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).