The Bar, Cafe & Music Scene -- A decade-old project to revitalize downtown West Palm Beach has finally become a reality, with Clematis Street at its heart. Artists' lofts, sidewalk cafes, bars, restaurants, consignment shops, and galleries dot the street from Flagler Drive to Rosemary Avenue, creating a hot spot for a night out, especially on weekends, when yuppies mingle with stylish Euros and disheveled artists. Every Thursday night is a mob scene of 20- and 30-somethings who come out for "Clematis by Night." Each week features a different rock, blues, or reggae band, plus an art show. Vendors sell food and drinks, and the street's bars and restaurants are packed. Most of the nightspots listed below are open until about 3 or 4am.
Over the bridge, it's a completely different world. Palm Beach is much quieter and better known for its rather private society balls and estate parties. With the exception of some restaurants that are more of a scene (such as Amici, described above, or Ta-boo, reviewed below), Palm Beach nightlife is more likely to entail sipping port at one of the finer hotels such as The Breakers, Colony, Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, or Chesterfield.
Performing Arts -- With a number of dedicated patrons and enthusiastic supporters of the arts, this area happily boasts many good venues for those craving culture. Check the Palm Beach Post or the Palm Beach Daily News for up-to-date listings and reviews.
The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach (tel. 561/832-7469; www.kravis.org), is the area's largest and most active performance space. With a huge curved-glass facade and more than 2,500 seats in two lushly decorated indoor spaces, plus a new outdoor amphitheater, the Kravis stages more than 300 performances each year. Phone or check the website for a current schedule of Palm Beach's best music, dance, and theater.
