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.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
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.
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