Polished Concrete University trains students in the process of polishing floors for residential and…read morecommercial applications. Turn dull concrete into a decorative maintenence friendly work of art. Our five day class covers everything from start to finish and includes additional training with cementitious overlays and micro-toppings as well as stains, sealers and a polyaspartic flooring system. Everything is under one fully air conditioned roof and includes a light breakfast and lunch. Call and speak directly to me, Robert at 973-459-1826.

This is some of the finest decorative concrete training out there. Robert is an outstanding teacher…read moreand has developed a comprehensive curriculum which helps you really understand how to prep for and apply various decorative surfaces like epoxy, polyaspartic, stains, polished concrete and much more. Robert is a wealth of information. The invaluable part of this is the ongoing support that he will provide as you return home and go to jobs. I recommend this to anyone from contractors to DIY.

Sometimes you're driving by and something makes you stop. I was traveling through the historic…read moreSistrunk neighborhood of Ft. Lauderdale, named for Fort Lauderdale's first Black doctor, when I spotted an interesting sign on the corner that seemed out of place. I had to take a closer look. Upon closer examination, I learned that this bronze memorial honors John H. Hill II, a local millionaire. He was a prominent figure in the early development of Broward County, Florida. Hill was born in 1879, and he moved to Florida with his family, where he became involved in various business ventures in the late 19th century. He began purchasing real estate and investing in the area, which attracted more people to come. This part of Fort Lauderdale was a lively entertainment scene in the 1930s for African American entertainers. John Hill II owned the Windsor Club, where famous performers like Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, and Duke Ellington appeared. During the days of segregation, they--along with Black athletes who played for the New York Yankees--also stayed at the ornate Hill Hotel, built in 1946 on this corner. John Henry Hill II was the first African American millionaire in Fort Lauderdale, and he owned a number of businesses, including the Hill Hotel. In the mid-1980s, many of the businesses once owned by Mr. Hill in Dorsey Riverbend, Sistrunk, and the Northwest Redevelopment area were acquired by the City of Ft. Lauderdale. The city planned to use these properties to revitalize and propel the neighborhood into its next chapter. To honor Mr. Hill's many accomplishments and civic contributions to the city, this landmark was installed by the Ft. Lauderdale City Commission near the site of the former Hill Hotel. I really enjoyed learning about Mr. John H. Hill. It's amazing that he was such an accomplished businessman during segregation, when African Americans had far fewer opportunities. His love for this community lives on.

Memorials are an important way to honor those who are no longer with us and there is one such…read morememorial named The Davie Police and Fire Memorial, located inside Davie's Pine Island Park. The memorial was paid with donated money and was created by the Davie Police Memorial Foundation, a non profit that provides resources for the families of fallen officers. Planning for the memorial began in 2003. It depicts two life sized statues called The Protectors created by Brodin Studios Inc. of Litchfield Minnesota. They sculptures are of a firefighter holding the hand of a girl and a police officer holding the hand of a boy. The figures represent how our first responders protect the most vulnerable members of the community, Behind the sculptures are an American flag, town of Davie flag, and police and fire department flags and a wall engraved with the names of first responders who have dedicated their professional lives to helping the Davie community. So far Davie has not lost and police officer or firefighter in the line of duty. Instead the memorial honors those who selflessly served the community. On the memorial is the name of one firefighter, Davie Fire Rescue Chief Joe Montopoli who passed away at the age of 57 in 2016. Also on the wall are the names of five police officers. Curtis Mancini, Rogerio "Roger" Morales, Richard Wendrow, William E. Britton II, and Wesley Griffin. A few of the names were familiar to me like that of Officer Mancini who died in 2004 while serving in Afghanistan and Wesley Griffin who came from a Davie pioneer family and was a beloved member of the community where he served as a school resource officer before passing from a heart attack. A Davie park is named in his honor. The first responders listed on this memorial touched many lives and this is a way for the community to pay their respects. Every community has a veteran's memorial and I love the idea of a police and firefighter memorial. I hope the idea catches on in more towns.

Alexander Ramsey "Sandy" Nininger Jr. (October 20, 1918 - January 12, 1942)…read morewas born in Atlanta. He was sickly as a child and after his mother ran off, his actor father hired a nanny to care for him. He and his father moved to Sailboat Bend in Fort Lauderdale in 1927 and his father ran the Sunset Theatre downtown. Everyone called him Sandy because of the color of his hair. While growing up he used to like to listen to retired Army Major C.W. Cole talk about the Moro Wars and his duty with the Philippine Scouts. By the time Sandy entered high school he had decided he was going to West Point and he asked to be able to have time to study for the entrance exam. Nininger graduated from Ft. Lauderdale high school in 1937 and by June 1941 he graduated from West Point with honors in the top 25 of his class. After graduation, Second Lt. Nininger joined the Philippine Scouts at Fort William McKinley in the Philippines in November 1941. A month later, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Two days later, Japanese bombers destroyed the Army Air Force on the ground at Clark Field in the Philippines. Nininger was assigned to Company A of the 57th Philippine Scouts who were building a defense line at Abucay on the east coast of Bataan. Since they were not assigned to combat duty he asked to instead to join company K who were going on a sniper mission to look for Japanese who had broken through General Douglas MacArthur's defense lines. While shooting at Japanese soldiers in trees and fox holes Sandy became wounded three times. He ended up charging far into enemy territory alone. By the time the position was retaken, Sandy Nininger was found with a sniper wound in the back of his head, a bloody bayonet clenched in his fist, and the bodies of three Japanese soldiers across him. The Japanese were stunned by the attack and had to wait for more troops. The delay allowed MacArthur to safely leave for Australia and prevented the Japanese from making a quick attack on Singapore. Sandy Nininger's body was left in the Philippines but there is a grave for him in Arlington Cemetery. After his death President Franklin D. Roosevelt awarded him the first Medal of Honor during World War II on January 29, 1942. The Citation by the United States Congress reads "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Abucay, Bataan, Philippine Islands, on 12 January 1942. This officer, though assigned to another company not then engaged in combat, voluntarily attached himself to Company K, same regiment, while that unit was being attacked by enemy force superior in firepower. Enemy snipers in trees and foxholes had stopped a counterattack to regain part of position. In hand-to-hand fighting which followed, 2d Lt. Nininger repeatedly forced his way to and into the hostile position. Though exposed to heavy enemy fire, he continued to attack with rifle and hand grenades and succeeded in destroying several enemy groups in foxholes and enemy snipers. Although wounded 3 times, he continued his attacks until he was killed after pushing alone far within the enemy position. When his body was found after recapture of the position, 1 enemy officer and 2 enemy soldiers lay dead around him." This statue of Sandy Nininger was erected in 1994 along the Ft. Lauderdale Riverwalk in front of the Wayne Huizenga Plaza. It was sculpted by artist Enzo Gallo. I already knew about Sandy, the hometown war hero from a historical marker about him in front of the War Memorial Auditorium in Ft. Lauderdale. He is also honored with Nininger Drive, Nininger AmVets Post #3, and the Nininger Army Reserve Center. In 2006 an award was created in Nininger's honor by the Association of Graduates of the US Military Academy: The Alexander R. Nininger Award for Valor at Arms. It is given to West Point graduates who have displayed courage in combat and upheld the values of West Point. The first awardee was Major Ryan L. Worthan. Sandy was only 23 when he died. The statue depicts how he may have looked moments from death on his knee with his outstretched arm reaching towards the sky. If you know his story it is very poignant when you see it in person. Behind the statue is a mosaic tile mural dedicated to all veterans and the names of over 300 Broward war dead are inscribed in special bricks surrounding the marble base. A Memorial Day service by the West Point Alumni Association membership is held here every year. The family of Sergeant Julio Negron who was killed in Iraq, attends the ceremony every year along with many others who want to keep their loved ones sacrifices remembered.

Philemon and his wife Lucy Catherine Bryan along with their seven children came to Ft. lauderdale…read moreto start over after a freeze killed his crop of oranges in Smyrna, Florida, In 1895. In Ft. Lauderdale he purchased 840 acres of land and planted twenty-five orange trees. Henry Flagler gave him the job of laying railroad track from Pompano Beach to Miami which he did along with his two sons. With the railroad in town a hotel was needed which was Philemon's next project. In order to build the New River Inn Philemon and Lucy's Bryan's family wooden house was torn down and the hotel which was completed in 1905 was placed where it had stood. To replace the lost family home Lucy's two sons requested contractor Edwin T. King to build a new home in 1905. The house is built of hollow concrete block in a Colonial Revival style. Lucy lived in the house until she died from an accident at the age of 72. During World War II it served as a boarding house for young women whose husbands were away at war. Later on it became a yoga studio. The house is the oldest remaining example of residential masonry architecture in Fort Lauderdale. There are many stories of the house being haunted by the spirit of Lucy. People have reported her to be a kind and comforting presence. The house is now owned by the Ft. Lauderdale historical museum who restored it. It is open for visitors during their history tours.

A "Key" monumental find at the center of Dania Pointe. Directly on the corner in front of Joe & the…read moreJuice. Presented to the Kimco Realty 2016 team who are dedicated to the entire Dania Pointe project. A beautiful bronze colored key atop a marblelike platform for thousands of visitors to gawk at everyday.

Sitting at the corner directly across from Tommy Bahama in Dania Pointe is this beautiful Key To…read moreThe City of Dania Beach sculpture. A big gold key on top of a white cement square block. Names stamped on a bronze plaque is the Mayor, Vice Mayor, Curt Commissioner, City Manager, Deputy City Manager and City Attorney.

A 13.9 mile drainage canal flowing from the City of Sunrise in the west to Fort Lauderdale in the…read moreeast. This canal is the home to a variety of fish and often see boats with sport hunters of the evasive iguanas that thrive on the grassy banks on both sides. Several bridges were constructed over the canal at different intersections for vehicular traffic to pass over. Swimming is not permitted in the canal, not that you would really want to anyways. Never saw an alligator, but surely they are there patiently awaiting for a human meal.

Every time I wait for the traffic light at State Road 84 and Flamingo Road I sit on top of the…read moreNorth New River Canal bridge and look east and west down the waterway for miles. People bike riding on the side pathway and fishing along the canal embankment. Nothing really too special but just a notable Broward landmark.

If you've ever visited Mizner Park in Boca Raton, chances are you've noticed this striking…read moregold-colored sculpture of a woman and her dog near the north end of the park, close to the amphitheater. The seven-foot bronze sculpture depicts Florence "Flossy" Keesely, a beloved South Florida philanthropist and arts patron. The sculpture was created by acclaimed local artist and designer Yaacov Heller, an Israeli-American sculptor and jewelry designer based in Boca Raton who is known for his sculptures of Biblical themes. This sculpture portrays a youthful Keesely in a ball gown, reaching upward and holding a large, star aloft. What i love most about this piece is at her feet is a smaller sculpture of her beloved Yorkshire Terrier, Schatzi. Keesely was a pioneer of early television, co-hosting Your Television Shopper on the DuMont Network in 1948, one of the earliest daytime television programs. She was also an enthusiastic supporter of music, theater, and the arts throughout South Florida. her legacy has been left on the cultural community of South Florida. Keesely lived to the age of 101, passing away in February 2016. This sculpture celebrates her vibrant personality, love of the arts, and contributions to the Boca Raton community. Now that I know more about Florence "Flossy" Keesely, the artwork is that much more meaningful and I always look for it when I drive by.

Hmm...been here so many times in Mizner Park and have seen the amplitheater but never the Flossy…read moreKeesely sculpture until today. If it wasnt for the informational marker next to the life sized gold woman and her Yorkshire Terrier - Schatzi, I would have never known what really this represented. She is considered the first lady of daytime television in 1948. She was a philanthropist and a voice in the art world. It was constructed in 1990 by Yaacov Heller who is a sculptor and jewelry designer in Boca Raton.