Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Pelican Café Restaurant, situated in a garden of palm trees and flowers in the heart of Fira, Greece. 

Since we were visiting Greece, I wanted to taste an authentic Greek salad. Let me just say, it was great! Piled high with tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, olives, capers and onions, all of the ingredients were fresh with just the right amount of dressing. An unbelievable sized block of feta cheese topped the salad, at least an inch thick and almost as large as the bowl. An interesting variation from the American version was the lack of lettuce. 

Greek Salad

Dora here. I’m not a fan of Greek salads, so I went with the “Kipos” salad. More my style with lettuce, corn, grilled chicken and figs doused with a citrus and honey vinaigrette. Delish, and another huge portion!

Not knowing the gigantic portion sizes, we also shared a sandwich, ham and Naxo’s cheese on a white baguette. Just as tasty and plentiful as the salads, but the highlight was the fresh baguette, firmer on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside. I could have made a whole meal just off the bread. 

Dora here. What a beautiful, serene spot to linger over a cup of coffee or catch a leisurely meal. If you visit, make sure to include a stop here. Just give yourself a few minutes before you hop on those cable cars down to the beach. :)

Um, yeah. :)

We rate this restaurant 5 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving outstanding food.

**Bonus**

During our visit to Ephesus, Turkey, our cruise excursion included an authentic Biblical meal at Cittantica Ephesus Park. 

Dora here. How fun! Not quite authentic. No feet washing and they provided utensils. Phew! :)

Appetizers included Jacob’s beans (pickled green beans), a block of goat cheese, a garbanzo bean paste (hummus), chive yogurt and leeks. The beans, cheese and yogurt were great. I wasn’t a fan of the paste or leeks. 

The main courses consisted of lamb stew and grilled fish. Now these two choices were outstanding. Never having lamb stew I was a little apprehensive, but to my surprise, it was great. The lamb and veggies were tender, the fish large and chunky, and both tasty and full of flavor.

Dora here. I tend to be a picky eater and a few years ago, I probably wouldn’t have touched anything. But I devoured almost everything and enjoyed the whole experience. It pays to be more adventurous in your eating habits. :)

If this food was served at a restaurant, we would rate it 5 forks.

Where is the most adventurous place you've eaten?

When You Need to Recharge...

Struggling to find a job? Feeling stomped on by co-workers? Going through marital problems? Family discord. Rebellious children. Financial challenges. Medical issues. Or maybe you just lost a precious family member or friend.

You name it, and we’ve probably all faced it at some point. Pressure gains momentum as a culmination of events and issues take turns with their punches. Or it could be one major incident that knocks us until we’re staggering backward like a fighter in a boxing ring, squeezing the breath from our lungs until our vision blurs, the voices around us fading into oblivion.

We each handle stress differently. Some people thrive on it. Others tug the blanket back over their head and sleep. I tend to...

Run! Not run away because we all know that doesn’t solve any problems. But run to the mountains. 

Peace speaks to my soul here. Whispers that everything’s going to be all right, that life is more than writing and books. That God is in control and that He’s infinitely greater than my paltry problems. Being here brings God more into focus, and the pressure lifts. I can breathe deep again, liberated from the chains of worry that squeeze my chest.

If we can’t break away for a weekend, then this is where I run…

Not quite the same, but it’s nice to escape my desk and the mountain of tasks demanding my attention and slip away for a few minutes.

This year has been crazy busy. While I’m beyond thrilled that four of my books released between May and September, that also meant long hours hunched over my laptop, trying to keep the momentum going with my current work-in-progress and the extra writing related to marketing four books. You know how, at times, events just keep piling on your calendar until suddenly you've lost control? That's me this year, somewhere about April. I definitely needed a recharge, so we headed for the mountains over a long weekend.

It’s the same for hero Burk Harmon in Burk’s Surrender. As Deputy City Manager of fictional Harrison, NC, he deals with stress every day in his job, and as the oldest of the Harmon siblings, he’s been the glue that held his family together since their celebrity father’s tragic suicide. But he has a few weighty decisions to face. Like if he’s willing to risk his family’s emotional well-being with the increased visibility that accepting the City Manager’s position would demand, and moving beyond a decade of being “just friends” with Lacie. When she invites him to tag along with her and fifty elderly seniors to the mountains for a city event, he jumps on the chance to recharge. That, and spend time with her. :)

Where do you go to destress and recharge?

He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him,

whose thoughts turn often to the Lord! ~Isaiah 26:3 TLB

He's my yesterday, my tomorrow, my today.

He's my redeemer, my hiding place, my refuge.

He's the grace who covers a multitude of wrongs, the beauty in my ugly, the bridge to forever.

He's the restorer of my soul, the quiet in my storm, the still water of perfect peace.

He's my champion, my hero, my rock.

He's the sweet spot in my day, my reason for being,

my very next breath. ~Dora Hiers

Travel or work? Which would you choose?

Some people enjoy hanging out on the beach in the summer, baking in the sun. 

Not us. We head to the mountains, where the temperature drops a solid twenty degrees.

Where we can kick up our feet and soak in the view.

Where there's nothing on the agenda except sipping coffee, walking the dog and reading. 

Where the crows caw, and swans, ducks and geese share the same space without squabbling.

Where the soft breeze kisses my skin, the fog clings to the mountain tops, and lazy pewter clouds drift by. Where it's green and lush, full of life and energy, yet whispers peace to my soul. 

Everybody needs a space that rejuvenates them, right? This is mine. 

Imagine the books I could crank out if I lived in this environment! Inspiration, peace, beauty, nature...what more could a writer ask for? It's a romance writer's dream!

I tried to sweet talk hubby into renting a cabin for an entire month next year. But, he's not quite ready for thirty days with no radio, no pager, no fire calls, and no internet. 

After close to 40 years in the fire service, he still loves to work. He needs social interaction and thrives on...noise. Who'd have guessed? :)

What about you?

Travel or work? Beach or mountains?

The Best Part of Traveling is...

While our two sons were young, we lived in Florida, where seasons and cooler temperatures were non-existent. So, every winter break we loaded the car with heavy coats, sleds, and Christmas presents, and traveled to some faraway state, hoping to find snow.

After arriving at our destination, we would tuck all the presents under a miniature artificial tree and turn on the sparkling lights. Then, we’d snuggle in front of the fireplace and cheer for our favorite football teams or watch a movie, sipping hot chocolate loaded with whipped cream and sprinkles. In the morning, we’d all scramble to the window to see if it had snowed during the night. Nothing beat that first sight of freshly fallen snow, clean and pure, and shimmering like diamonds.

Now that hubby and I are empty nesters, we travel quite a bit more than we did when the kids were young. We’ve taken to cruising every year and have enjoyed visiting Italy, France, Croatia, Spain, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Netherlands, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. We’ve tried new foods, explored new cultures, experienced unfamiliar situations, deciphered foreign languages, and encountered wonderful people along the way.

As much as I love traveling, the best part for me is…wait for it, wait for it…

Coming home. That sweet feeling that wells up as I walk in the door. Home, where everything is familiar, where our dog roams the yard without a leash, where I don’t need to pull up a map on my cellphone. Home, to a soft mattress and pillows shaped just the way I need them, coffee just the way I like it, and local restaurants with food and words I recognize. Home, to precious family nearby, where we don’t have to rely on Internet connections to chat or Google Hangouts to soak in their sweet faces. Home, to the comfort of a routine because that’s the way I roll.

Beck Harmon, fictional hero of Beck's Peace, left home and wandered for ten years, seeking peace over his father’s death. Our motivation might be different, but he would say the same about his travels. The best part was coming home.

Which states/countries have you visited? What’s your favorite aspect of traveling? Least favorite?

Coming JULY 24
with Pelican Book Group

Burn survivor Savvy McCord doesn't blame her best friend for running away. She can't even look at her scars without wincing. When Beck's disappearing act spans years, she relinquishes dreams of love and marriage. Unable to face Savvy's expectations of happily-ever-after, Beck Harmon deserts her, far away from the rumors that he's just like his father. When the wanderer returns, dreams of forever blossom in Savvy's heart, but she worries he'll leave again. Can Beck convince Savvy that her true beauty comes from her inner strength and faith? Will his idea to help burn victims regain their self-confidence restore Savvy's trust in him? Will love be what the wanderer needs to find peace for his hurting soul?

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

It may come as a surprise to you, but I’m a routine kinda gal. I eat the same cereal for breakfast and wake up and go to bed every day about the same time. Wait staff from our favorite restaurants don’t bother asking for my order; they just confirm it. I write only from my quiet office, and I take breaks in regular intervals. Interruptions throw me off kilter, and it takes a while to regain my balance.

But being a writer is slowly eroding my routine. That, or my husband is. :)

He’s always encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone. He prodded me to write my first book, even when I doubted, and encouraged me to join a writers group. When our local librarian invited me to address their readers, hubby rattled off a list of possible topics and practically shoved me into the public speaking arena when I would have been perfectly content to hide out in the obscurity of my office, pecking away at my laptop. Eventually, readers would find my stories, right?

Now, he’s at it again. Prodding me to expand my horizons. Travel. Food. Where does it stop?

Three years ago, he convinced me that a European cruise was cheaper than some of our US vacations, and we’ve cruised there every year since. We’ve craned our necks to stare up at the Eiffel Tower, climbed the Colosseum in Rome, and explored ancient walled cities in Tuscany and volcanoes in Iceland. We devoured pizza in Belfast, gobbled down granitas and cannoli’s in Sicily, guzzled espresso in Barcelona, and tasted authentic fish and chips in London.

And you know what? I actually enjoyed it. Not necessarily every new meal or city, but the experience. He doesn’t have to sell me on it anymore. When he mentions a European cruise, I’m totally on board.

We all need someone like that, don’t we? A friend or spouse to push us to achieve more, to reach for our dreams, to fill a hole with something that we’re passionate about, or to force us to face our fears. For me, it was fear of the unknown.     

What are you afraid of?

Embrace life. Surround yourself with people who love you enough to shove you out of your comfort zone. Give your dreams wings to become reality and discover yourself.

Just wait until he starts messing with my bedtime. Or leaving brochures for Antarctica on the kitchen counter…

“Risk, then, is not just part of life. It is life. The place between your comfort zone and your dream is where life takes place. It's the high-anxiety zone, but it's also where you discover who you are.” ~Nick Vujicic

Anybody fancy a trip to Vegas?

OK, so maybe it's only vicariously, but still! Have you read any of Pelican Book Group's Passport to Romances? I haven't yet, but that will change soon. Some great looking covers and intriguing blurbs coming out here. Check this one out by the UK romantic suspense author who never sleeps, Clare Revell. 

Purchase Link

Former protective services officer, Sgt. Martin Ames, is five weeks short of medical retirement from the Vegas PD when he lands one last case: spoiled English heiress, Lady Tamlyn Bradshaw, whose bodyguard is hospitalized with suspected food poisoning.

Tamlyn is on holiday, her first without her father and his ever present bodyguards. She wants to have fun, not spend the time stuck in a hotel room with a disabled cop, even if he is tall, dark and disturbingly handsome.

When food poisoning becomes murder, passions and tempers flare as Martin attempts to keep Tamlyn safe from the assailant who gains everything on her death.

Scoop it up today while it's only $2!

I is for Incredible

We're baaaack!

Hubby and I just returned from our cruise through Europe, and that's the only way I can describe it...incredible! Plus, I needed an I word to make it work for this week's blog. :)

Mind if I share a few pictures? No? Phew! That's good because I planned to anyway. lol

As is the case with most European flights, we flew all night. After a two hour bus ride from Heathrow, we sailed from Dover, just outside London. We didn't suffer too much jet lag this year. Last year, I was down for the count, but this time, I was more prepared. 

Our first four ports were in Norway. For some reason, I anticipated quaint little towns, but that wasn't the case with these ports, as you can see. Still incredible scenery.

Alesund, Norway

A Bookstore in Bergen, Norway (couldn't resist!)

Stavanger, Norway

Our first glimpse of Oslo, Norway

Check out this stunning sunset as we sailed away from Hamburg, Germany. Incredible, isn't it?

Hamburg, Germany

Amsterdam, one of my favorite stops.

Amsterdam

Bruges, Belgium

And what a way to end the cruise ~ touring Paris. You cannot imagine the magnificence of the Eiffel Tower until you're standing close. Wow! 

Hubby at the Eiffel Tower

We spent an extra day touring London since we didn't have time before the cruise. Hubby's idea. He figured if I was going to spend an entire day sleeping away jet lag, we might as well do it on the ship and save the extra day to take in the sights when we returned. Have I mentioned how smart he is? :)

Tower Bridge (And I always thought this was the London Bridge!!)

Incredible. The only thing that would have made this cruise any better was if my parents had been able to join us. Next time!

Where did you take your last "incredible" trip?

Have you read STRANDED by Dani Pettrey?

About the book~
When her friend vanishes from a cruise ship, reporter Darcy St. James isn't satisfied with their explanation that she simply left her job of her own accord. Something isn't lining up, and Darcy believes the only way to find the truth is to put herself in Abby's position. Within days, Darcy learns her friend wasn't the only person to disappear mysteriously. Last summer, a woman vanished under almost identical circumstances.

Gage McKenna has taken a summer-long stint leading adventure excursions for the passengers of various cruise lines that dock for a few days of sightseeing. He's surprised to find Darcy working aboard one of the ships, investigating a troubling report. Something sinister is going on and the deeper they dig the more Gage fears they've only discovered the tip of the iceberg.

My summary~
Darcy St. James gave up investigative reporting years ago, but she still loves the thrill of tracking down leads. So when her friend, Abby, terribly frightened and distraught about her current story, contacts her, Darcy determines to help her friend uncover the truth. When Darcy arrives on the cruise ship, Abby has vanished. Restless and hoping to squash five month old memories of Darcy, Gage McKenna accepts the excursions gig on the cruise ship. The last person he expects to run into on the cruise ship is Darcy St. James.

What I liked...

I really liked that the author had set up Gage and Darcy's story at the end of her last book, Shattered. Even so, while it's not necessary to read Shattered before Stranded, you probably should because once you read this one, you'll want to go back and read the first two. Trust me.

Loved the characters. I've gotten to know Gage over the last two books, and he's definitely a favorite of mine. Masculine and manly, yet wounded and vulnerable. How could Darcy not fall for him? Especially when she sees the two little feet tucked close to his heart. But then, he'd stolen her heart long before then. 

Darcy's not a wimpy heroine. Sure, she's frightened once she learns what they're facing, but she's not willing to give up on finding her friend, especially since Abby doesn't know the Lord. This book made me think about my loved ones who don't know the Lord. Would I be as willing to face the same frightening situations for my loved ones? The faith element is woven into the plot, so beautifully and intrinsically, and it doesn't come off forced or trite.

and not so much...

I can't think of one element I didn't like about this book, except that it had to end. 

Overall...

Stranded is worthy of highest praise. It's a book that'll make you forget about everything except flipping the page. Definitely a keeper, and Pettrey is now on my "must read" list!

Purchase Link

Disclaimer: Sending a big thank you to NetGalley and Bethany House Publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of Stranded. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I received no monetary compensation.

Have you read Stranded? 

Do you agree with my review?
What about you? Would you face frightening situations to track down a friend in danger? 

Conferences...or routine?

August is all about conferences in our family. As a fire chief, hubby attends two conferences, and they're both in August. The first is a regional conference, always in Raleigh, and the second's an international one held in different cities across the US. This week we're in Raleigh; next week, Chicago.

I enjoy traveling, but I confess I tend to be more of a "routine" kinda gal.

I mean, really. Raleigh and Chicago offer some spectacular sights, but what can beat the view from our back deck?

And hotel coffee doesn't compare to the strong brew I make at home.

This week we were able to bring along our baby, but next week, we'll have to leave him at home. He's skiddish about getting in an elevator. I can't imagine how he'd be after being forced into the belly of a plane. 

I'll miss the big baby next week.

And my writing?

Usually, I write from my office every day. No music. No distractions. No noise. Just the way I like it. But that means conferences stretch my comfort zone, 
take me out of my normal writing environment. 
Which means my word count comes to a screeching halt.

So, every August I'm faced with a difficult decision.
Conferences...or routine?
Traveling with hubby or staying at home to write?

Hmmm...not a no-brainer for me. I choose him.

What about you? 

What brings you out of your comfort zone? 

Are you a routine kinda person or do you like to shake things up?