"Surround yourself with people you can always learn something from. Always work with people that are better at their craft than you are." ~ Tony Vincent

A while back I posted here about a new YouTube series that was being hosted by Anthony Bourdain. The comments that followed my FaceBook posting were hilarious, with me concluding with the question, "I wonder if he knows that he has a fan club comprised of post-menopausal women?!" What can I say - it's true.

But I digress! The second installment of the series, titled "Raw Craft", is now available. 

A lovely segment, I think you'd agree. What is missing however, is that Frank Shattuck lives in Cazenovia, about 40 minutes from where we live. Raw Craft's first installment came from Syracuse - Central New York is certainly showing its creatively industrious side. Also missing is that Frank is an actor, having appeared as a boxer on the HBO series "Boardwalk Empire". A pretty diverse gentleman.

To read the entire article on this most recent installment, visit here.

"Stuart is surrounded by opportunities to revel in nature and the arts as well as indulge your inner history buff." ~ Smithsonian Magazine, April 16, 2015

This past month, Smithsonian Magazine listed their picks for the top 20 Best Small Town to Visit in 2015. Ranked #3, behind Estes Park, Colorado and the island of Nantucket is our own little Stuart, Florida - our winter home! The cat's out of the bag!

"Perched on the most biodiverse lagoon ecosystem in the Northern hemisphere, the St. Lucie Inlet (we live on the St. Lucie River), Stuart is surrounded by opportunities to revel in nature and the arts as well as indulge your inner history buff. See the sea turtles on warm summer nights at the nearby Hobe Sound Nature Center, (gently) touch a stingray at the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center, or visit the House of Refuge—a former haven for shipwrecked sailors operated by the United States Lifesaving Service and now a beautiful historical museum. Stuart also boasts the newly renovated Lyric Theatre, a former silent movie palace now hosting concerts and art-house movies. And this July, Florida’s “Treasure Coast” commemorates the event that gave the region its name—the 1715 hurricane that struck Florida’s east coast, sinking 11 Spanish galleons laden with New World silver and gold. The summer, area events include a two-day conference at the Vero Beach Museum of Art (about an hour north of Stuart), lectures and public exhibitions." http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/best-small-towns-2015-180954993/#f1xtDdICFKFUTq1a.99

Just as we love Truro, on the Cape, we love Stuart in Florida. Both places are lulls in the storm. The Cape and Florida can be crazy, crazy places to live and drive, but there are little oasis's from this and we have found them both. Now - if they can just remain that way!

You can read the entire Smithsonian article here.

"The sun shines bright on my old Kentucky home." ~ Stephen F. Foster

                       

Today finds us scurrying around, preparing for our annual Kentucky Derby party. A number of years ago we decided that we wanted to throw an annual party, but we wanted to steer away from traditional holiday ones, and do something a bit different. Hence - The Kentucky Derby! We have had a lot fun with it over the years. Early on, elaborate (and funny) hats were the norm. These days, most folks forgo them, and today I will as well. And yes, we do sing "My Old Kentucky Home"!

Last year, when we purchased our Florida condo, we acquired some additional Derby party decorations. The condo came furnished (99% of which we did not keep). Along with the furnishings, several metal pieces were left behind, including the vase above (I think it's a vase, and it will have flowers in it later today) and the horse head statue below. The vase weighs about a thousand pounds - heaven only knows what it's made from. The horse-head is made of metal and wood. Much of the metal is rusted. It's huge!

The last couple of years have shown us that things change. Kids move away, parents downsize, we buy a condo and begin the plans to downsize ourselves. We have therefore decided that this Derby party will be our last. We would like to think that down the road we would stay a bit later in Florida, like possibly past the Kentucky Derby later. We don't know when that will happen, but it will.

We will have plenty of opportunity to gather with our friends, just not this party. I will have a supply of Kentucky Derby decorations if someone else would like to carry on the tradition! It's all good!