We had a sublime Thanksgiving with family and friends in Palm Beach.
The truffle gratinée was a success and the PNW greenery paired beautifully with the Floridian citrus,
the sea sprayed linens and the mother~of~pearl cutlery.
After feasting and counting our blessings we indulged in all the great things Palm Beach has to offer.
We freshened up our resort wear at C. Orrico. There are several of these shops in Florida and North Carolina, but the boutique on South County Road features a special “shrine” to Lily Pulitzer, because the building used to be her warehouse, and it is now owned and operated by family~friends of the colorful Palm Beach legend.
Included in the above image are the gals who started the great preppy~chic clothing line called Sails to Sable. From them I bought this flattering top that I wore to the Palm Beach Grill for dinner one night. I have a feeling this silk~cotton top is going to be a top go-to item for me this holiday season. The cutaway design is very flattering for the arms, and it looks great with the gold buttons in the front or the back. I’m planning on wearing it with sequined palazzo pants one night, a black skirt on another and maybe even torn jeans with heels for a casual cocktail gathering one evening.
The Palm Beach Grill is a prime spot for dining, they offer great service and tasty all-American food cooked up in their gleaming open air kitchen. I started off with a glass of dry, yet flavorful Schramsburg Brut Rosé champagne, and their ever-famous grilled artichoke {recipe!}. These artichokes are so fabulous: after steaming, they brush them with lemon, garlic infused olive oil, and then grill them on the open flame so it is a little charred and smoky tasting, adding such great flavor and texture! They serve it with a fresh, tangy remoulade sauce for dipping. Their key lime pie is perhaps the best I have ever tasted, not too sweet, with a thick, crunchy graham crust and lots of fresh key lime flavor. The atmosphere is dark and intimate, so I couldn’t take photos that would do the food justice, but if you’re able to get a reservation {call well in advance, it’s not easy}, I’m sure you’ll see why I am raving about it.
Another great restaurant for dinner is PB Catch, a great spot for *extremely* fresh seafood and refined dining. We don’t get many lobsters out west, so I decided to go for the red… and it was the right choice, so silky, flavorful and luscious!!
Palm Beach is known for their superb consignment shops, filled with designer clothing, accessories and sometimes furniture. Even if you don’t find anything that suits you, it is fascinating to study some of the fancy frocks from years gone by. I was very thankful to come across the most beautiful camel Saint John suit with a skirt and pants at my favorite shop, The Church Mouse, it fit me perfectly and had n~e~v~e~r been worn {the tag was still on}! I’ve always been on the fence about wearing St. John, but I loved the look and the price was ridiculous, now I’ll always have something to wear to “those” lunches. Visit with Martha for a more comprehensive write~up on The Church Mouse and many of the other consignment shops in town.
Stopping to smell the Bougainvillea after scoring at The Church Mouse.
Via Testa, between Royal Poinciana and Sunset, off of South County Road is home to treasure trove of these shops, many of them are featured in Martha’s piece, above. Right next door to the via is a great place for a healthy, casual and delicious lunch called Nick & Johnnie’s. Their fish tacos are some of the best I’ve ever had. Stop in to enjoy classic palm beach charm with fresh cuisine — their outdoor seating is a perfect place to share your finds and people watch and I’m told the nightlife there is pretty fun as well.
FREE RIDE open air, eco~friendly coaches can be found in a few coastal towns across the country. Advertisers get to creatively cover the coaches and the rest of us get to ride free — love this this concept!
Kate Spade and all of the other luxury retailers can be found along Worth Avenue.
Some of the store fronts are made of gorgeous coquina coral stone, which is also prevalent on many of the mansions and other historical buildings on the island.
A stroll along Worth is a must, in addition to top national retailers there are plenty of unique boutiques offering antiques, resort ware and things for the home. There are also many enchanting invitations to detour down the charming little vias that jut off of the main route.
Down these via’s live collections of smaller boutiques, art galleries and restaurants. I always love stopping into this one where the creative local florist Tom Mathieu resides.
A few via’s down, just behind Hermés and Jimmy Choo, is my very favorite restaurant in Palm Beach, Café Via Flora. When visiting Palm Beach, I always spend a disproportionate amount of time dining, laughing and lingering in this charming little courtyard.
But can you blame me?
The food is simple but lively, most of the staff speak Italian, the Chicken Pillard is lemony and topped with a fresh arugula salad, the tomatoes are always ripe, the pinot grigio is crisp and cold, the iced cappuccinos are thick and refreshing and tiramisu is ever~tempting…
On cool evenings, the interior is a great option, cozy yet reflective with white walls, mirrors and plenty of candles.
This is the perfect little coat dress by Gretchen Scott I wore here one day. Of course, I was immediately smitten with the orange and pale blue ikat print when I saw it at C.Orrico. It’s all cotton, comes with a tie~belt and is perfect for lunching, shopping, traveling, beaching and generally having fun in the sun.And you have to love her motto.
And then, of course, there is the sea.
One can stroll for miles on this beautiful sand, collecting seashells along the way.
Benny’s on the Pier, a Lake Worth institution has just been updated with a new chef, Jeremy Hanlon, he’s worked at a couple of Michelin starred restaurants in France and Italy, with Daniel B in NYC and PB and is now livening things up at this popular hang~out, located on one of the longest piers on the Atlantic, where some of the scenes from the sultry movie Body Heat were filmed.
Our breakfast here was better than ever and they are now offering Thursday night Clambakes {fill a bucket with your choice of the best & freshest seafood Florida has to offer, they’ll throw in the corn, potatoes, onions & flavorful sauces}. Also, their incredibly salty views are now open for Happy Hour on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 3:00 until sunset.
On down the beach is another great place to enjoy the sunset, the Four Seasons, Palm Beach.
The only thing better than a beach spotted with orange umbrellas is one with orange and turquoise umbrellas, vero?
Thanks for coming along on my Palm Beach highlights tour, I hope you enjoyed it.
As always, feel free to contact me if you’d like more in-depth information on anything I’ve mentioned or have any specific questions.
I’m very thankful for you, my readers, I always enjoy seeing your comments and feedback.
Thank you for all of your support and interest over the years!
Love it and love Palm Beach, you hit all the high points and I love your choices in clothing..very chic! Looks like a great trip, it is such a special little jewel that really sparkles at Christmastime!
Thanks Tina, pleased to hear that from you, it truly is a very special place.
Emily what a fabulous time in Palm Beach. Thanks for sharing all of our super restaurant and shopping tips.
Love that you found a perfect St. John ensemble. There is often an occasional luncheon for just that!
All the Best
Karena
The Arts by Karena
Thank you Karena – maybe I should have that luncheon!
I love Palm Beach too. So much to do and see in such a small place. We stayed there a few times, along with our little Poodle, FiFi, and she was welcomed into the shops and cafes. Looks like you guys had a great time at a beautiful time of the year. Happy Holidays, Emily !!!
Marsha – It is such a friendly place, even to pooches, I saw water bowls everywhere. When we were having our last lunch at Via Flores they brought a bowl of water for the dog at our neighboring table before even taking their order!
Love!!!
Awesome post Emily! Love the pictures! What restaurant have you had the best seafood? Remember to add it to your Besty List! http://www.thebesty.com/splendidmarket