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Friday, May 24, 2013

Sailing away on the Norwegian Epic {part 2}

Posted on 6:00 AM by rockroll
We've just boarded the Norwegian Epic - a foodie paradise on the high seas. Catch up on part 1 of my review here.

Upon entering the Norwegian Epic, the sparkling clean and modern mega ship, we headed straight up to the pool deck. The first thing I noticed was the Epic Plunge - a swirly water slide. I didn't have my bathing suit on, so we grabbed a seat and enjoyed the views of Miami's swanky million dollar homes. The feeling you get when boarding a ship is electric - everyone is ready to be on vacation and unwind. The drinks are flowing, the food is hot, and the spirits are high.



An hour or so after we boarded, the announcement came on telling us our rooms were ready. We were really excited to see our room since we booked a mini-suite with a balcony. Since we booked during a sale, we were able to get a really great rate on the room. I checked the price often during my pre-cruise planning, and it never went lower than the price we paid. I recommend booking directly with NCL so you can be in line in the event any upgrade opportunities become available. 

Our room was #10272 - located near the aft elevators. Since I wasn't able to find any pictures of the cabin before we cruised, I wanted to make sure I posted all of these. Hopefully it helps future Epic mini suite passengers! (Shout out to anyone booking #10272 - comment if you do!)

The room was amazing! It had a spacious feel to it, and there was so much storage for anything and everything you could have brought on board with you. Almost every area had storage available. 

The bathrooms on the Epic are a little different, and highly controversial. The bathroom is "deconstructed" meaning that the shower/tub, toilet, and sink are all separated. They are not in one room with 1 door like Americans are used to. The shower and toilet have frosted glass doors, and there is a curtain that separates the shower and toilet from the rest of the room. The layout did not bother us much, and the features of the ship clearly outweigh this flaw. Here is a photo tour of our cabin:

Bed, TV, and Balcony - view from the bathroom area


Toilet and sink area, with frosted glass door. There is plenty of storage under the sink


Shower and tub (not all cabins have a tub)


High tech room phone - touch screen for direct access to Room Service, Reservations, and more. It even has speaker phone with was perfect for us since we were traveling with a group


Room safe - yes it is big enough to hold your iPad, but just barely. Make sure to lock up all of your valuables (especially passports) in here


And, drumroll please...
 THE BALCONY!


When selecting a cruise cabin, we like to choose one that is close to elevators. It's just so much more convenient, especially when coming back from a day in the sun or a big meal. This was even more important on the Epic - the ship is so big that you do a LOT of walking. We got in the elevators, just a few steps away, and easily made it up to the pool deck or down to the casino. Voila! 

Stay tuned for part 3 of my cruise recap, featuring our excursions!

{Non-sponsored post}
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Posted in cruising, NCL, out of town, vacation | No comments

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Delish Ice Cream Throwndown: Trace vs. Penn

Posted on 3:22 PM by rockroll
I love ice cream and I love Celebrity Apprentice. Tonight I'll be watching the season finale to see which celebrity will win $250,000 for their charity of choice - country singer Trace Adkins or magician Penn Jillette. Either charity is a well deserved recipient of the donation; Trace is playing for American Red Cross and Penn is playing for Opportunity Village. Ice cream will be the deciding factor in who is crowned Celebrity Apprentice by Donald Trump.

Each finalist had to create an ice cream flavor for Delish, carried in Walgreens stores nationwide. The finalists and their team of celebrity helpers also had to make a short promotional video, and throw a star studded fundraiser.


Since Walgreens is carrying the 2 Delish flavors created by Penn and Trace, I knew I had to give them both a try. It's nice to be able to have a tangible of piece of the show instead of just seeing it on tv. I decided a "throwdown" post would be the perfect way to try each of the flavors.

The competitors:
Trace Adkin's Maple Macadamia Mash Up vs. Penn Jillette's Vanilla & Chocolate Magic Swirtle

The challenge:
Whose Delish ice cream flavor is better?



Cost:
2 for $5 at my local Walgreens with a Rewards membership - $4.00 per pint without Rewards membership

Flavor:
Trace - Creamy maple ice cream with roasted macadamia nuts.
Penn -  Rich vanilla ice cream with a sea salt chocolate swirl and fudge caramel candy pieces.

Smell:
Trace's Maple Macadamia wins without contest when it comes to smell. The smell is very similar to Butter Pecan ice cream. I personally love the smell of Butter Pecan so it was an easy decision. The Swirtle didn't have much of a smell at all.


Taste:
Trace - I am not a big fan of maple so I really didn't expect to like Trace's flavor. It was smooth and had a very distinct taste that stays with you. The macadamia nuts were large and well dispersed.
Penn - I was really disappointed that the chocolate swirl wasn't a fluid swirl in my pint. I was thinking it would be like the flowing caramel in Ben and Jerry's Phish Food, but instead it was like a solid swirl. Maybe mine was frozen too soon but it was a bummer. I got a little bit of the sea salt flavor but not overbearing. The Swirtles were super cute, and just the right size. They weren't too hard like some candy pieces tend to get in ice cream.


Overall:
Trace's Mash Up wins my Throwdown challenge. Not only is the flavor more original, but it is very unique. It's a light pick-me-up flavor that makes you want to eat the whole pint in 1 sitting. The Maple Macadamia ice cream would make a fantastic milkshake! Maybe I'll make one tonight while watching the finale.

Who are you rooting for tonight - Trace or Penn? If you've tried the ice cream let me know which one you like better!

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

Everglades BBQ at Tropicana Field {Go Rays!}

Posted on 3:59 PM by rockroll
Why I've never been to Everglades BBQ before, I am really not sure. When I visit the Tampa Bay Rays at the Trop, I usually stick with a classic hamburger from the concession stand. This is now going to change!

Recently I was invited to have dinner at Everglades BBQ. Everglades is the perfect compromise between rushing through dinner before a game and missing plays waiting in line for food during the game. You don't have to rush through anything at Everglades, because you can watch all of the action while you eat! We decided to eat at Everglades before a recent home game. We arrived around 6pm, and we enjoyed watching the pre-game warm ups from our dinner table. Imagine how great this view would be during the game!



Once we got settled in, it was time to decide what to eat! The menu at Everglades features all of your favorite BBQ staples, and some twists. All of the BBQ served at Everglades is smoked onsite daily. I knew it was going to be good!

The appetizers by themselves are a tough choice to choose from! The appetizer menu includes Pulled Pork Nachos, Beef Brisket Quesadillas, Pork Rinds, and Crispy Chicken Wings. Are you hungry yet?


Everglades has a full salad bar as well. The salad bar includes Parker House Rolls and Brunswick Stew. You can have the salad bar as a meal, or add it on as an appetizer or side when you order a sandwich or entree.



The sandwiches at Everglades would make my friend SandBookWich very proud! How does a Fried Georgia Trout BLT with Bacon Mayonnaise sound? Pretty awesome, right? We decided to try the classic Pulled Pork sandwich. All of the sandwiches at Everglades come with Ranch Potato Wedges, Vinegar Slaw, and Red JalapeƱos.


The smoked pulled pork was perfect. The fries weren't bad either. Perfectly crispy with the right amount of salt. Then came the Smoked Beef Brisket. With 2 sides. The brisket was extremely flavorful and tender. You can taste the freshness in the meat. I chose baked beans and mac and cheese for my side items. The baked beans were tangy and the mac and cheese was extra cheesy. 


Of course any great BBQ joint has their signature sauces. Everglades has 3 available - Smoky Original, Carolina Gold, and Citrus Chipotle. While the meat was so good I didn't even need BBQ sauce, I tried all 3. (For the sake of science. Right.) The original was my favorite - a good ol' mild BBQ sauce. The others were good and I recommend trying all 3 when you visit. Find the sauce that's perfect for your taste, and your entree. 



The portions at Everglades were very generous and well worth the price! The pulled pork sandwich is $12 and the brisket dinner is $14. I know that everyone thinks ballpark prices are outrageous, but we found Everglades to be very reasonable. For a few dollars more than a ballpark hamburger or hotdog, you can get a full plate of really good quality food at Everglades.

I barely had room left for dessert, but again decided I better give it a try for the sake of science. (I love food "science"!) The choice was hard - should I go for the Classic Sundae, a Pecan Pie Sundae, Key Lime Pie, Peanut Butter Pie, or an old fashioned Root Beer Float? After serious deliberation and input from my server, I chose the peanut butter pie. It lived up to it's menu name of Extreme Peanut Butter Pie. 


The pie was just the right size for an after dinner treat. I loved the chocolate cookie crust and the smooth peanut butter filling. I loved the chocolate and caramel drizzle on top. It was perfect. Extremely perfect. Now I see where the name comes from!

I highly recommend visiting Everglades BBQ the next time you attend a Rays Home Game. There are several options for trying out Everglades food - the sit down restaurant (which I visited) at the Gate 1 Rotunda on the 2nd level, the 100 level seating bowl in the concession stand area, and inside Gate 1 at Right Field Street.

Dining spot at the Captain Morgan Deck


If you have a large group attending a Rays game, you can rent out the Captain Morgan Deck which is attached to Everglades. The best part is you can have Everglades cater the event. Your colleagues, business partners, vendors, friends, and family are sure to be impressed. I checked out the Captain Morgan deck for myself to experience the view and atmosphere. It's a great place to watch the game, and have access to some great food.



{Disclosure: Thank you to the Tampa Bay Rays for providing me with a complimentary visit to dine at this restaurant. All opinions expressed are my own.}


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Posted in American, BBQ, date night, Rays | No comments

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Mother's Day 2013 - Sunday May 12th

Posted on 5:30 AM by rockroll

'Tis the season, to hug your mom and treat her like the queen she is! Mother's Day is Sunday May 12th this year. So many Tampa Bay restaurants are offering brunch and other Mother's Day specials. I will update this post with the deals as I come across them. If you know a place that should be included, send me an email or Tweet me the details and I will get it added!


Links will take you to more info about Mother's Day special if it's posted online

St. Pete

Parkshore Grill 
Brunch Buffet $42.00
10am-4pm

400 Beach Seafood & Tap House 
Buffet $28.95/person ($12.95 kids)
10am-4pm

The Hangar
3 course meal $19.95
Noon-10pm

Cassis American Brasserie
Brunch buffet $36.99 ($20.99 for 12 and under)
10am-3pm and a la carte brunch menu 8am-10am

Ricky P's Orleans Bistro
Sunday Jazz brunch - free beignets for all moms
11am-3pm

CD Roma's
Complimentary sangria or dessert for all moms
11am-8pm

Rain Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar
4 course Mother's Day menu for $24.95
Opens at noon

Bonus items:
Tampa Bay Rays are giving a free flower pot to the first 10,000 women
Morean Arts Center - moms visit free all weekend (Chihuly Collection, Hot Shop, Morean Arts Center, and Center for Clay)

The Beaches

The Pub
Breakfast Buffet $11.95
8am-1pm

Tampa

Mangrove's
Brunch a la carte (check out this post about brunch at Mangroves)
11am-4pm
Don't miss out on the french toast!

Jackson's Bistro
Brunch buffet with 70+ items $34.95 ($10.95 for 10 and under)
10am-3pm

Pelagia Trattoria
Brunch buffet $49.00 ($18.00 for 3-12 years)
10am-5pm

Oxford Exchange
Special brunch menu - a la carte
9am-2:30pm

Clearwater

Bascom's Chop House
Buffet menu $27.95 & all mothers receive a complimentary carnation and mimosa
11am-8pm

Cafe Ponte
Special Mother's Day brunch menu - a la carte, reservations recommended

Safety Harbor

Southern Fresh 
$20 buffet ($8 for 12 and under)
11am-10pm

Chains / Multiple Locations

Carmel Cafe
Brunch menu a la carte and dinner menu served all day - all moms receive a $10 gift card for their next visit
Brunch 11am-3pm

Arigato Japanese Steakhouse
Opens at 1pm, reservations recommended (no coupons accepted)

The Melting Pot 
Opens at Noon, buy $100 in gift cards and receive 2 $25 bonus cards

Bonefish Grill
Endless bubbles brunch
11am-2pm

BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse
1/2 off all bottles of win and Mother's Day sweepstakes






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