Dining with Family and Friends

 One thing I have perfected in retirement is the art of procrastination. Why do today what I can do at a later time. I started this post over three weeks ago. I had all my photos collected and even started the prose. But here I am, almost a month later and I have not completed this simple task. All my life I have wanted to be good at something, and now I realize I am the perfect Provoncha procrastinator. On with the post...(unless something else more important comes up).

My brother Tom drove down in February for a break from the cold weather so we spent some time at the beach, having some beers at places I MAY frequent, and a few meals at local restaurants. I had wanted to try this new eatery for me called Lily's Beachside Restaurant. Located in Skyview Plaza on A1A in very North Satellite Beach. We went for breakfast. Here is the cover of the menu...

Of course, I had to try the coffee. It was really good but I am not a coffee connoisseur.

There were plenty of tables both inside and out and there was even a bar area for singles. There was a large group of old men (MUCH older than Tom and I) having a grand old time.

Tom went with the French toast with two eggs over easy and bacon on the side (or middle).

Tom liked what he had and I prefer to order Eggs Benedict for breakfast when I go to a new place. My side were the diced red potatoes. Hollandaise sauce was really good but I wish they had slathered a little more for me to use on the potatoes. Benedict was standard with English muffin and Canadian Bacon.

Here is the sign on the outside of the place. The umbrellas were covering outside tables which does have waitress service. I give the place a 3.0 (Great) on my BJ scale.

While Tom was in town I took him to one of my favorite places at Port Canaveral. The place is called Rusty's and I enjoy taking visitors there. I usually go by myself and sit at the inside bar, but Tom was looking for sun so we sat outside where they have a second bar and live music. You can watch the cruise ships pass by while you are eating. I got six raw oysters, from Virginia, and a cup of the clam chowder. I love their chowder because there is a clam in every bite.

Tom took a shot of me enjoying my Bloody Mary, wearing my "Bloody with a Buddy" shirt from Life is Good.

A little before Tom arrived, I had taken my friends Roger Paquette and Anne Runyon to Rusty's, or as Roger liked to call him "Ritchie". Not the best picture of the two but we had a grand time. Rusty stopped back over after I arrived to say hi. He says to me "I know your friend's name is Roger, but he is calling me Ritchie."

Right across from Rusty's Seafood and Oyster Bar is where the SpaceX rockets return to the port when they land on a drone ship. Here is one sitting on the pier after unloading.

Rusty, the owner, has written a book called Notes on a Wet Cocktail Napkin. I decided to buy one and I had Rusty sign it for me. Here he is on the right, enjoying himself at his namesake restaurant. It is a great book with a very nice history of Cocoa Beach and his experience running Bernard's Surf, a famous eatery in Cocoa Beach  at Minuteman Causeway. It is no longer there. Rusty's started as an addition oyster bar to Bernard's, and Rusty moved it to the port back in the 1990s.

I have had a few visitors in the last moth, which has aided in my procrastination of this blog. My good friend and past co-worker from Ensco Ron Cunfer visited with his friend Philine Gorin. We met up with Gordan Kraft and Emy Dohner at their home in Satellite Beach. We walked to Long Doggers for dinner. I did not bring my camera so sorry no photos.

Tim Mitchell from Vermont and Bobby Bicknell, invited me over to watch some golf at Bobby's parents townhouse in Suntree.  I introduced them to Walk-Ons, a Sports Bistreaux in Viera. A week later Tim met up with me at Lou's Blues. He was on his way south to visit with Rex Martin, another Vermont friend. 

I also received a text from Tommy Bumps, a friend from Middlebury when I was a kid. He was nearer the age of my sister Pat and brother John, but we had a nice lunch at Squid Lips in Melbourne.

I will end with some food pictures from some of my favorite local places that I keep going back to instead of new places. Poke bowl at Frigates in Eau Gallie.

Cottage Pie at the Cottage Irish Pub in Eau Gallie. Yes, they have Guinness on draft and know how to pour it. Also, they use real PINT glasses.

The Flight of beers I had at the 321 Lime House with Roger and Anne. After we ate at Rusty's, I took them to this new taste testing bar located in the Carib Brewery in Cape Canaveral. It use to be the Florida beer Company but changed it's name in 2021. Although there was a funky smell upon entering, the beers were really good.

The surf & turf smash burger at Pineapples EGAD. That is lobster mac & cheese on top of the burger. In place of fries, I got a Caesar salad.

Part of the fun of going out to eat is to try new things. Look at the menu differently, don't get what you normally get but try something new. I end with a photo that just does that, a look at the Nubble Lighthouse in York Maine from an unusual perspective. Enjoy life and don't procrastinate too much...