Just an 80 -plus -year- old grandmother who is keeping her mind active by posting some simple blogs from time to time. This gives me something to do that is somewhat creative each day. I have to remember how to take a few photos and once taken how to add them to my blog. Feedback is welcome. Photos by me unless otherwise noted.
To have had only two full days (not counting travel days) in West Palm Beach, my cousins and I managed to pack in a lot of fun things. We spent part of one afternoon at John MacArthur Park along the beautiful sandy beach.
Beautiful beach in Macarthur State Park.
The beach was not crowded, and the sand seemed to stretch for miles along the ocean where the color of the water was reminiscent of that of the Mediterranean Sea.
Spoto's Oyster Bar.
Later that evening we enjoyed a scrumptious seafood dinner at Spoto's Oyster Bar. It was difficult for me to choose from the extensive menu: maybe steamed mussels? but I love oysters too-- I finally decided on yellowtail snapper, and it was a fine choice.
Green's Pharmacy Luncheonette.
After we had spent one morning touring The Breakers, we lunched at Green's Pharmacy Luncheonette in Palm Beach. This place has been in business since 1938, and it seems like something right out of the 50s of my high school days. I could not resist having a chocolate ice cream soda---soooo good. And the grilled cheese and tomato sandwich hit the spot too.
Ice cream soda. Yum!
After lunch we headed over to City Place to meet Elizabeth where we enjoyed an afternoon movie, Sapphires.
City Place.
The Parisian 20 Theater with a theme of Paris in the 20s.
Three story lobby of theater.
Beautiful stairway in theater.
Sapphires was a good movie.
Indeed we packed in a lot of fun during our visit to West Palm Beach.
One of the highlights of our recent trip to Florida was a visit to the famous hotel, The Breakers, in Palm Beach. I'll share some of the photos with you.
My three cousins in front of the Hotel.
Beautiful floral arrangement in entry way.
Handpainted ceiling.
Lovely fountains.
Cousins looking out over the beach.
Me having a rest.
Lovely walkway along the sea wall.
Sitting area overlooking the green.
Now I've added to my "bucket list", a night at The Breakers with Dan.
On my recent trip to West Palm Beach with cousins I visited West Palm Beach Evergreeners, Robert and Phoebe.
Early morning sunrise view from Robert and Phoebe's 18th floor balcony.
About ten years ago Dan and I joined the Evergreen Club and we have enjoyed hosting and visiting members over the years. Elizabeth's mother Robin had flown down from Virginia and with the three of us it would have been a bit crowded at Elizabeth's townhouse so I spent the days with them and the nights with the Evergreeners in their condo that looks out over the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. It is always nice to make new friends through the Evergreen Club.
New friends Robert and Phoebe, my Evergreen hosts.
These Evergreeners are an active couple that split their time between West Palm Beach and Virginia. Robert is up at 6:30 each morning for his 5-mile walk. And then at 8:30 breakfast is served. And what a breakfast! The first morning we had eggs scrambled to perfection, sausages, coffee cake, fruit and OJ. (I'm not a coffee drinker.) The second morning the sausage and gravy over biscuits was delicious with mixed fruit on the side.
Sausage and gravy over biscuits.
Fresh strawberries and bananas.
I had to depart early the last morning, and these gracious hosts had smoked salmon and cream cheese on bagels ready for me at 6:00 a.m.
Smoked salmon and cream cheese.
Another fine experience with Evergreen hosts. Thank you Robert and Phoebe for a wonderful visit and for those delicious breakfasts.
Two of my cousins from Maryland, Joan and her son Rick, came down south to visit us in Raleigh, and the three of us made a quick trip down to visit Joan's granddaughter, Elizabeth, in West Palm Beach. I never know quite how to indicate the relationship of cousins. I know that Joan is my first cousin, so I think that makes Rick my first cousin once removed and Elizabeth my first cousin twice removed. At any rate I call them all my cousins.
Elizabeth and Banjo.
We drove down in one very long day. The trip was uneventful until just after Jacksonville where we ran into a terrible rain storm that continued all the way to West Palm. Rick and I alternated driving, but I happened to be driving that last leg and it was quite stressful in the rain. But we arrived safely.
View from Elizabeth's townhouse.
Elizabeth's office door.
Elizabeth is finishing her first year teaching at Palm Beach Atlantic University. We visited the campus which is quite beautiful.
Photo from Wikipedia.
Photo from the Palm Beach Atlantic University website.
Stay tuned for other blogs about our fun visit to West Palm Beach.
Dan and I treated grandson Zach and his girlfriend Claire to a hockey game at the PNC Arena last night. I had taken Zach several times when he was a young child, but it had been three years since we had seen a hockey game and long overdue. The game was somewhat exciting even though the Hurricanes lost (as expected). They've lost eight in a row at the PNC Arena.
Zach and Claire at the game.
We had good seats in the lower section.
View from our seats.
There were a number of Penquin fans there. Crosby is injured and didn't play. We would like to have seen him. He's from Nova Scotia.
Oops (Photo by Chris Seward, News and Observer.)
Hurricanes score. (Photo by Chris Seward, News and Observer.)
Penquins score. (Photo by Chris Seward, News and Observer.)
Now we need to take the other three grands before hockey season ends.
Michael at 50--same red hair and same pretty blue eyes.
How is it that I now have a son who is half a century old--50 years---and it doesn't even seem I am 50!!!! How time flies.
Michael, two days old, Watts Hospital, Durham, NC
Before Michael was born and back then we didn't have ultra-sounds to know if the baby was a boy or a girl, we laughed and said "We're going to have a little red-haired boy." His grandmother had red hair and mine was kind of auburn, and there were several little red-haired cousins already in the family. And sure enough, We had alittle red-haired boy!
Michael (8 months old ) with me in Hillsborough, NC.
Michael, four years old, in Louisburg, NC.
Michael, first grade, at St. Timothy's School, Raleigh, NC
Michael, eight years old, Raleigh, NC
Michael, 25 years old, (me 50 years old) before his wedding in Mooresville, NC
Michael at our house, Christmas 2011.
Happy Birthday to you Michael, you have provided 50 years of pure joy and fun!!! (Okay most of the time.)
Eric Clapton is an all time favorite of mine, and there have been several occasions in the past where I just missed one of his concerts. But last night I was there. My friend Marcia and I celebrated her birthday by having dinner at the Arena Restaurant before attending the Eric Clapton concert at the PNC Arena in Raleigh. It was a comedy of errors from the time we were in line for the Restaurant. It seems my print out tickets were valid for the dinner but not for the Concert, and the gentleman scanning my tickets directed us to the help desk. The man at the desk said "Let these ladies go up for their 5:30 seating."
Marcia in line to be seated at the Restaurant.
Now we are in the Restaurant having our tickets scanned before they seat us. The lady took both my tickets, and I explained that one of the tickets was for the concert and that we would need it. She said "Oh, it's not, but don't worry I see that you have paid for concert tickets, and I'll get it fixed." As Marcia and I enjoyed the scrumptious buffet, the lady "fixed it" and brought us tickets for the show.
The Arena Restaurant.
Dinner finished and on to the show! Uh Oh, I didn't realize our tickets were way up in the "nosebleed section", and I explained to the usher that there was no way I could sit up there. I'm afraid of heights. He very nicely told us to go back down to the first floor and talk to Guest Services and perhaps they could arrange another place for us to sit. At guest services, we were being issued another place to sit when the lady behind me said, "Didn't you realize where your seats were when you bought your tickets?" (She was clearly irritated.) My retort, "Lady Baby Boomer, I'm 75 and when you are 75 you might not realize where your seat is either." (Wow, somehow that me feel much younger.)
Jakob Dylan.
Our new seats were in a "handicapped section" right in front of the glass, still quite high but not "nosebleed." I've always thought that acrophobia was a handicap and now that has been validated. But good seats---nobody to stand up in front of you.
The Wallflowers with front Jakob Marly (son of Bob Marly) opened for Clapton. They put on quite an entertaining show themselves.
And then there was Clapton!!!! I was pleased that he sang two of my very favorites, "Layla", the slow version not the loud, long version.
And "Tears in Heaven", a ballad, written by Eric Clapton and Will Jennings
about the pain Clapton felt following the death of his four-year-old
son, Conor, who fell from a window of a 53rd-floor New York apartment. Clapton, who arrived at the
apartment shortly after the accident, was visibly distraught for months
afterwards.
Oh my, despite a few snafus, it turned out to be a great evening.
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