While many are once again battling traffic in the Hamptons and playing restaurant roulette (John Catsimatidis is said to have actually paid five figures for a table this summer at 75 Main in Southampton), others are discovering how lovely Palm Beach can be in July. Although hot and rainy, there is usually a soft breeze that comes off the ocean, and with less people in town, its easier to park, get a tee time and make a dinner reservation.
The big question remains, "What will it be like next season?
Rumors are flying about numerous restaurants planning to open in the fall including Mr. Chow's, Milos, Nobu and even Annabel's. One restauranteur we know has made the move from New York to Palm Beach is Charles Masson of the legendary La Grenouille, and more recently, Majorelle in NYC. Contrary to what many would expect, the concept for his restaurant in Palm Beach is not fine French cuisine, but a Hemingway-esque fine dining Mediterranean style restaurant to be located in the Esplanade. We are told he and his investor, Joseph Hernandez, a Cuban-American graduate of the University of Florida and Yale, met with the Town of Palm Beach this week and got approval to move forward with their project. So that is one new restaurant we can look forward to this year.
Real estate continues to boom with the lines now blurring between Palm Beach and West Palm Beach according to an article that ran in The Shiny Sheet this week. We hear four bedroom apartments are going for $10m in the new Forte building in West Palm Beach which will help to make the 33401 zip code a bit tonier.
And there have been some other notable real estate transactions over the last few weeks including the home of Dr. Ernst & Nataly Langner at 1840 S Ocean Blvd which was listed at $115m. Dee & Tommy Hilfiger bought a third property in Palm Beach at 1930 S. Ocean (once the home of Conrad Black) for a reported $46 million. And Jim McCann of Christie's Premiere Estate Properties had the honor of representing Eileen & William Toll who recently sold their iconic Tarpon Island property for $85m in an off-market sale. The private 2.26 acre Intracoastal Island features 1,300 linear feet of water frontage, a 12,321-square-foot house with tennis court and dockage, and exclusive access over its own bridge from Island Road. Owned by the Toll family since 1998, the property was sold to developer Todd Michael Glazer. Suzanne Frisbie —now with the Corcoran Group,represented the buyer. We are told the deal came together with the help of Adam McPherson of Douglas Elliman.
Acclaimed landscape designer Fernando Wong's new TV show with Martha Stewart called Clipped premiered on HGTV on July 14th. It features contestants competing in a series of topiary challenges for a $50,000 cash prize.
The Skinny Dip Collective, located at the corner of North County Rd and Royal Poinciana Way, has closed and the shop will reopen as Five Story NY in thefall. If you are not familiar with the luxury curated boutique on Madison Avenue owned by fashion industry executive, Karen Murray, you are in for a treat. We think it will be a welcome addition to Palm Beach. Check it out at fivestoryny.comand follow them @fivestoryny
Mish Tworkowski, the designer of fine jewelry in New York, is moving to Palm Beach and opening a design studio in the historic Phipps Plaza. Check them out mishjewelry.comand follow them @mishnewyork
Also opening in Palm Beach this season ... Brittany Bromley Interiors which has a charming store front in Bedford, New York, and has been featured in Elle Decor, Veranda, House Beautiful, Luxe and was a huge hit at the Kips Bay Decorator Show House in Palm Beach this year, as well as Jim Dove, Jonathan Savage, Alessandra Branca and Meg Braff.
Other big changes in town ... After 24 years with the Kravis Center, Lee Bell is stepping down from his role as the current Senior Director of Programming and will be relocating to South Carolina. Georgina Young has been announced as his replacement starting on August 23rd ... Congratulations to Taylor Materio who has been named Director of Development with the Historical Society of Palm Beach County. Since 2018, Taylor has served as the Executive Director for Family Promise North/Central Palm Beach County where she began as a volunteer ... and The Reverend James Harlan has left Bethesda-by-the-Sea after serving for ten years — four with President Trump in attendance on major holidays with secret service in tow. An interim rector, Bob Dannals, will be joining the church while the search committee looks for a replacement. His first official service will be on August 22nd. We wish him all the best!
A little housekeeping item: The Colony hotel will be closed starting August 15th for some summer improvement projects around the hotel including utility under grounding and new water main installation. They will re-open their doors starting September 23, 2021 following the completion of these important town projects around the hotel.
And Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa is celebrating its 8th Anniversary on Thursday, July 29th. For event details, DM us on Instagram @palmbeachsocialdiary
