The man at the library known formally as Dave Montalbano, likes to be known informally as "Cinema Dave." And he's more than happy to explain the reason for it.

"It gets me in places," the 38-year-old cinema guru said.

And that is truly the key to understanding Montalbano: the name lets him act like he doesn’t take movies or his job as an audiovisual librarian at the Main Library on Andrews Avenue, all that seriously.

But he does, he really does. It’s just that he is as willing to pour out movie wisdom on a forgotten modern favorite as he is about an Orson Welles masterpiece. More specifically, he provides the library with his own brand of "Literary Cinema," and the knowledge to back it up.

In fact, call him and ask a question like: "What does the Dunkirk scene in ‘Atonement’ share with the opening of ‘Touch of Evil’?"

You'll get an answer.

To catch up on Montalbano's "Literary Cinema" series, stop by the library at 1 p.m. on Nov. 8 for a screening and discussion of "First Blood." Beyond that, you can expect his usual brand of cinema oddity.

"Did you know Rambo died in the book?"

Upcoming film dates include "Spartacus" on Jan. 10, "Ben-Hur" on April 11, and "Stagecoach" on May 9. Call Montalbano at 954-357-7452.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea residents have affectionate ways of describing their quaint little town as much as they do the charming events it hosts annually. So when you think of art and craft fairs here, think the word charming.

On Nov. 22 and 23, the town will celebrate the 10th year of its annual Craft Festival, which takes over A1A and Commercial Boulevard for a few hours of peaceful browsing.

The festival features more than 150 local and national craft exhibitors displaying everything from folk art and pottery to one-of-a-kind handmade clothing. Most of the things you find here is original work, ranging in price from a few dollars to $3,000. Visitors also get a chance to meet and talk with some of the creators, since many of the artists sell the work themselves.
The festival hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, and admission is free. For information call Misty Pinson at 954-340-6845 or e-mail misty@artfestival.com.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

"Deadlier than the male" is the phrase that comes to mind while watching a half-dozen preadolescent girls work on their tennis game at George English Park in Fort Lauderdale on a recent Tuesday evening.

They are students in a program called High Performance, a creation of the Jimmy Evert Tennis Center presided over by coach Jennifer Wiley.

"All the girls play in tournaments; they're all ranked high in the state of Florida," Wiley said. "They're a select group [and] they play every day."

And they get from her and her colleague, Evert Tennis Center coach T.J. Urhobo, the kind of high-intensity training that is otherwise only available at pricey tennis academies.

"If they stay healthy," she said, "they should all be able to play on scholarships at good colleges."

Or maybe make millions of dollars available to players at the very top?

"We never said we're in it for that," Wiley said. "But we practice as hard as anybody else."

The girls, some of them barely taller than the net, play with an incredible ferocity that can make the coaches reach and sweat.

Learn more about the High Performance Tennis Program by calling 954-828-5378.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

Now it’s official.

After trying to win support for a dog beach, the town of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea has scrapped the idea after residents voted against it in a straw poll last month.

The Town Commission was divided on the issue and decided to put the question to residents in the August/September edition of the newsletter Town Topics. The result: 173 residents voted against the proposal and 66 voted in favor.

Commissioner Stuart Dodd, one of the main supporters of the idea, said he is disappointed it will not come to fruition.

“If we actually had a doggy beach providing plastic bags, people would take care after their dogs,” he said. “They’d be more likely to clean after them than to look the other way, but people won’t accept this logic.”

Respondents to the straw poll had to submit their full names so that city officials could verify their resident status. About 17 votes were disregarded because they did not come from city residents.

Dog owners can still go to one of the nearby dog-friendly beaches, including the 100-yard stretch between Custer and Pershing streets in Hollywood and the 100-yard stretch between Sunrise Boulevard and Lifeguard Station 5 in Fort Lauderdale.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

Three mayoral hopefuls stopped by the Coral Ridge Neighborhood Association meeting on Thursday night at George English Park, 1101 Bayview Drive in Fort Lauderdale, for an impromptu candidate forum, which residents citywide will probably see plenty of before the election in 2009.

The candidates in attendance included Steve Rossi, Rep. Jack Seiler, and Dean Trantalis. Another candidate, Earl Rynerson, was not in attendance. City Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson dropped out of the race last month. Each candidate was given just a few minutes to speak.

Here's a rundown of some other notables that stopped by. Check it out:

New Police Chief Frank Adderley made a surprise visit to the meeting for a crime update, as well as Broward Commissioner Ken Keechl and City Commissioner Christine Teel.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

Turns out a cell phone could very well be the key to finding out who broke into the Women's Theatre Project last Saturday.

In the early morning hours, thieves cracked open the heavily-locked door of the theater at 505 NW First Ave. in Fort Lauderdale, and walked right by a table loaded with expensive power tools, and managed to navigate a huge warehouse to get inside a room where the theater company keeps technical equipment. The thieves seemed to know what they wanted, taking items such as a light board, sound board, and an iPod DJ deck for sound, according to Board President Meredith Lasher.

The cash box was also taken. While all credit card information had been removed earlier by the management, $100 in cash and the theater's cell phone was taken.

That's right, the theater's cell phone.

And when Lasher dialed the cell phone's number, a male voice answered.

Since then, the cell phone company has replaced the phone and deactivated the phone that was stolen. Later, the same voice called the main theater number again, Lasher said. Using a back directory, Lasher said was able to determine the caller's name and address, which she gave to the police, and is still awaiting word.

"There's a process," Lasher said. "I understand that."

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1) | Share:

Newly planted trees that were in the ground less than a week, and overexcited advertisers have already managed to find a way to attach advertising posters to the trees located at the Oakland Park Boulevard and Interstate 95 interchange.

The new oak trees were part of the city of Oakland Park's effort to beautify and enhance the interstate entrance into the city.

More than seven screws were hammered into the trees to secure the posters, which touted a local pain clinic, according to city horticulturists, who discovered the advertisements on Tuesday.

The city forwarded the information on to the local Broward Sheriff's Office in hopes of catching the poster’s owners. Although, it shouldn't be that hard. Just call the phone number on the poster, right?

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

When vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was introduced to Florida Republicans at The Boca Raton Resort & Club earlier this month, Fort Lauderdale resident Dione Meli showed up with a gift.

Two days later, Palin was photographed with the bag as she arrived at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown, Pa. Striding across concrete, the bag swung from her shoulder, moose head and all. And now, anybody can get their own moose bag via eBay and Meli’s own Web site, www.realwomenhuntmoose.net.

The tote design was actually the work of Debra Picou, an art school graduate and close friend of Meli’s.

Palin's reaction?

“She loved it,” Meli said. “She laughed and thought it was fabulous.”

A day after Palin was photographed with the bag in Pennsylvania (see above), the liberal news Web site — The Huffington Post — posted the photo with the headline: “A new trend?”
Los Angeles Times blog column “All The Rage” wrote an entry on Palin’s moose bag, quipping: “Bullwinkle is not amused.” Knockoffs of the bag have even popped up on Web sites like www.cafepress.com.

The moose tote bags are available on eBay for $24.99. The two friends also plan to make other items like shirts and tops.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

Historic places certainly have their own ideas about how to celebrate a family day.

And when you think of historic Fort Lauderdale, few places come to mind quicker than Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, 900 N. Birch Road. At this gorgeous estate, Family Day rarely includes picnics, carnivals or perilous rides. In fact, it's much more of a learning experience.

Birdwatching is the theme of the day for the Museum's Family Day on Nov. 1, with lecture times set for 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Experts on the subject will begin short lectures on birding, as the pros call it, while visitors get a casual tour through the Bonnet House grounds. Bonnet House deserves to be seen, even on bright days the grounds hold crannies and shadows and the postcard beauty can drip decadence and a hint of menace.

Visitors also get a chance to look inside the historic house, and you’ll be surprised at how entertaining this look at the manners of the well-heeled a century ago can be. Ask about the lady’s special drink – it involved a killer slug of rum. And there’s a carnival touch after all: the gentleman of the house collected carousel animals from the 1800s. If that's not enough, admission is half-price on Family Days.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

Another year, another creepy few days in the city of Fort Lauderdale.

And this year is no letdown. Fort Lauderdale Historical Society’s "Trick or Treat on Second Street" is another playful attempt to hide the grim nature of Halloween from the rest of us. We’ve been doing it ourselves for decades, making entertainment out of scaring people and dressing freakishly.

"Trick or Treat on Second Street" is more of Halloween tour we great stops along the way. The diversion begins at 3 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Arts and Entertainment Parking Garage on Southwest Fifth Avenue. Pick up a passport at the Museum of Discovery and Science – or Esplanade Park, The River House, or the New River Inn – and have a look at GrossOut Science at the museum. After that, head over to Esplanade Park for dancing and games, where organizers claim they really will play "Monster Mash."

And then the best for last: The River House will be transformed into a haunted house, complete with room-by-room creepiness. Try to remember it’s all in fun and don’t think about the psychic researchers who say they’ve photographed real spirit lights in the city.

Don't forget to visit many of the old and historic homes along the way, where children will get a chance to trick or treat ... if they dare. Visitors can finally head back to the museum for even more candy and drinks. For information call Gina Jackson at 954-463-4431.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share:

Not all ladybugs are chocolate candies, flat on the bottom and round on top and wrapped in bright, red foil speckled with black dots.

Some of them are actually alive.

This weekend event gives children, parents, and grandparents alike the chance to release these wonderful ladybug creatures back into the wild. All 36,000 of them. The program is part of an annual release organized by the Museum of Discovery and Science, 401 SW Second St. in Fort Lauderdale.

A species of beetle, in fact called coccinella septempunctata – an item of knowledge you’re free to forget as soon as you’ve read this. This is the fifth year the museum has released as many ladybugs, and the staff uses the Naturescape garden to house five separate ecosystems, everything from a wetland to a sand pine scrub. The relaes takes place all this weekend at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. each day.

Need more odd facts? There are more than 5,000 species of ladybugs although it’s not likely you’ll be able to count them all.

The little bugs are actually loss leaders for other events at the museum. Climate change is the order of the day now, and the museum has mounted an overpowering battery of special effects – wind and rain, thunder and lightning – to recreate weather patterns. If you don’t think global warming is something bad, you will when this museum is done with you. General admission for the ladybug release is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $8 for children 2 to 12, and children under 2 are free. For information call 954-467-6637.

> Discuss this entry

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Share: