WARMER FORT LAUDERDALE

It was so cold in New York City that our faces froze and it looked as if Eunice and I would have the same expression the rest of our fowl lives! We decided to make our way to Fort Lauderdale, Florida via Jet Blue. Got a shared shuttle ride to the Riverside Hotel where we'd be staying for the three nights.

The hotel is located on E. Las Olas Blvd, a more artsy and trendy area as opposed to the strip on the beach. There is a cafe called Gran Forno, located just down the block from the hotel. We decided to meet Sal, the owner, and check out the pizza that is comparable to one that you would get in Naples. It did have a thin crust and just crispy enough with tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella. They also have a store made ice cream that is different than gelato.

Directly across from the hotel is Pan'e Dolci where we met Roberto, the owner but didn't get to have our photo taken with him until we later went to his main bakery.

That evening Eunice and I went to see a performance of Les Miz at the Broward Center for Performing Arts. Merle happened to be there so we took a photo with her.

The next morning we got a tour of the area via a pedicab. Brogan Graham owns a company called Ocean View Rickshaw. I suppose it's kind of like a rickshaw, but instead of your being seated and someone pulling the "cab" on foot, they do it with a bicycle. It was great but I don't think Brogan realized that he was nearly chocking us chickens. Hey, you can see Pan'e Dolci in the background! We stopped at a coffee shop called Brew and sat at an outside table waiting for service. Didn't know that you had to go in and purchase the stuff at the counter and then bring it out, which we eventually did.

Then we met with Jessica Taylor from tourism who took us on a tour of some of the other areas of Fort Lauderdale and had lunch at Galanga Thai Kitchen and Sushi Bar located in the "gayborhood" area called Wilton Manor. Great lobster sushi roll! Eunice insisted on taking a photo with Jessica to look as if she were biting her nose. Eunice can be so silly at times. Aside from Wilton Manor, we were also able to see the beach strip.

Back to E. Las Olas and to the waterways where they have water taxis, tour boats and even a gondola. Although the gondola was pretty and romantic looking, it lost it's romance with the gondolier who doesn't use oars as the boat is powered by a motor.