Cabo Cantina, Newport Beach, CA

Yesterday we ended up at Newport Beach near the pier for a late lunch. We choose Cabo Cantina in hopes of getting a spot with a view and a margarita. It was pretty happening when we arrived shortly after 3pm.

We ended up with a table by the bar sans a view. On Mondays, if you order a margarita as big as your head you get a free bean and cheese burrito. The burrito was large (though not as big as the margarita) and we split that along with chips, salsa and some guac.

The queso was okay. Well. Because its queso. However, still not the liquid, white queso from The East Coast for which we are still aimlessly hunting. The guac was also good, though not great. My husband enjoyed the salsa. I thought it was okay. It was watery (which I like) and of the roasted red pepper variety. I don't dig my salsa tasting like roasted peppers or chile's or whatever, but Sam doesn't mind.

Oh. Did I tell you we loved the margarita as big as my head? We split it and I'm glad we did. Not only did it pack a punch, but Sam ordered it frozen and it began to melt quickly. I'd like to try one on the rocks next time.

Our bill was around $25 which means the margarita was close to $20. Not sure I would have been thrilled with this if we hadn't gotten the free burrito. Otherwise we enjoyed our time at Cabo Cantina (with the exception of the bathroom which was disgusting).

I would go back again, particularly during happy hour. We arrived before happy hour, but the deals looked pretty decent.

SoCal excursions

The longer I live in SoCal, the more I wonder 1) why I would ever leave and 2) how can I afford to stay.

California is so much larger than the East Coast states with which I am familiar.

I have spent the last month or so moving to San Clemente, CA and exploring the local area. I am trying to spend more time exploring and less time on the computer.  Thus, my lack of posting.

Check back soon for reviews on Maui, Seersucker in San Diego, the San Diego Zoo, and another review on Disney and California Adventure.

In the meantime, here are some updated travel/exploring lists:

SoCal Must Do List:

Burlap in Del Mar and Herringbone in La Jolla: Part of Chef Brian Malarkey's Fabric of Social Dinning, LLC.
Explore Dana Point
Tour the Missions
Santa Barbara
Palm Springs
Joshua Tree
Catalina Island
Revisit Santa Monica
Revisit The San Diego Zoo (especially the new Koalafornication exhibit)
Revisit The San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Revisit Temecula

West Coast Must Do List:

Seattle, WA
Portland, OR
Hiking in both Oregon and Washington state
Yosemite
Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, & Glacier and Banff
Phoenix, AZ (okay so this is Southwest, but we can drive there so I'm including it)
Mammoth for snowboarding
Tahoe
Sequoia National Park
San Francisco, CA

Other Trips on our Wish List:
Alaska and Canada-scheduled for this September!
Cabo
Europe: The UK, Italy, Austria, Germany, Spain...the list goes on and on

Did I mention I want to see all these places in the next 1-2 years?

Where do you want to go?  Have you visited any of the places on my lists? Any tips?

Bikini Season

I don't know about you, but I can never have enough bathing suits.  I have a whole drawer in the dresser in this little studio apartment just for my bathing suits. I have plenty. I really don't need anymore.  That is until I realize Victoria's Secret has a sale.

Then I go a little nuts.

I'm big into mixing and matching tops and bottoms, so the sale works perfectly for me. I typically go with styles and colors that will work with other suits I already have. Or, I get something that I love and then have to find yet another piece to match it. It kinda snow balls from there as you can imagine.

With that said...I now have 80 some dollars of discounted (okay, most of it was discounted) swim wear headed my way.

The problem with living in SoCal is that it really is bikini season for much of the year. This is one of my justifications for buying the new suits. The other problem is that I feel inadequate in a bathing suit compared to all the local beauties. I intend to use this as motivation for exercising more.

Need a coupon to help you get a deal?  Head on over to PromotionCode.Org to see what the current codes are for Victoria's Secret and many other stores. They have codes listed for numerous stores. Quickly let them know if the code works or doesn't with the click of a button.  This data is used to let them know if the code still works. They have changed their site recently, so if you've used it in the past, stop by again to see the new look. I ended up with a free tote along with my purchase thanks to Promotion Code! So excited for my order to get here!

Carlsbad, CA Sunsets

I really can't get enough of the sunsets just outside of our door every day. When I get tired of this tiny basement apartment I just turn around and enjoy the view. I am stunned each and every day. What an amazing place to live!

Emerald Isle, NC

I used to vacation here in Emerald Isle, NC with a friend and her family growing up. Every couple of summers we'd pile in the van to begin the trip from Richmond, Virginia. We went to the same shops, restaurants and mini golf spots over the course of our trips to this peaceful island. Initially, when telling friends at school where we were headed we were met with blank stares. Later on, we heard many proclaiming "I'm vacationing in Emerald Isle again this summer." Our little beach get away had turned popular it seemed. So, I was thrilled to learn I'd be relocating to the area temporarily for work.

Over the past few weeks I've seen old stomping grounds and explored new areas.

The best, and perhaps only Mexican cuisine on the island is El Zarpe Mexican Restaurant located across from the Food Lion on Emerald Drive. Expect a short wait if you arrive in the middle of the dinner rush. Chips and salsa are promptly delivered to your table. The chips are right out of the oven and the salsa is fresh. None of that tomato paste without any spices I've been seeing around a lot these days. The margaritas are generous in both size and tequila. If you prefer yours frozen, they have premixed machines for both virgin and regular margaritas, as well as strawberry daiquiris. On both of my trips to this restaurant, I ordered carnitas tacos. Do not pass up the opportunity for fresh Mexican food because this is not part of your traditional beach vacation. This is not to be missed!

There are 3 ice cream shops within a block of each other on Emerald Drive. The best service, variety, and ice cream in general can be found at The Sweet Spot. The staff greet everyone with a smile and are quick to offer up extra toppings if needed once you get to the bottom of your bowl. There is also a variety of salt water taffy, jelly bellys and other candy if ice cream is not your thing.

If you prefer seafood, expect a short drive and a potentially longer wait down the road in Salterpath. I'd suggest Crab Shack for not only crabs, but shrimp and other sea fare. Hot hush puppies will arrive to your table when you are seated. These are great to tide you over until your meal arrives. You may end up waiting for your dinner to arrive depending on how busy it is. The king crab legs do not disappoint. The 3 long crab legs drawfed the dinner plate. Each leg was well over a foot long. Kitchen shears easily did the trick to cut through the exoskeleton and pull out the thick meat, which in places was much thicker than my thumb. The amount of meat from the three legs was more than enough to eat (especially after eating half my weight in hush puppies) and much easier than tackling dozens of smaller legs.

For sunbathing, I'd recommend a beach umbrella which can be found at any of the local surf or beach shops. The sun is hot and you can easily get burned especially in the middle of the day. With the addition of an umbrella, you can easily stay on the beach all day.

The local surf shop, Berts, has boards and equipment for surfing, skimboarding and skateboarding. There is also a variety of board shorts and swim suits for all ages. Surf board rentals can be found here as well.