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Chess - The Beautiful Game (And where you can play it)

If you’re a chess player, the heading might resonate with you - chess is one of the oldest board games on the planet, and ever since the pandemic in 2020, has made quite a resurgence in the national spotlight.

Even top international players, such as Hikaru Nakamura, live in the area, lending credence to the idea that there is actually a decent chess scene in SoFlo.

So if you like chess, and live in Palm Beach County, where can you play it ??

Luckily for you, there is a local chess club which meets at the tables on S Dixie & Fern, right across from Johan’s Joe, Sunday mornings about 10am.

This group accepts players of all skill levels and age ranges, and is a perfect (& rare!) chance to head downtown and catch a game or a few on Sunday mornings, giving you the chance to begin or end your week right depending on how you view Sundays.

The boards and pieces are already out and about for anyone who wants to play, so all you need to bring are your wits. Easy enough, right?

Additionally, the group meets Saturday nights on Clematis, across from O’Shea’s. If Saturday night chess is more your style, be there around 8 or 9 and run a game amidst the downtown scene.

I myself have been attending these chess meetups for over a year now, and it’s oftentimes the best part of my day. This is a perfect chance to play an ancient game and meet new friends while doing it, and we’d love to see you there if chess is your style as well !

Pilates - Where This Workout Might Slide In For You (and where to check out)

Much as chess has become a recent cultural phenomenon, pilates has taken the workout world by storm over the past few years, and seemingly especially the last 12 months.

Whether it’s because folks have simply gotten sick of the standard cardio & HIIT workouts, or if they’re actively looking for a way to stay in shape & stay mobile at the same time, pilates is a unique, accessible workout for folks of all ages, and there are few better places to live if you want to try a class than Palm Beach County.

Centered Pilates, for example, is a boutique studio in North Palm focusing on private sessions and small group classes, and can tailor their workouts to anyone from a complete beginner to professional athletes who are trying to maximize their mobility.

Across the country, athletes (like the Cincinnati Reds baseball team) are mixing pilates in with their typical gym workouts to stay as limber as possible and prevent or rehab from injury - and if you’re a standard gym goer you know that can be a tough line to walk.

Especially for my golfers out there - if you’re looking for a new activity this summer, want to improve your swing and get that handicap down, this is an extremely underrated way to start.

You can check out Centered at the link above or at their Instagram here - but if you’re looking in general, there are tons of options in Palm Beach County (Club Pilates among many other studios) that may fit your needs. Look into it !

And while you’re at it, share with a friend who you think might enjoy the newsletter !

Is the 3 Natives Chicken Caesar Wrap All That?

Onto the next - as somewhat of a connoisseur of chicken caesar wraps in the area, I thought a review of the 3 Natives wrap was due next.

There are several locations (to my knowledge) but the one I’ve been to is the one of S Dixie near Belvedere in West Palm, and let me say …

This is an excellent wrap, if not a little bit on the moist side. Manageable, to be certain. Compared the FOG wrap mentioned last week, the 3 Natives wrap feels just a full, yet somehow heavier.

Perhaps they add a little extra sauce in compared to FOG, but unless I am diabolically hungry it can be too much at once. However, if I AM diabolically hungry … this right here is the wrap for you. On my list, it’s a 7.2/10

If you, the reader, want me to try another Palm Beach County Chicken Caesar Wrap … feel free to recommend one, and I’m excited to check it out.

What Is the NORA District?

If you’ve been keeping up with local Palm Beach news (or if this is where you come to get your local news) you may be familiar with NORA - the Northern Railroad district coming to West Palm Beach.

While there has obviously been a tremendous amount of development in the city in recent years, the “reach” of the downtown area is now expanding northwards, to a road along the railroad tracks which will encompass several blocks north/south and include shops, a 5 star hotel, and many restaurants with plans to open much of it by 2026.

If you drive along the bridge on Palm Beach Lakes and look towards downtown, you’ll see what I’m talking about. Trees have been installed, the hotel has been topped off, and most of the shops look just about ready for action.

If checking out a new neighborhood interests you, check out their Instagram page here for updates and enjoy the growth of PBC’s main hub !

Until then, there’s no further news for you in this week’s edition of the newsletter … so you’ll have to check back next week to see what else is going on in PBC.

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Did you know?

Palm Beach County produces 18% of the country’s sugar.