Hi Everyone! I’m so glad y’all have enjoyed the guest posts. I’d like to take the time to thank them again: La Petite Maison Verte, The Watering Mouth and Syrup and Biscuits! Make sure to check out their blogs for awesome recipes and great ideas.
Vacation started a little early with Glow Yoga at downtown Tampa. It was a free event put together by Lululemon in the Curtis Hixon Park. My friend Allison Grooms, from Yoga Pointe in Lakeland, joined me for a great night of yoga wearing our neon. The weather was great so it really made it a great outdoor yoga experience. If you want to try yoga, Lululemon offers a free class at their Hyde Park store every Saturday. Also, there’s a free yoga class at the Curtis Hixon Park every Sunday hosted by Yoga Downtown.
On Sunday morning after my 5 mile run, I went to my car and noticed a bunch of missed calls. I immediately knew something was wrong, but I never imagined the news would be so bad. My step dad, Bill Henry, died in his sleep unexpectedly while camping with my mom and little brother. I immediately raced home to shower and pack to head to my mom’s house. Loosing a family member is never easy, especially when there are no warning signs. My only solace is that according to my mom, they had a wonderful last day together doing the things they always loved. Bill, thanks for all the laughs and memories. You’ll always live in our hearts and your smile will always be remembered.
While the market is closed and repairs are being made, we headed to Anna Maria Island for a couple of days in the sun. The highlights of the trip were eating at Eat Here, Blue Marlin and The Waterfront Restaurant. All three places met and exceeded our expectations. The dishes and the atmosphere were great. If you are ever on the island, make sure to check these places out.
This was my favorite meal while at Anna Maria. This was the grouper topped with lobster at the Blue Marlin Restaurant on Bridge Street. I am not a big fan of Grouper. I almost always never order it. I grew up eating Red Snapper and Swordfish. So, Grouper has never been a favorite. However, this dish made me understand why so many people in Florida love Grouper. It was so soft, it was like butter in my mouth. It just melted away. Amazing. I asked my husband if we could drive back there for my birthday dinner. It was that good!
I found out there was a morning yoga class on the beach, so I made sure to make it. The weather was beautiful, the class was perfect for a morning stretch. It absolutely met my expectations. The instructor, Onika, was very knowledgeable and talked you through poses for everyone’s levels.
I’ve been wanting to try paddle boarding for a while now, so I jumped at the chance when I noticed they were renting boards right on the beach. I was worried I wouldn’t have the upper body strength to row while standing up. The big surprise was this sport has more to do with balance and lower body. Thanks to my running and yoga classes I was able to stand up and paddle for about 50 minutes without falling in the water. Yes, there were three near misses but I hung in there and stayed on my board. If I lived closer to the water, a paddle board would surely be on my Christmas Wish list.
Only 3 more days to go. We’ll see you soon. P.S. I need produce too! 🙂
