I Wanted To Take You To Mt. Vernon…But

I wanted to take you to Mt. Vernon, George Washington’s historic home on the Potomac River but the weather did not cooperate. We really enjoyed our one day stay in Alexandria, Virginia on our way to Florida… so much that we decided to stop on our way back to New England. We made a reservation for two days at the Lorien Hotel and Spa in Old Town Alexandria. We stayed at the hotel on the first night of our trip to Florida. I was looking forward to visiting George Washington’s historic home just a few miles away but it rained. It seems that we can’t escape the rain except on our driving days…they have been dry. As soon as we get to our next destination, the weather turns gloomy and wet.

What is a girl supposed to do. You know that I am a foodie and love finding great restaurants no matter where I am in the world. My only option is to continue to sacrifice my body to added pounds and find restaurants that I think you might enjoy if you visit the area.

As soon as we arrived at the Lorien, we went for a walk because it was our travel day and it wasn’t raining. Our hotel is on King Street, the major street in Old Town.

King Street

It is fun to stroll along King Street, looking into all the windows of the boutiques, antique  shops and at the menus in the windows of the restaurants that line the street. We made a reservation at Vermilion for an early reservation the next evening…guess who took his wife there for Valentine’s dinner (the President). This trendy restaurant is a few blocks down the street from our hotel.

The President And First Lady Celebrated Valentine's Day At Vermillon

Just a block off King Street, you find wonderful historic homes. Many have been lovingly restored…others have building permits in their windows. Thank goodness people care about restoration in Alexandria.

Historic Homes

Back on King Street, we stopped to check out a tiny storefront restaurant, Hank’s Oyster Bar.We had heard wonderful things about this restaurant’s oyster happy hour. After looking at their menu, we knew that we would be staying for dinner as well.

We were standing in front of their door just when they opened and got their prime window table. This little unassuming restaurant did not disappoint. The oysters were extremely fresh…the platter contained two varieties from the Virginia waterways and one variety from Prince Edward Island.

Fresh Shucked Oysters At Hank's Oyster Bar

Our main courses were fresh seafood and they were prepared in a way that brought out their delicate flavors.

Grilled Scallops, Octopus, And Shrimp

Sea Scallops With Cauliflower Fondue, Sea Beans And Wild Mushrooms

Grilled octopus, scallops and shrimp with a watercress, red onion and fennel salad was delicious as was the sautéed sea scallops with cauliflower fondue, sea beans and wild mushrooms. A small bowl of broken dark chocolate came with the bill.

It was raining the next day and Mt. Vernon was not in our future on this trip.  Thank goodness for the internet. Within thirty minutes, we were heading to Falls Church, Va. for lunch at 2941 Restaurant which is owned by chef Bertrand Chemel. He grew up in France where he was classically trained and then moved to America where his mentor was Daniel Boulud. His cooking could be described as modern American with French and Mediterranean influences.

Maybe I should be doing a rain dance…in hopes of always finding such a great restaurant as the one we encountered on our rainy day. The dining room has a contemporary casual look with floor to ceiling windows looking out onto a beautiful wooded lake and small waterfall.

Lake View From The Floor To Ceiling Windows Of 2941

Lunch was great! We started with two “nosh” dishes…Labneh, a spiced ricotta and the black truffle mac and cheese croquettes.

Next was the “noodles” course. We had the forest delicacy which was wild mushrooms, parsnips and chervil topped with light sheets of pasta.

The Forest Delicacy

We also had the cheese raviolini with spiced cured duck leg.

Cheese Raviolini With Spiced Cured Duck Leg

We then had the “need” course. Foie gras topped veal tenderloin with sautéed spinach and sunchokes.

Foie Gras Topped Veal Tenderloin With Spinach And Sunchokes

Also, lobster risotto with foie gras.

Lobster Risotto With Foie Gras

Finally the “naughty” course, a carrot cake with white chocolate cream cheese frosting with candied pecans.

Carrot Cake With White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting And Candied Pecans

When we returned to the hotel, we cancelled the reservation at Vermilion and decided to have a simpler dinner. We chose to stay at our hotel and dine at Brabo Tasting Room.

Brabo Tasting Room

It was a great choice for a casual dinner. When we arrived, we were asked if we would like to sit at the communal table to avoid a wait and it was perfect. Everyone comments on all the dishes as they arrive at the table. We had two small plates to share for appetizers and a wood fired tart for the second course.

Assortment Of Pate, Roasted Peppers, Salami, Red Onion Marmalade, Caper Berries, And Hummus

Roasted Golden Beets, Arugula And Goat Cheese

Duck Confit, Roasted Mushrooms, Grilled Radicchio Wood Fired Tart With Balsamic Reduction

Every person that works at Brabo is so friendly and helpful and that makes for a great dining experience.

Chefs At Brabo Tasting Room

The perfect ending to a day all about food.

Hopefully, I’ll return to Alexandria sometime in the future and take you to Mt. Vernon.

Historic Charleston Revisited

Historic Charleston, South Caroline With One Of Its Many Steeples

The southern town of Charleston, South Carolina is so lovely that it deserves multiple visits to really get to know all of its’ hidden charms. That is exactly what my husband and I did on our road trip down to Florida and back. You may recall that we had stopped for one day  in Charleston but the lure of the picturesque city was calling us back as we headed north to our home in New England. Once again we stayed at the French Quarter Inn and were greeted with Champagne as we checked in.

French Inspired Bedroom

After unpacking and settling in to our French inspired  bedroom, we headed out to explore the city. The hotel is within walking distance of most everything that you want to visit and is right across from the restored markets.

Making Baskets For Over 70 Years

While walking through the market, I stopped and spoke with a woman who has made lovely sweetgrass baskets for over 70 years. The making of baskets has been handed down through her family from generation to generation. Her baskets are both beautiful and unusual.

Beautiful Handmade Sweetgrass baskets

Right outside the market you can find horse or mule draw carriages that will take you on a guided tour of the historic section of Charleston, stopping along the way to explain about the history of the beautiful homes and buildings from a century ago.

Carriage Ride Through Historic Charleston

It was a damp and gray day but Charleston is such a wonderful city for walking that we  decided to take a stroll so that we might peak down alleys and through garden gates. We discovered small hidden gardens,

Hidden Garden

some public with statues or fountains, others were private and very intimate.

Peek Through the Wrought Iron Gate To Find Hidden Garden

Walking always builds up your appetite, so we headed back to the hotel to enjoy the free wine and cheese reception and meet some of the other guests staying at the hotel.  Then it was upstairs to our room to change for dinner, a short walk away.

Tonight’s dinner reservation was at FIG. The initials stand for Food is Good and believe me it was. Chef Mike Lata was named Best Chef of the Southeast by the James Bread Foundation in 2010. The well known restaurant is renowned for its quality ingredients sourced from local farmers and growers. The restaurant feels like a combination of a neighborhood café and a little chic bistro.

Appetizers were classic yet served in a stylish and creative way. We started with a Wagyu beef carpaccio and chicken liver pâté.

Beef Breast Carpaccio, Pecorino And Crispy Potato

Main courses were a delicious slow baked snapper with artichoke-cauliflower grenobloise  and a suckling pig confit, with sautéed greens, roasted beets and mustard jus.

Slow Baked Snapper With Yukon Puree, Artichoke And Cauliflower Grenobloise

The next day, we were off again to explore the city. Unfortunately it was another drizzly day, but that couldn’t stop us. Thankfully the rain stopped and even though we didn’t have beautiful sun, we enjoyed our day of discovery.

Back Of The Old Custom House

The Circular Church

Historic Building With Wrought Iron Balcony

Historic Daughter Of Confederacy Building

We had made a reservation at Husk for lunch. This is probably one of the most well known restaurants in town and it didn’t disappoint.

Husk Restaurant

Husk is noted for its farm to table meals. After walking in the front door you see a chalk board that has a list of ingredients used in the days cooking and the farms they came from.

Smoky Wings With Charred Onion BBQ Glaze

We ordered to items from their snacks section of the menu to start…grilled crostinis with pimento cheese and country ham and SC smoky wings with charred onion BBQ glaze and Sea Island benne.

Vermillion Snapper With Carolina Gold Rice And Tomato Bacon Pole Beans

Lunch was SC shrimp and grits with braised peppers and onion and Surry sausage an a Vermillion snapper with Carolina gold rice and tomato bacon braised pole beans. We had to have two of their famous sides for the table…bacon cornbread and country ham braised greens. We would go back to Husk just for another helping of sides. They were the best we have ever had.

Our evening started with cocktails at The Gin Joint and should have ended there with some small plates. The Gin joint specializes in pre-Prohibition spirits. Their cocktails are made with the best quality ingredients and spirits. They are so particular about making the best cocktail that they juice their own fruit and make their own syrups. The many paged cocktail menu is full of slings, smashes, fizzes and fine small batch sipping spirits.

James Creates The Best Cocktail You Will Ever Have

After sampling two of their delicious cocktails, I can see why they have been written up so often in both local and national magazines and papers.

I don’t like to criticize restaurants…that is up to local reviewers. I have decided to make an exception and say that my tip of the day is not to go to Amen Street restaurant. The she crab soup was like eating a bowl of bland thick gravy. A salad of marinated tomatoes, hearts of palm and gorgonzola was sent back because it was uneatable. Oysters on the half shell were fine but shucked in the kitchen instead of out front. This has been the only restaurant on our entire trip that we left without ordering a main course. I don’t think I need to say more.

As much fun as we have had on our two brief stays…we are already looking forward to our next trip to Charleston, South Carolina. The historic city, the delicious food and the warmth of the people will keep us coming back for many years to come.

Vero Beach, See It Like A Native

I guess you could say this is a tale of two cities.  I did the post about Vero Beach titled Far from the maddening crowds of south Florida. The post showed you the town through the eyes of a tourist and now I’m going to show you another side through the eyes of a native.

Our son lives in Vero and we always spend a few days visiting. When we first arrived in Vero he was on a cruise so we stayed at the Vero Beach Hotel and Spa. After checking out, we moved to a lovely bed and breakfast. It is small and exclusive…so much so that it is by invitation only. Yes, we stayed at our son’s home and it was wonderful.

A beautiful room, hand made chocolates by the side of the bed and fresh flowers in the bathroom.

Our B & B

Bedside Chocolates

Lovely Flowers In The Bath

Don’t you wish you were family and could have an invitation? Of course when you live in Vero Beach, you know what is happening nearby and all the local hangouts.

We went to car show at the beautiful McKee Botanical Gardens which was established to preserve an 80 acre tropical hammock along the Indian River in Vero Beach. Communing with nature, hotrods and classic cars made me and my husband happy.

Car Show At McKee Botanical Gardens

Fresh Indian River Ruby Red Grapefruit

On the way back to our B & B we stopped at Hale’s for fresh Indian River Ruby Red Grapefruit.

Little Moir's Food Shack

Now only a native would think of driving down the coast 60 miles to Jupiter for dinner. “Don’t worry…it’s only an hour but worth it”.  Little Moir’s Food Shack is located in a nondescript shopping center but that doesn’t stop the crowds…less than an hour wait is what we were told. We waited next door at their separate little bar that serves beer, wine, and snacks. A special snack was the Scotch eggs with jalapeño.

Scotch Egg With Jalapeño

Boniato, Peanut & Scallion Crusted Yellowtail Snapper

Fresh seafood is what this restaurant is all about and that is what we all had for dinner.

Brunch was on the agenda for the next day in Fellsmere, Florida 20 miles northwest near the Blue Cypress Conservation area. The Marsh Landing Restaurant is in a historical building. The restaurant bills itself as serving  ”Florida Cracker” old fashioned home cooking.

Marsh Landing

Swamp Water Cocktail

Shrimp and Grits

You might want to be adventurous and have a Swamp Water cocktail and shrimp and grits with a homemade biscuit for brunch.

After brunch we went for another little ride to Sebastian about 10 miles away. Cocktails before dinner were had at Capt. Hiram’s Sandbar right on the river.

Capt. Hirams

You feel as if you could be in the Bahamas or at least the Keys… with the live music and sand at your feet.

As you can see, a native does know the little out of the way places where you can have a good time. If you don’t have family or friends in the area you are visiting, be sure to ask the locals what their favorite places are.

Far From The Maddening Crowds Of South Florida

In less than three hours driving time, you can be far from the maddening crowds of south Florida and enjoying the white sands and turquoise waters of Vero Beach, Florida. This small oceanfront community has all the sophistication of the Hamptons or Nantucket without the crowds. It is laid back enough that a pair of chinos, a polo shirt and boat shoes will get you into most restaurants. Sounds good, doesn’t it.

Vero Beach Hotel And Spa

Beachfront

Heated Pool

Add a beautiful oceanfront hotel, decorated in a West Indies style, with a heated outdoor pool and a lovely spa and you might think that you died and went to heaven. That is exactly what I thought when I first arrived at the Vero Beach Hotel and Spa. We have stayed at several of the Kimpton Hotels and this one has everything that you could wish for. As a matter of fact, I could live at this hotel.

Can you imagine staying in a suite (remember my tip about joining loyalty programs) with a beautiful bedroom, living and dining room, full kitchen, den and two baths. Add two balconies and you can understand why I thought I was in heaven.

West Indies Style Bedroom

Living Room

After sharing a glass of wine with other guests at the free happy hour in the lobby, we ate at the hotel’s restaurant…Cobalt. Delicious food and a nice choice of wines by the glass.

The next day we set out on a short drive to Ft. Pierce in search of fresh seafood. We wanted to find a little spot on the water like the restaurants we went to when we lived in Key Largo…a laid back little place with Jimmy Buffett music in the background and a good fish sandwich. We found the perfect place named, On the Edge, because of its location right on the water.

On The Edge Waterfront

On The Edge

Nothing fancy but a totally fun spot…even had fried pickles and smoked fish dip on the menu.

Smoked Fish Dip

Fried Pickle Chips

Fresh Tile Fish Sandwich

And yes, a fresh tile fish sandwich. We couldn’t have been happier.

Back in Vero, we discovered that a new restaurant had opened since our last visit to Vero Beach.  Their motto, “life is short, eat good food” inspired us to make a reservation for dinner. Citrus Grill is a lovely restaurant with an oceanfront porch for lunch or dinner outside.

Citrus Gril's Open Kitchen

We decided to eat inside and watch the action from the open kitchen.

linguine With Pancetta, Sweet Onion, Tomato, Butter And Parmesan

Fresh Crab Salad With Spicy Avocado And Red Grapefruit

The food was delicious, especially the pasta and crab salad.

The next morning with gentle breezes and sunshine (hooray), we decided to have breakfast outside on the terrace of Cobalt restaurant.

Shrimp and Chorizo Cake Eggs Benedict

Pelicans Flying Overhead

What a lovely way to end our stay at the hotel as we watched pelicans flying overhead and waves lapping the shore. Vero is a town that I could return to each and every year.

Hip and Happening Delray Beach

Miami, Florida has the reputation for trendy styles and great restaurants but don’t count out Delray Beach. Located between stylish Palm Beach and Boca Raton, Delray Beach is called the “Village by the Sea”. With a name like that, you would think of a quiet little beach town but in reality Delray is a lively resort town.

Atlantic Ave., the main street in downtown, is lined with palm trees and brick sidewalks. Stroll along the avenue and you will pass outdoor cafes and restaurants, art galleries and boutiques that sell everything from fun souvenirs to designer clothing. At night the sidewalks are packed with a young crowd waiting to get into the latest hot spot. Valets are parking high end cars for the not so young who have reservations at one of the town’s top rated restaurants.

A short distance from the ocean on Atlantic Ave. is The Seagate Hotel and Spa.

The Seagate Hotel And Spa

My husband and I always enjoy staying at The Seagate when visiting our youngest daughter who lives a couple of miles away.

Saltwater Fish Tank

The hotel has an upscale tropical feel with large saltwater fish tanks throughout the hotel and restaurant.

Tropical Flower Arrangement

Tropical floral arrangements are found throughout the hotel, with orchids placed on your bed at turn down.

Room At The Seagate

The rooms are lovely…with amazing bathrooms.  When the shuttered window between the bathroom and bedroom is opened, you can take a jacuzzi bath, resting your head on a terry pillow and watch the flat screen TV in the bedroom.

If you want to feel sand between your toes, you can take their trolley to their private Beach Club directly on the ocean.

Rainy days prevented us from outdoor activities so we ventured down the road to Boca Raton for a little shopping and lunch. One day we enjoyed lunch at Pinon Grill, a stunning restaurant serving New American food that was not only delicious but inventive as well.

Seared Tuna With Noodle Salad

Delicious Key Lime Pie

The next day, we headed to Mizner Park. This is shopping at its best “Florida style”.

Mizner Park Shopping "Florida Style"

There are many restaurants at Mizner Park. For lunch, we decided on Racks Downtown Eatery + Tavern that serves bistro style comfort food.

Racks Downtown Eatery + Tavern

Buffalo Style Calamari

Asian Style Fish Tacos

Our daughter knows that we are foodies and is quick to suggest restaurants that don’t disappoint. She picks the most interesting restaurants to try every time we are in Delray Beach. We have been to DADA, a very popular restaurant in a cute old house with outdoor seating and live music. The menu has fun comfort food. The Office calls itself a gastro pub, always busy and known for such items as truffled fries and maple bacon donuts for dessert. Right on Atlantic Ave. in downtown Delray is 32 East, a bistro that serves an ever changing daily menu of market fresh ingredients…fusion comfort food.

We always enjoy our time in Delray. Since we had drizzly, windy weather this trip, I couldn’t give you photos of this fun town. You will just have to use your imagination and wait until our next trip back to Delray Beach.

Suburban Florida And Chain Restaurants

Many of south Florida’s exclusive and gated communities lie at the doorstep of the Florida Everglades, literally building homes right to the very edge of the wetlands. The Everglades is one of the world’s largest (1,500,000 acres) subtropical wetlands. It is an endless expanse of swamps, marshes, and mangroves and is home to multitudes of wading birds, alligators and other critters.

People who are interested in eco vacations, can take tours given by the Seminole Indians of this area in a swamp buggy or air boat to learn more about this natural and interesting environment. Tip of the day…do this in the winter dry season. The same tour can be brutal during the summer. The hot and steamy summer is the rainy season and brings huge clouds of mosquitoes and other bugs that will surround you. That is when I refer to the area as “bug land”.

We travel to this suburban area, not for the flora and fauna, but to visit two of our children and grandchildren. It is Girl Scout Cookie time in south Florida and our granddaughter needed us to buy lots of cookies. How could you say “no” to our sweetie. Packing our car and driving south became our priority.

Little Miss K

We stay at the Weston Courtyard Marriott, a businessman’s hotel located just off the I-75 expressway and a short distance from two of our children. (I know, if you read my first post about this trip, we shouldn’t be staying at a hotel just off the Interstate). Each year when we arrive at the front desk of the Courtyard, Jose Diaz greets us by name with a big smile. This is not a boutique hotel, but Jose and the rest of the staff are friendly, the rooms are clean and the beds are comfortable. The hotel doesn’t have all the amenities that we like to have when traveling but it is convenient for visiting our family.

I think almost every chain restaurant in the country can be found in the surrounding area where our children live. My husband and I joke that in this area of the country, homes must not have kitchens because there are such long lines at every restaurant. The wait can be an hour or two for a table.  We have had good food at restaurants such as P. F. Chang’s for Chinese, Bonefish Grill for fresh seafood, and Las Vegas for Cuban food. If we want pizza, we head to our favorite… Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza.

A medianoche sandwich and tres leches cake at Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine .

Medianoche Sandwich

Tres Leche Cake

Seared tuna, “Bang Bang” shrimp and pan seared Wagyu beef dumplings at Bonefish Grill.

Seared Tuna

Bang Bang Shrimp

Pan Seared Wagyu Beef Dumplings

Roasted cauliflower pizza and salad with gorgonzola at Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza.

Roasted Cauliflower Pizza

Salad With Gorgonzola

If you are visiting south Florida, and find yourself in the suburbs, know that you can eat and sleep well.

Yacht Filled Waterways

Tropical warmth, yacht filled waterways and lush vegetation can mean only one thing. My husband and I have arrived in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, often called the Venice of America. If you have been following along, you know that we chose to drive down the east coast on Interstate 95 with stops in  Alexandria, Va. and Charleston, S.C. before reaching our destination of Florida to visit family and friends.

Ft. Lauderdale has long been a destination for people seeking to escape the cold of winter. Made famous in the movie Where the Boys Are, it has long been known as a wild party town for college kids on spring break. The city has worked hard to change that image and it  is now thought of as the yachting capital of the world by people associated with the boating industry.

Yacht Filled Waterways

Many people would choose a hotel on the beach with views of the Atlantic and ocean breezes. If you are young, single, have a perfectly tanned body and are ready to party, then the beach location would be perfect. If you are seeking a more tranquil, laid back Florida vibe with a little luxury, then you would be very happy staying at The Pillars.

We have been staying at smaller, boutique hotels on this trip and The Pillars is perfect. It is a member of the Small Luxury Hotel group and only has eighteen rooms. Instead of being located on the beach, it is located on the Intercoastal Waterway with views of mansions and yachts docked outside the huge homes.

Mansions With Yachts In The Back

The charming hotel is decorated in a modern deco style with dark woods, white walls, large mirrors, black and white photos, and original art. It has a casual yet sophisticated feel. The friendly ambiance and personalized service will keep us coming back to this lovely hotel.

Upon check in, we were offered a glass of wine which we enjoyed poolside with our friends who flew in from Connecticut to meet us. (That explains why we couldn’t stay longer in Alexandria or Charleston.) It is always nice to unwind at the end of a long day of driving and this spot couldn’t have been nicer.

Relaxing Poolside At The End Of A Long Drive

The hotel has a very nice restaurant. If the weather is nice, you can eat out on the dock for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

You Can Eat Dockside On A Nice Day

The evening was very windy and threatening rain so dinner was served inside in the lovely small restaurant. All four of us enjoyed delicious fresh seafood.

Roasted Chilean Sean Bass With Cauliflower

Pan Seared Snapper With Pineapple Rice

Grey And Windy Day Poolside

The next day was cloudy and very windy so it was not a good day for sitting out by the pool. (I know…it is winter and I can’t complain that I can’t sit by the pool. There is snow on the ground and it is freezing at home. I can dream though, can’t I.)  We decided to drive down to Miami Beach and have lunch at the world famous Joe’s Stone Crab restaurant.Joe’s doesn’t take reservations and the wait for dinner can be hours. Tip of the day…go to Joe’s for lunch. Order their famous cole slaw, creamed spinach, hash browns and of course,  their world famous stone crabs with mustard sauce.

The Famous Stone Crab Meal

This is beginning to make up for not getting a little tan today (see…I’m still dreaming). Now there is just one thing left to make this the perfect meal, key lime pie for dessert.

Key Lime Pie

This restaurant has changed over the years, but one thing remains the same…you must go to Joe’s. After you have had your meal or if you must wait for a table, take a walk around the restaurant. There is a lovely courtyard with beautiful tropical plants, antique clocks everywhere and great black and white photos of early Florida.

Photos of Times Past

Our time in Ft. Lauderdale felt like a real vacation.  Now this may sound strange to you but when we travel to Florida we are going to visit family and friends. We lived in Florida for years…it was home. We didn’t do touristy things…it was home. This trip was different because I was with new friends, you my readers.

I wanted to look at Florida through your eyes…as a first time visitor. I hope you have enjoyed this visit as much as I have.