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