Celebrating 5 Years...Off to Redondo Beach!

Like the LA people that we are, (HAHAHA! not really...) we think that at least one day during a long weekend in the summer should be spent at the beach! Not only that, N and I also celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary that weekend so really it was more than a beach trip. :D

First off, I've only been to three California beaches. Santa Monica, another popular destination; Malibu which was way back in the 90's when my cousin took me; and Long Beach, where we spent Valentine's Day (pre-kid days) in 2009.

Among all of these beaches, Redondo is my favorite. I do think it's the most family-oriented one, Santa Monica a close second. Yes it was crowded of course, it was the day before Labor Day. But overall it's a great place to take the family.

Here's a list of what I love about the place:

• Parking - Everywhere in LA parking is a witch! Everybody knows that. But they actually have great parking here. And very accessible no matter which part of the pier you want to hang out.
• Dining - There's something for everyone at any budget. I seriously love that. You can have the most expensive lobster dinner at an expensive joint or get a plate of fish fry from a hole in the wall place. 
• There's an outdoor shower by the beach where you can wash off the sand from your feet and everywhere else before you step into your car. Really.
• There are vendors everywhere - yes, you can have this in ANY beach anywhere in the world. But I am including this because like the first time beach bums that we are we didn't even bring an umbrella or some kind of protection (a cabana or a tent would be awsome!) from the sun...smart! LOL, we did have a large beach towel to sit on but not really large enough. So I thank the umbrella vendors all over the beach selling their wares because we lasted long enough under the sun without burning to a crisp.

The kid had a blast...when she saw the ocean she started clapping! It was so funny. :D She wanted to go swimming but none of us brought a change of clothes! (another smart move) There's always next time! :D But she had lots of fun playing in the sand, by the water, people watching and looking at all the birds!

Our anniversary lunch was at The Boiling Shrimp. I know, it's a complete knock off of The Boiling Crab minus the 3 hour wait! The food is exactly the same except they have Thai noodles and soup on the menu. We actually tried the Hollywood Blvd. branch first and wanted to come back. So when I saw they have a newly opened one in Redondo we knew we wanted to give it another try.

The shrimps were perfectly cooked! Love it! Although I like the garlic and butter sauce better (from our first trip), the juicy and tender meat made up for it. The mussels were great too. Again it was perfectly cooked and I love that they added whole basil leaves. The flavor is incredible! Calamari is always my favorite even at The Boiling Crab, very lightly battered and fried just right. A few drops of lemon --- perfect! Their fries are a big disappointment. It was just not done right, the coating wasn't even and it was so heavy and starchy. :( The fried catfish was okay, I like the Hollywood Boulevard version better. I hate the fact that they used the big fillets which turned out rubbery. :/ The kid still liked it and ate it together with the fries. She brought her own dessert though --- cut up watermelon! LOL.

Overall, it was a great experience and we're definitely coming back to try the other seafood places and maybe go whale watching.

What's your favorite beach and beach activities???

REDONDO BEACH
W Torrance Blvd
Redondo Beach, CA 90277

THE BOILING SHRIMP

Pier Plaza

125 W.Torrance Blvd., 

Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Tel. (310) 374-6555

Mommy Cooks: Ultimate Super Nacho Supreme

This is so easy to make in fact I can't wait for Sofia to grow a little bigger (not too fast though!) so she can help me prepare it!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 Bag of Tostitos Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips --- healthy alternative? Trader Joe's Veggie and Flax Seed Tortilla Chips or Trader Joe's Organic White Tortilla Chips
• 1 lb of lean ground beef (I used 90/10 lean meat) --- healthy alternative? ground turkey breast
• 1 taco mix (I used El Paso medium) --- healthy alternative? Homemade Taco Mix!
• 1 to 1/2 cup of salsa (I used Tostitos medium salsa) --- healthy alternative? Homemade Salsa!
• 2-3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 to 1/2 can of refried beans (I used canned) --- healthy alternative? Homemade Refried Beans!
• 1 chopped fresh tomato
• a bunch of chopped cilantro - I used A LOT because we are big fans!  
• 1 avocado, smashed 
•  3 dallops of sour cream or any amount you desire --- healthy alternative? I used fat free sour cream
• 1/2 cup of water
• pickled jalapeno peppers amount as needed

 PROCEDURE:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Brown the meat then drain excess water. When beef is all brown and dry add the water, then add the taco mix. Let it simmer uncovered until thick.  
• Arrange one layer of chips on the baking pan. Spread beans first and then cheese on top, repeat this on a second layer.
• Add the beef on top and stick it in the oven for approximately 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
• When done, add the guacamole, salsa, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers and the cilantro.
• Finally add the sour cream on top and enjoy while chips, beef and cheese are warm! :) This will (probably) serve 4-5 people! :D

 Tex-Mex at its finest! What's your favorite Tex-Mex recipe???

Mommy Shops: Fall in L.A.

Change of season also means a change of wardrobe. That's what living in the Midwest for 12 years has taught me. But then we're not in Michigan anymore, we're in L.A. So I wasn't quite sure how to dress the kid. In Michigan, once September hits, we dust off our fall jackets and take out the cardis and hoodies. But right now as I type this, the sun is shining so bright like we're in the middle of July. I'm not complaining, especially when I think of those bitter Michigan winters. But I do miss fall, my favorite season.

<--- Here's my little ham wearing the yellow lovebirds shirt and one of the ON striped leggings. :)

I know this will sound strange but I haven't bought the kid a pair of long pants since she was 6 months old. It lasted her all through winter and spring. And when summer came, she lived in shorts, sun dresses and short skirts. So now all her pants are capris! LOL! There were a lot of sales lately which gave me the perfect opportunity to get her some new stuff. :)

I hope these withstand the L.A. fall/winter! HA! :D What is your favorite season???