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Spielberg’s Jaws kept moviegoers out of the ocean in 1975. That may have been the start of the shark as pop culture monster, but the new SHARK exhibit at the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art shows many sides to this fascinating – and terrifying – creature. It gives South Floridians one more reason to take advantage of all that’s in our own backyard as part of a summer ‘staycation.’

This exhibit is varied, interesting, fun, and great for adventurous kids and curious adults.

Our Endless Fascination with Sharks

This multi-media exhibit is guest curated by world famous marine artist Richard Ellis. MOAFL’s latest showcase is presented in conjunction with Nova Southeastern University’s Oceanographic Center. If you enjoy Shark Week or Deadliest Catch, then you’ll love this thrilling collection.

Paintings by Guy Harvey and Others

This event is family-friendly, so bring your kids along for this multi-media adventure. A free app is available via the MOAFL website so that the audience can experience the exhibit before ever going. Famous marine artists such as Guy Harvey and Robert Longo are featured in this exhibition. Also on display are wildlife illustrator Marc Dando’s watercolors. These renowned artists depict the many different species of sharks, including angel sharks, sleeper sharks, and tiger sharks.

Jaws Gallery

Of course, no shark exhibition would be complete without referencing Steven Spielberg’s classic 1975 film Jaws. Original storyboards, film memorabilia, and posters are included in the Jaws gallery and several paintings were donated to the SHARK exhibit by Peter Benchley, the author of the original Jaws novel.

Kids and Conservation Efforts

Nature loving kids will enjoy this exhibit. Also fun for kids and adults are the museum’s shark education stations. Parts of the exhibition also focus on recent advances in shark conservation efforts, as this fearsome fish is rapidly becoming one of the earth’s most vulnerable animals.

If You Go

The Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art is located at 1 East Las Olas Boulevard in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale. For more information about this exhibition, please visit their website or call 954-525-5500. Adults are $10; seniors and military is $7; kids 5 and under are free and kids from 6-17 are only $5.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Andy Jien

The 42nd Annual Earth Day is almost here! Get ready for some fun family celebrations during the weekend of April 21. Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day in 1970 at a time of extreme over-consumption. What began 42 years ago as a grassroots celebration has now become an internationally recognized day to honor the environment. Earth Day has become instrumental in many laws, including the passage of the Clean Air Act.

Celebrate sustainability and nature with two local festivals. They’re both on the same day, and both promise to be a blast. Why not be a green party animal and go to both festivals?

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park : Make Earth Day Every Day!

The first Earth Day festival is at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park on Saturday, April 21 from 10 am to 5pm. Be sure to bring little ones for this celebration. They’ll be activities offered for kids by organizations such as the Girl Scouts of America, Trash to Treasure, Camp Live Oak, the fantastic Kids’ Ecology Corps, and Lori’s Beakers and Bugs Company. For adults, they’ll be chances to volunteer (including a sea turtle rescue), ecology-focused workshops, organic and vegan food, and live music. Activities will also include free giveaways and live entertainment, including a drum circle.

Marando Farms: Earth Day Celebration

Come out to Fort Lauderdale’s Marando Farms on Saturday, April 21 from 10am to 2 pm. Kids can enjoy face painting and a bounce house. Adults will enjoy the many varieties of organic food available. There will also be live music and a guest speaker from GMO Free Florida, Trish Sheldon.

If You Go

The Hugh Taylor Birch State Park Make Earth Day Every Day celebration is located at 3109 East Sunrise Blvd in Fort Lauderdale. Go here for more information.

The Earth Day Celebration at Marando Farms is located at 1401 Southwest 1st Ave in Fort Lauderdale. Call Marando Farms at 954-294-2331 or go here.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By dougww

Now that spring is finally here, I can’t seem to stay inside. It seems that Florida’s weather is even more delightful than usual, if you don’t mind sudden storms and cozy, breezy days. I’m finally noticing what I haven’t noticed in the 30-something years spent as a born-and-bred-local. There are reasons people come from all over the world to visit Florida.

Recently, I enjoyed a day trip to Batten’s Farm, a favorite farmer’s market that reopened last summer after being closed for several years. Inspired by one nearby farmer’s market make me seek out other local farmer’s markets, most of which are less than a half-hour from the Desoto.

I discovered the Flamingo Road Nursery and Farmer’s Market entirely by accident when I got off 595 on Flamingo and turned south instead of north. On my right hand side, I saw the Flamingo Road Nursery and decided to pull in to explore. There’s nothing like wandering around a new farmer’s market. As I stepped out of my car, and walked to the entrance, I was greeted by the melodic sound of a large waterfall. Immediately to my right was a huge, gorgeous stone water fountain.

Plants and Herbs

The property is large, as are most of the nurseries that border both sides of Flamingo Road, and it’s fun to wander through the Flamingo Road Nursery’s many varieties of plants, arbors, and flowers. Best of all, there’s a very generous herb section as well, lush with flowering chamomile, mint, and other fragrant goodies.

For Kids

The Flamingo Road Nursery has a neat selection of kid-sized gardening tools, from gloves to gardening tools. Does your little one want to learn more about plants? Help them create their own garden.

Organic Grocery

The Flamingo Road Nursery and Farmer’s Market supports local Florida farmers and artisans. There’s a small grocery store featuring organic veggies located toward the back of the large property. Divided into two large rooms, the store has a small grocery and organic section on one side and a lunch counter on the other. Mostly, I had fun exploring the produce section and managed to find a huge quantity of basil at a very reasonable price.

And then, on the way out, I met the cat.

The Flamingo Cat

I’m not sure who he belongs to, but if you go, stay on the look out for a friendly kitty that seems totally at home roaming the grounds. He’s a curious little wanderer, and I spotted him a few times, happily rolling in the grass or pouncing butterflies.

If You Go

The Flamingo Road Nursery and Farmer’s Market is located at 1655 Flamingo Road in Davie. They can be reached at 954-476-7878 or find them on the web, here. They’re open Monday to Sunday, from 8 am to 6 pm.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By intheburg

When I was a kid, Saturdays in summer meant that it was time to pick strawberries. It meant piling in the car -sometimes with my two cousins – and heading over to Batten’s Farm, located in Davie, Florida. That was in 1992.

Several years ago, Batten’s Farm  closed and it seemed like all the locals went into kind of low-grade mourning.

Goodbye to Berries

One friend of mine actually called me to report that she’d bought strawberries at a regular supermarket. “Nothing like Batten’s,” she sighed into the phone, recounting happy memories of Batten’s strawberries and milkshakes. While I didn’t get misty eyed over store-bought berries, I too found myself getting nostalgic whenever I drove south on Davie Road and passed the old farmstead, the small building shut up tighter than a drum, its white shutters gleaming in the sunlight. With it went the ripe, better-than-in-a-food-store strawberries, the friendly owners, and the barnyard animals in the pen out back. Worst of all? The milkshakes and boiled peanuts that I used to share with my late father were gone too.

Batten’s Reopened in 2011

And last summer, it reopened, thanks in part to the Davie-based non-profit, the North-South Institute, which operates Batten’s as a farmer’s market, with local Broward County farmers selling produce.

Recently, I went to Batten’s and had just as much fun there now as I did when I was a kid.

A New Generation of Local Food and Fun

Some things have changed. The new owners have installed ceiling fans in the building and there’s now a refrigerated section in the back for sodas, boxed foods, and of course, their famous and beloved strawberries.

The milkshakes are back too, just in time for spring.

But the best thing of all? The promise of hanging out for an hour – or all day if I wanted to – slurping a coconut milkshake and hanging out with the barnyard animals. Batten’s is perfect for kids or for a solo walk around the small farm.

If You Go

Batten’s Farm is located at 5151 Davie Road, Davie, 33329. Visit their website, call 954-990-7820, or find them on Facebook.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By tamburix

Regulars to this site know that I’m a dyed-in-the-wool bookworm. If possible, I like to purchase my books used either from sites like Better World Books or from fun, little out-of-the-way used bookstores. Buying a used book is much greener than buying a brand-new book that’s fresh from the publisher.

And while e-readers are green and perfect for travel in their own way, some of us want to go on vacation with paper books. The publishing world is moving fast – maybe we’re nostalgic, but there’s something so perfect (and green) about a previously owned paperback.

Since we’re all about green tips at the Desoto, I wanted to share one of my favorite used bookstores with you: Second Edition Book Shop located in the Lincoln Park Plaza on Stirling Road in Hollywood. Best of all, Second Edition Book Shop isn’t a chain; its independently owned and operated by Danielle Joy-Whatley.

Independent and Green

The tagline is “Recycled Books. Shared Joy.” And this little bookstore is a joy, indeed.

I’ve been in bookstores that are one big, dust-covered mess. Often that’s what’s come to mind when I think of used bookstores in Florida, but Second Edition is a book lover’s dream. It’s easy to see why Second Edition won the 2009 Broward/Palm Beach New Times for Best Used Bookstore.

For those of us who’ve longed for the type of small, cozy bookstore often found in Portland or San Francisco, check out the Second Edition Book Shop. It’s independently owned and operated, which means that patrons are supporting a small, local business. If you’re sick of the Nook or the Kindle, no worries; you won’t find any flashy signs advertising the latest development in electronics. Looking to unload your gently loved books? Second Edition has a decent trade-back program, and if you’ve got adult paperbacks collecting dust, they’ll take them for store credit.

Cozy

From its hardwood floors and comfortable armchairs to its rows upon rows of books on dark wooden shelves, Second Edition Book Shop is the place to curl up and read for a while. Owner Danielle Joy-Whatley might offer you a lollypop from the bowl on the front counter or make a reading suggestion. There’s a never-ending flow of loyal customers of all ages, from retired folks to kids looking for a good book, all eager to chat about what they last read.

Community Involvement

Second Edition Book Shop often has sidewalk fairs that promote local crafts and food. SEBS also has a thriving Facebook page.

If You Go

Pack up your books and head down to Second Edition Book Shop, located at 6812 Stirling Road in the Lincoln Park Plaza in Hollywood.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By hannaneh710

On Saturday March 10^th, get ready for the 9th annual “Water Matters” event.  It’s just around the corner at  Tree Tops Park, located at 3900 S.W. 100th Avenue/ Nob Hill Road in Davie, Florida.  For almost a decade, Water Matters has educated policy-makers, homeowners, families, and kids about the importance of learning to conserve one of our most precious resources – water. It’s a useful and fun day spent in a natural setting, great for families with young kids, or for those looking for an inexpensive and educational way to spend a Saturday.

Learn to Conserve Outdoors…

Get into the flow of over forty Florida-friendly workshops, all focused on ways to conserve water. Water Matters Day aims to teach Broward residents about everything from landscaping practices to everyday conservation. Those with a green thumb should check out one of the many workshops facilitated by landscaping experts. At-home gardeners can learn how to create a less water-dependent garden. If you go, check out the popular NatureScape sessions. The sessions also focus on how to protect drinking water for people, animals, and plants.

…And Indoors

Participants can also learn how to conserve water at home thanks to the many free talks and workshops given throughout the day. Attendants get an in-depth look at ways to save water in the kitchen or the bath and learn ways to lower their monthly water bill, a great chance to save your green while being green. Plus, participants who visit at least twelve of the workshops will get a free native tree or plant to take home.

For Kids

Bring the kids out for a fun day of face painting, clowns and free giveaways. The Kids Ecology Corps  will have a booth there as well. The KEC gets kids and teens involved in nature conservation through information, fun, and hands-on demonstrations. Live entertainment and craft workshops will also be part of the entertainment.

If You Go

Water Matters Day is on Saturday, March 10 from 9 am to 3 pm. At Tree Tops park. Admission to the park is $1.50 per person; kids five and under are free. For more information, please go here. 

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By corsi photo

The Renaissance Festival has come to South Florida! The Deerfield Beach festival is located at Quiet Waters Park until the weekend of March 11 and the Miami festival (weekends from March 31 to April 8 ) will be at Cauley Square Historic Village on Dixie Highway.

The 20th Annual Florida Ren Fest isn’t only a chance to experience the drama and excitment of the 16th century. It’s a wonderful way to explore eco-friendly crafts and learn about a less technology-driven way of life.

Being Green in Another Century

I love looking at all the goods made by Ren Fest vendors. It’s a green dream for those who are looking to support local artists or buy a few eco-aware items. While I wandered around the fair over the weekend, I noticed many signs advertising natural products, everything from handcrafted instruments to hand-made, all-natural clothing. While most of the clothing being sold was representative of the Renaissance, there were many simple long-sleeved shirts or tee-shirts made from natural fibers, perfect for wearing around town.

The Renaissance Faire is eco-friendly because you’ll help support local or regional artisans by buying their crafts, clothes, or jewelry. Those who are interested in natural health should check out Mr. Freedman’s “Apothecary Shop,” where patrons can learn all about herbs and natural remedies for colds and aches.

Chow Down Like It’s 1599

For the most part, the Renaissance Festival offers typical fair food: funnel cakes, burgers and fried goodies. If you’re strictly vegetarian or vegan, however, the choices may be limited to the occasional salad or pretzel.  You may want to pack a sandwich or other green munchies to be on the safe side.

Ren Water and Other Tips

In the Renaissance times, you’d be lucky to find enough clean water to keep you hydrated, but at the Ren Fest, you can have all the water you can drink. Water bottles and recycling bins are everywhere. If you don’t want to spend the extra money on water, go ahead and bring your reusable bottle. Mine was a life-saver. Don’t forget your green sunscreen. After all, nothing saps the romance of the Renaissance faster than potential heat stroke.

If You Go

This year’s Florida Renaissance Festival has two locations. For directions, information, and hours, please go here. Adults pay $20 to get in, kids between 6 and 11 are $7, and little ones five and under are free.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By ColorblindRain

Looking for green ways to celebrate your relationship? Celebrate Valentine’s Day with these fun local tips.

Trains

Train travel is a greener option than car travel. Plus, there’s an inherent sort of romance to boarding a train bound for a nearby city. Amtrak has several South Florida stations (including stations in Miami, Hollywood, and Fort Lauderdale) in case you and your beloved want to travel while reducing your carbon footprint.

Parks

A little ways into Tree Tops Park off of Flamingo Road in South Florida is a small playground and a footbridge. Cross the foot bridge and you’ll find some picnic tables overlooking a lake. This spot is a beautiful place for a Valentine’s Day picnic. In the five minutes that I stood on the bridge, I watched a pair of ducks glide through the lake and even heard a loud splash as some fish jumped out of the water and then dove back in. Check out some of Broward’s parks to explore fun and green ways to be romantic.

Maximize Sunsets

South Florida has many wonderful and romantic places to watch the day come to a close. Any of South Florida’s parks – including my Tree Tops nook – would be a perfect choice for watching the mesmerizing golden-red of an early evening sunset. It’s only a short, two-minute walk from the front door of the Desoto Inn to Hollywood Beach, and the ocean is so close that you can watch the sunset just from standing on Desoto Street. Hollywood Beach is fairly intimate, a natural romantic getaway. Closer than the Keys, this section of Hollywood Beach can give you all the intimacy of Key West without putting all the extra mileage on your car.

Get Raw

If you’ve wondered about raw food and thought, “I can’t eat raw food! It tastes like garden clippings,” then think again. I defy you not to get addicted to the nearby wonder of The Green Wave Café. For couples looking for a casual green restaurant, you can’t go wrong. Located on Broward Boulevard in Plantation, proprietor Raoul runs the Green Wave with a mixture of charm and intelligence. He and the staff will answer any questions you have about raw food and they’ll go easy on you if it’s your first time. The cafe’s laid-back diner atmosphere brings to mind a green version of Cheers (where everybody knows your vegan habits) and it’s a wonderful casual place to take a date.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By joshDubya

Fort Lauderdale has more than 300 miles of inland waterways; a good reason why  it is called the “Venice of America”. Fun adventures on the waterways are plenty. Find all the day trip options with the help of the interactive waterways map which includes details on waterfront hotels, restaurants and attractions.

Gondola Rides

For a private half-hour or hour tour of the canal system guided by skilled gondoliers, make a stop at the Stork’s Café where hand-carved wooden boats crafted by Italian craftsmen are at your disposal.  The Stork’s Gondola tours can accommodate up to six people per gondola. The tour starts at the historic Himmarshee Canal and then onto the enchanting New River. A romantic meal can be arranged while on board the gondola, while you listen to Italian melodies and enjoy the amazing scenery.

Water Taxi

For a full day trip on either Tuesday and Saturday from Fort Lauderdale to Miami on the intracoastal waterway, take the economical water taxi! It’s a three hour ride to get to Miami but it will seem to pass quickly.  The water taxi has an  inside and outside area to sit in.  The open windows on the inside and the roof ensure a comfortable breezy ride. It is recommended you bring your own snacks and drinks for sale on the boat. Passengers will see islands, mansions, drawbridges native plants and trees. Dolphins can be seen swimming alongside the boat. The water taxi leaves at 8:45 am from Fort Lauderdale and arrives at 11:45  am in Miami. You have several hours to see the South Beach area which is in  walking distance.  To return to Fort Lauderdale, take the water taxi at EXACTLY 4 pm sharp.  You will arrive at about 7 pm, seeing all the same sights, but under the magical curtain of evening.

Kayak Tours

Outfits such as Full Moon Kayak Company or Adventure World offer canoe and kayak tours,  lessons, evening paddles and rentals along the Intracoastal Waterway.  The Kayak tours will take you close to looming waterfront mansions with their manicured lawns, making this a unique urban tour you do not want to miss!

Jungle Queen Riverboat

Available for both day and evening cruises, this 3 hour trip option on the New River and Intracoastal waterways enables you to take in the millionaire properties and yachts as well as providing commentary on the area and it’s diverse history. The day cruise includes a stop at an island where passengers can see exotic birds and an alligator wrestling show. The  evening cruise includes an open buffet and entertainment for a little extra cost. Call ahead for reservations.

Photo by Alongi

Post by Nuria Almeida

Dade County, located in South Florida, is one of the last remaining places in the US where a myriad of tropical fruits still grow. As a visitor, if you know where to look, you can see them all growing wild, even in the most urban of areas.  However to taste a bounty of these exotic fruits, drive as though you are headed to the Everglades and stop instead at the Redlands.

You will see many working farms which grow everything from avocados to thorny, basketball-sized jackfruits to prickly fuchsia dragon fruits to carambola a.k.a star fruit to zucchinis. These farms survive by selling their produce to local restaurants or by shipping it to Latin American and Asian markets across America.

There are many places to stop along the way and if you can, turn off your A/C and roll down your car window and take in the scent of succulent fruit that hangs in the air as you drive from one wonderful destination to another.

Paradise Farms

This farm grows approximately fifty types of organic vegetables, fruits and herbs. When you visit, you can sit in lounge chairs under the fruit trees. As evening rolls in, the sounds of night animals, including owls, can be heard. Learn about guavas, bananas and sapodilla – maybe even drink some freshly squeezed carambola juice.

Knaus Berry Farm

A place to pick berries and tomatoes among others and sample chocolate shakes, sticky buns, bread sticks, cookies, herb sticks and black bottom pies. Their fresh, homemade strawberry ice cream is to die for!

Fruit & Spice Park

This favorite of South Florida locals offer a unique experience that encompasses all you could ask for.  First, a do-it-yourself tour walking the 37-acre grounds which are divided by country, while reading about each area, and even tasting the fallen fruit. They also have a wonderful two-hour tram tour, offered frequently during the day, where visitors can learn about lady finger bananas, smell the rich aroma of bay rum leaves and citronella grass crushed between your fingers. Throughout your visit, you will be invited to sample several different fruits that are grown in the park- these include exotic grainy custard apples, Jamaican berries that taste like cotton candy and dark sugary taste of the sapodilla,  where you’ll find seasonal fruit tray samples on the gift shop counter.

Burr’s Berry Farm

This family owned 51-year-old strawberry farm is best known for their awesome, fresh homemade strawberry shakes. They also sell other homegrown produce, homemade jams, flowers and honey. Open during the winter growing season only between Christmas and Mother’s Day, you can enjoy your milkshake and ice cream in their quaint covered garden.

Photo by rp-photo

Post by Nuria Almeida