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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Quaint independent movie theatre smacked right in the middle of Hollywood Circle. Would've never…read moreknown it was there if not for a French Meetup group I'm a part of. Passed by last Sunday to see White As Snow. We were a group of at least a dozen Francophiles, seeing as the leader of our Meetup group had spoken to the manager to get us to see this movie. The movie itself was a modern retelling of Snow White with some quirks. The movie was in French and I heavily recommend it. For those who don't speak French, don't worry as there are subtitles. Anyway, the movie theatre itself is small and intimate. I believe there is only one room where they show movies. The bathrooms are adjacent and were quite clean. They have a food stand up front, and on that day, Josh was manning it and running around after us. I'm not too sure how normal the set-up we had was as it seems the movie theatre was closed just for us, but I do have to say I was impressed. They gave us complimentary water and popcorn, and given my tardiness, I was even sought out personally in the dark to make sure I got my goodies. The customer service was superb and they really want to make sure their patrons feel welcome. This seems to be part of a trio of movie theatres that play unique movies in the area (the other two being Gateway Cinema and Savor Cinema). Have to say I'm pleased to have found this out. I just love movies!

Amazing little spot. Stumbled upon this place by accident and was very surprised to see it showing…read morea short film I had been wanting to see. Will definitely be revisiting any time I'm in the area.

Above & Beyond Service - Thank You, Captain Patrick!…read more We're staying at the beautiful Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel and decided to head over to Las Olas Boulevard for dinner. On the way back, we chose to try the Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi--and it ended up being one of the best decisions of our trip. It was an easy walk to the stop, followed by a gorgeous boat ride through the canals, and we were dropped off right in front of our hotel. Everything about the experience was seamless... until I realized I had left my purse on the boat. Panic set in immediately. I scrambled to find the Water Taxi phone number, fully expecting to leave a message and hope for the best. Instead, after a quick recording, I was given the option to speak to a supervisor--and to my surprise, a real person picked up. That person was Captain Patrick--and he was absolutely incredible. Calm, reassuring, and immediately proactive, he asked which boat I had been on and then called the captain directly while I was still on the phone. Within seconds, he confirmed they had found my purse. Without hesitation, he coordinated a handoff to the next water taxi heading back toward my stop. Not even 10 minutes later, the boat arrived--and my purse was safely back in my hands. I truly could not have asked for a better outcome to a situation I completely created myself. The level of care, urgency, and professionalism Captain Patrick showed was beyond anything I expected. He turned a stressful moment into a story I'll actually be grateful for. The Water Taxi is already a fun and unique way to experience Fort Lauderdale--but it's the people like Captain Patrick who make it exceptional. Highly, highly recommend!

Got a day to waste? Take the water taxi!…read more Took the taxi to get to one restaurant. Just one. Left at 11am. Didn't get back to my point of origination until 5pm. It was an OUTRAGEOUS waste of time waiting for this taxi, then that taxi, not knowing when the next taxi would appear. One taxi was pulling up to the restaurant where I had been waiting for an hour. Finally! I thought. Nope, suddenly the 'captain' changed his mind and left me standing there dumbfounded. Had to wait another hour for another boat. That's TWO hours of waiting outside after completing my meal. Gross lack of coordination between boats. Passengers were confused on which boat to jump on; it's three different routes. Boats are not marked as to which is going where. The boats move as slow as molasses, too. The good? The staff were nice and gave tour information as you crept along. Other than that, save your TIME and money and take a taxi on wheels, instead. You just want to get where you're going. Who has time to waste like that?!?

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.

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.

I came to this establishment because I greatly enjoy history and wanted to have the opportunity to…read moretake photos of the architecture and perhaps a video explaining what I've learned about this beautiful place. Unfortunately, the business that runs this monastery is predatory in nature. As it happens, my ancestor, William R. Hearst, was the original proprietor of the monestary when it arrived in the United States. They insist that photos can only be taken from Wednesday to Saturday, and you must schedule an appointment with a fee of nearly $400 to take portraits or photographs. The woman at the front desk was preventing us from entering the monastery without discarding any equipment that can be used for taking photos. I will add that she was extremely rude, yelling at me and my mother when we were clearly unaware of the rule. Don't come here; it's a complete waste of time; the history is very fascinating, and the building seems to be relatively well kept, but they not only charge you for entry, but additionally charge for you to take photos. $400 mandatory. There are many other beautiful historic places around Miami to visit; I would never recommend going here. Save yourself the $410 and go to the nearby lighthouse, or early 1890s church in Miami instead. The Art Deco District is also very nice. The fact that they charge an exorbitant fee to enter the premises for taking photographs is highly reminiscent of the exact reason why Martin Luther had nailed his list to the door of the Catholic Church. God frowns upon an institution that calls itself religious and charges up the wazoo for people to share information about it. To the people running this facility: do better. Be nicer. Let people explore and interact with this treasure.