Whiteys Fish Camp

So apparently some event called Biketoberfest takes place all along the east and west coasts of Florida. Just so happens this is the weekend we are heading to Florida. Along with all the bikers comes an increase in rates at rv parks. By increase I mean from $30 to $150 a night. We decided to head inland a bit to keep cost down. We found a place online called Whiteys Fish camp.

The pictures showed a harbor, fishing tours, boat rental and a restaurant....sweet! We arrive to a restaurant on some body of water with the trailer park in its parking lot. The "office" was actually in the bait and tackle shop and the worker was smoking cigarettes and drinking a budweiser when we arrived.

"No Swimming, Hungry Gators"





We figured at least the rates were really cheap and if we wanted to go dinner the stumble home was only 20 steps away. Clay made a friend on Saturday morning. Some little 6 year old boy knocked on the door for Clay all afternoon. For some reason he let Shreddar play with his skateboard. He was upset cause Shred scratched the stickers off, but Shred did manage to skateboard for all of three seconds. Way to go pal!

Saturday night we went on a date to Whiteys. They had an outdoor bar and dining area right on the water with live entertainment. OH SNAP Allen...we didn't know you were going to be here or that you play the guitar.

Once we were seated we noticed the service staff had collectively 50 teeth at best. We decided to stay for dinner even though the staff looked mangey, and also because we were in the middle of nowhere. We split fried gator tail, which can be described like super well done chicken breast. I'm pretty sure I can go through life never eating that again.

Clay wanted to indulge in their version of a bloomin' onion, dirty!!!!!

We split an order of fried clams, which was the highlight of the meal. They were sweet, tender, and delicious.

Lastly we had an order of fried catfish with fries and hushpuppies. The fish was not as good as what we had in Georgia, but it was good. The hushpuppies were horrible. Thank God the fries were hot.
At least the beer was cheap and ice cold. Oh and I forgot...they actually had RYE!!!!!!

On our last night we were feeling even more fat and walked over and ordered some of Whitey "homemade" dessert to go. The chocolate layer cake was definately boxed mix and the icing Duncan Heinz, maybe with some booze mixed in. The key lime pie was garnished with a sauce that looked like Slimer from ghostbusters, my guess not homemade.
Thanks for nothing Whitey's. At least tomorrow we will be in the happiest place on earth.....Disney!

Jekyll Island GA.- Cheese Grits, Nature, Turtles and Big Ass Houses!!!

Upon Jane and Duncan's recommendation, our next stop was Jekyll Island, GA. We stopped at the Island's welcome center to get literature about where we were spending the weekend and notice a giant painted bulldog. Shreddar ran to it and smelled its butt as he usually does.

Apparently they are painted and auctioned to Georgia businesses. The proceeds go to highway improvements or local charities.
The island is only 7 miles long with many hotels, restaurants, a grocery store, a beer store and most importantly...The Georgia Sea Turtle Center! But historically speaking, rich bitches like the Rockerfellers used to spend their millions building mansions on Jekyll.

Our first night we checked into the island's campground, which is considered "wilderness camping". This pretty much means you are in the wooded area surround by aggressive squirrels, but it was beautiful.

We woke up the next day and decided to go for a tour by the mansions and visit the sea turtle center. Since this was all on the other side of the island, and we don't own golf carts we decided to call a cab.
 The driver picked us up almost an hour later. He shows up lookin' all greasy, smokin' a cigarette, with some ripped ass upholstery. He drove as if we are leaving the island, his dandriff blowing in Clay's face. When I asked him where he was going he said the name of some other township nearby. He had major attitude because nobody told us they didn't do cab service in Jekyll and it was going to cost $25 bucks for him just to pick us up...HOLY!!!!!He looked exactly like Phil Collins from the Trailer Park Boys, for anyone who has seen this amazing program, and if you haven't....here ya go!

 
Shortly after holding our breath for the seven minute cab ride, we found ourselves on the heel toe express. After seeing many huge homes and walking about 2 miles, we stopped at the "RAH Bar" for lunch. They do all their own shrimpin', so thats what we went for, along with some monster oysters which were suprisingly really good.

We then went to the Sea Turtle Center. This is both a sea turtle hospital and museum. We watched the vets perform surgery on a turtle named Squall who was bitten by a shark.

We also made it in time for the feeding, which was awesome. They actually freeze the food so the turtles have to "catch it" as it floats away from them. Kathy the Loggerhead sea turtle, it was awesome watching you feed your 100 pound face!

Time to go home, oh wait, how are we getting home??? The heel toe express! Two hours and four miles later we got back to our camper, ordered pizza and wings and called it a night.
Our last day we decided to bike around the island and see whatever we may have missed on our five hour walking tour the previous day. First we found a beach covered in driftwood. It was the crazy and beautiful. The pictures speak for themselves.

We took the bike lane around the entire island and saw all kinds of folliage as well as real estate. FYI there are more miles on the island via bike trails than actual roadways. A deer also ran ten feet away from us! We finished our night at the Driftwood Bistro. The meal started with Bell's pale ale and fried green tomatoes with house made chipotle aioli...what?!?!? The batter was light and crispy, tomatoes perfectly ripe, and you can't go wrong when dipping it in chipotle mayo.

For main course, Clay had fried catfish with fries (as always), and cheese grits. We have both decided that catfish is the "game meat" of the fish world. It was awesome. The batter was cornmeal and crispy and wicked. And we are gonna just throw it out there and say that cheddar cheese grits are our new favorite starch.
I had grilled shrimp and grits with a bangin cream sauce and collard greens. We also split a side order mac and cheese, also delightful.

Somehow we managed to squeeze in a little homemade key lime pie...what a meal.

Second best meal of the trip for sure and a great way to end our stay at Jekyll Island.
Duncan and Jane, thanks again for the recommendation...it was great!

Charleston SC. The invasion on Duncan and Jane!

Our mission of the day...Charleston, SC. The drive was not a long one,but by the time we arrived in the city I thought Clay and I were going to kill eachother. We were definately lost and really just wanted to get out of the friggin' car. I stopped and asked a man at the Charleston Yacht club for direction to Jane and Duncan house on James Island. Thank God he said we were seven minutes away! We arrived shortly after to welcoming arms. Clay had not seen Duncan and Jane in many years and it was the first time I had ever met them .  For anyone who does not know Duncan and Jane, they are Clay's parents oldest friends from Montserrat. They are also the cutest couple I have ever seen in my life!

After washing up and a glass of wine, they took us to their favorite Italian restaurant, AL DI LA. The restaurant was so dark and cute.

We started our meal with a bottle of wine and a complimentary salumi and fromaggi plate. Proscuitto, Sopressata, shaved Parmesan, and Ubriaco cheese drizzled with truffle honey...what more could you ask for.

 

 For second course we shared mussels in a tomato and fennel broth, which was not the highlight of the meal, but still pretty good.

Jane also oredered oven roasted portobello mushrooms with HOUSE MADE mozzarella...amazing!

Our entrees were all very good. Duncan ordered duck breast with veggies and apple cider reduction, which was cooked perfectly.

 

Jane ordered a personal pizza, which doesn't sound like much at first. But when you find out the entire pie, from dough to cheese, is homemade you tend to reconsider.

 Clay got Charleston clams over tonnarelli pasta(house made of course) with roasted tomatoes in white wine sauce. The clams were the sweetest we have ever tasted.

 I chose the duck confit over tagliatelle with truffle oil and mushroom...enough said.

 We chose to have coffee at home, in pajamas..we were all way to full to stay at the restaurant.


The following day Duncan and Jane took us on a drive through tour of Charleston. Clay and I both agree,it is the most beautiful and charming city we have seen in the US! The streets are lined with Palmetto's and the homes are colorful and beautiful. The properties look really narrow, but they seem to go back a hundred feet. Apparenlty this was done because property taxes were based on the amount of sidewalk that was outside your front door. We saw rainbow row, King Street (the shopping district), different colleges and universities, and so many parks and waterfronts that I will not list them here.

We continued our tour onto Folly Beach, which is a ten minute drive from downtown Charleston. It was beautiful! They have a large fishing pier, which is also the home to the yearly Shag-off, which is a dance off you perverts!
We got into some antics at the gift shop and bought a new bathroom decoration.

 We finished our tour at Daves BBQ. All I'm gonna say is BBQ buffet! It was BANGIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We dropped our tour guides off and went back in to the city and visited the daily Market.
It is really cool because they only showcase local vendors and artists. Here we learned about Gullah culture, which began way back in the day when Charleston was the port for slave trade from Barbados. Everything from sweetgrass baskets, art, dance and food has a touch of Gullah culture ,which is still passed though todays generation.

We finished our night by making dinner for Jane and Duncan, a nice home cooked meal with family was well needed and missed, especially since it was Canadian Thanksgiving. Tuna tartare with a citrus, fennel and ginger vinegarette was our starter. Sushi grade tuna was only $10.00/lb at Harris Teeter...what?! Our entree was South Carolina scallops with a mussel rissoto, crispy panchetta bacon, and a parsley cream lux. 

On our last day, Clay and I toughed it out and explored Charleston in the rain. After wondering the streets for hours we found ourselves back at the daily market. We saw some older ladies weaving sweetgrass baskets and asked her about the tradition, she was very funny. I also found the restauant Bubba Gump Shrimp company, but we figured it was a tourist trap and didn't lunch there.

We did manage to find a new burger joint called Burger Babies...they only sell sliders. Tiny, tasty sliders. They pride themselves on using only meat ground in house and from local, naturally raised animals. The only menu item not made in house was their steamed bun, which they ordered from China.
Clay ordered the classic hamburger on brioche, which is a combo of chuck, brisket, and short rib meat. He also got the pork belly on a steamed bun with hoisin, spicy cucumbers and peanuts....AMAZING!
I ordered the daily special-buffalo turkey burger and the chorizo on brioche with cilantro aioli, pickled red onion, and micro greens...OMG. These little burgers packed big flavor. To boot they cut their fries in house. We were so happy we stopped there for a snack.

We got home and Duncan had started making us dinner, shrimp and fish gumbo....it hit the spot, especially after being out in the rain all day. For desert, we had cannolis- I had been going on about Columbus Day and cannoli's the whole weekend. 

We both want to thank Duncan and Jane for their Hospitality and great times...and for just being amazing. We cannot wait to go one double dates with them, whenever we decide to spend a year or so cooking in Charleston (seriously, we are coming back). Lucky for you, Charleston, we just bought a home on wheels and are in the mood for some traveling. But until next time....