A week at the Beach (starting FD)

  Hello Everyone,

It's that time of year: we're at the beach! (Okay, beach should be in quotation marks since there is no real sign of sand and surf where we are staying, but it's the thought that counts, right?)

We drove down yesterday.  It was 4 and a half hours from Bloomsburg; we are staying near Ocean City, Maryland, (not the other one) -- the rental says it is in Berlin, which has been publicized as a wonderful, quaint small town, but we are really 9 miles from there.  Yes, it's confusing.

Anyway, about the rental unit.  We were not surprised by the abstract, but the concrete, on the ground has been eye-opening.

You may remember that we stayed last May in a "Caravan" (Br. for trailer) in Cornwall and really liked it.

Well, this place is a cottage (MD for trailer, maybe "near" a beach) that is essentially a double-wide trailer.  It's moderately nice as such things go, but we've decided it's not as big or nice as the one in Cornwall.

First, there's no half bath, which is important when there are 3 of us. 

Second, the bedrooms are so small -- how small are they? -- you can't turn around in them.  

Third, there's a serious lack of amenities.  The place sleeps six (there's a pullout sofa) but there are only 4 bowls, 4 plates, 4 coffee cups, and minimal cutlery.  There are only four seats at the table out on the porch (there's not room for said table anywhere inside).  One wonders what a group of six would do.  Actually, I keep trying NOT to think.  Gives me the eeby-jeebies.

Fourth, there is no dishwasher, washer/dryer OR oven!!!! No, no oven.  A two hob stove.  You are purportedly supposed to cook here, but there's not much in the way of how. 

I had to go to the Food Lion (which isn't a mile away, thankfully, there's lots of eateries nearby) to get: salt and pepper (there wasn't a single staple in the place), a measuring cup, a strainer, and a cheese grater.  That was all to make jarred spaghetti for dinner last night. 

The "main" bedroom (which is the one without a bunk bed above the headboard) has a closet in it that's locked and takes about 1/4 of the square footage.  There is literally nowhere to hang clothes, except for some hooks on the wall.  Old school.  F hangers!  

Other than that, Mrs Lincoln,...we'll survive.  But it ain't glamping. (I'll leave the picture till the end)

Today, we went to the beach.  It was nice.  Both the weather and the beach itself were just right -- though the sand when we got there was too hot to walk on.  Here's the money shot:

Now, let's do a "food porn back track."

On the way down we stopped and had "brunch" (lunch?) at First Watch in Christiana, Delaware.  Back in the day, K and I used to hang there. BK, as they say.  There was no First Watch there then, of course. 

We all got something Mexican for brunch.  Here's the trio:

Barbacoa breakfast tacos (mine)

Barbacoa chiliquiles (K)

Steak and queso hash (EH's)

We ate dinner "in."  As you have heard.

But one joy of this place is there is an ice cream place 129 feet (acc to Google) from our cottage.  We went there last night.  It was acceptable. I got a loyalty card (not that it is a commitment, since there are 5 other ice cream places between here and the today's beach, 1.5 miles away). 

This morning we went out for Father's Day.  There was a place with a respectable rating .3 of a mile from the cottage.  Called Surfside Rooster.  I can't make it make sense. :)

Here's that ensemble:

Their standard bennie and...

Their Nashville hot chicken bennie.  (I had an omelet)

And, oh, yes, their signature cinnamon roll --

It was definitely a sugar delivery system.  😂

And, then, for dinner tonight we went to Smoker's BBQ Pit, which is about .4 from the cottage.  I was asked as we pulled in if I had read the reviews. 😂🤣  It turned out to be quite adequate -- though we are spoiled by the pit in Spring (TX).  Here are the requisite photos:

Obviously, ribs. 

The 3 meat platter, brisket (nearest), chicken (farthest top left), and pork.  

No one claimed the brisket was to die for.  It was a funny Tweet today that Europeans disliked America and then they discovered brisket. 😀

And that's the first two days.  There are plans, especially as there are calls for rain several days.  We might even go up in the Ferris wheel!  Woo wee!  

But, till there's something else worth blogging, I bid you howdy. 

A Mammoth clown show

Today we played Mammoth Dunes golf course.  The logo is brill, as they say --

It was designed by one of the hot new(er) things in golf architecture, David McLay Kidd (famous for courses at Bandon Dunes, Oregon, see blog in 2021).

We were warned that it was named Mammoth both so they could use the logo, but also as a testament to its size.  

The last green was the size of half a football field (yes, that's huge for a golf green).

I'm going with one picture so you can have an idea of the size of the place -- 

But it was crazy shit.  When you are told "don't look at that flag, but look fifty yards left and hit it there because there's bank..." and, of course, our man Tim was right, but...

And putting.  First, Tim said the greens were unfair today.  The starter said they were at 12, which was faster than they wanted them, but they hadn't cooperated this spring.  They were slicker than snot sometimes.  

And you had to putt through the clown face.  A lot.  "Up this bank, down, and back..." Tim would say.  "you can't go straight at it but you can bend it..."

It was either really fun (not really), or really ugly and frustrated (a bunch).  

But I started with a winner -- I told the starter, Tim and RR the "tip the caddy" story from St. Andrews ten years ago.  It is JBroLaw fav. 😂  The starter said he was going to laugh all afternoon about that one. 😂😂😂

We had a couple moments on the back nine.  First, I used the bank on a short par 3 (#13) and hit the ball to 3 feet.  And made the putt.  After we both didn't birdie the driveable 14, RR nailed two shots on 15 and had 5 feet for eagle on the par 5.  He didn't make it, but a tap in birdie was good.  His first of the week (I should say "too" since that one on 13 was my first).  But those were nice highlights. 

On the next tee, Tim (our caddy, remember from two days ago?) says this is a bit confusing and he'd had one player stand looking the wrong way and Tim told him it was a long carry. 😂. Eventually he told the guy to turn around and "Oh!"   Haha.

OC, I had to tell the story from February when our playing companion hit to the wrong hole from the fairway at Spanish Bay.  Then I had to tell Tim the fuji-ki joke (RR said he'd heard it not too long ago), which he really liked.  I told him if he used he owed me a dollar.  He said next time he saw me he'd probably owe me 10 or 15 dollars.  😂

We finished 18, both old men still moving, without noticeable injuries, and having rather enjoyed ourselves for several days, despite the millions of steps. 

Let's go back.  We started the day by going next door and having breakfast at Romano's. (Let me say that it's sort of a Steve coda to not eat breakfast at a pizza place, but it was right next door...) We were literally literally (I had people like that one from the last blog 😁) the only people in the place.  We sat at the bar and eventually a guy came out from the back to wait on us.  He was about as Wisconsin sluggo as you could be -- ball cap, beard, Romano's tee, jeans that hung too low.  And he was a winner for personality.  "How you doing?"  "Terrible.  All this work to do..." and went in the back.  RR told me to not try anymore repartee. 😂. "It seems somebody didn't show up."   After grumpy had taken our orders, a woman came in, put her purse on the bar and looked through it, then went into the back and reappeared as our wait person.  Ah, the missing person who was causing grumpy to deal with us, along with the many other onerous tasks of his life. 

There breakfast was fine -- oversized -- and here's your prerequisite picture, my ham and cheese omelette. 

Dinner was nachos (which were huge) over drinks after round.  My phone was dead and RR's was in his golf bag, so no pic. ):

****

Yesterday started earlier than the other days -- we had a 1030 tee time.  At Sedge Valley, so we all remember if any of us ever need to.  They had "grab and go breakfast", so RR and I had breakfast sandwiches which were iffy.  The "sauce" had something spicy in it, which I wasn't ready for.  RR didn't eat half his because he doesn't like that much bread.  (yeah, we're all funny).  The best part might have been Ashley, the register person, telling us the ingredients of a Transfusion, a drink RR had never heard of till this trip. 🤷. I tried to get him to try one at the last snack shed today but he demurred. :) 

The golf yesterday was okay.  We both played a bit better, but one part of the big news was the weather.  After a first day of winds (the weather app had swirlies for the first two hours) and overcast and chill, today the sun was out and there was no wind (which golfers pretty much love).  Tim said Tuesday's wind of the usual here. 

The other memorable thing was our playing partner.  Youngish guy (remember I'm a septuagenarian) strolls up in Tom Cruise sunglasses and shorts and an untucked polo!!!  It wasn't THAT warm.  "where you from, bro?"  "Alaska."  😂😂😂

Turns out Mike was originally from Crawfordsville and RR had his Wabash hat on and he said he grew up 3 blocks from campus.  Old home week.  We all said small world.  His best friend in high school was the soon of a guy who played football when we were there and now works at the college, and, of course, RR knows.  They talked about him for a few minutes.  

He hit the ball with a grunt and he hit in high and we thought long, though he said he hit it quite a bit farther in high school, when he routinely hit it 300.  But he struggled with his wedge game, which he admiteed and lamented.  He was a wild ride to watch, going from easy-looking birdies to the one hole he played from the foliage into a large sand trap.  We, meanwhile, pretty much stayed out of the foliage, but one way or another found the sand a lot. ):

We returned to our post game routine of beers and wings at the The Clubhouse (that is it's official name0 and rested and tried to figure out how our old bones had survived. 

 Our adventure post-golf was to go to the "big city" -- Wisconsin Rapids (you are forgiven if you've never heard of it and/or can't place in on a map).  RR had never eaten at a Culver's (yes, they have them in Indy -- he doesn't get out much), so that was our goal.  He loves cheese curds (in fairness, he just loves food), and I told him about them at Culver's. 

He said they weren't much different than the ones at the restaurant the first night. :) 

And then "home" to crash early.  

Mammoth logo:

So, now, to bed and up "early" tomorrow and on the road back.  

Great trip.  Loved the facilities.  Great company.  RR has even pushed to return.  A good sign. 

Till next time...maybe during our beach trip next month.  

Manana...

PS To the comment about pizza, the restaurant at Sand Valley does pizza.  Always telling when their own wait staff tell you someplace else is better. :)

This place is Cheesy

Hi Avid Readers, 

Here we are again.   This time I'm in Wisconsin -- don't ask where because, as one guy said today, all of Wisconsin is the middle of nowhere.  :)

I'm with RR (from the St. Louis trip); I decided to stick with the RR acronym because he and I understand it and even his children don't. :). 

We are here for 3 days of golf.  There is food porn today, but we are in the middle of nowhere Wisconsin, so keep those expectations low (unless pictures of cheese curds get you going :))...

This is a picture of today's course from the first tee...just to give you some visual idea.  It's called Sand Valley and it's not a misnomer. 

We are amazed there is the quality golf resort here.  Who knew about the sand??!?!!?  

Anyway...

The trip started in PA with K joining me.  I dropped her at her brother's near 'busco (I'll let those who don't know ruminate) and went on to RR's.  

He and I went to dinner Sunday evening. I asked for Italian (shocked face, right?) and he knew this good place in downtown Zionsville (a block from the Salty Cowboy of earlier trips).  It was very good. 

He had the squid ink and lobster, which I know some of you like to see.  
 I had the more boring bolognese.  

Monday morning we started the 6 1/2 hour drive before breakfast and stopped at this diner in Veedersburg.  It was old fashioned, all right, with metal advertising signs on the walls -- RR lusted after a Shell oil one.  Here's a HALF order of biscuits and gravy.

Any time you're near there, stop in.  (ar ar) It was great.  

We got to the resort and explored and decided to play the par 3 course, which is right next to the main clubhouse. 

The story that RR thought needed to be put in the blog is this: we're playing the par 3 course yesterday and on the 11th hole.  He's standing on the right side of the tee box and😂 I hit a decent shot, but it hops up on the left side of the green, grabs the hump there and turns right, but its long.  Or so we thought!  It hits a hump in the back center of the green (he hit his ball deep on this portion and had an impossible putt) and turns toward the hole...and gets closer and closer and...it looks to me like it disappears (well, it does)!

I turn to him (I'm sure I gave some sort of yelp) and go for a high five and he looks at me funny and turns and looks behind him like I'm waving to someone. 😁😂 He high fives me and he says "what?" and I said I thought it was in.  He says, "no..." and I step over and from his angle you can see the ball sitting up, close to the hole. 😞. He steps over to where I hit from and says, "no, you can't see it, but the pin is blocking it"...

Bummer.  But the whole "give me five" and him looking over his shoulder was priceless. 😂

***

We had sandwiches in the bar at the clubhouse and came back to the Airbnb in the dark and I watched the NBA game (the Athletic headline said it was the best of the last decade) and RR crashed.  

We were up slowly this morning (we had a 1 o'clock tee time) and caught the breakfast at the clubhouse. (I googled and there's not another decent restaurant for 20 minutes). They have a buffet. 

We were literally, and I mean literally literally 😂, the only ones in the place, shortly before 10.  

I get my coffee and Sabrina, our server, is hanging around the table and I say "hey, do you think I could have some sugar?"  She leans over like she's going to kiss me.  Then pulls back really quick and says, "oh...I lost myself for a second...." She gets me sugar and tells us that she was listening to the Archies "Sugar, Sugar" in the shower this morning because it reminded her of her mother.  I'm just reporting here.  🤷

It rained part of the morning and RR worried about getting wet.  Then he worried about being cold.  He said "I only play golf in fair weather."  Ha ha.  Not on the next two trips, buddy. 

It was 58 with a real feel of 50 at tee time, with a wind of 20+ mph.  It reminded, but warmer, of our day at Royal Lytham. 

The funniest part of the round was our caddy, Tim's take on RR's bag. First, it's a Sun Mountain bag in camouflague (yes, I made the joke in front of the check-in people that I couldn't see his bag and one of them said "what bag" 😂 comedy golf).   Tim lifted it, put it down, lifted it.  "How many balls you have in there?" "About 18" "You aren't going to need that many, get rid of at least three sleeves."  He did.  And that seemed to make Tim happy enough.  (Later in the day I asked Tim how he was doing and he said "About average." 😂).  RR was impressed with Tim that this is his SUMMER home!!! He lives in northern Minnesota in the winter and loves to speed on snowmobiles.  Claimed to have had one up to 95 mph!!!  RR and I discussed how grown up caddies were a different bread. 

The golf course was good.  Despite people comparing them, today's course was not a challenging, ie as good, as the two links courses at Bandon.  But, despite the wind, we had a good time, hit a few good shots, and came away tired as hell, but okay with the golf today.  We agreed the putting was difficult; we played with two guys, Brent and Blake (I didn't make it up) who could really play and they struggled like we did with speed control on the greens.  And I had some long-ass putts -- one was 102'. 

Then we made it back tot he airbnb.  There's a pizza place next door that our server this morning said was the best pizza around.  So we tried it. 

RR went over first and grabbed a six pack. He said they looked like him like he was an alien -- he was the only one in golf gear and everyone else was in flannel and jeans. 😂 

When we got there they had the baseball game on four of the five screens -- F the NBA playoffs! -- and a car show on the 5th.  And they were rooting for the Cubs over the Brewers!!!!  Amanda, our hostess.bartender.cook, told us it was a "Chicago bar". 

Here's the pizza, which was really v good.   RR brought home the leftovers for pre-breakfast. :)

And here's a shot of the bar -- obviously from RR. 

We played pool, RR won 2 of 3, and came back so I could do this. 

It's been fun.  Hoping for a little better weather and a lot better golf tomorrow.  Going to explore after our "earlier" round. 

Till then...

[insert appropriate clever title having to do with Spring, or Texas, or both]

 So, just like that, it's our last night.

Since last I reported in we had a crappy brunch; visited KG's course; picked up barbq, returned to KG's course; went to baseball game (yeah, rah, Cardinals won); played golf in mild "Houston" conditions this morning, then went to dinner tonight at a place chosen by KG. 

Baseball game pic first:

Astros park is always a good place to see a game and we got pretty much right into central Houston and into our parking space, across the street from the park, easily.  St. Louis scored early and often in winning 9-4, in a game that took longer than games should. 

A significant portion of going to a baseball game is the other goings-on.  At Phillies park, it is often the Phanatic that highlights things.  Daikin Park, aka "the Juice Box" as Dbrolaw claims it'll always be known, no matter who the sponsor it (from its opening till recently the title sponsor was MinuteMaid) has a railroad car (you can see it just below the windows) that blows it's whistle and rolls if the 'stros hit a home run.  They hit 3 last night. Whoopdy doo. 

The funniest people around us were either the women behind us who never stopped talking, or the family of 3 to my right who came in late.  It made for interesting talk: KG and I were sure it was a grandfather, his daughter, and her son.  Multi-generational.  Gramps sat next to me and was definitely older and was not patient with the game.  After the second review of the inning, he said to me "I have to get out of here" and he and the grandson got us all to let them out of the row.  They were gone and gone and gone.  K asked at one point if they were coming back.  🤷. Then she got up and wanted out and said something like "I guess I have to go find them now..." and, with that attitude, left.  

They came back an inning or two later, not long before we left.  I told him we had an early tee time and he said "good for you."  Fast friends. 😁

I won't bother with pictures of yesterday morning's breakfast.  We discussed where to go; K said "they have one of those broken eggs like we liked in Siesta Key."  When we got in the car I put it in the google maps and we pulled in the parking lot.  K said "it's supposed to be 'Another Broken Egg'" and this was the broken yolk.  😁. They need to break their yolks better.  Meh. 

Lunch from the Corkscrew was delicious.  Corkscrew BBQ in downtown Spring has a Michelin recommendation (not an actual star).  It claims to be first BBQ joint to have such status.  And it is a joint!  There are maybe 10 tables inside, and it's very wood everything interior, dark and (hee hee) smoky, and there's a big covered lot with picnic tables.  They serve on trays and paper plates.  

The upside is the bbq is smoked with red oak that gives it a distinctive color and flavor.  Here's a stock shot of my plate. 

It's okay if you get meat sweats from looking at it.

For reasons no sane person understands, KG took today off BUT set up our tee time for 7:56.  You may understand that most days, almost EVERY day, I am not UP at 7:56, let alone dressed and at the golf course, ready to go.  It was a struggle. 

But we had a good time.  The course was jam packed so we didn't get to go quickly, but the weather was okay (started at 7:56 around 75, got into the low 80s, with high humidity and cloud cover).  It started raining right after we finished (whew!)...

It's funny hanging around KG's work and the staff trying to be nice to you and say nice things about him (he's the GM and they all talk about him being "the boss").  The marshal today told me that we had done a good job raising him, which is always nice to hear.  There was discussion of his golf game, which none of them has seen since he hasn't played there since he started work there last June.  He was given shit several times about hitting from the back tees. 😂 I told the starter that I'd hit from the middle of the fairway if he'd let me, but I could get no takers on that. 

We returned to Thursday's brunch place for brunch, which was again good.  Here's a pic of what KG had, which you can figure out because I didn't hear what he ordered and couldn't tell what it was.  He and I were fan of their pineapple mimosas, though. :)

Okay, we didn't really come all this way to JUST eat, no matter what this blog indicates. 😂

Tonight's dinner was at a place called Chef's Table, which was about 25 minutes southwest of where we are staying.  KG knew of it because one of his staff members used to work there.  

Our server was Denise.  I'm not saying I had my A-game, but even before dessert Denise said she had put my picture up over the door on the way out (so I knew I wasn't allowed back 😂),  The "chef" is a guy named Paul, who is South African and so one of the things he does is South African game.  This was, OC, a setup for multiple jokes, which Denise went along with. 

Start with the appetizers, garlic naan and braised porkbelly:

For entrees we had Beef Wellington, summer squash ravioli, and KG had the South African lamb, plated to supposedly look like it was high in the mountain clouds. 🙄

It was excellent.  I made the appropriate "not boot" comment about the Wellington. :)  At one point Denise let someone else serve us and I wondered if I had scared her off.  This is when I got the "your picture is up already" comment. :)

We finished with dessert, the most distinctive being their toffee cheesecake.  Here: 

There were tearful good-byes as we have a very early flight tomorrow morning (talk is of leaving the airbnb at 5!!! there was also talk about what I was thinking when I booked it :)), so we are about done with this trip.

Although much shorter (we stayed a full week in September), we enjoyed this trip because we were 4 minutes from KG's, which made meeting, etc, a lot more convenient.  And we got to know the part of town that he calls home, at least some.  We plan on being back for Christmas.  Be ready, Denise! 

Till next time...your intrepid blogger. 

Return to Houston (not like the astronauts) and food porn

 Hey, everyone!

Yes, we're in Houston for a few days, visiting KG; his mother hasn't seen him since December 😢 

OK, let's start with oddity #1: the "flight" from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton airport, aka Avoca (the small town between that the airport is actually in, thus the airport 3LC -- AVP), was a bus ride to Philly. 

Turns out this is a new thing.  American, and a couple other airlines in places, have started bussing people from nearby regional airports to bigger hubs.  The one story was about a guy getting on a bus at O'Hare thinking it was taking him to the plane to South Bend.  And then he was on the road to South Bend. 

It's a thing.  Like us yesterday (and the trip from O'Hare to South Bend), I would think traffic would be an issue, but what do I know?  We got stuck on 476 for awhile, but made it in plenty of time. 

It was 5 o'clock, so we tried to figure out what to grab for our flight for "dinner" (there wasn't really lunch) -- we ended up getting sandwiches at the place pretty much nearest our gate.  I looked longingly on down the concourse at the place with cheesesteaks...😢

By the time we at them, mine was a chicken parm, K's was a meatball sub, they were not good.  And the side of fries were cold cardboard.  Not a good start to eating experiences on this trip. 😢

But today we made up for it.  First, I found this place called the Craft Beer Breakfast Club and their food was great.   I had the chiliquiles and K had the chicken fried steak (the fact the chicken wasn't frying a chicken was probably a sign of a good restaurant)

Then we went out and saw KG at his course and looked over the new parts -- they've almost finished a new restaurant there.  We were told we could see him at dinner and off we went on a minor adventure. 

Stop one was College Station, about 90 minutes away, home of Texas A&M.  I had heard people say it might be the ugliest college town in America and today I don't doubt it.  It wasn't as bad as I had heard it depicted, but it's a pretty blah topography and you come in past the golf course, which looks like the ag school should put more work into.  

The dominant building is, OC, the stadium, which is very much looming over campus.  It is about the size of the one at Penn St, but it is a bit out away from campus.  The other buildings are modern looking and made a a brownish stone or brick that is...well, not charming.  Here's your requisite Kyle Field shot.

Next stop was Blue Bell creamery.  I've never been a huge fan of their ice cream and today sealed it.  It was okay, but I now know why Ben & Jerry and Haagen Daz became a thing with their much more intense flavors.  The Dutch chocolate definitely didn't have enough chocolate kick. 

FYI the blue bells were gone for the season, which I think was the real reason we were there. 

Back to "Houston" (KG lives in Spring, which is a northern suburb, so we don't often go into Houston proper) and as I drove, then napped, KG and K made dinner plans. 

Turned out to be a place we had eaten before.  I'm not going to look it up to see what I thought last time, but this time the waiter, Celso, tried to be entertaining.  He really wasn't.  The banter about "I will get you whatever you want and don't be in a hurry" was okay, but only needed to hear it once.  

K had the huge special, a bone-on filet (yes, you got that right), with a cherry and cab sav reduction.  KG had the strip "oscar style"....I had chicken with risotta, which was good, but not worth a picture. 

Tomorrow we are having Michelin star barbq from Corkscrew (you have to order ahead), and then going to the Cardinals-Astros baseball game.  Maybe the center piece of the trip?

Manana. 

St Louis is Fair (to Purdue)

So, Faithful Readers, 

Our time in the Arch City is over.

Those of you who half follow "ball" will know that Purdue won Sunday morning/afternoon by ten over Miami.  Here is a picture from out seats -- not too bad. 

It was not the easiest game on K, as Purdue decided to play blase for the first half, trailing at halftime by 2.  They took the lead at the 18:30 mark and never relinquished it, building to athe 10-point finish.

ICYMI they advance to San Jose for a game at 4:10 California time Thursday.  It gave us little chance to get home and get on a plane to Cali, so we forewent the opportunity.  ):   (not that the airfare would have put us off AT ALL!!!) 

We ended up Sunday night at a local place called Grace's, where the only meal that was photographed was RR's fried catfish -- 

Grace is a down home fried place -- I had chicken fried chicken (I didn't actually seeing a chicken frying it), K had their shrimp dish, and EH had ??? (I've slept since then). 

We were up and out the airbnb, which we liked, although it failed in two of my main criteria (towels and shower -- I think it's the longest I've ever had to stand and wait for hot water to appear!).  Still, it was good. 

Then we ate a second time at Chris's, although EH had another place selected but didn't say anything till we were sitting at the table. 🤷

Then RR drove his back to Indy; the highlight was a stop at the Indiana Welcome Center, which looked like an Indy 500 museum.  It even had an Indy car in a case in the middle of the building! And had a starter's pole out front.  We suggested they should spend more money on the pavement and less on that, but who are we to say?

Back in Indy, RR left us to dinner on our own, so we hit HC Tavern in Fishers, which is run by the same people as the famed St. Elmo's.  They even had the famed shrimp cocktail, which EH and I split.  EH had never had it and you should have seen her face when she took her next bite -- she wasn't ready for how hot the horseradish made the sauce.  It's nostril clearing! 

EH and I had the opened-face steak sandwhich.

K had the shrimp and pasta (see a pattern?)

EH had this drink; I know that's a fig and there's a special ice cube.

And then we came home today.  No problem. 

We have tentative plans to go back to Indy next week --  🤞🤞🤞

If not then, our next trip is to Houston in three week's.  Until then....

 

St. Louie #2 (with food porn)

 Hey everybody -- 

It was our nth day in St. Louis (was that first day really a day?) and we took it easy between basketball games. 

An editorial comment: some whiney readers have acted confused by the initials that I use.  To remind you, K is my life partner, EH is my daughter, and RR is my college friend from Indy (he's had to explain the RR to his kids...or thought he might have to 🤣).  I doubt there will be any others today.

Today's big adventure was the St. Louis Aquarium.  After brunch, RR said "let's just go down to Union Station and park and see what we can do."   That was the plan.

Union Station was a big deal back when as a railroad (I won't use RR because SOMEONE will get confused :) )depot -- they had the World's Fair and Olympics here not long after the railroad opened in the late 1890s.  There's an aquarium in the old train shed, along with a bunch of other businesses, including a hotel, eateries, and then there's a Ferris wheel nearby.  And a large koi pond (trivia: did you know koi can live up to 200 years? seems fishy, but that's what the sign said). 

So we did the aquarium.  We all agreed we like aquariums. 

But first...they said there was a train to the aquarium.  We got "on" and found we were in a room that was meant to look like an old train car and it had screens for windows.  We were told to not look if you got motion sick.  And then the screens raised and it showed the station in XXX and we rolled out and eventually, no, I'm not making this up, took flight over St. Louis.  Yes, I understood the instruction about looking away.  Then we ended up IN the Mississippi River, which seems a negative thing to do if you are a train.  Anyway, it was not for my age group (as RR attested :) ) and we went in.

It was a good aquarium.  I liked this picture --

of the pretty coral.   Or here's one of the glass fronted clock (you can see all the fish inside) in the waiting room for the train. 

After walking around a bit, we decided we were okay with going back to the AirBnB, turning on the basketball (there really wasn't a good game) and hunting down ice cream. 

Brunch (to swing back) was found by EH, who deserves credit, in a neighborhood near Washington of St. Louis campus.   It was in a garden center.  

The food was outstanding.  As RR said, a cut above yesterday's and twice as expensive.  Let's start with the appetizer K and EH got -- a pistachio tea cake. 

EH had a breakfast burrito. 

I had the churro waffle -- it has la dulce sauce on it. 

And RR had the crab cake bennie. 

All was good. A+. The place's name is Bowood. 

After some short naps and the end of a game, EH and I made the hot walk (it was 85 again today) to the local ice cream shop -- Serendipity.  

That's mine.  I had not had ice cream in four days, so I was going through withdrawal.  Not kidding. The top flavor is Take Me Out to the Park, which is flavored like Cracker Jacks (get it? :)) and the bottom was Gold Coast, a dark, dark chocolate that wasn't quite sweet enough, but strong cocoa to the point of slight bitterness.  EH had the mundane mint chip.  I finished my two scoops faster than she ate her one (there was a long explanation as to why) :) 

[period of time elapses, in case you think we went straight from ice cream to dinner]

EH made dinner reservations in The Hill neighborhood; they have road signs with their name on Italian flag colors.  She chose Italian.  We even got lucky and found a spot in their too small parking lot (somewhere here I am supposed to say what a good job RR has been doing of driving, so here it is.  No irony here.  No, none. :)) 

It was as genuine an Italian restaurant as McGurk's was an Irish pub.  White table cloths, Italian music, and so on.  So we went big on Italian food.

RR had the lobster bisque to start (K and I had a Caesar -- it was the week of the Ides of March).

EH had the seafood risotto.  

RR had the veal marsala, with its side of angelhair. 

The pictures of my lasagana and K's branzino didn't come thro (operator error).

We were stuffed; RR failed his much repeated goal of being in the clean plate club.  WE brought boxes (and dessert) home.

Worth noting is that the townhouse next to us is the home of a motorcycle club.  This morning they had a gigantic smoker rolling; about 20 bikes showed up in the afternoon.  They had a full pig on the smoker -- it has smelled good all day (laced with marijuana smoke).  I saw the town security car come by this afternoon and stop and give them a long look, then roll on.  They've been pretty quiet, so, NBD, but it's been interesting. 

The Purdue game is at 11 in the morning.  WE're going to grab a breakfast and hit the arena.  #BoilerUp