When I was in Boca Raton last month, on the last leg of my Florida book tour, a friend of Charlotte’s came to the Boca JCC to hear me speak. Unbeknownst to me, she took some photos and recently sent them to Charlotte to send to me. Thank you, Charlotte and Talia! I had no photos from that day and I so appreciate your thoughtfulness.
After three amazing days in Naples, it was time for me to head over to the east coast of Florida where I had events scheduled in Miami Beach and in Boca Raton. Now, I think you are getting the idea about how fabulous Charlotte is, but there is more…it is a two hour+ drive to Boca from Naples and guess what – Charlotte drove me there! How amazing is Charlotte?!!
The drive to the east coast is on a highway known as Alligator Alley (love, love, love that name!), and also known as the Everglades Parkway, but sadly I did not see even one alligator during our drive although there were literally thousands and thousands and thousands of very strange birds nesting in equally strange trees. However, as we pulled into Boca we did spot a HUGE and colorful Iguana or something lizardy. So, at least I did get to see one creepy critter (plus that lovely dolphin that I spotted at the Naples Yacht Club!).
Charlotte dropped me off around 3 PM and I had enough time to unpack in my best friend’s beautiful apartment overlooking the ocean (she was in New York while I was in Boca so I had the gorgeous apartment to myself). Then, I jumped in the car and drove over to Tao Foot Spa where I had a massage and fabulous foot reflexology for over an hour. My friends Jeff and Joanne own this amazing place where you walk in as a normal person and walk out totally blissed out! No Mah Jongg-related talks or book signings on this day – one day of rest! – but I did have a great time with Jeff and Joanne after my memorable treatment at the spa.
I’m sitting here at my computer watching the snow fall in crazy amounts. With no desire to venture outside, I was checking email and surfing online when a photo came in from my BFF:
How cute is this trivet? Love it! And wouldn’t this be a great prize at a Mah Jongg tournament? Or just really a good conversation piece at your next Mah Jongg luncheon?
This trivet can be found at a boutique called Lifestyles of Lynne at Royal Palm Place in Boca Raton, Florida. You can contact the store by calling 561.347.2933 or emailing Lynne at LifestylesLynne@aol.com
If you are planning on being in Florida this winter, I will be speaking at a number of venues at the end of January/beginning of February. Here is the first of a number of announcements on these talks; if you are going to be in the Boca Raton/Palm Beach area, please mark your calendars to join me on February 2nd at the Boca JCC:
Currently ranked #1 in Antiques and Collectibles on Amazon.com.
Monday, February 2, 10:00 a.m.
$16, A&L Gold Members: $11, A&L Platinum Members: Free
Call 561-558-2520 to make your reservation
The OMs (Original Mahjettes) didn’t meet this Wednesday as several of us went to a holiday luncheon (which was fabulous and such fun!). However, after the festivities, and practically in a sugar coma from the amazing dessert table, seven of us retreated up to a private meeting room where there were two card tables and two Mah Jongg sets waiting for us. We got down to business right away…but first my dear friend Martha popped in with three copies of Mah Jongg: The Art of the Game for me to sign for her mother’s friends – that was an honor for me!
S1 at “table one” was the first of the day to declare Mah Jongg with this beautiful 2468 hand made up of 22 44 666 888 DDDD.
I was over at “table two” and quickly followed Sanna with a Mah Jongg with my own 2468 hand of 222 444 6666 8888.
Then J over at the other table announced a nice win with a CONSECUTIVE RUN hand that we all know and love – 11 22 333 444 5555.
My turn again with a winning Mah Jongg hand from the 13579 section of the card: 555 7777 777 9999.
Back to the other table and G declared Mah Jongg with this beautiful CONSECUTIVE RUN hand of FFFF 1111 2222 DD.
And now back to my table and K pulled off the win of the day (IMHO). She really is a pro at playing QUINTS hands and here is her winning hand: FFFF NNNNN 11111. Brava, K!!! And look at all those Jokers!
S1 took the next win with one of my favorite hands, LIKE NUMBERS: FFFF 1111 11 1111.
Meanwhile, back at my table, G2 had a really nice win with a great WINDS AND DRAGONS hand made up of EE 22 WWW 222 2222.
S1 took her third win with a fancy 2014 hand of FF 2014 1111 4444.
And, to my surprise, I had my third win of the day with the good old CONSECUTIVE RUN hand made up of 666 7777 888 9999.
At that point I had to leave (although the rest of the group played on) as I had a 4 PM meeting with the amazing Charlotte Tarr from Naples, Florida. Charlotte is the incredible woman who has arranged multiple speaking/book signing engagements for me in Naples at the end of January. Perhaps some of you will be in Florida at that time? Let me know. I will also be speaking in Boca Raton during the first week in February and am working on something else in Miami during that week. When everything is all finalized, I will post it all.
Mah Jongg and Me 