Little Alley Steak, The Supreme Temptress

I've been so focused on gardening lately that I haven't done a travel or restaurant post. We've tried a few new places recently but nothing left an impression quite like Little Alley Steak in historic Roswell, GA. It's a character-changing experience.

Little Alley Steak is located on Canton Street, one of the few precious areas outside of Atlanta that offers pedestrian-friendly access to dozens of locally owned restaurants and shops. This is the perfect setting for Little Alley Steak, a small restaurant tucked amid several others, including sister restaurant Salt Factory.

I enjoyed the interior which is an arrangement of rustic brick, dark woods, and dim light bulbs that seemed to float in midair. Upon a closer look, you'll see that they're suspended from large butcher hooks, which is its own kind of cool.

There is little about bricks, wood, and sharp metal objects that spells romance but it's definitely a worthy date night location because of the service. Our waiter, who mentioned being new, was great. The manager stopped by our table and genuinely seemed interested in how things were going. We even had a chef pay us a visit; he noticed that my husband had just finished his beer so he retrieved another for him. There was none of that, "Well it isn't my job..." attitude. Everyone was kind, helpful, informative, and yet somehow they seemed to stay out of the way. Perfect combination for a date night.

Food

But you want to know about the food, right? What temptress seduced me back to the land of meat?

For starters, we ordered the Ahi Tuna Tartar. It was scrumptious, like, melt in your mouth tuna. The fun, frou-frou-modern accompaniments made the presentation better, though I would've been fine with traditional wasabi instead of foam. The only surprise is that you're supposed to eat it with a fork rather than toss it on top of some sort of cracker. But the tuna was so fresh and delicious that I can see why it was the star of its own show.

Image via Hunger Maps

And dinner? This gal, who thrives on a largely vegetable-based diet, was tempted--nay coerced by my own senses--into ordering a steak! I saw a few of them pass by our table on the way to other guests. They looked spectacular, presented in cast iron pans and then served with such finesse. I wanted a steak.

I ordered the smallest one there, an 8 oz Center Cut Filet and added on a side of Triple Cream Mac and Cheese Mascarpone with black truffle oil. My husband ordered the Ahi Tuna "fire grilled" with garlic spinach, fingerling potatoes, and yuzu-herb beurre blanc. No, we didn't know what that was, either, but I Googled it and beurre blanc is French for a butter and wine sauce. In English, it all translates to:

Bliss.

Every bite of every item that we ordered was delicious. I was looking for something to complain about since I'm always leery of restaurant reviews that seem too perfect but I don't have a single complaint. The steak was exactly what I wanted when I said, "medium." Tender, juicy, flavorful excellence. I've never had macaroni and cheese that was so creamy and delicious. The crunchy breadcrumbs (I think) on top just set it off.

I sampled my husband's dish and relished in that, too. The rare tuna was seasoned well enough to let the fish shine through without it just being a slab of sashimi. I can't go wrong with spinach but I appreciated that it was just wilted, kissed with salt and garlic, and not too oily. The fingerling potatoes could have been an entree in themselves.

As for the wine list, I've got no complaints there, either. They served Silver Oak, which I adore, though I didn't order it because it just wasn't that kind of night. Instead I enjoyed the Peter Freimuth Riesling. There is an interesting assortment of whiskeys for anyone who's into that. My husband found their beer list a bit lacking. He didn't suffer, though. He ordered and enjoyed a Chimay.

We were too stuffed for dessert but we will make room next time! And there will definitely be a next time.

Last but not least comes the pricing. It's old town Roswell. Little Alley Steaks imports its cuts from Meats by Linz in Chicago. It's pricier than the sort of place that I'd usually go on a random date night but I felt the experience, overall, was well worth it. My husband liked it so much that he even brought several executives there when they came to town. Cheers!

ATV Jungle Excursion and Beach Break in Costa Maya, Mexico

During our cruise of the Western Caribbean on the Norwegian Jewel, we participated in the ATV Jungle Adventure and Beach Break in Costa Maya. It was an excellent choice.

The ATVs are automatic and super easy to navigate. The course starts off straight and simple (to help beginners get acclimated) and then escalates in difficulty. Check out our video!


Midway through the ride, we had a water break at a pretty outlook area. Our tour guide Daniel told us a bit about Costa Maya and life in the area. Costa Maya is what Cancun was about 30 years ago. Aside from a shopping center at the port and a few private beaches, it's quite underdeveloped. That's a good thing for locals who don't want to be flooded with tourist yet not so great for the economy. As development moves forward, they're playing a balancing act, trying to keep a small-town feel while fueling the economy.

Even bandits need water breaks

Daniel is incredibly kind and helpful so I recommend working with him if you have the option to take the tour.

After the water break we continued the tour. Along the way, one passenger's ATV broke down. It was a minor hiccup. The assistant tour guide switched ATVs with her and he waited for the repair crew to arrive while we continued the tour. Surprises happen so it's nice when the crew is organized enough to handle them.

Overall, the ATV excursion lasts for about 45 minutes. There is a straight paved section, a winding sand track, a bumpy section similar to a pump track for bikes, and then an overgrown jungle and winding trail towards the end. That's where the most photos are taken, so you look all hardcore on your ATV busting through the jungle, hahaa.

There are a few things that you should know to get the most out of your adventure:

• Be sure to wear sunglasses. Aside from blocking the sun, they will keep dust and sand out of your eyes. Oh, and tree branches. 
• The little bandanas that Daniel gave us are optional. After rain, the sand doesn't blow around as much. We didn't really need to wear them. But I imagine that bandanas are really helpful in drier conditions where kicked-up sand could irritate your nose and throat.
• Wear shorts! Some ads for the ATV ride recommended wearing pants. Those who did were hot and miserable.
• Bring a video recorder like GoPro so that you can make your own videos. The pictures that the tour company took came out blurry and were $16 each. Safeguard your memories and save money by taking your own videos and pictures.

I heard saltwater helps locs tighten...?

After the ATV ride we were dropped off at a private resort just for cruise members. The service is exceptionally good (the bathroom attendant was like a second mother, haha). The open bar proved to be a much needed relief from the $12 cocktails on the cruise ship. Drink up!

Note: Food orders do take a while (since large groups arrive at once) so don't wait until you're famished to order. Order ahead and enjoy the beach while you wait.

Dia de los Muertos at Bone Garden Cantina

Unfortunately, I have to recant my glowing review of Bone Garden. I Googled their number and then called to ask about reservations for four. The woman hung up on me.

I went to the website and read that they don't accept reservations, only call ahead for parties of 8 or more. This info isn't available on their Google listing, which is what I used. Even still, the hostess hung up on me like I was supposed to know. She could've just told me the policy instead of being an ass. 

That little even conjured up every other rude thing that a server has done during our past visits to Bone Garden. There were quite a few, actually, including a server who insisted that I ordered a beef taco when I didn't. I understand English and Spanish. I wouldn't have ordered a meat that I don't eat. the list continues...

 I guess that's the drawback to edgy restaurants. Some staff mistake their coolness *rolling eyes* as an excuse to be rude to their patrons. Oddly, patrons keep them in business. Asi es...

My husband and I threw a house party for Dia de los Muertos last year. We weren't prepared for it this year (didn't even think about it until Halloween) so we opted to head out for the night.

Bone Garden, a locally owned Mexican restaurant in Atlanta, has parties each year. We love the place so it was our first pick. It gets packed early so my husband had the good mind to schedule our double date for 5pm.

We started off with chips a guacamole (always a good call) and a round of drinks. My husband took advantage of the special, a mini jarrito that is filled with samples of tequila throughout the night. It's a good way to try new tequilas without committing to an entire shot of something that might rip the lining from your throat. The rest of us had cocktails.

Sad news: my absolute favorite drink, Pancho Villa, was taken off the menu, disowned and discarded! That's because few people understand the glory of tequila's smokey cousin, Mezcal. Think of it this way: tequila is a party girl in a miniskirt that talks too much. She's fun for a while but, ha'mercy, you'll need a break. Mezcal is that chick's sexier older sister. She's got a hint of mystery, an air of refinement. You'll want to party with her all night and well into the next day. It's that good.

But since most folks like cheap dates my favorite Mezcal cocktail was taken off of the menu. They replaced it with a margarita that has mezcal in it but it's just not the same. I thought that was the start of a bad night. Fortunately, I was wrong.

The food was stellar as always. It's an a la carte menu, giving guests the opportunity to sample and savor a variety of options without ending with a heafty tab. Between the four of us we had: a pollo barbacoa quesadilla, carne adobo taco, barbacoa de chivo (goat) taco, lemon shrimp empanadas,chicken machucada empanada, spicy chicarron sope, almojo de ajo sope, a burrito (don't remember which)...probably some other stuff...ending with mexican hot chocolate and churros, and rice pudding. There was not a single complaint at the table. All of the food was spectacular.

The atmosphere alone is worth the trip. On a daily basis, there is Day of the Dead artwork everywhere. And I think it's a requirement that the wait staff have at least five visible tattoos. Just seeing them walk around can be pretty entertaining if you're into body art. In honor of the celebration, they amped up the Dia de los Muertos decorations and the servers painted their faces. It was creep-tastic! About midway through the night, three ladies in sexy red costumes danced on top of the bar. It was mild enough for general audiences but it still added to the party atmosphere.

Oh, and we got a sugar skull that we named Paco! He's currently on our mantel. I don't have the heart to eat him...though my husband took a bite out of the back of his head. Poor little guy.

Next time you're searching for Dia de los Muertos plans--or just fresh Mexican food in Atlanta--keep Bone Garden in mind.

Or not, if you're determined to get good service. Geesh I hate when good restaurants don't live up to their reputations!

Santa Barbara- Food, Fun, and Fabulous Sites 3

Breakfast Battles

I happened to stay at a Holiday Inn, which I mistook for a Holiday Inn Express. The former does not serve breakfast (boo!) so I searched town for inexpensive breakfasts. There was a Denny’s across the street but I wanted places with a more local touch.

International Café

I stumbled across International Café, located in a strip mall on Calle Real in Goleta. Although I went to this location three times I always got the same thing because it was sooo good: smoked salmon bagel with cream cheese, capers, tomatoes and red onions. It was delicious!

The bagels seem fresh though they weren’t quite my style. I prefer super soft, fluffy bagels and theirs were thick and chewy. International Cafe offers vanilla coffee, which everyone before and after me always seemed to order. I recommend you follow their example and try it when you stop by. The regular coffee won't rock your world, so try something different.

The service didn’t thrill me, either. All three mornings there were young girls working, perhaps college students. They would’ve worked a bit faster if they weren’t busy complaining to each other about class schedules and homework.  They were kind to the customers but the time thing could be a downside if you’re in a hurry. I never was so it worked out fine.

Overall Rating: 7/10 So-so service still can't ruin a good lox bagel.

Tupelo Junction

By far my favorite breakfast experience took place at Tupelo Junction in downtown Santa Barbara. Had I discovered it earlier I would've gone there multiple times. 

The storefront is small, with two outdoor tables situated near the sidewalk. Upon entering, the restaurant opens up into a broad, warm room with tasteful country kitchen decor. I sat in one of the few window seats to enjoy people watching and basking in the warm winter sunshine.

I enjoyed everything that touched my mouth. Tupelo Junction has a decent tea selection. The whole leaf earl gray was warm and rich (I add milk and honey to mine). They refill the water here, which is important to me. I drink a lot of tea and quality leaves can be used more than once (so it's a waste not to!).

I ordered a scramble with two eggs, Gouda cheese, applewood bacon, caramelized onions and spinach served with a side of seasoned potatoes and banana nut bread. Scrumptious! I loved how all of the flavors worked together to create a warm, hearty party in my mouth. The Gouda was particularly nice, a much welcomed break from the cheddar that's so common on scramble/skillet dishes. And good lord is it filling! I skipped lunch that day. (Not completely--I ate ice cream and was just fine until dinner).

The hostess and waitress were both incredibly pleasant and attentive. 

My only regret is not coming multiple times to try the beignets. The ladies next to me were nearly orgasmic with happiness as they ate theirs!

Overall Rating: 10/10 for excellent food, great views and a menu that offers something for everyone.

Santa Barbara- Food, Fun, and Fabulous Sites 2

Noodle City

If you’re staying in Goleta, CA (near the Santa Barbara airport) then I beseech you to visit Noodle City.

Noodle City is two blocks from my job. I was on my way to another restaurant when I saw it. The aroma of pho drifted outside from the open door. I stopped in my tracks on the sidewalk and peeped inside. The tiny establishment was packed. It was a high energy place in a laid-back town. I couldn’t resist stepping inside.

There were maybe three waitresses for all 35-45 guests that were packed inside but those girls were handling it. No one missed a beat. The service was fast and courteous (though not steeped in Southern hospitality like I’m used to).  

I ordered pho with seafood. It was straightforward; the only oddities were the fried blocks of tofu which I've had before but theirs were particularly delicious. They were a nice touch. The seafood was good but I’m not going to claim that they pulled it out of the ocean that morning or anything. The dish was flavorful and piping hot, just as it should be!

What makes this place is the atmosphere. Santa Barbara isn’t a particularly diverse city when it comes to ethnicities so the diversity found at Noodle City was invigorating. It was like every person of any color was eating there. And some of them brought their white friends!

I’m laughing as I write that but it’s true.

I chatted a bit with the table of guys beside me. They ordered pho with chicken, a broken rice and pork dish, and a vermicelli dish with chicken and shrimp. Consensus? It was all excellent. The guys mentioned that they stop in at least once a week. Noodle City is the “best Vietnamese restaurant in town.”

Overall Rating: 9/10 for great food, fun atmosphere and speedy service

Santa Barbara- Food, Fun, and Fabulous Sites 1

I arrived in Santa Barbara on a business trip and couldn’t wait to check out the food scene. I got a few suggestions from local coworkers and created an itinerary of must-sees and must eats. Check back for updates!

Shintory Sushi Factory

After reading rave reviews online, I decided to stop into Shintori Sushi Factory on State Street. It isn’t in the downtown portion of State Street but it’s easily accessible if you’re headed that way.

Atmosphere: Shintori is easy to miss. The small read awning and red sign blend in with the surrounding signage. Once found, the entrance and interior are both unassuming and underwhelming. It’s a small restaurant with about 7 tables and a bar. Nondescript images are easy to ignore. One TV flashes silent pictures at guests while the sushi chefs rock out to reggaeton. 

The menu has a lot of common favorites as well as a few local specialties. As my litmus test, I got a rainbow roll and their version of a Beauty and the Beast (BBQ eel and tuna over a California roll). The rolls are smaller than what I’m accustomed to at my favorite hangouts in Atlanta but they were still filling. The fish was good. Not stellar but it was just fine.

The sauce on the eel was HORRID to my taste buds. I’ve gotten BBQ eel multiple times and at least two dozen restaurants and I’ve never had sauce like this. It’s as if the standard sauce was sprinkled with cigarette ashes! Perhaps it was sprinkled with ashes. I hadn’t offended anyone that I was aware of…Bitter sauce on eel is just a bad idea. I scraped the BBQ sauce off of the roll and doused it in soy sauce to try and fend off the flavor.

There were a few cute odds and ends. Each meal comes with a edamame appetizer, and many rolls are served with veggies on the side like peas, carrots, and grape tomatoes. Gotta get in your veggies! The two waitresses that assisted me were very kind.

Overall Restaurant Rating: 5/10 for decent, filling food that simply didn’t wow me.

Image Credit: Asian Food Grocer

Gulf Shores Vacation: Day Four

The next morning was the first day of real sunshine. Not “But I’m at the beach so I may as well be outside,” sunshine that is also accompanied by icy 15 mph winds. I mean legitimately sunny, cloudless weather of at least 70 degrees. I couldn’t have been happier—unless it was 80 degrees.

I thought that the water was still too cold for a swim so I planned to lay out on a beach towel and soak up the sun. My boyfriend, however, was still in his “But I’m at the beach…” mode and decided to go snorkeling. It makes me cold just thinking about it. Gear in tow, we drove a golf cart down to the beach and began our activities.

The Beach 

Much to my disappointment, my boyfriend discovered that this portion of the Gulf doesn’t have many of shells. (Clear water, pretty white sand, and no shells was great for laying out on my towel but bad for bringing back souvenirs.) My boyfriend was also a bit started by the quantity of jelly fish bobbing along in the water. I think he saw a few sting rays, too. They are what eventually drove him back to the shore. He’s the sort of guy that has to be doing something and I felt bad that his snorkeling was cut short so I pulled myself from the sand and decided to go for a walk with him.

The community isn’t very large. Less than 3 miles along the coastline is well-developed and then the quantity of homes starts to dwindle. I wanted to keep walking (I can walk on the beach for years!) but we decided to turn back after a mile or so and headed inside for lunch.

Gulf Island Grill

I don't know how to review Gulf Island Grill. We all ordered buckets of seafood by the pound in one form or another. I got a 2 pounds of clusters and 1/2 pound of shrimp and entered bliss. I was stuffed beyond a reasonable capacity but I couldn't have been happier. My boyfriend got 1/2 lb Oysters and 1/2 lb shrimp in addition to some an oyster appetizer and half of my gumbo appetizer . My sister and brother-in-law split a St. Martin's Platter and were satisfied, though not gorged.

Fresh seafood is simply delicious. The restaurant doesn't "make" any of the sea creatures, so I don't know how to rate the establishment on how it tasted; maybe they tossed some Old Bay and garlic in the pot while everything steamed. What was prepared (the gumbo) was chuncky and well-seasoned but it was overshadowed by my obsession with crab legs so...I dunno. 

Overall rating 6/10 for freshness and moderate prices for the portion sizes.

After lunch, we drove to a shop called David’s Gallery. It’s a tattoo parlor, clothing store, and natural remedies shop all fitted into one building. The areas are clearly designated but are connected to one another via a series of doorways. Inside, the employees looked like a cross between hippies and bikers: serious piercings and tattoos, mellow, easy to talk to, not afraid to toss out a “curse word” in front of the customers, complementary. Take them or leave them. They did have a great selection of skirts upstairs that were hand dyed and made from natural fibers. I snagged one that reminded me of a Raggedy Anne doll that has traveled to Tunisia. Beautiful.

After our brief shopping stint, we decided to head back into Fairhope for the Oktoberfest. Tickets were $30 per person. Fortunately, before we could cross the threshold, a couple exited the event and heard us debating whether to enter.

“Don’t waste your money.” The woman warned. She seemed weary and disappointed.

“Seriously, it’s not worth it,” groaned in her partner. He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets.  “They’re serving, like, small samples of Miller Lite and Budweiser. And they’ve got store brought pretzels and hotdogs. It was a complete waste.”

The two walked away hand in hand, ticked-off but determined to redeem the night. 

We were certainly grateful for their input. My boyfriend and I lingered around the entryway for a moment longer, listening to the pop music and watching the sparse population mingle and stroll between the booths. We looked at each other and shrugged.

“Let’s walk around a bit. If nothing jumps out at us, why don’t we head back to that place with the Christmas lights on the sign that we passed on the way in?” I suggested. I received no opposition.

I fell in love with the town all over again that night. Sure, the family-oriented Oktoberfest was a bust, but walking through the town had a beautiful, magical quality to it. The storefronts were filled with seasonal decorations and unique crafts. I saw a few cafes and restaurants that I’d want to come back to during the day, if given the opportunity. 

In an effort to get back to the parking lot (and not pass through the Oktoberfest area again) we took a different route. Along the way, my boyfriend laughed, “The cat is leading the way.”

I immediately began checking the shadows for a scurrying cat ahead of us. Nothing. Seconds later I realized that he was referring to a face painted on the side of a fence. It wasn’t a cat, but a regular smiley face. Neither of us could place why but, from a distance, it had looked like the grinning face of the Cheshire Cat.

Into the Rabbit Hole

The restaurant, we found out, was called Fly Creek Café. A massive chalk board served as their sign, the names of upcoming artists sprawled in festive print under the logo. We headed down a gravel driveway that looked as if it was leading to a marina and warehouse. A tiny grouping of cars to the left of the corrugated steel structure reassured us that we were headed in the right direction.

The Red Queen: We should’ve known something was…off…when we first met the hostess. She wore a broad smile with bright red lips and a red carnation in her hair. As she greeted us, she cocked her head to the side and brushed her brown hair behind her ear. 

My boyfriend nudged in her direction with his chin. “Nice flower.”

“What?” asked the hostess, pausing with the menus in the crook of her arm.

“In you hair? It’s a nice flower...it looks good.” He seemed increasingly hesitant as he spoke. He looked to me for clues.

I smiled and nodded, tapping my temple, thinking that maybe she forgot that the flower rested above her ear. “It matches perfectly with your lipstick.”

“Um…,” the smile remained plastered to her face but she was completely clueless. “Right this way,” she enunciated and then headed out to the patio.

The outdoor seating area faces the water and the marina, making it a gorgeous place to chill at night. The boats rocked gently in the water, the moon shone brightly, and the other guests chatted merrily amongst themselves. 

A group of men hovered over a high-top with their beers, watching a single television rigged over the outdoor bar. For some reason completely unknown to us, the hostess sat our menus on the table they were standing at. The men dispersed but didn’t seem fazed by the incident at all.

Clown-smile in place, the woman looked us both in the eyes separately and said, “Toby will be right with you,” before walking away.

Toby never came. To this day, we have no idea who in the hell Toby is.

The Mad Hatter: The guy that eventually waited on us wasn’t Toby but he was awesomely weird. He spoke with a distinct Cajun accent (think Gambit from the 1990s animated X-Men series) but it ends up that he is from Romania. (I guess  Romania + Alabama accents sound like Louisiana?) That could’ve been incredible sexy if it wasn’t for his over-sized sweater. The sleeves drooped over his knuckles; he tugged at them like Jennifer Love Hewett used to in Party of Five. It just seemed more peculiar because he was at dude, maybe close to his 30s. 

He shifted from one side to the other as he spoke, doing a little jig, emphatic about everything he said, pulling on his sleeves. He recommended an appetizer by explaining, “Yeah, the stuffed shrimp are shrimp that are stuffed. There is crab meat on the inside, stuffed in the inside, and the whole thing is wrapped in bacon. It’s really, really, delicious. It’s real crab meat and lots of it. And real bacon. It’s reeeeally, reeeeally, good. You’ll love it. I’ll get it for you.”

We didn’t dare question him. He seemed so certain that we’d love it. We believed him. That was smart of us, because he was right. The stuffed shrimp were delicious (though I peeled off the bacon and gave it to my boyfriend). 

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum: We ran into a problem, though, when we wanted to order drinks. No drink list. No chalk board with drinks on it. My boyfriend asked two of the waiters (part of the group that hovered over our table before) if they had a drink menu and both men looked completely shocked that they hadn’t thought about giving us one sooner. They began their search for the drink menus by looking under the salt shakers on the table next to them. Then they looked under the napkin holder on an adjacent table.

My boyfriend, who was standing near them, turned back to me in disbelief. What are these guys doing? The menus couldn’t have been folded into the size of a business card and stuffed under a salt shaker…? He wasn't saying anything but it was all over his face.

That’s when the reality hit us. Everyone must have been high. Really, really high.

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum eventually found a drink list (the size of an average menu, certainly not small enough to fit under a napkin holder). We flagged down the Mad Hatter and ordered our beverages. He seemed delighted to have us at his “tea” party. He assured me that my drink (basically a white Russian with lots of chocolate) was going to be really delicious. 

Thimble Mouse: While all of this was happening, we noticed that the other families in the area seemed to know one another. They huddled around a bonfire, sliding marshmallows onto skewers and talking wildly about a million topics at once.

One little girl, about 9 years-old, brunette with a pointed nose, grabbed my attention as being the most peculiar of the children. She asked a woman what the devil looked like; when the woman implied that the devil was a like shape shifter, the girl (whom we dubbed Thimble Mouse) didn’t like the answer. She insisted that the devil had a pointed beard and a red tail. Then she ranted on about how she could outsmart the devil. 

I lost track of the conversation but when I tuned back in the woman was telling Thimble Mouse that she must run laps around patio to burn off some of her excess energy. (I know: how about you stop feeding the child marshmallows at 11pm!) 

Thimble Mouse bolted around the patio three or four times before settling breathlessly into her chair and continuing to chat it up. A blond woman who sat across from her apologized to us profusely for the noise that her daughter was making. We told her to think nothing of it. The dad, I guess, chirped in and asked if we wanted any kids. They had three or four of them, boys and girls, and we could have our pick. The poor man seem exhausted even with a beer in his hands and I think he was only 30% kidding.

I changed my opinion to 60% when the couple stopped us on our way out. “Wait, Erica!” The woman said. I was startled that she remember my name. “What about a kid?”

Her husband laughed and shouted. “Don’t try to sneak out of here without one. We’ll slash your tires!”

Everyone around the bonfire laughed, including the kids.

“Really,” the woman continued more casually. “Which one do you want?”

“Pick me!” shouted Thimble Mouse, her hand extended high above her head.

I have no ideal how my boyfriend and I got out of that. We mumbled and smiled a lot and eventually made our way out of the Rabbit Hole.

Fly Creek Image. Mad Hatter Image

Gulf Shores Vacation: Day Three

The guys heard about the USS Alabama and decided that we should tour the battleship. I hadn’t toured a battleship in well over a decade and my sister never had. Why not?

USS Alabama Tour

Here are a few notes for surviving the ship tour:

• Lose weight and consider shrinking. The corridors are small, the doorways are smaller, and I am convinced that sailors were all 4’11’’ or shorter.
• Take breaks. They aren’t kidding when they suggest allotting at least 2 hours to tour the ship. There are God-knows how many levels and tiny rooms to investigate. Since many of the spaces are tight and the hallways are winding, it’s easy to feel a bit claustrophobic or oppressed.
• Go with people who really enjoy history or battleships. Enthusiasm is contagious. Otherwise, you’ll be bored to tears very quickly.
• Don’t bring babies. Who would? you wonder. Some woman thought it was a good idea and I swear she nearly dropped the child three times trying to climb through the doorways and up the ladders. It was absolutely frightening. And I don’t think there is anywhere to change a diaper.

 My sister and I only made it through the green tour. (There are also yellow and red tours, I think.) The guys went to the very top. I later joined them to tour the adjacent Air Force museum.  Notes to survive the Air Force museum:

• Read all the little plaques, even if you usually skip them. Interesting stuff! And most of them are short, sweet, and to the point.
• The flight simulator is a mixed bag. As a ride, it’s fun. The movements of the vessel are jolting but not horrifying (suitable for kids) and you can feel the vibrations whenever you’re "shot." What ruins the simulator are the 1994 or earlier graphics. I feel like the graphics on my Atari were better. Spoiled, modern patrons will be a bit disappointed.

Felix’s Restaurant

Snapper with crawfish Oscar sauce

Whether you’re coming or going from the USS Alabama, it’s hard to miss Felix’s Fish Camp and Grill. It’s a two story…shack?….made of corrugated steel that rises majestically from the swampy area along Route 16/Battleship Parkway. The building is so bad that it's cool and we just had to go in.

Yes, Felix’s is touristy. It’s next to a major tourist attraction, so go figure. But don’t fault the restaurant or the staff for picking prime real estate and making cash off of good planning.

After walking up a long ramp or taking the elevator (the restaurant is on stilts since it’s next to the water) guests enter the typical wood-clad, nautical themed restaurant. Southwest facing windows make for beautiful sunset views. I don’t think the windows are insulated, unfortunately, because it was extremely warm in the dining area.

We settled in, ordered our quintessential oyster appetizer and selected our entrees. I got the stuffed yellowtail snapper, topped with two crab cakes and served with fried green tomatoes. I’m a big fan of Felix’s crab cakes, especially when served on top of a thick snapper fillet. It was wonderfully prepared in flavor and texture. The fried green tomatoes only rank slightly above average, too soggy to be extraordinary. I’d certainly go back for the Come Back Sauce, a house blend created specifically for fried foods.

My boyfriend ordered the ½ shrimp ½ oyster poboy with a side of crab soup. We were instantly saddened by the sight of a typical hoagie. (Sea-N-Sud’s bun really spoiled us.) It didn’t help that the seafood didn’t impress, either. Fortunately, the crab soup stepped in to save the day, rich and hearty with chunks of crab.

Pork chops with crawfish sauce

Pleasantly surprised by her venture into the unfamiliar, I was glad when my sister ordered the crawfish smothered pork chops with jalapeño fritters (hush puppies). Plentiful crawfish, unique cream-based creole sauce, and a juicy pork chop makes this a recommended dish.  She was less than impressed by the fritters; they lacked spice and flavor.

Her husband ordered the fresh catch which includes grilled yellowtail snapper with crawfish Oscar on top and a side of grits. Felix’s Oscar sauce should win an Oscar for its stellar performance! (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.) His only complaint regarded the cheese grits. Grits. In a bowl. With shredded cheese on top. Not even melted.

Overall restaurant rating: 7/10 for great views, Come Back Sauce, fresh fish and hefty portions.

Mobile, AL Driving Tour

I wasn’t ready to make the trek back to Gulf Shores. I didn’t imagine that I’d ever come back to Mobile on my own (what’s there?!) so I begged my fellow travelers to do a driving tour through the city. We were all pleasantly surprised.

Mobile is by no means a large city but it has plenty of attractions and charm. We drove around a bit, meandering through one-way streets. Dauphin St. held my interest. It reminds me a bit of New Orleans or Charleston; it has glimpses of international influence, ornate wrought iron balconies, and quaint shops. The area is rather pedestrian friendly. We parked and hopped out to look around.

We passed Bienville Square and decided to stop at Spot of Tea. The restaurant is located directly across from Cathedral Plaza. We sat on the patio (the bottom, not the balcony, which doesn’t open until after 5pm) and watched a group practicing for a wedding in the Plaza. While no one was impressed with the teas (I’m kind of a tea person, so that was a big disappointment) we all agreed that Spot of Tea is an excellent location for people watching, sipping a beverage, chatting and letting the day pass by.

You can see Mobile from the pier in Fairhope

Everyone was in a pretty good mood after our short stop in Mobile so we took a different route back to Gulf Shores. We came up the US-98 alternate but headed back on Route 98 proper through Daphne and Fairhope. We were two for two in good ideas for the day.

I officially want a home in Fairhope. Residents have taken great lengths to maintain the small town. Its center is filled with character, each of the historic buildings preserved or renovated nicely. There are plenty of small cafes, shops, and restaurants that promote pedestrian traffic. And the flowers! Every street corner has a lovely little flower bed and hanging baskets of seasonal varieties. Such little touches are what made me fall in love with that place. 

Fairhope is an active community. Nearly every public building advertised an upcoming event including an Oktoberfest and a youth art show at the community center. People milled through the streets wearing light jackets and smiles; if I didn’t feel so giddy myself I would have been scared that we’d entered some sort of Amityville Horror scene. But I DID feel giddy and I couldn't wait to return the next day for their Oktoberfest celebration.

 

Gulf Shores Vacation: Day Two

Since the second day of our trip also had a chilly forecast, we decided we do a bit of hiking. We didn’t think too much of it since places below sea level tend not to have too many treacherous hills. For the most part, we were right.

Pine Beach Park

The entrance to Pine Beach Park is clearly marked from state route 180. You’ve got to try to miss it. Since the SUV nearly got stuck in the sand earlier that day (a little unnecessary but fun off road action) I was glad that the parking lot was covered in gravel. We checked out a few of the informative displays before starting the trail.

The first leg of the trail is well shaded. The archway of prickly beach vegetation and Spanish moss provides much needed relief from the sun but it also blocks off any scenic views. We strolled along at a casual pace, taking photographs of flowers, moss, and silly poses of each other. It was a peaceful place to take a walk. 

We came to a lookout point, basically an elevated gazebo, that provides guests with views of Gator Lake and a bit of Little Lagoon. The shelter has more informative plaques about the wildlife that resides in the area. I was less interested, though, because I was snapping photos with a DSLR. (I’m currently obsessed with them!)

While we were near Gator Lake we didn’t see any gators. There were at least three herons, though, and I swear they are the most intelligent, regal, and intimidating birds arouns. Really scary when you get too close to them. I’ve held plenty of snakes and clawed mammals in my lifetime but I’m not touching a heron.

 Past the lookout point is where things got interesting. Hikers will pass the ruins of a few structures (unidentifiable, just a few brick walls and a foundation) and then enter the sand dunes. Hiking in sand is one of the best workouts ever! Since the weather was cool I was able to take of my shoes and enjoy the sand beneath my feet. (Don’t try that in the summer. I image half a mile of hot sand is quite unpleasant.) I got a nice tingle in my thighs and butt but it wasn’t enough to make me feel the horrors of exercises. Nice! It would’ve been perfect had we gotten a slight breeze but the dunes block those, of course.

My favorite moment in the whole hike was when we reached the crest of the last dune. The beautiful Gulf opened out before us like a shimmering gemstone with ribbons of turquoise, teal, and blue. The wind picked up immediately and cooled us off. We made our way towards the water and sat along the edge.

Then reality kicked in. We noticed the oil rigs in the distance, beastly structures that rose out of the horizon like sinister Transformers. Then we noticed the clean-up crew. They were making their way down the beach with nets, stopping and scooping. I was in denial at first. Could they still be cleaning up oil? But it is true. About half a dozen workers passed us with dark matter in the bottom of their nets.

I had mixed feelings about it all. We learned that the workers were paid by BP. At least BP was still paying the crews to clean since there were still globs of oil that needed to be removed. (Most globs were the size of ping pong balls or smaller.) At least a few men and women had jobs that may not have been employed otherwise. Both good points. But it hurt me in an inexpressible way to see such a beautiful beach aesthetically and physically marred by our quest for fossil fuels. 

Within an instant I thought back to PureIcedTea.com and how much needs to be done to protect the natural beauty of the South. There is a lot of work to do. “And we drove to this beautiful place in a freakin’ SUV!” I thought. My siblings know how I feel about that sort of thing but they also convinced me that there wasn’t a more cost effective, time-wise and gas-friendly way of getting to our destination. Ugh, the dilemmas that travelers face.

Mikato Japanese Steakhouse

After spending a couple of hours near the beach, chatting with the few locals and visitors, we headed back into town for a late lunch or early dinner (I think it was about 4:30pm). We settled on sushi at MikatoJapanese Steakhouse, a dimly lit restaurants nestled in the distant corner of a shopping plaza. It seemed inappropriately dark, as if strippers would crawl from the other side of the bar at any moment. There was nothing at all shady about our waitress, an accommodating and humorous 40-something.

Of course, you want to know about the sushi. Filling. Creative. Moderately priced. I couldn’t get a feel for the quality of fish used; it certainly wasn’t poor quality but I wouldn’t put it towards the top of my list. I’m sorry, but we were so delirious from our morning in the sun that I completely forgot that I’m a blogger. I didn’t take notes from our dining experience and I’m pulling everything from our collective memories. The only thing that we recall is that the Volcano Roll changed my sister’s life for the better and their BBQ eel made a believer out of my boyfriend. Sort of. The common theme seems to be that this restaurant does sauces and seasonings well even if the fish itself isn’t the main attraction.

Overall rating: 5/10 for friendly staff and good sauces. It's a forgettable restaurant, unfortunately.

There was nothing of interest to us in the mall. Its exterior corridors made a great place to walk off the food. We hoped back in the car and headed home, picking up a frozen pizza in case of late night hunger. I think we spent the night sipping homemade sangria, watching Fact of Faked on Sci-Fi (sorry, SyFy, which is stupider) and being glad that we were on vacation and didn’t have to do anything that we didn’t want to do.

Image Credit: Malaysia Most Wanted