LauderBlog

Let's see, we were at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale when I ended Monday's blog. And I was saying something about savoring a decadent day that felt like a mini-vacation by the sea. Gwendolyn and I were in one of the Ritz's new Oceanfront VIP Cabanas that are set up immediately below the pool deck. As we sat there, I could slowly feel myself beginning to relax, little by little to let go of the urge to "do something." Shouldn't I be working? Shouldn't I be exercising? Shouldn't I be going somewhere? No, I shouldn't. We didn't even bother turning on the private flat-screen television in our cabana or playing music on the Bose stereo system or anything else. We sat and talked and looked out at the gorgeous view of the Atlantic Ocean.

Things along the beach were bustling with tourists. Dive boats were coming and going, as were tour helicopters and parasailers. When I sat back in my chair, though, I couldn't see the many swimmers in the water. At moments I could imagine I was on a ship sailing somewhere into the east, nothing below me but a broad expanse of ocean.

After an extended period of chilling this way, we asked our Cabana Captain, Jason, to bring lunch. Wow. He and a colleague returned with an 18-inch platter of iced seafood: huge shrimp, mussels, clams and crab claws. And they brought a basket of fresh bread, a tray of cubed meats and another large tray of veggies. Oh yeah, and cheese fondue. We just laughed as we tucked into that excellent food. "How are we going to eat all this?" Gwendolyn said, smiling. The amazing thing is that we ate, well no, not most of it - but nearly all of the seafood at least. Mmmmm. As we sipped on our Veuve Clicquot champagne, our hostess, Glenda, brought still more food. An amazing plate of chocolate desserts including something that seemed a cross between mousse and ganache in a chocolate cup with fresh berries on top. Whoa, see what I mean about "decadence?" Delightful, deluxe decadence for sure. Once we'd killed the champagne, we stretched out on our circular lounger to relax after all that relaxing, taking in the fresh sea breeze and the sounds of the sea below us. We really did feel as if we'd been on a one-day vacation - that's how removed this seemed from daily life. You can find out how to do the same thing yourself or to sample one of the other VIP Cabana packages at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale by calling 954-302-6466. They're available to the public as well as to guests, with or without so much food and champagne. As for us, we enjoyed it all. Thoroughly and totally. Every once in a while, a taste of decadence probably isn't such a bad thing.

My afternoon on Sunday at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale seemed like that. A 1 day vacation. It was so memorable, in fact, that I need both blogs this week to do it any justice at all. And to help you experience it through me as much as possible. You see, I'd arranged for one of the Ritz-Carlton's new Oceanfront VIP Cabana packages. Fort Lauderdale's only Five Diamond hotel has created a chance for both its guests and the general public to sit by our beautiful, clear beach in decadent luxury. By the time we left, Gwendolyn and I were so relaxed that just making our way to the car was an effort. But let me back up to the beginning of this story. It starts with our drive along a very busy beachfront crowded with swimmers and sunbathers, parasailers and kite flyers. 

When we pulled in to valet park at the Ritz-Carlton, though, things felt different immediately. I had that pleasant sense of arriving in a luxurious oasis - and, honestly, every Ritz in my experience really is that. A tasteful, tranquil oasis. I've stayed in this hotel chain's properties from Florida to South America to Asia and each one was top notch.

Once inside Fort Lauderdale's Ritz-Carlton on Sunday, we met our delightful hostess, Glenda, who walked us through the pool deck to a private VIP area tucked below. Ten cabanas are set up on a curved, secluded patio that overlooks the sea - an oasis within an oasis. Our cabana was ready for us, with rose petals strewn across a circular lounger and a dozen roses in two vases. Along with anything else we could need, including a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne chilling in a silver ice bucket. Yep, we were impressed. Our attentive Cabana Captain, Jason, introduced himself as Gwendolyn and I settled in for a comfortable day. We had arrived shortly after noon on a typically hot, sunny South Florida summer weekend. Glenda poured us glasses of water from a pitcher filled with ice, cherries and oranges. The water was pink and refreshing. At some point around this time, Gwendolyn and I looked at each other and laughed. "This is amazing," I said. Before our day ended, we would mention another word that I used earlier in this blog, "decadent." That word would come after we ate from an iced platter of clams, mussels, shrimp and King crab. And from another plate of artful chocolates. And after we finished off that entire bottle of fine champagne. Like I said, I need two blogs to do this experience any kind of justice. I'll give you the rest of our "decadent" details on Wednesday. See ya then!

I've said it before and I'm about to say it again. There's nothing like breakfast by the sea. To me, this is one of the great pleasures of living in Greater Fort Lauderdale. I do it as often as I can. And during my annual staycation on the Fort Lauderdale beach, I make a point to savor as many oceanside breakfasts with my girlfriend as possible in our week at a local hotel. I mention all this because I recently enjoyed an unusually long breakfast at a café by the Atlantic. No, not during a staycation. It was after an important business meeting, actually, something related to the nonprofit group I founded. My organization, the Humanity Project, received a key sponsorship the other morning from the Broward Sheriff's Office. BSO is the largest fully accredited sheriff's department in the nation and a vital partner in this community. So this was a big step forward for our group.

My Humanity Project colleague, Rebecca, and I decided to celebrate the news with a lovely breakfast together. We drove over to Las Olas, paid the master meter and walked to one of the pretty cafes on A1A nearby. It was a beautiful, warm morning with a crystalline sea reflecting the sunlight. People were walking on the beach, swimming in the waves and generally settling into another summery day.

Rebecca and I sat chatting over our coffee for a bit. We talked about our meeting with the sheriff and the other wonderful folks from BSO who helped us. We talked about our group and the work we're doing in South Florida and beyond. All this before even ordering. When the food came, my fried eggs were tasty and I scarfed everything down quickly. But the day and the weather and the setting by the ocean, all these things felt so relaxing and inviting that we just lingered. The chat soon shifted topics to our friends and families and more. We covered a lot of ground during all this talking and the patient waitress just kept refilling our coffee cups. For hours. At some point, I looked around and the café was filling up with people eating lunch. They were opening bottles of white wine and putting them back in ice buckets and they were ordering margaritas and rum runners. Obviously this was a vacation crowd and just as obviously Rebecca and I had been hanging at that café for a long time. It was an excellent morning. And honestly, I didn't want to go back to the car even when we both felt the need to leave at last. That's the only problem with breakfast by the sea. It can be awfully hard to get on with the rest of your day after such a delightful start. Though I guess that's not really such a bad problem when you think about it. 

I've just gone from canoli to canals, from lido to beach. From Venice, Italy to what's often been dubbed the "Venice of America." I was on a European trip for a while this month, with my first stop in Venice and my end point in Athens. So this seemed a good time to look at the Venice-Fort Lauderdale thing. True, there are some similarities. Mostly those canals, of course, though they're vastly different in northern Italy and southern Florida. But quite honestly, the comparison of Venice and Fort Lauderdale always has struck me as, well, imprecise at best. Because there's really no comparison at all and the suggestion that there is simply doesn't do justice to either place.

If you want Medieval European atmosphere, and can afford the cost, go to Venice, Italy. But if you want vibrant sun-washed tropics, with miles of lovely beaches, you'd better head to Fort Lauderdale. They're two totally different experiences.

In Venice, a building that's 500 years old is the new youngster on the block. In Fort Lauderdale, a building that's 50 years old is on the register of historic places. I exaggerate only slightly for effect. Like Europe itself, the history of Venice as a bustling hub of humanity stretches back many centuries. Like America itself, the history of Fort Lauderdale involves mostly wilderness and animals, Native Americans and explorers. Old World charm is one of Venice's major selling points, just as our very newness is one of our strongest assets. There's only one Venice, really. And there is only one Fort Lauderdale. Why would we want to be anything other than that? We actually have many, many more miles of canals than Venice, mostly lined with palm trees and orchestrated by the screech of wild parrots. We have 23 miles of Blue Wave beaches and warm, clear seas to enjoy throughout the year. We have endless summer too and a unique blend of cultures from Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as much of the rest of the world. Including Italy. I adore Venice. But truthfully, I wouldn't want to live there. Fort Lauderdale? I've lived here for nearly 21 years now - and have no plans to move anytime soon. I guess that says something about the "Venice of America," doesn't it?

From getting up early and getting ready for work to driving home on busy South Florida streets, some of us may forget to stop and see the palm trees. But one talented local designer makes sure to take some time each morning to photograph them.  His twitter name is @FtLauderdaleSun, appropriately named for bringing us the sun each day.

With iPhone in hand, FtLauderdaleSun walks along the coast each morning and starts the day catching the beauty of Fort Lauderdale Beach's sunrise with the device---even on cloudy or rainy mornings.

That's when unexpected light effects can happen. That's when the dawn can take your breath away," he says.

To him, walking along the beach is like experiencing a great work of art every day. Who wouldn't be inspired by the turquoise waters, changing pink and orange sky and silhouettes of palms in the sunrise? The opposition of busy, exciting Fort Lauderdale by day from how peaceful and calm it is at dawn is what intrigues him the most.

FtLauderdaleSun knows that each beachgoer has his or her own connection with the beach - from an Ohio woman and her daughter who have names for each of the five palms in FtLauderdaleSun's most photographed spot, to the many joggers on A1A.  There is a calming, yet energetic nature of Greater Fort Lauderdale's beaches, depending on what time you visit. And FtLauderdaleSun is there to catch it all.

Start your day with a picture of the beach. Follow FtLauderdaleSun. You can find him on
http://twitter.com/FtLauderdaleSun  or on http://flickr.com/photos/ftlauderdalesun  or http://facebook.com/ftlauderdalesun.

We are fortunate to have someone so talented bring us these inspirational images each day. And we are fortunate to live here to experience these locations in our own backyard.

Monica Vigo, Intern
Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
(Photo: FtLauderdaleSun's favorite morning image)

1. Plan your hometown getaway by visiting www.sunny.org to request free guides.
Greater Fort Lauderdale is home to 31 municipalities and encompasses more than 1,000 square miles. With attractions, a list of accommodations and places to shop and eat, the Getaway Guide and map will come in handy - even for locals. Take a sightseeing boat tour or a duck tour. Visit the local visitor center and pretend that you are a tourist and get them to recommend things to do. Go to social tourism websites such as TripAdvisor to see what other tourists who have already visited suggest to do in your town.

2. Switch up your everyday routine and try something new.
Break out of your routine. Drive a different route to work. Browse through the Riverwalk or downtown Las Olas Boulevard or downtown Hollywood. Taste a new dish. Find out areas that you have never been to. There are always places to discover or that you don't visit very often. Explore and walk around. Eat out and try a new place you have never been to. With many different cultures represented in Greater Fort Lauderdale and more than 4,000 restaurants, hometown tourists can sample almost any international destination. Ask someone you pass on the street if they can recommend a good place to eat.

3. Indulge in adventure.
Even if it means taking a ride on the wild side, find a way to play in Greater Fort Lauderdale such as a trek through the Everglades to Billie Swamp Safari. Learn more about the past at the Stranahan House or the present on a Water Taxi Tour. Browse through upcoming special events on www.sunny.org and create an itinerary. Sign up to "Vacation Like A VIP" and receive 2-for-1 admissions to places like the Museum of Discovery and Science, Butterfly World, sightseeing cruises, golf, spa and more. www.sunny.org/vip 

4. Find your own beach personality?
Test your beach style with Gr8ter Fort Lauderdale's online quiz (www.sunny.org/beach-quiz). Sample the unique vibe of each of the eight different beaches. Reel in some fish at Pompano Beach. Run, bike, or rollerblade, just get active at Hollywood's Broadwalk. Launch a kayak at one of the area's hidden gems, Dania Beach. Take a moonlit guided turtle walk on Fort Lauderdale beach. Pack up the family for surfing, beach volleyball, and sand castles in Deerfield Beach. Learn more about Broward's beach communities at www.sunny.org/beaches.

5. Get a room.
For a real escape, spend a night or two at a cozy Superior Small Lodging and experience personalized service and charm in a quaint inn. Take it one-step further and see what makes the spa resorts in the Lauderdale Luxe Collection such an affordable luxury and an escape from the everyday.

RELAX AND ENJOY YOUR HOMETOWN!

Monica Vigo, Intern
Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
(Photo courtesy of The Atlantic Hotel)

Ever take a leisurely Sunday drive? South Florida is a great place for that. Especially right along A1A, our seaside highway. There was a time when the Sunday drive was a common form of recreation for American families. Not that many years ago, really. They would hop in the car and just head out to nowhere special, basically motoring to anywhere the steering wheel happened to take them. I can remember doing this with my dad and mom - some good times for us together. Just driving and talking and looking out the window. Well, there's no reason why we can't put down the iPad for a while to do this today, right? I mean, whether we're single or a couple, whether going with family or with friends, a relaxed Sunday drive can be a lovely way to connect with other people and our community.

So yes, I highly recommend hopping in the car and tooling on A1A some Sunday soon. In Greater Fort Lauderdale, you can begin at one end and drive all the way to the other, maybe starting in Hallandale Beach to the south. Then just keep going to Deerfield Beach at Broward County's northern end.

Along the way, you'll pass beautiful ocean vistas and 23 miles of some of this nation's cleanest beaches. But you will find more than that as well. As you drive slowly up the coast, you're going to see grand hotels and small private homes, marinas crowded with sailboats and yachts as well as parking lots packed with restaurants and shops. Condos and churches and parks. This time of year many flowering trees and bushes are in full bloom too, adding some extra pizzazz to the journey. I think it's nice to stop at least once somewhere during a Sunday drive - maybe for some ice cream. Or just to admire the ocean scenery. Depending where you park, you're likely to be passed by bicyclists and joggers, walkers and inline skaters. Kids are out with their parents for a stroll and older couples amble on the sidewalks to talk about whatever is on their minds. Few people seem in a hurry. Some folks are dressed for church services, others are dressed for the beach. On a Sunday drive we come across these little slices of South Florida life, things we share both with those who are outside our car and those who are inside our car. Maybe in the midst of this hectic digital world, that's not such a bad thing to do now and then. 

I remember learning to dive. Well, to snorkel at first. Then I moved on later to get my scuba certification. Since Greater Fort Lauderdale is partway through its "Learn to Dive" month, this seemed a good time for me to look back at my diving. Not just for personal nostalgic reasons, I guess, but to remind you how cool diving really is. And how easy it is to learn the basics, especially here in Fort Lauderdale. South Florida is a serious dive capital in this country. But for me ... well, my fascination with the underwater world began with a very old TV show. The star was a fella named Lloyd Bridges, father of actor Jeff Bridges - and the program was called "Sea Hunt."

As a young boy, I watched "Sea Hunt" every Saturday night, then acted out my own dramatic scuba scenes with my cousin. I have vivid memories of the two of us walking slowly around his basement while moving our arms as if we were swimming beneath the sea, using hand signals to communicate. Just like Lloyd. I used to puff out my cheeks to emphasize that I was underwater. This annoyed my cousin.

When I was a bit older, I finally got the chance to use a real mask and snorkel and fins - and to swim under the water for real. My first opportunity to do that in the ocean happened here in Florida when a buddy and I drove down from Michigan during our high school summer break. Wow, we had a great time. Soon after this, I earned my scuba certification at that same high school. Then much, much later, as a professional writer, I found myself diving off South Florida's reefs and hand-feeding a six-foot shark for a story in USA Weekend magazine. That was a total trip! And a lot less scary than it sounds. I don't get the chance to dive as often as I'd like at the moment, mostly because I'm so busy these days. But I want to do a lot more of it. I'm in Fort Lauderdale, after all. A huge percentage of America's scuba divers visit this area each year to enjoy our clean and clear waters, lovely reefs and all the sea life that lives just off our shores. If you've never tried diving, this is a great chance with June's "Learn to Dive" specials. You don't have to do scuba to experience the undersea world either. If you prefer, just learn to snorkel - which some longtime divers prefer anyway. Whatever way you go, snorkeling or scuba diving, I think you'll find that this new adventure genuinely enriches your life. Really, there's nothing quite like it. I've never become nearly as good a diver as Lloyd Bridges in "Sea Hunt." But under the ocean, I'll bet we both felt some of the same sense of wonder.

Greater Fort Lauderdale has lots of amazing photo opportunities. Unusual angles on dramatic sights, fresh glimpses of familiar places. I've written about several of these in previous blogs. But I've got another really good one to add to your list. This place offers some impressive views of the cruise ships that pass along our lovely coastline and into Port Everglades. You'll also discover some other strong photo ops at this same location. See, there's this little nook just east of the 17^th Street bridge in Fort Lauderdale. Even many locals drive right past this spot without ever noticing - it's that hidden. So, yeah, finding your way here probably will be your biggest challenge. Once you figure it out, though, you'll have the chance to snap some memorable pics if you're handy with that camera.

Ok, well, first let's get you there. If you're driving west to east over the bridge, make your first right immediately after crossing the Intracoastal Waterway. If you're coming from the other direction, away from the beach, make your last left just before heading over the bridge. The street is Harbour Inlet Drive (SE 23^rd Avenue) and there's a traffic light that will help you notice the turn. It's also directly across from the Pier 66 hotel.

Now take your immediate right-hand turn on to the unmarked 17^th Street Ramp, a small access road that ends at the Intracoastal. There's plenty of parking in two lots but you'll need to feed the master meter to avoid a ticket. Grab a spot and walk a short distance to the water. You will find yourself standing practically on top of the Intracoastal Waterway. Fort Lauderdale is renowned for its beautiful waters, of course, our ocean as well as our many canals and lakes - and for this lovely passageway that cuts right through the landscape. But from this new vantage point, the Intracoastal looks different somehow. It swirls just below your feet, broad and mostly tranquil, a resting place for grand passenger ships and megayachts and sailboats and motorboats alike. The cruise ships appear massive from here if you can catch one in port. This time of year, Sunday morning probably is your best bet. And the bridge towers over you too, offering other angles on Fort Lauderdale that your friends likely have never seen before. Good photographers know they often have to work a bit for the best shots. This photo opportunity is a case in point - definitely off the beaten path. Which is exactly why it's worth the trip.

What exactly IS a "Blue Wave" beach? We hear a lot about them. That's especially true around Greater Fort Lauderdale, which offers 23 miles of officially designated Blue Wave beaches - our entire coastline from Deerfield Beach to Hallandale Beach. I've talked about our Blue Wave beaches many times in these blogs too. But I've never really explained what the heck they are. So today, well, I am going to explain what the heck they are. The story starts with a non-profit group called the Clean Beaches Council. Beginning 11 years ago, that Washington D.C. organization launched the nation's first environmental certification for beaches. As the council itself writes, "The Blue Wave certification process is designed to help maintain robust, healthy and vibrant beaches." Applicants can include cities, tourism boards, even hotels and resorts.

But the Clean Beaches Council doesn't just hand these certifications out to anyone. You have to meet some high standards of beach quality first. Actually there are 56 standards in seven areas related to safety, environmental management and responsible beach use.

Applying federal EPA standards, the Clean Beaches Council looks at such characteristics as water quality along with beach cleanliness and aesthetics, public education efforts and erosion management. Other factors taken into account include safety, service, beach and intertidal conditions and habitat conservation. Those folks at the council take this stuff seriously. As they should. Consider just this fact: Every year, more than 180 million Americans visit our ocean, gulf and inland beaches over two billion times. And remember, those numbers just reflect our domestic beachgoers. It turns out that beaches are this country's top tourist destination, fueling our economy with more than $640 billion annually. That's a lot of money and a lot of people. Obviously we all know that there are many other reasons to take care of our beaches - not least to support the wild animals that use our sands for breeding and feeding. The great news for those who love Fort Lauderdale is that our beaches keep earning the Blue Wave certification. Every year since the program began. So all those beaches, yes from Deerfield Beach right down through Hallandale Beach ... they each receive Blue Wave flags and beach entrance boundary markers along with public information kiosks. All of that stuff just serves as reminders that Greater Fort Lauderdale offers some of the best beaches anywhere. Of course I live here, so no one really has to tell me about that. I can see it for myself.