Having had a relatively quiet night, Matthew and I decided to head to the beach in search of the dolphins that this area is so well known for. But first we enjoyed some bagels and cream cheese in the sunshine and then got ourselves together to head to the beach.

The day is stunning and we go for a wander on the beach and say our good mornings to passers by. We take our time walking along, and shared our attention with the creatures and shells washing up on the shore, as well as scanning the waves for any signs of the beautiful recognisable fins. We had no luck at all, so Matthew asked, with a wry smile, if I could have a word with the dolphins to pay us a visit. Without even taking a breath, I began to too my best dolphin sound impression. We are both immediately in fits of laughter, and it’s clear that we look like a pair of idiots nearly curled over in hysterics.
We’d been out on the hunt for a while, so make an decision to head back for some lunch. Making decisions together is so simple, we both comment on the ease of this, and our enjoyment of holidaying together.
We head to S.K.O.B. I had to look twice, having mistaken the acronym for my teenage loved band NKOTB (New Kids On The Block – y’all who were brought up in the 90s will know what I am talking about). In this case it actually stood for Siesta Key Oyster Bar. I notice that on the sign there is a ‘Happy Hour’ from 3pm, which happened to be only a couple of minutes away. In Australia, that normally means cheap drinks, but not at SKOB. Their happy hour is all about the oysters….half price! Bitterly disappointed, I scan the menu and we opt to share some fresh prawns and a Caesar salad.

The menu said king prawns, and they weren’t wrong. Delicious and tasty! We sit and graze while listening to some more live music, this time a duo who pick away at a number of recognisable tunes.
The humidity here is uncomfortable at times, so it’s time to head back and have a dip in the pool that has looked so inviting. Time passes quickly as we laze around the pool sunning ourselves, watching the lizards scurry by, and seeing some squirrels darting from tree to tree on the power line above. It’s incredible to have some down time, and having a chilled out partner has made this even easier as we have little plans, and are tending to go with the flow. Despite that, we had made a booking for Summer House and needed to get ourselves together, and dressed ready to go.
When we arrive at the restaurant, they are all smiles and friendliness. The vibe of the restaurant is very different to others we had been in, as this was fine dining and not the causal experience we had already experienced so far. We are greeted by our waiter who we instantly hit it off with. His name is James, With a handle bar moustache and love of wine knowledge. While he is explaining some great options for dinner a hand written birthday card arrives at the table, thanking me for choosing Summer House to celebrate my birthday.

I was so excited to see lobster on the menu as this is something I have never tried before. We have once again found dishes to share, choosing a charcuterie board for starters and a reef and beef for main. The board comes out with mount watering cheese, meats and paste. We don’t waste anytime digging in, and just before the main comes out, James swings by to check on us, and is so gorgeous when he says ‘I’ve waited a very long time to serve a table with a couple like you’. It’s further evidence of how kindness can go a long way. What an incredibly humbling comment to make.

The lobster and steak come out, and both are cooked to absolute perfection. We are left to slowly enjoy it and opt to have another chat with James (who I am already affectionately calling Jimmy). He is an interesting guy who has worked in the service industry for many years. He tells us he is a sommelier and its clear, as he speaks so passionately about the wine.
After a quick picture and an espresso martini, we say our goodbyes to head back to SKOB for a relaxing wind down. Seems the duo have now been replaced with a solo artist, Al, whose choice of arrangements for popular songs was so interesting.
It’s safe to say that the order of a bottle of Oyster Bay Savignon Blanc has made for the best possible night cap, and while sitting there listening to a song I was taken back to the times I used to enjoy when my step dad practiced his guitar. Having lost him last year, it is always a lovely memory for me to recall through acoustic guitar. This also meant that I teared up when listening to Al play. Matthew quickly comforted me, understanding how important and special my step dad was, and already has been aware of the trigger that acoustic guitar music has for me.
We wait till Al finishes up and thank him for his incredible entertainment, and realise it is very much time to head home. I do not want to wait to see what my head is like in the morning.