Thursday, January 4th, 2023 - Welcome to our newest members! We had a whole host of you sign up over the holidays. Wahoo! And you picked a great week to get started because... there is SO much fun stuff going on this week!

Stuff You Won't Want To Miss:

1. TODAY is the first Thursday of the month, and that means free admission for Sunny Days and Starry Nights at the NSU Art Museum from 11am-7pm. It also marks the return of "Mini Muse" program, with art making activities for children from 4:30-6:30pm. (Free)
2. Friday AND Saturday, Elvis has left the building... for the beach! It is an Elvis Tribute Weekend at Las Olas Oceanside Park. Come out Friday night for World Champion Elvis Tribute Artist Cote Deonath, backed by The Double Trouble Band. Then Saturday morning begins with a gospel brunch, photos, two afternoon concerts, and culminates with Viva Las Vegas as a dance-along movie! (Free and VIP Tickets available)
3. Saturday afternoon, it is the 13th Annual Stone Crab & Seafood Festival on the Riverwalk at Esplanade Park. Come for the food and stay for the hermit crab races! Dishes start at $5. Dive into mouth-watering signature seafood dishes of conch, shrimp, crab, lobster, fresh fish and more, deliciously barbequed, boiled, broiled, baked, fried or sautéed. (Free)
4. Saturday and Sunday, it is the first installation of the 35th Annual Las Olas Art Fair. If you haven't visited in the past, a big section of Las Olas will be shutdown and filled with booths by amazing artists. These events are a "must see" at least once a year. Tip: We like to give our 9-year-old daughter an imaginary budget of $10,000 to spend on the pieces she loves the most. This builds her mental math skills and has resulted in several funny exchanges when she steps up to a booth and the artist hears here say, well I can still buy this one with the remaining $3,400 I have left (Free)
5. Also Saturday and Sunday, if you "dig" beach volleyball as much as we do (pun intended ), you will want to get down to the beach for the Dig The Beach Volleyball Event. This will include dozens of open and amateur level teams competing for AVP, Rox, and AAU points. (Free to watch/Registration)
6. Sunday is also a busy day on the Riverwalk, with Jazz Brunch from 11-2pm. Then from 2-7pm it will be a Panther Watch Party at Huizenga Plaza. Come out and savor the music, then cheer on the team! There will be food, face-painting, lawn games and giveaways. (Both Free)
7. Speaking of Savor...ing. Have you checked out the line-up at Savor Cinema lately? If you don't see what you want in the arthouse/indie films, you can also check out Cinema Paradiso in Hollywood. A trip to MODS to see Avatar: Way of The Water is also a must on the big IMAX screen.
8. It is not too late to register for Sunday's Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon (relay and 10k options too). The 13.1 race begins at 6:15am and the 10K will start at 7am. Use this map if you would like to find a spot for spectators. (Registration)
9. Next Week (Jan 9-15) begins the Fort Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival. This weeklong event showcases Broward County’s renowned and emerging chefs, restaurateurs and local food & beverage establishments. (For schedule and tickets)

FEATURED FORT LAUDERDALE

Each week we share a bunch of events happening along the Riverwalk in downtown Fort Lauderdale. In this week's podcast we caught up with Patrick Harris, COO of Go Riverwalk, to talk about what is happening behind the scenes in this 35th anniversary of Riverwalk events. We also talk about this weekends Stone Crab and Seafood Festival, as well as several other events.

Do you have a favorite event, place, business, or organization you would like to see featured on the podcast? HIT REPLY and let us know!

So... You Think You Know Fort Lauderdale?

You probably know... school was out for the past couple of weeks over the holidays. Maybe you were looking for something fun and outside to do with your children?

But do you know about... Camp Live Oak and its series of camp sessions over holiday breaks and in the summer?

Camp Live Oak is a camp working in a cooperative effort with Florida’s State Park System to provide a quality environmental experience. We offer a unique opportunity for kids to experience the joy of curiosity and the wonder of discovery while learning about nature in general and South Florida ecosystems in particular.

Big shoutout to #FFFTL reader Laura C for sharing this great resource for families who want to get more nature and fun into their vacation weeks.

Classifieds & Giveaways

We are working on several fun giveaway contests for 2023. Which ones would you be most excited about?

• Win a free paddleboard and get on the water here in the 'Venice of America'
• Win a package to eat out for a full week with your family
• Go on a Pirate Adventure (shows, tours, dinners, and more)

Which one speaks to you? Hit Reply and let us know!

Quote Of The Week

Flotsam & Jetsam

Here's a thought for you (courtesy of Peter Diamandis). Back in 1922...

• There were ~12 million cars on the road
• The price of gas was 11 cents per gallon
• The Ford Model-T cost a mere $319
• Only 40% of Americans had electricity in their homes
• Only 35% had a telephone
• Life expectancy was 58 years for men and 61 years for women (about 20 years less than today)

Top breakthrough inventions 1922? There were ONLY 7 (that I could find)...

1. The first water skis were demonstrated using wooden boards and a clothesline
2. The first manually retractable, convertible car hardtop was invented
3. The electric blender was invented for making malts and milkshakes
4. The radial arm saw was invented to cut and shape long pieces of stock material
5. The use of insulin for the first time in a person to treat diabetes
6. Vitamin E was discovered
7. The Australians invented Vegemite

So what are the top breakthroughs of 2022? Check out this list (includes background on each and why they matter) and then imagine what the next 100 years will bring. The pace of innovation is nearly unbelievable. We are living in the future NOW.

Tell Us How We Are Doing

We are working to improve #FFFTL every week, both for your reading experience and to provide a cutting-edge media apprenticeship opportunity for our learners. We want to hear from you. What do you love? How could we do better?

And most importantly, what FTL businesses and experiences should we be highlighting?