My Kind of Labor Day Picnic! (inside)

Since we decided to stay home for the Labor Day weekend and not travel, my husband and I went for a little day trip to Vero Beach on Friday before the long weekend. We wanted to have lunch at one of our fav restaurants, The Ocean Grill, and also hit the newly opened Fresh Market, a fabulous gourmet-style grocery store. I took a few pictures of the Ocean Grill so you can see why we like it. It's a noteworthly building right on the beach in Vero. I love all the wrought iron work that is on the walls and hanging around (lamps) and the mix of stained glass and pecky cypress walls and ceilings. A red and white striped awning welcomes you to the restaurant, with the beach just beyond. In the first room off to the left is a HUGE Florida Highwayman painting, then on to the next room, with a ginormous domed wrought iron piece hanging over a very large round table.

More stained glass and a wonderful lamp hanging from the ceiling. Another fabulous stained glass piece with tropical fish above windows that separate dining rooms.


And my favorite stained glass oval that is set high above one of the main dining areas. The windows beyond the standing wait staff look out on the beach and the ocean. It's wonderful to be able to snag a window table, but there are lots of great other tables where you can not only see the water and beach, but enjoy the interiors as well.



Here's a close-up of the stained glass oval we enjoyed from our table while feasting on clams steamed in garlic and wine, a ceasar salad topped with sauted bay scallops, and FRENCH fried shrimp (not sure why they designated the shrimp as "french" fried, but the fried oysters on the menu, which they were out of, as just fried??? Whatever they want to call them, the fried shrimp were pretty close to a few of my fav shrimp-eatin' places, only you got fewer shrimp, but they were bigger.) Of course we finished the meal with a piece of key lime pie, which we've found to be one of the best key lime pies we've had, soaked graham cracker crumb crust and all.

On to a visit to Fresh Market, a new store for Vero Beach, and the closest Fresh Market to us now. I always hit Fresh Market when I am in Jacksonville. So I loaded up on another bag of their Pumpkin Spice coffee (which I had just found at the Jax FM), a loaf of their 12 Grain Pumpernickle bread, a jar of their Blueberry Jam, and a pound of large-sized freshly caught Florida White Shrimp. It was a nice way to start a long weekend, and we were so glad that we went because we found out that the Ocean Grill was starting a two-week employee vacation and would be closed beginning Labor Day! So we had our OG fix for a while.

Be sure to click on the Ocean Grill link above to see their intro which shows a night-time shuttle launch and turn up your speakers to hear the ocean!