Post Christmas Recycling

If you haven't already started to take down Christmas decorations, here are three great articles on recycling and reusing or recycling what you have:

How to Recycle Your Christmas Wreath

10 Ways to Recycle Christmas Cards

Some Interesting Ideas on Recycling Your Christmas Tree

Foodcentric Jacksonville New Years

Almost every bar and restaurant in the area is apt to hold their own New Years Eve celebration. Here are a few of the more food heavy options on the First Coast.

Dining Dancing & Spirits at the Casa Marina Hotel

Not only can you indulge in their New Years buffet, which seems to have something for everybody, but the price includes an open bar with live entertainment. And, even better, you can book a room there, so you don’t have to drive anywhere after the festivities. The buffet menu includes an antipasto platter, shrimp, carved prime rib roast accompanied by roasted new potatoes, grouper Hemmingway served with cous cous, various pastas, salads, chocolate fountain and much more. 'Dining, Dancing & Spirits' begins at 7 pm till 2 am. $100/per person plus tax & gratuity. McGee Entertainment will be playing a selection of dancing and listening music for all ages. Info: http://www.CasaMarinaHotel.com or (904) 270-0025. 691 N. 6th Street Jacksonville Beach

The Chef’s Tasting Menu at Ocean 60

A delectable four course meal is what you can get at Ocean 60 for the New Year. Basically it’s a luxe fixed price menu at a not-so-luxe price. You select each course from a number of choices on the menu. For entrée course you’ll choose between Juniper Crusted Lamb Chops, Macadamia Crusted Diver Shot Grouper, Kona Coffee Crusted Tenderloin & Amaretto Butter Poached Tiger Prawn, Proscuitto, Sage & Pecorino Stuffed Chicken Breast and Roasted Vegetable & Mozzarella Strudel. $70 per person. The Evening Entertainment in the Martini Room will be Toots Lorraine & The Traffic Sultry Swing & Jazz Style Vocals with a Modern Twist. Reservation and credit card deposit required. Info: http://www.ocean60.com/ny_eve_2008_menu.pdf or (904) 247-0060 Sixty Ocean Boulevard Atlantic Beach

Roy’s New Year’s Dinner Prix Fixe

Roy’s on Jacksonville Beach is a favorite for special occasion meals. Their four course New Year’s meal promises to be delish. Blue Point mussels, pan seared scallops, filet mignon, lamb and duck are all choices for the meal. Price $50-85, depending on entrée section. Info: 2400 3rd St S Jacksonville Beach (904) 241-7697

New Years Eve Dinner at Bistro de Leon

It’s new to the New Year in St. Augustine, but it’s a marvelous place to eat no matter what day it is. This particular menu is not four courses. It’s seven! Seven fabulous French courses! Expect escargot, champagne, lamb and much more. Just $69 per person. 12 Cathedral Place St. Augustine Info: http://www.bistrodeleon.com or (904) 810-2100

Rumors and Restaurants

It's tough to keep a restaurant running in the best of times. In the current economy we're going to see a lot of places closing. Going out to eat is one of the first things people cut when they slash their budgets. We can't really blame people for that. When they do go out to eat, they choose fast food or something they perceive as cheap.

We can expect that lots of places will be going down. Jacksonville Confidential recently incorrectly reported that two places would be shutting their doors.

One was going to be taken over by a new owner and possibly given a new name and the other, the other seems to be in limbo.

I asked the owner of Bungalow on Park if he was closing because of what I'd read on Jax Con. He replied with bravado that he wasn't closing, they weren't going to close and that they had only closed for private holiday parties.

Although his doors were open just a few days after Jax Con's announcement, I really don't know if I believe him. I know from experience that restaurant owners will often lie through their teeth about closing, right up until the day the repo men pry the stove and sink from their walls.

That being said, a rumor of a place closing can kill a restaurant just as quickly as debt can. So, I guess I'm hoping that Jax Con will be a little more careful in the future. I see they've amended the Pom's post, but they haven't done anything with the Bungalow post. At the very least, saying that they "closed their doors for good" on December 16th when they were clearly open after that and keeping it up, makes me think somebody has an axe to grind... (See Jax Con's comments below about how they don't have an axe to grind and my response).

Free Itty Burgers in December

If you're in town for the holidays, why not grab a free burger at Morton's? They're offering free mini-burgers in their bar on Sunday, December 21st, in celebration of their 30th anniversary.

I've heard that the full sized sirloin steak burgers that they've been serving since July are mighty tasty--so I'm curious as to what the mini-burgers are like.

Morton's can be found Downtown. They only open for dinner. If you can't make it for the freebie, why not order the steak burger? It's a steep $19.95(expensive for a burger, inexpensive compared to most entrées on their menu) but $5 of each hamburger and French fries entrée goes to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

That's right. You get to eat a cow and bathe in the warm glow of social consciousness at the same time.

The full-sized burger is only offered on Sundays.

1510 Riverplace Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32207
(904) 399-3933
www.mortons.com

13 Gypsies

Just ate at 13 Gypsies, which may well become one of my favorite places. I'll have a review up in my paper in January. If you want a REAL tapas place--- 13 Gypsies, on the corner of Stockton and College, is the place to go. It's a small place, so if you want to come for dinner, reservations are what you'd need!

389-0330

Bedtime...

These are the pillow shams that I ordered from Urban Outfitters. They were defective (one was about 1 inch shorter than the other) so I had to send them back. Trying to convince me hubby to go in for the full tapestry as a spread, but I think it will be these for a pop of color and perhaps some orange or red pillows cases underneath.

Sheets will be white, grey or brown and for now the top comforter is a plain but textured brown. I would like to go with orange pillow cases, because I don't think Sean could handle orange sheets.

Alternative spreads or comforters would be grey in color. I'm a little skittish about using a white spread or comforter. They always look so good in magazines, but we have a black and white kitty with lots of fur, and I have a tendency to spill things. Still, I love that crisp white look!

I'd like to put an orange throw on the end just to jazz it up a little and I'd like some alternatives to the somber brown. A rich red throw would be great too.

After talking to some very nice people at Urban Outfitters for far too long and far too many times, I've reordered the shams and am crossing my fingers that they will not be defective this time.

If it EVER arrives, this is the platform bed we ordered. I found it on multiple internet sites, which I periodically check. I noticed that most of them were "out of stock" so I knew I had to order it ASAP and so, I went to the cheapest one and ordered...

It was supposed to ship at the end of November and now it's shipping at the end of December. Hope we get it and I hope it looks as good as advertised.

I think it will because I've been to a bunch of different sites and looked at reviews on all of them.

Biggest downside is that we have to put it together. Upside is that I've never seen anything like it and my husband likes it too. Designwise, it's fairly fab!

Bring Me Some Figgy Pudding Christmas Eve Dinner

Christmas Eve. It's a special time, meant for special food. I got a press release the other day featuring this sort of food. I may well be spending my Christmas Eve at the Casa Marina hotel in Jacksonville Beach. Take a look at the release and the sumptous menu:

Chef Aaron Webb enjoys having fun in the kitchen as well as preparing distinctive dishes from his repertoire of New Beach Cuisine. This year, the Historic Casa
Marina Hotel & Restaurant is serving a traditional 4-course Christmas
Eve Dinner with music ~ including one dessert dating back to 16th
Century England ~ 'Figgy Pudding'.

The Casa Marina Hotel, Jacksonville's only member of Historic Hotels
of America, dates back to 1924, not quite as vintage as 'figgy
pudding'. But for Chef Webb, it's a classic addition to his menu for a
legendary hotel that has enchanted guests for nearly 85 years!



Christmas Eve Dinner:

Served from 6:30pm – 8:45pm (last seating).
The Johnston Duo will be entertaining from 7-10pm.
Cost is $59/per person (plus gratuity and tax). Children under 10 are
half price. Children under 5 are FREE. Reservations suggested.

Christmas Eve Menu

Appetizer

~Butternut Squash Gnocchi~
With Jumbo Lump Crabmeat & a Grape Tomato,
Basil Cream

~Stuffed Quail~
Herb Marinated & Stuffed with a Smokey Bacon Risotto
Over Parsnip Puree

~Seared Diver Scallops~
In a Wild Mushroom Compote with a Buttered Lobster Broth

~Red Cornmeal Fried Oysters~
Plump Select Oysters Crispy Fried in Red Cornmeal, Over a Green
Apple & Beet Relish with Honey Thyme Aioli

Salads

~Tossed Spinach Salad~
Fresh Baby Spinach with Sundried Cranberries, Candied Pecans, Mandarin
Oranges & Bermuda Onions Tossed in a Caramelized Vidalia Vinaigrette

~Garden Salad~
Roasted Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato & Sweet Roasted Corn
Tossed with Field Greens, Grape Tomatoes & Scallions in a Raspberry
Champagne Vinaigrette



Entrée

~Maple Glazed Duck Breast~
Crispy Seared, Maple Glazed Duck Breast Over
Bourbon Sweet Potato Mash

~Chilean Sea Bass~
With a Fresh Cherry, Chestnut & Golden Raisin Ragout

~Grilled Spiced Lamb Rack~
Moroccan Spiced Lamb Rack, Char-grilled with a Fig & Port Wine Reduction

~Red & Green Peppercorn Filet Mignon~
8oz Filet Peppercorn Dusted & Grilled with Sauce Béarnaise Over Truffle
Yukon Gold Mash


Desserts

~Pumpkin Cranberry Crumb~
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Cranberry in a Crumb Crust

~Figgy Pudding Tart~
With a Custard Sauce & Fresh Berries

~Caramelized Pear~
Poached & Caramelized Baby Pear Over Shortbread Round
With Crème Anglaise

Casa Marina Hotel & Restaurant
691 N. 1st Street
Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32250
904-270-0025
www.casamarinahotel.com