Fort Lauderdale Blog

Nov 9: Paddling to SOFLA

Lauder BLOGGER — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:41:48 -0700

One of the great things about living in an interesting place is that it attracts interesting people. That's sure true of South Florida. Tourists and residents, people who come for work, people who come to play. Last weekend, I was fortunate to meet two more of these folks. J.J. Kelley and Josh Thomas were visiting town to present their documentary at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. Called "Paddle to Seattle: Journey through the Inside Passage," the film was a genuine hit during its Saturday showing at Cinema Paradiso, where it won the Independent Spirit Award. I loved it - the most refreshing new documentary I've seen in years, really. (You can find out more about this movie at www.paddletoseattle.com, by the way.) I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure angle of their three-month paddle from Alaska to Seattle in homemade kayaks. But to me, the personality of the paddlers made this flick a charmer. These are two very funny dudes.

Like I said, SoFla attracts interesting people. It's terrific to host up-and-coming directors such as J.J. and Josh during the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, which also attracts some very well-known directors and actors. "Paddle to Seattle" is one of more than 200 movies being shown at this year's filmfest through Wednesday night.

Of course, many other events draw many other interesting people to Greater Fort Lauderdale throughout the year. The just-finished boat show, for one. Then in a few weeks, the Winterfest Boat Parade floats down the New River and up the Intracoastal again. Actually, boaters are one of the big reasons we get so many wonderful characters around these parts. I recall bumping into a small family that had just docked beside the 15^th Street Fisheries early one morning to freshen up from their journey - around the planet. In a very small sailboat. They were Australians, a mom and dad and two young kids as I remember, stopping in Fort Lauderdale as part of their grand sea voyage. See what I mean? Our bars and restaurants are full of wanderers who've wandered all the way to Fort Lauderdale, whether as their home port or one stop along the route. We get salty boat captains and glitzy film stars, local kite surfers and international race car drivers. Sometimes we even get a couple of young guys who put every dime they had into making a film they believe in. If that's not interesting, I don't know what is.

Nov 5: East of the Sun

Lauder BLOGGER — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:47:30 -0700

Directions are a big deal in South Florida. This is a reality that few people stop to think about, I suspect. Until they travel east far enough that the reality is in front of them. Yep, suddenly there's a big wide Atlantic Ocean staring you in the face. Or make a U-turn and keep going ... then see what happens. Boom. After about two hours of driving west, there you are again, sitting at the edge of another expanse of salt water. I mention all this only because I was thinking yesterday about how directions are important to life in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area. It's always nice to know if you're moving east or west, north or south, of course. Doesn't matter where you live. But it's different here somehow.

I remember when I first moved to South Florida 20 years ago from Vermont. For some reason, I was constantly turning the wrong direction - and I've talked to other transplants who went through the same problem at first. When I wanted to go north, I inevitably guessed wrong and turned south. Same thing with east and west at night, when I had no sun to guide me and no compass in my car. I'm still not totally sure why.

But as I said, you usually can't go too far here without finding out about your mistake. "Wow, how did I get back to the beach ... again?!!" This is why GPS or maps are good things for tourists. You can find your way around Greater Fort Lauderdale very easily, really, but GPS saves you from those wrong turns. It's not just driving that makes directions so important here, though. It's the weather too, the sun and the wind. They force us to consider which way we're facing. We build our homes so that big picture windows don't have southern exposures that allow Florida's intense sunshine indoors all day long. Smart homeowners also install windows on the east and west sides to bring in crosswinds that blow through the rooms in cooler months. A light breeze shimmering from the east off the sea at night is something we'll seek out in the summer. Later in the year, we'll look for those winds to shift out of the north to bring us our first fresh, brisk air of the winter season. In South Florida, the direction of wind and sun matter more than in other places I've lived. I guess that's because we're closer to them here, in a sense. The hot sunlight and the cooling breezes and the ocean connect us with nature throughout our day. And maybe in our Facebooked, Twitterized world, that's not such a bad thing.

Nov 2: Some Asian Spice

Lauder BLOGGER — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:39:32 -0700

I ate the most delicious dinner the other night. Asian, at a bargain price. Best of all, someone else was buying so it was an extra-value value meal for sure. Really, though, I can highly recommend the Vietnamese cuisine at Basilic, a new Lauderdale-by-the-Sea restaurant. It is delish. I've eaten Vietnamese food in Ho Chi Minh City so obviously I've been lucky enough to taste the real deal. As much as I enjoy all the Asian cuisines that I've tried, I must say that Vietnamese is my favorite. To me, the flavors are more delicate and complex than the others, perhaps because of the French influence. In any case, my experience with the food at Basilic brought back memories of eating in Vietnam.

Three of us last week decided to try this new spot for the first time. And we all had the same reaction - excellent food. We started by splitting Vietnamese filled crepes, which are stuffed with pork loin, shrimp and bean sprouts. One order was plenty for all of us as we carved up the large crepe into bite-sized pieces for our chopsticks. Price: $8. Pretty darned good for such a large appetizer.

I ordered lemongrass chicken for $12, Gwendolyn got the Vietnamese chicken salad, $9, and my friend Hal tried the "shaking beef" for $15. That's about as expensive as the entrees get at Basilic, by the way. (Oh, but I suppose I should describe a dish called "shaking beef," shouldn't I? Sounds bizarre but it's only marinated filet mignon cooked in a wok with red onion and bell peppers. Mmmm.) Anyhow, my chicken was superb - dark and white meat marinated with lemongrass and chilies then grilled and served with rice. Just writing that sentence makes me hungry. I was struck by how fresh the ingredients were too. For our appetizer, for instance, toppings of cilantro and mint on the sprig were placed in a small pile beside the crepe. You toss a piece of crepe into your own small mixing bowl, then you pick off exactly as much of the fresh herbs as you want, drop those leaves into the bowl and splash some fish oil into it all. Then you eat. That's how things were done at the restaurants I experienced in Ho Chi Minh City. A word of warning for anyone allergic to peanuts: the menu states plainly that they "use peanuts in preparing and serving our food." I happen to love peanuts. And the food at Basilic. It's located at 218 E. Commercial Boulevard, phone 954-771-5798. A wonderful addition to Greater Fort Lauderdale's dining scene, whether you've been to Ho Chi Minh City or not.

Oct 28: Golden Tips

Lauder BLOGGER — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:26:43 -0700

The golden anniversary edition of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is now officially open. Yay! That means boat folks from all over the world are here. Everyone from megayacht sellers to kayak paddlers, from longtime boat captains to first-time boat buyers. The event runs through Monday and is spread over six locations. These include the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center at the southern end all the way north through the Las Olas Municipal Marina. The trick is getting from one place to another. So I thought a few tips from a local might be helpful right about now.

I have friends who simply walk a mile or so to the boat show and if you're staying anywhere nearby, this is a pretty good idea. Maybe you're in a hotel on Federal Highway near 17^th Street, for example. Most people would be tempted to drive from there, but I'd suggest just walking to the convention center instead. It's a pleasant stroll, really, and feels wonderful being free of a car.

For many of us, though, walking isn't an option. No problem. I think a fun way to arrive at the boat show is by water, so consider snagging a free riverboat at the Las Olas Riverfront - corner of SW 1^st Avenue and SW 2^nd Street. It will float you directly to the Bahia Mar Yachting Center at the very heart of the show. There's plenty of parking in the Riverfront area too, including two huge garages not far from the pickup point. You can also think about taking a free shuttle bus to the show from the War Memorial parking lot on Federal Highway and Sunrise Boulevard. Easy parking and the buses run frequently. No matter where you park, of course, you should plan on walking a lot. I mean, a lot. So wear comfortable shoes, ideally something that you can take off without much hassle. That's because they won't let you on board most boats with your shoes on. Otherwise just go, wander, relax and have fun. The peoplewatching alone offers good sport at the boat show. All kinds of people, young and old, wealthy and poor, serious boaters and wannabe boaters. Then there are ... all ... those ... boats. Wow. It's a spectacle for sure, the world's largest boat show. And now the show is in its 50^th year. Have fun. Oh yeah, and BOO! Happy Halloween too!

Oct 26: Seaside Sunrise

Lauder BLOGGER — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:43:15 -0700

It's something everyone should have the chance to experience. Sunrise at the sea offers one of those special South Florida moments. I was reminded about this twice over the weekend - once when I made it to the Fort Lauderdale beach in time for a dramatic sunrise, and again when a friend from Seattle marveled at her own opportunity to see the sun appear over the Atlantic Ocean. (Our sunrises have even inspired their own Twitter page, with pics that you can check out at http://twitter.com/FtLauderdaleSun.) The friend was Gwendolyn's sister, Tracy, a college teacher who was in the area for an education conference. Tracy found time for an early morning swim and a very memorable sunrise on Saturday, later recalling for us that instant when the earliest rays broke over the horizon.

As for me, well, I woke up at 6:30 Saturday morning for some odd reason. This is not the norm I assure you, especially not on weekends. But I felt rested and wide awake, glanced outside and thought, "I should pop out of bed right now and head off to the beach for the sunrise." Smart decision.

I pulled into the huge South Beach parking lot on the Fort Lauderdale beach at about the same moment Tracy also must have been watching the sun come up. Only a sliver of intense light was visible, a rich yellow the shade of mango juice. I quickly got out of my car as the sun first rose among a grand cloudbank, then disappeared into it. This was when I finally paid the master parking meter, left the receipt inside my windshield and walked north a short ways. But I soon realized that this morning seemed too beautiful to keep walking any farther, distracted by other people. So I found my own private patch of sand and sat down facing the Atlantic. What a sky! Overhead and behind me, I saw gobs of blue poking out but much of the sky was draped in heavy layers of clouds. To me they resembled clothing that had been wadded and tossed aside in a heap, perhaps a collection of cotton shirts in gray and white, blue and black carelessly bunched one on top of each other to form a thick massive pile. The sun would return later in the day after a pleasant morning shower. But at this moment, it didn't matter to me. I had started my weekend oceanside, finding just enough sun at just the right time to make my day.

Oct 22: Fresh Wind

Lauder BLOGGER — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:01:03 -0700

I live in a boating area, a place of canals and boatyards and yachts. For a resident of Greater Fort Lauderdale, of course, that statement may seem a trifle unnecessary. Don't we all? Well, yes, we all do, generally speaking. But what I mean is that I live in a neighborhood where I can easily walk to those canals and boatyards and yachts. And that's just what I did today to start off my morning. It was delightful. I strolled north from my condo through Dania Beach streets lined with mostly modest homes, some decorated with skeletons and witches and pumpkins for Halloween. Within 10 minutes, I was at the big boatyard.

I enjoy walking through there, a bustling little corner of Fort Lauderdale's boating world. I had the impression it was humming with some extra enthusiasm this day too, with only a week left before the 50^th annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The marina was awash with ... washing. Lots of workers were sponging and polishing up big boats and I felt a mist on my face from one of the hoses as I passed.

The wind seemed especially fresh on my skin, blowing persistently off the sea and carrying that delicious salt scent with it. I wandered down the dock past vessels that had come from the Cayman Islands and Delaware and wherever else. There's a small picnic bench beside the dock and so I sat down, just smelling the air and watching those workers with their mops and buckets. The breeze now was quickly blowing in some thick clouds, a mottled gray and white mass progressively hiding the clear skies above them. I closed my eyes for a moment and simply let that refreshing wind splash over me. And I thought about how appropriate it all seemed just then, as if that wind also was carrying a new season to South Florida. Which, in a way, it was. Because with it, the boat show was blowing into town and so was a long stretch of cooler, drier weather and so were our most hyperactive tourist months, accompanied by the return of the snowbirds. I sat there a little longer before leaving, but I noticed that patches of blue already were breaking up the heavy cloudbank. Our shady day wouldn't last too much longer, apparently. But that fresh season was going to stay around for a while.

Oct 19: Big Month

Lauder BLOGGER — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:53:39 -0700

October is a big month in Fort Lauderdale. As a longtime resident, I find each month and each season has its own charms. Every month offering its own set of events and activities, every month creating its own ambience. To an outsider, April and October in South Florida might seem to have more in common than in many other parts of the country. Hey, it's summer here all the time, right? But actually April and October, as well as May and November and all the other months, are different and distinct. Still, this October is unusual for us, more special than most months in some ways. That's partly due to all the high-end things to enjoy just now - at bargain prices. But it also results from some major events taking place.

Where to start? Well, for one thing I noticed that the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival begins on October 23 and runs through November 8. This is the 24^th edition of the flickfest and will feature a wide range of films along with some celebrity glitz and glam. Should be fun. Then, oh yeah, there's that other little event that comes to town about this time each year.

Not a big deal, mind you. Almost forgot. Uh-huh, right ... Seriously, the 50^th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show motors in from October 29 through November 2. This is the world's largest boat show, with everything from superyachts that have hot tubs and speedboats on their decks to tents that display the latest marine paraphernalia. It's a good time if you're into boats. Or would like to be. But there's a lot more going on than even the film festival and boat show. I said October is a big month and I'm not kidding. Like, for instance, the big Dine Out Lauderdale promotion that continues through November 12: There are 35 upscale restaurants serving wonderful $35 dinners. These places are pretty sure you'll like what you eat so much that you'll want to come back. In my experience with Dine Out, they're right about that. Then Spa Chic is still happening too - another bargain if you're looking for a top-quality spa treatment. Twelve Greater Fort Lauderdale spas are providing $99 treatments through the end of this month. Whew! Some big entertainers also will be arriving at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood to help kick autumn into high gear, acts that include the Allman Brothers Band and Robin Williams in just the next couple of days. And if none of that appeals to you, I give up. I mean, you can ogle yachts, watch films, eat fine food, relax with a massage, dance to hot slide guitar licks or laugh with a comedy legend. Stay home if you want, of course - just don't tell your friends there's nothing to do.

Oct 16: Hot and Cold

Lauder BLOGGER — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:58:49 -0700

The weather around the country is getting weird, and cold, awfully early this year. When a Major League baseball game is snowed out, as one was recently in Denver, you know that winter is up to no good. My mom in Chicago has been complaining about the early nip in the air. Yesterday she told me the recent overnight low there was about 28 degrees. Yikes. Coming before the middle of October, that temp seems a tad premature. We'll see what the next few months bring. Meantime, I'm happily roasting in an unusually warm South Florida. We like, no we love, heat down here of course. But we also look forward to our own version of a nip in the air. Well, the autumn lovers of Florida have reason to smile this weekend, I'm told.

Yes, indeed. Because the first big cold wave of the season is wafting its way through the air currents toward us. Wanna know how cold it's going to be? Hang on to your wool caps, folks - it's supposed to plunge to a high of 80 degrees. The lows? Maybe plummeting to a frigid 68 degrees.

Ha. Sorry, but as a reformed northerner I must confess that this sort of thing never fails to amuse me. And so our warm cold front will sweep into town and, if we're lucky, we can turn off our AC at last. For a while anyway. I can hear my unit running like mad now, as it has been since about late May, as I recall. The poor thing needs a rest and I'm ready for our annual shift of seasons, from toasty-warm tropical to fresh-breeze tropical. It's subtle, I admit. But it's also delightful as we throw open the windows and breathe unfiltered air 24 hours a day once more. That change should settle in for several months soon, perhaps starting in just a couple of weeks or so. For now, this early brush with cooler temperatures mostly will be just a welcome tease. Still, they're calling it a cold front on our weather forecasts, a reminder of just how relative the English language can be. This little South Florida "cold" spell may allow us to wear our light jackets if we go out at night. Maybe. The same weather in Chicago right now would inspire folks to break out their Bermuda shorts and flowered shirts. Funny how that works. In any case, I'll take the weather around here any day. All I know is, there will be lots of people from Chicago and New York and Toronto and all over the north flying down to Greater Fort Lauderdale for vacations this fall and winter. I don't think you'll find a lot of Fort Lauderdale residents booking casual holidays in those places any time soon.

Oct 13: Ship Shape

Lauder BLOGGER — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:53:56 -0700

I see that the busiest part of our cruise season already is shaping up. I noticed this over the weekend when I spotted three huge ships docked at the same time in Port Everglades. One was part of the Princess cruise line, another was Royal Caribbean and the third was maybe a Celebrity ship, though I couldn't tell for sure. In a few weeks, that number will grow. During the winter months, I've counted as many as eight ships all waiting at once to leave from Fort Lauderdale for destinations around the Caribbean and beyond. I think many folks still don't quite realize how big Fort Lauderdale is in the cruise industry. Just the other day I read that we're supposed to host more than 3.3 million passengers in 2010 - at just this one port. That's kind of amazing to me, honestly.

I wrote a cruise column for Budget Travel magazine for a while and that wasn't too many years ago. I recall that around this period it was a very big deal when the annual cruise passenger total exceeded seven million for the first time. That was for the entire cruise industry in this country. Wow, things have changed, huh?

I think 2010 is going to be a very cool year for cruising in or out of Fort Lauderdale. The world's largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, will be christened right here. Fort Lauderdale will be the home port for this monster ship that holds 5,400 people. I've sailed on Voyager of the Seas, with its 3,100-person capacity, and that felt like a floating city to me. Also Silversea Cruises' newest ship will be christened here in the coming weeks. The Silver Spirit will join five other elegant ships as part of a fleet often voted the world's best small cruise line. I've also sailed on Silversea and know the high level of luxury that comes with the experience. The naming ceremonies for both these ships will help to kick our busy cruise season into high gear. Man, I mean seriously - there will be ships and boats galore around here soon, even more than usual. You may remember that the 50th annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show starts on October 29, stretching from Port Everglades all the way up A1A to the Fort Lauderdale beachfront. That's always a good time too. This town simply is a wonderful place to be if you like floating on the water, whether on a boat or a ship. That's true any time of the year, of course. But from now through the next several months, the long list of options available for your preferred float will just get a bit longer.

Oct 8: Muscle Memory

Lauder BLOGGER — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:08:09 -0700

Sometimes we all need a little inspiration. Something that shakes us out of our routines and gets us moving, one way or another. To those of us who like to work out, some encouraging motivation now and then really helps a lot. I know this because I like to work out. I also know this because I didn't work out during pretty much the whole month of September. I won't bore you with my excuses, except to save some face by explaining it mostly had to do with deadlines and meetings and ... Well, heck, it sure seemed nearly impossible to make it to the gym. Then there was that weeklong staycation on the beach. But the beach also helped me get back into my exercising ways now, oddly enough.

I've learned over the years that some real inspiration to get fit is as close as any beach in the Fort Lauderdale area, from Deerfield Beach all the way through Hallandale Beach. Personally speaking, I've found Hollywood's Broadwalk and the Fort Lauderdale beach especially motivating. Here's what I'm talking about.

Picture yourself wandering the sidewalk that runs along the oceanfront. Let's say you just enjoyed a nice café breakfast of bacon and eggs - not that I'm speaking from experience or anything. Ahem. Anyway, this very trim guy about your age comes bounding past in a fast jog, with his shirt off and sweat running down his face. You think, "He's in good shape!" Then a gorgeous young woman zips by you from the other direction on in-line skates. You can't help noticing that, yes, she too is in very, very good shape. Ahem again. And this parade of fit, good-looking people just continues, particularly if you're on the beach early in the morning or evening. It's, like, amazing. Really. Bicyclists and runners, skaters and walkers. Young, old, beautiful and less-than-beautiful. They're all working out. And you? You're not working out. Instead, your body is busily digesting bits of bacon and egg - probably hash browns and toast too, if you want to get technical about this thing. No, you're not working out like everyone else seems to be at this very moment, in this very place. But you know what? You soon start thinking about working out. Yeah, you are inspired by it all. Your muscles begin to remember how they feel when they're being used. And then soon you want to get back to your gym or at least join the joggers on the beach. As I said, we all need a little inspiration sometimes. Truthfully, it's less effort to exercise than to try to appear as if you exercise anyhow. A half hour jog doesn't require nearly as much energy as walking around the beach holding in your gut. On this point, sadly, I am speaking from experience.

Oct 5: Foodie Fest

Lauder BLOGGER — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:40:15 -0700

We all like to eat. But some people live to eat, to create and explore and savor cuisine. For these folks, food is more than sustenance, it's a lifestyle. I know this all too well because my girlfriend is a foodie and a serious one at that. (Yes, I've learned there are foodie categories, ranging from "Hmm, I wonder if that's coriander in the soup?" on the lower end of the spectrum up to "I bought pink Hawaiian sea salt today" in the middle range and then beyond at the upper levels to something like "I spent the entire evening grinding and mixing Chinese herbs for the dumplings I'll wrap by hand tomorrow night.") As it turns out, right now is a most excellent moment for foodies in South Florida.

I realized this on Friday when a close friend took me to lunch at a lovely upscale restaurant and paid next to nothing for our meals. We hadn't known that there was a two-for-one lunch special, though I think many nice places throughout town have similar deals available. But the best bargains anywhere around are for dinner - and believe me, now's the time to snap some of them up.

Each fall for the past few years, Dine Out Lauderdale has helped showcase some of this community's finest cuisine. The dining promotion lasts from October 1 through November 12, offering serious foodies a serious foodie fest. I've enjoyed these Dine Out meals the past couple years and plan to do so again in the coming days. Needless to say, my foodie girlfriend will help me pick out the restaurant. There are over 35 high-end places to choose from, including By Word of Mouth, Cero Restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale, Johnny V, Sublime, Café Vico and the Capital Grille. Among others of pretty much equal local renown and quality. For a bargain-priced $35, you can become more familiar with Greater Fort Lauderdale's fine dining scene by ordering three-course meals that go way beyond samplers. These are real dinners, from appetizers to dessert, and my experience has been that they're both filling and memorably delicious. You'll find details on this website at http://www.sunny.org/dineout, with the full list of participating restaurants and other info. Like I said, autumn is a terrific time to be a foodie in South Florida. As for me, nope I'm not a serious foodie but, sure, I like to eat good food. I'm sort of on the lower end of that spectrum, I guess. I might ask about the coriander in the soup but no way will you find me wrapping Chinese dumplings.

Oct 4: Groundbreaking Ceremony

Lauder BLOGGER — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:36:14 -0700

On Friday, Sept. 11, Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa held a groundbreaking ceremony to kick off construction on the beachfront resort's new restaurant, Sea Level, slated to debut in 2010. The groundbreaking was attended by Mayor John Seiler and City Commissioner Romney Rogers.

Designed to reflect a modern South Florida ambiance, Sea Level will be a chic destination for hotel guests, local residents and foodies alike, serving gourmet cuisine and expertly handcrafted cocktails. The 152-seat oceanfront restaurant will be perched 15 feet above the beach providing unobstructed views of the Atlantic Ocean.

The introduction of Sea Level will be the final piece of a $50 million resort-wide renovation over the past few years. The multimillion-dollar redesign also included: a floor-to-ceiling rooms and suites renovation; expansion of The Spa at Harbor Beach fitness center, which nearly doubled in size to 3,750 square feet, introducing new, state-of-the-art fitness machines and a revamped spa kitchen; and the 10,000-square-foot oceanfront ballroom slated to be completed in December.

Photo Caption: From left, Brendan Mangan, Harbor Beach Director of Event Management; David Cronin, Harbor Beach Director of Food & Beverage; John P. "Jack" Seiler, Mayor of the City of Fort Lauderdale; Jim Mauer, Area General Manager/ Harbor Beach; Romney Rogers, Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner; and Jay Marsella, Harbor Beach Director of Sales & Marketing.

Oct 1: Float Your Boat

Lauder BLOGGER — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:06:18 -0700

Is it really October already? Yep, and that means it's boat show month here in Fort Lauderdale. Wow, it seems like we just celebrated the 4^th of July, doesn't it? It's hard for me to believe that we're speeding toward Halloween and the holidays. Each year at this time, there's a slow crescendo of activity around the Fort Lauderdale beach as the boat show makes the transition from backstage planning to front-and-center onsite preparations. It's a big deal in our town as well as for everyone in the boating community worldwide. This is a special year for the event too - the 50^th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The buzz has already started.

The other day, I was driving along A1A and noticed the first boat show signs posted on light poles all along the seaside highway. That was my initial reminder that this huge marine exhibition was about to return. I found myself thinking, "That's cool! I enjoy having this thing on the beach each year. It's one of those events that make Fort Lauderdale so special."

Really, that's how I feel about it - even if the show can make traveling up and down the coastal road a bit challenging for several days. I'll gladly put up with heavy traffic for a chance to live near the world's biggest boat show. Because its presence here says a lot about Fort Lauderdale, I think. It's a nod to the lifestyle that is part of this community's fabric, a boating way of life that's truly centered around the water. From the canals to the rivers to the lakes to the ocean, Fort Lauderdale sparkles in the reflected sunshine of its waters. This is true for those who live away from the water as much as for those with waterside mansions. Whether you drive or bicycle or walk around Fort Lauderdale, you're going to bump into some body of water pretty quickly. And on many of those bodies of water, you're going to see boats. Everything from dinghies to superyachts, from speedboats to sailboats. In this part of the country, that's who we are. How fitting, then, that the largest boat show of all has been hosted by us for the past half century? This year it begins on October 29 and runs through November 2, spread over six locations connected by buses and riverboats and water taxis. If you come to the show you'll find more than $3 billion worth of yachts and electronics and gear of all kinds from every major marine builder and manufacturer on the planet. Maybe that helps explain why the buzz for something this important starts a month before it opens. As events go in Fort Lauderdale, it doesn't get any bigger than this.

Sept 28: Java Chic

Lauder BLOGGER — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:53:04 -0700

Fort Lauderdale coined the term "beach chic" for its casual but upscale lifestyle. Now there's a place along the Fort Lauderdale beach offering what I might call "java chic." A small café that also is casual but upscale, a great spot with an appealing menu for breakfast or lunch. H2O Java Café sits next door to its sister restaurant, H2O Café. Funny how that works. But really, the main H2O has been open for more than a year and I love it. I've eaten there a number of times, including during staycations the past two summers and when out-of-town guests have visited me. It's situated overlooking the sea just south of Beach Place, with an unusually large menu of excellent food. H2O is lovely inside and out and the staff is friendly, attentive and often downright funny to chat with.

But until my close-to-home vacation at the beach earlier this month, I somehow never had tried the little H2O Java Café. Now I'm already a return customer. I wandered inside for the first time one sunny morning when staying at a hotel nearby, just looking for a nice iced coffee and some shade.

The place was hopping. The two easy chairs at the front of the shop were taken by a couple who was talking to some folks at another table. Other people were eating or ordering takeout breakfasts. I still wanted that iced coffee but now the fresh fruit looked inviting too: big slices of pineapple and watermelon laid out in the glass case. The guy at the register happily gave me only what I asked for - one slice of pineapple and one slice of watermelon rather than insisting I buy a big fruit plate off their menu. I thought that was nice. And it's an indication of the type of service that is typical at both the small and large H2O cafes. I found an empty table and just took my time, looking out the window at the ocean, striking up a conversation with another customer. It's a pleasant way to start the day. H2O Java Café has everything from omelet's and French toast to sandwiches and smoothies, along with salads and baked goods and fresh squeezed orange juice. Yum. They call this place a New Age java shop, which I can buy in the sense that there seems an emphasis on healthy, quality food and a relaxed environment. No crystals or pyramids around that I saw. Anyhow, H2O Java Café is open from 7am to 10pm daily so you can even pick up a light dinner if you want something for the beach. So far I've only been there during the morning sunshine but I'm sure the food's just as good in the moonlight.

Sept 28: Walking the Dog: A pier tactic for snook at night

Guest Blogger — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:22:15 -0700

One night I was on the fishing Pier with a few friends fishing for snook. We were using the typical live shrimp on trollrites casting out and reeling in slowly working both sides of the pier. No one was producing any strikes.

Vinny, who is a night time regular on the pier had his rod in his right hand holding the rod over the rail and walking one step at a time with the pier railing like he is on a tight rope for a circus act. Out of curiosity, we ask him what he is doing and he said, "I am walking the dog." Vinny loses 3 fish in a matter of 15 minutes and then catches his legal keeper. We caught on to the trick of getting some bites and then catching a few keepers ourselves.

It's a silly name for a fishing tactic but it is very effective. You use a basic sliding sinker rig, slide your line through a 1 ounce egg sinker and tie on your leader. Your leader will use a 14 to 16 inch piece of fluorocarbon 30lb or 40lb test. One end is tied on a small black barrel swivel and the other end to a small black or brown "size 1" hook. Not a 1/0 hook, "size 1."

You must use live shrimp because dead or cut baits will not be effective. Hook your shrimp through the head starting underneath the shrimp's head going out through the top by the horn. Make sure you do not stick the hook through the shrimp's dark spot which is the brain or you will kill the shrimp.

Let's start off in the middle to get a visual and then from point A to point B. When you look over the pier railing straight down at the water, look for pier pilings. Let's say you have a piling to the left and a piling to your right. We will start at the piling to the right and that will be point A. Drop your rig down on the bottom next to the piling on your right. When it hits the bottom you hold your rod over the rail in your right hand with the rod tip down. Place your index finger on your line and lift the rod tip up just a little. Imagine that you are lifting your sinker off the bottom just a few inches. Slowly walk one step at a time to the next piling with the shrimp as if you were trolling that shrimp at super slow speed just at the edge of the pier. Walk slowly from piling to piling. Once you get to the next piling point B; reel up, go to the other side of the piling or flip the rod to your left hand and walk back to point A.

Using this technique you can cover the whole pier. You can use the same technique using a ½ ounce trollrite with your shrimp. There are a lot of snook swimming under the pier in the dark looking out into the light waiting for prey to swim by. You're just walking the dog. That's exactly what it is. During this process, use one arm over the pier holding the rod in your hand. This may be used on both sides of the pier north and south. If you get hung up on the bottom just walk back the other way and gently pull up at an angle.

What I would do when using medium to large shrimp on a ½ ounce trollrite is start casting out and reeling in slowly working the surf area hard. If that doesn't produce any results, I would drop the trollrite with the shrimp next to the piling and start "walking the dog". If you take a shrimp and cast it under the pier and let it sit and wait for a fish to eat it, you'll be waiting all night. You will get better results by working the pier starting at the surf and working your way up toward the end. You try casting out the shrimp and if that doesn't work, quickly move on to "walking the dog". With these two tactics you can cover the outside and inside of a pier and catch redfish too.

When "walking the dog" and you get a bite; slowly raise the rod up. Don't jerk it hard. I remembered times when I would start at one piling and when I got to the next one; had to reel up. I would slowly raise my rod up and there would be a snook following the shrimp. I would drop my arm so the rod tip goes down and the shrimp would sink. The snook would turn and suck it. It's crazy to see them coming out from under the pier.

For more information on snook tactics on piers go to Johns website at http://www.snookonpier.com/.

By John Emil Montagnino