Marin House Sangria Recipes

If you've stayed here, you know that our happy hours are practically world famous.

And the most famous part of our practically world famous happy hour is our red and white sangria. Can't decide which one you want? We are not judgemental if you'd like a glass full of each, or even if you'd like to mix the two for a festive pink sangria.

We're also not judgemental if you'd like to try your hand at making it yourself. If you want to try, here you go:

Marin House Red Sangria:

ingredients:
cabernet
orange juice
fresca
suga
fruits (we use fresh oranges and pineapple chunks, or canned if the produce doesn't look good that day!)

Pick a jar of any size (the bigger the better, as far as we're concerned). Then mix everythinbg together with these proportions: 3/4 of the jar should be filled with cabernet, 1/8 jar of orange juice, 1/8 jar of fresca, 1 or 2 cups of fruit (enough to fill the bottom of the jar). Then add sugar to taste.

Marin House White Sangria
chardonnay
apple juice
fresca
sugar
fruits (we use peaches and pineapples, canned works just as well)

Use the same proportions--3/4 full of chardonnay, 1/8 apple juice, 1/8 jar fresca, 1 cup of fruit. Add sugar to taste.

And remember--sangria always tastes better with friends. So invite a bunch over (or plan a trip for all of you to come and see us in St. Augustine!!)

Light Up Your Life: A Holiday Special from the Bayfront Marin House

I used to balk whenever I saw Christmas decorations in stores before it was even Halloween.

Then I met my nephew, who--when he was four--opened his last birthday present of the day then said "When is my birthday next year???"

Why not celebrate something that you really enjoy as soon as possible?

We've been thinking about Christmas for quite some time now. And we've got a GREAT deal for our guests who are planning to spend the holiday season with us.

From November 27 through January 26, guests who stay two weekday nights (that's Sunday through Thursday) are going to have a sweet time at the Bayfront Marin House.

First, when you check in, you'll get awesome chocolate peppermint bark and s'mores from the amazing Claude's Chocolates (a local favorite--just ask our staff!) It's a great way to start a romantic getaway with your own sweetie.

After you've fed each other chocolate, you can enjoy our almost-famous happy hour from 5-7 each night. Lounge around in our hammock--or one of our relaxing porch swings--with a glass of our sangria, and a plate of our nom-noms du jour.

But the most fun is yet to come. When the sun goes down, the lights go up--over 2 million twinkly white ones, part of the illuminating Nights of Lights celebration in Saint Augustine. You'll enjoy the perfect vantage point on a FREE and EXCLUSIVE ride on the Inns of Elegance red train. It will pick you up right from our inn (we're one of only 5 Inns of Elegance, so there will be plenty of room on the ride), and take you on a gorgeous tour through town.

If you and your loved one don't feel all lovey-dovey after that, well, then there's really nothing more we can do for you.

But that doesn't mean we're not going to try!! When you check in, we'll give you a gift certificate good for two cups of homemade hot chocolate and chocolate covered biscotti from Claude's. It's our holiday gift to you--to THANK YOU for helping to make our first full year as innkeepers truly sweet for us.

We hope you'll join us for the holidays this year. The Trolley Treat Tour begins November 27 and runs through January 26 (with the exception of the week between Christmas and New Year's, when even Santa takes a break!!) Call us soon to book your stay!!

By the Numbers: Weddings on 11/11/11

A good friend of mine dabbles in numerology.

She can meet someone, add up the letters in their name, and determine if they will be best friends or simply acquaintances. She can tell you what numbers are "lucky" for you, and what months are the best months for business or love or adopting a puppy.

I, on the other hand, can't even split a restaurant bill five ways without the total either coming up short, or our group leaving a 45% tip.

But lately I've been thinking that the numbers are aligning for me to start looking at numbers more carefully. If you're going to study numerology, Saint Augustine is the place to start. Check out this post in wikipedia:

St. Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 354–430) wrote "Numbers are the Universal language offered by the deity to humans as confirmation of the truth." Similar to Pythagoras, he too believed that everything had numerical relationships and it was up to the mind to seek and investigate the secrets of these relationships or have them revealed by divine grace.

I've been thinking about numbers a lot lately, as we get more and more calls from star-struck couples who want to be married at our inn on November 11, 2011--which is 11/11/11 for the numerically challenged.

(If you're thinking about doing that yourself, you might want to consider a room for 12/12/12. We already have FOUR couples getting married on 11/11/11--and I think that's our limit!)

So why are couples choosing this date in droves? In my highly unscientific study (I simply asked two of the people planning a wedding with us on that day), this is what I learned: there are those people (read: women) who think that a repetitive date like 11/11/11 is so scarce (this particular date won't happen again in our lifetime--and after 12/12/12 next year, this won't happen again until 2101, when you can get married on 1/1/1) that it simply must be good luck. Other people (men, natch) think it's cool because 11/11/11 seems to be a date that even they can't forget.

I guess we'll find out on 11/11/12.

In the meantime, if you want to get married on a special date, give us a call at 904.824.4301. We have availability on 1/2/12, 10/11/12, and 12/12/12!

Outside a dog, Man's Best Friend is a Book

Groucho Marx said:

Outside a dog, man's best friend is a book. Inside a dog, it's too dark to read.

There's plenty of light today, both in sunny Saint Augustine and at the Florida Heritage Book Festival. We're proud to host a great mystery writer at the Marin for the event--Diane Stuckart. If you find yourself outside of a dog, check out one of her latest books.

Or learn more about the Florida Heritage Book Festival at http://www.fhbookfest.com/.

Sand and Sound at the Pier

Today's Wednesday, and that means two things:

1. It's homemade ice cream night at the Bayfront Marin House (5-7)
2. It's free concert night at the Saint Johns County Pier Pavillion (7-9)

Really? Can you top that?

Tonight's musical guest is RhythmFish, and the ice cream flavor is raspberry cheesecake with dark chocolate flecks. Frankly, they both sound pretty good to me. And one sounds like a great way to prepare for the other! (Because this way, you won't get hungry during the concert!)

But you'd better hurry...because free concerts and free ice cream are only available Wednesdays in September. So, unless you're funk and lactose intolerant, you'd better hurry on down to Saint Augustine. There are only three more opportunities to check it out!

95 Cordova Gets 100 From Me

Although I work from home, and the hub works at the Inn (a mere 10-minute walk away...and that's if you have to wait for the light at King Street), we really don't have that much "couple" time.

Oh, we decorate for weddings together, and we pay the bills together, and late at night we sit next to each other, working on our respective laptops. But I'm not sure that any of that qualifies as couple time.

So today we decided to meet for a nice lunch. Mike chose 95 Cordova, the beautiful Moorish restaurant in the Casa Monica hotel. He ate there a few weeks ago for a lunch meeting, and he's been wanting me to go ever since.

The restaurant is exotic--with tall dramatic chairs and elaborate arches everywhere. The ceiling was burnished gold, and it seemed like every surface was decorated with a little sumpin sumpin. But too much is never enough for me, so I liked it just fine.

Since I was in a bit of a hurry (I had a phone call with the office at 1:30), Mike didn't get the coconut curry soup, and he probably is still a little miffed over that. So I can't report on whether that was good or not.

The waiter brought us some good chewy bread as a starter, with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and house made pesto sauce. My grandmother is coming to visit us in October, and the bread alone made us both say--almost at once--that we'll have to bring her to this restaurant (she loves bread!) It was excellent, and probably would have gone great with a bowl of curry soup.

As it turned out, I didn't need the bread, as my curry chicken salad ($12) came with little wedges of pita. The salad was delicious, although the write up had said it came with apples, dates and cilantro, and I don't think I had any of those things on my plate (many people would say that these are all just cheap filler, and they would be happy that every chunk in the salad was pure white chicken instead). I did enjoy the candied nuts on top of the salad...they added a nice sweetness to the spice.

Note: if you order this because you want a lot of greens with your salad, don't. This is pure chicken salad, like the kind you put on a sandwich, and there were just a few tiny greens underneath it for looks. Again, this was fine with me...it's the chicken that's the good part anyway!

The hub enjoyed meatloaf, made with beef and homemade sausage ($15). It was topped with mushrooms in a rich sauce, and bottomed with a HUGE pile of mashed potatoes and then an artful spray of green beans. The waiter said it was his favorite dish on the menu (the hub and I always compete to see who gets the heartiest "Oh, good choice, sir/madam" from the wait staff.) Why a heavy meal like meatloaf is a very good choice on a sweltering day, I'm not sure...it's possible that the waiter knew that Mike was paying the bill.

The service was very nice, and it was a great (and quick) getaway from the daily grind of the home office. The menu had lots of yummy looking desserts too, I'll have to check them out on the next trip!

A Behind the Scenes Look at the Bayfront Marin House

The hub and I dreamed about owning a bed and breakfast for 14 years, finally buying the beautiful Bayfront Marin House last September 1 (our year anniversary is coming up, if you wanted to send flowers!!)

During those 14 years, I did all sorts of things that I thought would be helpful to me in my new career. Things like:

• trying a new breakfast recipe every time we hosted a large group of people. I made breakfast burritos on Cinco de Mayo, French toast on Bastille day (it's best if you use Mexican vanilla and soak the bread slices overnight). I made homemade granola, muffins of all shapes and flavors, waffles, scrambles, omelettes, and maple-syrup baked bacon. Most of the time, these experiments were awesome. However, I'd like to take a moment to personally apologize to the family members who were forced to endure a batch of asiago scones that could have been used to build a retaining wall (I improved as I went along--the scones were an early venture into fancy breakfast baking).
• peppering my Christmas and birthday lists with cookbooks of every type. I got recipe books from bnbs around the country; I got all of Williams Sonoma's books on breakfast. I dug out all of the church cookbooks I had gotten in my hope chest (where I found a bunch of family recipes--thank you Mammy for submitting your raised cake recipe in 1972!!) I also got lots of good dessert recipe collections--The Mrs. Fields I Love Chocolate Collection, Semi Homemade Desserts, Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Secrets, etc.
• yelling at Mike every time we made a bed together, insisting he learn how to make hospital corners and keep his pillows EXACTLY even with the pillows I fluffed on my side of the bed. (Note: the key to always winning this "discussion" is to fluff your pillows first, and then let the other person try to match yours).
• keeping an extensive idea book. Every time my job sent me to a high end hotel, I always tried to "steal" two or three great ideas that I could use someday in my own high end bnb. For instance, one of the hotels I visited had free postcards for people to fill out and mail, complete with a picture of the hotel on them (I'm working on the artwork for that now). One of them left little notes for us about our special occasion--which is why we now do that (assuming we know about it--we always love it when guests tell us if it's their anniversary or birthday!) We're still working on implementing all of the ideas...but they're all carefully preserved in my little book!

Anyway, for years (14 years, in fact) I worked on perfecting my skills to be a perfect, skilled bed and breakfast owner.

And then I bought an inn that was so large (15 rooms) it came with a complete staff. A staff with mad skills, who put my little amateur skills to shame!!

That's how I became the head gardener at the Inn (no one else wanted to do it, and they were all too busy anyway). And head blogger. Other than those two areas, they completely leave me in their dust (or lack of dust--you should see these women clean!)

Which is why it was a huge surprise to find myself cooking a whole oven-ful of bacon strata yesterday. The whole story is that Mary, our amazingly talented cook, went to the Inn at o'dark thirty, only to realize that the oven (pretty necessary for bacon strata), didn't heat up!!

So she called us in a panic, and the next thing you knew she was bringing the casserole pans over to my house. And dropping them off.

Other than making desserts, and strawberry soup once or twice, it's the most cooking I've done for the Inn (and technically, I still haven't made breakfast for our guests--all the strata were already made, just not cooked).

We took the strata back to the Inn at 7:55 (the first guest was eating at 8). Three of our staff came out to the car, all wearing oven mitts (I'm telling you, these ladies are always a step ahead of us!)

And the crisis was averted. (And a financial crisis was avoided as well...the appliance repair company--the amazing Appliance Technicians--fixed the oven for under $100!!)

Back to business as usual--the Eggs Benedict were completed this morning without any excitement!!

Gimme Some More: The Ice Cream of the Day in Saint Augustine

Today is National S'mores Day! (Read more here: http://www.holidayinsights.com/other/smoresday.htm).

In honor of that, we're serving up Gimme Some More Smore ice cream tonight at the inn.(As a reminder, we're serving Mike's homemade ice cream every Wednesday night in July and August).

Last night, we took graham crackers and covered them in chocolate, then froze them and broke them up into bite-sized pieces. We then swirled these into a chocolate ice cream, along with massive amounts of marshmallow and caramel. I tasted it this morning, and it's pretty darn awesome.

If you're in the area, stop by our dining room tonight for a taste. We can almost guarantee that you'll want us to Give You Some More!!!

PARK It Today!!

July is National Parks and Recreation month ( for more information, visit http://www.nrpa.org/july/).

Saint Augustine, as usual, is celebrating in style, with free admission to all of our parks today!

That includes our town's very cool forts--the Castillo de San Marco and Fort Matanzas (the latter is pictured above). Sure, these huge stone structures were originally built to keep people out of the nation's oldest city, but today they're dropping down the drawbridge and welcoming all to enjoy.

So pack up a peanut butter sandwich and a bottle of wine, and let's plan a picnic lunch--there's a breeze off the water and the sun is absolutely gorgeous.

See you at the parks!!

Crepe Exectations

A hearty "dobro pozhalovatʹ" (that's "Welcome" in Russian) to Margarita Abramov, the owner of the newly opened Sara's Crepes Cafe (at 100 St. George Street, http://www.sarascrepecafe.com/).

The hub and I visited right after the restaurant opened last week; we had seen advance notice of the opening and wanted to check it out.

The restaurant itself is adorable, with cheery yellow walls, a collection of blue and white pottery in the corner, and great Paris flea market lamps hanging from the tin ceiling. When we went last week, there was a Russian dance performance playing on a large flat screen television.

And Margarita herself--who is beautiful with black hair and the most striking eyes--is a wonderful presence at the cafe, visiting with each table, refilling water and soda glasses and generally just making sure that everything is perfect.

I started with a very good split pea soup, garnished with smoky ham pieces, and the hub had a nice-sized caesar salad. I mention "nice-sized" because when you see the prices, you will wonder if the servings are child-sized. (The crepe I got, for instance, was $4.95). My crepe--the Napoleon--was filled with more of the smoked ham and topped with a house-made hollandaise sauce (not too much, which suited me perfectly). The hub had the Count Amaury ($6.95) which had beef tips, mushrooms, and a black truffle and thyme demi glace. We both liked them.

We didn't have time for dessert, but the hub visited again yesterday and sampled some fantastic banana chocolate crepes. So make sure you save room when you visit! (The cafe is hosting an opening party tonight from 5:00 - 6:30).

Sara's (the restaurant is named for Margarita's grandmother) is open for breakfast lunch and dinner and they have indoor and outdoor seating (we sat indoors and enjoyed the a/c). Order from the menu, or make your own crepe for a truly unique experience.

How to Bed and Breakfast: Six Steps to Maximizing Your BnB Vacation

As I write this, our Bayfront Marin House has 365 reviews on TripAdvisor.

I read (and respond) to every one of them. But as I've been reading them for the last few weeks, I've noticed a trend--there is a large number of reviewers who start their review by saying "We've never stayed at a bed and breakfast before." A large number of those newbies then say something like "We didn't know what to expect." (Of course, they then all talk about how much they enjoyed their stay, how wonderful the service is, what amazing staff we have--I could go on all day, but feel free to read them yourself  here).

That got me to thinking: what is so intimidating about staying at a bed and breakfast? If you're not yet a member of the bnb club, what do you need to know?

Here's what I would tell my best friend, if she wanted to know the "secret handshake" for bed and breakfast veterans.

1. Know what you want. If you've stayed at hotels your entire life, you probably have a favorite one (and maybe even a favorite chain). Why do you like it? Is it fancy and formal, with a formal lobby and a telephone in the bathroom? (Side note: what is that for, anyway?) Is it chic and sleek, with modern art and a hip bar?  Is it laid back and fun, with a complimentary happy hour thrown by the manager? Are you into homey and comfortable, the kind of place that greets you with a cookie and encourages you to borrow a book from their shelves?

Just like hotels have different personalities, so do bed and breakfasts.

Let me rephrase that. Just like hotels can have one of about six different personalities (your Westins, Marriotts, Country Inn and Suites, funky boutiques, Holiday Inns, and Super 8s), bed and breakfasts have one of 18,000 personalities (that's how many bnb's Wikipedia says are in North America).

So figure out which one of those 18,000 personalities best matches your vacation needs, and book a room immediately.

If you're not sure which one is right for you (it can be hard to tell from websites), call the bnb and simply ask what the atmosphere is. The owner will be happy to tell you--and you'll get a sense of it from his or her demeanor on the phone, as well. The beauty of staying in a unique bnb--rather than a standard hotel--is that you can find one that fits you perfectly.

2. Once you're here, talk to people. Or not. Hey...this is *your* vacation. You had to finagle time away from your job, you had to sign the credit card slip. One nice thing about staying at a bed and breakfast is the wide variety of interesting people who stay there too (they're as unique and interesting as you are, of course), and it's easy to start a conversation with another traveler. But if you just want to reconnect with your traveling partner, or be alone with your innermost thoughts in a relaxing and beautiful place, that's completely cool too. The best bnb owners will allow you to do either...or any combination of the two.

3. Ask what's free. You already know about some of the bnb's amenities--it's pretty obvious if you have a Jacuzzi tub in the room, or a fireplace, or a balcony. But bed and breakfasts are the most generous places to stay--they give away what other places usually charge for. You may find that your bed and breakfast offers free wifi, or free bikes that you can borrow, or beach chairs/towels/umbrellas. There might be coffee and/or snacks available every day, or a happy hour. They could offer free parking. Ask for a quick list of what's available, ask what you need to do to use the amenities (do you have to sign up? sign a form? just ask at the front desk?), and use them. Then try not to look pity-ingly at the other visitors in town who are paying for all the things you get for free.

4. Ask what's cool. Bed and breakfast owners and employees love to interact with guests. But we don't want to be pests. Generally, I walk around at breakfast and happy hour and ask people if everything is perfect, and if there's anything I can get them that would make it more perfect. The couples who want to talk will typically respond with a lengthier answer, and we can go from talking about another glass of sangria to talking about my favorite secret bike path, or the best beach to go to in the morning, or the restaurant with the most amazing bread pudding. (For a whole blog on how to find the best restaurant for you, click here). We're locals, and we're glad to share our inside information about what we think is the coolest stuff in town. That means you get the coolest vacation ever.

5. Ask, ask, ask. We are bed and breakfast owners because we like to make people happy. Our employees are bed and breakfast people because they like to see people smile. (Trust me, none of us are doing it for the great salary!!) So ask us for help. If you're sunburnt, ask if we have aloe vera lotion; if you want to go somewhere for jazz, ask us for suggestions; if you want to learn how to make our delicious strawberry soup, ask us for the recipe. When people ask us for things, we feel good. And when we can help you with your request, we both feel good!!

6. Relax. Staying at a bed and breakfast is not brain surgery--it's pretty simple, really. Just check in, grab a cozy spot on the patio (or the living room or the garden), lean back, and relax. Going on vacation shouldn't be hard--and if you follow the steps above, not only will it be easy--it will be awesome!!!

I Scream for Ice Cream (Every Wednesday in July and August)

1984 was great, wasn't it?

No, I'm not talking about the book that we had to all read in junior high, I mean the actual year. I remember it well:  Torvill and Dean were ice dancing with the Olympic stars in Sarajevo; the first Mac was introduced, and I was finally a senior in high school (look out, you little punk freshmen!).

Good times.

To put the cherry on the top of the best.year.ever., President Ronald Reagan declared that every July from 1984 forward would officially be ice cream month.

Ahhhh...a dairy farmer's daughter's dream.

Actually, on the scale of ice cream lovers, I'm only about a 7. I would have thought that I was a 10, but then I met my husband, who completely blew the curve for the rest of us.

He LOVES ice cream. Don't believe me? I'm not making this up...when we go grocery shopping together, and I'm standing at the line and can't find him, he is ALWAYS in the ice cream aisle, just "visiting his friends", he says. He likes to see the new flavors, check out any new treats.

About 15 years ago, he realized that he loves to make his own ice cream as well.

Of course, he doesn't like to make vanilla. Or anything with less than 3 add-ins, really. He likes to make Kahlua Mocha Chocolate Cherry Crunch, for instance, which is a mocha ice cream, dried bing cherries (you're going to laugh, but he dehydrates them himself), Kahlua of course, and those little black chocolate things that are between the layers of Carvel ice cream cakes (we are the only people in the world who ever bought just a quart of the crunchies). He also makes a great banana Oreo, which is a simpler one to say, but no less delicious.

This year, in honor of ice cream month (and all the ice cream lovers out there), we're making homemade ice cream every Wednesday at the inn and serving it at our happy hour (5-7, every night). If you swing by tonight, you can sample some "Girl Scout Shout Out", which is a chocolate ice cream, with drizzles of caramel and gobs of marshmallow, swirled with crunchy pieces of Girl Scout Samoa cookies.

I shouldn't have to tell you it's good. In fact, it's really, really good.

1984 good.

See you at the dessert table!!

NOTE: Because we love ice cream so much, we actually plan to make it every Wednesday in July and August. So if you can't make it this month, next month will work too!!

Strawberry Soup for You!!

As most of you know, I am only a part-time bnb owner.

Well, I'm a full-time owner, I suppose, but only a part-time worker. (And there are some who would say that I'm only a part-time part-time employee!)

While the hub is at the inn every day, laughing with our guests, sampling the newest dessert recipes, and generally having a pretty good time, I spend my weekdays slaving over a hot computer, working for Farm Credit in Maryland. Sometimes, I'm slaving away in my home office in St. Auggie, and sometimes, I'm slaving away at my office office in Maryland (in fact, as I write this, I'm watching the clock because I have a 7:25 flight I have to catch for Baltimore).

Last week, I was in Maryland, visiting with our local members of Congress. As part of Farm Credit's legislative outreach, we hold an event called "A Taste of Farm Credit." The deal is, we bring in tons of local food and produce (eggs, beef, , chicken, potatoes, cheeses, strawberries, blueberries, lettuces, etc) and ask a local chef to turn it into magic. (Which he does).

One of my favorite things he makes is a chilled strawberry soup. He serves it in tiny plastic cups, like the kind you might use for mouthwash. It's usually at the end of the buffet, and I often skip everything else and just go to the strawberry soup station (since I'm talking and taking photos, it's easy to eat on the run).

Well...last week, our caterer made his famous strawberry soup. And I had *one* teeny tiny container of it.

I decided I needed more than that. So I made a big pot of soup last night (enough to fill a gallon pitcher this morning). And I shared it with our guests, serving it in champagne glasses (since we didn't have any soup bowls--you don't serve a lot of soup for breakfast!)

And there was none left over for me!! (Seriously, there were 2 flutes left, and I saved them for guests who asked if they could try the soup later today).

It looks like I'll be making chilled strawberry soup again next week. (And I'm quadrupling the recipe this time!!)

If you'd like to try to make this at home, here is Chef Dale Hawkins' recipe, with a couple of tweaks by me. 

Enjoy!!

Sandy's Summer Chilled Strawberry Soup

2 pt fresh strawberries
1-1/2 teaspoon instant tapioca
1 c orange juice (I use the fresh juice we serve at the inn)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice (I use fresh lemon juice, but go a little light on it so it's not too tart)
1 dash cinnamon (I'm not sure what a dash is, so I use a pinch between my thumb and forefinger and then "dash" it into the pot, sometimes talking in a french accent)
1 dash allspice (again, a "pinch" "dashed" into the pot)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
sliced strawberries or limes for presentation

Process strawberries in a blender or food processor until berries are pureed. In a medium saucepan (or larger stock pot if you double or quadruple the recipe), combine pureed strawberries, tapioca, orange juice, lemon juice, cinnamon and allspice.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered over moderate head until mixture is thickened. The time for this varies; it may take one hour. Stir frequently.

Remove the soup from the heat. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Refrigerate the mixture until well chilled. (I cool it overnight).

Add the buttermilk, and mix well with the whisk. Taste, and if it makes your mouth pucker (sometimes those strawberries are tart), I still in a little more buttermilk and a sprinkling of sugar.

Serve soup garnished with lime slices and/or sliced strawberries. Or just pour it into a champagne flute, and toast the start of the day!!

Tell me how it turns out! (Or join us next weekend to try mine!)

Who, Us? Remarkable??

Last week, the Jacksonville Union-Times published their list of the Most Remarkable Rooms in northeast Florida.

There were some beautiful rooms in their list: the Garden Suite at the Ritz Carlton on Amelia Island (which goes for a mere $750/night), the Presidential Suite at Ponte Vedra Inn, the Presidential Suite at Jekyll Island Club.

And then there was...our Coquina Suite!!!!! Yes, Room 11 at the Bayfront Marin House, a favorite among honeymooners, and a gorgeous three-room suite (bedroom, jacuzzi and sitting area, and bathroom) with fantastic coquina walls (that's the shell-encrusted building material that's indigenous to Florida's first coast).

If you want to see the whole story, here it is:

http://jacksonville.com/slideshows/entertainment/remarkable-rooms

You're in Saint Augustine and You're Hungry: Where Should You Eat?

A simple quiz that will help you find the perfect eatery for your trip to the ancient city

As innkeepers, my husband and I often get asked for recommendations for local restaurants.

We love eating out in Saint Augustine (see the photo at left for empirical proof). St. Auggie is a restaurant lovers’ nirvana. And we love it when our guests ask us about our favorites, because there are so many great places to recommend.

To make a perfect pairing for our guests and their restaurant of choice, we ask a couple of questions to narrow down the options. We ask: what kind of food do you like? Do you want casual or fancy tonight? Do you want to walk, and are you planning on wearing really really high heels? (I’m usually the one asking that question—if your shoes are 4” high or more, you’re going to want a restaurant within a few blocks, so you can walk there and not need medical treatment).

But let’s say you can’t ask us. Let’s say you’re at home, planning a trip to Saint Augustine, and it’s midnight (if you need help before 9 pm, you can always call us at 904.824.4301). In that case, we suggest you take this short quiz then read the key to learn what restaurants are the perfect match for you.

Here goes…

Question #1: You’re in a supermarket. What section are you most likely to be in?

A.      The international foods aisle (and no, that doesn’t mean Mexican). You choose a supermarket with a fancy cheeses section and a big wine selection to go with them. (In fact, last year, you sent a letter to Wegman’s begging them to open a store in your town). 

B.      You’re in the seafood aisle, looking for appetizers for your next party. Can they make those pre-cooked crabcakes in a small popper size? On the way out, grab a bag of ice…you’ll need it for the beverage tub. 

C.      You head to the flower section first. Your honey would love to see a single rose in a vase, no matter what you’re making for dinner tonight. (Does takeout count as cooking? What if you put it on a pretty plate?)

D.      Supermarket? That’s where you buy raw sugar and whole wheat flour. You buy most of your items from a farmer’s market, or at a local fruit and vegetable stand. If you must hit a supermarket, you head straight to the organically grown fruit. 

E.       Can you say “ready to cook entrees”? Why heat up the kitchen when that already-marinated beef skewer can just be thrown on the grill?

F.       In the pop tart and hot dog aisles. No, they’re not good for you, and no, they’re not your ideal choice, but they’re the only things that your kids will eat this week. Sigh.

Question #2: You just redecorated your kitchen. What purchase are you the most excited about?

A.      Your new gas stove. Things really do taste better when they’re cooked on gas.

B.      Your new margarita machine (you literally had the contractor hang your cabinets two inches higher so that it would fit on the countertop). Let the party begin!

C.      The granite countertops. You and your mate picked them out together, and you both knew they were “the one” the second that you saw them.

D.      Your gorgeous sparkly backsplash, made out of recycled glass.

E.       The airy French door that opens directly to your new deck, with your fancy new barbecue station.

F.       The breakfast bar and barstools. Finally, the kids can sit down for breakfast all at the same time. And all within your sight…Bristol, stop taking your brother’s fruit loops!!

Question #3: You’re in a mall. Where do you shop the longest?

A.      In the designer purse section. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s nice to see what colors Coach is using this season.

B.      Party store, baby. They now have a section of games to play at grown-up gatherings (because everyone was getting too good at Pictionary, anyway). 

C.      Victoria’s Secret. For a different kind of grown-up gathering.

D.      You spend 20 minutes in front of the mall map, trying to figure out if they have a Naot store. Or any t-shirts made of hemp. Or a Starbucks.

E.       It’s not technically shopping, but if there’s an L.L. Bean store around, and if they have outdoor furniture on display, you’re more than happy to plop yourself down in one of their Adirondacks and chill for a bit.

F.       Toys R Us. Or any other toy store (including the Apple store, if the teens have lowered themselves to join you on the trip to the mall).

Last question: Your dream getaway is:

A.      Cooking lessons with a French chef. Preferably in France.

B.      A girls’ weekend at the beach. Or inland. Wherever, really, as long as someone brings the chardonnay.

C.      A romantic resort somewhere balmy. With a couples’ massage scheduled for Tuesday.

D.      A trip to Yosemite, with a book full of hiking trails, and a backpack full of dried fruit.

E.       A week’s stay in Maine…with just t-shirts, shorts and a pair of flip flops. And a plan to have fresh lobster every night.

F.       Hello, Magic Kingdom!! It’s where dreams come true, after all.

I have programmed the computer to now tabulate your answers. What? It’s not doing anything? Well, then count them up yourself, and find your perfect match.

If you answered mostly A’s:

You’re a foodie. No one needs to tell you that you love food. You enjoy a great meal out, with exceptional service, exquisite food, and that little extra that makes a spot unique (and is something you can brag about to your equally foodie friends).

For you, I recommend the following restaurants in Saint Augustine: Collage (lots of cache), Bistro de Leon (where the chef and his wife speak French as well as food), and La Pentola (where the bread alone can make a great meal). Each one of them has been on multiple “Best of “ lists…and each one has a waiting list most nights, so be sure you make a reservation. If you’re a modern foodie, and dig sleek, high end design, try Spy for sushi and sake. (They have over 50 varieties of the latter, so you can find the perfect sake for you).

                

           If you answered mostly B’s:

           You’re a social eater and greeter. You love food (and drink), but you love it

           as a backdrop to a great conversation and lots of stories and laughter. When someone

           asks you about a restaurant, your highest compliment is: “We had a great time there!”

You would enjoy the following restaurants (and yes, they all have tables large enough to seat you and all of your friends): the Columbia (a couple of pitchers of their tableside sangria will get the party started), or the Tasting Room (enjoy cushy couches with plates of tapas to share). You’ll also love Rhett’s, a hopping piano bar just off of St. George Street, or Meehan’s Irish Pub (no one does social better than the Irish!)

If you answered mostly C’s:

Awww….You’re in love! And looking for dinner for two. Head out to some of the most romantic places in Saint Augustine—the Raintree (where you’ll find great food in an old Victorian house), the Conch House (reserve one of the tiki huts—the tallest is thirty feet above the water—and sit on the same side of the bench with your baby. While the Conch House is the Caribbean, Athena’s is pure Greece—from the amazing spanikopita to the romantic murals on the walls. Grab a back table, and feed each other baklava.

If you can pull yourself out of bed, head to the Alcazar for lunch—it’s located in the deep end of a now-dry indoor swimming pool at the Lightner Museum. With its yummy menu, and its grand piano, it’s the perfect place to celebrate the fact that you “took the plunge” and your union is already going “swimmingly”! (Sorry, a blog without a bad pun or two is like a day without sunshine for me).

If you answered mostly D’s:

You’re an earth eater. You ate local before local was cool. You search out places with artisanal breads, close relationships with farmers, and in-house bakeries. You also like restaurants with beautiful, outdoor spaces…preferably with a soothing singer playing (not too loudly).

You’ll love the Floridian restaurant (they list the farms where they buy their ingredients), the harder-to-find Tasting Room to Go (with homemade breads and sandwiches for lunch), Hooked on Harry’s (and their beautiful outdoor courtyard and fresh salads and Cajun foods), and Caps on the Water (with its amazing tree-covered outdoor spaces and locally sourced fish).

If you answered mostly E’s:

You’re a laid back Larry. You don’t sweat where you’re going to eat. But you love a casual, interesting place with yummy food where you can relax.

(I should warn you...the hub falls into this category most nights. So I have a long list of recommendations).

I'm going to start with A1A Aleworks, a brewery with great views of the Bridge of Lions. Ask for a beer sampler, and see which brew you like the best. Speaking of the bridge, drive across it to the Gypsy Cab Company, a cute place with the heart of a diner but the soul of chef.  

You also like laid-back ethnic foods, like Casa Maya (love the black chips), Habana Village (mmm…ropa vieja), La Herencia, whose Mexican-style breakfast (Cuban bread with an egg, black beans, salsa, and farmer’s cheese) has won numerous awards, and Gaufre’s and Goods, which mixes a laid-back style with Greek and Polish delicacies. Want seafood? Head to Creekside Dinery (or their sister property, Saltwater Cowboys), and enjoy a plank-grilled fish and the best key lime cheesecake this side of Key West. Great eats, and you’re still in your flip-flops. Finally, if you’re hungry in between meals, try the Hot Shot Bakery, and ask for something made with their famous Datil Pepper sauce.

If you answered mostly F’s:

You’re a generational eater—and your kids call the shots (mostly). If you bring your child to Saint Augustine (the Bayfront Marin House is a beautiful bed and breakfast, but it’s also kid friendly with two suites, kid-friendly breakfasts and bikes you can borrow for the day to tire those little darlings out), there are plenty of choices for you. Florida Cracker Café, right on St. George, is both kid-and pet-friendly. You should also try Pizzalley’s, which of course serves great pizza, but if you walk through the front dining room you'll find The Chianti Room, which also makes some great grown up Italian dishes; O.C. White’s (they make a mean hamburger just right for junior, and great sweet potato fries if senior wants one too), and the amazing Kilwin’s (okay, they serve chocolate treats and ice cream…but let the kids live a little too!)

If you answered a variety of different letters, then I offer the following advice: ask us about multiple night discounts, because you’re going to have to stay a week or two.

See you at the hostess stand!!

Flaglerpalooza--Say it Three Times Fast!

If you haven't figured out what to do in Saint Augustine this weekend, here's a suggestion: Flagler Palooza.

Okay, so it's a little hard to say. Luckily, it's really easy to attend. Just swing by the campus tomorrow, Saturday 9, any time from 9 am to 10 pm. Seven different local bands will be playing throughout the day. Here's who's playing:

10:00am-10:30am            Open Mic11:00am-12:00pm            Waiting on Brian12:30pm-1:30pm              Grandpa’s Cough Medicine2:00pm-3:00pm               Feral Swine Experiment3:30pm-4:30pm               The Wobbly Toms5:00pm-6:00pm               Love Chunk6:30pm-8:00pm               Amy Hendrickson and the Prime Directive8:30pm-10:00pm             OneHit Wonder

Honestly, now...can you pass up a band called "Feral Swine Experiment"? (You can hear their tunes here, if you're interested. Some of their downloads feature Amy Hendrickson and the Prime Directive, so you can check them out as well).

To sweeten the pot even further, Flaglerpalooza is very wallet-friendly--admission is just $5. In addition to the bands, there are lots of activities--a rock climbing wall, games, photo booths, and much much more. The advance press also says that there will be many vendors and local restaurants. If you've read this blog before, you know that I'm hoping for fried Snickers.

See you there!

Visit the Conch House, Mon

The weather is absolutely beautiful here. Mid-seventies, a generous breeze, and clear skies that make even the worst photographer look like a pro.
But it's never enough, is it?

So yesterday we went to our favorite slice of the Caribbean, the Conch House. We haven't been there for a couple of months, and I was excited to go again.

If you haven't been to the Conch House, you should know about some of the things that make it special: they have a ton of tiki's all over the place (they're worth walking around to look at--I took some photos but I can't remember which camera they are on, so as soon as I do, I'll post them), they are right on the water, the temperature there is about 25 degrees cooler than anywhere else (so take a sweater, even if you're sweating when you begin your trip there), and they have these really cool tiki huts up on piers where you can eat (and sway a little in the breeze).

When we got there yesterday, there was a tiki hut available (probably because the wind was a little whippy...and other less hardy souls decided to eat inside, or on the ground floor). We hopped on up there, and enjoyed the view and the breeze.

It definitely feels like the Caribbean. There's the rustle of the palapa's dried roofing material, the reggae music in the background, and the easy laid back attitude of the young and good-looking staff.

I started the meal with one of my favorites--the Minorcan conch chowder. It's a tomato-based stew, filled with potatoes and conch, and enough red pepper to leave a pleasant burn in your mouth afterwards. For my main course, I had the blackened mahi tacos, which were excellent. They had a little cabbage, and a tangy sauce that reminded me of doctored thousand island dressing (which downplayed the blackened part pretty well).

Mike got the Anastasia key lime shrimp, which comes with pasta. I snagged one of the big crustaceans off his plate, and it tasted very good.

Other members of our group got the cheesesteak (which came with batter-dipped fries, or "lumpy fries" as my FIL likes to call them), the fried oysters (which were big and sweet, according to Grandma), and the fish of the day (which was wahoo). We all were happy with our meals.

Unfortunately, we were too full to get the key lime pie, which I got last time we were there. I'm very fussy about key lime, and this one was a tart variety--which I prefer to the really sweet variety (although I could have done with a little more sweet on this particular version).

But it's okay...we can come back to the Caribbean again soon. It's just a short drive across the bridge; no passport required.

Guest Profile: Haven and Tony

You know how your mother always told you to be nice to the other kids?

She was right. Because you never know when you might marry one of them.

That's what happened to Haven B. and Antonio R.

Here's the story: when Tony was born, he had cataracts. That meant he had to wear thick, thick glasses--even in the first grade. Tony said the other kids used to tease him, but not his cute classmate Haven. She was always nice to him. He never forgot that.

In ninth grade, Tony finally worked up the nerve to tell Haven that he had a crush on her. Haven doesn't even remember it: she said "I was just a typical ninth grade girl...I probably didn't know what was going on!"

Somehow, in the last few years, Tony either honed his message and made it more clear, or Haven figured out how to tell if a boy liked her.

They got married yesterday, on our second floor deck.

After the ceremony, Tony pulled out a large gift bag and asked Haven to open it. Inside, there was a framed photo of their first grade class, circa 1989!! Tony, that romantic leading man, went to the storage locker at his old school, and rummaged around until he found the old photo. He said the lady at the school didn't really want to let him do it, but he kept calling and bugging her.

We saw the picture yesterday, and there was Tony, on the far left, with his glasses on. Next to him, there was another little boy, and next to him, there was Haven. We're guessing he tried to stand next to "his girl", but that was as close as he got.

He doesn't have to worry now...the two will be side-by-side in all of their pictures from now on.

Congratulations to the happy couple--and best wishes from everyone here!!!

Top o' the Mornin to You, Lads and Lassies

So, the other night I was enjoying a hamburger and the amazing french fries at Meehan's on Matanzas, and I was thinking about how I might like beer more if it were green.

Of course, I'd also like it better if it tasted more like a whiskey sour and less like a beer, but that's another story entirely.

It's easy to think about beer when you're at Meehan's, as it's a true Irish pub, complete with lots of laughter, people who seem to have known each other forever, and a tall Irishman who checks in on his patrons periodically. Oh, and some of the staff (I'm talking to you Reggie) have the strongest Irish accents you'll hear this side of Dublin (I'm convinced Reggie is actually from the Bronx, and I keep trying to get him to break character, but so far he's been good. Very good).

Anyway, Meehan's is the perfect place to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day. I'd suggest you get there early...they will probably be packed.

For the past week, they've been sponsoring the Romanza Festival, which is a celebration of everything Irish. You can read more here: http://romanzafl.org/romanza-staugustine-celtic-festival.php.

What's happened during this weeklong festival? There's been a cluster of people around the end of St. George all week (which is where the main stage is). There have been musicians, artists, writers and poets all over the place. They came from around the world, including Ireland (duh), the United States, and the Celtic region of Spain (what? You didn't know there was such a thing? Shame on you...it's the home of St. Augustine's founder).

Anyway, it's all coming to a head tomorrow...when they say the party will be gigantic. There is music planned all day (see the complete list of events here).
And I'm not sure...but I'm guessing there will be plenty of green beer as well.

In Like a Lion

After five long years, the venerable lions are back at the base of the Bridge of Lions. I've been told that they're protecting Anastasia Island (apparently from low-lifes like us in the historic district). Even if they're there to discourage me from crossing the bridge, I think they're absolutely beautiful. It's good to have them back!!

Sacking Saint Augustine

Today is a good day to hit the sack.

We're not talking about taking a nap (although that is always an appealing option!), but rather the "Sack of St. Augustine: Captain Robert Searle's Raid of 1668."

In 1668, Captain Searle (and by "captain", we mean "viscious pirate leader") sailed from Jamaica to Saint Augustine, with his eyes set on a stash of royal silver ingots here in Saint Augustine. Once he got here, the "sack" began. It wasn't pretty.

It's a lot less dangerous in the re-enactment, which takes place today at the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park on Magnolia Drive. There's food and fun there, as well as lots of 17th-century arms (unarmed, we're assuming). We plan on checking out the food later today, hoping that there's deep-fried fried snickers, or something similar. The event opens at 10 am, which is a little early for fried snack bars, but we'll see how we feel by then.

But the fun doesn't stop there.

Tonight at 4:00, the Raiders will proceed to the Plaza de la Constitucion. Then at 5:00, they plan on attacking the militia of Saint Augustine (faithfully enacted by the Historic Florida Militia), as well as the ancient city's citizens, chasing them (us) down St. George Street. We figure it will be a good way to work off that fried Snickers.

You can find more information at http://www.searlesbucs.com/.

George Washington Would Eat at the Bistro de Leon

President's Day weekend is almost here, and we just got an awesome deal to pass on to our guests.

Bistro de Leon, one of the best restaurants in town, is offering our guests a free kir chardonnais from February 17 through the 20th. If you're interested, just stop in the office and we'll print a coupon for you. The coupon is only good this upcoming weekend, so celebrate the holiday the George Washington way--with a wonderful Frenchman (if you care more about food than history, I'm referring to Washington's bud the Marquis de Lafayette).

Jean Stephan and Valerie Poinard (two of our favorite French) have brought a little bit of their country to 12 Cathedral Street in Saint Augustine (about 3 blocks from our inn, so if you have really really cute shoes you want to wear to dinner, you can probably do it without too much pain). Jean Stephan is a fifth-generation chef, and his dna shows up in every meal, from the complementary amuse buche (last time I went, it was an amazing little spoon of soup) to the French pastries that greet you from behind glass as you walk into the door.

Don't plan on running into the Bistro for a quick bite. In fact, the menu itself extolls the virtues of slow food (it warns in a pleasantly broken English "as everything is home made "a la Minute" be aware that Chef Jean and sous chef Florian need some time at least 25 to 30 minutes to prepare and cook your entree, so order an appetizer waiting for it"). I have to agree--get an appetizer. I recommend their goat cheese salad...the smooth cheese is baked in honey and datil pepper sauce, and its combination of cool and hot and smooth and fiery is an awesome way to start the night.

For an entree, I love the Chicken Tajine, a breast of chicken slow cooked in candied lemons and Moroccan spices. It's complex and warm...a perfectly cozy little dish.

I usually don't have the gumption to get dessert, but as I said, the pastries will beckon you from the case (that's them, pictured above). I've been known to ask for one in a to-go box.

No matter what you ultimately eat, make sure you come downstairs and get your coupon for a free drink. And then get out there and celebrate...George Washington would want you to.

Guest Profile: Lovebirds Angela and Robert

You know how they say it's never to late for a new beginning?

Well, Angela and Robert Prescott of Georgia know it. They're guests who just got married at the BMH. Besides being very nice people, they also have a very cool love story. (Attention Hollywood: this would be a great flick!)

Angela and Robert grew up in the same rural neighborhood. In fact, Robert was the first boy that Angela ever kissed (he was a very smooth 15-year-old she said, to her sweet and innocent 13). They were what Robert calls "school bus sweethearts."

And then Angela disappeared. She didn't move, but her parents pulled her out of the public school and shipped her off to a private one. (Having met Robert, who is so friendly and sweet, we're sure it wasn't because of him. He is literally the type of person that parents would love--quick to laugh, very considerate, and very handsome. Come to think of it, he's probably exactly the kind of boy that parents don't want their 13-year-old daughters to meet. So never mind!)

Angela's parents were strict, and Angela didn't get a chance to hang out with all of the boys and girls from her old school.

"I used to drive past his driveway for years," she said, "and look in there and think, Oh, that's where he lives!" She sounds a little like a smitten teenager even as she says it now.

So, time passed. Their lives went on. They met other people. They divorced other people.

But they didn't forget those school bus kisses.

And then a little thing called Facebook hit the scene.

"I kept looking for her, and looking for her," says Robert, laughing. "But she didn't use her maiden name online, so I couldn't find her!" Then, Angela's brother opened an account, and Robert asked him what had happened to Angela.

In a few days, they were Facebook friends. They talked, caught up on old times, scrutinized each other's picture, and finally decided to meet up again.

The rest, as they say, is history. They got married last Friday--on 2/11/2011.

"She could run, but she couldn't hide," says Robert, laughing again.

But who would want to hide from such a sweet man? Not Angela, for sure, who looked beautiful and happy during the wedding, and earlier today when they checked out. Robert bought her a Bayfront Marin House robe and some coffee mugs to remember their special day. They shared kisses in the dining room before they said goodbye.

"It won't be goodbye for long!" promised Angela. "We'll see you before our first anniversary!"

We hope you do, Mr. and Mrs. Prescott! And, in the interim, be sure to stay in touch on Facebook!!!

Lights Out!!

The lights went out on the Nights of Lights on Monday night. The town is still beautiful, of course, but it seems so much darker at night!

Luckily for us, we're currently getting bids for new landscape lighting. So in the next few weeks, expect the trees and the stairs at the BMH to be back in glowy-ambiant light. We told the contractors we want the inn to look warm and inviting. And maybe even a little bit sexy! (insert wolf whistle here)

We'll post photos as soon as it's finished.

In the meantime, mark your calendars for Nights of Lights 2011...they start on November 19!!

Happy National Carrot Cake Day!!

Yes, kids, it's a whole day to celebrate the only decent way to prepare carrots. (Eat up, it's good for you!)

Instead of making carrot cake, however, we've been busy in the kitchen experimenting with new quiche recipes. Tonight we sampled four of them--a delicious ham and cheese quiche, an awesome ABC quiche (asparagus, bacon and cheddar--and yes, we kind of made it up), a traditional quiche Lorraine, and a spinach and sausage quiche.

There were four of us in the kitchen tasting--and the ham and cheese won by an onion (seriously, Donna put it well when she said she liked the onion in this one). But that ABC quiche was pretty darn good too...I would expect to see that on the menu this spring.

And now, while the rest of the world is getting ready for bed, I am just starting my next experiment: teeny tiny little cheesecake bites. If I'm lucky, I'll have them read for prime time just in time for National Cheesecake Day.

Meet Our Guests: Mark and Marisol

Don't you love hearing about how happy couples meet?

Our current guests, Mark and Marisol, are the winners of our "Second Honeymoon Contest." (You might remember reading about them here).

As we talked to them the other night, we heard the very cute story about how they met. They were at a restaurant in San Diego (separately of course), grabbing a meal with friends, and enjoying "six buck steak night." Mark (who was in the military) spied Marisol (who is from San Diego), and said to himself "I have got to talk to that girl." Which isn't surprising, because Marisol is exactly the type of girl you'd want to talk to too--cute, happy, smart, and bubbly.

So Mark eavesdropped on Marisol's conversation. "Everyone does it, don't they?" he asked us. "You always listen to what other people say in restaurants." Mark was listening especially hard at this restaurant, hoping he would hear something that he'd have in common with this pretty girl, so that he could jump into the conversation and say something witty.

But guess what? NOTHING. Marisol never said anything about any topic that he could comment on. He continued to listen to the conversation, but there was no opportunity, and it seemed to him that he and this girl had nothing in common (nothing that was apparent from this conversation, anyway).

Finally, Mark realized that this cute/happy/smart/bubbly girl was almost done with her dinner, and ready to leave the restaurant--and his life--forever. So he did the only thing he could think of. He walked over to her table, and said "Hi. I'm an eavesdropper. I've been listening to your conversation, and I'd like to know you better."

Now, I should mention that Mark is a pretty cute/happy/smart/outgoing guy. And Marisol must have thought so too, because she took the time to talk to him that night. Even if he was an eavesdropper.

The rest, as they say, is history. Mark and Marisol got married, and moved from San Diego to Jacksonville, just in time for Mark to get his orders and head off to Africa. That didn't give them any time for a honeymoon.

Then, Mark was deployed last year, and the young couple missed their first anniversary as well.

Luckily, all of that was rectified with a four-day stay at the Bayfront Marin House, which gave these two cute/young/happy/smart/bubbly kids the honeymoon that they deserved (finally). "We have just loved it," said Marisol. "Especially our room!" (They were in Room 5, the Robinson Lewis, pictured at right).

Even though they live in Jacksonville, this is the first time that Mark and Marisol have visited Saint Augustine. So what do they suggest to other people coming for the first time?

"Park your car in the parking lot," says Mark. "And walk everywhere."

Mark is from Texas originally, and Marisol (as previously mentioned) is from San Diego. "We weren't used to being able to walk places," said Mark. "Everything where we grew up is always half an hour away. But in Saint Augustine, everything is right here. And you really can see the town that way."

"We had a destination the first day," says Marisol (they were headed to the Hot Shot Bakery over on Granada Street), "but we soon realized that walking IS the destination here. You walk past all of these beautiful buildings, and the brick-lined streets. There is just so much to see!"

M and M suggest that visitors to the city check out the Lightner Museum, and hang around for the demonstration of all of the antique music boxes and Victrolas in the front room of the museum. "The ladies there are all so nice," Marisol said. They also enjoyed lunch in the hotel's old swimming pool. You literally sit in the deep end of the now-empty pool. I didn't ask the couple what they ordered...but Mike and I love the paninis there, and I sometimes get just the hummus appetizer when we go.

M and M also highly recommend the lighthouse, especially talking to Beau Phillips, who knew every detail about the place. "He was a wealth of information!!" said Marisol. (Beau is the public relations director of the lighthouse. And Marisol is right...he knows everything!)

They also said they recommend staying at a bed-and-breakfast. "If you don't know a town, and you stay at a family-run business like this, you get all of these great recommendations that you wouldn't get at a hotel," said Marisol. "It makes you feel like you've been to a place before because you get inside information."

Marisol has stayed at bed and breakfasts before--so she knew that she would love the atmosphere, and the ability to talk to other guests. She says she likes the back-and-forth conversations that go on in our big dining room. And, although he didn't say it, I have to assume that Mark liked eavesdropping on the other tables!

Mark and Marisol went home yesterday, feeling like newlyweds again. We hope they had a safe trip, and we hope that they come back and see us soon!!

National Chocolate Cake Day

January can be a pretty tough month. The holidays are behind us, the weather forecast up north is for snow with periods of snow, and there's no great excuse to indulge in chocolate-y goodness until Valentine's Day. And heck...that's still weeks away!

So, thank goodness for the caffeinated geniuses who came up with National Chocolate Cake Day. What? You haven't heard of it? Well, mark your calendar for 2012, because it's January 27th every year.

In honor of National Chocolate Cake Day, we'd like to share one of our favorite recipes for this iconic dessert. Now, Donna does most of our baking...in fact, for the past few months, we've initiated what we like to call "Bake Night" once or twice a week, which is when Donna pulls back her long blonde hair and hunkers down in the kitchen for a couple of hours. She can bake pretty much anything, but she makes a really really good chocolate cake.

Here's the recipe for it. I'm no chemist, but I think the coffee really brings out the chocolate's sweetness.

Donna's Almost Famous Chocolate Cake

2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
3/4 c. cocoa (I recommend Hershey's, since I grew up so close to their chocolate factory)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 c. milk (you only need a cup, but buy a gallon. Because you can't eat chocolate cake w/o a glass of milk!)
3/4 c. oil
1 c. instant coffee
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla (we use vanilla we buy in Mexico--it makes the whole kitchen smell good!)

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Add milk, oil, and instant coffee, beat together.

Add egg and vanilla and beat.

Pour into cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.



Now, if you're a chocoholic like the hub, you can go for a nice chocolate icing as well. Me, I prefer a little less chocolate, so if I'm making the Bake Night schedule, I request the following Peanut Butter Icing:

2 c. 10x sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 T. butter, softened
2-3 T. hot water

Combine all ingredients in the mixer and cream together. Spread on a well-cooled cake.


ENJOY!!!