refusing - Fort Lauderdale Magazine

Transcription

REFUSING
To Sink
UNDER
SANDY
FORK
LAUDERDALE
Farm to
HOW WE’RE
BECOMING A HEALTHIER
COMMUNITY
South
Florida’s
BEST
MOUNTAIN
BIKING
TRAILS
THE
CONNIE
FRANCIS
STORY
Bella Me Boutique
Beautiful clothes for Beautiful people
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WITH PURCHASE
ENJOY WINING, DINING
and SHOPPING WITH
THE LATEST FASHIONS
AT OUR
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OPENING
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Monday-Friday 10am-6pm
Saturday 10am-4pm
Sunday Closed
Clothing • Jewelry • handbags • Fashion aCCessories
2
5975
N.
Federal
March &
April 2013
| FLMag.com Hwy., Suite 105 • Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
(North of Commerciall Blvd. Next to Panera Bread)
Enjoy lunch or dinner at Fort Lauderdale’s
most popular waterfront restaurant
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FLMag.com | March & April 2013
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STATE REPRESENTATIVE’S LETTER
A LETTER FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE
GEORGE MORAITIS
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
It is a privilege to represent our area as state representative as we continue to improve our
community through a number of exciting initiatives. In addition to serving our constituents, my
top priorities are economic and tourism development that will stimulate job growth, improving
Port Everglades and Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, and preserving our
world-class beaches that continue to attract visitors from around the world.
The Port is continuing to move forward with the expansion of cargo piers at its southern end
and we anticipate appropriating $34.5 million in this year’s state budget to support this work.
In anticipation of the completion of the Panama Canal expansion in the
next few years, we are also looking to spend resources on the planning of
the Deepening and Widening Project. This project, which enjoys a broad
spectrum of support from our local business, education and government
leaders, will maintain our Port in its position as a major international trade
center while attracting thousands of long-term jobs to the area. Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport is in the midst of a runway
expansion to attract more passengers and flights to our area, and the state is
supporting this important project with over $125 million in grants.
With respect to the beaches, the state has recently committed over $6
million dollars to the improvement of the road and beach adjacent to Birch
State Park. Working with the City of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County,
these improvements will not only support the long-term integrity of the road,
but also make the area safer for traffic and more accessible for recreation
opportunities. In addition to this important work, the state is also committed
to funding beach renourishment to help support projects such as Broward
County’s recently announced program to renourish the beach between Port
Everglades and Hillsboro Inlet.
I hope that you share my optimism as we embark on these projects to build a better future
while maintaining our community, which is an attractive place to live, work and have fun! I
am honored to serve you in the Florida House of Representatives and please let me know how
I can serve you. You can reach me at our district office at 954-762-3757 or by email at george.
[email protected].
Sincerely, George Moraitis
State Representative
Florida District 93
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March & April 2013 | FLMag.com
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CONTRIBUTORS
4404 North Ocean Drive, Lauderdale By the Sea
Monday - Saturday 9:30-6:00
954-776-5940
www.countrysquireshop.com
4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENTS
ON THE COVER
Water laps a lifeguard station
on Fort Lauderdale beach
after Sandy.
Photo by Art Seitz III
FEATURES
40
48
54
NOT SO SANDY
Last year’s late season storms showed us how
vulnerable our beaches are. COUNTRY CLUB STYLE
Clothes for on – and especially off – the court.
FARM TO
FORK LAUDERDALE
Finding a healthier way to eat - and live.
ART OF LIVING
10 Our Town: The eco-friendly Tony Tango returns
to South Florida.
12 Local Finds: Jewelry in the color of the year.
14 Style & Beauty Products: Going back to basics.
16 Profile: Connie Francis, the singer of our song.
OFF THE GRID
19 The Weekender: Florida road memories.
24 Sport & Fitness: Mountain biking trails from
Deerfield Beach to Key Biscayne.
SPICE OF LIFE
28 Four-Legged Tales: The American (bulldog’s) Photo: Drew Cornwall
THE GUIDE
59 Events Guide: A list of the coming months’ activities.
66 City Snapshots: Scenes from gatherings
around the city.
FOOD & DRINK
68 Chef’s Corner: Keeping things simple at
The Grateful Palate
dream.
70 Restaurant Listings: Our expanded guide to
32 Motors: The electric car’s time has come.
36 Casa Chic: History and style on the New River.
38 Grazings: The results of our search for the
OLD LAUDERDALE
city’s best sandwiches.
the city’s dining scene.
80 Supplying the North with baby gators.
5
TRUSTLARRY
EDITOR’S LETTER
6
NATIVE TRAITS TOWARD AN
EXHAUSTIVE DEFINITION OF WHO WE ARE.
As the new editor of Fort Lauderdale
Magazine, I have been pondering two
important questions.
ONE: Does anybody read editors’ letters?
TWO: What kind of people live in Fort Lauderdale?
I’ll have to wait for an answer to the first. As for the second,
here are some thoughts.
YOU’RE A TRUE FORT LAUDERDALIAN IF…
...you hate to leave Broward (especially to go to Dade).
...you watch movies at the Gateway and don’t get a sore back.
...you nod to the man in sport coat and tie who strolls Las Olas smoking a pipe.
...showing out-of-town guests historic landmarks you make a stop at the Elbo Room.
...you read the Sun-Sentinel because of the Sports section.
...you drive by Gilda’s Club to look at the peacocks.
...you never let a week go by without going at least once to see the ocean.
...you tell visitors that the empty lot in the middle of Las Olas is part of the city’s new “green” initiative.
...I-95 divides your world into east and west.
...you’ve discovered that good, inexpensive food from the East is in the west.
...though originally upset, you now think it a blessing that Miami got the Marlins.
...you can’t decide which Irish pub to hang out at.
...you still thrill at the sight of a cruise ship sailing out of Port Everglades.
...you find shopping at Publix a continual pleasure.
...you see it as a sign of good luck if an egret is standing atop your car in the parking lot.
...you own several pairs of dress shorts.
...you take pride in the fact that Kelsey Grammer attended Pine Crest.
...you’re still amazed that a mall on the river could fail.
...you wonder if things would have gone differently if the river had a better name.
...you cherish the view, as you come north on 95, that makes downtown look like it’s surrounded by forests.
...you have a recurring nightmare that you’re driving into a canal.
...you think it a shame that Chris Evert moved to Boca.
...you can never have enough Italian restaurants to choose from.
...you surprise your spouse with an anniversary cruise on the Jungle Queen.
...you watch a meaningless NFL game just because someone from St.Thomas Aquinas is playing.
...you own a boat, you owned a boat, or you wish you could afford a boat.
...the teenager in you fantasizes about resurrecting Spring Break.
...you dream of becoming a Broward Center usher.
Tom Swick
Editor
954-764-7460 | [email protected]
To see more signs that you’re a true Fort
Lauderdalian – and to add your own –
visit flmag.com.
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7
Do you have headaches, back pain,
or neck discomfort?
450 N.E. Fifth St., Suite 8, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
954-764-7460 |FLMag.com
Business
President Vice President Vice President of Marketing
& Fashion Editor Publisher Bob Cay
Deborah Cay
Ashley Keshigian
Libby Good
Editorial
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Tom Swick
David Bohl
Cathi Bohl
Mary Louise English
Callie Hamilton
Drew Cornwall
Steven W. Foster
Ronald Modra
Art Seitz III
Kara Starzyk
Candace West
Contributors
Erik Mathes
Patsy Mennuti
Andrea Richard
MB Roberts
Carla Rover
Mike Seemuth
Editor Emeritus Ira Jeffrey Rosen
Sales
Tom Macek, MD
Call to schedule an appointment
Medicare and private insurances accepted
8
Editor Art Director
Contributing Designers Contributing Proofreader Editorial Intern Contributing
Photographers
Account Executives
Pery Canan
Christine Gatto-Vincent
Andrew D. LaRochelle
Randy Thomas
Fort Lauderdale Magazine is published six times a year
by PD Strategic Media, 450 NE Fifth St., Suite 8, Fort
Lauderdale, FL 33301. All rights reserved. Nothing in the
publication may be reproduced without written permission
from the publisher. Fort Lauderdale Magazine assumes no
responsibility for the return of unsolicited materials; include
return postage for any material to be returned. Call 954764-7460 for back issue information. Send address changes
to Fort Lauderdale Magazine, 450 NE Fifth St., Suite 8,
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.
1/3 (V)
CONTRIBUTORS
PATSY MENNUTI
(“Farm to Fork Lauderdale”) >
After a 15-year career with a local nonprofit, Mennuti
traveled the world, a journey that eventually brought her back
to her family’s farm in Virginia. She combines her passion for
wellness with an interest in locally grown food to nurture her
exploration of yoga and Ayurveda. She also writes, edits,
produces events, manages projects and continues to travel.
MIKE SEEMUTH
<
(“Not So Sandy”)
Seemuth
moved from writing about the Wave, the proposed downtown
streetcar line (November/December 2012), to spending more
time on the beach. Well, at least talking to a lot of people about
the beach, as well as the neighborhoods that border it. In over 35
years in journalism, Seemuth has served as editor of the South
Florida Business Journal and managing editor of Florida Trend.
ART SEITZ ||| (“Not So Sandy”) > The first official
photographer for the Virginia Slims Circuit (the precursor
to the Women’s Tennis Association), Seitz has received
“Picture of the Year” honors in Sports Illustrated, People and Life.
His photos have been used on the covers of over 1,000 magazines
and have appeared in Time, Newsweek, Paris Match, Hola,
Stern, Vogue, Vanity Fair and many other publications. For
the last 27 years he has lived in Fort Lauderdale Beach.
MB ROBERTS
<
(“Our Lady of Song”)
Roberts
went from singing Connie Francis hits with a friend while growing
up in Virginia to writing 17 books, including The Great Book of
NASCAR Lists and Sign of Life: A Story of Family, Tragedy, Music and
Healing. In 2012, she wrote several episodes of “Backstory” on the
Great American Country network. She often collaborates with
her husband, photographer Ronald Modra (see below).
RONALD MODRA
>
(“Our Lady of Song”)
A
Sports Illustrated photographer for 23 years, with 70 covers to
his credit, Modra had one of his photos chosen as one of SI’s Greatest
Super Bowl Photos of All Time. He has shot covers for some 200
publications worldwide and contributed to Time, Newsweek, People,
National Geographic, Playboy, Field & Stream and Outdoor Life. In
addition to sports, Modra’s current passions are music and outdoor
photography, which is really just an excuse to fish in the Keys.
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OF LIVING
OUR TOWN
GREEN
HOW
WASMYMOVIE
Some things
you won’t
know just
by watching
THE MOVIE WAS MADE ON AN
ECO-FRIENDLY SET. “We had a wind- and solar-pow-
ered generator,” says Maxx Maulion, who plays the top-heavy
title character. “The thing was like a space ship, with two
wind towers that had to be set up.”
TONY TANGO.
MARCH 6TH 7PM • MARCH 8TH 5PM
@REGAL SOUTH BEACH CINEMAS
PART OF THE
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL
FILM FESTIVAL, MARCH 1-10
By Tom Swick
But the generator is nowhere to be seen
in the movie, which tells the story of a
smarmy ballroom dancer in South Florida
who is forced to win a dance competition
in order to save his dance studio. Also
invisible are the iPads on which cast
and crew followed the script (to save on
paper) and the aluminum bottles that
people carried to water coolers.
“On set,” Maulion says of most films,
“people drink half a Zephyrhills bottle
and throw it away.”
The savings in plastic were considerable, because the movie
was made in South Florida in August. Some of the bottles
carried inspiring messages like “Save the Planet – Dance
Sexy.” Their only drawback was the occasional sound on the
set of aluminum hitting metal.
The wind- and
solar-powered generator
that was used on the set.
The idea to go green came from local line producer Jonathan
David Kane, who had introduced it before on other movie
sets. “He and his wife are very earth-conscious,” Maulion
says. “After every meal she would scrape off the food that
wasn’t eaten and compost it for her garden.”
MAULION IS NOT A NATURAL DANCER.
“I went to a lot of cotillions at the Fort Lauderdale Yacht Club,”
says the graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas High School and
Florida Atlantic University. “But it didn’t stick.”
He took three months of basic Latin dancing in Los Angeles
and then, when the crew came here, he did two weeks of
intense choreography. “Every day, five hours a day – at Gold’s
Gym on Commercial.” Asked if he’s now a great dancer, he
says, “It’s like studying calculus in college. You learn it for the
test and then you forget it.”
Jonathan David Kane (left), the
producer who came up with
the green idea, and assistant
camera man Abdiel Thorne.
“I went to a lot of
cotillions at the
Fort Lauderdale
Yacht Club, but it
didn’t stick.”
10
FLATULENCE PLAYED A ROLE IN THE
MOVIE’S GENESIS. The movie’s choreographer, Jerry
Perez, used to teach salsa to seniors and he would amuse
Maulion and Andres De Oliveira (executive producer) with
tales of the sounds and smells of the dance floor. These stories
inspired the two men to write the script.
THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS TONY’S FATHER
CAME WITH STRONG MENTORING
QUALIFICATIONS. He was Maulion’s teacher at the
Acting School of South Florida.
MAXX MAULION IS NOT A STAGE NAME. His
full name is Maximilian Alexander Maulion. And he is currently
working with De Oliveira on a post-apocalyptic comedy.
11
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OF LIVING
LOCAL FINDS
4
1
3
5
2
THE COLOR EXPERTS AT PANTONE NAMED EMERALD
GREEN THE COLOR OF THE YEAR FOR 2013 AND
FORT LAUDERDALE JEWELERS ARE FOLLOWING SUIT BY
SHOWING OFF THEIR GREEN GEMSTONES
AND JEWELRY.
Tranquility
the spa gift shop at the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa,
1 Tranquility,
carries a variety of unique designer jewelry including this 14 karat gold-plated
Beverly’s Jewelers
Tacori ring flaunts a sea foam-colored prasiolite gemstone surrounded by
3 This
18 karat gold petals studded with diamonds. $1,400
necklace by Athena Designs. The 11 mm bezel set stone rests on a 25 millimeter disk
and hangs on a 17 inch, 14 karat gold fill chain. $88
Beverly’s Jewelers | 3600 W. Commercial Blvd.
954-485-6262 | bevjewelers.com
Tranquility | 3030 Holiday Drive
954-525-4000 | marriottharborbeachspa.com
Weston Jewelers
long earrings are part of the Parentesi Cocktail collection. Made with
2 Bulgari’s
18 karat pink gold, green quartz, amethysts and pavé diamonds, the earrings
are an elegant choice for a colorful night out. $9,200
Weston Jewelers | 1728 Main St.
954-389-7990 | westonjewelers.com
J.R. Dunn Jewelers
Judith Ripka Estate Earrings create a vintage look and are made with 18
4 These
karat yellow gold, sterling silver, white sapphires and green quartz. $995
J.R. Dunn Jewelers |4210 N. Federal Highway
954-782-5000 | jrdunn.com
Levinson Jewelers
in 14 karat gold, Levinson Jewelers’ green quartz and diamond earrings
5 Set
dangle with green quartz, white topaz and .8 carats of diamonds.. $4,600
Levinson Jewelers | 888 E. Las Olas Blvd.
954-462-8880 | levinsonjewelers.com
12
LOCAL FINDS
art
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8
6
Photo Carlton Davis
7
9
10
Mayors
by Vianna, this 18 karat gold ring features a 20mm round cut prasiolite
6 Designed
gemstone surrounded by diamonds weighing a total of 0.35 carats. $2,695
W Hotels - Fort Lauderdale
W Store in the W Fort Lauderdale shows off its style with La Mer
9 The
Collection’s Kelly Green Triple Wrap Watch. With a 22-inch soft leather
Mayors | 2352 E. Sunrise Blvd.
954-563-4181 | mayors.com
band, the silver-plated watch wraps three times around the wrist creating a fun, chic
look. $92
Tiffany & Co.
& Co.’s opera-length necklace and drop earrings transition beautifully
7 Tiffany
from day to evening wear. The necklace and earrings are both set in platinum
and are designed with green tourmaline and diamonds. Price available upon
request
8
W Hotels – Fort Lauderdale | 401 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.
954-414-8200 | lamercollections.com
Needlepoint Originals
John Medeiros anvil cable bracelet with peridot stone features detailed
10 This
hand-carved designs. The piece is finished with 14 karat gold and rhodium to
prevent tarnishing. $170
Set in 18 karat yellow gold, this Tiffany Hummingbird Brooch takes flight
with tsavorites and diamonds. $75,000
Tiffany & Co. | 9700 Collins Ave., Bal Harbor
305-864-1801 | tiffany.com
Needlepoint Originals | 820 E. Las Olas Blvd.
954-463-1900 | needlepoint-originals.com
13
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OF LIVING
STYLE & BEAUTY PRODUCTS
Basics
Back to
Beauty
By Callie Hamilton
Natural Products for Natural Beauty
Help the environment and your body by heading
back to beauty basics this spring with these five
organic hair and skin products. They’re made with
environmentally safe ingredients and contain the
minerals and vitamins your body needs.
1
A Foundation of Minerals
La Bella Donna’s Loose Mineral Foundation is a mineral-based
loose powder that evens skin tone and claims to help prevent
blemishes. The SPF 20 foundation protects your skin from sun
damage and creates a barrier around pores, helping to prevent
toxins from entering the body.
Capello Organic Salon| $55
capelloorganicsalon.blogspot.com | 954-609-2616
2
Natural for Your Lips
Rather than layering on lip products full of artificial coloring and
chemical ingredients, nourish your lips with something natural,
like Mineral Fusion’s Liquid Lip Gloss. The gloss is infused with
sunflower seed oil and vitamin E, and is available in seven shades.
Whole Foods Market | $11.99
wholefoodsmarket.com | 954-565-5655
3
Sulfate-Free Shampoo
Made from essential oils and plant extracts, Neuma’s reNeu
Shampoo uses a sulfate-free formula to clean the hair. It also uses
the plant-based Phyto Colour Complex and Phyto UV Shield to
protect colored-treated hair from UVA and UVB oxidation.
Diamante Day Spa | $24
diamantedayspa.com | 954-763-1212
4
Clean the Natural Way
Mario Tricoci’s Villa Floriani Cucumber Cleansing Gel is made
from elements that occur naturally in the body. These ingredients
cleanse the skin while protecting its natural moisture balance.
Red Door Spa | $39
reddoorspas.com | 954-564-5787
5
A Day Cream for the Tropics
Eminence’s Tropical Vanilla Day Cream uses zinc oxide to
provide broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection without a
greasy residue. Made with shea butter and vanilla, the cream is
said to help improve circulation while moisturizing the skin.
The Spa at The Ritz-Carlton | $85
ritzcarlton.com | 954-465-2300
14
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15
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OF LIVING
PROFILE - CONNIE FRANCIS
Our LADY Of
SONG
CONNIE FRANCIS
talks about her past,
her passions – and
her one regret.
“
They didn’t
know whether
to hang me or
give me the key
to the city.
By MB Roberts
”
– Connie Francis
IN THE SUMMER OF 1960,
CONNIE FRANCIS WAS A
21-YEAR-OLD POP STAR.
Fort Lauderdale – which she would
effectively put on the map courtesy of
that year’s movie and song, Where the
Boys Are – was a sleepy beach burg.
“When I got off the plane, I thought I’d landed on the outskirts of
Nairobi,” says Connie. (She insists: “Call me Connie.”) “It was just
short of being a place with thatched huts. I thought, ‘Where are the
boys? Hiding in the palm trees?’”
Photo: Ronald Modra
16
Now 74, Connie has been a full-time resident of Fort Lauderdale since
the early 1980s. But when the movie crew rolled into town, there were
three hotels, she recalls, and seven police cars. There were few local kids
around, so the producers recruited extras from outlying areas, paying them
1/3 (V)
$30 each to participate in the movie’s now famous
beach scenes. How things change.
After the movie premiered at the Gateway
Cinema and, on the same night, at Radio
City Music Hall, then opened nationwide
in December of 1960, college kids had a new
Spring Break mecca. The following year,
Fort Lauderdale was bombarded with tens of
thousands of students and all the good, bad and
ugly that accompanied them.
“Within three months of the movie’s release,
there were 75,000 kids in town, many of them
sleeping on the beach,” says Connie. “They
had to call in the Naval Reserves and highway
patrol. They didn’t know whether to hang me
or give me the key to the city!”
Three years ago, on the film’s 50th anniversary,
city officials made their decision: They gave
Connie Francis the key to the city, at the Where
the Boys Are Great American Beach Party, which
took place at the site of the original filming, at
the corner of A1A and Las Olas Boulevard, also
now known as Connie Francis Square. Some
25,000 well-behaved, nostalgic fans (“We love
you Connie!”) attended the ceremony and stayed
to watch a Jumbotron screening of the film.
“So many people tell me they moved here
because of the movie,” says Connie. “Even
today, people say ‘Connie Francis Where the
Boys Are,’ like it’s one name.”
Concetta Maria Franconero was born in Newark,
N.J., in 1938. The family lived in Brooklyn for a
short time, then moved to Belleville, N.J., where
Connie and her brother Georgie grew up. Spurred-
art
OF LIVING
on by her father, George, a first-generation
Italian-American roofer, young Connie began
singing and playing the accordion. At age 4, she
gave her first performance, singing Anchors Away
and O Solo Mio, at the Olympic Amusement Park
in Irvington, N.J. According to Connie, there
are two reasons so many famous singers hail from
New Jersey.
“First,” she says, “we’re all Italians. Everyone
in Naples [Italy] sings: the valets, the bus boys.
Music is it for Italians. And, in New Jersey,
we’re close to New York and Philadelphia.”
Proximity to New York helped get Connie an
appearance, at age 14, on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent
Scouts show (where Godfrey shortened her name to
Connie Francis). This was followed by a four-year
stint on the NBC variety show, The Startime Kids.
Proximity to Philly eventually led 19-year-old
Connie to Dick Clark, who was then doing American
Bandstand from the City of Brotherly Love.
“Dick Clark was my idol,” she says. “When he
said, ‘Here’s a new girl singer headed right for
the #1 spot,’ well, that was it!”
But Connie’s debut on the famed star-launching
show almost never happened.
After releasing nine unsuccessful singles (“My
string of unknown favorites,” she calls them),
her contract with MGM Records was about to be
dropped. Connie had already decided to enroll at
New York University as a pre-med student. But
she had one final recording session.
Her father, ever the domineering stage dad, wanted
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LOOK
FAMILAR?
Shooting Where the Boys Are in 1960 in front of the Elbo Room (Las Olas
Boulevard and A1A). Along with star Connie Francis (in white blouse, holding a towel
at her side), local teenage extras take instructions from director Henry Levin (back to
camera). Do you recognize any of the faces? Send us your emails: [email protected].
Photo Courtesy of Fort Lauderdale Historical Society.
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17
art
OF LIVING
her to record the 1923 song Who’s Sorry Now. Connie
and MGM execs suggested dad stick to roofing; they
wanted no part of the old standard. During the
session, Connie repeatedly stalled. Finally, with just
16 minutes of studio time remaining, her father said,
“You’re going to sing that song if I have to chain you
to that mic.” Connie relented.
The Philly MGM distributor sent Who’s Sorry Now
to Dick Clark, who then invited Connie to sing on
American Bandstand. She appeared in January 1958.
Four months later, she had sold a million records.
Her next big hit was Stupid Cupid, penned by
Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield, the same
pair that would write Where the Boys Are.
Several years of nonstop appearances on programs
like The Ed Sullivan Show followed, along with
relentless touring and recording, much of it
outside the U.S.
Connie Francis, who ultimately released
thousands of songs internationally, was one of the
first artists to regularly record in other languages.
Where the Boys Are, which hit #1 in 15 countries,
was recorded in Italian, Spanish, French, German
and Japanese. Connie was especially popular in
Germany, where she scored ten Top 10 hits, and
in Italy, where her album Connie Francis Sings
Italian Favorites kicked off a long love affair with
her ancestral homeland.
Unfortunately, Connie Francis’ charmed life has
also had a dark side. Her first love, singer Bobby
Darin, whom she met in 1956, broke off their
relationship when her father threatened him with a
pistol. She is candid about her four failed marriages.
In 1977, she suffered the years-long, though
ultimately temporary, loss of her voice following
nasal surgery. And the tragic loss of her brother,
who was murdered in 1981, affected her deeply.
But the turning point in Connie’s life came in 1974
when, following a performance at the Westbury
Music Fair in Westbury, Long Island, she was
robbed, beaten and brutally raped at her motel.
For years following the attack, Connie suffered
from depression and from what was ultimately
diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder.
“For a period of eight years I was involuntarily
committed to 17 different mental hospitals by
my father,” she says. “I remember every part
of the odyssey. I’m convinced there needs to
be a total revamp of mental hospitals and an
enforceable patient bill of rights.”
Connie Francis, whom the Mental Health
Association of Southeast Florida named its
honoree for the upcoming 1000+ Club to Benefit
Cancer’s 2013 Woman of the Year Awards program,
has long been a tireless advocate for victims’ rights
and mental health reform, concentrating her
recent efforts on the needs of returning military in
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18
an initiative she calls S.T.A.R. – Stress, Trauma,
Awareness and Recovery.
“We’re losing more men and women in Afghanistan
from suicide than in battle,” she says. “We need to
give voice to those who don’t have one.”
Besides her passionate charitable efforts, which
include the planning of a telethon to honor our
veterans, Connie has several other ambitious
projects in the works, including Concetta Records
(her own recording company), The Connie Francis
Story (a Broadway show based on her life and
songs), as well as a memoir, Among My Souvenirs,
a follow-up to her 1984 autobiography Who’s Sorry
Now? She plans to self-publish the 1,200 page book.
“Both my agent and manager told me the book
is too long,” she says with a laugh. “They said
Margaret Thatcher and Joan of Arc combined
don’t need 1,200 pages to tell their story. I said,
‘Did Margaret Thatcher or Joan of Arc ever
headline the Copacabana?’”
As busy as she is, there is little time for regrets.
Except for one.
“I wish back in 1960 I’d had a boyfriend who
bought me 50,000 acres of Fort Lauderdale
beachfront property,” she says. “Then Where the
Boys Are would have been the only song I would
have ever had to sing.”
THE WEEKENDER
off
THE GRID
Florida Journeys
FINDING THE UNEXPECTED
AMIDST THE CLASSIC.
By Tom Swick
I love driving around Florida, which is fortunate,
because you have to do a lot of it if you want to take
your car to another state. But why would you do that?
My first trip (I moved here in ’89) was in
search of ethnic Florida. I started just up the
road in Lake Worth, the town Finns flocked to
after World War II. A South Florida summer
can’t help but appeal to a sauna-loving people.
I made a diagonal swath across the state
and entered the Gulf Coast town of Tarpon
Springs, made famous by Greeks attracted to
sponges. There were restaurants featuring belly
dancers, but as you made your way out from
the center you passed humble cafes smelling of
anise and unfrequented by females.
Masaryktown, a little to the east, didn’t
look Czech – modest ranch houses and car
grilles stuck with the corpses of lovebugs. But
one kind resident dutifully took me to the
town hall and showed me a room filled with
banners, dolls, Bohemian folk dresses, and
portraits of Tomas Masaryk, Czechoslovakia’s
first president. I felt like an explorer stumbling
upon the lost Slavs of Florida.
My next trip was up to the Panhandle.
I took the train – orange groves and cattle
pastures – as far as Waldo, and then rented a car.
The beaches were whiter and wilder, with dunes
and grass, than those on the Atlantic. And the
names of towns – Sopchoppy, Panacea, Niceville
– gave me the pleasant feeling that I had gotten
off the map. My first night’s dinner, red snapper
with cheese grits, showed me the goodness that
results when the South meets the sea.
My first night’s
dinner showed me
the goodness that
results when the
South meets the sea.
In Apalachicola, the belle of the
Panhandle, some driveways were paved with
broken oyster shells. I bought an Apalachicola
Bay Oysters T-shirt that showed an Indian
paddling a canoe above the words: “Chief
NICCO knew where to gather them.”
One spring I drove to Vero Beach and visited
a cattle ranch. It sat down a sandy road a little bit
east of I-95, the farmhouse snug in a grove of sabal
palms. Next to it stood a smaller house, which the
continued on page 22
19
off
THE GRID
THE WEEKENDER
continued from page 19
rancher identified as his studio. He had built both
himself. He was a burly, fair-haired, soft-spoken
man in a denim shirt and a frayed straw hat. A
Backwoods cigar protruded from his mouth. He
had 300 head of cattle, a 3-month-old Brahman
bull calf in his backyard and, inside the studio, a
work-in-progress based on The Ambassadors by
Hans Holbein the Younger.
I lingered for quite a while, fascinated by this
rancher-artist (who, I learned, also wrote poetry)
and at the same time delighted to have found
myself in an essential part of Florida that very few
people think of as Florida (including many who
live in the state). As the sun dropped toward the
horizon, Sean opened the gate to let the calf out,
and he bucked happily, scattering the peacocks.
More recently I’ve explored the southwest
coast, starting in Pine Island, where I took a boat
to Cabbage Key. I knew about the famous inn,
the dining room dripping with dollar bills, the
beef patty that reportedly inspired the Jimmy
Buffett classic “Cheeseburger in Paradise.”
My first evening in the bar, the owner quietly
deflected the title of muse, but I still got the
feeling that, as likable as the island was now, it
had once been a saltier, more rarified place.
I found myself
in an essential part
of Florida that very
few people think
of as Florida.
Photo courtesy of Cabbage Key Inc.
I continued east on Venice Avenue,
passing strip malls and then nurseries until the
former main street became a dirt road canopied
by live oak trees. It ended at the Myakka River,
on the western banks of which sat an old fishing
camp turned seafood restaurant, Snook Haven.
I sat at a picnic table on the back patio,
near a sign that read: “No Feeding Gators.”
The opposite bank was a jungly tangle of palms.
There is something about the mingling of palm
trees and live oaks – feathery fronds and Spanish
moss – that gives off a sultry, languorous feel.
The lush coupling of the South and the tropics.
My grouper sandwich arrived on ciabatta and
was accompanied by a cluster of homemade potato
chips. I remembered reading of F. Scott Fitzgerald
in Paris, eating warm chips in the bar at the Ritz. It
had always seemed to me the height of luxury. But
this wasn’t too shabby either, munching them on
the Left Bank of the Myakka River.
Back on Pine Island I stopped in Matlacha,
whose brightly painted bungalows hugged the
street. People strolled from art gallery to tea
room to ice cream stand, though where they’d
heard of the place I hadn’t a clue. I’d never seen
a travel story about it (unlike Cabbage Key).
Even the pronunciation of the town’s name was
a mystery: MAT-la-shay.
I drove up through Punta Gorda
and backtracked down to Boca Grande,
two of numerous Florida towns that make
contemporary complaints about the inroads of
Spanish seem rather silly.
In Venice, early-risers strolled the beach
in search of shark teeth. Downtown, a sign in
the window of Sea Pleasures & Treasures read:
“If you would like to look at some teeth, please
ask cashier.” I immediately pictured a saleslady
with a killer grin.
Photo courtesy of Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau
22
THE WEEKENDER
off
THE GRID
Photo courtesy of Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce
Historic Lodgings
APALACHICOLA
The Gibson Inn
This 1907 Cracker-style inn – on the National
Register of Historic Places – sports wraparound
porches and a cupola with a widow’s walk.
Smack in the center of town, the inn also has a
fine restaurant and a cozy bar. gibsoninn.com
BOCA GRANDE
The Gasparilla Inn & Club
The white-pillared façade, with its triple-decker
porch, harks back to the days when wealthy
Northerners traveled south in the winter looking
for luxury as well as for warmth. One of Florida’s
grand old hotels, The Gasparilla features 63
rooms in its main building and an additional 74
in neighboring cottages. the-gasparilla-inn.com
CABBAGE KEY
Cabbage Key Inn
You arrive by boat. There are no cars on the
island (it’s only 100 acres), just as there are
no keys to the rooms. You can stay in the
Old House, or in one of the cottages (the
Dollhouse is popular). After dinner in the
open-air dining room, savor a slice of frozen
Key lime pie. cabbagekey.com
VERO BEACH
The Driftwood Resort
This beachfront motel, built in vernacular
style, looks as if it was pieced together from the
material for which it was named. Waldo Sexton
– the father of Vero Beach tourism (and the
grandfather of rancher Sean) – built the lodging
in the early 1900s and it, too, is now on the
National Register of Historic Places.
verobeachdriftwood.com
23
off
THE GRID
SPORTS & FITNESS
NoPeaks?
MOUNTAIN BIKING
MINUS THE
MOUNTAINS.
By Erik Mathes
Photos By Humberto Maquilon
THOMAS MULCH NAVIGATES AN
ELEVATED SECTION OF TRAIL AT
AMELIA EARHART PARK.
IN FLAT SOUTH FLORIDA there exists an impressive array of mountain bike trails
that offer everyone from novices to experts rigorous workouts, daunting challenges
and, in many cases, beautiful vistas (no annoying mountains blocking your view).
AMELIA EARHART PARK - Hialeah
Nestled between the Gratigny Parkway to the
north and East 65th Street to the south, Amelia
Earhart Park holds seven miles of singletrack (just
enough width of track for one bike to pass through)
boasting everything a mountain biking enthusiast
would desire. One minute you’re winding through
melaleuca trees that create a natural tunnel inches
above your helmet; the next, you’re out in the SoFla sunshine riding along the lake that sits in the
park’s center. Formerly maintained by the In-DaHouse crew, a group of local mountain bikers, the
trails at Amelia are now maintained by avid biker
Steve LaRue, who set things up to ensure maximum safety. Sections of trail sweep alongside the
Gratigny, where you can briefly try to race against
24
motor vehicles. Then, before you know it, you’re
back in the brush careening through switchbacks.
(Car tires line the sides of the trail to protect you
from dangerous bailouts.) South Florida’s own
professional mountain biker, Bob McCarty, AG
Factory Racing McCarty Training, says Amelia
Earhart Park is “a fantastic place for beginners to
learn” and his favorite place to ride. MARKHAM PARK - Weston
Way out west near I-75, just north of I-595, sits
the most serious spot in South Florida for riders of all levels to polish their skills. The more
than ten miles of trails span the spectrum of difficulty from novice to pro-expert (read: death-
defying). Riders under 17 years of age must sign
a waiver before embarking. Riders with bikes
that aren’t MTBs aren’t allowed on the trails.
Before you go you can watch videos of each trail
– filmed by pro riders wearing helmet cams –
on YouTube. Rookies will want to stick to the
Fishing Hole, while intermediate riders can pit
themselves against trails like the Bermuda Triangle, the Lost Ring and the Washing Machine.
Once you get your feet wet and/or muddy, you
can push yourself against even more advanced
trails like Area 51, Deep Dark Forest, Route 66
and Twisted Trail. If you aspire to be the roughest of riders, make sure to check out the eightminute video of the Gun Range Trail, full of
unexpected twists and turns, roots and chunky
rocks galore, low-hanging branches and vines,
SPORTS & FITNESS
off
THE GRID
s
the
By
a
ik M
Er
A STEP UP FOR THE INTERMEDIATE RIDER:
Scalper 29er 3, Cannondale
Combining an ultra-lightweight frame and amazing handling, the
Scalper 29er 3 will have you navigating through slithering switchbacks
of singletrack like never before. Cannondale’s advanced technology,
including a meticulously precise Lefty fork and Race geometry, gives
this bike the speed and agility of a 26-incher on 29-inch wheels. FULL-SUSPENSION CARBON
FOR THE ADVANCED RIDER:
Altitude 790 MSL 650B, Rocky Mountain
$3,550 | Big Wheel Cycles
bigwheelcycle.com | 954-493-5277
For the devoted rider who places MTB on a pedestal above all other recreational pursuits, this baby might just be the only contraption you’ll ever want to
pull from your quiver. The adjustable Straight-Up geometry is the first of its kind,
and the Ride 9 system in the 2013 model allows riders to optimize the bike to their
size and weight. You might just forget about the other bikes in your arsenal, as the
Altitude is equipped for virtually any terrain, incline or decline you’ll face. The only
issue might be the 27.5-inch wheels, but Rocky Mountain believes its bike – with
a 150mm travel suspension – is decked out with enough top-notch features that you
won’t notice the difference.
$6,899.99 | ProTech Bicycle Shop
protechbicycle.com | 954-533-2675
Ladies looking for off-road adventure will relish riding the Revel 1
W from Giant, complete with a lightweight and durable ALUXX
aluminum frame and an easy-riding 100mm suspension fork
that’s perfect for 26-inch wheels. Riders have the option
of double-diamond or step-through frame design. Most
women find this bike comfortable and easy to handle. By Carla Rover
Mountain biking isn’t the first sport that comes
to mind when you think of cardio-intensive
exercise in South Florida.
$525 | DownTown Bicycles
downtownbicycles.com | 954-761-9920
But it should be, according to Miami Marlins and
Miami Dolphins team physician Erol Yoldas.
Mountain biking “is a different animal than
regular road biking because of its rhythms,” says
Dr. Yoldas. Regular biking has many benefits,
ranging from cardio exercise to muscle-building.
But for those who want interval-style training
outside the gym, mountain biking offers one of
the best workouts available.
It not only works the muscles, it also provides
a highly beneficial cardio workout because of
the rapid changes in rough terrain, according
to Dr. Yoldas. This can’t be reproduced through
biking on flat surfaces.
Your body has to work hard to get up the hill,
then exert extra strength to protect you as
you race down it. Those intervals of cardio
and resistance training are great for your
heart and excellent for building muscle – all
at a thrilling pace.
ENTRY-LEVEL FOR THE FEMALE RIDER:
Revel 1 W, Giant
ENTRY-LEVEL
FOR THE MALE RIDER:
Mamba, Trek
Durable, comfortable, equipped with a lightweight gold aluminum frame and Gary Fisher’s
patented G2 geometry, the Mamba by Trek
is ideal for the novice to intermediate male
mountain biker wishing to get comfortable on
a rig with 29-inch wheels. The Mamba has a
solid front suspension and RockShox fork that
gives you 100mm of travel (which is the amount
of movement allowed by the suspension, or its
shock-absorbing value), and it’s especially adept
at climbing. Most riders suggest replacing the
seat with something more cushioned, and you
may want to do the same with some of the bike’s
other components if you’re finicky. Beginners
won’t have many issues breaking themselves in
on this bike that offers so much for its price.
$1,019 | Trek Bicycle Store
trekbikesflorida.com | 954-527-9099
ENTRY-LEVEL FOR KIDS:
Hotrock 20 6-Speed, Specialized
Parents who wish their children could keep up with them on
MTB trails will be happy to upgrade their offspring to this sixspeed bike that employs a low standover height so shorter riders
can be comfortable, too. Shimano Revo twist shifters allow for
easy gear switches without your little ones having to change their
hand positions, and a chain guard ensures that baggy pants won’t
get snagged while sprinting down straightaways. The bike might
be heavy for muscularly challenged youngsters, but it is a great
buy for most kids’ first multispeed cycle.
$3,550 | Big Wheel Cycles
bigwheelcycle.com | 954-493-5277
25
off
THE GRID
SPORTS & FITNESS
and an incredibly narrow path that only the most
daring riders can manage to stay upright on while
traversing. Like Quiet Waters, Markham employs
a volunteer safety patrol and maintenance squad to
keep things tidy and safe, so if you bail out badly
and need a hand, help will be nearby.
QUIET WATERS PARK - Deerfield Beach
1/2 Island (V)
RIDER KATHY RUSSELL RACES
AT AMELIA EARHART PARK.
With just over seven miles of trails ranging in difficulty from easy to challenging, Quiet Waters Park
is one of the more technical spots for MTB lovers
to get their ride on. The park has undergone many
changes since being ravaged by the hurricanes of
2005, but teams of volunteers have worked diligently to reshape the trails into some of Broward’s
best. Summer months are harder to endure here, as
the sun beats down and wears you out fast; winter
is better, although the hours run only from 8 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m. (as opposed to being open from 8 a.m.
to 7 p.m. from early March through early November). The drainage here is better than at any other
park in the area. Quiet Waters also maintains a
volunteer safety patrol to offer assistance and guidance to newbies, and has mandatory maintenance
on the second Saturday of every month from 8:30
a.m. until noon.
OLETA RIVER STATE PARK - North Miami
Located on Biscayne Bay along the Oleta River
and the Intracoastal Waterway off Northeast 163rd
Street, this park provides eye candy to go with over
ten miles of intermediate and advanced trails and
over three miles of beginner trails. You’ll get to
ride in the shade next to lush greenery and mangrove creeks populated with colorful birds. If you
don’t feel like lugging your bike down (or bringing
certain equipment), there’s a cycling shop about a
mile into the park that has worthy bikes and accessories for rent at reasonable prices. Along the
trail are old-fashioned wood cabins for rent, so after
biking you can spend the night.
VIRGINIA KEY - Key Biscayne, Miami
This relatively new mountain biking venue, designed by Bernard “Frenchy” Riviere, contains four
miles of trails. Simple trails for novices offer views
of Fisher Island, the Port of Miami and the downtown skyline, while the intermediate trails require
a skill level that may surprise even experienced riders. Packed with twists and turns, roots and rocks,
and plenty of jumps that’ll have you catching as
much air as you can handle, these are trails where
you should expect to fall at least once, so make sure
your gear is in top shape. Look for parking outside
the Key to avoid paying the vehicle fee and ride in
with your bike for extra burn (though you’ll still
have to pay a $1 entrance fee).
26
27
spice
OF LIFE
FOUR-LEGGED TALES
IT TOOK A
VILLAGE TO
SAVE A DOG,
AND A MAN
TO GIVE HIM
A LOVING
HOME.
Dog’s Best Friend
By Tom Swick
Photos by Skip Middleton
Popeye was a mess.
In fact, he wasn’t even Popeye.
It was June 21, 2011. The dog was being led
along Wilton Drive by a man on a bicycle.
The man had been given charge of the animal
– a large, white, American bulldog – by a
friend who was headed to prison. It’s believed
he was looking to unload the dog at a shelter,
but the dog was in a debilitated state.
Whatever his intention, he ended up doing
one fortuitous thing: He stopped in front of
To The Moon.
from behind the cash register and carried the
suffering canine inside. Then they called the
Wilton Manors Fire Department.
A team of paramedics arrived and inserted an IV
– there on the floor of the candy store, just by the
rack of greeting cards. After getting permission
to use an ambulance, they transported the dog
to the Imperial Point Animal Hospital.
It was the first time Robert Buzzetti, DVM, had
seen a patient delivered by ambulance.
Not surprisingly, all attention turned to the new
arrival.
“The dog was in shock,” Dr. Buzzetti says, “with
a temperature of 107. Dogs with that high a fever
usually don’t make it.” Because of the overheating,
he was also starting to hemorrhage under his skin.
He was given several plasma transfusions; two
doctors worked alongside Dr. Buzzetti.
Owner Antonio Dumas took a bowl of water
out for the dog, only to find him collapsed on
the sidewalk. William Newcomb came out
The following morning, Dr. Buzzetti had
breakfast with his longtime friend Bryan
Facterman. Facterman, owner of Elite Payment
– BRYAN FACTERMAN
“He came in on a stretcher,” Dr. Buzzetti recalls.
“The paramedics wheeled him in.”
To The Moon, as any sweet-toothed South
Floridian should know, is a candy store with a
long memory and a wide reach. Its shelves are
stocked with candy bars and cough drops from
the ’50s and ’60s and chocolates and licorices
from around the world. Its voluminous
inventory is its claim to fame, but it also has a
compassionate and quick-witted staff.
28
“I fell in love
with him and
wanted to keep
him for myself.”
Processing, was curious to hear about the dog
that had arrived at the hospital by ambulance.
He was the owner of two dogs, Logan and Lilo.
Gradually, the bulldog’s situation improved.
A woman on staff, inspired by his muscular
body, named him Popeye. One day Facterman
stopped by the hospital.
“My intention was to go there and help him,”
he says firmly. “My intention was not to keep
this dog.”
But he kept returning.
FOUR-LEGGED TALES
“Bryan was coming in almost every day,” recalls
Dr. Buzzetti, “hugging him, lying on the floor
with him.”
“I think he knew he was in trouble,” Facterman
says, “and I was just the guy who was there
letting him know everything was OK.”
Actually, he was doing more than that. He
started a Facebook page, “Save Popeye,” with
the hope of raising enough money to pay for his
care. Word got out; local TV stations covered
the story of the rescued dog.
Facterman brought Popeye home to foster him
until a permanent home could be found. It
didn’t seem like a very good idea; Popeye fought
with Logan and Lilo.
But, making like Cesar Millan, Facterman took
the dogs on walks together. (He never left the
three of them alone.)
spice
OF LIFE
“People say
bulldogs can’t
swim. This
dog can swim
for five hours
straight.”
transporting the dogs to his office – which he
does a couple of days a week – and to Snyder
Park.
Popeye’s care was so great that the extra money
was put into the Popeye Fund, which Imperial
Point Animal Hospital started as a way to help
other animals in need.
“It was a complete team effort,” Facterman
says with gratitude, and a touch of awe in his
voice. “If not for the people at To The Moon,
and the people at the fire department, Dr.
Buzzetti wouldn’t have been able to save him.
And without the people who responded on
Facebook, who pitched in, all this wouldn’t
have been possible.”
“If he was going to hurt my dogs I wasn’t going
to keep him,” says Facterman. “But I wanted to
give him every opportunity I could. So I took
the time to train him, give him love until his
aggression went away. By that time I fell in love
with him and wanted to keep him for myself.”
On a warm January afternoon Facterman sits at
his kitchen table in Victoria Park, Dr. Buzzetti
on one side, Dr. Buzzetti’s wife on the other,
while three large dogs move from chair to
chair, jostling each other in search of attention.
Clearly, they now get along famously, even
though Popeye is the sole celebrity.
Meanwhile, the outpouring of donations for
Facterman bought a four-door Jeep just for
“Popeye is the best runner,” Facterman says.
“When I got him he was clumsy. He didn’t
know how to run. He’d run like sideways. Now
he runs straight ahead – and fast.”
He’s also an avid swimmer. “People say bulldogs
can’t swim. This dog can swim for five hours
straight. Easy. Then you have to pull him out.”
It’s a good life for any dog (Popeye sleeps in
Facterman’s bed), but especially one who nearly
didn’t make it to the age of six.
Popeye is now sitting attentively, his back to
the wall, probably wondering if it’s time for
a dip.
Pilates
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29
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31
spice
OF LIFE
MOTORS
LOOK
MA NO
ENGINE!
DRIVING THE
TESLA MODEL S
By Yann Brandt
The Tesla Model S is quietly becoming the most exciting car
in Fort Lauderdale. One hundred percent electric, it comes
without a typical engine and makes virtually no noise.
The Tesla Model S is this year’s Motor Trend Car of
the Year and has received awards from Automobile,
Yahoo!, and Popular Science.
“There is no downshift before the acceleration
like you get with typical high performance cars,”
said owner Michael Knauf of Fort Lauderdale.
“It does exactly what you tell it to do.”
One of the first Model S owners in the U.S. was
Roger Pressman (VIN 182) of Boca Raton. An
engineer, he was curious to see if Tesla could
“deliver the specifications of the Model S that
they promised.” He put his deposit down and
waited more than two years for delivery.
32
THE EXPERIENCE: Step up to the
Model S and the first thing you notice is the
lack of door handles. They pop out when the
remote key is in range.
Inside the roomy cabin there is an Apple-esque,
minimalist design with a full panorama sunroof.
On the dashboard, a 17-inch touchscreen tilts
toward the driver and controls every aspect of
the car. Imagine a high-definition iPad screen
managing your entire driving experience.
On the test drive, you begin your acceleration on
the highway on-ramp. With a heavy battery loaded
across the floorboard, the turn is perfectly flat,
minus the roll cars usually have. As you accelerate
in the turn, the strong, quiet movement pins you
against the seat. Once on the highway, the Model
S is in full power. The performance edition goes
from 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds.
ALL ELECTRIC: The Model S offers three
battery sizes with the largest at 85k offering
a range of 300 miles. The battery is charged
overnight using the utility power service or,
in Pressman’s case, a 7.5kW solar power home
installation.
For the car-buying public, electric cars often
have to overcome “range anxiety,” the fear of
running out of power before reaching one’s
destination. One way to get around this is to
opt for the largest battery.
MOTORS
Imagine a high-definition iPad
screen managing your entire
driving experience.
Also, charging stations are becoming more
prevalent. Tesla has unveiled its Superchargers:
charging stations located around the country
that allow the Model S to recharge in about 30
minutes. Tesla’s claim is that you can now drive
around California, or from Boston to Washington
D.C., with no fear of running out of power.
Fort Lauderdale is also beginning to map out its
EV charging station network (see below).
And with apps like Car Stations, Recargo,
and ChargePoint, it is never difficult to find
a station.
THE CONVERSATION:
Drivers of the
Model S have a vibrant owners’ community, and
they engage in conversation with non-owners. At
red lights, or in grocery store parking lots, people
ask them what kind of car they’re driving. If
there’s time to look, they are intrigued by the
frunk, the area in the front where the engine
WHERE TO CHARGE
Florida currently has 852 recharging outlets for electric cars, the
fourth most – according to the U.S. Department of Energy – of
any state. (California has 3,640.) Our tri-county area currently
has 64 recharging outlets; here are some of the ones in Broward:
AutoNation building
200 SW First Ave.
Fort Lauderdale 33301
Garfield Parking Garage
300 Connecticut St.
Hollywood, 33019
Oceanside Condominiums
1 N. Ocean Blvd.
Pompano Beach, 33062
Publix (top floor of garage)
601 S. Andrews Ave.
Fort Lauderdale, 33301-2833
Charnow Parking Garage
1617 N. Surf Road
Hollywood, 33019
Walgreens
4600 Coconut Creek Parkway
Coconut Creek, 33063
Walgreens
1680 SE 17th St.
Fort Lauderdale, 33316
Hollywood Shopping Center
250 N. 19th Ave.
Hollywood, 33020
Coral Springs Nissan
9350 W. Atlantic Blvd.
Coral Springs, 33071
Maroone Nissan
1051 S. Federal Highway
20th Avenue Garage
201-251 S. 20th Ave
Hollywood, 33020
Whole Foods Market
14956 Pines Blvd.
Pembroke Pines, 33027
Medgluv
4720 NW 15th Ave., Suite B-4
USA Parking
123 NE 20th Ave.
Deerfield Beach, 33441
Dania Beach City Hall
(parking garage)
49 SE Park St.
Dania Beach, 33004
Pompano Nissan
1345 Federal Highway
Pompano Beach, 33062
Maroone Nissan of
Pembroke Pines
8890 Pines Blvd.
Pembroke Pines, 33024
Weston Nissan
3650 Weston Road
Davie, 33331
spice
OF LIFE
usually sits (now used for groceries or suitcases).
THE ENVIRONMENT:
Because the
Model S uses no fuel, it brings us one step closer
to independence from foreign oil. Owners take
pride in their ability to avoid gas stations.
Tesla Motors, 1949 Tigertail Blvd.,
Dania Beach, FL 33004 | 754-816-3069
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Performance
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spice
36
OF LIFE
CASA CHIC
CASA CHIC
spice
OF LIFE
the HOUSE on the RIVER
A look behind the hedges of one of Fort Lauderdale’s
most-glimpsed mansions.
By Tom Swick
Photos by Kara Starzyk
You’ve probably seen the handsome
Mediterranean Revival house as you’ve cut
down SE Fourth Street on a Saturday evening to
avoid the tie-ups on Las Olas. Or when you’ve
ridden your bike the back way on a Sunday
afternoon. You’ve passed the manicured hedges
and looked in through the open Mexican gate,
catching quick sight of the purple bougainvillea
mop-topping the pergola, the arched windows
set in yellow stucco, the perfect palm centered
in the driveway. And then you’ve sailed on, a
little awed and quietly curious.
The house was
designed by Francis
Luis Abreu, a man
sometimes called
“the Addison Mizner
of Fort Lauderdale.”
Known as the Needham Estate – after the first
owner, who managed the nearby Riverside
Hotel – the house was designed by Francis Luis
Abreu, a man sometimes called “the Addison
Mizner of Fort Lauderdale.” (Abreu designed the
Mediterranean Revival house across the New
River, as well as St. Anthony’s School and the fire
station in what is now Sailboat Bend.) After its
completion in 1925, the Needham Estate served
as a home, a school (for young women) and an
office (for what was then the St. Regis hotel).
UPPER LEFT: The living room with a female figure holding
a potted plant in the corner. UPPER RIGHT: Sandy and
Drew Romanovitz (with their mastiff Halston) pose in front
of the original fireplace. CENTER RIGHT: The Needham
Estate illuminated. BOTTOM: The back of the house, as
seen from the New River.
It was in this last incarnation that attorney
Drew Romanovitz first saw the house; not long
after that, in the spring in 2005, he and his wife
Sandy purchased it. Showing visitors around
today, they point out all that is original: the
fireplace, the French doors, the Cuban tile floor,
the pecky cypress ceiling, almost all the panes
of beveled glass. The structure, as well as the
floors upstairs, are made of Dade County pine,
which is impervious to termites.
The numerous large windows create an airiness
that could conflict with the Old World design
but instead produces a stately brightness. Adding
to the seigniorial feel are the ornate furnishings,
which include two matching bronze sculptures,
in the east corners of the living room, of young
women standing on pedestals and supporting
potted plants on their heads (purchased some
time ago, Sandy notes, at DCOTA). Lending a
homey touch are two caged cockatiels cackling
by a window that looks out on the backyard
rimmed by the river. One of the birds was a
rescue from Wilma, the other from Katrina.
The birds are fitting residents because the house
itself is a survivor, not just of hurricanes but of
downtown development. The Romanovitzes are
astonished that they can live so close to Las Olas
and feel as if they’re – in Drew’s words – “in the
middle of the woods.” There’s traffic on the river,
of course, but it’s quiet and interesting to watch.
“You don’t get it on a canal,” Drew says. “You
don’t even get it that much on the Intracoastal.”
When Drew talks about the “aesthetic values”
of the house, he’s referring not just to its design
but its location, at one of the wider points of
the river, which gives it a sweeping, graceful
perspective. The combination of architecture
and setting makes it a popular venue for events.
“This is a sanctuary,” Sandy says, and she means
that in a broad sense as well. “We have all this
wildlife – squirrels, mourning doves. A bunny
has adopted us. He loves people. He’s a big hit
at weddings.”
If you’re interested in scheduling an event at the
Needham Estate, visit historicneedhamestate.com.
the hood: COLEE HAMMOCK
Technically, the Needham Estate sits just outside the
southwestern border of Colee Hammock, but it feels very
much a part of the downtown neighborhood in every aspect
but one: Much of Colee Hammock, as the name suggests,
lies out of the flood plain.
Colee Hammock is bordered on the north by Broward
Boulevard and on the south by the New River. Las Olas
Boulevard cuts through the middle of it, giving residents a rare
South Florida privilege: the ability to walk to restaurants,
cafes, shops, galleries, salons and even concerts.
In terms of area, it is one of the city’s smaller neighborhoods
(Beverly Heights, just to the west, is even smaller), and
yet it packs in a lot. Las Olas moves from being a shaded
street popular with tourists to a sun-struck strip catering
to locals. If you need a card you go to Grand Central
Stationery, then walk across the street and buy a stamp at
the post office (which customers helped save through a letter
writing campaign). You may stop in for a haircut at Las
Olas Barber Shop or a manicure at Tiffany Nail and Foot
Spa, pick up your suit at OXXO (green cleaners), then grab
some jalapeño poppers at The Floridian.
The First Presbyterian Church and All Saints Episcopal
Church sit side-by-side in Colee Hammock and are known
not just for their religious services but also for their music
programs. The award-winning chamber choir Seraphic Fire
frequently appears at the latter.
Just south of the houses of worship stretches Colee Hammock
Park, a pastoral space along the river where you can often
find people reading in lawn chairs under the shade trees.
Many of the houses in this part of the neighborhood are
old and gracious, while north of Las Olas there are new
townhouses (everything from Mediterranean to Cubist to
Art Deco) next to cottages that look as though they could be
in Key West. Replacing the chickens are Muscovy Ducks.
–Tom Swick
37
spice
OF LIFE
GRAZINGS
sandwichidol
YOU!
The city’s best, according to
The sandwich arrived as an edible book: a meaty middle between
two crusty covers. Then it went off and conquered the world, acquiring
an exotic array of fillings and a daunting – and sometimes puzzling –
variety of holders.
Over the years, much of the world has come to Fort Lauderdale,
and many of its sandwiches have naturally followed. Culinarily speaking,
South Florida is where the Reuben meets the Cuban.
The Cuban, surprisingly, didn’t make it onto the list we got when we
asked you to tell us your favorite sandwiches. The Reuben did, but under
an assumed name. Thankfully, nobody mentioned the Croissandwich.
1
- Tom Swick
2
3
Photos: Deborah Cay
4
38
spice
GRAZINGS
sandwiches
1
The Monster
LaSpada’s
2
TunaGuido’s
Sub Meat Market & Deli
3
Make any day
a weekend!
OF LIFE
Chicken
Pesto
Gran Forno Pronto 4
The New
Yorker
American Social
5
Philly Cheesesteak
Steak 954
?
The numbers above do not indicate the
order of choice; they are used to identify the
sandwiches shown.
What’s Your
Favorite Local
Sandwich?
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39
EMERGENCY BARRICADES ALONG
A1A IN THE FINGER STREETS
NEIGHBORHOOD THANKSGIVING
WEEKEND.
40
NOT SO SANDY
By Mike Seemuth
Photos by Art Seitz III
A storm that never came close to us reshaped our
beaches, damaged a section of our most scenic
road, and got us thinking about the future.
AST OCTOBER, HURRICANE SANDY STAYED FAR AWAY
FROM FORT LAUDERDALE on its collision course with New
York City, New Jersey and Connecticut. Nevertheless, the storm
generated fierce waves at high tide that flooded part of Fort
Lauderdale’s northern beach and pushed piles of sand onto A1A.
It was a sign of worse
things to come. High
tides reach seasonal crests late in the calendar
year, when the moon is closest to the earth,
and high-tide wave activity again intensified
in late November. Powerful waves not only
eroded large swaths of the beach just north
of Sunrise Boulevard but also shattered an
adjacent sidewalk, toppled palm trees and
traffic signals, and ripped chunks of asphalt
off A1A.
Hardest hit were residents of homes
on nine short side streets that dead-end at
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. These homes
comprise the Finger Streets neighborhood
just west of A1A, the only road into and out
of the neighborhood.
“Residents were unable to enter or leave
their homes by motor vehicles for five days,”
Brian Donaldson, president of the Birch Park
Finger Streets Homeowners Association,
wrote in an email. To get anywhere they had
to walk “through mud and salt water” and
catch rides. Piles of sand over ten feet tall
waited to be hauled away.
On Thanksgiving Day, Donaldson
recalled, “the eastern wall and sidewalk along
A1A started to collapse ... trees, showers and
ultimately the roadway collapsed into the
surf.”
41
EASING A JERSEY BARRIER INTO PLACE
ON THE BEACH.
THE DAMAGED STAIRCASE OF THE PELICAN GRAND BEACH RESORT.
The Florida Department of Transportation
quickly awarded a four-month contract to
repair and restripe A1A, and to remove debris
as well as concrete barriers temporarily placed
on the beach to reduce erosion.
Rehabilitating the psyches of some of
the residents and business owners with
beach properties will take longer. The
powerful waves and the shoreline damage
they inflicted in late 2012 revealed anew
the potential hazards of oceanfront living
and leisure. It was a nasty reminder that, like
other coastal communities, Fort Lauderdale
remains vulnerable to the whims of winds
and waves – and will become more so if sea
levels keep rising.
The post-Sandy shoreline damage also
raised questions about the total cost of a
long-planned beach renourishment project
in Broward County and provoked debate
over the best type of sand to use. Assuming
prompt agreement on such details, sand
hauling to the beach could start late this
42
front of a residential area. It is more of an
inconvenience than an economic issue.”
Feldman said that the southern end of
Fort Lauderdale’s beach is the best source of
sand for the long-term beach renourishment
project. (There have been proposals to import
sand from Central Florida.) In addition to
being cheaper, “sand from the city’s southern
beach area would be a better match.” But
the sand question is still undecided. “We’re
waiting to sit down with the county,”
Feldman said, “and have that discussion.”
Prompt government responses to the
shoreline damage last year provided some
reassurance for residents and realtors alike.
Real estate broker Vincent Clancy breathed a
sigh of relief after keeping
two real estate deals –
both 5,000-square-foot
houses in the Finger
Streets neighborhood –
from unraveling just as
the repair work to A1A
began.
The same developer
had built both houses
with barrel tile roofs,
outdoor balconies and
oversized
living-room
windows
overlooking
A1A and the beach.
The original listed sales
price for each was $5.9
million. Lenders seized
the houses after the
developer defaulted on construction loans
of $4 million per house, then agreed to sell
them to Clancy’s prospective buyers for 75
cents on the dollar, or $3 million each. He
said certificates of occupancy were issued
in 2011 for both houses, making them “the
newest of all the homes there on that strip.”
“The buyers feel confident that, barring
PILES OF SAND OVER
TEN FEET TALL WAITED TO
BE HAULED AWAY.
year. The county’s beach renourishment
project would add up to 50 feet of beach in
exceptionally eroded sections, including the
Finger Streets beach.
So far, tourism fallout from the damage
has been minimal. “This is a relatively small
section on a very large beach,” said Fort
Lauderdale City Manager Lee Feldman.
“It is not in front of hotels. It’s more in
LOOKING SOUTH ON A1A, THANKSGIVING WEEKEND, AS WAVES CRASH ONTO THE DAMAGED SIDEWALK.
a 20-foot wall of water, they’re OK,” Clancy
said, noting that the houses “are built up
probably 10 feet above the road level.”
While the beachfront from NE 14th Court
to NE 18th Street got the worst of the wave
damage last year, other neighborhoods in Fort
Lauderdale, and other coastal communities
in South Florida, took a pounding from
Hurricane Sandy, Tropical Storm Isaac in
August and lesser 2012 storms.
“The seawall that’s located in the park
here in our neighborhood was damaged by
Sandy,” said Garth Graham, president of the
Lauderdale Beach Homeowners Association,
which includes residents of coastal Fort
Lauderdale north of 23rd Street and south
of Oakland Park Boulevard. “The damage is
amazing. The water came in behind the wall.”
A seawall breach near the intersection
of NE 27th Street and A1A closed a cityowned parking lot. The stairs washed away,
leaving a six-foot drop to the beach. Graham
said that one of his neighbors built steps in
the sand, which he repacked every morning.
But nothing was uniform. For example,
the beach behind the Pelican Grand Beach
Resort, just north of NE 21st Street, was
severely eroded. But in other parts of the
neighborhood, wave energy “pushed the
sand up to the seawall,” Graham said. “You
walk straight onto the sand, where there used
to be a three-foot drop. ... It’s hard to predict
where the sand is going to be dumped when
these storms come in.”
Tourism could take a hit during the repair
and cleanup work this winter and during the
planned beach renourishment, which could
start late this year. Both projects must be
completed in the winter because endangered
sea turtles nest on the beach during the rest
of the year.
“It could be the latter part of 2014 before
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we see it all completed,” said John Ambrosio,
owner of Estoril Paradise Inn on NE 32nd
Street. It is a boutique cluster of three buildings
with a total of 20 rooms well north of the
intense beach erosion in the Finger Streets
area. “But that’s where most of our customers
go to the beach,” Ambrosio explained, adding
that they often use the Sun Trolley mass transit
service. “When they get down there and see
the beach, it’s definitely not good.”
Ambrosio has been the Estoril’s owneroperator for 42 years. He sees a recent
decline in bookings as a sign that photos of
beach destruction are being posted on the
Internet, and negative reviews are also going
online. “These reviews can make or break
not just a lodging property,” he said, “but a
destination. People will go someplace else.”
Beach restoration obviously supports
tourism and related industries. But it also
creates a sandy buffer that reduces the
vulnerability of coastal communities to storm
surge. “That’s the primary reason the Army
Corps of Engineers funds these projects, for
storm protection,” said Kate Gooderham
of Fort Myers, co-executive director of the
American Shore and Beach Preservation
Association.
Funding for most beach restoration
projects is a mix of municipal, state and
federal money. The federal portion covered
by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ranges
44
up to approximately two-thirds of the cost.
“They can pay up to 65 percent,” Gooderham
said, adding that not too many places get that
much. Those that do, she said, “are the ones
who provide a great deal of beach access and
amenities,” such as parking and restrooms.
“I think Broward County is in pretty good
shape on those.”
Gooderham also said that using
compatible sand is critical to the success of
beach restoration. “The best-quality sand is
the one that’s closest to what you already
have there,” she said. “We are very big on
that. It makes sense from an environmental
point of view and from a coastal engineering
point of view, because that sand is what
works in that particular location.”
Repairs to A1A, and cleanup work
on the beach side of the Finger Streets
neighborhood, are scheduled for completion
in April. The FDOT also committed to
remove the temporary concrete barriers that
“we brought in and set on the beach,” said
Barbara Kelleher, a Fort Lauderdale-based
spokeswoman for the FDOT. Early this
year, the concrete barriers were submerged
in sand, an indication that the erosion had
slowed.
Kelleher said multiple
governmental agencies have
been involved with FDOT
in the repair of A1A and
the beach. “The city [of Fort
Lauderdale] is also involved,”
she said. “They have longrange plans for a greenway,
a pedestrian-friendly area,
along the east side of our
roadway, before you get to
the beach. Then the beach
is actually the county’s
jurisdiction. So there are
many agencies involved.”
The FDOT contractor’s
work includes the installation
of pilings to anchor metal
sheeting along the beachside of A1A, reinforcing the
structural integrity of the state road. Kelleher
said the redone section of A1A will no longer
have its four-lane design: “There will be one
northbound travel lane and bike path, [one]
southbound travel lane and bike path, and a
center turn lane for traffic that needs to get into
those side streets.”
The plan was “to drive sheet piling
straight down, basically on the edge of
where the roadway portion is now, and then
fill sand back in our portion, so that we can
stabilize the area [of the A1A roadway] that
people had been parking in, the northbound
far-right lane,” Kelleher said. “Those areas
have been compromised because the sand
underneath has been washed away.”
The city of Fort Lauderdale agreed to
put about 26,000 cubic yards of additional
sand on the beach in that area as an interim
THE REDONE SECTION
OF A1A WILL NO
LONGER HAVE ITS
FOUR-LANE DESIGN.
step toward a full-scale beach renourishment
project, which would put about 30 times
more sand across miles of Broward County
beaches by 2014, at the earliest.
Eric Myers is leading Broward County’s
long-term plan to replace eroded sand
on about five miles of beaches, not just
the battered stretch fronting the Finger
Streets neighborhood but also northern and
southern sections of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
and parts of Pompano Beach. The restoration
work should take three or four months to
complete, he said, but the project could take
longer if it isn’t finished before turtle-nesting
season begins in March. “It would add 30 to
50 feet of beach in the targeted areas. We’re
hoping it starts late this year and goes into
early 2014,” said Myers, a natural resources
administrator for the county. “These things
BULLDOZERS PUSH
SAND OFF A1A. THE
WHITE BUILDING IN THE
BACKGROUND IS THE
PELICAN GRAND BEACH
RESORT.
UTILITY TRUCKS MAKE
THEIR WAY DOWN THE
WATERY STREET.
45
1/2 Island (V)
“ONE OF THE KEY
REASONS THAT
YOU MAINTAIN
A BEACH IS
FOR STORM
PROTECTION.” –
NANCY GASSMAN
don’t happen quickly.”
The severe beach erosion late last year
slowed the restoration project. The cost of
the project was still uncertain when 2013
began. “The last guesstimate we had was $40
million, roughly,” Myers said. “That includes
the soft costs for engineering, mitigation
costs, pre- and post-construction monitoring
and all that stuff,” plus the cost of the
installation crews and the sand itself.
Some of the sand that washed off Broward
beaches late last year will return. “A lot of
the sand is in near-shore bars,” Myers said,
“and a lot of that will work its way back to
the beach.” But the severe beach erosion
that began with Hurricane Sandy’s ocean
swells in late October could raise estimates
of the total amount of sand required for the
five-mile restoration project.
“We were looking at 740,000 cubic
yards before Sandy,” Myers said, adding
that it could be five percent more, ten
percent more, or even higher. Some of his
speculation stemmed from the chopped
appearance of the beach in severe-erosion
zones. “Those vertical drop-offs, they call
those escarpments,” he said. “When you
have strong wave energy from storms, that is
a very typical pattern: The creation of those
scarps, where the waves tend to break, run
up, and haul sand back into the ocean. ... It’s
pretty scary how bad the scarping was.”
46
The federal government is expected to pay
for approximately half the cost of the beach
restoration project. If the feds kick in 50
percent, the state would contribute another
25 percent, leaving the remaining 25 percent,
the municipal share, for Broward County and
Fort Lauderdale to cover. Though all three
levels of government are likely to commit
funding for the project, “I guess I can’t say it’s
committed yet,” Myers said.
The federal share of the costs was still
uncertain at the start of 2013, pending a
determination by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers. “We’re looking at the low 50
percent range. It hasn’t quite been worked
out, but that’s what we expect to end up
at,” Myers said. “The question is: Will the
federal government reimburse us fully in a
timely manner? Going forward, the county
essentially will front the money, and then
we will seek reimbursement from the federal
government pursuant to the agreement we
enter into.”
The final tab for the beach restoration
project also will depend on the source
of the replacement sand, not just the
amount. Sand dredged offshore and hauled
to the beach “typically has been used in
the past,” Myers said. But for Broward’s
beach restoration project, county officials
are considering the possibility of using
sand deposits on the west side of Lake
Okeechobee.
“There’s significant environmental
advantages with this material in that it’s
somewhat coarser and it’s got a lot less fine
material,” he said, comparing it to sand
dredged offshore. “We believe it will be
more stable on the beaches, longer lasting,
and it should create a lot less turbidity in
the water.”
The disadvantages are the cost and
inconvenience of trucking mined sand to
the beach, as opposed to shipping dredged
sand to the shoreline on harbor dredges.
“They pump it onshore from submerged
pipelines,” Myers said. “Typically, it’s
going to be more expensive to haul it
from the mine; it’s less efficient. But one
of the things we’ve discovered is that the
mobilization costs for offshore sand have
gone up significantly since the last project
we did. So, those costs aren’t as far apart as
we thought originally.”
Many observers of the late-year beach
erosion in Fort Lauderdale saw a larger
pattern of climate change. One of them
was Nancy Gassman, a natural resources
administrator for Broward County. “We had
significant erosion over the course of the last
year related to a number of these tropical
storms,” Gassman said. “So, with each event,
a little more of the beach was lost.”
Among other tasks, Gassman has guided
Broward’s participation in a four-county
compact to respond to climate change.
(The other three counties are Miami-Dade,
Monroe and Palm Beach.) As of early 2013,
Broward and Monroe had approved an action
plan to implement the compact, and approval
from the other two counties was pending.
Gassman views last year’s beach erosion
as part of a trend toward hotter weather and
higher seas. “If you look at the tidal record
from Key West over the last 100 years, there
is a constant and consistent trend of the sea
rising,” Gassman said. “Over the last century,
we’re looking at between eight to 10 inches
of sea-level rise for the South Florida area.
That’s simply a fact.”
Coastal structures from the mid-20th
century have become especially vulnerable.
“They were built when the sea was four to
five inches lower,” Gassman said. Data on
the last century of sea-level increases also
yield evidence of an accelerated pace.
“Beach renourishment has a 10- to 20year lifetime,” Gassman said. Its temporary
nature makes it all the more crucial.
“While many people believe beach renourishment’s primary function is to support
tourism, and to keep a place beautiful and
attractive,” Gassman said, “one of the key
reasons that you maintain a beach is for
storm protection.” Indeed, while cities like
Fort Lauderdale are hampered by a shortage
of beach sand, they have no shortage of
reasons to replace it as fast as possible.
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47
White top and skirt by
Julian Chang, price upon request, at
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Zelcer, $99, at sergiozelcer.com | Bag
by Forever 21, $27.80, at Forever 21
Boca Raton | Mikimoto Akoya pearl
studs, $800, at Neiman Marcus
Fort Lauderdale.
Trim-fit polo, $95, at Brooks
Brothers | Ralph Lauren white linen
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pebbled wing-tip shoes, $995, at
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48
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It’s still a ways till Wimbledon and you’re already
thinking white. Mostly white. You’re thinking
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the court. Everybody talks about après-ski and you
never hear about après-tennis, but that’s when you
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Ashley Keshigian
Greg Hinsdale Photographer - mc2 creative management
Gianluca M Hair/makeup- mc2 creative management
Elizabeth Daniels Stylist - mc2 creative management
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CORAL RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB - Location
49
Jacket by Forever 21, $24.80, at Forever
21 Boca Raton | Donna Karan pink
pencil skirt, $995, at Neiman Marcus Fort
Lauderdale | Crown Vintage Bag, $175,
from DSW | Sergio Zelcer Shoes, $99, at
oceandriveshoes.com
50
Modern oxford shirt, $49.95,
at Gap | Levi 501 button
fly jeans, $95
51
Lacoste Elbow Sleeve Oxford dress, $115,
and Carnaby RS2 sneakers, $105, at shop.
lacoste.com | Watch from BCBG
Lacoste sweater, $155, and Carnaby RS2
sneakers, $105, at shop.lacoste.com | Micro
stripe shorts, $59.50, at Banana Republic
| Babolat Aeropro Drive racquets, $199, at
babolat.com
52
Blouse and pants by Forever 21, blouse
$17.80, pants $15.80, at Forever 21 Boca Raton
| Shoes Z by Sergio Zelcer, $99, at
sergiozelcer.com | Turquoise snake clutch
by JJ Winters, $79, at LF Boutiques
White linen jacket and t-shirt by Calvin Klein,
$34.50, at Macy’s | Tailored skinny khakis by
Gap, $54.95 | Lacoste Carnaby RS2 Sneakers,
$105, at shop.lacoste.com
SCOTT STRAWBR
FARM COMMUNITIDGE AT LINDSAY URBAN
Y GARDEN.
Photo: Drew Cornw
all
STACK
Photo ED TOM
A
: Drew
Cornw TO
all
54
T
DEN NEX
BAN GAR LE PUBLIX.
R
U
IS
H
T
A
MADFIS A
LAUDERD
MICHAEL OWNTOWN FORTPhoto: Drew Cornwall
TO THE D
SALAD
AT GR
IL
LE 401
.
Farm to
Fork
LAUDERDALE
By Patsy Mennuti
THE SURGE IN
FARMERS MARKETS,
COMMUNITY GARDENS
AND BACK-TO-BASICS
RESTAURANTS.
Americans are positively
obsessed with food, not
just in terms of nutrition
and freshness but also
sustainability. We have
progressed from eating
what’s good for us to
consuming what’s good
for the environment. We
have widened our concerns
beyond ourselves.
The resulting movement, called
farm to table (or farm to fork), has
come to Fort Lauderdale. Now a
growing number of people, markets
and organizations are working to
make our community healthier – in
every sense of the word.
FLMag.com
FLMag.com | | March
March&&Aprirl
April 2013
55
Fred and Chelsea Marando with kids
Samantha Grace and Max.
Photo: Steven W. Foster
A VARIETY OF FRESH, LOCAL
PRODUCE FROM MARANDO
FARMS.
Year-Round Farmers Markets
After a difficult start, they now have an outdoor
fresh produce market complemented by
community garden plots, an aquaponics farm,
an apiary (bee farm), a U Pick garden, and an
area with rescued farm animals. The adjacent
indoor space features fresh meats and eggs, raw
dairy products, artisan goods, natural pet foods
and a small café. They also conduct workshops
and classes. Most of their produce comes from
19 farms within 225 miles of downtown Fort
Lauderdale.
Max, now 6, has his own garden, which he
plants before he goes back to school in the
fall. Marando Farms hosts between 400 and
56
500 field trips a year for local school kids, and
has started the nonprofit Broward County
Community Outreach (BCCO) to promote the
concept of accessible community gardens. “We
hope that people are waking up to food issues,”
said Chelsea. “We have to get healthier.”
Jim Dezell, owner of Flamingo Road Nursery in
rural Broward, has been providing his Florida
Fresh Herbs to Publix since 2000. He grows
hydroponic arugula, basil, mint, oregano,
thyme, sage, chives and rosemary at his 18acre complex in Davie, about 15 miles from
downtown Fort Lauderdale. He also grows
hydroponic tomatoes and peppers. In addition,
Dezell’s nursery features both ornamental
and food-bearing plants and trees, a five-acre
bee hive, ornamental garden accessories, a
smoothie bar and a year-round farmers market.
The farmers market is the hub of activity,
particularly on weekends, as people shop and
meet local farmers. On a recent Saturday,
beekeeper and farmer Nick Nafpliodis
passionately urged passersby to sample his fresh
hummus and honey. At his feet, two Igloo
coolers burst with recently picked Swiss chard,
Chinese cabbage, kale, and green beans from
his one-acre Davie farm. “My produce is all
natural,” Nafpliodis boasted, “fertilized only
with horse manure.”
Dezell is committed to buying as much locally
as possible when supply and season allow.
Photo: Drew Cornwall
Marando Farms opened in 2009 after
Fred and Chelsea Marando (who
both grew up on farms) lost their jobs
in the construction industry. They
returned to farming as a way to stay
healthy at a time when neither had
health insurance. They found their
current location – an abandoned
nursery on the railroad tracks near
Broward Health Medical Center
– mowing foreclosed properties for
Bank of America. “I started with $250
in produce and holding a sign on
Andrews Avenue with my son Max,”
Chelsea remembered.
THE MARANDOS
RETURNED TO
FARMING AS A WAY
TO STAY HEALTHY AT A
TIME WHEN NEITHER HAD
HEALTH INSURANCE.
Jim Dezell of Flamingo Road Nursery with his prize tomatoes.
“Come February 1st, over 50 percent of our
fresh produce is grown within 100 miles,” said
Dezell. He has surrounded his farmers market
with the plants and trees you can purchase
inside: herbs, tomatoes, peppers, citrus and
other tropical fruits. “If you see a pepper,” he
said, “you can buy the plant here.”
Flamingo Road Nursery is open every day;
Marando Farms is closed on Wednesdays.
Beatriz Miniaci harvests celery from her
Marando Farms community plot..
COMMUNITY GARDENS
HAVE BECOME THE
VICTORY GARDENS OF
THE 21ST CENTURY.
Backyard
Chickens:
SQUARE-FOOT COMMUNITY GARDENS
AT FLAMINGO ROAD NURSERY.
An Eggsasperating
Labor of Love
Community Gardens
Community gardens have become the
Victory Gardens of the 21st century.
Popping up all over town, they are the
product of people’s desire to connect
with the ways that food is grown and
harvested. Many churches, schools,
day care centers, parks, and derelict or
foreclosed properties now serve as venues
for shared gardening. New vertical
growing methods, because they take up
less space, are ideal for urban settings.
Two years ago, Marando Farms started leasing
plots for members of the community to garden.
A trip “out back” reveals a verdant landscape
of 16 plots brimming with fruit trees, herbs,
vegetables and greens. The investment is taxdeductible, and local restaurants like Tap 42
and Market 17 have gardens here.
Flamingo Road Nursery offers customers
“square-foot” community gardens: four-byfourˊ gardens divided into 16 squares. For a
dollar a day, Flamingo staff perform tasks most
homeowners dislike: watering and handling
pests (they do it organically). They have room
for about 100 gardens, plus more space in the
back should the idea take off. Sample gardens –
like the pizza garden containing Italian-inspired
herbs and vegetables – provide inspiration.
More intriguing (and challenging) community
gardens are those grown in public spaces:
neglected properties, public housing
developments and parks. Scott Strawbridge,
director of development and facilities at the
City of Fort Lauderdale’s Housing Authority,
has been trailblazing in this arena for several
years. Together with the Carlisle Development
Group, the Housing Authority has quietly been
transforming Fort Lauderdale’s public housing
developments into self-sustaining green minicommunities.
Strawbridge’s vision of walkable streets,
community gardens and parks in low income areas
emerged from his own experiences in public space
planning, as well as from local community input.
“In reviewing the landscape requirements for
our new projects, we said, ‘Why look at the
landscape when we can eat it?’” Strawbridge
quipped. Organic community gardens now grace
the back and front yards of three of these new
developments in the Sistrunk area (Dixie Court
and Northwest Gardens I and III) and there are
more underway.
Plans are in the works for Marando Farms to
manage and tend the network of gardens, along
with people hired from the neighborhood.
Residents are slowly finding their way to the
gardens, and those who volunteer have access to
the “fruits” of their labors. Harvests will be sold at
less than market rates at a local farmers market,
coming soon, that will seek to complement the
revitalization of Sistrunk Boulevard. “Our goal
is not to make money,” said Strawbridge, “but to
reinvest to grow our operation.”
Albee, president of The Urban Farmer and
Urban Farming Institute, is similarly focused
on community gardens with public/private
partnerships, specifically in Pompano Beach and
Oakland Park. In Pompano, it will be a for-profit
venture but is planned in conjunction with the
community redevelopment agency as a way to
help redevelop the historic district downtown. In
Oakland Park, a nonprofit initiative will become
part of the city’s emerging culinary district.
“It’s difficult to find land in an urban setting that’s
remotely reasonably priced,” Albee said, noting
that sympathy for farmers in urban settings is hard
to come by. “The highest and best use in an urban
setting is not necessarily a farming operation.
The economics just aren’t there, so you have to
partner with a municipality, in our view, to make
it work. Otherwise, a high-rise will always win out
over a carrot.”
If you’ve driven by the downtown Fort Lauderdale
Publix lately, you’ve probably seen the tidy,
6,500-square-foot community garden operated
by architect Michael Madfis (and now urban
food producer and food policy agent with Fort
Lauderdale Vegetables and Andrews Farm). “I’m
trying to set up a network of urban micro-farms
This is the story of a family that scratched
its way into the backyard chicken business
when the oldest daughter begged for
chickens as a Christmas present. “The idea
was to teach responsibility to the girls,” said
the father, “but as it’s turned out, I have
ended up doing most of the work.”
Chickita (a New Hampshire Red),
Jaboo (an Ameraucana) and Eclipse (an
Australorp) possess personalities as unique
as their individual eggs. They spend most
of their days in a spacious pen but are free
to fly the coop in the afternoons for a spell.
“When they were truly free range,” said
the father, “these guys totally decimated
our backyard. They gutted everything.”
Collectively, the hens will produce about
three eggs per day when they’re not
molting (shedding feathers).
Embarking on a responsible path of
chicken ownership, the father explained,
requires a check-in and education process
with neighbors—plus gifts of surplus eggs
to smooth any ruffled feathers along the
way. Backyard chickens are currently not
allowed per a City of Fort Lauderdale
ordinance. According to the father: “As
far as birds go, they’re not the noisiest, and
we don’t keep roosters. For us, they’re pets,
not farm animals.”
He claimed to be about 50-50 on continuing
the operation. “It’s been nice to show the
kids where their food comes from, and the
kids do help when asked,” he said. “But the
chickens are relatively destructive and don’t
mind their manners.”
FLMag.com
FLMag.com | | March
March&&Aprirl
April 2013
57
DIY (Do It Yourself)
Wheelbarrow
Herb Garden
Tips and Photography Contributed
by Deborah Cay
A potential solution to South Florida heat is a
wheelbarrow herb garden, which can easily be moved
away from the intense sunlight and tropical deluges that
threaten delicate plants.
1. Purchase a wheelbarrow from your local hardware store. Plastic ones won’t rust, and it’s easy to
drill drainage holes in them.
2. After holes are drilled, add the soil of your choice
and plant your favorite herbs: basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley, etc.
3.
Water more frequently than ground-based plants,
because the lack of established roots prevents absorption from surrounding soil. But be careful not to overwater.
Cut your herbs and bring them into the kitchen,
not only for accenting food but also for the fragrant
aroma. As a general rule, use more fresh herbs than
dry. People always appreciate a fresh bouquet of
homegrown herbs creatively tied up in twine as a gift.
to produce food locally,” Madfis explained. His
vision includes local job creation, a sustainable
business model and, ultimately, a stronger
community.
Madfis’ initiative touches on food justice and
equality, wider access to quality food, and
nonexploitative jobs. His farming practices
require 85 percent less irrigation, little to no
fossil fuels, and no fertilizers or pesticides.
“With my process, we’re able to get a
tremendous amount of production in a
small area—up to eight times more than
a traditional farm. It’s perfect for an urban
area,” said Madfis. He is currently at work on
a best practices manual on how to replicate
his operation, so he can franchise his allencompassing concept of urban farming.
Strawbridge is passionate about community
gardens. “They are a powerful tool in
rebuilding a community that goes way
beyond reducing carbon footprints and
improving personal health. It touches on
economics and education and our sense of
internal and external security. Ultimately, it
strengthens the backbone of a community.”
“It starts with a seed,” Albee said, “and
replenishes the soul.”
continued on pg 78
1/2 Page (H)
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58
EVENTS GUIDE
events guide
All event information subject to change. Confirm before you go.
MARCH
First Friday Jazz Jams
7 -10 p.m. March 1
Presented by Gold Coast Jazz Society, this unique
event is open to all student jazz musicians.
ArtServe
954-524-0805 | goldcoastjazz.org | Free
...............................................................................
Valerie Harper in Looped
March 1-3
Based on a true story, Matthew Lombardo’s play, set
in 1965, follows party girl Tallulah Bankhead’s outrageous antics in and out of the recording studio.
Parker Playhouse
954-462-0222 | parkerplayhouse.com | $28-$66
...............................................................................
A Tribute to Pandit Ravi Shanker
by Kartik Seshadri and Alam Khan
City-Wide Market
9 a.m. March 2-3
Broward Center
954-462-0222 | browardcenter.org | $25- $45
...............................................................................
War Memorial Auditorium
954-443-6792 | citywidemarket.com | Free
...............................................................................
North Beach Art Walk
Fifth Annual Festival of Treasures
7-10 p.m. March 2
10 a.m. March 2-3
32nd Street, 33rd Street, and A1A
(north of Oakland Park Boulevard)
facebook.com/NorthBeachArtsDistrict | Free
...............................................................................
Volunteer Park
954-797-9762 | pjwcfl.org | Free
...............................................................................
Stroll through galleries and sip wine while artists
paint and musicians perform in this burgeoning
enclave of shops and restaurants.
An art, handcrafts, collectibles and handmade jewelry event hosted by the Plantation Junior Woman’s
Club in which hobbyists and crafters show and sell
their handmade items.
SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch
11 a.m.-2 p.m. March 3
Local jazz artists perform on four stages in the park at
this monthly, pet-friendly event.
Riverwalk Park, Fort Lauderdale
goriverwalk.org | Free
...............................................................................
March 1-3
Red Pearl Sanctuary & Sound
2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. March 3
Broward Center
954-462-0222 | browardcenter.org | $25- $175
...............................................................................
Yoga, live music and vegetarian food in the park.
Glen F. Bates Garden Clubhouse, Birch State Park
954-828-1651 | redpearlyoga.com | $25 (cash)
...............................................................................
Bon Jovi
BB&T Center
800-745-3000 | thebbtcenter.com | $15.75-$225
Does your organization have
an event you’d like us to list?
flmag.com/submit-event
More than 200 vendors come together for Broward
County’s largest indoor and outdoor community market. A wide range of items on display including: vintage
and retro goods, collectibles, novelties, mint condition
second-hand items, locally made products and edibles.
The Association of Performing Arts of India
presents renowned sitar virtuoso and composer
Kartik Seshadri along with Alam Khan on a
fretless lute.
Miami City Ballet presents this performance
featuring classic programs including La Valse, The
Steadfast Tin Soldier, Tschaikovsky Pas De Deux and
Alexei Ratmansky’s Symphonic Dances.
This American foursome became a staple on the
arena rock scene in the ‘80s, and has since enjoyed
a music career spanning 30 years with numerous
Grammy nods and one win in 2007.
guide
6 p.m. March 2
Miami City Ballet - Program III:
The Masters
7 p.m. March 2
THE
2013 Florida Renaissance Festival
10 a.m. to sunset March 2-3, 9-10 and 16-17
A crafts village, themed rides, games, performances
by knights and magicians and more at this always
popular event.
Quiet Waters Park, Deerfield
954-775-1642 | ren.fest.com
$20; $6 ages 6-11; $50 season passes
Miami International Piano Festival
Master Series 2013 Geniuses of
Impressionism
3 p.m. March 3
Pianist Francesco Libetta of Italy will perform A
Tribute to Debussy & Ravel.
Broward Center
954-462-0222 | browardcenter.org
$120 (per four-show subscription)
59
THE
guide
EVENTS GUIDE
Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale’s
Dinner and Art Series: 5 for 5
5 p.m. March 4, 11, 18
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
and Festival
11 a.m.-7 p.m. March 9
A parade featuring bagpipers starts the festivities by
marching west on Las Olas to Huizenga Plaza, where
there will be live music, Irish cuisine and flowing
libations. Kids will have their own play zone with
face painters, bounce houses and surprises.
Huizenga Plaza | 954-828-5985 | Free
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
and Festival
Noon-6 p.m. March 10
Downtown streets and Young Circle transform into
a sea of green as revelers and families celebrate Irish
pride and culture. Marching bands, family-friendly
entertainment and of course Irish cuisine.
Downtown Hollywood | 954-921-3404 | Free
Leprechaun Scavenger Hunt
Don Lamber Lawn Jobs
6 p.m. March 8 Opening Reception
(exhibit runs through April 14)
A local restaurant is paired with a discipline – painting, drawing, printmaking, digital arts, ceramics –
every Monday for 5 weeks. Meet and eat from 5-6:30
p.m., then relocate to the AutoNation Academy of
Art + Design for a fun and creative exploration in a
variety of mediums.
In this exhibition, Lamber explores domestic chores
and the origins of the American lawn.
Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale
954-262-0239 | moafl.org | $250
...............................................................................
Friday Night Family Hayride
and Campfire Series
Master Series 2013 French Chamber
Music Jewels
Roast marshmallows around a campfire after the
hayride.
7:45 p.m. March 5
Violinist Gilles Apap joins Dimitri Maslennikov on
cello and Misha Dacic on piano.
Broward Center
...............................................................................
Flashdance
March 5-17
Adapted from the movie, and directed by Sergio Trujillo, this musical features the songs “Flashdance, What
a Feeling,” “Maniac,” and “I Love Rock & Roll.”
Art and Culture Center of Hollywood
954-921-3274 | artandculturecenter.org | $10
...............................................................................
7 p.m. March 8
Easterlin Park, Oakland Park
954-357-5190 | broward.org/parks | $3.50
...............................................................................
Pride Comedy Night Starring
Jason Stuart and Jessica Kirson
8 p.m. March 8
Famed comics Stuart and Kirson celebrate GLBT
pride with standup comedy.
Parker Playhouse
954-462-0222 | parkerplayhouse.com | $31.50
...............................................................................
Broward Center
954-462-0222 | browardcenter.org | $39.50-$79.50
...............................................................................
3:30 p.m. March 15
Nothing says St. Paddy’s day like leprechauns. Kids
will search the park for little green men and score
prizes and surprises.
Roosevelt Gardens Park, 954-327-3888 | Free
Master Series 2013 A Tribute to Claude
Debussy’s 150th Anniversary
7:45 p.m. March 3
The Best of The Second City
Russian maestro Konstantin Lifschitz will perform.
Broward Center
...............................................................................
Art Florida
March 4-29
Hosted by Broward Art Guild, this multimedia showcase features juried pieces of art capturing the beauty
of Floridian culture.
ArtServe
954-462-8190 | artserve.org | Free
...............................................................................
Master Series 2013 Debussy & Ravel
Through the Prism of Two Pianos
7:45 p.m. March 4
Russian pianist Konstantin Lifschitz and Italian
pianist Francesco Libetta will take the stage.
Broward Center
60
8:30 p.m. March 8
Impressions: A Juried Art Exhibition
6 p.m. March 7 Reception (on display through
May 5)
This annual juried art competition opens with a lavish reception featuring gourmet food paired with fine
wine on the gracious premises of the Bonnet House.
Attendees can purchase artwork and take it home
the night of the event.
Bonnet House Museum & Gardens
954-703-2614 | bonnethouse.org | $150; VIP $200
...............................................................................
Pridefest 2013: The Future Is Ours
11 a.m. March 7-14
Pridefest is a weeklong celebration honoring the
LGBT community’s unique culture and paying
tribute to its positivity for the future.
954-443-6792 | pridesouthflorida.org.
$10; 2-day pass $15
The legendary comedy troupe comes to town with a
mix of fresh material and classic routines.
Broward Center
954-462-0222 | browardcenter.org | $39
...............................................................................
Hall & Oats
8 p.m. March 8-9
The ’80s live when Daryl Hall & John Oates bring
their Philly sound to Hollywood.
Hard Rock Live
954-797-5531| hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com | $49-$89
...............................................................................
Andre Rieu and his
Johann Strauss Orchestra
8 p.m. March 9
The maestro and his orchestra will perform waltzes
packed with surprises.
BB&T Center
954-835-7000 | thebbtcenter.com | $60-$157
EVENTS GUIDE
THE
guide
Matchbox Twenty
8 p.m. March 13
This four-piece band from Orlando became a staple
of modern rock in the mid ’90s with hits like “Real
World” and “Bent.”
Hard Rock Live
954-797-5531| www.hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com
$54-$154
...............................................................................
Celtic Crossroads
Broward Quilt Expo
8 p.m. March 9
9 a.m. March 14-16
Ireland’s show-stopping musical group hits the stage with
its renditions of bluegrass, Gypsy music and jazz. The
septet performs using an arsenal of fiddle, banjo, mandolin,
accordion, bouzouki, guitar, uilleann pipes and a harp.
Parker Playhouse
954-462-0222 | parkerplayhouse.com | $27.50-$37.50
...............................................................................
Ladies Let’s Go Fishing
March 9-10
A weekend dedicated to educating females about the
sport of fishing through hands-on training. Topics
will include releasing, knot tying, dehooking, bait
rigging, trailer backing, and boat handling.
The Broward Quilt Expo brings together talented
local quilting guilds and more than 300 quilts for
viewing. In addition to quilts for sale from dozens
of vendors, there are special exhibits, classes, quilt
appraisals, door prizes, a miniature-quilt auction and
competitions with ribbons and cash prizes.
954-443-6792 | www.browardquiltexpo.com
$7; three-day pass $16
...............................................................................
You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up!
March 14-17
I.T. Parker Community Center, Dania Beach
954-475-9068 | ladiesletsgofishing.com | $99-$135
..............................................................................
In this off-Broadway Series, real-life-married couple
Annabelle Gurwitch and Jeff Kahn offer audiences
hilarious insights into marriage and parenting. Based
on their memoir of the same name.
Cipollino
Broward Center
...............................................................................
March 9-10
Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida presents this ballet in two
acts, choreographed by maestro Vladimir Issaev and set
to the songs of Russian composer K. Khachaturian.
Island City Art Walk
Broward Center
7 -10 p.m. March 15
...............................................................................
Wilton Drive
954-547-9014 | islandcityartwalk.com | Free
...............................................................................
Fifth Annual Haven Day at the Races
11 a.m. March 10
Visit galleries, eclectic stores, cafes, boutiques and
restaurants in Wilton Manors.
Guests will have a bird’s-eye view of the track while enjoying a lavish lunch at Christine Lee’s. A grand prize raffle
and auction will add to the entertainment. All proceeds
from the event will directly benefit at-risk adolescent boys
who receive life-changing services at The Haven.
Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Ball Tour
An Evening with The Onion
Broward Public Library
Foundation’s Literary Feast
Gulfstream Park
561-483-0962 | haven4kids.org | $200
...............................................................................
7:30 p.m. March 10
Staffers behind the satirical ‘news’ organization come to the
stage to deliver witty and controversial stories relating to
South Florida. Comedian Adrian Mesa will open the show.
Parker Playhouse
954-462-0222 | parkerplayhouse.com
$29.50-$59.50; VIP $125
...............................................................................
Chrystal Hartigan Presents
Songwriters Showcase
7:30 p.m. March 11
Return to the days of Greenwich Village coffeehouses as budding musicians and singers perform in front
of a welcoming audience.
Broward Center
954-462-0222 | chrystalhartiganpresents.com | $10
7:30 p.m. March 15
The post-modern Madonna protégé offers a night of
sass and glam.
BB&T Center
954-835-7000 | thebbtcenter.com | $49-$175
...............................................................................
7 p.m. March 15-18
This annual event has brought more than 365 authors to Broward County since its start in 1988. This
year’s crop includes Bob Spitz, author of Dearie: The
Remarkable Life of Julia Child; Tania James, author of
Aerogrammes and Other Stories; and Michael Grunwald, author of The New New Deal.
Various locations in Fort Lauderdale
954-357-7384| LiteraryFeastOnline.org | $40-$200
...............................................................................
Viva Las Vegas!
1:45 p.m. March 17
The Original Florida Follies do a high-energy show.
Parker Playhouse
945-462-0222 | parkerplayhouse.com| $29.50
Ballroom, Yoga, Flamenco
Voice and Bellydancing
220 E. Commercial Blvd., Suite 201
Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, FL 33308
954.566.9779
www.Dance-Moves.net
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
7:30 p.m. March 18
The world-famous chamber orchestra – and classical
recording giant – from London.
Broward Center
954-462-0222 | browardcenter.org | $35-$95
...............................................................................
The Power of 150 Voices Strong!
March 19-24
Symphony of the Americas in collaboration with
The Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida will perform
classical and popular choral works, including original
material by Gordon Roberts.
Broward Center
...............................................................................
18th Annual ClueLess on Las Olas
5:30-9:30 p.m. March 21
Play detective for a night uncovering the clues to
catch the mysterious murderer in this wildly popular
night on Las Olas featuring food, drinks and a meetand-greet with the cast of characters.
Stranahan House
954-288-7201 | browardpartners.com | $35
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THE
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EVENTS GUIDE
Junior League 13th Annual Riverwalk Run
7 a.m. March 23
Choose to participate in the 5 mile run or the 5K run/
fitness walk. Or enter the kids in the Kids’ Fun Run.
Huizenga Plaza
954-462-1350 | juniorleagueftl.org | $20
...............................................................................
Coral Springs Forum’s Picnic &
Egg Hunt
11 a.m.- 4 p.m. March 23
Now in its third year, and produced by South Florida
Parenting, this family event features egg hunts, old-fashioned games and contests, inflatable amusement, food
trucks, professional sports teams, stage entertainment, a
business expo, hands-on crafts and lots of giveaways.
Moving Current: Dancing Your Direction
2 p.m. March 23
This Tampa-based dance company urges the audience to become the show’s choreographer, offering a
dynamic and memorable experience.
954-921-3274 | artandculturecenter.org | Free
..............................................................................
Sportsplex, Coral Springs | southfloridaparenting.
com | $5; infants 18 months and younger, free
Broward Center
954-462-0222 | browardcenter.org | $26-$66; VIP $146
...............................................................................
11 a.m.-1 p.m. March 30
The promenade in Coconut Creek turns itself over
to egg hunts. The Easter Bunny will make a grand
appearance and will pose for photos with kids
(grown-ups too, should they wish). The event also
features a bunny hat craft, contests and live music.
Romeo Santos
8 p.m. March 27
The former lead singer of bachata group Aventura
comes to town for a hip-swaying good time.
Promenade at Coconut Creek
thepromenadeatcoconutcreek.com | Free 11:30 a.m. March 31
Add a nautical twist to your Easter by hopping aboard a
luxurious yacht for a delicious brunch cruise and open bar.
Departs from Blue Moon Fish Co.
954-771-0102 | yachtchartersnow.com
$69 adults; $35 children
Young Artist Music Series
5:30 p.m. March 21
An evening of live musical performances by University of Miami’s Frost Opera Theater, and catered
cuisine on the Veranda lawn.
954-703-2614 | bonnethouse.org | $35-$45
...............................................................................
Delish 2013
6:30 p.m. March 22
Celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein will serve as honorary
chair of this ARC Broward Culinary Institute fundraiser
featuring an evening of gourmet treats, cocktails, dancing,
a silent auction and a cooking competition,. Event proceeds will benefit children and adults with autism.
Panorama Ballroom, Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six
954-746-9400 | arcbroward.com | $125; VIP $175
...............................................................................
Hard Rock Live
954-797-5531 | hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com
$79-$154
...............................................................................
Pilobolus
2 and 8 p.m. March 23
The stunning choreography of this modern dance
troupe is so smooth it appears as though the performers blend into a singular living being.
Parker Playhouse
...............................................................................
The Fort Lauderdale Gun & Knife Show
9 a.m. March 23-24
Dealers and private collectors come from around
Florida, bringing a wide assortment of guns, accessories, and many hard-to-find items.
954-443-6792 | suncoastgunshows.com
$9 adults; $8 with coupon; free for kids 12 and younger
...............................................................................
One Night of Queen
7 p.m. March 24
Experience two hours of the hits of Freddy Mercury
and Queen as performed by cover artist Gary Mullen
and The Works.
Parker Playhouse
954-462-0222 | parkerplayhouse.com | $37.50-56.50
...............................................................................
Comedy Central Live Presents
Gabriel Iglesias
Yes
8 p.m. March 22
Just say ‘Yes’ to the prog-rock legends.
A night with the heavyset (not fat but fluffy)
Mexican-American comedian.
Hard Rock Live
954-797-5531 | www.hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com
$54-$154
62
2 and 5 p.m. March 23-24
This family-friendly musical features DJ Lance Rock,
plus Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, Plex and legendary hip-hop artist Biz Markie.
Eggstravaganza
Charter One Yachts Easter
Sunday Brunch Cruises
Yo Gabba Gabba! Live! Get the Sillies Out!
Bare the Musical
March 27-30
This edgy-rock musical tells the story of a group of
Catholic high school seniors who grapple with the
pressures of sexual identity, teen pregnancy, drugs,
and societal and parental expectations.
Broward Center
..............................................................................
Eric Clapton
8 p.m. March 29–30
The man some regard as the greatest rock guitarist ever.
Hard Rock Live
954-797-5531 | hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com
$105-$305
...............................................................................
FAT Village ArtWalk
7-11 p.m. March 30
Stroll through art galleries, open artists’ studios, a
prop warehouse, a street puppet show or even a play
in one of the two theaters.
FAT Village
400 and 500 blocks of NW Fourth Avenue
fatvillage.com | Free
...............................................................................
7 p.m. March 24
Roller Derby: Gold Coast Derby Grrls
Hard Rock Live
954-797-5531 | hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com | $44- $74
7 p.m. March 30
Cheer the hometown roller derby team as they take
on their rivals, the Bradentucky Bombers.
954-443-6792 | goldcoastderbygrrls.com| $10-$2
EVENTS GUIDE
THE
guide
Hip Hop Symphony
APRIL
Art Explosion
April 1-27
Arts United presents this multimedia show created by artists representing the GLBT community.
ArtServe
954-462-8190 | artserve.org | Free
..........................................................................
Yesterday’s Fun: Hangouts, Oddities
and Attractions
April 2-June 23
Tour a unique exhibition in a historical venue reminiscent of old Fort Lauderdale.
Fort Lauderdale Historical Society Campus
954-463-4431 | oldfortlauderdale.org
Free (with museum admission)
..............................................................................
Chicago
8 p.m. April 4
The symphonic rock group brings back memories of
the ’70s.
Hard Rock Live
954-797-5531 | hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com | $45-$95
..............................................................................
18th Annual Wine, Spirits
and Culinary Celebration
6 p.m. April 5
Featuring over 40 of South Florida’s premier restaurants and over 200 wines and spirits from around the
world. All proceeds benefit the museum.
Museum of Discovery & Science
954-713-0954 | mods.org | $85.00; VIP $150
...............................................................................
First Friday Jazz Jams
7-10 p.m. April 5
Presented by Gold Coast Jazz Society and open to all
student jazz musicians.
ArtServe
954-524-0805 | goldcoastjazz.org | Free
..............................................................................
Florida Youth Orchestra: Happy Concerts
2 p.m. April 6
This family concert features talented performers ages
5-18 who will encourage audience members to play
instruments after the show.
954-921-3274 | artandculturecenter.org | Free
...............................................................................
Angel’s Pediatric Heart House – 4th Annual
Toes in the Sand Shrimp Boil on the Beach
6 p.m. April 6
The event benefits South Florida children with congenital
heart disease and childhood acquired heart disease. There
will be tropical steel-drum music and DJ entertainment,
an all-you-can-eat Cajun-style shrimp boil, open bar with
beer and wine, a silent auction and a Chinese raffle.
Lauderdale Surf Club
954-318-2020 | aphh.org | $50; VIP $100
7 p.m. April 6
Urban dancers bust out hip-hop dance moves accompanied by a classical symphony orchestra and a
five-piece rock band.
Parker Playhouse
...............................................................................
North Beach Art Walk
7 p.m. April 6
Stroll through galleries and sip wine while artists
paint and musicians perform in this burgeoning
enclave of shops and restaurants.
32nd Street, 33rd Street and A1A
facebook.com/NorthBeachArtsDistrict | Free
...............................................................................
SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch
11 a.m.-2 p.m. April 7
Local jazz artists perform soulful tunes on four stages
in the park at this monthly, pet-friendly event.
Riverwalk Park, Fort Lauderdale
goriverwalk.org | Free
...............................................................................
Fort Lauderdale Historical Society
Speaker Series: Scientist Dr. Brian
Bagnall
5:30 p.m. April 8
Dr. Bagnall will discuss mosquitoes and their impact
on the history of South Florida.
Fort Lauderdale Historical Society Campus
954-463-4431 | oldfortlauderdale.org | Free
...............................................................................
Chrystal Hartigan Presents
Songwriters Showcase
8 p.m. April 9
Return to the days of Greenwich Village coffeehouses as budding musicians try out material in front of a
welcoming audience.
Broward Center
...............................................................................
John Legend with
Special Guest Stacy Barthe
8 p.m. April 10
Nine-time Grammy Award winner John Legend
performs with a friend.
Hard Rock Live
954-797-5531 | hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com |
$45-$105
...............................................................................
Young Artist Music Series
5:30 p.m. April 11
Florida Grand Opera will perform arias and duets,
and B’stro on the Beach will serve wine and
cheese, charcuterie, coffee and dessert on the
Veranda lawn.
954-703-2614 | bonnethouse.org | $35-$45
Pineapple Jam
6:30 p.m. April 12
The Historic Stranahan House hosts its annual gala
featuring dinner, cocktails, a live and silent auction,
and live entertainment.
Historic Stranahan House Museum
954-524-4736 | [email protected] | $125
...............................................................................
Bill Mays Trio – Mays at the Movies
7:45 p.m. April 12
Jazz pianist Bill Mays has played with everyone from
Frank Sinatra to Woody Herman.
Broward Center
954-462-0222 | goldcoastjazz.org | $40
...............................................................................
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
and Other Storybooks
11 a.m. and 1 p.m. April 13
Family Fun Series presents this tale of a mouse and
a little boy by Laura Numeroff. This family series
includes a pre-show art activity provided by Young at
Art Children’s Museum and catered snacks served by
Whole Foods.
Rose & Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center
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EVENTS GUIDE
Ladies Let’s Go Fishing
April 12-14
A weekend dedicated to educating women on the
sport of fishing through hands-on training. Topics
will include releasing, knot tying, dehooking, bait
rigging, trailer backing, and boat handling.
I.T. Parker Community Center, Dania Beach
954-475-9068 | ladiesletsgofishing.com | $99-$135
...............................................................................
Jim Breuer
8 p.m. April 13
Riffs on life lessons and career struggles from one of the
“100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time” (Comedy Central).
Parker Playhouse
954-462-0222 | parkerplayhouse.com | $23-$33
...............................................................................
The Five Beethovens
2 p.m. April 14
Symphony of the Americas and the pianist Conrad
Tao perform all five Beethoven Concertos.
Broward Center
..............................................................................
Island City Art Walk
7-10 p.m. April 19
Visit galleries, eclectic stores, cafes, boutiques, and
restaurants in Wilton Manors.
Wilton Drive
954-547-9014 | islandcityartwalk.com | Free
...............................................................................
The 18th Annual Las Olas Wine
and Food Festival
7:30 p.m. April 19
Delectable dishes from more than 70 South Florida
restaurants, and 45 wine and craft beer tasting stations. 21+ event.
Las Olas Boulevard
lasolaswff.com | $100; VIP $225
...............................................................................
Spank! The Fifty Shades Parody
8 p.m. April 19-20
Jim Millan, of Kids in the Hall fame, wrote and directed
this musical that pokes fun at the bestseller Fifty Shades
of Grey. There are naughty dance numbers performed
by the handsome leading man, witty surprises, and a
post-performance meet-and-greet with the cast.
Parker Playhouse
...............................................................................
Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
11:30 a.m. April 20
Silly hats and an afternoon of tea, finger food, games,
prizes, stories and music.
Historic Stranahan House Museum
954-524-4736 | stranahanhouse.org | Price TBA
.............................................................................
Rihanna
7:30 p.m. April 20
The Barbadian-born singer and dancer has made six
albums in the last seven years and she still has time
to perform for us.
BB&T Center
954-835-7000 | thebbtcenter.com | $35.57-$121.25
64
Lauderdale Air Show
Noon-4 p.m. April 20-21
Salute the military as aircraft, including the Thunderbirds, soar above the city.
ONGOING
Fort Lauderdale Beach
lauderdaleairshow.com | Free
..............................................................................
Visible: Fort Lauderdale’s
Black Community Exhibit
Rush
Presented by the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society
and featuring an array of community artists.
7:30 pm. April 26
The Canadian trio that brought progressive rock to
the masses.
BB&T Center
954-835-7000 | thebbtcenter.com | $35.57$121.25
...............................................................................
Trey McIntyre Project
7:30 p.m. April 26-27
McIntyre’s physicality has garnered him acclaim as
one of the hottest choreographers in the contemporary dance world. This dazzling ballet is set to a score
that includes the music of Beethoven, Beck, the
Beatles and Pink Martini.
Broward Center
...............................................................................
Miami City Ballet – Program IV: Broadway and Ballet
April 26-28
This high-energy performance includes tap dancing,
talking parts, classical music and a controversial
storyline taken from On Your Toes.
Broward Center
...............................................................................
FAT Village ArtWalk
7 p.m.-11 p.m. April 27
Stroll through art galleries, open artists’ studios, a
prop warehouse, and a street puppet show. Or take in
a play at one of two theaters.
FAT Village
400 and 500 blocks of NW Fourth Avenue
fatvillage.com | Free
..............................................................................
Sixth All-Media Juried Biennial
April 27-May 26
See a cutting-edge collection of drawings, paintings,
prints, sculpture, photography, video, site-specific
installations, and performance art by Florida-based
artists. (Opening reception is April 26, 6 to 9 p.m.)
954-921-3274 | artandculturecenter.org | $10
...............................................................................
Renaissance
7 p.m. April 28
This symphonic English rock band features frontwoman Annie Haslam and Michael Dunford on
guitar. Hits include “Carpet of the Sun” and “Ashes
Are Burning.”
Broward Center
Through March 23
Fort Lauderdale Historical Society
954-463-4431 | oldfortlauderdale.org | $5
...............................................................................
Jazz on the Square
6:30-10:30 p.m. every Friday
Free jazz sponsored by Village Grille.
El Mar Drive and Commercial Boulevard
954-776-5092 | Free
...............................................................................
Following the Line
Through Sept. 30
Curated by Miami gallerist Carol Jazzar, this exhibit
looks at drawing in contemporary art and features works
made with graphite, ink and colored pencil, along with
hand-drawn animation and prints.
Girls’ Club Collection
954-828-9151 | girlsclubcollection.org | Free
...............................................................................
Wednesday Night Tango Classes
8-10 p.m. every Wednesday
Dance lessons in an eclectic Dania Beach art gallery.
Grace Café and Galleries
954-816-3324 | gracecafeandgalleries.com
$15 per class
...............................................................................
River Ghost Tour
7:30 p.m. every Sunday
Experience the spooky side of Fort Lauderdale with haunting tales every Sunday night. The hour-long tour weaves
through downtown and includes a visit inside the Stranahan House, followed by a boat ride on the New River.
Stranahan House
954-524-4736 | stranahanhouse.org | $25
...............................................................................
Las Olas Outdoor Green Market
9 a.m.-2 p.m. every Sunday
Fresh produce, orchids, fresh baked goods, spices,
teas, honey and other local specialties.
Las Olas Boulevard and SE 12th Street
(Las Olas Chemist parking lot)
954-426-8436 | tgmmc.com | Free
...............................................................................
Wilton Manors Green Market
9 a.m.-2 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday
Fresh produce, fruits, soups, gourmet cookies, New
York pickles, vegan baked goods and artisan breads.
2020 Wilton Drive
754-235-4205 | greenwilton.com | Free
...............................................................................
Coral Ridge Outdoor Green Market
9 a.m.-2 p.m. every Saturday
Fresh produce and local specialties.
3000 Plaza on North Federal Highway
954-426-8436 | tgmmc.com | Free
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CITY SNAPSHOTS
LOVE&HOPE
At the 39th Annual Love and Hope Ball on Saturday February
2nd, nearly 400 guests, along with professional dancers, were
“Dancing with the Stars of Love and Hope” at the Westin
Diplomat Resort and Spa. A million dollars were raised for the
cure-focused work of the Diabetes Research Institute, located
Photos by Darryl Nobles at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine. UM
President Donna Shalala addressed the crowd, along with
Executive Chairman Sandra Levy and Life Chairman Sonja
Zuckerman, whose joyful instruction, “Let’s eat, drink and have
a ball!” was punctuated by fireworks.
Executive Chairman Sandra Levy and
Honorary Chairman Shirley Harris
Life Chairman Sonja Zuckerman with
Gold Stars Beatrice and Sanford Ziff
Mistress of Ceremonies Lisa Petrillo
with Bill McCue
Michelle Rubell with Amira Simkins
REVEL
on theBLOCK
Photos by Lindsey Grace
Joshua Diaz, Josiah Sampson, Corey Bost
Sara Shake, Rebecca Bradley, Gage Couch
Lindsay Moore, Rebecca Bradley, Scott Meyer
66
Sydney Edwards, Sarah Rodriguez
Revel on the Block debuted
in coordination with the FAT
Village Art Walk on Saturday,
January 26th. The event served
as a catalyst to connect local
creative business, design, art,
and music to the community.
Attendees enjoyed art exhibitions,
photo shoots, food trucks, live
music and fashion vendors while
getting better connected with Ft.
Lauderdale’s Creative Community.
Daniella Denison, Olivia Adkins
CITY SNAPSHOTS
THE
guide
NOVA
Southeastern
Nova Southeastern University (NSU) awarded worldrenowned artist, scientist and researcher Guy Harvey,
Ph.D., with one of NSU’s newest awards, the President’s
Award for Excellence in Community Service. President
George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D., bestowed the award
upon Harvey and four others at the university’s annual
Celebration of Excellence event on Jan. 24, 2013.
The President’s Excellence in Community Service Award
recognizes superior professional engagement activities
in the community by alumni, students, faculty, staff, and
a member of the South Florida community. The awards
encourage the ongoing pursuit of community service and
exemplify NSU’s “community” core value.
Sam Tidwell, CEO of American Red Cross,
South Florida Region; Colin Brown, President and CEO,
JM Family Enterprises, Inc.; Brigadier General Lawrence
E. Gillespie Sr., United States Army; Kathleen Cannon,
President/CEO, United Way of Broward County
MISSION UNITED
Photos by Downtown Photo
CoE winners: Walter Upshaw; Brian Kabot accepting for Susan Kabot,
Ed.D., CCC-SLP; Jacqueline Travisano, NSU Executive Vice President &
Chief Operating Officer; Guy Harvey, Ph.D.; NSU President George L.
Hanbury II, Ph.D.; Elaine Wallace, D.O., M.S.; David Long, B.S.
United Way of Broward County and American
Red Cross South Florida Region are proud to
announce the launch of MISSION UNITED,
a critical new program supporting US military
service members, veterans and their families in
Broward County by helping them re-acclimate to
civilian life. The launch of MISSION UNITED
was announced during a breakfast reception
attended by over 200 of South Florida’s business
leaders on Wednesday, January 30th at the Hyatt
Regency Pier Sixty-Six in Fort Lauderdale.
Jon Ferrando, EVP General Counsel,
AutoNation, Inc. and Lynne Wines,
President and CEO, First Southern Bank
Huizenga Business School Dean Preston Jones, D.B.A.; Rita and Rick Case
Kathleen Cannon, President/CEO United Way of
Broward County and Raid Shalaby, CEO Reunion Group
Executive Vice President/COO Jackie Travisano, Steve Stock,
Stacie Wrains, President George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D.,
and Guy Harvey, Ph.D.
Keith Cobb, Rev Ben Sorenson, First Presbyterian Church and Dot Cobb
Tammi Lyon and Fernando Arango from
Allied Barton; Jason Zigman from Kunin
Associates and Nancy Vaniman, Director of
MISSION UNITED
Ray Southern, Gale Butler, Vice President
Corporate Affairs AutoNation and Mike Mandich
67
food & drink
CHEF’S CORNER
of
MANY TALENTS
By Nicole Danna
Photos by Candace West
HECTOR LOPEZ PERFORMS NUMEROUS TASKS
AT THE GRATEFUL PALATE, AND HIS PHILOSOPHY
FOR EACH IS TO KEEP IT SIMPLE.
It’s not often you see elk, guinea pig and duck
eggs on a grocery list, but for executive chef
Hector Lopez of The Grateful Palate they’re
nothing unusual. Here, specialty meat and
produce orders arrive daily – be they glistening
jars of caviar or tumorous white truffles – to be
stocked on the shelves or sent to the kitchen.
You see, The Grateful Palate is not just a
restaurant; it’s also a yacht provisioning and
catering company offering all manner of rare
and expensive victuals. It’s a high-end business
serving high-end clientele, which Lopez
oversees with passionate – almost obsessive –
diligence.
Lopez opened the restaurant in 2010, with
then-executive chef David Learmonth. The
provisioning company had established a name
in its strip mall location on 17th Street, a
neighborhood that also contains Smallwoods
crew apparel shop, the International Yacht
Training Facility, and the Irish pub and popular
crew hangout Waxy O’Connors.
Learmonth, a former yacht chef, taught Lopez the
business and a valuable lesson: simplicity is key.
“Keep it clean,” says the 32-year old Lopez, “and
keep it simple. I never have more than three things
on a plate. Also, I was never big on using a lot of
sauces, sides or garnishes. Too much distracts you
from the real flavor of what you’re eating.”
Growing up in Argentina – with an Argentinian
father and an Italian mother – Lopez got his start at
the age of 16 working in a small gas station restaurant.
He soon came to the U.S., where, after completing
high school, he attended culinary school.
The Grateful Palate was his first job after
graduation. He began as assistant caterer and
eventually worked his way up to Learmonth’s
68
Chef Hector Lopez takes
a break with one of his dishes.
assistant in the kitchen. He also took provisioning
orders. Today, he’s not only executive chef, he’s
also in-house pastry chef and director of yacht
provisioning. He helps manage the busy catering
business and oversees the construction of a menu
that changes almost weekly.
The menu lists globally inspired contemporary
dishes that often highlight exotic ingredients
sourced both locally and internationally. Lopez
cooks almost any type of cuisine – whatever he’s
in the mood for – but the result is ultimately a dish
worked around what has been delivered fresh that
day. Aside from his father’s chimichurri recipe and
his mother’s eggplant escabeche, the recipes are
his own, with just a hint of Learmonth’s influence.
By Saturday, the week’s deliveries have come and
gone, and the walk-in cooler is empty. “Nothing
stays long,” Lopez says, “and we always have our
pick of the best.”
Produce is mostly local, the meat coming from
small, sustainable farms. Pricey ingredients in
short supply means nothing goes to waste. He
favors small portions – first, so you won’t fill up
too fast, but mainly because he believes in the art
of degustation.
Lopez enjoys marinating and pickling food, a
method that reduces cooking time and conserves
energy while imparting flavor. For his mother’s
escabeche, the seared meat or fish is marinated in
a vinegary sauce loaded with herbs and spices.
CHEF’S CORNER
food & drink
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NORMA’S EGGPLANT AL
ESCABECHE
with LOCALLY CAUGHT
PAN-SEARED MAHI MAHI
IT’S A HIGH-END
BUSINESS THAT
LOPEZ OVERSEES
WITH PASSIONATE –
ALMOST OBSESSIVE
– DILIGENCE.
Meats and vegetables are served straight up
and lightly dressed, though occasionally Lopez
will add a subtle twist. Foie gras, for example,
he serves with rosemary caramelized apples and
parsnip crisps.
A recent menu featured pork belly in a roasted
tamarind glaze, cinnamon-seared duck breast
with warm mango-tinged beurre noisette, and
fresh butternut ravioli finished in a sage brown
butter cream sauce.
It can be difficult to categorize Lopez’s cooking.
Minimalist gastronomy? Gastro expressionism?
Whatever you call it, it’s best when sampled
with an open mind, and – of course – a grateful
palate.
“When I started working, it was the first thing I put
on the menu,” Lopez says of his mother’s classic. “I
love marinating. It brings out the flavors with such
a vibrant intensity.” Lopez loves to pickle, brine and
marinate whenever possible. Not only is it evocative
of Argentina, and home, but it’s also a great way to
preserve food and develop flavor. Marinating the
eggplant develops distinct notes of acid, salt and
warm spice. This dish can be made using all local
ingredients, including the mahi mahi.
We Come to you for complete
privacy and discreation
Higest price paid within the
comforts of your home.
Dru Melville
786-295-8525
305-321-4146
[email protected]
FOR THE EGGPLANT:
2 eggplants, peeled and medium diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, fine chopped
1 tbsp of red pepper flakes
2 cups of olive oil
¾ cup of red wine vinegar
1 tbsp kosher salt
FOR COOKING THE EGGPLANT:
2 quarts of water
1 cup white vinegar
2 tbsp salt
Directions: Fill medium pot ¾ of the way with
water. Add 2 tbsp salt and 1 cup of white vinegar
and bring to a boil. Blanch the diced eggplant for
about 1 minute, and then let cool. Once eggplant
has cooled, place in bowl and add remaining
ingredients. Mix together, cover and refrigerate (it’s
best to marinate for 24 hours).
FOR THE MAHI MAHI:
4 8oz mahi mahi filets
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
A few sprigs of thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the oil
and butter. Season the fish and place in pan with
thyme and sear for about 5-8 minutes on each side,
depending on thickness. Place hot fish on a bed of
arugula and finish with the eggplant escabeche. Enjoy.
69
food & drink
RESTAURANT LISTINGS
RESTAURANT LISTINGS
Dollar signs indicate the typical cost per person
before drinks, tax and tip.
$ Under $20
$$ Under $35
$$$ Under $50 $$$$ More than $50
R
Restaurant Review
W
Water Accessible
read online @ FLMag.com
N
AMERICAN SOCIAL
721 E. Las Olas Blvd.
954-764-7005 | americansocialbar.com | $$
This gastropub serves up craft beers – and more brews from
“pour-it-yourself” taps – to help wash down parmesan-truffle
fries and short rib sliders with bacon-onion jam. The decor
incorporates old gas lanterns and brick walls decorated with
old Life magazine covers.
New LIsting
ANGLINS BEACH CAFÉ
101 OCEAN
101 Commercial Blvd., Lauderdale-By-The-Sea
954-776-8101 | 101oceanlbts.com | $$$
Located just 50 yards from the fishing pier, 101 Ocean features
an open bar that runs inside and out, and seaside favorites like
pizza, pasta, flatbreads, sandwiches, steaks, salads, seafood and
chops. There’s also a raw bar offering shrimp, mussels, oysters
and lobster tail.
11TH STREET ANNEX
N
Lunching in this tucked away cottage just south of downtown
is like eating in your aunt’s house. The décor is as homey as
the service is friendly (the place is operated by the pair who
run Two Ugly Sisters catering company). The day’s menu – a
handful of items, usually under $10 – is written on a board, and
always includes one vegetarian option (vegan on Wednesdays).
Lunch Monday-Friday and the first Saturday of every month.
1900 SE 15th St.
954-763-2777 | 15streetfisheries.com | $$
W
This rambling, atmospheric seafood institution sits tucked
inside Lauderdale Marina by the 17th Street Causeway
drawbridge. Dishes include wild blue crab cakes, Bayou clam
stew and Florida cioppino. Waterfront cocktails are a major
draw, as is the view of the traffic on the Intracoastal. The daily
tarpon feed will delight the kids.
3030 OCEAN RESTAURANT
3030 Holiday Drive
954-525-4000 | 3030ocean.com | $$$$
In a warm open space, Chef Dean James Max delivers
exquisite modern-American seafood renditions from a menu
that changes daily and can include local snapper, monchong
or butter-roasted Maine lobster with yukon puree and ice
wine-ginger sauce.
70
Walk onto the historic Anglin’s Fishing Pier for breakfast,
lunch or dinner. You’ll find the usual items on the menu –
omelets, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, seafood – but because this
is an eco-friendly café, the produce is organic. And as you eat
you can watch the action at the ocean’s edge.
ANTHONY’S COAL FIRED PIZZA
954-462-5555 | anthonyscoalfiredpizza.com | $
14 SW 11th St.
954-767-8306 | twouglysisters.com | $
15TH STREET FISHERIES & DOCKSIDE CAFÉ
N
954-491-6007 | anglinsbeachcafe.com | $
In 2002 Anthony Bruno of Runway 84 started selling “well
done” pizzas with excellent sauce. The “Paul & Young Ron” is
piled with meatballs, sausage, ricotta and hot or sweet peppers.
Oven-roasted chicken wings and salads round out the menu, and
beer and wine are served. The place is as friendly as it is busy.
ANTHONY’S RUNWAY 84
330 State Road 84
954-467-8484 | runway-84.com | $$$
An Italian-American staple since 1982: zuppa di pesce, a
bottle of Chianti, and Sinatra singing in the background.
Also popular are the Sicilian stuffed peppers and meatballs in
marinara sauce. For surf and turf, there’s a New York strip with
South African lobster tail.
ARUBA BEACH CAFE
954-776-0001 | arubabeachcafe.com | $$
A popular beachfront place serving tropical drinks and
comfort foods like conch fritters and coconut shrimp. The
Bimini bread is baked throughout the day and served with
honey butter. With rotating drink specials, the happy hour
packs the ocean-view bar.
ASIA BAY
954-848-9900 | asiabayrestaurants.com | $$
This sleek Thai and Japanese restaurant offers alfresco,
waterside dining. Lunch specials allow you to combine sushi
and teriyaki (among other things). The crunchy toro roll
comes with scallions, cilantro, tempura flakes, spicy tobiko,
masago, and spicy mayo.
BAHIA CABANA
N W
3001 Harbor Drive
954-524-1555 | bahiacabanaresort.com | $
This dockside bar and restaurant is a bit of old Fort
Lauderdale. Enjoy Texas Slice French Toast for breakfast
or, later in the day, Bahia blackened dolphin and Key lime
chicken. From 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. nightly you can get 2-for-1
Rum Runners and piña coladas.
BASILIC VIETNAMESE GRILL
954-771-5798 | basilicvietnamesegrill.com | $$
In a clean, modern space, Basilic serves vermicelli noodle
bowls, lemongrass chicken, and of course pho, with its
fragrant broth, tender cuts of rare steak and brisket, miniature
meatballs, and an assortment of flavor-enhancing ingredients
like cilantro, fresh jalapenos, limes and bean sprouts.
BIG CITY TAVERN
954-727-0307 | bigtimerestaurants.com | $$$
High tin ceilings, wood floors, brick walls, a well-stocked bar and
a patio overlooking Las Olas. The menu includes Maine lobster
macaroni-and-cheese (with Vermont cheddar) and free-range
chicken with polenta waffles. The late-night menu features pizzas
and (Fridays and Saturdays) salads, burgers and more.
BIMINI BOATYARD
W
1555 SE 17 St.
954-525-7400 | biminiboatyard.com | $$$
Opened in 1989, this waterfront restaurant cooks its fish –
swordfish, snapper, grouper – in a wood-fired grill. The Havana
mahi-mahi comes with a passion fruit-mojito glaze, tropical
kimchee, and multi-colored baby carrots.
BISTRO 17
1617 SE 17th St.
954-626-1701 | $$$
Located in the Marriott Renaissance Hotel, this bistro offers
alligator eggs Benedict for breakfast. For dinner, it’s all about
the filet with port wine cherry reduction. The Florida Key
lime pie is served with chopped fruit and orange Grand
Marnier sauce.
“Most Recommended
Cuban Cuisine Restaurant”
Mario’s Catalina Restaurant is named for its flamboyant
chef/owner Mario Flores, who puts equally strong
emphasis on creating an elegant ambiance and providing
outstanding service and cuisine. White linen tablecloths
contrast with an assortment of
colorful paintings with ornate
frames and Mario’s collection
of tchotchkes. The food is a
combination of Cuban and
Spanish favorites, like roasted
pork
with
caramelized
plantains, white rice and
black beans, vaca frita,
and garlic shrimp. Score a
toasted Cuban sandwich for
lunch, then bring your buddies
back for dinner to share some
paella (you may as well order some
wine if you do because it takes 45
minutes to prepare). The dessert tray
includes 29 distinct plates – if you don’t
acquiesce to your sweet desires here,
you’ve earned our undying respect.
“Listed No. 1 Restaurant in
Fort Lauderdale on Trip Advisor”
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food & drink
BLUE MOON FISH COMPANY
RESTAURANT LISTINGS
W
CASA FRIDA MEXICAN GRILL
N
4405 W. Tradewinds Ave., Lauderdale-By-The-Sea
954-267-9888 | bluemoonfishco.com | $$
5541 N. Federal Highway
954-530-3668 | $
Casual-elegant dining in an Art Deco interior along the
Intracoastal. The raw bar includes an iced seafood tower of
oysters, shrimp, ceviche, clams, tuna tartare, and Maine lobster
cocktail. Accompanying the togarashi-spiced local swordfish in
a coconut curry lime broth are bok choy and udon noodles.
This small, warm restaurant bases its dishes on recipes that
Frida Kahlo cooked for her husband Diego Rivera. There are
Huevos Rancheros at breakfast and, later in the day, Xochitl
soup (Mexican chicken soup, with avocado and cilantro). The
tortillas, like the guacamole, are homemade.
BOUILLABAISSE FRENCH BISTRO
CHEESECAKE FACTORY
Harold Neuweg’s counterpoint to his neighboring Fritz & Franz
Bierhaus, the bistro offers intimate elegance and prime French
fare as exemplified by the hearty seafood stew of shrimp,
mussels, lobster and fresh catch in fennel-saffron broth.
This chain goes for big: over 50 varieties of cheesecake and
over 200 menu items, everything from Moroccan chicken
with spicy harissa sauce to a macaroni and cheese burger with
deep-fried macaroni and cheese balls and cheddar cheese
sauce. Oh, and the servings aren’t tiny.
954-463-1999 | thecheesecakefactory.com | $$
2881 E. Commercial Blvd.
954-533-2013 | bbaisse.com | $$$
BRAVO GOURMET SANDWICH
2925 NE 6th Sixth Ave., Wilton Manors
954-533-4350 | bravogsandwich.com | $
N
This Peruvian place in Wilton Manors started as a sandwich shop
– try the sirloin steak with bacon, cheese, egg and shoestring
potatoes – and now serves dinners, so you can get lomo saltado as
an entrée as well as a sandwich and, of course, ceviche.
BRICK HOUSE TAVERN + TAP
954-537-5344 | brickhousetavernandtap.com | $$
This casual chain is a popular hangout for young people. All apps
are $10 or less, including fried olives stuffed with Italian pork
sausage and brie, and meatloaf sliders with mashed potatoes,
pickles, barbecue sauce and onion strings. Other offerings include
Thai chicken salad and thin-sliced pastrami sandwiches.
BRINY IRISH PUB
N W
305 S. Andrews Ave.
954-376-4742 | brinyirishpubs.com/riverfront | $
Traditional pub fair as well as seafood (Guinness barbecued
shrimp) served indoors and out, though most people love sitting
on the outside terrace filled with nautical paraphernalia. You can
watch the traffic on the New River, as well as whatever games
are playing on the TVs, and, at night, enjoy the live music.
BY WORD OF MOUTH
3200 NE 12th Ave.
954-564-3663 | bywordofmouthfoods.com | $$
A gourmet bakery that doubles as a cafe, this place is famous
for its cakes (like the Savannah Banana) but it also does
lunches, everything from chicken salad with cranberries to
trout almondine.
CAFÉ LA BONNE CREPE
954-761-1515 | labonnecrepe.com | $$
This quaint French provincial restaurant offers savory
crepes – like the Nova Superbe (stuffed with smoked salmon,
asparagus, capers and béchamel) – and sweet crepes with an
assortment of fillings including fresh fruit, Nutella, caramel
and ice cream.
CAFÉ MAXX
2601 E. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach
954-782-0606 | cafemaxx.com | $$$$
Chef Oliver Saucy and General Manager Darrel Broek have
earned their restaurant distinction as one of the nation’s best,
with a menu updated daily and featuring local ingredients.
The three-peppercorn filet mignon shares the stage with threecheese potato au gratin, shallot-thyme butter and natural jus.
CAFÉ MARTORANO
R
3343 E. Oakland Park Blvd.
954-561-2554 | cafemartorano.com | $$$$
There are long waits outside this strip-mall restaurant for
Steve Martorano’s upscale version of South Philly cuisine,
which includes his famous eggplant stack – breaded eggplant
slices sandwiched between fresh-pulled mozzarella. Overhead
TVs, dance music, the occasional celebrity and some of South
Florida’s most soulful Italian food.
72
CAFÉ SEVILLE
R
954-565-1148 | cafeseville.com | $$
CHIMA
Joe Esposito and his wife, Sallie, did a slight makeover when
they bought the Café in 1998, but the menu didn’t changed, nor
did the treat-you-like-family attitude of the servers. The paella
for two overflows with calamari, mussels, clams, scallops, and
chicken, and the flourless chocolate cake is light, fluffy and rich.
CAFÉ VICO
954-565-9681 | cafevicorestaurant.com | $$
The old family photographs on the walls create a warm ambiance
that is enhanced by the food: hearty bowls of pasta fagioli and
plates of chicken marsala, veal picatta, meatballs and lasagna.
CAFFE EUROPA
954-763-6600 | caffeeuropalasolas.com | $$$
Owner Tony Cupelli brings his family’s old recipes to this chic,
modern Las Olas eatery. You’ll find pan-fried rigatoni with
meatballs and specialty pizzas topped with smoked mozzarella,
Italian sausage, eggplant and parsley. Cupelli’s pollo alla
Francese in white wine lemon sauce pairs with Venetian Pinot
Grigio.
CANYON SOUTHWEST CAFÉ
1818 E. Sunrise Blvd.
954-765-1950 | canyonfl.com | $$$$
R
Southwestern American cuisine with international undertones
in a cozy setting. Chef Chris Wilber leads a talented team that
prepares detailed dishes like blue corn fried oysters, barbecued
shrimp tostadas, scallop ceviche with popcorn and swordfish
with Swiss chard-white bean ragout, tomato-avocado salsa and
green chili chorizo crumbles.
CAPITAL GRILLE
954-446-2000 | thecapitalgrille.com | $$$$
A chain with white tablecloths and dark wood accents.
Entrees include Kona coffee-crusted, dry-aged bone-in sirloin
with shallot butter and porcini-rubbed Delmonico with
12-year-aged balsamic. Seared citrus-glazed salmon comes with
a side of lobster mac and cheese.
CASA D’ANGELO
954-564-1234 | casa-d-angelo.com | $$$$
Owner and Chef Angelo Elia has created a local restaurant
empire through fresh ingredients and deft Italian touches.
His branzino gets nothing more than a light butter sauce.
The antipasti include truffle-lemon carpaccio and pancettawrapped tiger prawns over broccoli rabe. The fresh pasta is
made in house.
CASABLANCA CAFÉ
3049 Alhambra St.
954-764-3500 | casablancacafeonline.com | $$$
The porch of this mission-style building with a Spanish tile roof
fills with diners gazing out at the ocean while munching on fish
and chips, chicken quesadillas and grilled wahoo with sun-dried
tomatoes. A certifiably romantic spot, especially at night.
954-712-0580 | chima.cc | $$$
Choose from over 15 different rotisserie meats (top sirloin,
filet, ribs, lamb, pork, chicken, sausage) delivered by gauchos
who also offer fish. In addition, there is an enormous salad bar,
which carries cold cuts and hot dishes. The courtyard, with its
old banyan trees, is a perfect place to sip a caipirinha.
THE CHIMNEY HOUSE GRILL AND CAFÉ
701 W. Las Olas Blvd.
954-900-5352 | thechimneyhouse.net | $
N
Opened in 2012 at the foot of the Seventh Avenue Bridge,
this cozy neighborhood spot in Sailboat Bend sits behind
the Broward Center. Concertgoers mix with locals over
well-prepared dishes like Spanish mussels served with chorizo,
churrasco chimichurri, and mahi mahi in salsa de coco.
CHINA GRILL
W
1881 SE 17th St.
954-759-9950 | chinagrillmgt.com | $$$
Jeffrey Chodorow’s signature high-end Asian Fusion concept
shines in its dockside setting along the Intracoastal. Appetizers
include plump lobster pancakes in red coconut curry sauce and
lamb spareribs in plum glaze – a tasty prelude to the kalbi rib
eye with truffled artichoke-potato hash.
CHRISTINA WAN’S MANDARIN HOUSE
954-527-0228 | christinawans.com | $
The Wan family has been running successful Chinese
restaurants in South Florida since 1966. At this whitetableclothed outpost in the Winn-Dixie shopping plaza there
is a full bar with a flat screen TV, so you can sip cocktails
while you eat your honey garlic wings.
CHUCK’S STEAKHOUSE
2428 E. Commercial Blvd. | 954-772-2850
1207 SE 17th Street | 954-764-3333 | chucksflorida.com | $$
The original Chuck’s was opened in Hawaii in 1959 by Chuck
Rolles, an All-American basketball player at Cornell. Now
with two Fort Lauderdale locations, Chuck’s is famous for its
Black Diamond steak, an eight-ounce top sirloin marinated in
a special sauce.
COCO ASIAN BISTRO & BAR
1841 Cordova Road
954-525-3541 | cocoasianbistro.com | $$
Chef/owner Mike Ponluang’s elegant Asian bistro offers large
private booths and fusion fare, including sushi and a lunch
menu with noodles and bento boxes. Lobster pad Thai is
the signature dish, but there are also Chinese dumplings and
Vietnamese fresh rolls.
COCONUTS
W
429 Seabreeze Blvd.
954-525-2421 | coconutsfortlauderdale.com | $$
Snug on the Intracoastal, Coconuts offers sunset views and
tropical dishes in a casual setting. The staff is extremely
friendly, serving up coconut shrimp, Jamaican jerk wings,
grilled mahi mahi, fish tacos, and lobster rolls. The dogfriendly Sunday brunch brings out the locals.
RESTAURANT LISTINGS
COPACABANA SUPPER CLUB
219 S. Andrews Ave.
954-767-0643 | copacabanasupperclub.com | $$
This nightclub in the heart of downtown feels like a Rat Pack
hangout. The dance floor in the center of the dining room
hosts free salsa lessons at happy hour on Fridays. Chef George
Catering also holds pop-up restaurant nights, called the Side
Door Supper Club, featuring guest chefs and sommeliers.
D’ANGELO PIZZA, WINE BAR & TAPAS
954-561-7300 | pizzadangelo.com | $$
A casual though stylish member of the Angelo Elia empire, this
modern restaurant does thin-crusted pizzas and a wide range of
tapas (such as buffalo mozzarella with prosciutto di Parma) and
salads, like escarole and beans with roasted sweet Italian sausage.
DA CAMPO OSTERIA
W
3333 NE 32nd Ave.
954-226-5002 | dacamporestaurant.com | $$$$
Todd English’s restaurant at the il Lugano Hotel & Residences
on the Intracoastal offers lobster tagliolini in spicy tomato
sauce and rosemary-and-thyme-marinated rack of lamb with
balsamic demi. Pulled mozzarella is prepared tableside.
GABOSE
N
4991 N. University Drive, Lauderhill
954-572-4800 | $
This Korean restaurant mixes friendly service – the personable
owner will probably stop by your table – with dishes hard to come
by in South Florida. Bibimbap is a delicious mix of rice, vegetables,
egg and meat served in a sizzling hot stone bowl (stir in as much hot
sauce as you like). There are also tables for grilling your own meat.
GALANGA THAI KITCHEN & SUSHI BAR
2389 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
954-202-0000 | galangarestaurant.com | $$$
Torches and Buddhist touches complement dishes like “Tuna
Drama!” (thinly sliced fish over a bed of bok choy and served
with avocado mashed potatoes and ponzu sauce) and “Lobster
Bomb!!!”(a roll stuffed with tempura lobster tail, scallions,
surimi crab, tempura flakes, masago and spicy mayo).
GIORGIO’S 17TH STREET
1499 SE 17th St.
954-767-8300 | letseat.at/giorgios | $
Part brick oven pizza place, part takeout joint, part grocery
food & drink
store, Giorgio’s takes pride in its food (and treats regulars
royally). Lunch specials might include a grilled chicken and
broccoli rabe sandwich with sauteed cherry peppers, garlic and
melted provolone, or mussels steamed in marinara sauce. Save
space for tiramisu and cannoli.
THE GRATEFUL PALATE
R
817 SE 17th St.
954-467-1998 | thegratefulpalate.net | $$$
A purveyor of gourmet yacht provisions, this establishment has a
55-seat dining room and a kitchen run by chef Hector Lopez, who
turns out dishes like pan-seared foie gras with truffle strawberry
carpaccio, cherry gastrique and blinis. The grilled hanger steak
comes with crushed rutabaga, asparagus and red wine demi-glace.
GREEK ISLANDS TAVERNA
3300 N. Ocean Blvd.
954-565-5505 | greekislandstaverna.com | $$
Hellenic classics, a Mediterranean ambiance and a prime
location along A1A make this place popular with locals and
tourists. Excellent renditions of Greek classics – gyros, spinach
pie, moussaka, saganaki (salty Kefalotyri cheese flambéed in
brandy) – are served in a lively atmosphere.
DAPUR ASIAN TAPAS & LOUNGE
954-306-2663 | dapurkitchen.com | $$$
Restaurateur Edi Mulyanto of Galanga fame created Dapur,
which serves mostly small plates of Asian fusion fare. Flashfried Brussels sprouts come in a brown sauce and the Dapur
tuna roll contains spicy tuna, avocado and tempura flakes.
The pad Thai has a strong tamarind flavor.
DOWNTOWNER SALOON
W
10 S. New River Drive E.
954-463-9800 | downtownersaloon.com | $
This historic watering hole on the New River features live
music Thursday and Saturday nights and during Sunday’s
blues brunch. Monday’s “rib night” and Tuesday’s “tacos
and trivia” attract lots of locals, though they tend to come
anyway; it’s that kind of place.
EAST END BRASSERIE
601 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.
954-567-8070 | atlantichotelfl.com | $$$
From his post in the Atlantic Hotel, executive chef Randy
Kennedy turns out tempting appetizers like grilled octopus
and duck confit. The list of entrees includes rosemary mustard
broiled lamb chops, cowboy ribeye and ratatouille risotto.
EDUARDO DE SAN ANGEL
Located amongst the
Victoria Park Shoppes
664 North Federal Highway
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
Phone: 954-527-0228
Dining & Takeout Hours:
Monday-Thursday 11:30am to 10pm
Friday & Saturday 11:30am to 10:30pm
Sunday 4pm-10pm
(Delivery available)
www.christinawans.com
954-772-4731 | eduardodesanangel.com | $$$
Chef Eduardo Pria serves award-winning, upscale Mexican
food that’s been featured on the Food Network. Try the
guajillo chile-spiced black bean soup, pan-seared Florida Keys
yellowtail crusted in toasted almonds and thyme, and achioterubbed pork loin with honey-pasilla chile glaze.
EL TAMARINDO
N
233 State Road 84
954-467-5114 | eltamarindocafe.com | $
The first thing you receive, after the warm welcome, is a
basket of warm bread and a small bowl of garlicky chimichurri
sauce to dip it into. Run by Salvadorans, the restaurant has
a cozy elegance and serves generous portions of everything,
including ceviche, mariscada soup and churrasco.
THE FOXY BROWN
723 E. Broward Blvd.
754-200-4236 | thefoxybrown.com | $
International comfort foods include “bangers and smash”
(pork sausages with mashed potatoes), nicoise salad (with
sliced rare ahi tuna) and Mabel’s chicken (which comes
with house-made spaetzle and herbed pan gravy). Fun foods
include milkshakes and lollipop chicken wings.
73
food & drink
RESTAURANT LISTINGS
GRILLE 401
KITCHENETTA
MARKET 17
The elegant, club-like interior suits the menu, which features
a trio of steaks from a certified Angus purveyor. Prime rib is
freshly sliced and served on a baguette, while the tuna burger
comes on a sweet brioche bun. At lunch there’s barbecued
salmon with a garlicky kale salad. Desserts include a sundae
and a hot carrot cake.
Chef Vincent Foti and wife Maria offer modern Italian fare,
often from local and organic ingredients, and in individual
and family-sized portions. The flour for the wood oven pizzas
comes from Naples and the sauce is made from San Marzano
tomatoes. On Sundays there’s traditional macaroni and gravy.
Farm-to-table organic fare with an emphasis on wine. Acclaimed
chef Lauren DeShields prepares everything fresh daily and
constantly changes her menu to reflect what’s in season. It might
be Florida gulf shrimp with roasted sunchokes, zucchini, and
squash ribbons with gremolata aioli. Generous tasting menus
and occasional “dining in the dark” meals.
954-767-0222 | grille401.com | $$$
GRILLE 66 & BAR
W
2301 SE 17th St.
954-728-3500 | grille66andbar.com | $$$
Chef Michael Siegel grills up prime, 28-day-aged steaks in this
restaurant with stunning Intracoastal views. Lobster, stone crab,
shrimp and shellfish comprise the raw bar, while entrees include
crab cakes with roasted sweet corn-jalapeno relish and macadamiacrusted sea bass with mango-citrus sauce and slivered shallots.
H2O CAFÉ
101 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.
954-414-1024 | h20cafe.net | $$
This beachside café doubles as a coffee bar where, in the
morning, you can enjoy omelets or French toast with an
ocean view, or take out pastries with your coffee or tea. The
café also has salads and sandwiches for lunch. The restaurant
serves lunch and dinner, when the specialties include tilapia
primavera and filet mignon with Cuban coffee sauce.
N
954-779-2735 | heartrocksushi.com | $$
Located on the eastern side of the Gateway Shopping Center,
this restaurant mixes Japanese and Thai food. Signature sushi
rolls include Dancing Eel, Red Dragon (built around tempura
shrimp), Yamu (broiled salmon) and Monster Lobster. Also
available are fried rice, pad Thai and a variety of teriyaki dishes.
III FORKS
R
501 Silks Run, Suite 1130, Hallandale Beach
954-457-3920 | 3forks.com | $$$$
This chain steakhouse, steps away from the betting windows of
Gulfstream Park, offers high quality meat, like a nicely charred
18-ounce bone-in-ribeye in a red wine reduction. Get a side
of creamed corn, wine from a list that resembles a phonebook,
and bread pudding with rum sauce and cinnamon ice cream.
ILIOS
N
954-414-2222 | $$$
Located on the sixth floor of the Hilton Fort Lauderdale
Beach Resort, Ilios is open from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Executive Chef Sean McDonald serves up Mediterranean
cuisine with a Floridian influence. The Chef’s Three Course
Tasting Menu showcases the restaurant’s current specialties.
IL MULINO
N
954-772-7272 | lasorquideashome.com | $
954-524-1800 | ilmulinofl.com | $$
The lunch menu at this Italian restaurant offers sandwiches, brick
oven pizzas and pasta dishes, while the dinner menu includes
pasta, meat and seafood specials. For dinner, the restaurant also
offers anelli, folded pizza crusts with savory fillings, and calzones.
N
N
Las Orquideas, meaning “The Orchids,” serves authentic Colombian
and Latin American cuisine. Small and bright, the restaurant is often
crowded with customers sitting over plates filled with steaks, beans,
plantains, chorizo and rice. Some come in just for the baked goods,
which include the gluten-free pandebono.
LAUDERDALE GRILLE
1901 Cordova Road
954-524-1118 | lauderdalegrill.com | $$
To eat, there’s pesto chicken flatbread with roasted red peppers,
salmon and arugula salad, and twin bacon-wrapped filet mignons
topped with melted Gorgonzola. And where else do you have a
Bloody Mary buffet bar stocked with five types of tomato juice
and accoutrements that include house-pickled green beans?
LE BISTRO
4626 N. Federal Highway, Lighthouse Point
954-946-9240 | lebistrofl.com | $$$
A French restaurant that’s not too proud to serve Beef
Wellington (which gets raves) and classic Spanish tapas like
patatas bravas and pimientos de Padron (which are not easy to
find in these parts). You’ll also find foie gras, rillette of duck,
moules frites and escargots.
LE CAFÉ DE PARIS
N
954-467-2900 | cafedeparislasolas.com | $$$
This restaurant has been serving French and international
cuisine on Las Olas since 1967. Classic dishes include
foie gras, escargots and filet mignon au poivre, while the
bouillabaisse Floridienne is a nod to local catch. An extensive
wine selection and dessert tray are also available.
Lucca offers traditional Italian dishes in a casual atmosphere.
Enjoy marinara mussels or grilled octopus as an appetizer and
linguine Fra Diavolo, linguine alle vongole, or penne puttanesca
for an entrée. Lucca also offers a wide selection of Italian wines.
N
300 N. Ocean Way, Deerfield Beach
954-571-5220 | jbsonthebeach.com | $$
954-523-5001 | mangosonlasolas.com | $$
Lunch, dinner and weekend brunch with a view of the ocean
and daily live entertainment. House specialties include
pecan-crusted trout, sweet chili crab cakes and grilled chicken
and three-cheese flatbread.
This perennially popular place in the middle of Las Olas serves
up Chef Brian Wood’s snow crab bisque, chicken puff pie and
smashed potatoes. There’s also volcano chicken and jerked
snapper with banana curry. Live entertainment most nights.
JOHNNY V
MARIO’S CATALINA RESTAURANT
954-761-7920 | johnnyvlasolas.com | $$$$
There are over 35 artisanal cheeses and an international
selection of wines at Johnny Vinczencz’s Las Olas restaurant.
Try the duck breast meatballs with pesto, pine nuts,
portobello mash and demi-glace, or the sage-grilled mahimahi with rock shrimp-plantain stuffing, lobster pan gravy
and cranberry-mango chutney.
74
954-563-4141 | catalinarestaurant.net | $$$
Colorful chef/owner Mario Flores decorated the place with his
collection of tchotchkes and now he fills it with Cuban and
Spanish favorites like roasted pork with caramelized plantains,
white rice and black beans, vaca frita, garlic shrimp and paella.
Save room for at least one of the 29 desserts.
N
954-568-4100 | themasonjarcafe.com | $$
A family-owned restaurant serving upscale comfort food from
chicken potpie to pigs in a blanket to Janice’s meatloaf and
fried green tomatoes. And yes, drinks are served in Mason jars.
MICHELE’S
N
954-533-1919 | michelesdl.com | $$$
Serving American, Italian, steaks and seafood, Michele’s offers
an upscale yet relaxed dining experience. Before dinner, enjoy
a drink and appetizer at the expansive bar. Then settle in for
some penne alla vodka or a pan-roasted black grouper. Or
maybe just simply a New York strip steak.
MOJO
954-568-4443 | mojofl.com | $$$
Co-owner Domenick Falcione is the chef of this artsy eatery
with appetizers like ceviche, beef carpaccio, truffled artichoke
dip and tuna tartare. Entrees include herb-roasted free-range
chicken marinated in Dijon and garlic with rainbow chard. A
three-course happy hour menu Monday through Saturday, 5-7
p.m., is a great bargain.
MORTON’S
N
500 E. Broward Blvd.
954-467-9720 | mortons.com | $$$$
The dark mahogany interior and crisp white linens are
trademarks of this upscale steakhouse. Begin the evening with
the ahi tuna tower or oysters Rockefeller. Entrees include
Chicago-style prime bone-in ribeye and Chilean seabass
fillet a la nage. For dessert there’s Morton’s Legendary Hot
Chocolate Cake or the Upside-Down Apple Pie.
MUGS SPORTS BAR & GRILL
954.566.7782 | mugsbar.com | $
It’d be tough to find a sports bar with a better square-footage
ratio of flat screen TVs. The menu features a Juicy Lucy burger
stuffed with cheddar and a barbecued pork sandwich covered
in onion strings. Forty-cent wings on Mondays, $3 sliders on
Thursdays, and a second burger for half off on Sundays.
NOODLES PANINI
N
3311 N. Ocean Blvd.
954-563-1349 | luccafl.com | $$
MANGOS
1850 SE 17th St.
954-835-5507 | market17.net | $$$$
THE MASON JAR CAFÉ
Here you’ll find an abundant selection of wines and small
plates to go with them. The menu features sandwiches, salads
and tapas, and includes suggested wine pairings for each dish.
There is also a create-your-own-cheese-plate option. Wine
tasting sessions are also available.
LUCCA
N
JBS ON THE BEACH
LAS OLAS WINE CAFÉ
954-760-1882 | lasolaswinecafe.com | $$
LAS ORQUIDEAS RESTAURANT & BAKERY
N
HEART ROCK SUSHI
954-567-3333 | kitchenetta.com | $$
N
954-462-1514 | noodlespaninirestaurant.com | $$
This attractive main street bistro serves more than just pasta
and sandwiches. Sit on the terrace and people watch, or
take a table inside under large black-and-white photographs,
and enjoy pan-seared Canadian salmon or a classic eggplant
parmigiana. The mozzarella is made in-house.
OCEAN 2000
954-556-7667 | pelicanbeach.com | $$$
Oceanfront meals – in the dining room or on the veranda
– include Sunday brunch. Executive chef Todd Lough does
Floribbean: roasted Cuban pork shank with onion mojo and
natural jus, guava barbecue ribs with Latin slaw, Florida yellowtail
snapper a la plancha. For lunch try the churrasco steak nachos.
OCEANS 234
N
234 N. Ocean Blvd.
954-428-2539 | oceans234.com | $$$$
Enjoy a cocktail overlooking the ocean while listening to live
music. This beachside bar and bistro offers small bites at the
bar, while the main dining room serves lunch, dinner, brunch
and sushi with selections including honey soy glazed salmon, a
dolphin sandwich, and lobster, shrimp and crab omelets.
RESTAURANT LISTINGS
OLD FLORIDA SEAFOOD HOUSE
1414 NE 26th St., Wilton Manors
954-566-1044 | oldflaseafood.com | $$
N
Opened in 1977, this restaurant is one of the oldest in Fort
Lauderdale (though it’s technically in Wilton Manors). Chef’s
specialties include veal Gustav (sautéed veal topped with
lobster tails) and Maryland style crab cakes. For dessert you
can’t go wrong with the Key lime pie “made fresh.”
OLD FORT LAUDERDALE BREAKFAST
HOUSE (O B HOUSE)
333 Himmarshee St.
954-530-7520 | o-bhouse.com | $$
A quant spot with a small patio and the best pancakes in town.
Made with buttermilk, organic flour, sour cream and fresh,
free-range eggs, they are served in a cast-iron pan with Vermont
maple syrup. The restaurant also serves lunch and dinner, making
it a good option before a show at the nearby Broward Center.
OSTERIA ACQUA & FARINA
954-523-1115 | $
N
4331 N. Ocean Drive
954-351-0310 | padegennaro.com | $$$
Known by the regulars as “Pa D’s,” this restaurant features
upscale Italian dining in the main dining room and a more
casual experience at the pizzeria and grille. Menu selections
in the dining room include marinated skirt steak and ziti
Bolognese. A variety of pizzas is available in the Grille .
W
400 SW Third St.
954-761-3500 | piraterepublicbar.com | $$
Owners of the Pirate Shop and Pirate Bar on Fort Lauderdale
Beach, Roberto and Claudia Guerios carried the skull-andcrossbones theme to the New River. Along with conch fritters
and chardonnay-shallot mussels they serve Pirate Bowls:
heaping portions of mixed seafood cooked in different wines,
broths, sauces and spices.
RIVERSIDE MARKET
608 SW 12th Ave.
954-358-8333 | $
ROSIE’S BAR & GRILL
2449 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
954-563-0123 | rosiesbarandgrill.com | $$
Located in the city’s LGBT hub, Rosie’s serves mammoth burgers,
over-stuffed wraps, steaks and seafood in a fun environment. The
staff is friendly and the bar is raucous, with lively patrons and
daily drink specials. Also a good bet for Sunday brunch.
N
If a tourist ever made his way to this neighborhood hangout
just south of the swing bridge, you’d feel inclined to reward
him with a beer, which would be easy, as craft brews line one
wall of the place (under poster-sized vintage postcards of Fort
Lauderdale). On weekends especially, couples, large groups,
loners wander in for a beer and food that goes well with it, fish
tacos and pizza being the most popular.
ROCCO’S TACOS
Valentino’s cheaper cousin (and occupying its former space),
this warm, neighborhood place offers an array of pizzas
(including prosciutto with shaved Parmesan and arugula)
as well as other tempting Italian dishes. The eggplant sliced
thin, fried and layered like lasagna is a popular item.
PA’ DEGENNARO’S
PIRATE REPUBLIC
food & drink
N
954-524-9550 | roccostacos.com | $$
This extremely popular Las Olas bar and restaurant offers
traditional favorites: tamales, chimichangas, enchiladas and
of course, tacos. Guacamole is prepared tableside, and 225
varieties of tequila are waiting to be tasted.
ROK: BRGR
208 SW Second St.
954-525-7656 | rokbrgr.com | $$
This rustic, brick-walled, Himmarshee gastropub specializes
in gourmet burgers – the “Las Olas” features Wagyu “Kobe”
beef – fries, apps, and craft beers. You can also devour lobster
corn dogs, truffled mac ’n’ cheese, and French Canadian-style
poutine. A popular place with tables on the sidewalk.
THE ROYAL PIG PUB & KITCHEN
954-617-7447 | royalpigpub.com. | $$
Young executive chef Stanton Bundy helms the open kitchen
which pumps out plates of brown sugar-brined jerk chicken
wings, pulled duck nachos, grilled free-range turkey meatballs,
rotisserie ribs and barbecued pulled pork sliders. With flatscreen TVs inside and out, and a good selection of craft beers,
it’s a downtown gathering spot.
SAIA
954-302-5252 | bhotelsandresorts.com | $$$
Chef Subin Chenkosorn whips up superb sushi and Asian fusion
delights in this beachfront restaurant. Small plates include the
miso scallops, seared and served atop a sliver of Japanese yam with
honey-miso sauce and scallions. Get a drink if only for the slowmelting ice cubes (it can even be the house-made ginger soda).
75
food & drink
RESTAURANT LISTINGS
SAGE CAFE
TEQUILA SUNRISE
954-565-2299 | sagecafe.net | $$$
Chef Laurent Tasic’s meticulously prepared dishes include roasted
duck in honey-raspberry sauce, cassoulet l’Armagnac, and scallops
in puff pastry with fennel sauce. Crepes are a good bargain (the
Crepe Suzanne is stuffed with grilled chicken and mushrooms) and
Sunday brunch seems tailor-made for the French provincial decor.
Among the favorites here are the Sonora Burrito, featuring
chicken sautéed in homemade sour cream and lime sauce, and
chilaquiles (aka Mexican lasagna). On Wednesdays the Top
Shelf Ultimate Golden Margaritas, made with freshly squeezed
lime juice, are $5.99.
SAINT TROPEZ BISTRO
THAI SPICE
954-767-1073 | sainttropezbistro.com | $$
Here are the classics: onion soup, escargots persillade (snails
in parsley-garlic-butter sauce), tarte tatin (upside-down
caramelized apple tart). For the main dish, tuck into a filet
mignon with gratin Dauphinois, artichoke, asparagus, baby
carrot and red Bordeaux wine sauce .
SEASONS 52
954-537-1052 | seasons52.com | $$
This casual-chic chain, here located in the Galleria, is healthy
and seasonal. Nothing on the menu tops 475 calories, and that
includes flatbreads, caramelized sea scallops, wood-fired pork
tenderloin and roasted artichoke-stuffed shrimp. Desserts – Key
lime pie, chocolate peanut butter mousse – come in shot glasses.
SERAFINA WATERFRONT BISTRO
926 NE 20th Ave.
954-463-2566 | serabythewater.com | $$$
N W
This trattoria offers authentic Italian cuisine in a romantic,
candle-lit setting, complete with Italian-speaking staff.
Chef/owner Michele Viscosi creates dishes inspired by his
homeland, including carpaccio di manzo, lasagna tradizionale
and osso buco d’Angello.
SHOOTERS WATERFRONT CAFÉ
3033 NE 32nd Ave.
954-566-2855 | shooterscafe.com | $$
W
Casual dockside dining on the Intracoastal: crabcakes, fried
calamari, coconut shrimp, seared ahi, conch fritters, overstuffed
wraps, half-pound beef burgers, as well as a blackened mahi
Reuben sandwich. If you favor a liquid diet, there are fruity
martinis and frozen margarita-like concoctions.
SHUCK N DIVE
N
This little pocket of Creole cooking hugs the southern end of
the Victoria Park Shoppes and serves up dishes of red beans
and rice and bowls of thick gumbo, as well as po’ boys: oyster,
shrimp, catfish, etc. The Black N’ Voodoo Burger comes with
jalapeno peppers, horseradish and voodoo sauce.
N
954-355-4000 | donshula.com | $$$$
Started by legendary football coach Don Shula, this steakhouse
is famous for its top quality Angus beef and premium cuts of
meat. These cuts include an 8 and 12 ounce filet mignon, a 16
ounce New York strip, a 22 ounce cowboy steak and a 24 ounce
porterhouse. Shula’s also serves seafood, pork and lamb chops.
SOLITA LAS OLAS
954-357-2616 | solitalasolas.com | $$$
An ultra lounge serving Italian-American favorites like pizza and
chicken parmesan. More creative dishes include roasted branzino
stuffed with artichokes, parsley, tomato, and onion, and a salad of
salt-roasted rainbow beets, goat cheese curds, walnuts and mint.
SPAZIO
N
239 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.
954-764-8191 | spaziofl.com | $$$
Enjoy casual-chic dining with an ocean view. Serving
breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night drinks, this Italian
restaurant has seating on the patio, in the main dining room,
or in a curtain-lined space for two. Choose from a selection of
sharable appetizers, pizzas, pastas, seafood and meat specialties.
76
954-771-4535 | thaispicefla.com | $$
STEAK 954
954-414-8333 | steak954.com | $$$$
This hip, boutique steakhouse, located in the beachfront W
Hotel, features a raw bar, an extensive wine list and prized
Australian Tajima Kobe beef. Treat yourself to an 18-ounce,
dry-aged ribeye with bacon-roasted cauliflower and truffle
potato gratin. Or a bowl of lobster bisque and the $100
Australian Kobe cheese steak.
SUBLIME RESTAURANT & BAR
954-615-1431 | sublimerestaurant.com | $$$
Skylights, trees and waterfalls are all part of the décor of
this innovative vegan restaurant which offers – in addition
to healthy salads and fire-roasted vegetables – interesting
versions of quiche and pizza. Owner Nanci Alexander passes
her profits on to organizations that help promote animal
welfare and a vegan lifestyle.
SUKHOTHAI
N
954-764-0148 | sukhothaiflorida.com | $$
This friendly, family-run restaurant in the Gateway Shopping
Center has been a Fort Lauderdale staple for over two decades.
Regulars keep coming back for the spring and summer rolls,
the tom kha (coconut milk soup), and meat and fish in a
variety of flavorful curries and sauces.
SUNFISH GRILL
954-561-2004 | sunfishgrill.com | $$$
954-462-0088 | $
SHULA’S ON THE BEACH
N
4711 N. Dixie Highway
954-938-4473 | tequilasunrise.us | $
Numerous awards keep regulars returning for wonderful soups,
salads and curries. House specialties include crispy whole
yellowtail with sweet chili sauce and prime Black Angus
steaks and chops. But even the basic pad Thai is here elevated
to a rich and rewarding dish.
THASOS TAVERNA
954-200-6006 | facebook.com/ThasosTaverna | $$$
Everything is made from scratch: taramosalata, tzatziki, roasted
red pepper and feta dip, keftedes (Greek meatballs), stuffed
grape leaves – even the juices used in the cocktails. Try the
lavraki, a whole grilled sea bass with fine herbs, lemon, capers
and Thasos olive oil.
TIMPANO ITALIAN CHOPHOUSE
954-462-9119 | timpanochophouse.net | $$$
Big red wines, martinis, bone-in steaks and juicy chops rule in
this downtown restaurant. There’s live music every Tuesday
through Thursday in the Starlight Lounge, providing a
soundtrack for aged beef, savory flatbreads and classics like
calamari fritto misto and osso bucco.
TOKYO BLUE
4040 Galt Ocean Drive
954-566-2122 | tokyoblueonthebeach.com | $$$
Chef Mai and sushi chef Jo combine Japanese, Thai and
Peruvian cuisines onto one menu. Only fish brought in that
day is used for the artful maki, sashimi and nigiri. Among
the cooked fish are sea bass with aged balsamic teriyaki sauce
and miso glazed black cod. A 70-foot patio gives onto the
ocean.
Chef Bill Bruening and GM/pastry chef Erika DiBattista turn
out highly-regarded contemporary American cuisine. The
menu changes seasonally, but there are some staples, like tuna
Bolognese with spaghetti. DiBattista’s signature cobbler can come
with anything from berries to tropical fruits to a crumb topping.
SUSHI ROCK CAFE
954-462-5541 | $$$
N
House specialties include the Lobster Roll, Red Dragon Roll,
Volcano Roll and Alaskan Rainbow Roll. Other selections
in this small, Japanese-feeling place are temaki hand rolls,
makimono, sashimi, teriyaki, tempura, itamemono and katsu.
TAP 42 BAR & KITCHEN
1411 S. Andrews Ave.
954-463-4900 | tap42.com | $$
Owners Sean and Blaise McMackin turned the former
Brownie’s Bar into an eco-friendly gastropub specializing in
beer, bourbon and burgers – but serving other foods as well,
like tuna-watermelon sashimi with jalapeno and lime. With its
beer garden, it attracts a young crowd.
TARPON BEND
N
200 SW Second St.
954-523-3233 | tarponbend.com | $$
The kind of fish restaurant you expect to find in a city by the
sea, though it’s not as old as the décor might suggest. With
an appealing indoor-outdoor ambiance, Tarpon Bend attracts
a lively crowd to munch on in-house smoked fish dip and
dolphin Reuben sandwiches. The front bar is a popular place
to congregate on Friday and Saturday evenings (only partly
due to the extended happy hours).
TRULUCK’S
N
954-396-5656 | trulucks.com | $$$$
This upscale Florida restaurant chain in the Galleria Mall has
found success mixing surf and turf. Signature dishes include
parmesan-crusted flounder, miso-glazed seabass and roasted
Vital Farms chicken. The special Date Night Menu – soup,
salad, entrée and shared dessert – is $39 per person.
RESTAURANT LISTINGS
VALENTINO’S
food & drink
N
1145 S. Federal Hichway
954-523-5767 | valentinoscucinaitaliana.com | $$$$
Chef/owner Giovanni Rocchio serves up innovative Italian
cuisine in an intimate setting on the southeast side of the Henry
E. Kinney Tunnel. Dishes include black bass with turnip puree,
saffron risotto and shellfish sauce, and filet mignon with melted
onions and wild mushrooms. The pasta is made in-house.
VIA LUNA
954-302-6460 | $$$
Located inside the Ritz-Carlton, Via Luna combines ocean
views with artful Italian-inspired fare prepared under the
guidance of chef Khaled Ibrahim. Popular items include ahi
tuna with fennel, grapefruit, virgin olive oil and smoked sea
salt; Maine lobster risotto; and Florida red snapper piccata.
VILLAGE GRILLE
4404 El Mar Drive, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea
954-776-5092 | villagegrille.com | $
Exposed brick walls, metal accents, big booths and wood
tables just steps from the fishing pier. Locals and tourists dig
into the fish dip appetizer, Thai chicken salad and Boston
baked cod. A popular place morning and night.
WILD EAST ASIAN BISTRO
Restaurant
N
954-828-1888 | wildeastbistro.com | $$
You crave Asian cuisine but you can’t decide on a country. In
this clean, modern space along a downtown canal you can start
with pork dumplings, follow with some spicy tuna rolls and
move on to coconut curry shrimp. Some of the small dishes –
like Singaporean noodles and Korean chap chae – are not so
small.
WOODLANDS VEGETARIAN CUISINE
4816 N. University Drive, Lauderhill
954-749-3221 | woodlandsus.com | $
N
If our mothers had cooked vegetables like this we would
have eaten them when we were kids. In addition to all those
vegetables simmering in flavorful sauces, there are dosai and
uthappam (crepes and pancakes) and a good selection of
Indian breads. Wash everything down with a mango lassi.
YOLO
954-523-1000 | yolorestaurant.com | $$$
This downtown hotspot packs them in for lunch and dinner,
when the terrace becomes the site of an outdoor cocktail party.
The menu revolves around a wood-burning grill out of which
come artichokes with lemon aioli and grouper with coconutconch stew and crispy yucca. Try the “forever-braised” short ribs.
ZUCKERELLO’S
954-776-4282 | ft-lauderdale.zuckerellos.com | $$
Open seven days a week since it debuted in 1989, Zuckerello’s
still has its original owner and chefs making lasagna, penne
alla vodka, zuppa di clams, fried calamari, and house-made
meatballs. Fish lovers should try the herb-crusted salmon in
orange beurre blanc sauce.
77
continued from pg 58
Kevin Blair of Grille 401 with locally sourced
vegetables and herbs.
Photo: Drew
Vietnamese Chilled Spring Rolls at Grille 401.
Cornwall
Farm to Fork Restaurants
Dean Max of 3030 Ocean has been
a practitioner of farm to fork for
25 years, as befits a man with a
family history of farming in Florida.
Naturally, he’s encouraged by the
recent increase in family farms in the
area. “You might have South Dade
growers producing the common 12
[vegetables] on thousands of acres
and coming to market,” he said. “But
it’s not as exciting as using someone
like a four-acre Swank Farms that
grows 150 varieties.”
Darrin and Jodi Swank of Loxahatchee have
been initiators and leaders in the farm to fork
movement in South Florida and now boast
35 customers among tri-county restaurants.
Jodi began by shopping lettuce, arugula
and basil to a distributor, but after a lot of
work and little pay, the Swanks radically
shifted gears, diversifying to 20 products and
pitching beautiful, quality samples directly
to the source – the chef. Darrin grows the
produce, packs it every Tuesday, and then
delivers it to restaurants in Fort Lauderdale.
“That bond, the relationship,” said Jodi, “is
meaningful to chefs.”
78
Max noted, however, that farm
to table “is more difficult for
the chef, and that’s why lots
of restaurants don’t do it.” It’s more work than
procuring food through distributors; it requires
sourcing and managing multiple producers
in addition to frequent checks on supply and
menu updates. The movement, he said, “has
grown a lot in 10 years, but it’s still nowhere
near where it needs to be. It needs more support
from chefs and customers wanting it.”
Kevin Blair, co-founder and managing director
of Grille 401 on Las Olas, has experienced
the challenges of local sourcing for larger
restaurants: availability, consistency, quality,
quantity, efficiency and stable pricing. Large
food distributor companies like Sysco have
recently gotten into the game by actively
seeking products from small and midsized local
producers. Sysco currently has “local grow
programs” in 29 of its operating companies and
is hoping to expand on that. Through one of
these programs, Blair has been able to provide
guests with squash from Plant City and sweet
corn from Zellwood. “It makes sense to work
with a group that puts restaurants and farmers
together,” said Blair. “It’s easier to buy from a
distributor with those relationships.”
Striking a balance, Peter Boulukos, chef/
owner of The Restaurant People (YOLO
and Tarpon Bend), relies on a distributor for
mass items, like carrots and onions, and local
sourcing for specialty items unique to Florida.
He has actively sourced local products
from growers on the west coast and farmraised clams in Pine Island Sound. “There’s
something special about not having the
middle person,” he said. “It’s better to have
direct contact with the farmers. You know
where the product is coming from.”
Boulukos incorporates local sourcing into
his current concepts, as well as his group’s
new venture coming to the Hilton Fort
Lauderdale Beach Resort, S-3 (sun, surf,
sand). “Our new chef de cuisine, Chris
Miracolo, has specifically developed great
relationships with these farmers.”
“The relationship between the chef and
the local food source is probably one of the
coolest things,” Max said about farm to table.
In his view, he gets great local products
shortly after they’re harvested, and in the
process he supports local families as well as
the community.
“THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
THE CHEF AND THE LOCAL FOOD
SOURCE IS PROBABLY ONE OF
THE COOLEST THINGS.”
CHEF DEAN MAX
JOSHUA NEGRON PICKS TOMATOES AT
FULLER’S FARMERS MARKET IN DAVIE.
The Green Future
Terry Fuller with her vine-ripe, U Pick
tomatoes at Fuller’s Farmers Market.
Others agree, citing public concerns about
food security and safety and a desire to eat
fresher, healthier food and to know its source.
A common theme is ensuring that our kids
learn the process of growing food and that they
grasp that food (at least the healthy variety)
doesn’t come from a bag or a box.
“It’s always been here to stay,” said
Strawbridge, “but for the last 50 years we
ignored it. We have to change; there is no
choice. How can we justify trucking our
vegetables from California in a state like
Florida? It doesn’t make any sense. How can it
not be cheaper to buy food that’s grown here?”
Albee intuits the next trend, and calls it
“garden to table.” “There will be a future of
homeowners cultivating their own gardens
again,” he said, approximating the words of
the great French writer Voltaire. “Ultimately,
garden to table is better than farm to fork.
We’re showing how anyone can do this.”
Chef Max believes that, not too
long from now, farm to table “won’t
be talked about, it will be assumed.”
U Pick Farms
U Pick farms provide customers
with fresh fruits, vegetables and
herbs minus the planting, pest
management, weeding and watering.
catnip. Fuller’s Farmers Market, located
in Spykes Groves in Davie, grows both
tomatoes and strawberries on its patented
Complete Garden Stick now available to
the public.
U Picks that use vertical growing eliminate
bending, stooping and crawling in the dirt.
Many spots provide juice or smoothie bars,
bee hives and farm pets that delight the kids
and turn a routine errand into family fun.
“Getting fresh, locally grown food is
important to homeowners because they
know what they’re getting,” said Terry
Fuller. “This is healthier, safer.”
Marando Farms features quite a large
hydroponic U Pick area. Seasonal offerings
include green beans, cilantro, arugula, kale,
chard, collards, broccoli, parsley and even
“This kind of stuff is so good for kids,”
explained customer Diana Davidson,
motioning to her young friend Joshua
Negron. “I grew up not knowing where my
food came from.”
FLMag.com
FLMag.com | | March
March&&Aprirl
April 2013
79
old
LAUDERDALE
OSKY’S FLORIDA
SOUVENIR AND NOVELTIES
IN JACKSONVILLE
REQUESTED 3,000 BABY
ALLIGATORS.
A GATOR FOR THE ROAD
By Eric Barton
If alligators ever lived in the NewYork
City sewers, Fort Lauderdale was probably
the reason why.
While today’s beachside tourist stores are packed
with cheap sunglasses and “I Love Ft. Lauderdale”
T-shirts, in the early 1900s, baby alligators filled
Florida souvenir shops.
“No tourist of 50 years ago went home without one
or more of those souvenirs,” wrote Fort Lauderdale
newspaper columnist Wesley Stout in 1953. Not
realizing that the cute little reptiles would grow up
and become large predators, turn-of-the-century
tourists made alligators the era’s most exotic pet.
Fort Lauderdale’s Frank Stranahan was perfectly
positioned to capitalize on the growing demand
for baby alligators. As owner of the only trading
post between Palm Beach and Lemon City (now
part of Miami), Stranahan became the middleman
between the Seminole Indians, who harvested the
eggs, and the shop owners who sold the hatched
alligators to Northern tourists.
In a 1970 interview, Ivy Stranahan explained that
every six weeks a flotilla of canoes would arrive
in front of the trading post carrying animal skins,
hides and alligator eggs. The hides would be sold
immediately, while the eggs were kept in a pen,
covered by straw and debris, until they hatched.
The live baby alligators were then packed in crates
and shipped to Jacksonville, where they were sold
to tourists for 25 cents apiece.
Frank Stranahan had moved to the area to man the
stagecoach stop. He befriended the Seminoles –
noting in a letter to his brother, “I think I will get
along with them all right” – and began to do business
80
with them when he opened his trading
post in 1893, on the northern bank of
the New River (where the Stranahan
House stands today). He paid them
cash for animal hides and eggs, and
they in turn bought ammunition,
fabric, and supplies from his store.
Stranahan received regular orders
for baby alligators from souvenir
and novelty shops in tourist towns
W.B. (William) Snyder, real estate agent, circa 1920.
throughout Florida. Several of the
original order forms can be found
dwindling numbers put them on the endangered
at the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society. One species list in 1967, and the Endangered Species
order, from Osky’s Florida Souvenir and Novelties Act of 1973 officially prohibited alligator hunting.
in Jacksonville, requested 3,000 baby alligators Thanks to the conservation efforts of the Florida
for $125 per thousand. A handwritten order from Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the
Leonardi & Small, a St. Augustine souvenir and alligator population rebounded and the animals
curios shop, requested 50 gators measuring 10 to were taken off the endangered species list in 1987.
16 inches long. As the requests came in, Stranahan
Nevertheless, keeping the reptiles as pets or illegally
would pack the gators in boxes and ship them off.
selling them is a first degree misdemeanor, and
As profitable as the alligator trade was, it drew to illegally killing the animals is a third degree felony.
a close before the Second World War. Christopher
Barfield, curator of the historical society, explains As for the thousands of baby alligators that were
that its demise was the result of “changing tastes, taken home as souvenirs, their fates are unclear. The
conservation movements, and probably better New York Times reported several alligator sightings
understanding in the general population of what in New York and New Jersey during the 1920s and
’30s, propagating a popular urban legend that a
happened to baby alligators when they got older.”
large colony of Florida alligators lived in the New
By the 1940s, the alligator population had been York City sewer system. While the New York City
largely depleted, and the newly formed Florida Bureau of Sewers has repeatedly denied this claim,
Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission began perhaps the reptilian “snowbirds” were not the only
creating hunting regulations. The alligators’ Floridians who also called New York home.
Courtesy of the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society.
By Callie Hamilton
OVER 25 YEARS OF
NATIONAL SERVICE
PRINTDYNAMICS
We bring imagination to life!
Official Printer of
Our 40,000 sf of warehouses gives us the opportunity to
have a complete IN-HOUSE operation ranging from:
• Offset Printing • Mailing Solutions • Bindery
• Fulfillment • Inventory Solutions • Embossing
• Graphic Design • Digital Printing • Die Cutting
[email protected]
954-563-0775
FLMag.com | March
& April 2013
1721 N Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale,
FL 33305
81

refusing - Fort Lauderdale Magazine

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