The Great Chicken Wing Quest

I really try to put a positive spin on all my adventures, especially ones I do for the Chronicle Online.  If you read my post last week, you may have thought that it was rather bland.  I’m not a restaurant critic so I try to keep my personal opinions to myself—at least on the Chronicle!

My Chronicle Online Blog post was about our quest for the best chicken wing place in Citrus County.  Our first stop was the Cove Pub and Grub in Inverness.  I had been to the Cove many years ago, before they built the new one.  I remember having a great time. 

On this visit we went there with two other couples.  We’d had a fun day of checking out Lake Pana and all its fish camps, bars and restaurants.  The Cove was supposed to be the highlight of the tour.  We got there about 3 pm and we were practically the only ones in the place.  The server acted like she was doing us a favor by waiting on us.  We may have been on the loud side because we were all very happy, but hey, this is a bar!  Not fine dining. 

Most of us ordered wings, fries, and beer.  How hard can that be?  It took forever for the food to come out, there wasn’t much there, and it really wasn’t all that great.  When another group of six came in, they were seated right next to us.  Really?  This place is huge. 

Quest for the Perfect Chicken Wing Place
The Cove

We  joked with the other group (they had cake so we wanted to be friends).  One of the women resembled Paula Deen so everyone started calling her that and she was funny until she suddenly asked me my political affilitation.  When I replied, this woman turned UGLY!  I’m not putting her picture here because I’m afraid she’ll track me down and set fire to Perfect.   I have fears. 

A few weeks later Terry and I went to Lollygaggers on 19 just south of Crystal River.  We’ve been there a few times and it’s a really nice sports bar with a lot of TVs.  Although we made sure we went after the lunch rush, the place was slammed.  And there was only one server besides the bartender.  She told us that they stay busy until 3 pm.  Although it was crazy in there, the server was pleasant and quickly took our orders.  It took a while for our wings to show up but I expected that since that’s got to be a little kitchen!  The wings were really good and our one order of fries was huge.  I would go back there again—just a little later in the day. 

Quest for the Perfect Chicken Wing Place
Yum, Wings at Lollygagers
Quest for the Perfect Chicken Wing Place
Lollygaggers

Last Thursday we finally made it to Coaches in downtown Inverness.  We have walked by this restaurant many times but never went in because the windows are all black–I really couldn’t tell what was in there.  But once we went through the doors, we were pleasantly surprised.  It’s very light and bright, has two pool tables, and 40 beers on draft!  And our server, Christine, was great.  There weren’t many other diners but we didn’t get there until about 2 pm.  I’m assuming most of their customers are from the courthouse and local businesses and lunch hour was long over.  Christine noticed my camera right away and after we had eaten our wings and drank our beer, we told her about the blog.  She was so sweet and let me take her picture.  In the future, when we are downtown Inverness, we will be going to Coaches.  And I think I’ll be taking Andrew, our future son-in-law, when he’s here in a few weeks.  40 BEERS ON DRAFT!

Quest for the Perfect Chicken Wing Place
Coaches
Quest for the Perfect Chicken Wing Place
Christine, Best Server Ever!

And the quest continues…..

Shrimpapalooza 2013

My favorite Old Homosassa Parade was held Saturday. (Yeah, it’s the only Old Homosassa street parade.)

We started out the day with some excitement just getting there.  Terry went to Wesley Chapel to pick up the two older grandkids that live there, Courtney and Justin, so they could enjoy the parade and festival with us.  The streets were closing at 10 am so we knew it would be a race to get back home before the deadline.  Terry made it to Smokin’ Mos which was pretty close to the beginning of the parade so I walked down to meet them. And he had the wrong kids–Kendall and Jack!  Surprise!  But he had Courtney and Justin’s clothes. I’ve given up trying to figure all that out. Since we were at the restaurant anyhow, we had breakfast at Smokin’ Mos and waited for the fun to start.

This parade has all the necessary ingredients for success.

A band!

Shrimpapalooza 2013
Crystal River High School Band

Floats!

Shrimpapalooza 2013
Who is Chad Crawford?

Shrimpapalooza 2013

Shrimpapalooza 2013

Shrimpapalooza 2013

Golf Carts!

Shrimpapalooza 2013
Those pink ladies on the back are shrimp. Lots of shrimp depicted in the shrimpapalooza!

Shrimpapalooza 2013

Shrimpapalooza 2013
Hey, that’s Kathy Beck! She must be famous!

Spectators

Shrimpapalooza 2013
Glad we already ate breakfast because it looks like everyone that works at Smokin’ Mos is out here!
Shrimpapalooza 2013
Yep, there’s Carol and Cristine! And the rest of the crew was in the parade!
Shrimpapalooza 2013
Hey, there’s a bunch of our neighbors!
Shrimpapalooza 2013
Wow! Those are some cute kids!

We didn’t make it to the festival since Kendall (almost 5) told me she was “weared out” (probably from wearing all those beads) and wanted to go P-L-A-Y at our house.  (A recent thing with Kendall, she likes to spell things out for me)  But the parade was fun, fun, fun.  And by the end of the day playing with Jack and Kendall, I was “weared out”, too.

 

Easter in Homosassa Springs!

Here comes Peter Cottontail?

Easter's Coming!

This giant manatee has been hanging out in Homosassa Springs since before I moved to Citrus County.  When he was at Halls River Road I used him for a landmark for visitors that were coming from north on 19, “turn right at the giant manatee”.  Never failed to get them headed in the correct direction!

Then he was moved over by the hotel and more recently placed in front of the Homosassa Wildlife Park entrance on 19–where he belongs!  Now he’s ready to help with the Easter egg hunt that the park holds the Saturday before Easter.  Lots of kids and lots of fun.

Easter's Coming!
And he even has a cottontail!

If I was a reporter I probably would have called the park to find out who came up with this great idea. But I’m just an observer that loves our newly decorated public art piece!

Easter's Coming!