Recently, my oldest brother and his wife flew into town from Southern California to visit us.
They got to experience a lot of S. Florida…Juno Beach, guided largemouth bass fishing, Fresh Market, Guanabanas, DuBois lagoon, Jupiter Lighthouse, Piccolo Gelato on Worth Ave., and baseball with fireworks on the 4th at Roger Dean Stadium…we made lots of fun memories.
The night before they left, they wanted to treat us to dinner at the 'World's Most Famous Cuban Restaurant" …Versailles in Miami.
Here I live an hour and a half from this place and have never heard of it, but when I mentioned to others we were going there, everyone else was in the know including my brother from Southern California.
Our projected 1 ½ hour drive turned into a 3-hour drive between the thunderstorm, driving on the 95 on a Friday during rush hour, at the same start time for the Miami Marlins/Philadelphia Phillies game.
However, when we got there it was all worth it. Although the place was packed, there was plenty of parking to accommodate us and even though there were a lot of people outside, we were informed the wait was only 20 minutes which turned out to be only a 10-minute wait.
The green uniformed waitress took our order in a few minutes without skipping a beat and two guys dressed all in black came to deliver our authentic Cuban meal that was 'tan delicioso.'
I caught a glimpse of the secret of why they have successfully been in business for over 50 years as the place is run like a well-oiled machine, which includes their attached bakery and outdoor counter café-to-go window.
Although the place can seat around 400 people in the restaurant alone, it had a very homey feel to it like we were sitting in the family living room.
It was definitely a unique vibe; Maybe it was being in Little Havana, surrounded by a close-knit Cuban community where people seemed to all know each other.
It seemed like the place everyone wanted to be and hang out, perhaps this is why the restaurant is open till 12:00am Sun-Thurs and 1:00am on Fri and Sat.
It was a special night and a great way to top off spending a week with visiting family.
It reminded me that we as people long to be socially connected with each other and this is an important aspect of health that is often overlooked.
In fact, since 1948, the World Health Organization has defined "health" as, "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
In your pursuit of enjoying optimal health, remember the importance of social well-being.
We are meant to be connected to loved ones living in harmonious relationships with each other.
Don't forget to make time for this and prioritize your most important relationships as you head into the week.
Have a Momentous Monday!
- Dr. Derek 'Sweet Plantains For Me' Taylor
