LauderBlog

Our port has another port within walking distance. Port Everglades, one of the world's busiest cruise ports, has helped to spawn a great variety of restaurants and hotels and shops of all kinds in the general area. Meaning, on the SE 17^th Street Causeway to the west of the grand drawbridge. I lived in this area for quite a while and know it well. So I was surprised recently when I had lunch at the Southport Shopping Center. Wow, what a difference within the last year or so. Now it's a terrific place for cruise ship passengers and crew members to hang out, maybe catching a bite just before the ship boards or picking up a bargain during an afternoon in port.

It's obvious that many of those passengers and crew members already know about the Southport Shopping Center. Obvious because the crews are pretty visible, walking from the port together in groups, doing Skype sessions with the folks back home and so on. And the passengers are, well, doing touristy things - basically, having a good time in our community.

One of the new features at the Southport Shopping Center is the large number of restaurants. I've already eaten twice at a spot called Gyroville, which should tell you something. I went back because it's good and more authentic than some local Greek restaurants. Like most of the places in Southport, it's also very affordable. Last week I stopped by Gyroville for a Greek salad and falafel. Oh yeah, most tasty. The falafel was fresh-cooked in front of me, a generous portion as a side dish for just $2.99. My small Greek salad was more than I really wanted and included two hefty squares of feta and a stuffed grape leaf. Cost: $4.99. See what I mean? It's quality food that's both fast and inexpensive. Other restaurants in the shopping center these days include Tijuana Flats, La Spada Subs, YoBlenz, Panera Bread and Panaretto. Among others. When your time away from the cruise ship in Fort Lauderdale is tight, the Southport Shopping Center offers some great options within a long walk or short taxi ride. If you've got a full day or longer, of course, you probably want to explore spots such as our famous beach, Las Olas Boulevard and the Riverwalk area. But sometimes when cruising, a little time is all the time you have. That's especially true for those hard-working crew members, who often can't leave the ship at all for days or weeks. When they do disembark, it's a big deal and they make the most of it. Fortunately, the Southport Shopping Center can help them enjoy their off-duty hours here - and give rushed passengers a small taste of Fort Lauderdale too. That's ok. After a small taste, those visitors likely will want to come back and bite into something more substantial.

The coconuts are falling around here. Really. But if you're a tourist, you may not have much chance to see this unless you get away from the heavily traveled spots around town. Let me start by explaining that I love coconuts. To me, they are among the best everyday examples of South Florida's exotic charms. Once I even wrote a tongue-in-cheek blog about our annual "coconut harvest" but this time I'm serious about the topic. You see, I have this 50-foot-tall coconut palm just outside my condo - a beautiful tree that rises straight and thin beside a small lake. Coconuts grow on the palm all year long but during certain seasons many coconuts ripen and drop within several days. Now is one of those periods.

I counted nine fallen coconuts under that tree this morning. And I walked past a neighbor's home where a pile of coconuts sat on the front lawn. For whatever reason, coconuts are indeed falling. That's why coconut palms are trimmed regularly around our Blue Wave beaches and hotels and restaurants ... to avoid a bad knock on the noggin.

But if you go to one of our larger parks, you may find the coconuts bunched up high under the palm fronds. I'm talking about heading to some park that's less groomed and more natural such as John U. Lloyd Beach State Park in Dania Beach, which actually is just a mile from my home. Along with sea oats and a variety of other native vegetation, you'll notice some coconut palms with growing coconuts. Or you can just cruise residential neighborhoods to look for coconuts on the tree. They're very common in Greater Fort Lauderdale. On larger coconut palms, well over a dozen coconuts may hang from the tree at once. And when they fall ... wow! You definitely do not want to be anywhere close to the trunk. Many times I've happened to look toward my coconut tree when a large brown coconut suddenly let loose and slammed into the grass, rolling toward the lake from the sheer force. This is impressive. And this also gives you an appreciation for those tree-trimmers who cart the coconuts away from tourist areas. It's lovely to lie under a shady palm tree on the beach, relaxing to the sound of the gentle ocean waves. It's even lovelier to know you won't need to wear a hard hat to do that safely. Still, if you're a nature lover, the sight of coconuts growing in clumps on our trees is something to see. It's a reminder about where you are in the world - and the natural beauty that's an important part of this place. (Photo courtesy of http://facebook.com/ftlauderdalesun.)

If you want a party, this is a good one. Very good. I went to the Florida Renaissance Festival last weekend, an annual event that's totally wacky and just a whole lot of fun. You're not likely to get much of a history lesson there. The centuries and eras are so mixed up in a delightful jumble that Medieval knights walk side-by-side with Italian Renaissance musicians - and it all seems to make sense somehow. That's why it's such a hoot. This is not a festival that takes itself, or anything, too seriously. Each weekend through March 11 at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, the Renaissance Festival will offer a willy-nilly version of Merry Olde Times with one simple goal: to entertain you. Well, guess what? I was most thoroughly entertained on Sunday afternoon, believe me.

This 20^th edition seemed much larger to me than past Ren-fests I've attended. The tents and stages and arenas stretched on and on, offering just about anything you might care to buy. Or eat or drink. Want some hand-blown glass? You can watch them make it in front of your eyes. Leather goods? Yep. Musical instruments, jewelry, decorative armaments? Uh-huh. You can even pick up Renaissance dresses and shirts, boots and hats to get you in the spirit.

I got in the spirit on Sunday simply by wandering and watching. And laughing ... a lot. A clever parody of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" was first for me, a stage show acted out in part with audience members selected by the main actor-comedian - with additional contributions from the the rest of us at appropriate moments in the play. Too funny. During my afternoon I also spoke with a Robin Hood sitting up in a tree along a path, then looked on as guests took their chances at throwing knives and axes and spears. And tomatoes. That was a new one on me. You can actually buy a basket of tomatoes to toss at a jester, who of course insults everyone taking aim at him. Later on, I stopped at the mini-fortresses equipped with water balloon catapults. This was maybe my fave moment of the day. Two kids, both around 10-years-old, were hammering away at each other, firing one balloon after another toward the other's "enemy castle" with predictable results. Two water-splattered but smiling boys emerged from their combat otherwise unscathed. My day ended with music, an improvised drum circle of sorts. At a tent that sold drums I sat in with three other dudes as we got our groove on for a few minutes, with me banging away on two congas. Oh yeah, it was a very good party indeed. You can learn more about the Florida Renaissance Festival by clicking here: http://www.ren-fest.com/deerfield-home.asp This is a great family event as well as a wonderful outing for friends or couples or anyone else, really. You may not come away with a deeper understanding of the Renaissance, true, but you're not going there for an education. Like me, you're going there to party and to laugh ... a lot.

So there you are, ready for the beach. Almost ready anyway. This is not an all-afternoon outing, the sort of thing that includes beach chairs and umbrellas and coolers. It's not even a two-hour beach excursion that comes with a nice big blanket to lie on. This is a different kind of trip to the beach - and it's the kind that's most common for me. Such beach visits usually involve a long walk beside the ocean coupled with an impromptu stop on the sand, time for observing and meditating. But, you see, there's a problem here ... and a solution. The problem is that I don't want to carry a chair or blanket or even a beach towel during my walk. I also don't want to get my workout shorts full of sand by plunking down directly on the beach. Because I just know that sand will end up sifting its way into my car seat later on.

I have solved this small but irksome dilemma, you may be glad to know. Today I'm going to share my idea with you. No charge. It's called - ta-dah! - a plastic grocery bag. Hey I'm telling you, it works. I figured this out some years ago, probably even mentioned it in another blog at one time or another. But I've waited until now to write an entire blog about this improvised beach seat. An instruction manual, if you will.

Anyhow, here's all there is to it. As I walk out the door for the beach, I grab a single plastic grocery bag and shove it in my pocket. And I pull out the bag when it's time to sit down on the beach. Ok, ok, sure, laugh at me if you like. I never claimed this was something I planned to patent and sell to Amazon. But I think it's kinda clever and I've never seen one other person do this in all my trips to the beach. True, I could sit on a sea wall at many of Greater Fort Lauderdale's beaches. For me, though, that's too far away from the water. I want to settle in close, as near to the waves as possible without getting wet. So, yeah, out comes the plastic bag, which I then open into the wind. The breeze inflates the bag and provides a perfect tush-size seat for me. I plop down quite comfortably, keeping my plastic-wrapped behind sand-free and dry for as long as I choose to stay. When I'm ready to leave, I simply smush up the plastic bag into a ball and toss it in the nearest trash can. Like I said, I admit this is not exactly a patentable device. Or maybe it is somehow ... All I know is that a pocket-size beach chair comes in pretty handy for me when I want to sit on the sand for a little while - without taking half that sand back home in my car. Sometimes it's the little things, isn't it? (Photo courtesy of http://facebook.com/ftlauderdalesun)

Broward County experienced a record breaking 11.1 million visitors spending $9.4 billion in 2011.

With 25 months of consecutive hotel occupancy growth, including the highest December hotel occupancy in the state of Florida, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau is forecasting a robust spring travel season, with equally optimistic summer projections.  

"We've come a long way baby. And these positive numbers are a testament to our team of passionate CVB professionals who aggressively go after the business-- from marketing in top global markets to film production and sporting events," said Nicki E. Grossman, president, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.   

According to Grossman, today's Greater Fort Lauderdale visitor base is a healthy mix of couples, families and a return of meetings and corporate groups, film projects and international visitors. 

"The future looks bright for Broward's number one industry, tourism, and the 131,000 Broward hospitality employees," said Grossman.  "And we've done it with dedicated staff, targeted marketing and not returning to the spring break of the past."  

Nicki E. Grossman, President
Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau 

Long ago Frank Sinatra famously sang, "Come fly with me!" It was an invitation to travel, to buy a ticket to see the world by airplane. Of course, flying back then was a whole different thing. Flying was glamorous, flying was exciting. Flying was fun. In Frank's era, folks actually wore their Sunday best on planes, whether floating down to Peru or just zipping over to visit Aunt Tilly. Ties and jackets, dresses and heels. As we all know, this has changed - a lot. Like, really, a lot. The good news is that flying is safer and cheaper than it was in air travel's golden age. And it's still a ticket to see the world. So I was interested to learn that the cable TV channel TLC is shooting a series about traveling by air. And to find that they're filming part of it here in Fort Lauderdale.

The new TLC series is called "On the Fly," created in collaboration with Southwest Airlines. Of course, Southwest has tons of flights in and out of Fort Lauderdale all the time so it makes sense that they'd come here for their show. Production crews have been to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport already, but they're coming back very soon. And they're looking for some passengers to take part in this reality program.

And so, wanna be on TV? Here's what they need from you. "On the Fly" wants fliers who have some delightful story to share with the rest of us. Maybe you're going on a trip-of-a-lifetime kind of vacation or maybe you had an especially touching or life-changing moment during a journey taken on Southwest Airlines. The producers are in search of the exceptional, as you might imagine, travel tales that will connect with TV viewers. To submit your own story, simply go to http://www.myswatrip.com/ and spin those details into a compelling pitch. "On the Fly" will premiere this spring on TLC, offering more than personal experiences. The show also will look behind the scenes to reveal the huge operations needed to keep a major airline in the skies. That's why they're returning to Fort Lauderdale from February 16-20, capturing both the groundside efforts by Southwest staff and the intimate stories of Southwest passengers. The airline carries some 100 million of those passengers annually. Let's just say they have a hefty pool of potential reality show stars aboard their jets. But who knows, you might become one of those stars. And why not? Flying may no longer be the exciting kick it was in Sinatra's time, but it still is much more than only transportation from Point A to Point B. Air travel opens the door for us to visit people and places and cultures so distant that we would never discover them otherwise. Flying has made the planet smaller and brought all human beings a little closer together in meaningful ways. Come to think of it, that seems pretty exciting to me.

Another Valentine's Day is nearly here as I begin this blog. And the eternal Valentine's Day question is arriving with it: "What should we do?" Or maybe it's the increasingly common variation of that question: "What should I do?" If you're alone this year, no worries, my friend. It means nothing except that you're selective ... a good thing. But whether you're solo or some kind of couple, the choices in Greater Fort Lauderdale are much more varied than you'd probably imagine. There are things to do that might be lovely for a married couple, other things that would be perfect for folks going on that all-important second date. And of course there are still other activities that would appeal to just about anyone. So in the interest of helping to destress a sometimes stressful holiday, I offer you some thoughts for Valentine's Day 2012.

Like, how about rocking out with a pop music legend? Gladys Knight performs at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood - direct from the Grammy Awards and, no doubt, with some thoughts about the sad passing of Whitney Houston. Or at the other end of the music world, maybe you'd prefer Andrea Bocelli, the famous Italian tenor. He'll perform at the BankAtlantic Center in his current tour's only North American arena performance.

Possibly you're in the mood for a party atmosphere with your honey and a few hundred of your closest personal friends. If so, check out Love in the Park at Huizenga Plaza in downtown Fort Lauderdale. It's $125 for two or $175 for a pair of VIP tix. But the event includes wines from Tuscany, a picnic of tapas and a performance by Euge Groove - not a bad deal, really, when you think about it. The list of restaurants with special romantic meals is a long one, including places such as B'stro on the Beach at B Ocean Fort Lauderdale and Via Luna at the Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale and Steak 954 at the W Fort Lauderdale. Some wackier but delightful options include indoor go-karting at Xtreme Indoor Karting, which has a Valentine's Day offer for couples as well as a speed dating event for singles, appropriately enough. Then there's Flamingo Gardens, with a moonlight birding tour that comes with food and beer and wine. Sounds like fun for the nature lover in your life. All of these ideas and many more are on a single webpage. Check out details about them or search for other choices at http://www.sunny.org/valentine/. Whatever you do on Valentine's Day this year, make sure to do something. I'll be with my girlfriend having some fun, but you really could have a fab time with a group of pals or even by yourself, as I'd suggested. We're living in a fragmented, hectic age that can make finding relationships a major challenge. Don't let it get you down. On Valentine's Day, all you really have to do is decide to have a good time.

I love staying in hotels. I even love staying in hotels around Greater Fort Lauderdale, although I live here. I've spent a fair amount of time in some of our gorgeous local places. Hotels by the sea and hotels along the Intracoastal Waterway, mostly - lovely locations with lovely breezes. So today's blog really is for those visitors who may not be as familiar with those hotels or with South Florida in general. And it all boils down to a simple piece of advice: If you can, open your windows to the fresh air. Of course I know that some hotel windows will open, some won't. But often there's a sliding glass door at least, one way or another to let in the scent of the sea. You're likely to smell that salt aroma at this time of year, no matter if your hotel is situated some miles inland.

It's a delightful scent to inhale from inside your hotel room, a reminder that you're really in Florida now. During the winter months especially, strong sea breezes come off the Atlantic in these parts, delightfully refreshing winds that carry something of the ocean with them. Enjoy them.

So, yes, throw open those hotel windows or that sliding door or whatever you have available. Greater Fort Lauderdale residents live for this open-window period each year, believe me. People such as me who stay here during all 12 months tend to get accustomed to air conditioning. Our climate is hot and humid for several months annually because, well, this is the tropics afterall. What do you expect? The languid, sexy summers offer their own delights but, for most of us, opened windows usually aren't among them. Now, though, that a.c. switch is set to off ... and it should stay that way much of the time until May anyway. Instead of cool air blowing on us from vents in the walls, we can feel the cool freshness blowing on us from outdoors. Ahhh, it is such an excellent thing. We also tend to feel a greater connection with whatever is happening outside, more easily hearing the flapping of bird wings on the air or the laughter of children on the beach. We have opened ourselves to the environment by taking away some of the glass that had separated us from it. As a tourist, you're likely to find that this enhances the experience for you. Hey, I only know that if I were visiting from Detroit or Seattle or New York or wherever for the first time, I might not think about opening the windows in a hotel that has perfectly fine air conditioning. I'd probably figure, "Why bother with it?" But I would be wrong. Take it from a local: it's no bother, just a wintertime pleasure.

Billy Joel performed in my backyard - almost literally. Yep, right here in Dania Beach, well within earshot of my condo. The funny part is that I not only missed it, but also wondered about all the racket outside. Sigh. This is not so much funny ha-ha as it is funny boo-hoo, of course. About as amusing as a good whack on the funny bone. But it is a most curious little tale for sure. You see, celebrities come and go in South Florida constantly, even in the hot summer months. Sometimes they're here to shoot films and TV series, sometimes they just stop by for some good R&R. Residents like me often read newspaper blurbs about this one being spotted at a local restaurant or that one being spotted on the beach or some other one being spotted on Las Olas.

It's no huge surprise that the Piano Man was in town. I'd even heard about some of the recent Billy Joel sightings. But a week ago, he turned up where no one expected him ... at the Dania Beach Vintage Motorcycle Show. This event is held about a five minute walk from my home and draws bike enthusiasts from all over.

So here was the scene, according to one reliable account: Billy wanders through the crowd of fellow motorcyclists, just looking at the vintage machines like anyone else. Apparently, nobody really had any idea that he was who he was. Not yet. Sounds like Mr. Joel was very low-key about the whole thing. But then, he hops up on the stage with a local band called the Whipping Post. And he turns to the lead singer, Bob, and asks if he can jam with the guys. Can you imagine? I've played in many local bands over the years - and if this had happened to me, I'd have had two reactions. First, I'd have stared at him without a word like an idiot. Second, I'd have recovered quickly before he changed his mind so that I could stammer something like, "Uh, YEAH! Jam away!" He sang three songs in Dania, none of them his own compositions. And here is where that funny-sad part comes in for me. I remember hearing the band through my open windows briefly around this time and thinking to myself, "Hey, what's with all the loud music? Sheesh!" Sheesh, indeed. I mean, there's this world-famous entertainer, the creator of some truly great pop songs, singing for free - outside my windows! And what do I do? I want him to turn down the music, that's what. Oh well. The story goes that Billy signed autographs and posed for some pics following his mini-show. Then he wandered off, jumped on his bike and drove into the afternoon. How cool is that? I guess I can honestly say now that I've heard Billy Joel perform live, huh? And I can add just as honestly that I was sitting inside my condo at the time. And when I tell this story to my friends, the rest of the details will be nobody's business.
(Photo courtesy of Astrid Stawiarz / Getty Images)

Sometimes it's wise to follow traditions. But sometimes you must boldly blaze a new path, carving out traditions of your own. Which brings me to Groundhog Day ... not the film but, yes, the tradition. Because tradition has it that Punxsutawney Phil emerges into the light of day from a long hibernation every February 2. (This much you probably know. However, a brief recap can't hurt for those unfamiliar in the ways of weather-predicting rodents.) You also may recall that if Phil sees his shadow, then the northern world is in for six more weeks of winter. If Phil looks at the ground but can't find his adorable Phil-silhouette, hey, good news! Winter's almost over. Uh-huh, ok. I've always thought this was kinda cute. But, really. What type of weather predictor is a furry little guy with a bad case of bed-head?

So this February, a new tradition is born right here in Broward County, Florida. Listen, we need something to lighten things up after weeks of presidential primary campaigning, believe me. Besides, I figure that I'm at least the equal of Punxsutawney Phil when it comes to predicting the future, weatherwise.

Thus we announce Phil's replacement: I am Bob. I live in Broward. Hence, the clever name of Broward Bob. How do I come up with this stuff? But seriously, folks, I am offering my prognosticating services starting today and on an annual basis each February - assuming everything works out with my prediction for 2012. I predict that it will work out. I also predict that the normally cold northern regions have not seen the last of this bizarre winter. It's warm up there, then it's freezing. It's snowy, then it's not. Just too weird. And that means it will stay weird to the bitter end. Yep, I'm seeing into a future with a late winter/early spring snowstorm for sure. A big one, just when everyone thinks warmer weather is right around the corner. I arrived at that carefully reasoned conclusion through a long series of mathematical calculations based on the experience of a lifetime. Well, actually I figured all this out by walking onto my patio yesterday here in South Florida, whereupon I felt a coolish wind coming out of the north. And I thought to myself, "Ah-ha!" There was no need for mathematical calculations at that point ... because I knew. I instantly understood that this 2012 winter is merely teasing the good residents of Chicago and New York, Toronto and Montreal, etc. It is lulling them into a false sense of security only to deliver a good hard wintry wallop. Don't ask me for any more details about how I know this with certainty. I just do. Who asks Phil to explain his shadow, huh? Of course I could be wrong. But I doubt it. Based on these reliable Bob predictions, wise northerners should book their airline tickets to Fort Lauderdale for around mid-March. They also should plan to hang out in the sunshine for a while after their arrival - maybe 10 days or so. After such a massive snowstorm, nobody will be flying anywhere up north for a while. You can trust Broward Bob on this one.