5 April, 2021 6 6 Comments

Rituals, New Favorites & The Simple Pleasures

April 5, 2021 By 6 Comments

Amar is a welcome addition to the Ave.

The older I get the more I value the little rituals.

Sitting in the backyard on a cool night and watching the birds.

Taking a walk with my wife after the evening news.

Losing myself in a podcast (Tim Ferris or Guy Raz) and listening (ever so softly so as not to disturb my colleagues) to Spotify while I work.

After spending six weeks in an ICU/Covid unit flat on my back with a mask glued to my face, I’m finding that it’s the little pleasures that are giving me the greatest joy these days.

So I’d thought I’d share a few and I hope you share some of your favorites with me and others.

–Amar, a new Mediterranean restaurant, is a solid addition to Atlantic Avenue. Delicious Middle Eastern dishes and attentive service. Don’t miss the appetizers and the kebabs.

–I’m finding I get more joy these days from Instagram than Facebook. The golden retriever videos and photos of nature never fail to brighten my mood.

But if you do find yourself on Facebook,  don’t miss Gaetlyn Rae, an adorable monkey who bakes, whips up salads and opens packages in the most entertaining way imaginable. For me, a few moments with the monkey is almost as good as a meditation video whenever I need to relax. (P.S. I never thought I would ever write the previous sentence).

Streaming gems—“Imposters” a dark comedy on Netflix, “Allen v. Farrow” a very dark documentary on HBO and  “I Care A Lot” a dark drama with great performances. I just realized I have a “dark” theme going so if you can recommend anything light please let me know.

I also recommend “Tina” about the amazing Tina Turner and the “Last Cruise” about the now infamous Diamond Princess cruise ship which experienced a Covid outbreak in the early days of the pandemic. Both are on HBO and well worth your time.

—Hillsboro El Rio Park in Boca just celebrated its first birthday. This park on Southwest 18th Street was once home to the city’s landfill. It’s now an idyllic escape with walking paths, a playground, pickleball and picnic pavilions. It’s a great place to picnic before the heat sets in.

–We recently peaked our heads out and visited the Living Room Theater at FAU, a pre-pandemic favorite. With only 10 seats available for sale when we went and masks required, we felt safe and saw “Nomadland” on the big screen. Nomadland is a majestic film that was made for the big screen.

Only five seats were occupied on the Friday afternoon we snuck away, but we enjoyed the experience and were reminded about the magic of the movies. Seeing a movie in a theater is an immersive experience. As good as streaming can be, the big screen is still magical.

We really like Wood & Fire restaurant in west Delray. The food is good (the Delray salad is awesome), the service is excellent and the ambience is very appealing. In this era of Covid, we like how the restaurant is open on two sides with ample ventilation and two large outdoor dining areas. Things are really picking up in the western part of our community.

As for books, I’ve got a few recommendations: Delray’s own Steve Leveen has written “America’s Bilingual Century” which I deeply enjoyed. I remember talking to Steve about the merits of bilingualism at a Christmas Party so to see the book come to life is very cool.

“How I Built This” by Guy Raz is a quick read based on the stories covered on his amazing podcast chronicling the journey of some very talented entrepreneurs. If you dream of starting a business, currently run a business or just want some inspiration this is the book for you.

“Who is Michael Ovitz?” is the autobiography of the super-agent who once ran Hollywood. Lots of insider tales of how the entertainment biz works and sometimes doesn’t.

“How to Change Your Mind” by Michael Pollan is the story of how psychedelics affect us. I was turned onto this fascinating read by a childhood friend who sent me an article in Fortune magazine about the growing research into how psychedelics might treat anxiety, depression and PTSD.

“Unreasonable Success” by Richard Koch came to me from the Tim Ferris podcast. It’s a great character study of people throughout history who leave an outsize mark on the world. That book led me to “The Hidden Habits of Genius” by music professor Craig Wright who teaches a very popular Yale course of the same name. I learned that I might be the opposite of a genius—but at least I have self-awareness.

I’d also like to give a plug to the vaccination site at the South County Civic Center where my wife and I recently received our first doses of the Moderna vaccine. The site was so well-run, the vaccinators so kind and the location and parking is very convenient. Get the shot wherever and whenever you can, but if you are lucky enough to score a slot at the Civic Center you’ll be delighted by how well it is run.

Hope you had a great Easter and Passover. Stay safe this spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

23 November, 2015 0 Comments

Thankfulness Disrupts Complaining

November 23, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Says it all.

Says it all.

Wow, the news  has been grim lately.

Terrorism, fear, violence, threats.  We’re seeing it all, aren’t we?

So it’s understandable if we might be approaching the holidays with some trepidation this year.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving we offer our annual list of things and people who make us thankful.

This list is by no means complete, which is something else to be thankful for. But it’s offered in the spirit of trying to lift your spirit. We hope you enjoy and begin to think about all the things in our community that make us happy.
1. Friday Night Concert Series at The Old School Square Pavilion:

Where else can you sit under the stars for a suggested three dollar donation and hear great music week after week in the midst of the best downtown around? Last week, we caught the B Street Band, a Springsteen tribute band of great renown (they’ve been at it since 1980) and marveled at the age mix and happy faces of people dancing. If you are downtown next Friday at 7:30 make sure to catch a tribute to Tina Turner. Fabulous series, fabulous venue.
2. Delivery Dudes and The Downtowner:

Between these companies and services like Uber,  we now have amazing options for transit and food. We remember when the only option was Domino’s but Delivery Dudes brings the best restaurants in Boca and Delray straight to our doors. The Downtowner is also a cool way to avoid driving. Great concept.
3. Mizner Park:

Sometimes derided as contrived, we like the place and we love the music and restaurants. And based on the crowds, so do many others.
4. The Living Room Theater and Ipic:

There’s still nothing like seeing a movie with others. As great as VOD can be, a movie experience is still better in a theater. Ipic has taken luxury movie going to a new level and Living Room’s programming is spectacular.

5. Lake Ida Park:

A jewel of a park that doesn’t get a whole lot of publicity. But Lake Ida Park has trails, loads of wildlife, great fishing, boating, picnic facilities and a wonderful dog park. Bravo!
6. Evelyn Dobson:

The long time director of Delray’s pioneering and innovative Community Land Trust has done a terrific job building high quality housing in Delray’s northwest and southwest neighborhoods. As the CLT celebrates its 10th anniversary we are grateful for its tremendous work and anxious to see it continue. And we are thankful for Evelyn’s rock solid leadership.
7. Local Rescue Organizations:

We love animals. We really love dogs. And we are so thankful for local rescue organizations. Dezzies Second Chance, Tri County and ARF are just a few of the great organizations serving our community. Personally, we are forever grateful to Kelli Freeman for connecting us with Linda’s Goldens so we were able to adopt Teddy. He has enriched our lives immeasurably.
8. Leaders Who Care:

Cathy Balestriere and Bill Branning are two community leaders who have given a huge amount to Delray. Both serve on Delray’s extraordinary CRA with distinction but that’s only the beginning. Bill chairs Old School Square, supports Delray charities and runs BSA Corporation, one of the area’s leading contractors. He’s a great guy too. Cathy is a brave and outspoken leader who has done a tremendous amount to build Delray’s brand in the world of tourism and hospitality a key industry through her long time involvement with Crane’s Beach House, a unique property. She and her team have found a way to thrive among giants, competing ably with large hotel brands. She has also done a huge amount for local charities through her events at Crane’s. For that and more we are thankful.
9. The staff at Old School Square is lean and awfully effective. They work hard and are dedicated beyond words. We are grateful. It does not go unnoticed.
10. Congress Avenue Task Force:

Personally I am thankful for the 35 plus members who have devoted the better part of the year to envisioning a brighter future for the key corridor.
You couldn’t wish for a better team.
Finally, thanks to you for reading YourDelrayBoca. The blog is a labor of love and we appreciate your support and comments. Have a great Thanksgiving.