by Miguel Bravo | Feb 7, 2011 | Art, Local Business, Music
The last year has been an exciting time for the local scene in Fort Lauderdale. Just about every weekend, there’s a new art show, band showcase, or warehouse party that attracts impressive crowds of all types (see New Times’ review of Dialect or snapshots of the last FAT Village’s Art Walk for proof). Well, FTL Collective is proud to announce its latest co-sponsored endeavor to promote the 954’s emerging creative community — Digital Love, every Thursday at The Green Room (the club attached to Revolution). Last week, fellow bloggers Reed Fischer and Courtney Hambright previewed the party on their respective music blogs, County Grind and Mood Vane. If you read their posts, you already know the basic details of the party: residents Andie Sweetswirl and myself (Mig), plus a guest DJ will be spinning the best in indie, electro, and 80s new wave every Thursday at The Green Room. No cover charge for 21 and up. $2 PBRs, $5 Jack Daniels shots. Those details alone should entice any nightlife hungry partier trying to extend the weekend by a day. However, there’s even more details about Digital Love to coerce you from your couch on a weeknight:
- Alongside the regular DJs, there will be at least one local band or well known national act. FYI, Miami rock trio REBEL is performing this coming Thursday, February 10th.
- Local artists will have a chance to display their works on the walls of the club at least once a month for an art show. We are still accepting submissions for flier art.
- Local businesses will be working with the party to promote their services or product. Again, send us an email to digitalloveparty@gmail.com if you’re interested in getting involve.
- Expect the same quality music selection at every party, but know that each event will be a little different than the last. This includes (but not limited to): free swag, unique party themes, and major national DJs or bands.
Unlike a lot of parties that fizzle out after a few weeks, the party organizers and the people at Revolution are fully committed to making this event a fixture in Fort Lauderdale for a long time. A major focus is to involve as many creative types in our metropolitan area to help make the event more diverse than just an indie dance party and more like a community-driven event that happens to have consistently awesome music with an amazing dancefloor and cheap suds. Of course, this blog will be the first to announce the details on all the upcoming parties, as well as the official Facebook account. Drop by this coming Thursday and say ‘what up’. I’m not hard to find. Just look for the man with the headphones and laptop with MIG in big letters.
by Strawberry Jam | Feb 4, 2011 | Local Business
By Strawberry Jam
Last week, an impromptu Google search for dinner led me to Sara’s Kosher Restaurant in Hollywood. Having been a vegetarian for four years and growing up in Hollywood, I was pretty surprised to not have heard of the place, especially after the waitress said its been there eighteen or twenty years.
Shish kabob
My inner vegetarian was thrilled to see there is absolutely no meat served (with theexception of fish), even though I do eat it now every once in a while. The multi-page menu offers dishes of every kind including Cuban, Israeli, and Italian- all with meat substitutes. You could say the place is pretty plain-looking, considering how long its been there, and the staff seems to be just as matter-of-fact and upfront as the decor. After looking over the menu for about five or ten minutes, we finally decided on a shish kabob with cup of soup and falafel platter. What tasted like a vinegar-based coleslaw was served on the table, which was fresh and light.
The shish kabob was served with potato chips and a choice between two soups. Inside the shish kabob pita was tahini, Israeli salad (chopped cucumber, tomato, peppers, and onion) and “meat”. I chose the split pea which had bits of carrot and was hearty with a smokey flavor which was nice considering it wasnot ham-based. The falafel platter was served with pita, Israeli salad, tahini, french fries, and sauerkraut. The falafel was crunchy but soft in the middle, and the rest of the sides were probably what you’d expect from a place like this.
Falafel platter
All in all, nothing to really blow you out of the water, but an awesome place to know if you are vegetarian or veg-friendly. This is the place to go when you’re craving a meaty dish but you don’t eat meat, and more than likely they’ve got what you’re looking for.
My recommendations for the real deal: Sub the shish kabob for a gyro at Sahara on Hollywood Beach, and get your falafel platter at Exotic Bites off Harrison Street in Downtown Hollywood.
by Miguel Bravo | Jan 31, 2011 | Fort Lauderdale
Despite similar admission prices, comparing Flamingo Gardens with Zoo Miami is just plain idiotic. The Davie animal sanctuary is devoid of any of the animal superstars (elephants, giraffes, meerkats, and camel back riding) and is a heck of a lot smaller (8.1% the size of Dade’s super zoo). Regardless, it’s still worth a visit on a sunny weekend afternoon on a slow Sunday. With attractions such as monster-sized alligators, Florida panthers, Broward’s 2nd highest peak, a free flight aviary, an old school tram ride, and a Jurassic era turtle hybrid, you’re bound to have a blast.
Recently, I had the chance to visit the 60 acre wildlife sanctuary and snapped a handful of photos. To liven up the post, I decided to tweak the pics a bit. Here are some photos from Flamingo Gardens….through the glazed eyes of a Jam Cruise passenger.
photos and editing by Mig
by Strawberry Jam | Jan 27, 2011 | Fort Lauderdale
This weekend is jam packed with goodness. Here are just a few of the happenings around town:
Friday
The second Critical Mass bike ride for Ft Lauderdale will begin at 6pm at both Brew locations (Himmarshee and Vic Park). Click the link for more info and the route. Show your support so we can make this a regular thing.
Take your pick between NOFX and Bouncing Souls at Revolution (Doors at 7pm, $24) and Tokyo Police Club at Culture Room (Doors at 8pm, $14.99).
Saturday
Art Heart is having an event at Pompano City Center. Check out art from over 20 artists and music by DJs Andie Sweetswirl and Sensitive Side. Bring craft supplies (crayons, pencils, rulers, pads of paper) to donate to Los Colores, an organization that’s committed to providing art supplies to needy children in Greater FTL.
The 6th Annual Dania Beach Antique festival will take place from Friday night through Sunday and feature art, crafts, and live music.
Vatican Splendors at the Ft Lauderdale Museum of Art is opening. Mom points, anyone?
Dan Marino’s Walk About Autism is happening at Sun Life Stadium from 10am to 2pm. Click the link above to register or support someone who will be walking.
Watch the “legends” play at Joe DiMaggio’s Legends Game at Ft Lauderdale Stadium.
Sunday
Go outside! There’s no football on TV.
by Miguel Bravo | Jan 25, 2011 | Art, Music
by Mig
It’s no secret that the FTLC enjoys a good cup of joe around town (see the coffee category on our post FTLC’s Best of 2010 Places). It’s also no secret that we enjoy events that combine local artists and musicians, with fairly priced suds. Well, this Thursday we’ll be able to relish in both when popular DJ collective Twilight Notes coddles downtown Ft Lauderdale with their celebrated event DIALECT.
Here’s the official press release for the gathering:
Twilight Notes, Brew Urban Cafe, and Freedom Art Present…
“Dialect”
Thursday, January 27th 8:00pm-12:30am
A Night of Art and Music
Twilight Notes and Brew Urban Cafe are proud to announce the first Dialect event of 2011. We are teaming up with Jose Lopez of Freedom Art who has worked with us to find the best talent in the local art scene and will be curating the event. Dialect is an eve have put together an exhibition of photography, design, painting and more. As always, Twilight Notes has brought together an unbelievable lineup of Dj’s for your listening pleasure. Returning favorites Kent Lawlor, Damask and Dj Esoteric will be playing alongside very special guest Richard Verges of Radio-Active Records. The event is hosted by Rob Negron and Brew Urban Cafe will have their usual specials on beer, wine, and specialty coffee.
Dialect.
This is the language that we speak.
Below is the list of artists and DJs that will be showcasing their skills at the event.
Exhibiting Artists:
- Steve Baum
- Ev Panigua
- Sal Marotta
- Dapstilo
- Danielle Veit
- Brooke Kotzen
- Lindsey Grace
- Olga Volkus
- Willie Morris
- Tiffany Tam
- John Kissee
- Samantha Kondratowicz
Featuring Dj’s
- Esoteric
- Damask
- Kent Lawlor
- Richard Verges (Radio-Active Records)
This event is a perfect precursor to a packed weekend that includes intriguing concerts, massive bike rides, and more artist pow wows. Hope to see Broward’s creative community come out in droves this Thursday evening.
by Strawberry Jam | Jan 24, 2011 | News
By Strawberry Jam
After decades of tug-of-war over how to redevelop quaint Hollywood Beach and increase revenue, the city has decided to sign a 99-year lease to a Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville complex. The project, which will cost an estimated $130 million, will supposedly be funded by foreign investors in exchange for a green card– what?!
It may be somewhat understandable that some sort of revamping is necessary for Hollywood Beach, especially if business owners feel so, but Margaritaville, really? People drive from near and far to this beach for its old school feel and to enjoy a $1.50 soft-serve while checking out the Canadians. 349 hotel rooms, 35,000 feet of convention space, a wave pool, restaurants, an entertainment venue, a new parking garage, marina and beach cabanas just don’t seem to add up with that equation. I don’t think I’m going overboard when I say that the majority of this beach’s visitors come for reasonably priced food and drink, relaxation, and, gasp!, the beach.
City officials and others have long argued that HWB needs to be more like Ft Lauderdale Beach or South Beach but wouldn’t it make sense that if that’s what consumers were after they would be exactly there- Ft Lauderdale or Miami? Who decides this stuff? I hereby solemnly swear to never step foot in Margaritaville. Read these Miami Herald comments and you’ll find I’m not the only one who feels this way. To reiterate my own thought… “If other hotels on the beach are called “eyesores” and The Hollywood Beach Hotel is a “sleepy white elephant” what would you call a giant concrete building with parking garage and restaurants, a screaming rhinoceros? If this is going to be a trend in development this is going to contribute to the downfall of this beach’s charm and drive the people that currently flock to it away. What’s so great about a chain? What’s so great about bigger and better? That mentality and the popular belief “go big or go home” are the reason why the country is the way it is now. In a time when things get worse and worse and people are losing their jobs I think people genuinely enjoy places that still remind them of better days.”
At least we can breathe a sigh of relief that the Bandshell remains safe… for now.
by Miguel Bravo | Jan 21, 2011 | Music
A few months ago, Fernando Perdomo of Dreaming In Stereo complained that not enough local DJs or venues are playing genre-appropriate local music in between bands sets. No quibbles here. In my opinion, part of the problem is that South Floridians need easier access to local music. Blogs are a major part of promoting new music these days, and the fact is, there isn’t a one-stop shop for acquiring mp3s from our area’s top bands. With a concerted effort, a laptop DJ can scour sites such as HypeM, Elbo.ws, Off The Radar, Penned Madness, Beached Miami, County Grind, and Crossfade to download local tuneage from some of our more blog-friendly bands but in reality, that rarely occurs because it’s a pain in the rear end to search those sites for individual artists, especially since most of the searches will end up fruitless. To support the cause, we’ve decided to launch a series of posts that include 5-10 downloadable songs from local musicians that can be downloaded in one convenient file. In this particular post, we’ve grouped songs together that can be easily inserted into any indie dance party setlist. Make sure to comment with your favorite tracks.
Plains – Innovator
Millionyoung – Calrissian
ANR – Birthday
BF/GF – Greenpoint
Amtrac – In Love
The Jameses – Rat People
Afrobeta – Two Different Worlds
Download the entire mixtape here
by Miguel Bravo | Jan 20, 2011 | Art, Local Business, Music
FTL Collective will be co-sponsoring an upcoming weekly indie dance party at The Green Room at Revolution Live called Digital Love. When the details are finalized, we’ll be sure to share the info. In the meantime, we’re looking for locals who want to contribute their talents to the Thursday event.
Local Artists:
We are looking for local artsy folk who would be willing to create art that we can use on our flyers. Possible ideas include a mini version of art you would create or already have (i.e. a print, photo, or painting). The perks would be free distribution of your design for up to 5,000 people, the opportunity to showcase your work at one of the parties, and prominent placement on this website. If you’re interested, email digitalloveparty@gmail.com
Local Musicians:
We want to book at least one local band for every party. At the moment, we’re looking for rock or electronic acts. If you’re interested in performing on an upcoming Thursday, email us at digitalloveparty@gmail.com with a link to your music.
Local Businesses:
Any business looking to promote their products, whatever it may be, at one of the events, email digitalloveparty@gmail.com with the name of your business and what you’d like to promote. We’re open to everything.
Overall, we want to collaborate with as many different creative types as possible for this event to not only cross promote, but to help support our burgeoning scene.
Stay tuned for the nitty gritty on the grand opening party in a few weeks.
by Strawberry Jam | Jan 17, 2011 | Music
By Strawberry Jam
By now, most people have heard a thing or two about chillwave. Its signature lo-fi sound and dreamy melodies has spawned many haters but equally as many lovers. The genre caught on like wildfire in 2009, igniting a plethora of do-it-yourself bands and fans all over the country, and is still around today. Artists fed off each other by sharing techniques, and even covering and remixing each other’s songs. For those who enjoyed it, the summery sound was the perfect background for hot days and the steamy, dark night.
On top of musicians already struggling to provide an entertaining show of a man and his laptop, critics complained that anyone could make music on a computer. These challenges prompted acts such as Toro Y Moi, Washed Out, and Coral Springs’ Millionyoung to make some changes. South Carolina’s Toro y Moi has since added members to his live performances, and now Millionyoung tours with a band. But why? Why the shift instead of pleasing your fans?
One of the hallmarks of the sound of chillwave is the sense of nostalgia it evokes. Despite the fact that it is (or was) entirely made digitally, its sound is very much analog. The feeling like you’re listening to something old and grainy takes you back and kind of away from reality. Throwing a band into the mix seems somewhat counterintuitive.
Though he’s had a couple dozen other songs and remixes, Millionyoung’s first full-length, Replicants, dropped last week. It features actually recorded instruments with a slightly different style, which seems to be less lyrics and less energy. Below are two songs, pre- and post- “band”. You be the judge: would you prefer your own personal shower of glittery nostalgia, or a full band with a more polished sound?
Millionyoung – Hammock (from The Sundreamm EP, 2010. Download for FREE on millionyoung.com)
Millionyoung – Gravity Feels (from Replicants, 2011)
by Miguel Bravo | Jan 14, 2011 | Fort Lauderdale
Our banner is long overdue for a makeover. Over the last seven months, we managed to cope with it, but we never really felt like it was a true fit. To end our suffering, we’ve decided to start spring cleaning a few months early, and trash our current monstrosity in hopes of a sexier banner image. Here’s where you guys come in…
We’re inviting all our readers to enter in our banner design contest, appropriately titled FTL Collective’s Banner Contest. The winner(s) will get some recognition on the blog via a congratulatory post and inclusion of your design on the top of the page. There are only two rules — the banner must be 990 x 180 and the words FTL Collective or FTLC must be somewhere on the image. Besides that, be as creative or devious as you’d like.
Send your completed designs to mig@ftlcollective.com . If you’re unsure about your design, just know that it’s nearly impossible to do much worse than our current banner. Also, there’s a chance that we might have multiple winners, meaning that we would rotate the banners over time.
Have fun!
