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Labor Day Weekend Getaway

For Labor Day Weekend 2017, LB planned a trip to Daytona Beach.  I was supposed to have Friday, September 1st off, but alas, I have NO seniority, and had to report to work that day.  I would have to run home and pack quickly to leave for Daytona on Friday evening.

The great thing about packing for a weekend retreat is that you don’t have to pack too much. HOWEVER, if you’re like me, you want to make sure you pack enough to see you through any scenario that may arise.  The way to effectively compromise is by implementing Strategery… (love George W. Bush)

When LB and I head to our favorite hotel in Daytona, there are a few activities that I keep in mind when pulling together my weekend outfits.  They are:
· Friday night out to dinner· Saturday at the pool party (or basking on the beach if the pool-side karaoke becomes bothersome)

That’s My LB
· Saturday night activity (typically a concert at the Daytona Boardwalk-Bandshell)  on this particular trip it was raining on Saturday night so LB took me to

Caribbean Jacks

for dinner, instead of to the Bandshell concert.

We heard the Dewey Rose Band for the first time.  They were good.

Dinner was great… low carb, of course, Crabby Patties and a salad.

With all that in mind, I like to try to coordinate clothing that is equally fun and practical.  I managed to get it together quickly.

Here is my list

· Swim Suit
· Sandals
· Sun Hat (Hello Sunshine)
· cover-up (YES, I do have one)
· Denim or White Shorts
· White Jeans
· Two or three shirts (similar color palette)
· Cross-body Bag
· Beach Tote
· Sunglasses
· Accessories
· Personal Items

Whether you use my list to pack for a vacation or grab the unfolded laundry and throw it in a suitcase, heed the words of this prudent sage…

“The only rule is don’t be boring and dress cute wherever you go. Life is too short to blend in”
~ Paris Hilton

Saturday Switch

This weekend LB decided we were going to

Switch It Up

and do something other than the norm.

When we met at home Friday evening after work he announced that we were going out.

Usually we are both mentally exhausted by Friday and will stay at home on Friday night,  saving our date night for Saturday.  LB thought it would be a nice change have dinner out and enjoy one of our favorite cover bands.  In addition, I was instructed to pack a bag for the weekend.  We hit I-95 and exited on South Beach Parkway to the Hampton Inn and checked into our room.

Then we walked over the restaurant that is quickly becoming a favorite

Whiskey Jax

Keeping it carb-free, dinner was a side salad and hot wings.  Under a spotlight.

Ain’t Too Proud played into the night and, as always, we enjoyed their music.

Saturday Morning

after we enjoyed the complementary breakfast in the lovely Hampton Inn, we headed to Mickler’s Landing for a day at the beach.With this being our first trip to Mickler’s Landing, we were surprised to find there is no longer a boardwalk to the beach.  Apparently it had to be removed due to the damage caused by hurricane Matthew in 2016.  Nevertheless, the hike through the sand was good exercise and the flowers were cute.so were the seagullsIt started out as a sunny day and I was happy to have the opportunity to work on [my hopes for] a tan.except on my face!

The sunny day was short lived as the looming gray clouds moved ever closer.We cut our walk down the beach short and took cover under the umbrella.But not before I managed to find these…five reasons to NOT put my body in the ocean.

And an addition to my collection.

And now as I sit here typing, I have already enjoyed a wonderful weekend, and it has only just begun.

Thanks LB!You’re the BEST!

Saturday Night Alive

LB is always looking for new and different ways to provide weekend entertainment, especially on Saturday night.  He is also very gracious and will offer several options before making a final date night decision.

Yesterday LB gave me

Four Options:

  1. The Cellar Upstairs at San Sebastian to hear “Ain’t to Proud“.

2. Jerry’s Sports Grille to hear “Spektra“.

3. Whiskey Jax to hear a new band called “Fat Cactus“.

All three are great places.  The bands I’ve heard are great fun.  I haven’t had the opportunity to see Fat Cactus yet, because LB also mentioned that we could go to the never before seen

4. Outerbanks Sports Bar & Grill to hear the very talented “Bluff 5 Band“.

We decided to check out the Outerbanks Sports Bar & Grill.  This little restaurant is in Kingsland, GA and takes about 40 minutes for us to reach via I-95N.  From the outside it looks very nice.  Inside was dimly lit, and my eyesight is waning, so I’m not sure how it is decorated.  There is a LARGE television positioned in front of the “stage” area (thus the “sports bar”).  But the memory that lingers most is the fact that it was filled with smoke.

At the advice of my sweet LB, I try to stay positive in all of my blogging remarks, so I will continue on that path…

This restaurant is perfect!  Lets say you are hungry, in the mood for good music, and in desperate need of a smoke.  Upon entering Outerbanks, if you need a nicotine fix, but have no cigarettes on hand, just step inside.  Problem number three is immediately solved.  LB and I were Not in need of a nicotine fix, but were ready for dinner.

Dinner hit the spot

We split one of these:We each had a taco, 2 jalapeño poppers, and chips with salsa, and, of course, little packets of taco sauce!

About the Bluff 5 Band…  we heard them first during the Shrimp and Grits Festival last year.  Four guys accompanying a lively lead singer.  She’s cute, animated, and extremely talented.They are a GREAT group.

Although we enjoyed the entertainment, we didn’t stay long and made it home safe & sound.

Still breathing!

 

 

Sunday Mornin’

Every Sunday I like to start the day by presenting LB with a special breakfast or brunch.  Typically I will fry shredded hash browns laced with red pepper flakes and serve them with a soft cooked egg and pumpernickel toast.  Today I decided to do something different.

My obsession with the Food Network and Cooking Channel has inspired me to try new things.  For brunch today LB and I enjoyed Eggs Benedict.  That’s right… I made it myself!

This is how I did it

Eggs Benedict for two

Ingredients

  • 4 pieces of bacon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 2 English muffins
  • Butter

for the Hollandaise sauce

  • 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Process

1 Slice the bacon

into 3 pieces.  Set bacon on a plate atop the toaster oven.

I used sliced, precooked bacon because it is less mess and much faster that frying bacon.  If I had smoked salmon in the house, I would have used it instead.

2 Bring water to a boil

in a large saucepan two-thirds-filled with water, then add the vinegar. Bring the water to a boil again, then lower the heat to a bare simmer.

3 Make the Hollandaise sauce

in a blender.  Melt 5 Tbsp unsalted butter and set aside.  Add 2 egg yolks, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender, blend on low for 20-30 seconds.  On lowest setting, slowly drizzle in the melted butter, while continuing to blend.

4 Poach the eggs

one egg at a time, obviously.  Crack an egg into a small bowl or cup and slide it into the simmering water. Once the white begins to envelope the yolk, add another egg, until all four are cooking.  Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let sit for 2, 3, or 4 minutes. The timing is dependent on how runny you like your eggs.  This typically calls for  experimentation until you figure out what to do to have the eggs exactly the way you like them.  Remove the poached eggs with a slotted spoon and let drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

5 Slice the English muffins and toast

until lightly crispy and golden brown.  Butter the English muffins and set them on a plate to assemble the Eggs Benedict.

6 To assemble

top buttered English muffins with bacon slices.  Place a poached egg on top of the bacon covered muffin.  Pour  Hollandaise over the top.  Garnish with parsley (or whatever greenery you like) and serve at once.

Happy Sunday Mornin’!

ENJOY!

7 Hit the treadmill

You may have just consumed 900 calories!

In honor of the late Glen Campbell

Jekyll Island

There are so many places to visit in the Southeast and what better way to enjoy the summer than with a weekend trip as near as your own backyard.  This past weekend LB and I had the opportunity to visit Jekyll Island, Georgia. LB and I headed north on Saturday afternoon and reached the island around 5:30. As per usual on the weekends, having skipped lunch, we were ready for dinner.

We enjoyed dinner at

Tortuga Jacks is the land of the beach taco and was our dinner destination of choice.

While enjoying the outdoor seating area, overlooking the ocean

LB and I savored our usual fajitas

and the music of Backbeat BlvdWith the exception of a few bothersome insects buzzing about, the evening was lovely and we had a nice time.“cheese”

Our adventure continued on Sunday afternoon when we visited the new shopping area on Main Street.

Jekyll Island Beach Village

One of the most unique shops we’ve ever come across was the Jekyll Market, a gourmet grocery store. We almost passed it by, thinking it was only a restaurant. The sign says “Eat Drink Shop” and that is exactly why you can spend a couple of hours exploring this store.  In the Jekyll Market, you can find an assortment of things including…

Especially relevant is not the Farmhouse Peachshine, but the Feta Stuffed Olives, .  We love these at my house!

Another shop that we spent time in was Tonya’s

  It is no secret that I love to discover new boutiques.  Tonya’s is part boutique and part gift shop.  In the front of the store there were so many pretty little chachkies and personal items.  Especially intriguing were the Kate Spade accessories

and this cute little plaque

I restrained myself and did Not purchase this for Gina, as I didn’t know if she would like pink.

Once again, we had a lovely weekendStay tuned for our next adventure!

Weekend Wandering

LB and I have various venues that we frequent on the weekend.

This past weekend we decided to try something different…

attend an event in Jacksonville. There was an event at the Jacksonville Landing that involved two bands and fireworks. It seemed like a good idea to head downtown and check it out. We took a few minutes to take in the Jacksonville Landing experience …but ultimately decided it wasn’t how we wanted to spend the evening.

We headed back to the car admiring the artwork along the way.

I took an evening stroll around this particular column:

 As we were making our way to 95 South, we almost passed a Jacksonville landmark

The Treaty Oak

LB thought we should stop, so we did.This massive tree is approximately 250 years old.  and appears to be laying on the ground. It is defined as “octopus-like”You can’t climb it! But you can read about it here

Following the tree experience, we headed to Whisky Jax (Beaches location) for dinner and live music.

This was our second time having dinner at this location and the food was just as good as we remembered.  We were able to get a table up front so we could see the band and the amusing patrons occupying the dance floor.

Dinner was delicious.  And it was fried.

LB and I shared a seafood platter with 3 dipping sauces, along with tantalizing French fries, and Jim Beam applesauce (brown stuff pictured below).  Very tasty.The SunJammer Band was featured Saturday night. This was our first time seeing this band. They are an intriguing group and very entertaining. We had a good time and I recommend Whiskey Jax (Beach location) for a fabulous Saturday date night.

What started out as a perplexing date nightended as a pleasant date night

Breakfast Waffles Four Ways

A typical Saturday morning at my house involves an egg on pumpernickel toast with coffee while binge watching the Pioneer Woman on the Food Network.  This Saturday morning I was inspired by the declining buttermilk in my refrigerator to do something different.  There were a few options… pancakes, biscuits, waffles all taste yummy using a recipe that calls for buttermilk.

LB chose waffles

On my Pinterest Breakfast Board I’ve pinned a recipe for the Rich Buttermilk Waffles from food.com. This recipe called for a cup and a half of buttermilk which was exactly what I had left after my recent chicken frying experience.  I also used a teaspoon of Stevia instead of sugar.  Not sure what my thinking was there, it certainly didn’t do much to help with daily calorie consumption.

After I whipped up the waffle batter, whether it was ideal for the batter or not,  I decided to mix it up four different ways:

Elvis was especially excited

Four batches of waffles later… Ta-dahI kept the waffles warm in the oven and after finishing the last batch, asked LB which flavor he wanted to try.  He chose peanut butter, banana, and blueberry lemon.

Check out my presentation skills:

My approach was to cut the waffles in half and try each one.  My favorite was the blueberry lemon.  Banana took second place, peanut butter third.  LB agreed.  Later he sampled the chocolate chip pecan waffle and decided it was better than the peanut butter.  Apparently I didn’t add enough peanut butter.  If I ever make peanut butter waffles for breakfast again, I’ll use crunchy instead of creamy, and make sure that I have some grape jelly on hand to schmear on the top!Glass, Food, Purple, Grape, Breakfast

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