Some Reflections on New Sanford, Accompanied by Mad Men GIFs

Six months ago, I made some pretty drastic changes in my life. I remember the six month mark because in the middle of my personal craziness, there was Sofas and Suds. I remember sitting down the next day, looking over the photos and video, and obsessing over a negative comment I found about the event. I was right in the middle of researching a project about the perceptions of Sanford, inside and out, and this person complaining about quite possibly the most awesome event to ever come to town, quite possibly the single most impactful way to change the perception of Sanford for 1000 people in a single day, all because the event charged for entry...well, it really pissed me off.

I wrote a huge diatribe imploring people to be more Sanford-positive, and for people who didn't like the way New Sanford was running their events to stay at home. I stewed on it for the next several days, angry that we were up against this sort of ignorance, angry that I still heard so much negativity about Sanford on a regular basis, angry at myself for feeding into the ugliness my whole life.

So now that I'm sitting around remembering all of this, and where I projected we would be as a town, and where I would be as a 22 year old kid with awful judgment in a six month period....guys, I'm freaking stoked.

Don't know about y'all, but I feel a change. Sofas and Suds was a hit: bars full, the crowd hyped, and teams getting truly competitive over a couch race. It's just one event, but here's finally some evidence of the fruits of our labor-- two years of waiting, hoping, and pushing, there are people lining the street and having a good time in a little historic town everyone traditionally loves to shit on.

But you know what? I don't hear very much of that anymore. I hear people oooing and ahhing over how beautiful Sanford Ave looks. I hear people tell me that yes, they've been to all of my favorite bars before, and yes, maybe we'll run into each other there next time. I hear people speculating about who is running a Tribe Called Sanford. I hear people exclaiming that this is NOT what they expected. I hear people use the words "we" and "our" in reference to Sanford. Most important, I hear people correcting their friends when they say something negative about our town.

And me? I think I got very very very lucky by surrounding myself with the right people. Without the influence of the incredible New Sanford clan, I would not have had the guts to pursue being an outspoken, crusading, overemotional, ever-so-slightly-hipster young thang with a blog.

(And don't worry, I'll be back with more burlesque for the next Sofas and Suds.)



So are we (the royal we) exactly where we need to be? Good god, no. I'm 22! And Sanford has a long way to go before it becomes the super awesome historic walking town on the water with an urban, alternative, beer and foodie destination twist we dream it will be. But, if this weekend was any indication, we have some good things ahead. Let's keep trying harder, Sanford Tribe.

(Side note...you negative bitches better keep watching out.)

Field Trip: Yabi Sushi

Welcome to the newest installment of Sanford-Centric Field Trips! This week, the good boys and girls of the Sanford Supper Club ventured to one of Sanford's only sushi spots, Yabi Sushi.

Yabi Sushi  

 Number of Visits: Between 10-15
(a few times dining in, a few takeout, and once with the Sanford Supper Club)

Distance from Chez Sanford-Centric: several MILES down 17-92, which I consider almost outside the confines of decency.

Best Described As: the best place around to quell your cheapie sushi fix

Expectations
Let me preface by saying that I used to work at Orlando's very first Japanese restaurant (note: not "steakhouse", not "sushi place", not "hibachi grill"...restaurant.), which has been open for 30 years, and whose parent location has been open Tokyo's Ginza district since 1947. So, believe me. I know good Japanese food. The beauty of the culture's cuisine is the balance, precision, and simplicity of its preparation and while working at Rangetsu, I learned to truly appreciate the excellent quality of the meat and seafood and the subtle, complex flavors involved in Japanese dishes.

Here's the thing. Americans don't really do subtlety, and most of them don't care where their food comes from. As a result, most Japanese places specialize in "sushi", meaning "some tempura fried stuff wrapped up in some rice and seaweed and shit" or "hibachi", meaning "some chicken and shrimp grilled up and served over rice with some white sauce and shit".

Here's the other thing. That stuff tastes awesome. And I love it. But I would like it known from the onset that I don't endorse this type of Japanese-ish food as "good Japanese". I just endorse it as delicious.

I've been to Yabi many many times, and I've always liked it. They've been reasonably consistent over the years, and I pretty much jump at any opportunity to go there. Even Sada likes this place.

Impressions
Man, the location sucks. 1) I hate getting in the car to go anywhere, 2) you have to make a U-turn to get into the parking lot from our direction, 3) the parking lot is tiny. Also, the exterior of the building is a little scary. The building itself is tiny, so I was somewhat impressed that they managed to create a long table for 30 of us. The decor is typical for a small sushi place, and all the guys noted that the urinal is surprisingly high.

But the food definitely makes up for any aesthetic caveats. The rolls and dinners are plentiful, picture worthy, and cheap! We started with a round of miso soup, and a few of us had salads. Oddly enough, this is the only context in which I enjoy iceberg lettuce. Something about a ginger dressing just makes it all okay. Next, we had a Sanford roll, scarlet roll, and spider roll. The Sanford is my favorite (of course), but I like that all of the rolls are inexpensive enough for us to order several to try. I did notice that they were all well rolled, which is sometimes an issue at cheapie sushi places, where the rolls often fall apart. Rob ordered a shrimp and scallop dish over rice and noodles, which tasted delightful, but was probably packed with MSG.

The server was very curt and probably irritated that so many of us (around 30) were there at the same time. However, he was probably thrilled when he discovered that most of us tipped on top of the gratuity that was automatically added to our checks. You're welcome :)

Bottom Line
I love this place. I think it's great for takeout, a little less so for dining in. I would love it if they decided to have some nabe dishes for guests to cook on the tables, like sukiyaki or shabu shabu, but I doubt their menu will ever change, and I'm still okay with that. I would recommend Yabi as a bit of a guilty pleasure, for the tastiness and price, even if it's not "good" Japanese food. Until someone opens a sushi restaurant downtown, that is. (Ahem.)

Happy Thoughts: Moving on Up!

I am so glad that fall has at last arrived, even if we still have the odd hot day. November brings the crunch of fallen acorns to Sanford, and the sweet, sweet promise of Thanksgiving, my very favorite holiday! So what have I been doing with all of these yummy feelings, you ask?

First, I have really been enjoying my outings with the Sanford Supper Club! I love the opportunity to go out with a big group each week, both in terms of material for field trips and getting to know new friends. Camaraderie is a huge part of the Sanford-Centric life, and here it is in action! If anyone would like to join us, we meet at Celery City every Tuesday at 6, then roll out to a new place for dinner each week. Come on down!

 

I'm ecstatic that Wop's Hop's is finally open! We sat out in the beer garden in the late afternoon on Halloween and it was killer. Having a family owned microbrewery in Sanford will really help bolster our image as a young, progressive town with lots to do, and I am thrilled to see where Greg and company will take it.

As many of you may have heard, Jeremy and I have moved to a new place! We are sharing a house with our friend Kevin and so far it's great. We have a ton of space, lots of shade trees, a yard, and no more stairs to climb! I'm sure we will be having a housewarming bash soon. In the meantime, meet my newest friend, Mr. Tiki. I found him in a cabinet and we have spent many a cold night getting to know each other over hot toddies.

At first, I was sad to be leaving my Rabbitfoot family, since I couldn't ask for better neighbors, but then I found out that Rob and Kendra are (omg I can't believe it) moving down the street!! They were even kind enough to loan their Uhaul to us for moving furniture one night. I can really use the help, since as Rob pointed out, I am literally the worst at moving! Their new house is super cute, and I am so glad they will get to have so much more time with their boys and get to be even more involved with that Sanford life! Welcome to Uptown, sweet thangs!

I am SO exhausted from moving and still have a lot of work ahead of me to get us settled in, but I am thrilled to be in our new home and am looking forward to the many, many good things ahead for us! Stay tuned for more of those good Sanford vibes!



Field Trip: The Breezeway

The Sanford Supper Club strikes again! This time, they've inspired me to give the good old college try to one of the places I had in mind when I started Sanford-Centric Field Trips, the Breezeway. My original idea in doing these reviews was to promote Sanford businesses from within, both by spreading around our hard earned dollars and by providing the type of critique you might get from a neighbor or a close girlfriend ("you have spinach in your teeth, and yes, you are too old for that dress") in order to help the business grow. So before I get ahead of myself...

Update: The owner of the Breezeway approached me (after the post was sent to him by Jeff Triplett...the mayor has read my blog? Who knew.), and after our discussion, I've decided to amend some portions of my review. I was frankly surprised by his humility, and since the whole point of writing these reviews is to create discourse, I was glad he was willing to discuss some of the issues.

The Breezeway

Number of Visits: 2
(Once with my family, once with the Sanford Supper Club)

Distance from Chez Sanford-Centric: one block down 1st

Best Described As: a casual hit or miss seafood joint that lost its way en route to New Smyrna
(Rick would like everyone to know that he knows how to get to New Smyrna.)

Expectations
My relationship with the Breezeway has been contentious, to say the very least. My first visit was with my dad and his girlfriend on a Sunday afternoon. We were the only people there, and even then we had some serious issues with our ticket times. I ordered the Sanford Special, which is a giant pork tenderloin sandwich...aka a schnitzel sandwich. (Rick would like to clarify that the choice to have a pork tenderloin sandwich on the menu had nothing to do with any other restaurant and was inspired by the midwestern love for this treat. I still find it to be an unfortunate name.)

(My previous description of the working next door to the Breezeway was a bit gratuitous, even in my book. I mainly needed to get that story off my chest. Now that I have, I don't mind condensing by saying the experience left a bad taste in my mouth, and my relationship with the place has been a bit contentious ever since.)

Needless to say, I don't normally eat there. However, since some people in town like this place and it's been quite a while since I experienced the place as a guest, I figured it was time to give them another shot. While I hoped they would pleasantly surprise me, my expectations were nonexistent.

Impressions
We sat in the restaurant's title character, the Breezeway. Tuesday's weather was unbeatable, so needless to say, I really enjoyed sitting out there-- with one giant caveat. Apparently Tuesday night is "karaoke with a bad PA system" night, which meant we were screaming over "music" all night. Don't get me wrong, some of the performances were good, but I just don't think karaoke is an appropriate soundtrack for a restaurant that charges $14 for a mahi sandwich.

Speaking of food, things were not quite as bad as I thought they would be, but not great. The appetizers were tasty, and the firecracker shrimp was definitely the highlight. (Rick would like to note that he's never heard of the firecracker chicken at Christo's.) The mussels were also pretty good, although some were overcooked, and the fried mozzarella rounds were better than your token frozen mozzarella sticks. The entrees on the other hand? Ugh. The pastami sandwich, while piled high with meat, contained no condiments whatsoever, making for the driest sandwich possible. We liked the fried eggplant on our second sandwich, but could have done without the canned tomato sauce and the bread offended Jeremy's French sensibilities to the very core. Little did Kianni know, when she ordered Chicken Francese, a pasta dish served with a "lemon-white wine sauce", she would actually receive a plate doused in the clarified garlic butter that comes with Domino's pizza. (Disclaimer: Rick wanted me to know that they don't actually use sauce from Domino's for this dish. While the original comparison was meant to explain that it's not a good sauce, I'll just say that it's not a good sauce.) The food was probably fine for some, but frankly it was all dismally overpriced for the quality.

The restaurant has a decent selection of beer, including Sierra Nevada and Sam Adams....listed under "imports", which I guess is code for "beer that doesn't suck as bad". The cocktail list includes the usual roundup of sugary tropical concoctions, but for $8 I'd rather just have a featured cocktail at the Imperial afterwards.

Our service was actually awesome, and by far the most impressive thing about the visit. Our server was around when we needed her and gone when we didn't, which I've always considered the trickiest part of the job. I appreciated her efficiency in dealing with a large group. I should also note that the food came out surprisingly fast, a welcome change from past visits.

Bottom Line
Meh. My low expectations were met. However, this style of restaurant has never been my jam (I have also never owned anything with the words "Salt Life" on it) and I know some people really get into places like this. This is another classic example of a locally owned restaurant trying to follow the corporate recipe-- and coming up super short. As always, I think reducing the sprawling menu, changing the music to be both more pleasant and less loud, and continuing to train good staff would help round out the Breezeway as a neighborhood staple. With a couple of changes, the Breezeway could easily morph from the loud drunk who lives next door into the friendly neighbor we love to party with.

But never forget, I am totally, 100% biased, so try it for yourself!

6 Things You Should Know About Art Woodruff

I had never met Art Woodruff prior to the Marina Debacle of 2014 (still my favorite name for it), but I immediately found his articulate and modest style of campaigning for District 1 Commissioner (while foreign) very appealing. In an effort to get to know him better prior to the election, I invited him for coffee and some very intense political questions. I was really impressed with how humble and down to earth he was, and how willing he was to listen to a prattling 22-year-old.

He got pretty close during Tuesday's election, winning the most votes but not quite a majority. So, to gear you up for the December 4th Run-Off election, I present you with 6 things you should know about Art Woodruff.

1) He likes the great outdoors-- scout's honor.

As the father of a boy scout, Mr. Woodruff has the enviable position of monitoring 50 teenagers during scout outings, including campouts, freely admitting that the best part is creating and devouring giant feasts with the good friends he's made over the years. (A man after my own heart.)

2) He  enjoys things a bit nutty.

Art confessed to me that he is a crunchy peanut butter sort of man, like myself. One of his favorite ways to enjoy it is atop chocolate ice cream with hot fudge--yum! (And because I know it's on your mind, his favorite sandwich is a cheesesteak from Skibo's.)

3) He's a true Sanford-Centric.

Mr. Woodruff has lived all over Sanford. When he was "young and single", he lived in a garage apartment in Sanford Heights, much like myself. Of course, he reminds me that was before Sanford "really took off"...how hipster!

4) Facts are his weapon of choice.

...but seriously, he's a physics teacher. In fact, Mr. Woodruff has taught almost every type of science over his career, and even dabbled in yearbook.

5) He hates midges as much as you do.

While he does feel that they've gotten considerably less horrible over the past few years, he says there is "no end in sight" for these unique (read: pesky) Sanford creatures.

6) He is as much a student as a teacher.

Art has gleaned many lessons from his years teaching high school, including to "pick your battles...and watch out for things that cause bleeding", certainly something applicable to most things in life (especially politics). When I asked which of his opponents he would save if they were both drowning, he said he had to fall back on some good old scout training: "Whichever is closer."

If you'd like to get to know Mr. Woodruff better, reach out! The best thing I learned about him during the interview was that he is not afraid of discussion or questions. I really enjoyed my afternoon with Mr. Woodruff, and wish him the best of luck in the run-off! 

(Thank you for the photos, Mr. Woodruff!)

Field Trip: Vayda's Gypsy Rib Ranch

 

 Last week, the Sanford Supper Club visited Sanford's newest barbeque establishment. I'm always up for a reliable place to grab quality pulled pork, cornbread, and sweet tea. Paul suggested we try Vayda's Gypsy Rib Ranch. It's got a cool name and loads of mystery, so why not?

Vayda's Gypsy Rib Ranch

Number of Visits: 1
(with the Sanford Supper Club)

Distance from Chez Sanford-Centric: drive 21 blocks down 17-92 in a car (Eek! Could probably bike this, but haven't tried yet.)

Best Described As: a kooky new BBQ joint with tasty food and a couple of kinks to work out

Expectations
I went in with pretty low expectations on this one. Past business owners have found this building a tough nut to crack, and nothing has stuck around very long. I hoped for a solid barbeque place, which would be a great addition to Sanford, even if the location is a bit further from downtown than I would like. The place is pretty new, so no one had been there before.

Impressions
I looooove the décor in this place! The building is a great fit for a hometown barbeque joint, and the owners decked the inside with funky vintage tchochskies and memorabilia. I found the menu pretty impressive, both in variety and style. The owners chose tongue in cheek descriptions for each item, which helps establish the fun and super casual atmosphere...always a plus, in my opinion. The menu seems a bit sprawling for a new operation, but I'm sure they will gradually figure out what works and what doesn't.

The meal started strong, with buffalo chicken dip (that everyone seemed to like) and fried green tomatoes (very tasty, but not as good as Shantell's). Entree wise, everyone agreed that the brisket was "pretty good", and the side dishes were yummy. Jeremy and Sada both ordered ribs, which were adequate. Sada and both grew up with an impossible standard for ribs (bones sliding directly out because the meat is so tender, which only comes from slow cooking for four hours at a low temp), so it's hard for me to judge, but these took a little knawing. The meat had good flavor, but if the proprietors plan to include "rib ranch" in their name, I would double check on the cooking method and ensure the ribs are to die for.

I ordered a featured salad, since I believe salads to be a huge indicator of a restaurant's quality (and I had eaten a late lunch). My "Fortune Teller" salad looked beautiful, but left me wishing I had ordered something else. They used romaine as a base, which is better than most, but their poppyseed dressing tastes bottled, and the whole thing was otherwise bland. Given a second chance, I would have ordered one of their veggie burgers. In fact, I must compliment the Gypsy Rib Ranch on their completely unexpected and surprisingly quality vegetarian item selection! Very unusual for a barbeque place!

Our server was strong and confident, but the kitchen seemed highly unprepared to serve our party of 18. Granted, we didn't call ahead, but the restaurant seats about 50 inside and 70 outside. I suspect that getting plates out for a handful of four tops and deuces on a Tuesday night during dinner rush would have weeded them just as easily. This is always a sticking point with new Sanford restaurants: how do we staff? How much do we buy? What hour should we be open? Since they're new, we're super forgiving, but I will be interested to return in a month or so and see if anyone receives their entrée while everyone else is getting their checks.

Bottom Line
We will definitely return. I am eager to see how the Gypsy Rib Ranch will develop, because the good things are good, and the not so good things are very fixable. I believe that simplifying the menu to focus on a few core items, as well as marketing themselves as a vegetarian hotspot will really help put this place on the map as Sanford's go-to barbeque place.

As always, I wanna know what you think. Have you been to the Gypsy Rib Ranch? How did you like it?

Follow Vayda's on Facebook for updates (and it looks like deals!).