Agliolio Italian Bistro & Wine Bar

2258 N Congress Ave, Boynton Beach FL

Did you ever notice that you seem to find some great places when you aren't really looking?  Brian happened to drive by Agliolio Italian Bistro & Wine Bar the other day while picking up a package from the post office, and hasn't stopped mentioning this place ever since.  We both constantly crave Italian food, and its just minutes from where we live.  How have we not been here sooner?

Anyway, we decided to try this place out for a belated Valentines Day dinner last night.  The name of the restaurant 'Agliolio' is derived from the Italian words for two prominent ingredients in many Italian dishes, aglio meaning garlic, and olio for olive oil.  Their menu covers pretty much all of the traditional Italian favorites--chicken parm, bruschetta, pastas, and pizzas--you get the picture.  But their "Pasta-Bility" concept is a fun little feature, allowing you to choose from a selection of their homemade pastas and then choose the sauce and additional toppings of your choice.  So smart!  I mean, how many times have you gone to an Italian restaurant and either you, or someone in your group, asked the waiter to either change the type of pasta or sauce from what the menu lists?

Brian stuck to his typical pick, the chicken parmigiana, and asked for linguine with vodka sauce (P.S...that's my handsome dude above--charming right!!? HA!)
I chose to try the eggplant rollatini, breaded eggplant sliced thin and stuffed with a creamy ricotta filling, with melted mozzarella on top.  For my pasta choice, I went with linguine as well, but opted for the creamy pink sauce and a topping of roasted garlic.  Both of our meals came with a garden salad and bread, too.  I was so stinkin' stuffed afterward, but we left verrrry satisfied!  (I actually just finished my leftovers for lunch today, yum!

The restaurant was packed on a rainy Friday night in Boynton Beach, but getting a table didn't take long at all--we sat at one of the hi-tops.  We're going to have to come back during their happy hour 1/2-price drink specials--daily from 3pm until 6:30pm, with extended happy hour until 10pm on Wednesdays.

Note: For those living just a bit further north of Boynton, there's another location in Wellington too.

Buon Appetito! 

Lakeridge Winery

19238 US 27 North, Clermont FL
Open Monday through Saturday 10am until 5pm
Sundays 11am until 5pm

For Labor Day weekend last year, Brian and I drove a few hours North to spend some time with his parents in Wildwood, FL.  While we were there, we took a trip to Lakeridge Winery in Clermont, FL, which is ranked as Florida's largest premium winery.  Sitting on more than 120 acres of land, the winery offers daily tours and complimentary tastings seven days a week.  Yes, you heard me--FREE tastings!

The forty-five-minute tour is very informative, starting off with a video describing Lakeridge's history and describing their wine-making process.  Following the video presentation, you are brought on a guided tour around the winery, including views of the bottling and labeling stations, packing area, and a beautiful view of the vineyards.  The tour ends at the tasting area with more than 7 free tastings of their wines.  My favorites here include both their Southern Red and Sunblush wines.  And if you like sparkling wines, Pink Crescendo is equally as tasty, and perfect for special occasions.

Lakeridge Winery also has a fantastic gift shop, with awesome wine and champagne gadgets, dipping sauces and marinades, home decor, and gifts.  And each of their wines are available for purchase in the gift shop as well, with a discount available if you purchase six or more bottles.

Tip: Check out their website for a calendar of monthly events--they usually always have some type of festival or musical event going on each month.  Fun!

West Palm Beach GreenMarket

101 South Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach FL

Open Saturdays October through April 9am until 2pm;
May through September 9am until 12pm

I've been to a number of public markets now, and with each one that I visit, there is something unique that sets each one apart from the rest.  The GreenMarket in West Palm Beach takes place in the Waterfront Commons area, where more than 60 local vendors set up shop each week with a variety of goods for purchase.  The market is open to the public, where local shoppers and visitors can purchase anything from fresh fruit and veggies to sauces, dips and spreads, infused oils and vinegars, potted plants and bunches of flowers, and baked goods.

In addition, several food vendors are parked throughout the market as well to purchase breakfast or lunch, such as Maceb's Bagels & Deli for a deliciously fresh breakfast bagel, or Cider Donuts for a just-made warm regular or red velvet cider donut.

Some of my favorites from the GreenMarket include Wildflower Granola (their maple pecan and apple cinnamon flavors are to DIE for), Bistro Blends for their many flavors of oils and marinades, Joy's pasta sauces, tapenades, and savory spreads, and Pappardelle's abundant variety of uniquely flavored fresh pasta.

The GreenMarket is conveniently close to hotspots Clematis Street and City Place, so you can easily make it a day of shopping in West Palm Beach.

Note: This place gets BUSY! So parking can be a bit of a bear.  However, parking is free in the Banyan and Evernia parking garages during the market's hours of operation.               

Green Cay Wetlands

12800 Hagen Ranch Road, Boynton Beach FL
Open weekly, from sunrise until sunset

Since I moved down to Florida, it has become one of our regular rituals to head down to the wetlands and walk the elevated boardwalk.  Not only is this a great place to get some fresh air and exercise, but it offers some of the most exquisite views of nature.

What we love most about this place is that you are bound to see something new with each visit--giant alligators basking on land, a group of baby gators along the water's edge, many different species of birds, and even a bobcat from time to time.  This place is a photographer's haven.  And on any given day you are bound to find a number of avid birdwatchers posted along the boardwalk with their professional equipment.

Every so often, Brian and I are able to catch our favorite one-armed alligator moseying along in the water close to the dock of the nature center--we've come to the assumption that he lost a battle to one of the larger inhabitants of the wetlands.  

Walking the entire boardwalk once around is about 1.5 miles, but its easy to complete 2 to 3 laps when you are paying more attention to the surrounding sites.

Note: If you like this place, the Wakodahatchee Wetlands are just right around the corner and offer similar features.

 

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center

1801 North Ocean Boulevard, Boca Raton, FL

Open Monday thru Saturday 9:00am until 4:00pm, Sundays 12:00pm until 4:00pm

The other day while Brian and I were out and about, we made a trip to the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center situated right off of A1A in Boca Raton.  As I've probably mentioned before, I am constantly on the hunt for new things to do and places to explore, with this being one place that has been on my list since I moved down here. 

We were surprised at the variety of attractions offered at the nature center.  You can visit the sea turtle rehabilitation facility used to rescue sick and injured sea turtles.  There are a number of sea tanks and pavilions with fish and other sea creatures--sharks, lobsters, puffer fish, and sting rays-- built to show the various South Florida marine habitats.

Extending past the sea tanks and nature center is a quarter-mile boardwalk trail through a preserved Hardwood Hammock.  Midway through the boardwalk trail, you can climb a 40-ft lookout tower that towers just above the giant trees, looking out onto a beautiful view of the Intracoastal Waterway.  Although this is an extraordinarily cool feature that I would recommend checking out, if you have a weak stomach when it comes to heights, you may want to think twice before climbing the steps all the way to the top (I could feel the tower swaying ever-so-slightly--YIPES!)

On the grounds of this environmental complex include another nature trail, the Ashley Trail, which leads to the Butterfly Garden where you can see several different species of butterflies (the best time to visit the garden is between May and June when the flowers are in full bloom).

This place is such a fun spot to visit--great for both kids and adults!  Admission is free, but $5 donations to the center are definitely encouraged.  And they have a variety of event going on throughout the year here as well--including the Green Turtle Gallop, a timed 10K run in April of this year, which I am DYING to sign up for.       

Morikami Japanese Gardens & Museum

4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach FL
Tuesday thru Sunday, 10:00am until 5:00pm

It was another gorgeous day here in South Florida--75 degrees and sunny--and too nice to stay indoors.  So Brian surprised me with a trip to the Morikami Japanese Gardens this morning.  We've been hearing from so many people that this is a must to check out, for its gorgeous gardens and its picturesque views.    

When we first walked through the doors of the museum out to where the gardens are, we were immediately looking out onto the large pond that the garden surrounds.  To the right at the start of the gardens tour is the James & Hazel Gates Woodruff Memorial Bridge, one of the main focal points of the gardens.  As we followed the tour around, we came across so many beautiful and unique sites--the giant white, neon orange, and striped coy fish that swam around at the base of a waterfall, the little armadillo roaming around the gardens and digging for insects, the flat garden with its perfectly raked swirls, and the "Shishi Odoshi" bamboo water feature.  Everything was just perfect, and peaceful at that.  

Admission is $13 per adult, but this is definitely one of those experiences that make it worth every penny. I mean, I must have taken 50 or more pictures on the trail.  Also, if you have a smart phone, there is an app you can download to listen to a guided tour.  This place will appeal to a variety of interests--for the educational aspect, gardening and landscaping enthusiasts, photographers, nature-lovers, and touristy people (like myself).