One of our favorite places in Florida……….St. George Island.  But before going, a few things still have to be done at home – like mowing.  Eric stayed with the ‘unspoken rule’ of waiting until 8am before starting.

We’re much better at packing than we used to, but this still seems like a lot, and that’s only the things that are going into the cab of the truck.  Back in the day………..we used to pack most of our food since there was little choice for groceries and ‘isolation inflation’ made things fairly expensive.  It’s not quite as bad now.

Naturally, part of any trip is the adventure of driving.  A good break for the trip included stopping at ‘Rocky’s’ in Perry.

In addition to being a gas station and soft drink stop, it has a variety of other things like these interesting items.

But then………………OMG!  We totally forgot there is a second Rocky’s and wow – it is deluxe.  They have designated gas pumps in the back of their store with one way access for trailers w/boats and RVs.  Pumps are on both side of the pull-through so the location of your fuel tank is unimportant.  Then when you go into the store, it’s a version of the other Rocky’s, but on steroids.

After eating an early breakfast before leaving home, we needed a bit more food before the evening.  We stopped at Angelo & Sons Tropical Trader in Panacea.  Oddly enough neither of us got shrimp and while nothing was wrong with the food, it was uninspiring.  In fact the photos I took, are already deleted – not truly photo worthy.

One of the towns we drive through is Carrabelle.  While it’s known for several things, this is one of those ‘oddities’ only in Florida.

Before too long, we finally made it over the bridge that connects SGI to the Mainland.

We rented an awesome house!  We saw this on a previous trip as we motored out through the canal and discovered it was a rental – score!  Two years later, we stayed.

This rental includes 2 buildings: the actual house and separate tiki bar/screened seating along with a small kitchen for cooking and entertaining – or just plain lounging.

Details say this house can sleep 11, but in my opinion, that would be kind of tight.  I guess that other building would become very useful for everyone to spread out and get their own space – just saying.  The living quarters are on the 2nd and 3rd floors.  We ended up in one of the bedrooms on the second floor with our friends and their kids being on the top floor.

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Usually our first dinner on the island is pasta and we stayed with that tradition this time.  Eric made stuffed pasta shells, broiling 2 heads of garlic for the filling.  locally-made bread was served on the side to complete our meal.

What other way could you end this first post, but with a photo of our first sunset, seen from our place along the bay.

Stay tuned for upcoming SGI posts.  Should be some photos with fish!!!!!!

 

Ginny

 

 

 

 

Yeah! We were able to squeeze in one more trip to the Gulf coast to scallop before the season ends September 24, 2018.  I was trying to find away to make this post a bit different, and I think I got it.

• Bay Scallops although once plentiful, can be found from Port St. Joe along Florida’s northern Gulf coast to Tarpon Springs in isolated, inshore seagrass beds. 
• Each year the local population must produce enough offspring to replenish itself or receive offspring from neighboring populations to remain stable. 
• Florida bay scallops typically live one year.

 

Yep, I’m going to periodically insert some info facts about scallops to add a different perspective.  Skip over them if that’s not your thing.

 

We started the day, seeing the sun rise over Central Florida.

After picking up another couple it wasn’t long before we were backing the boat down the ramp at Pete’s Pier.

I have got to stop and talk about ‘Pete’s Pier’.  A recent post noted they have new owners and we could see improvements water-side.  This is the first time in several months we have parked here and seen the land-side.  What a difference!

Okay, so it’s just a parking lot. It’s a great looking parking lot!  Obviously some boat owners didn’t understand how far they should pull up their vehicle & trailer – leaving room for others to park.

We met our friends elsewhere because we said a car could get lost in the potholes of this parking lot – it was that bad, truly.  But not any longer.

 

And then there was this guy….

We’ve seen this booth for several years, but never anyone occupying it.  Today there was – love it.  Its way easier to pay him, instead of going into the store or using the kiosk and besides that, he was a big help, with the ramp and parking the trailer.

• The bay scallop is considered a bivalve, having 2 valves (shells) connected by a hinge.
• The upper shell is usually a dark, mottled color with the bottom shell being typically white-ish.
• In their 1 year lifespan, they can reach 3″ across, with this size occasionally found at the end of harvest season.

Luckily we were close by when we talked about the ‘required’ dive flag and no one could remember seeing one (thanks Adrienne) in the storage compartments on the boat.  It was back to Pete’s Pier for another purchase.  This also gave me time to scout out our next boat…….yes……maybe?

Well, probably not.  That is one giant boat.

Heading out we saw different sides of a rainbow.

Along with this osprey nest.

Emily and Max joined us for their first experience of scalloping.

Since the scallops move around (somewhat) the best way to see where they are at is (1) look for a group of boats OR (2) mark a spot on your GPS from a previous visit.  🙂

Eric was very excited to show off his first scallop of the morning.

Adrienne is getting quite proficient at this.  Next step is for her to get used to the fins.  There was a few times when she found more scallops than Eric did -sorry hon.   Just think what she could do wearing  the fins – just saying.

Emily and Max also posed with their first bag of scallops.

It’s not as easy as you would think.  I found this photo on-line and these guys can really blend in with their environment.  They are sitting on the sandy/grassy bottom, hiding out amongst the seagrass blades.

 

• Bay scallops feed by opening their shells and filtering algae and other organic material through their gills.
• They have many tiny blue eyes (see above) along the outer rim which helps detect movement and serve as a warning system when threatened.
• When threatened, the scallop can contract & relax their abductor muscle which thrusts out water, propelling them up and away from danger.

 

Eventually, the snorkeling became less fun and more work so it was time for the next part of the day – fishing.  But not before one ‘interesting’ photo.  It works, but I’m already thinking about the next time.

We headed to our ‘honey hole’ and my only fish caught was this puffer. 😦  Which by the way did not puff up.

While no action photos were shot, we found this board back on land and Max (along with Eric) posed with the fish he (Max) caught.

Yep, good thing Max was along, otherwise we wouldn’t have any fish.

• The bay scallop has the remarkable ability to develop female and male organs, thus producing  eggs and sperm.
• Fall’s water temps signal spawning, with 1 scallop capable of producing millions of eggs at once (only 1 out of 12 million eggs make it to adulthood.)
• These eggs turn into larvae, which attach itself to seagrass ,developing into juvenile scallops called spat.  One year later, we hunt them and eat these tasty morsels.

 

We had such a good time together, we ended our day at our favorite Crystal River restaurant Seafood Seller & Café.  We started with our top-ranked appetizer, fried green tomato ‘chips’, accompanied by a variety of sauces.

Grouper was the fish of choice – except for me.  The first 2 photos showcase grouper, either grilled or fried.  The 3rd photo is my catfish po-boy sandwich.

 

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While this isn’t a terribly long post, it was neat to bring along  other Floridians and share a unique seaside past-time only found in select areas of the Gulf.

 

Closing with a photo suggested by Eric.

Stay tuned – more ‘exciting’ fishing posts are coming, if that’s your interest.  🙂

Ginny 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So excited to hear that someone I worked closely with during my 6 months in Shanghai was coming to Walt Disney World for a business trip.

Jimmy was hired the month after I arrived and was definitely the HOH leader that spoke and understood the most English.  Hence, we worked together most of my time there, as he interpreted mandarin for me during meetings, classes  and training.  Yep, I have to throw in a shot of their beautiful castle from Shanghai Disney.

He had a full schedule working 13 days in a row, but we were able to carve out some time to show hm a different side of Florida most visitors never see when they come to the sunshine state.

It is a 7 mile drive (one way) through coastal Florida, offering a chance to see Florida wildlife on a dyke road that was originally created for mosquito control.

We stopped along the way for a few flower photos (thanks hon).

The drive was mostly deserted since the best time to enjoy this is during the winter and spring months when birds are migrating  and stop here.

 

We walked to a lookout to see the salt marsh.

One of our goals was for Jimmy to see an alligator in the wild.  We were successful!  Eric thought he saw the gator’s eyes above water in a culvert, so we parked along the canal and walked back to the spot.  We were both too impatient and walked around the roadway.  However, Jimmy stayed still and eventually the gator resurfaced once things quieted down.

Sorry Adrienne – Jimmy spotted another gator at another canal crossroad.  She’s going on 3 months since she moved here and nada, nothing,no gator sighting- but not for want or trying.

All this work (ha!) got our appetites going so we stopped at a local seafood restaurant that has character – Dixie Crossroads.

Yes, they specialize in shrimp, serving it a multitude of ways.  They start out with these fried corn fritters, sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Not sure that Jimmy enjoyed them – but he did try one.  Guess it is an acquired taste.

Loved my selection of rock shrimp, as did Eric’s choice of fried oysters and shrimp.

Interesting enough, Jimmy ordered a sirloin strip steak.  Hmmmm, hindsight says maybe we should have stopped at a steak-house for American beef – a novelty for him.

Before he left central Florida, another group off us got together with Jimmy.  We met at Disney Springs after all of his meetings that day.  We tried to capture the “springs” in our photo background

I arrived early and was parched.  This quenched my thirst.  I ordered the amber at the outside bar.

 

Ultimately we ended up eating here at The Polite Pig.  However, we moved to the inside bar.  It’s just plain, miserably hot and we finally needed air conditioning.  🙂

This place is all about BBQ and they’re very good at it.  I had the pulled pork sandwich along with a pretzel.

Thinking back, everyone in the group had the pulled pork, either as sandwich or a platter.

Before departing, Jimmy game me a gift from Shanghai…….a pin commemorating their most recent land that opened in the Park:  Toy Storyland.

While I really like the pin, the book mark he gave me was very special and something I will treasure.  He told me before he left home, he tried to find some ‘unique and authentic’ Chinese gifts to bring, and this definitely was all of that.

 

 

I’m going to close with some of my favorite shots from my Shanghai experience.  I was able to get some new photos from the Park, but sorry for those that may have already seen the others I included while I lived and worked in Shanghai. 🙂  For anyone new, check out ginnyinshanghai.wordpress.com.  Both Eric and I go back to read those postings occasionally, remembering that time in 2016.

The Walt & Mickey statue before opening day:

The Great Wall:

My Goodbye dinner with those I worked closely with.

(left – right: Hannah, Louise, Vivian, Myself, Denny and Jimmy)

It still boggles my mind that I spent 6 months in China.  It had its ups and downs, but definitely was one of the highlights of my life.

 

Ginny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a small group converging at the Darden household to head out for a few days of scalloping and possibly fishing.  They were rushing me in the morning so my photo starting our journey was not one of my best.

We all made reservations at The Plantation at Crystal River and knowing they were sold out the previous night, we didn’t even try for an early check-in. But……we can use their private boat ramp in the morning since we will be hotel guests today-yeah!

It’s so nice having others that can help launch the boat.  This boat ramp is so skinny, I refuse to back the boat. Eric backed up and Rich got the boat off the trailer.  I don’t know why……….but I’ve never actually driven the boat off the trailer – that needs to happen.

 

Connor was being ‘Joe Cool’ and watched the whole operation from a nearby chair.

When we arrived we had good weather and no storms on the radar.

Everyone that was scalloping jumped in and Connor was the first to find one this season.

Two hours after being on the water, the radar changed (see below) and this was in our future.  Time to head in before being caught in the rain, or worse.  We were able to dodge a few pop-up showers, but this storm was always on the horizon and we had to head back up the river in between bouts of rain.

Ultimately, we found a decent amount  of scallops for our first day – about 1/2 of a 5 gallon bucket.

Dinner was at Seafood Seller & Cafe, a fan favorite from our last trip to Crystal River.  We knew this place would stay on our radar and we would be returning on any future trips to this area.

We started with several shared appetizers (clock-wise):  hush puppies, chowder, gator bites and fried tomatoes.  Can I talk about those fried tomatoes – absolutely delicious.  I think they should be called ‘fried tomato chips’.  A typical fried tomato is cut longitudinally, before being breaded & fried.  These are quartered after being cut.  They are just darn good!

We each ordered seafood entrees including blackened flounder, grilled grouper and a fried seafood platter.  These were accompanied by French fries or a Cajun side dish.

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Monday dawned bright and clear and we were back on the water.  Buffs are definitely a new thing for us and Connor is well protected from the sun with his.

We needed to make a brief stop at Pete’s Pier and noticed some changes.

I noticed a few things as soon as we approached the pier.  Small things like dock boards had been replaced and new mooring ropes swapped out.  Not a big deal but these small improvements can truly make a difference.  Apparently this bird also thought so, ha!

Scalloping is a total new thing for Adrienne, but she jumped feet first into this adventure.  Eric shared a few scalloping tips from his prior snorkeling experiences.   Things like (1) what exactly to look for (2) understanding the scallop’s actions underwater (yes they move, sometimes quickly) and (3) their preferred habitat.  Sometimes these little buggers are hard to find,  even when you know they’re down there.    It’s also helpful if they’re found in 4′ or less of water – but that was not to be on this trip.

After getting used to the mask and snorkel, she explored on her own and pretty down quick (!) she found her first scallop.

Everyone did well and was quick to show off their filled scallop bags – not like anyone was counting or anything, yeah sure.

Eventually, I got into the water, sans snorkeling gear.

These little guys (scallops) are kind of interesting.  They move around quicker than you would think in the water, sometimes escaping from your grasp.  Also, when we’re putting them in the boat’s livewell, they get excited and start opening their shell.  You’ve got to be quick or they will pinch your fingers.

Might be hard to see, but they have blue eyes around the rim of the shell.

We got chased off the water again but the timing was right since Rich and Connor had to drive home this evening.   Before heading out to dinner, the guys dropped off the scallops and had someone else clean them on site at the hotel.  It’s a pretty sweet deal but it doesn’t come cheap.

It’s become a tradition to eat at Peck’s Old Port Cove Seafood Restaurant & Blue Crab Farm in Ozello, Florida.  It’s at the end of a county road, mile marker 9.5.  Another half of a mile and you’re in the Gulf.

We started with onion straws which we wolfed down – pronto.

My meal was fried shrimp, which were delicious.  Eric ordered steamed (12) crabs and it was an operation – just saying.  They come covered with a bowl and then you have the ‘reveal’.  He had plenty of crabs to share with Adrienne and Rich.

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Since everyone else was finishing up Eric’s steamed crabs, Connor and I went exploring and found their crab farm on the backside of the restaurant.  There were reports of a baby gator that slithered into the bushes, literally moments before Adrienne joined us.  She has yet to see a gator while in Florida.  We’re going on 3 months since she moved here.

All too soon it was time to say goodbye.  We adjourned to the outside pool bar to pass the rest of the evening.  Glasses of red sangria were mighty tasty.

We had a great sunset – or at least the sky was an unusual shade of lavender.  The color was captivating, even if I didn’t get a dynamic photo.

Breakfast is always an adventure.  Several mornings we ate at The Olive Tree Restaurant and definitely upset the norm.  Since we arrived when it first opened,  and were the first customers, we sat at the counter.  One older gentleman arrived, looked at us and then took a seat at the counter at the end.  A second gentleman arrived and then it became obvious we had messed with their morning routine and were sitting in their ‘seats’.  When the third gentleman arrived, it started to get comical.  Regardless………..the food was good and filling.  I’ve ordered their breakfast special of cinnamon raisin French toast several times.  The second day I had their waffle – OMG x 3.  It was the best waffle ever.  Our waitress told us the cook had his own secret recipe.

Tuesday morning we went out for scalloping and it was brutal, just brutal.  The wind was blowing 20+ knots and the current was ripping.  Between the two of them they found 14 scallops and they decided to call it a day.  It was even too windy for fishing so we headed back in to pull out the boat and head home.

Parking the boat trailer is always tricky this time of the year with so many people going scalloping.  The Resort has an adjoining empty grass lot for this purpose.  Eric wanted to be sure our trailer didn’t go anywhere while being out of sight – really, really.

This gave us a chance to eat at Seller’s Seafood & Café one more time before heading home.  We all stayed with seafood for our meals, but added beignets for dessert (yummy chocolate and raspberry sauce came with them – delicious).

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Heading back home was bittersweet since it means we have to go back to work the next day.  Adrienne stayed for dinner and we ate our scallops in a variety of ways, both raw and cooked.  I personally favor them raw and we tried them with (1) soy sauce & sriachi and (2) soy sauce & wasabi.  Both were topped with angel-hair cabbage (for the crunch).  Love them!

Another option was to eat them broiled with a red jalapeno pepper (from our garden) and cheddar cheese.

And lastly, we added them to a spicy cream sauce served over pasta.

While we enjoyed the beignets at Seafood Sellers, Eric’s were better.  He proved it when we topped off our meal with beignets at home.

It’s always fun on the water and scalloping is a unique Florida sport.  Bringing in a ‘newbie’ adds more fun for the group and inducts another person into the club.

Hope we can make it one more time before the season closes!

 

Ginny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the road again..……………..

This time we’re hitting some of the breweries in downtown, historic Sanford, Fl.  The plans are to stop at #16 and #18.  A and C are breweries that were not open when the map was printed.

Most people aren’t aware that Sanford was at one time the top-producing area for celery, starting in 1896 – 1974.  This was when the Agriculture industry dominated the area.  Not so much any more.  Sanford sits on the southern shore of Lake Monroe and their downtown has had a renaissance and is truly a happening place to be with breweries, restaurants and shops popping up all within easy walking distance.

It was one of those places we began our day – Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café.

They specialize in German food and quite frankly, it is THE place to be during the World Cup.  They opened in 2001 when the Sanford downtown area was just beginning to grow and thrive, starting with 7 employees and now have 90+.  Our lunch began with the pretzel appetizer and I can’t believe it…………….I didn’t take a photo!  😦  One pretzel was definitely enough to stave off any hunger pains before our meal arrived.  Two guesses who is drinking the coke.

Unfortunately Germany was already out of contention before our visit, but there was still quite a large presence for the final game between France and Croatia.

Eric was rooting for France and when the team made their first goal, anyone supporting France was invited to drink from ‘the boot’.  Needless to say, Eric joined the group.  I don’t have any great photos, but the left photo is Eric getting the boot to drink from and the right photo he’s  handing off to the person next to him.  They did several rounds before the boot was finally emptied.

We all stuck with German selections for our meal.  I ordered the Nuremburg sausages with cucumber dill salad and sauerkraut while Eric got the Jaeger schnitzer with cucumber salad and red cabbage.  Everything was delicious but the pretzel left little room for me to enjoy my selection – maybe next time.

We left with France ahead, walking to our first brewery of the day – #16 Sanford Brewing Company.  The first thing you see on their website is “Old Florida in a new way”.  I like it.  The 100-seat taproom has a craftsman or mission-style feel to it, a nod to what was found in a lot of houses in Sanford.

We enjoyed our beers and they have a 5 oz pour (yeah!) but there was no level of World Cup excitement and when France won the World Cup, no one noticed, except us.

Interesting view of their taps, but LOVE their growler!  What an interesting shape.  Yes, Adrienne got one to add to her growing growler collection and so did we.  🙂

Seven hours later (yes, can you believe that – 7) we ultimately had dinner here before driving home.  We all really enjoyed their fish dip.

The rest of their food was ho-hum.  Nothing really wrong with my burger or their wings, but we wouldn’t do a repeat.

Down the block, across the street is #18 Wop’s Hops Brewing Company.

As the window states…….this was the first microbrewery in Sanford, opening in October 2014.  It’s located in a building that formerly housed the Stokes Fish Market.  Love that the side of the building still has this mural.

The building was constructed in 1916 and is haunted by 5 spirits – check it out by googling it.  They specialize in English-style ales, American IPAs, German lager & ales and seasonal experimental fruit & spice ales.

They have a full kitchen offering appetizers (pretzel nuggets), salads, sandwiches, flatbreads, wings and more.  THIS is where we should have eaten.

Since we were in Sanford, it was recommended we stop at Deviant Wolfe Brewing Company (A)- even though I don’t need a stamp.

They don’t serve food but you can order from surrounding restaurants and eat-in.  Their beer is brewed with fresh ingredients, rotate seasonally, specialize in sour beers (yuck) and have guest taps for cider and offer wine.  Yep, Adrienne added another growler to her collection.  This brewery is the result of 4 friends that met at University of Florida.  I wasn’t too impressed when we walked inside, but their website was intriguing.  Their vision is ‘Promote balance in the lives of others.’  They chose a campfire for their logo since a campfire is a place to gather, share stories, immerse in nature and find balance – now that’s a story.

 

Our last brewery to visit was Inner Compass Brewing Company (C).  They need help with a website – just saying.  This is another location that is not part of my 18 breweries to visit since they were not open at the time my map was created.

This place used to be an abandoned gas station in Sanford, but I had to really dig to find that nugget of information.  They opened in February 2018 and don’t serve any food but encourage you to bring some and eat in.  I think I have to agree with Eric, their milk stout was possibly my favorite of the day.  That’s saying something since usually halfway through our brewery stops, all of the flavors blend together – at least for me.  And really, who could refuse a beer that is called “Meh?”

This brewery was recommended by a couple we kept running into, while doing the Sanford ale trail.  While the building is well done, they didn’t appear to be open – which was exactly what the couple said.   There’s nothing outside or easily seen inside to draw you in on a whim.  I would guess that quite a few people walk right past.  Another growler for Adrienne.

I did see one thing that is the prize for stopping at all of these breweries……….Central Florida Ale Trail growler!

Forgive the funky lighting.  I tried to get the photo between light changes from their back-lighting, but no luck.  After getting a stamp at all 18 of the breweries on my Central Florida Ale Trail map, I get the growler, filled with my choice of beer.  Now that’s a prize worth drinking for.  🙂

 

Ginny

Glancing back through some photos, I realized I totally forgot to post this page.  Bok Towers is a pretty cool place to visit and gives a glimpse into old Florida.  It is located in Lake Wales, Florida, built upon one of the highest points of peninsular Florida, called Iron Mountain.

I’ve visited numerous times through the years but it is really catering to the needs of the community and building upon its initial foundation more so than ever.

The garden entrance sets the stage for your visit.  Fountains and a wall of air plants is one of the first things seen. This visit was about meeting friends at a midway point, my aunt joined us and got some exercise along with fresh air.

While this display wasn’t anything special, it did add a special touch for those visiting the gardens that day, knowing the names of flowers that were blooming.

The entrance also houses information about the tower, its construction and the carillon inside.

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There probably could be an entire post just on the construction of the Tower and Gardens, but for those really interested, just google it.  However,  I felt a few facts were warranted, so here you go.

It was built in the 1920s by Edward Bok and dedicated by President Calvin Coolidge.  It was designed as a ‘contemplative garden and bird sanctuary’ on the original 250 acres.  Marble from Georgia and Coquina from north Florida are the two primary materials that decorate the actual singing tower that house the carillon. There’s so much more to say, but unless you’re really into the history, writing about this gets kind of dry.

Walking towards the tower surprises abound and are spread through the uphill walk.

Occasionally the tower peeks out between the foliage and it can generally be seen throughout the garden as you walk to the highest point.

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The 205-foot neo-Gothic and art deco tower houses one of the world’s finest carillons with daily concerts.  While guests can no longer go inside the tower – unless by special arrangements – inside are 7 levels, which houses a library, a research center, maintenance & equipment storage with the ground level being called ‘The Founder’s Room’.  There are 4 carillions in Florida, approximately 200 in North America and 600 throughout the world.  Of course, now I’m curious where the other 3 are.

Part of Bok Towers Gardens also includes the nearby Pinewood Estate.  While built in the 1930s, it was acquired by the Gardens in 1970 and allows visitors to enjoy the 12,900 square foot Mediterranean-style home.  Inside is lovely and while mostly a self-guided tour, docents are in several rooms to answer questions.

Before ending our visit, we walked the 3/4 mile Pine Ridge Nature Trail. It was quiet, peaceful and nature-centric,  of course.

Our last stop in the gardens was the Hammock Hollow Children’s Garden.  This probably impressed me the most.  They have numerous activities to engage kids and parents alike or just use the time to sit and enjoy being outdoors.

 

This quote from Edward Bok was a  nice way to end the tour and this post.  Spending time at Florida’s other attractions allows you to see another side of this state before Walt arrived.

Ginny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once again, we’re on the trail for ale.  The goal is #9, #14 and #2 on a sunday afternoon.  Man!  My husband is so glad that Adrienne got me drinking craft beers.  Amber, IPA, Imperial, growler, bomber, hoppy, malty – I can almost ‘talk’ the craft beer lingo.  🙂

Seems like hitting 3 breweries in an afternoon is a good plan.  Any more than that and it all tastes the same, at least to me.   The Hourglass Brewery had options for food, so that was the driving goal for our first stop, heading towards Longwood.

Actually, it’s not the brewery that has food, but the adjoining taco bar – Wako Taco. They’re in the same strip mall and the wall between the two establishments is open, making for easy ordering – smart from both sides.

We got several types of tacos, some ‘naked’ and others fully loaded.  The pork was my favorite, but we also tried the carne asada.  The inside lighting turned the food and blue corn chips a funky color, but regardless, we still ate them.

Well, there’s just a little problem for me………I don’t like the taste of cilantro.  So while the photo doesn’t show a lot of this herb, I taste it in everything, and I do mean everything, including the guacamole.  😦  Internet research says that “Most people perceive the herb as a tart, lemon/lime taste”.  Not me.  Approximately 10% of the population has a genetic olfactory-receptor that is sensitive to the chemical and I guess I got that receptor.  One bright spot, Eric picked up a few different types of salsa for our chips and there was a very tasty fruity (guava) salsa that I loved.  As you can see below, they have quite a few things going on, but no where do I see the 8 letter word – cilantro.

Beer!  Okay, back to the reason for the journey. I got a brown ale that I really enjoyed.  Something minor that I really, really enjoyed……………the 5 oz pour.  This is perfect for me since I turned into the designated driver later in the afternoon – a baby beer.

While the taps aren’t readable, I included the shot because of the droid.  Around the 240 seat taproom, nostalgic remembrances and geek culture abound.  I would guess that every time you stop by, you could find something you missed before.

Their history………founded in 2012 in a small building behind a massage parlor, it was the dream of two friends.  Their aim was to make ‘world class’ beer, utilizing the best of local and exotic ingredients from across the globe.  they create a lot of unusual and ‘ancient’ beers.  Eric had a german beer that was common 300+ years ago.

 

Second stop was the Red Cypress Brewery in Winter Springs.

Again, love a brewery that has a small pour – just saying.

At this brewery, every decision is guided by ‘Is it going to make our beer better?’.  They are proud that the founding members and management comprise natives from Central Florida and UCF alumni – way cool.  They opened their doors in October of 2015 and pay homage to Florida oddities when branding their beer.  We had to explain to Adrienne what ‘Spook Hill’ was (besides one of their beers).  If you don’t know, google it.

They can their beers and continue to distribute across Florida and recently expanded to the Southeast states.

Eric tried an intriguing beer that all 3 of us agreed would be great as dessert.  Then we thought, why not!

After our ale trail adventure, we headed to the Darden house for dinner, more on that at the bottom.  Our thought was to substitute the liquid in the brownie mix with the beer and create a syrup by concentrating the beer on a back burner.  What an incredible idea and………………absolutely delicious!  But I digress.  Back to the beer.

Our third and last stop was Bowigens Beer Company in Casselberry, FL.  It’s a small brewery with a limited number of good beers.

Bowigens began when two long time friends met while playing in bands around Orlando and eventually decided to stop traveling, break away from the music scene and dive into a new adventure – crafting beer!  Now I understand the graphics and items on the wall, kind of.

They had a huge wall labeled ‘What’s on Tap’.  It showcased what they currently had available and the other side (not shown) what will be released soon.

Throughout the afternoon, Adrienne was able to add 3 growlers to her growing collection.  I’m being selective in my purchases, staying to the tasting glasses when I find a beer I really love.

So that dessert pictured up at the top of the posting, it was accompanied by jalapeno-cheese grits, smothered green beans and Adrienne’s fried fish (trout) – caught a few weeks ago.

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While normally I’m all about the scavenger hunt, pacing ourselves to enjoy the breweries and having a (relaxed) plan is a lot of fun – who knew.  We’ll intersperse the ale trail visits between our other adventures.

 

Ginny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eric got a call over the weekend that his aunt was not doing well and to prepare himself for the worst. As things turned out, we needed to be in Taylor, AR within a week.

Flights were hard to come by both coming and going.  We needed to fly into Shreveport,  LA  then drive almost an hour to where his family lives.

 

We both worked before  heading to Orlando International Airport early afternoon.  There was an article in the local paper that parking at the airport was getting tight.  OMG!  At terminal A, signs said they were full, but we didn’t believe them.  You see for years we have parked in an area, known mostly by locals – and hard to find – ‘terminal top parking’.  Once we entered the garage, the ramp to go up to our secret spot was blocked off.   Guess we should have believed the signage.  😦  There were cars everywhere going up and down the aisles.  Quite frankly, it was a zoo.

Plan B (which I should call Plan C) had us driving to the new terminal (which is not open yet) and park in that garage structure (which is called Parking C). Yikes!  Timing wise we were ok with catching our flights, unlike other conversations we overheard.  On the upside, we will probably never see this terminal this empty.

Of course the airport had to have another spur for their shuttle and man, this shuttle was brand, spanking new.  Definitely had that ‘new car’ smell.

We were able to get a different view of the air-traffic control  tower.

Even though Terminal C is not opening until 2020………..thank goodness for the parking garage being complete.

Our flight got to Atlanta on time and although we could not get into the Priority Club due to capacity, we made good use of our time by grabbing food from The Varsity.

The Gordy family started this place in 1928 while the interstate nearby  was a grass field. This location is now downtown Atlanta. They’ve got multiple locations in Atlanta in addition to their location in the airport. It’s basically a hot dog and burger joint and they’ve developed their own language for ordering.  Here’s how you order:

After a short time we were finally able to enter the club and partake of their refreshments.

Okay, so it’s ‘cool’ to be able to enter this restricted area, but with this being  my 3rd club to visit, I’m not really impressed about Atlanta’s Priority Club.  Food is nothing special, only a few options and anyone with a sweet tooth gets to choose from a few options of  packaged cookies normally available at a grocery store.

Made it to Shreveport that night, found our hotel and after picking up his sister the next day, we headed to north to meet up with the family.  I had forgotten how a small close-knit community welcomes and takes care of their own.  Friends, neighbors and church members brought over food to feed the entire family our first evening in town.  Eating at his aunt’s house was bittersweet for me.    This is where we stayed when we came as a couple.  I believe his aunt would have enjoyed our gathering at her house as she offered up her home for countless family events in the past.

While sadness prevails at a time like this, there’s also life.  So many little ones were running around or being held or being fed or………you get the picture.  Life continues and blossoms. Eric’s cousins have grown up, gotten married and have families of their own.  With Eric’s yearly visits deer hunting, he’s been able to keep up with most of those details – me, not so much.

Eric made it his mission to reintroduce me to the area.  We drove around, visited family when we could and enjoyed life in a small town.

During part of our travels, we went through a town called Plain Dealing LA.  How do you cool off when there’s no community pool…..………….your local fire department!  These firemen were much appreciated by the kids playing in the water spray.

Another day we visited Ruston, LA for their annual peach festival.  Who knew that LA could grow peaches? I had a fabulous peach-lemonade that was mighty tasty.  It was perfect for the super hot day we visited.

Trip Advisor talked about several restaurants, but one stood out – Ponchatolous.

Upon arrival to Ruston, we discovered it was right downtown in the middle of the Festival.  We figured the 30 minute wait would be well-spent perusing the festival.   Fairly quickly we were seated and we started with fried green tomatoes, followed by seafood gumbo (Eric) and fried mini meat (beef & pork) pies for me.  My mini pies were perfect!  Lots of crust, a good dipping sauce and just enough filling.

On the way out-of-town we found a farm stand that had peaches we could purchase.  Let’s just say that were sweet and juicy and WAY better than any I’ve bought at our grocery stores.

One morning, we had breakfast at another aunt’s house and while the breakfast goodies (and company) were excellent……………..

…………..I really enjoyed the walk and personal tour in her backyard fenced garden.

She mentioned a rose called Seven Sisters.  It intrigued me and I later discovered it’s an heirloom rose that flourishes in the South. Named due to the flower clusters, typically with 7 blooms.  I believe she mentioned that she got a shoot from a friend, stuck it in the ground and it flourished.

We spent some time with Eric’s uncle and while I grew up in a rural area, my parents didn’t farm.  I couldn’t resist a photo of his white cows (semmital crossed with Brahma cows).  Eric explained that his uncle kept the gentlest cows from each birthing.  Any cow showing too much ‘crazy spirit’ was sold off.

Then there was a story about this pipe fence.  The pipe was used for drilling, but it broke loose, falling hundreds of feet, curling upon impact.  When the pipes were eventually retrieved, they could no longer be used for that purpose.  His uncle had a use for those pipes, and this is the result.  Interesting how ‘up-cycling’ (the latest trendy phrase) can bring beauty to a thing of necessity.  I couldn’t figure out how to get the best photo, but from a distance, the charm was apparent.

One of Eric’s cousins has taken a family outpost and created a retreat for their kids and their families.  I’m simply calling it The Farm.  These two buildings  was to be our home for the next several days while we visited family.

The cabin housed a king-sized bed with a full bathroom.

The brick building was the main hub for family gatherings.  Leather seating and antique furniture mixed in with the modern-day appliances and a long farm table was picture perfect and almost a shame we had it all to ourselves.

Eric cooked a few breakfasts and both were excellent:  eggs Benedict w/ fruit on the left and fried eggs & bacon with English muffins, topped with peach jam on the right.

Yes, these are cows, just regular mixed breed cows, but they were part of our peaceful week in LA, surrounding us while we stayed at  The Farm.

Family gatherings for this purpose are not truly wanted but do have a healing infuence.  Coming together from across the land allows those in attendance to share fond memories and stories while forgeing  friendships we carry with us, long after leaving the area.

One morning I got up and walked the lane while the sun was trying to peek through the clouds.  It’s a memory that I want to keep, especially when I”m back home and everything is getting hectic.  Peaceful and quietly magical.

 

Ginny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have driven  and flown into Shreveport in the past, but never spent any time in this city – this time we did.

Getting in late, our hotel reservation was at the downtown Hilton.

We made the most out of our first full day in the city, having donuts at a top-rated donut shop first thing  at Southern Maid Donuts.

There are numerous independent donut shops in this area but this was highly rated. The warm glazed donuts did not disappoint.  Eric has made me a big fan of Community Coffee and I was happy to see it being served that morning.

Apparently Elvis stopped here in his youth.

Before picking up Eric’s sister we had time enough to visit the American Rose Center on the outskirts of Shreveport.

Although summer is here, there were enough clouds and breezes to make this an enjoyable walk, even at 12 noon.

Next up was lunch and Eric found a highly rated Cajun-creole restaurant called Marilynn’s Place.  It’s a former gas station and while the outside lacks ‘charm’, you come here for the food being served inside, not the charm outside.

Eric ordered their seafood combo special and got a bowl of crawfish etouffe’ and a bowl of seafood gumbo.  He was surprised at the quantity of food, but he managed.  I ordered the catfish fingers and they were great, actually, more than great.  I would stop back at this place just for the catfish fingers on any future visit to Shreveport.  Fries came with my meal and while I’m not the biggest fan of steak fries, the seasoning they used on them made me keep coming back to eat them until the basket was empty.

With his sister’s plane being delayed, we had time to squeeze in one more stop – Strawn’s Eat Shop.  It was billed as ‘best pie in town’.

We split a piece of their ‘seasonal’ pie, which was peach – OMG.  The photo below doesn’t look like much, but this was hands down one of (if not the) best pies I have ever eaten.  I’ve always eaten peach cobbler, of which the fruit is cooked.  This peach pie has fresh peaches and all of their delightful sweetness comes through.  They grow some mighty fine peaches around here – just saying.  Yes, they actually grow peaches in LA.  More about that in the next posting.

Before leaving Shreveport, we were able to squeeze in one more ‘pie’ visit, just before they closed and both ended up with their strawberry pie, which they are truly known for.  It was very good, but it wasn’t peach.  🙂

Did a little research about this place and found out that Mr. Strawn opened this location in 1944, across from the Centenary College campus.  It was purchased by another family in 1988, seating was expanded and their family still runs the three Strawn’s locations.  They have been featured in Southern Living Magazine and on The Food Network.  Everyone definitely needs to check this place out when visiting Shreveport.

As with a lot of American cities, several micro-breweries have popped up in the city.  Our last day in Shreveport before flying out, we visited two of their three locations.  We couldn’t hit the third one since it wasn’t open on sunday – bummer – as it looked the best of the three.  Oh well, next time.

First stop was Flying Heart Brewing.

It was an interesting place, a nice gathering spot for locals.  The neighborhood was being rejuvenated and although we didn’t order pizza, I saw a few customers come in just to pick up a pizza and not drink a single beer.  The beer was fine, not memorable, but drinkable.

We got some snack food (pretzel and wings) and while it was satisfying, it wasn’t anything that we would go back for.  They do have some cool graphics around their establishment, so I threw them in.  So I guess I’m making a statement, without typing the words……..

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Second brewery was Red River Brewing.

It was a huge warehouse-type building and they had enough room for a musician’s stage.  We heard later that evening was open mike night – which would have been interesting.  This would be a great place to have a party or large gathering.

Below is a snapshot of their offerings.  Eric tasted the seasonal Captain’s Porter while I drank the Penalty Block.  He also had a 5-oz pour of their anniversary beer.  They were brewing before being open to the public and they saved some of their first attempts for their yearly anniversary.  We both felt their beer was much better than our first stop………….and we brought home a 32 oz growler and tulip tasting glass (for me).

Out last meal was at Ralph & Kacoo’s – an well-established seafood restaurant, rated #1 in the Shreveport/Bossier City area.

This is a great place for large groups and families as they have lots of tables for group seating.  We had an excellent waitress, but the place felt kind of ‘tired’.  Nothing was wrong, but there was also nothing that would draw us back.  Eric’s meal was all about shrimp, coming out three different ways on his platter.  I was finally tired of fried food and ended up ordering an avocado & crab salad.

My salad was amazing – hands down, my meal ‘won’ between the two of us.  This is something that Eric will be making at home.  The crab was just enough seafood to make it different and the meat was very fresh. I asked about the ‘secret’ Ralph & Kacoo’s dressing (and requested it on the side), as I was skeptical and ready to ask for ranch dressing.  Eric needed to taste the dressing so that he can make it at home – it was that good.  Kind of a cross between thousand island dressing and a roumalade combined.

All in all, we enjoyed our time in Shreveport.  No, this isn’t a city full of night-life and Yes, it’s in the South (really, really hot in the summer) but it has a nice history, minimal traffic and we found it easy to navigate.  Visiting a local museum about the history of Shreveport, we came across the origin of their name.

We will be coming back through this city, most likely on the way to Eric’s family events, and now we have a few favorite places we will visit again.

Until the next posting………………..

Ginny

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, the fishing.…………………

I saw this carved fish artwork at one of the restaurants we visited, and was looking for a place to add it into the blog – I found it!

I mentioned in the previous posting that we had to move to a hotel, early into the vacation.  So here’s the scoop.

Eric had found a place on VRBO, which we have used a bit on previous vacations.  We knew some of our friends were going to join us during our time at Crystal River, so we needed a few extra bedrooms.  AND, we didn’t want to eat every single meal at a restaurant.

While this is a shot from the back yard, you get the picture.  It was an older (3 bedroom) house, which had been remodeled inside, very nicely.  A screened in porch (as seen in the photo above) had pretty much been my perch as soon as we arrived.  Kind of hard to see, but there is an outside jacuzzi in the right corner, surrounded by the fence on 2 sides.  Here’s a shot of the kitchen (nice, says Eric) and the master bedroom.

After dropping off our groceries and clothes, we needed to launch the boat.  It was a (very) short drive to the Fort Island Trail Park.  Literally after turning out of this subdivision, 2 streets later we were at the park.

We’ve used this launch multiple times – I love the wide ramps for the boat & trailer.  This day, we had no problem launching the boat, no line at all.

Of course there was no line because (1) late morning on a Wednesday and (2) it was pouring down rain!  Not a single vehicle or trailer was in the parking lot.

Finding our canal was not as easy as Eric expected.  He had to open Google Earth to find the exact location.   While this photo shows blue skies and white fluffy clouds, it was still raining on his first trip to the house and much more difficult to find.

Of course he found the house – eventually – and was tying up the boat when I spied another set of eyes watching our movements.

This little gator was about 3 feet in length.  It seemed like others had been feeding him – which is against Florida law and carries fines of $500.  Don’t do it!

The canal was next to a RV park and it was always entertaining as we motored by.  The lot owners had creatively used their outdoor space to enhance their RV living: decorative iron fences, bird feeders, planters and lawn furniture to name a few things.  They also had a dock along the canal and this guy was having a BAD day.

His airboat was half-submerged – bummer.  The good news was………………..the next day this is what the dock looked like.   Some way, some how, the boat was able to be moved.

This canal kept giving us surprises.  A little further along the canal and we saw this home-grown ‘art’.  The picnic table had been decorated with some random items and secured so everything stayed in place, even the lamp, no matter how much wind and/or rain came down.  There were a couple of tables, but this was the best.  Unfortunately, my shot washes out some of the color – it was a cute display.

The weather was looking dicey when we left home to begin our fishing vacation, but eventually we ended up with the photo on the far right within 4 hours.

Finding the house – check. Launching the boat – check.  Eating lunch – check.  Next on the agenda was to get on the water!  The first task was to set the pin traps after being stuffed with chum (frozen sardines).

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OMG – these little devils (buoys) were hard to find in the coming days.  Eric purposely wanted the buoys to be unobtrusive so others won’t raid the traps, but even with a GPS marked point, it was challenging no matter how many eyes were looking.  They were the size of my closed fist.  You might notice the 3 straight bars of rebar on the traps.  These were a recent (Eric) modification so that the traps wouldn’t roll in bad weather.  Yeah, that happened in Apalachicola Bay and OMG x 3.

The fishing was good on our first foray.  We caught numerous shorts (redfish & trout) and brought home a sheepshead (Eric) and a black drum (me).   The  sheepshead turned into our ceviche that night for dinner.

Coming back up Crystal River, we passed several shrimp boats heading out for a night of shrimping.

Day 2 of fishing and the skies were bright blue with a few clouds.  This one cloud we kept an eye on and it eventually turned into a storm – heading our way – which chased us back to safer harbors.

We were fishing with live shrimp…………………

………………………and Eric’s pinfish from his traps.

Early on I caught this Jack Crevalle.  Man, it was a good fighter.  Not typically used for food (Eric tried it once – yuck) but really fun to catch on the light tackle that we use.

We both caught some keeper trout this day but they weren’t filleted until the next day with others we caught.  Yes, that’s important.  We caught fish.  🙂

So we get back to the rental from a morning on the water and the inside temp is 79 degrees.  The A/C is not really working.  😦  With the clouds the previous day and the house being closed up, it was not noticeable – much.  Eric had his suspicions but after being gone for less than 3 hours, the temps inside the house were rising.  After talking with the owner, who talked to an A/C repairman, who (luckily) stopped by that afternoon………the A/C was broke and not easily fixable.

Plan B:  Find a hotel.

In this we were fairly lucky as having stayed in the area before, our first choice was the Plantation Inn of Crystal River.  Eric made a call, talked to Darlene, and we had a patio (boat/canal view room) for the next 4 nights. Wheww!

Back to fishing……..……………..

A friend (Adrienne) was driving over and when we shared the latest update about accommodations, she asked for our hotel and while talking on the phone to me, booked a room on-line for the night.

For being a novice angler, she did quite well.  She caught  1 blue runner to add to our catch of sea trout.

The next day she caught a mackerel and sea trout, adding to Eric’s catch of 3 sea trout.

Notice anything…………………no keeper fish from me.  😦  I caught several short trout and catfish (not the kind you normally eat) and other assorted species.  Regardless, being on the water is always a fun time.

Crystal River is known for the manatees that hang around the springs, especially in the winter time.  Some of the animals stay year around in the springs.  The hotel has lots of souvies and clothing that features the sea cows.  Couldn’t resist this one photo spot.

The storm clouds chased us off the water, but we easily got in several hours of fishing.  There were some mighty impressive clouds.

No, we did not catch any of the fish in the photo below – but isn’t it amazing.  A Guide Service is available at the hotel and one option is to go off-shore fishing – which they did.  Wow, wonder what it takes $$$ to fill their tank and run out in the gulf 100+ miles.  Glad we’re not paying that gas bill – just saying.  But again……………..WOW!

Other friends stopped by (as expected) and made the same plans as Adrienne did – booked a night at the same hotel.  We all went out on the boat early sunday morning for a day of fishing while still dodging storms.

With having others on the boat, it gave us another photographer (thank you 🙂 )  I caught several short trout and one of the things Eric hooked was remora.  They are typically found attached to a shark, as they are scavengers and snack on the extra bits of food the sharks misses.  News flash – when reseraching remoras on-line, I found the previous statement has been shown as a falsehood.  It is now assumed it is a ‘mutulalistic arrangement as the remora can remove ectoparasites and loose flakes of skin while benefiting from the protection of the host’ (which could be a whale, turtle, ray or shark.  There you have it!

Our friends wanted some photos to share with their family back home, so the extra photographer was nice.  🙂

 

As we began to head in after our day of fishing, there was a boat, seeming to head straight for us and would intersect our route.  Really? Really!  Oh, it’s two officers with the FWC (Florida Wildlife Commission) and they mean business.  After they left, then I thought about taking a photo.  But when an officer is on the boat (with a gun), checking for the required equipment and our catch (unfortunately none) it didn’t really seem like the best time to pull out the camera and get a photo.   They did leave us with this sticker.

The officer that searched our boat was (seemingly) impressed that everything was in order, easily found to his satisfaction and everyone was wearing their lifevests as they approached.  He said to place the sticker within 6″ of our boat identification number and it will make a difference in the future.  Wow, way cool.

So my last photo is dinner at home.  The sea trout turned into  ‘trout almondine arugula salad’ and was most delicious.

While our best-laid plans went awry this week, we’ve discovered that we can bounce back, modify plans and still have a great time together and with friends.

Until our next adventure……………….

Ginny