Jerry Rushin set to change the dial after long radio career

Published in the South Florida Times, Thursday, July 5, 2012. Page 1A.

By CAROL REYNOLDS-SROT
Special to South Florida Times

After almost 40 years as a radio personality and executive, Jerry Rushin is retiring. “It’s time to de-stress,’’ said Rushin, the general manager and vice president for Cox Media Group Miami. “I have done so much, and yet I have done so little,’’ he said. “I will work. But I am going to work when I want to and do what I want to. Mostly, I am going to relax.’’

Work will come secondary to a lot of leisure activities, he said. Already, the executive is planning on traveling and has scheduled time at a dude ranch in Florida. “I am a cowboy at heart,’’ he said in an interview. He admits to a fascination with horses and the Wild West. His office is decorated with a few equine statues and he said he has a collection at home that also includes saddles.

“I also hope to take a few train trips,’’ he said. “I’ve always liked trains. The sound of the clacking actually lulls me. …Growing up we took a lot of trains to go places, between Georgia and Florida, especially.’’

Although born in Georgia, Rushin was raised in South Florida, where his family moved

Photo by Carol Reynolds-Srot
“If you talk to enough smart people something is going to rub off, and a lot has rubbed off on me,’’ Jerry Rushin said about his almost 40 years in radio.

when he was a toddler. His father supported his wife and six children working as a truck driver. His mother worked part-time as a housekeeper. Rushin went to Dillard High School and enlisted in the U.S. Army right after graduating. He served for three years, including a two-year tour in Vietnam. He came back home to a job in a furniture store whose owners he knew because his mother had done some housekeeping for them. While he did well at the store and was promoted to store manager, he did not get the job he sought as general manager.

“I used that as an excuse to leave,’’ Rushin said. “I really wanted to do something else and, when they didn’t give me the very top job, I left.’’ He enrolled in Lindsey Hopkins Technical Educational Center in Miami and took a six-month course in radio broadcasting. It was there that he met the man who would become a strong influence and the person who gave him the confidence to go into radio.

“I remember hearing myself on tape one day and thinking I sounded terrible,’’ he recalled. “So I walked out of class and said I was quitting.’’ Robert Gaynor, his teacher, followed him to the parking lot and asked him why he was giving up. When Rushin explained, Gaynor pointed out that the reason he was in school was to learn. “I saw his passion and the fact that he believed in me,” Rushin said, “so I had to stick it out.”

While still going to classes, he got a part-time job at WEDR-FM as a board engineer. “I worked every Sunday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. pushing buttons. Nobody wanted that job,’’ he said. Then, he became a part-time DJ on weekends and, a short time later, he was made a full-time DJ.

After two years, Rushin was named program director for WEDR. In 1980, he became the general manager of the radio station, then known as 99Jamz, the first African American in South Florida to operate a radio station. He took WEDR from 16,000 watts in the 1970s to its current 100,000 watts.

When Cox Media bought WEDR in 2000, the corporation also owned HOT 105-WHQT, Easy 93.1-WFEZ, and 97.3 the Coast-WFLC. Rushin was asked to oversee the South Florida group.

“He is, by far, the most successful student that I taught,’’ said Gaynor. “He was very disciplined, very strong and I had the pleasure of watching him grow in his career.’’

“I didn’t go to college,’’ Rushin explained, “but I never stopped learning and teaching myself. I like to read a lot and I even once read the dictionary and an entire set of the encyclopedia.”

While most radio personalities often leave for bigger markets, Rushin spent his entire

Photo by Carol Reynolds-Srot/
For South Florida Times
IN THE GENES: Shelby Rushin followed her dad, Jerry Rushin, into radio broadcasting and is the midday DJ on 99Jamz.

career in South Florida. “It was a calculated risk,’’ he said. “I had a couple of offers back then but I had a vision of growing a small station and growing along with it. One thing led to another and that gamble paid off well.’’

He also loves the area. “South Florida has a lot to offer,” he said. “It is a fascinating area with a cultural mix. We have urban areas and smaller towns. We have the ocean. We have yards with horses and chickens and squirrels.’’

While his job doesn’t require him to get behind the microphone anymore, Rushin said he sometimes takes some phone calls or talks politics. “I have graduated to being an elder statesman and people want to know what I think,’’ he said. “This business has been great to me. It has kept me young. I have, obviously, worked with great people. I also have met some great people. …Politicians like [retired Congresswoman] Carrie Meek, [former U.S. Sen.] Bob Graham and [former Gov.] Jeb Bush. Also some wonderful celebrities, like [the late Soul superstar] James Brown. And I have met a lot of smart, everyday folks from the community. If you talk to enough smart people something is going to rub off and a lot has rubbed off on me.’’

Rushin has also had a big influence on others. A father of three girls, his eldest daughter Shelby also is a radio broadcaster and is the midday DJ for 99Jamz. “I’ve always looked at my parents as role models. It just seemed that my father’s work was so much cooler than my mom’s (who is a retired nurse),” Shelby said. “He had such an influence on the community during his time on air and still does. I thought that was just awesome and it left a great impression on me.”

Angela Perry, Rushin’s assistant who has been at WEDR for 25 years, described her boss as warm, friendly, easy-going and yet very serious at the same time. She credits a positive work environment at the radio station to his work style.

“His leadership creates a cohesive, fun environment to work in,” Perry said. “Mr. Rushin’s axiom in the office is ‘just do your job, if you do your job everything else will fall into place.’ ’’ Rushin’s open-door policy allowed him to get to know each of his employees and allowed them to get to know him, she said.

Rushin has always given back. And, along the way, he accumulated many accolades for his work in the community. Among them: He was the National Black Programmers Coalition 1995 General Manager of the Year and he received the “Living Legend Award” from Black Radio Exclusive. He also received the Excalibur Award from the Family Christian Association of America.

Rushin said he will stay at Cox long enough, perhaps a few more weeks, to train his replacement, who officially has not been named yet. Then, he’s heading to the dude ranch for some R&R.

Entrepreneur George Yap believes in sprouting dreams

tp://editorialqueen.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/georPrinted in “ICABA SALUTES South Florida’s
100 Most Accomplished CARIBBEAN AMERICANS”
http://digital.icabaworld.com/i/72167, pages 120-122

By Carol Reynolds-Srot

When asked what his favorite hobby is, Livingston George Yap says: “Working.’’ No, seriously, what do you like to do with your free time? “Work, I love to work,’’ says Yap, known professionally as L. George Yap and to his friends and family simply as George.

“I come to the office almost every day … and that includes some weekends and sometimes at night,” says Yap, 70. “I love it here.’’ Then, when asked “OK, what makes you smile?’’ Yap replies instantly. “Giving back and helping people!’’

With all his hard work and his giving nature, Yap has built an empire with his company LEASA Industries, one of the largest growers of bean and alfalfa sprouts and one of the largest manufacturers of tofu in Florida. The company distributes its products to Publix Supermarkets, Winn-Dixie Stores and out of the state to Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee and even Alaska. LEASA’s products are also shipped out of the country to the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean.

Photo courtesy of Leasa Industries/Helping others has brought George Yap many accolades. But Yap doesn’t offer help to receive awards or recognition. “Helping others and seeing them accomplish something makes me happy,’’ says Yap.

Yap and his wife, Einez, came to the United States in 1976 with three young children and $50. A high school dropout who had become successful in his native Jamaica, Yap fled in fear leaving everything behind after one of his cousins was imprisoned by the government. The Yaps started LEASA in 1977 and named it after their family using the first initial of their first names: Livingston, Einez, and their first three children, Andrew, Sean and Allison. Their fourth child was born after the company was established and they named her Lisa, the same pronunciation as the company’s name. “Originally we spelled it Leasa, like the company, but then we went with the traditional spelling,’’ Yap says.

Einez Yap passed away in 2005 when she died suddenly from sepsis. “She was fine on Friday; she was here in the office working,’’ says Yap, “and by Tuesday she was gone, it all happened so fast.’’

BUILT AN EMPIRE
Not only did Yap and his wife build an empire — the company’s sales hit $10 million in 2011 and LEASA is now housed in a 65,000-square-foot facility — they did it with George hiring workers literally from the streets. They started the company in Liberty City, an economically depressed area in Miami. “I drove around and I saw people hanging out and I would ask them if they wanted a job,’’ says Yap. “I hired ex-convicts, people on welfare, anyone who needed help and I told them if they wanted help and a job I would give it to them and all they would have to do is work hard. I told them they could have a better life and a better future if they would just work for it,’’ he says. Yap admits that not all his employees became success stories, some even ended up back in prison. “But everyone deserves another chance,’’ he says.

The Jamaican Chinese immigrant says when he first started LEASA that many banks turned him down when he tried to get a loan. Finally, a small Cuban-owned bank headed by an African-American took a chance on him. It was that loan that helped propel his company. And Yap has been paying it forward ever since.

Helping others has brought Yap many accolades, including a visit to the White House to meet former President Bill Clinton. But Yap doesn’t offer help to receive awards or recognition. “Helping others and seeing them accomplish something makes me happy,’’ says Yap. “Some of my workers have managed to buy their own homes and some have put their kids through school. Some have done both! One of my worker’s has a son who is a professor. Another has a daughter who is a nurse. This is what makes me feel good. To see them not only be able to do something for themselves but to be able to give their kids what they didn’t have,’’ says Yap. “I was given an opportunity; I didn’t graduate from high school. But I worked hard and was able to give my kids a better life and they all have a college education.’’

Yap’s help doesn’t stop with his workers. He is involved with Habitat for Humanity (he is even planning on building affordable housing in Jamaica), Food for the Poor, and he donates to numerous organizations, many of which help children in school.

Winnie Tang, president of the Florida chapter of the Organization of Chinese Americans who met Yap more than 20 years ago, says she remembers what a big supporter he was when she ran an after-school program (Mainstreaming Plus) at Norland Middle School in the mid 1990s. “We reached out to at-risk students and offered them tutoring,’’ she says. “George loves to help, and his help has no boundaries and there are no color lines. ’’

Yap continues to help students. He is often called upon to speak to college students who want to become entrepreneurs and he has lectured at Florida International University, Barry University and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.

FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS
LEASA is a family-run business with Yap as the chairman and CEO, and his son Andrew has been the president since 2005. Nephew Christopher and Yap’s brothers Eric and Richard, as well as Einez’s sister, Joyce Johnson, all work there. His son-in-law, Joe Munar, is a vice president. Yap’s three younger children are not in the business. Sean is a police officer with the city of Pembroke Pines, Allison is an insurance agent, and Lisa is still working on her college degree.

But it’s not just the Yaps that define the “family’’ business. Many of the employees’ family members also work there. “My workers bring their family here to work. I even have three generations of one family: daughter, mother and grandmother who work for me,’’ says Yap.

Angela Davis got the job at LEASA through her sister Sharon Cameron. Davis, who has been there almost 17 years, and her sister still work there. “I started out in the vegetable processing area…and I worked my way up to assistant director of human resources. The Yaps are just excellent, phenomenal people. Mr. and Mrs. Yap have always been like a mother and father figure to their workers,’’ says Davis. “I worked more with Mrs. Yap and she was more strict than Mr. Yap. If she didn’t like a boy I was dating she would pull me into the office and talk to me about it. She always pushed me to do more. There were times I just wanted to quit and she told me life wasn’t about being a quitter. … She helped me open my first bank account. She encouraged me to go back to school and I got my AA in human resources,’’ Davis says. “Mr. Yap is a free will and has a very big heart. He comes to my desk often and drops money on it and tells me to go to Western Union and send the money to some of his former employees who are back in prison.’’

“The Yap family epitomizes the hard-working immigrant Jamaican family. George and his late wife, Einez, have been constant supporters of the Chinese and Jamaican culture,’’ says Marlon Hill, a Miami attorney who nominated George Yap for the ICABA award and has known the family for more than 20 years. “What George may lack in formal higher education he makes up for in his passion. It’s that passion that has brought him success and it’s that passion that he has used to help others.’’

Attorney Marlon Hill opens doors for others

Printed in “ICABA SALUTES South Florida’s
100 Most Accomplished CARIBBEAN AMERICANS”
http://digital.icabaworld.com/i/72167, pages 86-88

By Carol Reynolds-Srot

Attorney Marlon Hill firmly believes that mentoring molds strengths and provides access to professional development.

After all, without his own mentors, he would not be where he is today.

He is an attorney and partner in a successful practice that he helped establish in Miami in 2001. He is a board member of the Miami Parking Authority, The Miami Foundation and an active member of the Orange Bowl Committee. He hosts a radio segment, D’ Peoples Politics, that airs every Saturday at 4 p.m. And to him, it also is important to be a community activist, mentor to students and junior attorneys.

“Marlon Hill never turns anyone away. He always takes the time out of his schedule to help,’’ says Karen Andre, an attorney who met Hill in 1996 and says their friendship has blossomed since 2004. “Marlon is the ultimate connector. He is selfless and makes himself available to all who seek his help. There have never been any ill words uttered about Marlon. He has no agenda when helping others. He’s always pulling others up and supporting them … and sometimes without even being asked,’’ she says. “He has pushed me and help me spread my wings because he saw something in me and encouraged my growth.’’

Attorney Marlon HIll is a community activist and mentor.

“Mentors are important in molding your strengths and providing access to professional development opportunities,’’ says Hill, in explaining why he believes in mentorships and prides himself on being one. It was mentors like attorney H.T. Smith “who opened the first professional doors for me when I first returned from law school,’’ says Hill. He also credits attorney George Knox for laying the groundwork for his community involvement, especially with the United Way. And, his mentor Evelyn Greer, former Pinecrest mayor and former Miami-Dade School Board member, helped Hill by giving him “tough, honest advice.’’

‘CREATIVE, STRATEGIC THINKER’
Greer, who became Hill’s mentor in 1999 as part of the Miami-Dade Community Foundation’s Miami Fellows Initiative, a model of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation National Leadership Program, says: “He and I hit it off from the start and have been close since then.’’ Greer adds, “Marlon is one of the most creative, strategic thinkers about his professional development. He is good with technological innovation in a very change-resistant profession.’’

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1971, Hill attended primary school and the Jesuit high school St. George’s College there. His family immigrated to Miami in 1985 when he was 14 and he finished his secondary education at Miami South Ridge High School. His father was a construction engineer and his mother was a nutritionist. Hill and his two older brothers and younger sister “had the typical upbringing of a humble, middle-class Caribbean family, where major importance was placed on education,’’ Hill says.

He credits his late maternal grandmother, Eglantine Gordon, who passed away in 2010, with having a strong influence on him. “She was my first great teacher. We had a very close relationship. She taught me to have a strong faith; to treat people with respect; be diligent; not to bite off more than you can chew; and that education was No: 1,’’ he said.

Hill went to Florida State University to study law. He received his B.S. in business in 1992 and graduated cum laude. In 1995 Hill graduated from FSU’s College of Law with honors and his J.D. law degree. While at FSU he was a founding member of the Florida Caribbean Students Association (FCSA).

“Being one of more than tens of thousands of students at FSU I was at a deficit in getting acclimated. So I reached into my comfort place and helped to form the group of students of Caribbean descent. It was a group to advocate for the needs of Caribbean college students; a place for social and cultural interaction; and it encouraged the students to perform community service,’’ says Hill, who is still active in the group as an advisor and mentor.

Right after law school Hill worked at Florida International University in Miami where he did research on customs and trade regulations for the Western Hemisphere. Then, he spent 5 years as an attorney at Adorno & Zeder before forming a partnership with Michelle Delancy, a high school friend, and opening their own law firm, delancyhill, P.A. He manages the business transactions side of the firm while Delancy supervises litigation matters. Last year, the Firm was featured for its innovative use technology in firm operations and celebrated its tenth anniversary this year.

AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE
“With respect to our practice, Marlon and I complement each other very well,’’ says Michelle Delancy. “Marlon and I are the purest of friends. He is my law partner but is also like a brother. Hands down, I have never in all of my life met someone so amazing through and through as Marlon,” she adds. “The general rule is, everyone has issues. Marlon is the exception to that rule.’’

While law is his profession, Hill’s reach encompasses many other areas. He is proficient in Spanish and often uses the language in business and social situations. His radio show, D’ Peoples Politics, airs on Caribbean Riddims WZAB 880 AM and covers political topics and current affairs. “The show’s purpose is to inform and educate the Caribbean community about issues of importance and to empower them,’’ says Hill.

He is proud of all of his volunteer board positions and says they provide him with “a great opportunity to learn about parts of South Florida and interact with the community, especially the young people … It’s a lot of fun!’’ Hill exclaims.

The Miami attorney also admits to a longstanding interest in arts and culture. He loves the performing and visual arts and especially loves music. “He has invited me to many late-night events past my bedtime and I have attended a few,’’ says Greer, his mentor. “He loves to organize events and he loves to socialize.” His friend Karen Andre agrees, “Marlon is a statesman and cultural ambassador who crosses all lines to reach out to people.’’

And, arts and culture is one of the interests Hill shares with his wife, Carla. The couple met as students at FSU and have been married for 14 years. She is a former teacher and is the education and outreach manager for the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center. “We especially enjoy arts and cultural activities together. She is a big fan of theater. We like all types of musical performances and we drag each other to events,’’ says Hill.

There is an even lighter side to Hill. He enjoys cooking and fancies himself an Iron Chef in the making. He likes to experiment with all types of food. “My mom worked at Jamaican food manufacturer Grace Kennedy designing recipes,’’ says Hill, and she would do some of that work and at home under Hill’s watchful eyes.

A soccer enthusiast, Hill lists Manchester United as his favorite team and says Brazil is on that list too. He hopes to visit Brazil for the FIFA World Cup tournament in 2014.

“Exposure to other cultures was part of the foundation of my education,’’ says Hill. “All of what I do is a part of life. Nothing is compartmentalized. My wife and I don’t live in a box. Life is interconnected. And, Carla and I are living a vibrant, vicarious life!’’

Haitian-American, Mormon making history in small Utah town

Published in the South Florida Times, Page 1A, Thursday, May 17, 2012. Also online at http://www.sfltimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10006&Itemid=199

By Carol Reynolds-Srot
Special to South Florida Times

She is the child of Haitian immigrants. She is the first black, female mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah. She is a Mormon. She is a Republican who just won a primary for a congressional seat in the campaign for Utah’s fourth congressional district. She is a wife, mother of three and an avid runner.

She is Ludmya “Mia” Bourdeau Love and a victory in November would make her the first black Republican congresswoman in history, the first black representative for Utah in Congress and the first black, female member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) elected to Congress.

“The history I would make is not lost on me,” Love said in an interview with South Florida Times on Monday. “But that is not what it’s about for me. It’s about the fact that I took a city that was near bankruptcy and put it back on its feet. It now has the best bond rating. For me, this is all about fiscal discipline, not overspending. It’s about lowering taxes. It’s about leaving a country in good shape for our children.’’

Marvin Dejean, a consultant with a strategic business consulting firm in South Florida, and a well-known and active member of the Haitian-American community here, had never heard of Love until he was contacted by South Florida Times. He looked her up online and called back to say, “She is so Obama-esque. Whether she wins or not, that is not a name one will forget and I am sure she will continue to make her mark. I was so thrilled to read about her I started tweeting about her.’’ His tweet: “If you still think the world hasn’t shifted overnight, take a look @MiaLove Love4utah.com. She reminds me why I am a Republican.”

Photo courtesy of Mia Love/Ludmya “Mia” Bourdeau Love is the mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah, and the Republican Party nominee for Utah’s 4th congressional district in 2012.

Love served as a city councilwoman in Saratoga Springs, a small town in Utah, for two terms. She and fellow council members cut expenses and reduced the city’s debt to $779,000 from $3.5 million. Her leadership and her ability to make and follow through with tough decisions during a difficult time for Saratoga Springs led to her being elected mayor. As mayor she has reduced residential property taxes and Saratoga Springs now boasts an AA+ rating from Standard & Poors, the highest rating for a city of its size.

HARD WORK

A Haitian-American upbringing can be credited for Love’s drive and hard-work attitude. She was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., to parents who emigrated from Haiti with $10 in their pockets. Her mother worked as a nurse and also cleaned houses. Her father held several jobs to help support the family, including being a janitor and driving a school bus.

“They came here looking for more opportunities and the American dream and they taught me that I had to work hard to fulfill that dream,” she said, “Because of them I have a great appreciation for what this country has to offer and I recognize that some of these things have been taken away from hard workers and I want to help give these things back.

CAPABLE

“We, as Americans, including black Americans and Caribbean Americans, are capable and smart. I don’t like the idea of the government viewing us as needing handouts. We all need the chance to show that we can work for what we want, that we are all hard-working Americans no matter what our background.’’

Love credits her parents with teaching her to work hard for what she wanted. Her father told her never to take handouts and to always give back. After moving to the United States and Brooklyn in 1973, they relocated to Connecticut in 1980, when she was 5. She had two elder siblings who were born in Haiti and it was after moving to Connecticut that her parents brought them to the U.S.

Love graduated from the University of Hartford with a degree in fine arts. She worked as a Continental Airlines flight attendant right after college and before moving to Utah. Then, she worked as a French-speaking agent at a computer software company, and in marketing at another company.

It was after leaving college that Mia Bordeau decided to go to Utah. “I went for a six-month visit,’’ she said. “I wanted to see the mountains.’’ It was there that she decided to set her roommate up with a young man, Jason Love, whom she briefly met at a LDS event in Connecticut. “We were unpacking and putting the apartment together and I called him to see if he would help us and to set him up with my roommate,’’ she said. “Jason and I became good friends and the relationship blossomed and we have been together for 14 years.’’

She was raised a Catholic but said nothing really resonated with her. “I attended a LDS service and the bishop said that men must love their wives the way Jesus loved his church … and I really liked that,’’ she said. She agreed to take more lessons on the faith from the missionaries working in Connecticut, and she converted shortly thereafter.

Asked if her religion would affect her role as a congresswoman, Love replied, “The LDS church believes in (free) agency. While there are guidelines to follow if you are a member of this church, you have the freedom of personal choice,’’ she said. “It’s my religion and I hold it dear. … I teach it to my children in my home. But it’s private. Does it show who I am, morally? Absolutely. Am I pro-life? Yes. And, here in Utah, especially, I think it is important that people know who I am morally.”

But, she added, “It’s not my focus. My focus is the economy. It’s keeping gas prices down so people can afford to fill up their cars and go to work. It’s tax simplification. It’s pushing fiscal discipline and not overspending. It’s lowering taxes.’’

RACE MATTERS

Love said she is aware that to some her race matters. She was called a “novelty’’ by one Utah politician. “But being a politician is not about what I look like,’’ she said. “It’s about what I want to do and what I can do. I believe in a limited government, individual liberty and personal responsibility.”

And, with 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates showing that less than 50 percent of Utah’s population are women and 1.3 percent are black, it would seem that Love got the votes because of her work.

Daily Kos, a Democrat-leaning website, has attacked Love as “one of only two African Americans living in Utah not currently playing for the (Utah) Jazz (basketball team).” If anyone has a problem with Love being a black woman, “it’s their problem,’’ she said, “not mine.’’ She gives the same answer to those who question her choice as a black woman to be a Republican. “Many people seem to forget that the GOP was originally formed to end slavery,’’ she said.

A BETTER PLACE

Love said she spends her free time with her family and she loves to jog. “My sister lives in Utah and she helps me out a lot and is Number 2 Mommy to my kids,” she said. “I keep in touch with my brother and I used to talk to my mom every day before the campaigning started but I still talk to her often.”

Her husband, a training director at a software company, is very supportive, especially when it comes to taking care of the kids, she said. They try to keep the media away from their two daughters, who are 12 and 10, and their son, 5. But, she added, “They are excited about the possibility of being able to go to Washington in the summers.

“And they realize that I am working on making this country a better place and on leaving them a place where they, too, can pursue their American Dream.’’

Sublime’s food, decor live up to its name

Posted April 15, 2012 on http://www.fortlauderdaleconnex.com
http://fortlauderdaleconnex.com/fine-dining/14138-sublimes-food-decor-live-up-to-its-name.html

By Carol Reynolds-Srot

What do celebrities Pamela Anderson, Alec Baldwin, Steve-O, Paul McCartney, Chrissie Hynde, Bob Barker, Alicia Silverstone, Marilu Henner and John Salley have in common? They have all eaten at Sublime Restaurant & Bar. And, like the restaurant’s regular diners they went for the delicious vegan food, the exquisite service, and an ambience

Photo by Carol Reynolds-Srot/Sublime's decor includes cascading window waterfalls.

that includes skylights, tropical plants and cascading window waterfalls.

A bite into the Sublime picatta may taste like you are eating meat but it’s a Gardein (a blend of soy, wheat, pea proteins and organic grains) cutlet with lemon caper sauce. The ricotta and mozzarella on the Crispy Eggplant Rollatini is made from tofu. “Our entire menu is vegan. We don’t use any dairy or milk,’’ says owner Nanci Alexander. “We really are Kosher. The only thing missing is a rabbi’s blessing.’’

As an extension of her plight to reduce cruelty to animals, Alexander, who founded the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF) 23 years ago, opened Sublime with a partner in 2003. For the past five years she has been running the restaurant solo. “I want people to stop eating animals,’’ she says, and is sure to point out that “the restaurant is a labor of love.’’ All of the profits are used to promote animal welfare and a vegan lifestyle, she says.

The 250-seat restaurant offers meals created from organic vegetables, most of which are purchased from growers within the state. There is even a garden on the roof where herbs, tomatoes and eggplants are growing. Alexander purchased a home with a large lot near Sublime so she could expand on growing vegetables and hired a gardener to tend to it.

The frito misto appetizer, made with cauliflower, sesame seeds and a sweet chili sauce is a fan favorite. The Singapore Street Noodles (rice noodles with Asian vegetables, curry, ginger, cilantro, basil and a chili sriracha sauce) is also a popular dish. The chocolate nirvana (chocolate cake, kahlua butter crème and dark chocolate ganache) and the coconut cake (white cake, coconut butter crème and almond tuile) are the top desserts. A meal at Sublime won’t empty your pocketbook either, an average entrée costs about $16-$19.

There is a full-service bar where vegetables also are used in some of the cocktail concoctions. The Cutini, a martini made with cucumbers; the Tangito, a mojito made with fresh tangerines; and the watermelon cosmopolitan and watermelon margarita are big sellers.

Alexander says that the restaurant’s patrons are very diverse. “They come on bicycles, motorcycles and in limos,’’ she says. “We have gay and straight couples, transgender people and we even have regulars who have had babies and now bring those children.’’ The kids love the mac ‘n’ cheese, pizzas, pastas, and sliders, she says.

While the clientele may be as eclectic as the restaurant’s menu, Alexander says there is one thing she is certain of, “most of the restaurant’s diners are usually meat eaters. …Our food appeals to them,’’ she says.

Sublime is open from 5:30-10 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays (closed Mondays). Buy one get one free drinks are offered from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and appetizers are buy one get the second at half price, http://www.sublimerestaurant.com.