Day 1019 Beach Dinners and Great Bands

Well, the weather still hasn't cooperated with my summer plans, but that didn’t stop us from going to the beach club for dinner. I’ve been excited to try out the new club's restaurant and invited Dave and Donna to join us. I’ve got to say... I’m going to love everything about this new beach club!

It’s so nice to walk into a restaurant—especially in the summer—and be surrounded by familiar faces and lifelong friends. You can't beat the view, the food was delicious, the atmosphere was beach-casual, and the vibe was amazing. From the moment you pull up and hand your keys to the valet to the time you leave, you're inside a bubble of happiness.

After dinner, Tim and I headed to the Ocean Mist to see Steve Smith and the Nakeds, a super fun beach band with at least six horns, drums, and nonstop oldies that we love to sing and dance along with. I even splurged on a band T-shirt. The band didn’t start until almost 9:30 p.m., and after dinner, I could’ve easily gone home and climbed into bed—but I rallied.

When we walked in, I was greeted with a hug from Kevin, the owner, and chatted with his sister for a bit. Kevin’s mom was sitting in her usual spot, and they had just celebrated her 104th birthday. Yes, you read that right—she just turned 104! I’m not sure what shocked me more: that she’s lived such a long life or that, at over 100 years old, she was still out after 9 p.m., sitting at a beach bar listening to a band—an incredibly loud one, thanks to all those horns!

Any idea I had about being tired had to be suppressed—after all, I’m only sixty! I can’t imagine my mother there; she would have hated every minute of it—too loud and too crowded. Tim was surprised the place was packed but not with locals. It was full of young people—I called them college kids, but they were probably in their 30s. All dancing along to the tunes of our old band, with members well into their sixties and seventies. 

We were doing fine on the dance floor until a group of girls came to dance next to us. Younger girls seem to have little to no self-awareness—no idea how large, intrusive, and annoying they can be. Yup! If they had been guys, it would’ve been a fistfight, the way they were bumping into everyone and trying to claim space on the dance floor. Little did they know, they were dealing with a seasoned gal when it comes to not giving up my spot in front of a good band. But holy cow… a little self-awareness would go a long way!

We stayed until midnight and left just before the crowd all spilled out at once. I was more than a little surprised that Tim agreed to leave before the flicker of the lights, but he was happy to leave "early" and didn't even suggest McDonalds or Taco Bell on the drive home! 

All in all, it was the perfect summer night—even without perfect summer weather. There’s something magical about good food, great music, and a little chaos to remind you you're still in the game....and could be for another forty years if all goes well.