That's Amore

Pasquale's
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After hearing several reviews from friends about how amazing Trattoria Pasquale is, I knew I had to try it out for myself. My mom and I scheduled a dinner date there one evening last week, and all of the wonderful reviews I've been hearing about were absolutely true. It's a smaller restaurant, very unassuming from the outside, located in a shopping plaza off of S. Manhattan Ave. in south Tampa. The interior is eclectic and filled with Italian memorabilia, local sports jerseys, and pictures of famous celebrities eating spaghetti. Luigi, the owner, spent the evening walking around hugging and engaging in conversation with all of the regulars; it seemed as though everyone there was a piece of his extended family. Even as new customers, he made us feel incredibly welcomed and greeted us as if he had known us for years. 

We started with an order of the bruschetta as an appetizer. I could have put that balsamic glaze on everything I ate for the next week, it was so delicious. For dinner, my mom tried the eggplant parmesan and I had the butternut squash ravioli special. Mine came in a light mushroom cream sauce, which paired so well with the sweetness of the butternut squash. My mom's eggplant was just as delicious. We found each other continuously swapping bites from the others plate. To top it all off, we could't leave without a slice of tiramisu. I could eat their tiramisu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We loved every aspect of our experience there and will most certainly be back! 

International Typewriter Day

Inkwood Book Store
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Did you know this past Tuesday, June 23rd, was International Typewriter Day? I visited the independent bookstore, Inkwood Books, on my way into work for a little typewriter enthusiast celebration. Inkwood Books hosted Tampa Type and The Paper Seahorse's typewriter bar where visitors could stop in and use any of the typewriters to type up a letter or vintage postcard. If you are unfamiliar, The Paper Seahorse is a paperie + makerie located off of South Howard Avenue in Tampa. The Paper Seahorse features a shop filled with stationery, letterpress goods, and paper crafts. Did you know they also host workshops and classes? I have yet to attend a class, but there are so many throughout the summer that there truly is something for everyone. The owner of The Paper Seahorse's husband runs Tampa Type. They have such a beautiful collection of typewriters that if I had enough money, I would purchase them all! If you are ever interested in learning more about how to use and care for a typewriter, Tampa Type also offers several classes and hosts various events. Several of their typewriters are listed for sale and you could even rent them for an upcoming event. Tampa Bay Times even did a short article and video overviewing the event if you care to see, here. 

Taco, Taco, Ice Cream

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A few days ago Ryan came into town for a dentist appointment and stayed for dinner over in Tampa. I took him to Cali Tacos To Go for the Guy Fieri special: two tempura battered grouper tacos, fully loaded, with hot sauce. Ryan clearly gave his two thumbs up seal of approval. Side note- they finally added queso to the menu! Hip hip hooray! If you have yet to go, there are two locations in Tampa and one in St. Pete. The original location is over off of Skipper Road and Bearss and the newest location in Tampa is off of South Dale Mabry. 

Afterwards, we headed on over to the ever so classic Twistee Treat for an Oreo and peanut butter twist. It's essentially a milkshake without all of the fine mixing. Special thanks goes out to The Parent Trap for introducing me to the heavenly Oreo and PB combo oh so many years ago. I appreciate ya Lindsay! 

Monday, Monday

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good Monday morning to you from another local coffee shop! This morning's edition: DI Coffee Bar. Where the americano with cinnamon and honey was just what the start of the week called for. I'm gearing up for a week filled with a few working days and then mid-week I'll be packing up the car en route for a little road trip. I'm excited for a few days off and to spend the week in one of my favorite places. Stay tuned for more later on!

make this week a wonderful one :) 

My Dad

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Happy Father's Day to the dad I'm lucky to call mine. Thanks for always being my go-to friend and putting up with me when I beg you to tag along to try new restaurants, farmer's markets, and all the other countless activities I've talked you into over the last few years (just say you'll go to a drive-in movie with me already!!!!) You're certainly the minion of our family and I don't think we would have it any other way. Thanks for being you. I love you, dad. 

You Deserve a Donut

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A happy Saturday it is indeed! I stopped this morning for coffee from the Commune + Co trike and couldn't leave with a donut from the recently opened Soho Donut Co. Their packaging just made my entire day and the donut was probably the best I've had in Tampa. "Donut" believe me? Try it for yourself! It's located right around the corner from Oxford Exchange! I'll definitely be back for more...and by that, I mean I'll probably be back tomorrow ;)

Enjoy your weekend, friends! 

Summer Bucket List // Week Two Recap

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Between starting two new jobs in the past couple of weeks, things have been extra busy these days. I had the day off on Sunday, so Saturday evening after work I drove straight up to St. Augustine. I had to be at work early Monday morning and could only spend a little less than 24 hours in town, but it was so worth it.

Upon my arrival, we jetted into downtown to pick up a to-go order of shrimp tacos from Catch 27. We took them back to Ryan's so we could have a taco picnic in the fort tent he made for us. A few of the pictures may be blurry, but I still love them. Summer bucket list activity number eight: check!  

Sunday morning, we decided to walk over the Bridge of Lions into downtown for coffee and breakfast. We first made a coffee run into The Kookaburra for two iced cortados. Afterwards, we strolled to breakfast at The Blue Hen. One two egg special and chicken biscuits galore. It's been forever since I've picked up a copy of the Sunday funnies. I'll always love the Peanuts strip, and you can't go wrong with the few cheesy jokes at the end of the section. This week's joke was, "Why should you knock before opening the fridge?" Why you ask? "In case there's AnItalian dressing!" So cheesy, so silly, I love it and I hope it makes you laugh as well :)

The Hyppo celebrated it's fifth birthday this weekend! Happy Birthday Hyppo, I'm so glad you were born!! We joined in on the festivities with a cucumber lemon mint pop and a pineapple ginger pop. 

Once we walked back home we watched a little Netflix and then headed out to adventure on the bikes. We cruised through the neighborhood and out to A1A in search of an afternoon snack. We ended up down the street to test out Nalu's Tropical Take-Out and Miss Mary's shaved ice. Ryan had a baja shrimp taco and I chose the St. Augustine pier right fish taco. They were both absolutely delicious and you could tell the fish and shrimp were freshly caught. I loved my fish taco, but I think Ryan's shrimp taco won for the better of the two. 

 I believe that it is safe to say that we may have found one of our new favorite places in St. Augustine. Miss Mary's shaved ice, I love you. Not only was Miss Mary incredibly entertaining, her snow cones were just as delicious as I could have imagined. With hundreds of different flavor and topping combinations, it was so difficult to choose! I tried the mango and Ryan had a pineapple shaved ice; we each tried the marshmallow fluff on top. Once again, Ryan's was probably the better of the two, but they definitely hit the spot. The start of crossing off summer bucket list activity number six: check! 

And another St. Augustine trip in the books! Here's to many more summer days filled with bike rides, fort tents, tacos, and snow cones a plenty! 

Summer Bucket List // Week One Recap

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Activity number 12 on my summer bucket list is to make breakfast for my grandparents each Sunday morning. This was the first Sunday I headed on over to their house to whip up something delicious before they were home from Church. I've been craving the two egg special I always order from Blue Hen when I'm visiting in St. Augustine. Low and behold, I attempted to recreate my own to hold me over until my next trip up there. I did scrambled eggs, sweet potato home fries, biscuits, fresh fruit and a side of avocado. The sweet potato home fries were incredibly simple. After peeling and dicing the potatoes, I drizzled them with a little olive oil and sprinkled on salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder for a little extra spice. I scattered them on a cookie sheet and popped them into the oven at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. If you have the time and like crispier potatoes, I would bake them for a bit longer. The eggs were just scrambled and the biscuits were pillsbury honey butter biscuits that you obviously can't go wrong with. I couldn't even attempt to make my own biscuits comparable to those from Blue Hen. It's just impossible, I am convinced.

My grandparents loved every bit of it and I did too. I'm sure lots of people say this about their grandparents, but I truly have two of the best in the business. They are some of the most kind-hearted and generous people I have ever met, and I'm lucky that they have passed along those important values. They were both thankful to have someone cook for them and I was thankful to spend a few extra hours with them: chatting about life and it's craziness all over a cup of coffee. See you next Sunday! To the stars and back, Grandma and Grandpa!  

About Town

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The best types of days are ones spent exploring your city, finding new gems that you never knew existed. I used to think that Tampa didn't really have much to offer growing up; I was so wrong. There are so many little places all over the city that I have been bookmarking left and right to test out. One of those places was Dairy Joy. People that live in south Tampa are probably losing their minds if they are reading this and know that I had never heard of it before. Sorry guys, I'm a born and raised Bo's gal ;) I loved the nostalgic look and walkup counter service. I went with a plain vanilla cake cone dipped in chocolate; you just can't go wrong with the classics. 

Since I was in the area, I spent some time antiquing through a few of the shops on S. Manhattan. I found the little globe below hidden on the back patio of one of the shops. It was a great price and the perfect size to add to my growing globe collection. 

I knew it was going to be an even better day when this little guy cruised right on by me in downtown Tampa. hello, friend! 

I had to run an errand over near Ybor and I decided to park the car and walk down 7th Avenue in search of a quick lunch. I've passed New York, New York Pizza so many times, and each time I kick myself for either just having eaten elsewhere or I'm just not hungry. I could smell the fresh garlic when I walked by and it turned me around in my tracks. When I saw the pizzas in the window I thought now was the best time to try it out. I went with a slice of the Grandma pizza, fresh tomatoes and mozzarella with garlic and basil. I've eaten quite a bit of pizza in my day and there was something so incredibly amazing about this slice. The fresh garlic and mozzarella cheese sprinkled with just the right amount of basil leaves was a combination of perfection. New York, New York, I'll be back for more soon! 

Ironically sharing my diet coke with my BFF...pizza. 

When I saw on Instagram that Small Room Collective, a traveling airstream "road emporium," was stopping into Tampa for a few evenings to set up shop, I knew I had to stop by. Lauren and Travis Hardy, along with their sweet pup George, travel all over the US selling art, apparel, vinyl and other goods made by independent artists out of their 1963 Airstream Globetrotter, named Bob Mapplethorpe. They also sell a variety of vintage goods found from their travels along the way. What an amazing way to spend your time, am I right? Traveling the country, collecting vintage goods, and meeting tons of cool people that make amazing products; sign me up! Does anyone know of an airstream for sale (maybe a VW bus too?) I purchased the adventure and happy camper pennants I pinned up below. You can keep up with their travels to find out where they are headed next via their website and social media pages. If you live in a city they are stopping into for a day or two, take my advice and go! 

Summer Bucket List 2015

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Each season, I find myself making sporadic notes in my phone, on my laptop, and even in my planner of little activities I want to experience. Sometimes, when I don't collectively put them in one place, it's hard for me to actually accomplish all that I was looking forward to. I dogsit and babysit quite often, especially over the summer when kids are out of school and families are traveling themselves. It's easy to get caught up in day to day life and those activities end up getting pushed aside. Before you know it, summer is over and it's the middle of October. In order to get the most out of my summer, I really wanted to combine all of my lists together to create one on here, where I can document and share my activities as I do them. Some are silly, some are small, and others are a bit bigger...like road trips I am planning to the Seaside area and Fort Lauderdale to visit friends. So, here's to another fun summer spent with family and friends and lots of little fun adventures in between. 

  1. trips to the beach
  2. ride the carousel in St. Augustine
  3. make s'mores
  4. fly a kite 
  5. go to a fair 
  6. eat lots of snow cones
  7. see an outdoor movie
  8. camp indoors (fort tent!)
  9. camp outdoors
  10. paddle board or kayak
  11. go to a concert 
  12. make breakfast for my grandparents each Sunday morning 
  13. picnic as often as possible
  14. go to the zoo
  15. find a photo booth 
  16. ride bicycles 
  17. take a road trip
  18. mini vacation with my family
  19. go to an antique fair or flea market 
  20. ride the trolley in downtown tampa

Do you have any summer plans that you're looking forward to? I would love to know! 

 

Disney World!

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What's the best way to spend a Tuesday afternoon, you ask? By acting like a  big kid at heart at Disney World, of course! It was time for our family to renew our annual passes, so my mom, dad, and I drove over to Orlando for a few hours (we missed you while you were at work, Michael!). We rode the monorail to Magic Kingdom and proceeded to go straight to a few of the rides and eat some delicious treats while everyone crowded around Main Street to watch the electrical parade. 

All aboard the Magic Kingdom Railway! Next stop, Frontierland and Adventureland in search of Dole pineapple whipped ice cream. I wish they sold it by the gallon and that I had a miniature freezer to bring it home with me! Ps- how cool is the train station for guests to sit down in while waiting for the next train? Amtrak, take note...

The park was overwhelmingly crowded, so many school groups!!, the only ride we made it onto was the Haunted Mansion. It's always been one of my favorite rides; there's always just so much to see.  I am always keeping my eyes peeled for any new updates or additions to the ride. 

The above statue was a tomb marker for a "deceased" ship captain. The marker said he ironically drowned in his bathtub. The best detail is that every few minutes bubbles floated out from his statute. If you look closely you can see one little bubble left. Oh Disney, so silly with details, I love it. 

The cutest and least crowded little corner of the park. It was down an alley off of Main Street and it seemed like no one really knew it even existed. Shhh, don't tell anyone, we'll keep it our little secret ;) 

I've never noticed the below letter boxes posted all up and down Main Street and close to the entrance of the park. The park staff collects letters and postcards each day and mail them from a local Orlando post office. The mail might take slightly longer to reach its recipients, but I loved the vintage post boxes so much I had to mail out a few cliche postcards. 

After the park, we had dinner at the Yacht Club Resort. We ate lobster rolls at the Crew's Cup Lounge and had ice cream cookie sandwiches down by the pool at Beaches and Cream Soda Shop. Can I have these cute ice cream tables and colorful chairs for my kitchen? 

The Weekend // 5.15.15

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I had a weekend free of dogsitting and babysitting this past weekend, so I hopped into the car and headed up to St. Augustine for a couple of days. I arrived late Thursday evening, so come Friday morning, Ryan and I woke up early to head out and cross some activities off of our "favorites" list. First up, we drove down U.S. 1 to Out There Antiques and Graybeards Antiques. It took a while to sift through everything, and we ended up leaving with a few treasures. I found a few little antique glass bottles for little bouquets of flowers and a vintage Tampa postcard. Ryan found a variety of items from comic books to letterpress drawers and printing blocks. He ended up purchasing an old safety razor, so we each had a successful trip!

It's been several months since we have eaten at The Floridian. Our go-to is the fried green tomato hoagie...I'm getting hungry just thinking about it now. We've made our own version at home before, which was delicious, but there's just something you can't quite duplicate about The Floridan's. I've tried a few other menu items before, such as the veggie burger, and everything I have had is just as delectable. 

Post hoagies, we learned that it was National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. I have a bit of a sweet tooth and could easily eat an entire tray, or seven, of chocolate chip cookies. They are my absolute favorites, as are most cookies, and I've kept note of the best ones I've ever had. Note to self- Levain Bakery in NYC still has the best chocolate chip cookie, hands down. One of my top favorites was the cookie that they used to bake and serve at The Hyppo Cafe. They recently did away with them a few months ago (why Hyppo, why?!?!) and St. Augustine will never be the same without them...RIP.  Since The Hyppo no longer makes them, I figured the next best thing would be a cookie dough milkshake from Cousteau's. 

Later that evening, we stopped by the opening reception for the Flagler Art & Design Alumni Exhibit.  Ryan had a piece of work that was chosen for the exhibit and it was so exciting to see his work on display. I'm proud of you Ryan! Now if only I could draw a decent stick figure...

Saturday was another early morning as we wanted to beat the breakfast crowd at The Blue Hen. Corned beef hash and scrambled eggs for Ryan, two eggs and sweet potato home fries for myself. Let me just stop and make a special note about their biscuits as well. I have no clue what they do to make them so addicting, but I am convinced it's magic. Plus, I need the recipe for their peach butter asap. I find myself craving it in Tampa all. the. time. 

The cute little guy below is one of my favorite houses in St. Augustine. He reminds me of the house from UP. Just add a few thousand balloons and I'll be sailing away to Paradise Falls. I'll send you a postcard when I get there! 

We strolled around downtown a bit more stopping into some of the antique shops and galleries at The Lightner Museum. Of course, we had more popsicles at The Hyppo, raspberry and blueberry rose, before heading home to whip up some frozen pierogies we had picked up at Gaufre's and Goods. 

I had planned to stay until Tuesday morning, but Saturday night I was in a fender bender on the way to pick up dinner. It ended up cutting the trip short, and I had to bring my car back to Tampa Sunday afternoon. My little bug and I are okay; he's at the shop being fixed as we speak. Although the weekend ended abruptly, and not on the best of notes, we made the most of the weekend and the situation at hand! 

Thanks for having me and for more little fun adventures, Ryan! 

Ybor City

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Earlier this week, Ryan came into town to visit for the day. We spent the afternoon roaming up and down 7th Avenue, checking out some of the best restaurants and shops that Ybor City has to offer.  With so many beautiful and historical buildings, plus the easy access via the trolley to downtown, it truly is the perfect area to spend a few hours on the weekend. Ybor hasn't always had the best reputation, but there are so many new and local businesses and restaurants opening in the area. It's equal parts cool and sketchy, with a lot of amazing history thrown into the mix. If it's been a while since you've made it over that way, you really should check it out! 

If you've been downtown before, then you know this guy is just one of the unofficial mascots of Ybor City. 

We didn't ride the trolley throughout Ybor, but it is certainly on my bucket list next time we adventure into downtown Tampa. 

We first stopped into The Blind Tiger Cafe for a cappuccino and an earl grey lavender iced tea. They serve Buddy Brew Coffee and a selection of Tebella Tea, both local companies in town. They recently expanded their availability for seating, making it the perfect place to hangout and catch up with friends, study, or read a book. 

Afterwards, we headed to Tampa Bay Brewing Co. for a beer and an order of their pretzels. Their handmade pretzels are my favorite in Tampa. TBBC has eight of their own core brews on tap year-round, with several other seasonal options changing every few months. I tried the Jack the Quaffer Porter which has undertones of coffee and chocolate. 

Next up was La France. I would love to go down to La France and spend an entire afternoon patiently sifting through all of their clothing. They have racks of clothing from every decade, along with a large variety of antique and vintage jewelry. If you are ever attending a themed party or event, this is the place to go for an amazing outfit.  This is also the best place to go if you're just looking for a unique piece of clothing for your personal collection. They have the best vintage coat collection I've seen anywhere in town. 

Lastly, we had dinner at The Bricks, just in time to escape the downpour of rain that came out of nowhere. Ryan had the bird and pig sandwich with chicken, bacon, apples, brie, and agave on sweet bread. I had the cure sandwich with a fried egg, avocado, tomato and cheddar on a toasted kaiser bun. 

Thankfully, the rain let up a bit just in time for us to head home. 

One thing is certain, Ybor sure does make for a beautiful, yet dreary, scene.

Blueberry Picking

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To celebrate mother's day, I took my mom blueberry picking Sunday morning. We drove down to Lyna Berry Farms in Lithia per a suggestion from a good family friend. They are open to the public through next Sunday, May 17th. I've never been fruit picking before and I absolutely loved it. We arrived early, right when the farm opened, and we basically had the blueberry fields to ourselves. It costs $15 for one 6lb. bucket of blueberries. If you go with multiple people and only want one full bucket, they let you combine your pickings. There was something overwhelmingly peaceful about being out there roaming through, row by row, picking out the best of the crop. Not to mention, spending time with my mom was worth it in and of itself. 

A Note to My Mom

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Happy Mother's Day to the one that loves and supports me unconditionally through all of life's exciting and unexpected adventures. Thank you for always teaching me to love others through acts of kindness and selflessness. I'm proud of the person that I have grown to become today, and I have you to thank for that. I'm so happy I get to call you mine. I love you, mom. 

Sea Critters Cafe

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From the first time I dined at Sea Critters in high school, it has easily been one of my favorite restaurants in the Bay area. Although it doesn't look like much from the outside, everything that they serve is freshly prepared and so delicious you'll be craving it again as soon as you leave. They offer daily soup, fish, and entree specials as well as a full menu with staple appetizers, sandwiches, and seafood platters. There is seating inside, outside on the deck, and if you own a boat you can park and eat dockside. I recommend the onion rings to start with, they are the best I have had, and the house salad or one of their featured fish sandwiches for your entree. The house salad comes with feta cheese, sunflower seeds, and my favorite dressing of all time-a sundried tomato vinaigrette. They offer sandwiches to be fried, grilled, blackened, jerked or crunchy almond crusted. Get the crunchy almond coating and you can thank me later; I promise it's that delicious. 

For dessert, if we don't get a slice of key lime pie from Sea Critters, we hop over a few streets to the beach for ice cream at Paradise Sweets. I couldn't decide between the shaved ice or a scoop of rainbow sherbet. The sherbet ended up winning...until I got in the car and took two licks and the entire scoop of sherbet fell off and onto my shirt. Le sigh. It was tasty while it lasted and thankfully my favorite striped shirt came clean :) Next time, I'll try the shaved ice! 

Happy Saturday, friends! 

Mother's Day Sidewalk Sale

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Anyone that might be a lover of snail mail, and that lives in driving distance of Winter Park, would be crazy to not try and attend one of Rifle Paper Co's Sidewalk Sales. In honor of Mother's Day weekend, Rifle Paper was offering up to 75% off samples and 15% off new products. Greeting cards, small and large art prints, notebooks, wrapping paper, phone cases, etc. You name it, they have it...and at an amazing price. Greeting cards are only $1 each; yes, you read that correctly. It's difficult to refrain from buying one of everything! If you ever have the chance to go right when they open, on the first day of the sale, do it. The retail and studio space are both incredibly beautiful, but difficult to maneuver once it starts to gets busy. There are so many products to look through, take your time and don't rush. I dare you to leave without purchasing at least one thing...I'm convinced it's impossible ;) 

To sweeten the deal, Rifle Paper always hosts local businesses to come set up a pop up shop for customers as well. In the past, I've been there when Rifle has hosted Mama's Sauce, Lineage Coffee Roasters, and Wondermade Marshmallows. This Sidewalk Sale, Porch Therapy was the featured shop. Located in the East End Market, Porch Therapy creates the most beautiful floral arrangements and plantings. I knew I couldn't leave without purchasing one of those awesome dinosaur succulents and a floral arrangement for my mom. 

After collecting up all of my newly purchased paper goods, I headed around the corner to try out PR's Taco Palace. I've passed this place several times before, it's hard to miss a neon yellow taco joint in downtown Winter Park. The decor inside threw me for a loop. There is writing all over the walls and barstools, random pinatas and bunting hanging from the ceiling, and local regulars dining solo, yet chatting back and forth from two tables away. I ordered the blackened mahi-mahi  tacos with rice and beans. I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious they were and I would definitely make a stop in again if I am over that way. It's a casual and no-frill environment that would be a great place to go to with a big group of friends.

Lastly, I made a special trip over to P is for Pie to purchase a few treats for my mom. Not far from downtown, they make every style and size pie you could possibly want to try. I picked out one s'mores, one peanut butter chocolate, and two key lime mini pies to go. For myself, I tried the Stumptown Cold Brew Coffee. I'm fairly certain I'm now addicted to it and need to find and stock up on a few more bottles of the cold brew asap! 

Here's to wishing you the kick-off to a great weekend! Hopefully you will be spending it celebrating with your wonderful moms! 

The Monday Blues

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When the Ridgeway family asked if I wanted to join them out on their boat Monday morning, I knew the week would be off to a great start. We headed out to Tarpon Springs to prep the boat for the day and then off we went to soak up 85 degrees and plenty of sunshine. 

We first stopped to grab some lunch at Frenchy's Rockaway Grill on Clearwater Beach. A buffalo grouper sandwich was a must. The only thing that would have made lunch even better would have been a slice of key lime pie to top it all off ;)

After lunch, we hopped back on the boat and headed over to Caladesi Island. Mr. Ridgeway, aka Captain Paul, pointed out a cluster of trees covered in shells and sponges. People would paint the shells or write little notes of remembrance before stringing them and hanging them in the trees. I thought it was incredibly special and a such a sweet sentiment. 

After cruising along the island, soaking up the sights, we turned around to head back to dock the boat for the day. It's been quite some time since I had been out on a boat and it makes you realize just how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place. 

Thanks for such a wonderful day, Ridgeway family! I'll be free to join you on the boat anytime :) 

Olde Bay Cafe

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Tucked away at the Dunedin Marina is one little gem of a restaurant, Olde Bay Cafe. Known by the locals for their fresh fish dishes and craft beer selections, this place has everything you could want from a casual seafood shack. It's the ideal location to grab a drink, or two, and a few fish tacos with friends on the weekend. Not to mention, the view of the sunset each evening is pretty picture perfect. Go early, as there is limited seating which fills up quickly about an hour or so before sunset. Don't leave without ordering a cup of lobster bisque and the blackened grouper cheek with mango vinaigrette appetizer. 

Dunedin Farmer's Market

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Each Friday and Saturday, Downtown Dunedin hosts a relatively large farmer's market filled with fruit and vegetable vendors, bakers, chefs, jewelry makers, and other local artisans. The weather has been picture perfect here lately so I knew I wanted to take advantage of the sunny day and partake in an activity outdoors. There are several restaurants and antique stores surrounding the downtown market area, so it's perfect to visit the market and to shop and support the local businesses as well

If you like to shop for antiques and vintage fare, you should definitely check out Patina Vintage and Modern. They have an amazing selection of housewares, purses and accessories, as well as clothing and jewelry. The owner of Patina has several vendors she purchases from and she shops for products at local and sate wide estate sales and auctions. She always has incredibly interesting stories about where each item comes from. I left with a brass dial calendar that shows the day and month. If you're down there this month, they are offering 50% off specials for hundreds of their products. 

We stopped and purchased several little afternoon snacks from some of the local vendors. We tried a watermelon lemonade and mango dream mixed juice from Sereniteas and Soothers. It was so delicious and was the perfect drink for a hot afternoon. 

We also bought several bags of these flavored marshmallows sold by a woman who splits her time between Florida and Rhode Island. She owns a homemade ice cream shop in Rhode Island and when the shop is closed during the winter months, she travels to Florida and sells her marshmallows at several farmer's markets in town. This was her last market in Florida before heading back to Rhode Island for the season. I knew after trying samples of all the marshmallow flavors, I had to leave with a bag or two. I bought one bag of the toasted coconut and one bag of the espresso marshmallows. I can't wait to use them in s'mores or homemade rice krispie treats this summer!

Local artist, Anna Hamilton, painted the below mural as a charity event to raise money for the Dunedin Doggie Rescue. Fun fact, Anna is also the owner of Patina! People in the community could pay between $25-200 dollars to have a portrait of their pup painted on the Dogedin mural. Each dog is labeled with their name and it's fun to stop and spend some time going through them all. 

Post market, we went to Lobster Haven for a late lunch. Aside from the restaurant, Lobster Haven is a market where you can call in advance and purchase large quantities of fresh Maine lobster, shrimp, oysters, crab, and fish. They also have a smaller variety of seafood available to purchase in-store. One of the chefs brought out a new dish for us to try, smoked salmon with a key lime and stone ground mustard sauce. It was so delicious we had to order an appetizer portion to split. For our entree, my mom and I split a Maine lobster roll. I'm so happy it's the kick-off for lobster roll season. There's nothing better than enjoying a lobster roll and cape cod chips after a day spent outdoors.