Author: ginnyinshanghai

A day in Apalachicola……………….

Approaching the city is impactful due to the bridge crossing the water, then there’s a curve in the bridge, dropping you down onto main street. Stores come and go through the years but there’s a few favorites (mine) that have hung on.

Riverlily:

This is a shop for your ‘senses’. Husbands probably say it smells. Their store scent is part of their schtick and it definitely hits you in the face once you open the door. The store has been around 20+ years and their owners are known for their unique jewelry and greeting cards. I found this photo on-line. It doesn’t begin to speak to the multitude of interesting items in their store, but it’s a start. They can pack a LOT of things in a small space.

The story goes…………..a couple moved here and she couldn’t find any greeting cards, so she opened up her own store with cards favoring her style. They carry eclectic clothing, soaps & scents. I’ve found such unique items as Christmas ornaments and a line of bags/purses handmade in CO. There’s one of those in my closet. Last year’s purchase. 🙂

Grady Market:

This has upscale and casual clothing within a dozen+ shops located on the first floor of the building. The second floor has rooms available for visitors, called The Consulate. Maybe some day we’ll stay there.

Jewelry, decorative kitchenware and specialized food items have been past purchases. Oh yeah, they carry an interesting assortment of Life is Good merchandise and many purchases have come from that section.

Piggy Wiggly:

While not exactly downtown, it is easily walkable – for most of us. 🙂 For 30+ years it has been locally owned and operated with a Piggy Wiggly Express on SGI (a godsend – just saying). Their website says “Small town service meets big city selection.” Definitely a solid statement. You can find some amazing things in this grocery. Have you ever seen this many options for mayo or hotsauce in a small town?

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Look at all of those tomatoes.

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While they’ve had a good selection of cheeses, now you can have a chacuterie plate. Who would have guessed?

And as you would expect, a good selection of Oyster City beer.

There are a number of State Parks within the city. We always bring new visitors to the……….

Gorrie Museum:

Yep, a (really) bad photo.

Alas, it is closed due to Covid-19. This was posted on their entry door. Inside you can see a replica of his invention: a machine designed to convert water into ice. Yep, that’s right, the precursor to Air Conditioning! Sorry Adrienne, next trip we will get you inside.

You could walk the grounds, which are not extensive but his grave is located on the grounds (3rd and final resting spot), along with historic markers telling his story.

Which brings us to another State Park…….

The Orman House:

It is a stately antebellum home built in 1838 overlooking Apalachicola River. It was occupied for 165 years by a member of the Orman family until 1994. New owners made this into a Bed & Breakfast before the state purchased the property in 2001 and it became a state park. This is one of the few museums that have re-opened and had not seen many visitors. The ranger reminded me of the old commercials for the lonely ‘Maytag’ repairman. He was very chatty – but nice.

I was a little chagrined when I saw a holiday wreath on the front door – until I saw one of the components, oyster shells. 🙂 Hhhhmmmm, interesting idea.

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No visit to Apachicola is complete without a stop at this establishment.

Oyster City Brewing Company:

It opened in 2014 and has won numerous awards. Loved their thoughts shared on their website.

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Water. The town’s rich history is built upon the Apalachicola River and the nearby bay. Everyone stops at the Riverfront Park for a few photos and I was no exception.

A shrimp fleet is nearby, but a few shrimp trawlers are always parked along the riverfront.

With some wildlife wanting to take advantage of a few stray shrimp that might possibly escape.

It’s a sleepy little town in the winter which expands to a bustling summer spot when the temps are warm and the beach beckons. One day, we’ll arrive, put down roots and see all the seasons as a local.

Ginny

Oysters, Oysters and more Oysters. Eric is keeping an oyster tally, but as of this writing we’ve eaten 15 dozen of the bi-valves. OMG!

Most (but not all) of that was within a 25 hour window. It started one afternoon………

Indian Pass Raw Bar:

I had driven past this place a number of years, never stopping. Eric and friends had stopped when it was much more of a dive and biker bar. Hurricane Michael 2019 saw 8′ water surge and the staff told us all that was left was four walls. Their rebuild was fantastic.

Menu is fairly simple.

LOVE this place. You’re given two tickets, one for food. Check the boxes for each order of an item, drop it off at the bar and that’s your order. Drinks – honor system, even the beer with your second ticket. Guess it was obvious I was a novice, even after reading the posted directions. One of the staff came over to help me.

Fish dip, gumbo and oysters were ordered. Oysters came all the way from Apalachicola, FL – just down the road!

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But then came the dessert I ordered. OMG! This was the B.E.S.T key lime pie. Three forks polished this off in record time – I wanted to lick the plate – just saying.

Hole in the Wall:

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While Miss Barbara (co-owner) was not in attendance, her husband and daughter still provided a (subdued) level of entertainment.

Two dozen oysters were ordered. These were from Louisiana, not Apalachicola as their outside sign states.

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I had to ‘dress’ mine up a little bit: a tiny bit of fresh grated horseradish and a few dots of cocktail sauce, with an occaisional squeeze of lemon.

Bright and early one morning we drove to Carrabelle for our oysters. Home of the world’s smallest police station. I had heard about this for a number of years and passed it multiple times. Carrabelle Chamber of Commerce has a nice flyer detailing its history. Google it – you’ll enjoy the tale. 🙂

Fathoms Steam Room & Raw Bar:

It’s a little run down………………there’s Adrienne and Eric’s hand waving in the photo on the right.

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We had more fish dip and saltines.

While the oysters were from two different states, Apalachicola FL and Texas. It was a tie concerning flavor. These were probably the least liked over the week and some of my worst shots. Nope – can’t tell you which one was from either state.

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They had a number of cool signs on the walls – maybe to patch holes and keep the place together? Just kidding, kind of. I couldn’t resist this one.

Or this sign……………their marketing budget was small.

Getting there required driving on Highway 98 and we hit some construction. This road is forever being patched up due to running along the coast and hurricane winds/surge/rain (take your pick) that hit this area.

Next restaurant during these 25 hours was back in Eastpoint.

Red Pirate Grill & Oyster Bar:

No surprise where the pirate is concerned. Add in a glass of Oyster City Brewing Company’s finest – Mill Pond Dirty, a blonde ale.

Another two dozen oysters were ordered, these from Alabama.

No fish dip, but we ordered fried pickles.

Eric got their smoked mullet special of the day with fried okra.

And just because we didn’t have enough fried food – onion straws.

Flounder (my favorite!) with french fries for me. Yes, yes – more fried food.

Last stop for the day – I promise.

The Station Raw Bar:

At one point it was a gas station and has been reincarnated as a restaurant.

One dozen oysters from Apalachicola were ordered.

I was done with oysters for the day. I needed dessert (and coffee). Key lime was my selection this day. It was okay – NOT as good as Indian Pass Raw Bar, but all enjoyed several bites. We left nothing behind.

So ended 25 hours of oyster-eating in the Panhandle.

Oyster tally – 9 dozen or 108 bi-valves.

Ginny

This was our first day of getting the boat into the water and fishing. This was the day’s forecast. Doesn’t look bad – right.? A little bit chilly, but we brought lots of layering to peel off as the temps rise.

We drove over the bridge to Apalachicola to use their public boat ramp.

I got curious about the town of Apalachicola and found these factoids:

• Name comes from the Indian word meaning ‘land beyond’ or ‘friendly people over there’.
• The area was once home to more than 40,000 Indians.
• The town was first established in 1831 as a major cotton shipping port.
• In 1851 Dr. John Gorrie invented a form of refrigeration (precursor to air conditioning) to treat yellow fever patients. More on Dr. Gorrie coming.

The boat ramp was not crowded at all – go figure. We headed out to the bay, eventually turning east. What my weather screenshot does not show………………..the winds. We knew it was blowing across the bay, out of the North. The water (and by that I mean the chop) west of the SGI bridge was okay, not the best for riding but tolerable. Going under the SGI bridge, that got bumped up significantly. Dare I call it ‘Hell’? Yes. We had only gone 100 yards and I said ‘This is not enjoyable’ – (WHAT an understatement).

Ultimately, we stayed on the west side of the bay, fishing a few spots that had been productive in the past. The snacks we brought for the boat didn’t hold the hunger pangs at bay, so in we went. Yes, the wind had settled down somewhat and the ride was fine.

Heading back to Apalachicola, here’s a shot of the bridge leading into the city.

In my excitement of getting onto the water earlier, I didn’t pay attention to the channel. They sustained some damage from Hurricane Michael in 2019.

There are always some boats tied up along the sides. Some seem never to leave. Apparently, this spot was occupied by a more permanent resident……….until the storm.

Our late lunch turned into an early supper at Lynn’s Quality Oysters, Inc. Yes, it’s a dive. Initially an outlet for Seafood, they have a small bar (fully occupied when we arrived), small indoor seating area with 5 tables and a really cool outside eating (way too cold today) space with great views of the waterfront.

Let’s get to the food – it was delicious. We quickly put in our order for the fish dip and a dozen raw oysters.

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Another dozen of raw oysters, bowls of seafood gumbo, 1/2 dozen of broiled oysters and a slaw dog rounded out our meal this day.

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I did a little digging about Lynn’s:

• Lynn was born and raised in Eastpoint (location of said establishment).
• Her parents started the business in 1971 under a different name and Lynn started shucking oysters at the tender age of nine.
• After her own career in banking, she purchased the business from her parents in 1997 when they retired, renaming it.
• It is considered one of the longest standing packinghouses in the state of Florida and has built a strong reputation for 1st class seafood and satisfied customers.

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A short jaunt down the road – really we could have walked – was Eastpoint Beer Company.

Their sign says it all………………

They also have a great view along the backside of their establishment.

Who could resist this shot?

As the sun was lowering on the horizon, one more shot.

Ginny

Wow! After numerous attempts this year to head to one of our favorite Florida locales, we finally made it.

Here’s a brief synopsis of our attempts this year:

Trip #1 – Rental company canceled our reservation due to state restrictions for Covid-19 in the Spring. Ugh.

Trip #2 – NY Friends couldn’t make it due to 2-week quarantine upon coming into Florida, followed by a 2-week quarantine going back home. Yikes!

Trip #3 – this is it! It began with a packed truck and boat, followed by a car.

Adrienne is driving her car so Eric was driving solo. This was our view for 280+ miles.

Eating options were slim pickings if you don’t want to stop at a chain restaurant – and we don’t. Then you factor in possible restaurant closures or limited hours due to the state-wide shutdown and options get smaller. Prior to leaving home, we found a favorite – Cypress Inn – with a website that still says they are open AND they had a Yelp review two days prior. We had a plan, timed our departure for lunchtime and (yep you guessed it), closed. A sign on the door said ‘Closed for Cleaning’. Aaarrgghh.

Quick trip into a nearby gas station/food market and their recommendation was Carriage Inn Restaurant & Motel, but it meant back-tracking a few miles – not what we usually prefer. Choices were limited so back we went.

Breakfast was my choice (and served all day) and I had some f.a.b.u.l.o.u.s pancakes. They were literally steaming when the plate was brought to the table. An egg and rasher of bacon rounded out my meal.

Eric chose lunch getting a tuna salad sandwich and fries. I won – just saying.

Not sure this place will be a repeat, but it was filling and open when we passed through.

We finally arrived at St. George Island.

And the rental house Survivor.

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It’s older than some of the places we’ve stayed, decorated ’80s style. It still works for us being on the back side of the island along a canal with a dock.

Our bathroom had something I’ve only seen on TV, a walk-in tub. Not quite sure how that is going to work. I may be borrowing Adrienne’s bathroom on this trip!

And then there is this………..a baby grand piano. Really? Really.

Something I almost forgot to include…………..the elevator. It’s important to Eric. It gets harder and harder each year to carry things up. Maybe it’s because we bring too much………

Sunday night dinner was a stop Adrienne and I made before getting on the island, picking up fresh seafood, specifically shrimp and oysters. For the record, Eric still had to cook the seafood, it was not prepared.

We always buy head-on shrimp. It’s a good clue the shrimp are super fresh.

Monday morning dawned bright and clear and WINDY. It was expected which was also the reason we didn’t put the boat in the water upon arrival. Not going to be a good day for fishing.

The day turned into a ‘Show Adrienne Around SGI’ day with the first stop being St. George Island State Park.

I mentioned it was windy…………………..

Yellow flag for moderate, windy conditions with the purple for stinging marine life. Ouch! We stopped at the last beach parking and saw this sign. I guess they are serious.

We grabbed a quick photo to prove we were really at the beach. Yep, still really windy and quite chilly

And then……………walking along the surf, we saw this. I think they were trying to get out of the chilly water and grab some sun – not.

Not too many people walking along the beach in November.

Nor could many shells be seen. The wind was blowing grains of sand along the coastline, burying many.

We made another stop inside the park – the Boy Scout Camp – where in years past we put in our kayaks for fishing. Man – look at that low, low, low tide. A full moon + exceptionally low tide + 25+mph winds out of the north = below.

Couldn’t resist a shot of this sign. Yep, the oyster bars definitely have sharp edges which could prove hazardous to the bottom of your kayaks.

Time to head over the bridge towards Apalachicola……….for lunch. Scipio Creek Marina’s restaurant & bar was our choice.

This is a new addition to their entrance – a wall of buoys. You can just see blue sky peeking out near the top.

What else would you drink in Apalachicola, but brews from Oyster City Brewing Company.

A dozen raw oysters and fried pickles started us off. These oysters were different from the ones the day earlier. They are being farm-raised in Alligator Point – east of here. That story could be a post all in itself. Lets just saw they were mighty tasty – better than the ones I picked up, which were harvested out of state. Add a dab of fresh grated horseradish or cocktail sauce – yum.

Eric enjoyed their seafood gumbo and fried okra. I loved my grouper and onion rings. OMG – those were some of the best onion rings ever. Almost forgot to take a photo of my basket. There are several nuggets of fried grouper and a few leftover onion rings (and then I remembered my photo).

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There were a few unlucky boats in this part of the river that had seen better days.

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Glad to be back in this part of the state, enjoying fresh seafood and good company.

Ginny

One Monday with nothing specific planned we both had a craving for German food. Where do you go in Central Florida when this hits?

Hollerbach’s! For us, this is not a place you casually head towards – it is a destination being 47 miles and a 52 minute drive. The plan was a leisurely drive that would include a bit of eating and a bit of shopping, with a few errands thrown in.

Let’s start with the eating (and drinking). Covid-19 is still a concern and when possible we like to eat outside when (1) covered and/or protected from the sun (2) air movement or fans keeps the temps enjoyable and (3) safe distances between patrons. All of these conditions were easily met.

Hollerbach’s Willow Tree now has a beer on draft that is being made locally (at least in the states).

Always have to start with the pretzel before our sausages and accompanying sides arrived.

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The restaurant has been remodeling for a number of years and (unfortunately) opened the weekend the state was shut down for Covid. With the social distancing required, this extra room has allowed their patrons to still enjoy their food. Here is one of their new areas.

Some of their numerous awards are now able to be displayed.

They have most of the city block and on one corner is their German market. After a few food purchases, we finished our errands and headed home.

The title mentions German food x 2. Our second meal was one that Eric prepared at home. The following week we made good use of our recent purchases. Let’s start with the sides.

One important German side dish is red cabbage. After cutting 1/2 head of red cabbage, throwing in a few spices (cloves, allspice) slipping in a key ingredient (apple slices for sweetness) you get the end result………a nice tasty, colorful red cabbage side dish.

Add a nice refreshing chilled gherkin (cucumber & red onion) salad seasoned with dill in a sour cream & vinegar sauce.

Something new in our household was the potato pancakes. Eric grated potatoes – squeezing out all the water possible – threw in some onion and bound the ingredients together with an egg. A tasty fried potato pancake, topped with apple sauce and sour cream (if desired – and I do!) was a nice accompaniment.

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Now, one of the key parts of any German meal………….the sausages. We grilled two types: metwurst (3) and nuremburger (6) sausages. Hard to decide which I liked best. I had leftovers for lunch the coming week – always a plus. Man – I can almost hear the sizzling of the sausages.

What goes best with German food? German beer. One item I could not take to work. Ha!

One more new food item in the Darden household was this German dessert. I picked up this dessert mix at their German deli and prepared it after our meal. It was okay. Full disclosure – mine looked nothing like theirs. 😦 The one that likes dessert best (me) was the least impressed. Both Adrienne and Eric enjoyed it. It was a little better the following day. I probably don’t need to purchase this again.

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I love German food, Eric not quite so much. When we visited Germany several years ago, tasting their sausages was a big plus for me. If we can’t fly to Germany (and we can’t right now) at least I can enjoy a taste of German food at home.

Ginny

It’s been 9+ weeks since ‘I got the call’ and went back to work. Can I just say, these are interesting times. I’ve got some photos to share since I’ve been back and a few thoughts.

This first shot is literally, the first day that Epcot opened to guests on July 15, 2020 after a +17 week closure. Kind of odd wearing a face mask (and photographing it) but it is my current world.

Most guests missed Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival this Spring due to the closure – less than 3 weeks after opening. It usually ends the first week of June.

Epcot’s big draw is our festivals – I don’t think that’s a secret (and we have some r.e.a.l.l.y cool ones)! Covid-19 has turned that up-side down. We’re kind of doing a ‘festival blend’ at this moment in time. We have Flower & Garden merchandise, but the theme is ‘Taste of Epcot International Food & Wine Festival 2020′. Notice the ’25’ near the bottom of the right photo? This year was the 25th anniversary.

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Like a normal (Epcot) festival, there are a number of food booths, situated mostly around the lake. Although it is super hot, muggy, sunny, hot, muggy, sunny – you get the picture – a girl’s got to eat. Adrienne met me for lunch one day to sample some food offerings. First stop was the Hawaii kiosk, choosing the pork slider with pineapple chutney. Definitely sounds weird, but it works.

Next stop was World Showplace – great idea since it’s covered, it’s inside and there was seating!

Remember, hot, muggy, hot, muggy……oops forgot the sunny. We found a few selections that gained our interest. I got the charcuterie plate with Adrianne bringing back a pierogi dish and a seafood shepherd’s pie. There was plenty to share.

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Stopping in here was a nice chance to cool down. After a bit of noshing, we braved the heat and continued walking around the lake. One more booth drew us in – the kiosk at Germany. We couldn’t resist the bratwurst on a pretzel roll and the apple strudel. Man – just seeing this photo makes me want to go back for another (both!).

Okay, okay. Enough about food – for the moment.

There’s another thing different going on this summer – Character Calvalades. Mickey and Minnie are escorted around the lake with Goofy leading the way.

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There is also a princess calvalade with the footman leading the way.

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You know, it’s a little bit different but it works for the time we are in.

I heard someone say ‘Embrace this moment. Things will change and get better.’ I’m still learning how to embrace this. I absolutely believe we will find new ways to showcase the Disney brand and be better for it. I absolutely believe the Safety measures we’re going through are making an impact. We’re forging new paths for this challenge.

However, there’s something that hasn’t changed……………..Disney’s colorful landscape! Summer in Central Florida is a tough season to grow flowers. Caladiums make great colorful addition to flower beds. Did you know that Lake Placid, Florida is the Caladium Capital of the World, growing 95% of the world’s caladiums? They grow from a bulb and come up a number of years, until something eats the bulb or it finally degrades. There are a number of flower beds planted with these bulbs and they bring a shot of color. There are hundreds and hundreds of varieties, types & sizes.

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Every day I walk the park and eventually pass by this pair of flower beds, it makes me smile. Love the colors, love the flowers. Check out the bee in one of the photos.

Just when I thought I was done talking about food, I came across this shot. One way to combat those hot, muggy, sunny days (besides finding A/C) is ice cream! Throughout the year this food booth will offer different flavors. At the present, it is a strawberry soft-serve ice cream. Full disclosure……….it usually comes with a waffle cone, dipped and embellished with sprinkles, but after the first time, I only needed the ice cream.

Since I didn’t want the waffle cone, the cast member offered to add some sprinkles to my dish – guess I’m not the first one to request this.

So, how is life back at work?

It’s good.

It’s different.

It’s interesting.

It’s occasionally frustrating.

It is the place where I’ve spent the majority of my adult life. My last shot is where my life at Disney started, The Land.

Ginny

We got a call from a friend mid-week and quickly made plans for a weekend of scalloping & fishing. The only unfortunate thing is we don’t get to stay at King’s Bay Lodge – they’re full. We stayed at another local favorite Plantation on Crystal River.

They don’t have kitchenettes so every meal has to be eaten out and it doesn’t give us the opportunity to cook our day’s catch. Regardless, we like the rooms and the ability to secure our boat right outside of the room along the seawall is a bonus.

This visit their ‘new’ fountain is working.

It’s not a ‘fan favorite’ with us. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with it, but I’m not sure it really fits in. Driving in, this was a nice shot with the trees providing a pretty canopy.

Once you get closer, you can see how they tried to incorporate local flavor…………..by adding manatees. Maybe that’s the reason I’m not a fan. They’re just kind of a big blob. Ok, enough about the fountain.

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Rich and Connor stopped by our house Friday night and headed over (taking our boat) Saturday morning. Adrienne drove over mid-afternoon Saturday to join us. Eric and I arrived in time to find our room, freshen up and gather up the gang before heading over to Peck’s Old Port Cove Seafood Restaurant for our 7pm reservation.

Notice the very bottom section of the sign? ‘Blue Crab Farm’ At the back of their place, you can see some of their holding tanks. This guy was not shy. Guy? Girl? I’m not going to pick the crab up to find out!

Ultimately we ended up sitting outside (which did not require a reservation) but allowed us plenty of physical distancing and the added benefit of open-air seating. Service was a bit hap-hazard and we ended up bussing the table before the waitress stopped by. She did bring our drinks fairly quickly and then it was time for a photo.

Although everyone – but me – started with clam chowder, I (somewhat patiently) waited for the fish net onions appetizer – super yummy and crunchy!

Four of us got the catch of the day – surprisingly all different (1-fried, 1-broiled, 1-blackened) with my choice being the ‘cajun’ seasoning. It had a red pepper kick in the seasoning

Eric came for the crabs. When he placed his order…………….they were out and he had to reluctantly find something else to eat from the menu. We went in, understanding service would be slow and that really worked in Eric’s favor. Low and behold, as our appetizer arrived a boat came up to their back dock and dropped off more crabs. Eric found our waitress and was quickly able to modify his order. His crabs arrived, steamed & sauted with garlic.

He was happy.

This made me happy…………………key lime pie. There was enough to share for those that wanted a spoonful, or two.

This weather screenshot greeted us Sunday morning. It’s all north of us, coming straight onto land, shouldn’t really impact us. Right?

By the time we got everything packed in the boat, clouds had moved in. Notice that ‘spot’ in my photo below? Rain. it was barely sprinkling when we left our hotel, but that changed.

After picking up some shrimp from Pete’s Pier, rain was coming down harder, but there was a break in the clouds. It should be enough for us to motor out to the Gulf to fish. Let’s just say it was a ‘bear’ getting to the break in the clouds. Adrienne and I were sitting in the front of the boat, covered by a beach towel (soaking wet by now) to break the stinging rain. Yes, rain hurts.

The original intent of the quick weekend trip was to ‘scallop’. The (1) rainy weather, combined with (2) murky, churned up water, (3) local reports the scallops were deeper than normal, (4) along with not being plentiful, ultimately decided scalloping was out and that we were only going to fish.

We all caught some fish that day. At one point, Rich showed us one small little seatrout that he commented was his smallest seatrout ever caught (it got thrown back)…………until Eric hooked this guy. Yep, that is one tiny trout. I think the shrimp on the hook was almost the same size.

Adrienne had a great day. Here’s an action shot while she was bringing in her fish.

The fish was netted and added to the growing catch in the cooler. It’s her biggest fish yet – 23″. Hang tight, another shot is coming. We don’t want to lose the fish for a better photo.

Here’s a shot with everyone’s catch.

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Notice who’s missing? Me. 😦 I caught no keepers. After fishing almost 20 years, I can honestly say seeing Connor and Adrienne catch fish made the day a good day even for me. Some might say have a history of competiveness…………even with fishing.

The guys enjoyed the fish-cleaning table at this place. It is a step (or two) up from a lot of places. Dual cutting surfaces, water hoses nearby and another really nice feature…………….it was covered giving ample shade.

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They had some friends eagerly waiting for the fish trimmings.

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Since we (and I really mean Eric) can’t cook our catch, after cleaning up we headed our for dinner. Truly, it was not a typical choice for us.

Our first option was probably going to be a 1+hour wait and it was only 5:30pm. And we were hungry. Someone mentioned Chili’s and we headed that way. All it took was the words ‘chips & salsa’.

I love their hamburgers while Eric settled for a bowl of chili.

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Naturally, you have to ‘fill in the cracks’ and ice cream does that nicely.

With Rich and Connor departing early the next morning, it was the three of us.

We probably fished 25 minutes in good weather – warm, sunny with a breeze. The fish were biting! In a matter of a few minutes, the wind picked up, waves started rolling, white caps could be seen and the air temp dropped noticeably. It was time to head in. Thank goodness we found a shortcut yesterday and using the GPS could safely traverse it.

I couldn’t watch and kept my gaze towards land. Eric had to do some ‘tacking’ to get us into the channel. He later told me some of his maneuvers had water pouring over the back gunnel. This trip back became an E-Ticket ride. If you’re not familiar with the term – Google it.

Since we were pushed off the water and leaving earlier than expected, we needed lunch. We found a seafood spot on the way home – Cedar River Seafood.

They had very tasty fried pickles. And I was told the clam chowder was very good.

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My broiled flounder filets and Eric’s fried fisherman’s platter was filling enough that no supper was needed.

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During the short time on the water, it was productive – for me. I finally ‘got on the board’ catching this 16″ seatrout.

Which turned into dinner the next night Greek-style: lemon-rice pilaf, Greek cucumber & tomato salad and seatrout sauted with herbs, topped with a squeeze of lemon.

Oh yeah, we saw one ‘interesting’ thing at our hotel. Our first night at the hotel we experienced a fairly fierce storm. This greeted the owner in the morning. You could consider this unlucky, or incredible good luck.

Stay tuned for the next post. I’ll share some photos from work.

Ginny

Going out to eat is a novel experience these days. While we seek interesting culinary adventures, Covid-19 has definitely made us more cautious – a lot more cautious. It hasn’t totally stopped us, but we pick and choose locales wisely. Let me show you some recent stops.

We initially stopped here 1+ year ago due to hearing they offered Shanghai-style dumplings………weekends only. Unfortunately, they are currently using an abbreviated menu and alas, dumplings are not an option. But we found plenty of other Asian street fare to eat, such as these fried wontons & fried pork belly. Followed by noodles and fried rice – yum. Almost makes up for not having dumplings………..but not quite.

We have ventured further out of our immediate dining circle and stopped at this eatery in Mt. Dora. Excuse me, ‘Streatery’ and yes it’s located on Fifth Avenue – which is the primary street through historic downtown Mt. Dora.

As you might possibly guess, it was on a corner (an old gas station I think) and all seating is outside. The heaters seen in the photo below are not really needed at this time of year, but the misting nozzles coming off the overhang was much appreciated.

We started with some pretzel knots before my meal of spicey fried shrimp arrived. Eric’s meal was fish & chips. Yep, I noshed on some of his fries!

We have gone even further afield from our Central Florida dining circle and stopped at the Ybor City Columbia’s Restaurant (near Tampa) one afternoon.

Starting the meal with their home-made Sangria is always a hit. (Sorry Eric – Adrienne and I shared, which meant you got iced tea and the drive home.) Pre-Covid, it was made at the table with the ingredients laid out, pretty much a ‘production’. Post-Covid it comes to the table in this pitcher. It was still excellent, but lost some of its ‘panache’.

New rules, new selection. I’ve always (and I do mean 100% of the time) ordered the combo platter which gives me plenty leftovers for work, usually two meals. This time it was the roast pork (whaaaat, only one meat!), accompanied by yucca with black beans & rice. Eric selected a dish with beef and spanish rice.

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We shared desserts, having two between the three of us: chocolate bread pudding and a guava tart. Lots of vanilla sauce accompanied each dessert and both were very yummy! We wanted to lick the plate afterwards – just saying.

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A little closer to home was The Tiki Bar & Grill along Lake Minneola. Eating outside in a Florida summer is always dicey – but not too bad this day. The clouds definitely helped with the temps.

Tables (distantly spaced) underneath large oak trees was the perfect spot to enjoy some local craft brews.

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Eric loved his burger. My order of chicken fingers wasn’t a fan favorite – he won.

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Oh yeah and our mode of transportation getting there…………..boat, which took the whole experience up an extra notch.

These were all tasty outings, but I am e.x.t.r.e.m.e.l.y lucky that Eric’s hobby is cooking. Having the time to search the internet for recipes has added additional flavors and dinners not usually seen in this household. He’s made an amazing amount of diverse meals. Now, let’s see what he’s been creating.

Ramen. Bet you never thought I’d lead with that! Eric’s been missing ramen ever since our Lucky’s grocery store left the area (they had a counter for ordering in house). Being home gave him the time to research and create an authentic version.

Let’s just say that authentic ramen takes days to make – no kidding. His bone stock (pork & chicken) needed 18 hours to complete and deepen in flavor. The day prior to eating, he roasted the pork belly and marinated the soft-boiled eggs in a soy-based sauce. The day ‘of’ he made his soy-based Tare. Once I got home that evening, he pulled it all together and here you go.

I know, I know, only one photo captures the final product after such a build-up. He’s going to have to work on ‘progress‘ photos as he builds his meals. There were a few other items that could be added individually such as scallions, chili sauce, seaweed and other assorted spices. To go along with the meal he made a bean sprout salad. It had a nice ‘kick’ to it and complemented the ramen well.

This next photo kind of looks like dessert – it’s not. We had some (delicious) red cherries in the fridge and he googled ‘recipes with cherries’. After sorting through all of the sweet recipes, he found this. He quick-pickled the cherries and the red onions. The fish was seatrout from one of our earlier fishing trips, pan-fried. He added some red pepper flakes to give it a kick – and it did, almost too much.

Another night the recipes favored Peru. We started off munching on peruvian dried corn that he roasted and salted. OMG – they were addictive! The yellow pepper dipping sauce was good, but they were fine on their own.

Which was the precursor to the seafood cerviche’, using our fresh-caught snapper. Hominy, red onions and more roasted corn added flavor and texture.

Did we really need anything else? No, but there was more. He made fried yucca and a dipping sauce (nope – he can’t remember what was in the sauce). They were excellent! Nice and crispy and salty – yum.

We were (and by that I mean me) hankering for another hot pot meal at home. Eric obliged, but we all agreed that summer in Florida is not the right time. That won’t happen again until the weather gets cooler – say December, ha! First up, our hot pot cooking liquid and the sauces.

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Then we had our veggies: cubed daikon radish, bok choy pieces and chayote. Two types of mushrooms rounded out the options.

Then came the meat: shrimp, mahi fish & scallops along with the chicken, pork belly and beef.

Not all of his dishes were so intense and involved. Grilled shrimp, sliced tomatoes and pan-fried snapper (we caught it!) topped with capers greeted me one evening when I got home.

Another night it was pork tenderloin, scalloped potatoes (best he’s ever made) and more sliced tomatoes.

Recently I had another hankering this time for Bang Bang shrimp – a dish created at Bonefish Grill. It was one recipe that Eric helped me feel comfortable making before I went to China – so I could make it for myself (and I did!). The shrimp are coated with corn starch, fried then covered with the ‘bang bang’ coating.

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Eric’s version of Bang Bang shrimp accompanied with a cooling (but spicy) cucumber salad.

There you have it! While we’ve been selective in our world-wide eating sojourns (Spain, Japan, Peru, China, US Mid-west and Gulf coast seafood) eating at home is okay with me.

Ginny