Delray was so great. I love the name. Makes me think of the 50's - perhaps because of the alliterations - like, "let's go see Dick Dale and the Deltones down in Delray." And, it looked like Florida of the 50's. No condo high rises lining the lovely beach. They stayed in Wright's on the Beach (love the name) and it was perfect. My kinda place - just like Harry and my favorite funky little motel in Sanibel - the Shalimar. Right on the beach, pool, rooms with little kitchen areas, sand tracked in everywhere. That is vacation. Screw Holiday Inn Express. You can stay there and be anywhere in the world and you would wake up and not have a clue where you are since they all look the same.
Delray Beach had a lot more going for it though. Lots of little restaurants with outdoor seating, shops and a small downtown area that was walking friendly. I was impressed and will head back. The American Orchid Society headquarters in nearby, which will be a destination. Add some good golf and that is a weekend!
According to my brother, Tom Nord, "In 1957, Chevrolet offered a 1957 Chevy Bel Air "Delray" It was an upgrade 210 model coupe. It is today a highly sought after, very rare collectors automobile. These automobiles represented a milestone in automobile design. The car offered, among a lot of other things, a 283 cubic inch V-8 engine with "power pack" option. The engine could be ordered with solid lifters, dual exhaust and Rochester mechanical fuel injection. It produced 283 horsepower out of 283 cubic inch displacement. I believe it was the first production automobile to achieve that 1/1 ratio. I'd bet it was named a Delray because in the late 1950's Florida was the place to be!"
ReplyDelete