LauderBlog

Sometimes you have to look back to move ahead. This weekend Fort Lauderdale is doing just that. Once upon a time, lots of young boys came here each spring. Predictably, lots of girls came too. They called this "spring break" - and it was good. For a while. You must know by now that Fort Lauderdale has moved well beyond those days. Spring break as annual ritual is broken. But it's also a part of our past, something that happened sometime after the Seminole Wars and sometime before the first ultra-lux hotel on the Fort Lauderdale beach. And so this weekend, well, it's a time to remember those good ol', bad ol' days of spring breakers and schoolgirl crushes. "Where The Boys Are" is returning for a short visit. And so is Connie Francis.

If you remember those bad/good days, or even just read about them, then you may also remember Connie Francis. She was a very big singing star, Ms. Francis was. Very big. And she starred in a movie as well, a little flick called "Where The Boys Are." You may have heard about it.

As it happens, this is the 50^th anniversary of that particular picture. And that's a big deal in Fort Lauderdale, as it should be. The film helped to make this city into a nationally known tourist destination. We became THE place to be around March each year for those of a certain age. A certain barely legal age at the time. That would be our parents and grandparents we're talking about. So indeed Ms. Francis is making a sentimental journey to our famous beach for a sentimental showing of - well, really, what other movie would they show? The best part is that you can make that journey with her. Just head to A1A and Las Olas this Saturday, May 29, anytime after 11:30 in the morning for the "Great American Beach Party." A stretch of Fort Lauderdale's lovely beach will briefly return to Spring Break 1960. (The film is planned for about 8pm and no doubt Ms. Francis will address the crowd just before the projector rolls.) You can get in on the general wackiness by joining some generally wacky contests if you like. Hula hooping, anyone? How about trying the limbo again - or maybe a hot game of Twister? There will be a water balloon toss, even a sand castle building competition. Heh-heh. It's all free and it all sounds like just "the most." Wasn't that the term back then? Anyway, have fun and enjoy the nostalgia while it lasts. Next week, the Fort Lauderdale beach goes right back to what it is today. The spring breakers are gone now, replaced by something much, much better.

Have you ever noticed beach umbrellas? I mean, really noticed them? I'm guessing that the answer is probably not. Most of us look at them as another part of the landscape when we're on the South Florida seashore playing in the sunshine and waves. This weekend I stopped by the Fort Lauderdale beach just to poke around and admire the scene. As usual, it was gorgeous. I walked along a northern section where patches of grass and sea oats grow on small dunes. The ocean was breaking ashore in gentle rows of surf that welcomed swimmers into water as green as that beach grass. Farther out, the deeper seas spread toward the horizon. But yes, it was all those beach umbrellas that really caught my attention on this morning.

Most of the sunbathers had one of the umbrellas. Or more. All the umbrellas were different too. Different colors, different styles, even somewhat different shapes. And that's when the thought struck me that this variety somehow must say something about the folks sitting under those umbrellas.

What does it say about the couple with the small yellow umbrella pointed in the direction of the sun? With a moderate sea breeze, everyone else had faced their umbrellas into the wind, which forced them to keep moving to find the little patch of shade underneath. Not this couple. They were rebels of a sort, these beachgoers, boldly turning their umbrella directly toward the rays like a sunflower that follows the sun's path - utterly oblivious to the wind that seemed strong enough to lift their umbrella right out of the sand. But that yellow umbrella never budged an inch for some reason. Then I saw somebody else with an umbrella in swatches of navy blue and white, a simple and understated beach umbrella if ever there was one. Surely this must say something about the person beneath it, don't you think? Some people used umbrellas with scalloped edges that fluttered in the wind like a circle of butterflies. Others preferred umbrellas with little cupolas on top built in for extra ventilation. There were umbrellas in one solid color, purple along with the yellow, and there were umbrellas in full rainbows of the spectrum. Large and round umbrellas, small and angled umbrellas. Something about those many colors and sizes and shapes had attracted each of those people in different ways. Their beach umbrellas reflected their individual personalities, I decided. Of course, I don't know for sure what anyone's choice of beach umbrella really says about them. But on this morning as I stood beside a clear, radiant sea, it was fun to wonder.

South Florida dances to a unique rhythm. You can feel it in the sway of our palm fronds hissing on a sea breeze or in the surge of our waves falling softly ashore. But it's not only the environment that makes this part of the world vibrate. It is the people, the culture. Our art and music and drama and, yes, the food and drink. We're a blend of Latin and Caribbean, European and increasingly Asian and African. And plain old American of course. Naturally enough, those of us who live here have our favorite places where we can savor something of this diverse mix. One of my personal faves has long been the Samba Room on Fort Lauderdale's lovely Las Olas Boulevard. This is a spot to enjoy that food and drink I mentioned in a distinctly South Florida atmosphere, a place with hints of Cuban and suggestions of Jamaican and Brazilian too.

To me, though, the Samba Room really is very Fort Lauderdale most of all - relaxed, casual but chic. Not the kind of watering hole you go to immediately after hanging out at one of our beautiful beaches, quite honestly. This is the sort of restaurant for a working lunch with colleagues or a Happy Hour get together with friends or a romantic evening for two.

I've been getting reacquainted with the Samba Room fairly often these days. For some reason, it had dropped off my personal radar screen for a while. Probably because I went there all the time with my former wife and the place was full of memories for me. But now I find myself going again frequently for lunch with a buddy. Or for cocktails with an old friend, as I'm doing tomorrow. Patrick is a great guy and I'm sure we'll sit outside, order rum-and-cokes and fire up fine cigars for a long talk. Very South Florida. The Samba Room has excellent drinks, by the way - I highly recommend their mojitos. Hmm, maybe I'll order one of those instead. The food is just as tasty as the drinks, with a menu that reflects those Caribbean and Latin influences I mentioned. Outdoor tables are scattered along Las Olas and also farther away from the street if you prefer. But make sure to at least peek inside where you'll find a beautiful mural and other Cuban-influenced artwork. It'll help you to hear some of the music that hums throughout South Florida, a rhythm in many styles. The samba may be a Brazilian dance but here ... well, here it is pure Fort Lauderdale.

Isn't it something, though? A morning walk on the beach. As I begin this blog, my flip-flops are still wet after my trip to the Dania Beach shorefront, perhaps the most undeveloped stretch of beach in Greater Fort Lauderdale. I just finished wiping the last grains of sand off my feet - at least I think I got them all now. And I cleaned the salt spray from my glasses too. It was a windy morning but lovely, another delightful opportunity to spend some time on our coastline. A bit earlier, I had hopped in my Mini Cooper, opened the sunroof and scooted a mile or so from my condo to the Atlantic Ocean. The sunshine was hazy at the time, softened by banks of clouds that shifted over the sea. The rays that reflected off the water also shifted, swatches of brilliant light that shone and faded in some great pattern.

The ocean itself was an almost surreal pale green, like some fluorescent pastel you'd be more likely to find coloring a living room wall than painted on the surface of the sea. Beautiful. I wandered on to the clean tan sand in my flip-flops without intending to wade into the surf. But I reached down to the water with my hand to feel the temperature. Very pleasant, warm but still refreshing.

Then I spotted an ivory white seashell and leaned down again to pick it up. It was small and appeared somehow delicate, with a deep impression of some tentacled form of sea life embedded in its shape. I washed the sand off the shell, then tossed it back on the beach for a surprised tourist to discover later in the day. A few people already were lounging in beach chairs or blankets, a few more were walking along the shore for their morning exercise. I was still dry at this point, just staring out at the pelicans that bobbed on the winds and on the waves. But I wasn't dry for long. I stepped into the ocean in my flip-flops for some odd reason, then took them off and strolled barefoot a ways through the clear saltwater. My heels were tickled by small pieces of kelp that surged in and out on the powerful surf. With all the wind, this was a much better day for walking and sunning and wading than for swimming. And so I walked and sunned and waded until I was ready to leave. A family of four was arriving as I got into my car to go home, unloading their beach chairs and beach toys. It was another normal day along the South Florida coast, though it was special to me of course. For a little while, I had been part of it.

This is a good weekend for foodies. There's an event you won't want to miss. The same thing for all you winelovers. (Doesn't it seem like there should be a good slang term for lovers of wine, just as there is for lovers of food? "Foodies" is a great new word. But "winies?" Doesn't quite work, does it? And, well, "winos" somehow doesn't quite capture the upscale essence either, eh? Oh well. I digress ....) Ahem. In any case, I was talking about this weekend's big event: the Las Olas Wine and Food Festival. It happens on Saturday, May 15, from 7:30-10pm and will offer guests unlimited samplings of food and wine. Oh and beer too, actually. I'm told there will be some 40 tables of microbrew beers and fine wines available. And food from 67 top Greater Fort Lauderdale restaurants.

Now that strikes me as quite a statement, actually. The fact that there are 67 top local restaurants is amazing to me. Of course, there are that many - even more than 67 of them spread throughout Broward County. In my two decades of living here, I've seen this area mature in many wonderful ways. The expanded options for quality dining are among those ways.

So yes, nearly six dozen excellent eateries will be represented at the 2010 edition of the Las Olas Wine and Food Festival. They include Steak 954, Casa D'Angelo, Bonefish Grill and 3030 Ocean. There's even a celebrity chef, Ralph Pagano, the host of "Pressure Cook" on the MOJO HD network. This whole deal will spread out along Las Olas, predictably enough - from SE 6^th Avenue to SE 11^th Avenue. The street will be closed to traffic, though non-guests still are welcome to wander Las Olas that night. There's even a free after-party for the public at the Riverside Hotel starting at 10 p.m., with a DJ and dancing. Should be a fun night. Tickets cost $75, with VIP tickets going for $225. The really good thing about all this is that proceeds benefit the American Lung Association, so you can eat and drink well and help others at the same time. For more info, just call 954-524-4657 or visit http://www.lasolaswineandfood.com/. Advance tickets are recommended as this event often sells out early. If you're a serious foodie, or even a serious winie, this is one of the year's don't-miss events for sure.

In South Florida, you have moments. Special moments, sometimes - if you let yourself become aware of them. You experience these when you live here. And you can experience these as a tourist too. They happen partly because of our near-constant daytime sunshine, which washes our landscape in an optimistic glow. And also partly because of the landscape itself, the exotic palm trees and equally exotic wildlife. And the grand stretch of sea that is such a dramatic presence. Just keep your eyes open, and your ears, and open up your mind and heart a little too. Put down the cellphone and get in touch with the tropical surroundings. If you do, I'm pretty sure that you'll understand what I mean.

I was reminded of this on Saturday morning as I drove south along A1A, my sunroof and windows wide open to that glowing, optimistic sunlight and exotic flora-and-fauna and dramatic ocean. Yes, I had one of those small, lovely, memorable South Florida moments while motoring along in my car.

I rounded the corner on A1A to approach the northern end of Fort Lauderdale's beach. I wanted a parking space so I could stop the car and just watch the tranquil blue seascape for a while. But all the spots were taken - on both sides of the road. The beach was busy. Very busy, with beach umbrellas opened across the sand and sunbathers spread out on blankets and swimmers splashing in the surf. That was when my moment occurred. I realized that the recent warmer temperatures had brought the locals back to the water, as happens each year around this time. Living in Greater Fort Lauderdale, we want our ocean to feel like bathwater when we get into it, or pretty darned warm anyway. Floridians grow accustomed to comfortable swims. So I recognized the signs at once: We had crossed into that fun season when residents and tourists mingle in large numbers along our summer beaches. At that very instant, my radio started to play a familiar song. "Here Comes The Sun" by the Beatles. "Little darling, it's been a long, cold, lonely winter," George Harrison was singing. "It seems like years since it's been clear. Here comes the sun!" To me, the song's optimism perfectly matched the scene. I had the sense that the world around me had come alive in some way, with hundreds of people smiling and laughing and enjoying the summery day. And I was part of it. This was just another of those small, special South Florida moments as I smiled along with the beachgoers and the music and the sunlight and the sea. Ah yes, I could feel it all very clearly now - the Beatles were right. Here comes the sun.

We're a little over a month away from the first official day of summer, but that isn't stopping most people from already dreaming of the perfect summer getaway. Between the hustle and bustle of the work week and running the children back and forth, most hope to fit at least one or two getaways in a year. But what if you were offered lavish getaways from 50 of the nation's top travel destinations daily?

DiscoverAmerica.com, the Official Travel and Tourism Website of the United States and American Express have teamed up to present Discover America Daily Giveaways. For the whole month of May, dailygetaways.discoveramerica.com will offer travel packages and savings for up to 50% off of regular prices for American Express Cardmembers to bid on. And what better way to travel this summer than in style.

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau is offering a "Fort Lauderdale Beach Chic" package that American Express Cardmembers can preview starting May 14 and bid on May 20. The package includes:

• Two round-trip tickets on JetBlue Airways to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport;
• Four-night accommodations in an ocean/pool view room at Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa,
       an oceanfront property on Fort Lauderdale beach;
• $99 Spa service at The Spa at Marriott's Harbor Beach;
• $100 dinner certificate to 3030 Ocean restaurant, located inside the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa;
• $100 dinner certificate to Morton's The Steakhouse in Fort Lauderdale;
• $100 dinner certificate to By Word of Mouth;
• Two Greater Fort Lauderdale 2010 VIP Cards with complimentary admission to attractions, 
       including Museum of Art, Jungle Queen Riverboat sightseeing cruise, Everglades airboat tour;
• Two "Beach Starter Kits," including a beach towel, beach ball, flip flops and sunscreen.

All you have to do until then is pack your bags and start bidding!

Living in Fort Lauderdale, you get to know something about the sun. You actually become a solar expert of sorts. Nothing to do with flares and sunspots, obviously. But it doesn't take much time in Florida before you learn how long to sit in the sun before spots of a different type appear on your skin. Sunshine is pretty much a constant in our lives in the Sunshine State - even for those who never go to the beach. With this little preamble in mind, then, I turn to the topic du jour. Let's talk about automobiles that let all that sunshine warm you as you roll along our streets. Hey, this is no small subject in our part of the world. Not if you live in South Florida. And not if you're coming to visit South Florida.

You don't absolutely require a car that lets in the rays. I mean, there's not exactly a state law saying all drivers must have an automobile equipped with a sunroof or convertible top. But maybe there should be. What's the point of motoring among swaying palm fronds you can't fully see and sea breezes you can't really smell? Why wait til you get out of the car to enjoy our great sights and sounds ... and sunshine?

I hope you're convinced. Whether you're a resident or tourist, you need a car with some kind of open roof. My last vehicle was a PT Cruiser convertible. My new car is a Mini Cooper with a big sunroof. So I feel qualified to compare and contrast. Convertibles are an experience all their own. A completely open top makes you feel connected to the environment in a way that no sunroof can match. You have the wind full in your face and the sunshine full on your body. You're utterly exposed to everything around you. Sometimes that's good. But sometimes it's not. And this is where the sunroof comes in. A sunroof is a compromise, basically, because you really can have too much of a good thing. The Florida sunlight is so persistent, and often so intense, that you may not want to let all of it into your car. A sunroof allows you to, well, let just some of it into your car. With windows down and sunroof open, you still feel the wind and sunshine. You still see those swaying palm fronds and smell those sea breezes. But you're also protected from some of the sun and wind. It's also much easier to close a sunroof quickly and turn on the a.c. if things warm up beyond comfort levels. In the end, it's a judgment call - sunroof or convertible. They're both great, honestly, and totally worth the extra money to buy or rent when you're in Florida. Sure, there's no law that says you have to get either one. But then you shouldn't need a law to enjoy all the fun in the sun you can find around here.

Today should be a nice day for filming. As in filming TV shows here in Broward County. There's a lot of it going on these days. I'm not sure where the cameras may be rolling just now, but I drove by a foamy emerald ocean this morning and then on past Port Everglades, which looked lovely with a Royal Caribbean ship waiting to load passengers for its next cruise. All of this under a warm and totally gorgeous sun. Yep, it's a most excellent day to tape, say, an episode of "The Glades." The cast and crew of that new A&E Network program are running all over Broward County as they put together this cop drama for a July debut.

A little farther afield, out in western Broward's Everglades, another program also is being filmed. This one's a reality show called "Swamp Men," which premieres tonight at 10 p.m. on the National Geographic network, Nat Geo Wild. Together, these two series should highlight some of this area's beauty, both natural and manmade - and again prove why Greater Fort Lauderdale is such a terrific place for TV and film productions.

It's always fun to host these folks. I think most South Floridians enjoy bumping into a location set, all the lights and cameras and microphones spread out somewhere on our streets. Or in our parks. Or even in our Everglades, for those who visit Billie Swamp Safari. This wildlife park is operated by the Seminole Tribe, with more than 2,000 acres and more than 1,500 wild creatures. Alligators, panthers, bison, venomous snakes and lots of other critters ... oh my! As you'll see tonight if you watch, "Swamp Men" will focus on the park director and his staff as they cope with ornery gators and ill-tempered wild hogs and whatever else feels like giving them a hard time out in the boonies. As for "The Glades," this program features Aussie actor Matt Passmore as a former Chicago homicide cop who was wrongly accused of misconduct. Is there any other kind? Seriously, the show takes place in a fictional town - but actually takes place right here. They'll be filming in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, on our piers and county parks and basically all around Broward. I'm looking forward to catching them somewhere nearby as they tape a new scene. And oh, by the way, in case any casting directors for the series are reading this blog. If you happen to need a dapper-looking writer for an episode, well, I'm definitely ready for my close-up.