Coquettes & Co. Senior dance troupe is looking for seniors 55+ with some dance experience to join their performing volunteer tap group. Broadway choreographed dances and fabulous costumes. To join contact Chris Cook 561-624-4651.  Read more about the Coquettes HERE.

Were you one of the two billion or so people who watched the Royal Wedding? You can bet Pam wouldn't miss it for the world. She is a huge Anglophile! She and our neighbors got together and threw a party to celebrate along with the Royal Couple, complete with champagne, Elderflower wine, finger sandwiches, traditional English "Crackers." The ladies all looked fit for the Queen in their high fashion and hats. It was the next best thing to a Royal invite. 

Get more details in Pam's Podcast:

Pam was among those gathered at John D. MacArthurBeach State Park to watch an uncommon sight Sunday: A 700-pound leatherback turtle laying eggs in the sand midday. Researchers have been tracking this turtle for 13 years. Here are some snaps Pam took:

WHAT: Brightline is extending service to MiamiCentral on Saturday! Tickets are nearly sold out for opening weekend. Throughout Saturday and Sunday, Brightline is hosting a Welcome to the 305 Celebration at MiamiCentral.
 
Many of the events happening in MiamiCentral are for day-of ticketed guests only. For guests who are not ticketed and want to check out MiamiCentral, the following entertainment will be set up and open to the public at 11 a.m., including O, Miami poetry wall, arcade games, Tropical Fluff, food available for purchase from Salty Donut, raffle and giveaways from ESPN and MSC Cruises, a Florida Power and Light Company photobooth and more.

On Tuesday, Brightline announced Lyft is the company’s official rideshare partner. Guests traveling to and from all three of Brightline’s South Florida stations are strongly encouraged to use Lyft and receive a $5 credit toward their ride (code BRIGHTLINE305).

WHERE:            MiamiCentral

                                    600 NW 1st Avenue, Miami, FL 33136

                                    Parking garage: 161 NW 6th Street, Miami, FL 33136 (best used in GPS to

access station)

WHEN:                 Saturday, May 19

                                 9:15-10 a.m.: Mindful Meditation with Modern OM- this event is complimentary, and space is limited

                                    10:15-11 a.m.: Sons of Mystro performance - this event is complimentary

                                    11 a.m.-1 p.m.: Music spun by DJ Pirate Stereo – this event is for Saturday ticketed guests only     

                                    1-4 p.m.: Y100 Miami live broadcast with DJ Frankie P - this event is for Saturday ticketed guests only

2-4 p.m.: Special guest appearances by Miami HEAT Player Udonis Haslem and DJ Irie - this event is for Saturday ticketed guests only

The HEAT dancers will also be in the station for photo opportunities

4:30-8 p.m.: Music spun by DJ Dza - this event is for Saturday ticketed guests only


Sunday, May 20

9:15-10 a.m.: Symphony yoga with SOL YOGA Florida - this event is complimentary, and space is limited

10:15-11 a.m.: Sons of Mystro performance - this event is complimentary

11 a.m.-1 p.m.: Music spun by DJ June-ILL - this event is for Sunday ticketed guests only    

1-4 p.m.: Y100 Miami live broadcast with DJ Frankie P - this event is for Sunday ticketed guests only   

4:30-6:30 p.m.: TIMBALIVE performance - this event is for Sunday ticketed guests only            

 

PARKING:                  For MiamiCentral:

Those arriving in regular vehicles should park in the 3 MiamiCentral parking garage, 161 NW 6th Street, Miami. The entrance is located on NW 1st Court. Take the elevator to the ground floor and proceed east along NW 6th Street to main Brightline entrance. Signage will direct you.

 For Fort Lauderdale:

Please park in the Brightline parking garage located adjacent to the Brightline station.

 For West Palm Beach:

                                    Please park in the Brightline parking garage best accessed via Datura and Evernia Streets on the west side of Quadrille.

PRESS RELEASE_MIAMI — May 15, 2018 — Lyft, the fastest growing on-demand transportation company in the U.S., today announced that it has been named the exclusive rideshare partner of Brightline, the new and only privately owned, operated and maintained express inter-city passenger rail service in the U.S. The partnership is the first-of-its-kind for Lyft in Florida and will launch Saturday, May 19, to coincide with the start of Brightline’s service to Miami and a Welcome to the 305 celebration.

Both Lyft and Brightline are focused on providing an exceptional transportation experience for their guests. As part of this partnership, Brightline’s three current stations will have Lyft branding and wayfinding signage indicating the location of designated official Lyft pickup and drop-off zones, whereby Brightline guests will be able to relax in a lounge-style environment while waiting for their ride.

Additionally, the Lyft app will direct Brightline guests to the pick up zones to facilitate easily connecting with their Lyft driver. In the coming weeks, Lyft will also be integrated into the Brightline mobile app, enabling passengers to see their driver’s ETA and the estimated fare of their ride before requesting the ride in the Lyft app. The partnership is the latest in Lyft’s continued collaboration to make it easier and more efficient to connect between Lyft and other transit options, like Brightline.

“Lyft was founded with the mission to improve people’s lives with the world’s best transportation and to do that, we believe that South Floridians need a spectrum of transportation options - from public transit to rideshare and more,” said Sam Cohen, Florida General Manager for Lyft. “With the addition of Brightline and this tremendous partnership, passengers will be able to better move between major cities in our region and we’re able to continue pursuing our goals to reduce personal car ownership and single occupancy vehicles, making Florida more liveable for all.”

Lyft and Brighline’s shared commitments to offer travel options that ease the stress of driving and affect positive change through transportation make this initiative ideal. These co-located stations will help close the gap between transit and passengers’ doorsteps.

“As we prepare to launch introductory service in Miami, we’re thrilled to have a partner that is equally passionate about providing accessible and convenient transportation throughout South Florida,” said Ravneet Bhandari, Brightline’s Chief Commercial Officer. “Brightline prioritizes the entire guest experience, from booking a ticket, to taking the train, to arriving at a final destination, whether home, dinner or work. By partnering with Lyft, we’re able to ensure that each of our guests will enjoy a seamless journey.”

Brightline will launch introductory service to Miami on Saturday, May 19, and Sunday, May 20, with a Welcome to the 305 Celebration at MiamiCentral, the 9-acre downtown station. The celebration will include in-station events, Cuban cuisine by David’s Cafe and an appearance by Miami Heat player Udonis Haslem. To kick-off the partnership, both platforms are announcing special promotions and discounts for users. During Brightline’s opening weekend, Lyft passengers can use code BRIGHTLINE305 to get $5 off a ride to- or from- any of the three South Florida stations.

PRESS RELEASE_WASHINGTON – Amtrak is investing in an extensive refresh of its train interiors on the entire Acela Express fleet, which travels along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) between Boston and Washington, DC, aimed at introducing a more modern and comfortable customer experience.

“Customers expect a premium experience when they board an Acela Express train, and these updated interior features will provide a more comfortable, refreshed look and feel – whether you want to relax, move about freely, work or play,” said Amtrak CEO and President Richard Anderson.

The Acela Express refresh is a 14-month program for all of its 20 trainsets, which includes 100 Amtrak cars and 6,080 total seats.  Each trainset will be refreshed individually with new cushions and covers for all business class and first-class seats, new carpet for the aisle runner and a deep clean. The total investment is valued at more than $4 million.

The refresh will take just over a year to complete and customers can expect a progression of upgrades during that time, with this approximate delivery schedule:

•       May 2018: The first trainset will be refreshed and returned into revenue service;

•       June 2018: The second trainset will be refreshed and returned into revenue service

•       June 2018 – July 2019: One trainset will be refreshed every three weeks.

 Amtrak schedules will not change due to the refresh. The refresh will occur in advance of the debut of the next generation Acela trainsets Amtrak announced in August 2016, which will provide 40 percent more trains, one-third more passenger seats with the same personal space and high-end comfort, more service, better amenities and a smoother ride. The first trainset prototype will be ready for testing in 2019, and will enter revenue service in early 2021. All trainsets in the current fleet will be retired in early 2022.

PRESS RELEASE_MIAMI – May 11, 2018 –Brightline, Florida’s new hospitality-focused express intercity passenger rail service, announces introductory service into MiamiCentral, the new 11-acre intermodal development in the heart of downtown Miami, will begin Saturday, May 19. This transformative passenger rail system will soon connect West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, and open with a launch of eight northbound and eight southbound trips per day. 

Today members of the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, including Chairman Bill Shuster, Congresswoman Grace Napolitano and Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, joined by Congressman Carlos Curbelo, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Lieutenant Governor Carlos López-Cantera, and South Florida elected officials, participated in the preview ride between the three stations and celebrated the opening of MiamiCentral with a ribbon cutting commemorating the historic moment. 

    "In 1896, Henry Flagler built a passenger rail that paved the way for the Miami we know and love today,” said Wes Edens, co-founder, principal and co-chief executive officer of Fortress Investment Group. “We’re proud to continue that legacy with Brightline and MiamiCentral, which are transformative assets for the city and state of Florida.  As the first privately-funded passenger train in over 100 years, this innovative model can be replicated to connect many corridors across our nation.”

The highly-anticipated extension to Miami will link the already operating service between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Brightline is launching with introductory fares, complimentary parking and waiving added fees, like checked baggage, during the initial launch. Tickets in Smart Service range between $10 and $15 per segment, and tickets in Select Service range between $15 and $25 per segment. 

During the first weekend of service, Brightline guests are invited to MiamiCentral for a Welcome to the 305 Celebration. On Saturday, May 19, and Sunday, May 20, guests can enjoy $3 fares in Smart Service and $5 fares in Select Service. 

“South Florida has a vibrant economy and unique lifestyle - yet some of the nation’s worst traffic,” said Patrick Goddard, president and chief operating officer of Brightline. “We are making an unprecedented investment in Florida and the benefits can been seen today through job creation and the launch of Brightline and MiamiCentral. We believe that MiamiCentral will be a significant landmark in Miami for generations and Brightline will connect the state in ways that haven’t been done before.”

MiamiCentral was planned and designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), one of the largest and most influential architecture, interior design, engineering and urban planning firms in the world, with Zyscovich serving as the project’s Associate Architect and Planner. The Brightline and future Tri-Rail stations are elevated 50’ above downtown Miami. The station is located at 600 NW 1stAvenue and is accessible for guests at the street entrance located at the corner of NW 1stAvenue and NW 6thStreet. The parking garage can be entered at 161 NW 6thStreet. Adding to the intermodal convenience, is easy connection to the Metromover and Metrorail located at 101 NW 1stStreet. Tri-Rail will be connected to MiamiCentral beginning in 2019.  

The trains are 100 percent Buy America compliant and were assembled by more than 1,000 employees at Siemens USA in Sacramento, California. More than 40 suppliers in over 20 states supplied the components for the state-of-the-art trainsets. Construction on Phase 2, connecting to the Orlando International Airport, will begin in 2018. 

Brightline makes it easy for guests to seamlessly personalize and book their travel experience, check train times and ride. Bookings to Miami are open and full schedule details are available on the Brightline appand www.gobrightline.com. Guests can purchase tickets in the Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach stations. MiamiCentral will open to the public on Saturday, May 19.