Keep Summer Blue: Lake Tahoe, the Perfect COVID Vacation - Part Two

By Kat Thomas

Part Two in the Adventures of Tahoe Summer for the Thomas Gals!  When we last left our fearless sisters they were living the lake life while residing in the teeny tiny town of Tahoe City, CA.  We will now continue on the epic greatness that was their six-day summer vacation!  

TRUCKEE RIVER RAFTING

https://www.truckeeriverrafting.com

Tahoe in the summer is all about water sports and thus Kelly and I, ocean babies that we are, were about to become something we would have dreamed possible: River Rats.  But there’s a first time for everything!  So we signed up for a Truckee River Rafting trip, the IRL equivalent of a waterpark’s lazy river!

The Truckee River Rafting trip is a self guided raft trip offering commercial grade rafts (2, 4, 6, and 8 person in size) allowing adventurers to idol the day away on the Truckee River.  The 2-3 hour trip floated us through tranquil stretches of scenic meadows, mountains, and small rapids.

We began our leisurely float in Tahoe City, along a peaceful stretch of the Truckee River, ended at the River Ranch Restaurant.  The website suggested you bring a small cooler with snacks and drinks (but no styrofoam or glass) for impromptu picnics along the way! 

I ate one too many edibles at the beginning of our ride and as a result my cat-like reflexes were not up to snuff.  READ: we hit a fallen tree because I was too Stoned.   Rest assured we were fine as we were in an inflatable rubber tube going a maximum boat speed of 3 miles per hour…  Let’s just say hilarity ensued and it was hysterical both in physical reality and the altered state of consciousness I was in! 

Luckily the edible’s effects lessened, allowing me to more consciously experience the numerous impromptu photo shoots of the Thomas Gals.  Adventuring included: pulling over to a side bank for our picnic lunch, swimming in a giant natural whirlpool where we lazily spun circles, pulling over for an al fresco glass of wine in our matching Seafoam Yeti cups (so Bougie, but at the same time such an amazing cup!), joining an impromptu riverbank dance party (a direct byproduct of a couple stationed at the water’s edge with a table, two beach chairs, a bottle wine, and a massive old school Boombox).  All of it was Absolutely Fabulous!!!

The ride finished with a bit of Level One Rapids (truthfully I’ve seen scary drops on the Log Flume ride on the Boardwalk, but it’s still fun to boast you did some Level One Rapids...).  This water adventure was fantastically fun with hints of Tom Sawyer, J. Crew, and a Moveable Feast.  

I guess you could say, it’s a Waterful Life!

PIONEER COCKTAIL CLUB

https://pioneertahoe.com

Marg my words, after all the bumper boat adventures, it was time for Happy Hour! 

So for our post-tributary libation we headed over to the Pioneer Cocktail Club, a rustic-chic tavern serving innovative cocktails and an eclectic bar menu, including Amazing wood-fired pizzas.  Yummm!  This is as Hipster Bougie as Tahoe City (with its population of 2,100 people) gets.

Pioneer Cocktail Club’s cocktails are divinely simple.  Each craft cocktails is made with artisanal spirits (including Tahoe Blue vodka), fresh juices, and house-made syrups.  For our imbibing adventure, Kelly started with an Autumnal Mexicano cocktail: the Spiced Pear Mule crafted with Tito Vodka, Spiced Pear, Ginger, and Lime.  I chose something more Mad Men Hipster: the Oaxacan Old Fashioned made with Mal Bien Mezcal, Chocolate Bitters, and an Orange Twist.  The next round included the delightful Ta-Hoe’s crafted with Gin, Watermelon, Lime Juice, Apricot, and Serrano for Kelly.  Totally summer in cocktail form!  I went for the Tree Hugger’s Gimlet composed of Gin, Douglas Fir Brandy, and Fresh Lime.  (I told you it was Hipster Bougie…!)

Kelly and I went Halvies on the dinner splitting two showstoppers from the menu.  The Derby Burger with Pimento Cheese, House Pickles, Garlic Mayo, and BBQ Fries was the perfect blend of Americana and Down Home Southern.  We complimented it with one of Pioneer Cocktail Club’s famous wood-fired pizzas: Bitches Love Burrata concocted from Basil Pesto, Tomato, and Burrata Cheese.  They say money can’t buy you happiness, but those people have never had burrata pizza under the redwood trees while watching the sunset reflected in Lake Tahoe.  

POPPY’S FROZEN YOGURT & WAFFLE SHOP

The inside scoop on feeling like a kid again!  After discovering that Pioneer Cocktail Club didn’t offer dessert options (too Hipster Bougie to care about losing out on the dessert market share), Kelly and I sauntered next door to Poppy’s Frozen Yogurt & Waffle Shop for a summer ice cream nightcap (a rite of passage at the Jersey Shore).  Like every perfect cone shop, Poppy’s has a walk-up window for ordering and outdoor seating.  Their ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet comes in a variety of flavors that change daily.  A few examples of their playful options include blackberry, cake batter and sparkling pink lemonade.  It turns out life is better with sprinkles!  

TAHOE SAILING CHARTERS

http://www.tahoesail.com

Home is where the sailboat is! Kelly and I finished out our Tahoe Summer Adventure with a sunset cruise with Tahoe Sailing Charters.  With a slogan of “turning winds into smiles,” we knew the two of gals were in for a fun time with this one!

They say that life is just a series of obstacles preventing you from sailing, which a philosophy the Thomas Gals thoroughly embrace having grown up on the shores of Long Beach Island, NJ. (Tahoe, with its plethora of water sports activities, constantly reminds us of a freshwater version of Barnegat Bay!) 

I like big boats and I cannot lie... At 5:30pm, we boarded the Santa Cruz 50 aka the “Tahoe Cruz” and headed for a sunset cruise on The Hoe’s blue waters!  Although there was not a ton of wind, just being on the water was the perfect cap to a delightful Covid-y socially distanced vacation. Plus, the bottomless Costco Champagne didn’t hurt either!

As Kelly and mine toes skimmed the sapphire blue water, Tahoe Sailing Cruises First Mate spun us tales of local Tahoe lore such as where Marilyn Monroe REALLY died (Hint: it was on Lake Tahoe) and whether or not there’s a fully preserved elephant from the 1940s named Mingo at the bottom of the lake.  BTWs, the later lore is a total falsehood (later Googled), as after residing in the area for a few years Mingo the Elephant returned to his first home in Woodside, CA because it did not like Tahoe’s mountainous elevation and hated to be away from his zebra love.

What a picture perfect way to finish off the Thomas Gals magical Tahoe adventure, gliding on towards a rose quartz sunset sky with the wind at our back and the waves playfully kissing our feet!  Here’s to life being delicious, all your moments being postcard worthy, and summer adventures that go on forever!  

Kat Thomas is the Editor in Chief of Edible Skinny, a site dedicated to making your life postcard worthy. She is also the CEO of the creative media company This Way Adventures. You can find more about both brands at http://www.thiswayadventures.com

The Thomas Gals!

Keep Summer Blue: Lake Tahoe, the Perfect COVID Vacation - Part One

By Kat Thomas, Edible Skinny

This summer multiple members of the Edible Skinny family were lucky enough to vacation in Lake Tahoe, CA!  As anyone in 2020 knows, COVID-19 was the hurdle to this year’s summer, with many metropolitan dwellers searching for the perfect relaxable place, ideally somewhere that was easily drivable so you could nix a plane ride and embraced the world of social distanced activities.  And thus Lake Tahoe, with the pine-scented atmosphere and its multitude of summertime water sports, became the perfect solution (as if it wasn’t already) for anyone living in the Bay Area. 

Lake Tahoe, located 200 miles northeast of San Francisco, is widely considered one of the most beautiful places in the world.  Nothing can diminish the first impression of driving towards the lake and seeing this giant pool of indigo-blue water cradled between mountain ranges.  The lake is located 1,897 meters atop the majestic Sierra Nevada mountain range on the California and Nevada border (2/3 in California and 1/3 in the state of Nevada).  The clear, cobalt blue lake welcomes about three million visitors annually while the year-round resident population is about 53.000.

Tahoe City View!

First there’s the Lake itself at a depth of 1,644, Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America.  Having been on this earth for 2 million years, the lake is considered an ancient lake.  It is the second deepest lake in the United States (Crater Lake is the winner winner chicken dinner!) and one of the deepest in the world.   The most popular visual image used for contexts is that you could completely submerge New York’s Empire State Building, which stands at 1,454 feet at the tip, and you wouldn’t see it at all.  At the longest and widest, Lake Tahoe measures 22 miles by 12 miles, with a shoreline circumference of 72 miles.   

Then there’s the water in this lake; it’s as pure as drinking water.  The water in Lake Tahoe is 99.994% pure, according to the Tahoe Fund, making it one of the purest large lakes in the world.  For comparison, commercially distilled water is 99.998% pure, so it’s pretty darn close!  Pretty much everywhere you dine urges you to kick your bottle water habit and replace it with Tahoe Tap! 

I had visited Tahoe once in the winter for a skiing adventure (which was simply fabulous and rightfully so as this location hosted the Winter Olympics in 1950), but this was my first time at the Lake during the summer.  Now I knew I was in for an entirely different experience, but truthfully I hadn’t fully comprehended the Perfect Storm of water sport activities that is Lake Tahoe.  The lake is the perfect excuse to get out and enjoy the 300 plus days of sunshine:  sailing, standup paddle boarding, and river rafting.  No wonder it had become one of the Bay Area’s favorite playground’s even before a certain buzzkill disease!

So with that in mind, here’s some fabulous things we experienced during our times in Tahoe this summer (there were enough, we broke it into 2 articles)!

Here's to life being delicious, all your moments being postcard worthy, and 300 plus days of sunshine allowing you to do every watersport under the sun!  

WELCOME TO TAHOE CITY

https://visittahoecity.org

The areas of the Lake itself are as varied as the activities you can do upon it.   The south shore is more popular among those looking for socialized entertainment and nightlife experiences such as bars, restaurants, and casinos, but not during the time of COVID.   

Sitting on the Dock of the Lake!

Instead the Edible Skinny crew stayed in the small town of Tahoe City on the north side of the Lake (mainly because that is where the house we were staying at was located).  Overall, north Lake Tahoe is more known for its quieter, more laid-back atmosphere.  On this side of the Lake, the towns are smaller in size and most businesses have earlier closing hours, resulting in visitors experiencing a quaint community feel.  And the shining star of the north Lake Tahoe experience is Tahoe City!

Located at an elevation of 6,250 feet, this small mountain town has a quiet relaxed hamlet feeling as the town’s population is only 1,557 people.  The city’s heritage dates back to the Gold Rush, when fortune hunters passed through on their way to mine for silver in the Comstock Lode.  Tahoe City is perched on the north shore of Lake Tahoe at the headwaters of the Truckee River, the Lake’s only outlet.  The walkable downtown is four city blocks long, yet despite its size contains a vibrant mix of recreation, innovative cocktail culture, and breathtaking natural beauty.  That along with the night sky make it a five billion star vacation!  

STANDUP PADDLEBOARDING AT TAHOE CITY KAYAK

http://tahoecitykayak.com

We like big boards and we cannot lie!  The best experiences at Lake Tahoe are on the water so to ensure a constant smile, Kelly and I rented 2 paddleboards from Tahoe City Kayak.  Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) offers a fun way to play on the water, with the added benefit of a full-body workout to boot!  And, since you (eventually) stand at full height on your board, it gives you a unique vantage point for viewing what’s down under the water and out on the horizon.   

Kelly Blue Crushing the Lake!

The calmest water for paddling is in the morning, so it's ideal to paddle early in the day.  And the ladies and gents of Tahoe City Kayak made it super duper easy with a water launch site located right at Commons Beach, the public beach in the four block town.  Opting for the half day experience, Kelly and I packed sandwiches for the ultimate waterfront dining experience on Carnelian Bay.  Up close and personal the water of Lake Tahoe is amazingly clear, and more than a bit chilly billy!  A plunge into Lake Tahoe can literally take your breath away.  Lake Tahoe’s average surface temperature in the summer is 63 Degrees, and can drop to 53 Degrees just 18 inches below the surface.  But that didn’t stop the Thomas Gals from jumping in multiple times to experience some of the freshest water in the largest plunge tank on the planet.  

Kat Headstanding it Up!

Girls just want to have sun!  Now anytime Kelly and I vacation together we always decide to make some of our adventures epic photoshoots!  What do you expect from two sisters who spent all their time pretending to be Madonna when they were kids?  Especially considering the backdrop it couldn’t get better!  The beautiful hues of emerald, green and blues, shorelines peppered with massive boulders, and multiple costume changes.   Once we got the basic poses, I started experimenting with some simple yoga poses.  Humble never felt so crisp and refreshing as I fell into the water an infinite number of times.  In the end, we had hundreds of shots to remember the perfection of this day for years to come

Endlessly Blue!

JAKE’S BY THE LAKE

https://www.jakestahoe.com

They say you should never chase anything but drinks and dreams!  And the perfect place to do both is Jake’s by the Lake with a Kimo’s Mai Tai, one of Jake’s signature cocktails from the shores of Lahaina aka “Aloha in a Glass.”  Family owned and operated since 1978, Jake’s On The Lake is the ultimate lakefront dining experience in Tahoe City.  Now I have to admit, I was a bit surprised that Mai Tais would be a “Lake Thing,” but it turns out Jake’s Tahoe dining philosophy is: “come to altitude and let Tahoe change you with Jake’s Mountain Aloha.”  

Wooden Menus!

Jake’s restaurant menu is inspired by California and Hawaiian flavors.  Our entrees reflected this island's vibe!  I sampled the Macadamia Nut Halibut, where the fish was wild line caught and paired with Black Forbidden Coconut Sticky Rice, Asparagus, and Passion Fruit Beurre Blanc.  With every bite I felt like I should be on the shores of the Maui instead of the middle of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  Kelly had the Pacific Sea Bass with Ginger Saffron Coconut Risotto, Summer Squash, Pancetta, and Sweet Chili Pineapple.  All she could say was Mahalo Jake’s!  

Lovebirds Kelly and Omid!

But the shining moment of the meal was Jake’s famous Aloha Pie.  As we sat down to dinner, a slice of it caught my eye from across the (social distanced) aisle and right then and there I declared by the end of the night that pie would be mine!  Hula Pie originated at Kimo’s in Maui and has since spread to other restaurants across Hawaii and the mainland.  It even makes an appearance at a few restaurants like Jake’s and Sunnyside the shore of Lake Tahoe.  This pie is so famous it comes with its own special pie plate and although it is portioned for sharing, it rarely goes unfinished.  

Hula Pie on its Special Plate!

Hula Pie is made with macadamia nut ice cream stacked high on a scrumptious chocolate cookie crust.  A layer of cool chocolate fudge sits atop the ice cream giving form to this delight.  Whipped cream that is carefully applied to resemble a hula skirt dances at its base before decadent hot chocolate fudge is poured over the top and drizzles to each side.  Finally more toasted macadamia nuts fall and cling to the hot fudge bringing together everything your taste buds need for a vacation.  The tip of the Hula Pie is always pointed towards the “I” on their signature plate because first impressions are everything when it comes to something as serious as dessert.  

Just Hum the Jaws Theme While Looking at This...!

All I can say is A Hui Hou Jake’s (Translation: Till We Meet Again)!

Kat Thomas is the Editor in Chief of Edible Skinny, a site dedicated to making your life postcard worthy. She is also the CEO of the creative media company This Way Adventures. You can find more about both brands at http://www.thiswayadventures.com

California Girls

Carmel-By-The-Sea: the Perfect Socially Distanced Bay Area Day Trip

By Letty Thomas, Edible Skinny

With Covid-19 curtailing a lot of travel plans, the perfect remedy for a Bay Area resident is a day trip to somewhere new.  Last month the four of us (myself, my sister Kathy, and my two daughters Katie and Kelly) planned a trip to Carmel-by-the-Sea or Carmel for short.   

COVID Spies

Located on the central coast of California about 120 miles south of San Francisco in Monterey County – Carmel is a hidden gem.  It is primarily a residential community with a passion for the ocean and the arts.  It was developed after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake when many artists, writers and actors left the city.

Driftwood on the Beach

We packed a picnic lunch and headed down the coast.  It was a two hour drive to the one square mile village.  It was a Saturday so parking at the beach was a bit challenging.  It was a beautiful day, Carmel has a beautiful beach, and apparently lots of beautiful people were enjoying it.  

Sandwich Time

One advantage that aided us on our quest for a parking spot: there are no parking meters in town.  In fact Carmel has some other unique claims.  There are no street lights and no house numbers on any house or business, which also leads to no home mail delivery.  Even stranger is the law making it illegal to wear high heels in town without a permit!

The Whole Gang

Once that ever illusive park spot was secured, we found an ocean view bench to eat our picnic lunch.  The smell of the ocean and sound of the waves breaking was so relaxing.  After eating we decided to go down on the beach.  The sand was soft and wide, with a gently sloping hill leading down to the water.  It's a lovely waterfront and reminds me of the beaches of the east coast.  

Beach Time!

After an hour or so, we decided to go into town and do some shopping before our early dinner.  I must say, it was easier walking down the hill to the water's edge than walking back up.  But made it back up the hill we did.  We retrieved the car from that treasured spot, and headed up the few blocks to town.  

In Carmel there are many cute shops built around fountains and plantings.  We headed to Lula's Chocolates for some of their delicious sea salt caramels.  It has been a family run business since 1945 using the same original recipes.  They are the best caramels I've ever eaten and melt in your mouth.

Lula's Chocolates

We got back in the car and toured around the winding, narrow streets.  The homes each having a unique name (instead of a house number) looked like something out of a Mediterranean travel brochure.  Every yard had blooming flowers, bushes, and trees.

It was time for dinner.  We found our restaurant: Flaherty's Seafood Grill and Oyster Bar.  Due to Covid -19 we ate outside on the sidewalk.  The food was delicious and the atmosphere charming as I felt I was in Europe at a sidewalk cafe.  The local wine complimented the seafood dinner.

Dining at Flaherty's Seafood Grill

After dinner we took one last look at the ocean as the sun was beginning to set.  It was time to head home after a very satisfying day in Carmel.  I highly recommend a visit to this charming village by the sea.

Letty Thomas was born and raised in multiple towns in NJ.  She attended college in Vermont and Connecticut.  She dreamed of working for Vogue or Glamour magazine but her love of salt water and boating got in the way.  She happily managed a yacht club “down the New Jersey shore” for almost 20 years before jumping into the world of beauty and travel writing.  She has two grown daughters that make her smile.

The Ocean Calls, a Two Day Voyage to Pismo Beach, CA

By Kathleen Berry, Edible Skinny

My sister and I are originally from the Jersey shore and although we live in a Bay Area waterfront community it doesn't offer the sights and the sounds of the ocean, any ocean. So after some research we planned a trip to the seaside town of Pismo Beach on the central California coast. Our trip was in early February, not a month with temperatures for swimming, but warm enough to enjoy a few days at the beach, south enough to be slightly warmer than in our hometown of Benicia.

We knew it would be a five hour plus drive so we started our vacation with a mid-trip stop at the Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad along the historic El Camino Real in Soledad. The mission was filled with wonderful displays of items from the different time periods in its past. The pretty courtyard offered a shaded porch perfect for some moments of quiet contemplation and then we were on the road again.

Oh, the sound of the ocean, waves gently breaking, circling gulls calling to each other. Oh, the smell of the salt, sun and sea. And how beautiful - the blue of the water with the afternoon sun sinking over the waves, creating a path of gold. We did our homework right because we could not have picked a nicer hotel with a better location. The SeaCrest Inn is located on a stretch of low cliff above a broad expanse of beach. The ocean view rooms overlook a large lawn area with heated pool, hot tubs, and outdoor seating groups with fire pits to sit around on a chilly night.

The first night we had dinner at Ada's Fish House. The decor was minimalist seashore rustic and the food was delicious. My sister had a lobster roll, rare in our new California hometown, but amazingly on almost every menu in the Pismo area. I had the local fish, sand dabs, prepared Piccata style. The service was great and when we questioned our server about the local area she sent over someone who was happy to suggest places to see and things to do.

The next morning we drove to the south end of town to the Monarch Butterfly Grove. February is the tail end of the monarch season, but there were still some butterflies flitting among the eucalyptus trees. The docents had telescopes set up for viewing of large kaleidoscopes (groups) of butterflies bunched higher up in the very tall trees. We were horrified to learn that the monarch population in that grove had dwindled from 150,000 years ago to just 1,000 this past winter. (Free)

A lazy afternoon was followed by one of the nicest of Pismo traditions – the sunset. Because the arc of Pismo Beach faces west, the sunsets are spectacular as the sun sets into the sea and the sky changes colors from flaming orange to soft pink to pale lavender. A perfect time of day to have a glass of wine, take some pictures, and pick a restaurant for dinner.

Our second dinner was at Rosa's, an Italian restaurant that is decorated in old school Italian style and offers homemade pasta and sauces. The chef studied in Italy and you could tell in every bite. Deliziosa!

The next day we were off to the beach at the SVRA – the State Vehicle Recreational Area. What is that you ask? Well, you can drive your car on the beach! And is it fun! You can drive for five miles within a few feet of the water, passing surfers, horseback riders, ATV rentals, and people camping. You don't have to walk across a wide beach to put your toe in the water, just drive to the water's edge and hop out. ($5.00)

We then took a quick drive to the north to the town of Avila Beach, much smaller than Pismo, but with a sheltered harbor full of boats. We admired the view as we ate lunch at Fat Cat's Cafe. It's a true cafe with a varied menu, good food, and many, many pictures of cats on the walls sent in by past diners/cat owners. There is a long pier with restaurants on the end that you can drive to. I dared to drive on the beach at Pismo, but I was far too timid to drive on the pier at Avila. (The pier at Pismo Beach was currently under renovation so I cannot offer any details.)

Before leaving town the next day we stopped in at Tastes of the Valleys, a wine shop with tastings of their wares so that you can sample a multitude of bottles all from different wineries. It was fun to try some new varietals that I hadn't experienced before. My favorite was a local zinfandel; Pismo Beach is about an hour drive from Paso Robles, a region known for its zinfandels and cabernet sauvignons. Our stop at the wine store evolved into a lunch, as we enjoyed a nice cheese plate with several unusual offerings that paired well with our samples.

It was a great trip with hours spent looking at the ocean and listening to the ocean, enjoying breathtaking sunsets, and seeing and trying new things. We felt like we were far from home even though it was only a five hour drive. We relaxed, we refreshed, we drove home and once again we miss the ocean.

Kathleen Berry is an adventurous senior who loves to travel. She recently moved to the San Francisco Bay area from the Jersey Shore. She has traveled extensively on both shoestring budgets and go-for-broke grand scale. She is fond of cruising and has shipped out on various cruise lines from a variety of ports. She truly believes the way to find the best local food is to always ask a local.

Sex Goes Mainstream at the AVN Novelty Expo at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

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This article is dedicated to my beloved travel writer StepMom Carol Jertson.  We'll see you down the road Sunshine! 

A Pirate’s Life For Me: a Two Day Father/Daughter Getaway to Key Largo, FL

By Kat Thomas, Edible Skinny

Last Year, Edible Skinny was lucky enough to do a father-daughter getaway to the Florida Keys.  For those not in the know, Tony Thomas is the designated pirate of the Thomas Family. Tony aka Skippy adores all things water, boat, and/or boat drink related.  So it was TOTALLY fitting when we slipped away to visit one of the jewels of the Florida Keys: Key Largo!

For the uninitiated, the Florida Keys are an archipelago (aka a group of islands) of 1700 islands in total.  However, most are very small and very few of those are populated.  43 of these islands are connected via 42 separate bridges thus composing this 125 mile chain of Florida fun in the sun.  And the central tourist spot in this geological daisy chain: Key Largo.

The island of Key Largo, at a length of 33 miles, is the largest section of the Keys.  Located at approximately mile marker 100 (the Florida Keys’ mile markers reference their relative location to the number of miles north of Key West).  So if you’re traveling by auto from the North, it’s about a 2.5 hour drive from Miami.

The island gained fame as the setting for the 1948 Humphrey Bogart movie Key Largo, but apart from background filming used for establishing shots, the film was shot in Hollywood, CA.  BTWs, that didn’t stop a budding entrepreneur from buying the boat used in the African Queen, a film made 1951 that also stars Humphrey Bogart, and moving it to Key Largo for evening canal cruises.

Key Largo’s natural claim to fame is that it is the “Diving Capital of the World,” attracting thousands of scuba divers, snorkelers, and sport-fishing enthusiasts every year.  The coral reefs of Key Largo are home to the world's second largest artificial reef, the 510 foot USS Spiegel Grove, the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and the famous Christ of the Abyss underwater statue.

So here’s to life being delicious, all your moments being postcard worthy, and tropical trips with your family’s designated pirate! ;-)

The Bayside Inn Key Largo
We started our adventures by checking into the newly renovated Bayside Inn Key Largo!  Located on a beautiful stretch of the Florida Bay, this 56 room property offers some of the Keys most stunning sunsets from their private beach.  The rooms are decorated “Postmodern Keys Kitsch” and contains in-room refrigerators, microwaves, and coffee makers for families on a budget.  And with a pool, car parking directly onsite, a small 24-hour gym with up-to-date equipment, and free WiFi, this resort offers all the amenities of home.  Also BONUS: hotel provides their guests complimentary use of kayaks and paddle boards allowing them to explore the Florida Bay on the life aquatic level. 

Snooks Bayside Restaurant & Grand Tiki
After checking into our room, Tony and I moseyed over to Snooks Bayside Restaurant & Grand Tiki.  The newly redesigned Snooks offers lunch and dinner.  And the BEST part about Snooks, EVERY seat in the house has an unobstructed waterfront view!  The entire property is set within tropical lush plantings accented by tiki torches.  The new Grand Tiki is illuminated by chandeliers and the 5,000 sq. ft paver patio is surrounded by a Bar ledge that allows you to sit right on the waters edge under their new state of the art misting system.

Tony and I checked out their Happy Hour, which runs from 4pm-6pm everyday.  With offerings of Domestic Bottle Beers for $2.75, Well Drinks and House Wines for $4.50, and Specialty Drinks for $6, these waterside drinks won’t break the blowfish’s bank.  Both Tony and I opted for the Jimmy Buffet classic of a Margarita comprised of Gold Tequila, Lime Juice, Triple Sec, and Sour.  Like a pair of red and green buoys, the tropical libation perfectly compliment the sinking sun.

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Iguanas?  
At the far edge of Snooks Bayside Restaurant is situated the “Iguana Beach,” what the property has named a small grotto ornamented with Adirondack Chairs.  Which gives us a perfect excuse to tell you about the iguana plague of South Florida.

Originally the small iguana population in the Florida Keys were stowaways on ships carrying fruit from South America.  But over the years, more and more iguanas were introduced into the wild, mostly originating through the pet trade.  Some lizards escaped, but more were intentionally released by their owners.  These large lizards (or mini dinosaurs because more than once I spotted one sunning on the highway and thought I had accidentally ended up in Jurassic Park) can grow to be over five feet in length.

Iguanas thrive in Florida because of the state’s subtropical climate, its ever-growing human population (which allows the lizards plenty of food and shelter), and a lack of natural predators.  Unfortunately these mini dinosaurs can do a lot of damage; they dig tunnels that can erode and collapse sidewalks, seawall, and the foundations of homes.  The only thing that stops them from spreading north is the colder weather. 

In colder winters such as 2018, large numbers of iguanas dropped from the trees in which they lived, due to uncommonly cold nights that put them in a state of torpor (a fancy word for physical inactivity) and caused them to lose their grip on the tree branches.  Local media described the phenomenon as a "frozen iguana shower" in which dozens "littered" lawns, parks, and bike paths.  Once daytime temps returned to a standard operating procedure of warmth, the iguanas “woke up” and resumed their normal activities.

The problem is so prevalent that the State Wildlife Commission ruled that homeowners do not need a permit to kill iguana on their own property.  In fact, the Wildlife Commission encourages homeowners to kill green green iguanas on their own property whenever possible.  Iguanas can also be killed year-round and without a permit on 22 public lands in Florida.

The Fish House Restaurant & Seafood Market
A chance encounter with Michelle, manager of The Fish House Restaurant & Seafood Market, during our first cocktail at Snooks brought us to this Key Largo classic.  But it was the simplicity of fresh cooked fish that brought us back for dinner again the second night.

Located at Mile Marker 102.4, this restaurant is CLASSIC Florida Keys; fish so fresh you can taste the Atlantic Ocean.  So we got laid back like the locals do, and dug into their scrumptious conch style cooking.  Decorated with fishing nets and bright colored boat drink lights, you wonder if Jack Sparrow was going to walk through the door at any moment and order a cocktail. 

We started off both our meals with a Caribbean classic: Rum Punch.  This boozy “boat drink” (a cocktail made of bottles of alcohol with boats on them) was concocted with Dark and Light Rum and then mixed with orange, pineapple, and cranberry juices.  It was the perfect way to relax into the crustacean vibes of the restaurant.

The first night we got the most popular dishes on the menu!  Michelle was a doll, and comped us a classic Caribbean appetizer of Fried Conch.  Tenderized Conch meat, cut into stripes, breaded and fried, and served with cocktail sauce.  Can we say Yummm (with 3Ms).  For Tony, The Mantecumbe with Yellowtail (a House Specialty).  Topped with fresh tomatoes, shallots, fresh basil, capers, olive oil, and lemon juice then baked.  I partook in the Hemingway, lightly coated with Italian breadcrumbs and baked, and then topped off with white wine, garlic, and basic cream sauce.  Can we say Yummm (with 3 Ms)!  But don’t take our word for it, The Fish House favorite has been featured on the Food Network with Bobby Flay and Guy Fieri’s Dinners, Drive-In’s, and Dives.

The second night Tone got a whole Fried Yellowtail.  He got to pick out his fish from the seafood case before the brightly colored fish was fried up to perfection.  It was like a carnival midway for your mouth.  I went for the Fish Encore, offering my choice of fish breaded in Japanese breadcrumbs, sautéed, and then finished off in the oven.  The steaming hot platter was then topped with chopped tomatoes, scallions, shredded Parmesan cheese, and key lime butter sauce.  I chose the grouper over the yellowtail snapper.  And once again, I cannot stress enough the freshness of these scaly animals.  You could taste the salty life force in every bite!

Sundiver Snorkel Tours
And after eating fishes the first night, we decided we needed to see them up close a personal on Day Two! We opted for a Sundiver Snorkel Tour in Key Largo which provides daily snorkeling tours to shallow Coral Reefs.  We enjoyed a salty 2.5 hour tour to shallow coral reefs in Key Largo's National Marine Sanctuary.

Their staff was knowledgeable in everything sea worthy!  There was an informative lecture about suntan lotion (the spray type is not good for the coral reefs so you can’t use it when snorkeling) and safety.  After which Tone and I pelican plunged into the water discovering parrot fish, barracudas, and moray eels.  It was a great way to rediscover the undiscovered country of the Atlantic Ocean.  Other Sundiver snorkeling options (but sold out for that day) include John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park which bring swimmers face-to-face with the famed Christ of the Abyss statue, an 8.5-foot-tall replica of the bronze cast of Jesus Christ in the Mediterranean sea, submerged in about 25 feet of water.

Kat Thomas is the Editor in Chief of Edible Skinny, a site dedicated to making your life postcard worthy. She is also the CEO of the creative media company This Way Adventures. You can find more about both brands at http://www.thiswayadventures.com