There are two basic ways to go this Memorial Day weekend. Here in Greater Fort Lauderdale, you can beat all of that heat by doing your holiday thing indoors. Or you can leap into summer with some hardy partying outside. Indoors = cool and calm. Outdoors = hot and heavy. Hmmm ... Well, as it happens, two very different big events in town may offer some help as you make plans. Indoors, the Home Design and Remodeling Show takes place Saturday through Monday at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center. It will indeed be cool and calm there. Outdoors, the 4th Annual Great American Beach Party kicks it from 10 am to 10 pm on Saturday. Things there will be hot and heavy, guaranteed.

Ok so, in or out? Convention center or the Fort Lauderdale beach? (Sure, sure, of course you might want to do something other than attend one of these events over your long weekend. But I'm afraid you're on your own for that.) Anyway, let's start with that home show.

The main attractions include original interior designer room vignettes, as organizers call them. This means mini-rooms that were put together by South Florida interior designers to prove just how gorgeous a room can be. You know, the bedroom that would make you never want to leave your bed or the kitchen that would inspire you to tap into your inner Iron Chef. The Home Design and Remodeling Show will display thousands of home products and services, with the opportunity to chat with industry experts. For more info, check out this link: http://www.homeshows.net/. Then there's the beach bash. Oh yeah, a very good time will be had by all. You can expect a range of bands playing music from jazz to classic rock, from disco dances to the timeless songs of the Beatles. But the 4th Annual Great American Beach Party will have a lot more going on than seaside listening. There's a classic car show too and plenty of stuff to amuse the kids. Bounce houses, a beach water slide, a sandcastle competition, face painting. And more. It's all happening along the Fort Lauderdale beachfront starting around Las Olas and stretching north for a few blocks. Find out the details, including parking suggestions, by clicking here: http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/GABP. And there you have it: Something big to enjoy over the first of the summer holidays, whether you choose to stay cool or go all tropical. Whatever you do, stay safe and have fun ... And have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Earlier this morning I was sitting by the ocean, dictating this blog into my iPhone. I am at the beach, actually... Here at the far northern end of the Fort Lauderdale beach, near the old Ireland's hotel complex. It is a lovely morning. The sea breeze feels cool and fresh in my face despite the humidity in the air. The clouds are wadded up in bunches, a palette of tones from white to dark gray. A quick shower had come and gone as I drove here and things still look as if we may get a little more rain before the sky clears. It's fairly early so I am almost alone on this stretch of sand. One old man is planted in a chair closer to the water than I am, also sitting quietly with his thoughts on a Monday.

A beach sweeper drives in and out of my view, keeping the Blue Wave beach pretty and clean. Occasionally someone comes by on their way for a run or to walk their dog. Otherwise, it's just me and the Atlantic ocean this morning. Yes, even the man with his chair is folding it up and heading home now. We greet each other briefly as he passes.

The ocean is gray and restless. The breakers roll in row by row, their white foam a counterpoint to the clouds and the pale pale gray all along the horizon. This is a nice moment to be sitting by the sea. And I find myself wishing that you could be here, whoever you happen to be. I know that you're reading this at the office, perhaps, or at home in between loads of laundry or wherever your day has landed you. But wherever it is, it is not here. And this seaside morning seems like something that is worth sharing. I wish that you could watch the coconut palm fronds pushed by the persistent sea wind, lacey fingers bending gently toward the west. I wish that you could smell the strong salt in the air. I wish that you could feel the same sense of calm, of relaxation, that the endless repetitive waves wash through me. It is most definitely worth sharing this and all the rest: the rough texture of the tan sand and the dim shadows cast when the sun tries but fails to break through the cloud cover. I have a very busy week ahead of me, as you may have too. This seems like a good way to begin it.

We have a lovely Spanish visitor here in Fort Lauderdale at the moment. Tall and majestic, she is staying at the Bahia Mar Marina through Sunday - and yes, she's seeing anyone who'd like to stop by. Of course, I'm talking about the replica Spanish galleon that's in town to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Juan Ponce de Leon's arrival on this peninsula. The beautiful ship is named El Galeon, stretching 170 feet long and weighing 495 tons. An impressive sight. You can clamber on to the wooden deck of a vessel just like those that endured the wild Atlantic Ocean centuries ago. And to imagine what the explorers must have felt when they saw these jungly shores.

What was it like for them? Was it mysterious or was it frightening? Or maybe more than anything, were they simply relieved to find land? I suppose no one knows for sure how these seamen reacted. But I do wonder about this sometimes. How did the Spanish take to this place they named "La Florida"?

I can't imagine that this part of the world seemed very welcoming back then, overgrown with thick vegetation and swarming with clouds of mosquitos. It was a raw environment seized by tough men. We are much luckier now, enjoying the luxuries that transformed La Florida into simply Florida. The opportunity to connect in some way with our state's past should interest anyone with a sense of history. Or a strong imagination. El Galeon's Fort Lauderdale visit is one of four stopovers at Florida ports this spring as part of the official Viva Florida 500 celebration, a year-long series of special happenings. The ship's other three destinations are Miami, Cape Canaveral and St. Augustine. We can step aboard and admire the fine workmanship that went into these ships. And we also can gain a much better sense of the courage it took to sail across oceans five centuries ago. We all know that the explorers' foothold in the New World was a distinctly mixed blessing - a beginning for the Europeans but an ending for the Native Americans who had lived here for thousands of years. Obviously, no one can change the history of our state. It is what it is. But standing on the decks of El Galeon, we surely can remember that history more clearly ... and feel very glad those days are long over. (Photo courtesy of http://facebook.com/ftlauderdalesun).

Note to the Onion A-Team of Edgy Satire: Ha! No, really guys, I just have to say that. I mean, you killed it with your piece last week on Fort Lauderdale. I only keep wondering how many folks on your A-Team of Edgy Satire were needed to craft this literary gem. As an author of 24 books, five plays and more than 1,000 blogs, and a longtime blogger for the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB, I must say that I found your unique satiric approach clever indeed. Most great satirists over the centuries have taken an entirely different tack than your own, of course. From Jonathan Swift and Mark Twain all the way up to George Carlin and Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Though each admittedly witty enough, I suppose, every one of them has fallen back on an oh-so-conventional reliance upon facts as the basis of their humor. But the Onion? Wow, you found a way around such trivia, entirely ignoring any information that included a nasty whiff of reality. This takes a special talent, believe me.

Funny enough, I'd always felt the Onion tried to, well you know, peel back the layers underneath the skin of the day's events. Get to the core of the onion, as it were. But this Lauderdale piece has offered me a whole new understanding of your comedy.

Particularly brilliant was the way your A-Team of Edgy Satire drew on anachronism as a foundation for your fun-poking. How did your crack staff ever come up with the idea of smirking at a Fort Lauderdale that hasn't existed for more than 20 years? And to do that as if your words reflected the truth of this place in 2013? Ha again, I say! Genius. When I first read this stuff, I laughed so hard that my café cubano nearly came out my nose. Really. Like, hey, these hilarious lines: "Wait, I guess a lot of baseball teams do spring training in Ft. Lauderdale, right? So you have spring training, which leads to baseball, which is called America's pastime, and ‘America's pastime' certainly has the word ‘America' in it." Only problem here, guys? Spring Training in Fort Lauderdale ended in 2009. Baltimore Orioles. One team not "a lot." No kidding - you could look it up. Also ingeniously outdated were your references to "drunk spring breakers" and "fireworks stands." The Spring Break thing broke for good here in 1989. Oh and yes, I do know of one fireworks shop, a large brick-and-mortar building actually, but no "fireworks stands" at all. I could go on but you get the idea. I especially had to admire the socially responsible angle you selected, you know, all that stuff about a possible "terrorist attack" or "mass shooting" or "other unexpected tragedy" in Fort Lauderdale. Ha ha, I say once more to your A-Team of Edgy Satire! Just too funny, honest! Perhaps most of all, though, I respected the lesson here for America's young writers who aspire to someday work on your vaunted A-Team of Edgy Satire: "There is no need to actually visit cities you ridicule, no need to thoroughly research them either. And, frankly kids, why bother even doing a simple Google search, huh? Not when you can simply make it all up as cleverly as we do at the Onion!" Satire is so very much funnier that way, without any reference to fact. As I said before, wow, you really did find a whole new approach to this kind of humor. Ok, anyway guys, I've expressed as much admiration as I can muster here. I'm word-limited in these blogs but, trust me, there is lots more I could say about your story if I had the space. In closing, I can only add this to all you distinguished members of the Onion's A-Team of Edgy Satire: I sincerely apologize for my dependence on factual information for this quick reply to your Lauderdale piece. As your colleague, I haven't figured out yet how to transform fact-free writing into biting social commentary, as you have. But after seeing how successfully you manage it, whoa, I'm definitely going to keep trying.

I grew up at Dania Beach. Ever since middle school, Dania Beach was the hot spot for me and my friends. It was a daily routine, get up and head to the beach.

Dania Beach has always been a beautiful place to picnic, take in the sun, fish, have a family gathering or just hang out with friends. Their wooden pier stretches out about 900 feet into the Atlantic. The pier is open 24/7 and comes equipped with a tackle shop, a place to get food, and a restroom. There is a small fee to fish on this pier.  You can call this number to confirm rates 954-924-3613.

To the right of the pier, there is a stretch of lifeguard stands and to the left there are benches where you can enjoy food from Quarterdeck. The beach is beautiful! The turquoise waters are definitely a sight to see, the sand is perfect, and the sandbars are the money makers. What most people do not know is far down on the left side of the pier, there is a reef called the Euro Jacks Reef. My dad used to take me snorkeling there. The Euro jacks were put in to control beach erosion and have become a popular artificial reef. They are located about 100 yards off the beach.  There are always magnificent angel and parrot fish, the occasional nurse shark and my favorite --- sea turtles! It is definitely a cool spot to go, even if you have never been snorkeling. 

Recently, Dania Beach signed a ten year lease with the Quarterdeck. This restaurant brought a lot to the table for Dania Beach. On the inside of the restaurant you can enjoy a beautiful view of the ocean, or sit at the sushi bar and watch the chefs prepare your food. The outside of the restaurant consists of an oversized patio armed with a full liquor bar. Also it gives you direct access to the pier, perfect for a family photo opt! Quarterdeck welcomes all types of crowds.

Experience Dania Beach this summer, you will not be disappointed

--Jennifer, Guest Blogger

It's always ... interesting. The month of May, I mean. May down here can be summer sometimes. That's often the case in South Florida, actually, with each day warming up a bit more than the day before. Or so it seems. It is a transitional time in this neck of the national woods, just after the ideal stretch of weather that typifies our April and just before the predictable summery tropical heat that makes up our climate from June through September. May days can be lovely days indeed. And that's been the case with much of May so far this year - some rain, yes, but also some unusually fresh daytime temps. When you can shut off the AC for long stretches during May, you know you're having a good month.

Yesterday, I went to lunch at Wild East with a close buddy. He's one of my best friends and we regularly find excuses for work-week lunches so we can catch up on each other's lives. When I picked him up at noon, the temperature was somewhere around 80 degrees with little humidity and a soft breeze. Perfecto. So of course we wanted to dine alfresco.

Wild East is among our favorite lunch spots, an Asian fusion restaurant that sits on a pleasant canal reminiscent of Venice. So we snagged an outside table in the shade, ordered Mongolian beef along with iced green tea and had an entirely delightful conversation. Afterwards, we wandered down Las Olas to Kilwin's for a dish of their great ice cream. Mint chocolate chip for me - yum. We were able to do all that because May is being so very cooperative this year. Rather than rush us abruptly into summertime heat, May 2013 is allowing us to savor a real spring. The spring blooms are blooming. The spring birdsongs are being sung. Turtles happily sun themselves on the banks of lakes and canals. Even my neighbors are in a good mood. Just this morning I walked past a guy who usually doesn't say much when I greet him. Today when I said, "Nice day, huh?" he smiled broadly. Then he launched into the most enthusiastic response I've heard from him in six years, an expression of genuine joy about our weather. Everyone in South Florida so far has thoroughly relished this refreshing month of May. Yes, summer will arrive soon and that's fine with me. I like our sexy, sweaty, intense summers. But even I have to admit that's it's nice to have a brief delay. The sexy sweaty intensity can wait a while. For now, my AC is off, my windows are open and life is just fine.

You may be glad for this early reminder. A reminder about Sunday for all of you who hate scrambling at the last minute for Mother's Day plans. Yes, folks, it's this coming Sunday, May 12, and now is a good time to decide how to celebrate. Maybe do the usual dine-out thing at one of Greater Fort Lauderdale's finer restaurants. For those with a New York Yankee-loving mom, you might even consider NYY Steak, an upscale steakhouse with a Yankee theme. It's at the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, where you'll find a special Mother's Day brunch for $60. The Bonnet House is among other good options this weekend. With one paid admission, that wonderful attraction is giving free passes to mothers. Look around, use your imagination, find just the right treat for your mom.

My own mother lived in Chicago but immensely enjoyed her visits to Florida over the years. Mom would most definitely not have wanted to visit a NY Yankee restaurant, quite honestly. But if there had been something similar for Chicago Cubs fans, hey, she'd have loved it. She was a huge, huge Cubs follower - watched every single game on TV.

My mother is gone now, passing away a little over a year ago. It's ok, really. She lived a good, long life. And when her time came, I think she knew it. My very last conversation with Mom was among the most significant between us ... and it has a bearing on this Mother's Day for all of us, perhaps. The day before she died, I told her that I was sorry she'd been feeling so badly. Her health had been up and down dramatically for months so there was no way to know quite how far she had declined. It's her response, though, that struck me at the moment she said it: "Oh honey, it's just part of life." What she was saying was, "Yes, I'm dying, son. But we all die one day and it's just part of this amazing thing called life." That may not be obvious from the words I quoted but her meaning was clear to me instantly. And it has stayed with me, haunting me in a positive way. Because she was right: Dying is part of living. I'm going to pass away, and so will you. And so will your mother. Sorry, that's simply the reality. But death can give meaning and intensity to life, as it should. My own relationship with my mother was complex, but she was an extremely intelligent woman with a genuine passion for everyday life, for the small things that should get our attention but usually don't. Mom loved living. Whatever your relationship with your mother, this Sunday can be a day to recognize that she won't be here forever. And to draw on that truth - not to feel sad, but to make the most of the time you do have together. Including this Mother's Day. In my experience, mothers may not always be the easiest people on earth to be around. But believe me, the hours you spend together are precious just the same.

Have you ever wondered about it? I mean, about Greater Fort Lauderdale's tourist appeal. Maybe you'd like to know just how popular this popular place really is. If you've never been here, you even may wonder why folks arrive in such large numbers - or whether the tourism numbers indeed are so large. Let me answer all of those questions today. The timing is good because there's a big tourism celebration on May 2, a moment for the local hospitality industry to pat themselves on the back for a job well done. And though that ongoing job never really is done, it's definitely a "so far, so good" proposition. Let's begin all this with a few important figures that may interest you.

Last year, Greater Fort Lauderdale tourism broke another record, attracting more than 12 million visitors who spent almost $10 billion. That's billion with a B, in case you missed it. I haven't done the math myself (never was much good at math anyway). But I'm told this amounts to local tourism spending of $26,867,000 a day, $1,119,000 an hour, $18,600 every minute. Impressive numbers, those.

Keep the stats in mind for a moment and let me put them in a larger context. When I was in the Middle East during the 2011 Arab Spring, I learned that Egypt's world-renowned tourist industry boasted nearly 15 million visitors annually - and that reflected the high number of tourists before the revolution. Think about that. An entire nation with one of the most appealing cultures on the planet ... at its peak barely outperforming Greater Fort Lauderdale. Oh, and in case you're wondering now about the whole state of Florida: More than 89 million tourists a year. That's how big tourism is in these sunny parts. And, well yes, our parts are very sunny and very pleasant most of the time. But this doesn't explain why we're such a tourist destination. Hey, lots of spots on the globe can offer just as much sunshine along with nice beaches and warm waters. Greater Fort Lauderdale has all that along with something else too - a casual but upscale pizazz. In a single day, you can play high stakes poker, observe alligators in the wild, dine at a celebrity chef-owned restaurant and take in a performance by some top entertainer. We have jazz brunches and country music festivals, art fairs and air shows. And one of the best cruise ports anywhere, located just a stone's throw from a fast-growing international airport. What's not to like? So yeah, as our hospitality industry gathers for their round of huzzahs, it's an appropriate moment to understand why they have good reason to cheer. And perhaps to offer them a couple words of our own: Thank you.

Sometimes you've just gotta smile. Really. I mean, yeah, we each get way wrapped up in our own lives too often. Worried over our worries, troubled by our troubles, concerned with our concerns. It can be a hectic, stressful world, no matter what part of that world you happen to occupy. But somehow, I find living in South Florida can pull me out of the self-obsession, replacing my problems with something like a sense of wonder. It happens much more often than I write about in these blogs, or even tell anyone about. In the past few days, though, for some reason I very strongly felt that wonderment about where I live. I think it maybe resulted from a stretch of glorious April weather coupled with all the flowering plants that bloom during our spring season, and ...

And ... well, I only know that I had stopped by a favorite small park near downtown Fort Lauderdale, simply watching the river and the boats for a while. The morning light glittered off the wakes of clean white yachts as they floated toward the sea.

I chatted briefly with an enthusiastic out-of-town couple who found the park as enchanting as I always do. Then I hopped in my Mini Cooper, sunroof open and windows down, for a drive on Las Olas to A1A. The air was warm but fresh, a pleasant tropical rush of breeze over my arms as I drove over the Las Olas drawbridge. Looking around, I had that realization again, as so many times before: "Look at this place! Sparkling waters, luxury hotels and condos, a world-class playground. And I live here!" Tourists and locals wandered by as I motored south on A1A, then over another and much larger bridge near Port Everglades, home to one of the top cruise ports on earth. A grand Princess ship was at the dock, preparing for another voyage, as crew members scurried along SE 17th Street carrying bags stuffed with personal items they'd just bought. Back at my Dania Beach condo later, the nearby homes were more fragrant and colorful than usual, with bright Frangipani and Jacaranda blossoms out full now. Like I said, sometimes you've just gotta smile. Really. I've long believed in stopping to smell the flowers during daily life, literally and figuratively. But living in Greater Fort Lauderdale, I seem to do that fairly often. In no small part, this happens thanks to the inviting scenes that simply turn up in front of me as I travel around town. I still have all my problems waiting for me when I return home, of course - they just don't seem quite as daunting as they had before.

So what are your plans for this summer? Hopefully you're trying to schedule a little R & R in there somewhere, sometime. Sometime before autumn, when things often seem to get busier after a summery slowdown. I know that I'm sure planning my own break. It's been a very, very busy period for me, starting in September and continuing pretty much straight through to June. I'm most definitely going to need that rest & relaxation. Which brings us to the vacation mecca they call South Florida. Because here in Greater Fort Lauderdale, summertime can offer a fine chance for some downtime. Meaning, a fine time for a vacation, whether you're coming from out of town or doing the staycation thing.

Here's one of the many reasons that's true: You'll find all kinds of bargains around this community between May 1 and September 30. In my previous blog, I told you about the Vacation Like a VIP promotion, with a room upgrade and $100 resort credit and more. The VIP deal also includes something called a Summer Savings card. That card will snag you two-for-one fun stuff in Greater Fort Lauderdale, with savings valued at $200.

But you don't have to vacation like a VIP to get these summer savings, as it turns out. If you only want the card, no worries, click here or visit http://sunny.org/summer to print out your free card, along with a list of participating businesses. Or you can get a card through the mail by clicking here and filling out a short form. Those participating businesses I mentioned make up a pretty good list of things to do, places to go in Greater Fort Lauderdale. The Bonnet House, for instance, and Butterfly World. The Museum of Discovery & Science and the Museum of Art/Fort Lauderdale. You'll also see the charming Mai-Kai Restaurant & Polynesian Revue among the Summer Savings options. Your twofers can get you deals on scuba diving and extreme indoor karting. Or if you prefer, a relaxing massage followed by sailing on a catamaran. Click here for more details. More than 30 attractions, restaurants, dive operators, spas and golf courses are offered. And there you have it - money-saving excuses to schedule your summer getaway. Whatever you are planning for the next few months, really, do yourself a big favor. Squeeze that rest and that relaxation in there somehow. Everyone who works with you next autumn will be glad you did.