Not Another Guide

We ordered a stack of ‘Frings’ for the table, a 50/50 combo of fries and onion rings. Fries are wedge cut with seasoning and as my brother referred to them: they’re “legitimate potatoes.”  Onion rings are thick cut with a crisp bread-batter shell.  They come out positively steaming and are served with ranch dressing.  I like them because they have a distinct flavor- not that generic restaurant “fried” flavor.  Ketchup is on every table and mustard/mayo are available by request.

Hodad’s has an amazing selection of drinks.  They serve shakes/malts (chocolate, vanilla & strawberry) and each comes in a huge malt cup, with two scoops of matching ice cream inside, and they bring out an extra cup and spoons to help you get through it.  We ordered chocolate, and it definitely took all three of us to consume. Hodad’s also serves regular fountain sodas, rootbeer floats and a wide range of beers. Draft beers like Fat Tire and Sierra Nevada come in mason jars with handles and bottled beers range from PBR, Bud, and Sam, to Pacifico and Miller.

It’s almost always crowded with a line out the door, especially now that summer’s coming.  Used to be locals only, but the tourism traffic is growing since Guy Fieri named it one of the top ten burgers in America, and chose it for Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate: With Bacon.”  The décor is eclectic: license plates from all different states and countries cover most of the walls, as well as surfboards, maps, stolen street signs, psychedelic stuff and a spattering of awards.  Just half a block from the beach, it’s a lively, casual atmosphere filled with hungry anticipation.  The Ramones were blaring through the speakers while families and friends tried to get out a few words between bites.  Depending on what and how much you like to drink, you’re probably looking at about $10-$15 per person for burger, fries/rings and a drink.

My brother got it right when he said, “It’s a necessary accident that you eat too much.”  

http://www.hodadies.com/index.html  Please note: Hodad's is located in SAN DIEGO, CA.

Software refuses to upload photos at the moment... hopefully glitches will be worked out later.

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In N Out’s fries are on the softer side, but this never stops me from requesting extra Spread and dipping each one in it. I like to get my fries ‘Animal Style’ which means they get topped off with a slice of cheese, grilled onions and Spread. Because that combination quickly gets messy they give you a fork so you can pick thru and get a perfect bite every time. In N Out only offers ketchup and Spread, but that’s all I’d ever need there.

2 Animal Style cheeseburgers with regular fries and Animal Style fries.

In N Out’s clientele shifts slowly throughout the day. At lunch time it’s anyone and everyone. The restaurants are almost always neat and clean and the red palm trees over the white background make for a cheerful motif. To combat the long drive-thru lines (10 cars plus!) they get at peak hours they started sending out a server with a mini computer to take your order- the faster orders get in, the faster they come out. Later at night you start to get a lot more teenagers around. Servers are polite and friendly and the simplicity of the menu keeps the wait down.

They offer your standard set of fountain sodas, water and lemonade. But In N Out makes amazing shakes. A chocolate milk shake isn’t something I normally crave, but In N Out does it right. They make strawberry, vanilla and chocolate and they’re all equally good. If it’s your first time there, or you rarely come across one, definitely get a shake!

In N Out is, by all counts, a cheap burger joint. Even if you start adding ‘styles’ and shakes it’s not likely you’ll get over $10 per person. Quick note, in phrasing leftover from the 50’s, if you drive thru they’ll ask you, “Will you be eating this in your car?” You typically want to answer, “No, to-go please,” because you want everything in to-go containers, not open containers and placemats. Yes, they have placemats; I only go to classy joints.

  http://www.in-n-out.com/

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 I had the privilege of joining four lovely ladies for an afternoon of birthday celebrating with a traditional tea party!  We went to the Lobby Lounge at the Montage Beverly Hills where we were presented with a beautiful table arrangement and dainty, floral china.  The tea menu was comprised of traditional black teas, white teas, green teas- basically all sorts of fantastic things I knew nothing about because proper tea is a lost tradition in America.   A tradition, I think, that needs to be brought back!  Who wouldn’t want to pause at 4 in the afternoon and have a little cup of tea and a delicious scone?

There are different tea ‘packages’ on the menu: Traditional, Royale, Gentleman’s, and Children’s. The Royale comes with a glass of champagne, and being us, that was a must. I was tempted to choose the Gentleman’s Tea because it came with scotch and sliders, or even the children’s because it came with grilled cheese and Nutella treats! But I decided to go with the Royale because it was my first proper tea, and I wanted to keep with tradition. The champagne was quite good and we raised a glass to Helena’s and Racine’s birthdays. 

We each chose our own teas. (You get your own pot!) I went with Mightea Aphroditea, a black tea with hints of vanilla bean.  My lovely cousin Maddie Rose ordered a green tea with hints of coconut and Alexis opted for Pearls of Wisdom.  Helena chose an herbal tea called Enchanted Evening with peppermint, chocolate and vanilla. I always taste the tea as it is, but I inevitably end up adding sugar.  We had so much tea we were passing pots around trying everyone’s flavors. With the tea they bring out a beautiful three-tiered serving dish that has: little sandwiches on the bottom: I particularly enjoyed the smoked salmon with dill, desserts in the middle: a fruit tart was my pick, and scones on top: I loved the butter-cream scone.  Traditional and delicious. 

A harpist played soothing music in the background and even performed ‘Happy Birthday’ for Helena.  She played on and off the whole time we were there and I noticed there was a definite pickup in conversation when she played because the room was so quiet without her- our often-inappropriate conversation could probably be overheard across the room.  (But that’s an issue anywhere we go that isn’t a bar…)  I should warn you however that as excellent as the tea and service are, it’s still an expensive endeavor.  We ended up paying about $50 each with tip, so if cost is an issue, skip the champagne and go with the ‘Traditional Tea’ its $28 instead of $40. 

All in all a proper, well-spent afternoon that I hope to revive more often!  Time to bust out my grandmother’s tea cups…

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America is a hamburger nation. While the burger species has flourished under many names (Big Mac, Whopper, Double-Double, or even Tarantino’s famous Royal With Cheese) in a lot of the major cities it has recently split into two distinct breeds: The Classic and The Gourmet. BUT a burger always consists of the same three components: The Meat, The Bun and The Toppings. That can mean a sesame seed bun, quarter pound of beef, cheese, lettuce, onion, and ketchup; or an English muffin, with a veggie patty, sprouts and vegan pepper aioli.

In LA, many people, blogs and websites attempt to rank the burger joints and pick the BEST burger- an impossible task for even the most experienced critics. Instead of such unfair, subjective judgment, I propose a Burger Exploration Expedition. We don’t need a ranking system; we need first hand knowledge and insider tips so we can decide for ourselves what type of burger is best at the moment. (What type of bear is best? The Office, anyone?)

Over the next two months I will embark on this burger mission with a couple good friends by my side, sampling one burger joint a week and giving you a comprehensive write up with regard to these factors:
-burger itself

-fries

-atmosphere

-clientele

-beverages

-cost

Thirteen burger joints made my initial list, which I am keeping under wraps for now, but if you have a comment or a place I simply must go- please share!  Let the exploration begin…

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hate the corporate feel of the change, but I'm glad the little company with a quality product is having so much success.

When my siblings and I were little we would drive up to Monterey with my dad and visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of the more fantastic aquariums on the coast. If you're making this journey I suggest taking the 101, but cutting over to the 5 around Salinas. The 101 is a twisty road and if you're prone to car sickness you will be hit. The views either way are quite beautiful, but watch out for airplanes- they're usually checking your speed and radioing cops on the ground!

I camped at Point Mugu during one spring break in high school and every sunrise and sunset the dolphins would swim along the shore through the waves. While I enjoyed the experience immensely, the campground didn't have very good (or very many) amenities, so be prepared to be a little dirty and use some port-o-potties. Whether you’re sleeping in a tent or under the sky, I recommend bringing an air mattress or one of those full length lawn chairs that folds open flat because sand is harder to sleep on than concrete!

I used to go to Mexico with my dad, before the drug wars between the cartels became so pronounced and so dangerous. My dad found a metalworker named Julio somewhere along the main road between Rosarito and Ensenada. He had a beautiful talent for designing wrought iron. When we commissioned pieces for him we would bring him the drawings and then go eat delicious tacos at one of the local stands- where they still serve coca cola in the glass bottles and it’s still made from real sugar cane- and then wander through the open air market. I have a beautiful turquoise pendant my dad bought for me on one of our trips. On our way back to San Diego we always bought churros from the vendors that scurried in between the traffic at the border.

If you are a bargain shopper there are three major outlet malls along the west coast of California: the Las Americas outlet, which is the last exit off the 5 before you hit the International Border, the Carlsbad Premium Outlets, also off the 5 at Palomar Airport Road in North San Diego, and the Camarillo Outlets off the 101 on Ventura Boulevard- halfway between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. If you like designer apparel but hate to pay full price, these three malls are not a bad way to spend the day.

Aside from the trips with my family my sister attended UCSB for a semester and when I came to visit we spent a lovely day walking through the sleepy campus and cruising along State Street, window shopping. Santa Barbara’s a big place but the main area still has that familiar small town feel. Visit the local art galleries and be sure to check out some of the wine tasting opportunities if you’re in the area.

No matter where you go, if it’s a day trip or for the weekend, if you’re on the 5, the 1 (PCH) or the 101 chances are you’ll be near the ocean and the view will be mesmerizing.  (But please keep your eyes on the road enough so you don’t crash!)

{the view from the upper deck of The Whaler in Venice, CA- a perfect place to spend a Sunday afternoon if you can't fit in a proper roadtrip}

http://www.rainbowsandals.com/
326 Calle de los Molinos, San Clemente, CA 92672
Summer Hours: M-F 8:00 to 5:00 Pacific Time Sat. 10:00 to 4:30
Winter Hours: M-F 8:00 to 4:30 Pacific Time Sat. 10:00 to 3:00
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=630
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/centers/index.asp

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