National Milk Chocolate Day

Well, I overdid it again…..Thursday (July 28th) was National Milk Chocolate Day and Bill and the Catering Gang at Villa Woodbine, where I reside, celebrated….and they invited me, and boy, did I overindulge in all the chocolate. There was chocolate all over the place. Bill Hansen, has three main rules about chocolate:

#1 - A balanced diet consists of equal amounts of dark and white chocolate.

#2 - The two basic food groups are fruit and chocolate. And if you insist on eating fruit, it must be dipped in melted chocolate.

#3 - Bill Hansen offers a 12 Step Program for Chocoholics...visitors to Villa Woodbine must never be more than 12 steps away from chocolate!!

So, with all those rules, I Sir Winston of Villa Woodbine confess that I am a Chocoholic! And although I’ve gained a few pounds, there is no way that I am going to give up chocolate.

By the way, here’s a quick quiz question….How many calories are there in a large piece of chocolate?

Answer....WHO CARES!!!!

Well, I’m off to the gym with my two female peahens to try to work off a pound or two before we fly back home to Villa Woodbine and caterer Bill to put those pounds right back on again.

Chocoholically Yours,

Sir Winston of Villa Woodbine

Winston Feels Down On His Luck

Greetings from Sir Winston of Villa Woodbine….Well, it’s that time of year…mating season is over and I am depressed.  All my beautiful tail feathers have fallen off and Bill is using them to decorate Villa Woodbine and is even using them a quill pens……Boy am I feeling down…And to make matters worse, lately, two other peacocks are beginning to move into my territory.  I told Bill that I really wasn’t happy and was considering a move.  Bill told me not to worry…my feathers will grow back and that as a tribute to me, he has engaged world-famous Coconut Grove artist, Lisa Remeny to create a lasting image of me to be used throughout the ages.  She is busy at work now, and I can’t wait to see the outcome.  This is great news, since even after I fly into peacock heaven, my image will live on in Coconut Grove!!!

Bill also has arranged for me to take my two peahen friends whom we have yet to name to the Peacock Garden Café in the Grove for lunch.  This new restaurant is named after Charles Peacock, a famous Grove pioneer and who once owned the property on which Villa Woodbine now sits.  (Court records show the Villa Woodbine property as once being owned by the Charles Peacock Estate).  Anyway, I am going to the Peacock Garden Café today on a date with my two peahen friends….and I hear the Corvina there is amazing…Bill’s friend Lalo is the owner and he does an amazing job with the food….but never quite as good as Bill’s food.

More later……I’m starved!!!!!

Sir Winston of Villa Woodbine

Winston Visits Lake Tahoe

Greetings from South Lake Tahoe….I’m perched right here on the state line between California and Nevada at Harvey’s Hotel on the south shore of one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, Lake Tahoe. I winged up here to catch the American Century Golf Championship. What a week? Chilly mornings, sunny all day, with the temps rising into the low to mid-seventies. And humidity? What humidity? This place is heaven!!!

Watching the likes of Michael Jordan, Tony Romo, Emmitt Smith, Aaron Rodgers, Ray Romano, Former VEEP Dan Quale and scores of other celebs golfing has been how I’ve filled my days for the past week. At night, the dining experience at Friday’s Station at the top of Harrah’s Hotel was a throwback to the good old days of my youth when I’d fly up here with my parents, Sir Winston III who used to live at Monty’s in the Grove, and my mom, Winnie. They still have the same waiters when I was here 25 years ago…and the food…amazing…..traditional, but consistent and served impeccably, just as Bill likes to do it at Bill Hansen Catering. I’ve eaten there twice already this week, and tonight will be my last visit before soaring back to the Grove on the jet stream. Too bad I don’t drink….(it’s bad for my feathers and I have to fly tomorrow) , but the wine list there is amazing. Aside from the fabulous 360 degree view, they specialize in a wide variety of Certified Angus and USDA Choice beef and ocean-fresh seafood specials. Tonight I’m ordering the seafood platter with diver scallops, prawns, oysters, mussels and king crab legs….yummy.

That’s all for now…almost dinner time.

All my best…Sir Winston of Villa Woodbine

Winston is Relieved -- Bill Returns!!

Greetings from Sir Winston of Villa Woodbine…Whew, I can now sleep at night. I had no idea where Bill Hansen was….he didn’t leave me a note or send a message by carrier pigeon that he was ok.  I spent three sleepless nights, tossing, turning, rolling over on my tail feathers and even rumpling them up (and that’s hard to do).   Bill left without a word, or even a wayward glance in my direction that he’d be leaving...boy was I worried.

But guess what good readers of my blog...?  Bill is back!!! Not one for keeping things status quo, Bill visited four catering firms in three days to see how other catering firms in other cities operate.  Philly on Monday, Tampa on Tuesday and a double-headers visit to the two top firms in Orlando on Wednesday.  Bill knows that you’re never too old and it’s never too late to learn new ways of doing things. I’m sure that his clients will appreciate some new twists that he plans on unveiling this upcoming catering season.

Bill, in the future though, I beg you to let me know when you’re leaving me…I do not like to be taken for granted.

Your Picky Peacock,
Sir Winston of Villa Woodbine

Where Has Bill Gone This Time???

Sir Winston of Villa Woodbine here with the latest on caterer Bill Hansen…..I’m really worried…I have not seen my owner, Bill Hansen for three days….He usually scribbles me a note in the gravel next to the driveway to let me know he’ll be traveling. But I have not seen him now for three days…..This is really unlike Bill to disappear like that. I even flew up and over his home in Weston and his car was not there. If anyone has seen Bill, please send a carrier pigeon down here to Villa Woodbine and give me an update…..

Missing you Bill,
Winston