Flirt with Fame

Story by Jon Frangipane    Photos by Debra Todd

Noah and Keegan Flegel

Successful siblings in the world of sports are few and far between. The outstanding brother duo of Peyton and Eli Manning, professional football quarterbacks for the Denver Broncos and New York Giants, are shining examples. And let’s not forget Serena and Venus Williams, easily the best sibling combo ever to grace the tennis courts.

But, at this very moment, in our little community of Lighthouse Point, live Todd and Kirsten Flegel, proud parents of two of the best, if not the finest wakesurfers and wakeboarders in the world ever to take to the water. What are the odds of that fact?

Fourteen year-old Noah Flegel and sixteen year-old Keenan Flegel became interested in the sport when they observed a boy in their neighborhood wake boarding in the canal near their home. The Flegel boys were only four and six at the time, but they pleaded successfully with the neighbor to teach them.

Noah appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated for kids as Sports Kid of the Year in the December, 2011 issue. In the photo he appears to be flying through the air like a bird, and I assure you that after seeing him perform, this is a phenomenal talent we may soon see in the Olympics, that is if the 2016 Olympic committee will consider the sport of wake boarding as credible enough to compete. After witnessing the Flegel brothers in action, I think they’re chances are spectacular!

Keenan is already a professional wake surfer, and has won every wake surfing competition he’s attended this year, except one. “If there’s waves in the ocean, I surf,” says Keenan. “Most times we’ll go directly after school and return home after dark to do our homework.”

Maintaining high grades is not a problem, even though they spend a great deal of time in the water, not to mention their traveling to wake boarding and wake surfing competitions all over the world. They presently attend North Broward Preparatory School.

In the business end, the boys have multiple sponsors each that include Centurion Boats, Liquid Force Wake Boards, Go Pro Cameras, Body Glove (wet suits) and Reef Clothing supplies their everyday clothing. They are also sponsored by LTS, a wake boarding school, Island Water Sports, Miami Ski Nautique and Inland Surfer. The companies supply them with free gear, entry fees, travel costs, and free use of a Centurion boat, as well.

Both boys idolize their trainer and friend, Dean Lavelle, six-time champion wake boarder at the WWA, the world wake boarding association. He runs his wake boarding school at Crystal Lake in Pompano Beach.

“We chose Dean because he didn’t party, drink or use bad language, and was known as ‘Clean’ Dean LaVelle. He took training and competing seriously, and eventually helped the boys with their homework when they were on a tight training schedule,” says Kirsten.

“Keenan loves to push the sport by doing things that have never been done before. He has videos on Youtube that get thousands of hits, watched by wake surfers who study the videos, trying to figure out how Keenan does what he does,” adds Todd.

“Our family will be traveling again soon to Washington, Colorado, Texas and back to Florida for Noah’s Junior Pro Tour. He hopes to turn pro within the next few years,” explains Todd. “He’s had a good year with two World Championships, a National Championship, and also winning the coveted ‘Sports Kid of the Year’ award.

We are so proud of both boys!”

Pompano Mayor Lamar Fisher presents award to the Highwaymen

The historic Sample-McDougald House opened to the public on March 23^rd and 24^th with a special exhibit and sale of Florida Highwaymen art. The exhibit was a joint project of the Sample-McDougald House Preservation Society and the Pompano Beach Historical Society.

A private reception was held on Friday evening at which guests could preview the art and interact with the artists. Food and drinks were served on the Sample-McDougald House grounds, also known as Centennial Park. During the evening, Pompano Beach Mayor Lamar Fisher welcomed the Highwaymen artist and presented them with a key to the city.

The following day, the exhibit was open to the public and nearly 2,000 people took advantage of spectacular weather to visit the Sample-McDougald House and view the art. Both the restored 1916 house and the art garnered rave reviews. One of the volunteers noted that the organizing committee had hoped to attract about 600 people that Saturday, but had exceeded that number shortly after noon.

The Florida Highwaymen are a group of 26 landscape artists who have been called “The Last Great American Art Movement of the 20th century.” This group of self-taught and self-mentoring African-American artists, who began painting in the mid-1950s, created a large body of work – utilizing basic construction materials rather than traditional art supplies – that has become a timeless collection of iconic Florida landscape scenes. As no galleries would originally accept their works, the artists sold the oil paintings by the thousands during the 1960s and 70s out of the trunks of their cars, along roadsides throughout Florida.

The surviving Highwaymen, most now in their seventies, represent an important chapter in America’s culture and history, and have been called a National Treasure. The 26 Florida Highwaymen were inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2004.

###

Article by Patty Petrone    Photos by Debra Todd

Soroptimist International of Pompano Beach held its annual Awards Ceremony on March 28th at Galuppi’s Restaurant.  The event was sponsored by Florida Shores Bank.  Each year, the Pompano Beach Chapter honors local women who have made a significant difference in their own lives and in the lives of others.

Laura Jones

1) The Woman of Distinction Award honors a woman who, through her professional or personal efforts, is making an extraordinary impact in her community and inspiring others to follow in her footsteps. This was the 5^th year Soroptimist of Pompano Beach honored these amazing women, and the four previous recipients were also invited to the event – Margaret White (2008), Gail Farkas (2009), Hazel Ambrister (2010), and Michelle Greene (2011).

This year’s honoree was Laura Jones.

Laura Suihkonen Jones became a caregiver for her husband, Jay Jones, when he was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2006 at the age of 50. Jay was initially diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) but his symptoms persisted despite medication. Three and a half years later, Jay was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s. Five years after diagnosis, Jay was placed in residential care. Because of this, Laura struggles to meet the high financial cost of Alzheimer’s and is forced to find many creative ways to balance her family’s budget, including selling a home owned by her family for over 50 years.

The Jones’ story has been featured on ABC’s “World News with Charles Gibson,” “World News with Diane Sawyer.” She authored a piece for Maria Shiver’s “Shriver Report: A Women’s Nation Takes on Alzheimer’s.”  Laura was the recipient of the 2011 Caregiver of the Year award in Beverly Hills in March of 2011, and the Maureen Reagan Outstanding Advocate of the Year award, presented in Washington DC during May of 2011.

2) The Women’s Opportunity Award Program is the primary Service Project for Soroptimist International.  Each year, the Pompano Beach chapter awards $1500 scholarships to motivated women who are the primary financial supporters of their families and are seeking to improve their lives by gaining additional skills, training and education. The 2012 recipients are Nicolle Joseph, Jamine Mohrland, and Mianca Mclendon.

Nicolle Joseph is enrolled at Broward College and is working on her Dental Hygienist Degree. She emigrated from Haiti to the US in 2001 and is married and the proud mother of 2 teenage children. Once she adjusted to our country, she studied for and passed (with excellent grades) the Certified Dental Assistant Test.  She then secured a job as a Dental Assistant in the Periodontal Clinic at Nova Southeastern University, where she worked for 5 years.  During this time, she also attended school and finished all the prerequisite courses required for the Dental Hygiene Program at Broward.

Jamine Mohrland is enrolled at Broward College and is working on her AS degree in Emergency Management – the process of preparing for, mitigating, responding to and recovering from any emergency including hurricanes, floods, fires, toxic spills and acts of nature or terrorism.  She is also the single mom of a teenage son. She was the Commercial Property Manager for ONE employer for 18 years when Hurricane Wilma struck in October 2005, and then having to deal with displaced tenants, looters, and city officials, but lost her job soon after. She struggled for the next 2 years working temporary jobs until in 2008, when she was hired by the State of Florida to handle FEMA claims. She started school full-time at Broward College last summer.

Mianca Mclendon is a student at Broward College and is finishing up the pre-requisite courses before entering their RN program.  In addition, she works full time as the Head Medical Assistant at The Kidney Group of South Florida. She is a single Mom raising her 12 year-old son. She is very motivated and has been working hard to hold everything together as an employee, a student and a single mother. She expects to complete her RN requirements and be ready to take the State exam in 2013.  She is so well respected at The Kidney Group that they have already offered her a job as a Registered Nurse once she completes her education!

3) The Violet Richardson Award is a recognition program for young women ages 14-17 who have had significant and noteworthy accomplishments as a volunteer within their communities or schools.  Each year, Soroptimist of Pompano Beach presents a $500 award to each honoree.

The 2012 recipients are Olivia Valdes and Kayla Loochkartt.

Olivia Valdes  is 17 and a Senior at North Broward Prep. She has always loved WORDS and the power of language. Olivia believes that every child needs literature as a tool for wondering, questioning and understanding. She realized that many students in the community did not have the resources and support to, not only develop a love of books, but in some cases to not even achieve true literacy. As a Sophomore, she founded “Hope Through Literature,” a student-run volunteer organization dedicated to promoting literature. They have monthly mentoring sessions with the children at Florence Fuller Child Development Center where they present interesting activities geared to develop reading skills and ignite a passion for literature.  They have also raised thousands of donated books through book drives.

Kayla Loochkartt is 17 and a Senior at Pompano High.  Kayla strongly believes that if children live near the beach, it is imperative that they learn not only how to swim, but also the safety techniques often needed in an aquatic environment.  Through her high school years, she has been an active volunteer with Pompano Beach Ocean Rescue Summer Program.  The program is open to kids ages 9 -17 and the volunteers assist in teaching first aide, CPR, swimming and lifesaving methods along with focusing on physical fitness.  Because of her dedication and good work as a volunteer, Kayla was hired by the City of Pompano Beach last summer, as a Jr. Life Guard.  She worked on the beach but continued teaching the kids in the program as well. Kayla also volunteers at the Bit-By-Bit Therapeutic Riding Center.  Its mission is to heal, educate, enrich, inspire and empower children and adults with special needs through the “magic” of therapeutic horseback riding.

Soroptimist of Pompano Beach is very proud of its outstanding recipients and wishes them the very best in all their future endeavors!

Thank you to all of you who were so kind to call, email me and send cards, knowing that I lost a very precious, irreplaceable friend of ten and a half years, Berkel.

Realizing there was a noticeably huge void in my life, a good friend began searching for another companion for me. “No, I’m not ready yet,” was my reply. “I need more time,” I insisted. My friend disregarded my plea, thinking that she knew better; that I needed a pet in my life as quickly as possible, so she did some serious research online at the Humane Society.

Well, of course I fell in love with the photo of an eight-week old kitten named —Lorax.  “Lorax!” I exclaimed to the salesgirl at Petco in Hallandale. “Oh, no, they’ll be no Lorax in my house,” I blurted. “This little fuzzball will be called Tiger. Just look at him, he’s definitely a Tiger!”

Yesterday, the toilet seat was left up. Oh, yes, Tiger ran into the bathroom and did a perfect one and a half into the bowl. Dripping wet, he took off like he was shot from a canon; a great start to a beautiful relationship. I must remember to keep the toilet seats down.

And yes, my friend was right— I needed Tiger in my life.

The Highwaymen —A Feast for the Eyes

I arrived early on Friday, March 23^rd at the Sample McDougald House to be sure to get photos of the splendid array of art on display, realizing many pieces would be snatched up in no time.

On the second floor, Highwayman artist James Gibson was still setting up some of his last few paintings. As I turned to my left, a painting jumped out at me and said, “Take me home!” Why would I need a painting of a Poinciana tree with a few palm trees mixed in, my right-side brain thought. You definitely should buy this painting, it’s a good investment replied my left-side brain. The left side won.

Turn to page 36 and feast your eyes on the artistry that is now legendary. If you missed this very special day, make a mental note to follow the steps of the Highwaymen. I know I will.

                                          Article by Valerie J. Amor    Photos by Jon Frangipane

Who doesn’t remember Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, famous for their acting and smooth crooning styles, better known as part of the Rat pack during the 1950’s. Frank & Dino’s pays homage to the duo, both inside and out, with a nice play on black and white with photographs and checkerboard covered chairs.  With a touch of color in deep, plushy banquette seating, it invokes the clubby feel of a New York nightclub with brick, dark wood and large oversized drum shaped lights. With softly hued blue lights around the bar, you might almost expect either Frank or Dean to walk into the dining room at any moment and belt out a tune or two.

Frutti di Mare

Formerly Marcello’s for over 20 years, this is a “lifestyle dining concept” by the Max Group with Dennis Max as the original investor and John Williams as the primary owner and major investor. So where did the concept actually originate? Meet Carlo Vaccarezza, managing partner. Brought in as a consultant, he was inspired by the simple flip of a radio switch that just happened to be playing the song the same way he wanted to conceptualize the restaurant, Frank Sinatra’s famous “My Way.”

Doing it his way seemed to be paying off as the night we were there, a Monday night no less, the restaurant was filled by 7:15 pm and stayed that way.  Carlo wanted to create something unique. “If our customers close their eyes they will think they are in a joint in New York or Chicago.”

It appears he has succeeded, mentioning that many are repeat customers. With live music offered up Wednesday through Sunday from the best of Frank Sinatra and Dean  Martin to today, the atmosphere is convincing.

With chefs Antonio Orsino from NYC Primavera and DaNoi and Peter Masiello from Bova guiding the kitchen, much of the staff has worked with each other as well as Carlo, creating a comfortable camaraderie that emanates throughout the restaurant. Patio seating outside and 120 seats inside, the well-stocked wine room shows the care taken to ensure that food and wine complement each other.

Antipasto Misto

We had the pleasure of being attended to by Michael J. who was well-informed regarding the menu, as well as Jerry Alfano, general manager, who is as smooth and debonair as old blue eyes himself. Taking the time to warmly greet each and every customer, Jerry made sure that they felt as if they had walked into his home to share a great Italian meal.

The basket of warm, sliced baguette bread was served appropriately with a small dish of olive oil and herbs. Appetizers are always an interesting part of the menu as it sometimes serves up surprises and the Peperoncini  Ripieni ($11), one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, is no exception. Breaded and lightly fried long hot peppers, stuffed with moist sausage and served with a refreshing side of marina, were perfectly crunchy and definitely spicy.

Calamari Fritti ($13) was presented with a light batter, lemon wedges with caramelized onions atop and a marina sauce for dipping. Resisting the temptation to indulge too much so early, the Antipasto Misto ($17) was a visually resplendent feast for the eyes that quickly engaged the taste buds as well. Attractively arranged glistening with drizzled olive oil on a large, oversized oval plaster, the marriage of thinly sliced salami, sopressata, melt-in-your mouth prosciutto, provolone, reggiano, roasted peppers, anchovies and an assortment of green and nicoise olives stole the show. The smokey sweetness of the plump pepper flesh played nicely with the cubes of provolone and reggiano cheeses. The anchovies, well they were above perfect, simply the best, taking what should be a typical, ordinary dish to a must try!

Italian kitchens are known for their soups or zuppa, and here the Zuppa Di Pasta E Fagioli ($6) is a wonderfully satisfying Tuscan soup of white cannellini beans served with tubettini pasta that proves the point. An absolute favorite and recommended by Michael J., a little freshly grated cheese on top added just the right touch.

Prepared for what came next, was the Lombata Campania ($34). A colorful platter, it was amply filled with pounded veal chops and a delightful mixture of sautéed vegetables. Pan-seared, the veal chops served bone-in, were buried by a pile of sautéed Vidalia onions, roasted red peppers and a mixture of sliced mushrooms, including button and porcini. Using the vegetables almost as a relish on the veal chops, each bite was as interesting as the next.

Running nightly specials is their specialty usually including an appetizer, a pasta, chicken and veal dish along with a risotto. Yellowtail snapper is on the menu along with at least one or two additional fish specials featuring the freshest catch of the day. They are known to accommodate special requests.

A bonanza of flavors, textures and aromas can only begin to describe the next dish. Frutti Di Mare ($38) came loaded with steamed, briny littleneck clams, tender black mussels, shrimp and an abundance of calamari, served over a bed of al dente linguine. The tomato sauce, made from San Marzano tomatoes with bits of garlic and spices was just enough to complement not over power the array of seafood delicacies. Easily large enough to feed two moderately hungry people, this special is usually offered on the weekends.

Sauces are made in house as are the soups, ricotta cheese and the desserts. Learning that desserts included a tiramisu, Frank & Dino’s and Amore, the lover’s cake seemed to make perfect sense. The tiramisu ($11) was light with the layers, flavors and textures assembled showcasing a talented pastry chef’s hand.

Frank & Dino’s ($11) turned out to be a two layer sponge cake with a chocolate mousse filling, punctuated with rich and decadent dark Italian cherries, liberally sprinkled on the outside with almond slivers.

Amore, the lovers cake ($11), lived up to its name. With layers of sponge cake and a layer of apricot then raspberry filling spiked with Grand Marnier, it is the piled high white icing on the outside, sprinkled with chocolate flakes that make it the special dessert for that special someone. Ahhh, love!  Cappuccino was nicely served with a sugar stick.

While there is no happy hour as of yet, the extensive wine list including some definitely celebratory champagnes ranging from Perrier Jouet “Fleur” Rose Epernay, 2002 ($465) to Lunetta Prosecco ($11) should satisfy the palette of a wine connoisseur. The house wines available by the glass ($9) were all equally quite good and smooth; choose from cabernet, merlot, pinot noir or chianti. One of their more popular wines by the bottle is Castronovo, Montepulciano de Abruzzo, 2007 ($34). Bottled beer selections included domestic Miller Lite ($5) or import, Heineken ($6).

The restaurant is open for lunch Monday – Friday from 11:30 am – 2:30 pm and dinners Monday – Saturday from 5 pm – 11 pm, Sundays from 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm.

Frank & Dino’s is located at 718 South Federal Highway, Deerfield Beach. Tel: (954-427-4909), www.frankanddinos.com  . A private room that can accommodate up to 24 people is available, advance reservations, especially for the weekend is recommended.

 (This review is for promotional purposes only)

Bali

Native boys

Several months after I planned and paid for my 2011 summer trips, an opportunity to scuba dive in Indonesia dropped in my lap. This I could not turn down. It was not a standard scuba diving live aboard, it was on the ship, Damai, an Indonesian built vessel built to accommodate ten macro underwater photographers. This boat is entirely constructed of wood with a steel encased keel, 39 meters long and 8 meters wide with a 480 horsepower Mitsubishi engine, and it looked very much like a pirate ship. In fact, it was built by the Bugis tribe of Sulawesi that once terrorized the area waters as pirates.

There were 10 guests and 15 crew members that included a chef and sous chef. Food, drink, enhanced air (nitrox) and massages were included.  The most amazing feature of this special ship was the berth space and furnishings. Our cabin was as long as my living room from starboard porthole to porthole, that had two king-sized beds, bath tub, separate shower, as well as separate toilet and sink.  All indoor spaces had beautiful wooden floors, walls and ceilings. The amount of space per person was unbelievable.

The rest of the ship was equally impressive, as were the crew who carried everything up/down the ladder or stairs to the dive vessels. We were allowed to carry our masks, but all camera equipment, tanks, fins, etc., were ported by the crew. This was easy diving.

The travel time to get to the Damai was challenging. Flying from Fort Lauderdale to Atlanta to pick up a Korean Air flight to Seoul (14 hours), and another Korean Air flight to Bali (8 hours) for a total of 23.5 hours flying time. It was another 1.5-hour flight from Bali to Flores, the start of our dive trip. Luckily, we stayed a day and a half in Bali to catch up on sleep.

Flores

One of my first impressions of Bali and again in Flores is that there are no discernable building codes. An elegant home would be located next to a used tire vendor or cell phone vendor, wood carver, baker, butcher or Indian Chief, you name it. My second impression was that motorcycles are the primary means of transportation and they were everywhere. Every human had a cell phone and motorcycle, and there were clear glass liter bottles of petrol for sale at roadside food stands, markets and sometimes by themselves. Gas stations seemed to be uncommon and troubled with long lines.

I was grateful to get on board the ship and away from the narrow crowded streets of the city. Fellow dive guests included: a French doctor, his wife and seventeen year old daughter; a German doctor and his wife; a California couple and their friend and trip planner, Keith, as well as Patrice and I. On land, Patrice and I saw many more Europeans and Asians tourists than Americans. With Australia only a 2-hour flight away, they were also well represented.

The Damai trip lasted for 11 days. We traveled mostly at night around the northeastern coast of Flores and between the islands of Pantar and Alor. Dives were scheduled at 7:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 2 PM and 6:30 PM.  We had a cold breakfast (fruit, yogurt, cereal) at 6:30 AM and hot breakfast around 9AM. We could order most anything for breakfast, lunch and dinner if we did not care for the menu du jour. Dinner was served after the night dive that was a much-improved plan over most dive boats that serve dinner before your dive. The diving was amazing with a variety of sea critters we do not see in our hemisphere.

We also saw many of the local island folks who paddled their ancient dugout canoes with bamboo poles as outriggers up to the Damai. The women wanted to sell us woven goods and the children just wanted to see what we were about. I visited with four boys in one canoe. The stern man was 5 years old and in first grade. Another 5 year old was at the bow, and the middlemen were 7 and 9 years old. They got the biggest kick out of sitting on our little dive tenders. They were out of school for Ramadan. A majority of the Indonesian population is Muslim, however, Bali is mostly Hindu and Flores is a mix of Christians, Muslims and Hindu. On two of the islands, our captain and translator visited the island’s leaders to get their blessing for our presence in their waters.

The German doctor created a video of our dive experience which can be seen on Utube at:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB3XCFUM06M

You will find a video of the Komba volcano erupting at night at the end of this video. Indonesia is known as the ring of fire because of its many active volcanoes. We saw no less than four active volcanoes on this trip. The many islands that make up Indonesia sit at the junction of the Asian and Australian tectonic plates. Once again, I find myself traveling on the edge of tectonic plates with active volcanoes and commonly occurring earthquakes.

Before humans knew about tectonic plates, Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913), a British naturalist and pre-Darwin proposer of evolution and natural selection, noticed the difference in flora and fauna between the island of Bali and the island of Lombok (as well as other east /west islands), that are 35 kilometers apart. He drew a line between these islands proclaiming a natural demarcation which is today called the Wallace line. For example, there are no monkeys and many bird species east of this line and no marsupials west of this line.  The indigenous people west of this line more resemble Asians, and east of this line more resemble Africans.

At the end of our dive adventure, Patrice and I traveled to central Bali and stayed in Ubud for 5 days. This is where Elizabeth Gilbert was inspired to write “Eat, Pray, Love,” as well as where the movie was filmed. Ubud has become a tourist Mecca since. Patrice visited Ubud ten years prior but did not recognize it because of the rapid growth and over abundance of restaurants, and tourist oriented vendors. Luckily, we hired a driver and could escape the crowds to visit local villages that plied traditional crafts, such as woodcarving, painting, batiks, gold & silver jewelry and stone carving. Everywhere we drove there were rice fields. The water buffalos have been replaced by the “Japanese buffalo,” or rotary tiller. Even though the plowing has been automated with a community sharing of the tillers, the harvesting is still done by hand. The fields are beautiful; those with terraces or steep terrain even more so.

Patrice and I took a bicycle ride down from Gunung Bator volcano (1700 meters). We traveled through many acres of farmland that included a large mandarin orange orchard, bananas, tobacco, cabbages, lettuce, tomatoes, beans and all kinds of peppers. The volcanic soil is fertile.

We also stopped by many grass cottage industries along the way.  There were wood carvers, weavers that created many products made from bamboo. Also seen were exquisitely made fishing traps, pig cages, large and small birdcages. Bamboo was also used to build houses and fences and woven to create walls and ceilings. The people of the high country around Ubud use every possible natural resource to support their livelihoods.

There is a growing middle class in Bali, primarily as a result of tourism.   We visited two middle class homes. One visit was to attend a wedding reception with our driver, which was a real treat. He explained the layout of the family compound and some of the mostly Hindu culture within.

The compound consists of a temple area where ancestors and other spirits visit and receive offerings. This is located on the Northeast corner or mountain and sun side. The kitchen is a separate building, located on the south or fireside (Lord of Fire) of the compound.

Buildings are traditionally without walls. Sometimes there are two or three walls but almost all living is in the open. There is the Baledangin or ceremonial building where special events take place, and a discussion room or area where family discussions and decisions occur, and finally there are living quarters with a patio to receive guests.

All women move into the family compound of the husband and become part of the husband’s family unit. One compound will have several couples living together. I asked our driver how long his family had lived in their ancestor’s compound and he said even his great grandfather could not tell me, it had been that long ago. There is usually a dirt pit in the back yard where all the trash and sewage will be directed. Indoor plumbing seems to be rare probably because of missing infrastructure.

All the stores and restaurants we visited did not have air conditioning.  Since Bali is located 8 degrees south of the equator, this might be a problem for some visitors. Many hotels do not have air conditioning. I was lucky that Patrice had enough experience to request this in our room.

Kites flew on a daily basis. Extra large kites with noisemakers flew overhead for days.  One kite, as large as a bus, was being carried down a street, stopping traffic. Next to our hotel, a pigeon keeper fitted his pigeons with a small bamboo necklace that whistled when they flew so we knew when they flew overhead. Our driver said this was common.    Cockfighting is legal and common, but betting on the outcome is illegal.   We saw many cocks in bamboo cages wherever we went. They were washed, well fed and very handsome, but every other animal we saw was not. The contrast was huge. I will not talk about the dogs.

I will talk about the people:  gracious and welcoming, extremely hard working, industrious, strong, open and appreciative. We saw women construction workers carrying bags of cement on their head.  We saw men and women porters carrying huge rubber river rafts folded on their heads up a hill that was 20-30 stories high. I tried to move one of them once they were placed on the ground and I could not.

These are amazing people. What little government exists rarely touches these people. They rely on themselves. If you think we have too much government in the USA, I challenge you to live in Bali for a couple of weeks and come back with the same opinion.

Once again, I have come home humbled by how people live and work in another country. I am most thankful for the things we often take for granted like plumbing, trash removal, air conditioning, zoning and leash laws.

Conductor Steven Barnes

On Sunday, February 26 the Florida Youth Orchestra gave a free concert at Frank McDonough Park hosted by The Lighthouse Point Cultural Arts Committee.

The Principal Orchestra, members ranging in age from 10 to 18 years and conducted by Steve Burnes, played numerous classical pieces that showed off their highly advanced skills.

Hundreds of residents came out to show their support, and were amazed at the great talent these teenagers have. Max Griffin, one of the violists, is a resident of Lighthouse Point and has been a member of The Florida Youth Orchestra (FYO) for eight years.

Myra Weaver, the director of FYO introduced the conductor Steven Barnes and gave a history of the organization. She and her husband, Bob Weaver (the South Florida television weatherman), began the orchestra 24 years ago and in recent years performed at both New York’s Carnegie Hall (twice) and Kennedy Center

in Washington, DC. The orchestra played a variety of pieces, including American Salute, Finlandia by Sibelius and Cuban Overture by George Gershwin. The orchestra also brought an “instrument playpen” that allowed kids to explore with various instruments and hopefully encouraged some future musicians.

The concert was sponsored by local businesses and Lighthouse Point families, and was appreciate by all who attended.

Lighthouse Point Magazine supports music in the community and was one of the sponsors, that include the Jennaro Family, British American Chamber of Commerce, Complete Fitness, Dr. Aliossa Tran Orthodontics, Gaines Financial Group, Florida Shores Bank, Griffin’s Yacht Services, Hecker Dermatology Group, The Maucker Family, Pine Crest Day Camp, the Proia Family and Real Dance Studios.

The 18th Annual Arts Exhibition was attended by an enthusiastic crowd on Sunday, March

Larry Cerino with daughter, Becky Day

11th at the Lighthouse Point Yacht and Racquet Club. Founded by the late Norma Cerino as a way for talented artists of the city to meet each other and share their work with the community, the show has grown from nine to forty five diverse artists.

Under the loving supervision of her husband, Dr. Larry Cerino and daughter, Becky Cerino Days, the annual event is a highlight of the cultural scene and anticipated by artists and art lovers from both near and far.

Norma would be proud!

Arranging the performance of the Florida Youth Orchestra at Frank McDonough Park on Sunday, February 26^th, as one of her first duties in her newly-elected position as commissioner in Lighthouse Point, Becky Lysengen has shown us that the residents certainly have made the right choice.

Music is no longer a part of many school programs, or at least not to the extent it was years back. This blatant disrespect and neglect goes back to the Ronald Reagan years when support for the National Endowment for the Arts were stripped of funds.

Although Scientific research, as described in the book, “The Mozart Effect” by Don Campbell, has shown that by tapping into the power of music, one can heal the body, strengthen the mind, and unlock the creative spirit, little effort is made by parents and educators to embrace this concept.

We highly commend Commissioner Lysengen for her vision and courage in this sincere effort to bring a most worthwhile cultural event to our community.

People Getting Fatter is Not a Laughing Matter

My father was a fat man and died at 63. Like many, he could not resist eating foods containing all those ingredients known to be deleterious to living a long life. All things in moderation, unfortunately,  was not his credo.

Disney recently had to pull the plug at Epcot’s new Habit Heroes attraction that addresses childhood obesity.

Shortly after opening, the interactive exhibit was blasted by critics for stigmatizing fat kids. What?

“We’re appalled to learn that Disney, a traditional hallmark of childhood happiness and joy, has fallen under the shadow of negativity and discrimination, “ was the heated response from the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance.

“How Americans Became the fattest People in the World” by Lesley Garner describes the way fast food operators such as Wendy’s, Burger King and McDonald’s have been stuffing Americans with fat and sugar with wild abandon for the past 20 years.

Obesity is wreaking havoc in America. Obesity is draining Medicare of its funds. Diabetes is running in epidemic proportions among young adults, and young children.

If “fat acceptance” becomes the choice of many more Americans, our earth may soon spin out of its orbit!