(PRESS RELEASE)_COCONUT CREEK, Fla. – Thelma Houston’s Motown Experience, featuring a tribute to Aretha Franklin, will take place in The Pavilion at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek on Friday, November 16, at 8 p.m.

Tickets (priced at $25/$35/$100 – the latter for couch seating) are on sale now via Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com, or by calling 800-653-8000. The Pavilion box office will also open at 1 p.m. on the day of the show for on-site ticket purchases and Will Call pickup.

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek will donate all cash ticket and concession sales to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. It will be part of the property’s extensive support of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month (November).

Houston will perform a medley of Franklin’s songs in the wake of her passing away from pancreatic cancer. It is personal for Houston, who was close friends with Franklin, and this is a special way to show her respects the legendary singer. Patrons can expect to hear songs like “Respect” and “Natural Women” in the medley.

Houston will perform other iconic songs as well as her own hit, “Don’t Leave Me This Way.”

A Mississippi native and Los Angeles resident, Houston started out in the 1960's performing gospel music with the Art Reynolds Singers. Later, she signed with Capitol Records (home of the Beatles, Nat King Cole, and Nancy Wilson) in 1967 and produced her first hit song, "Baby Mine."

Houston recorded her first solo album, Sunshower , with ABC/Dunhill before moving to Motown Records where she claimed the top of the Pop, R&B and Dance charts in 1977 with her number one hit, "Don’t Leave Me This Way," which won her a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B.

In recent years, Houston has been invited to sing the song on dozens of TV shows and specials, including the Today Show. The song was mentioned by VH1 as being among the greatest dance songs in 2000.

With appearances from Tokyo to Las Vegas to London and beyond, Houston continues to bring audiences to their feet with her dynamic, energetic shows. She logs over 200 performances annually.

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek is located at 5550 NW 40th St., Coconut Creek. For more information, call (954) 977-6700 or visit CasinoCoco.com. 

(PRESS RELEASE)_Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. – Tuck into National Taco Day and National Vodka Day, October 4, with cheers-worthy bites and sips at north Palm Beach County’s favorite protein palace, Burger Bar. 

Dating back to the 18th century, tasty tacos were thought to be discovered in Mexican silver mines and referred to the little explosives miners used to extract the ore. Today, over 4.5 billion tacos are quickly devoured every year.

Feeling peckish? Burger Bar will be serving up four street food staples, including mahi-mahi, pork belly, vegetarian, and spicy tuna tartare loaded with chipotle aioli, guacamole, jalapeños, and pickled red onions. Tacos are $3 and are available for lunch and dinner.

Taco coma-inspired cocktails will also be available. Enjoy Ladies Night specials from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Drink deals include $5 Ketel One vodka martinis, $3 house wine and champagne, and half-off select wine bottles. 

Be sure to snag a seat at the outdoor bar and enjoy live music under the stars with Mechanical Hearts from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
  
For more information or to make a reservation, call (561) 630-4545 or visit burgerbar.com. 

Burger Bar is located in Donald Ross Village at 4650 Donald Ross Road, Palm Beach Gardens.

Hours are Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Friday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.   

About Burger Bar
Burger Bar, owned and operated by Heaton Companies, headquartered in Palm Beach, Fla., is a full service, ‘classy casual’ restaurant located conveniently at Donald Ross Road and Military Trail in the Donald Ross Village Shopping Center in Palm Beach Gardens. Burger Bar offers 20+ varieties of burgers, top-notch entrées and alternate dishes, salads, snacks, wings, and a wide variety of domestic, international and craft beer, fine wine, and premium spirits. 

(PRESS RELEASE)_SUNRISE, Fla. – During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, Doris Italian Market and Bakery locations throughout South Florida are going pink to raise funds for the American Cancer Society - Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. In October, the famous Doris large homemade black and white cookies in the bakery will be decorated in pink and white icing to raise awareness of breast cancer. For each cookie sold during October, $1 will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

Doris Italian Market and Bakery has raised thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society over the years from cookie sales, participation in annual walks and Wine & Food Galas.

(PRESS RELEASE)_Seminole Casino Coconut Creek will present Michael McDonald Season of Peace, Holiday & Hits on Saturday, November 24, at 8 p.m. in The Pavilion.

Tickets (priced at $50/$65/$80) may be purchased via Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com, or by calling 800-653-8000. The Pavilion box office will also open at 1 p.m. on the day of the show for on-site ticket purchases and will call pickup.

With a career that encompasses five Grammys, numerous chart successes and personal and professional accolades, as well as collaborations with some of the world’s most prominent artists, McDonald remains an enduring force in popular music.

Hailing from St. Louis, McDonald arrived in Los Angeles in the early 1970s, honing his talents as a studio musician before becoming an integral part of Steely Dan. In the mid-’70s McDonald was invited to join the Doobie Brothers as the band redefined their sound with McDonald serving as singer, keyboardist and songwriter on such Top 40 singles as “Takin’ It To The Streets,” “It Keeps You Runnin’,” “Minute By Minute” and “What A Fool Believes.”

Throughout the ’80s and ’90s, McDonald’s solo career took off with a string of hits including “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near),” “Sweet Freedom,” “On My Own” (with Patti LaBelle) and the Grammy Award-winning James Ingram duet “Yah Mo B There.” He also co-wrote the Van Halen hit “I’ll Wait.”

McDonald has performed with a who’s who of critically acclaimed artists across a number of genres, including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Vince Gill, and Grizzly Bear.

McDonald is set for the October 12 release of Season of Peace: The Christmas Collection on BMG. The album compiles McDonald’s most beloved Christmas recordings including “White Christmas/Winter Wonderland” (featuring Jonny Lang), “Oh Holy Night,” “Christmas on the Bayou” and “Children Go Where I Send Thee” (featuring Twinkie Clark), as well as a new version of “Winter Wonderland” featuring special guest Jake Shimabukuro. The album art hails from an original painting by McDonald himself.

In celebration of the new compilation record, McDonald is adding a number of winter performances to his current North American tour. Confirmed dates include two nights at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl with Kenny Loggins and Christopher Cross, as well as performances at New York’s South Street Seaport, Washington, D.C.’s Filene Center at Wolf Trap with Peter Cetera, St. Louis’ Loufest, the Cityfolk Festival in Ottawa and more.

McDonald celebrated his current release – Wide Open -- by performing his single “Find It In Your Heart” on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” He was also featured on CBS’s “Sunday Morning” in the wake of the album’s release.

​Recently, McDonald collaborated with bassist Thundercat and Kenny Loggins on the hit single “Show You The Way,” which the trio performed on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek is located at 5550 NW 40th St., Coconut Creek, FL. For more information, call (954) 977-6700 or visit CasinoCoco.com.

(PRESS RELEASE)_(Delray Beach, FL – September 24, 2018) MusicWorks today announced that it would be launching a series of classic folk and rock concerts next month at Old School Square, located at 51 N. Swinton Avenue in Delray Beach.

Held in Old School Square’s outdoor Pavilion, this season’s first two concerts are Classic Albums Live, which takes historic rock albums and recreates them live, on stage, note for note, cut for cut.

October 6 at 8 pm  (Saturday)   (Outdoor Pavilion)
Classic Albums Live performing
Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon

Over the course of decades Pink Floyd's 1973 album Dark Side of the Moon has become legendary for its 937 weeks on the Billboard 200, for its iconic cover art and because it was a career defining artistic achievement that marked Pink Floyd's transition from an experimental jam oriented progressive group to a top echelon rock band.

Tickets:

+ $75 VIP – Exclusive lounge area, three drink tickets, reserved seating area (limit of 150)
+ $40 Premium – Reserved seating area, chairs are provided (limit of 100)
+ $20 General Admission – Bring a chair, no seating provided (limited chair rental for $5)

November 10 at 8 pm  (Saturday)   (Outdoor Pavilion)
Classic Albums Live performing                                                                                      
Led Zeppelin: II

Rolling Stone magazine called this legendary album "one of the greatest, heaviest and raunchiest albums ever, steeped in both Delta and Chicago blues, sixties psychedelia and gentle to bone-crushing dynamics. Highlights ranged from the chugging, apocalyptic chaos of Whole Lotta Love to the bullet-fast fuzz riffs of Heartbreaker to Bring It on Home, a juke-joint blues gone mad.”

Tickets:

+ $75 VIP – Exclusive lounge area, three drink tickets, reserved seating area (limit of 150)
+ $40 Premium – Reserved seating area, chairs are provided (limit of 100)
+ $20 General Admission – Bring a chair, no seating provided (limited chair rental for $5)

How to Get Concert Tickets:

Tickets for both concerts can be purchased online at www.OldSchoolSquare.org or by calling the Box Office at 561.243.7922, ext. 1.

About MusicWorks:

MusicWorks produces and presents live entertainment events in Florida. Upcoming events at Old School Square include Classic Albums Live concerts of The Beatles: Abbey Road (Dec. 29), Fleetwood Mac: Rumors (Jan. 12), and The Eagles: Hotel California (March 2), plus performances by Early Elton (Jan. 16), John Ford Coley (Jan. 30), Martin Sexton (Feb. 6), Karla Bonoff & Jonathan Edwards (Feb. 20), Broken Arrow (March 6), Stephen Bishop (March 13), Joan Osborne (March 20), Seals & Crofts 2 (March 27), John Waite (April 3), and John Sebastian (April 17).  For more information, please visit www.musicworksconcerts.com.
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(PRESS RELEASE)_Today Brightline, the nation’s only privately owned, operated and maintained express intercity passenger rail system, announced its expansion to the West Coast with the acquisition of XpressWest, a high-speed passenger rail project with rights to develop a federally approved corridor connecting Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada.  This project would be only the second privately funded express intercity passenger rail in the United States, following Brightline’s Florida rail corridor. 

“Brightline is changing transportation in our country by connecting heavily trafficked corridors that are too long to drive and too short to fly,” said Wes Edens, co-founder and co-chief executive officer of Fortress Investment Group. “Our experience in Florida is proving that private-sector investment has a meaningful role to play in developing transportation infrastructure. We’re excited to bring Brightline’s world-class and convenient travel experience to Southern California and Las Vegas.”

“The introduction of high-speed rail between Las Vegas to Southern California will bring significant economic and environmental benefits to our state and support increased tourism,” said Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval.  “Brightline has built a proven model for privately funded high-speed rail service in Florida and we are excited to welcome them to Nevada.” 

Brightline will link one of the most traveled routes in the country, connecting more than 22 million people living in Southern California with Las Vegas, one of the most visited cities in the U.S. According to ridership studies, travelers make more than 50 million annual trips between Las Vegas and Southern California.  Today those travelers are limited to traveling by air or car, and Brightline expects to offer a convenient alternative that will make the trip in less than two hours.

As a result of the XpressWest acquisition, Brightline will take over the development, construction and operation of the project and work with federal and local transportation officials to connect Las Vegas with Victorville, California, with future plans to expand into the Los Angeles area. 

The first phase of the corridor is expected to be built on a right of way within and adjacent to Interstate 15, traversing 185 miles with no at-grade or pedestrian crossings. Construction is expected to begin next year and Brightline is planning to begin initial service in 2022.

“Brightline’s model is setting a new standard for train travel in America,” said Patrick Goddard, president of Brightline. “Today’s announcement is an important milestone for our company as we reimagine transportation between these major metropolitan areas. We look forward to working with the region’s stakeholders to make this vision a reality.”

“The XpressWest team has done an incredible job bringing this project together and we’re confident that Brightline will fulfill our mission and promise to the region,” said Tony Marnell, founder and chief executive officer of Marnell Companies. “We’ve been impressed with what Brightline has accomplished in Florida and are excited to be part of the team that is working to deliver privately funded high-speed rail to improve mobility in America.”

The planned Las Vegas Station is expected to be located within the resort corridor and will be a major intermodal hub with access to taxis, buses, shuttles, and limousines.  As part of the project, Brightline is acquiring approximately 38 acres of land adjacent to the Las Vegas strip for construction of the station and mixed-used development.

The first planned Southern California station is expected to be located in Victorville within a 30- to 45-minute drive of the approximately four to five million people who live in the Inland Empire and eastern Los Angeles County, and within close proximity to Southern California’s remaining 17 to 18 million residents. Planning for additional stations and connectivity to California Metrolink and eventually California High-Speed Rail is underway.

“California has a vision for a modernized rail network that is fast, clean, and convenient for travelers, and the introduction of Brightline service linking Southern California to Las Vegas will help us achieve that vision” said California State Transportation Agency Secretary Brian Annis. “Brightline will be beneficial for our economy and our transportation system.”

Similar to Brightline’s operations in Florida, the corridor between Southern California and Las Vegas is expected to generate major regional economic benefits, including construction and permanent job opportunities and local and state tax revenue.

In addition to Brightline’s Florida development and operations and its anticipated development and operations between Las Vegas and Southern California announced today, Brightline continues to explore intercity rail opportunities across North America.

(PRESS RELEASE)_(Palm Beach Gardens, FL ) – Gyro lovers and falafel fans rejoice - The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is about to start serving up all your authentic Mediterranean-inspired favorites on September 21st with a Grand Opening Celebration of fresh flavor from salad to souvlaki skewers and everything in between. Located at 11300 Legacy Ave, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410, The Great Greek Palm Beach Gardens will welcome excited guests starting at 4:00 p.m. The first 50 guests to arrive will receive a delicious baklava dessert.

“We are very pleased to bring super fresh, high-quality ingredients and made-to-order preparation here to our friends and neighbors in Palm Beach Gardens,” said Nick Anthony Della Penna and Trent Jones for The Great Greek. “Not only are these bold, satisfying tastes everyone is sure to love, but our comfortable contemporary environment is an inviting place to enjoy a casual meal any time of day.” 

The 11300 Legacy Avenue location for The Great Greek has a total of 1,650 square feet, capable of serving up to 36 guests in house. Bistro and patio style seating, crisp white and blue coastal décor, walk-up ordering, and table-side service with ceramic dinnerware and stainless-steel flatware offer a refreshing mix of sit down restaurant quality with quick-service convenience. Guests may also take advantage of self-service seating and beverages as part of the friendly-not-fussy dining experience. But perhaps the most memorable part of The Great Greek is its wide variety of delicious, freshly made menu items, many of which deliver smart, health-conscious nutrition in addition to great flavor: 

(PRESS RELEASE)_Trading combat fatigues for colorful cotton shirts (“my Palm Beach camo pattern”), Colonel Dick Baumer may take his wardrobe selection lightly, but make no mistake, this retired Army man and father of one son and two granddaughters enjoys giving back to the West Palm Beach community where he lives and thrives. 

From commanding combat trackers and dog teams in Vietnam to being called up to serve in the Army Operations Center during Operation Desert Storm, Col. Baumer’s distinguished, 32-year military career has been nothing short of remarkable. It is this commitment for helping others that makes him the YMCA of the Palm Beaches' nominee for National Volunteer Day on September 21. 

Philanthropy began at home and Baumer has never wavered from that path, which recently led him to the YMCA of the Palm Beaches. As a YMCA board member, his new mission is to help the Y promote youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility by spearheading funds for the Annual Campaign, which provides life-enhancing services to families and seniors. Each year, the nonprofit organization provides more than $200,000 in scholarships for its local youth and family programs.

Col. Baumer also serves as First Vice President of the Military Working Dog Team Support Association.