Gasparilla Island

tonyb

Had a chance to visit this place over last weekend. What a beautiful place. Think I emptied the island of all their Grouper too. Told me not to come back. Also had some Grouper ceviche at that joint near the end of the island on the beach, fantastic. If any of you find yourself in the vicinity, worth a stop.

Wife had some business to do in Tampa/St. Pete area, so I just tagged along to visit friends and my daughter Jamie in Clearwater. Which btw....she runs NY Cab company so if your in need of one, tell her your friends with her pops. May charge you double, I dunno. lol.

Nice break from the winter blahs up here anyway.

Msabot1

Grouper is a fine eatin fish...and a gas to catch too....

hochpt21

Nice little trip Tony. Wish I coulda been there with you. Getting tired of the cold.

jflail2

Smart man. I try to travel south for work in the winter, and north in the summer. "Do you want to go to Boston to visit clients?" Helllllll no. "Do you want to go to Dallas to visit clients?" Hellllll yes.

tonyb

jflail2 wrote: »

Smart man. I try to travel south for work in the winter, and north in the summer. "Do you want to go to Boston to visit clients?" Helllllll no. "Do you want to go to Dallas to visit clients?" Hellllll yes.

lol...exactly. Though sometimes unavoidable.....Atlanta in the summer, heck no. L.A. in the winter, yeah baby. My wife tries to work it that way but sometimes the cookie doesn't crumble on her behalf.

Boston....I'd say pick me up on the way back to the airport, I'll be in the Italian section eating my way down the street.

Actually my wife hates the travel part. When she's away her work back here piles up and it's a huge strain to keep up. Just in 2 business days she was away, her emails alone piled up to over 300.

Anyway, I could easily live on Gasparilla Island, with someone elses money. Found a fresh fish joint just down the street from the island on the way out. Bought some Grouper and Tuna to take back and make dinner with. Don't know what it is exactly, but something about the ocean and a beach that draws us to it. Like a primordial calling of sorts. I think she sometimes gets a tad miffed at me too. While she's working, Tony is out playing. Though we do make time for both of us to play.

Wife- "I have meetings all day, why don't you go do something ?"
Me- OK, call me when your done, give me a half an hour leeway.
Wife- " Why, what are you thinking of doing ?"
Me- I dunno, maybe head to the beach, relieve this place of any Grouper.
Wife- "GRRRRR..."
ME- What ? I might just rent a jetski instead for a few hours and tour the coast a bit.
Wife- double "GRRRR...".
Me- OH, I suppose I should just grab a bag of popcorn and feed the seagulls ?
Wife- "That would make me feel much better.

So I go to the beach, slap down some cold one's, eat as much Grouper as I can....then the wife calls....

I'm done....pick me up and lets go to the beach.
OK, let me get these Seagulls off my back and I'll be right there...and I'm starvin'. lol

voltz

sounded awesome Tony... We have a Cajun restaurant the serves the Grouper on a bed of rice with some sauce and fixins like corn fritters that is a must have.

Sami

That's what I miss here in the Tampa area, Cajun restaurants. Not too many around here and no Pappadeux...

tonyb

Pappadeux ? We have a few here in Chicago, not bad. One of the few places here you can get crawfish. Had a Grouper Rueben which was excellent with corn muffins at some place called Romba....think that was Clearwater. Next to Chilean Sea Bass, Grouper has to be one of my top 5 eatin' fishes. You know the old saying...."If it can swim in water, it can swim in butter".

Mikey081057

There's a local joint down here in Matlacha (pronounced Matt Lashay) that serves a 1 lb. grouper sandwich which is fresh and AWESOME.

I think it's 10.99 ... yeah the seafood is great in Florida... you gotta get some Snook too... just incredible...

The other nite it was supposed to get real cold here like 37, but i see it only hit 47.... but 130 miles north of here by Sami it think it did dip to like 40... but it was 80 here today and I got a little sunburn sitting out by the pool... no big deal. Don't know why I didn't come here 20 years ago... Tony B GTFO of Chicago... when your ready I will give you a tour of Fort Myers area... Just be ready to move once you get here. BTW people are actually nice here.... In NJ i used to run into at least 1 **** hole per day and I have not run into one in 2 months here.

Mikey081057

BTW the best Steakhouse in the country is in Tampa. It is call Bern's. The wine cellar is IN****CREDIBLE. I've been to Morton's, Gene & Georgetti, Smith and Wollenski Peter Lugers, Gallaghers Ruths Chris The Chop House Pappas Bros and The Big Texan....

Check it out:

http://www.bernssteakhouse.com/

The steaks are the "Best of Prime". Sami did you get there yet? Not cheap but nothing great is.

txcoastal1

[quote="tonyb;2115107 Next to Chilean Sea Bass, Grouper has to be one of my top 5 eatin' fishes. You know the old saying...."If it can swim in water, it can swim in butter".[/quote]

bingo and bingo.... Glad u had a nice thaw

As for Pappadeaux's you always walk out with a full belly

Since the Pappas family is from and the restaurants originated from here is Houston and pretty good friends of the family I've enjoyed the food for the last couple of decades

tonyb

Mikey081057 wrote: »

There's a local joint down here in Matlacha (pronounced Matt Lashay) that serves a 1 lb. grouper sandwich which is fresh and AWESOME.

I think it's 10.99 ... yeah the seafood is great in Florida... you gotta get some Snook too... just incredible...

The other nite it was supposed to get real cold here like 37, but i see it only hit 47.... but 130 miles north of here by Sami it think it did dip to like 40... but it was 80 here today and I got a little sunburn sitting out by the pool... no big deal. Don't know why I didn't come here 20 years ago... Tony B GTFO of Chicago... when your ready I will give you a tour of Fort Myers area... Just be ready to move once you get here. BTW people are actually nice here.... In NJ i used to run into at least 1 **** hole per day and I have not run into one in 2 months here.

Oh I hear ya bro. It won't be too long before I wave good by to this crappy state. It's nearly impossible to retire here.

The wife isn't too fond of Florida. Reminds her of the Caribbean islands....nice along the coast but go inland a few miles and your in the ****. Some places only a few blocks,lol. There are a few exceptions though. Now California...mid to north would be my first choice but holly molly is it expensive anywhere close to the water. Maybe I'll buy the joint next to Steve and when the big one hits Cali, I'll have beach front property.

Your right too, people are nicer down south. One thing I've noticed in all my trips to Florida is that there seems to be a....gang if you will, of seniors who watch out for all the other seniors. They watch the houses of the snow birds, even help with maintenance while they're gone. Take each other to doctors, grocery shopping, etc. All walks of life too, what your social status was prior to retirement means diddly squat. I really dig that. People just generally concerned for one another.

Which begs to question....were they a P.O.S. prior to retirement, or were they always like that ? You know what I'm sayin ? Why can't we be like that in our younger years too. We all too busy ? Too busy to care ? Maybe so, I dunno....all I know is I like what I see in the south and many of us Northerners could take a lesson or 2 from them.

I'll keep that steak joint in my back pocket pal, thanks for the tip.

Sami

I have been to Bern's but I wasn't too impressed with their stakes. I believe I had the 20oz chateaubriand which was good but for $87 I guess I was expecting more. Wife had chicken (I know, no need to say anything) and wasn't impressed either but went later with work group and now swears by filet mignon medium rare while previously she has ordered medium well or at least medium (again no need to say anything). For steaks I tend to prefer Texas de Brazil as their filet is just as good and it's all-you-can-eat. The best filet I have EVER had was in Rio de Janeiro and the second best was a reindeer filet back in Finland. Both served with an incredible red wine peppercorn sauce on top.

I still need to try J. Alexander's and Charley's.

[Deleted User]

I will definitely check out that island the next time I head out there. Hopefully, one day, I could call Siesta Keys my home.

Actually stayed in Ft Meyers for about a week and was supposed to meet a local polkie out there but plans change. I enjoyed the seafood and all the mango varieties.

Halen