Cottage Cafe lunch

There is a little cafe associated with a Bed and Breakfast in town called The Cottage Cafe. Love, and I mean LOVE their Melba Peach Bread Pudding. LOVE!

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Virginia Woolf (A Room of One's Own)

The Keys::an iPhone view

Simple Abundance. My passage for today. It was a very long day driving. Just settled in a hotel in Key Largo for a much needed night of sleep. Then up tomorrow to go on to Key West.

The Oar House

One evening, coming home from...well, I don't quite remember where. Maybe the Gulf Shore way...we stopped at the Oar House for dinner.

"Empty rooms, shuttered and dank. Without passion, we'd be truly dead."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Joss Whedon

More Lulu's

I did a post in mid May from our trip to Lulu's, and it took me a bit to get back to the rest of my Lulu's images, but here they are!

If nothing else, Lulu's is colorful. Brilliant sherbert colors everywhere. I was really taken by these beach chairs.

"Release your struggle, let go of your mind, throw away your concerns, and relax into the world"
¸.•*´¨`♥ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends)

Lulu's

The end of April, we found ourselves at Lulu's, a little resturant in Alabama. We had eaten at her original resturant before she moved it to the current location.

A fun fact about Lulu is she is Jimmy Buffet's little sister. It is fun to look at her memorabilia. And yes, you can get a cheeseburger in paradise there!

Bands on the Beach dancers {Part 2 of 2}

Looking at the pier ...and the crowd



Settling in and having fun


The next couple of pictures are just ones that were 'extra' and didn't fit with any certain group. So I'm throwing them in here. The first one is from Evenings in Seville...another night with a live band, but in Seville Park in Pensacola. And the last image is from McGuire's. (Watch out...if you click on that link, you will be entertained by Irish songs!)


"Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a glass of good wine." ¸.•*´¨`♥ St. Thomas Aquinas



“When the pilgrims, seeking religious freedom, landed at Plymouth rock, the first permanent building put up was the brewery” ¸.•*´¨`♥ Jim West

Loverly times {Part 4 of 6}

Meet Dora. Isn't this smile contagious? When I first saw her I was instantly drawn to her friendly and open manner. She works at a wonderful little diner in Pensacola called "Charlies Eatery" that only serves the best fried chicken I've ever eaten. See that smile? That is how she looked when I told her that the fried chicken is wonderful! I asked her if she fried it. Her proud answer..."Oh, no. My brother fries it." I hope to see a lot more of Dora!!

I only wish the light had been better in the diner. She has a beautiful face, and this portrait doesn't do her justice.

Dora "100 Strangers" #20



Charlie's Eatery Where Dora spreads fried chicken magic


This was the cat that owned the front porch at Charlie's Eatery. So lazy and enjoying the afternoon sun.

"If there is one spot of sun spilling onto the floor, a cat will find it and soak it up." ¸.•*´¨`♥ J.A. McIntosh


After lunch we took a drive to East Hill...a sweet little neighborhood in Pensacola. Riding down one street we saw an estate sale. So, we stopped in.

“You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.” ¸.•*´¨`♥ Albert Einstein


"The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you." ¸.•*´¨`♥ B.B. King


{Continue to part 5...}

Cinco de Mayo and more... {Part 1 of 3}

Back home in St. Augustine. It is nice. But sad. We'll be moving soon. That is exciting, but sad to leave the Auggie Doggie. We were home for Cinco de Mayo. And, traditionally, we like to go out for a Margarita and Mexican food. This year we chose Acapulos. Had a wonderful margarita and great fajitas.

In the resturant I took the next two photos.

"I'm being followed by a moon shadow, Leaping and hopping on a moon shadow..."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Cat Stevens

"Colour is my day-long obsession, joy and torment."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Claude Monet


The next two were taken from the upstairs balcony at Acapulco's looking out across the bay.

"I just thank God I don’t live in a trailer."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Jimmy Buffet, Son of a son of a sailor

"Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Mark Twain

{Continue to part 2...}

Pensacola Bound? {Part 1 of 6}

We took (another) trip to Pensacola/Gulf Breeze. We are considering moving there, so this was business mixed with pleasure. More pleasure. Less business. That is only if you consider looking at homes with a Realtor pleasure. The verdict is out on that one. But, even with a Realtor, I enjoy home looking. The trip is really too long. 6 hours from St. Augustine. By the time we got there, were were dragging.

On the road...a stop at Cracker Barrel

One of the homes we are considering is in a lovely old neighborhood that is undergoing a transformation. East Hill. I think I could really love living there. It is old and new. Fixing the old. Renovation. Restoration. A very connected neighborhood. Parks. Bayou Texar. Shaded streets. Front porches. All that is what a home should be.

In this neighborhood is a sweet little bakery...Jay's. An institution. It closed a few years ago, but happily reopened soon after due to a united outcry from residents. We stopped there often due to my sugar cookie addiction. Stress related. The cookies were strictly medicinal.

"And I had but one penny in the world. Thou should’st have it to buy gingerbread."
¸.•*´¨`♥ William Shakespeare


"My name is Tre Cool, ....and i snort donut sprinkles,......kind of a sweet drain."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Green Day

"I don't do drugs. I am drugs."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Salvador Dali

“The grocery store is the great equalizer where mankind comes to grips with the facts of life like toilet tissue”
¸.•*´¨`♥ Joseph Goldberg

{Continue to part 2...}

Pensacola Bound? {Part 2 of 6}

There is an old hospital in East Hill that is now being used for various businesses. Cafes, coffee shops, pizza resturant, animal hospital, photography studio (sigh), offices. It is a gorgeous building. So happy they didn't tear it down.

"Life isn't finding shelter in the storm. It's about learning to dance in the rain."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Sherrilyn Kenyon

Peeking at the windows

We stopped for a mid afternoon glass of tea in a resturant in the old Sacred Heart Hospital. It has been there for awhile. D went there often when we lived here before and enjoyed their vegetable platter. Yummmmm.

Wonderful resturant

One of the reasons we chose this little resturant, is because they had outside dining. A huge break for Petey. It was getting hot and he needed a good stretch and a place to rest in the shade. Our sweet waitress brought out a nice bowl of water with ice in it. Petey was grateful.

Rejuvenating

{Continue to part 3...}

Pensacola Bound? {Part 6 of 6}

We didn't eat at the festival. I know. But we had ulterior motives. We knew that right around the corner was the Fish House, and within those walls were Grits YaYa. Heaven in grit form. With delicious little grilled shrimp studding the edges. Oh. Worth the trip alone.

The Fish House

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
¸.•*´¨`♥ Confucius

“Each morning see some task begun, Each evening sees it close; Something attempted, something done”
¸.•*´¨`♥ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"Everybody needs a hug. It changes your metabolism."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Leo Buscaglia

And this was our view while dining on the deck enjoying our heavenly Grits YaYa.

"What I take from my nights, I add to my days."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Leon de Rotrou

A walk, a market, a old house, a horse stable {Part 2 of 6}

This guy was completely chill. Laying out on a bench in town square. Note the cell phone and the cigar.

"With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I'll live a lush life in some small dive."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Billy Strayhorn

This was from a little place I stopped in for a slice of pizza. It was a strange place, and I opted for the 'outdoor' dining. Not especially what I had in mind, but I decided to try and get a nice shot of something there. So, on the wall/fence were frames. No pictures. This is one of them.

"Art consists of limitation. The most beautiful part of every picture is the frame."
¸.•*´¨`♥ G.K. Chesterton

Jake's Landing

{Continue to part 3...}

A walk {Part 3 of 3}

A door that I saw on the way to the little cafe in the museum.

"A soulmate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Richard Bach

This was on a walk in Lincolnville, that was behind the museum.

“A habit cannot be tossed out the window; it must be coaxed down the stairs a step at a time.”
¸.•*´¨`♥ Mark Twain

"Home is a shelter from storms - all sorts of storms. "
¸.•*´¨`♥ William J. Bennett

“The windows of my soul are made of one-way glass, don't bother looking into my eyes if there's something you want to know, just ask”
¸.•*´¨`♥ Ani Difranco

Later that day D and I had some of the best shrimp at O'Steen's. The shrimp story: Waitress asked if we have been there before. I replied no. That apparently was her que to give me the low down, starting with the dipping sauce that came with the shrimp to the sauce sitting on the table that looked innocent enough.

She began the story about the sauce in the corked green bottle, shaking the bottle the entire time. At the end, she popped the top. At that point, it was pointed straight at me. And spewed all over me. I was a red polka dotted mess. She was beside herself.

As it turned out, we got the entire meal free, including drinks and coconut cream pie for dessert. What a trip!!!!

O'Steen's Fried Shrimp

Oh...it is Biker Week in Daytona again! (2 of 4)

"Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean--roll!"
¸.•*´¨`♥ Lord Byron

"And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, They danced by the light of the moon, The moon, The moon. They danced by the light of the moon."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Edward Lear

By afternoon we had arrived at Daytona. This year, instead of going to main street like we did last year, we took the advice of D's professor that happens to be a biker himself. He recommended going to the Iron Horse Saloon. This was more like a compound than a saloon. Strange. But, everything about biker week is rather strange. And he also said to be sure to get one of the steak sandwiches that are made by a group from South Dakota for the occasion. OMG! It was the best sandwich I have ever eaten!!!! Thank you so much for the recommendation, Dr. A!

Iron Horse Saloon

"The soul is born old but grows young."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Oscar Wilde

Grilling the steak for the best sandwich in the world. Yes. World.

They also had toppings. I went purist. All steak, baby.

Continue to part 3...

The weekend...a beachy day

Here is how the day played out. The Loop was the night before.

Lunch at the Loop

They serve food

Saturday morning we went to the farmers market.

Pretty little red cones

Such a pretty sound

insync and concerned


“Silence is a fence around wisdom”
¸.•*´¨`♥ German Proverb

frames on fence

chairman of the gourd

P.V. Sea Bird Adoption Agency

oil vendor

shell shocked

"There is nothing as mysterious as something clearly seen"
¸.•*´¨`♥ Robert Frost

"One cannot spend forever sitting and solving the mysteries of one's history."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Lemony Snicket

"O Sun god! Mount on a boat of hundred 'oars' for our welfare. Accompany me... help me cross the 'Day'... and also the 'Night'."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Atharva Veda

the vases

“The human mind always makes progress, but it is a progress in spirals”
¸.•*´¨`♥ Madame de Stael

A view of the lighthouse

The Conch Lounge

looking out to sea

This is where geocaching led me.

Ripples

"Never be afraid to sit awhile and think."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Lorraine Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun

Tide was out...these were on the rocks.

"Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Unknown

tide givings

"I never was on the dull, tame shore, But I loved the great sea more and more."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Barry Cornwall

“Come fly with me!”
¸.•*´¨`♥ Frank Sinatra