Why do they call Labor Day the end of Summer?

It’s actually 20 days before the end of summer! Maybe because it’s the last big Holiday before Fall? As for me, I can’t wait for Fall in all its Pumpkin Spice glory. A columnist for the Miami Herald talked about how Miami’s Fall is different from Fall up north, that there’s a slight change in the way the light hits in the afternoons and then one day, you wake up to a nip in the air and Fall has arrived.

There’s been no nip in the air around here. All we’ve had is drips and plenty of them. It’s been muggy, hot and steamy with tons of rain this August/September. A Heat Advisory seems in constant rotation in Miami and grey skies and stifling air abound. One of the ways I can actually tell it’s almost Fall is that College Football has started. We hosted a gathering for the first UM game against University of Florida.

It was Celine’s first UM game and she was dressed in her Cane’s attire. A.J., Wyatt and Phoenix were also here, but Celine was undoubtably the star of the show. Kelley, who had never met her, held her most of the time and got her to fall asleep. Emma and Guillermo seemed exhausted, glad for a small break I’m sure. Celine is getting chubbier and cuter by the day, with intense deep blue eyes that bore through you.

Zeke smoked a Pork Butt and I served Trader Joe’s Artichoke Dip with Tostitos for an appetizer. Everyone seemed to like it, but it was a small amount and got wiped out. I served Shorty’s Cole Slaw, Baked Beans, Corn on the Cob and Rolls with the sliced Pork Butt. Zeke made a super-simple Carolina Vinegar Sauce to go on the pork from Steve Raichlen’s book Smoke. It was an excellent counterpoint to the richness of the sliced pork.

Kelley made Confetti Mini Cupcakes with green frosting and orange sprinkles for dessert. We all were thrilled by the outcome of the game. UM trounced the Gators 41-17. And it was at The Swamp! Go Canes.

We went for our “free” hotdog at Riviera, with A.J., Wyatt and Phoenix for Labor Day. Emma and Guillermo brought Celine and we sat downstairs, by the pool. We usually eat and run on Holidays, but this time we sat outside, drinking adult beverages and hung around for a while talking, while A.J. took the kids swimming. They had face painting and treats for the kids and I wanted to enjoy the last hurrah of Summer a little longer.

According to an article, people are getting the “September Scaries”. It’s similar to the “Sunday Scaries” people get on the last day of the weekend, anticipating Monday, but this is anticipating a whole season ahead. Football games, work obligations, social commitments, meetings etc… loom large.

On the bright side of the Summer, there’s still about two weeks left of Miami Spice to enjoy. Zeke and I went to the Gibson Room for our last Miami Spice. I wrote about it in a previous post, it’s right off Coral Way, yet feels like you’re in a New York Jazz Club. All that’s missing (thankfully) is the cigarette smoke.

I hosted my Book Club last week for eight of us. Since the book was The Paris Novel, the food was French. Brie and Roquefort Cheese with crackers and fruit, Bacon-Wrapped Dates and Rossini cocktails (Prosecco with Strawberry puree) to start. My friend Louisa made a delicious Vichyssoise and I veered off the French path for entrees with Fancy Tomato Sandwiches and an End-of-the-Summer Salad, both recipes from Real Simple magazine. I put the boiled shrimp for the salad on the side, as we have a couple of vegetarians, but it had summery ingredients like corn, cherry tomatoes, green beans and watercress with a Miso dressing.

Dessert was a moist and delicious Coconut Lime Cake new Book Clubber Vivian brought, which we ate with some homemade Labneh Ice Cream and chocolates from Switzerland. Our book club is like Miami-, very international and three of our members are married to French men. Another one- Suzanne- studied in Paris at the Sorbonne for a year. As for me, I just like Paris and am looking forward to visiting there in November!

Jan brought us all berets in various shades and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. Guta texted me the next day: “People didn’t want to leave. Dreaming of your salad.” And Suzanne loved the salad so much she asked me for the recipe. I gladly shared it. I don’t understand people who don’t share recipes! I will post it in a future Foodie in Miami.

I’ve started my classes at OLLI on UM’s campus, The Villagers had their first Board Meeting at President Schild’s house and the calendar is rapidly filling up with events. There are still two weeks left of Miami Spice and about a week until the official beginning of Fall. I’ve pulled out my sweater and boots, put away my white clothes (not really) and will be patiently waiting for that nip in the air. It can’t get here soon enough.

“Well I’ve been out walking I don’t do that much talking these days. These days These days I seem to think a lot About the things I forgot to do for you And all the times I had the chance to.”

These Days, Jackson Brown

Up Next: Carolina Vinegar Sauce