Thursday, September 18, 2008
Restaurant: Mamma Mia Gelateria in Jacksonville
Mama Mia Gelateria is a cute, quaint little cafe right on the main strip in Jacksonville, OR. I love icecream, so that was what drew me in on a hot weekend of wine tasting. They serve italian gelato, sorbeto, granita and other yummy food. One problem with the icecream was the fact that I did know what all the names meant. If you visit this place be sure to ask for samples so you can know exactly what you are getting. I ordered the berry one and it was really good, but a lot of seeds. Nice little stop when visiting or driving through.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Events: Seafood and Wine in Newport
Last weekend, I went to the 31st Annual Seafood and Wine Festival in Newport, OR. This is an event where wine makers from all over the state come to have people sample their wine. You can either buy your tickets at the door or online. I bought mine online and bought the version with the wine glass. If you do not buy the ticket with the glass, then you need to bring your own or buy one at the event.
I recommend going to the event early for two reasons: parking and don't have to wait so long. We showed up an hour early and found free parking. Even though we had to wait in line in the cold, you meet some great people while you are waiting. We got lucky with the weather and didn't get rained on. I would recommend going on Saturday because that is the busiest day and the most entertaining. There are two lines for the different types of tickets. One line for the e-tickets and another for those who still need to buy. The e-ticket line was much shorter and I recommend buying it online. Make sure that if you do, you print out the ticket with the barcode. A couple people had that problem, but were still able to get in. Unfortunately, there were more people dedicated to the ticket sales then the e-tickets and that lined moved much faster than ours, but I'm sure they are going to fix that next year.
When you get inside, go get your glass if you bought one and then start searching for wineries that you are interested in trying wine. For a taste, the cost is anywhere from $.50 to $2.00. Most are $1.00. If you want a glass, it is $3.00 for most unless you want a specialty drink. I had a Pinot Gris with Arizona Tea for $5.00. It was pretty good. There is also all types of food throughout the tent, including tons of seafood. You basically just drink, eat and socialize. It's good to bring a lot of friends to this event. Some people even go all out and create their own matching shirts to where. My favorite saying is "I got Merloaded at Seafood and Wine."
Things to notice. If you drop your glass or hear someone drop theirs, the whole crowd will recognize this and cheer. You usually don't want to be the first, so hold on tight. They also have entertainment in the crowd which is great for photo opportunities. Be sure to bring your camera. Also, go slow on the wine. It opens at 10am and closes at 6pm. That's a long day of drinking and if the event security feels if you are too intoxicated or you are getting out of control, they will kick you out. I saw some people get booted. Good to know. I ended up staying from 10am until 3pm. I was wined out by that point. You can only try so many different kinds.
Overall, this is a great event. Things I learned that I will do differently next year is to bring a group of people and smaller bills. At the beginning, some places couldn't break $20s because they didn't have enough ones.
http://www.seafoodandwine.com/
I recommend going to the event early for two reasons: parking and don't have to wait so long. We showed up an hour early and found free parking. Even though we had to wait in line in the cold, you meet some great people while you are waiting. We got lucky with the weather and didn't get rained on. I would recommend going on Saturday because that is the busiest day and the most entertaining. There are two lines for the different types of tickets. One line for the e-tickets and another for those who still need to buy. The e-ticket line was much shorter and I recommend buying it online. Make sure that if you do, you print out the ticket with the barcode. A couple people had that problem, but were still able to get in. Unfortunately, there were more people dedicated to the ticket sales then the e-tickets and that lined moved much faster than ours, but I'm sure they are going to fix that next year.
When you get inside, go get your glass if you bought one and then start searching for wineries that you are interested in trying wine. For a taste, the cost is anywhere from $.50 to $2.00. Most are $1.00. If you want a glass, it is $3.00 for most unless you want a specialty drink. I had a Pinot Gris with Arizona Tea for $5.00. It was pretty good. There is also all types of food throughout the tent, including tons of seafood. You basically just drink, eat and socialize. It's good to bring a lot of friends to this event. Some people even go all out and create their own matching shirts to where. My favorite saying is "I got Merloaded at Seafood and Wine."
Things to notice. If you drop your glass or hear someone drop theirs, the whole crowd will recognize this and cheer. You usually don't want to be the first, so hold on tight. They also have entertainment in the crowd which is great for photo opportunities. Be sure to bring your camera. Also, go slow on the wine. It opens at 10am and closes at 6pm. That's a long day of drinking and if the event security feels if you are too intoxicated or you are getting out of control, they will kick you out. I saw some people get booted. Good to know. I ended up staying from 10am until 3pm. I was wined out by that point. You can only try so many different kinds.
Overall, this is a great event. Things I learned that I will do differently next year is to bring a group of people and smaller bills. At the beginning, some places couldn't break $20s because they didn't have enough ones.
http://www.seafoodandwine.com/
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Night Life: Cricketers Arms Pub in Orlando
I went and had a few good beers at the Cricketers Arms Pub. Warning: this place has recently moved and not all the cab drivers are aware of this. Make sure you know the whereabouts before you get started on the trip. This bar has a very laid back and chill atmosphere with a live band at nights. I would recommend.
http://www.cricketersarmspub.com/
http://www.cricketersarmspub.com/
Restaurant: Everglades Restaurant in Orlando
On February 14th, I had dinner with some vendors at the Everglades Restaurant in Orlando, Florida. This restaurant had the whole everglades theme going on with animals on murals and specialty dishes. At this restaurant, you can get alligator soup, which is similar to clam chowder, minus it has alligator instead of clam. I was definitely not brave enough to try this. The service was a little on the slow side, but if you have people to entertain and several courses, this works out fine. The mushroom appetizer was delicious and I would recommend this dish. At the end of the dinner, the restaurant provided each lady with a rose for Valentine's Day. Overall, I would rate this restaurant a four out of five.
http://www.evergladesrestaurant.com/
http://www.evergladesrestaurant.com/
Lodging: Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando
I just spent four nights in the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Florida for the International Builders Show. The hotel is a large facility located within walking distance of the convention center. The rooms were very nice and clean. The downside is that you have to pay for the gym and the bar closes at midnight, which is a little early for people who are out socializing. There is also no wireless in the hotel, but they have wi-fi hotspots. Overall, I would rate this hotel a four out of five.
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