ATLANTIC CURRENT: Issue 58 - Sept/Oct 2022

10 YEARS IN PRINT There’s too many people to thank, but you know who you are.

Sept/Oct 2022 Issue 58

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3

9.02 PERRY STRAIT 4PM 9.02 FUSIK 9PM 9.03 B RYCE ALLY N BAND 9PM 9.04 B ROCK PILGRIM 4PM

10.01 CLEMENT AUB REY AND FULL AH VIB E S 9PM 10.02 NIP N TUCK 4PM 10.07 ANIMO CRUZ

9.09 LOW GROUND 4PM

10.07 MISHK A WITH OF G OOD NATURE 8PM

9.09 TOMM Y SHUGART TRIO 9PM

10.08 P OCKIT 4PM

9.10 KILLB ILLIE S DUO 4PM

10.08 TAND 9PM

9.10 MIGHT Y M YSTIC 9PM

10.09 JA MBUSH 4PM

9.11 THAT MAN AD ROB IN 4PM

10.14 JAKOB TAKOS 4PM

9.16 MAT T WALDEN 4PM

10.14 S OULTAXI 9PM

9.16 DRUM AND COMPAN Y 9PM

10.15 JOEY TENU TO BAND 9PM

9.17 NOU VE AU X HONKIE S 4PM

10.16 DUB B LE JA ME S 4PM

9.17 S OUL JA M 9PM

10.21 FOX MAPLE 4PM

9.18 EMILY B ROOKE 4PM

10.21 UNLIMITED DEVOTION 9PM

9.23 DUB B LE JA ME S 4PM

10.22 JOHN LE ONARD TRIO 4PM

9.23 FUNKIN’ GRATEFUL 9PM

10.22 MAD THAI 9PM

9.24 JOHNN Y DEBT 4PM

10.23 THE MONTHLY SPE CIAL 4PM

9.24 FAYUCA WITH HOWI SPANGLER OF BALLY HOO! 8PM

10.28 B RET T STASK A 4PM

9.25 THE MONTHLY SPE CIAL 4PM 9.30 B RET T STASK A 4PM 9.30 XPERIMENTO 9PM

10.28 MARVELOUS FUNKSHUN 9PM 10.29 THE LE AF Y GREENS 4PM 10.29 TAST Y VIB RATIONS 9PM 10.30 VICTORIA LEIGH 4PM

CONTENTS

14 20 26 32

36

40

44

8

Pete & Kepa Mendia

Catching up with father and son surfing duo

Uproot Hootenanny

Brian and Brian sit down to chat fifteen years of hootenanny

Surfer Blood

West Palm’s indie fave paddles into their second decade

The Sticky Bun

Husband and wife take the road less traveled toward dining success

Soul Rebel

Still rockin’ steady and slinging good vibes

FAU Football Season Preview

Get up to speed on Owl football before your next game

Interwebs

We have a website and yes it has articles, too

10 YEARS IN PRINT

EVENTS

10 Year Anniversary Party

We will be having a ten year anniversary party and yes you

should be there. It won’t be in September and it won’t be in

Follow @atlanticcurrent on Instagram for updates

October, but it will probably be in November. Maybe December.

We’ll let you know.

SEPTEMBER 9

OCTOBER 7

@ Mathews Brewing – Lake Worth

@ Guanabanas — Jupiter

The People Upstairs

Tommy Shugart Trio @ Guanabanas – Jupiter SEPTEMBER 10

Loggerhead Marinelife Center “Tour De Trash” Beach Cleanup @ Lake Worth Pier (9/16 @ Palm Beach Island, 9/17 @ Deerfield Beach, 9/18 @ Tequesta, 9/25 @ Carlin Park/Jupiter)

Mighty Mystic

@ Guanabanas — Jupiter SEPTEMBER 15

The Flyers

@ Crazy Uncle Mikes — Boca

Bryan Smith & Friends @ Maxi’s Lineup — Jupiter SEPTEMBER 17

Respectable Street 35th Anniversary Block Party — WPB

FAU vs UCF @ FAU Stadium — Boca

SEPTEMBER 20

Wu-Tang Clan & NAS

@ iThink Amphitheater — WPB SEPTEMBER 23

Bryce Allyn Trio

@ Maxi’s Lineup — Jupiter

Surfer Blood

@ Propaganda — Lake Worth

Mishka

OCTOBER 8

Oktoberfest Celebration

@ Mathews Brewing — Lake Worth

Tand

@ Guanabanas — Jupiter OCTOBER 9

Zac Brown Band

@ iThink Amphitheater — WPB

Brian & Brian

@ The Sticky Bun — Deerfield OCTOBER 15

Boca Pumpkin Patch Festival @ Mizner Park Amp OCTOBER 22

Mad Thai

@ Guanabanas — Jupiter OCTOBER 28

5th Annual Halloween Party

@ Mathews Brewing — Lake Worth OCTOBER 29

The Leafy Greens (4pm) & Tasty Vibrations (9pm) @ Guanabanas — Jupiter

11th Annual Witches of Delray Beach Bike Ride The Pietasters

@ Respectable Street — WPB OCTOBER 30

SEPTEMBER 24

Sandoway’s Shark Day

@ Crazy Uncle Mikes — Boca

Justin Enco

The Heavy Pets

Fayuca w/ Howi Spangler of Ballyhoo @ Guanabanas — Jupiter SEPTEMBER 30

The Flyers

@ Maxi’s Lineup — Jupiter 10

@ Sandoway Discovery Center — Delray @ The Sticky Bun — Deerfield

For a whole lot more, visit theatlanticcurrent.com/events

PUBLISHER

WEB EDITOR

Dustin Wright

Ava Bourbeau

EDITOR

PHOTOGRAPHY

Darien Davies

DESIGN

Richard Vergez

WRITERS

Aaron Gray Ava Bourbeau David Rolland Darien Davies Cash Lambert

EVENTS

Danny Wright

Dustin Wright

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AV Photography Ali Mendia

Darin Back David Hamzik Nathan Hamler Nothing Negative Co. Ralph Notaro Shane Grace Tony Arruza Zak Bennett

ADVERTISING

561-449-2263 info@theatlanticcurrent.com

THANKS …to our advertisers who make this local mag you’re about to enjoy both possible and free. As you’ll notice, we’ve worked hard over the years to curate our sponsorships with businesses we know you’ll enjoy. They’ve become an integral part of our mag being one cohesive piece and we can’t thank them enough. Please support us by supporting them.

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Copyright 2022 by the Atlantic Current LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The Atlantic Current is a registered trademark of The Atlantic Current LLC.

THE COVER

Ten years felt like forever starting out, but feels like nothing looking back. Crazy how time passes when there’s always a deadline for the next edition around the corner. But this milestone was a

good time to reflect, look back at old issues and relive some of the

early days. It wasn’t always pretty (looking through old mags was a

clear reminder) but we were able to pull some editions that we still like to this day for the 10 year cover. We brought about twenty into the studio, dropped them on the table, moved ‘em around a little and snapped a few frames. Each of these covers bring up their

own set of memories. From throwing a boom box into a pool fifty times to last minute changes we ended up liking — it’s all there.

Some good, some decent, some cringe…but hey, it’s all part of the story. Fortunately, our story has another chapter. As we close this one, we can’t wait to be better in the next. - Dustin Wright

12

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SURF

Surfing Bloodlines

14

PHOTO: DARIN BACK

How Peter and Kepa Mendia Have Become World-Renowned Talents While Calling South Florida Home

BY CASH LAMBERT At 9:30 p.m., the Mendia house was buzzing. As Peter Mendia

packed for an upcoming surf trip to Costa Rica that his youngest son, Kepa, would join him on, his wife, Ali, and his oldest son,

Egan, kept me busy in conversation. When Peter reached a stopping point, he told Kepa to give me a tour of his quiver.

That’s why I had come to the Mendia’s South Florida home on a weeknight in 2015 — to write about this budding surf grom for Atlantic Current.

Kepa shyly showed me his surfboards — an arsenal of 4’4s and

4’7s shaped by Todd Proctor that matched his 9-year-old frame.

PHOTO: SHANE GRACE

After Kepa said that he was using these boards in surf competitions, Peter reiterated the importance of keeping surfing fun.

It’s hard to believe my visit to the Mendia’s house was seven

years ago. As I re-read the article, entitled “Grom Life with Kepa Mendia,” I was thankful for print outlets like Atlantic Current

in our digital-heavy world, because the article not only seeks to

entertain, but it shows just how far Peter and Kepa have come in their surfing careers.

I realized the ultimate paradox: It seems that so much has

changed with Peter and Kepa since then. But at the same time, it doesn’t seem like much has changed at all.

If you visit beaches in Palm Beach County during a swell, you’re likely to see a surfer sending saltwater in every direction, hacking, carving and destroying the walls of each wave he surfs.

That’s what Peter Mendia’s been doing for decades. The South Florida native began surfing at 10 years old, traveled around

the world on the competition circuit, and found his niche as a freesurfer.

15

SURF

PHOTO: TONY ARRUZA

16

Peter Mendia’s staple, from his grom days to now, is his patented power surfing. He’s also known for charging the biggest and gnarliest waves, resulting in jaw-dropping barrels. Mexico,

Hawaii, Indonesia, the Bahamas…the location doesn’t matter.

Peter’s surfing brilliance is on display wherever he goes.

If you see Peter in the water, you’ll probably see Kepa sitting next to him and showcasing his surfing repertoire: throwing buckets, hunting for barrels and launching sky-high airs.

When he was old enough, Kepa started going on strike missions

with his dad, like the Costa Rica trip they were packing for when I ventured to their house in 2015.

As Kepa grew, so did his boards — 4’4s became 5’7s and 4’7s be-

“Fun Comes First.”

came 5’8s. He’s added hardware to his name, including a handful of National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) titles.

Plus, he’s been at the epicenter of surfing as it migrates from

contest to contest, coast to coast. In 2019, just minutes before the start of the Billabong Pipe Masters on Oahu’s North Shore, young Kepa was freesurfing with contestants. He stood up on a massive

Backdoor wave, disappeared behind a blue curtain, and exploded out of it. The world’s best surfers saw the wave from the beach, and, after the clip went viral in the global surfing community,

those who didn’t know the grom were introduced to his talents.

Either way, the sentiment was in agreement: the wave was a perfect 10.

“It’s pretty incredible to see him evolve and just get better and

better…and actually like it,” Peter told me. I asked him if he was

pushing Kepa in surfing, because sometimes a parent pushing a child too hard in a sport can lead to stress and burnout. “I don’t

tell him anything,” Peter said. “I want him to enjoy it for himself.

Surfing is supposed to be fun.”

“Fun comes first,” Kepa told me, echoing Peter’s sentiment. “He’s

not trying to get in my head. He wants it to come easy and for me to have fun.”

In a sport that is now seeing a rapid growth of coaching — the majority of junior surfers as well as professionals have surf

coaches — Kepa decided that in order to keep things fun, he 17

SURF

PHOTO: ALI MENDIA

didn’t want a coach. “He is the only kid near his level that doesn’t

Pier set the scene for what Peter calls “the pureness” of surfing.

date speak for themselves.

exotic locations, Peter gets just as psyched watching kids learn

have a coach,” Peter told me. Kepa’s excellent contest results to

There’s no doubt that we are all products of our environment.

For someone who surfs some of the gnarliest waves in the most how to surf in the same waves that he once learned in.

While South Florida may not get the credit it deserves for being a

So much has changed since Atlantic Current’s last feature on the

class surfing resume.

changed at all.

training ground for surfers, it has shaped Peter and Kepa’s world-

“You don’t take surfing for granted living here,” Peter said. “If there’s a wave, you have to go.”

“Whenever there’s waves at home, I’m trying to surf as much as possible,” Kepa said. “I’ve met kids from other places who don’t care to surf as much. I’m frothing to surf anything.”

What excites the Mendia household today is their own version of giving back to the local surf community: Mendia Board-

ing School. The surf camp has run every summer for nearly a

decade, and is a source of stoke and pride for the family. A combination of soft tops, small summer waves, and the Lake Worth 18

Mendias, but at the same time, it doesn’t seem like much has

Catching up with Peter and Kepa for this 10th Anniversary issue, the most obvious change was Kepa’s surfing skill. It’s clear that he is one of the top junior surfers today. When I catch up with them again for the 20th Anniversary issue, I have a sneaking

suspicion of what I’ll be writing about, based on Kepa’s current

goal: “My dream is go on World Tour, and I’m going to compete until I do that.” @petemendia

@k_epic_mendia_

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SELF-CLOSING & SELF-LATCHING GATES

MUSIC

Hootenanny

Uproot

Brian Bolen (left) and Brian Trew (right)

PHOTOS BY DUSTIN WRIGHT

20

15 Years of Good Pickin’

PHOTO: NATHAN HAMLER

BY DARIEN DAVIES

If you’re one of the lucky ones, you’ll have spent your life living out

your passion. If you’re one of the ultra lucky ones, this would entail

traveling, jamming out on stage, sharing good vibes with thousands and thousands of people, and making life-long friendships — all in a day’s work.

Meet Brian and Brian,

who, by this standard, are some of the luckiest craic-loving people out there.

“Crazy it’s been 10 years, that was a great party at Kahunas!,” said

Brian Trew, recounting the band’s performance at Atlantic Current’s inaugural release party a decade ago. “Yeah, a ton has happened

with us. We’ve played loads of festivals, released an album, traveled up and down the East Coast, went to Ireland more than a dozen

times, had some really great times. We’ve gone through some lineup changes, but the Hootenanny spirit has never changed.”

The band began in 2007, with a lineup that included Brian Bolen, David Welch, Mike Kayne, Beau Myer, and Mike Kane.

21

MUSIC

“A

fter playing some open mics and picking up some

paying gigs around town, the band basically just formed around the people that were out at the gigs. It seemed like we provided a place for social gatherings of like-minded people in search of a good

time,” said Bolen, who started playing electric guitar when he was

10, which is when he felt that he was actively engaging and emulat-

ing the music he was listening to, instead of being kind of passively compelled by it. “If we were friends and you played an instrument,

you were basically in the Hootenanny. The band was a very natural and organic manifestation.”

Then along came Brian Trew, who was studying classical music at FAU, who caught their show at the Irishmen in Boca and started talking to the group while they were on a break. You know, just

the casual “I have a fiddle in my car” comment and it was a match made in let’s-see-what-happens heaven.

In the beginning, there would be anywhere from four to 11 people

on stage, which is a party in itself. According to Trew, this is where the name “hootenanny” came from.

“It’s a southern term meaning ‘an informal gathering of folk music and dancing.’ Bar owners would kind of look at us like, ‘you know

we only booked a two piece, right?’ We just love playing for people, and we still love it,” Trew said. “I’m excited to have my 2-year-old

come out to shows and experience live music. Maybe one day come up and play with the old man, haha!”

Much like the rest of the music world, COVID put a kink in their

performance schedule, so when venues didn’t have the budget for

a full band, the Brian duo started their own “Whiskey Wednesday” act at local places to just get by and keep spirits high. Slowly, and thankfully, the band is getting back to normal, welcoming bass

player Chris Bonelli back to the stage, joining Bolen on guitar/vo-

cals and Trew on fiddle/vocals. For bigger shows, you’ll find banjo

player Nigel Ledford from Firewater Tent Revival joining in as well.

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MUSIC

“There’s an amazing feeling I get when we are set up to play a show and I pause for a minute and think, ‘For the next few hours, my only job is to enjoy myself and play music I love with the people I love.’

Life becomes very simple and free. Your bandmates become your family, and the music and the audience become your world.”

24

PHOTO: NATHAN HAMLER

They also have a trip to Ireland planned for Sept. 2022, which

“Communicating with bandmates and audiences through music

new tunes so they’re looking forward to releasing an EP.

participate in. There’s music for every mood, yet music can also

always gives them a big boost, and Bolen has been writing some

“I’ve been writing some new music as well as revisiting some

ideas from years ago that we never really put together. This is a

similar formula that led to our previous albums,” said Bolen, who can’t really remember a time when he wasn’t into music (and it

shows). “We like to let nature take its course while recording and

usually end up with some groovy, some folky, some jammy, some Celtic, and some whiskey songs. We’re looking forward to the future.”

But, for the band, it has been and always will be about playing their fast-twitch fingers for their friends and fans.

“It’s still as fun as ever making people smile, and hopefully being the highlight of their week,” said Trew, who is excited that the

is an incredible experience that I feel so fortunate to be able to

set a mood. Somewhere in between is where the communication between the performer and audience takes place,” Bolen said.

“There’s an amazing feeling I get when we are set up to play a

show and I pause for a minute and think, ‘For the next few hours, my only job is to enjoy myself and play music I love with the people I love.’ Life becomes very simple and free. Your bandmates become your family, and the music and the audience become your world.”

After unsuccessfully trying to pin down their musical genre, they

came up with Americeltic Pubgrass, which, in a way, fits, because it makes little to no sense. But it feels like it’ll be fun, right? Lots

of clapping, tapping, dancing and craic-inducing good times, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

band still plays locally every Thursday through Sunday. “Playing

“South Florida is such an awesome community, with so many

huge festival, so that was definitely a memory I won’t forget. Just

gether for 15 years now and it’s all because folks keep coming out

Ireland is always a blast. The last time we were there was for a

traveling with the lads in the van, having a laugh, playing tunes… you definitely pinch yourself sometimes that this is your living.”

And a fun, energetic, memorable living at that. It’s almost something that you can’t quite describe, and that’s okay because the band can’t either.

great restaurants, bars and venues for live music. We’ve been toand keep it alive,” Trew said. “I mean, it’s the dream! Get paid to

play tunes with your buddies, travel, drink on the job, make peo-

ple happy, it’s the best! Since I was 12 I’ve been in a band. Making music and making people happy is what I always want to do.” @uproothootenanny

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MUSIC

Surfer

Blood

PHOTO: ZAK BENNETT

26

West Palm Indie Faves Paddle Into Their Second Decade

BY DAVID ROLLAND

Growing up in West Palm Beach, John Paul Pitts was writing

songs as soon as he picked up a guitar. “Once I learned I could record my music on a computer I never looked back,” John

recollects to Atlantic Current. When he moved up to Orlando to

attend the University of Central Florida, he met drummer Tyler

Schwarz. “Tyler had a Built to Spill poster. We liked all the same

bands, that college radio music. So, we started fleshing out songs that I wrote,” John said.

They put some of those early renditions of Surfer Blood songs on the internet. To their surprise, they garnered a devoted

following, including one pivotal person, Thomas Fekete. “We

met Thomas at a party in Miami. He said he loved our songs and

wanted to learn them. We thought he was joking at first. But then he came over and learned all our songs on guitar,” John said.

It was around 2009 when they bought a van on Craigslist and

booked a run of shows around the country off Myspace and hit the road. John’s memories of audience’s collective indifference

still bums him out. “I remember we played Chicago and only four Left to right: Michael McCleary, Lindsey Mills, Tyler Schwarz, John Paul Pitts

people bought tickets and they were all our friends. I remember

playing in Raleigh and people at the bar seemed bothered by our playing music,” John said. It was at a New York City show when things changed. They signed to the indie label Kanine Records, who agreed to put out their debut record “Astro Coast.”

27

MUSIC MUSIC

28

PHOTO: AV PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: DAVID HAMZIK

“That first album was the first 10 songs I ever wrote. The songs

and a record of covers titled “Covers,” where Surfer Blood puts

them, but the label was like, ‘nah,’” John said. The label made the

You.” John says there are plans afoot for even more Surfer Blood

on ‘Astro Coast’ were all demos. We thought we would re-record

their spin on OutKast’s “Hey Ya!” and Modern English’s “I Melt With

right decision. “Astro Coast” got all kinds of love for Surfer Blood

music. “I’m working on some demos. We have a studio space down

al television to the chance to open for some of their musical heroes

go late at night if you want to lay down a drum track and not wake

But the good times didn’t last. Shortly after completion of their

They’re also continuing to play live shows including a club gig on

Surfer Blood after being diagnosed with cancer. On May 30, 2016,

they will also play at Jupiter’s Abacoa Amphitheater where they will

from rave reviews from the music media to appearances on nationlike the Pixies and Guided by Voices.

third record, “1000 Palms,” guitarist Thomas Fekete had to leave

Fekete passed away at only 27 years of age. “He was the most de-

termined and smartest person I ever knew,” John said. “He taught

me all the cool bands. When I met him, I only listened to Pavement and that’s it. He opened my horizons. He worked at a Delray record

in Boynton called Shade Tree Studios. It’s nice to have a place to

anyone else up,” John said.

Friday, Sept. 23 at Propaganda in Lake Worth. On Saturday, Oct. 1, share an unlikely bill with ‘90s bands the Spin Doctors and Sister Hazel.

Even though John and the rest of the band are working day jobs to

shop Backbone Music. A lot of times the owner didn’t have money

pay their bills, looking back he can’t see Surfer Blood as anything

He was the accelerator of the group and was impossible to replace.”

play in 23 countries. After a show you’d get to talk to locals and get

Surfer Blood went on though. Guitarist Michael McCleary and bass-

with great friends was amazing,” John said.

to pay him, and he got paid in records, so he had a crazy collection.

ist Lindsey Mills joined the band for their last two original albums

but a major rock and roll success story. “I feel so lucky. We got to

an un-touristy view of the rest of the world. To do that in my 20s

29

MUSIC

PHOTO: AV PHOTOGRAPHY

On one of those international shows, John remembers see-

ing what that next level of rock stardom could have been like.

“We were playing these festivals in Australia. We were flying

between cities, and we just happened to be on the same plane

as The Strokes. We were just watching them. At baggage claim,

they were dressed very cool waiting for their bags in their leather jackets and sunglasses. Tom still had his neck pillow on and

asked us, ‘How can I look that cool?’ We were like, ‘maybe take off the neck pillow,’” John said.

But Surfer Blood has had their share of success. Surely they must have occasionally been recognized from their appearances on Jimmy Fallon or being written up on Pitchfork? “It happens,”

John admits. “When I lived in LA more often. When I was at the

bank or Whole Foods or Ikea. I’m always happy about it. I take a

picture with them, but every time I notice I’m dressed like absolute shit. Guess that means I should start dressing nicer.” @surferblood 30

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FOOD

Warm Buns, 32

Pauline and Mike Hrabovsky

Cold Heart The Sticky Bun’s Winning Recipe

BY DARIEN DAVIES

Your alarm goes off, you rub your eyes, stretch your toes, and

acknowledge that you’re starting your day. First step is breakfast.

Your fridge might hold all the contents for the most important

meal of the day, but who the heck wants to go through the effort.

In our current days of restrictions, uncertainty and focusing on positivity — or my personal favorite, “fake it ’til you make it” —

cooking for yourself and others isn’t just about filling your belly, it’s about filling your soul. And that’s exactly what husband and wife duo, Mike and Pauline, do every single day at their smallbut-mighty breakfast, brunch and lunch spot, The Sticky Bun. “Everything is homemade. It makes a huge difference to us

because it’s our name,” said Pauline, a kitchen girl at heart who bakes everything at the Bun. “It’s a little joint; the ‘little engine that could.’”

Could and did. Mike and Pauline worked in the restaurant industry for more than 20 years before they decided that if they were going to work mornings, nights, weekends and holidays, that they were going to do it for themselves.

Pauline’s idea was to open a little coffee shop where she’d bake out of the back and sell really good key lime pie, biscuits and

the like, from a menu complete with only 10 items. But then the

word spread, and the community grew hungrier. Mike decided to incorporate his love of smoking meats and expanded the menu

PHOTOS BY DUSTIN WRIGHT

to include pastrami, bacon and pork belly, and the rest is hospitality history.

33

FOOD

“It just kind of happened. People want the real deal,” said

“We hate old food,” Pauline said. This is what makes the seeming-

Pauline, who still makes fresh biscuits, buns, muffins and more

ly simple menu so arguably delicious.

ence. It just caught on. Our bread is good bread, too. We’re kind

It might sound like a BLT, but it’s not. It’s the 6 Slicer BLT made

every morning. “Once you have our bacon, you know the differof a savage in the kitchen. Sometimes you just can’t help it.”

As their menu and following grew, so did their restaurant, as it doubled in size from when they first opened their oven doors

in April 2015 over the course of about seven years. Pauline said they just kept getting bigger and bigger and busier and busier.

Now, there’s something always going on, regardless of if it’s the smoker, the catering business or the wait to get in the door on the weekends.

The secret to their success? Effort and zero refrigerator space.

34

with housemade bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado and mayo. Or the anti-standard House Biscuit with sausage, egg and cheese.

And the House Smoked Brisket? So much yes with the cherry

chipotle BBQ, pickled jalapeños and slaw on a toasted challah

bun. Don’t blink past the House Smoked Turkey or you’ll miss a perfect combo of greens, tomato, and cranberry aioli on multi-

grain bread. If you’re busting at the seams, you’re ready for dessert, which includes Pauline’s famous sticky bun, paleo muffin,

granola bar, key lime pie or slice, or dessert of the day. Order one

for eating now and two to go, like a local.

“This is laid-back, nonfine dining. We’re not going to get to you at all times to refill your coffee.

But it’s quick and friendly service and a fun vibe,” said Pauline, who has a love-hate relationship with being her

own boss. “Our logo is ‘Warm Buns, Cold Heart,’ which is me, not

Mike. I’m a kitchen girl learning how to deal with the front of the house. But our locals are freakin’ awesome and where else can

you laugh, curse and joke around while you’re busting your ass all day with a bunch of fun young people!”

There’s live music on Sundays, four-legged family members are

always welcome and there’s indoor and outdoor seating for those who prefer either option. Or, grab your order and walk to Sullivan Park on the Intracoastal where you can spread out and let

the kiddos run around. Everyone’s welcome, so come hungry and leave happy, which is how Pauline and Mike prefer it.

Even after decades in the cutthroat restaurant world, it’s a higher calling (and a tiny bit of insanity) to go into business for yourself and with your spouse, to boot. It’s personal and it’s never taken for granted, even on the earliest of mornings and the latest of afternoons.

“At least we made it, right? That’s a blessing,” said Pauline.

1619 S.E. Third Court, Deerfield Beach @the_sticky_bun

35

FOOD

36

Soul Rebel Still Rockin’ Steady

BY AVA BOURBEAU

Drew Thompson (left) and Chris Morgan (right)

PHOTOS BY NOTHING NEGATIVE CO. Comfort food isn’t always deep-fried. At Soul Rebel, it’s pressed in

One of the most prominent distinctions from just “juice bar” is

gotiable standard to owner, Drew Thompson, who said, “Ethically

fuel, creating a loyal community, and establishing positive hab-

kindness is important. You’ve got to be kind in this world. Kind

at a higher frequency when you leave than when you came,” said

house, fresh caught, and served with purpose. This is a non-ne-

sourced, organic foods are important to us for the same reasons to family members, kind to friends, kind to strangers, but most importantly and most overlooked; kind to yourself.”

Since the last time Atlantic Current spoke to Soul Rebel, the

business has undergone a huge transformation involving a menu expansion and interior remodel. Formerly Rock Steady, now

Soul Rebel, this Jupiter staple has redefined what it means to

be a “juice bar.” In terms of what Soul Rebel offers, the label is

Soul Rebel’s energy. Drew emphasized the importance of food as

its. “Energy is contagious, and our goal is to have you vibrating Drew.

What Soul Rebel offers truly is unique. In Drew’s words, “Where

else in Palm Beach County or South Florida can you find a salad, grain bowl, toast, wrap, side dish, and/or dessert and more,

from a menu curated by a Michelin Star chef, in a quick-service setting?”

underwhelming.

Chris Morgan, the aforementioned Michelin Star chef, cultivated

Drew said, “Sure, we sell juices and all ingredients found in one,

pone and whipped ricotta are featured in Mind Bender (a toast

but really it’s a vehicle to impact people’s lives in a positive manner on a regular basis.”

a menu of top-notch offerings. Refined ingredients like mascar-

with whipped ricotta, mascarpone, honey, black pepper, seasonal berried, granola and basil), and an omega-3 fix is also an option

37

FOOD

with Fish Outta Water (a salad with spicy dill buttermilk dress-

opportunity to help tell the story of Soul Rebel and our beliefs.

radish and cucumber).

while listening that has stuck with me throughout the years,” said

ing, lox, red cabbage, spinach, romaine, red onion, watermelon

Even if you’re looking to add to your playlists, look no further

It is the message within the song and/or a feeling/experience Drew.

than the menu. You’ll find legends like The Beatles in Strawberry

A strong personal mission has also stuck with Drew throughout

arugula, kale, strawberries, goat cheese, chickpeas, pickled red

as Rock Steady; listening to the customers, learning from our

bowl with granola, labneh, almond butter, blueberries, strawber-

void within the community.” South Florida can certainly find

Fields Forever (a salad with strawberry tahini dressing, spinach,

onion and cilantro), and The Grateful Dead as Ripple (a breakfast ries, honey, cinnamon and medjool dates).

“The menu items with musical influence were opportunities to

not only shine light on these incredible artists, but also a creative 38

the years. “Soul Rebel is a byproduct of seven years in business

mistakes, pivoting to the conditions of the market and filling a comfort in that.

201 N. US-1, Suite C5B, Jupiter @besoulrebel

SPORTS

PHOTO: FAU ATHLETICS

40

Here’s Everything You Need to Know About FAU Football This Season

BY AARON GRAY

In Case You Didn’t Catch It...

Two important eras will come to an end for the Florida Atlantic

University football team when the Owls take the field this season.

FAU’s home opener last Saturday, Aug. 27 against Charlotte

marked the beginning of its final year competing within Conference USA as the entire athletics program will be moving to the American Athletic Conference in July 2023.

Starting quarterback Perry will also be enjoying his swan song as he is set to end a six-year collegiate playing career that started at the University of Miami and will eventually close in Boca Raton.

The Owls would like to finish off both eras in style while celebrating a bowl game appearance later this fall. And they already got off to a fast start.

Perry threw for 256 yards, tossed one touchdown, and rushed

for another in FAU’s 43-13 win over Charlotte. Larry McCammon rushed for a team-high 118 yards as five different players scored touchdowns for the Owls. Among them was Justin McKithen, who returned an interception 63 yards for a score.

The season-opening win was validation for an FAU squad that

came together as a team during a strenuous training camp in the summer heat.

“I’m just excited by the growth and watching these guys develop,” said Owls coach Willie Taggart, who is in his third year at the helm after previous stints at Florida State and Oregon.

“We’ve played a lot of guys when they were young and because

of that COVID year, they’re still young. So these young guys got

some good experience then and we think that’s going to pay dividends for us now. I’ve already seen that during this camp.”

One player Taggart doesn’t have to worry about as far as expe- 41

SPORTS rience goes is Perry, who led the offense to a 5-7 campaign last season and will get the ball again in 2022.

“[Perry] is a lot better than last year, and I thought he wasn’t bad last year,” Taggart said last week from the team’s on-campus practice field.

Taggart recruited Perry to join the program as a transfer last

summer after he spent the previous four years with the Hurricanes.

“I think Perry now having some more weapons and having a

whole year here, you will see the comfortability, and you will see how he is handling every rep. He has put in the work, too,” said Taggart, who praised Perry, a former Ocala Vanguard standout,

for his commitment in the months leading up to training camp.

“That young man was in the office all offseason, not by himself but with a receiver.”

The Owls’ leading wideout from last year, LaJohntay Wester,

PHOTO: RALPH NOTARO

along with the explosive Je’Quan Burton will be among Perry’s

top targets in 2022. The signal-caller should also benefit from a stacked offensive line that returns four starters, not including

Brendan Bordner, who transferred to FAU from Rutgers and will protect Perry’s weak side.

“This is my last season of college, but to me, this is my most im-

portant year because prior, it was my first year of where I started from the first game to the very last,” said Perry, who threw for

close to 2,800 yards with 20 touchdowns during his first season under center for the Owls.

“Now I just want to show that I am capable of doing that again, but at a higher and more successful rate. We’re going to win games this year. That’s all we’re focusing on.”

On the other side of the ball, the FAU defense will feature a

heady linebacking corps led by veteran Eddie Williams and sophomore Chris Jones. Big-time transfers Morven Joseph (Tenessee) and Jamie Pettway (Missouri) will also bring a spark.

A much-improved defensive line will rely on Jaylen Joyner, who had four sacks last season, to wreak havoc coming off the edge.

42

Teja Young will anchor a secondary that has some holes to fill as

cornerback Zyon Gilbert is now a rookie for the New York Giants.

Look for junior Romain ‘Smoke’ Mungin to also make noise.

“I’m hearing at training camp that Smoke is a lot more vocal

than he’s been before,” Taggart said. “It’s all maturity. A lot of

these guys are older now and a lot of them are in Year 3, so those things are supposed to happen.”

Taggart is also in his third year with the program. The high wa-

termark for success was set before he arrived in Boca Raton after his predecessor, Lane Kiffin, led the Owls to two Conference USA

championships in 2017 and 2019.

“I think this year fans will get to see a more aggressive defense along with an offense that will be exciting and will play more consistently,” he said. “We’re going to score some points.” @faufootball

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