Page 13 - Boca ViewPointe - July '21
P. 13

July 2021                                                     Viewpointe, Page 13
      Meet Your Neighbor




      By Alisa Lebensohn                                 into the same community as                        the growth of these stunning flowers, one must also discover
                                                         him for vacation!) The son                        another revelation about our unassuming neighbor.
         This month’s Meet Your Neighbor will introduce you to a   had purchased the home from                Allan Carter is an international tennis champion.
      truly remarkable and inspiring member of the Costa Del Sol   a man who self-identified as               Allan Carter started playing tennis at the “old age” of 26.
      community. Allan Carter, who first piqued my interest because   “the Orchid Doctor”; and                Let that sink in. Having never picked up a racket prior
      of his breathtaking orchid garden (look for the house with the   who was looking to give             to age 26 (handball was the sport of choice in the Bronx), a
      statue of the girl playing tennis), became ever more fascinating   away his prized collection        colleague suggested that they play this racquet sport that Allan
      the longer I spoke with him.                       of orchids. Allan, who at the                     had not even heard of before. But he was smitten with the very
         A former NYC educator in the rough and tumble borough   time “didn’t know an orchid               first rally, and soon became enchanted with the sport, learning
      of the Bronx, Mr. Carter retired about 25 years ago and moved   from a tulip”, was game to try       all he could about it, watching the greats, teaching himself, and
      to South Florida a few years later. After a stint in Boynton   his hand at growing some of           ultimately, becoming a force to reckon with. He literally fell in
      Beach, he relocated to what most would view as an ideal   these lovely flowers, and as               love with tennis and began what led to an incredible, exciting
      Boca Raton location on the intracoastal. However, for the   with everything else in his              career playing tennis as a team representative of the United
      gregarious and active Allan Carter, the beauty of that area was   life, gave it everything he had, researching, and learning as   States (!) in the ITF (International Tennis Federation), starting
      outweighed by its relatively desolate and lonely vibe given the   much as he could about these special flowers. The result, his   his tenure for the ITF at age 50(!!!) playing doubles and singles
      high number of snowbirds in his condominium (coupled with   magnificent and truly prize worthy orchid collection, is on   in competitions across the globe, and winning the title on
      the ever non-functional bridge crossing). An unharried search   display for those of us who walk the circle…Torre Circle that   several occasions! This exciting venture has transported him
      for a new abode led him to make an offer on a home in Costa   is. You will know it when you see it, and it is worth looking   to worlds many of us only dream about traveling to, including
      Del Sol; but he didn’t hear back from the seller. Two months   out for. A few photos, which do not do the collection justice,   New Zealand, Australia, Austria, Turkey, Spain, Croatia, and
      later he was alerted to a home for sale in this community, and   are attached here for your review. If any of you find yourself   Italy, to name a few. Would that we could all be inspired by the
      sight unseen, made the same offer he had previously—and   experiencing Orchid Envy, we direct you to an expert in the   tenacity, fearlessness, and moxie that Allan Carter practiced
      this time his offer was accepted. Unbeknownst to him at the   field, Ryan from SR Orchid at Sample Sale Festival Flea   throughout his adulthood, with incredible results! 
      time of the second offer, it was the exact same property he   Market (Sat/Sundays are his days in the shop 954-647-1861),
      had initially wanted. The house was clearly meant to be his.   a true maven in the industry, who taught Allen much of what
         Sometime thereafter, one of his sons bought a two-story   he needed to get his own garden underway.
      home in the community, to be used as a vacation spot (you      The Allan Carter orchid saga cannot be understood in a
      know it’s a great reflection on him if his son wanted to move   vacuum. To truly appreciate the passion for life that led to



































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