The New Digs

So Monday was the first official day my law firm was based at 1000 Brickell Avenue, as opposed to 777 Brickell, our home since 1996. It's a fresh change.

I spent Monday with D2, as she's here for most of this week. She took an exercise class at my gym, and then we headed to Brickell to meet her friend Tara, who quit her job with the local prosecutor last week. She's switching to the civil law world, and wanted my take on things, and so we went to 777 for a final visit to my old office suite, and then downstairs for lunch at Trulucks.  Victor was there -- the only original employee, and "my bartender." But we stuck to lunch -- great tuna salads -- and talked about the law business.

We then drove to the new digs. Tara lives in a studio apartment right next door. We came to the office, and Stu, Vince, and Joel were already prancing about. Joel had a major sentencing hearing the following morning, and was actually preparing. He shared some wildly inappropriate statements with D2 and Tara, and then was off to get ready. He ended up winning -- his client, facing years in prison, got only a short house arrest...

I poured us some small adult beverages, and we all toasted to the success of Tara in her new job, D2 in her new job, and we old lawyers in our new venue.

The place is very small, and all of the interior doors are glass, so everyone is going to have to speak more softly, and not have too much clutter. The last place was a dump, in that regard -- here, clutter will cause a dangerous tripping hazard.

It'll be a nice change.

Yesterday I got some sad news. My old friend Mark's mother Grace died. She was a fine and lovely lady -- Italian background, and a wonderful cook. She and Mark's father had 4 kids -- 2 boys and 2 girls, and divorced after the youngest one finished high school Mark's Dad moved to St. Louis, and died shortly afterwards.

Grace was a RN, and wonderful mother. She wisely turned a blind eye when her kids acted like kids, but was there all the time with love and guidance. Her oldest daughter, Susan, had a troubled life -- drug addiction, and lived in marginal places all over the US. Susan died young, of liver failure, and I was with her and Grace, at Mark's house, a few months before Sue's passing.

I like to think that Grace is now with her beloved daughter. And -- she had a good death -- living at home until hospice came for the final week -- no nursing homes for her. May she rest in peace, and her memory be a blessing to her family.

Today DadBer rides again -- I'm fetching D1 at her house and running her to her MLB gig -- and then picking her up and taking her home. Car trouble? Call DadBer...

Tonight D2 has a dinner at her friend Carly's parents' house -- Abby is a great cook -- and then we'll spend the evening together.

I'll DadBer her to MIA in the morning, and then maybe, to ease the sadness of her departure, head to Stephen's Restaurant for an early lunch.

Stephen's is the remaining Jewish deli from the 50s -- in Hialeah, which used to be the home of all the schmata factories owned by Jews. It's Cuban now, but Stephen's has remained, and recently reopened after a loving renovation.  I may have to check it out...

And the new digs for the firm are fine. When Paul and I formed the firm in '94, we pledged to give it our all for 10 years. Somehow, through a time warp beyond my ken, we turn 25 this November.  I have a strong feeling this space will be our final one, but, who but the Big Man knows?