(PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, Fla. – November 16, 2018 –

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Brightline and Virgin Group will form a strategic partnership to continue to grow America's first privately funded intercity passenger train in over 100 years.

​

• Brightline will leverage the Virgin brand and marketing expertise for existing and future developments, establishing “Virgin Trains USA.” Brightline will rename itself Virgin Trains USA this month and transition to Virgin Trains USA branding in 2019.
• Virgin Group will make a minority investment in Brightline, which will be managed and operated by Brightline's executive team and affiliates of Fortress Investment Group.
• Brightline currently operates passenger rail service in Florida between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, with plans to expand into Orlando and Tampa. The company recently announced plans to construct an intercity passenger rail system to connect Las Vegas to Southern California.

Today Brightline, America's first new major private intercity passenger railroad in over a century, announced a new strategic partnership and trademark licensing agreement with the Virgin Group, one of the world's most recognizable brands in travel and hospitality. The partnership will allow Brightline to leverage Virgin's industry-leading expertise and customer experience to establish a powerful new brand, “Virgin Trains USA”.

Brightline launched service between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach in May, 2018. Brightline currently has plans to expand to Orlando and Tampa, and pending the closing of the previously announced XpressWest acquisition and receipt of necessary federal approvals, to begin railway construction next year to connect Las Vegas to Southern California.

“Our private sector-led effort to reinvent passenger rail service in America is taking another leap forward with the addition of the Virgin team,” said Wes Edens, chairman of Brightline and co-founder of Fortress Investment Group. “Virgin has built a respected and trusted brand in travel and hospitality.  With our shared focus on customer experience, powered by a culture of innovation and disruption, we are well positioned to build on our success.”

Virgin Group has more than 60 companies focused on its core consumer sectors of travel and leisure, telecoms and media, music and entertainment, financial services and health and wellness.

“We have had a lot of fun and success creating innovative transport businesses that shake up markets and establish loyal followings. We transformed domestic air travel with Virgin America.  Tens of millions of Americans travel on the railways every day, and we have tried for over a decade to find an opportunity to provide them with that same excellent service experience,” said Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin.  “Brightline is at the forefront of innovation in this market, and the ideal partner for Virgin to work with to alter perceptions and traveling habits across the United States.”

“This partnership further validates the incredible accomplishments of our team as we challenge conventional wisdom to reinvent train travel in America,” said Patrick Goddard, president of Brightline. “Given our shared values and Virgin's track record, this partnership will help amplify our efforts and growth potential as we seek to expand to new markets.”

The partnership could help to provide access to millions of customers with the potential for increased ridership from other Virgin branded travel and hospitality businesses, including Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Hotels and Virgin Voyages.

Virgin Group has significant experience operating in the UK rail sector, including its ongoing investment in Virgin Trains, a high speed intercity passenger rail system which it has run for 21 years. Last year passengers took more than 38 million trips on the UK's West Coast Main Line.

As part of the strategic partnership, an affiliate of Virgin Group has agreed, subject to certain closing conditions, to make a minority investment in Brightline. Funds managed by an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group LLC will retain majority ownership of Brightline. Brightline's current management team will oversee daily operations, engineering, business development and strategy. Brightline will rename itself Virgin Trains USA this month and transition to Virgin Trains USA branding in 2019.

Who: The Museum of Discovery and Science 

What: A ribbon cutting ceremony announcing The Museum of Discovery and Science’s newest interactive permanent exhibit, Design! Build! Play! KEVA! Friday, November 16, 2018 at 11:15 a.m.  

Where: Museum of Discovery and Science, 401 S.W. 2nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33312

About the Events: On Saturday, November 10, 2018, the Museum of Discovery and Science opened its newest permanent exhibit, Design! Build! Play! KEVA. Sponsored by Meike and Dominick Miniaci. 

The exhibit is an innovative, interactive exhibit that encourages visitors (regardless of your age) to build! The KEVA planks are simple in their design, which forces the visitor to think outside of the box and create in three dimensions. They can work together to unravel physics challenges using principles of balance, geometric shapes and stability to engineer and build creations with structural integrity.  

KEVA planks require just simple stacking so even young children know what to do, but few parents can resist the chance to get in on the action. KEVA planks are unique in their appeal to every age. Toddlers, elementary age children, teenagers and adults all build at their own ability level. A family can create villages, horse stables, bridges, rivers, train tracks, sculptures - you cannot run out of possibilities. It is an active, thoughtful activity that the entire family can enjoy. Children are especially inspired when they see their parents on the floor actively creating and imagining with them. _(PRESS RELEASE)

(PRESS RELEASE)_DELRAY BEACH, FL – The Delray Beach Open has announced that its annual “Survivor” event will be returning on November 17-20, and local amateur tennis players are invited to sign up by Wednesday, November 14.

The winner of the 128-draw and “Survivor” pre-qualifying event will be awarded a wildcard entry into Delray Beach Open’s official qualifying tournament (February 16-17, 2019). With two more match wins there, he will have survived and made the main draw of the $650,000 Delray Beach Open ATP World Tour event and earned a chance to play the game’s top, world-ranked elite, win prize money, earn ATP points, and attract the attention of local and international media.

Delray Beach Open’s “Survivor” tournament is an official USTA Florida-sanctioned Men’s Open event annually attracting local club players and club pros, college players, nationally-ranked juniors and even ranked ATP professionals. 

Early rounds will be played at Pro World Tennis Academy (651 Egret Circle, Delray Beach) with semifinal and final matches at Delray Beach Stadium & Tennis Center (201 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach). All participants receive two complimentary tickets to one session of the 2019 Delray Beach Open and a 20% discount on individual tickets (must be purchased by December 31, 2018).

“With the Delray Beach Open’s continued commitment to giving those in the local community opportunities, we are excited to once again announce that we will be holding the “Survivor” event allowing the best local tennis talent to compete for an opportunity to play with the world’s best professional tennis players,” said Tournament Director, Mark Baron.  

(PRESS RELEASE)_Jupiter, FL -- The Chocolate Spectrum Café and Academy, a retail operation that trains and employs individuals with special needs such as Autism, has just launched a new line of chocolate, CBDulce, which includes CBD, a cannabinoid from the Hemp plant. This natural, legal substance is known to have a variety of health benefits such as reducing stress, anxiety, pain and inflammation, as well as helping with sleep issues and reducing seizures.

Cannabidiol —the second-most abundant cannabinoid in the cannabis plant after THC — is also found in the hemp plant and is known to have soothing, anti-inflammatory properties. The human body has an endocannabinoid system (ECS) that receives and translates signals from cannabinoids. It produces some cannabinoids of its own, which are called endocannabinoids. The ECS helps to regulate functions such as sleep, immune-system responses, and pain. CBD is not psychoactive, meaning it does not produce a "high" or change a person's state of mind, but it influences the body to use its own endocannabinoids more effectively.

Chocolate Spectrum owner Valerie Herskowitz’s son Blake, a 27-year old with Autism and employee of The Chocolate Spectrum, has spent many years dealing with severe anxiety. Though he takes pharmaceutical medications, he still has periodic outbursts resulting in self-injurious behavior. Herskowitz began researching the benefits of CBD and started incorporating small doses when Blake was suffering significant attacks. 

After just a small dose, Blake’s anxiety would dissipate within 15 minutes. The difference was so drastic that Herskowitz repeated the CBD treatment another dozen or so times before being convinced that it was the CBD that was helping her son regain his composure. 

(PRESS RELEASE)_WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Mark your calendars! Delray Beach business broker, best-selling author, motivational speaker and sales coach, Anthony Caliendo, has teamed up with Palm Beach Harley Davidson to host The Main Man After Party Bike Show from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 17th at Palm Beach Harley Davidson, 2955 45th Street, West Palm Beach.

Raising awareness for Wheels from the Heart, the event will follow the charity’s first Motorcycle Charity Poker Run, also hosted at Palm Beach Harley Davidson. The $20 registration begins at 10 a.m. and all proceeds benefit Wheels from the Heart. 

During The Main Man After Party Bike Show prizes will be awarded along with free food, beverages, beer, wine, entertainment, a bounce house for the kids and more. For more information, visit www.themainmandrive.com, call 561-929-6050 or text the keyword “poker” to 96362.

(PRESS RELEASE)_West Palm Beach, Fla. – When you put your family’s health first, harmony and happiness will follow. On Saturday, November 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., celebrate the kick off of National Family Week at the YMCA of the Palm Beaches and have a fun time getting fit. 

Lace up and hit the Y’s annual Family Health & Wellness Fair, which will offer guests a kid-friendly day filled with family activities, including 40-yard dashes, punt, pass, and kick competitions, three-legged races, and more. Participants will enjoy complimentary food and drinks, plus have a chance to win exciting giveaways and fabulous prizes. Also meet local wellness vendors who will share the secrets to living the good life. Open to the public at no charge.    

“At the Y, we are proud to offer quality programs and special events like our health and wellness fair to our membership and the public,” said Claude Hosey, Health and Wellness Coordinator of YMCA of the Palm Beaches. “Our members are looking for simple ways to live more active lives. These timely health and wellness issues are of critical importance to our local community.”

For more information, contact the YMCA of the Palm Beaches at 561.968.9622 or visit ymcapalmbeaches.org. YMCA of the Palm Beaches is located at 2085 South Congress Avenue, West Palm Beach

(PRESS RELEASE)_In advance of Veterans Day this Sunday, November 11 and as proud supporter of veterans everywhere, Brightline - the express inter-city passenger rail service - is extending 50% off SMART Service fares to these brave men and women from November 10 - November 18, 2018. This year, veterans, together with friends, family, and supporters can hop on Brightline to easily access area events honoring our service members, many within close proximity to Brightline stations.

From a Veterans Day benefit concert in Wynwood, which aims to raise donations and awareness for the local veteran community, to a Veterans Day Parade, the first ever in the Town of Lake Park, Palm Beach, supporters may be able to enjoy more than one celebration, given the ease and convenience of getting around on Brightline.

Additional events in the tri-county area include:

·         Miami Beach Annual Veterans Day Parade
·         Veterans Day Ceremony on Riverwalk in Fort Lauderdale
·         Veterans Day Parade in West Palm Beach

For schedules, pricing, and/or to book tickets, please visit: https://gobrightline.com/

(PRESS RELEASE)_Picture a cement truck, but replace the drum with a rotating giant cocktail shaker and you have the Monkey Mixer.

The mixer is full of Monkey Shoulder Whisky and will visit Death or Glory in Delray on Monday, December 10, 6-8 p.m. Death or Glory's Miracle on Rosemary in West Palm Beach will host the mixer on December 5, 6-8 p.m. The mixer's 27 foot long drum holds 2,400 gallons, the equivalent of 123,000 bottles of the whisky. These two locations are the only stops planned for Palm Beach County.

Guests can enjoy a complimentary cocktail, The Mixed Up Monkey, from the mixer's built in cocktail dispenser. The Mixed Up Monkey has mint, simple syrup, lemon juice and soda. In West Palm Beach, Death or Glory's Miracle on Rosemary is at 550 South Rosemary Avenue, Suite 158 (opening November 23).
 
In Delray, Death or Glory is located in the historic Falcon House, which was originally built in 1925. Its name was derived from the battle cry motto of the Queen’s Royal Lancers and made popular in the 1979 song “Death or Glory” by The Clash.  Its canopied, outdoor Tiki Bar is a is a popular hangout for Delray Beach residents and visitors alike. Death or Glory is at 116 NE 6th Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33483 and is open 4 p.m. -2 a.m. daily. Food is served until 2 a.m. For additional info, call 561.808.8814. Facebook @dealthorglorybar; Instagram @deathorglorybar_delray.

More About Monkey Shoulder and the Mixer

Monkey Shoulder, the blended malt Scotch whisky, is bringing the fun back to serious cocktails in a big way, with the introduction of The Monkey Mixer. Drawing cheeky inspiration from a cement truck’s design, the traditional cocktail shaker has been upgraded and transformed into the ultimate cocktail machine. The Monkey Mixer, which can hold up to 2,400 gallons of liquid, resembles a cement truck, complete with rotating drum, or in this case, cocktail shaker, and will visit select cities in the USA beginning in February 2018.  

Monkey Shoulder has received numerous accolades including designation as Drinks International’s Top Trending Scotch Whisky Brand of 2017, its fourth consecutive win in the category, and receiving the World Spirits Competition 2016 Double Gold honor.