Oregon Bounty

As much as I love a hot and steamy cup of joe ... it's time I end my relationship with coffee and move on to some smooth and seductive pinot noir.

I created a little video submission for Oregon Bounty's "Cuisine-ternship."

In it you'll learn a little about me, a little about my town, and hopefully drool over the finest glass (or two!) of wine I've had in awhile.

Enjoy! Forward along to your friends!

Great Monday Morning Laughs

I usually hate getting chain letters and spam email, but when one of my friends sent me the following I was so glad I opened it instead of immediately dragging it to the trash.

It had me laughing so hard I nearly spewed coffee all over my keyboard. This is going to be a great week if I had that kind of belly buster moment first thing Monday morning. Not to mention ... the week started with a holiday so it's going to only be a short little while till the next weekend.

Have you ever said the right thing ... the wrong way ... and ended up with a hysterical Freudian slip? Well, here are 5 that will make you feel better about anything you could have ever possibly said!

Think before you speak ...

Testimony #1: I walked into a hair salon with my husband and 3 kids in tow and asked loudly, "How much do you charge for a shampoo and a blow job?" I turned around and walked back out and never went back. My husband didn't say a word.

Testimony #2: I was at the golf store comparing different kinds of golf balls. I was unhappy with the women's type I had been using. After browsing for several minutes I was approached by one of the good-looking gentlemen who works at the store. He asked if he could help me. Without thinking, I looked at him and said, "I think I like playing with men's balls

Testimony #3: My sister and I were at the mall and passed by a store that sold a variety of candy and nuts. As we were looking at the display case, a boy behind the counter asked if we needed any help. I replied, 'No, I'm just looking at your nuts. My sister started to laugh hysterically. The boy grinned, and I turned beet-red and walked away.

Testimony #4: While in line at the bank one afternoon, my toddler decided to release pent-up energy and ran amok. I was finally able to grab hold of her after receiving looks of disgust and annoyance from other patrons. I told her that if she did not start behaving 'right now' she would be punished. To my horror, she looked me in the eye and said in a voice just as threatening, 'If you don't let me go right now, I will tell Grandma that I saw you kissing Daddy's pee-pee last night!' The silence was deafening after this enlightening exchange. Even the tellers stopped what they were doing. I mustered up the last of my dignity and walked out of the bank with my daughter in tow. The last thing I heard when the door closed behind me, were screams of laughter.

Testimony #5: Have you ever asked your child a question too many times? My three-year-old son had a lot of problems with potty training and I was on him constantly. One day we stopped at Taco Bell for a quick lunch, in between errands It was very busy, with a full dining room. While enjoying my taco, I smelled something funny, so of course I checked my seven-month-old daughter, she was clean. Then I realized that Danny had not asked to go potty in a while. I asked him if he needed to go, and he said 'No'. I kept thinking 'Oh Lord, that child has had an accident, and I don't have any clothes with me.' Then I said, 'Danny, are you SURE you didn't have an accident?' 'No,' he replied. I just KNEW that he must have had an accident, because the smell was getting worse. Soooooo, I asked one more time, 'Danny did you have an accident ? This time he jumped up, yanked down his pants, bent over, spread his cheeks and yelled 'SEE MOM, IT'S JUST FARTS!!' While 30 people nearly choked to death on their tacos laughing, he calmly pulled up his pants and sat down. An old couple made me feel better, thanking me for the best laugh they'd ever had!

Bonus: This had most of the state of Michigan laughing for 2 days and a very embarrassed female news anchor who will, in the future, likely think before she speaks. What happens when you predict snow but don't get any! We had a female news anchor that, the day after it was supposed to have snowed and didn't, turned to the weatherman and asked: 'So Bob, where's that 8 inches you promised me last night?' Not only did HE have to leave the set, but half the crew did too they were laughing so hard!

Now, didn't that crack you up? Pass it on to someone you know who needs a laugh and remember we all say things we don't really mean, so think before you speak!!!!!


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Destination: Oklahoma City

Just got back from a fabulous 3 day trip to Oklahoma City. The Heartland Hospitality definitely lives up to it's reputation. I've never met a warmer, more friendly group of people.





I was there shooting video for a destination guide and I was actually pleasantly surprised with how much there is to see and do.

All kinds of ways to get your inner Cowboy going ... the western winds, the scent of leather, custom boots & chaps (I tried on a purple pair. You'll have to wait for the video to see that!), and the quintessential steakhouse, Cattlemens. Celebrating it's centennial in 2010, this restaurant has seen it's share of card games and Clint Eastwood-types. Smack dab right next to Oklahoma's Stockyard City, you're sure to get the freshest, tastiest steaks in the country while rubbing elbows with real cowboys. They don't call it Cattlemen's for nothin! If you're feelin ballsy, be sure to try their house specialty, Lamb Fries.

And the cuisine is not just all meat and potatoes, although the meat and potatoes are pretty darn good! I would also recommend having a slice of peach pizza and sipping homemade lemon cello and at Trattoria. The lemon cello was even better than I remember it in Sorrento, Italy. I swear!




The ultimate quencher and adventure for your tastebuds is Pops on Route 66. This cool little gas station in the middle of the road trip has over 500 types of soda including unusual flavors such as celery, jalapeno, and mint julep. It's difficult to choose just one fizzy drink. With all the many colors and flavors you've got to grab a six pack and fill 'er up.

Starting to notice a lot of food references here? It's a good thing I love running just as much as I love eating. One more for my sweet tooth ... Sara Sara Cupcakes. Our first night there we ordered a green tea cupcake an some coffee to enjoy on their front porch. It was the best comfort food and quiet ending to a long day of travel.


We also explored downtown OKC's hoppin art scene. We stood in awe of the largest collection of Chihuly Glass and enjoyed live music during Cocktails on the Skyline at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. You can also catch an independent film from the Sundance Institute Art House project at the restored historic Noble Theatre. Be sure to look up in awe of the Chihuly Waterford Crystal Chandelier in the theatre lobby.


One absolute "must see" is the National Memorial. This is something every American should make the trip to visit. An inspiring story of hope and survival weaved through thoughtful symbolism honoring those who were killed, those who survived, and those came to help in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building . The most memorable for me was the Survivor Tree. And gosh darnit I can't believe I didn't grab a picture of it! Probably because I was focusing on the video. Ah well. You'll just have to go see it live in person to experience it. After quiet reflection overlooking the Field of Empty Chairs, the Survivor Tree invokes a powerful feeling of strength and renewal that we all look for in our lives.


And there is so much more than I could possibly fit into one blog post. The Paseo Arts District and the unique and intimate dining experience at Paseo Grill. The beautifully renovated historic boutique Colcord Hotel. Rowing and cycling at the Chesapeake Boathouse. I loved Oklahoma City. The food, the culture, and most of all ... the people. Can't wait to visit again!

--Rachelle

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Favorite Travel Quote of All Time

This to me, is the reason I love to travel. To have ordinary things seem fresh and new.

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” - Bill Bryson

One of my weird quirks is that I love to go grocery shopping in foreign countries.

Something about seeing a slice of life that you can't find in a magazine or travel brochure. The smells, the colors, the produce, what's popular, how things are labeled. It's usually the place that I buy all of my souvenirs to take home.

French lip gloss.

Kinder Eggs (the toy inside always makes me smile like a kid).

Wine.

It's the little things we take for granted when we're at home. I think travel brings us right smack dab into living in the moment ... which is where we should always be in the first place.
--Rachelle

At the Copa ... Copa Cabana ...

Okay ... I apologize. I just got that song stuck in your head, didn't I? Oops! So sorry. Here a better song to have on instant replay ...




Last night we a fabulously fun time. First we walked downtown to Yappy Hour ... a mix and mingling of wagging tales and wine. Gotta love a happy hour where you can bring your pooch! Our furry princess stayed home since she doesn't play nice with the other kids. Instead I brought along our video camera to record the fun.

After playing at Yappy Hour we strolled down to the new Cuban restaurant Copacabana and indulged in some of my favorite Latin foods ... tostones with mojo ... Cuban coffee ... and of course some ropa vieja.

When the caffeine jolt kicked in, we trodded back uphill to Mount Dora's Ghost Walk. Because I was still towing around my camera ... they offered me a ride in the antique hearse ... I passed. Maybe next time. In the front seat. Without the scary music to creep me out. That's a ride you only want to take once in your life, ya know what I mean?

The Ghost Walk is actually more entertaining and informative than frightful. Unless ... of course ... you're looking for it to be scary ... just ask and they'll turn up the chills a bit. Personally, I've got a vivid imagination and enjoy my sleep at night so I preferred the light and lively tour.



Good times! I love being a tourist just a few blocks away from my front steps.

--Rachelle

Gentle Giants

Part of being an Innkeeper is experiencing the adventures in your own backyard. So many people think of Florida as all sun and sand, but there are many rare and unique things to do in the Winter ... such as kayaking with the Manatees. Recently we took a 45 minute drive out to Homosassa Springs to get up close to this endangered species. Meet these gentle giants in the video below ...

Last Minute Holiday Kiss

So ... your dog ate the dessert ... or perhaps while carrying a bunch of packages, food, etc. your holiday party dish ended up face down in the driveway. Don't despair! Here's a QUICK and easy recipe idea for you that only involves 3 ingredients that you can buy at any 24 hour large-chain pharmacy or convenience store.

Ingredients ...

1) a bag of square pretzels
2) a bag of Hershey Kisses,
3) a bag of red & green peanut M&Ms (or other hard candy)



The hardest part of this whole recipe will be unwrapping the Hershey kisses ... and not eating them along the way ...


Cut a piece of parchment paper to line the inside of a cookie sheet. Then, place your square pretzels in a row with the Hershey Kiss on top. I used the dark chocolate kisses.


Next, bake at 250 degrees for 10 minutes. This is just long enough to soften the chocolate without melting it into a blob. Let them cool for one minute, and then press your M&M's in the middle of each kiss. The only holiday M&M's that were left at my local grocer were the almond kind. A little big. So, I also used some other red & green candy I found.


After pressing in all the M&Ms ... cool in your refrigerator until the chocolate is hardened. I put some trivets down on a shelf and just placed the entire cookie sheet of treats in the refrigerator. Don't try to pick them up until they're completely cooled. Trust me. You'll get a thumb full of scalding hot chocolate. After about 30 minutes, they'll be ready to go! Enjoy!




--Rachelle
Tremain Street Cottages

Confessions of a Wino

How did your wine journey begin? Mine started in college with a fruity, fizzy, wine "cooler" that actually had no wine in it at all. But I thought I was cool.

I then graduated to a Blue Nun Riesling. (That makes me wince and grit my teeth just thinking about it.) I tried to impress a boy in my class by telling him my favorite wine was a "Riesling." Yeah. He was a wine rep. Not cool. But what did my young inexperienced pallet know?

What happened next I'm ashamed to admit. Boxed wine at camp-outs and pink wines that came in a jug. Wooooow. It's about that time that winemakers started jazzing up their labels with catchy names and graphics. Then I started picking my wine based on whether or not I liked the picture on the bottle. A label snob in all the wrong ways. I became a fan of Yellow Tail and had to try one of each "color." From the yellow label, to the blue label, to the hot pink label ... I drank them all. But at least it introduced me to reds.

One wine I picked up entirely because I liked the label was a bottle of Tango Malbec. The label lured me in with a hologram where the dancers feet moved when the bottle was rolled from side to side. Malbec. Boy, oh, boy, did I think I was pretty smart because NOW I could order something that wasn't a usual choice on most house wine lists. But at this point wine was becoming more than just a way to get a buzz with my friends on a Friday night, it was becoming a pleasurable experience of discovery.

I finally learned the only real rule about wine ... you either like it ... or you don't like it ... and either way, it's okay. I'm currently at a great place in my wine tasting journey. I'm not afraid of tasting something new. I can openly admit when I don't know about a certain wine ... and yet I know just enough to be dangerous. But I have to admit, I still do feel silly sticking my nose in a glass of wine and snorting a big whiff the way the "experts" do.

Which brings me to the monthly wine tastings at the Adora Inn. Their wine-pairing dinners have given me plenty of tasting practice to get me out of my old bad habits. Luckily, they're our neighbors, so I can taste all I want and then walk home.

This past month's wine tasting featured Dutch Henry, a small family owned vineyard winery in California. We were fortunate enough to have one of the wine makers from Dutch Henry sitting at our table. He was quite the entertainer, not only through his knowledge of wine, but through music as well. He talked about the same evolution of "cool" of wine drinkers. I guess we've all experienced that journey at one point or another.

The first wine poured was a Rose. Hmm. I had flashbacks to the pink wine in a jug that I used to drink and wrinkled my nose at the thought. However, I trusted the pairing expertise of my neighbors and since the wine maker was actually sitting right there in front of me, I gave it a whirl and was sweetly surprised! Well I'll be darn, I discovered I like Rose. And it was not a fruity little light wine like I expected. It stood well on it's own and was even better when paired with the first course of Arthur's savory pumpkin soup. I could go into great detail about how deliciousness of the food and wine ... but then you'd just get drool and get saliva all over your keyboard. So, to spare you the clean up I'll just invite you to attend the next wine tasting dinner at Adora Inn. Where are you in your wine tasting journey? Tantalize your senses with a traditional Italian-style Christmas including wines perfectly paired at the Adora Inn's next wine tasting on December 13th.

--Rachelle

Autumn Sangria

A group of girlfriends of mine used to all get together on a monthly basis and gather for some gabbing, gossip and good wine. I miss those days! It seems children, careers and out-of-state moves have put some miles between us.

We all still keep in touch through online social networks. Which is why I know the world will hear a loud excited squeal when the girls all open their inboxes and find this recipe. My dear friend, Maranda, brought this with her to one of our holiday gatherings and we all crowned her wine-goblet-goddess for creating such a fancy looking, great tasting holiday brew. Enjoy!

Autumn Sangria

Ingredients

2 Bottles Merlot
1 Cup sugar
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ Tsp Ground Nutmeg
½ Tsp Ground Clove
6-10 Apples
3-6 Cinnamon sticks
2 Liters Ginger Ale

1) In a medium pot, combine Merlot, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Let simmer for ten minutes on low to medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved.

2) Pour immediately into a sealed pitcher or other container. Chop apples into thin slices and add them along with the cinnamon sticks to the mixture. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

3) To serve: pour contents into large punch bowl and add ice and 2 liters of Ginger Ale. Serve chilled.

*** For Winter Sangria, try trading out the apples for oranges and cranberries to give it a Christmas kind of feeling. Its been suggested to me to substitute Cream Soda for the Ginger Ale to give it a creamier taste, but I've never tried it. Feel free to experiment!

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Featured Inn: The Grandview B&B

“It is not just opening a door,

or standing when someone is being seated.

Being a true gentleman, truly chivalrous,

is more than any one act or deed.
It is a way of life based on consideration.”

In continuing my quest to be a backyard tourist, I packed my overnight bag and makeup case and rode down to a meandering driveway only four blocks away from my home ... but a world away. With a large wrap around porch enveloping the main house, swaying palm trees and a windmill cottage the Grandview Bed & Breakfast is a classic small Southern estate.

We immediately felt at home when Mel & Andy, the Innkeepers, greeted us with a warm smile and guided us to our rooms, saying in the most delectable southern accent, "we're not fussy here, just go right on up through the kitchen hon" ... the heart of a home. And what a beautiful home it is! We walked through the house to find our rooms and take a tour along the way. The colors and decor are traditional, warm and elegant. The guest rooms and baths are unbelievably spacious. Accented by antiques, Persian rugs gracing the original hardwood floors and all the personal touches of the new owners. I really enjoy the way there was a certain thoughtfulness in the construction of home years ago. As you walk by the built in china cabinets and storage spaces you can tell they were built for living and entertaining.

After putting down our bags we came back downstairs to spend some time with our new friends at the Grandview. We sat by the fireplace, sipping red wine and nibbling on crackers and cheese while listening to their many fascinating stories of growing up in the Carolina's on a tobacco farm, renovating historic homes and the experience of opening their first B&B on Ocracoke Island, called The Cove.

It seems anyone that has ever stayed with Mel & Andy become like family. Mel brought out some photos and stories of previous guests. One photo showed a group of women that call themselves the "Harley Girls" and rode out on their motorcycles for a girlfriend's getaway. Another photo told the story of a family of sisters in their 80's & 90's that gathered at the Grandview for a reunion after not seeing each other for over 30 years. And one guest was even an infamous aristocrat that they found one night by the poolside donning a long string of pearls and a mink coat.

Even the home has its own stories to tell. As the 3rd owners, Mel & Andy inherited more than just the deed when they purchased the property. There are original volumes by Charles Dickens and Mark Twain sitting in the built-in bookshelves. Even more telling are the photos on the wall in the dining room showing the estate in its young glory, surrounded by citrus groves with a Ford Model T in the driveway. Originally the William Watt home, it was built in 1906 for the citrus grower and his family. It is said that he was the inventor of corrugated cardboard as a better method for packing his oranges. There are also family photos of the Watts and their travels and also a historic photo of small sidewalk surrounded by flower gardens and a gazing ball ... which are still in the front yard today.

After dinner, we settled on the front porch with a hot cup of tea, swaying in the rocking chairs, looking up at the stars and listening to the frogs cackle and the crickets hum. I imagined for a moment what it would be like growing up in this home as a child of the Watts. The pioneering days of this little town. All sorts of interesting places to hide and play in the citrus groves. Swimming in the lake and climbing an old oak tree then cooling off on this very front porch and drinking a glass of cold sweet tea. At that moment, I fell in love with Mount Dora all over again.

--Rachelle

Citrus and Sunshine

We have our own version of Route 66 here in Central Florida. Before there was Disney, before there was 1-4, there was Route 27. Connecting North and South Florida, this road travels right through the middle of the State. It was the highway leading to Florida's first attractions including Bok Tower and Cypress Gardens. Surrounded by orange groves and paving the way for future theme parks and movie makers, Cypress Gardens started it all in 1936 showcasing Florida sunshine, water sports and becoming the backdrop for several Esther William's films. Both Bok Tower and Cypress Gardens are a great day trip from Mount Dora with the drive time being about an hour and twenty minutes.

I had the opportunity to drive down Route 27 to Lake Wales this week to work on an orange juice commercial and felt a little nostalgia driving past all these little shops and the rows of orange trees while remembering road trips here with my parents when I was growing up here in Lake County. If you're looking for that "authentic" Florida souvenir, you want to take Highway 27 on your road trip. This long stretch of highway is still lined with little mom and pop shops selling everything "citrus." Orange marmalade, orange popsicles, orange taffy, orange jellied candies, baby orange trees, orange rock candy, orange soaps, orange lollipops, orange juice served in an orange-shaped container, and of course the orange fruit. The list could go on-and-on the way Bubba recited the many uses of shrimp in the movie Forest Gump. You also have your historic "Trading Posts" selling orange flavored bits and also offering a little more of a wild Florida twist with their Indian moccasins and an alligator's tooth.

For directions to this historic part of Florida from Mount Dora, click here: Florida's First Theme Parks

Happy Day Tripping!

--Rachelle