Tag Archives: Fort Lauderdale

Sharing The Road

Posted on by Andy (Avraham) Blumenthal

Sharing the road with this rather large lizard in Fort Lauderdale. 

He ran right across my path, and when I say run, he can really run.

Then he stopped on the side of the peer.

I snapped this photo.

But as I got closer, he jumped (flew) into the water and swam quickly away.

Would NOT want to fall into the water and run into this guy in there.  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal) 

Pineapple Umbrella Drinks

Posted on by Andy (Avraham) Blumenthal

Those are some cool Pineapple Drinks!

Has pineapple slices hanging off the sides.

A big plastic straw and don’t forget the umbrella on top of a grape. 

I think they said that they paid $27 for two. 

It’s a bargain! 😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

A Soul-Stirring Holocaust Memorial

Posted on by Andy (Avraham) Blumenthal

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called A Soul-Stirring Holocaust Memorial.


As we recently completed the Jewish high holidays between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, a time of Judgment, and we ask G-d to forgive us, so we are told that we are asked to forgive others. However, can we ever really forgive the magnitude and cruelty of this genocidal crime to the Jewish people? I don’t think that is really humanly possible to forgive the premeditated and scientifically executed, brutal murder of a third of all Jews in the entire world. However, I do thank the artist, Wolfgang Stiller for his sentiments with the Magen David to remember and never forget the Holocaust, and most importantly, to never let it happen again! Finally, my hope is that this artwork memorializing the Holocaust finds a suitable home in perhaps Yad Vashem or other major Holocaust museum or exhibition where people can broadly experience and benefit from the important sentiments conveyed.


(Photo provided by Chic Evolution in Art | Las Olas Blvd)

True Self Is Helping Others

Posted on by Andy (Avraham) Blumenthal

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called “True Self is Helping Others.”

The Rebbe’s message was that self-improvement was really about helping others! All the changes we commit to around the Jewish New Year and make in ourselves is not really about us, but rather about us being able to develop ourselves in order to “give it all away” to help others. Too often, people think in terms of self-help, self-improvement, where everything is sort of in terms, well, ourselves–my looks, my degrees, my career, my bank account, my family, and so on. However, people should not lose sight that everything that Hashem gives us is really for a higher spiritual purpose, for giving to others or “paying it forward.”

In this vein, we learn Torah not just for the sake of learning, but rather in order to actually do Mitzvot! Rabbi Kaplan explained that the Rebbe would make each and every person feel special and important. Why? Because by building up the individual, each could then go out and build up the world. And this is one of the reasons that I love and respect Chabad so much—from my experience, people like Rabbi Kaplan and Chabad in general, are all about living this life lesson from the Rebbe and giving, giving, and then giving some more in order to really improve the Jewish community globally and by extension the world.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Great Microwave Decor

Posted on by Andy (Avraham) Blumenthal

Liked this decor (funny the brand is also called “dacor”) on the microwave 

Why watch through the glass window, the food on the turntable (and the splatter) as it heats up when you can instead see some real art! 

Also, kids art is somehow always the best; they see things in a more pure, unadulterated, as well as a fantastical way that makes you look at life anew again. 

Enjoy the wonderful art Papi!  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)