Thankful, oh so thankful
I am thankful, for so many things. The amazing people in my life like my family and friends and the amazing life I get to lead. And this week was especially great because I got to spend time with my lovely family and particularly my daughter Elizabeth who came home from college and my husband Vance’s side of the family who joined us for Thanksgiving morning. I’ll get to all that later.
But first…
Malcolm Gladwell at the Miami Book Fair. Gladwell wrote the book “The Tipping Point.”
A colorful crochet area at the Miami Book Fair’s Children’s Alley.
Stacey Abrams at the Miami Book Fair.
Last Saturday I went to the Miami Book Fair at Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus and it couldn’t have worked out better. I’d made a plan on Friday night to make sure and get to the talk by Journalist and Author Malcolm Gladwell. So when I arrived, I went straight to the auditorium where he was scheduled to speak and walked in on the last 20 minutes of the talk by Stacey Abrams, former Georgia State Representative who wrote a children’s book. I was just floored when I saw it was her. I then stayed in my seat and waited for Gladwell to take the stage. I didn’t have the $35 ticket that was required but I was able to stay and listen anyways. He was really good too.
After I went to the media room to pick up my pass from Lisa Palley, the Book Fair’s publicist and a good friend, who is always so gracious and I got some great food they were serving which was prepared by the school’s culinary students. I then went and met my sister Susy, her daughter Elena and her son Jojo. We spent some time together walking around and once they left, I stuck around and watched the local band The Swayzees perform and picked up a few books.
The view from Houston’s beautifully photographed by Vance.
Then that night Vance and I went to dinner at our new favorite spot Amarone (which I’ve mentioned in this blog before). He had the Polpette Al Pomodoro angus beef in tomato sauce and fresh basil and I had the soup of the day and the lasagna. We then went to Houston’s in North Miami Beach to check it out and I took a brownie a la mode to go. We met a really nice couple sitting at the bar and had a really nice conversation with them. All of it was amazing and we took so much food home that I had the soup the next day for lunch and lasagna for a few more days during the week.
Sunday I stayed home watching the Miami Dolphins actually win their third game in a row. That afternoon, I went to Bridge Red Studios just blocks from my house to see their latest exhibit filled with extraordinary pieces by the artist Bayunga.
Monday I went to see “Wicked” at Aventura Mall’s AMC Theatres at 10:30 a.m.! It was so cool to be in the theater with just four other people. I LOVED it!!!! I cried, I laughed and I can’t wait to see it again!
Wednesday Elizabeth got here from UCF and Vance came home from Cape Canaveral so we all went to trivia together and triumphed getting second place!
Nick in the crazy wig, our neighbor Marvens and my niece Karli at the parade.
Nick, our neighbor Scott and Marvens at the parade.
Vance, his sister Kerri and her husband Paul at the parade.
Yesterday we welcomed Vance’s sister Kerri, her husband Paul and their daughter Karli for a pancake breakfast at our house then they joined us for the Winternational Thanksgiving Parade down 125 St. in North Miami. We walked the two blocks to the end of the street to enjoy the merriment! We then hung out at the house watching football while Elizabeth made her scrumptious pumpkin cheesecakes and I whipped together a nice green salad and my mini corn muffins. We hopped in the car and went to my sister Susy’s where we enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast. My niece Elena made a juicy turkey and so many fantastic sides, my sister Ana’s ham and deviled eggs were as good as ever and her daughter Tiffany’s brownies were super fudgy. We also sang Happy Birthday to Elena whose birthday is coming up on Dec. 3rd. Of course we watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade too because it’s tradition.
Meanwhile, my son Michael who is a sous chef at Ruths’ Chris Steakhouse in Durham, NC was busy serving up 800 dishes where not a single one of them got sent back. Quite an accomplishment, bravo Michael and staff, you should all be very proud.
Surfside beach today
Finally today, Elizabeth, Vance, Nick and I took a drive to Surfside and enjoyed throwing the football around on the shoreline at the beach. The water was crystal clear and shallow. When we got home I donned my bike helmet and took a nice long ride through Biscayne Park where I enjoyed seeing the Christmas decorations and lights and the many cars driving by with their Christmas trees strapped to the roof of the car. We’re getting our tree on Sunday and decorating together. Elizabeth does a great job decorating the house.
Next week I’ll tell you about the Art Basel events I’ll have attended by next Friday and also about the media preview of the play “Some Like it Hot” at the Arsht Center that I’m attending on Tuesday with my friend Michelle.
Tomorrow night we’ll be enjoying turkey tortilla soup at Casa Wutzler which will be a great time.
Until then, have a great one.
