Overseas

Suppers

Nov 10

MARATHON, FLORIDA | NOVEMBER, 2022 ‍

Watching the sun set over open water is a singular experience. It slowly swells from a pale yellow dot high above to a pink pulsing thing, slowly bleeding into its surroundings. It moves slowly for hours, gently sinking towards the horizon until it just starts to touch the border between sea and sky. Then, like someone deep below the ocean started sucking the sky up through a boba straw, it disappears, leaving streaks of rose in its wake that eventually fade, overpowered by the shades of deep blue that wash over nighttime. It’s hard to look away, if you’re lucky enough to be standing on a shoreline with an unobstructed view of this daily miracle.

For better or worse, storms tend to lead to some of the most incredible sunsets. We came together for a stunning sunset in the peaceful oasis of the Isla Bella Resort in the middle of the Florida Keys as the tailwinds of Hurricane Nicole battered the palm leaves above us. After several days of changing plans to accommodate the weather and tracking forecasts that threatened to cancel the entire event, we were so grateful for a safe and relatively calm gathering, while thinking of those who were still in the storm’s path.

Chef Pavy Keomaniboth, executive chef of the resort’s flagship restaurant, Mahina, treated us to a Laoatian family-style feast, the perfect meal for the beautiful group of warm, friendly strangers we had gathered around the seaside table. Danielle made the drive across the ocean to Marathon with a rental car comically full of farm-fresh banana leaves to line the table, and spent the day fighting to keep them from flying into the ocean. In addition to our ticketed guests, we were joined by iguanas bathing in the sun and hermit crabs scuttling across the beach, even a flock of pelicans that spent much of the afternoon with us helping to set up (and surely collecting a few snacks when no one was looking).

As the sun started to grow heavier in the sky, our glasses stayed full, first with Brother’s Bond Bourbon, then Rodney Strong wines, and finally with American Harvest Organic Vodka for a tropical citrus cocktail to set everyone off into the night. We were on an island of our own for a few hours as string lights glowed into the darkening night and stories were shared while everyone lingered over last bites of rice and crispy vegetables, last sips of citrusy cocktail or red wine. Eventually, it was time to walk back into the world, kind of — the oasis of Isla Bella shone in the near distance to receive weary travelers not yet ready to make the full trip back into their everyday.

**WELCOME**

We welcomed the group with Mystic Charmer cocktails from Brother’s Bond Bourbon. The mix of lemon, lime, and yuzu with just a touch of honey sweetness to compliment the bourbon was a fresh, tart way to wake up everyone’s palates and bring everyone together before the family style feast.

**A MENU BY PAVY KEOMANIBOTH**

Chef Pavy has lived and cooked all over, from training in the Pacific Northwest to cooking in Hawaii, Wisconsin, Ohio and now Florida. At Isla Bella’s flagship restaurant, Mahina, he combines his diverse culinary background with the incredible regional ingredients available in the Florida Keys to celebrate Pacific Rim Cuisine. For this Supper, he reached back into his family heritage to create a Laoatian feast for us to share. It was a personal, bright, and beautiful presentation of heritage cuisine.

The property includes a full mile of waterfront, so it truly feels like you’re standing at the end of the world staring out at the distant ocean horizon. White sand beaches abut the sugar-white architecture of the resort itself, hemmed with lush tropical gardens full of native plants surrounding five oceanfront pools. It’s paradise. We set the table just off the beaten path, where we could soak in that end of the world feeling and come together away from it all to share gratitude in this special place, knowing we were so lucky to be celebrating while others were sheltering from nearby storms.