Debutantes of Frances J. Bright Woman's Club hosted on the Taste History Art & Culture Study Tour. Sponsored by Iris Apfel and Celebrated Black History

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. mural by Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra in Downtown Lake Worth Beach, Florida. Debutantes L-R: Anya Williams, Laila Dixon, Nyah Shannon, Charity Couzens, Kemberly Nertulus and Samantha Fable.

Debutantes of  the Frances J. Bright Woman’s Club were hosted for a educational multi-sensory experience on the Taste History Art & Culture Study Tours held Saturday, February 4,  2023 that traveled to West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach. Philanthropist and geriatric style doyenne Iris Apfel sponsored the study tour.  

The non-profit 501c3 mission of the Taste History Art & Culture Study Tour is to offer educational art, history and cultural study tours for students from first grade thru college highlighting multi-cultures, ethnic cuisines, architecture, and design in Palm Beach County.  The program is designed to be a curriculum-based live lab and out-of-classroom experience, on the road.  The study tour is offered as a same-day field trip for grades first thru 12 or a multi-day overnight educational excursion for college students.

Debutantes of the Frances J. Bright Woman’s Club and their mentors enjoyed multicourse lunch at Don Ramon Restaurant Cubano & Social Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. The origins of Cuban cuisine is influenced by Africans, Indigenous people of Cuba and Spaniard colonists. 

The Saturday, February 4, 2023 Taste History Art & Culture Study Tour began with a multicourse lunch at Don Ramon Restaurante Cubano & Social Club in West Palm Beach. Thereafter, the debutantes and their mentors were taken by minibus to Ann Norton Sculpture Garden in the historic El Cid Historic Neighborhood in West Palm Beach where an engaging tour led by Nancy Jones, the garden's Guest Services & Tour Coordinator, was conducted.  The sculpture garden tour was followed by a trip to Downtown Lake Worth Beach to visit the Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr. mural by Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra. The study tour concluded with a visit to historic 1948 Osborne Schoolhouse (former ‘colored’ school) in Lake Worth Beach in the Osborne neighborhood, a community established by Black Bahamian settlers in year 1917.  The debutantes met former students, Ms. Lowe and Mr. Jones, who shared inspiring stories when the school operated for Blacks-only during Jim Crow.

The historic Frances J. Bright Woman's Club (FJBWC) was established in 1958 and the debutante program began a few years later.  The club is named in honor of Frances J. Bright, an African American educator who came to Delray Beach, Florida in year 1895 to teach at 'colored' school #4 located on Historic 5^th Avenue in Delray Beach that was part of the Dade County School System, at that time, because Palm Beach County was not incorporated until year 1909.  The leaders of this prestigious organization are esteemed African American educators, professionals, and business owners.  The mission of FJBWC debutante program is to provide mentorship and help provide etiquette training for African American high school girls who are invited into the program based on academics and good character.  The program also helps to raise scholarship monies for the young ladies.  The 2022-2023 debutante students attend school at Atlantic Community High School, Boynton Beach Community High School and Santaluces Community High School.

Debutantes and their mentors of  the Frances J. Bright Woman’s Club were hosted for a educational multi-sensory experience on the Taste History Art & Culture Study Tours held Saturday, February 4,  2023.

The Taste History Culinary Tours were started in year 2011 as growth and expansion of the Narrated Bus Tours of Historic Palm Beach County which were started in year 2004 as a once-a-month trip.  Both tours were originated and developed by Lori J. Durante as a 100% volunteer effort. The Narrated Bus Tours of Historic Delray Beach has hosted more than 8,000 tour passengers. In year 2011, an additional tour was added which was named the Taste History Culinary Tours of Historic Palm Beach County. Combining the attendance/passengers of both tours, more than 14,000 people have been hosted on these cultural weekly and monthly tours. The cultural tour programs have evolved and grown through the years.  After a three-year hiatus due to the COVID19 pandemic, the Taste History Culinary Tours has evolved and has re-emerged with its launch of the Taste History Art & Culture Study Tours held on Saturday, February 4, 2023.   “A new season is being ushered in post-COVID19 pandemic, thereby the tours are adapting and evolving again”, says Lori J. Durante.   Year 2023 marks the launch of the study tour program.

“The study tour is a multi-sensory tangible experience designed for students to complement their classroom learning,” says Lori J. Durante who developed the program in a volunteer capacity and is the volunteer tour guide. 

Debutantes of the Frances J. Bright Woman's Club hosted on the Taste History Art & Study Tour visit the Ann Norton Sculpture Garden in Historic El Cid Neighborhood in West Palm Beach, Florida 

Debutantes of the Frances J. Bright Woman's Club hosted on the Taste History Art & Study Tour visit the Ann Norton Sculpture Garden in Historic El Cid Neighborhood in West Palm Beach, Florida

 

Frances J. Bright Woman Club mentors Adrienne Alexander, Lesia Jones and Maureen Owens with debutantes Charity Couzens, Laila Dixon, Kemberly Nertulus, Anya Williams, Nyah Shannon, and Samantha Fable; and Taste History Art & Culture Study Tour organizer and guide Lori J. Durante at the Ann Norton Sculpture Garden in West Palm Beach. Photos by Damian Woolcock.

Debutantes of the Frances J. Bright Woman's Club met former students, Ms. Trudy and Mr. Jones, (center), of the historic Osborne Schoolhouse in Lake Worth Beach. 

Thank you Macy's for the fun gift bags for the Debutantes of the Frances J. Bright Woman's Club

About IRIS APFEL - A Tour Sponsor for Taste History :

The philanthropist and internationally famous, Iris Apfel has had a career in interior design for over 70 years beginning when she founded with her late husband Carl Apfel, Old World Weavers in New York City, which is a globally acclaimed textile design and manufacturing company.  The year was 1950, and Harry S. Truman was the thirty-third President of the United States, when Carl and Iris Apfel started their company Old World Weavers.  During Mrs. Apfel’s distinguished career at Old World Weavers, she was a part of many interior design restoration projects including work at the White House during the presidency of nine different U.S. Presidents. 

Iris Apfel is a self-proclaimed ‘geriatric starlet’.   A centenarian, Iris Apfel is recognizable by the distinctive fashion style of clothing and signature style of eyeglasses that she wears.  Even at her current age of 101, she still works in design from luxury appliances to footwear from rugs. In the fashion world, Iris Apfel is currently featured on magazine covers showcasing her iconic style

Lori J. Durante with Iris Apfel

Video clips of the Study Tour held on February 4, 2023: For several years, these cultural tours and educational experiences have been hosted for the debutantes. The following are links for photos and news coverage from prior years. Year 2015 http://tastehistoryculinarytours.blogspot.com/2015/03/taste-history-hosted-culture-career-and.html https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/delray-beach/fl-drf-debutantes-0401-20150401-story.html Year 2016 http://tastehistoryculinarytours.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-debutantes-cuisine-culture-career.html Year 2017 http://tastehistoryculinarytours.blogspot.com/2017/04/debutantes-learn-flavor-of-art-food.html

Other supports included Macy’s and Lori J. Durante as Realtor for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty.

Lori J. Durante, Realtor

To schedule a study tour for your school group or college, call 561-638-8277 or email Director@TasteHistoryCulinaryTours.org 

The Zest Podcast: Palm Beach County’s Hidden Culinary History Is Full of “Aha” Moments

 

Palm Beach County’s Hidden Culinary History Is Full of “Aha” Moments

Click image to Listen to The Zest Podcast:  Palm Beach County’s Hidden Culinary History Is Full of “Aha” Moments

Year 2022

Re-Launch of Taste History Tours

 The format has changed but the immersive experience and knowledgeable tour guide have stayed the same.

 Premiering in Year 2022 is the new format:

Taste History Art, Culture and Luncheon Bus Tour

Taste History is an educational program of the Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History (MLFH) which is a non-profit organization. Since 1999, the MLFH has curated 20 design-related exhibits and launched its heritage tours in 2004 with the popular Narrated Bus Tours of Historic Delray Beach has hosted more than 8,000 tour passengers. In year 2011, an additional tour was added which was named the Taste History Culinary Tours of Historic Palm Beach County. Combining the attendance/passengers of both tours, more than 14,000 people have been hosted on these cultural weekly and monthly tours.

The cultural tour programs have evolved and grown through the years.  As we usher in a new season, the tours are adapting and evolving again.

Naturally, the cultural tours have halted since March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.  Current plans are to begin offering tours again in year 2022.

 

How has the Taste History Tour format changed?

The impact of global coronavirus pandemic has fundamentally changed the world, the way people interact, have experiences and do business.  To adapt and evolve due to that global issue that has affected the tour partners, the tour format had to change but the tours are still foundationally an immersive experience with emerging arts districts, multicultural history and food.

While maintaining a cultural food experience as part of the tours, they will no longer consist of visiting multiple restaurants for tastings but now will feature one restaurant for a catered sit-down multi-course luncheon.  The one restaurant for the multi-course luncheon will be one from among the list of confirmed tour partners, will be on a rotating basis and will be located in the city area of the particular designated tour.   An option is available to add a bakery stop following the luncheon. 

 

Will the same cities be featured?

Yes.  The Taste History Art, Culture and Luncheon Bus Tour features choices of the following:

Delray Beach & Boynton Beach

Lake Worth Beach

West Palm Beach/Dixie Highway

 

Will tours consist of bus riding plus some walking touring?

Yes. The new Taste History Art, Culture and Luncheon Bus Tour will travel by bus to emerging districts visiting art studios, craft shops or public outdoor art which are weaved into travel through historic areas. As in previous tours, the new format may include some walking with some of the tours.

 

Will tours be offered for general public individuals and groups?

We have permanently changed the tour to be only available by advance reservation and only for groups of a required minimum of 5 adults and a maximum of 10 people total.  We no longer offer accommodations for individual customers who want to be on the tours.   If a group wishes to bring children, in as much as there is no fee charged for children ages 5 and younger (under age 6), there must be a minimum of 5 fee paying persons in the group.

 

On what days are the tours offered:

Fridays and Saturdays only and for groups only.  A minimum 30 days’ advance reservation is required to book a tour date.

 

What is the amount of time of a tour’s duration?

The Taste History Art, Culture and Luncheon Bus Tour is a fun and engaging daytrip of 4 to 5 hours tour time-frame including the sit-down multi-course luncheon and is for groups only (minimum 5 people).

 

Since the tours now include a catered sit-down luncheon, can dietary restrictions be accommodated?

The Taste History mission is the same which specifically includes featuring a cultural food experience at non-franchise/non-chain type restaurants but at the local ‘mom & pop’ type cuisine eateries.  These eateries include some of the same confirmed restaurant partners that have been featured for the tours in the past.  There can be no guarantee that any dietary restrictions can be accommodated.  However, tour customers will have advance notice of the restaurant partner accommodating that tour and will have the menu choices that will be available for that tour, therefore, tour customers can determine if any of the food type can be eaten by them.    

Taste History is not a tour experience wherein specific accommodations of dietary restrictions are planned because it would limit the cultural experience that the tour and the restaurant partner hope to present.  An open-mind and appetite are important to enjoy and savor the taste of history, art, cultural and food presented during the Taste History tours.

 

Can we choose a restaurant outside of Taste History’s partners?

No.  Restaurant choices/partners have been made based on evaluations by the Taste History Tours as well as by evaluations by the restaurant of the Taste History Tours.  Therefore, restaurant choices are limited to the ones confirmed as Taste History’s partners.

 

What is the group tour price?

NOTE: tours will only be available for groups (minimum 5 people) and advance reservation is required. Interested customers will need to contact Taste History Tours to discuss further and depending upon tour city selected, an estimate will be prepared.  Email director@tastehistoryculinarytours.org  Call 561-638-8277

 

For school field trips or study tours, contact the director at 561-638-8277 or email director@tastehistoryculinarytours.org

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Voyage South Florida Magazine: Meet Lori J. Durante of the Taste History Culinary Tours of Historic Palm Beach County

Lori J. Durante of the Taste History Culinary Tours

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