Please note: You are receiving this email because you one of our community champions of Acton Academy Fort Lauderdale or you signed up for updates from Family Friendly Fort Lauderdale (a student-media project of AAFTL). If you no longer wish to receive our "basket of goodies" each week, you can unsubscribe with the button at the bottom of this newsletter. We will be sad and mourn the day, but we will always respect your decision. 🫡

And... do you know of a Fort Lauderdale business or organization we should be spotlighting? Please HIT REPLY and let us know!

OPENING MESSAGE

In this week's basket of goodies, we are sharing (and that you won't want to miss):

• Two nights of the Symphony in the park or a last night of Startlight Musicals
• Food in Motion is back!
• Origami, Aquaman, or Wild Talks about our animal friends living here in South Florida

Things You Won't Want To Miss This Week:

1. Come see the Symphony in Pembroke Pines. Tonight from 7-9pm or on Sunday from 4-6pm, the Symphony of the Americas will be performing with their Chamber Orchestra at the Susan B. Katz Theatre on Sheridan Street. And Sunday it will be Mozart and Mendelssohn, at the Dodge City Center. (paid)
2. Do you love origami animals? Come to the Broward County Library - Imperial Point Branch from 3:30-4:30pm for a range of fun and accessible origami models including animals. (Free)
3. For those are more into anime and action heroes, the Library is hosting an online session called "Aquaman: Evolution of a Hero" as part of its Summer Learning Program. From 4-5pm (virtual). (Free)
4. Friday night, it's Food In Motion at Peter Feldman Park, starting at 6pm. There will be a food market (food truck rally), artisan fair, full bar with craft beer selections, board games and the playground for the kids. (Free)
5. Also on Friday night - is the LAST of the Starlight Musicals for the year. The summer bash will end with the Shane Duncan Band. For 42 years, these free outdoor concerts have provided a great way to enjoy the summer with family and friends. The series features an exciting lineup of bands covering pop, country, rhythm and blues, tropical rock, and more. The show takes place on the football field at Holiday Park. (Free)
6. Saturday starts a busy weekend. We have the 'Back To School Weekend Special' at the Flamingo Gardens. Artists from ages 6-14 will be showing their work at the Plunge Into The Arts Exhibition at the Plunge Resort in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. (Free)
7. The Urban Pop-Up Shop is hosting its P!nk Bazaar at the Riverside Hotel on Las Olas, starting at 2pm. Shop woman-owned brands, enjoy tarot readings, $10 cocktails and lite bites. (Paid)
8. ​InterMiami hosts NYC at 8pm at DRV PNK Stadium. (Paid)
9. And last on the list, Sunday is Wild Talks At The Park - Snyder Park, starting at 11am. Join South Florida Wildlife Center (SFWC) staff and learn about local wildlife and the adaptations that help them survive in our urban environment. (Free)

Featured Fort Lauderdale

Today - rather than a share, it is an ASK.

Who should we be featuring in our weekly newsletter? Do you have a favorite business or organization that you feel is flying under the radar and deserves some extra attention?

This coming week our learners will be back in session, which means we will be ramping up our media apprenticeship program. We have open positions for reporters, editors, video creators, researchers, and tech wizards who will be learning what it takes to operate a cutting-edge media operation.

So we are building our "story list" and we would love to hear from you. What stories would you like to see our young heroes feature?

So... You Think You Know Fort Lauderdale?

Normally we reserve this section for a fun Did you know... but this week we are introducing a new section to our newsletter called "Name This Restaurant View"

Let's make this first one easy and then we can pick up the challenge over the coming weeks. 😉

Can you guess name this restaurant?

Here's a couple of hints

• I am known for being "historic"
• Some of my patrons arrive by boat
• The downtown traffic is all around me, including overhead

Classifieds

• Got that craving for some good, ole' comfort food? Check out out New York-Style Grilled Cheese in Wilton Manors (also Boca Raton). Best sandwich in Fort Lauderdale. And we do catering too!
• Want to get on the water for a day of adventure? Check out OffTheBowRentals.com to see its fleet of small crafts that you can take for the day.
• Summer is nearly over, so make sure you sign up for one of the last Water Taxi Summer Sunset Cruises. Leaving from Laura Ward Riverwalk Plaza (right next to the Cheesecake Factory) you can walk Las Olas and then close the day with an evening on Fort Lauderdale's world famous waterways.
• HEY #FFFTL READERS - are you a paddler? How many of you would be interested if we organize a 'Paddle Happy Hour' to meet other folks here in the greater FTL. Drop us a note (hit reply) and we will put together a list of names.
• The new school year is nearly upon us, but not every family is so excited about the return to the classroom. If that is you or your child, maybe take a look at something really different. What would "school" look like if you were handed a blank sheet of paper, and asked to design your dream school? We think it would look a bit like this. And the outcomes would look like this. If you have an elementary-aged child and you would like to schedule a family visit or learn more about the scholarship program, pick a time here.

Flotsam & Jetsam

Each week we like to throw in a little extra. Maybe it doesn't fit the "all about Fort Lauderdale" mode of the other sections, but Flotsam & Jetsam has proved to be one of the most popular sections because we are always sharing golden nuggets.

This week - do you find yourself hitting up against writer's block every time you sit down to send an email?

Maybe you just need Jenni (not from the "block" of writing) on your side? She is an AI auto-writing tool that automatically writes your essays and emails for you. All you have to do is give it a title and a couple of sentences.

Who knew writing could be that easy 💪

Tell Us How We Are Doing

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? How could we do better?

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

HIT REPLY and let us know 🙂

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