Held on the
second Saturday in March, shopkeeper Sherry Frankel has served as Worth
Ave Pet Parade’s Mistress of Ceremonies since the inception. “While much
of the north is covered in blustery breezes and snow, we soak up the
Florida sunshine and ritzy Worth Avenue ambiance, as we celebrate the
special bond with our furry friends,” she stated.
Participants
came from near (Boca Raton, Boynton, Orlando, Palm Beach, Port Saint
Lucie, Tequesta, West Palm Beach) and far (California, New York,
Pennsylvania, Virginia and Canada).
Having covered
this event for the past 17 years, people’s creativity, craftiness and
love for their pets never ceases to amaze me. Store-bought costumes
merge with handmade, one-of-a-kind creations and coordinated ensembles
(pet, decorated stroller/wagon and human in costume) to make this event
extra special.
We can always
count on a bejeweled bunch of “Palm Beach purse puppies’’ (chis, poms
and yorkies). This year, oodles of poodles were replaced by doodles in
every size. Majestic weimaraners were out in force, with five registered
contestants, the most we have ever had. A few rare breeds were sighted:
a handsome tree-walking coonhound, a gorgeously groomed Bouvier des
Flandres, and a dashing Gordon setter.
A canine
celebrity made her appearance. Back in 2006, I met a glamorous black
American cocker spaniel, Daphne Simone (and her people) here at the
Worth Avenue Pet parade. I was hired to photograph her aboard a yacht.
Freshly groomed,
she wore a vintage pin tied onto a black ribbon, around her neck. As a
gentle sea breeze lifted her ears, I knew I captured “the shot.” That
image was entered, and she was named America’s Top Dog Model 2007 cover
girl. She is almost 17 years old now.
A striking trio
of fluffy white dogs, two with blue eyes, were nestled among a tower of
aqua Tiffany bags. Their mom, Beth Ailes matched them in an aqua and
white ensemble. “Since Santa Claus brought us Tiffany collars and leads,
I thought, let’s show them off at the Pet Parade, right across the
street from the iconic Palm Beach store where Santa got them!” she
shared.
Realtor Helena
Drori donned her weimaraner Maya, with a Monopoly board she altered to
feature Worth Avenue landmarks and shopping destinations.
Palm Beach antique and estate jeweler Patti Esbia paraded her “watchdog” PolkaDot, a precious French bulldog.
Lori Nicholas
had not attended the parade since her regal doberman passed away. She
appeared with her new addition, Bougie, a gorgeous fluffy gray and white
feline, who emerged from a fully decorated carriage. All were adorned
in the luck o’ the Irish in celebration of upcoming St Patrick’s Day.
About a month before the parade, Sherry and her black standard poodle Dash were out for a stroll (potty break) on the Avenue. They met the Levin family and invited them to participate. Leslie Levin had no idea what to expect from the event. Inspired by a springtime theme, she spent over 10 hours creating her long-haired chihuahua Olivia’s dress. She accented the lacy design with fresh flowers. “And I don’t even sew!”, she laughed. “We loved seeing all the costumes, meeting lots of nice dogs, and walking on the runway to music. The parade exceeded our expectations. We plan to attend again.”
