This building is located in Hollywood's historic business district which was designed by Hollywood…read morefounder Joseph Young in 1921. Many of it's original design features remain. The Wellons & McGowan 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 building is stop number 14 of 17 stops. During the 1930s Wellons & McGowan held a license for slot machines which they operated at this address. When the slot machines closed the building housed Breedings liquor store. Today it is a Full Life vitamin store. Hollywood Blvd. is home to several historical buildings and it is fun to look at all of the buildings and try to guess which are historic as you look for the plaques. Parking is difficult to find in the area but if you look closely you can find a lot just off of the boulevard.

Stop #4 on our self-guided Hollywood history mini tour --…read more This location and marker shows the location where two gentlemen named Wellons and McGowan had a license for slot machines at this address. The gambling boom in Florida began in 1935 when the state legalized slot machines. There were over 12,000 of them and most were located in South Florida. Machines were everywhere. They were an important source of revenue for their cities... including for Hollywood. They were outlawed in 1937; however, the then Broward Sheriff allowed slots and casinos to thrive into the 1930s and 40s. I tried to find some background information on either of these men, but was unsuccessful. After their enterprise here, the building housed a liquor store. Today, it is occupied by a convenience store which was listed for sale in April, 2019.

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.

This building is located in Hollywood's historic business district which was designed by Hollywood…read morefounder 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 Hollywood Publishing Company Hollywood News 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 13. This building is part of the two part commercial block. Buildings in this district had two to four floors. The ground floors were for the public to come in and buy merchandise or interact with the business. Seconds floors were for meeting rooms, apartments, or offices. These buildings at Art Deco architectural details. This building appears to have two candles flanking a door. The Hollywood Publishing Company building was built by Joseph Young in 1925. He used it for the Hollywood Land and Water Company's publishing business. On the first floor Toggery Shop Men's Wear operated a business. In 1934, James Breeding used building for a drug store. Aron & Zahava Halpern restored the building in 2004. The current business in the building is Spice Resto Lounge.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

If you wish you could go to Europe and explore the relics of the Renaissance but don't have the…read moremoney to drop on a plane ticket then we have the next best thing in our own backyard. If you can't travel to Europe not to worry Europe has been painstakingly brought to you brick by brick in the form of this incredible Spanish Monastery that was completed in the year of 1141 AD which was 360 years before Columbus even set sail for the New World! The monastery was built in Sacramenia Spain. I don't know how Spain feels about having their treasure here but it was taken at a time when there was less thought given to plundering the treasures of other nations and taking them from their native lands. Due to a social revolution in the 1830's in Spain the monastery was seized from the monks living there and turned into a stable. It was at this point that newspaper titian William Randolph Hearst bought the the Cloisters and outbuildings and had them dismantled, packed in 11,000 crates, and shipped to the US. An outbreak of hoof and mouth disease thought to be carried in the straw of the crates and Hearst's financial problems caused the boxes to remain in storage in NY for the next 26 years. After Hearst dies William Edgemon and Raymond Moss purchased the Cloisters and paid 13 million dollars to reassemble it. After it was reconstructed it was purchased by Robert Pentland Jr. a wealthy benefactor of the church and today the Monastery is once again home to an active congregation, the Church of St. Bernard de Clairvaux. We arrived at the Monastery in the later part of the afternoon. The normal price to enter is $10 for adults and $5 for students. The credit card machine was down so for $10 cash they let us in. You enter through the museum and gift shop. There are many interesting relics from the Middle Ages on display. The hymnarium is an 800 year old handwritten collection of hymns written in berries on lambskin parchment. There is also a suit of armor from the 1600's from Hearst's own collection. From the museum you enter into the gardens. There you will find an iron gate with an image of the Spanish nobleman who owned it on top. You can also see a stone with the date of 1141! From the garden you enter into the South Cloisters, the Chapel, the East Cloisters, and the North Cloisters. There is literally a treasure around every corner. Be sure to pick up a free guide in the gift shop before you leave so that you can have a self guided tour. This place is an incredible treasure. I think it is so crazy to be standing in front of something so old with the skyscrapers of Miami peeking out from behind it. I also love the friendly Monastery cats who come up to you for a little love. If you haven't been to this unique attraction you need to cross it off your list. No need to go to Spain just pay a visit to North Miami.

You won't find a European building this old in the Americas! Built in the 12th century in Spain,…read moreit was packed up and brought to Miami last Century. Peaceful grounds and remarkable antiquity, the Monastery offers a unique experience in Miami. 44 minutes is more than enough time for a self-guided wander across the grounds, but arrive by Noon for a guided tour (which I missed). Also, check the calendar on their website as they close for many private events.