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Since buying my first convertible car a few months ago, I’ve learned the joys of driving A1A with the top down. There’s nothing quite like it. But Saturday evening … ahhh, Saturday evening was just about the perfect trip--- my two-hour drive from 17th Street in Fort Lauderdale all the way to the pier in Deerfield Beach. I stopped four times along the way just to breathe it all in.

I began at 6 pm, tooling along in my beautiful blue PT Cruiser, over the 17th Street bridge and up toward Fort Lauderdale beach. My dashboard gauge said the air temp was 72 degrees. Just pleasant and with low humidity, a cool freshness to the breeze that made me glad I wore a light jacket. The sky was unusually clear and blue and as the beach came into view I could see breakers rolling ashore. The sidewalks were bustling. It seemed as if everyone wanted to be outside. From the Elbo Room past all the cafes and shops, up through Beach Place and beyond – the area brimmed with couples holding hands, singles looking for some fun, parents strolling with the kids. People smiled and laughed. The ocean was a gorgeous turquoise blue beneath grand puffy cloudbanks that gradually darkened as night began to descend. I stopped for the first time at one of the free parking spaces along the northern end of the beach, just watching the surf and sky and smelling the salt in the wind.

Around the Galt Ocean area, the four lane road widens to six lanes and somewhere in here I stopped again to talk on the cellphone and appreciate the colors. The sky was magnificent now. Bands of rose spread thickly behind the clouds, which had turned gun-metal gray with the falling sun. The moon and the stars were slowly becoming more visible. I pulled back into traffic, reaching Lauderdale-by-the-Sea where the coast highway narrows and slows. I noticed that people there seemed just as eager to enjoy the weather. Restaurants were busy and clusters of tourists sauntered along the streets and sidewalks. I continued north, past all the new high-rise construction in Pompano Beach, accelerating here quickly just for the sheer joy of the cool breeze in my hair. It was nearly 7 pm by now, completely dark. But I still had a ways to go.

Let me begin by stressing one important point: I am not the father of Anna Nicole Smith’s lovechild.
One of the things that keeps me living here is the electricity, the throbbing vibe of the community. How many places in this country can you walk down the street and be virtually certain you’ll hear English, Spanish, Creole, French and probably Portuguese? With a good chance you may also pick up some German and Swedish and who knows what else? South Florida draws celebs and movie stars, athletes and artists. We get Super Bowls and King Tut and even a Dead Sea Scroll. Why not a good headline now and then too? With the constant flow of people and money and major events, newsmaking seems inevitable.

So now it’s poor Anna Nicole. I wasn’t that surprised to learn that it happened in my own backyard. Of course, no one in Broward is in any way responsible for the tragic death. It just happened to have happened. Here. I live within a mile of the Broward Courthouse that has drawn the attention of reporters and paparazzi from everywhere. Hordes of media are camped outside, with cameras and tape recorders and notebooks pushing and shoving for position. But I don’t really mind it. When you live around Fort Lauderdale, a little wackiness just comes with the territory from time to time. At least the helicopters and cameras get to see our sunny skies. Ya just gotta smile.

It's not every day that my parents have the opportunity to come down from Illinois and visit me for a long weekend, so I wanted to make sure that they had a good time. Now I’m sure that just being away from the snow and subzero temperatures back home would have been enough to make the trip a success for them, but I had to make sure that we did more than just sit at the hotel pool. Being your stereotypical 23 year-old male, scheduling and activity planning for family visits is not exactly an area where I excel. Lucky for me, I live in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area where there is something to do around every corner. With a little help from my friends here at the CVB I was able to throw together a three-day weekend plan that was a perfect mix of fun, relaxation, and sight-seeing.

Early to rise on Friday morning, we headed into downtown Fort Lauderdale to see the Cradle of Christianity exhibition at the Museum of Art. This was my mother’s favorite part of the whole trip, and I have to admit that even I found it quite interesting. I’m not really the type of person who enjoys going to museums or looking at art so this is saying quite a bit. It was pretty amazing to see one of the Dead Sea scrolls and a stone tablet etched with Pontius Pilot’s name as well as various other artifacts from that time period. After the Museum, we walked about a block to the Las Olas Riverwalk where we had lunch and then poked around in the various shops. The Riverwalk would have been the perfect place to spend the rest of the day but my mother had caught wind of the outlet mall megalith known as Sawgrass Mills and decided that she needed to get her shopping fix there. I have never seen such a massive shopping mall in all of my life. I got my week’s worth of exercise just walking from one end of the mall to the other and back. My mother was in absolute heaven. She shopped for hours and would have shopped longer if my father and I wouldn’t have been nagging her to go get some dinner. All I can say is if you decide to check this place out, and I suggest you do, make sure you wear your most comfortable walking shoes.

The last two days my folks were here were a bit more laid back and relaxing. On Saturday, my mom laid out at the hotel pool while my dad and I spent several hours at Bass Pro Shops looking at boats we couldn’t afford. Saturday evening we went swordfishing aboard the charter boat Outacontrol II and had a ball. We had several bites and caught one swordfish weighing in at more than 100 lbs before the weather turned rough and we had to head for the docks. This was my favorite part of the weekend. The captain of the boat really knew what he was doing and I am convinced we would have caught several more giants if the weather would have held out. As it stands, I’ve got some great pictures and enough swordfish steaks to feed an army. Sunday we spent the day bumming around Dania Beach and got some nice suntans. Unfortunately the weekend was over way too quickly and I had to see my parents off this morning. We had a great time and it was great to see them and have them here to spend the weekend. This afternoon, as I reflect on the festivities of my weekend, I have come to the conclusion that there may be no better place in the world to spend some time with your family than right here in Greater Fort Lauderdale.

Hello ladies and gents, children of all ages. We’ve all seen a romantic movie with a sunbathed couple trotting down a sandy beach. Did you ever think that this scene could be transformed into a grueling race of determination, endurance, and mental strength? Well it can and did along the beautiful beaches of Fort Lauderdale yesterday. The second annual A1A Marathon/Mini Marathon kicked off at 6:00am along the infamous highway boasting thousands of competitors that wished to test such traits. However, these endurance runners enjoyed hidden perks such as seeing the sunrise over the ocean in a clear morning sky. I claim to be no marathon aficionado, but I don’t think you’ll find that in the brochures of races elsewhere.

The ocean truly was the finish line for these runners, but Fort Lauderdale hospitality doesn’t stop with its serine environment. When reaching the finish line swarms of volunteers were ready to hand bottles of water, provide medical treatment, offer shuttle services back to vehicles, and provide congratulatory remarks with newly acquired metals. Participants and volunteers ranged from all ages making the race truly a community event. Whether you wish to be the next Prefontaine or just run/walk with someone to say you did it, this race is for you. From the joy on the faces of finishing runners, I must say racing next year has crossed my mind. And hey, I didn’t say you couldn’t come down a tad early to enjoy the sand and surf. Hmmm, will call it part of our training program.

I was back at Sawgrass Mills. For the first time. I mean that both literally and figuratively. I had visited this huge outlet mall only once many years ago, so it was my first return trip. But this also was the first time I really had explored, really got a feel for the place. The variety of merchandise is like nothing I’ve seen anywhere. Literally hundreds of shops, from Samsonite luggage to Burlington Coat Factory to Ron Jon Surf Shop. There is furniture. There is jewelry. There are shoes and perfumes and handbags. And there is food, everything from Burger King to Legal Sea Foods to Rainforest Café to Grand Lux Cafe.

I hadn’t visited the Colonnade Outlets, which is only a little more than a year old. This is a tony outdoor promenade at Sawgrass Mills, featuring Mediterranean architecture with plazas and fountains. The stores include Neiman Marcus, Just Cavalli, Cole Haan and Salvatore Ferragamo. So I wandered around this area for a while, impressed that Sawgrass Mills had gone so upscale. Customers can even stop by Coco’s Day Spa & Salon for a nice treatment. Eventually, I drifted back into the main part of the mall, carrying the bags of Bostonian and New Balance shoes that I’d bought there earlier. I was curious to see more of what this place had to offer.

It really is all a bit like a theme park of sorts, which was among my other impressions. Rainforest Café certainly has some of that feeling, with tropical mists and a jungly atmosphere surrounding diners. Then there’s Wannado City, the nation’s first indoor role playing theme park for kids. It’s a huge attraction, the size of three football fields, allowing children to try out adult jobs such as being a doctor or even a news reporter. I wish they’d had something like that when I was young – sounds like fun to me. That was the most unexpected thing about my visit to Sawgrass Mills: the place really is fun. Lots to see, lots to do, lots to eat, lots to buy at good prices. I can see now why it’s so popular. I almost wish I hadn’t liked it so much. But as always, I’m being honest with you here. I did like it. And I really will be back before long.

I’m just back in Fort Lauderdale after being snowed in during the big northern blizzard. I was returning from a working trip to Asia, flying from Singapore. After almost 20 hours in an airplane, with just another 2 hours or so to get home, you really don’t want to hear that your flight has been cancelled. But that’s what some guy on the loudspeaker said at Washington D.C.’s Dulles International Airport as I was clearing customs. They were shutting down the entire airport Tuesday night. So I suddenly had to do the hotel room scramble, and also arrange for another flight and handle all the usual hassles. And I took a taxi through the snow and ice and freezing rain to a nearby Sheraton and waited out the storm like everyone else. It was cold, around 20 degrees or so, and I had no warm clothes with me of course. A couple martinis at the hotel bar helped ease the pain but I just wanted to get to the Florida sunshine. Me – and everyone else in Washington, it seemed.

The next morning, the news wasn’t encouraging. I could hear sleet hitting the window. Both D.C. airports still were closed and wouldn’t re-open until who knew when. But like many others, I jumped in the airport shuttle anyway, with the van sliding and skidding along frozen streets. A $44 lunch for lousy airport food didn’t make me feel much better. By now it was 1 p.m. and the runways still were closed. I’d been put on a half-empty flight to West Palm Beach – everything to Fort Lauderdale was full. (Apparently no one wants to fly to West Palm if they can go to Fort Lauderdale.) But the folks at Dulles didn't know yet if any plane was taking off for anywhere. It was a mess.

Until just before 2 p.m. Wednesday. That was when the announcement was made: my flight was confirmed. I and my fellow passengers would fly south after all. The news brought a loud, long cheer. “I feel like I just won the lottery!” one guy said. Pilots don’t often receive an ovation when they walk to the gate but our pilots did. Everyone was giddy. Passengers wearing long heavy coats were laughing and joking and, believe me, we all just felt lucky to step on that plane. A flight to Tampa had been cancelled at the same time our flight was confirmed. We got into the air, very late, but by then who cared? And when our jet finally had landed and the door had opened and we all had stepped off into the sudden warmth of South Florida, I heard one woman say enthusiastically, “This is too good to be true!” I am pretty sure we all were feeling much the same way.

I was prepared to be unimpressed. But I’m a believer now. Yes, Sawgrass Mills won over this non-shopper, much to my surprise. I’m enough of a convert, in fact, that I’ll be doing two blogs about this giant theme park of bargain shopping. But I’m getting ahead of my story. You see, I had visited Sawgrass Mills exactly once, soon after it opened years ago. Since then, I’ve told myself it was too far west. I’ve told myself it was too crowded. I’ve told myself I could find comparable bargains without schlepping nearly to the Everglades. But I had a big out-of-town trip coming up and realized that I needed a couple pairs of new shoes. And I needed to save some money. What the heck. Why not give it a try?

Why not indeed. Bargains? I saved more than $40 total on a pair of Bostonian loafers and a pair of New Balance sneakers. Not a bad day’s savings. Crowds? There were lots of shoppers and diners and others wandering this huge complex. But no more than at any other mall, at least when I was there on a Monday afternoon. Too far? I live way east in Fort Lauderdale, near the ocean. I timed the drive home from Sawgrass Mills, which I made just as rush hour began. It took me less than a half hour, door to door. So much for my objections.

Even more surprising to me, I honestly enjoyed the experience. Wandering through corridors of quality goods sold at low prices, I kept thinking of all the other things I really needed to buy. Or at least really wanted to buy. And I started planning when I would come back to buy some of them. I got a kick out of the kiosks of all descriptions that dot Sawgrass Mills, outside and inside. One of these kiosks offers nothing but bubble gum. If you don’t know Sawgrass Mills, it’s worth a trip. This is Florida’s largest retail and entertainment center, with more than 350 outlets and name-brand stores, as well as restaurants, cinemas and entertainment venues. It’s amazing, actually. And later this week, I’ll be telling you a bit more about some of those stores and restaurants and the rest. One blog just can’t begin to do this place justice.

In the public interest, and in your personal interest if you’re attached in any way, we offer this reminder: Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. Yes, folks, it is that time once again when guys get to pay $27 per rose and gals get to puzzle over what to buy a guy for Valentine’s Day. Many of you ladies can look forward to pink gift-wrapped packages of Victoria’s Secret lingerie that he hopes like crazy you’ll wear – but you never will. Ah, romance. Ain’t it grand?

Of course, romance can be grand. And sometimes cooler, wiser hearts prevail, even on Valentine’s Day. Not everyone feels the need to shower their beloved in flowers purchased at price-gouging levels or to wait two hours at an expensive restaurant to demonstrate their affections. South Florida is a romantic place and there are inexpensive alternatives to doing the expected Valentine’s thing. Here’s one thought for you: What about buying some nice fresh fruit, a good cheese and a crunchy baguette? Maybe wash it down with a sparkling non-alcoholic wine, as alcohol isn’t allowed where you’re going. Then head to the beach at about sunset and watch the sky pale and the stars slowly emerge. Yes, I know you’re facing the wrong direction to watch the sun disappear but the colors and subtle changes overhead are still beautiful to watch. Spread out a blanket, take off your shoes, eat, drink and stroll merrily along the sand holding hands. What could be more romantic? Or less expensive?

If you have time to make a day of it together, you can think bigger. Maybe pick some lovely spot such as Butterfly World or the Bonnet House for an afternoon visit. There’s nothing like two people communing with delicate butterflies or wild monkeys to create a memorable moment. Then you might get some good takeout, maybe sushi or Chinese or Thai, and sit down along one of the countless canals, rivers or small lakes in our area. A good suggestion is the Riverwalk section of Fort Lauderdale, where you can spread your meal out on a park bench along the New River. These are only a few ideas, obviously, but maybe they will inspire your own inexpensive alternatives to the Valentine’s Day madness. This special day doesn’t have to cost a fortune, or even include roses, to be romantic.

The official history of Greater Fort Lauderdale may seem relatively short, since the city of Fort Lauderdale was incorporated in 1911, but the celebration of Black History Month encompasses a lot of accomplishments in a short period of time. Despite the entrenchment of segregation where black residents were proscribed to areas west of the tracks, a steady influx arrived from North and South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, other parts of Florida, and the Bahamas, drawn by the possibilities of work on farms, in fishing industries, or in service occupations. They established businesses which stretched through the heart of Fort Lauderdale, principally along Sistrunk Boulevard, and dotted Hollywood’s Liberia section near the popular Oakwood Mall. They developed a vibrant, alternative nightlife where name black performers entertained in racially-segregated white establishments on the beach and then had to come “over town” to spend the night in black motels, but they performed for black residents often for free.

Blacks may have been confined to frolicking on a segregated beach, which is now John Lloyd State Park, and they may have only been able to go there on holidays, but they formed a network of chambers of commerce and fraternal organizations within their communities. Efforts led by prominent residents such as millionaire John H. Hill and philanthropist Harry G. Sweeting helped to provide recreational activities and charitable support. Physicians such as Dr. James Sistrunk and Dr. Von D. Mizell ran the only hospital for blacks and fought for the improvement of medical care. Educational leaders such as Dr. Joseph Ely reinforced strong cultural values and, although the county’s black students were served by only two black schools, they produced graduates who went on to excel in sports, education, the arts, and other professions. The Old Dillard Museum is an historical landmark which honors the first school for blacks in Fort Lauderdale, and their achievements.

Prominent entertainment celebrities and sports stars not only make appearances here, but many have also made Fort Lauderdale their home. In addition, the artistic contributions of celebrated black artists such as actress Esther Rolle, whose family roots remain in Broward County, and the unpublished manuscripts and letters of author Alex Haley, are preserved in local historical archives to remind us of the impact that black people have made.

The multicultural aspect of Greater Fort Lauderdale is also evident in events which highlight the African Diaspora year-round. For Black History Month this year the exhibit, “Africa in the Americas: From Slavery to Freedom” will open Feb. 24 at the African American research Library and Cultural Center to honor three landmark events: the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Britain and the U.S., the 60th anniversary of the publication of venerable scholar Dr. John Hope Franklin’s groundbreaking book, From Slavery to Freedom, and the 50th anniversary of Ghana’s independence from Britain. The Le Ballet Ivoire Spectacular from the Ivory Coast is in residency performing theatrical salutes to black artists; a production on the life of Moms Mabley, a pioneer black comedian, will be featured in March. Yes, there is history to preserve in Greater Fort Lauderdale - and at the same time, new history is being made.

-Kitty Oliver

Picking a charter boat out of the hundreds in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area can be a seemingly overwhelming task if you have never done it before. The bottom line is that you are going to be spending quite a bit of money to go fishing and you want to choose a boat that catches fish and that you feel comfortable with. To start out, you need to determine your price range. A day of charter fishing can cost you anywhere from $500 up to $2,000 depending on several factors such as boat size, length of trip, and number of people in your party. Trip lengths can range anywhere from 4 to 12 hours (usually at your discretion), and most charters can take out up to 6 people. All boats will provide fishing licenses and most provide bait (those who don’t provide bait will provide options for purchasing it). Peak fishing periods for the various species of big game fish can vary greatly from month to month. If you don’t have a specific species in mind, my advice would be to fish for what ever species your captain suggests you will have the greatest chance of catching. This of course brings me back to the all important issue of first selecting a boat and a captain. You want to go out with an experienced captain with a good reputation for consistently catching fish. The best way to determine this is to go to the charter docks at around 4:30pm to 5:00pm, as this is when most boats will be returning from the day’s fishing. Do this for a couple of days to see which boats are bringing in the most fish. You will find that many sport fishing boats practice catch and release and will not bring their catch back to the dock. These boats use a system of different colored flags hung from their out-riggers to represent the number and species of fish they caught that day. Each species has a different colored flag with a rough picture of the fish on it. One flag is hung for each fish they catch. A triangular, red flag with a “T” on it, hung below a flag of a fish species, represents a fish that was caught and released. If this sounds confusing it will become clearer once you actually see it.

While you are at the docks, walk around and ask questions. Keep in mind that all captains and first mates will tell you that their boat is the best. Try to find outsiders and customers of the various boats to ask their opinions. The harbor master will also be able to tell you which boats have been there the longest and consistently catch the most fish. Once you have narrowed down your choices speak with the captains and closely examine the boat. A good captain should have a clean boat and equipment that is in good working condition. Most of the time you will be allowed to board the boat and check it out for yourself and the captain should be able to answer any questions you may have at the given time. After you have done all of this, you simply chose the boat that you have the best feeling about and arrange for the date and time of your charter. Don’t be surprised if a captain asks for a deposit (usually no more than 30% of the total cost) to reserve you charter. This deposit is always refundable if the weather does not permit you to go fishing on the determined date or if you give the captain a couple days notice before canceling a trip. I know this seems like a lot of information, but if you follow these steps, you can rest assured that you have given yourself the best possible chance at having a positive charter experience. There is no guarantee that you will catch fish, but if you take the time to do your homework it will increase your odds tremendously.

Good luck and good fishing!

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THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

100 East Broward Boulevard, Suite 200, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301 (954) 765-4466 (800) 22-SUNNY

LauderBlog

Feb 27: A Perfect Drive, Part One

Feb 23: Anna and Me

Feb 20: Visit from Mom and Dad

Feb 19: A different kind of sweat

Feb 18: Sawgrass - Part Two

Feb 16: A Cheer Full Arrival

Feb 15: Sawgrass - Part One

Feb 13: Hearts and Flowers

Feb 9: Celebrating Black History

Feb 6: Fishing in Fort Lauderdale