Weekend things to do: Italian eats in Fort Lauderdale, sushi bar in West Palm Beach, Anthony Jeselnik & a MolecuBar
The weather this week has me thinking of comfort food, which leans toward Italian. There’s a new spot in Flagler Village that has an attractive patio (if the rain ever lets up), while Timpano on Las Olas is offering a special Sunday dinner, and chef Angelo Elia is again hosting his luxurious white truffle dinners at Casa D’Angelo locations in Fort Lauderdale, Aventura and Boca Raton. If sushi is your jam, Palm Beach Meats in West Palm Beach will unveil a new collaboration with Sushi Hara on Sunday. Or you can fill yourself with candy canes at the tree-lighting celebration at Mizner Park Amphitheater in Boca Raton. Here are details on these and other local events for your weekend to-do list.
THURSDAY
New Italia:This is opening weekend at the new Flagler Village location of restaurant North Italia in an attractive new indoor-outdoor space on Federal Highway in downtown Fort Lauderdale. This is the third North Italia location in South Florida for the elevated-casual restaurant group owned by The Cheesecake Factory. (There are locations in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood and Dadeland Mall, which will be joined by another in Aventura in December.) The modern Italian menu spotlights housemade pasta, pizza, seafood and other protein-based entrees under the direction of chef Juan Diego Henderson, whose resume includes stints at the Faena Group in Miami Beach and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Miami. Expect the patio at North Italia to be especially popular for happy hour (strong cocktail menu) and brunch, which features the signature Cannoli French Toast ($15). Visit NorthItalia.com.
Drink night at the museum:You’ll sound like the smartest person at the bar after MolecuBar, the Cox Science Center and Aquarium’s interactive examination of the flavors and chemical reactions that create your favorite cocktail. By “interactive” we mean, yes, there will be drinks. The evening takes place on Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. in the West Palm Beach museum, and includes mixology demonstrations (with top local bartenders) and tastings, vendors, light bites, plus laser concerts in the planetarium and access to the exhibit halls, including the new display of Titanic artifacts. Tickets for the 21-and-older event are $23 in advance, $28 at the door. Visit CoxScienceCenter.org/molecubar.
Cocktail hour: You may be surprised (shocked!) to learn that it’s been six years since boutique cocktail bar The Wilder opened in downtown Fort Lauderdale (Broward Boulevard, just east of Federal Highway), with its old-school Lobby Bar, energetic Great Room and the tiled and tranquil Terrace. The Wilder will throw an anniversary party on Thursday at 8 p.m., an evening of drinks, light bites and entertainment. Cocktail attire requested. Visit IntoTheWilder.com.
Every day I’m truffling: If you are in the mood (need) for a luxurious date night, Casa D’Angelo’s White Alba Truffle Dinner series has a few seats left for Thursday night’s meal at chef Angelo Elia’s Fort Lauderdale restaurant. The five-course dinner, each dish infused with Urbani Truffles from Alba, Italy, and paired with wine from Ceretto Winery, begins at 6:30 p.m. and costs $325+ per person. The restaurant also will host white truffle dinners on Nov. 30 and Dec. 14. Two Casa D’Angelo locations also will take part in the series: Aventura on Dec. 5 and Boca Raton on Dec. 12. Visit Casa-D-Angelo.com.
Country at Coco:Grammy-winning country singer and actor Dwight Yoakam brings swaggering hits such as “Guitars, Cadillacs,” “Honky Tonk Man,” “Little Sister” and “A Thousand Miles From Nowhere” to The Stage at Coco, the outdoor entertainment venue at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, at 8 p.m. Thursday. Tickets start at $60+ at SeminoleCoconutCreekCasino.com.
FRIDAY
Marc’s the spot:Stylish crooner Marc Anthony will be in Miami this weekend for two shows on his Viviendo Tour at the Kaseya Center. Tickets for the Friday concert start at $110+, while the Saturday show has seats starting at $71+. Both start at 8 p.m. Visit KaseyaCenter.com.
Prove your love:Freestyle fans (and you know who you are) will find a treat on Friday night when the Freestyle Free for All Tour comes to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood. Led by part-time Fort Lauderdale resident Taylor Dayne, the lineup includes Exposé, Lisa Lisa, Amber, K7/TKA, George Lamond, Coro, Brenda K Starr, Freedom Williams, Lisette Melendez, Cynthia, Noel and Rockell. Tickets start at $65+ at MyHRL.com.
Alanis returns:Of all the 2024 concert tours and comedy shows in South Florida putting tickets on sale this week, I feel the most kinship to Alanis Morissette, who is bringing The Triple Moon Tour to iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach on June 20. From the get-go, she was a stateswoman for issues that seem to have only gotten worse for women (hence, the rest of us) in the nearly 30 years since “Jagged Little Pill.” Tickets for the show go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Alanis.com.
Come on down:The interactive touring production of the iconic TV game show “The Price is Right” is coming to the Coral Springs Center for the Arts on Wednesday, May 1. Tickets, starting at $32+, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at TheCenterCS.com.
SATURDAY
Nu Deco X Lucius:The latest inspired collaboration by the intrepid Nu Deco Ensemble will pair the orchestra with indie-pop band Lucius, featuring captivating vocalists Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, on Saturday at the lovely Miami Beach Bandshell. The rest of the program includes Fall III from “4: A Reimagined Vivaldi Four Seasons” by NDE cofounder Sam Hyken; Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 by George Enescu; and NDE’s Talking Heads Suite. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show, starting at $65, are scarce, of course. Visit Nu-Deco.org.
Saturday laughs: On his Bones and All Tour, cult-fave stand-up Anthony Jeselnik will bring his newest batch of shock-y, cringe-y comedy to Hard Rock Live at 8 p.m. Saturday. Remaining tickets start at $173.50+ at MyHRL.com.
Drink it in:Sometimes you just want a chill weekend hang, surrounded by cool people in a different kind of space … Such an ineffable groove can be found on Saturday at Small Wine Shop in Flagler Village, where DJ KR Soto will spin thoughtful vinyl from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. as you peruse the shop’s curated wine flights and menu of small bites. Visit SmallWineShop.com.
Take the kids:Boca Raton’s annual Holiday Tree Lighting party is a cheap (free) mood enhancer on Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. at Mizner Park Amphitheater, where you’ll find a holiday market, food and drink vendors, live music, a stage show, “snow” flurries and the relentless optimism of Santa and his elves. They’ll flip the switch on the lights at 7:15 p.m. Visit MiznerAmp.com.
They’ve got your ’80s:Downtown Fort Lauderdale no-kill shelter Abandoned Pet Rescue will host its signature annual fundraiser on Saturday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at The Sanctuary Church in Fort Lauderdale. The Hugs & Kisses Totally ’80s Paw-ty will include retro music, an open bar, buffet, silent auction and the ’80s Best Dressed Contest. Tickets cost $70+. Visit Facebook.com/AbandonedPetRescue.
SUNDAY
New sushi bar: The sushi from Palm Beach County’s popular Sushi Hara will debut in a new storefront home inside Palm Beach Meats on Sunday. Chef Gavin Rodriguez (a protege of chef Takeshi Kamioka at Gaysha New World Sushi in Wilton Manors who also worked at the much-missed Masamune in Fort Lauderdale and lmoto in Palm Beach) has been operating Sushi Hara for private omakase dinners, delivery and as a pop-up. His new collaboration will add sushi to the lunch menu at Palm Beach Meats. Sunday’s grand-opening celebration will include live music, sake cocktails and the flaky freakout known as Dan’s Biscuit Pop-up by chef Dan Ramos of Red Splendor Farm. Visit Facebook.com/palmbeachmeats, Sushi-Hara.com.
Sunday supper: The simple, psyche-warming pleasures of the traditional Italian Sunday Supper should put Timpano Las Olas in downtown Fort Lauderdale on your list of weekend dining destinations. Simmering pools of tomato “gravy” infused with sausage, meatballs, maybe a few short ribs, poured over al dente pasta and paired with a chuck of garlic bread … if you grew up with it, there’s nothing better. Timpano’s Italian Sunday Supper (which also includes arugula and frisée salad) costs $78+ per couple. Visit TimpanoLasOlas.com.
Shopping line:You’ll find unique holiday shopping among more than 30 local vendors when The Flamingo Flea returns to Tarpon River Brewing in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. South Florida country singer Gabriel Key will perform — do not be surprised if some line dancing breaks out. Visit FlamingoFlea.com.
Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.
