Bucket List with a Big Helping of Comfort and Stability

American popular culture has made it  fashionable to have a bucket list as a requiem for one's youth. And to then go out and do whatever crazy dang thing is on the list.

This presumably shows character.

I did as many of the dang crazy things I could afford when I was younger. Quite a few are X-rated and others I refuse to acknowledge because my answer may incriminate me. My adventures have been naughty enough so that I am not going to tell them, and on the other side, sufficiently intellectual and fantasist to bore you.

A bucket list, it seems, benefits from the inclusion of extreme sports — parachute jumping, rock climbing, deep sea diving — as proof one is going to live every moment.

Even packing off to the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in India is acceptable, showing adventurousness and intercultural curiosity.

My bucket list does not have an extreme sports or jaw-dropping excursions. I will jump out of an airplane wearing a parachute the day a terrorist points a gun at me and says, “Jump or I’ll shoot.”

My bucket list is simple.

I want to live in a house in Florida where I can have dogs. I want to have two or three, and I want to rescue dogs, particularly poodles.

I would love to have purebreds; they are such a joy. But at this point in aging and maturity, I feel called to relieve some suffering.

I want the house to be energy efficient, secure, in a neighborhood with some businesses and nice vintage homes, perhaps a few mid-century modern buildings that are such a delightful part of Florida architecture.

I want to be part of a dog training and/or rescue group, attend Jung and Sufi events here and on the Eastern seaboard, perhaps other places. Find someone with whom to attend jazz concerts.

I’d like to visit a friend in England, visit Glastonbury and other places known for their ley lines, get into Ireland and Scotland, explore for a month at least. Visit France one last time. Not sure if I want to return to Spain. Would like to see Jung’s home in Switzerland and experience that country.

I’d like to make a good friend or two.

I’d like to spend more time on my health, make exercise a priority.

Get away from the TV. Spend more time with music, reading, writing.

The simple life.

Quaint Lake Worth Has Art Deco Supermarket, Shops, Restaurants

On my most recent day trip to Lake Worth, I discovered Publix has given its supermarket an Art Deco flare, in keeping with many of the historic homes in that city.

Even the loading dock has decorative elements. Notice the Key West style home in the rear at left. I love the colors of our subtropical environment.

 This block of shops once housed a Church of Religious Science that was a source of great support and friendship during my early time in South Florida in the 1980s.

 Facing toward City Hall are the great trees in which I often observed a large flock of parrots make their evening stop.

I noticed this shop door on the main street; do people really need to be coached to experience gratitude?

I enjoyed seeing this Christmas village in one shop window. It reminded me of the one I inherited from my mother and grandmother. I gave it away some time ago, when it back pain made it too challenging to put up each year.



Murals seem to be cropping up everywhere. I caught the next two in Lantana, slightly south of Lake Worth. One is on a Greek restaurant on U.S. 1.

The patriotic mural, declaring Freedom Is Not Free, was on the side of a municipal recreation center building.

Venice, Florida, Flea Market with Unusual Architecture

On a recent trip to Venice, Florida, I spotted this beguiling dome-roofed flea market.

Whimsically painted in turquoise and aqua, it looks like a fun place to stop.

I love the remnants of kitschy Old Florida, fast vanishing from our landscape of strip malls, parking lots, and neat subdivision homes where dogs are not allowed.

The dome stretches behind the front structure a good way. The sky the day I took these photos was miraculous.

Fish Depot: From the Ocean to You

Fish Depot in Boynton Beach is the best fish market in South Florida. I drive up from Fort Lauderdale with my cooler.

By the time I get there, the selection may be depleted as you see here.

You might think that this old-fashioned method of refrigeration wouldn't be as good as coolers. But that is far from the truth. People like me come from all over to Fish Depot on Federal Highway (U.S. 1).

When I lived closer, I often saw fishermen driving up with a boat on a tow to offload whatever they didn't want for personal use at the back door of Fish Depot, shown here.

If I recall right, the unusual structure once housed a neighborhood bar, way back in the early 1980s.

I like the whimsical windmill design. Kitschy structures like this once dotted South Florida, calling out to tourists making their way South on U.S. 1.

Most have fallen to wreckers and been replaced by trim subdivision housing.

Besides having the best fish, Fish Depot has this cool mural to hide the dumpster.

Why do I love living in South Florida? Let me count the ways.

Warehouse with Artistic Mural Captures Eye of the Hurricane

Even our warehouses are better in Fort Lauderdale.

This ordinary gray cinderblock warehouse is probably will not be on any tourists' list of things-to-do in Fort Lauderdale.

Located on a street parallel to Dixie Highway, the muralist made the best of the dull gray exterior by using it for an eye-of-the-hurricane scene.

I like the energy of the storm and the way the palm trees are shown bending in the wind.

So far, we've escaped any hurricanes, but I learned this morning on the Weather Channel, that 49% of all hurricanes hit the East Coast USA in September. And 82% come in September or October.

I remember some doozies late in the season. Wilma, for one, had schools closed in November. Tropical Storm Irene, later upgraded to hurricane, knocked down our fence and closed roads.

Going back to the Eighties, I remember the time a tanker washed up in the back yard of Palm Beach socialite Molly Wilmot. She fed the Venezuelan crew finger sandwiches and adopted their cat. If you are intrigued, you can read her 2002 New York Times obituary here.

Pompano Beach: Bright Murals and Renovations

A beautiful drive from Fort Lauderdale to Pompano Beach, traveling North on U.S. 1 and East on Atlantic Boulevard, yielded these photos of the ever-growing array of outdoor murals in this area.

This building, a former restaurant bar, has been a painted lady for a long time. It is vacant and may be in its death throes.

That's a shame, because the Federal Highway location would seem a good one for business. It's right in front of the Fox Cross condo complex for over 55, so a lot of foot traffic is possible. And it has a parking lot.

Nearby, this fantastically detailed mural is a newer one. It extends along the side of the building, as you see.

The curlicues and dots on the pineapple that are stunning. Hours of work must have been spent creating this colorful art that all of us can enjoy for absolutely free.

The Star Ballroom reflects the somewhat shabbier side of Pompano Beach. But the two murals on the buildings facade show all the fun that goes on inside. The Star is a very active place for dancers.

A charming older element of Pompano Beach is this mosaic map on the side of one building. You can see the detail in the next photo.

This faux lighthouse is a remnant of the kitschy architecture of old South Florida of the 1950 and 1960s. I am sorry to see the passing of these quaint structures and glad a few remain.

Renovations are in progress at two strip malls -- and much needed, judging from some of the uninviting exteriors of others.

Last, here are two more photos of an op-art mural that has sprung up on the side of a stained glass art gallery. Viva the muralists.

Mural Depicts Fort Lauderdale Theme on Elevator Shaft

This mural is fading in the harsh sunlight; the building appears to be deserted. A BankAtlantic location on the ground floor has apparently been abandoned since the local entity was purchased by BB&T.

I like the way the blue Florida sky, with some puffy clouds, reflects off the mirrored windows.

It is not unusual to see exterior elevator shafts in South Florida. This is the only one I have seen that features a mural depicting scenes of the Florida environment and history.

The twin leaping sailfish on the front of the tower are dramatic.

This side features an alligator and, at the top, a representation of a native American.

You can find this bulding on Federal Highway (U.S. 1) slightly south of McNab Road, on the east side.


UPDATE: April 21, 2014 -- Sadly, the mural is no more. The elevator has been repainted plain sky blue. Given the state of the building, I doubt that it will be replaced with a new mural. If it is, I will return with my camera.

Stuart Offers Picturesque Water View and Small-Town Charm

I drove down Route 1 from Vero Beach to Stuart. There are many antiques and second-hand stores along the way.

Daylight was waning, so I didn't stop. Someday I will return and take my time.

I haven't stopped in Stuart since 2003. I've always enjoyed it's small-town charm and small parks on the water.

The lock and chain attests that crime is not completely unknown, however petty.

This mural with tile insets was one of the first things I observed after I parked. Parking is still free, by the way, not like here in downtown and beachside Fort Lauderdale.

Like so many other South Florida town, Stuart has taken care to maximize its old-time appeal.

This building advertises a Stuart claim to fame.

I'm not sure if I completely like it. Before, Stuart was just an old town; now it has uniformly lettered signs with an antique script and Caribbean-colored storefronts that look like a movie set.

Theater with live band music coming from behind the closed doors -- probably a practice session.

Garden entry to attorneys' office evokes memories of New Orleans.

Charming pink cottage advertises rooms available. I believe the back yard is on the water.

I wouldn't mind living in an apartment with a balcony overlooking the small-town doings.

If you look closely, you may see a dancing woman and a parrot on the trompe l'oeil balcony that decorates the facade of the plain exterior wall.

Fake window scenes between real shutter further the illusion.

Built along the river, Stuart has preserved several places where all residents can enjoy the view -- unlike the Palm Beach to Miami metroplex where tall condos and hotels dominate the sands.

Here some folks enjoy cool evening breezes, and it looked like a preacher or other speaker might have been preparing for a presentation.

A final look at Stuart -- this sailfish fountain shining brilliantly as it was backlit by a bright sunset.

Vero Beach: A Quaint and Quiet Old Town

Vero Beach was named by a Mayor's wife, back around the 1920s, after the Latin word for truth, veritas.

This theater marquee preserves a sense of a vital city on the move, that it was considered in those days. While driving from town, a Public Radio program featured an interview with a town librarian and historian of Vero Beach history.

All photos are the property of Ordinary Gal and must be credited back to this article on the site.

Small shops and restaurants now occupy the theater building and arcade.

South Florida small towns, like those in other parts of the country, are working hard to provide the esthetics and things to do that appeal to local residents and tourists.
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The plain facade, above, is relieved by painting building sections different colors. This makes it look as if there are attached buildings, instead of a single, unrelieved wall.

Another plain building was enhanced with tiles.

View of the Pocohontas apartments -- a native American who did not live in this part of the county.

Mural is more fitting homage to the Native American past in South Florida. Gator-fighting is still carried on as a tourist attraction by the Seminole tribe in the Fort Lauderdale area.

The part across from Vero Beach City Hall is beautifully maintained and lightly used on Saturday afternoon.

On the walk back to my car, I noticed this handsome guy. What gal can resist her knight in armor?