While driving down the Sawgrass Expressway one day I noticed Sunset Hammock, a public art work…read morelocated in Sunset Point Park in Tamarac. I made a mental note to come back and get a better look. Completed in November of 2023, this monumental new artwork was created by artist Margi Glavovic who was born in Harare, Zimbabwe and grew up in Durban, South Africa. In 1999 she founded Glavovic Studio, an architecture firm in Ft, Lauderdale,. Since its inception Glavovic Studios has created affordable housing, parks, commercial spaces, museums, landscapes, and public art commissions. Nature plays a large part in her design inspiration. Sunset Hammock is an interactive in-situ metal land bridge structure that transforms into a community periscope to view the Everglades. An observational boardwalk, which includes a modular red aluminum walkway leads to a large community periscope measuring 20 feet by 3 feet, which offers a view into the Everglades that lie beyond the Sawgrass Expressway. The hammock in the artworks name comes from the hammock ecosystem found in the Florida Everglades. It is a shady tropical forest found on higher elevations and which provide important habitat for many species of wildlife, including nine federally listed species. While most hammocks are now federally protected many acres were lost to developers who were looking for higher ground to build on. This artwork was designed to give visitors a glimpse into the nearby Florida Everglades while bringing together conceptual art and nature. With this art piece Glavovic wants to raise awareness about the critical role of the Everglades within the ecological balance of South Florida. The project was created to integrate the adjacent wetland with this community park. Sunset Hammock is part of the city's Public Art Program and was approved by the city commission in April 2021. In 2020 it won am AIA Fort Lauderdale Honor Award and has been awarded grants from the National Endowment of the Arts and the Florida Land and Water Conservation Fund. The $1.1 million art installation was funded through a $400K Land and Water Conservation Grant and Public Art Funds. I love the interactive nature of this art. It incorporates art, science, community, and nature to spark interest in the Everglades which will hopefully lead to more people learning about the importance of its ecosystem. It is also a great place to watch the sun set.

If you're on the sawgrass, you'll notice the red bridge. I was thrilled to find out this was…read moreminutes from my house. Very small park but a nice one. They have pavilions with electricity to rent (affordable, I rented one), grills , bathrooms on site, covered playground and off course the red bridge. Great for parties, picnics and more. Lots of parking. Very quiet park. No pets allowed!

"Yes, American flamingos are considered native to Florida. Though they were hunted to…read morenear-extinction by the early 20th century, new research confirms they are returning, with growing populations in the Everglades, Biscayne Bay, and the Florida Keys." My Yelp friend, who was recently in Mexico at a park there, took a lovely photo of the Flamingos there. I liked the photo & said; "Great photo, my favorite OuiOui!" He asked me if I had been to that park to see them. I told him I had, and I had seen them in many many different places & parks. However, it was my wish that they would come back to the Everglades. He wrote me back & said, "I didn't know they left." I was very surprised by this statement. I thought everyone knew that American Flamingos were native to Florida & they have been pretty much extinct since the early 1900's. In the early 1900's, flamingos in Florida were nearly hunted to extinction for their meat AND their pink feathers, which were highly valued as fashion accessories for hats and fans. La vie en rose OuiOui. "Historically, large flocks lived in South Florida, but they vanished around 1900 due to the plume trade." They were also over hunted for food as they are considered a delicacy. So is the Blue Heron & the Sandhill Crane. The Sandhill Crane is known as "the filet mignon of the sky." If you look in very old cook books you will find recipes for all these birds. Thankfully, they are now protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) of 1918. This law prohibits the hunting, killing, capturing, selling, or transportation of protected migratory birds without a federal permit. I love all the Flamingos, American Birds. I'm always traveling around trying to get photos of all of them, especially in the wild. I write about this all the time OuiOui. The best place to see the American Flamingos up close right now, is at Flamingo Gardens. Flamingo Gardens is a 60 acre botanical park that was built in an old Orange orchard. It's an incredible place filled with beautiful tropical plants & flowers. There are orchids everywhere, gorgeous tropical birds everywhere, it sounds like you're in a jungle when you're there. It's a truly magnificent, magical place OuiOui. I'm so thrilled that the American Flamingos are coming back to their native Florida. The recent storms blew some of them in, all up and down the east coast, from the keys to upstate NY. You can see some small groups of them in the wild right now, however, it will take some time for their flocks to multiply back to where they should be, as Flamingos reach maturity slowly (6-7 years) and typically lay only one egg per year. In the meantime, you can see them up close & personal at the Fabulous Flamingo Gardens. Moi fave Botanical park in America. As always, I will keep searching for them in the wilds, always & forever, "1000 wild flamingos" la vie en rose OuiOui. Highest Recommendations.

Flamingo Gardens was established in 1927, and is one of the oldest botanical gardens and…read moreattractions in South Florida. It was originally founded as an orange grove, but has now become a nonprofit botanical garden. My wife has always told be about this place when we first started dating. Over the years I'm finally started going. I think she understated just was magnificent it truly is. They have hundreds of unique trees, some of which are the largest trees of their species in Florida. This is home to some of the largest collections of naturalized orchids, cycads, and heliconias. They have over 3,000 species of rare & exotic, tropical, subtropical, and native plants and trees. The Wildlife Sanctuary which is a home to permanently injured or non-releasable Florida native wildlife. Some of these animals include alligators, bobcats, eagles, otters, panthers, peacock, and of course, flamingos! I have to say that the tram tour, is my favorite part of this place. It takes you around the property showing many of the unique plants and trees. If you like birds, you can also head into the aviary and walk around with birds that are free flying. All through the year Flamingo Gardens offer different events. One of the eagerly anticipated events is the Party in Pink. This is to raise money for Flamingo Gardens. They have food and drink vendors come in, they have a silent auction and so much more. I would highly recommend this event. It is a great way to learn about Flamingo Gardens, meet some of the residents and have a great time and great food!

The perfect little garden across from the Colonnade Outlets to view or sit and relax on the metal…read morebenches surrounded by four giant artsy gators including the leader Gaudi Gator himself. Two live feral black cats were seen enjoying the garden too. This garden is between the Grand Lux and the Villagio restaurants. Tonight there was a nice cool breeze and the bright white lights wrapped around the trees looked pretty.

The Gator Garden is located in the courtyard next to Grand Lux Cafe and in front of the Colonnade…read moreentrance. There are benches, a fountain, trees, and several alligators painted by local artists. The Gator Garden was created to celebrate the Sawgrass Mills Mall 20th anniversary. I was expecting to find a cute photo opportunity but it was actually kind of sad. A few of the gators were dirty and the paint was peeling. I think they neglected to seal the paint and now it is deteriorating as it is exposed to the elements. There is an Everglades themed alligator and one dedicated to teachers. My favorite is the one covered in mosaic glass. Since that one is not painted it still looks to be in good shape. There used to be signs next to the gators but they have all been removed. There are a few benches which makes this a good place to rest outside and the fountain is pretty. As far as the gators go, I think it was a good idea but the mall really needs to restore them. As it is now, I wouldn't go out of my way to come here.

The Village Art Plaza is a new event space and sculpture garden next to City Park. The art plaza is…read moreon the site of the City of Sunrise's first post office that served residents from 1970 until 2007. Once a gathering place for people to send mail, buy stamps, see a friendly face, and chat with neighbors, the space has now been turned into a different kind of community space. This public art space was designed to be a place where Sunrise and its visitors can gather for cultural events. The colorful open space has murals on the wall including the Stay Sunny mural by Surge Contemporary Artist Murals. There are also several sculptures, my favorite is the T-Rex. There is a stage and lots of seating in the area along with beautiful landscaping. This new space kicks off with The Village Art Plaza Grand Opening on March 29th. This event will run from 5 to 9 PM and it includes live music, food and drinks, giveaways, and kids crafts. Other upcoming events include food trucks, morning yoga, story time, and a farmer's market. I am super excited to enjoy this brand new space where the community will be able to experience art, food, and cultural events.

There was a special for educators and their family to go free. So, as a teacher, I had to take…read moreadvantage of it while on maternity leave and check out the space for potential field trip. They gave a welcome goodie bag with information, which was cute. It's a small space for kids to explore, create, and learn. The interactive exhibits and hands-on art stations can keep kids engaged while making the experience fun and educational. A spot that inspires creativity. It is definitely geared towards older, school aged kids. I had my 8 month old with me and their wasn't much for him to do. It probably would be good for lower elementary students. They had painting stations, and a lot of recycled materials to make puppets. Admission can be pricey but its worth checking out on a hot or rainy day. I'm glad they do events for educators to see the space!

Super cute place! We went for a friend's kid's birthday and it was wonderful! A variety of…read moreactivities and a nice amount of free play. Many different stations with art projects. The staff was friendly and kind. I would go check this out on our own for sure!

An outdoor semi-covered shopping extravaganza hosting several restaurants and outlet stores even…read morewith an escape room and an arcade for an added experience. Over the years, businesses have come and gone, but the Yard House, Johnny Rockets, In The Game, Cheesecake Factory, Old Navy, Nordstrom, Reebok and the Regal 23 Cinema are main draws at the Oasis. In the last few weeks, the Mojito Bar and California Pizza Kitchen have finally shut it's doors. Every weekend the Florida Fresh Market provides tastes of multi-cultural and international foods within the Oasis. Love the deep discounts provided by the stores and the happy hours at the eateries. Gender assigned bathrooms are on the property. Shoppers beware of the thunderstorms that plague this area in the summer. Not much cover so bring an umbrella.

We needed to beat the heat on a hot June day. We took advantage of a Groupon. We were greeted by…read morefriendly employees, including Elie. He was very helpful and explained everything to us. A personal pan pizza and drink was included with the Groupon so we had a chance to check out the Johnny Rockets. It was a positive. Thank you Elie for taking such good care of us. We will return thank you.

Really underrated area, I took my daughters here and we all had a great time! The atmosphere to the…read moreplant life it was wonderful

Ilene Lieberman Botanical Garden was named for Lauderhill community leader Ilene Lieberman. She…read moreserved as a council women in 1984, mayor in 1988, and as a Broward County Commissioner in 1996. The garden is a small sized at only two acres. Although they didn't have a lot of land to work with they maximized what they had. The garden has an outdoor amphitheater that seats 40 people. There is also a gazebo, a tot lot playground, and an observation deck. Throughout the park there a walking trail, botanical gardens, and public art. The city of Lauderhill uses the park to stage events like the Jazz Picnic in the Park. This park provides a welcome green space in the middle of the city where the community can exercise, play, and gather together for events.

GATOR vs PUPPY At…read morethe Colonnade Outlet Shoppes there are the three giant mosaic gators in the Gator Garden with one imparticular named Gaudi. It was funny that Yelp had this piece of art entered as an historic landmark, anyways so here we are learning about Gaudi. It drew my attention when my puppy was going to lift his leg on Gaudi Gator but I discouraged him (see pic). Good picturesque opportunity but dont go out of your way for it.

It wasn't even a possibility for me not to get a picture with the notorious Gaudi Gator right…read moreacross from the Colonnades in the Gator Garden. There were a few fashionable mosaic seven foot tall gators but Gaudi stood out and looked the best.

The hotel is literally next to Sawgrass Mills, which makes it very convenient if you're planning to…read moredo outlet shopping. Free parking is also a plus! I want to shoutout Elizabeth (supervisor?), who really went above and beyond. She helped cancel and rebook our room over the phone and arranged a complimentary upgrade for us as a Gold Elite member, and guaranteed a late checkout. She handled everything very seamlessly and made the whole process completely hassle free. Kelly was also very helpful in extending our stay for an extra day and allowing us to remain in the same room. My only complaint is that the hotel lacks a few basic amenities such as Q-tips, robes and slippers. Disappointing... Housekeeping also tends to come quite late in the afternoon, usually after 2 pm. Otherwise, everything was decent.

Took a crack at this three year old AC Hotel bar at the Colonnades Outlets. The bar was dead and…read morehappy hour was over at 7pm but we viewed the drink menu and wanted to order a cold Funky Buddah draft beers but the oddly quiet bartender advised that all the co2 was out and only the domestic bottle beers were available - bummer. OK, so I ordered a Samuel Adam's bottle beer for $7.00. The lounge area surrounding the bar is classy and provides comfy seating for gatherings. There is an outside patio with a plethora of couches and tables for relaxing just a bit too humid tonight. We decided to take the elevator to the 8th floor event patio which overlooks the Fort Lauderdale and Sunrise skyline and allows an unobstructed view of the multi-colored illuminated Hard Rock Hotel. The current room prices are $189.00 and only five have balconies. The continental breakfast is $16.00. The fitness center is open 24 hours although there is not a pool on the property. This hotel provides a perfect location for international tourists on vacation.