Enjoy a Long Weekend in Jacksonville

 I don't understand why more Orlandoans don't think of Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach for a long weekend getaway! I had a chance to experience the city recently and want to share with you the best places to stay, eat and play.

I think what really made our trip special and relaxing was staying at the Wyndham Jacksonville Riverwalk on the St. John's River. I would highly recommend staying at one of the hotel's expansive suites on the fifth floor. When you walk into your suite, the first thing you see is the amazing view: the immaculate 1.2-mile wooden Riverwalk sports a ferry that takes you to Broadway plays and the symphony. And the backdrop is the beautiful Jacksonville city skyline.

Inside the suite is a massive living room with modern furniture, a kitchen/ bar area, a beautiful bedroom with king-size bed, and the biggest hotel bathroom I have ever been in. Seriously. This bathroom sports a jacuzzi tub, shower, and even a closet. 

Fortunately, you don't have to go far for food and drinks. The Wyndham Jacksonville Riverwalk sports the Currents Lounge, which has an elegant atmosphere and upscale cocktails to match. The lounge's dinner menu - which features many Cajun dishes - is quite extensive. You can ask the mixologist to create one of his unique concoctions. The night we were there, he crafted a delicious chocolate strawberry margarita! 

For dinner, we tried the special of the day: grouper with rice pilaf and vegetables. The fish was cooked alright, but was quite greasy. The rice and vegetables were good. We also had the Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Pasta. It was seasoned well, but was oversauced. 

Within walking distance of the hotel is the highly-rated BB's Restaurant and a yummy Thai eatery. Stay tuned: next week, I'll tell you about the other great places to eat in Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach!

What's Good About Sweet! Cupcakes

Unique flavors. Yummy icings. Moist cake. What else do you need in a cupcake? Sweet! By Good Golly Miss Holly - a cupcake shop in Oviedo and Jacksonville, Fla. - delivers all this. Many people tell me that Sweet! has the best cupcakes in town. I am not sure I agree, but it is definitely at the top of my list.

I have been dying to try them out for myself, ever since I saw Miss Holly - Hollis Wilder - win an episode of Cupcake Wars on The Food Network. I was impressed when she won with delicious vegan cupcakes, while competing with bakers who prepared traditional cupcakes. I was looking forward to trying out some of her vegan cupcakes on a recent visit to Sweet!, but was unable to. I didn't realize those have to be ordered in advance.

However, I got to try out many other popular flavors at Sweet!s Oviedo location. The staff behind the counter said that Cookies n' Cream and Red Velvet were the shop's most popular flavors. So, I tried those, along with: Chocolate Peanut Butter, Black Out, S'mores, Creamsicle, and Toasted Coconut. The Toasted Coconut was nearly perfect - with a delicious frosting, moist cake, and coconut filling. To be picky, the cake batter had a bit of a baking soda taste, but was very minor. Chocolate Peanut Butter was not as good as I expected, but the S'Mores and Black Out (dark chocolate cake and frosting) were. Creamsicle and Toasted Coconut were probably my favorites, but I can also see why Cookies n' Cream and Red Velvet are the biggest sellers. That Red Velvet icing was delicious!

I like the fact that Sweet! sells mini cupcakes, along with regular-sized ones, so you can try a few different flavors and not feel stuffed. However, the minis are priced at four for $6. This reminds me of a general gripe that I have with gourmet cupcakes: the price. At Orlando's cupcake shops and food trucks, you pay between $2.00 and $2.50 per cupcake. That just seems too steep to me.

Back to what I like about Sweet!. In addition to cupcakes, there is a variety of self-serve frozen yogurts and a bar with tons of different toppings. This is such a fun place to take kids for a treat. And, there are so many different cupcake flavors to choose from - 30 to be exact - that you should be able to try a new one every time you visit. Overall, I would highly recommend Sweet!'s moist, delicious cupcakes topped by spot-on icings. Which flavors are your favorite?

Where: Waterford Lakes Town Center, 711 North Alafaya Trail, Orlando.