Las Olas
by iPhone!
from the Beach to the Boulevard
by Jackie Jackson iPhotos Andy Royston
TeamLasOlas
f ro m t h e B E AC H to t h e B O U L E VA R D I first set foot on Las Olas Boulevard in 1985. I was on vacation in Fort Lauderdale and on the first evening of my stay, my hosts said “We must go to Las Olas for dinner”. That’s because Las Olas was, and is, the place to go. The memories of Las Olas stayed with me a long time and a few years later, when I decided to make Fort Lauderdale my home, there was nowhere else in the area I wanted to live. As you’ll see as you make your way through these pages, the boulevard is beautiful, historic, charming and ever-so-slightly quirky. What’s impossible to show in photographs though is one of the best features of Las Olas - the wonderful bunch of people who live and work here. The boulevard has businesses, residents and visitors from all over the world. The people who were responsible for the development of Las Olas in its earliest days had their roots in several different countries. Many people say that the boulevard is Mediterranean in feel and it is, thanks to the early pioneers who ensured its place in the growing Fort Lauderdale settlement. The boulevard was the perfect place for the beginnings of our city because of its proximity to the New River - still bustling with boats of all kinds. Join me on a tour of the jewel in Fort Lauderdale’s crown. J AC K I E
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It’s appropriate that Number One East Las Olas is the address of the prestigious Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale, as the boulevard has been at the center of the cultural life of Fort Lauderdale since its earliest days. It’s also fitting that, on this historic boulevard, the first building is a splendid modern construction designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes. Just across the road from the museum is the Huizenga Plaza with its spectacular fountains and before we venture further, we’ll linger for a moment at the Riverwalk Park which runs along the New River.
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• Statue of Alexander “Sandy” Nininger Jr - a Broward County war hero who was awarded the first Medal of Honor in World War II.
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• The Lone Sailor statue at Riverwalk’s Esplanade Park sculpted by Stanley Bleifeld (1924-2011), the U.S. Navy Memorial’s official sculptor.
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Las Olas successfully blends the old with the new. The demand for housing in this fabulous area, with the shops and restaurants of the boulevard just a stroll away, means that we have new residences with spectacular views. And yet, the old-style paddle wheel tour boat that plies the river doesn’t seem out of place on our eclectic boulevard.
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R I V E R WA L K Walk from the Museum of Art to the next stop on Las Olas, the Stranahan House, via the Riverwalk Park. Walk alongside the river and see the water traffic. The river is the heart of our area and the Riverwalk, with its shaded canopy of trees, will show you the river at its best. Today, there is no evidence of the Seminoles who used to pole their dugout canoes along the river to trade the furs they had hunted. Or is there?
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This is where Fort Lauderdale began in 1893. A young man from Ohio, Frank Stranahan, became the first permanent resident when he moved here to establish an overnight camp for those who were traveling on the stagecoach from Lanata to Lemon City. He ran the barge ferry to transport passengers and goods across the New River. In addition, he created the trading post, frequented by the local Seminole tribe. In 1899, a teenager arrived at the New River Settlement. She has come to teach the handful of children who now lived here. She came here as Miss Ivy Cromartie but a year later, she became Mrs Frank Stranahan. They were later to me known as the Mother and Father of Fort Lauderdale because of the many wonderful things they did for our area. We are so lucky - the house Frank built for his bride still stands, flanked by the modern, high rise towers of the business district and is now a museum with daily, docent-led tours. A must.
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Just steps away from the Stranahan House Museum, you’ll encounter further history. You’ve seen the oldest house in Fort Lauderdale, now meet its oldest hotel, the Riverside. The Riverside Hotel was an innovation brought to the boulevard in 1936 by two brothers from Chicago, John and Preston Wells. Over the years, the demand for excellent hotel accommodation means that the hotel has been greatly expanded but the original building, designed by noted Cuban architect Francis Abreu, remains at its heart. The features he designed remain and yet today, this is a truly international hotel with every modern amenity. In this respect, it is representative of the boulevard as a whole. Las Olas retains its old-fashioned values of style, courtesy and charm but is also completely up-to-date.
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The Riverside Hotel isn’t just for visitors. Locals regularly enjoy its restaurant and its two intimate bars. One of the boulevard’s best kept secrets is the tropical outdoor seating area at the back of the hotel lobby. There’s no better start to the day than breakfast on the boulevard and there are many options. Under the collonaded canopy of the Riverside Hotel is a great choice. Guests cannot help but become drawn into the boulevard’s atmosphere, which is best experienced on foot. Cafés and restaurants spill out onto shaded streets and after dark the sparkling lights just add to the easy atmosphere. We walk early in the morning to catch the streets before the traffic builds, but for many the experience of Fort Lauderdale is of a vibrant bustling city center, where it is safe and secure and everyone seems in a positive, happy mood. I think you can see why I love Las Olas!
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A n i m a l M a g n e t i s m On Las Olas, we have many lions, and elephants, a panther and a variety of other animals. But if your own animal is animate and not a statue or sculpture, you’ll find that the boulevard is the most accommodating place for your best friend. All the restaurants with outdoor dining area will welcome your pet and as you walk along, you’ll see that many businesses have thoughtfully supplied water bowls to make sure that your dog is well-provided for. We even have a dog-grooming and pet-accessory store and when it’s time for a run, a dog-friendly park which is right on the water. Let your dog off the leash and let him or her have some fun while you sit in the sun and watch the river traffic going by. Did I mention that Las Olas is paradise?
• Frederick Prescott, the Santa Fe based kinetic sculptor who sometimes attends the Las Olas Art Fair created the two magnificent elephants you see on the Las Olas Lawn.
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Now that we are approaching the heart of Las Olas, what are you going to do? Well, what do you want to do? If you want to shop, you’re in a great place as you’ll find mostly stores that are independently-run rather than chain stores. The same is true of our restaurants and eateries; many are run by husband-and-wife teams. If you’re looking for almost any cuisine, you’ll fine it here from gourmet fine dining to friendly sandwich shops and pizza parlors. Many people come to Las Olas to enjoy and explore the stores which feature art and antiques. Some are here to bargain-hunt. So stroll along Las Olas, have a bite and a drink at a quiet sidewalk café or a lively pub, explore the stores, hear the parrots chattering in the trees, sit for a quiet moment in one of the almost-hidden breezeways, admire our fine - and sometimes off-beat architecture, listen to live music, party with friends, people-watch ... after all these years there’s one thing I have never been on Las Olas. Bored.
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A R T
FA I R
The Las Olas Art Fair is one of the boulevard’s most spectacular events, when the whole of the tree-canopied shopping blocks are filled with tented booths full of art of all kinds. For many its an excuse to people-watch and meet friends in a traffic-free and artful environment. For others its one of the best places to pick up a collectible art piece for the home.
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Las Olas is so well-known for its restaurants, stores and cafes but the boulevard means business in other ways too. Although we are located within the fabulous City of Fort Lauderdale, Las Olas is almost a self-contained little city of its own everything is here. Those of who are lucky enough to live in the area have really no need to venture far away from the boulevard. If you’re here on business yourself, all your needs are catered for. The boulevard is an organic being that evolves at its own pace. Unlike shopping malls, which are contrived and carefully planned, Las Olas grows and develops almost as though it has a life of its own. Long-established business owners retire after years of service to the boulevard, its residents and its guests. In their place come new, vibrant businesses. Some of the older businesses - the ones which were on Las Olas almost from day one, are passed to the younger generation of the family. Often this means that the oldfashioned values are retained but a modern spirit is breathed into the business - the best of both worlds. New businesses full of the latest technology sit comfortably alongside stores and restaurants that were established before most of us were born. That’s Las Olas.
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P a ra d e s There are older seasonal events along the boulevard, including the 45 year old Christmas on Las Olas and the Las Olas Wine and Food Fest. But it is the St. Patrick’s Day Parade that really sparks off people’s imaginations.
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• Wells Squire’s iconic Casas de Las Olas building opened in 1980 - one of several Las Olas buildings designed by one of Fort Lauderdale’s finest architects.
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J u s t a s te p . . . So many green oases lie just off the boulevard including the newly dedicated Richard Mancuso Greenway along the canal at SE 2nd. As for the river, well there’s always the Water Taxi, available from 10am at stop number 9, by Mangos Restaurant.
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Dining al fresco is always a treat and even more so when you’re sitting by the water. Watch for wildlife as you enjoy your meal - in this stretch of waterway we have often seen manatee go by!
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S U N DAY
M A R K E T
We’re now approaching the Las Olas Village and what could be more typical of a village than its own weekly market? Residents stroll among the tented booths, under the shade of vast trees, making their selections of fresh local produce, gourmet pastas, teas spices, oils and bakery goods. Every Sunday, we see friends and neighbors at our market. Most have their children with them, or their dogs - and one local regularly shops the market with his brightly-colored parrot sitting on his shoulder and overseeing his selections!
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Las Olas East Village Green
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• Left, Brion Park, the riverside green space at the All Saints Episcopal Church (above) just off Las Olas at Tarpon Drive.
• ‘Lil’ Blader, a sculpture by Nilda Comas, which sits under the Spanish moss opposite the First Presbyterian Church of Fort Lauderdale. It is to be found - appropriately - across from the Happyland Day School entrance.
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A wonderful little park to relax in can be found just minutes from the green. The spreading trees and shady lawns are right alongside the river. This is a fine place to have a quiet picnic watching the boats go by.
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The Las Olas Village is an unusual area of Fort Lauderdale. In many ways, it has a Key West vibe. It’s lively but casual at the same time. There are fascinating stores and for dining, you’ll find sushi, Mexican food, a twenty-four-seven diner, an Italian bakery, pizza and a Belgian chef presiding over his ready-toeat-goodies store. And it’s in the village that we find all the local stores we need every day - dry cleaners, a pharmacy, a stationery store, a liquor and cigar store, spas, salons, barber shops and our post office - everything you’d expect to find in a traditional village, even our village green.
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I’m so happy to call the Las Olas Isles my home! Living on the water here in the Venice of America is such a special thing. The cool breezes that blow along the vias and canals really do cool the sub-tropical summer evenings. Las Olas Boulevard leaves behind the stores and for half a mile, fine properties line the waterways and elegant yachts and pleasure boats are moored serenely alongside private docks.
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L I F E ’ S
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Wally and the guys at the iconic Marathon on Las Olas don’t want any fuss or recognition beyond being the classiest full service gas station in South Florida. It is also one of the best-preserved examples of the classic Phillips 66 ‘gull wing’ gas station, introduced during the 1960s when the famous brand went national. As they service some of the finest vehicles in town, being so close to the multi-million dollar waterfront properties of Idlewyld and the Nurmi Isles, don’t be surprised to find a vintage Rolls Royce or a sporty Aston DB9 ahead of you in the queue for premium.
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When the early settlers first arrived here, it wasn’t possible for them to access the beach except by boat. The beach became an area that was only used on high days and holidays - it was the perfect place for a Thanksgiving or Independence Day picnic. This changed when Frank Stranahan and other pioneers formed a company to build a bridge from Las Olas Boulevard to the beach. That bridge is long-gone but as we venture further down Las Olas Boulevard we cross the bay via the new Las Olas Bridge and the beach is just steps away.
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about Andy Royston
I’m a designer and fine art photographer based right here in Ft Lauderdale. I’ve lived and worked here in this wonderful South Florida city for well over a decade, and as a photographer it is my favorite subject. The beach, and the eastern skies at dawn are the heart of my mobile photography project @FtLauderdaleSun. Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale’s oldest and best loved shopping street, has been my home and place of work over the years, and remains one of my favorite places. Its restaurants and bars are always welcoming places to hang out, whilst its galleries and museums are all top class. These photos are all taken by iPhone during my morning strolls. I’ve been in the habit of capturing the light of the mornings as I’ve walked the boulevard each day. I’ve collected the best in this book to share some of my favorites with you.
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about Jackie Jackson
I’m a designer, writer, blogger and marketer who eighteen years ago found a place I can call home after many years of globe trotting and adventuring. My father was a round-the-world rally driver so travel is in the blood! I moved to Florida from England to work in the design business, seduced by the warmth of the weather and the beauty of the trees and plants that thrive here. After years of European drama (weatherwise and otherwise) I settled here in Fort Lauderdale and have never looked back. In recent years, I find myself concentrating on writing and blogging, with history, travel and design always in my mind. I’ve always delighted in sharing my love of Las Olas Boulevard.
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f ro m t h e B E AC H to t h e B O U L E VA R D A tribute to one of the finest streets in South Florida, Las Olas Boulevard. Considered the jewel in Fort Lauderdale’s crown, this beautiful tree-lined street runs from the Museum of Art right in the center of the city, through tree-canopied shopping and restaurant districts, past million dollar waterfront homes, right down to one of America’s finest golden beaches. Two of the Boulevard’s residents pay tribute to this storied thoroughfare in elegant words and beautiful pictures.
Writer and blogger Jackie Jackson is the former editor of Las Olas Boulevard.com and has been a Las Olas resident since 1996. She is now to be found tirelessly working to promote her beloved Boulevard through the Team Las Olas social media network. iPhoneographer and 4G artist Andy Royston - in the guise of FtLauderdaleSun is usually found walking the sands of Ft Lauderdale Beach every morning. He shares his beach iPhotos with followers on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and also to visitors to his live photoblog, FtLauderdaleSun.com f ro m
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