Foodspotting: One In A Series

I have been participating in a new hobby for about two years or so now I guess. It is a foodie site called Foodspotting and is a place for posting food and related pictures called spots.

They have just announced that they will join Open Table, an outfit I have used for years now to reserve tables at restaurants. Seems OT bought them for $10 million so Alexa and team must be pretty pleased.

The transition will happen over the next little while it seems and it will be interesting to see how things play out going forward. They seem to have been all consumed with this merger or buyout and had little time to pay much attention to the FS site itself although there have been a few instances of back and forth communication with them and top users such as myself.

As with any open site like this, the array of characters runs the gamut and as always, you have those who are envious of others, have serious control issues or think the site should be run ONLY as they see fit. Then of course you have some delightful folks as well, a whole lot of them. And then you have the ones somewhere in between.

I currently have more spots I believe than anyone on the site and they also track rep points for different things for each spot you upload to your account on the site. I just went over 7300 last night on a visit to Kobe Steakhouse in Orlando. Some others are close. There are certainly some very high quality accounts on the site as well as people take in camera's to their dining places. In fact some of the top "ranked" in terms of rep points do not have even close to the number of images but they have blogs and other areas of outreach that allow them bigger followings and therefore rep points.

In the coming weeks and days I will highlight some of the fun on FS, some of the colorful people and some of the inside stories behind the scenes from a Foodspotting Top Spotter. Check back in FS nmembers and you may see yourself in lights here on my humble little blog. And you may even like what you see......and some may not.

My Stay Along 30A

I was able to get away for a few days recently and stay out farther along 30A in the Rosemary Beach, Seacrest Beach area and what a relaxing time it was for me.

Daily walks, networking and a few dozen good raw oysters were some of the highlights of my getaway.

The Scene On The Main 30A Just East Of Alys Beach

The scenery and personality of the area differs depending on which little slice of it you are visiting at the time. Rosemary Beach is like a little European Village on the coast, Alys Beach is still sparse but appears to be headed in the image of a Greek or Italian Isle with white being the main color. Farther down or is it up? 30A you have the one who started it all, Seaside and it's Truman Show beach town feel. On both sides of it you have some other little burgs aptly named something like Watercolor, Seagrove, Santa Rosa Beach, Grayton Beach and so and so on.

Village Of Seacrest Beach Where I Stayed

Not much was happening in Seacrest Beach and much to my dismay the Mexican restaurant I had wanted to try was closed and the other high end place, Bentley's seemed to be open and completely dead to the public. I walked in one night to grab a beer before heading out and stood for a few minutes in the place with no one appearing from the back so I left, never to return this trip. Maybe in season. They have a Sports Bar of sorts off to the side called Maddogs which is where I was going.




The Beach Altered In My Photo Editor

There was a Sundries place I happened into on day one to introduce myself, find out what they had and see what their hours were and I hit them a few times on the trip for beer, milk, coffee and some various and sundry items. Thank goodness they were open.

Seacrest Beach is pretty expansive home wise and has a nice huge pool somewhere near the center of the little town. I did not use it much as it was cooler but did come sit by the pool and relax a few times on the visit.

Seacrest Beach Pool

I was almost alone for the most part, especially on the weekend I was there. I think I walked over 35 miles on my trip and got to see much of the area and will follow up on some more posts here on the blog. Seacrest was a great home port so to speak as it aollwed me to go back and forth to other spots easily.

I have made a mental note to try them out again as soon as possible.

Life's Beach Baby! Soak it in!
                                                                                                                                                              

Pictures not needing any words from 30A in Florida

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Candy Corn: An Exposé For An Enthusiast

As promised, here is a Candy Corn compendium for one little enthusiast. In this biting journalistic piece we will explore together, the little pieces of fall fun and see what makes them a longtime tradition in the realm of candy.

Yummy Candy Corn

According to the TLC website here is the candy corn story......

Every Halloween, bags of triangle-shaped, yellow, orange and white candies fill trick-or-treat bags all over the country. And there are many bags to fill: According to the National Confectioners Association, candy companies will produce nearly 35 million pounds of the corny candy this year. That's about 9 billion individual kernels of corn.

Candy corn is a sweet replicate of dried corn kernels. It's considered a "mellow cream," a name for a type of candy made from corn syrup and sugar that has a marshmallow-like flavor. Although candy corn tastes rich, it's actually fat-free.

There is even a National Candy Corn and of course it is the day before Halloween or October 30th each year. Candy corn celebrates it's 132nd birthday this year so it is pretty old.

Other candy corn items are: soda, cookies, mixed candy and more......

Candy Corn Funny Poem

In 1880 Something Was Born

It was a yummy treat called Candy Corn

Pretty in color and tasty too

Candy Corn is best on holidays with BOO!

But you can eat it anytime

When you are hungry for something other than slime

Candy corn soda and now Oreo Cookies

Take Mom to the store and a take a lookie

Buy a big bag and snack on it now

It is low in calories so you don't look like a cow

You can even dress up to look like one too

Although be careful someone might eat you

Candy corn is fun and part of the scene

Taste some more now and see what I mean

Get mommy and Ton Ton and click on this link

Make some other Candy Corn treats quick as a wink



AVEN DREAMS OF A BIG PILE OF CANDY CORN!



********************Aven's Funny Poem*****************

Tommy Counts To 50

Tommy was learning how to count

His number expertise beginning to mount

One day he was playing with his best friend Ben

And Ben challenged Tommy to count up to ten

Tommy just smiled held his hands up and spoke loud

And his fingers went up and Ben he was proud

When he made it to ten his friend smacked his back

And told Tommy "great job" and they went for a snack

A knock on the door and Tommy saw Linda

His other good friend who was a big spenda

She liked to brag about all of her dough

She got from her parents for the lawn she did mow

She had a new ball, it was a basketball, brown

She said it cost $30 at the store in downtown

Tommy spoke up and said that he knew

How to count to thirty, even thirty-two

Linda said cool, let Ben and I hear it

Tommy he gulped, his throat he did clear it

He counted real fast until he reached seventeen

He stopped for a breath and to eat a red jelly bean

Then he began again, counting past twenty

Using jelly beans for each number, you see he had plenty

He reached twenty nine and all three just smiled

He reached number thirty and they all went hog wild

Then they went outside and played with the ball

And bounced it against the garage wall

Then Toby showed up and said the ball was nifty

Looked over at Tommy and said let's bounce fifty

Tommy he turned and nodded ok

And began to count bounces along the way

The bouncing began and reached 21

All the kids looked to be having such fun

The more the ball bounded the more Tommy got loud

Till he reached 48 and saluted the crowd

They all knew that was fifty was just around the bend
And Tommy drew a breath to get his second wind

He blurted out fifty and fell in a heap

Tonight he might count sheep in his sleep

So Tommy his counting it all being done
Sat down at the table to eat his honey bun

An Avie Favie (G'Daddy too)

Today, I am going to show Aven how he can, with his mommy's or Ton Ton's help, make his very own favorite breakfast item, the Egg In A Basket. This dish goes way back to my own childhood where my mom would make these for me and the other kids in the house as a special treat and to this day it remains a simple AND yummy dish for a quick breaksfast. Eggs are high in protein and not nearly the bad guy that had been reported in the past.

Now Aven, in Portland it is going to get chillier than Tampa, so a good breakfast each day will help you stay warm and full while allowing you to do well in school since your tummy will not be growling.

Start With The Basket

So here we go Avie......

First get a good soft piece of bread and a glass or cookie cutter to press down and make the hole for the egg and the basket lid.

Then warm up the stove with a frying pan and melt about a teaspoon of butter in it. Once melted place the basket in the pan and the lid also to soak up butter and brown.

Egg Added Into Basket After Butter Melts

Crack an egg and pour into the basket for cooking. While that is going on add a little butter on the top side of the bread so when you turn it over it will sizzle and soak into the bread too.

Once it is brown on one side flip it over....very carefully, so you do not break the yummy yolk. Watch it closely so you do not overcook it and get the yolk too hard since half the fun is dipping the lid in the yolk when eating.

Now, it should be ready for you to eat. Ask Mommy for a nice tall glass of oragne juice to go with it and sit down and say your blessing first.

Then dig in and enjoy little fella. Soon you will be able to make these all by yourself and make one for mommy and Ton Ton too!!!

Here is a funny poem about Eggs In A Basket:

I love to eat Eggs In A Basket

How do I get one, I just ask it

Fry it up in the pan

It's a pretty simple plan

I will eat it all up

And drink juice from my cup

When I'm done and all full

I tell you, it's no bull

I will start to wish

Again for this dish

Maybe for dinner

Yeah, that's a winner

The Tube Is Underway

View Larger Map


The G'Daddy and Aven project is well underway and will be finished soon. The banktube connecting Mill St. in Portland to Walnut Grove in Tampa will intersect in Silver Dollar City, where the state of the art clubhouse is also being built. The tube net is aptly named Aventube and the meeting point clubhouse is being called G'Daddyville for the time being.



Part Of The Tube Network

Once finished the 3004 mile tube will allow for quick transport of the two partners to their meeting point and back. The tube is a one of a kind invention and it's plans are top secret and will not be revealed to anyone, not even family and close friends. The expected trip time from Portland will be a bit longer than the one from Tampa but will be only an estimated eight minutes while the trip from Tampa is expected to last approximately 4 minutes and 44 seconds. The early arrival of G'Daddy will allow him time to make a Sno-Cone for Aven before he arrives. Special suits and helmets have also been designed and made for each of the Tube Twosome.

The clubhouse will have all the modern amenities and will be an oasis hidden in a secret location in Silver Dollar City. All the inventors would share is that it will be near a Target, an ice cream shop, a donut shop and a Waffle House. More details will be shared later on as the two plan an exclusive interview with Southern Living Magazine later on to share more about their amazing plans.

Model Of Travel Pod For Tube Network

In the future there are plans to expand the usage of the tube and it's network to other family members but this is at least 2 years away as Aven and G'Daddy want to make sure the kinks are all worked out before they open it to others.

Also, interim stops will be added as time goes on so Aven and his G'Daddy can meet in other fun places along the 3004 mile path. This part of the porject will begin in Mid 2013.

Current Stopping Point For The Aventube Network

Silver Dollar City also has some interesting sites and things to do for the duo once they are there and as time goes on and plans are made they will be able to venture out from their secret hideout to enjoy some of the fun in this great location.

They will be seeking advice from others as to stops they should add as time goes on.

Stay tuned for more updates on the Aventube here on Banktube to Silver Dollar City's Blog.

Donut Shop

Have your cake and eat it too...later on even from The Boll Weevil

Stopped in a little place in Augusta, Georgia today for a quick bite. Augusta is much more famous for the world's best golf tournament but down on the river in downtown is a cute little cafe and sweetery, as they call it, for lunch and some cake. Lot's of cake.

Decisions, decisions

So, as we waited for out table the little fella and I perused the cake cabinets up front and I told him to decide which one he wanted for his "snack". Mind you, this one is 3 years old and the snack was just a bit more than that.

So we finally got our table and he was ready for the choice he has firmly and resolutely in mind from about the first five seconds of peering into the cases.

Would it be a choice from case number one? Or would it be one from case number two?

Case #2

There was lemon, there was cheesecake, there was all manner of chocolate versions, by death and by life. Tropical, Strawberry, Caramel, Chocolate Chip....and on and on.

The waiter came and the immediate order was Strawberry. Not too surprising knowing that this little one can make a meal out of only fresh strawberries and blueberries. Not a bad choice either I thought as I am partial to this variety as well. (No I did not influence the decision in any way other than to say he could order cake.)




A serving of Strawberry Cake

 I in turn ordered what turned out to be a tasty Portobello Mushroom salad with feta and a unique vinegarette dressing with an unsweet tea to drink. The little fella enjoyed swigging my tea until his cake arrived and it DID arrive.

He seemed to be very very pleased and in his left handed manner (Thank you God) he started in on it in earnest right away. He did a pretty darn good job on it I must say as the serving was really at least two to two and one half servings anywhere else. I had a couple of bites while I waited on my salad too but not too much.

We boxed up half of it and brought it back for later consumption by someone in our party or maybe two of them. The cake was nice and dense and the icing was not the normal sweet goo but really had some body and was pretty heavy which was great going with the cake itself.

Portobello Salad

Oh, my salad was great too. Ate every bite and would order it again. Will visit The Boll Weevil again soon and grab some of the great wine selection they had in the place as well. Seems like a wonderful spot for a date night or glass of vino before dinner as well.

Now I am back at work and the little one is watching his toons in the other room on the tube, soon to be asleep dreaming of another slice of that cake I presume.

Christmas Gifts That Cost You Little

And mean MUCH MORE to the receiver than you will ever realize.

This Christmas, in the true spirit of the season, which is the celebration of the greatest birthday in human civilization, why not let His love shine, through you and find opportunities to give to others you would not normally think of giving to. You say money is tight? I hear you brother. Many of the gifts I am talking about do not even include money. Give time. Give encouragement. Give sweat. Give love. Give hope.

It is not up to the government to take care of all those in need, many of them actually in that position DUE to our government. No friends, it is up to us, God's people, the church and humanity to take care of needs of our society, our communities, our cities and our very own neighbors.

Many things can be done and the list is really endless if you use even a little imagination.

Volunteer to deliver toys to the less fortunate children via Angel Tree or Metro Ministries. Visit shut ins and the elderly who would not have any Christmas without you and sit with them and sing Christmas Carols, let them tell you stories, give them a kind word and a smile, hold their hand, let them know you care. Be a big brother or sister to a little one who has no one else. Bring them a book. Read it to them. Take them to get an ice cream. Look at Christmas lights with them.

Volunteer to serve food at the many places around the area that will provide meals to the homeless, the less fortunate and others. There are countless opportunities to do this and as simple as picking up the paper or the phone to find them.

Help a neighbor in your area with something they cannot do themselves. Mow the high lawn for the older lady, bring a meal to a family with sickness or with job loss. Invite a single or elderly person for Christmas dinner with your family if they will be alone.

Birth That Saved Us All!

If you do have some extra financial wherewithal and have been blessed in that department you can mulitply the blessings at Christmas for others AND yourself. Angel Tree kids are everywhere and want a Christmas like anyone else. You can make that happen for about $50 or less for each kid. Give to local food banks, $1 buys 7 meals for a hungry child. See Feeding America or local sites for this one. Adopt a foreign child via Compassion and let your family share in the growth of that child over the years. Currently $38 a month. Consider Samaritan's Purse as another option to give for very little money.

Buy the guy behind you in the drive thru their meal, buy the older couple the next table over their meal at the Cracker Barrel in secret, buy that military twosome their meal at Waffle House and thank them for their sacrifice.

I could go on for days. Merry Christmas to all and I hope this spurs something in your heart to give back something this Christmas other than a wrapped gift inder the Christmas Tree! God Bless Us Every One!

My French Quarter Eating Tour

The Quarter: Always Exciting

As many times as I have been to New Orleans for business and/or pleasure, I still have a built in GPS if you will, that leads me to the same places time and again. In this edition, I will cover one of my French Quarter eating/beverage tours. If I had to guess I would say I have done this tour in some form or fashion well over 100 times over the years. There may be a slight deviation at times like the main eating place but all in all they are pretty consistent. They are one reason I have still to try some really good places in New Orleans, in the Quarter and elsewhere. Two places I found by finally venturing out of the comfort zone are Manales and Ralph's On The Park.

The places and faces may not all be 5 Star joints but they hold a special place in my life as memories and places I will still frequent when I am back in the area again. Hopefully soon.

Careful, They Are Strong

I began my treks to the Big Easy in the mid 70's and continued after school into the 80's, living in the city in the mid 80's for a short stint. I can recall the days of Saturday morning shopping at Schwegmann's with a draft beer in one hand and the cart handle in the other.  Pleasure trips brought me back often from 85-90 and then jobs, business and pleasure have had me back in the city of the best cuisine from 90 until now. I have seen more than 15 Sugar Bowls, three Jazzfests, a couple of Mardi Gras and countless other celebrations of birthdays, anniversaries along with another countless business trips. I was in the city with my son two weeks prior to Katrina and we walked and visited many of the places that you saw on TV in the aftermath. A surreal experience indeed. The memories can run together there are so many and some due to a few too many Pat O's libations or maybe a Hand Grenade too much at Tropical Isle.

So, without further delay, let's walk the tour of the Quarter and enjoy the journey together.

Early on I always stayed in the Marriott on Canal at the mouth of the Quarter and did so religiously for about 10 years or so. I was a Platinum in the Marriott Honored Guest program and after a while I was known by name by the Bellmen and was actually asked to participate in a marketing program to help them improve. I got to the point of getting suites on many of my trips into the city. Since then I have branched out some but lean toward Marriott due to the many choices and the fact I am now a lifetime gold with 950 plus nights to my credit. Other places I have stayed in are the Omni and the Country Inn and Suites, which is very nice and the right price.

For the tour sake we will use the Marriott as our starting point since the old lobby bar facing Canal began many of them. That was the meeting place for friends or business associates as we headed out. That being said, more of the tours were on my own than with people due to the nature of my visits. My wife has been on a good many of these as well.

From the Marriott I headed down toward Decatur by zig zagging my way off Royal to the corner where Johnny's Po-Boys is and then turned left and headed down to Crescent City Brewhouse. Sitting at the bar for a Red Stallion, Wheat or Seasonal and depending on the later plans, grab some raw oysters. The barkeeps knew me after a while. Great start to have a homemade and great tasting beer. From here I took a left on down Decatur to the Square and wander around there people watching, checking out the art and saying hi to the horses or mules on the buggys waiting to tour the area. Most of the time my next stop took me right through the square onto St. Peter, past Gumbo Shop and you might have guessed it, Pat O'Briens. Now, depending on the time, date and if the wife was with, I hit the CD Jukebox bar upfront or other times the Flaming Fountain Courtyard. Order? 99% of the time, Hurricane in a cup. Never more than two and if I had two I was good to go for the rest of the evening. CD Jukebox got alot of my money as music goes with Hurricanes nicely.

After this stop I usually head toward the place of choice for eating lunch or dinner. This is also where the tour could get into a diverse list of stops. Although I love my regular spots, I have enough of them where I can also go for some variety.More often than not I headed back toward Canal by way of Royal or a street adjacent and ended up at my all time favorite New Orleans restaurant, Mr. B's Bistro. Waiting at the bar with a Bloody Mary for a table and getting hungrier by the minute. This is our place and always will be which is why I still have yet to try Bayona for one.

My stool is 2nd from the left

Now, if I did not do B's I would be heading down toward the Market and this might be a noshing night or afternoon where a few places were hit for the hunger pangs. Many times I end up at Margaritaville for the namesake drink and some Conch Fritters and some acoustic music. It is like a home away from home there. Always end up in the store for a few minutes too, never buying, always looking.

After this the tour can get to be like a hurricane in the gulf meandering slowly and not really knowing where it is going. So the MAIN tour is over but usually more remains. I might sit in for a set in some Bourbon St. bar with an R&B band and have a $7 Screwdriver, Stop in at a Daquiri joint for a small or many times hit Tropical Isle for a nightcap. And if you know the place, it is REALLY a night cap. To end it up the must have was, back in the day, Takee Outee shrimp on a stick but since they are not around anymore, it is more likely Krystal for a bag of cheeses or Popeyes on Canal for a two piece, all white spicy. They may or may not make it to the hotel room depending on how hungry I was at the time.

Careful of the Hand Grenade

So, that my friends is my tour for now. Not glamourous, not five star for the most part BUT a piece of the tradition, the legacy that is mine in my visits to the Big Easy and ALWAYS enjoyable.

Now I have to plan on my next tour. And add a few new spots to the itinerary this time around. See y'all soon and remember, Turducken is the ONLY way to go on Thanksgiving!

A Simple Meal Of Beauty And Taste!

              Seafood. Fresh. Simple. Delish. Waterfront. Pictures tell the rest. Enjoy.

A must hit spot when visting the little Island of Anna Maria Island is the Rod and Reel Pier. They are actually out in the bay on the end of the pier. An upstairs dining room and a downstairs bar where you can also eat. I submit, can anything be better than sitting in the seabreeze, watching the blue green waters roll in, the fisherman catching sharks off the pier and enjoying a good fresh plate of seafood with a cold cold Corona? I think not. The oyster Po-Boy above is not on the menu and is a request only dish. Request it. Now.

The Seafood gumbo here is creditable but of course mine is better. Mainyl due to the overload of seafood I put in mine and leaving out non seafood like chicken, sausage, etc. Mine is a delicate roux I spend 45 minutes to an hour on before moving on to assembling the rest of the dish. Okra is another key ingredient in my recipe.

Gumbo, Grouper, Oysters.......Fruiti De Mare Indeed!



Stone Crab Season On The Island

Expensive and Tasty

The search.....I mean chase is on to try and find the restaurant(s) not OUT of the seasonal and succulent Stone Crab claws that are actually harvested right off the west coast of Florida where they reside.


Tonight we ended up visiting three different places and did not actually eat any of the coveted claws BUT we did have an enjoyable evening nonetheless and will resume the quest tomorrow beginning with the lunch hour.

Our Table For The Evening Meal!