We're in sunny Fort Lauderdale for a few days this week.  When we were here in February, we found a great little spot, and in this financially-decimated part of America, we snagged it for a song.  The 2 bedroom condo closed back in April and we were desperate to get down here to confirm what we bought still existed.  And it does!

On the edge of Wilton Manors (the super-gay sub-city in the middle of Fort Lauderdale) our apartment is in this cute Melrose Place-meets-Dexter riverside development.  All around this part of Florida there are intracoastal waterways which run along the ocean.  You've seen them on TV, (David Caruso cruising for corpses or criminals, Beyoncé and Jay Z yachting in Miami) and while they're not exactly natural, they do fill that need for something other than a pool to gaze upon.  And nothing gets Jeff going like the occasional boat passing by.

Ours is a corner unit on the bottom floor, so we have windows to spare and beautiful southern exposure.  And because we're accustomed to living in 613sqft, these 900 feel luxurious!  Its walls are in serious need of a paint job and the floors are atrocious.  We're going to hammer away at furnishing, renovating and decorating over time, searching out great items rather than packing it full of grab-and-go stuff.  So there won't be any interior shots any time soon.  (If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you might be getting a little sneak peek.)

If we're here only a couple of weeks a year, all of these projects are sure to take some time.  But if Tropical America teaches you anything at all, it's that time goes by verrrrry slowly.

Spring in this town has gotten off to a remarkably slow start.  I realize people outside of Canada think we're knee-deep in snow more often than not, but that's really, truly not the case.  By this time of year we see ivy-covered bricks and the canopy of trees begins to close over our sidewalks, just like yours.  We typically get a few scant weeks of moderate weather before sinking into a soupy haze of humidity until the end of September.  You see, between April and October, we enjoy quite nice weather in these parts.  

Not so, this year.  

But while our grass is sodden and bright green with all the rain April offered, we still await the full-promise of May flowers.  Temperatures fluctuate wildly, teasing us with sunshine in tiny doses, and while it stays light late, there's been a cloak of fog hugging the city many nights.

Patience is a virtue.  And so, in the meantime, we must force ourselves into a new season, perhaps by way of the few blooms we've managed to conjur, or a handful of danceable songs with punchy beats.  Enjoy.

(Allan Gardens, Toronto, May 2, 2011)

May Spring Come

  1. The City - Patrick Wolf
  2. So In Love - Jill Scott feat. Antony Hamilton
  3. I Can't Go For That - The Bird and the Bee
  4. This is My Love - Hercules and Love Affair
  5. Ce Jeu - Yelle
  6. May Seem Macabre - Peter, Bjorn and John
  7. Sadness is a Blessing - Lykke Li
  8. In the Summertime - The Rural Alberta Advantage
  9. For the Summer - Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs
10. Right as Rain - Adele
11. Summer Days - Phoenix
12. Maneater - The Bird and the Bee
13. Sunshine - Roisin Murphy
14. Dear Mr. President - Fitz and the Tantrums
15. The Time of My Life - Patrick Wolf

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