Sunsets

Sunsets. We get some nice ones here in Southwest Florida.

Yesterday Carolyn and Cody and I went out into the Gulf of Mexico for a first-ever sunset cruise on Rambler II. Carolyn and I tried to do the same thing Saturday but the conditions in the Gulf were not conducive to a comfortable sunset cruise.

The conditions in the Gulf on Monday were much better. We dropped an anchor in shallow water, knowing that the tide was coming while we were on the beach. We had some cocktails and waited for sunset.

We took Mabel The Rescue too, who has proven to be a first rate Boat Dog and adequate crew member.

So, here is what we experienced yesterday evening.

John P. Needham

November 21, 2023

Naples, FL

Graduation #2

Carolyn and I are now the parents of two college graduates. Last Thursday Cody Ambrose Needham graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and an Associates degree in Culinary Arts.

Cody showed an interest in cooking long before he started planning for college, when he was very young. He always said that he wanted to go to “cooking school” rather than college. When he got serious about college, we told him to find a school with a bachelors program, and we’d agree. He came up with CIA and we were on board.

CIA has a program called Journey for Juniors, for high-schools students to get a feel for what life would be on campus, and I took Cody up for that between his junior and senior years of HS. That sealed the deal. Cody never even looked at another college.

So after three years as full-time student, one semester spent in an award-winning kitchen at The Herbfarm Restaurant in Woodinville WA, and one semester spent in Barcelona studying the cuisine of the Mediterranean, Cody now joins his brother John Bailey as a degreed professional.

Cody will be returning to Naples, FL where he will join the team of Chef Todd Johnson later this month at Nosh at Naples Bay.

We can't wait for Cody to join us back in Naples.

John P. Needham

August 7, 2023, 630AM

Naples, FL

Barcelona Bound

This young man is off on a wonderful adventure. He will spend the next three months in and around Barcelona, studying the cuisine of the Mediterranean in his concentration semester with the Culinary Institute of America.