We won our trivial pursuit appeal so came in first the time before last. Did not do as well yesterday.
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Another venerable NYC institution has bitten the dust. The Friars Club is no more. I spent many hilarious hours there. New York has always been a great city but I grew up in suburban South Orange, New Jersey and from age. 10 could travel to New York to places the likes of which will never be duplicated. I frequented just to name some, Lindy’s, the Paramount and Roxy Copacabana, Jack Dempsey’s The Hickory House, Condon’s, Ryan’s the Algonquin, Sardi’s ,Bill’s Gay Nineties and the Monkey Bar. The best talent that ever lived, the most glamorous and exciting clientele. It was unbelievable.
I cannot leave my ode to the Friars Club without telling this story. At one time I knew Alan King pretty well. Among other things he sponsored, for years, a tennis tournament in Vegas and he and I often sat together. King also frequented Allen Susser’s Chef Allen, one of the all time great Miami restaurants.
King and Henny Youngman were great friends. Frequently when they were in New York at the same time, they had lunch together at the Friars Club. King told me that every time they walked in, Youngman would say the same thing and even though King knew it was coming, he cracked up every time. I asked what Youngman would say. King said, they walked in and Youngman said to the Maître d’ “give me a table near a waiter”.
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In my view, another bonehead play by the Dolphins in letting Mike Gesicki sign with another team. Just not another team, he is going to the Patriots where he will have a chance to be a thorn in the side of the Dolphins at least twice a year. I am not a professional football coach but this oft stated comment that Gesicki didn’t fit into the Dolphins’ offensive scheme because the tight end blocks more than receives has to be bullshit. Let’s trade this great player rather than devise some plays where we can use his exceptional talents to score points a different way, duh! Does this mean we only want to score points in fewer rather than more ways ? Give me a f—-g break.
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Yesterday we signed up for an Australian wine tasting. Price was $95 per person. For various reasons, it was not beneficial that I consume alcohol, so I accompanied Barbara, with a smile, who had a great time and talked to people. I had paid, knew I could not cancel, and said nothing. The sommelier noted I was not drinking and voluntarily removed the charge for my tasting. That was damn nice.
One trend I have seen throughout Australia is the corks are no long being used the vast majority of the time. The predictions are that this is a strong trend and that we will see more and more screwtops even with wines that cost several hundred dollars a bottle.
For those interested, the Australian wines tasted were as follows:
Saint & Scholar Dewys Nectar Sauvignon Blanc2020
Moorooduc Estate Pinot Noir 2015
Tryrell’s Vat 1 Semillon 2014
Huntley Farm Beast Shiraz 2020
Cape Mentelle Chardonnay 2020
D’Arenberg Coppertone Road Cabernet Sauvignon
Shaw & Smith M3 Chardonnay 2021
St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
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Many of you have heard me say or seen me wrote that I knew I was playing the 18th hole of life but that I hoped I just teed off, and that it was a par 15. My erudite friend from Perth, who prefers total anonymity, sent the following greeting to his friends last New Year which he entitled ”The Back Nine”.
Time has away of moving quickly and catching us unaware of the passing years.
It seems just yesterday one was young, just married and looking forward to a new life’s journey.
Now that was such a long time ago, and you wonder….where have all those years gone?
No doubt we have lived them all, you reflect back and recall all of our hopes and dreams but here it is, the back nine of our journey….how did it happen so fast…where did the years go?
One remembers seeing older people during the years, and maybe thinking that these older people were years away from we still. The first hole, that back nine was far off.
But…..here it is friends are retired, many going Grey, move slower and I see an older person now.
Some are in better shape, some are worse, but regardless there has been great change,
and we’re are now these older folk we used to see and never thought we would become.
Taking a nap is not a treat anymore, cause if you don’t it will happen anyway.
And so now as we enter into this new season of life, probably unprepared for those aches and pains, the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that we may wanted to do, but never did. So, when unsure how’ll g we will be on the back nine,
we should accept this as the beginning of a new adventure.
Sure….we may have some regrets,
even things we shouldn’t have done, things we should have done.
But indeed there are many, many things one is contented to have done….it’s part of “all In a lifetime’s journey.
So if you are not on the back nine, be reminded that it will be here faster than you think.
Whatever you would like to accomplish in your life. do it quickly.
None of us has any promises of tomorrow so we must live for today in the best way we can…. and live it well.
Life is really a gift to each and everyone of us.
Our wishes for you go live happy and healthy, with inner contentment to relax and enjoy our New Year ahead and beyond.
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See you tomorrow. At least that is my plan.
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Go Ukraine
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