The First Lady of Ocean Drive
Ocean Drive’s “first lady” almost single-handedly pioneered the beachside shopping district.
Author: Deborah Borfitz
Watch Out – Artists In Residence!
Little about Sharon and Sean Sexton could be described as ordinary.
The Ghosts Of Blue Cypress Lake
Few would argue that Blue Cypress Lake is the most understated of our local natural treasures, and the folks who live shoreside aim to keep it that way.
Like Dad, Like Daughter
Vero Beach native Kathryn Block Faires is, quite literally, a chip off the old Block – her father Samuel Block, that is.
On The Trail In Micanopy
Two hundred miles to our north and west in Alachua County hides the tiny town of Micanopy, with a resident population of 800 and a single traffic light. During the 1960s and ’70s, it was home to a funky but thriving art colony with feeder traffic from the nearby University of Florida
The World According To Tom LaBaff
Tom LaBaff's top passion is to create “storyboards,” illustrations that get displayed in sequence to help movie directors pre-visualize a film prior to animation.
Surprising Finds Of The Super-Sleuths
Digging up family history is an avid pastime for many people in Indian River County, thanks in part to the unique resources and colorful leadership of the Main Library’s Archive Center and Genealogical Department.
Cool It! How A/C Transformed Vero Beach
Summers in Florida are not at all like they used to be. Global warming aside, we tolerate August with few of the cooling rituals – mostly sweating and self-fanning – that for decades defined Southern living.
Forever Florida, Forever Fun
Rural Kenansville, 60 miles west and north of Vero Beach, may be the only place one can still get a bird’s-eye view of what Florida looked like when the Spanish first arrived 500 years ago. The tiny unincorporated Osceola County town is home to an expansive preserve and ecological theme park, appropriately called Forever Florida.
A Bucket List For Local Adventurers
Residents of Indian River County are often astonished to learn that many miles of hiking trails, often rather modest in duration but extensive in bio-diversity, meander through quiet stretches of our area.
“It Never Hurts To Be Handed A Mike”
Wesley Davis may be one of the more familiar figures in local politics, but without question he is the top-of-the-mind charity auctioneer.
The Wi-Fi World Of High-Tech Teens
In most respects, being a teenager today isn’t much different than it has been for decades. “School bugs me and I like to watch TV.
Two Million Years Of Florida History
The eye-level view of the Fort Drum Crystal Mine, 46 miles from Vero Beach in northeast Okeechobee County, is less than dazzling but location-appropriate.
All Kinds Of Extraordinary People
A city magazine, good or bad, adds character to a place and reflects its personality.
Bygone Days Of The Beach Buggy
For three generations of guys and their gals, a free-spirited weekend of fun in coastal Florida happened aboard a stripped-down and often souped-up beach buggy.
The Little Choir that Could
Nothing says Christmas better than caroling children. Joyously for audiences of the Atlantic Children’s Chorale (ACC), yuletide performances at the Community Church of Vero Beach will be highly tuned and polished, as is the custom of the 21-voice community choir.
What Tangled Webs We Weave
Out of the 760-plus species of spiders that call the Sunshine State home, four get enough negative attention to give newcomers the heebie-jeebies.
Parke Frankenfield's Bands-To-Go
For most of his professional life, Parke Frankenfield has represented a throwback to an earlier era when swing was king, Dixieland jazz was hot, and dancers came in pairs.
Taking Care of Business
If there’s one room where function threatens form, it’s the home office.
Learning To Live With The Big C
On the afternoon of her 44th birthday, Mary Beth McDonald waltzed into the radiology department at Indian River Memorial Hospital (IRMH) for a mammogram.
The First Lady Of Ocean Drive
Future generations will probably never know the name Jackie Zorn.
United We Stand, Divided We Fail
"Okay who'll start the bidding this time?" He scanned the room for a raised head, narrowing his gaze to a woman sitting quietly to his left who appeared to be doodling in thought.
A Labor Of Love
Week after week, they came in droves. There were bank managers and office workers, a horticulturist and a librarian, a circle of 50 friends and staff from Sea Oaks, and winter visitors from New York and Kentucky.
The Colorful World of a Renaissance Man
For artist Mark Philip Wygonik, who once regarded himself as “just” a graphic designer, the ’90s were a defining decade. They brought him accolades for his directorial debut and theatre set designs, lessons in brokering art, and induction into an art institute’s Alumni Hall of Fame. They also brought him perspective.
