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Posts Tagged ‘Santa Monica’
Sunday, October 3rd, 2010
A highlight of my recent trip to Santa Monica was meeting a finalist from Bravo TV’s Top Chef series. As Top Chef fanatics, my husband and I jumped at the chance to eat at The Yard, a gastropub at which Season Three Top Chef Finalist CJ Jacobson works as head chef. Our waitress said CJ is always more than happy to come out to talk to fans of the show. How could I resist?
Here I am with Top Chef Finalist CJ Jacobson
So, here’s my confession. I had a bit of a crush on CJ during his season of Top Chef. You can probably tell by my goofy smile in the picture above. And what’s going on with my hair and that unflattering outfit?! If I had known at the start of the day that I would be meeting CJ that night, I probably would have put a bit more effort into my appearance. (Sorry, hubs!)
Anyhoo… the celebrity chef seemed almost apologetic about the (mildly) rowdy atmosphere and casual happy hour menu. Apparently there had been a street festival that day, drawing in a younger and thirstier crowd than usual. My family didn’t mind one bit. We happily enjoyed our fish tacos, burger sliders, buffalo wings, and beers (water for the kids, of course) at discounted happy hour pricing.
Gastropub fare at The Yard
I promised the chef I’d come back someday for a true taste of what the restaurant offers beyond the happy hour menu. (I’m sure CJ is eagerly awaiting my return!) The dinner menu lists such items as Braised Beef Cheek served with potato puree, market vegetable, and pickled golden raisins or Crispy Duck Confit with grilled tenerelli nectarines, market beans, and hazelnut.
If traveling with kids, you should know there is no children’s menu or high chairs. The Yard would probably make a better date night than a family dining option if you can manage to snag a sitter one evening while in Santa Monica.
When I asked CJ if he particularly likes gastropub fare or why he chose to work at The Yard, he said, “I like food of all kinds. Yes, I do like gastropub fine. But eventually the owners and I want to work together on something else.” Their new venture, while not necessarily fine-dining per se, will offer a more upscale dining experience. I can’t wait to see what they cook up!
Have you ever been unprepared to meet someone you admire? Share your celebrity “brush with greatness” story below!
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A note from the Travel Mama: We paid for our meal at The Yard and didn’t get any special treatment because I am a travel writer. I will always tell you if I receive any discounts or perks related to a blog post.
Tags: California, celebrity, CJ Jacobson, Santa Monica, The Yard, Top Chef
Posted in Grown-Up Getaways, Mixed Baggage, Restaurant Reviews | 9 Comments »
Sunday, September 19th, 2010
Santa Monica is the epitomy of a Southern California beach town with its surfable waves, walkable downtown, laidback atmosphere, and seaside amusements. Santa Monica makes for a family-friendly weekend getaway, with just enough to see and do in a couple of days without being overwhelmed by the need to squeeze it all in.
My kids show off their carnival game prizes (won by Daddy) on the Santa Monica Pier
Carnival Rides & Games
When I asked readers where my family should go for a weekend getaway, 55% of voters chose Santa Monica. This Southern California beach town is probably best-known for the Santa Monica Pier and its amusement park, Pacific Park, which offers 11 rides including a roller coaster, a handful of fast food options, and carnival games galore. There is something so summery, retro, and joyous about taking a spin on a Ferris wheel on a pier perched over the ocean! There is no entrance fee to the park. You can purchase individual ride tickets or serious ride lovers can purchase an all-day wristband for unlimited fun.
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier
Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Shop
After taking in a few rides, head over to the Soda Jerks Fountain Service for hand-dipped ice cream sundaes. This ice cream parlor, also located on the pier, has limited counter seating inside (next to the indoor carousel) plus outdoor tables at which to gobble up your goodies. Choose from old school favorites like an egg cream or go for Curious George’s Jungle Shake (a blend of vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, mixed nuts, and banana). Or, you can create your own sundae from 16 flavors of ice creams, sherbets, and sorbets plus nine toppings. The salted nuts on top were the bee’s knees!
“The Ocean Park” create-your-own, kid-size sundae from Soda Jerks Fountain Service
Seaside Aquarium
Santa Monica Pier offers a variety of sit-down restaurants, a handful of shops, and an aquarium. The Santa Monica Aquarium may be the smallest aquarium I have ever visited but it is a non-profit and admission fees are minimal. My five-year-old enjoyed creating a paper shark puppet while her toddler younger brother gazed at the tanks of fish and got a chance to pet a sea star.
Sea stars at the Santa Monica Aquarium
Stroll, Shop & Watch
Once you tire of the pier, walk over to the Third Street Promenade, a 30-block pedestrian-friendly shopping area. There is no shortage of retail stores or dining options here! Adding to the fun are street performers singing, dancing, doing acrobatics, and playing musical instruments of all kinds. This free (or tip-only) entertainment enabled me to snag a couple of new shirts and a darling sweater from H&M while the hubs minded the kids!
Whimsical dinosaur fountain along the Third Street Promenade
An Affordable Place to Stay
We stayed just outside Santa Monica at the Los Angeles Marina del Rey Courtyard by Marriott. Our room was a little cramped for a family of four, but the service was friendly, the hotel was clean, and the outdoor pool surrounded by palm trees was a pleasant diversion for big sister Karissa while toddler Leo took his afternoon nap.
View of the pool at Marina del Rey Courtyard from our hotel room balcony
I appreciated the subtle little extras this hotel provided, including individually packaged earplugs (for those of us married to a snorer) and self-service poolside ice water. I was a bit surprised when my bill for the buffet breakfast arrived. I thought breakfast was included at Courtyard hotels. (Alas, I must’ve been thinking of Comfort Inn.) Although a free breakfast would have certainly been preferred, we enjoyed a pleasant spread of fresh fruit, yogurt, cereals, juices, coffee, make-your-own waffles, and an omelet station.
Spirit of Aloha in SoCal
One of the most memorable aspects of our trip for me was meeting former Travel Mamas Guest Blogger Debi Huang. She is the author of Go Explore Nature, a blog that suggest unique ways and fun places to explore the outdoors with kids. On our first night in town, she and her husband, their two boys, and my brood got together at Duke’s Malibu for some scrumptious fresh fish, live ukulele music with hula dancing entertainment, and a gorgeous view of the ocean.
Tableside entertainment at Duke’s Malibu
The best part for me was gabbing about the wild and wacky world of blogging with Debi while our husbands wrangled the children! A wonderful bonus to blogging is all of the incredible people I have met from around the country and around the world who share my love of writing and travel. What a wonderful way to connect with locals wherever I go!
Karissa, me, and Debi Huang of Go Explore Nature
While it was too chilly for a beach outing during our Labor Day vacation to Santa Monica, we did zip around on amusement park rides, play carnival games, eat some tasty food, and meet up with some awesome Santa Monica residents. What more could we ask for?
What’s your favorite attraction, restaurant, or hotel in Santa Monica? Leave a comment below!
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A note from the Travel Mama: The Santa Monica tourism board welcomed my family with a beach bag of logo items and two free Pacific Park wristbands. We paid for much of our two-night hotel bill with a $250 Marriott gift card, which I earned for hosting an unrelated post on Travel Mamas. These benefits did not affect my opinion of anything mentioned in this story. I will always let you know if I receive any any products or services related to a blog post.
Tags: amusement park, aquarium, California, carousel, Duke's, Ferris wheel, ice cream, Malibu, marriott, Pacific Park, pool, Santa Monica
Posted in Family Vacations, Hotel Reviews, Restaurant Reviews, Theme Parks | 6 Comments »
Thursday, September 2nd, 2010
I left it up to you to decide where my family should go for a Southern California road trip getaway. With 55% of the votes…we are headed to Santa Monica for a weekend of Old School Amusements & Beachy Fun! Coming in second place was Knott’s Berry Farm with 45% of the votes, for a trip filled with Rides & Waterslides. That means the third choice, Wooly Mammoths & Hollywood in Los Angeles, got exactly zero votes. Was it the bones of creatures stuck in gooey ponds of muck that turned you off?!
Many who voted for Santa Monica recommended Santa Monica Pier, Third Street Promenade, the Farmers Market, and Pacific Park. Based on your recommendations, it sounds like there is plenty of tasty, family-friendly food to try too. I’ve booked our room at Marriott’s Courtyard Marina Del Rey and my five-year-old is already psyched about the Ferris wheel on the pier. We can’t wait!
For helping me with my bout of indecision, everyone who voted was automatically entered to win two travel games from ThinkFun – Zingo! To Go and Rush Hour or Rush Hour Jr. One lucky winner was selected at random using Random.org. Congratulations to Mia J., who said, “I think Santa Monica sounds the best. You will be able to enjoy each other and the fun and beauty of the beach.” I hope you’re right, Mia! The winner has been notified via email. If I do not hear from her within two days, another winner will be chosen using Random.org.
If you have any additional Santa Monica site, restaurant, or activity suggestions, send them my way with a comment below!
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Tags: California, road trip, Santa Monica, ThinkFun, travel games
Posted in Family Vacations | 2 Comments »
Monday, August 23rd, 2010
I need your help with a little travel dilemma. I have got a $250 Marriott gift certificate burning a hole in my pocket book! The problem? I tend to be a tad (ahem, a ton!) indecisive. That’s where you come in. I’ve narrowed it down to three choices…please weigh-in and choose where my family should go on our weekend getaway! For helping me out, you could win two fabulous travel games from ThinkFun. Even if you don’t need the prize, go ahead and vote! Just let me know in your comment that you’d like the games to go to another entrant. We’ll go wherever you tell us to go!
To keep things within my (tight) budget, I need to go somewhere within driving distance from our home in San Diego. My travel companions will be the hubs (Phil), my daughter (Karissa, age five), and my little guy (Leo, age two). We’ll take our journey sometime during September, while the weather is still warm and sunny in Southern California.
Option 1: Rides & Waterslides
What kid doesn’t love amusement parks and waterslides? While we’ve visited Disneyland with Little Ones numerous times, we have never taken our children to Knott’s Berry Farm. In fact, the last time I visited the nation’s oldest theme park was during high school and I’m sure a lot has changed since then. There are oodles of rides in Camp Snoopy that would please the kiddies, like the Flying Ace Balloon Race and the Charlie Brown Speedway. The following day we could head to Knott’s Soak City waterpark for a watery good ol’ time on its plentiful waterslides, lazy river, and Gremmie Lagoon children’s pool.
Option 2: Wooly Mammoths & Movie Stars
My husband and I have lived in SoCal for ten years and during that time we have only ventured to Los Angeles for a weekend getaway once…and that was shortly after we moved here. Sure, we’ve driven through the city on our way elsewhere or to pick up cupcakes from Sprinkles, but that’s about it. For this trip, we’d bring the kids to La Brea Tar Pits, where thousands of years ago extinct animals got stuck in black, gooey pits of tar. There are life-sized wooly mammoth models submerged in the tar pits as well as skeletons of creatures like Sabor-toothed cats constructed from fossils found in the muck on display at the Page Museum next door. We could also wander along the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard, try to match our hands with those of celebrities at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, or take in behind-the-scenes movie magic at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Option 3: Old-School Amusements & Beachy Fun
I have never been to the Santa Monica Pier, the West Coast’s only amusement park on an oceanfront pier. With its aquarium, old-fashioned soda fountain, carnival games, carousel, Ferris wheel, and other diversions – this place is sure to please the kiddies. The next day we could pick up a picnic lunch and head to Santa Monica Beach for a day of splashing in the water and building sand castles.
Road Trip Entertainment
For the journey, I’ll be sure to bring along lots of healthy (and a few forbidden!) snacks, pack some bubbles and a beach ball for rest-stop entertainment, and pull out the Zingo! To Go for a few rounds of on-the-go fun. My kindergartner and I played this game for the first time during our flight to Puerto Rico for our mommy-daughter getaway. We have the at-home game too and my daughter and her friends love, love, love playing both versions! The game is similar to Bingo…but with a zing! There are no loose pieces to worry about misplacing and everything fits in a compact travel bag. It’s recommended for kids aged four and older.
Another fun travel diversion for puzzle lovers is Rush Hour, a single player sequential game in which the player steers cars, trucks, and buses out of traffic jams. It also comes with its own handy travel bag. The original version is appropriate for kids and adults aged eight and older, while Rush Hour Jr. can keep children aged six to eight occupied on the way to your destination.
Vote & Win!
So…where should we go? It’s up to you! Just leave a comment below about which of these three paths you think we should take for a chance to win two games: Zingo! To Go (for ages four and older, retail value $14.99) PLUS your choice of ThinkFun’s popular Rush Hour (for ages eight and older, retail value $19.99) or Rush Hour Jr. (for ages six to eight, retail value $17.99).
This contest ends on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time. A winner will be chosen at random using Random.org. The winner will be notified via email. If the prize is not claimed within two days, another winner will be selected. One entry per person.
To vote, simply make a comment below about which road trip option my family should take. That’s it! If you have additional tips on sites to see, restaurants for us to try, and activities to do during our trip, feel free share those too. We will go to whichever location receives the most votes.
A note from the Travel Mama: I earned this $250 Marriott gift card for running a Tots Travel Too Contest for Marriott a couple of months ago on Travel Mamas. I was under no obligation to write another blog post mentioning Marriott. ThinkFun provided my family with a free Zingo! To Go game to preview and will provide the two games to the winner of this giveaway.
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Tags: aquarium, beach, California, carousel, Ferris wheel, Hollywood, Knott's Berry Farm, Los Angeles, marriott, Santa Monica, ThinkFun, travel games, waterslide, Zingo! To Go
Posted in Family Vacations, Toys & Gear | 51 Comments »
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