Salt Rock Grill-Indian Shores, FL

After seeing many users reviews using the Salt Rock Grill as a reference point to compare the seafood they had tried at other restaurants, I decided I had to see what all the fuss was about. A long drive over Gulf Drive, and we arrived at our destination. There is more than ample parking to self-park, or you can use the complimentary valet parking. When walking up to the front door, the restaurant appears big, but when you step inside, one gets more of an idea how huge the place is and it was very packed the Wednesday evening that we were there. In addition, they have a huge outdoor patio overlooking the water, which is where we decided to dine. Our server was quick to bring us our menus and take our drink orders. Looking over the regular menu and the menu for the night, I quickly noticed a couple of mahi mahi entrees, one in particular, that sounded by description to be interesting, so I was ready with my order.

Alas, the mahi mahi was not to be. Although it was only 6:30 pm, our server informed us they were out of the mahi mahi. Oh well, disappointing, but I went ahead and chose the grilled salmon. I love salmon, but it sounded rather boring, after I had my mind set on the other dish. For our other dishes, we ordered the roasted seabass, and the cedar planked salmon with french fries. For an appetizer we had the calamari with a very yummy Thai chile citrus sauce for dipping. The evening weather was gorgeous and it was lovely to enjoy our drinks, appetizers, and salad, while overlooking the water.

Now, on to the entrees, or about 10 minutes before we received our entrees. We had been there almost an hour enjoying drinks, appetizers, and such, when a party of eight was seated next to us. They had a different server than us, who gave them a menu and told them that the mahi mahi was getting low. What, surely this must be some mistake! Well, they ordered the mahi mahi when she came back for their order and I was sure she was going to come back and tell them that she is sorry, but she made a mistake and they were out of mahi mahi. So, on to our entrees. All of the fish dishes were done excellently, but the favorite was definitely the the roasted sea bass topped with crab. They definitely know how to do fish and do it well. Now, cut back to the table next to us. Their mahi mahi did arrive, much to my surprise. When, we asked our server about this he just said I am sorry. He said he asked his manager and the manager told him the mahi mahi was out. I thought this was very strange to say the least. I am not sure where the mistake lay, the manager or the server? I did feel that our server was rather lackluster compared to some of the servers working around us at other tables, so I don't know.

Anyway, despite the mahi mahi fiasco, I would definitely go back because the seafood was really good there. The only thing I would mention is that this is a huge place, so if you are looking for a cozy and intimate place, you won't find that here, but you will find good food, so keep those things in mind.

Salt Rock Grill

19325 Gulf Boulevard

Indian Shores, FL 33785

727-593-7625

Nina's Cafe - St Pete Beach, FL

Nina's Cafe is a cozy little cafe located on Blind Pass Road in St Pete Beach. The inside is small and quaint and their are a limited number of tables inside. If you like, grab a seat at one of the patio tables located on the side of the cafe or in the back of the cafe, overlooking the water. They have the usual yummy breakfast fare. On the day we were there, we ordered a little bit of lunch and a little bit of breakfast, with coffee to drink. For the breakfast eaters, the build your own omelette is always perfect with a choice of meats, shrimp, veggies, and cheeses. The omelette is served with fried potatoes and your choice of bread. For the sweet tooth, the pancakes were a delicious must. And finally, the cheeseburger was very good, with the only thing detracting from it the oversized bun, but this is a one of those personal preference sort of things for me. The fries served along with it were very good. Altogether, we were pleased with our meal and thought it a very cute spot.

Nina's Cafe

9524 Blind Pass Road

St Pete Beach, FL 33706

727-367-1397

Old Salty Dog - Siesta Key, FL

After a trip to one of our favorite Tampa Bay museums, the Ringling Museum, we were ready for a pick me up before heading back home. So we decided to wander over to Siesta Key and see what would strike our fancy. After driving along Ocean Boulevard on Siesta Key to see what restaurants were there, we decided to stop in at the Old Salty Dog and give them a try. We chose to grab seats at the picnic tables, rather than inside the restaurant.

After ordering drinks, we decided to try the coconut shrimp appetizer and a cheeseburger. The coconut shrimp was good, and even better was the sweet dipping sauce that came along with it. The burger was especially good, also. What a pleasant way to end the day!

The Old Salty Dog

5023 Ocean Boulevard

Sarasota, FL 34242

941-349-0158

Caddy's On The Beach - Sunset Beach, FL

With the long Memorial Weekend ahead of us, my family and I were in a mood for some food with a view. With that in mind, we headed over to Caddy's on the waterfront. The first thing we learned upon arrival is that Caddy's charges $5 to park for two hours in their restaurant parking lot on the weekends (this price is subject to change). Caddy's itself is a very casual restaurant and I think more geared towards tourists, at least that is what it seemed like while we were there. The view of course was beautiful and you are there right on the white sand with the beautiful turquoise waters right in front of you. We chose to dine on the picnic tables that are right on the sand, with plenty of umbrellas to keep the sun off.

Unfortunately for us, we missed the cutoff time for breakfast, so we had to order from the lunch menu. We ordered a burger with fries, a 'tater fried icelandic fish sandwich, and pineapple upside down cake for dessert. The burger was a burger and that is all I have to say about that, but the 'tater fried icelandic fish sandwich was excellent. Also, I really enjoyed the pineapple upside down cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. One final thing I want to mention is that all the food is served on styrofoam plates and your drinks in plastic glasses. If this affects your dining experience, this might not be the place for you. However, the view maybe more than makes up for all that.

We had a nice time and if I were a tourist, it is definitely a nice spot to enjoy some drinks on the beach and spend the day. This is a private beach and you can also rent cabanas there and spend your day in comfort.

Caddy's On The Beach

9000 West Gulf Boulevard

Sunset Beach, FL 33706

727-369-4993

When motrin gives you a headache?

I noticed with amusement a statement I received after a trip to the emergency room with my son at All Children's Hospital. This is the statement one gets before it goes to the insurance company, which will then adjust the rates and pay the bill. The total bill was ridiculous, of course, but the $19 charge for one dose of children's Motrin really astounded me. We all know hospitals do these things, but it is something else to see it on paper in black and white. Charging $19 dollars for one dose, when one can buy a whole bottle of the stuff for $5-$8, depending where you buy it from, and if it is on sale or not.

Of course, administrators would have you believe that these high prices are caused by uninsured patients who don't pay, but it is easy to imagine why people are unable to pay when they charge unrealistic prices like this. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a recent article of hospital administrators salaries, but this 2008 article from the St Petersburg Times on hospital administrators salaries highlights why patients are paying $19 for a single dose of Motrin. As one can see, some of the salaries approach or exceed one million dollars. Certainly, this is something to think about.

Taco Bus - St Petersburg, FL

I was happy when I heard that I wouldn't need to make the drive over the bridge to get Taco Bus food. Now, Taco Bus fans can get their fix in the Grand Central neighborhood of St Pete. It did take us awhile before we actually were able to make our order at the new Taco Bus because every time we drove by for weeks, the line was so long that we decided not to stop. However, at long last, we drove by and saw only three people in line and knew our time had come. We knew what we wanted, so ordering was easy. We opted for the meal deal that gives you a choice of two tacos or one burrito and rice and beans. We love the Barbacoa, or stewed beef, so that is what we all went for. Along with that we got some beer and soda for our drinks and grabbed a table while waiting for our food. After a reasonable wait, our food arrived and we found we had the same good food we enjoyed at the Tampa Taco Bus. Definitely happy to have Taco Bus in the neighborhood!

Taco Bus

2324 Central Avenue

St Petersburg, FL 33712

727-322-5000

Unexpected Journeys.........

I recently found out that life sometimes takes one on unexpected journeys. I took a break from my blog. On January 1, 2011(yes, exactly on the first day of the year), I began to experience a strange set of symptoms. I was dizzy, had trouble swallowing, tingling in my hands and feet, facial numbness, etc.. I went from being able to run 3 miles to having a hard time walking even one block, and this all happened literally overnight. Sitting at the computer and typing was painful. I was hospitalized for a few days, but no cause was found for my illness. This was a very troubling time and I lost 25 pounds during this time period, without much help from my primary care physician during almost two months of suffering with no answers. Office visits consisted of hour waits in the waiting room and two minutes to see the doctor, thank you very much. Finally, it like a wise idea that I switch my primary care physician.

So, my husband suggested I try his primary care physician, who he has seen for a number of years. Wow, what a world of difference a dedicated and caring physician makes. My new physician very methodically spent time questioning me about my symptoms and got the ball rolling on ordering a number of tests and he sent me to see a neurologist. The neurologist was almost sure of my condition from walking in the door, but he ordered a number of blood tests and an MRI to rule out other conditions. Within two weeks of undergoing a number of tests, I had my answer and I was diagnosed with Cervical Dystonia. This is a neurological movement disorder that causes painful contractions of the muscles of the neck and this is a condition that is incurable, but can be treated for relief of symptoms. In my case, my neck muscles are so spastic that the cervical area of my spine is straight, rather than with a natural curve. Everyone experience dystonia differently, but this was the cause of my very strange symptoms.

At this point, with treatment, I have relief of about 50% of my symptoms, and I hope to have further relief in the future. I am able to get out more and enjoy life once again. And, I am able to start writing my blog again, yay! I will continue to write about restaurants, but I want to start exploring other topics and writing about other things, too.

As I final note, I had never heard of dystonia before I was affected by it, so for those of you who have never heard of this condition and want to learn more about it, you can learn about it at these sites:

http://www.dystonia-foundation.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystonia