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Published: February 3rd 2017
Come and get it! It's time go. We decided to head to Plant City to get our annual strawberry fix at Parksdale Market. What shall we order? Hmmmm- so many options to select....all super delicious and mega size. Just line up behind us.
Hey, wait a minute - in our conversation, the name Buddy Freddy's comes up. It is listed on our bucket list. Sandy remembers there is a Buddy Freddy's in Plant City. Now what? How can we ever decide which place to go to first? A tough decision. Cory is swaying the steering wheel back and forth as we throw out our wishes. Finally.....the decision has been made with your help. We could hear your chorus yelling in the back of the bus: Buddy Freddy's, Buddy Freddy's, Buddy Freddy's!
Cory makes our way to Buddy Freddy's. What is Buddy Freddy's you ask? It's a Southern Home Style Cooking Buffet Restaurant. OMG....so much to choose from. Where to start...it was all so good. We had a delightful waitress, Linda. By the time we left, she was still chatting with us outside this great eatery. She said all the other Buddy's had closed up and this was the only one
remaining. Whew....made it just in time. Our decision was the right one. We did agree, however, you get more for your buck at the trough (Golden Corral). Next outing.
We had to kill time in order to digest this hardy smorgasbord that we had just devoured. Sandy mentioned an old Cookie Factory (Dad's) they had gone to years ago. Cookie-Cookie-Cookie.....we are game for that. Now the cookie factory is called Toufayan Bakeries. Our Waze GPS guided us there....up and over the railroad tracks. They had a nice, little outlet store were they sold their cookies. The prices were so cheap! Some cookies had a few flaws but to us, they all looked great. Cookie, Cookie, Cookie.
Sam wanted this group to go to an old flea market down the road. He said it was only selling veggies now. If it were open, most everyone had packed up and left. It was a pretty rough looking flea market....not too inviting. Grimy.
Along this roadway we stopped at an old corner grocery. It specializes in Mexican food. Sam & Sandy have always told us about the wonderful barbacoa they would get here. I had to see what this stuff
Outside
Buddy Freddy's looked like. Sam told us his story about this place: One time, he was with George and Carole. They stopped and ordered this beefy Mexican dish to eat out at the single, rustic, wooden picnic table. Only problem...they didn't order it mild so it came HOT & SPICY. Sam said it curled Carole's hair into tight, little knots. She and George have removed this dish from their private menu. It was probably like eating a slice of the sun. Too bad, no barbacoa today....it was going to be made the next day. Cory and I won't go back.
Okay, through the town we went and happened upon a fun looking coffee shop that Joe and Bonnie recommended and go to frequently. It is called The Whistle Stop Cafe. Joe brought cookies from this place for one of our morning coffees.....ooooo, beyond the ultimate of tastiness ! Too bad....it was closed. Next time.
Finally, we reached our original destination. Parksdale! The best place to get your Strawberry delicacies in the world. They also have a veggie market plus other delicious treats for sale. I'm sure you remember this place. We've been here before- remember it now? Their dining area
Cookie Shop
Toufayan Bakeries Factory is very gaudy and unique. Famous people have been here so their pictures are hung around this strawberry themed open air dining hall. Still quite full from Buddy Freddy's, Sandy and I got their small strawberry milkshake. They were so thick we couldn't suck them up through our straws. Just as well.....needed more digesting time. Sam got a huge strawberry shortcake MINUS the strawberries! A virgin strawberry shortcake! He has a tooth that is bothering him and he didn't want a ? strawberry seed to get in it. Cory got nothing....he just watched Sam eat. All Sandy and I could do was just stare at our milkshakes for the time being...rats. But it was really okay cause of all the food we eaten at the Southern Buffet: Buddy Freddy's. Fat and full we made our way back home. The bright lights of Old Town let us know when we have made it. Our beacon.
Nothing we do is ever planned. All is last minute decisions. Tuesday, we selected Disney Springs to take off our bucket list. Friends had told us how much it had changed over this past year. WOW! Were they right! They even changed the hot air
Old dead flea market
Gates open: Come on in! balloon....it's a different color now. We parked in their newest parking garage: "the Lime Garage". When we entered upon the grounds, we had no idea where we were. Completely different and unfamiliar. We were in an area of high end clothing shops.
The information guideman said this whole area used to be a parking lot. Still hard to comprehend our location. He pointed us in the direction of The Earl of Sandwich. Do you remember my favorite, favorite sandwich from here? Think awhile. Yep.....their tuna melt. Oooooo- so good! Of course, this path took us first inside the Ghirardelli Ice Cream store for a free candy sample. We'll stop by again on our way out. Dessert before the main course as well as after. We can handle it. Chocolate is good for your heats....we have good hearts now.
And then we were there: at the EARL. Cheers for The Earl. "Hip-Hip-Hooray. My tuna melt is on it's way!" Their soda machine was out of order so Cory got us an Earl Grey Tea & Lemonade...yuck! Horrible! Speeeew!
After licking out lips from the luscious sandwiches, we headed back out into this Disney Merry Land. Most was familiar
to us but a lot was so new and different. We lounged at the classic boat dock and watched the little amphicars drive by on the lake. Ahoy thar'....matey.
We headed towards the newly remodeled Planet Hollywood when we saw the new, huge, glass walled Coca Cola building. WOW! First floor was a shopping area: everything Coca Cola. Second floor was collectibles and more Coca Cola items. Here they waved us on to meet the Coca Cola Polar Bear. Of course, it was a "picture taking" ploy. We fell for it. When we went to check it out, we were told the cost was $40.00. No go. Even the 4 wallet size were $30.00. At the point, while Cory had the cashier occupied, I snapped a picture of this pricey picture with my Ipad. Bad deed but a better price. We were out of there!
Third floor was their open air balcony beverage bar floor. They had every drink you could think of made from a Coke...even Coca Cola liquor drinks were for sale. I saw a family who had trays of various colored drinks and had to ask about. It was a sample of 16 Coca Cola
Mexican store
Baked goods available but no barbacoa Tastes of the World. Absolutely.....we had to try this. A little pamphlet told us what country each drink came from. We poured a sample into each of our cups, Cory gave our regular toast: "There are good ships and wood ships but the best ships are friendships.......Yeah!" The drinks started out pretty good but then some started tasting yucky. The one we all hated and spit out was from Italy. It was really nasty! Puke! By the sixteenth toast and drink.....we were only saying "Yeah" and backwashing some of the liquid. We were over hydrated: bloated. But it was fun!
Time to walk off some of this flavorful fluid. We wandered through the new Market Place building filled with gorgeous shops. Ah....look! A good sale: 40% off....we go in. Only problem, the sweater-shawl was originally $660.00. Oh, boy. It's still on their rack.
Eventually, we made it back to the Lime Garage. Hope you had a good time like we did. We'll be back here one of these days.
Even though we really didn't need any more food, it was supper time so we went to Culver's to eat again. Whew! This is a neat place...fast food:
Barbacoa
Mexican Beef Barbecue hamburgers, etc. plus ice cream items. The staff is very, very friendly and accommodating. Tasty morsels. Even a Senior discount. Sold!
Our eating regimen has not concluded. On Wednesday, Tropical Palms put on an ice cream social for all its guests. Yummy. A good time was had by all as we consumed this cool and tasty confectionary. Just keep eating, Just keep eating....as Dory would say. I will, I will.....I respond!
We bought a new set of bathroom scales because I was sure our old one was broken. It wasn't reading like I thought it should. Fool! It's me that's the problem, not the scale. And don't you just wonder why? This continuous engorgement could be the root of the problem. Do you think? The new scale only shows my weight bigger and brighter on its LED screen. Rats!
Noooo- now it's supper time again. Sandy suggested the delicious Italian restaurant in St.Cloud that we went to last year...'member? It had the big painted murals of Italy on the wall. It's called La Bella Napoli Italian Restaurant. It's the real thing! Delicious. Delizioso. I had a spicy penne pasta dish. Even after they made it mild, it
Big old tree in front
Picnic table where Sam, Carole and George burned their mouths. was still hot, hot, hot! My lips were burning. But, I ate it all....had to: it was delizioso. I had water to cool my mouth down - NOT their Coca Cola from Italy! Ick!
So, let's call it it a day. Time to start fasting or the new scales will reach its 450 lb. limit. I may have to double up on the Motrin to keep up with tiny Sandy and her walking. Tonight we cheated and rode around the park on our golf cart. No pain but no gain. Rats!
Photo gallery this time. 43 photos, folks - do what you know to do to see all of them. There are 3 pages to review.?
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Colleen
non-member comment
Market Place
It was all fun and loved the short cake, but I wish we could have spent more time at the Market Place, it looked like it just might have been fun. Sandy forget the scales we are not over weight we are just under tall. Back at the ranch we had more snow and it is in the teens tonight so enjoy your warm weather. Happy Trails.