Greetings from new digs at the Comfort Inn, just a block north of the Plaza. I hemmed and hawed about this, but finally decided there's a point where "quaint/charming" becomes a damned nuisance and detracts from the vacation, and the Plaza crossed the line this year. I did not make a fuss or complain to anyone; I merely told the desk manager I wished to check out early, and asked if there would be penalty for doing so, which there was not. Had there been, I would have raised the issues mentioned in my previous email, and a couple more that have surfaced since then, but thankfully that did not happen.
I relaxed yesterday afternoon, part napping, part commiserating with fellow watch collectors in the lobby outside the show room. I talked with one fellow (David Grace from Madison) who has been to Baselworld, and gave me some excellent tips and some general ideas of what to expect. I spent part of the afternoon composing a "boiler plate" letter that I will email to the 14 companies that I wish to see the most. The letter asks for an appointment for an interview with a company spokesman in the "private area" of their display booth to talk about the company's heritage/history for a possible article. I hit upon this idea because I am receiving a number of unsolicited emails from companies exhibiting at Baselworld asking if they could set up an appointment with me! So I figured, why not turn that around and hopefully get some private time with the companies that interest me the most. (The companies that are contacting me are "new starts" that are desperate for any kind of publicity.)
Dinner last night was with Fred Friedburg and his wife, Joy (photo is attached). Our meal at Anna's Trattoria was fabulous, so much in fact that I am going to write a review on Tripadvisor. I had one of their evening specials, which I can't remember the name of, but it was a piece of sirloin pounded flat, and then rolled into a roulade containing raisins, pine nuts, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and a little olive oil. This "loaf" is then slow roasted until fork tender, and plated with a generous dollop of your choice of marina or a red/white sauce. I picked the classic marina. We shared a bottle of Chianti, and Joy and I each had a dessert and coffee (I had a cannolli).
The conversation was wonderful, and wide ranging, turning much of the time to Fred's new book that is coming out Summer 2015 on the Illinois Watch Co., of Springfield. Thankfully, Joy is also very interested in Fred's work and she brought an added dimension/perspective to the conversation as well.
I told them about my upcoming trip to Switzerland/Germany. They told me that if I had any interest and the time available, I was welcome to use their flat in Edinburgh, Scotland for a week (or more if I wanted; but they said to take at least a week) after my visit is over in Germany. I was, as the British say, completely gobsmacked. The flat is right in the heart of town, easy walk to restaurants, markets, castles, museums, etc. Fred works as legal counsel for the medical products division of Toshiba. His company maintains the flat for his exclusive use during his travels there. I would have to pull some strings with my return flight, but it's not anything that could not be accomplished. A flight change penalty fee would be a very small price to pay for the chance to experience this!
Today is completely overcast, and we are supposed to get some showers in the afternoon. But it is still warm (in the 70s) and it's surely better than what folks just north of here are experiencing with Winter Storm Pax.
Hope everyone is well.
Love,
Bruce
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