We're going to Fort Lauderdale (Pembroke Pines)

[non sociopath skin]

... to visit mom-in-law next month.

Any DUers got the scoop on good places to buy music, books etc in the area? Good restaurants?

The Skin

[WillyBrandt]

1. I know Pembroke Pines--grew up about 2 miles from there.

But if you want to buy books/music, they've got good chain bookstores.

On the main road (Pines Blvd, I believe), there's a really nice Barnes and Noble w/ Cafe that's usually packed with people. It's across from Pembroke Mall. They also sell music. Next to B&N there's a great Warehouse Liqour store with a great selection. Fun even just to browse.

There's also, if you head to Adventura Mall, a REALLY nice Borders.

The mall itself has lots of stuff, and is a pretty good one so far as mall goes. If you want to revel in Mallishness, then there's Sawgrass Mills about 30 minutes, which is the S.Fl version of Mall of the Americas, and even gets European tourists sucking in the consumerism.

Where to eat? I recommend The Latin American Cafe. It's a small S Fl Franchise that has GREAT Cuban food at EXCELLENT prices (again, not far from the mall; near the Home Depot). Five dollars for a Cuban Sandwhich. Authentic both in cuisine, in clientele in price, without any of the froufrou crap you get at non-Miami Cuban restaurants which tend to be aimed at curious Anglos. Order the plaintains with garlic sauce on it, some bistec--and either (or both) a cortadito coffee, or a cafe con leche. If you want to be real authentic, and are in a rush, get a cortadito, water in a cone cup, and a sandwhich or some guayaba at the outside window of the cafe!

(An example: http://icuban.com/3guys/cuban_coffee.html)



If you drive up and down the street in front of the mall, which goes on forever (but drive East for the best stuff) you'll see a shitload of restaurants. Ole Ole is a great Mexican restaurant nearby. Che Pebe is a FANTASTIC and cheap Argentine restaurant. Good sushi and chinese is also nearby.

There's not much in the way of good bars in Pembroke Pines. You'd be best off to head to th beach area for that, which is a drive. The Pines Ale House is an OK sports bar (across from the B&N); ask around.

Pembroke Pines used to be heavily white. It's been undergoind heavy townhouse development for as long as I can remember. But Cubans are moving north, and some blacks I believe are too, especially as nearby Miramar has a higher black population (intra-area ethnic migrations can be slow)

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any more questions!