Living large on someone else's dime!

If you wonder why I don't retire already, it's because I love my business. For the past 53 years here in Miami, it has taken me to some fabulous places from Havana, Cuba in the early days, to Italy and Spain during my time with the tile and stone industry. Yesterday, it took me to West Palm Beach to the Rybovich Dock Yards, where I warily climbed a metal ladder to board the "My Max", a 113 ft. luxury yacht. I say warily because I was carrying my briefcase in one hand and my handbag in the other, leaving me precious little to grab on to as the ladder and I swayed in the stiff breeze. Needless to say, I made it to the deck safely, so let me tell you why I was there.

Possibly you are familiar with the Simon Company shopping malls around the country. So far, I've had the pleasure (financially and otherwise) of writing the copy for brochures on Mr. & Mrs. Simon's personal properties including a former 162 ft. motor yacht named Te Manu, their estate, Greystone, on Red Mountain in Aspen, two of their three homes in Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic, and most notably their main residence, Asherwood, in Indianapolis. . .that's the one with its own 18 hole and 9 hole golf courses serving as the back and side yard. I spent three days living there last year writing that one, but that's another story altogether.

Apparently, Mrs. Simon, recently widowed, has decided to sell "My Max', which is listed at a mere $11.5 million, and yesterday's assignment was to hurry up and write copy so the advertising agency can design and produce the brochure in time for the upcoming Miami Boat Show on Feb. 11th.

I left the house at 7:30am in order to arrive at the boatyard by 9:30, driving up I-95, my most disliked highway. I drive a little sportscar and the trucks seems to get ever larger on that road. Personally, I'm a Turnpike girl, but Mapquest refused to show me the closest exit to where I was going, so I submitted, not too happily, to their insistance on their way which was the highway.

The yacht, which was built in Italy in 2000,had recently been totally refitted. . God only knows why. . .but as usual, Mrs. Simon's taste level is superb, and the interior,very art deco in style, is absolutely stunning. I don't want to sound picky, but I think I liked the Te Manu's more classical decor better. Don't tell her I said so. I think that one cost around $80 million, so it deserved to be more gorgeous.

Although CJ Walker, the professional photographer I've worked with on each of these Simon assignments, was already on board shooting, I bring my trusty little Nikon CoolPix (you know, the one that Ashton Kutcher is always playing with on those tv commercials) and take my own photos so that when I get back to my office and start to write I can visually remember what I was trying to say in my chicken scratch notes. My photos won't win any awards, but they do the trick when it comes to remembering details.

I suggested to the ad agency that I wouild get a better "feel" of the yacht if it took me out for a sail. . preferably to some place far away. . .but so far, I'm stuck at the dock. My favorite part of this ship was what the captain called "the garage". ( See photo.) The entire back wall of the boat opened electronically to expose a 16 ft. tender and every kind of water toy you could think of, plus fishing equipment and scuba gear. I might even put on a bathing suit for this one.

As Benard and I often kid his friend Harvey, there's rich, very rich and very, very rich. In this case, I think you have to add several more verys. Even in today's economic recession. Oh well, it was a fun day. . . .now back to reality.
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Photo caption: The ship's "garage" and the best I could do to capture My Max in all its regal beauty.