The Floridian - St. Augustine, FL

 

While on a long weekend get-a-way to St. Augustine, FL we enjoyed some delicious fresh eats at this gem of a restaurant tucked away on a not so busy part of Cordova street in historic St. Augustine.  The Floridian was suggested to us from a guy working at the Pit Shop surf shop in St. Augustine Beach after I'd ask his favorite places to grab a bite to eat.  One thing I can say about St. Augustine is that this area has no shortage of great places to eat!  We actually went to The Floridian twice in our short visit to the downtown area, once for drinks and the next day we welcomed the warm sunny weather as we enjoyed lunch on their quaint patio.     

After sharing cornmeal dusted fried green tomato bruschetta, I had a the fresh flounder "chipwhich" - as their menu says: "if you've never tried potato chips on a sandwich, you're missing out on one of life's true delicacies"- and I would agree, it was excellent.  JJ had another signature dish, the Not-so-Mac and Cheese.  It was a big bowl full of warm cheeses and fresh grains with seasonal veggies and blackened shrimp.  Simple, fresh and delicious - everything was top notch!  

An interesting note about this restaurant is that it is located across the street from a beautiful church, which according to the bartender we met is the reason why they can not serve alcohol directly to your table.  So the way they get around this little rule is to have patrons order drinks from the bar & carry them back to their individual tables (or you can sit at the bar).  Worked for us - we had some tasty craft beer from The Native brewing company.

This is an awesome place to enjoy lunch or dinner.  The people were nice & friendly, the service was good and it was a busy afternoon and evening when we were there.  For the two of us, it was a great fit to the type of place we love finding while on vacation to a new city.  So thanks to The Floridan staff for a great experience and to the young man at the surf shop who gave us the recommendation!  

Flying Pig through Pictures

I had a totally awesome experience with my first (and maybe only) half marathon this past Sunday when I was one of about 20,000 people participating in Cincinnati's Flying Pig Marathon. Here's a quick re-cap through some photos I took along the 13.1 mile course.

Me and JJ at Mile 7

My awesome friends who came out to cheer me on at Mile 11Finish Line with my running buddy Julie and Coach Carolyn
After party at the Running Spot tent with our 4 person Relay Team - Team Swine Flew!

Once life settles down a little I plan on posting about how everything went and some more indepth details about the day. Like I said, it was really great - eventhough it rained the first 5 miles or so, I really embraced the morning and took in all the excitement and emotions that came along with completing this goal I'd set out to finish. I can not thank everyone enough for all the support these last few months and especially the days leading up to the big run. I received tons of shout outs on Facebook and also got many text messages from loved ones cheering me on and all of those mean so much to me. Looking forward to recaping things and getting another blog post up soon with the details and hopefully some of the office race day photos!

Flying Pig Relay Run

It's time to commit to some running events to kick off this year. Signing up for events helps me stay focused on training and also helps motivate me to get off the couch & get moving! So far, the "big" race I've committed to is the Cincinnati Flying Pig relay run. By doing the relay version of the Flying Pig, you create a team of 4 people and the course is broken up into 4 zones, so the longest distance anyone runs is just under 8 miles. Here's the break out on each leg:

Leg 1 - Start line to Eden Park at Mirror Lake = 6.84 miles
Leg 2 - Eden Park at Mirror Lake to Wasson Ave = 5.16 miles
Leg 3 - Wasson Ave to Eastern at Linwood = 7.67 miles
Leg 4 - Eastern at Linwood to Finish Line = 6.55 miles

JJ has already laid claim on the shortest distance - leg 2 - but what he may not be aware of this that particular leg is pretty hilly. The "upside" (pun intended) to choosing this leg is that it goes through the Hyde Park neighborhood, which is well known for being a place where tons of people are out cheering on race runners. After talking with him the other day, he now says he really doesn't care which leg he gets and that he was just joking about wanting the shortest leg.

I think I'm going to run leg 1 - 6.83 miles - this way I can kick off our team run and my team mates, who are probably all faster than I am, can make up some time on the other legs of the run. I'm also excited about running the first leg of the race because I'll be able to meet up with my running group gals! They are all running the half marathon, so I know it will be fun to be with them for the first half of their run. The girls have joined the half marathon training group with the Running Spot, so they're out there in this January cold weather already pounding the pavement. I'm very tempted to join the group also, even though I'll be running 7 miles and not the full 13.2. Being part of the group motivates me to show up at the group runs and push myself when I'm out running. I'll keep you posted if I decide to join.

What's not motivating me right now are the cold temperatures in Cincy - it's snowy, windy and icy and that just doesn't sound like a fun way to get back into running. But I've stocked up on some cold weather running gear, so I just need to bite the bullet, lace up my shoes and hit the ground running (again, pun intended).

I'll be using Cincyspin to track my progress with my running this year. I also plan to load up the Dolce more often once Spring rolls around and hit the bike trails. So, cheers to making the commitment - I hope it's a fun & healthy year filled with bike rides, running events and maybe even some yoga!

Cincinnati Style Chili

1 1/2 lb of lean ground beef

1 (29oz can) tomato sauce

1 (14 1/2oz can) diced tomatoes (whatever size you like) - I used petite diced

small onion, chopped

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 Tbsp.. chili powder

1 Tbsp. white vinegar

1 toe of garlic

3 bay leaves

Brown meat - cook onions with meat - drain grease. Place meat and onions in large pan or crock pot. Add rest of ingredients. Cook slowly 4-5 hours covered. Remove bay leaves and garlic before serving. Serve on a bed of spaghetti and top with grated cheddar cheese. I also like to put onions on top. We also like it as a coney sauce for grilled hot dogs or you can just eat it in a bowl with crackers.

This recipe comes from a new "friend" of mine and it's fantastic. I used the word "friend" in quotes because I've never actually met this friend in person but we've been chatting it up on facebook for about a month! Readers of the blog may remember my awesome new beach bag I got this year and the maker of that bag, 2 Moore Stitches, is the holder of this recipe! She tells me that she thinks the chili is actually better the next day. She also posted that she often makes a double batch of chili and freezes the leftovers.

JJ is a big fan a Skyline Chili and used to eat it almost every night of the week when we first met. As of late, he doesn't eat it as often and when he does he usually subs out the chili for their rice and bean mixture as his topper for the noodles smothered in cheese. However, he's always up for me trying new recipes, so he was totally on board when I suggested having this for dinner one night. It probably came as a big surprised because I've just recently started to even like Skyline.

He took me to Skyline on one of our first dates and I couldn't even finish one chili cheese coney, that's how much I didn't enjoy the taste of Skyline. But about a year ago, I decided to give Cincinnati style chili another try and found that it wasn't so bad after all. With this chili recipe, I tried to crumble the meat up as small as I cook as I was browning it to get a very thin texture similar to the original Skyline chili. The only small change I made from the recipe above was using 1 tsp of minced garlic from the jar, other than that, I followed the directions above and it turned out great. I had a nice sized portion for my dinner and JJ ate 2 plates full, so clearly it was a hit at our house. So thanks 2 Moore Stitches for your Cincinnati Style Chili recipe, I think it will definitely become a staple in my recipe book for many years to come!

Floating down the River

On Labor Day weekend, JJ and I took a little adventure and drove out to Morgan's Canoe Livery and enjoyed a 3 mile canoe ride along the Little Miami River. We went to their Fort Ancient shop, which is in the town of Oregonia, just about 30 miles northeast of Cincinnati. According to their website, the Morgan family built the livery in 1969 and "chose this secluded section of river for its natural beauty and protected isolation, as well as being the best canoeing section on the Little Miami."
It was another beautiful day in Cincy and I've really been wanting to go canoeing all summer. Some how it always seems that every weekend fills up during the summer months and before you know it, time has flown by and we're heading into fall. Now, don't get me wrong, fall is my favorite season and probably a great time to canoe, but I really loved being out on the river soaking up some the last few rays of summer sun. It was pretty crowded that day with lots of other families taking the opportunity to get in some quality time along the river. Our 3 mile trip was nice and relaxing and there hadn't been much rain around, so the canoe actually scrapped some rocks a time or two. Truth be told, most of the very relaxing 3 miles canoe ride for me was spent like this:
Laid back with my feet propped up while my awesome husband did all the paddling. Am I not the luckiest girl in the world, he's the best!

Sugardaddy's is So Sweet!

On a recent trip to Columbus, I made a stop at Sugardaddy's bakery. This spot was featured on the Food Network show "Throwdown with Bobby Flay" and ever since hearing about this store, I've wanted to check it out. Now, most who know of Bobby Flay would probably agree that he's not know for his confectioneries, but he was willing to take on the challenge of competing against the fine folks at Sugardaddy's for a "throw down" on who could make the best brownie. Now that's my kind of competition! Sugardaddy's is know for their "couture brownies", which is is a phase that has been trademarked by the owners. The shop in Columbus definitely has an upscale "couture" feel and is a fun place to check out. Here's some shots from inside their shop near the Polaris shopping center.

The staff at the store was super nice and very helpful while I was mulling over all the fabulous choices. "My new friend", aka the Sugardaddy's employee, told me all about their brownie flavors, how they can package the brownies if you're giving them as a gift and she also shared with me that they've started to use their brownies as crust for cheesecake. I had a sample and it was some seriously out of this world deliciousness. The case full of fresh brownies:

After a great trip to this fun store, here's a shot of all the goodies I purchased on my first trip to Sugardaddy's:
6 brownies:
1 American Beauty Brownie (no nuts)
1 Rich Mint Brownie (My favorite!)
1 Dark Berry Brownie
1 Cinnamon Blondie
2 Strawberry Blondies

1 bag of "Pocket Change" - American Beauty brownie bites. Sugardaddy's cuts their brownies into circles, so they have tons of left over crusts. They've cleverly bagged up those left overs and sell them, which my new friend at the store tells me is the most economical option when purchasing their sweet treats.

Cheesecake with Dark Citrus Brownie Crust - definitely check this option out if you're a fan of brownies and cheesecake (and who isn't a fan of those two things!).

So, who won the "Throwdown" of Sugardaddy's vs. Bobby Flay?

Sugardaddy's, of course.

Go ahead, order some - you know you want too!

Lexi's 3rd annual walk

I had a great time at the Alexis Black walk for SLOS awareness in Barboursville, WV this past weekend. About 125 people gathered together for the walk and many shared their stories on how Smith Lemli Opitz has played a role in their life. My friends Mandy and Jason put on an awesome walk that so many families enjoyed and it was truly evident by the smiles beaming on all the faces throughout the day. Enjoy some of these pictures.

Crowds gathering at the registration tent:

Mandy, Lexi and Jason:
Lexi with her SLOS friends
(L to R: Lexi, Spencer, Kamryn, Carson, Riley and Cody)

Some of the SLOS families who travelled to WV for the walk:

Lexi loving the swing set after the walk:

There is still time to contribute a donation to the SLOS foundation through Lexi's website if that's something that interests you. Thanks for your time and check back soon for some of the video I took during the walk!

Lexi's Walk Weekend

This weekend is the 3rd annual Alexis Black walk for Smith Lemli Opitz awareness. If you are a long time reader of Cincy Spin then you probably remember when I introduced you to Lexi in 2008 and told you a little bit about her genetic condition. Click here if you'd like to read that post.

The short version of her story for new blog readers is that Lexi (who is the daughter of my best friend from high school) was born with a condition called Smith Lemli Opitz (SLO). SLO babies are unable to make the right amounts of cholesterol, which is essential nutrient in cell development in our bodies. The range of developmental problems ranges from mild to very severe. I am happy to report that Lexi is developing extremely well and is one of the happiest 3 year old kids you'll ever meet!

If you would like to learn more about ways to support research for SLO families then I encourage you to visit Lexi's fundraising site. Thanks for taking a few minutes to learn about where I'll be spending my upcoming weekend celebrating life's blessings!

2 Moore Stitches

Check out my new beach bag - I'm so excited to have one of these hand made bags! This bag is made from a friend of a friend, who lives in the Carolina's, and uses her fabulous sewing talents creating custom hand made bags of all shapes and sizes. The beach bag is her latest original design. After many trips to the beach and needing several bags to hold everything for her family, the owner of 2 Moore Stitches decided to come up with an original design that holds up to 4 or 5 towels, has 2 large pockets for bottles of sunscreen and a personalized pocket sized to fit your cell phone.
These bags are made from outdoor upholstery fabric so they are sure to stand up to the sand and other weather conditions out at the beach. In case you are wondering, here are the measurements: 23 1/2 " wide x 18" high with an 8 1/2 " bottom.
I can't wait to debut this bag when we take our next trip to the beach. That's not on the radar for us this year, so I'll be carrying this one to the pool for sure before the summer's over! I was also thinking that it would be a good bag to have on hand for lots of things - like a weekend get-a-way or a bag for food snacks for a long road trip. This is actually my third purchase from 2 Moore Stitches. Last fall I ordered two custom purses for my best friends as thank you gifts for being a part of our wedding party. One great thing about her bags is you get to pick everything - from colors, to designs - all you do is send her some colors you'd like to have, she'll go to the fabric store and email you some suggestions and then you're off and running towards having a 100% custom hand made bag and how fun is that!
If you're on Facebook, check out the awesome page that 2 Moore Stitches has set up. Just do a search for them and click the "like" button. I have no doubt that you'll enjoy browsing through all her photos of the many bags she's created. If any of you wonderful readers are interested in getting in touch with 2 Moore Stitches, please leave me a message in the comments section on this post and I'll be happy to pass along her contact information and answer any questions you might have on things like cost and delivery fees.