Honey Scriff - fashion runway to runaway show
Lynda Peeler

Honey's father bought a home in Golden Shores about 30 years ago turning his Newark, New Jersey family into snowbirds. This did not move Honey from completing her education in Newark, or from beginning her career there.

A person who always has many irons in the fire, she owned a travel agency, and did runway modeling for Fantashions and Sylvano of Rome. She also was a fashion buyer for country club pro shops. She was about to sell the travel agency when she met people from Florida who were opening a shopping center in Ohio. She didn't want to move to Ohio, nor be obligated to working a boutique on a daily basis. And as a fashionwise person, she knew that in the area of Lorraine, about thirty miles west of Cleveland, people wouldn't buy anything that they might wear and see the same piece on a neighbor. A little creativity brought her to a boutique called "Honey" that she managed from afar, spending about 5-7 days a month on premises. She acted as buyer for the boutique, providing one-of-a-kind clothing for women. She did 30 to 40 television fashion shows with models every season. These efforts carried the store for ten years.

When her father passed away in 1990 she was the only child and decided to bring her mother to Florida to live. She sold her boutique and landed in Golden Beach for good. "I always said Golden Beach is 'suburbia on the beach'." says Scriff. She continued to do buying for country club pro shops as her work, but she had a dream.

Honey tells of the grandeur of the Marco Polo and the smaller motels that welcomed residents as well as guests for an evening of entertainment. Her new focus is recreating the welcoming feeling for residents to come to the Poolside Café of the Marco Polo. She was attracted to this facility by the expanse of beach that is longer than any other building has in Sunny Isles Beach. So . . .

If you like to dance to a Latin beat, enjoy a light fare and to hear well orchestrated, professionally performed music of Miguel Reyna you will really enjoy one of the evenings at the Marco Polo Poolside Café and Bar. The place is alive! Other entertainers on different nights are Marcel, and Kat Jasmine. Honey is hoping to make Friday night Karaoke Night. They have extended poolside food service till 8:00 p.m., with music Sunday from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; other nights 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (A secret is they have kept to old prices.) Honey says. "The Marco Polo in its heyday had a magic quality, and it is in a renaissance recapturing this magic and open door." Residents of Sunny Isles Beach are welcome.

And back to wearing many hats, Honey is active in the community, serving as chairperson on the Mayor's Advisory Council-Community Safety and Welfare Committee, which is overseen by Commissioner Roslyn Brezin. The goal of the committee is to enhance the cultural and entertainment options for residents within the city. They look to reinvent the city's television programming to go beyond announcements.

Honey worked with Connie Morrow on the Fashion, Film and Entertainment Committee and was highly involved with the fashion show done at Samson Park which featured Miss Venezuela and many other beauties.

"I thoroughly miss the "old" Sunny Isles", says Honey. But if you know Honey - you can be reassured that she will do her best to recreate the fun parts that complement the new. The primary thing she misses is the welcome feeling she had being involved in the evening events. At the Marco Polo she has laid out a "red carpet", welcoming the citizens of Sunny Isles Beach to her pool party. Come out for the magic, the music and lively atmosphere, and meet a Honey.


TOP