Is it a Palm Beach state of mind? Look for Billy Joel to be spending more time in Florida

Good news for Billy Joel fans.

His burst of real estate activity, what with buying and selling homes in Palm Beach, Manalapan and New York, is a means to an end.

We're going to be seeing more of him.

When asked about the listing ― for $49 million ―of his home on Long Island, where he was born and raised, he said: "I'm just gonna spend a little more time in Florida, like old Jewish guys from Long Island do."

The not-so-old Jewish guy from Long Island isn't completely abandoning his New York state of mind. He has a second home in the area that he's planning to keep.

Brain gain: More than 450 people pulled on their smartypants and headed over to the Cox Science Center for its annual fundraiser.

Known as the Smarty Party ― because, you know, it's science ― this year's event focused on the ocean.

Lorna James, Talbott Maxey, and Tara Vecellio were chairwomen of "Oceans Alive!," which featured deep-sea explorer Edith Widder, who talked about what lies beneath the deepest ocean and included an utterly terrifying image of a giant squid.

Like, giant.

After Widder's presentation, it was time for dinner. The first course was calamari.

OK, not really. That would have been gross.

Luck of the Pope: Lois Pope is only part Irish, but her choice of March 17 for her 30th annual Lady In Red gala was lucky indeed. The event is officially sold out.

Well, of course. Who doesn't want to party on St. Pat's night?

It's not just luck at play here. The chairwoman is a tireless worker. (As our beloved grandfather Donnelly would say in his rolling Irish brogue, "The harrter you work, the loookier you git.")

Yes, that.

“Our 30^th Annual Lady in Red is a milestone occasion,” Pope said. “So I truly didn’t expect anything less than a sold-out gala. At a time when our world is divided on so many fronts, what's better than bringing people together to feed hungry children or get a service dog to a wounded warrior? Plus, we are giving all 650 of our attendees a night filled with lots of fabulous music and laughter, with Paul Anka and Jay Leno. What more could anyone want?"

Well, since you asked, we'd like a corned beef and cabbage menu option ... but that's because we're too lazy to make it ourselves.

Martha speaks: Speaking of sellouts, if you don't already have tickets in hand for the Old Bags Luncheon on Feb. 21, you're outta luck. The event, chaired by Robin Gillen, Fernando Wong and Tim Johnson, is completely sold out.

With Martha Stewart as guest speaker, how could it be otherwise?

In addition to the Old Bags sale, lunch and the live auction, Martha will do a Q-and-A with Wong, a landscape designer who served as a judge on her "Clipped!" reality show.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Billy Joel, giant squid and Martha Stewart: Another day in Palm Beach