Vacation!

Vacation food has a special set of rules and regulations and requirements. Depending on how you were raised, you were:
A. Allowed to eat with abandon at every meal..."We're on vacation! Of course you can have a hot fudge sundae after breakfast! "
B. Allowed a special treat..."We have a lot to see, you may have a hot fudge sundae on the last night. Now stop hitting your sister."
Or
C. Completely disinterested because your family took vacations involving something athletic..."After we hit these rapids,trail mix break!"

My adult vacations are a mix of A & B. The C usually involves a brisk walk to find food.

AnonyMouse and I just spent a perfectly glorious week at the Jersey Shore followed by a road trip through the mountains of Western PA. I love car trips. I love planning the route, driving on backroads, and rest stops. Rest stops are my A. When I see REST AREA 1/2 MILE I forget that the words healthy, guilt, and salad exist. Fortunately, the stops are brief, and not much damage is done.

This vacation in particular had an unprecedented mix of food highs and lows. The lows are not what you really want to remember. But when a meal is that bad, you savor it. A bad meal today = a good story tomorrow.

The highs, however, are what really matter. Steamers, clams, and tuna on the grill. Dark and Stormy's overlooking the bay. Ice cream cones at midnight by the ocean.

A little abandon, a little restraint...now that's the perfect vacation.

Three Dream Vacation Meals Paired With Three Actual Vacation Meals
Tasting menu at the French Laundry in Napa and Wings and beer at Nardi's Jersey
Bellinis and carpaccio at Harry's Bar in Venice and A short stack at IHOP Unionville, PA
Pan Con Tomate in Barcelona and Spinach artichoke dip with tortilla chips at Summit Inn Farmington, PA