family – Spicy…

First Leg

It’s been a month since my Birthday travels to the Carolinas, Maryland, and DC, and I’m still flying high! Here’s the thing. I must say that Mr. K. does not let dust settle. I was on the move the moment I set foot on Charlotte, NC’s ground. What?!

Let’s begin with an FYI. Did you know that Contour Airlines flies from Muscle Shoals,AL Airport directly to Charlotte, NC, round-trip for a little over $200!? I do believe they designed this flight just so Mr. K. could come visit ~~me and his family~~ his family and me, without a six-hour drive. Of course, this means I can fly into Charlotte to see him or to connect to travel internationally with him. The plane is small, but this gift is mighty and has served us well.

I digress. I hit Charlotte with Mr. K. waiting, and I immediately requested a Cuban lunch. I’m gon’ tell y’all right now; if I find some good eatin’ and service in a place, I’m hooked, and Azucar Cuban Restaurant has both. It’s quaint with people-watching windows, the service and food are delicious, and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. What?!

Interior of Azucan and the beef strips, plaintain, and veggies Mr. K. ordered. Of course, in usual fashion, no image of my Pollo dish which had veggies and rice to share.

On to Columbia!

We rested for a day before we picked up Mr. K.’s pal, Rufus, who uses a wheelchair. Rufus used to live in Chicago, and we were jamming to Smokey’s station in the car and on our way to see…guess what? Michael! Mr. K. had to drive through a downpour, but our knight lifted Rufus to. his wheelchair, and me to my umbrella as he ushered us into the theater.

If you’ve seen it, then you already know. Michael was wonderful, the lady next to me and I were dancing in our seats. Rufus is wonderful too. He has a great sense of humor and told me Mr. K. is part of his family. When we delivered Rufus home to his sister, Linda. She concurred that Mr. K. was part of their family, and by the time we both applauded the film, Michael, I felt like family too. What?!

I asked Mr. K. to find a good deli in Columbia, and he took us to Groucho’s Deli, the Columbia location. You already know I had to have corned beef to Mr. K.’s pastrami. I also tasted Groucho’s Original Style Potato Chips, all were right what the doctor ordered.

Mr. Friendly’s with Cedar

We went to a festival outside of Columbia – great ride, great food, music, and Saturday fun. Sunday brought our Cedar-time! You guys have met my sister friend, Cedar Lawrence, during my visits to see Mr. K. She was in town visiting her cousin, so rather than us traveling to Augusta to see her, we took Cedar to dinner at Mr. K.’s favorite restaurant, Mr. Friendly’s. Little did we realize it was a graduation weekend. Y’all, we had to sit and eat at a bar. I can’t stand sitting at a bar to eat, but I must say that even at the bar, the food was delicious and the service was on point.

Mr. Friendly’s New Southern Cafe boasts a diverse menu, including grits and delicious greens! Cedar invited a male friend, but she was so cute that she ended up making friends with the guy sitting beside her. We enjoyed our dining experience and had to take a short walk afterward. We were thrilled to spend time with Cedar.

After the weekend, we rested on Monday to hit Greenville on Tuesday.

Green Light to Herbie Hancock

Y’all. I heard from my Chicago, now Charlotte, friend, Lugenia, that Herbie Hancock was in town. I missed his tour date for Charlotte, but he was also appearing in Greenville, SC. Tuesday, May 12, we were where? There!!! Herbie is my favorite jazz artist, and I had to see him in concert.

I have never seen so many happy fans. Most folks were our contemporaries, and we were really spry as we walked a block from the parking lot to the venue. We were not disappointed. This iconic musician is 86 years young. He looked great, and his band, including the great Terence Blanchard , James Genus, from SNL, Lionel Loueke, and a drummer who is only 27, Jaylen Petinaud rocked the house. They were killing works by Wayne Shorter and other greats, and of course, ended with Head Hunters. Hancock had his recorder on his shoulder and was literally jumping!!! The show was incredible.

**Yes…Herbie Hancock was jumping up and down with his instrument**

Herbie ended the first leg of my trip, but not without some Spicy drama. Well…we parked on the fourth floor of a lot. Mr. K. remembered where we parked, but when we got to the lot, the elevator was out. I HAD TO WALK UP FOUR FLIGHTS only to find our car was not there. We walked down and asked about the other lots. On our way to find one, I noticed there was another entry to the one we tried. Yes. The elevator worked, and yes, our baby was parked where we left her. (He drives a Hyundai Kona).

The thing is, I almost made it without my knees cutting up, but the stairs… the stairs…the dreaded stairs. They shut me down for a day, in fact, on my Birthday. But after I rested…

STAY TUNED FOR OUR LAST LEG.

Joy Juice

I was looking back at my Birthday celebrations. I’ve been sharing them with y’all at least since 2020, my 70th year during COVID. Hallelujah, I’m still here, healthy, whole, and still traveling. What thrills me is to see us, all of us in every hue, faith, culture, and physical condition, doing what we can to affirm our vitality. It may not be traveling, but we find our way to express gratitude for still being here in the world, and I’ll listen to your stories too, ’cause that’s how we do.’

“When death finds you, may it find you alive.” – African Proverb

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. – 2 Timothy 1:7

“It’s all good/love/God” – Victorine

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Victorine, Bio

Author of Be S.A.F.E., StillAware, Faithful, Excellent, now available on Kindle Amazon as an e-book.CategoriesUncategorizedTagsceremony, spiritual, teaching, tribute

MoMA, Whitten, MaryAnn, and Reed

Finally, we were ready to hit the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), and I was thrilled to plan the visit with my cousin, MaryAnn de la Cerna. Once again, we braved the rain—because fair warning: Mr. K. and I don’t seem to bring the sunshine. It snowed in Paris and rained in New York! What?!

Upon entering the renowned MoMA, we were warmly greeted by a guide who advised us to head straight to the sixth floor to view the Jack Whitten exhibit. As we read his bio outside the gallery, we had to pause—he was a Black artist from Bessemer, Alabama, waiting for us? We were beyond excited.

Whitten’s exhibit was stunning. His use of varied media and inspiration from jazz and the Civil Rights Movement took our breath away. These weren’t portraits but deeply layered contemporary works. Some pieces were painted with afro combs, nodding powerfully to the era. He even designed his own instrument to shape and texture the dimensions of his pieces. There were sculptures, too—some inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and the events in Birmingham.

We were captivated for two hours. Then, it was time to meet MaryAnn downstairs.

Slideshow of some of Whitten’s pieces. For full details on Jack Whitten’s exhibit, click Indelible,

Mr. K. wiih Whitten’s bio
Afro pics
box sculpture with scene from BirminghamShadow
Insrument created by Whitten
Oneos his captions depicting his inspiration

My Cousin? MaryAnn de la Cerna

Let me tell you a story.

While visiting my father in the hospital in Chicago, I answered a phone call from a woman with a lovely voice who introduced herself as his cousin. I’d never met her before, which is no surprise; I know very little about my dad’s folks. She told me her last name: de la Cerna. I said, “The only de LaCerna I know is MaryAnn, a classmate of mine.”

She responded, “I’m her mother!”

Y’all—I was shook! MaryAnn and I attended St. Thomas Apostle High School together. We smiled at each other (and sometimes frowned!) but had no idea we were cousins.

Since that day, MaryAnn and I have stayed in touch through emails, phone calls, and even handwritten postcards—she’s a pen-to-paper kind of person. I’d tried to meet her during past trips to New York, but the stars never aligned—until now.

Mr. K. and I made our way to the museum bookstore to meet her, but I didn’t see her anywhere. I called her—and she was literally sitting on the bench right next to where I was standing. She had a hat on and wasn’t wearing the glasses I remembered from high school!

After a joyful hug and introductions (it had been 1968 since we last laid eyes on each other), we headed to a cozy Italian restaurant she knew well. Mr. K. and I sipped martinis; we all shared a fresh salad and devoured copious amounts of pizza. The visit was glorious.

Afterward, MaryAnn, the consummate New Yorker, was ready to take us to Times Square. Mr. K. and I? We were like, “Uber, Uber…take us home!” 😄

BTW, You can catch MaryAnn in Garden Spices. Y’all know I had to get her to submit one of her essays. What?!

Reed’s Visit

The next day, we got ready for a visit from Mr. K’s son, Reed, who had flown in from Paris to see friends in New York. My dear friends Pat and Thomas hosted him at their home in Harlem. We grabbed coats and umbrellas (yes—it was still raining) and walked to a nearby Pa Pa Thai restaurant.

We shared great food and even better stories. Can I just say—it’s such a blessing to be with family. Reed, with his quiet charm (remember Paris?), made a lasting impression on Pat and Thomas. They ended the visit by inviting him to stay with them anytime he returned to the city.

While we were ready to walk home and wind down, Reed—true to his NY-savvy self—was off to the Village to meet more friends.

Our Concert with “DJ” Thomas

That night wrapped with a private concert from DJ Thomas himself. His music collection is massive, and we got down to Luther, The Temptations, The O’Jays, The Gap Band—you name it. Add in a few libations, some dancing, and a film, and we were satisfied.

I even stayed awake for the movie G20. What?!

Joy Juice

Here’s what I know: Every one of my trips includes at least one museum visit. I find them fascinating—like walking through a portal to emotion, history, and imagination. But discovering a family connection? That’s beyond any exhibit. Finding MaryAnn, my cousin, and sharing a day with her—that was a moment of grace.

My extended family is scattered across the U.S. and the Caribbean. I don’t know them all, but now I know her. And that’s a treasure.

So, if you have extended family you haven’t connected with—do it. Call them. Text. Write. Visit. Don’t take it for granted. Roots matter. Of course, we are all rooted in our friendships; that’s family, too!

“Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly, and the glory of children is their parents.”
— Proverbs 17:6

“A family is like a forest. When you are outside, it is dense. When you are inside, you see that each tree has its place.”
— African Proverb

“It’s all good/love/God” – Victorine

Tag: family

Memorable Birthday Travels: From Delicious Eats to Jazz Concert

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A Rainy Day in New York: Art, Family, and Memories

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