions that went into creating the dish at hand. Take the French fries and milkshake course, for instance.

“It’s kind of a Midwestern thing to dip French fries inside an ice cream or Frosty,” Foss explained. “One of my daughters’ babysitters took them out for it and the kids loved it. The next time I took them out, they ordered it and I sat there watching them eat it. I was thinking, ‘Wow, you’ve got hot and cold, that’s fun; sweet and salty, that’s fun.’

And then I just thought of a different way to make it happen in the dining room.” The signature dish is served in a tall old-fashioned milkshake glass with a long spoon. Foss instructs the guests to stir the ice at the top of the dish, and when they do, the concoction combusts with an explosive plume of liquid nitrogen. Plenty of ‘awwwwes’ and smiles ensue. That’s the sort of sweet applause Foss cherishes.

“I don’t consider myself a mad scientist at all,” Foss said. “I love to make people happy by just thinking outside of the box. I think of it as taking a commonsense approach to ingredients and figuring out a way to implement them in a way that is interesting to the guests.

This dish pairs morels (exotic mushrooms), uni, halibut and nasturtium leaves.

This 'French fries & ice cream' dish — a take on a popular Midwestern tradition of dipping fries into a shake — requires guests at EL to stir and crack an ice layer at the top of the dish that then combusts with plumes of steam.

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“What we do is we have stage, and when people come in, they don’t know what to expect. We’ve got a really strange location, no signage on the outside of our doors, and we dead-end adjacent to a train yard. People walk in and see it doesn’t look like any other restaurant that they’ve ever been in before. They’ve already made the leap of faith; they’ve paid all of the money up front because we charge everybody before they arrive here. They’ve already brought themselves to the ledge, and once they walk in the door, it’s our job to kind of push them off the ledge. We want to make it fun. It turns into a party every night.”

(Above) This dish is a play on the Olivia restaurant in Texas where they prepare a dish called Lamb with 86 Preparations. “I personally thought that was a little bit over-the-top, and decided to do a little tongue-in-cheek play off of that with my version: lamb with one ingredient ­­­— garlic. I took many different varieties of garlic, as many as I could find, and prepared them in a bunch of different ways to serve with the lamb,” Foss said.

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Becoming A Physicist in the Kitchen A look at the relatively new genre of molecular gastronomy and how inquisitive home cooks can – if they so dare – try it at home

By Robin Jay

“The invention of a new dish is of greater importance to the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a new star,” said Hungarian physicist Nicholas Kurti in 1969 in an address he presented to the Royal Society entitled The Physicist in the Kitchen. “I think it is a sad reflection on our civilization that while we can and do measure the temperature in the atmosphere of Venus, we do not know what goes on inside our soufflés.”

PHOTOS IN THIS STORY COURTESY OF Molecule-R (moleculargastronomy.com)

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Kurti, along with French physical chemist Hervé This at AgroParisTech, agreed that a new study discipline was vital to bridge the chasm they saw between food science and cooking. Together, in 1988, they coined the adage ‘molecular and physical gastronomy.’

Four years later, after Kurti’s passing, Hervé brought together scientists, chefs, food writers and educators at the very first International Workshop on Molecular and Physical Gastronomy in Erice, France.

The consortium took an in-depth look into the scientific phenomena that takes place in culinary transformations.

The Turning Point for Extreme Science In Cooking Meanwhile, in the futuristic kitchen of El Bulli in Northern Spain – awarded No. 1 restaurant on multiple occasions – Chef Ferán Adria was already pioneering a trail in molecular gastronomy (or ‘deconstruction’ as Adria preferred to call it), serving guests cleverly deconstructed and concocted dishes that smoked, exploded, oozed aromas, entertained and amazed in a 30+ course tasting extravaganza that were equal parts fine dining, lab antics and circus play.

Chef Adria’s intriguing culinary fortitude influenced many of his protégé chefs to exemplify his legacy by taking interpretations of his discoveries into kitchens around the world – including Chef Thomas Kelly of The French Laundry in San Francisco, Chef Grant Achatz of Next and Alinea in Chicago (and now Miami Beach at the Faena Hotel), as well as Chef José Andrés at Bizarre in Miami Beach.

In this issue of South Florida Opulence, we introduce you to another molecular innovator making ripples among foodies, Chef Phillip Foss of EL Ideas in Chicago (see page 48).

With almost cult-like demand driving multi-month-long waiting lists, and a lottery of pre-pay-only online tickets running $150-$600 or more per person, you may wonder if there is a shorter route to having your first molecular gastronomy experience. One option – if you’re daring – is try your hand at it at home. Internet-based companies like Molecule R offer molecular gastronomy kits, ingredients, tools and tutorial videos to enthusiastic home cooks who want a do-it-yourself alternative. Following, experts from this DIY company share some basic principles and tips of molecular gastronomy.

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Molecular Gastronomy 101: Techniques and Additives BASIC DIRECT SPHERIFICATION PRINCIPLE: This technique, designed by Chef Adria, involves controlled gelification of a flavored base liquid with sodium alginate in a bath of calcium that solidifies the liquid into spheres. The very thin membrane is almost undetectable and explodes with a burst-in-the-mouth sensation.

This is the preferred spherification method for producing small spheres called “caviar.”

EMULSIFICATION PRINCIPLE: Soy lecithin is a natural protein that has the unique property of stabilizing foam. This emulsifier is used to reach an unusual equilibrium between air and liquid. The foam will stand for about 30 minutes before it begins to dry, however the soy lecithin solution can be re-blended several times in order to obtain more foam.

DEEP FREEZING WITH LIQUID NITROGEN PRINCIPLE: Liquid nitrogen has long been used in molecular gastronomy demonstrations. The instantaneous vapor cloud that results from condensation of ambient air is very impressive to guests. It flash-cools the food, then evaporates. Liquid nitrogen also makes it possible to freeze alcohol to make original cocktails, which is not possible with traditional freezing techniques. It is also possible to create flavor powders using ingredients such as fruit or flowers that have been crushed when frozen. Important note: The extreme cold of liquid nitrogen makes handling it very dangerous. Molecule R recommends training to understand the reactivity and risk of burns before working with the substance.

This vibrant dish illustrates use of ‘spherification,’ and ‘powderizing’ techniques of molecular gastronomy.

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GELIFICATION PRINCIPLE: According to molecularrecipes. com, modern chefs can use a group of ingredients known as “hydrocolloids” (a molecule that can evenly disperse through water) to create a gel from a wide variety of ingredi- Shown above: Black “Caviar” Spheres produced by ‘basic direct’ spherificaents and for specific applications. The tion, as well as gel spaghetti. term describes ingredients – such as agar-agar – that have either a thickening or gelling effect. The difference lies in that a gel can display the characteristics of a solid, but a thickened liquid always behaves as a liquid. Hydrocolloids can be formed as a hot gel, a gel that forms when heated and melts when cooled, a fluid gel, a sculpted gel, a gel sphere with liquid inside, gel beads, gel spaghetti, crispy films from dehydrated gel, coating gels for solid ingredients and many others.

POWDERIZING PRINCIPLE: Another recipe technique is the transformation of high-fat liquids into a fine powder. The maltodextrin additive, derived from tapioca, makes this technique possible. A powder made from olive oil, chocolate, peanut butter or even bacon makes it possible to create flavored lumps that can be caramelized and crisped on the outside. (See image at bottom.)

REVERSE SPHERIFICATION PRINCIPLE: The key difference between reverse spherification and basic direct spherification is the step in which the gelling agent is added to the bath. In reverse spherification, the agent is added in the setting bath, whereas with the basic direct technique, it’s added in the base. With reverse spherification, the film grows inward, and with basic direct spherification, it grows outward. This may seem like a slight difference, but it’s significant in the type of spheres desired for a dish. Spheres can be made in advance using the reverse method because they set after they are taken out of the bath. Basic direct spheres continue to solidify and have a shorter shelf life.

Molecular 50 Course Meal An Avant-Garde Menu Inspired by Molecular Gastronomy available at moleculargastronomy.com

haLved blackberry for garnish

PINECONE FOR DECOR

cilantro

SHALLOT MAYO

lemon foam and blackberry pearls

GIROLLE MUSHROOM king oyster mushroom chip Sprinkled with mushroom powder

rosemary quinoa

GIROLLE MUSHROOM raspberry sphere

GIROLLE MUSHROOM

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FROZEN REVERSE SPHERIFICATION PRINCIPLE: Frozen Reverse Spherification is similar to the Reverse Spherification technique, but it includes an additional freezing step with hemispheric silicone molds that speed up the process.

SIPHON WHIPPING PRINCIPLE: A culinary whipper is designed to obtain a foamy mousse from a liquid by injecting gas into a closed flask containing the liquid and expelling it out under pressure.

Siphons are available in several volumes and some can be used for hot preparations as well as cold ones. Siphon whipping differs from emulsification in that foams can be made without using an emulsifying agent.

dioxide. Chefs can use it as a fat replacement because the agent creates creaminess through bonds that join between gum molecules, which form a network that traps air in the liquid preparation. It can be used to create a tasty low-fat ice cream-like substance.

SUSPENSION & THICKENING PRINCIPLE: Some thickening agents are increasingly used in creative cuisine to add a touch of extravagance to dishes and cocktails. Xanthan gum, derived from a fermentation process by bacteria, transforms sugars, nitrogen, magnesium and other minerals into polysaccharides. This transformation is a little like yeast which, when combined with sugars, produces alcohol and carbon

This same property is also used in molecular mixology whereby xanthan gum is added to cocktails to create a suspension effect that makes fruit, herbs or even flavored caviar to appear suspended in a liquid.

Mint leaf suspended in Mojito Cocktail ball.

MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY RECIPES CAESAR BUBBLE 4 fl. oz clamato juice 1.5 fl. oz vodka 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce A few drops of Tabasco sauce A few cracks of black pepper 1/2 tsp Calcium Lactate 1 sachet Sodium Alginate To garnish: key lime halves cut width-wise, celery salt, celery leaves Directions: 1) In bowl, combine clamato juice, vodka, Worchestershire sauce, Tabasco, pepper and CALCIUM LACTATE until the calcium lactate has dissolved. Pour mixture into small, semispherical molds and let sit in the freezer for 1 hour or until frozen.

2) In a rectangular, flat-bottomed bowl and using a blender, dissolve SODIUM ALGINATE in water.

Let sit 15 minutes.

3) Unmold frozen Caesar Bubble in alginate bath.

Let sit for 3 minutes while gently stirring periodically to prevent spheres from touching.

4) Fill a medium-size bowl with water. Using a slotted spoon, delicately collect the spheres and briefly rinse them in water, then remove excess water from each sphere by applying a piece of towel on the bottom of the spoon.

Assembly: With a small spoon, dig a bit into each lime half so the flesh is slightly curved inward. Place a sphere on each lime half, top with celery salt and serve.

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DECONSTRUCTED COCOA CAVIAR 1 1/4 cups water 1 oz sugar 1 oz cocoa powder 2 cups water 1 sachet Sodium Alginate 1 sachet Calcium Lactate White chocolate cream 1 1/4 cups cream 3.5 oz white chocolate, chopped

MISO SOUP 1 oz dried shitake mushrooms 1 cup water 1 cup white mushrooms 2 cups vegetable broth 4 lemongrass stalks 1/2 bunch cilantro 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 tbls butter Dash of sesame oil Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 1) In a pan, bring the sugar, cocoa powder and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil and continue cooking two minutes.

MISO SPAGHETTI 3/4 cup miso soup, filtered 4 cups ice cubes 1 sachet AGAR-AGAR Lemongrass & Cilantro Foam 1 cup water 1 bunch cilantro 6 lemongrass stalks 2 tbsp lime juice 1 sachet Soy Lecithin Garnish: Blue-foot mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, fresh wakame

2) In a rectangular, flat-bottomed bowl and using a hand blender, dissolve 1 sachet of Sodium Alginate in the cocoa preparation.

Let sit 10 minutes.

3) Dissolve 1 sachet of CALCIUM LACTATE in 2 cups of water using a spoon. Then, using a pipette held at a 90-degree angle, empty the calcium lactate bath into the sink and onto a sieve so only the cocoa caviar remains.

Rinse in lukewarm water.

White Cream: Bring the cream to a boil and pour into a bowl with the white chocolate. Stir and set aside to cool.

Assembly: Pour the white chocolate cream into serving spoons, top with some cocoa caviar and serve.

Molecular Gastronomy by Molecule-R' (2014, $24.95 USD)

LEMONGRASS & CILANTRO FOAM 1) Bring water to a boil. Coarsely chop cilantro and lemongrass. Remove boiling water from heat and infuse cilantro and lemongrass for 10 minutes. Add in lime juice and let sit to cool.

2) Transfer cooled infusion to a rectangular flat-bottomed bowl. Sprinkle in SOY LECITHIN. Using a hand blender, blend 3-4 minutes, then let sit for 5 minutes.

3) To serve, collect foam using a spoon.

Assembly Divide spaghetti between plates and decorate with blue-foot mushrooms, enoki mushrooms and wakame. Serve lemongrass and cilantro foam on the side.

Molecular 50-Course Meal' (2015, $29.95 USD).

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SERIES PART I:

The Man Behind

The James Beard Foundation – And The Woman Who’s Leading His Legacy Mission

BY ROBIN JAY

‘Inviting a chef to cook at the Beard House would be like inviting a musician to perform at Carnegie Hall.’

— Julia Child

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W

hen recognizing the pinnacle of success, singers have Grammys. Actors have Oscars. And American chefs have the James Beard Awards.

But unlike the Grammy’s gramophone and the Oscar’s knight perched on a reel of film, the James Beard Award medallion bestows the face of a real man – James Beard – who in 1954 was anointed the ‘Dean of American cookery’ by The New York Times.

No one tells the story about James Beard better than Susan Ungaro, who has served as President of the James Beard Foundation for the past 10 years and is the former Editor-in-Chief of Family Circle. South Florida Opulence sat down with Ungaro after a recent Friends of James Beard Foundation dinner at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood (see page 64).

“James Beard, the man, was an incredibly important figure in the chef, restaurant and food world community,” Ungaro said. “He was the first chef to appear on television [in 1946], long before there were cooking shows on PBS or the Food Network. A young Bryant Gumbel and a young Tom Brokaw would interview James Beard in his kitchen and he would teach them how to roast a chicken or how to make homemade pasta. It was really a way of teaching America how to cook.”

James Beard became not only a culinary guru in America, but one revered around the world. He paved the way for the food revolution that put America on the gastronomy map.

“When Julia Child left Paris after having written Mastering the Art of French Cooking, her editor asked her, ‘Who do you want to meet with when you come back to the states?’The first person at the top of her list was James Beard. She came to New York and they became fast friends,” Ungaro said.

The Early Years “James was born in Portland, Oregon to a single mother who ran a boarding house.

She employed a Chinese cook named Let,” Ungaro said. “James Beard often talked about those early years, being in the kitchen as a little boy, growing up around food, and that’s where his love and passion for food and taste memories came from.”

Beard’s earliest memory of food was reportedly at the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition. “I was taken to the exposition two or three times,” Beard said in Beard, A James Beard Memoir. “The thing that remained in my mind above all others — I think it marked my life — was watching Triscuits and shredded wheat biscuits being made. Isn’t that crazy? At 2 years old that memory was made. It intrigued the hell out of me.”

James Beard’s family summered at a Gearhart beach in Oregon. They’d cook meals together using ingredients they caught while fishing, gathering shellfish and picking berries and other foraged things. This tradition would one day influence one of Beard’s most significant food trends.

Susan Ungaro celebrates 10 years as President of the James Beard Foundation, which is also celebrating a milestone anniversary: 30 years.

But before cooking became Beard’s vocation, in 1923 the adventurous young man joined a touring theater group.

“He had a singing voice,” explained Ungaro.

“He came to New York because he wanted to be on Broadway. Like struggling actors often do, he worked in the restaurant business. One day, he was asked to prepare a party and he came up with an idea for hors d’oeuvres and canapés. In 1937, he launched a little cooking business, and that’s how he started his first cookbook.”

By 1945, Beard was engrossed in the culinary world, appearing on television shows, writing magazine food columns, and consulting for restaurants. He opened the James Beard Cooking School in 1955.

“In the late 1950s, Joe Baum, a major New York restaurateur, came to James Beard saying, ‘I’ve got this beautiful Phillip Johnson

building in midtown Manhattan and I want to create a restaurant, what should I do?

I want you to help me.’ James Beard said, ‘Well, make it anything but French, because there’s just too many wonderful French restaurants. I think you should make it a thoroughly American restaurant where the menu changes with the seasons, and you cook with regional ingredients.’ If you think about that, over 55 years ago, the man was such a forward thinking foodie,” Ungaro said.

In January 1985, after a career of TV shows, restaurants and 24 cookbooks, James Beard passed away at age 81. “New York cooking school owner Peter Kump didn’t want James Beard’s legacy to go away. With the help of Julia Child and Wolfgang Puck, they worked up a plan to not only start a foundation, but

“I like to think of the James Beard House as America’s first ‘pop-up’ restaurant.

The menu and the chef changes every night, over 220 days out of the year!”

— Susan Ungaro, President of the James Beard Foundation

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James Beard was the first chef to appear on television in 1946, long before there were cooking shows on PBS or the Food Network.

2016 JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION AWARD NOMINEES IN FLORIDA

Congratulations Chefs – and good luck at the James Beard Foundation Awards May 2!

Outstanding Pastry Chef Antonio Bachour The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, Bal Harbour

The James Beard House in New York City.

Outstanding Wine Program to create a way to fund it by doing special dinners here in James Beard’s house. It was Wolfgang Puck’s idea to create the first fundraising dinner to help actually buy the Beard House,” explained Ungaro. “Julia Child would say, ‘Inviting a chef to cook at the Beard House would be like inviting a musician to perform at Carnegie Hall.’

“I like to think of the James Beard House as America’s first ‘pop-up’ restaurant. Imagine a restaurant where the menu and the chef changes every night, over 220 days out of the year!”

Dinner reservations are open to the public via Opentable, with special pricing for foundation members. “Our Foundation is celebrating its 30th anniversary and we’re doing more meaningful work for students and chefs and consumers than we’ve ever done before,” Ungaro said.

2016 James Beard Awards The James Beard Awards are the highest honor for Chefs in America. The 2016 James Beard Foundation Awards will take place at Lyric Opera of Chicago on May 2.

To see the full list of award nominees, to

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purchase tickets, to find award-winning restaurants, or to become a member of the James Beard Foundation, go to www. jamesbeard.org.

Editor's note: Look for Series Part II: Chuck Williams, Founder of Williams-Sonoma in the next issue of South Florida Opulence. We'll introduce you to the first employees (and dear friends) of Williams, founder of the iconic and pioneering American cooking supply store.

Chuck was a close friend of James Beard (who would sometimes tend store for Chuck during the Christmas rush when Chuck was in the basement meticulously wrapping gifts for his customers). Chuck Williams turned 100 last October. Sadly, Chuck passed away in December, but his celebrated legacy at WilliamsSonoma is stronger than ever!

James Beard’s All-American Eats features recipes and stories from America's Classics James Beard awardwinning restaurants.

Available at www. jamesbeard.org

Bern’s Steakhouse, Tampa

Rising Star Chef of the Year Bradley Kilgore Alter, Miami

Best Chef: South Greg Baker The Refinery, Tampa Kathleen Blake The Rusty Spoon, Orlando Scott Hunnel Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Lake Buena Vista José Mendín Pubbelly, Miami Beach James and Julie Petrakis The Ravenous Pig, Winter Park Michael Pirolo Macchialina, Miami Beach Giorgio Rapicavoli Eating House, Coral Gables SPECIAL NOTE: South Florida Opulence would also like to congratulate Phillip Foss of EL Ideas, Chicago, for being nominated in the category of Best Chef: Great Lakes. Chef Foss is featured in this issue on page 48.

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FIVE CELEBRITY CHEFS, ONE UNFORGETTABLE NIGHT BENEFITING THE JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION

BY ROBIN JAY

Guest of Honor CHEF ROBERT IRVINE HOST OF the food network show “RESTAURANT IMPOSSIBLE”

JBF AWARD WINNER ALLEN SUSSER Chef Allen’s Consulting

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JBF AWARD WINNER NORMAN VAN AKEN 1921 by Norman Van Aken

Spring 2016

JBF AWARD WINNER CHRISTOPHER LEE Barcelona Wine Bar Restaurants

Host Chef ALEX BECKER Kuro at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

JBF AWARD Nominee dahlia narvaez Pastry Chef Mozza Group

I

t was an unprecedented red-carpet all-star cast in the kitchen on January 30 at Kuro, the critically acclaimed new-style Japanese restaurant in Hollywood. The guest of honor, Food Network’s celebrity tough-guy chef Robert Irvine, star of the television show “Restaurant Impossible”– stealthily arrived in his sleek ammunition-gray muscle suit to emcee the one-night event and ensure the five celebrity chefs didn’t miss a beat preparing the five-course meal, proceeds of which benefited the revered James Beard Foundation.

“Every foodie worth his weight in truffles knows the James Beard Foundation celebrates, nurtures, and honors America’s diverse culinary heritage through programs that educate and inspire,” Chef Irvine told South Florida Opulence.

The late James Beard, a world-renowned cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food (see our feature story about James Beard on page 60), was a champion of American cuisine.

“Every chef cooking here tonight and every guest who purchased a ticket to experience this once-in-a-lifetime meal, knows that receiving a James Beard Award is, in the culinary world, the equivalent to

The Ritz-Carlton, Grande Lakes, Orlando) was a Seared Scallop with Lapsang Souchong cured bacon, Florida rice “middlins,” fermented carrots and Dunedin bottarga. Van Aken is known for changing the face of Floridian cooking many years ago.

“I was very lucky to begin my journey in cuisine in Key West. The uncut, unadorned power of local food made by people from Cuba, Haiti, the Bahamas, the Old South were the foods I first met there.

To land in that flowing river sent me on my way with a natural power,” Chef Van Aken said. “To have been bestowed the ‘Who’s Who in American Food and Beverage’ by the JBF is a powerful validation to a lifetime of my work.”

The next intriguing course was prepared by JBF award winner Allen Susser: Spear-Caught Lionfish with togarashi, ginger-roasted roots, shiitakes, rock shrimp, yuzu green mojo. “The Lionfish is as delicious as the fish is beautiful,” said Chef Susser. “Serving it helps with its overpopulation issue in our oceans – and, don’t worry, this dish is not poisonous!”

JBF award winner Christopher Lee from Barcelona Wine Bar Restaurants was next up on deck. His team prepared Japanese Wagyu Strip

“Every chef cooking here tonight and every guest who purchased a ticket to experience this once-in-a-lifetime meal, knows that receiving a James Beard Award is, in the culinary world, the equivalent to earning an Academy Award.”

— Chef Robert Irvine earning an Academy Award. Most of the chefs here tonight are past James Beard Award winners or nominees,” said Chef Irvine.

With that, Chef Irvine grabbed the microphone and in his iconic ‘Restaurant Impossible’ fashion bellowed, “Hey chefs! What’s the holdup? Let’s get this show on the road!”

And like clockwork, meal service ensued.

Five Amazing Courses Each course of this memorable meal was prepared by one of the participating chefs. Kuro’s host chef Alex Q. Becker (creative culinary director, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood) prepared Zensai Yon Ten Mori with buri sashimi, ankimo su miso, whitefish with nanban sauce. “We wanted to take our guests on a culinary ride through the locally grown ingredients that we are blessed to have access to in Florida, along with the Japanese imported components and have it make sense working their way through. As we do with the menu at Kuro, we built on the flavors and brought them to a pinnacle,” Chef Becker said.

The second course presented by JBF award winner Norman Van Aken (1921 by Norman Van Aken, Mount Dora; In the Kitchen with Norman Van Aken at the Vagabond Hotel, Miami; and NORMAN’S at

with West Coast sea urchin, turnips, rice crispies, blood orange miso jus. “I consider the JBF Rising Star Chef award a lifetime achievement award. I have to admit that I never thought I was going to win; the competition was fierce,” Chef Lee said. “In my current role with Barcelona Wine Bar, I get to work with great young chefs. We basically give them a platform to create great food and run a business with support.”

For the sweet finish to a phenomenal dinner, JBF award nominee Dahlia Narvaez, pastry chef of Mario Batali’s Mozza Group in Los Angeles, prepared a decadent Yamazaki Whiskey Butterscotch Budino with rosemary pine nut cookies and Maldon sea salt.

A Nod from the James Beard Foundation President “It was a remarkable night and a remarkable meal,” said Susan Ungaro, President of the James Beard Foundation for the past 10 years. “For a dinner like this, we don’t need to tell the chefs what to do, they’re the artists. I’m sure Chef Alex Becker was the major coordinator as the host chef. I think for him it was really exciting, not only to come cook at the Beard House in November but also to collaborate on this special meal menu at Kuro, which is celebrating its first anniversary, with such prestigious experienced wonderful chefs.”

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REVVING UP

GOURMET DINING IN A GALLERY OF SUPERCARS

By Robin Jay

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PHOTO COURTESY OF SUPERCAR ROOMS

Elo sitting in a Delahaye Bugnotti.

F

or London-born former model Elo, fast cars and a fast life were destiny. “I was born with gasoline in my veins,” he said.

His parents named him after the ’70s British rock group ‘Electric Light Orchestra’ (ELO) with the hope that some day he’d get to jam with the band. He never did – but that didn’t stop Elo from achieving an electric career of his own.

“During the height of my modeling career, I collected supercars – Ferrari, Maserati, Bugnotti, Rolls-Royce, Shelby and Lamborghini models graced my garage,” Elo told South Florida Opulence.

because the men got to sit next to a Bugatti or Ferrari or other supercar of their dreams, they went happily and willingly.”

The stellar success of the culinary supercar event made it obvious to Elo and Mai that scheduling more dinner events at the London Motor Car Museum made great business sense. Problem is, London’s licensing authorities didn’t agree. “They snubbed their noses at the idea, saying that having a black-tie restaurant in a museum would be as absurd as having one in a hospital.” Approval denied.

The Miami Discovery

But then, in the late ’90s when Elo retired from modeling, he found himself with a hangar filled with some 30 collectible luxury automobiles and a $5,000-a-month garage rent that he wasn’t sure how he’d sustain. “My wife, Mai, came up with a brilliant solution,” Elo said. “She said, ‘Everyone loves to come and see your car collection.

Why not create a supercar museum, share them with the public, and create a business at the same time.’ ”

The disappointed couple wasn’t pleased with the decision, but they didn’t let their strategic idea die on the vine. In 2015, while on vacation in Miami, Elo and Mai happened to drive through artsy Wynwood. “We saw the painted murals on the buildings, the art galleries, boutiques and eclectic eateries – and we automatically looked at each other and said, ‘This is it!’” said Elo. “It was so liberating to see this neighborhood of ultimate, pure creativity. We just knew it was the perfect place for our vision.”

Launch of a Supercar Museum

Birth of a Novel Supercar Dining Experience

Elo loved Mai’s idea. Together, they opened the London Motor Museum. It was a huge hit. In early 2014, they came up with another epiphany. “We decided to host a Valentine’s Day dinner in the museum,” Elo said. “We posted the opportunity online and within 30 minutes we were sold out. It was a perfect scenario: Women got a romantic gourmet Valentine’s Day dinner with their man – and

The couple went to work scouting the ideal space. By the week of Art Basel 2015 last December, the pre-opening dry run of Miami Supercar Rooms – the nation’s first Auto Art Gallery and Gourmet Dining Experience – took place at their 15,000 square-foot auto art gallery in the heart of the Wynwood Art District. And then, on February 11, 2016, the inaugural ticketed dinner opened to the public.

Photo on left page: Tail lights and back end of the Delahaye Bugnotti Photo courtesy of Bill Myers, Delahaye USA. Spring 2016

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“It was an exhilarating supercar-culinary en-

turing six dining “pods.” Each pod is available

The Miami Supercar Rooms experience is

counter featuring a special Peruvian menu

to reserve at $3,000 each for the entire eve-

based on a free guest membership program.

orchestrated by Executive Chef/Owner Rafael

ning – each one seating groups of up to six

White Membership provides all access and a

Perez Cambana of Wynwood’s GK Bistrono-

people. The dining experience within each

priority status for dining reservations, as well

mie,” said Elo, who brought his most popular

pod is accompanied by one of the most

as other perks. Silver Membership also grants

series of classic, vintage, exotic, sports and cus-

desirable cars in the world. Upon being

a member with full access inside the Auto Art

tom-made vehicles for the centerpiece of his

seated, an associate welcomes the group

Gallery along with other special dining privi-

aesthetically fueled dining concept. “We com-

with the story and rich history behind the

leges. Black Membership is for those who wish

bine luxury automotive excellence, epicurean

vehicle situated beside them. Each month,

to enjoy the gallery of vehicles on display

hospitality and nightlife entertainment – the first experience of its kind in the country.”

Miami Supercar Rooms will partner with a

while relaxing with friends at the bar.

local Miami restaurant, from which the Ex-

Within the Auto Art Gallery, members will

The Miami Supercar Dining Experience

ecutive Chef will create a special menu to

be able to experience a never-before-seen

begins with a spacious open-air patio fea-

serve members for the monthlong period.

collection of extremely rare models, such as

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The Pacific by Delahaye USA

the 1955 SL 300 Mercedes Gullwing; 1929 Rolls-Royce Bootch; 1958 450 S Maserati vintage racing car; 1961 196 SP Ferrari vintage racing car and the 2007 Shelby Supercar Ultimate Aero TT – awarded in 2007 with the title of fastest production car in the world. Miami Supercar Rooms also features one-of-a-kind vehicles including a 1935 derivative of the only Bugatti “Atlantic,” known as the “Pacific” - built by the famed Terry Cook of Delahaye USA.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUPERCAR ROOMS

Miami Supercar Rooms is located at 2022 NW 1st Court, Miami, and is open from 10 a.m. Wednesday through Monday, with dinner reservations available from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The Auto Art Gallery is open daily to the public (except Tuesdays) with free admission from 10 a.m.

For further information and to make a reservation, call 305.363.2020, email reservations@miamisupercarrooms.com or visit www.miamisupercarrooms.com Spring 2016

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Chef

Clay Conley You’ve Come A Long Way Baby!

By Robin Jay

Chef Clay Conley

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I

t seems like just yesterday. Nearly six years ago, Chef Clay Conley was the spotlight of the very first celebrity chef profile in the very first issue of South Florida Opulence. Since 2005, he had been Miami’s culinary darling at the helm of the Miami Mandarin Oriental Hotel’s Azul. Conley and his wife Averill attended our inaugural Mega Yacht Gala on Fisher Island, where he wowed guests with a cooking performance. All were in awe to be up-close-andpersonal with the chef who, not long prior, was the culinary director of 18 global restaurants under another super-uber celebrity chef, Todd English.

It seemed for Chef Conley, everything he touched turned to gold. No wonder Fall 2010 headlines shocked local food critics: Their beloved Chef Clay Conley was departing Miami and heading to Palm Beach. “What could he be thinking?” his Magic-City fans wondered. Would Palm Beach accept such a forward-thinking culinary whiz kid?

Certainly. Today, Conley is at the forefront of a culinary revolution in Palm Beach.

With Averill by his side, Conley now has deep community roots – with two beautiful small children and ownership of four booming restaurants: His flagship, a ‘New American’ grill called Būccan; as well as Asiainspired Imoto; the gourmet to-go Sandwich Shop at Būccan; and the recently opened Italian restaurant in West Palm Beach: Grato.

Clockwise: Grato-Gemelli (Photo: libbyvision.com); Būccan-Octopus with roasted eggplant puree, confit tomato, red wine vinegar gastrique (Photo: Fabrice Saignant); Būccan- Squid Ink Orrechiette, sausage, conch, basil, chilies. Grato-Margarita pizza ( Photo: libbyvision.com) but for a number of reasons it didn’t work out. Piper, who lives in Palm Beach, asked me to come up and see a space, and it ended up being the right fit. So we left Miami – and the rest, as they say, is history. Piper is a Palm Beach local, so that made things easier for us to be ‘accepted’ initially, and then once people came in, they enjoyed the casual feel to the place. The small plates concept, and the idea of sharing dishes, was something new to the island, too, but this sort of informal dining encourages camaraderie.”

Then Came Imoto

But that’s not all the big news since we first told you about Clay Conley. In 2012, his small-plate, big-flavor concept earned him a nomination of Best Chef: South 2012 from the James Beard Foundation. South Florida Opulence met up with Clay and Averill at Grato in January, just 18 days after their public opening. Already, the novel venue was packed to capacity. We asked Conley to walk us through the chronology of his four restaurant ventures.

In February 2012, Clay opened Imoto, which means ‘little sister’ in Japanese. This was an intimate expansion of Būccan, offering his interpretation of traditional Asian favorites, inspired when he worked at a Todd English restaurant in Tokyo. At Imoto, you’ll find fresh sushi and sashimi, unique dumplings and tempura and creative wood-fired dishes — all prepared with the best ingredients found locally and around the world.

First There Was Būccan

Sandwich Shop at Būccan

“Even back when I worked with Todd English, I always knew I wanted to open a place like Būccan,” said Conley. “New American is a broad term that allows us to cook dishes inspired by all parts of the world. I love not being pigeonholed into one certain style of cuisine. My partners Sam Slattery, Piper Quinn and I actually tried to open Būccan in Miami,

The second expansion of Conley’s flagship venue resulted in the Sandwich Shop at Būccan. “I had always wanted to open a sandwich shop (on the beach!),” Clay said.

“The keys to a good sandwich for me are 1.The bread. We make baguette and brioche daily. 2. The meats, which we brine, smoke, sous vide, etc. And 3. The balance.

I love acid and vinegar on all my sandwiches. The beef carpaccio sandwich with balsamic and crispy onions is my favorite.”

Now Grato “Grato means grateful in Italian, and that is really the way we all feel. We have been blessed by the positive response to our restaurants and are very grateful for the business we have established,” Clay said. “Also, all the partners have had babies over the past year and we are all grateful for that, as well. I have always loved cooking over wood, and at Grato, we have a massive brick oven, grill and rotisserie.

Making pizza and experimenting with pasta dough is fun.”

Clay and Averill recently celebrated another milestone: their 15th wedding anniversary.

“Clay is a great dad,” Averill said. “He helps make school lunches for Micaela and does the dishes on occasion, ha! I love watching how excited and proud Micaela gets when she has a hand in making food for the family. She always wants to ‘save some for Daddy.’ It’s really cute.”

Būccan: 350 S. County Road, Palm Beach.

561-833-3450, www. buccanpalmbeach.com.

The Sandwich Shop at Būccan: Adjacent to Būccan on Australian Avenue. Open from 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. 561.833.6295. Imoto: Adjacent to Būccan. 561.833.5522. Grato: 1901 South Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach.

561-404-1334. www. gratowpb.com.

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Renaissance of Hungarian Fine Art Crystal

By Dale King and Julia Hebert

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The classic engraved crystal masterworks handcrafted by four generations of a family of Hungarian artisans at Varga Crystal based in Budapest grace some of the world’s most notable dining tables, from royal palaces to the White House.

But the cherished brand first created in the 1930s by Geza Varga might have fallen into the black hole of forgotten history were it not for the efforts of his grandson, Sandor Varga, and particularly Sandor’s then wife, Ildiko. After they were married in 1972, they began the arduous task of resurrecting and reviving the company

that had fallen into ruin at the hands of communists who invaded Hungary at the end of World War II. The Russian hoard seized Geza’s factory and shops in 1945 and destroyed them. Five years later, Geza, broken by his loss, died.

Perhaps to set destiny’s course back on track, the couple founded Varga Art Crystal under Hungary’s communist regime which banned direct exports and imposed a 75 percent tax on items leaving the country. “Sandor and I had to start from scratch to build the new crystal business,” said Ildiko, who is still a leader at the firm and travels the world promoting it.

Recalling the crystal firm’s restart, Ildiko said, “Sandor had the talent and the heritage and also some of the unique, antique designs from his grandfather. We started the business in our basement. Very soon, we had two, then four, then 12 employees.

We moved to a larger space and opened our own retail stores, too. We built our business with persistent hard work.”

Family Heritage Czechoslovakian by birth, Ildiko, youngest of four children and a descendant, through her physician father, of the Royal Sobiesky Family of Poland, grew up in Hungary. Not one to shrink from a challenge, the statuesque, 5-foot-11 blonde compiled considerable face time in the modeling world, spent two years studying medicine, then switched to an international business school and obtained the equivalent of an MBA.

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Her efforts fueled her passion for hard work. Armed with business skills and market savvy, she took the fledgling Varga design business and grew it into an art crystal empire with five interrelated companies, a half-dozen factories and corporate offices in the United States and Budapest.

She and Sandor continue to run the operation which has soared to worldwide proportions with the duo at the helm. The Varga firm was one of the first privately owned companies to see daylight under the communist regime of Hungary.

“We were among the first few who privately exported goods from Hungary” when restrictive government ended in 1989. “Varga Art Crystal was exported to Japan, Israel, Italy, France, Germany, Great Britain, Canada, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, among others, in the 1990s. It was and is collected by heads of state, royals and celebrities around the world.”

Ildiko and Sandor, though divorced, “are still friends,” she says, and share an important business relationship. They have two children, Akos, who works for the Varga company, and Sandor Jr., who has remained in Hungary to learn the technique of diamond and copper-wheel engraved crystal art which is unique to the Varga collection. “I am very proud my sons want to continue the family tradition.”

Varga Fine Art Crystal Arrives in the U.S. Ildiko launched the first U.S. location at Town Center Mall in Boca Raton in 1993. She made her Palm Beach debut in 1995 with a gift gallery on Worth Avenue. That location put her on the Palm Beach Society map and she was soon on a first-name basis with the Island’s elite.

Sales of Varga Crystal continue to flourish. “It is sold in more than 300 stores just in the United States.”

Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s are among them. For Palm Beachers, the Mary Mahoney store, also on Worth Avenue, carries the famed glassware.

“Only a handful of

The woman who directed the firm’s renaissance sees elegance in what has been restored. “It’s important for people to know that 100 percent of our items are handengraved. Only a handful of people do this; it is a dying art. I always say how important it is to have a beautiful table setting. If you are enjoying a beverage, it tastes better when you are drinking it out of a beautiful glass.”

people do this; it is a dying art.”

For more information, go to vargacrystal.com.

– Ildiko

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An unmatched culinary experience

packages Available

EP

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U R I O U SI

Omni Amelia Island is thrilled to host its 3rd Annual Fish to Fork event offering an unmatched “foodie” experience, including true dock-to-dish specialties in a fun, interactive atmosphere. The resort will welcome six renowned chefs from around the country to showcase their fishing and culinary skills, ultimately tested with a live vote from event guests!

MAin Event | May 7, 2016 6:00 PM Open Bar & Individual Chef Challenge Tasting 7:30 PM Team Competition Begins

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2016 Chef lineup Kenny Gilbert

Fernandina Beach, FL

Kathleen Blake

Orlando, FL Cesar Zapata

Miami, FL

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Charleston, SC Joey Ward

Atlanta, GA Jeremy Sewall

Boston, MA

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Bringing Imagination To Life

By John D. Adams

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“Every child is an artist.

The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” ~Pablo Picasso And this is how I, on my watch, own that standard. I practice the same principle by not wasting any available materials. So I will have all of these virgin canvases on the floor that I use as a cleaning surface for my brushes and palette. I even use my leftover water and at the end of the day that gets poured on there too. It’s a very rich, markmaking process, all different types of marks are going down and not by using a brush.

And all of that mark-making is the beginning of the next painting.” Just as a child brings life to the clouds, Donaty seeks out her mysterious creatures amid those marks.

Creature comforts

Dana Donaty

T

he brilliantly-hued denizens of a Dana Donaty painting are a wild bunch. Donaty’s “creatures” whirl around more traditional figures (often legs, shoes and feet) conveying a thoughtful delight in the unbounded power of childhood imagination. “I’m interested in exploring the space that is occupied between childhood and now,” said Donaty. “The work really is concerned about the life of the imagination and taking that imagination seriously… People often want a story or narrative for my paintings. But I can’t give you that.

I can tell you that my work shares similarities with literature. It is almost a form of automatic writing. There are at least two protagonists…

As the iconography unfolds in the paintings, there seems to be a lot of mischief, playfulness, larceny, sarcasm, and maybe some other things. It is the grammar of fantasy. And there is an active role for the viewer.”

commissions, design work, and awe-inspiring trompe l’oeil installations, have allowed her to experiment with a variety of materials and construction concepts. “I believe that all informs the work that I do now in a way that makes it a stronger body. With commissions, people are looking for a reflection of themselves. This current work is my reflection.”

As children, most of us at one time or another have sprawled across a swath of cool grass and stared at the billowy clouds scuttling by. What did you see? Look, there’s a unicorn! Over here, it’s Donald Duck! There’s a word for this phenomenon – Pareidolia.

When the mind takes in random stimuli, it instinctively begins to try and bring order to those random signals.

Donaty’s creative process relies on, and indeed, embraces, this process. Tapping again into her childhood memories,

Head in the clouds

Donaty adheres to her Depression-era

Donaty’s work continues to grow and evolve. Her numerous private and public art

father’s mantra of “waste not, want not.”

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“Nothing went to waste on his watch.

The canvases on the floor eventually work their way up onto the wall. Once one painting is finished, another comes up. Sometimes the figures are easy to find. Other times, they need to be teased out. Donaty’s incredible process embraces the chaotic, the seemingly impenetrable canvas of what many would see as simply a mess. Donaty’s random chaos gives way to a child’s wide-eyed wonder and a search for secret meaning. “There’s a lot of undeveloped real estate to work with on that canvas,” remarked Donaty. “And as you begin to develop some areas then areas that aren’t developed begin to show themselves. There are moments like that in every painting.” It is at times like these when Donaty feels she is really skirting the boundaries of abstraction. “There are triggers that randomly act as mental files. Sometimes I acknowledge what I see and sometimes I don’t. The process, by design, allows me to set up interactions with the unexpected and to find these chance associations.”

Donaty’s work urges us to delight in that sense of possibilities that many of us outgrow. “Listen to yourself. Take your imagination seriously. Like it or not, it has its own life. It knows things. You just have to trust yourself enough to let go and listen.”

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FeetFirst What you put on your feet often creates a psychological and physiological change. Donaty embraces those personalities (you’ll notice she incorporates shoes in each of her paintings shown on this page). “Yeah, put on your new pair of Darth Vader shoes and let the party come to you! I like that shoes can give a different point of departure when you start a conversation. It’s a more interesting exchange than ‘what do you do for a living.’ Suddenly, you’re wearing something that starts a conversation. You’re giving clues to your personality. You can be so many different things – daring, seductive, playful, irreverent…”

Undeniably, Donaty has a fascination with life below the knee.

“What do you mostly see as a child? You are at knee level and lower. Adults are concerned with things from the knee on up. The human in my pieces is the grownup… The shoes represent the sound of my mother going out. I didn’t have to be told when my parents were going out for the evening. I knew the sound of it.

The way those dress shoes click-clacked on the floor. For me, that sound creates a strong pleasure response. If the shoes were on, we kids knew they were going out. And five minutes after they left, I’d be straight into my mom’s closet, playing dress-up, trying on shoes. When they went out, WE had a freedom to play and be crazy. That sense of joyfulness.”

To fully appreciate Dana Donaty’s creative process, watch her time-lapse videos on You Tube.

Visit Dana Donaty online at: www.danadonatyfineart.com

To view the art titles, go to www.southfloridaopulence.com/dana-donaty

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By April Erhard

Corrugated Curves VI Artist Robert Steele Corrugated cardboard

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ane Gershon Weitzman, wife of iconic shoe designer Stuart Weitzman, has cleverly combined her passion for shoes and art in her recently released coffee-table book Art & Sole. In it, she features 150 fantasy art shoes made of unique materials like feathers, corrugated cardboard, Swarovski crystals, fresh flowers and even frosting. Mrs. Weitzman discovered and commissioned fantasy shoes by artists for window displays of the very first Stuart Weitzman shop on Madison Avenue in the mid-1990s. “The windows became a destination,” Jane said.

Fashioning a Shoe Show Growing up in Atlanta with a great deal of southern hospitality and warmth, Jane wanted to bring that graciousness she grew up with to Madison Avenue. She oversaw the window displays, where she chose to feature fantasy shoes from artists from all over the world.

Mrs. Weitzman said, “I took a chance...95 percent of the shop windows in the world are product and signage...” Mrs. Weitzman said, adding that it was risky to do, but ultimately very successful. “The women loved the shoes in the window...It made the women ask, ‘What are they selling?’”

Weitzman started her hunt for artists in New York City, riding many freight elevators in lower Manhattan in the search. As the need for new artists grew, Mrs. Weitzman began traveling around the country looking for artisans to make fantasy shoes for the window displays.

The window display changed monthly, exhibiting a different artist and theme. During October, the windows were filled with Halloween monster shoes that were wrapped in Decked in Dahlias Artist Jane Carroll Burgundy dahlias with hocus pocus roses and dusty miller leaves

Ribbon Candy Artist Linda Leviton Coated and bare copper wire

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“The women loved the shoes in the window... It made the women ask, ‘What are they selling?’”

Tin Can Alley

Art Shoe Themes

Jane and Stuart Weitzman pink ribbons for Breast Cancer Awareness month.“Sometimes it would be interesting... we had these monsters and pink ribbons at the same time,” said Weitzman.

Typically, the displays required around eight shoes from the artist to fill two windows.

However, smaller shoes often required more from the artist: “Douglas Wilson’s shoes are smaller than the other shoes, so we needed a lot of those shoes to fill the window – around 14,” she said. “His shoes are called Automata because they have little cranks on them, and when you turn the cranks, parts in the shoes move.” Automata is made of galvanized wire, stainless steel, silver, and acrylic film. “When I was a kid, they used to make model airplanes out of acrylic film,” Weitzman said with a smile.

Another artist whose work was displayed several times in the windows of Stuart Weitzman was Robert Tabor. He created a New York City themed display of yellow taxis made out of acrylic, vinyl, various trims, and rhinestones. Tabor’s training in costume design shows in the intricately constructed Wizard of Oz characters and the Shower Shoe.

Then Jane discovered Sharon Von Senden’s work at the City Museum of St. Louis. A mosaic on the stairs by the artist caught Jane’s eye. “The museum auctioned off a few of Sharon’s shoes and then, of course, I met her and she made more shoes for us. Our displays revolved around her work each time we opened a new store.”

covered in stained glass, Swarovski crystals, and vintage stones.

The Weitzman family still owns most of the shoes in Art & Sole, but some shoes were not made to last, like the ones made by florist Jane Carroll. The Petal Pushers were made from pink calla lilies with ranunculus, hydrangea, florets, and lamb’s ear. “[Jane Carroll] showed us how to mist the flowers and she came in and touched them up periodically with real flowers.”

You can relive the artistry of those days through her new book, Art & Sole, available now.

Senden’s mosaic shoes were placed on mirrored turntables so that onlookers could view every angle of these beauties. In fact, even the soles of the Jewels at Work are

Tango Artist Sharon Von Senden Stained glass, Swarovski crystals, and vintage stones Spring 2016

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FIND IT. LOVE IT. Saks Fifth Avenue Nordstrom Louis Vuitton Porsche Design Rolex Mayors Jewelers Tesla Motors Montblanc

Engaging the Groo m David Tutera, Best Celebrity

Wedding & Festivity Planner

By Robin Jay

i

f David Tutera were a professor, his course curriculum would surely be ‘The Art of Celebration.’

Whether the wedding maestro for celebrities like Star Jones, Shannon Doherty and Jewel, or the curator of couture events for Jennifer Lopez, Matthew McConaughey, Elton John, Barbara Walters, Prince Charles and countless others, this adrenaline-driven man of merriment has a client A-list second to none. South Florida Opulence sat down with Tutera for a chat about his impressive career – and his advice on a novel topic: How to get the groom more engaged in the wedding planning process.

Born to Celebrate A prominent florist, Tutera’s grandfather detected his grandson’s artistic talent at a young age and motivated David to pursue his destiny.

“My grandfather was both an inspiration and a mentor to me, especially when I worked alongside him as a teenager in his floral shop,” Tutera said. “It was with him that I learned about different flowers and arranging them into beautiful presentations. He took notice in my artistic ability and encouraged me to dream big and pursue something greater with it. His advice and support guided me on my own path, eventually leading me to start my own business.

“I started a small singing telegram business at the age of 19 and just ran with it. Like any business, there were times when it was hard, but I just kept pushing through. I took pride in decorating my tiny storefront window to appeal to all the passersby. One day, a woman took notice of my window design, stopped in and asked if I would decorate her son’s bar mitzvah – and that was the beginning of what would become my event planning and design business. One event led to the next, every one being bigger and more over-the-top than the last, and before I knew it, I was being called to do affairs for the Royal Family, the White House and A-list celebs. My work quickly achieved worldwide recognition and I

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began creating a brand as an author, having penned seven books on the topic and as a television personality with multiple shows including, “My Fair Wedding,”“David Tutera’s CELEBrations.” Building the reputation of my name has also helped my brand successfully blossom into many partnerships, selling various fashions, DIY, housewares and décor collections. I’m so grateful to have come this far and only hope to go up from here.”

Special Focus on the Groom No doubt most couples have heard the adage, ‘happy wife, happy life.’ And for many men, that traditionally has meant allowing their brides to take center stage at the wedding. But the savvy Tutera notes that one secret to keeping modern brides happy is to get their man more engaged in the wedding planning and ceremony.

“Today’s grooms are definitely playing a larger role in the wedding planning process, which I think is great!” Tutera said. “I have dealt with couples in the past where the bride was laid back and the groom was the one with all the say. It’s all about communication, trust and reassurance when it comes to taming a bride or groom “zilla.” At the end of the day, both the bride AND the groom are important in all of this and should both have a hand in the wedding planning process.

“Begin your wedding planning by sitting down with your groom and asking him what he would like to help with rather than assigning him tasks to do on his own,” Tutera advised. “This will give you a good idea as to what he wants to do rather than you delegating.

Make him feel like he is making the decisions with you and not just being told what to do by you…remember, it’s his day too, let him feel like it is! There are plenty of things to get the groom excited and more involved: picking out the groomsmen’s gifts, selecting your playlist, picking out the perfect ‘getaway’ car, or researching your honeymoon. Create a signature drink together or have each of you create a “bride” and “groom” specialty cocktail. When you’re ready to select items for your registry, go together and make sure to pick things that you both like.”

Wedding Fashion for Him Always stepping out in style himself, Tutera serves as fashion consultant for his brides and grooms alike. ”Every groom should have a unique style in mind when it comes to the fashion for him and his groomsmen,” he said. “There are many ways to stand out through your suit or tux, whether it’s patterned socks, glossy lapels, bright pocket squares, or personalized cufflinks. It is particularly important for the groom to stand out slightly from the groomsmen. Some examples of how to do that could include donning a more sophisticated flower, wearing a more elaborate tie knot, or sporting bolder items such as shoes or vest. Having been designing bridal collec-

tions for women for quite a few years now, I recently was excited to start designing for the groom with my ‘David Tutera Men’s Collection’ offering everything to complete a sharp look from head to toe with men’s tuxedos, shoes and accessories.”

David Tutera will appear in Fort Lauderdale on May 22, 2016 at Your Wedding Experience presented by David Tutera. South Florida Opulence is pleased to be a media host of his one-of-a-kind, multicity wedding event tailored to couples and the best ‘Tuteraapproved’ wedding resources under one roof. For details, go to www.yourweddingexperience.com.

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A GROOM’S & GENTLEMEN’S SPA DAY AT THE BILTMORE

By Robin Jay

A

historic Coral Gables hotel gem, the Biltmore is celebrated for resplendent wedding celebrations and, for decades, has hosted brides and grooms as they pledge their sacred promise for life.

Preparing for the big day is a tremendous undergoing, and with so many distractions, it’s easy to overlook the vital value of relaxation and a healthy beauty regimen. Named North America’s Leading Spa Resort in the 2015 World Travel Awards, the Spa at the Biltmore is the ideal respite solution.

And, yes, the spa is not just for the ladies.

Gentlemen’s Day at the spa is a splendid opportunity for grooms and the men in their bridal party to relax, bond and reflect.

A New Man The Biltmore Spa offers an attractive menu of services for men, including: n A New Man Spa Package includes a

Therapeutic Deep Tissue Massage (50 minutes) and Gentlemen’s Vital Boosting Facial (50 minutes).

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n Gentlemen’s Vital Boosting Facial –

Cleansing, clarifying and boosting energy will be the forefront of this facial. Customized to the needs of male skin and daily rituals, this treatment provides vitality and enhanced energy while soothing irritation from shaving and moisturizing the skin for long-lasting results (50 minutes). n Gentlemen’s Day at the Zen Suite – The

spa is not just for the ladies. Gentlemen’s Day at the spa’s Zen Suite is available. The Zen Suite offers a complimentary amenities bar with fresh fruit, infused waters and herbal teas. Refreshments are available to enhance the experience. Choose from spa cuisines featuring healthy bites and fresh elixirs to celebratory indulgences. Half day packages include four hours of services and full day packages include six hours of services.

Instilling some relaxation into the buzz of a busy wedding weekend, this unique full- service spa suite provides a customizable retreat and private spa experience.

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Customized groomsmen celebrations, as well as bachelor festivities. What better way to celebrate or thank your loved ones than with a private spa party?

And then, once the bride and groom become Mr. and Mrs., the happy couple can wind down and share one of the many spa experiences in the Biltmore’s luxurious couples‘ suite. The Lotus Rose Sanctuary was developed with newlyweds in mind, providing an elegant journey to delight the senses and envelop the soul with the beauty and love that rose and lotus represent.

The spa is not just for the ladies. Gentlemen’s Day at the spa is a splendid opportunity for grooms and the men in their bridal party to relax, bond and reflect.

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O N

T H E

W A L L

BY JANET Verdeguer

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n Greek mythology, Narcissus falls madly in love with his own reflection in a woodland spring.

In the popular fairy tale Snow White, it’s a magic mirror that reveals “who is the fairest of them all.” The reflective or “functional” side of mirrors has long been part of our culture. In fact, mirrors have been used for both their decorative and functional properties in homes and public places from as far back as the 14th century.

They are just as popular in today’s interiors. Extremely flexible, mirrors come in almost any size and shape – round, oval, square, rectangular, wall-to-wall or custom cut – and they can be framed to suit any décor.

With all this built-in flexibility, mirrors also happen to be an extremely helpful “tool” for interior designers who are often challenged with designing spaces with specific problems. Mirrors add beauty, make the space appear larger, conceal unattractive room features, enhance light, brighten dark areas, and bring life into an otherwise drab room.

When it comes to catching and reflecting light in your home, nothing does it better than mirrors. Mirrors have often been used to make public places look bigger, with spectacular examples such as the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in France. And these same techniques are frequently applied in residential interiors.

For people who live in apartments or condominiums, window light can be limited. A single mirror or a grouping of mirrors can be used to create the illusion of windows and reflect light into the space.

In our design work we often use mirrors to bring the outdoors in, whether it is the foliage from an attractive garden area or a magnificent ocean view.

Left page: Coral Gables Residence.

Photo by Barry Grossman By placing the two identical floor-to-ceiling mirrors opposite each other, when looking into one of the mirrors, it is like looking into infinity.

“Dubai Hi-Rise” A round mirror is framed to match an Arabesque décor.

Photo by Shadow

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Groupings of mirrors can be effectively used in lieu of artwork behind a sofa or in a hallway. For a home filled with antiques, mirrors with similar antique style frames, such as gold leaf will be most effective.

Once popular wall-to-wall mirrors that were often used to make a room seem larger have been replaced with a new trend – a row of long, tall mirrors spaced across the wall.

Another technique we frequently use is to position two mirrors opposite each other. The result is what I like to call a view to “infinity.” In one recent installation we created a breathtaking highlight by placing two Venetian antiqued smoked mirrors with gold veining on opposite walls behind the seating area.

The mirrors reach from floor to ceiling.

The corner of each “diamond” design has an added nail head to give added dimension to the mirror. The beveled edges on each of the squares adds to the glamour and sparkle while the mirrors continuously reflect and enhance the beauty of the interior spaces. Since the two mirrors are exactly opposite each other, when looking into one of the mirrors it is like looking into infinity. I think Narcissus would be pleased.

Perla Lichi LLC d/b/a/ Perla Lichi Design 954 726-0899 7381 West Sample Road Coral Springs, FL 33065 Top left: Mirror as Wall Décor Beveled squares set at an angle reflect a formal dining room.

Photo by Shadow Large image: A large horizontal mirror flanked by two smaller mirrors—all similarly framed—enhances the feeling of spaciousness in this formal dining room. Photo by Shadow Next page, left image: Colorful artwork from the client’s personal collection—as reflected in large, framed wall mirrors—does double duty in this woodpaneled penthouse lobby. Photo by Barry Grossman Next page, right image: A rectangular mirror is framed to flow with a funky contemporary-style décor.

Photo by Barry Grossman

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In Greek mythology, Narcissus falls madly in love with his own reflection in a woodland spring. In the popular fairy tale Snow White, it’s a magic mirror that reveals “who is the fairest of them all.”

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LIFE AS A CHILD OF THE VANDERBILT’S BUTLER

By Jana Soeldner Danger

June Kingan, daughter of Ina and Walter Jordan.

Top left: Ina and Walter Jordan, head butler of Emily Thorn Vanderbilt White.

What’s it like to live a life like the one depicted in “Downton Abbey”? A world where butlers and housekeepers run households and take care of every detail of their wealthy employers’ needs? June Kingan, now 83, knows firsthand. Her father, Walter Jordan, served as head butler for Emily Thorn Vanderbilt White, granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the railroad mogul who amassed the fortune that made the Vanderbilts one of the richest families in the history of the United States.

Glamorous Homes

Right top: Mrs. Vanderbilt-White's posh stone townhouse at 854 Fifth Avenue in New York City where Walter presided as head butler.

Right middle and bottom: Interior photos of the townhouse.

During the winter, Walter presided over the staff at Mrs. White’s posh stone townhouse on Fifth Avenue overlooking Central Park in New York City. There she entertained the creme de la creme of New York society with lavish galas, dominating the social scene during the city’s gilded age. It was

Once each summer, Mrs. White invited the children of the help to tea at the Elm Court mansion.

June and her sister would walk up the long, winding driveway and enter the beautifully appointed house, where Mrs. White would have cookies and tea served.

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Walter’s job to make sure the house ran smoothly and that servants performed their jobs flawlessly. “It was quite a large staff,” June recalled.

In the summer, Walter and his family traveled with Mrs. White to Elm Court in Lennox, Mass., a 55,000 square-foot mansion with 106 rooms set on 44 acres of land. Greenhouses on the

“I was born five years later, and my sister was born two years after that.”

Good butlers are skilled at anticipating their employers’ needs and meticulous about their responsibilities. Walter must have been good at both, because although he began as an assistant, he was quickly promoted. ”When the head butler retired, my father took over the job,” June recalled.

Family Life Walter was not required to live at the White home, so during the winters the Jordan family had an apartment several blocks away from the townhouse. June and her sister attended a school for gifted children, and Ina stayed home to care for her daughters, working from the Jordans’ apartment as a seamstress for some of New York City’s wealthiest socialites, although

Doris, Ina and June Jordan (Kingan).

Walter and Ina Jordan on their wedding day.

property that supplied flowers to adorn the rooms and fresh fruits and vegetables for the kitchen covered two acres. Mrs. White was a master of understatement: “She called it their summer cottage,” June said.

Walter loved his job and going to work every morning, June recalled. “My father was very attractive, a typical English gentleman. He was very nice to people and had a great sense of humor. Mrs. White was very fond of him.”

Romance in a Castle June’s mother, Ina, met Walter at Edinburg Castle in Scotland, where Ina was working as a ladies’ maid for the Maitland family, whose history goes back at least to the 12th century. Walter, who was English, held a butler’s position with a someone who visited the castle. The two quickly fell in love, but Ina, who had traveled to the United States and was eager to return, refused to marry Walter unless he found work in America.

In those days, wealthy American families were eager to hire English butlers. But how did butlers on one side of the ocean connect with employers on the other side? “He probably went through an agency,” June said.

Eventually, Walter landed a job with the Vanderbilts, one of the most prestigious families in America at the time. “They brought him over from England,” June said.

"Elm Court" in Lenox, Massachusetts, in 1887. It is the largest shingle-style house in the United States. The 1919 "Elm Court Talks," held at Elm Court, led to the creation of the League of Nations and the Treaty of Versailles.

June cannot recall her ever making a dress for Mrs. White. While her father was easygoing, her mother was less so. “She was on the feisty side,” June said. “She could be a little bit bossy.”

Walter had to be on his toes keeping the White household running smoothly during work hours, but with his own family he could relax. “My mother was the manager at home,” June said.

It was the 1930s, and America and the rest of the world were suffering in the midst of the Great Depression. Rumors of approaching war in Europe were flying, causing distress on both sides of the ocean. June’s parents worried about their families in Europe and also realized how fortunate they were. “Many other people were out of jobs, and my parents knew they were lucky,” June said.

Walter rarely spoke about his work. “He was quite formal even at home,” June said. “He

didn’t talk about what he did, because a good butler doesn’t talk about the family he works for. But if you’ve seen “Downton Abbey,” you know what a butler does.”

Idyllic Summers at Elm Court Summers at Elm Court were idyllic. June’s family lived in a cozy cottage on the grounds, although the girls spent much of the time at summer camps, where they learned skills like swimming and archery.

“Most children in New York City played in the hydrants during the summer,” June said.

“I was very lucky. I got to go to the country. Mrs. White was very aware that children needed things to do.”

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The Biltmore House and surrounding estate was built by George Vanderbilt in 1895 and stands as the prime example of the gilded age in America’s industrial revolution. culture they offered. “We’d go to the concerts and sit on the lawn,” June said.

Elm Court was magnificent, June recalled.

Mrs. White built the original home with her first husband, William Douglas Sloane, president of the W.&J. Sloane company, a furniture and decorating firm, in 1886. Over the years there were many additions and renovations, and in 1919, the mansion was the site of a series of meetings known as the Elm Court Talks, which led to the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations.

Understandably, the furnishings in the mansion were extremely elegant. “There was also a lot of artwork,” June said. “It was very beautiful. To me it seemed like a museum, but it was still comfortable.”

Elm Court was only one of the magnificent residences owned by the Vanderbilts. During their heydays, they were known for their love of lavish homes. Mrs. White’s brother George constructed the Biltmore in Asheville, NC; her brother, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, summered at The Breakers in Newport, RI; and her sister Eliza built Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, VA. All were sprawling estates.

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mansion. June and her sister would walk up the long, winding driveway and enter the beautifully appointed house, where Mrs. White would have cookies and tea served.

“She’d ask us about how our summer had gone, and about school,” June said. “She was very lovely to all the children on the estate.”

At Christmas, the staff children would travel to the magnificent Fifth Avenue townhouse, where they would enjoy another tea party in surroundings beautifully decorated for the holidays. “Mrs. White always gave us a Christmas gift,” June recalled. “We would each get a very nice new coat every year.”

As the children of the Whites’ head butler, Doris and June were well trained in proper etiquette, so they were comfortable during the visits. “We were always very careful to say please and thank you,” June said. “Our mother and father reminded us of that.”

A More Formal Era June’s family attended the same church as Mrs. White both in summer and winter.

Whenever June encountered her father’s employer, she was dressed formally. “She always wore a lovely dress and beautiful shoes,” June recalled. “She never wore shorts and a T-shirt. The era was much more formal.”

Emily Thorn Vanderbilt White

When Mrs. White passed away, her family helped Walter find a job as head of food services for a large financial institution. “Our lives didn’t change when she died,” June said.

After Mrs. White’s death, Elm Court briefly became an inn. But eventually it closed and fell into disrepair. Then in 1999, members of the Vanderbilt family began to renovate it. June remembers visiting the place with her husband soon after the process began. Many of the fine furnishings were gone and the place was badly in need of remodeling. But the memories remained. “I was very lucky,” June said, “that my father had that job.”

Duties of a Modern-Day Butler

By Jana Soeldner Danger

The profession has a rich history. It began in France rather than England, as many people believe. And the job was originally more limited. “The butler was the person who took care of the wines,” said MacPherson.

Charles MacPherson

I

f you thought butlers went the way of top hats and corsets, you would be wrong. The profession is alive and well, said Charles MacPherson, founder of a domestic service school in Toronto that carries his name.

“Butlers are more in demand today than at any time except the Victorian era,” said MacPherson, a member of the Domestic Estate Management Association, a worldwide educational organization for the private service industry and the author of two books on the subject. “There’s such a demand for butlers we can’t meet it.”

Why? Because there is a growing number of wealthy individuals who need someone to manage their huge homes and complex lifestyles, said MacPherson, who more or less fell into the profession himself. After training for hotel work, he decided it just wasn’t for him, and started a catering business. One day a celebrity client asked whether he’d be interested in becoming her butler. He said yes.

The client began teaching him some of the fundamentals of the job, like how to set a table correctly and the proper technique for opening doors. He quickly realized the job was a good match for him. “I was fascinated.

I really felt like I’d been a butler in a previous life,” he said. “I loved being of service and anticipating someone’s needs. It was also an incredible environment to work in.”

The client owned three homes, and MacPherson was gradually given more and more responsibilities. “Eventually, I had 60 staff members reporting to me.”

When the idea moved to Britain, the butler’s duties expanded to managing the male members of the household staff. But back then, the butler answered to the female housekeeper.

“The housekeeper was head of the house, the keeper of the keys,” he said, adding that until World War I, housekeepers were always female and butlers were always male. But with men heading off to fight in the trenches, women expanded their roles in the domestic service industry. Today, most butlers are still men, but about 10 percent are women.

At the end of World War II, the private service professions almost died. Frozen and processed foods, as well as synthetic fabrics and mass-produced clothing that didn’t require as much maintenance, made it easier for families to take care of themselves. There were also fewer wealthy individuals, and many members of the growing middle class couldn’t afford servants. “It all had to do with supply and demand—too many service professionals and not enough high income families caused the industry to become nearly extinct,” MacPherson said.

Today, a butler might be more of a manager than a servant, especially in households where there are multiple staff members. “You’re doing the same things as a hotel manager, but on a smaller scale,” MacPherson noted.

On the other hand, many butlers still serve meals, take care of laundry, and do the housekeeping. “The role changes with every household,” he said.

Each task must be done correctly and professionally. When MacPherson’s students learn about dusting, for example, he brings in a museum curator to help teach the class. “Dusting is very complicated,”

he said. “If you don’t do it properly, you can damage a surface.”

Who makes a good butler? “People who enjoy being of service, pay attention to detail and are organized,” MacPherson said.

It is also important to develop the skill of anticipating someone’s needs before they are spoken. And perhaps most important of all: a willingness to maintain and protect the employer’s privacy. A good butler never, ever talks about the people he works for, MacPherson emphasized. “You see the family at their best and at their worst. What parent hasn’t had a screaming match with a child, and what husband and wife have never had an argument? Although you’re privy to it, you never discuss it.”

While a butler must be there to serve his employer, it is important to be so unobtrusive that at times, he is almost invisible. A truly good butler can do his job without making his presence felt. “When you enter a room, you’re in their personal space,” he said. “You have to respect that space.”

How much does the profession pay? It can be surprisingly lucrative. “A butler can make $75,000 to $100,000,” MacPherson said.

While a butler used to live almost always at the employer’s home, today he often resides elsewhere. In either case, one of the biggest challenges is maintaining a personal life that is separate from the employer’s.

“There needs to be an understanding when you start a job that you can’t be there all the time,” MacPherson said. “Many butlers fall into the trap of giving up their personal lives. The challenge is when to leave the family alone.”

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Historic Fatio-Era Palm Beach Mansion Restores

Heaven & Earth

By Kristen Mager

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When Marie and Rick were antique shopping in St. Simon Island, they found a painting of a woman with such a striking resemblance to Eleanor Fatio, the wife of their home's architect, they felt compelled to buy it (shown above). To them, it was one more sign they were destined to buy the Palm Beach home.

hen Rick and Marie Wackenhut bought their oceanfront winter home on Palm Beach in 2011, they never dreamed they’d uncover so many treasures behind the walls. But, during the five-and-a-half month renovation, they unveiled one priceless gem after another—including a morethan-decade-old Palm Beach Post clipping that brought special meaning to ‘home sweet home.’

The Coquina-stone mansion, located at 930 S. Ocean Boulevard, was built by noted society architect Maurice Fatio in 1929. The two-story, L-shaped home has four expansive bedrooms in the main house with a guest house off the pool, a gourmet cook’s kitchen, and a beautiful outdoor retreat complete with private pool and loggia.

A Swiss immigrant who took a bite of the Big Apple before moving to South Florida, Fatio was one of a small crop Marie and Rick Wackenhut of architectural innovators who cultured the Palm Beach style while living and working among the island’s elite. Fatio had a symmetrical and refined style compared to fellow bohemian architect Addison Mizner. Rather than engineering homes with modern elements of the time like steel and glass, Fatio designed with earthy materials and native stones.

With archived photos as their guide and a renowned crew, the Wackenhuts returned their home to the Fatio era, putting the finishing touches on just hours before 175 guests arrived for Rick’s epic birthday bash on 11/11/11. The architectural and time-inspired labor of love earned the couple the prestigious Institute of American Architect’s Addison Mizner Award of America for the best historical restoration in the southeastern U.S. and the Caribbean.

The renovation also caught the attention of Fatio’s daughter Alexandra (Alex), who visited the Wackenhuts home and signed over a book she’d penned about her father.

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”We have a beautiful note from Alex expressing her gratitude for us returning the house back to her father’s vision,” said Marie.

reveal was a unique and nearly-erased fresco mural below seven layers of paint in the archway leading into the house.

From Old to New

“This is the one element in the home that truly represents Maurice Fatio,” said Marie. “We believe he meant for it to be heaven and earth.”

The overhaul of the home started from the outside in. Over the years, the Coquina exterior—made from porous ocean coral—had taken in moisture, so steel columns and a wall of sealed brick were added to protect the home from the salty, tropical ocean elements.

All of the electrical, plumbing, and cooling/heating systems were replaced, and a commercial roof was installed.

The prior residents had covered the pecky-Cypress painted ceilings with snow-white cardboard panels that were starting to fall and reveal the art beneath. The original ceilings were delicately restored to their gorgeous teal and cream palettes. Below, the oak floors were refinished and exposed all through the downstairs living space. Cuban-style tile in the solarium and entryway was replicated, as were windows and doors that mimicked the bronze ones from decades before that couldn’t be replaced due to hurricane building code. Ceilings that had been lowered were raised back to display gorgeous arched windows curved like the seashore.

Rick’s office facing the ocean was updated from Kelly green and leopard deco. A bar was custom built in a nook by the window and panels and arches were added throughout. The dining room was also taken back to its elegant roots.

“We refashioned the dining room right down to the decorative painting on the wood beams,” said Marie. “All in all, we removed 60 huge containers of extra materials that had been added to the house over the years.”

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A restorative artist used a solvent and tools—including fine dental ones—to gently and meticulously remove layer by layer of paint.

“With the help of archive photos he was able to replicate the drawing with the exact watercolor hues,” Rick said.

Another historical find under the paint was a coat of arms, which Alex confirmed was the Fatio family crest.

“We were so delighted and it gave our entire project integrity,” said Marie about the historical gem that greets you as you enter the doorways leading into the main living spaces.

Features Galore The sprawling gourmet cook’s kitchen was not part of the historical restoration but was still designed to match the Fatio era.

Striking features include a boardroom-sized island made of reclaimed, hand-planed European oak, antique-white cabinets, and a charmingly painted and carved wood table and chairs.

Outside the kitchen, a breakfast patio overlooks the pool tucked between lush Florida foliage and lemon trees.

In the loggia and entire exterior, the Coquina stone is numbered and assembled in the exact order Fatio intended when he quarried the stones in the early 1920s.

“On top of the history, the master terrace overlooking the ocean is the most beautiful spot in the house,” said Marie. Panoramic views of the turquoise Atlantic Ocean await you on the balcony as well as from an outdoor terrace off of the new master sitting room.

The master suite features expansive ceilings and his and her bathrooms—a vintage fireplace providing the focal point for Marie’s pampering space. Outside the master suite, the Wackenhuts added a guest wing complete with a coffee/juice bar and TV area for the grandkids. Following the roofline, they designed a new guest bathroom that winds down curved steps and creates a seamless flow to the ocean.

Underground Discovery Like many homes on the island, the Wackenhuts’ has a basement that once led to a tunnel under A1A. “You’d go through a submarine door that seals the water from coming in and the tunnel would take you into the beachfront cabana,” said Marie.

When Fatio sold his home, the next homeowner fell onto hard times due to the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and sold the cabana, so the tunnel is now sealed off. Rick and Marie used the space to create a climatecontrolled wine room that has a floating wall revealing an original and still working 1920s elevator encased in bronze.

An old metal army desk that remained in the concrete basement when the Wackenhuts bought the home held a secret charm no one could’ve expected.

The home has a basement that once led to a secret tunnel under A1A. The Wackenhuts converted it to a wine cellar.

“Our builder decided to go through the desk before throwing it out,” said Rick. “Inside the drawer, there was one section of the paper from 13 years earlier—way before we owned the home and just a point in time.

It was an article about me in 1998 when I chaired a local walk for the cure to prevent childhood diabetes. We couldn’t believe it had been in that desk for all those years, right in this room. We felt like it was a sure sign that this house was meant to be ours.”

The article sits framed among the wine bottles now and serves as a reminder about the history of the home and the homeowners.

About the entire renovation process, Marie said, “It was nice to bring it back to the original. We feel like we contributed to Palm Beach and this house will stand for a long time.”

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Unwrapping Miami’s New Development Market

By Jill Patterson

With developers and architects from literally around the world, Miami feels something like the United Nations of new development. The Magic City usually gets the wrap that it is like its own country, an entity separate from the rest of America, but one could argue that it may actually be the most American city in the nation in terms of its incredible diversity, one of our founding virtues.Â

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Everywhere we look, Miami is growing up more sophisticated, more artistic, more diverse, smarter, and much more beautiful.

The bar has been raised so high this development cycle, that a whopping seven Pritkzer Prize winners are at work on new projects in Miami along with other internationally acclaimed designers and landscape designers. Both Zaha Hadid and Renzo Piano have chosen Miami to put their first residential projects in North America. In fact, every development seems to have a distinct flavor, aunique style and story to tell.

What a difference a decade makes Blame it on Art Basel. Blame it on the savviness of today’s international luxury buyer, but developers have upped their game this time around and the result is show-stopping. For those of us who rode the preceding pre-construction wave in

the early 2000s, it was a wild few years of rampant building and quick fire transactions, but nowhere was there a quality of product in Miami available as there is today. Everywhere we look, Miami is growing up more sophisticated, more artistic, more diverse, smarter, and much more beautiful.

Take a trip up Collins Avenue Think back. Before the W South Beach, before the Setai, it was the Shore Club.

Long left to languish, the Shore Club has changed hands and is now undergoing a massive renovation and rebranding

by Brazil’s superior hotelier, Fasano.

Known for their impeccable hospitality for over a century, Fasano will be an oasis of good taste and exemplary customer

service in the same prime location.

Designed inside and out by Brazil’s own Isay Weinfeld, its condo hotel inventory offers generous sized units to appeal to entire families with large landscaped balconies. The project will feature the largest pool in South Beach with 250 feet. The restaurant will be run by a Michelin-rated chef. The feel is relaxed mid-century modern meets 007 cool.

Ten blocks north, Argentina welcomes you. Visionary developer Alan Faena’s opus, Faena District, combines condo and hotel with art and entertainment to create a unique Faena-land in and around the site of the old Saxony hotel.

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Norman Foster and OMA/Rem Koolhas) with icons in filmmaking (Baz Lurhmann), the District features Faena Forum, a 150 seat live cabaret and cultural center, 2 hotels (Faena and Casa Claridge’s) complete with butler service, Faena Bazaar, Tierra Santa Healing House spa with the largest hammam in Miami and several restaurants, including Los Fuegos helmed by famed Argentinean open fire chef, Francis Mallman. The condo residences are comprised of Faena House (47 units/sold out), Faena Versailles Classic (22 units) and Contemporary (41 units). The Classic is a transformation of a Roy France Art Deco sweetheart. Faena House gathered enough force behind it to mark the highest price for a condo sold in 2015 ($60 million for the PH in Faena House). The feel here is exclusive, luxurious, and fanciful.

Another 50 blocks north is a taste of Italy, with architectural powerhouse, Renzo Piano’s, 87 Park. The Shard in London, The Centre Pompidou in Paris, the New Whitney in New York… one might find it astonishing, but international architect, Piano, in conjunction with David Martin (Terra), has recently broken ground on this elegant project of 70 waterfront residences positioned just north of North Shore Park.

Nature takes center stage, as entire walls of glass open to the sea and park views. Finishes are in American oak and Italian marble creating clean spaces to play host to the ocean breezes and changing light. Some units include palatial balconies of over 30 feet in depth.

Not much farther up Collins, America’s architecture master, Richard Meier has transformed the village of Surfside with his Surf Club Four Seasons stretching for 5 blocks and 880 linear oceanfront feet. A master of light and space, Meier has responded to the location with his signature glass incandescence.

119 residences and 31 hotel residences, Meier has incorporated some of the historic Surf Club where the glitterati of the ’40s once feted.

Apparently, Meier liked the project so much, he bought a unit himself.

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Farther north, Sunny Isles could almost be mistaken for Dubai, with its branded towers of Porche and Armani, the latter reportedly costing $1billion to build, among other magnificent, high-end projects such as Mansions at Acqualina and Turnberry Ocean Club.

Crossing back over the MacArthur, Turkish development family Bayraktar are hard at work on Island Gardens which will be North America’s only marina designed exclusively for mega-yachts. With 5,000 linear feet of docking space, the marina will be able to accommodate super-yachts up to 550 feet offering deep harbor dockage for drafts of 18-21ft. The marina will offer full-service amenities, including on-site immigration customs clearance, water taxies, as well as 221,000sf of luxury retail, and 2 branded hotels with fractional ownership opportunities.

Back on the mainland, celebrated Iranian architect, Zaha Hadid has drilled down 177 feet in order to lay the foundation for her futuristic One Thousand Museum. An engineering masterpiece containing no interior columns, the building will be supported by 4,200 uniquely shaped forms made in Dubai and shipped to Miami. The result is striking. The building will feature high-level security, a helipad, an aquatic center on the roof and a Sky Lounge.

Finally, at the center of this new wave of construction is Brickell City Centre. Funded

by Hong Kong development company, Swire, BCC was first to acquire land in downtown and begin building their $1B mixed-use project when others were still in the planning phases. Slated to open in just a few months, BCC features 5.4 million square feet with two residential towers, Reach and Rise with 780 units total, East Hotel, retail and office space.

The entire project is LEED gold certified and features a 150,000 foot CLIMATE RIBBONTM trellis system.

Is all this development good for Miami?

Some locals resent that they are priced out of these exclusive luxury projects placed in the most prime locations. It’s true, but there are other benefits that need to be weighed, including the exponential tax base created by these high priced developments. Those monies ought to translate into better transportation and general infrastructure for our emerging city. Artistically, the quality of new building is so astonishing, how can we not be grateful for the talent gracing our city?

While some city skylines look like a chronicle of colliding architect egos, thankfully, the projects born in this cycle seem inspired mostly by Miami’s beauty and as a contextual response to its extraordinary quality of light and stunning natural elements.

Jill Patterson is a Broker at Opulence International Realty.

305.615.1376 or visit Opulenceinternationalrealty.com

Magic Market, Magic City The Real State of Real Estate in Miami 2015

Hot off the press is the 2015 Market Report by Opulence International Realty. We wanted to create a report with some chops that could also serve as a guide to our burgeoning city. There is so much happening in Miami every day, it was our aim to capture some of the excitement behind the graphs and numbers in order to give you a more all-encompassing view of the “Real State of Real Estate” here in the Magic City.

2015 has been an interesting year. Even though the South American markets have slowed, there seems to be no end to the momentum felt around all of South Florida. The wealth of the world wants to invest here. And, why not? We are young and beautiful, with a great future ahead of us.

Below are a few highlights but, of course, you can download the full report at www.opulenceinternationalrealty.com

A Seller’s Market for Single Family Homes Miami-Dade County's Single Family Home market enjoyed a recordbreaking year for the third year in a row with total number of sales for 2015 at 13,936 up 3.1% from 2014. As inventory decreased 3.5%, sellers received 95.5% of their asking price in 2015.

13,936

number of sales 3.1% increase from 2014

$265,000

median sales price 8.2% increase from 2014

43 6,256

A Balanced Market for Condominiums Miami-Dade County’s Condo resale market was strong in 2015 despite competition from new construction projects. Demand is decreasing slightly, but prices and supply are rising, balancing out the market between buyers and sellers. Condos are selling more slowly than in 2014.

15,950 $200,000

median sales days on market 4.4% decrease from 2014 year end inventory 3.5% decrease from 2014

60 12,600

number of sales 2.8% decrease from 2014 median sales price 5.3% increase from 2014 median sales days on market 5.3% increase from 2014 year end inventory 10.2% increase from 2014

5 for 2015

The Opulence International team takes a look at the 5 most interesting things that happened in the South Florida real estate market in 2015. Drumroll, please…

5 4

The meltdown in the oil/commodity-rich feeder countries impacted foreign buyers’ appetites for Miami investment, but they still spent $6.1 billion on South Florida real estate, which represented 36% of all sales.

Opulence’s Sports & Entertainment’s Tomi Rose sold the King’s Palace for $13.4 million, breaking all existing sales records in North Coconut Grove.

3

New York moves to the “Sixth Borough” (aka Miami). 11.4% of all in-migrants are from the NY metro area.

2

Miami is getting smarter. 58% of Greater Downtown Miami residents over age 25 have a college or professional degree.

1 1

Miami Historian, Author & Preservationist Arva Moore Parks

Faena House shatters records with the pre-construction sale of a $60 million penthouse.

Many have said that Miami is more like a collection of unique villages than a unified city.

In this report, we strived to bring to life those distinct neighborhoods that give Miami its magic. To this aim, we interviewed some key residents who bring an understanding no amount of demographic analysis could offer. From prolific Miami historian, Arva Parks, to our newest activist District 2 Commissioner, Ken Russell, we were lucky enough to speak to some extraordinary Miamians who have given and continue to give back to our city. We hope you enjoy reading it, as much as we enjoyed putting it together.

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Flaming Art in the Night Landscape

By Mary and Hugh Williamson

There is little in life that is more mesmerizing than the random rhythm of a flickering flame. We associate candles, lanterns and fireplaces with glamour and warmth.

Of course in South Florida, added warmth is not necessarily welcome, but the glamour of a flickering flame always is. Our favorite restaurants are candle-lit for a reason; the radiance and pulse of a glimmering candle in a dimly-lighted room suggest romance and allure. And the same is true in your evening landscape.

Both flame and fire are powerful design tools that affect us strongly.

reverses the roles, becoming the design focus and the most dynamic element in the night landscape.

‘Flame’ is distinguished from ‘light’ in the night landscape. Light is cast on objects to highlight them in the same way a fine supporting actor supports the lead. Accent lighting! Flame in the night

A Little History

Flame can be the solitary glow of a candle, a gas lantern or a torch. Grouped together in a firepit or fireplace, flames are viewed as fire. Flames cast fascinating shadows of foliage and hardscapes, creating mystery. It extends the use of your landscape into the evening, especially when reflected in the shiny leaves of magnolias and other glossy-leafed plantings. Here is where cast light can support the shimmer of the flame.

Candles and torches have been a part of life and celebration for over five thousand years. Credit for this seemingly simple mar-

vel is bestowed upon the early Romans who saw the candle as a beneficial use of flame enabled by the god of fire, Vulcan.

The use of candles has been seen in religious ceremonies for thousands of years in many faiths. Firepits have existed for eons as well. Nomadic tribes would cut the turf above a firepit, and after building their fire to cook their food and warm themselves, replace the turf to conceal their whereabouts as they moved on. See familyfirepit. com for a fascinating read!

Our American Iteration In colonial times, bayberries were used to extract a waxy fuel, but this laborious process was phased out when the whaling industry burgeoned and whale oil became available. Incremental improvement continued as chemists developed better fuels, and inventors introduced mechanized methods of candle production. Increased manufacturing, aimed for the decorative market, started in the 1980s. Candle suppliers now offer an enormous variety of shapes, scents and colors. Gas lanterns, which became prominent as street lighting in American and European cities in the early 19th century, now offer everyday sparkle to homes and gardens.

There are multiple opportunities to add flame and fire to your night landscape.

Choices for introducing flaming additions to your landscape do not end with candles in hurricane globes, or votive lights.

Chimineas, (or chimeneas) plentiful in the South Florida market, are a trouble-free addition to the landscape. Largely enclosed, they burn safely and efficiently, and are available in clay or cast iron versions. Firepits – preferably portable versions – also offer a magnetic gathering place.

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More is More Fire in fireplaces, chimineas or firepits can be seen from some distance and can provide psychological warming. Be sure to include at least two fire features in your landscape design as there is a multiplier effect that is quite impressive. Clusters of these artistic elements mounted on raised platforms of varying heights are spectacular.

On a Smaller Scale The nighttime patio landscape experience can be greatly enhanced with the inclusion of fire features, ideally placed in uncovered areas. Multiples, even if with small versions, make much more of an inpact than a single component, and are striking when placed within a container garden. If the idea of chimineas is appealing, and you have a covered balcony, fill the bottom of the bowl with sand or gravel, and add masses of candles. Torches are also a great and festive idea. The flame of candles or torches needs to be integrated into your more intimate spaces as they provide their magic best when viewed close-up, so a patio setting is perfect.

Candles should only be used in hurricane globes or their many variations. Varied shapes and heights of the globes, whether on a dining table or on a patio, have heightened effect.

Whatever the size or location of your landscape venue, lack of flame is a foregone opportunity!

While most are the result of lightning, please remember that Florida has the second highest number of wildfires in the nation, and your flames must be extinguished thoroughly when your last guests depart.

Mary & Hugh Williamson

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CAPTURING

By John D. Adams

THE NOSTALGIA

Matthew Usher

“My education with film and printing really taught me how to get things right, not relying on technology to do that job for me. I put a lot of pressure on myself. But you have to be your biggest critic.”

— Matthew Usher

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OF NORFOLK

Matthew Usher has thus far spent his professional career as a news photographer for the “Eastern Daily Press” in Norfolk, England. Whether covering a Royal visit, a local fire, or a child’s interaction with a tarantula, Usher’s work has always held a signature beauty. He retains a clear expertise in the use of light of space, and he also possesses that little bit of magic that allows certain artists to convey emotion through a static image. Last November, Usher held a very well-received exhibition in his small, coastal home town of King’s Lynn. The pictures on display weren’t his commercial work. They were 24 carefully selected landscape images in Norfolk. Usher’s landscapes are filled to bursting with a zeal for the often overlooked beauty around us.

Finding his voice John Hansell (1944-2005) was well known in Norfolk as a landscape photographer and fine printer. He had been featured by Anglia Television, and had held a number of one man exhibitions. He was also Course Director and Lecturer in Photography at the College of West Anglia where he became a beloved mentor to Matthew Usher. “I have a great love for my area,” said Usher. “A lot of

my ancestors were fishermen right here in this town. I don’t know if that’s part of what inspires me. But the chap who taught me at school did a lot of work in Norfolk and that passion really rubbed off on me. He knew everything. He opened the door.”

Indeed, before attending Hansell’s class, Usher had decided to pursue a degree in painting. And while he could always draw and paint, the canvases never generated the feeling he was striving for. With photography, the flood gates of creative possibilities exploded. “In the two years he taught me, he made me work my backside off,” reminisced Usher. “I learned to take pictures with real film. I was also a black and white printer. And that has always stayed with me. It is important to me to try and keep as much integrity in the work as possible. My education with film and printing really taught me how to get things right, not relying on technology to do that job for me. Digital has changed some things, made some tasks easier, but my basic technique is still the same. The discipline is the same. You still have to understand the camera and how it interacts with light. But most importantly you have to have an eye for composition. If there isn’t a com-

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pelling composition there, how can you draw anyone in?”

The right tools for the right job It took Usher five years to compile the 24 images which comprised his recent exhibition. Working full time while raising a family doesn’t leave a lot of time for photographic “hobbies.” But more than the time constraints, Usher is a proud perfectionist. “I had 24 images in that show and I didn’t want a single one of them to be weak. I wanted people to walk into that room and be transported. I wanted them to see what I was capable of.”

It is perhaps this tenacity bedrocked by a solid technical knowledge that enables Usher to imbue such a sense of wonderment and beauty in the often disregarded or ignored. “When I’m taking the picture, I’m already holding in my mind what I want to achieve with the final image.

Then I go to the computer and work on getting what I want. I live with the piece for a few days to see how it feels to me.

If I’m happy with it, then it will pass. If I’m not happy with it, I just discard it. If I don’t

like something, I’m not going to use it again. I’m very strict with my own work.

The last picture I included was shot just a few weeks before the exhibition opened.

“It is very important for me that the technical side is as perfect as possible.

I don’t want anyone to ever accuse me of being technically weak. I put a lot of pressure on myself. But you have to be your biggest critic. You’ve got to work to set yourself apart.”

Usher’s mentor, John Hansell believed that “the image making process, by whatever means, should begin in the heart and the mind’s eye and be its creator’s chosen means of communicating visually to his fellow man.” In this sentiment, too, Usher agrees. “That’s the thing with making pictures. I’m not just creating them to keep them tucked away. I like to share them because people may not always see what I see.

I see the world a different way through my camera. I’m humbled to be sharing my work with people halfway around the world.”

See more of Matthew Usher’s work online at: www.matthewusherphotography.com

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Best Kept Secret

BY STEPHANIE BONILLA

Florida Travel Destinations

a

mere three and a half hours from Miami, concealed from maps and travel lists, lie two hidden paradises that have become the Sunshine State’s best kept secrets. Both locations operate on a different kind of adventure frequency; yet equally serve as glorious reminders that fresh tropical escapes can be found right in our own backyard.

Anna Maria Island, FL Sometimes warm, cottage-studded gems are hidden below Florida’s surface. While self-proclaimed weekenders flock to familiar beaches, an unmapped islet reveals itself. Tucked along the Gulf of Mexico, Anna Maria Island (AMI) is located approximately 40 miles south of Tampa. A bridge is the only thing connecting this subtropical nirvana to the 112

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Anna Maria Island is known for its great fishing

mainland, with an old, historical fishing village sprinkled just outside the bridge’s entrance, as if reminding incoming visitors that remnants of old Florida still remain.

AMI baby sea turtle

Should AMI ever be a contender for a mini getaway, gear up to work on your tan and tap out of the real world.

A mix of colorful cottages and shady palm trees dominate this island’s landscape. The most challenging part of the day will be deciding on transportation. Visitors can hop on a free trolley, rent a bike or scooter, or use their own two feet to explore the island. Whatever the choice, there are plenty of sights that will awaken the senses. Two things that are not seen on the island: industrial eyesores and high-rises. This modest beach community has been successful at maintaining its old Florida beach feel by keeping developers and chainy hotels OFF of the island. It’s every old Florida aficionado’s dream come true.

PHOTO BY JOHN YOUNG

Ditch your cottage and explore the landscape

But AMI doesn’t only do seafood right. A popular local treasure can be found on the north end of the island. The Donut Experiment allows mad scientists of all ages to create their own cake-based donuts. From key lime glazes to Sriracha toppings to choose from, the world really is your oyster at this local island shop.

Drink like a local

Bars can be found all over the island ranging from rustic waterside tiki bars, to laid back But don’t let this description confuse you–­ establishments nestled in-between eclectic art not everything on the island is kitschy and shops. With a Key West feel sans the rowdy old. Although no higher than three stories crowds, you can never go wrong while explortall, jaw-dropping cottages have been built ing AMI’s nightlife. When deciding what to around the island, serving as both residenc- wear, think: “What Would Jack Johnson Do.” Flipes and lodging for visitors. Albeit beautiful, flops and shorts are always the perfect choice these new and improved bungalows still for overloading on piña coladas. fit the “quiet money” mold exhibited While bar hopping, be prepared to nurse throughout the island. AMI got the memo: your beer as you sway to live renditions of Upscale just doesn’t jibe with beachy.

“Brown-Eyed Girl” and “Free Bird.” Local Overload on island grub musicians don’t just croon Jimmy Buffet’s Like most islands, seafood is the prominent “Margaritaville” for a buck here — they truly food of choice on AMI. Local eateries take pride get to know their audience. You’ll go from in serving domestic meals to seafood lovers, nervously shouting out requests, to taking delivering shrimp and an array of fish and oys- multiple shots with your entertainment. ters fished directly out of Florida’s waters.

Experience a golden hour— west coast style Florida’s west coast is infamous for its spectacular sunsets. You can pretty much catch nature painting the sky “magic” from anywhere on the west side of the island. Waterfront establishments crowd up just as the sun is about to set.

If there was ever a photo opportunity, this would be it. After all, there is no better lighting than that of the sun kissing the horizon.

Soak up the rays The “wake up slow” mentality is alive and well on Anna Maria. Switched over to island time, you won’t catch many beachgoers catching early rays here. Swooping pelicans can be spotted plunging into the pristine water while bottle-nosed dolphins grace observant beach bums with impromptu cameos. With seven miles of sugary white sand, visitors typically spend most of their time at the beach, usually alternating between catnaps, day dreaming, and cooling their feet in the ebbing tides.

Painting on left page courtesy of Robert Johnson Oil on canvas, 16" x 20" 941.779.9888 Robert@RobertTheArtist.com • roberttheartist.com

islandannamariA.com

Cottage on Anna Maria Island

Anna Maria Island restaurants– plenty to choose from Spring 2016

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Blue Spring State Park

If you’re looking for lusher scenery minus the island feel, look thirty minutes north of the greater Orlando-area.

Wedged between your typical Central Florida neighborhood — and more live oak trees than you can count — lies Blue Spring State Park. Covering over 2,600 acres, this state park serves as a Manatee Refuge to a growing population of buoyant sea cows. The park’s biggest attraction, respectively called Blue Springs, is one of Central Florida’s most valuable treasures. Whether you prefer cannon balling into one of nature’s swimming pools, hiking miles of unspoiled wilderness, or casting your fishing line near the shore, this park’s got you covered.

Take a Dip Excited families with multicolored floats can be spotted disappearing behind oak trees, eagerly making their way toward the spring. A windy boardwalk leads guests to the awe-inspiring turquoise waters. At 73 degrees, the crystalline water automatically triggers your explorer vibes to resurface. Swimmers who bravely take the chilly plunge soon realize that there’s a lot to discover in this swimming hole for the adventurous.

Visitors have the option of swimming, tubing, snorkeling or scuba diving down the spring. For those feeling a little more energetic, kayaks and canoes are available

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for rent at the ground’s concession. Bathers tend to congregate around the spring’s boil, watching adrenaline junkies leap off of sandy banks into the clear blue water. This particular area — which houses an underwater cave and an abundance of marine life — is a magnet for scuba divers. Divers and snorkelers alike delve into the depth of this mysterious hole, seeking to inflate their sense of adventure; and if they’re lucky enough, experience a manatee sighting.

prevalent in this area, making it a common occurrence for a couple of intertwined honeymoon flies to casually land on hikers.

Regardless of whether you prefer paradise or paradiselite, these two hidden gems offer exclusive experiences to those lucky visitors who find them.

Enjoy a Picnic The park’s grounds have a variety of places visitors can use to kick back and dry off. Pavilions, BBQ pits, and grassy areas can be found just outside the spring’s boardwalk, with families migrating here to get their grub on. Though the park offers both food and drinks for purchase, visitors can opt to bring their own food and beverages.

Beer drinkers beware: Alcohol is not permitted on park grounds.

Take a Hike After lunch, walk some calories off on one of the park’s nature trails.

Begin your voyage at Pine Island Trail, a lesser-known, less-used terrain. 4.5 miles each way, the trail offers dense forests, shady resting areas, casual scrub-jay sightings and plenty of photo opps.

This scenic route allows passersby to get a true taste of nature’s magic. Delve into the oak tree forest and spot cardinals, deer, turtles, snakes and a variety of insects that call this trail home. Love bugs are

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Escape to Purple Isle

By Kelly Villasuso

A look at the quintessential piece of paradise in Islamorada that four friends from the Windy City discovered in their quest for a weekend winter refuge

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O

nce upon a time there was a purple isle with a beach road of smoky gravel leading to pristine white sands lining an ocean of a myriad of blues and dotted with clapboard houses reminiscent of simpler days…

mile marker 82, where 423 known deaths occurred (most of whom were veterans of the United States Armed Forces) and toured the Indian Key state historic site to better understand the area’s rich role in our country’s history. We used Robbie’s of Islamorada to visit Indian Key since it is only accessible by private boat or charter.

Living in Chicago in the dead of winter, such a place seems straight out of a fairy tale. However, when four best friends want to escape the tundra of the Midwest for a “ladies who lounge” vacation, we found anything is possible if you only dream it.

Ahhhh, to relax, sip, shop and dine

With our collective wish lists defined — travel within the United States, average temperatures 70 degrees or higher in January, a place that offers us a chance to decompress but also offers a beautiful backdrop for outdoor activities and educational opportunities — we found our prince among islands. We found Islamorada in the Florida Keys.

Because a “ladies who lounge” vacation would not be true to its name if it did not offer the proper balance of luxurious R&R activities, we set out on daily escapades.

From gallery hopping and arts-andcrafts shopping at The Rain Barrel Artisan

Heritage of Islamorada With a history dating back to the sea charts of Spaniard sailors in the 1500s, Islamorada has drawn sailors and settlers and vacationers alike. Islamorada — or the Purple Isle — is just over seven square miles and, lucky for us, is just two hours south of Ft. Lauderdale where our bird of steel delivered us from the clutches of Mr. Snow Miser, allowing us to quickly guide our chariot — and ourselves — into tropical bliss.

We planned out the perfect blend of historical sites to keep us grounded in reality and more lighthearted activities to tickle our fancy. We visited the memorial for the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 at

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Village to dining at many of the local gems, we traversed the Purple Isle from side to side and end to end — whenever possible, with a glass of bubbly in hand.

We knew our story of winter escape would not be complete without an enchanting castle to call home. We were happy to find that there are a whole host of luxurious lodgings on the isle, including the renowned Cheeca Lodge & Spa. But for this adventure, we chose The Moorings Village & Spa at 123 Beach Road to truly bring our once upon a time to life…

The Moorings Village & Spa resides on what once was an 18-acre coconut plantation on the Atlantic coast of Islamorada. The grounds are a botanical showcase of coconut palms, banyan trees, and other vibrant flowering and fruit-bearing plants … all softly rustling and swaying in the tropical breeze, creating an immediate sense of peace and tranquility.

We spent time meandering through the lush grounds, including kicking up sand on one of the largest natural beaches in the Keys, or simply taking in the heavenly surroundings from one of the many strategically placed

hammocks. This author’s favorite: the hammock on the dock, where the vista is uninterrupted for as far as the eye can see. You’re sure to find your own favorite spot at The Moorings, which has graced the cover of many a magazine and is also the site for scenes in the popular “Bloodline” series on NetFlix.

We found a tennis court and a 25-meter heated swimming pool nestled discretely amongst the mere 18 villas on the property. We also found bicycles at-the-ready near the 100-year-old banyan tree and kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, and windsurfing equipment at your disposal on the beach – made all the more enticing when someone kindly carried your equipment-du-jour right into the Atlantic for you and picked it up on your return.

Each day we returned to the Waca villa and to the comforts of home, including the plantation-style porch and Adirondack-style chairs outside, and the hand-painted tiles, a soaking tub, freshly ironed bedding, stainless steel appliances, and a fully appointed kitchen on the inside.

Since our story did not include any of us cooking, the kitchen appliances and utensils were merely nice-to-haves for us. Instead, The Moorings staff was happy to make us reservations at the many nearby restaurants, including Lora Lei’s, Chef Michael’s, Green Turtle Inn, and their very own Morada Bay and, most notably, Pierre’s. The two-story, West African-style mansion is so picturesque, its verandas and overstuffed chairs so inviting, and its sandy front lawn so pristine, we wanted to move in … until we experienced the cuisine of Executive Chef Ishmael Toro, and then we begged them to let us move in. Be sure to try Pierre’s vibrant seafood curry, easily the most beautiful and flavorful dish on the menu with a mélange of lobster tail, jumbo shrimp, and sea scallops in a Thai coconut curry sauce and artfully served in a coconut shell with forbidden black rice.

And we all lived happily ever after, fully sated by our adventure on the Purple Isle … until it snows again in Chicago.

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New,Young & Fun

Palm Beach Style 2016

TheTaselaar Family HomeTour

By Carleton Varney

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T

he rich and the beautiful have flocked to Palm Beach for generations. Who doesn’t love to frolic in the sun and sand? Enjoy the architectural style of Addison Mizner? Enjoy the fashionable restaurants? Taboo on Worth Avenue has seen the likes of Dukes, Duchesses, Princesses, and Society’s top players for generations. Billionaires live on the island and The Donald now occupies Mar-A-Lago once home to Marjorie Merriweather Post, mother to actress Dina Merrill! Who knows, Mar-A-Lago despite being on the airplane-landing path may become the winter White House. Yes, they say that Palm Beach is the most important post office stamp in Florida, and all the world understands that Palm Beach style in living is the style to watch!

Enter front and center Nina and Pieter Taselaar, a ‘today’ couple with homes in Palm Beach, Newport, Rhode Island, and Manhattan Island, New York City.

Pieter Taselaar is the founder and managing partner of a hedge fund Lucerne Capital Management LLC (European Investments) and Nina, a psychologist, has a New York City practice. The Taselaar’s two accomplished daughters, Amanda and Claudia, studied at Georgetown University and are sailors of the first order. Their father Pieter, Rotterdam born, won the World Championship in the Melges 32 Sailing Class in Porto Cervo, Sardinia with his sailing craft Bliksem.

Pieter has won many other maritime and sailing championships in other classes, as well.

Bring in a Modern Era of Palm Beach The Taselaars are a prime example of the new Palm Beach style of fun and young. A family who plays together seems to stay together. Nina and Pieter enjoy a Palm Beach residence that is filled with Palm Beach color and furnishings, a mix of rattan, palm trees, prints, ocean colored carpets, and outdoor barbecue living along with contemporary sculpture.

A party at the Taselaars is one everyone wants to attend, what with the outside barbecue and music in the happily styled family room with its faux bamboo walls, painted striped tented ceiling, and deep carpetry of sculpture palm fronds on a hand tufted Irish rug. The Taselaars like a Palm Beach home that is not serious and over gilded with silks, satins, and buttons and bows. “Palm

Photography in this story by Kim Sargent

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Beach should be happy with color,” says Nina, whose residence is everything but cream, beige, grey, or black. In fact, there is not a touch of grey or beige throughout the seven-bedroom villa. Pieter the sailor does enjoy a library styled with shipboard wood-paneled walls, and lots of seaman’s maps on the wall.

The Taselaars like the outdoor lifestyle in the sun. Pieter goes kite surfing, sometimes with his daughters, and keeps a catamaran at the waterfront just yards from their front door. Nina and Pieter and the girls are fitness aware.

Nina joins her Bar Class on North County and is often seen on the golf course practicing her swing, at St. Catherine’s Greek Church in West Palm Beach, or at Southern playing bridge. Nina is a champion master at the game and has impressively conquered the game over the billionaire Bill Gates. For keeping beautiful, Nina goes regularly to Le Bazaar on North County where Nick takes care of the coif and Nicole takes care of the coloring.

For fun at evening time, the daughters Amanda and Claudia both in their early 20s start out HMF at the Breakers, then on to Cucina for dancing, and then to Camelot on Clematis for ending the evening disco dancing.The girls sometimes take in E.R. Bradley’s Saloon after dinner for bar action in the open-area restaurant.

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For the young and fun, including those over 30, restaurants like Būccan, Imoto, the Grill, and Bice are always in style and no one who loves Palm Beach ever wants to miss the Motown night at the iconic Polo Bar at The Colony Hotel. Friday night is a must! Speaking about The Colony, the nightclub shows in the Royal Room are always a Palm Beach must for all the fun people. Rob Russell at The Colony is a gentleman to know, as he is always booking the Royal Room to full capacity. Other favorites of 2016 life in Palm Beach are Par Three, at the golf course just down the South Ocean Boulevard right after passing the in-residences at Ibis Isle.

And if you are in for juices in the town, those young and fun folk always go to Amici Market or to our friend Stephanie Bojangles who has moved her juice bar into Sprinkles on Poinciana Plaza.

It is all about young and fun style in Palm Beach 2016.

Simply grand Since 1887, Grand Hotel has welcomed guests to Mackinac Island, Michigan. This family-owned National Historic Landmark is truly one of a kind. An overnight stay in one of our 390 guest rooms, each uniquely decorated by Carleton Varney of Dorothy Draper & Co., includes a full breakfast and five-course dinner daily. Amenities include complimentary children’s programs, nightly dancing to the Grand Hotel Orchestra, spectacular views of the Straits of Mackinac from the world’s longest porch, golf on The Jewel, a visit to Grand Stables and Sadie’s Ice Cream Parlor.

Historic Mackinac Island offers activities for the entire family including visits to Fort Mackinac, bicycling, horse-drawn carriage tours and the unique shops of downtown Mackinac Island.

1-800-33GRAND • gr andhotel.com

Sophia Loren

An exclusive interview with the timeless silver screen legend, devoted wife and mother

Q & A With Ava Roosevelt

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PHOTO FROM damiani

One on One with

y

esterday, Today and Tomorrow, My Life, is Sophia Loren’s brilliant tale of her journey through a poverty stricken childhood to becoming one of the most celebrated actresses of our times.

Told in an engaging narrative, her book provokes tears and admiration for her tireless quest to rise from the ashes of war-torn Naples, Italy, to fulfill her dreams of stardom and motherhood.

Sophia Loren was born Sofia Villani Scicolone, a daughter of Romilda Villani and Riccardo Scicolone, a construction engineer of noble descent. Overcoming her father’s abandonment and her mother’s negativity is a tribute to her strength and determination to succeed in a career in motion pictures that spans six decades and at 81, is far from over.

Her notable film appearances include “Houseboat,” “That Kind of Woman”, “It Started in Naples,” “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” “Marriage Italian Style,” and “Two Women” for which she earned 22 international awards, including an Oscar for best performance in a leading role.

Ms. Loren graciously agreed to sit down with South Florida Opulence to talk about her life.

Ava: I know firsthand that writing can be a heart-wrenching experience. What most inspired you to write?

Ms. Loren: I wrote my book because after I worked so much, I had the urge to let it all out.

I want to share with the people who see my films all the beautiful things that have happened to me. The cinema had a great impact on my life, early on, you know. When I was very young during the War in my little town, my family and I were living a very sad life. We constantly struggled and endured a nearstarvation. So many times, even during the bombardment, with the planes flying above us, my sister and I were sneaking into the movie theatre. We had an urge to see what life was like outside of our little war-torn village. There was a lot of hope when we came out of the movie theatre. It was another world that I was trying …I wanted really to discover.

And so, in writing, I came with many other thoughts and things that happened to me during my work. I wanted to share it also with the people who went to see

Sophia Loren starred with Cary Grant in the movie “Houseboat” in 1958. me in the movies. And maybe people will be interested.

Ava: I was very interested in your life story, Ms. Loren. It is true, it brings your fans closer to you. I felt like I got to know you. Tell us about your friends, please.

Ms. Loren: My friends…they’ve always been very understanding with me. And I could say that, through the letters or maybe when I walk in the street, just the look they have in their eyes when they see me. It’s really very positive. And also very moving. I cry easily, as a matter of fact.

Ava: Who has influenced your life the most?

Ms. Loren: I think…myself. When you are 10 years old…11…12… you don’t really know how bad some people are or could be… and this question of killing…this question of every night going through a tunnel and living where the train was passing by at 4 o’clock in the morning…and cockroaches.

Also because, I’m talking about a little girl starting to live…starting to open her eyes…

and what we saw. It was really terrible. I think I’m going to write another book!

(Laughs.)

Ava: Your warmth and your kindness are apparent in your prose. How did you manage to survive in a business filled with jealousy and back-stabbing being so nice?

Ms. Loren: I never looked for quarrel.

I never looked for bad things. I always tried to understand if there was a problem and to try to understand the reason. I’ve never been somebody who would attack people, because, really, I didn’t know how to do it. Maybe with kindness…maybe with simplicity…you realize yourself that it is much, much stronger.

Ava: From Cary Grant to Marlon Brando, you played opposite extraordinary leading men.

Were you ever attracted to any of them?

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sent me a little card saying: “Why don’t you participate [in the beauty pageant]?” And I said, “Well, it’s fun…maybe I will…yes…and I did. But in my heart I thought, “If I’m going to be second, I will be very lucky.” So I became second. But I met a man who later on became the love of my life, Carlo.

The cover of Loren’s latest book now available.

attend a proper school of acting, you know.

Especially when I was doing American films. I knew just very little, almost nothing, of English. So I had to learn my lines in a very precise way. I was very proud to act with the biggest actors in film in my career. In the beginning of my career, I met a wonderful man who came from the south of Italy, Naples.

His name was Vittorio de Sica. I was fortunate enough to do with him a very popular film titled “The Gold of Naples.” Little by little, I started to work together with Vittorio and he became like a father to me. And it was really a wonderful feeling.

He was a big producer, he was an intelligent man. He had a great sense of humor. He was a very cultivated man.

That’s all I needed really because I was completely hungry for things that I could learn and be a better human being. So when he asked me to go to see him in his office at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, I did. I found Carlo and a little later we went to dinner together. He started to teach me how to do things, but in a very, very subtle way. He never offended me.

Never. So, little by little, this friendship grew and we started to do many pictures. We lived our lives together for about 45 years. He produced almost all the films I made… “Two

Ava: Tell us about your relationship with your children, please.

Ms. Loren: Unfortunately, my children do not live with me because they live in America and I live in Geneva and this is something that upsets me sometimes. But they are always with me because they call me every night.

I think is the most beautiful feeling that a woman can have when you embrace your child for the first time.

Ava: You are scheduled to appear at the Kravis Center on March 28. Palm Beach is a long way from home. Why here?

Ms. Loren: I really don’t know America. I’ll get the opportunity to know my American audiences and to know a lot of my friends from Americans who see my films and know me.

Like I did for my book. You have a question and I will answer it. I hope you like me, that’s all!

An Evening with Sophia Loren is a show about me and my life. We start with an interview section, then a question and answer section where you can ask me anything, and then a ‘meet and greet’ opportunity afterward. I like to be surprised. I’m a very shy person in the beginning, so I don’t like to know things in advance.

And then, little by little, I get acquainted and I may enjoy it a lot. I’m doing 12 cities in America.

“An Evening with Ava: How is your life today? What gives Sophia Loren is a show you the most joy?

To wake up in the mornabout me and my life. We start Ms.ingLoren: with a smile on my face. And with an interview section, then the desire to challenge myself as usual. This tour is a big challenge. a question and answer section This is my first tour in America. It’s a new experience! where you can ask me anything, ” Ava: Did the leading men help you?

Ava: What would you consider to Ms. Loren: No, because I was the said Loren, who will perform be your greatest accomplishment to leading lady. There was no leading And what is your biggest regret? at the Kravis Center on Ms.date? man. So I would tell myself, “Sophia, Loren: Greatest accomplishment? EveI think you can do that. Just learn. Just rything! I couldn’t ask for more! Although I do March 28, 2016. open your eyes and your ears. And listen to Vittorio and he’s going to help you for sure.

He did! God bless his soul.”

Ava: By the time you met Italian film producer Carlo Ponti, you were barely getting established. How did he influence your career and your life?

Ms. Loren: Well, I met him when I was 17 at a beauty pageant. He was in the jury. I was there with a friend of mine who was participating. I was there eating and Carlo Ponti 126

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have a little regret. I wish I could have performed once on Broadway. I was asked once.

Something with Bernstein, maybe. “Marriage, Women”, “Marriage, Italian Style”, “A Special Italian Style” onstage. But life is always a surDay”, “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”. prise if you want it to be. Maybe I will go with With him I felt secure. I wanted a family, but of another idea which is absolutely smashing. course at that time, he was married. But our Ava: Thank you so much, Ms. Loren. It was such relationship grew, grew and grew. And here I a pleasure getting to know you better. And am being his wife and having 2 beautiful chil- we’re all looking forward to seeing you live ondren that are the joy of my life. I’m starting to stage at the Kravis Center on March 28! be very moved!

Portrait of a gentleman Brinsley Matthews

by Dale King and Julia Hebert

S

ome may say this success story of Ireland-born Brinsley Matthews is self-fulfilled prophecy. You see, his mother named him after Richard Brinsley Sheridan, the famous Irish playwright, poet, longtime owner of the London Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and a former Whig member of the British House of Commons who now rests in the Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey since 1817.

Fast-forward some two centuries, and you'll find his namesake Brinsley Matthews, also a poet and man of the arts, 'Portrait of a Gentleadding even further to a Renaissance man,' Richard Brinsley man's impressive credentials.

Sheridan, painted by John Hoppner.

Just 20 years ago, you'd find Brinsley embracing hairpin turns in a sleek, oneseated, roofless Formula V speedster, racing toward a top-five finish at Mondello race track in Ireland or Pembrey in the UK. It isn’t typically the place to find a Sotheby’s-pedigreed, highly educated gentleman with diverse feathers in his cap – like classic fabric and wallpaper designer, antiques appraiser, poet and filmmaker.

In the 1990s, Matthews decided to follow the likes of race legends Jackie Stewart and Michael Schumacher. “Like every red-blooded male, after studying and seeing the world a bit, it’s time to knuckle down and figure out what you want to do. I was in Hong Kong at the time, looking out at Kowloon Bay, when I said, ‘I’d really love to be a race car driver.’ I had to create a business to fund racing, because no one would sponsor an unknown.”He competed for a handful of years, always finishing in the top five.

But“I started thinking of other aspirations. And after finishing second in a most prestigious race at Phoenix Park,

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Dublin, I hung up my boots� and moved on. His mind kept wandering to other influences. "I grew up with two delightful parents and in a hotel," Brinsley said. "I was visually entertained everyday. It was a country house hotel on a beautiful lake. Gentlemen would fly fish in their Harris tweeds. Weddings by day and dinner dances by night. Guests from far and wide all looking smart. From the time I could sit up, I took notice of everything and everyone! My mother studied art, my aunt was an architect. My mother had great flair and was very resourceful; aunt Millicent was very disciplined in design. Obviously I noticed that. Millicent used what was once our gatehouse as a holiday house, and every time she visited I dashed up there to discover another world, a more linear world, no antiques for her (my mother and I loved antiques). For her, everything was to be practical and space saving.

But with an odd internal wooden wall varnished and another wall whitewashed, upholstery of large plaid and a heavy arts-and-crafts rocking chair with a toile fabric seat and back, one has a great look going on. At home lots of color, chintz, art and antiques of every period and genre, it was not staid by any means - my mother knew how to work it."

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Brinsley Matthews in the Palm Beach workroom where he designs fabrics.

man of many talents The master artisan has co-owned a resort hotel in Ireland, designed and sold furnishings, accessories and handbags , and earned praise for his career at Sotheby’s. Softly spoken, with a charming Irish accent and infectious laugh, Brinsley declines to brag, though he certainly has much to boast about.

It was serendipity, perhaps, that drew Brinsley to Carleton Varney, president of Dorothy Draper & Co. of New York. “I met him in an antiques store in London,” said Brinsley. “I just happened to be in the store, too.” They quickly found that “what I had done and what Carleton had done were a perfect match.” Today, as director of design and operations, he is forever immersed in 130

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his creativity and was much involved in the design of The Greenbrier, WV, The Grand Hotel, MI, The Colony Hotel, Palm Beach and The Stoneleigh Hotel and Ritz Towers in Dallas. To Brinsley, color is key. “Colors should always bring a freshness, for mood, offering harmony or contrast to give each other recognition. Colors are like human personalities, they have to have depth, a brightness, or be subtle to be interesting. When I’m creating a wallpaper or fabric, the art of storytelling develops. Yes, no man is an island, and nothing should float alone. For me, work is a joy,” said Matthews. The Varney-Matthews duo attend to every detail when remodeling a hotel “from the menus to the buttons on the uniforms to the matchbox covers.”

Brinsley’s works speak for themselves, from the restored Royal Palace in Lithuania to the lavish 2008 Academy Awards: Designed and decorated the Green Room.

The Poet Richard Brinsley Sheridan would be proud to know that his namesake is also a published poet. Brinsley Matthews' book, called “Lands Shared,” includes a foreword by Desmond Guinness, founder of the Irish Georgian Society. Critics rave that Matthews' poetry is uplifting for all.

The Fashion Designer "Art has no bounds, an eye does not stop how could it? Like history, there are many reasons which lead up to the event. Fashion is a part of life and of home. It's how we choose to live, there are daring sides to soulful sides," said Brinsley, who also designs luxury handbags when he's not designing fabric or wallpaper. "It's not about nailing it - it's about expression, the cut and texture of a garment are of equal importance. Fuss has no place in fashion, simplicity is key. A touch of flair adds gaiety, however simplicity speaks louder."

The Filmmaker

A Weekend 'About Town' bag for him.

Millicent is a double bamboo handled model in a mandarin color of full grain leather, which is undoubtedly a sophisticated handbag whose timeless beauty and unsurpassed elegance will catch attention at a glance.

The interior is very roomy with a full red suede lining plus a wall zippered pocket and smartphone pocket.

With a curriculum vitae with such diverse accomplishments as Formula V race car driver, Sotheby's collectibles expert, resort owner, fashion, fabric and wallpaper designer, and poet, one might think it humanly impossible to add anything more. But, then again, Brinsley Matthews is no ordinary man. In 2015, he added yet another genre to his repertoire – documentary filmmaker. In Ireland, he directed “Under An Irish Sky.” The film high-

lights “the art of the person and their environment. Five people, from age 10 to 70, are interviewed: A schoolboy from a broken home wants to be a jockey, a new boarding school girl discovers she has 32 sisters, a choir boy realizes he’ll never sing again, an Italian grandmother is proud of her life, a monk offers an oasis. A common theme became transparent in the documentary – hard work. It takes work to make grades, plant a garden or build a comfortable home to share and experience,” he says. “Each person has a true identity and is a positive, natural example of a successful life. Even though it was filmed in the depths of winter, magical backgrounds just seemed to present themselves - choppy waves, moss-covered stones, tall dead grass, crisp skies and full moons.”

With all he has attained, Brinsley still harbors a love for race car driving. “When I wind down a little more, in the later years,” he promises, “I shall race again – in the Monte Carlo Classic Car Rally."

The Christmas Children’s Hunt at Lady Dunraven’s in County Limerick during filming of "Under An Irish Sky."

A scene in "Under An Irish Sky": A boyhood life by Lough Sheelin.

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Reimagining Renaissance Art Through The Eyes Of A Young Cuban Millennial Painter

By Stacy Conde, DIRECTOR of Conde ContemporarY

Luis Enrique Toledo del Rio

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Despues de el Ocaso

beautiful and shaggy haired, with downcast black eyes. He was at once humble, polite and gracious. Everything about his demeanor belied the fact that I was observing a modern master. As we became familiar with each other over the course of the next few days, the magic inherent in his work came brilliantly to light in his persona.

We walked through the streets of Havana laughing and playing games. We found faces in chipped paint on horribly dilapidated historic homes, pretending to be their owners and giggling about the apartments we would take on the Malecon while “they” put in our pool. We each drank a beer and ate popcorn while staring out at the sea and imagining Miami, impossibly, just there on the other side of the horizon.

Since then, I have come to know Luis well.

He is a gentle and loyal creature from another place and time, far more comfortable in the surreal landscapes and esoteric worlds of his mind than this one.

“I am not interested in reality, at all,” young Luis said. “I want to explore magical realms, dreamlike realities and the spiritual planes of the highly evolved. In my work, I wish to show a world which exists outside of this concrete and material world. I want to explore the soul.”

La Ironia de un Idilio

Meet the Family of Artists

T

he first time I met Luis Enrique Toledo del Rio was in Havana when, as promised, he collected me from the airport. Prior to that, our conversations had all taken place via email. His writing was formal, stilted and completely devoid of the witty slang and “chispa” (spark) you might expect from

a Habanero, but then, Luis Enrique is from Santa Clara. In his effort to be respectful, I read him as sterile and humorless.

I was wrong.

Getting to Know Luis Standing before me at Jose Marti International Airport was a 26-year-old man-child,

Luis Enrique Toledo del Rio was born into a family of artists on October 31, 1989. His father, Enrique Toledo, is an accomplished painter whose work resides in the permanent collection of the Vatican, his grandmother a published poet and author, and his mother an actress in children’s theatre.

Luis graduated from Leopoldo Romañach

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forest spoke, it could tell us all that has happened since the beginning of time,” Luis said.

Rather than call his work surreal, which it certainly is, Luis borrows from literature and refers to his paintings as examples of magical realism. One wonders if in this we see the influence of his grandmother.

Apart from the fantastic and magical elements alive in his paintings, what strikes me most about Luis Enrique’s work is his unwavering patience, attention to detail and technique. This young man has the hand of an old world master. His subjects seem to exude a light from within, a living flame even, reflected in the opalescence of their skin. This achievement is clearly by design.

I recall visiting El Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes with Luis. We were on the side exhibiting exclusively Cuban artists, in the portrait gallery. Luis moved from painting to painting, completely obsessed by the skin. He pointed out the talents of each of the various artists, their technique, how they achieved such light in the skin.

“Someday…” he said, “…someday I hope to achieve this.” That day has come.

Since entering the global market, Luis’ work has doubled in value and resides in collections across the U.S., in Canada and Mexico.

SUPPORT friends of uffizi gallery

Mistress of Destiny as a professor of fine art, like his father before him. He tried teaching for a short time, until ultimately deciding the path wasn’t his. Luis Enrique took up painting full time on moving to Havana with his best friend and brilliant realist painter Darian Rodriguez Mederos.

Toledo del Rio’s work, “…opens virtual doors to unseen worlds…” the worlds of his “interior” as he says. He uses objects, symbols and

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Renaissance iconography to depict life and space in terms and forms outside of the ordinary. His influences are clearly Renaissance with a nod toward the Gothic. He cites his father as his greatest professor.

The Young Master’s Vision The vast majority of the artist’s paintings take place in a mythical forest. I asked him why.

“The forest has always been here. It is ancient, magic and holds forgotten memories. If the

Luis Enrique Toledo del Rio is represented by Conde Contemporary, an art gallery in Miami specializing in contemporary Cuban art.

Luis Enrique and Conde Contemporary have generously agreed to donate 30 percent of all proceeds of works featured in this article to The Friends of Uffizi, an organization dedicated to the restoration of some of the world’s greatest treasures in fine art.

For details visit www.condecontemporary.com or email: stacy@condecontemporary.com

It’s about time, your time.

Fly anywhere, anytime.

C a l l u s . B o o k a n y o f o u r a i r C r a f t.

954.266.0563 F o r i n q u i r i e s , c o n ta c t: s a l e s @ W i n d s o r J e t. c o m W W W. W i n d s o r J e t. c o m

Photomicrography Where Science & Art Converge

By Robin Jay

Live-cell digital imaging gives a whole new meaning to an “inside look� at anatomy, worthy of gracing walls of a fine art gallery.

Dr. Bernardo Cesare Department of Geosciences Padova, Italy Graphite-bearing granulite from Kerala (India) (2.5x) Polarized light

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I

n this era of visual stimulation, photographers must continuously raise the bar on special effects in order to compel their spectators. But if you think such achievements are limited to the intuitive hands of computergenerated filmmakers like J.J. Abrams or George Lucas, think again. Advances in digital photomicrography are now shining the spotlight on the authentic talents of none other than Mother Nature and the scientists and engineers who’ve designed the technology to capture the mindboggling images she creates.

If you’re an art enthusiast, study the images in this layout and tell us what you see?

Can you detect the anglerfish ovary, the bird of paradise seed, the soap film or the honeybee eye and pollen spores? Judges at the annual Nikon Small World Photomicrography competition can – and have been for longer than you might imagine.

The scientific camera capabilities have become so advanced and the images so fascinating, that the four-decades-old competition is now attracting art collectors. South Florida Opulence sat down with Eric Flem at Nikon Instruments for a truly inside look at this fascinating genre of photography.

“There have been huge advancements over the past years in microscopy and related imaging,” said Flem. “One of the biggest leaps forward has occurred with the advent of digital imaging. Microscopy has been around since the 1600s, and imaging what was seen under the scope evolved along with camera technology. From early days of literally sketching what was seen [such as the famous anatomical drawings of Leonardo da Vinci], to attaching film cameras to the equipment, and most recently digital cameras.

Mr. Charles Krebs Charles Krebs Photography Issaquah, Washington, USA Chrysochroa buqueti (jewel beetle) carapace, near eye Diffused, Reflected Illumination 45x

“However, the digital camera has opened new realms to the scientist that has not been previously available and not really applicable to consumer and artistic photography. Digital cameras use digital data to create an image. And by doing so, this has allowed for much more sensitive scientific imaging equipment, but also has allowed further advance-

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Ralph Claus Grimm (1st Place 2015) Jimboomba, Queensland, Australia Eye of a honey bee (Apis mellifera) covered in dandelion pollen (120x) Reflected Light

Karl Deckhart, Eckental, Germany Soap film (25x)

Begonia crassicaulis plant taken on a scanning microscope

by Viktor Sykora, biomedical researcher at the 1st Faculty of Medicine of the Charles University in Prague.

ment by utilizing the digital image as DATA rather than simply as a means to create a visual image. This has allowed for the creation of imagery using the data pulled from the image and literally allowed scientists to see beyond what can be visually seen in a subject.

“The overall goal of photography through the microscope is different from conventional photography,” Flem explained.

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“Although many of the Small World competition entries – like conventional photography – are captured by artists striving for visual expression, the majority of microscopy (and the technology that goes with it) is designed with a goal to SEE things better and the ability to analyze what they do see.

be considered or necessary for conven-

“This circumstance creates technologies for imaging that would not normally even

together to innovate, develop and bring

tional

photography.

The

microscope

business is quite unique in that development of new and cutting-edge equipment and techniques requires the expertise and collaboration between the research community and the engineers that build this equipment. Frequently, these people work to market new equipment technology.”

Top Image: James Hayden The Wistar Institute Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

“An excellent example would be fluorescence, which uses fluorescent dyes that are triggered by certain wavelengths of light. These dyes are attached to the various parts of the sample being studied. Once these cells are hit with the certain wavelength of light, the section they are attached to lights up. This technology has greatly enabled the research community to see things not previously visible, and apply this basic concept to a host of new techniques and technologies. This has given scientists a great leap forward in their ability to see and analyze their respective fields of study.”

One photographer who has won multiple awards at the photomicrography competition is Viktor Sykora, a biomedical researcher at the 1st Faculty of Medicine of the Charles University in Prague. "One of the amazing features of scientific work is that it often reveals to us new, fascinating and beautiful views of the world around us," said Sykora, who has published two scholarly

Anglerfish ovary Two-channel Autofluorescence

Left: Viktor Sykora, biomedical researcher at the 1st Faculty of Medicine of the Charles University in Prague. This bird of paradise seed image won 5th place in the 2010 Nikon Photomicrography Small World Competition.

photomicrography books: Secrets of Plants and Invisible Human World. "And because my hobby is photography, I try to connect science and art in my work. I'm constantly seeking new ways to view the world. ” The photomicrographs could be also taken by other methods than light microscopy used in Small World contest. One such ex-

ample is a scanning electron microscope microphoto of begonia crassicaulis taken

by Sykora (shown on previous page).

Judges at the Nikon Small World competition score entries based on technical merit, scientific relevance, and visual impact. To see the tremendous gallery of past winners and other fascinating photomicrography artistic specimens, go to nikonsmallworld.com.

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DINOSAURGEsTAPO S

By Steven Joseph

ince the very first hunter-gatherers stopped being nomadic and settled in fertile areas, humans have been collectors. Collectors of food. Collectors of traditions.

Collectors of knowledge about our surroundings. As technology has advanced, the things we have collected as a society have gone from needs to simply things that intrigue us. Whether it be coins, stamps, memorabilia, cultural artifacts, or jewelry, almost everyone of us has some

form of a collection that is uniquely special and often shared within a peer community of like-minded collectors. And now we’re all in danger of the U.S. government breaking down our doors, and taking it back at the bequest of foreign countries. Loopholes in antiquated laws and aggressive interpretation of the laws meant originally and specifically for the seizure of narcotics assets are being used to seize collectibles from law-abiding, taxpaying citizens.

exactly how avid amateur fossil collector Dr. Robert Lavinsky is describing it. See, Rob is under siege from the Customs Office due to their newly found powers after being merged into Homeland Security. Rob has a fine private collection of fossils, all ob-

Of course this scenario sounds extreme!

It sounds like gestapo tactics that could only happen in another country. But, that’s The excerpt from Guernsey Auction House catalog June 24, 2004 showing the T-Rex skull Dr. Rob Lavinsky purchased. The entry was cleared by their lawyers under USA laws of the time.

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ised them to a permanent home in the Dallas Museum of Nature and Science. The fossils were a hobby for him to share with his children, and he is part of a larger community of non-scientific fossil collectors who share their treasures with academics such as the well-known Dr. Robert Bakker, the curator of the Beijing Museum, and other academics from museums around the world.

Lavinsky is not a fossil-dealer or amateur

Lavinsky T-Rex skull in storage

paleontologist by trade, but his interest in

tained legally at auctions or on the open and public market at trade shows in Denver and Tucson [see the inset at left of the actual auction description from which he purchased the T-Rex skull]. But the issue isn’t how Rob came into possession of the dinosaur bones in the USA, or even how they entered the USA, so much as the fossils’ origins.

science led him to start collecting fossils when his children were born as something to share with them and leave as a legacy.

“Nothing I have is a secret,” he says. And his

This case isn't simply

about fossils, but anything of value from the earth

Not Just a OneTime Incidence Rob isn’t alone in his plight. “Dr. Jim Godwin, a 74-year-old anesthesiologist and fossil collector in Texas, was pulled from a surgery two years ago.

Seven SWAT agents with guns showed up at his hospital to threaten him with charges in front of his patients and staff, and escorted him forcibly home to seize his skull (one like mine but smaller), although his other fossils (like mine) remain under threat still,” said Lavinsky.

from another country.

What's to stop African nations from passing a law about removal of gold or diamonds, then instituting

According to a former head of natural history at Chait Auction House and Bonhams Auction House and other authorities, other collectors in the same position include the well-known fossils owned by Phil Mickelson, Nicholas Cage, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Who is next? Our national museums?

The Background Lavinsky’s multimillion dollar collection contains exciting specimens that span the globe, from Montana to Mongolia. And rather than selfishly hoard these bones from the general public, he has graciously allowed them to be displayed in his local museums at times, and had already prom-

search-and-seizure for all jewelry in the U.S.? collection is “not about the money. I have never done this for business.”

But a portion of Lavinsky’s collection includes dinosaur bones that were discovered and dug up in Mongolia. Mongolia has a strict policy today about the exportation of anything removed from the ground. However, fossils for open sale in the USA have been sold for decades here. And recently, the current Mongolian government has suddenly called for the immediate seizure and return of these fossils, despite their public sale at

U.S. auction houses (which had their own legal research with an opposite stance on the matter) for decades, and their open sale on the markets under previous governments in the past. They did so in an unusual and aggressive manner, possible only under a “creative” interpretation of a 1934 U.S. Customs law, in tandem with the Homeland Security enforcement for the Customs office.

An Absurd Loophole Under a new loophole in the U.S. Customs laws, a country can report these items as “stolen” and the U.S. government can then choose to honor that claim without the burden of proof, and initiate a seizure. Homeland Security has cited the National Stolen Property Act and sent letters to Rob and other collectors requesting they voluntarily relinquish their fossils. The letter also warns that “any other attempt to conceal, sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of the stolen artifacts may be a violation of U.S. law.” “Suddenly dealers and collectors are running scared. The amateur market is completely drying up. People are afraid to sell or display anything, regardless of provenance such as an auction house, and this hurts everybody including the scientists and the museums,” Rob laments.

Lavinsky’s plight first began when he received a strongly-worded letter sent to his home from the U.S. Attorney General. In a speech to the public after Rob’s (and DiCaprio’s and Cage’s) letter was sent, the USAG called private collectors “Rapists of the Earth. They (the collectors) hide them (the fossils) from science, and we are losing out because of this.” ¹ The USAG then made remarks stating how honored he was to repatriate the people of Mongolia with previously seized fossils. “The people of Mongolia can now restore them and display them…(they are) astonishing symbols of Mongolian national pride.” ¹ But without the work and money of private collectors and the expeditions their purchases finance, these fossils would still be in Mongolia. In the ground. Or, even worse, the fossils will weather away to dust and no one will ever see or study them.

When recalling the USAG’s words, more or less echoed in newspaper articles from

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needed to arm itself against the British) as an excuse to hoard chemical weapons. The same sort of "doctrinal novelty (sic)" has been chastised by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals after it was used in other unusual legal procedures by the same attorney general's office pursuing the dinosaur fossils.3

According to authorities, other collectors in the same predicament as Dr. Lavinsky include Phil Mickelson, Nicholas Cage and Leonardo DiCaprio. Who is next? Our national museums? (Photo credits left to right: L.E. Mormile, Anton Ivanov, Helga Esteb) promotional events where U.S. officials give American citizens’ items to foreign governments, Lavinsky laughs with cynicism and disgust. “There aren’t enough scientificallyfunded digs by professional paleontologists to possibly discover everything out there. The scientific community needs amateur collectors to help get these fossils out of the ground.

The truly injured party here is the American taxpayer, paying for Homeland Security to spend tens of millions of dollars chasing fossils which were sold in the open market in the U.S. under existing U.S. law to fair buyers.” Lavinsky is referring to the legal battle he is now ensnared in over ownership of his fossils, a topic that quickly makes his blood boil.

dollar lawsuit against the government who has an unlimited budget and seems to be acting to enforce foreign laws (from the 1920s) on U.S. soil.”

U.S. Attorneys Citing Mongolian Law (Not U.S. Law)

“So here’s the rub. I can’t even sue for ownership of the fossil. The fossil itself is the defendant in the suit. Eventually I can legally intervene as a ‘friend of the fossil,’ but currently this is a case of the U.S. (funded by the taxpayer) versus the fossil (whose defense is also funded by the taxpayer). And if the U.S. wins, the fossil is returned to Mongolia where U.S. citizens would never be able to see it.”

In arguing against the claimants’ motions to dismiss these seizures, the government’s lawyers liken their case to that of a previously allowed seizure in which customs forms were doctored and the item was smuggled out of the country. In that case, the laws violated were not of the country of origin, but of the United States. The lawyers then repeatedly cite the 1924 constitution as well as the 2002 Criminal Code of the Law of Mongolia to assert their legal right to reclaim the fossils. But this isn’t a case of Mongolia versus the United States in some neutral location which recognizes every country’s individual laws. The United States government is citing Mongolian laws to validate taking these fossils back from U.S. citizens who bought in the fair and open marketplace within the USA.

The controversy has Lavinsky questioning not just the art of collecting, but the entire government he supports. “This whole thing could have been civil,” he said. “If the government had just come to me and said, ‘Hey, here’s the money you paid for the fossil back, it was allegedly exported illegally, and we apologize for the inconvenience but another country wants it back and we will mediate a fair compensation for repatriation as with any other art field,’ I would have given up immediately. But now I’m embroiled in what could be a multimillion

The Mongolian constitutional law upon which the case is based is itself antiquated and being manipulated by the USAG as a flimsy attempt at setting a dangerous legal precedent. The law was enacted in 1924 when Mongolia was raided by the Soviet nations.² The Chinese Civil War left Mongolian borders unprotected and the U.S.S.R. invaded and pillaged private property.

This is the equivalent of using the Second Amendment (the Right to Bear Arms, as at the time the United States population

The Irony

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Even Dr. Mark Norell of the American Museum NYC, one of the paleontologists most hostile to collectors, stated in an article, "It's legal [to sell them] because we don't recognize these laws.”4

Retroactive Regulation The big picture issue at hand is that this is not simply about fossils, but potentially anything of value that at some point came from the earth or from another country and was once traded openly in the USA. Combined with Homeland Security’s newfound power, and under the new interpretation of the laws here (primarily a customs law dating to 1934 called the “customs carve out” provision),5 what is to stop the African nations from passing a law about the removal of gold or diamonds from their borders, then instituting a search-and-seizure for all jewelry in the U.S. that contains such things from before they specifically banned them? And a search-and-seizure backed by, and paid for by, the U.S. government? How about the tribal masks displayed in many homes as decorative art? Or the Egyptian artifacts gracing the walls of many of our museums? “This is retroactive regulation,” Lavinsky said, “They’ve dropped a nuclear bomb on a hobby that’s passionate about educating and sharing the beauty and inspiration of science with our country and the world.” The U.S. has started another war, and it’s a war that “no one is winning.”

Least of all, the taxpayer who funds these witch hunts. And there will be more if this is not challenged.

References: Prepared Remarks for U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara Dinosaur Repatriation Ceremony, July 10, 2014 2 Case 1:12-cv-04760-PKC Document 12 Filed 08/17/12 3 International NY Times edition Dec 21-24, 2015 4 Fossils National Geographic News June 25, 2004 5 Case 1:12-cv-04760-PKC Document 16 Filed 09/04/12 1

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Could One American Family’s DNA Trace to the

Knights Templar & the Holy Bloodline?

By Jana Soeldner Danger

L

ike many people, Steve St. Clair wanted to trace his ancestry. But little did he know that his search would lead to solid evidence that his family is directly linked to the Knights Templar, a powerful ancient order mentioned in the popular novel The Da Vinci Code by best-selling author Dan Brown. Some people believe, as the novel intimates, that there is a connection between the Templars and a child born to Jesus and Mary Magdalene.

Confronting Mortality St. Clair’s search began soon after 9/11. The New Steve St. Clair visited Castle Acre York marketing executive had plans to go into Priory to research his ancestry. the city that day, but something came up that changed his mind. Afterwards, he realized he probably would have been killed if not for that seemingly simple decision. “It brought me in touch with my own mortality,” he said.

“I decided I didn’t want to die without learning my own history.”

Gathering Stories His first step was to send his grandfather a tape recorder. “He recorded hours of stories and family connections,” St. Clair said.

“It taught me a lot about the decisions our family made and the mistakes they made.”

After listening to the tape, he couldn’t wait to search further into his family history. “I was hooked,” he said.

He began a quest to track his genealogy that took him to French abbeys, castles in Scotland, and many other distant locations where he pieced together the history of the St. Clairs. Eventually, his story was featured in a two-part episode of “America Unearthed,” a TV show hosted by forensic geologist Scott Wolter on the History Channel. The program disclosed evidence that some members of the Knights Templar may have come to 146

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America as early as 1307, beating Columbus by almost two centuries, and told about sites in both the United States and Europe linking the Knights to cryptic symbols that Wolter suggests represent a connection to Jesus’ bloodline.

What is the connection? Some have claimed that Scotland's first Grand Master Mason William St. Clair and his descendants were members of the Knights Templar. The idea was that not only were the St. Clairs the keepers of the Holy Grail, they were the Grail itself by virtue of supposedly being descendants from the bloodline of Jesus. Believers in this ideology came to this conclusion by way of Mary, Jesus' mother, who was known as Santa Maria della rosa. With Jesus being called 'the rose of Sharon,' the followers link them to the Sinclairs of Roslin, which they have deciphered as the Rose line. These theorists believe that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene and that this would have created a family bloodline with a St. Clair surname. This is also the controversial plot line in Dan Brown's book, The Da Vinci Code.

But, St. Clair hastens to say, there is no real evidence of a child fathered by Jesus. “There are those who are chasing that fantasy, but there’s nothing to support it,” he said. “I’m interested in fact, not fantasy. But just because I haven’t seen any evidence of a Jesus/Mary bloodline doesn’t keep me from being curious about it.”

Unclear Origins Some people think the idea of the child might have started with the Masons (a fraternal organization that traces its roots to stone mason guilds in the 14th century), St. Clair said. Others believe it might have begun with the book, Holy Blood, Holy Grail, which was published in the 1980s.

While Steve St. Clair was in France, he visited a sculpture done by a 15th century artist that stands in the St. Remi Basilica. The statue depicts several people standing over the body of Jesus after his crucifixion. St. Clair says the central figure is Mary Magdalene, and her large belly suggests that she is pregnant. On the platform holding the body of Jesus is a Templar cross.

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While St. Clair was in France with Wolter, the two visited a sculpture done by a 15th century artist that stands in the St. Remi Basilica. It seems to suggest there was interest in the idea during that era, and St. Clair has a photo of the statue posted on his website. It depicts several people standing over the body of Jesus after his crucifixion. The central figure is Mary Magdalene, and her large belly suggests that she is pregnant. On the platform holding the body of Jesus is a Templar cross.

Separating Fact From Fantasy But St. Clair was interested in his own personal genealogy, not the plot of a novel or the musings of medieval artists. He wanted to know where he came from, because his past is responsible for who he is now. “I became incredibly focused on getting it done, and it’s been quite a journey,” he said.

So like many others, he started hunting for connections and clues. “When I first began searching, I got back to the year 1822 and got stuck,” he said.

The two were indeed connected. St. Clair then opened his DNA study to Sinclairs all over the world to try to understand family connections even to those who lived in the medieval era, including the Knights Templar.

“Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code was actually bad for our family,” he said. “It furthered a myth which had zero supporting evidence.

It put the focus on fantasy rather than the facts, which are, by themselves, quite interesting. I discovered that our family back in medieval England was quite powerful and influential. We moved in very important circles. We got into Scotland in 1162, and the same direct bloodline of our family still owns that land.”

The Order of the Knights Templar

Looking for a way to move forward, he decided to do a DNA test using the website Family Tree DNA. He also persuaded a man named Stan St. Clair to do a DNA test as well. “I was simply trying to prove whether or not I was connected to Stan’s line, because he had a solid paper trail to a man named Alexander Sinkler, a 1698 immigrant from Scotland,” St. Clair said. “My own study had holes in it from the 1800s.”

Exactly who were the Knights Templar?

Their history dates back to the 12th century, soon after the first Crusade.

Backed by a powerful Hugues de Payens, a French nobleman, was the co-founder and first Grand Master of the Knights Templar. He began the order with eight of his knighted relatives. Their goal was to protect Christian pilgrims as they traveled to visit holy sites in Jerusalem. In 1129, the Knights were sanctioned by the Church.

During the 13th century, both the De Vauxs and the St. Clairs moved to the same area of Scotland, where the De Vauxs donated Fidra Island to Dryburgh Abbey, a place closely associated with the Sinclairs. Written records of the transaction exist, and the St. Clairs are listed as witnesses, also a definite sign that the families were related.

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French family known as the Counts of Champagne, a French nobleman named Hugues de Payens began the order with eight of his knighted relatives. Their goal was to protect Christian pilgrims as they traveled to visit holy sites in Jerusalem.

In the year 1129, the Knights were sanctioned by the Church and, as a result, gained power and influence. They became very successful at raising funds, and they sought donations of money and land, as well as commitments from young men to join the Order. A donor’s reward was the assurance of a place in heaven.

New members of the Order took oaths of obedience, chastity, piety and poverty. They were also required to give all their earthly goods to the monastic brotherhood.

In 1139, the Church gave the Knights Templar even more power.

They were allowed to pass freely across borders, paid no taxes, and were subject to no authority except the Pope. During the Crusades, the Templars were an elite fighting force, although not all the members were soldiers. Many took on a supporting role, raising funds for those who were engaged in battle.

The St. Clair Connection By the time St. Clair began his research, there was already plenty of conjecture about the family’s connections to the Templars.

But there was no real evidence, and he realized he might be able to use DNA to find some.

It turned out that DNA was indeed the key to the puzzle.

During the search, he found that the St. Clairs were directly related to a family named De Vaux, and that its members had been involved with the Templars. “It changed everything for me,” he said.

“It crystalized the fact that we were connected to those families.”

He finally had the proof he had been seeking.

The De Vauxs and the St. Clairs had a common ancestor who lived in the 1100s, and the two families lived near to each other in Normandy during the 1200s. Both had donated money to St. Martins des Champs in Paris, a French abbey where the Order of Templar had strong influence. Wanting to see the site for himself, St. Clair flew to France, where he did further research using primary source documents from the era.

“The Normans kept very precise written records,” he said.

During the 13th century, both the De Vauxs and the St. Clairs moved to the same area of Scotland, where the De Vauxs donated Fidra Island to Dryburgh Abbey, a place closely associated with the Sinclairs. Written records of the transaction exist, and the St. Clairs are listed as witnesses, also a definite sign that the families were related.

“People back then changed their names according to the properties they lived on, but their DNA was the same,” he said.

Many Rewards Tracing genealogy has many rewards, and a DNA test is a good way to start, St. Clair said. “The results tell you actual people you match with, and you can contact them and continue your search.

“If you have a surname that goes back to Normandy, England or Scotland, you should look through the medieval records and see if you find your surname with other names together donating land to the same abbeys,” he continued. “If you find this, then chances are you are a direct descendant of those medieval people. Ancient records matches plus DNA matches are as good as it gets in extreme genealogy.”

He added, “DNA alone is just a string of numbers. But testing combined with records research tells you very precisely when you share common ancestors.”

Knowing the Connections Knowing the truth about his family and separating it from myth has brought him a great deal of satisfaction. “It’s a real pleasure to know I connect to particular families and particular times, and to really know the history of those families,” he said. “The fact that I’m here today is the result of the things they did and the decisions they made. The search honors those ancestors.”

He’s glad he sent that tape recorder to his grandfather, the decision that started his genealogical journey. “Every generation should sit down and write their stories,” he said.

“Sooner or later there’s going to be someone like me who wants them, and the stories should be there for them.”

To see more about the research Steve St. Clair did on his family, visit his website at stclairresearch.com/content/ Sinclair-Templar-Proof

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D e c r y p t i n g

The Dollar

By Todd R. Sciore

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Deputy Grand Master Akram Elias poses in front of the Pillars of Charity 19 November, 2007 at the Supreme Council, Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, USA in Washington, D.C. This monumental building in the nation’s capital has been the national headquarters of the Supreme Council since 1915. This Freemason lodge in Washington, D.C. was the one depicted in the Dan Brown novel "The Lost Symbol".

T

he lowly dollar bill is long known to have arcane symbolism incorporated into its design, and while the average consumer is familiar with its appearance, few are able to interpret the meanings contained therein. South Florida Opulence contacted Mr. Akram Elias, a former Grand Master and widely recognized expert in Masonic symbolism, for a look at the various items that are hidden in plain sight. It was Akram’s “Mother Lodge” (Potomac Lodge No. 5) in Washington, D.C. that was portrayed in the Dan Brown book The Lost Symbol.

1923 Legal Tender and Silver Certificates, the larger size dollar bills

A Dollar’s Worth Of History When the smaller size currency in our wallets made its debut with series 1928 Legal Tender and Silver Certificates, the older, larger size dollar bills (affectionately dubbed “horse blankets”) were replaced. The series 1928 reverse design is often called a “funny back” by collectors. This design was short lived and was replaced on series 1935 Silver Certificates by the more familiar image we know today.

According to the Philadelphia Fed, the genesis for the reverse design change came in 1934 from then Secretary of Agriculture Henry Wallace who was reading a feature on the Great Seal of the United States. He presented his idea to President and fellow Freemason Franklin D. Roosevelt who was receptive and decided to

“Funny Back" reverse of a Series 1928-A $1.00 bill

(affectionately dubbed “horse blankets”)

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The all-seeing eye above the pyramid is an oft-used allusion to God, however“to Freemasonry, this symbol stands for the source of light and is referred to as the Grand Architect, the Grand Geometrician, or Providence”

The number one represents oneness and unity

The eagle to the old world was a symbol of power…to the Founders of the United States in the new world, the eagle became a symbol of freedom and independence

replace the funny back with the more esoteric Great Seal of the United States. “By esoteric,” states Elias, “I mean the one dollar bill contains symbols that convey deep meanings which only the initiated eye can fully decipher. In fact, using the one dollar bill, one can explain the fundamentals of the Great Experiment as envisioned and crafted by the Founding Fathers of the United States.”

Symbolism Explained Ever wonder why George Washington is featured on the one dollar bill and not a higher denomination more befitting the Father of our country? Logic would figure it was because he was our first President, however “the number one represents oneness and unity” which Elias indicates is why Washington “who successfully brought the diverse populations of the colonies to form one union” is on its obverse.

On the reverse you will find a prominently featured eagle. “The eagle to the old world was a symbol of power… to the Founders of the United States in the new world, the eagle became a symbol of freedom and independence.” There is also the concept of duality within the design as the eagle is holding both arrows (war) and an olive branch (peace) in its talons and in its beak a banner with the Latin phrase “E Pluribus Unum” (Out of Many, One). “Esoterically, this signifies that the United States will remain free and independent in this world as long as it strikes the right balance between waging war and building peace.” Elias also noted that the eagle is facing the olive branch meaning that “unlike in the old world where nations waged war for the purposes of conquest, enrichment and enslavement, in the new world, the United States should go to war only for the higher purpose of preserving and/or building peace in this world”.

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The all-seeing eye above the pyramid is an oft-used allusion to God, however “to Freemasonry, this symbol stands for the source of light and is referred to as the Grand Architect, the Grand Geometrician, or Providence.” One of the more overlooked Freemason symbols in the design is the arrangement of thirteen five pointed stars over the eagle in the shape of a six pointed star. Thirteen stars represent the original colonies, however Elias notes the “number five is very important in the language of symbols of Freemasonry” as it represents, among other things, that “Freemasonry teaches that there are five classical (GrecoRoman) orders of architecture, namely Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite”. The six pointed star, which is most commonly thought of as the Star of David, represents “the seal of King Solomon, the wise king in the Abrahamic traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam”.

The next time you handle a dollar bill take a second to look at The Great Seal of the United States on the reverse and know that you are holding what Akram Elias feels is “the most esoteric piece of paper money that exists on the face of the earth” while further adding that “The Great Seal is a constant reminder of what the Great Experiment is all about. The Seal teaches to seek new and enlightened ways to solve old problems. Today, the United States faces trials domestically and internationally. How are we to go about tackling them? Let the Seal be a source of inspiration, and never let history repeat itself”.

Sources Paper Money Of The United States 20th Edition- by: Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, published by Coin & Currency Institute, 2013. www.philadelphiafed.org/education/teachers/publications/symbols-on-american-money. www.wikipedia.com

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condo law

Condo Construction Projects: Why It’s Vital for Associations to Seek Counsel First

By Lisa A. Lerner For community associations, construction

legal entity of the selected contractor and

projects often represent some of the costliest

verify that it is properly licensed to perform the

expenses they will ever approve, but in many

work. They can also search for any complaints

cases associations enter into these contracts

filed against the contractor.

without consulting qualified association counsel in advance. With certain exceptions, condominium associations are required to obtain competitive project bids that exceed 5 percent of the total annual budget, including reserves.

For Homeowners Associations, the threshold is 10 percent.

It is also critical for associations to stipulate that the contractor must maintain proper insurance coverage and limits, including workers' compensation and commercial general liability insurance. The association will need to be named in original certificates of insurance reflecting that it is an additional insured and

Associations should contact board members

not merely a certificate holder. Association at-

or managers at other properties where the

torneys and insurance professionals are able

contractor has performed similar projects to

to verify the proper insurance provisions are

check references. Contractors should be asked

included in the contract and the contractor

to submit written bids in response to bid pack-

has all of the proper coverage. The contrac-

ages from the association that may include

tor should also produce all necessary building

specifications and drawings prepared by a li-

department permits for the project. Under

censed engineer or other design professional.

no circumstances should work be performed

Attorneys will obtain the correct name of the

without having secured proper permits.

To comply with construction lien laws, the association must file a Notice of Commencement for any project over $2,500.

The payment schedule in the contract should be commensurate with the percentage of the work that is completed, and it should include a retainage of 10 percent that is held back for each payment. The contractor should provide releases of liens and progress payment affidavits for all partial payments and releases from all of the subcontractors and suppliers.

For additional important details, read the longer version of this article at www.southfloridaopulence.com.

Partner Lisa A. Lerner with the Coral Gables-based law firm of Siegfried, Rivera, Hyman, Lerner, De La Torre, Mars & Sobel, P.A. has focused on representing condominium and homeowners associations in matters involving all aspects of community association law since 1983. www.srhl-law.com, www.

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Luxury Living, What’s Included OR What Should Be Included? Think About IT

By Andrew Rand, controller & Director of Association Accounting at CSI Management Services What should be included in luxury living?

Now is the time, before hurricane season, to make sure your management company, manager, or ultimately the board, has contingency plans ready. Think about how important the Information Technology function is for your Association to continue operations in the event of a natural disaster. In South Florida, statistically, we could be wide open for a hurricane and related flooding, as it has been years since a direct hit. A type of contingency plan that should be prepared if your luxury residence is in South Florida is a Hurricane Disaster Recovery Plan (HDRP).

Disaster recovery is restoration of data and business function after loss -- the resuming of normal information processing operations after a major interruption. Business continuity is the continuation of business by other means 154

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during the period in which computer processing is unavailable or less than normal. Plans must be made for disasters, such as floods or hurricanes, for when the data center is physically unavailable.

Computer files themselves must be made available, so periodic backup and off-site rotation of computer files are basic parts of any disaster recovery and continuity plan. A truth seldom recognized is that an organization’s data is more valuable than its hardware. Hardware can be replaced for a price, but each organization’s data is unique and indispensable to operations. If data is destroyed, it can’t be replaced. Periodic backup and rotation are essential. The most complete disaster recovery plan has an alternative processing site, backup and off-site storage procedures, identification of critical applications and testing of the plan.*

The Florida Division of Emergency Management can help assist in preparing your Hurricane Disaster Recovery Plan at http://FLGetAPlan.

It takes you through a series of questions with four different sections. Protecting your Association’s current and historical data, and being able to resume normal processing quickly, is an important thought to keep in mind as your Association develops its Hurricane Disaster Recovery Plan. *Gleim, Irving N. “Study Unit 12 IT Software, Data and Contingency Planning.” Gleim CPA Review.

2015 ed. Gainesville, Florida: Gleim Publications, 2015. 334-38. Print.

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