Jackson Mississippi restaurant 1908 Provisions

I ate dinner here, because I was a guest in the hotel, and was taking a licensing exam the next morning. Apparently the bartender had called in, so the older gentleman, Willie, who is normally a server, had to do double duty. I thought with the help of other staff members, he did a great job. I started with the shrimp and redfish ceviche. The redfish could have been a bit more tender, and the dish was extremely cilantro forward. Lucky for me, I don't have that anti-cilantro gene. I ate every bite, regardless.

For me entrée, once again, I opted for redfish. It was served over stone ground grits, the thicker kind, and fresh green beans. Again, I ate nearly every bite on the plate. The fish was fresh, and was seasoned and cooked perfectly. The green beans were crisp like they should be, but maybe just a bit oily. I ordered the flourless chocolate cake for dessert, which was the only disappointment. The cake had very little flavor, and was way too sweet. The addition of caramel sauce and whipped cream only added to the sweetness. Over all, I loved the ambiance, and I think this is a contender for one of the best restaurants in town with a little more attention to details.

Jackson Mississippi's best hotel, The Fairview Inn

I booked this hotel because I had a licensing exam a couple of miles away the next morning and I wanted something to look forward to. I booked it online through my usual booking service. I called a few days before my reservation because I realized I had been assigned one of the only rooms without a tub. When I called, I was told I had been upgraded to the Asian suite. I was thrilled. When I arrived, I had actually been upgraded to the Spanish Suite, even better.

This hotel is walking distance from where I went to college. It screams out Southern charm and grace. When you check in, they don't just take your credit card and hand you a key, they show you to your room, and give you a tour along the way. I LOVE it. One of my favorite features of the hotel is the guest pantry. It features a huge Keurig, with every flavor of coffee and tea you could imagine. Did I mention there is also a Keurig in every room? The pantry also has complimentary bottled water, as well as sodas, cookies, and cake. What a brilliant touch. How refreshing, after being charged 5.00 for 2 bottles of water I consumed in a hotel in North Carolina last month.

My room was like something out of a movie. I wish I could have stayed all weekend. In fact, when I inquired about extending my stay, I found that they were booked. However, when I was eating lunch in the bar, the receptionist found me and said they had something open up. What service! Sadly, I had already booked a non-refundable room somewhere else. The bathroom was HUGE, and I loved the giant Jacuzzi with jets. I had a fireplace with gas logs, which operates with a remote. There was also a separate sitting area that overlooked the garden.

I love the fact that breakfast is ordered from a menu, and served instead of buffet style. I had eggs benedict, which were just perfect. Service was fast, thankfully, since I had to check in at the testing center by 8:30. I booked a massage at Nomi spa downstairs, which was heavenly. Then I had lunch in the Library Lounge which consisted of 2, delicious, local catfish tacos with grilled vegetables. I'm already trying to justify a return trip to the Fairview, but with a cruise coming up in a couple of weeks, I guess I should slow down. This was a luxury and a treat I will never forget. Thank you to all of the staff for making my stay so relaxing and memorable. Can I just move in, please?

Barcelona

Barcelona harbor from the ferry. I was sad to be leaving.

Tapa Tapa Maremagnum salad sampler. This is the location that overlooks the harbor. There's another one in town.

The Gaudi House

la placa de Cataluna

Barcelona, one of my favorite cities in the world. I didn't make it to Barcelona the first summer I spent in Spain, in 2015. I always regretted that I didn't see more of Spain that summer, and promised myself I would make up for it. I decided to make Barcelona my last stop in Spain, and use the port there as a means to get to Italy. I took a Grimaldi ferry from Barcelona to Citavecchia, and I'll review that experience in a later post. 

I highly recommend the hop-on-hop-off buss in Barcelona. It's rather reasonable, I believe about $26 per day, or 2 days for $40, which is the better option. I spend two nights there, and didn't get to see half of the things on my list, so I will be going back. Most regrettably, la Sagrada Familia was sold out for the day, and I was foolish to wait until my last day to see that world class cathedral. My bad, and another excuse for going back. 

Hotel Alameda Palace, Salamanca Spain

I booked this lovely hotel a few days in advance. It was my first time in Salamanca. The photos online looked beautiful, and I must say, we were not disappointed. The lobby and the hallways give one the feeling of being in an exclusive, much more high-priced hotel. The bathroom in the room was my favorite feature of the room. However, the shower was actually too high tech for my friend and me. We felt like we needed instructions on how to operate it. Another minor annoyance was that the light in the bathroom would randomly turn off while I was in it. http://www.hotelalamedapalace.com/

The hotel was easy to find. It was a 3 minute walk from the train station, and I believe we only had to make one turn.

Front of the hotel. I had a terrible cold, but tried to push through and enjoy the beautiful city.

Experience of a Lifetime!

Yesterday, my sister-in-law and I zipped the gulf. I can't WAIT to do it again! Our guides, Pat and Edward were funny, warm, but serious enough about safety that I never once felt insecure. There was a little boy, about 12 who cried hysterically on the first zip, and didn't want to continue. By the end of the trip, he was laughing, smiling, and talking about how "cool" it was to zip. It takes about a half hour of getting on your gear, listening to the safety rules, and there's a small line on which you have the opportunity to learn how to brake. Make sure to get your "I survived the Hummingbird Zipline" t-shirt in the gift shop afterwards.http://www.gulfadventurecenter.com/hummingbird-ziplines/

Coastal Waters Inn, New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Two thumbs up! I had to temporarily move out of my house, due to mold issues. Funny, I'd been wanting a mini vacation on the beach all summer. Coastal Waters was the only small hotel in the area, that actually answered their phone, otherwise, I would have stayed elsewhere. I'm glad they did. For value, location and convenience, I rate this hotel very highly. The staff was friendly, except for the one time I locked myself out of the room. The on call person was clearly put out. Also, there was no maid service my last day there. I attribute that to the fact that I kept changing my mind about staying. I originally was going to stay one night. I ended up staying 4. I'm told I'll have to move out during remodeling. I WILL, be going back to Coastal Waters Inn.: September 2011, traveled solo

Original Oyster House stays true to its roots

The view from my seat

I couldn't do it. I couldn't NOT visit the Original Oyster House in Gulf Shores. Not only could I NOT visit this restaurant, I did it twice.

The first visit was on a Saturday afternoon at around 2:30 PM. I had just taken a stroll through the Little Zoo That Could, across the street. While I've never had a problem dining alone at a restaurant, I've never dined alone at THIS restaurant. I remembered they have a few barstools, and that if I were lucky, I could grab one and have some lunch.

My favorite dining area is the big room that overlooks a canal, but it's really for larger parties. There's also a place in back where you can feed the fish. The restaurant is part of the Boardwalk, where there are a few locally owned shops, and now, a high end candy store. It's a fun couple of hours for any age.

I have something to confess: no matter how outdated the concept, I'm still a sucker for a good salad bar. The salad bar at the Original Oyster House is one of my all time favorites. 

One of the things I love about the salad bar is that it hasn't changed in years. They still have pickled okra, homemade croutons, homemade sourdough rolls, homemade salad dressings, and the vegetables are always fresh.

Whole boiled eggs, cubed ham, peas, and beautiful white mushrooms make this salad bar an A+ experience

I came in on this particular Saturday with the intention of having only the salad bar. However, my walk through the zoo and the enticing aroma inside the restaurant weakened my resolve. I can't understand how a seafood restaurant can create such intoxicating aromas.

My mom always says that if you're going to eat fried food it had better be worth every single calorie and fat gram. She also says that if you're going to eat fried food in the Gulf Shores Orange Beach area, go to the Original Oyster House. I agree with my mother on both of these counts. That said, I ordered two items from their "you pickem" menu. 

I had fried oysters and baked stuffed crab. I have always loved their crab stuffing, which thankfully has not changed either. All entrées come with two sides but I only ordered one side and substituted the salad bar for one, for an extra $2.50. From my side I had turnip greens. The staff makes no secret of the fact that these greens are canned, (which I usually hate), but somehow, they make them delicious. 

Hush Puppies are served with all entrées. The Hush Puppies here are some of my all-time favorites. I have never been disappointed in them. I'm also a huge fan of tartar sauce, which is made in house. This dish was $10.95 on their lunch menu.

fried oysters, stuffed crab and hush puppies

Do you see that plate of food? Well I made it disappear in less than 10 min. My only consolation is that I was able to resist the key lime pie which they are famous for.

I returned for lunch the following Monday. One of the other items they're famous for is their seafood gumbo. I had the gumbo and salad bar, for $7.50. Their gumbo is just perfect, in my opinion, but I do add quite a bit of hot sauce. You can purchase various sizes of gumbo and key lime pie from a reach in refrigerator located in between the restaurant and adjacent gift shop.

I know this place is a tourist trap, that it's corporate owned, and so forth. The bottom line is, I don't care. I love this place. I always have and always will. They still have my favorite gumbo, my favorite salad bar, and my favorite fried seafood in the Gulf area.

On the rare occasions I've been in the area and not visited this restaurant, I felt like I was never even on vacation.

I haven't mentioned service because services never been an issue here. Even with the huge crowds, they seem to keep things moving along without making you feel rushed. If you're going to run a successful, high-volume seafood restaurant, you may want to start studying the blueprint created by The Original Oyster 
House. 

Clink on the link below, for hours and location:
http://www.theoysterhouse.com/

Cosmos Orange Beach - Overrated and Over priced

The First Visit - Friday, August 10, 2012

I went to Cosmos tonight with the intention of having dinner with my little dog. Cosmos is dog friendly, and as a repeat customer, I know the quality of their food and service is superior. However, I arrived during a rush, so instead of waiting an hour and a half for a table, I opted to sit at the outdoor bar. 

It seems that Cosmos is notorious for over quoting wait times. After reading several reviews, I realize this is a pattern. Then I had to wonder why they would engage in such a practice. I have a couple of theories:

1. They turn a huge profit with their bar sales of patrons waiting to be seated.

2. They're hoping that if their patrons are drunk, they won't realize how mediocre the food and service really are.

When I first arrived, the bar was slammed, and the bar staff was clearly overwhelmed. As one who tended bar many years ago, I understand the stress that comes with working at a successful establishment can be overwhelming. That said, there is an acceptable way to deal with this type of overload. 

The female bartender, Terri, was obviously at a breaking point, while Scott remained calm and gracious. Although I tend to have more patience with bartenders that the average customer, I did hear several remarks from other patrons such as, "Boy she' s snappy" , or "Wow, I thought I asked nicely." The cardinal rule of the deep south is HOSPITALITY. 

I ordered 2 glasses of higher priced wine, and paid by the glass. I also tipped 30-40 % each time. I ordered the savory cheese cake from the limited bar menu. As it was VERY rich, I couldn't eat but about half of it. When I asked Terri for a go box, she said they didn't have any and usually their bar patrons finished their food. 

Savory/pimento cheesecake

Come on! This is a full service restaurant, that was just decorated with Wine Spectator's highest award in the Orange Beach area! You can't send a server inside to get a to go box? Saying NO so emphatically to a customer defies every rule of customer service. I still plan to return on a slower night in order to get the full service experience. 

Gee, this review sounds very familiar:

“Unfriendly”

Reviewed July 1, 2012 via mobile

The 2 women bartenders at the outside bar were unfriendly & they weren't that overrun. We got the feeling they were pissed anyone was there & if they ignored you maybe you would go away. My husband & ordered a couple of beers. We asked if we could see a menu, she plopped a plastic stand in front of us & said this is all you can get here. No offer of drink menu. We ordered crab claws to eat while we waited on our table. They brought them, didn't ask if we wanted anything else to drink & didn't offer any napkins. We ate the crab claws, which were good. But we left money for our bill & left & went to Docs. Neither of them looked up as we left. 

The return visit - Monday, August 13, 2012

I returned to Cosmos on what I thought would be a slower night, Monday. I couldn't have been more wrong. Though I did arrive later than on my earlier visit, the parking situation was out of control. I had to park on the side of a busy highway.

I checked in with the hostess upon arrival and was quoted in an hour to an hour and a half wait time for an outdoor table. I sat at the outdoor bar with my dog again. Fortunately, Terri had the night off and I was attended by a tall, good-looking young man who seemed to have a lot of knowledge of the restaurant business.

I ordered a glass of Rodney Strong Chardonnay, ($11 per glass). Upon tasting this wine, I wasn't convinced that it was what I had ordered. However, I drank it anyway. When a different bartender brought my check for $4.50, I didn't contest the discrepancy. I'm disgustingly honest about these kinds of matters, but I wasn't thoroughly convinced that I didn't have the house wine, which is priced at $4.50, so I kept my mouth shut. 

In actuality I only waited about 45 min. from my table. There is live music at this restaurant every night. As a musician and music teacher, I enjoyed the artists on both visits. At least the entertainment quality is consistent.

My server was a cute young girl, who seemed a little flustered.
I already knew that I wanted the sea bass wrapped in a banana leaf. This dish comes with a salad, which consisted of chopped romaine lettuce, and one solitary grape tomato. All of their dressings are homemade. I was a little put out when the couple sitting next to me was offered bleu cheese crumbles on top of their salad. That would've been a nice touch, but it wasn't offered to me.

The sea bass also comes with house rice and mixed vegetables. I asked if I could substitute the side of asparagus for the rice. I was assured this would not be a problem. When my entrée arrived, there was rice on my plate and no asparagus. I immediately pointed out this mistake to my server. She apologized and returned with the most pitiful excuse for asparagus I have ever laid eyes on in my life.

As God and the couple sitting next to me as my witnesses, she had brought me a plate of canned asparagus, with two fresh asparagus stalks sitting on top. I was insulted beyond what I am able to articulate. I didn't articulate my disappointment, because I was still trying to determine what the vegetables had once been before they were annihilated. The vegetables were an  unrecognizable pile of mush. To say they were inedible, is a gross understatement.

The couple sitting next to me had struck up a conversation. We were laughing about the pitiful vegetables and asparagus. I remarked that at least the service was better than what I have experienced a few nights earlier. Soon after I made this statement, the server brought my check. I looked at it and couldn't help laughing out loud. She had brought me the wrong check. It was for twice the amount I expected, and clearly for two dinner guests not one.

So basically, I paid $30.00 for 8 ounces of sea bass. For half of this amount, I could've made this dish at home and had a beautiful salad and beautiful side dishes to go with it.

I believe this restaurant is taking its success and its customers for granted. If they don't get it together, I predict the next time I visit Orange Beach I won't have such a difficult time finding a parking spot. Did I just admit that I would go back? I might go and have a drink outside for the mere fact that I can take my dog and they have a great wine selection.

Will I have dinner at this restaurant are my next visit? I absolutely will not. On the first visit in which I gave up waiting for a table, I visited a new locally owned restaurant closer to our condo, called Zen. The service and food I experienced at Zen was far beyond my Cosmos experience. I plan to write a detailed review about this restaurant in the near future.

I'm so mad at myself for wasting my last night and the last chunk of my budget at Cosmos. I'm told you can take your dog to Shipp's Harbor Grill. My longtime favorite restaurant in the area is Louisiana Lagniappe. I also love Cobalt. 

I would never be so arrogant as to tell someone not to visit any restaurant. Maybe you'll have a different experience. If you do visit Cosmos, I would love some feedback on your experience. You may comment on this review anonymously. 

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