Blog No. 51 of 2025

After this one, I’m writing just one more blog in 2025 and I must say, I’m proud of myself for keeping up with this blog so diligently this entire year (insert patting myself on the back here!)

And on this, the 51st blog, I have this to say…

Friday was a quiet one where we just got Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza for dinner, ordering a medium cheese pizza, they’re delicious meatballs and garlic knots and crisp garden salad. Really not much else happened.

Saturday however, was a busy one. After dropping Nick off at his Best Buddies event to watch the FSU vs. UMass basketball game at Amerant Bank Arena, I met up with my friend Monica at the weekly Farmer’s Market at Volunteer Park in Plantation which is just a few minutes away from the arena. There, we took a leisurely stroll through the quaint market, one that she frequents often, and enjoyed sharing a morning drink, me an iced chai latte and she a cappuccino and we just caught up on… life. We also ended up buying some local honey and a jar of homemade marinara sauce made by an Italian family from New York.

Kate on the guitar on Lincoln Road.

Then that night, Monica and I met up again, this time on Lincoln Road where she treated me to a birthday dinner at Rosinella’s, a great Italian restaurant that’s been on the road for more than two decades. I purposely chose to eat on Lincoln Road so I could then go watch my great niece Kate and her band Cranium Crash perform at the Euclid Oval just a few blocks away. They performed as part of the City of Miami Beach Schools Holiday Showcase.

Afterwards, we took a stroll on Lincoln Road, popping in and out of some cute stores and I especially was enchanted with the holiday decorations including a twinkly giant Christmas three and the great sculptures by the team Gillie and Marc that dot the pedestrian mall. Click on the link to read about the sculpting team and then check out the other public art you can see along the stretch between Alton Road and Washington Avenue.

During the week I chose to take it easy and go to the movies, on the big screen not at home, so I headed to Aventura Mall where on Monday I watched “Wicked for Good” and on Wednesday went to see “Hamnet,” both of which I enjoyed and recommend. I have my friend Monica to thank for her generous birthday gift card which I used to treat myself to these movies.

Thursday was my great nephew Ramzi’s 11th birthday, there he is at home with his presents! Happy birthday Mazen.

And that’s all I’ve got for this week and now I leave you with these suggestions on fun things to do this weekend and beyond…

Noche Buena party at Copperbridge Foundation in North Miami on Dec. 20.

& Juliet at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Downtown Miami from Dec. 30 through Jan. 4. Use JULIETVIP at checkout for a 20% discount any time during the run of the show.

Click through the listings on the South Florida on the Cheap website and find free and cheap events all weekend and into next week.

And with that, I leave you with a few parting shots and also wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

My brother Mario doing what he says he’s found is his “new calling.” He looks adorable!

Nick at Bass Pro Shops in Dolphin Mall during a Thursday outing with the Sandra de Lucca Developmental Center gang.

Peacock sighting in North Miami.