Palm Beach Illustrated December 2022

Every year when I see Costco’s holiday display in August (!), I get a wave of motivation to start my holiday prep early. Maybe, I tell myself, I should consider that 10-foot, light-up nutcracker for the front yard. And it’s never too early to stock up on tins of holiday cookies or giant rolls of wrapping paper, is it? Alas, the feeling never lasts. There’s something to be said for letting the seasons unfold in their own rhythm and experiencing the festivities in the moment. Being spontaneous—even if it means a last-minute trip to Amici for snacks and vino a few minutes before friends show up—is part of what makes December days merry and bright. Having said that, there is one notable exception: the annual PBI holiday shoot. For years now, we’ve…

The holidays at the Palm Beach Illustrated offices are generally a blur of activity as we work to maintain deadlines while juggling events and family time. No matter how much planning goes into our holiday preparation, there always seems to be one additional event that pops up unexpectedly on the calendar. It’s like that moment on Christmas morning when your mom looks around, announces “something is missing,” and then emerges from the hall closet with an armload of gifts that she stashed back in July. One of our most anticipated events takes place the weekend of December 8-11. The Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival hosts gatherings at the hottest restaurants and resorts across the county. From Avocado Grill delights to Zinfandel tastings at Virginia Philip Wine, Spirits, and Academy, foodies…

STAR-STUDDED AFFAIR WHO: The Andrea C. Cameron Foundation WHAT: Inaugural Gala WHERE: Pelican Club, Jupiter HIGHLIGHTS: Television personality and philanthropist Tyler Cameron and his brothers, Ryan and Austin, hosted the foundation’s inaugural gala in support of their mission to award scholarships to students to pursue technical or college educations in honor of their late mother, Andrea. MENTAL HEALTH SYMPOSIUM WHO: Hope for Depression Research Foundation WHAT: Inaugural Symposium WHERE: Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach HIGHLIGHTS: A panel of leading experts in psychiatry, brain research, and social work engaged in conversation and a Q&A session with an audience of 150 on the topic of “Teenagers and Depression: Addressing the Youth Mental Health Crisis.” BUSINESS OVER BREAKFAST WHO: Town of Palm Beach United Way WHAT: Thirty-First Annual Business and Professional Breakfast WHERE: The Breakers, Palm…

When Shane Logan visited West Palm Beach’s Rainbow Bridge bookstore in 2020, he considered it “the most magical and incredible bookstore” he’d ever been to. Over many return trips to the shop—which was filled with antiquarian and esoteric tomes—he befriended owner Tamas Burger, who had been running it since 1972. When the bookstore’s plaza sold to new owners in March, Burger decided it was time to pass the torch to someone who could reinvigorate the store. Over the past four years, while attending college full-time, Logan had been investing what he earned working as a valet at Buccan—and had racked up enough to be that person. Together with his girlfriend, Ava Zywczyk, Logan spent the summer moving the bookstore into its new home at 801 Lake Avenue in downtown Lake Worth Beach.…

Few things continue to shine brightly when they’re more than a century old, but family-owned Hamilton Jewelers shows no signs of dulling its gleam. Founded in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1912, Hamilton opened on Worth Avenue in the late 1970s. Today, it operates stores in Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, and Princeton, New Jersey. “We are officially marking our 110th anniversary, and so honoring our rich heritage, our bold present, and our continued legacy for the future,” shares Hank B. Siegel, president and CEO. “As we continue to evolve as a company, we often reflect on our four-generation heritage—which is ingrained so deeply with our core values—as we consider what’s next, and always with the knowledge that our past should inform but never define our future.” One way the company is commemorating…

Michael Walker’s story is not uncommon—he returned to Florida in 2020 after spending more than 20 years in New York City working for fashion brands from Barney’s to Escada—but his funky finds are like nothing you’ve seen before. Born of a personal passion, Show Pony specializes in coastal-contemporary antiques, art, and objets d’intrigue. “I had the itch to seek out prized possessions,” Walker says. “Friends would shop my New York apartment, so when I relocated, I figured I would open a curated space filled to the brim with all of my vintage finds.” Here, Walker shares insight into his Flamingo Park treasure trove. (instagram.com/showponypalmbeach) CURATION PROCESS: “In my mind, what makes my items special is the quality, the history, the craftsmanship, and, of course, the aesthetic. Right now, I am hunting…