Deerfield Beach - Here We Come!

February 4, 2008

Saturday morning, the day we were to leave Naples, we awoke early Rachel, Stacey and I took a walk in a nearby nature preserve: Clam Pass Park which contains one of Naples’ very beautiful beaches in a lovely natural setting. To reach the beach one has to walk a mile on a boardwalk (or you can take a free tram) through its 35 acres of mangrove forest. On the other end is a bar with snacks, kayack and umbrella rentals and endless gleaming white sand. Streams pierce the dense mangrove forest and exotic birds fly in and out. Strangely, high rise apartments are adjacent to the forest and degrade the natural feeling.

The entrance to Clam Pass Park on Naples’ north end.

Stacey and Rachel walk the mile. The boardwalk, which is constructed from recycled plastic waste, wends through a dense mangrove forest.

Tall luxury condos (don’t you just love the phrase "luxury condos"?) abut the nature preserve. I guess if you live there you would appreciate your closeness to the park and beach but I found it a disturbing intrusion.

After a while, you reach the beach and it’s beautiful and not crowded at all. Rent a kayak, a canoe, have a beer or just stretch out in a beautiful setting.

We returned home and loaded the car. The ride across Florida on I-75, Alligator Alley, was uneventful. There are few places to stop; the Everlades stretch out on either side of the road, a vast open land with scrub, swamps and palms as far as you can see. It took us a bit over two hours to reach my uncle and aunt’s home in Deerfield Beach which is just below Boca Raton and twenty minutes or so north of Fort Lauderdale.


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We were greeted with hugs and kisses and, even though they’re 92 and 93 (Bea and Walter, respectively) they are quite remarkable with a youthful appearance and demeanor. Walter’s memory is failing but he is still witty and charming and was so happy to see us. Bea is as sharp and physically cable as ever and she doesn’t seem to age at all.

Uncle Walter spends a good part of the day in his comfortable recliner. He’s as good-natured as you could possibly imagine.

We’ve stayed at Bea and Walter’s many times over the years. More often than not, we drive down and shlep our bikes with us (which I’ve sorely missed). This time we flew. Bea is a great cook and always has the welcome mat out for us. We spend time with them, discussing politics and family. And they give us free reign to come and go. It’s always a great place to stay and visit with family – it’s been a big part of our life.

Aunt Bea cooking up a mess of ribs, one of her great specialties. The next night was pasta with a white clam sauce. Yum!

My uncle in front of his house tending to his plants.

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Part of our usual routine when on the east coast of Florida is to meet our friends, Barbara and Mark. They are the consummate foodies, so in addition to enjoying their company they're a good source of all the great dining places. They also frequent the crafts fairs, concerts and street fairs. We met them in Fort Lauderdale at a jazz festival and then spent some time later for coffee on Las Olas.

Barbar, Mark and Stacey at the Jazz Brunch on the river in Ft. Lauderdale.

Mark at Stork's coffee house on the Intracoastal in Ft. Lauderdale.

As I mentioned, Lee and Alexis were also in Florida, although they were on their own trip, staying at a Marriott in Lauderdale. We had made up to meet them and would bring Bea and Walter down to them for a visit and lunch.

Aunt Bea and Uncle Walter and us, in front of their house in Deerfield Beach.

Down at the Marriott for lunch, Bea listens, Alexis emotes and Stacey peruses the menu.

My brother shows off his Iphone to Bea.

...who can't make heads or tails out of it.

Here's our family photo. That's Mike, an old friend of Lee and Lex's (and of ours) on the right.

And here's our family photo ... sans Michel.

Walter and Bea ... thanks for another wonderful visit. We love you!

If it's Naples, it must be Florida.

Feb 1, 2008

Well, it sure as hell ain't Italia. But the weather is magnifico. It has been a very relaxing few days down here in Southwest Florida. Not really beach weather (we avoid too much sun anyway) but very pleasant in the upper 70's, breezy and beautiful blue skies. Rachel and Oliver are very easy hosts. Last night they went out with friends and so Stacey and I were on our own. Not a problem. I perused the dining situation on the computer. I found out that there's not a lot of cheap eats unless you wanna dine at Micky D's &c. The so-called fine dining is very expensive and there's a finite amount of restaurants in any case. We ended up at a lovely place called U.S.S. Nemo. Situated in a strip mall (just about everything is in a mall), it's decorated in cool blue with a touch of 20,000 Leauges Under the Sea which sounded like it might be a bit too cute and kitchy but it wasn't. Specializing in seafood with an Asian overtone, it was really quite good. Stacey had grilled scotch salmon and I had tandoor salmon. With wine and appetizers, the bill came to $80.00 ... a bit higher than we typically spend in New York but, hey, we're on vacation and it was quite enjoyable. I give it three M's (out of 4). Recommended if you ever get down here.

Rachel and Ollie - good friends. Great hosts.

For those of you not familiar with the west coast of Florida, here's a map to show you where we are. Tomorrow we leave and take I-75 (aka Alligator Alley) across the state to visit my aunt and uncle in Deerfield Beach on the east coast. Lee and Alexis are coming down also and we have other friends who are there as well. So just a few days remain and lots to do and see. We'll need a vacation when we get back to New York.


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Today, Stacey, Rachie and I drove a few miles down to Old Naples - the historical downtown. Seems I was wrong (in my last post) in saying there's nothing old to see down here. The town was founded in 1885. One of the first things built was a very long pier that steamers could tie up to. They were docking so that prospective real estate buyers could be brought to see the potential of building in southwest Florida. A 35 room hotel was constructed and I read that the first guest was Grover Cleveland's wife. Why I should really care about that I have no idea, but I thought I'd pass it on to you so you have one more useless piece of information with which to fill your brain.

But I digress. Seems that many of these late 19th century Victorian era homes and lovely old bungalows are still there. Frommer's tour book (online) points out that Naples may be very wealthy but the town also has a reputation for preservation and, apparently, that's true. Early developers laid out a grid and sold plots and pretty soon the shorefront along the Gulf came to be known as millionaire's row. It's lined with very impressive mansions as far as the eye can see. Hmm, it seems millionaires always want to preserve their own beautiful neighborhoods but are happy to build sun-blocking skyscrapers in poor people's neighborhoods.

Stacey and Rachel pose for my camera. We're out on a long walk to explore picturesque Old Naples.

The streets in Old Naples run down to a fabulous beach. Mansions line Gulf Shore Drive, also known as Millionaire's Row.

A lovely old bungalow from the early 1900's.

From the Naples Pier, the first structure built in Naples in 1888 (it burned down or was destroyed by storms several times and was rebuilt each time) provides a wonderful view up the endless beach.

The star attractions at the Naples Pier are the pelicans and it's no wonder as they put on an amazing show. With huge wingspans (up to six feet for the Brown Pelican which is native to this region) and enormous pouched bills they make an incredible sight - suddenly raising themselves out of the water and then, just as suddenly, plunge-diving back into the water to fill their pouch with fresh fish. They hang out together and fish as a group, chasing schools of fish into shallow water where they can be scooped up easily.

The birds also like to sun themselves on the beach. Here's one putting on a show for two admirers.

The Pelicans put on a spectacular show, soaring and diving for fish.

The historic Palm Cottage, builit in 1895 by Walter N. Haldeman, owner and publisher of the Louisville (Kentucky) Courier-Journal, is one of the oldest buildings in Naples. It's the only remaining building built of tabbie mortar which was made from the burning of seashells.

A rare sighting of the Blogster, ensconsed in a fantastic Banyon tree in front of the Palm Cottage.

We finished our long exploration of Old Naples and walked back to our car on Naples' swanky Fifth Avenue. Tonight, our last night with Rachel and Oliver, would be a sunset dinner at the outdoor bar/restaurant at the very fancy Ritz-Carlton -- the Gumbo Limbo bar. It had been a nice visit with our friends. Tomorrow we're off to the east coast. See you there.

Beautiful Stacey in front of a sunset-lit Ritz Carlton.

Oliver and Stacey in fading sunlight at Gumbo Limbo.


Stacey and Rachel peruse the menu.

Just some profiles in gluttony, er courage.