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September, 2014 – Around Wellington Happenings

A Letter from the Editor

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September 1, 2014

September, 2014 – Around Wellington Happenings

Welcome to our September issue of AroundWellington.com! If you’re looking for timely local articles and local events around Wellington, you’ve come to the right site!

Congratulations to our contest winner Paula Thompson, who just won a dot party at Bootz Culture Camp for up to 8 people…way to go! This month we will have contests for a $50 gift certificate to Tipsy Nail Salon and then later – a $50 gift certificate to Whole Foods Market. Just visit our Contest page for details.

SwingingChair — Hanging out in the Self-Centered garden at Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa.

In “Mommy Moments,” I indulge a bit. Well, a lot. If you’re an overworked Mom and need a little pampering (while your kids have a ball), check out my visit to Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa.

This month we caught up with young rocker Alex Shaw, or as he’s known on Facebook “Alex Rocks!!” (with two exclamation points). Alex is truly talented and he has been sponsored by Samick Music Company since he was nine. Now he’s thirteen and traveling far in the world of music. See “AW Stories of the Month.”

We have a special guest writer this month, Blanca Greenstein and Nadia Hoosien, both from Greenstein & Associates, a local law firm. They are the right people to ask, when it comes to settling an agreement. Read their article under “AW Stories of the Month.”

Looking for events Around Wellington? Check out our “News & Events” page, which is updated daily. Don’t forget (and never forget) to honor those who we lost on 9/11. The community is invited to join Wellington’s Council at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 11^th, 2014 to honor the victims of 9/11 at a remembrance ceremony at the Patriot Memorial located next to Village Hall. https://p1x.8ac.myftpupload.com/?p=27888

Speaking of September 11, there’s only article that we have ever repeated on AroundWellington.com. It’s Wendell Abern’s annual “Letter to All the Grandchildren in the World” regarding the events that took place on 9/11. Don’t miss it.

This month our travel writer, the lovely Ms. Travel with Terri, takes us to The Hague in the Netherlands. A beautiful place to visit, check it out – “Experiencing Art in the Hague.”

In “Cultural Corner,” Lori Hope Baumel explores the important role of music in our lives. See her article “Music: The Serotonin and Endorphin Booster.”

I had the pleasure of interviewing Bobbie from Kidding Around Yoga with Bobbie this month for our “AW Spotlight” story. She is following her dream – of teaching yoga to kids and making a difference in their lives. Read all about it under “AW Spotlight” or just by visiting our home page.

Don’t forget to visit our other pages too – for articles on a variety of different subjects. AroundWellington.com

Have a wonderful month!

Sincerely,

Krista Martinelli

Editor

AroundWellington.com

September, 2014 – To all the grandchildren in the world

Cantankerously Yours

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(EDITOR’S NOTE: This column first appeared shortly after the 9/11 tragedy in 2001. It has run every year since, with the author’s updates.)

To all the grandchildren in the world

By Wendell Abern

Dear Grandchildren Everywhere,

Today, I am writing to apologize to all of you.

Usually, I try to write humor. But thirteen years ago, terrorists killed thousands of Americans by flying airplanes into buildings. And this month, memorials and other reminders of that horrendous day make it impossible to write anything funny.

Instead, today, I want to apologize to everyone in your generation from everyone in mine.

My generation inherited two world wars that killed millions of people. We should have learned something from those terrible wars. We should have made the world a better place for you.

We didn’t. And we didn’t.

More than 150 years ago, a man by the name of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel said, “What we learn from history … is that we never learn from history.” True when Mr. Hegel said it. Just as true today. How pathetic.

My generation, like all of those that preceded it, hasn’t learned anything.

We never learned the one thing that every human being on earth has in common: none of us asked to be here. We had no say in the matter at all. But once given the gift of life, no one should have the right to take it away. Yet human beings kill other human beings every day. Every hour. Every place on earth.

Sometimes, we kill each other by the millions, usually in the name of some -ism, or –ology, or –ocracy. We have a name for these mass killings. It’s called “war.”

One reason we keep warring is because of another lesson no generation has ever learned about its leaders: how to tell The Good Guys from The Bad Guys.

That is just as dumb as it sounds. But it keeps happening. Every century. And it happens because we never understand how badly we want to believe in our leaders: our presidents, our prime ministers, our priests, our rabbis — any of our leaders. We want them to be smart, to be fair, to be honest, and always to be right. We forget that our leaders are simply human beings, capable of making mistakes and being wrong. But because we want so badly to believe in what they tell us, we seemingly do anything they ask.

Whenever we are told that our -ism is the true and righteous one, we believe it gives us license to kill those who believe otherwise. Frequently, our leaders use the hatred of others to galvanize us in a common cause, resulting in war.

Millions of Americans protested our country’s involvement in Viet Nam because we didn’t understand who hated us. Conversely, if President Carter had declared war after Iranian zealots kidnapped 52 Americans, we would have responded with fervent jingoism.

One thing the human race has learned — but sadly, ignored — is that history is written by the winners. So how can we ever be sure the Good Guys won and the Bad Guys lost?

Many centuries ago, a man named Alexander led an army that conquered other countries. Some history books still refer to him as Alexander The Great. No history book tells us what he was called by the thousands of widows and orphans his marauding armies left in their wake.

If Germany had won World War II, the madman Adolph Hitler – arguably the most evil human being who ever lived – would be portrayed in today’s history books as a dynamic, righteous leader.

My personal belief is that there is nothing as sacred as a human life. Any human life. Yet, at some point in the history of our civilization, our leaders determined that our beliefs are more important than our lives. That has never changed.

Some 10,000 years ago, the human race discovered agriculture, creating a a gigantic sea change in our evolution. We no longer had to hunt for food. We could grow our own. We settled down. We grew into little communities. We created villages. And towns. And cities.

And boundaries.

We have been at war ever since.

About seven thousand years ago, there were almost 27 million of us listening to a few leaders, telling us to go kill each other in the name of some -isms.

About five hundred years ago, there were now 450 million of us, still listening to a few leaders, still telling us to go kill each other in the name of some new

-isms.

Today, there are almost seven billion of us, still listening to a few leaders, still telling us to go kill each other, still in the name of some –isms.

When does it stop? When do we stop killing each other?

Today, more than 60 years after the unspeakable atrocity known as The Holocaust … after a weary world swore, “Never again” … after a United Nations was created to bring peace to the whole planet … genocides continue to flourish.

Ethnic cleansing occurs every decade or so. As I write this, the slaughter of innocent people continues in Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia, all in the name of some –isms.

Leaders of these slaughters, of course, invoke hatred as a motivator. And why not? It always works.

Some have tried to unite people by other means.

For a while, Mahatma Gandhi brought people together with love instead of hatred. So did Martin Luther King. So have a precious few others.

Unfortunately, too many leaders have discovered that hatred works better.

And finally, here is a lesson we all should have learned in kindergarten: there is only one planet that supports life. This is where we all have to live. We should be taking care of this planet. And I must admit, your generation is doing a much better job of it than mine did. Or any generation, for that matter.

I hope you can start to turn other things around also.

Most of all, I hope you can start … to stop … the killing.

It will take many, many future generations to overcome cycles of hatreds generating hatreds; of broken alliances, shattered truces and unconscionable genocides.

The end of these mass murders has to start sometime. I hope it starts with you.

I hope you can make the world a tiny bit better. And a little bit cleaner. And much safer.

I hope when you are my age, you never have to write a letter of apology to all the grandchildren in the world.

Sincerely,

Wendell Abern

Wendell Abern can be reached at dendyabern@gmail.com.

September, 2014 – Music…The Serotonin and Endorphin Booster

Cultural Corner

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Cultural Corner

Music: The Serotonin and Endorphin Booster

By

Lori Hope Baumel

Photo: shirtwoot.com

Serotonin:

A type of that is found mainly in the and the gastrointestinal tract. Serotonin helps regulate mood, sleep, appetite, learning and memory. Other possible ways to increase the levels of serotonin in the body include mood induction, light, exercise and diet.

Endorphins:

In layman’s terms, endorphins are neurotransmitters that block pain, but they are also responsible for our feelings of pleasure. These feelings of pleasure exist to let us know when we have had enough of a good thing – and also to encourage us to go after that good thing in order to feel the associated pleasure

Adapted from: science.howstuffworks.com

Creativity, music, and wellbeing are inextricably linked. Music has always proven to be therapeutic throughout history. “Being touched” by music and those who create it is not merely a metaphor. Music is everywhere. Due to the amazing digital age we live in, we can listen to our own musical choices any time we please.

Creating or performing music is engaging. It produces positive neurological effects on the brain in specific ways, especially affecting the human motor system. It can be physical and assist with coordination – like a drummer’s limbs all working simultaneously.

Yet, music can also be ambiguous and we are free to interpret it in an infinite amount of ways.It causes a wide range of modifications in the human body, including changes in heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, skin temperature, muscle tension and much more. Music can distract us from pain or worry. It increases the levels of chemicals in the brain that promote creativity and reduce stress (i.e. serotonin).

Creating music can encourage collaboration and social skills. It influences our behavior, what we read, where we socialize and whom we choose to “hang out” with – particularly teenagers. Studies have proven that children who study a musical instrument weekly (especially piano) for at least 2 years develop slightly higher IQ’s than those who do not have the privilege. Music lessons and cognitive development are not limited to children. In one experiment conducted on senior citizens age 60 to 85, music study improved their memory skills.

Steve Jobs regularly held “walking” meetings. Mark Zuckerberg does too. The serotonin released from walking makes a person more creative and productive. It also improves the quality of sleep and creates a positive cycle throughout an average 24-hour day. Whether you go out for a stroll, take a brisk walk or jog at the gym, music coupled with cardiovascular exercise is an enormous serotonin booster.

Young Singers of the Palm Beaches. Photo: E. Baumel.Young Singers of the Palm Beaches

Apparently, participating in a community choir is also a healthy musical activity. The support system and commitment to your group are benefits specific to singing in a chorus. It gets you out of the house and gives you a feeling of belonging, of being needed and combats the loneliness that often comes with being human in this day and age. Whether you are in the chorus or in the shower, singing can have similar effects as exercise. The release of endorphins gives the singer an overall upbeat feeling. Bottom line – singing reduces stress and promotes a good mood. Some even consider it a mild aerobic activity, as it involves deep breathing, another anxiety reducer. Deep breathing is an integral aspect of meditation and other relaxation techniques.

Grandpa Sam in his drugstore – Circa 1930’s

My grandfather, Samuel Davis, was an amateur poet and a pharmacist by profession. He filled prescriptions that, in most circumstances, made people feel better. As a trained musician, I have a “prescription” for you. Ask yourself the following questions:

How do I feel right now?

How do I want to feel in five minutes or one hour from now?

What type of music will help me achieve this goal?

What type of music will “lift me up” this very moment?

Then, you know how it’s done:

– Grab your headphones or turn on the stereo and pop in a CD.

– Or find a style that suits you on Pandora, iTunes Radio or your favorite radio station.

Within minutes you’ll be boosting your serotonin, exciting your endorphins and seizing the day!

Singing and dancing is optional, but likely.

Live… Go… Do!

For more information on the subject see:

This month, instead of my usual Top 5, I have a simple request:

Do your homework!

There is an overwhelming amount to do and see this upcoming season.

Plan ahead. NOW is the time to buy tickets to concerts and shows for the 2014-2015 season. Get the tickets you want at the prices you can afford before they’re sold out. Here are the links to my favorite Palm Beach County Venues and sites:

1) The Kravis Center

Book of Mormon, Diana Krall, Pilobolus Dance troupe and more!

and

2) The Duncan Theater

PBSC Campus – Lake Worth

Top-notch comedy, music, dance and family fare:

3) Eissey Theater PBSC Campus

North Palm Beach County

Shakespeare, jazz, ballet, pop and college concerts… see:

4) The Lake Worth Playhouse and the Stonzek Studio Theatre

One of the oldest and most loved theaters in Florida. Check out their upcoming 62nd season. And don’t forget the valuable independent films that can be seen next door at the Stonzek.

5) The Cultural Council of Palm Beach County

A plethora of cultural events offered throughout the county.

Entertainment in many genres for all ages:

6) Don’t miss an exhibit. We have a fantastic museum season ahead of us:

Norton Museum of Art:

(Note: The Norton Museum will be closed from September 8 – 23)

Boca Museum of Art:

For more museums and venues… see:

http://visitwpb.com/museums-and-art-galleries-in-west-palm-beach/

***

Lori Hope Baumel and her husband Eric live in Wellington and have three children.

Lori Baumel Their eldest, Sam, 27, is a media producer and conceptual artist who currently resides in (extremely hipster) Brooklyn, NY. Her younger children, Evan and Rachel, wrote the Around Wellington “Teen Talk” column in previous years. Rachel, 24, lives and works in Boston, MA and Evan, 21, is a senior at American University in Washington DC. Eric has practiced radiology in Wellington since 1991. His many talents include artist, cook, photographer and, recently, medical app developer. You can learn more about Lori at or read her blog:

September, 2014 – Experiencing Art in the Hague

Travel with Terri

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Travel with Terri

Experiencing Art in The Hague

Story and Photos by Terri Marshall

Home to the International Peace Palace, The Hague is one of the Netherlands’ most extraordinary cities. With 118 embassies, it is truly a city of diplomats and the beating heart of Holland. This “Royal City by the Sea” provides visitors with the best in shopping, cuisine, historical points of interests and art. Admittedly, I have never studied art and am far from a fine art connoisseur, but the magnitude of the artwork throughout The Hague was captivating…giving me a new appreciation for the masterful artists who bring us so much beauty.

One of The Hague’s most intriguing art centers is Mauritshuis located in a 17th-century classical townhouse in the city center on the banks of the Parliament Pond. After undergoing a two year renovation, Mauritshuis reopened June 27^th with an opening ceremony attended by His Majesty King Willem-Alexander. The Mauritshuis’ 17^th century building has been painstakingly restored and renovated to upgrade the facilities. A Royal Dutch Shell Wing has been added on the adjacent site and linked to the original building via a brilliantly lit underground foyer. The addition doubles the museum’s floor space and provides space for new exhibition galleries and a permanent education space. The seamless blend of old and new architecture only enhances its beauty.

The reopening sees the return of the Mauritshuis’ world-famous collection of Dutch art, following a major tour of select masterpieces to six cities internationally. The touring collection included Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with the Pearl Earring. She’s home now and elegantly displayed alongside masterpieces representing the very best of Dutch Golden Age painting. Standing in the Mauritshuis surrounded by the works of Dutch masters, Vermeer, Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Jan Steen and Flemish painters such as Rubens, Bruegel and Memling, it is clear why the Mauritshuis is often referred to as a jewel box. www.mauritshuis.nl/en

Elsewhere in town, the works of Piet Mondriaan including his last unfinished work, Victory Boogie- Woogie, are on display in Gemeentemuseum. Designed by architect H.P. Berlage, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag is a pinnacle of modern architecture. This museum features interesting exhibitions throughout the year focusing on visual arts and crafts and fashion, but is primarily known for the work of Mondriaan. The museum’s collection includes Mondriaan’s early, realistic works and chronicles various stages of his work. Throngs of tourists pose beside Victory Boogie-Woogie and that includes President Barack Obama who posed for a photo by the famed work during a recent visit to The Hague.

The museum also owns one of the largest and most beautiful collections of Delft Blue in the world. Housed in the Style Rooms of The Hague Municipal Museum, the exhibition provides a comprehensive overview of the history of four centuries of Delft and includes everything from simple plates to elaborate tulip vases. www.gemeentemuseum.nl/en

For a true immersion in art, step into the largest painting of the Netherlands and travel back in time to the old fishing village, Scheveningen, as it was in 1881. Painted by Hendrik Willem Mesdag in 1880 with the assistance of his wife and many student painters, the Panorama Mesdag is a 360 degree optical illusion of the village. From an observation gallery in the center of the room the cylindrical perspective creates the illusion of standing on a high sand dune overlooking the sea, beaches and the village. Sand and scattered beach items in the foreground hide the base of the painting and make the illusion more convincing. Each viewing is unique as the light filters in at various angles throughout the day.

The Panorama Mesdag is the oldest 19th century panorama in the world in its original site and a unique cultural heritage. Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh once said “Mesdag Panorama is the most beautiful sensation of my life. It has just one tiny flaw and that is its flawlessness.”

www.panorama-mesdag.com

From June through September, the art spills into the streets of the historic city center, Lange Voorhout, for the annual Sculptures in The Hague – a large-scale art manifestation. Following successful country themes of China, South Africa and Russia, this year’s display, Grandeur, features contemporary sculpture from France by young, upcoming sculptors. Grandeur includes such eye-catching and whimsical sculptures as a giant cake and a sculpture of a plastic patio set large enough to seat four massive giants.

HagueStreetSculpture — Hague Street Sculpture

Extend your art focused visit in nearby Delft, the hometown of Johannes Vermeer and the setting for the story of Girl with the Pearl Earring. Vermeer was born in Delft in 1632 and lived and worked there all his life. Step into the 17th century at The Vermeer Center for a visual voyage through the life and work of this Dutch master. The center has a replica of Vermeer’s studio which illustrates his approach to his work and how he mastered the light, composition and color in his paintings.

Many of Vermeer’s paintings are about love. Sometimes the love theme is

obvious but at other times, it is obscure. On the second floor of the Vermeer Center, the exhibition “Love messages from Vermeer” exposes the secret love messages revealed in his paintings, which include romantic love, seducing love, paid love and the inaccessible love. www.vermeerdelft.nl

Once you have viewed the amazing collection of Delft Blue at Gemeentemuseum, the Royal Delft Experience is the place to go to journey through the present, past and future of the iconic blue earthenware. The Royal Delft Experience starts with an impressive story about the history of Royal Delft followed by a tour through the museum and the factory. Be inspired by a painting demonstration by one of the talented artists illustrating the techniques used to hand paint each piece of earthenware.

After a few days of art in The Hague and Delft, you may be inspired to discover your inner artist. Royal Delft gives you that opportunity with workshops where you can try your hand at painting your own piece of Delft Blue. As for me, I will continue to appreciate the talents of the artists and leave the painting to someone else! www.royaldelft.com

Where to Stay:

While visiting The Hague, spend the night in elegance at the Carlton Ambassador Hotel. This boutique hotel situated on a lane lined with old chestnut provides a quiet haven to retreat to at the end of your day. www.carlton.nl/ambassador/default-en.html

***

Terri is a freelance writer with regular columns on travel, chocolate and bar reviews. She is busy each month visiting new places to bring unique travel destinations and events to you. Yes, it is a sacrifice – but she is willing to do that for her readers! You can see more of Terri’s writing at www.examiner.com where she is the National Chocolate Examiner and at www.barzz.net. Also, check out her blog at www.trippingwithterri.com. You can contact Terri at terri.marshall60@gmail.com.

September, 2014 – Natural Disasters

Living Green

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Living Green

Natural Disasters

By Bryan Hayes

In South Florida we experience heat, sometimes sweltering, as a natural part of living here. We also experience our fair share of hurricanes. Lately, it is almost daily we collide with an afternoon shower. The east coast of the country, however, could use some of our rain as they are in the midst of drought conditions. Then, over the central part of the country, they have experienced more than their fair share of tornadoes over the past few months.

What are all of these natural disasters? Some say they are a part of global warming, climate change and the overall increasing temperature of the planet. Others are far more skeptical of climate change in general and do not believe in global warming.

Whatever your opinion, natural disasters have far reaching affects both nationally and internationally. Whenever there is a major disaster, such as a hurricane, the toll it takes can last for years. Remembering back to the multiple, major hurricanes that have hit the area, there have been times when it has looked like a war zone with so much destruction. Many are left without electricity, water, sewer, and even to find their homes inhabitable. This creates a strain on resources.

The immediate cost is overwhelming, but the overall damage is staggering. For those not directly affected, they may think once the storm is over the story ends. The cameras stop filming, and the attention goes elsewhere. Those who experience it firsthand know it is often only the beginning. Weather.com reports that Hurricane Katrina caused $81.1 billion dollars in damage. That is billions, not millions, and does not include indirect costs.

Indirect costs can truly add up in a big way. Take for example the current drought in California. Not only are Californians affected, but we are also, by just the increase in food costs alone. It is a simple case of supply and demand. If crops are disrupted and only half can be harvested, prices automatically increase.

The same principle holds true worldwide. The difference is that we are an established country with a stable economy (relatively speaking), we do not have a widespread food shortage and we don’t have to deal with deadly diseases as a commonplace issue. Other parts of the world are not so fortunate. In some countries such shortages in food and supplies already exist, and therefore a natural disaster can have a devastating effect. Add to that an unstable government, issues like malaria, and the lingering consequences become exponential.

When there is a void, that void is often filled. If there is a lack of stability coupled with wide spread suffering that emptiness becomes an opportunity, whether it is positive or negative. Groups, organizations, and individual leaders have risen out of the ashes of destruction. We have seen it throughout history and it continues today.

Whether it is caused by climate change or the normal ever-changing weather patterns, for certain it is a global concern that affects local economies, infrastructure, health systems, and agriculture. Agriculture has forever been affected by the weather. There are seasons when crops are decimated by storms, but the more this happens the greater the consequences.

Weather disasters become a threat multiplier. We already know that there are going to be times when severe weather brings with it great tragedy. Our individual beliefs on what causes them may differ, but the effects we all see for ourselves.

Connecting the dots is something we do not consistently do, because once the immediate aftermath of a storm subsides we tend to turn our attention elsewhere. In its fourth assessment of the relevant scientific literature on global warming, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that scientists are more than 90% certain that global warming is being caused by increasing greenhouse gases, produced by human activities.

In the most volatile parts of the world, there is enough turbulence already that a natural disaster can touch off a wave of unfortunate events. These can culminate in reaching a level where it spreads throughout the region and even to a more global level.

While we cannot control the weather, we can continue adding more emphasis to it. Results can already be seen with inventions such as early warning systems for tornadoes, which in those precious moments can save lives. Large companies often have a multidimensional backup plan in the event of long-term power failure for their computer systems. Other areas of the government and military have strategies in place in case of natural disasters.

Continued pursuit of knowledge, strategic planning and bringing an ever greater understanding of how we can effective manage the possibility of an increasingly larger number of natural disasters is of critical importance. It is important not only locally but nationally and internationally as well. We truly are a global community. What affects one area can, and does, affect so many others.

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Bryan Hayes is an actor, amateur photographer, business consultant and full-time lover of all things living. To check out more from Bryan Hayes, please visit his blog at:http://outofthehaze.wordpress.com/

September, 2014 – Kidding Around Yoga with Bobbie

AW Spotlight

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AW Spotlight

Kidding Around Yoga with Bobbie

Teaching Confidence to Kids

By Krista Martinelli

Smile and Say “Om!”

Kidding Around Yoga is a terrific thing for kids, with many benefits to their bodies and minds. “Yoga teaches kids different ways to calm themselves,” says Bobbie Myers. “If we start them at a younger age in finding peace within themselves, they might not have to look outside themselves to find happiness.” As Bobbie explains, a lot of relationships fail because people say “that person doesn’t make me happy anymore. You should be happy with yourself.”

Kidding Around Yoga with Bobbie

If you ask parents what they like best about Kidding Around Yoga, they often say that it helps their kids to focus better. If you ask the kids what they like best, they frequently say that Bobbie has “cool toys.” “They don’t realize that these are tools for teaching,” says Bobbie. These yoga class toys include the Hoberman sphere, bubbles, feathers, pom poms, a talking stick and other helpful tools.

“By the way, the talking stick is a great tool that some parents end up using at home – for example to help siblings take turns talking and to help keep the peace,” explains Bobbie.

Kidding Around Yoga is an international organization with many chapters. Bobbie is teaching at several local schools in their aftercare programs around Palm BeachCounty. She’s also teaching at a school for autism called Amazing Abilities. With some of the aftercare programs, it’s “shoes on, no mats yoga,” only because of the sheer number of kids, sometimes as many as sixty.

Cool toys are also yoga teaching tools, including scarves, masks and pom poms.

Bobbie realizes that kids bring their home issues to yoga. In their worlds, sometimes there’s domestic abuse or a divorce going on. Some of these kids will turn to drugs or to the wrong people. “Yoga is a happy, safe place, a good alternative for these kids.”

Here are just a few of the many benefits of doing yoga.

Strength
Better digestion
Better breathing
Improved circulation
Confidence
Stretching (works well with other sports)
Better focus
Improved quality of sleep

Just as some parents enroll their children in karate for the discipline it teaches, parents enroll children in yoga because it teaches respect and self-discipline. “Yoga teaches the mind self-defense,” says Bobbie. It teaches you to control your mind, and also to walk away from a situation when you need to.

Bobbie Myers has been doing yoga on and off for six years, but just started her Kidding Around Yoga chapter this year. She previously sold pharmaceuticals before beginning with Kidding Around Yoga. She took a teacher training course and became a licensee and an L.L.C. She has found that when kids get to middle school, “Moms and Dads are no longer cool.” But kids will still look up to an influential adult, and a yoga instructor can be that positive influence.

Bobbie has a 2^nd grade daughter and a 12^th grade stepson. Her husband has worked for the city of West Palm Beach as a police officer for 14 years. She is a dog lover and has four dogs. She enjoys doing things with her family, like Fun Runs and the Amazing Race, and various other outside activitites that focus around family.

Stretching benefits the body in so many ways.

For more information about Kidding Around Yoga with Bobbie, contact her at her number below. Bobbie also does Birthday parties and Girl Scout troop sessions. Her yoga sessions open to the public begin Sept. 12^th on Mondays at Solara in Wellington at 6:00 pm. It will be an 11-week program and you can sign up through her Facebook page or .

See a brief video of Kidding Around Yoga in action – .

Kidding Around Yoga with Bobbie

(561) 512-7288

Like “” on Facebook

“Just say OM!”

September, 2014 – Keeping Up the Positivity

Future is Bright

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September, 2014 – Keeping Up the Positivity

Teen Talk

Keeping Up the Positivity this School Year

By Gabrielle Harris

This school year has finally dawned for us all. For me, being a senior, my work load has gotten nowhere near easier. I somehow planted the idea in my mind that junior year was the only difficult year of high school and I completely left out senior year. Where I’m going to be applying for colleges to meet deadlines, getting perfect grades in my rigorous course load in order to get into these classes, and have active roles in multiple extra curricular activities just to name a few. Hopefully, those that are starting off in new schools have done their adjusting and are comfortable where they stand right now in terms of school. One thing that I wish I knew when I was in my previous high school and even middle school years is that you absolutely need to keep positive in order to do your very best. In my articles, I feel like I am always striving for positivity and having a good mindset – in all honesty it can make the best out of the worst situations. If you go into school, work, an interview, anything, with an idea in your mind that you’re going to give it your all and do your very best, I can assure you that the outcome will be great!

As a senior, there are multiple things on my plate and getting overwhelmed is a very frequent thing for me. If I did have a negative thought going through my head telling me I’m not going to succeed or there’s no way that I’m going to complete everything I need to finish by a certain time, I wouldn’t be in a good place right now. Breathe, just breathe. School, work, whatever the thing may be – can be very stressful and just taking a couple of minutes to pause and think positive thoughts can help the outcome. Again, I’m saying this I strive for positivity and confidence many times in my articles and even in real life if you’re speaking with me – because it’s so important to me. I admit, in my freshman year of high school and previous school years before that, I was a very negative Nancy who was barely positive about anything and never looked at the bright side of things. And now in my last year of high school, I’m taking classes I never thought I’d be able to take and have confidence and a positive outlook I never thought I would achieve. This has shown through my schoolwork, my extracurricular activities, and just about everything. You can make this a good school year if you go into it knowing you’re going to do amazing things! It can be done, no matter what your feelings are towards school you can always make it a good day.

Gabrielle Harris is a senior at Wellington High School. She is involved in the Quidditch team, Key Club, and is the social media and news editor for the WHS Wave school newspaper. She hopes to study mass communications in college and aspires to someday tell her travel stories to the world.

September, 2014 – Source of Life

Health & Fitness

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September 1, 2014

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Health & Fitness

Are You Getting Enough of the Source of Life?

By Cheryl Alker

No doubt the summer months have had you reaching for drink after drink and whilst those fruity long cool drinks are delicious and often cooling and refreshing, there really is only one drink that can deal totally with the effects of dehydration.

The word “dehydration” sounds drastic and we often relate it to people who are marooned or lost and have had none or very little to drink or eat for days. You might be surprised to learn though that if you suffer from fatigue, confusion, memory loss, dizziness, dry and wrinkled skin, brittle hair and nails, cold fingers and toes, constipation, eczema, headaches, urinary tract infections, and muscle pains, then you might not be drinking enough water. These, believe it or not, are all signs of dehydration.

Our bodies are made up of around 70% water, which is involved in every bodily function. If you lack water, then your body will try to get moisture from any liquid source in your system. It will automatically tap your blood, cell fluid, intra-cellular fluid, and even your stools and urine. When you’re literally draining yourself, you are immediately impacting your physical and mental health and at risk of speeding up the aging process.

With our children all heading back to school, it should also be noted that statistics show that school children are certainly at risk of not drinking enough water. According to U.S. guidelines, children aged one to three should drink 0.9 liters per day; four to eight-year-olds should drink 1.2 liters; nine to 13-year-old girls, 1.6 liters (boys,1.8 liters) and 14 to 18-year-old girls, 1.8 liters (boys 2.6 liters). Dehydration can have a huge effect on children’s mental performance and learning ability as well as their overall health and well-being. Children have a higher percentage of body water and lose water faster than adults, which means they need to drink proportionally more to replace it.

Here are some very good reasons to boost your water intake:

You’ll digest your food better.

If you’re spending a bit too much time and effort on the toilet, you could probably use a glass (or two!) of pure water. Water-depleted stools are hard to pass —and they can be there for days! As a result, your stomach feels bloated with the overgrowth of fermenting bacteria and yeast. Not fun!

You’ll stay sharp.

If you prefer being upbeat and focused, you need to drink water. If you’re feeling confused and forgetful, try drinking more water.

You’ll love what you see in the mirror.

If you struggle with a puffy face and sunken eyes with dark circles, you’re being warned that your kidneys are in distress. You are not drinking enough water.

The kidneys filter toxins, salts, and water from the bloodstream. If the body is dehydrated, then the kidneys can’t function properly. If the kidneys are overloaded, this will show in your face.

You’ll lower your body fat.

This will probably surprise you, but being dehydrated can make you gain weight! As I mentioned earlier, the body will use all other fluids available when it’s dehydrated. By pulling water out of the bloodstream, excess glucose will remain until it reaches the liver, where it’s supposed to be stored as glycogen for later use.

You’ll curb your appetite.

Do you constantly feel hungry? Do you have cravings for sugar and wheat? Drink a glass of water. Pure water acts as an appetite suppressant. When feeling hungry, I suggest you drink a big glass of water before you act upon that sensation. If you need some taste, you can add a bit of lemon juice, or a splash of açai or pomegranate juice (without any added sugar).

You’ll help your body do its job.

There’s a reason why they call water the source of life — our blood is 90% water. The bloodstream provides your cells and organs with oxygen and nutrients, and takes away any waste products.

Dehydration will cause the blood to become thicker, increasing the risk for clotting, and making it harder to pump it through the system. This can have a serious impact on blood pressure. Lack of water is also linked to headaches, pain and tension in muscles and joints. It even causes stomachaches and heartburn.

So how much water do you need?

In general, you need about 2 Liters (65oz) of pure water a day. For us living in Florida and particularly at this time of year, you might want to take at least half a liter more. If you are exercising daily then maybe add a further half liter. Keeping a jug in the fridge with sliced lemon and cucumber and maybe a sprig or two of fresh mint will add a wonderfully refreshing and natural flavor to your water. Seeing that jug already prepared every time you open the fridge door is a great reminder and also gives you a more accurate amount of how much you are drinking. You will also need more water if you are pregnant, or breastfeeding. Plus, take into account the diuretic effects of coffee, tea, alcohol, and sodas, as well as salty foods. Don’t rely on your child to stop at the water fountain at school, provide then with at least two bottles a day, one they can sip during classes and another for lunch, also have a nice cool refreshing naturally flavored water in the car when you collect them from school and encourage them to drink it on the ride home.

Cheers!

***

Cheryl Alker specializes in flexibility training, facial exercises and postural alignment. Her 30 year career started as a group fitness and personal trainer, she has lectured and directed fitness training programs in both Europe and the USA and was an advisor for a Governmental health promotion program. Alker and her company Stretch Results International continues to work with a select clientele from a base in Palm Beach County, Florida, certifying health professionals in her results based stretching program, educating consumers through public speaking and offering consultation to clients who wish to lose their muscular pain and gain flexibility to achieve full and active lifestyles. Alker has a proven totally natural program that alleviates back pain visit www.secretbackpaincure.com. For more information about professional continuing education and consultation options, e:books or DVD’s please call Cheryl on 561 889 3738 or visit www.stretchresults.com.

September, 2014 – Flavor Palm Beach Month

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August 31, 2014

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September, 2014 – Flavor Palm Beach Month

The Florida Foodie

September is Flavor Palm Beach Month!

http://www.flavorpb.com/

Every September, when south Florida is enjoying the calm of low-season, before the holidays (and snowbirds) return, Palm Beach County hosts Flavor Palm Beach, a month-long foodie festival. Flavor Palm Beach offers guests the chance to dine at some of Palm Beach County’s best restaurants for affordable prices. Participating restaurants offer lunch and dinner three course, pre fix menus ranging in price from $20.00 per person to around $45.00 per person. A great deal when you consider the big named, super luxurious dining establishments you can explore during the event. To name a few of the highlights: Café Boulud, Café Chardonnay, Café Le’Europe, Imoto, 264 The Grill, 3800 Ocean, and many more!

The three course pre fix menus can be viewed at http://www.flavorpb.com/restaurants/ where you can also reserve dinning through Open Table. Reservations are strongly recommended. It is important that you read the fine print for each restaurant before arriving. Some restaurants offer only lunch menu or a dinner menu. Some only offer the special Flavor PB menus during weeknights in September. Make sure that you

plan ahead and plan smart. Your three courses usually consist of an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert. Wine and extra selections will be an additional charge, but when you look at the price you are paying during the Flavor event compared to the regular menu at these iconic restaurants, I can assure that you are getting a great deal.

Flavor Palm Beach gives you an opportunity to take a culinary adventure and explore new tastes and dining experiences. I will be offering three culinary dining experiences during the month of September, exploring three of the participating restaurants on select Monday evenings. I am offering the adventurous foodies of Florida to join me for an evening of food, wine, and culinary conversation. Up to four guests will accompany me to the restaurants I select to try the pre fix menu and discuss the food and wine of the evening. If you would like to reserve a spot for one of the Florida Foodie’s Flavor Palm Beach dining experience, please visit my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Thefloridafoodie and become a fan to find out more information about the dinners. Guests are responsible for the price of the meals they order at the time of the dinning event. Prompt arrival at the restaurant is critical or your spot will be forfeited.

September is the perfect time to try something new, broaden your horizons, and discover new flavors around Palm Beach County. Make your reservations quickly for these special dinning events fill up fast. Flavor Palm Beach is a great way to kick-off another exciting season of good taste in the Sunshine State!

2014 Restaurants – more restaurants will be added soon!

III Forks – Palm Beach Gardens 561.630.3660 – Dinner
150Grill – West Palm Beach 561.472.9333
264 The Grill – Palm Beach 561.833.6444
3800 Ocean at the Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island 561.340.1795 – Dinner
50 Ocean Delray Beach 561.278.3364 – Lunch & Dinner
Aah Loi Thai and Sushi Jupiter 561.748.5201
Barolo Ristorante North Palm Beach 561.626.1616 – Dinner
Bricktops Palm Beach 561.855.2030
Burger Bar Palm Beach Gardens 561.630.4545
Butcher Block Grill – Boca Raton 561.409.3035- Dinner
Cafe Boulud *lunch only Palm Beach 561.655.6060 – Lunch
Cafe Chardonnay – *excludes Sat dinner Palm Beach Gardens 561.627.2662 – Lunch & Dinner
Cafe L’Europe *$48.50 Dinner price Palm Beach 561.655.8272
Capital Grille – Palm Beach Gardens 561.630.4994 -Lunch & Dinner
Capital Grille Boca Raton 561.368.1077 Reserve Lunch & Dinner
Charley’s Crab *excludes Fri and Sat dinners Palm Beach 561.659.1500 -Lunch & Dinner
Del Frisco’s Grille Palm Beach 561.557.2552 – Dinner
Echo Palm Beach 561.422.4981 – Dinner
EVO Italian Tequesta 561.745.2444 – Dinner
Graze at the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach 561.582.2800 – Lunch
Imoto Palm Beach 561.833-5522 – Dinner
Josef’s Table Boca Raton 561.353.2700 -Dinner
Jove Kitchen and Bar at the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach 561.582.2800 – Dinner
Maison Carlos West Palm Beach 561.659.6524 – Dinner
Melting Pot Palm Beach Gardens 561.624.0020 – Dinner
Morton’s The Steakhouse West Palm Beach 561.835.9664 -Dinner
Morton’s The Steakhouse Boca Raton 561.392.7784 -Dinner
Pavilion Grille Boca Raton 561.912.0000 – Dinner
PB Catch Palm Beach 561.655.5558 – Dinner
Pistache French Bistro West Palm Beach 561.833.5090 – Dinner
Renato’s Palm Beach 561.655.9752 – Lunch & Dinner
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse North Palm Beach 561.863.0660 – Dinner
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Boca Raton 561.392.6746 – Dinner
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse West Palm Beach 561.514.3544 – Dinner
Sandpiper’s Cove at Old Port Cove North Palm Beach 561.626.2280
Seasons 52 Palm Beach Gardens 561.625.5852 – Lunch & Dinner
Seasons 52 Boca Raton 561.998.9952 – Lunch & Dinner
Sinclair’s Ocean Grill at the Jupiter Beach Resort 561.745.7129
SoLita Italian Delray Beach 561.899.0888 – Dinner
Talay Thai Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418 561.691.5662 – Dinner
Temple Orange at Eau Resort and Spa, Palm Beach 561.540.4924 – Lunch & Dinner
Tin Fish West Palm Beach 561.223.2497
Texas de Brazil Palm Beach Gardens 561.293.7478 – Dinner
The Italian Restaurant at The Breakers Palm Beach 561-422-4979 – Dinner

*Participant list, dining options, and menus are subject to change. Please visit the FlavorPB website for the most up-to-date information.

August, 2014 – Eau Palm Beach and AquaNuts

Mommy Moments

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August 30, 2014

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August, 2014 – Eau Palm Beach and AquaNuts

Mommy Moments

Oh Palm Beach, Eau Palm Beach! And AquaNuts Kids’ Camp too!

By Krista Martinelli

On a delightful day, just before school began again, my kids and I visited the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa. Since this is “Mommy Moments,” let me first tell you about their awesome kids’ camp AquaNuts and then I’ll tell you about my experience at the Spa.

AquaNuts is an all-day camp, offered at Eau Palm Beach in Manalapan and it offers a great variety of fun activities for children. It’s located next to the pirate ship at the pool level of the resort. When you walk into the AquaNuts facility, you are struck by the underwater theme – including a treasure chest of dress-up clothes, a rock climbing sea wall and a Grotto of gaming consoles. The staff person who manages AquaNuts, Carolina, is excellent at making each child feel warm and welcome right away when they enter AquaNuts.

Fun at AquaNuts Kids' Camp — Fun at AquaNuts Kids’ Camp

There’s a music mixing room where you can experience being a DJ (my kids loved that!), the Coast Beauty Salon where girls can pamper themselves or get their hair braided, a Build-a-Bear area, a sandcastle stage, and a pull-down screen with a projector for movies. Someone with a wonderful imagination designed the AquaNuts area, and my kids loved it!

They also had a chance to swim in the ocean and in the beautiful Eau Palm Beach pool, supervised by staff. The staff assisted them in putting on sunscreen, so they were all prepared. Out at sea, they can enjoy surfing and paddle boarding, or just splashing in the waves. I could see how excited they were when I dropped them off for a day at AquaNuts. So excited that they didn’t notice when I said, “Goodbye! I’m going to the spa.” And of course I was happy to know that they were so happy, while I was going to enjoy the spa.

The Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa is a beautiful, five-star place to stay, and the spa is a great place for rest and relaxation. In fact, I had just recently spent a day at PGA National’s Spa, which I had considered to be the best of the best – until I visited Eau Palm Beach. I was truly in awe of the facilities and the warmth of the staff at Eau Palm Beach’s spa. I enjoyed a one-hour foot massage in a cabana on the beach, thanks to a lovely massage therapist named Lori. Before heading out, she encouraged me to throw a coin into their wishing well and make a wish for the day. She offered me champagne, lemonade, flavored water, a salted caramel cupcake. We were off to a good start!

Lori, a wonderful massage therapist, at Eau Palm Beach

The salt-water foot massage was amazing. And it might sound funny, but if you’re ever on your death bed, and you can have one part of your body massaged, I would recommend choosing your feet. A good foot massage seems to cure the whole body.

She finished off the foot massage with a citrus cream with a delightful scent, followed by a finishing body mist. You can mix scents til your heart’s content with their Scrub and Polish bar, creating the perfect foot cream and spray customized for you. I took home a cute souvenir bag of citrus-scented foot scrub, foot cream and body spray. I’ve been using the products in the evenings, and the scent brings me right back to the spa.

When it was over, I headed back to the spa to enjoy the facility, which includes many different areas for relaxation. They invite you to “pause” in their Self-Centered Garden with dipping pools, hanging chairs, waterfall bench and cabanas. So I did. I paused. And hung out in one of the hanging chairs with my feet dipping in the water.

The Self-Centered Garden at Eau Palm Beach

I also enjoyed the ultimate Eau Bath, a candle-lit hot tub with a waterfall falling into the middle of it. Lots of time to just breathe in and relax the muscles.

My massage therapist Lori recommended using their conditioner in the shower, wrapping my hair in a towel and then spending some time in the steam room – to really condition my hair well. So I did. The steam room is fun, with a disco ball, to add a little flair. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously here,” says PR Manager Nick Gold, explaining the occasional rubber ducks that you’ll find in the wishing well and around the spa. It’s this feeling of levity that they want you to take home and remember.

Feeling hungry? You can order a beautiful lunch from the spa. And you don’t have to get out of your provided cozy bathrobe and flip flops for it. They will wheel a lunch tray right out to you in the garden, wherever you’d like to sit and dine. I had the pappardelle with spring vegetables. It was perfect and perfectly yummy!

I lounged. Read magazines. Showered. Got in the hot tub. Had a cupcake. Had some more champagne. Lounged in those hanging chairs in the garden again. All part of a hard day’s work of getting totally relaxed!

Of course, when I picked up the kids, they weren’t quite ready to go. They wanted to stay a little longer. I felt the same way. We’ll be back.

Read my poem about that beautiful day…under “Poem of the Month.”

***

Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa

888-306-4894

AquaNuts Kids

561-540-4833

100 South Ocean Boulevard
Manalapan, FL 33462

Krista Martinelli is the mother of two children and the editor of AroundWellington.com. She enjoys tennis, activities with her kids, eating cupcakes and drinking champagne.

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September, 2014 – Around Wellington Happenings

September, 2014 – To all the grandchildren in the world

To all the grandchildren in the world

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Live… Go… Do!

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September, 2014 – Flavor Palm Beach Month

August, 2014 – Eau Palm Beach and AquaNuts

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