In the so-called mundane world (what some would call reality), they’re everyday folks — teachers, artists, computer experts, librarians. As members of the Society for Creative Anachronism, they take on another name, another persona — a character who would be at home in the Middle Ages. The Society for Creative…

Spectacular sets, fancy lighting, and extravagant costumes wow the crowd at some theatrical productions, but not this one. In West Boca Theatre Company’s “Evening of Staged Readings,” the actors, scripts in hand, work with a table and chairs against a plain wall. The focus here is on powerful dialogue and…

For those who truly want to understand the artistic process, staring at a canvas on a gallery wall just won’t do. Outdoor art festivals? Well, one can actually meet some artists, but their works always look so out of context in those little white tents. If you’d rather hang out…

Singer Bradley Ditto of Hollywood grabs a grocery bag, toilet paper, or whatever else is handy when he comes up with an idea for fresh lyrics. A performer since fifth grade, Ditto became enamored of songwriting during high school. He’ll bring his guitar and repertoire of tunes, which range in…

Snow, schmow. Here in the subtropics, we create a festive holiday feel by cranking up the wattage. We string lights on our palm trees, our pool decks, our pleasure boats. And then there are the flying dinosaurs, the unicorn, and a fire-breathing dragon. Of course, you probably won’t see these…

For his debut film as a producer-director, Fort Lauderdale resident Rob Goodman wanted something distinctive. So he borrowed a 1978 Checker Cab, decorated the interior with dozens of oddball knickknacks, and told a cameraman to hop inside and shoot. The resulting piece of cinema, titled 531, is among about 110…

A sand sculptor has to be able to take a joke. After hours in the sun building 3-D art from a flat stretch of sand, there are occasionally wisecrackers with whom to contend. “What time do we jump on it?” asks a jovial guy at a trade association party at…

“Want something for him?” Deborah Kirkpatrick asks the crowd at this all-female shopping party. “Noooooo!” comes the giddy response. But when Kirkpatrick mentions oral sex, the ladies are definitely interested. “Tired of giving BJs?” she asks. “Say hi to Lori. She’ll do it for you.” Amid the laughter, Kirkpatrick holds…

The mural began with a sketch or two — twenty-four, actually. And they weren’t even the artist’s sketches. They came from his subjects. Tin Ly is the artist, and the homeless are his subjects. They’re also the reason that the latest Broward County Public Art and Design Program project, which…

Since it opened last October, Picture Perfect Cakes in Davie has produced “photo cakes” topped with wedding pictures in color or black-and-white; baby pictures; a shot of a curly-haired, ’70s-looking guy grooving with an electric guitar; and a photo of a kid with a baseball bat. Cakes have been made…

Throughout history dogs and cats have survived just fine in their standard-issue fur, but some people insist on accessorizing their animal companions, especially during the holidays. For example, at the Humane Society of Broward County’s Pet Boutique, strands of pearls adorned with silver charms are selling like hotcakes. They’re marketed…

At Chef’s Palette restaurant, staring is not rude. It’s part of the appeal. Across the street from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, in the center of its culinary-school annex, is a lovely little dining room with white linen on the tables and a panoramic view of tomorrow’s chefs learning…

Cathy Stern doesn’t go that extra mile for her artistic endeavors — she travels 400 or so. Every summer, for four days, the Coral Springs resident and a few female artisan pals board a camper and aim it for garage sales in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and Ohio, among other states…

Backstage Pass You’ve just seen the latest touring Broadway musical, and the show was so good you’re humming the tunes on the way home. But suddenly you think to yourself, I wonder what the cast is like? What do they look like without stage makeup? And how do those tap…

James Joyce gets a kick out of people who point out that he has a famous name. He gets even more excited when they know something about the guy who made his name so notable. For a long time now, James Joyce, a mechanics supervisor for Broward County Public Works,…

Kurt Volker learned something about nature photography while shooting a gigantic tree in California. The 200-foot-tall redwood caught his eye because a fig tree had rooted itself in the redwood’s skyscraper-size trunk. Looking for an interesting angle, Volker stretched out on the ground and aimed his camera, not realizing he’d…

Carl Rimi, a frisky young comic, is on stage pretending — or so it seems — to flub his routine. Turning his back to the audience, he pulls a piece of paper from his pocket, scans his notes, then spins around. He’s back on track. Rimi’s knack for toying with…

The director — the guy wearing the headphones over a turned-around baseball cap — is smiling. He’s pleased with the scene. It’s around midnight in Fort Lauderdale, and his actors are cruising around in a ’78 Checker cab with a 1000-watt light clamped to the hood. The taxi rumbles through…

Among the residents of the hillside village, Howard Goodwin looks like a giant. Popping through a cutout in the middle of the miniature-scale display at the South Florida Railway Museum, he’s Godzilla-like compared to the five-inch trees and toy trains that weave their way across the landscape. A sleek, silver…

Gil MacAdam was outside, working on his roof, when he heard a nasal “eeek” sound that he recognized. A rose-breasted grosbeak, he thought. What a treat. And indeed the bird with the triangular rose-colored patch on its chest was in his yard, using a gumbo-limbo tree as a perch during…

Environmental-minded homeowners and shopkeepers dutifully toss recyclables into bins every week. Trucks rumble through neighborhoods to collect them and cart them off. The urban eco-warriors feel good: They’ve done their part. And after it’s picked up, the reusable rubbish is no longer an eyesore — out of sight, out of…

Annie Vergara has enjoyed afternoon tea the fancy way. During a trip to London, where high tea is a tradition, the formally dressed server asked whether Vergara would like the tea or milk poured first. A true English tea-drinker knows the difference between the two, she was told. Indeed, tea…