General Archives - Page 67 of 78 - Mermaid Cottages on Tybee Island, GA

A note from Sam

I was lucky enough to spend Thanksgiving with friends, some life long, some brand new. Sam, Donna’s dad joined us . Sam is in his 80’s and lives in a Shriner’s Home in Richmond, VA. We loved having him with us and and on this Christmas Eve, I’d like to share his thank you note to all of us to remind us what’s really, really important in life. The picture is of Donna and Sam in front of the beautiful Whalehead Home in Corolla.

“Dear Ladies and Fred:

Food I brought home: There was too much and variety to name all of it.
Tonight is Sunday and I have yet to go through one wing, all the dressing, and I have some kind of square things in the freezer that I’ll have to play by ear as to what they are. Looks like desert to me. Each leg was a lunch by itself. It provided me with a lot of lunches. I have really ate for two weeks now. None wasted.

Donna and I hit rain and some fog all the way back Sunday. We just took
our time. It was on and off not too much serious rain or fog. The fog
was over as we got out of the obx. We were not able to have the view coming across the bridge. However, we did have a good trip down and back
and enjoyed each others company.

Words can not express my thanks to all for reinviting me down this year.
I am indeed a lucky guy to have you all as my friends. I hope I get recycled again next year. I had a good time enjoying every ones company and social. Also, I enjoyed helping out where I could without getting into trouble!!!!!! No competition for a trash mans job!!!! A tremendous week as Donna puts it, no service, schedule, or boss. [I added in the
boss]. However, I did have ask what the meal schedule was though. ha
ha… I have never been in such a relaxing setting as the obx is.
Time moved right along. And of course my buddy Annie who kept me company while walking. A great pet. Also, the pool and facility was great too.

Again, thank you all for the invitation. In particular I enjoyed the social. Without the social/people you have nothing. I enjoyed each and
everyone of your company. Friends & social are very important. And we
did not even have a fight…ha ha… Everything worked out great. Life is good.

I did not have your all e mail addresses so I have arranged through Donna to do a fwd for me. Thanks again to all.

Happy Holidays to all. With love and good times…
sAm….”

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Taking the Waters in Berkeley Springs, WV

1 Comment / General / Diane Kaufman

We’re home with my folks and one of our regular things we do is go to the Berkeley Springs State Park Bath House. Berkeley Springs used to be called the Town of Bath back when George Washington was president. They call themselves the Country’s first Spa because of the healing mineral springs here and George and friends would come and relax and heal with the waters. The fact it’s so close to DC ( 90 minutes) has made this little town home to a number of B&B’s and day spas, all extolling the benefits of the springs! The State Park was built n 1930 and been in use ever since.

For those of you who are spa dogs like me, you’d be laughing like I was during my massage experience . This is not a place of soft lighting, relaxing music, lit candles and soothing voices. A place where they practise the art of making the over worked and over stressed feel better about paying so much to “relax”. This spa is where the women all wear white outfits and the building looks like a 1930’s sanatorium . You almost feel like you’re in the mental facility from “One flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. Yet I love it because it is so basic and that alone is very soothing because you do feel like you’ve stepped back in time! No lush fluffy robe, you’re given a sheet to wrap yourself up in and then led to the massage table. Did I mention it’s 8 degrees outside and because of that, it’s just darn cold inside? No matter, you’re on the table, and the massage starts. Again this really is fun, the massage is not laying of the hands over your heart to feel your chakras, it’s slapping and rubbing and moving you around like your a big ole pile of dough to be kneaded. The room is one big room and you can see and hear the others – who are all tourists mostly from DC, having the same experience. I can almost hear the suppressed giggles because I know we’re all feeling the exact same way…

The funniest is the old fashioned heat cabinet! Do you remember the I Love Lucy episode where Lucy sat in the heat cabinet to lose weight? The spa has one of these and I’ve actually sat in this! Your head sticks out and you truly feel like you and Ethel are on another crazy adventure! I tried to find a picture of what that looks

I do love this little town and I highly recommend the “spa” experience. They are in the 21st century with their website http://www.berkelyspringssp.com/ and if you’re ever in the area, I please visit!

PS- the icing on the cake for me was when I was finished being kneaded, the little massage lady looks at me when I get up and says ” You’re a tall one ain’t you!” I promise, you won’t get that type of praise at Canyon Ranch!!!

PPS- if anyone can find a picture of Lucy with her head stuck out of the heat cabinet- please email to me! I can’t find it anywhere on the web and I’d love to see!

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My last day in SoBe and it’s a winner!

3 Comments / General / Diane Kaufman

7AM Yoga on the beach…. sure sounded like a good idea until that alarm goes off bright and early. Just like the days of raising Katie, I have to make sure the dogs are walked and fed, get myself dressed and then walk-quickly- the 5 blocks to the beach to meet Susan for Yoga. All before the sun has risen. I need to remember to tell my friends still raising children how much I admire how hard they work…. However once there- paradise! The sun is rising over the ocean right in front of us, there is a cool breeze blowing, the ocean is sparkling, the beach is wide and clean, we’re right in front of those really cool art deco brightly painted lifeguard stations. The Yoga teacher varies each morning and most of the class is extremely experienced, however in true yoga form, the teacher never makes us less experienced people feel bad, she came around and helped all of us improve our form. Boy did it feel good!!! After a hour of yoga and stretching, Susan and I head off to meet her husband and his brother for breakfast at the News Cafe right on Ocean Drive in the art of the Art Deco Section. http://www.newscafe.com/ This is the place where Gianni Versace eat breakfast every day when he was in South Beach before he was murdered…. Lovely meal, interesting conversation and then off to the day!

I walked 12 blocks down to Lincoln Road to become newly blond at “Some like it Hot”/Browne and Company , then walked back down Washington Ave to my little vacation home. Lunch was a new find- a little streetside cafe called the Half Moon which only serves empanadas which are little pies full meat or chicken or veggies- all sorts of yummy things. A great lunch for $1.99 plus tax! Then off to Tootsie’s for my annual new pair of havainas. These are the world’s best flip flops, made in Brazil. This little pedicure place started to sell these and they are the place in Miami Beach where people come and buy dozens of pairs. For $22.00 a pair, they are a fashion statement. When I was there, there was a lady from South Africa literally buying 12 pairs, a couple from Costa Rica buying 4 or 5 pairs and people just coming in and out. Just amazing!!! http://www.havaianas.com/ is their official website.

Then off to my friend Karyn’s condo which was built in 1958 by Morris Lapidus the architect of so many Miami Beach landmarks including the Fountainbleu ( which has just been completely restored to it’s original glory ( and includes an adult only European pool…). Karyn’s condo overlooks Biscayne Bay and looks over to downtown Miami. What a glorious site day or night! We’re here making potato latkes for her company’s holiday party tom morrow night…. 10 lbs worth! By hand! I just read Martha Stewart’s Blog and she was lucky enough to attend the grand re opening of the Fountainbleau and also blogged about the increidble work of Morris Lapidus. He truly changed the face of the look of Miami Beach.

Back to reality ( if you can call Tybee Island reality!) It’s been a week plus of great adventures!

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Another day of adventure- SoBe style!

Leave a Comment / General / Diane Kaufman

We headed to the local “green market” to support some local businesses . The Downtown and Midtown areas of Biscayne Blvd are going through a major re gentrification and small businesses are coming in right and left. The Green Market features great produce ( we bought mango’s, oranges, lemons and limes) Olive Oil, local honey ( mangrove was the type I purchased), delicious bread, even dog biscuits! The dogs biscuits were outstanding – according to Danny and Max. You can order them from Ana- she’s very proud of them and personally makes them ,www.pawsanddogs.com and you can learn more about the Green Market www.themarketcompany.org

Met up with more friends at yet another small local restaurant and had such an interesting sighting! This gentleman had his little dog at lunch with him and since it was quite cold for Miami, the little dog was wearing her poncho….. And happily posed for her pictures.

I never cease to be surprised at how quickly people are posing for me – especially when I say it’s for my blog. The Internet is making everyone a star for at least one blog entry! Wrapping up the Miami adventures, but still a few more stories and pictures to share!

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My favorite building in my SoFi neighborhood

2 Comments / General / Diane Kaufman

There is a building we walk by three times a day about 2 blocks from our little vacation rental. The building is called “Cyclone” and we never, ever see anyone coming in or out. Not at 7AM or midnight. Ever. We’ve seen two dogs one afternoon and we see lights on but never humans.

The building could only exist here ( or prehaps you’d see this in Disney World – but no where else in the real world would a home like this be built…) The building is my favorite colors of sun washed yellow, blues and greens surrounded by tropical trees and flowers. It’s supposed to look like a cyclone had dropped in the sea and then the cyclone swopped and took the sea with it. Look at all these sea creatures on the walls. They are ceramic or something very durable. And look at the iron door! It’s a huge octupus! I can peak in the windows at night and see this huge disco ball and massive long white curtains that are easily two stories tall. Have no idea what this place is… so anyone who might know the building, please let me know.