Happy 70th Chuck!

 

December 20, 2021

Happy 70^th Chuck!

We returned to Key West just in time to celebrate the holidays which this year included a very special party to honor the 70^th birthday of our friend Captain Chuck Butler. We have known Chuck and his wife Sue for at least 20 years and they are two of the nicest, most awesome people that we have had the pleasure of counting among our friends.

To mark this major milestone, Chuck held an amazing birthday party at the Lost Kitchen Supper Club on Stock Island with a feast of Stone Crab Claws, as well as other yummy dishes and an open bar. A terrific duo of instrumentalists played a beautiful selection of mostly classical music as well and the entire ambiance and atmosphere was wonderful.

Chuck has been the owner operator of Seaclusion Charters, a Key West fishing charter icon for more than twenty-five years and is one of the go-to charters that I recommend to any friends who are visiting that are interested in fishing. Not only is Chuck an amazing charter captain and great guide and fisherman, he is just a fun and interesting person to be around. One of his hobbies is to take long solo bike tours which he has done across the United States and in Europe as well and he always has fascinating stories of his adventures to share.

The Lost Kitchen Supper Club is a cool location to hold such a gathering. A throwback to old Key West located at Safe Harbor Marina, along the dock just past the HogFish restaurant, the Supper Club harkens back to the cool, funky old school Key West of 30 or more years ago. With the Supper Club downstairs and a funky art gallery filled with long-time local artists, as well as its location right on the dock, the club is a fun and funky place.

The owners offer all sorts of amazing events on their own including special themed dinners, brunches and other culinary delights by the owners and head chef as well as providing the location as a rental for special events like Chuck’s party.

It was a festive evening all around as the occasion itself was fun as well as the proximity to the holiday, which always puts people in a good mood. It was great to be out with so many close friends, as the pandemic has severely limited opportunities to enjoy celebrations like this for the past few years. We saw a ton of friends that we had not really had much chance to spend time with of late and enjoyed the amazing food and libations as well.

Thanks so much to Chuck and Sue for including us in their milestone celebration. Wishing Chuck a happy and healthy 70^th year and many more wonderful years ahead. 

https://www.seaclusion.com/

http://www.lostkitchenkeywest.com/

Full Circle

 

December 18, 2021

Full Circle

Our vacation to Disney came full circle on our last day there as we returned to the theme park that we started at, Epcot. This time we were with Dakota and her family and so the nature of our visit was somewhat different. Epcot is actually where we spent much of our time during the trip, as Kathy and I would go there in the evenings as well after the family had returned to their hotel for naptime.

It is easily my favorite Disney theme park and even though there is a massive construction project and major revitalization and new attractions being built, there was still plenty enough open to keep us occupied throughout the visit. This time, thanks to getting up early and booking a spot in line (thanks Dakota) we were able to score a place on the newest and most popular ride, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.

Not only did we get a reserved spot and entry time, it was pretty much right away after arriving. To reach the attraction, we had to wander through the beautiful new expansion of the France pavilion, where a new crepe restaurant, La Crêperie de Paris, and whimsical architecture inspired by the film (unique details include a fountain featuring bursting Champagne bottles and Remy). After entering through a Parisian theater, we followed the queue to the rooftops of Paris, where we put on our 3D glasses and boarded the trackless ride vehicle shaped like an adorable rat.

During the ride, you experience the sights, sounds, and even smells as you scurry through Gusteau's restaurant with a combination of physical sets and 3D scenes. Ride vehicles move and tilt to create a more immersive experience, and the result is an adorable attraction that captures the fun, whimsy, and magic of the film. We loved it.

Next it was back to the Biergarten Restaurant in the Germany pavilion of the World Showcase for another wonderful, leisurely lunch, this time with the whole group. Our lunch took us through an entire show of the musical tribute to Germany and of course we really enjoyed again the delicious buffet of German food selections. 

After lunch we continued around the World Showcase, Sloane wanted to stop and meet the Princesses Elsa and Anna from the “Frozen” films who were on hand in the Norway pavilion greeting children. Sloane and the family also had the chance to ride the very, very popular “Frozen Ever After” attraction. The ride which is aboard a small boat, is the reconfigured former “Maelstrom” ride, which Disney adroitly rethemed to match their very popular films.

We also had time to go through the Living Seas exhibit and a few others before Kathy and I had to say our sad goodbyes and get on the road to head back to Key West. It was a longish drive and we stayed at Epcot as long as we thought reasonable into the early afternoon before hitting the turnpike southbound. 

It had been a truly wonderful and amazing trip, but we needed to get home and back to reality and Dakota and her family were flying back to New Mexico early the next morning. Kathy and I were thrilled and honored to be included in their family vacation and we had a really amazing trip. One that we will certainly have to repeat once Norah gets old enough to truly enjoy and understand the experience.