“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy.” The lyrics to the legendary Porgy and Bess aria personified the attitude of guests last Saturday evening as the Vero Beach Hotel and Spa ushered in the start of summer with its annual Underneath the Stars White Party. The event, which took place at the hotel’s Heaton’s Reef Bar & Grill, is a nod to the style directive of only wearing white between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
The fashion concept doesn’t really apply to Floridians, who embrace cool white fabrics during the essentially yearlong endless summer, but this tongue-in-cheek event always takes the notion to a whole new level. Pops of color from fashionable jewelry and accessories accentuated the dazzlingly bright white outfits – women in sundresses, flowing tops and comfy pants, and men dashing in their Panama hats and Guayabera shirts.
Hairstyles went the way of the wind, but nobody was complaining, as the lovely ocean breeze kept bodies cool and no-see-ums at bay. It was the perfect evening for dining by the sea, and as the attentive staff continually raced to replenish the generous barbeque buffet, guests dined at tables surrounding the poolside dancefloor and high-tops facing the beach.
Vero’s social locals were out in full force, including one large contingent of about 30 Sea Oaks residents who have attended the party as a group for the past three years.
“We just got back from Europe so now we’ll enjoy the ocean, our pools and walking on the beach with our two big standard poodles,” said Jessie Knapp. “We enjoy life; it’s all good,” And a yap with Bonzo should be in order one of these dog days of summer. “[Our dogs] were mentioned in a Bonzo column, but haven’t been interviewed yet.”
“I like the weather; I like it warm,” said Priscilla Engel.
“I stay here because it’s so cold in San Francisco in the summer,” laughed Jane Culley, who now spends 10 months here and two in the City by the Bay, where summers can be quite chilly. “My husband said it was 54 degrees there. I told him I spent an hour floating in the ocean today.”
“I like the alternative to the high season; the fact that it’s low key,” added friend Jasmin Pelletier.
They and others also pointed out that while the influx of snowbirds over the winter months is great for the area, there are distinct advantages to the informal summer lifestyle, with increased availability at restaurants and less congestion on the roadways.
But Rodney Smyrk summed up the feeling of many in the crowd saying, “Vero’s wonderful with or without the larger population.”