Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with florida

What's a great oceanside hotel near Boca Raton?

Edible Energy — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 11:54:34 -0800

I'm looking for a nice hotel on the ocean that's less than 2 hours from Boca Raton for a romantic new years getaway with my girlfriend, my google-fu has failed me. any recommendations? we're in our 20s and we managed to get out of new york for a week, but now we have to get away from her family.

Serving up the noms in the Pensacola area.

jerseygirl — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:01:53 -0800

Any recommendations for caterers in the Florida panhandle area?

Should I avoid flying British Airways?

catchingsignals — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:59:41 -0800

How has your recent experience been flying with British Airways, particularly if it was to and from the US? Is it not such a good idea to fly with them right now? BA really hasn't been doing so well lately, so I don't imagine staff morale is all that high at the moment - and from what I've read over the internet they seem to have a particularly bad reputation for losing luggage. How were your recent flights with them? There are other things I've read about BA that I don't like much, but they are the only airline that flies direct from London to Tampa. I've been flying Virgin to Orlando, but that means an extra 2-hour drive both ways that I'd like to avoid, if that doesn't mean more unpleasant flights. Thanks Mefi!

Why won't the lineman move?

RajahKing — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:58:42 -0800

Can anyone explain why the linesman in this video clip of the Florida/FSU football game last Saturday did not move as the play unfolded? I am no football expert, but I do waste a lot of time watching it. But in the video, you will see a lineman on the right side (tackle? guard? I don't know) not even leave his stance as the play unfolds - every other player on the field is engaged in the play, while this guy sits there frozen. The quarterback even runs right past him.

I can think of no strategic reason for this to happen - has anyone out there heard a full explanation?

Farting Around in Florida

Brettus — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:56:31 -0800

Staying overnight in Miami, what to do? My wife and I are going on our Honeymoon in two weeks. We are flying out of Kansas and staying in Miami overnight on the 12th of December. Our cruise leaves the 13th, but we still want to experience Miami for the single night we are staying there.

I have never seen the ocean. I have never been to Florida. I want something a little off the beaten path, I am not into tourist traps if they can be avoided. What can/should we do? Any good non-chain restaurants we can dine at? We are open to try anything, on the cheap if possible.

Florida or Bust!

meeshell — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:26:35 -0800

Recommendations for traveling south of Miami. We are planning to fly into Miami, rent a car and drive south down Highway 1 toward the Keys. We want to go down in Feb or March. Where should I focus my research on the area to decide which destination to go to and what we must see or do along the way. We want the adult version of spring break. That means fun parties in the evening, exploring historical or interesting places during the day. Warm sandy beaches at some point are a must. Anyone know anything about that area? There is just so much there I don't know where to start.

Bareboat Sailboat Fun

DuckGirl — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:13:25 -0800

Looking for advice on a Christmas week sailing trip My fiancé and I are interested in a bareboat sailing trip during the week between Christmas and New Year’s. I have done some research online about destinations, and while many sound appealing, it seems like we might be able to do this most inexpensively if we focus on the Florida Keys area. We will be traveling from the Boston area and would be most comfortable on a 30-36 foot boat (fiancé owns and has much experience with his own 30-foot boat). My question to MeFites is this – have you charted a bareboat trip in Florida? Can you recommend a specific company/person to contact so I am not anonymously reaching out via google searches? If I am wrong in my assumption that Florida will be less expensive, tell me where we can go instead and find a great deal. I am trying to keep our total cost for airfare and the boat at less than $3500.

Child Custody in Florida

3dd — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:23:37 -0800

A friend of a friend wants to get custody of his kids but has no money to hire an attorney. He is trying to find an organization willing to help him out pro-bono. Does anyone knows any of this organizations? The children live in Florida.
I'm clueless. Thanks!

Florida coast rental homes?

mrmarley — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:50:23 -0800

looking for an upscale vacation-home in Florida for a long weekend next march (or week if required) - gulf coast - directly on the beach, somewhat isolated/ somewhat near a "town" - with multiple bedrooms (4 to 7?) - know of anything -or good agencies? where to start? (not looking for the Panama City "party scene" -- something more "adult" less-college.)

Tampa / St Pete's FL travel guide

dog food sugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:38:56 -0800

Looking for travel advice for Tampa / St. Pete's FL area for November 13-16. If you live in the area or have visited there I'd love to hear your suggestions. I'm going to a conference at the convention center in downtown Tampa. I have a relative I'd like to visit that lives about an hour South in Bradenton. So I started looking at places to stay between those two points and think I like the St. Petersburg area.

What places would you'd recommend to a visitor of the area? Is Busch Gardens fun in a campy typical amusement park way? It's my husband and I so I wouldn't mind it being a little romantic, and we're pretty adaptable and open to most places and things. We'll have a rental car. We like quirky places, historic neighborhoods, music stores, natural places, coffee shops, margaritas. He's a musician, we both have backgrounds in various arts. I'll be there for an oncology conference so I may just like to lounge around along the beach or in a pool a good lot of the time. We're not really into bars anymore - unless they are seriously low key or live music is playing. Budget is moderate - not completely splurging, but not really going budget either. But of course - I always like a bargain if available.

I read good things about the Dali Museum from previous threads. Thank you so much for your recommendations for what you love about the area.

Massage therapist in South Florida?

6and12 — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:03:59 -0800

Can anyone recommend a massage therapist in South Florida? I've been living in Hollywood, FL, for a few years now, and I'm finally in a position where an occasional massage fits into my budget. There are so many options here, however, that I don't know where to start looking. I've always found good LMTs through friends or word of mouth, but I'm at a loss down here (not at a loss for friends, just friends with leads on LMTs). In the past, I've worked consistently with people who specialized in Swedish, deep tissue, or Thai massage, and I've liked and benefited from those styles. Something close to Hollywood would be ideal, but I'm willing to drive a bit for the right person. In the past, I've preferred small practices to large spas or hotels.

We are looking for non-chain restaurants in Orlando & Miami for a family with young kids (2 & 4)

rdurbin — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:09:21 -0800

We are looking for non-chain restaurants in Orlando & Miami for a family with young kids We are traveling to Florida soon and are looking for recommendations for dining out with kids (2 year old and 4 year old).

Most of our meals will probably be lunches (if that matters). Assume that they both aren't too picky of eaters (so we don't need to do the diner/mac cheese/corndog route).

Cuisine - We would be most interested in non chain type restaurants. examples: authentic cuban food, fresh seafood, italian, mexican

Price - not too expensive since we are with younger kids although we would be willing to splurge a couple of times.

Location - Orlando/Miami although we have a rental so we will be all over the state really.

Thanks!

I can name that company in only two locations!

iknowizbirfmark — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:13:59 -0800

How can I identify a large company, based in Chicago, which also has an office in Ft. Lauderdale (and doesn't seem to have offices elsewhere)? This is just about all the information I have - I don't know the industry. I've tried all the normal search engines and phrases I can think of, but I haven't identified any good candidates. There is a lot of chaff to wade through. I've also been looking through lists of large companies based in Chicago or lage companies with offices in Ft. Lauderdale, but haven't been successful that way either. Can anyone recommend searching techniques, or maybe someone familiar with Ft. Lauderdale can name some candidates?

What was nibbling at my legs in the sea at Naples Beach this morning?

media_itoku — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:38:59 -0800

I was swimming at Naples Beach Florida this morning and a very persistent, long thin fish kept nibbling at my legs. It was 2-3 inches long, maybe 1/4 inch thick, & had bold black & white stripes. It seemed to want to attach to me in the same way shark lamprey do. What was it?

Looking for something between assisted-living and a live-in-nurse. Help?

xotis — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:35:37 -0800

GrandmaHelp Filter: What's the name for a live-in assistant/nurse who visits the house of an elderly person 3-5 days a week, helps them with grocery shopping, etc? What's the best way to find referrals for quality people that perform this service in South Florida? My grandmother's health is failing. She's in her mid-90s and in Florida. My family and I are in the midwest. She'd prefer to not go into an assisted living facility. All of us have jobs that can afford us to visit every few months, but none of us can stay down there long term. She owns her condo on the 20th floor of a high-rise in North Miami Beach. She requires a walker to get around and her hearing is failing.

My family would like to hire someone like a nurse to visit her 3-5 times a week to help check up on her health, but to also spend a few hours with her. This person would potentially take her food shopping, or do her food shopping for her. Help her with laundry and putting the food away. Help with meal preperation. Etc.

1.) Is there name for this type of person?

2.) What's the best way to find this type of person?
- When she was in the hospital recently, an orderly stole cash out of her purse while she was using the bathroom. Trust levels are low right now so we're wary of just picking a random company name in the yellow pages without a referral. So, are there sites where there are ratings and reviews for people/services like this? Without knowing what they're called, or what to search for, I'm not sure where to begin.

3.) What should we expect to spend on services like this? We're not wealthy, so we need to be budget conscious.

4.) Is there anything else we should be thinking of?

When I say above that her health is failing. She's just getting more and more fragile given her age. Her vital organs will likely start to shut down in the near future according to a doctor. Mentally she's fairly sound with no signs of alzheimers or dementia.

This has been emotionaly trying for my mother so I'm trying to help her, and my grandmother, by asking this question.

Thank you for your help!

Help my friend get the surgery she needs without going into massive debt!

JaiMahodara — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:12:53 -0800

My friend needs surgery but has no insurance. She thinks she can be covered if she goes on her parent's insurance in another state and has the surgery done there. Is this true? What kind of paper trail can the insurance company find? Health Insurancefilter: Please help me solve this insurance issue for a friend. Sorry about the length...it's complicated.

A couple months ago, my good friend 'D,' currently living in Oregon, had a cyst on her tonsils, which was removed at her own expense as she does not have health insurance (a couple hundred bucks). After leaving the hospital, she came down with a pretty bad staph infection, which is common after a minor surgery as staph tends to thrive in hospitals. Because she doesn't have insurance, she went to several free clinics to get treatment, and was given various diagnoses and antibiotics, etc.

And still, the infection persisted. After the most recent culture, she learned that the infection is MRSA, an extremely antibiotic resistant strain, and poses the risk of death. The doctor believes she needs her tonsils removed, as they may be feeding the virus, and may have to be on an intravenous antibiotic drip. But again, she has no insurance.

However, she thinks she can get on her parents insurance, who live in Florida (she is in her early twenties, and apparently there is a law in Florida that would allow her to do this?), in which case she could have the procedures done in Florida under her parents health insurance, if she claims that her permanent residence is still in Florida.

So here is the trick. She just signed a lease, along with someone else, which goes into effect August 1st. The lease is a sublet in house owned by a man who is leaving the country for the year. Its a pretty informal, personal thing, but he does have paperwork with her signature. She is wondering if the insurance company could somehow find the lease and thereby revoke her claim. Does she need to take her name off the lease? What about the fact that she's been paying Oregon state income tax? Wouldn't the insurance company find that first?

Neither of us know anything about this really, so any advice would be extremely, extremely helpful.

Thank you Hive Mind...you save lives.

Good online business degree in Florida?

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:58:20 -0800

Besides University of Florida (UF), are there any good, accredited schools in Florida that offer completely online business degrees (or Economics... maybe General Studies worst case)? I was kicked out of a state school (hereafter, SS) 3 years ago, after attending full time for 4. My GPA was 1.8. With that kind of GPA and credit deficit, I was basically permanently kicked out. So, I switched majors and went to community college!

I just finished my Business AA from a community college. Now I'd like to finish it up my BA. Unfortunately, I can't get back into SS (I still live in the same city, do not plan to move, have great job making more than all my coworkers with degrees). I've already appealed and was denied readmission. My GPA after CC was 2.15, but for the business program only, it was 3.62. I have like 60-70 credits of HORRIBLE grades dragging me down.

Because I am not in good standing with SS, I can't go to UF (you have to be in good standing with all previous institutions). Also, because my GPA is horrible, I can't go anywhere but another SS, or a degree mill (university of phoenix, etc), unless there are some extremely understanding private schools out there I don't know about. With an AA from a Florida Community College, you're guaranteed admission to a state school.

Are there any other schools in Florida I can go to, without moving? Does anyone have any advice or experience with this kind of situation whatsoever? Basically I spent 4 years in a major I thought I liked, but hated and was not good at, digging myself into a huge hole, because I was young, dumb, irresponsible, etc.

Should I just not say anything about my previous SS experience and apply to UF anyways?

Surviving the weekend with my cranky right-wing grandparents.

desjardins — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:14:31 -0800

My elderly grandparents live 45 minutes south of Orlando. My husband and I are visiting them next weekend. What do we do while we're there to minimize drama and maybe have a bit of fun? First of all, I am not close to them at all, and am really only visiting them because my grandfather is seriously ill and this may be the last opportunity to see him. I honestly do not enjoy spending time with them. Their political and religious views are 180 degrees from mine and 145 degrees from my husband's, so those are topics to avoid. They're extremely racist, and while I've learned to keep my mouth shut (given that it won't change anything), my (white) husband reacts strongly to racial slurs. Neither of them understand our (technical) career fields, so we can't talk about that. They don't have hobbies besides watching TV so nothing to talk about there. There is all kinds of family drama that my grandmother just loves to bring up, and I don't want to discuss that, especially since their treatment of my cousin before his suicide is an extremely sore point with me.

The drama has started before we're even there - they're insisting on picking us up at the airport (orlando) even though they're extremely dangerous drivers and I've already booked a rental car. They want me to cancel the rental car - at this point I'd be eating the fee since it's through Priceline and there's no-cancellation policy. My mother has written me emails on how to tiptoe around their preferences and eccentricities.

My husband and I are extremely stressed by a recent move and job/economic insecurity, and this trip just feels like a burden at this point. Yet I want to make it somewhat enjoyable if at all possible. My grandfather can barely leave the house, not only because he's physically ill but because he's bipolar and frequently severely depressed. My grandmother likes to go shopping, etc., but tires very quickly. What the heck can we do for 4 days? I don't mind driving to Orlando or Tampa or points in between.

Aside: I would really prefer air-conditioned activities as I get heatstroke easily (and I can't imagine the heat would be good for 80-somethings either).

Help us transfer our plates!

PhoBWanKenobi — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:19:24 -0800

Florida DMVFilter: what's the easiest (and cheapest) way to register Mr. WanKenobi's car in the state of Florida? Mr. WanKenobi just moved in. Yay! He brings with him a nice, newish RAV4, which he owns outright and is currently registered in the state of NJ.

Since I hardly use my own car, which is registered in Florida, and since we certainly don't need two cars, I've just sold it on craigslist. I have the plates and all of that.

Now we're trying to figure out the best way to register Mr. WanKenobi's car. I would just send him over to get his own plates, but the state of Florida charges you an extra hundred bucks the first time you register any vehicle in the state, whereas transferring the plates would only be four dollars. We have no problem sharing the ownership of the car--we'll both be using it, after all--but I can't find anything on the website about transferring the title to a new co-owner, if that makes any sense. Do any of your Florida mefites have any experience with this? We'd like to avoid paying that hundred dollar "initial registration fee" again if at all possible!

Where can you find adult foster care work in Miami?

aussicht — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:32:03 -0800

What sorts of jobs exist in Miami (or Florida) for people who work with adult foster care for clients with developmental disabilities? A friend of mine is thinking of moving out to Miami, and is wondering about job opportunities for working with clients who have developmental disabilities in an adult foster care environment. I've had the hardest time finding anything concrete about this to tell him about, and am curious if people know where to look, if Florida uses different terms for the work, etc? Any help?

Thanks!

Donating Medical Equipment and Medication in Florida?

dancinglamb — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:37:17 -0800

Can you donate unused medications and durable medical equipment (hearing aids) in Florida? A member of my immediate family passed away last week and I'm trying to help square away some loose ends. It occurred to us that there is a bunch of unused medication along with a pair of very new hearing aids (over the ear-type) that are unfortunately going to go to waste. I think there is also a walker and a nebuliser.

Is there any place that this stuff can be donated (rather than going to someplace that will sell it for profit)? My aunt is in Lee County if it makes a difference.

I know that there are a few audiologist Mefites here, so I'm hoping that they might be able to lend their advice. Maybe a couple of pharmacists, too? It's just such a shame to waste this stuff with so many people without insurance and unable to pay for the very things that are just sitting there un-used...

Thanks for your help.

Help us survive a boring summer!

One Second Before Awakening — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:53:23 -0800

What are some fun things to do as a teenager in a small-ish town? I'm a teenager living in Sarasota, FL, and my friends and I are constantly lamenting how little there is to do in this town. We're bound here for the duration of the summer, and lacking the social amenities of our respective colleges. The main thing people our age seem to do around here is sit around outside a starbucks and waste time, or sit around on the beach and waste time.

For anyone who grew up in this situation, what did you do? What are some fun ways I and my friends can spend time? Especially appreciated would be easy-to-orchestrate activities that can be repeated fairly often. Don't worry about censoring your own experiences or suggestions. References to drug use or other illicit activities aren't going to offend or corrupt.

Looking for a comfortable, family-friendly hotel in Fort Lauderdale

crunchtopmuffin — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:42:42 -0800

Anyone have a recommendation for a nice, family-friendly hotel on the beach in Ft. Lauderdale? We're traveling in August with our daughter who will be 9 months old at the time. I'm thinking something along the lines of the Westin Beach Resort. Does anyone have any personal experience they can share about any of the hotels there?

And a couple of related questions for bonus points:

Do the hotels usually charge to hang out on the beach space adjacent to their hotel?

Any suggestions for fun family activities?

Thanks!

What to do, and where to meet people, in Tallahassee Florida?

LobsterMitten — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:17:33 -0800

What's good in and around Tallahassee, Florida? And where do the good thirtysomething people hang out? Asking for a friend. She's been there almost a year and is having a hard time getting plugged in to the town, meeting people, etc.

She's a thirtysomething professor, single, no kids, not a native southerner, not a churchgoer. (She's not a snob, I just mentioned those things because I think it's a little harder given that she doesn't have a church group or parents' group as a home base.)

She lives in town within walking distance of FSU. Vegetarian, enjoys sports, a good bar or coffeeshop or music/dance venue. In past lives she has played tennis, rowed, and generally enjoys physical activities, but hasn't connected with any people who do that stuff in Tallahassee yet.

So: suggestions for good hangouts (bar/coffeeshop/etc), active amateur sports groups, good bike shop, friendly people meeting places, etc? Websites for local events? Fun local cultural things? Neat day trips?

Final shuttle launch tips

afx114 — Tue, 12 May 2009 16:01:19 -0800

What do I need to know about going to see the final Space Shuttle Launch in 2010? I would like to witness STS-134, the final launch of the Space Shuttle scheduled for September 16, 2010. There is this previous Ask MeFi that has some good information, but I have a few additional questions that weren't really answered in that thread:

1) Because this is the final shuttle mission, I imagine that the crowds will be larger than normal. I also imagine that nearby hotels will be gouging as much as they can. Any nearby hotel suggestions? Any guestimates on how early we should arrive to secure a decent seat?

2) Since I will be traveling from California, I'm concerned about delays due to weather or other problems. What is the delay procedure for shuttle launches? Do they just take it day by day? I'd hate to fly all the way out there only to find the launch delayed by a week or two. I know we are at the mercy of the weather, so how is Florida in September when it comes to weather? Favorable to on-time launches?

3) Any other NASA-related (or non-NASA-related) things we should check out while in the area?

4) Any other tips to make this trip happen and be enjoyable would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! :)