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Well, I went to the big Hukilau tiki convention this past weekend, as promised in my last blog. Hope you made it too. What a total hoot! I caught some great music. And those mermaid swimmers at the Sheraton Yankee Clipper’s Wreck Bar were so 60s retro that they seemed hip. Actually, I learned that the Wreck Bar hosts similar mermaid shows each Friday at Happy Hour, starting about 5:15. It’s definitely worth a stop if you’re around the Fort Lauderdale beach after a hard week at work. That part of town has been one of my regular haunts for years – and it continues to be now. I love it and, fortunately, I live only a few miles south of there. But lately, since moving to Dania Beach several weeks ago, I’ve been hanging out in some new places too. Especially in Hollywood. And I like what I’m finding.
Of course, I’ve spent lots of time in Hollywood over the years. From fun nights listening to live music at O’Hara’s to romantic evenings curled up on a couch at the Now Art Café to long walks on the Broadwalk with a stop at Nick’s for lunch – I’ve always enjoyed my Hollywood outings. But now that I’m dropping by more frequently as a neighbor, I’m discovering a vibe I hadn’t felt before. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe it’s the evolution of this community. I’m not sure. But it feels different. And it’s keeping me coming back over and over.
On a recent Sunday afternoon, for instance, I took a drive into downtown Hollywood, just to see what was going on. There was a wonderful live band on Hollywood Boulevard, a couple blocks west of Young Circle, playing blues and jazz outside. I stopped for coffee and hung out to listen for maybe a half hour or so, then wandered up and down the street looking in the shops. There are some very cool stores along both Hollywood Boulevard and Harrison Street. And Young Circle has been transformed into a charming arts park, with great expanses of lawn dotted by pretty trees and sculptures. There’s even some tranquil music that greets you on the west side of the park, somehow piped in through a large banyan tree, though I could never spot a speaker anywhere. Hollywood feels alive, exciting, inviting to me in a way it never quite has before. I like it – a lot. And I intend to keep exploring it in the weeks ahead, writing here about my experiences from time to time. Stay tuned.
Of course, I’ve spent lots of time in Hollywood over the years. From fun nights listening to live music at O’Hara’s to romantic evenings curled up on a couch at the Now Art Café to long walks on the Broadwalk with a stop at Nick’s for lunch – I’ve always enjoyed my Hollywood outings. But now that I’m dropping by more frequently as a neighbor, I’m discovering a vibe I hadn’t felt before. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe it’s the evolution of this community. I’m not sure. But it feels different. And it’s keeping me coming back over and over.
On a recent Sunday afternoon, for instance, I took a drive into downtown Hollywood, just to see what was going on. There was a wonderful live band on Hollywood Boulevard, a couple blocks west of Young Circle, playing blues and jazz outside. I stopped for coffee and hung out to listen for maybe a half hour or so, then wandered up and down the street looking in the shops. There are some very cool stores along both Hollywood Boulevard and Harrison Street. And Young Circle has been transformed into a charming arts park, with great expanses of lawn dotted by pretty trees and sculptures. There’s even some tranquil music that greets you on the west side of the park, somehow piped in through a large banyan tree, though I could never spot a speaker anywhere. Hollywood feels alive, exciting, inviting to me in a way it never quite has before. I like it – a lot. And I intend to keep exploring it in the weeks ahead, writing here about my experiences from time to time. Stay tuned.
posted by LauderBLOGGER at 9:43 AM
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