THE MENAPAUSE LOUNGE

Characters never fail to asale me. Like Steve at the bar for happy hours., recommending Desaira' at Don's for evening meal.  The lounge entertainment where anyone over 70 is young and the 40's band.  Couple of 91 and 87 year olds swilling wine at the bar.  The black jigaloe working the bar.     Good food, wine and wide variety of friends makes for an eventful evening.  Do not forget "Bingo" our new friend after 30 plus years visiting the same bar and friends at lauderdale.  Seems he has acquaintances in Madisonville or he is lying.  Hummm.
So we have Desirae, Steven, Bingo, Steve and other unnamed friends met in just one evening in the confines of lauderdale by the sea.  More to come.

The "101 Ocean" club is a corner hot spot along Ocean Blvd. at Ft. Lauderdale Beach.  Happy Hour is 5-7 each evening.  Open air bar to streets creates a scene changing each hour.  Tonight we had a local with a large parrot friend hanging in a tree accepting treats all the while talking with each passing pedestrian.  Seems the owner has trained the parrot since birth and must spend at least 4 hrs. per day to keep the monogamous relationship.  The parrot "taboo" is a fixture along Ocean Blvd and the beach.  Couple this with many runners, surfers, joggers, walkers and street vendors.  The beach seems to attract all characters. 

We enjoy our Albin Trawler but could be convinced to trade up for this larger boat.  Seems the Ft. Lauderdale docks offer over 1000 ft. docking for world traveling yachts.   Our cruise captain indicated this yacht required over $100,000 to fill the tanks.  Now that is a fill up.

We continue to watch the "older folks" around town.  We do admire their tenacity with speed walking, pool exercises and best of all happy hour and good food.  It seems the older we or I become, the more important the food.  In fact we plan another visit to Carelli's Italian Restaurant for lunch today.  Our prior trip the owner insisted on opening 4-5 bottles of wine for our tasting all the while consuming large amounts of beer and pasta.  We did need a siesta after that meal.  We do plan to ship home a case of select wines from his warehouse in Atlanta.  He is quite the entrepreneur exporting olive oils and balsamic vinegars. 

Well off to the pool for a morning read, must rest up for our lunch date.  Pool boy is here now so we can anticipate good pool conditions.  Tomorrow finds me at the Trawler Fest seminars early then afternoon touring boats of many varieties.  Cannot wait.

Barry, Denise, Bailey & Bella