Monday, October 27, 2014

Happy Thoughts: Some Favorite Familiar Faces

I love seeing friends from town in different locations than I usually do. I feel like this has been happening more and more as time goes on. Friday morning, Carly and her boyfriend stopped in at the Willow Tree for some ginger peach tea, a recent discovery. I have always loved Willow Tree's tea; something about how aromatic and bright the flavor is really appeals to me.

 Side note, I really like seeing my brother everywhere in town! I went into the restaurant the other day and he was all fancy in his serving duds, and then today, he came into Rabbitfoot for a Willow Tree coffee run. It's great to see him out and about, even though he doesn't live downtown.
If you haven't met Mike and Nikole's puppy, Magnolia, you are missing out! She is quite the fireball. I watched her learning to play with another dog the other night in front of the Imperial. I'm an awful pet owner, so it's fun to play with other people's pets on occasion.

I got to see a lot of Rob and Kendra together this week, and sometimes they even had the kiddos with them. Have to hand it to these two, raising two little ones while driving all over, working real jobs, and growing Rabbitfoot in the chaos that the Sanford business can be...what an accomplishment! I'm so glad they're part of our Sanford business community.

Hope your week was as full of positive moments as mine was!

Friday, October 24, 2014

Field Trip: The Port

Amidst all of the Marina Island drama, I've felt a lot of guilt about not being a frequent patron of the businesses down there. So, when the Sanford Supper Club voted to eat at the Port this Tuesday, I immediately thought "FIELD TRIP TIME!"

Here's the thing. I started writing my review the next day, and a coworker who is married to a Port employee told me everyone was laid off that morning because the restaurant was closing.

....wahhhh?

I assumed it was because the restaurant was performing poorly (an assumption supported by the mediocre experience we had the night before) but evidently the owner was told his lease would not be renewed. Could it be that the lessee of Marina Island is actually beginning development on the property? We shall see. In the meantime, the Port is apparently still operational, but according to a sign on the door, opening only for lunch from 12-3 with a new, limited menu. As such, I'm publishing this field trip review, but it reflects the Port as it was the night we visited, Tuesday, October 21st, NOT necessarily the way it may be due to these recent changes.

Let's dive in, shall we?

The Port

Number of Visits: 2
(me and my family, me and the Sanford Supper Club)

Distance from Chez Sanford-Centric: a swift walk two blocks down Palmetto with beautiful scenery

Best Described As: the most gorgeous view in Sanford with a bonus generic seafood restaurant attached

Expectations
I've only been to the Port once, and it was decent. We sat outside and had some oysters and fish sandwiches. That's pretty much all I remember about it. Most of the people in the Supper Club have been there multiple times and liked the food. The building has played home to variety of restaurants over the years, and the place (like everything else on Marina Island) has a notoriously difficult time drawing a crowd due to the distance from 1st St.
Impressions
The restaurant was pretty much empty, but I didn't find this very unusual for that particular location on a Tuesday night. There was one table of six, and then us, a big long table of West End-ers and Celery Citizens, and what appeared to be only two servers. I've always felt the interior of the space was upscale and well done, considering the history of the property and the Port has added some "nautical" tchochskies to keep it within theme. Not exactly my bag, but I get it. I would even like to see them go a little overboard and cheese it up a little bit Margaritaville style, but I'm cheesy. So.
The restaurant's real asset is revealed the moment you walk outside. We came at the perfect time of day, when the sky was lit up in pink and blue over the lake, and the view from the patio was incomparable. Later on, the Rivership Romance passed by and we all agreed that would be an awesome trip to take together.
However, the food was very underwhelming. The menu is giant and generic, with a plethora of fried appetizers that all tasted about the same, fish platters with the usual slew of hushpuppies and baked potatoes. You know, white people food. We ordered the key lime Caribbean mahi, since it was the only fish we knew wouldn't be farm raised. It was coated in some really unnecessary honey mustard, and we had to cut it with a knife. The mashed potatoes were the best thing on the plate, enough said. One of our companions ordered a filet and lobster tail combo, also overcooked. She had the steak sent back, but the quality of the new steak just wasn't good enough to justify the $26 price tag.
Our server was really nice, but super timid. You could tell she was unaccustomed to seeing parties of our size (or people in general). I don't blame her for the lack of confidence, seems like a gap in training. The other server working was very perky and seemed to be on familiar terms with many in our group.

Bottom Line
This place follows the recipe for a classic corporate seafood and steakhouse-- hold the consistency. I know some people love it, but it's not my style at all, and I was reminded of this on our last visit. For the price, I feel my money is better spent at Shantell's or even La Sirena Gorda. Total shame, because the view rocks.

We are curious to see what becomes of the Port, because Sanford could really use a solid seafood restaurant on the water. Fingers crossed!

Let's keep an eye on the Port's Facebook and website for updates!
(Also, happy birthday, Marisa!)

Monday, October 20, 2014

Food Roundup: Fine Tastes and Cheap Eats

I have had some amazing meals in the past two weeks. First on the docket: roasted leg of lamb from Buster's Bistro. If you love food and haven't made it out for Harry's Thursday night specials, then what are you living for? Perfectly cooked meat, delicious sauces, a Belgian beer pairing, this weather, and Harry in an apron? I really don't feel like I need to say more.
 
I also had my inaugural Celery City sandwich. I chose the Palmetto because I can't resist carmelized onions, and let's face it, Palmetto Ave is my street! Toasty and delicious, it went great with my new favorite beer of the moment, Cigar City Fight the Power. If you like green apple Jolly Ranchers, you have to try this beer! It's currently at Celery and the Imperial, but not for long.
I love to shop at the Magnolia Square Market for lunch, but I have really been slacking in the grocery shopping department! This week I decided to buy a wedge of merlot-soaked cow's cheese, "seedy" bread, and pâté. Oh my god, talk about some amazing breakfasts. Today, I'm eating the pâté on Breton crackers with a kale salad while I'm at Washburn's. Heaven!
At home, I'm normally a ramen junkie, but lately I've been going wild with fried rice. My favorite so far has been with chopped ginger and garlic, then topping with a sunny side up egg, cilantro, green onions, avocado and soy sauce.
Last night Jeremy made Cajun sea trout and okra and tomatoes. I don't like to buy farm raised fish, so when I saw that wild sea trout was about $2/lb, I just thought what the hell. We got half a pound, which Jeremy breaded and fried with the skins on, and I gotta say, not bad! Delicious with a bite of the side dish and some Crystal hot sauce. Definitely a good option for those of us on college kid budgets, and a nice (and cheaper) alternative to catfish, which is almost always farm raised when I see it.
And speaking of cheap eats, we got some excellent Cajun boiled peanuts at Bagg's Produce while we were shopping last week. Say what you will about Bagg's, but we got beautiful tomatoes, a ton of okra, onions, garlic, bell peppers, a florida avocado and a half pound of peanuts for exactly $8. Sumalee out!
 


Happy Thoughts: Oktoberfest and this Kick-Ass Weather

October (Oktober?) has been the jam so far! First off, Sanford has seen some really lovely days weather wise. It's great to be able to throw our old-ass windows open and feel an amazing breeze and chill flowing. (I even had to put pants on one day!) We've been spending plenty of time outside at Rabbitfoot soaking it all up.
 
The Oktoberfest edition of Alive After Five rocked. I got to work the beer truck for Hollerbach's, and the delightful Claudia of Sanford365 let me borrow her extra dirndl, completely perpetuating the stereotype in my brain that true Germans just have a closet full of Bavarian garb ready to don at a moment's notice. I like to think it heavily contributed to the great beer sales we had that night. The fact that our German beer truck obliterated the Budweiser truck in sales 3 to 1 is a thought that truly makes the beer-o in me happy. (Winos get a cute name, why not us?)
As a side note, Jeremy and I have been spending a ton a quality time with the Rabbitfoot crew. I love being in the same room with these people, and having them in the same room as my other favorite people from other businesses in town is just mindblowing! Tiffany and Harry teamed up and joined us at the Imperial last Thursday for Vinyl Night and I almost lost it. Love my #sanfordtribe!!
 
But brace yourself for the coolest part of all: people are reading Sanford-Centric! I ran into Brett outside of Celery City and he was like, "This is the weirdest thing, I'm reading Sanford-Centric on my phone." Last night at Hollerbach's, I saw my favorite Uptown Sanford family, the Agninis! I had no idea Tammy was a Parks and Rec fan, but she said she was relating a little too much to my Sanford feelings post. (If Tammy and I were ever 22 at the same time, Sanford would be in serious trouble.) I'm very flattered and touched that locals are reading my blog!
Keep rocking it, Sanford!

Thursday, October 16, 2014

My Feelings for Sanford Explained in Parks and Rec GIFs

Hello all! I've been off the grid for a bit with a stolen cell phone and a wilted spirit, but I'm back! You might know that in the moments I'm not working or harassing my business owner friends about Sanford happenings, I am typically watching Netflix, and lately I've returned to an old favorite, Parks and Recreation. This quirky little ditty about city government and the problems that arise while fighting the good fight reminds me all too often of my experiences in Sanford.
 
Somehow it's...oddly comforting.
 
You guys know I have a bit of a problem.
And I generally can't help but share it with the internet.
There are plenty of times I really want to commit to a new cause in town but I'm not really sure how to make time in my schedule.

And then there are causes in town that I think way too hard about all the time but for which I haven't come up with a solution just yet.
Meanwhile, I get a little nuts when people who live locally tell me that they have never heard of one of my favorite hang outs.
Or when people talk about how much they would rather eat at Red Robin or Olive Garden than a downtown restaurant.

Then I take it way too personally and tell those people that they are slaves to corporate America.
Of course, sometimes I get a little miffed when people insult my bounding love for Sanford.
And I always think alcohol will help me win that fight.
Some people are unrelenting in their hate for Sanford.
It's okay, though. I know how to handle them,
But the next morning there are usually some fun notifications waiting me.
But later in the day I get over it and it usually comes down to...
But it's cool, because nothing can stop me from getting excited about Sanford's future. Every new business opening, every new resident who takes the leap and buys a house...
I generally feel that while the issues may loom large and scary for the time being, with the right attitude and dose of optimism, we can eventually tackle anything.
Of course, if anyone has a problem with that, they can suck it.

 
Cheers!

Friday, October 3, 2014

Happy Thoughts: Summer Showers and I'm Basically Liz Lemon

I hate to sound like a basic bitch, but I am so excited for fall! (And it really has nothing to do with pumpkin, although I am very partial to squash. Also, keep an eye out for Willow Tree's Apple Pumpkin soup. If you like sweet/savory/garlicky things, it's the bomb! Also, while I consider it a bit of a sellout, them real basic bitches out there will be happy to hear that Rabbitfoot is now carrying pumpkin spice items. You're welcome.) Anyone who has hung out with me during the summer understands that the Florida heat is the greatest test of any of my friendships. So the fact that Jeremy has stuck around through the inferno and lasted until the first taste of cooler weather is impressive.
I am a huge fan of rain, and the Afternoon Showers of 2014 have not disappointed. I love watching from inside, but the downpours have definitely led to me getting soaking wet on my way home from the Willow Tree. Lucky for me, during my slightly longer walk from Washburn's on Monday, I improvised with a bit of bubble wrap. Not only was I super chic, I also stayed pretty damn dry.
Celery City is shaping up to be one of my favorite places to grab a beer! When they first opened, I was a little hesitant because I felt like I could get most of their beers from other bars on the block. Now that they are focusing more on Florida beer (complete with happy hour from 3-6!), I think their selection is a really nice complement to the other craft beer businesses. Plus, what's not to love about shuffleboard tournaments with bar tabs for prizes? Plus, that view out back is gorgeous!
In other news, Jeremy scored the White Album at Rabbitfoot for wait for it....$20! Later that night while we were out, I asked if he was ready to leave, and he was like, "You wanna go do a combination of lying down, watching 30 Rock, eating leftovers, and listening to the Beatles?" and I was just like...
 
In other words, things have been pretty swell on this side of First. Hope your week was kickin', Sanfordites!