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SEEING SARASOTA WITH THE SARASOTA MODERN

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/9/26

Discovering a modern oasis in the heart of Sarasota, FL’s art distinct: The Sarasota Modern! Over a long weekend, John and I made our way to South West Florida to experience The Sarasota Modern in downtown’s Rosemary Art & Design District. Let me tell you, The Modern as it is known celebrates a blend of bold architecture, modern design, playful art, yet casual comfort. It is a whole vibe. Here’s our thoughts on the hotel.

The lobby is clean and sleek with pops of contemporary design. The main lounging area has a bold orange couch with colorful pillows, blue chairs, and retro coffee table in a modern design. In the elevator area are more fun retro spots with an eclectic seating area and fireplace. When exiting look up, an alligator is perched above next to a palm tree looking down on the lobby.

The rooms have light and airy vibes! Spacious and clean design with the light wood floors, white and light comfy king bed, retro touches throughout. Large couch seating area with color puff for lounging. The bathroom is sleek white with a rain shower head shower and ample vanity space. The stunner is the balcony overlooking the pool area!

The amentities at the Sarasota Modern float my boat!

Starting with the gorgeous pool sanctuary lined with retro and contemporary green and white loungers and umbrellas. The deck is filled with palm trees galore. The main pool is a great place to cool off. They also have a hot tub, several cabanas that are open for anyone to use. Then, my favorite feature of the pool deck is the cold plunge. It is kept at about 50 degrees and is perfect for the heat! At the pool bar we got the Doctor’s Orders, a creamy and boozy painkiller with pineapple and coconut. For food I opted for the Ahi Tuna Nachos and the Loco Moco.

The nachos are crunchy wonton chips loaded with tender and fresh ahi tuna, creamy avocado, creamy spicy aioli, sesame, crunchy seaweed, picked onions and a delicious savory and sweet sauce. The Loco moco is rich hearty wagyu beef patty on top of white rice, a rich and savory sauce then topped with caramelized onions and mushrooms, a runny egg and scallions. I also enjoyed a poolside old fashioned, a sweet and boozy old fashioned.

Plus, on-site dining options that can’t be missed from Wink, Wink to a one-of-a-kind experience, 7 Paintings. As far as Wink Wink Lounge, is where dishes mix comfort food with a tropical twist paired with creative cocktails and a tiki floral atmosphere. We got several food and drink items from the Jerk Chicken to the Deviled eggs, and cocktails. Starting with the Jerk Chicken, a is tender and juicy chicken with spiced and flavorful jerk seasoning, spicy and sweet honey habanero collards. The Mac and cheese tho! It is rich and creamy. I paired it with the Gin ne sais qui gin martini with tart grapefruit, prosecco, floral lavender and glitter.

For our appetizer we got the Deviled eggs. They are pickled eggs with creamy filling, delicious aji Amarillo, topped with cheese and sprouts. I paired the eggs with the Hey there gorgeous is floral elderflower and bubbly Prosecco with sweet candied hibiscus flower. To end the night we enjoyed the Carrot Cake. It is moist and spiced with tons of carrots with a sweet yuzu lime cream cheese frosting.

Stop the presses, now you can now EAT a famous masterpiece at 7 Paintings. It is a one-of-a-kind (only 4 locations in the USA) interactive 7-course meal that brings 7 famous artists work to life through 3D mapping that brings stunning visuals to each canvas, themed music, amazing menu, and even a wine/cocktail pairing! My favorite part was when I got to play with my food and actually paint my own Jackson Pollack!

Here are the details on the courses, pairings, and artists:
The first course is the DaVinci/Michelangelo. You crack the code with a flashlight, open the box and bring out a hand with a rich, savory, sweet, whipped ricotta tart wrapped in Phyllo. This course is paired with Italian Brut.
The second course is the Banksy Girl with Balloon to reveal a Beef carpaccio! It is really rich and savory the earthy olive and the crunchy crostini perfectly paired with rose wine.
The next course is Picasso, Weeping Woman. It is a tender flaky fish red snapper dish with citrusy and creamy coconut rice. It is served with smooth Albariño.
The fourth course is the Painted our own Jackson Pollack! Paint brushes and cups with different dressings in them to dip the veggies and salad ingredients that comes on the side. My favorite is the ginger dressing. It is served with chenin Blanc.
The next course is the Andy Warhol dish. It came out under his famous tomato can with coco-cola reduction in a bottle!! Rich and tender meat, sweet and savory cocoa glaze and creamy potatoes topped with crispy tangy onions the make this dish! Wine: Cab & Merlot
The first dessert is the Surrealism with Dali. It is an ice cream and crema with a bruleed top. It is served with accoutrement like chocolate, olive oil spray and berries in a smoky bowl. Paired with espresso martini, boozy and strong coffee cocktail.
The final course is another dessert. We got to paint a starry night by Van Gogh IN CHOCOLATE on top of a delicious coconut cake overlay.

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Other amenties include complimentary bikes, water, coffee, tea, breakfast muffins, towels, and beach gear. They also have the Retro VW Bus, The Reggie, to take you within a 3 mile radius. Another great amenity is the location! It is in walking distance to local bars and restaurants, Main Street, the Marina, and of course to all things art! Then, only 3.6 miles from the beautiful Lido Key beach with AMPLE beach parking if you go early.

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KINGSTON RESORTS – NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/18/26

This is where I hope your email finds me: at the Kingston Resorts in North Myrtle Beach! John and I recently took a weekend trip to the Kingston Resorts in North Myrtle beach that sit right on the sandy beaches of the South Carolina Coast. We stayed specifically in the Hilton on the property and were blown away by its atrium and architecture, stunning pools, and ocean views! Beyond the Hilton is the Embassy Suites and condos with everything they have to offer, so it offers everything you could want in a resort all in one place!

The Hilton lobby is grand with a 15 story atrium with a soaring ceiling and fun blue artwork on the way up. They had several sitting and lounging areas under indoor pergolas. To the right is their market for bites, drinks, and gifts and to the left, the check-in area. We really enjoyed the “We are the Beach” sign, as well.

For our room, we were up on the top floor and the 15th floor views of the resort pool, ocean views, and the sound of crashing waves from our balcony was everything! I couldn’t take my eyes off the views from our room; it was just perfect. The room itself is relaxing and comfortable with a large king bed, nice amenities, and spacious bathroom with gorgeous shower and vanity.

On the Hilton property are two pools to choose between or do both! You walk through the back of the lobby into the pool deck area and the first pool where they have a daily DJ. In front of you is the stunning ocean view of the Atlantic and to the left of the tiki/outdoor bar, Wet Whistle. On the other side is the beautiful sand-bottom pool with small lazy river, waterfall, hot tubs, and intimate cabanas. The sand-bottom resort pool that has a rock waterfall, short lazy river, and of course the sand-bottom 1-2 foot deep area.

There are several cabanas for rent at the sand-bottom pool that provide privacy and relaxation away from the main resort pool deck. They have serval lounge chairs, tons of towels, a table and chairs, and a couch to watch the TV! You can order food and drinks right to the cabana from their friendly cabana staff!

The best amenity they have is the star of the show: the beach! Take the beach access down to the pristine shores of North Myrtle Beach. The water was bluer than I thought it would be and we enjoyed strolling and relaxing!

The boardwalk connects the Hilton and the Embassy hotels in a scenic fashion! Right along the beach and amidst lush vegetation it makes it the ideal way to walk the property.

The Embassy Suites pool is a stunner. It has rows of loungers and umbrellas to enjoy on the pool deck. As well as a large, sprawling pool with beach like entrance on one end. They also offer cabanas and have a DJ that was playing music bingo when we were there. The also have two waterparks for big and little kids alike with large water slides, a water park with large water bucket waterfall and more! It is NICE!

On top of the outside entertainment, one of the best amenities at Kingston Resorts is their dining options. They have several options from Italian to seafood to BBQ and pizza to tiki bar drinks and bites. Amalfi is the dinner spot on the second floor paired with Veranda Bar. Outside is the ocean front dining and bar, Wet Whistle. In the Embassy is BBQ and pizza at Black Drum brewing and seafood and breakfast at Coastal Grille.

Amalfi in the Hilton is an ocean front Italian spot. I stared out with the Amalfi coast cocktail that is boozy vodka, floral St. Germaine, and bright lemon. For appetizers we ordered the Three-Cheese and Garlic bread and meatballs. The Three-Cheese and Garlic bread is super good. The cheeses are creamy and sharp and love the flavor explosion on the bread with the garlic and crunch! The surprise bite of the night! The meatballs were rich and hearty with a tangy marinara sauce, creamy and sharp cheese served with grilled bread.

For our dinner John and I split the Filet, a super tender and juicy steak served medium rare. It was a delicious rich and hearty demi glaze, earthy mushroom, creamy mashed potatoes and a grilled tender onion and asparagus. It was my favorite dish of our stay! Then, we also opted for the pork ragu, as well. It includes hearty rigatoni noodles with tender pork, tangy marinara and sharp cheese. Amalfi was my favorite dining experience, while John’s at Black Drum Brewing is below.

Veranda Bar in the Hilton next to Amalfi has bar bites and signature cocktails like the St. Germaine spritz! It was refreshing floral St. Germaine and tart prosecco. The bar has an array of bar bites as well!

Wet Whistle tiki bar is on the pool deck with ocean views. We tried a few of their cocktails like the Booty Bucket, a rum concoction with tons of boozy liquor, juices, and a splash of 151 on top. On the first day, I got the Lime in the coconut, a lime forward vanilla vodka cocktail with coconut. And when we enjoyed the cabana, I got the painkiller, a boozy rum cocktail with tangy OJ, pineapple, and almond liquor. Of the Wet Whistle menu, we chose two dishes, the grilled chicken sandwich and teriyaki wings. The chicken sandwich was solid with juicy grilled chicken, earthy mushrooms, and all the trimmings. It came with some seasoned and crispy fries. John got the teriyaki wings that were meaty, crunchy outside, and warm inside. The sauce was sweet and spicy and just perfect.

On our last night we went over to Black Drum Brewing. It is a BBQ, brew, and wood-fired pizza casual restaurant at the Embassy Suites pool. I opted to start with the Deviled Eggs and they didn’t dissapoint. They were creamy, dreamy, and a good sour cream bite to them. For dinner I got the brisket plate with very tender and meaty brisket that fell apart in my mouth. The waiter recommend mixing a combo of the red and blackberry smoke and we concur. It is the perfect smoky, sweet, savory sauce to go on the meat. It came with two sides: the creamy red potato salade and crunchy, tangy cucumber salad.

John went with the wood-fired pizza. It is tasty marinara and creamy cheese with spicy pepperoni and a good smokiness on the dough from the pizza oven. For drinks John opted for the crisp and cool Side Hustle Light from Side Hustle local brewery. Since I was enjoying meat, I went heavier with a boozy, tart Manhattan and then a sweet, sassy, smoky old fashioned for after dinner.

Beyond all of that there is still thing to get into like the fitness center, spa, and courts! We had a good time one morning playing pickleball, but could use some lessons.

One more thing we enjoyed was the resort shuttle! You could take it in a 2-mile radius and explore more of Myrtle Beach or go to more areas on the resort property. Also, the resort was having a sandcastle built by Create a Sandcastle while we were there and it was fun to watch how much work and math goes into one of them!

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/20/23

Always Exploring, Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, FL is a BLAST for space lovers of all ages! We recently adventured down where we relived the Apollo launch at the Apollo/Saturn V Center, then blasted into the future at the NEW Gateway, The Deep Space Complex, followed by a mesmerizing look at the actual Space Shuttle Atlanta, got to chat with an Astronaut, Charlie Walker, and explored the larger-than-life rocket garden. And that just the beginning of the adventure, the adventure has just begun at Kennedy Space Center. To the moon!

Our first stop was to the bus tour to Apollo/Saturn V Center where you go behind the gates onto NASA property and see the Vehicle Assembly Building that’s bigger than three Empire State buildings and even a NASA crawler transporter (it was in the movie Armageddon). Then, enter the world of Apollo 8 and Saturn V, where first you’ll relive the Apollo launch where they immerse you in a lifelike reenactment of the Apollo launch. I was particularly impressed with this and even got goose bumps! Then, head over to the vault where you’ll see Shepard’s space suit, an Apollo capsule, and other cool relics from that time in the Space race. On top of that you can touch a moon rock AND stand underneath the largest rocket ever flown.

After the bus tour, we rode back to the main visitor’s complex and made our way into Gateway, The Deep Space Complex. There we explored visionary human deep space travel designs from SpaceX, NASA, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin including Deep Space Habitat, Starliner from Boeing and their innovative space suit “Rosie.” Interact with a variety of touch screens to explore further into each cutting-edge innovation. Gateway also includes Spaceport KSC, immersive rides that will take you on an epic futuristic journey.

Our Kennedy Space Center adventure then led us to Space Shuttle Atlantis. After a brief video about the shuttle, the curtain raises to reveal the ACTUAL shuttle! The sheer size of the shuttle is absolutely breathtaking. You can explore the orbiter that traveled 126 million miles up close and explore every aspect including what the bed quarters looked like, the toilet, a replica of the controls that actually work, as well as 60 other exhibits, see shuttle-era artifacts, and fun interactive simulators. PLUS, Shuttle Launch Experience that simulates an actual launch into space!

Being huge space lovers, we went to infinity and beyond and got an intimate Chat with an Astronaut. Two times a day, join a small group of Space aficionados for an intimate and thrilling adventure. During this experience, ask questions of one of NASAs astronauts, enjoy an unlimited food buffet with fruit, sandwiches, and hot foods, as well as water and soda. They’re also frosty adult beverages for those 21+ like local beers and wine. Our astronaut was Charlie Walker, an industry payload specialist from 3 Discovery voyages! He told us they DO drink their own pee in space (it is filtered!), that it takes 30 minutes to prepare a meal in space, and the best food is shrimp cocktail. You go home with a signed photo and a coin!

Finally, we took some time to make our way around the Rocket Garden, a “garden” of HUGE ROCKETS! Explore these engineering feats of technology that got us to where we are today. The most fascinating to me was the Titan-Mercury.
Kennedy Space Center is $75 for adults and there are specials on their website. Please note, chat with an Astronaut is extra/an add on.


Courtyard by Marriot Titusville


Beyond Kennedy Space Center, we stayed in the Courtyard by Marriot Titusville at Kennedy Space Center that is the closest hotel to the visitor complex. It is only 10 minutes! Launch into the lobby where you’ll see a NASA space suit, space toys, Lockheed Martin rocket, and small touches like little rocket lights and space related art. They have a bistro and bar with coffee and light bites downstairs, then on the roof is The Space Bar with full food menu and themed cocktails overlooking the inter coastal waterway between Titusville, FL and the Space Center! It’s a beautiful view from the lobby or rooftop.
Then, exploring our large King room, what hits you first is the view! It is the same view as the rooftop bar of the inter coastal. A large comfy king bed literally is beneath the stars with a beautiful space accent wall. Near the window is the circular couch, while the wet bar area is angular lines. The bathroom is also crips, clean, and spacious. Everything screams Space!

Something that makes this hotel special is that you can watch the scheduled launches from Cape Canaveral right from your room, the seating near the water behind the hotel or from the rooftop bar (preferred spot!). We got to see the Falcon 9 SpaceX launch at 11:41pm on 8/6!

The Space Bar

Remember when I mentioned that the Courtyard Titusville has a rooftop bar called The Space Bar? Well, the sky calls to us and we dined in style overlooking the beautiful waterway surrounded by space themed murals, neon signs, and more! Let’s not forget their out of this world tuna poke bowl, marvelous mahi tacos, creative cocktails, creamy deviled eggs, and perfect pretzel. It’s all delicious.

Here’s the details about The Space Bar’s food and drink starting with The Causeway Cosmo cocktail that is tangy cranberry, floral hibiscus, cool lime paired with vodka and triple sec and topped with blue edible glitter. Named after a Beastie Boys song, the Intergalactic Planetary cocktail is cool and sweet, coconut rum, tangy citron, St. Germain floral elderflower liqueur, blue curacao, and pineapple.

We dove into the Deviled eggs & Bacon, a sweet and savory treat with candied bacon, yet creamy and rich inside. It comes with a side of spicy, candied bacon and chips! The Blackened Mahi tacos are creamy and sweet up front with flavorful, meaty fish that is lightly seasoned and enveloped in a grilled shell. Plus, the Tuna Poke bowl is savory tuna, tender, with creamy avocado, spicy aioli, seaweed and a side of wasabi for heat. This one is unique as I’ve never had asparagus in a poke bowl. It adds a crunch that’s good! Finally, the Bavarian Jumbo Pretzel is large and presented hanging! Buttery, warm, crisp outside and soft inside and served with cheese and mustard!

When are you planning your trip to Kennedy Space Center?