jenny from the BLOG: Welcome Back!

Welcome back friends! You’ve probably (hopefully) noticed that I have been on hiatus from Jenny from the BLOG for a couple of months now. Assuming you give a $hit, I got my tonsils out and all that I could concentrate on at the time, was the food I was unable to eat (TORTURE, for those of you who know me well). Then, when finally given the green light to EAT, I kept my focus on food, trying more and more new places around town and some old faves, which helped me come to a conclusion…all I really want to write about is food. Pumped and ready for Jenny From the BLOG 2.0 and what happens? My MacBook CRASHES!!! After finally getting my computer repaired, I was given an empty shell (yes, everything was GONE). Devastating you may think, but no, what was devastating was them asking me to pay $1,600 for them to “attempt” to recover my data. I politely declined and am now insisting on telling everyone I know to NEVER PURCHASE ANYTHING AT BEST BUY EVER AGAIN! But I’m back and ready to talk about what I love and know best, FOOD! I’ve found some great spots around Orlando (mostly downtown), that I’d love to share with all of you! But don’t worry, my love/obsession for beauty products still exists, so if I come across a cool new product, I’ll find a way to sneak it in.

Saturdays and Tan Bones…

I spend most Saturdays with two of my very good friends. It’s a routine that we rarely stray from. Breakfast or lunch (depending on our mood) from Virgin Olive Market followed by tanning our bones (that’s for you CC & BT) at the Uptown Place pool, and ending the fabulous day with an authentic NOLA style sno-cone/shaved ice from Rainbow Sno-Cones AND a cupcake from the Blue Bird Bake Shop on Corrine Drive.

If you’ve ever been to VOM, then it’s easy to see why I return every weekend for one of their fabulous and unique sandwiches (the Breakfast BLT is my fave $5.95). Be it breakfast or lunch, it always manages to satisfy my palate. And their grits…DIE! A must try if you want a change from the generous portion of tater tots that usually come with the breakfast sandwich. I have yet to try the waffle-wich, eyeing it every week, tempted, but never letting myself actually order it. With our full bellies, we lay poolside, soaking in the sun, listening to Pandora and having a serious discussion about which flavor(s) sno-cones and cupcakes we’re going to get later that day. About the time we think we can actually feel the cancer creeping into our skin, we head over to the Audubon Park area for our sweet treats.

An indulgence I remember first having on Daytona Beach when I was about eight years old, shaved ice doused in a bright, sugary syrup is the perfect way to cool off after a day in the hot Florida sun. At Rainbow Sno-Cones there’s always a short line, which moves pretty quickly, even though the owner has time to pass out snowballs to kids to throw at each other in between making the snow cones. I try to get a different flavor every week, but I can’t resist the banana, and the pina-colada comes in a close second. For about $2.00, you ALMOST get the sugar rush you need about that time of day…that’s where the Blue Bird Bake Shop comes in.

Nestled in and old shopping strip in what the owner told me is known as the Audubon Park Garden District, this budding business specializes in delicious and too-cute-to-eat cupcakes. My personal fave is the strawberry cupcake (strawberry cake with a to-die-for strawberry buttercream icing). They have roughly eight standing flavors, and each day they have a feature cupcake (or two, if you’re lucky). I’m DYING to try the PB&J, Orange Creamsicle and Lemon…but can’t seem to catch them on the right day!? The shop’s décor is marvelous, as well. Clean and decorative, just like their cupcakes. And probably my favorite thing is the cute little brown boxes they package your cupcakes in. They even have a box for one single cupcake, which I think is just adorable. But be aware, they bake all of their cupcakes from scratch each day, so it is possible for them to run out from time to time. And just in case you were wondering, if you’re planning a party or special event, you can call ahead and place a special order. You can also find their cupcakes at Pom Pom’s Tea & Sandwicheria and hopefully at more of our local faves soon!