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Heart health for women

As we know, in May we celebrate Mother’s Day! In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death in both women and men. Diet, lifestyle choices, and a few other key factors play a big role in a wide range of heart conditions. Take care of your heart by choosing foods to promote overall health.

Fruits and Vegetables Matter

When it comes to filling your plate, fruits and vegetables are where it’s at. Not only are they sources of dietary fiber and antioxidants, they also can help keep blood pressure in check. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. What makes fruits and vegetables so good? They provide potassium and magnesium, minerals that have been shown to help lower blood pressure in clinical studies.

Aiming for 1½ to 2 cups of fruit and 2 to 3 cups of vegetables daily is a good way to help meet your potassium goals. Plus, research has shown that fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with a reduced risk for many chronic diseases, including heart disease.

Fat Matters for the Heart

The type of fat you eat also makes a difference. According to the 2020-2025 “Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” a healthy eating pattern should provide less than 10% total calories from saturated fat starting at age 2. An eating plan high in saturated fat may increase the risk for heart disease. Foods such as bacon, sausages, fatty meats, butter, ice cream, and other full-fat dairy foods can be high in saturated fat.

Replacing sources of saturated fat with unsaturated fats has been shown to be beneficial in reducing “bad” cholesterol levels and may help lower the risk for heart disease. Foods such as olive oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds contain unsaturated fat.

Omega-3 fatty acids are a special type of unsaturated fat commonly found in fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, and herring. Omega-3s also are found in walnuts and flaxseed. Fish is a good source of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), whereas nuts and seeds contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Because these foods contain different types of omega-3 fatty acids, it’s good to include a variety of these foods among the foods you eat throughout the week. Women who are of childbearing age, pregnant, or breastfeeding should consult “Advice About Eating Fish” (www.fda.gov/food/consumers/advice-about-eating-fish) from the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Stay Active for Heart Health

Regular physical activity also can be beneficial. Get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, with some activity on most days of the week. Maintaining a healthy weight can help manage certain conditions such as high blood pressure. According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, everyone varies in how much physical activity they need to maintain their weight.

Other Risk Factors

While you can change what you eat and whether you are physically active, there are some risk factors for heart disease that you cannot change:

  • Aging: The risk for heart disease increases with age.
  • Family history: Having a close blood relative, such as a parent or sibling, with heart disease increases your risk of having heart disease.
  • Ethnicity: Some ethnicities have a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • Previous heart attack: A history of past heart attacks can increase the odds of having another one in the future. However, in this case, there are things you can do to reduce your risk, such as eating healthfully and participating in cardiac rehab.
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Dining on the dock at historic seafood spot

Where can you dine on the east coast of Florida with lots of funky, kitschy appeal, scenic water views from every table, delicious seafood, and some of the best key lime pie in the state? That would be at the Old Key Lime House on Ocean Avenue in Lantana.

Located on a bustling street right near a drawbridge at the Intercoastal Waterway, Old Key Lime House is the oldest structure in the state to house a waterfront restaurant, and it claims to have the largest tiki bar in South Florida. It’s close to Route 1 and easy to find. Once you spot the historic, bright-green building, you know you’re there. From out front it looks much smaller than it really is. But behind this colorful house, overlooking the wide-open, picturesque Intercoastal, is the full sprawling property with a fun potpourri of dining and bar areas. You’ll be glad you found it.

With four bars (including one up a high staircase to a porch above the water with great views of the boats below), a central stage for live music, several large-screen TVs, and many areas for waterfront dining, Old Key Lime is popular for lunch, dinner, and nightlife. I’ve been there for all three, with various friends and family members. We always have a nice time and good food. People come for the locally caught seafood and the key lime pie—not to mention sunsets over the water. It’s always a party at the Old Key Lime House. As night falls, it’s usually rocking with great live music.

It started as a two-story home built in 1889 from sturdy heart of pine by Morris and Mary Lyman, who were among Lantana’s founders and who sold fish and oysters locally. Morris Lyman was a storekeeper and postmaster and named the town, incorporated in 1921. Their building eventually became the Old House Restaurant in 1989 and was renamed the Old Key Lime House in 2000. Owner Wayne Cordero was at the helm then, perfecting the restaurant’s famous cornbread as well as its even more famous item, the key lime pie. It came from the recipe of his grandmother, Agnes, and was part of his cherished memories from childhood summer visits to visit family in Key West.

This historic site has a storied past. “Originally a boarding house for travelers, it later became a speakeasy during the Prohibition era, attracting a colorful cast of characters and stories that still echo through its weathered walls,” according to the Dean Mitchell Group. “Today, the restaurant and bar preserve the charm of days gone by, with its original Dade County pine construction and nautical decor.”

Old Key Lime House is a colorful testament to the history and flavor of this coastal community. It’s usually packed with both locals and visitors who savor its laidback, Florida Keys–style atmosphere. Tourists often come to check it out, but with the numerous packed bars and live music on the property, it’s also a popular watering hole for the community. Everybody enjoys the lovely waterfront views as well as quirky décor inside and out.

To get out to the dining areas, you first go through the original house, which has a fireplace and vintage collection of memorabilia, photos, and documents on the walls throughout the foyers. You can read about the recipe for the key lime pie. There are lots of antiques around, such as a vintage cash register and an old gas pump. It’s like a little museum of the town’s history. You can watch aquatic life in two giant tanks in front of the check-in booth, as well as visit the gift shop and explore merchandise for sale, such as “Old Key Lime House” collectible T-shirts.

Outside, there are tables in several different covered sections, around the bars, on wooden decks, and even out on the docks. Kids can enjoy a large play area complete with giant skeletons for extra thrills.

There are plenty of spots for patrons to secure a boat for those who come by water. Signs pepper all the posts there, with messages such as the typical “No Shoes, Shirt, No Service” along with others like “Slow Please: Report Manatee Injuries,” “No Boat Boozing,” “Dock at Your Own Risk,” “No Sailboats, No Catamarans,” and, at the floating boat bar, “No High Heels.”

Old Key Lime House has weathered several hurricanes and tropical storms, and repairs always bring it back to life. Recent damage to a dock, in December 2023, happened after a storm swept through and two nearby sailboats came loose and slammed into the dock. Hopefully, nothing bad will close this place for long.

 

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Peacock fever

You are not seeing things, that’s a peacock on the road.

Like occasional gator sightings, or seeing a turtle cross the street, seeing a peacock on a Parkland side street is another reminder of how close we live to nature.

Peacock sightings are also a legacy of the fact that the Parkland and Coral Springs area used to be farm and ranch land. In the past few decades, new developments were added, but small farms are still thriving in our area.

These large pheasants are not native to Florida, or even the Americas. The most memorable peacock with blue and green plumage comes from the Indian subcontinent. They first arrived as pets or for specialty farms, and over time they were released or escaped into the wild. They are omnivorous, and will eat plants, flowers, seeds, insects, even reptiles, and amphibians. So South Florida is paradise for them.

Technically, peacocks are the male peafowls, whereas the peahens are the females. But the brilliant display exhibited by the males during mating season makes them a more iconic image for the species.

Throughout scientific history, there is much speculation about why peacocks have such a vibrant display. Darwin speculated that the peahens, through a long line of descent, must have “appreciated this superiority.” But scientists are not sure if the large tail plumage, or the train, is due to natural selection as Darwin postulated.

A multiyear study in Japan concluded that peahens did not show a preference for large trains. In fact, peacocks with more symmetrical, or elaborate train (more eyespots) affect the peahen’s choice of mate.

The eyespots, or ocelli, do seem to affect peahens. The angle at which they are displayed seems important to holding the peahen’s attention. The dance and rattling of the tail seem to be an attention-grabbing aspect of their ritual. For most human observers, it’s the eyespots that are most mesmerizing.

The eyespots are composed of intermeshed features held together by microhooks. The eyespot’s structure keeps the spots stable when the peacock vibrates his tail to attract the peahens. The vibration usually has a frequency of 25.6Hz, which is audible for the peahens, and able to keep the attention of most observers looking at it.

While scientists continue their research into this area, we can all enjoy these displays when we find them on the street or at a local farm. However, some in the neighborhood with a peafowl population may be more concerned about their noise. The typical peacock sound has been described as a cross between a bird call and a baby crying out.

Before you consider harming these gorgeous birds, keep in mind that even though peacocks are not native, they are protected under a Florida statute, which may result in a fine of $5,000 and/or up to a year in prison if you are found guilty of shooting a peacock. The penalty is even more if one tortures or intentionally harms a peacock—up to 10 years in prison.

You may see them mostly wobble or hop around. Peafowls can fly around a mile in a single flight, so with an abundance of food locally, they can quickly become wild and adapt to our southern Florida climate.

So you may find yourself face to face with a peafowl, even if you are not next door to a farm or do not park where these birds reside.

You may also find leucistic variants, which is a natural loss of pigmentation, similar to white lions and tigers you have seen. These are prized by some, and bred locally for pets.

This spring, hopefully you will be lucky enough to see them in person. If not, enjoy the pictures we have collected of local peacocks!

 

 

 

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Blood brothers Southern Blood has a bond thicker than water

A shoutout to legendary guitarist Greg Allman’s final album, “Southern Blood”—created in 2016 while he was fighting liver cancer—South Florida’s band of the same name, Southern Blood, pays homage to Allman and that genre of rock ’n’ roll known as Southern rock.

Emerging from Texas, the Carolinas, and Georgia, the music, characterized by its combination of rock ‘n’ roll, country, and blues, is focused on electric guitars and vocals, as exemplified in the music of the Allman Brothers, Lynryd Skynryd, Molly Hatchett, and ZZ Top.

“These groups were my musical influences,” says Southern Blood founder and lead guitarist James (Jimi) Robinette, 59, who grew up in Hollywood. “I loved Lynryd Skynryd, Aerosmith, Bad Company, the Who, and Molly Hatchett.”

The band is composed of Robinette, Todd Jones (guitar and vocals), Alan Vine (bass guitar), Greg Smolla (slide guitar and vocals), and Rodrigo Valente on drums. They revisit the ’70s and ’80s with their unmistakable, hard-driving groove, signature Southern vocals, and dueling guitars.

The members have been around South Florida “forever,” according to Robinette, who toured the country in the late ’80s and early ’90s with a band called “Heartless,” and they’ve been playing together for the past six years.

Typically, they play 100 shows each year, including local festivals such as the Winterfest Boat Parade in Fort Lauderdale and that city’s 2021 New Year’s Eve party for a crowd of approximately 5,000 revelers.

“Our main goal is to entertain. At this stage in our careers, we’re not looking to be famous or to go on the road touring,” says Robinette. “We love to get people involved, get them dancing, singing, and clapping their hands. We’re high-energy, loud, and kick-ass. We will get you up—moving and grooving to songs such as Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” and the Allman Brothers’ “Rambling Man.”

For bass guitarist Vine, 55, who grew up in Parkland, Coral Springs, and Margate, he fell in love with the band Molly Hatchett after attending a concert at the Sunrise Musical Theater with his friends in sixth grade.

“After seeing all the guys on stage making music and all the girls dancing in the audience, I decided right then and there that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life,” he remembers. He went home and asked his mother for a guitar, and the rest is a 43-year-long musical journey.

The group performed in April at Nova Southeastern University’s Miniaci Performing Arts Center with their newly formed and dedicated Lynryd Skynryd band, “Freebirds.”

“It’s cool when we perform well and do the music justice,” Vine says. “The vibe comes across and people notice the good time we’re having. We’re the best of friends and that shows when we’re performing.”

He says the band is appreciative of the support they get from fans, and they don’t take it for granted. Future goals include writing and performing original songs.

“We make a point to say hello and thank our fans for coming,” Vine says.

Chicago-born lead guitarist Smolla, 62, who now lives in Delray Beach, grew up frequenting the blues bars in downtown Chicago. He remembers seeing the big names of blues—Buddy Guy, B. B. King, Muddy Waters, Bobby Rush, and Ronnie Baker Brooks.

“You could go any night of the week and hear great blues music,” remembers Smolla, an engineer who came to South Florida 25 years ago with IBM.

His interest in piano and guitar began at the age of 10, and when he was in eighth grade, he played at the school’s ninth-grade dance. Early musical influences included Michael Schenker, a German guitarist who played with the band UFO (“my favorite”), blues guitarist Freddie King, and Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher, who influenced Jeff Beck.

 Smolla feels fortunate to have found Robinette and to be a part of Southern Blood.

“It’s the best band I’ve been in, here in Florida,” he says. “We have a big, full, Southern rock boogie sound that people gravitate toward.”

Because there are not many bands playing Southern rock, he says people travel from Florida’s west coast or from Orlando to see them perform.

“We’re authentic,” Smolla says. “Jimi is an engaging showman with a lot of charisma. We put a lot into getting the right sound and tone, and everyone is free to be themselves on stage—what you see is what you get.”

Smolla credits the band’s chemistry to translating to the audience. “Bands are all about the chemistry,” he says.

Gracious toward their audience, the band will often come off the stage and join their fans at their table or in the crowd and play something slow, quiet, and intimate.

“These are the moments that stick with you,” says Smolla. “All the songs have been written and all the parts sung, so when you’re spontaneous and get people to feel they are a part of it, those are some of our best memories.”

 Southern Blood will perform at Sharkey’s Bar and Grill, 10365 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs, for Cinco de Mayo on Sunday, May 5. For more information, visit sharkeysfl.com or call (954) 341-9990. To see a complete list of Southern Blood show dates, visit southernbloodband.com

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Jennifer J.L. Jones: Piece in nature

“Echoes of Elysium” is the exhibition on display at New River Fine Art on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale through April. Artist Jennifer J.L. Jones finds her employment in the abstract contemporary trends and transforms them into the botanical atmospheres that cohere to the observer’s metaphysical hemisphere of realistic conjuncture. The strategy is by the composites of layers, not by the disconformity of postmodern rejection, but the singular reluctance to recognize concentrations between values. The artistic empirical is apparent. In agriculture, the thumbnail would be up and the hands would be down. 

Jones was born in Virginia and was raised between there and the east coast of Florida. Currently settled in Port Royal, South Carolina, she holds a bachelor’s of fine arts from the Art Institute of Chicago. 

In “Collections,” if you will, in free will, that employs the atmospheric abstracts into the altercations between hemispheres that lather by the waste sides of mere entropy is instead gorgeously assigned to her earlier works of “Hypnotic Starlings” (2016). Here, the division is in black and white, and the value is laid out indusively by color choice. The whites and blues drip, and the reds? A staged presence in a spacious spread of reasoning, and to the “Tejas,” mixed media on wood (2014), in the “Lacuna” series. 

To view the past collections, visit www.jenniferjljonesstudios.com/collectedworks.

Is this Euclidean geometry by color? “Odyssey,” currently on display at New River Fine Art, is a requiem. If one was to follow the leaves of green, the shape appears to heed the branch of mathematics that puts axioms and postulates in place on a flat space. The relationships of points are defined by color choices, at the angles intended, and beneath the fluidity, lining them up and into visual consonance.  

It shouldn’t go further than that, space, to distinguish the difference in hemispheres: one, the choice to avail dissonance into one’s solutions, or two, the opposite of where one must withdraw and appreciate the length of the objective segment itself. Jones shows her skills and artistic mastery in this light.

Distance is on the other side of it. This empirical nature goes only as far as it needs to go. It is witnessed that the closer one arrives to “Untitled,” the more abstract the artwork becomes. The potency of floral arrangements from a postmodern world extracts the work’s serenity as a schema, and in turn, dimensions are idealism. Dimensions are the elongated measures of the botanical muse to see what needs to be seen, and when it arrives. The disregarding sensuality of exposed synthetics demises what stem and into the true nature of a visual connection. What a very delicate balance that absurdity can bring! 

Still, are the flowers.

A mythological state of perfect happiness, where botany molds to the surface, is Jones’s earlier work from 2017, “Midnight for Butterflies I.” It may very well translate for some as a still life from 17th-century Dutch artistry. The change from stroke to the use of line is highly emphasized. It is a clear takeaway from traditional portraits with flowers in a vase—to, who needs a vase when you have colors to focus on? Jones takes the eerie darkness from the Baroque era and colors it lively.

Her change from 2017 to works on exhibition today is still a psychological sense of untiming. In “Cailleach” (2024), the black-and-white orthodox grows on the subject of butterflies, if at all intended, bringing shape to the subject, certainly by stroke. 

The means to the instance is of the goddess this art is named after, or “veiled one,” which is sparkled with gloss, clung to width by the blue of the skies. 

 

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Spring Into Sunshine: Local Activities to Make the Most of Springtime Fun

Families from all over the country flock to South Florida for the beautiful weather this time of year. As the locals are aware, there’s no shortage of exciting activities to enjoy around here. If you’re staying in town, here is a reminder of some fun and enjoyable ways to make the most of our beautiful springtime weather.

Life is better at the beach

Spend your days building sandcastles, soaking up the sun, and taking refreshing dips in the warm refreshing water. South Florida boasts some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, all within minutes!

Splash, Slide and Soar

Located in Riviera Beach, Rapids Water Park is South Florida’s premiere family water park from the Keys to Orlando. The park features a full-day of fun for the entire family – whether you make a splash in the cool blue waves of the wave pool, take a thrilling plunge down the waterslides, or just relax and float around the lazy river… there is something fun for everyone.

 Top-of-the Water Activities

With our year-round warm temperatures and abundance of outdoor activities such as boating, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, surfing, scuba diving and more, South Florida is one of the country’s top water sports destinations. For a more new experience, try flyboarding at one of the many local rental shops along the coast.

Get Lost in Art

Immerse yourself in South Florida’s vibrant culture and arts scene. Among the many museums, galleries and cultural landmarks a bit south of us, you can explore the unique and famous Wynwood Walls for the colorful street art; and don’t forget to take a selfie in front of one of the many amazing hand painted backgrounds!

Outdoor Adventures

Venture beyond the sand to discover South Florida’s natural wonders and outdoor recreation. Explore the Everglades National Park on an airboat tour or hike through scenic nature trails in the Big Cypress National Preserve.

Entertainment and Nightlife

Madonna: The Celebration Tour – April 6, 7 and 9 at the Kaseya Center, Miami

The Celebration Tour is the ongoing twelfth concert tour by American singer Madonna Visit ticketmaster.com to purchase tickets.

Entertainment for the little Ones

DISNEY PRINCESS: THE CONCERT – April 7

Take the little ones to Broward Center’s Au-Rene Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. For generations, the music of Disney’s princesses has been the soundtrack to our lives. Now, these beloved songs come alive on stage with a host of Broadway and television stars in Disney Princess – The Concert! Visit ticketmaster.com to purchase tickets.

Plan the family’s spring adventures locally this year and create lasting memories while staying close to home. With the perfect blend of sun, sand, culture, and adventure, we are fortunate to have endless possibilities within minutes. Whether you’re seeking relaxation on the beach, outdoor adventures, or a vibrant cultural experience, South Florida has something for everyone to enjoy during the Spring season

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10 ways to save time and money at the grocery store

There is more variety on today’s grocery store shelves than ever before. With so many choices, it is easy to get overwhelmed.

Stay within your grocery budget while feeding your family well, by following these 10 tips:

  1. Don’t shop when you’re hungry.It may be more tempting to make impulse purchases, especially on less nutritious items that cost more, when shopping on an empty stomach.
  2. Make a shopping list and stick to it.Plan in advance and make a menu of meals for the week—check what you have at home first, so you know what you need and don’t overbuy. A list can help you avoid buying more than you plan to eat and wasting food that may spoil.
  3. Organize your list into sections according to the layout of the supermarket. This can help cut down on the time and the number of passes you need to make through the aisles.
  4. Check for supermarket specials.Check the weekly store circulars for sales and coupons for items you regularly purchase or that are on your grocery list for the week. Also, look at company websites and apps for coupons. Check for in-store deals like “manager’s specials” of day-old bread or foods close to their expiration date.
  5. Shop the bulk foods aisle.Many stores offer bulk herbs, spices, nuts, dried fruits, whole grains, dried beans, and other items at discounted prices. Sometimes these are foods in a less processed form, which means you are getting an added bonus of healthy options for less money.
  6. Stock up on staples when they go on sale.Browse grocery aisles or weekly flyers for sale items and stock up on foods you can keep in the pantry and freezer. Look for nonperishables such as canned and bottled goods; dried beans and peas; whole-grain pastas, crackers, and cereals; brown rice; tomato sauces; and nut butters.
  7. Think canned and frozen. Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables often are less expensive than their fresh counterparts. Plus, they’re great to have on hand when you’re short on fresh options. Fruits and veggies are canned at their peak of nutrition and quality. Be sure to choose no-salt-added, no-sugar-added, or less-sodium varieties.
  8. Use a slow cooker.This handy kitchen appliance uses a moist-heat method of cooking that helps tenderize less expensive but tougher cuts of meat. Stretch that dollar further by adding frozen vegetables or beans to your slow cooker recipes. Meals from a slow cooker are hearty and filling, and they make the house smell good!
  9. Cook meals in large batches, then freeze for later. Batch-cook and freeze meals over the weekend when you have more time. On weekdays, all you have to do is take a meal out of the freezer and simply reheat it. You also can use leftovers from a roast or chicken to make a stir-fry, tacos, or soup other days of the week.
  10. Take advantage of loyalty cards, store brands, coupons, and specials.If you haven’t signed up for your grocery store’s loyalty card, do it now. Sometimes sale prices are only valid with the loyalty card, and you could miss out on big savings. Consider purchasing the store brand of packaged foods—they usually are a better value than commercially branded items.
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Whistling while they work The Big Rock Band plays on

Named for the iHeartRadio station Big 105.9, the Big Rock Band was created for the station by Hollywood resident and deejay Alex Lencina, 57. Inspired by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, George Clinton, and the O’Jays, the band focused on less-played, familiar songs such as Autograph’s 1984 hit, “Turn Up the Radio.”

“We love to play music that has the audience bobbing their heads and tapping their feet, but is not overplayed,” says Lencina. “So, when they hear it, they remember it and remember they like it.

“That is the key to the band,” he says, paraphrasing Bee Gees guitarist Dan Warner’s parting words, “Groove is everything.”

Other band members include Fernando Santomaggio on bass, Jimi Fiano on lead guitar, Scott Sherman on guitar, John “Johnny O” Onderline on saxophone, Ysauro Hernandez on percussion, Philip Bithell on keys, and Euvoski Cunningham Sr. on drums.

The band plays at Cafe 27 in Fort Lauderdale, Galuppi’s in Pompano Beach, and Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton, and they’ll play locally at Sharkey’s Bar and Grill in Coral Springs on April 12.

“We are a band of brothers,” says Lencina. “When we play, we are connected—no attitudes, no hang-ups—just having a good time and sharing it with our audience.”

Highlights for the band included having Big 109.5 deejay Paul Castronovo sing with them at a Super Bowl watch party on Himmarshee Street in Fort Lauderdale in 2018 and performing at Margaritaville in front of 10,000 people for New Year’s Eve this past January. “It was amazing,” says Lencina. “I will never forget it.”

While all the members have separate lives and other commitments, they all say they are happy to have this time to play together.

For bassist Santomaggio, 48, also a marine science teacher at Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines, the time spent playing together is “intimate, deep, and profound.”

He explains, “We’re lucky to have something we enjoy, do it with those we like, and share it with the audience. We have a good time watching the audience watch us have a good time; there’s nothing better than that.”

Santomaggio especially enjoys his interaction on stage with lead guitarist Fiano, 66. “Jimi’s a local legend,” he says. “I looked up to him and now get to share a stage and learn from him.”

Fiano came to guitar playing at the age of 6, after his sister brought a guitar back from Mexico.

“I started playing it and couldn’t put it down,” he remembers. At 14, while still in middle school, he put together a band, and by the age of 16 he started playing in clubs professionally.

Influenced by the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Iron Butterfly, and Blue Cheer—and later, Grand Funk Railroad, a young Eric Clapton and the Blues Breakers (“full of piss and vinegar”), and blues guitarist Johnny Winter—Fiano is passionate about his craft.

Most recently, he put out a blues rock CD titled “Sweat & Pray,” which will be available on all streaming platforms. Shaun Murphy, a Nashville-based singer who sang with Bob Seger, Eric Clapton, and Little Feat, among others, did background vocals on the record.

Fiano says he hopes this CD will be his calling card as an independent artist. “I’d like to bring some like-minded people with me and go out on tour and see the world,” he says.

The father of an 18-year-old son, Fiano is at the peak of his career. He’s currently at work on his second album and says he can’t stop writing songs.

“My son won’t allow me to be old,” he jokes. “And, I want to leave a legacy.”

His advice for other would-be musicians? “Be persistent and color outside the lines,” he says. “Follow your instincts, take chances, and if you believe it, it will happen.

“I love playing with these guys and we genuinely have a great time making music together on stage,” says Fiano. “What could be better than that?”

The Big Rock Band will perform at Sharkey’s Bar and Grill, 10365 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs, on April 12 at 8 p.m. Visit them on Facebook and Jimi Fiano at Jimifiano.com.

 

 

 

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Sawgrass Nature Center… Where wildlife is rescued, and people learn about nature

You can have a nice brush with wildlife and nature at a hidden gem within Sportsplex Park in Coral Springs. Sawgrass Nature Center & Wildlife Hospital is a nonprofit facility on 5 acres of land. It seems part farm, part zoo, part museum, part conservation park, part wetlands, and part animal hospital. You can see all kinds of wildlife being rehabilitated in their natural habitats here.

I went recently on a Saturday afternoon with family members, and we all enjoyed it. For only the cost of a $5 donation, we got to see a variety of wildlife up close, including owls, gopher tortoises, alligators, snakes, guinea hens, black vultures, fancy pigeons, Amazon parrots, red-tailed hawks, and a mix of reptiles. Many of them are orphaned, disabled, or nonreleasable, and there are informative signs on their enclosures telling us their names and brief stories.

There are two buildings at the site: (1) a multipurpose building with animals to view in cages, museum-style educational materials, a nature gift shop, a meeting room, and more; and (2) the wildlife hospital where wild native animals are treated, rehabilitated, and released back into the wild. The hospital was not open when we visited, but I understand they do great work there and provide medical care for all the animals and birds brought to them.

We did get to see all the wildlife in the nature center’s permanent exhibit area. Animals are housed in natural-looking habitats and birds in beautiful aviaries. We did the full self-tour (which doesn’t take too long), seeing all the creatures and learning about what brought them there, and we explored the shady grounds. One can also learn something about Florida wetlands while at Sawgrass Nature Center. “It’s a unique place where people of all ages can come to observe birds, mammals, reptiles, and native plants and learn to appreciate the beauty of nature in South Florida,” according to the center.

This place is especially known for its educational programs, which focus on Florida’s native wildlife and their natural habitats. They feature live animals in these programs, along with specimens, artifacts, and other presentation materials. There’s a large, airy outdoor classroom on the grounds to hold educational sessions, lectures, summer and holiday camps, parties, and other group activities. That day, a young girl’s birthday party was going on in there and at the animal habitats nearby, and the kids seemed to be having a great time.

The nature center has a strong environmental component in its programs, and it typically serves around 3,000 students annually, with field trips to the venue and outreach programs in the schools. Volunteers conduct programs on ecology, natural history, wildlife rehabilitation, and conservation. Field excursions provide opportunities to view, photograph, or sketch wildlife in their natural surroundings. And there are weekly preschool activities for the youngest learners. Virtual programs are another option where people can learn about Florida’s wildlife and ecosystems. A lot of education from this small place!

It also was interesting learning about why some of the animals were initially brought to the facility. Not all of the wildlife here are hurt, although we did learn about birds that couldn’t fly and residents with other impactful injuries. We read about a tortoise initially being gifted as a pet. Well, that tortoise grew to be huge, and it must have been too much to handle so was taken to the center, where it now has a good home and is obviously well cared for. Other animals are rehabbed and released.

The nature center provides a variety of educational programs to increase people’s awareness of the wildlife around them and to encourage the preservation of natural habitats. By stimulating curiosity about the natural world, providing some fascinating ecological insights, and caring for the creatures entrusted to them, Sawgrass Nature Center is doing a great thing. Funded chiefly by donations, it’s totally worth a visit and supporting their work. Check it out soon!

For more information and to sign up for an educational program or tour, go to sawgrassnaturecenter.org.

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Artist Marina Veen: Mirrors to the soul

“I get bored easily,” Marina Veen told me over tea and coffee and a lovely stroll together. A very independent, hard-working woman, Veen played a corporate role since her early 20s. During the Covid pandemic, she found the change she had been searching for.

This career adjustment fed something more important—her soul. “Two hours of meditation wasn’t enough,” Veen said. “It was time to reset.”

During her early years of taking art classes and drawing, Veen was confronted with bias technicalities in creating art—the type of technicalities that hold to rules, the type of technicalities that can hinge creative development, imagination, and heart. She found it void.

“I wished somebody would’ve told me that it was okay to reject technique,” Veen said. “I probably would’ve gone back to art much sooner if I had.” She instead held a conscious mindset toward life as she built it. In her search for something much deeper, it seems that it’s the rejection where she finds the connection to her motivation.

“If I see it is a tree, I am no longer interested,” Veen said. The intense colorism of the works by Henri Matisse in the early part of the 20th century is a good example of where her motivations belong. It is the type of connection that holds the equilibrium between mind and emotion to meet at the surface. It is the intangible reality we all silently attend to. How it is translated, or if it is clear, is something everyone experiences at one point or another. Yet it is here that Veen finds her answers by reflection. The canvas: a mirror.

Darkness to Light

Veen pulls the light from the shadows without manipulation. It is raw and undefined—until it isn’t. The light has been set, revealing the integrity and utter honesty of her focus. It is amid the darkness that one can view, in “Drift by My Windows,” recently displayed at the Parkland Library. Time predisposes beneath, where it is clear by the textures of depth nondiscriminatory. However, beneath all the textures are the stories untold.

Upside Down

Veen is a Ukrainian-American originally from Odesa, who spent much of her prime in the hustle and bustle of New York City. After moving to the California Bay Area with her family and for work, she thought she would never return to the East Coast. The artistic resilience of California held a spark. Yet, things happen. While moving to Seattle for her work with Amazon and Microsoft, and during the time of Covid, she saw the big picture.

“In Between” is an excellent example. If viewed from the opposite direction, one may see an unbloomed flower. Still are the layers on the canvas used to demonstrate perspective. Her impressively high originality cannot go unnoticed. The rejection of a still life is recreated in an entirely new definition of quality, and coincidently, it had been painted upside down. The fluidity of rhythms shines in the sheets of layers, and per the use of perspective, the story unravels, much like the rigid nature of corporate Seattle.

Lavender

The color certainly molds to the surface in characters offset of white. The character is within the color that would commonly be overlooked if not made aware of. Here the body holds much more than its weight. It is in echoes of colors beneath where the lavender-like blend developed unto its finish. During Veen’s weeks of working on this piece, “Echoed Through Me” is just one example of how her work undergoes a total metamorphosis of change—until it speaks fluently.

Methods and Media

Veen is inspired by the songs and poetry of Leonard Cohen, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, and Rainer Maria Rilke. One can feel the rhythmic fluidity that shows through to the surface of her pieces. It is a movement of poetry held in the textures beneath the surface of her media. Mixed media, acrylic, cold wax and oil, collage, stenciling, gelli plate printing, woodblock printing, and mark-making are just some of the resources used to create her compositions. Her method—addition and retraction.

Veen’s first group show was in September 2023 at the Macy Gallery at Columbia University in New York City. Last summer, she and her family settled in South Florida. There is high anticipation for more of her work still to come.

Today, Veen continues expanding her artistic communication of lost expression through her talent. Her work can be viewed at marinaveenstudio.com and on Instagram at marinaveenfineart.

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Sippin Fire is ‘En Fuego’

“Like taking a sip of fire, or listening to the band,” says Dany Roy, 58, lead guitarist for the band Sippin Fire, a native-born French Canadian, now living in Margate, explaining how the band got its name.

The South Florida-based rock, party and cover band plays a mix of 70s and 80s rock and roll, with their high energy, signature mix of guitar riffs, bass lines and down-home drum beats, accompanied by the soulful sounds of lead vocalist, Jade Fecteau-tasse, 33, daughter, of the band’s bass guitarist and promoter, Rejean (“Reggie”) Fecteau, 61.

Roy and Fecteau, also from Canada, met here in Florida when Fecteau was part of the Eagles Tribute Band, The Long Run.  The two decided to join forces and the rest is history.

“When I came to Fort Lauderdale and South Florida, it was love at first sight,” remembers Fecteau.  “I wouldn’t go back (to Canada) for anything – except maybe in the summer.”

“Together, we have phenomenal chemistry,” he says, noting that that the band is booked 3-4 times each week and has a full calendar through 2024 and into 2025.

More than a musical experience, their shows are a visual spectacle of lights, smoke and special effects, all designed to enhance the experience.

Two of their biggest fans and loyal followers are Boca Raton resident Wayne Belfer, 66, executive director of DOB Parkinson’s Charity, a non-profit based in Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton and Keith Richard Kraft, 62, a retired car dealer manager from New York.

Kraft, 62, who moved to Tamarac from Brooklyn four years ago, went with a friend to hear Sippin Fire perform in Fort Lauderdale.

Growing up he listened to the Beatles, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and got into the Bee Gees and disco in the 70s.

“I fell in love with Sippin Fire, both musically and personally,” he says. “After a set, they come out and schmooze with the audience. Jade has a personality to knock your socks off.”

Belfer, who went often to hear the band, became friends with the musicians.

“The band is impressive, dynamic and together on stage,” he says.  “Their vocals are brilliant, with furious guitar solos and non-stop rhythm romps.”

Both are looking forward to the band’s next venture, “Her Majesty the Queen,” a full theatrical tribute production that will reproduce Queen’s Freddie Mercury’s stage, complete with lights, props, costumes and videos.

Vocalist Fecteau-tasse will reprise the role of lead vocalist, Freddie Mercury.

“There’s no question, I’ll be first in line,” says Kraft, admitting that while he wasn’t the biggest Queen fan, he’s a huge Sippin Fire fan.

“Besides being high-powered, they’re easy to watch,” he says.  “And, they’re super hard workers.”

Locally, the group plays at Sharkey’s in Coral Springs, the Margaritaville Bandshell on the Hollywood Broadwalk and Mickey’s Tiki Bar in Pompano Beach, as well as throughout the country, including gigs in Illinois, Las Vegas, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah and California.

Playing drums since the age of five when his parents bought him a drum set, Fecteau was on-track to become a semi-professional hockey player, until the music bug struck.

“Once I found music, I never looked back,” says Fecteau, who is also married to Nathalie Tasse, a keyboardist who plays with the group’s Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) Tribute Band, The Ticket to the Moon, playing hits such as Strange Magic, Evil Woman and Telephone Line.

An accomplished musician, playing seven instruments, Fecteau has been featured on many gold records and performed in Canada with well-known French artists Joey Tardif, Joel Denis, Pierre Lalonde, Michel Louvain, Michel Stax and Patrick Bourgeois.

He toured the world with The Long Run and in the mid-1990s played with the tribute band, “Yesterday Les Beatles,” a mega production in Montreal, a full-circle moment for Fecteau who fell in love with the Beatles and their 1967 hit, “All you need is Love” as a child.

Although the native French speaker didn’t understand the English lyrics, he was so taken with the Beatles and the song, he made it his mission to understand the lyrics.

Likewise, he says, his daughter, Jade, fell in love with Shania Twain as a child and would mimic her singing on key, although she also spoke French and didn’t understand the English lyrics.

Opera-trained by the age of eight and headed to Broadway by the age of 12, Fecteau-tasse was trained by renowned voice coach Arron Hagen, who worked with Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez and Meghan Trainor.  At the age of 16, she had a number one hit single titled, “My Destination,” in Japan for six months.

“Her voice is deeper and more colorful than other singers,” says her dad.

Lead guitarist Roy, was exposed to music at an early age.  Most of his family were musicians and he began playing professionally at the age of 17 at local bars, weddings, corporate events and music festivals in and around Québec.

A child of the 1970s and 80s, he loved classic rock bands such as Bon Jovi, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen and Heart.  While Fecteau is also influenced by traditional rock-and-roll bands, he also admits to a fondness for Dean Martin.

When the two met Spanish-born musician, David Carrica Martincorena, 45, (aka “The Beast”) last year, they knew they had found their drummer.

“David is the perfect drummer for us,” says Fecteau.  “The energy and camaraderie we have as a group are unbelievable.”

Growing up in Pamplona, Spain, Martincorena  began playing drums at a young age after hearing Metallica’s 1986 album, “Master of Puppets.”

He toured the world with the Spanish heavy metal band Tierra Santa, with which he recorded six albums and toured Europe with Diabulus in Musica, a symphonic metal band.

He came to Miami in 2019 and taught music at Sounds of Excellence School of Music.

“With Sippin Fire, we’re all on the same page,” Fecteau says.  “We’re all professional musicians, don’t drink or smoke or do drugs.”

“We take pride in what we do,” he says.

A highlight for the group is playing at the Margaritaville Hollywood Bandshell and in their ELO tribute band, The Ticket to the Moon, playing to more than 7,000 fans in Chicago.

Currently, they are shooting a promotional video for the Queen production and looking for large venues in which to mount the show.

“It’s more than a concert,” says Fecteau.  “It’s a full-blown theatrical performance.”

The production will reprise the glamour, theatrics and rock-and-roll style that defined Freddie Mercury and Queen, says Fecteau.

With attention to detail and Fecteau-tasse as the iconic Queen lead singer, he says audiences will feel as if “they are witnessing Queen in their prime.”

“Anybody can get on stage and play songs,” says Fecteau, “but not everyone can make it a show.”

“We give it absolutely everything we’ve got,” he says.

“People are playing money to come see us and we had better give them a good show,” he says.  “That’s what we do best.”

Sippin Fire will perform at Sharkey’s Bar and Grill, 10365 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs, on March 15 at 8:00 p.m.

Visit them on Facebook or at https://sippinfire.com.

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March is National Nutrition Month

Between what you hear on TV, see on social media, and read in the news, eating well can seem like a real challenge. But it doesn’t have to be. A registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN) will partner with you to develop a safe and realistic eating plan that you can stick with for the long haul. To guide and motivate you, an RDN will use creative and out-of-the-box strategies to help with meal planning, grocery shopping, and mindful eating.

An RDN has completed multiple layers of education and training established by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. All RDNs must do the following:
• Obtain a minimum of a master’s degree, which includes a specially designed, accredited nutrition curriculum.
• Complete an extensive supervised program of practice at a health-care facility, food-service organization, or community agency.
• Pass a rigorous registration exam.
• Maintain continuing education credits throughout their career, with licensure in each state they practice in.
What’s more, many RDNs have certifications in specialized fields, such as sports, pediatric, renal, oncology, diabetes, or gerontological nutrition.

Do you want to lose or gain weight? Are you pregnant, looking to become pregnant, or you’ve just had a child? Are you looking for ways to maintain your health in your older years? Are you an athlete looking to boost your performance? These are just a few of the reasons people seek the expert, science-based advice of an RDN.

10 Common Reasons to Consult with an RDN

1. You want help managing diabetes, high blood pressure, or other chronic diseases. An RDN can help you understand your condition and how the foods you choose might affect it. Plus, a registered dietitian nutritionist works with you to create an eating plan that has the nutrients needed to manage your condition.

2. You are thinking of having or have had gastric bypass surgery. Because your stomach can only manage small servings after surgery, it’s tricky to get the nutrients your body needs. As a part of your health-care team, an RDN helps you make changes to your eating plan to meet these needs and still feel satisfied.

3. You have digestive problems. Working closely with you and your doctor, an RDN provides guidance to help fine-tune your diet. Together, you’ll find choices that do not aggravate your condition—for example, limiting fried foods or caffeinated and carbonated drinks.

4. You’re pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or are a new parent. Meet with an RDN to make sure you get the nutrients you need for a healthy pregnancy. And, after the baby comes, an RDN can help make sure you and your little one are getting the nutrients you need to support good health.

5. You have a food allergy, intolerance, or sensitivity. Unsure what you can eat because of celiac disease, food allergies, lactose intolerance, or another condition? It’s easy to be overwhelmed by what you think you can’t eat, which can lead to a boring diet that doesn’t give your body the nutrition it needs. An RDN can teach you strategies, including identifying foods to avoid, and help you find substitutions to keep your diet balanced and tasty.

6. You or your child is experiencing disordered eating. As part of the treatment team, RDNs counsel people with eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.

7. You’re caring for an aging parent. An RDN can help with food or drug interactions, proper hydration, special diets for hypertension, and changing taste buds as you age.

8. You want practical lifestyle advice. Need help sorting through the facts and fiction of nutrition headlines? Learn how to read labels at the supermarket, discover how healthy cooking can be inexpensive, learn how to dine out healthfully, and find out how to manage temptations. When you see an RDN, the last thing you’ll get is one-size-fits-all diet advice. After learning about your health history, favorite foods, and eating and exercise habits, an RDN will help you set goals and prioritize. Follow-up visits will focus on maintenance and monitoring your progress.

9. You want to improve your performance in sports. A RDN can help you set goals to achieve results—whether you’re running a marathon, skiing, or jogging with your dog.

10. You realize the need to feed your family healthier foods, but you do not cook. A registered dietitian nutritionist can teach you how to plan and prepare meals in a simple, healthful, and convenient way. Connect with an RDN today!

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