05-21-09

05-21-09
So we are now down to the wire on Dixies office, I meet the tow truck company at the office at 10 (they were right on time)and they have a roll on 650 there to pick up the 8'x8'x20' storage container that we have in the rear yard. The truck is too long to manuver in the back yard around the retention area and a large tree so they also bring in a 450 shorty to pull the container away from the tree where the big truck can load it. More money naturally. The guy gets it loaded and I meet him at my house where I will use it for more storage for stuff that we don't need but can't throw away. I had to cut back the bushes to get it where it is going and the guy even helped me move the cuttings away, then he puts it exactly where I want it, and gives me a bill for $150. Cheap considering two trucks two guys and 1.5 hours. Courteous, prompt, service from "English Towing". Call them if you you need a tow, tell them Brian Towed you about them. So it is time for lunch. We head to the Oaks. Karen from Sue Curd Accounting told me to check this place out since we have not been there for several years. When it first opened it was A1A Cafe. A change in ownership and a few years has aged this place nicely. The mature trees hang over the building with its tin roof. The country side porches have been enclosed and air conditioned for modern day Florida living. They kept the original bar which is a replica of a tower on a large sport fishing boat, one of the few things that I did like about A1A. Tall open ceilings with exposed AC vents type interier design. Angela is our bartender waitress, she brings ice tea for Dixie and Ultra draft for me. They advertise that they are home of the 1/2 pound burger and 1/2 pound grouper. They also have a full menu, sandwiches with reuben to grouper, steaks, chicken, pastas, salads, and soups, you'll find something that you like. I get the special of the day, fried chicken and slaw instead of fries and Dixie a caeser salad with blackened chicken. Dixies was great. My chicken tasted great due to the spicing of the chicken and the perfect crispy fry job, BUT there was no Breasst(I have to misspell so the censors don't xxxxx out the word). I like my chicken like I like women, with Breassts, good creamy slaw. but no Breasst. 2 Drafts 2 Ice Teas 2 meals $21.83 plus tip. Food is same price for dinner menu. Once again it is raining so I am just chilling out at the house relaying closing info to Dixie as she has no internet at the office because we gave away the server computer too soon. Dixie gets home and is all pissed because not only is the internet not working but she can't even get the papers to print out the forms that she needs, so she has been hand typing everything for her last closing. It's a combo, half conventional and half SBA loan so it's a nightmare of paper work. I fix her a Smirnoff and ruby red and she chills out. We were going to dine with John and Sherry but with the rain they just wanted to stay home. We head to Ruskin to Ybor Grille one block off US41 on Shell Point. We are seated at a booth in the front and we are checking out the menu and CiCi shows up and we are ready to order. We start with a pitcher of homemade sangria and a fresh salad and a crab roll (just like"The Seabreeze" on the Causeway used to make before they closed down) and cuban bread with olive butter. The meals arrive and they are huge, Dixie got the Chicken fricasse "special of the day",Tender spiced chicken over yellow rice with olives, capers, and garlic, and 4 sweet fried plantains($11.25). I got the Taste of Ybor. Ropa Vieja which is spiced tender shredded beef, Picadillo which is spicy ground beef,potatoes, olives, and capers in a light tomato sauce, and Moho roast pork, black beans and yellow rice and chopped spiced onions($11.95). This is good stuff. We can't possible finish all of the food so we get a square box and nicely arrange the left over picadillo in one corner,some roast pork, some ropa vieja and some chicken fricasse in the other corners. Some black beans and yellow rice in the middle and a fried plaintain to top it off, I name it the Four Corner dinner and out the door we went. Headed to Dixies Dockside it is still raining. I forgot that they had Karaokee or I would have just gone home, we gave The Four Corners for her dinner. As everyone knows Karaokee means I can't sing but I can drink, and the people doing it here are the worst I have ever heard. Jeep and Grizz are hanging outside watching the show and by show I mean the girl passed with her face in some guys lap, notice how I left out names here. This is not normal for Dixies Dockside so everyone is going outside to check her out. Joe and Kathy are talking at the bar and we join them and catch up with Carol on the goings on. A guy sticks his head into the order window, this is his first time he is at Dixies Dockside and get this, he is there because he read about the place on The Travel Channel Anthony Bourdain's show and get this, he recongizes Dixie from the pictures. Dixie is now Famous.The bucket is gone and so are we, so out the door we went. See Ya Brian.