When simple and familiar is always better...

The Friday of our vacation was date night for Steven and I and my sister and brother-in-law.  They were going out to celebrate their anniversary and the grandparents were thrilled to have a chance to have my nephew all to themselves so it also turned into a date night for us!  The week before we left for vacation, my dad had sent us a list of good local restaurants.  I probably spent about 30-40 minutes trying to figure out the perfect place...looking up menus, trying to find the one that would have things my husband would love (i.e. scallops or crab cakes!).

Before we left, I was pretty sure we'd be going to a seafood restaurant on one of the most charming streets.  Our plans changed a bit once we got to Delaware because we were recommended by two couples to try a Mexican restaurant nearby (We LOVE Mexican food!).  The first recommendation was from my aunt and her husband and the other the next day from a random couple who passed us while riding bikes and thought we were lost (We weren't...just had stopped to take some pictures).  We took the second recommendation as affirmation that we definitely needed to try it out.  Plans set!

Well on Tuesday night, my brother-in-law starts talking about a craving he has for fish tacos.  My husband also shared his affinity for fish tacos and we assumed the Mexican restaurant we were planning to go to Friday probably has great fish tacos so maybe we should all go try it for lunch the next day (we had other dinner plans the rest of the week).  My sister and brother-in-law had my dad watch my nephew and the four of us set off for our fish taco double date!

The restaurant was very cool, the food was really good, and we had a great time together, but the restaurant didn't leave Steven and I wanting more...especially two days later.  Back to square one for date night plans.

Usually when we go to Delaware, we get my favorite pizza Grotto Pizza at least twice, my brother-in-law sometimes gets it three times in the span of a week...it's THAT GOOD!!!  We had been on Tuesday night and thought we might get it for lunch later in the week, but it never worked out.  I was really starting to crave it again as the end of trip got closer and closer.

I would say I'm pretty close to being described as a "foodie".  I love good food, I love to cook, I love great restaurants, I love unique food made with the best ingredients possible, I don't like chain restaurants and avoid them at all costs, especially on vacation and here in Columbia where we have SO many incredible independent restaurants.  I had mentioned going to Grotto's for our date night in a half serious/half kidding tone.  My sweet husband said, "For date night?  I want to take you somewhere nice."  He also mentioned how we needed to take advantage of the Mid-Atlantic seafood.  I did agree with him and went back to perusing menus.

Friday came along and we still had no plans.  Steven was golfing and put me in charge of picking a place.  I confided to my sister that all I really wanted was Grotto's.  Little did we know that while they were golfing, Steven mentioned something about wanting Grotto's one more time to my brother-in-law.  When he came home, Steven said, "We're going to Grotto's!  A little birdie told me!"  At some point my sister told him I had wanted it and he shared how he told Matt he wanted it too.  I was so excited!

We had the best date!  The pizza was perfect and so was the company! ;)  We had a great rest of the night too looking for flip flops for Steven and going on some rides.  It was a wonderful way to end our vacation.  And as for that Mid-Atlantic seafood...it sometimes makes it way down here to the South, but I can't get Grotto's anywhere else!

Love doing life with this sweet, smart, and goofy guy!

Grotto's!!!

It's perfect!!!  And so is he! ;)