Traveled from the Golden Isles down to Palm Beach. Took a few days to just take it all in and enjoy all that was around me.
Crystal blue waters, world famous boutique and luxury hotels, outstanding restaurants, and a history rich in tradition, Palm Beach and West Palm Beach are real gems.
From the luxury of The Breakers to the beauty and history of the Colony Hotel, Worth Avenue, restaurants like Restoration Hardware in West Palm and Henry's down from The Breakers, the experience was amazing.
Here are a few of my favorite captured moments from Palm Beach!
One word can describe The Breakers Hotel, founded by Henry Flagler in the late 1890's: Magnificent!!!! It was my first time there and all I can say is WOW! I also learned about the history of the hotel while there, truly one of the most beautiful hotels I've been to. The reason Flagler called it The Breakers was the location. The hotel sits right at the breakers where the waves crash. The hotel burned down twice and was reopened in 1926, modeled after the Villa Medici in Rome. I will be taking Italian in the fall at my college, so Rome is on my bucket list. The hotel has been a favorite among US presidents and people from all around the world for decades. My two favorite spots were the lobby and right outside the back overlooking the deepest blue sea crashing on the rocks. Well, actually I loved the entire hotel!
Copyright: Photos by Brooke Ruffin
I dined at Henry's Restaurant and thought about the amazing history all around Palm Beach. I got gluten-free pasta with bolognese sauce and it was to die for! The restaurant is right down the street from The Breakers. The service was excellent and the food was delicious. Highly recommend!
Down the street is another amazing hotel to eat and stay at called The Colony, nicknamed "Pink Paradise" since 1947. It is truly a little paradise. As I was sitting and having breakfast at Swifty's outside overlooking the pool at The Colony Hotel, I felt transported in back in time. The avocado toast with egg was so good by the way! The green striped lawn chairs and pink floats flamingo floats were so charming! What I loved most about The Colony is the interior design and attention to detail everywhere. Just over a year ago, this hotel was actually designated as a landmark. The inside lobby was recently redesigned by Kemble Interiors and the handpainted de Gournay lobby mural is so beautiful! By the way, a cute little story behind the logo, which is a spider monkey holding a pink flag. The spider monkey named Johnnie Brown was the pet of an eccentric architect of the 1920's named Addison Mizner. The monkey became a celebrity in Palm Beach and would reside on Mizner's shoulder wherever he went. The Colony is an absolute must!
I had never eaten at Restoration Hardware before, so I definitely wanted to try it while I was in the area. The relief design on the front of the building is by Retna, a contemporary graffiti artist. Originally named Marquis Lewis, Retna constructs sculpture using a combination of Blackletter, Egyptian, Hieroglyphics, Arabic, and Hebrew. On the third floor is the rooftop restaurant where I sat right next to a beautiful fountain. The ambiance was so nice, as I sat surrounded by chandeliers, black and white furniture and green plantings. I got an arugula blackened salmon salad. It was absolutely delicious and a fun overall experience. How can anyone resist delicious food and a stunning outside view. Another absolute must see!
I definitely wanted to check out Worth Avenue, one of the most luxurious shopping areas in America and a top place to visit in Palm Beach. Worth Avenue spans four blocks of shops, galleries, and dining. Tucked away within the shops is an amazing gelato spot called Piccolo Gelato. So many people were walking around with gelato. I knew it must be a popular spot. So walking with my red and white striped cup filled with three flavors of gelato, I walked to the end of Worth Avenue where I found a beautiful old clock tower. A very popular spot for photos. The Worth Avenue Clock Tower is an important part of Palm Beach history. After the hurricane of 1930 washed away the Palm Beach Pier, the clock tower was built to serve as a beautiful spot to visit.
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