Strawberry Shortcake a la Rudy's

As Florida kicks off Strawberry season, Julie and Sally have created their own version of a strawberry shortcake in the form of a cupcake! A Strawberry cupcake with whipped cream frosting and a fresh berry on top. Yumm!

Visit with Nancy and Steve

Spent two days with my friends Nancy and Steve who have a place in Bradenton right on a golf course about 15 miles from Anna Maria Island. It was great fun to catch up. As an added bonus, Elizabeth, Steve's niece and my friend Carolyn's daughter came for a visit as well. We had such fun!

Birthday party

We had a nice Birthday party for Sue Carlson tonight at the Rod and Reel. Here's the gang : Yours truly, Julie, Sally, Cindy, Sue, Glenna, Cheryl, Kadee, and Robyn.

Julie and Sally made the deserts: a red velvet cupcake cake and a fresh strawberry pie. YUMMM!

Commuting

Well, traffic is picking up on the island - mind you it's nothing like the beltway around Washington or New York City but for this little island a few more cars is all it takes! My commute has turned out to not be so bad! It's a mile each way and I've taken to commuting by foot. Here is a view of my route to work:


And this is a view of my route home:


No complaints here!

1st Craft Fair

Today was my first official attempt at sales as a vendor at a local music and crafts festival. It was very different from being on the browsing end of things! Lots of things to think about and plan for which I had not previously given any thought to. Julie arranged to borrow a tent from a friend and tables from her neighbor which got me started. I had a vinyl banner made at a local sign company and brought lights and a chair and lots of coats as it was quite cold. Julie brought me hot tea and much needed breaks! The festival ran from 3pm until 10 pm. I arrived at 2pm and was all set up and ready for customers by 3pm. Had a steady flow of visitors and sold about 50 pieces of jewelry. By 9 pm I had had enough and we packed up and headed for warmth!!

The jewelry corner

Not only does Rudy's sell awesome food but they have added Sisters Island Design jewelry! Here is our little corner of earrings, bracelets, zipper pulls and rings!

Strawberries, Strawberries, Strawberries

The cold weather may have damaged some of the strawberry crop but not here. We are very close to Plant City where they are grown and as you can see these berries are gorgeous. They taste as good as they look! Each square is 1/2 flat so you are looking at 1 and 1/2 flats. We got 4 full flats!


Of the 4 flats we got, we prepped 2 flats for the freezer so Julie can keep the locals supplied with their favorite Strawberry muffins! The rest will be used for strawberry pies and strawberry shortcske!

What is so special about Anna Maria Island?

Aside from being the home of my dear friends Julie and Sally and their shop, Rudy's, the best breakfast and lunch spot around, Anna Maria Island is best known for it's sugar-white coastline, emerald Gulf waters and quaint business districts. It is a vacation favorite among local, national and international travelers. You can not only watch the sunrise overlooking Tampa Bay but also watch a picture-perfect Florida sunset to long remember on the Gulf of Mexico without ever having to leave the island. The Gulf beaches fill up around sunset and everyone watches the sun drop into the water. It is a beautiful sight and I'll be posting pictures in the coming days of some of the sunsets. Stay tuned!

How I spent my day off

Gorgeous day here today and with Rudy's closed we all did our thing. Julie spent the day working in the yard weeding and spreading mulch, Sally ran errands around town and I made jewelry. I set up on the patio table overlooking the pool and had a productive day! Julie is making us Taco salad for dinner and we will settle in for an evening of Olympics viewing!

Happy Valentines Day!

Valentines Day seems to be a big deal for the residents of Anna Maria and everyone is out and about and celebrating. Not to be left out, Rudy's participated with some new treats today:

First week at Rudys

Having traded my business suit for cotton t-shirts and an apron, I managed to get through my first week at Rudy's. Having never worked in a restaurant or waitressed - the food service industry is a huge change of scene! I'm learning a new language, new shorthand and how to deal with tourists and regulars! Julie and Sally have been very patient with me and are teaching me the tricks of the trade.

First stop

It seems that for once my timing was perfect! Between the December 09 blizzard and the February 10 blizzard(s), I made my way to paradise! A little island off the west coast of Florida, Anna Maria Island.

Am all settled in with my buddies Julie and Sally.