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Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Jan 31: A Homegrown Tourist
Sometimes I feel like I'm far away on vacation when I'm really only a few miles from my own home. I've heard many other locals say the same thing. It's easy to feel like a tourist when you're enjoying an oceanside martini or lunch along the Intracoastal Waterway, palm trees rustling above your head.
I had the same feeling this morning on my beachfront walk and breakfast. It'll sound strange but those few hours were something of a revelation. I've never done this alone before -- but I will again. Soon.
It took some effort on my part at first, I have to admit. I'm still very much in the post divorce hibernate-and-write mode. And I'm not a morning person by nature. But I really wanted to make it to the beach today and give it a try -- without a date or some "romantic" reason for an a.m. visit to the Atlantic.
I drove up A1A from my house near the 17th Street Causeway and parked in that convenient lot on Las Olas at the beach. I fed two bucks into the meter, enough for more than an hour of time, and I simply started walking. It was great!
There was a cool breeze, temp about 74 degrees, low humidity and I'm very quickly thinking, "Why don't I do this more often?" The runners are drifting up and down the brick sidewalk that winds along the beach, and so are the rollerbladers and the walkers of all kinds -- young and old, strollers and power walkers, couples and singles, flabsters and hard bods. There was a film company getting ready to shoot something, a flick or commercial or whatever, and I scooted by the big busy group there and kept going, wandering north for many blocks.
Several surfers were trying to catch some of the small waves that broke close to shore and the gulls were picking around the sand for breakfast. Lovers sat shoulder to shoulder on the sand, watching the tide slowly rising toward them. It was delightful.
So many oceanfront cafes are open for breakfast these days. Lots of upscale places that I had thought only served lunch and dinner. Somewhere during my walk, I started smelling all this food, the bacon-and-eggs aroma. I was hungry suddenly. But I thought I'd head off the beach now and go to a breakfast spot beloved by locals, the Floridian on Las Olas Boulevard at SE 15th Ave. Of course now I had to do the eggs and the bacon and the grits and juice. I passed on the Champagne breakfast for $99… Mmm, sitting alone at an outside table, well, it really was a terrific way to start the day.
I may not do breakfast after every Fort Lauderdale beach outing, but I do plan to go back to the sand often for walks or runs to start my day, mixed among my regular gym workouts. How can I live this close to something so beautiful and ignore its morning pleasures -- now that I know what I've been missing!
Friday, January 27, 2006
Jan 27: Unserious Sun 'n Fun
I guess it's time to get a little more personal in this blog. I'm a writer, a very experienced writer -- 24 books and five plays so far. (You wouldn't know this, of course, unless you've checked out my LauderBlogger bio or been reading this blog regularly for a while.) I've also just founded a national non-profit group based in Fort Lauderdale called The Humanity Project, which is a literary and educational deal.
I tell you all this to make a point: Like most writers, I spend a lot of my time locked away inside a room, writing. The blog is something different for me -- a chance to have some fun, both outside my house by finding things to explore and experience around Broward County and inside my house when I'm writing up the accounts of my weekly roamings and discoveries.
I'm also recently divorced, no kids thank gawd! Like a lot of divorced guys, money can be a challenge at times. Making the effort to get out and about enough to meet new people and experience new places can be a challenge too. Sometimes it's easier to just work, get together with a friend or date at home and leave the roamings and discoveries to others for now. Divorce is never a good time, even when it's amicable, as mine was.
Ok, so again, why am I telling you this? Because this blog serves some purposes for me and I feel I should make that clearer, maybe. One important purpose is to get me out of my housebound office to enjoy this incredible place I call home. I've lived in Broward County for nearly 17 years now, my only residence ever since moving from Vermont to Florida. (Wow, was it COLD up there! Beautiful but cold...) I really do love it here, obviously. You don't stay in a place this long unless there's a good reason. Broward gives me many, many good reasons.
So I hope that, as you read my little stories twice each week, you'll keep in mind a bit about my situation these days: I really am a newly single writer, a serious writer, who's trying to have some fun on the town. I really do need to get out to soak up some of our ever-present sunshine more often. I know it and I'm making en effort to do it.
I hope you'll like following my small adventures, whether I'm walking along Las Olas or partying til 4 a.m. at some local nightclub or talking to another local who has a great tip about things to do. Let's explore greater Fort Lauderdale together, then -- one beach, bar, restaurant, club, attraction or hotel at a time.
And let's continue this process next week with a nice ... Hm, yes, maybe a nice morning beach walk and breakfast? That would be nice, I think.
Look for it next Tuesday -- or perhaps come and join me on the beach Tuesday morning! I'm sure the weather will be great! It almost always is around here.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Jan 25: Gone Fishin'
I have a good friend who likes to remind me, "Everybody has a secret life." He's right of course. We all do. But it's not only people. Places also have their secret lives -- including Broward County. Many of us think of greater Fort Lauderdale as mostly urban. But there's a very different, less visible side to this amazing part of the world.
I was reminded of this just yesterday when I was talking with a serious fisherwoman, Becky Reynolds. She's also the World Records Coordinator at the International Game Fishing Association in Dania Beach. Ever been to this building along I-95, next to Bass Pro Shops? It's a fascinating museum with virtual fishing. Open to the public and well worth the trip, even if you don't fish.
Anyway, Becky was telling me about a place you probably would never consider going if you want to fish in Broward. But apparently it's a great spot. Easily accessible to anyone too. And this secret fishing hole is -- drumroll please -- Griffin Road!
No, I'm not kidding. Anywhere along Griffin heading west from the town of Davie is good, but the farther out you go, the less traffic and the more peaceful for you. Most of us think of Griffin Road as a busy east-west route, near the airport or maybe as one way to get to Nova Southeastern University or wherever you're heading out there.
But like Broward County, Griffin Road has its own secrets. And one of them is the butterfly peacock bass---an amazing freshwater fish. "They fight extremely well and they're aerial," she told me enthusiastically.
Aerial? "They jump out of the water like tarpon and they have such luscious colors. Black bars and green and orange stripes."
That sounds very cool. It turns out these things were introduced to South Florida from even farther south -- like, South America! A lot of folks travel way down there just for the chance to catch some of these babies. But you can have the same thrill here -- right along Griffin Road. Becky, expert that she is, tells me to use something called a "1/32nd jig with a fin and skin -- basically it's a crappie jig." As in crappie the fish, she means. The jig works just fine, she assures me.
So we city-types don't have to venture too far in Broward to sample some of the pleasures nature offers, even world-class fishing. This is something that the entire family can enjoy together. Pack a picnic, get out in the sunshine and make a fun day of it.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Jan 23: You're invited
So another week is on the horizon. Although it seems as though the strain of the 9-5 would put a damper on my leisurely hours, I beg to differ. I'm hoping to get at least one fun-filled Fort Lauderdale activity in this week, but I've realized I have one slight problem.
Where to go? I'm a little lost in this department.
My proposition is this: I would like to extend an invitation to locals and visitors alike to clue me in as to the spots that I just must hit in the greater Fort Lauderdale area. And within the next few days I expect to have such an overwhelming response that my agenda will be full for the next month.
Hopefully this partnership will work out on both ends, and by sharing favorite hotspots and must-do activities, we all win. Because as is my job, I will be dishing out firsthand accounts of my experiences at the places you know and love, or want to know and love.
It's as simple as posting a comment. So let them roll in...and I'll take it from there. There are some pretty barren slots on my to-do list that look like they want some filling, but it's up to you to make that happen.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Jan 19: Brokeback Panang
Yep, Brokeback Panang. I know, it sounds like some Thai restaurant in Wyoming. But I think the phrase sort of sums up my most recent out-about-town moment.
My date and I went to the Gateway Theater in Fort Lauderdale, on Sunrise Boulevard just a few blocks west of the Galleria Mall. My fave place to catch flicks, for sure! It has that older, more classic feel to it and the popcorn is good and the screens are wide. (At some theaters, the screen looks so small you may as well be home watching a high-def TV!) But anyway, that is not a problem at the Gateway. This is an old-fashioned movie house and it is just fun, as far as I am concerned.
So we saw Brokeback Mountain and she loved it (she is an actress, by the way, a member of the Screen Actors Guild, so she will be voting for Best Actor and other SAG awards soon). I loved it too, straight though I totally am! Brilliant acting and direction, we both thought. To call this a "gay cowboy movie" is dismissive and a disservice to a subtle, nuanced film. (I know you are not reading this for an online version of Ebert and Roeper, but we say "Two big thumbs up!" anyway.)
And after the film it is the "what should we do, what should we eat" kind of thing. Because in this part of town, there are many options. There's Il Mulino, Heart Rock Sushi, Monster Subs, Sukhothai and more, all within a half block of the Gateway. Then nearby at the Galleria, there's Seasons 52, Capital Grille (and coming soon PF Changs), plus more great choices across the street. So this is a wonderfully eclectic part of Broward, relaxed and funky and upscale, all at once.
We ended up at Sukhothai, definitely one of the best and most established Thai places in the county. For us, Panang Pork and Cashew Chicken with white rice, which we shared of course. I've had a lot of Thai food and my date is a genuine foodie but we both scarfed down this stuff, the flavors subtle and nuanced.
A bit like the movie we'd just seen, in some ways, I guess. Brokeback Panang, by way of Fort Lauderdale's Gateway area. Not a bad way to end the week.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Jan 18: Back to basics
I'm baaaack. Better late than never. Now onto more important matters.
It's always nice when your first week of work ends with a three day weekend. Thank you Dr. King.
And what did I do this weekend, you ask? Well, in light of my resolution to conquer this land of Fort Lauderdale, I began my adventures on Monday. Now before I let you in on my day, let me tell you a few key facts about myself:
I am an intern. I am also technically still a college student. I live with my parents. And no, I do not have a second job.
All of these things add up to one important fact: I am broke.
The other thing is, well, I'm a bit of a procrastinator.
But the good thing in all of this is that if you sound any bit like me, there is still hope for you. Because I had myself a wonderful Monday despite the aforementioned hindrances, which lets you folks out there know there's plenty to do even on the poorest or laziest of days.
That brings me back to Monday. With lack of funds and planning, I went with what I know. When I used to live here, I would spend time just strolling along A1A, stopping at the sand, sun, and surf-inspired kiosks of BeachPlace with my giggling girlfriends. We would wander over to the beach and stroll some more, people watch and take it all in.
Take the same scene and replace the giggling girls with a boyfriend (yes, fellas...I'm taken), and you have my Monday well spent.
But there was something more to this Monday than what I felt in years past. Somehow the sun shined a little brighter, the skies were just a little bluer, and the smell of ocean air had never been so pungent.
I guess you could call it...appreciation.
Looking around, I had to ask myself: "Do I really live here?"
I sure do, and I'm a lucky girl.
The adventure may have been small, but it felt pretty big. And it feels good to be back.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Jan 13: A Fresh Bite
Ok, so this is our week for giving you the hottest stuff, one way or another. On Tuesday, it was a hot tip from a top concierge. Today, it's a hot recipe from a top chef. How's that for variety?
And of course for that sizzling treat we turned to one of the newest and, yes, hottest restaurants in the area. Called simply (and appropriately) Fish, this place is owned by venerable restaurateur Jack Jackson, who also owns Jackson's Steakhouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Longtimers around here fondly recall his other big restaurant, Burt & Jack's, in Port Everglades, which sadly fell victim to tough 9/11 security changes. (He was Jack. Oh and the "Burt" in the name? Just some guy named Burt Reynolds. Apparently this fellow did some acting from time to time too.)
So you can see the pedigree of Fish is a good one. It's a beautiful place, elegant and simple, a dining room of soft lighting, sexy music, white linen and dramatic decor. There's even an amazing waterfall at the bar. Not something you find just anywhere, exactly.
The chef here is Alex Dziurzynski, a grad of the New England Culinary Institute. Alex has worked in some of the country's finest restaurants. They know a little about seafood in New England, of course -- so a seafood recipe from Alex sounds tempting. Here 'tis, hot off the stove! Enjoy!
Alaskan King Crab Cake
Yield: 8 each (five ounce portions)
Ingredients:
Alaskan King Crab meat 24 oz
Savory onions, minced 1 cup
Celery, minced 1 cup
Croissants, toasted and crushed 1 cup
Chives, chopped 4 oz
For cake batter:
Half and Half 1 quart
All purpose flour 8 oz
Eggs 8 ea
Baking powder 2 tablespoons
Sugar 1 oz
Cayenne pepper 2 tsp
Salt 1 tablespoon
Whole butter, melted 6 oz
Prepare cake batter in a blender using slow speed pulsing until smooth. Add the melted butter last. (Though the batter can be made up to 24 hours ahead, do not mix the fresh meat and vegetables unless you are ready to cook them.) In a mixing bowl add minced vegetables, king crab, chives, crushed croissants and crab meat. Add the cake batter, but only half. Because the king crab contains so much water, the amount of batter will vary. The consistency should be thick like muffin mix. At this point pre-heat a heavy saute pan on medium temp. When preparing the cake, test the pan by adding a small amount of whole butter. The butter should melt and boil, not burn. Using a small spoon add the mix to desired size. (Fish portion five ounces.) Cook slowly like a griddle cake. Be patient and wait to flip when the cake is of reasonable firmness. After five minutes or so, use the bottom of the spatula and give a slight squeeze. Any loose batter surfacing is a simple indicator that the cake is not ready.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Jan 12: Out with the old, in with the new
New semester, new intern, same feeling. Instead of teachers I now report to bosses, I've made the move from classroom to cubicle, and the part that's hardest for me: late nights have become early mornings. Now 6:30 a.m. is when I wake up, not when I go to bed. I haven't gotten up this early since high school and it hurts. And it's only week one of sixteen.
Nevertheless, I say a fond goodbye to the University of Florida, but an eager hello to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau!
With my first week of free labor under my belt, I feel prepared to conquer my next task: reacquainting myself with greater Fort Lauderdale. Coming home for my internship was my way of getting back to the familiar. Only problem is, I'm not familiar with this place at all! I've come to see that I never knew just how much there was to "home." But I'm going to do something about it.
So now, in a Columbus-esque fashion, my mission is discovery.
New things to see, do, learn. I couldn't be more ready. Should I start at BeachPlace on A1A and work my way back west? Or should I start from my home base of Coral Springs and travel south to wherever I-95 takes me? I guess planning didn't do much for Columbus, so maybe I'm better off being a wanderer for the time being.
Wherever I end up, you'll be sure to read about it. I'm anxious to partake in what greater Fort Lauderdale has to offer, so get ready to sail, mates...it's going to be quite a trip. New discoveries await us.
Until next time...
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Jan 10: An Insider's 411
Everyone loves a hot inside tip -- and no, I'm not talking about the stock market. I have absolutely no desire to do the Martha Stewart thing, thanks! I don't look good in ankle bracelets.
But when you're out of town, locating a real insider at your destination often means finding a good concierge. I've enjoyed many great restaurants and sights in places by following a concierge's suggestions.
So today, we go to one of our own top local concierges, Tina Petrone, of the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort and Spa in Fort Lauderdale. Tina gives us her own 411, two of her top things-to-do tips that many tourists may not hear about otherwise.
"If people want to do something nostalgic, they should check out the Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum," she tells us. "They have 22 Packards including one from 1909. And this is a big secret. Even most locals don't know about this place. It's a great stop for anyone." The museum is near downtown at 1527 SW 1st Avenue, by the way. To schedule a visit call 954-779-7300.
Tina's other hot tip takes us outside the urban core to the exotic Everglades. From the Marriott, catch the Everglades Day Safari, price $135. "It leaves at 7:30am and returns about 5pm. So it's a full day trip," Tina says. "It's about an hour and a half ride out there and you can see alligators and lots of other native creatures. It's a very good eco-tour. Visitors can do an airboat ride and they have all kinds of amazing things to see." Call 800-472-3069 for reservations.
And there ya go. Like a good concierge, Tina gives us one place that's close to home, another that's more adventurous and farther away.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Jan 6: Live, Love, Last
I almost hesitate to tell you about this one. Maybe I won't. No, I will. It'll be ok.
As long as my local friends don't find out I've informed the world -- or that small chunk of it that reads this blog anyway.
See, we Browardites have been hooked on a very local place for many years and, though tourists do intrude from time to time, we prefer to think of this joint as ours. Southport Raw Bar. There, I've said it. I feel better now.
I was there recently with a friend and plan to go again tomorrow. It sits on Cordova Road along the 15th Street canal, which I'm told is the deepest in Fort Lauderdale. Megayachts tie up on this canal routinely. You can usually see one or two of them from your table at Southport.
This restaurant offers an incredibly relaxed atmosphere and some of the best oysters, clams, fish and shrimp anywhere around South Florida. All at bargain prices.
Their motto, by the way, kind of sums up what Southport is all about: "Eat fish, live longer. Eat oysters, love longer. Eat clams, last longer." Words to live by.
So the other day, my friend and I settled in at an outside table, where I nearly always sit, and we're watching the dive boats head out toward the ocean loaded with scuba gear and eager divers. And then some middle-aged guy and his trophy wife motor coolly to the Southport dock in their 40-footer and try to act nonchalant as they walk up for their meal.
And my friend and I order a dozen raw oysters and some conch chowder, or sometimes it's their fried catfish or spicy shrimp or smoked fish dip or whatever. And we sit on the deck, enjoying the sun and we eat and we drink something and we talk and we laugh. That's Southport for you---a mini vacation without leaving town.
To me, it doesn't get much better on a sunny afternoon. Great view, delicious food, casual no-hurry feel to the place. Oh, and a trophy wife or two thrown in for good measure.
I can't wait until tomorrow. But if you're there and you're a tourist, please do me one favor. Don't tell anyone you learned about Southport from me!
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Jan 5: Book Review
Book Review: Shock Wave, James O. Born, G.P.Putnams Sons, New York, 2005
James O. Born has all the credentials for a great South Florida mystery writer: U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, Deputy U.S. Marshall, chief of the Broward Office of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement ( known as the State Police in most states), and now Special Agent for FDLE. Presumably this last assignment gives him time to write and write he certainly can. Shock Wave is his second hard-cover tale about FDLE agent, Bill Tasker, protagonist of his first, Walking Money, which came out in 2004.
All the elements of a great read are here: fast pace, involved plot, interesting characters, major and minor, and a real taste of the sun, sand and salt of South Florida. Bill Tasker is your quintessential cop: stressed, over-worked, and indefatigable in his pursuit of a mad bomber. His stress comes from his personal life and his professional life. He is divorced and is still emotionally entangled with his ex and the kids. On the job he has to deal with overlapping law enforcement agencies, Alcohol, Firearms and Tobacco, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the local City of Miami police department. All of these agencies have their own agendas and Tasker has to thread his way through the politics and personalities of each, fighting the people who are supposed to be on the same side, as well as the various villains who are the targets of his investigations.
All of this is par for the course, of course, in this genre. But it is reality as well. All cops are divorced, different law enforcement agencies have different agendas and South Florida seems to be a magnet for the off-center. After all, if you were a crazed explosives expert, where would you rather practice your obsession, in Miami, Ohio or Miami, Florida?
The format serves Born well, however. The beautiful, perhaps lesbian AFT officer who helps him, the black City of Miami cop, the white hip-hop wannabe FBI agent, Tasker's ex wife who he can't shake loose of, the bomber's topless dancing wife and the bomber himself, all come across with more humanity than one usually encounters in thrillers. The weird ones are still weird, but even they manage to stay on this side of credibility. Quivering, ready to tip, perhaps, but still believable.
Born adds to their credibility by making the almost unbelievable setting of South Florida vividly real. You feel the heat, sense the flatness of southwest Miami-Dade County, smell the chemicals, and ride the rollercoaster of the chase on nearly every page. When you can capture the feel of a place as well as Born does, South Florida offers an incredibly broad range of settings for a hunt such as the one he draws the reader into here.
Shock Wave has the whole package of plot, character and setting and makes an enjoyable, while thrilling ride through South Florida. And stay tuned, there will be more.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Jan 3: Resolved - Eat More
I've never been real big on New Year's resolutions. I have my own personal mental list of important ongoing goals and it seems more than enough work tackling those each day.
But I'm making an exception this year because -- well, mostly because these are resolutions any real South Florida resident can warm up to. So, for whatever they may be worth (and that may not be much, admittedly!) -- this list of 2006 Resolutions now, submitted for your consideration and comment.
Eat More! Too many fine restaurants totally escaped my attention in 2005. The county is full of them and I keep hearing rave reviews from friends. But have I actually gone there and spent my money? No, not often enough, at least not outside my list of regular stops. I'll do better this year. Johnny V's, here I come!
Drink More! (Are we sensing a theme here?) But sorry, it's true. As with restaurants, so it is with bars and clubs for me. They beckon, I refuse. Not that I don't love to party or carouse or generally do things that require taxi rides home. I do. But I haven't done enough of it the past 12 months. Look for me at the next bar stool starting...hm, tonight maybe?
Spend More! I have to stop this frugality that characterized so much of 2005. I suppose frugality is not the right word. Uhm, maybe lack of money is the appropriate phrase here. Hey, I'm a fulltime writer -- what do you expect? Still, there's nothing wrong with some deficit spending now and then. Just ask the people who run our federal government! So yes, more plastic charges in 2006...unless I can find a generous friend who wants to eat and drink more too!
Laugh More! As I see it, eating more, drinking more and spending more should lead to...yep, laughing more! And that can only be good. But, as the comics say, seriously now folks -- I don't just mean going to the Improv at Hard Rock or some other local comedy club. I'm talking about getting out and enjoying, even if that doesn't mean drinking, eating or spending. This might be hard to believe but only yesterday I walked the beach from Hollywood to Dania -- no drinking, eating or spending involved. But it was fun. And my date and I had many laughs!
So there ya have it: A list of 2006 resolutions anyone could love. Get back to me in six months and see how I'm doing! I'll let you know, assuming I can both stand up and stop laughing.
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