Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

We work every day for the couple of days we call our weekend off. We work hard pushing papers, pushing IVs, or pushing our way to the top. We make money to pay our bills and feed our habits. When those days off do come to us, we really just want to relax or party it up with friends and family. We do NOT want to spend them laying in bed all day.

That's pretty much how I've spent my weekend... laying in bed. I've been reading Facebook posts about this person getting sick, or that person still down with the sickness. I never thought I'd be one of those laid up on a summer Saturday sipping my ginger ale lightly and hoping to keep down the chicken noodle soup. But that was me. I think I am slowly getting over it. I have to get over. I have things to do this week and being down yesterday and today has really put a kink in my hose.

Life goes on, though, and we work it out, right? Isn't that what we women do? We just go on with it?

So while I've been holding up in my bed, my very best girl in Florida is holding up in her home trying to survive the wrath that is Hurricane Isaac. The rain and winds are pelting down on her family pretty hard I hear and hopefully it will be over soon.

Elsewhere in the news, Neil Armstrong has passed away. What is happening to the world?! We've lost Dick Clark AND now Neil Armstrong? Maybe the world really is ending in December. Hmmm... If it is, I need to get back to 100% so I can enjoy my last few months on earth. :)

#9 Steakhouse, Madisonville, KY

I have found a diamond in the rough. While working at Wendell Ford Training Center in Greenville, KY this week, we ventured off the beaten path in search of something edible for dinner. Not that the "mess hall" was THAT horrible, or that the canteen didn't make nice sandwiches, but it was nice to go out somewhere and enjoy a nice dinner.

So this little steakhouse does NOT look impressive from the outside. It looks about like your hole-in-the-wall dive, but it is so much more.

Upon entering the steakhouse, we noticed that it was a little tight around the hostess counter, but we were seated quickly at a table that was large enough for our party of five to be comfortable. We were served quickly by a young lady who was fresh and seemed happy to take care of us.

Each of us in the dining party ordered something different. One of us ordered the ribeye, one ordered the surf n turf, someone ordered the pork tenderloin (which was supposed to be medallions but were instead really nice sized pork chops), someone ordered the chef special (which was shrimp and grits), and I ordered the barbeque chicken. Dinner was excellent! It probably was one of the best dinners I have had in a while. I don't think anyone had a complaint at all. The dessert selection was fantastic, but there was no more room for that.

Overall, dinner was wonderful. The atmosphere was great and the food was more than satisfying. I've already told many people about this little place just a bit down the road. And I'll be stopping by there again to try more of their menu selections when I get back to Madisonville.

New Shoes

You know how good you feel when you get a new pair of shoes? You know what I'm talking about... that feeling like you can "run super duper fast" (as Nolan would say), or maybe you can conquer the world with your new confidence. New shoes are the best.

I have a friend who has started a new journey in their life. My friend has bought a new pair of shoes and that friend is tying them on and taking off. So many times we lose who we are, or maybe we become someone else out of fear of being who we really are. I am so proud of my friend for having the courage to take on such an adventure. It inspires me, actually, to start doing things for myself and learning who I am... again.

Like I've said before, I don't think we ever really know who we are. How can we when we are constantly experiencing new things and learning more about life? It feels good to buy those new shoes and take off with life's adventures. They say, "You're only young once," but I don't believe that. I don't know if we ever really get old... unless we stop buying new shoes.

Funny How A Melody...

I've been diggin' that "Springsteen" song by Eric Church lately. I listen to it, sing it, think about it... Not in that weirdo obsessed way. More like a "this song means something to me" kind of way. My favorite line is the one where he sings that a melody sounds like a memory. I find this to be so true. Songs have a funny way of bringing back all the memories, putting you right back in that very moment. It's so real, you can feel it. It's more than just remembering where you were or what you were doing. The emotions come flooding back and sometimes you are overwhelmed with feelings.

Certain songs bring tears to my eyes every time... "I'll Be" by Reba McIntire. "In The Garden" by Brad Paisley. There's even the occasion where songs that used to mean something (but don't anymore) creep up on you. I swear I can listen to "To Make You Feel My Love" (wedding song) a million times, and the very next time, I cry. It's weird because that memory is no longer important to me. But for some reason, it makes me remember how bad I failed.

A lot of these songs just make me feel good and I cry happy tears remembering my grandfather or thinking about how much I value the friendship I have with my mom. Others bring back heartache and sadness.

I guess this is why that "Springsteen" song really hits home with me. I really love the message it sends about how music make us feel. It's not just something you listen to when trying to fill the void of silence. It's a memory.

Fudpucker's Beachside Bar & Grill, Destin

"You ain't been pucked till ya been fudpucked."

Oh my, what a fun place?! After spending a few days in Panama City Beach (aka Partytown, USA), we decided to drive up the road a little ways to a place a little more "family-friendly." Upon entering Destin, you could just see the difference between PCB and Destin. We spent most of the day playing mini-golf and riding go-karts, bumper cars, and bumper boats at The Track. Larea did a little research and found a place where you could feed alligators. It seemed kind of cool, thought we might check it out. 

When we arrived at destination fun-time, we saw a trippy building with a VW bus sticking out the front. The building was painted up in lots of different colors and we could tell from the get-go that this place was going to be pretty cool. We started our adventure laughing in the gift shop as we read t-shirt after t-shirt with FudPucker's logos. Nolan got a wooden alligator that he named Richard and we both got these inflatable pink flamingo cup holders for our pool. 

Then we thought we would go ahead and put our name in for supper. It was late in the afternoon and we were all getting the munchies. We wrote our names on the wall, then were seated in a room that played some really good tunes (I even downloaded a few as we waiting on dinner). 

Now, I know that seafood is what people crave when they are at the beach. And I know that FudPucker's has a nice selection of seafood. But I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich. LOL. Dad ordered this huge hot dog with chili, while mom and Larea picked the hot dog off the kid's menu. Nolan finished up the order with his own mini-corndogs. It took a little while to get our food, not sure exactly why. But when we got it, it was pretty good. 

After finishing dinner, Nolan insisted on paying. So dinner was on the little man (so sweet!). We hurried outside to see the live alligators lounging on the decks and swimming in the pond in the center of a maze of decks. There was a fun playground for the kiddos and a booth set up where you could pay to feed the gators and/or have your photo taken with a baby alligator. Nolan was not really feeling the whole "hold-a-gator-get-a-picture" kind of thing, but he did get excited about baiting the rope to feed them. It was a lot of fun watching the gators snap at the bits of food on the end of the rope. 

All-in-all, it was a really fun time. We enjoyed the atmosphere and it gave Nolan something else to do. For entertainment purposes, it was fantastic.

All American Diner, PCB

Outside the silver building is a sign that reads, "Steaks*Shakes*Pancakes." We went in looking for that diner experience and that's what we got. There was a nice breakfast buffet, which Larea and Nolan chose. Mom and I opted for "The Elvis" (ham and cheese omelet), and dad got some kind of breakfast sandwich on an English muffin.

For the most part, the food was good. Dad's sandwich had a tomato on it which was not really edible. Larea fixed that, though, by getting a fresh one from the buffet. Nolan had a waffle that was a little hard, but he scarfed down the pancakes. The omelets were bigger than we needed. LOL. But then, I don't think I've ever ordered an omelet that was smaller than expected. Mom and I could have shared one omelet. The only problem I had with the food was that the omelet was mostly egg, and I am not an egg fan.

Other than the food, the decor was what you would expect in a 50's style diner. I was not pleased with the cleanliness though. The bowl on the table that housed the creamer and sugar substitutes was dirty and there was something on the creamer cups (coffee or syrup maybe). The floors was dirty and in need of sweeping, with scrambled eggs resting under the table. It really looked like Robert Irvine should come in any moment and shut the place down for an overhaul. Dad even made the comment that he would be scared to see what the kitchen looked like.

But... with that being said, the food WAS pretty good. I don't know if I would visit there again, but it satisfied our hunger and everyone else seemed to really like it.

Pineapple Willy's, PCB

Smile Big. Eat Big. Drink Big.

That's the motto, and that's exactly what we did. We had these huge 24oz to-go cups filled with tropical mixes of rums, tequilas, and juices. Fill 'er up! Nolan had his own tropical drink and loved it. The food was just as good as the drinks. Mom and dad shared a bucket of ribs with the Pineapple Willy's signature barbeque sauce and pineapple slaw. They seemed to enjoy their dinner nearly finishing the entire bucket. Rea and I got the grilled chicken, which was also quite tasty. 

The best, though, was where we sat. We decided to go with "first available" when putting in our name at the hostess stand. After waiting about 15 minutes, we were seated outside at the end of the covered pier overlooking the Gulf. The warm breeze blew through as we talked and laughed and just enjoyed each others' company. 

I'd say Pineapple Willy's is a great place to go have some drinks with friends... it's also a great place to bring a family.

Hungry Howie's Pizza & Subs

"Original, sesame, butter, poppy seed, rye, garlic, hot cajun, and butter cheese."

Well, those were the choices 15+ years ago when I worked my nights and weekends flipping pizza dough and cutting slices. And you know what... it hasn't changed much. They nixed the poppy seed and rye flavors, instead opting for ranch and onion flavors. Now, I have not tried the new flavors, but that's only because I LOVE the cajun crust. If I could, I would put that cajun seasoning all over the pizza and not just the crust. It's delicious. We ordered so much food the first time that we had left overs to take back. The pizza is pretty cheap and the flavor is pretty spectacular. 

So spectacular that we ordered it again a couple of nights later... this time we had it delivered to the room and subs were on the menu. They've tossed out the old cheese (the swiss-american combo), which I LOVED, and stuffed their dough with a three-cheese blend. It was good, but not the same. I'd still go for the pizza and the three-cheese bread! 

I miss the Hungry Howie's we had here in town and I'd gladly stop at any Hungry Howie's along my travels.

Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, Pier Park

I like mine with lettuce and tomato, Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes. Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer. Well good God almighty, which way do I steer?!

Yeah, I was singing this song as I ordered my lunch while overlooking the pier in Panama City Beach. The breeze coming off the Gulf and the tropical drink in my hand just made everything perfect.

This makes the third Margaritaville restaurant we have tried out in the past couple of years, though we have frequented the one in Nashville a few times since it opened. Every time we find it amazing. The atmosphere is the most fun. If you can't make it to a concert, this has to be the next best thing. And for those of you who deny your inner parrothead, you have no idea what you're missing.

Dad enjoyed his hurricane (It's 5 o'Clock Somewhere), while mom sipped on her margarita. Rea even ordered a drink that tasted pretty great (Orange Crush). I cannot remember the name of my drink or what all was in it... but I know that I could not finish it. Yes, the lush in me had trouble finishing a drink a Margaritaville. It was so strong, really. My face turned really red and I got really hot (something about the way it hit my stomach, I suppose). Anyway, it was good before the reaction hit a few sips in. Nolan even enjoyed his own "kid beverage" while we waited on lunch.

 

After we finished lunch, we checked out the shop to see what kind of fun they had in there. Mom liked the chair and decided to lounge for a minute. Too bad we weren't "lounging in the lagoon" with all the other Parrotheads. 

Anyway... as far as reviews go, this place rocked it quite nicely. But then again, I wouldn't have expected anything less from a Margaritaville. 

Five Guys Burgers & Fries, Pier Park

You know that SIX DOLLAR BURGER that Hardee's says they're comparable to?? Yeah, this would be the burger from which they are referring.

I had the pleasure of munching on some yummy grub at a Five Guys Burgers & Fries joint in Pigeon Forge, TN sometime earlier this year. There were no complaints there, and since then we have been looking forward to the opening of our very own in Bowling Green.

Over the past week, my family has put our travelin' pants on and headed out yet again on one of our spontaneous trips. This time, we ventured upon Panama City Beach, FL. After arriving late in the afternoon, we needed to fill our bellies before heading back to the room to unload. Five Guys at Pier Park?! Heck yeah! We drove on down the highway until we got to the strip mall which housed Ron Jon Surf Shop, Rum Runner's, and Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. The line was long, but not quite out the door... yet. Most all the tables were occupied inside and outside the venue. After ordering, we quickly grabbed a table where a group of four had just got up. The atmosphere was a little loud, but the workers were so quick rushing around behind the counter preparing meals for patrons.

The burgers have numbers on them that correspond to the numbers on the receipt. That made it easy to see which burger belonged to which member of our party. Let me just tell you... these burgers are huge. Mom was the smart one by ordering a "little burger." Everyone else ended up leaving at least three bites. And the small order of fries we each got were barely dented by the time we finished. We walked in hungry and left extremely happy.

I can only hope the one opening in our hometown displays the same excellence in service and food.