The Eight Best Things to Do in Broward and Palm Beach This Week

Thursday, March 3

Hurricane-force waves batter a dock jutting into the Atlantic Ocean. A gleaming high-rise spikes toward the heavens, nearly dwarfing the full moon behind it. An empty rowboat casts a reflection on water made from sewn patches. These works, by Mike Fossler, Charles Langjahr, and Claudia Groll, are just three of the 63 pieces opening this week at the Bonnet House Museum & Gardens’ annual “Making New Impressions” juried exhibition, which doubles as a fundraiser for the historic Fort Lauderdale home. Photography, acrylic, oil, digital art, embroidery, mixed media – it’s all on display, from vivid paintings of brightly plumed fauna to black-and-white nature portraits in the tradition of Ansel Adams. Juror Mariavelia Savino selected works that avoid an overarching theme but suggest Florida in its most natural, depopulated state, with sun-dappled landscapes, animals, and floral still lifes reflecting a sense of bygone, undeveloped paradise. All of the artwork is available for sale, with 50 percent of proceeds going to the Bonnet House.

The show’s opening reception begins at 6 p.m. Thursday. The $75 admission includes interactive food stations with special alcohol pairings, an open bar, a tour of the Bonnet House’s private living quarters, and live music. The exhibition will run through May 1 for standard museum tour prices of $16 to $20. The Bonnet House is located at 900 N. Birch Road in Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-563-5393, or visit bonnethouse.org. 

Local improviser Anthony Francis had a dream, and in the fall of 2014, he turned it into an academically questionable reality with ImprovU. Now in the spring of 2016, class attendance is up to roughly 40 students per week, and the two troupes – Business Casual and Halo Kitty – continually spread the improv gospel throughout South Florida. Improvisation is one of the greatest tools for developing acting and/or comedic chops; it’s pure, it’s quick, and it’s for anyone. Francis might’ve wanted to expand improvisational theater in South Florida, but this is more than just theater. These classes are for those looking to socialize, step out of their comfort zone, or simply adapt those skills to their everyday lives and careers. At the ImprovU Drop In Class, you’ll learn long and short form, games, hosting, sketch writing, and other skills. It’s even a little New-Agey – the release states, “You do not have to be funny or clever, you get to be you, because you are enough.” This workshop promises plenty of stage time for actual improv development; it’s one of those things that you have to do plenty of times, and it’s good for first-timers and returning players. What’s the worst thing that could happen? Your “act” lands a little hard? Tinseltown is filled with many who’ve done worse, so there’s nothing to lose.

Thursday Drop Ins happen from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Arts Garage, 180 NE First St., Delray Beach. Class costs $10, and garage parking is $5. Call 561-706-5128, or visit improvu.org.

Friday, March 4

When it was released in the summer of 1981, Raiders of the Lost Ark was not universally loved. Pauline Kael, writing in the New Yorker, dismissed Indiana Jones’ debut as a “machine-tooled adventure” created by people who “think just like the marketing division.” If only she had lived to see Transformers and Twilight. These days, Raiders is appreciated by cinephiles, casual moviegoers, and, presumably, extraterrestrials alike as an unalloyed classic, the kind of action/adventure/comedy/romance that benchmarks a winning blockbuster. We’re nostalgic for its grainy film quality, its pre-CGI effects, its droll humor, its insistence that such a quaint concept as a story still mattered. Then there’s the music: A goodly portion of Raiders‘ permanent residency in some cranny of our memory banks is thanks to John Williams’ soaring, iconic score, which screams “Indiana Jones” as much as a dusty fedora and a fear of snakes. That’s what makes the opening night of this year’s Festival of the Arts Boca so special. The weeklong-plus celebration of music and performing arts opens with a 35th-anniversary screening of Raiders on the Mizner Park Amphitheater’s jumbo screen, with conductor Constantine Kitsopoulos leading the University of Miami’s Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra through a live performance of Williams’ dynamic, triumphant music. It promises to be a fully immersive evening, though it’s best to leave your bullwhip at home.

The film screens at 7 p.m. Friday at the amphitheater, located at 590 Plaza Real in Boca Raton. Tickets cost $15 to $125. Call 561-368-8445, or visit festivaloftheartsboca.org.

Your sad, neglected wardrobe might reflect only clothes you bought on clearance from some discount store back in college, but you’re a grownup now. It’s time to dress like a professional. Luckily for you, the Spring Fling Fashion Show is open to seasoned fashion lovers as well as those who think the word “haute” describes temperature. Taking place at the Atlantic Hotel & Spa, the fashion show will feature seasonal threads from top local designers, salons, and boutiques. The event will kick off at 6 p.m. on the hotel’s fifth-floor oceanfront terrace with drinks and appetizers from Beauty & the Feast. Not only will guests be exposed to up-and-coming spring fashion, but they will also get to enjoy a three-course dinner beforehand courtesy of Beauty & the Feast. This way, you can stuff your face while seething in jealousy at the models’ fit figures (you can start your diet tomorrow).

Because seating is limited, RSVP is required. Tickets are free for general admission but cost $25 for reserved VIP and $35 for front-row VIP. Dinner tickets cost $49, and dinner begins at 7 p.m. Buy tickets at eventbrite.com. The fashion show takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday. The Atlantic Hotel & Spa is located at 601 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Visit society8.com, or call 954-567-8070. 

Saturday, March 5

Ever wish you could spend an evening engrossed in a conversation over dinner with your favorite wordsmith – not in a Kathy Bates in Misery way, but more like an IFC Dinner for Five that replaces Kevin Smith and Jon Favreau with interesting book authors? With the Broward Public Library Foundation’s Literacy Feast 2016, we are all one step closer to this dinner-party vision. This edition marks 28 years and more than $3 million raised for literacy programs during this community event. It pairs guest authors with supporters for a night of cocktails at the Broward County Main Library, followed by intimate dinners at private homes and restaurants. Some of this year’s featured authors are Alafair Burke, Liz Cunningham, Jason Mott, Helen Ellis, and Rebecca Dinerstein.

The event begins at 6 p.m. Saturday with an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, book sales, and signings at the Broward County Main Library, located at 100 S. Andrews Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. At 7:30 p.m., everyone departs for dinners at nearby locations. Tickets start at $175, with funds benefiting several of the programs offered through the foundation, including computer instruction, workshops for college-bound students, and summer reading programs. Visit bplfoundation.org, or call 954-357-7382. 

If you’re a South Floridian of Scottish heritage, there’s a good chance you’re extremely proud of your ancestry and you have a great tan – or at least a lot of interconnected freckles. Floridian Scots enjoy a good round of games, except they’re not on the beach and they’re playing in kilts. Can you imagine Scotsmen playing beach volleyball in their kilts? We know you are. This Saturday, you won’t have to imagine, because the Scottish American Society of South Florida hosts the 33rd-annual South East Florida Scottish Festival and Highland Games in Plantation. Celebrating Scottish and Gaelic culture, the games are typically held in the spring and summer and are a huge deal in Scotland. Though there won’t actually be volleyball, there will be far more impressive traditional Scottish games, such as the caber toss, which basically involves tossing a tree (technically a log) end over end as far as one can – all while wearing a kilt. Other than the competition, there will be dancing, drumming, children’s games, Celtic bands, sheepdog demonstrations, massing of the clans, and parades. Bust out the bagpipes and let the games begin.

The festivities will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Heritage Park, located at 1100 S. Fig Tree Lane in Plantation. Tickets cost $20 in advance and $25 at the gate, children’s tickets cost $2 for ages 6 to 14, and kids under 6 get in free. For box office locations, visit sassf.org. 

Dogs are great for many reasons; they cuddle, they reduce stress, they provide comic relief. Still, one of the best aspects of having one: They force you to get outside and walk. It’s good for you and necessary for Fido. Plus, it’s the ideal way to meet other crazy canine lovers. This Saturday, the Humane Society of Broward County will host its largest annual fundraiser. Like your daily dog walk on steroids, 2016 Walk for the Animals brings together thousands of pups and their people. Beginning at Huizenga Plaza, the event includes live entertainment, free dog goodies from more than 40 sponsors, great prizes (one is a chance to get your pup’s photo on next year’s publicity material), a free pancake breakfast from IHOP, and the chance to raise money for animals that don’t have it as good as yours. More than $570,000 was raised as last year’s event. It’s an easy 1.25-mile walk that winds through downtown Fort Lauderdale, along the New River. Throughout the day, anticipate live bands, strolling performers, and a dog agility performance.

The party starts at 8 a.m., the walk commences at 10, and everything wraps up at noon. Huizenga Plaza is located at 32 E. Las Olas Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Visit humanebroward.donordrive.com. 

Sunday, March 6

The saying “just chill” gets real this weekend at Craft Beer Cartel in Fort Lauderdale. This Sunday, self-awareness and self-indulgence will come together at this locals’ craft beer mecca and homebrew supply shop for the inaugural Meditation & Microbrews. Here, you’ll be able to check a few things off your weekend to-do list: You can find your inner peace, get some Zen, and achieve a balanced buzz – all thanks to this beginners’ guide to meditation and mindfulness. Led by local yogi Shelly Tygielski, the one-hour class will teach you the basics of meditation, self-awareness, and a series of relaxation techniques to help make your Sunday funday a little better. Afterward, further your enlightenment with brunch and a craft-beer-tasting at Riverside Market. Previous meditation experience is not required to attend; just be sure to wear comfortable clothes and bring your own yoga mat, towel, or pillow.

Meditation & Microbrews takes place from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Craft Beer Cartel, located at 557 SW 12th Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-541-3206. 

Tuesday, March 8

In today’s ultracasual world of jeans and flip-flops, it’s hard to imagine a time when even average Joes and Janes went about in suits and tailored dresses – and would never have left the house without a hat. At NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, the Beaux Arts Couture and Champagne Luncheon presents the exhibit “Bellissima: Italy and High Fashion 1945-1968,” which offers a glimpse inside Italian high society through fashion in the 1950s and ’60s in post-World War II Italy. Former New York Times Style Magazine editor Stefano Tonchi explains that the bellissima style fell into the context of Italian art and cinema of those years. “It is very much about the relationship between fashion and the arts and will give an idea of what life was like in Italy at that time,” he says. The exhibit features more than 90 designer garments, accessories, and one-of-a-kind Bulgari jewels alongside art, film, and photography in a dynamic show.

The exhibition comes on the heels of the museum’s 30th-anniversary gala last month. The luncheon runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Tuesday at the NSU Art Museum, located at 1 E. Las Olas Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets cost $100, and all proceeds benefit the NSU Art Museum. Call 954-525-5500, or visit nsuartmuseum.org.

For more events, visit our online calendar or pick up the print edition of the New Times Broward-Palm Beach every Thursday. To submit an event, use our online form.