Fort Lauderdale

I haven’t been to Fort Lauderdale since college, so coming in February to run a race on the ocean sounded like a great idea. Today was day one and it has been a fun one! I came down a day earlier then my fellow running friends, so had an extra day of fun! I got in touch with an old friend from my Chicago cosmetic days that lives here now, and she planned an awesome day for us to reconnect. 

Hello Atlantic Ocean and Fort Lauderdale Beach! You are much prettier than I remember! 

Carol suggested meeting for lunch at a restaurant called Sea Watch and it was wonderful! Beautiful setting right on the water and fabulous food. We got a table overlooking the beach and got caught up for 2 hours with non-stop talking. We think it has been about 30 years since we saw each other so lots to catch up on! And the weather could not be more perfect!

Located in Lauderdale by the Sea. Loved it!

They had a great menu but we kept it pretty light. Saving room for dessert.

Conch Chowder, Chop Salad and yes that is two desserts! Key Lime Pie and a Chocolate Truffle. We tried them both and they were definitely worth the calories.  

Carol looks great! Hasn’t changed a bit and she is loving living in Florida. 

We spent the afternoon at a historic home called Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. If you have been reading my blog then you know this is right up my alley. Love getting in some of the local history, and Bonnet House has ties to Chicago in the 1920’s. It’s situated on a large piece of property between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intercoastal Waterway. Construction began in 1920 and remains much as it was in the 30’s and 40’s when it was a winter home of the American artist Frederic Clay Bartlett and his wife Helen. They traveled extensively and were avid art collectors. The home and property were beautiful but very eclectic. I took a lot of pictures but as of right now I’m having trouble uploading them to my iPad - so just a few will have to do for now.

Top left - there are tiny squirrel monkeys and we were fortunate to see two. Also a resident swan that came at us in a scary way!

The home was gifted to the Florida Trust in 1983 to ensure that a piece of Florida history would be enjoyed by future generations. We took both the home tour and tour of the grounds and the guides were very knowledgeable.  

The gate from the estate that opens onto A1A leading over to their 700 foot private beach. Unless there is a private event they let the public have access to it though - nice!

I took really cool pictures inside the house of some of the interesting items and details -  I will have to wait to post those later when they upload. Sorry! But a great day with a good friend in a beautiful place! It doesn’t get much better than that! 

Make it a great day! More fun ahead - the runners arrive tonight!

Cancun

This trip to Cancun definitely exemplified my goal this year to eat, drink and be merry. I vacationed at my first all-inclusive resort for my niece Carrie’s wedding to Ryan, and it was a wonderful fun event. They chose Silversands Secret Resort just outside of Cancun, and it was a very nice place. There were drinks, food and activities nonstop day and night. It’s also adults only so outside of the bands and music playing really pretty peaceful. The resort sits right on the beach and they do a good job of working hard to keep the seaweed off the beach that comes in with the tide every day - so it’s nice to sit on a lounge chair and read, walk along the beach or even swim in the ocean.

Carrie with her “BIG” diamond ring! 

The resort has a huge amount of swimming pools - they are everywhere so plenty of places to hang out and be pampered. The staff comes by constantly and asks if they can get you anything - food or drink. All the pools have bars and you can get anything you want. They also cook lots of different foods right at the pool, so if you don’t feel like going into one of the restaurants you can just go fill a plate with lots of great choices like grilled chicken, hamburgers, paella, grilled veggies, chips and guacamole etc. 

I didn’t have an ocean view but I also didn’t spend much time in my room so the view of the pool I had was just fine with me. 

My view

We saw some very cool animals and birds, including a lizard family that took up residence in the same spot every day.  

This “lil” guy was actually at least 2 feet long!!! 

As I mentioned there was something going on all the time in terms of entertainment or activities. On Saturday when we were hanging out at the pool there was a falconry activity so I went over to take a picture of my brother Dave doing it. And the next thing I knew I was wearing the glove and had a huge falcon soaring for my extended arm!! I’m really afraid of birds - any size - but I faced my fear and here is the proof!

Eye to eye with my new friend. 

Saturday night was the wedding and it was right on the beach at sunset - a beautiful setting and gorgeous night.  

Sister-in-law Pat with sons Kyle and Cameron. Brother Phil with the beautiful bride Carrie. 

Wedding on the beach, cocktails in the Barracuda Bar and lovely wedding reception completed a great event.

Families of the bride and groom.

The Brate family in attendance - so great to spend the time together!

The resort had 7 different restaurants to choose from for dinner every night. Mexican, Italian, French, Asian, Mediterranean and 2 seafood spots, so something to fit every taste. We tried the Italian, Asian and Mediterranean and I think the Mediterranean was my favorite. It had the most amazing dessert which I enjoyed so much I forgot to take a picture of it!! It was Tartufo which I think is actually Italian but the countries are close so maybe they share it. Yumm!!

They also had a theater that had entertainment every night. We checked it out one night and they had a Mariachi band and Mexican dancers amongst other entertainers. A comedian was going to perform later so that was kind of fun. 

On Sunday Ryan’s parents chartered a catamaran for whoever wanted to go out and snorkel. My whole family went and had a great time - so relaxing. First snorkeling and then a stop on another island to shop and get a bite to eat if you wanted. 

Dave and Dee, Phil and Pat, Pat 1 and Pat 2.

Snorkeling

Isla Mujeres which translates to the Women’s Island.

Such a fun and relaxing time. Thanks for planning a great wedding Carrie at the perfect time of year to go where it’s warm! Congratulations and best wishes to you and Ryan!

“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.”  

Desmond Tutu

Chicago/Lake Geneva, WI

From the warmth of Southern California to the cold of Chicago and Wisconsin! I attended the beautiful wedding of my dear friend Cindy’s daughter Lauren in Lake Geneva, WI, so took that opportunity to spend time in Chicago with friends on either side of the wedding weekend. The weather cooperated which is not always the case in January. It was cold but no snow or precipitation of any kind the entire time I was there.  

Pre-wedding I stayed with my friend Julie in her fabulous Lake Shore Drive apartment on the 19th floor overlooking Navy Pier and the lake. Even in winter Lake Michigan always looks amazing and this trip was no different. 

Good morning Chicago!! My view waking up in my bed - Sweet!! 

Julie and I are planning a BIG trip together so we had lots to discuss and research - but we still had time to get out and have some fun in the city. Since she is a wonderful friend and hostess she offered me lots of options of things we could do. I picked starting on the north end of Michigan Ave and checking out a new art gallery called Artspace 8 located in the Bloomingdale’s building that Julie said good things about. 

Most of the art work is very large and they represent newer living artists. I loved quite a few pieces - none of which I could afford!! 

Then we meandered down Michigan Avenue stopping at whatever caught our interest. We browsed in a few stores but neither of us bought a thing. Saving up for our BIG trip!! 

The old Water Tower - one of the few remaining buildings left after the big fire of 1871. 

There are so many great places to eat so Julie suggested a fairly new place called Cindy’s located in the historic Chicago Athletic Club right across from Millenium Park which has been turned into a hotel. The restaurant/bar is on the 12th floor and has a great view of Millenium Park and the surrounding area. They did a fabulous job of keeping the character of this unique historic building and interjecting modern technology which totally created an awesome vibe. They encourage people to come in and use the various gathering spaces to work or meet. 

Awesome burger and wine for lunch - I’m on vacation!! 

They have an outdoor space with fire pits too. Great view of The Gehry Bean, skating rink and Grant Park.

We finished our day by heading over to one of my favorite Chicago museums - the Art Institute. Since it was Thursday they were open late, and we decided to visit some of the areas I had never seen. I tend to always head right to the Impressionists - but not this time. Instead we saw a huge collection of paperweights, the miniatures, a special quilt exhibit and the featured Rodin exhibit.  

The Art Institute- a must see if you haven’t been there. 

Walking back to Julie’s I was captivated by the lights on The Bean at night.  

The next day we spent planning for our BIG trip until it was almost time for me to head to Wisconsin. Our last stop was for lunch at Buona Beef. No trip for me to Chicago is complete without an Italian Beef sandwich. People always talk about Chicago pizza - and don’t get me wrong - I like that too. But I can get good pizza at a lot of places. Italian Beef you can really only get in Chicago.  

I like mine with sweet peppers on top! Delicious!

On to Lake Geneva! It’s an easy drive from downtown Chicago - about 2 hours in traffic - less on a weekend. I have so many fond memories of spending time there when I lived in Chicago. Cindy my friend who’s daughter was getting married has a vacation home there, and I was lucky enough to be invited up for weekends frequently.  

A little history that you might find interesting about Lake Geneva. It became popular in the 1800’s because of the good railroad access from Chicago. It was a summer retreat for the barons of wealth in lumber, cattle, oil, steel, cement and manufacturing. Families like Morton (salt) and Wrigley (gum) built homes from the 1850’s through the roaring 20’s and up to present time.  

Homes you can still see today on the lake. Upper right is one of the Wrigley homes, and the lower left is the largest home ever built there. Called Stone Manor. It is currently 6 luxury condo’s. 

In 1968 Hugh Hefner built his first Playboy Resort there. It closed in 1981 and now is converted into the Grand Geneva Resort.  

I had time on Saturday before the wedding to head into the town of Lake Geneva. It is super cute and has lots of great little restaurants and shops - and of course the lake. Since it is winter parts of the lake have frozen solid - so it was fun to see the tons of people out on the ice fishing and walking around.  

Bottom left a very unfocused picture of ice fishing. That’s me making a spur of the moment decision to go out and stand on the ice! Bottom right the cute town and shops. 

I stopped at a great restaurant for breakfast. I had looked up on Trip Advisor where to eat and Simple got the top rating. It was fantastic so I definitely concur! 

Amazing potatoes!! Homemade wheat bread toasted!!  

Lake Geneva (the town) is on one side of the lake, and on the other is the town of Fontana. The wedding was on the Fontana side of the lake - so the guests were all staying at the lovely Abbey Resort and Spa. The Abbey has been there as long as I can remember - back to when I was just a kid in fact - but this was my first time staying there.  

It was great and very convenient to all the wedding events. Kind of a rustic feel to it but lovely. 

The wedding was just perfect! Beautiful bride and groom surrounded by family and friends that love them and each other dearly. Cindy and Lauren planned a gorgeous event with lots of personal touches making it a memorable event for all. Best wishes always Lauren and David!! 

The 3 Noonan sisters singing the blessing! Another special and beautiful memory. 

After a lovely wedding brunch on Sunday I headed back to Chicago for part two of my Chicago visit. Getting together with my dear friends Robin and Mike, who always have a fun and interesting time planned for us! This visit was no exception. They - especially Mike - know everything going on in Chicago and the surrounding area when it comes to theater and music. They know I love that kind of thing too - so dinner and opening night were on the agenda. We had dinner at a great place called Frontier in the Noble Square area of the city. I had never heard of it but they said it is close to Ukranian Village if that helps. The restaurant was great! Interesting food and lots of great beers and cocktails. 

I had a hamburger and it was great! But I just realized that I have been eating a lot of burgers!! More in the past few weeks then in the past few years!! Not sure why?? 

The theater was just two blocks away. It was opening night for Hatfield & McCoy at the House Theater of Chicago. We all loved it! It is a musical about the famous feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys, and we were sitting front row center. I felt like I was in the middle of the feud!! Great talent, staging and music. In fact the critic from the Chicago Tribune was sitting right behind us and stayed for the entire production. In the morning there was already a review out in a local paper called Around the Town Chicago that gave it a thumbs up! The theater was very cool also. Really interesting and unique. 

Top right photo is of a cute little bar off to the right when you walk in. Lots to look at everywhere!

My seat front and center!! Very cool set with the musicians right on stage in the upper right. Awesome Bluegrass music. 

Thanks Robin and Mike for an awesome fun time in Chicago!  

Next trip right around the corner - heading back to warmth!! Where in the world is Patti? Check back and find out soon!!

“Not all storms come to disrupt your life. Some come to clear your path.”

Laguna Beach

This is supposed to be a relaxing vacation and we have really been on the go! So our last two days we stayed close to Laguna Beach and the weather could not have been more perfect. It was even warm enough to spend some time at the pool - and that is not typical of January but no complaining from us. 

I’m not sure there is a better place to start your day then Ruby’s overlooking the ocean in Laguna Beach - so that’s what we did!  

The view! We saw lots of dolphins feeding while we ate - loved that!!! 

Breakfast! 

Breakfast burrito with potatoes - yumm!! 

My niece Angela drove down to spend the day with us and Liz joined us too. We headed over to the quaint downtown area of Laguna Beach. It’s very artsy and has lots of great little unique shops, art galleries and restaurants. We browsed for a bit and then Liz suggested we eat a late lunch at a place called The Rooftop in the La Casa del Camino hotel just down the street a bit. We got a great table overlooking the ocean since we missed the big lunch rush. Wine, food and great company with a beautiful view - does life get any better??

Lunch took us right into Happy Hour so our next stop was The Montage. I had driven by this fabulous resort many times but never parked and explored it in detail. While running the half marathon Saturday our new local friend Robin told us it was a must see. She recommended walking the grounds and then getting a drink and enjoying the fire pit overlooking the beach. Thanks Robin!!! It was just as wonderful as you described it to us!  

The resort is huge and while we didn’t see the rooms I guarantee they are amazing. The grounds were gorgeous and it sits right on the ocean. Everyone was very nice and we had our drink by the fire pit - check! 

We texted Robin who was actually at work to tell her we had taken her advice. Guess who stopped by on her way home to say hi??? 

Robin!!!! Just in time for a beautiful sunset. 

No trip to Newport is complete without at least one meal at The Beachcomber. Located in Crystal Cove The Beachcomber sits right on the beach! And the food is amazing! I always go for breakfast but I hear lunch and dinner are great as well. We got there early and scored a premium table right on the railing. 

Lemon ricotta pancakes with warm fresh berry compote and steak and eggs in a quesadilla. We shared and it was all great! 

Where did we stay? At the beautiful Marriott Newport Coast Villas! A gorgeous resort with lots of great amenities. All of the villas are two bedroom two bath with a full kitchen, living/dining area and a patio or balcony.  

As I mentioned, the weather was so great we actually got to spend an afternoon at the pool. That was lovely and relaxing. 

The main pool area has 3 pools. We were at the adult quiet pool - and it was pretty quiet. 

When Happy Hour rolled around we went in a different direction then our usual wine or cocktail. 

Shakes at Ruby’s for one last ocean view. There was talk of sharing but nope!!

Good bye Southern California!! I hope to return again next year for even longer!!! 

The Getty & Santa Monica Pier

One of my favorite things to do is visit museums - and lucky for me Cheryl and Deidre were up for taking a drive into LA to visit the world famous Getty Museum. Lots of people drive into LA everyday for work from Orange County so we let the traffic clear a little before getting on the road. The Getty founded by J. Paul Getty opened in 1997, and the vision was for a single institution to be devoted to the visual arts, from research and conservation to presentation and interpretation. The huge campus is located on a hilltop in the Santa Monica Mountains, and it encompasses art, architecture and gardens. The architect was Richard Meier and it is spectacular. You could spend a whole day exploring the grounds and never step foot in one of the buildings and have a great visit. Did I mention it’s free??

A panoramic view from one side - there’s still as much on the other side! 

In doing some research in advance I saw that there was a special exhibit from one of my favorite painters - Caravaggio. But upon arriving we saw their big temporary exhibit was called “Golden Kingdoms” and in fact we ran into the director of the Nelson-Atkins Museum (here in KC) Julian Zugazagoitia who was there to see it. I volunteer at the Nelson but had never met Julian so went up and introduced myself. He couldn’t have been nicer and really encouraged us to make time to see it - and we were so glad we did. It was incredible!!

Artifacts from as far back as 1200 BC!! Lots of examples of nose ornaments - might become my new business! 

The architecture is beautiful - and we did manage to get into a few of the buildings and see the Caravaggio exhibit and some of the French Impressionist works in addition to the Golden Kingdoms exhibit. 

They have a lovely sit down restaurant and a more casual cafe. Since we wanted to see as much as possible we opted to eat lunch at the cafe and it was great! Lots of healthy choices and unhealthy desserts.  

Chicken Pho for me. It was great! Kind of like a really fresh healthy chicken soup with rice noodles and a hard boiled egg.  

The gardens alone are worth a trip.  

Upper left is a cactus garden. Lots of waterfalls and streams amongst the beautiful trees, flowers and stones. 

We had some other stops planned in LA but ended up spending so much time at The Getty that we had to adjust our schedule. Based on advice from Cheryl’s daughter Ava who spends quite a bit of time in the area - we headed over to the Santa Monica Pier. The area is also known as The Third Street Promenade, and was not that far away and very light traffic to get there - score!! The Santa Monica Pier is over a 100 years old - and kind of reminds me a little of Coney Island. There is a big Ferris wheel and other attractions on it, and the area is very cool. Old LA that has been updated with lots of great restaurants, bars and living space. Our timing was such that we got to see a beautiful sunset before heading to dinner.

Upper right is the Santa Monica Pier.  

Based on Ava’s recommendation we had made a reservation at Blue Plate Taco right on Ocean Avenue. They say eat Mexican food in LA because there are so many great places so we did. It was fantastic!! 

Very cool space outside with heaters and blankets.  

Margarita’s for Cheryl and Deidre and the best Sangria I’ve ever had!! That’s a grilled fish taco, a vegetable taco and rice.  

Back to Newport Beach and the end of another great day!!