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  36. <title>UPDATED: Boca Raton art museum&#8217;s &#8216;Creature Features&#8217; extended, but time&#8217;s running out to catch &#8216;Smoke &#038; Mirrors&#8217; conspiracies &#038; magic exhibit</title>
  37. <link>https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/23/boca-raton-museum-art-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-tackles-the-art-of-fake-news-hoaxes/</link>
  39. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Phillip Valys]]></dc:creator>
  40. <pubDate>Tue, 23 Apr 2024 12:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
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  49. <description><![CDATA[Don't call this fake news, but Tony Oursler's "Creature Features" gallery, a centerpiece of the Boca Raton Museum of Art's "Smoke &#38; Mirrors: Magical Thinking in Contemporary Art" exhibition, has been extended through Oct. 13.]]></description>
  50. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><strong>UPDATED April 22, 2024: Don&#8217;t call this fake news, but Tony Oursler&#8217;s &#8220;Creature Features&#8221; gallery, a centerpiece of the Boca Raton Museum of Art&#8217;s &#8220;Smoke &amp; Mirrors: Magical Thinking in Contemporary Art&#8221; exhibition, has just been extended through Oct. 13. &#8220;Smoke &amp; Mirrors,&#8221; meanwhile, will close as originally planned on May 12.</strong></em></p>
  51. <p>Call them conspiracy theories, alternative facts or disinformation, but the theme of the Boca Raton Museum of Art’s new blockbuster exhibition is the almighty lie.</p>
  52. <p>“Smoke and Mirrors: Magical Thinking in Contemporary Art,” running Nov. 18 through May 12, takes on historical myths that manage by magic or illusion to dupe the public. Featuring the works of 30 contemporary artists, the years-in-the-making show is aptly timed for the present, museum curator Kathy Goncharov says.</p>
  53. <p>Just consider the rolling carnival of recent tech breakthroughs like ChatGPT, facial-recognition software and AI deepfakes, which seem at first like wild and mysterious magic, producing shock and awe for users who don’t quite grasp the inner workings, she says.</p>
  54. <p>“It’s easy to believe in magic,” Goncharov says. “It’s comforting sometimes. Since COVID, there’s been a spike in spiritualism TV shows, a spike in people who believe in mysticism, and it brings to mind all the 1920s artists who practiced psychic mysticism after the 1920 Spanish flu killed a lot of people.</p>
  55. <p>&#8220;How can you believe that stuff? Well, I think this show will make you realize you can convince people of anything, and that maybe the message is, ‘Don’t be so gullible.’ ”</p>
  56. <figure id="attachment_10056588"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-07.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="581px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-07.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-07.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-07.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-07.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-07.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="Tony Oursler translucent resin sculpture &quot;Cardiff Giant,&quot; a riff on an actual 19th century hoax that fooled the American public, is on display at the Boca Raton Museum of Art's new blockbuster show &quot;Smoke &amp; Mirrors,&quot; opening Nov. 18. (Tony Oursler / Courtesy)" width="4032" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-07.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10056588" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-07.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-07.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-07.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-07.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-07.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text"><div class="photo-credit">Tony Oursler / Courtesy</div>Tony Oursler&#8217;s translucent resin sculpture &#8220;The Cardiff Giant,&#8221; a riff on an actual 19th-century hoax that fooled the American public, is on display at the Boca Raton Museum of Art. (Tony Oursler / Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  57. <p>There’s arguably no greater fib than the one lying in the museum’s biggest gallery.</p>
  58. <p>At 10 feet, 4 inches tall and dubbed “The Cardiff Giant,” artist Tony Oursler’s resin sculpture is a replica of one of history’s most elaborate hoaxes: a grotesque behemoth straight from the Bible. It riffs on a “giant” invented in 1868 by George Hull, a cigar maker and avowed atheist who, during a business trip, debated a revivalist preacher’s literal reading of a Bible passage about giants who once walked the Earth. As a ruse — and to prove a point — Hull invented his own.</p>
  59. <p>First, he had a 5-ton slab or gypsum carved into a petrified, naked man lying on his back with a mysterious smile. Then, he sealed the fake archeological wonder inside an iron coffin and buried it in the Cardiff, N.Y., backyard of his relative, a farmer named William “Stub” Newell. A year later, on Hull’s orders, Newell ordered crews to dig a well on the property — and they accidentally-on-purpose unearthed the giant.</p>
  60. <p>Yes, this thing <a href="https://www.history.com/news/the-cardiff-giant-fools-the-nation-145-years-ago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">actually hoodwinked Americans</a>. “A New Wonder,” declared the front page of the Syracuse Daily Standard newspaper. One Syracuse science lecturer thought the fake giant was a statue carved by French Jesuits centuries earlier. In the first week alone, about 2,500 people reportedly <a href="https://www.cnyhistory.org/2014/10/cardiff-giant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stopped by to see it</a>; Newell set up a tent and charged 50-cent admission. Even <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1948/05/23/archives/cardiff-giant-again-colossal-hoax-of-eighty-years-ago-now-on-view.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">circus showman P.T. Barnum infamously tried to buy it</a> and was, of course, rebuffed.</p>
  61. <p>Oursler, with his colossal tribute, doubles down on the 155-year-old hoax: Projected on his statue’s translucent front, which is lying on its back, are a cavalcade of YouTube clips showing UFOs and other conspiracy theories. This artwork is one of dozens of “Smoke &amp; Mirrors” sculptures, video installations, paintings, prints and posters that fill the entire ground floor of the museum, each sharing one thing in common: They tackle the confusion between illusion, belief and reality with tongue-in-cheek spirit.</p>
  62. <p>Oursler, a New York video artist who’s made music videos <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWtsV50_-p4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">for David Bowie</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MF6trC529M" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Foo Fighters</a>, has devoted his entire career to hoaxes, conspiracy theories and alternative facts that have duped human beings for centuries. Along with The Cardiff Giant, his “Creature Features” gallery — a room the museum commissioned for this show — carries deadpan video tributes to the Cottingley Fairies, the Flatwoods Monster, mermaids, Sherlock Holmes author Arthur Conan Doyle and Mina “Margery” Crandon, a 1920s psychic who claimed she could channel her dead brother.</p>
  63. <p>“It’s not that I’m fascinated by hoaxes,” Oursler says. “I’m fascinated by people struggling to transcend the banality of daily life, and the belief systems that drive it. On the other side are magicians and charlatans and madmen who exploit it with UFOs and moon hoaxes.”</p>
  64. <figure id="attachment_10056593"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="581px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-01.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-01.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-01.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-01.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="&quot;In Event of Moon Disaster,&quot; a traveling piece created by a pair of Massachusetts Institute of Technology artists, was adapted with a Florida twist by Boca Raton Museum of Art curator Kathleen Goncharov for the museum's new blockbuster show &quot;Smoke &amp; Mirrors: Magical Thinking in Contemporary Art.&quot; (Halsey Burgund, Francesca Panetta and Boca Raton Museum of Art / Courtesy)" width="8256" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10056593" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-01.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-01.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-01.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-01.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text"><div class="photo-credit">(Halsey Burgund, Francesca Panetta and Boca Raton Museum of Art / Courtesy)</div>&#8220;In Event of Moon Disaster,&#8221; a traveling piece created by a pair of Massachusetts Institute of Technology artists, was adapted with a Florida twist by Boca Raton Museum of Art curator Kathleen Goncharov for the new &#8220;Smoke &amp; Mirrors: Magical Thinking in Contemporary Art&#8221; exhibit. (Halsey Burgund, Francesca Panetta and Boca Raton Museum of Art / Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  65. <p>Speaking of moon hoaxes, Goncharov’s new installation “In Event of Moon Disaster” is devoted to NASA and its Apollo 11 moon landing. The piece, a traveling project first created by the <a href="https://docubase.mit.edu/project/in-event-of-moon-disaster/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> to warn the public about the dangers of deepfake technology, is named after a real-life, notoriously chilling speech that President Richard Nixon would have read if astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins failed to land Apollo 11 on the moon.</p>
  66. <p>The video, which depicts a deepfaked Nixon reading the contingency speech, plays on an old-fashioned TV inside a circa-1969 South Florida living room, complete with tacky palm-tree wallpaper and rotary telephones. Goncharov decorated the room using antique furniture she bought from <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2019/07/20/summertimeout-oddballs-nifty-thrift-is-one-of-the-best-in-the-us-says-yelp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OddBalls Nifty Thrift</a> in Oakland Park, she says with a laugh.</p>
  67. <p>“I wanted to create an old TV room in Florida, as if you were watching Nixon’s speech live,” she says. “I’m even putting in fake newspapers about how Apollo failed.”</p>
  68. <figure id="attachment_164797"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/2020/10/22/HZHX6RDXLJGZ5I67XXYK3ECQUU.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="581px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/2020/10/22/HZHX6RDXLJGZ5I67XXYK3ECQUU.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/2020/10/22/HZHX6RDXLJGZ5I67XXYK3ECQUU.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/2020/10/22/HZHX6RDXLJGZ5I67XXYK3ECQUU.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/2020/10/22/HZHX6RDXLJGZ5I67XXYK3ECQUU.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/2020/10/22/HZHX6RDXLJGZ5I67XXYK3ECQUU.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="In a file photo, magician skeptic James &quot;The Amazing&quot; Randi, left, and husband Jose Alvarez check out old scrapbooks on Randi's career at their Plantation home." width="1200" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/2020/10/22/HZHX6RDXLJGZ5I67XXYK3ECQUU.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="164797" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/2020/10/22/HZHX6RDXLJGZ5I67XXYK3ECQUU.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/2020/10/22/HZHX6RDXLJGZ5I67XXYK3ECQUU.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/2020/10/22/HZHX6RDXLJGZ5I67XXYK3ECQUU.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/2020/10/22/HZHX6RDXLJGZ5I67XXYK3ECQUU.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/2020/10/22/HZHX6RDXLJGZ5I67XXYK3ECQUU.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text"><div class="photo-credit">Taimy Alvarez / Sun Sentinel</div>In this file photo, magician skeptic James &#8220;The Amazing&#8221; Randi, left, and husband Jose Alvarez check out old scrapbooks on Randi&#8217;s career at their Plantation home. (Taimy Alvarez /South Florida Sun Sentinel)</figcaption></figure>
  69. <p>Goncharov says her original inspiration for “Smoke &amp; Mirrors” was her friend, professional magician and <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2015/03/26/now-you-see-them-the-tricky-world-of-the-amazing-randi-and-jose-alvarez/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">late Plantation resident James &#8220;The Amazing&#8221; Randi</a>, a skeptical crusader who for 40 years went on the warpath against spoon-bending mentalists and mystics who claimed they could channel 1,000-year-old deities. (<a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2020/10/21/the-amazing-randi-magician-and-skeptical-crusader-devoted-to-debunking-the-supernatural-dies-at-92/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Randi died in October 2020</a> at age 92.)</p>
  70. <p>The first gallery that museumgoers encounter chronicles Randi’s legacy, with historical photos showing the 32 times he appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” his public feud with Uri Geller — and the time he “decapitated” Alice Cooper’s head at a rock concert with a prop guillotine.</p>
  71. <p>In another alcove of the museum is a black-box theater shrouded in stage curtains, the mysterious backdrop for another commissioned piece called “Jeanette Andrews: magi.CIA.n.” Here Andrews, a performance artist, riffs on the declassified CIA Manual of Trickery and Deception — a Cold War-era spycraft manual written by magicians — by performing tricks from the book.</p>
  72. <p>“It’s very humorous,” Goncharov says. “There’s a video of her doing magic, but then there’s another video of her performing the same tricks but as a CIA spy.”</p>
  73. <figure id="attachment_10056585"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="500px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-03.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-03.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-03.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-03.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="&quot;Jeanette Andrews: magi.CIA.n&quot; is on display at the Boca Raton Museum of Art as part of &quot;Smoke and Mirrors: Magical Thinking in Contemporary Art.&quot; (Jeanette Andrews / Courtesy)" width="1000" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10056585" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-03.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-03.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-03.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-03.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text"><div class="photo-credit">Jeanette Andrews / Courtesy</div>&#8220;Jeanette Andrews: magi.CIA.n&#8221; is on display at the Boca Raton Museum of Art as part of &#8220;Smoke and Mirrors: Magical Thinking in Contemporary Art.&#8221; (Jeanette Andrews / Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  74. <p>Other works include pieces by Gavin Turk and Stephen Berkman, both about the same subject: The Mechanical Turk, a fantastical device that <a href="https://slate.com/human-interest/2015/08/the-turk-a-chess-playing-robot-was-a-hoax-that-started-an-early-conversation-about-ai.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">traveled the globe in the late 1700s</a> as the world’s first robotic chess-playing machine. Of course, it was a hoax.</p>
  75. <p>“The thing traveled the world and even beat Benjamin Franklin in a match,” Goncharov says. “In reality, it was just a professional chess player hiding in a wooden box.”</p>
  76. <figure id="attachment_10056592"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-02.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="581px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-02.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-02.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-02.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-02.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-02.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="A still from artist Gavin Turk's video &quot;Mechanical Turk,&quot; depicting a mechanical chess-playing robot, which is on display for the Boca Raton Museum of Art's new show &quot;Smoke &amp; Mirrors.&quot; (Gavin Turk / Courtesy)" width="8000" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-02.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10056592" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-02.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-02.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-02.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-02.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tfl-l-boca-raton-museum-smoke-mirrors-exhibit-1116-02.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text"><div class="photo-credit">(Gavin Turk / Courtesy)</div>A still from artist Gavin Turk&#8217;s video &#8220;Mechanical Turk,&#8221; depicting a mechanical chess-playing robot, which is on display for the Boca Raton Museum of Art&#8217;s new show &#8220;Smoke and Mirrors.&#8221; (Gavin Turk / Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  77. <h4><em>IF YOU GO</em></h4>
  78. <p><em><strong>WHAT:</strong> “Smoke and Mirrors: Magical Thinking in Contemporary Art” </em></p>
  79. <p><em><strong>WHEN:</strong> Through Sunday, May 12, 2024</em></p>
  80. <p><em><strong>WHERE:</strong> Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real</em></p>
  81. <p><em><strong>COST: </strong>$12-$16, free for children under 15</em></p>
  82. <p><em><strong>INFORMATION:</strong> 561-392-2500; <a href="http://BocaMuseum.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BocaMuseum.org</a></em></p>
  83. ]]></content:encoded>
  87. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">10056572</post-id><media:content url="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-smoke-mirrors-tony-oursler-boca-museum-01.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="215465" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ &quot;Merma,&quot; a whimsical sculpture with digital projections, is featured in artist Tony Oursler&#039;s &quot;Creature Features&quot; gallery at the Boca Raton Museum of Art. Originally part of the &#039;Smoke &amp; Mirrors: Magical Thinking in Contemporary Art&quot; exhibit, &quot;Creature Features&quot; has been extended through Oct. 13, while &quot;Smoke &amp; Mirrors&quot; will close as planned on May 12. (Boca Raton Museum of Art / Courtesy) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  88. <dcterms:created>2024-04-23T08:00:12+00:00</dcterms:created>
  89. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-23T08:30:59+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  90. </item>
  91. <item>
  92. <title>Boca Raton man sentenced to 12 years in DUI crash that killed couple, injured 1</title>
  93. <link>https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/22/boca-raton-man-sentenced-to-12-years-in-dui-crash-that-killed-couple-injured-1/</link>
  95. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Angie DiMichele]]></dc:creator>
  96. <pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 20:37:44 +0000</pubDate>
  97. <category><![CDATA[Crime and Public Safety]]></category>
  98. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
  99. <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  100. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sun-sentinel.com/?p=10913298</guid>
  101.  
  102. <description><![CDATA[Jaime Gomez Escobedo, 36, of Boca Raton, was sentenced last week to 12 years in state prison in the West Boca crash last year that killed a husband and wife and injured a third person.]]></description>
  103. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A man who was driving while drunk and crashed into a car in West Boca early last year, <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/04/11/boca-raton-man-faces-dui-manslaughter-charges-in-rollover-crash-that-killed-two-and-injured-one/">killing a husband and wife</a> and severely injuring their passenger, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.</p>
  104. <p>Jaime Gomez Escobedo, 36, of Boca Raton, ran a red light in his 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee at the intersection of U.S. 441 and Kimberly Road about 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 1, striking the passenger side of a 2021 Nissan Rogue SUV that was traveling west on Kimberly Road through a green light, according a probable cause affidavit.</p>
  105. <p>The impact forced the Nissan to &#8220;violently&#8221; roll over, finally stopping while upside down at the southwest corner of the intersection, the affidavit said.</p>
  106. <p>Arie Oberlender, the 82-year-old driver of the Nissan, and passenger Golda Oberlender, 79, both of New York, were pronounced dead at the scene. A spokesperson for the Palm Beach County Sheriff&#8217;s Office said the Oberlenders were married.</p>
  107. <p>Their passenger, Frida Bross, of Boca Raton, survived and was hospitalized with multiple serious injuries. Gomez Escobedo&#8217;s car spun before stopping in the south lanes of the intersection, and he was taken to Boca Raton Regional Hospital to be evaluated, the affidavit said.</p>
  108. <p>Once admitted in the hospital, Gomez Escobedo&#8217;s blood-alcohol content was .360, according to the warrant. Two later tests showed levels of .349 and .298. The legal limit in Florida is .08%. Shortly before noon, an investigator at the scene smelled alcohol coming from Gomez Escobedo&#8217;s Jeep while doing an assessment of the crash scene.</p>
  109. <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="XIJm986VYB"><p><a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/04/11/boca-raton-man-faces-dui-manslaughter-charges-in-rollover-crash-that-killed-two-and-injured-one/">Boca Raton man faces DUI manslaughter charges in rollover crash that killed two and injured one</a></p></blockquote>
  110. <p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" title="&#8220;Boca Raton man faces DUI manslaughter charges in rollover crash that killed two and injured one&#8221; &#8212; Sun Sentinel" src="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/04/11/boca-raton-man-faces-dui-manslaughter-charges-in-rollover-crash-that-killed-two-and-injured-one/embed/#?secret=jRt2BJoV50#?secret=XIJm986VYB" data-secret="XIJm986VYB" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
  111. <p>A witness who was riding his bicycle on the sidewalk near the intersection at the time of the crash told law enforcement he saw the Jeep driver get out of the car and &#8220;casually&#8221; drop a Corona beer can on the shoulder of U.S. 441, the affidavit said. Another witness said he saw Gomez Escobedo walk away from his car after the crash, appearing to be &#8220;stumbling around&#8221; and could smell alcohol on him when he got near Gomez Escobedo.</p>
  112. <p>Gomez Escobedo pleaded guilty April 16 to two counts of DUI manslaughter and one count of DUI causing serious bodily injury.</p>
  113. <p>He was sentenced to 12 years in state prison, with a minimum mandatory sentence of four years, for the DUI manslaughter charges and a concurrent sentence of five years for the third charge, according to court records. His driver&#8217;s license will be revoked for life.</p>
  114. ]]></content:encoded>
  118. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">10913298</post-id><media:content url="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/2022/03/17/OZFS6RHB3WNQCXKWBBANLZMSZU.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="33212" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ A judge&#039;s gavel rests on a book of law. ]]></media:description></media:content>
  119. <dcterms:created>2024-04-22T16:37:44+00:00</dcterms:created>
  120. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-22T16:40:06+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  121. </item>
  122. <item>
  123. <title>Preserving the skate park: Sibling skateboarding pros call upon Boca Raton to restore the park where their greatness began</title>
  124. <link>https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/22/preserving-the-skate-park-sibling-skateboarding-pros-call-upon-boca-raton-to-restore-the-park-where-their-greatness-began/</link>
  126. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Abigail Hasebroock]]></dc:creator>
  127. <pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 08:00:51 +0000</pubDate>
  128. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
  129. <category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
  130. <category><![CDATA[Keywee]]></category>
  131. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sun-sentinel.com/?p=10899772</guid>
  132.  
  133. <description><![CDATA[Pedro and Fabiana Delfino grew up skateboarding in Boca Raton's Tim Huxhold Skate Park. But these days, the park's limited hours and fees make it harder for local kids to enjoy. Here's how the siblings are trying to make skateboarding just as accessible as when they were young.]]></description>
  134. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Pedro Delfino needed to finish his homework.</p>
  135. <p>The time was nearing 5 p.m. on a weekday in the early 2000s, and the Tim Huxhold Skate Park in Boca Raton teemed with as many as 60 skateboarders. Top music tracks blared from speakers.</p>
  136. <p>In those days, the skate park hosted competitions, pizza parties and even live bands.</p>
  137. <p>At the time, Pedro Delfino would scramble to finish his schoolwork behind the park&#8217;s check-in desk before launching outside to join the throngs of skateboarders, eventually including his younger sister, Fabiana Delfino.</p>
  138. <p>Now, upon revisiting their childhood hub on a recent afternoon, Pedro, 29, and Fabiana, 27, lament the park’s decline from its heyday. Few remnants remain — faded pictures on a bulletin board from when Tony Hawk visited the park in 2001, rusty metal bars used for tricks.</p>
  139. <p>“It was a different park back then,” Fabiana said.</p>
  140. <p>The Boca Raton-grown siblings are both full-time, professional skateboarders, sponsored by big-name brands, including Monster Energy and Santa Cruz Skateboards for Fabiana and Vans for Pedro.</p>
  141. <p>Growing up, the Delfinos spent just about all their time at three locations: home, school and the Tim Huxhold Skate Park. They and other South Florida skateboarding enthusiasts are rallying to not only keep but improve the park, calling on the City of Boca Raton to give it some much-needed updating.</p>
  142. <p>Their recent visit was a case-in-point. To skate, Pedro was required to pay a $3 daily admission fee and don a helmet. Neither would be so bad, but the park didn&#8217;t have protective gear to rent that day, so Pedro&#8217;s mother brought him a helmet, and the park doesn&#8217;t accept modern forms of payment, such as credit cards or Venmo.</p>
  143. <p>Pedro, his sister and his mother rummaged through their wallets and car cup-holders for spare change. Eventually they scavenged enough coins to pay the fee.</p>
  144. <p>“It’s like they want to make it a challenge to skate here,” Fabiana said.</p>
  145. <p>Only the vending machines appeared to be relatively new, she noted.</p>
  146. <p>“What a dead, sad park.&#8221;</p>
  147. <figure id="attachment_10895248"  class="wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class="  lazyautosizes lazyloading" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-1.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="690px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-1.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-1.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-1.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-1.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-1.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="Professional skateboarders, siblings Pedro and Fabiana Delfino of Boca Raton, visit Tim Huxhold Skate Park in Boca Raton where they grew up skateboarding on Thursday, April 11, 2024. The city had talked about getting rid of the skate park, but a few months ago, a bunch of advocates rallied at a city meeting to not only keep the skate park but also make it better. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)" width="5792" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-1.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10895248" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-1.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-1.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-1.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-1.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-1.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Professional skateboarders, siblings Pedro and Fabiana Delfino of Boca Raton, on a recent visit to Tim Huxhold Skate Park in Boca Raton, where they grew up skateboarding. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)</figcaption></figure>
  148. <h4>Saving South Florida&#8217;s skate parks</h4>
  149. <p>Pedro Delfino first began skateboarding at the Tim Huxhold Skate Park when he was 5-years-old, shortly after his family moved from Miami to Boca Raton, and his younger sister soon followed suit, often the only girl there.</p>
  150. <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K8c2OEYTDzk" width="100%" height="500px" scrolling="yes" class="iframe" allowtransparency="1" id="662ce77ea2e7f" allowfullscreen="yes" allow="geolocation" ></iframe>
  151.  
  152. <p>But as the siblings improved, their hometown’s skate park only grew less accessible.</p>
  153. <p>To use the park, visitors, including city residents, have to pay either a daily fee or buy a pass. Even if people don’t mind biting the cost, they can’t do so until the park opens. The current hours are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.</p>
  154. <figure id="attachment_10895247"  class="wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-4.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="757px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-4.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-4.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-4.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-4.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-4.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="Operation time posted at Tim Huxhold Skate Park in Boca Raton on Thursday, April 11, 2024. The city had talked about getting rid of the skate park, but a few months ago, a bunch of advocates rallied at a city meeting to not only keep the skate park but also make it better. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)" width="2893" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-4.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10895247" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-4.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-4.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-4.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-4.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-4.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Operation time posted at Tim Huxhold Skate Park in Boca Raton. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)</figcaption></figure>
  155. <p>When Pedro was a student at Florida Atlantic University and Fabiana was a student at Palm Beach State Colle<span style="color: #000000">ge a few years later, neithe</span>r skateboarder could use the Tim Huxhold Skate Park either in-between or before classes because it wasn’t open during the day.</p>
  156. <p>And though it was within walking distance for both of their college campuses, they instead drove 30 miles north to the free, fence-less West Boynton Skate Park where they still practice now when they aren&#8217;t traveling the world for skateboarding events.</p>
  157. <p>These deterrents are what brought a pack of skateboarders to a Boca Raton community <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/01/17/what-do-boca-raton-residents-want-most-for-the-future-the-city-wants-to-know/">forum on Jan. 18</a> to advocate not only for free admission and longer hours but also to make sure the skate park is kept open in the future.</p>
  158. <p>City Spokeswoman Anne Marie Connolly said in a statement the engagement from the skating community brought an awareness to the city.</p>
  159. <p>Strategic planning sessions are coming up in May, which Connolly said will likely start conversations about “that area and the amenities within it.”</p>
  160. <p>No plans are currently in the works for free admission or hours expansion, but Connolly also noted the daily fee has not increased since the facility’s inception in 1998. The fees “help offset the city staff supervision, maintenance of the facility and electricity costs for the lights,” and the hours “reflect the typical usage.”</p>
  161. <p>Toni Frallicciardi, the co-founder of Surf Skate Science in Deerfield Beach, a homeschool co-op, said in the months leading up to a January meeting she had received calls from parents concerned about the skate park possibly closing in the future.</p>
  162. <p>Connolly did not respond to questions about whether the city had planned on shutting down the park.</p>
  163. <p>At a March 25 City Council meeting during which the <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/03/28/whats-missing-in-boca-raton-what-more-than-200-residents-want-most-for-the-city/">findings of the community forum</a> were presented to council members, former deputy mayor Monica Mayotte asked if people expressed a desire for the skate park to be downtown or if it could exist elsewhere in the city.</p>
  164. <p>&#8220;I did not get the impression that it had to be downtown,&#8221; Community Advisory Panel Chair Linda Marenus said during the meeting.</p>
  165. <p>The push to restore the Boca Raton skate park has only been further amplified by recent closures of other parks. Two skate parks, Drop In Action Sports Complex, Inc. in Boca Raton and Ramp48 in Fort Lauderdale, closed in 2022 and 2023, respectively.</p>
  166. <p>On April 8, skateboarding advocates created a <a href="https://www.change.org/p/halt-the-demolition-of-palm-beach-gardens-skatepark-and-plant-drive-park">petition</a>, which has more than 2,000 signatures, to halt the demolition of Plant Drive Skatepark in Palm Beach Gardens, which is at risk of being replaced by an ice rink.</p>
  167. <p>“All of us in our community are just really fighting for some safe, free, quality skate parks for everybody to be able to skate at,” Frallicciardi said.</p>
  168. <p>Frallicciardi said her son, who is a student at FAU, along with other skateboarders on campus, would likely use the Tim Huxhold Skate Park a lot more if it was open more often and free.</p>
  169. <p>When Pedro and Fabiana visited, one other skateboarder was there, adorning a helmet with spikes.</p>
  170. <figure id="attachment_10895253"  class="wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-2.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="757px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-2.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-2.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-2.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-2.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-2.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="Professional skateboarder Pedro Delfino of Boca Raton, visits Tim Huxhold Skate Park in Boca Raton where he and his sister grew up skateboarding on Thursday, April 11, 2024. The city had talked about getting rid of the skate park, but a few months ago, a bunch of advocates rallied at a city meeting to not only keep the skate park but also make it better. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)" width="6000" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-2.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10895253" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-2.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-2.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-2.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-2.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-2.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Professional skateboarder Pedro Delfino of Boca Raton performing tricks at Tim Huxhold Skate Park in Boca Raton. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)</figcaption></figure>
  171. <h4>A &#8216;deviant&#8217; Olympic activity</h4>
  172. <p>Despite some of the recent shuttering of skate parks in South Florida, skateboarding’s Olympic debut in 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, proved it to be a more than-worthy spectator sport, generating renewed interest and hiking up the desire for more skate parks, a fact Jason Ranft knows very well.</p>
  173. <p>Ranft, the owner of Jay Ramps, based in Hollywood, has been building skate parks for more than 30 years in cities around the world and for celebrities such as rapper Lil Wayne and actress Michelle Pfeiffer.</p>
  174. <p>“There’s a ginormous demand of skate parks due to the Olympics,” he said. “Ever since then, globally, there&#8217;s an insane demand.”</p>
  175. <p>The biggest hurdle skateboarders still face are stigmas, especially in an upscale city such as Boca Raton, Ranft said.</p>
  176. <p>People fear what skateboarding could bring to a city, such as graffiti, he said, but that’s an outdated and false belief.</p>
  177. <p>“What skateboarding became and what it is today is such a family-oriented (activity),” he said.</p>
  178. <p>To some, skateboarding should be deemed as an asset to a city rather than just an activity.</p>
  179. <p>Zach Moldof, the president of the nonprofit Skate Bud, which advocates for skateboarding accessibility, grew up skating in Broward County, a pastime he believes helped him stay out of trouble.</p>
  180. <p>But instead of being seen as a way to help the youth, Moldof said skateboarding is often deemed a “deviant activity” or “destructive.”</p>
  181. <p>No one is more familiar with the perception that skateboarding is a blemish to a city than Fabiana.</p>
  182. <p>“I grew up at a time where skateboarding was viewed as a degenerate activity,” she said. “It&#8217;s something that criminals did, young kids up to no good. And that&#8217;s a stereotype, honestly, that&#8217;s been enforced upon me.”</p>
  183. <p>She receives nothing but admiration now from friends and family alike, but only after proving that becoming a professional was possible and could pay her bills.</p>
  184. <p>More than a decade ago, she and others made persistent efforts to improve the Boca Raton skate park, such as bringing in new obstacles. Fellow skateboarders started petitions, and Fabiana said she even wrote a letter to the city suggesting ways to improve it.</p>
  185. <p>“We fought for many years and unfortunately we grew up, and so when you grow up, you have to focus on other things, and fighting for the state park, it gets pretty exhausting,” she said. “That park needed a lot of love, and the city never showed it love.”</p>
  186. <figure id="attachment_10895251"  class="wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-6.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="757px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-6.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-6.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-6.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-6.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-6.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="Professional skateboarders, siblings Pedro and Fabiana Delfino of Boca Raton, visit Tim Huxhold Skate Park in Boca Raton where they grew up skateboarding on Thursday, April 11, 2024. The city had talked about getting rid of the skate park, but a few months ago, a bunch of advocates rallied at a city meeting to not only keep the skate park but also make it better. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)" width="6000" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-6.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10895251" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-6.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-6.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-6.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-6.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-6.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Professional skateboarders, siblings Pedro and Fabiana Delfino of Boca Raton, visit Tim Huxhold Skate Park in Boca Raton where they grew up skateboarding. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)</figcaption></figure>
  187. <p>What would bring professionals such as the Delfinos back to practice at the Boca Raton skate park?</p>
  188. <p>“At the very least, my absolute ask is just that we save this park,” she said. “It&#8217;d be great to redo it. But if we could take down the fences, and make it free for everybody &#8230; I would be (there) every day.”</p>
  189. ]]></content:encoded>
  193. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">10899772</post-id><media:content url="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-skate-park-0412-3.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="151349" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Professional skateboarder Pedro Delfino of Boca Raton, visits Tim Huxhold Skate Park in Boca Raton where he and his sister grew up skateboarding on Thursday, April 11, 2024. A few months ago, a bunch of advocates rallied at a city meeting to not only keep the skate park but also make it better. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  194. <dcterms:created>2024-04-22T04:00:51+00:00</dcterms:created>
  195. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-22T12:11:29+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  196. </item>
  197. <item>
  198. <title>First look: Design plans for Boca Raton&#8217;s Center for Arts and Innovation</title>
  199. <link>https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/20/first-look-design-plans-for-boca-ratons-center-for-arts-and-innovation/</link>
  201. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Abigail Hasebroock]]></dc:creator>
  202. <pubDate>Sat, 20 Apr 2024 12:00:54 +0000</pubDate>
  203. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
  204. <category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
  205. <category><![CDATA[Keywee]]></category>
  206. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sun-sentinel.com/?p=10907352</guid>
  207.  
  208. <description><![CDATA[The city's future premiere cultural destination has a concept design out, and over the next few months, city officials and other stakeholders will provide feedback. ]]></description>
  209. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The first designs for the Boca Raton Center for Arts and Innovation, an arts-oriented destination planned for the city’s burgeoning downtown, were revealed Friday.</p>
  210. <p>The center is in the &#8220;very early stages&#8221; of the design process, said Antoine Chaaya, the partner in charge of the Renzo Piano Building Workshop, during an unveiling of the design at the Boca Raton Museum of Art.</p>
  211. <p>The project is slated to begin construction at the end of 2025 or early 2026 at the north end of Mizner Park in downtown Boca Raton, and open in 2029 — so long as it meets its fundraising threshold.</p>
  212. <p>The ultimate goal of the design is to create a &#8220;collision of activity,&#8221; said Joshua Dachs, the project&#8217;s theatre and spatial planner.</p>
  213. <p>Andrea Virgin, the center&#8217;s chairperson and CEO, envisions the center as an anchor in South Florida, transforming Boca Raton into a premier destination.</p>
  214. <p>This will be achieved by hosting a range of events and a variety of interests in the center, including fashion shows, product launches, book fairs and music events.</p>
  215. <p>To accomplish this, the center&#8217;s three-story design currently proposes:</p>
  216. <ul>
  217. <li>Artist studios</li>
  218. <li>A multi-functional main venue for events, exhibitions and performances.</li>
  219. <li>Covered rooftop terrace offering food and drinks</li>
  220. <li>Outdoor piazza</li>
  221. <li>Work spaces</li>
  222. <li>360-degree panoramic space hoisted above the center allowing up to 100 people views of the entire city</li>
  223. <li>Underground parking</li>
  224. </ul>
  225. <p>The purpose of Friday&#8217;s event was to provide &#8220;shapes of where things might be able to go&#8221; based on the center&#8217;s intentions, Virgin said.</p>
  226. <p>The next six months will involve receiving feedback from city officials any other people or groups who could be impacted by the center.</p>
  227. <p>Virgin said the team will consider factors such as traffic and access as the design moves forward.</p>
  228. <figure id="attachment_10907915"  class="wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-z-boca-renzo-piano-design-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Renderings illustrate the first design concept for the Boca Raton Center for Arts and Innovation, which is intended to host a variety of events and cater to diverse interests, including live music events, fashion shows, product launches, business ventures and more. (Renzo Piano Building Workshop/Courtesy)" width="1024" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-z-boca-renzo-piano-design-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10907915" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-z-boca-renzo-piano-design-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-z-boca-renzo-piano-design-01.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-z-boca-renzo-piano-design-01.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-z-boca-renzo-piano-design-01.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-z-boca-renzo-piano-design-01.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Live music performances are expected to be one of the many events the Center for Arts and Innovation will host once open to the public. (Renzo Piano Building Workshop/Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  229. <p>So far, the center has been in the works for six years, and it is currently employing a long-term land lease with the city on the site where it will be built, right where the current amphitheater is.</p>
  230. <p><span style="color: #000000">When the project&#8217;s architect, Renzo Piano, was <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/09/06/boca-ratons-center-for-arts-and-innovation-to-be-designed-by-an-international-architect/">announced in September</a>, the total cost for the project was not public, and it remained that way on Friday. </span></p>
  231. <p>&#8220;There&#8217;s about a six to eight month process where the city reviews scale, where the donors review scale, where our stakeholders review scale,&#8221; Virgin said. &#8220;The price could fluctuate quite a bit either direction; we might scale down, we might scale up depending on how the conversations go.&#8221;</p>
  232. <figure id="attachment_10907920"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-z-boca-renzo-piano-design-02.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Renderings illustrate the first design concept for the Boca Raton Center for Arts and Innovation, which is intended to host a variety of events and cater to diverse interests, including live music events, fashion shows, product launches, business ventures and more. (Renzo Piano Building Workshop/Courtesy)" width="1024" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-z-boca-renzo-piano-design-02.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10907920" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-z-boca-renzo-piano-design-02.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-z-boca-renzo-piano-design-02.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-z-boca-renzo-piano-design-02.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-z-boca-renzo-piano-design-02.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-z-boca-renzo-piano-design-02.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">One proposed feature of the Center for Arts and Innovation is a 360-panoramic space from which people can look out at the city. (Renzo Piano Building Workshop/Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  233. <p>In Boca Raton alone, the arts generates $25 million and support more than 600 jobs — numbers that are expected to &#8220;grow exponentially with the new Center for Arts and Innovation,&#8221; said Jennifer Sullivan, the senior vice president of marketing and programs for the Palm Beach County Cultural Council.</p>
  234. <p>According to the center&#8217;s website, it will generate more than $1 billion in economic impact and support more than 12,000 jobs.</p>
  235. <p>&#8220;We are excited for the future and for the center&#8217;s role in underscoring Palm Beach County as Florida&#8217;s cultural capital,&#8221; she said during the event.</p>
  236. ]]></content:encoded>
  240. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">10907352</post-id><media:content url="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-z-boca-renzo-piano-design-05.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="168928" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Renderings illustrate the first design concept for the Boca Raton Center for Arts and Innovation, which is intended to host a variety of events and cater to diverse interests, including live music events, fashion shows, product launches, business ventures and more. (Renzo Piano Building Workshop/Courtesy) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  241. <dcterms:created>2024-04-20T08:00:54+00:00</dcterms:created>
  242. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-20T13:50:54+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  243. </item>
  244. <item>
  245. <title>&#8216;This a way to promote our unique culture&#8217;: FAU sports teams brewing custom coffee blends</title>
  246. <link>https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/12/this-a-way-to-promote-our-unique-culture-fau-sports-teams-brewing-custom-coffee-blends/</link>
  248. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Nile Fortner]]></dc:creator>
  249. <pubDate>Fri, 12 Apr 2024 17:51:47 +0000</pubDate>
  250. <category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
  251. <category><![CDATA[Boca Times]]></category>
  252. <category><![CDATA[Delray Sun]]></category>
  253. <category><![CDATA[Gateway Gazette]]></category>
  254. <category><![CDATA[West Boca Times]]></category>
  255. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sun-sentinel.com/?p=10895865</guid>
  256.  
  257. <description><![CDATA[Winchell Mountain Coffee has partnered with FAU's Men's Basketball Team and Women's Beach Volleyball team to collaborate on custom blends of coffee with a portion of proceeds going to the athletes on each team.]]></description>
  258. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Most people start their day with a cup of coffee, but not Florida Atlantic University beach volleyball player Maddie Sides. By 7 a.m., she’s doing weight room lifts that will prepare her for sports victories and beyond.</p>
  259. <p>“I start my day with lifts and working with my team,” she said. “Our team is very close, and one thing I’ve learned from my team, other athletes and being involved with The Owl Collective is the importance of teamwork and collaboration.”</p>
  260. <p>Originally from Summerfield, North Carolina, Sides, a freshman marketing major, moved to Boca Raton last August. She comes from a family of professional athletes. Her dad was a professional cyclist and by the time she got to college, she decided to be a student-athlete.</p>
  261. <p>“The culture of the people here made me choose FAU,” Sides said. “Boca is unbeatable, and we have unity here.”</p>
  262. <figure id="attachment_10896167"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2105.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="FAU Women's Beach Volleyball player Maddie Sides works with The Owl Collective on a coffee collaboration. (Bryan Rammel/Courtesy)" width="1600" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2105.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10896167" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2105.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2105.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2105.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2105.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2105.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">FAU Women&#8217;s Beach Volleyball player Maddie Sides works with The Owl Collective on a coffee collaboration. (Bryan Rammel/Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  263. <p>That unity led to FAU alumnus Bryan Rammel, the founder of <a href="https://www.theowlcollective.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Owl Collective</a>, FAU’s first collective to help student-athletes with their NIL (Name, Image and Likeness). When the NCAA’s interim policy passed in June 2021 for athletes to be compensated for their NIL, Rammel saw this as an opportunity for FAU.</p>
  264. <p>“With me being a marketing major, I saw the opportunity to utilize student-athletes as influencers,” he said. “To help get them connected to different brands, corporations, and to do marketing campaigns as well as partnering them up with nonprofits and other organizations.”</p>
  265. <p>Rammel, a 2018 FAU grad who has been in marketing for a decade, is a marketing consultant. He started The Owl Collective as a passion project to help athletes in more than just sports, contributing to their personal well-being and professional development as well.</p>
  266. <figure id="attachment_10896176"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_2113.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="FAU alumnus Bryan Rammel is founder of The Owl Collective. (Bryan Rammel/Courtesy)" width="1365" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_2113.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10896176" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_2113.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_2113.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_2113.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_2113.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_2113.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">FAU alumnus Bryan Rammel is founder of The Owl Collective. (Bryan Rammel/Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  267. <p>“I’m FAU head to toe,” he said. “There’s no secret that universities have sometimes multiple collectives, and that’s the case with FAU. But the fact is, none of the collectives that have shown up are actually run by FAU alumni or even members that have been affiliated with the university.”</p>
  268. <p>Rammel and athletes like Sides have also used The Owl Collective to do food drives and marketing campaigns. And now, <a href="https://www.winchellmountaincoffee.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Winchell Mountain Coffee</a> has partnered with FAU&#8217;s Men&#8217;s Basketball Team and Women&#8217;s Beach Volleyball team to collaborate on custom blends of coffee with a portion of proceeds going to the athletes on each team.</p>
  269. <p>These student-athletes helped collaborate on the design and marketing of the products, with sales going toward their NIL.</p>
  270. <p>“Right now, the coffee blends are available at <a href="https://vicoffeebar.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VI Coffee Bar</a>, (pronounced &#8216;six&#8217;),” Rammel said. “We’re trying to get them in more coffee shops in the Boca Raton and Palm Beach area.”</p>
  271. <figure id="attachment_10896179"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2043.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="A variety of custom blends created by FAU student-athletes are available at VI Coffee Bar in Boca Raton. (Bryan Rammel/Courtesy)" width="2400" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2043.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10896179" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2043.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2043.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2043.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2043.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2043.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">A variety of custom blends created by FAU student-athletes are available at VI Coffee Bar in Boca Raton. (Bryan Rammel/Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  272. <p>The coffee blends sold at VI, 1159 S. Federal Highway, in Boca Raton, include Beach Blend with Ethiopian and Sumatran roasted separately and then blended together by hand.</p>
  273. <p>“Before coffee, we looked into different items that we could do this exercise with,” Rammel said. “But coffee really resonates because everyone drinks it, and it’s something an athlete can stand behind. Like, if we have liquor or beer, we’d have to make sure the athlete is over 21, and especially if they’re promoting it.”</p>
  274. <p>Also available are Heating Up Paradise, a Guatemalan coffee to a dark French roast, and Back in Paradise, a medium-dark blend Yirgacheffe, Nicaraguan and Sumatran all to a medium roast.</p>
  275. <p>“I think the Beach Blend is the most popular,” Rammel said. “The feedback on the taste is great, and the same with the packaging. All the athletes put their input on everything from the packaging, to the design and content, and it means a lot to them.”</p>
  276. <p>Sides, along with the rest of FAU’s Women’s Volleyball Team, also attend the marketing meetings with The Owl Collective. They work directly with the people who make the designs on the coffee bags, giving feedback until every member of the team is happy with the outcome.</p>
  277. <p>Winchell Mountain Coffee was introduced to the beach volleyball team last fall. After extensive meetings both in person and over Zoom, they decided to collaborate on something that was close to their hearts.</p>
  278. <figure id="attachment_10896180"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2182.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="The Florida Atlantic University Women's Beach Volleyball team shows off the Beach Bash Roast coffee bag they created with Winchell Mountain Coffee. (Bryan Rammel/Courtesy)" width="2400" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2182.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10896180" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2182.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2182.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2182.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2182.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2182.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">The Florida Atlantic University Women&#8217;s Beach Volleyball team shows off the Beach Bash Roast coffee bag they created with Winchell Mountain Coffee. (Bryan Rammel/Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  279. <p>“Two years ago, we did a Capri coffee bag,” Sides said about the coffee in honor of their late coach Capri Starr Grotowski. “We launched that at our annual Beach Bash in her honor every year.”</p>
  280. <p>Her husband, Steve Grotowski, took over as head coach in July 2022.</p>
  281. <p>“Seeing that product come from our idea, to actually seeing it on the table and giving it to people and telling them what it’s about, was super rewarding,” Sides said. “Winchell, The Owl Collective and everyone has been absolutely amazing, helpful, and it’s been an awesome experience to help us get out there.”</p>
  282. <figure id="attachment_10896182"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2224.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="Beach Bash Roast is one of the coffee blends created through a partnership with Winchell Mountain Coffee and the FAU Women's Beach Volleyball team. (Bryan Rammel/Courtesy)" width="1600" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2224.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10896182" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2224.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2224.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2224.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2224.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2224.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Beach Bash Roast is one of the coffee blends created through a partnership with Winchell Mountain Coffee and the FAU Women&#8217;s Beach Volleyball team. (Bryan Rammel/Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  283. <p>While The Owl Collective has gained the attention of students, staff and current athletes, it’s also gained attention from an FAU alumnus and athlete.</p>
  284. <p>“I graduated from FAU in 2015 and unfortunately, things like N.I.L. weren’t available when I played,” said author and NFL player Brandin Bryant.</p>
  285. <p>Bryant&#8217;s children’s book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/So-You-Want-be-Athlete/dp/B0CQTVKD3N" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;So, You Want to be an Athlete?&#8221;</a>, is about combining athletics and academics. Writing the book during the COVID pandemic and then being published, Bryant said he believes opportunities like The Owl Collective only add to the FAU experience.</p>
  286. <p>“They call FAU &#8216;winning in paradise&#8217; for a reason,” Bryant said. “I’m very optimistic about The Owl Collective, FAU sports, and once any kid, recruiter or prospect comes to this area, this campus, they’ll fall in love. It’s only a matter of time before all our sports programs take off.”</p>
  287. <p>With NIL and coffee concepts being used as educational tools, The Owl Collective is also looking to get the coffee sold on the college campus or distributed in front of FAU sports games.</p>
  288. <p>“This a way to promote our unique culture,” Sides said. “Everyone here is like a family and we all really support each other. Whether it’s our coffee, preparing for volleyball, our athletes, or anything, we want people to look at FAU and say, ‘Wow, you all have something that’s really special.&#8217;”</p>
  289. <p>Visit <a href="https://www.theowlcollective.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">theowlcollective.com</a>.</p>
  290. ]]></content:encoded>
  294. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">10895865</post-id><media:content url="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5J5A2091.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="296437" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ The Florida Atlantic University Women&#039;s Beach Volleyball team has collaborated with Winchell Mountain Coffee to create custom coffee blends. (Bryan Rammel/Courtesy)  ]]></media:description></media:content>
  295. <dcterms:created>2024-04-12T13:51:47+00:00</dcterms:created>
  296. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-12T13:55:14+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  297. </item>
  298. <item>
  299. <title>Crews watch Boca Raton brush fire Friday for possible hot spots to reignite</title>
  300. <link>https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/11/road-closure-in-boca-raton-as-brush-fire-near-congress-avenue-reignites/</link>
  302. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Angie DiMichele]]></dc:creator>
  303. <pubDate>Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:08:54 +0000</pubDate>
  304. <category><![CDATA[Crime and Public Safety]]></category>
  305. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
  306. <category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
  307. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sun-sentinel.com/?p=10895146</guid>
  308.  
  309. <description><![CDATA[More than 24 hours after a brush fire ignited in Boca Raton, fire rescue crews will remain in the area throughout Friday to watch for any possible hot spots to re-ignite.]]></description>
  310. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>More than 24 hours after a brush fire ignited in Boca Raton, fire department officials said Friday afternoon that the fire is still &#8220;an ongoing and dynamic situation.&#8221;</p>
  311. <p>Fire rescue crews will remain in the area throughout Friday to watch for any possible hot spots to re-ignite.</p>
  312. <p>A passer-by first alerted fire rescue to the blaze shortly before 5 a.m. Thursday after seeing smoke and flames while taking a walk on the El Rio Trail, Boca Raton Fire Rescue said in a post on X. The flames were &#8220;deeply entrenched&#8221; in the wooded area at 7400 Congress Ave., which is located behind a Costco Wholesale store.</p>
  313. <p>It took nearly three hours and as many as 50 firefighters for Boca Raton Fire Rescue to get it under control by Thursday afternoon, but it re-ignited shortly before 6 p.m., according to the fire department.</p>
  314. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
  315. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">UPDATE 4/12/2024, 4:35PM: As we approach the weekend, it&#39;s important to know the brush fire remains an ongoing and dynamic situation. With controlled burns, there&#39;s always a possibility of a fire to reignite.<br />Boca Raton Fire Rescue, alongside our partner agencies, will continue… <a href="https://t.co/FpSydc3AAS">https://t.co/FpSydc3AAS</a></p>
  316. <p>&mdash; Boca Raton Fire Rescue (@BocaFireRescue) <a href="https://twitter.com/BocaFireRescue/status/1778886623138132429?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
  317. <p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  318. <p>By late Thursday night, crews were still managing the blaze and drivers were urged from the early evening into the night to avoid the area of Congress Avenue at Clint Moore Road, where Congress Avenue was closed in all directions until shortly before 9 a.m. Friday. Drones from the Boca Police Department were used Thursday night to find hot spots, the fire department said on X.</p>
  319. <p>As of about 2 p.m. Friday, Boca Raton Fire Rescue remained at the scene, along with officials from the Florida Division of Forestry, the county&#8217;s Department of Environmental Resources Management and the Sheriff&#8217;s Office Wildland Unit.</p>
  320. <p>&#8220;Together, the agencies are conducting backburns to remove underbrush in the area that could potentially reignite,&#8221; Boca Raton Fire Rescue said on the X social media platform. &#8220;These controlled burns are currently causing smoke columns.&#8221;</p>
  321. <p>Sidewalks and entrances to the El Rio Trail in the area are closed as of Friday afternoon. Drivers are still urged to be cautious in the area.</p>
  322. <p>Fire rescue officials said Thursday afternoon that 4 to 5 acres had burned since the morning. It was not immediately clear Friday afternoon how many total acres have burned.</p>
  323. <p>The cause of the fire is being investigated.</p>
  324. <iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d14293.8961805479!2d-80.12101674595557!3d26.408174735144673!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x88d91fd48d18b42b%3A0x70e7195362cafac5!2sClint%20Moore%20Rd%20%26%20Congress%20Ave%2C%20Boca%20Raton%2C%20FL%2033499!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1712876185021!5m2!1sen!2sus" width="100%" height="500px" scrolling="yes" class="iframe" allowtransparency="1" id="662ce77ea8a4a" allowfullscreen="yes" allow="geolocation" ></iframe>
  325.  
  326. ]]></content:encoded>
  330. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">10895146</post-id><media:content url="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/boca-raton-brush-fire.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="174417" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ A brush fire in Boca Raton at 7400 Congress Ave. that was extinguished earlier in the day re-ignited shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday, April 11, 2024. Congress Avenue at Clint Moore Road is shut down in all directions, fire rescue officials said. (Courtesy/Boca Raton Fire Rescue) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  331. <dcterms:created>2024-04-11T19:08:54+00:00</dcterms:created>
  332. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-12T16:52:36+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  333. </item>
  334. <item>
  335. <title>Woodfield Boca Raton golf outing raises more than $32K for Prostate Cancer Foundation</title>
  336. <link>https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/11/woodfield-boca-raton-golf-outing-raises-more-than-32k-for-prostate-cancer-foundation/</link>
  338. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Gary Curreri]]></dc:creator>
  339. <pubDate>Thu, 11 Apr 2024 18:23:37 +0000</pubDate>
  340. <category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
  341. <category><![CDATA[Boca Times]]></category>
  342. <category><![CDATA[West Boca Times]]></category>
  343. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sun-sentinel.com/?p=10894562</guid>
  344.  
  345. <description><![CDATA[Woodfield Country Club in Boca Raton hosted its first Blue Ribbon Golf tournament to raise funds for life-saving prostate cancer research through the Prostate Cancer Foundation.]]></description>
  346. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Woodfield Country Club in Boca Raton hosted its first Blue Ribbon Golf tournament to raise funds for life-saving prostate cancer research through the Prostate Cancer Foundation.</p>
  347. <p>The Woodfield Women’s Golf Association proposed the idea to support PCF in a fashion similar to its annual Play for P.I.N.K. tournament, which raised $22,000 this year for breast cancer research.</p>
  348. <p>The idea was supported by the Woodfield Men’s League, and 85 men, dressed in blue, took to the course to kick off Blue Ribbon Golf on the east coast of Florida. Donations from tournament participants doubled the estimated $5,000 marking the start of a new annual event, in which all of the proceeds will be directed to <a href="https://www.pcf.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PCF</a>.</p>
  349. <p>“Woodfield is proud to support cancer research through our Play for P.I.N.K. and Blue Ribbon Golf events,” said Woodfield Boca Raton General Manager Eben Molloy. “The success of these events is due to the generosity of our incredible members. I am hopeful that these events spark awareness and we can raise even more funds next year.”</p>
  350. <p>For 30 years, PCF has been responsible for raising more than $1 billion in support of cutting-edge research through more than 2,250 research projects at 245 leading cancer centers, with a global footprint spanning 28 countries.</p>
  351. <p>In 2023, more than 288,000 men in the U.S. were diagnosed with prostate cancer and nearly 35,000 were projected to die from this disease.</p>
  352. <p>Visit <a href="https://www.pcf.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pcf.org</a>.</p>
  353. ]]></content:encoded>
  357. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">10894562</post-id><media:content url="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-BOCA-WOODFIELDGOLF-0417_187483150.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="492129" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ Patrick Casey, Bob Schneiderman, Robert Kennedy and David Taylor prepare to tee off at the first Woodfield Boca Raton Men’s League Blue Ribbon Golf Tournament with 100 percent of proceeds being donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. (Kristen Pfeifer/Courtesy) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  358. <dcterms:created>2024-04-11T14:23:37+00:00</dcterms:created>
  359. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-11T14:28:13+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  360. </item>
  361. <item>
  362. <title>Boca Raton&#8217;s new transit service: Everything you need to know about on-demand rides</title>
  363. <link>https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/11/boca-ratons-new-transit-service-everything-you-need-to-know-about-on-demand-rides/</link>
  365. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Abigail Hasebroock]]></dc:creator>
  366. <pubDate>Thu, 11 Apr 2024 10:30:47 +0000</pubDate>
  367. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
  368. <category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
  369. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sun-sentinel.com/?p=10887247</guid>
  370.  
  371. <description><![CDATA[An on-demand transit service will come to Boca Raton in the next several weeks, providing little to no-cost rides to some of the city's most popular spots. ]]></description>
  372. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As soon as next month, you might be able to step off the Brightline station in Boca Raton, request a free ride through an app, and within 10 minutes, hop into an electric shuttle emblazoned with a city logo and get dropped off anywhere in the downtown — perhaps the Mizner Park Amphitheater or the tennis center.</p>
  373. <p>The City Council approved a contract Tuesday with Circuit Transit Inc. to provide on-demand rides to and from specific areas in the city, for little to no cost.</p>
  374. <p>&#8220;I am so excited,&#8221; City Councilmember Yvette Drucker told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Drucker recently expressed frustration during a meeting about how the process to bring a &#8220;circulator&#8221; service to the city has dragged on, citing other cities that have already forged ahead with their own transit systems.</p>
  375. <p>&#8220;It took a long time, but in the end, the product that was delivered was exactly what we needed in our area,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I know it&#8217;s going to work. There&#8217;s going to be a demand.&#8221;</p>
  376. <h4>How it will work</h4>
  377. <p>The service, which is expected to roll out within the next six weeks, will operate as a pilot program for the first year. After that, the city and Circuit will assess if any changes need to be made.</p>
  378. <p>Rides will be available for request through Circuit&#8217;s app. According to the current deal with the city, Circuit will have to ensure riders wait no more than 10 minutes for their ride. Each trip must either start or end in the downtown area to places such as Mizner Park, the downtown library or Silver Palm Park.</p>
  379. <p>One way to enforce the 10-minute, wait-time maximum is by charging for rides starting or ending outside of the designated downtown Boca Raton area. As of now, the cost for those rides is $2 per rider and $1 for each additional rider with a $5 cap for a one-way trip.</p>
  380. <p>This cost may help deter inflated wait times spurred by people frivolously requesting then canceling rides.</p>
  381. <p>Rides remaining within the downtown area — from the Brightline station to Villagio in Mizner Park, for example — will be completely free.</p>
  382. <figure id="attachment_10888458"  class="wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/base-service-area.png?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="The City of Boca Raton's on-demand transit service will provide little to no cost rides to and from popular city spots. Rides remaining within the downtown area, which is marked in red, will be free, but rides starting or ending in the blue area will cost between $2 and $5. (City of Boca Raton)" width="634" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/base-service-area.png?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10888458" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/base-service-area.png?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/base-service-area.png?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/base-service-area.png?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/base-service-area.png?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/base-service-area.png?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">The City of Boca Raton&#8217;s on-demand transit service will provide little to no cost rides to and from popular city spots. Rides remaining within the downtown area, which is marked in red, will be free, but rides starting or ending in the blue area will cost between $2 and $5. (City of Boca Raton)</figcaption></figure>
  383. <p>This does not mean the service won&#8217;t expand its reach beyond the current boundaries in the future.</p>
  384. <p>&#8220;Within not even 24 hours, I&#8217;m already getting contacted about adding (the service) to other zones,&#8221; Drucker said.</p>
  385. <p>During Tuesday&#8217;s meeting, city municipal services director Zachary Bihr said after city staff members collect data, they will identify other possible service areas or consider diminishing the service area, depending on how the pilot program plays out.</p>
  386. <p>&#8220;Optional service points&#8221; have already been marked for future consideration, including the Tri-Rail Station, Florida Atlantic University, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center and the city&#8217;s beach spots.</p>
  387. <p>The hours of operation during which people could request rides is from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday, from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday, from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday.</p>
  388. <p>These times will be subject to change depending on usage.</p>
  389. <p>&#8220;Let&#8217;s say the vendor comes to us and says, &#8216;We don&#8217;t have any activity on Sunday until one in the afternoon,'&#8221; City Manager George Brown said during Tuesday&#8217;s meeting. &#8220;We have the flexibility of amending the contract.&#8221;</p>
  390. <p>And according to city documents, an electric shuttle would be used for the downtown-only rides while Teslas and Kias may be used for rides requested from anywhere in the service zone.</p>
  391. <p>Each Circuit driver will have to be at least 21, go through driver safety training, have a driver&#8217;s license that&#8217;s been active for at least three years and a driving record free from accidents and tickets.</p>
  392. <p>The city estimated the annual cost of the partnership will be nearly $400,000 every year.</p>
  393. <p>In a statement, Circuit project manager Jason Bagley said the service will &#8220;complement Brightline and other transit options.&#8221;</p>
  394. <p>&#8220;This will serve the entire community, simplifying how you get around, connecting to, and throughout downtown,&#8221; he said.</p>
  395. <h4>A transit match</h4>
  396. <p>Shortly after the Brightline station first opened in Boca Raton in December 2022, Circuit provided a shuttle service exclusively for Brightline customers in the city, but the service eventually came to a halt.</p>
  397. <p>In its proposal to the City of Boca Raton seeking to provide services, Circuit CEO and co-founder Alexander Esposito wrote because of its pre-existing &#8220;regional presence&#8221; and &#8220;operational footprint&#8221; in the city, the services will launch no more than 30 days after signing the contract.</p>
  398. <p>&#8220;Circuit firmly believes that our proposed project plan will reduce traffic congestion, alleviate carbon emissions, bolster economic growth in the community, and most importantly, provide an equitable and sustainable transportation solution for all residents and visitors of Boca Raton,&#8221; Esposito wrote. &#8220;We look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with the City of Boca Raton and key local stakeholders, such as the Community Redevelopment Agency, to transform the city’s transportation landscape positively.&#8221;</p>
  399. <p>According to its proposal, Circuit offers services across South Florida including in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miami, West Palm Beach, Pompano Beach, Boynton Beach, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Wilton Manors. The service has a national reach, too, with a foothold in New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York, Texas and California.</p>
  400. <p>Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Steve Glassman said he&#8217;s heard nothing but positive comments about Circuit in the city, and the service has since extended its routes in Fort Lauderdale.</p>
  401. <p>&#8220;Ridership numbers have really skyrocketed,&#8221; he said. &#8220;People seem to really like the service.&#8221;</p>
  402. <h4>Getting to the finish line</h4>
  403. <p>During Tuesday&#8217;s meeting, Drucker, who referred to herself as a &#8220;transit nerd champion,&#8221; was not the only person eager for the service&#8217;s implementation.</p>
  404. <p>&#8220;It&#8217;s something we&#8217;ve been talking about for a long time, and I really appreciate us getting to the finish line,&#8221; Council member Marc Wigder said.</p>
  405. <p>After Widger asked if any one from the public had any thoughts about the service, Boca Raton resident Glenn Monroe said he loves &#8220;this kind of service.&#8221;</p>
  406. <p>&#8220;I hate looking for parking when we head downtown,&#8221; he said.</p>
  407. <p>Mayor Scott Singer said he&#8217;s optimistic about the service&#8217;s effectiveness.</p>
  408. <p>&#8220;We&#8217;ll be nimble,&#8221; he said, adding: &#8220;We&#8217;ll see where it works, and if it doesn&#8217;t work, we&#8217;ll tweak.&#8221;</p>
  409. ]]></content:encoded>
  413. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">10887247</post-id><media:content url="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/TFL-L-boca-forum-results-01.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="417261" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ People enjoy the outdoors at Mizner Park in Boca Raton on Thursday, March 28, 2024. There were some key takeaways from a community forum on what Boca Raton needs. The city has one of the fastest-growing downtowns in South Florida. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  414. <dcterms:created>2024-04-11T06:30:47+00:00</dcterms:created>
  415. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-13T13:00:00+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  416. </item>
  417. <item>
  418. <title>A new high-end condo building in Boca Raton could join others in city&#8217;s growing downtown</title>
  419. <link>https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/10/a-new-high-end-condo-building-in-boca-raton-could-join-others-in-citys-growing-downtown/</link>
  421. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Abigail Hasebroock]]></dc:creator>
  422. <pubDate>Wed, 10 Apr 2024 10:00:39 +0000</pubDate>
  423. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
  424. <category><![CDATA[Local News]]></category>
  425. <category><![CDATA[Keywee]]></category>
  426. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sun-sentinel.com/?p=10864463</guid>
  427.  
  428. <description><![CDATA[Amid booming growth, Boca Raton's downtown may welcome yet another condo building with contemporary features that buyers are demanding, according to market experts. ]]></description>
  429. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A high-end condominium building may be coming to one of downtown Boca Raton&#8217;s last-remaining vacant lots.</p>
  430. <p>If approved, the Concierge would be a 42-unit multifamily project at 22 SE Sixth St., not far from the <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/04/a-1-5-billion-ultra-luxury-resort-in-boca-raton-it-better-be-the-best-thing-thats-ever-been-done/">Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Residences</a> project and near popular shopping spots such as Trader Joe&#8217;s and Publix.</p>
  431. <p>The project would rise nine stories and feature 74 parking spots, including 60 valet-only parking spots.</p>
  432. <figure id="attachment_10874221"  class="wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-09-121202.png?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="740px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-09-121202.png?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-09-121202.png?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-09-121202.png?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-09-121202.png?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-09-121202.png?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="A rendering depicts the Concierge, a 42-unit multifamily high-end condo project that could come to Boca Raton. (Courtesy of Miskel Backman LLP)" width="1297" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-09-121202.png?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10874221" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-09-121202.png?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-09-121202.png?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-09-121202.png?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-09-121202.png?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-09-121202.png?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" data-wp-editing="1" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">A rendering depicts the Concierge, a 42-unit multifamily high-end condo project that could come to Boca Raton. (Courtesy of Juan Caycedo)</figcaption></figure>
  433. <p>&#8220;The condo market is doing extremely well in downtown Boca Raton,&#8221; said Ele Zachariades, the land-use attorney behind the project. &#8220;I see no reason why this would be any different than any other downtown condos in Boca.&#8221;</p>
  434. <p>The site currently is vacant, previously occupied by an office building, Zachariades said. It was demolished in 2020.</p>
  435. <figure id="attachment_10865845"  class="wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-concierge-0408-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="740px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-concierge-0408-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-concierge-0408-03.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-concierge-0408-03.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-concierge-0408-03.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-concierge-0408-03.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="An empty lot that could become a 45-unit multifamily project called the Concierge is shown in Boca Raton on Monday, April 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)" width="5467" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-concierge-0408-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10865845" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-concierge-0408-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-concierge-0408-03.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-concierge-0408-03.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-concierge-0408-03.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-concierge-0408-03.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">An empty lot that could become a 42-unit multifamily project called the Concierge is shown in Boca Raton on Monday, April 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)</figcaption></figure>
  436. <p>The Concierge was originally set to be an 88-unit assisted-living facility, but after the project was sold to a new client and construction costs skyrocketed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the initial plans were no longer economically feasible, Zachariades said.</p>
  437. <p>The project went before the Boca Raton Planning and Zoning Board on Thursday and received a unanimous recommendation. Next, the project will go to the city&#8217;s Community Redevelopment Agency, likely in May.</p>
  438. <iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2139.2266179283342!2d-80.08865364499592!3d26.343826821950216!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x88d8e20fd024c8cf%3A0x77eb9c7f10c3786b!2s22%20SE%206th%20St%2C%20Boca%20Raton%2C%20FL%2033432!5e1!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1712698161306!5m2!1sen!2sus" width="100%" height="500px" scrolling="yes" class="iframe" allowtransparency="1" id="662ce77eadf1a" allowfullscreen="yes" allow="geolocation" ></iframe>
  439.  
  440. <h4>Boca Raton&#8217;s booming growth</h4>
  441. <p>If the Concierge gets the CRA green light, it will join many other residential projects in downtown Boca Raton, some still under construction.</p>
  442. <ul>
  443. <li>The <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2018/10/03/scaled-down-downtown-boca-project-has-new-name-new-features/">Alina Residences</a>, The Alina Residences, <span style="color: #000000">three nine-story buildings at 200 SE Mizner Blvd. featuring more than 300 luxury condo units.</span></li>
  444. <li>Royal Palm Residences, which are three nine-story towers featuring <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2022/06/21/whats-being-built-there-luxury-condos-beginning-at-35-million-planned-for-downtown-boca-raton/">48 luxury condominiums</a> at 475 E. Royal Palm Road.</li>
  445. <li>Camino Square, which has<a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2022/07/25/whats-being-built-there-a-pair-of-8-story-buildings-with-342-apartments-on-the-way-in-downtown-boca-raton/"> nearly 350 apartment units</a> packed into eight stories at 171 W. Camino Square.</li>
  446. <li>Tower 155, which has is an eight-, 10- and 12-story building with <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2018/11/01/tower-155-close-to-completion-in-boca-raton/">128 homes</a>.</li>
  447. </ul>
  448. <p>Amid the influx of new residential buildings, Boca Raton also has drawn more people seeking jobs, as well as new businesses.</p>
  449. <p>In the beginning of the year, the city announced it led the way in <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/02/07/boca-raton-had-some-of-the-highest-office-leasing-activity-in-2023-what-that-means-for-the-citys-future/">office leasing activity</a> across South Florida in 2022 and 2023.</p>
  450. <p>Other buildings are coming to bolster that growth as well. <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/06/05/a-new-office-building-set-to-break-ground-in-downtown-boca-raton-in-2025/">Aletto</a>, a luxury office building, is scheduled to finish construction in 2025.</p>
  451. <p>The Concierge, if designed as current renderings depict, would take a likeness to the ultra-modern <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2018/10/03/scaled-down-downtown-boca-project-has-new-name-new-features/">Glass House project</a> under construction along Palmetto Park Road, dotted with panels of glass.</p>
  452. <p>&#8220;People really gravitate to wanting that new product,&#8221; said John Farina, the president of U.S. Development, which has residential projects in South Florida, such as the Salato Residences in Pompano Beach.</p>
  453. <p>&#8220;New product&#8221; means fresh construction and contemporary features, he said, such as all-glass buildings, floor-to-ceiling doors and open-living concepts.</p>
  454. <p>&#8220;Natural sunlight and views are absolutely vital to new development, and we have so much natural sunlight here in Florida, and it&#8217;s such an inspiration to architects,&#8221; said Scott Gerow, the director of luxury sales for the CBG Luxury Team at Compass in Boca Raton. In 2018, he was a sales executive for the Alina residences.</p>
  455. <p>Buyers, especially those from other big metropolitan cities such as New York City and Chicago, want styles they are used to, Gerow said, hence the style shift in Boca Raton.</p>
  456. <p>&#8220;Developers have to deliver what buyers want, otherwise they don&#8217;t sell their inventory,&#8221; Gerow said. &#8220;So if they&#8217;re seeing sales velocity for these newer contemporary buildings, they kind of have to stay on track with that thinking and offer what the public wants.&#8221;</p>
  457. <p>Fran Nachlas, the newly appointed Boca Raton CRA chair, said part of the vision for Boca Raton includes innovation, which extends to architecture.</p>
  458. <p>&#8220;I like to see exceptional design and development,&#8221; she said. &#8220;That’s what I really want to see going forward, that exceptional design and something we haven’t seen before.&#8221;</p>
  459. ]]></content:encoded>
  463. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">10864463</post-id><media:content url="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TFL-L-boca-concierge-0408-01.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="432606" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ An empty lot that could become a 42-unit multifamily project called the Concierge is shown in Boca Raton on Monday, April 8, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  464. <dcterms:created>2024-04-10T06:00:39+00:00</dcterms:created>
  465. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-10T12:31:04+00:00</dcterms:modified>
  466. </item>
  467. <item>
  468. <title>In restaurant news: Paris Baguette lands in Delray, plus Brass Tap Fort Lauderdale replaced</title>
  469. <link>https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/04/09/new-south-florida-restaurants-open-close/</link>
  471. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Phillip Valys, Rod Stafford Hagwood]]></dc:creator>
  472. <pubDate>Tue, 09 Apr 2024 17:24:20 +0000</pubDate>
  473. <category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
  474. <category><![CDATA[Latest Headlines]]></category>
  475. <category><![CDATA[Restaurants, Food and Drink]]></category>
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  477. <category><![CDATA[Bars]]></category>
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  480. <category><![CDATA[The Eat Beat]]></category>
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  483. <description><![CDATA[Other restaurants that have opened in Broward and Palm Beach counties include Phuse Cream in Sunrise, Saiko-i Sushi Lounge and Hibachi in Coral Springs and Pizza Salad Pointe &#38; Self-Pour Beer in Davie. Meanwhile, B.C. Cafe in Davie closed after 11 years.]]></description>
  484. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Stay up to date with South Florida dining news:</strong></p>
  485. <p><strong>Sign up for our twice-weekly<a href="https://membership.sun-sentinel.com/newsletters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Eat Beat newsletter</a>, filled with restaurant news, guides and more. Go to <a href="https://membership.sun-sentinel.com/newsletters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SunSentinel.com/newsletters </a>to sign up.</strong></p>
  486. <p><strong>Join our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/letseatsouthflorida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;Let&#8217;s Eat, South Florida&#8221;</a> Facebook group.</strong></p>
  487. <h4><b>NOW OPEN OR OPENING</b></h4>
  488. <p><strong>Paris Baguette, Delray Beach<br />
  489. </strong>1911 S. Federal Highway; <a href="http://ParisBaguette.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ParisBaguette.com</a></p>
  490. <p>It has roots far from the City of Lights — South Korea, to be exact — but this fast-growing, bakery-café chain devoted to baked breads, pastries and caffeine has landed in South Florida, with its first location debuting April 2 at the Delray Market plaza. The eatery brands itself as a hub for trendy pastries, touting creations such as berry-crowned danishes, sugar-sprinkled mochi doughnuts and cocoa-dusted tiramisu tarts, along with red bean bread loaves, garlic croissants and curry-filled croquettes. There are also cake slices, turkey-mozzarella paninis, caprese baguette sandwiches, salads, and hot and cold Lavazza coffees. </p>
  491. <p><strong>Chef Reece Kitchen, Davie<br />
  492. </strong>5187 S. University Drive; 754-888-9994; <a href="https://www.chefreece.com/about-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ChefReece.com</a> </p>
  493. <p>Travis Reece, the top-billed chef who served up simmering oxtail stew poolside at the <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/02/22/how-south-beach-wine-food-festival-is-celebrating-black-excellence/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Beach Wine and Food Festival in February</a>, has upgraded into his first restaurant, which opened March 16 inside Renaissance Plaza on South University Drive. Raised on his grandma’s vegetable and cattle farm in Jamaica’s Saint Elizabeth parish, Reece, 30, had cooked for celebrities such as Kanye West, Travis Scott and Tristan Thompson as a private chef before turning to restaurants. Last year, he opened his namesake Jamaican fusion spot at a Chevron gas station in Pembroke Pines, where he served honey-glazed salmon and oxtail pasta braised in barbecue sauce and jerk seasonings. His new storefront adds an expanded menu of vegetarian items like coconut curry chickpeas, salads and natural juices, and more ambitious dishes including curried goat and whole fried red snapper on Fridays and Saturdays only.</p>
  494. <figure id="attachment_10873434"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-05.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="440px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-05.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-05.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-05.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-05.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-05.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="The dining room of the new El Pama Tavern in Fort Lauderdale's Flagler Village, which debuted March 8 and replaced the long-running Brass Tap Fort Lauderdale. (El Pama Tavern / Courtesy)" width="1440" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-05.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10873434" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-05.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-05.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-05.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-05.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-05.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text"><div class="photo-credit">El Pama Tavern / Courtesy</div>The dining room of the new El Pama Tavern in Fort Lauderdale&#8217;s Flagler Village, which debuted March 8 and replaced the long-running Brass Tap Fort Lauderdale. (El Pama Tavern / Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  495. <p><strong>El Pama Tavern, Fort Lauderdale<br />
  496. </strong>551 N. Federal Highway, Suite 600; 754-701-0670; <a href="http://ElPamaTavern.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ElPamaTavern.com</a> </p>
  497. <p>A Latin steakhouse and tobacco lounge billed as a “haven where culinary mastery and cigar sophistication unite” has replaced the long-running Brass Tap Fort Lauderdale and <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2018/10/04/psst-heres-the-secret-password-to-unit-b-fort-lauderdales-new-speakeasy-bar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">its upstairs speakeasy, Unit B</a>, on North Federal Highway. No explanation was given for Brass Tap’s abrupt closure. The new restaurant-lounge, which quietly debuted March 8, is <a href="https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResultDetail?inquirytype=EntityName&amp;directionType=Initial&amp;searchNameOrder=ELPAMARESTAURANTLOUNGE%20L230003398840&amp;aggregateId=flal-l23000339884-d5a8036b-af85-4819-8aeb-2acec995c431&amp;searchTerm=EL%20PAMA%20RESTAURANT%20AND%20LOUNGE%2C%20LLC&amp;listNameOrder=ELPAMARESTAURANTLOUNGE%20L230003398840" target="_blank" rel="noopener">registered to managing partner Fernando Santa</a>, who also operates a Miramar-based retail shop called El Pama Cigar Accessories. El Pama is steeped in tropical decor and speakeasy motifs, with cedarwood furniture, hanging moss, a white baby grand piano and servers wearing white satin gloves and 1920s-era flapper gowns. The menu features Cajun-spiced filet mignon steak bites, corn and lobster bisque for starters, soups and salads, and bourbon-glazed tomahawk pork chops, cioppinno, ribeyes and porterhouses for entrees, along with 12 cocktails.</p>
  498. <p><strong>Whit&#8217;s Frozen Custard, Coral Springs<br />
  499. </strong>2886 N. University Drive; 754-812-1143; <a href="https://whitscustard.com/locations/coral-springs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WhitsCustard.com</a> </p>
  500. <p>This Ohio-spun emporium for rich frozen custard scooped out its latest South Florida franchise in late March in The Walk of Coral Springs plaza, following a recent flurry of openings in <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/11/06/now-open-luka-restaurant-dishes-latin-fusion-in-plantation-whits-frozen-custard-scoops-up-lighthouse-point/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lighthouse Point</a>, Boca Raton, Wellington, Jupiter and Delray Beach. The sweet shop serves its custard in cups, cake, waffle cones and cookies (affectionately called “Whitties”), which are coated or blended with a choice of 40 toppings. Each shop also presents specialty flavors of the day, week and month, such as s’mores, white-chocolate caramel brownie, black raspberry chip, amaretto biscotti and chocolate caramel cashew.</p>
  501. <p><strong>Yellow Yolk, Pompano Beach<br />
  502. </strong>3200 E. Atlantic Blvd.; <a href="http://YellowYolk.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">YellowYolk.com</a> </p>
  503. <p>After a <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2022/10/21/now-open-frank-pepe-pizzeria-in-plantation-the-madres-mexican-fresh-in-wellington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">short-lived stint at The Walk at University</a> in Coral Springs, this all-day brunch house <a href="http://dos.sunbiz.org/scripts/ficidet.exe?action=DETREG&amp;docnum=G24000039832&amp;rdocnum=G24000039832" target="_blank" rel="noopener">from restaurateur Steve Tsatas</a> has migrated to a new storefront on Atlantic Boulevard, one block from the Intracoastal Waterway. The breakfast menu includes triple-stacked pancakes, classic eggs Benedict, corned beef hash skillets with eggs, avocado toast on walnut and raisin bread with poached eggs, as well as coffees and juices. Lunch, meanwhile, includes a Chicken philly with onions, mushrooms and peppers, smash burgers and salads.</p>
  504. <figure id="attachment_10873428"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="440px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-01.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-01.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-01.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-01.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="A triple-stack of pancakes at Yellow Yolk, which opened its new Pompano Beach brunch house in March on Atlantic Boulevard. (Lens Craving for Yellow Yolk / Courtesy)" width="3312" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10873428" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-01.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-01.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-01.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-01.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text"><div class="photo-credit">Lens Craving for Yellow Yolk / Courtesy</div>A triple stack of pancakes at Yellow Yolk, which opened its new Pompano Beach brunch house in March on Atlantic Boulevard. (Lens Craving for Yellow Yolk / Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  505. <p><strong>Seafarers’ House Cafe by Big Chef, Fort Lauderdale<br />
  506. </strong>1800 SE 32nd St.; 954-734-1580; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/seafarershouseFL/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook.com/seafarershouseFL</a> </p>
  507. <p>What started as a nonprofit offering resources, a chapel and meeting space for Fort Lauderdale’s maritime community has added its first public café -restaurant, which hosted its grand opening on March 25 in Port Everglades. The 76-seat breakfast-lunch eatery is registered to <a href="http://dos.sunbiz.org/scripts/ficidet.exe?action=DETREG&amp;docnum=G23000144982&amp;rdocnum=G23000144982" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rosana Santos Calambichis</a>, who runs a catering company called Big Chef and describes the menu as “nutritious, casual and flavorful” on social media. Along with coffees, the menu includes chicken avocado sandwiches on baguettes, banana nutella crepes, brie-artichoke flatbread pizzas, dumplings and beef fajitas.</p>
  508. <p><strong>The West End Lounge, Wilton Manors<br />
  509. </strong>2100 Wilton Drive; 954-395-8964; <a href="http://TheWestEndLoungeWM.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TheWestEndLoungeWM.com</a> </p>
  510. <p>A new cocktail boîte and live music lounge debuted with a grand opening on April 6 on the ground floor of the Gables Wilton Park apartment complex, replacing the former Matty’s. The 2,238-square-foot nightlife space, which comes from owner Chris O’Neill, offers light bites along with mocktails, beer, wine and eight craft cocktails —- many infused with wines. They include a chocolate-forward, brown-butter old-fashioned and the Rosita, with Scotch bonnet-infused tequila, aperol, orange, agave, lime and a Cabernet float.</p>
  511. <p><strong>MaMa YaTai &amp; Donut, Deerfield Beach</strong></p>
  512. <p>1636-1638 SE Third Court; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mamayatai.donut/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram.com/MamaYatai.donut</a> </p>
  513. <p>If you believe Mama YaTai’s social media, roughly 6,000 mochi donuts are made daily at this fantasyland of Japanese treats, which staged its grand opening on April 4 inside The Cove Shopping Center. The doughnut house — adorned in suspended floral paper lanterns, neo-Tokyo wallpaper and anime murals of Sailor Moon and Naruto — comes from owners Ngoc Chau and Loc Nguyen, who also operate MaMa YaTai’s flagship in Davie and its offshoot, <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/01/29/south-florida-now-open-closed-restaurants-jan-26-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">An Banh Japanese Corn Dog and Bakery in Fort Lauderdale</a>. As with other locations, MaMa’s menu features yakitori (chicken on skewers), whimsical Japanese corn dogs (coated in potato chips, Hot Cheetos, Rice Krispies) and 50 doughnut flavors (such as sakura cherry blossom).</p>
  514. <p><strong>El Segundo, West Palm Beach<br />
  515. </strong>3950 Georgia Ave.; 561-469-8597; <a href="http://ElSegundoWPB.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ElSegundoWPB.com</a> </p>
  516. <p>This Tex-Mex-themed taqueria from prolific Palm Beach County restaurateur Rodney Mayo (Subculture Coffee, <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2019/08/07/summertimeout-why-is-dada-in-delray-beach-called-dada/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dada</a>, Kapow!, Sassafras, Howley&#8217;s, Hullabaloo, Respectable Street) debuted in March on the northeast corner of Southern Boulevard and Georgia Avenue. Dishes from executive chef Angelo Arboleda include six styles of tacos, from brisket burnt ends to al pastor to Cali fish. There are also double smash burgers, birria tacos, mole chicken quesadillas and chocolate birria churros.</p>
  517. <p><strong>Pizza Salad Pointe &amp; Self-Pour Beer, Davie<br />
  518. </strong>6370 Griffin Road, Suite C102; 954-406-5445; <a href="http://PizzaSaladPointe.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PizzaSaladPointe.com</a> </p>
  519. <p>The centerpiece of this new pizzeria, which is <a href="https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResultDetail?inquirytype=EntityName&amp;directionType=Initial&amp;searchNameOrder=PIZZASALADPOINTE%20L190002738000&amp;aggregateId=flal-l19000273800-998b2631-e610-4357-800a-d599b24dbd88&amp;searchTerm=Pizza%20Salad%20Pointe&amp;listNameOrder=PIZZASALADPOINTE%20L190002738000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">registered to Isaac and Elena Golan</a> and debuted in mid-March, literally puts the DIY in IPA: It has an alcohol wall with 30 tap handles where drinkers can pour their own craft beer, along with wine, cider and even cocktails. Dine-in patrons are issued a “drink card,” which they can scan at taps that display the alcohol’s price, name, style and alcohol by volume. (As of this writing, the tap wall offers sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, Moscow mule, margarita cocktails and roughly 20 craft beers.) There is also a build-your-own salad bar with 60 toppings and a medley of New York-style, Sicilian, Detroit and vegan and gluten-free pies, along with calzones, stromboli, pastas and cannolis for dessert. The Golans also operate Zinncredible Pizza 2 miles west on Orange Drive and Pine Island Road.</p>
  520. <figure id="attachment_10873435"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-04.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="320px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-04.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-04.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-04.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-04.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-04.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="The steak, scallop and lobster hibachi at Saiko-i Sushi Lounge and Hibachi, a new Japanese restaurant and hibachi that opened to the public in Coral Springs on April 2. (Saiko-i Sushi Lounge and Hibachi / Courtesy)" width="640" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-04.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10873435" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-04.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-04.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-04.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-04.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-04.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text"><div class="photo-credit">Saiko-i Sushi Lounge and Hibachi / Courtesy</div>The steak, scallop and lobster hibachi at Saiko-i Sushi Lounge and Hibachi, which opened to the public in Coral Springs on April 2. (Saiko-i Sushi Lounge and Hibachi / Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  521. <p><strong>Saiko-i Sushi Lounge and Hibachi, Coral Springs<br />
  522. </strong>5791 Coral Ridge Drive; <a href="https://www.saikoiboca.com/locations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SaikoiBoca.com</a> </p>
  523. <p>They revived Peking Duck House in Pompano Beach earlier this year, and now husband-and-wife hospitality vets Jason Zheng and Tina Wang (Koi Japanese Cuisine &amp; Sushi Lounge, Coco Sushi Lounge &amp; Bar, Yakitori Sake House) have opened this Japanese restaurant and lounge. The 4,000-square-foot Saiko-i debuted April 2, joining its flagship in Boca Raton, and offers hibachi-style entrees spanning duck and seabass to chicken and Kobe A5 steak, along with Mongolian beef, popcorn chicken, Thai red curry and seafood clay pots of jumbo shrimp, scallop, calamari, snow peas, mushrooms, carrots and XO sauce. There are also sushi boats, cucumber wraps, sashimi, tonkotsu ramen and stir-fry noodles. A long-awaited, 200-seat Plantation outpost is expected to follow by year&#8217;s end at 8100-8160 W. Broward Blvd.</p>
  524. <p><strong>Phuse Cream, Sunrise<br />
  525. </strong>2806 N. University Drive; <a href="http://PhuseCream.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PhuseCream.com</a> </p>
  526. <p>Joel Franklin&#8217;s emporium of sweets debuted March 29 in Sunrise, his second scoop shop specializing in ice cream and his <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/03/29/phuse-cream-sunrise-macaron-ice-cream-sandwiches/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signature treat: macaron ice-cream sandwiches</a>. If the name sounds familiar — or you obsess over dessert anything — Phuse picked up acclaim for winning People&#8217;s Choice Champion at the 2023 Dessert Wars Palm Beach convention. Franklin, more entrepreneurial event impresario than baker, also programs Miami&#8217;s annual Black Pepper Food &amp; Wine Festival, a showcase of Black-owned restaurants and food trucks. Phuse, which also has a flagship location on State Road 7 in Plantation, touts 40 ice cream flavors (and four vegan-only ones), including banana praline, Oreo Heath caramel crunch, guava cheesecake, cotton candy and vanilla black raspberry.</p>
  527. <p><strong>Night Owl Cookies, Coconut Creek<br />
  528. </strong>4431 Lyons Road, Suite 106; <a href="http://NightOwlCookieCo.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NightOwlCookieCo.com</a> </p>
  529. <p>Late-night cookie monsters know all about the over-the-top confections of Andrew Gonzalez, who brought his gourmet creations <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2020/03/12/night-owl-cookie-company-bringing-over-the-top-sweets-to-pembroke-pines-cookie-monsters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to Pembroke Pines in 2020</a>. For the uninitiated, Gonzalez started baking in his mother’s kitchen in Miami and, in just a few years, was pumping out 1,000 cookies nightly and making late-night deliveries (as in 2 a.m.-late) to college-aged cookie lovers at Florida International University. (Forbes honored Gonzalez in its <a href="https://www.forbes.com/pictures/fkmm45eeffh/andrew-gonzalez-25/#163a76c86069" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lofty “30 Under 30” ranking</a> of top young entrepreneurs in 2017.) He has multiple locations, and now Night Owl has migrated north again, with a new Broward location that debuted in early March inside Promenade at Coconut Creek. (A second Broward outpost is expected to debut this summer inside Plantation’s Market on University plaza). Gourmet cookies on the menu include Ave Maria, topped with Maria cookies, guava chunks and cream cheese; Dirty Diana, which uses chocolate dough stuffed with Nutella; and Rainbow Over Bedrock, topped with Fruity Pebbles.</p>
  530. <p><strong>The Underground Pizza, Palm Beach Gardens<br />
  531. </strong>9920 FL-A1A, Suite 815; <a href="https://theundergroundpizza.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TheUndergroundPizza.com</a> <strong><br />
  532. </strong></p>
  533. <p>No, it shouldn&#8217;t be confused with The Pizza Underground, a short-lived comedy band created by &#8220;Home Alone&#8221; actor Macaulay Culkin to parody the Velvet Underground&#8217;s songs with pizza-themed lyrics. But The Underground Pizza, which debuted in mid-March in the Promenade Shopping Plaza, does bill itself as a &#8220;punk rock pizza shop&#8221; inspired by that 1960s rock band. Owner Cole Herring&#8217;s pizzeria specializes in something called &#8220;East Coast Deep Dish,&#8221; a hybrid pie that resembles Chicago deep dish but has a cornmeal crust and other recipe variations. There are also thin-crust pizzas such as The Blonde (generously topped with garlic-infused olive oil, roasted squash, tomatoes, onions, feta, basil) and Lay&#8217;d Back (pineapple, bacon, red onion, jalapeños, feta), plus salads, baked wings and garlic bread.</p>
  534. <figure id="attachment_10645348"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Tfl-l-bd-trap-fort-lauderdale-03-031424.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="440px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Tfl-l-bd-trap-fort-lauderdale-03-031424.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Tfl-l-bd-trap-fort-lauderdale-03-031424.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Tfl-l-bd-trap-fort-lauderdale-03-031424.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Tfl-l-bd-trap-fort-lauderdale-03-031424.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Tfl-l-bd-trap-fort-lauderdale-03-031424.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="Executive chef and pitmaster Orelle Young slices brisket at B&amp;D Trap in the Sistrunk neighborhood of Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel)" width="4388" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Tfl-l-bd-trap-fort-lauderdale-03-031424.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10645348" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Tfl-l-bd-trap-fort-lauderdale-03-031424.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Tfl-l-bd-trap-fort-lauderdale-03-031424.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Tfl-l-bd-trap-fort-lauderdale-03-031424.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Tfl-l-bd-trap-fort-lauderdale-03-031424.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Tfl-l-bd-trap-fort-lauderdale-03-031424.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text"><div class="photo-credit">(Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel)</div>Executive chef and pitmaster Orelle Young slices brisket at B&amp;D Trap in the Sistrunk neighborhood of Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel)</figcaption></figure>
  535. <p><strong>B&amp;D Trap, Fort Lauderdale<br />
  536. </strong>1551 NW Sixth St.; 561-382-7944; <a href="http://BDTrap.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BDTrap.com</a> <strong><br />
  537. </strong></p>
  538. <p>This <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/03/23/tfl-l-bd-trap-fort-lauderdale-sistrunk-texas-barbecue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2,500-square-foot pit stop devoted to Texas-style barbecue</a> is now smoking up Sistrunk Boulevard after its official grand opening on March 29. It&#8217;s no secret Texas is brisket country, and so the focus here, naturally, is dry-rubbed brisket by the pound and in sandwich form from hospitality veteran Kevin Rodriguez (The Doral Yard food hall) and pitmaster Orelle Young (The Beast by Todd English in Las Vegas), who competed a few years ago on Food Network Canada&#8217;s barbecue competition series &#8220;Fire Masters.&#8221; The 45-seat restaurant, which offers patio seating on picnic-style tables, also turns out ribs, chicken, pulled pork, wings and turkey, along with sides of mac &#8216;n&#8217; cheese, baked beans, potato salad, coleslaw and cornbread.</p>
  539. <p><strong></strong></p>
  540. <p><strong>Godly&#8217;s Dessert Café<br />
  541. </strong>681 NW 27th Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 754-777-9707; <a href="http://Godlyson6th.square.site" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Godlyson6th.square.site</a></p>
  542. <p>Everything is baked, churned and scooped in-house at this sweet treat parlor that debuted Feb. 1 on Sistrunk Boulevard, an area that has gained <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/02/10/whos-the-salad-boss-fort-lauderdale-native-brings-health-conscious-eatery-to-his-sistrunk-community/#:~:text=You'd%20never%20know%20that,of%20the%20Sistrunk%20Boulevard%20neighborhood." target="_blank" rel="noopener">a mountain</a> of <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/08/03/wet-hot-bbq-summer-5-new-restaurants-firing-up-smoky-meats-in-south-florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new cuisine</a> in recent months. Godly’s, which is <a href="http://dos.sunbiz.org/scripts/ficidet.exe?action=DETREG&amp;docnum=G22000048359&amp;rdocnum=G22000048359" target="_blank" rel="noopener">registered to owner Kamille Bradley</a>, offers ice-cream flavors such as blueberry cheesecake swirl, bubble gumball, red velvet and pistachio nut, in just about every configuration imaginable: sundaes, floats, by-the-quart, frozen creamsicles, and with housemade waffle cones. There are also fruity Italian ice flavors from mango&#8217;rita to blue raspberry, as well as Thai iced teas and fudgy Oreo cupcakes. </p>
  543. <p><strong>The Food Truck Store</strong><br />
  544. 1417 NE 26th St., Wilton Manors; <a href="https://www.thefoodtruckstore.com/copia-de-franquicias" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thefoodtruckstore.com</a></p>
  545. <p>Don&#8217;t let the name fool you: The Food Truck Store is actually a burger boîte. This fast-casual restaurant out of Argentina is the brainchild of Rodo Camara and has another stateside location in North Miami. The Wilton Manors spot officially debuted Feb. 20 to bring the best &#8220;American-style burgers to the sunny South, paying homage to the iconic classics you know and love with some next-level gourmet twists,&#8221; according to the eatery&#8217;s marketing. </p>
  546. <p><strong>Dos Amigos Tacos<br />
  547. </strong>10660 Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 170, Wellington; 561-508-4402; <a href="http://DosAmigosTacos.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DosAmigosTacos.com</a></p>
  548. <p>Back in late 2021, two employees from <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2016/11/07/lucilles-bad-to-the-bone-bbq-now-in-delray-beach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lucille’s Bad to the Bone BBQ</a> at Delray Marketplace peeled off to open their first fast-casual taqueria next door in the same strip mall. Now cofounders Derek Mazer and chef Michael Jameson have expanded <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dosamigostacosdelraybeach/posts/pfbid0ST4qHDrtzfbnnfsqEBmEUQXtaZUjpeX5yhGkE637g79NyFmF6iibFVDt8inG1DSil" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dos Amigos into its second location</a>, which debuted Jan. 28 at Wellington Green Square. The centerpiece of their menu, naturally, are its 19 housemade tacos ranging from familiar (chicken, carne asada) to trendy (quesabirria, roasted cauliflower) to adventurous (Philly cheesesteak, meatball Parmesan on a mozzarella-crusted tortilla). There are also quesadillas, burritos and salad bowls. </p>
  549. <figure id="attachment_10593356"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-rikos-pizza-pompano-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="440px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-rikos-pizza-pompano-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-rikos-pizza-pompano-01.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-rikos-pizza-pompano-01.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-rikos-pizza-pompano-01.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-rikos-pizza-pompano-01.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="Connecticut-born Riko's Pizza opened its first location in Pompano Beach in late Jan.. (Riko's Pizza / Courtesy)" width="2048" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-rikos-pizza-pompano-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10593356" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-rikos-pizza-pompano-01.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-rikos-pizza-pompano-01.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-rikos-pizza-pompano-01.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-rikos-pizza-pompano-01.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-rikos-pizza-pompano-01.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text"><div class="photo-credit">Riko&#039;s Pizza / Courtesy</div>Connecticut-born Riko&#8217;s Pizza opened its first location in Pompano Beach in late Jan.. (Riko&#8217;s Pizza / Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  550. <p><strong>Riko’s Pizza<br />
  551. </strong>14 N. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach; 754-220-0201; <a href="http://RikosPizza.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RikosPizza.com</a></p>
  552. <p>This fan-favorite Connecticut export shuffled onto the corner of Atlantic Boulevard and North Federal Highway in late January with a style that’s fairly uncommon to local palates: ultra-thin pizza with blistered cheese, sauce and toppings that extend out to the edges of its cracker-like crust. (Think Chicago thin-crust without the square cuts.) The pizzeria, from <a href="http://dos.sunbiz.org/scripts/ficidet.exe?action=DETREG&amp;docnum=G22000121875&amp;rdocnum=G22000121875" target="_blank" rel="noopener">local franchisees Jordan and Stefanija Mintz</a>, is the second Florida offshoot of the Stamford, Conn., original (a Tequesta location opened in 2022). Its signature is the Hot Oil Pizza, a plain pie topped with spicy, housemade oil and Serrano “stinger” peppers. There are also oven-baked wings with five distinctive sauces, Riko’s Dogs (gussied-up versions of pigs in a blanket) and 10 pie flavors, from New Haven-esque Clam Pizza (clams, bacon, basil, chopped garlic) to Hawaiian to Nashville hot chicken. </p>
  553. <p><strong>Even Keel Fish Shack<br />
  554. </strong>1111 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 754-701-4895; <a href="http://EvenKeelFish.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EvenKeelFish.com</a><strong><br />
  555. </strong></p>
  556. <p>Chef-owners Dave MacLennan and Brad Phillips have docked on ritzy restaurant row Las Olas Boulevard with the second location of their seafood spot, which debuted in mid-December. This is the owners’ second foray into Fort Lauderdale: the flagship Even Keel began its life on North Federal Highway under the mast of restaurateur Dean James Max before <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2020/12/02/chef-dean-max-jumps-ship-as-even-keel-heads-east/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it jumped ship to Lauderdale-by-the-Sea in late 2020</a>. A hub for fresh local fish and greens (they source from Triar Seafood in Hollywood and Swank Specialty Produce in Loxahatchee), the second location will serve stone crabs and house-smoked fish dip, beer-battered spiny lobster bites and conch beignets, and larger entrees including an adult crab grilled cheese (with brie, truffle, blue crab and apple butter), clams carbonara and grilled swordfish.  </p>
  557. <p><strong>The Blue Door<br />
  558. </strong>5700 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; 561-360-2064; <a href="http://TheBlueDoorWPB.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TheBlueDoorWPB.com</a></p>
  559. <p>One of the <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/05/08/pizzaioli-west-palm-beach-sourdough-michael-hackman/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">many new restaurants</a> making West Palm Beach’s SoSo District (South of Southern) not so so-so, this Mediterranean coastal sit-down that opened Jan. 24 <a href="https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResultDetail?inquirytype=EntityName&amp;directionType=Initial&amp;searchNameOrder=BLUEDOOR%20L200003750260&amp;aggregateId=flal-l20000375026-fc099c13-eba3-4827-8f16-264c5c13ddf8&amp;searchTerm=The%20Blue%20Door&amp;listNameOrder=BLUEDOOR%20A950000009090" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is the creation of five owners</a> — Max Ricci, Michael Katzenberg, executive manager Tamara Magalhães, executive chef Nano Crespo and interior designer Sara Ricci. With an all-white color scheme (except for, you guessed it, a blue door), the bistro offers a slim menu of 23 items including gnocchi with house sausage and porcini, lamb chops with tzatziki and cucumber salad, seared scallops in tomato Provençal and Maine lobster tagliolini. </p>
  560. <figure id="attachment_10593335"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-02.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="440px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-02.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-02.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-02.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-02.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-02.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="The Eggplant Stack, featuring breaded eggplant, beefsteak tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, arugula and kalamata olives, is on the menu at the new Mia Rosebud, which opened to the public on Feb. 19 in Boca Raton. (Mia Rosebud / Courtesy)" width="2048" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-02.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10593335" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-02.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-02.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-02.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-02.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-02.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text"><div class="photo-credit">(Mia Rosebud / Courtesy)</div>The Eggplant Stack, featuring breaded eggplant, beefsteak tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, arugula and kalamata olives, is on the menu at the new Mia Rosebud, which opened this month in Boca Raton. (Mia Rosebud / Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  561. <p><strong>Mia Rosebud<br />
  562. </strong>150 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton; 561-462-3000; <a href="https://rosebudrestaurants.com/locations/mia-rosebud/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RosebudRestaurants.com</a></p>
  563. <p>This famed Chicagoland restaurant and Italian steakhouse, blessed over the decades by the likes of Tom Selleck, Tom Hanks, James Woods, Bono, James Gandolfini, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, has come to town. The first Florida outpost — its 10th location overall — had a soft opening on Feb. 19. At 7,700 square feet, the 196-seat restaurant (164 indoors, 32 on outdoor terrace) offers an open-kitchen design. Chicago restaurateur Alex Dana’s Little Italy eatery, which originally debuted in 1976, specializes in huge portions of Italian classics including cavatelli cacio e pepe and rigatoni alla vodka, along with N.Y. strip steaks, brick chicken and veal cutlets, tiramisu and ricotta cheesecake. </p>
  564. <p><strong>KAO Sushi &amp; Ramen<br />
  565. </strong>1390 Weston Road, Weston; 954-699-4233; <a href="http://KAOSushiandRamen.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KAOSushiandRamen.com</a></p>
  566. <p>The Argentinean owners behind <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/04/08/argentine-american-kao-bar-grill-coming-soon-to-hallandale-a-colorful-homage-to-buenos-aires-iconic-el-caminito/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hallandale Beach’s first shipping-container restaurant</a>, KAO Bar &amp; Grill, opened this Japanese-focused spinoff in Weston&#8217;s Country Isles Plaza in early January. Everywhere are nods to <a href="http://dos.sunbiz.org/scripts/ficidet.exe?action=DETREG&amp;docnum=G23000102324&amp;rdocnum=G23000102324" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matias and Marco Pagano&#8217;s</a> origins, including the Buenos Aires roll (salmon, rice, cream cheese, sesame sauce) and tres leches sponge cake. (These items are also served at the Paganos’ first restaurant, KAO Sushi &amp; Grill in Coral Gables.) The menu at KAO Sushi &amp; Ramen also features tonkatsu ramen loaded with macerated beef or pork belly, sauteed noodles and tuna or crispy shrimp poke, and pork belly or caramelized barbecued beef bao buns. </p>
  567. <figure id="attachment_10593324"  class="wp-caption alignnone size-article_inline"><img decoding="async" class=" lazyautosizes lazyload" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" sizes="440px" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-03.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-03.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-03.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-03.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" alt="The Perfect Egg Sandwich at Pura Vida, which opened its second Fort Lauderdale location on Dec. 28 in the River Market plaza. (Pura Vida / Courtesy)" width="2694" data-sizes="auto" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="10593324" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-03.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 620w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-03.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-03.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-03.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https://i0.wp.com/www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tfl-l-open-close-restaurants-03.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text"><div class="photo-credit">Pura Vida / Courtesy</div>The Perfect Egg Sandwich at Pura Vida, which opened its second Fort Lauderdale location on Dec. 28 in the River Market plaza. (Pura Vida / Courtesy)</figcaption></figure>
  568. <p><strong>Pura Vida<br />
  569. </strong>2364 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 754-345-1851; <a href="http://PuraVidaMiami.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PuraVidaMiami.com</a></p>
  570. <p>This fast-expanding, Miami-hatched, all-day cafe owned by Omer and Jennifer Horev debuted its second Fort Lauderdale location within the River Market strip mall on Dec. 28, bringing its total number of locations to 22. The health-conscious chain offers dishes such as pasture-raised egg sandwiches, salads, raw organic acai bowls, wraps and gluten-free vegan sweets. </p>
  571. <p><strong>Playa Bowls<br />
  572. </strong>401 E. Las Olas Blvd, Unit 185, Fort Lauderdale; <a href="https://www.playabowls.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">playabowls.com</a><strong><br />
  573. </strong></p>
  574. <p>There&#8217;s a beach vibe with this fast-casual restaurant. After all, the concept started back in 2014 as a pop-up food stand on the Jersey Shore. Now the brand is known for its plant-based ingredients and for its sustainability efforts (they say they use reclaimed building materials, LED lighting and recycled/biodegradable bowls, spoons and lids). This location is owned by Darrell Casoria (raised in Fort Lauderdale) and Ricky Arguello and opened Jan. 13. </p>
  575. <p><strong>The Kebab Shop</strong><strong><br />
  576. </strong>11225 Miramar Parkway, Miramar; 754-287-1313; <a href="https://thekebabshop.com/locations/fl/south-florida/miramar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TheKebabShop.com</a><strong><br />
  577. </strong></p>
  578. <p>This California-based Mediterranean eatery specializes in customizable kebabs in grilled and rotisserie forms, and they&#8217;re served in a wrap, in a box or on a plate. Its first Florida outpost officially opened in early February inside the Miramar Park Place strip mall on Red Road, joining a <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/04/27/now-open-a-new-chicken-joint-a-mediterranean-caribbean-fusion-spot-another-flanigans-hit-south-florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently opened Flanigan’s</a> and a <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2022/09/22/coming-soon-duck-donuts-in-miramar-blackbird-in-jupiter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">soon-to-open Duck Donuts</a>. The menu also has lamb, beef, chicken thighs, saffron chicken tenderloin doner, along with steak and falafel and &#8220;crave fries&#8221; (topped with feta, garlic yogurt and pickled onions). The chain has carved out 34 locations in California and Texas; future South Florida outposts are expected in Coral Springs (1280 N. University Drive) and Boynton Beach (1780 N. Congress Ave., Suite 200). </p>
  579. <p><strong></strong></p>
  580. <h4>CLOSED</h4>
  581. <p><strong>B.C. Cafe, Davie<br />
  582. </strong>4801 S. University Drive, Suite 123; <a href="http://BCTacos.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BCTacos.com</a> </p>
  583. <p>After 11 years of breakfast ramen and T-Rex tacos, the caveman-themed food truck-turned brick-and-mortar taqueria and burger joint in Davie abruptly closed in late February. &#8220;Thank you for a great 11 years,” Brett Chiavari, the “B.C.” in B.C. Cafe, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BCCafeFL/videos/334768842513881" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted in a Feb. 26 video</a> on social media. “The food prices were getting out of hand, and I wanted to spend more time on the kids.” Chiavari’s restaurant began its life as the B.C. Tacos truck on the corner of Cypress Creek Road and Interstate 95, where he slung bowls, burritos and tacos filled with &#8220;prehistoric&#8221; pulled pork and &#8220;stone age&#8221; shrimp before opening his <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2013/11/18/prehistory-in-the-making/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first acclaimed storefront in 2013</a>. B.C. eventually added breakfast ramen (pork belly, Chinese sausage, scallion pancake) and other brunch items, along with salads and nachos.</p>
  584. ]]></content:encoded>
  588. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">10864475</post-id><media:content url="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/tfl-l-now-open-restaurants-0408-03.jpg?w=1400px&#038;strip=all" fileSize="275696" type="image/jpeg" height="150" width="150" isDefault="true"><media:description type="html"><![CDATA[ An array of sweet pastries and other confections at the new Paris Baguette in Delray Beach. (Rachel O’Hara / Courtesy) ]]></media:description></media:content>
  589. <dcterms:created>2024-04-09T13:24:20+00:00</dcterms:created>
  590. <dcterms:modified>2024-04-23T12:07:33+00:00</dcterms:modified>
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  594.  

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