Exploring the Sunshine State Decades ago, when I was a little girl, my parents took me on the train to Miami. We stayed at a glamorous deco hotel on Collins Avenue. Years later my college friends descended on Fort Lauderdale for a week of wild partying, known as Spring Break. And then I learned about Palm Beach, where the movers and shakers drove their fancy cars and vacationed in their even fancier homes. So much for my knowledge of Florida. Then I grew up and so did the Sunshine State. New places sprung up and I was anxious to explore them. This was no longer a wasteland amid the palms. Theater, museums and fine dining were the trend and the weather was better than ever. We decided on a seasonal rental in one of the lovely communities with an exotic name in Delray. It’s just minutes from a vibrant downtown community tucked between the blue-green Atlantic and the Intercostal Waterway. You can rent a bike, play golf or tennis at any one of the public courses, take a cruise, ride the historic trolley, visit the breathtaking Japanese Gardens and the Morikama Museum. The museum recently opened a new exhibit: “Deco Japan: Shaping Art and Culture, 1920–1945”—on view February 24–May 21. It is the first exhibition held outside of Tokyo dedicated to Japanese Art Deco. There is also an excellent theater, concerts and music festivals as well. Dedicated in 1993 as the performing arts center of Old School Square, The Crest Theatre is housed in the restored 1925 Delray High School building in Delray Beach. The programs are exceptional, especially “The Sounds of Soul” which can’t be beat and is currently playing. The venue hosts quite a variety of entertainment, including Broadway shows, cabaret performances and concerts. Some of the highlights in the coming months include, Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park,” “An Evening with Lorna Luft” and “The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber.” If gallery hopping is your thing, make tracks to the galleries along Atlantic Avenue. Enjoy the first Friday art walk and don’t miss “Artists in the Park” in Veterans Park. In addition, Atlantic Avenue is where you will find a plethora of casual, funky and fun restaurants, many with music resounding into the crowded street. But if you want the ultimate dining experience make reservations at Latitudes in the Delray Sands Resort, where you will have a memorable meal in the most exquisite setting. It’s a spectacular place with a great ocean view and a dazzling menu. The crab cakes are fabulous, the fish is delectable and both the hot and cold entrees are excellent. Service is tops and the prices surprisingly reasonable. Delray is where you can always find something wonderful to do. Since l910, when the population was 904, to the present day when the census count is more than 60,000, there have been exciting venues. And you don’t even have to look that far to find all the ingredients necessary for a glorious vacation. Morikama Museum and Japanese Gardens Crest Theatre March 2017 ¢ NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER 41
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