Wednesday, August 17, 2016

August Celebration at TPC Sawgrass

Despite my personal agreement with Richardson Wright's view of August....


Were I running things
I would simply cut August
out of the calendar.

I'm stuck with August and it has held one big day for celebration.....

Happy Birthday, R.H.!!!!


And celebrate we did!

Our daughter Christy (above with R.H. overlooking the 18th hole) and son-in-law Bryan took us out for dinner at the TPC Sawgrass dining room, a short walk from their house.


That's a stock photo of the golf club above but I think the one below that I took with my phone out on the terrace is not bad at all.


The TPC (The Players Championship) is owned by the PGA Tour players. Our new town is home and headquarters of the PGA--and also headquarters of the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals). 

I guess we'll always miss Nashville but we're discovering that Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida is a pretty cool place too. And it was a genuine treat to celebrate R.H.'s birthday in this beautiful place.

Our meal was scrumptious.

For the birthday boy this watermelon salad was almost too pretty to eat.


Then he had a New York strip steak. He couldn't decide between the bearnaise sauce or the demi-glace, so ordered both as a birthday prerogative. 


Christy wanted steak too and chose a filet, potatoes and the vegetable du jour.


Bryan ordered the special, a pork tenderloin served with two beautiful porcini mushroom ravioli.


And I had grouper with yucca gnocchi and slaw. Yum!



R.H. loved his chocolate ganache birthday cake but I reminded him that I had a homemade coconut cream pie waiting for him at home. Then he let Bryan and Christy have a few bites.


Who could blame him for tearing into this chocolate delight, right?

I forgot to get a photo of the dining room, but here's another stock photo of it.


Very golf-club atmosphere, don't you think?

After dinner Bryan told us about the history of this golf club that is a crown jewel of pro golf and we viewed some of the memorabilia.


Jerome and Paul Fletcher sold the land for this 'Stadium Course' golf club for $1.00.


There are photographs of so many of golf's greats in these halls but here's one of a beloved celebrity.


On the far right, can you recognize this "thanks for the memories" entertainer to the troops?

The evening was such a treat for this couple from TN whose normal dinners out back home used to be at a little meat 'n three in the hills outside Nashville.

Thank you, Bryan and Christy! You scored a hole-in-one with this birthday dinner!



Then it was home for R.H. to cut into my coconut cream pie. Maybe in another post I'll tell you how I made sure that I wasn't tempted to break my diet and have a slice.

No, I didn't spit in it.





25 comments:

  1. Wait! You made that pie and didn't eat any?? Not even one bite? *bowing down in reverence*

    Happy Birthday R.H.!! You look studly as ever ;).

    (The food looks amazing Dewena! Maybe I should put that place on my short list?).


    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. oh! your GORGEOUS pie! and my favorite... coconut cream!!!
    get thee behind me satan! LOL!
    wow.
    christy and RH look so much alike. like peas in a pod.
    you must surely be feeling like you're on some kind of fabulous vacation. it all seems so 'over the top!' but soon you will be truly floridians! the golf club and the views... oh my. trying here not to end each sentence with an exclamation point! oops! :D

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well, if you've got a strategy on how to avoid eating desserts (especially one that looks as delicious as your pie), I can't wait to hear your secret! Happy Birthday to R.H.! Looks like an amazing place to celebrate!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy Birthday to RH. Mine was the 14th. Although my birthday does make it easier for me to tolerate the heat, my favorite month of all is October! Your meal selections looked fabulous and decadent, just as a birthday meal should be. I would have chosen yours!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy Birthday to your R.H. It looks like a good time was had and the food looks delicious. I'd like to try the yucca gnocchi myself.

    That coconut cream pie looks WONDERFUL!!! I don't see how you resisted.

    FlowerLady

    ReplyDelete
  6. Happy B'Day to R.H. He was definitely spoiled-Wow.
    I just want you to know that coconut cream pie is my favourite too. There is no way I could've resisted a piece, diet or not.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Dewena,
    Your daughter and son in law are so cute together. Love that pic of them. Happy Birthday to your hubby. What a great and wonderful place to have dinner. I am drooling over the food. Yummo! Happy Birthday RH glad you had a great time.
    Hugs,
    Kris

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wishing R.H. a very happy birthday. Oh my gosh, all that food looked to pretty to eat. What a wonderful dinner and topped off with pie. Blessings to all, xoxo, Susie

    ReplyDelete
  9. Happy Birthday to R.H., and this was my kind of celebration. I love a good steak in a restaurant, I'm not too good at grilling my own and you don't want to mess up a good cut of meat. My husband raved over the grouper he had in Myrtle Beach...we just don't get it much here in the Midwest.

    My son is a golf pro. He managed many golf courses here and then down in Naples, FL., before deciding he needed a job on home turf to start a family. He still gives golf lessons. Funny, I have zero interest!!!

    Love to you. Sounds like life is good! ;-D

    Jane

    ReplyDelete
  10. Such a great time you had!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a wonderful place for a celebration. Happy birthday to you dear husband. And that food...ooh, la, la...so pretty. Too pretty to eat. But I'll bet he like the pie better than anything because you made it from your heart. You must tell how you resisted. I think you are liking Florida more and more.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm so glad you are settling in and that Florida is starting to become home.

    Your birthday celebration sounds fantastic. The food all looks totally amazing, especially that watermelon salad and your grouper. Yes, please!!

    Good for you for not having a slice of pie. Coconut cream is probably my favorite kind of pie. Actually coconut anything is a favorite. I wouldn't have been able to resist. Can't wait to hear how you were able to.

    Have a beautiful day,
    Patti

    ReplyDelete
  13. oh my you have my mouth watering ....
    Happy Birthday R.H.!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Happy Birthday to R.H. All those plates of food look wonderful - works of art!
    Settling into a new home takes more time than one thinks. Glad you're making progress.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow, that is some dinner...the meals all look amazing!! Happy Birthday to R.H!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Happy Birthday to R.H! The steak, potatoes, and vegetables look delicious, and that coconut cream pie, Yummy! One of my favorites too. The golf club is rich in history, and this is a lovely picture that you took of it.

    What a wonderful birthday celebration, Dewena.

    love, ~Sheri

    ReplyDelete
  17. Happy birthday to your husband! Oh my goodness...all those meals looked so delicious! I miss Grouper...it's hard to find here in restaurants and when you do, it's very expensive. When we were in Cancun many years ago, of course it was caught fresh there daily. It was the best fish I'd ever had. I ate it almost every day I was there! I'm assuming you get wonderful Grouper there in FL, too. Your pie looks so yummy! You are so funny with saying you didn't spit in it. lol
    That famous man in the photo? Bob Hope!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Many happy birthday wishes to R.H.

    I love the photo you've taken showing the terrace.
    I also like the photo's of the food.

    So pleased you all had a great time.

    Good wishes for the up and coming weekend

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  19. That food ... and the pie ... mouth watering from here.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Wow, all that food looked really artistically arranged on those plates. All almost too pretty to eat. What a fabulous golf resort. I'm glad you had such a beautiful day. Happy birthday RH. :D

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oh my, all of that looks YUMMY!
    Your pie .... extra yum!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Happy Birthday, R.H.!

    What a wonderful celebration of your hubby's special day, with an intriguing venue, a mouthwatering meal, and of course, his favourite dessert: your scrumptious coconut cream pie!

    I'm always amazed by how much Christy resembles her dad! Gorgeous photos, Dewena; love the whole ambience of the terrace!

    XX
    Poppy

    ReplyDelete
  23. Ooh . . .that coconut cream pie looks so delicious!! How did you resist?! The meals you all had looked very good, too. That watermelon salad was beautiful. Glad to hear you are getting a little more acclimated. xo Deborah
    ps Happy birthday to your husband!

    ReplyDelete
  24. It sounds like the birthday celebration was a big success - and that pie looks scrumptious!
    You seem to be settling into your new area and finding lots to like about it. The dinner at the TPC was a treat, and not just for the wonderful meal, but for the introduction to more Florida history.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Happy Birthday to your Beloved; may he celebrate many more in good health and happiness. The food...the FOOD! It's been a long, long while since I've had food that good...you're killing me!

    ReplyDelete