So I fetched Jeff and we drove to Mike's, and I gave Jeff the key fob to return my girlie Lexus back home later -- I would be Ubering...or so I thought! We traveled to the Canes arena where they went to eat and drink at the Hurricane 100 Club, and I found the seat Dr. Barry had bought for me -- and soon welcomed him, Donna, sister Phyllis, Scott, and Samantha.
Scott and Sam remain Covid aware, and were masked up, and Donna and Phyllis joined them in solidarity, but Barry, the academic doc, went bare faced. The Canes dominated most of the game, but the Noles hung around, as they say, and ended up winning on a buzzer beater. No biggie -- they still have the best basketball team I've ever seen them have, and ought to advance far in the Tournament. The main draw for me was the reunion with my nephew of another mister.
I darted out, and made my way to the bridge over US1, figuring an Uber couldn't fetch me near the blocked off arena streets. I waited by Friday's, remembering I took dates there as a freshman in 1979. How did that place survive? A youngish Dad with 2 teen girls wearing Noles gear asked if this was the Friday's on another street -- they were waiting for an Uber, too. I set them straight -- they were down from Palm Beach Gardens, via Brightline, and were having dinner before heading back North. They loved the game, of course.
My driver arrived, an affable Cuban guy my age, and we spoke my limited Spanish for the drive to Miracle Mile. He let me out, and I went over to Fratelli, knowing my friends Steve and Mary were there -- I found them outside and we caught up again -- and I made sure to leave when their pasta arrived.
I met my FIU Development host, Smilka, at Vinya, and went inside, and began a great talk with Mark, the former FIU President. He was asked to step down last year because, as the caregiver of a dementia riddled wife, he sought a little extra companionship from a staff member. Whatever. He was brilliant and engaging, and we traded stories about our WW II Dads -- his actually fought in the Battle of the Bulge, as a commander of Black troops, while my Dad avoided having to go -- instead keeping Japanese submarines at Bay from Pasadena.
Wifey arrived, and we were led to our table. Three chefs hosted -- Vinya's owner, and two others -- one runs a top notch place at PGA National in North Palm,and the other a James Beard place in Asheville, NC. I chatted with the Asheville lady -- her restaurants are kicking it, but she misses her native Miami -- Asheville is a bit slow for her.
Smilka staggered our seating, and I sat across from Jordana, the Director of the FIU Art Museum, which is apparently kicking butt and taking names in the local museum scene -- they scored a big Bob Dylan exhibit that EVERY South Florida museum jonesed for. Jordana was lovely and brilliant -- Yale undergrad and Columbia doctorate -- two grown kids, also academics, and a grandson the same age as our little guy. We hit it off -- she's an Upper West Side born and raised Ashkenazi Jew, and we got each other's humor. She talked about how her mission is to bring art to communities that never understood it, and she loves it so much more than dealing with the rich Manhattanites or D.C. patrons she had before.
Wifey thoroughly enjoyed talking to Smilka -- they hit it off. And we also met Ralph and Cookie, two FIU grad late 70s folks. Ralph and his Dad founded a logistics company -- his son is now CEO, and Smilka told me it's a $500M a year operation. They're yuuuuge FIU supporters -- they have over 100 interns there from the FIU Business School Logistics program.
And yet -- Ralph only wanted to talk about his Catholic based charity work -- he just retired as a Miami Dade Police Chaplain, and works a lot with His House, an orphanage I know -- Paul used to work with them, and Lotus House, the largest shelter for women and children in the US. Cookie was charming, too -- a middle class Cubana who hit it very rich, but remains humble -- we exchanged photos of grandkids -- hers are middle school aged.
The food was delicious -- fish courses and the best pork belly I ever ate. Jordana and I joked that it was likely kosher. The wine poured, and the conversation was wonderful -- all about art, and teaching diverse students, and favorite restaurants in NYC, where we all travel frequently.
Cookie said the first time she went to Tavern on the Green, she felt like an "American Princess," and still enjoys taking her grandkids. And, we both told UWS native Jordana about the Lambs Club -- she had no idea. It's a place Gershwyn founded for actors and musicians visiting NYC -- D2 and I visited in December of '19 and had a classic NYC pre Christmas evening.
It was time to go, and I called an Uber, but bold Wifey asked Cookie and Ralph if they might drop us off -- they live in a waterfront house South of us. Of course! Luckily Smilka knew how to navigate my Uber app to cancel my ride -- I had never done it before!
We walked to the valet stand, and a gorgeous, huge, blue Bentley was parked. It was Ralph and Cookie's! Neither Wifey nor I had ever been in a Bentley. We liked it -- the custom wooden trays, and the plushness of it. Ralph joked that he always wanted one, and now that his son was CEO of the company, he figured why not?
And yet, during the drive home, the talk was all about charity work -- we bragged about D1's volunteering for homeless people -- and how she has a "Jewish charity" (JFS), and a Christian one (Junior League).
Ralph told us how all of his company's execs are REQUIRED to pick a charity and devote at least 20% of their time towards it. "We all have plenty -- you have to share."
I really, really dug this fellow.
So all in all, it was the most fun Saturday NOT involving our Ds and their families we've had in quite some time. And the weekend continues.
At some point, D2 and Jonathan are coming to get their car and dog -- both of which D2 left here Saturday. And Barry, Donna, and Scott and Sam are driving down for brunch at LOL. Barry jokes that his boy loves to have him drive long distances for eggs on his day off. But they all know it'll be a lovely afternoon.
Ah. Days like these are so precious. Now I just have to tell Wifey that No -- we are NOT getting a Bentley. But's it's sure nice to have friends with one!
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