February 2019—The Space Coast, The Treasure Coast, and Ft. Lauderdale

Between 1950 and 1960, Brevard County experienced a 371% growth rate, and with the space race at its zenith, this is no surprise. Cocoa Beach 1st erected their current A-frame structure in 1956, which seems massive comparison to train of surf shops and cheap pancake joints . An administrative assistant gave me a brief tour of the building, the most interesting feature a green spiral staircase from the alter an office suite on the first floor. When NASA programs were cut in 2010 the area’s development slowed, but the weekend I was there Space X launched the unmanned Falcon 9 rocket. Cocoa Beach may again see the growth it experienced in the 1950s and 60s.

The biggest surprise of this trip was 1st Stuart farther down on the Treasure Coast which rose like a crane from the manicured lawn. The front-on photographic view from the church’s website doesn’t reveal the graceful lines of a nested bird you see from the side. It reminds me of the fish church, 1st Presbyterian in Stamford, Connecticut, both buildings are appreciated when viewed from a distance. I didn’t have a wide-angle lens so I could not get the shot I wanted, but it was impressive nonetheless. Administrator Catherine Ellis gave me a brief tour and answered a few of my usual questions. If you are in the area, this is the building to visit.

Christ Church in Ft. Lauderdale is a pearl. Situated near Hott Leggz Sports Bar and Mambo Room Dance and Event Center, Christ Church is archetypal South Florida which is one of the most recognizable facades in Methodist architecture. Crosby Willet, famous for creating windows at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. and the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco oversaw the 1974 stained glass installation. The faceted glass is done in a diamond-shaped grid and when backlit after dark and viewed from the street is luminous.

Mai-Kai Restaurant and Polynesian Show consistently tops the list of tiki bars and I had to see it. It turned out to be a little different from my expectations—less Enchanted Tiki Room and more Fantasy Island meets a haunted house. Designers for themed restaurants like The Rainforest Café and Bubba Gump probably go Mai-Kai for inspiration but never get it right. Mai-Kai’s dusty catacombs reveal a Polynesian-themed garden, complete with waterfall and weathered totems. It needs about a 5-million-dollar renovation, but of course that would ruin it.

It opened at 5 PM and at 4:30 PM the line was almost 20 deep, most of whom I imagine were there for the 8 PM show or, like me, the happy hour. I ordered a mai-tai which may seem like a boring choice at a tiki bar which is on the National Register of Historic Places, I fell victim of the tyranny of choice after looking at the massive mixed drink list. It tasted like hibiscus.