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TeamTeamTeamTeamTeamTeamTeamTeamTeamTeamTeamTeamLasLasLasLasLasLasLasLasLasOlasOlasOlasOlasOlasOlasOlasOlasOlasOlasOlasOlasTales of the Riverside

Las Olas Green Market celebrates another year

on the Boulevard

Sunday Market

Where glories past meets the promise of the present

+Colee Hammock Park

Our favorite picnic spot and a green space to relax

Stranahan House Where it all began

DineLas Olas

LAS OLAS FOCUS

F A L L 2 0 1 2

M A R K E T I N G L A S O L A S B O U L E VA R D • F O RT L A U D E R DA L E

Published by

.com

CONTENTS STRANAHAN HOUSEWhere Fort Lauderdale all began...

TEAM LAS OLAS MAGAZINEFall, 2012

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DINELAS OLASWhere to eat on Las Olas

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THE NEW RIVERThe heart of the of our area

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FROM THE BEACH TO THE BOULEVARDStunning new book

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DON’T MISS THESEA few of our hidden secrets

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THE SPIRIT OF THE RIVERHow a 1930s hotel shaped Las Olas

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TEAM LAS OLASCommunity media

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THE RIVERWALKA favorite park - enjoy the river

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THE SUNDAY MARKETOur own gourmet farmers market

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GREEN LAS OLASFlora & fauna

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WHERE ON LAS OLAS?Do you know?

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DAN MARINO

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.

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Fort 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. 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

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

THE STRANAHAN HOUSE MUSEUM

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IVY STRANAHAN

“A man should have a nice cool place where he can sit in the

shade.”

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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

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’.

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

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.

“It’s not hard work that kills people, it’s hard play. So let’s work.” IVY STRANAHAN, 1926

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In 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.

THE SPIRIT OF

THE RIVER

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THE LAS

OLAS SUNDAY MARKET

1200 EAST LAS OLAS9AM - 2PM

“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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The 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 gloriously-colored 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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:::::::DINE LAS OLAS

Dining on Las Olas can be a culinary trip

around the world! The boulevard has always had a strong international flavor and this can be seen and enjoyed in our numerous sidewalk cafes, fine dining restaurants, pizza parlors, bakeries and candy emporiums. Whatever style of cuisine your prefer - and whatever the state of your wallet - you’ll find something on Las Olas that’s just right for you. Start your day with breakfast on Las Olas. There’s no better start to any day of the week. Croissant and coffee or a full, hearty breakfast; the choice is yours. The only real problem you’ll face when dining on Las Olas is where

to go - there are so many places to

choose from. For lunch, grab food to go and picnic, eat on a waterfront patio or

totally spoil yourself at a bakery. Don’t forget mid-afternoon treats. After all, you’re on Las Olas! When its time or dinner, decide just where in the world you want to go. How about authentic French food? Do you prefer the flavors of Italy or the spices of Mexico? Experience the taste of Asia or the delights of traditional Greek food. Oh, or good ole American! And if you’ve been partying the night away, there’s our own famous 24/7 diner. Enjoy!

A culinary trip around the world on Las Olas Boulevard

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FROM THE BEACH

TO THE BOULEVARD

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Las 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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TEAMLAS

OLASIt’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.

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?16

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!

“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

“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

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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:

* 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.

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.

1 TOTALLY FOCUSED ON ACTIVE LAS OLAS SOCIAL MEDIA USERS

2 A READY-MADE NETWORK OF ACCOUNTS WITH A HUGE FORT LAUDERDALE REACH

3 TRUSTED, LONG-ESTABLISHED ACCOUNTS WITH GREAT INTERACTION

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“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 LAS OLAS!

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ANY COLOR YOU LIKE

AS LONG AS IT’S GREEN

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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!

OUR GREEN & PLEASANT LAND“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 21

BOULEVARD BUILDINGSSome 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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When 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...PRESTON’S BARA quiet, outdoor tropical oasis

LAS OLAS CHEMISTA pharmacy with beauty products and cute gifts.

ETEN FOODSReady-prepared foods, sandwiches and more

TRATA GREEK TAVERNAAuthentic Greek food right here on Las Olas

GRAND CENTRAL Stationery, cards, gifts and more

PAMPERED POOCHWe can’t forget your four-legged friend!

MISSION GIFTSFair trade gifts mostly from recycled materials

BOHEMIAN STYLEWonderfully chic clothing without the high prices

STRANAHAN GARDENSFree to enter - great place to enjoy

SOME OF OUR BEST-KEPT SECRETS

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THE RIVERWALK

The 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.

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WHERE ON LAS OLASHe 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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Las OlasFrom the beach to the boulevard

Come see where it all began in the heart of Fort LauderdaleGuided tours daiLy at 1, 2, and 3 pmLearn 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.

335 southeast 6th avenue Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301 (just off Las Olas Boulevard

across from the Cheesecake Factory)

954.524.4736www.stranahanhouse.org

For more information or to register for a sunday night river Ghost tour, please call or go online.

riVer GHOST tour

EVERY SUNDAY RAIN OR SHINE

FORT LAUDERDALE’SONLY OLIVE OIL BAR

1239 EAST LAS OLAS BLVDFORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33301

(954) 522-5088

This fall:Showing iPhone art by

Fort Lauderdale’s Andy RoystonDrop by to see these wonderful prints!

IAMLASOLAS.COM/LASOLAS/BOOKSTORE

THE PERFECT MEMENTO

A visual tribute to this storied thoroughfare in elegant words and beautiful pictures.

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TEAMLASOLAS.COMIAMLASOLAS.COM

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