North Carolina Baby Visit Day #2 “Let’s Get Outside!”

by reissmd, posted in Wilmington, North Carolina

We planned a lovely series of outdoor activities for Day #2 in North Carolina with our daughter. Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate and brought us a rainy day. Weather would not stand in our way and out we went to explore Wilmington, NC.

First on the menu was a visit to the Airlie Gardens [300 Airlie Rd, Wilmington, NC 28403]. We tried to head there yesterday but arrived just after closing. Today we were not to be denied.

The Gardens were beautiful. Unfortunately the tram was not running but the rain clouds were. The main attraction at the gardens is the Bottle Chapel. It is made of discarded bottles and cement. It has a wooden and metal frame and measures 17 x 17 feet. LA people might think it looks like a mini version of our Watts Towers. See below.

Bottle Chapel at the Airlie Gardens in Wilmington, N.C. Selfie of Patrice and me with one of our favorite photograpers.

We also visited the Butterfly House. This got us out of the rain but we only saw a few butterflies .

Western Giant Swallowtail who lives in the Butterfly House.

The gardens also had a number of gorgeous flowers and other forms of vegetation.

Beautiful to the eye and to the nose: Jasmine
The lovely but poisonous Foxglove. Source of the medicine we call Digitalis.

Then Erica spotted this critter in a lake.

A turtle swimming about and occasionally checking us out.

After the gardens we headed to one our favorite travel activities, A FOOD TOUR.

We had a little trouble finding the starting point when the link in the confirmation email sent us to a location about 15 miles from where we were supposed to be. One phone call and a great GPS got us to the tour just about 1 minute late. After apologies to the other participants we were on our way.

First stop was Prost Biergarten [115 S Front St, Wilmington, NC 28401] where we had a potato pancake (or a latke as my brethren would say). It was outstanding. It was served with a tiny glass of beer which I loved. Yes, I drank some beer.

Potato pancake, with some sour cream, apple sauce, and a small glass of beer. Seconds after this picture was taken, all were located in my stomach.

Next we headed to Beer Barrio [34 N Front St, Wilmington, NC 28401] for Mexican food. Living in Southern California has convinced me that people outside our region don’t know what good Mexican food is. I couldn’t imagine anyone in North Carolina knowing how to make decent Mexican food. I was wrong, this place served us a wonderful “Pulled Pork Soft Taco”. It was also accompanied by a small glass of beer which I again drank (yes, 2 small beers in the same day).

Pulled pork tacos. Also notice the small glasses of beer.
They also offered a vegetarian taco for those wanting to avoid meat. I didn’t try this one but I heard it was great.

Next we were off to Savorez Latin Cuisine [402 Chestnut St #4026, Wilmington, NC 28401] where we were served a tostada with seared tuna with a margarita. Neither are my favorites and I only tasted them. Erica said they were good so I will leave it at that.

Tostada and a margarita. You might like it but it was yuck to me.

We next went to Floriana [2 Market St, Wilmington, NC 28401] where they served us Arancini, (a fried risotto ball) and a glass of red wine. Sorry I didn’t take a picture of either. I think the beers were starting to get to me. I didn’t care for the wine but did like the risotto.

For dessert we headed to Gelarto [18 S Water St STE 5, Wilmington, NC 28401]. We had delicious gelato there. I had the rum raisin again. Again? Yes, we went there yesterday after our river tour. Sorry no picture of the gelato but I did find this pasted to the door of the establishment.

Didn’t think I would see this in North Carolina.

After the tour we talked about going across the river to see the USS North Carolina but being cold, wet, and under the influence of beer we decided to go back to the hotel and take a nap. I know, I am boring.

Tomorrow we head for home, and say good bye to Erica. Vegas odds are 70% saying that I will cry. I won’t comment.

North Carolina Baby Visit Day #1 “Why We Travel”

by reissmd, posted in Wilmington, North Carolina

Today we headed to Wilmington to see our daughter, Erica. That is Wilmington, North Carolina not Wilmington, California, Ohio, or Delaware. Last year, Erica told us she planned to go to North Carolina for a friend’s wedding. How could we pass up an easy opportunity to see our baby?

Someone asked me if I planned to blog about this trip. I replied, “Blogging is my only reason for traveling these days”. That was a joke of course but traveling has become so stressful a lot of the fun has been taken out of it. For example they ask you to arrive 2 hours early for a domestic flight and 3 hours ahead of departure for international travel. That alone is enough to discourage you. My friend, Mike, offered to take us to the airport and traffic was crazier than usual. It was so bad that if I said I owe MIke one, I would be lying. I owe him two.

So we flew into Wilmington, North Carolina last night and this morning got to see our girl.

The three of us walked around the town a bit and took an uneventful boat tour on part of the Cape Fear river. Our guide told us that the movie entitled “Cape Fear” supposedly took place in this area. The movie makers took some poetic license since the picture was actually filmed in Georgia and Florida. As you can tell from the sign below, this tour did not have me in mind.

When a tour’s main drawing point is a “Full Bar” it might not be my kind of attraction.

But let’s get to what the followers of this blog really want, PICTURES OF FOOD! Patrice found a great restaurant called “Flying Machine Oyster Bar” [530 Causeway Dr T-1, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 (910) 239-9474]. Knowing how much I like to drink, doesn’t this seem like my kind of place? We were told they were known for their fish which is something I do like.

Our waiter, Anthony, gave us a run down of what to expect from the variety of dishes. Monday night they have a special of raw oysters for $1 each. Erica wanted to try one. We asked Anthony if there was a minimum we could order and he said no. But there was a maximum. We could only order 36 or less. I think we could safely stay under that maximum since neither Patrice nor I wanted any. We ordered 4 and when they arrived I have to say I was intrigued. As you might know I am not into sushi. I like my food dead and cooked so for me to give raw oysters a try was a real adventure. See below.

Four raw oysters waiting for me to say yes.

I saw Erica eat one so I had to give it a try. I have to admit, it was not bad. Actually it was quite good. I would have had more but we had lots of yummy stuff on the way. I ordered the Shrimp and Grits. I have a rule, never order Shrimp and Grits above the Mason Dixon Line. We are well south of that demarcation so I had at it.

Shrimp and Grits were delicious.

Patrice and Erica shared an entree (Lobster Mac and Cheese) and an appetizer (Pork Wings). I found the idea of pork wings especially interesting since I never knew pigs could fly.

Pork wings. They were spectacular (I had to try one).
Lobster Mac and Cheese. I tried this too. I better go to the gym.

Many thanks to our server, Anthony, who made sure we didn’t make any errors with our order.

Two of my favorite women, Erica and Patrice (love you too Lindsay), with our new friend Anthony.

Like I said I better hit the gym to work off some of those calories (I failed to tell you about the gelato we had earlier in the day). Actually, I think I will lie down until my gym urge passes.

See you tomorrow when they are predicting an 85% chance of rain. Ugh.

Here Comes the Sun, There Goes the Sun, Day #3 “D-Day”

by reissmd, posted in Dallas

Well today was the day I’d been waiting for since August 21, 2017.  As I posted 2 days ago that day in 2017 our family had traveled to Nashville to see a solar eclipse only to be disappointed as clouds blocked our view just seconds before totality.  This time had to be different, didn’t it?  Maybe not, below is what I saw on my phone this morning.  

Clouds predicted to arrive between 10 AM to 2 PM. The eclipse totality was to be at 1:40 PM. No! No! No!

In addition, the morning had an ominous start when our daughter called to tell us that her baby and her husband both had a night filled with major gastrointestinal misery.  Next I saw Patrice headed to the bathroom with her own GI trauma.  Being the good husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather that I am I said “damn with the eclipse I’m staying with my family.”  Well that’s not exactly correct.  I did say the part about staying with my family but I didn’t mean my sick travel partners but rather my son, David’s family.  So I gave the car key to Patrice put myself in David and Robyn’s hands (actually their car) and headed west in search of clear skies.  

We stopped in a parking lot in Arlington nearby where the Dallas Cowboys (NFL) and Texas Rangers (MLB) play. We were unable to get into their parking lots but did find a place close by that was essentially empty. We did see some other eclipse chasers and we all waited for the big moment. Unfortunately about 15 minutes into our wait a security guard ambled by and said you cannot park here for the eclipse. We saw a few of the other travelers leave but Robyn headed to the guard to have a chat. I should have warned that guy that he was overmatched but instead I decided to just watch her do her handiwork. Sure enough about 10 minutes later I saw the thumbs up sign that we were good to stay put.

The security guard might not have been a match for Robyn but mother nature proved to be too much for us. As the moon began to encroach on our view of the sun, clouds started to gather nearby. The masterminds (David and Robyn) huddled and it was decided to move further west (or was it east? I don’t really know, I was just glad to have a ride). We next found ourselves in this unlikely location.

Interesting combination, Jewels and Firearms.

We started to view again and were even joined by a couple of employees from the store. They had no problem with us taking a parking space and I finally felt like I could relax. The eclipse was progressing nicely with about 95% of the process completed. But David and Robyn had concerns about the clouds and again we off to seek clear skies. At this point I was starting to get a bit concerned. We were very close to the moment of totality and we were in the car. Robyn was doing her best to get us to a good spot and David was doing his best navigating. We made a stop which I though would be our last but seconds later we were back in the car. Time was precious so I said all clear even though I had not had time to put on my seat belt. Robyn was flying down the highway and I tried to grab the seatbelt while holding on as tight as I could to the seat. This proved to be a hopeless effort but I am happy to report I didn’t not soil myself but I did come close.

We finally stopped in a parking lot and had a small area of clear skies and we saw it! Yes we saw the total solar eclipse. It was spectacular. It exceded my imagination and made all the efforts worthwhile. I have to thank David and Robyn because without their efforts I would not have been able to see it.

David was especially helpful in explaining different phenomena associated with the eclipse. I was so proud listening to him explain all the things thinking what a smart son I have. I also was very proud of me becuase I actually understood what he was saying. Well, to be honest, not all the time. But my 15 year old grandson, Owen, did. David pointed out that we would be able to see a sunset in all directions during the eclipse. Here is a video I took of that moment,

I have done it. A life goal has been achieved. And at my age who knows how many more oppoturnities I would have had. I can check this one off my list and move on. Of course what about doing it again August 12, 2026 in Spain? Why not!

Here Comes the Sun, There Goes the Sun, Day #2. “Eclipse Eve”

by reissmd, posted in Dallas

Today was a wonderful day. First I have to tell you that this hotel has been very unimpressive. We are staying at the Dallas Marriott Suites Medical/Market Center. We started our day with a mediocre breakfast at the hotel. It was a buffet that makes a Residence Inn breakfast seem like a feast. Prior to that I worked out in the gym which was more like a sauna. When we got back from our day in the city, the rooms had not been serviced. Unlikely this place will get any reservations from followers of my blog.

Then it was off to tour the city. Our daughter-in-law Robyn always does a great job arranging tours when we travel. She set up today’s tour. Much of it included the area around where John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Having been an early teen on November 22, 1963, it is still hard for me to be taken back to that fateful day. I could feel myself getting tearful talking about it.

The highway is marked at the two locations where Kennedy was shot. Maybe I am just too sensitive but it irked me to see people taking selfies or posing at the two spots. One genius even had his picture taken while lying down in the middle of the highway. Just to be clear this is an active and busy highway. It reminded me of when we were at the 9/11 Memorial in New York and the Atomic bomb memorial in Hiroshima. How people can treat these locations like tourist sights is beyond me. These areas are meant to honor the dead not be an amusement park like Disneyland. Sorry if I am ranting a bit.

After the tour we were off to lunch. Robyn knew what great BBQ fans Patrice and I are so she suggested we eat at Terry Black’s BBQ (3025 Main St, Dallas, TX 75226). This place has the reputation of being the best BBQ in Dallas. When we arrived there was a line beyond belief. See below.

This is only part of the line,.

Our daughter, Lindsay, made it clear that this was not a place that she could wait with her 2 year old. I was so glad to hear her say that because my back started to ache just looking at the line. But thanks to our ever resourceful daughter-in-law, Robyn, we were saved. She found out the the line outside was for the BAR! So glad to learn they love their guns AND their liquor in Dallas. Robyn got us a table, so we entered the restaurant and had a meal beyond my ability to describe. We were joined by Patrice’s cousin Paula and her husband Tim. See the picture below.

The Reiss Clan in Dallas at Terry Black’s BBQ

After lunch we went back to the hotel to relax by the pool. Catch a glimpse of Patrice and me relaxing at the pool. I asked someone to take our picture but clearly they aren’t very proficient at using a phone camera. See below.

Tomorrow is the big day. If the skies look anything like today I will be saying, “Looking forward to Spain August 12, 2026”.

Here Comes the Sun, There Goes the Sun, Day #1. “Why Me?”

by reissmd, posted in Dallas

I’ve been waiting for this day since August 2017.  Back then we traveled to Nashville to see the total eclipse of the sun. Followers of this blog might recall that the weather has not always cooperated with my travel plans.  Fog prevented us seeing a crater in Costa Rica.  That wasn’t nearly as upsetting as going to Brazil to see the Christ the Redeemer statue only to be limited to viewing from the waist down again due to fog.  But probably the most frustrating was Nashville in August 2017 when we went to see the total eclipse of the sun.  We were having a great time as the sun/moon moved toward totality.  With the sun approximately 98%, covered clouds crept in front and blocked our view of the big event.  This was especially upsetting because one of my friends decided in the last minute to make the trip.  He couldn’t get a room in Nashville because of his last minute decision.  Instead he was outside of town and saw the eclipse perfectly. 

We decided to give it another try this time. Our son, David, is also going to attend with his family.  Our daughter Lindsay is traveling with her family as well.  The big moment is Monday April 8th.  So to play it safe we reserved tickets to Dallas on a Saturday 9 AM flight.  We didn’t want to take a chance that anything might happen on Sunday preventing us from getting to Dallas in time.  The night before our Saturday departure we were notified that our flight was going to be delayed and we would be leaving at 1:00 pm instead.  This was particularly upsetting since we would be traveling with our 2 year old grandson who has a very regimented schedule.  We did some whining about the change but finally became adjusted to the new departure time when we were notified that the plane would leave at 2:00.  Hmmm, then a few minutes later it was changed to 2:30.  What horrible thing did I do to deserve this?

Luckily we did take off at 2:30 and had a smooth flight to Dallas.  Arrival and getting to the hotel was relatively painless (if traveling with a 2 year old can ever be painless, no matter how cute he is).  So we are settled in our abode and trying to decompress after a very stressful day.  Sorry, no pictures of food or anything else today.  But I will leave you with a description  of a billboard  we saw off the freeway.  It was an advertisement and read “14 Acres of Guns and Gear.  You are in NRA Texas”.   Needless to say, we will be leaving shortly after the eclipse. 

The Keys to Enjoyment Day #4: “Heading Home”

by reissmd, posted in Florida Keys, Key Largo

First of all thank you for the comments to yesterday’s post. I really hate to think I am writing to no one so all the comments yesterday really warmed my heart. Making a comment is very easy. If you are a subscriber to the blog you should receive an email. If you simply reply to that email it gets posted as a comment.

Another great trip has ended.  We had a wonderful time exploring the Keys.  I’m sure we would come here often if we lived in the east or a nearby cold climate. Luckily we live in paradise so I don’t think we will plan to come here again in the near future.  

Although it was a fun trip there was one thing I need to warn you about.  Being a bit humid here (not overwhelming in March) makes it a haven for mosquitoes.  Unfortunately the critters seem to love me.  Next time I’ll remember to bring insect repellent.  

There were other interesting things about the trip:  

In Key West there were chickens and roosters all over the place.  No one gave us an answer why they were there. They were numerous and they were loud. 

One of many roosters.
Another hanging out by a food truck.
Here is one in a tree.

Back at the hotel if you don’t want to be disturbed you put this on your room door handle. 

Is this supposed to mean “Do not disturb, I’m in the process of hanging myself”?

Okay here is the trip quiz. 

Does anyone know the name of this fruit? It was very tasty,.

Speaking of tasty, I saw this in Key West. 

I spent the rest of our trip trying to convince Patrice that they were referring to me.

And lastly, I loved this sign on one of the many bars we saw in Key West. 

Thank you so much for all your comments. If you enjoy the blog feel free to share it with friends and family. You won’t have to wait long for my next post.

Saturday we leave for ………………

The Keys to Enjoyment Day #3: Our Final Day in Key Largo

by reissmd, posted in Key Largo

Last night we had a great dinner at the Atlantic’s Edge restaurant located in the Cheeca Lodge and Spa. The hotel complex was a favorite of George H.W. Bush who put his name on two different fishing contests sponsored by the hotel. Jack Nicklaus was also a frequent guest and he designed their 9 hole golf course. There are a lot of photos of both of them at the hotel (including one of Nicklaus playing tennis). Other celebrities who purportedly frequented this hotel include baseball legend Ted Williams, sportscaster Curt Gowdy, and actors (husband and wife) Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. The hotel can now boast of a visit by the famous travel blogger Robert Reiss.

For dinner we had the yellow snapper which was recommended to us by Patrice’s sister (and loyal blog follower), Fern. We both loved the dish. See below.

As was the case last night Patrice had the Lobster Mac and Cheese. This time we shared it as an appetizer.

This morning I got up early and RAN 3.2 miles in the hotel fitness room. It was very crowded and some jerk asked me, “Sir, how long until you are done with your walk?”. Grrrrrrr!

We then had breakfast and we were off. Patrice found something that looked very interesting. Not too far north is the Everglades Alligator Farm. It included a ride in their air boat (very similar to the one that capsized in Miami two days ago) and a lecture about these fascinating creatures. The ride was disappointing unless you are interested in getting your pants soaked. The lecture was a little more interesting. I would recommend you take a pass on this adventure. We did get a nice look at a number of their gators. That was interesting. See below.

Our guide said that, unlike crocodiles, alligators don’t eat people. I prefer not to test the vericity of his statement.

One other thing I liked about the alligator farm was how they acknowledged my celebrity. See below.

I thanked the staff but asked that they keep others from asking for autographs.

Then it was back to the hotel to do my favorite activity, chill by the pool. This place is really beautiful. Here are some pictures:

A view of the pool.
Playa Largo Resort and Spa lobby.
Our room.

In the early evening I logged in to my book group meeting back home and then it was off to dinner. Patrice found a gem on Yelp called, Hobo’s Cafe (101691 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037). It is a low key restaurant (oops, unintended pun) with excellent parking, service, and oh yes, food. Prices are reasonable. Very reasonable compared to the other places we have been to on this trip.

I had the Lobster and Shrimp Po Boy. Yum.
I am sure you could guess by now, Patrice had the Lobster Mac and Cheese.
We shared the Cracked Conch (again, pronounced like conk) as an appetizer. We liked the Conch Fritters at Sol much more than this.
I think we look like happy diners, no?

Tomorrow is getaway day. Not sure if I will have much to post. I am not sure if it will matter because I am only seeing a handful of comments. Is it time to close this thing down? If you are reading, please make comments.

Later, y’all.

The Keys to Enjoyment: Day #2 “The Longest Day”

by reissmd, posted in Key West

Last night we had a great meal at the hotel restaurant called “Sol”.  One of our friends, Michael  (yes, it seems like almost all of my friends are named Michael which makes remembering their names easier) heard we were coming to the Keys and had some recommendations. Michael is from Chicago and as a kid his family would often vacation in the Keys.  He said we had to have “Conch” (pronounced “conk” by locals).  Last night we saw it on the menu as an appetizer.  We gave it a try and were not disappointed. See below. 

Conch Fritters from Sol in the Playa Largo Resort and Spa. They were spectacular.

The main courses were also delicious.  See below.

Patrice had the LOBSTER Mac and Cheese. When we were dating she was so frugal. What happened?
I had the Red Snapper and it was superb.

After dinner we did some reading and then it was off to bed. We were exhausted. We had a very restful night most likely due to our absurdly early departure yesterday. As we were leaving for breakfast this morning we encountered the housekeeping person entering our room. We had a couple of requests and she didn’t understand so she asked us “In Spanish?”. I thought this was a bit odd because her nametag said she was from Haiti. Don’t they speak French there? Anyway we tried our best to use our Spanish to get our requests understood. With that accomplished Patrice said goodbye in her best Spanish saying, “Vamos a desayunar” (We are going to breakfast). She didn’t seem to understand so I repeated it thinking maybe Patrice spoke too fast. The housekeeper looked at us and said, “In Spanish?”. So much for our many hours of practice on Duolingo.

After a quick breakfast we set out to explore the island. We drove 95 miles south to Key West. Unfortunately I think we did not prepare well for this trip. An air flight from Miami would have been a much better decision. The drive was on the single lane State Highway #1 with traffic limiting our speed from 55 to as slow as 8 mph. It was a difficult drive and not worth the effort.

Key West is an interesting town with lots of bars and restaurants. There are some tourist attractions and bars. And did I mention there are some bars? We decided to visit Ernest Hemingway’s Key West home. Seeing the house was of modest interest. They had a number of pictures and information on the walls that was much more appealing to me. I did find one thing very interesting. They had numerous signs cautioning guests not to sit on or even touch any of the furniture. See below.

It’s understandable that they would want to preserve the furniture at this historical structure.

We were told that 59 cats live on the property and all are descendants of Hemingways original cats. Apparently staying off the furniture doesn’t apply to them. See below

One of the Hemingway cats on “Papa’s” bed. I suppose the cat was too close to the sign to read it. Maybe the cat was from Haiti?

After Hemingway’s house we were off to see Harry Truman’s Key West White House. It was a short walk from the Hemingway location. I was unaware of Truman’s remote White House. I certainly knew about FDR going to the Maryland retreat that Dwight Eisenhower christened Camp David (after his grandson, David Eisenhower) but I never knew about Truman’s love of Key West.

After paying tribute to Harry S. it was off to dinner and back to the hotel. More about dinner later. I need to get some sleep. Today was exhausting.

The Keys to Enjoyment: Day #1 “All Hail Cesar!”

by reissmd, posted in Florida Keys

Loyal followers of this blog remember that in January of 2023 I ignored my USC Trojan heritage and joined UCLA at their Palos Verdes office.  Two months later, in March, I was still trying to figure how to how get to the office and write a note on the electronic medical record.  Since I was so slow using the computer I would try to save time by checking my upcoming schedule.  On one occasion I saw a full slate of patients for Wednesday and Thursday but no one on Friday.  How could that be, I thought?   I soon realized that none of the other doctors had any patients scheduled.  I later found out that the office was closed in observance of Cesar Chavez day.  I have to plead guilty that I never heard of this holiday. For those interested, President Barack Obama declared March 31st a day to honor the activist, in 2014.  Only 7 states observe the day.  Lucky for me all California state agencies are closed and thus I have the day off. 

We found out about the Cesar Chavez Day holiday too late to take proper advantage of this surprise gift last year. This year we had plenty of time to decide where we should go. We talked about the Bay Area but we go there frequently.  We also considered San Diego but frequent trips there made that seem less attractive.  Las Vegas is close but we don’t like gambling, alcohol, or smoking so that didn’t seem like a good fit.  Finally we decided it was only fitting that we honor Mr. Chavez by either going to Mexico (he was born in Arizona but was of Mexican heritage) or the grape growing regions of northern central California (where he had a major impact on the farmworkers). So with that in mind we agreed to go to the Florida Keys. 

Why the Florida Keys you might be asking.  What do the Keys have to do with Cesar Chavez.  I don’t know but I’ll try to make something up later.  The real reason is that we both love the Beach  Boys song “Kokomo” and always wanted to visit the place.  I’m sure you remember the lyrics:

Off the Florida Keys; There’s a place called Kokomo; That’s where you want to go; To get away from it all; Bodies in the sand; Tropical drink melting in your hand; We’ll be falling in love; to the rhythm of a steel drum band; Down in Kokomo

That settled it, the Florida Keys and Kokomo Beach would be our destination.  We booked our flight and to honor Humphrey Bogart found a hotel in Key Largo.  We would have stayed at Kokomo Beach  but we found out they don’t have hotels.  The reason being there isn’t a Kokomo beach.  There is a city called Kokomo but it’s located in Indiana.  No Kokomo in the Florida Keys in spite of what The Beach Boys said. 

When I shared our travel plans with some friends they all seemed very excited.  “They have great deep sea fishing!”….. hmmm, I get seasick on boats.  “The SCUBA diving is the best down there!”…… hmmm, my ears start hurting when I’m at the bottom of an 8 foot deep pool.   “You’ll have a great time basking in the sun by the pool!” …….. hmmm, ever since I had that huge skin cancer removed from my face laying out in the sun has not been one of my favorite activities.  

I thought for a bit and decided I had to tell Patrice that this wasn’t happening.  So I called out to her , “Honey!”

Then I realized  our airline tickets were not refundable and we paid for the hotel and rental car in advance.  

Patrice replied “Yes?”  

“I just wanted tell you that I’m really looking forward to our trip”

The flight from LAX departed this morning at 6 AM.  I know that sounds early but just think of it as 9 AM Miami time.  It was a very uneventful flight to Miami.  We picked up our rental car then headed to the Playa Largo Resort and Spa in Key Largo.  It was about 65 miles from the airport and mostly on a 1-lane highway so it took us an hour and a half to get to the hotel. It was worth the drive; this place is gorgeous.  There is very intense security as well. When we drove up we were stopped by a guard. He checked a list to see if we were indeed checking in and then motioned us to enter the complex. In addition to the exterior being lovely they have a beautiful lobby, outside, the gardens, pools, and beach complement each other perfectly.

In addition to being a beautiful hotel and location it is very high-tech.  Check out the room key.  See Below

The rectangle attached to the band is our room key. No comments about my scrawny wrist please.

This high-tech key is fantastic. You don’t have to worry about misplacing your key or having it come out of your pocket while swimming. If your hands are full you don’t need to reach in your pocket to find a key. It is incredibly handy and works very well.

The hotel hosts a sunset viewing at the beach. They supply drinks, live music and a charming area to sit while you watch the sun drop in the horizon beyond the Blackwater Sound and Everglades National Park. It was a delightful way to relax before dinner.

More about dinner tomorrow.

What a Difference a Year Makes: “UCLA: Happy First Anniversary January 3, 2024”

by reissmd, posted in UCLA

Readers of the blog might recall that in January 2023 I embarked on a new journey. After spending over 40 years with the Westchester Medical Group Center for Heart and Health I left to join UCLA Health at their office in Palos Verdes. I have to admit that Robert Reiss USC Class of 71 (BA) and Class of 75 (MD) was a bit worried when he accepted this position. Yes, it has been one year (hire date 1/3/23 first work day 1/4/23) since I posted about starting my new job. If you want to look back here is the link https://wordpress.com/post/reisstravelblog.com/8695

I am happy to report that things have gone very well and far beyond my expectations. I am loving my new job. The doctors have been a joy to work with. They have all helped me learn the new system. I know many people my age would balk at the idea of learning a new computer system. But with the help of my colleagues and my personal UCLA computer teacher, Debbie, I have survived.

Debbie was great. She helped me learn the electronic medical program that UCLA utilizes. It is called EPIC and it was indeed an epic pain in the butt to learn. Debbie spent countless hours in the office, on the phone, and on Zoom to help me understand the subtleties of the program. She even made a trip to my house to help me learn on my day off. I have to admit the home lesson was a bit stressful because for some reason Debbie kept touching my computer screen. I kept asking her not to do so and she finally said, “I think I need a glove”. I had just the thing for her. See below.

Debbie with my “Please don’t touch the computer screen” glove.

Debbie did most of the teaching but at the office all the doctors, especially Drs. Sun, Poa, Sanna, and Suzuki showed me all sorts of valuable tricks. That was their punishment for having an office close to mine. In addition to the doctors the staff has been fantastic as well. Many of you know that I had a 40 year work relationship with my super-nurse Florann. I knew she couldn’t be replaced but the staff members at the Palos Verdes office have done their best and things are going just fine.

In addition to the staff there have been ancilary personnel who have also been incredibly kind to me. Thanks to Jac and Robbie in marketing, UCLA has supported the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Gala. As you know I am very involved with the Foundation and the UCLA support has meant a great deal to me.

One other surprise to me was that UCLA has helped promote my practice. All doctors are put on the UCLA Health website. Here is the link to my page: https://www.uclahealth.org/providers/robert-reiss. Soon the page will have a video presentation. I haven’t seen it yet so I am taking a risk by telling you about it. 

They also made an instagram post. Good friends Keith and Allie who are a lot younger than me (I know that isn’t saying much) sent me the link since if I tried to find something on Instagram it would remain hidden forever. If you want, check it out here it is: https://www.instagram.com/p/CtuqR7mOzaB/?igsh=ZDE1MWVjZGVmZQ==

When you are on the Instagram post be sure to “Like” it. I am trying to catch up to Kareem Abdul Jabbar in “Likes”. I’m at a little bit over 400 and he’s at about 8,000.

The people in charge of U-magazine (UCLA Health’s magazine) saw the mention of my volunteer work at Homeboy Industries and asked to write a story about it. The article written by Sandy Cohen (who also wrote the Instagram post) will be published soon and the link to the magazine can be found here: https://www.uclahealth.org/pubs/u-magazine

Yes, UCLA has made this Trojan feel very welcomed and I truly appreciate it. But they did do something that might seem a bit extreme. Please see below.

Taking notes in my required shirt.

JUST KIDDING, JUST KIDDING. UCLA doesn’t require me to wear a UCLA shirt (thank you to my friend Chris who allowed me to borrow his shirt and for taking the picture). Although you can’t see in the picture but my lab coat does read UCLA Health. I am not forced to wear it but I can honestly say I wear it proudly. I am very pleased with the health care we provide our patients. The staff and co-workers are great. The past year has been a delight and I can say that there has not been one day where I said, “I don’t want to go to work”.  Especially when I wear my favorite socks. See below.

Here’s to many more years as a happy UCLA Health care provider and let’s all say together……..

FIGHT ON !