The Ladies Who Lunch

by du Bois
Miami Beach

My weekend housemates from New York are always making fun of our rather loose work schedules and are constantly using terms like "real job". The fact is that we live and work in a resort town and are not usually bound by normal schedules. The Ladies Who Lunch is a good example. Founded five years ago by du Barry, it consists of ladies of fine and not-so-fine background who either don't work at all and simply live here during the winter months, like du Barry and Lady Deel, or one's like myself and Madame Wickenhauser who have good jobs, but are not under the constraints of timeclocks. Under du Barry's well-tuned guidance, the LWL enjoy getting together at all times of the day to enjoy good food, drink, and gossip. Fresh faces are always welcomed.

du Barry invited everyone to a beach picnic yesterday afternoon on Gay Beach. I slipped out of my office early to join them and, although I arrived after it had commenced, was lucky enough to find a few asparagus tips left from the appetizer portion of the picnic. They had been sauteed in olive oil with chopped tri-color peppers, red, green, and orange. du Barry offered two salads: shrimp and pesto pasta and potato with sausages and Italian vinaigrette. Finally, she stuck with a classic: Fried Chicken and served a white Bordeaux. (God only knows how she does it; she's preparing dinner right now for tonight.) Some fine, visiting Austrians joined in and we listened to the waves while watching bare-chested young men play volleyball. Aftewards we walked over to The Palace for cocktails.

To the New Yorkers I say, "You keep your Real Jobs and we'll keep our Real (Good) Living."