So I’m totally procrastinating on a GREAT many things by updating my blog, but goodness, it is just so much more exciting recapping these last few weeks! And I feel like life is whooooshing by, without even the slightest chance of recognizing just how great it is RIGHT NOW. The wheel in the sky keeps on turning, and it will be my turn to experience some of life’s rain clouds eventually, so I want to soak up the sun while it is shining.
Last weekend, a dear friend of mine came into town for a visit. There is nothing I love more than visitors. [I am not even being sarcastic!!!] It is a chance to show off my great town and to act like a tourist myself.
Karin flew in on Saturday, and after getting her settled in, we took off for lunch at Diner 437. Everything on the menu looks phenomenal. The first time I went there, another friend and I shared a couple of dishes – the Honey Roasted Vegetables Sandwich and the LBT (Lobster, Bacon, and Tomato) Sandwich. Fantastic taste sensation!! And the fries I think have crack in them. I’m not a huge fry fan, but these things, I eat like they are going out of style. They rival the garlic parmesan fries over at The Parkshore Grill. Good thing I already ate today, otherwise I would be drooling right now! Anyway, on this trip I settled on Roasted Chicken Breast Sandwich, which was another delicious score. Karin had the Seared Tuna Club Sandwich, but ruined it by having the tuna cooked medium rare. Oh Karin. You have some things to learn about good fish. Numero uno is not overcooking it. But I digress. I always forget about this place – it opened relatively recently – and I really think I need to make my way through the rest of the menu!
Because I went to the U2 concert the night before, and just returned from a week out on the West Coast, the rest of the afternoon was pretty chill. It included a nap, some laundry, and a trip to Target. [It can’t all be exciting!!]
Good food should always be followed up with more good food. That evening we motored over the bridge to Tampa to Luigi’s where Jacob, Karin, and I had a fantastic dinner. I pass by Luigi’s frequently during my inter-zip code travels and it always looks like it might be good. Thankfully, Luigi’s recently got a good write up in the Tampa Tribune, which confirmed my hunch. When I got inside, I loved it – lots of booths, with cozy comfort lighting. Not too dim, and not too bright. Karin and I ordered a bottle of pinot noir and zeroed in on the menu, which has all the favorites – pizza, pasta, antipasto…Yum is the word! The pre-order bread and dipping sauce was so enticing, I was almost stuffed with bread before the meal began. Almost stuffed. Jacob and I housed The Italian Way pizza, while Karin scarfed down the cheese ravioli (which has SHRIMP in it). We even had leftovers, but only a few nibbles that we HAD to save.
We closed out our night at a well-worn South Tampa favorite, The Dubliner. And Shipyard's Pumpkin Ale is back in season -- oh happy pint!!! The next morning, Karin and I enjoyed a relaxed wake-up pace. A little sleeping in, a little Sex and the City on the TV, and a little cup of joe before gearing up for breakfast and a day at the beach. Once the two of us finally woke all the way up and were ready to face the public, we headed over to Dave's Restaurant. My favorite neighborhood cash-only greasy spoon. For five bucks, you got yourself a cup of coffee and a bagel sandwich. I didn't say you got served super fast, but who doesn't get happy once the bacon arrives??
Fueled up and feelin' beachy, Karin and I headed for Treasure Island on a what was one helluva a glorious day -- a perfect advertisement for why Florida rocks. The air was balmy, but not overbearing. The sun was shining without a cloud in the sky, and the water was perfectly refreshing -- not too hot, and not too frigid. As Goldilocks would say, it was "just right." And my God, did the wildlife put on a show for us! Pelicans, terns, and seagulls diving for bait fish swimming in the surf. A pod of playful dolphins jumping and skimming their way south, within what felt like arms' reach of the shoreline. Other "wildlife" included skimpy-shorted older men doing calisthenics down the beach. Always a sight to behold. It was, in short, a perfect beach day. We read trashy magazines, walked down the beach, cooled off in the surf, and lounged in the sun. It prepped us oh-so-well for a crazy night out on the town...
...or not. In reality, Karin and I cleaned up after the beach, and took our time getting down to a favorite restaurant (Backfin Blue) in an oft-forgotten part of town (Gulfport). That poor, beleaguered fish, Grouper, was the fresh catch of the day, and I could not resist ordering it encrusted in macadamia nuts! Karin had her grouper topped with crabmeat, asparagus, and HOLLANDAISE. I had a long internal debate about which grouper dish to order, and we decided to split the difference. We both came out winners, and followed our winning entrees up with a winning dessert -- Key Lime Pie. SO good -- one of the best I've had in recent memory.
After dinner, we kept our mellow evening going with a movie on the couch. The next day, I took Karin to her parents, where she would spend the rest of her time in Florida. Her visit was so fun because not only did I get to catch up with a dear friend, I got to jaunt around town to some of my favorite, less frequently visited places. Even though I live within minutes of the beach, I rarely get out there for the day. All the everyday comings and goings seem to prevent most weekends from shaping up into one as great as this. So thank you Karin, for providing an opportunity for me to slow down, smell the roses, and be a tourist in my own backyard. I feel like I caught my breath for a moment, and I hope you did, too.
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