Back in South Beach!

Hey folks, did you miss me?  I missed you, but we had a wonderful trip. I really LOVE the energy in Miami, and our family members who live there are such a joy. I will be making a few installments about our Miami trip since there is so much content. I like this photo I snapped as we were walking back from Lincoln Road to our hotel in the Art Deco District. It catches a bit of the mod vibe.

Backing up chronologically, Wynne and I had to wake up at 4:45 a.m. to catch our ride to the airport, so we missed breakfast. But guess what? I was thrilled to find vegan food at Hartsfield/Jackson International Airport, yep, that's right, even here in the deep south!

It may not look like much, but let me tell you, it was the best in-transit food I had on the trip. Road/air food is the toughest part for me about being vegan. I wish these pecans would find their way to all the gas station stores I visited as we drove home.  They were seriously delectable. The Lemon-Thyme Pecans were made with fresh lemons and herbs and the tiniest touch of palm cane juice. But the forward flavor was that of the nut. The lemon, thyme and palm cane juice were only enhancements. I couldn't have made 'em better myself. With the nuts, I had a delicious soy latte, no sweet -- just the way I like it.  Thus nourished, I was ready to proceed with the easy flight, in the good company of my daughter. We only brought carry-ons, so it was a breeze. I love traveling light.

Upon arrival in Miami, my husband and son met us at the airport. They had already been in South Beach for several days on a fishing trip. We spent the first couple of nights at the home of my husband's sisters, their Mom, Maria Jose, and her new husband, John. In the next Miami installment of "A Midlife Vegan" I will be featuring some of the wonderful vegan food Maria Jose created especially for me! She is an amazing cook! But for now, let me tell you about some of the entertainment:

My husband's sisters are all amazingly talented musicians, and whenever we are with them the air is sure to be full of song. As luck would have it, my daughter, Wynne, also has a beautiful voice and has of late been learning how to play guitar. Above is a shot of Wynne with her Aunt Sabrina on Bass, and Aunt Liana teaching the harmonies. Liana is in her second year at University of Miami Frost School of Music. She is working toward being a music teacher. The girls were looking up the words to songs they liked so they could sing them. No music, they just sang/played by ear. My other wonderful sister-in-law, Ariella, was also involved in this songfest when she got home later, but I was showering at that point so I missed getting her in one of these shots.

Here's another angle of the entertainment. That's my son, Hans, on the left. The girls even had him adding a deep, percussive chant to one of their songs. It was a great afternoon leading up to a fun New Year's Eve Party. Here's sweet Sabrina all cleaned up for the party:

That's about it for this first installment of the Miami Files. I'll share more later.