Lantern Festival: In the Spirit of Obon 
Saturday, October 19
3pm – 8pm
General admission ticket sales start October 7 at 10am
Cost: $20 ages 11+, $12 ages 4-11, children 3 & under FREE. Advance Ticket Purchase Required. 

Inspired by Obon, Japan’s traditional three-day holiday honoring ancestors who return to Earth for a brief visit, Morikami will celebrate Lantern Festival in one epic-packed evening. Enjoy traditional folk-dancing, taiko drumming, an Ennichi street fair, Japanese cuisine, arts and crafts, and family friendly activities. Don't miss the festival’s iconic lantern floating ceremony and electrifying fireworks finale. 

Please note that Morikami is closed during normal hours of operation on this day and opens at 3pm for the festival.  Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens is located at 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach. For more information call (561) 495-0233 or visit morikami.org (PRESS RELEASE)

(PRESS RELEASE)_COCONUT CREEK – The NFL Alumni Caring for Kids Charity Poker Tournament, benefiting SOS Children’s Villages - Florida, will take place Sunday, October 6, at 12:30 p.m. in The Pavilion at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek.

SOS Children's Villages - Florida is a foster care neighborhood in Coconut Creek which offers 12 houses and can accommodate up to 75 boys and girls. The organization’s promise of "Healing, Hope and Home for Every Child" assures that children who grow up in the Village are in a safe and secure home. It creates a nurturing and vibrant environment with an array of services to help them overcome their past traumas and build a successful future.

Players can register now for the poker tournament with any Seminole Casino Coconut Creek Poker Supervisor. Buy-in is $500, and each player will receive lunch and two entries in the Super Bowl LIV Experience Drawing for a chance to win two tickets to Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium, a four-night hotel stay, round trip game day transportation, and an NFL Alumni official game day brunch.

Second-place and third-place in the Super Bowl LIV Experience Drawing will win $1,000 and $500, respectively.

The poker tournament will offer $10,000 in prizes with first-place earning $4,000, second-place $3,000 and third-place $2,000. Additionally, there will be celebrity knockout bounties.

Sports radio talk show host Andy Slater will host the tournament, which will include a number of former NFL players, including O.J. McDuffie, Bob Brudzinski, Larry Ball, Jim “Crash” Jensen, Sean Wooden, Mark Higgs, Jeff Cross, Nate Garner, Tony Nathan, A.J. Duhe and Lorenzo Hampton.

Local craft beer and liquor vendors such as Sailfish Brewing Company, Biscayne Bay Brewing, Islamorada Brewery, Don Sueños® Tequila, Deep Eddie® Vodka, Tito’s Handmade Vodka®, Papa’s Pilar® Rum, Waterloo No. 9® Gin and Treaty Oak Distilling® will also be at the event offering samples.

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

From North Palm Beach Communications Manager Ed Cunningham_

Cleanup effort this Saturday at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park.
https://www.floridastateparks.org/events/international-coastal-cleanup-macarthur-beach

NATIONAL COFFEE DAY_On National Coffee Day, September 29, savor a luxurious sip of world-class caffeine at III Forks in Palm Beach Gardens. The upscale steakhouse will be shaking up two peppy potions, the rich Espresso Martini and decadent Cappuccino Martini ($12 each), that are sure to make coffee lovers swoon. --Press Release

(PRESS RELEASE)_(Palm Beach Gardens, FL –Sept 13, 2019) Colleen Smith, Artistic Director of Ballet Palm Beach announces the 2019-2020 performance schedule of Palm Beach County’s resident professional ballet company.

“Highlights of the season include fairy-tale classics as well as two original story ballets, slated to premiere in 2020,” states Smith. “This season will be full of magical whimsy and inspirational heroism.”

Upcoming performances by Ballet Palm Beach include:

Cinderella
November 2-3
+ Saturday, Nov 2 at 2pm & 7:30pm
+ Sunday, Nov 3 at 2pm
Kravis Center for the Performing Arts – Rinker Playhouse
701 Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach                 

Ballet Palm Beach performs the classic rags to riches fairy tale of Cinderella. Narrated by Prokofiev’s powerful score, audiences of all ages will enjoy the hilarious antics of the evil stepsisters, the magic of the Fairy Godmother, and the radiance of Cinderella as she is discovered by her prince charming at the Royal Ball.

The Nutcracker
November 29-December 1
+ Black Friday, Nov 29 at 7pm
+ Saturday, Nov 30 at 1pm & 7pm
+ Sunday, Dec 1 at 4pm
The King’s Academy
Page Family Center for Performing Arts
8401 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach


December 6-7         
+ Friday, Dec 6 at 7:30pm
+Saturday, Dec 7 at 2pm & 7:30pm                   
Kravis Center for the Performing Arts – Dreyfoos Hall
701 Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach
“A repeat favorite at the holidays” (Greg Stepanich, Palm Beach ArtsPaper)

“An extraordinary show” (Michelle Wright, What’s Trending Palm Beach)
Ballet Palm Beach leaps into the season with holiday classic, The Nutcracker, the coming-of-age story of Marie who receives a mysterious gift on Christmas Eve. Adventures ensue as Tchaikovsky’s score draws Marie into a terrifying battle with the Mouse King, past a mystical snowstorm, and to the prince's Enchanted Kingdom.

Swept Away
February 1-2                       
+ Saturday, Feb 1 at 2pm & 7:30 pm
+ Sunday, Feb 2 at 2pm
Kravis Center for the Performing Arts – Rinker Playhouse
701 Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach

Swept Away is mixed repertory program featuring the Romeo and Juliet Balcony Pas de Deux; Swept Away, a collection of dances from timeless Hollywood musicals; and, back by popular demand, Gina Patterson’s poignant fra ct ured.

Queen Esther
March 20-22
+ Friday, March 20 at 7pm
+ Saturday, March 21 at 1pm & 7pm
+ Sunday, March 22 at 4pm
The King’s Academy
Page Family Center for Performing Arts
8401 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach  

Queen Esther is an original full-length ballet by Ballet Palm Beach’s Artistic Director, Colleen Smith. In this dramatic production, a beautiful Jewish orphan ascends to Persian royalty and challenges a plot to exterminate her people.

Peter Pan’s Neverland
May 8-10
+ Friday, May 8 at 7pm
+ Saturday, May 9 at 1pm & 7pm
+ (Mother’s Day) Sunday at 4pm                      
The King’s Academy
Page Family Center for the Performing Arts
8401 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach

On Mother’s Day weekend, audiences are invited to fly to Neverland in this original production from Ballet Palm Beach. Follow the antics of Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, and the dastardly Captain Hook! The latter half of the show features dynamic works from Ballet Palm Beach’s eclectic repertoire. 

How to Purchase Tickets:

For information about prices and how to purchase tickets, please call Ballet Palm Beach at 561.630.8235 or visit www.balletpalmbeach.org.For tickets to performances at the Kravis Center, please call 561.832.7469 or 800.572.8471, or visit www.kravis.org. For tickets to performances at The King’s Academy, please call 888.718.4253 or visit www.TKAFineArts.net.

(PRESS RELEASE)_West Palm Beach, FL– Showcasing over 100 outlets, restaurants, and name brand stores, Palm Beach Outlets has been attracting both international shoppers and a local clientele since opening its doors in 2014. The West Palm Beach shopping destination has recently announced the addition of Coton Frais to its retail portfolio.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Coton Frais,” said Pam Rada, marketing director of Palm Beach Outlets. “Shoppers have a plethora of choices here, and Coton Frais offers a variety of fashion must-haves, from stylish apparel and accessories to beautiful hostess gifts.” 

Clarice Dowdle and her daughter Christina Dowdle own Coton Frais or “fresh cotton” in French and have two additional locations in Jupiter and Boca Raton. Inspired by their sojourns to France, the mother-daughter duo who reside in Palm Beach Gardens and Delray Beach, respectively, opened the airy boutique at Palm Beach Outlets, which highlights their love of casually elegant, resort wear-style clothing, including private label fashions designed from all-white, 100-percent cotton. The 2,543-square-foot storefront also showcases a curated collection of jewelry, silk scarves, fascinators and derby hats, beauty products, handbags and totes, hostess gifts, and dry lavender from exotic locales like Provence, France. Everything in the store is priced at $48 or less. 

“We are really thrilled about joining the prestigious brands at Palm Beach Outlets, and bringing a different look and style to the outlet family of stores,” said Christina Dowdle, Vice President of Coton Frais. “We look forward to showcasing our beautiful line to a wonderful new audience.”

Hours are Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call (561) 855-8268 or visit cotonfraisfashion.com.  Coton Frais is located in Palm Beach Outlets at 1741 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach, FL 33401. 

So what do you call a hamburger that really isn't a hamburger? Burger King calls it "The Impossible Whopper."

Impossible is probably the right name. It has no meat. It's a plant-based hamburger. It was created for people like Pam and I, who don't eat beef, and the people who don't particularly like the notion of herding animals into slaughterhouses. Which means I guess we're OK with murdering plants.

Burger King did some test marketing, which went well, before rolling it out nationwide. It's been getting a lot of press, so this week we decided to see what all the hoopla was about. So we went into our local Burger King and ordered one.

Most who have tried it say you can't tell the difference between it and the regular Whopper. And you know what? They're right. It has that same flame-char taste, with all the same fixings. Suddenly, we can eat hamburgers again.

I wonder how long before all the other burger chains jump on the plant bandwagon. By the way, nutrition experts argue the  plant-based burger is no healthier than the meat version. But you have to admit one thing: It's a whole lot healthier for the cows, right? -- Gerry Barker

When: Saturday, October 19 from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Where: Doris Italian Market & Bakery, Shoppes at City Centre, 11239 U.S. Highway 1, North Palm Beach

What: Open to the public, the Wine Night offers guests the opportunity to sample more than 100 wines from around the world and enjoy a full gourmet buffet and artisan cheeses. Tickets are $24.95. Special pricing on wines is offered throughout the evening. Tickets to the Wine Night can be purchased in advance at the North Palm Beach location or online at dorismarket.com. For more information email customerservice@dorismarket.com or call 954-572-5269.

(PRESS RELEASE)_COCONUT CREEK – Grammy Award winners, The Commodores, will perform in The Pavilion at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek on Saturday, November 9, at 8 p.m.

One of the greatest Motown and R&B and funk groups of all time, The Commodores (Walter “Clyde” Orange, James Dean “JD” Nicholas, and William “WAK” King) have influenced artists young and old and in all genres with their classic songs.

The Commodores’ stellar history includes 75 million albums sold worldwide, seven number one singles, five number one albums, 20 top 10 singles and 15 top 10 albums. The group’s list of greatest hits is quite lengthy. It includes “Brick House,” “Three Times A Lady,” “Easy,” “Nightshift,” “Still,” “Sail On,” “Lady (You Bring Me Up),” “Just To Be Close To You,” “”Sweet Love,” and “Too Hot Ta Trot.”

The Commodores formed after meeting as freshmen at Tuskegee University in 1968. They signed with Motown four years later after drawing attention as the opening act for the Jackson 5. In 1986, they won their first Grammy for the song “Nightshift.” King is one of the original members, while Orange joined in 1972, followed by Nicholas in 1984. They tour with their five-piece band known as the “Mean Machine.”

Tickets priced at $30/$40/$50 per person 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 is located at 5550 NW 40th St., Coconut Creek.  For more information, please visit CasinoCoco.com or call (954) 977-6700.

(PRESS RELEASE)_ABRA Gallery is celebrating its grand opening in Fort Lauderdale’s prestigious Las Olas neighborhood. The gallery will feature a collection of works from world-renowned artists including Hessam Abrishami, Goli Mahallati, Star Mortezavi, Saeed Asadi and Behrooz Valiani. All artwork will be on exhibition and available for acquisition.

A VIP Grand Opening reception will take place on Thursday, November 7 from 5-8 pm. Four very special Meet the Artist receptions are planned with Hessam Abrishami and Star Mortezavi. They will take place on Friday, November 8 from 6-8pm, Saturday, November 9 from 1-3 pm and 6-9 pm, followed by a final artist reception on Sunday, November 10 from 1-3 pm.

​All receptions are complimentary and open to the public; however, RSVPs are strongly suggested at 954-999-5557 or info@abragallery.com. Please visit https://www.abragallery.com/grand-opening for more info.
 
ABRA Gallery
713 East Las Olas Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301