Keys to the Kingdom
Time for a quick recap on the vaca, which has been the roxxors! Jason flew into town on Saturday, and, after a short detour that you can read about on his blog, we found ourselves at the Melting Pot for a late dinner. We had a fine time catching up on things and drinking wine (and a pink girly drink for Susan). Dinner was good as always and the company was excellent.
Saturday, Susan got up early for a special edition of Flyball - Flyball: The Picturing. Then, Jason and I met (and by "met" I mean "arrived to long after") Susan at the T.Y. Park for a birthday picnic for one of our new Florida friends. It was a good time. We didn't stay very long, as the heat was unbearable (I should not have played basketball) and there was a storm inbound.
Monday, I worked and packed up work to take with me on our Keys excursion. Monday night, we returned some furniture and went to dinner somewhere easy - Sweet Tomato. After a relaxing evening hanging out, Susan smartly went to bed early, Jason less so, and I was foolish enough to stay up until 2 am. Such is my nature, I suppose.
Tuesday, we were up bright and early and we drove down to the Keys. We found our digs in Key Largo just in time for Susan and Jason to make it to their afternoon dive. I skipped the diving this trip. I need to get some work done. Also, while I enjoy diving, the costs that go with it often make it a net loss in the entertainment value department. Between the actual dive cost and cost of equipment, set-up, tear-down, gear schlepping, and the technicalities of the dive itself, the stress of diving often outwieghs the enjoyment I get out of it. I wish it didn't, though, because diving is a a very Zen experience. Fortunately, reports from Susan and Jason are that the dives here in Key Largo are no-stress dives. Apparently, the Keys style is very leisurely and relaxed. So I'll probably give that a try on our next trip down.
You can check Jason and Susan's blogs for details on their dives. I wasn't there. I was working (or napping) while they were out. I can say that in the evenings we've been having great meals, and we found a nice little family-run coffee shop that serves a nice breakfast. (It also has free wi-fi, which I am using right now.)
Tuesday night, we ate at The Fish House. Susan and I both got fish, which The Fish House buys each day from local fisherman. They buy the fish whole and fillet them onsite. We both had Mahi (mine was with a citrus cream sauce that was almost hollandaise-ish and Susan's was Matecumbe style, which had capers, tomatoes, and garlic). Jason's dish was a scallop, shrimp, and rice affair in a slightly spicy lime sauce. This was very fresh seafood and very large portions. We were reduced to sharing a piece of key lime pie, which was also very tasty.
Wednesday was much like Tuesday, except that instead of driving, we had breakfast. I found (online) a little breakfast spot called the Key Largo Coffee House, which Susan then located for us (physically). It's a family run operation set just off Highway 1. It doesn't quite escape the sound of traffic and the rush of the only highway nearby, but the building is nice (seating about 15 inside and another 15 on the porch), and the food is good. Susan and Jason had blueberry crepes which where served with a dollop of whipped cream cheese. The crepes were reportedly very good. I had the Southwest Omelette with grits and toast. It was good but *far* more than I needed for breakfast. But it was probably right in line with standard American portion sizes.
After an afternoon of diving (and working) we all met up again and I took the divers out for a treat I'd located - chocolate-dipped key lime pie, a frozen treat featured on the Food Network (Road Tasted?). It was quite good and an interesting way to have key lime pie. We headed back to the room for a short rest and then went to the restaurant bar next door - Snook's. There we did a tapas-style sampling of the appetizers including mussels with risotto, fried conch, conch fritters, baked brie with berry sauce, thai mahi fingers, and so forth. The mussels and risotto were well-recieved (although it was probably more risotto, I think) and the conch fritters were excellent (like thanksgiving stuffing with conch meat rolled into balls and deep fried). We managed to save room to each have a piece of key lime pie. It was good, but more cheesecake-y than I like. We had a great view of the bay and watched a lovely sunset. As the 80s music (ubiquitous in South Florida and the Keys) played through the large tiki huts and out over the bay, we sat sipping drinks and watching the last rays of sun play across the clear blue water. Happy 4th of July in the Keys!
Now, the divers are out for one last set of dives before we head up north. I'm here, at the Key Largo Coffee shop. I had an excellent ham, cheese, and mushroom omelette, but it was the side dish that stole the show: grits with butter and key lime honey. I've already purchsed a fair amount of key lime products, but I may need to stop somewhere and pick up some of this honey. It's really very good.
In two hours, I need to pick up the divers, and we'll head back north. Until then, I'll be here typing away and drinking coffee drinks.
All in all a good holiday in the Keys. It was less busy here than I'd expected, and we managed to find fresh, local options for dining. I did get some work done, although I feel like I may have been a bit of a buzzkill on the vaca part (hopefully not too much). And we have some good things planned for the next couple days (tonight: dinner of wine, cheese, and various accoutrements; tomorrow: dinner at one of the best Thai and sushi places around). What besides eating, you ask? Does it matter?
Saturday, Susan got up early for a special edition of Flyball - Flyball: The Picturing. Then, Jason and I met (and by "met" I mean "arrived to long after") Susan at the T.Y. Park for a birthday picnic for one of our new Florida friends. It was a good time. We didn't stay very long, as the heat was unbearable (I should not have played basketball) and there was a storm inbound.
Monday, I worked and packed up work to take with me on our Keys excursion. Monday night, we returned some furniture and went to dinner somewhere easy - Sweet Tomato. After a relaxing evening hanging out, Susan smartly went to bed early, Jason less so, and I was foolish enough to stay up until 2 am. Such is my nature, I suppose.
Tuesday, we were up bright and early and we drove down to the Keys. We found our digs in Key Largo just in time for Susan and Jason to make it to their afternoon dive. I skipped the diving this trip. I need to get some work done. Also, while I enjoy diving, the costs that go with it often make it a net loss in the entertainment value department. Between the actual dive cost and cost of equipment, set-up, tear-down, gear schlepping, and the technicalities of the dive itself, the stress of diving often outwieghs the enjoyment I get out of it. I wish it didn't, though, because diving is a a very Zen experience. Fortunately, reports from Susan and Jason are that the dives here in Key Largo are no-stress dives. Apparently, the Keys style is very leisurely and relaxed. So I'll probably give that a try on our next trip down.
You can check Jason and Susan's blogs for details on their dives. I wasn't there. I was working (or napping) while they were out. I can say that in the evenings we've been having great meals, and we found a nice little family-run coffee shop that serves a nice breakfast. (It also has free wi-fi, which I am using right now.)
Tuesday night, we ate at The Fish House. Susan and I both got fish, which The Fish House buys each day from local fisherman. They buy the fish whole and fillet them onsite. We both had Mahi (mine was with a citrus cream sauce that was almost hollandaise-ish and Susan's was Matecumbe style, which had capers, tomatoes, and garlic). Jason's dish was a scallop, shrimp, and rice affair in a slightly spicy lime sauce. This was very fresh seafood and very large portions. We were reduced to sharing a piece of key lime pie, which was also very tasty.
Wednesday was much like Tuesday, except that instead of driving, we had breakfast. I found (online) a little breakfast spot called the Key Largo Coffee House, which Susan then located for us (physically). It's a family run operation set just off Highway 1. It doesn't quite escape the sound of traffic and the rush of the only highway nearby, but the building is nice (seating about 15 inside and another 15 on the porch), and the food is good. Susan and Jason had blueberry crepes which where served with a dollop of whipped cream cheese. The crepes were reportedly very good. I had the Southwest Omelette with grits and toast. It was good but *far* more than I needed for breakfast. But it was probably right in line with standard American portion sizes.
After an afternoon of diving (and working) we all met up again and I took the divers out for a treat I'd located - chocolate-dipped key lime pie, a frozen treat featured on the Food Network (Road Tasted?). It was quite good and an interesting way to have key lime pie. We headed back to the room for a short rest and then went to the restaurant bar next door - Snook's. There we did a tapas-style sampling of the appetizers including mussels with risotto, fried conch, conch fritters, baked brie with berry sauce, thai mahi fingers, and so forth. The mussels and risotto were well-recieved (although it was probably more risotto, I think) and the conch fritters were excellent (like thanksgiving stuffing with conch meat rolled into balls and deep fried). We managed to save room to each have a piece of key lime pie. It was good, but more cheesecake-y than I like. We had a great view of the bay and watched a lovely sunset. As the 80s music (ubiquitous in South Florida and the Keys) played through the large tiki huts and out over the bay, we sat sipping drinks and watching the last rays of sun play across the clear blue water. Happy 4th of July in the Keys!
Now, the divers are out for one last set of dives before we head up north. I'm here, at the Key Largo Coffee shop. I had an excellent ham, cheese, and mushroom omelette, but it was the side dish that stole the show: grits with butter and key lime honey. I've already purchsed a fair amount of key lime products, but I may need to stop somewhere and pick up some of this honey. It's really very good.
In two hours, I need to pick up the divers, and we'll head back north. Until then, I'll be here typing away and drinking coffee drinks.
All in all a good holiday in the Keys. It was less busy here than I'd expected, and we managed to find fresh, local options for dining. I did get some work done, although I feel like I may have been a bit of a buzzkill on the vaca part (hopefully not too much). And we have some good things planned for the next couple days (tonight: dinner of wine, cheese, and various accoutrements; tomorrow: dinner at one of the best Thai and sushi places around). What besides eating, you ask? Does it matter?
posted by Roland St. Jude at 9:42 AM
1 Comments:
You weren't a buzzkill at all!
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