After dinning at Del Frisco's on Ken's Birthday, our driver took us to Walt Disney World's Pleasure Island. It is an adult entertainment complex featuring dance and comedy clubs and it has been around for almost twenty years.
It came to our attention that they would be closing their doors at the end of September 2008 for renovations so we decided Ken's birthday was a perfect occasion to visit the old place one more time.
One of the best dance clubs in Central Florida, Mannequins Dance Palace, was my favorite dance club at Pleasure Island and a tie for best dance club in the Orlando area with The Club at The Firestone.
This multi-level, sound and light extravaganza was always packed on Saturday nights for 20 years. Featuring a rotating dance floor, revelers would flock to the rotating floor to dance until there were enough people on the dance floor to make it "stop".(Usually around midnight) The crowd would roar in its accomplishment and the dancing continued till 2 AM.
Another standout feature of this club were the live models posing as mannequins on the main stage.
Mannequins has entertained patrons from around the world it its years of service to this area.
This visit was on a Friday night, so it was not packed but it was still well attended and the crowd was having an excellent time including us. The music that night was great. We people watched, had several cocktails and danced until 1:30 AM when we called our driver to pick us up at the front gate to Pleasure Island and we headed home.
Please don't drink and drive. Take a taxi or call a friend or better yet leave the car at home and hire a driver for the evening as we do.
This was the perfect ending to a wonderful birthday celebration.
I am so happy that I had a chance to visit the old club one more time. I will always remember it fondly.
We look forward to seeing what Disney is going to do with the renovations and what it will become. I hope it continues to be home to world-class dance venues.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Labor Day 2008 Get-away - Flagler County Revisited
Weekend trips are an excellent way of maintaining one's good Mental Health and what better time than a long weekend, to get away.
SO..... we got away for Labor Day.
This was supposed to have been a very cost effective getaway.
An acquaintance of ours owns a Condo at the European Village Resort, in Palm Coast, Florida.
Several months ago we had talked to Roy and we arranged to use his Condo at the EV over Labor Day weekend. All was set; we would pay only the house keeping fee. We were thrilled.
Friday -
Well, Labor Day weekend Friday arrived, and we were contacted in the morning by Roy's representative that they would meet us there to give us the keys to the Condo because the front desk was going to be closed.
OK. That seemed plausible. This is a privately own resort so it would not be out of the question that the front desk staff may have been given the Labor Day weekend off.
So, we finish our work day and head out on our trip which is only 90 minutes away from home.
When we were almost there and ready to meet the rep, named Reno, he called us on the cell phone to tell us that they were having troubles with the air conditioning system in the condo and that we were welcomed to stay but the temperature was 80+ degrees.
We thanked him for his call, and told him we would find other accommodations for the weekend.
We discussed the possibility of turning back, but that was just a fleeting thought. We are very resourceful and determined so we said, let's find another place. It is now almost 7:00 PM but we knew we would find a room.
So we decided to explore the general area of the European Village Resort and found one of the major resorts booked for the weekend. On our way out we stopped at the EV and we found the front desk to be open and staffed. (We had been told that it was not open earlier that day by our"friends") They had rooms available and we decided to take one for the night. They check us in and give us keys an off we went to the assigned room. Once we get there we discovered that the magnetic entry key would not open the room because it was dead-bolted shut. We called the front desk and they explained that the owner of that particular condo must have inadvertently locked the room shut not thinking that guests would not be able to enter, since it was his intention to lease it out in his absence.
So they assign us another room. This one was in a building whose elevator was not working, so they explained how we had to take the elevator up to the second level in one building, then walk across a connecting walkway to the other building and take the elevators in the middle, not the one on the end which of course was not working.
We travel the maze they described to the room and we found it to be totally disheveled and unmade. It smelled unpleasant and the entry lights were not working.
At this point we were less than enamoured with this "resort" and decided to withdraw our intentions of staying and requested our credit card receipt back. The front desk attendant was put out that I requested my signature authorizing the charge back. It was his belief that I should have just trusted him to tear it up. Well, that is something I was not willing to do after the less than favorable experience we had just been through.
Upon further discussions with people at the European Village Shops and Restaurants which occupy the ground level of the resorts, we found that the home owners association which oversees the condos is made up of a bunch of absentee owners who care very little about the day to day appearance of the residential floors. It seems that the retail businesses have their own association and they manage to keep the ground floor running smoothly and in a clean manner.
There is a Real Estate company on site, that manages the rental of some of the more conscientious owners to individuals looking to stay at the resort for a night or two. (Please look at our restaurant review section for 2 reviews of the EV restaurants, One during Memorial Day Weekend and the other during Labor Day weekend 2008)
We decided that the residential portion of this resort should be referred to as the European Ghetto until steps are taken to make the place cleaner and more appealing.
However most of the restaurants that we have tried ( The Piazza Cafe, The Royal Restaurant and Grill, Shakespeare) are above average in quality and service. I am sure we will be back since there are still a few places we have not tried. We will keep you posted on those.
We recommend you visit this resort to shop and dine, but for now, stay some place else.
We got back in the car and decided to travel south to Flagler Beach, a place we had enjoyed during Memorial Day. Ken used his I-phone to get several names of Hotels and Motels in the area and we called one we knew after having eaten at a restaurant within called Blue.
The Hotel is called Topaz and we were told that they did have availability for the evening.
We made our way to Topaz hoping that the room would ab acceptable considering it may be one of the last ones left due to the fact that it was past 8:00 PM.
We get there and the very helpful front desk clerk asks us if we would mind having an ocean front room for the night. We were floored. It couldn't have worked out better. It appears that the people that had reserved that room decided against it when they arrived because of its proximity to pedestrian hotel traffic. We didn't think that would be a problem and in fact it was not. During the day folks can not see inside and we had the beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean, out of two picture windows and at night you can't see the ocean so we had the drapes drawn. The room was ample as it was a kitchenette with a small kitchen , dining and sitting areas, as well as the sleeping accommodations. We liked the room so well we renewed our stay and were there Saturday and Sunday night as well.
After we had unpacked, we decided to stay close for dinner and ate at Blue. (See review in Restaurants Section of this Blog).
Saturday -
The next morning we slept in late (till about 8:15AM) and opened the curtains to a great view of the ocean. It was a powerful surf because Hurricane Hanna churning in the Atlantic Ocean. They had a strong surf advisory posted and warmed against swimming due to potentially strong riptides.
So, even thought we love to spend at least a couple of hours in the water when we go to the beach, we heeded the warnings and decided that this time we would enjoy the sights and sounds of the water.
We got ready and went to a late breakfast at Piazza Cafe where we had a great meal. (See Restaurant Review section of this Blog).
After breakfast, since it was a cloudy rainy day, we decided to drive up to St. Augustine's to catch a movie. Again the I-phone was very useful in locating a theater nearby that would suit us based on the time of arrival. We settled on the Regal Cinema located within the Ponce de Leon Mall complex located on....Ponce the Leon Blvd. South. Imagine that.
Based on our timing, Tropic Thunder selected us as the movie to see. (See Movie Review section of this Blog)
After the movie we stopped at Bealls Department Store to buy some picture frames to put family pictures I had been recently given by my sister. We selected the two frames and resigned ourselves to paying the sticker price. When we got to the register. a lady named Dorothy said that the frames were on sale and that they would cost 66% less than the sticker price after she applied a special coupon. I said thank you St. Dorothy and left the store elated that we had save dozens of dollars.
After shopping it was still cloudy but the rains had stopped so we decided to stop by The Golden Lion Cafe, back in Flagler Beach. This is a beach side restaurant and bar that allows you to sit outside enjoying all of the fresh air and sea breezes as you sip on a rum runner or another drink of choice while listening to live entertainment.
We went back to our room to relax before getting ready for dinner at 8:00 PM.
Dinner tonight was to be at the Flagler Fish Company. Because of it popularity we were not seated till 8:50 PM but we made good use of the time. (See Restaurant Review section of this Blog)
After dinner we opted for a quiet evening and a late movie on TV.
Sunday -
Sunday we opened the curtains to the beach and it was a beautiful sunny day. The ocean was still rough and unavailable but the day was bright and clear and a great day for a Sunday drive.
We left the hotel and drove to the Flagler Beach entrance of the Tomoka Basin Geopark. This is a 22 mile quiet back way to Ormond Beach, that travels in the dark cypress swamps and historic live oak forest of the Tomoka Region then through the Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation area of Flagler Beach. We took it south on a quiet two lane road which was beautiful on this sunny day.
After the morning drive we decided to go to brunch. We decided to try another one of the restaurants at the European Village, this one named Barbara Jean's. This is a chain restaurant of Home Style, country cooking. I am not sure what country they were hoping to emulate but the food was terrible. (See Restaurant Review Section inn this Blog).
After leaving the restaurant, hoping that the experience had not left any permanent emotional scarring, we decided to drive back to St Augustine but this time we would take the old beach front side of AIA that loops away from the city and hugs the beach front hotels of St. Augustine.
We decided to continue the beach side drive and took old AIA, also called Ponte Vedra Blvd at Mickler's Landing just north of St. Augustine, all the way to Jacksonville. On the drive north, at first the houses were casual and inexpensive at around $600,000 to 1,500,000 right on the Ocean. Then they became mammoth estates around Sawgrass and Ponte Vedra where I am sure some were worth more that 5 million dollars.
Once in Jacksonville we took the 202 west to 95 and took the fast route back to Flagler Beach.
We made our way back to the hotel by way of the Golden Lion Cafe where we people watched for an hour before heading back to the room to change for dinner.
Since our goal was to experience as many of the eateries that we could at the European Village we went back there for dinner this evening. We ate at the Royal Restaurant and Grill, a very nice Portuguese restaurant, and dinner was very good. (Please see our Restaurant Review section of this Blog)
After dinner we went back to the hotel and relaxed listening to the sounds of the turbulent ocean, but by now it was the distant affects of Hurricane Ike causing the rough seas.
Monday-
We got up to another beautiful sunny day and packed our bags so we could be out before check out time at 11:00 AM. We decided that we would have a repeat visit to Piazza Cafe since it had been so very good on Saturday morning. (see Restaurant Review Section of this Blog)
We were back in town before we knew it; stopped for some groceries and went home to relax for the rest of the day.
Overall, this trip to Flagler Beach was a great time. We rested, did some sight-seeing and ate well and paid no mind to the failed promise of a free condo for the weekend. In fact I think that like most things, this happened for the best.
We also looked at many houses for sale and wrote down contact information for Realtors in the area so that when we win the lotto we know who to call to make us a deal on a beach front home.
One day, our dear readers, friends and family, we hope to be writing to you from our study overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Wish us luck.
Until next time, we wish you all good health and happiness.
SO..... we got away for Labor Day.
This was supposed to have been a very cost effective getaway.
An acquaintance of ours owns a Condo at the European Village Resort, in Palm Coast, Florida.
Several months ago we had talked to Roy and we arranged to use his Condo at the EV over Labor Day weekend. All was set; we would pay only the house keeping fee. We were thrilled.
Friday -
Well, Labor Day weekend Friday arrived, and we were contacted in the morning by Roy's representative that they would meet us there to give us the keys to the Condo because the front desk was going to be closed.
OK. That seemed plausible. This is a privately own resort so it would not be out of the question that the front desk staff may have been given the Labor Day weekend off.
So, we finish our work day and head out on our trip which is only 90 minutes away from home.
When we were almost there and ready to meet the rep, named Reno, he called us on the cell phone to tell us that they were having troubles with the air conditioning system in the condo and that we were welcomed to stay but the temperature was 80+ degrees.
We thanked him for his call, and told him we would find other accommodations for the weekend.
We discussed the possibility of turning back, but that was just a fleeting thought. We are very resourceful and determined so we said, let's find another place. It is now almost 7:00 PM but we knew we would find a room.
So we decided to explore the general area of the European Village Resort and found one of the major resorts booked for the weekend. On our way out we stopped at the EV and we found the front desk to be open and staffed. (We had been told that it was not open earlier that day by our"friends") They had rooms available and we decided to take one for the night. They check us in and give us keys an off we went to the assigned room. Once we get there we discovered that the magnetic entry key would not open the room because it was dead-bolted shut. We called the front desk and they explained that the owner of that particular condo must have inadvertently locked the room shut not thinking that guests would not be able to enter, since it was his intention to lease it out in his absence.
So they assign us another room. This one was in a building whose elevator was not working, so they explained how we had to take the elevator up to the second level in one building, then walk across a connecting walkway to the other building and take the elevators in the middle, not the one on the end which of course was not working.
We travel the maze they described to the room and we found it to be totally disheveled and unmade. It smelled unpleasant and the entry lights were not working.
At this point we were less than enamoured with this "resort" and decided to withdraw our intentions of staying and requested our credit card receipt back. The front desk attendant was put out that I requested my signature authorizing the charge back. It was his belief that I should have just trusted him to tear it up. Well, that is something I was not willing to do after the less than favorable experience we had just been through.
Upon further discussions with people at the European Village Shops and Restaurants which occupy the ground level of the resorts, we found that the home owners association which oversees the condos is made up of a bunch of absentee owners who care very little about the day to day appearance of the residential floors. It seems that the retail businesses have their own association and they manage to keep the ground floor running smoothly and in a clean manner.
There is a Real Estate company on site, that manages the rental of some of the more conscientious owners to individuals looking to stay at the resort for a night or two. (Please look at our restaurant review section for 2 reviews of the EV restaurants, One during Memorial Day Weekend and the other during Labor Day weekend 2008)
We decided that the residential portion of this resort should be referred to as the European Ghetto until steps are taken to make the place cleaner and more appealing.
However most of the restaurants that we have tried ( The Piazza Cafe, The Royal Restaurant and Grill, Shakespeare) are above average in quality and service. I am sure we will be back since there are still a few places we have not tried. We will keep you posted on those.
We recommend you visit this resort to shop and dine, but for now, stay some place else.
We got back in the car and decided to travel south to Flagler Beach, a place we had enjoyed during Memorial Day. Ken used his I-phone to get several names of Hotels and Motels in the area and we called one we knew after having eaten at a restaurant within called Blue.
The Hotel is called Topaz and we were told that they did have availability for the evening.
We made our way to Topaz hoping that the room would ab acceptable considering it may be one of the last ones left due to the fact that it was past 8:00 PM.
We get there and the very helpful front desk clerk asks us if we would mind having an ocean front room for the night. We were floored. It couldn't have worked out better. It appears that the people that had reserved that room decided against it when they arrived because of its proximity to pedestrian hotel traffic. We didn't think that would be a problem and in fact it was not. During the day folks can not see inside and we had the beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean, out of two picture windows and at night you can't see the ocean so we had the drapes drawn. The room was ample as it was a kitchenette with a small kitchen , dining and sitting areas, as well as the sleeping accommodations. We liked the room so well we renewed our stay and were there Saturday and Sunday night as well.
After we had unpacked, we decided to stay close for dinner and ate at Blue. (See review in Restaurants Section of this Blog).
Saturday -
The next morning we slept in late (till about 8:15AM) and opened the curtains to a great view of the ocean. It was a powerful surf because Hurricane Hanna churning in the Atlantic Ocean. They had a strong surf advisory posted and warmed against swimming due to potentially strong riptides.
So, even thought we love to spend at least a couple of hours in the water when we go to the beach, we heeded the warnings and decided that this time we would enjoy the sights and sounds of the water.
We got ready and went to a late breakfast at Piazza Cafe where we had a great meal. (See Restaurant Review section of this Blog).
After breakfast, since it was a cloudy rainy day, we decided to drive up to St. Augustine's to catch a movie. Again the I-phone was very useful in locating a theater nearby that would suit us based on the time of arrival. We settled on the Regal Cinema located within the Ponce de Leon Mall complex located on....Ponce the Leon Blvd. South. Imagine that.
Based on our timing, Tropic Thunder selected us as the movie to see. (See Movie Review section of this Blog)
After the movie we stopped at Bealls Department Store to buy some picture frames to put family pictures I had been recently given by my sister. We selected the two frames and resigned ourselves to paying the sticker price. When we got to the register. a lady named Dorothy said that the frames were on sale and that they would cost 66% less than the sticker price after she applied a special coupon. I said thank you St. Dorothy and left the store elated that we had save dozens of dollars.
After shopping it was still cloudy but the rains had stopped so we decided to stop by The Golden Lion Cafe, back in Flagler Beach. This is a beach side restaurant and bar that allows you to sit outside enjoying all of the fresh air and sea breezes as you sip on a rum runner or another drink of choice while listening to live entertainment.
We went back to our room to relax before getting ready for dinner at 8:00 PM.
Dinner tonight was to be at the Flagler Fish Company. Because of it popularity we were not seated till 8:50 PM but we made good use of the time. (See Restaurant Review section of this Blog)
After dinner we opted for a quiet evening and a late movie on TV.
Sunday -
Sunday we opened the curtains to the beach and it was a beautiful sunny day. The ocean was still rough and unavailable but the day was bright and clear and a great day for a Sunday drive.
We left the hotel and drove to the Flagler Beach entrance of the Tomoka Basin Geopark. This is a 22 mile quiet back way to Ormond Beach, that travels in the dark cypress swamps and historic live oak forest of the Tomoka Region then through the Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation area of Flagler Beach. We took it south on a quiet two lane road which was beautiful on this sunny day.
After the morning drive we decided to go to brunch. We decided to try another one of the restaurants at the European Village, this one named Barbara Jean's. This is a chain restaurant of Home Style, country cooking. I am not sure what country they were hoping to emulate but the food was terrible. (See Restaurant Review Section inn this Blog).
After leaving the restaurant, hoping that the experience had not left any permanent emotional scarring, we decided to drive back to St Augustine but this time we would take the old beach front side of AIA that loops away from the city and hugs the beach front hotels of St. Augustine.
We decided to continue the beach side drive and took old AIA, also called Ponte Vedra Blvd at Mickler's Landing just north of St. Augustine, all the way to Jacksonville. On the drive north, at first the houses were casual and inexpensive at around $600,000 to 1,500,000 right on the Ocean. Then they became mammoth estates around Sawgrass and Ponte Vedra where I am sure some were worth more that 5 million dollars.
Once in Jacksonville we took the 202 west to 95 and took the fast route back to Flagler Beach.
We made our way back to the hotel by way of the Golden Lion Cafe where we people watched for an hour before heading back to the room to change for dinner.
Since our goal was to experience as many of the eateries that we could at the European Village we went back there for dinner this evening. We ate at the Royal Restaurant and Grill, a very nice Portuguese restaurant, and dinner was very good. (Please see our Restaurant Review section of this Blog)
After dinner we went back to the hotel and relaxed listening to the sounds of the turbulent ocean, but by now it was the distant affects of Hurricane Ike causing the rough seas.
Monday-
We got up to another beautiful sunny day and packed our bags so we could be out before check out time at 11:00 AM. We decided that we would have a repeat visit to Piazza Cafe since it had been so very good on Saturday morning. (see Restaurant Review Section of this Blog)
We were back in town before we knew it; stopped for some groceries and went home to relax for the rest of the day.
Overall, this trip to Flagler Beach was a great time. We rested, did some sight-seeing and ate well and paid no mind to the failed promise of a free condo for the weekend. In fact I think that like most things, this happened for the best.
We also looked at many houses for sale and wrote down contact information for Realtors in the area so that when we win the lotto we know who to call to make us a deal on a beach front home.
One day, our dear readers, friends and family, we hope to be writing to you from our study overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Wish us luck.
Until next time, we wish you all good health and happiness.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Cocoa Beach, Florida, Getaway
We picked up our Super 8 millimeter film conversion from David Wright is East Orlando last Saturday, and since he is located roughly half way between where we live and Cocoa Beach, we had planned in advance to continue on to Cocoa Beach for the weekend.
Why not, right?
We took the 520 all the way in and stopped at The Cobb Theaters on the way to the beach to see a movie. (See movie review section) After the show, we checked in at the Cocoa Beach Hilton, with oceanfront accommodations. Lucky for us our room was available because check in time is not till 4:00 PM and it was only 1:45PM.
We donned our beach attire and went down to the Tiki Bar. It was a hot afternoon so we sat under cover to avoid most of the sun, although I did take in some rays for about an hour.
We asked the barmaid to make our favorite, Lazy Days Lemonade, and she did the best she could. Throughout the afternoon every batch tasted different, but after a while we didn't mind too much.
We spent the afternoon people watching, eavesdropping on other people's gossip, and talking to some colorful characters. One of my favorites was an elderly man who ordered a Grey Goose shot, neat, and told the barmaid that his wife could smell the ice cubes on him if he had any so please no ice. It was a very pleasant afternoon and the weather was perfect, although it was a very busy place and too many children were running around for it to be peaceful.
We went up about 6:00 PM, looked out at our magnificent view of the ocean for a while and then got cleaned up to go out for dinner. We had reservations at Silvestro's. (See restaurant review section)
After dinner, we came back to the room and decided to turn in early (10:00 PM) so that we could get an early start the next morning.
We were on the beach around 8:15 AM and spent most of the time in the water. It was somewhat on the cool side. But we got some sun, and stayed cool by staying in the ocean. Battling the waves gave us plenty of exercise too. It was fun and therapeutic at the same time. After a little over an hour of "cleansing" in the ocean, we came back to the hotel pool and enjoyed it for some time while it was still quiet.
Check out was at 11:00 AM so we went up about 10:30 and cleaned up to check out and go to breakfast. We had been recommended a place called Barrier Jacks just down the street from our hotel. We had a breakfast fit for a king, including eggs, bacon toast, hash browns, pancakes, toast and orange juice. It was very good.
On the way home we decided to travel the way folks in Florida traveled in the 60's before the highways were in place using the back roads. We went up A1A then over to US-1 to SR 46 and took that across all the way to Ken's house. It was a beautiful drive and it really added only a few minutes to the return trip.
Once home, we watched a DVD (Charlie Bartlett) and later we made our traditionally Saturday dinner, on Sunday: Steaks on the Grill, baked potatoes, and an avocado. Delicious dinner.
It was a very nice getaway but as always it is good to come back home for the most comfort.
Please come back and visit us soon, as we add to and update our blog.
Why not, right?
We took the 520 all the way in and stopped at The Cobb Theaters on the way to the beach to see a movie. (See movie review section) After the show, we checked in at the Cocoa Beach Hilton, with oceanfront accommodations. Lucky for us our room was available because check in time is not till 4:00 PM and it was only 1:45PM.
We donned our beach attire and went down to the Tiki Bar. It was a hot afternoon so we sat under cover to avoid most of the sun, although I did take in some rays for about an hour.
We asked the barmaid to make our favorite, Lazy Days Lemonade, and she did the best she could. Throughout the afternoon every batch tasted different, but after a while we didn't mind too much.
We spent the afternoon people watching, eavesdropping on other people's gossip, and talking to some colorful characters. One of my favorites was an elderly man who ordered a Grey Goose shot, neat, and told the barmaid that his wife could smell the ice cubes on him if he had any so please no ice. It was a very pleasant afternoon and the weather was perfect, although it was a very busy place and too many children were running around for it to be peaceful.
We went up about 6:00 PM, looked out at our magnificent view of the ocean for a while and then got cleaned up to go out for dinner. We had reservations at Silvestro's. (See restaurant review section)
After dinner, we came back to the room and decided to turn in early (10:00 PM) so that we could get an early start the next morning.
We were on the beach around 8:15 AM and spent most of the time in the water. It was somewhat on the cool side. But we got some sun, and stayed cool by staying in the ocean. Battling the waves gave us plenty of exercise too. It was fun and therapeutic at the same time. After a little over an hour of "cleansing" in the ocean, we came back to the hotel pool and enjoyed it for some time while it was still quiet.
Check out was at 11:00 AM so we went up about 10:30 and cleaned up to check out and go to breakfast. We had been recommended a place called Barrier Jacks just down the street from our hotel. We had a breakfast fit for a king, including eggs, bacon toast, hash browns, pancakes, toast and orange juice. It was very good.
On the way home we decided to travel the way folks in Florida traveled in the 60's before the highways were in place using the back roads. We went up A1A then over to US-1 to SR 46 and took that across all the way to Ken's house. It was a beautiful drive and it really added only a few minutes to the return trip.
Once home, we watched a DVD (Charlie Bartlett) and later we made our traditionally Saturday dinner, on Sunday: Steaks on the Grill, baked potatoes, and an avocado. Delicious dinner.
It was a very nice getaway but as always it is good to come back home for the most comfort.
Please come back and visit us soon, as we add to and update our blog.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Fourth of July With Family in Pembroke Pines, FL.
Fourth of July Weekend, 2008
We decided to make it a mini vacation so we went to Pembroke Pines, FL, for the 4th of July Holiday on July 3rd to get a jump start on the festivities.
We arrived at my sister's house, unpacked, and were off to lunch at a great sushi restaurant called RA. (See restaurant review blog)
After lunch we went to the store and bought all of the goodies for the cook-out the following day and came home afterwards and started doing some of the prep work.
When we were done, we watched DVDs, while my sister Gricel prepared an incredible meatloaf inspired by Emeril Lugasi. We delayed dinner until 9:00 PM since we were all still pretty full from lunch.
After dinner, the three of us, settled down to play Scrabble for a couple of hours. We had a great time. Ken was the winner. We were up till 2 in the morning.
The next morning, the 4th of July, after breakfast, Ken made the hamburger patties using a mixture of ground beef, Lipton's Onion Soup, bread crumbs, sour cream and spices and readied them for the grill later in the day. We steamed the hot dogs in beer and made the filling for the empanadas I had promised my niece Gisele 18 months ago.
Everything was prepped before the party-goers started to arrive at about three o'clock;
My mom and her husband, My sister's husband Fernando's brother and his wife and their mother, and Joe and Marta and their two kids. Just enough people to make it a party without it being too big.
The hamburgers were a huge hit. They were delicious.
We also had hot dogs, potato and macaroni salad, cole slaw, grilled shrimp, and assorted chips and dips. There was plenty of food and no one left hungry.
After we ate, we played dominoes under the protection of the covered patio since it rained all late afternoon and evening. We played cut-throat dominoes because there were 8 of us playing. Fernando's brother's wife won the afternoon at dominoes. It was a very fun time.
We helped with the clean up and then went across the street to Joe's and Marta's place, which overlooked a lake, to watch the municipal and private firework displays. Luckily the rains let up at about 10 PM so the fireworks show, although delayed, went off as planned.
The fireworks were beautiful and spectacular.
Afterwards we came back to my sister's and played Scrabble again. Ken again, emerged victorious. We were up again way past our bedtime.
Saturday morning we had my sister to ourselves. Fernando went to the Florida Keys to fish, and Gisele was sleeping late from having worked the late shift at RA.
We went to see Hancock with Will Smith. ( Please see movie review Blog).
It was a nice time at the movies.
After Hancock, we went shopping for shorts that I wanted. We traveled to do different locations of the Bass Pro Shoppes to find what we needed. Luckily the threatening skies, cooperated and we had good weather all afternoon while we were driving around town.
We noticed that gas was 25 cents more a gallon in south Florida than it was in Orlando. I wonder why that is?
After we were done, we came home where my mother was preparing a delicious pork roast, rice with black beans, fried plantains and a salad. While dinner was cooking we got cleaned up and watched DVDs until Fernando got home from fishing at about 8 PM. By that time dinner was ready and we had a feast.
After dinner we decided to sit back and relax watching movies. Ken and I went to the nearby Blockbuster picked up a few DVDs, then picked up a bag of ice, and went back.
We had a nice time watching a couple of tittles. We went to bed around 1:30 AM. (See movie review Blog)
Sunday morning after breakfast, my sister took us to buy a plant for my aunt who is ill, and then gave us a tour of the campus my niece will be attending in the fall of Nova Southeast University. We then stopped off at the pet store to buy some food and treats for Luke and Napoleon.
When we got back home, I made the empanadas for Gisele and we all had one each as a sample.
Later that afternoon, we got ready for a fish-fry with Snapper that Fernando had caught the day before. We had Joe and Marta and my mom and her husband over for this feast.
We ate the leftover salads from Friday and everyone seemed thoroughly satisfied.
After the company left, we gathered to play the board game, Settlers of Catan with my sister and my niece. It was a fun time and I finally won a game we had played thus far this weekend.
Afterwards we played another game of Scrabble which Gisele declined to participate in and we played for a couple of hours. Again, Ken emerged victorious. He plays Scrabble very well.
We went to bed near 2 AM again.
The next morning we had a couple of ham sandwiches, with the missing ham, which was no longer missing obviously and got ready to head home back to Orlando.
We stopped off for groceries and went home to make dinner.
We had an excellent meal with sauteed steak with garlic and onions, rice and home made black beans. Dinner was delicious.
That wrapped up our Fourth of July Holiday for 2008. We had a very nice time and look forward to our next getaway so we can share those experiences with you.
Thank you for reading our Blog.
Ken and Len
We decided to make it a mini vacation so we went to Pembroke Pines, FL, for the 4th of July Holiday on July 3rd to get a jump start on the festivities.
We arrived at my sister's house, unpacked, and were off to lunch at a great sushi restaurant called RA. (See restaurant review blog)
After lunch we went to the store and bought all of the goodies for the cook-out the following day and came home afterwards and started doing some of the prep work.
When we were done, we watched DVDs, while my sister Gricel prepared an incredible meatloaf inspired by Emeril Lugasi. We delayed dinner until 9:00 PM since we were all still pretty full from lunch.
After dinner, the three of us, settled down to play Scrabble for a couple of hours. We had a great time. Ken was the winner. We were up till 2 in the morning.
The next morning, the 4th of July, after breakfast, Ken made the hamburger patties using a mixture of ground beef, Lipton's Onion Soup, bread crumbs, sour cream and spices and readied them for the grill later in the day. We steamed the hot dogs in beer and made the filling for the empanadas I had promised my niece Gisele 18 months ago.
Everything was prepped before the party-goers started to arrive at about three o'clock;
My mom and her husband, My sister's husband Fernando's brother and his wife and their mother, and Joe and Marta and their two kids. Just enough people to make it a party without it being too big.
The hamburgers were a huge hit. They were delicious.
We also had hot dogs, potato and macaroni salad, cole slaw, grilled shrimp, and assorted chips and dips. There was plenty of food and no one left hungry.
After we ate, we played dominoes under the protection of the covered patio since it rained all late afternoon and evening. We played cut-throat dominoes because there were 8 of us playing. Fernando's brother's wife won the afternoon at dominoes. It was a very fun time.
We helped with the clean up and then went across the street to Joe's and Marta's place, which overlooked a lake, to watch the municipal and private firework displays. Luckily the rains let up at about 10 PM so the fireworks show, although delayed, went off as planned.
The fireworks were beautiful and spectacular.
Afterwards we came back to my sister's and played Scrabble again. Ken again, emerged victorious. We were up again way past our bedtime.
Saturday morning we had my sister to ourselves. Fernando went to the Florida Keys to fish, and Gisele was sleeping late from having worked the late shift at RA.
We went to see Hancock with Will Smith. ( Please see movie review Blog).
It was a nice time at the movies.
After Hancock, we went shopping for shorts that I wanted. We traveled to do different locations of the Bass Pro Shoppes to find what we needed. Luckily the threatening skies, cooperated and we had good weather all afternoon while we were driving around town.
We noticed that gas was 25 cents more a gallon in south Florida than it was in Orlando. I wonder why that is?
After we were done, we came home where my mother was preparing a delicious pork roast, rice with black beans, fried plantains and a salad. While dinner was cooking we got cleaned up and watched DVDs until Fernando got home from fishing at about 8 PM. By that time dinner was ready and we had a feast.
After dinner we decided to sit back and relax watching movies. Ken and I went to the nearby Blockbuster picked up a few DVDs, then picked up a bag of ice, and went back.
We had a nice time watching a couple of tittles. We went to bed around 1:30 AM. (See movie review Blog)
Sunday morning after breakfast, my sister took us to buy a plant for my aunt who is ill, and then gave us a tour of the campus my niece will be attending in the fall of Nova Southeast University. We then stopped off at the pet store to buy some food and treats for Luke and Napoleon.
When we got back home, I made the empanadas for Gisele and we all had one each as a sample.
Later that afternoon, we got ready for a fish-fry with Snapper that Fernando had caught the day before. We had Joe and Marta and my mom and her husband over for this feast.
We ate the leftover salads from Friday and everyone seemed thoroughly satisfied.
After the company left, we gathered to play the board game, Settlers of Catan with my sister and my niece. It was a fun time and I finally won a game we had played thus far this weekend.
Afterwards we played another game of Scrabble which Gisele declined to participate in and we played for a couple of hours. Again, Ken emerged victorious. He plays Scrabble very well.
We went to bed near 2 AM again.
The next morning we had a couple of ham sandwiches, with the missing ham, which was no longer missing obviously and got ready to head home back to Orlando.
We stopped off for groceries and went home to make dinner.
We had an excellent meal with sauteed steak with garlic and onions, rice and home made black beans. Dinner was delicious.
That wrapped up our Fourth of July Holiday for 2008. We had a very nice time and look forward to our next getaway so we can share those experiences with you.
Thank you for reading our Blog.
Ken and Len
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Kick off Summer Getaway - Memorial Day 2008
We wanted a quiet get-away for Memorial Day. One away from the crowds, the cars and the noise. We found it at The White Orchid Inn and Spa on Flagler Beach, Florida.
We arrived Friday evening about 6:00 PM. The owner Bob took us to our room which was on the first floor, in nicely landscaped courtyard around the swimming pool. The room had a jacuzzi tub and a glass block shower enclosure. The room was nicely appointed and comfortable. We were comfortable right away.
We changed into our swim trunks, poured ourselves a cocktail and went to use the heated Mineral Water Pool. Allegedly it contained salts from the Dead Sea. The Inn has two pools; one conventional fresh water pool; one heated with minerals salts. The pool felt so very good, relaxing and therapeutic.
We met a very nice couple also at the mineral pool that evening, named Tammy and Brian who were there celebrating their wedding anniversary away from the kids. They too were having a cocktail and we talked until it was time for us to go to dinner at 9:00 PM.
We walked over to a very nice restaurant called Blue, at the Topaz Bed and Breakfast, and had a late dinner on the veranda. (See the Restaurant review section)
The next morning we got up early had our room-brewed coffee which was very good and went to the Dining Room at the Inn for the breakfast included in our room rate.
Breakfast was good but too small. They had pastries and home made breads and croissants; juices; and the served us a one egg omelet with sausage and cheese with some fresh fruit.
Not our idea of a Man's breakfast. However we sat by a table overlooking the Atlantic Ocean which was beautiful breaking on the sandy shore.
After breakfast we took the scenic beach road A1A to Ormond Beach to see the opening weekend showing of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. (Please look at our Movie Reviews Section). The Regal Theater may have had 24 patrons for the 11AM matinee show even though it made over $100 million opening weekend. Ormond Beach is an elderly community beach community that may not get that excited over adventure movies. Had we been at home, the AMC theater we go to would have been packed. We loved the movie.
On the drive back we retraced our steps but stopped along the way to check out the local color.
We stopped at an Argentine Restaurant call La Mer by the Sea, which had received great reviews and advertised that they served ceviche.
We ordered a drink but when we inquired about the ceviche we were told that the chef that prepares it was not in that day so we had to do without. Well, it was lunch time and the place was empty except for 2 men at the bar. We did not feel like having anything else on the menu so we finished our drink and left. We did meet the owner of La Mer. A very nice fellow from Argentina. He gave us an explanation of the construction noise that permeated the restaurant while we were there. He explained that they were enlarging their Karaoke venue since it had taken off so well. He said that the area they were expanding into, used to be a strip club many years ago. Certainly a place with local color.
We continued north and decided to have lunch at a place that had been recommended by several people at the Inn called The Turtle Shack. (See Restaurant Review Section)
After lunch we wanted to have a couple of cocktails before going to the beach so we stopped at The Golden Lion. This was a fun place full of people eating and drinking during mid afternoon overlooking the ocean.
We had a table right by the sidewalk and we people-watched for an hour or so before heading back to our room to change to go to the beach.
Before we left for the beach however we stopped in at the Inn's social hour. There was a gentleman named Aubrey who served us a complimentary glass of wine and some cold dips with crackers. Turns out he used to be a Bed and Breakfast Owner near St. Augustine but sold to the the Mayor for his asking price (which must have been a small fortune) because he has been traveling around the world with his wife for the last four years. Finally his wife said to him that they were bored of traveling and have settled down. So they decided to help out at The White Orchid Inn and Spa for spending money.
The beach was beautiful that afternoon and the waves were calm and enjoyable. We were there for about 90 minutes so we would not get too sunburned. We enjoy the beach. We find it very therapeutic for your skin.
We came back to the Inn and decided to check out the Mineral Pool again. We floated on rafts for an hour or so, sipping on our cocktails. Brian and Tammy had a room right by the mineral pool and they walked by us on their way to dinner and a horse-drawn carriage ride in St Augustine.
They asked to sit with us at breakfast the next day and if we would reserve a table for 4.
Another couple(we met then the next day as Marsha and Ric) joined us as we were getting ready to leave the pool area to get ready for dinner. We felt bad about leaving just as they had arrived but we had made plans to eat at The Flagler Fish Company that evening. Dinner was excellent. (See restaurant review section)
After dinner we came back, had an after dinner cocktail and relaxed for the evening.
Sunday morning we met Brian and Tammy for breakfast at the Inn dining room. Since it was their actual wedding anniversary day, Ken and I ordered a bottle of champagne to toast their day. They were very happy that we had thought enough of them to do that.
We enjoyed breakfast much more today. We asked if they could super size our breakfast and they did so gladly. We had a two egg omelet with bacon on the side and the gratuitous fruit. Again the pastries and croissants were delicious. We got to know our new friends a little better. Brian is a postal worker and Tammy is working on getting her teaching certificate. Both very nice people. They said they had had a great time in St Augustine and gave us pointers about where to park since we were going on a day trip to St. Augustine ourselves after breakfast.
We took the scenic beach highway A1A north to St Augustine. It was early in the day and traffic was still manageable and the drive enjoyable.
We drove by the St. Augustine Lighthouse, the first lighthouse to be established in Florida by the US in 1824.
Our first stop was the Castillo de San Marcos. A fort built by the Spanish in 1672. It was incredible to see and read the history associated with this fort. We saw a cannon firing demonstration while we were there.
Then we visited the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum. That was a fascinating place with hundreds of artifacts and interesting trivia from the ages.
We then drove all around Old Historic St. Augustine. What a beautiful historic place. We will make a more in depth visit during a non-holiday weekend when it will be less crowded.
We decided to head back during mid afternoon and stopped off at the European Village. This is a multi-use complex with residential, shopping and dining venues. There were several tempting places to have a late lunch but we decided to eat at Shakespeare's. (See restaurant review section). It was a fantastic lunch.
After lunch we stopped off at The Golden Lion again for some rum runners and to enjoy the open air beach atmosphere. The average age group for the place was mid to late 40's which made it even more enjoyable.
We went back to the Inn and changed into our swim trunks and went back to the mineral pool to relax with cocktails in hand. After a while Marsha and Ric came out to join us at the mineral pool and we had a fun afternoon and evening talking and soaking in the warm pool.
Ric is a college level baseball coach and Marsha is a billing clerk for a local obstetrician.
We talked for hours about everything. We even shared a bottle of Moet and Chandon Nectar Imperial champagne with them. Since we had had a late lunch we skipped dinner and just had cocktails all night long. In hindsight we should not have skipped dinner. I was sloshed.
Another couple joined us around 9PM but I don't remember much of them other than they were from Pennsylvania.
The next day we got up and went to the beach for one more dip in the ocean but the waves were so strong it was a battle to stay on your feet. We stayed for a little while and went back to the Inn to change and go to breakfast. We ate at Manny's Restaurant. (See restaurant review section) Nice large portions of average breakfast fare. Then we went back to the Inn and checked out.
It had been a very nice weekend.
On the way home, we stopped off at Publix, picked up some large shrimp to serve as a shrimp cocktail before dinner and two large juice steaks to finish celebrating Memorial Day. Dinner was excellent as it is always at home.
We hope to go back and visit the White Orchid Inn again sometime soon.
Stay tuned for our next getaway to Ft. Lauderdale when we visit my sister for the 4th of July.
We arrived Friday evening about 6:00 PM. The owner Bob took us to our room which was on the first floor, in nicely landscaped courtyard around the swimming pool. The room had a jacuzzi tub and a glass block shower enclosure. The room was nicely appointed and comfortable. We were comfortable right away.
We changed into our swim trunks, poured ourselves a cocktail and went to use the heated Mineral Water Pool. Allegedly it contained salts from the Dead Sea. The Inn has two pools; one conventional fresh water pool; one heated with minerals salts. The pool felt so very good, relaxing and therapeutic.
We met a very nice couple also at the mineral pool that evening, named Tammy and Brian who were there celebrating their wedding anniversary away from the kids. They too were having a cocktail and we talked until it was time for us to go to dinner at 9:00 PM.
We walked over to a very nice restaurant called Blue, at the Topaz Bed and Breakfast, and had a late dinner on the veranda. (See the Restaurant review section)
The next morning we got up early had our room-brewed coffee which was very good and went to the Dining Room at the Inn for the breakfast included in our room rate.
Breakfast was good but too small. They had pastries and home made breads and croissants; juices; and the served us a one egg omelet with sausage and cheese with some fresh fruit.
Not our idea of a Man's breakfast. However we sat by a table overlooking the Atlantic Ocean which was beautiful breaking on the sandy shore.
After breakfast we took the scenic beach road A1A to Ormond Beach to see the opening weekend showing of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. (Please look at our Movie Reviews Section). The Regal Theater may have had 24 patrons for the 11AM matinee show even though it made over $100 million opening weekend. Ormond Beach is an elderly community beach community that may not get that excited over adventure movies. Had we been at home, the AMC theater we go to would have been packed. We loved the movie.
On the drive back we retraced our steps but stopped along the way to check out the local color.
We stopped at an Argentine Restaurant call La Mer by the Sea, which had received great reviews and advertised that they served ceviche.
We ordered a drink but when we inquired about the ceviche we were told that the chef that prepares it was not in that day so we had to do without. Well, it was lunch time and the place was empty except for 2 men at the bar. We did not feel like having anything else on the menu so we finished our drink and left. We did meet the owner of La Mer. A very nice fellow from Argentina. He gave us an explanation of the construction noise that permeated the restaurant while we were there. He explained that they were enlarging their Karaoke venue since it had taken off so well. He said that the area they were expanding into, used to be a strip club many years ago. Certainly a place with local color.
We continued north and decided to have lunch at a place that had been recommended by several people at the Inn called The Turtle Shack. (See Restaurant Review Section)
After lunch we wanted to have a couple of cocktails before going to the beach so we stopped at The Golden Lion. This was a fun place full of people eating and drinking during mid afternoon overlooking the ocean.
We had a table right by the sidewalk and we people-watched for an hour or so before heading back to our room to change to go to the beach.
Before we left for the beach however we stopped in at the Inn's social hour. There was a gentleman named Aubrey who served us a complimentary glass of wine and some cold dips with crackers. Turns out he used to be a Bed and Breakfast Owner near St. Augustine but sold to the the Mayor for his asking price (which must have been a small fortune) because he has been traveling around the world with his wife for the last four years. Finally his wife said to him that they were bored of traveling and have settled down. So they decided to help out at The White Orchid Inn and Spa for spending money.
The beach was beautiful that afternoon and the waves were calm and enjoyable. We were there for about 90 minutes so we would not get too sunburned. We enjoy the beach. We find it very therapeutic for your skin.
We came back to the Inn and decided to check out the Mineral Pool again. We floated on rafts for an hour or so, sipping on our cocktails. Brian and Tammy had a room right by the mineral pool and they walked by us on their way to dinner and a horse-drawn carriage ride in St Augustine.
They asked to sit with us at breakfast the next day and if we would reserve a table for 4.
Another couple(we met then the next day as Marsha and Ric) joined us as we were getting ready to leave the pool area to get ready for dinner. We felt bad about leaving just as they had arrived but we had made plans to eat at The Flagler Fish Company that evening. Dinner was excellent. (See restaurant review section)
After dinner we came back, had an after dinner cocktail and relaxed for the evening.
Sunday morning we met Brian and Tammy for breakfast at the Inn dining room. Since it was their actual wedding anniversary day, Ken and I ordered a bottle of champagne to toast their day. They were very happy that we had thought enough of them to do that.
We enjoyed breakfast much more today. We asked if they could super size our breakfast and they did so gladly. We had a two egg omelet with bacon on the side and the gratuitous fruit. Again the pastries and croissants were delicious. We got to know our new friends a little better. Brian is a postal worker and Tammy is working on getting her teaching certificate. Both very nice people. They said they had had a great time in St Augustine and gave us pointers about where to park since we were going on a day trip to St. Augustine ourselves after breakfast.
We took the scenic beach highway A1A north to St Augustine. It was early in the day and traffic was still manageable and the drive enjoyable.
We drove by the St. Augustine Lighthouse, the first lighthouse to be established in Florida by the US in 1824.
Our first stop was the Castillo de San Marcos. A fort built by the Spanish in 1672. It was incredible to see and read the history associated with this fort. We saw a cannon firing demonstration while we were there.
Then we visited the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum. That was a fascinating place with hundreds of artifacts and interesting trivia from the ages.
We then drove all around Old Historic St. Augustine. What a beautiful historic place. We will make a more in depth visit during a non-holiday weekend when it will be less crowded.
We decided to head back during mid afternoon and stopped off at the European Village. This is a multi-use complex with residential, shopping and dining venues. There were several tempting places to have a late lunch but we decided to eat at Shakespeare's. (See restaurant review section). It was a fantastic lunch.
After lunch we stopped off at The Golden Lion again for some rum runners and to enjoy the open air beach atmosphere. The average age group for the place was mid to late 40's which made it even more enjoyable.
We went back to the Inn and changed into our swim trunks and went back to the mineral pool to relax with cocktails in hand. After a while Marsha and Ric came out to join us at the mineral pool and we had a fun afternoon and evening talking and soaking in the warm pool.
Ric is a college level baseball coach and Marsha is a billing clerk for a local obstetrician.
We talked for hours about everything. We even shared a bottle of Moet and Chandon Nectar Imperial champagne with them. Since we had had a late lunch we skipped dinner and just had cocktails all night long. In hindsight we should not have skipped dinner. I was sloshed.
Another couple joined us around 9PM but I don't remember much of them other than they were from Pennsylvania.
The next day we got up and went to the beach for one more dip in the ocean but the waves were so strong it was a battle to stay on your feet. We stayed for a little while and went back to the Inn to change and go to breakfast. We ate at Manny's Restaurant. (See restaurant review section) Nice large portions of average breakfast fare. Then we went back to the Inn and checked out.
It had been a very nice weekend.
On the way home, we stopped off at Publix, picked up some large shrimp to serve as a shrimp cocktail before dinner and two large juice steaks to finish celebrating Memorial Day. Dinner was excellent as it is always at home.
We hope to go back and visit the White Orchid Inn again sometime soon.
Stay tuned for our next getaway to Ft. Lauderdale when we visit my sister for the 4th of July.
Spring Break 2008 - St. Petersburg Beach, Fl
Early in March (7th,8th and 9th) we met friends from Michigan in St. Petersburg Beach for the weekend. Joe and Tammy come down every year for two weeks and this year we decided to meet them in St. Pete's Beach.
We stayed at the Sand Piper Beach Resort overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Our room was quiet, comfortable, with a great view of the beach from our front door and close enough to the Tiki Bar to make it very convenient for cocktails.
The drive to St. Pete was a tough one during rush hour in the pouring rain Friday night. We met Joe and Tammy for a couple of drinks and then went to our room to relax and unwind.
The next morning we met them for lunch and we went to Crabby Bill's Seafood. Joe and Tammy are not seafood lovers so ken and I encourage them to live on the wild side for a day, and they ate fish pate, gator tail, and other delicacies they would have normally shied away from. Call it peer pressure.
Late that afternoon we sat by the pool and the beach, had plenty of cocktails from the Tiki bar while playing dominoes al fresco. That was a lot of fun and many people stopped by to comment and express their interest in the game.
After an afternoon in the sun and dominoes, we cleaned up and went to eat at a very nice restaurant close to our hotel called Snappers. (See restaurant review for more information)
We came back to their hotel and played some NTN Trivia on the screen in the packed cocktail lounge. We were thrilled to get a table when it was so crowded. After a couple of hours, we said good night and wished them a safe drive back to Michigan.
Sunday morning, we got up, got cleaned up and BAMM. I must have pulled a back muscle bending over the bed to pick up my towel. I was in pain and all haunced over. However we still went out to do a little sightseeing from the car as I could not stand erect well. We went on the abandoned bridge which has been turned into a camping and fishing pier. We also took some pictures of the new Sunshine Skyway Bridge which is an engineering marvel.
On the way home we stopped for some fast food take away.
To make our drive home more enjoyable we played trivia which whiles away the time in a fun way.
On the way home, we stopped picked up a couple of steaks and had a great meal to wind down the weekend.
We stayed at the Sand Piper Beach Resort overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Our room was quiet, comfortable, with a great view of the beach from our front door and close enough to the Tiki Bar to make it very convenient for cocktails.
The drive to St. Pete was a tough one during rush hour in the pouring rain Friday night. We met Joe and Tammy for a couple of drinks and then went to our room to relax and unwind.
The next morning we met them for lunch and we went to Crabby Bill's Seafood. Joe and Tammy are not seafood lovers so ken and I encourage them to live on the wild side for a day, and they ate fish pate, gator tail, and other delicacies they would have normally shied away from. Call it peer pressure.
Late that afternoon we sat by the pool and the beach, had plenty of cocktails from the Tiki bar while playing dominoes al fresco. That was a lot of fun and many people stopped by to comment and express their interest in the game.
After an afternoon in the sun and dominoes, we cleaned up and went to eat at a very nice restaurant close to our hotel called Snappers. (See restaurant review for more information)
We came back to their hotel and played some NTN Trivia on the screen in the packed cocktail lounge. We were thrilled to get a table when it was so crowded. After a couple of hours, we said good night and wished them a safe drive back to Michigan.
Sunday morning, we got up, got cleaned up and BAMM. I must have pulled a back muscle bending over the bed to pick up my towel. I was in pain and all haunced over. However we still went out to do a little sightseeing from the car as I could not stand erect well. We went on the abandoned bridge which has been turned into a camping and fishing pier. We also took some pictures of the new Sunshine Skyway Bridge which is an engineering marvel.
On the way home we stopped for some fast food take away.
To make our drive home more enjoyable we played trivia which whiles away the time in a fun way.
On the way home, we stopped picked up a couple of steaks and had a great meal to wind down the weekend.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Home for the Holidays - 2007
We know we have been severely remiss in upgrading our Blog but we are not going to let that stop us from trying to catch up. Better late than never, they say, so here we go.
After our weekend in Savannah, Ga., in November, we traveled to South Florida for the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays to spend them with my family and Ken's family away from home. Ken's wonderful family resides in Zimbabwe and South Africa and those are a bit further away that a 3 hour car ride to Pembroke Pines. Ken has been adopted by his new friends and family in South Florida.
We have been staying at a hotel near my sister's home, because she has had a house full of people for the last couple of years. Even the guest room had been permanently assigned.
We usually stay at The Grand Palms Resort; a moderately nice hotel with beautiful grounds and an 18-hole golf course. We stay in a suite which makes it a little nicer and allows for more room to stretch out and we are right on the golf course and enjoy that for our view.
We do not do much "vacationing" since we prefer to do things with the family. My sister's house has a beautifully landscaped back yard with a nice swimming pool.
We catch up on all of the movies which we have not seen while we are there, at the Movico Movie Theaters, not far from where we stay. We also see plenty of movies on DVD while we are there, since they too are huge movie fans.
We play games, too. Last time we taught them how to play Settlers of Catan, a board game we learned in June of 2007. We also play dominoes and Family Feud from time to time.
Overall it is a fun, relaxed family time.
We do not go out to restaurants while we are there, because we enjoy the home cooked meals very well, but we always treat them to dinner, at least once, each trip, where we order in and go to town on food we have delivered or we pick up. Last time we order $185 of Thai food for 7 of us. We had plenty of selection and delicious food. Other times we go to the bakery and bring delicious pastries for brunch which we all enjoy.
We are planning our next visit to see them over the 4th of July weekend 2008 coming up in two weeks. We are looking forward to it.
After our weekend in Savannah, Ga., in November, we traveled to South Florida for the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays to spend them with my family and Ken's family away from home. Ken's wonderful family resides in Zimbabwe and South Africa and those are a bit further away that a 3 hour car ride to Pembroke Pines. Ken has been adopted by his new friends and family in South Florida.
We have been staying at a hotel near my sister's home, because she has had a house full of people for the last couple of years. Even the guest room had been permanently assigned.
We usually stay at The Grand Palms Resort; a moderately nice hotel with beautiful grounds and an 18-hole golf course. We stay in a suite which makes it a little nicer and allows for more room to stretch out and we are right on the golf course and enjoy that for our view.
We do not do much "vacationing" since we prefer to do things with the family. My sister's house has a beautifully landscaped back yard with a nice swimming pool.
We catch up on all of the movies which we have not seen while we are there, at the Movico Movie Theaters, not far from where we stay. We also see plenty of movies on DVD while we are there, since they too are huge movie fans.
We play games, too. Last time we taught them how to play Settlers of Catan, a board game we learned in June of 2007. We also play dominoes and Family Feud from time to time.
Overall it is a fun, relaxed family time.
We do not go out to restaurants while we are there, because we enjoy the home cooked meals very well, but we always treat them to dinner, at least once, each trip, where we order in and go to town on food we have delivered or we pick up. Last time we order $185 of Thai food for 7 of us. We had plenty of selection and delicious food. Other times we go to the bakery and bring delicious pastries for brunch which we all enjoy.
We are planning our next visit to see them over the 4th of July weekend 2008 coming up in two weeks. We are looking forward to it.
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