Lots of oldies but goodies

I saw lots of oldies but goodies on a recent visit over to Sarasota on the west side of Florida. 

It’s that area of the state, by the way, where the ocean’s in the wrong place and I get north and south confused a lot.

First there were these three nicely recycled gas stations, all within a few blocks of each other just south of downtown Sarasota. They are now a UPS store, a Goodwill donation center and a dry cleaners. They will of course be added to my collection of photos of repurposed gas stations.

And now the reason I went over there, more great oldies.  It was a great relaxed meet up with cousin Peggy and husband Roger, down from Pennsylvania, and bother Roger and wife Beth, who drove over from Gainesville.  Peggy, Roger and I are the three surviving cousins from mom Catherine’s side of the Haines family.

The visit included a few relaxing hours at Snook Haven in Venice, a laid-back outdoor restaurant/music/boating venue along the Myakka River. Getting there is easy: find Venice Avenue and keep going east until you hit the river, then get out of your car and order lunch.   It’s worth a stop if you’re in the area.

Below are the six of us on our final morning together at the Toasted Yolk, which was for me an upscale breakfast experience.  It’s the first time I’ve had an appetizer with my morning meal, courtesy of Peggy. 

Dubbed Millionaire Chicken Beignets, the appetizer was chicken strips fried in pancake batter sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with Jack Daniels-laced syrup and strips of candied bacon.  Not a terrific combination.  Peggy didn’t finish her portion.

It’s the very last thing I would think of ordering if I were a millionaire, that’s for sure.

I passed on a mimosa (on sale on Fridays) and ordered my usual, two eggs over easy, bacon, potatoes, and toast.

It seems a happy place, with the motto: “It’s Never Too Early To Get Toasted.”  It’s a chain, a marketing trend which seems to have moved into the breakfast-lunch diner industry (open 7 to 3).