Big Brunch

 Thirty years ago, Eric had a surprise 30th birthday party for Dana, at 94th Aero Squadron right by the South runway of MIA. I recalled that party the other night, as I drove past on the Dolphin Expressway, named after the NFL team that used to play in the Orange Bowl and has been a disappointment for decades now. Just yesterday they were eliminated from the playoffs. Oy.

Anyway, time marched on since 1994, as time will do, and yesterday it was time for Dana to officially join the 60 Club. She was a freshman when Eric and I were seniors at UM, and so she's always sort of trailed a bit age-wise. Of our group, Paul is the oldest, nearing 75, and of the wives, well I can't say, especially about the one who just told me last night she is "not at all excited" about her upcoming birthday, as it places her perilously close to 70.

Still, the party was called for West Boca, at an Italian place that used to have locations in the Falls and Aventura, and I thought those of us living south of Flagler Street might carpool. So at the crack of 9, Wifey the trooper was ready, although she tries to "not do mornings," and Mike and Loni came over and got into the back row of my big man Caddy SUV -- the first passengers ever there. We made our way to the Grove, and fetched Joelle and Kenny, and the happy sextet were off -- thinking the drive would take 1.5 hours.

For mysterious but happy reasons, traffic was 90s-like, and we pulled into the strip center in less than 50 minutes -- literally zero traffic. So we wandered around, and into a Fresh Market, where we got coffee and Mike saw some on sale rib roast he planned to buy for Christmas dinner. We camped outside of Prezzo, and walked in.

Wow -- Eric had the entire main dining room, and it was packed with 65 people from all stages of Dana's life. I greeted Ron, her affable, retired engineer Dad, who asked if I had gotten taller. It was great to see him -- friends' parents are a dying generation, literally, and Ron was doing well.

Dana and Eric's 4 grandkids were there, and the oldest girl sang a song. Eric told us all to sit, and we did -- the other south of Flagler Street guest, Norman, was along stag, on account of a wifely migraine, and I suggested maybe he take the head of the table, though he risked being handed the check. Ha. There were no checks to be handed.

I caught up with my friend Peter, who along with Eric, were two of the first friends I made at UM in 1979. Of course, as Miami is the smallest town, big city there is, it turned out that one of Peter's close friends was Norman's nephew Max -- so we all had lots in common, led, of course, by our love of the Canes.

The price fix menu was nice -- you could go Italian or brunch, and since chicken parm was offered, I went Italian. I almost always order it in memory of Paul's late law school friend Alan -- it was the only thing he ever ate at Italian places. Alan was a loveable scoundrel -- disbarred years before he died fairly young of a rare intestinal cancer -- and I smile to myself thinking of him.

So people from back in the day mixed happily from people very much in the day, and Dana was glowing, holding a granddaughter or two, and being snapped by Eric, who will someday give up his cardiologist gig and be a full time shutterbug. I hope that day comes for him sooner than later -- you can only take so much stupid health care silliness, and Eric's patient population -- aging Palm Beachers -- hell--AGED Palm Beachers, don't tend to be a happy lot.

Wifey and I have a trip planned with Eric and Dana -- the Blue Danube, from Budapest to Prague, in late May. We're going on the ultra luxury Tauk line -- they fetch you at the airport and whisk you to a 5 star hotel for a few days before and after the riverboat -- they're famous for their amazing service. Indeed, each time we call their office, the service people are Ritz Carlton quality -- know their stuff and are happy to help. I look forward to tossing back a few, and maybe winning a Trivia contest or two among what tends to be a highly educated clientele. We're also seeing a lot of Jewish history sights with some private guides -- that's in my wheelhouse.

We piled back into the SUV, and reversed the trip -- dropping Joelle and Kenny back in the Grove. Their first born Adam was due in last night, joining his younger brother Nathan, and they're going to have a wonderful Winter break together. Joelle and Kenny are off to Europe again in February, and Wifey whined about not being invited, but Joelle recalled my instructions to please refrain from inviting us until the Summer -- expensive trips to D.C. in March and the aforementioned Central Europe are a good deal of shekels -- even though Wifey is used to not thinking much about money. Plus, I reminded her, Europe in February is COLD, and she hates cold. Wouldn't matter, she said, she so wants to travel. And that's ok -- that's what friends' trips are for!

We got back to Villa Wifey and I invited Loni and Mike in to watch the end of the Dolphins game and maybe have an adult beverage, but they had errands and begged off. I indeed watched the expensive team blow another season, and then Wifey and I watched the new episode of "Landman," which we both really dig.

Today, D1` and Joey are headed to Naples for a quick staycation -- Joey's brother Bob's new gig as soccer team owner gets him crazy discounts at area hotels - and on Wednesday I will fetch Little Man at school and take him to Legos before dropping him at home. I also will fetch the enormous puppy Betsy, as D2 and Jonathan are headed to Cabo for yet another friends' wedding, so Betsy will camp with us for a few days.

The week after that, we'll host Little Man for a few nights, as school's out, and get the whole band together for the birthday of our Lord and Savior Wifey on 12/25. Even though she has ennui about the day, the Ds suggested a great activity -- dinner at the Citadel Food Court roof, and then the lighting of the menorah back at D 1's house for the first night of Chanukah, which begins this year on the first night of Wifey's birthday, as well as the birthday maybe a few more people worldwide celebrate as well, for another Jew born in Bethlehem...