THE BIG MOVE
After a decade of retirement living on the west coast of Florida, the Chief Penguin and I moved to eastern North Carolina! We spent two days on the road with a night in Brunswick, Georgia, before arriving in our new state. Move-in day was just a week ago, but we’ve made great progress toward getting settled.
We have a spacious, light-filled apartment in a retirement community. The daily calendar offers a raft of activities and events plus a complete range of exercise and fitness classes—if you’re bored, it’s your own fault! Among the several dining venues, we have become fans of the small plates and tapas in one area. In another venue, stations for salads and sandwiches, wok offerings, pizza, and soups provide additional tempting fare. With so much good food and all the choices, there’s the risk of adding a “freshman fifteen.” Not part of our plan!
We’ve been out and about on foot to the new downtown park and then on to the noteworthy La Farm Bakery. The bakery stop was a must for the Chief Penguin, and it passes muster. Just a few miles down the road by car are both CVS and Walgreens and a Harris Teeter supermarket. Thus far, we are most pleased with this new adventure!
NOVEL OF THE WEEK
Leaving by Roxana Robinson
Leaving is Roxana Robinson’s latest novel. I thoroughly enjoyed several of her earlier works including the highly praised Cost. This book too stayed with me. Sarah, a museum curator, is divorced, lives in Manhattan, and has two grown children. Warren, an architect, is from Boston, married, but unhappily so, and has an adult daughter. Theirs was a college romance which Sarah broke off without seeming to give him a reason. When they meet again thirty years later, they reconnect and have an affair.
Emotions can be messy and when they become entangled and entwined with an existing family, the fallout can be disastrous. How much sway should adult children hold over the actions of their parents? How obligated is a spouse who wants a divorce to heed the wishes of an adult daughter? What are the consequences and conflicts of being the other woman?
Sarah and Warren are depicted as decent people, individuals with a conscience. Sarah knows she’s involved in an adulterous affair but rationalizes that she’s continuing a relationship that began long ago. Warren is a man of honor with a strong moral code.
The events of the novel unfold over several decades with a twist at the end; it may surprise some, but I thought it was in keeping with these characters. Recommended! (~JWFarrington)
SHOUT OUT TO ARTS & CENTRAL
This is for my Florida friends. Arts & Central is a hot new dining venue in Sarasota’s Rosemary District. We dined here with friends just before leaving the area. It’s an expansive space with great patio seating, a large interior with scattered tables, and a long bar with plenty of seating for walk-ins. Lots of wood and some metal make for a casual slightly industrial vibe.
There are fish, beef, and other entrees, but we mostly stuck to the small plates for sharing. The lamb sliders, piquillo peppers with goat cheese, and sticky ribs were all excellent. We also sampled the Brussels sprouts and the green goddess shrimp salad. Only real disappointment was the tater tots. Only open for 3 weeks, the place was full! We wouldn’t hesitate to return, so make a reservation if you’re tempted.
Note: Unattributed photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)
