I'll be back...

I write this on the evening of September 10th 2011.  Ten years ago tonight I had just sat down for dinner in the restaurant at the Santa Monica Ritz Carlton (Caleeeforneeea).  You'll get it later.  I ordered a beautiful lobster that I didn't eat....I paid for it and left it sitting on the table looking delicious with a full vodka martini.

My best friend and business partner, Ken Brown, had flown out to the west coast for a dinner meeting with some DIRECTV executives to be held the following evening....the day 911 happened.  That dinner never happened because of the 911 attacks.  We had selected the Santa Monica Ritz, because it was close to Shaztzi on Main...the planned location of our dinner for Tuesday night September 11th, 2001.  Plus, we like staying at Ritz Carlton Hotels....who doesn't?   Anyway....back to dinner, Ken stayed in his room with a cast on his broken arm and took some pain meds, so I was going to dine alone and decadently Ritz Carlton Style, when my cell phone rang.  It was Ken calling from his hotel room asking me where I was.  "In the hotel dining room....Lobster, Vodka....you know, the usual", I replyed.  Ken said, "We've been invited to the Monday Cigar night with ARNOLD at Shatzi's on Main.  He wants to meet us before the DIRECTV dinner tomorrow night.  I can't go because I've already taken my pain pill and washed it down with CC and diet, but you need to go!  I'll meet him tomorrow night at the planned dinner", said Ken.

Well Shit.  About that time my lobster arrived with my next cocktail.  I gave the waiter a hundred dollar bill, not wanting to wait for the check, because I was already late for Cigar night.  I was out the door of the Ritz and in less than 10 minutes I presented myself to the GATEKEEPER at the "Closed to the Public" Shatzi's on Main telling her that I had arrived to have dinner with ARNOLD.   She said "RIGHT...do you know how many people try to get in here on Cigar night?".  She didn't believe I was invited and would not let me in.  I raised my voice at her..."hey! I left a lobster and a martini at the Ritz Cartlon for this!"  So, I gave her my business card and told her to go find FRANCO COLUMBO, former Mr. Universe and Schwarzenegger's best friend....that COLUMBO would vouch for me.  In short order, she returned very apologetic and ushered me into the Restaurant owned by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

That was a great night.  About 20 guys hanging out with Arnold, drinking great beer and smoking Cigars.  Arnold served us huge steaks and baked potatoes and I was seated across from him at the table so he could ask me some questions about why he had agreed to do the dinner the following night, which I gladly explained.  Arnold was friendly, fun and engaging in conversation.  After dinner and more cigars, we shook hands and said..."We'll see you tomorrow night....look forward to it!"   Tragically, the next day was 911 and naturally that second dinner never happened.  The world changed the following morning and I never saw Arnold Schwarzenegger again in person.  I guess his love child was only about 4 years old back then and the maid was much thinner and better looking (I hope), but that has nothing to do with this story....just something I have thought abut since all that came out.

Ken Brown and I hunkered down in the concierge bar of the Ritz Carton Santa Monica for the following 4 days after the 911 attacks with our eyes glued to the TV news.  We finally were able to secure space on the Sunset Limited AmTrak train about the 4th day after 911 and made it as far as New Orleans in another 4 days, where we jumped off AmTrak and make it home by plane for Ken and car for me.  Ken and I drank every drop of brown liquor on that train, but that is a story for another blog, another day.  



          

Boating and Broken Shit

I guess I have my dad to blame for getting me hooked on boats early on.  He had me at the helm of his 18' Lonestar Cabin Cruiser by age 5....maybe younger.   It was the movie Father Goose with Cary Grant that planted the seed in my head that I wanted a bigger boat....one you could live on when the women folk kicked you out of the house.  Fortunately I haven't gotten kicked out, although Belinda does appreciate an occasional break from me and time to herself in Boquete.  Fortunately, about every other trip, she likes to accompany me to the Hatteras  to enjoy the water and so it was on our most recent six day Caribbean excursion.  The food is much better when Belinda is on board and I truly enjoy her company.  Plus, this time some of her friend girls came out to join us for  a couple of days before moving on to a resort in Dolphin Bay.

After entertaining our friends with a Sunday trip to Rana Azul, the popular Pizza Place in the ''Darklands'' the remainder of my days on the Hatteras were dedicated to broken shit.  The vessel is 36 years old and shit breaks....even the fairly new 12 volt refrigerator that had been running for 3 years without a problem.  A smart neighbor brought his multi-meter over and helped me diagnose the problem.  It needs a new $258 part from the states.  Already bought and shipped....just need someone to bring it down to Panama.  The 19 gallon water heater quit working a while back and was leaking....filling the bildge with water.   Jose, my helper, and I removed it.  I think it is rusted beyond the possiblity of repair, so will look for a replacement.  It had some terrible looking sludge in it that didn't look to healty....and that is where the hot water came from that we used to get our dishes really clean...yuk.  I also had to repair one of the vac-u-flush heads and fortunately had the parts on board.  That is a job that only Jose would help me with.  Poo-poo water involved.

Every trip to the boat involves general maintenence on a variety of systems to keep us dry, in lights and with plenty of fresh water.  We are far from any marina so we have to make our own electricty and water.  I leave the 110 inverter on 24/7 so the locals will have some place to charge their cell phones.  There is no electrical grid on this island nor on the nearby mainland

At night neighbors came over for drinks and dinners.  One night we had steak and lobster.  The lobster was fresh.  A BIG salad, Ken Chester's homemade bread, brots, three bottles of wine filled us up Tuesday night, along with White Russians for after dinner.  Nice.

We arrived back in Boquete yesterday ready for some cool mountain weather.  Next planned trip back to the Hatteras will be the end of this month.  I'll be taking 12 6-volt batteries to change out in the solar system.  There is always something that needs to be repaired or needs maintenence on a boat, but for me that is the fun of owning one.