Category Archives: Travel

Giving Extra Tips……

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I did a Facebook post earlier about pausing amid enjoying friends and family to remember those who aren’t in a position to celebrate. It’s easy to think of the military and first responders, as we should. It’s even easy to think of nurses on duty, but it’s also easy to forget how many round-the-clock jobs we have primarily to make our lives more comfortable. The lights are on in your house because teams are always at work at a power plant. Airplanes are in flight and truckers are hauling rigs to get shipments where they’re going. Restaurants that offer special Thanksgiving meals or even something like a 24-diner or fast food place are staffed. You’re probably planning to watch at least some TV today and if you’re computer starts acting up, you might call for tech support. Now, the flip side to the coin is employees are often paid overtime, so for some, it is a chance to earn extra money. For others who have no special sentiment for a particular holiday, it’s not a big deal.

I would just ask that if you encounter someone today who is working, give a smile or perhaps an extra tip if that’s appropriate. Happy Thanksgiving to all whether you relax for some quiet time or are out and about.

Safe Travels Ahead…..

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Tomorrow will be a travel day for us as we make the annual trip to Georgia to be with Hubby’s family. I gather an actual cold front is supposed to sweep in, so I’ll need to find a couple of sweaters or at least a jacket to pack and go with layers. Fortunately, we’re at the stage of our loves when we can travel on Tuesday and return on Friday and we always have a handy housesitter available. Travel on the Wednesday of Thanksgiving is a hassle we don’t deal with unless it’s absolutely necessary.

I’m not certain of which “cycle” his family is on though. Like many of us who marry, you have to decide which sets of parents you spend which holiday with. In Hubby’s case, the younger generation has “aligned” their visits so the “distant” cousins can be together with the nearby ones every other year. Since all the younger generation also have children, that means in the “aligned year”, the holiday crowd goes from around 12 to around 30. One of Hubby’s first cousins hosts almost every year and embraces the cheerful chaos. They do live in a perfect place for spreading out and especially for the youngsters to be able to run around, plus there is the dining room and the dining table as part of the large kitchen. Her husband is great with frying turkeys and by the time everyone adds their “special” dish in, you can’t possibly eat with less than two trips to the buffet. With my mother-in-law in assisted living, we aren’t certain if she will be up to joining us and have been told they do a wonderful event at the place where she is. We’ll be flexible on that since I imagine she won’t really know how she’s feeling until Thanksgiving morning.

So whether you are traveling, staying close to or at home, have a special holiday tradition or prefer to have a quiet day, may it bring you pleasure.

The Performing Arts You’ve Been Waiting For…..

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You don’t always get an immediate full package when it comes to downtown revitalization. It’s nice when the resources are available for that, but more likely, there will be incremental steps. Like a garden though if you can’t bring in a landscape designer and move forward with every flower, shrub, tree, etc., you might have the design and a few “anchor” pieces, then add to it. What’s important though is to carefully tend to the initial steps and not lose the early plantings as you wait for the rest.

The Seminole Theater in downtown Homestead has kicked off their second season and for every person who has said, “I wish we had performing arts here”, the answer is, “We do.” While the first season was heavily weighted to concerts, that was primarily because it was the easiest approach to get started. This year, however, a variety of programming is available and there really is something for just about everyone. There is the Showcase Series – major events booked by the Seminole – then there will be different events continually added. These are often local organizations that book the Seminole as a venue for music, dance, theater, etc.

I’ve previously posted about the delightful WLRN Radio Theater plays we’ve attended and there are three more performances this season – Miracle on 34th Street, Casablanca, and Treasure of the Sierra Madres. Yesterday, we had a bit of a “Ladies Afternoon” as five of us attended the one-man play, Vincent. The essence of the play was mixed media with the role of Theo Van Gogh, Vincent’s brother, in a script written by Leonard Nimoy (Yes, “Mr. Spock”). The production, from Starry Nights Theater Company, has played around the country. As the character of Theo spoke of the larger truth of the brother whose paintings were not appreciated in his lifetime, he also read excerpts of letters and images of famous and less-well recognized pieces were projected behind him. It was a moving script, wonderfully produced, and superbly acted. It’s the quality of performance we no longer have to fight traffic for or search out parking.

Dining options are close by as well with restaurants such as the Capri (M-Sat), on Krome only a few miles away; Chefs on the Run on adjacent Mowry Dr (Tue-Sat). along with Hotel Redland (M-Sat & Sun brunch). Or you can drive a few streets north on Krome, turn on 7th St and find The White Lion Café (Tue-Sat). El Toro Taco is across from the theater (Tue-Sat) as is Casita Tejas, and Lucky’s Saloon is two buildings away. (Tejas and Lucky’s are open seven days a week). Mamma Mia’s, a short drive to Washington Ave, is open seven days a week, too (until 11:00 p.m. Fri & Sat).

You can keep up with what will be playing at http://seminoletheatre.org or for the wider arts and culture scene, check Homestead Center for the Arts, http://homesteadcenterforthearts.com

 

 

Temperature Dropped…..

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Goodness, I had to turn the seat heaters on in the car yesterday morning. It is, however, a matter of perspective. As many of you who follow the blog know, Richie Kohler was here for a series of events presenting exploration on Britannic and of course selling and autographing Mystery of the Last Olympian: Titanic’s Tragic Sister Britannic. He’s been traveling a lot – Malta, Greece, England, here, Canada, and he wanted to be able to have at least a nice Sunday afternoon at home. As you also know, I’m up early every morning and very early some mornings, so leaving here at 4:00 a.m. to take him to the airport wasn’t an issue. I had been told the temperature was supposed to drop, but didn’t check it or put on a long-sleeved shirt. Going up, we were chatting away about different things and I didn’t notice it was cooler. On the trip back though I glanced at the temperature and heavens above, it was 65. Now, I do realize 65 degrees at 4:45 a.m. on 23 Oct would be welcome in a number of other places. For us though, that’s a definite chill and the seat heater was exactly what I needed.

I warned Hubby since he had morning boat and he rummaged in the closet for a fleece to wear and I did swap to a long sleeve tee when I donned my walking clothes. The temperature was already headed back up at that point and I might could have been okay otherwise, but it was actually rather pleasant. This morning is “more normal” at 73 and I guess will be around 80 later. No doubt a number of people will be checking the location of their sweaters and jackets though as this little taste reminds us we have mostly passed from the intense summer heat.

Busy Few Days……

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It’s funny how timing can work out. Back about a year ago when I was scheduled to present at the History of Diving Museum on our book, Mystery of the Last Olympian: Titanic’s Tragic Sister, Britannic (http://amzn.to/2c1iKJl), I had never heard of the ensemble, Chance. I certainly didn’t know they were going to be on a nation-wide tour with a musical tribute about the National Parks Centennial. I also didn’t know that Richie Kohler might be available to be here to do the presentation instead of me. So, when Homestead Center for the Arts (http://homesteadcenterforthearts.com) was approached about sponsoring the Seminole Theater concert for Chance on Fri, Oct 21st, that set an idea into motion. The History of Diving Museum appearance was Wed, Oct 19th – the concert two nights later. Our two National Parks (especially Biscayne) feature water. Homestead Main Street does fun festivals downtown, but has never had a sea-themed one. Could we link these things? A quick check with Richie’s schedule and yes, he could stay over. In fact, he could get in a couple of days of diving – one with his good friends who have Conch Republic Divers and one with Horizon Divers where Hubby works. And so, the concept for the Seahunts Festival for Sat, Oct 22d was locked into place.

Now, anyone who has ever put on an event knows there is a lot of planning and many moving parts. Although I wasn’t in charge of any of the events, I was obviously involved. That’s okay, in my other life, I did similar things. What I forgot about was all of this was taking place 19-22 Oct which happens to be the third week of Oct. The third week of each month is also when all three boards I am a member of meet. Tomorrow will be the trickiest of them since the Board Meeting is at 3:00 and I have to go directly from there to the Seminole Theater for the VIP reception that starts at 5:00 followed by the Chance performance at 7:00. And even though the Seahunts Festival Saturday is from 1-5, there is set-up, plus dinner out, and then the matter of getting Richie to the airport Sunday at shall we say a very early hour. Ah well, at least his travel went smoothly yesterday and the presentation at the Diving Museum drew in about 75 people. It was a good start to what will be a busy few days that will be a lot of fun, too.

Home and Hurricanes….

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The quick trip to Louisiana for Daddy’s 92d birthday went as well as can be expected and there were obviously questions about Hurricane Matthew. I explained that as long as he went East or North, we were fine. West, not so much. And so we’re now very much in the “wait and see” mode because “deviation” is what matters about landfall around us. Despite the sophistication of the weather gurus, Mother Nature will do as she wishes. The likelihood for us is a lot of rain and maybe wind tomorrow. On the other hand, a “deviation” could shift everything. One would like to think with plenty of open water out in the Atlantic, other than messing with ships, Matthew could churn around for a while and do limited damage. Of course, that’s pretty much always the case in these situations. We, here in this area, haven’t had much hurricane activity since the summer of 2005 that was definitely active. Someone mentioned on FB this morning that we should engage newcomers in conversation to either bring up important points or answer questions they might have. I made the trip to the grocery store yesterday and filled the car.

An advantage for us when it comes to power loss is we have two Emergency Response stations in opposite directions within a couple of miles of us and they are on high priority for any restoration. I’m not sure where we fall in that “grid”, but I think we’re probably close. We do have a small generator although it’s a manual and getting it out isn’t really worth it if we are only talking a few hours without power. It won’t run the AC, but it will keep the fridge and stove going which are the main things.  So, we shall see what the next couple of days bring.

Day Three of Trip…..

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We have become so accustomed to our electronics and connectivity that when they fail us we can get downright cranky. Okay, I’m sure there are people who cheerfully accept it, but I’m not one of them. Indeed, our house is beginning to look like a computer graveyard with multiple old laptops and what will soon be this Surface. The Surface is a cross between a notebook and a tablet. I bought it a few years ago to travel with because unlike a tablet, it has a USB port which means I can carry files with me to work on and then easily transfer them to my regular laptop that stays comfortably at home. The Surface with power cord only weighs a couple of pounds. Unfortunately, the Surface is suffering from some very odd behavior this trip. I can barely manage to access email and it took multiple tries to get to the blog. Anyway, such is modern life.

Today is actually Daddy’s 92d birthday and I’ll go back out to the assisted living facility this morning and take him somewhere for lunch if he’d like. If not, I’ll dine there with him and then be ready for the 2:00 cake and punch everyone is looking forward to. If all goes well, we will have set up a video call with our son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter so they can wish him Happy Birthday. I’ll be leaving there this afternoon to spend the night closer to the airport and have dinner with another old school friend. I wasn’t able to link up with her the last trip, so hopefully this will work out. As for next year’s birthday celebration, who knows for sure. Apparently, there is one resident who is preparing for her 101st soon.

Trip, Days 1 and 2…..

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In the on-going round of trips to Louisiana, this is the normal one where I always go for Daddy’s birthday. The flights were on time and uneventful – the weather no problem at all. That does help even though the planes between Atlanta and Shreveport are the “puddle jumpers” without much room and difficult for anyone who is above average size. Not a problem for short people like me, but my seatmate was pretty cramped. Anyway, I stopped by to see Daddy for a while, then proceeded south to visit with some old school friends since I hadn’t been down during the past few trips. This is the annual Antique Car Show in Natchitoches and even though the main event is tomorrow, quite a few were already on display. I think the oldest was a 1932 Ford, although there was a real variety of decades and models, to include a Studebaker.

Today will be all day with Daddy at the assisted living facility and I’ll take him to lunch somewhere. The food at the facility is okay and he keeps ice cream and other stuff, but there are certain things they tend not to cook considering the resident population. I’m not sure what he will be in the mood for and we will see how he is when noon rolls around.

This is one of those trips where I am doing multiple motels; one tonight, one tomorrow night, and a different one on Sunday. It’s the most practical approach even if it means not really bothering to unpack.

More New Homestead Dining…

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It’s not really that I’m fixated on food at the moment. It’s more a coincidence of timing that we now have another nice restaurant in Homestead. Equally important, it fills a missing piece in our culinary line-up because the cuisine is predominantly Spanish. I don’t mean Latin, I mean Spanish as in paella and genuine Serrano ham as a tapas, and cod as part of the Seafood Cauldron. There are crisp white wines and dry reds to enjoy and a full bar. I prefer to refer to it as the Hotel Redland Restaurant, although the new owners have retained the Whistle Stop Café name. The Capone Burger and chicken can still be ordered as can some pasta dishes. Although we had seafood the other night, I have been told the lamb is excellent. Yes, the table settings are pretty and Chef Loannis Valle trained in Barcelona. (http://www.hotelredland.com/)

They also feature a Sunday brunch (10-2) and if you’re looking for a Friday special, they have jazz. The dining room is charming and the staff attentive. Some of the dishes may be unfamiliar, but they will gladly describe them for you. If you have a sweet tooth, the fried ice cream looks as pretty as it tastes.

Although parking in the back is somewhat limited, there is the large lot a very short walk across Flagler. Hotel Redland is 5 South Flagler, 305 246-1904

More Good Burgers and Brisket….

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Sports bars are not for everyone. They have their own atmosphere rather than ambience and if you’re looking to have a quiet conversation over a meal, it rarely works. On the other hand, if you want camaraderie and laughter, you’re likely to find that. Downtown Homestead on Krome Avenue is taking another swing at a sports bars after the last one encountered a series of problems that caused it to close fairly quickly. We hope Lucky’s Saloon will fare better. And speaking of fare, if you like a good burger or a nice brisket sandwich, this is the place for you. They special blend their burgers and cook them to order. The brisket is slow-smoked and it’s one of the few places where you can get Tator Tots as a side. Their sweet potato fries are excellent, too, so it’s a bit of a choice to make. The beer selection is good, the beer served appropriately cold and they have a full bar if you’re in the mood for something stronger. What makes Lucky’s different from most sports bars is they are attentive to salads and have a selection to suit most tastes. They do chicken quite well also. I haven’t tried the chili, but was told it was good.

Big TVs for sports isn’t the only draw – there is Trivia Night, Taco Night, Karaoke Night and the immensely popular Line Dancing Night, plus live music on Saturday. It is noisy, no doubt about it, so you do have to take that into account. The staff is friendly though and the prices are reasonable. Here’s a big “Thanks” for opening and do give them a try.