Lifestyle Archives - Page 4 of 11 -

August 15, 2021August 3, 2021

The co$t of owning a horse

“A pony is a childhood dream; a horse is an adult treasure.”

—Rebecca Carroll

Many people dream of one day owning a horse. The allure is even greater in a place like Parkland, long known for its equestrian community. But before diving in headfirst, there are a number of factors to consider, especially given that the average lifespan of a horse hovers around 30 years, making them long-term companions.

Aside from the initial purchase investment, horses require costly ongoing care.

Tack and Grooming

According to Ellie Scofield, owner of Spectrum Saddle Shop in Coconut Creek, essential grooming supplies average $50, and tack (saddle, bridle, girth, and pad) can range from about $350 for the essentials to thousands for show-level equipment.

Boarding

If you don’t have property equipped for horses, then you’ll need to board yours at a nearby stable. The following facilities offer monthly rates that include a private stall, bedding, feed (both hay and grain), stall cleaning, water, and turnout.

Millpond Stables, Coconut Creek — $1,000 monthly
Wattland II, Coconut Creek — $900 monthly or $300 monthly for stall only
Jump On In INC, Parkland — $850 monthly
Galloways Farm, Parkland — call for a customized quote.

Lessons

To refine your horsemanship skills, you’ll want to continue training in the discipline of your choosing. Millpond Stables teaches English and Western at a rate of $75 per hour.

At Wattland II, lessons are $60 per hour and include instruction on grooming and tacking, a beneficial feature for new riders/owners.

Jump On In INC teaches Hunters, Jumpers, Equitation, and Western. All lessons include basic horsemanship skills and are $65 per hour. At Galloways Farm, dressage lessons run from $65 to $80.

Equine Vet and Farrier

Your horse will require annual vaccinations, dental care, deworming, and hoof trimming/shoeing. Treatment for medical emergencies can cost thousands, though there are insurance plans available to help offset some of these costs.

Even if you can afford the cost of upkeep, horses also require a significant time commitment. Boarding rates do not include grooming and exercising, which you’ll need to do regularly, not only to maintain your horse’s health and happiness, but to develop a bond as well.

For those unsure if they’re ready for horse ownership, there are alternate options available to see if ownership is right for you. Many barns have leasing opportunities, and horse rescue ranches offer sponsorship programs and riding privileges.

For those itching to jump in, here’s some takeaway advice from the experts:

“Make sure you get help. Watch and learn. Horses are very, very delicate.”
—Dawn Watt, owner of Wattland II

“You don’t become a rider in a day. Horsemanship takes time to learn. This is the only sport in the world where you are dealing with something that has its own mind.”
—Amanda Myman, owner of Jump On In INC

“Listen to your veterinarian, trusted trainer, and professionals, as well as good, experienced friends. Having horses is hard work, expensive, and one of the best experiences in a lifetime for both kids and adults!”
—Ellie Scofield, owner of Galloways Farm

August 15, 2021August 3, 2021

Now’s the time for dolphin fishing

It used to be that May and June were the best months for dolphin fishing in South Florida, but that has changed. August and September are now the best times for catching the colorful, delectable fish from Palm Beach to the Florida Keys.

“I think the last few years, August is the peak,” Capt. Abie Raymond said. “September usually has some big ones, but not as many numbers.”

Raymond is a Miami Beach native whose Go Hard Fishing (gohardfishing.com, @abie_raymond) offers offshore and inshore charters as well as trips in Miami-Dade County’s freshwater canals for peacock bass, largemouth bass, and clown knifefish.

In addition to witnessing firsthand the transition from a springtime dolphin bite to a summertime bite, Raymond has come up with a couple new techniques for catching what is considered one of South Florida’s favorite saltwater fish to eat.

For starters, he uses minnow-sized pilchards that he nets before he heads offshore to attract dolphins to his boat around weed lines, weed patches, and floating debris, which he searches for from the tower of his 28-foot C-Hawk center console.

“It fires the dolphins up and it gives you more opportunities,” said Raymond of the inch-and-a-half-long baits. “They keep the dolphins around your boat. You don’t have to worry, ‘Oh, where’s my rod? Where’s my bait?’ while the dolphins are swimming by.

“You just grab a scoop and throw it overboard. The baits swim back to the boat for shelter and the dolphins bust them all over the place for 10 minutes while you’re taking your time, rigging your rod, tying a new plug on, a jig, whatever you want.”

Raymond said the idea came from seeing dolphins spit out little baitfish as they jumped or hit the deck of his boat. He also saw the baits after filleting dolphins.

“Their stomachs are packed with them. That’s the kind of stuff they’re picking out of the seaweed,” Raymond said. “So I figured they’ve got to eat the heck out of them and they’re not going to get full on them. That’s the beauty of it. You’re not going to overfeed them like you would with big bait. Even if the fish shut off, you throw a scoop and they start blowing up. It turns them on immediately.”

The tactic worked to perfection on a trip with Raymond and his father, David, out of Bill Bird Marina in North Miami Beach.

After Raymond spotted a couple of dolphins near a weed patch from his boat’s tower, he climbed down, dipped up about eight of the little baits, and flung them into the water. Those two dolphins and a bunch of their schoolmates quickly surrounded the boat.

Raymond baited several lightweight spinning outfits with small pilchards as well as with some bigger pilchards.

At one point, David Raymond and I were both reeling dolphin to the boat and a third fish was on an outfit that Raymond had hooked while he was trying to reel up the bait to get the line out of our way. He stuck that rod in a rod-holder so he could gaff our fish.

Raymond’s dolphin outfits — a 10-pound Ugly Stick rod with a 3500 Penn Slammer reel spooled with 20-pound braided line with a 2/0 J hook — produced a fun, exciting fight with the schoolies, which weighed 5 to 10 pounds.

“The braid is so strong and so durable,” Raymond said, “and those little reels now are so capable drag-wise, it eliminates the need for heavy tackle.”

Raymond does bring out heavier spinning outfits — 7-foot rods with Penn 7500 Spinfisher reels with 20-pound braid — for another new tactic for catching dolphins around weed lines.

He uses a fishing kite to put a skirted ballyhoo 50 feet behind his boat and another skirted ballyhoo 100 feet back. With his boat 100 to 150 feet away, Raymond trolls the baits along weed lines and across weed patches. The lure-ballyhoo combos look like flying fish, which dolphin love to eat, as they skip across the water.

Raymond wriggles a dead ballyhoo back and forth with his hands to break the entire spine, which gives the baitfish life-like movement when it’s in the water. He also breaks the tail to prevent the bait from spinning, squeezes out any intestinal matter, and breaks off the bill with an upward snap.

He inserts a 7/0 Mustad 3407 triple-strength J hook through both lips and through the front of the bait’s skull to keep the hook in place, and slides a weighted skirt or feather — a Jet Head, Billy Bait, or Sea Witch — on top of the ballyhoo.

The lure’s weight helps keep the bait in the water instead of flying above it. Raymond uses a 1-ounce skirt on the far bait and a half-ounce skirt on the short bait.

The hook placement in the ballyhoo’s head instead of its belly, as in a trolling bait, is virtually weed-proof, especially positioned directly behind a skirt.

“If you have to go through patchy grass, it doesn’t matter because your hook is out of the water,” Raymond said. “We’ll drag the baits right over it, and that’s what makes it advantageous. You don’t have to worry about constantly picking grass off your baits.”

And that means you can spend much more time enjoying the best dolphin fishing of the year.

July 22, 2021July 14, 2021

Mounts Botanical Garden Offers Escape from Summer Heat

What to do in the dog days of summer?

After the beach and pool, why not explore nature at Mounts Botanical Garden, Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest botanical garden? Or better yet, bring your pooch on July 11 as the garden hosts its monthly Dogs’ Day in the Garden, a dog- and family-friendly event.

“Dogs’ Day in the Garden offers dog owners a chance to step away from their routine outdoor walks and enjoy a different, relaxing environment with their fur babies,” says Melissa Carter, a spokesperson for Mounts.

“The dogs love being in our garden with so many new ‘sniffs’ and the chance to see other dogs and people,” she says. “The Mounts Botanical Garden also offers a great backdrop for family photo ops.”

The Garden takes its name from Marvin Umphrey “Red” Mounts, the county’s first assistant agricultural extension agent, who established and cared for the Garden’s collection of fruit trees to help produce new food resources.

A quiet, tropical oasis located behind the Palm Beach International Airport, the Garden spans 4 acres and boasts a collection of 25 display gardens containing more than 5,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants, including Florida native plants, exotic and tropical fruit trees, ornamentals, herbs, palms, roses, cacti, succulents, and bromeliads.

The various gardens include the Rose and Fragrance Garden, Garden of Tranquility, Herb Garden of Well-Being, Florida Natives Garden, and Children’s Maze Garden, among others.

For kids, the Children’s Maze Garden offers opportunities to learn and explore. Hedge mazes evolved from the knot gardens of Renaissance Europe. They are known for their mystical and magical quality. This maze was created in the 1980s from a sweet fragrant shrub whose white flowers bloom twice a year.

At the center of the maze stands the Bo Tree, said to be the species of tree that Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher known as the Buddha, sat under when he attained enlightenment.

Each garden is created as a living exhibit, with plants chosen specifically to tell a story about choices that visitors can make within our subtropical climate. The gardens illustrate what area residents can emulate in their own spaces, large or small.

The Herb Garden of Well-Being showcases herbs and how they affect our lives and sense of well-being through culinary, medicinal, ceremonial, and aromatherapy applications.

Natural elements of stone, wood, and living plant materials are combined in the Garden of Tranquility, as well as an Indonesian, hand-carved wall juxtaposed with elements from other Asian influences. The objective is to inspire peace and tranquility — a spiritual place for the mind and soul.

In addition to roses, the Rose and Fragrance Garden boasts the fragrant flowers of the Ylang-Ylang Perfume Tree, Angel’s Trumpet, and the Longan Tree, one of the oldest trees in the Garden.

The Florida Natives Garden uses native plants to help preserve the state’s natural resources. Increasingly, our native birds, butterflies, and wildlife rely on gardeners to replace natural habitats lost to development. Those native plants include the Wild Coffee native shrub and the Firebush, which attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.

In bloom in July are the Rainbow Shower Cassia (Cassia x nealiae), the Verawood (Bulnesia arborea), and the Trai Tich Lan Perfume Tree (Fagraea ceilanica), with its large, creamy, trumpet-shaped flowers.

August awaits the blooms of the Summer Poinsettia (Mussaenda philippica), the White Crepe Ginger (Costus speciosus), and the fragrance that became famous as Chanel No. 5 Eau de Parfum — the Ylang-Ylang Perfume Flower (Canaga odorata).

In June 2017, the Garden created the Windows on the Floating World: Blume Tropical Wetland Garden as a way of conserving and protecting freshwater. The wetland garden was designed to highlight the wetland ecology and to protect Florida’s fragile wetland system.

Designed by artists in collaboration with Palm Beach County’s Art in Public Places program, the garden, a microcosm of tropical wetlands, features open-gridded, 4-foot-wide walkways on the surface of the wetlands.

Within these walks are four “windows” planted with aquatics and changed out with rotating and seasonal botanical exhibits growing from submerged containers. Four circular, etched-glass, interpretive viewers are strategically located throughout the garden to educate and engage visitors on key components of a wetland.

Bromeliads grow wild and cover the natural stone walls; aquatic life and wading birds are abundant; and wildlife can be seen foraging for fish, clams, and snails in the muck and shallow pools.

So, while you may not find silver bells or cockle shells, you will find a respite from the outside world, a chance to unwind with or without your pet, and appreciate nature in all its glory.

Mounts Botanical Garden is located at 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach. Sunday, July 11, is Dogs’ Day in the Garden, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Last entry at 2 p.m.) Cost: Free for members; $10 for nonmembers; $5 for children 5-12. For more information, visit mounts.org.

July 22, 2021July 14, 2021

Go for the Gold! – An Olympic Collaboration

Five years in the making, the rescheduled 2020 Summer Olympic in Tokyo are (at the time of print) set to forge ahead on July 23^rd. We cannot wait to see the amazing physical feats that these athletes perform and cheer on Team USA! We created this Opening Ceremony party to help build the excitement, and show some creative hosting ideas and family activities.

The fun is in the details. From torch cupcakes to Olympic Rings cookies to food in the five Olympic colors. We made it bright, colorful, and easy thanks to some talented local bakers and crafters, and a quick trip to Trader Joe’s.

For the adults, we created a signature cocktail called Go for the Gold (2 parts bourbon, 1 part freshly squeezed lemon, 1 part honey syrup – 100% delicious!). Dipping the glasses in honey and Olympic-colored sugars makes them extra festive, and custom-made Olympic Rings stir sticks topped off the look. We made a flag game to test how worldly our friends were. Simply choose 26 flags and assign them a letter. Then have your guests try to match them to the correct country name. Be sure to throw some obscure ones in there to really test them!

Kids love a good contest, and when gold medal cookies are the prize they get really excited! We set up a basketball station, a golf station and had swimming races. We ordered temporary tattoo flags to make it really authentic.

Whatever sport you tune into, whatever country you cheer for, we can all be united in this historical sporting event.

Enjoy, stay safe, and GO TEAM USA!

For information on any of these activities contact:

Rachel from Celebrate You Events (IG: @celebrate.you.events) – Concept creation, party styling, activities & fringe banners

Lindsay from ARCH the Party Co. (IG: @archtheparty) – Balloons & helium bundles

Daniela from Tulle & Tools (IG: @tulleandtools) – Cupcake torches & mini cake

Ana from AO Craft Décor (IG: @aocraftdecor) – Hanging Olympic Rings & acrylic stir sticks

Crystal from Riley Black Designs (IG: @rileyblackdesigns) – Custom acrylic cone stand, flame cake & cupcake toppers

Melissa from That Girl in Pink Bakery (IG: @thatgirlinpinkbakery) – Custom cookies

July 15, 2021July 12, 2021

‘There’s always time for tea’

Did you know — and I admit I didn’t — that there is Thai iced-tea pie, and even a small artisanal company in Brooklyn that sells Macha and Earl Grey teas ice cream?

Here we take a brief tour of teas. Look no farther than our state for retail and cafe locations for sampling numerous types, some familiar and some perhaps not. Plus there is the nonprofit U.S. League of Tea Growers, at www.usteagrowers.com, where potential growers can ask questions, research tea growing, and connect with regional organizations. There is also American Yaupon (www.americanyaupon.org), based in Florida, which promotes a number of local shops.

It’s a new day for tea. It is soothing, warming, and refreshing with excellent varieties easily obtainable. The steady trend toward natural foods and herbal teas is well known, though you may not have spent much time thinking about the varied types until the pandemic descended upon us. Tea is an enjoyable beverage whatever the time of day or season. There are, of course, basic teas.

One gardening expert of 30 years, Erica Jo Shaffer, confirms, for example, that herbal infusions are relaxing to the nerves and nourishing. She advises, “Tea is only ‘tea’ when it contains camellia sinensis, the plant that gives us white, green, black, and oolong tea.”

Sampling of organic herbal teas: You could try citrus mint with an infusion of peppermint and citrus; blueberry merlot with a taste of blueberries and a wisp of sage; chamomile citron with a blend of flower blossoms and a zest of citrus; and ginger lemongrass blended with citrusy herbs and a tingle of ginger. (There’s also a cocktail like the Sunday Tea, which some may know from having peach, moonshine, bourbon, sweet tea, and lemon, which might lull you into a generic dream of the South.)

And then there’s yaupon!

Yaupon tea: Pronounced “yoh-pon,” this is the only caffeinated plant native to North America — an antioxidant-laden drink that’s been consumed for thousands of years and known as yaupon holly. It’s a specific Southern tea type that can be found in loose-leaf form at premium shops around the country, and sometimes in shrub form at select nurseries to add as a border or hedge to your own landscaping to harvest, keep in a container on the patio, or plant in a community patch!

Grown in the Southeast and traded by Native Americans for ceremonies and recreation, according to the Yaupon Brothers Tea Co. (formed in Florida in 2012), it does not need fertilizer or pesticides as it is native and requires very little water, and has less environmental impact on surrounding areas. During the Civil War, Southerners often drank yaupon in place of coffee and black tea, note historians. One fellow of the day noted, “Substitute for Tea — [yaupon] is excellent but let me say that the wild thorned leaf holly is the best that I have ever used. It would take the best of judges to tell it from the best of black tea. Fall is the time to gather the leaves. Make as black tea.”

Caffeine content: Unprocessed, the leaves of this evergreen holly with small green leaves on stiff branches contain between 65% and 85% caffeine compared to tea leaves with about 3.5% caffeine. (Black-tea caffeine content is labeled by one popular seller as “robust,” herbal infusions as “none,” green tea as “moderate,” and white tea as between “very low” and “low.”)

There is plenty of information on Yaupon and Dwarf Yaupon shrub propagating, pruning, light requirements, soil, and so on, at several informative websites; one is a University of Florida blog site, at blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/lakeco/2021/01/21/grow-your-own-yaupon-tea.

For example, the “evergreen” Dwarf Yaupon Holly tolerates wind and the hot, humid Southern summers. New growth emerges with a light purple color and darkens to green. This small mounding shrub can get 3 to 5 feet tall and wide, and it can take full sun or partial shade.

Ryan Hinson, the “tea guy” at well-known Tin Roof Teas (www.tinroofteas.com), a high-quality loose teas and accessories business, knows his teas — and their shelf life. He told me, “Yaupon is best consumed in 8 to 10 months, but good up to 2 years. Would consider an herb, so you have 8 months for maximum potency — up to 8 months for flowers and leaves, and up to 2 years for seeds, roots, and barks.”

Fragrant premium tea shops abound if you prefer to visit rather than to order in supply (see two Florida brothers’ enterprise at www.yauponbrothersamericantea.com). Many shops are now open with COVID protocols in place.

And from the Louisiana State University Ag Center is an informative May 2019 article by horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard, who notes that the wiry shrub’s blooms appear in early to mid-spring (eaten by many bird species), with the red berries, also enjoyed by the birds, showing in late fall and winter. She writes much more about the yaupon, including its widespread use as home decor during the holidays. Check out the article too for excellent tips for your seasonal decorating.

So whether you grow your tea fresh from the garden (or patio container) or have it shipped to your door, get out those teapots and teacups (or mugs), and have a tea party. Pinkies up!

Joan Wenner, J.D., is a widely published, longtime freelance writer who writes historical, maritime, and general interest stories. She resides in eastern coastal North Carolina, although she lived many years in Florida where she hopes to soon return. Comments are welcomed at joan_writer@yahoo.com.

July 15, 2021July 12, 2021

Sunshine, Wildlife, and Cane Toads: My First Year in the South

A year ago, I moved to southeast Florida from northern Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. Besides arriving in a new part of the country in the middle of a pandemic, which presents its own set of challenges, I encountered a lot of new and different things to contend with in my adopted state.

Born and raised around Chicago, I moved to the D.C. area after college, got married and raised kids there, and then decided to move to Florida after a divorce and job layoff last year. Why not start fresh in a new place, where I wouldn’t have to deal any longer with snow and ice? The lingering image that had always been in the back of my mind was to someday live in a warm and subtropical place, surrounded by palm trees, and somewhere near the ocean. And so that’s what I ended up doing when the opportunity unexpectedly presented itself.

I took the settlement checks from both my divorce and my full-time job and put them toward the purchase of a nice “villa” home in Florida. And so in July 2020, I suddenly found myself moving still further south and east from where I had originally started (cold, windy Chicago). My dog Lex, a Pomeranian mix, and I arrived last summer to this sunny and humid part of the country and began to put down roots, and I soon discovered a lot of differences here.

I have no regrets, but here are some observations from my first year in Florida:

Lizards in the house. I didn’t know that there would be so much wildlife around my new neighborhood. While I appreciate all the birds, geese, ducks, and rabbits lollygagging around my lakeside community, and I’ve gotten to enjoy the various lizards darting around the lawn, I didn’t expect to be sharing my home with the geckos. These quick creatures like to sneak into the house and creep around the rooms, hang out on the ceiling, and pop out and startle me.

Cane toads that could kill my little dog. Of all the animals I’ve encountered in southeast Florida, including alligators at the wetlands reserves, the scariest for me are the ugly toads that secrete powerful toxins that could take out Lex, horribly and painfully, within 30 minutes if I’m not constantly vigilant outside.

Hurricanes! Two weeks after I moved to Florida last July, Hurricane Isaias hurdled in from the Atlantic and joined me here. I got a very quick lesson on preparing for tropical storms and securing my hurricane shutters. While my windows were tightly covered for a couple tumultuous days, it was dark and depressing in my house. I was so happy when Isaias finished up his visit and rolled away.
Gated communities. Yes, I live in a secure, gated community, and as a single woman residing alone, I am relieved to have that protection. But what I have found in this part of the country is that there are so many gated communities that it’s not easy to just drive through neighborhoods here and explore. When I lived in Virginia, I could run through any neighborhoods I felt like. Here, I can’t do that. I have to keep to my own community or on the busy roads around it.
More tattoos than I’ve ever seen before. I didn’t know before my move that Florida was the land of full-body tattoos. While I have had friends and family in my life who have sported one or two small tattoos, I was in for a surprise when I arrived here and saw that they are etched all over people’s faces and limbs, in every corner of the region.

Like the colorful tattoos, I am getting used to all the differences in southeast Florida. I enjoyed my first warm winter here, although I missed the changing of the seasons in the fall and the spring. But I am glad my winter coat is packed far away in a bin in the closet, and I don’t ever have to shovel out my car again. I’ll take it.

July 8, 2021July 7, 2021

Rebounding After the Pandemic: The Return to the Cinema

The cinema is truly a cornerstone of American culture. More important than providing a source of fun entertainment or a classy taste of art, going out to the movies is a great way to spend time with others.

From the nail-biting suspense of watching a thriller with a tightknit group of friends, to “ahhing” at a bombastic action movie with our families, to gushing over a corny rom-com with a significant other, going to the movie theater affords us a surefire way of spending quality time with those we care about most. That is why it hurt so much to lose the theater during the pandemic.

Fortunately, as the COVID-19 pandemic winds down and the American public becomes vaccinated, we are having our beloved cinemas, and all that comes with them, returned to us.

Although many Americans continue to remain hesitant, the future of the cinema still looks bright. On March 31, the mega-budget CGI monster slugfest, “Godzilla vs. Kong,” released in theaters and earned over $420 million at the box office. More than just an outstanding economic success, the film proved to studios that if they release films, audiences will go to see them. After all, there is no point in producing a movie if it will not earn any profits.

Also taking a stand for the return to the cinema is one of the most successful and beloved movie studios, Marvel. In a recent trailer for Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the studio not only showcased its upcoming films, but also implored audiences to return to theaters. Marvel carried this out by having the late Stan Lee speak about the importance of being with those we care about, showing video clips of remarkable in-theater reactions to Marvel movies, and ending the trailer with the large white text “See you at the movies.” With such an influential and cherished studio confidently leading the way, more are bound to follow and resurrect the cinema.

Besides studios being encouraged to solely create new movies, they also will be incentivized to release big-name blockbusters that they have been strategically holding on to. Examples of completed, yet unreleased films include the highly anticipated new installment in the James Bond franchise, “No Time to Die”; Wes Anderson’s artsy yet broadly appealing “The French Dispatch”; and the novella-adapted, sci-fi thriller “Dune.” However unfortunate being forced to see these movies later than sooner is, these films will be made all the better by having the full cinema experience.

Although using a streaming app and enjoying a movie on a personal device is still great and enjoyable, nothing quite compares to the silver screen. In addition to the aforementioned social aspects, there are more factors that make this statement true.

As showcased in the Marvel Phase 4 trailer, collectively watching and reacting to movies as an audience improves the viewing experience tenfold. There is a certain magic to laughing, gasping, crying, and cheering with complete strangers that only the cinema can provide.

Going to the theater also provides a more cinematic experience in general. When it comes to movies, bigger is better, and viewing from a large, high-quality silver screen is much better than the lesser quality and smaller size of a personal device. In addition to the visual aspect, a greatly underappreciated factor of the cinematic experience is audio quality. There is a world of difference between personal earbuds and professional-grade speakers at movie theaters. Punches feel weightier, dialogue is clearer, explosions are more visceral, and the music is more expressive.

Bringing everything back to a more local level, I recently went out to a local theater to see the action-comedy film “Nobody.” To put it bluntly, the movie theater was in a desolate state. Aside from the theater lacking customers, it also was short-staffed. There were no ticket clerks, janitors, or ushers. The one concessions worker who was there also took the role of ticket clerk, selling both tickets and treats. Her manager took the role of janitor and was maintaining the theater. As for the lack of ushers, one could walk into a theater without having purchased a ticket.

At this cinema I saw only three other movie-goers, all of whom were in my theater. However bare-bones the cinema was, seeing the film in an actual theater was no less of a welcome experience, which I hope to enjoy again as we move forward into the future.

List of notable movies being released in theaters:

June 25 — “Fast and Furious 9”

July 2 — “The Forever Purge”

July 9 — “Black Widow”

July 16 — “Space Jam: A New Legacy”

July 23 — “Hotel Transylvania: Transformania”

July 30 — “The Green Knight”

July 30 — “Jungle Cruise”

August 6 — “The Suicide Squad”

August 20 — “Paw Patrol: The Movie”

August 20 — “The Protégé”

May 17, 2021May 11, 2021

Wine Watch: The glorious wines of Tuscany

I believe that in another life I must have been Italian and a resident of Tuscany. I say this because, although I try to be as impartial as possible, I love the wines of Tuscany. I was fortunate to spend some time there and was amazed that even in the small-town restaurants where they served their own home-made wines, the wines were excellent, very enjoyable and absolutely perfect to accompany the Tuscan cuisine.

There is another side of the coin. If the home-made wines were so good, the Tuscan commercial wines must be something special. They are. While Tuscany is mainly known for its chianti, a name that may be used by any wine from the district that is mostly sangiovese, there are producers there whose wines rise above the ordinary and express the true Italian style of fine wine making. I recently sampled some of the imported Tuscan wines and was delighted to find that the wines had not changed and were the same gems that I enjoyed while there.

Lagone 2018 Aia Vecchia ($17). This wine has been made to please anyone who loves red wines. It is a blend of the most popular red wine grapes; 60% merlot, 30% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc. The question arose, at least in my mind, will all of these grape varieties clash or will they meld into an interesting whole?

The answer is that they did not only meld but they also produced what has to be one of the most interesting and delightful wines on the market today. Each of the constituents adds its own special flavor and aroma to the blend. I believe that it is safe to reiterate that everything that one seeks in a red wine is right here, clearly presented and probably the most interesting wine I have tasted in a while and all at a very affordable price.

Selvapiana 2019 Chianti Rufina ($21.99). Being made in the Rufina area of Tuscany, the smallest in size and highest in altitude of the Tuscan grape growing regions and from 95% sangiovese, this wine clearly classifies as a chianti. To further classify this wine, it is a chianti on steroids. The aroma and flavor are, to say the least, powerful. Plum, ripe cherries, wild berries abound with a background hint of fresh spice are easily identifiable with new flavor sensations appearing as the wine sits in the glass. The finish is as powerful as is the wine and may I add here, as unforgettable.

Casanova di Neri 2018 IRRosso Toscana ($22). Let’s be very honest. Just the name Casanova associated with the wine perks the interest. Here the name means “new house.”. This wine too is almost all sangiovese with 5% cabernet sauvignon and 5% petit Verdot blended in to add a bit more interest and balance.

It is in the production of this wine where the vintners moved in a direction that is not often used. The wine is fermented and aged in barrels of different size and of different types of woods thus changing the wine from the expected style to a wine of incredible depth and character. The results of all that work led to a wine that has all of the expected flavors and aromas of plums, cherries, wild berries and a hint of spice and a regal elegance found in very few wines.

As one would expect, with all of that barrel use, the properties of this wine might be muted in a shower of wood flavors. Not so, the wood is there but it is in harmony with the other properties and serves more as an enhancer rather than an overpowering annoyance and if you have ever had an over oaked wine you know what I mean. This wine is very food friendly and will accompany meals that call for a red wine and some that do not.

May 17, 2021May 14, 2021

Self-esteem: Part of the basics, not just a byproduct

By Dr. Simone Alicia, D.D, h.c

Take a shower, brush your teeth, mind your manners, and nurture your self-esteem. Those are the basics for our kids, right? Along with eating healthy, studying, and going to bed on time, most of us would agree that these are foundations of proper physical and emotional health.

Yet, there’s something strange on that list. Something that is always expected from our kids, but usually left off of the list of basic life lessons: It’s self-esteem.

Some say it’s just a byproduct that comes from doing other things, like sports, dance, or theater. But is that enough? Or do we need to teach self-esteem more directly?

As a self-esteem coach, one of the first things my young clients learn from me is that self-esteem is “the way we think and feel about ourselves.” I love that definition because it empowers kids to take charge of what they are thinking about anytime that they want. And they quickly learn that their thoughts affect their attitude, beliefs, and behavior!

Now, picture it, your kids just finished watching a drama-filled series online, then they played a few hours of a violent video game; they also realized that they got a bad grade, and a former friend was mean to them on social media. All of these experiences become images swirling around in your child’s mind. Each image has a negative feeling attached to it.

Now here’s the key: Your child has no clue what to do about these thoughts and feelings. So, now it affects their behavior, and they have a negative attitude toward you all day.

Is the self-esteem “byproduct” from their extracurricular activities enough to help them through this? No. They need real, direct tools, like affirmations, journaling, and reframing skills, which I’ll detail for you below:

This involves reciting positive things about yourself starting with “I am.” Singing them to the beat of a familiar tune helps younger kids through difficult times.
Step 1: “Release,” which is writing out all negative emotions in a journal and really imagining that they are being released out of you. Step 2 (most important): Turn to a new page and “refill” yourself, being a best friend to yourself and coaching yourself through whatever you just released, so you are left in a positive place. For example, “Even though that happened, I am strong, and I know it’ll be OK.”
This is a method by which you try to see your situation in a different way, perhaps with humor or by finding the good thing hidden in your situation. The sentence may start with “Well, at least…” ⎯ for example, if children get a low score at school, they could say, “Well, at least it’s not the last grade for the year.”

The most important thing for parents to know is that tools are out there to help their kids with building self-esteem, and they should have those tools before they need them. Preparation is power. After all, it’s far easier to put the life vest on before you fall into the water. Am I right?

With the current times that we live in and the unlimited access to technology, social media, controversial influencers, and more, we can no longer treat self-esteem building like a mere byproduct that kids will pick up somewhere. Instead, it’s time to recognize self-esteem building as a basic, fundamental life skill that our kids need to learn directly in order to live mentally healthy lives.

May 17, 2021May 11, 2021

Spring and summer mark the beginning of moving season

Here are a few tips to make your moving process smoother:

Prior to moving or relocating, declutter clothing, toys, or personal items. Eliminating these items in advance of your move will reduce your packing time and moving costs.

Pack items from each room together so they are not mixed with items from other rooms. For example, kitchen items should be packed separately from master closet items. This will help to make unpacking quicker and easier.

On your moving day, ensure the movers label and scan all of your items before they are loaded into the truck. Items should be labeled on each side and not just on the top so they can be identified easily.

While the movers will create a list of all of your items, consider creating your own inventory list to not only confirm the mover’s list but also designate which room they should be placed in your new home.

Once your items start unloading at your destination, be sure to check each item off on both the mover’s list and your list to double check that all your items have arrived safely. Inspect each item for damage if possible.

Time permitting, open and examine your items to see if they are intact. If anything is missing or damaged, be sure to make a claim as quickly as possible. Take pictures to document any damage, and immediately notify your move coordinator.

Lisa Haubenstock is a Professional Organizer and the owner of LisaTheOrganizer, LLC. serving Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties.

May 10, 2021May 11, 2021

Hogfish, grouper season upon us

By Steve Waters

April is a very special month for many anglers and divers in South Florida. The first of April marks the opening of hogfish and grouper season, and it has been a long wait for this enthusiastic bunch. Hogfish season closed last fall on November 1 in local waters, and grouper season has been closed since January 1 of this year in Atlantic waters.

April is a disappointing month for scuba divers who fish for fresh lobster, as the lobster season closes on April 1 of every year. Seasoned divers like Jim “Chiefy” Mathie, a retired Deerfield Beach fire chief, focuses on spearfishing for lionfish with his buddies, meanwhile taking note of where hogfish and grouper tend to congregate.

The good news, said Mathie, is that he’s been seeing plenty of fish. However, it’s important for divers and anglers to know that grouper and hogfish hauls have restrictions on bag and size. Black and gag grouper must measure at least 24 inches long and red grouper must be 20 inches long. Anglers and divers can keep a total of three grouper per day, but only one can be a black or a gag. The other two, or all three, can be red grouper.

The limit on hogfish is one per person per day with a minimum size of 16 inches long from the tip of the nose to the fork of the tail. In previous years, hogfish season was open all year, the daily bag limit was five, and the size limit was 12 inches. Mathie has seen an improvement in the hogfish population since the regulations took effect in 2017. “We definitely are seeing a lot of big males,” Mathie said, explaining that male hogfish big enough to spear have a long snoot with a dark stripe down the forehead.

Mathie is the author of “Catching the Spear-it! The ABCs of Spearfishing,” which is sold retail by most area dive shops as well as through online sources such as www.chiefy.net and others. The author shares many excellent tips in his book, but the sportsperson must always keep in mind the 3 R’s–recognition, regulation, and

range. In other words, be able to identify the fish, know the size limit, and be close enough to shoot it with your speargun. Spear fishermen must check off the 3 R’s relatively quickly with black and gag grouper. Unlike hogfish and red grouper, which often try to hide behind a sea fan when a diver approaches, blacks and gags don’t usually stick around.

In May, Mathie and his dive buddies concentrate on hunting the west-facing side of the third reef. The top of the reef is about 50 feet below the surface and the bottom is 60-65 feet. The reef holds large numbers of fish, including keeper-sized grouper and hogfish. Wrecks in 65 feet also are good spots to shoot big grouper and hogfish. Some years, Mathie and his friends hunted those spots for the entire month of May. Then they moved on to wrecks in 110-120 feet.

Capt. Skip Dana of the Fish City Pride drift boat in Pompano Beach fishes for grouper in wrecks from 75-240 feet. He notes that wrecks in 75-120 feet are good for gag grouper. Blacks are on the same wrecks as well as deeper ones. Reds can be as shallow at 30-40 feet around rockpiles, ledges and grass patches, and on wrecks.

The GPS coordinates for Florida’s artificial reefs are available at: myfwc.com/media/19397/artificialreefdeploymentlocations.pdf

Once a keeper grouper is hooked, there’s a good chance it may get away. The fish typically swim right back into the wreck or reef where they were hanging out.

Capt. Bouncer Smith of Bouncer’s Dusky 33 Miami, FL Fishing Charters, and author of “The Bouncer Smith Chronicles: A Lifetime of Fishing,” says having the proper tackle is essential for getting a grouper away from its home and up to the boat. Although braided line is popular with offshore anglers, Smith prefers using monofilament for his main line.

“If you’re truly targeting big groupers, you’re better off with real heavy monofilament and the craziest, tightest drag you can imagine fishing,” he says. “Braid doesn’t give to the pressure. Braid either holds or it breaks.

If you’re using 100-pound monofilament line or 80-pound monofilament line and a 120-pound leader, you can fish a lot more drag because when you’re turning your head and ducking, waiting for that line to break, it’s going to stretch instead of break. Therefore, you can put a lot more heat on that grouper with heavy mono than you can with braid.”

As Smith explains, monofilament line is like a palm tree in a storm. It will bend and sway, but it won’t break. Braided line is like an oak tree, which might be uprooted or snap in a strong wind. “The nice thing about braid is it makes it easier to get to the bottom and hold the bottom, but when it comes to stopping a fish, monofilament is far superior,” Smith says. “If you set the drag at 30 pounds with braid, when you reach 30 pounds then the line’s going to break. When you set the drag at 30 pounds with mono, instead of the mono breaking, it stretches. So, you’ve got a lot more give.”

As for tackle, Smith says the ideal grouper outfit is a dual-speed lever drag Penn International reel with a 7-foot, solid fiberglass rod because, similar to the palm tree, “They bend but they never break. However, these days most people use a 5½- to 6-foot stand-up rod.”

May 3, 2021April 29, 2021

Let’s Fiesta! – A Cinco de Mayo collaboration

Let’s Fiesta! – A Cinco de Mayo collaboration

By Rachel Hunter

Owner of Celebrate You Events offering bespoke party planning for all occasions.

Tel: 305.389.0550

CelebrateYou2020@gmail.com

While Cinco de Mayo originated as an historic battle won in the city of Puebla, Mexico, here in the US, it has become a celebration of Mexican heritage. So, grab your sombreros and get ready to party! Here are some family-friendly ideas to liven up your hump day.

A few days before the holiday, get the kids involved in creating the decorations. The local dollar store has tons of seasonal, inexpensive crafts. Make them together, or give them the tools and enjoy a few minutes of downtime. (Wishful thinking, I know!)

On the actual day, I like to set up a festive kids table with more activities. Don’t put the Easter eggs away just yet! Save a few for them to make their own maracas. Simply have them put dried beans inside the egg, grab a couple spoons and secure the egg in the spoons with some colorful tape. They’ll enjoy decorating them as well as dancing around afterwards with their new musical instrument. I also found a free, downloadable Cinco de Mayo themed “I Spy” for them to play. Throw in some adorable avocado cookies, and you’ll have some happy kids!

While the kids are busy with their crafts, make yourself a well-earned margarita. Instead of a salted rim try using Tajin for extra bite. Order food from your favorite Mexican restaurant, or whip up some quick fajitas like we did. But be sure to treat yourself to some almost-too-cute-to-eat sweets like these festive cookies and stunning cakes. Believe me, these coconut lime cactus cupcakes will not disappoint.

Stay safe and enjoy your Cinco de Mayo!

For information on any of these activities contact:

Rachel Hunter of Celebrate You Events (IG: @celebrate.you.events) – Concept creation, party styling & banners

Kelley Jomant of Caked with Love by Kelley Inc (IG: @cakedwithlovebykelleyinc) – Custom cakes

Ana Ortiz of AO Craft Décor (IG: @aocraftdecor) – Extra-large paper flowers

Claudia Ovalle of Claumellows (IG: @claumellows) – Custom cookies

Crystal Aguila of Riley Black Designs (IG: @rileyblackdesigns) – Custom signs & acrylic lime wedges