Tarpon Springs, Florida

Ever wonder where sponges come from? Yes, just like Sponge Bob says, they live under the sea! Scuba divers go down and get them and then sell them in little shops in Tarpon Springs, Florida for around $30! I found the downtown area very beautiful, with lovely bayous and bays and old Victorian houses. There are many very charming shops and cafes along the area adjacent to the Sponge Docks. Now, here's the bad part, the traffic in this town! OMG! There are 5 lanes in each direction going at breakneck speed at all times! I was scared to drive there! I stayed at the Lake Tarpon Resort and truly loved it. The price was right, the room was great and the adjacent bar and restaurant was truly wonderful. They actually prepared really tasty meals, not just bar food, and at affordable prices to boot. They had drink specials every day and the servers were very nice and attentive. Word to the wise: Try and find somewhere to stay where you can also eat and drink, so you don't have to go out on the highway much!

JJ's Hometown Restaurant, not so good

The one redeeming feature about this restaurant is that they offer free delivery to your home if you are within their service area, which is basically Englewood. They do have an extensive menu as well with many selections.

Now for the bad part, undercooked pork tenderloin; horrors! Bits and pieces picked off the turkey carcass which was supposed to represent roast turkey dinner; gross! Greasy, lumpy gravy. Must have been the real cook's night off.

It's such a shame that they would send out dinners to a regular customer that looked like that. It was a miracle that we did not get sick. Most of the pork was eaten before we realized it was pink in all but the outer edges.

In a word - yuck!

New movie review: Water for Elephants

OMG! I usually truly love any movie with Reese Witherspoon in it, who I adore, but seriously folks, she gets her ass beat in this flick! If you like to watch movies where animals and women get seriously hurt and abused, check it out. Otherwise, pass on it. I should have known better just by the title. Anything with elephants in the title and you just know it is going to be sad. Sure, it has a happy little ending, more or less, but its not worth sitting through all of that misery just to see a pittance of joy at the end. One scene made me cry my heart out. All I can say is, thank God I never ran away and joined the circus!

Lovely Breakfast at the Mansion Cafe, Atlantic City, NJ

This restaurant is located within the Showboat Casino on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City. While the hotel itself is super cheap, and mostly sucks to stay in (but that's another story), this restaurant is fabulous! We had breakfast there twice and loved it both times. The waitstaff was super attentive and nice and the food was wonderful. On the first day, I had Eggs Benedict with a lovely homemade, not packaged, Hollandaise Sauce. It came with fried potatoes and a little cup of peaches! So cute! My friend had the big breakfast with eggs, potatoes, pancakes, bacon, cute little fat, tasty sausages and a little cup of peaches! Super yummy and a great value. The atmosphere was like you were in an old, well cared for mansion in New Orleans. Worth a trip to dine there if you are nearby.

JB's Conch Cafe, Englewood, Florida

This small restaurant is located in a strip mall on the access road which runs parallel to SR 776 in East Englewood. It's basically a sports bar with big TV's in the corners with a small bar in the back. JB's is known for their Prime Rib night, a good deal. Everything is good, but I really wish they would make more than one kind of soup for people who hate clam chowder.

Farlows on the Water

Best Prime Rib ever and the Chicken dishes are super yummy, too! I love this place any time of year, but especially when it is not too hot and not too cold so I can sit outside and enjoy the most spectacular view of Rocky Creek! One can first enjoy dinner with a nice Pina Colada, then walk through the paths of the garden which lead down to the creek.

My favorite dish is the St. Croix Chicken, which includes portabello mushrooms in a white wine cheese sauce topped off with provolone cheese. Need I say more? The portions are super huge and I always separate mine in half immediately so I can take some home for the next day's lunch.

Another great feature of this restaurant is the live music played outside on the patio. A nice range of mostly local talents.

Easily the very best restaurant in Englewood, Florida.