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Little Room Jazz Club in Key West, Florida

Dining Outside the Home: Little Room Jazz Club in Key West, Florida! If you prefer to sit on the edge of the party, tuck your legs under a bar stool at a high table in a cozy corner of Little Room Jazz Club. Step back in time to an era of speakeasies and nightclubs. Pay attention as the piano player tickles the ivory keys in the glow of blue neon lights. Every now and then, requests ring out from regular patrons while first-timers absorb the melodic freedom of harmonic jazz enticing a head bob, toe tap, or other bodily motions. For those who like to nibble as they drink, a nice assortment of small bites are available on the menu. Choose an entertaining evening; experience it all.

The Clean Plate Club

Everyone has childhood memories that conjure up nostalgia. For me, fast food takeout and restaurant dining was less common back then, reserved mostly for special occasions. Stay-at-home moms took great pride in budget-friendly menus stretching groceries to the max. Waste not, want not. My home economics teacher encouraged me to serve colorful food on the plate. One of the expressions I used to hear from adults was, “Eat everything, so you can be a member of the Clean Plate Club.” Sound familiar? Mealtime became an emotional all-star event tapping into our sense of accomplishment. And speaking of stars…Some of my posts have received a nod from the “Food Network” on Twitter (Snapshotsincursive@DornaGail) as well as Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa, on Instagram @gail_dorna. This continuous journey of the palate gives me time with you. Thanks very much to all of my guests and followers on http://snapshotsincursive.com for the uplifting support, award nominations, and moving words of encouragement. What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? It’s as simple as A-B-C. I love to cook, and my husband loves that I do it often. Most recipes serve 2-4 people, but can be easily modified. Leftovers are golden morsels to be eaten later or shared with others. Seeing a smile of gratitude keeps me going. Now take a deep breath, inhale the aromas, and join me on a tasteful journey entitled, “EATING MY WAY THROUGH THE ALPHABET: THE CLEAN PLATE CLUB!”

Dining Outside the Home: Duke’s Canoe Club on Kalapaki Beach in Lihue, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Duke’s Canoe Club on Kalapaki Beach in Lihue, Kauai.  Sometimes the biggest challenge of being on vacation can be resisting all those tempting foods that lead us away from our daily diet. No worries here. Duke’s Canoe Club has included gluten-free menu items that satisfy those vacation cravings. Take, for example, the Caramelized Beet Salad loaded with savory roasted beets, pickled red onion, crumbled goat cheese, and farm-fresh arugula. It’s topped off with a macadamia nut brittle that is out of this world. Not only is the salad bursting with flavor, it comes with that rewarding feeling at the end of the meal. You know what I’m talking about; the one where you can still slip into that bathing suit afterwards and walk the beach like a seasoned athlete. Well done, Duke’s Canoe Club!