You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘travel’ category.
We stopped for Gelato while Beatrice was napping in the Ergo for a private parent ice cream party!
Oh, Gelato! DEEEElicious!
Photos from American Monument, Cemetary and Memorial at Omaha Beach, France.
Grandmother: We went to grand-lengths to locate the markers for the two West Boys we found (each entered the military in South Carolina). You said, “well, neither Ansel nor Arthur rings a bell. Daddy sent flowers to his brother over there every year, but that is not my Uncle’s name.” We are so sorry! Our regrets to you for mis-locating the markers. If the thought counts…
Beatrice was a blister that day as you can see in the photos. The reverence and silence observed throughout the United States territory was enough to make her a sour puss for the entire day. We are sorry – but hope you know we tried. Love you and miss you!!!
We decided to spend a day at the exchange home last week to rest and relax.
I made an impromptu Quiche from scratch for brunch.
The difficulty level is upped when you consider I can not read french. No comprende (yes, I DO know that is spanish). I just have to read the packages and recipes while mustering every ounce of Latin Studies from a rarely visited crevice of my brain. Thank goodness French is a romance language. I have a little comprehension. Upon Brian and Beatrice’s approval I was so proud of my regional culinary dish. Bon appetite!
We sipped wine while B played football. We played a little, too. It was fun – especially after a few glasses of Chardonnay.
We took breaks from the game to discover each other and the fun of doing “nothing.”
We laughed.
We smiled.
And, we pointed and played. It was a fun day!
Farmers’ Market
The new Main Street Farmers’ Market is now underway and each month brings more fruits, vegetables, handmade and homemade goods to Downtown Statesboro. From freshly baked organic bread, fresh flowers and herbs, to beautiful, affordable homemade jewelry, you never know what awaits you downtown Statesboro every first and third Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. We are located in the parking lot of the Sea Island Bank on the corner of S. Main and E. Main. Support this new and growing farmers’ market and you will be amazed by the deliciously fresh produce of the local farmers. More than just a destination for fresh food, it is an fun event for the whole family.
So mark your calendars for the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month so you can get the freshest local produce, support local farmers, and your planet.
Know your neighbor, know your food!
If you have questions, or are a farmer, artisan, or craftsmen who would like to participate, please call Main Street Statesboro at (912) 764-7227 email mainstreet@mainstreetstatesboroga.com.
Southern Living’s Top 10 Memorial Day Trips
Editors give you the Top 10 destinations, along with their top-rated picks on where to eat, stay, and play in the south
Nashville-Dancing in the Street
Stroll and Shop on Bay St. Louis
12 Bones Smokehouse-Asheville
Wakeboarding-Orlando, Florida
Blue Spring State Park Marine Life
Pizza Pong in Washington, D.C.
A Louisiana Getaway-The Bluffs
Regretful that I have been withholding information from you (me dearest bloggy friends), I have finally decided to share our summer travel plans. I can not keep if from you any longer: we are going to Paris. And, we are taking Beatrice with us! The fun part is that we will stay for almost a month. Even better, we are house swapping.
I can hear your questions now. And, the answer to the first one is non. No, we do not know how to speak French.
Bonjour, Ya’ll!
Photo Credits: suitcase collection
Originally uploaded by Supercapacity
 |
|
On our weekend foray to St. Simons we ate a Bubba Garcias located in the Red Fern Village for Sunday Brunch. A casual Mexican Catina, the affordable menu ranges from $5 – 20.
A lively little restaurant, it’s one of those places you can kick back, relax and enjoy a margarita or two. With Baby B in tow we didn’t partake in alcoholic beverages — I am just saying, it is the perfect place for it. They have a tequila bar in addition to a full bar. You can have the cervacas of your choice! At the same time it is family friendly.
As we dined on outdoor makeshift tables, I ordered my favorite: Cali Club Tacos. They are the best tacos ever! The tacos are overflowing with layors fried chicken, spinach, lots of cheese, and chipolte cream sauce topped with applewood smoked bacon. This combination of ingredients is yummy to my tummy.
Beatrice enjoyed the rice, beans, tomatoes, chips and cheese.
The service was very poor. Admittedly, we have enjoyed excellent service at this restaurant on past visits. However, this experience is spotted with empty beverages, a forgotten cheese dip order, an early check, and an incorrect drink order. All debts could be forgiven with a busy restaurant or even acknowledgement from the staff. Neither existed. The customers were sparse and our waitress appeared hung over, in a constant state of gloom while plagued with amnesia.
On a scale of one to five I rate the experience a 3+ due to the service. Other than the service dilemma, it is definitely a 5. It was just what the doctor ordered for an easy Sunday morning.
I found this review of Bubba Garcias, here:
4.2 out of 5| Food |
  |
4.3 out of 5 |
| Service |
 |
4.2 out of 5 |
| Cleanliness |
  |
3.9 out of 5 |
| Value |
 |
4.1 out of 5 |
Based on 26 responses
And, here’s a rendering of the interior of the restaurant. Though, I must tell you this image makes the dining area appear much larger than in reality.
Happy dining!
More blog posts about Bubba Garcia’s:
“Some days are better than others,” Barry says while catching his toy at the beach.
Beatrice agrees.
And, so does Papa!
We had a beachy break this weekend. And, boy did we need it. It was great. St. Simons whispered our names on Friday. We listened. We loaded up the car and headed her way as we set our clocks to island time. The weather was amazingly spring-like. Even though it’s February, the beach was busy with swimmers, golfers, families, and dogs.
Brian and I squeezed in a mini-date on Sunday. We scored enough time to go to the movies. Yahoo!
It was fun to get away to The Bucket List matinee. I love Jack Nicholson . And Morgan Freeman. I fell in love with Morgan’s work back in Shawshank Redemption . He has been on the top of my fave list since. So, it was a no-brainer when we decided which movie to go see. Despite being a little predictable and corny, the film’s “heart” can not be overlooked.
The movie’s comedy is prevalent enough to present a light-hearted take on an often sobering theme: immortality. It is hilarious at times and touching at others.
I swear that Brian teared-up during the movie, although he suggests otherwise. I did not cry, yet I saw others who were. I must admit, I am not a “cryer” as it takes fine acting, reality, and drama to push tears through my ducts.
We both left the movie pondering our own mortality and considering our personal bucket lists. I suppose everyone has a “bucket list” per se. Hmm…do you have one? What is it that you just don’t want to leave here without doing? I desperately want to go to Africa, on a Safari. I want to go to South America, too. The short list is: I want to do more international traveling. How about you?
Here’s a quick off-the-cusp list for me:
1. Experience an African Safari
2. See the Great Wall of China
3. Give Birth to Another Child
4. Float on the Amazon River
But, wouldn’t all this be really expensive? Yes, I think so. How much would it cost to do the real ”Bucket List” from the movie? Not counting the cost of a tattoo, it’s about $105,730 for two. Yikes! Maybe I better include: get a better paying job, win the lottery, or cash in on the HGTV Dream Home.
What is on your bucket list? Leave me a comment so that I can dream. Maybe I will add your list to mine!
Remember the beautiful HGTV 2008 Dream Home that I told you about? 
The first floor of the house has a garage with a sports closet – because you’re definitely want to get in the fishing action in the Well girls, I have been dreamin’ of a new vacation spot since I posted the link. A pool, a cabana boy, a Yukon to drive while on vacation, a tan to cover my motherhood-whitehood, and a lot of fishing, swimming, and margarrrrritas. Ahhhh, yeah.
The clear water and fine sand of the Florida Keys beat the Georgia Coast any day!
But, I am wondering…would it be a tax nightmare? I am not an accountant but consider myself pretty-okay with numbers. I don’t want to be a party pooper but it is simply not adding up to me.
Case in point: apparently Don Cruz of Illinois was the last winner. Winning the Dream home seemed to be the answer to his family’s financial problems, and it was if they considered it a gift of money after taxes and not an actual home.
Remember, I am looking for a new beach house. But, I guess, I could look at it like a lottery. The money would be fine (a-okay with me). But, did you know that the Cruz’s did not even even win the land with the home! The land is owned by the city of Tyler, Texas.
I think, winning the Dream Home is more like winning the lottery than an actual home as the televised building is more a promotion than a home give away. Is that what you are gathering?
The Cruz’s booty, the $1.5 million Dream Home, included $600,000 federal and $30,000 in property taxes. Nice work, Cruz’s. Who wants to win that? More, they won other gifts they had to pay taxes on, too and they had to pay for the upkeep of the house ie. electricity, landscaping, etc. The house they won in 2005 was up for auction, yesterday, January 8, 2008. No, I am not kidding.
“WORRY DOLL LEGEND – There is a legend amongst the Highland Indian villages of Guatemala: “If you have a problem, then share it with a worry doll. Before going to bed, tell one worry to each doll, then place them beneath your pillow. Whilst you sleep, the dolls will take your worries away!”
Maybe I should get the Cruz’s a full set of Worry Dolls. I’ll order a dozen and a half of those please!
According to Michael Emilio, no Dream Home winner has EVER lived in their prize! And, Emily Yarborough, the HGTV spokeswoman even admits it, “We maintain that the Dream Home sweepstakes is just about living your dream” not necessarily living in THEIR dream home.
Hmm…I am rethinking my dream of the Dream Home. Maybe I am glad I haven’t had a chance to enter yet. Maybe I am happy to NOT have a dream house in the keys.
On second thought, I’ll take my chances. I will keep dreaming!
More Reading: The House that Swallowed Don & Shelly Cruz, The Auction
To enter: https://christyhulsey.wordpress.com/2008/01/03/hgtvs-dream-house-3008/
*Worry Doll Photo by distinguish
Wow. This article from the Timesis SO inspiring to me. I love the idea. I love old barns.
A couple bought an old, dilapidated, crappy barn north of Manhattan for $150K and renovated to make it warm and livable. The idea of buying a crummy old barn or warehouse and fixing it up gets me so excited. If you came to my wedding you will know how much I like this idea. Doesn’t it sound romantic and fun. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a farm house to vacation to, especially in upstate New York? Brian and I spent a long time exploring upstate New York when we did our 1/2 year lap around the United States. It’s God’s Country up there.
A place in the country for my dogs to run free (and me, too) sounds so enticing and appealing. Brian, get your project calendar out and your tool belt positioned!
Brian and I love to travel all year round, not just during the holidays. More, we love to visit with friends and family while traveling. It’s always more fun to stay with loved ones vs. a hotel. If you are one of them you already know this! We will divert our trip for miles just to visit, to chum with relatives and comrads. Most recently we stayed with Mason, Chrissy and Trey in Atlanta a few weeks ago while Brian took his electrical test even though it added about an hour drive time and extra gas. This isn’t a practice motivated by frugality. We aren’t total cheapskates. But, we do love to visit. I miss my friends and my family. It is so great to see them. It’s the best way to learn local lore and culture, to get the best insight on attractions, and to foster relationships.
As I consider this alternative to traditional travel, I am realizing that it is more eco-friendly than staying at a hotel. There’s no extra ac/heat used, no little bars of soap and shampoo and no paper for receipts. While we travel we attempt to be good guests as we hope that our accommodate-ers enjoy our stay as much as we do.
Tis the season for travel, family, friends, hostessing, and hosting. I encourage you to forgo the commercial inns to absorb the warmth of those that you love.
Here are a few of my tips for being a good house guest. Is there any thing that you do special when you stay at someones house? Let me know. Leave me a comment. I love fresh ideas,
Here are a few things I like to do when invited to stay overnight at someone’s home:
- Bring a bread-and-butter gift. This is a token gift to thank your hosts. It doesn’t have to be extravagant, just thoughtful. Something to eat is always appropriate. I like to bring representations of our geographic area like Vidalia Onions, for instance. We took Chrissy and Mason two bottles of wine from our local vineyard, Meinhardt Vinyard.
I know that Hopuliket Red can ONLY be found in Statesboro. It is a gift unique to our hometown! - Help prepare at least one of the meals during your stay. This can be an alternative to taking everyone out to eat at a restaurant, especially with busy schedules. A breakfast casserole is always easy, coupled with fresh fruit and a bread. When GG recently visited us she brought a recipe with all of the ingredients. It was nice to know that it was one less meal that I had to plan and prepare for. Plus, it introduced us to a new dish. You can see the details on my earlier post, here.
- Plan lunch away from your hosts. This gives them a break from meal preparation, time to run needed errands, and a chance to have some time alone.
- Bring your own snacks, so that you won’t have to raid your host’s pantry. It’s not nice to eat them out of house and home.
- Offer to help with any outstanding projects around the home (at your host’s mention). Sometimes it takes a second person for moral support. My Aunt Peg always helps us finish our crafty projects. I look forward to her visits because I know that we will get things done!
- Help with daily chores. For example, at I emptied Chrissy’s dishwasher and helped wash the dishes. And, when GG recently visited us she helped me clean my bathroom from top to bottem. It was really nice.
- Make up the bed, strip the sheets, or launder them–depending on your hostess. Hostesses always insist, “Oh, no, you didn’t have to do that!” but isn’t it so nice if you do? I know I always collapse after guests leave!
- Write a thank-you note upon leaving. Be specific about your trip. Include a photo, if possible.
- Do all of the above if you are staying with friends. Do them twice as well if you are staying with family.
Note: It does not cost a lot to be a considerate guest. It’s fun and it’s easy. So, be one. Your friends and family will look forward to your stay!
*Photo Compliments of kenny42952on flickr
These pictures are from our trip to St. Simons last week. After an early morning breakfast at Dressners (our favorite island breakfast spot) we strolled around the village down to the pier. We stopped to take B to the playground. It’s right on the beach so it was breezy and chilly. And, it was really early. As you can see we were the ONLY people in the park. Brian pushed Beatrice on her first swing ride until he couldn’t take it any more. It looked like so much fun he had to join in for Father-Daughter swing. It was so much fun. It’s times like this that I remember how much I love B’s Daddy. He is such a great Papa!
Peek a boo, baby!
After mo-sing down to St. Simons this Saturday, we had a GREAT weekend. The family mobile was loaded with the whole fam – even Barry and Sugar. Saturday night, Brian, B and I went to 
Blackwater Grill. It was delicious. You can see their menu, here. I had a Berry-tini – Super Fun! After dinner, we put baby to bed before enjoying a glass of wine and R&R on the deck. We talked and rested and sipped while listening to the radio (louder than we should, longer than we should). The tunes danced underneath the blanket of a gentle rustle from the trees. A sheet of waves covered that. The crashing could be heard as it poked thru the sound covers. It was great. I mean, it was really wonderful. On Sunday, we went up to Darien to shop at the Strasburg Store and Ralph Lauren. Yeah, baby. Yeah, Mama! Dad was in tow so I didn’t get to bring home any kadoodles from the Strasburg Store. Rats! I was in heaven as I love to dress up B. Papa was, well, less than thrilled. He didn’t think the prices were “outlet” at all. I promised B we would be back without Papa on a Mommy/Daughter extravaganza. “Shhh…it will be our little secret,” I promised. I did score at the RL store, though. I even found a belt big enough for my post-delivery size. RL is one of my deepest weaknesses. It always has been and it always will be. I was in heaven – with two bags to prove it. Shake what cha’ mama gave yuh. And, you know those athletic socks I am obsessed with. I FOUND them there. Yayayayayay! Soft, comfy, and well fitted, I could hardly keep myself from kissing my feet all the way home. I love those socks, but that’s another blog-eroni. Sunday afternoon Brian headed to the Moran Theatre to see the Panic Show in Jacksonville — male bonding and free time. 
For some reason he always lets his beard grow out before he goes to a show. He must feel liberated when he is scruffy. Mr. Wild and Free. B and I caught up with the Curriers. We were amazed that even at 8 months the girls are already playing together. Baby L likes to pull B’s hair and B likes to sit on Lilly. It’s hilariuos. We packed up early this morning to head back to the ‘boro to enjoy the rest of Papa’s day off.
Barry and Sugar get some R&R!
We went to Savannah the other night just to simply “get away.” Yes, I know it isn’t far; but when you are stay-at-home mom sometimes even short distances are worlds away. It was SO nice. With grand enthusiasm I highly recommend the Hampton Inn Savannah-Historic District Hotel. From the moment you step on the heart pine floors of the foyer to the traditional Savannah grey brick, to the antiques in the lobby, this hotel is awesome. More, the entire staff was extremly nice. Whether for personal or business, I have stayed in a lot of accomodations in a lot of places. I also have worked extensively in the hospitality industry. Trust me, when I say this place was great. It was not extravagent, I mean it was a Hampton Inn. However, it’s Old South appeal and tasteful, casual elegence are unsurpassed.
We walked to River Street as we finally decided to eat at Tubbys. The air was crisp and cool while the breeze kissed out outside table. It was perfect. Someone was playing acoustical music at the restaurant but we could also hear a trumpet player from the Street. The song selection of the trumpet player has us in stiches. It ranged from Jingle Bells to Beyonce. He was talented! We walked thru City Market on the way back.
Here we are getting ready to go. This was my first time using the sling for a long period. My arms adored the freedom. I really like it. 
Here’s Brian and B at Tubby’s 
. She looks drowsy. “It’s past my bed time, Mama,” she seems to say.
There’s our little pumpkin! We could not resist the photo opportunity outside of an ice cream shop in City Market. This is one of my favorite photos. I love it!
Moon Dreams & Day Beams 