11/19 to 11/26 - West Palm Beach

 Visiting Chuck, Silvia and Aaron

for Thanksgiving

West Palm Beach, FL

November 19 to November 26

192 miles - 2¾ hours drive down I-95.

For me, the clouds were always an indication that, in Florida, I'm approaching the ocean. 

The low-lying Cumulus clouds, like cotton balls, give rise to incredible sunrises and sunsets.

Hello, West Palm Beach. Congratulations Chuck/Silvia/Aaron on your new home and thank you  for hosting me and Winnie. I'm Moochdocking for the holidays. A new term I discovered on line, "Moochdocking involves parking your RV on private property, usually in a driveway, backyard, or other open space. Most often, it’s when an RVer is invited, typically by a friend or family member, to stay on their property while visiting. Of course, that friend or family member has to have a large enough space for your rig."

Chuck sent  me a few shots of my "landing spot."

It looked a little tight for my 25' RV. Save the shrub.

Some sharp turn maneuvering will be required.

But I did it with the extra eyes of Chuck and Aaron

Not very "occluded."

A friend stopped by to say hello and its...

...younger sibling wanted entry.

After settling down, Sunday night's dinner was at Grato. As Chuck/Silvia have only been in the house a few weeks, discovering new restaurants, many within walking distance, was going to be a fun adventure

The open space, high ceilings and concrete floor did not help the acoustical ambiance in terms of conversation. A very loud energetic vibe for the young crowd. The food? Delicious.

Shared appetizer: MEATBALLS - marinara, creamy polenta, basil pesto

CAVATELLI - 

braised pork ragu, pecorino, basil, toasted bread crumb and a Super Tuscan to accompany. 

Monday, Marybeth and Carlo arrived and a delicious spread was provided for our lunch.

L. to R: Marybeth, Mary, Aaron, Chuck, Carlo, Silvia

Five cheese Charcuterie board is in the back and the bowl of Burrata mozzarella not shown. 

With coconut palms lining the street, Chuck has gathered 3 or 4 and retrieved his own Coconut Water. These have no edible meat in them.

Wednesday, Aaron's birthday, was a perfect beach day that just four of us took advantage of. 

The ubiquitous and unique Banyan Tree along the way.

Over the Royal Park Bridge

A glance to my right, the Big Boys parking lot.

Down Royal Palm Way...

...to the cul de sac and public access to the beach. You're correct. No parking anywhere near.

A first view/impression always magnificent. A perfect day before Thanksgiving. Very few people taking advantage of the beauty.

Just sitting and watching clouds form, drift and disappear makes for a relaxing afternoon.

Way out on the horizon, a magnificent example of how "the other half lives" sailed south.

The Happy Camper

That evening, after a trip to visit nephew, Christopher, at his nearby apartment for cocktails, we dined at Sushi Jo, a local favorite.

A wide variety of choice provided something for everyone.

Mexican Roll: Tempura shrimp, avocado, spicy mayo, scallion, Masago, sesame seeds, eel sauce.

At Christopher's

Back at home, for the special occasion, Chuck served a special grappa to celebrate Aaron's birthday.

From the Internet: Grappa with a fine and decisive aroma and a pleasantly captivating taste that is harmonious and persistent on the palate. Obtained by distilling precious Amarone varietals (Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara marcs) in Bagnomaria steam pot stills it is left to age for a period of at least 36 months in small oak barrels of 500 litres, during which time the Master Distiller closely monitors the development of the blend, checking the scents and aromas to achieve a unique balance.

Thank you, Christopher, for the cocktail hour and for joining us this evening.

Homemade Tiramisu a la Silvia.

Three generations of Rossi

Thanksgiving Day, through the day long efforts of Chuck/Silvia and Carlo/Marybeth, we celebrated and gave thanks at 5:00pm. I'll spare you the photos of the dozen or so dishes we had to choose from. Here's hoping your day special as well.

L. to R: Marybeth, Silvia, Carlo, Aaron, Sara, Mary, Chuck

On a timer so the old man can in the photo.

Friday, we drove Sara back to Miami, a drive of 50+ minutes down I-95. We spent time visiting with Burleigh after which they made me WALK what seemed like MILES to Harry's Pizzeria in Coconut Grove. Turns out it was just .4 of a mile one way. Check out the website to see the interesting selections available. Sara had the "Cho:Tu" butter chicken pizza that had fontina, yogurt, cilantro, garlic chili crust. I enjoyed my go-to plain cheese pie. Wood fired, the pies were thin with a crispy crust and the right size to finish in a sitting. Sara is in a terrific location with so many upscale stores and restaurants within walking distance. 

After lunch at Harry's, we walked up the street to nearby CocoWalk. There, with lots of outdoor cushioned chairs, they dropped the old man off to "people watch" and went off to visit the nearby shops.

From the website: "CocoWalk is an iconic outdoor mall where the Coconut Grove set eats, shops and enjoys the latest films. CocoWalk is more than a mall; in many ways it’s the center of Coconut Grove. Located right in the middle of downtown Coconut Grove, it’s the heart of the action...with more than a dozen boutiques, a handful of eateries, bars and cafes and a thirteen-screen movie theater – serving beer and wine."

After an hour or so of people watching, there were many but, in good taste, I came up with the following observations:

1. Botox does not enhance the beauty of a woman;
   
2. Kids dictate the activities of their parents;
3. You can spot (my assumption, Europeans, usually Italian men) walking along. The more elderly often walk holding one arm with the other behind their back. There are health reasons for doing it. Check them out HERE.
   

As you can imagine, this week flew by. Sara back to Miami, Aaron back to Indiana, Mary back to Croton, MB and Carlo back to Poughkeepsie. Sunday, I travel south twenty minutes to Delray Beach. See you there.

“Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life.” — Albert Einstein