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Long ago, there was a popular TV program hosted by a guy who talked often about his “really big show.” Those of you old enough to remember him already know who I mean. Those of you too young to have watched this weekly variety hour won’t care about his name. But the point is that there’s always chat from entertainment types about the stupendous, amazing wonderfulness of their shows – no matter how mediocre the content is sometimes. This weekend, though, you can catch a different kind of show that needs no hype. One simple fact says it all more clearly than any exaggeration. The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is the biggest in the world. Period. It really is one of those things where everybody who’s anybody will be here. Meaning everybody who has made a splash in the boating world and anybody who hopes to stir up some waves in that industry. And the rest of us who enjoy taking it in for the fun of it. This is a big deal, this show.

On Wednesday afternoon, I got another small taste of the pre-boat show atmosphere. I met an old girlfriend for lunch at Bimini Boatyard on SE 17th Street and we had a lovely time. The weather was perfect. Something like 70 degrees, total sunshine, no wind. Perfect. The place was packed with boat show folks. Mostly well-dressed businesspeople who were taking a break from their preparations. Charlotte and I sat among them on a large patio, with beautiful white yachts docked right beside us. At that moment, I’m sure all of us there would have agreed that Fort Lauderdale seems the ideal setting for a show featuring $3 billion worth of boats and marine accessories.

Yep, that’s billion with a b. Told you it was a really big show. This is the 49th edition of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show so it’s hardly a newcomer to the yachting scene either. I’ve come across people from all over the world during this event, boating enthusiasts who have long understood there’s no better place to check out the newest and greatest. And biggest. The boat show especially is renowned for its superyachts, private vessels that look more like battleships. You’ll find these at the Bahia Mar Yachting Center, which is sort of the hub this weekend. But there are five other sites, spread from the Las Olas Marina all the way down to the Broward County Convention Center. The easy way to get there is by free shuttle bus or riverboat. Specific parking locations can be found in the local newspapers or online by searching “49th Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.” It’s a memorable event and a lot of fun to hang out with the yachting elite for a few hours. You may not be Ed Sullivan but you’ll recognize a really big show when you see one.

It’s always interesting around town right before the big boat show opens. The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show begins later this week and there will be a lot more to say about it then. But for now, let me just note that there’s a noticeable change in this community even a week before the event gets going. Drive along the beach and you’ll see vans and buses and cars parked on A1A to unload supplies and people. Hotels start filling up early and so do bars and restaurants near the show. And on the water, yards and yards of portable docks have been installed to handle the array of boats that will take part, from megayachts to speedboats and more. Some of these waterside preparations were already in place last Tuesday when my brother-in-law, Jack, and I hopped on one of the water taxis to tour Fort Lauderdale.

Jack and my sister, Sondra, have visited me before, but we hadn’t found an opportunity to get around this area by boat – the best way, really. Unfortunately, Sondra couldn’t make it this time either as she’d already flown home to prepare for her own houseguests. But Jack stayed with me a couple extra days to do brother kinds of things together. That brought us to the water taxis, where you can pay a little for a whole day of floating on the Intracoastal Waterway and the New River. The boats offer a terrific view of Fort Lauderdale and Jack really enjoyed our ride.

Our taxi motored into such places as the Bahia Mar marina, where those floating docks were waiting for the first boat to arrive for the show. Many tents were up dockside by then and people were working inside them. Some of the larger mega-yachts were backing into the docks. It’s an impressive sight. It was great to catch some of the setup as we headed upstream on the Intracoastal, bound for Shooters. This classic waterfront café attracts more than its own share of boaters, along with partiers and players, studs and babes. It’s a scene and a fun spot to share with your brother, for sure. We sipped on cold beers, ate spicy chicken wings and warm Bimini bread, chatted with our waitress and basically just had a grand time being “guys” at Shooters. I’m still not sure why this is guy behavior but it is and there you have it. I just know that I loved every minute and I already miss Jack and Sondra now that they’re gone. It’s really too bad their visit wasn’t timed a bit later so they could have headed over to the boat show. Next time, maybe. This is definitely one of those genuine Fort Lauderdale experiences, whether you're a resident or tourist. Or maybe just the sister or brother of a resident.

Fort Lauderdale’s identity is closely linked with the water. In this region, H2O is everywhere in sight, spread out before us in oceans and in rivers, in lakes and in canals. This is a place where “on the water” means a home that costs a lot more or a hotel room with a great view. So how appropriate then to have a restaurant named simply “H2O.” I’ve been planning to write a blog about this new spot on the Fort Lauderdale beach for a few months, ever since I first tried it during a wonderful “staycation” this summer. But the visit to my home by my sister and brother-in-law gives me a perfect opportunity to finally tell you about it. On their first night here we all trundled over to A1A and had a fabulous dinner at H2O. They loved it. So did I. We all loved it enough, actually, to go back for our Sunday brunch.

It began on Friday night when Sondra wanted fish. I was feeling like pasta. Typically, Jack was more flexible than the rest of us. But we all agreed that a seafront table sounded like just the thing. I suggested H2O. We parked easily at a nearby lot along the beach, then walked a couple blocks to the restaurant. It was a lovely night, with a pleasant breeze and no rain in sight. Our hostess was immediately accommodating when we asked for outdoor seating, though there was a good crowd filling many of the tables. No attitude, no playing “Hmm, let me see if I can squeeze you in” kind of games.

To me, this is one of the nicest parts about H2O. I’ve eaten there four or five times now and found the staff consistently cordial. Everyone, from the hostesses to the waiters to the bartender. Sometimes that’s hard to find in these upscale environments, where staffers get off on their subtle putdowns and power trips. Anyway, Sondra found her fish, which she pronounced both fresh and perfectly cooked. I found my pasta, which was excellent. Jack had some sort of chicken dish and clearly enjoyed it. It was a wonderful evening, just sitting and chatting and soaking up the sea breezes together with the flavors of our meal. So on Sunday, before a trip to the Bonnet House, we decided to head back for brunch. H2O serves breakfast until 3 p.m. daily, a good thing to remember if you’re looking for quality morning food after noontime along the beach. All of us ordered serious breakfasts, with eggs and bacon and sausage and the whole nine yards. It was plenty to power us through two hours at the Bonnet House and into the cocktail hour. I’m really enthused about this great addition to the restaurants on Fort Lauderdale’s oceanfront. Reasonably priced, chic, friendly and an unbeatable location. There wasn’t any place in town where I’d rather have eaten either of those meals – and no one else I’d rather have eaten them with.

As I wrote in my previous blog, my sister and brother-in-law are visiting me now that I have a condo with enough room for guests. Sondra and Jack are down here from North Carolina and we’ve had a great time so far. Several years ago during another stay with me, we all had gone together out to the Everglades for an airboat ride. On Saturday, they wanted to return to the great River of Grass. I really was happy to experience this environment again, which is unique in all the world. And it was a perfect day for airboating, sunny but not too hot. We put the top down on my convertible and headed west on I – 595 to my favorite spot for airboat tours. Called Sawgrass Recreation Park, this is where I usually have taken out of town visitors who wanted to see the Everglades. The park is even better now than on my last trip there.

Sawgrass Recreation Park has spruced up their grounds a bit, added more animals to their exhibits and generally made it all more interesting and pleasant. But of course the real attraction is the trip into the Everglades. Our captain, Charles, was the best I’ve had on any airboat. A very personable guy, he also was knowledgable about this Florida wilderness. And he sure knew where to look for gators.

Lots of them. I’m guessing this must have been my 7th or 8th airboat ride, at least, but I’d never been surrounded by alligators in the Everglades as we were over the weekend. Charles pulled the airboat into a little patch of clear water among the sawgrass and the gators emerged. One, two … three. Four. Five. Six. Yep, a half dozen alligators soon floated within yards of the boat, some quite large. “Keep your hands inside the airboat,” Charles warned. The crowd of gators watched us watching them, only their piercing eyes visible at times, before ducking under the water one by one and each bobbing up again somewhere else. Then two huge softshell turtles popped up too, splashing lazily around our boat. After maybe ten minutes of this, and lots of photos, we moved into a thicket of sawgrass where Charles gave us a short talk about the Everglades. At one point, he cut open a cattail to scrape out a pulpy mass from the center. “This is what the Seminoles used to bandage wounds,” he explained. I could see why – the pulp held together as well as a strip of gauze. Resourceful folks, those Native Americans. When the airboat docked back at Sawgrass, we tipped Charles well and toured the grounds for a half hour or so, wandering through the exhibits of live gators, snakes, wildcats and other critters before heading home. It was a wonderful beginning to my visit with Jack and Sondra. But only the beginning. That evening we were off for a terrific dinner on the Fort Lauderdale beach. In my next blog, I’ll tell you where we ended up and why it’s worth giving this restaurant a try.

It’s been a while since I welcomed out of town guests into my home. Oh sure, I’ve had folks who aren’t locals over for dinner or cocktails or something of the kind. But I’m talking about real guests, the type of visitors who hang their clothes in my closet and put their toothbrushes in my bathroom holder. I won’t bore you with the reasons why I haven’t entertained folks from other states or countries lately, except to say it mostly involves my recent moves and space limitations. But now I have a condo that works well for friends or family to come and relax with me for a few days. On Friday, two of the dearest people to me in the world will arrive. My sister, Sondra, and her husband, Jack, who is really a true brother rather than an in-law. Sis is ten years older than me and she married Jack when I was about 12 – so I’ve known and loved him nearly as long as my own sibling. To me, both of them are great family. And great friends.

Anyhow, this is gonna be excellent. They last visited when I was married and living in a house but now, as a single guy, I can show them the Fort Lauderdale I’ve been writing about in these blogs. The only problem is, where do I take Jack and Sondra when there are so many possibilities and there is so little time?

I’d like to go some place they haven’t seen before. I seem to recall that they already have toured Butterfly World, which otherwise would be among my first choices for these nature lovers. And I know we’ve done the airboat-in-the-Everglades thing. Jack and I may head out for some coral reef snorkeling one day during their visit. The first time I ever donned a scuba tank was with him, so that would be fun for us both. And I’m thinking maybe the Bonnet House, for the home itself and the grounds and the wildlife, especially the monkeys. Of course, we’ll all walk along the beach and take lots of drives around this beautiful area. The weather forecast is promising so we can drop the convertible top and enjoy some spins. I’ll let you know next week what we end up doing. Right now, I’m mostly just eager to hug them both and sit on my patio with a drink at Happy Hour. We’ll figure out the rest of it together as the visit progresses. I’ve been to their gorgeous lakeside house in North Carolina many times since their most recent visit with me, including as recently as June. It’ll be nice to welcome Jack and Sondra to my home, into my condo and back to South Florida, for a change.

In the Fort Lauderdale area, there’s a lot that’s new. OK, that is an understatement. It’s more accurate to say there’s not a lot that is old. New hotels, new restaurants, new roads. New construction here, new renovations there. So when you find a pleasant place to hang out that’s been around for more than a few years, that’s something. And when it’s been around for more than 30 years, that’s something else. I’m telling you all this because on Sunday I found myself at a familiar spot, though I hadn’t been there for several years. The Cove is a restaurant and bar in Deerfield Beach that has been sitting directly on the Intracoastal Waterway for three decades plus. Good food, good drinks, great views.

I’ve always been very fond of The Cove. I’m not sure why it’s been so long since I was there. I think it has something to do with my divorce a few years back. My first date with my former wife was at the Cove. We used to celebrate family occasions gathered around its tables. I have some real personal history with this establishment.

On Sunday, I ended up with an hour or so to kill before a friend got off work. I was heading over to the beach off Hillsboro Boulevard near her condo to enjoy the ocean. But on the way, I suddenly thought of the Cove and found myself pulling in to park. It looks just the same. Dark hardwood floors, bright Florida deck chairs, a huge wraparound inside bar and another one outdoors. I sat outside and ordered an iced tea as the two-man calypso band was setting up. It felt good to be back. The sun was streaming in from the west by then and a delightful strong breeze was streaming in from the east, cooling my face. Grand yachts motored past, one of them with a young bikini-wearing woman holding a small dog in her arms and smiling at the Cove’s drinkers and diners, doing her best Paris Hilton imitation. Not that I noticed or anything. I did definitely pay attention to the natural scene laid out in front of me, with the tranquil river and the palm trees on the opposite shore. It makes a perfect Florida setting. Just then the calypso guys began to play, one of them on steel drums, adding to the tropical mood. And I thought, “This is why I live in South Florida.” And I also thought, “I don’t want to stay away from the Cove for so long again.”

Sometimes I just need to get away for a while. I really do. These days I mostly work alone, writing, making phone calls, firing off emails, answering phone calls, researching, thinking about phone calls I’ll have to make or answer. Just like most you in some ways probably. I worked around a lot of people in newsrooms for many years and the feeling wasn’t all that different in this one respect – I often just had to escape the chaos after a long day and find somewhere relaxing. I think it’s healthy to unwind after work. Lately, I’ve also been organizing this huge anti-bullying youth march for my nonprofit group, which has added a massive new layer of answering and researching and firing off and all the rest. And in turn, all this has only made the need for relaxation more important.

In the past several days, I’ve discovered a new release for me. When I’m done for the afternoon, I put my car’s convertible top down, drive east from my Dania Beach condo about a mile to the sea, then head a couple miles south to the Hollywood Broadwalk. There’s plenty of metered parking just steps from the walkway. And in the late afternoon, the buildings offer great swaths of cool shade.

I was there again last night, pulling up to a parking spot sometime after 5 or so. The sea was rolling in on small round waves and the sun was warm but not uncomfortable. Five minutes after leaving my home, I was walking beside the Atlantic Ocean and looking for a pleasant bench for my destressing. The pretty brick Broadwalk is wide enough to easily handle all the walkers and the bike path is great for the joggers and roller bladers and bicyclists. I found a nice shaded wooden bench and sat down to smell the salt air and listen to the waves for a while. I must have been smiling because people passing by often looked my way and smiled as though reacting to my expression. I closed my eyes for a short time and just tried to be fully there, in that moment, absorbing all those smells and sounds and letting go of all those calls and emails. It didn’t work completely, but it helped. When I returned to my car after 40 minutes by the ocean, I felt different – much the way I do after a hot shower following a gym session. I was cleaner, not outside but inside. And I was ready to go back home so I could answer all those emails and phone calls I’d missed.

I remember when I was a kid growing up in Detroit. I didn’t know anyone my age who had visited the auto plants, which gave tours to the public. The same with world famous attractions in town, like Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum. Never went to either one – until after I grew up and moved away. To this day, I’ve still not visited an auto plant, though of course things are much different in that industry now than they were then. But the point I’m making is that so many of us ignore the great things right under our nose. Wherever we live, we tend to take a whatever-attitude. Or maybe I should say wherever we are, we think “whenever.” As in, “Hey, I’ll get there … whenever.”

The same often holds true with many lesser known but still wonderful places around us everyday – including popular restaurants and watering holes. “Some day, I wanna try that steakhouse!” Yeah, sure. Some day. I was reminded of this the other afternoon when a good friend and I went for lunch to a dockside restaurant that’s been around forever. He’d never stepped inside it before, even though he’s lived in South Florida much of his life.

It’s a terrific little funky spot on the water that I’ve mentioned several times in these blogs. I’m talking about the kind of joint that many locals frequent, with a cast of regulars and even bumper stickers you often see when driving around. But the name isn’t particularly important here. It could have been any other restaurant. And in any price range. Maybe one of the upscale cafes on the beach or along Las Olas or at Hard Rock or anywhere else in the Fort Lauderdale area. Tony or earthy, these are the restaurants and bars we hear so much about but never try for some reason. My buddy was delighted with his “discovery” – and plans to go back. He’d found an excellent new-old lunch hangout. For my part, I’m hoping to use the big Dine Out Lauderdale promotion in the next few weeks to do much the same thing. I want to sample at least one of the more expensive restaurants I’ve heard about for some time but haven’t experienced yet. It’s a great chance to try something new, even if it’s old, and not break the bank. And to enjoy another small piece of the community I call home.

For all of us, these are strange days. I’m very optimistic about the future, even in the near term. But there’s no denying the wackiness floating through the air lately. Washington bickering, surreal political interviews and all the rest of it. Still, just about when I thought I’d seen nearly everything, I looked down from my third floor condo at the backyard pond early this morning and realized there’s still more strangeness to discover. Because I watched a line of three turtles and … How to put this? It seemed they were trying to mate with a coconut. Hey, what do I know? Maybe this is typical for turtles. Maybe it’s some autumnal turtle ritual. Maybe this was simply a stunningly sexy coconut. I don’t know.

It was one of those times when you really wish you had bought that video camera. Sometimes a picture, especially a moving picture, is worth a whole lot more than a thousand words. That’s certainly true of the attempted coconut mating I witnessed. Dsescription can’t quite do justice to what was going on down there. But I’ll try.

I first noticed all this when there was some unusual rippling on the water. My little lake is maybe 20 yards wide and maybe 40 yards long, one of those typical manmade deals you see at South Florida condos. I love this pond, though, because it’s fairly protected and we get everything from iguanas and herons to ibis and even a pelican. I watched an osprey dive at the surface one day and come out with a fish in its talons. But for sheer entertainment value, that was nothing compared to the turtles. These three turtles were lined up, one behind the other, chasing a floating coconut. Now that I think about it, I guess this was a fairly attractive coconut – a round green number with a fringe of brown along one edge. Anyway, the front turtle kept banging into this reluctant coconut and each time the coconut bobbed away. To the turtle, apparently, this was a fellow shelled creature playing hard to get. So he (or she?) kept swimming after it, each time knocking the coconut away again as the two other turtles blindly trailed, sometimes all of them going around in circles. I wondered if the other two turtles were would-be suitors or what. You know, kind of waiting to see if the coconut really was interested in the first guy or whatever. Nothing came of this courtship in the end, needless to say. I just peeked outside and the coconut is floating there, alone now, as virginal as it was an hour before. But wow, what can you say about something so bizarre, really? As John Lennon sang, “Strange days indeed.” Still the way I figure it is this: As long as the coconut doesn’t start looking irresistible to me, I’ll be ok.

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

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LauderBlog

Oct 30: A Really Big Show

Oct 28: Shooting Upstream

Oct 23: H2O

Oct 21: Everglades Revisited

Oct 16: Welcome to my Home

Tuesday, October 14: A Pleasant Cove

Oct 9: Long Day's Journey

Oct 6: New Old Places

Oct 3: Strange Days