We are lucky that Fort Lauderdale has lots of options for cheap eats, my definition of “cheap” being less than $20 for an entree. For the list I created below, I tried to find locally owned sites that get consistently good reviews from the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s veteran staffers and in “Let’s Eat, South Florida,” the Sun Sentinel’s foodie Facebook group.

If you’re looking for a meal outside Fort Lauderdale, check out my previous “Ask Lois” columns: I’ve looked at Tamarac-Margate-Pompano Beach; Weston-Plantation-Davie-Pembroke Pines; Boca Raton and Boynton Beach-Delray Beach-Lake Worth.

As for Fort Lauderdale, there are many more places than I could have included on this list; feel free to send over your favorite inexpensive eateries for a follow-up story. I’m at AskLois@sunsentinel.com.

Bandolero’s Taqueria y Mas, 208 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale; 786-913-9307; bandolerostaqueria.com

Every dish is under $20, including the Chicken Burrito ($17) and the Carnitas Burrito ($18). Nutella Tacos (with strawberries and bananas, $8) are a creative dessert. A “Let’s Eat” reviewer raved: “This place has some obvious passion for their food and you can tell they take no shortcuts to prepare their items! I highly recommend!” Another recommendation in the Latin American fusion category: La Costa Olas. Sun Sentinel food writer Phillip Valys says his favorite La Costa dish is “La Super baleada, a pan-grilled soft taco filled with churrasco steak, bacon, sausage, eggs, avocado, refried beans and sour cream.” According to Valys: “You’ll have plenty of leftovers. Pair that with a fruit milkshake ($5) and the whole meal is under $20.”

Christina Wan’s, 664 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 954- 527-0228; christinawans.com

Not many restaurants offer early bird specials anymore, but Christina Wan’s has $17 Sunset Dinners, daily from 3 to 6:30 p.m., that include a main dish, rice, soup and an egg or spring roll. A “Let’s Eat” reviewer thanked the restaurant, which has been in South Florida since 1966, in a recent post: “They were so accommodating of my current dietary restrictions and made me the tastiest fried rice with double egg.”

Reggae Roots Jamaican Restaurant, 4370 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 754-701-8407

This little place, seating only 10 people, seeks to offer “a new way of looking at Jamaican food.” Signature dishes include oxtail, curried goat, jerk chicken and pineapple barbecue chicken. Owners Alexis and Monique Clarke Brown see themselves as Jamaican ambassadors, sharing the culture, sights, scents and music of the Caribbean nation.

Sasaya Japanese Market, 1956 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-761-8010; sasayajapanese.com

Sun Sentinel entertainment reporter Rod Stafford Hagwood shared this market as his go-to for takeout. “This sushi counter is a hidden treasure that a lot of people in Victoria Park and the condos on Sunrise and A1A know about,” he said. “It’s in the back of a tiny little Japanese market in Gateway Shopping Center.” Medium rolls range from $5 to $9.50; specials, such as the Dancing Eel Roll, are $8.50 to $14.50.

Temple Street Eatery, 416 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 754-701-0976; templestreeteatery.com

Temple Street Eatery gets rave reviews for its creative Asian fusion menu, which includes Kimchi Quesadillas and Edamame Falafel. Said one “Let’s Eat”  reviewer: “I had the Korean chicken empanada and the Godzilla Ramen. The Ramen had both ropa vieja and pork belly. Omg it was outstanding. Loved the empanada too. Great place. Quick service. Glad I went. Will be back again soon.”

Georgia Pig BBQ & Restaurant; 1285 S. State Road 7, Fort Lauderdale; 954-587-4420; georgiapig.com

This old standard has been around since 1953. Barbecued pork or beef sandwiches are $6.25; Brunswick stew is $13.25. “Let’s Eat” reviewers consistently rate Georgia Pig as having the best barbecue in Broward County: “A historic landmark (that) hasn’t changed since 1953; the ambience is hard-working, blue-collar chic!! My husband loves the spare ribs … I’m all about the CHOPPED PORK SANDWICH!”

The Floridian, 1410 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-463-4041; thefloridiandiner.com

The Floridian is the place locals take out-of-town guests to introduce them to “an unaffected local vibe,” as Sun Sentinel entertainment reporter Ben Crandell wrote in an obituary for Floridian owner Butch Samp, who died earlier this year. Eggs and bagels for breakfast, steak and chicken for dinner: “The Flo,” open 24 hours a day since the ’70s, has eased many a hangover over the years from Las Olas partiers and served as a gathering place for police, politicians and coffee lovers. Other good breakfast places/diners: Peter Pan Diner, Egg & You Diner and Lester’s Diner.

Wicked Cheesesteaks Pizza & Wings, 4824 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 954-398-5355; wickedcheesesteakspizzawings.com

The restaurant offers creative takes on the Philly cheesesteak, including pizzas, egg rolls, fries, sliders and stromboli. Patrons say it’s the real thing: According to one “Let’s Eat” reviewer, “while eating the steak I closed my eyes and thought I was back in Philly … I totally found this to be the closest sandwich to home that I’ve found here in 5 years of trying to find a real cheesesteak.”

Top Round, 35 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 954-999-0687; eattopround.com/fortlauderdalefl

Roast beef sandwich lovers, you have found your home. Top Round has six thick options on a bun, ranging in price from $9.49 to $10.69, and also serves burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads and sides. For dessert, don’t leave without an old-fashioned frozen custard on a cake cone with rainbow sprinkles ($4.99) or a Concrete shake ($8.29).

Pizza options: Many

Primanti Bros Restaurant and Bar (901 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. and 516 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; primantibros.com) is part of a small chain but highly recommended for pizza by the slice ($2.49) and four-layer lasagna ($10.99). Try the Pitts-burger ($6.49), a beef patty, tomatoes, lettuce, with french fries and coleslaw on white bread (yes, the fries are on the sandwich).

Pie-zan’s (1103 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale; pie-zans.com): Hang out with the city’s police officers and hospital workers and order a Meatball Parm sub ($9.39) or a personal thin-crust pizza ($11.49).

Sarpino’s Pizzeria (100 E. Broward Blvd., Suite 103, Fort Lauderdale; gosarpinos.com): Sarpino’s is crazy busy on weekend nights but worth the wait for its creative pan and deep dish pizzas, such as the Sausage Deep Dish ($18.99) and the Vegan Deep Dish ($18.99).

Despite the heavy development and construction that surrounds us in Palm Beach and Broward counties, there are abundant opportunities to see not just birds but alligators, rabbits, turtles, butterflies and so many other wildlife species.

Pick a site from this bird-watching guide of 10 picturesque spots, and bring along your binoculars, hat and camera or smartphone (for smartphone users, Google Lens is an essential app that will identify the bird or other wildlife you just snapped a picture of).

Make sure to head out soon. In the coming weeks, it could become too hot for even the most avid nature-lovers.

Palm Beach County

Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, 10216 Lee Road, Boynton Beach; fws.gov/refuge/arm_loxahatchee

The refuge offers walks on The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, as well as guided hikes and bike rides along its miles of marshlands and canals. There’s also a .4-mile boardwalk behind the Visitor Center for a stroll through a peaceful cypress swamp filled with majestic trees knee-deep in water. It’s a breezy and humbling promenade that shows what the Everglades used to look like before human beings drained its marshes. If you’re lucky, you’ll see a woodpecker, an owl, a cardinal or an alligator. “No birding trip to Palm Beach County is complete without a stop here,” according to Audubon Everglades.

Green Cay Nature Center & Wetlands, 12800 Hagen Ranch Road, Boynton Beach; discover.pbcgov.org/parks/Locations/Green-Cay.aspx

Over the past few days, photographers posting in the “Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Green Cay Nature Preserve” Facebook group have reported red-shouldered hawks, Eastern screech owls, green herons, spoonbills and multicolored glossy ibises, not to mention dragonflies, lizards and alligators. According to Coral Springs birder and certified Florida Master Naturalist Bruce Pickholtz: “This is the one place you absolutely cannot miss if you’re interested in birding in Palm Beach.”

Spanish River Park, 3001 N. State Road A1A, Boca Raton; myboca.us/facilities/facility/details/spanish-river-park-55

FloridaBirdingTrail.com recommends walking the hiking path on the western edge of the park and checking the trees for songbirds and migrants such as the blue-winged warbler and Swainson’s thrush. Audubon Everglades calls the park “perhaps the best location in the county for migrating passerines,” which are perching birds. The park is between the beach and the Intracoastal Waterway, so make a day of it and bring your beach chairs, fishing gear, bathing suit and food to grill.

Wakodahatchee Wetlands, 13270 Jog Road, Delray Beach; visitdelraybeach.org/plays/wakodahatchee-wetlands

The Wakodahatchee boardwalk takes visitors over water and islands that attract an assortment of birds, along with turtles, alligators, marsh rabbits and frogs. The vibrant Facebook group “Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Green Cay Nature Preserve” records hawks and herons catching fish and taking care of their young, purple gallinules and blue jays in flight, and the occasional bobcat family hunting for food. At the moment, wood storks are hatching their eggs and zealously guarding their nests. Chicks are chirping as they wait for their parents to bring back food. It’s a dazzling sight as the storks and their rookeries have practically taken over Wakodahatchee’s water-surrounded trees.

Yamato Scrub, 701 Clint Moore Road, Boca Raton; discover.pbcgov.org/erm/NaturalAreas/Yamato-Scrub.aspx

Bird-watchers have recorded least grebes, white ibises, red-bellied woodpeckers, grackles, cardinals and European starlings at this 217-acre preserve, which has a 10-acre basin marsh and more than 3 miles of hiking trails. Gopher tortoises and rabbits also make their home here, and hikers have found rare Florida wildflowers, including Tarflower, a shrub with white flowers, and Skyblue lupine, which has striking bluish and lavender petals.

Broward County

Brian Piccolo Sports Park, 9501 Sheridan St., Cooper City; broward.org/Parks/pages/park.aspx?park=4

What? A sports park that protects endangered owls? According to FloridaBirdingTrail.com: “Believe it or not, this is one of the best sites to see Florida Burrowing Owls in the state.” These little owls bore into the ground and love open prairies, where they eat insects and other small animals. They face persistent threats to their habitats from construction, floods and human harassment. At the sports park, rangers safeguard the families by roping off their holes in the ground; the birds are still visible from a distance.

Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park, 6503 N. Ocean Drive, Dania Beach; floridastateparks.org/mizell

Nicknamed “M-J State Park,” this beach park has the distinction of having the greatest number of bird species recorded in Broward County (244!), according to Coral Springs birder Pickholtz. He calls it “the best place in Broward to see seabirds and shorebirds.” If you’re lucky, you’ll also find several rare species along the nature trail, including Key West quail-dove and Mangrove cuckoo. Note: A beach renourishment project is affecting access to the park through April 30.

Plantation Preserve Linear Trail, 7050 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation; plantation.org/government/departments/parks-recreation/plantation-preserve-golf-course-club/about-the-preserve (click on “Linear Trail”)

A bird mecca in the middle of a golf course? Yes, Plantation Preserve has a 1.1-mile-long trail that runs through Plantation Preserve Golf Course and Club. Birders recording on eBird.org, a crowd-sourced site run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, have listed more than 230 species, including numerous wading birds, brown thrashers, buntings and the Spot-breasted Oriole, a yellow songbird. According to Fort Lauderdale biologist and birder Paddy Cunningham: “Visitors and residents alike can take comfort in the knowledge that a large and historically significant parcel of land has been preserved and protected for all to use, including local wildlife.”

Tall Cypress Natural Area, 3700 Turtle Run Blvd., Coral Springs; broward.org/Parks/Pages/park.aspx?park=38

Nestled within heavily developed Coral Springs is this 68-acre “hidden gem,” according to Broward birder Pickholtz. The best birding is during the spring and fall migrations, he says, but there are an assortment of winter and year-round residents, including a breeding pair of Great horned owls that roost in the tall pines. In addition to birds, the park is also a “botanical treasure,” Pickholtz says, with cypress trees, strangler fig trees, sword and leather ferns, soft-leaved wild coffee, beautyberry and other basin swamp plants. Pickholtz conducts a free monthly Tall Cypress bird walk at 8 a.m. on the first Sunday of each month, except in July and August. Go to broward.org/Parks/Pages/Event.aspx?event=2030.

Tree Tops Park and Pine Island Ridge Natural Area, 3900 SW 100th Ave., Davie; broward.org/Parks/Pages/park.aspx?park=40

Spring is a great time to see birds at these adjacent sites in west Broward. Songbirds love the abundant oak trees at Tree Tops, and birders have recorded 17 species of wood warblers, along with spectacular purple gallinules, which love the marshy wetlands. During a recent visit, Bert Ahl, of Melbourne, who has visited more than 300 sites along The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, says he saw a Short-tailed hawk and a Pileated Woodpecker, “the largest woodpecker in North America. They are pretty loud.”

Do you have a favorite site in Broward or Palm Beach counties to see birds and other wildlife? Send to AskLois @sunsentinel.com.

Still, flying high on FAU’s unexpected winning streak in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, no one seemed to leave disappointed. Students and alumni were still buying FAU-branded items, keeping store staff joyfully occupied.

“Normally we wouldn’t be this busy,” store manager Cheri Pearcey said. “Anybody who comes in the store is leaving with something.”

A new shipment of Final Four gear is expected to fill the racks and be gone quickly on Wednesday. The store has seen a frenzy of students and alumni this week seeking to make purchases to celebrate FAU’s first-ever entry into the Final Four tournament, to be played on Saturday night against San Diego State.

Pearcey said Final Four caps were the most popular pre-ordered item ($36 to $40), but flags and pennants are also in demand. She said she will fill pre-orders first after their expected arrival late Tuesday. An abundance of FAU T-shirts and sweatshirts are still on the racks, with prices ranging from $15 to $70.

Angela Wiley, 35, a 2012 graduate, drove to the store from Wellington with her 2-month-old baby girl, Rowan, in tow. She and her husband, also an FAU graduate, plan to host a watch party on Saturday night. She came looking for a large flag but went home with a hat, a T-shirt and a polo shirt.

Wiley remembered when the FAU football stadium, where she was a bartender, opened in 2011 and school spirit soared. But she said she has never seen similar sports enthusiasm since, until now.

“Even if they don’t make it any further, I’m so proud and happy,” she said.

Alyssa Grassi, 21, plans to fly to Houston for the game this weekend but was unable to get a Final Four shirt during her trek to the bookstore on Tuesday. Kennedy Bean, 19, a freshman from Melbourne, settled for a new red FAU Basketball hoodie sweatshirt and wore it as she walked through the campus breezeway.

“Football has never been a sport I like, but I always liked basketball,” she said.

Larry Faerman, FAU’s vice president of student affairs, said the campus is experiencing a universal high felt across all departments, majors, ages and genders.

“It’s been three weeks of sustained energy,” said Faerman, who has worked at FAU for 24 years. “You don’t reach a pocket on campus that isn’t talking about it.”

The main bookstore will have extended hours this week to accommodate expected crowds: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday to Friday (closing time is normally 6 p.m.) and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday (normally closed on weekends).

And if FAU wins on Saturday night? “We might be here Sunday too,” Pearcey said.

The FAU main campus bookstore is at 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton. Phone: 561-297-3720. There’s also a store on the Davie campus, 3200 College Ave., SD #102. Phone: 954-236-1950. Check out merchandise online at bkstr.com/faustore.

Upstairs, they peek into the living quarters of the wealthy and quirky former owners of the historic house, the Bartletts, who once slept in the large, airy master bedroom, with their maids, chauffeur and famous guests in adjacent suites.

The “Upstairs/Downstairs” tour — available three Wednesdays a month through April only — offers an eye-opening view of rooms normally closed to the public. Groups are limited to 10 people to curb potential damage to historic furniture and paintings.

“We opened the upstairs on a limited basis to satisfy guest curiosity,” said Patrick Shavloske, Bonnet House’s chief executive officer. “We’ve found that opening the upstairs once per week in the winter months seems to balance visitor interest in seeing the bedrooms with the historic home’s overall preservation needs.”

The estate at 900 N. Birch Road is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. With its old-time Florida feel and lush landscape between the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway, it’s a favorite destination for Fort Lauderdale tourists and beloved venue for locals hosting weddings and public gatherings.

Thrice-married artist Frederic Clay Bartlett, who died in 1953, and his second wife, Helen Louise Birch, began construction of the house in 1920. Bartlett’s third wife, Evelyn Fortune Lilly Bartlett, donated the estate to the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation in 1983, but after a financial dispute with the trust, local history enthusiasts took ownership of the 35-acre property in 2020.

Many famous names from early 20th-century America are associated with the house. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright was a visitor who stayed in one of the guest rooms. Helen Birch Bartlett’s father, Hugh Taylor Birch, namesake of a Fort Lauderdale beach park, gave Helen and Frederic the land the house sits on and lived in one of the upstairs bedrooms. And Eli Lilly, president of the family pharmaceutical company that still bears his name, was the former husband of Frederic’s third wife Evelyn, an art, animal and nature lover who ensured the house’s preservation and died in 1997 at age 109.

The residence, though expansive, was not an elaborate showplace. The Bartletts relished its Caribbean plantation-house style, which allowed for lots of sunlight but also cool rooms to relax in pre-air conditioning. Frederic Bartlett did much of the painting himself, including ceilings, floors, walls and portraits. He was also a collector, and wealthy enough to buy a trove of post-Impressionist paintings, including Georges Seurat’s enormous “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” which was donated to the Art Institute of Chicago, along with works by Picasso, van Gogh, Gauguin and other artists.

The family’s eccentricities are on display through the sculptures and paintings of elephants, giraffes and monkeys that decorate the walls and colorful hallways. A large family of monkeys used to prowl the property, but only one remains, said docent Kent Planck, author of the book, “Bonnet House: A Legacy of Artistry and Elegance.”

Volunteer docents lead tours of the downstairs almost daily, including the drawing room, dining room, piano room, courtyard, kitchen and painting studio. The Bamboo Bar houses the Bartletts’ shell collections and was especially adored by their friends as the place to down Evelyn’s powerful Rangpur lime cocktail, made of four parts rum, one part lime juice and a dash of maple syrup.

Mounting the stairs, visitors take in a sweeping perspective of the colorful courtyard, where the Bartletts entertained dinner guests, and enter the bedrooms from the open-air breezeway that wraps around the second floor.

“This was not a grand Palm Beach mansion,” Planck said. “It’s rustic up here.”

Still, ornate antique furniture fills the master bedroom, a gift to Helen Birch Bartlett upon her marriage to Bartlett in 1919. Planck shows the spots where Evelyn Bartlett hid her jewelry in the faux fireplace and where she stored her hatboxes and clothing; some of her original outfits still hang in a closet.

For an even more intense experience, visitors can spend “A Night at the Museum” and have the estate to themselves. A $5,000 donation allows the adventurous to sleep in a maid’s room upstairs, which has been modernized to serve as a bridal suite for the almost weekly weddings that take place on the property. The price includes dinner for two on the veranda and breakfast the next day. Dinner for eight is also available for the same price. This initiative has raised $107,000 toward the nonprofit’s upkeep, Shavloske said.

“Can I take a nap on the bed for $200?” joked Delray Beach resident Susan Tandy during a recent tour.

For those of more modest means, “Upstairs/Downstairs” tours cost $40 and take about two hours. They are offered at 1 p.m. on the second, third and fourth Wednesdays of the month through April. To register, go to bonnethouse.org/fort-lauderdale-tour.

WHAT: “Upstairs/Downstairs” tours

WHEN: 1 p.m. the second, third and fourth Wednesdays of the month, through April

WHERE: Bonnet House, 900 N. Birch Road, Fort Lauderdale

COST: $40

INFORMATION: bonnethouse.org/fort-lauderdale-tour

For those who appreciate our unconventionality, there are abundant outdoor adventures to savor in the coming weeks during this cherished period of cool weather. Among the options: a night-time cemetery tour, a beach yoga class, a Japanese garden meditation and a kayaking adventure with a post-tour margarita. Get out and enjoy one or more of these 11 ways to embrace the Sunshine State’s eccentricities.

Take a nocturnal hike: Many of us prefer our nature walks during daylight, but night owls can check out Daggerwing Nature Center’s monthly Night Hike in West Boca; the next one is on Feb. 23. A naturalist leads the boardwalk trek, which seeks out creatures who thrive in the darkness. It’s good for ages 8 and older. Be sure to make a reservation. discover.pbcgov.org/parks/Daggerwing

Get on a boat: Relax in a gondola on Fort Lauderdale’s Intracoastal Waterway and imagine you’re in Venice but surrounded by condo buildings ($229 for a boat of six people). Or take the family on a Bluefoot Pirate Adventure, which includes painted nautical tattoos for the kids and a treasure hunt ($29 per passenger over age 2). And if you’re in a tropical mood: Cruise the Intracoastal in a tiki boat made for six people ($69.95 per person). riverfrontgondolatours.com; bluefootpirates.com; cruisintikis.com.

Celebrate nature the Jewish way: On Tu Bishvat, a Jewish holiday that reminds Jews of their obligations to the natural world, Cantor Gastón Bogomolni of Temple Beth El in West Palm Beach will lead a Walking Seder at Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach. The Feb. 5 gathering will include a tour of four garden sites representing the four seasons. At each station, participants will sing, dance, meditate and taste fruits, wine and nuts representing that season. $20. mounts.org/events/month/2023-02.

Walk it out: If you’re new to South Florida, you may not realize there are easily accessible rambles through historic neighborhoods, parks and downtowns that dazzle the eyes with exquisite architecture, colorful plants and mom-and-pop shops that would love your business. The Hollywood Broadwalk, the Everglades Conservation Levee and downtown strolls in Delray Beach and Fort Lauderdale are excellent options with lots of choices at the end for a snack. Walking tours are also available: Architect Rick Gonzalez will guide visitors through downtown West Palm Beach’s historic sites on March 5. Make a reservation at pbchistory.org/events

Putt-putt Disney-style: Pixar Putt, a traveling mini-golf experience, is making a national tour and will stop at Las Olas Oceanside Park from Jan. 25 to March 26. You can play mini-golf at 18 holes inspired by characters from “Toy Story,” “The Incredibles,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Finding Nemo” and other Disney classics. There will be evening sessions for those who prefer adults-only tees. Prices begin at $22 for adults and $17 for kids 3 to 12. pixarputt.com/fortlauderdale.

Find balance in the sand: Join a Beach Yoga class on Fort Lauderdale beach with the ocean before you and the crazy bar scene behind. Fort Lauderdale Beach Yoga & Fitness offers classes four days a week on the beach along North Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard. The group has frequent special events such as Full Moon Yoga and Rooftop Yoga. $10 for locals and $15 for visitors. beachyogafit.com.

Paddle to the mangroves: It’s hard to believe the Hollywood Broadwalk bustle is just minutes away from peaceful West Lake Park, home to a nature trail, marina and athletic facilities. Bring your kayak or join an organized kayak tour of the mangrove estuary, where trees and wildlife flourish in the brackish waters near the Intracoastal Waterway. Waterway Adventures offers a “Margarita & Mangrove Adventure” at the park: For $45, guests participate in a guided paddle and then down a complimentary margarita at nearby 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill. waterway-adventures.com/margarita-and-mangrove-adventure

Learn your birds: A three-quarter mile boardwalk at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach, part of the Great Florida Birding Trail, takes you over water and islands that attract a colorful assortment of birds, along with turtles, alligators and frogs. A vibrant Facebook group, Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Green Cay Nature Preserve, records hawks and herons catching fish, purple gallinules and blue jays in flight, and the occasional bobcat family hunting for food. Bring your camera; you’re guaranteed some Instagram-able pics. visitdelraybeach.org/plays/wakodahatchee-wetlands

Mind the manatees: At Manatee Lagoon in Riviera Beach, visitors can watch from an observation deck as the endangered sea cows relax in the Intracoastal Waterway near a Florida Power & Light energy center. The center doesn’t guarantee a manatee sighting, but on a chilly winter day, the gentle giants typically head for the center’s warm-water outflows. Admission is free; you can check the center’s live Manatee Cam to see if the herds are out and about before your visit. visitmanateelagoon.com

Tour a historic West Palm Beach cemetery by moonlight: Learn about Palm Beach County’s deceased pioneers, millionaires and philanderers on a tour of Woodlawn Cemetery, which has been around since 1905. The buried include victims of the 1928 Lake Okeechobee hurricane, which killed 3,000 people; Charles Edward Merrill (as in Merrill Lynch); and Charlie Pierce, one of the “Barefoot Mailmen” who walked 136 miles along the beaches to deliver mail in the late 19th century. The next tour will be Feb. 3. facebook.com/WoodlawnTours.

Stroll the gardens of a Japanese cultural museum in Delray Beach: Speaking of quirky, what is a museum dedicated to Japanese civilization doing in Palm Beach County? If you visit the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, you’ll learn that in the early 1900s, a small group of young Japanese men arrived in what is now northern Boca Raton to farm pineapples. Most returned to Japan, but George Sukeji Morikami remained, and in the 1970s, he donated his land to Palm Beach County. Now an oasis of zen peacefulness on 200 acres, the Morikami is home to art exhibits, an authentic tea house, cultural festivals and an incredible .8-mile walk through delicate gardens that transport you to Japan without leaving Florida. morikami.org

A: You’re right, the options for eating with a view of the ocean in Boca Raton are almost nil as condo buildings take up most of the prime space. You have to head north to Delray Beach or south to Deerfield Beach for oceanfront dining.

The questioner last week asked me for Fort Lauderdale restaurants serving food that doesn’t taste mass-produced and shows lots of love from the chef. In Boca Raton, there is plenty of this assembly-line type food; the city and nearby unincorporated area are home to an abundance of chain restaurants or eateries that have multiple South Florida outposts.

So if you’re looking for innovative food in Boca Raton at a restaurant owned by locals, here are some options, including destinations in Deerfield Beach and Pompano Beach. Make sure to call ahead as our local restaurants are entering their busiest season.

Boca Raton

DVASH, 8208 Glades Road, Boca Raton; 561-826-7784; dvashboca.com

This is where I bring guests who are visiting from out of town. If you like Mediterranean food, you can feast on their to-die-for homemade hummus, lamb chops, chicken on a skewer, shawarma or majadara (risotto with mushrooms, onions and lentils). Dvash means “honey” in Hebrew.

La Nouvelle Maison, 455 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton; 561-338-3003; lnmbocaraton.com

La Nouvelle Maison was among four South Florida restaurants that made it on to Open Table’s list of “Top 100 Restaurants in America for 2019.” It’s old-school French, with dishes including escargots, duck liver pâté, steak tartare and dover sole. For dessert, enjoy authentic crepes or my favorite, profiteroles, which are cream puffs with ice cream inside and chocolate sauce on top.

Luff’s Fish House, 390 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton; 561-609-2660; luffsfishhouse.com

Luff’s doesn’t take reservations, so you may have to wait, but you can take a stroll around downtown Boca as you fantasize about the restaurant’s fresh seafood, which is prepared simply and creatively. I love the coconut curry grouper on jasmine rice with stir-fried vegetables. This is another spot where I bring guests. Make sure to order the Key lime pie for dessert.

Corvina Seafood Grill, 110 Plaza Real S., Boca Raton; 561-206-0066; corvinabocaraton.com

Corvina brought chef Jeff Tunks, a culinary star on the Washington, D.C., food scene, to Boca Raton a year ago. The food is locally sourced; the chef has established relationships with local fishers and farmers, such as Captain Clay and Sons Seafood Market in Delray Beach and Swank Specialty Produce in Loxahatchee.

Here’s what former South Florida Sun Sentinel restaurant critic Michael Mayo wrote earlier this year about Corvina on Let’s Eat, South Florida, the Sun Sentinel’s foodie Facebook group: “Dinner service begins with a basket of warm, gluten-free Brazilian popovers (made from tapioca flour). Light, airy and delicious. The charbroiled oysters with chipotle lemon garlic butter and parmesan were crispy and composed, with the oyster meat still succulent. A master of the form. There are two types of ceviche on the menu and we went with classic Peruvian with fish, leche de tigre, sweet potatoes and large corn. Clean flavors and delish.”

Twenty Twenty Grille, 141 Via Naranjas, Boca Raton; 561-990-7969; twentytwentygrille.com

This little spot falls in the “hidden gem” category. There are lots of creative items on the menu, including Duck Duck Taco, Thai Marinated Charred Octopus, Mole Spiced Grilled Prawns and Portuguese Bistro Steak and Eggs. This eatery gets consistently good reviews on Let’s Eat, South Florida. One reviewer praised the playful chef: “Prior to the main course, the chef personally delivered a 4-item sorbet and challenges you to guess the ingredients. It appears the sorbet is unique from table to table.” Desserts are luscious; try the molten chocolate cake or Tiramisu Creme Brulee.

Near Boca Raton

Since you said Deerfield Beach and Pompano Beach were OK too, here are a few options farther south.

La Vie, 281 S. Pompano Parkway, Pompano Beach; 954-210-9818; lavieflorida.com

La Vie offers a classic Mediterranean menu with an enticing array of hot and cold mezza, grilled chops, kebobs and shawarma. There are several tagine options, which are slow-cooked in a shallow dish with a conical lid that creates steam from the cooking liquid, including chicken, lamb, grouper and vegetable. Vegetarians won’t have any problem finding sumptuous dishes here. The chefs hail from Lebanon and Morocco. Be prepared for belly dancers who complete the cultural experience.

Gianni’s Italian Restaurant, 1601 E. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach; 954-942-1733; giannisitalianrestaurant.com

Gianni’s has served Italian favorites to South Floridians for more than three decades. The family-owned trattoria offers traditional Italian fare, with chicken cacciatore, linguini with clam sauce, pork bracciola, shrimp scampi and snapper francese. Here’s what one amateur foodie said about Gianni’s recently on Let’s Eat, South Florida:

“We started with a Minestrone soup and Baked Clams. Dinner comes with salads and a house vinaigrette that was awesome. For dinner we had Eggplant Parmigiana and a Chicken Parmigiana, both with side pastas. Oh, and the Garlic Rolls and bread sticks were over the top. Finished up with homemade Cheesecake and Tiramisu with Espresso and Sambuca. Nice wine list also. We’ll be back and will bring others.”

Delray Beach’s energetic and creative restaurant scene is not far from you, but there are so many good places to eat there that they would take up a whole other column. In the meantime, check out the Sun Sentinel’s extensive restaurant listings at SunSentinel.com/entertainment/restaurants-and-bars, as well as the Sun Sentinel’s foodie Facebook group, Let’s Eat, South Florida.

Got a question about life in South Florida? Write to Lois at AskLois @sunsentinel.com.

What I don’t understand is how a town like Fort Lauderdale can have such a huge amount of wealth yet a small amount of world-class dining. My mom likes a delicate white fish with fingerling potatoes and broccolini on the side, that sort of thing. My husband likes an all-American upscale bar and grill. I’d like a restaurant that’s light, northern Italian (i.e., not just red sauce on everything). What are your recommendations? We live near Fort Lauderdale High School. — Rachel C., Fort Lauderdale

A: Rachel, I smiled when you said South Florida restaurant foods often “taste like Sysco.” We all see the food distributor’s giant trucks around town, emphasizing your point that lots of eateries are getting their goods from the same massive operator.

But there’s no question you can avoid the sameness and flavorlessness you’ve been encountering by researching locally owned establishments whose chefs are making their mark. You’re lucky to have several not far from you in Fort Lauderdale, and also in Wilton Manors, right near you, both epicenters for this creativity.

Here are a few in Fort Lauderdale that are consistently acclaimed or well-kept secrets among foodies:

Heritage, 903 NE Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-635-2335; HeritageFTL.com.

This is the first eatery from chef-owner Rino Cerbone, who honed his Italian cuisine know-how while working at his parents’ Pizza Time Ristorante in Boca Raton. Pastas are made from scratch on-site, and there are 14 pizza varieties, with interesting combinations such as squash blossom and cold-pulled burrata. There are also salads and antipasto plates and Sweet Long Peppers, a modern version of the stuffed-bell pepper dish his mom, Concetta, makes at Pizza Time.

The Katherine, 723 E. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 754-216-0690; TheKatherineRestaurant.com.

James Beard-nominated chef Timon Balloo opened this space just a year ago. Sun Sentinel reporter Phillip Valys described the food as “quintessential home-style dinners infused with the cuisine of (Balloo’s) Chinese, Indian and Trinidadian roots.” Balloo has been showered with accolades; his Miami restaurant Sugarcane has been around since 2010.

Holly Blue, 441 NE Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-488-2117; HollyBlueFTL.com.

Have you ever had a fine dining experience in a former church? Sun Sentinel entertainment writer Ben Crandell says Holly Blue is “distinguished by (chef Giovanni) Rocchio’s incomparable housemade pastas, artfully plated dishes and relatively expensive prices.” The indoor-outdoor restaurant is part of a multimillion-dollar remodel of the historic First Evangelical Lutheran Church on Northeast Third Avenue.

Canyon, 620 S. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 754-779-7199; canyonfl.com.

A recent move to the city’s Rio Vista neighborhood has reinvigorated this cherished Fort Lauderdale gathering spot. Executive chef Aaron Patterson specializes in creative approaches, such as his venison skewers with masala dust and blueberry serrano reduction. Make sure to order the white chocolate bread pudding for dessert.

Here & Now, 433 NW First Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-766-4651; hereandnowftl.com

This joint is described as a “hidden gem” on foodie websites. The restaurant’s website promotes their tapas and cocktails, but they also have salads and sandwiches, short ribs and chicken parm pasta. A Let’s Eat South Florida Facebook group member wrote: “I am truly not sure why this casual, eclectic, intimate restaurant is not packed on a Friday evening. The service was great, the food was fabulous.”

Wine Garden, 608 Breakers Ave., Fort Lauderdale. 954-302-2922; wineandgarden.com

My colleague, entertainment reporter Rod Stafford Hagwood, recommended this intimate spot on Fort Lauderdale beach. Here’s what he said: “Rather than dine among all the hubbub of The (Fort Lauderdale Beach) Strip, we prefer the hidden gem of Wine Garden, which is a block or so off the beach but it might as well be a mile or two. The menu is Italian fare and the vibe is unplugged with al fresco dining. And then, if you want to, you can go get your ‘party on’ over on A1A, but Wine Garden is so romantic, you’ll probably just want to go home and….um….cuddle.”

Here are two more, both in Wilton Manors.

Union Kitchen & Bar, 2309 N. Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors; 754-216-0143; unionkb.com.

This spot gets consistently good reviews for its homemade pastas and creative approaches to entrees (try the chicken with golden raisins, cipollini onions and white wine over creamy polenta). For dessert, indulge in the apple and ricotta donuts with caramel sauce.

Bubbles and Pearls, 2037 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors; 954-533-9553; bubblesandpearls.com.

Bubbles and Pearls bills itself as a champagne and raw bar but also has several meat entrees, chicken and flatbreads. According to one foodie on the Let’s Eat South Florida Facebook page: “Everything was fabulous!!! It’s a casual set up but very cool. We had a bottle of champagne, bone marrow with parmigiana cheese and sweet potato. Then we had oysters from Virginia. The best I’ve had in Florida. … We relaxed and ate for 3 hours. The employees were so kind, helpful and very nice. I highly recommend it.”

For a comprehensive overview of your eating options, check out the Sun Sentinel’s online Restaurants & Dining page at sunsentinel.com/dining. We cover the South Florida food scene in extraordinary detail. I also recommend that you join the Sun Sentinel’s Facebook group, Let’s Eat, South Florida, where the conversations are energetic and often hilarious.

Got a question about life in South Florida? Email Lois at AskLois@sunsentinel.com.

In an announcement on its website, the Justice Department did not specify why its personnel were visiting polling places in 24 states, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania but said their objective was to “protect the rights of voters.” The monitors are typically lawyers from the Justice Department’s civil rights division and U.S. attorney’s offices across the nation. The government also sometimes brings in employees from other agencies, such as the Office of Personnel Management, who are authorized to act as observers under a federal court order.

Brad McVay, the Florida Department of State’s general counsel, told the Justice Department on Monday that Florida law specifying who is allowed inside a polling place does not include federal staffers.

“None of the counties are currently subject to any election-related federal consent decrees. None of the counties have been accused of violating the rights of language or racial minorities or of the elderly or disabled,” McVay wrote.

McVay said the list of federal elections statutes cited by the Justice Department as the reason for their intervention was insufficient. He said the state will “send its own monitors to the three targeted jurisdictions. These monitors will insure that there is no interference with the voting process.”

Wendy Sartory Link, Palm Beach County’s elections supervisor, said she had been working with Justice Department staffers on Monday to show them how voting precincts were complying with requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. But after receiving a notice from the state later in the day that said the monitors were not allowed in polling places, she said she would comply with the state order.

“We’ll tell them they can’t come in,” she said. “If there’s a problem, I’ll tell them to let me know, and I’ll check it out.”

Broward Elections Supervisor Joe Scott spoke with DOJ officials on Tuesday and they agreed not to enter Broward polling sites, spokesman Ivan Castro said.

Across the country, some of the locations where the monitors have been sent include areas where there have been voting problems over the past few years. In Broward, a protest from 2018 has drawn fresh attention from the Justice Department, which is reportedly looking into whether the tactics used then served as a model for the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. In that incident, a Broward elections official was criticized by former President Trump and others, and a large protest ensued with fears that election workers would be harassed and harmed.

The crowd of Donald Trump-supporting protesters converged that year on an elections office in Lauderhill, pressing against the building entrance at times. Over several days, as ballots were tallied, they shouted about “corruption” and attempts to “steal the vote.” Dozens of police officers showed up to “protect the ballots at all costs.”

In Missouri, Republican election officials in Cole County also pushed back against the Justice Department’s efforts to review voting access. Missouri’s secretary of state, Jay Ashcroft, said county clerk Steve Korsmeyer had declined the Justice Department’s efforts to monitor the polls, and Korsmeyer planned not to let them in if they showed up. The Justice Department confirmed that its monitors would remain outside.

The Justice Department urged voters with complaints related to possible violations of voting rights laws to fill out a form on the department’s website https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or call 800-253-3931.

Charlie Crist, Democratic candidate for governor, criticized the DeSantis administration decision to prevent federal election monitoring in a statement issued on Tuesday.

“Ron’s whispers of Jim Crow have become shouts,” Crist said. “Ron DeSantis would rather have the Proud Boys monitor the polls than our own government. He sides with the violent extremists and insurrectionists to the end. Make no mistake, this governor is trying to scare voters and suppress our voices at the ballot box. And it will not stand.”

Information from The Associated Press was used to supplement this report.

A: Much of southwest Florida’s Gulf Coast is still in recovery mode after Hurricane Ian, which decimated Fort Myers Beach and surrounding areas on Sept. 28 with 150 mph winds and record flooding. More than 100 people died.

The area got slammed but is making determined efforts to get back to normal. Debris is still being cleared; some parks and other facilities remain closed. The Federal Emergency Management Agency maintains a large presence: The agency is currently looking for 300 workers to help with post-Ian recovery.

The hard-hit town of Fort Myers Beach is open only to residents. Sanibel Island, beloved by so many visitors from South Florida and all over the country, is also not open to visitors yet. The causeway to Sanibel reopened Oct. 19, but only to emergency personnel, residents, business owners and contractors.

So you can’t stay now on Fort Myers Beach or Sanibel or neighboring Captiva Island. Here’s what Doug Babcock, chief executive officer of Sanibel Captiva Beach Resorts, says in a message on the resorts’ website:

“While the islands aren’t yet ready for our beloved visitors and guests, and we await guidance from Lee County relative to tourism guests, we certainly look forward to the day that we can welcome everyone back to our beautiful and recovering islands!” he said in the note, dated Oct. 26.

Visit Fort Myers has a lengthy list of businesses (at VisitFortMyers.com/open) including hotels and restaurants, that have reopened in Lee County locales such as Boca Grande, Cape Coral and Bonita Springs. There are farmers’ markets, theaters and other cultural institutions that are welcoming business. Some parks are open with “limited amenities.”

If you’re interested in Naples, which also took a hard hit from Ian, GulfshoreLife.com has published a list of restaurants that are open. But many beaches are closed as workers clean up debris and repair access points.

Ian caused extensive flooding in historic Old Naples, and the Naples Pier is closed after suffering heavy damage. According to the Naples Daily News, “Some hotels and motels remain closed. Those that are open have been filled with disaster relief and recovery workers from emergency responders and utility crews to adjusters and contractors.”

Here’s how Collier County’s convention and visitors bureau described the ongoing recovery: “We ask for your patience as we are in the final stages of readying our beaches, resorts, world-class restaurants, and renowned arts and culture venues. Many of these amenities are fully operational, while a select few others are in the final stages of resuming operations.”

As for the beaches: “Collier County is committed to your safety, and as a result, please follow all posted signs that may indicate that cleanup is in progress. Our beaches are still beautiful, yet work continues to ensure they return to their original pristine state.”

If you’re itching for a west coast vacation, Sarasota or Bradenton may be safer bets. Beaches in Sarasota and Manatee counties, to the north of Fort Myers, were relatively unharmed by Ian. Most businesses, schools and restaurants are open.

Wherever you choose to go, call ahead and make sure your hotel and other desired destinations are in good condition and ready for visitors. We’re going to have to be patient as the communities to our west recuperate.

Ask Lois about life in South Florida. Email questions to AskLois@sunsentinel.com.

Se pronostica que estará cerca de la fuerza de un huracán, o posiblemente un huracán, a mediados de semana, según el último aviso del Centro Nacional de Huracanes.

Se ha emitido una alerta de huracán para la costa este de Florida desde la línea del condado de Volusia/Brevard hasta Hallandale Beach.

Los meteorólogos dicen que Nicole, que se formó el lunes temprano, es “una gran tormenta” que se espera que se mueva sobre o cerca de las Bahamas el miércoles y se acerque a la costa este de Florida el miércoles por la noche. Las últimas estimaciones del lunes dijeron que sus vientos máximos sostenidos esta semana podrían alcanzar las 70 mph, solo 4 mph por debajo del umbral para un huracán de categoría 1.

“No está descartado que Nicole alcance la fuerza de un huracán, especialmente dado lo cálidas que son las aguas en las cercanías de las Bahamas”, dijeron los expertos el lunes temprano.

The Weather Channel espera que el centro de Nicole toque tierra en la costa este de Florida el miércoles por la noche o el jueves temprano, aunque “el peor de los impactos de Nicole en la costa sureste podría llegar a última hora del martes o el miércoles y podría durar en algunas áreas hasta bien entrada la segunda mitad del semana.”

Dado ese pronóstico, es probable que los votantes del sur de la Florida comiencen a sentir los efectos el día de las elecciones, el martes, cuando el sistema traiga humedad del Mar Caribe.

AccuWeather, un servicio de pronóstico privado, estima que Florida podría ver ráfagas de viento de 40 a 60 mph, con ráfagas más fuertes cerca del centro de la tormenta.

Una alerta de tormenta tropical entró en vigencia el lunes temprano para el noroeste de Bahamas, Gran Bahama, Bimini y las islas circundantes. El Centro Nacional de Huracanes dijo que podría emitir advertencias adicionales más tarde el lunes para el centro de Bahamas y partes del sureste de Florida.

“Existe un riesgo creciente de inundaciones costeras, vientos con fuerza de tormenta tropical, fuertes lluvias, oleaje fuerte y erosión de las playas a lo largo de gran parte de la costa sureste de los Estados Unidos, la costa este de Florida y partes del centro y noroeste de Bahamas a partir de principios o mediados de esta semana”, informó el centro de huracanes.

A las 8 a.m. del lunes, Nicole tenía vientos máximos sostenidos de 45 mph y se movía hacia el noroeste a 14 mph a unas 520 millas al este del noroeste de Bahamas. Se pronostica que gire al noroeste el lunes, luego al oeste o al oeste-suroeste el martes hasta el jueves temprano.

Barry Baxter, meteorólogo del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional de Miami, alentó a los habitantes del sur de la Florida a mantenerse alerta.

“Técnicamente todavía estamos en la temporada de huracanes hasta finales de este mes”, dijo. “Así que no bajes la guardia solo porque es en noviembre. Es raro que los consigamos en esta época del año, pero aún podríamos conseguirlos”.

Los meteorólogos también están monitoreando un área tormentosa de baja presión ubicada 650 al este de las Bermudas el lunes temprano. Los meteorólogos dijeron que aún podría convertirse en una depresión tropical de corta duración o una tormenta tropical tan pronto como hoy antes de que se vea obstaculizada por los vientos en los niveles superiores y un frente frío.

El sistema cerca de las Bermudas tenía un 60% de posibilidades de desarrollarse en los próximos dos a cinco días, según el centro de huracanes, frente al 70% del domingo.

Ha habido dos huracanes importantes, es decir, de categoría 3 o superior, en lo que va de temporada: Fiona e Ian.

La próxima tormenta con nombre que se formaría sería Owen.

Lee la nota completa y actualizaciones en: Huracanes.