To some Memorial Day is just a 3 day weekend and some extra time to spend with family. I do agree and I did just that when I flew up to Chicago to see my family and celebrate my grandmothers 90th birthday. But it also has another meaning to me. Sometimes it helps to stop and smell the roses and be thankful for those men and women who gave their lives so that we could have a BBQ and do cannon balls into the pool. My husband is active duty and I have come to know many other service members active and retired. Some wear a cap for what ship they were on or others change out of their uniform before going to the grocery store because they are not doing the job for a pat on the back or the free food given to them on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. It was nice to be at O’Hare airport and see all of the flags hanging so proudly. It was a good reminder of why I had a 3 day weekend and was able to spend some extra time with my friends and family. Wherever you are or whatever your doing just know that there are and will always be people service this great country of ours.
I will leave you with the happy and fun photos of my and my friend Amy tanning in the pool and me and my friend Jesse jumping into the pool after a few Red, White and Blue shots!
I was asked by a friend of mine to recommend some places that he should not miss while visiting Key West. I figured I should share some of my local knowledge with the rest of you too. Below is a list of places that you should absolutely hit and maybe a few that you should avoid! After living in Key West for 3 years I have seen places come and go but the GREAT ones will always be here.
Food:
The Boathouse Bar & Grill – They have an awesome Happy Hour! Its from 4pm to 6:30pm and its half price appetizers and also half price draft beer, house wines and mixed drinks. I wouldn’t be on a first name bases with all the bartenders if it wasn’t good. The Lamb Chops are my absolute favorite … and I don’t even like Lamb!
Garbos Grill – They were featured on the show Diners, Drive In’s and Dives but I have loved them long before that. They only have a few things on the menu but I always get the Yum Yum shrimp.
Thai Island – Awesome lunch specials as well as really fresh fish. Personally I eat the JL7 Sushi Lunch at least once a week. You can’t beat it for $12.95!
El Siboney Restaurant – This place is loved by me and my husband. We get the Siboney steak. Its a huge cut of skirt steak and you also get rice, beans and plantains. Bonus … they greet you with warm buttered Cuban bread.
Charlie Mac’s – They have some GREAT BBQ items and I like there Happy Hour as well!
The Chart Room – It’s actually a bar located inside the Pier House resort … you would never know it existed unless someone told you about it.
We tend to find the amazing food with a lower price point since we live here and actually work for a living!
Where to Stay –
Poolside at The Marker
Pier House & Ocean Key Resort are located at the end of Duval St. Its a nice distance from the chaos of Duval St. but just a short walk – stumble depending on how much you drink!
The Inn at Key West is also very nice I LOVE their pool area but they are a short cab ride away and or drive if you have a car. Parking downtown can be a pain but it can be done.
The Marker – I have spent a lot of time at their pool and they are one of the newest hotels in Key West. I also love their cafe at the pool the Margarita Pizza if my favorite.
Activities:
Visit Fort Zachary Taylor State Park
Key West Butterfly Conservatory – When I first moved to the island I worked here and it was a great place, nice and peaceful away from the chaos of Duval St.
Visiting Bahia Honda State Park – (This is only if you have a car. Its actually a little ways north up the keys.)
Avoid:
Irish Kevin’s – Unless you are looking to be packed in somewhere, pay way to much for your drinks and never get to go to the bathroom at the risk of loosing your seat.
Every time I go to a restaurant and see a French Dip Sandwich on the menu I feel like I need to order it. They are absolutely one of my favorites but only when done right. I was scrolling thru Facebook one night I came across a recipe for them to be made at home in your CrockPot. I sent the link to my husband and once it was approved I added the ingredients to our shopping list. My husband is a VERY picky eater and we don’t like a lot of the same things with the exception of meat … we both love to eat meat! Guess we will never be vegetarians or vegans … or we would have to get a divorce. The recipe seemed fairly simple since all you have to do is combined all the ingredients into the CrockPot and let them cook for 10 hours.
Here is what you are going to need:
EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to season
3lbs of Chuck Roast – We did a little less just because its just us. We bought a 3.5 pound roast and then cut it in half so we could use the other half for a pot roast another day.
1 clove of garlic (minced) – personally I LOVE anything with garlic so I might have tripled that …
2-3 onions (sliced)
2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Thyme dried – Also take note if your sending someone to the store to buy the Thyme you want to make sure that they don’t buy the powder version. That’s what my husband grabbed when I sent him to the spice aisle.
1 bay leaf
2 cups of beef stock
Optional items:
Hoagie or some other kind of roll
Provolone cheese
Turn on your CrockPot and put approx. 2 tbsp of EVOO in the bottom of the pot. Then place you chuck roast in the pot. Lightly sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper, flip over and cover the other side with salt and pepper too.
Then add all of the other ingredients to the pot and cook for 10 hours on low. About 30 minutes before dinner remove the meat and slice or shred it then place it back in the pot for easier service at dinner time.
If you decided to serve your meat on a roll preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice all of the rolls and place a piece of provolone cheese in the middle. Then put them in the oven for 5 minutes or until all of the cheese is melted.
To some Memorial Day is just a 3 day weekend and some extra time to spend with family. I do agree and I did just that when I flew up to Chicago to see my family and celebrate my grandmothers 90th birthday. But it also has another meaning to me. Sometimes it helps to stop and smell the roses and be thankful for those men and women who gave their lives so that we could have a BBQ and do cannon balls into the pool. My husband is active duty and I have come to know many other service members active and retired. Some wear a cap for what ship they were on or others change out of their uniform before going to the grocery store because they are not doing the job for a pat on the back or the free food given to them on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. It was nice to be at O’Hare airport and see all of the flags hanging so proudly. It was a good reminder of why I had a 3 day weekend and was able to spend some extra time with my friends and family. Wherever you are or whatever your doing just know that there are and will always be people service this great country of ours.
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