Vicki goes to Flavortown!

Yesterday we hunted down the "dog friendly" beach we were told about. There is a sign with all the beach rules listed and one rule is No Pets... We had been informed that nobody really minds and the odd rare patrol vehicle may tell you to remove your dog or make sure you clean up after him. We pretended not to see the sign and walked onto the beach. Not more than 100 yards down the beach was a couple surf fishing with a loose dachsund running around digging holes. We felt better and went for a walk and swim. The dunes are fantastic and the beach is deserted. Dogs must be kept under control as this is a nature preserve. Rodeo had a great time in the water and we took a long walk on Gator Lake Trail where the lizards facinated the dog. The salt and sand covered dog needed a good rinse when we got home and immediately sat down to relax in the outdoor recliner.

Anybody who knows me (Vicki) knows that I am obsessed with the Food Network. A few weeks ago, I bought the "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" book by Guy Fieri. In it, he lists all the places he visited on the show and prints some of their recipes and photos. Whenever we get to a new city, I check the book to see if any of the restaurants are nearby. I got lucky here; Panini Pete's is in Fairhope, Alabama- about thirty minutes from our RV park. So today I took my book (like a complete foodie dork) to Pete's and ordered the "official bird of Flavortown" panini. (It's a turkey sandwich- Guy Fieri is always joking about Flavortown) The waitress asked Pete to come to our table, where he graciously signed my book and chatted with us about Fieri and good, local food. He even admitted that he takes his book with him whenever he travels and gets autographs too! A fellow foodie dork! My goal is to visit all the restaurants in the book before this adventure is over. Thanks to Panini Pete for giving me such a positive start!