It's National Eat Outside Day: Five Places to Dine Under the Blue Moon

Blue moon tonight.

There are actual websites and calendars that list food holidays. And there's one for every single day of the year.

Believe it or not, fluffernutters, lemon meringue pies, and rhubarb all have their own holiday. But once in a blue moon (pun intended), there's a holiday that we share with you because it's worth appreciating.

Today is National Eat Outside Day, which perfectly coincides with tonight's blue moon (which, by the way, is the last blue moon until 2015). Here are some of our favorite places to dine and  catch a moontan while you're at it.

Le Tub. Burgers, beer, and outdoor plumbing.

Le Tub
It's not the most romantic place on our list (unless you think that a restaurant that pays homage to the porcelain god is the perfect place to ask for her hand in marriage... or something). But Le Tub's got those burgers that Gayle King loves so much, plenty of beer, and a view of the Intracoastal. Since it's a holiday weekend, sneak out of the office early, grab a seat, and watch the boats go by, beer in hand. Life is good, skippy.

Let out your aggressions under the stars.

Rustic Inn
Whatever happened to all those seafood shacks that offered childlike bibs and dangerous weapons with your food? Rustic Inn is still there. As the name says, there are no fancy-schmancy candlelight scenes here. Forget about any dress code, because you're getting a bib to wear, anyway. As your server brings your beer, relax on the outside deck to the soothing sounds of a hundred wooden mallets smashing a thousand garlic crabs to smithereens (market price for a bucket of crustaceans). Perfect place to let go of a week's worth of tension -- just picture your boss' face on the crab and go for it as the moonlight plays over the water.

Romantic moorish castle. In Fort Lauderdale.

Casablanca Cafe
For years, we've been loving this eclectic little waterfront café on Fort Lauderdale beach. We love its Moorish castle vibe, live music, and that the restaurant is divided into smallish intimate spaces. A fantastic spot to relax with a chilled glass of pinot grigio and a nice piece of fish while you watch the moon play over the ocean.

Splurge. After all, nights like this come once in a blue moon.

Steak 954
Start with a handcrafted cocktail on the sleek terrace overlooking the Atlantic, then peruse the menu of seemingly unlimited protein choices -- from an eight-ounce filet seared at 1700 degrees ($36) to an indulgent 36-ounce Australian Tajima Kobe porterhouse ($245). Splurge for the Kobe cheese steak ($100) because meals like this come once in a blue moon (literally).

Have a bite, then go howl at the moon.

Aruba Beach Cafe
Aruba Beach Cafe is the place to get your party on under the rays of the moon. Though there are a number of dining and drinking options, the party centers around the front outdoor bar. We suggest getting there early, finding a seat, and staying for the moonrise. Dance, have a nosh, then sneak out onto the beach, channel your inner wolf, and let out a little howl. Feels good, doesn't it?

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