LauderBlog

There's nothing like a good French pastry. Doesn't matter if you find it in Paris - or in Fort Lauderdale. These folks know how to bake sweets the right way. Lately I've been making a semi-habit of going to one of the best French bakeries in South Florida. Croissan'Time is a delightful shop in a strip mall, though it can be a little hard to find at first. But really, it is definitely worth the effort. Owned by Bernard Casse, Croissan'Time has been baking up luscious croissants, Danish, turnovers, beignets and more since 1986. For some reason, I had stopped here only on rare occasions in the past, often to buy a special treat for Easter or Thanksgiving. No more. It has joined a short list of my favorite morning stops these days.

Monsieur Casse has been doing this a while. A long while, actually. He's been a French baker and pastry chef for 43 years. If you want a treat, drop by for a breakfast of a beignet and their wonderful coffee. Mmm, it's most excellent.

And if you do your dropping by on a Sunday, there's an extra treat waiting. Croissan'Time has a live jazz band playing in front of the store on late Sunday mornings, a decent little trio with an unusually interesting drummer. This place is a lot more than a coffee shop. People come here and line up for boxes of cakes, pies and other pastries. But there's also a whole lunch menu. From quiches to salads, from brie to pate on a baguette, Croissan'Time offers many choices. They even sell French butter, Madrange cooked French ham and game meats such as quail, partridge and venison. Interesting restaurant, this. In addition to the tasty food, Croissan'Time has transformed the sidewalk exterior into a surprisingly pleasant space, covered in climbing foliage and frequented by sparrows that chirp and wing energetically around. To find Croissan'Time, head south on Federal Highway and look for it on the right side of the road just before Sunrise Boulevard. Their address is 1201 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale. The phone number is 954-565-8555. You won't see the Arc de Triomphe from their outdoor tables, obviously - but when you're tasting one of their beignets, it's easy enough to imagine.

Even in paradise, some rain must fall. Good thing too. Here in the subtropics, those rainstorms mixed among the sunny days keep us green and lush. We get some great cloudbursts in South Florida, wonderful thunder-and-lightning shows that come and go along with the intense rains. So you'd think after almost two decades in Fort Lauderdale that I'd know something about keeping dry during these intermittent downpours. Wrong. To explain, I have to take us back a few days.

See, we've enjoyed a gorgeous winter and spring this year, unusually dry even for our dry season. The sky is a lovely blue as I write this. But last Saturday brought much-needed moisture. Maybe I forgot how to use an umbrella properly during the past several months. I dunno. But I sure must have looked like a nitwit when I stopped for gasoline in the midst of Saturday's rain.

I pulled up to a gas pump that I thought was fully covered by a roof. That was the first less-than-smart move. Because yes, some pumps indeed were covered. And some were only partly covered, as I'd soon discover. I could hear rain just pounding against my convertible top when I turned off the engine. "Man, it's really pouring right now," I thought.

I grabbed an umbrella I hadn't used since, like, November and prepared for a quick dart from my car. I cracked the door, opened the umbrella, stepped out and slammed the door shut. So far, so good. Hmm, it wasn't raining as hard as I'd thought. I started filling up my tank, then realized I'd parked under a rainspout on the roof - a spout that now emptied a small waterfall directly over my driver side door. So I'm kinda going, "Hey, whatever," as I finished up, grabbed a receipt and ... Another big, "Hmmmm." Two thoughts flitted through my head at this moment. Number one: "Maybe I should climb in on the passenger side." Number two: "Hey, I made it out without getting very wet. I should be able to hop back in the same way. Right?"

Ok, here's the small life lesson I learned - getting into a car with an umbrella is more cumbersome than getting out. A LOT more cumbersome. Duh! I opened the door, jumped inside and the waterfall jumped in with me. There I was, frantically trying to shut an umbrella that only wanted to get snagged on my car top over and over. My driver's seat was soaked. My clothes dripped as if I'd taken a shower. My glasses were so beaded with water I couldn't see. It must have given a good laugh to anyone who watched me pull this stunt. As I said, wouldn't you think I could handle an umbrella by now? I offer this little tale for any reader who may imagine that my tropical writer's life is somehow ideal. Sure, it has lots of great moments. No complaints. But even South Florida is no protection when your inner knucklehead is determined to get out.

Have you ever seen a cartoon come alive? I did this past weekend. You may have experienced the odd sensation of cartoonishness at least briefly in daily life, if you think about it. You know, the guy walking down the street who looks strangely like Popeye or the woman who resembles Wilma Flintstone or something. But on rare occasions, this reaches a whole new level. Sometimes you feel like you're actually in a cartoon yourself. Kinda like the bewildered detective in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" who finds himself walking around inside Toontown. I revisited Flamingo Gardens on Sunday, a wildlife sanctuary for animals that would have died in the wild. I just can't get past the feeling that the aviary here is like a tropical version of Toontown. Funny, charming, bizarre, even sad - and definitely worth a trip.

At Flamingo Gardens, the aviary really is the centerpiece of any visit. It's an enormous screen-enclosed area inhabited by dozens and dozens of different wounded birds. Most of them seem quite lively now, I assure you. Yes, you do see many old injuries. That's the sad part. But you quickly realize that these birds have adjusted to their disabilities - and that they're well cared for. This is when the comedy kicks in.

My girlfriend, Gwendolyn, and I were wandering down the sidewalk when a huge pelican began waddling beside us. The three of us just kinda strolling along together. That's part of what makes the aviary so cartoonish. Most of the birds are walking. Ducks are flopping their big feet across dry land in between pond swims. Roseate spoonbills, pink waders with strange flat beaks, go stalking about like oddities that came straight from an artist's imagination. Black anhingas stand within your arm's reach, wings spread wide as possible to dry in the breeze. It all soon seems very funny. Remember, these are creatures that never would have survived otherwise. Inside the aviary, they seem to have a fairly decent life. But darned amusing to people. Over here a crane is slurping up a pan of small fish, dropping about every other one, which of course sets off a mad rush by the birds nearby. Over there a seagull walks up to you, stops dead on the sidewalk and looks up at you right in the eye. Sorta like he's wondering exactly whose sidewalk this really is this. Many of these birds can't fly now but some do, which adds to the comic chaos. You're looking down at a blue heron when a pair of white ibis wings suddenly flaps inches from your ear. Plan on at least a couple of hours at Flamingo Gardens with plenty of time for the aviary especially. We actually walked through it twice on Sunday. Hey, why not? I always did like cartoons.

Now you can really explore. You've been in Greater Fort Lauderdale for two days already, just before or after your great Caribbean cruise out of Port Everglades. You've wisely decided to spend the extra money to stay a while, getting to know this part of the world more intimately than your fellow passengers who passed through quickly. You've also pretty much followed my earlier blog suggestions on how to spend your first two days here - another very wise choice, if I say so myself. (To see last week's blog, just click here. Kidding aside, let's finish up this cruise views series with my thoughts for the rest of your visit. You've done the basics and a bit more. It's time to dive in deeper. Literally. In no particular order, here are some of the things I'd most want to experience as a cruise passenger with three or more additional days to visit  Greater Fort Lauderdale:

• Go snorkeling or scuba diving. This is one of the world's most popular areas for ocean diving. You should try it, whether you've ever gone beneath the waves or not. Choose one of the many quality dive shops, which will take you on an exciting day trip with all equipment provided.
  
  
• Visit the Bonnet House. This is a special place, a home built by two very artsy folks when South Florida was still pretty much a jungle. Make sure you ask employees where to find the adorable wild monkeys that live here among the treetops.
  
  
• Take in Butterfly World. Another amazing spot, this attraction allows you to interact with thousands of live butterflies from around the planet. There's other critters too, including some gorgeous birds that flit past your head.
  
  
• Get even more adventurous by giving a try to parasailing or kitesurfing. You're harnessed to a parachute of sorts in both sports. Parasailing takes you aloft, pulled by a boat. Kitesurfing uses a rectangular chute as a kite that tugs you across the waves on a surfboard.
  
  
• Do the Mai-Kai. This local restaurant/nightclub is a South Florida institution. You can start with great tropical cocktails, eat dinner during a wonderfully authentic Polynesian show and finish up with a walk through their tropical gardens. A fun, romantic evening.
  
  
• Hang out with the locals. Wander around downtown Fort Lauderdale during weekday working hours, maybe have lunch at Nick's on the Hollywood Broadwalk or dinner at Ernie's on Federal Highway. We have all kinds of folks living and working here, as you'll soon discover.

These and all my previous suggestions are only starting points before or after your cruise, of course. You're likely to stumble across other ideas as you move through Broward County by car, boat and on foot. A sea voyage is a great value these days, a relaxing and affordable getaway from everyday problems. Extending it with a landside vacation only makes sense if you possibly can. You've traveled here from New York or Chicago, Toronto or London or wherever. You won't want to just race through without seeing at least some of all we have to offer.

Sure, you can get silly roaring drunk on St. Patrick's Day. Or you can celebrate more sanely with a real Irish breakfast. Actually, I've done both things on the same Paddy's Day, now that I really think about it. But I'm here to make the case for the breakfast. After you've eaten, you're on your own and I'd rather not know the details. Seriously, there's nothing quite like a big meal that includes eggs, Irish bacon and sausage and grilled tomato to get your green on. My favorite spot for this is McGuire's Hill 16 in Fort Lauderdale, which has been serving up tasty Irish meals for nearly two decades now. Starting at 8 a.m. and ending at 11 a.m. on St. Patrick's Day, McGuire's will offer this traditional breakfast for $10.

Not a bad deal considering it's only their busiest day of the year and everything - I mean, they put up tents at this place and sell tickets every March 17. Everyone wants to get in and everyone is more than happy to pay for the privilege. It gets rowdy. But it's a lot more laid back during the breakfast hours than later when the bands are wailin' Guinness-fueled versions of "The Rising of the Moon" or something.

So how is it that I happen to know songs such as "The Rising of the Moon?" I'd like to say it's because I have Irish ancestors, which I do. But the truth is that I know these songs from many, many well-spent hours at Irish pubs, especially McGuire's. I've been going there since it opened - it was and is my favorite South Florida pub. There are lots of good ones, of course, and I've devoted many, many other well-spent hours discovering them too. But to me, McGuire's is the real deal. The staff usually is friendly, which honestly is about as much as you can expect at an Irish pub. I say that with affection. The food is good and the drinks are generous. More than this, though, the atmosphere at McGuire's is comfortable, homey, and genuine somehow. When I was married, my wife and I went there at least weekly for years, calling it our "cheap therapy." We only split up after we stopped hanging out at McGuire's, in fact. Hmmmm. Anyway, this local favorite is located at 535 N. Andrews Avenue and I think you'll have fun if you try it, whether on Paddy's Day or another time. If you go for breakfast and wait long enough, you're sure to hear "The Rising of the Moon," by the way. But by then, you're going to need a taxi to get you home.

You're about to go on your big cruise. Or maybe just finishing up a voyage. Now it's time to play in Fort Lauderdale. That's the premise behind my series of cruise blogs, which I offer as an experienced cruise writer and longtime South Florida resident. Today I'm answering this question: If I had 48 hours for my first visit to this area, what would I do? That's enough time to make a serious dent as a tourist. Assuming I could swing the extra money, I'd rent a car to make the most of two full days. This is a sprawling place and public transportation has its limits. But with an automobile you can go anywhere and waste little time doing it. After picking up the car, you should head to that beachside hotel I suggested in last week's blog. (To read it, just click here).  You also may want to follow last week's ideas fairly closely on Day One, perhaps with a nice drive down Las Olas tossed in the mix. But on Day Two, you'll have a different adventure:

• After breakfast, head to the Everglades. This really is a South Florida must if you have the time, the only environment of its kind on the planet. Drive to Sawgrass Recreation Park for an airboat ride, where you'll almost surely see alligators in the wild.
• Spend some time walking around the park after your airboat tour. Check out the animal exhibits, with live creatures both native and non-native.
• Take Interstate 595 east to I-95 north, getting off at Hillsboro Boulevard, then go east again to the Intracoastal. You'll lunch at the Cove, a classic local boating restaurant with good food and great views of the water.
• Drive to A1A, the ocean highway, and slowly head south all the way back to your hotel - it's a lovely drive with lots of local color, including a real lighthouse.
• After a breather in your room, drive A1A south again to Hollywood's Broadwalk. This is a terrific pedestrian walkway right on the beach with many places for cocktails or dinner.
• You can hang out there well into the evening. Or you might wander to downtown Hollywood or Fort Lauderdale for supper after your Broadwalk Happy Hour.
• Take a moonlight walk along the beach. South Florida is a very romantic spot. Or if you're a real gambler, consider visiting the Seminole Hard Rock complex, where you'll also find lots of nightlife.

Your 48 hours have given you more than a taste of greater Fort Lauderdale - you've gobbled down a good big bite. Next week, we'll wrap up our Cruise Views series with ideas for those folks lucky enough to have even longer with us before or after their cruise. The added time will bring them places even many locals haven't seen. They'll be touring on land, on water - and under the water too. See ya then!

This is the beginning of the best. South Florida's most perfect weather. I was thinking about that on Monday when I awoke to a morning of nearly cloudless skies and temperatures in the 70s. From now through at least the end of April (and sometimes weeks longer), this should be pretty much the norm around here. I've always found that our late-winter through mid-spring period brings the kind of days that I most enjoy, meteorologically speaking anyway. No need for air conditioning, no need to close windows. Just an ideal climate - the time of year when I would plan to visit if I didn't already live in greater Fort Lauderdale. And the time of year when, as a lucky resident, I am least likely to travel anywhere else.

As my Monday began, I bounded out for a brisk early walk. I soon found myself recalling the lyrics to a famous old song that insists, "The best is yet to come." Not to sound all Pollyanna about life or anything, but it's hard not to feel that way on such mornings. I marched energetically down the street from my condo, legs and arms swinging, and I became aware of a fairly large smile on my face.

How can you not smile in this weather? There is something about the South Florida air in the springtime. It's not hot, but it's not cold either. It feels ... fresh. There is just enough warmth and humidity for comfort, just enough snap to be invigorating, like the faintest whisper of a cool breeze coming through the intense sunshine. In any case, I was loving it as I tooled off around my neighborhood. I walked down the middle of the street for a while, heading toward the marina nearby and the big boats tied up there. Strolling more slowly along the dock, I noticed yachts from all over - from South Carolina and the Hamptons in New York, from Minnesota and even from Australia. Each of them here at just the right time, waking up to perhaps the best weather in the United States at the moment. Smart travelers, these folks. I stopped at the water's edge long enough to watch a boat coming in from the Intracoastal or maybe from the sea, shielding my eyes from the low sun that glared off the water. I picked up my pace again then, heading past the rows of tidy waterside homes back to my place. A pot of strong coffee was waiting for me and I felt ready, happily ready, to face my busy week. Spring in South Florida can make you feel that way.

You step into the tropical air of Fort Lauderdale at exactly 9 a.m. You won't leave again until 5 p.m. the next day - 32 hours to soak up South Florida for the first time. Whether you're about to begin a cruise or just wrapping up a week at sea, you're lucky enough to have an overnighter here. How can you get the most out of this brief visit? That's the question today for the third in a series of blogs about pre or post cruise stops in this city, one of the world's cruising capitals. Obviously the options during a day and a half layover are nearly endless. Heck, you could go camping in the Everglades if you wanted. But that's not what most cruise passengers would enjoy and it's certainly not what I would do with my 32 hours. Instead, I'd try to see some of the most important sights and get a sense of the unique rhythms of this place:

• Taxi to your hotel, which should be on or near the famous Fort Lauderdale beach. You can stay at spots such as The Ritz Carlton, Fort Lauderdale or The Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, a Superior Small Lodging or an inexpensive mom & pop place a block off the beach.
• Get oriented with a walk around A1A, then stop at a seaside café for a late breakfast. Linger a while to watch the runners and walkers and in-line skaters who parade here daily.
• Go for a swim in the ocean. Bring your sunscreen and beach towel, then spread out on the sand. Sun and surf are the very essence of Fort Lauderdale. Enjoy the scenery - the gorgeous blue ocean and gorgeous tan bodies.
• Time to shower and head out on the town. You'll probably be hungry again but save your appetite. Buy an all-day Water Taxi pass and go bar hopping by boat.
• You'll combine sightseeing, Happy Hour and dinner on this outing. Go somewhere like Bahia Cabana to savor the funky local side of our town. Have your first drink and a conch chowder appetizer. Then hit as many bars and restaurants along the way as you can handle.
• Shooters is among many good choices for dinner. It sits on the Intracoastal and draws big boats and attractive people. Next door, Taverna Opa is a terrific spot to party into the evening, if you're still up for more. Or go back to your hotel and wander the beach, which offers its own kind of nightlife.
• After a good sleep, get an early start with another beachside breakfast. Earlier is even better to see all those exercise types working their bodies.
• Grab a taxi to the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District and stroll along Riverwalk. It's pretty and relaxing, with nice vantage points for photos. Keep walking east to Las Olas, where you can shop, mingle with locals and find a nice lunch. You may even have time left for a final drink on the beach before leaving your hotel.

There's never enough time to explore a new city, of course, but your 32 hours introduced you to some of the places and people that make us special. Next week, we'll have a bit longer to play with - two full days and nights to experience Fort Lauderdale. That extra time before or after a cruise can make a big difference, as you'll see. Let's just say that you're going to need a rental car to do this one up the right way.

No one can really get "stranded" in South Florida. More like a reprieve, if you ask me. I read in Monday's newspaper that hundreds of folks couldn't fly home over the weekend. According to the report, these people were "stranded" here. Big snowstorms in Atlanta, then the mess began moving up the coast. Winter storm warnings were issued from North Carolina to New Hampshire, with 8 to 12 inches of snow expected. One Associated Press story I just read online talked about "the blizzard-like snow - together with sleet, freezing rain and wind gusts of up to 30 mph." Lovely. So tell me something. Who in their right mind is in a hurry to jet back to this? All you folks waiting at the airport - get a clue. Take off your down parkas and stay a while. Relax. You were not "stranded" by the storm. You were selected by the weather gods.

Take it from a traveler who has been stranded. And not in paradise either. In Washington D.C. to be precise, which no one but a lobbyist could call paradise. I've been marooned at other airports for various lengths of time, of course, but my D.C. incident happened just a couple years ago. Not fun.

I was flying back to lovely, warm South Florida from Singapore. You may remember the big Valentine's Day winter storm in 2007? That was the one. So there I am looking to find my baggage, maneuver through customs, recheck my bags and fly home, right? Then comes an announcement over the public address system: "All flights have been cancelled for the rest of the day." Yes, it was a joy. Scrambling for a hotel room, squishing through the snow without a coat, battling for a taxi. In the end, everything worked out fine, partly due to some very nice people at a nearby Hilton hotel. I tell this little story for just one reason - to show the Fort Lauderdale visitors who missed flights what it means to be really stranded. Do you honestly want to rush back to slosh through Atlanta slush? To drag yourself through NYC drifts? To wade around New England waist-deep? Hey, the way I look at it, you've got a perfect excuse for that boss back home. "Geez, boss," you can say, "I'm really trying to get back! But, well ... I'm stranded!" This is the only time the word "stranded" is properly applied to South Florida, by the way. Then call up your hotel, check back in to your room, hang that parka away in the closet and go for a walk on the beach. It's a lovely sunny day for it. With any luck, you'll be "stranded" in Fort Lauderdale until Wednesday. At least.