What is it about the South that separates it from the rest of the world? This week I think I have found the answer. Since we arrived in Hilton Head, we have never been in an elevator that we were Not spoken to. Anytime we shared the elevator, whether with young or old, people looked you in the eye and spoke, not just hi, but how are you, isn’t it a beautiful day, or have a great day when exiting. Several times, while getting in the elevator or door, even the young people, down to one young man who looked to be about 10, told me “ladies first” and let me step in first. This morning at Starbucks, a precious young boy ordered his drink and told the lady behind the counter thank you and hoped she had a great day. He couldn’t have been over 8 or 9. We have just been amazed at the old fashioned manners which we have been around. It has felt like we were living in a “Leave it to Beaver” kind of world. No Baggie pants, no spiked hair,no huge ear lobe holes. Even groups of teens which walked down the hall in the hotel spoke and were just so polite. Maybe it is all the sweet tea they drink here. We will be leaving tomorrow refreshed and with a new appreciation for the South.
After lunch we went to an AT&T store to see why I could not download a book on my phone. When the young man inquired As to my name, I told him it was Trudy,to which he replied, “welcome to AT&T Turdy”. But at least he said it very sweetly and with a smile. It took me a couple of times to get him to say it correctly as we went through a list of “Turdy? No…Trini?No…back to Turdy?NO!” Very slowly I spelled it, T R U D Y…TRUDY,finally he was able to get it. Guess, if I lived down here I would have to learn to speak a little slower or I would be known as Turdy. According to all the books here, one way to know you are in the South is when you have your name embroidered on your bag. Wonder if I would have Turdy embroidered in pink or brown?
Month: March 2016
Recipes From The Road
Yesterday I said that I would post some recipes which we came across while traveling through the East these few weeks. We have eaten at Hudson’s twice while in Hilton Head. Their seafood is just so good. They serve this slaw which they share the recipe on the back of the take away menu.
7 Day Slaw
1 head cabbage
1 small sweet onion
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard
Salt & pepper to taste
Slice cabbage and onions thinly or shred them nod toss with sugar. Mix remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour boiling mixture over cabbage and let set five minutes, then mix. Chill in fridge and serve on leaves of romaine.
Serves 8 to 12.
Because it has no mayo, it will last in fridge for a week.
#ButtertobeHappy
What can I say except, YUM!!!!! Today was one of those days which will remain one of my favorite food memories. If you are like me, you have those special days of falling into different categories and today, well, all I can say is,
“I had a great time.”. We arrived in Savannah an hour before our RSVP of 1:15 at Lady & Sons. After 45 minutes of driving around trying to find a parking place, we were about to give up and just chalk it up to maybe we weren’t suppose to be there today. I told Randy that it was ok, it wasn’t that big of deal (all the while just trying not to act disappointed) and that he didn’t have to waste anymore time trying to find a parking place. We had gone to 3 public parking garages only to be turned away as they were all full. Randy, knowing how much I wanted to go told me that he would make one more loop around the block (we had driven around these blocks probably 5 or 6 times already)to just see if maybe we would be lucky enough to see a car pulling away, giving us a parking place. Knowing that this was not going to happen, I resolved to the fact that it just should not be that important to me. We turned the corner onto the one way street which runs right in front of her place and low and behold, it was just like the Lord just waited until our car was in perfect position to pull into the parking spot that a car was pulling out of. I have to confess, I got tears in my eyes that the Lord did that. We were parked and walked in the door to the gift shop and began to pick up a few (maybe more than a few, ok, a lot, a whole lot) of kitchen items which will adorn my new kitchen in AZ. I think our new friends there will get the idea that we are Southerners since we bought everything from a pillow to spatulas to measuring spoons to coffee cups with “Hey Ya’ll or It’s a Southern Thing” written all over them. Then, because it is a dream of mine that Paula read my book, I took a copy in just in case. Knowing that it would really never happen that she be there, (but a girl can dream) I asked the lady checking us out if Paula came in to the store and restaurant. She (Betsy) replied that she had just been in with her whole family on Friday. Getting excited, I ask her if I gave her a book would she promise she would get it to Paula. She had been kidding Randy about all the kitchen spatulas I had bought and she told me that if I would sign it, she promised to give it to Paula. Also Betsy’s husband drives the limo which drives Paula’s family around so if she didn’t see her in a few days, she would give it to her husband the next time he picked Paula up to give to her. Now my heart was beating so fast, we walked to the car where I proceeded to go on FB and find Paula’s page. After finding it, I wrote and told her what I had just done and in about 30 min,she or someone who writes for her (yes, I like to think it is Paula, herself) answered the comment saying that she could not wait to read it. All I can say is, this day was better than being let loose with an unlimited credit card in HomeGoods for 8 hours. Even Randy had a great time, feasting on delicious fried chicken and mashed potatoes at the Lady & Sons. It was a fabulous day and cannot wait to hang up my new kitchen towel, drink from my new coffee cup while whipping up a butter cake with my new spatula. It will be grand to go relax on our couch, laying my head on the new “Hey Yall” pillow.
It was a very “butterful” day!
Senior Struggles in So Carolina
Maybe it’s just us, but as we travel along our great Nations byways, we are learning more about ourselves. Most travelers seem to write about the great experiences they have at each destination. We, on the other hand, seem to experience things that just point out that we are not getting any younger. This morning, Randy had the wonderful idea for us to go out by the pool and relax while soaking up some sun. Being the wonderful sport I am, I decided to just put on enough makeup so I wouldn’t scare people walking toward me. We stop by the coffee shop to buy a latte and head outside. We did consider walking a little father to go sit out at the beach, but decided that it was still just a little too cool out by the water, so found two pool chairs and “fell” down on them. Randy noticed that I was shivering just a little and offered to get up to go check out a towel to cover my lily white legs. When he tried to get up out of the pool lounge chair,it was so low that he just couldn’t get up. We decided that we would just stay there until folks left the pool area to go eat lunch so they would not see us trying to get up from the chairs that were so low to the ground that it was not going to be a pretty picture watching us getting up. The sun was shining very brightly and I was trying to read the book I had downloaded on my phone, but simply could not read the screen. I began to get bored just sitting there not having anything to read. Remembering watching others always on their phone and thinking about how they were so addicted to them, they couldn’t even relax by the pool without having their phones in their hands, I decided that I WOULD Not EVEN GLANCE AT MY PHONE. Why is it when you decide to do that, it is impossible to not look? I’m a senior, I should not be addicted to my phone. I should be carrying around knitting or a stack of books or taking naps out by the pool. But…my confession is that I am addicted to my phone. We finally could not stand it anymore and decided that no matter how old it makes us look, we have got to get up and go in. It is now noon and we haven’t had breakfast or lunch and everyone around us is not leaving. They are just having those young little 3rd graders bringing lunch to them from the pool grill. I get up first. Not bad, just took me a minute to get circulation back in my legs from sitting so long. But Randy, poor thing, well, let’s just say that we probably won’t be going back to the pool area for a few days. He just confessed to me that he had devised a plan in his mind that if he couldn’t get up by me pulling on his arms, he had decided that he would pull the chair beside him over and roll over to it on all 4’s using his hands and knees to push himself up. He was afraid that if he just tried to push himself up from his sitting position, he would loose his balance and fall into the bushes which were right beside his chair. So as seniors, it is always best to have a back up plan for times like these.
We will be writing a suggestion that they buy some pool chairs which we “mature” folks can just almost bend our knees to allow us to almost slide onto the chair.
Also, we think that seniors should get the rooms closet to the parking garage. I just videoed our walk from the elevator to our room and it took almost 2 min to walk the hall. I know that doesn’t sound like a long time, but when you are our age and nature calls, Depends only hold so much. Last night, because we are too embarrassed to have the valet guys see the inside of our car (remember we are homeless and living out of our car for a couple of months while traveling around until we close on our new place), we self parked. It took us 3 trips to the car just to unload what we would need for 5 days. Let’s just say that my FITBIT thought someone else was wearing it. We waited until after dark and late in the evening until we unloaded our Walmart bags full of Dr Pepper and candy. We already look like vagabonds and we don’t want to look like we are vagabonds who pack our clothes in plastic bags.
Tomorrow we are treating ourselves to Lady & Sons in Savannah. This was such a highlight of our trip East two years ago, we have to go back. In fact, we finally ate lunch today at 3 p.m. We decided that just having one meal today, and just snacking for dinner, will leave us lots of tummy room for our lunch at Paula’s place tomorrow.
We are in love with Hilton Head. Seeing so many folks riding around the island, we have decided that as soon as we get settled in our new place in AZ, we are going to get in better shape so next time we are faced with pool lounge chairs, we won’t have to sit there pretending to be reading because we can’t get up. But this trip, we are all about eating our way through the East Coast. Will be posting Recipes From the Road, starting tomorrow.
Florida Fun Facts
We have been in Florida since last Monday. Traveling from Destin to Orlando Thursday, we decided to stop in Tallahassee for lunch. We noticed a sign directing us to Sonny’s Barbeque which had places on Exit 202 and 203. Pulling into the parking lot, which was totally packed, we decided to get our order to go and keep on driving. When we ordered sandwiches, we were given the choice of having our chopped brisket and pulled pork on buns or garlic bread. We both decided on the garlic bread. WOW, WHAT A GREAT DECISION!!!! Both sandwiches were just the best Barbeque and then to have the meat between 2 pieces of grilled garlic bread was just too much! We were in Barbeque heaven. Seriously, if you are in Florida, do yourself a favor and find a Sonny’s Barbeque!
Today, we took our first air boat ride at Wild Florida in Kenansville. What a great afternoon of being swirled around the swamps in an airboat. When we rounded a marsh, we saw vultures circling overhead. Because my 5 yr old precious little granddaughter, Kenley, had told me, on our trip there that I would be going to Heaven today, I began to wonder if she had super powers or if God had spoken to her, when I sat in the airboat watching the vulture circle over our heads. But we made it back to shore after seeing a few crocodile and beautiful blue herons. Because this is Wild Florida, there were animals, much like being at the zoo. Kenley, of course, wanted to go to the petting zoo, hold a baby crocodile, which she did. After a few minutes of walking along the path to see the animals, I had to turn back. There were so many lizards running back and forth across the path, which made me so frantic that I had to just go sit in the souvenir shop, which was full of fake alligators of all sizes. If you have never been on an airboat, treat yourself. Yesterday we went to Lake Apopka WildLife Drive which is free and we saw a minimum of 30 alligators, up close and personal. Some of the birds which were there were the blue heron, a snake bird and several species I cannot remember the names, but there were professional bird watchers there with some of the largest cameras I have seen, so you know that it is a great place if watching birds is your thing. We leave Monday for Hilton Head. Will post more on restaurants which we find, in a couple of days.
Tomorrow, have a glorious day celebrating our Risen Lord and the sacrifice He made for you and for me. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have ever lasting life,” John 3:16 Happy Easter
Eating Our Way Thru Florida
The adventure has begun. We are on our way to see how many great new places we can dine in from Texas, up the East Coast, going into Hershey, PA, Richmond, VA, Hilton Head, Outer Banks, Orlando and depending if we can still get the seat belts around us, who knows where before heading back to our new home in Mesa, AZ. We figure that one day soon we will probably be hearing “you have got to quit eating everything besides kale & fish” from our Dr, so we want to make the best of the time we have before hearing those words. Because people tell me to post the places where we eat, I am keeping track of the ones which I would recommend. So this post will cover the restaurants here in Destin, FL. As we drive through the different states, we will be posting places which we love. Of course, there will be times, like today when we revert to just some good ole favorites, like Whataburger which us what we had today for lunch.
Another Broken Egg on Highway 98, Destin
Try the Fried Green Tomato BLT…it is served with a great pesto mayo which was just delicious. Randy opted for the tradition bacon & eggs! BORING! But he paid, so I have to include his choice.
Boshamps on Highway 98 (everything but the beach is on 98, which is why the traffic is crazy here now)
Honestly we both said that we have never had oysters like we had last night.
Incredible, delicious, awesome, Can you tell we loved them. It is a recipe that has won them best oysters for the past few years! They are baked with carmelized onions, crumbled bacon and feta cheese. Absolutely so good we were tempted to just order more for our dinner, but we decided that if they were that good, we had to try other items to see how they faired. Randy ordered grilled halibut with salad which he loved. I ordered a veggie plate of squash casserole, greens with bacon glaze, red potatoes and butter beans. Each veggie came in their own little iron skillet and were seasoned so beautifully.
Tonight we are headed to Mitchell’s Fish Market. Guess where it is? That’s right, Highway 98. Will post a recommendation if it tastes as good as it looks. It is a beautiful restaurant, so on our last evening in Destin, we will celebrate the beginning of our East Coast Adventure. Tomorrow we head to Orlando where we will visit our kids and make some new memories with them before heading to Hilton Head.
On The Road Again
In the same time that it takes us to go from Dallas to El Paso, we have traveled from Houston to Lousiana, Mississippi, (It makes me so proud to still be able to spell that after being out of school 48 years), Alabama and then on into Florida. As we drove through New Orleans, we had stopped to have lunch at Guys Po Boys, but apparently someone was so hungry, they drove their truck through the middle of it, so it was closed. Because I had scraped one tire rim trying to park on the narrow street, Randy said that he didn’t care where we ate now, as long as they had a parking lot and could deliver our lunch in less than 5 min, as we were anxious to get on to Destin. So we stopped at Popeyes for a chicken strip and biscuit. Do not judge us. It was already 2:30 and anything sounded good. Well, not anything, I don’t think that Jack In The Box would even sound good after a 3 day fast.
We arrive in Destin to find that in the few short years since we have been here, it has changed quite a bit. Now, more restaurants to choose from and just a shopping Mecca. Today, Randy wanted us to put our swim suits on and venture out to the pool and walk along the beach. After a struggle of trying to pull up my one piece, I decided then and there that no matter how badly I had to go potty out there, it would just have to wait, knowing that I did not have enough energy to pull it up twice in one day. Guess I have gained a little since last wearing it a few years ago. So with two swimsuit coverups (one did NOT cover near enough) and 3 layers of sun screen, we head out. As beautiful as the beach looked, with the white sands calling to us, we head out to walk on the beach. Maybe we had aged a little more than I thought. All I remember is the both of us, the last time we were here, walking up and down, allowing the sand to just sink between our toes, finally settling to sit along the water’s edge. Now, these short years later, we were not only afraid that if we sat on the sand, it would take a fork lift to get us up. By the time we had walked about a block in the sand, I told Randy that if I walked any further, there was going to be a hip replacement surgery right there on the beach. So we headed back to our “safe” place, beside the pool. We admitted that maybe we were more mountain cold weather people, as we looked better in layers of sweat pants and parkas than we did swim wear. In spite of the years, we will be leaving Destin with great new memories, planning to return one day, IF my hip replacement is successful and we can find swim suits which cover me from my neck to my knees. I wonder if Spanx makes a swimsuit?
Arizona, Land of Enchantment, No Wait, That’s New Mexico
I guess since I’m going to live there, I had better find out what it’s motto is. I bet it is something like, “OMGosh it gets hot here” or “Look at all the old people that live here” Seriously, any time I have flown in there to go see the kids, the rows of wheelchairs waiting to board the planes make you feel like you have just landed in a retirement home. AND NOW WE ARE MOVING THERE!!!! What are we doing? We have only 3 days before the movers come to whisk all of my baking pans and mixer away, only to be stored until we can get in our new house sometime in May. Already, it is exciting to think about some of the first things I will bake in the new kitchen. We are moving to Arizona where the air is crisp, the skies are blue and IT GETS REALLY HOT IN THE SUMMER! Most of my adult life I have dreamed of having a screened in porch where you can just sit in a wicker rocker and gaze at a beautiful green fern (which might have a chance since it will be indoors and not out in the 120 degree heat). Sitting beside the rocker is a plate of sugar cookies with a huge pitcher of almond iced tea (which the recipe is on the blog). So as I pack away all my baking sheets and vanilla, I look forward to what lies ahead. Moving is always so bittersweet. It conjures up so many different feelings; excitement, fear of the unknown, and sadness of leaving family and friends who will be left behind. Moving is easier for some than it is for others. It is interesting that for the first 45 years of my life, I only moved twice. In these last 20 years we have moved to 4 different cities and about 9 houses. I have to admit, I do love to move. It is an adventure to learn new places, meet different people and discover things which are new and out of our comfort zones. Am already planning on going Zip lining with my son-in-law and daughter. Have always wanted to do that.
We are moving to an over 55 community. Never would I have dreamed that we would do that. I always said I would never move anywhere that just had “old” people. But, now discovering that when we were there last week looking for a house, not one person came up to either of us and said, “my but aren’t you to young to be living here”? So we have faced the fact that we are now “one of the oldies” who gets excited about playing Bingo on Monday nights, learning how to lawn bowl or sitting in our new “Arizona Room” playing cards. Randy promised me he would get us a little golf cart so I can run around the community and deliver cookies to neighbors. One of my greatest fears of moving is “will I be able to pass a new Drivers test?” Studying for the California test almost had me on Zoloft. I kept thinking that I might not pass the eye test or be able to remember all the answers to the questions. And that was 6 years ago. The good thing about AZ license is that once you get it, it doesn’t expire for about 20 years, so I figure I won’t be driving in another 20 years anyway. So if I can pass this last time, I have it made. Knowing that AZ has many snowbirds which live there from about Oct to May, I told Randy that we have to do something to not look old, as I just don’t want to look like I “live in a over 55 community” so am thinking that maybe we need to get new haircuts and spiffy up our wardrobes. He has already been instructed that he is not allowed to wear black or white knee socks with sandals. He told me that I am not allowed to join the Red Hat Society. The first time I see him driving that little golf cart through puddles trying to splash someone, we are moving. He does have a mean streak.
We will be leaving for Florida, a few days after the movers pack us up. Since we cannot get in our home until about the middle of May we thought it would be fun to go see our kids in Orlando and then…Paula Deen Country! I cannot get that close to her restaurant and not go back there. From there we will go visit friends in Richmond before heading back West.
So here we go, off to another adventure. Hopefully as soon as I get away from all the wonderful Tex-Mex food, I will shed some weight. Nope, forgot, we are headed to Paula Deen country. Well, maybe when I get to Arizona, the heat will make me not want to eat. Nope, I will just eat more ice cream! Nevermind, I give up! Love me, love my stretch pants!
New Mexico Restaurants
As I posted yesterday regarding restaurants which we have grown to love while traveling, this post will cover our favorites in New Mexico.
ALBEQUERQUE
Located to the west of Interstate 25 in the Rio Rancho community is El Pinto. It is a great place for sitting outside on their beautiful patio while dining on New Mexico cuisine, beginning with deep fried jalapeno strips. Delicious.
Flying Star Café, located on Central is the place to go for the best fruit pies you have ever had. The crust is the flakiest you have had. Delicious desserts of all kinds to take on the road for keeping you from being bored while driving through the desert.
Charlies Front and Back Door. The Front Door for when you want to be seen and the Back Door for when you don’t.
The Mexican food is traditional New Mexican.
DEMING
Si Senora on the main street is our place which we drive all the way from Phoenix to have their stuffed sopapillas. Their green chile sauce is above reproach. Our opinion is that these are the best sopapillas you could have. Before you finish your lunch or dinner, they put a basket of cinnamon-sugar sopapillas on the table for your enjoyment. Randy is all about free, so he leaves this place with a smile on his face. The prices are so cheap you will be amazed. Our lunch plates were about $7.00 each.
ROSWELL
Martins The Capitol, according to our kids (but they haven’t been to Deming) has the best stuffed sopapillas. I have to say that if you can’t go to Deming, then this is the place.
Burrito Express is, once again according to two of our kids, think that their burrito’s are the best this side of Heaven.
If we go to Roswell, we have orders to bring back as many as will fit in our trunk to Dallas. Their green chile steak burritos are huge and just so great.
SANTA FE
Now we are talking great New Mexico Mexican food. Our first stop as soon as we reach the city limits is The Shed.
To tell you how much we love this place, our last visit of 3 days saw us there 3 times, twice for dinner and once for lunch. How is it that the best garlic bread is found at a Mexican food restaurant? But it is! Randy goes for their
blue corn stacked enchiladas. This place has so much history and just entering through the door that can’t be more than 5′ tall, is just a perk.
Café On The Square for breakfast. We were excited to have Val Kilmer walk past us Great place to watch people go by and the breakfast selection is just great. Good food and a place where the locals frequent.
The Shed is the place to go for Steak Diablo. Ribeye with green chile sauce atop makes this beautiful little restaurant right off the square a winner. While we were at dinner there one night, we caught sight of Jerry Seinfeld.
Steak Diablo and Seinfeld, all in the same place. Great memory.
The French Bakery is such a perfect spot for resting your feel from sight seeing and munching on a dessert and a cup of coffee or tea. This place is just around the corner from the Chapel of Loretta, which is a must see when you are there.
SAN ANTONIO (the one in NM, not TX)
The Owl Bar is the place to go for the “world known green chile cheese burgers” I ask Randy if I called someone in Paris or London would they really know about the OWL Bar, but he just glared at me. So I don’t know if their claim is true, but they really are amazing. IT is certainly worth pulling off Interstate 25 at Socorro.
IF you have others which you love, let me know and I will add them to this list!
Chocolate Castles 