O c to b e r 2 0 1 2 • v o l.1 0 • is s u e 5 - South Florida Social

More documents

Recommendations

Info

2 October 2012 | www.SouthFloridaSocial.com | facebook.com/SouthFloridaSocial
Finally, we are back. Because we ended last season with the May issue, we have had an extraordinarily long sabbatical; thus, it’s even harder to get back into work! The best part of the beginning of the season for me is that it also is the beginning of football season! Don’t ask me why, but I joined a Fantasy Football League. Like the Dolphins, I am off to a dismal start (could that be because I missed the online draft?). Nonetheless, it’s fun and hopefully my team will put up with my neophyte ways. For the charity world, it doesn’t get better than South Florida. Throughout the summer, invitations continued to pour in which means that many of you are continuing your work throughout the summer season. After all, people in need, innocent children left abandoned or abused, and abandoned or abused pets never take a vacation. Summer for me included several fun trips, including one back to Tennessee for a class reunion. (Let me warn you, this is dangerous territory for anyone over 60.) Be prepared for meeting a lot of people who are much older than you. I mean, really, I didn’t recognize many of my former classmates until they came up and began talking. I even asked one classmate, to my later dismay, “What did you teach?” A table was set up with the senior class photographs of those who had passed on. Among them were my first kiss (spin the bottle), my first crush and many former good friends. I recognized more people on the table than I did of those who attended. But it was a rewarding experience. I visited my best friend in high school and her family, as my parents are both deceased. I had forgotten the beautiful dewsplashed mornings, listening to the mocking birds as they flew to the bird feeder on the front porch (That’s right, the front porch.) People in the South love to sit on the front porch. A quiet calm reigned over the nights, with a stillness that we never hear in this part of South Florida. And the hospitality and southern cooking! I guess you have to be from the South to appreciate that, but it is catching on, as my sophisticated New York daughter occasionally tells me she enjoyed “cornbread” at a restaurant in the city. From the class reunion, it was off to D.C. where I joined friends from Amsterdam (these contacts came about through a student who stayed with me one summer while studying English here). We were there for a global insurance conference. But we had plenty of time for sightseeing. We stayed at the luxurious, 4-star Ritz-Carlton at 1150 22nd St., NW in downtown D.C. The hotel was wonderful, just a short walk to the White House, Georgetown and several other landmarks along Pennsylvania Avenue. Tourists and protesters were in abundance in front of the White House, along with thousands of Girl Scouts who were celebrating their 100th anniversary. We all were hurriedly whisked away from the front of the White House when President Obama’s helicopter came in to land. We also visited the Arlington National Cemetery (by taxi). This is a tremendously moving experience, and gave me renewed respect for our fallen heroes who gave the greatest gift one can give for their country: their lives. The 200-acre picturesque site has daily “funerals” and guests are free to tour the grounds at their own pace. D.C. is a fabulous trip in the summer with so much to do. By taxi, we went to the quaint city of Alexandria for dinner. Luckily for me, the place that we initially had planned to dine had more than an October 2012 | www.SouthFloridaSocial.com | facebook.com/SouthFloridaSocial fromthepublisher hour wait to be seated, so we opted for The Fish House where I spent my time running between the restaurant and the sports bar to watch the Heat play Boston in the play-offs. A shocking experience to be surrounded by people who did not appreciate our Heat, and there were plenty of good-natured barbs between me and a gentleman at the bar until my friends came and rescued me. (I’ll bet those same people have new respect for our Miami Heat today!) If you’re planning a visit to D.C., I highly recommend the Ritz-Carlton where we stayed. And be sure to include access to the Club Lounge on the 9th floor in your reservation. It gives you an intimate opportunity to meet fellow guests, and also enjoy free cocktails, a continental breakfast, hors d’oeuvres and desserts or cordials. If Curtis is still there as concierge, be sure you ask him for his incredible Cappuccino. That about does it for my travels, with the exception of family visits to Virginia and New York. On a serious note, please don’t forget to vote in November. I implore you to not let your emotions nor all the pundits decide whom you will choose. Instead, my hope is that you will carefully study everything as independently as possible about the candidates, where they stand on issues, their past records of service, and who best can get our economy moving again. Please pray for our nation. Until next time... BETTY 3
Page 1: October 2012 • vol.10 • issue 5
Page 5 and 6: Children’s Home Society Readies f
Page 7 and 8: October 2012 | www.SouthFloridaSoci
Page 15 and 16: Hugh’s Culinary hosts annual cook
Page 21 and 22: Out ‘n About Guess Interior Digs

O c to b e r 2 0 1 2 • v o l.1 0 • is s u e 5 - South Florida Social

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?