All Blog Entries by Amanda Hicks

Twelve schools in Palm Beach County are now making sure kids get a full three meals a day by beginning to serve dinner. The meals will be offered at no charge for any students in after-school programs and each will contain a meat or a protein alternative, a grain, fruit, a vegetable and milk. 

According to Feeding America, an organization providing food to hungry children, nearly 20 percent of kids do not know where their next meal is coming from. To help get this number closer to zero, twelve schools have joined 55 other sites in Palm Beach County to serve dinner on a daily basis for kids in need.

These are the schools that are now participating:

Congress Middle School, Boynton Beach

 Osceola Creek Middle School, Loxahatchee

 Woodlands

Get ready for the biggest fall celebration in Jupiter! Pumpkin Fest is coming to Harbourside Place on Saturday, October 20th. Expect thousands of pumpkins, tons of candy, street performers, vendors and much more.

This family fun event will be from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the lovely waterfront Harbourside plaza. You could grab a bite to eat at one of numerous restaurants in the plaza or stop by one of many food and drink vendors. There will also be close to 50 more vendors with lots of crafts, candles and seasonal goods.

Take some family photos in the pumpkin patch and make sure the kids come in costume for trick-or-treating and a costume contest. There will be face painting, balloon artists, and much more.

The Pumpkin Fest is held every year by

The Downtown Stuart Craft Festival will be held over the weekend of October 20-21 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day.

Downtown Stuart is the perfect place for such a festival, as it is filled with historic areas and new areas, with lots of art both on the streets and in galleries, as well as more than 70 shops, restaurants and boutiques. The quaint downtown area is a unique place for visitors and locals alike to enjoy a small town vibe combined with features of a big city. 

The Craft Festival will showcase photography, paintings, sculptures, jewelry and much more from both local and traveling artists.

Mark your calendar for this event and discover the beauty of Stuart and its art!

The Jupiter Arts Committee is looking for large-scale painters to come up with a creative idea and paint a mural on the Intracoastal under the Indiantown Bridge. The committee is looking for “an artistic interpretation of our vibrant, growing community, which shall reflect cultural awareness, the natural environment and promote an appreciation for the visual arts.”

The site is 90 x 18 feet over the Intracoastal Waterway, and there's another 110 x 5-foot wall in the Plaza Down Under location. Because the site is near the water, the committee would like the mural to “explore the subject’s relationship with nature and be integrated with the environment and local landscape."

The finalist will be selected in December with the proposal to be approved

The City of Lake Worth is calling for local designers, architects and dreamers to come up with a vision for their Cultural Arts District. All submissions will be showcased at a formal gallery opening, on display for residents, entrepreneurs, property owners and investors. The deadline is November 2nd, and first place takes home $1,500 with runners up bringing home some bank too. 

"As part of an aggressive initiative to encourage investment in the city and to stimulate a vibrant, sustainable future, the City recently adopted changes to its Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Regulations. Now, we are inviting the design community to look at the city with fresh eyes and to envision what its future might hold," says the Envision Lake Worth website.

The only thing better than the Phat Panda's logo of a chubby panda on a surf board is their appetizing menu of tasty cultural food! The Phat Panda is a brand new spot on Donald Ross Road in Juno Beach that has a casual atmosphere and a simple menu packed with flavor.

The eatery opened just a couple of weeks ago with a kick-off menu of authentic street food including open-faced tacos served on two corn torillas (pictured above), Banh Mi Vietnamese-style sandwiches on French Baguettes, and rice bowls like the "Halal at ya boy" with basmati rice, organic mixed greens and tomatoes, naan bread, white sauce and a choice of grilled chicken or roasted chickpeas. There's also a "half-pint" option where you can choose from a taco, half banh mi, or half

The historic "Duck's Nest" on the island of Palm Beach is the town's oldest residence, reminding us of the pioneer days of the Palm Beaches. At 125 years old, the property is ready for some revamping- and the town is expressing major excitement about it. 

Built in 1891, the Duck's Nest at 305 Maddock Way is the oldest standing house in Palm Beach. This was before the barrier island was connected to the Florida mainland by bridges, so much of the home was assembled in parts in New York and shipped here by barge- the only option for transportation. 

The home was built by the Maddock family and they resided there for 125 years. In July, the family sold the house after their proposal to demolish and replicate it was unfavored by the community.

Get ready for the fall season with these upcoming events in Boynton Beach!

1. Oktoberfest

Due South Brewing Co. is hosting its annual Oktoberfest today through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. They'll have some special beers like Cranberry Hef and Pumpkin Latte along with appetizing German-inspired food from Savoury Eats. There's also a $10 Due South Stein Glass option that you can fill with Oktoberfest lager all three days. For more information call 561-463-2337. 2900 High Ridge Rd.

2. Paint N' Drink

Head over to Deep Ocean Reef Bar & Grill on Monday, Oct. 3rd for a Halloween Paint N’ Drink Party. From 7-10 p.m., guests can create some eerie Halloween Trick-or-Treat paintings on wooden signs with all supplies included. For $35, enjoy a

The San Juan Festival is back for the 15th year in a row in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. As you can imagine, it's quite the party at the San Juan Festival! There's live Salsa, Bachata, Tango and Merengue music to dance and have fun with your friends and family. There are also tons of vendors, delicious Spanish food, performances, games, family activities and much more.

The event takes place both inside and out on the massive courtyard at the Port St. Lucie Civic Center. The center is a consistent hot spot for family-friendly community events.

The San Juan Festival is this Saturday, September 29th from noon-10 p.m. The cost is $15 for adults, $5 for kids, and children under age 5 are free.

See more info here.

The PSL Civic Center is

Blowing Rocks Preserve in Hobe Sound is a beautiful display of natural Anastasia Limestone rock along the coast of our clear Atlantic waters. This gem of a location is a favorite place for photographers and nature lovers as it is an incredible site to watch the waves spray high over the rocks and observe many forms of marine life flourish near shore in this natural reef habitat.

Every Sunday, staff of the Hawley Education Center at the preserve host free guided tours that are very interesting and enjoyable. Blowing Rocks is a reflection of what South Florida barrier islands looked like a century ago and on the tour you'll learn all about its unique features and what The Nature Conservancy is doing regionally to protect our natural habitats.