Ft. Lauderdale & Miami
Before I move on to the next portion of our trip I did want to clarify that, New Year’s Eve aside, I really enjoyed Key West. We couldn’t have asked for better weather, the Old Town residential areas are lovely, the sunsets are amazing, the water is reasonably warm for swimming (even their mid-winter sea water was warmer than Cape Cod’s at the peak of summer). And in the end we are able to laugh about all of the disasters that went along with our rental car.
And the fun continued into our next destination: Fort Lauderdale.
I’d been to Fort Lauderdale before…twice. These visits were 22 and 23 years ago (damn, I’m old). Back then, it was still Spring Break central. I was too young to participate in those activities at the time, but it was on the news daily. We also stayed just outside Fort Lauderdale so we weren’t affected by the partying. What I did remember from back then was that it was flat and there were lots of strip malls.
Both of those things remain, unfortunately, but the areas along the coast have definitely improved. The beaches are pristine and go on for miles with no end in sight. It’s a very different feeling than New England Beaches (aside from Revere Beach, I suppose) because south Florida beaches consist of one hi-rise condo, apartment, or hotel, after another. To be honest, I kind of liked that. I imagined myself living in one and having the ocean view to wake up to. I wouldn’t want to replicate it up here (I still love dunes and marshes and shingled cottages), but as a partial-year residence I could get used to that.
We also explored Wilton Manors, the gay area. After Fort Lauderdale shut down the spring break celebrations in the 80’s, they began courting a more affluent/reserved clientelle and the gays took over. Wilton Manors didn’t seem that gay from the get-go, probably because (like most of Florida) you have to drive there and the main roads are wide and somewhat pedestrian unfriendly. But we stopped into a strip mall (Shoppes at Wilton Manors) that structurally looked like any of the nicer strip malls you’ll find nationwide. But every single business was gay. It was a riot….their names were so overtly gay we couldn’t stop laughing: GayMart, Humpy’s, Bottoms and Tops, Ball, George’s Alibi (bar), Boom (bar/club), and Java Boys. Oh, and it had an office of the Social Security Administration (Florida is a retirement state after all, and gays do retire!). Across the street was RuffRiders (which had an outpost in Provincetown a few summers ago), and Out of the Closet (the nicest consignmnet shop I’d ever seen… complete with dance club music and free HIV testing).
We actually spent quite a good deal of time there, and across the street at a charming gift shop called “To the Moon.” It’s mostly a novelty shop, but the owner prides himself on collecting (and selling) every brand of candy that has been produced in this country and across the world. He had an amazing collection of items I’d not seen since childhood (like flying saucers…those communion wafter things with sugar beads inside). Each item had a description of it’s origins (ie:, New England, 1970/1980s). And there was a substantial collection of foreign confections, too (ones I’ve sampled while traveling to Europe and Asia). The owner was a hoot and was so passionate about his job that it made me happy. You don’t see that much these days.
We also were driving around Las Olas Blvd on our first day and stumbled upon some sort of street fair where the major roads were all blocked off. We were starving so we decided to park and explore the area on foot. Heading into the garage I asked the attendant what all the hoopla was about. She exclaimed with such pride that it was the World Famous Las Olas Arts Fair. It wasn’t just the Las Olas Arts Fair…it was the WORLD FAMOUS Las Olas Arts Fair.
We explored the art…trust me, there was nothing world famous about any of the items…but it was a fun diversion.
That night, I got together with my high school friend, Candy. We ate at this cute place just north of Ft. Lauderdale on a street closed to traffic with outdoor seating and performances. I hadn’t seen her in years so it was fun to catch up and introduce her to Randy (who she really liked).
The next day we drove down to South Beach in Miami to view the Art Deco District (the buildings on Ocean Ave are so fun). Randy tooks zillions of photos and then we went to dinner with Pete’s father and his girlfriend at the nicest Chinese restaurant I’d ever seen. The food and company were great, and then we headed back out so Randy could continue his photo shoot.
The next day was our last day so we headed straight to Sebastian Beach (gay beach in Ft. Lauderdale) and enjoyed the sites, sands, and sounds. Later that afternoon we checked out of the hotel, drove back to South Beach and explored their beach (where we suffered intimidation because of the perfection in speedos sunning themselves up and down the beach). We also explored Lincoln Road and it’s many shops.
Finally, it was nearly time to catch our flight so we sat down at a gay bar on Ocean Drive and relaxed before heading back (and getting lost…again) to the car rental place. Randy got us all upgraded to first class so we had a nice and comfy ride home (though fairly turbulant).
Now we’re in Boston…it’s 19 degrees…and 5-8 inches of snow will fall tomorrow.
It’s a good thing Randy and I are already looking into our next warm destination for February or March. A yankee like me could get used to it.
*The photo above was from our hotel in Fort Lauderdale. In one direction we could see the city skyling, in the other we could sea the canals and ocean.
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Oh, I forgot to mention, while we we walking along South beach we saw these little transparent balloon like things in the sand. At first, I thought they might be condoms filled with air and then tied at the end. Randy stepped on one and it made a huge popping noise. We walked a bit further and found more…but this time one was moving. Apparently, they were jellyfish that had gotten washed in with the tide.
Randy popped a jellyfish.
I’ve never been a fan of Ft. Lauderdale – sure, the beaches are nice, but there is NO culture there, at all – the museum is pathetic and that’s all she wrote… – it’s where gay meatheads and realtors go to retire, near’s I can tell (grin) – and Wilton Manors – I’ve been to that same strip mall (ok, George’s Alibi IS a friendly/fun bar…)…all I could think of was, “My god, this is a gay FRAMINGHAM!”
Of course, at the time, they were selling new “loft” condos in Wilton Manors, two full miles from any beach, for $500K and up…ick.
Florida…shudder…glad you guys made it back in one piece (grin)
he he…Framingham. You’re right! Scarily, WIlton Manors still felt gayer than Key West (minus the charm). I just find the residential architecture (the single story/flat ranch houses) rather depressing.
Still, the oceanfront was lovely…and the weather (at least this time of year) beats the shit we’re dealing with now (snow, on top of this week’s ice).
ITts funny, I always saw one of the reasons I stay around Boston is that it’s a cultural city. Yet I rarely partake in any of it. It’s as if I like the idea of having the ability to access it any time, but I never really do. I”m such a snob.
Well, trust me on Boston vs. Ft. Lauderdale…even if you don’t think you DIRECTLY take part in so much of the rich cultural stew we have in New England, you get the benefits – the general level of discourse is higher, the food is more varied and better, public TV and NPR are more widespread, the city’s better LOOKING (and, gays in FTL aside, the people tend to be slimmer and better looking up here, in the city, too…) – it’s a smarter, sharper, younger city all around…and that all trickles into most corners of life… I found guys were friendlier (and often hot in a 40-something musclebear way) in FTL, but the conversation tended to flag after one discussed their latest real estate deal, their truck, the gym…the weather…
(yup, TOTAL snob here! – though, actually, not – it’s not like I think being a pencil-neck pseudo-intellectual type wearing black is BETTER than being a regular-guy real estate broker gympuppy…he’s a helluva lot happier, in general, I’m sure…so, I dunno what I’m saying [grin])