Even though my trip to Vermont was not long, one trip to Stowe just wasn’t enough. Much as I enjoyed rambling through the downtown, Stowe is renown for its skiing and resorts. On the return visit to Stowe we took a wonderful drive UP and UP to see some of the resorts and the scenes of the mountainous terrain. One word for both- WOW. I was actually a little scared winding our way up to Smugglers Notch – and there wasn’t even snow! But Jenn and Roberto forged ahead in their 4-wheel drive truck with nary a care. It was awesome. Steep, raw, windy, amazing, beautiful. And as hot as it was in Vermont during my stay, it was COOL up there too. Ahhhhh.

We even saw a brave couple climbing straight up the side of the mountain. I don’t know how they could not fall off. There were too far up to actually photograph, but trust me, they were doing it.

Here is one of the many ski lift places.

The resorts were one better than the next.

Ever see The Sound of Music? This is the Trapp Family resort in the background.

Here we see condos, privately owned. They have their own lift that crosses the road and up to the slopes. That is how the other half lives…………..

After all that “mountain climbing” that we did, albeit in a truck, we worked up an appetite and needed a good cold one to go with it. We ate at Mr. Pickwick’s down the hill.

It was a wonderful English Pub with tons of atmosphere and good food. I wish I could say I was more adventurous, but for some reason, you say “pub” and I say “fish and chips”. Yum – my!! Light, crisp batter and tender flaky fish. I only had one pint, but Jenn and Roberto said I was fair to singing. But that is just between us, okay?

I think I could visit Stowe again and again. Lively, pretty, and fun.

It isn’t often than when I go out to eat that I would choose a chain restaurant. Recently, however, when I was traveling in South Florida, my friend and I went to explore a new mall area. I really wasn’t too excited to be going to a shopping mall but agreed to go taking her word that I would really enjoy seeing this one. Turns out this was not actually a shopping mall. It was an outdoor, upscale treat for the eyes with high end designer shops, architecturally beautiful with luxurious plantings lining the streets. We just had a few hours to spend so we enjoyed just strolling a bit, soaking up the sites and then, as it was lunch time, decided to lunch at one of the spots there.

Since my friend Margaret has children and a sister leaving in the area, she had been there on other recent trips and was able to suggest the place – Brio Tuscan Grille. I had heard about this place but from another location in the South Florida area and it had gotten enthusiastic reviews. So I thought, what the heck, it is just lunch. So we went.

Brio’s is not just another chain. I can name several other chain spaghetti houses which range from so-so to consistently pretty good. I was pleasantly surprised by this upscale Italian restaurant. It had a quiet elegance. Much attention was placed on detail, from the comfortable seating, to the lavish appointments of draperies, greenery, lighting, wood working. It was just a lovely and inviting place to come in for a meal.

I had Crispy Eggplant Pomodoro, which was lightly Romano-encrusted, then topped with their house Pomodoro sauce. On the side was a generous portion of herb spaghetti with a light toss of Parmesan and fresh Mozzarella. It was perfect. To wash it down, I ordered a berried lemonade, nicely presented with a sugar coated glass rim.

The hostess and wait staff were friendly. The only complaint I might have was that, being a newly opened restaurant, the service was not really up to the par of the establishment. I would be willing to bet that in time it would improve as they become more experienced. However, I felt, that for a place like this, attention to all the details, including the proper basic training of the wait staff, should have been beefed up prior to opening. Still, I would go back to try it again.

Brios Gulfstream Tuscan Grille
600 Silks Run Suite 1205
Hallandale Beach, Florida 33009

All of a sudden Ocala is teaming with new and different eateries. And I am going to make it my personal responsibility to eat at them all. Ah, such a sacrifice.

This time I am going to sample a gourmet pizza at a cute little spot called Pi on Broadway. I like pizza so this was not too tough on me. There are so many pizza places that serve, well, pretty much the same pizza with different names – big globs of dough with big globs of cheese and sometimes double cheese with the usual add-ons. So I was sort of excited to see what they termed gourmet pizzas.

The restaurant is small and intimate with a bar right inside the entrances double doors right off where else Broadway – Ocala style that is. There are micro brews and global craft beers on tap. And for those whose tastes go beyond beer, there are wines and martinis to be had. Beyond the bar are several bar style tables in the center and a few more regular tables along the window with a sofa seating area at the end. The service was friendly and not too intrusive, which goes a long way with me because I like to chat with my dinner partners- a lot and without interruption.

But I have to say, the big star was the pizzas. There were 14 choices – one better than the next and it was hard to pick just one. The pies were priced at only $12 and would be a generous dish for one and plenty for 2 if you added a salad.

My friend had this Tuscan pizza that featured cannelloni puree, tomato, goat cheese, arugula and a balsamic reduction.

And I had the White Pi. Not as adventurous, but it was just something I had a taste for. The crust was thin and crisp and it was topped with ricotta, roasted garlic, EVOO and parsley. I loved it.

There were also tapas on the menu, which if I go back, I think I would just get a few of those to make up my meal. To my knowledge, there are not many other tapas spots in Ocala. So I thought this was cool.

Another big plus is the roof top terrace. It has a bar too and at night, awash with twinkle lights, torches and live music, it is a popular night spot. To view their special events and menu, check them here.

Pi on Broadway

110 SW Broadway

Ocala, FL

Going for the fancy isn’t always the best way to go. There are a lot of little hidden gems out there where one can get the authentic flavor of a locale without falling into the tourist trap. We like to veer off the path now and then and follow the locals to see where they like to eat.

In a little town called Dunnellon, Florida, right along SR 41, we found a spot called The Front Porch. It was about as down home as you could get but I am telling you, finding a parking spot was hard to come by. Hand painted scenes on the walls and colorful rocking chairs gave it character. Even the walls in the restrooms were painted to resemble on old fashioned out house. Kind of a hoot, really.

As crowded as it was, we only had about a five minute wait to be seated. The folks who worked there were about as laid back as you could get. But friendly and courteous and downright neighborly. It was quite a diverse gang of patrons there too from a guy with a mullet and tats to two little old ladies in their Sunday going to the meeting fancy dresses with matching hats.

They had a nice little selection of menu items that I don’t often see these days- like okra and beets. But we’d had heard about the pies, and that was what we had come for. We decided to have the Cubans, not that original- I know. But then came the pies.

Roberto chose the Key Lime. It has been one of his favorites and as they were soon leaving the South, he had his last piece. He liked it.

Jenn went for the coconut cream. It was just full of fresh grated toasted coconut in the filling and the meringue and she dug right in.

Me, I went for the Lemon Meringue. Not as tart as I would have liked but very lemony and the meringue was a mile high.

It was fun exploring and we were glad we took the time out to have lunch there.

When Jenn and Roberto last visited Ocala just before their second anniversary, they asked if we could go back to “Le Cuisine” French Restaurant just a block off the town square in Ocala, Florida to celebrate. This is a little jewel and our second trip there lived up to our expectations of it being just as good as we remembered.

I asked for a quiet table for our evening when I called for reservations. To our surprise and delight, they gave us our own private, little room off the main dining room where we could talk and take pictures without disturbing others. It was great!

The décor is fanciful and rustic with little pigs tucked here and there, twinkle lights out front as you come in, bright red walls, but at the same time elegant in its simplicity with chandeliers, white linens and tea lights on the tables.

Food is traditional French cooked by French chefs. To start we are brought a little bite – some crisp French bread with 3 tiny pots of sour cream laced with herbs and spices. With that we had some sparkling water flavored with raspberry for me and blackberry for Jenn.

Then we shared an amazing appetizer tart made with phylo layered with zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes and pesto.

For our main courses, Jenn selected a plate of mussels with a side of Pommes Lyonnaise, thinly cut homemade fried potato crisps.

Roberto ordered Pork Jarret in Honey, a slow cooked, very tender pork shank, meaty and plentiful. As his side he selected Gratin Dauphinois, closely resembling escaloped potatoes.

For me there was Chicken in Dodine, a roasted chicken cooked in a creamy mushroom sauce just loaded with mushrooms. I also had the Pommes Lyonnaise.

To finish, Jenn ordered Oeufs a la Neige, stiffly whisked egg whites, poached, light, not too sweet, and floating in a pool of liquid, vanilla custard.

Roberto wanted something a little chocolate and he found Chocolate fondant, warm chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and crème anglaise. He asked if they could go light on the cake and add more ice cream. The cake was pre-portioned but the chef indulged him with an extra scoop of ice cream.

I had a Tarte Tatin, warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream. To wash it down we had espresso with whipped cream.

It was a lovely evening and we left satisfied and very, very, full.

“La Cuisine” French Restaurant
48 West 1st Avenue
Ocala, Fl, 34471

How about a dish of gelato! Most times when I am in St. Augustine, that phrase is on the tip of my tongue and Jenn, Roberto and I make haste over the bridge to Casa del Hildalgo on Hypolita Street.

Gelato is one of those rare treats that keep me always craving more. There are not too many places nearby where I can actually get some, discounting the “gelato” in the freezer compartment at the supermarket. It is okay, but not like the fresh, creamy gelato that I enjoy from this little spot in St. Augustine.

First, it is a treat for the eyes where the experience really begins for me. When you walk into Hildalgo your eyes are met with this phenomenal sight of batch after batch of the most beautifully displayed containers of mounded gelato of all colors topped with generous garnishes of fruits and nuts announcing the flavors beneath – the darkest red cherries, peaches, lemons and on and on. At that point, I would just like to go behind the counter with a spoon and just dig in to sample each and every one.

I have to confess though, that even with all the best intentions to sample a different flavor every visit, I always end up with chocolate as one of the two picks I get every time. However, I do try to pair it with something that I think will complement it like cherry or coconut or even lemon. And I always get it in a dish so that not one drop will get away from me from a dripping cone. And lucky for me that Jenn is always willing to trade tastes which I think is just a dandy tradition!!

Gelato is the smoothest, creamiest, most flavorful frozen treat that I can imagine. It is one of life’s little pleasures and just writing and thinking about it makes my mouth water for the next visit!

Santa Maria Restaurant is in the heart of St. Augustine. Every time I have visited the downtown area, there it is perched right out over the water. For some reason I really wanted to eat there so after many hints,  Jenn and Roberto returned there for my benefit and I am so glad they did. We had such a good time. It was a friendly place, full of fun and ambiance. I figured being right on the water, we should get some seafood – that it was bound to be fresh.

Was it ever! Don’t know why but with all the varieties of seafood I sure do have a penchant for catfish. Especially that day! We were lucky enough to get a table by a big window. Not only did this give us a bird’s eye view of the bridge and boats passing by, but looking down we also could see the water lapping up against the pilings holding us up.

Right on the ledge of the window were these cute little trap doors. The mystery of these was solved when our server brought this big basket of odds and ends bread. I thought I’ve never seen bread served like this before, until we were told it wasn’t for us; it was for the FISH. So here we are tossing bread out the trap doors by our table and when we looked down we saw hundreds of  hungry open-mouthed catfish staring back up at us, eating the bread faster than we could drop it. I could hardly believe how abundant they were.

Right then and there, I knew it would be catfish for me – again! I got this enormous amount of fish with really good fries, hush puppies and coleslaw, enough to eat my fill and with leftovers for lunch the next day.  (What else could I get as sides right? ) I washed it all down with a never empty glass of raspberry iced tea. Even though our family is really health food conscious 99.9% of the time, there are times when you just have to go for it. I went into a fried food and carb coma for a short time, but it was so worth it.

Okay. Maybe when I tell you that I had a most yummy lunch at a place called the SWAMP, you might think that doesn’t sound like the nicest place that YOU might want to eat.

My friend Margaret and I wanted to leave Ocala for just a little while to see some new scenery so we trekked up about an hour to Gator country. Yes, I know that Florida is gator country but I’m talkin’ about THE Gator country. Anyone in the area who is a football fan will know immediately that I am talking about Gainesville, home of the famous UF Gators. The town itself is centered around the university and college life. It was a beautiful, sunny day and we had fun just driving around looking at the campus while we searched for a place to have lunch.

We finally spotted a pretty restaurant on a corner right on University Boulevard that looked like “the place”. It had an enclosed outdoor garden with umbrella-ed tables bordered by hibiscus and trees. We could watch the people going by or watch football on the giant outdoor screen right outside the door leading to the inside. There was also this very large gator on the sidelines that I kept my wary eye on!!

Inside it reminded one of a sports bar and while this was jumping, we opted for the restful ambiance of the outdoor garden and settled for a casual dining experience. While the menu offered some nice salad options and some fresh fish dishes that we considered (both of which we should have gone for as we both claim to be on a diet) we both gravitated to the turkey panini with spinach, tomatoes and a gooey cheese along with a side of sweet potato fries. The serving was so plentiful that I brought half home to have for lunch the next day. All I can say, keeping in the vernacular of the Swamp, is CHOMP, CHOMP- good.

On a personal note, I will be traveling to New England through the end of October, and will not be updating the site while away! But look forward to more articles in November!

Madeira – Tropical, Mountainous and Lovely

Article and Photos BY: KARI HOEL

The trip to Madeira was decided during a conversation between my husband and I sometime in June, when the holiday was coming closer. “Kari, I have been thinking: What if the weather in Norway this summer turns out as terrible as it was last summer? It would be nice to go away somewhere warm and nice for a week or so – what about Madeira?” I smiled, turned on the computer, checked out some facts about Madeira (all very promising), booked tickets and said: “Yes, that is a wonderful idea, we are leaving 6 am. on July 7th. !“

Madeira is an island in the Atlantic ocean (600 kms off the west of Morocco) and an autonomous region of Portugal. The climate is comfortable all year around, and there is plenty of sunshine. The scenery is very diverse: It is rocky, but there are also hills, colorful flowers and sub-tropical forests. Madeira does not really have nice beaches, but Porto Santo – an island northwest of Madeira – apparently has a wonderful 9 km long beach. There are several seawater pools along the coastline of Madeira, so it is not hard to find places to swim and sunbathe. The Rough Guide Directions Madeira and Porto Santo contains lots of information about Madeira, and we used it a lot during our holiday.
Read the rest of this entry »

Today I am going to share with you some of my favorite places in Saint Augustine to dine, eat and drink and also enjoy treats! Some of these establishments in Saint Augustine, may be a little off the beaten path, but are always great places (in my opinion) to get some good food and well worth the little effort it takes to walk there. For several of these places, I have already written a full review. So please check those out! Hopefully in the future I will be able to do actual reviews of each place, but in the meantime, here is the list. If you are looking for a best of category that you have not seen here, please feel free to ask and I will give you my opinion.

Best Breakfast: Athena’s
Need to get your day started with a nice honest breakfast? Then you want to check out Athena’s right off the square downtown. They have very large portions, great omelets, and nice big fluffy pancakes, all for a reasonable price. Great service too.
14 Cathedral Pl, Saint Augustine, FL 32084-4417
(904) 823-9076

Best Unique Breakfast: Casa Maya
If you want a nice, organic breakfast, you have got to checkout Cafe Maya. I had the Poblano Eggs and they were delicious – sunny side up eggs cooked to perfection and covered in Mole Poblano. My husband had a Cuban sandwich (which he loves) and says this was one of the best. They have great organic, free trade coffee and delicious smoothies! Inexpensive and great great quality!
See my dinner review
17 Hypolita St, Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 823-1739

Best Lunch: Gaufres and Good
This place is run by a wonderful Polish couple who used to live in Greece as well. We went here for lunch one day and the food was incredible – freshly made, and out of this world good. We got home made pirogies (they have 3 different fillings) that you can get cooked in several different ways. We also got a huge and perfect Greek salad. I also got a Greek frappe (a type of Greek Iced Coffee drink) that is one of the best I have ever had! So going back for their awesome looking European waffles!
9 Aviles Street, Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 829-5770

Best Diner: Georgies Diner
Looks just like an old time diner, but run by the same people as Athena’s – and so they have delicious Greek food there – gyros, souvlaki, Greek Salads and really good French fries! The people that work here are super nice and the food comes out hot and delicious! They also serve beer and wine.
100 Malaga St St Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 819-9006

Best Gelato: Cafe de Hidalgo
They make all their gelato in house and have all the authentic Italian flavors as well as some more cosmopolitan and American flavors, but the quality is always great! Their flavors rotate, but some of our favorites have been coconut, banana, pistachio, fig, hazelnut and marscapone. Make sure to stand in line to pay first (they give you a ticket for the gelato counter)
See my full review
35 Hypolita Street
St. Augustine, FL
904-823-1196/1198

Best Sandwiches: JP Henley’s
Our friends told us about this one! Go to the back room! It is less noisy there! This place is known for its beer (over 80 international and domestic beers ON TAP – as well as many many more bottled). But you know what? Their sandwiches are awesome and cheap. So be sure to bring your appetite too! Plus you can get 3 different sizes of most of their beers, so you can taste a lot or you can get a big one if you already know your favorite.
10 Marine St, St Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 829-3337

Best English Pub: Prince of Wales
This is a true English Pub – run by an Englishman and his wife! They have the best fish and chips there! It is cute and quaint and they even have some limited outdoor seating if you don’t want to sit inside. They also have lots of great traditional British and Scottish desserts. Yum!
See my full review
54 Cuna St
St Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 810-5725

Best Pizza: Kosmic Bluz
We know a thing or two about pizza in this household and are picky about it – one of us being from Rome and the other generally not liking pizza. But this place is awesome! The crust is thin and the toppings fresh, and you can chose white or whole wheat crust! They also have some interesting microbrews on tap and a cute outdoor dining area.
48 Spanish St, Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 825-4805

Best Place for Upscale Drinks: Tini Martini
This place has the best view of the water! You can sit on their nice porch (all light up with tiki torches at night) or inside the bar. It is attached to The Casablanca Inn, a B&B, so if you go during happy hour, they have cheese and crackers and olives. Be sure to get some, as the drinks are pricey (but really good and unique!) and having the snacks kind of makes up for it! They also have live music on the weekends.
24 Avenida Menendez Saint Augustine, FL 32084
1-800-826-2626

Best Coffee: Crucial Coffee
I love this place! It is an adorable little coffee shack on the corner of Cuna and Charlotte. You can go inside to order, or order from the window. Unique coffee drinks that are addictive and delicious. Nice garden area to sit in as well, or you can take it on the go.
See my full review
26 Charlotte St
St Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 810-2080

Best Unique Date Idea: Claude’s Chocolate
My husband and I were just walking around downtown one day and came across Claude’s. We saw that they did a chocolate tasting – you get a choice of 4 different chocolates and either wine or champagne to drink. I can’t remember the price, but it was very inexpensive to have a nice glass of wine and enjoy handmade chocolates made with Belgian chocolate. Be sure to try the coconut and the Spicy Mayan! Also delicious is the chocolate covered caramel with French sea salt.
15 Hypolita St , Saint Augustine, FL
904-829-5790