Located at the Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines. I had no idea this place existed…read moreuntil a friend of mine told me they offered different types of art classes here. When you arrive at the Charles F. Dodge City Center and see the huge yellow structures in the front, The Frank Art Gallery is located on the opposite side. It's a small but beautiful and modern space. They change out their art exhibits regularly. Check out their website for different classes for all ages. We attend the monthly Teen Art Club and it's only $5. So crazy how inexpensive. But something different and fun. Highly recommended. The staff here is very friendly and knowledgeable. The space is gorgeous. Love the modern vibe!

So during the pandemic I have been out and about discovering everything and anything on my literal…read moredoorstep. I therefore stumbled upon this place, and came to see it for the artsy, architectural aspect of the building, and it did not disappoint. I did not gain a look to the inside, so my review is reflective of just the outside only. See my numerous photograpghs to get the feel of the place. Here is some information about the Mayor that this place is named after - A resident of Pembroke Pines since 1977, Mayor Frank C. Ortis has a long history of service to the community. He was elected to the Pembroke Pines City Commission in 1996 and served as Vice Mayor in 1998 and 2002. After serving two terms as City Commissioner, he was elected Mayor of the City of Pembroke Pines in 2004 and re-elected in 2008. In 2012, he was elected unopposed to a third term as Mayor of Pembroke Pines. In 2016, he was once again elected unopposed to a fourth term as Mayor of Pembroke Pines, and in 2020 Mayor Ortis was re-elected. "I like making a difference and helping people with their concerns," said Mayor Ortis. "This is a great city to live and work in, and I'm extremely proud to be a part of it." He has served and currently serves on numerous boards and committees, including being on the Board of the Broward and Florida League of Cities; Chair of the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) Committee on Jobs, Education and the Workforce; the USCM Vice Chair for Sports and Recreation, Tourism, Arts, Parks, Entertainment and Sports; and the USCM Advisory Board; on the Broward County Workforce One Development Board; and on the Board of the United Way of Broward County.. He is also the recipient of many awards, honors and recognition for his work as a civic leader, including being a recipient of the 2019 Florida League of Cities Home Rule Hero Award, and being named the 2013 winner of the prestigious E. Harris Drew Municipal Official Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by the Florida League of Cities, which recognizes and honors a local elected official who has made a lasting and worthwhile contribution to the citizens of Florida through their efforts and dedication in the performance of their duties on the local level.  He was also presented the 2012 Public Leadership in the Arts Award; and was named the Cities of Excellence "Mayor of the Year" by the Florida League of Cities. Mayor Ortis graduated from the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics. He lives with his wife Barbara in Pembroke Pines

I have passed this memorial many times and was always curious about it. Today I finally stopped and…read moremade a new discovery. It was interesting to learn that Plantation has the largest volunteer fire department in the state of Florida. The Plantation Volunteer Fire Department was formed in 1957 by 21 citizens that included former Mayor Frank Veltri and the city's founder, Fred Peters. In the beginning they were stationed in a warehouse located at East Acre and Broward that served as the first fire station with a single engine. In 1960 the first fire station was built on Broward Boulevard at East Acre. As Plantation grew more stations were built and more engines added. Just as it was in 1957, the Suppression Division is comprised of all volunteers and has a roster of more than 190 firefighters making it the largest volunteer fire department in Florida. The Rescue Division was added in 1996 to answer the increasing demand for emergency medical services. Plantation is a combination department comprised of a volunteer Suppression Division, career EMS, a Fire and Life Safety Division, and maintenance/mechanic divisions. One of the most difficult fires the Plantation Volunteer Firefighters had to deal with was in September of 1997 at the Towne Mall, located at 69th Avenue and Broward Boulevard. The mall caught fire and became the largest tactical, firefighting operation in Broward County history. The large fire was due to the roof construction which was comprised of highly flammable materials. Today the Fire Department operates six stations placed throughout the city. The Plantation Fire Department currently serves an area of 22 square miles, a residential population of 94,000, and a daytime population in excess of 150,000. In 1998 the Plantation Fire Administration building and Firefighters' Memorial Park was dedicated. This park located adjacent to the administration building honors all of the volunteer firefighters in the City of Plantation. There are plaques with the names of firefighters who served the city and a 9/11 memorial. It was so nice to visit this peaceful spot that pays tribute to the brave and dedicated volunteer firefighters of Plantation.

I love learning about the history of this area and I stumbled on this historical marker while…read morevisiting Fort Lauderdale Beach Park. The city of Ft. Lauderdale got its name from the forts erected my Major Lauderdale during the Seminole Wars. The forts no longer exist but you can see a replica of one with other artifacts at the New River Inn History Ft. Lauderdale Museum. Altogether, three forts named after Major Lauderdale were constructed: the first at the fork of New River; the second at Tarpon Bend; and the third and largest was built in 1839 under the command of Captain William B. Davidson on the beach at the site of Bahia Mar which is where this marker is. The fort was the site of a haulover where the Seminoles took their canoes from New River Sound into the Atlantic Ocean. Third Fort Lauderdale was active until 1842 when the war ended. The marker was first erected by the Himmarshee Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution 1929 and it was restored in 2005. The first fort was in what is now Maj. William Lauderdale Park in Sailboat Bend. Major William Lauderdale was born in Virginia. He was a land holder and slave owner in Tennessee. He served under Andrew Jackson. In 1838 Major Lauderdale was in his 50's and a Veteran of the War of 1812 and the First Seminole War. The Major and a group of 200 Tennessee Volunteers were posted to the area after the outbreak of the Second Seminole War. The troops marched from Fort Jupiter down what is known as Military Trail in Palm Beach and called Powerline Rd. in Broward County. Pioneer William Cooley's wife, children, and tutor had been massacred two years earlier on their New River settlement and the army had been sent to hunt for Seminole leader Sam Jones. Lauderdale chased Jones to his hiding place at Pine Island at the North Fork of the New River. A battle took place that resulted in one soldier hurting his finger. Sam Jones was able to hide in Everglades with 200 of his people. The result of the Seminole's escape was that they are the only tribe to never sign a peace treaty with the U. S. Government. The fort was abandoned 3 months later and by the time troops returned, they found it had burned down to the ground. Lauderdale considered his job completed and he left to go back to Tennessee. He never returned to the area that bore his name. Instead he died of a lung condition on the way home to Tennessee in army barracks in Louisiana one month after leaving South Florida. The Seminoles now own the Hard Rock empire.

A twelve foot tall solid steel 19th century British Admiralty Anchor (possibly from the wreckage of…read morethe British cartel ship sunk November 1, 1804) proudly standing along the historic Riverside park with amazing river views. It was placed in honor of Capt Peter Throckmorton the father of Marine Archaeology - THE END

Along Riverwalk Plaza in front of the historic New River Inn which is now a museum is another bit…read moreof interesting history. Mounted along the river is an British boat anchor that may have belonged to the L'Athenaise, a British cartel ship that sunk November 1, 1804. On the boat were 174 French prisoners of war. The anchor was discovered in 1967 off the Barefoot Mailman hotel in Hillsboro Beach. Given credit for the discovery along with several other people including his wife Deo, is Mel Fisher who famously discovered the Nuestra Señora de Atocha. The anchor was placed by the Marine Archaeological Council in honor of Capt Peter Throckmorton (1928-1990) "father of marine archaeology An admiralty anchor is a type of large vessel fluke anchor also known as a fisherman. This type of anchor has been used since ancient times. On one end of the shank of the anchor is a ring for attaching rope or chain through it to the boat. On the other end of the shank are the two flukes that once dropped, will dig into the sea floor to anchor the boat in place. One fluke digs in and one remains up which sometimes dislodges the boat and then it needs to be reset. I have watched people pass by without giving the anchor a second glance but if you stop and read the plaque you will see what a cool piece of maritime history this is. There is quite a bit of the past to be discovered along Ft. Lauderdale's Riverwalk.

In Cooley Landing in Sailboat Bend you will a boat ramp and a picnic pavilion but there is also a…read moremarker standing witness to an important piece of Ft. Lauderdale history that took place here. This monument marks the site where the William Cooley Plantation one stood. Arriving in 1824, William Cooley was one of the first pioneers of the New River Settlement now known as Ft. Lauderdale. He became wealthy with an arrowroot plantation and he traded with Seminole and Creek nations nearby. In 1835, white settlers killed a Creek chief named Alibama and were acquitted. The Creek blamed Cooley for this injustice and when he was away for business in Key West the Creek entered the plantation on January 6, 1836 and killed Cooley's wife, infant son, son, daughter, and the children's tutor. The house was set on fire. The Cooley massacre sparked the Second Seminole War. The army established the first Fort Lauderdale in 1838. The eventual outcome was the Indian Removal Act where the native people were forced out of Florida to the west on the Trail of Tears. It is believed that the massacre was committed by the creek but the settlers in the area could not distinguish between the Creek and the Seminoles. Led by chief Abiaka, the remaining 200 Seminoles fled to Pine Island Ridge where they were able to outlast the army. Cooley left Ft. Lauderdale but lived in Florida until his death. There is another marker dedicated in 1934 in Cooley Hammock Park near Las Olas Boulevard that says it was the site of the Cooley Plantation. It has now been established that this information is not correct but the neighborhood did not want the marker removed. The correct location is Cooley Landing and this marker was installed in 1993 by the City of Ft. Lauderdale. .

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.

Purely managed by the City of Plantation and zero affiliation with the Broward County Library…read moreconglomerate. Looks like a remodeled old house with plenty of parking spaces. Ultra quiet inside and the librarian answered all my questions starting with Plantation residents have free access to books and non-resident adults pay only $30.00 per year and $15.00 for kids. Very well organized library with large book genres titles for simple navigation. Only a few people reading books or studying on their laptops. Getting a small café inside would be a great attribute. The printer use was only .15 cents per b&w page and free use of the internet on the computer. They also had a very small section of books for sale which was odd but maybe the proceeds go toward the upkeep. The gender neutral bathroom was clean and located near the book checkput counter.

I always loved the relaxed quiet feel of libraries and this one is very chill too with low shelves…read moremaking it simple to reach for a good book. The little finger paper activities to write poems was a great interactive idea. The library has a large Mystery and Fiction section. $30 per year is a very inexpensive membership and free if I only lived in Plantation.

The Christmas activities and tree lighting yesterday December 5th was AWESOME! And major not only…read moreto the city of Oakland Park for organizing it, but for all the volunteers that gave their time and were there to help. The atmosphere was amazing, mostly tanks to the varied activities, but the people who were there to help and really shared their joy and working there. I drove from out west to go to that city of Oakland Park display and it was worth every mile

In 1901 Tom and Netty Whidby were the first white settlers to the area that is now known as Oakland…read morePark. They farmed the land next to the Florida East Coast Railway tracks. By 1910, the area was known as Colohatchee but it really took off in 1922 when Florida's land boom was in full swing. The Barkdull Investment Company plotted a housing development east of Dixie Highway and north of the North Fork of Middle River. They chose the name Oakland Park because of the majestic oaks trees lining the river. Soon locals began using the name. In 1925 the city was going to be incorporated by wealthy Palm Beach investors as Floranada, a mashup of Florida and Canada. Around this time Florida was negatively financially impacted by hurricanes and the Great Depression causing the land boom collapsed and the investors pulled out. Instead of being named Floranada, the town was incorporated as Oakland Park on July1, 1929 and included Federal Highway on the east to Northeast Third Avenue and from North Fork of Middle River to Prospect Road. In the subsequent years Oakland Park was home to farms and ranches while the Oakland Park Methodist Church served as the hub of social activities. Oakland Park Elementary School opened in 1925 and is the oldest functioning school in Broward County. Most of the businesses opened on Dixie Highway, the main road through town. The 1960's and 70's brought a new boom to Oakland Park with brand new housing developments and condominiums. Businesses and industry also flourished. Today Oakland Park is home to 42,000 residents while still maintaining its small hometown feel. Some of my favorite Oakland Park destinations include Funky Buddha for craft beers, Nour Thai Kitchen and Bar for Thai food, Pink Love Donuts and More for over the top donuts, Cyth and Co for coffee, Cielito Lindo for Mexican food, the British Depot for English treats, Richie's Italian Gourmet Ices for the best gourmet Italian ice, and Dixie Pig for BBQ. For outside recreation I recommend the Stunson Nature Trail, Royal Palm Park, Lakeside Sand Preserve, Richard E Giusti Heart Parcours, and Jaco Pastorius Park which hosts a number of festivals throughout the year. I also enjoy the many Oakland Park thrift stores like Oddballs Nifty Thrift. Whether you want to try a new place to eat, enjoy a cultural activity, or participate in outdoor recreation, Oakland Park has an abundance of choices to appeal to everyone.