Well that’s a wrap for Thanksgiving week. Siesta Key was a much needed retreat from the rain and cold and has cured my homesick heart I’ve experienced this fall. We all had such a relaxing time and I have seriously had a hard time getting back to real life these past two days. Let’s see, what did the week entail?
Wednesday we all arrived to the Tampa airport around 6 pm EST. Bryan and I won for longest flight and it was great to stretch our legs in the airport for a bit while we waited for the others. Once everyone was accounted for we got our rental minivan, piled in, and set south for Siesta Key. We stopped in St. Petersburg for dinner at a random but delicious bar before finishing the 1.5 hour drive to the Key. We had no traffic and no trouble checking into our two next door oceanfront condos. Our grocery delivery service even arrived minutes after we did so that we were stocked for breakfasts, snacks, and Thanksgiving dinner necessities.
Thanksgiving day greeted us with sunshine and the beginning to what would become a routine for us for the week. Wake around 9 am to full on sunshine beaming through our windows and views of the beach. Head over to the “adults” room to make ourselves breakfast. Head out for our first walk on the beach. Proceed with the day.
Thanksgiving morning and Saturday morning we went for a run. Thursday was killer as we went during the heat of the day and the sun and sand killed us. Saturday was better for Bryan but not for me. It was still hard.
Sunday morning and Tuesday morning we played on the tennis courts of the Sarasota Surf and Racquet Club. After warm ups Bryan and I teamed up against Mom and Chad in doubles. Though we came out tied in game counts on Sunday 1-1 we got beat on Tuesday 0-2…so we need to practice our doubles game and come back with a vengeance next time. Tennis was so much fun though and a great 1.5 hour workout.
There was lots of beach time involving very little reading and sunning and much more frisbee, football, and velcro ball or paddle ball. We walked the beach just about everyday for at least 2 miles at a go. I could walk that beach every day of my life.
We dined for dinner in Siesta Key village two nights. Friday we went to the fun and raucous Siesta Key Oyster Bar (SKOB). Live band, grouper bites, lobster mac and cheese and rum runners completed the night. Saturday night we enjoyed the more unique Peruvian tapas at The Cottage with glasses of sangria, lobster bisque, ahi tuna tacos, and a bunch of other fun eats. Both nights Bryan and I enjoyed the 2 mile walk back to our condo talking to Chad. Priceless moments.
There was a ton of football watching during the week, heavy on the front end, and it spent me. Cheers to the Lions and Texas Tech winning. Unfortunately Texas lost, Michigan lost in a heartbreaker against the worst school ever, Michigan State followed that up with a loss, and then to put a cherry on top the Seahawks played their worst game ever in front of our very own eyes against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday. Fun to go to the game but horrible outcome and showing by our team.
We got another dinner in St. Pete’s after the Seahawks game at Urban Brew and BBQ for local brews, large BBQ platters to share, and a Ghiradelli brownie sundae to seal the deal. Our last night we also went out to dinner, in Sarasota to Walt’s Fish Market for a seafood feast of epic proportions. Bryan and Grandpa’s meals won for largest size. My ahi tuna was inventive and delicious. I think I liked the mullet fish dip with crackers they started the meal with for free the best, surprisingly.
Of course cooking Thanksgiving dinner together was fun and came out pretty well despite not being used to our kitchen and tools at hand. Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, green beans, beets, cranberry sauce, and rolls plus apple and pecan pie hours later made the dinner complete. I think I liked even better the night we grilled out at the condo. Well Dad grilled out, he grilled us each a steak and us girls made blistered green beans, skillet potatoes, caramelized onions, and one whopping salad. We all needed our greens and demolished the meal.
There were a few card games thrown in, several long talks, some crossword puzzles, some naps but all good quality time spent together. It was so good being back to my most favorite beach in the world after a 10 year hiatus and it was also so sweet seeing that nothing much has changed there from my memory. A week spent with the family was so nice and I’m not sure when I will see them again but it will at least fuel me for a while.
Chelsea
Evolving in the Emerald City 