Right Here, Right Now

In the hustle and bustle of our every day life, there are those opportune times where we are able to sit down to a great bottle of wine, listen to moving music, and take in how great life really is.  Right now, Diana Krall is workin' it out on the keys, Bonterra sauvignon blanc is a flowin', and the air is so heavy it is as though time is still.  The clichés may be all about us—walks on the beach at sunset, the ocean breeze, enjoying each other over a bottle or two of wine—but I don't mind it.  For many years I have thought myself to be the type to swim against the current, but for the first time, swimming with it may very well be the best thing ever to do.  How could we possibly ask for more than this?  Dolphins visit from time to time, the ocean is our ambient sound, the sand is like sugar, and our love is what brought us here.  Sure we could deal with more, who wouldn't?  But right here, right now, could not be any better.  Sometimes you truly have to take in all and everything that you have to realize how rich you are in life, love, and spirit!   

Jacksonville

As soon as we cross the border into the sunshine state a wave of heat hits us like siafu ants (sorry, for the odd comparison, but it is ant week on Discovery) when we open the car doors to stop at a service station.

This evening we were going to see an oldie, but a goodie – a good friend who has been living in Atlantic Beach for a few years now. We meet at a local bar, Sun Dog along a beach strip type, laced with bars and restaurants. Interestingly enough as narrow the road which ran through this palm sized district, the yellow line that divided the road also distinguished Atlantic Beach from Neptune Beach. A quick drink at this 50’s diner type bar, we decide to head over to another spot, as the band seems to be warming up, and it didn’t look like the type to compete conversation with.

However, before we head over to the restaurant, we quickly side track over to the beach, to feel the sand in between our toes and dip our feet into the water. Amazing! I have never felt ocean water so warm. It felt luke warm, the ideal skinny dipping temp, for sure. We didn’t do that though.

Still with the fine, sugar like sand stuck between our toes, carefree, we put our shoes back on and had toward the Ocean One Hotel to Azurea, and ocean side restaurant with a killer patio. We walk through the lobby and then through the corridor with blue and white mosaic tile, aqua marine colored rocks and sea shells. It was as though we were entering Poseidon’s palace.

We decide to do drinks (please notice the pluralization on that) and apps, as the menu selection is too delicious to commit to a single meal for the evening.  To begin we order the Seafood Platter - 4 oysters, 2 whole shrimps, complete with heads on, and tuna and pineapple tartar.  All flavors did something different for the pallet and the tartar was definately provided a pallet cleanser with a fresh surprise because of the pineapple factor in it.  The second app that we order are the Lamb Lollipops.  An amazing flavor with a badass reduction.  We were definately smacking our lips together.

It was a great night full of stories from way back when and now.  We even learn that St. Augustine is the nation's oldest city.  Huh, go figure.  As we look up into the star filled sky, we also realize that we have been having all this fun under the careful watch of Venus. 

Special Thanks: Derek Frey

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

The longest ferry ride of my life, over two hours which left Ocracoke and sailed us into Cedar Island, en route to Myrtle Beach. We drive along the strip that I have renamed the déjà vu strip because there is always a WINGS beach apparel store, a Bargain Beach apparel store, a sea food and steak buffet and a mini golf adventure place that ridiculous in size and theme i.e. Jurassic Park, Treasure Island, Gilligan’s Island, complete with at least one giant waterfall. Laughing about it, we conclude that there must be an incomprehensible demand for mini golfing in the Myrtle Beach area and a ridiculous obsession about out doing one another on the complexity of their mini putts.  The tada factors look like paper maché gone insane. 

Accommodations for this evening is at a modest hotel further down the strip, but surprise, surprise, right next to a mini putt, but just walking distance to the beach. We check in with a very nice gentleman, laid back with a real southern twang in his voice and a signature “Y’all take it easy, now.”

Dinner was a feat of cleaning out the cooler and that consisted of leftover pasta and yes, the Johnsonville Brats. Since our room was without a stove of course, we were sort of indoor camping as we cooked on our camping stove, but we did so after we disconnected the smoke detector.

We spend the next day beaching and the water is refreshing minus the gashing shell border that you must first pass before you get to a decent depth. As we jump over the high waves like dolphins, hunger strikes and we head back to shore for some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and beer.

The sun begins to go down. Having been in total sunlight and now in the shade, we knew that our beach day had come to an end.

With us being super economical last night, tonight called for a good dinner. Since the thought of sea food and especially steak that has been sitting out for hours didn’t tickle our fancy, we were going to have the next best thing, ribs. Damon’s Grill on the water front, famous for their ribs lured us right in. With a half rack each we were licking our fingers. The dinner was delicious, but the service was outright rude. The next course was already being served before the previous one was done and the bill before we were even done our meal. Oh don’t worry, we left a much deserved tip, but not without putting down our thoughts on the credit card receipt. If you have ever worked as a waiter, you know that all credit card receipts must be turned in to reconcile at the end of the evening, so we knew for sure, there was no walking away from our constructive criticisms.