There has been a lot of tweets/mentions of Freshley’s Cafe that has just opened in Seminole Heights last week. Freshley’s offers breakfast & lunch Monday through Saturday, I woke up this morning knowing I wanted to stop by on the way to Gregg’s office to check out all the hype.

Freshley’s is located at the northwest corner of Florida and Hillsborough in Seminole Heights.

Have I mentioned I love airstreams?!

It is surrounded by a ton of newly planted plants, as well as a cute dining area with shade. (I wonder if they have wi-fi? ;)

I sneaked a picture of the inside. :) It’s a Mother, Daughter and Grand Daughter team!

Showing all the cute plants in bright planters. So cheery!  Gregg has coffee :)

This is the specials board, condiments table, and tea! (Sweet & Unsweet)

Gregg got “Good Morning New York”
- Smoked salmon, light cream cheese, red onion, sliced tomato, and capers on fresh Pumpernickel bread. $5.95
It got raving reviews from Gregg.

I got the “Egg White Frittata”
- Baked Arugula, garlic, green onions and turkey sausage (salmon was a choice too), served on wheat toast, with fresh fruit. $4.50

Can I say how EXTREMELY OVERJOYED I am? Freshley’s food was amazing. They have healthy portions. Food is perfectly seasoned. Fresh. Good pricing. -There was BLUEBERRIES in their fruit salad. When have you ever seen that?

I will for sure be a regular at Freshley’s Cafe. :)

Find them online: Website | Twitter | Facebook

I’m putting together a cookie swap on the internets. Basically, you make two dozen cookies & send four cookies to six people. Easy peasy. I’m even okay w/ buying bakery cookies! There isn’t any voting, or prizes, just fun. If you want to sign up please visit the form I made.

Sign up for the cookie swap!

I didn’t want to be left out of all the Cinco de Mayo celebrations, so I made some Mexican inspired lettuce wraps. The fresh salsa, “Market Fresh Chipotle Garlic Salsa” was from Wal-mart, & only $3. (& WAY yummy & ALL fresh stuff!) It’s only 5 calories per 2 tablespoons.  I’m not sure how to get it under 300 calories, unless you cut out the celery (20 calories per serving) but I really enjoyed the crunch! I also add an ungodly amount of Cayenne pepper, because I like it flaming hot. It also helps w/ my water intake, I drank 64 ounces of water while eating this. Oh, best part! I was STUFFED!

Okay, I am getting way too excited. Beginning. It’s Oz’s birthday. We had already been out to dinner @ Jackson’s Bistro. (Another post another day!) One of his friends wanted him to meet up w/ them at a “speakeasy”. As soon as I heard the term, “speakeasy” I was visualizing the Great Gatsby & terribly excited.

We parked on a random side street, & as far as we knew, the directions that were given to us “Find a random wooden door in a garden, & ring the bell”. After walking for a block or two, we found it.

There was no one outside. It was just a door. Us girls asked Oz to ring the bell. Shortly, the little peep hole opened up, someone looked outside, asked us who invited us! & then closed the door & let us in.

Wow! As soon I walked in, I was taken back. I looked at Gabi, & just BEAMED. We have been looking for a swanky place for ages now! A little hole in the wall jazz club. Swoon Swoon Swoon!

We were asked to sign in & read the house rules. I don’t recall all the rules, just to “speakeasy” & “if a man comes up to greet you, gently raise your chin & look away”. Super cute. The host walked us back to our booth, we had a party of 8, so it was a huge booth, we were all seated comfortable. The table in the booth, is actually a series of smaller interlocking tables at different heights. The booth was made out of the silkiest, smoothest leather (or faux leather?) There were privacy curtains. Red lighting. Candles. Are you ready…? Jellyfish tanks!

The setting is completely original, surprisingly intimate, and has a really laid-back vibe. I asked the host when entering how many people they could set, since upon entering it looked like a pretty small place. They said they can seat up to 75 & do rent out the place for private parties, they also have a *huge* booth for parties of 15+.

The food was amazing. We had ordered between this eight of us- 2 orders of truffle popcorn… Omg! It was delicious- popped in truffle oil, w/ garlic & other seasonings sprinkled on top -we all loved it, fries that are fried in duck fat served with garlic something? (compote?) & tamarind ketchup… YUM. Cheese fondue, which I only tried a bit of but was also divine. Dark chocolate fondue… served w/baby churros, fresh mango, kiwi, strawberries, peaches… fresh oysters & scallops… I’m not a seafood fan at all, but everyone who tried it said it was the best they’ve ever experienced.

The drinks were amazing. Everything is made “classically” -They use fresh, muddled fruit to craft customized, gourmet drinks, revived specialty cocktails from the early 20th century, & the bartenders will make you just about anything you ask for. The bartender, George was the most knowledgeable bartender I’ve ever experienced & a genuine conversationalist. (It does help that he was wearing a vest & his sleeves were rolled up & complimented Gabi on her “extraordinarily refined palate!” & said he could make me fall in love w/ my most despised liquor…. gin!) My first drink was named the “lycee love hotel”, I was a bit nervous about it because it had mint in it, but it was amazing & fresh. There were many drinks, I’m not sure I could remember them all, but the other drinks that really stood out was the rum sour (made with real lemon juice & egg whites instead of the run-of-the-mill sweet & sour most bars use!! Cocktail revival!) & a drink that was sweet & milky w/ habanero pepper… a kick but was so nice to sip on.

I have not one negative comment about this place! As soon as Gregg gets home, I’m taking him there…stat! (Oh, & everyone else I know.) Go now!

(All pictures come from another amazing review which you can read here.)