February, 2014 – Cantankerously Yours
Cantankerously Yours
Why Karen Gets a Valentine, in spite of Everything.
By Wendell Abern
Dear Fellow Romantics,
If you’re wondering why you’re looking at a photo of Christmas cookies in an issue devoted to Valentine’s Day, blame it on Karen.
Please don’t misunderstand. I love Karen. I consider Karen and Gary (her husband) very dear friends.
However, when Karen, major-domo of our annual Christmas party at River of Grass (my Unitarian Universalist congregation), asked for volunteer cookie makers, I jumped right in. Karen said, “Oh, good! We need Christmas cookies.”
“I’ve never made Christmas cookies,” I said. “I’m going to bring oatmeal raisin. Just like my mommy made every Chanukkah.”
“But this is your chance to make your first Christmas cookies!” Karen said. “Think of it as a challenge.”
“What, challenge? Jennifer Lopez, now there’s a cookie that’s a challenge.”
“Listen. There’s nothing easier than Christmas cookies. My fifth-graders are making some for our class.”
Karen had said the magic word: easy.
Truth is, I remember neighbors’ kids making angel- and reindeer-shaped cookies. Young kids. Easy peasy, right?
That night, I decided to surprise Karen, told her I was bringing Heathen Cookies, then looked up Christmas cookies on “Cooks dot com.” I printed out the instructions. As I read through three pages of margin-to-margin six-point type, wondering if I really needed parchment paper, I came to “ … then cover the dough, put it in the refrigerator and keep overnight.”
What? Overnight? I make oatmeal raisin cookies in eleven minutes!
Silently cursing Karen, I decided to call my friend, Lou the Curmudgeon, who lives in Chicago. Lou knows the answer to everything, and even though he no longer hears well, I still seek his counsel on everything.
“What is this overnight nonsense?” I shouted, after explaining my dilemma.
“She starts grad school next month,” Lou said.
“No, Lou, I didn’t ask about your granddaughter. What about these cookies that are so easy to make?”
“Go to the store. Buy a mix.”
Of course! Somehow, the more obvious a solution is to any given problem, the less likely I am to think of it.
Anyway, the next day I bought a box of Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix and three Christmas cookie cut-outs. After my morning cigar at the condo’s pool, I ambled home to make my cookies. Piece of cake, I chuckled to myself, deliberately mixing baking metaphors.
Following the instructions carefully, I spread out wax paper and sprinkled some flour onto it. Then came, “Now roll out the dough to one-quarter of an inch thick.”
No rolling pin.
Spying a half-filled bottle of wine that had been perched on my refrigerator for three months, I plucked it and began rolling the dough to the required thickness.
All was proceeding splendidly until I noticed the cap to the wine had not been screwed on tightly, and I was dripping wine all over the dough and onto my kitchen floor.
I now had a headache, a ruined batch of cookie dough and a kitchen that smelled like a French brothel.
Cursing Karen and her fifth-graders, I threw everything out and stomped back to the pool to have my afternoon cigar, even though it was only eleven in the morning.
The next day, after fumigating my kitchen, I went back to Publix, bought another box of Betty Crocker mix, a rolling pin and three tiny bottles of cookie sprinkles. Again, following instructions explicitly, and armed with a rolling pin, I spread the dough on the floured wax paper to one-quarter inch thick.
Then came the fun part! The cut-outs! I deftly cut out Christmas trees, Santa Clauses and angels, slid my spatula under them and scattered them onto my cookie sheets, then popped them into the oven. Everything was running smoothly.
Until I smelled smoke.
I hadn’t noticed that some of the wax paper had adhered to the bottom of several cookies and caught on fire, creating a minor blaze inside my oven.
I grabbed a dish towel, fanning frantically. I had to throw out the burnt cookies and three of the four cookie sheets (badly scorched). I went back to Publix to buy another box of mix, new cookie sheets and some parchment paper. When I came home, I went to the pool and had a second afternoon cigar.
The next day, I did everything by the book. Rolled the dough carefully onto my parchment paper; cut out Santa Clauses, trees and angels; nimbly wedged the spatula under the cookie shapes and slid them onto my cookie sheets.
Perfection! Except for the one angel that looked like a Sumo wrestler.
I waited a short while, then scattered colored sprinkles onto my newly-baked cookies. They slid off. I tried pushing a small indentation into some cookies to create a space for sprinkles, and succeeded in breaking three of them.
I gave strong consideration to calling the police and reporting Karen for inflicting cruel and unusual punishment on a novice cookie-maker. Instead, I looked it up on the Internet.
And there was the answer! Heat a quarter-cup of milk for 15 seconds in the Microwave; then dip a pastry brush into the milk, coat the cookies and pour on the sprinkles. Easy as pie! I thought, amusing myself with yet another mixed metaphor.
That night, I brought my cookies to River of Grass, pulled Karen aside and whipped off the paper towel covering them.
“You made real Christmas cookies!” Karen said. “We have to take a picture of you with them!”
Which is why they appear in this Valentine’s Day issue.
Then Karen said, “Now tell me the truth. Wasn’t that easy?”
Resisting the urge to flatten her, I said, “Nothing to it.”
“And next year it’ll be even easier,” she smiled.
I kissed her on the cheek, thinking to myself … she really didn’t do anything wrong. And she’s also that rarest of all commodities: a genuinely kind human being. And in spite of everything, I’ll send her a valentine this year.
However, next Christmas she gets gruel.
Cantankerously Yours,
Wendell Abern
Wendell Abern can be reached at dendyabern@comcast.net.
February, 2014 – Berlin’s Underground: A Walk Through History
Berlin’s Underground: A Walk Through History
By Terri Marshall
The pages of our world history textbooks are filled with stories of Adolph Hitler’s rule over Germany. From 1933 to 1945, Germany was known as Nazi Germany and the Third Reich. Berlin was Hitler’s headquarters making it a prime target for air raids and bombings during World War II.
Soviet occupation of East Germany after World War II ultimately led to the resurrection of the Berlin Wall in 1961. East Germans could no longer travel freely into West Germany. Families were split and East Berlin residents employed in the West were cut off from their jobs. The Iron Curtain fell and remained firmly in place for the next 28 years.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany. Except for a small booth marking the location of Checkpoint Charlie at the site of the Berlin Wall and vendors offering pieces of the Wall as souvenirs, Berlin’s dark history is not that visible…at least not above ground.
Images © Berliner Unterwelten e.V.
The tour began in the Gesundbrunnen underground railway station at a green door. Hundreds of Berlin subway riders pass by this green door everyday having no idea a preserved bunker from World War II filled with historic artifacts is on the other side. Thousands of working class Berlin residents – men, women and children – sought refuge in this very bunker.
As we traveled from one claustrophobic room to another, our guide shared the stories of day to day life for the people trapped inside the bunker as bombs flew overhead. Everyone was required to buy a gas mask. Rooms had minimal light and no ventilation forcing the residents to endure terrifying hours in the dark as sweat poured off their bodies.
Images © Berliner Unterwelten e.V.
Men, women and children were affected by the horrors of war. Children learned to cope through the use of board games themed around the events of the war. Mothers did the best they could to shield their children from the realities outside the bunker. The men were mostly missing – having been called into combat.
Images © Berliner Unterwelten e.V.
Prior to the war, Berlin’s landscape was flat. Today there are hills throughout the city. The bombings left behind mountains of rubble that were impossible to remove so grass was planted, trees were brought in from around the world and a new landscape emerged.
Images © Berliner Unterwelten e.V.
Whatever you choose to experience you are sure to walk away from this subterranean journey with a new perspective of the universal horrors of war and a new appreciation for the resilience of the human spirit.
For more information on the Berliner Unterwelten tours, see http://berliner-unterwelten.de
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.
February, 2014 – My Gym, My Rules
As I Was Saying
My Gym, My Rules
By Alan Williamson
Another year, another push to get fit. “I’m hitting the 21 Circle Gym,” I announce to my wife, a bottle of water in one hand, a towel in the other.
“Have a good workout,” Sherry says cheerfully, graciously ignoring the fact that we live on a street named 21 Circle and that the “gym” is really a spare room in our house. After hearing this tired little joke on and off for the past eight years, she deserves an award for still playing along. Or a free gym membership.
When I first thought of joining a gym – a real gym – I made a list of pros and cons.
Pros
- Wide variety of equipment.
- Training support and guidance.
- Social stimulation.
- Daily incentive to follow through on financial investment.
Cons
- Wide variety of equipment.
- Training support and guidance.
- Social stimulation.
- Daily incentive to follow through on financial investment.
At the risk of sounding schizophrenic, the more I looked at each of my “pros” for joining a gym, the more they looked like “cons.”
Wide variety of equipment. Show me a gym full of gleaming, cutting-edge equipment and I’ll show you a gym full of people constantly using that gleaming, cutting-edge equipment. What good is a lat pulldown machine or a pec deck if every time you go to use them someone else is grunting away on them? My dumbbells at home may not be as sleek and sophisticated as a multi-station weight stack unit with high, mid and low cable pulleys for the ultimate upper body workout, but when I’m ready to grab a pair of my dumbbells I don’t have to wait for Hans or Franz to finish clanging them together over their undulating torsos like over-sized symbols in a steroid-powered marching band.
Training support and guidance. Here’s the closely-guarded secret that personal trainers don’t want you to know about working out: it’s pretty basic stuff. Read a couple of issues of Men’s Health and instant expert status is within your iron-fisted grasp. Handy tip: If you’re lifting weights, make them heavy enough to challenge your muscles, but not so heavy that you get pinned under them for hours at a time and have to wait for help to arrive.
Social stimulation. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been very good at doing two things at once. Even when I try to read and watch TV, I wind up stuck on the same page of my book for half an hour trying to simultaneous figure out if the TV program I was half watching ended and was replaced by another program or if a whole new set of characters – including some from my book – were introduced halfway through. My point is, if I’m working out, I need to be 100% focused on working out, and if I’m debating with my friend Andy about who’s the best Saturday Night Live guest host of all time – Alec Baldwin or Steve Martin – I need to be 100% focused on that. (Alec Baldwin, by the way. I’m just saying.)
Incentive to follow through on financial investment. I’ve heard all the stories about gym memberships that go unused after the first three months with hundreds or thousands of nonrefundable dollars down the drain. No doubt many of those well-intentioned no-shows thought that spending some serious money on a membership would fortify their commitment to stick to a regular fitness regimen. Guess again buns-of-steel boy. Invest all you want, but when making that drive to the gym becomes just one more tedious chore in your jam-packed life, you’re better off with a short, 12-foot commute to the chin-up bar in the doorway of your spare bedroom. And don’t forget to drop and give your imaginary personal trainer 40 pushups before you hit the showers.
“Did you have a good workout?” my wife asks after the last grunt, clang and thud gives way to a sweaty, self-satisfied silence.
“I always have a great workout at the 21 Circle Gym,” I assert, inexplicably lapsing into an Austrian accent. “The only thing that would make it even better is a nice post-workout veggie and cheese omelet and a fresh fruit, whey protein smoothie.”
“Sounds like you should talk to the 21 Circle chef,” Sherry says noncommittally, heading in an opposite direction.
Hmmmm . . . that girl’s got spunk I think, still maintaining an Austrian accent in my mind’s ear as I check my chiseled physique in the mirror. Maybe when I’m done with this last set of dumbbell hammer curls I’ll see about nailing her a free gym membership.
Alan Williamson is an award-winning writer with 27 years in the field of true fiction (advertising). A practical man who knows that writing for a living is risky going, he has taken steps to pursue a second, more stable career as a leggy super model. Alan can be reached at alwilly@bellsouth.net. © 2014 Alan Williamson.
February – The Body is an Amazing Source of Intelligence
Health & Fitness
The body is an amazing source of intelligence
By Sherri Mraz
The body is an amazing source of intelligence. It is always there for you, pumping blood, never skipping a heartbeat, digesting whatever food you put in it and maintaining homeostasis. Is this reliable, intelligent bio-computer making a mistake by craving ice cream or a hamburger or chocolate? Are cravings due to lack of will-power or discipline? I’d like to suggest that cravings are not a problem. They are critical pieces of information that tell you what your body needs.
The important thing is to understand why you crave what you crave. Perhaps your diet is too restrictive or devoid of essential nutrients. Perhaps you are living a lifestyle that is too boring or stressful. Your body tries to correct the imbalance by sending you a message: a craving. A craving for something sweet could mean you need more protein, more exercise, more water or more love in your life. The key to stopping the sugar craving is to understand and deliver what your body really needs.
Your body knows best and is always trying to create balance. However, products like refined foods, sugar, caffeine, alcohol and drugs (which have little or no nutritional value) are confusing to the body. They throw the body off-balance and can create serious cravings as your body tries to get what it needs to restore internal harmony. The more your food is whole and healthy, the easier it is for your body to stay in balance and provide you with a happier, healthier life.
No book or theory can tell you what to eat. Only awareness of your body and its needs can tell you. Of all the relationships in our lives, the one with our body is the most essential. It takes communication, love and time to cultivate a relationship with your body.
The key role of a Health Coach is to help you learn to decipher and respond to your body’s cravings by creating a deep and lasting level of health and balance.
The next time you have a craving,
treat it as a loving message from your body instead of a weakness.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What is out of balance in my life?
- Is there something I need to express, is something being repressed?
- What happened in my life just before I had this craving?
In time you will embrace the cravings. These tools for awareness can be stretched into every area of your life. Awareness is key. To be able to make changes you need to see what is not working. Don’t cover it up, don’t self medicate with food, alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, work, and or just plain busyness. Pay attention to your behaviors and start to build new ones. Let your behaviors come from conscious choices. I promise you it will all be okay, and before you know it, you notice that you are great!
****
Sherri Mraz 561-791-6455, www.cookinyogi.com
Sherri works with individuals and groups to improve their health through nutrition programs, cooking classes and yoga. Board certified health coach and mentor. Winner of Flavors of Wellington’s Best Plate 2013.
Following are some of the groups and programs that Sherri offers:
The Six Week to Super Group
This is an ongoing weekly group meet-up, only you never have to leave your home or desk. This ongoing program teaches awareness and lifestyle skills. Call in every Fri at noon and one weekday evening.
Join anytime, always a review, new information and motivation.
Click for more info
The Three Day Bliss Detox Check out the detox video
February, 2014 – They’re Just People
Cultural Corner
They’re Just People
By Lori Hope Baumel
“Peoples is peoples… frogs is peoples”
– From the film The Muppets Take Manhattan
As your cultural arts columnist since April 2013, I have been fortunate to meet a wide variety of noted artists, performers, writers, curators and other well-known personalities that I would not have had the opportunity to converse with without my press pass. Of course, meeting creative people is what interests me most about writing for this column.
In December, I wrote several articles about the Miami Book Fair International (MBFI). The interviews were conducted by appointment either by telephone or in the pressroom on the day I went to the fair. I found that the authors at the MBFI were just as nervous about meeting me as I was of them. Of course, as a member of the press, I intended to reprint their thoughts and comments as accurately as possible. Too often the media twists their words and intentions causing a tremendous mistrust between interviewee and interviewer. Granted, that really is something to be nervous about.
On the other hand, I did not want to appear ignorant. I chose my questions carefully and assured each author that the purpose of my interview was to promote their work and get to know them better. In this case, I had the luxury of choosing authors whose work I enjoyed and admired. To me, they were celebrities. Admittedly, I was slightly starstruck. But after I finished my seventh interview I was reminded of the fact that they’re “just people.” We all snacked from the same buffet together and washed up in the same restroom. I realized that “going on the road” to promote their work was just part of their job.
The more people I meet, the more places I experience, the more I satisfy my insatiable curiosities about life. I ground myself by reflecting on the fact that everything that surrounds me, beautiful or otherwise came from the minds and physical labor of people. People like you and me.
Carolyn Stanford, vocal coach and professor at the University of Miami had a plaque on her studio wall that read, “The longer I live, the longer I live.” During my undergraduate training, I visited her studio once or twice a week as a piano accompanist for some of her students. Occasionally, I’d gaze at the plaque. It was placed next to several photographs depicting her days as a world-renowned opera singer. In my younger days, I didn’t take those words very seriously, but as time passed, I started to get it… “The longer I live, the longer I live.” Over the years, I appreciate learning and traveling much more. I am in constant amazement of those who can cultivate their talents and share them with me. I have also learned that “famous” doesn’t necessarily mean talented and talent doesn’t necessarily bring you fame.
For a majority of notable figures, fame and notoriety have a very short shelf life. Opera singers hone their craft until they are about 35 years old and, if they are lucky, they are privileged to perform at their peak for about 20 years. After that, they often teach within a system of higher education. Then there are the one-hit wonders, a term occasionally used to refer to an artist, who is best known for a single work. Examples in literature include Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill A Mockingbird and author Margaret Mitchell whose first and only novel was Gone With The Wind. Did their careers fail, or did they simply reach their goal and felt satisfied?
In this column I will leave you with questions instead of answers:
What are you noted for? Do you have a talent of your own? Do you run an organized household? Are you a creative cook? Are you a loving parent or grandparent? What are you proud of? What are you passionate about – what puts a fire in your belly? Does it necessarily bring you fame and fortune or simply put a roof over your head and food on your table… does it matter?
Whom do you want to be most proud of you? Is it your parents, friends, children or grandchildren? If you can achieve the goal of making as many of the people you value appreciate your talents, then you have your own circle of fame and notoriety.
Remember, people are just people.
Exude confidence. Put your chin up. Put your shoulders back… You’re on!
Live… Go… Do!
Mr. Blanco read his poem “One Today” at the inauguration ceremony in January 2013. To see Mr. Blanco read One Today on January 20, 2013:
Top 5 List For February 2014
February is a short month; we’re going to keep it simple. Time to reflect – stay close to home. Appreciate what we have here in our own Wellington winter haven. Most importantly, it’s gorgeous out. Be with people. Go outside and play!
1) Take in a Polo Match:
“International Polo Club Palm Beach is a return to the way the game of polo is meant to be enjoyed, where polo players and fans of all ages can gather together in a world-class venue for the sport and the lifestyle. Located in the heart of South Florida’s legendary horse country, International Polo Club Palm Beach is a world-class polo club designed to showcase the finest the sport has to offer. Beginning Sunday, January 5th, thousands of fans will be on hand to kick-off the 2014 Polo Season at International Polo Club Palm Beach. The season will feature a series of renowned polo tournaments attracting the world’s finest players. The line-up includes such prestigious high-goal competitions as the Joe Barry Memorial Cup, Ylvisaker Cup and Piaget USPA Gold Cup®, culminating with the playing of the coveted 110th Maserati U.S. Open Polo Championship®. We invite you to experience some of the best polo in the world taking place at one of the most beautiful clubs in the world.” – IPC Website
2) Hop over to:
The Wellington Amphitheater
Films, tribute concerts and performances under the stars:
For the full calendar of events see:www.wellingtonfl.gov/community/amphitheater.html
For the full calendar of events see:www.wellingtonfl.gov/community/amphitheater.html
3) It’s Movie time!
Rent, download or view on Netflix:
For the kids: The Muppets Take Manhattan – The film’s dialogue and message remains the same for both children and adults. “Peoples is Peoples.” See it before the new Muppet Most Wanted movie comes out on March 21, 2014.
For the Grown ups: Watch Gone With The Wind again! Before The Butler or 12 Years A Slave, this epic was a social commentary ahead of its time. I saw parts of it recently on AMC and couldn’t tear myself away from the screen.
Then be sure to get out to the movie theaters and see the Oscar contenders. The Academy Awards will be airing on Sunday evening March 2, 2014
4) Read: something old, perhaps To Kill A Mockingbird – and then read something new…
The Last Call From Heaven
By Mitch Albom
I particularly enjoy reading Mr. Albom’s books when en route to a new city. His stories are page-turners and make a plane ride go by very quickly. This month I urge you to grab a copy of The Last Call From Heaven and sit on your patio, near a pool or beach and enjoy the fresh air while you read.
Also: As mentioned previously, see my interview with Mitch Albom at:
5) Listen:
… To some of your old records (yes, records), CD’s, or MP3’s that used to make you feel like singing out loud at the top of your lungs or dance in your living room. Get out and go for a run and listen to an old playlist on iTunes. Ask yourself, “Are these still great songs?” Does the music still evoke the same emotions in me that it used to?” Besides production quality, ask yourself, “Have I changed as much as the music has?” Think about who you were then and what you have accomplished since.
6) Bonus – one “extra” this month! Go on a photo safari at:
“Okeeheelee Nature Center features 2.5 miles of trails winding through 90 acres of pine flatwoods and wetlands. Highlights of the center include hands-on exhibits, animal encounters and a nature related gift shop. Marvel at our birds of prey, touch a live snake or prowl for owls during one of our many programs scheduled throughout the year for families, youth and adults.” – pbcgov.com website
http://www.pbcgov.com/parks/nature/okeeheelee_nature_center/#.UtcgDvZVpM0
Lori Hope Baumel and her husband Eric live in Wellington and have three children.
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 www.loribaumel.com or read her blog: www.grownupcamp.tumblr.com
February, 2014 – Valentine’s Pick…The Wine Dive
The Florida Foodie
Valentine’s Day Pick: Wine Dive on Clematis
The Wine Dive – 319 Clematis St – 561-318-8821
By Saucy Sarah
If you are looking for a fun and romantic place to take your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day this year I am giving Wine Dive my two thumbs up! Located on Clematis, Wine Dive is a dreamy place to lose a couple of hours with the one you love. Exposed brick walls and rich dark woods bathed in lots of candlelight give the dining room a decadent yet modern feel. The chandeliers, made from wine goblets, are whimsical, letting you know this place is not pretentious though the wine and beer list are extensive and refined. It is defiantly a linger-worthy restaurant. I spied several love-locked couples cozied up to each other in the dark booths.
The food is also fit to share as Wine Dive offers an array of Tapas, or small plates, and fine cheese and Charcuterie boards. The night my dining companions and I visited we tried several selections from the extensive menu of tasty tidbits. The cheese board should not be missed. Select your own three cheeses and/or cured meats ($17) or have the chef choose for you. The cheeses we chose were: the mozzarella roulade- with prosciutto, sun dried tomato, and basil & cracked pepper, The St. Andre – a triple cream brie, and the HACIENDA ZORITA – an organic hard sheep’s milk cheese from Spain. The board comes with lots of plump bits of fruit, hot, crusty baguettes, and truffle infused honey. It is a carnival for the taste buds! Some of our dinning guests paired their cheese selections with some of the fabulous cured meats which made a fine meal on its own. We added the Skillet Brie ($11) to our mix – a small round of brie warmed in a mini skillet and topped with Marsala wine and mushrooms, served with pretzel bread and crisp apple slices. Over the top delicious.
Some other highlights of our night were the Carpaccio Salad ($11) –thin, tender slices of prime beef, quick seared and served on a bed of arugula with a drizzle of lemon vinaigrette. The Scallops ($11) were sweet and perfectly seared to retain their succulent texture and served on a bed of slightly spicy vegetable compote. The Truffle Mac & Cheese ($11) was heady with the scent of truffles and very creamy. For the diner who may want something a little heartier, Wine Dive does offer several American inspired “large plates” such a roasted chicken and gourmet burgers.
Unfortunately, we were too sated to go near the dessert menu, but Wine Dive does not disappoint. From cupcakes ($10) to homemade doughnuts ($8), there is something to delight everyone and bring a sweet ending to your Valentine’s Day dinner.
You cannot go wrong making your “V-day” reservations at Wine Dive this year. With a wine tasting menu cleverly named “The Make Out List” offering a dizzying array of 2oz tasting selections, you have to admit, this place screams romance! If you can’t get a table for Valentine’s Day, I suggest you also consider their fabulous never-ending mimosa or bloody Mary Sunday brunches. With so many dazzling ways to enjoy a meal at Wine Dive, in a way, Wine Dive makes every day, Valentine’s Day!
January, 2015 – Wellington Art Society’s 9th Annual Art Show
9th Annual Juried Fine Art and Fine Craft Show
January 31 and February 1st
January, 2014 – Zoo Celebrates New Milestone for Jaguar
Zoo Celebrates Milestone Birthday for Jaguar, Announces New Jaguar Sponsorship
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society is honoring Muchacho, its male patriarch jaguar, for his milestone 20th birthday on Saturday, January 25, 2014, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with “Muchacho’s Birthday Bash.” The jaguar’s actual 20th birthday falls on Friday, January 24, 2014, and the Zoo is proud of not only his longevity, but the testimony this sends to the quality of care all of the Zoo’s endangered species receive. Jaguars typically live twelve to fifteen years in the wild.
Muchacho
Schedule of events for “Muchacho’s Birthday Bash”
Saturday, January 25, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The first 300 children through the gate will receive a special jaguar-themed gift from the birthday boy as thanks for celebrating with him. Muchacho will be on exhibit all day to bask in the glow of his adoring fans!
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Glass Productions’ Noisy Neighbors DJ and Purple People Painters Face
Painting
Location: Fountain Plaza
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sand Art
Location: Mayan Plaza, Jaguar Habitat
11:30 a.m.
Jaguar Talk with Special Birthday Enrichment
Location: Jaguar Habitat
The Zoo has one of the most successful zoo jaguar husbandry and breeding programs in all of North America. Along with matriarch jaguar Nabalam, Muchacho has fathered five total cubs at the Zoo, two of which (Maya and Izel) still reside at the Zoo.
“Muchacho tells the story of jaguars’ current plight in nature,” said Jan Steele, General Curator for the Zoo. “They are endangered and their habitat is diminishing, so we have to do everything we can to develop conservation awareness through education, breed the cats as part of the national program and by supporting field work where these cats live.”
The Zoo is funding a jaguar conservation program managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Bolivia. In February, WCS will send representatives to the Zoo to update all staff on the project, regarding the Greater Madidi Tambopata Landscape, upon which jaguars live.
The numbers of wild jaguars are declining. Threats include loss and fragmentation of habitat. The jaguar’s present range extends from Southwestern United States and Mexico, Central America, Paraguay and Argentina.
The Zoo’s jaguars reside in the award-winning Tropics of America section of the Zoo. Staff members encourage visitors to take actions that will help conserve jaguar habitat, such as purchasing shade-grown coffee, paper and wood products certified by the U.S. Forest Stewardship Council and buying locally-grown produce.
In addition to the milestone jaguar birthday, the Zoo is announcing its newest corporate sponsor, Jaguar Palm Beach. Their sponsorship will help continue the Zoo’s tradition of providing quality care for its resident jaguars, including Muchacho.
Jaguar habitat corporate sponsor
“Jaguar Palm Beach is honored to sponsor the jaguar habitat at the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society,” said Stephen Myers, owner of Jaguar Palm Beach. “We are proud to financially support institutions like the Zoo that make important conservation efforts for this endangered species.”
Link to more information about “Muchacho’s Birthday Bash” — http://www.palmbeachzoo.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.details&content_id=151
About the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society
The Zoological Society of the Palm Beaches exists to inspire people to act on behalf of wildlife. We advance our conservation mission through endangered species propagation, education and support of conservation initiatives in the field. Our commitment to sustainable business practices elevates our capacity to inspire others.
The Palm Beach Zoo is located at 1301 Summit Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more information, visit www.palmbeachzoo.org.