Welcome April!

April is here and I’m looking forward to seeing family on Easter Sunday and today being Good Friday, I’m taking it easy, not doing much, going to church, reflecting and praying.

Last Friday I took a lovely sunset walk with Vance and we got Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza for dinner. Friday night pizza is always our thing during Lent.

I spent Saturday with my friend Monica visiting artist Pablo Cano’s Little Havana Gallery. We spent an hour or so learning about his extensive collection of works including his playful marionettes made of found objects, his prints and paintings and his ceramics. He even gifted us with a poster from one of his marionette shows which I plan to have framed. I think it’s gonna look great in the townhouse. Pablo did annoy me however, when he texted me at 2:48 a.m. on Sunday to send me info on a Miami Film Festival movie he had recommended.

Geno and Nick at the Marlins game

Afterwards, we hopped in Monica’s car and grabbed lunch at a Miami staple, El Palacio de Los Jugos. The food there is delicious and so inexpensive and the selection is mind boggling. Their congri is amazing! After packing up our leftovers, of which there were plenty, we walked right next door to El Gallito Bakery. It’s this tiny, standing room only Cuban bakery with fantastic pastries, cakes and desserts. I brought home a tres leches (which isn’t Cuban but still yum!) and a slice of cookies ‘n cream cake.

While I was gallivanting with Monica, the guys… Nick and Vance with Nick’s friend Geno tagging along, went to the Marlins game.

Sunday after going to church early, I spent the day cooking the menu for that afternoon’s catering gig. With Vance’s help, we made lots of delicious food for the dancers and audience members of the Karen Peterson & Dancers show at the Sandrell Rivers Theater. Everyone was very pleased and that made me very happy. Take a look at the spread above.

L-R, Tony, me, Nick and Sean, first place team at this week’s Old Tom’s Cafe trivia night!

Now let’s fast forward to Wednesday where our team took first place at trivia at Old Tom’s Sports Bar! There we are in the pic above, Nick and I with our teammates Tony (next to me) and Sean (next to Nick). Armando, our third teammate had already left so he missed the picture. It was a great team effort and thanks to the trivia host Heather for texting me our winning picture, which will be shown next week on the big screen! We also won a $50 Old Tom’s Gift Card.

That’s all for this week because I took it pretty easy, spent lots of time at home, cooking and spending time in the yard and checking on what I planted in my garden. Didn’t do much of anything else.

Coming up this weekend… tomorrow morning we’ll be cheering Nick on at his basketball game at Nova Southeastern University, turns out his team advanced to the next round in the Special Olympics competition. Then at night, Vance and I are going for cocktails and dinner with our close group of friends, Michelle and Kevin, Rick and Adina and Phil and Margaret. We’re having cocktails at Maya Speaktiki and dinner at Agave Bandido, both at Pembroke Gardens Mall. I’ll let you know how it all was in next week’s blog.

Sunday, I’ll be making a few of those appetizers from the catering gig for Easter Sunday, when we’ll be gathering at my sister Susy’s house. She’s requested the pesto tortellini bites and mini capreses. I’m looking forward to seeing the family and spending time together.

Now here are a few parting shots of a blue jay in my backyard and of the Northern Lights that my niece Tiffany, a flight attendant for Delta, beautifully captured from the plane.

And finally, here are a few recommendations for things to do around Miami…

The Miami Film Festival which starts on April 9

O, Miami Poetry Festival happening all of April, with lots of fun and free events honoring National Poetry Month

New exhibition and so much more at Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)

The Miami Zine Fair in the Miami Design District’s Paradise Plaza

And that’ll do it for this week, see you next Friday!