"The Row attracts a range of shoppers, from well-known
decorators, who fly in from New York and Los Angeles"
JOURNEYS
36 Hours West Palm Beach, Fla.
The
New York Times, Friday, January 3, 2003
WEST PALM BEACH was long
considered the negligible neighbor of the more glamorous Palm
Beach, and indeed it was founded by Henry Flagler, the oil
and railroad tycoon, for the workers who would build his seaside
resort. In the 110 years since, West Palm Beach has had its
ups and downs –and plenty of each – but lately
it has come into its own. It has flourishing historic residential
neighborhoods, many dating to the early 20th century, and
its downtown, popularly referred to as Clematis Street, offers
shops, restaurants, bars and clubs. A stone’s throw
away is the new City Place, a complex of shops and restaurants
that avoided the enclosed-mall cliché by straddling
city streets. And south of downtown is Antiques Row, with
a variety of restaurants. The Row attracts a range of shoppers,
from well-known decorators, who fly in from New York and Los
Angeles, to avid bargain scroungers. Downtown Lake Worth is
just seven miles from Clematis Street, and the two make perfect
bookends for a trip. Made famous in the 1981 movie “Body
Heat,” Lake Worth still has a film noir feel, atmospheric
and deceptively somnolent. BETH DUNLOP
...3:30 p.m.
Destination Shops
Head back to West Palm Beach by driving
north on Dixie Highway to Antique Row, a frequent stop for
many top decorators, partly because the shops often have furniture
and objects from Palm Beach estates and partly because prices
(as in Lake Worth) can be much lower than those in the Northeast.
The shops sprawl south of Belvedere Road to Southern Boulevard,
with a notable concentration on South Dixie Highway south
of Monroe Drive. James & Jeffrey Antiques (3703 South
Dixie Highway, 561-832-1760) is a decorators’ favorite,
as is Elephant’s Foot Antiques (3800 South Dixie, 561-832-0170)...
...7:30 p.m.
A Converted 50’s Drugstore
For dinner, try the Rhythm Café,
a popular place in a remade 1950’s drugstore (3800 South
Dixie Highway, 561-833-3406). The owners kept the undulating
soda fountain counter and added dinette tables with chrome
and vinyl chairs. Crab cakes with a creamy Cajun sauce ($18.50)
are a favorite. So is the duck breast with blackberry cabernet
sauce ($19.50). The desserts, including Key lime pie and coconut
quiche, are housemade ($5.75).
West Palm Beach is a three-hour flight from
New York. The airport is south of town, just west of interstate
95. l A rental car is a must.
The hip Hotel Biba (320 Belvedere Road,
561-832-0094) has 43 rooms, a pool, gardens and a chic wine
bar. It takes its name from Biba, the former London boutique
of the Miami designer Barbara Hulanicki, who directed the
hotel’s décor. Rates range from $79 to $229...
