Self- guided historic tour #2. The Central Arcade was built in 1923 for professional office spaces…read morespecifically for a dentist (Hlwd mayor) thru the 1930's and a photographer sixty years later. The Hollywood Blvd Theater was a tenant here in the right side space and closed forever in 2001. Today, the two storefront locations of 1936 and 1938 Hollywood Blvd are the Cabo Blanco Restaurant & Bar. The words Central Arcade in the mid 1900s meant retail shopping area not as the meaning today which an arcade refers to pinball entertainment. The bronze marker plaque on the outer wall legitimizes the landmark by the Hollywood Historical Society.

The Central Arcade building is located in Hollywood's historic business district which was…read moredesigned by Hollywood founder Joseph Young in 1921. Many of it's original design features remain. Architectural features of the buildings include those used the 1920's Florida land boom time and after it went bust during the Depression and New Deal eras. The Central Arcade Building is part of the city of Hollywood's Historical Landmark Plaque Tour sponsored by the Hollywood Historical Society and the Community Redevelopment Agency. This is stop number 12. The arcade was a popular building design in the 1920's and 1930's. It was one to two stories in height and had space in the building for individual retailers. The arcade was a precursor to the mall. In the 1930's Hollywood's mayor had a dental office in the building. In the late 1990's the building was the Hollywood Boulevard Theater. Today the building houses Cabo Blanco and Uncle Buck's, a discount store. The upstairs is available for lease.

Took a self guided tour #1 along the Hollywood Blvd Historic Business District and found some…read moreinteresting landmarks. Same pillars out front now painted black instead of the original white color of the entrance to the historic publishing company. The building was built by JW Young in 1925 as a publishing business and the men's Toggery shop was on the 1st floor then converted to a drug store in 1934. Basically modernized years later the outside structure remains the same as the original. I was able to walk into the tiny lobby where there was an elevator leading up to the current businesses CBA Realty and Jumping Jax Tax. Next to the elevator there is a tall mid-century glass display case with porcelain houseware. The bronze marker plaque on the outer wall next to the front door legitimizes the landmark by the Hollywood Historical Society.

A super cute building located in the old district of Hollywood, Miami. The building was built by…read moreJ.W. Young in 1925 as the new home for the Hollywood Land and Water Company's publishing business. The Toggery (yes, I had to look it up, toggery means clothes, togs!, it is an old fashioned word used mainly in the 18th century!) Shop Men's Wear was on the ground floor, east side. In 1934, James Breeding converted the building into a drug store. In 2004, Aron & Zahava Halpern restored the building's 1925 splendor. It is now surrounded by cafes and restaurants, and is a sweet hub for night time dining. Below there is now the restaurant Latin spot called Spice, which is also a dance club.

Hollywood Florida has done a great job of preserving their historic buildings. A lot of people know…read moreabout their downtown art walks but did you know you can also do a self guided historic building walk? The Hollywood Historical Society has placed plaques on several buildings of historical note in the downtown area. On the Hollywood Historical Society's website is a printable map of the Historic Landmark Plaque Tour. The group also operates tours of the historic Hammerstein House open on the last Sunday of the month during the winter and spring from 1 to 4 PM and different historic tours. Check their website for details. As a fan of architecture I love to check out the different historic buildings when I am in Hollywood and this building has quite a storied past. City of Hollywood founder Joseph Young opened this building in July 1924 as the headquarters of the Hollywood Publishing Company, which published the Reporter and the Hollywood News. He used the papers to spread the word of his new city. Less than a year later he donated the building to the city at which time it became Hollywood's first City Hall, Police Station, jail, city meeting hall and the courthouse until 1928. From the late 1970s into the 90s, it was the restaurant and music venue known as World Famous Hemmingway's. In the following years the building has been bars, restaurants, heavy metal clubs, and possibly a bondage dungeon. It was The Continental, the Monster Rock Cafe, Club X, and in 2000 a gay bar called Mankind. In 1997 the building was declared a historical site by the City of Hollywood. Today, the building houses a Peruvian restaurant called Runa's, and an adjacent bar, called the Tavern which still contain the marble floors, high ceilings, crystal chandeliers, Tiffany stained glass, and mahogany bar from the buildings hey day.

The Hollywood Historical Society is a non profit organization, founded in 1974 for the purpose of…read morecollecting, preserving, and educating the public about the history of Hollywood, Florida. They are located in the historic Hammerstein House on Polk Street where they operate a research center that has over 20,000 pieces in it's collection. There is a small store at the research center that sells photos, postcards, and books. They also give free tours of the Hammerstein House on first Sunday of the month, October through May, from 1:00-4:00 PM. On the events page of their website you can see the dates for their lecture series as well as an upcoming lunch on January 19th at the Tropical Acres Steak House. Also on their website is a great printable tour map that gives you a self guided walking tour of historic places along the beach and in the downtown. I love what the historical society is doing to preserve the history in Hollywood. It is always fun to discover on of the plaques they have installed on a building and read about the history of the place. You can support the historical society by becoming a member, making a donation, or serving as a docent at the Hammerstein House.

My 1400th year I saved this milestone review for this organization that I have been a Lifetime…read moremember of since moving to Hollywood 19 years ago. This is a wonderful organization that's mission is preserving and protecting Hollywood's history. The headquarters is located a short walk from my home on the Southside of the golf course, on Polk street in the historic district of Hollywood Lakes. The Hammerstein House was donated to the City by the Hammerstein's who have a great love for this city as well as no children to pass the property down to. The Historic Society rents the property on a 99 year lease for $1. per year. There is free tours given of the home first Sunday of the month from October through May. The historic details are magnificent such as the Cuban tile that is original to the home as well as the grand archways. The kitchen has cabinets that reach up to the top of the ceiling and it really lent itself as a place for entertaining. The grounds have beautiful greenery and lush trees. As a past President I had my own home featured on the Annual Historic Home Tour. That year we featured the homes of Northlake which also included the Hollywood Women's Club that is located around the corner from my home across from the Hollywood Beach Resort and Country Club. I highly recommend you stopping by the home for a tour as well as learn more about the City of Hollywood's fascinating history as well as former residents that called Hollywood their home.

The iconic Hollywood Water Tower stands 160 feet tall and holds one million gallons of water. It…read morewas constructed in 1955 and is maintained by the City of Hollywood Public works Dept. Growing up in Hollywood as a kid, this light blue and white painted tower was visible from a few areas east of Federal Hwy on Sheridan Street and is directly next to West Lake Park. The second Hollywood water tower stands at Sheridan Street and i-95. Both towers not only harness water but are artistic Hollywood landmarks. Today we were driving back from Hollywood Beach and pulled off the roadway to take a few minutes to gaze at the structure. Over the years, the painted decor at the sphere-like top has changed, but the Hollywood name is still prominently displayed as a sense of pride for the historic tower. There are no tours offered for either water tower - it would be cool though. FYI..I always wanted to climb the tower by its winding staircase.

One of only two water towers in Hollywood. Today I went to the West Lake Park to relax and saw this…read moretall water tower that was begging for a photo. Pulled off the side of Sheridan Street and captured a perfect shot of the light blue tower.

Cutest little movie theater in Hollywood! Felt so lucky to get the parking spot right in the front…read more Went to see the movie cinema paradiso, so its was a great experience

Every movie I have seen at Cinema Paradiso has been entertaining and mind-expanding. I feel smarter…read moreon the way out than I was on the way in. Today, during the Saturday World Cup Watch Party, I decided to go to the movie. Now some may say that was the less smart part, but I disagree. Even though I wasn't there to cheer on Colombia, the excitement of the whole scene was palpable. And when I ducked into the cold AC of the theatre, I felt smarter indeed. Today's movie was Tuner, which has a 94 score on Rotten Tomatoes. Dustin Hoffman plays a great supporting role. Suspenseful, emotional, exciting, a but nerve wracking. A popcorn-shoving spectacle to behold.

Water Taxi - Pompano Beach…read more I highly recommend the Water Taxi if you're in the Fort Lauderdale/Pompano Beach area. I live in Pompano Beach and love riding it, especially in the afternoon and evening -- the views along the Intracoastal are beautiful as the light changes. My most recent trip was excellent thanks to Capt Jack and Glen, who made the ride even better. Great service, great scenery -- highly recommend for locals and visitors alike.

Wow! Had a great day on the water taxi. First of all it has an app you can follow to see when the…read moreboat will be arriving. Such a time saver. A group of 10 took the taxi on a bar crawl. We stopped at several of the stops. A quick jump on jump off and just feet away from a bar or restaurant. We started at noon and used the service till around 7:00. Such a fun way to party on the water. They also sell water and beers on the boat. The staff were friendly and welcoming. There is a fee, however someone purchased my ticket so I'm not sure of the price. We did go in late June and it was very hot out but you had a nice breeze. I'm sure it's more enjoyable in the winter.

What a breathtaking 338 mile route from Key West to the Georgia border. The most significant areas…read morefor dramatic ocean views are near St Johns and Flagler but the tri-coast area of Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Miami are close seconds. Most vacationers know the A1A route better as US1 which connects inland northwest and runs all the way to the Canadian border. I remember my grandparents taking this route from New Jersey south to Fort Lauderdale in the 70's. In Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale you can grab a peek of the ocean from some spots and lots of mom and pop eateries. Aside from vehicular traffic, there are many people riding bicycles and on foot enjoying the breeze and sights.

Scenic and an amazing view from the beach and the road. I love being here and will definitely…read morecontinue to visit.