Thursday, September 18th - 2025 - There’s a lot happening in Fort Lauderdale this week! From Backyard Jam at the Pompano Beach Culture Center to Oktoberfest celebrations and a live Avatar: The Last Airbender orchestra performance, your weekend is packed with possibilities. Plus, discover the Old Florida Book Shop, see how Huizenga Park is transforming, and catch this week’s local gems and hidden finds.👇​
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Stuff You Won't Want To Miss:

1. Friday night is another Backyard Jam at the Pompano Beach Culture Center. Live music, delicious southern bites, craft cocktails, and laid-back vibes. It’s the perfect way to kick off your weekend every third Friday of the month
2. Saturday at Tarpon River Brewing is this year's kickoff to Octoberfest. Come for the stein challenges and stay for the food, drink, and music! Oktoberfest continues that afternoon as a fundraiser for the Fort Lauderdale Firefighters Association.
3. Saturday night - one of the events I am most excited about this weekend - is the music from Avatar, the Last Airbender on stage at the Broward Center. The projection will feature the original dialogue and sound effects without any pre-recorded music, allowing the live orchestra to perform the legendary score live and in perfect sync with the show’s favorite scenes.
4. Sunday the Flamingo Flea Market will be at Marina Village down by Fort Lauderdale Beach. Handmade and local goods and decor for for local and visitors a like.

😉Hey - quick question. Did we miss anything? Each week we do our research but you might know of an event, an organization, or a local business that deserves some love here in our weekly basket of goodies.​

Just hit reply to this email and let us know!

Featured Fort Lauderdale

Old Florida Book Shop Is A Treasure Trove for Book Lovers

For those who believe books are more than just pages and ink, Fort Lauderdale hides a rare gem worth uncovering: the Old Florida Book Shop. Tucked away just south of Downtown, this cozy haven is where history, literature, and discovery meet.

Step inside, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by shelves brimming with stories—first edition classics, rare prints, antique maps, and obscure titles that whisper of another time. Each corner invites you to linger, thumb through well-loved volumes, and perhaps stumble upon that unexpected treasure you didn’t even know you were searching for.

The shop’s atmosphere is warm and inviting, making it as much a place to explore as it is to shop. The knowledgeable staff are more than sellers—they’re guides, happy to share the stories behind the books and help you navigate the store’s vast collection. Whether you’re a seasoned collector, a casual browser, or hunting for a one-of-a-kind gift, this shop offers an experience that feels both intimate and extraordinary.

What makes the Old Florida Book Shop special isn’t just its remarkable selection—it’s the sense of stepping into a living piece of history. Browsing here isn’t about rushing; it’s about savoring the joy of discovery, of finding something rare and meaningful in a world that often moves too fast.

So next time you’re near Fort Lauderdale, skip the ordinary and wander into this literary time capsule. You may leave with a rare edition under your arm—or simply with the memory of having discovered one of the city’s most charming secrets.

So... You Think You Know South Florida

You probably already know... the Huizenga Park Reimagined project is underway and approaching its completion in 2026.

But what you might not know... is how many spaces are already taking shape!

Downtown Fort Lauderdale’s beloved Huizenga Park is transforming before our eyes. With each new tree planted and every amenity taking form, the park is quickly becoming the lush urban oasis our community has been waiting for.

The landscape is filling in beautifully, with new canopy trees and palms stretching skyward. Gumbo Limbo, Live Oak, and Sabal Palms now frame the park, with majestic oaks creating a stunning backdrop around the central fountain. At ground level, colorful understory trees like Purple Glory and Simpson Stopper add vibrancy and texture, giving the park a layered, year-round appeal.

It’s not just people who are taking notice—wildlife is flocking back, too. Butterflies are already fluttering through the new plantings, squirrels are scampering across fresh greenery, and the unmistakable squawk of green parakeets has returned to the Riverwalk. The park’s thoughtfully chosen plant palette is doing exactly what it was designed to do: welcome birds, bees, and other wildlife into the heart of Downtown.

Progress is visible at every corner of the park’s new features:

• The Dog Spot – A gift from Cassidy and Dan Towriss, now with fence posts set, pebble benches in place, and a sandy base ready for finishing touches.
• Poppy’s Play Patch – Funded by Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, this children’s play space is now outfitted with soft rubber padding and fresh artificial turf.
• The Park Pavilion – Made possible by Stiles, this structure is rising fast, with the floor slab poured and wall framing complete. Each milestone brings this gathering space closer to reality.

Crews continue to drive progress with concrete pours, plantings, and amenity installations. Every step forward adds to the thoughtful design details that will soon make Huizenga Park the perfect blend of nature, play, and community gathering space.

Treats To Try

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• NEXT WEEK - Friday, Sept 26th - the Founding Families Fall Festival at the Stranahan House & Museum. There will be food trucks, beer and wine vendors, games for people of all ages, live music, and more! We will be there with our Thumb Buddy Table. Stop by and visit!
• 👉 Buy YOUR OWN Classified Ad Here 👈

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Quote Of The Week

Can you say you kept your enthusiasm the last time you failed gloriously at a task? Infants do it as they learn to walk with dramatic "Ooops" as they land on their butt the first few times. What could you do this week to UP your success quotient, by AMPING UP your enthusiasm as you leap from one small mistake (gaining experience) to the next?

As George Lucas (year, the Star Wars George Lucas) says, failure is just another word for experience. 😎

Flotsam & Jetsam

This morning in our Adventure Studio (Middle School-aged cohort) we were talking about how to get unstuck when a problem is hard (say a math problem) and there is no one available to help. Mind you, we are a "learning environment" not a "teaching approach" so there are no instructors on our campus.

So how does one LEARN when there is no one available to TEACH?

Interestingly, the answer is young people learn better - which means faster, more deeply, and BECAUSE they are more engaged in the process as opposed to passively receiving information. It is very similar to how YOU might learn a new skill in your career as a lifelong learner.

For example, NotebookLM is a new AI tool from Google that is slowly becoming the de facto tutor for many learners who are able to load their topics into notebooks. The AI will then create quizzes, mindmaps, even audio and video presentations on any subject. The best part is, you can ask it questions.

Here's an example of an audio podcast called a deep dive we created recently, for our "AI Driver's License" Challenge that was presented to our MS'ers so they can learn to use AI tools responsible (freedom and responsibility, just like driving a car).

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Word Play Of The Week

The phrase has been in use since at least the 18th century. It was first recorded in James Hervey's "Reflections on a Flower-Garden" in 1746, indicating that what seems unfortunate can often bring about good outcomes. ~ Source​

Idea Of The Week

Tell Us How We Are Doing

Every week 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? What could we do better FOR YOU?

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