Since my last jaunt to beach, Perdido Key and the nearby communities have welcomed several new businesses. I am also very pleased to report that the beaches were pristine and the water clear – not a tarball in sight!

As I have mentioned in earlier posts, my beach vacations are VERY SIMPLE. They include:

• Wake up and eat breakfast
• Go to the beach
• Come up for lunch followed by a nap
• Go back to the beach
• Come up for the evening, shower, go to the grocery, drink wine and eat dinner on the balcony
• Go to sleep early

REPEAT THE NEXT DAY

I was pleased to see that a new Publix has opened up right over the Intercoastal Waterway. It has a nice selection of cheeses, seafood, etc. What I really liked were the plastic bags filled with ready-to-roll and bake pizza dough. How clever and a great way to get everyone involved in making dinner!  Click here for a map to the Publix.

This past time, I was forced into straying from my beach routine. My friend has a very different idea of a beach vacation. For her, a beach vacation must involve putt putt golf and a trip to the local ice cream parlor. Ice cream – yes; putt putt – no! We found a great ice cream parlor just 10 minutes from the condominium and right down the road from the new Publix. It is the Hershey Ice Cream Parlor and they have a large selection of yummy ice creams, homemade fudge as well as savory items (if you want to make a meal out of the excursion).  Click here for a map to the Hershey Ice Cream Parlor.

The address and phone number are:

10427 Sorrento Rd, Pensacola, FL 32507

(850) 456-0585

Call before you go because the weekday and weekend hours are different.

I had wonderful photos of both places but they were lost in my recent phone upgrade. So, just picture in your mind a scoop of wonderful mint chocolate chip ice cream after a hot, summer day on the beach.

May 2010 – SPECIAL NOTE: I am saddened, angry and disgusted by the BP oil spill.  Our beautiful beaches and wildlife all foresaken for oil profits.

Visit my friend’s Blog Coast of Living and read her poignant insights into the lives of those affected by this horror.    Through her blog, you can make a donation to Gulf Aid, a 501(c3) nonprofit corporation, has been established in response to what has been called one of the biggest oil spills in history just 50 miles off of the Louisiana Coast.

Written in happier times …when the waters were blue & clear.

White sand, blue water, splashing dolphins and beautiful sunsets.   These words might conjure up beaches in Mexico, Greece, and other exotic locales.  However, when I let my mind wander to beautiful beaches and lazy days, I don’t have to travel any further than the Gulf Coast of Florida.  Known as the Emerald Coast, or the Redneck Riviera, there is a lovely strip of beaches that rival the most famous beaches of the world.

These beaches start with Orange Beach, at the Florida/Alabama border, and run all the way to St. Joe, Florida on the east.  The most popular beaches include Perdido Key, Pensacola Beach, Santa Rosa, Navarre Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Grayton Beach, Water Color, Seaside, a charming community made famous in the Jim Carrey movie The Truman Show, Rosemary Beach and Panama City Beach.

My family has gone to Perdido Beach for the past 20 years.  Our routine for the past 20 years has been as follows:

Perdido Key Beach Umbrellas

• Rent a condo on the beach, with a balcony overlooking the Gulf.
• Drive to Florida and stop at the Burris Farm Stand to buy fresh veggies & fruit.
• Arrive at condo, lather up & go to the beach (Don’t even unpack).
• First evening, go to grocery and stock up on cheese, bread, fresh fish, lots of wine & pina colada ingredients.
• Make a nice dinner & eat on the balcony.

• Watch a movie and go to sleep.
• Next day, wake up, have breakfast on the balcony and watch for dolphins.
• Lather up, go to beach, come in for lunch (on the balcony) and nap.
• Go back to beach in afternoon until 6 p.m.
• Come in to the condo, bathe, lotion up, make dinner, which is eaten on the balcony.
• Go to sleep, wake up the next morning and REPEAT THE PREVIOUS DAY.

What I love about the beach is that you can do as much or as little as you want.  Most condos have pools and gyms or you can walk on the beach and play in the surf. For those who are more energetically inclined, you can do the following:

The Track - In the evening, head on over for go-karts, water rides, bumper cars and family. There are several different go-kart tracks, including one for adults only.

Foley Outlet Mall - If it’s raining and you want to get out of the condo or hotel, go shopping at this giant discount outlet mall.   You can get some really good deals here!  While you are there, eat at Lambert’s in Foley, Alabama where you can, and are expected to, throw your rolls.  Great southern cooking and good portions.  At the call of “Hot, fresh rolls” hands go up and a guy wearing oven mitts starts tossing them out. Diners close by get an underhand lob; those across the room get more of a baseball pitch.

Dauphin Island is a barrier island located 3 miles south of the mouth of Mobile Bay in the Gulf of Mexico. You get to the island by crossing a high-rise bridge or by the automobile ferry from the eastern shore.   The entire island has been designated as a bird sanctuary and thousands of visitors come to experience the annual migration.  While on the island, you can sit on the beach, explore Fort Gaines, or visit the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.  Hotels, motels, condos and private homes are available for rent to both summer and winter visitors.

Where to stay:

There are hotels, motels, condos and private homes available for rent across the Emerald Coast.  As I mentioned, we always stay in Perdido Key.  However, a great resource for lodging rentals is Resort Quest. I always have great luck finding places when we have not been able to stay at our regular condo.  If you don’t find what you want online, give them a call.  The staff if very helpful.

1wrongturn finds:

Greek Food in Perdido Key

Greek Food on Perdido Key Drive close to the Winn Dixie. I don’t have a name and there are no regular hours.  This is basically a trailer hitch that turns into a Greek restaurant.  The food is yummy and the ambiance, well, check it out for yourself!

Spear Hunting Museum

Spear Hunting Museum - a family outing in Summerdale, Alabama!

Pa amb Tomàquet, a Catalan specialty, is ubiquitous in Barcelona. My first experience with this tasty delight was our second day in Barcelona. My husband and I stopped in a tiny bar/café to get a Cortado (coffee shot with milk). The lady behind the bar was pressing tomatoes through a sieve and collecting the juice. When we inquired about this, she took out some good crusty bread, rubbed some garlic on it, poured some tomato juice and topped it off with olive oil and salt. YUM. So simple and so delicious because it is all about the flavors and quality ingredients. Read this mouth-watering article on SpanishJourneys.com about the art of the Pa amb Tomàquet.

Our eating experiences could be broken down into the following categories: tapas bars, restaurants, sweets and markets.

Tapas bars – forget what you were told about not eating while standing up. I say pony up to the bar, order yourself a glass of cava and start bringing me some small plates of Catalan treats. To familiarize yourself with some basic tapas, here is a small list of tapas. I am tapas simpleton – give me some Tortilla de Patata, good olives and cheese, Boquerones (marinated white anchovies) and I am good to go. The great thing about standing at the bar is that you can see it, point to it and try out things that just look good. Here are a few places to get tapas:

The bar at El Xampanyet

El Xampanyet is a traditional Catalan bar in El Born, the very oldest part of town, and has not changed one bit in 100 years. This is a tiny space that can get rather crowded but that makes for a great experience. El Xampanyet is known for their cava and marinated anchovies and I can vouch for them – lots of them. Note that El Xampanyet is closed in August. El Xampanyet is located very close to the Picasso Museum at C/Montcada 22 (map). Closed in August.

Quimet i Quimet is a little out of the way but totally worth it. Quimet i Quimet, another place where you eat standing up, specializes in combinados, a tapas plating practice that you’ll only see in a traditional bar. Make your way to the bar and ask for a little of this, a bit of that and a few of those, and it all goes on a combinado plate. Quimet has a great selection of Spanish and Catalan cheeses. Quimet i Quimet is located at C/Poeta Cabanyes, 25 in the Poble Sec neighborhood (map). Read this review in the New York Times Travel review.

The next place is a transition between tapas bars and markets.

The bar at El Quim

El Quim de la Boqueria is a tiny tapas bar located right in Barcelona’s Mercat St. Josep La Boqueria on Las Ramblas. There are only 18 stools so you can expect a wait, and then some. But when it is your turn, you will understand why people take their time at this great place. El Quim uses fresh ingredients from the La Boqueria to create their mouth-watering dishes. Favorite El Quim dishes include fried artichokes, Tortilla (especially the spinach & potato), white beans, grilled asparagus, and eggs prepared with tiny squid. Prepare to spend some time at El Quim (both waiting and eating) and don’t feel rushed by the people waiting behind you! They will understand the wait.

This brings me to Markets. Barcelona has several markets – the most well-know to visitors being La Boqueria, off of Las Ramblas. As I said in my Montreal post, markets are great places to taste local/regional cuisine, find great gifts, and mingle with the locals. Here is a list of all the major markets in Barcelona (list).

From the markets we move to the more “traditional” style restaurant but that does not mean traditional food.

Anima, located near the MACBA Museum of Modern Art at C/Àngels 6 in El Raval (map), is a gastronomic experience. The food is as beautiful to look at as it is to eat. The interior is very clean and minimal and there is a wonderful terrace where you can sit when the weather is beautiful. Although I don’t remember all of the specifics of my meal, I do remember that it was delicious. I do remember, in great detail, the absolutely divine mozzarella ball filled with roasted eggplant and a sweet tomato jam. I also remember that when the door to the kitchen would open, you could see a poster that said “The only Bush that I trust is my own.” Even if the food was terrible, I would still love this restaurant! Read a great review on Find.Eat.Drink a wonderful blog that has great information.

Calcots at El Glop

Taverna el Glop is a low-key, rustic restaurant that serves hearty, traditional Catalan food at several different locations. I went there for one reason – their calcots – grilled spring onions served with romescu sauce. I had read about their calcots, searched out the original in Gracia, at c/de San Llouis 24, and was not disappointed. The waiter was most confused when we said that all we wanted was one order of calcots, a glass of wine for my husband and a cava for me. Calcots are a spring feast not to be missed – whether it is at El Glop or any other place.

Foodball is a quirky “healthy” restaurant located in El Raval at c/Elisabets 9 (map). Foodball, owned by the Camper group that is known for its shoes and innovative design concepts. serves rice balls stuffed with delicious fillings and various dipping sauces, such as soy and ginger or coconut curry. There are also sweet balls made from dates or carob and various organic drinks such as hemp beer and bancha tea as well as microbiologically pure filtered water. FoodBall is strictly environmental, ecological, organic and local. It is “built on the principles of bioconstruction, using non-contaminating materials and renewable energy sources.” Even the plates, cups, and take away boxes, made from sugar cane and corn, are biodegradable. Don’t be put off by the word “healthy.” The balls are compact sources of yumminess.

Granja M. Viader – one of best memories. Located at c/Xuclá 4 (map), in a little alley off Las Ramblas, Granja Viader is oldest of the city’s granjes (literally, farms) cafés that specializes in dairy products and sweet delights such as Suize (thick hot chocolate topped with whipped cream) and mel i mató (cheese curd with honey). The evening we went to Granja Viader, it was cold and misty, perfect for a hot, thick Suize that requires a spoon. This charming café, with its century- old fittings and enamel adverts, where marble- topped tables, and decorated tiles, was host to the most diverse crowd I had seen: a group of young students, a father with 3 daughters, a mother with her older son, and other countless fans of all good things rich and creamy. When you slip that spoon of mel i mató into your mouth, you are tasting the history of Barcelona.

Bubo is a sweet shop that I wish I had gone to but did not get the chance – NEXT Time.

This was just a small sample of the delicious food that we ate in Barcelona. There are so many wonderful traditional restaurants that have been around forever mixed with innovative chefs that are setting the standard for international cuisine – it is hard to choose. Check out the Barcelona: 1wrongturn post where I have placed links to great websites that will lead you to all kinds of new and wonderful culinary experiences.

Other helpful links from Find.Eat.Drink:

• Restaurant List that can be downloaded as a PDF

• Map of restaurants that can be downloaded as a PDF

Rue Bernard in Outremont compliments of spacingmontreal.com

Everyday is an adventure in Montreal. Whether you are into museums, shopping, gardening, films, music, food, sports, there is something for you in Montreal. I have cousins who visit Montreal for 3 months to participate in the Montreal World Film Festival. They may see as many as 3 movies in a day!

As I mentioned in Montreal Eating, I have only visited the city in summer when people are biking, hiking, walking, running, swimming – you name it. However, what I have heard is that Montreal transforms itself in Winter into a sportsperson paradise. At lunchtime, people snap on their skies and head for the slopes. The following are my tried & true Summer activities in Montreal:

Neighborhood/streets that I like to explore:
Discover Montreal’s list of neighborhoods.

Le Plateau including Mont Royal, St. Denis, St. Laurent and Rue Prince Arthur (walking tour map): This hip neighborhood has lots of shops, restaurants, and cafes. The best métro stop is the Mont-Royal station. I would recommend just walking up and down St. Denis and St. Laurent and the streets in-between the two. Rue Prince-Arthur is a fun pedestrian street is filled with bars and restaurants. Five short blocks later, rue Prince-Arthur ends at Square St-Louis. This public garden plaza is framed by attractive row houses erected for well-to-do Francophones in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Thanks to TurnhereTravel.com for producing this great video.

Mile End/St. Viateur Street is contained by rue St-Laurent on the east, avenue Du Parc on the west, rue Bernard in the north, and boulevard St-Joseph on the south. St. Viateur Street was once a Polish ghetto. Today, the Mile End is a funky, artsy neighborhood with cafes, restaurants, indie shops and is the home of the famous St. Viateur bagel shop. Welcome to Mile End on urbanphoto.net is a thorough post on the neighborhoods with fantastic photos.

Another great TurnhereTravel.com video. “>

Outremont, located on the western ends of rues Laurier and Bernard, is a tree-lined, elegant neighborhood with great restaurants, galleries, shops and 20 parks dotting the landscape. It is home to Le Bilbouquet, the delicious glacier that I write about in Montreal Eating.

Plaza St. Hubert, close to the Jean Talon Market, is one of the craziest, diverse, interesting shopping malls that you will find (map). It has everything from fancy ball gowns and wedding dresses, hip-hop urban clothes and fetish stockings to candy stores, cafes, and toy stores. The streets are heated in the winter so you can shop all year ’round. I love this place!

Museums:
Montreal has a plethora of museums, from fine art to Montreal history. Musees Montreal presents a complete list of museums. Here are a few of my favorites:

Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) – The modern annex on the left side of Rue Sherbrooke was added in 1991 and is connected to the original stately Beaux Arts building (1912) across the street by an underground tunnel that doubles as a gallery.

Centre Canadien d’Architecture (CCA) is an international research centre and museum on the conviction that architecture is a public concern. Based on its extensive Collection, exhibitions, programs, and research opportunities, the CCA is a leading voice in advancing knowledge, promoting public understanding, and widening thought and debate on architecture, its history, theory, practice, and role in society today. This museum ALWAYS has interesting exhibits that are really well curated!

Musée McCord has an eclectic and often eccentric collection of over a million objects, images, and manuscripts. Folk art, beaded costumes, photographs, fine-china place settings, and more reveal elements of city and rural life from the 18th to the 20th century, and Amerindians are well represented.

Map of Downtown Montreal Museum District Don’t forget to stop by Nocochi for some cookies and coffee to rest your weary feet.

I am an historic house museum junkie and I not ashamed to admit it.

Château Ramezay Museum, located in Old Montreal, offers provides a glimpse of 500 years of Montréal and Québec history through its exhibitions and the Governor’s Garden. The small exhibits are always interesting.

Maison Saint-Gabriel’s 300-year-old house is one of the finest examples of the traditional architecture of New France. Maison Saint-Gabriel portrays the various aspects of rural life in the 17th century and the extraordinary adventure of the King’s Wards. This museum is rather difficult to reach (metro and bus and walking) but well worth the effort. The docents are excellent.

Outdoor Activities:
Jardin Botanique/Montréal Botanical Garden is a wonderful place. What can I say besides – dahlias bigger than your face and cypress bonsai smaller than the dahlias. A must for gardeners and non-gardeners alike!

The Olympic Park complex, a crazy architectural feat, was built to accommodate the 1976 Summer Games. Since then, people visit the facilities, either to admire the magnificent views from the Observatory, located at the top of the world’s tallest inclined tower, to attend a sporting event or trade show at the Stadium or work out at our new Sports Centre. Swimming in the olympic-sized pool is wild.

The Lachine Outdoor Sculpture Museum is a permanent exhibit that includes close to fifty monumental sculptures created by renowned artists, both local and foreign. A visit to this outdoor museum (as well as the historical Lachine Museum) is a great outing. A bit out of the way, here is a link for directions.

Parc la Fontaine is Plateau Mont-Royal’s biggest park. It has ponds, the Théâtre de Verdure open-air venue, sports fields, a dog park, picnic areas and playgrounds, wading pools, several pieces of memorial statuary and many trees including numerous imposingly huge poplars. Bike paths run along the park’s western and northern edges. In wintertime a large section of the pond is cleared for skating with the park chalet functioning as changing room and snack bar; there’s also a hockey rink. If you are going to picnic, stop by La Vieille Europe at 3855, Rue St. Laurent, a gourmet store where you can buy cheese, chocolate, meats, sausages, soups, coffees, breads from all over Europe.

One thing that stands out about the food in Montreal is that there is an incredible freshness, all around. Regardless of the ethnicity, restaurants feature local produce, dairy, and meats, soups and pastas are homemade and pastries are fresh out of the oven. There is tremendous amount of pride in their food, from the local poutine restaurant to the finest dining establishment.

I want to point out that I have only visited Montreal in the summer (I don’t think that my thin, southern blood could handle the winter temperatures). Therefore, my eating experiences are limited to the wonderful summer fruits, outdoor dining, and lovely, sweet summer corn. I would be interested to hear other’s winter eating experiences of cozy restaurants, warm soups and hearty meals.

The following are some of my favorites. Below my favorites is a list of other’s favorites and great websites for Montreal Eating.

Farmers Markets:
Montreals’ Farmers Markets offer a virtual cornucopia of local produce, seafood & meats, fresh pastas, artisanal cheeses, homemade breads, ice creams, maple products and more, as well as restaurants, cafes and stores to buy local/regional products. We like to start our mornings at a market for breakfast and end our day buying food for dinner. Very often, we will purchase a basket or two of fresh raspberries or cerise de terres (the most amazing little fruit, aka ground cherry) and eat them throughout the day. Markets are also great places to put together a picnic when you plan on taking advantage of one of the wonderful parks in Montreal (see Montreal Outdoors).

marchespublics-mtl.com is the official market site but I find it a bit difficult to navigate. About.com has a good, comprehensive listing. There are 4 major markets:
Marché Jean-Talon (map) that is located in Petit Patrie, aka Little Italy.
Marché Atwater (map)
Marché Maisonneuve (map)
Marché Lachine (map)
We have always stayed close to Marché Jean Talon. When you visit, you MUST eat an ear of corn that is dripping with butter. Other than that, it is all wonderful. On the outside corner of Jean Talon market is a great store called Le Marché des Saveurs du Québec, which sells regional foods, products, etc. It is a virtual 1-stop-shop for gifts.

Two favorites in Petite Patrie/Little Italy:
Casa Napoli is the quintessential Italian restaurant – grotto, Venus de Milo statues, singers and great food! 6728, boul. St. Laurent near the corner of Rue St. Zotique.
Restaurant Mary is a corner bistro that does not look like much. But, the food is great and the service is always friendly. 6700, boul. St. Laurent at the corner of St. Zotique.

Le Plateau:

Delicious vegetarian Thai dinner at Chuchi courtesy of Peacockchic.com

Laurier/Outremont:
Pâtisserie de Gascogne. I could eat here everyday. There are several locations – I always go to the shop on Rue Laurier (map). Last summer, my daughter and I had breakfast there and she had tiramisu (WE WERE ON VACATION). She still talks about the chocolate shell. The atmosphere is inviting and the food is fresh and delicious. I can’t get enough of their salad de celeriac. Yum, yum and more yum.
Glacier Bilbouquet in the lovely tree-lined Outremont neighborhood. Ice cream that is yummy, yummy and more yummy. The line of people snakes around the block but it is worth the wait. The locations is 1311, ave Bernard Ouest (map)

Downtown:
Nocochi: This is a charming and elegant cafe at 2156 rue Mackay on the corner of Sherbrooke specializes in light breakfast/lunch fare and offers lovely little, multi-colored Persian cookies.

Lovely little cookies from Nocochi courtesy sitebits.com

Vegetarian throughout Montreal: Commensal is a great vegetarian food buffet, with throughout the city.. You load up your tray but be careful because you pay per kilo. Try the poppyseed cake for dessert.

Recommendations from other blogs and websites:
Well Fed and Socially Conscious in Montreal on www.madatornights.com. Great overall travel site and specific article features a few delicious vegetarian restos.

Pubs on St. Elisabeth. Winter, spring, summer and fall – pubs are the place to be in Montreal. Go Canadian beers!

Santrapol is a charming cafe, very close to Mont Royal (map), which serves great sandwiches, breakfasts, desserts, etc. The ambiance is charming and includes a lush terrace that is open in warmer months.

Bagels – Montreal is famous for its bagels. Most famous are Fairmont Bagel and St. Viateur Bagel.

Poutine is a traditional Montreal delicacy consisting of french fries, cheese curd and gravy. You can have down home poutine or dressed up poutine with fois gras. Montrealpoutine.com has a great review of several poutine restaurants.

Famous Restaurants
Au Pied Cochon
Toqué