My family and I recently spent an amazing week on the beach in South Carolina. There is so much we love about out annual trip to Hilton Head Island, and it is always a mixture of tradition and discovery.
First the traditions; we always stop at Cracker Barrel on the drive down for one of those huge American breakfasts that you swear you’ll never finish when they place it in front of you, and yet the plates heading back to the kitchen are surprisingly cleared!
Each year we re-visit some of our favourite places on the island; the playground down the road, the hotel next door for a tropical drink, and a hike up to the top of the lighthouse, rewarded by ice cream afterwards at Salty Dog Cafe at the tip of the island.
And then the discoveries. My kids get so excited about the “new” tv shows and channels they stumble upon while on vacation. This year we all got hooked on the Little League World Series games being broadcast on ESPN. Sure we enjoyed watching 11-13 year olds playing baseball, but we also marveled at kids this age who towered over not only their teammates, but also the umps and coaches at 5 feet 10 inches, or the one nicknnamed “The Monster” who sported a moustache on the field!
I “discovered” a great and inexpensive wine from California called Twisted. I’ve searched the Liquor Store since my return, but haven’t found it….please let me know if you see it in Ontario!
One of the greatest discoveries was on our pilgrimage to Target, just off the Island. Amidst the back to school supply aisles and Tony Hawk line of boys’ clothes, I found the most amazing item in the snack aisles. M&Ms Pretzels are the most delicious combinations of sweet and salty. These little balls pack a big flavour punch and their crispiness made them a very satisfying snack that the whole family enjoyed.
We stocked up on a few bags for the drive home, but resigned ourselves to the fact that they were only available south of the border, and we’d have to wait until next year’s vacation to taste them again.
Imagine our surprise and happiness to hear that M&Ms Pretzels arrive in Canada today! Pick up a small package for yourself, or a family sized bag and see why we thought they were worth a sixteen hour drive!!