Cross That Off The Bucket List! {Use Deep Fryer + Use My DSLR for Food Photography}

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Guys! I love to cross things off of my bucket lists. So now's the time to do it again...
I used my deep fryer and actually made something good! I did use my deep fryer awhile back to make "fried chicken" but that didn't turn out so well so I didn't want to count it since technically I didn't use the deep fryer successfully... but this time things went well.
Deep Fried Twinkies!
So I got to use my deep fryer, and for the same recipe I only used my dslr camera for food photography. Usually I test some pics out on the dslr but resort to my old Nikon Coolpix since I actually know how to use it. But this time, people, it was all on the dslr. 
Go me!
Crossing #3 and #32 off my blog bucket list!

Feels so good!

Peace, and bacon grease!

Destination Destin {The Longest Post Ever??}

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Um, 3 weeks since my last post? I sorry.

If you haven't heard, PJ and I recently went to Destin. And I pretty much wanna move there. Seriously been looking up pricing for houses there, or anywhere in Florida really. Because I love Florida! I love the beach. The weather. It really does make me happier. How can you wake up and be angry in a place like Destin?! 
I know I didn't. We enjoyed our vacation so much! But it was way too quick. We left early Tuesday morning around 4:00 AM as to arrive around check-in time in at the Hilton. Then we checked out Friday morning. So we really only had, technically, 2 full days there, plus Tuesday evening and Friday early early morning. That, my friends, is definitely not enough time in Florida. Take my word for it. So next time we will definitely plan on staying 5-7 days (or a lifetime).

I just love to document the great times in life and I think this blog is the perfect place to do it.
So here's a little review of our vacation to Destin: 
Car pics on the long 13 hour drive! I get to prepare for the photo. He doesn't  :)












































Gotta highlight the alcohol! A margarita at Sandcastles on the resort. Love me some margaritas. This was a bit much salt though, even for me.

























Food and blurry pics from our dinner at Sandcastles the first night there. Dang indoor restaurant lighting. My Shrimp and Grits were tasty, my side salad was crap, and PJ's burger was just ok. Not too impressed by this overpriced hotel restaurant for the most part, besides my entree. Not to mention we were standing around waiting to be seated for quite some time. And it was completely dead. 





















More food! For lunch the next day, we stayed on the resort again and dined at the poolside/oceanfront restaurant, Barefoots Beachside Bar & Grill. Beautiful setting, the tables and bar area covered and shaded, with more tables covered by umbrellas, and a view of the ocean. Feel the breeze.
 



Cutie alert!

 























More alcohol :)  Pina colada ($8.50) for me. Pina coladas are a must at the beach, right?























Our meal at Barefoots. PJ had a fried cilantro jalapeno chicken sandwich ($11), and thought it was fine but he wasn't blown away. He doesn't usually like breaded or fried chicken but the menu was very limited and he thought he may like it because of the cilantro and jalapeno. I didn't try any but I think I would have liked it more than he did. The breading on that thing looks right up my alley. 

 



















My Fried Shrimp Platter ($16) was decent, fries mediocre, and the corn very basic. I did like the cajun tartar sauce for dipping. I can make better corn on the cob at home, with more butter, seasonings, and herbs. Again, not worth the price. Why, resort food, why?!?


















 


Oh, and that's just the drink menu... my pina colada wasn't on there but they made it happen :)
























PJ got a vodka and cranberry, which is called a Sobieski ($6.25).... which I didn't know. Sorry didn't take a pic of that.

Then there was drinking. And beach fun. And sandcastles. And swimming in the ocean. And swimming in the pools. And hot tubbing.




















For dinner that evening, we went to Poppy's Seafood Factory which is located inside the Baytowne Wharf area. We got there pretty late so knew we had to go back the next day for shopping and fun stuff. Anyways, in to Poppy's we went. It wasn't an upscale steak and seafood place like I was hoping for, but oh wells.


























PJ hadn't been enjoying his meals so far, so I told him to make sure he picked something he'd like! He chose the Lobster Risotto ($25), and I tried to persuade him otherwise because I just wasn't sure if it would be all that. And it wasn't. It was covered in this tomato-y type sauce, which wasn't described on the menu otherwise he wouldn't have gotten it. Sorry tomato sauce and lobster don't really go together in my opinion. He tried to eat a few bites but eventually just stopped. What a disappointment. Even the lobster bits were hard.





For my entree, I chose the Blackened Lobster ($30). I was pretty sure I couldn't go wrong there. And I was right. Not the best lobster I've ever had, but tasty nonetheless. Sorry for the God awful blurry photo. 



 






















Yup, hotel bathroom pics. It's a girl thing.

 























Views of the hotel and pool area


 






















We didn't want to pay $50 a day per person for these chairs and umbrellas on the beach so we brought our own chairs! Cheap? Or sensible?  :)

 
























Not to mention these things were blocking my gorgeous view of the ocean every morning. 




















palm trees galore


























Gotta build a sandcastle while at the beach. It's a must. Even if we are no longer kids. You know you like my bridges :)




Our last full day there, we headed back over to the Baytowne Wharf for pictures, shopping, and eating of course.

I  need to jump in this thing. 

 













love this quote

 






















My hat is taking over PJ's face. Sorry about that, dear.

 























And it is making its debut in almost all of the photos of myself. As you can see I loved this hat.


























Aww a good one of us :)

 


















me letting you know where we are....

 


















For lunch at Baytowne, we went to Roberto's Pizzeria. Just a little pizzeria, nothing special. But this was cool.


























And the 9" pepperoni pizza ($10.45) was pretty good I must say. Definitely not life changing pizza but good enough for a quick lunch.


























Afterwards, I had to stop for alcohol at Rum Runners. Come on guys, you know me.

 















































Got a rum runner ($9) at Rum Runners: light and dark rum, banana liquor, blackberry brandy, orange juice, and a splash of grenadine.


























Here's a pretty fancy restaurant called The Marlin Grill, that we didn't go to, but I liked the look of it. All fancy pants.



























Whoa that obstacle course looks like so much fun! Didn't do it this time around because I wasn't really dressed for the occasion. But next time...


























We wandered around some stores and saw a personalization store and this bag with PJ's name misspelled. Partick not Patrick. Had to take a pic. And it's displayed on their front door for all to see, as if to say "welcome, we are dumb". At least put a bag that's spelled right on your display, come on people! Sorry, I have a spelling pet peeve lol.





















After we let the pizza settle, we had to stop for ice cream! It was burning up out! Well, PJ stopped for ice cream. I just sipped my alcoholic beverage.

Look at my sweetie at Sweeties  :)





























We like ice cream. Well I should say, he likes ice cream. I like alcohol. I do like ice cream too, but not as much as alcohol I guess seeing as alcohol won out.













  






Apparently PJ's ice cream cone is a microphone.

 



And I had to stop at the candy shop for some goodies to take back to the hotel and home with us. So we stopped at Candymaker Candy Store.



























PJ got some saltwater taffy, and a caramel apple... I got some pralines (OMG! amazing), some pecan pralines (also delish), and PJ and I both tried some oreo cups. I discovered I don't really like saltwater taffy as much as I'd like to, but everything else was so good I just may have to buy some online and have it shipped to me!

Can't forget about this delectable English toffee. Again, need this shipped to Cincinnati asap. Or shall I make my own version???


























Look at this cute little guy we saw while at the Wharf. So cute. I wish I had my dslr to get all up close and in his grill. Not that I would have known how to do that with my dslr or anything. But anyways, look at that little lizard! I'll call her Lizzie. Hi there, you're adorable.





















I wish I had gotten a good picture of me in this giant chair. But here's my feet, that will do...

 


















PJ leaning in as I'm devoured by the giant chair that he didn't want to sit in...

 


















and finally the infamous giant chair that I've been telling you all about for the past 10 seconds.

 


















For our last night in Destin, we went to a nice restaurant on the marina called Louisianna Lagniappe. The smell inside the actual restaurant was off. I definitely wasn't going to eat inside. Don't know what that was all about, and it kind of turned me off a bit. But then we were seated outside with a view right on the marina. I mean, it was breathtaking. It was dark out, all the lights shone brightly, the boats all lined up on the marina like a piece of artwork. All of my photos turned out blurry when I tried to get a photo of the beautiful view. But I've got the memory at least. So romantic.

Hushpuppies instead of bread. Can everyone get the memo and do this? And these were the best hushpuppies I've had! The perfect size, not all jumbo like most. It was the perfect proportion of crispy shell to soft doughy inside. I could have eaten them all. Too bad this blurry pic doesn't show how delicious they tasted. 
 




















We both ordered the Tournadoes of Beef, topped with jumbo lump crab, shrimp and meuniere sauce ($36). Loved my filets, the crab, and my sauce but the shrimp tasted strange. It came with a twice baked potato and a salad.

 

















Us at dinner. The second one gives a tiny tiny glimpse of the marina in the background.

 















And finally, what the beach is all about... the ocean!































Ocean, you make me feel so small in this world.

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean too, my friends.


We debated whether to go paddleboarding but decided against it. But looks like this guy was having fun.





















PJ "surfing" the waves, dude!

 



Splish Splash!

 


















And my fave pic, and soon to be framed :)




















We had the best time. How can I not have so much fun in a place like Destin with my favorite person ever? Next time we just need to stay a little longer. Or maybe forever.



*No siree you won't catch me in a bathing suit on camera. Ever.


Peace, and bacon grease!