RSS
This past weekend, I enjoyed a couple of lazy afternoons in Hollywood. Both Friday and Saturday were intensely sunny. So wandering slowly through a park or lounging around a café seemed a perfect thing to do. On Friday, I’d been writing all day and needed to get away from the computer for a while. I drove down to Hollywood Boulevard, parked my car and headed over to the ArtsPark at Young Circle. Several other folks were hanging out as I sauntered past the musical baobab tree at the west entrance. Yes, music comes from this tree. I took my time, walking through the sunshine past the lovely fountain and making a circuit on the park’s sidewalk before returning to Hollywood Boulevard.
I went into a small sidewalk café and bought a Perrier. Then I sat outside to sip my sparkling water and peoplewatch. I felt lazy in that pleasant way, with the heat giving me all the excuse I needed to just do nothing more than relax for a while. I took a short walk around the street afterwards, glancing in some shops before heading home. Then on Saturday afternoon, I found myself on Hollywood Boulevard again. This time, a buddy and I headed downtown for lunch at a new Greek restaurant called Yamas. Very good – and worth a blog all its own sometime. Despite the heat, the outdoor tables were surprisingly crowded and my friend preferred to find some air conditioning anyway. So we grabbed an inside table and munched on some appetizers and a refreshing Greek salad. I washed it down with a Greek beer.
Then it was time for a lazy stroll down the sidewalk, much as I’d done the afternoon before. We drifted along, moving so slowly we barely broke a sweat, talking about politics or something. Somehow we found our way into Dolce Vita, a great gelato place on Hollywood Boulevard. And somehow we found just enough room in our stomachs for a small dish of that wonderful Italian ice cream. Now we ate outside, soaking up the heat and the languid atmosphere along the street. Less than an hour later, I dropped my friend off at his home, then headed to my condo where I resisted the urge to sleep as long as I could. I almost never take naps. Just isn’t my thing. But on Saturday afternoon, I eventually plopped on my couch and slept soundly for a full hour before getting together with another friend for the evening. I have to admit that the nap was delightful. Sometimes the summer heat makes a great tonic after a hectic week, forcing us to slow down a little as the temperature goes up. Sometimes doing nothing at all in South Florida can feel like doing just the right thing.
I went into a small sidewalk café and bought a Perrier. Then I sat outside to sip my sparkling water and peoplewatch. I felt lazy in that pleasant way, with the heat giving me all the excuse I needed to just do nothing more than relax for a while. I took a short walk around the street afterwards, glancing in some shops before heading home. Then on Saturday afternoon, I found myself on Hollywood Boulevard again. This time, a buddy and I headed downtown for lunch at a new Greek restaurant called Yamas. Very good – and worth a blog all its own sometime. Despite the heat, the outdoor tables were surprisingly crowded and my friend preferred to find some air conditioning anyway. So we grabbed an inside table and munched on some appetizers and a refreshing Greek salad. I washed it down with a Greek beer.
Then it was time for a lazy stroll down the sidewalk, much as I’d done the afternoon before. We drifted along, moving so slowly we barely broke a sweat, talking about politics or something. Somehow we found our way into Dolce Vita, a great gelato place on Hollywood Boulevard. And somehow we found just enough room in our stomachs for a small dish of that wonderful Italian ice cream. Now we ate outside, soaking up the heat and the languid atmosphere along the street. Less than an hour later, I dropped my friend off at his home, then headed to my condo where I resisted the urge to sleep as long as I could. I almost never take naps. Just isn’t my thing. But on Saturday afternoon, I eventually plopped on my couch and slept soundly for a full hour before getting together with another friend for the evening. I have to admit that the nap was delightful. Sometimes the summer heat makes a great tonic after a hectic week, forcing us to slow down a little as the temperature goes up. Sometimes doing nothing at all in South Florida can feel like doing just the right thing.
posted by LauderBLOGGER at 2:59 PM
I am trying to plan a trip to Ft. Lauderdale to celebrate my 50th birthday. Can you give me some pointers as to the best area to stay in? I would like to be near the beach but do not want to spend my entire budget on a hotel. I would also like to know what places are a must see.
Any good places to eat would be appreciated.
Hi and thanks for your question. Happy to help!
As far as areas to stay near the beach, you may want to consider Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, which has some smaller hotels and may be less expensive than Fort Lauderdale's beach. Though even in Fort Lauderdale, if you check some of the online booking sites, you might snag a good deal on a less-expensive small hotel just off the beach. Hollywood might be another option for you.
On places to eat, things to see, here are some ideas: Bravo on SE 17th Street is an excellent, and fairly reasonable, Italian place with excellent food. I've gone there for years. There are many Greek restaurants around, most of them good. In downtown Fort Lauderdale, there's Cafe Europa, Stork's (for lunch) and Cafe La Bonne Crepe among less expensive but good options. If you want to spend more, there is a growing long list of great places all around greater Fort Lauderdale. But there are lots of less costly options too. You might check out some of my previous blogs for ideas on that -- and also on places to visit.
But here's a few things I'd want to see or do if I were visiting: Butterfly World, the Bonnet House and an airboat ride in the Everglades for sure. You'll need a car for these, really, especially the airboat ride. Also, Sawgrass Mills is an impressively huge outlet mall that's a top Florida tourist attraction. The list is endless. The main thing is to relax, enjoy our chic but casual ambience -- and have a great 50th birthday. Happy Birthday!!
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home