No Sun and fun today the local forecast is rain with a high of 61 degrees. The Comfort Suites where we are staying offers the standard continental breakfast but interestingly enough the Dark Roast is really good and they don’t just offer powder creamer they offer real cream or half and half. We grab a cup and we are off to the Golden Brown Bakery. They offer many things like donuts, breads, cakes, cookies and pastries but we are here for the almond logs. This light and flaky pastry is rolled up around freshly ground almond paste baked and then drizzled with almond flavored glaze and topped with toasted almond slices. This goes perfectly with the coffee. We dip and drink and enjoy this quick bite before we are off the Saugatuck Michigan.
Saugatuck is about 25 minutes north of South Haven. When we arrive it is still very early and the shops are just starting to open up but the farmers market is beaming with people so we head in and soon we realize we are sniffing all the fruits, veggies and herbs the vendors have to offer. Too bad we don’t have a kitchen at the hotel because we could have made a feast with what was offered. We settle on no fruits or veggies but some breads from the local baker. We got whole wheat, whole-wheat California sour dough and a whole-wheat raisin walnut bread. I ate mine today for breakfast it was outstanding, no preservatives even better. We found another olive oil shop like the one in South Haven and this time we couldn’t resist, so we left there a lot lighter in the wallet but we both brought home walnut oil with white peach balsamic aged 12 years and Tuscan herb oil with pomegranate vinegar.
Tracy over heard a gentleman who leads culinary walking tours of the area say there was a spice shop just around the corner so she didn’t need to ask me twice if I wanted to go. I could have spend 100.00 dollars in there but I was good and resisted I limited myself to just at few spices like green chili powder, smoked chili powder and ancho chili powder. I will be making some type of Mexican dish soon… We sample a candied chili nut that was awesome, first it was sweet then it left the heat in the back of your throat.
On to what I call a “my porn” store. I know what you are thinking it’s not really porn it’s a kitchen store. Yes I said it I have an addiction to these stores. They are in every outlet mall, in every upscale mall in the world. I love them, they carry everything I want and don’t need. You know these stores, pots and pans from France, knives and cutting boards and every and I am every kitchen gadget know to man. Plus they carry a verity of jellies jams spreads cake mixes you know one of everything you want to make with the utensils to make it with. Ok I am rambling about it now so you know how much I like the stores. But we are good we sniff some coffees and taste an apricot jam and some garlic green salsa and we are out, Tracy yanks me out and we move on.
We move through boutiques and wine shops and galleries then we come across the James Brandess studio where I pick up a couple of prints and Tracy nabs a sketchbook. I love this gentleman’s work it is right up my alley, flowers, beach scenes, mountain scapes and more. If you get the chance please look at his work its is beautiful, well worth it. (www.jamesbrandess.com)
By this time we covered a few streets and its not even lunch so we decided to forgo another breakfast and move up to Holland MI another 15 mins up the highway.
We are not sure where we are going and we follow exit signs in to Holland and we first notice its like any other medium sized city buy we spy a sign that says windmill island and gardens we follow that through there downtown area and realize that its really an island and it cost to get on and everything is outside. So with the cold weather and rain we head back to the downtown area where there was some interesting shopping to do.
We park in front of guess what else a coffee shop were we get a tip on where have lunch and we get a chocolate espresso. It’s truly a shot of espresso and a piece of ghiradelli dark chocolate that you break up and stir in the shot. It zoomed us right down the street around to the next block where we ended up at our lunch destination, The City Delicatessen. This was a soup and sandwich shop and nothing more and nothing less. I had the tuna and Tracy got the chicken salad and we shared. The chicken salad wins here. Roasted chicken with dried sweet cherries onions and celery in a creamy mayo on a chibatta roll yes this was clearly the winner. They serve a peppered kettle chip with the sandwich, which was something I would never have thought to buy, but I will if I see them in the store now. They offer a frozen yogurt bar 44 cents an ounce but we wanted some chocolate from the corner store we passed on the way. So it was off to the powder room before we left. Ok here is where the story kind of goes in a different direction please go along for the ride. This bathroom didn’t belong to this sandwich shop it couldn’t have because it was beautifully decorated. It had a stone sink with puter finishes very luscious. When I went to the toilet the seat lifted up as if to great me hello… I sat down and then almost jumped back up the seat was heated and very warm I laughed to Tracy and told her what was going on. Ok I did my business and went to grab some toilet paper when I noticed a fixture on the wall it said clean front, clean back, blow dry, there were a few up and down buttons and something that said flush. Hum.. What to to? I said Tracy I think this is a bidea as I pushed the button that said clean front and what did you know, warm water came out and I couldn’t find the stop button because I was laughing so hard but after pushing everything on the gismo I found the stop button and thought great, now what? I guess the blow dry was in order. Needless to say after the blow dry I found the toilet paper but wouldn’t give it to Tracy because she needed the same attention I got.
We shopped and shopped and then drove back to South Haven and back to the Warner Winery store because you know we didn’t get enough wine the first time. Lol
Our time in the beaches of Michigan was fun and quick 3 and ½ hour drive from Indianapolis is a great getaway. So tomorrow we head home… Cant wait to do the guy vs. gal Friday night fights pulled pork challenge. See you all next week….
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