A night out with Natural Delights

in , , ,

A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by Gina Melton of Zest in order to extend an invitation to a Holiday Party sponsored by Bard Valley Natural Delights and taking place in one of the most popular spots in South Tampa right now, Pane Rustica.

I did not have to be asked twice, I accepted so fast, I think I did not give her a chance to say another word.

My first impression of Pane Rustica was that it was cozy and was bigger than I had imagined.  They are known for Contemporary American style cuisine and are very popular with the lunch crowd.  At night it elevates its casual lunch atmosphere for fine dining and a great wine selection along with a hopping full bar.

The hosted walked me to a private dining room, where I started to mingle with my fellow bloggers who I have met before and some who I was looking forward to meeting for the first time.  Isabel from Family Foodie, Cara and Megan from Healthy Tampa Bay Living, Mr. Jeff Houck from TBO’s The Stew (love this guy!), Tracy from My Other City by the Bay, Elizabeth from Food Nation Radio Network, Nina From Panache Vue magazine, Jim from Gastroblog and Jodi from HashtagFoodPorn.

This was a serious crowd and I was delighted to share a Wednesday night in their company.

Read More

Snap Thursday - Vintage Charm

in

During our stay in upstate New York.  The Floating Farmhouse we rented was a dream come true for anyone that loves country charm and vintage objects.  Our rental was a full contrast between modern touches and the long lost charm of a country farmhouse in the 1800’s.  The landlord, Tom Givone played these details thoughtfully, filling little corners around the house with these small tokens of the past and constantly reminding us of our storybook setting.

This fan was in our master bedroom - and while it did not work (trust me I plugged it in and tried) it held my interest during our five day stay. I loved it so much, I wanted to bring it home with me.

Lucky for both Tom(s) - the landlord and mine - it did not fit in the suitcase.

Other Snap Thursday fun can be found at Knitty Baker