A lovely story shared by long-time AMOB regulars who moved to Austin, Texas, and were unable to make their annual trip to Bradenton, FL. Check out their photos in the gallery below!
Hello,
I am writing from Austin, TX where we moved from Lakeland FL in 1977. We had lived there for 7 years; we visited Longboat and AMI beaches frequently. I didn’t want to leave Florida, but we promised each other we would come back every summer and we have kept that promise for almost all of those years. Our two girls are grown up now, and one has three little boys and lives in Austin; the other daughter lives in Dallas and is an elementary music teacher. We have mostly stayed on LBK, and started eating at AMOB as soon as possible! AMOB is our go-to place and we LOVE eating there and we love the always so friendly staff. Our little boys have grown up measuring themselves at AMOB through the years. The two older ones have almost outgrown the measuring chart. We generally stay a week and eat at AMOB three times at least. You need to know how much we love your restaurant to appreciate the story I am sending you. We also love, love LBK and were heartbroken when we couldn’t come this summer.
Now for the story. I had my 79th birthday in June, and my oldest daughter, Paige, celebrated her 50th birthday in July. To celebrate, for each birthday in June and July, my younger daughter, Brooke, and her family turned their home into Anna Maria Oyster Bar. The boys made a sign for the front, a measuring place to determine “price”, a table decorated with shells and sea creatures like your pretty tables have, waiters….a little more formally dressed!…margaritas, key lime pie, even paper towels hug over the table! Our waiters were Josh, age 7, “Chuck”; Luke, age 12, “Jack”; and Noah, age 14, “John”. They dressed up and when they were in “waiter mode” they would not answer to their own names. They led us to our seats, after measuring, took our drink orders, gave us a hand made menu for food selection, and a dessert menu. The boys made all of these things, including long strips of paper down both sides of the table covered with drawings of sea creatures and shells to mimic the tables in AMOB.
It was a wonderful time for both celebrations and I just wanted to show you how far your influence has spread….all the way to Austin TX! We missed our wonderful meals with you this summer, but we enjoy your newsletter so much and admire and appreciate your community service as I know all the folks in the area do. It is so great to know the many wonderful things AMOB sponsors and contributes.
I am including pictures and I hope you can feel the fun of pretending to be a lovely, wonderful, delicious place very dear to our family’s hearts.
Thank you for reading my story, and thank you for being a wonderful, memory-filled place for our family. Thank you also for your inspired community outreach and service.
Blessings,
Penny Schwinn and all my family
