Throughout 2023, Sun Sentinel reporter Lois Solomon answered readers’ questions about our unique South Florida lifestyle, with topics ranging from restaurants and schools to burial practices, poisonous plants and our hectic driving experiences.
Here, we’ve compiled some intriguing and informative columns from the past year, all in one spot for your reading enjoyment. (You may find previous “Ask Lois” columns at sunsentinel.com/tag/ask-lois.)
Also, don’t forget, if you’ve got a question, send an email to AskLois@sunsentinel.com. Here’s to more questions in 2024!
Where can I find authentic soft-shell crabs in South Florida?
(Originally published July 22, 2023)
Q: I am looking for restaurants in South Florida that serve authentic soft-shell crabs, either fried or sauteed. All these crab boil places say they have them, but when you check the menu they don’t or don’t know what they are. — George Sentell, Hollywood
A: I can see why you’re having trouble finding South Florida restaurants that serve soft-shell crabs, because there aren’t a lot of them. The creation of soft-shell crabs is a labor-intensive process. Anglers and seafood farmers have to harvest the crab at precisely the right moment, during a window of just a few hours, when the animal sheds its hard exterior (they call it “molting”) and the meat becomes not too soft or too hard but just right: tender and buttery.
The season on Florida’s east coast began in March and lasts into November. There’s also a similar Gulf Coast season, from spring through fall.
The crab’s soft shell is edible, as is most of its body, and is usually served fried.
“It’s definitely an acquired taste. It’s a little squishy,” said Kim Kelly, of Hurricane Alley Raw Bar & Restaurant in Boynton Beach.
Find some eateries in Broward and Palm Beach counties that have soft-shell crabs as regular menu items here: sunsentinel.com/softshellcrabs. You may want to call ahead.
Think you’re seeing less of the Goodyear blimp? There’s a good cause for it
(Originally published Oct. 26, 2023)
Q: The blimp hangar in Pompano Beach has been the winter home of one of Goodyear’s airships. It seems as if in the last few years it hasn’t been flying overhead as much as in the past. Am I correct? Is it still based here during winter months? — Dennis Ulmer, Fort Lauderdale
A: It does seem like seeing the blimp over the ocean is no longer guaranteed during a South Florida beach visit. But Goodyear spokesman Daniel Smith said the airship is traveling around South Florida as much as ever, just with new objectives.
First, a correction: Pompano Beach is not the winter home of the blimp; it’s one of three year-round blimp bases. The others are in Carson, Calif., and Suffield, Ohio.
So what are blimps, anyway? Goodyear describes them as semi-rigid airships, about the length of a football field, inflated with helium. Historically, they have been used as advertising vehicles and to provide overhead cameras for sporting events, for teams such as the Dolphins, Heat, Marlins and Panthers. There’s also regular soccer, golf and NASCAR coverage.
“In short: if it’s a big event, the Goodyear Blimp is there,” Smith said.
The Pompano Beach-based blimp, named “Wingfoot Two,” employs about 20 people, including pilots, mechanics, broadcast technicians, crewmen and base staff. As for passengers, there are seats for 10 guests and two pilots in a gondola underneath the balloon, known to the blimp crew as “the envelope.”
The blimp travels a lot, but the crew only spends about 100 nights a year away from Pompano Beach, an amount that Smith said hasn’t changed much in the past two decades. On the 200-plus nights that the blimp is in South Florida, where does it go besides sporting events? Smith said blimps used to take aerial strolls just to get publicity, but no longer: Now its focus is charity.
“Though there is no way for a member of the public to simply purchase a ticket to ride the Goodyear Blimp, we instead donate ride certificates to nonprofits throughout South Florida,” he said. “Each year, these certificates raise hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction, all of which is kept directly by those organizations.”
Many of the days at home are spent fulfilling these charity certificate rides. The blimp will fly along the beach about 10 miles in either direction, before turning around and heading back to pick up the next group.
“So although folks outside of this flight path may see the Goodyear Blimp less often, it’s our way to actually increase its impact throughout our community here in South Florida,” Smith said.
Can I get a green burial in South Florida?
(Originally published Jan. 13, 2023)
Q: I’ve been investigating the “green burial” movement and apparently the only option for me in Florida would be the Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery in Gainesville. This would be quite a schlep and expense for my family on short notice. After reading your column on Jewish burial customs, I made a copy of it for my “last instructions” file. Although I’m not Jewish, I’ve always thought their burial practices are the most sensible. I’ve looked into Jewish cemeteries, and the only local one I’ve found with a section for outsiders requires a pine coffin to be placed in a concrete vault with its bottom cut out to allow access to the earth below. I understand the need for the vault, so that the ground above won’t be collapsing. But it’s not quite as “green” as the Gainesville site. I’m not quite ready to go, but one never knows. If you come across any local options for me, I’d be glad to hear about them. — Tom, Boca Raton
A: We all reach an age when we start to think about these things. I guarantee you are ahead of most of us by making an instructions file for your family. This is difficult stuff to talk about, but at a certain point we have to tackle the issue of death to make it easier on our descendants.
I’m glad my column on Jewish burial practices got you thinking. In that column, a Catholic reader asked me why Jews are buried in a white shroud and placed in a plain pine box. Rabbi David Steinhardt of B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton detailed the Jewish value of equality and dignity in death and the concept of returning directly to the earth for burial.
Green burial has much in common with these Jewish practices. As in the Jewish tradition, there’s no embalming, as green enthusiasts say those chemicals leach into the earth. And there’s no fancy vault that won’t biodegrade.
The Green Burial Council, which certifies cemeteries for environmental friendliness, has four criteria for a natural burial: Minimal environmental impact, low carbon emissions, protection for workers and preservation of habitat.
Jews in South Florida seeking a green burial have the option of South Florida Jewish Cemetery near Lake Worth Beach, which is called a “hybrid” cemetery by the green council. The cemetery’s director, Rabbi Jay Lyons, said the site consists of “green burial throughout” but got the hybrid designation because its graves have traditional granite monuments. The green council rejects upright headstones in favor of flat markers.
In any case, Lyons told me the cemetery is open only to Jews.
“As a Jewish cemetery, we only offer burial to people who identify as Jewish,” Lyons said. He said a centuries-old Jewish law deemed burial grounds as sacred spaces that should be available only to Jews.
The Green Burial Council also places Brooksville Cemetery north of Tampa in the hybrid category, and then offers its full endorsement to Prairie Creek, which Lyons also highly recommended.
“For what it’s worth, it’s a beautiful cemetery run by very honorable people,” he said.
Prairie Creek goes a step beyond green burial by using burial fees to protect the land and restore it to its original condition through a conservation easement. In keeping with the minimalist approach, staffers use an Amish burial cart to move the body to the gravesite (no gas-guzzling black hearses allowed). Gravesites get a simple brass memorial marker instead of a tombstone.
Though not certified by the Green Burial Council, I found two other Florida cemeteries that offer natural burials: Heartwood Preserve, near New Port Richey, and Glendale Memorial Natural Preserve in the Panhandle.
If you want to get as close as you can to a green burial in South Florida, there are several ways to minimize the environmental impact of your death. See if you can skip the embalming and concrete vault and request a sustainably grown wood box with organic liner that will decompose. And don’t get cremated, as many say cremation adds tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere each year.
Which Broward restaurants have family restrooms for wheelchair-bound & other diners?
(Originally published April 5, 2023)
Q: My mother is wheelchair-bound due to a recent fall. She still enjoys going to restaurants and I take her out at least two times a week. When she needs to use the restroom, I provide assistance to make sure she safely moves from the wheelchair to the toilet.
Since I am male, I cannot accompany her in the women’s restroom. Some restaurants that don’t have separate restrooms have offered to provide assistance, but I am not comfortable with this. This has definitely become an issue which limits the choice of restaurants.
Is there a way that the Sun Sentinel could solicit input from readers and especially restaurant managers and owners that have individual, one-person, wheelchair-accessible restrooms in order to compile a list and make the public aware? I am sure other caregivers would also greatly appreciate this and it would be an opportunity for restaurants to increase traffic among another user segment. — David Sellers, Weston
A: This is such an interesting problem that I’m learning many people encounter. I know some restaurants have restrooms for individuals while others have several stalls for each gender, but I hadn’t thought about the challenges the latter create for people who need to accompany their opposite-sex meal partner to the toilet.
I did some research on when restaurants are required to have one-person restrooms. Leonard Vialpando, director of Broward County’s Resilient Environment Department, said the Florida Plumbing Code has detailed requirements regarding number of stalls, their size and accessibility to disabled users. But the codes don’t specify when family restrooms are required, leaving this decision to individual establishments.
There are several apps that help people find public restrooms, including Squat or Not and Bathroom Scout, but one that may best help your situation is Flush, which tells you whether the bathroom has disabled access or requires a key (which often means there’s a private stall).
You told me you have discovered several Broward County restaurants that meet your mom’s needs, so I’ll list them here: Brio Italian Grille in Plantation, Cooper’s Hawk in Fort Lauderdale and Coconut Creek, and Seasons 52 and Grand Lux Cafe, both at Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise.
I called 10 Broward restaurants but found only two that said they have individual restrooms: North South Grill in Pembroke Pines and Ferro Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria in Tamarac.
So readers and restaurant managers, it’s now in your hands: Send names of Broward eateries that have one-person bathrooms to Ask Lois@sunsentinel.com. David, his mom and a host of disabled people will be very grateful.
Will we ever get a break from South Florida traffic congestion?
(Originally published Aug. 28, 2023)
Q: With horrendous traffic and constant accidents on I-95 and U.S. 1 and other roads, why isn’t it considered a public health emergency to provide alternative and better public transport options? An example would be a tram/streetcar or bus-only lane along U.S. 1, which would encourage people to actually use it since it’s not obstructed by traffic. Obviously we can debate merits of train vs. bus, but something has to be done so that South Florida does not become unlivable. — Anil Nasta, Fort Lauderdale
A: I agree that we are in a transportation emergency. Besides the frequent accidents that you mention, I daily experience excessively long waits at lights and lane closures that bring traffic to a crawl. I watch drivers running through stop signs and cutting others off. I have to admit I have been enjoying this summer with its reduced number of cars on the road, but we all know that will change in the coming months as tourists and seasonal residents return and our streets re-congest.
I reached out to transportation planners in Broward and Palm Beach counties and felt reassured that they are on top of this. Unfortunately, the most appealing projects they are planning, such as light rail and express bus corridors, are a long way off.
Here’s a list of some upcoming projects and when they’re expected to be completed.
BROWARD COUNTY
Commuter rail: The Florida Department of Transportation is planning commuter rail service between Fort Lauderdale and Miami-Dade County’s Aventura, along 11.5 miles of the FEC railroad corridor with stations in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. (2027 completion.)
Light rail: Plans call for Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Port Everglades and the Broward County Convention Center to connect along a 3.5-mile electric rail line by 2028. An eventual westward extension is planned to connect the line to Sawgrass Mills mall in Sunrise.
Automated People Mover: A plan to overhaul Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport includes an Automated People Mover. This light rail system would ferry visitors along a 3-mile loop with stations at the airport’s terminals and parking garages. (2030 completion.)
Sawgrass Expressway to I-95 link: This plan would create high-speed lanes between Interstate 95, the Sawgrass and Florida’s Turnpike while leaving the adjacent Southwest 10th Street as a local roadway. (Construction expected to begin in 2024 and take at least six years.)
State Road 84 at Weston Road intersection improvements: Plans call for roadway widening, repaving, upgraded lighting and sign replacement. (Fall 2026 completion.)
Cypress Creek Road Tri-Rail and bus station, Fort Lauderdale: Bicyclists will appreciate these updates, including new sidewalks on North Andrews Way and resurfacing and new curb on Northwest 59th Court. (Work scheduled to begin in spring 2024.)
Copans Road improvements: From State Road 7 to 49th Terrace, pedestrians would see widened sidewalks, improved bus stops and pedestrian signals. (Winter 2024 completion.)
I-95 express lanes: An overhaul has been underway for years on one of Broward’s mammoth corridors — the stretch of highway by interstates 595 and 95. It includes new ramps, extended express lanes, wider lanes and other improvements, and is one of five construction projects to directly connect the I-595 and I-95 express lanes while extending the existing express lanes north from just south of Hollywood Boulevard to Broward Boulevard. (Spring 2025 completion.)
Rapid transit buses: A county plan includes rapid and high-frequency bus service along six north-south corridors and eight east-west corridors, with 15 miles along Oakland Park Boulevard planned as the first to be completed. (Estimated for 2028.)
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Walk, bike, bus, rail: The Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency, working with municipalities and other transit agencies, has allocated $3.6 billion from 2023 to 2027 for walking and bicycling projects, bus shelters, new bus and rail vehicles, roadway widening projects along key corridors and other maintenance initiatives, said Brian Ruscher, the TPA’s deputy director of multimodal. A study will soon begin to evaluate Military Trail, Congress Avenue, Forest Hill Boulevard, Lake Worth Road, Boynton Beach Boulevard, Atlantic Avenue and Glades Road, looking at safe walking and bicycling routes, including “opportunities for micro-transit (think local transit provider Uber or Lyft services) and express bus services,” Ruscher said. Other projects include: Atlantic Avenue widening from S.R. 7 to Jog Road (2024); Lyons Road widening south of Atlantic Avenue (under construction now); U.S. 1 safety improvements (after 2027) and S.R. A1A resurfacing projects (2024-25).
U.S. 1 from Broward/Palm Beach county line north to Yamato Road, Boca Raton: Drivers getting stuck at long lights would see improved traffic signaling along 6 miles of U.S. 1, with the help of closed-circuit cameras and traffic signals that detect bicyclists and pedestrians. (Summer 2024.)
Military Trail at Forest Hill Boulevard improvement project: Additional turn lanes, new bike lanes, improved sidewalks and driveways are in the works. (Winter 2024.)
I-95 express lanes: The FDOT has been working its way north from Miami-Dade and Broward to add express lanes in Palm Beach County. Construction now includes lanes from south of Glades Road in Boca Raton to south of Linton Boulevard in Delray Beach. There will be two express lanes in each direction. (Completion later this year.)
SO MANY QUESTIONS …
All this transportation construction raises so many questions. Are South Florida motorists willing to make room on our streets for bicyclists, pedestrians, buses and new rail lines? Will improved bus and rail systems motivate drivers to give up their cars? And will these very expensive projects make a significant difference in our quality of life?
It’s hard to imagine South Florida without our very car-centric culture. But we can always dream.
