{ Rita's Ice - Custard - Happiness }

Whenever we go to Atlantic Beach or Neptune Beach, we have to make a stop by Rita's on the way home. We HAVE to. It's not a, "Hey, so do you wanna go by Rita's when we head home?" It is more like, "So what flavor are you gonna get at Rita's on the way home?" There is no question about whether or not we will be making a stop at Rita's. It is assumed.

And let me tell you, the line is well worth the wait and I like the way their sign advertises

 * Ice * Custard * Happiness *

I will stand in line for Happiness that's for sure....well, I'll stand in line for Italian ice and custard too.

Rita's has a huge variety of Italian Ice and their best thing is a Gelati Cup which is 1 layer of custard, 1 layer of Italian Ice, and topped with one more layer of custard. Today, my husband ordered the mango Italian ice blended Gelati and I opted for the orange creme blend. Saylor went for the sprinkle loaded vanilla ice cream. We were as happy as 3 beach bums could be on the way home with our yummo icy treats......until the brain freeze hit.

Sealed with a Kiss, Kirsten

S.W.A.K.

{ Gingerbread Extravaganza }

This month, my daughter and I enjoyed the Jacksonville Historical Society Annual Gingerbread Extravaganza. We hadn't even opened the doors to the downtown building and we could already smell the sweetness of gingerbread houses. It was a great way to spend a December afternoon. We voted on our favorite which was the house from the Disney movie, Up. Plus, I am sorta partial to that film b/c the old man is named Mr. Frederiksen which is my maiden name. But, my true favorite was the Jax Beach Life Guard Tower gingerbread display. Or maybe it was the one of Times Square that was my favorite. Ohhh! They were all awesome. I'd be a terrible Gingerbread House Judge.

The house from the Disney movie, Up. (above)

Jacksonville Beach Lifeguard house and tower (below)

My absolute favorite! How adorably cute are the sugary snowman and snowgal???? I like how they are made to resemble beach sand.

The Gingerbread display of New York's Time Square was awesome and made from 100% edible materials. Even the Broadway advertisements were printed on edible paper. The New Year's Eve glass ball made from rock candy was the perfect finishing touch. Oh, and all those little yummy gingerbread people waiting for the new year's eve countdown. How cute is that?!?

Some more impressive stuff

Obviously someone is a Hello Kitty fan like my daughter....and well, I am still a fan too.

Okay, let it be know that the cutest thing under the sun from this day forward is 2 little gummi bears in a little row boat. I mean, C'mon. It just doesn't get any cuter!.....well, except for babies, baby animals, puppies, and kittens. But after that it is gummi bears in row boats. Totally!

There were so many. I took pics of our favorites. My daughter, the Queen of Fairies and Mermaids, has total faith in my abilities as a mother because while headed home, she said she wanted me and her to make one to enter in next year's competition. We shall see.

Sealed with a Kiss, Kirsten

S.W.A.K.

Cheezy Kitchen Ghosts

I am starting to think that my kitchen might be haunted. But, luckily, they are the cutest little ghosts to ever haunt a kitchen. Not only are they cute, but, they are also a bit cheezy. THAT'S because they are made out of cheese cloth!

This Halloween craft idea is from Country Living . I have a large beautiful rustic candelabra hanging in my kitchen which I bought 4 years ago at a little shop named Croatia Boutique and Ironworks in Riverside/Avondale area of Jacksonville, Florida. It was the perfect spot to hang my Cheezy Kitchen Ghosts. This Halloween craft project is Easy Peezy Lemon Squeezy. Plus, I like any craft project that can be done while outdoors enjoying the fresh Autumn air. Balloons and fabric stiffener help create the shape of the ghosts. My daughter had a fun time popping the balloons once the cheese cloth had dried. This was a really fun project. Click HERE for instructions to make some cheezy ghosts of your own. Happy Haunting!

P.S. I really like this photo of the ghosts which came out by accident. I was balancing on a step stool so that I could get a photo and slipped off (those who know me best, know that I am clumsy) right when I was taking the picture which created just the right amount of camera shake to create this "ghostly" image of my ghosts. Some of the best things come about by accident.

Sealed with a Kiss, Kirsten

S.W.A.K.

Chicken and Waffles

Chicken and Waffles served up at Metro Diner-----Or what we have nick-named Heaven and Southern on a plate.

So here is the twist to Chicken and Waffles---- You are suppose to add a little bit of Louisiana Hot Sauce to the pancake syrup and dip both the chicken and the waffle into it. At first, I thought it would be an odd combo, but after my husband gave me a bite, I declared, "I will never eat waffles again without a little Louisiana Hot Sauce!" Oh my goodness! It was sooooo good! Plus, the chicken dipped in the syrup-hot sauce combo was awesome! It sorta reminded me of maple bacon and how that combo works well.

The Specials of the Day chalkboard proudly displays a chalk drawing of Guy Fieri and an autograph. Hope no one accidentally gets carried away with the chalkboard erasure.

My favorite booth at my favorite swanky retro diner, my husband, and my daughter. What more could this girl ask for?

Now here is the story behind the story....

Chicken and Waffles. Whodathunkit? This is my husband's favorite dish at our favorite place---Metro Diner .

We are here almost every weekend. I will never forget the first time we tried Metro Diner. It was 4 years ago and the first month we had moved to Florida and like most summer days, it was pouring rain here. Suffering from cabin fever, my husband mentioned a diner he had driven past which featured Belgium waffles on their window. (Husband Fact #347--He can eat waffles 24/7) So we grabbed our umbrellas and off we went. From the first moment we pulled up to the place, we knew we were hooked. The building alone makes one wanna go inside and grab a table or booth and try something yummy.  Metro Diner was established in the late 1930s. The atmosphere is a wonderfully fussed mesh of 1930's art deco with urban eclectic swankyness. Is swankyness a word? Maybe I should try it with an i instead of a y. Let's see: Swankiness. Yes, I like it more with an i. It is located in the charming historic area of Jacksonville, Florida known as San Marco. Sometimes over a cup of coffee served in one of their cozy mugs, I like to think about all that has occurred in this diner over the years; People sitting over their meals and discussing the start and end of World War 2, Pearl Harbour, Normandy, Television, Elvis, Kennedy, Woodstock, Who Shot Jr. and on and on. It is truly a place of history. The Davoli family owns and runs it today and they are fantabulous! Absolutely everything about this place, the food, the service, the atmosphere, the location, keeps us going back weekend after weekend. I like how Metro Diner truly is a place "Where the Locals Eat"  They were voted Best of Jax and have award winning yummy breakfast and lunch dishes. My favorite is the Breakfast Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict. My daughter loves the Charleston Shrimp and Grits and my husband loves, what else?, the Chicken and Waffles. And, they have the best tabouli I have ever tasted EVER!
Our weekend cravings for Metro Diner has paid off too b/c we witnessed some of the filming for a popular Food Network show. The diner was recently featured on Food Network's popular show hosted by Guy Fieri, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. It was so cool to walk in and sit at our favorite booth---the one by the corner window---and watch some of the film crew work their magic. Metro Diner has that certain je ne sais quoi which is worth discovering for yourselves.....except don't take the booth by the corner window. Like I said, that one is my favorite. And like all good things, this one doesn't last forever; they close at 2:30 daily. Tell them I sent you. Hehe.

Sealed with a Kiss, Kirsten
S.W.A.K.