Letters to the Editor

Paradise Found
Thank you so much for the beautiful job you did on the Bonnet House feature in the December/January issue. The story is in very good taste, the photography is stunning and your crew was very professional.
Monica Estevez
Bonnet House Museum & Gardens,
Fort Lauderdale

The 10 Most Intriguing New Restaurants
Editor's note: Our food editor Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley's story on the 10 Most Intriguing New Restaurants for 2008 (Oct/Nov) generated some intriguing debate at our internet partner, Metromix, southflorida.metromix.com. Of particular concern: Are high-end restaurants squeezing out neighborhood restaurants on the beach?

They have a lot of nerve...Who opens up a formal restaurant along a casual beach and then expects the people to abide by a dress code set forth by the restaurant? Talk about stupidity and arrogance. Give me a break - these people are trying to push their agenda on people in a location that favors hot dogs. Let the people like us dictate what we will wear and where we will eat...If they don't like it, they can go back to where they came from.
Bill, name withheld upon request

You can dictate where you will eat - and hopefully you will go somewhere else where there will be other hot dog eaters like yourself. (Upscale restaurants) are a great addition to this once low-end area. Hopefully Fort Lauderdale is growing up, and more places like this will open, then "people like" you will move on.
Kevin, name withheld upon request,
Fort Lauderdale

City & Shore Shops
Received the recent issue of the annual shopping guide, City & Shore Shops - great issue! Many of our neighbors wanted our copy, but we do not want to give it up. Keep up the good work.
Phil Perlman
Coconut Creek

Iris Apfel
Your article on Iris Apfel (Aug/Sept) was fantastic. She’s kind of like an Auntie Mame with great style and wisdom. Not afraid to say what she thought. Not into labels but with terrific style sense and not intimidated by designers. More people should be like her. More articles and publications should be as brave and not intimidated to say how they feel without hurting anyone. I would love to meet her and learn what gave her the courage and sense to be herself with such style and class. You did a great job portraying a special woman.
Ellen Zeiger
Coral Springs

Pet-friendly Yachts
Just a note to thank you for Elizabeth Rahe’s article and nice picture on the pet-friendly yachts (Aug/Sept). All the folks at the Humane Society were thrilled.
Dr. Loren Simkowitz
Fort Lauderdale

Get Away
Going through my back issues of City & Shore, I came upon the “Get Away” fashion story (April/May) and was awestruck by the beautiful photography. The magazine has definitely achieved a new level of sophistication and is a great source for innovative fashion. “Get Away” particularly captured the essence of South Florida “street life”: eclectic, cool, casual but with a clear cutting-edge vibe.
Linda Clark
Fort Lauderdale

Lorraine Bracco

Just wanted to let you know I absolutely loved the Lorraine Bracco article in your magazine this month. I am a huge Sopranos fan and this was such a fun piece. Keep up the great work!
Maryann Gonzalez
Boca Raton

Joanie Cox wrote a wonderful article on Lorraine Bracco, and City & Shore is spectacular.
David Laurenzo
North Miami Beach

I must tell you how much I enjoy receiving and reading City & Shore. I subscribe to Town & Country - and other excellent magazines - I was even a subscriber to Palm Beach Life many years ago [they don't publish any longer]. Your magazine rivals all of them - first class! And the April/May issue was one of the best.
Margaret M. Gatto
Weston

City & Shore

As a retired creative alumnus of the advertising world, I was knocked out by the visually stunning “Get Away’’ spread in the April/May issue — a perfect example of excellence in art direction, casting and, especially, photography.
I happen to be familiar with the venerable beach house used for the shoot and how pleased I was to see it play its “part’’ so well in the piece. I look forward to more of your great issues.
Chris Pyrros
Fort Lauderdale

Our story on South Florida brunches (“Brunch Time,” April/May) generated some dialog — and debate — among readers on southflorida.com/dining. “The best Sunday Brunch on the water ever is at the Rusty Pelican on Key Biscayne,’’ one reader posted. “Can't believe you didn’t include.” Other brunch places readers recommended included The Biltmore in Coral Gables, the Holiday Inn in Highland Beach, the River House Fort Lauderdale and the new Beach Watch restaurant on the Dania Beach pier.

Barbra Streisand

Regarding your cover story on Barbra Streisand’s recent concerts here (“The Voice. The Power. The $750 ticket,” Oct/Nov): Please don’t report Ms. Streisand’s appearances in South Florida as anything less than a Democrat fundraising event. Frankly Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, et. al. had it all over her. By the way I love the magazine. Totally elegant!
Margaret M. Gatto
Weston

Niki Taylor

Supermodels can’t possibly have normal lives, I’d thought, before reading your story on Niki Taylor (“Greener Pastures,’’ Aug/Sept). In fact, I don’t normally read about them, finding their lives of glamour and lights less than down-to-earth and “real.” However, I was drawn into Niki’s story by the fast-paced article written by Elizabeth Rahe. Niki’s not only a supermodel, but a real mom, a real woman, a real Christian — with all her struggles and victories — and I like her. I even like myself better now that I’ve gotten to know her through her recovery from her accident and her drug addiction. Now that’s one courageous ... click ... glamorous ... click ... joyous ... click ... gal.
Kate Winters Coté
Delray Beach/Montreal

When I first moved to Brentwood, Tenn., from South Florida, I saw Niki Taylor and her boys at my sons’ elementary school and wondered if it was difficult to lead a normal life with her celebrity background. I enjoyed reading about her life as a model as well as her dreams and desires as a professional woman. How inspiring! It was surprising to me how “down to earth” she seems and how much we have in common as mothers.
Robin Billings
Brentwood, Tenn.

I enjoyed the article on Niki Taylor, and was happy to see that she is doing well. As a local celebrity it has always been interesting to follow her career, successes and travails. She realizes that she has been given a second chance in life — which is why I cannot understand why, as a single mother, she chooses to get on her Harley and daydream. It seems to me that she could find a less risky way of finding peace of mind.
Pauline Kornfeld
Coconut Creek

Your article on Niki Taylor (“Greener Pastures,’’ Aug/Sept) was wonderfully moving. Niki is such a great person...I really appreciate her as a human being and a survivor now, not only because she is Niki Taylor.
Lisa Quilici-Giraud
Marseille, France

The article on Niki Taylor was so good, I read it twice — thank you for the issue.
Denise Cheryl
Pennsylvania

A friend who was in Florida recently asked me to look at your magazine as she loved it. And I can understand why. The first thing that amazes me is that your magazine is glamorous and warm — even the advertising, which is quite unusual. Then I like the diversity: the design article (“Higher Showers,” Oct/Nov) is simply great and the pictures are beautiful. Same with the travel story (“Rediscovery Islands”) where I learned many things. The article about Niki Taylor was great to read. It was a great pleasure reading the issue, and I’m not finished yet. I’ve been several times to Florida and it’s a great pleasure to read a magazine where you can feel the air.
Marie-Pierre Fleury
Chavannes-de-Bogis, Switzerland

The Nine Wonders of South Florida Dining

I thought your list of the “Nine Wonders of South Florida” (Aug/Sept) was interesting. I have been wanting to go to Tropical Acres for awhile now — I will give it a try as well as Joe’s Stone Crab.
Terri D’Alessandro
Pompano Beach

We were disappointed in our experience at Cap’s Place, one of the restaurants you profiled. Our party of six ordered four different seafood entrées. All of them were poor quality — extremely over salted, mushy and substandard. (We also had to wait 11⁄2 hours for the main course). Our tab came to over $300, a very high price for substandard food and beverage. We sent a note about our experience to Cap’s Place on Aug. 2, but we didn’t receive an answer or acknowledgement. Very disappointing.
Udo Harttung
Fort Lauderdale

Editor’s note: Readers were also asked to rank the restaurants in the story in an online, unscientific survey by southflorida.com. Of the nine, the Mai-Kai in Oakland Park finished first, Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami Beach was second and Cap’s Place in Lighthouse Point finished third.

We welcome your letters and e-mail. Write to us c/o City & Shore, 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301; or e-mail the editor, Mark Gauert, at mgauert@sun-sentinel.com