orlandowithoutkids-blog

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Santiago's Bodega

Santiago's Bodega is the perfect place for a date night in the City Beautiful, Orlando. Innovative cuisine in a chic, intimate atmosphere.

If you are looking for a date night in Orlando, look no further than Santiago’s Bodega in Altamonte Springs Florida. The atmosphere is cozy and intimate, yet vibrant at the same time with lush red velvet booths and intricate lighting fixtures. The cuisine is tapas with a twist. Santiago’s offers small plates so you can share- or not. The plates range from the fairly usual fare done deliciously to…

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When people come to Central Florida, Daytona, Cocoa and New Smyrna Beaches get all the attention.  Those beaches are world famous.   They’re fun and wonderful, certainly worth visiting, but there’s a hidden gem that most people don’t know about, Melbourne Beach.  It’s about a two hour drive south of Orlando, and well worth the visit.  If you like quiet, unspoiled natural beaches that aren’t crowded, head to Melbourne.  There’s always a peaceful spot of beach waiting just for you with very few people around.  Melbourne is quiet and friendly.  One the best things about going to the beach in Melbourne is that I can leave my umbrella, chair, cooler and even car keys and take a walk on the beach.  Nobody will bother my things.  Try doing that at the other beaches.

Most of the beaches are semi-private, meaning that locals hang out there.  You’ll see retirees fishing, couples walking down the beach, surfers, yes, families with kids, but no crowds.  There’s lots of space on the beaches so you can place your chairs away from everyone else, if you want peace and quiet.  You’ll never have to eek out a tiny space on the beach next to somebody you potentially don’t want to be near.

There are lots of fun restaurants in Melbourne if you want to find something delicious.  We like Skewers, a Middle Eastern restaurant complete with belly dancers, Bizzaro’s Pizza, on the Indiatlantic Boardwalk, which offers excellent gluten free pizza, and the New England Eatery.  The Eatery, as locals call it, is a local hang out.  Nothing fancy, just great seafood.  If you want something more upscale, head further South to Vero Beach and hit Cobalt at the Vero Beach Hotel which is right on the ocean.  They have a fabulous happy hour that offers small plates and specially priced drinks.

My parents and my sister and her family have lived in Melbourne Beach for years, and I have fallen in love with the town and the beaches.  Jim and I have spent many weekends in Melbourne Beach and it is one of my favorite places.   There’s lots to love about Melbourne Beach.  Pack your swim suit, sundress and a cooler and head South!

  Photos courtesy of Jennifer and Brad Helin, my sister and brother-in-law who live work and play in Melbourne Beach.

  Melbourne Beach When people come to Central Florida, Daytona, Cocoa and New Smyrna Beaches get all the attention.  Those beaches are world famous.  

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If you like wine, Pierre’s Wine Cellar is a hidden gem in downtown Lake Mary, a small suburb of Orlando, Florida.  Pierre’s is owned by Olivier and Marie Uteschill.  They are a delightful couple from France who are have spent many years in the wine and food industry.  Olivier grew up in the family vineyard in Provence overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and is a graduate of the School of Hospitality in Nice.  He managed a French Hotel and cooking school is Minnesota before moving here to Florida and opening Pierre’s.  Both he and Marie are knowledgeable about all the wines they sell, as well as food and wine pairings.  Marie and Olivier can always fine a wine that is just right for you to serve at any occasion.

Pierre’s has twice been voted the best wine store in Orlando, and it’s no surprise why.  They offer a large selection of wines and take pride in finding just the right wine for each customer.  They offer a guarantee that if you buy a wine that you do not like, you can return it.  I must say, however, that I have never returned any bottle of wine to Pierre’s.  I have enjoyed each bottle I have bought from Marie and Olivier for the last 2 and a half years.

The best part of Pierre’s is that every Thursday, Marie and Olivier offer wine and food tastings.  They serve five wines as well as culinary delights.  Olivier usually makes a dish such as chicken and potatoes or pasta, and that is served with bread, sometimes cheese and salads.  No matter what Olivier makes, it’s always good.  He can even make simple chicken taste like a gourmet experience.  There is a group of regular customers who gather at Pierre’s every Thursday and some contribute cheese, salads, or a desert.  At Thanksgiving, Olivier and Marie fried 3 turkeys and all the regulars brought a dish to pass.

Pierre’s has become my regular Thursday hang out, and I buy all my wine there.  Come and join us!

Pierre’s Wine Cellar If you like wine, Pierre's Wine Cellar is a hidden gem in downtown Lake Mary, a small suburb of Orlando, Florida. 

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Universal City Walk is one of our favorite places to walk around and have dinner.  There is a good choice of restaurants including sushi, Italian, pizza, Mexican, an Emeril’s, a Hard Rock Café, and a Bubba Gump’s.   Our favorite restaurant at City Walk is Bubba Gump’s.  I love seafood, and the shrimp at Bubba Gump’s is delicious.  I love to get the large portion of the appetizer shrimp for my entrée.  You can get a bucket of shrimp steamed in beer with Cajun seasoning or garlic butter.  I like to do half and half.  My husband, Jim, loves the shrimp mac and cheese.

After dinner, we like to walk around and have a drink at one of many bars including Fat Tuesdays.  We also like the shows.  We have seen a couple comics, including Carlos Mencia, at City Walk.  We also saw the Blue Man Group show.  I have taught various music courses, s I love Blue Man Group.  Their show is an unconventional, unique, goofy, silly, wonderful artistic mess of a spectacle.  Don’t expect anything usual.  Don’t expect anything traditional.  It’s bizarre.  The look of the blue men, their PVC pipe instruments, the swirling paint, and the drumming with wet paint.  The Blue Men are strange and stranger,  weird and weirder.  I loved the percussion, and the party atmosphere of the show.

Besides the eats and Blue Man Group, there are always a variety of visiting shows ranging from comics to bands to check out.  If you like to go clubbing, there are plenty of clubs to dance the night away, plus there is always the movie theater. Whether you want to go to dinner, see a show like Blue Man Group, go clubbing or just bar hop, Universal City Walk is always a fun night out.  Enjoy!

    Universal City Walk Universal City Walk is one of our favorite places to walk around and have dinner.  There is a good choice of restaurants including sushi, Italian, pizza, Mexican, an Emeril's, a Hard Rock Café, and a Bubba Gump's.