Dreaming of South Beach

Back in Norwich after a fast weekend in South Beach. Even though it was blast furnace hot, it was very, very nice. The place will be crazy this weekend (Labor Day), so I went at the right time.

The flights were totally uneventful (as they should be), but spots of trouble. Going over, the flight information boards at Heathrow were down and finding out which gate to go to was a problem. Fortunately, a kindly desk clerk at Qatari Airlines took pity on me. Then coming back we were delayed by a horrific accident (head on) on a narrow stretch of road about 30 miles outside Norwich, which took an hour to clear.

In SoBe, Alexis, Leopoldo and I pigged out Saturday lunch at Smith & Wollensky. Just a wonderful place overlooking Government Cut for a long, long lunch. The sort of grand restaurant I love, as I fantasize about the drug deals, arms deals, murder for hire deals, daliances, etc. going on around me. Too much fun.

Alexis put on a grand brunch at the Palace Sunday. Dining off a table clad in a linen tablecloth and set with antique glasses at a beach bar is a bit over the top, but the food was only topped by the company.

Ditmar's bar has taken off, so, aside from killing himself with work, much of the start-up stress is going away. Now there are "issues" surrounding the ice cream shop next door. Always something in South Beach.

We are still in the ice box and I will be returning to FL in October (27 - 31 Oct). It will be another quick one, but....

On being unhappy

Hmmmm. Got a note from a friend who is unhappy. Not just unhappy, very unhappy. I understand depression and its related maladies and I am relatively certain that my friend is clinically depressed.

A lot of acquaintences ask "how can you be happy in England?" My reply tends to be "why not". Yes, the summer has been cold. Yes, there are a ton of little annoyances. However, I have lived in many places far worse and besides, just "why not".

Complaining should not be confused with unhappiness. For one thing, complaining helps the locals feel superior. This confuses a British friend of mine a lot, but that is another topic.

As people age, it occurs to me that they tend to be more easily made unhappy. Maybe its hormones, maybe it is a loss of optimism, or maybe they have slipped into some sort of low-level despair. Whatever it is, it seems to me that there is very little chance of pulling out of it on their own.

I'll admit that I do have sympathy but very little time for the chronically unhappy. Life is too short.

YECH!!

It just isn't fair -- closing in on mid-August and it's 63F at 12:35 p.m. The sky is foreboding -- rain.

10 days till Miami! Of course there is a low pressure area in the Eastern Atlantic that appears to be escalating into Tropical Storm status. It should reach Miami in about 11 days!! Jesus, you can take me now....

Dry day

LOTS of drama at work. So silly really. There has to be (and is) a Queen at the center of it all.

Not a lot going on socially. I have finally gotten my caterer's attention, who managed an acceptable price quote. Good, I was afraid that I would have to find another location.

This is my weekend for errands. Lots of little things to do. At least there is a mail strike on (how Italian!), so no bills will arrive. A long lunch Saturday will make the day. Weather forecast is acceptable. Should be a nice time.

Lining up for Paris a week from today. Really ready for it. Hopefully, the beer at Open Cafe will be cold and the reception warm! Breakfast at the Cafe Beaubourg will be welcome.

A bit gray today. Ah well, suppose we have to have these days -- at least it is dry.