LauderBlog
Dec 28: Lucky Holidays
Posted On: December 28, 2007 11:17 AM
Posted By: LauderBLOGGER
Related Subjects: Greater Fort Lauderdale
Tourists are everywhere this holiday season. I walked along Las Olas last night and was surprised how packed it really was. Fort Lauderdale’s out-of-town guests were stopping every few feet to snap pictures of each other, smiling in front of this canal or that Christmas light display. There were so many cars that I had trouble crossing the street at one point. A lot of these cars carried license plates from other states or from Canada. I can’t say that I blame these folks for wanting to be here instead of there, wherever "there" is for them. Probably their weather back home pretty much stinks right now.
As I write this, the temperature in Chicago is 36. They’re expecting snow flurries today. It’s a brisk 40 degrees in New York City. Even Atlanta is only 50. Across the Atlantic, London is getting light rain with an expected high temp of 51. And here? At 8:30 a.m., as I write this, it’s a lovely 75 degrees. The high should hit 83 degrees with sunny, clear skies and low humidity. Perfect weather to drive around with my convertible top down, which I’ll do later on when I meet a friend for lunch. Fort Lauderdale is enjoying splendid holiday weather this year. The tourists have been lucky. The locals have been lucky too.
The late December period often can feel fairly coolish, at least by our standards. Meaning warm to nearly everyone else, but sweater weather for those of us here year round. Until recently, I lived in a home with a wood-burning fireplace, which I could use without sweating to death any time the indoor temperature dipped below 70 degrees. I usually could plan on building a few fires during the holidays. This year, I doubt that I’d have had that chance. I can only assume that Florida’s warmth coupled with the harsh winter weather in many other areas is attracting those large hordes of tourists. I’m glad our holiday climate has been so welcoming this December. And I hope the memory of our sunshine can help get these visitors through the long winter at home. All I know is, the months immediately ahead seem warm and promising in South Florida. I’m looking forward to them. Have a Happy New Year! And a healthy, happy 2008!
As I write this, the temperature in Chicago is 36. They’re expecting snow flurries today. It’s a brisk 40 degrees in New York City. Even Atlanta is only 50. Across the Atlantic, London is getting light rain with an expected high temp of 51. And here? At 8:30 a.m., as I write this, it’s a lovely 75 degrees. The high should hit 83 degrees with sunny, clear skies and low humidity. Perfect weather to drive around with my convertible top down, which I’ll do later on when I meet a friend for lunch. Fort Lauderdale is enjoying splendid holiday weather this year. The tourists have been lucky. The locals have been lucky too.
The late December period often can feel fairly coolish, at least by our standards. Meaning warm to nearly everyone else, but sweater weather for those of us here year round. Until recently, I lived in a home with a wood-burning fireplace, which I could use without sweating to death any time the indoor temperature dipped below 70 degrees. I usually could plan on building a few fires during the holidays. This year, I doubt that I’d have had that chance. I can only assume that Florida’s warmth coupled with the harsh winter weather in many other areas is attracting those large hordes of tourists. I’m glad our holiday climate has been so welcoming this December. And I hope the memory of our sunshine can help get these visitors through the long winter at home. All I know is, the months immediately ahead seem warm and promising in South Florida. I’m looking forward to them. Have a Happy New Year! And a healthy, happy 2008!
RSSDec 27: Popping the Cork
Posted On: December 26, 2007 1:46 PM
Posted By: LauderBLOGGER
Related Subjects: Greater Fort Lauderdale
New Year’s Eve has always been a big deal to me for some reason. It’s one of my two favorite holidays, for starters. (Halloween is the other.) And it just seems such a key moment in all our lives. There is an importance to taking down one calendar and hanging another on the wall. As individuals, we measure our personal gains and losses, our high moments and low moments, by thinking back on them a year at a time. "Wow, 2006 was a tough year for me. But I traveled and had a lot of fun in 2007." That’s how we look at our lives. History also remembers important people and events by the years in which those people lived or those events happened. So passing from this 12 months to the next 12 months seems plenty of reason to celebrate the present and hope for the future.
Oddly enough for someone who loves this holiday so much, I usually don’t make plans until the last minute. I’m just in the process of firming things up now, including a likely stopover at the beautiful St. Regis hotel for cocktails at some point. But as I discussed ideas with my girlfriend for December 31, I also recalled the many delightful New Year’s Eves I’ve spent in and around Fort Lauderdale over the years. Wonderful, memorable black tie parties at hotels. Big, free street parties along the Riverfront area. Fireworks and dancing and champagne.
As usual, there’s no shortage of things to do this year. So I thought it might help if I told you about some of them, in case you’re a last-minute planner too. For instance, there’s a free event in Hollywood on the beach, both on December 30 and on New Year’s Eve. Called OceanDance 2007, the performance by the Wylliam/Henry Danse Theatre of Kansas City, Mo. should be excellent. Call 954-921-3274 for details. Or you can buy tickets at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts for the Salute To Vienna, with musicians and dancers reviving the classic spirit of old Vienna. You also can check out the celebrations at various clubs at the Seminole Hard Rock complex. Of course, you might want to simply make reservations at your favorite restaurant or bar. Or whatever else. Fort Lauderdale even will hold that free street party again, this time on SW 2nd Street between SW 2nd and SW 4th avenues. Pick something, plan the night with a friend or with family. Or just go alone. But really, you probably should get out and do something, don’t you think? The calendar flips over to 2008 only once.
Oddly enough for someone who loves this holiday so much, I usually don’t make plans until the last minute. I’m just in the process of firming things up now, including a likely stopover at the beautiful St. Regis hotel for cocktails at some point. But as I discussed ideas with my girlfriend for December 31, I also recalled the many delightful New Year’s Eves I’ve spent in and around Fort Lauderdale over the years. Wonderful, memorable black tie parties at hotels. Big, free street parties along the Riverfront area. Fireworks and dancing and champagne.
As usual, there’s no shortage of things to do this year. So I thought it might help if I told you about some of them, in case you’re a last-minute planner too. For instance, there’s a free event in Hollywood on the beach, both on December 30 and on New Year’s Eve. Called OceanDance 2007, the performance by the Wylliam/Henry Danse Theatre of Kansas City, Mo. should be excellent. Call 954-921-3274 for details. Or you can buy tickets at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts for the Salute To Vienna, with musicians and dancers reviving the classic spirit of old Vienna. You also can check out the celebrations at various clubs at the Seminole Hard Rock complex. Of course, you might want to simply make reservations at your favorite restaurant or bar. Or whatever else. Fort Lauderdale even will hold that free street party again, this time on SW 2nd Street between SW 2nd and SW 4th avenues. Pick something, plan the night with a friend or with family. Or just go alone. But really, you probably should get out and do something, don’t you think? The calendar flips over to 2008 only once.
Dec 25: Zoom
Posted On: December 21, 2007 11:34 AM
Posted By: LauderBLOGGER
Related Subjects: Greater Fort Lauderdale
A good friend of mine just left for France to spend the holidays with her family. She’s actually French so I can’t blame her for giving up the sun and palm trees this year. But to get there, she had to fly from Miami to London, then from London to her home in Lyon. Since she lives near Fort Lauderdale these days, this Miami departure was a bit of a pain. But just a few months from now, my friend Agnes will have a better way to fly to Europe. And, perhaps more significantly, people in Europe will have a better way to fly to Fort Lauderdale.
I was interested to learn that low-cost Zoom Airlines will begin running a new route twice each week from London’s Gatwick Airport right into the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport. Service will begin in May. Flying comfortable 767 aircraft, Zoom will offer a non-stop flight from London every Sunday. The other weekly flight, each Thursday, will make a stopover in Bermuda. That’s big news for this area, of course, because it opens the front door to the Brits, who seem to love vacationing here. And to others in Europe who can fly to Gatwick and then on to Fort Lauderdale.
But, hey, it’s big news for those of us who live here too. These planes fly both directions. I just happen to have a very close friend who writes for the Associated Press in their London office. I’ve visited him before but I had to do that fairly irritating Miami airport thing to get there. Now I won’t have to bother with that. Though I may wait a while before jetting over to England, with the value of the dollar being what it is right now. This is not the best time for Americans to visit Europe. But it is the best time for folks from Britain and the rest of Europe to come here. The exchange rate makes everything in this area a major bargain. In any case, it’s just nice to have affordable flights linking Fort Lauderdale to London directly. And if Zoom’s new service means that my favorite English pub gets more crowded with visitors from Britain, I can deal with that. The way I see it, a good pint is always worth standing in line for.
I was interested to learn that low-cost Zoom Airlines will begin running a new route twice each week from London’s Gatwick Airport right into the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport. Service will begin in May. Flying comfortable 767 aircraft, Zoom will offer a non-stop flight from London every Sunday. The other weekly flight, each Thursday, will make a stopover in Bermuda. That’s big news for this area, of course, because it opens the front door to the Brits, who seem to love vacationing here. And to others in Europe who can fly to Gatwick and then on to Fort Lauderdale.
But, hey, it’s big news for those of us who live here too. These planes fly both directions. I just happen to have a very close friend who writes for the Associated Press in their London office. I’ve visited him before but I had to do that fairly irritating Miami airport thing to get there. Now I won’t have to bother with that. Though I may wait a while before jetting over to England, with the value of the dollar being what it is right now. This is not the best time for Americans to visit Europe. But it is the best time for folks from Britain and the rest of Europe to come here. The exchange rate makes everything in this area a major bargain. In any case, it’s just nice to have affordable flights linking Fort Lauderdale to London directly. And if Zoom’s new service means that my favorite English pub gets more crowded with visitors from Britain, I can deal with that. The way I see it, a good pint is always worth standing in line for.
Dec 21: Sandy Toes
Posted On: December 20, 2007 11:24 AM
Posted By: LauderBLOGGER
Related Subjects: Greater Fort Lauderdale
I was at the Fort Lauderdale beach the other day, as I often am – a breezy and sunny morning with small waves on the sea and carloads of people arriving to enjoy it all. I enjoyed watching them enjoy it. One young couple pulled up in a white sedan with Florida plates. But they clearly were tourists in a rental car. I watched this pretty woman bound out of their car the moment it was parked. She was wearing high heel boots that looked too warm for South Florida, as if they had come here from a northern state or Canada or Europe or somewhere. The first thing she did was peel off those boots and the socks underneath. She was like a kid who couldn’t wait to go all barefoot on the beach. I seem to recall that the guy removed his shoes too before they went walking off merrily together for a while.
People just can’t get their shoes off fast enough when they’re on the beach. It always amuses me for some reason. There really is something that seems childlike about it, in the best sense. Playful, joyful. Uninhibited. They want to feel the squish of the sand between their toes and the heat of the sun’s warmth radiating against the soles of their feet. They want to feel free and exposed in a way most adults usually aren’t. Like children.
That same day at the beach, I saw this kind of behavior repeated a number of times. But one family of four stood out for me. They were German, if I overheard their conversation correctly. Their white rental van pulled up to the curb and the doors slid open immediately. A mother and two kids popped out wearing shorts or capri pants. And no shoes. Dad was in sandals and, thankfully, had no socks. But there was an expression on their faces, especially the mother’s face, that I found charming. Standing in her bare feet, she kept looking up into the sky as if to absorb the sun’s rays. She was smiling a smile of pure delight. The kids were soaking up the heat too, grinning and bouncing around eagerly. Even Dad obviously was pleased to be away from the dreary confines of Stuttgart or wherever it was. Then they all walked on to the beach to put that warm sand between their toes. Probably this is what they’d been dreaming about for months, warm sunshine in winter. They were on the Fort Lauderdale beach. At last.
People just can’t get their shoes off fast enough when they’re on the beach. It always amuses me for some reason. There really is something that seems childlike about it, in the best sense. Playful, joyful. Uninhibited. They want to feel the squish of the sand between their toes and the heat of the sun’s warmth radiating against the soles of their feet. They want to feel free and exposed in a way most adults usually aren’t. Like children.
That same day at the beach, I saw this kind of behavior repeated a number of times. But one family of four stood out for me. They were German, if I overheard their conversation correctly. Their white rental van pulled up to the curb and the doors slid open immediately. A mother and two kids popped out wearing shorts or capri pants. And no shoes. Dad was in sandals and, thankfully, had no socks. But there was an expression on their faces, especially the mother’s face, that I found charming. Standing in her bare feet, she kept looking up into the sky as if to absorb the sun’s rays. She was smiling a smile of pure delight. The kids were soaking up the heat too, grinning and bouncing around eagerly. Even Dad obviously was pleased to be away from the dreary confines of Stuttgart or wherever it was. Then they all walked on to the beach to put that warm sand between their toes. Probably this is what they’d been dreaming about for months, warm sunshine in winter. They were on the Fort Lauderdale beach. At last.
Dec 18: Counting Down
Posted On: December 17, 2007 3:46 PM
Posted By: LauderBLOGGER
Related Subjects: Greater Fort Lauderdale
The big boat parade is over and now we’re into the final holiday push. I saw the parade’s first hour on Saturday night in downtown Fort Lauderdale and thought the light displays were the best I can ever recall. Large, elaborate, whimsical. And the expanded route along the New River is a keeper for next year, as far as I’m concerned. But the parade’s end marks the beginning of the final countdown. Only a week until Christmas, with Kwanzaa starting the next day. Hanukkah has already passed but the holiday season generally shifts into high gear now. And for many of us, that means serious shopping.
Yes, folks, let the games begin! I am a last-minute holiday shopper, by perverse personal choice. True, I broke my own tradition this year by buying and mailing gifts to my mother in Chicago weeks before Christmas. But as for the rest of it? Sneakers could be needed to accommodate my sprints from store to store, looking for just the right things. I may be a holiday shopping procrastinator but at least I’m choosy about what I buy for people. I keep looking until I find what I want.
So you may well see me darting in and out of shops along Las Olas this week. There are some great stores with trendy clothes and wild home accessories and unique art works and fine wines and whatever else. I’m also fond of the shops over near the Gateway Theatre on Sunrise Boulevard. Several stores offer such unusual gifts as lamps from Brazil, decorative hats from China, ceiling hangings from Africa. It’s become a bit of an enclave for tasteful, unconventional items, an area that rings a parking lot about one block east of the movie theater. There’s a good chance you might find me browsing and buying there in the next several days. And of course, I always make my way to the Galleria shopping mall during the holidays. You will be able to notice me hurrying through the aisles for sure. Among all the variety, I can usually pick up anything from stocking stuffers to boxes of fine chocolates to major gifts. Plus, it’s just fun to hang out at that mall. Christmas music and lovely decorations and bustling crowds. To me, the Galleria simply screams the holidays. By or before Christmas Eve, I’ll get everything I need. I always do. Sometimes it just requires a last-minute sprint or two on my part. And good laces on those sneakers.
Yes, folks, let the games begin! I am a last-minute holiday shopper, by perverse personal choice. True, I broke my own tradition this year by buying and mailing gifts to my mother in Chicago weeks before Christmas. But as for the rest of it? Sneakers could be needed to accommodate my sprints from store to store, looking for just the right things. I may be a holiday shopping procrastinator but at least I’m choosy about what I buy for people. I keep looking until I find what I want.
So you may well see me darting in and out of shops along Las Olas this week. There are some great stores with trendy clothes and wild home accessories and unique art works and fine wines and whatever else. I’m also fond of the shops over near the Gateway Theatre on Sunrise Boulevard. Several stores offer such unusual gifts as lamps from Brazil, decorative hats from China, ceiling hangings from Africa. It’s become a bit of an enclave for tasteful, unconventional items, an area that rings a parking lot about one block east of the movie theater. There’s a good chance you might find me browsing and buying there in the next several days. And of course, I always make my way to the Galleria shopping mall during the holidays. You will be able to notice me hurrying through the aisles for sure. Among all the variety, I can usually pick up anything from stocking stuffers to boxes of fine chocolates to major gifts. Plus, it’s just fun to hang out at that mall. Christmas music and lovely decorations and bustling crowds. To me, the Galleria simply screams the holidays. By or before Christmas Eve, I’ll get everything I need. I always do. Sometimes it just requires a last-minute sprint or two on my part. And good laces on those sneakers.
Dec 14: Loving Parades
Posted On: December 13, 2007 4:21 PM
Posted By: LauderBLOGGER
Related Subjects: Greater Fort Lauderdale
They say everyone loves a parade. I’m not sure if that’s true. But I know that I do. I definitely love a parade. I’ve always been a fan of waking up early on Thanksgiving to watch the Macy’s parade as well as the big annual parade from Detroit, where I was born. I’ve also attended some major parades in person, whether the enormous Saint Patrick’s Day event in Montreal or the delightful Chinese New Year festivities in San Francisco. Parades are communal celebrations of joy, bringing people together to ooh and ahh and laugh and applaud. How could anyone not love a parade?
This year’s Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade, as it’s officially named, should bring some of that communal joy to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday evening, December 15. Starting around 6:30, when things get dark enough, the boats begin to make their way in a single file flotilla that blends Christmas charm with South Florida style. Each beautiful boat is strung, outlined, dotted or otherwise decked out with holiday lights and displays of all kinds. Some are tasteful. Some are kitschy. Some are over the top. Some are very simple. And some are just plain funny.
The big news in 2007 is that the parade begins from a new spot – right in the downtown area. Very cool idea, whoever thought of that one. So instead of the usual start at Port Everglades, the boats fire up their engines around the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on the New River. This also means that the boats will sail through the heart of downtown, right beside Las Olas. Lots more people should have lots better places to view the parade than in the past. I hope to catch some of it myself. Then I can ooh and ahh and laugh and applaud along with everyone else. What better way could there be to spend a warm Saturday evening during the holidays in Fort Lauderdale?
This year’s Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade, as it’s officially named, should bring some of that communal joy to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday evening, December 15. Starting around 6:30, when things get dark enough, the boats begin to make their way in a single file flotilla that blends Christmas charm with South Florida style. Each beautiful boat is strung, outlined, dotted or otherwise decked out with holiday lights and displays of all kinds. Some are tasteful. Some are kitschy. Some are over the top. Some are very simple. And some are just plain funny.
The big news in 2007 is that the parade begins from a new spot – right in the downtown area. Very cool idea, whoever thought of that one. So instead of the usual start at Port Everglades, the boats fire up their engines around the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on the New River. This also means that the boats will sail through the heart of downtown, right beside Las Olas. Lots more people should have lots better places to view the parade than in the past. I hope to catch some of it myself. Then I can ooh and ahh and laugh and applaud along with everyone else. What better way could there be to spend a warm Saturday evening during the holidays in Fort Lauderdale?
Dec 11: Smile!
Posted On: December 10, 2007 4:17 PM
Posted By: LauderBLOGGER
Related Subjects: Greater Fort Lauderdale
Sunday was my birthday and, before joining friends who threw a wonderful small party for me, I took a long stroll along the Fort Lauderdale beach. I’d already showered and dressed for the day, so I stayed on the brick sidewalk. The whole busy scene was laid out for me to see. Runners and roller bladers passing me on the walk. Sunseekers stretching out on the sand in front. Swimmers splashing in the waves just beyond. I could smell the sunscreen scent in the air at times while wandering first by small groups and then by large packs of beachgoers. But what struck me most of all was the number of determined shutterbugs. Cameras were out everywhere for some reason, far more than I usually notice. Everyone wanted to remember the day.
It was a pretty scene for sure. The sky was bright, the sand was washed in blinding sunlight and the sea rolled in frothy breakers off the great expanse of rich jade water. Kitesurfers wrestled with their sails in the strong breeze. Cruise ships sailed by in the distance. Somehow, I guess, all of this inspired the flurry of snapshooters who amused me as I walked. I would hesitate to call any of these good folks “photographers.” Ansel Adams they weren’t.
The first guy I saw made me smile by making himself smile. He looked, oh, maybe 25 years-old. He was alone and he was setting up one of those hysterical self-portraits you find on so many websites these days. With his back to the ocean, holding the camera at arms length, he gave the lens his best grin. I can already imagine the caption : “Me by the beautiful sea.” Or some such words. I watched people posing their families against the seascape and clicking pics of friends or relatives as they stood on the sand. One stunning young woman stopped a stranger (not me, unfortunately), handed off her camera and smiled for the people back home with the ocean as backdrop. Then there was the young couple – and Biscuit. Biscuit was a small dog. Don’t ask me what kind. The woman was pleading with the pup to stand still on the wave wall so the guy could snap Biscuit’s cute face for posterity. Biscuit had other ideas. These ideas included offering posterity Biscuit’s, well, posterior. I just chuckled to myself and moved on. It was a photogenic day at one of the most photographed beaches in the world. I’d like to think my birthday had something to do with all these digital mementoes of December 9, 2007. But I doubt it.
It was a pretty scene for sure. The sky was bright, the sand was washed in blinding sunlight and the sea rolled in frothy breakers off the great expanse of rich jade water. Kitesurfers wrestled with their sails in the strong breeze. Cruise ships sailed by in the distance. Somehow, I guess, all of this inspired the flurry of snapshooters who amused me as I walked. I would hesitate to call any of these good folks “photographers.” Ansel Adams they weren’t.
The first guy I saw made me smile by making himself smile. He looked, oh, maybe 25 years-old. He was alone and he was setting up one of those hysterical self-portraits you find on so many websites these days. With his back to the ocean, holding the camera at arms length, he gave the lens his best grin. I can already imagine the caption : “Me by the beautiful sea.” Or some such words. I watched people posing their families against the seascape and clicking pics of friends or relatives as they stood on the sand. One stunning young woman stopped a stranger (not me, unfortunately), handed off her camera and smiled for the people back home with the ocean as backdrop. Then there was the young couple – and Biscuit. Biscuit was a small dog. Don’t ask me what kind. The woman was pleading with the pup to stand still on the wave wall so the guy could snap Biscuit’s cute face for posterity. Biscuit had other ideas. These ideas included offering posterity Biscuit’s, well, posterior. I just chuckled to myself and moved on. It was a photogenic day at one of the most photographed beaches in the world. I’d like to think my birthday had something to do with all these digital mementoes of December 9, 2007. But I doubt it.
Dec 6: Let there be Light
Posted On: December 6, 2007 4:38 PM
Posted By: LauderBLOGGER
Related Subjects: Greater Fort Lauderdale
Let there be light, holiday light. The winter season of cheer has its own special traditions, and unusual finds, in a tropical, multicultural place like Greater Fort Lauderdale.
The major event is the annual Winterfest Boat Parade on December 15. The parade, which has been named one of the top 20 parades in the world by USA Today, . will be led this year by Grand Marshall Lorraine Bracco and features a new route along the New River, starting in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Thousands of adults and children line the banks of the Intracoastal to admire the evening flotilla of creatively decorated crafts as they cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Pompano Beach.
But, if you also want some indoor activity, the critically-acclaimed folk art exhibition of the African American quilters of Gee Bend, Alabama, is on display during the holiday season at the Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale. A troupe of gospel singers comprised of women who are among the 45 artisans featured in the show accompanies the exhibit with fanfare as it travels to select museums around the country. Other top-rated stops have included the Whitney in New York and the High in Atlanta. The salute to black heritage and multigenerational artistry runs through January 7.
For Christmas lights you can’t beat the Hollywood tour of homes each year. It features some of the most elaborate lighting displays you’ll find in Broward County. There is also Kwaanza, starting December 26, and you can stop by the African American Research Library and Cultural Center to learn about the history of the celebration as well as other aspects of the area’s rich and diverse black past and cultural life.
The 24th annual Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant at the First Baptist Church in downtown Fort Lauderdale, through December 16 promises to be another blockbuster staging that blends tradition with the eclectic and avant garde. Picture Christmas music sung in waltzes and horse-drawn sleighs juxtaposed to jitterbug, hip-hop, and barefoot Santa scenes, followed by a spectacular re-enactment of the life of Jesus, complete with flying angels. A cast of hundreds, plus live animals, provides 2 ½ hours of entertainment in a Broadway-style production that has become such a big draw that it also is televised each year.
At the Parker Playhouse, the Ashanti Cultural Arts group is presenting “The Chocolate Nutcracker” December 1 and 2. Based on the traditional "Nutcracker,” the performance gives a black perspective to the age-old tale that has been a holiday tradition for years. African dancers and drummers, hip-hop, classical, carnival and modern dancers are all part of the festive ensemble.A newer tradition, but growing in popularity, is the “Black Noel,” an annual theatrical-musical production staged December 7-9 in the more intimate setting of Mount Olive Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets go fast. The goal, says director Oliver Black, a professional performer and drama teacher, is to highlight social issues such as homelessness using the holiday spirit as backdrop. The production of community performers is presented at one of the largest and most community-oriented churches in Fort Lauderdale – a bright light on its own.
--Kitty Oliver
The major event is the annual Winterfest Boat Parade on December 15. The parade, which has been named one of the top 20 parades in the world by USA Today, . will be led this year by Grand Marshall Lorraine Bracco and features a new route along the New River, starting in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Thousands of adults and children line the banks of the Intracoastal to admire the evening flotilla of creatively decorated crafts as they cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Pompano Beach.
But, if you also want some indoor activity, the critically-acclaimed folk art exhibition of the African American quilters of Gee Bend, Alabama, is on display during the holiday season at the Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale. A troupe of gospel singers comprised of women who are among the 45 artisans featured in the show accompanies the exhibit with fanfare as it travels to select museums around the country. Other top-rated stops have included the Whitney in New York and the High in Atlanta. The salute to black heritage and multigenerational artistry runs through January 7.
For Christmas lights you can’t beat the Hollywood tour of homes each year. It features some of the most elaborate lighting displays you’ll find in Broward County. There is also Kwaanza, starting December 26, and you can stop by the African American Research Library and Cultural Center to learn about the history of the celebration as well as other aspects of the area’s rich and diverse black past and cultural life.
The 24th annual Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant at the First Baptist Church in downtown Fort Lauderdale, through December 16 promises to be another blockbuster staging that blends tradition with the eclectic and avant garde. Picture Christmas music sung in waltzes and horse-drawn sleighs juxtaposed to jitterbug, hip-hop, and barefoot Santa scenes, followed by a spectacular re-enactment of the life of Jesus, complete with flying angels. A cast of hundreds, plus live animals, provides 2 ½ hours of entertainment in a Broadway-style production that has become such a big draw that it also is televised each year.
At the Parker Playhouse, the Ashanti Cultural Arts group is presenting “The Chocolate Nutcracker” December 1 and 2. Based on the traditional "Nutcracker,” the performance gives a black perspective to the age-old tale that has been a holiday tradition for years. African dancers and drummers, hip-hop, classical, carnival and modern dancers are all part of the festive ensemble.A newer tradition, but growing in popularity, is the “Black Noel,” an annual theatrical-musical production staged December 7-9 in the more intimate setting of Mount Olive Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets go fast. The goal, says director Oliver Black, a professional performer and drama teacher, is to highlight social issues such as homelessness using the holiday spirit as backdrop. The production of community performers is presented at one of the largest and most community-oriented churches in Fort Lauderdale – a bright light on its own.
--Kitty Oliver
Dec 7: Cafe Philo
Posted On: December 6, 2007 3:23 PM
Posted By: LauderBLOGGER
Related Subjects: Greater Fort Lauderdale
South Florida often is seen as a glossy, sexy place, everything on the surface. Beautiful weather, beautiful beaches, beautiful bodies. It is warm waters and warm breezes on the skin. It is hot sun on the face and hot sand under the feet. Everyone knows this is a great spot to be, whether to visit or to live. But usually South Florida is not viewed as an area with much intellectual depth. Sometimes that’s even true. But I see the interior landscape here gradually changing. There has been an obvious growth in important art events in Fort Lauderdale and throughout the three county region, as well as development in our literary and musical scenes. More and more writers, artists and musicians are becoming residents. Increasingly, there is a mind to go along with that beautiful tanned surface.
So I find it especially encouraging that South Florida now has a Café Philo. And it’s right here in Fort Lauderdale on one Saturday afternoon each month. Pronounced in the French style, (as, café FEE-lo) Café Philo is a meeting of minds and opinions about philosophical issues. Just one issue each month, suggested and voted on by the whole group. Last month, we talked about "What is happiness" for two hours – some 20 people offering thoughtful, insightful, often very personal views on this complex topic. The discussions are moderated by Gale Prawda, who founded the philosophy café in English both in Paris at the famous Café de Flore and London at the French Institute. She now teaches philosophy at the University of Miami.
This informal exchange of ideas is open to anyone. The basic principle of a Café Philo is to make philosophy accessible to all in a public forum, as in the days of Socrates. Similar cafés now hold regular sessions throughout France as well as in countries such as Japan, Canada, England, Argentina, Chile, Germany, Belgium and South Africa. In Fort Lauderdale, the café is sponsored by the Alliance Française, an organization that teaches and promotes the French language and culture. Held at Stork’s on Las Olas, the meeting costs just $8, or $5 for members of the Alliance Française or students. The next session will be this weekend, December 8, starting at 2 p.m. For more information, call the Alliance Française at 954-523-9052. You may be surprised to learn just how much intellect is below the lovely surface of South Florida. We really do have a mind here. Café Philo offers yet more proof of that.
So I find it especially encouraging that South Florida now has a Café Philo. And it’s right here in Fort Lauderdale on one Saturday afternoon each month. Pronounced in the French style, (as, café FEE-lo) Café Philo is a meeting of minds and opinions about philosophical issues. Just one issue each month, suggested and voted on by the whole group. Last month, we talked about "What is happiness" for two hours – some 20 people offering thoughtful, insightful, often very personal views on this complex topic. The discussions are moderated by Gale Prawda, who founded the philosophy café in English both in Paris at the famous Café de Flore and London at the French Institute. She now teaches philosophy at the University of Miami.
This informal exchange of ideas is open to anyone. The basic principle of a Café Philo is to make philosophy accessible to all in a public forum, as in the days of Socrates. Similar cafés now hold regular sessions throughout France as well as in countries such as Japan, Canada, England, Argentina, Chile, Germany, Belgium and South Africa. In Fort Lauderdale, the café is sponsored by the Alliance Française, an organization that teaches and promotes the French language and culture. Held at Stork’s on Las Olas, the meeting costs just $8, or $5 for members of the Alliance Française or students. The next session will be this weekend, December 8, starting at 2 p.m. For more information, call the Alliance Française at 954-523-9052. You may be surprised to learn just how much intellect is below the lovely surface of South Florida. We really do have a mind here. Café Philo offers yet more proof of that.
Dec 3: Ship of Clouds
Posted On: December 3, 2007 4:11 PM
Posted By: LauderBLOGGER
Related Subjects: Greater Fort Lauderdale
It’s 75 degrees at 10 a.m. Monday morning, as I begin to write this blog. At this same moment, it’s 19 degrees in Chicago. I'm aware of this because the weather there has been a topic of conversation for me in the past couple of days. My mother lives just outside Chicago and told me all about the snow and sleet and basically nasty conditions she’s been watching outside her window. "And I suppose it’s sunny and warm there?" she asked me with more than a bit of envy. I took a certain perverse pleasure in answering, "Yep! It’s pretty much ideal weather right now!"
And so it is. Late Sunday afternoon, I enjoyed a long, slow drive north on A1A heading toward a friend’s place. With my convertible top down. It was 80 degrees. The sidewalks on the Fort Lauderdale beach were packed, with the cafes and bars buzzing and music playing everywhere. Though I couldn’t tell for sure who were tourists and who weren’t, I suspected that lots of the people were from out of town, already escaping foul weather. It seemed too busy for a mostly local crowd.
I parked my car for about 20 minutes by the wave wall at the north end of the beach, listening to some New Age music as I sat and looked out at the ocean and the sky. Runners and walkers passed in front of me. Overhead, the clear blue was turning gradually violet, bordered by a billowy bank of rose-white clouds that hung above the water’s surface. The sea was calm and just a light wind drifted in from the east. I watched three large cruise ships, one after the other, leaving Port Everglades, bound for who knows where. That made me think again about all the tourists streaming into town and about all the people who constantly come and go from the Fort Lauderdale area to soak up the sunshine. As I focused on one ship nearing the horizon, port side facing me, I noticed something. Looming above that ship, towering ten times its size, was a cloud formation. An unusual cloud formation – shaped very much like the ship below it. The bow, the stern, even the smokestack were obvious. Thin layers of clouds looked like the various decks. Once I recognized the similarity, it was striking. A ship of clouds, sailing through the twilight sky. Wherever it was going, you had to wonder if the weather would be as nice there as it was here.
And so it is. Late Sunday afternoon, I enjoyed a long, slow drive north on A1A heading toward a friend’s place. With my convertible top down. It was 80 degrees. The sidewalks on the Fort Lauderdale beach were packed, with the cafes and bars buzzing and music playing everywhere. Though I couldn’t tell for sure who were tourists and who weren’t, I suspected that lots of the people were from out of town, already escaping foul weather. It seemed too busy for a mostly local crowd.
I parked my car for about 20 minutes by the wave wall at the north end of the beach, listening to some New Age music as I sat and looked out at the ocean and the sky. Runners and walkers passed in front of me. Overhead, the clear blue was turning gradually violet, bordered by a billowy bank of rose-white clouds that hung above the water’s surface. The sea was calm and just a light wind drifted in from the east. I watched three large cruise ships, one after the other, leaving Port Everglades, bound for who knows where. That made me think again about all the tourists streaming into town and about all the people who constantly come and go from the Fort Lauderdale area to soak up the sunshine. As I focused on one ship nearing the horizon, port side facing me, I noticed something. Looming above that ship, towering ten times its size, was a cloud formation. An unusual cloud formation – shaped very much like the ship below it. The bow, the stern, even the smokestack were obvious. Thin layers of clouds looked like the various decks. Once I recognized the similarity, it was striking. A ship of clouds, sailing through the twilight sky. Wherever it was going, you had to wonder if the weather would be as nice there as it was here.
