Anti-War Activists Protest Weekly in Delray Beach

"Enough is enough!" say the Delray Beach Anti-War Vigil. Every Monday evening, 5-6 the protesters, young and old, stand on the corner of Atlantic Ave. and Swinton Blvd. with signs pledging their statements. The statements are clear; end war.

Unlike the common image of  the young 60s activists protesting in the streets, these 1st amendment exercisers are mostly over 40. Many were soldiers in past wars and hold signs stating "veterans against war".  "Honk for Peace," is another popular sign being held at the busy intersection. The good news; there are lots of honks.

The organization suggests that you can bring your own homemade sign or borrow one.  Interested in joining the mission? RSVP at unitedforpeace.org or contact a member. They say... if you're not an activist, you're an  in-activist.

John and Yoko come to Delray Beach...in the form of Art

Touring the world for fifteen years is the display of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's art. The exhibit promotes the couples message of peace with signed pieces, lithographs and even drawings Lennon did for his son. There will also be lyrics displayed and original artwork by Lennon and Ono between the years of 1964 and 1980. Much of Lennon's work was drawn before he was a member of the Beatles and include a piece of an elephant counting sheep.

Showcasing in Old School Square in Delray Beach the art will be on display from Friday the 25th through Sunday the 27th. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $2 that will join the hundreds of thousands already raised for charities. The message is simple...give peace a chance.

Delray Beach hosts the International Tennis Championship

With names like John McEnroe gracing Delray (and the courts) with his presence there's no reason you shouldn't attend the 2011 International Tennis Championship...if you like tennis that is.

The event also includes names like Aaron Krickstein, one of the youngest record  breaking players, as well as Jay Berger who ranked a career high of #7 in the world for tennis players. Aside from our usual American heroes there are tennis fan's all time favorites from Australia, Argentina and Japan.

Tennis not visually stimulating enough? The executive director of the event, John Butler who doubles as an artist, paints lively murals on the east and west walls of the stadium giving it an artsy signature expressive of the town it's hosted in.

In case you haven't noticed, the Delray Beach Tennis Center in located on West Atlantic. You can get the pricey tickets online at yellowtennisball.com.

The Best Place for a Homecooked Meal in Delray; Bamboo Fire Cafe

Living in Delray for the last three years, I've experimented with a ton of restaurants. Coming from Key West, I have always been so spoiled in having a variety of fresh, home cooked Caribbean food to choose from when dining out. After moving to the mainland I quickly found that it isn't always that easy to find genuinely good-for-the-soul food. In a city over-run with corporate chains and franchises there is one place where you can get the best that Delray, even South Florida, has to offer.

Bamboo Fire Cafe is a locally owned restaurant on 4th Avenue in downtown Delray Beach. The owners, which double as your servers and chefs, will greet you at your table with a consultation about your menu choices. Jerk, baked, fried? Potatoes, plantains, french fries? The chef will personally accommodate you so that your experience and food there is more than perfect. And for dessert? You will be offered a tasty Caribbean rum. Yum.

Always fresh and seasonal the food at Bamboo Fire Cafe is almost as wonderfull as the family serving you.

Food, Art and Thrifting in Pineapple Grove

Downtown Delray has a lot to offer; restaurants, art galleries and even hair salons. But with a plethora of food and shopping to choose from it's Pineapple Grove that serves as home to some of the best businesses in town.

The Pineapple Grove art district includes local bars like O'Conner's Irish Pub, Christina's breakfast cafe and bookstores such as Murder on the Beach. There are also several notable boutique and thrift stores like Kismet (bring in your old designer clothes and receive store credit toward others).

The Grove houses a variety of local's favorite restaurants such as a  Brulee which offers a seasonal menu and Dolce Amor serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. To get to Pineapple Grove take NE 2nd Avenue north off Atlantic. There, unlike "The Ave" you can find plenty of parking.

The Delray Beach Playhouse presents...

"Be Moved, Be Thrilled, Be Here" is the Delray Beach Playhouse's slogan. The local venue is a mini-broadway that presents plays like last week's Always Patsy Cline.

Located on 9th street in Delray, the playhouse is a great creative alternative to a night on the Ave. During season (which is now) the playhouse offers weekly shows, often times comedy. Another great aspect of the playhouse is it's Children's Theatre which presents plays such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Seussical Jr., one of the most performed plays in America right now.  

The next show to hit the stage is a comedy by Murray Schisgal, LUV. The show will be presented from March 25th-April 10th. Contact the Delray Beach Playhouse for tickets.

Coffee District; a local coffee shop just down the street but far from Starbucks

The first reason Coffee District is better than Starbucks is because they serve beer and wine. The tap is always a'changin with seasonally delicious brews that you can't find anywhere else in town. Also available for purchase are the best black and white cookies you can find.

The second reason the District rules locally over it's corporate competition is because free Wi-Fi is included with your latte or glass of wine. Whatever it is you're stopping in for whether it be a hot chai, pale ale or black and white cookie (did I mention they are the best) you are free and encouraged to plop down on the leather couch and plug in your computer.

The final reason that Coffee District is the best choice for a beverage in Delray is because it's locally owned and operated. The cafe also serves as a poker and open mic night venue depending on the night of the week.

A small town band with a big city sound; Small Town Gypsys

Small Town Gypsys, all Ys no Is insists the guitarist, is a four piece psychedelic soul, blues groove, funk fusion band (eat your heart out Cream) that is primarily headed out of Delray Beach.

Kendra Williams lends her soul bearing pipes while Adam Shepard brings his earth shaking drumming to the table; or stage rather. Dave Robinowitz isn't your average "pocket" bass player and songwriter Tanner Hill provides the nasty guitar licks with the anything but nasty lyrics.

The band, that often plays at venues such as Dada in Delray Beach and Propaganda in Lake Worth is truly a diamond in the rough; especially when searching for originality in the otherwise not-so-original South Florida air.

Small Town Gypsys bio and music can be experienced at ReverbNation and Myspace.

Buddy Guy rocks Delray Beach's Garlic Fest

Legendary guitarist, Buddy Guy, rocked the stage this Garlic Fest in Delray Beach. The 74-year-old blues artist is known as the pioneer for the Chicago Blues sound as well as being noted as one of the Top 100 Guitarists by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Not atypical for a Buddy Guy performance, the artist strolled into the crowd at Delray Beach's historic Old School Square to shake the hands of fans and rub off some of the good vibes. While Guy played many of his classic well-known tunes he also managed to excite the crowd with Jimi Hendrix's "Voo Doo Child" and Cream's "Sunshine of your Love".

Other bands that performed during Delray's Garlic Fest weekend included Dark Star Orchestra (a Grateful Dead cover band) and Led Hed (a Led Zeppelin cover band). 

Delray Beach's shark fishing laws serve as an example for surrounding cities

Last week, the Marine Advisory Board met in Boca Raton to address the new city ordinance that would outlaw shark fishing from their beaches. Boca's residents were mimicking a law that Delray Beach first put into place early last year.

The Delray Beach ordinance states that no one can, with heavy tackle, fish or chum from the beach for sharks. While there are a ton of obvious reasons that Delray didn't want fishermen pulling up sharks on it's beaches (bad P.R., safety, tourism) perhaps the most overlooked, worthwhile argument for stopping the fishing is conservation.

Last summer, just after Delray's ordinance passed, a pregnant, dead hammerhead washed up on shore during a very busy beach day. The shark had a J hook in it's mouth and had appeared to had died after a long struggle on hook and line. The fact of the matter is, sharks are horrible hook and line fish, they must swim to breath. The hammerhead had 35 dead pups inside of her.

Boca's ordinance is currently pending. But no shark fishing in Delray.

Tis' the season for Delray Beach surf and kiting

While the high wind and low temperatures keep most beach goers away this time of year, there are a few locals and even commuters screamin' surfs' up in Delray Beach. This time of year "weather permitting" means an east swell with a glassy west wind for the less than perfect surf.

Surfers and kite boarders alike drive from as far south as Key West in these windy months as soon as the weather channel calls for a small storm in the Atlantic to send South Florida some sweet waves. Even as hundreds of spinner sharks migrate south, you will still see dozens of riders in wetsuits on boards awaiting perfect sets.

Though the kite boarders need the wind and the surfers dig the waves,  you can bet you'll run into at least one giant kite in the sky or a shaggy haired surfer watchin' the sets. Next time you think about hittin' the beach grab your board cause there's a good chance that surfs' up...dude.

The Flyers play every Wednesday night in Delray

Wednesday is hump day. It’s that awkward time of the week when you’re not sure if  you need a drink--or an early night to bed. However, if you need incentive to go out for a couple of cold beers, then The Flyers are it.

Every Wednesday night, The Flyers play at Johnnie Browns (formerly known as Elwoods) and it’s been that way ever since I’ve moved to Delray Beach.  Before it’s renovations the place was a grungy (in a good way), stale, biker-esk bar. Though Johnnie Brown’s is a little classier and serves decent food, the band hasn’t changed much.

The Flyers are a three piece rock/blues/soul band that play only the best familiar tunes from the record vault. They wont bore you with Jimmy Buffett covers (you can find those elsewhere on the Ave); The Flyers are only playing music that makes you move and keeps you coming back. 

Though the address is technically on the "Ave" Johnnie Browns is also on the corner of Railroad Avenue (for the purpose of this "Off the Ave" blog).