Pressman B'nai Mitzvot

After getting the truck and trailer situated I checked in. I was sharing a room with my brother Peter as he was also traveling alone and my cousin Stephen had generously offered to pay for our rooms and we both felt it unreasonable to take separate rooms at the rates they charge. Peter had arrived before me, but was not in the room when I got there. Ours was at the end of a very long corridor, a long way from the elevator. I don't mind walking, but given the distance I had to play where I was going to go and take everything I needed as to not travel any further than necessary. There was a nice bag of welcome treats and an itinerary for the weekend for each of us, in the room. I dropped off my bags and went down to the lobby to see who else was around. I found Peter in the lobby restaurant having a snack. I saw some other relatives as well. 

The first event of the weekend for the out of town guests was Thanksgiving Dinner at a nearby French restaurant called Casimir. A small bus was arranged to take us from the hotel to the restaurant and back. Due to the size of our party and the busyness of the restaurant on the holiday, we had been asked weeks in advance to pre-select our dinner. I choose the french onion soup followed by the turkey entree and cream brulee for dessert. (The original menu included a Caesar salad, but this was during the height of the romaine lettuce scare, so it was changed to a garden salad.)

Turkey Entree with all the fixin's.

My immediate family sat together along with Judy and Stephen. There were three or four other tables of our group there as well. 

While waiting for our dinner to be served Elizabeth, Shirley and I posed with Judy.

Friday morning and afternoon were unstructured. I took Stanley, Elizabeth and Robert on a bit of a shopping trip in the morning. They were looking for some snacks for their rooms, because the resort prices on food were quite exorbitant. 

I was hoping to play some golf, but one of the two 18 hole courses at the resort was closed for renovations and with the holiday the other one was jamb packed. I was able to get a good practice session in, range balls were included in the price of the room. 

After golf practice I checked out the pool area, where I round this wave rider. I was interesting watching people using it:

I then got on the water taxi to the beach. Many of my younger cousins and their children there. 

View from Water Taxi.

Friday night the bus took us to the synagogue for dinner. This fruit platter was part of it. 

Thanksgiving turkey or peacock fruit skewers.

Friday and Saturday contractors were busy around the hotel putting out the Hanukkah and Christmas decorations:

 

They were were going to have a big party Saturday to light it all up around the same time we would be at our private party. 

Saturday morning the bus met us at the hotel again to take us to the synagogue for the religious part of the weekend's celebration. I felt like there was an exorbitant amount of security in place (metal detectors and x-ray machines at the entrance, several armed guards both outside and inside) so much so, I wondered if there was an imminent threat. ( I guess these days you can't be too careful.) Thankfully they were just there as a precaution. 

Unfortunately Judy wasn't up to attending the service. The kids did an amazing job conducting most of the service all on their own. They did way more than most kids do. Afterwards there was a very nice buffet luncheon at the synagogue. 

Saturday afternoon I spent some more time practicing golf as no tee times were available and then went to the beach, where I spent some time with my 2nd cousins their spouses and kids. It was nice catching up with many of them who I hadn't seen in quite a few years as they live in various parts of the states, and abroad. The weather all weekend was very pleasant, especially compared to the weather I had endured in Ontario earlier that month.

Saturday night there was a lovely party at the hotel, starting with a cocktail party, hors d'oeurves and then a sit down dinner. 

Erin and Joshua with their mother Judy.

Peter, Stanley, Elizabeth, Robert and Steven at the cocktail reception.
Shirley shared this photo with me. 

Robert and Elizabeth taking part in the candle lighting ceremony
with Samantha, Cathy Lisa, Daniel and Andy Pressman.
(Shirley shared this photo with me.)

Sunday morning we all got up, enjoyed a buffet brunch in the hotel lobby and departed. I believe a good time was had by all!