A Guide to the Most Common Vaccines for Adults Age 50 and Older
By Heather Loguidice, ARNP
When we think about immunizations most of us assume they are for babies, children, and adolescents. Did you know that adults need vaccines, too? Unfortunately, studies show that health care professionals do a sub-optimal job of vaccinating their adult patients. Plus, many adults are not aware that they even need vaccines. Many assume that they are already immunized against certain illnesses because they were vaccinated as a child.
Vaccines work by introducing a weak form of a disease into your body. This triggers an immune response causing antibodies to be made. These antibodies are designed to fight off the actual disease if you are ever exposed to it. Thus, you do not have to suffer from the disease itself.
The immunity you attain from vaccinations can wean off over time. This is why adults need “boosters” of some of their previous vaccinations. Also, one might need vaccinations when traveling to different countries to prevent catching an illness that you normally would not be exposed to. To learn more about travel vaccines consult the Center for Disease Control (CDC) traveler’s website at least 8-10 weeks in advance of your travel plans in order to have adequate time to get your vaccines before traveling. The CDC currently recommends the following vaccines for adults ages 50 years and older.
Influenza vaccine:This is the “flu” vaccine. Influenza poses an enormous health risk to older adults and young children and infants. It is recommended that adults 50 and older receive the injection form of the flu vaccine (not the nasal spray) on a yearly basis. It is typically given in the early fall starting in September. Individuals who are allergic to eggs, have had a bad reaction to a previous flu shot or have a history of Guillen Barre syndrome after receiving a flu shot should not receive the vaccine.
Pneumococcal vaccine:This is a vaccine to reduce the risk of getting pneumonia caused by the pneumococcal bacteria. Individuals 65 and older should receive the vaccine. It is typically a one time vaccine. People younger than age 65 years who have chronic health problems, such as heart and lung disease (including asthma), chronic liver disease, diabetes, immuno-compromising conditions, such as HIV and certain cancers, individuals without a spleen, and those who smoke should receive the vaccine at an earlier age. If the vaccine is given before age 65, it is recommended to have a one time revaccination 5 years after the initial vaccine was given.
Tdap vaccine (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis):Due to recent outbreaks of pertussis (whooping cough) across the country, the CDC recommends that adults of any age be given a booster of Tdap. This is especially true if the adult is in contact with infants and young children or is a healthcare provider. Once the Tdap booster is received, a Td booster every 10 years should be received.
Zoster vaccine (shingles):Herpes zoster (shingles) stems from the varicella (chicken pox) virus. Once you have chicken pox, the virus lies dormant within the body. As we age, our immunity to this virus falls and the virus can reactivate in the form of shingles. Shingles follows the nerve root pattern and typically causes a very painful, burning, itchy rash with blisters. The pain can last for weeks to months even after the rash resolves. The vaccine is indicated for persons age 50 and older, but current CDC guidelines recommend giving the vaccine to adults 60 years and older. The reason being that after age 60 the incidence of shingles increases due to waning immunity. Adults who have never had chicken pox and have not been immunized should receive the varicella vaccine.
This is just a brief synopsis of the most recommended vaccines for adults. The purpose of vaccinating is to protect individuals from potentially deadly diseases with horrible consequences. Not all vaccines are recommended for everyone and the guidelines can vary with certain populations. I encourage you, especially if you are 50 years or older, to discuss your immunization status with your healthcare provider at your next visit. For further information regarding vaccines or to make an appointment for a specific vaccine please contact us at Family Medical and Wellness Center at 561 721-1953.
“Bringing Up Bébé, One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting”, by Pamela Druckerman– – A Mommy Moments book review by Melanie Lewis
A year ago I realized I hadn’t read much since “What to expect when you’re expecting”.I needed to dust off a book and rediscover the joys of literature.I started by joining a book club that reads a variety of books.In searching for new titles, I ran across the book, “Bringing Up Bébé”.I remembered hearing about it and seeing it in print on the shelves (I still prefer paper).The book is written by a journalist whose husband is working in France.They have a baby girl and the author, Pamela Druckerman faces all the same questions about pregnancy and parenting that we all face, just with a French “twist”.
The author spends a couple of chapters describing her background and views.Her commentary comes across as a Carrie Bradshaw-esk on dating and men. The couple is first introduced to the gourmet-eating, the well-mannered French child while traveling with their infant in France.While at a restaurant, a French child they observed ate adult entrees, not chicken nuggets and sat eating attentively and politely. To their dismay, this was not an aberration, but derigueur or protocol.Amazed at the child’s demeanor, the author sets out on a mission to find out what French parents do to yield these results opposite of children she’s encountered in the States.
As her baby grows up she asks her pediatrician and other parents she meets what they do with their children.Her first instructions come as she endures sleepless nights.She is instructed to observe and wait before immediately picking up the baby during the night. She is also to give the infant plenty of time to be alone with their thoughts to enjoy “being” without constant stimulation and attention.Before long, she discovers her baby is “doing her nights” as the French describe it.Small delays develop “internal resources to cope with frustration.”
When it comes to eating, there is also a French approach.Food is revered and great attention is paid to what is served and when.Food is not eaten “whenever”.There is a definite structure followed as a culture.Everyone, infant through adult is served 4 times a day. Meals are breakfast, lunch, dinner and an afternoon snack, called Gouter, and at a prescribed schedule 8, 12, 4 and 8.A small baby is fed on demand for the first couple of weeks and then is led into the mainstream schedule.“Wait” is the skill learned early on.Skills are developed to distract oneself until the meal is ready.I needed to investigate this for myself and asked another mom at my son’s soccer game if this was true.She travels frequently to France as part of her job.There isn’t so much as a snack machine in any office building.If you didn’t catch the main event, you might find a coffee, but not any sort of the junk food that proliferates the US diet.The goldfish filled diaper bags are only carried by US ex-patriots.French moms command the “wait”.
One would think the parenting style as harsh.On the contrary, the author finds the parents warm, but with firm boundaries , Cadre-framework- setting firm limits, but giving children freedom within those limits, with expectations to stay within them.The French have a saying that the child is happier when “they’re in control of themselves.”The child develops what is called Sage-to-be-wise and calm, be absorbed in an activity, in control of himself.The emphasis is on the child learning to use good judgment, be aware and respectful of others.The practice of this is that a child will always say bonjour to an adult and respond in pleasantries when asked.You’d always find my children hiding behind me. This is upsetting to the adult talking to the child, but we’ve made excuses for the kids as shy.One of the first lessons taught and practiced in preschools and daycare is to say please, thank you and hello. The societal requirement is rehearsed before the alphabet is introduced.Rather than pushing kids to learn music, math and sports, French parenting focuses on a child’s own “awakening” or discovery.
A mother also has her own time of discovery.Mother is also a woman and she retains equilibrium or “Equilibre-balance, not letting one part of life – including being a parent – overwhelm the other parts”, between her role as a mother and as a woman.French women demonstrate this by returning to work after, typically, a 3 month maternity leave.Of course, French state-funded childcare is affordable and well-run.French women are determined to regain their figure as soon as possible.Much of her identity as a woman is on her looking herself.She discovers the “perfect mother doesn’t exist” and therefore spends no time feeling guilty for going to work.She certainly misses her children, but doesn’t dwell on that, just cherishes the harmonious moments spent together.
There are several gems that I was able to take away from reading this book.Of number one importance is to be polite.For example if the kids want a cookie from the bakery while shopping, they have to ask for it themselves.And secondly, they will wait until after dinner to eat the cookie (instead of eating it in the store). Following the elimination of the open fridge policy to one snack a day, the kids have been extremely interested in what the meal is going to be and interested in preparing it as well.I now have a champion banana bread baker.
It was good to get another perspective on parenting.At times the system seems too good to be true and idealistic.That’s why I needed to verify the information.Without a good childcare system, many American parents face staggering childcare costs when available.For instance, this week marked the beginning of our summer school vacation which created a void for many working parents since several camps weren’t open yet for summer.One parent I know took her kids to work with her. They played on their electronic devices and read for lack of anywhere else to go.The other element that enables the parenting system to function is that it’s done pretty much universally in France.While it may seem restrictive, you know you won’t be tempted with a plate of cookies at one o’clock in the afternoon since nobody would expect to be served food.
If you’ve read the book, I’d be interested in your comments.Would/do you feel guilty going back to work?Do you find it difficult to get decent childcare?Could you see your kids sitting down for a meal of chicken cordon bleu with trifle sauce instead of chicken nuggets?Thank you, Melanie!Au revior for now.
Melanie Lewis is the mother of 2 boys ages 5 and 8.She is married and works part-time as Silpada representative and a weight loss consultant. She enjoys book club, and playing with her Blue-mitted Ragdoll, Percy and Golden Retriever, Rosie.She can be reached at [email protected].
The Ladies Who…Brunch? A Sunday Afternoon at E.R. Bradley’s
E.R. Bradley’s Saloon
104 Clematis St, West Palm Beach, FL
(561) 833-3520
By Saucy Sarah
E.R Bradley’s resides on prime real estate in downtown West Palm Beach. At the crossroads of Clematis, Datura, and Flagler, Bradley’s offers spectacular views of the intracoastal waterway from its breezy covered porch. Or enjoy the view from under one of its thatched Tiki huts around the outdoor bar. It’s the ideal spot to share a Sunday meal with your dear ones, reveling in the balmy South Florida heat. Sure, Bradley’s has indoor seating, but why sit inside when you have waterfront property to gaze upon?
My band of brunching beauties and I set off to experience what we thought would certainly be a match made in heaven; Sunday brunch set in paradise. Bradley’s website promised that such a brunch can be yours for under twenty dollars. If a brunch buffet is not your cup of tea, they also offer a regular lunch menu. I am a big fan of the brunch. A magical mixture of breakfast and lunch, served in the late morning. It is the ideal meal for the weary Saturday night party goer. It’s an event to linger over with friends until the afternoon grows late. Sundays and brunch were made for each other.
Let me say this, if you are going to call yourself a “brunch” then you should have some “lunch” items thrown in with your “breakfast” items. Bradley’s brunch buffet is, in reality, really a standard breakfast buffet containing all the usual suspects; breakfast meats, home fries, biscuits, pancakes and French toast. There is also a continental display with Danishes, yogurt, and fruit. The food, I will say, was good for your average breakfast buffet though the fruit display looked a little tired and in need of sprucing up by the time I got to it. The food is hot, tasty, and plentiful, but, if you are looking for a splendid brunch buffet with WOW-factor, Bradley’s is not the buffet for you.
The highlight of the buffet is the made-to-order waffles. Lighter than air, the waffles are crisp and delicious. In fact, my waffle stayed crunchy even after being buttered and doused in syrup. I could have eaten just the waffle and have been happy. The omelet station is a nice touch as well and our omelet chef was delightful to chat with while we waited for our eggs to cook.
A few of my dining companions opted to order from the lunch menu. The two burgers ($13/15) our table ordered arrived overcooked, dry, and nothing to write home about. If you want a burger done medium, be sure to ask for medium rare! Served with toasty chunks of baguette, the grilled brie ($14) and fruit platter was delightful with the blackberry balsamic reduction that came drizzled over the cheese. The cheese steak ($14) was well seasoned and tasty, but the bread lacked any character and was rather soggy. I don’t know about you, but I like my cheese steak bun to have some heft.
Overall, Bradley’s is a Saloon, a bar, first and foremost. The food reflects that sentiment. It is pretty good bar food but, if I could make a suggestion to Bradley’s it would be to elevate the brunch and add some dazzle to the buffet line-up. We are a culture of foodies and we want exciting food to go along with our pretty views. Bradley’s is not the epicenter for culinary adventures in West Palm, but you cannot beat the atmosphere and somehow the view helps to make up where the food falters. In my dreams, Bradley’s will kick it up a notch and give our gastronomical-driven masses great food that rivals the view already in place.
Learning how to cook a burger properly wouldn’t hurt either!
In her previous life, Sarah, a Palm Beach County Native, spent ten years working in various high-end eating establishments around South Florida. She is currently a fiction thesis candidate in the MFA program at Florida International University where she also teaches creative writing and rhetoric. If that is not enough, Sarah is also the owner of Cakes by Sarah, a local custom cake shop. Sarah lives in Lake Worth with her husband and two beautiful boys. “Food, fiction, and family are my life.”
Paul Castronovo of the Paul & Young Ron Show, a Florida Treasure
By Marla E. Schwartz
You never know what you’re going to get when you listen to talk radio in Southeast Florida – the good, the bad and the ugly. Fortunately, with Paul Castronovo from the “Paul & Young Ron Show,” (www.paulandyoungron.com) you get the best of the best. This Lighthouse Point resident’s presence has been a staple of morning radio for Miami/Fort Lauderdale audiences for over 22-years – first in the heyday of WSHE 103.5 FM, then 94.9 Zeta Rocks, and for the past eight years on Big 105.9FM. The show is also heard on Clear Channel stations Real Radio 94.3 FM and 101.7 FM in West Palm Beach and on the Treasure Coast and on Sun 103.1 in Key Largo and 99.5 FM in Key West. Thankfully, Paul’s more than two-decade success story has no end in sight, mostly because of his rapport with his long-time radio partner “Young” Ron Brewer.
There’s no doubt that Paul is one of the most refreshing voices around. He’s more than a local celebrity – he’s a Florida treasure. And he’s a guy’s guy. If you want to know what a real man is thinking – ladies – listen to this man on the radio! And gentlemen admire him so much that he’s emulated by all his male fans. This is not an easy feat but he does it with grace and humility. Honestly, he’s funny, down-to-earth, creative, and a real entrepreneur. He married the love of his life, Gina, in 1996 and their youngest son, AJ,has dreams of taking over the family winery business one day (more on this a bit later). His oldest son, Nic, attends the University of Florida and Paul, a UF graduate, is, of course, an avid Gator football fan. This enthusiastic boater and fisherman is someone who is easy to talk to – perhaps this is why his radio show has been such a great sensation. Okay, we’ll give Ron some credit. But Paul’s easy-going, friendly approach to life is infectious and this is why he has so many fans and why everyone wants to be his friend.
Paul Castronovo showing his brand of wine. Photo: Castronovo Vineyards.
But most important of all, it’s strange how life can completely change in an instant when you’re not even looking for a different path to take. And this is what happened to Paul and his family. It was after his wife’s chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer when these two Italian-Americans decided to vacation in Italy. It was due to a chance encounter during this get-away when this Pinot Noir girl and Cabernet loving man came up with an idea to purchase their very own vineyard and create their own wine label. It was during this time-period when Castronovo Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, ablendproduced in the Abruzzo region of Italy was born.
Starting from TOP left to right and wrapping around: Paul Castronovo with Guy Fieri with Paul’s wine Castronovo Montepulciano D’Abruzzo; Paul in Italy holding grapes that will go into making his wine; Paul and his wife Gina Castronovo in Venice; Paul, Gina & their son AJ in Italy; Celebrating the partnership with the Galasso family in Abruzzo; Nadia G., Paul, Geoffrey Zakarian, Ralph Pagano; Paul and his partners at their winery in Italy; Guy Fieri, Lisette Gonzalez (in background) and Paul; Castronovo Vineyards Speed Boat; Paul, Bruce Hunter & his wife Brenda, Eros Spinozzi and Gina; Castronovo’s at Trevi Foundation; Guy Fieri, Emeril Lagasse, Paul and “Young” Ron Brewer; AJ tastes the grapes before they’re made into wine; Gina & AJ in Rome; Paul’s fans: Delray Beach residents Michael & Hollie Hawn with an autographed bottle of his red wine (image by Marla E. Schwartz); AJ & Gina enjoying a meal in Italy.
Paul recently agreed to a Q & A session about his radio career, his family, his entree into the wine business and many other things for us.
Marla E. Schwartz: How did your career begin?
Paul Castronovo:I wanted to be on Saturday Night Live, but they didn’t offer that at the University of Florida. When I met my upstairs neighbor who happened to be a fellow broadcasting student, and he took me to the college radio station, I was hooked. After a few stints around the country, Miami, Orlando, Nashville and Birmingham, I was ready to get back to Florida and thankfully, Ron was working at my old station, WSHE and I talked the program director into hiring me and putting the two of us together. At one crazy dinner, Ron and I had the room in tears and that was the genesis of the show.
MES: Now that your show is on 94.3 in addition to BIG 105.9 making it part of “The Best of Real Radio” seems like a perfect fit. How do you feel about it?
PC: I resisted the move at first, because we’d always been on Rock radio, but when you think about the heritage of the Love Doc’s in the market and the complete domination of the market by those dudes, how could we not make the move? It’s a great radio family, except that Josh Cohen, who I have a real problem with (he’ll be in therapy after reading this, as we’re great friends).
MES: Do you have a current and/or most memorable caller?
PC: When it comes to guests, I have really enjoyed conversations with comedians over the years; in fact I spoke with a very candid and cool Will Ferrell about his new flick just recently. Other highlights: Tom Cruise calling from Australia, joking around with Hillary Clinton, trading lines from “The Godfather” with Robert Duvall, becoming friends with Little Steven from the Springsteen’s E Street Band, and getting invited to Lisa Lampanelli’s wedding. Not bad for a kid from Brooklyn.
MES: Do you currently consider yourself a shock jock? I mean, I don’t consider you a shock jock – but I’ve heard you referred to by this label, why do you think this is so?
PC: I hate that shock jock moniker more than anything else. Howard Stern, sure…strippers, constant sex talk, shock appeal, yeah. Well, I competed with Howard for 15 years and the last thing I ever wanted to do was out-Howard, Howard. So we chose to just be a funny morning show. In no way am I knocking Stern’s success, but the imitators, Bubba the Love Sponge, Lex and Terry, that kind of radio just doesn’t appeal to me. I think that if you were a guy morning show on a rock radio station, you were perceived as shock jocks. Thanks for asking!
MES: When did Dave Barry call you for the first time? Have you known each other for awhile?
PC: Dave Barry first called our show, probably in 1990; our first year and we really hit it off. He told me that as famous as he’d become, the first time his son Rob recognized it was after he appeared with us. Since then, I’ve performed numerous times with his band, the Rock Bottom Remainders and danced inside a Neiman Marcus store with him and his wife. That’s another story.
MES: Do you remember who your first comedian was that you had on-air and how did that segment go? PC: That’s an impossible question. But I can tell you that the worst we ever had was Aries Spears from Mad TV. I asked him to do a few impressions, he said that “he wasn’t my trained monkey and walked out” After he left, we said his CD wasn’t that funny anyway…ten minutes later he busted into the room and threatened to fight us. An all-time classic.
MES: Why is it important to you to promote the work of comedians, chefs and musicians on your show?
PC: I just try to target things that I think will be entertaining and interesting to people in our target demographic. People love the Food Network, people love to laugh and people love music. It’s easy.
MES: How did you meet Chef Ralph Pagano and when did you get the idea to put him on your show?
PC: He and I did a TV show together and hit it off, I loved his accent, I love his cooking and I love his sense of humor, plus he carries my wine at Ten Palms! (Ten Palms Restaurant is located in Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, FL).
MES: I also enjoy listening to Kelly Craig (TV personality). I mean – I enjoy all the talent on your program, but it is nice having a woman’s perspective on your show. How did you meet Kelly and when did you decide that you wanted her on the show and how did you approach her about it?
PC: Kelly and I started in the market about the same time. She was a TV news anchor and became famous in Miami with her round the clock coverage of Hurricane Andrew with Bryan Norcross. During an interview on the phone shortly thereafter, Ron and I inadvertently insulted her and she hung up on us. Fast forward about a decade and we ran into each other at a charity event and hit it off. I began inviting her into the studio and realized she was hilarious and a star. She’s only the second woman to ever work on our show.
MES: You do so much for the community.
PC: Ron and I have been involved with “Feeding South Florida” for nearly 20 years (formerly the Daily Bread Food Bank) and each year have raised over 1 million pounds of food. We’re very proud of this. I’m also co-chairman of the Miami Dolphins Foundation, Fins Weekend – a fishing and golf weekend that raises money for various charities; the Miami Dolphin Ride DCC for cancer (ridedcc.com), and if we can help, anybody else who asks!
Now … let’s switch to some wine questions.
MES: Can you tell the story of how Castronovo Vineyards came to be?
PC: On a visit to Italy, while sitting at a Trattoria, the man next to us noticed
Paul with Young Ron, "Meatballs & Martinis 2011." Photo: Stu Opperman, Impact Players.
us struggling with the wine menu. My wife and I were wine fans, but mostly California, he says in his Italian accent, “Let me helpa you witha the Italian Wine Choice”. We ended up tasting everything in the house, and learning that this man, Eros exported wine to the U.S. We became fast friends and he took us to a winery the next day, where the family, who thought a major U.S. celebrity was visiting their winery was coming. They rolled out the red carpet and the whole family dined with us. The Grandma cooked, we ate olives from their trees, cheese from their sheep, homemade pasta and tasted all their wines. At one point, I said, “I sure would like to have your wine in the States.” That’s how it began.
MES: Can you please tell me why the Castronovo Montepulciano D’Abruzzostands out among other wines?
PC: Flavor and value. I know plenty of people that can go out and spend $100 on a bottle of wine, I’ve been known to do that as well, but in Italy…it just is not done. I want my friends and fans to be able to drink a bottle of wine that costs 15 bucks with a pizza on a Tuesday night, and A) enjoy the bottle, and B) not break the bank. I have done blind bottle taste tests with expensive bottles of wine, and we’ve hung right in there. I also think that Montepulciano D’Abruzzo has characteristics of the most popular American wines, and falls somewhere between a Pinot Noir and a big Cab.
MES: Do you only sell red wine & what type of food goes well with your wine?
PC: We just started with red wine, but at our vineyard in Abruzzo, we grow all sorts of varietals and our white wine, a Pecorino(same name as the cheese) has arrived in the states and is showing up on menus and shelves! I really love our wine with the antipasto course. Cheeses, cured meats, olives. That’s a great start. Move on to a spicy pasta dish, like penne arrabiata and you’ve got a home run. Any one of the Casa D’Angelo restaurants will make it for you!
MES: How did you become involved with Miami-based importer Shaw Ross Wines?
PC: This is the weird part of the story; upon my flight home I sat next to a man who turned out to be Bruce Hunter, the President of Shaw Ross Importers. I told him my story, the next thing you know the family is flying to the States, we have dinner at Anthony’s Runway 84 and a partnership was born.
MES: Congratulations on having a pizza named after you and Ron at Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza. What is the name of this pizza and what is on it? Does this restaurant also sell your wine?
PC: It’s meatballs, sausage, hot or sweet peppers and ricotta cheese, I’m proud to say it’s their best seller and goes perfect with our wine, which is sold at all Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza stores and Anthony’s Runway 84.
MES: Do any other restaurants or grocery stores in Florida sell your wine?
PC:Crown Wine & Spirits, Total Wine, Doris’s Market, lots of markets. The best way to find the wine is via ourwebsite, castronovovineyards.comclick on find our wine, and put in your zip code. We’re now also available in all Publix stores, and if you don’t happen to see it on the shelves, simply ask the manager and they’ll make sure you get it.
MES: When I first sampled your wine Montepulciano D’Abruzzo at a wine-tasting at Doris’ Market in Boca Raton, I thought it was spectacular… how did you come about creating this particular blend?
PC: The people that I partnered with in Italy grow these grapes and sell them all over Italy. It’s a hugely popular wine. The way my deal is worked out, we own a part of the land, but they handle the wine making and bottling. I know what I like, and we thought that would be the perfect wine to introduce.
MES: I understand that chef Michelle Bernstein carries your wine label at her various restaurants and that you were on her show PBS Check, Please! South Florida Tasting Tour … did you enjoy being on her show and what did you like the most about it? Is this something that you’ll consider doing again in the future?
PC: Michelle and I have been friends for years, not only because of her cooking, and the radio, TV thing, but we have mutual friends and have become friends socially as well. She’s a South Florida treasure and a delight to be around, they’ve asked me to host an upcoming show once again, so why not?
MES: How many years has the legendary Paul & Young Ron Celebrity Cook-off been taking place at the South Beach Food and Wine Festival? It’s so much fun, and I encourage people to watch this podcast and other podcasts that can be found on your website.
PC: It started out with a conversation, or an argument as to who was the better cook. I argued that all I needed was a cooktop and a sauté pan, Ron said he could crush me with a grill. Here we are 15 years later and we’re cooking with Emeril Lagasse and Guy Fieri!
MES: Do you travel to Italy a lot?
PC: We go about once a year. I love Rome, the people, the energy, the history. We went to Sicily in June for a few nights, that’s where our family is from…I’m really looking forward to that as well as some relaxing days on the Amalfi Coast. Plus I get to visit my grapes! {As a side note: Paul’s family is from Agrigento in Sicily, although there is a town in Sicily named Castronovo.)
MES: When did you come to Florida and why did you stay?
PC: I was born in Brooklyn, NY, lived in Long Island and moved to South Florida in 1971 and really embraced the South Florida lifestyle. I grew up in Palm Beach County and attended Lake Worth High School. I always thought my career would take me to LA, but being an avid fisherman and diver, it’s been great spending the majority of my career in my hometown.
MES: How many years have you lived in Lighthouse Point and why did you decide to move to this beautiful community?
PC: I first visited LHP in 1971 when we moved to Florida from NY. We had friends in the neighborhood, and I was fascinated that the kids could fish in their backyard canals. Years later when looking for a home, I said…I have to look, and sure enough, we never left. The neighbors are great, my son has a million friends and we couldn’t be happier.
MES: Can you tell me a bit about your boating and fishing excursions?
PC: I’ve been fishing the ocean as long as I’ve lived here, and spend as much time as I can on the water. As a member of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation board of directors, I’m sensitive to sustainable seafood, and catch and release all billfish as well as promote ocean conservation wherever I can. That being said, there’s nothing I like better than going off shore looking for mahi mahi and bringing one or two home and grilling them up! I’ve fished the Bahamas, Guatemala, and Panama as well. I guess you can say it’s an expensive hobby!
Considering the fact that Paul’s life is practically an open book because he makes his living on the radio, the fact of the matter is that this busy man with a career that’s always keeping him on the go hasn’t stopped him from venturing into another business altogether; this is pretty darn impressive. The “Paul & Young Ron Show”can be heard weekdays from 6:00-10:00 AM. In addition to showcasing the talents of Kelly Craig and Ralph Pagano, the program also features regulars Dave LaMont (sportscaster), Ron Magill (zookeeper), Billy Corben (filmmaker), and executive producer Steve Harmon. And all of these people, including the infamous “Young” Ron Brewer are fascinating and very entertaining individuals – all adding to the show’s success. And fans: be aware that Paul is looking for many more people to follow him on twitter, so let’s show him how much we care and do it: @PaulCastronovo, @PaulandYoungRonand @Castronovowine.
You can also find more information by going to the Paul Castronovo Fan page on Facebook, Castronovo Vineyards on Facebook any of the following websites:
A Toledo, OH native, a graduate of Kent State, Marla E. Schwartz is a Senior Writer for Miami Living Magazine, afreelance writer forLighthouse Point Magazine and the a cultural arts columnist for AroundWellington.com. Her photographs have appeared in these publications, in many Ohio periodicals, as well as in The Miami Herald, The Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel and The Palm Beach Post. She has had numerous plays published and produced around the country. Her short play, America’s Working? was produced in Los Angeles at both the First Stage and the Lone Star Ensemble theater companies, in Florida at Lynn University and at an Off-Broadway playhouse in NYC. Her piece, The Lunch Time Café, was a finalist for the Heideman Award,Actors Theatre of Louisville. Please check out the re-prints of her interviews with authors Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson and Dexter novelist Jeff Lindsay in the October 2010 issue #2 and Chris Bohjalian in the April 2011 issue #3 of Duff Brenna’sServingHouse: A Journal of Literary Arts at www.servinghousejournal.com. You can contact her at [email protected].
There you are. I see you sitting there in your comfy chair, in your air conditioned room, with your fancy digital devices and your empty box of Mr. WaffleHuffle breakfast waffles now with real cranberry. Life is pretty sweet, right? Well, don’t be so sure, waffle breath.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news – you better sit down for this – but it turns out sitting is bad for you. Sorry to dupe you into sitting just now; I mean you no harm. In fact, I urge you to please rise, because the more you sit, health experts say, the worse things get.
Spend too much of each day sitting, and you could get critically fat, have a heart attack and even die. And then there are the dangers of second hand sitting, with your motionless mass causing major hardship and hazard to those who have to maneuver around you to turn lamps on and off, water plants, or dial 9-1-1.
A survey shows that Americans spend more than half their time in a seated position each day, logging endless hours sitting at the office, in their cars, on a computer or in front of a TV. Sitting can quickly spiral out of control, even if you don’t think of yourself as the sedentary type.
Take me, a lifelong runner and noted climber of stairs at airports and office buildings. As I write this, I’m sitting in my family room, scrawling my thoughts down the old fashioned way, putting pen to pad. It’s hard work, pushing the pen across the page, but I gut it out because, frankly, I need the exercise. When I fill up a couple of pages, I’ll walk the 20 feet to my spare room where I’ll sit down at my computer and transcribe everything from my pad into a Word document. By the time I’m finished, I’ll have been sitting for about three and a half solid hours, interrupted only by the brisk 20 foot walk from my family room.
With some final editing on this column requiring a change of scenery, now it’s time to really get moving. I walk the 25 feet to my car (resting briefly only once at the halfway point) and settle into the driver’s seat for the ride to the library. I park as far from the door as I can and hoof it in. Once inside, I find a small table near the door where I take a seat and resume writing.
And then, the perils of sitting take hold of me in a way I could never anticipate. As I lean slightly forward to tear out a page from my pad, I feel something tug at the back of my pants. Trying to move a little more, I realize that I am now fastened to the chair, a belt loop from my pants having somehow gotten tangled with the chair back’s curlicues of wrought iron metal. No problem, I think. I’ll just reach back and unhook myself. The chair had other ideas.
Trying to hide my predicament from people passing by, I calmly wriggle in my seat, reaching back to try and pull my belt loop up and over the swirling metal design that put my behind bars. The belt loop that got hung up is directly in back of me, so I can’t see what I’m doing. Judging from the vice-like grip the chair now has me in, what I’m doing is sealing my fate.
As the minutes drag on and my pants and the chair grow more intimate, I look desperately around the library for a compassionate soul. A woman sitting at a table five feet away looks promising, so I swallow my pride, clear my throat and say words to a stranger I could never have imagined saying:
“Excuse me, I hate to bother you, but I seem to have impaled my pants on the back of my chair and I can’t get up,” I announce pathetically.
She looks up from her smart phone suspiciously at first, but when her eyes drift down to my shackled waistband she smiles sympathetically.
“Wow, you sure do seem to have gotten yourself in a bind,” she laughs. “Let’s take a look.”
“This isn’t one of my finer moments,” I mumble, trying to redeem some shred of dignity. But dignity is a bit of a luxury when a small metal chair has taken you hostage and a woman you don’t know is crouching on the floor behind you fumbling with the waistband of your pants.
“Got it!” she shrieks, after tussling with the twisted mess for two of the longest minutes of my life.
“Wow, I can’t thank you enough,” I gush, feeling like a man whose lawyer just sprung him from prison.
“Glad I could help,” she chuckles. “Have a good day . . . and be careful out there.”
“I will,” I say, gathering my stuff and heading out the door. As I walk away, I vow to myself to cut down on sitting, and to inspire others to do the same. My message, born from painful personal experience, is a simple one:
Sit less, move more. Your body will benefit. Your brain will benefit. And, with a little bit of luck, your belt loops will be scandal free.
Dear dads (and moms who dare to intrude on us macho dudes),
We moved to a Chicago suburb called Highland Park in 1967.And for the first time in my life, I found myself commuting to work on a train.
My first day, I decided to let all the other riders know I wasn’t some kind of city slicker and that I could talk suburbanese as well as they could.So, after boarding my first train, and before taking my seat, I shouted out, “Peat moss!”
In the uptight white collar suburbs north of Chicago, that little stunt instantly branded me as a rabble-rouser, a weirdo and a Democrat.Even worse, it kept me out of the daily bridge game for one full year.
But I finally established my bona fides when a steady player went out of town on a business trip and the game needed a fourth.After that, I essentially rode the bench until one of the other guys moved to New York and I became a regular.
In those days, few women rode the train.Whenever I took my seat in my car (the “bridge car”), I felt like I belonged to a men’s club.
It was during those early commuting years that I discovered a secret that all men know – that all men have known for 50,000 years – and that no one has ever divulged.At the risk of being ostracized by ever father in the world, I am revealing that secret here for the first time:
The very thing we yell at our kids for … we brag about to each other.
This became clear the first time I joined the bridge game as a permanent member.Morrie, my partner that day, kicked off the festivities.
“Well, my daughter had her friends over to study last night.By the time they left, I thought an army of ants had raided the kitchen.All they left me were five potato chips and a tomato.”
Mel, my left-hand opponent, said, “That’s nothing!Your daughter isn’t even in the prince’s league.”(Mel always called his son, “The prince.”I was never sure of Mel.He called his wife, “Hitler.”)
“The prince’s LPH is up to four,” Mel announced.
“What’s LPH?” I asked
“Leftovers per hour.”
Manny now enters the fray.“That’s nothing!” he says.
“Oh, here we go,” Morrie interrupts.“We’re gonna hear about The Neanderthals.”
“The what?” I ask.
“Manny’s twin boys.Huge kids.He calls them The Neanderthals.”
“Yeah,” Manny says.“Dinner is like trough time at the zoo.But until now, I’ve figured out how to save leftovers and snacks for myself.I keep potato chips in my sock drawer, and leftover roast beef in my tool box.
“But now I don’t know.The Neanderthals are trying out for football this year.Fifteen years old.Maybe five foot ten.Have to weigh at least 250 each.And guess what?They wanta beef up!They wanta play offensive line!I just don’t know.My food bill now would feed Bulgaria.”
One day, we settle in to play bridge when Morrie says, “Can any of you explain to me how you can lose one shoe?”
We all recognized the question as rhetorical.Morrie usually began diatribes against his daughter with a question.
“My daughter is running around the house like crazy this morning, looking for a shoe.She looks everywhere.After listening to her frantic pleading – and getting a ‘don’t-be-so-lame-dad’ look for proposing she simply wear another pair – I go back to drinking my coffee and reading the paper.She never found the other shoe!Finally left wearing her Nikes.
How do you lose one shoe?”
I’m now feeling like one of the gang, so I settle back with a smile and say, “That’s nothing!”
They all turn to me, expectantly.
“My son,” I announce proudly, “has constructed an igloo-sized mound in his bedroom!”
“Consists of clothes, even clean ones, paperback books, magazines, notebooks, old newspapers, a few board games, a baseball mitt, a hardball, a softball and a Backgammon set.The mound comes up to my chest.”
It wasn’t a bad entry for my first offering, but was instantly topped with shouts of “That’s nothing!” from Mel.Seems the prince had used dirty clothes to build a replica of Sears Tower.Then Manny bemoaned his Neanderthals, who were turning his garage into a garbage dump.
I gave our quartet of bridge players a name.I called us The Four M’s:Morrie, Manny, Mel and Me.We had one daily kibitzer, who sat in the seat behind us and we named him “Fat Frank” because he was so skinny.Six-foot four, couldn’t have weighed 120 pounds, with a shock of black hair that stuck out all over.When he turned sideways, he looked like a hatrack.
One day, Fat Frank initiated the bragging.“When you guys bid today, please speak up a bit.My daughter had her stereo on so loud last night I can’t hear out of my right ear.”
Manny, my partner that morning, said, “That’s nothing!You know that new noise abatement program they have at O’Hare for incoming airplanes?My daughter’s room has been denied permission to land at the airport.”
But nothing got the juices flowing like discussions about driving and using the family car.
One Monday morning, Mel said, “The prince had to have the car Friday night.Saturday morning, I inspect it and find two new nicks on the rear fender.I ask the prince what happened, and guess what?Didn’t even know the nicks were there.The prince sees no evil, hears no evil and speaks only lies.”
Morrie says, “That’s nothing!Highland Park Body and Fender Repair has submitted my daughter’s name to the Body Shop Hall of Fame.”
Fat Frank jumps in.“That’s nothing!” he shouts.“You know what I’ve got in my back yard?A floating tree stump!Every time one of the kids backs the car out of the garage, the tree stump attacks!”
***
Those were halcyon days for me.And I often wonder if today’s commuter dads brag about their kids as much as we did.
It’s that time again, when the world comes together to compete in biggest arena for sports. The Olympic Games are upon us and London is the host city for this spectacular event. The Olympic Games allows the world’s top athletes to compete to the highest level of their ability. For most, it takes years of dedication and focus to prepare them mentally, physically, and emotionally to take on such an endeavor.
The Olympic Games also speak to the human spirit. People love to see the back story of athletes and their journey to this very moment. It allows us to connect with those we see part of ourselves in, and we relate to them. We become emotionally invested in the experience, and the competitor within us comes alive. We all want the opportunity to compete and prove that we belong. So when watching the games this year, take your passion and believe that you belong and prove that you have the right to compete on a grand stage.
Fun Facts*
Host City: London, England, United Kingdom
Motto: Inspire a Generation
Nations participating: 204 (estimated)
Athletes participating: 10,500 (estimated)
Events: 302 in 26 sports
Stadium: Olympic Stadium
*Facts provided by Wikipedia
The Olympic Games will take place Friday, July 2, 2012 to Sunday August 12, 2012.
Afterthought: When dreaming, never limit your possibilities. Sometimes we never think about what we are truly are capable of achieving. A great exercise it to continue to learn and grown in the area that your passion lies. Find people who are already doing something similar to what you are doing and use them as an outline to create your own blueprint.
We are always looking to profile people making a difference and making dreams come true for themselves and others. Please submit stories (for possible use) to [email protected].
It starts with desperation. The feeling of “but I have to have it.” Then there’s a sharp flash of reality, while the individual contemplates the value of their desire and its cost. That’s when the action starts…
I reach for my purse, keeping my eyes glued to the menu board above the Starbucks Coffee counter. “One tall, unsweetened Tazo Passion tea,” I say, as my fingers pinch the zipper on my purse and slip the compartment open. Out of familiar habit, I reach in and locate my wallet.
Success. I lift it out and let my eyes shift to the inside of my wallet, as the barista calls out the price for my precious, hand crafted beverage. That’s when I realize I’m down to ten dollars. As shivers tingle down my spine, I hand over a portion of my valued bills. Then, almost solemnly, I slowly march to the pick-up counter.
Was it worth it? “How could it be?” I question. But then, my bright pink tea slides across the counter into my hand. The condensation drips down my skin. I reevaluate. “This was definitely worth it,” I think.
This scenario is so common; it’s as if being short on money is a permanent teenage quality! The solution to this problem sounds simple: just grovel to your parents for a few bucks every day and hope you get lucky! Just kidding. We need a job. However, getting hired is a lot harder than one might think! Beyond the application process, the teenager has to display maturity, reliability, and definite interest. Not to mention, we have very little experience!
Adults- just imagine how you felt the first time you tried to break into the workforce. It might seem simple in comparison to the complications of adult life, but at the time it was definitely a struggle for you, too.
Teenagers are blossoming adults. We desire a more comfortable lifestyle, like adults, but are limited by our age and “school-to-free time” ratio. While many kids and pre-teens volunteer and attend summer camp, teens want to work and make a paycheck.
The summer is luckily a great time for teens to make a little extra cash, so that’s exactly what we do! From life guards and camp counselors to busboys and cashiers, we do whatever we can to accumulate money to maintain us school-year long.
I have been incredibly fortunate both this summer and last to have been given the opportunity to be an intern at a medical research center while on summer break. Not only does it give me valuable experience and teach me usable job skills, but I get a little extra money.
So while all you youngsters enjoy the summertime sunshine, and all you adults scramble to get your children from point A to point B of their new agendas, know that we teens will be waiting patiently for job opportunities. Or, we will be fortunately hired and working our summer vacation away. So cut us some slack, will ya?! We might be your kid’s camp counselors or your cashiers, but we’re on summer break too!
Jessica Small is a rising senior at Wellington High School. She is the Editor-in-Chief of her school’s online publication, whswave.com. She is enrolled in rigorous courses at WHS and aspires to study journalism and business in college. She is passionate about her high school dance team and is also the current president of thinkPINKkids.
This month’s column wasn’t planned, wasn’t what I’d decided to submit. Yesterday, I had Woody, my 15-year-old boy, my first Jack Russell Terrier, “put down,” as the saying goes. I’d been torn for several weeks, watching him work harder and harder to try to get back to “normal,” not knowing how to fix how he felt, struggling to be the good dog he’d always been.
Faced with a long trip in the car, a few days for him in a damp crate (he was incontinent), I had to make a decision. 1400 miles wasn’t going to be a picnic for either of us. But at journey’s end, our vet (and friend) would come to the house for “the procedure,” and Woody could be buried under the maple trees, under the moss, in the woods where he’d once loved to hunt. I poured out my heart to my friend, Judy, who offered to go with me, if I made the euthanasia decision.
I made a phone call to his vet… Almost $200, with “communal ashes,” more for private cremation. Who knew? PBC Animal Care and Control offers pet euthanasia for $50, but you can’t be with your pet, and that wasn’t an option for me. Peggy Adams will do private euthanasia, and I chose this for Woody. I signed the papers, and then we went into a private room. Judy, holding the box of Kleenex, cried with me, and I held my beloved dog close as he left me.
I want her to know how special she is, this Judy, who loves me, who knew my dog, who did what casual friends don’t do; have your back when it’s painful for them as well.
To Judy: I can’t ever, ever, express my gratitude for your love and compassion yesterday. Without judgment, you helped me make the right decision, with your observations about Woody’s deterioration (which I knew in my heart were true) and words of wisdom about his traveling north with me. It would have been just a few uncomfortable days on the road, a brief delay of the inevitable. That I ever selfishly wanted him to struggle on disgusts me now.
The days leading up to “the act” were more agonizing than I realized, harder, crazier, than the way I felt just last evening, after it was over, and, ‘though heartbreaking, the emptiness of his crate this morning. I will learn to be at peace with the decision, to put the guilt in the rear view mirror – it will take time, but I trust that it will happen. Woody’s death itself takes nothing away from how that wonderful dog and I felt about each other, or our years together. Thank you, Judy, for helping me, with love, to see the whole picture, and holding Woody and me in your arms, and your heart.
RIP, Fox Island Hollywood (Woody)
05/30/1997 – 06/11/2012
Woody, Age 6, RIP
I’ve been asked over the years about the Rainbow Bridge “poem” – it’s been very comforting to many pet owners who have lost their beloved animals. Here’s a link, and the text itself.
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
For the healthy and environmentally-conscious consumer, food labeling can be extremely difficult to understand because there are so many options.The beautiful thing today is we have more options than we have ever had before.On the flip side, the painful thing is we have “too many options.”It’s the duality of life.With the masterful use of marketing and advertising, seemingly every product on the market is not only good for you, but it’s the best thing you have ever seen, and of course, you just have to have it.
There has been more than one occasion where I have thought I was making a sound decision in purchasing a product that not only has a good track record for its processing procedures but also is a healthy alternative to other choices.It is easy to be hurrying and not fully read the label only later to realize that the sugar content is twice as high as you would expect, for example.With all the food labeling, what are some of the things to look for?
What is organic?Let’s start there.Organic is the process by which farmers grow, handle and process their food.The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has established a set of standards for a food to be labeled organic.In order for a food to be labeled as organic both the farm and the processing plants are inspected to ensure the specified standards have been met.
A food must be at least 95% organic to use the label “Organic”.A food may also have a label that reads “100% organic”, which means that 100 percent of the ingredients are organic.If you see a label reading “made with organic ingredients” that means that less than 70 percent of the ingredients are organic and therefore do not qualify for the Organic label or the USDA Organic label.
The biggest question though is whether organic makes a product healthier?The answer is that it one does not necessarily equate to the other.Organic is a buzz word that has become quite the rage, but keeping a watchful eye on the ingredient list is still just as important.Just becomes something is organic does not necessarily make it healthy, as it can have a ton of added sugar, sodium, fat and is loaded with calories.
Sometimes and especially with financial constraints, organic foods are not an option as they are more expensive.Products that are not organic have been around forever and also include safety standards too.Organic is a relatively new alternative.And whether it is organic or non-organic the same principles apply:read the label, and especially with fruit, it’s always a good choice to buy that which is in season and buying locally can allow you to know where and how the food is processed.Last but not least, whether it’s fruit or vegetables, (and just like washing your hands) it’s always good practice to wash them with running water.
Whenever I am in place where I am not sure about the labels, and I have two products that I am comparing sometimes it is simply a matter of number of ingredients listed.If one product has twenty five ingredients (all of which looks like they are in a foreign language) and the other only has three ingredients listed, then I will pick the one with the small number of ingredients if all else is equal.
We live in a unique age.There is a myriad of choices available.Use it to your advantage.Find what works for you, and your body, as every body (two words) is different.Food should not only be a staple part of sustaining life, but also to be enjoyed as a part of living.Bon Appetite!
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/.
Ask the Docs
should have some “lunch” items thrown in with your “breakfast” items. Bradley’s brunch buffet is, in reality, really a standard breakfast buffet containing all the usual suspects; breakfast meats, home fries, biscuits, pancakes and French toast. There is also a continental display with Danishes, yogurt, and fruit. The food, I will say, was good for your average breakfast buffet though the fruit display looked a little tired and in need of sprucing up by the time I got to it. The food is hot, tasty, and plentiful, but, if you are looking for a splendid brunch buffet with WOW-factor, Bradley’s is not the buffet for you.
crunchy even after being buttered and doused in syrup. I could have eaten just the waffle and have been happy. The omelet station is a nice touch as well and our omelet chef was delightful to chat with while we waited for our eggs to cook. 
Overall, Bradley’s is a Saloon, a bar, first and foremost. The food reflects that sentiment. It is pretty good bar food but, if I could make a suggestion to Bradley’s it would be to elevate the brunch and add some dazzle to the buffet line-up. We are a culture of foodies and we want exciting food to go along with our pretty views. Bradley’s is not the epicenter for culinary adventures in West Palm, but you cannot beat the atmosphere and somehow the view helps to make up where the food falters. In my dreams, Bradley’s will kick it up a notch and give our gastronomical-driven masses great food that rivals the view already in place.
A Toledo, OH native, a graduate of 
As I Was Saying
Cantankerously Yours
biggest arena for sports. The Olympic Games are upon us and London is the host city for this spectacular event. The Olympic Games allows the world’s top athletes to compete to the highest level of their ability. For most, it takes years of dedication and focus to prepare them mentally, physically, and emotionally to take on such an endeavor.
Teen Talk
Living Green