The two-day drive was easy enough but long and boring (no offense to my husband and daughter who are great company).  Just as we were reaching the Georgia / North Carolina border, we made “1 wrong turn.”  As we tried to figure out which way to go, we sped past it – too quickly to make the sudden turn but slowly enough to read the sign – SPRING RIDGE CREAMERY.  It had me at “CREAM.”   My husband asked, “Do you want to stop?”  I gave him that look of “After almost 20 years of marriage, do you really need to ask?”

So, we made the U-turn back to SPRING RIDGE CREAMERY.

After subduing the store dog that tried to attack our little poodle, I entered this little dairy heaven.  Made fresh from local cows, there was homemade cheeses, butters, ice cream of all flavors, milk and because it was November, eggnog.  I filled my basket with cheddar, havarti and mozzarella cheeses, a gallon of eggnog and a pound of butter.  My arteries are closing as I write this post.  For my sweet, loving daughter who did not complain once on the trip (NOT), I purchased a scoop of raspberry chocolate chunk ice cream that tasted of fresh raspberries and lingered on your tongue because of the high fat content.

Needless to say, our North Carolina hosts were most grateful for the creamy bounty that we brought.  The eggnog was a particular hit, even for those who do not normally like eggnog.

Needless to say, we stopped on our way back home.  This was “1 wrong turn” that turned out (or churned out) so right!

SPRING RIDGE CREAMERY is located just 1.5 miles north of the Georgia border on hwy. 441 (11856 Georgia Rd.) in Otto, North Carolina, 2 miles north of Dillard, Georgia (See Map)

Phone: 828-369-2958

If you can’t make it to North Carolina, try making ice cream at home.  I have a Cuisinart and I love it.  Homemade ice creams and sorbets are easy and always delicious.  Make sure the check out your local farmers markets for milk, cream and fresh fruits.

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!

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