Florida

There are no pictures to accompany this post. However, the meal really didn't look much different than our first trip. Unfortunately though, the situation was significantly more depressing than the first trip. And along with that, I must ask for sincere apologies for not pointing out previously that the rice is not vegetarian. I just found out myself.

To celebrate Paul's birthday early, the Hardinge's took us out to dinner. We discussed a number of restaurant options that would offer a child-friendly environment and menu items that would fit Lisa and Kyle's allergies. We chose Paxia and drove to College Park.

We were seated and the waiter came up to tell us the specials. We patiently listened until he asked us if we were familiar with "carnitas." I said "We are vegetarians," and he smiled. "OK, well, lucky for you our beans are vegetarian. However, our rice is not. It's cooked in chicken stock." I asked if there was a possibility the rice could be cooked with water for us. He said he would find out.

Paul's sister and her husband, Elizabeth and Dag were in town this weekend visiting Nora, and we went to dinner at Seasons 52. (No one really wants to see us anymore. We understand.) The waiter was excellent. Very kind and gracious. And he really did the job his managers want him to do because he talked up the curry (originally made to be served with fish, but easily substituted out for tofu), which was a steeper-priced featured dish to the point where even though I don't like curry, I actually ordered it very willingly. Paul got the Market Vegetable Plate, and we switched dishes half way through the meal.

Truth be known, I was really sorry I had to share my curried tofu with Paul. I felt like I was on some of those lame commercials where one spouse hides food from the other. But in this case, I did my best to show true love and gave up half of my curry for my husband to enjoy. But, I emphasize "just half". I would be very happy if this item were always on the menu and would say it was well worth the additional price tag.

Cost Per Person $20.00

My unplanned last full week at work, a new Jimmy John's about a mile from one of our offices brought us free samples of their subs. Jennifer, our front desk queen, remembered that I was a vegetarian and selected a sample for me. When I was done with patients, I trekked on back to our kitchenette, and despite the depressing looks of the sandwich, pregnancy had me hungry enough to taste it anyway.

The sandwich was almost inedible--which I should have known based on the looks. I'm not a fan of slathered mayonnaise. And, the sandwich had a minimal amount of other ingredients of value (like veggies). I noticed that the small copy of the menu that came with the samples said there was another dip--avocado, I think? I don't remember as I threw the menu away and too much (unplanned, again) time has passed since I read it. Anyway, my thoughts are, if you are going to offer a sample, it should at least have the same ingredients involved as you claim the sandwich has on the menu. Seems to me that shows an automatic lack of attention to detail and little desire to make a good first impression.

Just to prove I'm not being overly picky, my EMT said his sandwich was edible. Then, he added "Sure, slices of ham and layers of mayo on white bread sounds good, but it's not a healthy meal you should want to eat.

The first time I heard of Paxia, I was getting off of I-4 and saw a guy dancing around with a sign saying it was the best Mexican restaurant in Orlando. The next time I heard of Paxia was less than a week later when I was researching the restaurants participating in Eat Local Week sponsored by Slow Food Orlando. Tonight we chose to dine there mainly because I couldn't remember any other restaurant on our list and it was close by--because it was getting late (like 5) and I was very hungry. Boy, was I glad it was the only one I could think of!

Let's start with our entrance into the restaurant. This is only the second restaurant I've ever seen that actually tries to sit people in the windows first so that the place looks full. Of course, by the time we left, the place was full so it didn't really matter! But, it's a wise marketing move. The greeter who seated us was the first person at any restaurant we've been to this week to completely explain the concept of Slow Food, and he did so in great accurate detail.

Cost Per Person $12.00

We dined at Infusion Tea tonight even though it wasn't as early as I had planned. Even at 5 and 6 o'clock, there was a nice stream of diners at the restaurant, which is always encouraging. Generally a full restaurant suggests a good restaurant.

I don't think I've ever been disappointed by Infusion Tea. Tonight was no different. They even offered a Prix Fixe menu in honor of Eat Local Week, hosted by SlowFood Orlando. Paul ordered the Prix Fixe option, which I passed on because we're pretty sure blue cheese isn't recommended on the diet of pregnant women. Although the restaurant is all vegetarian, there are some vegan options that are clearly marked on the menu. The clear details make ordering carefully much less stressful.

Cost Per Person $8.00

Well, let's start by apologizing for a complete lack of tweeting this evening. My phone was dead when I awoke this morning. (The brain is forgetting to charge it at night.) And I appear to have lost my travel charger. I didn't get home until after dinner to get the phone charged.

We dined with our friends, Sarah and John at Harmoni Market and Bistro in Longwood this evening. We have eaten at the one in College Park nearly two years ago and thought it would be a nice opportunity for all four of us to try this new restaurant.

I didn't look at prices, but I will say the market part is kind of spiffy with its food selections. The pasta sauce available is one highly recommended by Smitten Kitchen. I think such things are good to note when you evaluate the estimated quality of food.

Cost Per Person $10.00

Our first night eating local started off pleasantly in at a great little restaurant on Orange Ave. in downtown Orlando. Virgin Olive Market used to be on Clay, and I think the change in location surely must have increased its exposure. There was a nice, steady stream of customers during our entire dining experience. Virgin Olive makes the grade in a couple of areas. First, it is a fast, very friendly, and significantly cheaper restaurant than the two restaurants it's sandwiched in between. Next, it holds down the spot as a source for good coffee and breakfast in the immediate vicinity. Also, it offers healthy (generally), light, budget friendly meals on top of some unusual foodie items for sale to take home.

Cost Per Person $6.00

Good for Publix! They significantly lowered their prices on Sweet Potatoes this year in comparison to last year. They're on sale this week through Wednesday night (Dec. 23) for $0.29/lb. I know Walmart can beat this price at $0.25 and has already done so this season, but since we don't live near a Super Walmart, I'm grateful for the drop in Publix's prices. Paul came with me to the grocery store to assist in the purchasing process as we had lots to buy for the upcoming family visit. I told him to pick as many sweet potatoes as he wanted. We'd eat on 'em all week if we needed to. Well, he did. The little plastic bag you put produce in was overflowing and it busted on the poor bag lady at checkout. Just a warning if you plan on buying 11 sweet potatoes at once, split them up between bags or put them in a stronger plastic bag like what your groceries get bagged in at checkout. I was positively stunned that we paid only $2.08 for those 'taters. (No tax.)

So, what do you do with all those sweet potatoes? I have numerous ideas. However, since my on-your-feet time is limited, I'll be going for the easiest methods saving the more challenging work for my mother- and sister-in-law.

So much of this post should be about focusing on the great pictures. And it's not just about giving Paul all the credit for the fabulous photography. The last time we were at Seasons 52 would have been my birthday, and the restaurant still had roughly the same fall/winter menu with a few changes. In fact, the items from February's post were still available. I'm not complaining. As long as the quality is consistent, there are no issues for me. I suppose we don't visit Seasons 52 during the summer because there are so many options available for cooking at home.

Speaking of cooking at home, the butternut squash on the big vegetable plate is the inspiration for our choice of dish for PumpkinFest this Saturday night. Stay tuned for how it turns out.

Cost Per Person $15.00

Don't get too hyped. I know we only normally show just photos of food. These are not photos of food, however.

Tying into the "balanced lifestyle" idea, I show proof that I'm not letting my fat belly slow me down. Although, I'm sorry to say I feel much fatter than these photos show. The first photo on the bicycle was from early October. The second was from this weekend at Apollo Beach on Cape Canaveral. If I had known Paul had his camera aimed at me, I'd have posed better. Anyway, this is for everyone who's been wanting to see pictures of me. I guess truthfully, we haven't even slowed down for a photo shoot. Maybe we'll plan one when my grandmother gets here next week or around Christmas when LOTS of people will be here because by then I shouldn't travel.

The alligator and monkey were from our boat ride down Silver Springs with Captain Jack and Connie (and Paul's folks and my dad, too.) Friends, sunshine, and a serious review of wild nature from a safe distance are great aspects of a balanced lifestyle. This is a truly fabulous time to take advantage of Florida. The weather isn't unbearably hot; so, it's time to find excuses to be outside.

Upon arriving at a lovely church for the wedding of my coworker, Paul proudly announced that it was right next door to an Indian restaurant he had been wanting to take me to. Paul had eaten there with some friends when they were in town for an internet convention and had completely enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I have been burned by Indian restaurants and up until Friday afternoon had staunchly refused to entertain the thought of visiting an Indian restaurant. However, marriage is all about give-and-take, and I agreed to take Paul there after the wedding as we were not planning on attending the reception, anyway.

Cost Per Person $10.00

The day is ending rapidly, but I can't let it close completely without wishing my mom a Happy Birthday. She has taught me so much inside and outside of the kitchen. I love her so much for all she has done to support me my entire life

Sadly, we weren't able to see each other today. I worked late and my dad took off work to take her to a photo museum in Dayton Beach. I'm happy they enjoyed themselves and that the weather was wonderful.

Just before school started, Paul's college had a nice dinner for staff and spouses. We really appreciated the fun, and I enjoyed meeting some of Paul's coworkers and even talking to people I've known longer than Paul has known them.

The purpose of this post is actually to point out a discussion we had at the dinner table with six other people. I had only met one of them previously. One of the ladies asked if our vegetarian plate was good. Everyone else was eating chicken or steak, maybe? Anyway, our plate was more the topic of conversation because the lady asked what was in our vegetarian strudel. We honestly could not answer. I was pretty sure there were mushrooms somewhere, onions, and yellow and red bell peppers, but they were all more mashed, which made them less recognizable. Still, there was another base item, and we just couldn't figure out what it was. The lady nodded as if she understood and said "Yes, I used to be a vegetarian, but I found I preferred to be able to know what I was eating."

Wow! How true. I started thinking How often have I been somewhere and had no idea what was on my plate? Let this be a lesson to people who cook for vegetarians and who own restaurants. At any time, people want to be able to figure out what they are being served.

We were having a hard time finding a place to dine in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida for dinner. We passed a sign for Carlos and Pepe's near our hotel. It boasted being "World Famous," and the reviews Paul read said the guacamole was tops. I was getting quite hungry, so we decided to stop.

The restaurant was very popular. It seems to be a very large restaurant with many tables, even outside and in a bar, and few tables were empty. The staff was quite polite.

Ordering from the menu proved to be trickier than expected. There were very few vegetarian items on the menu--mainly limited to the salad, quesadilla, and vegetable fajitas. Paul asked if he could have a burrito with just beans, and waitress said that wasn't on the menu. So, he ordered the Caesar cause the waitress said the dressing was without anchovies and I ordered the spinach quesadilla. Paul also ordered the guac with a side of flour tortillas.

It was 10:40. I was rushing between offices because I had patients to get to at the second one after finishing a meeting at the first one. But more importantly, I was speeding down I-4 because I knew what time it was. I was pretty sure breakfast at McDonald's ended at 10:30, and I was sure I was going to miss fulfilling my current "craving". I walked into the fancy and well decorated McDonald's Bistro by Orlando Reginal Medical Center, and smiled as nicely as I could while saying "I need a plain biscuit and a hashbrown." "You need?" said the kind guy behind the counter as a girl walked to the back to see what she could find. "Uh huh, I need. I really need." The crew was very amused to learn that more importantly than me, the baby needed a plain biscuit and hashbrown. They were amazingly sweet and provided me with butter and ketchup to go with my second meal of the day (which also amused them) but I don't give them any credit for their orange juice and must remember to pass that up in the future.

Two Tuesdays ago, I had a church television recording to attend at which food is provided, but since I couldn't be sure I could get down whatever was being served, I stopped at one of two dining options on my way to the church. At the time Taco Bell didn't top the list; so, I chose Fazoli's. This was actually very odd for me because I hadn't eaten there in at least four years as the last time I ate there for a work party I had gotten sick.

I could not believe such mediocre food could bring in so many people, but at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, there were at least 10 tables of guests in the fast food Italian restaurant. Fortunately, I did not get sick, but I also chose a basic meal hoping that would make a difference.

After my first ultrasound, we headed over to Park Ave. in Winter Park for a lunch. I knew immediately I wanted Powerhouse Cafe. On a hot midday in the scorching Orlando summer, I wanted the coolness of a cold sandwich and a smoothie. Not to mention, frozen fruit in general makes me very happy right now.

Ironically, just today I was talking to a coworker who was meeting her husband for lunch in Winter Park about the cafe and told her about the specials (but forgot to tell her about the coupons) and how the sandwich and smoothie cost me under $10 and she said that that was a good deal because a burger and fries at any other restaurant on Park Ave. can cost $17. I haven't talked to her to see if she took my advice.

I believe I have made it clear that with summer in full swing and my eating habits far from their best, I'm really enjoying cold and fruit. Preferably mixed. So, yesterday when it was near a snack time and we were still at the RDV getting a little bit of workout (not much more cause it was a "sick day"), we stopped at the Nature's Table Cafe upstairs to pick up a fruit smoothie. There are a number of dairy-free drinks that are nothing but frozen fruit and a mixture of 10 fruit juices. I chose number 8, something about berries (naturally) and really enjoyed it. Although it didn't have the strong raspberry flavor as the Berry Blast Bloom from Powerhouse Cafe, Winter Park that I love so much, it still hit the spot. And right now, that factor is more important than the thought of the $5 price tag. Although, I won't seek out a snack from Nature's Table, I will remember that this chain with a branch also in our local mall has what it takes if I'm needing something icy in my stomach.

I think I'd rather start with the positives about this dining experience. . .the soy sauce packets were pre-marked for easy removal of a corner. And as we all know, soy sauce can be very messy. The cut to help the corner tear smoothly eliminated the mess. The spring rolls, were nice and hot, a hint of ginger flavor (which today did nothing for the not-just-morning-morning-sickness) and appeared to be without mushrooms, which always makes the two of us happy.

Now, for the not-so-nice part: The mixed vegetables in the upper left part of the photograph were all brown--the onions, the broccoli, the zucchini--not very appetizing for even Paul. The vegetarian options were fried rice with eggs, chow mein (very similar to lo mein), the spring rolls, and a hot and sour soup with tofu. I ordered the chow mein and spring rolls, and the longer Paul stood at the counter, the more he decided we'd limit our losses by just sharing my plate. Turns out, that was a really good idea. The lo mein was stone cold. I mean fresh-out-of-the-fridge cold. It had celery, onions, and bok choy or cabbage (too small a serving of which for me to tell) and filled only half of the styrofoam plate and it still cost us $5 with tax. It's safe to say that the motto of "Gourmet Chinese Food" is a great stretch for the imagination. Mine just couldn't get there.

I'm not in the habit of photographing my groceries, but this was all part of my mom's and my scheduled day together, which we hadn't had much of because my grandmother had been visiting, and she doesn't have the energy to run around like we do. We had a few errands to run, but also, I wanted to take the opportunity of being down near Super Target to investigate whether or not I should shop there more often because their collection of organic products is far superior to Walmart and is mostly cheaper than Publix. We walked the aisles and piled coupons together for some great deals, especially the "stackable coupons" from target and the manufacturer yielding an $0.84 box of MorningStar Farms Buffalo wings and $0.50 box of MorningStar Farms Chick 'n nuggets. Mom got free mayo and salad dressing by stacking the coupons. Target had the Quaker Oatmeal Pancake mix that I couldn't find at any other stores, and that only cost me $0.69 after the coupon. Paul wanted to try the new Olive Oil Mayo by Kraft, which I had a Target coupon for. Then, there were lots of items on sale or clearance that I acquired without coupon because even paying the sale price without coupon is better than paying full price at any other store I'm often near.

Metro is very special to us. It is the restaurant where we ate just after Paul proposed. One thing I love about Metro is that it is in a building with its back to Lake Eola. You can't see the lake while dining, only the street, which can be entertaining enough. But, I love to park half way around the lake and walk to Metro to take in the beautiful sights of the fountain, swans, and owners walking their dogs.

I was nervous that Metro would be feeling the crunch of the economy. I don't think we have been to Metro this year because we no longer live downtown, but five exits or so up from the street leading to the lake and to the restaurant. But, I was happy to see that, if anything, the economy has not hurt the family-owned-and-operated restaurant. In fact, I think it was the busiest I had ever seen it. There wasn't even room for us to eat at the tables outside.

These are pictures of our lunch visit with Tim and Magally Putt to Ethos Vegan Kitchen. Paul and I shared the vegetable lasagna and a 10" pizza. Tim and Magally shared the vegetable lasagna and a black bean burger. Tim said the sandwich was twice the size of the lasagna but half the price.

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