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TeamLas Team LasOlas Las Olas M A R K E T I N G L A S O L A S B O U L E V A R D • F O RT L A U D E R D A L E
FALL 2012
Tales of the Riverside Where glories past meets the promise of the present
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Sunday Market Las Olas Green Market celebrates another year on the Boulevard
Colee Hammock Park LAS OLAS FOCUS
Dine Las Olas
Our favorite picnic spot and a green space to relax
Stranahan House Where it all began
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CONTENTS
TEAM LAS OLAS MAGAZINE
Fall, 2012
THE SPIRIT OF THE RIVER THE SUNDAY MARKET STRANAHAN HOUSE Our own gourmet farmers Where Fort Lauderdale all How a 1930s hotel shaped Las Olas market began...
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DINE LAS OLAS Where to eat on Las Olas
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THE NEW RIVER The heart of the of our area
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FROM THE BEACH TO THE TEAM BOULEVARD LAS OLAS Stunning new book Community media
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DON’T MISS THESE A few of our hidden secrets
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GREEN LAS OLAS Flora & fauna
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THE RIVERWALK WHERE ON A favorite park - enjoy the LAS OLAS? river Do you know?
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As a team, you need to come from behind every once in awhile. Just to do it. Good for the attitude. It makes it exciting. DAN MARINO
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F
ort Lauderdale began right here on Las Olas Boulevard. It was in January 1893 that our first permanent resident arrived.
This wasn’t Fort Lauderdale in those days though. The area was known as the New River Settlement. Frank Stranahan was born in Vienna, Ohio and was living in Melbourne, Florida when his cousin suggested that he move to the wilderness of South Florida to operate the ferry across the river and the overnight camp for travellers. It’s said that on Frank’s first night in the settlement, he slept under a tree with Seminole Indians watching him closely. Frank gained their trust however, and started a trading post where the Seminoles would arrive with furs and produce that they would sell or exchange for household goods. In 1899, the settlement had grown as people with families had moved to the area and the handful of children they had was enough to warrant a school. The pioneers built a one room wooden schoolhouse and awaited the arrival of their newest resident, a teenage teacher from Miami called Ivy Julia Cromartie. The following year, she and Frank Stranahan were married in her parents’ home in Lemon City. They were to become known as the mother and father of Fort Lauderdale.
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
THE STRANAHAN HOUSE MUSEUM 4
Ivy Stranahan had to give up teaching when she married - yes, it was expected in those days - that is, officially. Unofficially she too gained the trust of the Seminoles this time the children - and taught them to
“A man should have a nice cool place where he can sit in the shade.” IVY STRANAHAN
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read and write. At first, these informal lessons took place at the Stranahan’s home and later, she would travel to the camps to teach them on her own territory. Although the tribe’s elders were suspicious at first, she ultimately became their friend
Ivy was soon to see tragedy however. The Great Depression came to South Florida before it hit the rest of America, largely due to the hurricane. In 1929 her beloved husband, in despair, took his own life by jumping into the New River right outside their
“It’s not hard work that kills people, it’s hard play. So let’s work.” Ivy Stranahan, 1926 and their greatest champion. Frank and Ivy worked towards the development and improvement of Fort Lauderdale all their lives. When the terrible hurricane hit Fort Lauderdale in 1926, Ivy famously said ‘It’s not hard work that kills people, it’s hard play. So let’s work’.
home. Ivy carried on. The teenager who arrived here in Victorian times lived to see the first man walk on the moon. Ivy passed away peacefully, in her beloved home, in 1971, aged ninety. You can still visit the restored Stranahan House.
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THE SPIRIT OF THE RIVER I
n the 1930s, two brothers from Chicago, John and Preston Wells, were regular visitors to Fort Lauderdale and to Las Olas Boulevard. They realized that what Las Olas needed was a hotel - a riverside hotel. What was then known as the Champ Carr Hotel opened in 1936, later to be renamed The Riverside. Its architecture initiated the Mediterranean feel of the boulevard. The hotel still remains today - the spirit of the river. 8
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“Life... is like a grapefruit. It’s orange and squishy, and has a few pips in it, and some folks have half a one for breakfast. Douglas Adams
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1200 EAST LAS OLAS 9AM - 2PM
THE LAS OLAS SUNDAY MARKET
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he Sunday market has been a Las Olas tradition for many years. It’s a lovely way to spend Sunday morning; strolling amongst the booths and chatting to the vendors. Every Sunday, we see many people from the neighborhood
- in addition to visitors - turn out for the market. Many
bring their dogs and occasionally, we see one customer who
arrives at the market with his gloriouslycolored parrot on his shoulder. See fresh produce, gourmet pastas, exotic spices, Provencal ceramics, baked good and treats every Sunday between nine in the morning and two in the afternoon. See you there! 11
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ining on Las Olas can be a culinary trip around the world!
:::::::DINE LAS OLAS
The boulevard has to go - there are always had a strong so many places to international choose flavor and from. For A culinary trip this can be around the lunch, grab seen and food to go world on Las enjoyed Olas Boulevard and picnic, in our eat on a numerous waterfront sidewalk patio or cafes, fine dining totally spoil yourself restaurants, pizza at a bakery. Don’t parlors, bakeries and forget mid-afternoon candy emporiums. treats. After all, you’re Whatever style of on Las Olas! When cuisine your prefer its time or dinner, - and whatever the decide just where in state of your wallet the world you want you’ll find something to go. How about on Las Olas that’s authentic French just right for you. food? Do you prefer Start your day with the flavors of Italy or breakfast on Las the spices of Mexico? Olas. There’s no Experience the taste better start to any of Asia or the delights day of the week. of traditional Greek Croissant and coffee food. Oh, or good or a full, hearty ole American! And if breakfast; the choice you’ve been partying is yours. The only the night away, real problem you’ll there’s our own face when dining on famous 24/7 Las Olas is where diner. Enjoy! 13
FROM THE BEACH TO THE BOULEVARD 14
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as Olas Boulevard begins at the Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale, whose address is the prestigious Number One ELO.
At the other end of the boulevard is the famous Fort Lauderdale Beach. You can take a photographic walk with us along the boulevard in our new publication From the Beach to the Boulevard. The book is available on our website at www.iamlasolas.com
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TEAM LAS OLAS I
t’s likely that you’ve heard the buzz about Team Las Olas. Now it’s time to read what all the fuss is about. If you have a business or organization on or near the boulevard, Team Las Olas is for you.
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Yes, on or near Las Olas. This includes the Riverwalk, the beach area, downtown and anywhere which is close to the boulevard. Team Las Olas has spent several years building up an enormous social network which is available to promote your business. You’ve heard that before? Yes, I know, there are a lot of ‘social media gurus’ and ‘marketing experts’ out there, aren’t there?
You might even have been caught out by these ‘experts’ - I know that many people have in the past. And it’s not surprising. Everyone knows that they should be using social media to promote their business but where do you start? Many businesses have dabbled with social media. Either the business owner tried it out or they delegated the role to a member of staff. But, as I’ve heard often, ‘it didn’t work’. This is why Team Las Olas is such great news!
“If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends.“ Jeff Bezos
“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.” Seth Godin “Innovation needs to be part of your culture. Consumers are transforming faster than we are, and if we don’t catch up, we’re in trouble.” Ian Schafer 17
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Totally focuSED on active LAS OLAS SOCIAL MEDIA USERS
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A READY-MADE NETWORK OF ACCOUNTS WITH A HUGE FORT LAUDERDALE REACH
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TRUSTED, LONG-ESTABLISHED ACCOUNTS WITH GREAT INTERACTION
If you’re not using social media - or you’re using it badly or ineffectively - that can have a huge negative impact on your business or organization. Just as Las Olas and its surrounding area is a community, so the social media population can be a community. Over a period of years, Team Las Olas has created a community of dedicated, loyal followers who have voluntarily chosen to follow our accounts specifically because they want to know about our area. This is not advertising - this is permission marketing. We have our followers’ permission to tell them about your business. They want to know. Who are these people? They fall mainly into these categories:
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Just as Las Olas and its surrounding area is a community, so the social media population can be a community. This is what Team Las Olas has created. 18
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Local influencers - those in the know. People who will share what they know with others Local hotels and resorts who want to recommend your business to their guests Cruise ship concierges who want to let their guests know where to go before or after their cruise People who are planning to visit our area for business or pleasure in the near future Travel professionals from all over the world who want to make knowledgeable recommendations to their clients People who own second homes in our area and visit often - what’s new since they were last here? Other local businesses and organizations who are happy to promote you
Making the most of Team Las Olas is easy. To find out more visit: www.teamlasolas.com and get in touch.
“How can you squander even one more day not taking advantage of the greatest shifts of our generation? How dare you settle for less when the world* has made it so easy for you to be remarkable?� Seth Godin
*TEAM L
AS OL
AS!
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ANY COLOR YOU LIKE AS LONG AS IT’S GREEN
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OUR GREEN & PLEASANT LAND Las Olas Boulevard is undoubtedly beautiful. There are so many aspects of the boulevard to appreciate. Take the time to realize how special our area is when it comes to flora and fauna. People from all over the world visit our area for the fabulous offerings the restaurants, the shops, the history, the river - but there
are some wonderful places to simply sit and appreciate what nature has provided too. The photograph above shows one
of my very favorite places to sit and watch the river traffic as it goes by. Enjoy Las Olas!
“People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.� Iris Murdoch
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BOULEVARD BUILDINGS
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ome know it as the Marathon Gas Station. I’m pretty sure that it’s been a Fina, a Citco and probably others too. But to locals, it’s Wally’s, our local 1960s gas station.
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W
hen Frank Stranahan arrived at the New River settlement in 1893, the river had sparkling, clear water and abundant fish. On what was later to become Las Olas Boulevard, there were mangoes, grapes, guavas and other fruit growing wild - just ripe for the picking. The river in those
days was the primary mode of transport throughout the settlement for the early pioneers and the Seminole Indians. It later became an important part of our area’s commerce. Today, the New River is still beautiful and busier than ever with private and commercial craft. Thanks to businesses such as the Water Taxi, the river is available for us all to enjoy.
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DON’T MISS...
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SOME OF OUR BEST-KEPT SECRETS
PRESTON’S BAR A quiet, outdoor tropical oasis
TRATA GREEK TAVERNA Authentic Greek food right here on Las Olas
MISSION GIFTS Fair trade gifts mostly from recycled materials
LAS OLAS CHEMIST A pharmacy with beauty products and cute gifts .
GRAND CENTRAL Stationery, cards, gifts and more
BOHEMIAN STYLE Wonderfully chic clothing without the high prices
ETEN FOODS Ready-prepared foods, sandwiches and more
PAMPERED POOCH We can’t forget your four-legged friend!
STRANAHAN GARDENS Free to enter - great place to enjoy
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THE RIVERWALK
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he Riverwalk is a linear park that first opened in 1986. It is the perfect place for a quiet stroll or more vigorous forms of exercise - you’ll often see people jogging or cycling. What a wonderful place for a fitness regime. On the first Sunday of every month, the Riverwalk hosts a Jazz Brunch - one of the most popular Fort Lauderdale events. Also along the park you’ll find the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and the Museum of Discovery and Science; both packed with activities. But take a look at the photograph on the left - one of the finest things to do is simply sit and watch the river. 29
WHERE ON LAS OLAS He looks over Las Olas with his benign smile, and always greets the morning sunshine.
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Looking grand as always, as folks drop by for a card or two.
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Hidden in the bushes behind the best dressed store in town.
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Mark my words, this architectural feature has seen diners come and go...
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A fine place to catch the downtown vibe, but a seat of finance too.
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Outdoor tables where dessert is the most celebrated course.
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Unsuspecting guests and visitors alike are watched by this magnificent beast.
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An old tradition in smoking circles, he watches over all.
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All the way from France - the Parisien traditions live on.
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Come see where it all began in the heart of Fort Lauderdale Guided tours daiLy at 1, 2, and 3 pm Learn about Frank and ivy stranahan and how they helped to build Fort Lauderdale. this is a story of a house, a family, and a town.
THE PERFECT MEMENTO A visual tribute to this storied thoroughfare in elegant words and beautiful pictures.
riVer GHOST tour For more information or to register for a sunday night river Ghost tour, please call or go online. 335 southeast 6th avenue Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301 (just off Las Olas Boulevard across from the Cheesecake Factory)
954.524.4736
www.stranahanhouse.org
Las Olas From the beach to the boulevard IAMLASOLAS.COM/LASOLAS/BOOKSTORE
This fall: Showing iPhone art by Fort Lauderdale’s Andy Royston Drop by to see these wonderful prints! (954) 522-5088
EVERY SUNDAY RAIN OR SHINE
1239 EAST LAS OLAS BLVD FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33301
FORT LAUDERDALE’S ONLY OLIVE OIL BAR
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TEAMLASOLAS.COM IAMLASOLAS.COM
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