Blasting down the Breakfast Superhighway.
Stopping at a local tattoo shop. Not open this early. Both boys have their pants pulled up, though, so we’d be OK if they were open. Ivo actually cried as we walked away, “I want a tattoo, daddy!”
This morning we’re heading to Rodies Restaurant and Pancake House at 2471-7 N McMullen Booth Road in Clearwater. Don’t let the map fool you, it’s not easy to find when you’re hungry and driving all the way from Tampa with two young hand-grenades children. They also have a nice web site at http://rodiesrestaurant.com/.
As all professional athletes do, we make sure we’re ready to perform at our best before we step into the ring.
I don’t recall what made Marek so happy, but here he is, all goofy and fun.
We’re having breakfast this morning, or really having breakfast across the aisle, with our friends and Tampa Bay Breakfasts fans P.J. and Corinn. Rodies is a TBB recommendation from P.J.
Corinn was kind enough to take this lovely family photograph of us. As you can see, Ivo is eating butter.
Really. He’s eating butter.
The menu goes on through happy and familiar territory. Though, oddly enough, it doesn’t have “butter” as a main course.
That won’t stop Marek from joining Ivo in a butter slurp.
Oh, I wish their mother were here to stop them. Yuck.
Me trying to use Ivo’s toys to cover up the fact that he crayolaed the table.
Oh, I wish their mother were here to stop them. Sigh.
What happens when you yell at Ivo for coloring on the table? That’s right, he makes better use of his crayons.
Pancakes arrived. Not a good sign, a lovely little cup of warm syrup, just right for the hair, the clothes, the floor, dad’s pockets, dad’s mobile phone, strangers walking by ….
Bacon, eggs, and crayons. Notice how Marek is buttering his bacon. The boy won’t eat pizza with pizza sauce on it, but he’ll put butter on bacon.
Our charming waitress recommended the “skillet,” so I tried that one out. Lotta chow in a small bowl, here.
Ivo demonstrating his fine motor skills.
Marek buttering his eggs, since his bacon was already buttered, of course.
Pancakes?
Hot chocolate?
Crayons?
I’m thinking …. let’s try something daring and new!
The bill came in at 17 clams. But the highlighted bit is because kids eat free today. Either they have a regular special, or they suspected it was Tampa Bay Breakfasts. I think it’s a regular special, since we’re really famous in our own minds, but not that famous out in the real world.
Ivo having trouble holding on to the cash. His fingers are full of butter.
The television up in front is advertising Rodie’s lunch menu to you while you’re having breakfast. That’s efficient. The circle of life, by which I mean that they appear to hope you’re there for several consecutive meals.
Not pictured here, the nice lady who brought the change back to me while the boys were all losing discipline because they got lollipops. I asked her if they suckered her into doing their jobs for them. I’m such a task master on these kids.
Absolutely gorgeous Florida morning on the way home. This picture could be captioned “why we live here.”
Excellent price, especially after the kids-eat-free discount. Good company with P.J. and Corinn, and lots of locals and regulars. Food was very good (though I’ll avoid the skillet in the future as being too heavy for my usual appetite). The little butter packets were a real smash hit, as was the crayon hot chocolate. We’re pleased to give Rodies a Tampa Bay Breakfasts four and a half pancake rating.