The Addison on Amelia
Innkeeper(s):
Bob & Shannon Tidballs
Another of our favorite restaurants... Le Clos 25 May 2012, 3:02 am
Le Clos is another of the unique local restaurants at which we and our guests thoroughly enjoy dining. The chef/owner Katherine has degrees in pastry and cuisine from the Cordon Bleu in Paris and really knows her way around the kitchen.
In the photo stands Julie. Julie is the sommelier and runs the front of the restaurant. Julie is our go-to person for reservations, gift cards and great service at the table. One of our most memorable meals at Le Clos was a unique three course meal for each of us along with wine pairings that Julie served.
In fact, every meal we have had at Le Clos has been memorable. We usually save going there for special occasions like birthdays or with company from out of town. We dined at Le Clos when my mother visited and again with Mick and Gwen, repeat guests now friends, when they were here last.
Le Clos (French for The Closet?) is very cozy and fills up with locals and tourists alike even mid week. Make your reservations well in advance!
Peacemaker in the Harbor 23 May 2012, 9:00 am
There is a tall ship in the harbor for the Memorial Day weekend. We get tall ships in occasionally, mostly training ships for teens, but this one ship that we'll be able to get up close to as they are giving tours throughout the weekend.The Peacemaker is three masted, 150 feet in length, and was built in Brazil as a charter vessel in 1989. It was brought to Savannah to be finished but no work was done on it for 8 years. The Twelve Tribes Communities bought the ship, finished building it in 2008 and now sail it.
Tours are available from 10AM to 6PM each day throughout the weekend. I'm going to try to get down there and take a look at the inside. The outside woodwork is in beautiful shape and the ship looks really well cared for. The Peacemaker looks just like the kind of ship that the Fernandina Beach Pirates Club would be right at home on.
Timoti's Fry Shak 13 May 2012, 4:59 pm
A new restaurant has opened downtown and we tried it out a couple of nights ago. Timoti's Fry Shak is now open and selling fried catch on Third Street, just the other side of Center Street.They did a really nice job of adjusting the building for the new purpose. The food is all carry-out so there is a large seating area outside in which you can enjoy your meal. Timber framed construction holds a tin roof over the seating area and some of the picnic tables can hold at least ten people. I would love to be sitting under that tin roof during one of our summer thunder storms.
You can see their menu on the blackboard in the photo. I had the Mahi Sandwich (fresh, local catch o' the day) and loved it. Shannon had the Shrimp Salad with grilled shrimp and she ate the whole thing. The menu focuses on fried shrimp, oysters and fish but they will also grill any of those instead and serve them in taco, salad or sandwich meals.
Total bill for dinner for two including two dinners and two Coronas came to $31 which isn't steep at all considering how fresh the catch was. I will definitely be eating there again.
Shrimp Festival 2012 4 May 2012, 11:39 am
The 49th annual Shrimp Festival kicked off last night with a parade celebrating shrimping through the decades. We moved Happy Hour out onto the front porch at 6 and watched about an hour and a half of great, small-town America parade. It ...is a good thing that we have so many tourists come to town for the Shrimp Fest. Otherwise, nobody would be watching the parade as almost everyone who lives here is in the parade.
The 300 juried artists will be setting up their booths tonight and the art show portion of the festival kicks off tomorrow. Saturday and Sunday are the two busiest days with the Miss Shrimp Fest contest, the blessing of the fleet, live music downtown, the art show and so much more going on.
The Addison is the perfect spot from which to enjoy the festival. Close enough that you can walk to it, far enough away that you don't have to hear it at night. Find something you like at the art show? Buy it, drop it off at the inn and walk right back to the festival without missing a beat!
The 300 juried artists will be setting up their booths tonight and the art show portion of the festival kicks off tomorrow. Saturday and Sunday are the two busiest days with the Miss Shrimp Fest contest, the blessing of the fleet, live music downtown, the art show and so much more going on.
The Addison is the perfect spot from which to enjoy the festival. Close enough that you can walk to it, far enough away that you don't have to hear it at night. Find something you like at the art show? Buy it, drop it off at the inn and walk right back to the festival without missing a beat!
Adrienne and Russ Go Fishing! 29 Apr 2012, 1:22 pm
Adrienne and Russ are staying with us for a few days and they decided to make the most of this beautiful weather by going fishing. They went out early yesterday with Captain Lawrence Piper to fish the rivers and they had a great time. They do a lot of fishing in their home state of New York and really enjoyed this experience.Small world reference: Captain Lawrence is registered for a fly fishing seminar up in upstate NY right next to Adrienne and Russ' hometown. He took them fishing and now they are going to take him fishing and show him their local waters!
One of our favorites.... 29 South 27 Apr 2012, 4:17 am
The question that our guests ask the most often is "Where should we eat?". This next series of posts is going to highlight some of our favorite spots to eat and favorite things to do while on Amelia Island.
We enjoyed another wonderful meal at 29 South this week. Shannon ordered homemade chestnut pasta with a duck ragout and she ate the whole thing. Believe me, that is a compliment to the chef. I was torn between my favorite Short Rib (imagine Fred Flintstone's lunch) and their catch o' the day which was barrel fish. I let the waiter choose and was very happy with the results. The barrel fish, which I had never even heard of before, was white fish, served nice and moist over a bed of succotash.
We saw a couple of our guests there enjoying dinner as well. They ate so much they didn't have room for dessert but they went back the next day at lunchtime to try 29 South's signature dessert... Coffee and Donuts. This is a bread pudding made of Krispy Kreme donuts topped with a big glorp of homemade mocha ice cream. That is a do-not-miss dish at a do-not-miss restaurant.
Brook Cooks! 16 Apr 2012, 12:23 pm
The kitchen at the Green Turtle has re-opened and they now serve lunch 5 days a week. Brook has taken over their little kitchen and is putting out the sandwiches! Their popular gyro is back on the menu as well as several other sandwiches. She is working on expanding the menu with some daily specials too.
It is a tiny kitchen (about the same size as the Addison's) and she is just one person but so far everything seems to going well. I have had a couple of her Club sandwiches that were great and look forward to trying out the rest of the menu.
It is a tiny kitchen (about the same size as the Addison's) and she is just one person but so far everything seems to going well. I have had a couple of her Club sandwiches that were great and look forward to trying out the rest of the menu.
50 Years Later 11 Apr 2012, 1:42 pm
Linda has come to stay at the Addison for Spring Break for as long as we have had the inn. Usually she brings her husband, Glen, along but he couldn't make it this year so Linda brought her sisters Elaine and Karen. What a treat to have them in the house! When guests keep coming back on a regular basis it is almost like having family come to visit.
One of Linda's sisters brought along a photograph of the three of them at the beach 50 years ago. That is Linda in the center. Their hair has changed, the clothing styles are different and they no longer enjoy that dog on Linda's lap but here they are, 50 years later, at the beach and still smiling.
Who wouldn't smile if they were at a beach?.
The French Are Coming!, Part Two 4 Apr 2012, 9:30 am
The French originally came to Amelia Island 450 years ago and they are coming back this April! Amelia Island has flown under eight different flags, the first being that of the French. Jean Ribault landed on the island in 1562, and named it "Isle de Mai." 2012 marks the 450th anniversary of his arrival.Ribault first arrived near present-day Jacksonville claiming the territory for France, before heading north. Rene de Laudonniere erected a military fort at this spot near Jacksonville in 1564, naming it Fort Caroline. The Spanish defeated the French at Fort Caroline in 1565, and established St. Augustine immediately thereafter. To put this into perspective, the French landing in Jacksonville in 1562 predates the settling of Jamestown by 45 years and it occurred 58 years before the Mayflower arrived.
To celebrate this 450th Anniversary two French Naval Schooners will be arriving at the Fernandina Beach Marina on April 27th for a two day visit. The island will also be hosting the Isle de Mai Petanque (French version of Bocci/Horseshoes) Tournament on April 29th. Unpack your beret, pick up a set of Petanque balls and come help us celebrate!
Mikael and Courtney, 23-Mar-12 24 Mar 2012, 3:06 am
Mikael and Courtney were married at the Addison yesterday and this was a wedding with a bit of a twist... it was a surprise wedding! The bride had no idea that she was to be wed until they were flying here from Texas. Mikael made all the arrangements and even bought her dress and shoes.
Mikael's ring wasn't ready (Courtney had no idea in advance that she would need a ring) for the ceremony so I made a ring out of a twist tie and the ceremony went off smoothly. After the service it was a quick change into shorts and off bike riding for the afternoon.
Mikael's ring wasn't ready (Courtney had no idea in advance that she would need a ring) for the ceremony so I made a ring out of a twist tie and the ceremony went off smoothly. After the service it was a quick change into shorts and off bike riding for the afternoon.
