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.
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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

I love fish tacos. No. Better stated, I adore fish tacos. For me, it is really difficult to order something other than fish tacos if they are there on a menu. I love to see different interpretations of this delicious (sandwich, snack, wrap, meal…taco…). I had a delicious one at Beachcombers on the beach, with fresh rare cooked tuna, olives, cabbage – red and green and a spicy chipotle like sauce. But when I want a classic Baja style fish taco, I go straight to Madre’s on Aviles street. It is a fairly new place, but the food is great (and cheap), the service is great.

They have nice chips and salsa AND a little dish of pickled carrots and jalapeños that they serve up as soon as you get there.

The beer is also great – I just love the Wailua from Hawaii with the passionfruit…
and the fish tacos are just perfect. You can order them a la carte, in a meal with beans and rice or as a burrito. I suggest getting one taco and a side of the Jah coconut rice. Oh, and skip the salad.

When you are finished with lunch or dinner or evening snacks at Madre’s, walk up and down Aviles Street. If you forget where you are for a minute you could believe that you are walking the cobblestone streets of an old European city somewhere – perhaps, Spain…or maybe just New England.

Roberto and I, since we both work at home, have been trying to go to lunch once a week somewhere within walking distance of our place. We don’t go every week, but we go as much as we can, because it is a nice way for us to get out – take a break from the desks and computers and get to know our town a little better.

Saint Augustine is one of those places where no matter how many times you have walked up and down a particular street before, you always see something new.

We particularly enjoy all the old houses and the doorways on some of the older (and recently renovated with an old style) places. One day I will have to post about all the cool doors in this town!

I was recommended to The Present Moment Cafe , by a fellow blogger I know, Inga from Taste Memory. She is a resident of Jacksonville, but comes all the way to Saint Augustine to eat at The Present Moment. Based on that alone, I really wanted to try it as soon as she mentioned it, because she and I have a similar food philosophy – one that I share on my other blog, The Leftover Queen. which is all about local, fresh and seasonal eating. So at her recommendation, I knew that this was a place that I could go and eat and feel good about it.

Now the day we decided to go to Present Moment, it was hectic. I wasn’t exactly sure where it was and we were starving. Two things that generally don’t go well together in this family. So when Roberto inquired about the type of cuisine and I said it was a vegetarian and raw food place, his face fell. Now neither of us are strangers to this type of food, in fact we love it and eat it frequently – but when Roberto is starving he wants something hearty and filling and he was sure that this meal was not going to satisfy his hunger.
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A few months ago we had a fabulous dinner at Caps on the Water. It was to celebrate our first month as a married couple, so Roberto found out about this awesome sunset cruise that a chartered fishing boat does, once a month on the full moon. The boat picks you up at Caps on the Water. When Roberto called ahead the woman said we should get there by 5:30, because tickets for the cruise sell out fast, even though the boat doesn’t leave until 7. So we decided to go have dinner there as well. What else could we do?!

Let me just preface by saying that Caps on the Water is a beautiful beautiful restaurant. The outdoor eating area is a huge wooden deck, covered by a canopy of oak trees covered in Spanish moss. There are twinkling lights everywhere and you are literally right on the water. It is extremely romantic and peaceful. When there is a nice breeze blowing, you really feel like you could relax there all evening and just be completely content.
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I have been wanting to try The Tasting Room for ages. I have heard a lot of really good things about it and nothing bad. I knew that it is partnered with Opus 39 another high quality restaurant that I am dying to try, so with all of these pros, I thought there was no time like the present to enjoy some fine dining in Saint Augustine.

We have been trying to work our way around some of the local restaurants, and I am sad to say that it has been a while since we had a truly inspired meal. I do have my favorites here in the Oldest City, but I wanted to get more well rounded and try some other places, before getting stuck in a routine. But each time we tried a new place, we were starting to feel like we just wasted some money on a mediocre meal. So I figured that we needed to have a meal to really get us excited about dining out again, and really get our money’s worth, not only in the food, but the ambiance and the staff. All of these needs were met at The Tasting Room.
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Hi All!

Here is an article I wrote for my other blog, LeftoverQueen.com, however, I feel it is relevant material for this blog as well, since it features many local St. Augustine vendors. Hope you enjoy!

I am talking about this post of course. It could be taken the other way too. We are not “old” but we are not kids anymore either, so I guess you can take it however you like it!

However, the point is that we are in our second month of marriage (celebrating 2 months on Thursday) and I am just now getting around to posting about the wedding. It took us a while to get our photos, due to technical difficulties and then there was so much catching up to do when we returned. So sorry it’s late, but here it is! I already gave you a look at the honeymoon, but now it is time to write the story of our wedding day and all the wonderful vendors that helped us to make the day even more special. Plus, I know you are all dying to hear about the food and the cake.

I know everyone says this, but we had the best wedding ever. It was small and nearly everyone that we are close to was there to spend the weekend with us – Roberto’s mom, all of my parents, Roberto’s daughters, Gwen and Rachel, my best friend Jen and her family, and several other relatives and close friends. Just having all the people we love surrounding us, made it an amazing day.

We were married early in the day, so we opted to have a Brunch for our reception. I have always loved brunch – there is something just so classic about it, not to mention very budget friendly.

Since we had a small guest list, we were able to procure a beautiful Spanish style restaurant to host it. Saint Augustine, FL is well known for its Spanish history. Although it was held by the British as well, before the Americans, it is the Spanish who will forever be associated with the place. You can see this influence reflected in the architecture all over town, as well as the street names. It is such a beautiful place. When you are coming over the bridge from the beach into downtown, if it weren’t for the American flag, you would think you were in Spain.
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