Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 51 Style her catastrophically injured in a 1924 bus accident that would eventually result in her foot being amputated, before having her meet with many of the major political and artistic names of the day, all while pursuing a side hustle as a major style icon. “Frida talked about disabilities and forging her own identity way back in the 1930s and 1940s,” says Chiuri. Mad about animals and Marxism (she and her husband Diego Rivera sheltered Trotsky, another of her loves, for two years from 1939) she would probably be called an activist today. An off-beat beauty who celebrated her idiosyncrasies, including the famous monobrow (Dove or Mac would have killed to have her star in one of their campaigns), her best-known works are self-portraits – another touch point with today’s selfie generations. She also gave great fashion that dug deep into Mexico’s indigenous heritage. While affluent Mexican women at that time looked to Europe for their fashion cues, Kahlo was all about embroidered cotton blouses with square necklines, full skirts, floral headdresses and frequent departures into men’s suits and denim dungarees (inspired by Rivera’s wardrobe) worn with flat sandals or tooled leather cowboy boots. For a woman who wore built-up shoes to even out her legs and was in constant pain from that fateful accident, clothes were a source of power, playfulness and transformation. Chiuri tapped into all of this, presenting three-piece suits with a slouching elegance, smocks in crimson or black taffeta silk with embroidered bodices, tablecloth lace maxi dresses that managed to look both easy to wear and worthy of being in museum, and an embellished bar jacket that travelled back and forth between Dior’s ateliers in Paris to the embroiderers in Oaxaca with whom Chiuri collaborated on this collection. Instead of monobrows, there were monoplaits, decorated with gold butterfly clasps (Kahlo had a framed box of butterflies attached to the canopy of her bed so that when she was confined to rest she could gaze up at them, a detail that prompted Patti Smith to write a poem about them). Sensitive casting of models and avoiding cultural appropriation are all issues to be navigated too. Chiuri mainly chose Central American models over big international names and while it’s impossible to know how cultural references will land these days, hers clearly stem from a place of admiration. As the first model stepped into the open air courtyard of the Colegio de San Ildefonso, the art school where Kahlo and Rivera met, the heavens opened. The weather for most of this season’s al-fresco cruise shows has been unseasonably bad. But it probably didn’t matter. The pictures look great. The clothes are stunning. These are five of the most perfect. The oversized collarless shirt Dior’s are silk, in raspberry, scarlet or ivory and tucked into low-slung pleated midis or maxis and accessorized with butterfly pendants or earrings. The collarless shirt is an incoming trend elsewhere, but Chiuri has made them luxurious and exactly what you want to wear for easy, high impact evening glamor. The maxi velvet skirt ... ... worn with silk shirts, see above. The waistcoat Either in puppy tooth checked wools or embroidered, the waistcoat is the new tailoring star, right on cue for summer. The lace maxi Either as a shirt dress or roundnecked fit and flare has become, along with the Bar Jacket, the ultimate expression of Dior. These never go out of style. The denim jacket Already a big hit this summer, every other fashion editor was wearing one in Mexico, but none had quite the deluxe-smart chic of the cropped one with its cute little flare at the back.
52 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Style Forget stealth wealth. The latest Louis Vuitton Cruise collection proudly wears its sequins, brocades and embroideries on its sleeves. Beige? Yes, but make it beaded, feather trimmed or festooned with chiffon flowers. To be fair, ever since it expanded from luggage and bags into ready-towear in 1997, Louis Vuitton has never been one of those brands that communicates in whispers. Nicolas Ghesquiere, Creative Director for womenswear since 2013, thinks in bold, futuristic statements and tends to stage them in bold, futuristic locations. Bob Hope’s 1979 John Lautner house in Palm Springs which looks like a giant satellite dish that’s crash landed being a prime example. Yet here we were on the Isola Bella, a dreamily picturesque, privately owned island in Lake Maggiore, Italy. Owned since the 16th century by the Borromeo family, complete with a 400-year-old palazzo and twisty, cafelined streets, it’s not Ghesquiere’s normal vibe. But its architecture is outstanding, and that’s enough for Vuitton, which took over the entire island for the night including its cafes and restaurants, transforming the lanes into a little corner of Paris, complete with bookstalls stocked with Vuitton travel guides. It made Connor and Willa Roy’s big yacht wedding on Succession look like Butlin’s. Lake Maggiore’s relative proximity to the French Riviera may have been a factor in its favor. The front row bubbled with celebrities fresh from the Cannes Film Festival. Cate Blanchett, a Louis Vuitton ambassador (she’s also the star of Giorgio Armani’s Si perfume campaigns: this is how today’s actors supplement their indie film-income), was there in a scuba-style dress with floral printed web-sleeved dress. So were fellow ambassadors Alicia Vikander and Jennifer Connolly, Pharell Williams (recently appointed head of Vuitton’s menswear), Emma Stone, Phoebe Dynevor, Gemma Chan with her partner Dominic Cooper, Catherine Deneuve, Mia Wasikowska, Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King and Felix, a K-Pop star with 25 million Instagram followers. Vuitton is the world’s biggest luxury fashion brand with a market value of $500 billion and this was a commenBY TAMARA ABRAHAM The Telegraph Vuitton’s runway: ‘The Little Mermaid’ meets ‘Star Wars’
Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 53 Style surately heavy hitting guest list that covered most bases. Ghesquiere responded with far more red-carpet friendly gowns than normal – pastel, floaty bias-cut sheer dresses in ruched organza, they are by far the most romantic he’s ever designed. Arguably King and Winfrey were the wildest cards here. Vuitton isn’t their usual style – it’s fiercely avant garde. Case in point, an extensive section featuring rubberized scuba shorts, bralettes and embossed dresses, webbed sleeves, “waterized” patterns, embroidered capes and bubble-shaped skirts fizzing with opalescent sequins and scuba-style booties. Combined with embroideries depicting shells and fish scales, and tall headdresses that looked like something out of a Kurosowa movie, it was “The Little Mermaid” meets “Star Wars” (the hanging gardens on Isola Bella served as a set for “Star Wars”). Ghesquiere’s not wrong when he describes his work as “the archeology of the future.” It’s not for everyone but the workmanship is outstanding. More conventionally wearable were the sharp, slim three-piece “suits” – long waistcoats, trousers and tunics – and sleek, classic double-faced cashmere coats. The bags which underpin this behemoth of a brand came in three varieties: top handled; soft, squishy (even the rigid Petite Malle suitcase-bag has been reworked with downy corners); and large sailor’s duffles in Vuitton’s colorful epi leathers. They should help maintain those queues outside the Vuitton stores, as will a new monogram called the Dune. Did I mention the torrential rain? It didn’t stop. Vuitton had to move the show inside the Borromeo’s famously baroque palazzo, which, while dripping with chandeliers, was not as stunning as the al-fresco setting would have been on a balmy May evening. Unseasonal weather has been a hallmark of all these “cruise” shows, whether they’ve been in Seoul (Gucci), Mexico (Dior) or L.A. (Chanel). Vuitton ran the whole show again outside when no one was watching apart from the photographers. The pictures look lovely, and in the end, that’s all that matters. Established 32 Years in Indian River County (772) 562-2288 | www.kitchensvero.com 3920 US Hwy 1, Vero Beach FL 32960
WINE COLUMN Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ On a hot day, most people I know will reach for ice to dump in their glass if the rosé has overheated. Most people I know will also comment defiantly or apologetically as they do so. Recently, wine expert Joe Fattorini tackled the issue of why we mind so much about getting it ‘right.’ Referring to the German sociologist Norbert Elias, Fattorini linked the refinement of table manners to a process of civilization. “Our revulsion at those who broke the rules is intensified because it represents a rejection of the whole Western social order.” If it’s any consolation to anyone who has wanted to put ice in wine but didn’t quite dare, those of us who know our way around the stuff agonize way more about venturing an opinion in case doing so means we’re taken for Wine Snobs. (Is there any being more reviled?) In restaurants, the ice mood is permissive. “One hundred percent here for people wanting ice in their wine,” says Donald Edwards, head sommelier at the Michelin-starred La Trompette. “I actually have a specific ban on anyone ever even raising an eyebrow if someone asks for ice in their wine,” said Mike Boyne of BinTwo, a wine shop I highly recommend. But wait! Perhaps you are wondering why raising an eyebrow might need specifically to be banned … Look, I didn’t say wine pros don’t have opinions. Most, however, are only concerned about what happens to their own wine, and if we’re talking about to ice or not to ice, there is no clear answer. I have canvassed a large number of colleagues on the subject and, while an outlying few are always against it, the general consensus boils down to this. 1. If rosé or an inexpensive white is too warm, they will happily add ice. 2. Ice works best with the more ‘refreshing’ styles of wine; it’s less good with chardonnay, or oaked styles. 3. Be generous: lots of ice will cool the drink more effectively without diluting it. Once the job is done, consider removing the ice unless you happen to drink quite quickly. 4. Ice with red is tricky. It can enhance the clean fruitiness of the wine or it can make the tannins jar unattractively. You won’t know which until you try. 5. With anything that might be considered a fine wine – a good Burgundy, for instance, or an old claret – you do risk spoiling the wine if you add ice. It’s better to consider alternative cooling methods. The classic is, of course, putting the bottle in a bucket of ice and water. To speed things up, add salt to the water. This lowers the melting temperature of the ice, cooling the wine more quickly. I don’t like bits of plastic floating around in my glass, but reusable ice cubes, which can cool wine in the glass with no dilution, do have a following too. Mike Boyne says his own ice-filled wine glass is most likely to contain a “bright and juicy red on a hot, sunny day.” But if a customer wants ice in a fine Burgundy, they’re welcome to it: “Making people feel comfortable is the primary goal.” We can all drink to that – pass the ice bucket. Big Age Statements, Big Age Statements,Bold Experiments Bold Experiments June 22nd, 2023 from 6:00-9:00pm $125 per person *Exclusive of Gratuity & Tax Father's Day Father's Day Gift Gift Bottle Bottle engraving engraving BY VICTORIA MOORE The Telegraph THE COLD HARD FACTS ABOUT PUTTING ICE IN YOUR WINE
Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 55 Vero & Casual Dining Fine Dining, Elevated Exciting Innovative Cuisine Award Winning Wine List Unparalleled Service Expanded outdoor dining in The Café. Proud recipient of Trip Advisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award placing us in “The Top 10% of restaurants worldwide”. Catering Now Available (772) 234-3966 • tidesofvero.com Open 7 Days a Week Starting at 5 PM 3103 Cardinal Drive, Vero Beach, FL Reservations Highly Recommended • Proper Attire Appreciated Wine Spectator Award 2002 – 2021
56 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero & Casual Dining Serving Dinner Tues - Sat from 5pm (772) 226-7870 Downwn Vero Bea 2023 14th Avenue www.VeroPrime.com Prime Steaks, Seafood & Italian Specialties Happy Hour featuring Premium Spirits Nightly 5 - 6:30pm (Bar Only) Early Dining Menu Nightly 5 - 5:30pm
Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 57 Vero & Casual Dining
58 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero & Casual Dining PARTY PLATTERS AVAILABLE 56 Royal Palm Pointe 772-567-4160 Follow us on Facebook & Instagram OPEN FOR DINNER WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY BEGINNING AT 4 PM. CLOSED MONDAY & TUESDAY. ORDER ONLINE FOR DELIVERY OR PICKUP THROUGH Pizzoodles.com or ToastTakeout.com SALADS, PASTA, VEAL, CHICKEN , SUBS AND DESSERTS OPEN WEDNESDAY - SUNDAY 1931 Old Dixie • 772.770.0977 fishackverobeach.com • Like us on Facebook! Gift Certificates, Private Parties & Patio Dining Available TUESDAY NIGHT l ALL YOU CAN EAT FISH FRY HAPPY HOUR 4-6 PM l TUES.- SAT. WE CAN ACCOMMODATE LARGE PARTIES TUES OPEN FOR DINNER AT 4 WED-SAT OPEN FOR LUNCH & DINNER CLOSED SUNDAYS & MONDAYS OFFERING Local Fish Northern Fish Patio Dining Happy Hour Best Margaritas Full Liquor Bar Large Parties Daily Specials
PETS Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 59 Bonz meets kool Koko, who’s always on the go-go-go Woof! Does Koko Guirgis ever love humans! I mean, soon as me an my assistant walked up the liddle steps into Koko’s Super Crispy Biscuits MOE-der Home, he was bee-stowin’ zillions of slurpy puppy smooches on my assistant, while si-mull-TAYnee-us-lee wiggle-wagglin’ every square inch of his fluffy liddle Shih Tzu body. He didn’t bark AT ALL, but he had the most inthoo-zee-ass-tick wiggles I EVER saw! I addressed the wigglin’ whirlwind. “Ahem! Hello there! I’m Bonzo the Columnist. A pleasure to meet you. I understand you’re about to begin an exciting adventure. I’m eager to hear about it!” Koko pawsed and glanced up from The Satchel, out of which my assistant was attempting to extract a size-appropriate pooch Snack. Koko was attempting to assist. A nearby Frenly Man was attempting to detach Koko from The Satchel. I was attempting to maintain my professional demeanor (or at least not burst into laughter). The Frenly Man plucked Koko out of The Satchel and placed him on the floor. The liddle poocheroo was brownan-white with a close summer cut ’cept for his ears which were inna Cool Kibbles bob: Tray On Trend, I thought. “Hallo, Mr. Bonzo. I don’t do Wagan-Sniff’s cuzza usually gettin’ knocked over. This is my Daddy Emil. My Mommy Marcy’s gonna be here preddy soon. I’m Koko. Daddy-an-Mommy sometimes called me Koko Puff or Puffy cuzza my Very Puffy Tail! (Fun Fact: It’s the only part of me that sheds.)” “This is my Modor Home! Isn’t it SO Crispy Biscuits? We’re gonna take it onna Big Trip all over the HOLE COUNTRY. I’m SO Excited! It’s what’s called an udVEN-chur. That means visitin’ a buncha places you haven’t BEEN buh-for an doin’ stuff you haven’t DONE buhfor an you might be a liddle NERvuss but that’s OK cuz Daddy an Mommy’ll be right there with you!” “Woof, Koko, that’s sounds so excitin’! I hope you take a buncha phodos! So, tell me about yourself. You have such a happy doganality! How’d you an your Daddy an Mommy find each other?” He plopped down next to my assistant (and The Satchel.) “Mommy’d obtained pooches from my breeder in Hidden Valley Farms in Jor-Juh for years, so when it was time for a new pooch, she looked at the current litter on line an picked ME cuzza my freckles an cuteness. Then Daddy-an-Mommy drove up to get me. I was 8 weeks old. 2 pounds, 7 ounces. (Now I’m 8 pounds! I always hafta watch my diet, but I occasionally get my fav treats, liverwurst and Pop Tarts, in appropriately small amounts.) “I was a liddle timid on the drive back but Very Well Buh-haved, didn’t make a mess or anything. I’ve always prided myself on Doing my Doody in the Proper Place.” “That’s great, Koko! Kudos! What was it like when you first got to your Furever Home?” “It was a 4-hour drive. We arrived late at night. I got outta the car. It was dark an I wandered straight into the pool. We all freaked out. It was on the ledge in the shallow end but still, I mean, alluva sudden I was all wet! They hauled me out an dried me off an woof! if I didn’t walk right back into the pool. I never did like ackshully swimmin’, but now I have my own surfboard and I float around, or just lay on the ledge to keep cool.” “I know you’re a traveler: Where all have you been so far?” I inquired. “An tell me more about that Big Adventure comin’ up!” Suddenly, the door opened an his Mommy swept in. Koko immediately flew off the couch and leapt into her arms, wiggling nose-to-puffy tail an bestowing non-stop slurpy smooches. The two greeted each other as though it had been decades since they last met. Totally heartwarming! (As us dogs all know, time passes in a different way for us, an when our humans are gone, it doesn’t matter if it’s 10 minutes or 10 days, it ALWAYS feels like Forever. Am I right?) Koko settled into his Mommy’s lap. “Yep! I’m a Mommy’s Boy. I can do anything I want when I’m with Mommy. WAY fun! But Daddy’s the Boss of Me. I always do what he says. When I come in from outside, I wait at the door till he wipes off my paws an nether regions with a towel. And, of course, we’re travel Buds. See, Daddy usta be a COP in Long Eye-lun. He ree-tired and now he has a job where he travels all over, drivin’ or flyin’, an I go with him. It’s WAY excitin’. I’ve been to Ver-GIN-yuh, New York, Tennis-SEE, VAY-gus, at-LAN-tuh. When we flew to callah-FORN-yuh I snoozed inna special bag under the seat, an I didn’t hafta potty even once. I was Very Proud. I’ve Stayed inna buncha hotels. I’m VERY well buh-haved. “Didja know airports have these special dog places with fake grass where you can Do Your Dooty an not get yelled at? “Speakin’ of: Recently I ree-lized, from observin’ other pooches – you guys do that Leg Lift thing when you P. I never did learn that. One time I tried it an I almost fell over. Do you think I’m weird?” “Well,” I replied. “I always thought it was an in-stink, but apparently it’s learned. I don’t think you’re weird, Koko,” I assured him. “You’re youNEEK! So, tell me about this Big Advenchur.” “We’ll go to Virginia for the summer, then do a big ol’ loop, out to Maine, then south, an all around the lower states, west to callah-FORN-yuh. Every night we’ll stay in our modor home in lotsa Cool Kibble places called CampGrounds and meet all sorts of interesting humans and poocheroos an see a buncha of SIGHTS. If I had THUMS, I’d keep a diary.” I was smiling ear-to-ear all the way home, picturing wiggle-waggly, mankind-lovin’ Koko, spreading joy and slurpy smooches wherever he goes. I can’t wait to hear all about his Big Adventure upon his return. Bon Voyage, little pal! The Bonz Hi Dog Buddies! Don’t Be Shy We are always looking for pets with interesting stories. To set up an interview, email [email protected]. Koko PHOTO: JOSHUA KODIS
Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ CALENDAR 60 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 ONGOING Sea Turtle Conservancy: Guided sea turtle walks at Archie Carr NWR Barrier Island Center, Mon., Tues., Thurs. and Fri. nights through July 28. Max 20/night. Conserveturtles.org Riverside Theatre: “Honky Tonk Angels” on the Stark Stage through June 18; Fri. and Sat. Comedy Zone 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. in Waxlax Theatre, and free Live in the Loop outdoor concerts, 5 to 9 p.m. 772-231-6990 or Riverside Theatre.com Vero Beach Museum of Art: Treasure Coast Creates: A Tribute to Local Artists, through Sept. 3. VBMuseum.org or 772-231-0707 McKee Botanical Garden: Playing with Gravity stone balancing exhibit by Adam Conard through July 30. McKeeGarden.org JUNE 16|17 Indian River Firefighters for Clean Water Offshore Fishing Tournament at the Sebastian Salt Water Marina, with 5:30 p.m. Fri. Captains Meeting and tournament Sat., lines in at 6 p.m., weighin 2 to 5 p.m. $250 per boat. irffb.com 17 Mary Snyder Golf Tournament hosted by Vietnam Veterans of IRC to support local veterans, 8 a.m. shotgun scramble at Sandridge Golf Course. $75 includes lunch. 772- 538-2484 or vvirc.org 17 Waterlily Celebration, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at McKee Botanical Garden, featuring one of the state’s largest waterlily collections, with potting demonstrations, plant sales, and Waterlily Photo Contest on display in Hall of Giants. General admission rates. McKeeGarden.org or 772-794-0601 17 Citrus Golf Tournament to benefit agencies supported by the United Way of IRC, 9 a.m. at Grand Harbor Golf Club River Course, followed by lunch and awards. $200. UnitedWayIRC.org or 772-567-8900. 17 Hurricane Preparedness Expo, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the IRC Fairgrounds, hosted by the Indian River County Department of Emergency Services. Free. 772-226-3900 17 Tours of newly renovated historic Tangelo House, hosted by Garrett and Stephanie Puzzo, with IRC Historical Society and IR Hauntings, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. tours ($6); and paranormal experience 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ($11), with proceeds benefiting IRCHS. Cash only, payable at door. 18 Father’s Day Classic Car Show hosted by Vietnam Veterans of IRC, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, with entertainment and raffles. Lunch served 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Free admission. $25 to register vehicle day of show. vvirc.org 18 Space Coast Symphony Orchestra presents ’70s & ’80s Broadway: Bellbottoms & Afros, 3 p.m. at the Emerson Center. SpaceCoastSymphony.org Sudoku Page 34 Sudoku Page 35 Crossword Page 34 Solutions from Games Pages in June 8, 2023 Edition Crossword Page 35 (Male-Female Relationships) Advertising Vero Beach Services | If you would like your business to appear in our directory, please call 772-633-0753 VERO BEACH 32963 BUSINESS DIRECTORY SPRINKLER SERVICES Guaranteed to Make Something Pop Up 772-539-3365 Don’t Panic 20% DISCOUNT FOR ALL NEW CUSTOMERS Time to Clean Your Carpets/Furniture? Maxfield Carpet Cleaning • 772-538-0213 5300 N. A1A, Vero Beach • SINCE 1979 Three Reasons to Call Mitch Maxfield: QUALITY: My “2-step system” removes even tough ground-in dirt. All work guaranteed. SERVICE: I, personally, will clean your carpets and furniture. PRICE: Two (2) Rooms (any size)...$77, 6’ Sofa or 2 Chairs...$66 State Certified Electrical Contractor TOM G. WALTON Hiring Electricians 772-569-1547 • [email protected] L. Walton Electric, Inc. EC13003596 MAUSOLEUMS AVAILABLE IN HILLCREST MEMORIAL GARDENS 2 Premium positions: Right end, 3rd Row from the top (#s 47 & 48) Both available for $25,990 Please Call: 954-914-6509
‘BETWEEN THE BRIDGES’ BRAND-NEW LUXURY HOME 785 Lake Drive in Riomar Bay II: 4-bedroom, 4.5-bath, 4,822-square-foot, riverfront estate home offered for $6,850,000 by Sally Daley, The Daley Group at Douglas Elliman: 772-538-4503
REAL ESTATE 62 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ There aren’t many brand-new homes in established neighborhoods for sale on the island, so when Palm Coast Development CEO Bob McNally discovered the vacant lot at 785 Lake Dr. in Riomar Bay II, he knew it would be perfect for the Anglo-Caribbean style, custom home he had envisioned. “This is a new home on a huge lot right between the bridges where everybody wants to be,” says Sally Daley, founding broker associate of The Daley Group at Douglas Elliman. “It’s not very common for a brand-new home to be available.” The lot was large enough that McNally could create a private family compound using existing vegetation for privacy and separation. He situated the home to take full advantage of the 1,200-foot view of the horizon. Royal Palms line the approach to the house, where two oversize mahogany doors draw one’s attention. Vibrant bougainvillea brackets the entry porch. Contemporary elegance immediately envelops you as you step into the gallery-style foyer. McNally has incorporated special touches that are seen from the moment you enter the house, including wainscoting and a coffered, beamed ceiling lined with estate-sized crown molding. There’s even a “carpet made out of stone” embedded in the marble floor in the foyer, says Daley, noting McNally’s use of exquisite millwork, fine finishes and exacting detail. Your line of sight is immediately drawn across the main living space and through the wall of 10-foot stackable glass sliders to the backyard, maximizing the views and seamlessly merging the indoor-outdoor spaces. The great room is at the heart of the house and designed in a way that can be used to suit your individual needs. Guests can gather in a cozy seating area around the gas fireplace at one end of the room with a second seating area or a dining table at the other. “The open concept creates a feeling of scale, making the house seem even larger than it is,” notes Daley. A library and the owner’s suite are nestled in the west wing, allowing for complete seclusion from guests on the opposite side of the house. The owner’s suite boasts a private lanai and two walk-in closets. The bathroom has dual apothecary-style vanities with marble counters, a Jacuzzi free-standing tub, a seamless glass shower and a water closet so you can relax in the spa-like environment. On the opposite side of the house, the two guest suites, laundry room, access to the three-car garage and powder room are strategically placed so guests can feel at home without being underfoot. McNally designed the gourmet kitchen so that it is an extension of the formal living area, with dual, 12- foot islands. One is a buffer between Rare opportunity: Brand-new luxury home ‘between the bridges’ BY STEPHANIE LABAFF Staff Writer
REAL ESTATE Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 63 the kitchen and a great room, providing space to do homework, help with dinner prep or lay out hors d’oeuvres for guests. The second island is the chef’s domain. The white, shaker, profile cabinetry is enhanced with mirror uppers that increase the kitchen’s light. McNally notes he wanted to draw the eastern sun into the kitchen, “something every kitchen should always have,” he adds. The kitchen is functional and fabulous with Wolf double wall ovens, a gas cooktop, dishwasher, microwave, SubZero refrigerator, ice maker, wine chiller, large pantry, quartzite countertops and a marble backsplash. The morning room, adjacent to the kitchen, is a lovely space for the family to gather for breakfast or casual dinners. With vaulted, wood-lined, beamed ceilings with shiplap wall accents, dual sliding glass doors and transom windows, plenty of light filters into the room, which opens onto the dining porch and summer kitchen. Mimicking the main house, the elegantly appointed detached guest house has vaulted ceilings with shiplap gable detail, a sitting room, a bedroom, a kitchenette and a full bath with its own patio overlooking the pool and spa. “The versatility of this home is key,” says Daley, noting the guest house has a variety of potential uses, from home gym to mother-in-law suite. Taking advantage of the existing vegetation and the proportions of the homesite, McNally created a secluded haven that nevertheless has long, scenic views of water and greenery. You can sit on any of the three porches at the main home – bedroom, loggia or dining porch – or lie poolside without seeing anything but the surrounding natural world. The custom pool and spa sit away from the house, drawing you outside. At the far end, a waterfall rushes over the zero edge of the pool into the imperceptible heated spa, where you can sit on a submerged bench seat. Past the wall of lush vegetation is the multi-prong dock with a 9,000-pound lift on protected deepwater that gives you easy access to the Intracoastal Waterway. There’s still plenty of room in the yard for an additional garage, a fire pit, and for the kids to run around with a dog, Daley notes. Riomar Bay II is a gated, riverfront community conveniently located between the bridges with easy access to beachside and mainland locations. It’s just a short walk, bike or golf cart ride to Quail Valley River Club, Riomar Country Club, Riomar Beach access, the City Marina, Riverside Park, Riverside Theatre, Vero Beach Museum of Art, Vero Beach Dog Park, and shopping and dining on Ocean Drive. VITAL STATISTICS Neighborhood: Riomar Bay II • Year built: 2023 Construction: Concrete block Architecture: Anglo-Caribbean • Builder: Palm Coast Development Lot size: 158 feet by 212 feet • Home size: 4,822 square feet View: Private pool and river • Swimming pool: Zero-edge heated spa Bedrooms: 4 • Bathrooms: 4 full baths and 1 half-bath Additional features: Gated; plank hardwood flooring and marble; custom cabinetry; Wolf appliances; SubZero refrigerator; quartzite countertops; gas fireplace; library; morning room; walk-in closets; Jacuzzi tub; summer kitchen; two-room detached guest house; impact windows and doors; three-car garage; and multi-prong dock with 9,000-lb lift. Listing agency: The Daley Group at Douglas Elliman Listing agent: Broker associate Sally Daley, 772-538-4503 Listing price: $6,850,000 785 LAKE DR.
REAL ESTATE 64 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ A once grand 1920’s apartment building in Royal Park that sat derelict for many years and was slated for demolition twice has been rescued by a Vero couple who love old buildings and want to preserve and improve the community. The eight-unit building will open with fanfare on Saturday, already mostly rented, and is on track to be added to the National Register of Historic Places – which brings not just prestige but a 20-percent tax credit that made the project feasible. When it was completed in 1925, the structure was one of four buildings in a substantial, upscale complex located within easy walking distance of the train station and downtown Vero Beach. Today, only Tangelo House, located at 1110 Royal Palm Blvd., remains. No longer the shabby gray eyesore that stood boarded up for more than a decade, the stately terra cotta and cream structure has undergone a stunning renovation and looks today much like it did when Calvin Coolidge was president. The handsome Mission Revival-style building commands its sprawling corner lot, with a trio of robust tangelo trees planted in the green lawn along Royal Palm Boulevard. On the building’s west side, a spacious pavered parking area has been installed; behind the main structure, the former garage has been transformed into two additional cozy apartments, for a total of 10. Tangelo House was nominated for a spot on the prestigious National Register of Historic Places because “it was significant at the time of its construction, and its significance is enhanced by being the only surviving example of this building type and style in this part of Vero Beach,” said Paul Weaver, president of Historic Property Associates, Originally part of the Ryburn Apartments, the two-story building and garage were constructed the same year that “The Great Gatsby” was published, when Vero Beach, incorporated only 6 years before, was a Florida boom town and Royal Park was a state-of-the-art planned development. There were specific areas for hotels, apartments and single-family homes, all required to be of masonry construction and designed in Spanish styles, according to information from the Historical Preservation Commission’s application document. Contractor and builder B.H. Strickler had a national reputation for his design and construction of “modern” apartment buildings and had built this same style previously in St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis before coming to Vero Beach. Strickler’s associate was Vero Beach’s first resident architect, William Garns, who had relocated from Indianapolis. The Ryburn was the first development in Royal Park Subdivision designed specifically as a modern apartment building. Previous multi-family apartments had been boarding houses, adapted Tangelo House, newly renovated old haunt, roars again in these ’20s BY SAMANTHA ROHLFING BAITA Staff Writer Garrett and Stephanie Puzzo.
REAL ESTATE Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 65 from big single-family homes, or mixeduse commercial/apartment structures downtown. The Ryburn apartments were highend structures, fitted with modern kitchens and bathrooms and designed for use by the rapidly growing seasonal population of snowbirds who began coming to Vero Beach during the Roaring Twenties. Good times were had by all but years passed and tastes changed, and the three of the buildings were eventually torn down. The remaining, once elegant structure fell into disrepair and in recent years became notorious for drug trafficking, prostitution and other illegal activities. Twice slated by the city for demolition, it was spared from the wrecking ball only because the city didn’t have money in its budget for the job, said current co-owner Garrett Puzzo. It was then that Puzzo and his wife, Stephanie, entered the picture. They’d been interested in the building for a while but had not been able to negotiate a purchase until he spring of 2021, when they were finally able to buy the decaying structure for $275,000.
REAL ESTATE 66 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Longtime Vero residents, the Puzzos share a passion for renovating old houses and had already had a hand in renovating other historic local structures here, including the Royal Viking half a mile East on Royal Palm Place, which they bought in 2016, and the Virginia Apartments. “We grew up and went to high school in Vero Beach,” Garrett Puzzo said. “We love these old buildings. We buy them to preserve them and give back to the community. We are trying to promote an awareness of Vero’s past. It’s our passion.” At his mother’s urging, Puzzo studied accounting in college, but his dad was in the building trades and Puzzo said he and the children of tradesmen his father knew took a revolving series of summer jobs with each other’s parents. “Me and my friends, we’d swap around to all the local tradesmen and builders, and we learned a lot of different things,” he said at the building last week, where he was working alongside his renovation crew. To qualify for the National Register CONTINUED ON PAGE 70
REAL ESTATE 68 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES AND LOTS SUBDIVISION ADDRESS LISTED ORIGINAL MOST RECENT SOLD SELLING ASKING PRICE ASKING PRICE PRICE SEAGROVE WEST 275 RIVERWAY DR 1/12/2023 $8,900,000 $8,900,000 6/6/2023 $8,500,000 RIOMAR 886 SANDFLY LN 10/26/2022 $6,700,000 $6,700,000 6/2/2023 $5,850,000 SUNSET DRIVE 975 SUNRISE TER 4/21/2023 $3,500,000 $3,500,000 6/5/2023 $3,500,000 ANCHOR THE MOORINGS 119 SPRINGLINE DR 4/7/2023 $3,695,000 $3,695,000 6/2/2023 $3,350,000 SHORES 100 LOBLOLLY REACH 3/31/2023 $3,100,000 $3,100,000 6/2/2023 $3,000,000 FLORALTON BEACH 855 REEF RD 4/13/2023 $2,250,000 $2,250,000 6/8/2023 $2,044,825 BRIGGS TIERNEY 715 FLAMEVINE LN 3/21/2023 $1,995,000 $1,995,000 6/2/2023 $1,655,000 SEA COLONY 200 E SEA COLONY DR, #2B 2/17/2023 $2,395,000 $2,395,000 6/2/2023 $2,200,000 VILLAGE SPIRES DEVEL 3554 OCEAN DR, #201N 1/3/2023 $778,000 $778,000 6/2/2023 $697,000 PORPOISE BAY VILLAS 300 HARBOUR DR, #401-D 4/26/2023 $625,000 $625,000 6/6/2023 $625,000 TOWNHOMES, VILLAS, CONDOS, MULTIFAMILY AND INVESTMENT Real Estate Sales on the Barrier Island: June 2 to June 8 The first full week of June was the strongest thus far this year for the barrier island real estate market with 18 transactions recorded, including seven for more than $2 million. The top sale of the week was of a riverfront home with spectacular views in Seagrove West. The property at 275 Riverway Drive was placed on the market Jan. 12 with an asking price of $8.9 million. The home sold on June 6 for $8.5 million. The seller in the transaction was represented by Sally Daley of Douglas Elliman Florida. The purchaser was represented by Terri McConnell of The Moorings Realty Sales Co.
REAL ESTATE Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 69 Here are some of the top recent barrier island sales. Listing Date: Original Price: Recent Price: Sold: Selling Price: Listing Agent: Selling Agent: Listing Date: Original Price: Recent Price: Sold: Selling Price: Listing Agent: Selling Agent: Listing Date: Original Price: Recent Price: Sold: Selling Price: Listing Agent: Selling Agent: Listing Date: Original Price: Recent Price: Sold: Selling Price: Listing Agent: Selling Agent: 2/17/2023 $2,395,000 $2,395,000 6/2/2023 $2,200,000 Kim Weber Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc. Beth Livers Berkshire Hathaway Florida Subdivision: Sea Colony, Address: 200 E Sea Colony Dr, #2B 10/26/2022 $6,700,000 $6,700,000 6/2/2023 $5,850,000 Matilde Sorensen Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc. Matilde Sorensen Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc. Subdivision: Riomar, Address: 886 Sandfly Ln 4/7/2023 $3,695,000 $3,695,000 6/2/2023 $3,350,000 Talle Genoni ONE Sotheby’s Int’l Realty Gretchen Hanson Berkshire Hathaway Florida Subdivision: Anchor The Moorings, Address: 119 Springline Dr 3/31/2023 $3,100,000 $3,100,000 6/2/2023 $3,000,000 Cindy O’Dare ONE Sotheby’s Int’l Realty Kristine Gabor ONE Sotheby’s Int’l Realty Subdivision: Shores, Address: 100 Loblolly Reach
REAL ESTATE 70 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ of Historic Places Registry and thus be eligible for the 20-percent tax credit, the owner must use original materials and processes within very stringent guidelines, Puzzo explained, adding that 90 percent of the fixtures, fittings and materials in Tangelo House are original, from windows and window cranks to doors, doorknobs and hard pine floors. He figures the acquisition and renovation budget will top $1 million by completion. Financially, he acknowledges, such a plan “only makes sense as a long term investment.” He sees the project as a “pension – for Stephanie and me, and then for our children,” with a steady stream of rental income When the Ryburn Apartments were new, a century ago, apartments rented for $60 a month or $600 a year. Today, apartments at Tangelo House will rent for between $1,400 and $1,800 a month. “Most of them are rented already.” said Stephanie Puzzo, who provided a building walk-through that revealed great architectural charm and meticulous attention to authenticity, detail and historic preservation. From the start of project, Puzzo worked closely with City Planner Jason Jeffries to make sure everything was up to code and he credits Jeffries as being a key player in moving the project forward successfully. The flooring is nearly all original, with narrow, golden knotty pine milled a century ago painstakingly sanded, cleaned and refinished by hand. In a few places, flooring that was beyond repair was replaced with 100-plus-year-old pine from a demolished building. Other original woodwork is mahogany; walls are textured stucco. Narrow archways remain as a charming, authentic touch, connecting living areas to kitchens, which feature modern electric ovens and fridges with brushed nickel fixtures, and black and white mosaic tile floor. What was once a window opening in one kitchen has been cleverly transformed into a spice rack. The original steel doorknobs remain; and the windows’ beautiful brass crank apparatus are polished and gleaming – beautiful, functional works of art still emblazoned with the date –1922 – when they were forged. In the center of the home is an 8-footby-8-foot atrium, which let in light and air and channeled rainwater from the roof into a huge cistern in the front yard that still remains, hidden beneath the turf. Small windows in several kitchens open into the atrium, allowing neighbors to enjoy friendly chats with morning coffee, a fun feature in an apartment building that seems made for community. The downstairs apartments also have their own little porch/patios. The upstairs apartments are larger, with an additional corner room featuring beautiful hand-crafted architectural workmanship and spectacular windows with splendid neighborhood views. The bathrooms are modern, of course, but with a classic look featuring subway tile and a clean white porcelain that creates an early 20th century vibe. Each upstairs apartment has its own balcony and lovely neighborhood view. Additionally, modern additions such as a sprinkler system and central heating and air conditioning are part of the renovation. With the Tangelo House project completed, the Puzzos are looking ahead to their next historic renovation. They did not specify the project but said they plan to gather a group of small investors to fund it, with buy-ins as low as $35,000, seeking people who “don’t have a lot they can invest” but might be interested in their long-range investment “pension” philosophy. As of last Friday, the couple were on the job at Tangelo House, making sure everything is ready for a debut event that will benefit the Indian River County Historical Society. There will be a one-time-only walk-thru Saturday June 17, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. to show off the beautiful restoration of this historic building, with a $6 admission fee. Then, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., there will be a paranormal experience. Investigators from the Florida Bureau of Paranormal Investigation, which has named Tangelo House The Most Haunted House in Indian River County, will give visitors a taste of how to detect disembodied spirits, using “ghostbuster” gear inside the apartment building. Admission for that event is $11, cash only at the door. Yes, Puzzo said, the house absolutely does have some sort of presence. He’s felt it. A flickering light. A gust of wind. The hair standing up on his body. You can find out for yourself this Saturday and see an important part of Vero’s history at the same time. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 66
The Vero Beach Barrier Island Newspaper www.vb32963online.com June 15, 2023 Volume 16, Issue 24 Newsstand Price $1.00