I do hope my readers take the time and click on the many restaurant links I've included with my "meal of the day." After all, how could you possibly have better things to do? If you do, don't forget to click on the "back" arrow of your browser so you can return to this blog. It's not quite "if you've seen one menu, you've seen them all." To me, what's special is that back home we do not have many restaurants that go the extra mile to be different or to present enhanced menu options. Down here, with the glut of Snow Birds, there is a lot of competition to provide something "different." Decor, ambiance and nightly specials from Happy Hours, food and wine to entertainment these's an endless selection for tourists and residents alike.
Some folks have been having difficulties leaving comments and wind up sending me regular emails. I love to read the comments and love sharing them with the world (small as mine is). At the bottom of the page in the box marked, "Comment As:" click on the downward pointing arrow and choose "Anonymous". That should enable you to type your comment. Don't forget to mention who you are.
And so, the eats go on...or is it 'the beat goes on.' I'm enjoying another wonderful day that's even impressing the natives. Temperatures hover around 80° but here in Delray there's a constant breeze off the nearby ocean. This morning I was awakened by that wonderful sound of pitter-pattering rain drops on my roof that turned into a downpour--a sun shower no less. Then, before you knew it, it stopped and the morning returned to its beautiful self. Plants were thoroughly watered, vehicles washed of their covering of pollen and the typical Florida weather cycle was complete. Everything was dry by 9 am.
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| Kathy |
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| Kathy and Joanne |
As your read in Part I of my Delray Beach blog, Tuesday's chauffeur de jour was Jim. For the rest of this week it will be my cousin, Norma.
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| Norma |
Today's (Thursday) treat was to meet up with my "pen pal" and Facebook friend, Kathy, from North Palm Beach. I met Kathy for lunch at least six or seven years ago on my way back home from my month long stay in Daytona Beach Shores (pre-RV days). I stayed at the Emerald Shores Oceanfront Hotel each April for seven years before Winnie came into my life. Her friend and neighbor, Joanne, drove her down and with my cousin, Norma, up from Boca, we spent a very pleasant afternoon across the street at Finnegan's Pub for lunch. Catching up on each of our children, grandchildren and great grandchild was most edifying. As with my visit with Jim and Missie yesterday, I'm pleased and proud to hear of the wonderful accomplishments of all our children as well as the life styles enjoyed by each of us.
Friday, Washington's Birthday, I will be picked up by Norma and we'll go to Luigi di Roma Italian Restaurant in Deerfield Beach. It's labeled as Deerfield Beach's Newest Classical Italian Kitchen. There, I met her friends, Richard and Joann. Yes, another Joann.
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| Dining Area |
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| Bar Area |
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| Richard and Joann |
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| Norma and Charlie |
Wine, food and conversation delicious and informative as usual. Originally from Jersey, Richard and Joann are loving the Florida life. Richard, is a retired graphic designer and Joann enjoys daily tennis.
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| Chicken meatballs with escarole and beans |
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| Chicken Scaloppini Francese |
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Four huge (3½") ravioli stuffed with
three cheeses in a vodka sauce. |
For meals that did not leave us wanting, Norma enjoyed: Sausage and Bolognese over rigatoni "slow simmered in Sunday gravy," You did not leave hungry. We ate in the lounge area and were entertained by vocalist, Steve, who appears every Friday night.
Saturday, along with friends, Jim and Kathy from New Jersey, we dined at Ocean One Bar & Grille
Long time friends of my cousins, I've had the pleasure of dining with them when Norma came up to visit in October. They're spending two months down in this area and we timed it nicely to have dinner here. Surprisingly affordable. My apologies for not getting a couple of shots of them. Kathy, Norma and I had the Filet Mignon with garlic mashed potatoes, broccoli, two huge onion rings and a Cabernet sauce. $19.99. Just the right size and done to perfection. 3 for 1 drinks were $10.00. My three Cabernets were each a decent pour. Jim enjoyed the Pork Ribeye: an 8 oz pork ribeye served with a cous cous risotto, grilled asparagus and an apple Demi glaze. Another amazing feature of this 'hot spot' was all menu items for lunch are $4.99.
The packed crowd enjoyed the DJ, Nick Lambe, who provided the usual ear numbing music via speakers that reduced our table conversation to shouting. Those get-up-and-dance tunes from the 80's and 90's actually did get me and Norma up for some dancing. I did very well. The pain arrived where and when I expected. Fortunately, no oxygen was required. Some views from our table.
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They don't serve bread at the table.
So you have an $8.00 Jumbo Pretzel
instead. The dipping sauce is a Guinness
Dijon beer cheese. Outstanding! |
And finally, sniff sniff, and in the blink of an eye, Sunday, my last day arrived. It was going to be special but the thoughts were dampened knowing I will now start my journey back north tomorrow, Monday 2/24th. You can click on this link for the remainder of my 2019 Winter Itinerary; (don't forget to hit the back arrow in your browser to return here). The good part? We'll be celebrating my mother's 100th birthday. The not-so-good part? No travels until June,,,that's a long way off. I'll have to unload Winnie and store it. I sure hope I don't have to winterize it again. Then come June...repeat the process and get on the road again. Make that another blog entry.
But for my special day--a trip to Boca Raton and the home of my cousin Norma. There the family would enjoy the abundance of food selections and the talents of Norma and Kori to provide another (typical) Sunday dinner spread. First, the family. I had to cheat for some photos and go back in time on their FB page to retrieve some.
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| Da Da Scott |
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| Ma Ma Kori |
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| Princess Mia |
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| Eats E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g |
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| Still suspicious of the old guy with the white hair. |
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And at 22 mos. very proficient at manipulating
photos and videos on the smart phone. |
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| PaPa David |
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| Grandma Cheri |
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| Great Aunt Camille |
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| Aunt Shannon |
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| Hard to believe GREAT grandma Gi Gi |
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And Get Well Wishes to Deville. Sheriff Scott's
co-worker in the K-9 Unit, a Belgium Shepard,
recently underwent surgery. |
Thanks to all my Boca/Boynton Beach relatives for the chauffeuring, the dining and the good feelings and memories that go with being together as a family...La Famiglia. I hope to see you next year. And now, my favorite, a moment of silence. "A picture is worth a thousand words:" And yes, my only meal of the day.
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| Tray 1 of 2 |
My first stop Monday night will be in St. Augustine, FL. Blogs to be continued...Hope you've enjoy my stay in Delray Beach, Florida. At home, winds will be gusting to 60 mpg overnight and into tomorrow. Stay safe and keep the candles/flashlights ready.
This overnight stay is my first of five layovers on my way back north. At 1:30, I took a driving and lunch break with a mini-detour off of I-95 at Exit 256 in Port Orange. I've got great memories from the past here in the Port Orange area. About five miles further east over the Dunlawton Bridge lies Daytona Beach Shores. A good friend, Mya and family, formerly of Yorktown moved here years ago and I visited them all the years I stayed at the Emerald Shores Hotel in Daytona Beach Shores. I've known her for more than fifteen years. Today, I chanced her being free for lunch and she was. Taking time off from work (her lunch hour) she, Mark and son, Zane, treated me to lunch at The Half Wall, a restaurant and craft beer bar. With more driving ahead of me I had to pass on trying some of the 108 selections. It was very near the same time last year that I passed through to see them. If you weren't part of the readership at that time, click on the link of My last visit here. It about my trip southward and guaranteed to be more interesting and exciting than this overnight stay...because this all I'm writing. By the way, if you take me up on clicking on the link, when you get to the bottom, click on NEWER POSTS and continue with my stay in Port Orange. Meanwhile my next blog will describe my visit with another long time friend(s), Roger and Wendy. See you South Carolina..
