VIP chef and winery selected for DB Wine & Food Fest

By Rachel Galvin

PJ Rex, of Deerfield Ranch Winery, and Chef Angelo, from Angelo’s Station House Grille, try to balance culinary delights and the fruit of the vine.l Galvin

On April 2, Chef Angelo Morelli of Angelo’s Station House Grille and PJ Rex of Deerfield Ranch Winery from Sonoma, CA had a special private Q&A about their upcoming partnership at the Deerfield Wine & Food Festival. Also in attendance was Alejandro Ferrari, CEO of Strategic Importers Inc, which sells wines from Deerfield Ranch Wineries. Chef Angelo will be serving a four-course dinner paired with the wines that Rex has hand-picked to pair with each course. The festival will be held April 26-28 at the Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach.

The event not only includes this special VIP dinner on Friday night, in addition to a Vineyard party, but also a Grand Tasting on Saturday with top local chefs, live entertainment, a farmer’s market, a retail bazaar and more. In addition, on Sunday is the MARTINI Jazz Bubbles & Brunch and Cruisin Classic Car Show.

Chef Angelo says winemakers have a tough time sometimes pairing with Italian food because they have to find a wine that can overpower the spiciness of the food. Even ubiquitous spices like oregano, rosemary, thyme and basil can be spicier than usual if not mixed in the right way to a dish.

Similarly, so much goes into the perfect wine. Rex’s husband, Robert, is called “the wine doctor” for his distinguishing palette and ability to coax the best flavors from their wines.

“You can’t make really good wine unless you have the best ingredients,” said Rex.

She picked a chardonnay to go with the bruschetta.

She said, “It is a nice pairing with acid from bruscetta, It is not over-oaked or over-buttered. It makes the bruscetta shine and makes the wine taste better.”

She paired the first course, the Mediterranean Calamari and Octopus Salad in a mint & herb vinaigrette served with sliced fresh tomato, arugula, and goat cheese, with pinot and the second course, fiocchi in a mascarpone, butter and sage sauce Pasta stuffed with four cheeses and a sweet pear, in a butter mascarpone and fresh sage sauce, with a merlot.

“When I see tomato sauce, I pull out the merlot,” she said.

For the third course, the Chicken Romano Involtino-with prosciutto, mozzarella, roasted peppers and spices in a butter sauce with peas and mushrooms, she picked a Cabarnet.

“It is very elegant and multi-layered,” she said.

For dessert, the tiramisu with strawberries, chocolate designs and cocoa powder, she selected Moscato.

“The tiramisu is not as sweet as you would expect. Moscato peps it up a step.”

Rex also came to South Florida to participate in the activities associated with the American Fine Wine Competition, including a cocktail party and gala held at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. http://www.americanfinewinecompetition.org.

For more information on the Deerfield Beach Wine & Food Festival, visit www.deerfieldbeachwineandfoodfestival.com.

Rock The Ocean’s inaugural TORTUGA MUSIC FESTIVAL, presented by Landshark Lager will be on the beach in Ft. Lauderdale April 13-14. Twenty plus pop, rock and country artists who will perform on three stages. Headliner on Saturday is Kenny Chesney. On Sunday, Eric Church will be highlighted. Other scheduled artists include: Brett Eldredge  Chris Leudecke,  The Avett Brothers, Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite, Jake Owen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gary Clark Jr., Eli Young Band, Grace Potter, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Kip Moore, Gloriana, G. Love & Special Sauce, Donavon Frankenreiter, Mac McAnally, The Wailers, Sister Hazel, Dangermuffin, Rayland Baxter and The Bright light Social Hour and more.

The concert is meant to help bring awareness about ocean conservation. In partnership with Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation and Ocean Conservancy, a one-of-a-kind Conservation Village will be located on site to educate audience members and provide them with the information and tools they need to help preserve the world’s oceans.

Tickets are $99 for one day, $149 for two. Go to the website to find the rest of the possibilities. Plenty of parking will be available. There will be a fleet of shuttles, riverboats and water taxis standing by to take guests to their beachfront festival destination. Shuttle passes to the festival site are available for $15 roundtrip for two days or $10 for a single-day roundtrip pass. Shuttle passes are available in advance online and are also available day of, walk up, cash only. The shuttle stop address will be 300 S.W. 1st Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.

To find out  more about the schedule line-up and to buy tickets, visit www.tortugamusicfestival.com.

BOIL ORDER has been lifted for Lighthouse Point.

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

It has been 10 years since the Boca Raton Resort & Club hosted the 8th Annual (PBIFF).

It was a historical night for the motion picture industry, which featured silent screen legend Fay Wray, recent Oscar winner Adrien Brody, Supermodel Carol Alt, venerable actor/producer Robert Evans, Director Brett Ratner and the King of Pop Michael Jackson-all in the same room. Each year, PBIFF adds to this legacy.

This Thursday, PBIFF 18 begins its future history. Decoding Annie Parker is the opening film this festival. Based on the true story of breast cancer survivor Annie Parker, this film stars Helen Hunt, Marley Shelton and Samantha Morton in the title role. The “real” Annie Parker is scheduled to attend opening night festivities.

Comedy Warriors: Healing through Humor is a documentary that makes its debut tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Frank Theaters CineBowl and Grille at Delray Marketplace, 9025 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach (at the corner of Lyons Road and W. Atlantic Ave.

Comedy Warriors features five severely injured military veterans who undergo therapy of the soul and mind. Under the tutelage of comedians Lewis Black, Zach Galifianakis, B.J. Novak and Bob Saget, the comedy warriors perform in Los Angeles comedy clubs. Can these handicapped individuals succeed? Given that these are veterans with a sense of humor, nothing is impossible.

The most hyped documentary of PBIFF 18 has been Meditation, Creativity and Peace. Director David Lynch conducts a 16-country tour to college students to talk about his favorite subjects-films, meditation and world peace. It is produced by Palm Beach local Joanna Plafsky, who also has another film in the festival, My Reincarnation.

The best thing about a local festival is the international opportunity it provides. Lost for Words is an indie that features Will Yun Lee from Hawaii Five-0/The Wolverine fame.

The Shift presents a generational divide between two healthcare workers. Danny Glover has a role in this film.

These are just a few of the gems! For more information, visit www.pbifilmfest.org.

Happy festival!

By Gary Curreri

Every Sunday afternoon, Deerfield Beach’s Andy Pollack and other coaches and fathers involved with the Parkland RedHawks youth lacrosse program get together and run around like they were young again.

Pollack, 46, who owns and manages a real estate firm,started playing the sport in junior high in Long Island. He said the men enjoy playing in the pickup games.

“We just like getting together and playing and having a good time,” said Pollack, who also played for the Buzzards men’s lacrosse team is based out of Parkland. Earlier this year, the Buzzards joined 35 other teams who played in the 12th annual Men’s Florida Lacrosse Classic at Tequesta Trace Park in Weston, which helped raise money for youth lacrosse players around the state.

“We like playing in it,” Pollack said. “It’s not the big picture. We could care less if we win or lose the tournament. We are competitive and like to win, but we want to have a good time and no one gets hurt.”

All of the money raised from the tournament goes to the Florida Youth Lacrosse Foundation. The tournament serves as a major fundraising initiative for supporting youth lacrosse programs throughout Florida. It is the largest non-profit post collegiate lacrosse tournament in the country.

Pollack was one of the founders of the RedHawks, which has grown to more than 400 players.

“Anytime a kid has a stick in his hand rather than a joystick, it’s a good thing,” Pollack said. “You get them off that computer.”

Pollack, like most of his teammates, enjoyed the camaraderie playing against teams from around the country in the tournament instead of locking sticks with each other.

“For me it is a mini vacation,” Pollack said. “I own my own business, so when I get on the field, you put everything on the sidelines, all of the stress in life, and you are just thinking about picking up the ball and making that pass. You are not distracted by everyday life, so, for me, that’s what attracts me to the sport.”

By Emily Rosen

ERosen424@aol.com

www.emilyrosen424.com

April seems to be the most competitive month of the year —racing as it does around the seasons only to reappear with increased frequency, thus presenting me with yet another birthday. Again? So soon?

With that in mind, I’ve had another year of learning what many people of fewer birthdays are yet to figure out, which makes me Lucky Emily. I am happy to share this good stuff with you people of fewer birthdays, although, trust me, it sticks better when you figure it out for yourself. But here are some basics that may save you some time.

PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES (relatives, friends, colleagues, customers. authority figures) There are no perfect people, although rumor has it that Jesus was such, and I am willing to bow to that one exception. Regarding the people most important in our lives it’s kind of fun to 1) calculate their areas of “good” and “bad” and then to 2) determine the balance and then to 3) decide if the balance is favorable to maintaining the relationship (and if it is not, figure out how to chuck it), and then 4) train ourselves to be accepting of the “bad” while still exuding good cheer and inner peace—“good cheer” and “inner peace” being the operative words here. And BTW—if you’re thinking you can “change” the bad part, you need lots more b i r t h d a y s .

PEOPLE ON OUTER PERIMETER OF OUR LIVES: Was there ever a time in all of the history of recorded mankind when some people somewhere were NOT trying to kill each other? Never, never, never. Somewhere in human DNA there is a gene for the kind of competitive megalomania that results in a need for control and ultimate power, often leading to violence. Short of identifying that gene routinely at birth and subsequently enucleated it in much the same way we inoculate babies against diseases, it’s been a raging fact of life forever that has yet to be subdued. So, after many years, it is possible to accept that we are saddled forever with an imperfect world. And we note with resignation the ying and yang, of rain and shine, of war and compassion, of good and evil, of plenty and famine, of wealth and poverty. And we pick a tiny segment of our own tiny world to work toward making some part of it better. It took many birthdays to recognize and accept that I cannot save the world, that I cannot fix everything.

What I have learned most is gratitude and good cheer, to keep my pains and aches to myself and to ignore them in deference to all the distractions I can muster…distractions that include in equal weight… concentration on the needs of others and concentration on my own needs.

So Happy April to me and, before I know it, I’ll have another litany of stuff I’ve learned for 2014.

DEERFIELD BEACH

March 30 A vacant home at 3390 SW 4 St. was broken into and power tools were stolen. Loss was estimated at $300.

March 30 A man was arrested and charged with grand theft at 1577 SW 1 Way. The man stole chemicals from O’Hanrahan Consultants and sold them under the table. Loss was estimated at $826. He admitted to the theft.

March 30 A man was arrested and charged with felony narcotics at 149 SE 4 St. The man was riding a bicycle and was observed throwing a substance to the ground. A field test revealed it was cocaine.

March 31 A man reported his home at 1481 SW 5 Ave. broken into and clothing stolen.

March 31 A man reported his vehicle stolen from a driveway at 269 SE 8 Ave. The thief used a spare key that was stolen from a residential burglary that had taken place earlier. Vehicle was recovered in Pompano Beach. It was occupied and the subject fled the vehicle.

March 31 A man reported that his truck was stolen from his driveway at 1167 SE 9 Ave. Suspect took property from the car, placed it in a cooler and a garbage bag and threw it into the victim’s yard. A gun was found inside the cooler.

DEERFIELD – District 4

March 21 Three residential burglaries were reported in Crystal Heights on this date. • In the first, (2679 SW 10 Dr.) at 11:47 a.m., victim reported that while he was at work between 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., unknown suspect(s) smashed the rear slider and entered his home. Inside, they took a pillowcase and gathered assorted jewelry valued at approximately $10,000. Scene was processed. • The second, (1273 SW 27 Ave.) at 2:42 p.m., complainant reported that between 8:40 and 11 a.m. unknown person(s) broke into his residence. Point of entry (POE) was a rear glass door that was smashed. Taken from the residence was approximately $13,000 in valuables. This included I-phones, iPads, jewelry and a MacBook computer. Scene was processed and the area was canvassed. • The third (1368 SW 27 Ave.) was reported at 4:27 p.m. Complainant stated that between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. unknown person(s) broke into her residence. POE was a rear glass sliding door that was smashed. Residence was ransacked but nothing was reportedly taken. Scene was processed for latent fingerprints and the area was canvassed.

LIGHTHOUSE POINT

March 22 A GPS unit was stolen from a boat at 4821 NE 29 Ave.

March 22 Two store clerks were arrested in charged with petty theft at T.J. Maxx at 3722 N. Federal Hwy. They were observed stealing clothing, money and two store cards.

March 27 A man was issued a trespass warning after being observed stealing food from 7-Eleven at 5200 N. Federal Hwy.

Trash bins

Dear Editor:

I am so thoroughly disgusted by the non-containment of garbage from the shoe store on 32nd and Hillsboro. There are bins with gates but these are never closed and trash overflows. I live in Deer Run and pass these bins every day. Code Enforcement should be on top of this and the owners be fined.

Disgusted in Deer Run

Lorraine Barsher

Deerfield Beach

A positive – not a negative

Dear Editor:

I came in the house and five minutes later, heard a gush of I didn’t know what. I went toward the sound and found water pouring from under the toilet in the guest bath upstairs. It had almost reached the hall carpeting.

I turned off the water and threw down several large towels to soak up the water. I called my plumber, Gator Plumbing, which used to be based in Deerfield. They have serviced my home for 25 years. They were here in 10 minutes, made the necessary repairs, and checked the other guest bath downstairs to ensure this situation would not occur there. They were gone in less than an hour.

Service like this, with the spirit in which they worked, is to be commended as often as possible.

For those who don’t have someone to call in an emergency, I urge you to become familiar with a plumber, electrician, etc., so that when you need them immediately, they will be as responsive as Gator Plumbing is.

J.M. Harte

Deerfield Beach

Attn: VPK (Voluntary Prekindergarten) Parents

Dear Editor:

Did you know that your children can have fun and learn at the same time? By way of taking a virtual field trip, they can go places that they may not have the chance to go otherwise via streaming media.

Just log onto www.kidvision.org and begin watching, for FREE, in the convenience of your own home with your children, these places of interest.

To name a few: Marlins Stadium,Flamingo Gardens, Butterfly World, Jungle Island, the zoo and library, an airport and a host of others.

Whether after school,or during spring and summer breaks, this is a great way to help your child to learn and have fun doing so.

Happy Viewing,

A concerned Parent and VPK Teacher

Patricia Johnson

Margate

Aviation Open House

Saturday, April 6, noon

American Flyers Pompano Beach Airpark 801 NE 10 St., Pompano Beach, FL, 33060

FREE event for guests, friends and family. 954-785-1450 or www.americanflyers.net/about/aviation_seminars.asp.

Surfers for Autism

Saturday, April 6, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

South of Deerfield Beach Pier (Hillsboro/A1A) Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Vendor tents will be set up all weekend too. For more information on this annual event, visit www.surfersforautism.org.

Stick Your Fork In It for a Cure For Cancer Spaghetti dinner

Saturday, April 6, 6 p.m.

910 E. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Hosted by GFWC Woman’s Club of Deerfield Beach and Key Club. Proceeds benefits Relay for Life. $10. 954-421-4700.

Green Market – Boca Raton

Saturday, April 6, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Royal Palm Place S. Federal Highway & SE Mizner Boulevard, Boca Raton, FL 33432

Farm-to-table, fresh-picked produce from local growers and more. Saxophonist Randy Corinthian performs. For information, call 561-299-8684.

Green Market – Deerfield Beach

Sunday, April 7, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Cove Shopping Center E. Hillsboro Blvd. between US1 & A1A., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Locally-grown produce, along with lots of bakery items, plants & flowers, fresh eggs, cheeses, doggie treats and more. Keyboardist/ singer DyMIN performs reggae, rock, jazz and the Miami sound. Look for the coupon on pg. 9 in the Observer for a $2 savings at any market vendor. For information, call 561-299-8684.

Multi-Media Presentation “Shroud of Turin”

Sunday, April 7, 4 p.m.

St. Gabriel’s Church 731 N. Ocean Blvd. Pompano Beach, FL 33062

Presented by Russ Breault. Tickets $12 in advance/$15 at door. Proceeds fund programs for the poor in developing countries. Light refreshments served. Info/tickets: 954-657-9000, x137 or Dross@crosscatholic.org.

Deerfield Beach Democratic Club meets

Monday, April 8, noon

Century Village, Le Club 3501 W. Dr.Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Speaker: Sheriff Scott Israel. Lunch served to paid up members. All Welcome.

Pompano Beach Garden Club Meets

Monday, April 8, 12:30 p.m.

Emma Lou Olson Civic Center 1801 NE 6th St., Pompano Beach, FL 33060

Speaker: Dr. Kimberly Moore on “Water Preservation and Pollution.” Refreshments served. Open to the public. 954- 943-0029.

Salvation Army Bin Dedication Ceremony

Monday, April 8, 2 p.m.

Woman’s Club of Deerfield Beach Clubhouse 910 E. Hillsboro Blvd. , Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

First site in Deerfield Beach to have a clothing recycling donation box. Deerfield Beach is the first city in Broward County to have an ordinance allowing charity donation bins. Bring your no-longer-needed clothing to the ceremony, be one of the first to donate.

Deerfield Beach Orchid Society meets

Tuesday, April 9, 7:30 p.m.

Women’s Club of Deerfield Beach 910 E. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Please be on-time! Speaker: Tom Kuligowski, speaking on Angreacums. For more information, email deerfieldbeachorchidsociety@gmail.com or visit www.deerfieldbeachorchidsociety.org.

Trip to Coconut Creek Casino

Tuesday, April 9, 10 a.m. (bus departure)

St. Ambrose Parking Lot 380 S. Federal Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Presented by St.Ambrose Mens’ Club. Cost $21(includestransport/ bus tip/ $10 free play/$5 food voucher. Everyone invited/ reservations required. Call Jerry: 954-856-6062.

Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group

Wednesday, April 10, 10 a.m. to noon

NE Focal Point 301 NW 2 Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

For information, call 954-480-4460.

Zonta Club of Boca Raton meets

Wednesday, April 10, 6 p.m.

The Holiday Inn 2809 S. Ocean Blvd., Highland Beach, FL 33487

For information, call 561-482-1013.

I was reading a story during Pesach about a Seder plate and a man who had to go through the horrors of Holocaust. This man knew that he was about to be taken to the camps. He knew that Hitler wanted to destroy any remnants of Judaism. So he took that Seder plate and buried it.

If he somehow survived, his plan was to come back and get that holy item. And, somehow, this man miraculously survived the horrors of the camps. He went and dug up that Seder plate and used it for many years to come each and every Passover.

But when he died, his children took that Seder plate to a shop to get rid of it, as Pesach and Judaism were of little import to them.

How often I go to meet a family after a death has occurred. I go to counsel and console … and, I go to get information for the eulogy. Of course, tears are not unusual at such times. In fact, the tears often fall like rain as the family tells me how much they loved their father or their mother, or whoever it is that has passed.

And yet, in the midst of telling me how important their loved one was to them, all too often, I am sadly asked another question before the funeral takes place. The surviving family members will hand me their father’s prayer shawl, or his tefillin, or his yarmulke. They will hand me their mother’s candle holders or the covering she used for her head or for the challah. They will hand me Holy Books of Torah, perhaps even a Bible with several generations of the past Hebrew names written inside. And they will ask, “Rabbi, can you get rid of this for me?”

But, my dear friends, these are not items to get rid of. These are precious holy family heirlooms that should be passed down Dor L’Dor, from generation to generation and they should not just be passed down, they should be used, and each time they are used, I hope and pray that you feel your dearly departed loved ones looking down upon you shepping nachus, filled with pride, that you will continue to use these heirlooms that meant so much to them.

May these and other holy family heirlooms hold great meaning in your lives as well. May you be filled with beautiful memories each time you use them, and may you pass them down to your children and your children’s children who, G-d willing, will not only keep them as heirlooms, but will continue to use them and find deep meaning in them.

I’m not telling you to become a hoarder of everything from the past, but I am telling you to choose wisely. Some things you can surely get rid of, but some things are meant to be held, to be used, and to be cherished.

Shalom, my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and of the Association of Professional Chaplains, He works professionally in this capacity with a number of healthcare facilities in the area, and with hospice. He is the Spiritual Leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach.