Monday, February 22, 2010

Down South...Day Seventy-Two...Tuesday, February 9, 2010..."Snowpocalypse"





Everything looks fine outside this morning...but looks can definitely be deceiving. "It" is coming, and there is no avoiding "it". Before the first flake even falls, they already have a name for it..."Snowpocalypse". It's going to start sometime tonight and continue well into tomorrow...18"-24".
Dave, Marschia and I had talked about going into Philadelphia for dinner at a place called Tintos...one of my favorite places. But, even though it's only fifty miles or so, we decide that it's best to stay closer to home as we await the arrival of Snowpacolypse.
Marschia's school is open today, but it's a short day with teachers only...and...she's off the rest of the week in anticipation of the snow. Dave and I are going grocery shopping, but first, we have a little breakfast stop. We're at Helen's Sausage House...a Delaware legend. Dave orders two pork chop sandwiches, and they are huge! I opt for the scrapple and egg sandwich with aside of sausage. It's all good...really good...particularly the homemade scrapple. Scrapple is one of many things that Philadelphia is famous for...it's scraps of pork finely ground with spices (including black pepper) and cornmeal...and shaped into a "brick". You slice it about a 1/4" to a 1/2" and fry it in a frying pan until the outside is brown and crispy. I like mine with ketchup, but some people prefer maple syrup.
After breakfast, we head over to the grocery store to stock up before the big blizzard...Dave's carrying out most of his second pork chop. I buy ten pounds of scrapple (Habbersett's...it's the best). I also have a craving for egg, but it's now out of season...hmm...maybe "homemade" is in order.
Marschia is home around 5:00PM, and we all decide to go out for dinner locally...Italian. The snow has started to fall and, by the time that we leave for dinner, there's already more than an inch on the ground. Dinner is good...I have "Greek-style" pasta with shrimp, tomato, feta cheese and olives. As we head home after dinner, the driving is "tricky"...there's now around four inches on the ground.
When we get home, Marschia and I make some homemade egg nog...I'm printing the recipe below...

Rob Kasper’s Eggnog For Folks Going Nowhere
Makes 8 to 10 cups
• 2 cups bourbon
• 1-1/8 cups sugar
• 6 egg yolks, beaten
• 4 cups whipping cream
Blend bourbon and sugar in a mixing bowl. Let sit overnight if you can wait. If not, don’t worry. Beat egg yolks until they approach viscous yellow bliss. Add to bourbon mixture. Mix well. Cover and let sit in refrigerator at least 2 hours. Whip cream and add to bourbon mixture. Nog starts off very creamy and becomes soupy the longer it survives.

It turns out great...even if we were unable to "wait" for the recommended periods. A couple of glasses of that, and I'm ready for bed. The snow is falling heavier now.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Photos From Day Seventy-One





Down South...Day Seventy-One...Monday, February 8, 2010

By the time that I woke up this morning, Kathy was long gone for work. So...I had a few cups of coffee, watched the news, did a little Internet work, and packed up to leave.
By 10:30 AM, I was on the road to visit Dave and Marschia Valentovich in Wilmington, Delaware. Ah...but first...there's that stop that I have to make in my hometown, Philadelphia. I checked the Internet this morning, and I got a list of the 10 Best Places for Hoagies in Philadelphia. A place called Pastificios is both open on Mondays and on my way.
If you've never had a Philadelphia "Hoagie", you've missed out on one of the great sandwiches of the world. Premium Italian coldcuts, lettuce, onion and tomato...dressed wit a little olive oil and oregano...and the BUN. A hoagie bun here is unique...some say it's the water in Philly...in any case, it's crusty without being hard and has some special property that keeps it from getting soggy.
The folks at Pastificios are friendly (this is, after all, the "City of Brotherly Love"), particularly when I mention that am from Philly and enjoying my fist hoagie in several years. I also pick up some TastyCakes (yum!)...Butterscotch Crimpets and Peanut Butter CandyCakes are my favorits!).
Then, it's back on the road to Dave and Marschia's. Marschia is home from school as a result of the aftermath of "Snowmageddon", so we are all able to sit down and enjoy our hoagies together. They are, by the way, outstanding!
Then, as close friends do, we sit around and talk about all of the great times that we have had together. They've stocked a bottle of Bushmills, so I have a few of those while Marscia prepares dinner.
And...it's not just "any" dinner. Tonight, it's homemade beef stew, homemade dinner rolls, and homemade Tiramisu...and, let me tell you, it's all GREAT! Marscia is one of the best cooks that I know.
I bring in my iPod and boombox so that we can listen to a little Frank"...that's Frank as in Sinatra. It's a relaxing evening...all the more so with Dave and Marscia's five cats...just like home...maybe even better.
There is, however, one "dark cloud" on the horizon. I managed to survive "Snowmageddon" by hightailing it out of Washington and up to Princeton, but now a new horror is on the way. "Snowpocalypse" is on it's way tomorrow...and they're predicting 18" to 24" inches here tomorrow night and Wednesday morning. Wilmington hasn't even dug out of the 24" from the last storm...so...this is going to be interesting.
I'll post photos for this post later...the WiFi at Borders leaves MUCH to be desired.

Down South...Day Seventy...Sunday, February 7, 2010


Spent a relaxing day today touring around Princeton with Bill and Kathy. Stopped for lunch (French Onion Soup) and a glass of wine before visiting the Hun School of Princeton University. The Hun school has many famous alumni...including Attila (the) and Catherine Margoles (most of you know her as Spike!).
We took Bill to the train station around 4:30PM, so he could catch a train to Newark Airport and the flight back to Detroit.
Kathy and I watched the Super Bowl (Go Saints!) and enjoyed a "Brooklyn Style" Pizza and several glasses of wine.
Another great day!

Monday, February 8, 2010

"Bonus" Photos..."Snowmageddon" Hits the East Coast!


Down South...Day Sixty-Nine...Saturday, February 6, 2010...Momofuku Noodle Bar!!






This is going to be a great day! Things get off to a great start when I wake up to the smell of freshly-brewed coffee.
Bill and Kathy are hard at work whipping up a wonderful breakfast...Bill's famous "Migas" (scrambled eggs with onions, peppers, hot sauce, cheese and crumbled Doritos) and Kathy's French Toast with apples and cranberries. Soon, Roger and Gretchen arrive, and we are enjoying a Bloody Mary (or two). This breakfast is the best...all the more so enjoyed in the company of four of my closest friends.
We have been spared the worst of "Snowmageddon" here in Plainsboro, NJ...only about 4"...but it's still cold and blustery outside. The light snowfall bodes well for Roger and Gretchen as they are heading back to Strongsville, Ohio today. By 10:00AM or so, they are out the door and on their way.
Ah...but the day is just getting started. By 10:45AM or so, bill, Kathy and I are bundled up and head out the door to the Princeton Junction Train Station. And, around 11:30, we're on a train for the one hour and fifteen minute trip to New York City. So much snow flies around the outside of the train as we speed toward the city that I expect to see "Strelnikov" at any minute.
Before you know it, we're at Penn Station and hopping in a cab for the thirty block or so ride to...Momofuku Noodle Bar! Last year's Summer Picnic ("Casual Asian") was base, in large part, on recipes from this restaurant. It's the hottest, hippest and coolest place in New York. As soon as we walk in the door, we can tell that this is a great place...it's packed and all of the customers look happy as they eat away. We've got both a waiter as well as a waitress, and they are very nice and friendly. I'm a big fan of this restaurant, and the staff enjoys talking about different recipes. Bill and split a large Okinawan beer and a carafe of cold sake as we all go over the menu...it all looks good! Then...we're ready to order...an order of the famous pork buns and and a duck confit salad for appetizers...cold spicy noodles for Kathy and I...and a braised pork (head meat) salad for Bill. Everything is superb...an intriguing combination of flavors, textures and colors.
For dessert, our waitress suggests a short walk to another place in the Momofuku chain of restaurants...Momofuku Milk Bar. Another great place with loads of cool desserts! Kathy gets a "compost" cookie (pretzels, cereal and other cool stuff baked into a large cookie)...Bill opts for the "Crack Pie" (almost pure sugar, it looks a lot like what they call "Chess Pie")...and I order a huge slice of Malted Chocolate Layer Cake (outstanding!!).
Now thoroughly stuffed, we head back out into the cold in search of a friendly tavern. After a few "misses", we finally hit on a small local place called the "International Bar" for a glass of wine/beer/etc.
Then, we're back in a cab on our way to Penn Station for a train home. We're in luck as we walk through the station, out to the tracks and right on to a Princeton-bound train. An hour and fifteen minutes later, we're back at Bill and Kathy's.
Now...if you were to think that this day has finally come to an end...you would be WRONG. There's still one last adventure left ahead. At 7:30PM, we're back on the road to Trenton, NJ for dinner at the Spanish restaurant, Malaga. Empanadas and Mussels in Green Sauce for appetizers...Bacon-wrapped Scallops and Grilled Filet for Kathy...A Seafood Casserole for Bill...and Grilled Baby Lamb Chops for me. Throw in two pitchers of Red Sangria and a couple of glasses of Spanish Rioja...and it's an excellent meal. I barely have room for a piece of Banana Coconut Cake.
Then, it's back to Bill and Kathy's. We watch a little TV, but we are all pretty whipped after a full day...a GREAT day! Off to bed!

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Down South...Day Sixty-Eight...Friday, February 5, 2010..."Snowmageddon"


I wake up at 8:30AM to the smell of freshly-brewed coffee downstairs...and there's a kitty cat next to my bed! Roxy is hard at work preparing a fabulous breakfast...bacon scrambled eggs, french toast, sausage...it's all good...no, great!
I sneak a peek outside, and all is well...no snow yet. But, by the time that I'm finishing that last bite of breakfast, the first few tiny flakes of snow are already falling. Time to get on the road!
Around 11:30AM, I'm bidding Roxy farewell...I wish that I had longer to visit. The snow is still light as I swing out of Sterling and onto the Capital Beltway. It's only 200 miles or so to Princeton, but more snow (a LOT more) is on the way. Almost immediately, traffic on the Beltway comes to a complete stop...traffic is heavy with a mix of late morning commuters and panicked residents racing to flee the impending blizzard. Forty-five minutes or so later, traffic begins to move again, and soon I'm heading up out of Virginia, through Maryland and into Delaware. The snow stops somewhere in Maryland, so I'm OK...for now. Then, onto the New Jersey Turnpike after a scary bridge crossing over the Delaware Memorial Bridge...one of the bridges from my childhood that contributed in no small part to my now well-known bridge "phobia".
Around 3:30PM, I'm at the Princeton Holiday Inn to meet up with Roger and Gretchen. I also have the great pleasure to meet Roger's Administrative Assistant, Beth (very cute, as well as professional), who put together the bound copy of all my blog entries from the trip to Alaska. Soon, we're sharing a few glasses of red wine.
Then...off to the Lampings. Ever the perfect hosts, Bill and Kathy have a nice selection of great "snacks" (prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, stuffed tortillas, etc.) accompanied by a few bottles of great Spanish red wine. Then, it's off to Princeton for dinner at Mediterra...excellent Italian. A great evening of close friends, interesting conversation, great food and excellent wine ensues. After dinner, we spend an hour or two "bar-hopping" in historic Princeton, home of Princeton University.
Then, back to Bill and Kathy's for a nightcap. Roger and Gretchen head back to the Holiday Inn, but they'll be back tomorrow morning for breakfast. Stepping out onto the balcony of Bill and Kathy's condo for a quick smoke before bed, I notice that snow has begun falling...should be interesting tomorrow.

Down South...Day Sixty-Seven...Thursday, February 4, 2010


Sometime during the night I got up, got dressed and left the hotel because now I am running down this dimly-lit alley. And, right behind me is a giant oyster...chasing me! And, right behind the oyster, there's a giant slice of coconut cake...how did inanimate objects grow arms and legs?!?! And they're carrying these bells (dinner bells?), and they keep ringing them...why won't the ringing stop?!
Wait...it's the telephone ringing...my 4:30AM wake up call. I'm not in an alley, I'm still in bed. Whew!...that was close!
So, I stagger out of bed...make coffee and pack up. By 5:30AM, I'm on the road for the 544 mile trip to visit my friend, Roxy, in Virginia. By the time that the sun comes up, I'm already in North Carolina when I see something...something horrible. It's...It's...snow! Yuck! I'm already missing Florida...cold spell or not.
It's a long drive today...all the longer when I hit heavy traffic coming into the Washington, D.C. area. By the time that I get to Roxy's in Sterling, Virginia, it's after 3:00PM...I've been driving for almost ten hours.
Roxy moved back to Virginia a few months ago from the Grand Rapids area, and she's sharing a house with her ex-mother-in-law and one of her daughters. It's a homey, comfortable place...with five friendly cats and one friendly dog. I'm tired after all of that driving, so a short nap is a real treat.
Then...it's time for dinner. Roxy suggests a local place called Sweetwater Tavern. There's a wait for a table, so we slide up to the bar for a cocktail while we wait.
Soon, we're sitting in a booth looking over the menu...steaks look good. Roxy orders the "drunken ribeye", and I order a Filet...well seared on the outside, rare on the inside. The waiter has a problem with my order...there is no "searing" at Sweetwater, as he explains it, just "rare, medium rare, medium and well done". Fine, I order mine "rare". Then, there's a problem with my salad order...I want blue cheese dressing, they only have "Caesar, raspberry or balsamic vinaigrette". Fine, I order the "Caesar". Another problem arises regarding potatoes...I order French fries, they only serve "mashed". "Obviously", observes our waiter, "you have not dined at Sweetwater Tavern before". No...obviously not.
Still...the food is pretty good, limited selection notwithstanding. And...I'm having a nice time visiting with Roxy.
After dinner, it's back home for a little TV and more conversation. I'm still tired from my trip, so I opt for bed early where I watch a little TV...joined by a few cats...just like home! The big story on TV is a huge storm predicted to hit the Eastern Seaboard sometime tomorrow morning. They're predicting up to 30" in the D.C. area...with a good chance to beat the prior record snowfall.
I'm heading up to Princeton tomorrow to rendezvous with my friends Bill and Kathy Lamping, who live near Princeton, New Jersey...where we'll be meeting up with Gretchen and Roger who are visiting Princeton on business...this is going to be great fun!
Still...as I'm drifting off to sleep...I'm thinking about how to get the jump on all that snow.

Down South...Day Sixty-Six...Wednesday, February 3, 2010






My bed at the Days Inn is particularly comfortable, and I have "slept like a rock" until after 9:00AM. Now...how to spend the day? I could bar-hop...always my first choice. Or, I could do something "interesting and productive". Hmm...let's do "interesting and productive".
But first, there's lunch! Years ago, a place called A.W. Shucks was my favorite lunch stop. Then, during one of my many stops in Charleston, I was chatting up some cute gal at a bar...she was a chef at A.W. Sucks, and she had some highly uncomplimentary things to say about the kitchen there. So, A.W. Shucks went off of my preferred lunch list. Then, several years later, I stopped back in for a cocktail and related my story to the bartender. Soon, the manager was taking me on a tour of the kitchen and it was, well, pretty clean and neat. So now, A.W. Shucks is back on the list.
Settling in at the bar, I have an excellent Stoli Bloody Mary (or two). A.W. Shuck's signature dish is their "crab meat stuffed, bacon-wrapped fried shrimp...so I gotta order those. And they are pretty darn good...washed down with a couple of "Low-Country Lagers" (the large size, please).
OK...now for the "interesting and productive" stuff. Out in Charleston Harbor is Fort Sumter and it was there that the fist shots of the Civil War were fired. Coincidentally enough, on my birthday...April 12, 1861. Hey!...that's the birth DATE, not the YEAR, smart guy! Soon, I'm taking a relaxing ferry ride across the harbor and out to the Fort. Fort Sumter is a National Monument, so there's a Park Ranger providing historical commentary along the way. There's not much to see...a lot of the Fort was destroyed, not by the Confederate Army capturing it, but by the Union Army trying to take it back. Still, they've done a lot of excavation and restoration, so you get a good feel for what it was like over a century ago. Then, back on the Ferry and across the harbor again to the city.
A nice walk later, I'm back at T-Bonz for a few more local lagers before heading back to my hotel to freshen up for dinner.
I can never get enough oysters, and Hyman's is right near my hotel...so I'm back there for another platter of fried oysters. Then, 'm thinking that it will be a whole year before I'm back her...a whole year before I can again have "the Cake". So...it's back to the Peninsula for "the cake, Part II"...this time accompanied by a large glass of milk...pretty close to the perfect dessert. T-Bonz is right down the street...so in for a nightcap (or four) before bed.
A long drive tomorrow...544 miles to Northern Virginia, just outside of D.C.

Down South...Day Sixty-Five...Tuesday, February 2, 2010




By the time that wake up at 8:00AM, Vickie has left for work. So...I fix myself a cup of coffee and check emails.
By 9:30AM, I'm out and back on the road to Charleston. It's a pleasant drive...under four hours...partly Interstate and partly multi-lane State highways. By 1:30PM, I'm in the historic section of Charleston and heading for lunch at Hyman's Seafood...one of my favorite places. A Bloody Mary, a glass or two of Sauvignon Blanc and a big plate of fried oysers...ah...a great lunch. Soon, I'm down the street at the Days Inn...unpacking, showering and planning the night's schedule. Magnolia's is my favorite place for dinner, so that's definitely on the schedule. Several weeks before I left home, I saw a segment on the Food Channel about what many call the "perfect" Coconut Cake, and...best of all...it's sered right here in Charleston at the Peninsula Grill. So...that is definitely on the list as well.
A few hours later, I'm ready to go...well, sort of. Magnolia's is closed for renovations...damn!...so, instead, I opt for her sister restaurant, Blossum. A Stoli Martini, a glass or two of Alsatian Pnot Blanc...and...more fried oysters, these served "Rockefeller-style", with spinach and a splash of Pernod...very good. It's just an appetizer, but I'm still full from dinner...besides, I've got to save room for "the cake". Arriving at the Peninsula Grill, I sit a the bar and place my order..."the cake" and a White Russian.
"The cake", I must admit, is every bit as good as advertised...light and airy layers of white cake and an intensely coconut frosting...yum. They give you a huge slice...I can barely finish, but I struggle through.
Then...it's on for a little bar-hopping. A place called T-Bonz seems friendly, and they have a great local lager on tap. The bartender is friendly (and cute, and I also strike up a conversation with a local attorney and one of his corporate clients.
I don't mind talking business...so long as it's retrospective as opposed to prospective. Despite that huge dessert, the lagers are going down pretty easy. Before I know it, it's after midnight...time for a well-deserved rest.

Down South...Day Sixy-Four...Monday, February 1, 2010



I've got stuff scattered all over Ed and Molly's...bedroom, bathroom, garage, kitchen, patio, etc. So...packing up to leave takes a lot longer than I expected. Plus, I've had such a good time here that I'm subconsciously "lingering" because I hate to leave.
Shortly before noon, I'm finally packed up and ready to go. A final farewell to Ed, and I'm on the road. It's a pleasant drive...a little time north on I-75, then East across the state on smaller local roads. I stop for gas...stop for lunch...and...around 4:00PM or so, I'm at Vickie's. She's in a relatively new condo community, and it's really nice...pretty landscaping, fountains, a big clubhouse...very comfortable. Soon, Vickie and I are retelling all of our favorite football stories...all of the UM games, the trip to Dallas to see Doug Flutie in his last college game at the Cotton Bowl. We've had such great times over the years.
For dinner, Vickie treats me to a great meal at Capital Grill...coffee-rubbed prime strip steak, asparagus with Hollandaise, and a bottle of Carena Malbec. But wait!...they're out of the Catena...instead, the Manager agrees to substitute a Rothschild Malbec (worth twice as much as the Catena) for the same price...bonus time!
After dinner, it's back to Vickie's place for a little TV and Internet time. Vickie has work tomorrow, so it's an early nigh.

Down South...Day Sixty-Three...Sunday, January 31, 2010

We were all pretty beat last night, so everybody's sleeping in this morning. One by one, we stumble "bleary-eyed" into the kitchen for coffee. Molly whips up a welcome breakfast...eggs, bacon, toast...ah...soon I'm feeling normal again.
Not much going on today. I run Genie back to Clearwater and stop by Barnes & Noble to post a few blog updates. But the day goes by fast and, by the time that I'm heading back to Ed and Molly's, it's after 6:00PM. Astrid stops by, and we drink a few glasses of champagne sangria using the little "mix" that I made up earlier in the day.
This will be my last dinner in Tampa, so I wanted to go out with a "bang". I've picked up a pound and a half of Key West "Brown" Shrimp and marinated those in some Mojo Criollo...and...I got four and a half pounds of "Jumbo" Stone Crab Claws with mustard sauce. The four of us polish all of that off (along with the last of the Publix potato salad) over the course of an hour or so. It's a great meal...a fitting finish to my stay in Tampa.
In the evening, we catch the next to last football game of the season...the Pro Bowl. It's not exactly exciting football, but it's all we've got until the Super Bowl...and then...nothing until late August or so.
Tomorrow, I'll be rolling out of Tampa to Jacksonville to visit my friend, Vickie. It's been years (15?) since I've seen her, so I'm looking forward to my visit. It's just a short hop to Jacksonville, so I can stay up late and sleep in tomorrow.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Down South...Day Sixty-Two...Saturday, January 30, 2010...Gasparilla!






Molly's got cool reserved seating for the Gasparilla Parade, and she's long gone before I even wake up.
Still...I'm up around 8:00AM, and Ed has suggested that we leave by 10:00AM or so. There's a big crackdown on alcohol this year, so we opt not to take a cooler full of beers with us.
By 11:00AM, we're downtown and parked...for free! Our friend, Bud Levell, is a major player in the "Roughriders Crewe", and we find him way back at the very start of the parade where all of the floats are massed. Gasparilla is a great opportunity to wear a cool costume, drink a lot and ride in a parade...and we see plenty of participants.
The weather is cool and windy...plus, they're predicting rain later. So...around 12:30 or so, we head over to the Colonnade Restaurant (a Tampa tradition) for lunch. A few beers and a great lunch later, we're ready to head outside again. The rain has come, but it's pretty light when we get back to the Parade route. We watch float after float roll by...then...a police officer directs us off of the parade route and over to the other side of Bayshore Boulevard. By now, it's raining pretty hard again, so we head back to the Colonnade to wait for Molly who is en route from the "VIP Stand" a few miles down the parade route. Soon, Molly joins us for a few final cocktails before we head home...wet, but happy.
Back at home, we're cooking up the leftover skirt steak with some onions to make a great batch of tacos...with more fries! And, of course, the obligatory giant bowl of strawberries and vanilla ice cream.
It's been a long day. and...one by one...we sputter out and head off to bed. A long day, but a great day.

Down South...Day Sixty-One...Friday, January 29, 2010






I'm up early and slip downstairs for a quick smoke just after sunup. Genie's still asleep downstairs surrounded by a few cats...that's a great way to sleep!
Today, we're meeting Ed for lunch at one of my absolute favorite places...Frenchy's Rockaway Beach Restaurant on Clearwater Beach. The weather is warm enough to sit out on their deck...so...soon we're enjoying a few cocktails (several of Frenchy's famous Rumrunners for me). I order my two favorite appetizers, Buffalo Shrimp and Coconut Shrimp, and they are (as always) excellent.
After lunch, we head back to Genie's for a few beers out on the patio...nice. Ed invites Genie to come back to Tampa and join us all for tomorrow's Gasparilla Parade. So...soon...we're all heading back to Ed's house. Molly gets home from work around 6:00PM, and we've got a cold glass of Chardonnay waiting for her. Dinner is the Mojo-marinated steak left over from last night along with several batched of OreIda "Fast Food" fries cooked in peanut oil...a stupendous dinner enjoyed with several bottles of red wine from my "vacation stash".
It's going to be an early morning tomorrow...need to get to the parade before the traffic. I've barely got enough time to scarf down a huge bowl of vanilla ice cream with strawberries before bedtime.

Down South...Day 60 (Two Months!!!)...Thursday, January 28, 2010




I made contact with my friend Genie yesterday, and she invited me to come visit her in Clearwater today. I met her last year on one of my cruises down here. The day that I remember most is the day that I met Genie and several of her friends at the famous bar in Key West, The Bull, during a cruise stop in Key West. One of her friends, who shall remain nameless, asked our waitress at The Bull if it was true that Key West had recently enacted some very relaxed substance control laws. Thinking that this was a joke, our waitress said..."Sure, do whatever you want". So...Genie's friend proceeded to take full (and I mean full in the fullest sense) advantage of these "relaxed" laws. The management of The Bull was, to say the least, horrified...and proceeded to chase us into the street. I was left feeling most "disjointed".
So, now I'm heading from Ed and Molly's to Clearwater via the Courtney Campbell Causeway...a narrow strip of highway across the Bay connecting Tampa and Clearwater.
Genie's got a cold beer waiting before we head out for some grocery shopping...stone crab claws and sushi-grade tuna at a seafood market...then a stop at Publix for Potato Salad (of course!) and a skirt steak with that great Mojo marinade.
We have, of course, WAY too much food...we barely make it through the crab claws and tuna before we are stuffed.
Genie has some very friendly cats, including Calvin (age eighteen!!!!) and Digit (see photos)...they're great cats, but they make me lonely for Jonesy and Cleo.
After dinner, we sit outside on Genie's patio enjoying the evening...and a few glasses of wine before bed.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Down South...Day Fifty-Nine...Wednesday, January 27, 2010

I'm heading back over to Tampa today, but it's a short drive...so I can take my time.
I sleep in until 9:00AM or so (getting plenty of rest on this trip!), then up for Mom's coffee.
Mom needs me to run a few errands, so I spend part of the morning driving to the Bank, Post Office, etc. By 11:00AM or so, I'm on the road to Tampa...up the Turnpike, then over Route 60, up I-75, then over to Northdale. After a stop at my favorite strawberry farm in Plant City, I roll into Ed and Molly's around 4:00PM or so.
Ed has cold beers waiting (excellent), so I relax with a few of those until Molly gets home from work around 6:00PM. Ed runs out to take a test to work on the 2010 Census, so I have a little time to myself.
Molly and I had planned to make Beef Picadillo (Cuban), but we're both kind of tired, so we opt for tacos...delicious. Along the way, we polish off a bottle or two of Portuguese wine.
Molly's tird fom work, Ed's tired from his test, and I'm tired fom the drive...so...by 10:30PM or so, we're off to bed.