"Rhythm & Vine Beer Garden, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. What was originally supposed to be used as car storage, and then a man-cave, has transformed into one of Fort Lauderdale's best bars. Sure, you can do the main drag of waterfront bars, but there is something so much cooler about a secluded beer garden in the middle of town. It's everything you want a back-yard party to be, including air conditioning."

"IS Projects, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. It's a creative playground, with toys everywhere. And they'll teach you how to use them, so you can come back and keep using them for your own projects. Satisfy the right brain and stop on by, I mean this is a design blog right?"

"NSU Art Museum, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. The bleeding corner of color still catches my attention. It's located in the middle of Fort Lauderdale and somehow most locals just forget it's there. With stellar rotating exhibits, weekly lectures, and art classes, the NSU Art Museum is absolutely worth the trip."

"Warsaw Coffee Company, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. Great places to drink coffee seem to be popping up all over Fort Lauderdale, and it's about time. Warsaw is no exception. With an excellent selection of coffee, food, and craft beers, it's no wonder the place stays busy from 7 am til 10 pm. It takes time to make good coffee, so sit down and enjoy it."

"The Royal Pig, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. The Royal Pig is probably the best-tasting restaurant on Las Olas, because the food is cooked with passion and it shows. Their BLT, uses fried green tomatoes and pork belly instead of you know - everything that normally comes on a BLT. And thanks to the massive bar, the nightlife can always be found there."

"FAT Village, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. There is good food around it and there are cool places in it. The Flagler Arts & Technology Village is the creative hub of Fort Lauderdale. And on the last Saturday of each month, all of the studios, galleries, and bars will open their doors for an Art Walk you don't want to miss."

"The Alchemist, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. The Alchemist made me realize that all breakfast sandwiches should come with avocado and a mason jar of iced coffee. Grabbing a quick bite to eat can easily turn into sitting on their porch for an hour and a half. It's a small, local coffee shop that has everything going for it."

"Atlantic Coast Kayak, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. Fort Lauderdale is littered with waterways and channels, which can make for some great kayaking. Although paddle boarding seems to have become the new thing around here, at Atlantic Coast Kayak you can rent both. They'll get you set up on a route and send you on your way with whatever fresh fruit was picked that morning. It's a unique way to see the town."

"Museum of Discovery and Science, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. If you grew up in South Florida, this was the place you wished to go to on school field trips, not butterfly world. Its iconic-to-locals “Great Gravity Clock” is one of only three in the world and is just neat to watch work. This interactive museum allows participants to learn, by feeling and doing things for themselves. You can get eye level with everything from an alligator to a sea otter."

"Louie Bossi's, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. Despite being one of the newer restaurants in Las Olas, Louie Bossi's is quickly becoming a local favorite. The huge open-air patio makes both happy hour and brunch a packed affair. While the food is good, the atmosphere is great."

"Betty's Soul Food, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. The people are genuine, the lemonade is real and the chicken is hot. It's exactly what you want from a good soulfood joint."

"Riverside Market, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. Ever wanted to just serve yourself at the bar? Well that's the whole point behind Riverside Market. Get up, and get whatever beer you like. The walls are lined like a gas station with self-serve coolers, dishing out hundreds of craft beers."

"Temple Street Eatery, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. Asian-American comfort food is most certainly a real thing, and it is fantastic. Temple Street Eatery is primarily a dumpling and noodle bar that has the best miso-ramen pork belly soup I've ever eaten. You're safe to try any dish off that menu, every single one of them is delicious."

"Brew Urban Cafe, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. Go through the door that says C&I Studios, then walk down a long hallway lined with Edison bulbs, turn left and you're there. Finding the place is almost as cool as the wall of books behind the counter. Brew is at the heart of what makes FATVillage a creative place."

"Nuevos Cubanos, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. There's not much to photograph at Nuevos Cubanos because well, it's just a counter and a window. However, everything that comes out of that window tastes delicious. Order a cuban sandwich and a cortadito, you'll have no regrets. I guarantee it like the Men's Warehouse guy."

"Laser Wolf, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. To say Laser Wolf is an interesting bar would be an understatement. They serve tons of local craft beer while playing B-list horror flicks on repeat. There isn't anything quite like it around town, and that's a good thing. No jerks, yes beers."

"Funky Buddha Brewery, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. It's the best brewery in South Florida, hands down. Make sure to take the $5 tour late in the day, the pours can be quite heavy and if you're lucky, they'll have maple bacon coffee porter on tap."

"Radio-Active Records, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. It's a real record shop. New Vinyl? They'll have it. Old Vinyl? They'll help you find it. You want a real concert ticket, that wasn't printed at home? They have those too. You can't help but appreciate the character of this little neighborhood gem. I went in for Frank Sinatra, but came out with Frank Ocean."

"Tom Jenkins' BBQ, Ft Lauderdale by Nick Rourke. I have sat with complete strangers at this restaurant who literally smelled their way to the front door from their hotel. Every town has their signature bbq spot, Tom Jenkins' is the one in Fort Lauderdale. Order anything you want, then order some brisket to go."