Blog No. 39 of 2025

Hey ya’ll, here’s what went down since last Friday. OK, that was an awkward opening but it’s staying that way.

Friday we drove over for dinner with Elizabeth at Hong Kong Kitchen in Winter Park where we ordered lots of stuff to share like crab rangoon, fried rice, assorted dumplings, cashew chicken and chicken and shrimp lo mein. See our happy faces below and that’s because the food was really good and we were glad to be together.

Dinner with Elizabeth at Hong Kong Kitchen in Winter Park.

Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse stage set for “School of Rock.”

We’re all smiles at Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse, excited for showtime!

Saturday… Nick, Vance and I saw the matinee of “School of Rock” at the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse. It was a great way to spend the afternoon in the gorgeous playhouse which was built in 1924. The theater was packed with patrons and the production was really entertaining.

After the play we headed to Cocoa Beach for a late afternoon snack at Destination Downtown Food Hall. They’ve got seven food options and one bar. Nick had a full lunch, cheeseburger and tater tots from Fowl Mouth. Yes, it was a chicken spot but they make a terrific cheeseburger. I had grape leaves and red pepper hummus from Troy Anatolian Kitchen. It was a ghost town in that place but the food was good.

Sunday after church, running some errands and grabbing a mocha loco boba milk tea at Bobalicious, we enjoyed some pool time at our Diana Shores complex. It was a refreshing dip and it was wonderful to swim some laps too.

On Sunday, while watching CBS Sunday Morning I discovered the website Explore.org. It features hundreds of live webcams where you can watch all types of wildlife habitats, animals, sanctuaries, really the choices are endless. I know I’ll be spending time on that website. I love taking notes after watching that show. It’s how I now follow/subscribe to Combatants for Peace and how I discovered the beautiful work of artist/illustrator Charlie Mackesy.

That is artist Rosa Henriquez on the right in front of her artwork and Miami Beach Police Officer Deborah Martineau, a cancer survivor and caregiver who was her inspiration for the piece at the Arsht Center last night.

Rosa’s fiber art piece “Always Your 15,” created for Officer Martineau.

Snapped this pic of the Arsht Center last night as I was walking to my car after the event.

Last night, I attended the opening reception of the Brushes with Cancer exhibit at the Arsht Center downtown. I wrote an article about last year’s exhibit for Biscayne Times and I loved the story behind it and attending last year so much, I just had to go again. Artist Rosa Henriquez, a long time acquaintance who was one of the participating artists last year, and a big focus of my article, was involved again this year. It’s a beautiful initiative and one that is near and dear to my heart. Click here to read my Biscayne Times article on Brushes with Cancer and see photos of last night’s reception above. Also, you can click here to read my profile on Rosa Henriquez and her journey to becoming an artist. And visit the Twist Out Cancer website to learn the origin story of Brushes with Cancer and the organization whose mission is to “use creative arts programming to provide social and emotional support to those who have been affected by cancer.”

I can’t wait when in two weeks I’ll be seeing Jon Batiste at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Batiste is the former bandleader for Late Night with Stephen Colbert, a Grammy Award winner and documentarian. I love his music and am excited to see him live in October also, this will be my second solo concert.

I’ve also recently subscribed to the Reasons to be Cheerful newsletter because it’s filled with good news and as they state right under their title their site is “Tonic for tumultuous times” and “News for when you’ve had too much news.” It’s a reprieve from the 24/7 cycle of bad news. A chance to take in something positive and hopeful in this sometimes hopeless world.

Tonight Nick and I are walking over to MOCA just three blocks away, for a performance by Electro Dub Tango for the last Friday of the month’s Jazz at MOCA. Turns out the Best Buddies Citizens Group is attending tonight too so he’ll have fun with his friends.

Now here are a few suggestions from me on things to do around Miami.

Calendar of Events:

Take a trip to Everglades National Park and visit the AIRIE - Artists in Residence in the Everglades artist studios. Click here to learn about AIRIE.

Visit Copperbridge Foundation in North Miami where they’ve got a full month of events in October.

Attend the exhibit opening on Sunday, Sept. 28 from 4-6 p.m. at Bridge Red Studios in North Miami. Click here to read a profile I wrote on BRS for Biscayne Times.

Take advantage of 20% off tickets to “The Wiz” which runs at the Arsht Center from Oct. 7-12. Just use promo code WIZFRIEND at checkout for the discount.

Hailey and her medal.

Jojo is all smiles on his 2nd birthday.

A few parting shots of my great niece Hailey proudly posing with her medal from the National Society for High School Scholars. Congrats! And there’s also the big 2 for Jojo! He turned 2 on Sept. 20 and he was so excited!

Plus, Elizabeth and her roommate Sam at a Universal Studios store during Halloween Horror Nights and Vance during one of the many film shoots at Port Canaveral this week.

And that’ll do it for this week. Until next Friday, peace out!