Iron Chef Sunday Brunch

Since there was such a great deal of interest in the food part of our trip blog, Rick thinks I should put cooking stuff in more often. We had a particularly good frittata today and it's kind of a lazy Sunday afternoon, so here goes.

I've mentioned in the past that on Sundays, I like to find some tidbit of ingredients or small leftovers and see what can be created around it. Today's ingredient was a half a piece of chicken pesto sausage. Sauteed green peppers and onion in olive oil. Mixed 4 eggs with garlic powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and the sauteed vegetables.

Cook on stovetop lifting edges to let uncooked egg flow to bottom. I use a 10" crepe pan, but any 8'-10" skillet with oven-proof handle will do.

Topped with sliced sausage and pieces of sliced provolone. Finish in broiler to melt cheese and to brown eggs. It will also rise a bit, like a souffle.

I also had about a cup of pink vodka sauce which I heated and drizzled on top.

How these things work...

OK, I've just spent a couple of days getting Tor serviced and such. The experience wasn't the best, and I'll write up my observations in a separate technical blog for those who are interested in mind-numbingly boring technical trivia.

But today, since a number of our friends haven't been in one of these things, I thought I'd post a few pics that show how it folds in and out for traveling and living.


So driving down the road, the passengers can sit up front in the driver's and passenger's seats, or can sit at one of 10 other places where there are seat belts installed. Denise usually sits at the dining table with a laptop and figures out where we'll go next. I usually drive (OK always) but here's a pictuer of Denise at the wheel. Note that behind her, both "slideouts" which contain the kitchen, "dining room", and living room are pulled in to make the width the standard 100 inches (not counting mirrors) that tractor trailers and everyone else has to adhere to.



When we get to our destination, a push of a button brings down hydraulic jacks that level and stabilize the coach so it doesn't bounce around on the springs while people move around. Then the slides are all bumped out (there's a third that increases the size of the bedroom - I'll cover that tomorrow. Now things look like this: Note in the second picture Denise is sitting at the dining table, but now it's moved outward from the center.


Then, when we remember to do so, we turn the driver's and passenger's chairs around to add another couple of seats to the seating area. Making it look like this:




Not counting the bedroom, the sleeping arrangements in this room include one of the couches folding out into a queen size bed, the other one folding like a futon to provide a double bed, and the table turning into a good size bunk for kids, the same way a boat table converts.

There's a couple of other things to hook up before we're completely set: water, electricity, and a pretty red hose that connects to the sewer system. The electricity inlet is a 100 amp service, about what an older small house in Georgetown would have, and about half of what most upgraded homes have.

Tomorrow, I'll post a few pictues of the rest of the coach.

Really Home

As you can see, we decided to come straight to DC instead of Manassas because the weather forecast for there was 26 degrees overnight. We had dewinterized Tor for the trip and Rick really didn't want to do it again when we're so close to spring. Navigating through the narrow Georgetown streets is truly an adventure! We keep telling ourselves that if Metro buses can do it, so can we! Here we're crossing Key Bridge into Georgetown and then onto Canal Rd. to Reservoir.

The last night out we spent at Pocahantas State Park in Chesterfield, VA outside Richmond. Again, very quiet and private. No spectacular views, but it was 6 pm when we arrived and it was raining and we were really only interested in some dinner and some sleep.

Some might call our dinner "leftovers" ... I prefer to call it a "mixed grill". Heated the remains of the grilled steak, pesto sausages and BBQ ribs and grilled green pepper halfs and big rounds of onions. A little cole slaw and we were set.

Next morning, Rick felt the need to clean Tor up a bit before taking him into town.

After our arrival in Georgetown, we spend a good 3 hours unloading all the clothes and food. Ordered a pizza and crashed in front of the TV.

Rick took Gigantor back to Manassas today and is unloading Tor's "basement" of golf clubs, tools etc., tidy him up a bit and bring back the car we left in Tor's parking space. If I know Rick, it will be an all day affair!

Back Home!

I'll let Denise fill you in on the details, but suffice it to say, we're back in Georgetown. Parked on Reservoir Rd for the night to unpack, then off to Manassas in the morning to give Tor a much deserved rest. We think he's ready for a Spa Day.

Heading Home

March 14 & 15


Waking to a beautiful dawn, we just had to sit and stare awhile! Take one last walk on the beach and marvel again at the copperish color of the sand. It's very unusual and on a close look appears to be ground shells. This layer sits over what looks like "regular" sand.











Fortunately, it becomes very cloudy and we have an easier time saying goodbye to my last flip flop day.

We really need to put some miles behind us and plan to dead head as long as Rick can drive. Make 353 miles but cannot find any private RV parks that will do. So we go to Santee State Park in South Carolina. It works out very nicely. What we are beginning to find out is that unless you're near some major attraction or a coastline, the RV parks that are simply overnight stops are just awful. The state parks, which we had avoided originally, offer a far better experience. The spaces are very far apart giving a good deal of privacy and most likely offer some great scenery.









This is on a very pretty lake and we are quite comfortable as we sit down to take-out Chinese we picked up earlier.









It's a great morning for a walk around the lake and then to cook breakfast outside. My daughter, Kelly, had tucked some mesquite wood chips in my Christmas stocking and we love using them on the grill. Tried them with bacon this morning ... terrific flavor!




We need to have another pretty big driving day and decide to get to about Richmond so we can have an easy drive and early arrival in Manassas (where we keep Gigantor) on Sunday because we have so much to unload from Tor and reload in our car.


Tomorrow is the end of what's been a great journey.

A Lucky Find

After leaving the Kennedy Space Center, we wanted to get a couple of hours of driving behind us before we stopped for the night. We hadn't reserved a place because the trip home was going to be rather free-form. If the beach is your thing, as it is ours, Bevery Beach Camptown RV Resort in Flagler Beach was exactly what we needed for our last look at the ocean.

This place is not fancy ... there are no acoutrements whatsoever ... but who needs it with this at your doorstep.


We take an evening walk on the beach, grill a steak and just continue to look at the view.



We awake the next morning to a picture perfect day ... and just can't leave!

Spend a wonderful day at the beach and the fisherman decides to give it another go, this time in the surf. No fish were harmed!


During a beach break, I slather some baby back ribs with BBQ sauce and pop in the oven at about 250 degrees and let them bake for about 3 hours while I go back to my book and the beach. For dinner, we'll grill them a bit to crisp them up. Serve with some corn on the cob, baked beans and a terrific watermelon and feta cheese salad.


We spot a dolphin pod really close to the beach. The fishermen hurriedly pull their lines in and they swim gracefully by, even fully breaching the water occassionally. A very good show.

An evening beach walk ends a near perfect day. We really have to leave tomorrow though!

The Shuttle Launch

Spent the day at the beach and kind of laid low in anticipation of the 2:30 a.m. shuttle launch. Thought we'd take a little nap after dinner, but never fell asleep ... probably a good thing. Walk to the beach at about 2 and find a rather festive crowd of about 50 people. We're really glad we did it but it did turn out to be almost a "is that all there is" moment. For about 15 seconds it looked like a sunset in reverse, then went into the cloud cover. Saw it again a few times as it climbed and we're telling ourselves we saw the booster rockets separate. Can't get the video to upload ... and I've spent three days trying ... sorry!

Following afternoon visit an old friend of Rick's who consults with NASA. Ken and Gretchen host a delighful lunch at their home on Merritt Island and we're off to tour the Kennedy Space Center.

This photo shows the Rocket Garden. And the one below is the Astronaut Memorial that serves as a jolting reminder of all those lost. But mostly I find the Center a bit disappointing ... kind of dated and tired. But they are building new attractions, like a shuttle simulator ride. If in the area, I would definitely recommend a visit. But you need to plan five or six hours to see it all and to make the $38 admission fee worth it.

Melbourne Beach

Sunday mornings at home are always a bit of a food adventure. That is, we search for whatever tidbits are in the refrigerator and concoct some sort of omelet or fritata. Today the little bits of pork tenderloin encrusted with Cayman Citrus Rub became the base. Saute a little green pepper and onions with the chopped up pork. Add mango cubes. Make a Key Lime mustard sauce. This is perhaps the best omelet we've ever made or had!

Melbourne Beach was planned as our last "beach" stop before heading home. But now it's been coupled with watching the shuttle launch. This is the third Outdoor Resorts we've stayed in and they all have decidedly different personalities. This is more of a permanent community, nicely landscaped, three nice pools, a clubhouse and a private beach. If heading here I would suggest booking a spot on the Indian River ... far nicer. Don't be tempted by what looks like it has an ocean view. There's a highway between you and the beach. We're in spot #857 and are happy with it. Next door at #867 looks good too. If you want to get out and about though, a car is mandatory. We're happy just staying put for a awhile and walking the half-mile to the beach.

Our amusement this afternoon is watching the pelicans "face dive" ... aka having lunch. This is a hoot ... seeing these huge prehistoric looking birds fly gracefully close to the water then land on their faces to fetch what's below. Catch the video.

Casino Stop

We're kind of "day sailing" working our way up the coast to Melbourne Beach. Stop in Ft. Lauderdale and find the Yacht Haven RV Park and Marina ... tres bizarre! But we are able to snag the only space they have left, due to a cancellation, and it's on the inlet. Here's our view.

We call a cab and spend the evening at the Hardrock Casino in Hollywood. Rick was up a bit for a while, but we quickly took care of that!

The Everglades

Decide to spend a day or two in the Everglades. Have always wanted to take one of those air boat rides. Have a very difficult time finding a place to stay. Looked at one place called Gold Coast and I would rather stay on the side of the road! Call Everglades National Park and find they can accommodate a coach this size .... however, the bad news is they have no hook-ups. I learn this is called "dry camping". We can remain self-sustaining for a couple of days and they will allow us to run our generator (for air-conditioning) until 8 pm. The national parks in Canada were great ... views spectacular and full hook-ups. It turns out okay but it's not up there on my list of things to do again.

We're told by a ranger the air boat rides are outside the park and are enviromentally detrimental, so we pass on that and tour just a small part of the 1.1 million acres of the park. We first see what seems like Africa ... not what I expected in the Everglades. Learn it is called a "river of grass".

Then go to the Anhinga Trail to a boardwalk that gives an up close and personal look at the varied Everglades wildlife.

We BBQ huge Florida "pinks" (shrimp) in a Key Lime Chipolte sauce .... quite tasty. And call it a very early evening

Exploring a Coral Reef

We reluctantly leave Little Palm Island and head to Key Largo. This is an unplanned stop . We have decided to extend our trip a bit because we are going to view the shuttle launch on the 11th and we have a few days to fill. Scrambling for a place to stay, we find Calusa Campground has a spot for us .... and fortunately it's on the water. It's yet another in a string of very weird, not very nice places, but the view makes it okay and Rick gets to try his hand at fishing again. Here's his biggest catch .... not caring for barracuda for dinner, he throws it back!

We've choosen Key Largo because the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is here. We've been lugging our snorkeling gear all over and we haven't had an opportunity yet. This is a great one. It's the only living coral reef in the continental United States and the third largest barrier island in the world. We take a boat out a few miles and have a terrific dive. All the photos are on "real" film on the underwater camera, so they'll have to wait to be posted.

Since we brought Gigantor to the Park, we're able to clean-up a bit after the dive, have some lunch and then spend the afternoon at the park beach.

Return just in time for a glorious sunset.

A Little Slice of Paradise

We wave goodbye to Key West and can't wait to drive up the road to mile marker 28.5 to catch the launch to Little Palm Island for lunch. The 10-minute ride transports you a different world than the one you just left.










A hostess greets you enthusiastically at the dock and you are escorted into the restaurant.




As menus and a wine list appear, so does a delighful little bit of foccacio with a trio of dips .... hummus, oil and balsamic and an artichoke blend.






I order an appetizing tasting menu which is four artfully presented tidbits ... a ceviche, an empanda, a chicken tender (should be called a chicken popsicle) and conch fritters.


It's good ... not spectacular, but I'm so very happy here, I really don't care! Rick orders a very good blackened chicken that is meant to be wrapped in lettuce leaves. We linger over wine and share a slice of Key Lime pie.






Unfortunately for us, but just the way it should be, luncheon guests are not allowed to walk around the island. But here's a few shots of what we could see.

Last Day in Key West

March 4

It's our last day in Key West and we want to see whatever we missed. Think we've pretty much done it all but the galleries. Rick goes back to the docks first thing because he wants another lobster tail tonight...think I've had my fill, and just want a couple of stone crabs.

Stop at Kelly's for lunch..very pretty garden setting....while the food was okay...I had a Mango BBQ Pulled Pork (needed more mango) and Rick had a Shrimp Po'boy...it is quiet and peaceful and lovely for a late lunch. Strolled the Duval St. galleries and was totally underwhelmed.

The last important stop is to locate the Blond Giraffe to buy Key Lime Pie on a stick dipped in chocolate. We are on a mission for my daughter who saw it on some Food Network show and has been coveting one! They are now safely in the freezer to bring home.

Catching up!

Key West
Feb. 28 – March 3

Feb.28
We’ve been absent because the roaming internet is not working well and I’ve caught a bit of a virus. So here’s an overview of our first few days in Key West. [Note from Rick - this hasn't been completed, but we'll up load it now and edit later - the internet is working for a few minutes this morning the 4th!]

Arrive at Boyd’s Key West Campground about noon and begin a battle to get the waterfront site I reserved two months ago. The smiling staff is trying very hard to accommodate and we win…sort of. Except for the palms trees, warm weather and a view of an inlet, this is a very undesirable place. Everyone is packed in cheek to jowl and the cast of characters must be extras from Deliverance.

Determined to try to ignore all this, we call an old friend of mine from Litchfield, CT who moved last year to Key West and arrange to meet for lunch. Fritz gives us a driving tour of Key West and we have a late lunch at Mangoes on Duval Street. A crab cake sandwich and grilled mahi mahi in pita are okay. Fritz says his chicken/avocado BLT is good.

After lunch we explore the Duval Street shops and pick up the obligatory Margaritaville t-shirts and I buy some sandals at a fun shop called Fast Buck Eddies. (Apparently they also have an outlet called Half Buck Eddies.)

After such a late lunch, we pass on dinner and just nibble on some peel and eat shrimp we had made earlier.

Feb. 29

We plan on staying “on campus” today to just sit in the sun and read. Get’s old about mid- afternoon and we go exploring to the docks on Stock Island to pick up the fresh catch for dinner. I call the numbers listed in a good guide book I bought called Florida Keys by Victoria Sheare and Nancy Toppino (11th edition). Find both of the locations listed are either no longer there or not answering their phone. See a fun looking local hangout called Hogfish Bar and they point us in the right direction down the block. Fishbusters has just opened and we buy Florida lobster tails to grill. Take them back to Gigantor to refrigerate and head to Mallory Square for the sundown celebration. The photos pretty much say it all…good fun.

Grilled lobster tails, drawn butter, French fries and cole slaw….perfection!

March 1

The tummy bug hits…I stay put all day and encourage Rick to paint. He goes out for awhile with a sketch pad, but hasn’t seemed to find anything that moves his creative juices yet.

Rick prepares the dinner I was to make tonight and does a bang-up job. Whole chicken seasoned with Herbs de Provence, garlic, salt and pepper grilled on a cedar plank. This is a wonderful method of cooking…imparts a fabulous smoky flavor and works particularly well on poultry and fish. Asparagus and rice pilaf round out the very tasty meal….unfortunately I can’t eat anything. The good news is we have terrific leftovers.


March 2

Tummy is still awful, but there are things we want to do. Decide the legendary houses in town will fill the day. We drive by Tennessee Williams’ home….appears to be privately owned and is a charming little well-kept place in a not so well-kept neighborhood. There appears to be no zoning regulations here. Seems odd because I thought I read it had been designated a National Historic District. Coming from Georgetown I know all too well what that means and the things I’m seeing wouldn’t be allowed.

Head on to the Hemmingway House and while I think the $12 admission is outrageous, we did find it interesting. Lovely property with the first swimming pool in Key West. What struck me most was the diminutive, very formal furniture. Not really a man’s man kind of place. His studio in an outbuilding is more suiting.




Across from the Hemmingway House is a handsome lighthouse that will go into Rick's "to-be-painted file".

My daughter, Kelly, and I have always found it intriguing to roam old cemeteries.
The inscriptions, the family plots, the embellishments tell great stories. So Rick and I go to the Key West Cemetery. It’s mostly an above ground burial location, like New Orleans because of the sea level.

We've heard of some interesting markers to look for...like "I told you I was sick"..but can't find anything very remarkable. Later I find an article in a free magazine called Sharon Wells Walking and Biking Guide to Historic Key West which lays out 14 very good tours. You can pick up this guide at many of the stores on Duval.

We move on to Truman's Little White House Annex and stumble upon a delightful scene. A garden party complete with period dress and croquet.

It had to be blowing at least 20mph....stopped by Smathers Beach to watch some parasailors with a death wish!

March 2

Our friend, Fritz, had scheduled a dinner for us at a wonderful out of the way restaurant...by stomach's not up to it. We go elsewhere and I watch the boys eat a most incredible meal. Santiago's Bodega is a tapas restaurant tucked away in a less than desirable neighborhood. Go there. The little bits I nibbled on and the reviews from the guys were spectacular, unusual and very ample portions for tapas.

March 2

Since I'm still a bit under the weather, we decide to focus our energies on the evening. Spend the day in the sun and at the pool. (The pool at Boyd's in pretty nice and the crowd is less outrageous than those we have seen around before.)

We go to Michaels in an Old Town neighborhood far from the maddening crowds. Fritz has made friends with the owners (Michael was a former chef at Morton's) and we are treated royally. We eat in the garden which is picture perfect. The coconut shrimp in a Thai chili sauce is wonderful. I have a seared duck breast which surrounds a mound of smashed potatoes and features a duck leg on top. Lamb chops and Grouper Oscar round out the table. And their Volcano chocolate cake is an explosion for the mouth.

Then we do a real Key West thing...go to a drag show at La Te Da. It's wonderful! There's also a piano bar and restaurant downstairs which is surprisingly pretty. Tip: Don't let them charge you $30 per person at the door. When we only slightly hesitated, the price went to $30 for all three of us...there is, however, a two drink minimum. And only sit in the front row cocktail tables if you want to be part of the show!