Recently, I found myself seeking a little escape, a pause in the whirlwind of deadlines and inbox pings, and one that was made possible by an invitation to write a fun story.

When we have out-of-town guests, after we’ve given them what we call the Fort Lauderdale/Wilton Manors experience, if they’re here long enough, we expand that to the Miami experience, which includes tours of South Beach, and MiMo, and we always end up in Wynwood.

There’s something incredibly comforting about catching up with a close friend, the kind of friend who knows your stories, your quirks, and one that enjoys food and trying out new places as much as you do.

There’s something quietly magical about the kind of place that invites you to sit, stay, and reconnect, and Cafe Landwer’s new Boca Raton location did exactly that.

Mai-Kai, the legendary Fort Lauderdale Polynesian dinner theater, restaurant, and Tiki lounge, is an official landmark.

There are afternoons that shimmer just a little brighter, and this one, with my close friends Sharma and Brooke, was one of them.