To provide our readers with the official word on happenings in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Intown 411 proudly presents this must-read monthly newsletter from the Downtown Development Authority.
An image of devastation looms large over the otherwise bright and airy Lauderdale Grill restaurant. A huge photograph of downtown Fort Lauderdale taken after the 1926 hurricane stretches across one massive strip of wall. Among the ruins in the picture is a building called Maxwell's Arcade, a building that now houses the Downtowner Saloon -- a popular restaurant and watering hole that once belonged to John Baker. The man himself, dressed in a shirt from the 50th anniversary of Where the Boy's Are event, reminisces about his childhood dream of running a restaurant in that location, which he did for many years, and then turns his attention to discussing the philosophy behind his newest venture, Lauderdale Grill: "I want people to experience old Fort Lauderdale through the pictures and I want them to have what I call "real food". We make our food and our sauces every day from scratch. I want for the food to be spectacular. That's the concept, and it shows." (Read more...)
FLIFF's 1st Annual Surf Fest, Friday to Sunday, August 27 to 29
But for those special times when tropical storms approach our shore, South Florida doesn't have too many rideable waves.When Lauderdale surfers don't have time to drive up coast, they tend to live vicariously through film. The next best thing to catching a wave is the exhilaration that comes from watching the world's best surfers carve up the world's biggest and fastest breaks on the silver screen. Even those who don't surf can't deny the majesty of the crashing water or the courage of surfers who tackle big, fast waves. Fort Lauderdale's art house theater Cinema Paradiso presents a three-day line-up of surf films this weekend. (Read more...)
Charity Bus Loop Strikes Again, Friday, August 27, 5:30 p.m. Check in at Galleria or BeachPlace
Hop on, hop off. Toss back a drink, punch your drink card and hop on along to the next bar. Smile knowing that the proceeds all go to benefit these charities. That's right, the ever-popular Sun Trolley Bus Loop charity fundraiser is on for this Friday night, and this time they're cruising all of the beachfront hotspots. So make sure you're off work by 5:30 p.m. and ready to party! As usual, the fixed-priced affair gets you a punch card redeemable for a drink at all of the participating locations. (Read more...)
Dialect Presents Local DJs and Artists At Brew Urban Cafe, Thurs, Aug. 26, 8 pm
Dialect, a mixed-genre art and music event and party in downtown Fort Lauderdale has gathered quite the hip following as it's grown from a handful of friends when it started last year in May to the 60+ guests that now gather at the monthly Thursday night party. During this four-hour gathering, Fort Lauderdale's stylish arty crowd packs out Brew Urban Cafe Himmarshee and spills out onto the sidewalk and Brew extends its happy hour prices of two beers for $6 and discounted wine. The full range of coffee and espresso drinks is also available. Behind the decks, you'll find Twilight Notes DJs Adam Foster and esotERIC along with DaMask and Mikey Ramirez -- of Radioactive Records fame -- spinning mixes that range from dance floor classics to lounge to the latest in indie rock and pop to whatever the heck they're in the mood to play. (Read more...)
Where are the neon lights bright? Where is there always magic in the air? Where do the women treat you fine? If you guessed "Broadway", you're right! Now put your jazz hands up in the air in tribute to your knowledge of performing arts trivia and read on to find out what hot Broadway tickets the Broward Center for the Performing Arts is bringing to downtown Fort Lauderdale this season. Get ready for rock 'n' roll, undead comedy and simmering ball room moves that are going to pack the seats this season.
The New Mel Brook Musical Young Frankenstein
Winner of the 2008 Best Musical, Young Frankenstein is Mel Brooks' frighteningly humorous take on Mary Shelley's 1818 Gothic novel Frankenstein. Brooks brought his creation to the silver screen in the 1974 Gene Wilder-fronted film of the same name. Now it's a monster smash on Broadway. Laughs ensue as Young Frankenstein attempts to finish off his grandfather's master work by reviving a corpse with the help of his sultry lab assistant Inga and misshapen assistant Igor. Live at Broward Center October 6 through October 17, 2010. Click here for tickets, info and showtimes. (Read more...)
Da Big Kahuna, the newest restaurant and bar on Fort Lauderdale Beach, brings Hawaiian culture to the mainland. The original location is in Waikiki, Hawaii. Earlier this summer, the "aloha spirit" of friendliness and good vibes arrived on the third floor of Beach Place plaza in the form of a casual open-air dining and drinking spot. By day, Da Big Kahuna serves as a lunch place and beachfront watering hole. Read more... (See Da Big Kahuna listing on Intown 411)
How about a big round of applause for all of those parents who bring their kids to Fort Lauderdale for vacation! Sure, mom and dad could have hired a sitter or dropped the kids off with a set of in-laws, but then they would miss the sheer joy of watching huge smiles cross their children’s faces as they splash in the ocean. The next day, the kids are back at the beach, grinning again as they play in the sand. Though adults could want nothing more than to lounge on the beach all day, kids can start to crave a bit of variety by the third day of vacation. That’s why we’ve put together a list of local kid-friendly restaurants and activities that will help you find just the right mix for your family vacation. The best part is that once the kids get a day off, they’ll be ready to hit the beach again. You're welcome! (Click here to find the best kid-friendly vacation spots...)
Fort Lauderdale Brunches for Every Lifestyle and Budget
There’s not one person in your family or among your acquaintances who’s too busy for brunch. Whether the brunch mate of your desire is an avid churchgoer or a hopeless late-night partier, anyone can pull it together to break bread by noon on Sunday. Many brunches even carry over into the early afternoon, so there’s just no excuse to forego participating in this hybrid meal. Plus, we’ve put together a list of brunch spots that range from cheap eats to fine dining to help you find the perfect brunch spot. See Intown 411's five brunch picks after the jump. (read more)
FLIFF's 1st Annual Surf Fest, Friday to Sunday, August 27 to 29
