You know you’ve had a good day when it ends on this note.
Yeah, buddy.
Today was such a fun day! From the moment Ryan and my sister’s boyfriend Ross arrived around 11 a.m., we were out and about, making the most of our time in Sanibel. We spent the majority of the afternoon on the beach, before swimming in the pool (the ocean is too cold) and showering before dinner.
Our pool time was one of the highlights of my day, as we made up some stellar pool games. The best made-up game was the one-legged noodle race, in which you had to keep a pool noodle submerged with one leg and swim to the other side of the pool as fast as you could, while the noodle remained under water.
It’s much harder than you’d think and watching people try to swim while keeping a noodle underwater is pretty darn hilarious. I lost the big race at the end because I basically choked on water from laughing so hard at Ryan and Ross trying to get to the other side of the pool without losing their noodles.
The Lazy Flamingo
My Aunt Laurie and cousin Jackson arrived on the island from North Carolina right before dinner and our whole group headed out to The Lazy Flamingo, a casual, local seafood restaurant.
Our meal began with conch fritters for the table that were delicious! I ate two and loved the seasonings used with the breading.
When it came time to order, I knew immediately that I wanted to order “The Pot,” a large pot of steamed clams and oysters.
Ryan wanted in, so we split the pot and the mesquite-seasoned grouper platter.
I ate all the fries from the platter and Ryan ate all the fish. I was all about the shellfish in The Pot anyway and ate most of them.
Dinner was a blast and our table had a great time!
As we were leaving we noticed that a bunch of the bar stools had names engraved on them. I asked about them and the hostess said that some locals earn their names on the stools overtime or pay $10,000 for a stool with their name on it. Chump change, clearly. 
Since we weren’t ready to head back to the condo, we decided to caravan over to Pinocchio’s, a small ice cream shop on the island for dessert.
And that is where this happened…
I ordered a medium ice cream with half Health bar ice cream and half chocolate caramel sea salt gelato.
Oh goodness it was good!
After dessert, we went back to the condo for some more quality time together and now I’m blogging from bed.
I hope your weekend is off to a great start. I’m pretty sure I’ll be asleep within five minutes of publishing this post. I’m beat!
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I love your made-up pool game; I’m laughing just trying to picture it in my head! Your gelato looks amazing – the caramel sea salt sounds absolutely delicious. My all-time favorite flavor of gelato is Nutella, though! Also, you have a beautiful family 🙂
🙂 Glad you are having fun with your family and friends 🙂
That dessert looks off the charts..any dessert which involves sea salt has me drooling!
I just saw one of your wedding pics on Pinterest!
What a fun day!! That ice cream looks amazing! I’m so happy ur sister and ross are doing well! And I love her necklace, I have one just like it in red!
That ice cream looks SO delicious!! Mmmm
I need to get myself to sannibel ASAP. It seems like you can’t help but be happy when you are there 🙂
Your Nanny is the sweetest little lady! Sounds like you’re having a fun time:)
Looks like fun!
half chocolate caramel sea salt gelato !?!?
Wow…no words right now – I want it! lol
I want it too! soo dark and rich looking!!
Ahhhhh I love Pinnochios!!!! That sounds and looks so delicious! Have a great time with everyone today!
glad you are enjoying Sanibel!
I loooooooooove pool games! I remember when we had a “water dance” competition- so much fun 😀
I love these kinds of restaurants at the beach. Seafood in pots is just so perfect at the beach. 🙂 Glad you’re having a great time Julie!
The food looks amazing, but I have to ask where did your sister get that beautiful turquise necklace? It’s incredible.
how fuuun! I love family gatherings. You’re so lucky to have all your favorite people around you…and sun!
YAY I’m so glad y’all went to the Lazy Flamingo! I used to always go there with my boyfriend’s family and I just love it.
I LOVE the Lazy Flamingo! The main reason is those conch fritters: We always get a basket to share and then I get one for myself for my main meal. Those fritters are one of the things I look forward to most about Sanibel 🙂
Caramel sea salt gelato sounds fantastic! I’ve been loving anything & everything “sea salt” lately!
Mmmm… heath bar and chocolate sea salt caramel?! sounds delish! I must get that and oysters SOON.
Wow! That ice cream looks DELICIOUS! Have a great weekend 🙂
Food + family/ friends + fun = great way to spend the weekend!!!
I moved from Tampa to Austin last week and I’m already starting to miss the availability of certain foods. Conch fritters are now on that list! Have a fun weekend in the warmth!
OMG that ice scream looks SO GOOD! MMM
That pool game sounds hilarious. I bet that’s incredibly hard to do! Is your aunt your mom’s sister? They look a lot alike.
That grouper looks amaze!! Fun day! I can’t wait to be in Florida next month!! 🙂
I got engaged in Sanibel last summer!! It’s been nice revisiting all our favorite local hangouts vicariously through you:-)
Mmmm, the combination of the ice cream picture and the gigantic spoon of peanut butter staring me down on the right side of my page make me want ice cream today! I live in MN and it is 35 degrees today but I still might get some 🙂
Looks like you’re having a great time, Julie! I’m jealous! I wanted to say thank you because after months of reading your blog, I finally decided to start one of my own 🙂
Yummmy food Julie! I especially like the ice cream and the pot of clams+oysters…..I could eat those forever and not get sick–I think? 😉 Have a great time girl!
Sounds like such a fun-filled day with your family! That food looks great!
WOW what a fun day!! Sounds like a perfect day to me! And that dessert is EXACTLY what I would get too 🙂 YUMM.
1. That pic of Leslie and Ross is so cute. 2. Your Grandma is the most precious thing on earth…and stylin’ 😉
Your sisters dress is adorable! Do you know where it’s from? Also, I love your top, but I cannot find any like it! You both have such great style!
So glad you are having so fun down here in our neck of the woods! We live close by and were married at Sanibel Harbour Resort, just before the bridge.
Lazy Flamingo is the best!
Bubble Room is another treat on Captiva!
Enjoy it all!
I feel like that dessert could change lives! I feel like I need to make a trip JUST for that!
Oh my I love heath bar. Sounds like a fabulous day!
That ice cream looks so good! I’m tempted to go use my Ben and Jerry’s Groupon tonight!
Pinocchio’s is always a must-do when we are at Sanibel. They have the best ice cream.
Heath bar ice cream is my favorite. We vacationed at Captiva as a kid, which is attached to Sanibel. I loved it and miss it every year. I’m hoping I can go back before I move.
Aw, I’m so proud you called Ross just Leslie’s boyfriend 😉 I don’t know why it bothered me so much- lol! Anyway, you look gorg esp in that purple color and sunkissed tan!