Jacksonville, FL

I’ve written about Barbara Jean’s Restaurant for another site, but it’s worth repeating here.

Once a month or so, my husband and I set aside a Saturday for a beach date. We head to Mickler’s Landing for a long walk. This is our favorite beach in the area because it’s not very commercialized. Unless of course you count the mansions fronting the ocean. We usually go around 2 p.m. because chances are better for a parking space in the paved lot. There are outdoor showers for washing the sand off your feet. There’s also a lifeguard on duty now, for those who like to swim. It’s fun to watch the surfers who love to hit the water regardless of the weather.

I always get great photos at Mickler’s. One of my favorites is an elaborate sand sculpture—the creation looks like an alien. You can find pretty shells, and there are supposed to be shark’s teeth, but I haven’t found any of those yet.

After our walk, we head to Barbara Jean’s, a restaurant located at the old Ward’s Landing site on the intercoastal waterway. Southern Living says the crabcakes here are the best, and I’d have to agree. The she-crab soup is superb; great quality crab meat in a concoction seasoned to perfection. The menu offers a variety of seafood dishes. You could just about make a meal of the homemade bread—pumpkin bread, jalapeno corn bread and wheat rolls. You can pick sides from a large selection of homemade vegetable dishes; the squash casserole is my personal favorite. Dress is casual; prices are reasonable. Directions are available at the Web site.

Weather permitting, we sit on the deck and watch the boats cruise the waterway. Birds entertain us with their antics. The view from the deck offers a panoramic natural scene–there’s nothing developed on the shoreline across from the restaurant. We’ve often wondered why bugs aren’t bothersome when we eat out here–after all, this is Florida. I suppose the birds eat them all. After a glass of Chardonnay, we head back home and listen to music. I’ve made several CDs from selections at iTunes just for our beach days.

Nothing breaks the tedium like a beach date. It does a body–and the spirit–good.
(photos and text by Kay B. Day)

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