Miami Food Trucks - Hollywood

You may remember my post on the Miami Food Truck Invasion back in August. If not, you can just click the link above to check it out. I was there opening day and I was impressed. I have been back a couple more times and so far I have enjoyed the gourmet offerings.

Today was the first attempt to bring these rolling kitchens to Hollywood City Hall. What I understand from the Assistant City Manager, Cathy  Swanson-Rivenbark, is this four week experiment may be extended if it's successful. Personally, I hope so since it's a half block from my office. I like to walk to lunch and there are plenty of places nearby. I've eaten locally for years. This is more of an exciting treat than an everyday lunch choice. Maybe a bit on the pricey side for some, but I love trying new flavor combinations and a couple of bucks is a small price to pay for unique and inventive flavors.


Even though this mini-event was held right on City Hall Circle next to the Broward County Public Library building, probably two thirds of those in line were no one I've seen around the neighborhood before. I overheard someone say that they mostly brown bag and eat at their desk and they just walked over to give it a try. I'm not sure how this was promoted but the word certainly got out around City Hall Circle. It was fun to have lunch with people I work with but just never have time to go out with. I even saw one woman introduce herself to her co-workers who only knew her over the phone.


So how did I make out? I decided to give the famous $7.00 grilled cheese sandwich from Ms. Cheezious a try. This is not Mom's grilled cheese, that's for sure. First, it was heavily loaded with delicious, stretchy cheese - like a pound and a half heavy. Smothered inside, I found tomatoes and fresh basil. The whole concoction was called The Italian, appropriately enough. I opted for the sweet potato fries for the full experience.  The second I made my choice, I spotted a sandwhich on the menu with goat cheese & prosciutto. Next time for sure.

This experiment will run Wednesday from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm for the month of April. There was limited seating, but since the four trucks were well attended I suspect the City will bring out a few tables and chairs if this takes off. The trucks at City Hall will be rotated, but if you want to choose from the full compliment of Miami Food Trucks they are still at the Arts Park every Monday evening. Monday night Downtown is slow so it's a great excuse to get a unique meal and check out the constantly reinvented Hollywood Downtown. That way you can plan for that big Friday night out to impress your friends with how well you know your way around. I know that's what I do.

Pines and Palms Resort – Islamorada

As anyone who follows this blog knows, as a rule, I like my fun to cost as little as possible. When picking a hotel for my Islamorada trip, I wanted something on the water, small, quaint, and inexpensive. I found several hotels that were a perfect match for what I was looking for. Unfortunately, due to the short lead time I allowed for this trip, they were booked so I stayed at the Pines & Palms Resort in one of their ocean front cottages. Not inexpensive, but in a world of “You get what you pay for” I would say I got much more than the price of admission.

Shopping hotels on the internet can be hit and miss but this one was truly as beautiful as the brochure. Right from the moment I checked in, I knew I was in the right place. Situated at the bottom end of Islamorada on the ocean side, the view was endless sea and in the distance, the Alligator Reef Light House three miles off shore. The entire property is sand with a beautiful beach sand deck right on the ocean and ten steps from the door of my cottage. Every morning the sand is raked like a Zen Garden. There are a lot of cottages on the property but only a very few at the waters edge. I spent my time kayaking, bike riding, on the beach chairs, in the pool, or at the bar right next to the pool. There is a boat launch and dock for at least six boats as that was the number I counted while sipping my morning coffee on the porch. The Pines & Palms Resort does not have food on the property but they provide a very nice list of the fifteen or so eateries within a few miles. I chose two so close, I actually walked to them.

Staying with the theme of spending a few bucks this trip, I chose Uncle's and The Green Turtle Inn. Neither had a view and both made up for it with excellent food. Uncle's is very deceiving from the street. It did not look all that fancy or big from the outside but once inside it was a different story. I had the frog legs appetizer and lamb chops with shrimp while my friend had something called Lobster Schnitzel. Sharing our meals back and forth, we could not agree on who had made out better.

The Green Turtle Inn is a renovated historic building and looks as impressive on the outside as it does on the inside. They also have a collection of unique dishes. I went for the Five Spice Tuna while my friend had a scallop dish that was out of this world.

Taking sunrise photos on the last morning of my stay, I knew this place would hold special memories. Not only was the hotel itself a pleasure, we made a few friends around the pool deck as well. Just part of the magic of the Florida Keys.

Islamorada – Florida Keys

Islamorada is one of the northernmost Florida Keys. It comes right after Key Largo, and Tavernier. Most of my adventures in the keys have involved either Key Largo or Key West with barely a passing notice to the islands in between. As this was my first real visit to Islamorada, I decided to do it right and spend some time staying and exploring. I spent about two weeks exploring on the internet first and had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to see. My first stop was Marker 88 for lunch.

This was my first visit to Marker 88 and as the name implies, it's right at mile marker 88. Key West starts the whole mile marker thing with mile 0 and addresses along US-1 are based on the mile markers all the way up thru the Keys. This visit almost didn't happen as the sign literally jumped out at me and the entrance turn-in was about a foot and a half long. Even with a two second peek in the rear view mirror I knew it was a place I wanted to see so a U-turn was in order. Not something for the faint of heart on US-1 in the Keys.

Our meal started off with the most pleasant server I've met in a long time and a menu that had some unusual items. Something different is always my first choice so I had a Cuban Sandwich with Thai Green Beans. If you have a taste for something new and spicy, get the green beans. My travel companion on this trip had the Tuna Steak served burger style with a chutney topping and sweet potato fries. Everything was done to perfection and served with a smile.

The restaurant is actually a giant patio right on the water. There are a few shade covered seats which we were lucky enough to get and an indoor section for those that don't find blazing heat appetizing. We hated to leave but we had more to see so we broke away from our pleasant conversation with our server and moved on. Little did we know this entire long weekend was going to be a string of pleasant conversations with strangers.

Our next stop was just a mile marker down the road. The Rain Barrel - A Village of Artists. You can't miss it. There is a lobster sculpture the size of a bus right out front. We stopped to take a picture and found the most amazing collection of artists just behind the lobster.

The first gallery we entered was Emerald Bay Trading Company. The gallery was the size of a walk-in closet yet filled with items from all over the world. We asked the simple question of how did this all get here and wound up with a half hour conversation on the subject. Donna Davis, the proprietor, was mainly a basket weaver and her medium of choice - Pine Needles. Her work is intricate and extraordinary and her collection of world wide items is a passion. The Rain Barrel is a cluster of little houses and buildings with a winding, shady walkway connecting them. Heading to the back we found the pottery shop. The pottery is all made onsite in a workshop in the back. We got a little history of the shop and information about the area from the owner as we watched her create a made to order piece right in front of us.

We skipped a few stores on the way to the pottery shop but one was a must see on the way back. The SeaSide GlassWorks owned by Stephanie Martin was one that needed a much closer look. The glass work was like nothing I've ever seen before in both intricacy and bursts of color. This seemed to be the day for an education and Stephanie was perfectly willing to share all her secrets in making her mystical glass creations. Obviously knowing the secrets is not enough to actually producing the art just as viewing her web site is no substitute for seeing her larger pieces in person.










It was only our first few hours in Islamorada. We felt like everyone was an ambassador for the island and we were very special guests. Not a typical day in South Florida but just another day in the Keys from what we learned. There is a lot more to this story so check back for the next chapter coming soon.

Hollywood Food Truck Invasion

The Miami Food Trucks are all the rage these days. My friends and I have been planning a visit to the Hard Rock Casino to catch them on Thursdays but maybe a little later when the buzz dies down. When I heard about the Food Truck Invasion at the Arts Park in Hollywood, I decided to check out opening night. A Monday night with no casino and no event at the park seemed like the best way to beat the crowds. A little rain didn't hurt either. 

I arrived right at the 5:30 opening and noticed a couple of things. One, the Sugar-Yummy-Mama cupcake truck, and two, people were not only bringing fold up chairs but fold up tables as well. I guess gourmet food deserves more than a blanket in the park. A quick glance around and I saw the few trucks I had expected. After taking a second look and a count, there were 15 food trucks lined up halfway around the park. Wow - Bigger than I thought.

It was tough passing trucks like the Red Koi Lounge but I wanted to see them all and check out the menu's before committing. Just before I made it to the last truck I saw a sign I could not resist.

Oh yeah - That's the one!!

With only 4 people ahead of me at The Rolling Stove, the wait was short and the food was unbelievable. There were so many flavors, I could not catch them all but they blended so well together, it was like an orchestra in my mouth (and my shirt, my pants, and my shoe). Next time I'm bringing my own fold out table. 

Ok - I don't know about you but I have never had a $3.00 cupcake before. I just had to see what all the fuss was. I went simple and chocolate and since I was stuffed, I got it to go. It went as far as the car before I gave it a taste.

I guarantee I have never put anything sweeter in my mouth. Before I even got to the actual cupcake there was layer after layer of flavors and textures. Needless to say, it didn't make it home. 

One of my questions about this event was why the City would bring food trucks downtown when all downtown is really is restaurants. I thought about that as I put another two bucks in the meter and headed over to Whiskey Tango. On the way I noticed a new restaurant opening soon. Made a mental note to check it out. Hey wait a minute... I think I understand. Great Job and see you Friday night. 

If you missed it, the trucks will be there Monday nights. There are a couple more I want to check out so maybe I'll see you there soon. 

Bon Festival at the Morikami

It's been a few years since I've attended the Bon Festival at the Morikami in Delray Beach. The last time I visited, rain dampened the event and the turnout was not very impressive. This year, even with threatening weather yesterday, the turnout was enormous. One of my goals was to see the Taiko Drum performance by Fushu Daiko. I have seen them at various venues such as the South Florida Renaissance Festival and the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and always managed to get front row seats. For the Bon Festival, they were playing under a huge tent and I was lucky to be standing 5 rows back on the outside. They performed like rock stars to an adoring crowd. Funny how much difference the venue makes.

The highlight of the evening is always the Toro Nagashi (lantern floating) and fireworks display. Show time was approaching but a severe storm was approaching even faster. With lighting flashing and rain beginning to fall,  I decided to head to the car. The sounds of an early fireworks display trailed behind me. Ah well. I still had a great time, great food, terrible pictures, and will know to bring an umbrella and grounding strap next year.

Clematis Street - Downtown West Palm Beach

Yesterday I visited Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach. It's the first time I've felt like a kid at Christmas in a long time. This was my first visit and I was really just looking for a place to eat lunch.  I arrived around 2:00 pm so parking was no problem and better yet, Free on Sunday. I had a pretty good idea of the selection by checking my iPhone just before I arrived. As if the drive over was not beautiful enough, there is a fountain to greet you and a small amphitheater overlooking the bay. I parked near the fountain and as I turned and started to walk to where I thought I wanted to eat, I saw it. World of Beer. Ok, maybe I was being just a little to quick to decide. This place needed a little more of an investigation. I popped in to the World of Beer just to see then headed up the street in search of lunch. There was one fabulous eatery after another. I was trying to look at both sides of the street at once and read menus as I went. I don't travel to West Palm Beach very often and  I was amazed at the selection. How about a burger joint called GREASE. Click the link. Great website too.

 Oh I was so tempted but there were even more places just a little farther down the block. Sure it was hot and yes I was starving but I wanted to make the perfect choice. When I reached Don Ramon's I was ready to commit. The restaurant was very inviting as was the staff and the menu made picking the restaurant seem easy. There were several things I was not too sure about so with a few questions to the waiter, I ordered them. On the way back to the car I stopped into This N That, an antique shop that had some amazing things and even more amazingly affordable prices. It was sort of funny seeing items I remembered growing up in the shop on sale. I found a small table I really wanted and at a great price. I wish I had picked it up. Oh Well. Even more reason to go back again. Sunday afternoon was the perfect time for a visit as I'm told this place is hopping at night. I only scratched the surface as there are several more streets in the area I left unexplored. If you like the bar thing and live music, they seem to have plenty of that too.

Batten Farms is back!! - Davie

When I moved to Davie 25 years ago, one of the first places I was introduced to was Batten Farms. Mostly local produce and a fantastic strawberry field where you could pick your own. I have the best memory of my then, 2 year old daughter eating more strawberries than she was putting in the basket. When she grabbed a very over ripe one, it squished between her fingers. What a terrible time to not have a camera handy to capture the shocked look on her face. Battens closed in 2008 but has recently opened as Batten’s Farmers Market and Davie Agri-Tourism Center.  I paid a visit this past weekend, partly for the memories and mostly for the fresh produce. I love farm fresh tomatoes, string beans, and pineapple all of which I  found and more. It was pouring rain on my visit so I left the camera in the car. I found the selection sparse compared to how I remembered it years ago with so much produce it was hard to walk the aisles and harder still to choose from the overwhelming selection. Since I was stuck under cover by a sudden cloud burst I purchased a smoothie and got some information. I was told a produce manager was coming on board this week and the selections will be greatly increased. The U_pick-em will come along a little later near the fall and there may be a pumpkin patch in October if all goes well.

I hope that is the case. Batten Farms was extremely popular when I lived out that way and I'll be only to happy to drive there now to purchase local produce. There are too few farmers markets left in South Florida. Judging by the amount people who braved the Florida summer storms with me, Batten's will be right back to the way I remember very soon.

Bay Cove Motel - Key Largo

Bay Cove Motel shot from the complimentary kayak

Life has been challenging lately and a weekend getaway was desperately needed. Where can you escape from Miami and be in a whole new world in about an hour and a half. The Florida Keys of course. Time and money were going to be a consideration on this trip so Key Largo seemed the perfect place. Now for a hotel. I didn't really want a big name place and I didn't really want to tent camp. I wanted something very quaint and quiet. A lot of Internet searching and I came across the Bay Cove Motel. After a very pleasant conversation with Margot, I settled on a cottage at a very good rate.

I could feel the tension lifting as soon as I was South of Miami. I had no real idea what to expect when I arrived at my destination but for me, that's part of the fun. I checked in with Pat and I instantly felt like I was staying with relatives. The property is a quirky mix of one and two story cottages and a few big travel trailers thrown in for good measure. Everything is sand, rock, and large, old trees. The cottages are more or less squeezed in around the nature. An enormous departure from the straight line concrete jungle I just left a few hours ago. The room was exactly as I had pictured it. Perfect for this adventure. Five minutes after dumping the bags I was back at the office asking Pat about a place for dinner. With some simple directions and a $5.00 coupon, I was off to the Pilot House.

What a great place. So typical of the Keys with the friendly staff and great food that you would expect. I got myself a nice high top table on the rail and watched a school of fish in the crystal clear water swim right up to me and then under the big glass plate in the floor under my feet. How I didn't notice I was sitting on glass I don't know but it was fantastic.

I made it back to my weekend home base just in time to watch the most beautiful sunset. The Bay Cove Motel has a little dock giving me a front row seat. A little later in the evening I returned to the dock to listen to the quiet. The water was on fire with little green lights. A swarm of bioluminescent sea worms were lighting the water as far as I could see. In an hour they were gone. I've lived in Florida a long time and that is the first time I've seen that.

As you may know if you follow my blog, I'm a big kayak fan. The Bay Cove Motel has a few you can borrow for no charge. I was at the front desk at 9:00 am asking for a paddle and didn't get back till noon. This was mostly an open water trek but I pulled up mid way into the mangroves at the North end of the bay for a little snack, a little shade, and a huge gulp of water.  Upon my return, I was understandably starving and the best way to cure that was walk next door to Mrs. Mac's Kitchen.

From the road, or even from 10 feet away walking up to Mrs. Mac's Kitchen, you would think it was a road side hot dog stand. Things are not always what they seem in the magical world of the Florida Keys. The place is huge inside and it feels like you are in someones house. The perfect companion to the place I was staying. The menu was as large and varied as the restaurant itself and the staff was very friendly and attentive. I had the smoked fish dip and crab salad Pita. Delicious! I'm starting to notice a theme with dining in Key Largo.

The rest of the day was taken up with walking, shopping, and resting. Right up the road I found the African Queen from the 1951 movie starting Humphrey Bogart. Seemed like a crazy place for a movie prop. Time passed quickly and what do you know. I needed a dinner place. Just a short walk from my cottage and I was at the Bayside Grille. The bar is downstairs and the restaurant is upstairs. I had a window seat with the most incredible view of the bay and I'm not sure which was better, the view or the food or if they just complimented each other. Even with the sun setting in the distance it was a tough call. My luck with food continued to my final morning even if it was just coffee I made in the room and muffins I brought with me. My cottage was only 30 feet from the bay where I settled into a beach chair. It didn't even seem like much of a chore to refill my cup at the room and return to the waters edge.


This was exactly the relax-a-cation I was looking for. Not my typical high energy vacation but it wasn't supposed to be.

Las Olas Blvd - Fort Lauderdale

A friend of mine asked me to describe Las Olas Blvd after reading my blog about downtown Hollywood. I started to, then decided to just jump in the car and act as tour guide instead. I have not been in a while and it seemed like a great way to spend a South Florida afternoon. I have been going off and on for about 30 years and have see many changes. Mostly for good. The recession was not kind to any of us and especially to Las Olas Blvd. A strip of galleries, restaurants, and specially stores right off of downtown Fort Lauderdale. Last time I was there, several stores and resturants had closed so I didn't fully know what to expect.

The first thing I noticed upon arriving was that parking was reasonable to down right cheap. That was new. Also there was practically no one on the street. I usually visit in the evening or during art fairs and the place is packed to sardine can, can't walk down the street packed. If you are not a fan of blazing heat and blinding sun light, then high noon might not be the best time to arrive at Las Olas. I live here so it does not bother me a bit. We turned the corner from the parking lot and popped into the Hamilton Gallery. There we met Wendy who informed us that somewhat of a rebirth had occured on Las Olas and there was nearly full occupancy. She even gave us a few tips on new resturants. This was going to turn out to be a great day after all.

We did our level best to visit all the galleries and stores. One gallery opened just the month before. Everyone was friendly and we took the opportunity to really immerce ourselves in the art and discuss the artists. I walked my friend all the way East to the Floridian diner. The place is ancient in Florida terms, serves the best breakfast on the block, and is a local favorite hangout. By the time we were half way back to the car, we were pretty hungry and standing outside one of my favorite eateries - Noodles Panini. Normally I like to sit outside if I'm lucky to not have to wait too long for a table. Considering my shoes were melting to the pavement, we wisely chose a seat inside and actually had a choice of tables. The patrons were out numbered by the wait staff but that looked to be only temporary. As we were headed out at about 3:00 pm, there was a steady stream heading in.

Las Olas is easy to get to. If you are looking for a great date night with a special someone or just a place to find a fantastic, relaxing meal with a friend, you can't go wrong with Las Olas.

Downtown Hollywood - The new place to be

So here it was - Friday night and I was looking for something to do after a long week. I had some tentative plans in Downtown Hollywood but not until much later in the evening. I have lived and/or worked in Hollywood since 1978 and only recently have I considered the downtown area an actual destination. For the last decades you would have found me in Las Olas, South Beach, Delray, Pompano, Boca, even the Sawgrass Mall but not Hollywood.

Since I work in Hollywood, I was at the parking garage at 5:05. I dropped my cash in the meter and great - 2 hours free. Didn't see that. Now I have a ticket good till 11:05. Oh well. I had Facebooked my friends the day before and no one was interested. Made a few calls. My usual buds had plans. The only thing left to do was get a beer at Mickey Bryne's and wait for my friends to show around 7:30 pm. As luck would have it, I found some people I knew and met a few more. I had to tear myself away and walk down to Whiskey Tango where again I met a few people I knew and made even more new friends.

We talked, and laughed, had a fantastic dinner, and hung out till the band went on stage. I didn't head home till 11:00 or so and just beat the ticket lady to my car.  Those two free hours paid off. Unusual night? Not even close. This happens every time I go. Hollywood is like living in a small town with enough bars and resturants to satisfy the crowds. As I was leaving, a few folks were just getting there! Hollywood used to roll up the sidewalks at 9:00 pm. I'll save a trip to Lincoln Road for when I really want to impress someone but for a great night out with old and new friends, I'll go to Hollywood. Thanks Cindy, Trish, Bill, Johanna, Jon, Paula, Nancy, and everyone else for a memorable night. There are a lot of links on this page so check them out. Then give Downtown Hollywood a try and see if you agree.

Lauderdale by the Sea, FL

If you ever find yourself in Fort Lauderdale and wish you were some place less stressful, find Commercial Blvd and drive East. Right before you run into the ocean, you will find the most beautiful location in Lauderdale by the Sea. I have gone there from time to time, usually by accident, but this past weekend I went there with the intent to do something special. Even though it was near noon, I managed to find a public parking spot within a short walk to the beach. To keep in tune with the day, I landed a beach side table at the Aruba Cafe. The beach was packed and most of the restuarants were full so it was quite a miracle. Within a few blocks there are plenty of places to eat and miles of beach. It truly is like driving to a private island. How often can that be said. Check the link above for a brochure that gives a great introduction to the city. If you want sand, surf, fishing on the pier, swimming, snorkeling, or eating, they have you covered. Be like me, make a day of it, and do most, if not all of the above.

Vintage South Florida - Downtown Hollywood

Vintage South Florida. Here's an event right up my alley. Free and quirky. I have a something else to do this Sunday or I would check it out. I have some friends going so I thought I would mention it.

Sunday - Noon to 6:00 pm at the Arts Park on Young Circle. If nothing else, it will give you a good excuse to check out the Arts Park close up rather than just driving by. It was once a popular destination. It's slowly getting back to that. I've walked around the area many times recently. My favorite eatery on the Boulavard is the Beef Eater Steakhouse. It's right near the circle. They don't seem to have a web site but click the link to see their Yelp reviews. If you go, leave me a comment and let me know what you thought.

Joe's Crab Shack

When I think of my favorite places to eat I generally think of great food, great service, relaxed atmosphere, not too pricey, and fun. Joe's Crab Shack has all that and servers that sing and dance right at your table. I go to the Lauderhill store on University but they have plenty of other locations. I've been there several times and plan on going back many more. I had the "Joe's Steampot" last time. Check out the link to see the online menu. I'm thinking of heading there Friday night. Maybe I'll see ya.

The Field - Dania Beach

I've passed by this place for years. From the outside, The Field doesn't look like much. It's hard to find a good pub in South Florida but taking note of the amount of cars consistently filling the parking lot, I thought I would give it a try.

Walking up to the door, I was still not convinced I wasn't making a mistake. The weathered deck and rustic door was not encouraging. Once inside, it was a totally different story. First impression - The place is HUGE. The inside is rustic to the point of a code violation but with loads of charm and character. It didn't take long to realize most of the patrons were regulars, or maybe it just seemed that way. The staff made me feel like I had been coming for years. The food is fantastic, huge portions, and reasonably priced. I suggest the corn beef and cabbage and a Boddingtons Pub Ale to wash it down. Go Friday night and catch the band. I had a front row table the last 3 visits. I have yet to check out the other dining rooms. If you have, send me a comment.