Beach Blog #10

     It took us awhile, but we finally found a crowd along this section of Florida called 30A. Everyone's at Seaside Beach. We had to drive through Alys Beach, Watercolor Beach,  and Seagrove Beach, but we found a crowd, albeit a small crowd.

Seaside Beach, FL

     It may sound like quite a drive, but the truth is, this area's lined up with quaint beach communities. So in truth, it was about a 10-minute drive. And the only reason it took that long is because the speed limit's 25-35 mph and I don't speed. The drivers behind me hate me.
     If you've been following our blogs and I hope you have, I've noted more than once how deserted this area is. Of course, it is February. But still, I guess I/we expected more people. We're definitely not complaining.
      Maybe it was because it's the weekend or maybe because this area's a little older than the others, but Seaside's jam packed with visual and gastro stimuli.

Seaside Beach, FL

          We headed this way because we passed through yesterday and thought we'd return. Just 24 hours ago, it was kind of deserted like the rest of the area. But not today. We had to be on high alert. Cross walks are everywhere and every thing moving, except a real vehicle, has the right of way.
     We lunched at a place called Meltdown on 30A. Every item's a variation of the classic grilled cheese. But in this case, only the Mini Meltdown for children came with American cheese. There was bleu cheese infused brie, goat cheese, gouda, gruyere.

Cuban McConnell @ Meltdown 30A

          Mine was the Cuban McDonnell. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a genuine Cuban Sandwich, but I ate the whole thing. Teresa's was the Smokin' Turkey. I think her's was better than mine.
      The cool part was, there were multiple food trucks: Bbq, healthy stuff, hot dogs and more. Meantime, there were at least a dozen more eateries within 100 yards. As former restaurant operators, we both agreed volume can solve a whole lot of woes in the customer service business.
     I wanted to ask the food truck folk what they had to pay or what ordinances they had to follow as Snyder's having some food truck issues. But that'd be like comparing apples to oranges. There were probably more people on this one block in Seaside than people who visit Snyder in an entire month.

     A really nice touch was the subtle beach tunes wafting from the weekly farmers' market. Lunch, music, people watching and good company sure made for a good time.

Modica Market, Seaside, FL

     Another great stop for us was Modica Market. I don't know how to describe except as a Bodega.
     Every shelf filled with items I haven't seen since my days in New Orleans. There was a deli counter with giant, pre-made sandwiches, cheeses, sauces, wine, breads, produce and more.
     The 'double take' for us was the dessert cooler.
     "A slice of key lime pie," came a voice over our shoulders.
     Turning to look at whoever it was who simply couldn't wait, he added, "It's really good."
     "We'll take a slice too," we told the clerk as she sliced at least a quarter of the pie for each of us. Gotta say, the prices are always in the $$-$$$ range around here, but the portions qualify for the "Hungry Man" category.

Rain in the Forecast

     By the time we pulled out of Seaside, stopped more times than I can count for walkers, bikers and golf carts and returned to our place in Seacrest Beach, the rain was literally at our walkway to the beach.
     Rain's in the forecast for the next few days. But like I said, we're not here for the sun. Seems like the cloudier the better for T & I.
     As for Seaside, I'm pretty sure we'll return. I'm gonna get that giant, roast beef sandwich at Modica's. It's so big, I bet we split it to save room for that Key Lime Pie.
Bill Robertson, about to eat that pie & enjoy a quiet, rainy night.