Fabulous Holiday Events in Pompano Beach

New York City can have the Macy’s Parade and Rockefeller Center, Orlando can have  Disney’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Chicago can have the Magnificent Mile Tree Lighting Ceremony, but Pompano Beach has the Annual Pompano Beach Boat Parade and Holiday Fantasy of Lights at Tradewinds Park.

Greater Pompano Beach Boat Parade

Others do it, but not quite like us, this jovial Pompano Beach tradition is in its 54th year on December 11th.  The parade of boats starts at 6:30 PM and ends at 10:00 PM!   Watch the parade from the shore or in a bar or restaurant.

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Holiday Fantasy of Lights at Tradewinds Park

In nearby Coconut Creek you will find one of the area’s brightest light displays!  The park has over 3 miles of giant animated holiday displays and illuminated trees!  This fun light display attracts over 150,000 people and runs through the 1st of January.  Check out their website for more details and special activities.

 

Twists to Classic Green Bean Casserole

For many of us the highlight of Thanksgiving isn’t necessarily the turkey, it is the side dishes and one of the most popular Thanksgiving side dishes is the beloved green bean casserole.  Instead of making the classic green bean casserole with condensed soup, canned beans, and fried onions, try these twists to an American classic.

Add Bacon – adding some bacon crumbles to your classic recipe kicks this classic casserole up a notch.

Add Cheese – Use either cheddar cheese soup instead of (or in addition to) cream of mushroom soup or add grated cheese.  Either way adding cheese to green bean casserole is a delicious way to change things up.

Make it from Scratch – Instead of using condensed cream of mushroom soup,use heavy cream, a tablespoon of flour, fresh mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, chopped red peppers, and Parmesan cheese.

Add Artichokes – Add drained, chopped artichokes and cheese to your traditional recipe for a delicious twist!

 

Fun Friday Gatsby Party!

The weekend is finally here! Whether you had a stressful or easygoing week we know you have to be excited for Friday. Sometimes though, the pressure to have a fabulous start to your weekend can be daunting. Very often you find yourself without plans or something to do and so you let the night go by without really doing much of anything. Living in such a hub of culture and entertainment, you should be out enjoying all Pompano Beach has to offer! The Speakeasy Soiree III at the Bonnet House Museum & Gardens is the perfect solution.

The Bonnet house is a gorgeous garden and museum, originally owned by Chicago artist Frederic Clay Bartlett. During the day, it is left often for the public to enjoy but always closes at 4pm. But tonight the doors will open again at 7pm for a night of drinking, dancing and Gatsby-esque fun. In addition, there will be Las Vegas style game tables and slots! It’s one event that you don’t want to miss. For more info, visit the event site.

The Hottest Gadgets to Help You Keep Fit

Renting an apartment in Pompano Beach, Florida means that there is always great ways to stay fit.  Whether you are running on the beach, walking on the many trails, doing yoga on the beach, attending one of the numerous fitness classes or, of course, taking advantage of the fitness center, staying healthy in Pompano Beach is a breeze.  With all of these great exercise opportunities, you might be wondering what are the latest exercise gadgets or apps and how do they work?

We have gathered a few of the hottest ones, so be sure to check them out!

Finis Neptune

Swimming is a great low-impact cardio friendly exercise, but doing laps can be boring. Thats where the Finis Neptune comes in! This device lets you listen to music underwater.  Just fasten it to your swim goggles and listen to tunes as you get toned.

Amiigo Fitness Bracelet

There are all sorts of fitness bracelets on the market, but this one is different; this is a 2-in-1 device and can differentiate your work out. It even syncs with Bluetooth!

FitBit Blaze

Wearable bracelets are showing up on wrists across the country, whether it be Jawbone, Nike’s Fuel Band or of course the Fitbit.  This year’s FitBit is stylish and lets you customize the band, notifies you of calls, texts, and calendar alerts and comes with a free fitness subscription that shows on screen workout stats.

November is a Great Month to Celebrate Art

While the rest of the country is under the covers trying to stay warm, Floridians are celebrating November with cool nights and warm days!  From music to moving art, here is a list of a few of November’s featured events.

Music Under the Stars

The Music Under the Stars series is still going strong!  The next performance will be on Friday, November 11th and 7:00 pm at the Pompano Beach Promenade.  Gather your friends or neighbors from your Pompano Beach apartment community and head on down for some of the best rock, blues, soul, and jazz music!

Invisual: The Works of Goldstein and Nicola

The Bailey Contemporary Arts will be hosting a poignant art exhibit featuring the work of Bonnie Goldstein and Christina Nicola, two talented artists whose bold works highlight the struggles of women in society.  Using different mediums and from different generations, these two artists tell a decades old story through art.

 Get more details.

Watch these Classics this Halloween

Looking for some great, ghoulish fun this Halloween?  Why not watch some Halloween classics!  You can host a Halloween watching party at your Pompano Beach apartment or check out a local movie theater for a bit of fright and delight, Halloween style.

Netflix, OnDemand, Hulu, AppleTV all make watching movies at home easy.  Here is a list of best Halloween flicks and TV episodes EVER!

Scream (1996)

Nothing makes you scream like the original where a ghost face killer appears killing teenagers in town!  A few marriages (subsequent divorces, AKA Courtney Cox and David Arquette), rising stars and nightmares occurred as a result of this Halloween classic.

Hocus Pocus (1993)

The return of three witches to Salem, MA 300 years after the famous witch hunts, is a fun, raucous movie must see!

Carrie (1976/2013)

This creepy, bloody, and downright frightening horror classic defines “mean girls” in a bloody, gory kind of way!  Perfect for Halloween.

Halloween (1978)

So it is not bad enough he murdered his brother and sister, he has to next come out of an institution and terrorize the community on, you guessed it, Halloween.

Little Vampire & Monsters, Inc.

If you have kids, they will love these classics!

It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (1966)

A classic for all ages it tells the story of perseverance, dreams, and friendship!

Rocky Horror Picture Show

You can stay home and watch this or head to the Gateway Theater in Fort Lauderdale to watch this cult classic!  Audience participation, catchy tunes, and the slightly off-beat script make this a Halloween movie not to miss!

Movie information.

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is a great night to celebrate and have fun, but you should also think about safety.   Don’t be spooked, we have a few simple Halloween safety tips to follow.

Masks are great, but they often make it difficult to see where you are going or dancing.  Before you buy that expensive mask, try it on and make sure that it does not obstruct your view.

Skip the clown costume this year.  Crazy clown sightings and clowns with hatchets jumping out of the woods has made people a bit weary of clowns, so if you have a clown costume put it away for another year.  Even McDonald’s has asked Ronald to disappear this year!

If you are wearing a dark costume, wear reflective tape. This is a good idea whether you are trick or treating or not.  Reflective tape makes it easy for others to see you walking or in dark places.

If your travel plans have you driving, keep in mind that kids and others will be out from early until late.  Put your car lights on, drive at slow speeds and be aware of your surroundings.

These tips will ensure that you have a happy and safe Halloween this year.

Great October Events in Pompano Beach

It is October; time to kick up your heels, to dance a little Samba, to celebrate Fall’s harvest, or to have a spooktacular time at the Boo Bash!  Whatever your pleasure, there is plenty to do this October near your apartment in Pompano Beach.

The 2nd Annual Deerfield Beach Fall Festival is this Saturday, October 15th at Pioneer Park.  This family friendly event includes a pumpkin patch, live entertainment, a hay maze, petting zoo, face painting, arts and crafts, kids’ bounce house and food and drinks!

Are you ready for a little Brazilian food, celebration and dancing?  No one celebrates like Brazilians.  On Saturday, October 22nd head to down to Pompano Beach Community Park for the 5th Annual Pompano Beach Brazilian Festival. There are two stages with five different musical acts including Cidade Negra, a carnival parade by Sambala and other great acts.  This free festival will bring you on a tasteful journey into Brazilian cuisine with more than 40 food vendors, arts and crafts, an extreme sports park and a great kids zone!

The festival is from 11am to 10pm!  See you there!

Pompano Beach’s Boo Bash is back and more spooktacular than ever!  Celebrate Halloween on Friday, October 28th from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at Community Park on 18th Avenue. There will be carnival games, live performances, a DJ, a haunted bus, kids’ inflatables and ghoulish games!

Elegant Pumpkin Decorating Tips

From simple, to a bit more complex these elegant decorating tips are sure to bring a bit of autumn into your Pompano Beach apartment.

Colorful pumpkins and gourds displayed in cake domes or on plates make an easy but elegant center piece.

Topiaries are an easy and decorative way to create a centerpiece or display for a mantel or table in your apartment.

If you are a bit more crafty, you may want to consider heading to your local craft store for beads or pearls.  Fasten them and a silk rose on a white pumpkin for an elegant decorative display.

 

Fall is a Great Time to Visit a Local Park

Fall is a wonderful time of the year in Pompano Beach!  The tourists and the summer heat have both left.  It is the perfect time to get out and have a picnic, go for a walk or bike ride or simply relax in one of the area’s best parks.

Here is a list of a few parks near your Pompano Beach apartment to explore this fall.

Quiet Waters Park

401 S Powerline Road
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Just the name makes us put this on the list, but then you add a water park, plenty of mountain bike trails, water activities and spectacular views and you can see why we have added to the top of our must visit parks this fall.

Degroff Park

3098 NE 52nd St
Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

This 3-acre park and clean park is located only 1.2 miles from your Pompano Beach apartment at North Lighthouse Point.  The park has play areas that are perfect for kids and shaded picnic areas and access to the water.

Indian Mound Park

Hibiscus Ave & Ne 13th Street
Pompano Beach, FL 33062

Take your bike out and head to Indian Mound Park only 5.5 miles from Jefferson Lighthouse Point Apartments. This small park was dedicated  in 1940 as a bird sanctuary and historical landmark.  Read the plaque, stroll or ride your bike through the park or relax on one of the many benches.  The ride and tranquility will do you good!