Franks Grill in Marathon-A Terrific Italian American Restaurant

**Barb is in** **her** **element! Great food, great surroundings and of course pretty good company too!**

**Osso Bucco made with pork shanks, and mighty good and plenty! Tastes at Franks remind one of the best meals that momma and papa Leoni used to make in the early days of America.**

**Yellowtail is a very delicate fleshed dish, few chefs get it exactly right. Franks gets it exactly right and then-some!**

**First time I had blueberries embedded in Key Lime Pie. It was very special!**

AmericanPressTravelNews- Marathon, FL. Keys, January 1st,-Bob and Barb “On The Road Again” Stopping to smell the garlic at Franks Grill. For decades, Frank’s Grill has wowed it’s patrons with authentic Italian-American dishes that do a whole lot more than just please the palate, and nose, but also please the eyes, as well. The yellowtail snapper dish was exquisitely prepared. We enjoyed ala Francaise, sauteed with butter , white wine and lemon juice in a light egg wash. The Osso Bucco dish was amazing. A Melanese specialty of cross cut pork shanks with vegetables, white wine and broth done Frank’s high and delicious style. All manner of veal, chicken, duck and spaghetti dishes were on the menu. The desserts such as Key Lime Pie, bulging with fresh blueberries was different and quite a treat as was the New York Cheese Cake, a specialty few restaurants in the Keys serve. The wait staff, excellent! The table and decor were first rate too! Eggplant, shells, Manacotti, linguine, Steak Roma, lamb chops, N.Y. Strip, Ribeye and the entire seafood melange of delicacies. Franks Grill is located at 11400 Overseas Highway 113th street Gulfside in Town Square Mall, Marathon FL. go: FranksGrillMarathon.com 305-289-7772 open Monday thru Friday 10am-3-pm and dinner from 5-pm-9pm on Saturday.

**New York Cheesecake! Yes, even in Marathon.**

We Are All Rich If We Have Good Health 1ST

Americanpresstravelnews-May 20th, Goose Holler’ Farm, TN.–We were sent this Healthstyle Guide and we (Bob & Barb, “Stopping to Smell the Roses”) want our readers to live healthy, 1st!!

Tip of the Day:

Do you think you have a Thyroid Problem?

The thyroid is the most metabolically active gland in your entire body. If your thyroid is functioning at full capacity, weightloss becomes relatively easy. If it’s not, however — which is the case for most — losing even a single pound can become seemingly impossible.

5 Foods Doctors Swear by – Cancer Fighters Thrive

Cancer Treatment Centers of America

April 16, 2016

A Better You, Food + Recipes, What’s Nou?

5 Foods Doctors Swear By – Cancer Fighters Thrive

Do you want to super-charge your diet with some of the most outstanding foods for your health … but you’re not sure where to start? Or have you grown tired of broccoli and almonds, and you’re looking for a nutritious change of pace? The Huffington Post featured five of the top foods to consider; these are so good (and so good for you) that they’re endorsed by some of the top nutrition experts around.

1. Greek Yogurt

Gerard Mullin, MD, director of the Johns Hopkins Integrative GI Nutrition Services, recommends Greek yogurt for “palatability, satiation and protein content.” Plus, yogurt is an important source of probiotics, or beneficial bacteria that improve the health of your microbiome. He further explained:

“Organic, grass-fed yogurt is best because you are getting a better omega fatty acid profile. When animals are fed corn they produce dairy with more omega-6s, but grass-fed animals produce dairy with more healthy omega-3s.”

2. Chickpeas

David Katz, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P.M., F.A.C.P., Director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, recommends chickpeas for their high protein content, which is especially useful if you’re trying to avoid or cut back on meat.

3. Dark, Leafy Greens

According to Donald D. Hensrud, M.D, M.P.H., chair of the Division of Preventive, Occupational, and Aerospace Medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, dark leafy greens can’t be beat for their high nutritional content and low calories. He recommends arugula, spinach and lettuces prepared in a variety of ways – salads, pasta dishes, lasagna, pesto, soups and spinach pie.

4. Eggs

Robert Lustig, M.D., M.S.L., director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Program at the University of California, San Francisco and president of the nonprofit Institute for Responsible Nutrition, recommends eggs for their high-quality protein, including tryptophan, which may help with weight management. He said:

“Eggs got a bad rap in the 1980s because of the cholesterol in the yolk. But it does not raise the small dense LDL, which is the atherogenic particle [the one that forms plaques in your arteries]. Eggs are great by themselves, with many different ways of preparation, or they can be added to foods easily.”

5. Avocados

Taz Bhatia, M.D., assistant professor at Emory University in Preventive/Integrative Medicine and director of the Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine, said she swears by avocados for their heart-healthy unsaturated fat. In addition to helping you feel full longer, avocados contain vitamins C, K and B6 along with pre- and probiotics for a healthy gut.

The Worden farm in Punta Gorda, FL.; A Testament to Earth-Living with Knowledge & Passion

**The Worden’s: Specialists in making things grow organically! Experts in making great friends and neighbors. Experts in feeding thousands with fresh, healthy produce!**

APtravelnews-Punta Gorda, FL. April 22^nd, Bob and Barb “Stopping to Smell the Roses, Sunflowers and gathering organic produce. It can really come together for the residents of a community, when truly dedicated, knowledgeable, people and earth caring folks move into their neighborhood. One of the high-benefits of being a travel communicator is that occasionally, you meet a person or a couple who really are deeply immersed into what they do, and do it “well.” The husband and wife team of Chris Worden, Ph.D and wife Eva Worden, Ph.D are the Co-Founders of the organic Worden Farm. Eva said she and her husband bought approximately, 80-acres in 2003 and put their education and training into the realm of reality through a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm membership program (we met several of the thousands of people that have been faithful students of the Worden’s at the weekly market for members, and there was a lot of love and respect in the air).

The workshops, farm tours, university courses, conferences and community greening projects within the United States and internationally, are hallmarks in the lives of the Worden’s, and the thousands who have learned how to create and respect their own agricultural organic plots, as well! The joy we felt, and the drive and engagement of the Worden’s and helpers, were able to be seen reflected in the faces of the many folks who came to pick out their vegetables for their part of their farm membership. Farmers markets and their (CSA) farm membership program, has become a healthy and integral part of the Punta Gorda and surrounding communities. Check the Worden Farm out at www.wordenfarm.com

A Few Great Days In Florence, AL. Part 1 of 5

**A view from the tower towards Pickwick Lake. This Marriott Hotel was excellent in every way!**

APtravelnews-October 23^rd—Florence, AL. and Lauderdale, County is quite progressively moving forward with offering locals and visitors some of the best historical, modern as well as iconic music entertainment and even spiritual attractions, excellent restaurants and accommodations that AL. has to offer. Barb and I, thanks to the very professional, yet extremely friendly, Georgia Carter Turner from Florence and Lauderdale Tourism Development Council, brought us in to familiarize us with many opportunities that all visitors can take advantage of as well.

We stayed at the Marriott Shoals Hotel & Conference Center, which offered excellent buffet breakfasts, lunch and dinners at Swampers Restaurant (see images of our meals) comfortable rooms and even an indoor and outdoor impressive swimming pool and spa. The staff was very pleasant and friendly; the elevator never kept you waiting- it was as fast as any I have ever experienced. The beds were perfect! It’s tough to be comfortable traveling and bed-hopping, but here we slept comfortably and bedded down on the 6^th floor watching vast sunsets and sun-ups over a panoramic view of hill and dale, viewing the nearby waters of Muscle Shoals and the Tennessee River. www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/msimc-marriott-shoals-hotel-and-spa/

Salmon and sauteed Brussel,Sprouts at Swamper's Restaurant in the lobby area of the Marriott! — **Salmon and sauteed Brussel,Sprouts at Swamper’s Restaurant in the lobby area of the Marriott!**

**Welcome Center new and special for Florence, Lauderdale and every visitor!**

Steak and fried green tomatoes. Even Pres. Bushes favorite vegetable (not) Broccoli! Dat's a meal! — **Steak and fried green tomatoes. Even Pres. Bushes favorite vegetable (not) Broccoli! Dat’s a meal!**

Early Monday morning, writer Rebecca McCormick from Hot Springs Arkansas and I were scheduled to fish Pickwick Lake with Guide Lance Walker. It sure was cool traveling at 75-miles per hour with his Skeeter Boat powered by a 250-hp Yamaha, but we got to cover plenty of water and with a bit of a cold-front, the fish had a bit of lockjaw. Fortunately, we carried Click-It Hot Hand Warmers. Lance loved using these near instant reusable units in his hands and on his back too. Fortunately we had the right guide. Lance knew where they lived and we popped a 9-pound largemouth, a 4-pound smallmouth and a few additional bass in the 4-pound range. Plenty of great fish to photo and release (see images). Overall a fabulous fishing adventure! www.scout.com/outdoors/wired2fish/story/1466300-pickwick-bass-fishing-showing-out-again

After a wash-up, we headed for lunch and ice cream at Trowbridge’s on Main Street in Florence. The diminutive place is an iconic, very reasonably priced lunch spot with ice cream to cry for “more. Along with the lively crowd, we enjoyed sharing this long-time fun-spot that felt like a throw-back to the 50’s. Pimento Cheese sandwiches were long time favorites, and I had a Butter Pecan Milk Shake that I can’t wait to taste again-WOW! www.yelp.com No there was more to come: Stay tuned for our dinner at Ricatoni’s Italian Grill and later; Arx Mortis Haunted attraction, back door tour. It was so spooky and really scary! Note: See lots more in next posts about our whirlwind adventures in Florence and Muscle Shoals, AL. Check out their website at: www.visitflorenceal.com We’re Going back for sure!