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A beach day in the shadow of the pier

The longest pier in Broward County, at 976 feet, is the Deerfield Beach International Fishing Pier, considered the crowning jewel of the beach, a landmark that attracts thousands of sightseers and anglers annually. I went there recently with my son Jacob—not to fish, but to walk the pier and take photos, to view wildlife, and to stroll along the beach.

We started with lunch at JB’s on the Beach, a nice seafood-focused restaurant overlooking the ocean. They have valet parking there, but we were planning to spend several hours at the beach that day, so we ended up parking in a parking garage just off A1A, not far away, and leaving the car there all day. Street and lot parking is at a premium in this area.

After lunch, Jacob and I walked the short distance over to the fishing pier, stopping to look at the screen for Spinner the Sea Cam, the city’s live underwater camera, at the entrance to the long pier. The sign next to the sea-cam screen says that Spinner is located at the end of the pier, 30 feet below the surface of the water. You can watch fish swim right up to it. It’s known as a fun, quirky local highlight showcasing the personalities and activities of the pier’s fish residents.

“Welcome to the amazing views of Deerfield Beach,” according to the city website. “Whether you are watching the early morning sunrise, a fisher on the pier fighting a feisty barracuda, or King Benny the Blenny yeeting sharks—we hope these awesome wonders will help serve as a reminder that we all have a responsibility to take care of the ocean and everything in it and around it.” (For more information and to watch a live feed of the sea-cam, visit DFB.city/beachcams.)

The iconic Deerfield Beach International Fishing Pier has been loved for generations. It stretches well into the ocean with great views, has a well-stocked concession stand for fishing amenities (fresh and frozen bait, rod and tackle rentals), and carries a storied history, including a dedication by President Gerald Ford in 1976. The pier serves as a symbol of the town, and the area around it provides a community gathering hub and entertainment spot, including hosting special events like “Pier Under the Stars.” Visitors can take scenic walks along the Atlantic in the clean sand, walk on the (not-so-sandy) green turf that runs just behind it, or go up on the “boardwalk” that runs along the back of the restaurants. For some, it’s the quintessential Florida beach experience. 

The first wooden Deerfield fishing pier was reportedly built in 1951–52. Because it was low and close to the water, it was a place for community members to gather and fish. In 1956 it changed hands, and new management built a restaurant, tackle shop, and chum machine. This all  brought fishermen flocking to the pier. Then in September 1960, Hurricane Donna wiped out the pier, destroying the wooden structure and sending planks floating away; the pier was rebuilt by 1963 through a city bond issue. Through the years different people leased the pier, though it was hard to turn a profit. The last lessee turned the pier back over to the city and became the pier manager, organizing events like fishing contests.

Today, it is a bustling pier, filled with several people fishing and cutting up their catch on tables while we were there, and others just watching the pelicans and other wildlife and taking in the ocean breezes. Jacob and I walked to the end of the pier and enjoyed the scenery. The cost to enter the pier is typically $2 for sightseers and $4 for those there to fish.

After we left the pier, we strolled along the boardwalk and listened to a pair of musicians playing at one of the restaurant patios; took a walk on the turf on the other side of the pier, taking in the sights there; and finally walked barefoot along the surf until we found a good place to set up our towels and enjoy the beach. From there, we could see the pier jutting out in the distance—it was a lovely day at the Atlantic.

For more information, go to www.deerfield-beach.com/1420/International-Fishing-Pier.

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Heart-healthy eating tips for heart month

Certain foods can lower your risk of heart disease or help to manage it, while other foods may increase your risk. Try these tips for preparing heart-healthy meals.

Choose healthier types of fat and cooking methods

  • Use small amounts of oils, such as canola and olive, in recipes and for sautéing.
  • Make your own salad dressings with olive or flaxseed oil.
  • Blend mashed avocado into dips or use small amounts to add flavor to dishes.
  • Try different ways of cooking foods—such as baking, broiling, grilling, steaming, and poaching—to add variety.

Eat foods containing omega-3 fatty acids

  • Add walnuts to cereals, salads, or muffins. Try walnut oil in salad dressings too.
  • Eat two 4-ounce portions of fatty fish each week. Some options include salmon, lake trout, canned light tuna (in water), mackerel, and sardines.
  • Some chickens are given feed that is high in omega-3s, so their eggs will contain more as well. When buying eggs, check the package label.

Include sources of dietary fiber throughout the day

  • Include plant-based foods as sources of protein, including tempeh, beans, lentils, seeds, and nuts.
  • Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables at each meal.
  • Opt for whole fruits and vegetables instead of 100% fruit juices more often, and don’t discard edible peels. Removing the peels on produce, such as apples and potatoes, lowers their fiber content—just be sure to wash them before preparing or eating.
  • Choose whole grains instead of refined grains whenever possible.

Limit saturated fat

  • If you eat meat, select lean cuts of beef and pork, especially cuts with “loin” or “round” in their name, and drain the fat off cooked, ground meat.
  • Cut back on processed meats high in saturated fat, such as hot dogs, salami, and bacon.
  • When you make a stew or soup, refrigerate leftovers and skim off the fat with a spoon before reheating and serving.
  • Replace higher-fat cheeses with lower-fat options, such as reduced-fat feta and part-skim mozzarella.
  • Thicken sauces with evaporated fat-free milk instead of whole milk.
  • Move toward using lower-fat milk and yogurt. Start with 2% products, then move to 1%, and finally go to fat-free to adjust to the new taste.
  • Choose skinless poultry, or remove the skin before eating chicken or turkey.
  • Check the Nutrition Facts Label on food packaging for the saturated fat content and to see if trans-fat or partially hydrogenated oils are listed. Food manufacturers have removed trans fats from their products, but some foods with longer shelf-life dates—such as cakes, cookies, crackers, pastries, pies, muffins, and doughnuts—may still contain them. These foods also are sources of added sugar and should be limited for that reason as well.

Reduce salt (sodium)

  • Prepare foods at home more often so you can control the amount of salt in your meals.
  • Use as little salt in cooking as possible. You can cut at least half of the salt from most recipes.
  • Skip the table salt and be mindful when adding other higher-sodium condiments—such as soy sauce, ketchup, pickles, and olives—to your food at the table.
  • When choosing canned foods, select “reduced-sodium” or “no-salt-added” soups and vegetables.
  • Check the Nutrition Facts Label for sodium, and choose products with lower sodium content.
  • Season foods with herbs, spices, garlic, onions, peppers, and lemon or lime juice to add flavor.
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From “Kansas City” to South Florida: The Beat Goes on With Groove 2.0

At 71, drummer Lionel Harrison has more energy onstage than musicians half his age — and his band, The Groove 2.0, feeds off every bit of it. He’s proud of his 8 to 10 minute drum solos. 

Billed as one of Florida’s funkiest, high‑energy party bands, The Groove 2.0 performs as a five‑ to ten‑piece ensemble, depending on the venue. “We’re not a tribute band,” band leader Lionel Harrison says. “We play everything.” And he means everything — from Bruno Mars to Earth, Wind & Fire to Stevie Ray Vaughan and from R&B, rock, funk, hip-hop, reggae, Latin, jazz and the blues.

The band has become a staple across South Florida and beyond, performing regularly at Margaritaville (both the restaurant and the bandshell), the former Tavolino Della Notte’s in Coral Springs, Seed to Table in Naples, the Biergarten in Boca Raton and Johnny Brown’s in Delray Beach, where they made their debut in 2022. No matter the stage, the mission is the same: get people moving.

That movement starts with the musicians themselves. Guitarist Shawn Tarver (Shawn Tarver Project) is the band’s resident showman — a whirlwind of charisma and controlled chaos. “He jumps around, plays solos with his teeth, his tongue, throws his guitar behind his back and over his head,” Harrison says. “There’s a lot of movement in this band.”

The core lineup includes Tarver on guitar, Brett Brown on bass and Noel (“Pianoman”) Torres on keyboards. Vocals rotate among four women — Alana Joy Page, Astrid Voxx, Alexis Krystal, and Heather Davis. The result is a band that can shift genres, moods, and eras without dropping a beat.

Torres, the band’s 64‑year‑old keyboardist, brings his seasoned musicianship to Groove 2.0. The New Jersey native moved to Palm Beach County in 1997 and eventually found his musical home within the group.

He is also a member of the Shawn Tarver Project — a mix of rock and R&B — and performs in the TNT Connection duo with Tarver every Tuesday at Aruba Beach Café in Fort Lauderdale.

Over the years, he has worked with artists such as Gwen and George McCrae and Nestor Torres. His musical heroes include Ramsey Lewis — whom he once opened for — as well as Chick Corea and George Duke, both of whom he met.

He also admires Lyle Mays of the Pat Metheny Group and Austrian keyboardist Joe Zawinul of Weather Report. With roots in Puerto Rico, he has a special place in his heart for Latin jazz, especially Eddie Palmieri and Papo Lucca.

Torres learned to play in a Pentecostal church and, without a keyboard at home, practiced there whenever he could, determined to master the instrument. Over time he expanded his skills to include guitar, piano, organ and synthesizer. His original music, including “Noel’s Hot Sauce” and “El Rumbero,” is available for download on iTunes.

What keeps him committed to Groove 2.0, he says, is the mutual respect, professionalism, and joy of the music they create together. “It’s how tight we are — how great the band sounds,” he says. Looking ahead, he hopes the band can take on more corporate events, broaden their reach, and even record some originals.

While Torres brings his own musical lineage to the group, Lionel Harrison’s story begins even earlier.

For Lionel Harrison, music isn’t just a career — it runs in the family. His cousin, Rev. John P. Kee of Charlotte, N.C., known as the “Prince of Gospel,” is a major figure in the genre. His son, Chris Kee, is a drummer. And the legacy stretches back even further.

His dad, Wilbert Harrison, was a one‑man band. “With his right foot he hit the bass drum, with his left foot he hit the snare,” Lionel says. “He had a harmonica in his mouth, singing and playing guitar.” He pauses for a moment. “Can you imagine one guy opening a whole show for a crowd that came to see Creedence Clearwater Revival? That takes courage.”

In 1959, Harrison recorded the original version of “Kansas City,” written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The song shot from the bottom of the Billboard Hot 100 to No. 1 in both the R&B and pop charts, where it remained for seven weeks — the only track to do so at the time. “He was bigger than Elvis Presley that year,” Lionel says. In 2009, Harrison was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.

Of special significance for Lionel Harrison is the date October 26.  Both his parents passed away on that date, in different years. His father in 1994, his mother in 2006. The days still resonate with him.  And, another of his dad’s songs, “Let’s Work Together,” became a big hit and Lionel Harrison received a royalty check from it on Oct. 26, 2007. 

Lionel Harrison’s own musical journey began in Carrol City, Miami, where he grew up. At age three, he was banging on his grandmother’s pots and pans. She kept a sewing tin filled with coins, and he’d shake it like a tambourine.

His father bought him an organ when he was four, but he didn’t get his first real drum set until he was 13. He admired Buddy Rich, Ringo Starr, Billy Cobham and — he confesses — Micky Dolenz of The Monkees.

His career took him on the road with Betty Wright, a two‑time Grammy winner known for “Clean Up Woman” and “Where Is the Love.”

He also toured with and played drums for Clarence Clemons, former saxophonist for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.  Many of the band’s members have played with the likes of Bob Marley, Buddy Guy, George Benson, Jaco Pastorius and Joe Bonamassa, among others.

In 1978, with his band Rivage, Lionel Harrison recorded a soul/funk album called “Sittin’ On It,” where he served as both lead vocalist and drummer. The record has since become a collector’s item and is being re‑released — something he hopes will introduce his early work to a new generation.

Today, in addition to The Groove 2.0, Lionel Harrison leads a fusion project called TranZFusion, with whom he hopes to record a new album.

Married to Dede Dyer, an academic advisor at Palm Beach State College and living in West Palm Beach, Lionel Harrison keeps busy with The Groove 2.0.

Married to Dede Dyer, an academic advisor at Palm Beach State College, and living in West Palm Beach, Lionel Harrison keeps busy with all his musical projects. Father of three boys and grandfather of six, Lionel Harrison — nicknamed “Freight Train” for his unrelenting drumming style — lights up when he talks about performing.

“We’re an entertaining band,” he says simply. And with a lifetime of rhythm and a musical legacy behind him, he knows exactly how to make a crowd get up and dance.

Visit them on Facebook at TheGrooveFunk

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Bustling farmers market on the waterfront

Did you know that one of the best farmers markets in the country can be found in South Florida? Yes, if you head up to downtown West Palm Beach on a Saturday, you’ll discover a cacophony of sights, smells, and sounds near the Intercoastal Waterway, in Centennial Square, and down Clematis Street. This is the West Palm Beach GreenMarket, where large crowds show up every weekend for this highly rated market.

With more than 130 vendors, the GreenMarket is in its 31st season, which opened in October; this year, it’s extended through the end of May. This season’s theme is “From the Ground Up.” In 2025, the West Palm Beach GreenMarket once again excelled in USA Today’s 10 Best contest for “Best Farmers Market.” This Readers’ Choice poll highlights the top 10 farmers markets nationwide. The GreenMarket maintains its status as a leading market, securing the No. 1 position in 2021, 2022, and 2023, and achieving No. 2 in 2024 and 2025.

After hearing a lot about this well-regarded farmers market, I went to check it out recently with my husband and another couple. Of course, with the popularity of this event, the free parking garages had already filled up by the time we got there, so we ended up paying $15 for a spot in a nearby garage. Early birds will have better luck, though. We had packed the car with soft coolers to store our purchases, as well as reusable tote bags to carry everything through the maze of vendors. We grabbed our bags and headed to the market.

There, we found the usual fresh vegetables and fruits (some very exotic), along with breads and baked goods, apple cider donuts and other sweets, Cuban coffee, teas, smoothies, spices, herbs, flowers, plants, dog products, and local wares. And that’s just a sampling of what there is. We experienced the fragrant smells of several kinds of delectable foods. Many of them, such as empanadas, crab cakes, and lobster rolls, you can get to eat right there, or bring them home to heat up later. And merchants sell a lot of local goods that you may not find anywhere else.

While strolling past the packed vendor stalls and plethora of savory and sweet offerings, you can also enjoy live music, some interesting workshops, lovely flower trellises, and the waterfront with its seagulls and assortment of sand sculptures. Deeper into the thick of it, the market gets very crowded, with some long lines, and even though there are picnic tables to sit at to enjoy your purchases, the tables all seemed full. (We ended up eating at a nearby restaurant but still got to sit out in the fresh air.) Also making their way through the crowds are lots of leashed dogs, adding to the hectic but fun and colorful scene.

This all started back in 1995, when former West Palm Beach Mayor Nancy Graham, inspired by the public markets of Europe, sought to establish the first weekly public farmers market in Palm Beach County. She envisioned a weekly green-market where people could buy fresh produce from local farmers as well as interact with friends and neighbors. She recalled that in the European markets, the people selling products knew their shoppers’ names, and the shoppers could ask questions about their wares. So she wanted to make that happen here.

In November 1995, when the West Palm Beach GreenMarket first opened, it took place in the parking lot of the old city hall and featured just 13 vendors. Despite its humble beginnings, the market became a hit, and local residents started to make it part of their routine to come to the GreenMarket on Saturday mornings. After moving to another location in West Palm Beach, the market eventually expanded to its current waterside locale in October 2010, in a place as well known for its beautiful scenery, Intracoastal breezes, and communal plazas as it is for its wide selection of fresh and delicious things to buy.

The GreenMarket is now an integral part of the bustling Saturday experience in downtown West Palm Beach. We’re glad we got to enjoy it—and take some of it home with us.

The West Palm Beach GreenMarket is open Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Waterfront Commons. For more information, go to www.wpb.org/Residents/Community-Events/Events/WPB-GreenMarket.

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A Taste of Italy, Built on Family: Flora’s Italian Eatery and Angela’s Bar & Kitchen Set to Open in Coral Springs

When the doors open this January at Flora’s Italian Eatery and Angela’s Bar & Kitchen, at 12335 West Sample Rd., Coral Springs will gain more than a new dining destination — it will gain a full-fledged Italian experience, crafted by a family that has spent 50 years bringing the flavors of Italy to South Florida.

The two-story, 15,000-square-foot space in an office park with plenty of parking, just across from the Panthers IceDen, is the newest venture from Flora Fine Foods, the nationally recognized importer known for supplying everything from Italian wines to cruise line gelato.

For founder and owner John (Giovanni) Flora, 73, the vision is simple: create a market and restaurant that feels like Italy, tastes like Italy, and operates with the heart of a true Italian family.

A Parkland resident for the past 28 years, Flora was born in Bari, in Italy’s Puglia region, and immigrated to New York with his family in 1962 at the age of ten.

“We’re excited to open our doors and welcome the community into an extension of our home,” says Flora. “This is a true family business, and everything we do — at the eatery, the restaurant, and beyond — is inspired by the values we grew up with around the table.”

He raised his family in Parkland, and his daughter Angela Flora, 42, now a new mom, is a graduate of Coral Springs Middle School and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. It was her vision to expand the business into a market and restaurant.

“It’s an ambitious undertaking, but a labor of love,” says Angela, who is juggling her roles with the business and as a mother to a nine‑month‑old son. “We cannot wait to meet you all and welcome you into our family.”

A Market That Starts at Breakfast and Ends at Dessert

Kenny Rodriguez, vice president of operations, sums it up simply: “Think Joseph’s — on steroids.”

On the ground floor, Flora’s Italian Eatery will function as an all-day market and café, offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Café tables invite guests to sit and relax, or they can order items to go.

The space will feature a wine room, a full deli, and shelves lined with specialty items imported directly from Italy. Fresh turkey and roast beef will be prepared in-house, sliced on top-of-the-line imported Berkel machines designed specifically for prosciutto and mortadella.

Guests can expect fresh breads, paninis, focaccia, bagels, and Roman-style pizza — both regular and gluten free — along with house-made sauces, soups, pastries, and gelato flown in from Italy. Brand-new Lavazza cappuccino machines will anchor the coffee program, ensuring every espresso tastes like it came from a café on Via del Corso.

“It’s about giving people the same culinary experience they’d have in Italy,” says Flora. “I want them to go, ‘Wow.’

Upstairs: A Bar, a Kitchen, and a Family Legacy

One flight up, Angela’s Bar & Kitchen will offer a more intimate, full-service dining experience. Named for Flora’s daughter, Angela, the restaurant will serve Italian-inspired small plates (piatti piccoli), craft cocktails, and a curated wine list in a warm, comfortable setting.

The kitchen will be led by executive chef Francesco Cavarretta, whose global culinary background brings a worldly touch to the family’s traditional recipes.

But the real secret ingredient is the family itself.

Flora Fine Foods is a true Italian-style family business, with multiple generations working side by side. Angela and her two brothers are involved in daily operations. Flora’s sister, Rose Farruggia, serves as human resources director. His wife, Irene, is a vice president of the company. His sons, John and Christopher, oversee food distribution and sales. Angela Flora’s uncles, Gregg and Mark Alpern, are directors of food service and export and complete the feeling of famiglia.

“Culture comes from passion and love in preparing your product,” Flora says. His passion is evident as he speaks about this labor of love. “I get my passion from my mother.”

A Half Century of Italian Flavor

Long before Flora Fine Foods became a national importer, Flora imagined a different future. He planned to become an electrical engineer, but a part-time job at a local Italian bakery changed everything, sparking a fascination with food that would shape the rest of his life.

While vacationing in Miami Beach in the early 1970s, Flora realized there was no good Italian pizza. If he wanted the real thing, he’d have to make it himself. In 1972, he bought a small property on the 79th Street Causeway and opened Flora’s Drive-Thru Pizza Parlor — his first entrée into the food business.

He later opened Flora’s Italian Restaurant in Hollywood, Fla. When other restaurateurs began asking about the products he used, Flora started importing tomatoes — then other goods — directly from Italy.

As demand grew, he ran out of storage space, eventually draining his backyard pool and filling it with cases of tomatoes. That makeshift warehouse marked the unofficial birth of Flora Fine Foods.

The opening of the eatery and restaurant is the natural evolution for a company that has spent five decades shaping the Italian food landscape in America.

Flora Fine Foods is now the largest distributor of Italian wine in the country and supplies cruise lines with ice cream and cookies. Their products appear on the shelves of Costco, Total Wine, and Publix — but the Coral Springs location will be the first time the public can experience the brand in a full culinary setting.

In addition to retail and dining, the new space includes a private function room and a large catering kitchen, allowing Flora’s to serve corporate events, private gatherings and celebrations throughout the region.

Bringing Italy Home

For Flora, this project is more than a business expansion — it’s the fulfillment of a lifetime of memories and a devotion to food and family that began with a boy from Bari, a drive‑thru pizza place and a dream that wouldn’t die.

“I’m not just bringing the food,” he says. “I’m bringing the culture of Italy. I want to bring that passion, that love, that experience here to South Florida.”

So, soon, when the first cappuccino is poured and the first slice of Roman pizza comes out of the oven, Parkland and Coral Springs residents will taste the culmination of one man’s journey — a vision and a love affair with a place where food, family and tradition come together under one roof.

Buon appetito!

For more information, visit florafoods.com or follow @FloraFineFoods on social media.

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Sun shines light on good health

I have a confession to make: I take living in the Sunshine State for granted. I don’t even think about the number of days that the sun brightens my daily outlook. My reality check came after chatting with friends in the Midwest who were so pumped up that the sun was shining. A sunny day is more than a flash in the pan when it comes to good mental and nutritional health.

Lack of sun has been shown to affect mood and can make you sad. This is not simply sad in the traditional sense, but “SAD” as in seasonal affective disorder. SAD is the type of depression that occurs during the same season each year, most often during the winter months in areas where there is less sunlight. Depression may be caused by many things. Research has shown that light can affect depression and may be linked to the body’s biological clock. Experts also think that lack of light can interfere with serotonin, the brain chemical that affects mood.

Symptoms of SAD include trouble concentrating, feeling irritable and anxious, loss of interest in activities, carbohydrate cravings, weight gain, sleeping more, and feeling tired. People affected by SAD are often treated with light therapy by exposure to bright light early in the day, which seems to help set the body’s biological clock.

Sunlight will also affect vitamin D levels. Your body can make vitamin D, alias the sunshine vitamin, with exposure to sunlight. However, some people don’t make enough vitamin D from the sun. People who have a darker skin tone, are overweight, or are older, and those who cover up when they are in the sun, can be challenged with vitamin D intake. This vitamin plays an essential role in health by helping the body absorb calcium and phosphorus, which forms and maintains strong bones. It works with calcium to improve bone health and decrease the chance of fractures. Vitamin D may also protect against osteoporosis, high blood pressure, cancer, and other diseases.

In addition to exposure to sunlight, you can get the vitamin from foods you eat and supplements. Typically, you may not get enough vitamin D from the foods you eat. Good sources include dairy products and breakfast cereals (both of which are fortified with vitamin D), as well as fatty fish such as salmon, swordfish, mackerel, oysters, catfish, trout, tuna, and eel.

Vegetable sources of vitamin D include mushrooms that have been grown in the sun. Some branded mushrooms are grown in the sun and contain significantly higher levels of vitamin D. You can also place store-bought mushrooms in the sun or under ultraviolet light once you bring them home, to boost their vitamin D content. Research has shown that you can increase the vitamin content of several varieties—such as white button, shitake, and portabella—with light exposure.

I can’t bottle the sunshine and send it around the country, but in spotlighting the importance of vitamin D, I hope I’ve given you some insight on tactics to increase your vitamin D intake, ensuring a positive outlook and good nutrition throughout the year.

Don’t take weather in your area for granted. Enjoy it and add foods to your diet that are higher in vitamin D and can help compensate for days that are short on sunlight.

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The Golden Rule(s): Steven Kummer

I had to stop for a lemonade while my husband and I strolled along Delray Beach’s art festival on Atlantic Avenue, passing by each of the booths until we finally stopped to view Steven Kummer’s work down the way. At first glance, I saw marble, but as I looked closer, it was the actual canvas I was staring at. Kummer’s process is deeply tactile, building layer upon layer, with resin binding it all. Ninety percent of his work involves painting with his fingers, guiding the movement of color to create compositions from predetermined themes or spontaneous inspiration. He describes his art as stress-free, evolving organically into form and meaning.

After a distinguished 40‑year career in information systems design and development, Kummer turned to painting, discovering a new medium for his lifelong creativity. Though new to the art world, his technical background informs his approach. He studies the chemistry of paints and media to understand their interactions, insisting on the highest-quality materials and craftsmanship.

Kummer’s work is driven by a desire to evoke strong visual responses. Shock, movement, balance, and depth are just some of the feelings often expressed through his bold color compositions and metallic accents. Influences from his wife’s Chinese heritage appear in the form of embedded characters, each carrying profound meaning that connects directly to the themes of each piece. Kummer’s attention to detail can be both powerful and even overwhelming, perhaps, as he recalls one viewer moved to tears by the symbolism in his work, an experience that reshaped how he channels energy into his art.

Beyond painting, Kummer is a martial artist with 15 years of training, having retired while preparing for his fourth‑degree black belt. Teaching, competing, and judging honed his discipline, yet he remains humble, likening himself to a gardener, rather. Where his professional life demanded aggression, art provides him balance—a practice he considers essential to his well‑being.

“Achievements,” 30″ x 30″ heavyweight canvas with a 2.5″ profile; acrylics, metallics, and epoxy resin. First in a series of three. 

“Achievements.” This work  was created using vibrant acrylics and metallic paints to embody the “gold stage of life.” The work is painted largely by Kummer’s fingers, building upon it layer after layer, until it is formed to represent the building blocks of success bonded by the richness of achievement. Gold metallic acrylic symbolizes the knowledge gained along the way, while iridescent colors reflect the fruitfulness of an achiever’s journey. Within the composition are two Chinese characters, handwritten by the artist’s wife, that translate to “work hard” and “prosper,” reinforcing the theme of accomplishment.

The painting’s texture was achieved through a process of layering and metallic spray, as Kummer describes, pulling the lower layers forward while the paint is still wet. It is a technique that he experimented with for the first time. The piece itself conveys strength, stability, and pride in one’s accomplishments. It is the first in a series of three works—“Achievements,” “Beautiful Life,” and “Strength”(not pictured)—each defined by a metallic theme, with gold emphasizing richness (“Strength” is in silver for clarity).


“Beautiful Life,” 30″ x 30″ heavyweight canvas with a 2.5″ profile; acrylics and metallic copper tones, epoxy resin. Second in a series of three.

“Beautiful Life.” This work is saturated with vibrant acrylics and metallic copper tones. The painting celebrates vitality and joy, inspired by the artist’s relationship with his wife. The embedded Chinese characters, written in her hand, translate to “beautiful life,” embodying their shared journey. Layers of imagery include trees with green leaves in the background, setting the symbolic foundation of a meaningful life, while a waterfall of vivid colors represents the energy, happiness, and support found in companionship. Copper serves as the metallic theme for this work, and it represents vitality. As the second in the series, “Beautiful Life” builds upon the richness of “Achievements” and precedes “Strength,” which features silver to symbolize clarity.

“A Walk in the Park.” This work, capturing the quiet beauty of seasonal change, is a must-see. The uniqueness of this piece is that the “park” can be easily overlooked if not aware of it (the photo doesn’t do it justice). Soft sky blues form the background, while layers of rich, shifting colors mirror the transformation of leaves in autumn. The painting evokes the serenity of a peaceful stroll, encouraging viewers to look upward and embrace the natural palette of life.


“A Walk in the Park,” 30″ x 40″ heavyweight canvas with a 2.5″ profile; acrylics, metallic tones, and epoxy resin.

“Nature’s Yin Yang.” This work explores the balance between ambition and peace. Golds and reds symbolize drive and aggression, while blues, grays, and whites counterbalance with stability and calm. Kummer started the piece on opposite edges, articulately bringing it to form. The composition reflects the constant clash and reconciliation of these forces, a theme rooted in Kummer’s 15 years of Tang Soo Do martial arts training. The work embodies the discipline’s philosophy of balance, translating martial practice into visual form.


“Nature’s Yin Yang,” 24″ x 48″ heavyweight canvas with a 2.5″ profile; acrylics, metallics, and epoxy resin.

Steven Kummer is a local of South Florida; his origins root from New York. For more information about him and his artwork, go to www.artfullydonellc.com.

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From the Miami beat to the music beat—meet the MTVJ’s

When former Miami police officer Tom Braga, 63, traded his badge for a microphone, he didn’t just start a band—he created a tribute group inspired by memories of his youth. His newest project, the MTVJ’s, brings the biggest hits of the 1980s and ’90s back to life with a nostalgic nod to the era that shaped a generation.

A labor-of-love tribute band, the MTVJ’s play venues across South Florida, including Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton, Galuppi’s in Pompano Beach, and Sharkey’s Bar & Grill in Coral Springs.

In addition to Braga, the core lineup includes guitarist Pete Lauria, bassist Lou Carollo, drummer Tom Gress, and keyboardist Lesley Gent. Many of the musicians also perform in Braga’s two other tribute bands: Jaded, an Aerosmith tribute founded in 2015, and Shake It Up, a Cars tribute launched in 2022.

Braga’s path to music was anything but traditional. A longtime hockey player, he was hanging out at a rink in North Miami wearing black-and-gold Boston Bruins gear when another Bostonian struck up a conversation. That fellow fan turned out to be Robbie Merrill, former bassist and founding member of Godsmack. The two hit it off, and Merrill soon began teaching Braga to play bass guitar.

“Before I knew it, I was playing at open mics and then in various bands,” Braga says. “I guess you could say I was gobsmacked.”

After five years on bass, Braga realized he had an unexpected gift: He was a stronger singer than player. He began learning how to command a stage, work a crowd, and replicate the tone and timbre of singers like Alice Cooper, Steven Tyler, and Ric Ocasek of the Cars.

Braga is still amazed by the discovery. “Who the hell knew I could sing?” he says. He performed his first show at age 44.

“It’s a lot of fun,” he adds. “People bring me hats and album covers to sign, and I get to dress up. I’m just a frustrated actor who happens to be able to sing.”

His musical influences include Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones, and he admires Steven Tyler for his showmanship. Although he came to music later in life, Braga approaches it with the same drive that defined his law enforcement career.

“I was loved by the Grove,” he says, referring to his years as a community police officer in Coconut Grove. “Now we want to be loved by our audiences.”

Braga isn’t the only band member with a long musical journey. Guitarist Pete Lauria, 59, has been with the MTVJ’s for three years, though he has played with Braga and several of the other musicians for a decade through their Aerosmith and Cars tribute bands. Now living in Port St. Lucie, the Boston native works by day as an outside sales rep for Plusco Supply, a plumbing supply company in Boca Raton.

Lauria received his first guitar at age 8 from his grandfather, though he didn’t get serious about playing until high school. He began writing songs, and by 2001 he was part of Superbone—a band performing original music (the name references oversized trombones). The group even released a record.

“I enjoy writing music and spending time in the studio,” Lauria says. He loves playing songs by Tears for Fears, U2, and Bruce Springsteen, and while the band sticks to the hits, they also dig deeper to revive tunes that audiences haven’t heard in a while. His guitar heroes include Ace Frehley of Kiss, Randy Rhoads of Ozzy Osbourne’s band, and Joe Bonamassa. On his own time, he gravitates toward hair metal and hard rock bands like Mötley Crüe.

Inspiration, he says, “just happens.” It often finds him while he’s out on his boat.

Coming from a nonmusical family, Lauria didn’t have early influences at home, but his relatives quickly embraced his passion and still come out to see him play. He’s a divorced father of five grown sons—one who’s a guitarist, another a drummer.

For Lauria, the best part of performing is simple—“jamming with my friends, smiling, playing music, having a great time and a night out. I enjoy the camaraderie.”

Rounding out the rhythm section is drummer Tom Gress, 70, who brings a lifetime of musical experience to the band. He spent 44 years as a high school choral and band teacher, including serving on the original staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where he was choral director from 1991 to 1997. He also taught at Stranahan High School, NSU University School, and St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, where he directed the marching band.

A voice major in college, Gress loves singing backup harmonies and jokingly calls himself “the singing drummer.” He admires drummers Danny Seraphine of Chicago and John Bonham of Led Zeppelin.

Outside of music, Gress loves golf and believes that both music and golf are vocations one can enjoy for life. Recently, he began playing acoustic guitar with singer-guitarist Ninowtzka (Nosh) Mier-Soika, forming a duo called Nosh and Gress. He also enjoys Americana artists such as Amos Lee, Jason Isbell, and Ray LaMontagne.

Listening to other genres, he says, “cleans my ears out.”

About his time drumming with the MTVJ’s, Gress says, “We have a passion and commitment to each other,” a spirit that shows every time they take the stage.

The MTVJ’s will perform on Thursday, Feb. 19, at Sharkey’s Bar & Grill, 10365 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs; call (954) 341-9990. To learn more about the MTVJ’s, visit them on Facebook and Nosh and Gress at NoshandGressMusic.com.

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Aetherography

New art form captures the magnificence of birds

Coral Springs resident Meir Martin is the creator of “aetherography”—an art form that transcends photography to capture time, motion, and the rhythm of nature through birds. By fusing together hundreds of photos of individual birds into one large-scale image, Martin reimagines nature not as a frozen moment, but as an unfolding experience.

“It is the art of layering time,” explains Martin. “Where photography isolates, aetherography gathers. Where photography freezes, aetherography flows. And what it reveals is the truth of life as it actually happened: chaotic, abundant, overwhelming, and magnificent.”

Martin—who admittedly spends at least 340 days per year taking photos of birds in the Everglades each morning—has amassed a collection of about 1.5 million photos. “Everything in my life is birds, birds, birds. I’m addicted to it, and there’s no cure,” he jokes. With such an extensive library to sort through, it sometimes takes him years to complete certain pieces, which contain hundreds of bird photos. “I keep looking until I find the image that will fit.”

Walking into Martin’s home, which he converted into his gallery after his wife’s passing, is a surreal experience that pulls you deep into the vision of an impassioned creator. Every surface—from the ceilings to the windows and soon the floors—is covered with artwork, each piece set in a custom wood frame that Martin makes himself.

Before birds became his calling, Martin, born in Israel, began his career primarily as a wedding photographer. But one day, when a man walked into his store asking for a camera with a 400-millimeter lens, Martin’s trajectory changed. Sick of the photography he was doing, he joined the man on a field trip and fell in love with photographing birds.

Martin spent the early 1980s photographing desert birds in Israel. In 1983, while on a trip to the Dead Sea, he became the first person to take a color photograph of a pair of desert tawny owls, and in 1986, he published a book, “Desert Birds of Israel.”

“Israel is one of the most amazing places in the world for birding,” says Martin. “Nobody knew that until I published a book in 1986. In America, you have only three species of eagles. In Israel, which is the size of New Jersey, we have about 12.”

After moving to Florida with his wife, Martin took a break from photography and—an innate creator—invented a new system to clean pet urine from oriental rugs. In 2008, after a chance encounter with a man at a dog park while walking his 172-pound Neopolitan Mastiff, he was drawn back into photography, joining a camera club.

“I went to the club, and everyone was taking regular pictures,” recalls Martin. “The digital camera came to the world, and everyone is taking pictures. My pictures would just be one of them. This is not what I want. This is not my style. I have to find something else.”

There was a competition in the club every Thursday to see who had taken the best photo that week. The first time Martin entered, his photo didn’t garner much attention. But the second time he did, the members took notice. Using Photoshop, he had combined images from multiple photographs he had taken, to create something different.

While Martin’s work received attention, acceptance was a different story. “The guy from the photography club said we are photographers and this is not photography. They didn’t accept it, so I left the club,” he says.

After leaving, Martin devoted himself fully to this emerging art form, and aetherography was born. “I’m the first one in the world making this new artwork,” he says—an assertion he supports through extensive research, including the use of ChatGPT, in search of anything resembling aetherography across the globe.

That sense of originality extends beyond technique into meaning. Each piece carries its own narrative, one Martin eagerly brings to life when he speaks about his work. “Everything that you do, you have to have a story,” he says. “What is the image for? What is the artwork for?”

Recently, he began the months-long application process to turn his home from a gallery into a museum. “This house will now become the Aetherography Museum,” enthuses Martin, who wants people to be able to experience this new art form in person.

While he wants to share his work and his stories with the public, he is still unsure about selling his pieces. “Right now I don’t sell any artwork. It’s mine, I love it,” explains Martin. “When I open the museum, it’s probably going to be different.”

Martin is currently working on a piece to honor the anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. He was across the street from the school that day and heard the gunfire. The artwork, which will be featured in the February issue of the Parklander, includes a golden eagle from a photograph he took in Israel in the 1980s. Above the eagle are 17 birds, each representing the 17 victims of the shooting. “This is a very powerful image with a lot of history in it,” says Martin, who is willing to donate the piece to the high school.

For more information, visit www.meirmartin.com.

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DELICIOUS DINING

Our local guide to some of the best specialty foods in our area

Sweets for the season!

The holidays are officially here, and that means it’s time for sweets, sugar, and sparkle! Whether you’re hunting for stocking stuffers, gourmet chocolates, or over-the-top milkshakes, our area is full of fun and flavorful spots serving up holiday cheer by the handful. From classic fudge to artisan truffles and build-your-own candy bags, these local sweet shops will make your December deliciously bright.

Norman Love Confections

A chocolate lover’s dream, Norman Love Confections brings true artistry to every bite. Its handcrafted gourmet chocolates are as beautiful as they are delicious, with each piece painted by hand and filled with rich ganache, fruit purées, or caramel. The Boca boutique feels like a mini chocolate gallery, offering elegant holiday collections, truffle boxes, and cocoa-themed gifts that are perfect for anyone on your nice list (or yourself!).

It’Sugar

If candy had a theme park, it would look like It’Sugar. With local locations in Boca Raton and Coconut Creek, this bright, bold candy superstore is packed with giant gummy bears, novelty sweets, and nostalgic favorites. From outrageous chocolate bars to oversized lollipops and candy bundles, it’s the perfect stop for last-minute gifts, stocking stuffers, or just a sweet shopping break. Its festive holiday displays make it nearly impossible to leave empty-handed.

GoYummy Swedish Candy

Just opened in Boca and already a hit, GoYummybrings a modern twist to the classic candy store. Build your own bag from rainbow walls of gummies, sour belts, chocolates, and international sweets, or grab a festive holiday jar to go. It’s bright, colorful, and totally Instagram worthy. Perfect for stocking up on custom mixes or just treating yourself after a long day of shopping.

SugarHi

For those who like their candy with a creative twist, SugarHi takes dessert to the next level. Its cookie-stuffed milkshakes, edible cookie dough cups, and loaded brownies are local Boca legends—and its winter specials, like the Hot Cocoa Bomb and the Peppermint Brownie Shake, are as photogenic as they are delicious. Every visit feels like stepping into dessert heaven.

Sloan’s Ice Cream

Whimsical, pink, and candy-coated, Sloan’s is a must-see for sugar lovers. Alongside its rich, homemade ice cream, you’ll find walls of colorful candies, chocolate-covered pretzels, and gift-worthy sweets. Holiday flavors like Peppermint Stick, Santa’s Cookie Dough, and Gingerbread make this Boca Raton spot a holiday highlight and the perfect place for a post-shopping treat with friends.

SOME SWEET FACTS

  • The average American eats about 22 pounds of candy per year, with December as the peak month!
  • Peppermint and chocolate are the most popular holiday candy flavors.
  • Approximately 150 million chocolate Santas are produced each year.
  • The candy cane is the No. 1–selling non-chocolate candy in December.
  • During Hanukkah, chocolate gelt—foil-wrapped coins—are a traditional treat, symbolizing good fortune and often used when playing Dreidel.

Sources:  The Chocolate Store, “Random Candy Facts” (thechocolatestore.com); FlavorSum, “Candy, Snacks & Flavor Cravings” (flavorsum.com); Food & Wine, “The Most Popular Christmas Candy in Every State” (foodandwine.com); Forbes, “America’s Favorite Holiday Candy by State” (forbes.com); My Jewish Learning, “The Sweet Story of Hanukkah Gelt” (myjewishlearning.com).

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Some healthy food choices for kids this winter

When the temperatures drop and the daylight hours are shorter, energy levels can take a big dip, right along with mood. Kids might be less active in the cold winter months, making it extra important to focus on getting the right nutrition this time of year. Changes in mood, energy, focus, appetite, and sleep aren’t uncommon, but they could be signs of a more serious underlying condition. If you’re concerned about your child’s emotional and mental health, have a conversation with your child and their pediatrician.

Healthful food choices also can help support your child’s mental health. Consider including the following foods to help your kids stay healthy—and happy—this winter.

Salmon

Amino acids such as tryptophan, tyrosine, and glutamine are a few of the building blocks of protein found in salmon and other protein foods. These amino acids produce neurotransmitters that contribute to mood regulation. Emerging research links nutrients in fish with a lower risk of depression. Salmon is packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown in some studies to help manage depression. While we need more research to confirm mental health benefits, we already know that fish is an excellent heart-healthy source of protein. Some kids will eat broiled or grilled salmon. Try using a marinade or sauce they love on other foods, or cut the fish into small pieces and make kebabs with veggies.

Clementines

Clementines are an adorable winter citrus, packed with vitamin C, which helps keep immune systems strong. They also provide dietary fiber. Kids love that they’re usually seedless, easy to peel, and fun to eat, making them perfect for school lunchboxes or snacks. You also can toss the sections into salads to make greens more appealing.

Winter Squash

Butternut squash is rich in vitamin A and carotenoids, which have been shown to benefit heart health and immunity. It’s also a good source of dietary fiber, which helps keep blood sugar levels stable. Most winter squash varieties are naturally sweet, and what kid doesn’t like sweet? Try roasting butternut or acorn squash and tossing it with cinnamon and maple syrup. Spaghetti squash is another popular winter squash. Try baking it and adding your child’s favorite pasta sauce on top.

Sweet Potatoes

Packed with vitamin A and potassium, another great source of dietary fiber is sweet potatoes. Their mellow, sweet taste works in all kinds of recipes. Slice into thin “coins” and toss with canola or olive oil before roasting. Sweet potato puree can be used in foods including macaroni and cheese, oatmeal, and brownies. Try swapping in baked sweet potatoes as an alternative to French fries. Have your kids help with peeling so they’re involved in the cooking process.

Cauliflower

This member of the cruciferous veggie family has been noted for its high phytochemical content. Cauliflower is delicious on its own but easily blends with other flavors. It’s rich in vitamin C and is a good source of vitamin K for a healthy immune system and healthy bones. And that’s not all! Cauliflower also is a good source of folate, a B-vitamin important for growth and development, while dietary fiber promotes stable energy levels and digestion. Cauliflower is delicious roasted, but if your kid is averse to eating veggies, try making cauliflower “rice” in a food processor and adding it to a stir-fry.

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A rest stop unlike any other, at the Everglades

“It’s both a rest stop and a destination.” That’s what my friend Susan said when we went to check out the newly opened Everglades Elevated Boardwalk rest stop along Alligator Alley.

Travelers now have a new way to get a glimpse of the Everglades while driving on I-75 between the east and west coasts of Florida. This lush new complex and nature park is located at Mile Marker 35 of Alligator Alley, 10 miles west of the toll booth in Weston.

Like any regular interstate rest stop, it has picnic tables, restrooms, and parking with easy on-off access from the highway. But the similarities end there. The newly designed and beautifully landscaped rest stop also includes an expansive maze of boardwalks, a viewing tower, gardens of native foliage and vegetation, and informative exhibits about the Everglades. Kids (and grownups too) can be educated while taking a pit stop in their travels!

Just opened in October, what once was a basic truck parking lot has been transformed by the Florida Department of Transportation over the past two years into a peaceful green oasis for the whole family. There is a big playground for the kids as well as a plaza with a 15-foot bronze alligator. There is plenty of parking here, and all the features are free.

After we parked, Susan and I started at the “This is Alligator Alley” sign, which led into a lovely landscaped, pavered clearing with illustrated plaques telling us all about the area. “The Everglades is an ecosystem like no other on Earth,” one states. “This sawgrass marsh is like a vast, shallow river flowing south from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay. Once stretching across 4,000 square miles, the Everglades is only half that size today due to development and farming.”

We read the other informative signs in this area and then walked over a small road to begin exploring the maze of pathways. When we got to the lilypad-covered pond in the center of the boardwalks, we stopped to take in the lovely scenery there and the striking wooden tower above us. The tower is about three stories high, and you can reach the top either by wooden stairs or by the long gradual ramp going all the way up, making it fully accessible. Once up there, the observation deck offered us expansive views of the Everglades and the dramatic Florida skies.

This rest stop is also a good spot to see wildlife and do some bird watching. While we didn’t see any alligators that day, visitors have been able to spot them (of course, from a safe distance on the raised boardwalk!). Watching the sunrise or the sunset from this venue is also supposed to be a very serene experience.

Throughout our walk around the gardens, Susan and I stopped to look at more plaques that describe and illustrate the types of birds, trees, weather, and other features found in the Everglades. You can definitely leave this place with some new info and fun facts about this part of South Florida.

We also went inside the small museum-like building there, a type of visitors center providing even more information—lifelike exhibits, large photographs, informative plaques on the walls, and, in the center of the room, a large replica of the local area with labels indicating what everything is, which was really helpful. We learned a lot about the Everglades.

Who would have ever thought, back when the original Alligator Alley was notorious as a dangerous, dark two-lane highway, that there would one day be a lushly landscaped destination rest stop just off this road? With the old Alligator Alley, the Everglades came up much closer to the road, with alligators and local birds right on its shoulders. In 1992, this road was replaced with a safer, wider, four-lane version that became part of the I-75 highway. Today, solid fencing keeps alligators from wandering onto the interstate.

And now, from the safety of the new Everglades Elevated Boardwalk, visitors can still enjoy looking out for local wildlife, with the immense, wide-open Everglades in all its beauty just a short distance away. Not a bad thing for a rest stop!

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