[whohit]South Florida’s flourishing arts scene[/whohit]
South Florida’s flourishing arts scene, and its growing potential as a meeting place for singles, is now drawing more than just snowbirds in the winter. The numerous theaters, concert venues, exhibits, festivals and fairs of all sorts are attracting visitors of every age.
Among the singles groups in South Florida there is the Mosaic Outdoor Club (Outdoor adventures and activities every Sunday), A Singles Affair by Carol (Single parties and cruises), Faces Jewish Singles, The Single Gourmet, and others.
The Palm Beach Dreamworks Theatre brings Harold Pinter’s Old Times, until March 3. Dividing the Estate, by Horton Foote, runs March 28 to April 27.
The Broward Stage Door Theatre presents Tom Dugan’s immensely successful and entertaining one man show, Wiesenthal, until March 16, and The God of Isaac, March 14 to April 20. Crimes of the Heart will be at the fine Miami Beach Stage Door (at the Byron Carlyle Theatre), from March 7 to 30. They recently had a wonderful production of Alfred Uhry’s The Last Night of Ballyhoo.
There is an abundance of music from pop to classical to opera, to be enjoyed in south Florida. The BB&T Center, Sunrise, brings Justin Timberlake on March 4. The Palm Beach Opera has scheduled Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffman, March 21– 23.
The Jerusalem Tenors is a program at the Community Performing Arts Center, Boca Raton, March 12–14. Jeffrey Biegel, with The South Florida Symphony Orchestra, presents A Summons To Life, at the Crest Theatre, Delray Beach, March 31.The Delray String Quartet, at the Colony Hotel, presents Three Centuries of String Quartets – Haydn, Fuchs, and Tchaikovsky, on March 9.
Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, presents Aaron Kula’s 25-Piece Klezmer Company Orchestra (March 2), Songs From Jewish Opera (March 6), and Israeli Jazz Night (March 8).
Among the musical programs at the Kravis Center, are Here to Stay: The Definitive Gershwin Experience, March 14; Neil Berg’s 104 Years of Broadway, March 16; and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, with Pinhas Zuckerman, March 24.
For exhibits, the Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, is running The Polaroid Years: Instant Photography, until March 23; David Webb: Society’s Jeweler, until April 13, and To Jane, Love Andy: Warhol’s First Superstar, until May. The exhibit Bob Adelman: Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement, is running at the Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale, until May.
The Jewish Museum of Florida, Miami Beach, is running Growers, Grocers, and Gefilte Fish: A Gastronomic Look at Florida Jews and Food, until October, 2014. The exhibit covers over 400 photos and other objects, and over 250 Jewish families and companies. It has inspired a variety of public programs, cooking demonstrations, a walking food tour, film, and other interactive activities.
An abundance of accommodation is available in south Florida, along with such legendary establishments as the oceanfront Breakers Palm Beach. A Five-Star, Italian-inspired historic resort, the Breakers is one of the most famous hotels in the world. Originally built in 1896 by Henry Flagler, the hotel is magnificent and inspiring, indoors, and out, because of its architecture and décor. Yet it is so very much up to date, that it offers all the luxurious amenities found in the world’s newest top hotels.
To the south, along the coast, in Fort Lauderdale’s Harbor Beach area, the oceanfront Lago Mar Resort & Club is a lovely retreat in a secluded location with an understated, sophisticated, and relaxing ambience.
For other happenings in Miami, from April 1–30, the annual poetry festival at sites around Miami, features a poetry parade, film screenings, and readings. A Kultur Festival: Celebration of Jewish Culture, takes place March 1–8, at Florida Atlantic University.
February 1–22 brings the 14th Annual Jewish Film Festival to the David Posnack Jewish Community Center, in the Fort Lauderdale area. The above JCC has scheduled its 2nd Annual Jewish Music Festival to start March 1 and run to April 6. Among the music programs will be an evening with the Miami City Ballet Orchestra, a cantorial event, and a Mocha and Music Coffeehouse.
The Blue Star Taverna in Hollywood is a popular Israeli venue, featuring Israeli songs, every Thursday evening, with Ouri Gan and DJ Eli.
For kosher dining there are numerous facilities, all along the coast, from Miami Beach way up to Boca Raton, ranging from restaurants, fast food places and kosher supermarkets. The take-out places are great for picnics on the beach.
Among the various kosher dining venues there is Café Emunah, in north Fort Lauderdale. A kabbalistic café and teabar serves lunch and dinner, and is open after sunset on Saturdays until midnight. This dairy restaurant serves fish, and a large selection of sushi rolls, and pizzas. Their large choice of organic teas is listed in the menu as ‘Soul Stirrings.’
The above is just a very small sample of the many attractions which await singles, snowbirds, and others who visit South Florida this winter.
