Musings
Salty's Got Game
Sometimes when you see your parents or grandparents in their mature ages, you forget that at one point in their lives, they were young, vivacious, athletically ambitious and fierce. They were, to a degree, versions of your current self in what might feel like a distant lifetime ago.
Living in the Newport area, it's no surprise when you visit friends' and neighbors' homes that they are dusted with some sort of silver dish or plaque from a sailing regatta in our local waters. My house is no different. Silver, pewter and various shades of mahogany and teak are scattered around our house that remind us of my Father's triumphs on the water. From champagne buckets to punch bowls, to catch-alls and odd figures and frames, they truly come in all forms. I've even smuggled a few of these out to San Francisco with me.
Over the holiday, my Father and I pulled out boxes upon boxes of his sailing trophies to reminisce on his glory days. As my Dad enthusiastically rattled on about the time his J-24 was on the cover of Sail Magazine in '79 and the week he spent with Dennis Connor and the Freedom team tuning up before the America's Cup in '74, I was reminded that my Father had it all happening. In my opinion, the best part of his adventures on the race course back in the day, was his ability to reflect on them in the present, 30 years later with his daughter he taught how to sail.
Above: A quick snapshot of some of Salty's trophies in all shapes and sizes, including signature beer cans from the 1974 America's Cup in Newport, Rhode Island.
The Grandest
Mothers are the grandest and mine does not fall short by any measure. Happy Birthday to you, Mom! Love you to the moon and back! xx
About Town in Boston: B&G / No. 9 Park
Boston restauranteur Barbara Lynch Gruppo has left a twinkle in my eye. During a brief stay in Boston, I had the pleasure of dining at B&G Oyster and No. 9 Park, two of her eight restaurants in the Red Sox nation. B&G Oyster proved to be the perfect landscape for an afternoon lunch on a chilly winter day in the South End. We shared oysters, a snap pea salad, brussels sprouts and moules frites accompanied by wine. The restaurant is a modern take on the classic New England oyster bar. In the summer, their patio is apparently all the rage.
That evening, we braved the cold and went to Beacon Hill and ate at No. 9 Park. Tucked away in a historic townhouse, the restaurant is an elegant jewel box that has rightfully earned acclaim for their outstanding wine collection and French and Italian inspired cuisine. Dare I say, the cheese platter alone outdid some I've swooned over in San Francisco, and lamb accompanied by a decadent gorgonzola fondue was impressive. Both experiences proved to be memorable and I'm looking forward to returning.
Above: a snap from our lunch at B&G Oysters.