Life is a sequence of days… Some days are busy. Others are challenging. Some days are full of surprises that change the course of our lives. And then…. every once in a while… there are those days that are simply wonderful. Those days when good things happen and you feel like life just can’t get any better! I recently had a day like that. It wasn’t a birthday or holiday…. It was just a plain old good day!
The only thing that could have made it any better would have been to go to a restaurant with pristine white tablecloths where they use fine China and serve some of the best dishes in Florida… A restaurant that is considered to be one of the top 25 restaurants in the state of Florida…. That would be Jackson’s Steakhouse in Pensacola, Florida! And that’s just where we went – on this almost perfect day!
This steakhouse is on the ground floor of a building that was erected during the 1860s and housed the Pfeiffer and Company Mercantile in that day and time. It was at this very location in July 1821 that General Andrew Jackson raised the American flag in Pensacola for the very first time as he accepted the transfer of Florida from Spain. And now you know how this restaurant got the name Jackson’s Steakhouse!
We made a reservation and were there when they opened their doors promptly at 5 pm for an early dinner. We received a genuine Southern welcome as we were escorted to our table with the shadows bouncing onto it as the setting sun was still shining its light through the window.
A basket of warm bread was delivered to us to get our dinner off to a wonderful start. There’s just something about a loaf of freshly baked warm bread with butter that can’t be beat.
This Southern steakhouse is known for its aged beef, so it was not hard to make our selections. Cavin chose the New York strip with mashed potatoes, and I went with the Beef Tenderloin topped with sautéed mushrooms and a side of macaroni and cheese. The sides are served a la carte and portion sizes are generous and shareable.
We could not have asked for a more perfect meal to make this perfect day complete. The beef was oh, so tender and the flavors were exceptional. Every bite was savored and enjoyed. Oh, for this day to last just a little longer!
I felt such peace and contentment that I could bask in it like the late afternoon sun shining through the window onto our table. It was a time that I would have liked to press the “stop” button and just enjoy that time for more than the fleeting moment that it was. It was a time to bask in my husband’s love and thank the Lord for His goodness. It was a time to reflect on the blessings of life and enjoy this day that had gone right from start to finish.
I know that every day of our lives is not like this. Many fall short of our hopes and dreams, but every day is meaningful and needed to get us to the next one. I needed this day! And on those less-than-perfect days that may be filled with pain, hurt, and sadness… I’m going to remember this one!
Sampling the South… Don’t overlook the plain old good days that make life wonderful!
