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M
ORE fliarr
a
cerrfury a-go-irr
frre
slmpier d'ays
of
1819-a typical Spanish chophouse rose above
the walls
at
the entrance of the Monserrate gate'.
It
w.as
a
ple'a-sant grilled structure, a rendevous fO'r
beaux, muslci;ms,
army
oificers;, attorneys, actors, genfle'–
men of culture and honor, desirous
to
partake of ti-le
delicious arld fasfy "mixed gin" GYr cherry B'rnrldy. Ladies
in their carriages. under bright silken parasols; sipped ·de–
licious brandies. while
bein1~
c;:ourted by their gallanit
!<n ights.
This ideal verrerated
r:sface
was
C:afle>d
t~
''Silver P'imr"',
This was oved
a
century ago.
Now-with t'he p·assing
a·f
yea-rs -
the
" Slrver Pine:'"'
facing Albear Square, overrooking the old coh'5n·ial
sfreet~
filled witli tradifions of ifs romanfa: pasf, ha§ be.m renam–
ed
"La Florida".
"The Silver Pirre' ' and
"la
FT6rfda" cafe sfill sta'rld,
ffre
former if1l our remembrance, the latter ir1 the reali fy
of
lifes da;:fy t6fl, servin'g the public, business m'en, i:ioliti–
c:ians, professforrals, wrifers ancf fhe rrrosf beautiful
6'f
elegant wo)'!:)en, wifh exquisite whipped frbl'if tui<:es
a!i\lcl
monts
de~rca1ie
wines and cocktails
"The Sirve·r P'ine" cliof)house
was
transformed d'urirri;;
fhe days of fl'i'e American occupafiorl'
info
a
fleadquarter~
for the goocf Yankee tipplers. The b<rrfelfders gradualfy
modernized fhe sirrrple drink§
of
our
arrcesfci'r and
fh'e
va luable efforts <rdded
fo
fhe brighf talerrt of Constarvte>,
have c·onverted fhe gl'ori'ous and historic cO'n"fer ir1'11o
a
r.e•
fuge of. Art
a-r1d
P'oefry.