FTL!, March 2023

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Shen Yun Sponsored Content

Shen Yun’s unique artistic vision expands the theatrical experience into a journey through traditional Chinese culture. Experience it this month at the Broward Center or the Kravis Center.

The Omakase Experience

We went to Sushi Lab, a new Japanese restaurant on the beach to check out the omakase experience where the chef is in control.

Spring Spectaculars

There’s always something to do here in sunny South Florida, especially this time of year. Check out the best and biggest events of the season.

Vroom Vroom

Calling all Gearheads: explore our list of local go-kart tracks.

Golf Options

Florida is a golfer’s paradise for a reason: we have the most golf courses of any state in the nation. Check out some of our favorite courses in the area.

A GLOBAL SENSATION

Authentic Chinese culture that’s banned in China Shen Yun will be in South Florida at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts from March 21 – 23 and the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach from May 2 – 3

For tickets and more information, call 888-974-3698 or visit Shenyun.com/SFL

Atragic irony. The only performing arts company that revives authentic Chinese culture is not allowed to perform in China today. That’s because the communist regime there continues to suppress the same authentic Chinese culture that Shen Yun celebrates on stage.

For thousands of years, Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist beliefs lay at the heart of Chi nese culture. The virtues of loyalty, honesty, compassion, and tolerance were celebrat ed, as was the shared belief that good is rewarded while evil is punished.

But these beliefs have been largely de stroyed under the communist rule in China today. Political movements like the Cultural Rev olution enveloped society in the fury of fear, burning temples, destroying ancient treasures, and killing millions who refused to give up their traditional beliefs. True Chinese culture was almost lost.

That’s why Shen Yun’s mission to revive the authentic, divinely inspired heritage of China is so important today. Audience members have said that watching Shen Yun is like seeing the hope for the future of China. Audiences around the world, including here in Florida, are fortunate to be able to experience Shen Yun and be a part of this cultural rebirth.

This epic production immerses you in stories reaching back to the most distant past. You’ll explore realms even beyond our visible world. Featuring one of the world’s oldest art forms—classical Chinese dance—along with patented scenographical effects

Sponsored Content

and all-original orchestral works, Shen Yun opens a portal to a glorious civilization of unrivaled beauty, artistry, and inspiration.

We invite you to a realm where philosophers and poets alike sought harmony with the Dao, or “Way,” of the universe. Where maidens danced with heavenly grace and generals fought with explosive athleticism. Where timeless tales of valor and virtue were born.

Where heaven and earth intersected. And even magic was possible.

Experience a miracle of performing arts. Experience Shen Yun. Y

“The music has a way of taking the journey of life and bringing about a wonderment that you want to experience again and again.”

—Tomaczek Bednarek, music producer and director

Experience the best of Japanese sushi culture with the Omakase experience at Sushi Lab in Pompano Beach.

THE OMAKASE EXPERIENCE at SUSHI LAB

NEW YORK’S SUSHI LAB

COMES TO POMPANO BEACH ON THE OCEAN

makase, meaning “I’ll leave it up to you” in Japanese, allows diners to trust the expert knowledge of the sushi chef and enjoy the best possible bites using the freshest and best ingredients available. This unique dining experience is perfect for adventurous eaters and small groups of food-loving friends.

Located inside the Residence Inn Fort Lauderdale Pompano Beach/Oceanfront, Sushi Lab offers easy valet parking for just $7 and features a patio and pool area that will transport you to a tropical paradise. The Omakase experience is available at 4:30pm, 6:00pm, 7:30pm, and 9:00pm (check OpenTable or the Sushi Lab website to confirm). During your Omakase evening, you’ll have the opportunity to try new and exciting fish and ingredient combinations and even indulge in luxurious items like truffles, wagyu, and caviar. The chef will also provide an educational and interactive

LEFT Thomas and Brandon, sushi chefs and part-time pyrotechnicians, prepare sushi at the omakase experience. INSET Sushi Lab has an impressive list of hand-crafted cocktails.

The Chef Selection includes 11 sushi bites for $60 per person or The Lab Experiment includes 15 sushi bites for $100.

SUSHI LAB

element to the evening, answering your questions and describing each bite. Suppose you prefer a more traditional sushi experience. In that case, Sushi Lab also offers indoor and outdoor seating with a range of classic sushi options, as well as other dishes during regular restaurant hours. For an unforgettable night of culinary adventure, make a reservation at Sushi Lab.

1350 N. Ocean Blvd., Pompano Beach at the Residence Inn Fort Lauderdale

Pompano Beach/Oceanfront

954-937-7366, sushilab.com

ABOVE Everyone should enjoy sushi topped with shaved truffles at least once in their lifetime OPPOSITE Sushi Lab is a fabulous spot to enjoy inventive cocktails on the beach.

Warm temperatures and sunny skies provide the perfect setting for a plethora of South Florida seasonal happenings. From music festivals to food and wine events, spring is full of opportunities to get out and have fun.

SpectacularSpring

Fort Lauderdale Air Show

WHEN: Saturday, April 29 –Sunday, April 30, 2023

WHERE: The event site for the Fort Lauderdale Air Show extends from 18th street to Sunrise Blvd. on the beach. Beach premium viewing is available in the Drop Zone or you can reserve a Sand Box that includes four guest admission tickets. Go VIP on the beach in the Flight Line Club. For the ultimate air show viewing experience, touch the sky in the VIP Penthouse 10 floors up at show center! The interactive Google Map above shows the location of all of the above venues. You can click on an area to display more information about them or choose from below.

COST: Visit fortlauderdaleairshow.com for ticket options and packages.

WHAT:: The U.S. Navy Blue Angels fly the F-18 Super Hornet and perform a combination of formation and solo maneuvers in a high-energy demonstration. The four-jet diamond performs precision formation flight with the aircraft wingtips as close as 2 feet apart while performing loops, inverted rolls and even high performance turns. The two solo jets fly from opposite directions closing in on each other as fast as 1,000 mph. The six jets come together in the delta formation as the finale, flying difficult formations and signature breaks that fill the sky with speed, sound and smoke trails.

Pompano Beach Seafood Festival

WHEN: Friday, April 21 – Sunday, April 23

WHERE: Pompano Community Park, 1801 NE Sixth Street, Pompano Beach

COST: Drinks and food are available for purchase.

WHAT:: Enjoy a weekend of music, seafood, and art while supporting your community! The festival, a non-profit event, was founded in 1984 by the Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Pompano Beach Fishing Rodeo to support local charities in the Pompano Beach Area. Featuring South Florida musicians and artists, the annual event has become a staple in the community. The proceeds of the annual festival stay in the community benefiting 12 essential local charities such as local high schools and other non-profit initiatives. Festival goers will notice volunteers from these charities performing various roles to support the festival, from selling tickets, t-shirts, and parking to serving rum runners and margaritas.

The Miami Open

WHERE: Hard Rock Stadium, 347 Don Shula Drive, Miami Gardens

WHEN: Sunday, March 19 – Sunday, April 2, 2023

COST: Visit MiamiOpen.com for ticket prices and packages

WHAT: The Miami Open tennis campus is a spectator oasis showcasing the culture, food, art and entertainment of South Florida. The tournament is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious tennis events, attracting top players from around the globe. In 2018, the tournament moved to its current location at Hard Rock Stadium.

Over the years, the Miami Open has attracted many of the world’s top tennis players, including Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and others. The tournament is known for its blend of entertainment and sports, with live music and other events taking place throughout the event.

FOOD, ART AND MUSIC

The fare available throughout the tournament will offer an array of international cuisines. Hard Rock Stadium and IMG have partnered with some of the most desirable venues in town, including Bodega Taqueria y Tequila, Kiki on the River, Omakai Sushi, Casa Tua, and many more. Additionally, The tournament is working with a diverse group of local artists to create murals around the Miami Open campus. And to set the mood, local musicians and DJ’s will be performing across the campus.

WHEN: Race weekend: May 5 – 7, 2023

WHERE: Hard Rock Stadium

COST: Visit tickets.formula1.com/en

WHAT:: Get up to speed with everything you need to know about the 2023 Miami Grand Prix. The weekend schedule includes details of practice and qualifying sessions, support races, press conferences and special events. Miami is the 11th venue in the United States to host a Grand Prix since the championship began in 1950. The track will run 3.36 miles around the Hard Rock Stadium with 19 corners and three straights, and opportunities for DRS (drag-reduction system). In addition, the circuit designers hoped to create an environment for competitive racing — meaning that overtaking would be abundant, ensuring a Sunday spectacle for fans.

Miami Grand Prix

Tortuga Music Festival

WHEN: Friday, April 14 – Sunday, April 16, 2023

WHERE: On Fort Lauderdale beach at 1100 Seabreeze Blvd. There is no parking at the festival. The festival encourages water taxis or ridesharing.

COST: $275/general admission three-day pass; $1,399 VIP three-day pass; $2,199 SVIP three-day pass; visit tortugamusicfestival.com for more information.

Boats anchored at Fort Lauderdale Beach to listen to the music at Tortuga Music Festival

WHAT: Rock The Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival express mission is to spread awareness of ocean conservation issues. During Tortuga, the shores of the Atlantic Ocean host concertgoers for a music experience featuring top country and rock artists. The 2023 lineup includes Kenny Chesney, Shania Twain, Eric Church, Wiz Khalifa, Cole Swindell, Carly Pearce and more! One of the unique components of Tortuga is Rock The Ocean’s signature concept, “Conservation Village,” a gathering of organizations who are experts in the various issues threatening our seas.

Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival

WHEN: Thursday, March 2 – Sunday, 5, 2023

WHERE: Sunshine Grove, 12517 NE 91st Ave., Okeechobee, FL

COST: General admission, four-day tickets start at $369 plus ticketing fees. VIP packages start at $569 VIP and “glamping” (luxury camping accommodations) are available for $20,750.

WHAT: This four day camping, music and art festival is an immersive experience — complete with elaborate art structures, interactive installations, a carnival, campground packed with tents and RVs, a beach dubbed “Aquachobee,” artisan vendors, yoga, food trucks, and creative workshops, plus multiple stages with a diverse music lineup showcasing performers from mid day until sunrise. The festival seems to take its inspiration from others like Burning Man and Lightning in a Bottle. The festival takes place amongst 800 acres of lush grasslands, lakes and woods in Sunshine Grove, Florida, with lakeside camping options. The lineup’s diversity is impressive — from rock, to punk to, to EDM, dubstep, hip-hop, funk and reggae. See the full lineup at okeechobeefest.com/lineup

Sun Fest

WHEN: Thurday, May 4 – Sunday, May 7, 2023

WHERE: Along Intracoastal Waterway in Downtown West Palm Beach. The festival grounds are on Flagler Drive between Banyan Boulevard and Lakeview Avenue. Approximate GPS Address: 101 S. Clematis St., West Palm Beach

COST: Tickets start at $70 for a one-day pass. Visit sunfest.com for more information.

WHAT: West Palm Beach’s SunFest is a four-day music and art festival that celebrates the art and culture in Palm Beach County. SunFest’s main attractions are three stages featuring a variety of live music styles including pop, rap, rock and alternative rock. Last year bands included Lil Wayne, Adam Lambert. Boyz II Men and so many more. The lineup for SunFest 2020 has yet to be announced. Various SunFestivities are held throughout the event. In West Palm Beach, vendors sell their work and live music fills the streets. Up-and-coming local bands can prove themselves at the Battle of the Bands in Cityplace Plaza. The TGI5K starts in Palm Beach Atlantic University and ends in the heart of SunFest for a Friday night party.

FLORIDA HAS ALWAYS HAD A LOVE AFFAIR WITH SPEED.

Of course, when you think of Florida, images of tourists and locals alike relaxing on boats or the beach spring to mind. Well, for a select few, Florida means speed; the best drivers from around the world pilgrimage to our state every year. The history of race cars is inextricably intertwined with Florida, boasting two FIA World Endurance Championship events; the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Daytona. The first Formula One Grand Prix held on US soil was in Sebring — and now a Grand Prix is being held in Miami for the foreseeable future. So, it is no wonder that go-kart tracks are sprinkled througout the state. Here is are some South Florida offerings.

PIQUET ENTERTAINMENT & RACE PARK

16169 Southern Blvd., Loxahatchee, FL 33470 561-781-9145 • piquetracepark.com

HOURS: Monday – Tuesday, Closed; Wednesday – Friday, 12-8pm Saturday, 1am – 10pm; Sunday, 12 – 8pm

Started by the family of Formula 1 World Champion Nelson Piquet, the Piquet Entertainment & Race Park has recently opened its asphalt go-kart track to host the Rotax Winter Trophy, which drew motorsports legend Rubens Barrichello to the track. The facility also plays host to a plethora of fun activities; paintball, axe throwing, wall climbing and more. Also on the ground is a “Speed Museum,” which has actual Formula 1 and Formula E cars, race-worn helmets of Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Räikkänen, Niki Lauda, and more memorabilia.

XTREME ACTION PARK

5300 Powerline Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309

954-491-6265 • xtremeactionpark.com

HOURS: Sunday-Thursday, 11am – 10pm; Friday, 11am – 11pm

Saturday, 11am – 12am

The only indoor gas-powered go-kart facility in the state, Xtreme Action Park is perfect for a rainy day. Xtreme offers three types of karts for different levels of drivers ranging in top speeds from 35-65 miles per hour. Xtreme also has laser tag, an extensive arcade, and escape rooms in case you can’t handle the speed!

K1 SPEED

2950 Stirling Road, Hollywood, FL 33020

855-517-7333 • k1speed.com/fort-lauderdale-location

HOURS: Monday, 11am – 10pm; Tuesday - Thursday, 12 – 10pm Friday, 12pm – 12am; Saturday, 10am – 12am; Sunday, 10am – 10pm

K1 Speed offers a fleet of electric go-karts for adults and kids and two indoor tracks for drivers to test their skills on. The karts reach a top speed of 45 miles per hour, so rest assured that you won’t miss the smell of gasoline!

AMR HOMESTEAD-MIAMI MOTORPLEX

1835 SE 38th Ave., Homestead, FL 33035

833-527-8267 • amrmotorplex.com

HOURS: Monday/Tuesday, Closed

Wednesday, 10am – 5pm; Thursday, Closed; Friday, 10am – 6pm

Saturday, 9am – 6pm; Sunday, 10am – 6pm

The AMR Homestead-Miami Motorplex lays in the shadow of the Homestead-Miami Speedway, one of the state’s finest motorsports facilities. They have two outdoor tracks, one for rental karts which reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour and one for owners of their own karts.

Golf Options

Deer Creek Golf Club

Arguably, there is nowhere more hospitable to the wild golfer than the Sunshine State. Many would say it is their natural habitat. Florida boasts the most golf courses of any state in the union for a good reason – the leisure time is plenty when you don’t have to worry about silly things like shoveling snow and the sun going down before you leave the office. What follows is a list of some of our favorite golf courses available to the public.

Pompano Beach Municipal Golf Course

1101 N Federal Highway, Pompano Beach, FL 33062

954-781-0426 • parks.pompanobeachfl.gov/golf

Hours:

Monday: 6:30am – Dark

Tuesday: 6:30am – Dark

Wednesday: 6:30am – 4:30pm

Thursday: 6:30am – Dark

Friday: 6:30am – Dark

Saturday: 6:30am – Dark

Sunday: 6:30am – 4:30pm

Boasting two 18-hole courses, the Pines and the Palms, this club is a favorite among locals and tourists alike. This club is conveniently placed near the highway and the beach, so that even your golf-apathetic traveling companions can have a lovely day nearby while you hit the links. The clubhouse and restaurant, Gianni’s, hosts live music on the weekends!

Deer Creek Golf Club

2801 Deer Creek Country Club Blvd., Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

954-429-0006 • deercreekflorida.com

Hours:

Monday - Sunday 6am – Dark

Driving Range Closes 5:15pm

Nestled between Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, this course is in a perfect location for many snowbirds and locals. Recently renovated to the tune of 2 million dollars, the course and practice facilities are in top-tier condition – the club has played host to the USGA Amateur Championship and the USGA Senior Open Championship. The course offers a challenge for seasoned players and an inviting test for newcomers.

City of Lauderhill Golf Course

4141 NW 16th St., Lauderhill, FL 33313

954-730-2990 • Lauderhill-fl.gov

Hours: Daily: 7:00am – 5:00pm | Last Tee Time: 3:30pm

Not far from downtown Fort Lauderdale lays the City of Lauderhill Golf Course. This 9-hole course is perfect for those golfers in a hurry. Opened in 1975, this little slice of South Florida has been one of the locals’ go-tos for decades.

Jacaranda Golf Club

9200 W Broward Blvd., Plantation, FL 33324 954-472-5836 • Jacarandagolfclub.com

Hours: 6:30am – 6:00pm

A skip and a jump from the airport, Jacaranda Golf Club sports 38 holes of championship golf. This course is manicured and a perfect gateway into the game; they offer club rentals for your companions who might not yet see the point in purchasing a complete set. The East and West courses present a challenge for experienced golfers and those who might be renting clubs for a while to come.

Agua Salon Studios•Al Comp Consulting•Allstate Insurance•AT&T•Cherry Blow Dry

Copper Tanning•Dentists of Fort Lauderdale•Etiquette Boutique•Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Fred Astaire Dance Studio•Game Stop•Gilbert’s 17th Street Grill•Great Clips Hair Salon

Hill Robinson•International Yacht Brokers Assoc.•Jaguar Therapeutics•J Balcazar

Home & Yacht Design•Joe’s Café•Koi Sushi Lounge & Hibachi•LA Fitness

La Bamba Mexican & Spanish Restaurant•Manhattan NY Pizza•Marcella’s Boutique

Massage Envy Spa•Medical Vitality•MTSI•Nail Port Salon•Nature’s Remedy Shoppe

Orange Theory Fitness•Pakmail•Persist Communications•Sunny Side Medical Dispensary

Tropical Smoothie Café•TVI Construction•Viking Yacht Management

Coming Soon: Willie T’s Lobster Shack