As far as I know we are only granted one life and one chance to make the most out of our time. As a husband and a father of three teenagers, I have come to appreciate greatly the memories we make together. Experiencing an amazing dinner, finding a hidden gem, and exploring after getting lost accidentally or on purpose all make for lasting memories. This brings me to how I’ve made being a local guide and hoping to be able to help others create great memories as well as help local businesses find themselves a part of those memories.
My son’s and I love Barbecue spots. We bond over the smell the smoked meats. It has become a bonding experience for us. Pork, Beef, Chicken, and all the sauces… its wonderful. We put our phones down for a few minutes and enjoy sampling different combinations of flavors. Our local area has a few special spots nearby and a few we have to drive 30 minutes to reach. My favorite, 4 Rivers Smokehouse, has really become the standard we judge all others by. Right nearby in my town of Oldsmar is Georgia Boys, its good stuff, but it has some limitations… like it lacks seating and the menu is limited - great meat, but as a local guide, you gotta tell people what to expect - its basically BBQ to-go. Mission BBQ is very good, but lacks the burnt ends offered by 4 Rivers. Sonny’s BBQ is good stuff and they have a menu with enough options to satisfy all appetites (even an all-you-eat special). We all visited St. Augustine, Florida this weekend and we got to try another pretty good place - Mojo BBQ. We enjoyed our dinner, then walked through the historic city that evening. I will share that St Augustine is a neat little place… part history part tourist attraction… however this area closes early, most places start shutting down at 8pm even on a weekend. Don’t expect to see and do much besides hang at a bar or go on a ghost tour. I’m always learning about places, and businesses and i try to share those perspectives within my reviews and pictures. No one stays in business to upset patrons and fail, they want to hear the constructive feedback if its poor, I try to present info that helps others and that business itself. I expect and hope other Local Guides are doing the same. Anyone can get on and blast a business for a bad experience in frustration, but that’s not what everyone wants to read (I hope).
Thanks
Jon