Jupiter & Palm Beach ~ Worth Their Salt

Jupiter and Palm Beach seem like another world nestled on the east coast of the sunshine state. Jupiter is where Tiger Woods and Olivia Newton John live. (Separately, not together. Olivia counts herself among the few of us that Tiger did not bed during the {hushed tone} sex scandal.) It’s where Celine Dion built a Disney-esque water park for her family on shores of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s also where David and I go to visit our dear friends Steve and Teri and to shop, eat, and drink to our hearts’ content.

{View of the Atlantic.}

From wandering opulent Worth Avenue to relaxing in a salt room, the area exudes a monied charm woven with a laid back vibe. There’s a lot of other ground to cover in Jupiter and Palm Beach, so you have to hit the ground running upon arrival.

Here are just a few of my favorite things to do while visiting.

Chill In the Salt Room…

During my recent visit, Teri and I wandered into Breathe – Salt & Yoga. I had read about the health benefits of sitting in a salt room; and when I learned that there was one in Jupiter, I had to check it out. You know how great you feel after a day at the beach? It turns out that’s not all in your head. Breathing in salt air relieves allergies, asthma, skin conditions, and creates a deep sense of relaxation. Salt rooms intensify the benefits by recirculating salt air in a confined space.

{Retail area at Breathe – Salt & Yoga}

The salt room at Breathe is stunning. Salt is caked on the walls and ceiling. The floor is a crystalized beach of shimmering white salt. Teri and I took off our shoes and wore disposable booties to help keep the salt as clean as possible. (The salt on the floor is changed once a year.) Two lounge chairs flank each side of the room, and a white table holding magazines sits against the back wall. To facilitate your forty-five minute relaxation experience in the salt room, you are encouraged to dim the lights, listen to music, read, or chat.

{Salt, salt everywhere.}

While in the salt room, I focused on inhaling deeply and relaxing. Within ten minutes, my energy level evened out similar to the warm and fuzzy feeling I get after drinking a glass of red wine. My sinuses opened and drained a bit. Teri and I agreed that when our time was up we felt clear-headed and calm. Bottom line? The salt room is chill.

Shop Like a Rockefeller, Well, Sort Of… 

Another thing I love to do while visiting the Jupiter/Palm Beach area is shop. There’s a wide array of places to spend your hard-earned money. (Or, your trust funded money, as the case may be.) Luxury brands like Prada, Gucci, Versace, and Cartier line Worth Avenue, while understatedly elegant and fun boutiques dot the palm lined streets.

{Piece of art hanging in a gallery window on Worth Avenue. Price tag? $59k.}

Money is no object in this ocean front enclave, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised to discover that you don’t have to have the money of a Rockefeller to shop like one. Here are a few can’t miss spots that won’t leave you with an empty wallet.

Jupiter Inlet Car Wash: Yes, you read that correctly – a car wash is one of my favorite spots. It seems like a perfectly fine car wash, although I couldn’t tell you for sure since I’ve never had my car washed there.

What’s so unique about this car wash is what’s on the inside – shelves filled with beautiful Palm Beach-esque tunics, elegant, island-themed jewelry, and home decor that will leave your dining table nothing less than well-appointed.

Teri and I adore the car wash. Unfortunately though our husbands have caught on. When we say that we’re going to the car wash, they know that we have absolutely no intention of getting the car washed. They now expect us to come back with chic tunics, candles that smell like the bees knees, and a serving dish perfect for an upcoming dinner party.

Gretchen Scott – Jupiter: Think Lilly Pulitzer but geared toward a tad older crowd and with an array of colors that span past pink and green. It’s the modern day Palm Beach uniform. Don’t be mistaken though, Gretchen Scott is undoubtedly a child of the original Lilly Pulitzer/Palm Beach fashion scene – where tunics and shift dresses abounded. Much like Lilly, Gretchen Scott is what you wear on the East Coast to shop, dine, and drink a cocktail. And with the happy, complain less mantra printed on every tag, it’s nearly impossible to walk out of the shop empty handed.

C. Orricco: The hills are alive with the sound of music every time I walk in this place. I just want to twirl and smile and sing and do all sorts of fun, girly girl things. Let’s put aside the fact that this space exhibits every brightly colored, chic frock a girl could possibly want.

{The infamous pink and green awning.}

What really lights me up about this place is the history. In the 1950s, Lilly Pulitzer opened a juice stand off of Worth Avenue. She soon realized that the juice was staining her clothes, so she had dresses made out of brightly printed fabrics that would hide the juice stains. Before long, customers were clamoring for her fashionable dresses more than the juice, and the Lilly Pulitzer label was born. I understand that the original Lilly Pulitzer shop was in the same location as the current C. Orricco Palm Beach store. Decades later, the original Lilly store closed and C. Orricco opened. Over the years, Lilly has been known to pop into C. Orricco just to say, “Hi.”

{Lilly in the original store.}

Some other great shops include:

Excentricities: My favorite home decor shop by far. Unique art, beautiful pillows, gorgeous picture frames. There are three stores in the Palm Beach area and one in Westhampton Beach, New York.

T is for Table: The perfect place to shop for glassware, serving pieces, and linens. Gorgeous. Simply gorgeous.

Eat Like a King (Or a Celebrity Doctor)…

All that shopping tends to work up an appetite, and if you’re a true Karouser, the need to imbibe a refreshing cocktail as well. Here are a few of my favorite places to drink and eat like a king (or a celebrity doctor).

Buccan: Oh, where do I begin? Should I tell you about the watermelon martini or the hot dog panini or the flowering squash blossoms filled with the fluffiest cheese that’s ever touched my tongue? I was having such an amazing, sensory overloaded dining experience that I hardly noticed Dr. Oz, who just happened to be sitting at the next table. Planning a visit next year? Make your dinner reservation now. Buccan is apparently the place to be and be seen.

{Bar area/living room at Buccan.}

The Brazillian Court Hotel:  A beautiful hotel with a warm, ambient bar. And if you’re a fan of New York Chef Daniel Boulud, don’t miss dinner at Cafe Boulud.

The Colony: A charming hotel with an old Palm Beach vibe. It reminds me of the Carlyle Hotel in New York City. Maybe it’s the feel of a bygone era. Maybe it’s the “proper attire” requirement in the bar. Maybe it’s because Steve Tyrell sang in the cabaret style restaurant there this month. For those of you who’ve read my posts about New York City, you’ll remember what a fan I am of Steve Tyrell and that old school, magical kind of entertaining. The Colony certainly fits the bill.

Square Grouper: I started my list of favorites with a place in Jupiter and it seems only fitting that we come full circle and end it there. The Square Grouper is a lively, fun tiki bar set on the Jupiter Inlet. It’s colorful, outdoor setting is relaxing and the live music sets the island tone. But it’s the history that really makes this bar something special.

Along with a hotel, it was built in the 1890s to accommodate travelers and workers building the nearby lighthouse. More recently, it had a bit of a revival (and received a new name) when the owner’s friends, Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffet, filmed the video for “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” there. I’ve been to the Square Grouper many times, but it wasn’t until this last visit that I learned what a square grouper is. It’s a term supposedly conjured up by the U.S. Coast Guard to describe the bales of marijuana that were thrown overboard during the drug smuggling era of the 1980s.

{A photo hanging in the bar shows a D.E.A. officer with a truck bed full of “square grouper.”}

There’s a lot to see and more to do, so get yourself to Jupiter/Palm Beach! You’ll have an understatedly elegant time and you just might run into Tiger or Dr. Oz while you’re buying a tunic or drinking a watermelon martini. Oh, and if you happen to have a little extra time, would you mind getting your car washed and letting me know if the Jupiter Inlet Car Wash is really worth it’s salt?

Your Fun, Sexy, Spiritual Homework:

• Check out Breathe – Salt & Yoga and learn all about the benefits of the salt room.
• Gretchen Scott designs are effortless and fun. The Jupiter store is on Facebook.
• C. Orricco is where Palm Beach goes to play. Me too!
• Excentricities has wonderful home decor. With four locations, they make is easy for those who winter in Palm Beach and summer in the Hamptons.
• Everyone’s glassware should come from T is for Table.
• Want dinner? I have one word for you – Buccan!
• Looking for a sultry, ambient vibe? The Brazillian Court Hotel is a must.
• Old school charm is waiting for you at the The Colony.
• It’s always five o’clock at the Square Grouper.