The South Florida Traveler » Florida

Make a Child’s Dreams Come True this Holiday Season

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 19:18:48 +0000

Every year, as December rolls around, children sit around the table dreaming up their wish list of what gifts they hope Santa will bring them. But what happens when money is so tight that some parents of these children are struggling to pay their bills. Will their children’s dreams come true or will they fall through the cracks? That’s where Toys For Tots comes in.

This 501c3 began in 1947 when Major Bill Hendricks, USMCR and a group of Marine Reservists collected over 5,000 toys and distributed them to needy children in the Los Angeles area. Through time, this program has grown and over 370 million toys have been distributed to over 173 million needy children. Their goal is to deliver a message of hope, through a new toy at Christmas, to needy youngsters so they will grow into productive, responsible, patriotic citizens and community leaders. Throughout the months of October, November and December toy drives are held to insure that children everywhere will receive a package on Christmas morning. Drop-off points are available throughout the country, making it easy to donate to those in need. For more information, about local drop-off locations, visit them online: West Palm Beach, Miami-Dade County and Broward, and Martin County.

In addition, many events are being held to collect more gifts. What a great reason to enjoy a night out!

Toys For Tots at Blue Martini in Fort Lauderdale: Bring a toy on any Tuesday in December and you will receive a complimentary cocktail. They are also hosting a celebration party on Sunday, December 14th from 3 – 7:00 pm.
Free Mojitos at Ola: Bring in an unwrapped Toy For Tots (min. $20 value) and receive a complimentary mojito or holiday cocktail. This offer is valid from Mon, December 9th – Wed, December 24th.

Photo Credit: mysza831 @ flickr

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

Have You Made Plans for Thanksgiving Yet?

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:52:57 +0000

Thanksgiving – a time to spend with your family and friends and to give thanks for all that you have. Let me put an emphasis on the family part, or at least that’s what’s been with my family. But what happens when your family is thousands of miles away, and you’re stuck in sunny Florida. What to do? Start planning now, as you’ll be quizzed on the intricate details of your Thanksgiving Day. Here’s some options:

Football, football and did I say football? There’s never a bad day for football, especially on Thanksgiving Day. Tennessee takes on Detroit at 12:30 (will they win that first game of the year against the league’s only undefeated team this year?), Seattle goes to Dallas at 4:15 and Arizona takes on the Eagles at 8:15 pm.
Movie Marathon anyone? There’s 4 movies being released the day before Thanksgiving and you could be one of the first to check them out. “Four Christmases” starring Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn is released on the 26th. This happily unmarried couple have planned an extravagant getaway for the holidays, but due to weather they find their vacation plans ruined and end up going to four family functions that day instead. Their feelings are spread in all directions as one can’t wait until they escape, while the other is starting to think about “other” things. Also, scheduled to be released are Australia starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, Milk starring Sean Penn and Emily Hirsch highlighting the life of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office, and Transporter 3 starring Jason Stathaym.

Are you looking to find a tasty Thanksgiving turkey dinner, without having to do all of the leg work? Make your reservation today. Opentable.com has a pretty extensive line-up of restaurants throughout South Florida ranging from traditional menus to innovative inspirations. Whether you want a prix fixed menu or are more of that a la carte type of meal, you will find what you are looking for in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
Has it been awhile since you’ve used that grill? Invite some friends over, put a turkey on the grill and have everyone bring a side dish. For wine, epicurious put out an interesting article on the top 5 turkey friendly wines, along with some delicious recipes. Don’t forget to take some pictures to send up to your northern friends as they are fighting the cold.
Make a shopping list for Black Friday, go to bed early, and get ready to fight the crowds at 5 am.
Make a list of everything you are thankful for. Take part in the true reason behind this holiday.

Photo Credit: xybermatthew @ flickr

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

It’s Time to Visit a New Museum

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:26:23 +0000

As much as I complain about Bank of America month after month, I still manage to give them my business. Why? Initially it was convenience as I used to be able to do my grocery shopping and my banking in the same trip, but that stopped years ago when Publix closed the B of A in my local store, but I’m still there.

I recently learned of a new perk that Bank of America added to their accounts (checking, debit or credit cards) called the Museums on Us program. This program allows card holders to receive free admission to nearly 70 museums nationwide on the first weekend of every month all year long just by presenting your Bank of America card. And for those of you that tend to be a little forgetful, they even send text message reminders.

Here’s a list of museums that honor the B of A card in Florida:

Morikami Museum in Delray Beach
South Florida Science Museum in West Palm Beach
Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale
Museum of Art in Fort Lauderdale
Miami Art Museum
Miami Children’s Museum
Miami Science Museum

For a list of museums in other states, visit Museums on Us.

Photo Credit [Go Card USA @ flickr]

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

It’s Your Birthday

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:18:17 +0000

Who loves twitter? It took me a long time to catch on, but recently I’ve seen its effectiveness and have people following me that I never knew existed. In that, I’ve found some interesting sites – the latest being a site that lists all the freebies you can get on your birthday. Yes, times are tough so why not take advantage of those birthday perks? Free Birthday Treats gives you a run-down of all the things you can get free on your birthday, ranging from a free dinner to free spa treatments. This site is worth checking out. And, if you take a little trip on your birthday, you can search around the country for deals in that particular location. The site is separated into special treats adults, kids and even pets. Some of the treats in Florida include:

Baskin Robbins: Free 2.5 oz scoop of ice cream on your birthday (you must sign up for their club online)
Buca di Beppo: Free birthday dessert (join their online club)
Cold Stone Creamery: Free Creation (join their online birthday club)
Gaucho Rodizio: Free Rodizio dinner (join online VIP Gaucho Club)
Sephora: Free birthday item (join the Sephora Beauty Insider)
Stein Mart: 20% off single item (Join Preferred Customer Program)
Olan Mills: Free 8×10, 5×7 and 4 Wallet Birthday Portraits (join online birthday club)

Check out the site to find out more and contact the retailer to make sure everything is still valid. Don’t you love birthdays?!

Oh, and if you would like to follow me, here’s my twitter info: twitter.com/DineMag

Photo Credit: mrcd@sbcglobal.net @ flickr

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

Why Not Try a Bed & Breakfast?

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:10:20 +0000

You’re planning a trip to South Florida, and are looking for a new place to stay. Sure, there are hotels lining the area, but you want something a little different, a little cozy and off the main drag. A bed and breakfast may be your answer. Here are a few that may strike your fancy:

The Miami River Inn - this historic landmark was built between 1906 and 1910 and carries a feeling of comfort and tranquility. The River Inn has 40 rooms split into 4 cottages and each is uniquely decorate with hard wood floors, antiques, and brass, wood, and wicker furniture. Step outside and you will enjoy the lush beauty of the outdoors. Beautiful flowers surround the pool and jacuzzi area and guests are able to enjoy breakfast in the garden courtyard or a complimentary glass of wine in the evening. Guests can also partake in a game of croquet. (Good to note – well-behaved pets are welcome as long as you plan in advance.) The Miami River Inn is located at 118 SW South River Drive in Miami (305) 325-0045.
The Hibiscus House is located in Downtown West Palm Beach just steps away from CityPlace. Consisting of 2 historic homes built in 1917, is both charming and intimate. Each room is distinct from the next. Guests receive a full course breakfast every morning either on their outside porch or in their dining room. Don’t worry about transportation, as the trolley makes a stop right outside the Hibiscus House and will take you throughout the Downtown area. The Hibiscus House is located at 213 S Rosemary Avenue in West Palm Beach (561) 833-8171

For a more extensive list, check out Beautiful Florida Bed and Breakfast Inns Online.Photo Credit [Kiki @ flickr]

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

Who Loves the SunPass?

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:08:18 +0000

When I first moved to Florida, I jumped on the turnpike everyday to go to work. I cringed at the idea of having to pay everyday, but willingly gathered a collection of quarters and stored them in my car for my daily trip. Everyday, I would also see signs reading SunPass Lane Only. Why on Earth did I not have one? Not only would it save me money and time, I would never again have to scrounge in my car, under my seat for the lost change that I needed in order to pay the toll. It still took me about a year to actually go out and buy one. What a relief! I thought how crazy people were for not investing in one. I mean $20 (or something like that), come on.

As time went on, the SunPass has become more fashionable -if you can call it that. I started off with velcro attached to my window to hold it up – that lost its hold. Then, it was onto being suctioned onto the windshield. At least I could move it from car to car, but still unattractive. Then, a friend of mine actually painted his black to match the color of his car. My goodness – I couldn’t believe he just did that – but, honestly, I was kind of jealous. It wasn’t this big, white, clunky piece that floats around in his car.

Today, after reading in the Sun-Sentinel, online of course (Does anyone actually read the physical paper anymore? ) I was enthusiastic to hear that the SunPass was changing and coming out with an updated look. The new SunPass – mini as they call it – will go on sale tomorrow for $4.95. Even better, the $4.95 that you spend to buy it is then credited to your account. Another bonus, the new mini is the size of a credit card and is referred to as a sticker tag, as you stick it right on your windshield. Here’s the downfall, you can’t move it from car to car. I’m ok with that. Available tomorrow – only at Publix. Some things just make you smile.

Photo Credit [flickr bankbryan]

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

and the Official Dessert is…

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:49:13 +0000

I recently read a post on The Boston Traveler titled How to Make a Boston Cream Pie and how it was named in 1996 the state’s official dessert. I was curious as to why it is called the Boston Cream Pie, but further, I was interested in finding out the official desserts of the different states. Does Florida have an official dessert? And how does a dessert become ‘official’?

Well this is what I found out:

Florida is best known for pompano, citrus fruits and yes – key lime pie – of course.

Here are some other bits of information that I found out about the official foods of some regions:

California – known for cobb salad, avocados and figs

Kansas- wheat bread and chicken fried steak

Minnesota – Wild Rice, walleye, blueberries and SPAM (good ‘ol Austin, MN)

Mississippi – Mud Pie, Pecan Pie, Sweet Potato Pie ( Yum — sugar rush)

Nebraska – home of Kool-aid

Wisconsin – Colby cheese and Cranberry Pie ( Has anyone ever had cranberry pie? I lived in Wisconsin for over 20 years and have never heard of such a thing.)

This whole state fruit thing is a whole mystery to me. Does anyone know? I’d be interested to find out more. No luck so far.

Photo Credit [PR Web]

Post from: The South Florida Traveler